Investigation Part 1

PC games are losing the interest of mainstream gamers, with major stores sidelining their PC games, in favour of console–exclusive titles. Certain electronics shops, such as EB Games, are now phasing out PC games and placing their entire PC inventory on sale for discounted prices. Chain-stores, such as K-Mart or Target, have dropped their areas devoted to PC games from large, two section isles, to 5 ft shelves with only 15-20 titles. Stores devoted entirely to PC gaming are also on the decline, with stores either removing their PC Software inventory, marking down their prices, or simply going out of business. On the 26^th of February, PC retailer GAME closed down 43 of its UK stores, with 247 members of staff losing their jobs, and American electronics retailer CompUSA had their holiday revenue half from 2005 to 2006, store-restocking shipments are not being scheduled past February, forcing them to liquidate their remaining 103 stores. After closing 20% of its stores in the autumn of 2008, electronics chain Circuit City hired four liquidators in early 2009, in order to sell the inventory of its remaining 567 American stores. It was reported that Circuit City lost its market share as a result of chain-stores like Wal-Mart (which exclusively sell console games) undercutting their prices.

As the graph above shows, sales of console games have nearly doubled over the last ten years, with the introduction of the Playstation 2 and 3, the Nintendo GameCube and the Wii, as well as the introduction of higher-powered handheld consoles, including the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. Microsoft, eager to keep up with their competition, released the Xbox in 2001 and the Xbox 360 in 2005.

Clever marketing on the part of Nintendo has also opened up the gaming demographic to the public. When the Nintendo DS was released in 2004, one of the first game slated for release was Nintendogs, a game involving the raising and care of a virtual puppy, and a game far outside the current (at the time) demographic for video-games. In the first week of its release in Japan (April 18 to April 24), its sales totalled over 168,000 units. This title game also boosted the Nintendo DS system sales by over 4.2 times the previous week to 95,000 units, up from 22,000.Nintendogs also had very successful launches in North America and Europe, with first week sales of over 250,000 and 160,000 respectively, making it the fastest selling Nintendo DS game in both regions to date.

‘Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?’ (known as ‘Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!’ outside PAL regions) is another Nintendo title that’s worked hard to pull gaming into the mainstream. Marketed at middle-aged to elderly men and women, the game has sold over 20 million units worldwide, and spawned a number of sequels.

Walk Cycle (Again)

'nother shot.

Walk Cycle

Video doesn't work. I'll fix it later.





SIX DAYS WITHOUT A BLOG POST!

HOORAY!

This is something I did in Animation and Games Development. I think it's terrible, but it seems to be getting me marks, and I did it in ten minutes, including the music, so I'm kind of proud of it.

This is the eyeball character that's going to be in my video-game. I'd get right on finishing it, but I have a 2000 word essay-draft due on thursday. Excellent.

I read The Crow today. It's changed my outlook on life. And also, anyone who'd read Jthm and thinks it's the best, can get fucked. FUCKED. I loved it, but it does not, and cannot, hold a candle to The Crow.


Best thing to come out of the 80's.

Telling a story more than once.

I hate it. So if you read something, even a little, leave a comment please. Especially you, Darcy, because you tend to wait until I'm halfway through something to tell me you've heard it already.

I have an essay to finish.

We just went to film, to begin with, but the guy we wanted to film wasn't ready and we ended up just getting a whole series of shots of both the building and the steampunk stuff they has set up inside. I'm not sure if you've seen the Carclew building from inside the grounds, but it's incredible. I'm almost angry about how good that building looks. It is a sexy building. It's almost like when you see a girl walking down the street, and her whole face just kind of... works together, as a team, to make her look her best, and you're left thinking 'How the hell is that fair?'

Moving on.

So we got a couple of interviews, one with Steve, one with Christian, and one with Queen Victoria, the longest reining British monarch of all time (she was lovely,) and spent at least two hours staring at the armoury, which included several ray-guns, a tommy-gun, a crossbow with a bayonet and a minigun the size of my own head, before walking outside to discover Andy.

Now, in each and every interview we'd done, we'd asked questions about how heavily tonight's event would involve literary and historical characters, and every single time, the interviewee would say 'Oh, we've got Sherlock Holmes, Queen Victoria... Nicola Tesla...'

They gave the part to Andy. He didn't even bring any direct-energy weapons with him, for which I berated him heavily, because why else would he be there? For his Serbian accent? I don't think so.

Ari and Aidan turned up a few minutes later, and it seems Aidan had taken it upon himself to make a whole series of brass gears, which both he and Ari were wearing more or less everywhere. Ari, can I just say, had outdone herself in terms of costuming. She was wearing pieces of clothing I don't even have names for. 's very cool.

Adam and I could only stay if we were wearing proper clothing that fitted with the costumes being worn, and while Adam was wearing a nice shirt and suit pants, I was wearing torn jeans, ripped shoes and my checked Anarchist shirt, so I had to spend half an hour standing out on the street waiting for my parents to arrive with my suit, which I had to try and put on in a public toilet WHILE NOT LETTING ANY PART OF IT TOUCH EITHER THE WALLS OR THE FLOOR. I deserve a bloody medal...

Once this suit was on, I had to try and stick one of Aidan's brass gears onto my tie, so I went the green room to try and find a tie-pin. (Look, let's get this straight. I know a lot about suits, okay? So if I use some words you don't understand... get stuffed. That said, you should all be able to work out what a tie-pin does.) There wasn't a tie-pin, so the NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE COSTUMERS' GUILD sewed it on for me. She was talking to Queen Victoria. It was all a little weird. The night continued.

Now, the bit where we got attacked by Space Pirates was the best. Mainly because one of the butlers shouted 'My god! Everyone with weapons, please form a blockade in front of this door!' He looked a little surprised when over half the people there pulled out rayguns and moved in front of the door. I didn't even see the pirates for all the tophats in the way.

Plus, there was a brain in a jar, so everything was awesome.

There were a couple of problems, though. First off, you can't talk to anyone, because they all have to stay in character. I spent half the night referring to Andy as 'Mr Tesla'. Every time you want to talk to a girl, you have to kiss their hand. It gets old after a while.
As well as that, no-one could understand that I wasn't actually... 'there' so people... well, nerds, kept trying to talk to me in ridiculous accents. Eventually, I'd have to go 'I'm not in character' and they'd look very sheepish and scurry away. This happened, like, six times.

Eventually, we just went home. But it was awesome, and the maids were friendly. I don't mean that in a dirty way, I just mean they were funny and they gave me scones. I'd go next year.

Steampunk.

I love steampunk. I'll probably say more after I've managed to get this brass cog off my tie.

Maiden Voyage Of The Olympia

This is ridiculous. After all this time wondering when our guys (I call them nerds, but I should probably stop it...) were going to get back to us, and then Adam gets a call saying they want us there TOMMOROW!

Took some quick work, but everything's going according to plan...

Don't you love Steampunk? Wicked...

Please, God, don't let anyone I know be there. Especially not... yeah...

I suppose I should do something for them, as they've been so nice...


Here's their site.

Just in case I bleed to death...

I never realised how well it can spread, but there's a tiny, tiny cut on my arm, and there's blood everywhere. It's all over my desk and papers, all over these tissues. It's like ink. And the cut is barely visible.
That's not hemophalia, is it? It doesn't seem to be clotting. I'm trying not to get it on my laptop, but it's getting to be too much. I've used almost a whole box of 'manly' tissues, and nothing's happened.
So if I don't make it, I always knew everything, everywhere, all the time.

And Immy, I will haunt your ass for fucking forever.

The Geek shall inherit the earth.

And his name is Thomas, and he is me, and I shall inherit the earth.

People sometimes ask me 'Thomas, what's the difference between a Christian and a Catholic?' And I say 'Well I'm a Catholic called Thomas and, as such, I can believe whatever the hell I like, because no Catholics older than forty think any Catholic called Thomas is anything but a doubter. Which is funny, because I am a doubter. (Well, someone has to play Devil's Advocate. What's everyone got against that guy?) Whereas those other Christians, they'll believe any old bollocks! (Love you, Kels, honey, now let me keep the skin on my knuckles, yeah?) Especially those Baptists! They're nutters! (Knuckles, Kels.) And those crazy Lutherans! What's with that?' At that point, someone will have punched me, and I won't have to go on.

Actually, what I said about the devil isn't true. I fucking hate that guy, because he's evil. That's kind of his, you know, thing. His raison d'etre. Why would you follow that guy? What's wrong with you, Satanists? HE'S NOT GOING TO HELP YOU, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ON HIS SIDE! HE'S THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS, DON'T TRUST HIM!!!!

Not that Christians are much better. Especially Catholics. Never mind the fact I'm supposed to be a homophobe, never mind the fact I can't use condoms or have sex before marriage, I'm supposed to hate Wiccans as well? I'd love to quiz the Pope on Wicca, see how much he knows, because I bet he knows less than he's letting on.I mean, not every religion involving a horned god is devil-worship! What is wrong with you people?

Nothing to say about Buddhism. I'd be a Buddhist, except... I'd only be doing it because I read Monkey - Journey To The West, which is a bit patronising. Plus, I'd feel compelled to be less violent, and we can't have that.

All of this is more or less academic anyway, because by this point, you'll all have stopped reading.

Can't think of anything.

I've got an MP3-Player now, so today was insane. I just listened to songs I hadn't heard in a long time, as loud as a could, all day.
Erm... there must be something else...

Oh, yes. Today's Kelsey-related joke is the fact that she's madly in love with me. Yesterday's was her twins. With whom she was pregnant. Friday, she was on drugs. Kelsey, you're a terrible mother!! How can you abuse your children like that?

Lastly, we're all going to die. Just so you know.

I have nothing to say.

Today, I'm not going to talk about anything. I'm going to see how long I can go.

Rain.

Never usually gets me down, but today is different. I'm cold, my house is empty, and there's nothing to do. The contrast from the last few days is starting to get me. I'm too worried about my downloads running low to do anything on Youtube, I-View is currently empty (I just watched eight episodes of Storm Hawks in a row) and I'm a little too lazy to plug my X-Box in, so that's out. (I know that's a bad excuse, but I'd have to work out which plug to take out, find mine, put it in, find the batteries... it'd be messy.)

I could read Skulduggery Pleasant, something I've waited a year to do, but either they've both gone missing, or I left them at Ellie's house. If Ellie has somehow deigned to descend into the realm of Blogspot, 'I want my books!' Unless you don't have them, in which case my sisters have taken them again. Typical.

The cuts on my arm are healing weirdly. Oh, and I have an army now, and so far it's been immensely enjoyable. I'm thinking... Lugers.

Still, at least it's not a Sunday. I hate Sundays.

Scratches.

You, Immogen, are truely a marvel. Only you, I am sure, could cause more damage than a bitey crack-head (Ha! Kelsey...) with nothing more than a pair of fake nails and a sexist joke. That's not even the whole thing. That's just two of the six scratches, but my camera ran out of power too soon, so this is it.

I'd like to say I learnt my lesson, but really I just look forward to doing it all again. Also, isn't it ironic that a St. Johns person could cause such an injury?

That, dear Ellie, is the definition of ironic. And not whatever that argument was about at 2:12 AM. Also, I hated the Doctor Who Christmas Specials! And the DeathNote anime! And I'm glad Edgar's dead, because it's important!

In fact, you know what? FUCK AVATAR! Next up: Why Edgar Vargas is dead, and how this is relevant to the plot of Jthm.


...



...




'WHY MY PIGGY?! WHY?! I LOVEDED YOU PIGGY! I LOVEDED YOUUUUU!!'

Spikes

No-one ever touches my mother-fucking hair again. Understand? This didn't even work. After two hours and the worst pain I've ever endured, I ended up having to wash it and go curly anyway.

Not that I had an issue with that.

Drugs.

You know what? Kesley, honey, you can take those anti-inflammatory's as long as you want. That was awesome. The one person, the ONE person, out of everyone at school, that I'd never expect to see high is you. That terrifying grin and sudden and shocking lack of co-ordination will stay with me till the day I die. Also, sorry about the hair thing, Amelia.

Moving on...

Today, I had a light-saber fight at the back of a bus, A PUBLIC BUS, with Louis. A year 9. John had to stop me halfway through and go 'Er... Thomas? Your graduating at the end of the year.' That was embarrassing. Didn't stop me from having a gunfight with all the Glenunga students on the bus. Take that, Year 9's!

SO sad...

Next, I am preparing a small, temporary duck tattoo for Saturday. I'm going to do that now.

The League Of Gentlemen

Great show. I think the reason it's so funny, is because some of the characters are genuinely terrifying. It's not like Jthm, that's a black comedy. TLOG isn't. It's brilliant comedy... with some fucking scary scenes and characters. The tension gets so great sometimes, you just want to go back to one of the lighter scenes, just so you can get rid of that tension.

It's comedy, but it's serious.

Edward and Tubbs are creepy. I never wish to see a women breastfeed a pig again.
And the Farmer, he's creepy too.
And the cannibal butcher, who keeps trying to get people to eat his... 'wares'.

I just saw the one with 'The Beast Of Roston Vasey'. Three animals, cut up and sewn together, crucified and buried, and dug up by some workers in the middle of a thunderstorm. Creepy.


There. I said something nice. Now I'll stop.

The Truth

Tonight, I told a family member the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I'd never done this before. Not ever.


I've written the words 'TRUST HER!' on my arm, in case I forget. That is all the internet gets out of me. Back to my lies and schemes and plans and subterfuge.

Please listen to this song. It made me head-bang for three minutes straight. Which is also something I've never done before. You know you want to hear this song.

It's not misogyny!

I just hate fangirls! Let's be clear...

Checklist.

• Whole tub of Manga hair-gel.

• Red socks.

• Safety pins.

• Louis' skull-candy headphones.

• Vacuum cleaner (for spikes).

• Belt? I'd like a better belt. Something with studs.
  

So. Avatar.

I'll never know why that films so popular. It's now my next target.

No-one likes stuff. It's true.

Ask anyone.

Also, if someone tells me something they liked about the 80's again, I'll kill them. Amelia only got away with it because she's small, and we were in a public place, and I was tired.

Why I'm not a sadist.

I saw Avatar, and I told someone that my favourite part was the bit where the tree explodes. Actually... that was the only bit I liked. But anyway, they took it kind of badly, and thought I meant that for sadistic reasons. I think that's probably because they have difficulty coming to terms with the fact that it's a fictional story. And it's not the best written one. Anyway...

The reason I enjoyed the explosion, was because of the surround sound and the special effects, and no other reason. And they won't see this, so this whole thing is kind of pointless, but I'm doing it anyway.

I think you're the only one watching, Rob...

HI, ROB!!!