John Carmack on Violence in games

"People just play games now and I never took seriously the violence in video games debate. It was basically talking points for people to get on CNN and espouse their stuff on there," says id Software Technical director John Carmack. "And I really think, if anything, there is more evidence to show that the violent games reduce aggression and violence. There have actually been some studies about that, that it’s cathartic. If you go to QuakeCon and you walk by and you see the people there [and compare that to] a random cross section of a college campus, you’re probably going to find a more peaceful crowd of people at the gaming convention. I think it’s at worst neutral and potentially positive."
Source

 It does depend on who you are playing against. I have a feeling I caused quite a bit of rage during the JK2 / JKA era.

But I fully agree. At the end of the day, its supposed to be a game and something fun just ever so often someone takes a a little too seriously and ruins it for everyone else when the media runs away with a headline.

New Old Republic video looks as bad as .....

Dragon Age 2.

Theres something in this video that really has me worried. Much like when I tried the Dragon Age 2 demo.

Its just not sitting right with me. Partly the smuggler changes and just the way the 'dungeon' plays out.

I am starting to wonder if I should cancel my pre-order and sit it out.

Ending and a beginning

Today was my last day at my old job for 7 years and Monday I start my new job as a software developer for a local IT company. Its a completely different field of work but something I have always had a passion for. Since the early days with my ZX-81 doing simple message loops to the more recent game programing and App programing at my last job. It is all very exciting.

But anyway enough about boring me, back to news about games.

Oh, I also got a brand new Intel i7 2600 for my home machine and in a nutshell its turbotastic. 

Sintel ' I move on ' Wins Two Jerry Goldsmith Awards.

I have linked this before but its worth linking again:

Vota for how the Female Shepard should look in Mass Effect 3

Hang on a sec, I thought this was a RPG and you just made her look how you want ?

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150244340101645.322035.85811091644&type=1&_fb_noscript=1

I guess this has something to do with the low amounts of people playing a female Shepard. I am surprised they haven't pulled it out of the game completely. Its not as though Shepard is your character, much like Hawk. Mass Effect 2 I would select a option and Shepard would do the complete reverse of where I was going, its not really a RPG, more of a on the rails JRPG-FPS with limited choices.

My 2nd half Playlist

First half of the year has been a but dull release wise. We had the awful Dragon Age 2 from bioware and the fantastic Witcher 2 from Cd projekt. LA Noir was fun but really I spent most of my time in side MMO's like Rift and Star Trek Online.

The next six months should be interesting. Here is my confirmed list of titles ( not in any order ):

1) Skyrim ( PC )
2) Battlefield 3 ( PC )
3) The Old Republic ( PC ) ( If it gets released )
4) Saints Row: The Thrid ( PC )
5) Arkham City ( PC ) 

Other titles I am keeping my eyes on are:

1) Deus Ex ( PC )
2) Dead Island ( PC )
3) StarHawk ( PS3 )
4) Space Marine ( PC )

Jon Hare plays Cannon Fodder Live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CTulV5u1-M&t=555

These inverviews are quite interesting but I have skipped to the singing part. Cannon Fodder was one of the first I heard to have a theme song.

Parts of it talk about how American and the rest of the world had completely diffrent ideas of what games were about.