A new direction...

So, my blog hasn't really gone anywhere, so to speak... So I've been contemplating a new direction for my blog. Quite what that direction will be I'm not quite sure yet. My wife has her baby blog, and she's doing an awesome job at it!!

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But I'm just not sure what I want to do with mine. My wife suggested that I do a baby one too. But I just feel like I would be competing with her blog, and I know that I would lose. Realisticly, the only person who will probably read this blog post is my wife, considering I only have a massive 4 followers... Anywho, stay tuned to see what happens with my blog.

Game Review: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The latest highly anticipated game release in The Elder Scrolls series has been released.. And how does it stand up to the expectations? Well in my opinion, very well! Now I can't say that I am an Elder Scrolls fanboy, but I have always heard very good things about the series. I used to own a copy of Oblivion, but somewhere along the line the discs went missing before I had a chance to get my teeth into the game. So I have made sure with Skyrim that I have made a decent effort and got a few good hours game play in after getting my hands on a copy. First impressions of the game were good, with a cinematic type intro (rendered using the game engine) where you can look around while it introduces you to the storyline. The graphics of the game would be comparable to Fallout: New Vegas, maybe a bit flashier. The character creation system allows for a decent customization of your character, with several races to choose from.

From here you get a bit of an introduction to the game controls in a semi cinematic player controlled segment. After your introduction to the game, you are then free to start your wandering. Skyrim, like Oblivion of course, is an open world game. You can wander all over the map from the get go. No having to follow the main story line before you can access certain parts of the map. Levelling up your character is pretty simplified compared to other RPG type games (i.e. you don't have to allocate a set number of point to strength, endurance, etc). Instead of this system, it works on more of a skills type system. I want to leave some surprises for you and not spoil everything :)
There are plenty of things to pick up along your travels as you are able to create your own weapons, potions, etc. So among weapons and armour and other essentials you can pickup ingredients and materials. There is plenty to do in this game, so be prepared for it to eat away the hours of the days before you know it. The map is decently expansive and there are plenty of side quests to keep you occupied.

So to the business end of the review.. How good is the game? VERY! is the answer. A must have in the RPG world. I expect to get a very good run out of this game, and the DLC packs that are bound to come in the future. And being available on PC, PS3 & Xbox360, there is no excuse not to get it!! A very solid 5 out of 5 here!

They will come...

I know, I know... I said I was going to get more updates on here and more regularly, but I just haven't really had the time to review new games, or movies. But looking at getting a few up in the next few weeks. Just been busy getting into the great outdoors and doing something that would be totally alien to most geeks/techies... And that would be exercise! Yes, you heard right. I don't want to be one of those dad's that just sits there and watches his kid running around. I want to be able to chase him and kick a ball around with him etc. So I've decided to increase my fitness by going for runs. The first one went pretty well. Had to stop every few hundred metres to catch my breath, then start again, all up the distance was about 2km or so, and I probably ran a good 90% of that! My aim is to be able to run the whole way around without stopping to catch my breath. So I will be doing more running, and hopefully my body will join the party and I will be able to do it before the end of the year!! So stay tuned to keep up to date with how I am going!! :)

The week that was... well.. no it wasn't!

What have I been up to over the last week? Well.. I have had the flu, yes that nasty virus that likes to make you feel like every inch of your body is bruised, somehow makes your nose both run and be solidly blocked at the same time, and creates a cough powerful enough to dislodge your spleen. Now, yes, I am a male, so that means any flu, cold, or bug I get instantly becomes the man flu. Now, as far as man flu goes, this was on the nastier end of the scale. Now I don't expect any sympathy from people, and don't even really want it. I didn't become bed ridden, I could still do all my own tasks, so not sympathy worthy. Just a right royal pain in my butt!!! The thing I hate most about getting sick is the time off work. I know most people will find this weird. But I do actually enjoy my job and feel bad when anything stops me from working the hours rostered to me. I guess you could call me a bit of a company loyalist, as I take pride in my work and enjoy doing it to the best of my ability. That and I have spent most of my life working in an industry that expects that unless you are physically unable to move you come to work. So it is pretty built into me that I should be at work unless restricted to bed. However, since I now work in an office environment it is now encouraged that you stay away from work when sick so you do not pass it on to others. To me this just doesn't feel right, as I am still perfectly capable of doing the work, I am just sick with the flu. But in saying this I do fully understand that staying away from work is the better option, as making others sick would just put a lot more strain on the workplace. So being at home all week I have just been helping my wife out with our bubba, and just enjoying spending time with my wee man. Hopefully soon I will be able to muster up the will power to do a proper review post or something :)

The one armed bandit

So,
Turns out my right shoulder needs to be returned for a refund. It decided on Thursday evening, that being good and staying where it should be was over rated, and decided to dislocate itself. Now I could say it was like a scene out of the Lethal Weapon series, but that would be a lie...

So that's exactly what happened... OK, ok.. it wasn't.. It was more along the lines of.. I jumped, and when I landed I had a dislocated shoulder. No dramatic impacts, flying through the air due to an explosion, or fighting with a relentless bad guy. I was stretching my legs and did a big jump, straight up, and when I landed, my shoulder hurt like someone had rammed a red hot poker into it. It really was a very burning type of pain. After walking around for a couple of minutes whilst trying to hold back a torrent of expletives my shoulder decided to play ball again and pop back into place. So a long story short, my arm is in a sling, immobilised as much as possible while it heals. Now being left handed, I can still write quite happily, but there are several other things that I just cant do, or are harder to do.
* Despite being left handed, I normally use my right hand for the mouse, so I have the awkwardness of using the mouse with my left hand, it just doesn't feel right to me.
* Try holding one hand behind you back and typing out a paragraph or two.. Very annoying isn't it?!
* Now, while still holding your hand behind your back, go to the kitchen and make yourself a sandwich.. Not so easy is it?
* There are many other tasks which become a lot harder with just one hand, but the one thing that has been the MOST painful (not physically painful, but mentally) has been not being able to pick up, or hold my 5 1/2 month old son. This is a two-fold pain. First of, I miss the time with my son. Yes I can still hang out with him, and play games and such when he is lying on the floor, or in his bumbo, or bouncer, or jumper. But it's just not the same as holding him. The other part of it is the feeling useless.. I can't do anywhere near as much to help out my wife.And that sucks because it puts so much more stress on her. Luckily we have pretty awesome family and friends who are helping out where they can.
Being like this however, with one arm in a sling, it does make you realise what it is like for people who have to live like this (or similar) permanently. We always take for granted our full able-bodiedness, and never stop to think what it would be like if we lost the use of a limb, or something. Now in no way am I saying we should take pity on people who have, as they are no less of a person than anyone else. More we should appreciate their ability as we would anyone else. They live with what society sees as a dis-ability, but I think in a way they are more able than "fully able-bodied" people because they do tasks that we do, despite any dis-advantages. So I say kudos to those people.
So I go back to see the Doc on Wednesday, and I'm hoping he'll say I can ditch the sling so I can hold my son again and help my wife out!

On a separate note, I am looking at doing a review of RAGE soon, after a few more hours of play, perhaps a post on some techie or game news, so stay tuned people!!