illogicology

Yeah, the structure of it really helps those installs not be intrusive.

There's a big install (about 10 mins I think) at the start that takes a while and then periodically, between acts there are smaller installs. It never happens mid-level or anything like that and they're never as long as the major, first install so it didn't bother me too much. Part of the reason is because the game practically fills the 50gb capacity of a blu-ray disk and so it would just take too long to install it all at the start and the disk capacity is too high for it to run on the fly. Honestly though, the between chapter cutscenes on that game are so long that it's nice to have a break. I sat through 45 minutes of cutscenes on one occasion.

I think we're seeing the blu-ray drive have the opposite effect unfortunately, I mean Metal Gear Solid has those mid game installs because the data capacity is so high that it takes too long to find the files if they're being loaded in real time.

Black Guardian Trilogy definitely, E-Space trilogy too. I've watched those on video recently and I'm really interested on knowing what's worthwhile on there. I mean, the extras on those DVDs are always excellent but there have been a few duds.

Yeah, the 360 having that Direct X based API helps a lot too. Apparently it's just like coding for XP. The Cell can do some phenomenal stuff and I think we've yet to see it all. The only real shortcoming I think the machine has is a lack of memory. I know it's XDR ram chips are supposedly out of this world but I don't care how efficient your RAM is, 512mb is not enough.

I'd be very interested to hear about the extras on disks I don't have yet. I've seen all the stories so the bonus features are a big factor in which ones I get.

That's be cool, I came from the podcast and it was a hell of a lot quieter around here than I imagined. It doesn't help that I'm less frequent in the comics areas since I haven't bought a comic in years. Not that I don't like comics or anything, it's just something I dip in and out of. Time Flight / Arc of Infinity box came today. Call me petty but the red cardboard sleeve they came in annoys me. I try to keep the DVDs that come together in the outer sleeves so they don't get lost and crushed but the bright red lines around two stories on the shelf looks all wrong.

Yes, everything's hookled up right. It's not a huge issue, most elements of the game are identical; models, textures etc. The problem is with the resolution. The 360 version outputs natively at 720p, the PS3 version outputs at 640p with a little less detail and then upscales which softens the overall picture. On top of that, the 360 has a GPU that essentially offers 2X Anti-Aliasing without any knock on the CPU. The PS3 doesn't have that and so developers have to find a way around but it can be done. Rockstar weren't in the mood apparently, so they just shipped a sandbox city game with no anti-aliasing and it has the jaggies making it all look less sharp. I don't think it's a major issue with the game, in fact you probably can't tell if the PS3 version is the only one you played. Unfortunately, I went from playing it a lot on the 360 to the PS3 version and it was very jarring. Also, I should say before anyone takes this as a knock at the PS3. I actually think this situation is more about the issues trying to develop a game for two very different architectures. The lead platform is always going to be superior because it can be tweaked for the system from the ground up.

I've nearly bought it on so many occasions but it's always been more on my maybe list and I always see something else I want.

No contest. She used to play GTAIV on the 360 a lot but she (and to a lesser extent, I) have a bit of a stumbling block with the fuzzy look of the PS3 version.

I don't know if I'm looking forward to this or not. I loved the first X-Men Legends, hated the second and never got around to the first ultimate alliance.

I'm tempted by the PS3 slim but I already have a 40gb. Problem is it's one of the model's with fans from hell in it, upscale DVDs for five minutes and it revs up like there's a gang of hell's angels skidding around in the back. Still, I could always buy a slim and give the old one to the girlfriend then claim it was all for here. She only plays Burnout Paradise on it though.

I hate that companies are allowed to hold property back from entering public domain, it's really another exploitation of what copyright laws are all about. I also think it's unfair to the copyright owners who don't fit into the incredibly rich category and can't play the same game.

Just ordered Trial of a Time Lord, Bred For War Sontaran box and the Time-Flight/Arc of Infinity pair up.

I imagine they're quite handy for those rapid-press quick time events too. My thumb was getting pretty tired opening grates in the new Arkham Asylum demo.

Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla. Yes, you heard correctly; Spacegodzilla. That's a mutated clone of Godzilla but from space.

I don't get people who do this kind of thing, I don't particularly like Liefield's style but the guy's his own man and does his job his way; I respect that. You don't have to buy his work if you don't like it, to go out of your way to make him into some kind of crook for drawing how he pleases is baffling to me.

I'm watching the series again at the moment, early on that wasn't so terrible (though cheap, very cheap.) The first film is one of my all time favourites, I've ordered the blu-ray from Amazon, should be coming soon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlander:_The_Game Saw this a while ago but then heard nothing and assumed it had been cancelled. Apparently it's on for next year. I'm very firmly lodged in "cautiously optimistic."

Postie delivered some packages yesterday including some new DVDs. Added to my list are: Doctor Who: Beneath the Surface, that's a box with The Silurians, The Sea Devils and Warriors of the Deep. Was up late watching Warriors of the Deep again, the only place you can see a woman drop-kick a pantomime horse. Doctor Who: New Beginnings which is basically the master trilogy, Keeper of Traken, Logopolis and Castrovalva. Had a flick through all of them to check the quality etc. Unfortunately, The Sea Devils hasn't aged well but all the later stories look fairly good. One thing I will say, between them all there are some absolutely phenomenal extras here. My personal favourite is on The Sea Devils disk, along with the usual PDFs from the Radio Times (not sure if Americans usually get these) there is a full PDF of an old "The Making of Doctor Who" book.

Turbo buttons used to be quite handy for cheating at beat 'em ups, I recall. Particularly flurries of punches in Mortal Kombat. Gamecube controllers were one of the few things I had to buy first party though, I had a few cheaper ones but nothing ever felt right in my hands.

I have to say, I'd be very interested to see Gwen build a new Torchwood team up on her own. For a season that could make an excellent springboard into the rest of the show. Frankly, I don't think Jack's coming back for some time and I don't know if he'll ever show up in Doctor Who again. I don't see how he could for both reasons within the show and outside it. For one, the BBC has had enough difficulties justifying including characters from a very adult show in a children's program. After Children of Earth, I think that obstacle could very well become insurmountable.

I should get this on DVD, when they first showed the series I planned to watch it and managed to forget and miss all six episodes. That's annoying the first time, six times in it's plain embarrassing.

My shiny new Life on Mars blu-ray is upscaled SD.

BBC3 has been showing Series 1 again at the moment, I'm watching The Parting of Ways as I write this. I've got series 1 on DVD and watching it several thousand times since 2005 but it's nice to see it again. A pleasant reminder that Christopher Eccleston is in a class of his own. One of my favourite actors.