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New PS3: Reformat / Re-Download / Re-Install.

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Borderlands, Games, Skyrim, Street Fighter with tags , on July 29, 2012 by slateman

As I’ve now managed to kill two original fat PS3s in a little over 15 months, I’m stuck with the arduous and painfully-long process of redoing everything. Last night, I tossed firmware 4.21 on a flash drive and formatted my awesome 320Gb drive full of everything I loved. All my games, patches and many of my save games are lost forever. Oh yeah…again!

So, last night, around 11pm, I started doing it all. I queued up my old downloads, things I grabbed back in 2008 or so. Overnight, my PS+ auto updater finished those and synched my trophies. I later grabbed whatever save games I had backed up online. This morning, I started grabbing bigger games. Söldner-X and its sequel tallied about 2Gb. Things are going to get big soon.

The next step, (well, I’m still in my 2009 downloads, mostly) will be to plug in each game disc and start it up, downloading patches along the way. The game that killed my system (it was a coincidence), Arkham Asylum, is a Game of the Year edition, so fortunately everything was there. However, about 275Mb went to Brütal Legend, a game I will likely never get around to. I’m going to need to grab the three Borderlands DLCs I purchased and I fear Skyrim will be large as well. How big was Arcade Edition for Super Street Fighter IV again?

Ultimately, all games are dwarfed by Burnout Paradise and Heavy Rain. The former has a series of seven updates. I know this because I did this reformat/re-download/re-install nonsense just last June. As I write this, I’m just finishing up the first of those seven updates. You know, the 385Mb one. That is followed by a 154Mb update. Then, just five more after that.

I can’t recall the precise size (turns out it’s 1.15Gb) but huge is the Heavy Rain update that included the much-sought-after Move controls (/sarcasm). I always wanted to go back to that game. The problem with these updates is that I can’t let them go overnight. I have to sit there and let them run. I’ve got a good connection, but a gig is still a gig of waiting. And better yet is when you download a big PSN title, install it, boot the sucker up just to find out a patch larger than the original install is waiting for you.

Burnout’s third patch was only 35Mb; its fourth a meaty 250.

I should’ve just gotten a slim last spring when my original launch model died. And I shouldn’t complain too much, as I have a functional PS3 here, a nice 320Gb drive, a good connection and a Sunday where traffic is always faster than weekdays. Note to self…Back your shit up next time. This is your fault.

Burnout Patch Updates:
Patch #5 – 133Mb
Patch #6 – 176Mb
Patch #7 – 413Mb
Burnout Paradise Total Patch Size = 1.26Gb

Oh, and before I sign off here, I really wonder/fear how this will all work in 10 years. I can still play any PS1 or PS2 game I own, any NES or SNES game. Not being able to play your stuff or missing out b/c of patches is just going to be strange. Will there even be a PSN? I LOVE me my PS3 as you should know…but how things are going really bothers me. Knowing my copy of Final Fight on the PSN won’t let me play it at all w/out being connected is insane. And don’t get me going on digital distribution. I don’t like it and that’s not gonna change.

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I LOVE DFK! Novice HS (2-5!), FAQ

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, DoDon Pachi, Games, Guides, High Scores/Accomplishments with tags on July 13, 2012 by slateman

Yes, the ONLY benefit of the PS3 dying was my newfound passion for DDP! Only Street Fighter rivals my love for DDP (like what I did there? And, for the record, SF wins). In any event, I played Novice Mode on DFK tonight and got to 2-5! Of course, I’ve never come close to anything like this before…like…not even in the same district. Novice mode, I get it…but I don’t care. It was friggin’ fun! So, here’s my new high score. That’s almost 20 billion and it was so awesome.

OK, over the past few days, my ‘passion’ has been a bit of an obsession. That’s good! All of my gaming FAQs have been born of this passion, as have all of my sites. Of course, I haven’t the time to dedicate to them like I used to, but this is DDP after all. Next up will be SDOJ in another 3-4 years. In any event, as I pack up to go to camp for a few, I figured I’d post the incomplete DDP:DFK FAQ I’ve been writing. It’s a hefty document, really, and while there’s a lot still left to do, in reviewing it, I’ve done a hell of a lot! Remember, it’s not done and there are a lot of holes. But I want it online in some capacity before going away and abandoning my beloved DDP! It’s been a good few days! It may not be healthy, but I love it when this happens. It’s been two years since my last FAQ and I did four in the course of three months then. OK…more soon!!!

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DDP:DFK – First CC Ever!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, DoDon Pachi, Games, High Scores/Accomplishments on July 11, 2012 by slateman

I have been playing shooters for many years but I am just not that great. However, this morning, I managed to 1cc my first shmup, DoDonPachi: Daifukkatsu!!!  OK, it was on novice mode, but don’t ruin my excitement! I was actually just testing out bee locations/values for an upcoming FAQ and it kinda just…happened. So, yeah, it’s not a real 1cc but I don’t particularly care. I was pretty psyched.

Will be heading out of town soon for a few weeks. I’ll be working on the guide when I can, so I hope to have it by the beginning of the month.  I guess this is the only really good part of my PS3 dying. :)

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Phish @ SPAC….How I Miss This Stuff

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Music, Reflection with tags on July 9, 2012 by slateman

The last time I saw Phish was in June of 2004 in Saratoga. The band was breaking up, my life was falling apart and it was all a very interesting time. However, those last two shows were just amazing and sadly, they represent the ending of one portion of my life.

So, as Phish returns there eight summers later, I listen to the set with utter joy, and reminisce with a bittersweet feeling to my last two Phish shows. Opening with Reba that first night, a twenty-minute Walls Of The Cave and an insane A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing and Piper to start the second set (50 minutes between those two!). I love listening to this show, including the Bowie that ended the first set.

The second night started off OK and ended with some crazy jams. The second set consisted of four songs, just the type of show I love to see!

I have such fond memories of Phish shows and long to see them again. It’s not happening right now, but I’ve grabbed the first two SPAC shows already and listened to most of the first. From what I’ve heard, Mike is still on fire and the band sounds healthy and alive. It’s not nearly the same…but it’ll have to do. I’ll eventually burn all three shows, and may grab the Jones Beach shows as well as I’ve heard some good things. Man…I miss this stuff…….

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Iron Maiden Review & Set List

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Concert Reviews, Music with tags , on June 28, 2012 by slateman

I have never gone so long without seeing a show. The last concert I saw was almost 5 years ago. Looking forward to this Iron Maiden show for the past few months was a source of happiness and excitement in a generally concert-less life.

Mark came by and picked me up at 8am and we headed out. The venue is 400 miles from my house making this the farthest I’ve traveled to see a non-Phish show. We arrived at the hotel, got a bite to eat, relaxed a bit and zipped on over to the Comcast Center. I miss shows a great deal, but I yearn for the entire atmosphere of the concert-going experience more. Seeing all those black shirts pass by, hearing the comments about the shirt I’m wearing (I got three about my Amon Amarth shirt!), listening to the metal dialogue (clearly this album is superior to that album), the sights, sounds, smells, I miss it all. Before a note was even heard, I felt at home.

Mark & Trev @ Maiden!

Somehow, 30 seconds after arriving, we ran into Crew…an impossibility at a place that maxed out at 14,000 that Tuesday night. He was his usual busy self, so Mark and I just relaxed, had a few beverages and later went on in. I grabbed a Trooper flag, that’ll look great in the classroom, and we got to watch Alice Cooper’s set. It was actually pretty good, better than I’d expected. He opened with a song I’d never heard but thought was not so bad! The next song was so-so, and then I’m 18 and No More Mr. Nice Guy followed. I like the former (due to the Anthrax cover) and hate the latter (due to the Megadeth cover). Cooper is a pretty awesome performer and as he went through some familiar and not-so-familiar songs, culminating in School’s Out w/ a Pink Floyd mid-section, I was thoroughly impressed. His full set:

  1. The Black Widow
  2. Brutal Planet
  3. I’m Eighteen
  4. No More Mr. Nice Guy
  5. Hey Stoopid
  6. Billion Dollar Babies
  7. Feed My Frankenstein
  8. Poison
  9. Wicked Young Man
  10. I Love the Dead
  11. School’s Out (w/ Another Brick In The Wall)

I’m glad to have seen him, but clearly the only reason I came was Maiden. After a 40-minute wait, Doctor Doctor came over the speakers. Mark already knew the setlist but I purposely avoided it wanting to be surprised at what I heard. Would they play what I wanted? Would they open with it? Seven deadly sins…seven ways to win!!! They did! Moonchild! Oh Yeah!!! I always wanted to see it and while it was to be expected (Maiden England tour and all) it was such a thrill. The band went through a lot of fan favorites in the first half of the show, a bit of a surprise, but they also got Can I Play With Madness, Two Minutes To Midnight, The Number Of The Beast and Run To The Hills out of the way early. I’m not too fond of those. On the other hand, The Prisoner? Afraid To Shoot Strangers? Phantom Of The Opera!??! ATSS isn’t a favorite but the harmony part was just brilliant with three guitars as was Phantom. OMG it sounded so good. I was in full-fledged metal headbanging mode even though it was my first show without long hair. :( Just utterly amazing. The mix of expected classics and surprised was brilliant and exhilarating. The crowd was rocking and Bruce had us in the palm of his hands. Then, the best stage set came up. The Eddie writing with candles to his side. I had this poster on my wall in 1989 or so. What’s the chance that 23 years later I’ll get to see the title track of (maybe) my favorite IM album would be played? Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. OMG.

(from IronMaiden.com)

The song begins and Bruce’s voice is still amazing. He bellows the “ooooh”s with ease and the song progresses to the dramatic middle section. Smoke billows out from the side of the stage and I’m euphoric. It progresses to the outro, one of the most epic solo/harmony/outros ever. This song does not elicit powerful fan response, but it has to be appreciated. This is the greatest IM setlist in ages. How can anyone not be enthralled by this show? The Clairvoyant follows and then we get two familiar classics.

Set break and I see the backdrop change to one of my favorite Eddie drawings. Churchill’s speech booms and after the taped intro (why?) Aces High sounded spectacular. I love this song. Another 7th Son song and an extended Running Free gave this show a mix of everything I like. Fan classics, total surprises and an amazing sound. Steve’s bass was finally turned down a few songs in but he sounded like DD Verni for the first portion of the show; his bass clanged and boomed and was unlike anything I’d ever heard from him. Nicko’s drums sounded awesome, a smile perpetually on his face. Janick was Janick but Dave shredded. I’ve seen the band a lot, and while it’s been a few years, I’ve never seen him on fire like this. Every solo sounded great, of course, but it was just total shred. Adrian seemed distant, less interested in playing alongside his peers but his trademark sound was there. Attitude and headband, gritty solos and amazing backing vocals. All that is left is Bruce and I am still shocked at how good he sounds. His voice started to falter in the early ’90s but through his solo career and the past 13 years in Maiden, he continues to remain at the top of his game. Powerful and delicate, he is the consummate leader.

(from IronMaiden.com)

What more is there to say? The setlist rocked. The band was strong and the stage was impressive. The colonial Eddie, the two 7th Son Eddies, individual backdrops for each song, an enormous stage and those pyros!!! I can only gush like a fanboy. Most certainly part of this is the fact that I haven’t seen a show in forever. On the other hand, I cannot envision anyone disagreeing with my enthusiasm. This show fucking rocked, there is no disputing that fact. The setlist follows:

  1. Moonchild
  2. Can I Play With Madness
  3. The Prisoner
  4. 2 Minutes to Midnight
  5. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
  6. The Trooper
  7. The Number of the Beast
  8. Phantom of the Opera
  9. Run to the Hills
  10. Wasted Years
  11. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
  12. The Clairvoyant
  13. Fear of the Dark
  14. Iron Maiden
  15. E: Churchill’s Speech
  16. E: Aces High
  17. E: The Evil That Men Do
  18. E: Running Free

(Posted to slateman.net)

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Ziplining!!!!!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Personal, Video on June 23, 2012 by slateman

After the last day of school, we went up to Grand Falls in Canada with Erin’s cousin’s family and went ziplining! Although my foot was a disaster, not going was not an option. I convinced Erin to go and we have a video of each of us! Many thanks to everyone over at Zip Zag for making this an awesome experience! Videos below!

[jwplayer mediaid=”643″]

[jwplayer mediaid=”644″]

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Mini-Review: Module – Imagineering: I Like…

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Music, Reviews with tags , on June 17, 2012 by slateman

Module: Imagineering

I listened to the new offering from Module and had to have the record. Then I got it and didn’t like it. The next spin started out great, but got real boring for most of the middle tracks. The next session was wonderful and I loved it again.

This strange love/hate relationship with this record doesn’t make much sense to me. I can’t quite figure out what I think about it. The first few tracks are great. The last few as well. The middle is the selling point. As background listening, it’s wonderful. However, since I cannot possibly write this without referencing the Shatter soundtrack, I desired something more than background music. Got plenty of it already, thanks.

So, what’s wrong with this record, you might ask. Well, nothing. That’s why I’m so confused. On the one hand, it’s precisely what I want. Perhaps mood has something to do with it. The songs aren’t too long, usually have some catchy pull to them, and remind me of Module’s other releases. I think the flow of the songs isn’t quite so grand. Several could be skipped. Perhaps several should be skipped to craft a better-flowing LP. With some filler songs removed, the best of the best could shine. Ultimately, I like this album. Not all of it, sadly. Fortunately, the good is rather good and it might be something I go back to, culling my favorite tracks into a longer EP. Or, I’ll just say, “Fuck it,” and turn on Shatter. We’ll see how that battle turns out!

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Bathory: So Good!!!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Music, Video on June 13, 2012 by slateman

I haven’t listened to this in several years. On the way to work yesterday, something from Nordland II came on and I had vivid memories of driving out east on Long Island. It was a bright spring day and everything was just beginning to come to life. It was an interesting time of my life, for certain, but I remember how much I loved these two Nordland records (the second more than the first). On the way to work this morning, another Bathory song came on. Another flood of memories and utter fascination. This stuff rocks! (The production, of course, does not). Anyway, here is the song that came on this morning. So good!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATW3bx6yEQA

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Yankees: First Place – Best Record In AL. Boston In Last.

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Yankees on June 13, 2012 by slateman

This has been a very strange year in the AL, particularly in the AL East. However, after sweeping the Mets and tonight’s glorious comeback vs. the Braves (finally some kudos to A-Rod, who has been an easy target for mockery), we’re in sole possession of first, the best record in the AL and Boston is in last. Honestly, what more could I ask for??? Well, some runs with RISP and some better bases-loaded at bats. I’m psyched.

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Mini-Review: Prometheus – I Definitely Liked!

Posted in Aliens, Best / Worst, Movies, Reviews with tags on June 10, 2012 by slateman

There WILL Be Spoilers

I have not been this excited for a movie since Return Of The King. That was 9 years ago. In all honesty, I have been waiting for this movie to be made for 20 years. We survived Alien: Resurrection and a pair of Alien vs. Predator films. While this may not be an official prequel, anyone who gives a damn about this series knows it is the only film to matter in almost quarter a century. As the days progressed, I kept my expectations low but the fact remained; I was excited beyond belief. Therefore, as the 1pm showing crept closer, I could hardly contain myself. Prometheus is here.

It is an interesting tale. We all yearned to know the origins of the aliens, the mythical Space Jockey’s details, the reason the space craft crashed. Ultimately however, we don’t get all the answers we desired. In fact, there is much left unclear and many new questions are raised.

  • This wasn’t LV426, so this setting isn’t the same as Alien.
  • Assuming this is an actual prequel, a different ship crash landed. Was that Dr. Shaw’s?
  • Therefore, could the space jockey w/ the chest burster be Dr. Shaw?
  • Guy Pearce played Weyland. Why not just get an older actor?
  • Vickers (Charlize Theron – rowr) – Was she an android? Why should I care that David calls her mother and she calls Weyland father?
  • The xenomorph at the end is different from what we know. Since it was all CG, recreating the classic alien should have been easy. Why opt for a different style?
  • The tattooed guy returned with super-human strength. What exactly was he?
  • Similarly, Dr. Holloway was infected with the black liquid. What was he becoming?

What I Liked..

Ridley Scott separated himself from the Alien mythos and for good reason. He would have been inundated with xenomorph questions for the entire 2-year publicity run. Once again though, we knew it was a prequel and I just kept trying to prepare myself for a different type of movie. This was not meant to be Alien and Aliens. That’s OK with me. Some of the best parts were ones removed from that style. On the other hand…

Fifield and Milburn – the scenes with them after they were trapped overnight. There was an intensity to the waiting and barring the stupidity of wanting to play with alien snakes, that whole attack scene was awesome.

The self-abortion scene was insane.

David was an excellent part of the movie. Unlike the anti-android sentiment you got in the first two movies, this was different. I never quite knew what to think of him and what his agenda was. Couple this with Vickers hatred for Weyland and their relationship, there was always a level of underlying strife.

The sandstorm was pretty cool. As were the scanning orbs (pups).

The entire look of the ship was just like the Nostromo and the outfits were classic looking. The look was familiar and awesome.

Final Thoughts

There were a few iffy moments but it avoided being cheesy and that was worth it alone. (remember Alien: Resurrection?) While it created more questions than it answered, I actually quite liked the final product. It was not what we had been expecting and that almost made it more interesting. The intense moments were intense. The thought-provoking concept was deep (and I’m still thinking about it) and barring a few small qualms, I think I liked the movie quite a lot. Now to wait for the blu-ray release, see if there are any cool extras (answers?!?!) and then rethink the whole thing all over again. Definitely thumbs up!

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