You could say we're of two minds on the subject.

I've had a bit of downtime in the last few days and have mostly spent it gaming and hanging out with my friends. Highlight on the gaming. Company of Heroes, TF2, Machinarium, Minecraft, Bad Company 2.
I have determined Bad Company 2's campaign is far superior to its online multiplayer for the sole reason that in the campaign, everyone isn't armed with sniper rifles and camping on the outskirts of the map.
The game is also incredibly pretty. Like Crysis-level of detail. And it runs smoothly as imaginable on my rig.



Minecraft had been suggested to me multiple times and it IS very fun. Its basically split into 2 parts. The first part is a simple but difficult RPG where you play a character living on a piece of land. During the day you mine for minerals and supplies. And then at night, board up your house to keep all the zombies/skeletons/spiders away.
It's all done with adorable 16-bit 3d cube graphics. There is also a surprisingly robust lighting system. I found as I tunneled out from under my house (I dont dare fight the enemies in my fragile condition)that I quickly lost light from the torches in my house and had to bring them down with me. Eventually one is able to craft more torches from wood and flint, allowing your network of tunnels to be lit as you go along.

Its rather like Oregon Trail and Lost in Blue mixed with legos.
It also has a creative multiplayer mode. Which is basically people running around building things and destroying things all in the same server.

Due to the blocky nature of the game and its graphics, people are often remaking old video game characters with the blocks. Creating giant 3d sprites.


My pathetic attempt at recreating a Waddle Dee from the Kirby game franchise.


Today I tried a bit of "sculpture" using the floating blocks.
Here is a bob-omb I tried to make.


Later on, a Waddle Doo, also from Kirby. (notice a theme).


In a different server me and another chap edited a generic smiley face into something a bit more amusing and appropriate.


In the confines of the game you play a small character made of cubes as well. When you purchase the game, you can edit the teeny tiny png file that makes up the character's texture.
This is mine.

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I need to start thinking about making myself a new demo reel soon.


Also YAY avatar didn't win Best Picture! And yay the animators who worked on it got the oscar for best effects/art direction! Yay a slap in the face to James Cameron who belittled the artists working on the film each time it was compared to animation!
And Yay UP for winning best animated film. And yay Secret of Kells for getting nominated. Maybe it will finally come to DVD here.








stealth edit:



the semifinal is next.