tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16457441757179705652024-03-19T03:56:57.742-07:00Today's Married GamerNathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-35190587360993651862012-05-09T16:44:00.001-07:002012-05-09T16:49:31.669-07:00Minecraft won't let go<b>Priorities:</b> As you can see I have been neglecting my blog again. Currently I am in a transition from Minecraft to other games. I took a leave of absence on the <a href="http://www.unlimited-craft.com/">Unlimited Craft</a> server to try and help get away from Minecraft, and just when I thought I was free, I discovered the Survival Games servers. Which are basically pvp matches setup like the hunger games.<br />
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They are really fun and one reason I like it so much is because I rock at it. I am currently in the top 100 players on the leaderboard of about 35,000 players. Here is a link to my page on their server: <a href="http://www.minecraftsurvivalgames.com/members/nate252.4052/">Survival games</a><br />
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Besides my efforts of taking a break from minecraft on PC I just today bought Minecraft for the xbox 360. It should be fun because I can play it splitscreen with my wife and friends.<br />
I have also been playing skyrim on and off. Its good but isnt all that addictive. Very similar to fallout 3 which I have already played the heck out of.<br />
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I have temporarily canceled my Old Republic subscription. I am not playing it enough to justify the $15 a month. When a friend of mine gets back in August I will reinstate it if I haven't already because he will want to play.<br />
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<b>Virtually Virtual:</b> Going to write a review of xbox Minecraft soon.<br />
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<b>Thoughtful gab:</b> I was comparing things at work to video games. In the sense of what I have learned. One example are the pallet jacks. Every new person takes a while to learn to steer it and bumps it around all over the place. Where as when I first got one it took me all of about 2 minuets to get it down and I was moving it around like a pro. Why is that?<br />
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It may seem silly but I believe it may have something to do with all the driving games Ive played. From Forza to Burnout to Mario Cart. I have played a decent amount and I think that they have given me some knowledge of maneuvering things. Idk how to explain it, but some video games require precision driving, and they are usually fairly close to real life. So I just learn the real life quicker because of it.<br />
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Same goes with driving a car. Sometimes I think I can park well because of the games. Idk it would be neat to setup a legitimate scientific experiment to find out if this is true or not.<br />
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<br />Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-47205836561754090492012-03-21T11:36:00.006-07:002012-03-21T11:57:59.899-07:00Lava death and medieval dress<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; ">Priorities:</b><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; ">I have been spending a lot of my free time on the internet. Not playing games, just watching youtube videos, editing and reading the Unlimted Craft forums, and other surfing.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; ">Otherwise I am playing minecraft. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; ">Yesterday I played some battlefield. It was fun, I think I might play more.</div><div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">I am excited for the Minecraft xbox game to come out! It will be fun to get all the </span>achievements <span style="font-size: 100%;">and play </span>split screen<span style="font-size: 100%;"> with the wife.</span></span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >I am kind of loosing interest in minecraft again. As I have said before, it comes in waves. </span></div><div><span >It's ironic I loose interest now because I was just promoted on the UC server. I have more responsibility and should be there more. But I am tired of buildin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">g mundane things. I want an epic project again. Even then, I just want to do the epic project.</span></div><div><span >Maybe I should take a week vacation or something from UC.</span></div><div><span >The Head-Staff, eydya, and I are good friends (through minecraft) I am sure he would ok it. </span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >Maybe I will get back into battlefield. Or if I ever get skyrim I will just play that.</span></div><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">So I got my wife to play Minecraft with me a few weekends back and she was totally hooked. We played all evning then on Saturday we played all day together! We have made some roads and stuff in the jungle, around our base. We have a farm and a sheep farm with different wool colors. Its fun. </div><div><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">She had never found a diamond on her own and was sad. She was recently killed by a creeper. So I used an xray texture pack to find some diamonds and let her mine them. I saw that there was lava behind them and warned her. When she got the diamond she freaked out and said the computer </span>wouldn't<span style="font-size: 100%;"> let her move. The lava poured over her and she was dying. In a panicked act I placed dirt around her to stop the lava and somehow eneded up suffocating her with it.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">So I technically killed her, but we say the lava did.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">She lost all her stuff to the lava, including her first diamonds. She shut<span style="font-size: 100%; "> the game off and said she would never play again.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">-sigh- it happens. We have all been there before. I am sure I can get her to play again though. I made chest with a present for her for when she gets back in game. :)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">We also went to the Renaissance Festival here in Arizona this past weekend! Totally fun, like always. We dressed steampunk.. or attempted to.</div><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Saw some sweet medieval costumes though. And the turkey legs were a hearty meal. </span>HUZZAH<span style="font-size: 100%;">!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCuvEkOXxN0AbbJbDKE4EX9ZH4AqftXuU1b9vAReLGFE8abx3KTeEFqGQ0Bz8PUvH1BwZJPmz153OBF2H_UoECrvYehA0leFX4f9DLXMj37qFRTdsNpialsWlacjxG_Y7tyER8W6V9jDs/s320/Resampled952012-03-179510-56-2395532.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722426062850727890" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 181px; " /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-36309059844081618132012-03-05T11:34:00.004-08:002012-03-05T12:12:14.218-08:00Senses of direction.<div><span ><b><br /></b></span></div><span ><b>Priorities<span style="font-size: 100%;">:</span></b></span><div><span >I am back into minecraft. Have been for a few weeks. Between my last post and now, I got a new monitor and got back into StarCraft 2 and Battlefield 3.<br /></span><div><span ><b><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span ><b><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span ><b>Virtually virtual:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">In StarCraft I played some ranked matches (Bronze ladder 1v1 and Gold 4v4) and am working on the campaign on brutal difficulty. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">In Battlefield I got to the colonel rank (45) and stopped playing. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Now I am back into minecraft, specifically playing hardcore mode single player, playing normal single player with my wife when I can get her to play with me, and playing on the Unlimited Craft server. I will talk more about this in my next post.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">I want to get skyrim because I have heard A LOT of hype about it. Better give it a try. Just a matter of money now. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></div><div><span >My wife is playing dragon age 2 and a little minecraft with me. :)</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span ><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span ><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></span></div></div><div><span >Ok so I have an interesting story for today's gab, about direction.</span></div><div><span >I was just talking with my wife the other day while she was driving us in a area of town that we weren't familiar with, about how good my sense of direction is. Because during the drive, she managed to lose her sense of direction a few times.</span></div><div><span > </span></div><div><span >For example, we were going East and she pulled into a gas station to get gas. We left the gas station and she turned out a different driveway and starting going North. She was completely unaware that she was going a different direction than before. It was obvious to me so I gave her a minuet to see if she would notice then told her the error. Similar instances happened 2 other times that same trip.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >It just seems no matter where we drive, how many turns we make, or how unfamiliar the layout is, I usually know which way we came from, which way we were going, and which way is N.S.E.W. I don't need to look around a lot or check where the sun is, it just seems natural. I call it my internal compass. I never really questioned that it was anything besides a natural born sense of direction. Until today...</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >I was playing minecraft today and left my home to go chop wood in a nearby forest. I noticed that I had taken some turns and could not see my home anymore. But I remembered how I got to where I was, and even more importantly, where my home was from my position. I started thinking about how if my wife or parents would have done the same thing, they would be turned around and lost in the forest.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >Now I have played many video games, for a long time. A lot of those games have minimaps and often you will need to backtrack. In an RPG you learn the layout because you travel back and forth often, while questing. In first person shooters you have to learn the map quickly so you know where the strategic points are, learning the layout as fast as possible drastically increases your odds of pwning a newb that has no idea where he is going. This "learning" of the maps and direction has become second nature, I don't need to activity memorize what is where, it just comes naturally and instantly.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >So my theory is that this video game direction training has become a real world ability. Like a map on Battlefield 3 or Old Republic, in real life I am keeping track of my N.S.E.W. direction and the path I came from without consciously thinking about it. I am learning the layout automatically because I am so used to doing the same in video games.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >Could this be another way video games benefit real life? Now of course I have no evidence that supports this. Just a coincidence and a simple theory really, but who knows. It might just be a natural sense of direction and not video game teachings, but It's an interesting thought none the less.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-16122455196074479212012-02-02T20:10:00.000-08:002012-02-03T09:11:17.383-08:00"That's no moon."<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>So over a 5 day span I have been working on my biggest minecraft build to date! We will see how long it takes you to guess what I am working on.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><span><u><br /></u></span></div><div>(note: I am still not done! I have some minor details to add, and possible an interior. I will post the finished project whenever I get there.)</div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div><div><br /></div><b>Priorities:</b><div>18 Hours spent building</div><div style="text-align: center; "></div><div><span><u><br /></u></span></div><div>About 4 hours a day for 5 days</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually Virtual:</b></div><div><div>I only had used one picture to go off of. I did use creative mode and fly, otherwise no mods, no world edits.</div><div><br /></div><div>The first step I took was deciding how long it should be. I then tried to judge the angle of the</div><div style="text-align: center; "></div><div> perimeter. There are no slanted blocks on minecraft; the most difficult part of the build was calculating the inclines. I needed to find out how many blocks to go before going inwards a block, to make a sloping effect. I overshot my first time, building the outer right outline, but got it right the second time.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this first picture I am flying high above to try and get an idea of the outline. I was using waypoints to mark the tips and middle of the ship to know where they were. It helped a lot since the length of the build was out of the visual range. Which unfortunately means it is next to impossible to ever see the ship as a whole.</div><div><div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div><div><img src="http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/9681/20120125150653.png" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 1062px; height: 819px; " /><div style="text-align: center; "></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I got the middle perimeter layed out, you can already tell what its going to be! (hopefully)</div><div><div><div><div><img src="http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/8633/20120126111112.png" border="0" alt="" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 1280px; height: 962px; " /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Around day 3 I had finished the bottom of the ship and was nearing completion of the top. Using some simple math I figured out the incline of this 160 block long beast!</div><div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/4222/20120201141158.png" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 1280px; height: 962px; " /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">The finished product! Minus the piece in the middle that was having loading issues due to the distance.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/9660/20120202125730.png" border="0" alt="" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 1280px; height: 1024px; " /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div></div><div><div></div></div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I will post more, and a video, when I finish the trimmings.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab: </b>My Star Destroyer is so win! My wife says its cool but I can tell she is kind of just saying that. Does she realize how many blocks this took? Or how difficult it was to figure out with no blueprints?? lol anyway...</div></div><div><br /></div><div>She hasn't played minecraft with me for a good while.. I will keep pestering her to do so though and when she does... she will love it.</div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-91572445463650035502012-01-16T19:42:00.000-08:002012-01-16T20:06:25.001-08:00Our Youtube channel, and catch-up<div><br /></div><div>I realize I really dropped the ball on blogging. But that's what gaming can do to you. I have taken a break and I am back with a fresh start. </div><div>I have a Youtube channel for my blog. I have downloaded some Minecraft tutorials so far, and plan on downloading other games on there as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the link </div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/TodaysMarriedGamer?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase">http://www.youtube.com/user/TodaysMarriedGamer?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase</a></div><div><span style="font-weight: 800;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; "><b><br /></b></div><b>Priorities:</b><div><b><br /></b><div>Today I did a lot of building in Minecraft on my new server, Unlimited craft. I also played Old Republic.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually Virtual: </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I got a new monitor! Yay. Finally a nice looking 20'' widescreen. All my games were so much different when I first played them. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned before, I am no longer in Legendary craft. Well that's partly true. </div><div>Here's what happened:</div><div>I finally got mod, I got super mod, Felipe (the owner) was being a corrupt fool that only cared about making money, I joined a branch of of LC called UC, I become assistant (equal to mod), that's where I am now. </div><div>The people on this server are real. I like it better :)<br />So now I am working hard in the forums and in game to try and get admin/head-staff some day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a link to their forums</div><div><a href="http://www.unlimited-craft.com/home">http://www.unlimited-craft.com/home</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>Its funny how you have to be in the right mood to play games sometimes. For example, today when I was playing Old Republic...</div><div>When I got home from work I was ready to play some Old Republic! I looked forward taking my time, killing every enemy, listening to the entire conversation, and exploring the world. But then after playing games (minecraft) for 5 hours, when I finally got on Old Republic my feelings were different. I was annoyed by all the enemies I had to fight, I didn't care to explore, I skipped through most of the conversation because it was redundant, and I generally rushed through the game. </div><div><br />If I played Old Republic when I first got home from work, I would have truly enjoyed it. The way games were meant to be played. Rushing through it is a waste of time. You aren't enjoying the game as much and you are skipping things you wouldn't normally. From experience, I suggest that if you find yourself in this rushed state, take a break from video games. Go do your chores or read a book. Then come back later and you should have a fresh pallet, much better to really enjoy the game with.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-22086785115202235542011-12-15T00:13:00.000-08:002011-12-15T00:15:26.614-08:00Cant talk, old republicI'm busy playing Old Republic<div><br /></div><div>Yes its out</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes its awesome</div><div><br /></div><div>Some things are better and some are worse from my expectations</div><div><br /></div><div>Took some getting used to an MMO (yes this was my first)</div><div><br /></div><div>I plan on writing longer blog posts, I just cant now... must get back to game lol</div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-14826225564366069392011-11-24T20:36:00.000-08:002011-11-24T20:51:12.894-08:00Star Wars beta: storm before the calm<div><b>Me:</b></div>In 24 hours time from this time I will be playing the Old Republic beta. Between then and now I will be working black Friday at Target. <div>It is a weird mix of dread and excitement. Honestly I have tunnel vision and the fact I will soon be playing Old Republic will keep me smiling the whole time.</div><div><br /></div><div>I promise either during, or as soon as the beta ends, I will post some sort of review on it.</div><div>I plan on being a class I do not plan on playing for a while when the game is released. The smuggler. I will review this class and the game itself.</div><div><br /></div><div>In other news my xbox decided it does not want to play CD's anymore. So no more Battlefield until I get a new one. Christmas? Tax return? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>More info on SWTOR:</b></div><div> The game will be released on December 20th but will be playable via internet download for people who pre-ordered on the 15th.</div><div>I highly recommend <a href="http://db.darthhater.com/">http://db.darthhater.com/</a> for detailed information on planets, classes, skills, and more.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Home front:</b></div><div>My wife and I are doing well. She thinks it is a waste of money that I have donated money to the Legendary Craft server that I play on on Minecraft. The donation not only give me more abilities in the server, but shows the admins I care for the server, increasing my chances at mod, and keeps the server running smoothly. </div><div>She is afraid that when Old Republic comes out I wont pay any more attention to her. I already addressed this in a previous post. I myself realize the game will be addicting and hard to leave at any time. But I know over everything my wife comes first. No matter how hard it is I will make time to be with her during my "new game craze" phase.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-83943675409413137992011-11-15T07:20:00.001-08:002011-11-15T18:49:51.410-08:00Im back<div><div>So I am back<div><br /><div>Long story short</div><div>I played a lot of Battlefield 3, got to rank 33, bumped the xbox while game was running and scratched the disk, now got back into minecraft, been playing a lot on legendary craft server and forum, trying to become a moderator on legendary craft, was invited to semi-open Old Republic beta which will happen sometime within the next two weeks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last night I went with a friend to the midnight release of Assassins creed revelations</div><div><br /></div><div>My wife has really gotten into Soul Calibur 4 on 360</div><div>It is one of the only games she has more achievements than me</div><div><br /></div><div>So I will try to update the blog more, get back into the habit.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Priorities:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>9:30am-4:30pm (7)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>7 hours of Minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>Played a lot on the LC server and did things on the forum. Got to be very active to become a Mod. Gotta get noticed by the staff.</div><div>I built most of a tie fighter! Ill post a pic of it when it's complete</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></div></div></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-35073688797766542272011-10-24T13:24:00.000-07:002011-10-24T13:36:21.188-07:00BF3 release: night before the storm<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/58/Bf3-pc-cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 370px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/58/Bf3-pc-cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>Battlefield 3 comes out tonight and I am super excited!<div>I am going to the midnight release where I will finish paying for, and pickup my pre-ordered copy.</div><div>Then I will play until 6am ish. Take a 3 hour nap, and play all day :)</div><div><br /></div><div>I have already warned my my wife about the amount of time I will be dedicating to BF3. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since I am able to play the game next to non stop since the moment it is released there is a good chance I can get a high rank on the leaderboard and that is exactly what I am going for. A week of almost non stop BF3 in an attempt to get a good leader board rank record.</div><div><br /></div><div>I bought 2 redbull to help out for the next 48 hours</div><div><br /></div><div>I will record my time playing and post another blog, probably the end of the week showing my time played. A day or two after that, I will review the game and share my thoughts. </div><div><br /></div><div>See you on the battlefield, otherwise, in a week!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-28864759373954810962011-10-19T19:58:00.001-07:002011-10-19T20:04:53.420-07:00Segway<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sorry I haven't been adding new posts lately. Iv'e been sick and watching a lot of the office. Two things that don't pertain to my blog.<br /><br />In Minecraft LC server news we finished building that town. <div>I put my old house up for auction. Started at $3000 and sold for $5000. I was pleased :)<br /><div><br /></div><div>Battlefield comes out in a few days!</div><div><br /></div><div>Think of this lull in blog posts as a segway between my Minecraft days and my Battlefield 3 days. Its taking some time for servers to switch over, so there is downtime. Metaphorically.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-78832374928726597922011-10-14T14:59:00.000-07:002011-10-15T02:12:43.019-07:00Making a MC village<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Priorities:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>11:00am-9:30pm (10.5)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>11:00pm-2:00am (3)</div><div>minecraft</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13.5 hours of Minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>So through a series of events I made a friend that ran a village on this server I've been playing on. I helped him with some town renovations and he promoted me to the title of builder within his town. We decided to make a new town together. I was assuming he would be in charge and let him call the shots but he got off a good 5 hours before I did and under</div><div> my command the new town went from some cobble stone on the grou</div><div>nd to a legit town! Its so cool directing people and helping people and managing a town. It is a lot of work to though and can be frusterating. I am interested to see what my partner thinks of the product of my work. Also, I feel like I am in charge now, I have been for hours, which feels like weeks in the virtual world. So it will be interesting to see who really takes the throne when he comes back.</div><div>I'll put up some pictures of the old town, new town, and current progress.</div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgkOWw4grXhkDFfoEgsRF_nUSNvfRSkpPnw_ATYhplr1B3yhCM45GZIfy2xB95lHBTsGNMapsQJ0bkSg7guhPFzjOxZucFi1ls6ZFkrl5fOCQkp0CvwIdZ6o5NZy7bEHleHCLeHMSnOuN/s320/2011-10-14_14.32.53.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663642294755073810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px; " /><div><div style="text-align: center;">The old village. My house and shop.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZPk72FQENvMF2m96huJt1kGK5btBv6DN8a0rJ8STCy676QgHVO-KoZ1CSfhio83jKTNVK6-F671XP7kssAjfAcrEwdxI4NOM1JrS5WMwT6rv8GsILYth7tKuLTqb067xW1d-o9w2momi/s320/2011-10-14_19.36.43.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663642492292769394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Villagers at work setting the foundation of our new town.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv23ackdfs6qJKwf1tK4hH2tUUwJ8xH_6XFW0V170m1q1Rxd2Se17pqFpW9FUl6Ztf8Sy1PH9s-irt50Yval18bzdXV8Ep8hgWm30pafM9aK27SGlS9YzvcMwun6dbWkD492Se8ZDtf6e3/s320/2011-10-14_23.08.30.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663643179283343506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Got some houses and road up.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I was going to upload a picture of my house in the mountainside too but it was having problems. I'll do it in a later post.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">WOW! A big day for me in Minecraft. Not only was this the most I have played in one day while writing this blog, but it is also the most I have played in one sitting. Yes my body hurts, and I am hungry, and I miss my wife. But I got a lot done and it was fun.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-72609871973306453202011-10-13T17:02:00.000-07:002011-10-13T18:26:09.881-07:00No media night<div><br /></div><div><b>Priorities:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>9:30-12:00 (2.5)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div>2:30-4:30 (2)<div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>5:30-6:30 (1)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>5.5 hours of Minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>Today is no media night for reals. So this is all I'm posting.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-53199653505109202952011-10-12T15:23:00.000-07:002011-10-13T00:02:17.584-07:00Legendary-Craft<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Priorities:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>11:30-3:30 (4)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>4:30-5:00 (.5)</div><div>dead island </div><div><br /></div><div>5:30-6:00 (.5)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>10:00-12:00 (2)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>7 hours of games. </div><div>The most I've played in a week or so.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>Been playing on the Minecraft legendarycraft server. I was going to take some pictures of the house I made but kept forgetting. Most servers are chaos but LC server is fun. They have a functioning economy, the admins are friendly, and its real survival; they don't just give awaway stuff you have to find it.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>My wife and I decided that we were going to have a media free night. Meaning no electronics or books, just productive work and us time. That lasted about half an hour then she started reading and I got on Minecraft.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-65623820616519050812011-10-11T10:03:00.000-07:002011-10-11T23:06:21.275-07:006 year old plays Minecraft<div><b><br /></b></div><b>Priorities:</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div>10:30-11:30</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>9:00-11:00</div><div>minecraft</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>Was just messing around on some minecraft servers. That's all you really can do with them</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>Yesterday my 6 year old sister came over. She has played a few video games, like castle crashers on xbox, but not really any 1st person games. I had her play Minecraft. It was difficult to try and describe the game to a 6 year old. First thing she did was dig. She dug two blocks down and made a long trench. Over the course of about 2 hours she put a roof on her trench, added doors to the end, made torches, and expanded the inside. Of course I told her how to make the doors and all the crafting, but I wouldn't do anything for her and I tried to make her remember and figure things out and not just tell her what to do. It was fun and a neat experiment. Just see how someone who has never really played a first person game before handles it. I was surprised how well she remembered how to make a torch from scratch, using the charcoal method, and I was surprised how well she picked up digging and building. Out of everything, the thing she had the most trouble with was jumping. She would ask me to get her up a hill because she still had trouble moving. She would forget to press W to go forward and furious wave the mouse around or she would move forward, then jump, but had trouble coordinating them at the same time. Once she perfects navigation I'm sure she expand her level of play much faster. It will be interesting to watch the progress whenever she comes over.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-7156974639593338082011-10-08T17:22:00.000-07:002011-10-09T09:27:46.239-07:00A little of everything<div><b><br /></b></div><b>Priorities:</b><div><br /></div><div>3:30-5:30 (2)<div>minecraft</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>I am already kind of tired of Dead Island. I like it, but it is certainly overrated. It is to repetitive, You are always on the run or fighting zombies, there is less of a survival feel and more of a tunnel shooter feel, gets old quick. </div><div><br /></div><div>Minecraft on the other hand does not get old quick but even so... It's finally getting old. I just don't find building on my own very fun anymore. Iv'e built so many things and explored so far, I've seen the sights, I've made some sights, and if one more creeper ruins my creations I might explode myself. And multiplayer is lame because its chaotic and people build a bunch of random crap. Or they have made the world to civilized and "surviving" is no fun. The only time I find Minecraft fun now is when I am playing on my survival server with my friend Austin. I played a little bit today and had some fun being nomadic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Iv'e made myself to expectant of BF3 and Old Republic and now they are the only games I want to play. I'm just killing time till then really. Minecraft 1.9 will hopefully come out soon so I can play that until BF3.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>Today was nice because it had a little of everything. I watched TV with my wife and we... bonded, Then we went out on a picnic with my friend Jake and even got some dessert from the Mexican ice cream man. Then we came home and I played some games. Just had a little of everything.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-54900229752850702102011-10-05T11:07:00.000-07:002011-10-05T22:42:43.615-07:00Going out with a bang<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b>Priorities:</b><div><br /></div><div>3:00pm-5:00pm (2)</div><div>dead island</div><div><br /></div><div>9:30pm-11:00pm (1.5)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>11:00-12:00 (1)</div><div>dead island</div><div><br /></div><div>4.5 hours of games</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>Dead Island is a little more extensive than I thought. There is a small level up bar, with no indication of it being so, and there are more areas of the game than I thought.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>I can't believe its already have 22 submissions. It seems like just last week I started this blog. I've enjoyed writing near-daily and I hope there are a few people out there who have enjoyed reading it.</div><div><br /></div><div>So excited for Old Republic and Battlefield 3. The end of this year will be going out with a bang!</div><div>I wont be playing much Minecraft after BF3 is released but the 1.9 update will probably be up by then. So Minecraft is going out with a bang too! Hopefully with no connection to creepers.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></b></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-87938105638972784642011-10-04T08:54:00.000-07:002011-10-05T05:39:13.835-07:00Dead Island review, MC poll results<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b>Priorities:</b><div><b><br /></b><div>10:00-11:00 (1)</div><div>dead island</div><div><br /></div><div>1:00-3:00 (2)</div><div>dead island</div><div><br /></div><div>6:00-9:00 (3)</div><div>dead island</div><div><br /></div><div>6 hours of Dead Island</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><div><br /></div></span></b></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div><div>Dead Island (on xbox 360) feels a lot like Fallout 3 but just zombies. You run around completing quests for people in a large free roam environment. Awesome graphics. I love the animations and how the zombies act and feel in the game. The combat is decent too, although you just mash the right trigger, it can be really awesome swinging a nailed baseball bat around in a fluid of cool moves. Unlike other games its not just the same swing over and over. As you continue swining the character goes from different, natural, angles, also depending on where on the zombie you are aiming.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes a small hoard of zombies rush your from essentially nowhere which is always intence, an awesome aspect.</div><div><br /></div><div>All is not cookies and rainbows for this game though. I don't like how your stats are presented, or should I say I don't like the lack thereof. There is no simple/fast way to see your stats and notice your progress, sometimes your get xp without even realizing it and you seem to randomly level up. This doesn't keep me invested in doing quests for xp because its an next to invisible aspect of the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>The map doesn't feel that big for what Iv'e seen so far. I havn't played the whole things and an area outside of my current map may be unlocked. But the map that you start with is not very big for a free roam game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Things are confusing. There were next to no tutorials and I had to clumsily figure things out on my own. So an inexsperianced gamer would likely have a lot of trouble picking up this game.</div><div> </div><div>There are a lot of issues I have with it so far that are really disappointing. I won't count it out quite yet and keep playing in hopes for improvement.</div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>The Minecraft play style poll results are in. Not very many people did the poll but going off the results I did receive... </div><div><br /></div><div>60% said they play both. Meaning they switch between playing creatively and surviving, or they meld them into one.</div><div><br /></div><div>40% said they mostly play survival. Meaning they not only play the actual game mode, survival, but once in game they treat it like they are trying to survive. Typically you build a small base, gather basic resources, mine, explore, expand base, explore, expand territory by building other bases, mine, build big base or city and then enjoy it and start a new game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since the two highest voted play styles both have survival-style in them, the survival aspect seems to be the more popular in the game. The fact that you are thrust into a uncivilized world that you are forced to survive in, not only survive but thrive and build up your own utopia from nothing, is what makes Minecraft so gosh darn awesome.</div><div>Although I did not vote, I would fall into the 40%.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></b></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-63561619692880011372011-10-03T13:55:00.000-07:002011-10-04T08:54:06.644-07:00Dead Island<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Priorities:</b></div>I fell asleep and watched TV and then came up with a plan to get a new game. I played the new game for a few hours, was busy, out, with the wife, then went to bed.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>small Dead Island review coming next post.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>I love zombie games. Surprisingly enough I am just now hearing about this game called Dead Island which is supposed to be a really fun zombie RPG. Sounds awesome.</div><div>I have two problems though. I am already buying a monitor, BF3 and Old Republic collectors edition the end of this year, and don't really want to drop another 60 of our hard earned dollars for another game quite yet. Not sure if the wife would appreciate it and even if she didn't mind, I would somehow feel kind of bad considering she makes more money for us than I do.</div><div>The second problem is the same as the first but for a different reason. I am getting those other games so I will be playing a lot of them. I don't want Dead Island to gather dust while I'm playing those other games, and even more so, I don't want Dead Island to take priority over them. I want to get as much BF3 in before I get Old Republic so I can have played my $60 worth and so I can have a better rank to be sitting on, so if someone asks, I'm not some wimpy enlisted rank.</div><div>I really want the game though so I don't know what I will do.</div><div><br /></div><div>-later-</div><div><br /></div><div>With the help of my friend Jake, we both ended up getting it. He is playing the sword girl and I am playing the throwing knife guy.</div><div><br /></div><div>The wife had some reservations about me getting another game but we talked it out. I still can't help feeling kind of bad that she works more than I do and I'm spending more than she is on extra things.</div><div>I guess that just goes back to one of my earlier blog posts though.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-31271325298702813192011-10-02T18:34:00.000-07:002011-10-02T22:20:12.299-07:00Betas<b>Priorities:</b><div>Didn't keep track but Iv'e been playing a lot of the BF3 beta. </div><div><br /></div><div>7:00-7:30</div><div>StarCraft 2</div><div><br /></div><div>7:30-9:00</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>then more Battlefield 3 beta</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>My Battlefield craze is dying down a little bit. Due to the face I have few friends to play with and it is only one map. It's still great though and I look forward to the release. I'm currently at level 20.</div><div>To switch things up I played some StarCraft 2 with my friend, unfortunately he didn't want to play much.</div><div>Also waiting for Minecraft 1.9 update to come out so I can stat a new survival server. Should be fun.</div><div>I wonder when they will be done with the Minecraft beta and finally release the full version? </div><div>Ug I just wish BF3 was out so it could eat my time until Old Republic!!</div><div><br /></div><div>I've noticed more glitches in the BF3 beta. When in the open park area I sometimes fall through the ground. Blank nothing beneath me and the world above me. Its weird and dumb because the only way I can seem to get out is suicide.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-84758657173232975142011-09-29T08:31:00.000-07:002011-10-01T08:32:13.280-07:00BF3 Beta: Results<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b style="font-weight: bold; ">Priorities:</b><div><b style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></b><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Played Battlefield 3 beta, xbox, off and on over the past few days. One level, Metro, over and over again.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><img src="http://www.gameshadow.com/patches/battlefield3/images/metrogpv_medium.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 360px;" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">This picture is not me but found on the net.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><b><b><div style="display: inline !important; "><div style="display: inline !important; "><b><b><div style="display: inline !important; "><div style="display: inline !important; "><b><b><div style="display: inline !important; "><div style="display: inline !important; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><div style="display: inline !important; "><div style="display: inline !important; "><b>Review:</b></div></div></span></b></span></b></div></div></b></b></div></div></b></b></div></div></b></b></div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">When the game first started I wasn't feeling it. The sensitivity seemed weird and I felt like the game was a clone of Battlefield bad company. After I played more my opinion changed. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div>I have not played the PC version yet, not by choice, so I can't compare it, but the graphics are great. One of the best I've seen on the Xbox 360. But it's still a console game and you can tell. The lights can be better and the crisps can be crisper. This is only one representation of the game, but graphics wise, I never got the awe factor. (When you step back for a second and sit in awe over some kind of amazing background animation or from how the sunlight pours through a crack in the wall.) There are some nicely animated scenes, but no awe... yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two things that stood out to me was the destructibility and how the soldiers run.</div><div><br /></div><div>Battlefield bad company started the whole, destruction of the map aspect of the game series with the frostbite engine. Destroying a building an enemy is in or some cover he is behind is awesome. In bad company two, the destruction was cool but not great. You would shoot a wall and it would break in a specific spot and radius, an obvious predetermined chunk of the wall that could be broken. It was good, just still video game programmed destruction, and you could feel it. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span>Battlefield 3 has the new frostbite 2 engine which is supposed to raise the bar with the destruction of the map. I noticed next to no destruction for most of my game time. There were wooden areas you were meant to destroy to get through and some cover by the objectives that was destroyed, but it wasn't anything to mention. I was actually somewhat disappointed. Either because I wasn't using explosives, nobody was due to no vehicles, or the frostbite two engine was a flop. There just wasn't much destruction. But wait, let me set up this story.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span>There is an building on the last objective area on the map where you can go upstairs and shoot from some windows. I went up there multiple times, it was always the same, and I got the cover and sight I wanted from the windows every time. Sometimes there would be small chunks out of the walls, <i>obviously their attempt at destructibility</i>, I thought. Later, I was running up the stairs so I could get the vantage point, but where my previously reliable windows used to be, the wall was no more. The wall and windows were all gone and not in predetermined sections. The wall was torn very unevenly and devastatingly. This sight produced two emotions, admiration, enter the slow clap, good job DICE; and shock. Shock from the unexpected awesomeness of the games destruction capabilities, and shock because my once reliable area was now a pile of rubble, bringing me to realize nowhere was really safe in this game, a kind of of new and scary feeling.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span>In video games you create rules in your mind without thinking about it, and one rule I had was that I could rely on that area and that the destruction of it, and anything, was minimal. Iv'e seen what is possible now, my rules were crushed along with my vantage point. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>For instance there is an objective in that same area where you typically destroy the boarded up windows to get inside. That isn't necessary though. The more difficult, and sneakier way, would be to find the other side of the inside wall, blow it up, and enter through the inside. Something my internal rules assumed was not possible before, but now assume the contrary.</div><div><br /></div><div>I like watching the soldiers run. It's like how the zombies run on Left for dead. They aren't stiff like stiff like boards but they lean into the direction they turn. On that note, I love running too. It almost feels like I am free running. I can feel so BAMF when I'm sprinting towards the bomb to defuse it, use one hand to vault myself over a short wall, shoot a guy waiting on the other side, and defuse the bomb. It all happens so fast and smoothly.</div><div><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Whats to come:</b></div><div>Considering I only played operation Metro, on rush mode, over and over and over again, enough to get to (at this moment) level 13, they must be doing something right. Usually playing the same level more than twice in a row gets boring but.. it didn't. One reason is because the level is like two levels. You start outside in a large park and move into a long subway tunnel. If this one level on this one mode is this alluring, the full release with multiple game modes and multiple maps will be epic.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div>Metro doesn't have any vehicles. One of the things that sets Battlefield apart from other games are the vehicles. But playing Metro so much I forgot the game usually had them, and I was happy playing with just infantry. When I play a map with them in the full release will be an entirely new element from the beta, a pleasant surprise.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The game had its share of glitches:</div><div><ul><li>People flying abnormally far when killed</li><li>Sound getting stuck on one loop</li><li>Sound getting really quiet</li><li>Bullet trails lingering in air</li><li>Gun not doing the reload animation sometimes</li></ul><div>But I'm sure these will all be fixed by release.</div><div><br /></div><div>PC vs Xbox? I don't know honestly. I've decided to go with the Xbox because I am enjoying the game on it and my friends are on Xbox. Could the PC version be better? Yes, but ignorance is bliss. :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall though I think this game will rock. Anyone intrigued by <a href="http://todaysmarriedgamer.blogspot.com/p/glossary.html">FPS</a> should get it.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-31046948761163818552011-09-28T17:28:00.000-07:002011-09-29T08:31:52.954-07:00Beta night<b>Priorities:</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div>12:30-2:30 (2)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>5:00-6:00 (1)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>6:30-7:30 (1)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>4 hours of Minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I was just watching Regular Show until midnight so I could play the Battlefield 3 beta. It didn't show up for download so I went to bed.</div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-74162465589860447412011-09-27T12:42:00.000-07:002011-09-27T22:11:44.254-07:00Can gamers be parents?<div><b><br /></b></div><b>Priorities:</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div>10:00-2:00 (4)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>3:30-5:30 (2)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>6 hours of Minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>I'm really not feeling it today. Played alot of Minecraft but got really bored of it. Now I'm just waiting for 1.9 to come out, or Battlefield 3. Whichever comes first.</div><div><br /></div><div>Can a gamer be a parent? Can he work, care for his kids and wife and play video games well enough to get better and feel immersed in the world? Can he still be a hardcore gamer?</div><div>My wife and I were talking about how much time I spend playing video games. Mostly about how might I plan on playing once we have children. I learned of a couple where the husband likes to play StarCraft 2. His wife talked him into only playing it one night a week!! One night?! How can you get anything done with 4 hours a week accomplish anything? In Minecraft it would take you a month just to build a simple project. How does he better himself in StarCraft with that play-rate? By the time he has honed his skills the next game would come out! It's just hard to imagine so little game time. I accept that my game time will decrease dramatically when I have kids, but I don't plan on accepting one night a week willingly.</div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-67060518725777770482011-09-26T15:12:00.000-07:002011-09-27T01:21:30.448-07:00Creative mode<div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Priorities:</b></div><div>did a few hours of internet browsing this morning. Mostly youtube videos</div><div><br /></div><div>3:30-4:30</div><div>minecraft<div><br /></div><div>6:00-6:30 (.5)</div><div>minecraft</div></div><div><br /></div><div>9:30-1:00 (3.5)</div><div>minecraft</div><div><br /></div><div>4 hours of Minecraft</div><div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>For the first time I am trying creative mode on Minecraft 1.8. </div><div>It's fun I guess. I certainly am feeling like Minec</div><div><b></b></div><div>raft is loosing its luster. When the 1.9 update comes out I will start a new survival server. That should be fun again.</div><div>My plan in creative mode is to build a Fortress as a main point, then have branching off track that leads to a testing facility and a village, that I will both make. Here are the beginnings of the fortress.</div><div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><b><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuchurQZ9TuzVuToy-bfHVsIfedFarCmG3exsRaGOFTrdF9YMHNRQxzWn9z-E5xMaggw1kI9j3iBFdBXzdA1pXsfskIFxgo0XBHOfLMFjl3DnUGC4WXtKIl9SuK6JMe386D9ssPFm5ldE/s320/2011-09-26_18.56.18.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656853393320834498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px; " /></b></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><b><br /></b></div><div>I have stayed away from creative mode until now is because I like the challenge of survival. I like having to mine for resources and facing mortality. Building an epic structure in survival mode is just that much more epic because Minecraft players know how much more difficult it would have been to make it. Creative mode is fun if you want to build something on a large scale or test something out. Which I will be doing both. I'm making a civilized world, with buildings and intricate tracks, but one of the stops is a testing area where I will be testing a lot of redstone contraptions.</div><div>I'm getting bored of 1.8 survival and will probably get back into it with 1.9</div><div>I will actually probably make a new survival server with ever major update.</div><div><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>I've noticed that when playing with my friends, we play very differently. I love survival. I like making it realistic and making it feel like I am in this world trying to survive and making it for myself in my own frontier. </div><div>Whereas my friend Jake is very different. He likes building. I like building too and later in the game I will build more and more intricate structures. But almost right off the bat Jake is building. He doesn't care about utilizing redstone, minecarts, or ever pressure plates to make his "survival" easier. He just builds. He builds creative towers and smiles out of cotton and floating islands in the sky.</div><div>For instance, my friend Austin plays a lot like me, and all three of us were playing my server. </div><div>Austin and I made a simple bedroom and put signs by our doors saying who's room it was. Jake did not care to indicate his room with a sign, and he spent a lot more time expanding his room.</div><div><br /></div><div>-Austin and I make a quick and essential room to upgrade later, once we have gotten other things to make life easier. </div><div>-Jake skips that step and starts upgrading.</div><div><br /></div><div>-We mine to get better pickaxes to mine faster to get a bigger stash of stone when building, meaning less trips back to mine. We also start a farm to obtain a food supply and explore. </div><div>-Jake makes due with the stone and Iron pickax, gets stone, and starts building, often having to ask us for food and does little to no exploring.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just interesting. I wonder how other people differ and what their play style is.</div><div>Survival VS Creative</div><div><br /></div><div>I will make a poll and post the results in a week. Please vote :D</div><div>Remember, this doesn't mean which mode do you like better but what playstyle you tend to use in survival mode.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-75179166483321456592011-09-25T16:42:00.000-07:002011-09-25T20:35:14.512-07:00BF3: PC vs Xbox<div><b><br /></b></div><b>Priorities:</b><div>6:00-6:30</div><div>Soul Calibur 4</div><div><br /></div><div>7:30-8:30</div><div>minecraft</div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Virtually virtual:</b></div><div>Battlefield 3 is coming out soon. It will be a good thing to get my mind off of Old Republic. My problem is that I am still undecided on whether I should get it for xbox or PC. Here are some personal comparisons.</div><div><br /></div><div>PC</div><div>-possibly bigger servers</div><div>-better lighting, graphics, ect..</div><div>-better effects, added detail?</div><div>-mouse precision</div><div><br /></div><div>Xbox</div><div>-More comfortable on couch</div><div>-Have a friend or two that would play with me</div><div><br /></div><div>I want PC mainly because I am excited that I have a top of line gaming computer and I want to utilize it. Battlefield 3 is supposed to be cutting edge in the fields of graphics, beauty. I want my breath to be taken away with the stunning visuals that only a computer can offer. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is my reasoning behind even considering xbox.</div><div><br /></div><div>2 months after this comes out I will drop it like a bad habit and dedicate my time to Old Republic. I'm sure I will occasionally play BF3, just for a change of game though. If I get it on PC this means I will be sitting in the bedroom, on my not so comfortable office chair, on the computer for hours playing Old Republic, then what if I want to play BF3? I stay on the computer and do it some more. But if I get it on xbox it will be a nice change of location and comfortableness to be on the couch in the living room.</div><div><br /></div><div>Battlefield, unlike call of duty, is best playing with a team. I like having people I know instead of random <a href="http://todaysmarriedgamer.blogspot.com/p/glossary.html">noobs</a> being on my team, and I have more confirmed friends getting it for xbox.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am really torn between which platform to play it on. Either way I will regret not choosing the other. I am really excited to play the xbox beta on the 29th of this month. The beta will give me a chance to see for myself how the xbox handles the game play and graphics, hopefully giving me enough opinion on it to make a decision so I can pre-order.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thoughtful gab:</b></div><div>I was talking to my wife about buying Battlefield 3, Old Republic, and a new computer monitor (around $300 total) which are all non essential items. She was kind of frustrated that I get to spend all this money for myself, where she works more than I do and she doesn't spend as much as I do.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>This is an interesting dilemma. </div><div>Living in this apartment has been the first time I have been away from my parents house. I am used to spending 80% of my money on every check I got on games and silly things. Now, I've been spending a lot more on bills but a part of me still tries to get those fun things when I probably shouldn't. I think we can handle getting those 3 things over the coarse of the rest of this year but that is not the problem. The problem is that my wife feels like she doesn't get to buy anything for herself because all the extra spending funds go to my expenditures. This is actually mostly true, only for the reason that she just doesn't have many expensive things to buy. She buys books now and again but they are cheap. Otherwise she is happy on the internet and playing my games. It's not the same with a gamer. Games are expensive and the hardware to play them even more so.</div><div> </div><div>Lets just not count the numbers here, but measure how happy we are. My wife is happy getting her few books a month, and I am happy buying games. We spend different amounts but achieve the same level of contentment. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I say to her, you don't need to spend as much money as I do, as long as you are happy. If you want to spend more, lets talk about it, I can wait longer to get a computer monitor :)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645744175717970565.post-56774092653741296622011-09-25T00:47:00.000-07:002011-09-25T01:58:49.990-07:00Old Republic and Nyan cat<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />I find it funny that it just so happens that the day I play no Minecraft, it's an amazing day.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The wife and I decided that we needed a day together where she didn't read her books and I didn't play Minecraft. An us day. We had fun</div><div><br />which I don't want to brag so watching TNG and some Buffy the vampire slayer that she wanted me to see. We played some Soul Calibur 4 </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><div> I won't :)</div></div></div><div>We did other married couple things ;) and cleaned the house and stuff. </div><div><br />Then had a awesome date night pick nick in a field.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>I am currently listening to Nyan Cat.</div><div><div><div><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyan_Cat">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyan_Cat</a></div></div></div><div><div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_q51ERBhmOGCFBLiGTGCwa8f7j1_liBfBlgsmQgj1LrC3hIAKzcQP_j_kpeETuphssc8EPWshJLTWQBBgNJB2PR3j2D6QwRwxu9nuqo-0FBUZIjR1sjpIjp8EzrP1TnX4eM_TOD10sy0/s320/nyan+cat_355942.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656213847937199074" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 172px; " /></div></div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>I have actually been listening to this video for 1</div><div> hour, 37 min. I don't know why....</div></div><div><div><div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>My wife made me turn down Nyan cat at 1 hour, 12 min :(</div><div><div><br /></div></div><div>I didn't make this but kudos to the Minecraft-teer who did.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If that wasn't enough to make it a good day... <b><span class="Apple-style-span">Star Wars: The Old Republic came out with a release date!!!</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></div><div><div><div><img src="http://www.zam.com/Im/Image/206551.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 126px; " /></div><div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Countdown will be on the side panel until release. -------></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Which brings me to my next topic. The pre-ordering.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>SWTOR Pre-ordering and you:</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">If you plan on getting the game and have not pre-ordered yet, do it. Do it now. If you don't have money right now, do it through amazon. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Pre-ordering the game gets you </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">-a guaranteed spot in the servers which will be like a can of sardines</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">-early access which means you will be able to play a day to a week earlier than the actual release date. But depending on how fast you get the pre-order determines on when you will be invited to early release. So hurry and get it so you can play sooner!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">-a color customizer for your weapon</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">There is also the epic bundle you can get and electronic version which both offer an more perks.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">you can read that info here</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.swtor.com/preorder" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; ">http://www.swtor.com/preorder</a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Which store should you buy it from you ask? Best buy and gamestop are usually reliable. They are walk in's meaning you walk in to order it, and walk in to pick it up. This is good in the fact that it means as long as you are there and it is open on release day, you walk home with your copy. Now Iv'e never used Amazon to pre-order something before, but by culminating my knowledge of online shopping, my wife's Amazon pre-order experience, and things I've read online, I don't know when you get the game. Will they ship before the release date so you actually get it in the mail? Or will all the Amazon buyers be playing late because they had to wait for the shipping? Price is nice because Amazon does not charge you for a pre-order until it ships. So save the money now and make sure it will be in the account come December! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">I chose Amazon because I was low on money at the time. The jury is still out on the shipping. Will I get it in the mail a few days early or late? Has the potential to be awesome or stupid. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">As far as I understand it though, they give you a link to the game client so you can download it off of the net and play for early access so this is no problem. So it really comes down to:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Wait in long lines at a store (chance they run out?)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">or</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">pay extra for asap shipping (chance it comes late?)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">P.S. I made it to two hours of Nyan cat! Now I'll go to bed... if I can get the song out of my head...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div></div></div></div>Nathan Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551623405938779465noreply@blogger.com0