Assassin's Creed

For the few weeks leading up to the release of the much anticipated XBox 360 game “Assassin’s Creed” I began watching the commercials, video clips and release footage. The Gaming industry related websites and e-zines began to sizzle with much praise regarding the new game play ‘technology’ that was put into this game. I wasn’t quite sure when I would get a chance to play but apparently the game name rolled off of my lips enough to get my wife’s attention. We left for Florida (vacation) the night before it’s release for a little over a week but due to the ‘Gods’ favoring me, I had the game in hand by Monday afternoon. Being at my mother’s and not wanting to waste too much of the precious time that I get with her each year I didn’t get to play it as much as I wanted during the week I was down there but I got to taste the sweet redemption of awesomeness that I think games have been lacking for a long while. Now that I’ve been back for a week and had a chance to play through it I’ve finished it and come to one major conclusion. This is the best damned game I’ve ever played. Ever…… The story is incredible and the graphics leaving nothing wanted. (Careful possible semi-spoilers below) The story takes place in current time only to throw you into a time long ago in a land far away. A doctor has taken you prisoner and is wanting you to participate (not really optional) in a experiment to pull memories from your DNA. Haven’t really ever seen that story before. You are taken back to your great great great (etc) ancestor’s time as him…. as an… Assassin! The story walks you well through what is needed. I will say, either you need to pay attention to the story or well… you can’t help it. In order to know what to do you have to pay attention but it is well worth it. You find yourself stripped of rank immediately after breaking 2 of the 3 tenets of the Assassin’s Creed and must earn them back through successful completion of particular tasks detailed and outlined by your master. You eventually work your way back up in rank and skill and finish the tasks at hand only to find….. (well I won’t ruin that for you.) The world… The world is incredible. There are 4 or 5 major cities (depending what you count) with immeasurable detail. There is the ‘Kingdom’ which is the land between each in which you must accomplish certain tasks as well, but back to the cities. Each city has an Assassin’s Bureau in which you must converse with the leader there and get mission objectives (detail) and gather information for them. Only after you’ve done enough reconnaissance will he allow you to pursue you final goal. There are side objectives that are not needed but will gain you achievement points for your XBox profile. The buildings are said to match design and layout of what they were in the original time.You have the ability to climb and manipulate as needed on and around such structures. There are several towers in each part of these large cities in which you must scale and get a view from in order to map out the cities. There are citizens to be saved in order to gain their support when fighting off guards (if needed). There are ‘flags’ of different types in each city and these are unimportant to the storyline but are some of those achievement goals I mentioned above. You can ‘assassinate’ anyone from citizens, guards, to filler characters. Each kill does accomplish something good or bad for or against your goal. Be careful there are penalties. One of the great things about this game is i isn’t what I consider a ‘one sitting’ game. Even with 5-7 hours of sitting and playing you probably won’t be too close to beating it unless you figure it all out extremely quickly. I took my time and I think I was upwards of 10-12 hours. Maybe more…. Halo 3 which I though was a good game only took me about 6 and a half. I would like to thank the great minds of Ubi for not only creating a kick ass game but for making it part of a trilogy that we will get sucked into for time to come.

Eventually

We are moving our offices at work and the project I've been working on for months is slowly coming to an end. Eventually I'll have time to come back. In the meantime..... -Twisty Powered by ScribeFire.

Just Kidding...

no lynch mobs please. Powered by ScribeFire.

E tu?

There Are No Do-Overs....

Unless you're playing Milton Bradley's version.... there are no "Do Overs" in the game of life. I'm sure all of us can admit mistakes and failures in their lives but it seems that some people, like myself, become quite good at it. We don't see it or we don't believe it is too late until.... its too late. I've been doing it for years now, in fact, my entire life has been filled with regrets that I didn't catch on to certain hints or things until I'd run a relationship into the ground. You spend a couple years being a useless excuse for a husband only to find out that your wife begrudges you in every way imaginable. You try to get better to slip back into a comfort zone of laziness. You argue, try to get better, last longer in your attempt to fail again, and again, and again. Eventually you become better at it only to find out it is never enough. Never enough, not because they are insatiable but because you'll never catch up to what they've been through and you're never going to be able to give them the break they deserve. You argue. You argue about everything and anything only to have the conversation come back to how lazy and horrible you are as a husband. How miserable they are and that you never are good enough. No matter how much you try you always screw up or 'never do anything'. All in all, it is your fault. You've asked for it, right? You know that no matter what you do, you'll never be able to take back the time and replace it with happy years. You'll never be able to go back and 'take care' of the person that has taken care of you over the years. Things you never realized were done for you begin to be noticed.... when they are not. Taking things for granted is the failure of all human civilization.... I can see it now. Where do you go from here? You're in too deep to not care or walk away easily. You'll never be able to make that person happy. Never. Your arguments can be about anything and will always come back to this one topic. You could break and rebuild the world with your words and fingertips and it will never be enough to take away what you've put the other person through. It will never be enough to satisfy their need to be nurtured in the past. People cannot forget the past. Never. This isn't Nintendo. This isn't Tiger Woods' Golf. If you don't do well the first round, you cannot RESET and start again until you get to the perfect save point. It's real time. It is always going to haunt you. Screw it up and ignore the wrong things in your life and it will haunt you the rest of your days. There will always be that 'What if'. Frankly, I'm tired of 'What if...". If you know you've screwed up for that long and no matter what you say or do now will fix and mend the broken pieces of the other person's emotions and heart then what else is there to do? Watch them suffer? No.... That hurts too much. Taking the blame is step 1 but what about step 2? What other options does one have? ,,..,,..,,.. Powered by ScribeFire.

I Promise!

Well, it has been awhile, and with my writing mentor calling my house and harassing me to update, sending me emails promising rectal violence.... I think it's time to oblige. "It's time my friends, to... Just Twist It!" lol, just kidding bro... :) I'm finding in the news that more and more cities are adopting this new "No baggy pants" law. Again, I'm torn on the issue. I have no problems with baggy pants, but the ass crack or underwear hanging out???? Thats an indecent exposure issue. No one wants to see your skidmarks, pull them up asshole! I do not have a problem with a thong rising out of the back of the pants but I can't say its really attractive if the pants are falling down to reveal it.... just kind of 'skanky', unless you're a stripper, then we pay to see just that. The one problem I have with this law is it is a step towards a violation of rights. It's not big deal with its just 'baggy pants' to must of us but it gives lawmakers momentum to eventually take away something we may possibly like. The next annoying thing that makes me wante to protest with arms flailing wildly is... *drumroll* Illegal Aliens. Last night while reading the local news I came upon this article. Now Durham is a city of crime as it is and luckily not MY home city but is less than 30-40 minutes away and a sister city to my lovely Raleigh. I understand one point of their not wanting to 'check the status' of certain individuals to not make persons that may be witness to a crime scared to come forward to assist but we have to draw a line somewhere. It is a crime in itself for them to be here. Bleh I find it very difficult lately to post, I'm involved with one of the largest projects hitting my employer this year and I am at the helm of it. Deadlines are flying by and I have barely enough time to think much less post. Being that 99.99999% of my posting comes from work... it kind of hurts my time frame. I'll be back.... -Twisty Powered by ScribeFire.

I'm trying....

I'm trying to avoid politics but this was funny... slanted... yes... but funny. Powered by ScribeFire.

Torn

I am kind of torn over the following issue: Read this first: (its really short) New Law I sit here with mixed emotions. I would like to say that I am happy. Happy because 80% of the time the persons (white, black, Hispanic, etc) dressing like this are rude and disrespectful as it fits the lifestyle that goes hand and hand with this 'style'. Eliminating it goes as far as to eliminate the foulness it displays to the public of our society. However, it is a step towards yet another limit on our basic rights. The right of free speech? Maybe not literal speech but speech comes in different ways. Freedom of _______? You fill in the blanks.... Overall, I'd say it is a step forward but it should put us all on our toes to watch what else could come down the pipe that may not be in 'our' best interest. Salut! Twisty Powered by ScribeFire.