Game Franchises That Ran Their Course.

Gamesradar has a feature up about video game franchises that should have been buried in the junkyard along time ago. There's a catch here, however, the majority of the franchises actually used to be pretty good.

No prizes for guessing some of the contenders who come up (our favourite big-breasted explorer and blue spiky hedgehog for instance) but, as per usual, you'll have to click the link to find out for yourself.

Tiresome work all this link clicking isn't it?

The Top 7 ... series run into the ground - Gamesradar (Via Joystiq)

Hobbit Home.

'In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit...'

Ok, you know the story. If you don't then you've either been living in a hole for the last century (no pun intended) or you just don't care. How about seeing what it's like to bang your head on the ceiling every morning? Unless, of course, you happen to be terribly short and have hairy feet.

Thankfully the dimensions are vastly larger but the likeness still remains. Not only is something different for a change but it turns out to be pretty cheap too.

"You are looking at pictures of our family home in Wales. It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimate 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 put in to this point. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly £60/sq m excluding labour). - Makezine

It's also extremely environmentally friendly; using solar panels for electricity and water from a nearby spring. It even has a compost toilet (though I doubt the smell would be all too nice).

It makes you look around your shameful mass-produced home in disdain.

A low impact woodland home - Makezine (Via Wonderland)

Digital Downloads.

It is a new era here in my little mind for I, your lovely blogger here at No Signal Input, have purchased my first game through digital download!

I know, I've ranted on and on in the past that I prefer something physical but I figured there was no harm in giving it a try. I've never been inclined to pay for a game download in the past but I saw that Steam now accepts Paypal as a payment method (since my card wasn't accepted, I am in the poor Switch/Solo stable) so I pushed my doubts aside and went ahead with the purchase.

The game in question? Dreamfall: The Longest Journey of course! I've been meaning to purchase the game in the past since it's won a few awards and got a decent nod from the critics. Adventure games! Clearly an alternative cup of tea.

I'll give my opinion on the game when it's finally downloaded and installed. For some reason my download speed is going incredibly slow for the second night in a row. It's strange because I was playing Battlefield 2142 fine a few hours ago. I think it may be time to switch ISP.

History of the Home Video Game Console.

I'm too lazy to check if the Gnome has already posted this link but I expect (due to his amazing knowledge in all things retro) it's somewhere in there.

A Brief History of the Home Video Game Console points and laughs at how little I know about old consoles. Until I found this page I'm ashamed to admit that I'd never even heard of the Magnavox Odyssey (I've seen it around but the name escaped me), even though it's apparently the first home video game console in history!

Feel free to smirk at this lack of knowledge while I go and read up on the link. If you feel so inclined, you can also press that little left mouse button.

A Brief History of the Home Video Game Console - thegameconsole.com

Yet Another Sims 2 Series On The Way.

The Sims 2 is everywhere these days; PC, consoles and portable consoles. Go in any reputable game store and it's a guaranteed impossibility to avoid seeing any iteration of the series stacked up neatly on the shelves (unless, of course, you like walking around with your eyes shut). So, it comes as little surprise that EA are eager to further cash in on the best-selling series. This time, it's laptop friendly!

These stand-alone, "laptop-friendly" entries in the franchise are set to feature a whole new Story mode with two central characters - Riley Harlow and Vincent Moore. Your goal is to guide either protagonist through the perils and pitfalls of romance over 12 different chapters. - IGN

The Sims Life Stories will fill up another eager space on the shelves, probably jostling off some low budget ignored game in the process. Will I buy it? Considering I only own the PC version (and all the expansion packs) and I don't own a laptop (although it is an idea for the future) then, no, most likely not. At least those who don't own a a powerful laptop can get in the God act too!

Wait, that's not it? Do you expect anything more from the powerhouse that is EA?

Following after Life Stories, 2007 should also see a release for The Sims Pet Stories, with The Sims Castaway Stories arriving in 2008. - IGN

EA owns your money, that is, if you're gullible enough to part with it. Knowing the UK game market, however, we have plenty of sheep!

The Sims Lapping it up - IGN

The Sweet Tooth's Version Of Tolkien's Masterpiece.

The best thing about the Internet is that there's always something new and interesting for us to look at - more than you could ever need - something unique and mind-blowing that, without the Internet, we probably would have never found out about. They say that the Internet is unproductive; for the reader, maybe - but the immense amount of productivity showcased on the Internet makes it all the worthwhile.

So, here's a contender for today’s best use of productivity. Granted, it may serve no purpose in the long run but no one can deny the fact that it's freaking awesome.



Yes, ladies and gentlemen, what better way to celebrate the Internet's greatness than to present to you a complete recreation of the Battle of Helm's Deep (from the excellent The Lord of the Rings trilogy) made entirely out of sweets (or, if you prefer the word, candy).

This is the zoomed out view. The whole thing was constructed out of cardboard, glue, icing and… well, candy. It clocked in at about 7 feet long by 3 feet deep by 2 feet tall. We used over 500 Gummy Bears as orcs and Uruk-Hai. The Elves, Dwarves and Men were represented by sour patch kids. Most of these were of course corpses. - Miss(ed) Manners

Aragorn's valiant charge into the mele and Gandalf's attempt to rescue them - this thing has it all. Walls made out of Jolly Ranchers with Starburst for steps, Nerds for blood and Tootsie Pops for catapults. It may seem like one truly massive waste of time but it succeeds in providing a great deal of entertainment and wonderment on behalf of the Internet throngs. This, and porn, is what the Internet was made for.

Hit the link for more pictures and the creators description of the battle.

What I Did Over Christmas Vacation - Miss(ed) Manners.

A Late Happy New Year!

Happy New Year my excellent readers (all two of you)!

I know it's a bit late but I wish everyone the best for the new year and my assurances that my blogging habit is very much alive (if not here for the moment). The start of the new year means the start of exam period - but it will be over soon!

My updating may be sporadic for a while but, then again, it's nothing unusual is it?

Have a good one!

New York, New York - It's A Hell Of A Tip!

Just how dirty is New York City?

Grab a power-washer and see for yourself.

(Via Boing Boing)