Chatsquatch

It seems with each passing day I lose more and more of the fire I had when I was young. I used to spend every free moment of the day with a guitar in my hand. Even a few years ago I was still playing regularly, but recently it seems my desire has slowly tapered off.

Well I want my desire back. This is part 1 of a series of posts i’ll be doing to not only inspire myself, but the other four readers of this site. For this first post I want to showcase a few videos that always make me want to play. The artists name Erik Mongrain. He has a unique style. Enjoy.

Every time I leave a RadioShack, I always tell myself that I will never go into another RadioShack as long as I live. Yet I always seem to find one when I am out of town and give it another try. This time I happened to find gold.

But before I get to my success story, I have to share an interesting experience I had. I wanted to make the famous 5$ Cracker Box Amp found at Makezine.com. So I gathered my parts list and headed down to a nearby RadioShack. I knew the LM386 chip was going to be the most difficult to find, so I asked for that one first. This is my conversation:

RadioShack Employee: Welcome to RadioShack. Can I help you, sir?

Me: Yeah, I have a list of stuff I need to get. Do you guys have an LM386 chip?

RadioShack Employee: Dude, we have not sold 386 computers in, like, decades.

Me: No, it’s an IC. It’s for a project I am working on.

RadioShack Employee: I can assure you that we do not have anything for a 386.

Me: Is there someone else I can talk to about this.

RadioShack Employee: No, I am sorta the computer guru around here.

Me: Right… (I realize this is a waste of my time, so I crumple up the list) Well then, I need to purchase 3 cell phones, 5 remote control cars, and 13 satellite dishes (-heavy sarcasm-)

RadioShack Employee: OK, let me go get someone for you.

Me: Quickly checked the ever-shrinking electronics section while he was in the back (probably telling his friends that some idiot needs help with his dinosaur computer). I did not find what I was looking for so I headed out the door before he returned in hopes of saving my IQ from dropping a few points.

I thought my search for intelligent life inside of RadioShack was hopeless. In fact, I was out of town with my brother-in-law the other day and we happened to see a RadioShack. I told him to watch the blank stares from the employees when I ask for an LM386. We walked into the door, I asked the nearest employee, and was blown away when I heard his response: “That’s an IC, right? I think we have one left in stock.”

AT LAST MY SEARCH FOR INTELLIGENT LIFE HAS REACHED AN END! I then asked if I could access the internet to get the rest of my parts list. I explained to him that the reason why I do not have my list is because of my previous bad experiences with RadioShack. I almost give up on the project (or at least purchasing it from RadioShack). He was very kind and helped my find everything on my list.

Once I was ready to order, he asked what I was making. I told him and he introduced me to some of the other RadioShack employees who have made similar projects. We had a great time “geeking out” about various electronic projects. It was so nice to have that kind of customer service that I did not mind paying the outrageous RadioShack prices.

The moral of the story: RadioShack should invest in some knowledgeable employees. The ROI is worth it.

PC Gamer scored some inside information regarding Blizzard’s new Starcraft II. Now, anyone who has played video games has probably heard of Starcraft. Possibly the greatest RTS game of all time, Starcraft was brilliant. Not only did the game have a great single-player campaign with an engaging story, the multi-player game set the bar for RTS’s to come.

Since then, Blizzard created Warcraft III. Now, my RTS career began with Warcraft II, which is a solid game. The biggest thing that stands out to me with Warcraft III is the inclusion of heroes, central figures in the game’s story that are also very powerful units. In the single-player campaign, this worked beautifully, and really added to the game. In multi-player, though, the micro-management your hero required took away from the overall product of your forces. In a game where you once built armies, you now built support units while you micro-managed your hero. I didn’t like this.

This brings me to Starcraft II. PC Gamer made it sound like heroes in Starcraft II will not require the “upkeep” nor be as vital as they are in Warcraft III. Score one for me. Being able to once again amass my army and feel like a commander once again is a big bonus to me.

I’m a LAN gamer. I think sitting in a room, drinking an intoxicating beverage, boisterously smack-talking my friends is what partying is meant to be. Trouble is most people don’t want to sit around for hours through a game of Starcraft. This is mostly because people like to create their max unit count then clash in the middle. For those who play online, this isn’t how a game goes, and usually end much, much faster. Personally, I would like a delicate balance between the two.

The developers of Starcraft II are aiming for an average game time of twenty minutes. This seems absurdly short to me. Thirty to forty-five sounds about right to me. Seems if you want to take advantage of the game’s unit upgrades, you’d need more time. This isn’t enough to kill a game for me, as it’s more than likely that I won’t be playing “average” games, but does anyone else think that is too fast?

Mass Effect, with its premier at E3 2006, won E3’s Best RPG award. Bioware has a long standing tradition of creating the best role-playing games on the market, so this comes as no surpise. This is one of my most sought after titles for 2007, so I decided to give the game a PR boost.

The above video details some interaction and character model detail. One thing I noticed right off was the character motions combined with their speech, particularly the “threat.” This attention to detail really helps with immersion. The voice acting doesn’t sound quite on yet, but the game has a few more months till release.

This video showcased a lot more gameplay. One thing I that stands out is squad interaction. It reminds me of GRAW, but with more control. The customization is neat; I loved that feature in KOTOR, and judging by the decisions, it looks like there will be the “good, evil, neutral” character progression too.

This video is more technical, plus it shows the chick in the background *smirk*. For those who want to know how seriously Bioware takes their games, take a peek.

There is content like this everywhere, and hopefully I’ve enticed a few to look more into the game.

You might have heard of a certain Coke Machine “hack” that uses a sequence of buttons to give you access to the debug menu. I am not going to go into details about how to do this, but you can read that information at the “How to hack a Coke Machine - wikiHow”.

(Scroll down to read more)

I did some investigation of this “hack” and was very disappointed. It allows you to view a debug menu that contains certain information such as total sales and error messages. The only thing you can gain from this “hack” is information about that certain machine. I do not advocate theft, but I cannot believe this trick became so popular without any personal gain (e.g., free sodas).

Then it hit me: This has to be a marketing ploy from the Coca-Cola Company. They built this harmless function into the machine and then leaked it to the appropriate people.

1. People see the word “hack” and are instantly intrigued.
2. They think there is something to gain, so they figure out how to do it.
3. Once they figure out the trick, they have to try it out.
4. The go out in search of a victim Coke machine to try out their newfound knowledge.
5. Once they find one, they try the trick and see that it works.
6. Now what? I am here, I might as well get a Coke.
7. Then they tell their friends that they “hacked” a Coke machine.
8. Their friends are intrigued since they heard the word “hack”.
9. Go to step 2 and the process keeps repeating.

I am sure the sales of sodas from these “hackable” machines have gone up thanks to this trick that has been passed around the internet. Bravo to the geniuses over at the Coca-Cola Company marketing team.

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Well they have managed to impress me again! I have discovered another very cool feature of Google Maps. As Jason noted in his post there is the cool business review feature, but there is also another option called CALL!ÂÂ

Here is how it works: Simply find the business you are interested in and click on the Google Map flag and then you will see a small hyperlink that says CALL. Click this and the business bubble will expand and reveal a field for you to type in your phone number. After imputing your number click Connect for Free.  (See Header Pictures) In a matter of seconds your phone will ring and an automated voice will say “connecting.” You will automatically be connected to your chosen business! The Google Map bubble will update real time and tell you when you are connected to the business. How cool is that! The cherry on top is your caller id shows the number or the business, this makes it great for storing in your cel!ÂÂ

I am sure all of you rebels out there have already figured out you could find an establishment of ill repute and have it call your buddy, or your buddies wife. Though this would be quite fun, I hope prank calling does not lead to the removal of this function. Google has already posted this information about prank calls, “Please contact adwords-support@google.com if you believe someone is entering your phone number without your permission or knowledge.” Good luck and get CALLing!

I just found out that you can now review businesses with Google Maps. I think this is a great idea. I don’t know how many times I have been out of town and wanted a great place to eat Italian food or need help finding a good computer store. Since it is user driven, you need to start making entries. It’s only going to be as good as we make it. So point your browser to Google Maps right now and start reviewing places in your neighborhood. Don’t be afraid to give some place a bad review, but be sure to give a reason why.

Are you ever without a computer? Just call Google Local Voice Search. Dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) to get a business phone number, be connected automatically, and also get more details about the business. All of this for FREE!

All of you have heard by now that Microsoft has been adding extra cooling to Xbox 360’s returned for warranty repair. Most people saw this as inevitability, as the console has been plagued by cooling issues since its launch. Nyko developed an add-on device that does indeed cool your 360.

Nyko’s first Intercooler was met with much dismay. Many users claimed this device not only damaged their 360, but voided the warranty. Well, not to be discouraged, Nyko released an official statement claiming if you use their product and your 360 dies, they will replace not only the malfunctioning fan, but the entire console. To further stave off denouncement, Nyko has released and updated version, the Intercooler EX.

This newer version includes two additional prongs to hook into the vents on the back of the 360, bringing the total to four. There is also a lock for the power cord to prevent it coming loose. The one downfall of both models of the Intercooler is the noise the extra fans produce. I use mine with the 360 in my entertainment center, so this doesn’t bother me too much, but many of you with the 360 in the open may have issues with noise.

TJ and I here at Chatsquatch decided rather than present a novel of data, we would give you a short, informative video detailing what this device can do for your 360. I stand by my decision to use the Intercooler EX, and I hope this helps you decide.

The good folks at Game Informer scored an informative peek into the anticipated Fallout 3. I knew this information must be shared with the world, and wouldn’t you know it, the excellent site No Mutants Allowed have done just that.

“It’s not and action game. It’s a role-playing game.” -Todd Howard, Executive Producer

After reading the article all I can say is, Bethseda gets it. From character creation, to worldly interaction, it truly sounds like they’ve taken this game very seriously. I personally am happy they chose to include a very well developed third-person view in the vein of Resident Evil 4, as this makes the experience less “through a crosshair” and allows for deeper immersion into the world.

“Even within the quests we are trying to be careful to not just have the good path and the evil path, because a big part of Fallout is shades of gray.” - Emil Pagliarulo, Lead Designer

For the fans of the series, the SPECIAL system is intact, along with the Tags and Perks. Action points are still used and the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S.) allows the game to be paused and interacted with. Particular attention was paid to the detail in the game, making sure everything “felt” like Fallout. It was stressed that Fallout 3 is not a game for children, so expect the Mature ESRB rating.

Some newer features mentioned include item degradation and salvaging, making your inventory more survival oriented. Also, conservation of water and food, as well as radiation levels, make rationing even more important.

The article goes into further detail about specific points, and I suggest every Fallout hopeful read it.