Mashira's blog

I'm here to write news and chew bubblegum.......and i'm all out of bubblegum.

In short:

Always.

Bet.

On.

DUKE

(More after the jump!)

By Mashira

With all of the E3 news buzzing around square being the sneaky tricksters they are have released a benchmark tool for FFXIV.

It shows what I'm pretty sure is the opening cutscenes. You get your choice of premade characters of every race/gender combination. The goal of the benchmark tool is to assess your computer's readiness for FFXIV, though the final specs have yet to be released.

If you're too lazy, or cant download it i'll write up a quick summary of what takes place just for you! Check it and my thoughts on the experience after the jump.

Okay, real quick post. Portal (That ever so awesome game) is currently available at the Steam store. Not big news you say? Slooooowpoke you say? YOU SAY WRONG! For the first time in ever Portal is up......for FREE!

http://store.steampowered.com/freeportal/ (Web-page is no longer up.)

If you have never had the chance to play this wonderful game, here's your chance. AND GUESS WHAT ELSE! It doesn't matter if you're using some sort of non-gaming operating system (Mac) because steam is now fully functional on Macs! Make sure you act soon, though. You've only got until May 24th to pick up your 100% FREE copy of Portal! Now, if Jonathan Coulton could lead us out in song, please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxNmeMklFk8

Thank you very much sir. You keep doing what you do.

Update: If you didnt grab it you've missed your chance, sorry.

SPOILER WARNING! If you don't want spoilers for WoW: Cataclysm, do not continue reading.

Okay I think they're gone. Listen up, mon, old Cygor gonna be tellin ya bout all da pre Cataclysm events goin on in the wowaverse. First and foremost the joint retaking of The Echo Isles and Gnomeregan. Since WOW began, two races have always felt a bit....left out they didn't have their own racial capitals and their racial leaders were practically unknown. But coming in a future patch that's going to change! Players will be able to help Vol'jin/Mekkatorque respectively depending upon faction. For the offical announcments check here:

Troll event

Gnome event

I'm sorry,how did that get there?
Actual Gnome event

Pretty neat huh? (Click to read more)

As you may or may not know a hobbit movie is currently in the works. And as you also may or may not know it's been planned as two movies from the start. But the twist here is that originally part one would contain the contents of the hobbit,while part two would contain events that occurred between the end of the hobbit and the start of lotr. WELL NOT ANYMORE!

Del toro seems to want to give more focus upon the relationship between Bilbo and the dwarves by stretching the book into two movies. While I wasn't really saddened by this news, I was surprised. It's been widely accepted by fans that the hobbit was too short to really constitute two full length movies. But I believe that is partiality due to people focusing on a few key events in the book and overlooking the journey itself.

There was a lot of in between in the book. The travel between the Shire and the last homely house, for instance could easily take thirty minutes. With the encounter of the trolls and locating the trail leading to the house itself. Stretching the plot of the book into two movies was probably the best possible way to stay true to the original content. And on a personal note; this movie needs Bearon in the worst way.