For Your Ears Only: GoldenEye: Source Beta 4 OST

"Seriously, guys! I gotta have more GoldenEye!"

--Bruce Dickinson/Max Zorin

Last month, I ran a review of sorts for the “GoldenEye: Source” OST (Beta 3). Well, it turns out that there’s a version 4 beta. And guess what? More cowbell! Wait, that’s not right. Although the soundtrack could very well have some cowbell mixed in.

The Beta 4 soundtrack is more or less an expansion; it includes every track from the Beta 3 version, with some new tracks and bonus material thrown in. The new tracks are really where it’s at, though. It was nice to see some new material that wasn’t covered in previous releases, like the St. Petersburg streets and Frigate level music.

There are two new artists in Beta 4: Yannick “GoldenZen” Zenhäusern and Sole Signal. Both bring some excellent original work, although Sole Signal (originally credited as “Audix”) remains the most prolific. I was slightly disappointed to get yet another remix of Facility and Caverns. I say slight because even though all versions kick ass, I’d like to see something fresh in its place.

Blasphemii

After braving a 3-hour drive through a snowstorm and settling back into the company condo in Cincinnati (where I am training for another month or so), I opened up my laptop and went online.

Why the hell not?
At least it looks cool...

After a checking prices across several retailers, and consulting with my brother Wrecklaimer (who turns 21 today!), I finally completed my order.

After four years, I’ve finally jumped on the bandwagon. After all those years of alternating between scorn and apathy for this product, I’ve decided to purchase it.

At 4:30 pm EST on Sunday, December 12, 2010, I bought a Nintendo Wii.

Codetalkers: The Lingo of BC2

One of the great joys of language, aside from being able to insult someone in horrendously colorful ways, is the creation of slang. We take for granted that many of the words and phrases we use everyday had their origin with one person or a small group.

Sports have left us a particularly rich legacy, with terms like "slam dunk," "home run," and "bush league." Video games have a rich vernacular too. Many a "noob" (or n00b, if you like) have been "pwnd" by an "l33t" gamer's skill with mouse and keyboard or buttons and sticks.

When one plays a game long enough, they develop shorthand terminology for everyday objects, players, and situations in the game world. We're all familiar with "spawn," "campers" (and the unholy union of "spawncampers")