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About Me


Yo. I just graduated from Syracuse University, with a major in Television/Film at the Newhouse School.

I love video games, gaming/nerd culture, examining games critically as an art form, and all the useless trivia and data surrounding games. I am a consumer whore. Gaming is obviously one of my primary hobbies, though not the only one. I'm a regular on Failcast.

I also watch anime and read manga when I get the chance. It's mostly just mainstream and shonen stuff as a result of the ease of accessibility, though I try to see some more obscure series when I get the chance.

I have epic hair.

I play bass guitar and have been in a band. It's broken up. I lived the dream.

I love rock. I tend to gravitate towards various types of punk, alternative, or indie, though I'll listen to anything. Bob Dylan rocks. Also, random weird underground stuff. The NES sound chip was amazing.

Rantoid - An editorial column that updates on Sunday
The Zen of Yaris
Conditions of a Review
Longevity - seven years, to be exact
Stop talking about HD-DVD
What is wrong with Japanese developers?
Are achievements beneficial?
PConsoles
Random topic for New Year's
Gaming changed my Christmas
Dreamcast 2 would fail
Buy more special editions
Game Length and You
Reexamining Twilight Princess
Thank you, Mr. Thompson, for being our nemesis
Do games need to be respectable?
Startgame Syndrome's dark secrets
Pre-hype is a big let-down
Why can't games have bad endings?
Why would you want a Resident Evil film to begin with?

Illustrated Review - A picture-focused analysis of gaming stuff, to save you the trouble of trying it
Fallout 3 Survival Edition (and Collector's Edition)
Fable II Limited Collector's Edition
Dead Space Ultra Limited Edition
SoulCalibur IV Premium Edition
Grand Theft Auto IV: Special Edition
Devil May Cry 4: Collector's Edition
Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect: Limited Editions
Check Mii Out Channel

Systems Owned: DS, DS Lite, GCN, GBA, GBA SP, GB Micro, GBC, N64, PS2, PSP, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360

Favorite types of games: retro/retro-influenced games, Metroidvanias, action, and puzzle

Favorite singleplayer game: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Favorite multiplayer game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Will kick your ass at: Puzzle League

Favorite first-party developer: Nintendo

Favorite third-party developer: Konami

Dislikes: Sports, sports games, bad music, fanboys, Mac haters, broccoli, and snow





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Rantoid: Stop talking about HD-DVD
Bob Muir | 4:32 PM on 02.24.2008 28 comments




Necros Says: Sunday's working much better for Rantoid, so I'm keeping the column on this day. Also, look for a new randomly-updated column from me soon. Been meaning to start it for a while now. This blog is shorter than usual because I've been playing the shit out of Half-Life 2 as of late.

Destructoid is a gaming blog. It has a well-defined niche, even in a crowded area of media. And the wonderful thing of a site or blog having such a defined purpose - that is, gaming - is that readers know what to expect when coming to the site. For instance, I'm not likely to find a post about the latest brand of dildos on the front page beneath coverage of the new FFXIII trailer (now with three seconds of additional footage!) unless those dildos are branded with Princess Peach's soulless smile.

So then why the fuck do we have so much news about HD-DVD? This is not just Destructoid's problem, but an issue with numerous other game blogs. HD-DVD itself has nothing to do with gaming. It's a movie format, and a format that we knew was dying for nearly two months. No game has ever been made using the format. If some of these blogs were gadget blogs a la Gizmodo, Engadget, or NextLust (giggles), I could understand covering the rise and fall of Blu-ray and the fall and further fall of HD-DVD, but tech blogs they are not. They fall squarely in the realm of gaming blogs. There is no place for your silly high-def format wars here; we have our hands full with epic game console wars.

I know a great number of you are probably jumping down to the comments right now, ready to reply with a key fact that I have chosen not to mention so far: that the PS3 has a Blu-ray drive and that the 360 offers an HD-DVD attachment. To that I say this: bravo. You found a small link which should get mentioned in news posts once in a while. I don't need every post about the current state of the PS3 to remind me that Sony shoved their proprietary format down our throat and managed to make it work for once. Similarly, mentioning a price drop for the 360's HD-DVD player is alright, provided you don't immediately launch into a history of the format and start analyzing Sony's choices over and over again. We know.

The biggest issue I have with this coverage is updates that have no place on a gaming blog, such as this post by Colette. Sure, Toshiba dropping their maligned format is major news. But not for gamers. I question whether Toshiba is relevant to the gaming industry. The death of HD-DVD does not impact my gaming habits at all, and I doubt the industry will be sent reeling, unable to produce more Madden and Mega Man rehashes. The only thing it would impact would be killing off the 360's lukewarm HD-DVD attachment, and we don't need a post announcing its discontinuation followed by another one speculating what this means for the besieged format.

This ridiculous format war has gone on long enough.

We're sick and tired of hearing about it.

Isn't it time game blogs stop talking the topic to the point where it's deader than HD-DVD itself and get back to analyzing how much farther the PS3 need to recover to secure second place in another absurd format war?

Edit: This blog was written shortly before Destructoid published this article explicitly pointing out that HD-DVD has no effect on game sales. Bravo, Gameboi.

Necros roams the anti-wilderness of Syracuse University, searching for prey. When he finds fanboys and trolls, he feasts on them with other regulars on Failcast.



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27 comments | showing # 1 to 27
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Conrad Zimmerman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:37
Conrad Zimmerman
Agreed. I'm really surprised at how much coverage this has received in general. If enough people had bought into HD-DVD to justify this much reporting, I doubt the story would be that it had failed.
notdryad's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:42
notdryad
I guess it gets coverage so PS3 fanboys can feel good about themselves? I mean, come on; look at the first year, that was pretty rough.
Neonie's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:45
Neonie
eh i kind of agree. If i need to know about Hd-dvd, that's what i have Switched for
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:49
Samit Sarkar
Well, I respectfully disagree (though you know I always love your c-blogs, Necros). While it looked like Microsoft was never as invested in HD DVD as Toshiba was, Sony obviously was intimately tied to the success (or failure) of Blu-ray, due to its prominent place in the PS3. That’s something of interest to gamers, and I think that’s enough grounds for discussing the format war in the larger context of movies (in addition to games).

Also, if you discuss Blu-ray because of its association with the PS3, you have to discuss HD DVD (not to mention that there was the HD DVD add-on for the 360). I mean, yeah, it should all be over now, because Toshiba, Microsoft, Universal Studios, and Paramount Pictures have all conceded defeat to Blu-ray. But I don’t have a problem with any of the Blu-ray/HD DVD coverage on Dtoid before last week, when everything ended.
liam2015's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:50
liam2015
HD DVD is related to Blu-Ray. Blu-Ray is in the PS3. The PS3 plays games. (supposedly lol).

In conclusion, I love Half-Life 2.
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:54
Bob Muir
@ Samit

I'd say there was a passing interest in the format war (before it ended), but it in no way justified the high volume of blogs about it. Blogs about Walmart dropping HD-DVD in favor of Blu-ray have so little to do with gaming. We already know what Blu-ray's effect on the PS3's sales have been, I just don't think we need numerous rehashes of previous posts with a little new information tossed in.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:59
Samit Sarkar
@Necros: Ah, but that’s a completely different issue. As far as I’m concerned, the blogs can post whatever the hell they want — you can bitch at them for not tagging it “NVGR”, but otherwise, there’s nothing wrong with someone posting a c-blog on how Netflix is going Blu-ray. It may not warrant a front page post, though; I can see where you’re coming from with that.
Scape's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 16:59
Scape
Wait...Blu-Ray won??
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:00
vexed alex
Another great post that I completely agree with, Necros.
Anus Mcphanus's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:21
Anus Mcphanus
I think I have to agree with Samit here... the investment that Sony made with Blu-ray and the fact that Microsoft backed HD-DVD means that although it's NVGR it adds another (rather unjust) level of competition between the 2 companies and while it means bugger all to us it does alter the public perception of the 360 and the PS3. So I don't really have a problem with all the coverage and let's not forget that there were 360 owners out there that were wondering if it'd be worth getting the HD-DVD add on.... I meant there has to be some right?!
Oninusar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:24
Oninusar
I just found out today, and im not surprised in the slightest. And i gotta say ive had fun talking to all my Xbox fanboi friends and promptly laughing for 20 minutes in the phone before hanging up.

seriously though everyone knew this would happen so whats the big deal?
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:37
Bob Muir
Yeah, in case I wasn't being clear, my issue is with official front-page posts on multiple blogs. The cblogs are an entirely different beast.
Excel-2011's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:40
Excel-2011
While we're at it, I would love to see a ban on political discussions in the community blogs that don't have a direct connection to video games.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:49
HarassmentPanda
I actually didn't mind this so much when there was an actual format 'war," but now any additional discussion just seems pointless.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:50
Samit Sarkar
I still <3 you, Necros. Let’s pretend this fight never happened. Friends forever?
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 17:58
Bob Muir
More like BEST FRIENDS FOREVER! <3 <3 <3 <3
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 18:03
Samit Sarkar
Oh, boy...here we go:

Necros, I just died in your arms tonight
It must’ve been something you said
I just died in your arms tonight
EternalDeathSlayer's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 18:38
EternalDeathSlayer
I can't read all of this right now, I will later. \

But already I agree from looking at the title. My HD-DVD player is now the best upconverter I own, better than the PS3.

So I'm kind of not really caring anymore.

Thanks for saying something that needs to be said here.
Steel Squirrel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 19:22
Steel Squirrel
I like DVDs. They are much better than VHS.
Clockwork's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 19:25
Clockwork
I'm with Steel Squirrel, I'm still using normal DVDs and I don't really care about this format war. I'm happy it's over so it's not cloggin up my internets.
Toneman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 19:48
Toneman
lolhddvd
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 22:01
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain
HD-DVD IS BREAKING NEWS. WHOEVER DOESN'T WANT TO BE COMPLETELY FUCKING INFORMED SHOULD GO BACK TO ENGADGET. DESTRUCTOID IS A TECHNOLOGY REVIEW BLOG.
MaxVest's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2008 22:45
MaxVest
Dude, you just tanked the idea for a front-page series the editors have been talking about entitled: HD-DVD: Still Dead.
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2008 01:49
Sharpless
Meh, it's annoying now, but it'll run its course. Just like everything else on the internet, this topic comes in two phases: "Overkill" and "Old news". Soon, it will transition into the latter. Patience, my friend. Patience.
cjpkiller's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2008 02:44
cjpkiller
they should only talk about it as a side mention when they refer to consoles having downloadable high definition movies.

nuff said.
LarkOhiya's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2008 07:24
LarkOhiya
I liked what you had to say. A++++ would buy from again.
youkilledmyguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2008 04:52
youkilledmyguy
Good show. Glad someone said it.
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