I have decided to finally post the Destructoid wallpaper that I had mentioned in my previous post on the "Metal Gear?!" wallpaper and E3 blog. Ready for an unnecessary amount of words? I am, so let's get into it and GIT SOME!

I finished this wallpaper about 2 weeks ago, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I have held off on the post to introduce it to you, the community, up until now. This was inspired by my previous wallpaper as it was created much in the same way. Similar style and technique was used but on a more complex scale. At first I didn't think I had the chops to make something that would reach my own expectations set forth by myself, for myself. However, I am happy with the final outcome.

I couldn't decide whether to make the background glow green to match the theme of the D-toid logo overall, or to use a somewhat striking red to accentuate the eye's of Mr. Destructoid. The red glow could also add further emphasis on the idea of "The Destructoid Army" that is found throughout Niero's posts, as well as community members'-- it is a rather commanding color, after all. In a way, the red represents the community itself.

Did I go too deep? Probably.

The specs are: --1600x1200 (That is my desktop size. if you want something specific, let me know, and I'll tweak it.) --Two color options: ravishing red and gripping green for the color connoisseur in you (I lol'd).

As we know, the convention is now stripped of the beautiful anarchy and flashing lights of yest-year, so this article is my send off to the E3 that so many of us wanted to see, but will never get a chance to. This one is for you guys.

E3 has always been a mysterious event of delight and intrigue for me. It delights me with the new game announcements and intrigues me as to how I would go about making a fake ID to sneak my way in.

The LA convention center becomes the place of mystery and beauty for a just under a week in the year as the gaming giants show off the best of the best that they have to offer. This child-like curiosity, however, came crashing down when it was declared that E3 would become strictly press only with little to no exceptions and spread out to other buildings as well. In previous years, one could potentially be invited even if they worked at the right gaming stores. In fact, I know a lucky, lucky soul that had just that happen. He later disappeared.


I was going to find a way in one year, it was simply a matter of how. Or who I would have to kill (I keed, I keed...or do I?). Here, I have chronicled five things that I was (and still am) willing to do to, one year, to find myself in the LA convention center at that special time of year.

Train laser dolphins to ride through the sewers and attack "The Man"s that placed the restrictions.

This is, admittedly, the most improbable thing on my list. But the explanation can't be denied: Lazars are awesome, as can be dolphins. Awesome plus awesome can only equal one thing. AMAAAAAZING. Dolphins can swim backwards. Backwards. If they can do that, I am sure they can be trained for lazer fighting. We would just get the blueprints to the convention center and make a hole under the male bathroom stalls. Or somewhere close to Mega 64.

Channel my inner Nicholas Cage and pull a "Face-off". Not John Travolta, that guy is a Scientologist. Apparently the word "Scientologist" is a typo in this blogging software. Heh, I wish.

Modern medicine has come a long way. I know this because I have played a fair amount of Trauma Center. And if Nicholas Cage has taught me anything, it is that I hate the movie series National Treasure. Beyond the point, but I had to get that out of the way. Anyway, I think that having my face surgically changed into that of an industry insider is a plausible way of getting into E3. If I can't do that, I have a mean Steven Seagal impression. I could intimidate my way in!

Dress in a rabbit costume and claim to be Cliffy B...Clifford Bleszinski

I think this one really speaks for itself. Who is going to question a man in a rabbit costume that made a game where you can chainsaw people in half? No one, that's who. Except maybe David Jaffe, that guy's a beast.


Become a bacon-wrapped hot dog vendor

They infest the LA convention center front doors, or so I have heard, and someone has to pick up the noble job of feeding the people. I could give diabetes to some of the most well known developers and press people. Yes! Also, unlimited bacon hot dogs for me. Who needs a paycheck when you get a job perk like that?

Fight Ron Workman...to the death.

Would I lose? Yes. Would I wind up in a dark basement somewhere afterwords? Probably. Would I do it for a chance to go to E3? You bet I would. Though I must say, nearly every photo of Workman I have seen has scared me, so I would hesitate to carry this one out. Though I wouldn't have the Workmang any other way. :D

Would you guys prefer to have the old E3 back, or does E For All fill the gap? Or perhaps the lack of support by companies for E For All in the past (thankfully this seems to be changing somewhat) just accentuates the sting? Let me know in the comments and thanks for reading!

Also, I let on that I was making a wallpaper for Destructoid in the style of my previous wallpaper that was MGS themed a while back. I have been busy, so work has been massively stalled, but I included a sneak peek that can be viewed down below. Enjoy!

According to an interview by MTV Multiplayer with Shane Kim, Microsoft Corporate VP, Microsoft will be giving the Xbox 360 yet another price drop at an undisclosed date. This goes without saying, so what's the shocker? The aimed price point is said to be a paltry $199. The "Xbox 360 is some time off from hitting $199, but Kim said they’re on their way.".

With the 360 just recently getting a $50 cut and a number of triple-A titles on the way for the holiday season, I can't see this happening soon without Microsoft taking a huge financial blow. It just seems a bit unrealistic to expect this any time soon. Although it would be nice...delicious even. When do you guys think we will see such a massive price drop?

(For those wanting to skip the words, the wallpaper can be found below as expected, kthx.)

Alright! So, seeing as how I joined just recently, I thought I would bring a little something along with me to the party. Something to, say, break the ice in a delicious wallpaper flavor.

This wallpaper was lovingly crafted with the help of a Photoshop tutorial, but I wasn't content with yet another tutorial created image. I wanted to make it something a bit more me. With that initiative, an idea sprung to life.

The wallpaper is in 1600x1200 format and can be found for the low, low price of free just down below. I assume some explanation of it is in order, so explain I shall. The symbol present in the wallpaper is supposed to represent the Solid Snake created phrase "METAL GEAR?!" that we all are most likely familiar with in some for or other. I actually have only had a brief experience with the Metal gear franchise when I was young with "Sons of Liberty" on the Xbox. I rented it, wanting to give it a try, but didn't really enjoy it. Now that many years have passed however, I want to give it another go, but an opportunity has yet to present itself.

I will provide a link to the tutorial here, as I don't want to infringe on anyone's skillz. I thought my idea of Metal gear to be appropriate seeing as how it is a brush metal tutorial among other things.

If Metal Gear isn't your bag, worry not, for I have something similar but with a delicious D-Toid twist coming up. The idea is there, I need only to implement it, so look out for that if you like this wallpaper. Enjoy!

Welcome, D-Toid, to a history of me (with pictures!). A history of trials and tribulations! Pixels, and polygons! Also, I am happy to have finally made a profile so I can share my opinions and stories with you guys after lurking for a very, very long time. I have seen D-Toid losses and lulz, and hope for many more of the latter. Anyway, here is a not-so-brief history of my gaming ways and days….

Some of my first games were those early Macintosh games (Cannons, that one vector tank game.), Star Fox 64, Mario kart, and Duke Nukem 3D. Looking back, I am surprised I was allowed to play Duke Nukem, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that it made an amazing impact on my life as a bonding tool for my father, brother and I as we would share strategies to beating a level, hilarious stories and the like. This also helped form my stance on violent video games, seeing as how I have yet to stab anyone or pay hookers for any form of service.

What began it all were games that came as free software in early Mac computers. Cannons and a vector game where you were in a tank and would fight other ugly looking shapes. I would control the tank and my brother would control the tank's weaponry a la the old cartoon "Razorcats".



Later in life, my father would sneak home an N64 from the rental store he worked at whenever he could so we could play games. I played Starfox 64 often and was a beast in the multiplayer, constantly beating my brother and older neighbor friend. I was also somewhat good at the game Daytona 500, a racing game with superb hood destruction effects. AMAAAAZING.

Despite growing up on Nintendo, I slowly switched over to Sega as time led on simply because I played whatever was available to me when I was young. I hardly understood a “bad” game from a “good” game which probably led to my love of horrible NES games I played with friends. In fact, I only grew up on the N64 because it was all we had to play at the time. I didn't choose consoles or keep up with the latest gaming news back in the day. However, I wouldn't have had it any other way. The N64 holds some of my fondest gaming memories.

I segwayed onto the Sega Saturn (How is that for a paragraph transition? There must have been at least three puns there!) when my Dad switched jobs and a console was finally bought. This brought with it the horrid game "POW" (perhaps the only game I hated as a child), the delicious Duke Nukem, and a demo CD which included a level of Nights (which gave me extreme nightmares), and this equally scary toy game (that I could never beat), among other things. I can’t stress enough how much time I put into Duke Nukem. I spent hours upon hours finding every nook and cranny within that game with my brother, Jason. What is it that made a game with little replay value playable a hundred times over when we were young? A blog for a different time, perhaps. Duke Nukem was also a possible beginning to my love of reading because of the “wall of text” strategy guide we had for it that I still hold to this very day. Strategy guides have come a looooong way indeed, heh.



After the Saturn, I took a return to the N64 when we finally decided to purchase one instead of covertly (and most likely illegally) slipping it into our home every night. This brought me into the world of Goldeneye, Vigilante 8, “Hey You, Pikachu!” (I lied to myself, telling myself it was good for a longtime), Ocarina of Time, Pokemon Snap and Super Smash Brothers. The N64 ownership is really a pivotal time in my life of gaming where I begin researching games, looking at what I play and not just accepting all games as “good”. During this time, I also went over to a friend’s house and played his Genesis and N64 with him which introduced me to Sonic (Wasn’t fond of Sonic in his 2d days, actually.).



This is all I shall leave you with for now. Later on, I will chronicle my life in the Dreamcast era all the way up, to present day. Hope you enjoyed my first post everyone. I look forward to many more with you cool cats. Also, I’ll try not to suck. :P Until next tiiiime!