Features
INTERVIEW
Jonathan Coulton
By Shaun Hatton - June 20th, 2008
Jonathan Coulton is an independent singer/songwriter whom you gamers may know as “that guy who wrote that song from Portal.” And while that particular tune did give him a lot of notoriety and exposure to those who hadn’t previously heard of him, he’s been making a living as a musician ever since leaving his last day job as a computer programmer.
As fun as the robotic GLaDOS-crooned “Still Alive” is, I’ve found that the real magic in his music is the sincerity of his voice, which is really obvious in songs like “First of May,” “Better,” and “Skullcrusher Mountain.” I happily dare anyone - robots excluded - to listen to one of his songs and not crack a smile. It’s just not possible.
His music is heard by loving fans around the world who can pay what they want (or can) to download his tunes (take that, record labels). Because of this, he’s been able to make a living at doing what he loves best: making music.
While internet stardom means that many of his fans have never seen him play live, us Torontonians are in for a real treat, since Coulton will be playing at the Lula Lounge in Toronto on July 9, 2008 with Paul and Storm. The show’s 19+ but if you’re underage, you can get in by bringing a guardian.
Coulton (or JoCo as we sometimes like to refer to him) spent some time chatting with me over the phone from his New York home/studio last week about music, video games, and music video games (among other things). Read on for the interview.
This Town Ain’t Big Enough
For the Both of Us
Zune to iPod: Welcome to Your Doom
By Shaun Hatton - June 14th, 2008
For the Both of Us
There’s a new challenger in town for the title of top MP3 player: Zune. While the device has been available in the United States for quite some time, it’s only just making its Canadian debut this weekend. The reigning champ, iPod, has never faced a contender as mighty and powerful as Zune, both in terms of device features and the company behind it.
Yes, the Zune is Microsoft’s delayed response to Apple’s mainstay, the go-to gadget of choice for hundreds of thousands of trendy kids the world over. Apple’s product is surviving on brand recognition, a longstanding track record of being the “it” device, and consumer ignorance and unwillingness to try other brands of players. The Zune, in other words, looks to have quite the uphill battle.
While the iPod is indeed riding high on trendiness, arguably more on its flash than substance, the Zune brings with it a wide range of great features over its still sleek design. Whether you’re on the market for your first MP3 player or if you’re looking to upgrade to a newer device, you have a tough choice ahead of you. And I’m not about to make it any easier.
I already own a somewhat large assortment of music players: a fifth-generation 30GB iPod Video, a Crative Zen Vision W (30GB), a Sony Ericsson W810i phone with music player functionality, and a Creative Muvo V100 1GB player. I have also reviewed other MP3 players, including a few Samsung devices.
Everything Old is New Again
Masterworks in Gaming: Half-Life 2
By Jamie Love - June 12th, 2008
City 17 is immediately presented as classic science fiction dystopia. I step from the train only to be herded by masked security forces and processed before entering the fortress. I catch half conversations alluding to other cities. The streets are deserted except for the patrols. I enter a housing flat to find worn civilians muttering to themselves and a couple sitting together on a sofa panicking about the soldiers that will soon break down the doors.
Welcome to Half-Life 2.
Years before I would experience this game I came across an essay by social theorist Roland Barthes that has greatly impacted my perception of literature, film, and video games. It was entitled “Death of the Author,” wherein the central concept is that there is no situation in which an author creates an original work. It’s a broad statement, but at its core is a criticism against a reader’s tendency to take any aspect of a work’s creator(s) into account with the creation. He felt to do so placed a limit on the work.
DGamer Brings Social Networking to DS
By Toronto Thumbs Staff - May 14th, 2008
When the DS version of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian launches Friday, May 16, it’ll come with a little something extra. Not only will the title’s release coincide with that of the film, but it will also mark the launch of DGamer, Disney’s own social networking game community aimed towards kids of all ages. The service barely gets a mention on the game’s box art, but many players may end up spending more time with DGamer than with Prince Caspian (which is still a very fun game, trust me).
Brian Green from Fall Line Studios and Michelle Liem from Disney Interactive Studios were in Toronto last week and they demonstrated both DGamer and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Toronto Thumbs.
DGamer has been compared to Xbox LIVE because games that include DGamer functionality have “honors” that can be unlocked by completing various tasks in-game, much like LIVE has its infamous achievements. But in a way, the social aspect of DGamer is arguably more social than the comparison might imply.
Players can use the service to chat with friends and check leaderboards, but also to send virtual gifts, participate in polls, and show off their customized avatars. In fact, DGamer marks the first time gamers will be able to use their Nintendo DS to communicate with PCs and other DS systems over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in a family-friendly manner.
Right now, there’s no functionality to invite friends from a DGamer chat directly into a game, but that’s not to say it won’t happen somewhere down the line. Right now, both Green and Liem are very much focusing attention on the fact that DGamer already does a lot of cool things, but won’t rule out or confirm any future possibilities.
The user avatars are a lot like Miis, only more robust. You can choose from different types of eyes, noses, mouths, face shapes, and skin colours just like you can with a Mii. But the real fun is in accessorizing your avatar. Right off the bat, you have several different top and bottom clothing designs to choose from, and each piece of clothing has several colour schemes. So if you and your buddy have a thing for argyle sweaters, you can at least have different-coloured ones.
Unfinished Business
By Bill Stepec - May 2nd, 2008
A full account of the Xbox 360 games I never bothered to finish
To say you have “finished” something is a bold statement. This term is usually applied to things which have expired – through consistent use, or the complete lack thereof. In my case, I usually like to follow through with my projects and try to complete whatever goals I set for myself.
Still, every man has his limit and every activity a lifespan. Like a buddy who enjoys putting on a good Borat impression, some things are best left in years past. Video games are a prime example of this. Technology changes, industry trends shift and gameplay evolves. Even newer titles dropped under the wrong conditions are easily left unplayed, leaving thin plastic tombs containing double-layered discs of unfinished business.
When we were kids, we played whatever games we had, as they would have to last us at least until the next major holiday. However, as an older chap with a fair amount of disposable income, I can afford to pick-up Turok on a whim, knowing full well it will be played a few hours, then ejected long before every bit of content could be explored.
Is this such a bad thing? Does anyone really expect us to finish every last title we purchase? Everyone has a story about growing tired of Tom Clancy, weary of Warhammer, or burnt out on Burnout. However, not everyone decides to pick a few and list them with a small write-up. I did – so enjoy what you can. It would be hypocritical of me to expect you to read the entire article…
