Tag Archive for 'summer'

The Dry Period (Part 2: Games)

Published
by
John Griffin
on August 20, 2006
in Gaming
. 7 Comments

Apart from TV’s absense over the last few weeks there have also been a distinct lack of games. The games industry is the worst offender for neglecting summer even when a large number of their customers are on their holidays looking for something to burn time on.

At the start of this summer it was a great oppertunity for me to catch up on some of things I missed over the last year. I nailed Oblivion, spent too much time with Civ4, finished Halo 2 at last and got back into Guitar Hero (expert mode baby!) after a long time away. All those weeks ago I didn’t think I would run out of things to play but I have and it’s very weird feeling after being so behind all year.

One look towards the Christmas schedule reveals a mass of games waiting to be played but all coming out within weeks of each other. Lets see what kind of ridiculous list I can come up with:

  • Lego Star Wars 2
  • Just Cause
  • Company of Heroes
  • Splinter Cell: Double Agent
  • Dawn of War: Dark Crusade
  • Gears of War
  • Neverwinter Nights 2

Ouch!

The Dry Period (Part 1: TV & MMA)

Published
by
John Griffin
on August 20, 2006
in TV
. 3 Comments

The last few weeks have been very dry in these parts. And no I am not referring to the weather, which continues in its randomness, but am talking about games and TV. All the good TV ends before the summer and starts up again in September and it has become much more noticable to me this year because I stay on the US TV schedule more than ever. They really don’t have a clue how to space it out like we do in the UK. Of course there is the arguement that there are less eyeballs on the screen at this time of year, which might be true, but in an age of Tivos this is becoming less important. Last year Battlestar Galactica started in July which is extremely early and it didn’t affect the ratings.

All this squashing of schedules leads to some almost hellish weeks during the start and end of the TV season. I remember earlier this year in January there was an insane week of stuff headlined by four hours of 24 along with Prison Break, Lost, BSG and the usuals. I am missing some out there but those alone are ridiculous and it’s a fore gone conclusion that it will happen again multiple times this season.

There has even been a strange lack of MMA on over the last few weeks only to be totally shattered on Thursday by an awesome UFC show. But before that there had’t been anything on apart from WFA a month prior. Of course there isn’t much to moan about anymore as they are going for another 10 crazy days of programming - why can’t they pace it! We have Fight Night, TUF4 Episode 1, All Access Babalu, UFC 62 Countdown, TUF4 Episode 2, UFC Live and Inside and then the UFC 62 pay per view!
This is all good stuff but I could be watching it nicely spaced out over a number of weeks rather than cramming it all in. Listen networks damn you!