www.paulnixon.org

GTA

Any link would have done really, just wanted to give my first impressions…

I’ve now played for around 8 hours, completing 37 missions and I’m around 25% through. That gives you some idea of the size of the game, and I’ve been racing through the missions without trying too much of the side stuff (they foolishly put in an achievement for completing the single player story missions in under 30 hours so I’m trying to make sure I get that).

Storyline builds very gradually - I think it was mission 7 before I had to hurt anyone, and 10 before I actually got a weapon. This is good as it gives you a bit of time to get used to the car controls and working the phone.

Graphics are (as expected) a huge step up from San Andreas. The first time you drive at speed along a bridge at dawn or dusk is pretty special. They aren’t COD4 standard (or even close to it), but then the game is doing a hell of a lot more.

Everything in the game feels a lot more ‘weighty’ – running someone over feels quite evil now as you notice the affect on the car as you hit them. The first time you crash a car at speed into something solid is also a bit disconcerting as you fly through the windscreen…

The characterization is really good, especially Little Jacob. I’m actually watching 90% of the cutscenes which is unheard of for me. The storyline seems to evolving quite nicely now, with new characters and plot twists fairly regularly.

I’m at the stage now where the missions are starting to get really good. There’s quite a lot of variation in them, and trying to escape from police is as tricky and nerve jangling as ever.

The weapon targeting is brilliant, a huge step up on previous efforts. I haven’t quite got to grips with the cover system yet, but it seems to work pretty well.

Gripes…

I had some frame rate issues on one mission when I was driving around with a 2-star wanted level. There wasn’t even that much going on which concerned me a bit.

Steve’s point about the camera didn’t bother me at all, a quick flick of the right analogue sorts that out whenever it happens.

Nico runs a bit gay.

That’s pretty much it for gripes.

I should have played a bit more by Monday so may have some more things to say then.

One tip – as soon as you can, get yourself some body armour, it effectively doubles your health and you’ll need that extra for a lot of the missions.

Peep Show Soundboard

To put you in the mood for tomorrow night

Average IQ

By country. Interesting.

Can Watson get his old job back?

La Marmotte 2008

In a moment of post London to Brighton to London bike ride madness, I've signed up for La Marmotte 2008.

The ride is in the French Alps, totalling 174km and has the following hills

Col de la Croix de Fer

Col du Télégraphe

Col du Galibier

Alpe d'Huez

With a total of 5000m of climbs.

Ahem, scary.

Journalists

I hate that! You start reading what should be a fascinating article and it is destroyed by a really poor understanding of the underlying science that is being discussed.

Take this example from the LA Times

"If we are, as the selfish-gene theory would have it, organisms that exist only to serve the interests of our genes, why do we waste so much of our time doing things that are not, in any obvious way, remotely in the interest of our genes? How can one explain, for example, why a busy undergraduate would spend four weeks playing "Halo 3" rather than studying for his exams?

The selfish-gene theory doesn't, in itself, answer these questions..."

So I stop reading...

Porsche Artega GT

My head is rarely turned by motors these days - but this looks a bit special!

Well you wouldn't want a damaged beer would you?

A car driver in Australia has been fined for strapping down his beer rather than his young child.

Police said they were "shocked and appalled" when they pulled over the car south of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory.

They said the 30-can pack of beer was strapped down between two adults in the back, with the five-year-old child unrestrained on the floor.

Manbabies

Creepy.

Rarely is the question 'why' so apt...

FFFFound!

An interesting image blog.

I like this, entitled 'fuck you grapefruit'

Footy

A tawdry football season comes to an end with two great results.

Poor old John Terry. We're more than accustomed to him playing poorly for England and so it was no great surprise that cometh the hour cometh the man.

I think the reason he was so upset was that he knew he hadn't just let himself down...

Add-Art

How about this for an idea? A Firefox plug-in that replaces adverts on websites with art that is 'updated every two weeks and feature contemporary artists and curators'.

I presume it extends beyond the word ART on a red background - but you get the idea.

English Qualified Players by Premiership club

Revealing chart...