Pixel Theories | a gamer getting older...

Being a frugal gamer in 09.

With the state of the economy and what I imagine will be the coming inflation, I thought it would be good to put up a reminder of how some of us could be a little more frugal in 2009.

Price matching - Forget GameStop on this one.  To my recollection GameStop has never price matched anything.  But if you happen to find a good deal at Target, or Fry's and you have the advertisement handy Best Buy will match that offer.  There are also some stores that match and take an additional 10% off.

Price adjusting - Once again forget the local game chains on this one.  Most major retailers allow customers to get a price adjustment if they lower the price of the game after you bought it.  But to receive the price adjustment you have to have the receipt.  This also helps if you're fairly polite with the clerk, and I know how hard that can be.  But especially now, when games will likely see $10-20 price cuts do to clearances, price adjusting is key.

Clearance games - The other way to purchase games on the cheap is buying games that are getting clearanced.  This requires more in depth research and traveling to stores often.

CAG/FW/SD - There are three websites that really do well on finding discounts on games.  Cheapassgamer.com, FatWallet.com, and SlickDeals.net are good resources for gamers who would like to be a little more frugal with their purchases.  And if possible please try to post deals as well, this is the only way these webs end up being successful.

Gamefly - Gamefly and other rental sources can save you a ton of cash a year.  For example, I have the three game plan which nearly runs me $30/mo; which ends up being almost $360 a year.  If I end up renting 6 games that I would've otherwise bought I've paid that subscription off for the year.

Trading - There are also trading webs out there like Goozex.  Personally I have never tried these but from what I've read on the web they can work to your benefit.

Swapping - Swap with friends, this is still something I do fairly regularly.  Sometimes friends lend me games that I wouldn't normally play, and I do likewise.  I have found that when friends lend me games that I've never heard of or wouldn't normally play, I've generally had  lot of fun.

Granted this is not the end all be all on how to be cheap while buying games.  I put this guideline up to help those who were unaware of how to save, or just don't take advantage of ways to save some greenbacks.

jPod's hit the web - review

Earlier this year I reviewed referenced the book jPod by Douglas Coupland.  Written back in 2006, the book touched on what were most likely some personal moments from his time spent working for Electronic Arts.  Though some feel that jPod is just a rehashing of Coupland's earlier work Microserfs; I feel jPod has a more sadistic and perhaps darker humor that sets the tone for the book.

Just for the lazies who don't like to click: jPod follows six (or in this case five) programmers brougth together by a programming glitch at a major video game company in Vancouver B.C.  Their work on titles like Board X and Sprtie Quest are continually micromanaged by the executives, and they try to break their boredom from mundane tasks with internal inventions and competitions.

Earlier this year the book was turned into a television series for the CBC.  While it was announced that the series wouldn't return in April, the remaining episodes were broadcasted anyway.  The show then remained on the CBC's website for streaming, available only to Canadian IP's.  Then in the summer with the revamping of the WB's website jPod became available for streaming for only American IP's.

The series takes quite a bit from the book.  Almost all of the characters are present for the TV show, minus one Evil Mark.  Though Mark is addressed in later episodes, he isn't referenced how many fans of the book would think.  But those aren't the only changes many will notice from the book.  There are several revisions that make some of books originality feel like formulaic transitions to television.

Additionally, the casting feels off.  It would seem that the CBC and I'm Feeling Lucky Productions, hanged their hat on the casting of Alan Thicke as Ethan's off kilter father.  Thicke is capable of playing the role, but it would've been better suited by someone like Brian Cranston of Breaking Bad and Malcom in the Middle.

Apart from the tangent story arc's from the book and the casting of Thicke, there's a lot of humor from the book that actually make's it's way to the small screen.  Just make it through the first episode; I know it's hard and all of the humor seems forced, but just like the book jPod hits you in the mouth with it's forwardness and just keeps going.  Though the 13 episode jaunt was a short stint in the television world, it's worth watching especially since it's free.

PT to MS: I heart U!!!!!

In either an extended beta phase, or a total cock up on my part, I was prompted with a dashboard update this afternoon.  To my glee, it was in fact the NXE update that I have been longing for.  So, while I was going to do a bunch of productive stuff like mow the lawn, etc.  I am going to get all types of familiar with the NXE, sign up for Netflix Unlimited and get you guys updated by tomorrow night.

BTW, if anyone has any questions post them and I'll try to answer them as best I can.

UPDATE:  Should've checked Major's blog first, but looks like this is the extended preview.

GOW2 SWAG Begs the Question...

...where are we headed with limited and collectors edition's.

I was going to write next week about limited and collectors edition's that have been released over the last twelve months.  Specifically their lack of anything that is practical or useful.  What upsets me is that those reproduced cards of concept art, action figures, and prequel magazines, always seem to be less than useful, and just plain corny.

I would rather have something more tangible or at least more useful than cards, magazines, and action figures.  What I would like is DLC, in the form of themes, picture packs, and in game content.  It should be noted that Bungie did this with the Halo 3 Legendary bundle, and now with Epic has done the same with GOW2; by way of the golden gun code given to those that bought the game at midnight.

However, also available for sale is the GOW2 Lancer bundle.  A life size replica of the COG weapon of choice.  Now let me start off by saying it's cool.  I like the idea in theory, but then I always end up asking myself "where in the *^&$ would I put that."  Because honestly, I'm not to keen on putting that up on a wall, or shelf and saying to those that enter my home "yeah I bought that!'

This may just be me growing up, or perhaps it's a matter of taste.  But as I get older I find that I want my gaming experiences to be more memorable than a collection of paper and plastic.  I want interactive media that can be experienced or displayed and won't collide with the Feng Shui of my home. 

It does seem that devs feel the same way, as more and more CE/LE editions are being released with DLC.  And that's great for me, but I do wonder how the rest of the community feels about this?  Are you pro physical, or pro virtual SWAG?

Don't forget to charge that DS & get a free coffee.

The lines will be long; I can guarantee that.  So don't forget to charge that DS so you can play as you're waiting in line to vote, and afterwards go to Starbucks and get a free coffee.

Deal of the Week 11/2/08

Not much on sale just yet.  But if you pre-order GOW2 LE @ Circuit City and get a 1600 MS Points card for free.

20 Min NXE Preview

Courtesy of Bleeding Edge, never heard of them, but really grateful for the video.  This vid is going to take some time to cache, so play a game of Carc, or Street Fighter and come back in say ....6 mins?!

Pumpkin Mania

Photos of all the pumpkins should now be in the sidebar via Flickr.  I carved two and my wife carved two.  I'll get night pics tonight; working the graveyard shift now.  I guess we had a few kids, but not many since we live pretty far out as townships go.

Shane over at 4CR is having a Pumpkin carving/Halloween costume contest; it ends Nov 7th.  And Kotaku is gathering an assload of pumpkin carving pics.  It's not too late to kill some pumpkins for Internet notoriety!

This one has to be my favorite.

Whoa, whoa, whoa........what was that?

I guess they'll say anything these days. 

But in all seriousness, how do you draw the connection between a community organizer and a drug lord?  This is the problem with our politics these days.  If you don't agree with the Conservative Right you're deemed unpatriotic or weak.  If you don't agree with the Liberal Left then you're a greedy money grubbing snob.  Somewhere we have to understand that we can disagree and still respect each other, without resulting to name calling and bush league tactics like these.