Dan_Dare

Catan is great. You have the board itself (and pieces) which give it a physical, theme, plus a great internal logic that says a town needs food, wool, timber and bricks to be built and then needs stone and more food to become a city. etc. Resources all make sense and are all used as you'd generally expect. I'd say the only exception is development cards.

I read an article saying that the theme of medieval empire building is totally abstract and kind of becomes meaningless in relation to how the game plays (as in, the theme could be about marshmellows and make no difference) I know it's a small concern but I really like how my other games - Catan, Muchkin and Pandemic, all feel really well themed with their own 'fiction'.

Should be hearing from our future landlord today whether or not he' secured a date we can work around for moving in. Fingers crossed...

I've found that trying to tell someone how a game works is doomed to failure - better by far to show them. Dominion looks cool but I'm put off by the reportedly weak theme. I love boardgames though so I might take a look.

Rez, you'll be pleased to know I ordered the first Chew hardback. My body is ready.

I'm not going to Starbucks, but I'm also going to ignore the bleating of homophobic bastards!

McNulty is dumped because he's an unstable, work obsessed alcoholic completely caught up in a self destructive drive to do good in a system fundamentally built to do wrong. I'm not sure how he fits...

I'd do it. If nothing else, it'll likely boost your confidence on the phone, improve your English and these jobs always pay well. I did it a few times and it's OK.

I work at The University of Sheffield. I'm not directly connected to the research but I do keep an eye on media coverage (my area of work, kind of) so I keep reading about it! Here's a press release from 2011. It's about Scotland, but it includes a summary of the research from the University the policy is based on.

I thought it was hilarious.

This is all linked to studies carried out where I work. Basically, they're pricing out dangerously cheap alcohol to stop abusive drinking, not to raise capital. There's a proven price threshold that lowers the dangers of alcoholics drinking themselves to death on stuff like White Lightning.

haha I actually forgot about that. Jesus.

I think Sheffield paints a good picture of what went wrong with GAME. They have a city centre store, a Gamestation about 5 minutes walk away and another Game in meadowhall out of town. Why, I'll never know. Hopefully, the centre store stays open but it might be the meadowhall one.

Nice! Had a good chat with our future landlord last night - things are progressing, albeit slow as balls. They actually live in the house now and we'll obviously need to let them move out before we move in. Right now, that's being held up by lawyers dragging their feet on contracts. Unfortunately we probably won't be able to move during Emma's Easter hols, which would have been ideal.

Fairly sure GAME only sell Sony stock as an agent of sorts, so a big reduction is unlikely, at least on first hand stock. Going to look out for a second hand ps3 to drop under the telly as a media hub myself though.

tbh I'm barely using it myself. I'm not cancelling yet but...myah. I've seen *most* of the good movies and most of those are buried under a mountain of guff like crap B-grade action movies, family films and trashy comedies. There is great content, but it's still in the minority.

Uncanny X-Force finally arrived- probably the best drama in comics in years I reckon. The running story and character arcs that started in #1 right through to the end of the Dark Angel Saga has been brilliant, weighty stuff and the use of pretty old and obscure continuity has been really effective. # Feels like it ended on a pretty significant thematic shift though. Looking forward to seeing where that goes but it's almost a shame to see this story end.

I was getting myself killed pretty regular as a Vanguard. Then it clicked. As close range damage dealers, they're hard to beat. Think I'll make an adept next though as they look like fun support classes to play. Lots of lifting and warping going on!

ah but isn't that why element zero so important? ie prothean based mass acceleration is otherwise physically impossible without it.

I'm just planning on giving it to Garrus on that note: Should guns in this game even have recoil? I'd have thought not as they don't use explosives or moving parts like actual guns.

Hahha I've actually unlocked quite a few: the matlock, an smg, viper sniper IV, the Cerberus heavy pistol, the first pistol II, the fast shotgun up to II aaaaaaaand....yeah think that's it. Few mods here and there.

I've bought like...five. Fucks sake!

Finally settled down in to the vanguard class now. Silly me, I didn't realise the charge refills the shield gauge! Once you get in to that groove the class makes a lot more sense: there's a great gameplay loop where you deal some damage mid range, absorb a few hits, charge in to a group to refill then finish the fight with nova. High risk, but oh so powerful. # Still not unlocked any more characters though. Boo! Did make some progress with upgrading my shotgun and heavy pistols.