Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

SWTOR: Back in the Beta Again

By

On June 5, 2011

In Gaming, MMORPG, SWTOR

My lament over the ending of my SWTOR beta testing was short lived, this past week I received a re-invite to test it again! My excitement was beyond words.

This round of testing I have decided to try different classes instead of returning to the Jedi Knight. I have begun a Sith Warrior; I felt it was time to see what it was like on the other side.

This time I have also decided to try a class other then the Force sensitive classes. I’m still concerned that there will be an overabundance of Jedi or Sith and not enough of the other classes. Therefore I have also started a Rebel Trooper class.

My impressions so far is that they have made some huge adjustments. The entire UI has been redesigned and re-skinned and it looks much more fresh and modern. It definitely has a better Star Wars look to it. They have also changed some of the classes, rebalanced and retooled. Initially some of the classes seem a little overpowered but that could be because its still the beta.

They have made no indication yet as to when they will officially release the game nor have they alluded to any kind of public beta. There are still a few bugs and it seems there is still some lag and framerate issues especially during peak hours.

Stay tuned as I continue to provide my impressions of The Old Republic.

Biggs On: Coupons

By

On June 5, 2011

In Biggs On

It has been a goal recently to try to improve my fiscal skills (i.e. historically I haven’t been very good with money). To that end I have learned the value of cutting coupons, and not just using them but using them at the right times.

So you might be wondering what the “right time” is, one might assume I mean anytime I would go shopping seems like the appropriate time. Not really. Each week I also review the ads. Stores will honor a coupon even when the product is on sale. If you wait until what you want is on sale and use the coupon at the same time, you will save a lot more money. Some stores will even double the value of your coupon, so you could literally pay nothing for the product.

In just the few weeks that I have been clipping coupons I have literally saved well over $100. In fact, the first day that I went shopping with coupons I saved over $50!

Furthermore, I’m not sacrificing any preferred brands nor am I just buying something because I have a coupon and its on sale. There is a misnomer, I think, that people who cut coupons will only buy comparable items and not necessarily what they would normally purchase. This simply isn’t true. I have continued to buy the brands and products I have been using for years but at a greatly reduced cost because I have been cutting and saving coupons for when they go on sale.

So just 20-30 minutes a week and a little patience and you can continue to buy the items that you have always been using, at a reduced price, and it will literally save you thousands. I urge you to try it for a couple of months. There is no better addiction then being addicted to saving money.

Movie Review: Thor

By

On May 30, 2011

In Movies, Reviews

[rating: 3]

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Sir Anthony Hopkins

Synopsis: Thor , the Norse god of thunder, is headstrong and powerful, but he is also arrogant and a war monger. After leading an assault against his father’s wishes and causing a rift in a truce, Thor is cast out of Azgard. While in exile, Odin falls ill and Loki becomes king of Azgard but his jealously of Thor threatens Azgard and the 9 realms.

Biggs’ Review: In my opinion you can’t be too harsh on movies that are based off of a popular comic. The harshest reviews will come from the fans of the comic books so its crucial that the movie follow the expected storyline as accurately as possible. This not only applies to the plot but casting as well.

Initially I felt like the casting seemed appropriate but as I got into the movie I felt like even Sir Anthony Hopkins seemed to lack his usual flair. I think Chris Hemsworth failed to make any emotional connection with the audience. I felt like I was spending most of the movie trying to root for him instead of rooting for him throughout the film.

I feel like the one actor that played their role well was Natalie Portman. I honestly really enjoyed her in this movie. She played the nerdy, brilliant physicist very well. She has come a long way from the frightened little girl living in the apartment next to a professional killer.

Ok, so its not the best of the Avenger’s movies so far, but its not the worst. If you are any fan of comic books and you are at all excited about the Avenger’s movie, I would make sure you watch this film even if its just once.

I hope you enjoy the show.
Cheers!

Biggs On: OBL

By

On May 4, 2011

In Biggs On, General Cogitation

Sunday night Obama interrupted regular television broadcast to announce to the nation that during a Navy Seal raid Osama Bin Laden was killed.Its an announcement the country has been waiting to hear for 10 years. There was rejoicing everywhere, it was the talk amongst friends and strangers the world over. So what does Bin Laden’s death mean to me.

I knew that there would be skeptics. “Pictures or it didn’t happen” seems to be a common phrase among just as many Americans as those celebrating his demise. Despite the White House’s persistence to claim he is actually dead many still question whether its true. Obama has already announced that no footage will be made available to the public. Osama has been buried at sea, in accordance with proper Muslim burial rituals, which apparently includes that the body must be laid to rest within 24 hours of having deceased.

I think no matter what the White House says to quell the skeptics, there will always be hundreds or thousands that will never believe it to be true. Personally the part that bothers me more isn’t the rising conspiracy about Bin Laden’s death but the fact that Obama is taking credit for it. Yes, he would have approved the raid on the Pakistan palace but the search for Bin Laden has been ongoing for 10 years. Obama has only been in power for three years. Its a political agenda for re-election because he knows he hasn’t “changed” a damn thing since he took office.

So here is what I am going to take away from this event. I believe, regardless of what the conspiracy theorists say, that justice has been served to a vicious tyrant. I also refuse to acknowledge that this is a victory of the current administration, they simply rode the coattails of the previous administration’s efforts.

Cheers!

Movie Review: The King’s Speech

By

On May 3, 2011

In Movies, Reviews

[rating:5]

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush

Synopsis: Grace and elegance are required characteristics for any King of England and that was no exception for King George VI. Unfortunately King George VI, who was most famously known as Prince Albert, suffered from a debilitating stammer. This is the story of his rise to the throne and the man that helped him to deliver one of the most important speech’s in England’s history.

Biggs’ Review: This movie won the four of the top five major awards at the Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director (Tom Hooper), Best Actor (Colin Firth) and Best Original Screenplay and it deserved every one of them. Colin Firth was fantastic as Prince Alber/King George VI; there were even times when I forgot that it was Colin Firth. You don’t have to be an English historian and this isn’t a high-brow film.

If you are looking for a film that has some humor, some inspiration and a story of personal triumph, I would definitely recommend The King’s Speech.

I hope you find this movie as enjoyable as I did.

Also, if you found this review helpful or you have suggestions on how I can make movie reviews more helpful, please leave a comment and let me know.

I hope you enjoy the show.
Cheers!

The Cogitation Drought

By

On May 2, 2011

In General Cogitation

It has been a while since I have posted anything new for my imaginary readers to ponder and it has mostly been the result of too much going on. I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t admit that it is also likely the result of the lack of topics.

I have been training lately; I purchased the iPad 2 as a tool for advancing my career therefore I have been learning the language and software necessary for designing and developing apps. I feel that I have been catching on fairly well. I have also been exploring jQuery more and I also hope to develop a jQuery plugin as well. Finally, I am also trying to find the time to work on my MCPD training so I can finally be a Microsoft certified professional.

The weather, while rainy, has been getting warmer out which means the outside work has moved higher up on the priority list. This past Saturday we were finally able to mow the lawn and do some early spring maintenance. The pain in my back, knees and feet illustrate two points to me. One, I’m out of shape and two, physical labor should be illegal for programmers. We work with our hands but at the end of the day we don’t have blisters and callouses.

**This post written and published from my iPad**

Page 171 of 182

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén