I'd Rather Be Gaming...

Warriors of Rohan - 1

2012-01-27T15:20:00.003+10:00

It's been over 10 months since I did any work on my miniature wargame hobby. Back in March 2010 I stripped the paint off 13 Warriors of Rohan I'd won on eBay. Today was a planned day off work so I bought a new CFL bulb for my desk lamp and started preparing the miniatures for painting.

These are plastic miniatures and are 25mm scale. After washing them in soapy water and drying them off I pulled out my trusty craft blade and cleaned off any flash I could see. I then did some minor conversions. One of the spearmen had a broken spear so I removed the remaining shaft, cut off and repositioned his right arm, inserted an axe I'd made earlier, removed his shield, and in his left hand inserted a metal wire to be used as a banner pole. The other conversion I did was to remove the plastic arrow from one of the archers and replace it with a thin piece of wire.

After that I dabbled some PVA glue on the surface of the bases and sprinkled some sand/gravel over the top. I'll leave the miniatures to dry overnight and the next step will be to undercoat them with spray paint.

I find this part of the hobby relaxing and it was all the more enjoyable while listening to the Lord of the Rings movie soundtracks.

Brisbane Short-necked Turtle

2012-01-15T14:23:00.001+10:00

This is a Brisbane Short-necked Turtle that I spotted in a local creek near where I live. I took these photos on 14 March 2009.

The Brisbane Short-necked Turtle (Emydura signata) is a freshwater species that inhabits standing water bodies and permanent slow-moving streams. Its carapace (upper shell) is approximately 20-23 cm long. A distinguishing feature of this turtle is that it has a white stripe along the side of its face.

This particular turtle has its shell coated with algae, giving it excellent camouflage.

2011 - My year of gaming

2011-12-31T23:39:00.000+10:00

The majority of my gaming over this year has shifted from board games to video games. 2011 was the first year I decided to record the plays of video games via the VideoGameGeek website. It's a bit more difficult to record what constitutes an actual play of a video game. The method I chose to record my plays was that if I played a specific video game on a particular day I would record only a single play, regardless if I played the game for 5 minutes or 5 hours. This allows me to easily track how much I use a game on a daily basis over the full year. For example, I played Call of Duty: Black Ops over 30.4% of the days in 2011.

Here's a combined list of video and board games I played in 2011.

Call of Duty: Black Ops	111
Minecraft	78
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2	27
Battlefield 3	25
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves	16
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3	14
Assassin's Creed II	13
Call of Duty: World at War	13
Forbidden Island	6
Red Dead Redemption	6
Batman: Arkham Asylum	5
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare	5
Mario Kart Wii	5
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune	5
LittleBIGPlanet	3
Portal	3
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics	2
Haunted Castle	2
Monopoly	2
Der schwarze Pirat	2
Terminator Salvation	2
Wii Fit	2
Battle Line	1
Battlefield 1943	1
Burnout Paradise	1
Dead Nation	1
For Sale	1
Gears of War 2	1
Half-Life 2	1
HeroQuest	1
Hey, That's My Fish!	1
It's Mine!	1
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar	1
PitchCar Mini	1
R.U.S.E.	1
Snail Game	1
Super Smash Bros.	1
Vegas Stakes	1
Wii Play	1
Wii Sports	1
Wii Sports Resort	1

Call of Duty: Black Ops was certainly my most utilised video game over the course of 2011. This was due to the accessible online multiplayer gameplay as well as many enjoyable evenings spent playing the excellent Black Ops Zombie maps with my brother.

Minecraft was another game I spent a lot of time playing in 2011 on PC. This game was a lot of fun playing single player as well as multiplayer with my daughter Maddie.

Other gaming highlights for me in 2011 were playing and completing Uncharted 2: Drake's Fortune, Assassin's Creed 2 and Portal. I also recently obtained Battlefield 3 which has quickly become my First Person Shooter (FPS) of choice, quickly racking up 25 plays in just over 6 weeks.

Happy New Year and good gaming to all for 2012!

The cake is a lie...

2011-12-22T20:02:00.003+10:00

Portal is a 2007 single-player first-person puzzle-platform video game that was developed by Valve Corporation.

On and off over the last three days my 10 year old daughter Maddie and I have played this excellent, mind-burning game on our PS3. Although I used the controller while Maddie watched, we were effectively playing together. Maddie offered many smart ideas for us to progress and if she was not with me I would have taken a lot longer to finish, if at all.

We made a pact at the beginning that we wouldn't cheat by looking for tips on the Internet and I'm proud to say we successfully completed the game this morning.

The cake is a lie...

The first trailer for The Hobbit

2011-12-21T16:31:00.001+10:00

The first trailer for The Hobbit is now online!

The Hobbit - 1 year to go

2011-12-01T18:21:00.001+10:00

They're filming The Hobbit on location in New Zealand at the moment. I'm very excited and can't wait for the December 2012 release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of the two parts of The Hobbit film.

Echidna

2011-11-25T18:40:00.001+10:00

This is a short-beaked echidna, also known as a spiny anteater because of its diet of ants and termites. I spotted this echidna on the side of the road while holidaying in northern New South Wales back on 24 August 2011. I just had to stop to take some photos.

They roll into a defensive ball when they feel threatened

The echidna is a monotreme, a mammal that lays eggs as opposed to giving birth to live young. Among living mammals only the platypus and the echidna are monotremes and both are indigenous to Australia and New Guinea.

You can see the face in this photo

Did you know that male echidnas have a four-headed penis? During mating, the heads on one side "shut down" and do not grow in size; the other two are used to release semen into the female's two-branched reproductive tract. The heads used are swapped each time the mammal copulates. Fascinating.

It's not often one gets the chance to get this close to an echidna in the wild so I felt quite privileged.

Oh, and before you ask, I didn't roll him over to check out his four-headed penis.

Minecraft

2011-11-19T21:30:00.000+10:00

Today the full version of Minecraft was released. It was originally released as an alpha on 17 May 2009, then with a beta version on 20 December 2011, and we first downloaded it on 21 March 2011. We (Maddie and I) have had many enjoyable hours playing this game.

Maddie spent most of the day playing on our online server with her friends.

Gaming with Grandma - 126

2011-11-12T19:32:00.001+10:00

Another Saturday morning gaming session with my mother (AKA Grandma) and my two daughters, 10 year old Maddie and 5 year old Georgia.

Our starting positions, me green, Georgia red, Grandma yellow and Maddie blue.

The one and only game we played this morning was a present for my recent birthday, Fantasy Flight's edition of Hey, That's My Fish!. This is a fun abstract game in which players' penguins try to grab the most fish from quickly thawing ice floes. Each turn, a player moves one penguin in a straight line over hex-shaped ice tiles with 1, 2 or 3 fish on them. The player then collects the hex from where the penguin started its movement from the table, thereby creating a gap which penguins can't cross on future turns. When a penguin can't move, it's removed from play with its owner claiming the tile on which it stands. The player who collects the most fish wins.

The final scores were me 29, Georgia 24, Grandma 21 and Maddie 17.

Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 3

2011-11-08T10:17:00.002+10:00

I picked up my pre-ordered Call of Duty: Modern Wafare 3 Hardened Edition this morning. I've been a fan of the Call of Duty series for several years now, having played Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: World at War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Traditionally these games are released the week of my birthday so as special present to myself I took the week off work and treated myself to the next installment in the Call of Duty series.

RIP Mollie

2011-11-02T21:38:00.000+10:00

Maddie found one of her pet rats, Mollie, dead in the cage this evening. Mollie was Maddie's first pet and about 18 months old. Understandbly, Maddie was a bit upset this evening.

Dragon Pass

2011-10-26T19:34:00.003+10:00

My wife surprised me this afternoon with a present - an old board game she had picked up at an op shop for $2. It was Dragon Pass, a fantasy wargame produced by Avalon Hill in 1984. For a 27 year old board game the box was in reasonable condition.

I carefully removed the sticky tape from the lid and opened the box. The two counter sheets were partly punched and there were loose counters at the bottom of the box (not a good sign). However, the board and rule book were in great condition. I sat down and replaced the counters into the counter sheets and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was 100% complete. Sweet.

A nice little find. I'll likely list this on eBay to fund future game purchases.

The Queen visits Brisbane

2011-10-24T19:13:00.002+10:00

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited my hometown of Brisbane, Australia today. After arriving at the airport they took a cruise on the luxury motor yacht Pure Adrenalin along the Brisbane River to South Bank. It was here that Her Majesty officially opened Rain Bank, an initiative to improve water efficiency throughout the Parklands at Rainforest Green.

From my vantage point in my office I was able to view the yacht as it motored up the river and docked at South Bank. The Queen was just a tiny speck but I could just make her out...barely.

You can see the white yacht docked at South Bank in front of the Brisbane Wheel. Thousands of people can be seen on Victoria Bridge and in the Parklands waiting to view the Queen.

I took these pictures with my iPhone 4.

Gaming with Grandma - 125

2011-10-23T19:34:00.000+10:00

Another Sunday morning gaming session with my mother (AKA Grandma) and my two daughters Maddie (10) & Georgia (5).

Last weekend we introduced Maddie to Monopoly in a game with my wife, father-in-law and me. Maddie loved it. I guess when I was a kid I also enjoyed the play money, the randomness of movement and cards and people paying me rent. Maddie also ended up winning her first game of Monopoly. She has been bugging us to play it again all week.

So this morning Grandma, Maddie, Georgia and I sat down for a three player game of Monopoly (Georgia was my dice roller). After several turns we all had a good portfolio of properties but no one had a monopoly of any one colour. Then Maddie offered me Vine Street (for an exorbitant price) and I was able to compete the set of brown properties. After that I quickly put a hotel on each and sat back and waited. It wasn't long before these properties started raking in the cash.

I then bought out another property from Maddie when she offered it to obtain more cash. I then had another monopoly on a colour range and was able to build more hotels. It wasn't long before it was game over with Maddie going out.

Let's just say Maddie didn't enjoy this game as much as her first. Learning to enjoy playing games even when you don't win is a sign of maturity. Maddie is only 10 after all. That said, I didn't really enjoy this game either and I won, but then I'm not a fan of Monopoly.

F/A-18F Super Hornet Formation Flyover

2011-10-21T17:21:00.000+10:00

I took an early lunch break to see an historic flyover of 20 of the new RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets. I decided to view the flyover with hundreds of other office workers from the centre of Victoria Bridge in Brisbane. The Department of Defence said the flyover was part of a welcoming ceremony for four new Super Hornets and may never be repeated. Here's the video I filmed with my iPhone 4.

The one-off performance was arranged to welcome four new Super Hornet jets. A fleet of 16 jets left Amberley after 10am (AEST) for a point off North Stradbroke Island, before speeding south to cross the coast at Southport and continuing south to Tweed Heads. They then turned and headed north to a point off the Sunshine Coast where they were joined by the four new Super Hornets. The formation flew over Noosa Heads and headed south, passing over Brisbane's CBD en route to Ipswich and the RAAF base at Amberley.

Gaming with Grandma - 124

2011-10-16T12:36:00.000+10:00

Another Sunday morning gaming session with my mother (AKA Grandma) and my two daughters Maddie (10) & Georgia (5).

Our first game of the morning was Haunted Castle. This is a fast-paced card game where each round a card showing seven characters is flipped. There are a possible eight characters so the object is to be the first to identify the missing characters on each card. If you are correct you keep the card as a point. We played two games. Scores from Game 1 were me 16, Grandma 8, Maddie 5 and Georgia 4. Scores from Game 2 were me 17, Maddie 8, Grandma 7 and Georgia 1.

Our second game was The Simpsons Slam Dunk Card Game (AKA It's Mine). This is always a fast, tense game and being able to slam your hand on the table and yell out "Slam dunk!" is cool. Understanding the scoring system and knowing when to claim a row of cards is the key to this game and therefore Georgia sat this one out. I cleaned up in this game with the final score being me 58, Grandma 21 and Maddie 7.

Our final game of the morning was For Sale. This is one of Maddie's favourite games and we've played it many times before. It's been a while since we last played it though. At the end I felt sure I was going to win. However, after we added up the scores Grandma took the win with $82K, me $79K and Maddie $52K.

Hot Slug Sex

2011-10-16T06:13:00.007+10:00

Here's some gastropod porn for you. I noticed these two Red Triangle Slugs getting it on at the rear of my house this morning. We've had a couple of storms over the last few days and these slugs tend to come out after rain.

Slugs are hermaphrodites, having both male and female genitalia. These two have followed the normal Red Triangle Slug sex position (they only have one) by encircling each other and exchanging sperm through their protruded genitalia. In a few days they will lay around 30 eggs in a hole in the ground, or beneath the cover of an object such as a fallen log.

The hole you can see in the distinctive red triangle marking is a breathing pore.

These slugs feed only on algae so you don't have to worry about them eating your plants. I find them not only beautiful to look at, but also helpful to have in my yard.

I've blogged about Red Triangle Slugs in a previous post.

Gaming with Grandma - 123

2011-10-09T18:05:00.008+10:00

Another Sunday morning gaming session with my 10 year old daughter Maddie, 5 year old daughter Georgia and my mother (AKA Grandma).

Our game today was HeroQuest. This is a game I've owned for quite some time but have been waiting for the 'right time' to play with Grandma and the girls. HeroQuest states on the box it is for ages 10 and up so my only concern was with Georgia being half that age. I wasn't worried she would be able to understand the game it was more keeping her interested throughout the entire playing time. Maddie volunteered to update Georgia's character sheet for her during the game.

Oddly enough I've never played HeroQuest before. I've read the rules a number of times and so for our first game I took on the role of the Game Master. Maddie chose the Elf, naming her Elirrian (and choosing one of my 25mm pewter miniatures to represent her), Georgia was the Barbarian, naming her Lora, and Grandma was the Wizard, naming her character Zelda.

I chose to run the adventurers through the first quest which was called The Trial. The party was tasked with journying to the east and entering the catacombs which contain Fellmarg's Tomb. The had to seek out and destroy Verag, a foul Gargoyle who hides in the catacombs.

Georgia, playing the Barbarian, was the main slayer of the monsters and this kept her involved for the majority of the game. Grandma and Maddie used their spells to good effect at crucial times and also waded into battle when they could. They had fun exploring the catacombs and defeating the foul guardians of the tomb. However, they were battered and bruised when they faced Verag the Gargoyle and his minions in the climactic battle. After a hard fought combat there were cheers all round when they prevailed.

They all enjoyed the game although it took about 90 minutes and Georgia's attention began to wander towards the end. We'll definitely be playing HeroQuest again though.

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T17:24:00.003+10:00

I haven't really been an Apple fan until the last couple of years, although the first computer I bought was an Apple IIe back in 1986. I love and use my Apple iPhone every day and it was via that Apple product that I found out about his death today. Sad news.

Gaming with Grandma - 122

2011-09-25T17:21:00.004+10:00

It's been a good half year or so since we've sat down to play a board game. I guess in part it's due to me exploring other gaming interests and giving board games a break, but it's also been a busy time over the last six months with my wife now working from home and the addition of a new puppy to the household. However, today the board game itch was back and as it was a nice spring morning we decided to play at the table on our back deck.

Maddie (10) and Georgia (5.5) chose Der Schwarze Pirat, a dexterity game we'd played several times before. In this game players use a rubber bellows to blow their little wooden ships around the board in search of treasure. This is always a fun game and Grandma ended up ruling the waves and coming first with a score of 20, Georgia was 2nd on 9, Maddie 3rd on 4 with me coming last on 3.

Der Schwarze Pirat

Our next game was PitchCar Mini. Maddie chose to sit this one out. In this racing game players flick little wooden discs representing their cars around a modular race track. Competition is always fierce in our house but we do allow a house rule that gives the player in last place two flicks. This tends to keep the race fairly tight and allows for lots of opportunities for overtaking from behind. It this game Georgia pulled off an incredible win, with me in 2nd place and Grandma in 3rd.

Pitchcar

Adventures on our Minecraft server

2011-08-17T12:33:00.003+10:00

A little while back I created a Minecraft server on my home computer. This allows my daughter Maddie and I to play Minecraft together. Since I've started hosting this server Maddie's friends have joined and together they've created some amazing constructions on their world.

This morning I played with Maddie and her friend Jackson on a new world we created. We adventured in survival mode, using just the resources we gathered by our own exertion. It was fun.

Here they are posing for a screenshot.

Maddie & Jackson

Some book bargains

2011-08-16T16:11:00.004+10:00

I'm recording this more for my own information.

I had a successful visit to a local op shop the other day and scored the following bargains.

Six Osprey books from the Combat Aircraft Series all in near-new condition -

F-15 Eagle - $0.95
F-14 Tomcat - $0.95
F/A-18 Hornet - $0.95
A-4 Skyhawk - $0.95
AH-1 Huey Cobra - $0.95
AH-64 Apache - $0.95

I also found Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, an historical novel of the American Civil War recounting the battle of Gettysburg from the viewpoint of Lee, Longstreet and some of the other men who fought there. I first read this novel when a work colleauge lent it to me about 10 years ago. I've been searching for it on an off in 2nd hand stores ever since and it's become a bit of a personal grail for me. When I saw it on the shelf my face lit up in a big grin and I let out a laugh. Yes, finally!

Killer Angels by Michael Shaara - $1.95

Let's escape...Tonight

2011-08-14T07:24:00.004+10:00

I recently came across this original song by Allie Goertz. It's about joining friends and escaping the everyday worries and humdrum of your life through playing Dungeons & Dragons (D&D).

I played a lot of roleplaying games (including D&D) with friends in my teens and early twenties. It was a great time and I, too, looked forward to those evenings when we adventured together battling hideous monsters, performing heroic deeds and finding hoards of treasure.

I miss that time.

Common Brushtail Possum

2011-08-13T19:58:00.002+10:00

This is a Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) in one of the palm trees in our front yard. I took this photo on the evening of 26 March 2011.

The Common Brushtail is a nocturnal marsupial native to Australia and the largest of all possums. These possums thrive in cities and have a love of fruit trees and vegetable gardens.

During the daytime, brushtail possums take shelter in dens which may be located in tree hollows, logs, dense undergrowth and even roof spaces of houses.

Imperial Rome

2011-08-08T17:18:00.004+10:00

Milsims had a online discounted sale last month and I had ordered two expansions for one of my favourite war games of all time - Commands & Colors: Ancients by Richard Borg.

They didn't have Expansion #4: Imperial Rome available at that time so it was put on back order for me.

I arrived home today to find it waiting for me. Now, to affix the 586 sticky unit labels to the front and back of the 293 wooden blocks.

Oh joy ;)

Meet Charlie

2011-07-26T19:38:00.004+10:00

Meet Charlie, the new addition to our family. Charlie is an 8 week old apricot miniature poodle. He arrived yesterday and has already made himself at home. He has a lovely temperament and enjoys cuddles and the attention of the girls.

Charlie

Official dwarves group photo

2011-07-22T19:11:00.002+10:00

The official composite of Thorin and all the dwarves has been released over at the theonering.net site. Click on picture below for a larger image.

(Left to right) Jed Brophy as Nori, Dean O'Gorman as Fili, Mark Hadlow as Dori, James Nesbitt as Bofur, Peter Hambleton as Gloin, Graham McTavish as Dwalin, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield (center), Ken Stott as Balin, John Callen as Oin, Stephen Hunter as Bombur, William Kircher as Bifur, Adam Brown as Ori and Aiden Turner as Kili in New Line Cinema’s and MGM’s fantasy adventure THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Photo by James Fisher)

End of an era

2011-07-21T20:01:00.002+10:00

I just watched the last landing of the Space Shuttle Program with the safe touchdown of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. I saw this happen live via NASA TV on Ustream. It was a moment of historical significance.

I remember watching the very first launch of the Space Shuttle Program with Space Shuttle Columbia back in 1981. Now, 30 years later, with the landing of Atlantis, it's the end of an era in space flight that I feel privileged to have lived through. Congratulations to NASA and the United States of America on the achievements of the Space Shuttle Program.

I look forward to seeing mankind's next stage in the continuing quest to explore and understand space.

Pacific Black Duck

2011-07-20T19:41:00.003+10:00

Here is a pair of Pacific Black Ducks I recently spotted at Marchant Park at Chermside.

The Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) is a dabbling duck found in much of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia and many islands in the southwestern Pacific area. The Pacific Black Duck is one of the most versatile of the Australian ducks. It frequents all types of water, from isolated forest pools to tidal mudflats, and is found in all but the most arid regions of Australia.

The Australian Museum fact sheet for this bird says that this duck is mainly vegetarian, feeding on seeds of aquatic plants. This diet is supplemented with small crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic insects. Food is obtained by 'dabbling', where the bird plunges its head and neck underwater and upends, raising its rear end vertically out of the water. Occasionally, food is sought on land in damp grassy areas.

Thorin and Company

2011-07-19T19:58:00.003+10:00

Wow! Check out this Photoshop compilation of all the dwarves in Peter Jackson's upcoming movie, The Hobbit. It was created by user Lotroel over at theonering.net. Click on the image below for a larger picture.

Thorin & Company

Awesome stuff.

Patting a kookaburra

2011-07-19T19:05:00.000+10:00

It's not every day that a kookaburra lands on our back deck. This one in particular seemed relatively unafraid of humans and even consented to me giving his head a little scratch.

Check out the video I took below.

I'm not sure if this is the same kookaburra that sheltered here for a while during a rainstorm back in January.

Thorin Oakenshield

2011-07-18T05:28:00.006+10:00

They've released the final image of the dwarves from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. This picture is from theonering.net and what a picture it is! This is the leader of the dwarven company, Thorin Oakenshield.

Thorin Oakenshield

Thorin is played by Richard Armitage.

As a young Dwarf prince, Thorin witnessed the destruction and terror wrought when a great fire-breathing Dragon attacked the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. After slaughtering many of Thorin’s kin, the great serpent, Smaug, entered The Lonely Mountain and took possession of its vast store of gold and jewels. No-one came to the aid of the surviving Dwarves, and thus, a once proud and noble race was forced into exile. Through long years of hardship, Thorin grew to be a strong and fearless fighter and revered leader. In his heart a fierce desire grew; a desire to reclaim his homeland and destroy the beast that had brought such misery upon his people. So when fate offers him an unusual ally, he seizes the chance for revenge.

Minecraft solo adventures

2011-07-17T11:41:00.007+10:00

I've been playing Minecraft regularly since I first downloaded it back in March. I find Minecraft to be a very addictive game and love the creative aspect in which you can build virtually anything you want within the limit of the available world resources.

I also love the survival aspect and the natural (virtual) beauty of the randomly generated terrain. I enjoy just wandering about looking for interesting features. I might stumble across a secluded pond in the middle of a deep forest, find a waterfall in a hidden valley, see towering snow-capped mountains in the distance, or sight a pool of lava bubbling away in the middle of a desert.

In one of my first worlds I found a nice area and decided to build a castle. It started from a humble cobblestone house on top of a hill to protect myself from the monsters that come out at night. I built a mine and during the days delved deep for the ores that would aid me in developing my little piece of the world. Over time I gathered my resources and expanded and modified my domain.

Here's an in-game screenshot of my castle taken back in May. I did not use any mods or editing to gather my resources. It was all built with my own virtual elbow-grease.

I flattened the land opposite my castle for the purpose of building a massive pyramid. On top of my pyramid I constructed a magical portal through which I can travel to the Nether. The screenshot below is taken from the top of my castle and without the in-game inventory being displayed.

My 10 year old daughter Maddie is also a fan of Minecraft. In fact she plays it more often than me! She has constructed some amazing buildings and has even shown me a trick or two.

For a tutorial on how to survive your first night in Minecraft view this YouTube video by Paul Soares Jr.

Balin & Dwalin

2011-07-16T13:13:00.003+10:00

Another image of dwarves from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been released. This latest picture is from Time.

Balin & Dwalin

On the left is Ken Stott as Balin and on the right is Graham McTavish as Dwalin.

Dwarf Lords in their own right, Balin and Dwalin are close relatives of Thorin. Beyond this, these brothers are two of his most loyal and trusted friends. An old warrior, Balin has lived through hard times and fought many battles, yet he harbors doubts about the wisdom of the Quest to retake the Lonely Mountain. Dwalin has no such forebodings - his belief in Thorin's leadership is unshakeable. A powerful and bruising fighter, with a natural tendency to distrust anyone who is not a Dwarf, particularly anyone who might be an Elf, Dwalin is not someone to cross lightly.

Bombur, Bofur & Bifur

2011-07-14T19:08:00.004+10:00

Another image of dwarves from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been released. This latest picture is from IGN.

Bombur, Bofur & Bifur

From left to right we have Stephen Hunter as Bombur, James Nesbitt as Bofur and William Kircher as Bifur.

While most of the Company of Thorin Oakensheild is related to the royal and noble line of Durin, Bofur, his brother Bombur and their cousin Bifur most definitely are … not. Born and bred in the West, descendants of coal miners and iron workers, they have joined the Quest for the Lonely Mountain partly to seek their fortune and partly because they were told the beer was free.

Fili and Kili

2011-07-13T19:37:00.005+10:00

They've released a third image of dwarves from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. This latest picture is from MSN movies blog The Hitlist.

Fili & Kili

On the left is Dean O'Gorman as Fili and on the right is Aidan Turner as Kili.

Two of the youngest Dwarves, Fili and Kili have been born into the royal line of Durin and raised under the stern guardianship of their uncle, Thorin Oakensheild. Neither has ever travelled far, nor ever seen the fabled Dwarf City of Erebor. For both, the journey to the Lonely Mountain represents adventure and excitement. Skilled fighters, both brothers set off on their adventure armed with the invincible courage of youth, neither being able to imagine the fate which lies before them.

Epic Ancients

2011-07-12T17:52:00.003+10:00

I arrived home today to find a parcel waiting for me. Milsims had a recent online discounted sale and I had ordered two expansions for one of my favourite war games of all time - Commands & Colors: Ancients by Richard Borg.

I have the first three expansions for C&C Ancients but decided to take the plunge and order the two remaining ones - Expansion Pack #4: Imperial Rome, and Expansion Pack #5: Epic Ancients II. Hey, I'm a completest.

Unfortunately #4 Imperial Rome was out of stock so they have back ordered it for me at the discounted price, but I now have #5 Epic Ancients II in my hot little hands. This expansion allows up to 8 players to fight larger historical battles on a double-sized map board and contains a number of updated scenarios including Marathon 490 BC, Gaugemela 331 BC and Lake Trasimenus 217 BC. It can also be played by two players with each commanding a side.

It was while writing this post and referencing BoardGameGeek that I became aware that GMT Games will soon be releasing a further expansion for C&C Ancients entitled Expansion Pack #6: The Spartan Army.

Cool!

Bilbo and the dwarves

2011-07-11T19:42:00.001+10:00

Here is another production photo courtesy of Entertainment Weekly from the set of the new Hobbit movies directed by Peter Jackson.

This photo shows Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins at Bag End with the dwarves in the background. The dwarf with the black beard is Richard Armitage who will play Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the dwarven company.

Freeman certainly looks the part and and I'm sure he will be great as a young Bilbo.

The first of the two films, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, will be released in December 2012.

Dwarves from the Hobbit movies

2011-07-10T11:30:00.010+10:00

I came across some cool production photos of some of the dwarves from Peter Jackson's upcoming Hobbit movies. The photo just below is an edited version of two separate photos (further below) available on Jackson's facebook page that was provided to theonering.net by user Paul.

From left to right we have Jed Brophy as Nori, Adam Brown as Ori, Mark Hadlow as Dori, John Callen as Oin and Peter Hambleton as Gloin.

Here's the official description for the two photos:

Nori, Ori & Dori

These three brothers, all sons of the same mother, could not be more different from each other. Dori, the oldest, spends much of his time watching out for Ori, the youngest; making sure he’s not caught a chill or got himself killed by Wargs or Goblins. Nobody quite knows what Nori gets up to most of the time, except that it’s guaranteed to be dodgy and quite probably, illegal. Dori, Nori and Ori are intensely loyal to each other – and whilst they are perfectly happy fighting amongst themselves, woe-betide anyone who means harm to one of these brothers.

Oin & Gloin

Distant cousins of Thorin Oakenshield, these two doughty Northern Dwarves join the Company out of a sense of loyalty to their kin, and also because they have a substantial sum of money invested in the venture. Along with Bombur, Gloin is the only other married Dwarf in the Company (there being a shortage of female dwarves in general). His wife is an acclaimed beauty with a particularly fine beard. Gloin is the proud father of a young son, Gimli, who will go on to become part of the famous Fellowship of the Ring.

What strikes me most about these photos is how they have been able to give each dwarf his own individual style and look. My concern had been how they were going to portray the 13 dwarves in Bilbo's adventuring company but I am now reassured by these photos. They look simply fantastic.

Family day out

2011-07-08T17:16:00.012+10:00

It was a beautiful mid-winter day here today. A typical mid-winter day in Brisbane is a cool morning and evening, but a warm day with a clear blue sky and not a cloud in sight.

Fortunately it was also a day off work for me. I had made plans for a family day out with my wife Deb, daughters Maddie and Georgia, my Mum, my brother Mike, his partner Sharon and her son Tom.

The seven of us arrived around 11.30am at Progress Park at Scott's Point on the Redcliffe Peninsula for a BBQ lunch.

Progress Park is a nice little area with tables and free gas barbecues. It also has a lovely view of the beach below.

After lunch we went for a walk along the beach.

Georgia found a piece of coral shaped like a duck.

We then drove to Scarborough at the other end of the peninsula where we spent some time flying some kites I'd brought along.

After that we were all feeling like a treat so we drove to a Baskins-Robbins for some ice-cream.

Later that afternoon Mike took us to a park at Clontarf where he did some metal-detecting.

We found a bit of rubbish like bottle tops, cans and old ring-pulls, but we also found some coins and a couple of pendants, one of which was Stirling silver.

All in all a great family day out.

LOTR Blu-ray baby!

2011-06-29T20:22:00.004+10:00

Today, 29 June 2011, the Limited Extended Edition of The Lord of the Rings became available on Blu-ray Disc.

I think I'll start dropping hints to my wife for this as a birthday gift later in the year, or perhaps for a Xmas present. It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.

Bunya Crossing

2011-06-26T19:57:00.014+10:00

This afternoon we (me, my wife and our two kids) went for a picnic at Bunya Crossing on the banks of the South Pine River. This lovely secluded area is only about 10 minutes drive from where we live.

A nice place for a picnic

This beautiful place, in the heart of the northern Brisbane suburbs, is only moments from houses and roads but feels like a world away. We were not even aware it existed until recently. We'll definitely be back.

More on The Hobbit

2011-05-31T21:14:00.000+10:00

I was excited to recently learn the official titles of the two new Hobbit films. They are 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' and 'The Hobbit: There and Back Again.'

These films are Peter Jackson's epic two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Hobbit with the first film slated to open on December 14, 2012 and the second film to be released on December 13, 2013.

Can't wait!

Minecraft

2011-03-21T20:39:00.003+10:00

I've been aware of Minecraft for a while now, perhaps since around mid-2010. I've seen some really cool videos on YouTube and have been considering getting the game for several months. Well, tonight I finally decided to take the plunge and purchased the Beta version. Yep, that's right, it's a game that is still in development but by January 2011 it had already had over 1,000,000 units sold.

Minecraft is a sandbox building game written in Java. The worlds are made up of three-dimensional blocks set in a grid pattern. Each block (and at this point in time there are well over 100 different types) represent various items or terrain. Players can destroy and create blocks, changing the landscape to their desire.

The graphics are very basic but it doesn't take great graphics to make a great game, it's the gameplay that counts. Gameplay is where Minecraft shines. It's a game that is part exploration, part role-play, part resource management and part creative building. It's also a lot of fun.

Type Minecraft in the search field on YouTube to see some game play. Also check out this post on VideoGameGeek by user ekted.

Gaming with Grandma - 122

2011-03-12T12:52:00.003+10:00

Another Saturday morning gaming with my mum (AKA Grandma) and 9 year old daughter Maddie. Our game of choice today was the recently acquired Forbidden Island by Matt Leacock, the designer of Pandemic.

Players in this game play explorers searching an island for four powerful artifacts. They must locate all four artifacts and lift off the island in a helicopter to win the game. The only problem is that the island is quickly sinking into the ocean and the players must work cooperatively to shore up flooded areas and find the artifacts.

The island - pale blue tiles are flooded and the gaps are tiles that have sunk

There are six different roles randomly assigned to the 2-4 players. Each role has special abilities to assist in the mission. In this our first game Grandma was the Engineer, Maddie was the Explorer and I was the Diver.

There is also a water level track. We started off on the Novice level which starts the water at the lowest level.

The mechanics are fairly straightforward with players taking up to three actions, taking two treasure cards and then taking a certain number of flood cards depending on the current water level. Maddie quickly picked this up and was soon suggesting actions for Grandma and I. I was pleased to hear her exclaim during the game "This is really exciting" and "This is fun".

We went on to win our first game at Novice level.

Later that afternoon after Grandma had left Maddie requested another game with just the two of us. We started at Normal level with her being the Pilot and me the Messenger. We did win, but it was fairly close. We'll up the difficulty to Elite level in our next game.

Some new games

2011-03-08T19:30:00.003+10:00

I can't believe it's been over a year since I last purchased some board games. I've certainly got a list of games on my "to buy" list but haven't been tempted until a recent Milsims Games overstock sale.

I picked up the following games for some good discounted prices:

Sir Arthur takes one on the chin

2011-03-06T20:43:00.004+10:00

I had the opportunity to try Commands & Colors: Napoleonics this morning with an old gaming opponent of mine, Chris (AKA BGG User Banjo666). Chris taught me how to play the miniatures rules DBM and it's probably been a good 8 or 9 years since we last saw each other or gamed together.

We played Chris' copy of the game and he had the first scenario set up for me when I arrived. It was the Rolica1 (French First Position) 17 August 1808 scenario which was historically part of the Peninsular War. I played the British/Portuguese army under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley (more famously known as The Duke of Wellington) versus the French under the command of General Henri Delaborde.

Historical Background

After landing unopposed at Mondego Bay, Sir Arthur Wellesley led a Portuguese/British army of some 15,000 men south towards Lisbon. Opposing him was General Henri Delaborde, with a force consisting only of some 5000 infantry, 500 cavalry and 5 field pieces. Delaborde resolved to fight a delaying action against Wellesley’s advance while awaiting reinforcements from Generals Junot and Loison.
Delaborde chose his first defensive position in the hills just northwest of the village of Rolica. Wellesley advanced in three columns against the French, ordering the Portuguese troops under Colonel Trant on the right and Fergusson’s column on the left to turn the enemy’s flanks, while the artillery and infantry in his center were to engage the enemy in the front and hold them in position.
The British attack was underway by seven o’clock in the morning on the 17th. Although the French were hotly engaged all morning, Delaborde’s outnumbered force still held onto the hill position. However, by early afternoon, the wary Delaborde could see that his position was being outflanked and quickly moved his forces back to a second defensive position to the south.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

The field of battle at the end

It was to be an unhistorical result to the real battle of Rolica with my British/Portuguese force eventually losing 3 banners to 5 against the French.

I love the Commands & Colors series of games by Richard Borg. C&C Napoleonics is a fine new edition to this series and although similar in play to other games in the series, it does capture the feel of warfare in the Napoleonic period. I loved the rule for Infantry being able to form square when threatened by Cavalry, and also the rules for Combined Arms Combat and national differences to similar types of units.

I'm looking forward to further games.

13 Dwarves and a Hobbit

2011-02-13T07:36:00.001+10:00

I'm very excited to hear that the first day of principal photography for THE HOBBIT will be on Monday 21 March, 2011. Shooting will take place at Stone Street Studios in Miramar and on location around New Zealand.

Martin Freeman who plays Bilbo (on the far right) with the actors who will play the 13 dwarves.

Confirmed cast so far include: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Rob Kazinsky, Aidan Turner, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown, Cate Blanchett, Andy Serkis, Mikael Persbrant, Sylvester McCoy and Elijah Wood.

Tropical Cyclone Yasi

2011-02-02T20:15:00.008+10:00

As if our state of Queensland isn't reeling enough from the recent floods, up north is going to be hit by Category 5 (Australian scale) Tropical Cyclone Yasi in about 4-6 hours (this evening between 10pm and midnight).

Tropical Cyclone Yasi due to hit north Queensland

They are saying this could be the state's most destructive cyclone in history. It's huge. They're predicting wind gusts of up to 295km/hr (183 miles/hr).

Tropical cyclone forecast track map for Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi. Issued at 8:12pm EST Wednesday 2 February 2011 by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology

For those of you who don't live in Australia here are a couple of images of Cyclone Yasi superimposed over the USA and Europe just to give you an idea of the size of this destructive weather system.

Cyclone Yasi superimposed over the USA

Cyclone Yasi superimposed over Europe

There has been a very concerted preparation in the last few days with 30,000 people evacuated from Cairns. All patients from Cairns Base Hospital and Cairns Private Hospital were airlifted to here in Brisbane. Thousands of other residents on the coast in the path of the storm have been urged to evacuate due to the potential for extreme flooding from large storm surges.

It's going to be one wild night for those in far north Queensland.

"...Zulus to the south west. Thousands of them."

2011-01-22T15:14:00.002+10:00

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Rorke's Drift which was fought over the 22nd and 23rd of January 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War. This battle, the defence of the mission station at Rorke's Drift, came immediately after the British defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana where about 20,000 Zulu warriors attacked a portion of the British main column, killing around 1,300 troops.

After the Battle of Isandlwana a force of about 4000 Zulus attacked the tiny garrison at Rorke's Drift. Defending the mission station against this force were just over 150 British and Colonial troops. This small force successfully repelled the Zulu attacks which began on the afternoon of the 22nd and carried on into the early hours of the following morning. 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders, along with a number of other decorations and honours.

A film entitled Zulu, based on the Battle of Rorke's drift, was released in 1964. It starred Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, James Booth, and in his first starring role, a young Michael Caine. I first saw this film on television around the 100th anniversary of the battle in late January 1979. I was at the impressionable age of 11 and this film had a huge impact on me.

I've seen this film many times before but made a special point to watch it again today on the 132nd anniversary of the historical battle. I love the bravery and heroism this film depicts, on both the British and Zulu sides. I love the stirring music score by John Barry. I love the performance of the actors, especially Michael Caine and James Booth. Zulu is a film that still captivates me even to this day.

Some geocaching fun

2011-01-16T16:25:00.003+10:00

We've actually had some nice weather arrive after weeks and weeks of rain. The girls are both on school break and have been going stir crazy at home so I decided to take advantage of the break in the weather and take them out geocaching on Sunday morning.

Our first stop was the Giwadha cache located along the Giwadha Track in Chermside Hills Reserve.

This was a nice walk along a track that passed through fairly thick vegetation consisting of heath, grasses and shrubs. Particularly impressive were the number of grass trees with their long flowering spikes.

These grass trees were important to the Aboriginal people who lived here in the past. The long spikes make perfect fishing spears and, when soaked in water, the nectar from the flowers make a sweet tasting drink.

I was using the GPS from my phone along with a free geocaching app. This usually gets me to within 3m (10') of the location of a hidden cache. We searched for about five minutes before finding it hidden beneath leaves at the base of a burnt out stump.

Our next stop was the Arlington Triangle - Arlington Park cache. This was located in Arlington Park at Arana Hills. This is a nice little park with some playground equipment that the girls had fun playing on. The cache in this instance was a microcache with a magnet for attaching on to metal structures. The clue on the website helped and Maddie found it in the place I suggested she look.

The last cache of the morning, Bridge over Cabbage, was found a short walk away in William Scott Park, just where the path crosses Cabbage Tree Creek.

I was a bit concerned about our chances of finding this cache. The bridge had been completely inundated in the recent rains and there was still vegetation debris covering it in places. We knew it was a microcache we were looking for so I suspected another magnetic one. After a bit of searching Maddie found the container still securely in place.

We were very pleased that we went out to search for three caches and had a 100% success rate. It was also nice getting out of the house into the outdoors and in some fine weather for a change.

Where's Wally? (or Waldo?)

2011-01-16T15:15:00.000+10:00

Can you spot Wally? Or if you're in the USA or Canada, Waldo?

Follow the directions...

2011-01-14T12:01:00.007+10:00

From 24-7 Flood Info Centre. Photo taken by Brent Clayton of West End in Brisbane.

This poignant photo was taken this morning on Melbourne Street in the suburb of South Brisbane, looking towards the city, not far from such important buildings like the Gallery of Modern Art, the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Art Gallery and the Queensland Museum.

On the left you can see The Fox Hotel, an establishment I've had the pleasure of drinking at in the past. It now gives new context to the slang term for a pub being a 'watering hole'.

Water, water everywhere...

2011-01-13T19:48:00.028+10:00

For an up-to-date online coverage of the Queensland floods check this site.

The flood waters have reached Brisbane, with the river breaking its banks and peaking at 4.46 metres early this morning which is thankfully about 1 metre less than the 1974 flood peak of 5.45 metres. Nevertheless, due to population and building growth in Brisbane over the last three decades, the loss of lives, homes, businesses and infrastructure will unfortunately exceed the 1974 flood disaster.

Check out this dramatic footage of a yacht loose on Brisbane river this afternoon. Two men are trying to save the yacht and are thrown into the water as it sinks.

Luckily both men were rescued shortly after.

15 people are confirmed dead in south-east Queensland since 10 January, 61 people are still missing from the Toowoomba/Lockyer Valley area, and police hold grave fears for 12 of those missing people.

It's not just Brisbane, Australia's 3rd largest city, that is suffering. The whole state of Queensland has been affected by flooding since the beginning of December 2010. The floods have forced the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and cities. At least 70 towns and over 200,000 people have been affected. Three-quarters of the state of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone — an area larger than Texas and California combined.

Our local supermarket this afternoon - no fruit or vegetables left.

Water has flooded into the streets of over 30 Brisbane suburbs and it's been reported that around 30,000 properties have been affected by water damage. The central business district (CBD) of Brisbane has been virtually shut down since Wednesday 12 January with all power cut as a precautionary measure. My office, and thousands of other offices in the CBD are shut due to this disaster. It's unlikely the CBD will be safe for businesses to reopen until at least Monday next week. I've worked in Brisbane's central business district for 25 years and have never seen anything on this scale.

The bridge over our local creek on Brisbane's north side. There is a submerged footpath to the right of the handrails.

I've been on leave from work since 24 December 2010 to look after our kids while they're on break before school resumes later this month. I'm not due back at work until 31 January and I've been glued to the continuous television coverage of this natural disaster. I was 7 years old when the floods hit Brisbane in 1974 and I still remember the constant rain at that time and seeing the awful images on television.

It's not only the human population that has been affected. There has also been a loss to animal life and destruction of the natural habitat of many creatures. Some are more lucky than others. Check out the video below that I took of a kookaburra who took shelter on our deck during some of the rainy weather on Tuesday.

In the big scheme of world events this is only a minor natural disaster compared to, for example, the devastation and loss of life in the 2010 Haiti earthquake (est. 316,000 dead) or the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami (230,210 dead). To put it into further perspective, parts of Brazil are currently suffering flooding and mudslides and sadly it has been reported that the death toll there is over 400 and rising. We can count ourselves here in Brisbane to be relatively lucky. However, this local flood is affecting my community, my state and my country and is therefore naturally a more personal experience for me. Let's hope the tragic loss of life won't climb too much higher.

At least there is still a sense of humour around. Check out this photo tweeted by @mackiemarsellos showing the iconic Wally Lewis statue outside the flooded Suncorp Stadium.

Floods come and go and Brisbane will recover but I'm sure we'll be talking about the 2011 flood for many years to come.

Rain, rain, go away!

2011-01-11T15:22:00.011+10:00

The state of Queensland in Australia has had a lot of rain over the past month or so. Here in south-east Queensland it's turned into a natural disaster. Yesterday the inland city of Toowoomba (about 127 km / 79 miles from where I live) was hit suddenly and hard by a flash flood. Toowoomba sits on the crest of the Great Dividing Range and is around 700 metres (2300 feet) above sea level which makes this freak of nature even more bizarre. The flash flood has been described as being like an 'inland tsunami'. Sadly, several people were caught in the waters and drowned.

Check out this YouTube clip of amazing footage of cars being washed away in the heart of Toowoomba yesterday. I can't believe the guy at 1:13 who got his car out of the car park. Very lucky indeed.

Tragically there has been more loss of life in areas down from the range in Lockyer Valley. Since yesterday there have been a total of 9 confirmed deaths and 66 people are still unaccounted for in these floods. The death toll is expected to rise as emergency services enter the worst affected areas and conduct searches.

Check out this video of the Toowoomba CBD. Check out the man desperately clinging to a tree at 1:23 as a white van is swept into the tree almost dislodging him.

Thankfully the man holding on to the tree was rescued a short time later.

This body of water all flows down to the Brisbane River and then into Moreton Bay. It's bearing down on us as I type and is going to swell the Brisbane river which runs through the middle of the city. With this water, combined with ongoing rain, releases into the river from our main over-capacity dam and a king tide due tomorrow, it is predicted that Brisbane and surrounding suburbs are in for some massive flooding. It's even been suggested that levels could reach as high as the 1974 flood. Evacuations are now occurring in low-lying areas of Brisbane.

It's very sad watching this dramatic disaster unfolding on the news with people and homes affected from all over the state. 6500 properties in Brisbane alone are threatened with flooding over the coming days. Thankfully my home is not in any danger of flooding.

And to think we were in drought conditions just over a year and a half ago. Brisbane was under the toughest water restrictions of any Australian capital city at that time and our combined dam total was around 16%. They are now sitting at 160% capacity.

Check out news.com.au for the latest on this natural disaster. The flooding also has made front page news at CNN and the BBC. A government flood relief appeal site has been set up for financial donations.

Finished Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

2011-01-08T23:23:00.010+10:00

I just had to record that today was the day I achieved the Platinum Trophy for the PS3 game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

The Platinum Trophy was awarded when all other 47 trophies in the game had been earned. The final 47th trophy first had to be unlocked by completing the game on the 'Hard' level of difficulty. Once done it allowed you to play the game again on a level of difficulty called 'Crushing'. Yep, 'Crushing', as it sounds, was extremely challenging.

The Platinum Trophy

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was released over 3 years ago in November 2007. It's an action-adventure game that combines platforming and third-person shooter elements. The game charts the journey of protagonist Nathan Drake, supposed descendant of the explorer Sir Francis Drake, as he seeks the lost treasure of El Dorado, with the help of friend Victor "Sully" Sullivan and journalist Elena Fisher.

A screenshot from the game

This was an incredible game to experience, it had a fun story and addictive play from start to finish. It played like a big-budget Hollywood movie and the graphics and voice-acting were superb. I was also very impressed with the realistic water effects. The good news is that there is a sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves which was released in 2009 and is touted to be an even better game than its predecessor. I'll have to pick this one up soon.

And if that's not enough, they've just announced a third installment entitled Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception which is due for release in November 2011.

This is now my 2nd Platinum Trophy, the first being for Red Dead Redemption.

Gaming with Grandma - 121

2011-01-02T13:47:00.005+10:00

We had decided to postpone Grandma's regular Saturday morning visit because this Saturday morning was New Years Day. So instead of Saturday morning Grandma came over today on Sunday.

Our first game of the morning was Der Schwarze Pirat. We originally had intended to play with 4 (almost 5) year old Georgia but on the first turn she had difficulty with the blower and then got upset and started acting up. A quick intervention from my wife first distracted and then removed Georgia from play so that left Grandma, 9.5 year old Maddie and me.

This was a really exciting game as the majority of gold built up on just a few of the islands. At one point in the game the red island had 9 gold on it. The winds certainly favoured me as we all raced for this particular island. I was the first to enter the harbour and claim these 9 gold for myself. That would have to be the most gold in a single haul that I've yet seen. Final scores were me 24 gold, Grandma 12 gold and Maddie 0 gold.

Maddie mustn't have been too impressed with her result in this game because she then dropped out leaving Grandma and I to play. Grandma suggested we play our old favourite Battle Line so I pulled it out of the game cabinet and set it up.

I always enjoy this game and Grandma is challenging to play. This time I had some good card draws combined with some early placement decisions that paid off. I ended up winning with a breakthrough of three adjacent flags in the centre of the line.

2010 - My year of gaming

2010-12-31T09:27:00.004+10:00

As the end of 2010 draws near I find myself reflecting on my gaming habits. Gaming for me crosses many different genres. I don't consider myself a board gamer, or a role player, a miniatures gamer or even a video gamer, though at stages in my life I have focused solely on each of these game types. Rather, at this point in my life I consider myself a gamer with multi-faceted tastes, a 'multi-gamer' if you will.

2010 has seen a marked decrease in my board gaming. This has mainly been due to a resurgence in my exploration of the video game genre. I've very much enjoyed online multiplayer gaming action first with a Microsoft Xbox 360 in the early part of the year and then since May with a Sony PlayStation 3. Online shooter games such as Call of Duty give me an adrenalin rush that I just can't get sitting at a table playing a board game. Don't get me wrong, some board games can be very tense and exciting, it's just a different sort of rush to a video game.

Another reason for a reduction in board gaming is that after 8 or so years I just feel like a bit of a break. Mum still comes around every Saturday morning but I haven't initiated the playing of any board games since July. I'm sure though that we will see further Gaming with Grandma sessions in 2011. My younger daughter Georgia turns five next month and will be starting a full-time Preparatory Year at the same school as her older sister Maddie. Georgie's reaching a maturity level where she'll soon be able to join in games with us.

So here's a look at my board gaming plays in 2010. Top of the list is Blue Max, the majority of these games being played online at fellow Brisbane gamer Justin Walduck's Hexcell Games site. I recommend Hexcell Games which offers free multiplayer Blue Max games as well as Deduce or Die games.

Blue Max	28
PitchCar Mini	6
Battle Line	2
Diamant	2
Escape from Atlantis	2
Liar's Dice	2
500	2
Antike	1
Cartagena	1
Cloud 9	1
The Downfall of Pompeii	1
For Sale	1
Gulo Gulo	1
Hearts	1
Heroscape Expansion Set: Defenders of Kinsland	1
Heroscape Expansion Set: Fortress of the Archkyrie	1
Heroscape Expansion Set: Malliddon's Prophecy	1
Heroscape Expansion Set: Orm's Return	1
Heroscape Expansion Set: Thora's Vengeance	1
Heroscape Expansion Set: Ticalla Jungle	1
Heroscape Expansion Set: Utgar's Rage	1
Heroscape Master Set: Rise of the Valkyrie	1
Heroscape Master Set: Swarm of the Marro	1
Ingenious	1
King Me!	1
Money Money Money	1
Pass the Pigs	1
Quicksand	1
Red November	1
Der schwarze Pirat	1
Wanted!	1

2010 was definitely the year of the Western for me. I played the Red Dead Redemption video game for several months and had a fantastic time. I also watched a ton of western films which I also greatly enjoyed. I have to say that I'm now pretty much over anything western related for the time being. My western fad has passed but I'm sure it will return in the future. Unfortunately the enthusiasm this time for all things western didn't extend to painting the many 25mm western miniatures I have. Ah well, perhaps in 2011.

The early part of the year did see me devote substantial time to painting some Lord of the Rings 25mm miniatures. I fully painted and based 112 miniatures, comprising 88 Warriors of Minas Tirith and 24 Mordor Orcs an accomplishment of which I was very satisfied. I still have hundreds of these miniatures sitting in a cupboard and look forward to painting more in 2011.

Off-topic, but on the work front 2010 saw me move to a new building which was one train-stop further and at the other end of Brisbane's central business district. I also travelled a lot more with work in 2010 than the year before, flying a total of almost 9,500 km (5,900 miles). 2010 also saw my work area restructured and although I am still doing the same role I have been integrated into a different Government department. Change is a constant in the Australian Public Service and I look forward to the challenges that await me in 2011.

I also look forward to where my gaming interests will take me in 2011. I can see my video gaming continuing due to it's accessibility and immediacy however what other gaming will I be doing? I'd love to get back into role playing games at some point, especially with my daughters. Perhaps when Georgie can read and write. I'd also like to spend more time painting miniatures and playing with different miniatures rules.

Time. Time is the issue. Still, as long as you're playing games with your friends or family then it's time well spent.

Happy New Year!

Goodbye old friend

2010-12-29T15:26:00.001+10:00

Our much loved family pet died today. He came into our lives 15 and a half years ago when my wife (then girlfriend) and I discovered a bedraggled tiny black kitten near the garage of the block of units in which were living. At first I thought he was a rat, being small and thin, with a long skinny tail. He was affectionately known as Ratty from then on.

Enjoying the warmth of the sun on our back deck

Ratty was with us through most of our major adult life events; joining us through several moves, our engagement, our wedding, the purchase of our first home, and the birth of our two daughters. He was a great cat, he lived a pleasant life and he was much loved. We were all with him at the end. We miss you Ratty.

Assassin's Creed: Beautiful Lies

2010-12-20T18:28:00.008+10:00

I came across a YouTube video the other day that really impressed me. It's made by a fan of the video games Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed II and it's a lot better than a lot of professionally made trailers.

The video highlights the game play of both main protagonists of the games, Altair in the 12th century Holy Land and Ezio in 15th century Italy. Both characters are genetic memories of 21st century Desmond Miles, who, with the aid of a machine called the 'Animus' relives their adventures.

What is striking for me is the editing of the video showing the characters of Altair and Ezio morphing from one to the other and from city to city. All this perfectly choreographed to the haunting song Beautiful Lies by B-Complex.

So, if you don't mind a little computer-generated bloody assassinations then I recommend viewing this well-edited Assassin's Creed video. And yes, all the vision is actual game play.

Red (Un)Dead Redemption

2010-10-31T15:49:00.006+10:00

I've been having a blast over the last couple of days playing the latest DLC (Downloadable Content) for Red Dead Redemption entitled Undead Nightmare.

From the site:

The Undead Nightmare has been unleashed upon the world of Red Dead Redemption, with an entirely new single-player storyline, as well as brand new multiplayer content.

Seemingly overnight, a zombie plague ravages the once bountiful frontier, decimating the landscape and reawakening the dead. In towns, settlements, and outposts throughout the world, the uninfected citizens are left to fight for survival against waves of the undead. John Marston must ride out into the vast and terrifying world and survive long enough to find a cure.

Undead Nightmare Debut Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCdCV3ix5M4

Undead Nightmare Official Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeWGJ0aPwJw

Undead Nightmare - Undead Overrun Multiplayer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZC-jBjDF7Y

Undead Nightmare - Weapons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrf1oEnvOVQ

Undead Nightmare - Graveyards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YISTuHRCSH0

Undead Nightmare Official TV Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lva41WyCfPw

Undead Nightmare Official Launch Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo81hAB0_lo

Awesome Halloween fun!

The Hobbit

2010-10-23T14:58:00.006+10:00

Well, what with all the depressing news over the last year involving the troubles plaguing the production of the Hobbit films, at last some good news.

First, the Hobbit films have finally been given the green light, with Peter Jackson confirmed as director, producer and co-writer.

And second, actor Martin Freeman has been confirmed to play the lead role of Bilbo Baggins. Freeman is an excellent choice in my opinion.

For those of you who aren't already aware, the Hobbit will be in two parts, with the first film hopefully released in late 2012.

With this latest news my excitement level has just been kicked up a notch!

More Westerns

2010-10-12T20:33:00.000+10:00

Some westerns I've watched over the last couple of months.

"Get me a shovel and my Bible. I'll read over him." - Thomas Dunson (John Wayne) - Red River (1948)

A geek is born...

2010-09-10T05:51:00.002+10:00

I just wanted to record that my 9 year old daughter Maddie finished the final book in the Harry Potter series last night. She said she felt sad afterwards, not because of the ending, which she said was great, rather the fact that she'd finished a series that she'd really enjoyed. I can relate to that. I always felt a little empty when I finished a good book, wondering when the next exciting novel would come along.

Oh, and she's a Doctor Who fan, starting with the last two episodes of the 10th Doctor (David Tennant), and continuing on with the new series of the 11th Doctor (Matt Smith). She even got me back into watching Doctor Who again (I'd stopped when the 6th Doctor (Colin Baker) came on the scene in 1984) and we have watched the show together religiously every Sunday evening.

A geek is born...

Mammoth Steaks & Bronto Burgers

2010-08-31T19:37:00.006+10:00

It was many years ago that I first became aware of Tusk, a set of miniature rules written by Matthew Hartley. It was the tag line 'Mammoth Hunting from 12,000 BC to 1914 AD' that caught my eye and made me want to learn more about these rules that were designed to portray prehistoric hunts. I was intrigued. I mean how cool would it be to have a group of cavemen hunt mammoth?

Then back in June this year I came across a review of Tusk on The Ooh Shiny Complex blog. This again got me interested and I was excited to learn that the rules also included Victorian hunters and dinosaurs.

Well, just today I saw a post on Tim's Wargaming Stuff blog where he talks about using the rules for a Star Wars-themed hunting party of Tusken Raiders. He even included a link to the rules at Wargame Vault where you can download the pdf version of the rules for US$4.95.

I'd felt I'd put off purchasing these rules for too long and the little voice inside my head was telling me that I hadn't purchased much gaming material this year. So I made a quick trip to Wargame Vault, input my credit card details and downloaded the rules.

Here's the blurb on the rules:

Tusk is the widely acclaimed set of Mammoth hunting rules written by Matthew (Aeronef, Scudbusters) Hartley.

Tusk includes rules for cavemen hunting mammoths using stone age weapons, fire, dogs and also heroes called Og! The mammoths are controlled by a reaction table so Tusk makes for an excellent solo game as well as one played by two or more players (whether in competition to get the mammoths or in co-operation).

Beyond mammoths, Tusk also includes rules for pre-historic beasts to allow you to recreate Hollywood-esque cavemen versus dinosaur battles.

Additional rules allow you to include Victorian adventurers who discover beasts from forgotten ages on distant plateau in South America or Central Asia.

I'm sure I've got some plastic mammoth and dinosaur models around here somewhere...

Epic Heroscape battle

2010-08-29T19:23:00.012+10:00

I was looking after the kids today while my wife was working. Maddie has been bugging me to play HeroScape for a while now so we decided that today would be the day. Coincidentally it's been just about one year to the week since we last played. Also coincidentally I faced the same opponents across the table the last time we played; my 9 year old daughter Maddie and family friend 9 year old Jackson. They beat me last time but would I have my revenge this time?

My opponents - Maddie & Jackson

Maddie organised their armies the previous evening. We had decided on armies with a maximum point value of 600. She took Raelin the Kyrie Warrior, Kelda the Kyrie Warrior, Jorhdawn, Chardris, Warriors of Ashra and Fyorlag Spiders x4 (600 points). Jackson's army consisted of Charos, Sonlen, Ulginesh and Venoc Vipers x2 (600 points). I was very impressed with her army creation skills.

I ran two armies. The first consisted of Tor-Kul-Na, Ne-Gok-Sa, Grok Riders, Marro Drudge x2 and Marrden Nagrubs x2 (600 points). My second army was made up of Taelord the Kyrie Warrior, Deathwalker 8000, Krug & Mimring (580 points).

Each army had an artifact glyph sitting on its base line. Victory would be achieved by either of two ways. Either totally wipe out the opposing army, or grab the opponents glyph and throw it into the well in the middle of the raised tower in the centre of the board. The first team to achieve either of these objectives would be declared the winner.

The view from my side at the start

The view from my opponents' side at the start

My strategy was to get Deathwalker 8000 to the top of the central tower and snipe the enemy. As they focused on the threat in the centre I would use my fast moving Grok Riders and Marrden Nagrubs to race down the flanks to threaten their artifact. Meanwhile my heavy hitters like Tor-Kul-Na and Krug would move down the sides for support while I left Mimring the dragon guarding my own artifact.

This strategy worked fairly well and Deathwalker 8000 was able to pick off several enemy. His downfall came when the mighty dragon Charos flew to the top of the tower and destroyed him a few turns later. The fighting was fierce and due to my fast moving attacks the battles were all on my opponents' side of the board. During the entire game they never did make it on to my side.

There were many ferocious battles. Brave warriors fell on both sides. At one point one of my Marrden Nagrubs grabbed my opponents' artifact and headed back to the central tower. The fighting was fierce but in the end I prevailed and totally destroyed both their armies.

Krug and Taelord attack the two Elven Mages, Jorhdawn and Chardris

I have to say I didn't pull any punches and was playing to win. However, every turn I gave Maddie and Jackson advice on their options and tips on tactics. I wanted them to learn the game as well as give me a challenge. When I gave them options and explained the tactics they invariably chose the best moves. After a while I didn't have to tell them to look for terrain height advantage or remember to use their character's special abilities or any other tips. In the end they were conspiring and even asked me to leave the room on occasions so they could assess the battlefield and make plans.

It was a great game and we all had fun. They even helped me pack everything away...with a little persuasion.

The eve of battle

2010-08-28T21:33:00.004+10:00

The jungle is quiet this evening.

Tomorrow morning these ruins will echo with the sounds of battle. Weapons will be clashed, magic will be wielded and blood will be spilled.

From the chaos of combat one side will emerge victorious...

The Saxon Stories - 5

2010-08-25T19:50:00.003+10:00

Today I start the next book in the Saxon Stories, The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell. This is the fifth and latest book in the series and was published in 2009. I hope Mr Cornwell is set to release the sixth book soon.

Legend of the West

2010-08-20T13:29:00.004+10:00

I just had to record that today was the day I achieved the final trophy of the Red Dead Redemption video game. As a result of this I was awarded the 'Legend of the West' Platinum Trophy. This is a Playstation 3 trophy specific to this console and is unlocked when all other trophies have been earned, excluding downloadable content (DLC) trophies.

"You've become a true legend of the west!"

I'm quite chuffed as this is also my first ever Platinum Trophy. However, there are still further trophies that have been released with downloadable content for this game so the trophy hunting will continue.

Mop & Bucket

2010-08-18T17:55:00.007+10:00

I found a package from my brother in the mailbox this afternoon. It was an unexpected package and on opening it I found it contained a black 100% cotton t-shirt. When I held the t-shirt up I recognised that it was a Mop & Bucket clan t-shirt!

You see, when I got my PS3 back in May this year my brother invited me to join the PS3 gamer clan of which he is a member - the Mop & Bucket clan. A clan (or guild) is group of players who play online games together. The Mop & Bucket clan have members from all around Australia and they are a great bunch of guys and gals.

The front of the t-shirt has the M&B logo

The back of the t-shirt has the M&B motto and is personalised with my PSN username DocShatgun.

I just wanted to say "thanks Bro!", it was a pleasant surprise and I'll wear it with pride. It's my shout next time you're in Brisbane.

Hordes of the Things rules available for free download

2010-08-17T06:27:00.002+10:00

Hordes of the Things is a set of fast play fantasy miniature wargame rules designed by Phil Barker, Sue Laflin Barker and Richard Bodley Scott. These rules are based on the concepts of the popular De Bellis Antiquitatis (usually known as DBA) rule set.

On his website Phil Barker has made the HOTT rules available for free download. He writes:

Some time in 2009, these rules went out-of-print and the copyright reverted to the three authors. They are now unavailable from any supplier I have been able to find. I have consulted Phil and Richard and we are agreed that until it is possible to publish a new edition of HOTT, we will make it available at this website. Anyone who wishes to play HOTT, has our permission to download a single copy of HOTT version 2 for his/her personal use. (Also page 23, sorry for the omission. I'll redo the whole thing soon. )

The rules are available via the links above or go to Phil's site and click on the History of W.R.G. link at the top of the page. The HOTT rules are about half-way down the page. Don't forget to download the separate page 23.

I already own a published set of these rules and have a few Lord of the Rings-inspired 15mm armies in various stages of completion. This is a rules set that I've read and admire and I intend on playing in the future. I don't know when I'll get around to playing but it's definitely on my 'to do' list.

Check them out.

Still even more westerns

2010-08-16T22:25:00.004+10:00

My interest in westerns continues unabated with these recent viewings.

"Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!" - 'Gold Hat' played by Alfonso Bedoya - The Treasue of the Sierra Madre (1948).

Gaming with Grandma - 120

2010-07-24T15:52:00.002+10:00

Another Saturday morning gaming session with my 9 year old daughter Maddie and my mother (AKA Grandma).

Our first game was Liar's Dice (AKA Bluff). This was a fairly quick game with Grandma winning with 2 dice left.

Our second game was an old favourite, Gulo Gulo. 4 year old Georgia joined us for this and amazed us all with her skill of nimbly plucking the eggs from the bowl. Maddie led for most of the game but I overtook her right at the end when she missed a purple egg after being the first to find Gulo Junior. Final scores were 1st Wayne, 2nd Georgia, 3rd Maddie and 4th Grandma.

Redeemed

2010-07-21T16:51:00.004+10:00

I've thoroughly enjoyed playing Red Dead Redemption over the last few months. In fact, I've enjoyed it so much that it's the first video game in which I've ever played through the single player game twice. The second time I played it through to get all the trophies I missed on the first run through. Today I finally achieved the Redeemed trophy which is earned for being able to "Attain 100% in the Single Player Game Completion stat" which was a very satisfying moment.

Now I'll mainly concentrate on playing Red Dead Redemption online in the fantastic multiplayer free roam and various co-op challenges. Rockstar Games have already announced further support for this great game with another four DLC packs scheduled for release over the next six months. Yeehaw!

Still more westerns

2010-07-15T17:20:00.004+10:00

I've been shootin' through a posse of Western films lately. Here are the ones I've seen over the last week or so.

One thing I've noticed since pursuing an interest in the Western genre of films is that the majority of these films are 40 to 50 years old, and hence most of the actors are now deceased. I've been enjoying following up with a little research into these actors' lives and deaths after they made these films. Some of their life stories are fascinating.

Gaming with Grandma - 119

2010-07-10T14:40:00.002+10:00

Another Saturday morning gaming session with my mum (AKA Grandma) and 9 year old elder daughter Maddie. This morning we played Atlantis (AKA Escape from Atlantis). Grandma took yellow, Maddie took red and I took green.

The board at the beginning of the game

We'd placed all our people one at a time at the beginning of the game and then I realised that I'd forgotten to place the ships at their designated starting points. Rather than go through the initial people placement process again we just left the people where they were. I suspect that the placement of people would have looked different had we all known where the ships were going to be. I'll read the set up rules more clearly next time.

Maddie made an early start and was able to get a ship with two of her people and one of mine to the safety of one of the outlying island harbours. As the outer parts of Atlantis started to sink that's when all manner of sea creatures were attracted to the screams of the terrified Atlanteons. There is a sense of evil enjoyment as one sends a sea serpent to destroy a ship filled with your opponent's people. Maddie's now at an age where she's less likely to take personally a move that hinders her, and can even take pleasure in 'take that' moves she makes herself.

Chaos ensues as the ocean drinks Atlantis

Final scores were Maddie and me sharing 1st place with 4, and Grandma coming 2nd with 2. I'm not aware of a tie-break mechanic in Atlantis although Maddie reached her score before I did. I was just happy to share the win.

Lots of Westerns

2010-07-04T12:01:00.004+10:00

I continue my fascination with the Western genre of films. These are the latest films I've seen over the last month or so.

Luckily I have a local Video store that has Tuesday $1 weekly movie specials.

The Saxon Stories - 4

2010-07-02T16:19:00.005+10:00

Today I don my armour and ready sword and shield to once again join Uhtred of Bebbanburg in his adventures in 9th century Anglo-Saxon England.

I have been taking my time in reading this series by Bernard Cornwell. I've been savouring the journey, not rushing from book to book for I know it will eventually end. Sword Song is the fourth in the series and there is only one further book published at this point in time.

Meet Millie

2010-06-23T20:29:00.003+10:00

Meet Millie, a companion for Mollie. Millie is actually Mollie's real-life sister as they're from the same litter.

Rats are social creatures and we wanted Mollie not to be alone. We picked up Millie today. Maddie is now the proud owner of two young rats.

Meet Mollie

2010-06-18T21:01:00.002+10:00

Meet Mollie, a 5 week old baby rat and Maddie's first pet. Maddie has been wanting a pet of her own for ages and as her 9th birthday is just around the corner today her dream was realised.

Maddie had the opportunity to choose Mollie and she made a great choice. Mollie really is a little cutie and is already bonding well with her new owner.

Gaming with Grandma - 118

2010-06-12T15:25:00.000+10:00

Just a quick game of Der Schwarze Pirat for Grandma, Maddie and I this morning. Maddie and Grandma made some great moves but alas, the winds were not kind to me. It was fun to see some pirate action between Grandma and I, each giving as good as we took. Final scores were 1st Maddie with 17 gold, 2nd Grandma with 15 gold, and 3rd Wayne with 4 gold.

Red Dead Redemption: A short film

2010-06-09T19:23:00.004+10:00

Rockstar Games have released a 30 minute short film directed by Australian John Hillcoat (director of The Proposition and The Road).

Using the world of Red Dead Redemption as a virtual film studio and created entirely with in-game assets and technology, John Hillcoat re-imagines protagonist John Marston’s pursuit of justice and salvation.

The film can be viewed at the Red Dead Redemption site and in the VIDEOS section of RockstarGames.com.

Gaming with Grandma - 117

2010-05-22T14:25:00.005+10:00

Another Saturday morning gaming session with my mother (AKA Grandma to our kids), 8 (almost 9) year old daughter Maddie, and a welcome guest in younger daughter Georgia who is 4.5 years old.

Maddie chose the games we were to play. First up was PitchCar Mini. The colours of the four drivers were Wayne (tan), Grandma (yellow), Maddie (pink) and Georgia (blue). The starting grid was 1st Maddie, 2nd Georgia, 3rd Grandma and 4th Wayne.

Maddie led for pretty much the entire three laps with me in second and slowly gaining on her each lap. Georgia and Grandma kept trading 3rd and 4th position. It was on the last bend of the final lap that the major drama of the race happened. Maddie ran off the road and I was able to overtake her and win on my next go. She took 2nd with Georgia 3rd and Grandma 4th.

Maddie then chose Diamant. This is my home-made version and we use glass stones to represent the rubies and diamonds. Maddie and Grandma took an early lead which they held for the first four caves. On the final cave I pushed my luck further than the other three and was lucky to come away with a big score that handed me the overall win. Final scores were 1st Wayne 47, 2nd Maddie 39, 3rd Grandma 29 and 4th Georgia 15.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 1 day to go (for some)

2010-05-20T17:55:00.001+10:00

Only one day to go until Red Dead Redemption is released in Australia...but not for ME!

Giddy up!

Even more western films

2010-05-20T17:32:00.002+10:00

I caught some more western films over the last couple of weeks.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 2 days to go

2010-05-19T19:01:00.000+10:00

Reviews are now being posted of Red Dead Redemption.

High praise indeed from Seth Schiesel of the New York Times when he wrote "In the more than 1,100 articles I have written for this newspaper since 1996, I have never before called anything a tour de force. Yet there is no more succinct and appropriate way to describe Red Dead Redemption."

Here are some links to just a few of the many reviews of Red Dead Redemption.

IGN AU review

New York Times review

Computer and Video Games review

1Up.com review

Edge Online review

G4TV.com review

GamePro review

Red Dead Redemption released in North America!

2010-05-18T17:06:00.001+10:00

Well, after what has seemed an eternity to a lot of people, Red Dead Redemption has finally been released in North America today, in many instances as a midnight release at certain game stores. Unfortunately for myself and every other gamer in the world we still have to wait another three days. Roll on Friday!

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 3 days to go

2010-05-18T16:32:00.000+10:00

There are only three days to go until Red Dead Redemption is released in Europe and other parts of the world, including Australia.

I did a double-take at the train station in the city this morning. One of the electronic posters was advertising Red Dead Redemption. Here's a photo I took with my phone camera.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 4 days to go

2010-05-17T17:28:00.006+10:00

Weapons were a part of the Old West and they are also a part of Red Dead Redemption. Reddead.Wikia has a list of the known weapons in Red Dead Redemption as revealed in screen shots and videos that have been released to date.

All links will take you to the Reddead.Wikia page with a game screenshot of the particular weapon.

Handguns

Borchardt Pistol	German Semi-Automatic Pistol
Cattleman Revolver	Colt Single Action Army
Colt Model 1903/1908	American Semi-Automatic Pistol
Double-Action Revolver	American Magnum Revolver
LeMat Revolver	Civil War-Era Revolver
Mauser Pistol	German Mauser C96 - Automatic Pistol
Schofield Revolver	Smith & Wesson Schofield No. 3 Revolver
Volcanic Pistol	Pre-Civil War Lever-Action Pistol
Luger Pistol	German Luger P08 Semi-Automatic pistol
Colt M1911	American Army Semi-Automatic Pistol
Colt Dragoon	A very old but very powerful cap and ball pistol

Rifles

Buffalo Rifle	Sharps 1874 Long Range
Evans Repeating Rifle	Evans Repeating Rifle
Repeater Carbine	Spencer Model 1860 Carbine
Henry Repeater	1860 Henry Rifle
Carcano Rifle	Italian Carcano M1891 Rifle
Winchester Repeater Model 1873	Winchester Repeater Model 1873
Winchester 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine	Winchester 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine
Winchester Model 1886	More powerful than the 1873 and 1892
Winchester Model 1895	Early American Lever-Action Rifle
Winchester 1907	American Semi-automatic rifle with magazine
Remington No.1	Remington No.1 Rolling Block Sporting Rifle
Springfield Cavalry Carbine	1873 Trapdoor Springfield Cavalry Carbine
Krag-Jørgensen	Krag-Jørgensen/Springfield Model 1892-99
M1903 Springfield	M1903 Springfield

Shotguns

Browning Auto 5	Browning Auto 5
Sawed Off Shotgun	Sawed Off Shotgun
Side by Side Shotgun	Side by Side Shotgun
Winchester Model 1901	10-gauge lever-action shotgun
Winchester Model 1897	12-gauge pump-action shotgun
Over and Under Shotgun	Over and Under Shotgun

Thrown Weapons

In addition to firearms, the player can obtain various thrown weapons:

Mounted Weapons

These weapons are stationary and cannot be directly moved by the player from the location of deployment:

Additional Weapons and Equipment

Other than the above, there are other types of weapons and equipment the player can use.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 5 days to go

2010-05-16T16:50:00.014+10:00

One of the features of Red Dead Redemption, and also a large part of life in the Old West, is the ability to hunt animals. There are over 30 animals that can be hunted by players in the single player game as well as in multiplayer Free Roam.

All pictures are clickable for a larger image.

It appears that hunting and then selling the meat, fur and other parts will gain you cash in the game.

You can hunt all sorts of animals, from the very small...

...to the very large.

And sometimes, the hunter...

...becomes the hunted!

And you will probably learn the hard way that hunting cougars with only a knife may not be such a good idea.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 6 days to go

2010-05-15T15:48:00.003+10:00

The world of Red Dead Redemption is huge. It comprises three main areas, West Elizabeth (The North), New Austin (the Frontier), and Nuevo Paraiso (Northern Mexico).

The entire map of Red Dead Redemption

The North (West Elizabeth) - Home to the bustling Blackwater, one of the many modern, burgeoning new townships that sprung up across America in the dying days of the Old West. West Elizabeth may provide a taste of early 20th century modernity, but also its fair share of wilderness and danger. From the wolves prowling the snows of Nekoti Rock to the fierce Grizzlies in the forests above Manzanita to the ruthless card sharks at the tables in Blackwater - traveling the North requires caution and wile.

West Elizabeth

The Frontier (New Austin) - The last outpost of the American frontier to be mapped, conquered and settled. New Austin is home to scattered townships and forts - but far from tamed. Savage outlaws and wild animals still roam the open spaces, and wary travelers share the newly cut roads with as many bandits as farmers. Trains and coaches move quickly between the larger towns, but a sidearm is a necessity when traveling by horseback.

New Austin

Northern Mexico (Nuevo Paraiso) - South of the border, across the San Luis River from New Austin, lies the Mexican province of Nuevo Paraiso. Red soil, enormous mesas and scorching midday sun make passing through these lands an unforgettable journey. In quieter times, the locals are not likely to bother a stranger - but there is talk of a civil war brewing in the hills, and mounted army patrols are quick to extinguish any signs of trouble. Tread carefully.

Nuevo Paraiso

I enjoy exploring open game worlds. Red Dead Redemption is looking like it will be one of the largest and most beautiful worlds yet produced.

Mantic Ghouls

2010-05-14T20:21:00.004+10:00

Mantic Games and Wayland Games recently had a promotion for Mantic Games' latest range of plastic 25mm Ghouls. I received my free sprue of two ghouls in the mail today. They look quite detailed and you have the option of a couple of menacing poses and different heads.

Here is a picture of what they look like when assembled.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 7 days to go

2010-05-14T17:17:00.001+10:00

Rockstar Games have released the full-length Official Launch Trailer for Red Dead Redemption. Check it out below. I'd recommend viewing at the highest resolution on full-screen.

Saddle up!

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 8 days to go

2010-05-13T17:33:00.002+10:00

Here's another Red Dead Redemption game play only video, this time with Ennio Morricone's classic theme from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly playing in the background. This video features the weapons and combat of Red Dead Redemption.

In the world of Red Dead Redemption your choices will have consequences. Read all about Honor & Fame and how this affects your interactions with people you meet. While you're at it, why not take the Test Your Honor quiz. You will be presented with five scenarios you may find yourself encountering in Red Dead Redemption that affect your Honor level.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 9 days to go

2010-05-12T16:05:00.002+10:00

Check out this informative article from the staff at GameSpot AU. Josh Bass, director of Rockstar San Diego's art department, talks about the creation of the main mode of transportation in Red Dead Redemption - the horse.

Red Dead Redemption Countdown - 10 days to go

2010-05-11T19:12:00.002+10:00

It's only 10 days now until the Australian release date of Red Dead Redemption and I'm very excited. Here's a little treat, a video of game play only, no cut-scenes, just game play. And to top it all off you've got Ennio Morricone's theme from For a Few Dollars More playing in the background.

If that don't get your chewin' tobbaco juices flowin' I don't know what will.

The Saxon Stories - 3

2010-05-10T17:56:00.003+10:00

I picked up the third novel in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories series, The Lords of the North, from the library at lunchtime today. I'm looking forward to joining Uhtred of Bebbanburg's adventures over the coming weeks.

Red Dead Redemption Free Co-Op Mission Pack

2010-05-09T06:23:00.000+10:00

Rockstar Games have announced that they will be providing three content packs of downloadable content (DLC) for their upcoming western game Red Dead Redemption. The first DLC pack, entitled 'Outlaws to the End', will be six multiplayer cooperative missions. To be released simultaneously on both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live in June, the cool news is that this first DLC for Red Dead Redemption will be FREE.

The Outlaws to the End Co-Op Mission Pack will feature six all-new cooperative multiplayer missions to play online with 2-4 players.

The six missions will be played out across the huge game world of Red Dead Redemption. Rockstar Games have released details about three of the six missions.

“The River”
Ride a raft down river, taking out rebel encampments along the way until you reach the rebel stronghold of Nosalida and a final epic battle for the town’s massive weapons caches. Watch out for Gatling gun-equipped enemy rafts.

Riding the river raft to an assault on the rebel stronghold of Nosalita.

“Walton’s Gold”
Walton’s Gang have taken control of a mining camp rich with gold. Fight through the camp and load your mine cart with as much gold as you can carry and get out as fast as you can – Walton’s boys have rigged the place to blow!

Get the crew together – these co-op missions take teamwork and firepower.

“Ammunition”
The Mexican Army has the town of Tesoro Azul under siege. Storm the gates under heavy cannon, Gatling gun and sniper fire to destroy the Mexican artillery placements.

The team tracks down weapons caches in Tesoro Azul.

The Outlaws to the End Co-Op Mission Pack will also yield additional multiplayer XP rewards, and brand new Achievements/Trophies to unlock. Rockstar Games are expected to reveal more information about the mission pack soon.

Select any available character you like from the Outfitter for co-op missions.

Cooperative play can be a whole lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to trying these missions.

A gaming console decision

2010-05-08T12:15:00.006+10:00

Back in 2007 I made the leap from my fourth generation gaming console (a Sega Mega Drive) to a current seventh generation console (an Xbox 360). The dilemma for me in 2007 was which current generation console to choose, a PlayStation 3 or an Xbox 360? I did a lot of research and considered all the pros and cons. At that stage the PS3 had been released less than a year earlier, cost considerably more than the Xbox 360 and had fewer game titles. In the end my decision was based on which console had the better range of games, best exclusive games and was best value for money. I chose the Xbox 360 and have been happy with my choice.

Fast forward almost three years to 2010. My Xbox has suffered two RRODs (Red Rings of Death) and while this was inconvenient at the time both failures were efficiently resolved by Microsoft at no cost to myself. My view of the Xbox 360 has been slightly tarnished but I still consider it an outstanding gaming system. My only real concern is the issue of ongoing reliability.

Having said that, I've never really been a total Xbox 360 fanboy or ever participated in the ridiculous console wars that seem to erupt in just about every Internet forum I read. I've always viewed the PS3 as an excellent gaming console in its own right, equivalent, if not more powerful than the Xbox 360.

With the upcoming release of Red Dead Redemption my mind has turned to online game play. I know I will be spending a great deal of time in the future playing this game online and I look forward to playing it with friends and people I know. My brother will also be getting RDR but he owns a PS3 and I have never been able to play online with him. This is a pity as I fondly recall the many sessions of the Boot Hill wild west roleplaying game we played together in our youth. It would be fun to recreate some of that western action again with him in an online posse.

In fact, when I think about it, the majority of my friends own PS3s. This has had me thinking about purchasing one myself. With the recent price drop and increased hard drive capacity of the PS3, as well as the many cool exclusive gaming titles released over the last few years, it's becoming a more attractive option for me. I've been considering purchasing a PS3 for some months now but with the upcoming release of RDR, and knowing that the majority of my friends will be playing this game online via the PlayStation Network, well, it's prompted me to make a decision. A decision which I made back on 27 April when I changed my RDR Limited Edition pre-order from the Xbox 360 version to the PS3 version. Yes, I've now committed myself to purchasing a Sony PlayStation 3.

I'm still keeping my Xbox 360 though. I love it and I've got a decent library of games that I'll be playing for quite some time yet. Now I'll have the best of both worlds.

I plan on picking up a PS3 Slim console with a 120GB hard drive in the next week or so.

New Red Dead Redemption videos

2010-05-08T06:34:00.003+10:00

Well it's now less than two weeks until Red Dead Redemption is released in Australia. I've pre-ordered the game and will have it in my hands on Friday 21 May. I'm really looking forward to immersing myself in the game world and experiencing a little taste of life in the wild west as it struggled into the 20th century.

Rockstar Games have released some new trailers over the last few days. If you are going to view these, or the other RDR trailers I've embedded previously in this blog, I really encourage viewing them at the highest resolution and watching them full screen, just to take in the awesome scenery and game play.

First up is the Official TV commercial for RDR.

The second is a trailer entitled 'Revolution' that shows some of the events John Marston is involved in when he gets embroiled in a revolution in Mexico.