Sammy Davis City

Guitar Slinger was Brian Setzer's best album with the Orchestra... seriously. No, seriously, go listen to it sometime, it was the perfect balance between old rock / country, modern rockabilly, and big band. Uh.. anyway...

I'm hoping to bring a new era to David's Video Game Insanity today. I actually beat a game over this past week. Then today I sat down and wrote a review of it. And, well, it was pretty damn smooth. I actually enjoyed doing it. This is a pretty big change over how it's been over the past two years, especially this past year. I don't know when it began but playing games started to take a back seat to writing about them, and then I got to the point where I really didn't want to do either. That's pretty damn sad. I also wrote an editorial over at DVGI today that explains how I think this came to be. The important thing is that I think it's no longer an issue. I also got in touch with Retrogaming Times Monthly and let them know what was up, that once again I'd be missing an issue but in November I should be back full force. That was a nice feeling as well. If you're super interested I suggest reading the editorial, it puts it better than I can put it down again.

In other news, I'll have a Vectrex home arcade system heading my way next week. A great little piece of early 1980's technology. Once it's in my hands (or on my table I should say) I'd love to do some solid reviews, since there really aren't a lot out there.

I Begin Video Game Development Once Again Today

After many, many, many false starts over the past ten or so years, I'm finally getting back into game design. This time I'm going to do most of it myself and the outsource a little talent here and there for the things I know I flat out can't do (illustration for example). Originally I planned on having a team of at least five people work on the project but after sitting down and looking over how it all works, I think I can do most all of it on my own. Which is great, because with the history I've had on projects like this, even one other person not totally committed tends to kill the whole smash.

As Pedro Cerrano said in Major League:

I stick it up for you Jobu. You no help me now...I say fuck you Jobu. I do it myself.

I don't want to release too many details but the game is a visual novel. It will not be hentai based nor a dating sim, just a straight visual novel with branching aspects. Actually, I think it'll be something that a lot of people can relate to, especially those that play these type of games. I hope to have something of a proof of concept internal demo wrapped up in about three weeks. I said internal, that's because it will not be released to the public, instead it will be used to possibly bring a couple other select individuals on board. I know I can do all but the character graphics on my own, as well as most of the writing, scenario design, game design, character design, and all of the Foley work. Character design and music are the only places I really need look elsewhere and I have my music person in mind already. A lot of the basic framework will be set up this weekend and into next week. Although most say to start small, I'm aiming for this to be at least a 2-3 hour game when it's all said and done.

Wish me luck.

Updates

Considering that for the past couple years I've been the only person posting in a general topic blog myself and a couple friends once used, I figured I'd instead put those thoughts here. Granted I do eventually hope to change a few things around and get Zeroeleven.blog back to something of how it once was. A big problem with me posting and writing stuff online lately is that I really don't enjoy using the computer I currently have. I miss my old rig that didn't survive moving a little over a year ago. While the computer I've been using since is quite decent, I'm once again in the technology rut. Although the previous computer was old, it still never held me back from running the applications that I wanted to. This one is different. Same goes with the frequent lockups. Although it's faster, it's simply not as stable. Because of this I'm in the market for a replacement and have begun socking a little cash away every now and then.

Now the reason for posting this. As some may notice, the title of this blog has changed a little. Going forward all my general postings will appear here rather than at Z11 until I get Z11 back to how it was. I usually post about things I just enjoy in general. Most are still industry or tech related so they should fit in fine here.

The End of An Era: Saying Farewell to Late Night with Conan O'Brien

It's been awhile since I've logged into Blogger and posted anything but I think that will be changing soon. However all that can wait for another post, this one is far more important and really made me think about contributing my ideas online again. This post is mirrored at the two blogs I post at, Zeroeleven.blog and Player One, the post content at both is exactly the same.

As many know, Conan O'Brien will be taking over hosting duties for The Tonight Show starting this summer. Jay Leno will move to an earlier time slot (10:00pm) and Jimmy Fallon will pick up Late Night. Formats will change, of course, but most of Leno's big skits will move over with him and Late Night will be completely reworked. Also as many know, this week marks the last week of episodes of Late Night with Conan O'Brien... ever.

It's an odd feeling, thinking that Conan O'Brien won't be hosting Late Night after this week. To me Conan has always been a constant, something that was always there, outstanding humor in the middle of the night. This last week of shows so far has consisted mainly of clips, with Conan going over some of his favorite moments from the past sixteen years. It's very bittersweet and to me it feels like high school graduation in a way. Stay with me here, think of your last week of high school. You're moving ahead, more opportunities are being presented to you, you've worked hard and accomplished so much... Yet at the same time, you know you're leaving behind a world that has been a part of you for a good portion of your life up to that point. You're leaving behind a quarter of a lifetime's worth of memories, emotions, challenges, and successes. Again, it's very bittersweet.

I began watching Conan when I was eleven years old or so, over the summers and on Friday nights back around his second season. I don't know why but his humor just clicked with me. Childish? Yeah, sometimes, of course but it was always of solid quality. I continued to watch Conan as the years rolled on. If you watched Conan you "got" me pretty much, my sense of humor, that the world is full of such funny things, such common haliarious things that most people pay no attention to. Once I entered high school Late Night, in my mind, was hitting it's high point - the late 1990's. The Christmas season would always bring some of the best skits, flat out gut busting routines. Since school would be on break during this time both myself and my younger brother would be able to stay up late into the night, never missing a moment. The same was true during the summer. Whatever else was going on, wherever we may have been going, if you were in the pool or playing video games, out with friends, any of that - as soon as 12:35 was starting to get near, it was time to drop everything, make sure you were home and watching Conan. When friends in high school would ask "Letterman or Leno?" I would always reply "Conan." Maybe that's why I link these last few episodes to the end of high school, the two seem to be intertwined with me. Late Night was always a show where anything would go, and nothing was off limits in the spirit of good fun. A giant late night party where everyone was invited, and no problem if things got out of hand... no one's watching anyway.

In the ten (gulp) years since high school I've always made time to watch Late Night. And in those years, and the few before, people have been watching. It had become the popular thing to do, watch Conan. Some say the quality of comedy has increased over the years - I say people were just wising up to how things have always been at Late Night, superb. How many wonderful years all of them missed. When CNBC would rerun the previous night's Late Night during the next afternoon, now that was truly a great point in time. If for some unthinkable reason you missed Conan the previous night, you were still covered. If you wanted to watch an episode again, there it was. And most importantly, you could not only tell someone about the previous night's episode - they could watch it the next day for themselves. Late Night on CNBC allowed everyone to be able to never miss an episode, even those who would have other obligations during the normal time slot.

I have a couple old VHS tapes, one of them is extremely old. I started to record my favorite Late Night moments years ago, starting somewhere back in 1996 or so, I don't know why it took me so long to think of doing so. The big problem is the first tape I was using was about ten years old when I began those recordings, so the quality has progressively gotten worse, not that it was stellar to begin with. Couple that with constant viewings and I'm sure it doesn't have much longer on it. I need to master it over digitally and get it archived. There's lots of good stuff on there, almost all the public service announcements, all the President In Crisis stuff, the first Central Time Zone New Year's Countdown (probably my favorite bit of them all), hours and hours of comedic gold. I love Late Night with Conan O'Brien, anyone that knows me knows that, and these tapes are the proof. Sadly, soon these tapes will be all the proof I have. That's why I have to preserve them, like scrapbook memories of times passed.

So Conan will close out his era on Late Night this Friday, and his set will be removed. Reruns will be shown for a couple weeks until Jimmy Fallon's Late Night begins, and Conan won't return to TV until this summer after Jay Leno closes out his run as host of The Tonight Show. At this time it's unknown (at least to final confirmations / denials, I won't believe things either way until I hear them from Conan himself) if Max and The Max Weinberg 7 will be joining Conan on The Tonight Show. Same with Joel Godard, Late Night's announcer and frequent skit actor. I doubt Joel will be making the move since last night's episode had a montage of clips from the past 17 years, a "best of Joel" if you would - excellent stuff. I suppose "the sweet release of death" (one of his running gags) may finally be upon him, at least with Late Night anyway (we love ya Joel, all the best!). Not to mention all the actors and writers that contribute and create the halarious antics that take place every night.

And I suppose that's where the sadness comes in. Things are changing, people are leaving, places are shifting. In a few months Conan will be back but things may be very different. Max may be there, some of the staff may be there, but it will be different. I'm sure the show will be great fun and I'm sure Conan will do very well with The Tonight Show - it's a post he has earned. Heck, I may like it more than the years at Late Night. However, it's the feeling of looking over your shoulder and knowing something is gone, that there's something there you spent so much time with that you can't go back to once more. It's high school graduation. It's a big jump. Let us hope everything goes smoothly. No matter how these writings may come across, I'm sure things will be just fine.

So this Friday I will be back in the central valley, back at my parent's place where most of my Conan watching took place during the "peak" years. (not to say the show has declined really, or that I haven't been watching constantly since 1994 or so, but to me 1997-2000 was the ultimate) So I'll sit there in that living room at the stroke of 12:35 and my brother and I will watch Conan run out on stage, hit his mark, and greet his Late Night fans one last time. I hope Buffalo has some quarters for the bus station TV. (you'll get it if you've watched for a long time)

I wish Conan and staff a prosperous and successful future... all the way to the year 2000.

EDIT: Conan has stated himself on his third to last episode that Max and the entire Max Weinberg 7 will be making the move to The Tonight Show with him - excellent news.

Also from that same episode, check out this video of Nathan Lane serenading Conan with a farewell song, touching clip.

Pirate multicarts - NES libraries in your pocket

Now that I'm back in Silicon Valley I have access to my favorite video game seller's full inventory. It also means that I have first choice at stuff as it comes in since it seems his family all gets together here as their base of operations. Today in fact he had boxes of new stuff that had just come in from other flea markets. Yes, it's nice to be here where the source is rather than down a ways when he would get to the Tuesday flea market back in the central valley. Don't get me wrong, I got great stuff from him there and I'm sure there are things I miss that he picks up on the way there or while there - but as things go, being here gives me a better chance at the best stuff and to further forge a better friendship.

Pirate Game Boy milticarts are part of that as he is the only person I've ever known that doesn't sell them at insane prices. His Game Boy multicarts used to be $10.00 each but were sold to me for less. These days the price is even lower than it was before and he had a pile of them - which were rotated out the next week, I do plan on buying a ton of them for resale one day. Game Boy Advance multicarts are the sweet spot however as they contain a bunch of NES games with little or no repeats. (GB multicarts are usually six or so games repeated a bunch of times) Of course they're simply the PocketNES emulator hardcoded to a non-flashable chip along with a selection of NES and Famicom ROM dumps. But get a cartridge with the right assortment of games on it and it's the best thing you've ever played. The magic came to a peak when he showed me he had a new version that was a 50 in 1 cartridge. He has a bunch of them, all the same, but the 50 games (49 without repeat) are all top titles. I have other lower assortment multicarts which have a few different games not on other multicarts but if I was to take one multicart with me it would be the 50 in 1.

Since I buy right from his base of operations I can check out the full selection as well. Also, as usual, his regular price isn't bad at all - but my price is amazing. Especially considering one can walk down a few stalls and find similar multicarts selling for over $85.00! Yeah I know they're grey market. Yeah I know it's a slap in the face to those that developed PocketNES. Yeah I know eventually it'll just be cheaper to buy a flash cartridge and do it myself. But for the time being, these cheap NES / Famicom libraries are exactly what I needed to keep my GBA-SP charged and in use.

Repair: Atari 2600 Trak-Ball

I spent a few minutes tonight rebuilding my Atari 2600 Trak-Balls. I've had a pair of them since back in the heyday of the Atari 2600 Jr. and they've both been in need of a rebuild for quite some time. While there were no true Trak-Ball compatible games on the Atari 2600, there's a switch that allows the Trak-Ball to simulate joystick input. This allows the Trak-Ball to function like a standard joystick and works great for games like Centipede and Millipede. Of course years ago Freeway was the Trak-Ball game of choice, as it made for a great controller to regulate movement of your chicken across the freeway.

I gave them both the usual internal cleaning and lubricated all the bearings. The diagonal bearing on each needs to be replaced eventually due to rust build up on the outside but they all spin freely. With the amount of abuse these controllers got from me as a kid it's amazing that they have held up so well. A true testament to their quality.

Also, I'm going to start writing here more often with little this and thats which don't seem to fit into the rest of the site. I suppose using this blog as an extension of my site is better than just letting it sit.

What's been going on at ClassicPlastic.net

A quick apology for the lack of updates at David's Video Game Insanity and all of ClassicPlastic.net for that matter. I recently relocated and have just now been able to settle down and work on the site. However new reviews are up and everything is up to date. I recently sold my TurboDuo and most of the games so that'll be the next listing update. It's actually such a big deal to most people that I'll probably write a short editorial about it soon.

So again, updates will continue and content will start to be regular once again.

California Extreme 2008 is TODAY

If you're in Silicon Valley or any of the surrounding bay area, the California Extreme video game and pinball expo begins in less than two hours. I'll be in attendance both days so stop by, support the collectors who put on this show every year and play some great games and pins.

Here's some mood music.

The April 2008 issue of Retrogaming Times Monthly will be without me

Figured I'd make a notice here, for if anything to remind me that I missed an issue when I go to post my RTM archives at David's Video Game Insanity. I've been sick in the past week or so, which is why not much of me has been seen outside of a couple game list updates here and there. Because of my illness (nothing serious mind you) I was unable to wrap up my April RTM article in any amount of acceptable time frame. That and well, I really was unhappy with where the article was - which is why I stopped to reevaluate the game. Between that time of stopping to reevaluate the game and the April deadline is when I became sick. So the April issue of Retrogaming Times Monthly will be missing my NES'cade column. It will return in May however possibly along with a second submission and a new (although short run) column. However we'll see about that when next month rolls around. In the meantime I should really finish up that article and get to work on planning some others. While I'm not 100% currently I'm well able to get some work done.

Blog Updates and Changes

I nearly forgot, I've updated the blog to the new Blogger standards. It seems that the earlier script had comment support dropped during their latest change. Because of this it would return a POSTDATA refresh error when one went to post a comment. The new script conforms with the new Blogger standard and is more streamlined. Over all things look the same but there are some slight differences over the original, just the same the comments are now working once again.