Month: September 2003

Colin Mcrae 04

Picked up Colin Mcrae 04 today. First impressions are favourable. Graphics are improved over previous version, handling does feel more weighty – I tried 03 a couple of days ago just to make sure I would notice differences like these.

However there are some usability niggles that should no longer exist in games and smack of lazy programming and/or cash-in of an easy upgrade. Firstly you can’t assign your own controls, with the ability to only choose from one of five pre-defined control settings. This is pretty nasty and while I can find one that almost suits me why couldn’t I assign controls to buttons of my choosing. Allowing the user to map controls to any buttons should be a pre-requisite on all games.

Every time you start the game you have to enter your name – why doesn’t it hold the previous entry? The LIVE scoreboards are a good edition although proper multiplayer is would have been a better option. In fact the LIVE scoreboards seem to load separately meaning you come ‘out’ of the game when accessing them. When you go back to the game it restarts but without the loading intro’s – weird.

Overall a good game, better than the last one but a fairly weak update.

The West Wing

Just watching last weeks episode. And by the way before I start on the praise its a woo-hoo to Graeme for recording it for me and a boo for Channel 4 for dumping the last series in a graveyard shift while at the same time pumping shite like The Games all last week.

Anyway….enough of the digression. The West Wing is the best prog on TV at the moment. Even a poor episode is better than most of the other drivel on at the moment. Its only flaw is that everyone that works in the Whitehouse is good and has no real flaws….apart from lying about their health. Add a few darker characters within the administration and it would be top smart.

Golf & Retail Therapy

Took the day off work today and enjoyed a cracking day at Roodlea again – pics of the previous visit can be seen in the gallery. The weather was great and the break away from the norm, though clich’d, was just what I needed after busy work and the non-starter with the house purchase.

I’m sorely tempted to actually get lessons and take up golf more – really enjoy it every time I play it.

Sunday was spent shopping in town and for once a visit from Shakeel didn’t lead to a gadget purchase. Its not his fault but we do egg each other on into making some suspect purchases. This time it was clothes and cd’s so no money was wasted – well, less than normal.

So tomorrow is back to work and also the start of the house search again. There was another house we had seen but its already sold. Another lesson learnt – move quickly as someone else undoubtedly will!