Before the long weekend, I stumbled across an online community dedicated to - and I mean this literally - rebuilding the PC version of NHL 2004. I spent most of the weekend installing it and getting it ready to go on my laptop.
First, a little history. NHL 2004 is widely regarded as one of the best iterations of the popular EA Sports franchise. I believe NHL 2011 has overtaken that assessment as far as console gaming is concerned, but since EA Sports no longer produces NHL series products for the PC, NHL 2004 remains, in many gamers eyes, the best NHL game on the PC.
One of the really awesome parts of having a game on the PC is the ability to modify just about every facet of the game, from uniforms to game menus, as well as music/sounds. I remember doing this with NHL 99 when that game was still current.
People have done that with NHL 2004, replacing just about everything they can: rink graphics, jerseys, player faces, coach models, statistics, rosters (rosters are up to date as of the trade deadline of this year), game clocks (CBC, TSN, ESPN, etc.), and in-game menus. It's ridiculous how much they've been able to do, and how well-done it is.
Anyway, I really recommend it if you have a copy of NHL 2004 handy for the PC. It's amazingly fun. Oh, and because I'm an idiot and didn't mention what the site is called: it's called NHL04 Rebuilt, fittingly enough.
While we're on the sports topic, I just thought I'd mention that I'm going to be doing some off and on writing on The Blue Jays Luddite, a new Blue Jays blog started up by my brother. Expect a little bit of cross-promotion from time to time.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Just some thoughts.
I haven't posted in a while (that BSG finale was just too amazing, really), so I thought I would just make an entry without any real purpose beyond expressing some thoughts.
It might be a rather lengthy entry so I thought I'd put it all under a page break thingie.
It might be a rather lengthy entry so I thought I'd put it all under a page break thingie.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
BSG S04E20 - Daybreak, Pt 2
The Opera House was a metaphor for the Galactica. Of course!
Wow, what can I say other than this was a brilliant episode? The siege on the Cylon colony was thrilling; honestly, with the way this series goes, it was impossible to tell who might survive. Yes, we know there are top-billing cast members, but we've seen before that none of them are really safe. And who knew Lee had such dreamy hair?
The scene where the Galactica jumped into the Cylon colony, with the Cylon guns pumping the old girl to bits. It was a pretty powerful scene! No pun intended.
And as I alluded to earlier, it's fitting that the Opera House was only a representation of Galactica itself. And that it all ends up coming down to Baltar realizing his destiny that he's been struggling to discover since the beginning. This episode is, basically, one giant catharsis. I am satisfied.
And for the record, I haven't even finished watching the episode at this point. I'm typing live. There's still another 45 minutes or so to go; even without the answers, I'm happy with this ending.
Ugh! Except for the frakking chief! He always messes things up. Although I understand, I mean, Tory (is that how you spell her name?) did blast his wife out of the airlock. I never liked her character anyway. Okay, going to stop typing until the episode is completely done.
Okay. Still not quite over, but I'm pretty satisfied with the ending, still. A little sad, actually.
Well, I don't know if I'm going to end up watching Caprica. I want to, but we'll see if I get around to it. I am looking forward to the new series, Blood and Chrome, however. It should be a good one!
Cheers, Galactica; you had a good run.
Wow, what can I say other than this was a brilliant episode? The siege on the Cylon colony was thrilling; honestly, with the way this series goes, it was impossible to tell who might survive. Yes, we know there are top-billing cast members, but we've seen before that none of them are really safe. And who knew Lee had such dreamy hair?
The scene where the Galactica jumped into the Cylon colony, with the Cylon guns pumping the old girl to bits. It was a pretty powerful scene! No pun intended.
And for the record, I haven't even finished watching the episode at this point. I'm typing live. There's still another 45 minutes or so to go; even without the answers, I'm happy with this ending.
Ugh! Except for the frakking chief! He always messes things up. Although I understand, I mean, Tory (is that how you spell her name?) did blast his wife out of the airlock. I never liked her character anyway. Okay, going to stop typing until the episode is completely done.
Okay. Still not quite over, but I'm pretty satisfied with the ending, still. A little sad, actually.
Well, I don't know if I'm going to end up watching Caprica. I want to, but we'll see if I get around to it. I am looking forward to the new series, Blood and Chrome, however. It should be a good one!
Cheers, Galactica; you had a good run.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
BSG S04E19 - Daybreak, Pt 1
Battlestar Galactica has never failed to let me down. And I even mean those times where I didn't like where the show was going, and the episodes were really preachy, or nothing happened in them (see: Islanded in a Stream of Stars). BSG just goes and ramps things up another notch, and delivers a killer episode.
"Daybreak" is no exception. While not much happened in this episode, it didn't happen in style. If you know what I mean. This was purely a character development episode - yes, that's right, the second last episode was developing characters. We got to see some of the heroes (and the not-quite-heroes) in their original element as the episode opened with scenes from Caprica, likely only a few weeks (or months?) before the Cylons attacked. We got to see what drove the characters before it was all about simply surviving.
Other than that, it was another pure setup episode. No answers yet, but I am hoping we get those in the next episode (which is really sort of two episodes, as it's a two-hour long finale). And it seems like BSG is ending the series on a strong note, going back to one of its core strengths from the early seasons: the impossible mission.
They have to go rescue Hera, in what is likely to be a suicide mission. Galactica's last hurrah, I suppose. Anyway, I really enjoyed this episode, even though it was just meant to set up the last part. Like I said, it was really cool seeing the characters pre-war, worrying about things like Baltar's dad stabbing nurses (yes, this happened!). Oh, and it was great to see Lee back in his Colonial uniform at the end. 'Bout time he ditched the suit, as good a story line as that is (or was).
Bring on part two...although bring it on when I have two hours to spare, please.
 |
| Caprica (Before the fall) |
Other than that, it was another pure setup episode. No answers yet, but I am hoping we get those in the next episode (which is really sort of two episodes, as it's a two-hour long finale). And it seems like BSG is ending the series on a strong note, going back to one of its core strengths from the early seasons: the impossible mission.
They have to go rescue Hera, in what is likely to be a suicide mission. Galactica's last hurrah, I suppose. Anyway, I really enjoyed this episode, even though it was just meant to set up the last part. Like I said, it was really cool seeing the characters pre-war, worrying about things like Baltar's dad stabbing nurses (yes, this happened!). Oh, and it was great to see Lee back in his Colonial uniform at the end. 'Bout time he ditched the suit, as good a story line as that is (or was).
Bring on part two...although bring it on when I have two hours to spare, please.
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