Episode #133 - Your Gaming Setup & Collection

Hey All,

Welcome to the Capital Wasteland of Blogger - Inside The Console! Yeah, blog posts have been a little sparse lately, and we're all to blame, but what if it's because we've all just been gaming too much? Huh? HUH?

For Episode #133, we want to take a look at the gaming setups and collections that you guys have. I've been telling my wife for two years now that I want a Gaming Recliner(TM), but we haven't come across the right one just yet. Either that or we don't have enough room for one. Or... maybe it's because I haven't come up with a good enough "excuse" that I really, truly need to have one.

Anyway, we want to know where you sit when you game, where you stash your controllers, your games, your guides. Got a favorite gaming coaster for your soda? Got a manly blanket with matching slippers that you just *have* to have to get your frag on? Check out the heavily multi-parted questions, and feel free to chime in with any extra stuff you feel like sharing.

1. Most important question: What systems do you own, and how many of them are actually hooked up? How many of those get used on a regular basis, and what's the one you play most without question? Why do you keep the others around, and how often do they get used?

2. What game(s) are you playing right now, and how long have you been playing them?

3. Your Tee Vee(s): What size and type (SD, HD, PhD...) of TV(s) do you game on? What's the brand, how long have you had it, and why do you like to game on it? Do you keep your ketchup in the fridge or in the cupboard?

4. Your Dolbeez: Do you have a surround sound system, or are the TV's speakers just fine for you? Do you game with headphones? Is there a certain volume level that you just *need* to play at?

5. The Games Themselves: Where do you keep your games, and how do you have them organized? Is it okay to leave a stack of "I'll put it away eventually" discs sitting on or near the system, or is that a big no-no?

6. The Accessories: Where do you keep your spare controllers? Do you have a charging station for any of them, or do you go through batteries like a rainforest-burning hippy? What about the plastic guitars, drums, bagpipes, etc.? We want to know this stuff!

Optional, but highly recommended (we'll give you swag!):
Send us pictures or a little video of your gaming setup! Take a shot of how your systems are arranged, how you like to store your thousands of cartridges and disc cases, your Gaming Throne if you have one. This show is all about getting personal, so we want to see how you really game. Email your pictures to insidetheconsole@gmail.com.

Alright, I'm done, unless you can come up with something of your own to add. Have a great week, get your game on, and we'll see you Sunday(ish).

-Phil
Read More

Gaming Black Market - Episode #132

Has anyone else ever dealt with someone who says they aren’t doing something wrong, but you know they are? Now add to that the thought that this person is upset because they feel they are being wronged by someone else who is also doing something wrong. Welcome to my world.

I am in a unique position to deal with the worst of the worst and the best of the best when it comes to the internet. One special group of people are those dealing on the video game black market. Whether it is stolen goods, passwords and keys that shouldn’t be sold, or entire (fake) people. These people often know what they are doing is wrong, but don’t really care.

Most of us have either dealt with or used this market at one point in time. Whether “power leveling” or buying what might be a stolen game, we are passive supporters of this dark industry. Some of us who prefer a purer environment are directly affected by the quality of the experience from those who are cheating.

So in true ITC fashion we will deal with this with dry humor and your input! Please support our crusade by answering the questions below!

1. So first and foremost, and we aren’t cops, so… have you ever knowingly purchased from the black market?
2. How about sold anything or directly profited from activities of your own on the black market?
3. Does this black market degrade the quality of the gaming experience for you?
4. What sort of crackdowns should take place against these individuals?
5. Any personal experiences of being cracked down on?
6. Where does DRM fit in to avoiding this black market?

So yeah. Dry humor. And power levelers suck.

Can’t wait to hear some great responses from our devoted fan base. You guys are great! (See, dry humor!)

-J
Read More

Right on Time

Read More

Episode #131 - The Used Game Market (March 8th)

As of this episode we'll be releasing both parts of the show at the same time, to make things easier on you guys. We had this suggestion a while back from one of our listeners, and it seems to be the right thing to do to avoid confusion. So starting with this show, you'll be seeing parts one and two of each episode in your iTunes feed at the same time. Be sure you download missing parts in case iTunes skips one. If you catch anything weird happening, be sure to shoot us an email or post a comment to let us know so we can take care of it. The video will change to be an entire episode at a time, with only a brief musical intermission in between halves. Look for it here as usual.

Now, onto the homework. For Episode #131, we'll be talking about the used game market, how you feel about it, how it affects your purchase or trade-ins, etc. As usual, we've got a lineup of questions ready for the taking, so have at 'em!

1. Of your current (physical) gaming collection, what percentage of the games that you own were purchased used and what percentage were purchased new?

2. When a new game comes out that you're interested in buying, do you just plan on buying it new or will you wait for it to show up used somewhere and save yourself some money?

3. What about a game that's been out for a while but is still readily available on store shelves - where do you go to purchase it and why?

4. When looking for older titles that you can't find new, where is your preferred place to shop? We all know of EB/GameStop, but what about eBay, Amazon, local mom-n-pop joints, etc.? Why is this your preference?

5. When you decide you no longer want a game that you own, what is your first choice when deciding what to do with it and why?

6. We all have our own opinions about the "evil" conglomerate that is EB/GameStop, so tell us yours. Do you think that they have shady practices and don't truly give "power to the players"? Do you wish that they had some real competition in the market? Or, is there already enough competition from smaller, more local chains that things are balanced as it is?

Thanks for your comments! We're looking forward to seeing what you guys have to say for this episode.

-Phil
Read More
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)