My Top News

It's been quite possibly as much as two years since my last video game review - I don't play games nearly as much and don't have as much interest in reviewing them. However with my blog now focusing on multiple things, you can expect to see video game reviews time to time. (mostly 360, sometimes reviews of games and sometimes demo's)

That said, I was able to spend a decent amount of time on COD: WaW recently and came away impressed. I had wanted to rent this for a while, but finally got the chance to. First let me say that I did not get to play online - I know that's a significant portion. However I played single player and liked it quite a bit.

First off, it's quite apparent the increased quality in graphics. The inclusion of the Japanese side is also a welcome addition, making it US vs. Japan and Russia vs. Germany off and on throughout the campaign. The addition of the Japanese side bring numerous new addition including the fearsome banzai charges and snipers in trees.

Welcome to CharliePage88.com!

For those that don't know, this is essentially a re-launch of my previous blog - charliepage.net. Sporting a new look and feel, as well as new features, charliepage88.com updates the old blog in a big way.

As well as the new look, you will see a lot more activity and a wider range of topics, from technology and TV to current events. Other than updates on web work and general life stuff, most articles will likely be TV or current events related.

All that said, I hope you enjoy the site. Feel free to leave a comment on any feedback you have, as well, feel free to also subscribe to keep up to date on the blog. Thank you!

- Charlie Page

Back on June 4th, I posted about getting a new HDTV. Since then I've gotten used to 1080p glory with my 360 and mediocre SDTV with TV shows. However I am now fully HD powered with my HD-DVR being hooked up today.

Replacing my TiVo, I can now enjoy the awesomeness of HD and record it. Monthly, it's really not much more - maybe cheaper. ($13/month for TiVo, an extra $8 for directv...not including tax) Although it did cost $200, it'll end up being worth it and certainly is better than $400 for TiVo which didn't seem to actually record fully in HD, with satellite.

In other news this site will finally launch this weekend, Saturday in all likelihood.

Being my biggest purchase ever, I am now the happy owner of a 37" 1080p Vizio TV. For a great deal of $597, I bought it Tuesday. That means I'm now HD Capable - I already have my 360 hooked up and will be enjoying the 1080p glory.

However it will be a little bit until I get to enjoy the awesomeness that is HD Satellite. For $75/month I'll get HD Access, HD DVR and Choice Xtra from DirecTV (I have just choice xtra at the moment) - however I need $200 for the HD DVR. For $100 I could get just a HD receiver, but since the TiVo unit I have isn't HD capable - worth the extra hundred bucks to get the DVR as well.

It'll probably be a week or two before I'm able to upgrade, but in the meantime the TV is still awesome!

Although I recently renewed charliepage.net, this site will be moving quite soon! In the works right now is a new design and a plan to re-launch my blog at charliepage88.com.

Other than a better look, running on a newer version of AdaptCMS and more frequent updates - it will likely also integrate in a way with some of my other sites and you could see things like an actual portfolio, twitter/facebook and more.

Actual features wise the site will remain the same - a blog. It will also be the first site of the big re-launch that I've been planning. I'm not sure when the new site will launch, but the design should be finished by the weekend so the new site could be up in a few weeks.

Stay tuned!

With the Star Trek series being brought back from death and a recent article (with a lot of interesting comments to read) at i09 it could be a possibility. In the i09 article as well as the comments, there is a lot of possible reasons listed for the low success of Sci Fi TV shows.

After watching all of Battlestar Galactica, there seems like there are a few key ways for the genre as a whole to return to it's former glory. The major one problem is the quality of acting and writing. Unfortunately a lot of the mediocre science fiction shows are plagued with decent actors and un-original writing. New shows such as Stargate Universe are smart by getting a few big-named actors, that's what hurt Atlantis, but in the end quality actors all around matter more.

The way the stories are told also need overhauling. What BSG, LOST and other newer shows are doing is focusing on the characters and minimizing the sci-fi aspect. LOST is an incredibly popular show with a wide variety of fans and this season, we've been delving into time travel. Yet both shows are absolute sci-fi shows but they have fantastic acting, great writing and focus on characters, making the sci-fi aspects not as important.

It seems odd to say that, about a show like Battlestar Galactica when it took place on, essentially, an aircraft carrier in space with robots, angels and the like - yet it was the characters (+amazing acting) and stories that got it's big following. Yeah it had some of the best space shooting scenes, but it wasn't the focus and that's a big problem with todays shows. Related to that and the writing is realism and predictability.

People expect a certain bending of reality or exaggeration, with sci-fi shows, but there's also a limit. I always thought part of Stargate SG-1's success was some of that realism. Taking place in modern time with real places made you wonder if it could happen in real life. Now a sci-fi show doesn't have to be like that, but decently realistic sci-fi shows seem to be part of the future. At the same time, shows like Stargate Atlantis had annoying exaggerations. It seemed like the Atlantis team was invincible, they got out of tight spots every time - avoiding death so many times. There's only so many times someone or a group of people can have unlikely escapes from death, before it makes it predictable.

One of the themes in sci-fi shows also seems to be "darker". This has to partially do with realism and predictable plots, as a happier up-beat show where the "good guys" beat the odds a lot of times versus a darker sci-fi show where they have losses - it feels real. Comic book movies have already taken this turn (see - Batman: Dark Night) and with BSG and SGU, darker shows. (that's what's claimed for SGU, we'll find out later this year)

That about wraps it up. I just hope the upcoming Star Trek movie can get the genre it's "mojo" back, as the genre at it's peak can be so great to see.