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Friday, June 6th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 07:00:00 am
Change is in the air. It's no secret that newspapers are facing new challenges, what with your fancy intertrodes and your netwebs. To sum up what that means for Gamers Journal, this will be my last post. We're ending the blog, and we're cutting back on gaming coverage in general, or at least gaming coverage with staff names on it. The pundits say the survival of many newspapers is a matter of focusing on local stories, stories with strong local ties, things that are happening locally. Local, local local! Seems to make sense on many levels. And sometimes that will even allow for gaming coverage: local LAN gatherings, gaming trends that hit hard here, this or that widget created by a South Sound resident, etc. It's sad to be scaling back on coverage of my favorite pastime, but I have to admit, these past few weeks of playing games and NOT having a column deadline have been kinda fun. I'm gaming again for pleasure and not for work. I haven't done that since my column started up more than 15 years ago. It's a strange feeling to play games and not have a pen and notepad nearby. Those "peripherals" have been so much a part of my gaming experiences since the SNES/Genesis days. Coupla things I need to wrap up before I... *sniff*... sign off: First, I'll still do some game reviewing here and there as the major titles hit store shelves. After all, games are still a large part of any Pop Culture beat. And some of the best gaming and gamers in the world are in the South Sound, IMHO. You just won't see my column every week. Also, many posts ago, the GameStrata guys chimed in. Turns out one of them is from Puyallup. (HA! See? A local tie to gaming!) The site is a very cool place to connect with other "next gen" gamers. And it acts as sort of a personal score and interest aggregator. Check it out. Next, in a response to a Gamebreakerz post a while ago, the owners invited me and a bunch of friends to come up and try out the place. I have to stress that, while that was an extremely generous gesture, as a News Tribune reporter, I'm not allowed to accept such offers. I did, however, visit the place with a photographer on a recent weekday, and we turned out what I think was a pretty cool overview of this gaming destination. The story ran May 23. I'd link it, but by the time you read this it will have slipped into our archives. Your best bet is to head to Bonney Lake for a visit. Last year, I started a Wii exercise plan. I lost a few pounds playing Wii games. But it was nothing compared to the success I've been having lately with Wii Fit, the new game that comes with a balance/exercise board. The board is sort of like an electronic step-class step that senses your balance. It tracks your center of gravity as you shift your weight, so you can do things like spin a hula-hoop and walk a tight rope. The exercises are fun (there's yoga, strength training, balance training and aerobics, to start with), and the game dangles a few dozen unlockable games and extras in front of you like a bundle of carrots on a stick. I wouldn't be surprised to find Wii Fit classes starting up a local gyms. If you do find yourself with a Wii Fit board, you really ought to try Wii Ski with it. I swear some of the runs look like they were pulled right off of Snoqualmie and Crystal Mountain. Because I like pretty pictures, I'll post a couple below. Anyway, as this thing takes root in the South Sound, there might be a story out there. Let me hear from you if you spend any time with Wii Fit.   Wii Ski, Namco-Bandai And last, but not least: I'm not going to disappear from blogging. In fact, you should see me contributing to our promising new local arts blog (as often as TV, video games and pop culture in general intersect with local arts). And there has been some talk about me being the "geeky old man" on our awesome Grit City blog. I just hope I don't noob it up. Those guys rock. And I know for a fact that they have some pretty hardcore gaming lust in their souls. NEhoo, don't hesitate to drop me a line. I love to chat about gaming. I'm at bill.hutchens@thenewstribune.com, or you can call me at 253-597-8460. Better yet, find me in WoW. Lately I've been playing my level 70 Tauren warrior Onemug on the Dalaran server. See you online. Thursday, May 29th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 03:50:38 pm
UPDATE: The climbing competition on starts at 8 a.m. and will run through at least 3 p.m. For all you silly monkeys out there (you know who you are), there's an interesting event headed to Tacoma's South Park this weekend. The Puget Sound Regional Tree Climbing Competition takes place Saturday at the park at 4851 South Tacoma Way. I just found out about it. It's sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, and I think you need to be a member to participate in the competition. But, as far as I know, you can watch for free. From what I understand, it's not just a show of climbing abilities; it's about rope skills and aerial rescue abilities, too. Should be fun to watch from the ground. I'll post the start time as soon as I find out what it is. Monday, May 26th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:14:34 pm
The Pierce County Library System is looking out for 20- and 30-somethings with a speed dating event. It's the second "genXgenY" event scheduled this month. The first was a gaming night. • genX Meets genY – Speed date and meet other singles at South Hill Pierce County Library, 15420 Meridian E., on Friday, May 30, at 7 p.m. Communications director Mary Getchell explained the purpose of these programs: "Our goal is to re-introduce or in some cases introduce GenYGenX-ers to the many free, fun and helpful services at Pierce County Library. From movies, music, books to help with job searches and more, the Library has offerings that may be news to some people in their 20’s and 30’s. Check out our Web page w/more info."
Categories: Events
Monday, May 5th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:14:34 pm
The Pierce County Library System is looking out for 20- and 30-somethings with two "genXgenY" events in May. One is a gaming event, the other a speed dating event:
Communications director Mary Getchell explained the purpose of the programs: "Our goal is to re-introduce or in some cases introduce GenYGenX-ers to the many free, fun and helpful services at Pierce County Library. From movies, music, books to help with job searches and more, the Library has offerings that may be news to some people in their 20’s and 30’s. Check out our Web page w/more info." Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:05:00 am
I had a chance to chat about Grand Theft Auto IV with Jeremy Dunham, IGN's managing editor for games. This guy and his staff have been playing the game on a hardcore basis for a while now. Perhaps you saw their glowing review, which seems to agree with a host of glowing reviews for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. I've broken our interview into several pieces for your listening pleasure. But BEWARE. Jeremy mostly just gives a sneak peak into the game, color commentary if you will, but there are some potential SPOILERZ ahead.
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:04:00 am
Categories: Events
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:03:00 am
Categories: Events
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:02:00 am
Categories: Events
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:01:00 am
Categories: Events
Friday, April 25th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:18:58 pm
Like most of the gaming world, after I've had my fill of GTA IV I'll be looking at Spore, Will Wright's evolution simulation due in September. I doubt GTA IV will get old by June, but those so inclined to test Spore can get a sampling of the game June 17. EA just announced that Spore Creature Creator Will be available for PC and Mac that day. It's just what it sounds like, the creature creation part of the game. So you can mess around with creating and customizing all kinds of weird "pets." Here's the official word:
The press release also indicates that the download will cost $9.99, and any creatures you make can be imported into the full game which will be available Sept. 7. Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 01:02:15 pm
UPDATE! Wow. Even if you're not into baseball, this is really cool. If you're heaed up to Safeco Field, be sure to bring your DS. As of today's home game (the first in a six-game home stand), Nintendo will give fans free access to the Nintendo Fan Network. First you'll need to stop by one of more than a dozen stadium download stations to download the fan network software. Then, check out these features, outlined in a press release sent out this afternoon:
I'm hoping to talk to some Nintendo/Safeco reps today and put together a story for tomorrow's paper. 
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:13:02 pm
The Pierce County Library System is looking out for 20- and 30-somethings with two "genXgenY" events in May. One is a gaming event, the other a speed dating event:
Communications director Mary Getchell explained the purpose of the programs: "Our goal is to re-introduce or in some cases introduce GenYGenX-ers to the many free, fun and helpful services at Pierce County Library. From movies, music, books to help with job searches and more, the Library has offerings that may be news to some people in their 20’s and 30’s. Check out our Web page w/more info."
Categories: Events, Pop Culture
Monday, April 21st, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 03:37:04 pm
Thanks to THQ, publishers of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, we can get a glimpse of what it might look like if Obama and Clinton went toe-to-toe in the wrestling ring. This footage of the two presidential wannabes duking it out – or, at least, posturing – is supposed to air at 8 p.m. tonight on the USA Network's "Monday Night Raw." But you can see it here, too:
Categories: Events
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 11:29:26 am
I've been hearing a lot about this Gamebreakerz place up on 410 in Bonney Lake. According to their Web site they're the largest LAN center in the state. They had what looks to have been a fantastic grand opening this past weekend with Halo 3, CoD4 and Guitar Hero III tournaments. I have to admit, I drooled a little when I saw the pictures of their plasmas. Looks like they're planning a big GTA IV release party next week. I'll try to get up there this week, but I was wondering if anyone else had been by. If so, what do you think? My impression is that these guys are making a lot of good decisions, what with the dedicated stations for Wii and Guitar Hero, the pool tables and the console gaming theaters. Let me hear from ya. Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 12:27:04 pm
There's still time to build your power tool racer. The Olympia Power Tool Races take place April 26 in front of Olympia Salvage in downtown Olympia (415 Olympia Ave. N.E. – near the transit center). If you haven't seen any of the previous Power Tool Races in our area, you really should. Looks like there will be another set of races in June or July in Georgetown/South Seattle. And apparently power tool racing has taken off in San Francisco, the UK and the Netherlands. Anyone can enter. You just need to build something mobile out of no more than two power tools. And your racer needs to be able to travel down a 50-foot track that is only a foot wide. It's all for fun, and often the judges will make up racing categories on the spot just to accommodate all comers. Apparently if you take it seriously, you're doing something wrong – although you do need to be serious about making your racer a safely operating power-tool abomination. Don't want any saw blades flying off. Race coordinators will provide extension cords, but you're free to outfit your racer with your own alternative power source. Check out this video from last year's event in Seattle: Thursday, April 10th, 2008
Posted by Laura Gentry @ 11:03:00 am
 A few weeks ago, for Pop Shots, I wrote about “The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need,” touted by publisher TokyoPop as “America’s first business manga.” “Johnny Bunko” creator is Dan Pink, a New York Times best selling author of business books such as “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future” and “Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself.” A few years ago, Pink won a fellowship to study the manga phenomenon in Japan, where no subject is too mundane for the medium. “Johnny Bunko,” illustrated by Rob Ten Pas, grew out of that fellowship. The title character is a cube-farm denizen who has become disillusioned by his Dilbertian career. By way of possessed chopsticks, Bunko learns six essential business lessons that can help him better himself. Turns out Pink will be in town next week for a free talk and signing session. He’ll appear at 7 p.m. Monday at the Mandolin Café, 3923 S. 12th St. in Tacoma. I spoke with Dan Pink on the phone earlier this week. Unfortunately the audio didn't turn out (my fault). But Dan did send me this cool trailer for the manga. That's something you don't see every day. It's especially funny when it gets to the part about the "new question" this generation of business types are asking themselves. Check it out:
Categories: Events
Tuesday, April 8th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 03:27:54 pm
Slotkar.com, Tacoma's slotcar racing outlet, has moved to Sixth Avenue and is planning several public racing events over the next three Fridays. Perhaps you read C.R. Roberts' excellent Q&A with store owner Clark Mossman. At the time of the story, Slotkar.com was still at Freighthouse Square. Mossman opened up shop at his new location at 3817 Sixth Ave. about a month ago. Public racing begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Mossman will run a Scalextric brand NASCAR event for Mustangs and Camaros, followed by a set of "Box Stock" races (meaning you race with whatcha got, out of the box with no modifications). Races will continue April 18 and 25. Top drivers can win store gift certificates. For more information, call the shop at 253-572-5761, e-mail Look@SlotKar.com or go online to www.slotkar.com.
Categories: Events, Pop Culture
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 11:45:26 am
What a cool thing to come back to: The trailer for a mostly secret Legend of Zelda movie has hit IGN.com. More later as I sift through about a million vacation e-mails. * UPDATE: Yeah, right. If you believe this, I've got a Facemelter to sell ya. Sunday, March 23rd, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 10:35:04 pm
Hello again from vacationland. Just checking in to let you know I miss you and still love you : ) Perhaps you read all about a recent trip to Portland taken by a pair of TNT journalists. I was just digging through one of my bags and found a few flyers I had picked up. Among them, a flyer for Game Storm, which takes place Friday through Sunday in the Land O' Ports. Looks as though it's Shangrila for board game fans and role-playing game fans. It's $35 for a weekend pass. According to the flyer, organizers have lined up more than 1,000 hours of gaming. If you go, be sure to check out Ground Kontrol, an uber cool retro arcade downtown. EJ and I dropped in for a visit during our trip, and I have to say I was pleased to find a tribute to 80s and 90s stand-up arcade hits that still charges just a quarter per game. In addition to the arcade games, Ground Kontrol also sells classic home games and consoles. And: pinball machines are upstairs. If you're more of a PC gamer, you might also want to duck around the corner to the Backspace, an amazingly cool coffee shop/pool hall/PC gaming room/all-ages concert venue. Looks like five bucks will get you in the door this Friday for a show featuring Ghosties, Knife World, Transformers and The Mood. I spoke with one of the guys at Ground Kontrol who told me that a few times during the year, their shop joins forces with Backspace, a cafe and another nearby music venue for huge block parties. I'll be checking on the details soon; I'd love to take another trip to P-Town for one of those ubergeek events. Anyhoo, I'm not sure I'll post again until I'm back from vacation, but I am checking e-mail at bill.hutchens@thenewstribune.com. Tuesday, March 18th, 2008
Posted by Bill Hutchens @ 07:00:54 am
So, I'm actually on vacation right now. It's about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday. I'm up late, not early. The reason for the late night? Not St. Patty's Day partying, I'm afraid. It was something much more sinister. I was goofing around on Valve's Steam service, looking for some free demos, and I came across Audiosurf, a game that lets you "ride your music." In short, you must try it. It's like a programmable Guitar Hero, a music racing game that allows you to import your own tunes and build your own race courses. Oddly enough, I just caught a G4 "Attack of the Show" rerun that featured an interview with the game's creator, Dylan Fitterer of Seattle. Fitterer runs the tiny game dev house Best Game Ever. You can read at G4TV.com all about how the game was Steam's best seller during the month of February, outperforming even Valve's Orange Box. Not bad for a game basically designed by one guy with a little help from some friends and family members. Audiosurf sells for $10 a pop, and you can try the free demo through Steam or through the game's Web site. Indie games FTW!
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Gamers Journal
Bill Hutchens is the video games reviewer for The News Tribune. He’s been playing video games for 30 years (since he first discovered he could reach the buttons on Asteroids arcade machines), and he’s been writing about games for 13 years. In this blog, we’ll discuss games and gaming news and trends. And occasionally we’ll touch on other industries - TV, movies, music, comics, etc. - that cross into the electronic entertainment realm. Game on! Category
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