Interesting article over at Wired News, courtesy Slashdot about what happens when we play too many video games, or even spend too much time in front of the computer screen in general.

It's a common phenomenon for me. I'm one of those folks who, after a marathon Halo session starts judging if I'm close enough for a melee attack when approaching others, sometimes catches myself wondering why CTRL-Z doesn't undo mistakes in real life. Although I've never actually tried to press CTRL-Z, or executed a melee attack on innocent passers-by. That's mapped to B, and I have no B button in real life. Duh.

The post-holiday season tends to be a time when I'm rather, shall we say, swamped with new video games to play. This year is no different. Despite having a backlog of Metroid Prime 2, GTA: San Andreas, with some Alien Hominid thrown in for good measure, I've been spending more than a proportional amount of time playing the demo version of Half-Life 2.

I know, the games been out for ages. But I've never been prompt when it comes to video game journalism. Nevertheless, I must say, I'm floored. The graphics are amazing, the physics engine is mind-blowing, and, in general, what I've played of the game is a blast, with a very slick, Resident Evil sort of survival-horror feel (including what to me feels like an absurd shortage of ammunition). Heck, I'll probably end up buying the full version. Making it the first PC game I've purchased since SimCity 3000! :)

Ok, so at roughly 8:18 AM today, I beat Halo 2 on Normal. No great accomplishment, but I'm glad to have finally finished up the campaign mode. And I have to say, the last 3 levels were all quite good. As was the game as a whole.

But the ending?

It's not that I have a problem with cliffhangers. But there's a limit. Personally, I was pretty annoyed way back in the day when Star Trek: TNG ended seasons with cliffhangers. A couple of months wait is NOT pleasant. Now, Halo 2 took 3 years. And if Bungie makes me wait three more years for the end to this particular cliffhanger... well, I can't exactly wish a pox on their families. But they'd definitely be cruel, cruel masters.

Let's hope the interent-floating rumors about an extra level or two downloadable through XBox Live are true. I suppose I could wait until February for the ending. I suppose.

Here's a neat link: An interview with the guy behind the AI in the Halo games. Since I'm currently taking an AI class, i wonder if I can get extra credit by playing through the campaign mode? Hmm.

Yeah: Me, Ben and Dave have been playing Halo 2, on XBox Live, since about 1:30 or 2:00 am. It took us a while to figure out the interface, match-building and so forth. It's new territory after all. But once we got online, it was pretty clear that the prophecies I had previously put forth, that Halo 2 would in fact be the downfall of my academic career, might actually have some degree of truth beyond my typically hyperbolic ravings.

In any event, this game absolutely rocks ass. It's well worth having had to wait in line at the mall for 2 hours, all the while interacting with some, shall we say, colorful fellow video game types. Ahh yes. Midnight release lines for video games at the mall are almost as bad as Magic tournaments. Almost.

Halo 2 gameplay comments: Sweet, and smooth. There are slight mechanical differences from the original that have thrown me off, and I haven't quite figured out the tactical implications of dual-wielding weapons. I end up trying to grenade or melee attack, and that just screws stuff up. But never the less. This game is terrific. And the energy sword. Drool. :)

Really cool multi-part article on Slate about one writer's experience with competitive Scrabble. I've always enjoyed Scrabble, so I found it a very cool read. Makes me want to play a good game of Scrabble... :)

As a card-carrying member of the Elite Geek Corps, I have an obligation to be a fan of board games. Now, as fun as a game of Monopoly or Risk can be, I tend to prefer the more abstract board games, as these tend to forgo the random element that can make an otherwise stellar game of Settlers of Catan, Risk, or Magic: the Gathering go terribly awry. Some of my favorites: Go, of course. And chess, in all its, though the only variant I have ever played more than a couple of times is standard Western chess. I also dig Reversi/Othello.

I've been looking into other abstract board games recently. Here are a few that seem interesting to me.

Played a bunch of matches on Magic Online tonight. Picked up some common sets from Mirrodin and Darksteel and threw together a bargain-basement affinity build. No Ravagers. Unfortunately, no Shrapnel Blasts. But it's pretty fun. But I need a couple of Pyrite Spellbombs in there just in case. Because apparently Electrostatic Bolt doesn't target players. :|

And let me just say, Skullclamp is one of my favorite cards of all time. I don't care if I'm drawing cards from killing my own elves, artifact guys, zombies, soldiers, insect tokens, myr tokens, non-token myrs, whatever. Drawing two cards at the cost of a mana and a 1/1 is beautiful. :)

I guess that's the reason all 4 of my MTGO decks run a full set...