I’ve been playing way more videogames than usual lately, which really benefits everybody when you think about it. This is partly a result of listening to the podcasts that 1UP and EGM provide. They’re pretty good, it’s more or less like having an issue of EGM read out loud to you and commented on by whoever is in the room. The staff does a good job of running through the news stories, what they’ve been playing, etc, plus it’s far more professional than a lot of fan-made podcasts.
In any case they’ve persuaded me to join the 1UP Network, and you can check out my profile here. The website is just okay, it seems to be crafted like a social networking site for games. But unlike Facebook, (or even recent MySpace iterations), it’s not very, well, socially intuitive. That’s okay, the main focus seems to be the message board which gets points for being uncluttered, (there are simply “games,” “gear,” and “other” sections), but it can make profile navigation and editing more of a chore than needed.
Also on the videogame tip is a blog that my Xbox has been writing… about me. Using Gamertag data from the system, 360Voice is a sophisticated blog-generator that’s unique, to a point, for every user. It’s a motivation to keep playing - and getting achievements - lest your Xbox talk smack about you.
5 months ago