Character creation randomizer

I like character creation mechanics in games.

I like having a unique character, and the option to customize the way I want to, if I have the time and / or inclination.

What I don't like is having to take the time when I want to jump in and play, but not be stuck with the canned Space Marine 2099.

So, Devs? Can you please add a character randomizer? I've been able to roll random characteristics in table-top gaming for ages. Please grant me the virtual equivalent.

Thank you.

Dipity Timelines

I discovered Dipity.com's (you gotta love 2.0 naming) timeline generation tool.

Here are my game-related timelines:

• Gaming -- Includes posts from my (this) gaming blog, and from my "I'm Playing" mini-review blog
• Emergent Game Technologies -- Posts from EGT employees (including me), and EGT press releases and news items -- including those from partners and licensees
• Game Releases -- For years, I've wanted a timeline of the games I care about; this is a down-and-dirty version of something I hope gets much, much bigger.

The timeline implementation is a bit rough, but it's around 70% of the timeline mashup I was building myself, so I'm all for someone else building and maintaining it. And I've made requests for things like reverse chronological sorting, color-coding different feeds, a hierarchy model for promoting / minimizing timeline entries, "timeline includes", tag sorting / viewing, and so on; here's hoping.

Interesting. This post itself will show up in the first two timelines. Clicking on it will open the post. Clicking on the links will open the timeline. Ad nauseam.

PS3 vs. Xbox 360 graphics leg wrestling tourney

GameSpot.com has a feature comparing the graphics of the PS3 and Xbox 360 through specific games (Assassin's Creed, Half-Life 2, Grand Theft Auto 4, Call Of Duty 4, Burnout Paradise, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Need For Speed Pro Street, Madden NFL 08).

Console fanboys are going to say their console won regardless of the comparisons, and the upshot is, really, you should go with the console(s) that have the platform-only game(s) or deepest library that meets your needs.

Games are coming, color me stoked ...

The Microsoft Xbox 360 Spring Showcase Round Up and Electronic Arts's Spring Break Games Day are overlapping, and those two events plus some other announcements have me excited. (And thank you, kotaku.com, for giving me an all-in-one link source.)

• There's a rumored Xbox 360 Dashboard spring update that may support motion controllers.
  
• The footage for Too Human (August) and Ninja Gaiden II (June) has me stoked; (and while the NGII trailer is slick, I'm ticked TH has downgraded co-op from 4 to 2).
  
• EA's moving away from quarterly guidance (take that, non-logical knee-jerk market), and talked its 3-year growth plan.
  
• EA recognizes the PC growth opportunity, and CEO John Riccitiello correctly said the PC market has "been growing for several years... it's categorized wrongly by looking simply at the box side of the equation."
  
• The free Battlefield Heroes is looking slick.
  
• Battleforge, that collectible / RTS(ish) thing, has me interested.
  
• Left 4 Dead, more zombie-killing (and being) love, is still leading me on.
  
• I want Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts to resurrect Rare; lotta people working their tales of on middling received titles, so let's knock one out of the park.
  
• Atlus announces great concepts, and I'm waiting for one to pay out for me. Zoids may be it (I dig the IP).
  
• Fable II? It may end up being my third anticipated game (after Too Human and Ninja Gaiden II)
  
• Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is coming May 21. I will buy it for its lengthy title (eat it, Peter Jackson's King Kong the Official Game of the Movie!); I will buy it to support snarky indie devs everywhere.

Parkour for the People!

I'm so looking forward to Mirror's Edge, EA Dice's parkour- (and I think, Breakdown-) inspired first-person ... thing.

Speed Racer for the Wii is out

Speed Racer for the Wii is out now, and it's built on my company's Gamebryo engine.

Check it out and let me know what you think.