Angry Fans Protest the Ending of Mass Effect 3!

Shocknews.com

As many of you have probably heard, the infamous Mass Effect 3 did not exactly go as expected. Specifically, I am referring to the story’s ending. If you are a fan of the game or have been on any gaming forums recently, you would know that players of the game were very disappointed with the ending. Without spoiling the game, I will just say that the decisions you make throughout the story have practically no effect on the outcome of the game.

Angry fans ended up making online petitions requesting that BioWare, the creators of the game, change the ending. Although, at the time, it seemed as if this was just a waste of time, as it turns out BioWare may actually be considering changing the ending. They released a statement saying that they were seriously considering their fans concerns and that they will look into make a change to the ending.

I think that it is incredible that the fans were actually able to sway the decision of a huge company such as Bioware. It really shows that the power is in the consumer’s hands and not the company’s. I don’t really have an opinion on the games ending as I have only spent a small amount of time playing the game, but I am very interested in following this story and seeing what comes out of it.

So tell me what you guys thought of Mass Effect 3’s ending? Did you mind the way the story concluded or are you one of the thousands of gamers who added their name to an online petition requesting that Bioware change the game? Let me know in a comment!

Blast From the Past (And Also the Future)

Back when the only means of playing the Halo: Reach multi-player was through the beta Sam and I made a little video for I got a perfection on powerhouse. You can tell this was when the game first came out, because we talk about very obvious information regarding the game. Anyway without further ado here is our commentary of my Game-play.

Living In a Gamers Paradise

Everyday I wake up in what most would consider to be an over the top gamers room, but to me, it’s just my room. My room includes all 4 major mediums of gaming, two flat screen TVs, and an HD PVR. So without further ado, here they are.

First of all, my personal plasma flat screen TV, gaming consoles are practically useless without them.

Here you see my HD PVR, my Xbox 360, and my Wii. The main gaming console I use is the Xbox. Most Wii exclusive games suck, but there are a few gems that I like enough to continue owning a Wii for.

On the other side of my TV you see my Playstation 3. When it comes to the war between Xbox and Playstation I am fully on Xbox’s side. I like Xbox exclusive games much better, and the Xbox network kicks PSN’s ass. But I definitely acknowledge that there are many quality Playstation exclusives, therefor I own a PS3.

Hanging across the room is my 2nd TV, which I primarily use to watch TV shows on. My friends always complain about its awkward height when they have to play Xbox on it.

Here is my spare Xbox, the reason I have two is this one got red ring some time ago, I bought a new one but never got rid of this one, after a few years this one was working again.

And here is the newest addition to my gamer’s paradise, my Alienware x17. It is awesome. nuff said.

What do you think about the consol wars, gaming in general, or my gaming setup? let me know with a comment!

Another Escape the Fate Guitar Cover!

Yesterday I was in the mood to play guitar, and I decided I would record yet another guitar cover. This cover is also of an Escape the Fate song, but it is much older. The song is Dragging Dead Bodies in Blue Bags Up Really Long Hills off of their first EP. I learned this song quite a while ago, but I thought it was worth it to record and upload a cover, as it is one of my favorite songs.

I used my Line 6 UX1 to record and I played on my LTD H-1001 Deluxe. I don’t have tabs but due to the extreme popularity of this song I am sure you can easily find them online. I hope you enjoy this cover and if you listen to Escape the Fate, tell me what some of your favorite songs are.

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Asking Alexandria – The Final Episode (Lets Change The Channel) (Guitar Cover)!

I would like to share one more guitar cover I have uploaded on my YouTube Channel, YouTube.com/DistinctGuitar. This is a cover of Asking Alexandria’s song The Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel). This song is incredibly fun to play as the riff is fast paced and very melodic. I learned the majority of this song by ear as well as watching other guitar covers.

I recorded using an Epiphone Les Paul Custom through a Line 6 UX1 (Click here for a review of this product along with other Line 6 products). I filmed the audio and video separately and aligned them in GarageBand.

Let me know what you think of this cover in a comment and tell me if you think I should continue to incorporate guitar covers in this blog!

Line 6 has Forced Guitarists to Rethink the Solid State Amp!

Line6.com

I thought for today’s post I would continue to talk guitar tech. Specifically, this post will focus on Line 6 products. I know that many guitarists have a moral issue with playing on a sold state amp, and to an extent I agree, but I think that Line 6 may just be the exception to this rule.

Line 6 amps and most sold state amps in general are terrible for high quality at high volumes. I would never suggest any of Line 6’s sold state amps for live performances, and their few tube / combo amps are not anything special. But if you want to be any good at live performances you have to practice, and this is where Line 6 is the king of the market. Their practice amps are amazing for heavy distortion at low volumes. Although some would argue that the sound is a bit flat, Line 6’s practice amps are still more rich in tone than any other solid state practice amps.

Not only does Line 6 own the bedroom shredder market, but it also has some of the highest quality and inexpensive guitar recording equipment. I bought a Line 6 UX1 when I was going on an extended vacation and I didn’t want to go without a guitar. Large amps were out of the question, and although there are conveniently sized practice amps for specific situations such as this, I wanted something that also had powerful distortion and supported headphones so I could play without disturbing anyone around me. Line 6’s UX1 fit the bill perfectly, and because it operates as an audio output for my computer, I was able to play along with my favorite songs while hearing my guitar relayed through my headphones.

I currently use this device for recording guitar for my band (click here for a sample of how it sounds). It comes with a program called PodFarm, a VST plug-in that operates as a virtual amp simulator. I can record a dry input signal from my guitar directly into my digital audio workstation, and then add any amp/pedal setup I want from Line 6’s extensive list of different customizable amps.

To conclude, I feel like Line 6 does not compete with any of the major tube amp companies such as Mesa or Marshall when it comes to live performing. This is simply due to the fact the solid state cannot compete with real tubes when you are talking about both volume and tone. But if you are looking for recording quality guitar tones for professional use, or just for your own enjoyment, Line 6 is the right choice. Anything from the UX1, which goes for around $90.00 onLine, to the Pod 500, which goes for around $500.00, Line 6 provides quality and affordable recording for guitar, or any plug-in instrument.

This is just my opinion. What do you guys think about Line 6? Do you have any Line 6 products? Let me know in a comment!

Creed’s Getting Real

Today I went and pre-ordered Assassin’s Creed III and as a lot of you may know, when you do so you get a super sexy collectors edition case.

Yeah this has gotten me incredibly hyped for Assassin’s Creed III. I have been intrigued by one thing in particular by getting this, the fact that he is half Native American. When the first cover artwork was released everyone started saying that, but I wasn’t sure how they knew that. Looking at this cover makes it seems pretty clear that that is indeed the case. But I digress. I wonder at the possibilities regarding his Native American heritage. Was he raised by Native Americans? How were Native Americans accepted into the assassin order? Are the Assassins working directly with the American revolutionists? Is America a completely Assassin ruled nation? and just the idea of seeing Templars and Assassins in colonial America seems so incredibly cool. The only thing that kind of annoys me about this collector case is the rating… rating pending? really? I never understood why series with many installments with the same rating ever have a rating pending logo. Of course I understand when it comes to completely new games, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a game that has cover art of a shady figure wielding a tomahawk and pistol will be rated M.

Yeah, the artwork is shiny and looks amazing. Also its made of metal.

This game is going to be simply amazing, no doubt about it.  I am very excited to see how Assassins and Templars have adapted to more modern times. The game comes out in November, so we have a while to wait. But this means it’ll be coming out during next school year, and I’m taking American history next year. So I’ll really know whats going on.

So what do you think of Assassin’s Creed III, RP ratings, or gaming in general? Let me know with a comment!

The Mainstage Lineups for Warped Tour 2012 Have Finally Been Announced!

aeglive.com

This post will continue my Warped Tour coverage. Today the first main stage bands were announced and I can’t exactly say I was blown away by the lineup. So far the lineup is mediocre at best, with some of the highlight bands being Falling in Reverse, Of Mice and Men and We the Kings. For those of you who don’t know, the Van’s Warped Tour kicks off in Salt Lake City on June 16th, and will continue to move west to east across the U.S. Presale tickets are already available at VansWarpedTour.com, along with a complete list of all the bands that will be performing.

So how do you guys think of this year’s Warped Tour? Are you going to go? Tell me why or why not in a comment!

Guitar Strings: Dunlop VS. Earnie Ball!

As you may know if you follow our blog, I play guitar. I know that there a lot of you that also play an instrument. This post is specifically focused on guitarists that want advice on choosing the best type of strings for long lasting, bright and vibrant sound.

I have spent a long time trying out different strings and experimenting with different gauges. Depending on what type of music you play the type and gauge of string will vary greatly, but for anyone in the rock / hard rock / metal genre, this post will be helpful.

I am only comparing the two different string companies that I have the most experience With: Dunlop and Earnie Ball.

Dunlop:

guitarstrings.sncstores.com

Pros:

• Extremely long life / vibrant sound
• High quality manufacturing prevents rust / keeps strings smooth for extended use
• Individual packaging keeps strings fresh while on the shelves

Cons:

• Slightly more expensive
• Some guitar retail stores do not carry them

Earnie Ball:

therockinn.com

Pros:

• Very clear and vibrant sound
• Easy to change / color coordinated
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Sound fades quickly
• Production quality low / rust quickly

Overall I prefer Dunlop medium-heavy (gauge 11-50) over any other strings. This is simply because of their extended lifetime and the heavy sound I get from higher gauge strings. I do not enjoy wasting time I could spend playing guitar changing strings, and for this reason Dunlop are the strings for me. No matter how long I put off changing strings, I always find that Dunlop’s strings stay bright and clear and help to bring out the tone of my guitar.

That is just my opinion. If you play guitar or any stringed instrument, let me know what type of strings you use and what gauge in a comment!