One step back

My new gaming rig had its first serious problem a few days ago.   It locked up, and I had to turn it off and reboot.  Nothing unusual there.  It did lock up with a white screen which is something I never say before.  The weird thing was the way the computer would start up, fans going, lights on the boards visible, then stop, everything going out.  Then it would come back.  And repeat.   Letting it sit off for hours, and it repeated.  Reseating power cables didn't change it, and I saw nothing inside that had come loose.  So its back to the shop.  

I had wanted to play some Champions, but I'm not going to bother on the old rig.   Doable - but only if you turn everything down to minimum.  After playing it the other way on the new rig, its just Not the same. I'm hoping to know something Monday.  At least that is when they are scheduled to report back to me with a verdict.  Let's here it for 3 year warrantys.   Worst part is I need to update my iPod badly with E3 podcasts; but if I sync to my old machine it could cause major issues.   With E3 stuff coming in gangbusters, this is the worst time to lose update capability.   I may have to try and download some stuff direct to my ipad and listen to it that way remotely. 

I did spend some time playing the 360 the last couple days -- trying Skyrim again.  After playing it on the PC with several mods in place, this is playing with my head.   Gone are some sword mods (I just tried one that was allowing you to do Skyforge weapons in metals OTHER than Steel.  Both the design and effect were fabulous.  Further I had started using it on a character that was an Arnold Schwarznegger look-a-like that I called Guuvnar Blade-Breaker.   I tried to recreate him on the 360, but he didn't look as much like him as he did on the PC.      I ended up trying a new character -- An Imperial (I rarely do those).   This one, a male called Lexurius Loran, has been a mixed bag.  He started mystical, complete with robes.  But then I finally went Legion, and got heavy armor.  I enchanted it and was having a lot of fun with him.  He's now level 20, has already ended the Civil war.   But He's not as good at anything as he should be.  Spell wise it has been all Conjuration and Destruction perkwise, with Enchanting as a followup.   Smithing, Heavy Armor and One Arm has been the combat skills. Nothing is over 50 skillwise though conjuration is very close. He's started the Companion quest and now is a full member, but hasn't gone through the change yet.   Main quest wise, he's been to Kynnesgrove, but nothing further.  He knows very few spells, even though the MAGIKA beats Health and stamina by a huge margin.   He's fun to play, but there are moments when the spread-too-thin becomes apparent.   No house or wife yet, and he's been using the chest at High Hrothgar for storage. 

Coming into the game release part of summer.  I'm tempted on so may games.  Still haven't picked up Bioshock Infinite.   I'm looking forward to Saint's Row IV -- but that isn't due until late August, maybe a week before Dragon*Con. Sounds like its got aliens, superheroic powers, you get to be the president, something about a computer-virtual reality thing.   Sounds like a twisted plot.   I really can't see them topping this unless the go interstellar next time. Which would be pushing it a bit much.  

I did get to see Man of Steel Saturday.  IMAX 3D and all.  I have to say I was impressed.  

\\<SPOILER ALERT> \\

They did their own take -- which to me was confusing.  Over the years the comic book has slowly started using the crystal tech started in the first Superman The Movie thru to the Smallville series.    Nothing crystal in the new movie.   There were some robots remeniscent of the Byrne version of Superman's origin, and some hints at the stuck-in-bio-suit sterile version of Kryptonians, even if it was toned down for the movie.  The did most of the origin in flashbacks along the way.  Different than previous takes -- and it allowed them to get to SUPER actions pretty quickly.  There were Odd changes to canon -- Jor-el dieing separate from Lara? Perry white is black?  Lois finding out who Superman while he's still a non-costumed wandering nobody?  Superman Kills?  Any one of these was a bit much for long-term Superman followers.   ALL of these?  It's almost too much to swallo.  

The movie is litterally dizzying at times -- trying to do lots of superspeed action with shaky cams.   I found that VERY disturbing at times.   I actually got a bad headache after the movie -- although I'm not sure that was ALL the movie's fault.

More Later...