Monster Hunter 3 – Hunt Diary 1

29th April 2010

Went swimming for the first time the other night. Seems strange that I had grown to full adulthood without ever venturing into the vast areas of water around me, but it was definitely my first time. I know it was, because a disembodied head was telling me how to do it.

Swimming was a breeze, and felt lovely. I spotted some lovely big fish. I can’t remember their names. I’ll take more notes next time, if I’m doing this diary. Just believe me when I tell you they were nice big fish, and that I celebrated their niceness and bigness by stabbing them repeatedly with my nice big sword.

That same night, by the light of the enormous moon, I went to the village farm for the first time and had a chat with a cat and a weirdo. I asked them to cultivate some mushrooms for me, while wondering if I should maybe stay off the shrooms for a while, since I’m apparently talking to a fucking CAT.

I then went and dumped a load of stuff I had in my bag into the chest in my room. Another cat asked if I wanted to rearrange my furniture. I need help.

The Independint Charles Show

I’m doing another show, about the Indie Games on Xbox Live, and it’s available for EVERYONE IN THE WORLD to watch on your own Xbox 360! If you live in the UK, that is.

It’s called “The Independint Charles Show” and it is…um…experimental.

If you want to watch it, and you’re in the UK, crank up your old 360 and check the Inside Xbox section to see the show you’ll either love or hate.

Monster Hunting

The latest videogame I’m playing is Monster Hunter 3 on the Wii.

I’ve only ever played one Monster Hunter game before, and it was on the PSP. I’m really not a big fan of playing games on the PSP. The machine just feels bad in your hands. But the game was great, and was an impressive technical feat.

The Wii game is even better. I’ve only been inching into the game so far, stressing myself out about killing the lovely big herbivores at the start. Big peaceful creatures, then along comes you to fuck up their day, by clonking on their head with your oversized anime sword.

Who is the Monster? That’s what I ask you. WHO IS THE REAL MONSTER?!

Look at this scenery, though. Oh it’s nice to just relax and have a spit roast sometimes. Not in the footballer sense.

Jump, you monster!

Another Apology: Where I’ve Been

The big absence is explained now – I’ve been filming and then promoting this:

Burnistoun

I will be back very soon.

ZOZ

Help, I’m Mentally Ill

I am mentally ill. I am.

I can’t stop buying games. Last week it was Hive. This week it was Court of the Medici, Chaos Marauders and Cosmic Incursion.

I even bought a Risk game. I hate Risk. Why did I buy Risk? It was that two-player Risk: Balance of Power effort. It was only a tenner. I thought I would maybe give it another chance, having heard some positive things about it. But I hate Risk! What am I thinking?

Too. Many. Games.

And there are more games I want. How do you stop it? Any tips?

Where’s 2.1?

Oh, one more thing.

I know I promised that episode 2.1 of the show would be available a week ago. I apologise for yet another delay. I wasn’t happy with the approach I’d taken, so I ripped it up and will start again when I’m home from London.

I’m an annoying fusspot perfectionist.

It wasn’t weird enough for my liking!

River Insects

Well, today (yesterday, I suppose – it’s two in the morning) a trip along the Thames by boat took me to Greenwich, and a trip into Greenwich Market. Wherever I go these days, it seems that fate intervenes to ensure that some type of board game or other is there to tempt me.

Inside Greenwich Market, it turns out there’s a lovely little games shop called ‘Compendia’. It had a reasonable amount of what I’ll call “modern games” – the Agricolas, the Zoolorettos and such. It also had plenty of classic game odds and ends. All in all, a well-stocked, charming little shop. There was a pleasant gentleman in a nice suit and spectacles behind the counter. No hard rock music or big bearded lads with damp-smelling jackets in this game shop. Nope.

I’d been looking for Hive for quite a while, so I was a happy man to see it on the shelf. Twenty quid, bish-bosh, back up the river with Hive to see what all the fuss was about.

Summoner Wars and Hive both hit the table tonight. Kenny and I matched wits, playing learning games for realsies, like we always do.

Long story short, I got fucked as usual.

I’m on my way back to the river, to throw myself in.

The Blog Begins – London

Do excuse me if this blog post is a bit on the rough side, but I’m doing it all from an iPhone app, and doing it while on the move – I’m in London! The big city! The London! London town! Does London have any nicknames? I’m struggling here. Londonium Fundonium!

I’m here in London for a little break, to recharge the batteries after filming my TV show. I’m also here to see a Todd Rundgren gig on Saturday, which will probably be the highlight of my year. But I’ll be sneaking in some gaming too.

I travelled with my beloved Citadels, which you’ll find a review of in the review section of the site, and Summoner Wars. I haven’t had the chance to get SW on the table yet, but I have Friday night scheduled as my first session. I will talk about it at length.

Anyway, here’s the big question – where’s the best boardgame shop in London? In London Bundun?

ZoZ!

Goodbye News – Hello Blog!

With the launch of series 2 of DowntimeTown, we’re removing the news section and switching over to a Gaming Blog, where I’ll be talking on a more casual basis about what I’m playing games-wise.

News might sneak in to the blog too, so don’t panic!

ZOZ

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