With all the commotion about the Conficker-C virus coming up, I thought I jump on the bandwagon and write a post about this too (since I'd like to see as many people informed about this issue as possible).
Conficker-C is a worm set to go active worldwide on April 1st, 2009. It has been ranked one of the highest IT Security threats of all time, and rightly so. The code in the virus has been analyzed and was found to allow remote code execution on infected machines. With a botnet that's been established in the millions, this could spell all kinds of four-letter-words across the globe.
What's even more interesting is that the virus has embedded code to protect citizens of the Ukraine. On the surface, it would appear that this virus was created in the Ukraine. However, it could possibly be someone attempting to pin the blame on the them (Russia, anyone?).
Most all internet security software providers have posted instructions on successful removal of this worm before it's set to activate, although not much can be established on post-mortem removal once the virus goes active. Some companies are actually charging clients for removal tools, but ESET has a free removal tool for everyone to use. link: http://www.eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=865
With less than 24hrs to go, it's still anyone's bet. Let's hope the hype isn't as bad as the storm.
IGN: Commercialized Reviews?
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Occasionally I will stroll onto the scene of IGN to get some quick gaming news and read a couple of reviews. However, over the past couple of years I can't help but notice a new trend in their subjectivity: They suck. Let's look at some numbers (taken straight from the site):
Guitar Hero WT (Xbox 360): 7.9
Rock Band II (Xbox 360): 9
Rock Band II is barely even playable on an HDTV due to the fact that is has two lag settings: SDTV and HDTV, no ms-by-ms tweaking here (for video OR audio for that matter). And this game got a better rating than the game that allows lag tweaking on a ms scale for both audio and video? Please... Don't rate unplayable games better than ones that are playable... Yes, there is a method of fine tweaking Rock Band 2 to get it calibrated, but I find myself hard-pressed to spend $200+ on a title and it's associated hardware that requires forensic investigation to even make playable!
Ace Combat 6: 8.4
Tom Clancy's HAWX: 6.7
IGN recently criticized HAWX for some of the very things that were simply overlooked in it's review of AC6 (and they rightly should have been). AC6 has always been known to be an unrealistic combat flight sim with exceedingly high expectations from it's aircraft. Somehow, your F-16 is expected to hold 150 missles (50 of which are Long-Range Missiles) and 80,000,000 gallons of fuel. Realistic? I think not, but it certainly makes for a fun arcade experience. These are things that IGN decided to rip apart UbiSoft for when reviewing HAWX, even though it made no intention to be a realistic flight sim either.
Mirror's Edge: 7.3
Come on... No... 6.0 at best, and everyone knows it...
Watchmen: 3.5/5
Watchmen (IGN UK): 2/5
This movie is one of the best films that I've seen in years, if ever. Their main criticism: "It's too much like the graphic novel."
>.>
<.<
THAT WAS THE ENTIRE IDEA!!!
>.<
Madden NFL '09: 8.8
Madden NFL '08: 8.7
Madden NFL 2005: 9.5
Madden NFL 2004: 9.5
Madden NFL 2003: 9.1
You get the idea...
This the most blatantly re-hashed franchise of all time, spanning multiple titles throughout nearly all of video gaming history. Little innovation and monotanous gameplay are the pinnacles of this series. And they regularly give them scores near or above 9.0? Come on...
Flight Simulator X: 7
Flight Simulator 2004: 9
Flight Simulator 2002: 9
FSX was the most innovative game in the FS series to date. Missions, free flight, better planes, more detail, DX10 graphics, integrated VATSIM multiplayer, it had it all. The reviewer even said FS9 (2004) was better... Also, FS2004 was a CARBON COPY of 2002 in every aspect sans a couple planes. How on earth did this game earn a 9.0 in light of this?!
Tomb Raider Underworld: 7.5
Tomb Raider Legend: 8.2
Tomb Raider Anniversary: 7.6
Tomb Raider (N-Gage): 7.0?!
The Tomb Raider series died to me after Chronicles. The PS2 and later releases have had some of the worst controls of all time, hands down. Also, anyone who rates any N-Gage title higher than a 4.0 needs to be shot on sight.
Test Drive Unlimited: 8
Worst racing game I've ever played. Repetetive environments, limited car customization, boring online play. However, it was the most-advertised racing game I've ever seen up until GRID... Co-incidence?
And the kicker...
Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp: 6.2
Oh... My... God...
Guitar Hero WT (Xbox 360): 7.9
Rock Band II (Xbox 360): 9
Rock Band II is barely even playable on an HDTV due to the fact that is has two lag settings: SDTV and HDTV, no ms-by-ms tweaking here (for video OR audio for that matter). And this game got a better rating than the game that allows lag tweaking on a ms scale for both audio and video? Please... Don't rate unplayable games better than ones that are playable... Yes, there is a method of fine tweaking Rock Band 2 to get it calibrated, but I find myself hard-pressed to spend $200+ on a title and it's associated hardware that requires forensic investigation to even make playable!
Ace Combat 6: 8.4
Tom Clancy's HAWX: 6.7
IGN recently criticized HAWX for some of the very things that were simply overlooked in it's review of AC6 (and they rightly should have been). AC6 has always been known to be an unrealistic combat flight sim with exceedingly high expectations from it's aircraft. Somehow, your F-16 is expected to hold 150 missles (50 of which are Long-Range Missiles) and 80,000,000 gallons of fuel. Realistic? I think not, but it certainly makes for a fun arcade experience. These are things that IGN decided to rip apart UbiSoft for when reviewing HAWX, even though it made no intention to be a realistic flight sim either.
Mirror's Edge: 7.3
Come on... No... 6.0 at best, and everyone knows it...
Watchmen: 3.5/5
Watchmen (IGN UK): 2/5
This movie is one of the best films that I've seen in years, if ever. Their main criticism: "It's too much like the graphic novel."
>.>
<.<
THAT WAS THE ENTIRE IDEA!!!
>.<
Madden NFL '09: 8.8
Madden NFL '08: 8.7
Madden NFL 2005: 9.5
Madden NFL 2004: 9.5
Madden NFL 2003: 9.1
You get the idea...
This the most blatantly re-hashed franchise of all time, spanning multiple titles throughout nearly all of video gaming history. Little innovation and monotanous gameplay are the pinnacles of this series. And they regularly give them scores near or above 9.0? Come on...
Flight Simulator X: 7
Flight Simulator 2004: 9
Flight Simulator 2002: 9
FSX was the most innovative game in the FS series to date. Missions, free flight, better planes, more detail, DX10 graphics, integrated VATSIM multiplayer, it had it all. The reviewer even said FS9 (2004) was better... Also, FS2004 was a CARBON COPY of 2002 in every aspect sans a couple planes. How on earth did this game earn a 9.0 in light of this?!
Tomb Raider Underworld: 7.5
Tomb Raider Legend: 8.2
Tomb Raider Anniversary: 7.6
Tomb Raider (N-Gage): 7.0?!
The Tomb Raider series died to me after Chronicles. The PS2 and later releases have had some of the worst controls of all time, hands down. Also, anyone who rates any N-Gage title higher than a 4.0 needs to be shot on sight.
Test Drive Unlimited: 8
Worst racing game I've ever played. Repetetive environments, limited car customization, boring online play. However, it was the most-advertised racing game I've ever seen up until GRID... Co-incidence?
And the kicker...
Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp: 6.2
Oh... My... God...
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