Join the cast of Another Videogame Webcomic as we peek behind the curtain to see what exactly goes into bringing your favorite video games to the small screen. It may be a job in video games, but it's still a job.
Busted!
As some of you guys might know (or at least had an inkling of since the last few weeks have all been PSP game reviews) my PS3 is busted. It happened on a brisk summer evening as I was just about to start playing Prototype. The load screen came on then... nothing. The PS3 beeped at me and its normally green light started to flash red.
I thought it was nothing at first. I tried turning it back on but nothing happened. I unplugged the PS3 and plugged it back in again. For a split second, I thought that had fixed the problem... but no, the PS3 beeped at me again. So I did what anyone else would have done... I googled to see if anyone else had the problem and how they fixed it.
Now, I'm no slouch when it comes to mechanical things. I've taken apart almost all of the computers I've owned (and most of them were put back together correctly). I've fixed the pesky PS2 disc read error by opening the thing up and cleaning the lens. I've even finagled with my Rock Band guitar when it was only registering down strums. But what I found on the internet wasn't promising. An 18+ minute video split into two parts on YouTube giving instructions on how to fix the dreaded Yellow Light of Death (or YLoD as I found people were calling it) was a little daunting. Especially since a great majority of that video was just how to take it apart and put it back together. But what really scared me off was the prospect of thermal paste and using a heat gun. (I had visions of me melting my PS3 and burning down my house all at the same time...)
After I reached the end of my do-it-yourself options, I begrudgingly called Sony. I spoke with a polite customer service representative who notified me that the only real fix to the YLoD was to send the PS3 in for repair... for a low, low fee of 150 bucks. Seeing as how almost all of my portfolio is tied up in food and shelter at the moment, I told the Sony CSR that I'd think about it.
So here's where I turn to you, dear readers, with metaphorical hat in metaphorical hand to help me and the comic out of this predicament. If you guys have been enjoying Another Videogame Webcomic and would like to see more than just PSP and DS reviews (actually, just PSP reviews for the forseeable future since I can't seem to find my DS) you can donate and help me raise enough funds to fix the PS3. It's a little something I'm calling...
No-more-PSP-reviews-a-thon!
But I'd never dream of asking you guys to donate without giving something in return. So with every donation, you'll receive... my eternal gratitude!
...
Um... is that not enough? Ok, how about this? For every single donation, you'll get this sweet Damsel as Princess Peach wallpaper! The wallpaper comes in various sizes enough to fit all kinds of desktops.
But wait! There's more! If you donate 10 bucks or more, you'll get the wallpaper and your choice of a print of the Damsel as Princess Peach art or a print of any Another Videogame Webcomic of your choosing! Maybe Player One dressed as Wolverine strikes your fancy? Perhaps Damsel in a miniskirt? Possibly a flying robot dog? (No judgement here...) It's completely up to you! (Just remember to state your preference when donating.)
Finally, if you donate 25 or more, you'll get not only the wallpaper but your choice of TWO prints (the pinup and a strip of your choosing or two strips of your choosing) and this exclusive PS3 Heart shirt (as seen in Matriculated). (And again, remember to state your print preferences and size of shirt when donating.)
Actually, that's not all... we're giving away the original art for the Damsel as Princess Peach wallpaper/print and a MadWorld t-shirt and game cover signed by Astushi Inaba and Shigenori Nishikawa to the top two donators. The top donator will get first dibs on which of the two he or she would prefer.
So that's basically it. Wait. There's one last thing. I know a lot of you guys out there don't have PS3s. I know some of you out there would like it if I could review Xbox 360 or Wii games... so that's why I've decided that if donations exceed the cost of fixing the PS3 and is enough to buy an Xbox 360, I'll buy an Xbox 360. If donations exceed that and is enough to buy a Wii, I'll buckle down and buy a Wii. So if you thought a review of Halo: ODST or Wii Sports Resort was an impossible dream for Another Videogame Webcomic, it's not.
Here's a little progress bar that I'll update every week so you can see where we stand with the whole donations thing. The No-more-PSP-reviews-a-thon will end either at the end of the month (July 31st) or when we receive enough donations to buy a Wii, whichever comes first. Thank you guys for taking the time to read this and hopefully, this will all be over soon enough and we can go back to our regularly scheduled reviews of games on systems that people might actually own.
Click here to Donate!
Player Two
After the resurgence of multiplayer co-op, GameBizCo Inc. hired Player Two to be the Goose to someone else's Maverick. His workload isn't quite as heavy as most of the other people working at GameBizCo Inc. and as a result, he spends a lot of time in the break room or playing computer solitaire.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction
Player One
Player One is top dog at GameBizCo Inc. Nearly every game, from Pong to Mario Bros to Grand Theft Auto, requires Player One's expertise. His cocksure and sometimes inappropriate attitude is an annoyance to his coworkers but seeing as every game needs a first player, they make due.
First Appearance: Bonus Stage! Here comes Player One!
Damsel I. Distress
Whether it be a castle, a dungeon or mystical island, Damsel always needs to be saved... and she hates it. Damsel longs for the day when she's given the role of a strong female lead character who doesn't have huge breasts with hyper accurate physics.
First Appearance: LittleBIGPlanet
Final Boss
Underneath the huge brute that is Final Boss lies a timid creature who wouldn't hurt a fly. He puts on his "angry face" when throwing barrels down ramps or breathing fire but deep down he feels sorry for doing so. He's been known to throw a game or two in the player's favor.
First Appearance: World Record
John Minion
John Minion, or Min for short, is the hardest working employee at GameBizCo Inc. Playing everything from Goombas to no name thugs, Min gets beat up on a daily basis but loves every minute of it. He always wanted to work in the gaming industry and was originally hired as an intern. After years of getting coffee, his big break came when someone called in sick... and the rest is history.
First Appearance: Watchmen: The End is Nigh
Middle Manager
Middle Manager works in the Human Resources department. He runs staff meetings and interviews prospective employees. The other 90% of his time is spent playing Freecell on his computer.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction