Ok, please forgive the lack of posts. I’ve been working on www.360Junkies.com. Anyways, last wednesday I met up with fourzerotwo aka Robert Bowling bka Community Manager at Infinity Ward. As I walked up to the door, I was literally excited to nerdgasmic proportions because I was really standing outside the studio that created one of my favorite games of all-time!
I was kind of scared to walk in at first. I wasn’t sure how the layout of Infinity Ward was, so I didn’t want to walk in on anything that I was not supposed to see. I AIM’d Rob and asked if it was okay to come in. Yes, I am a dork.
We headed to Islands and ordered Cheese fries with ranch. You can never go wrong with Cheese fries with ranch!! We ordered burgers as well! Anyways, we talked about life, marriage, video games, that amazing twitter application located at http://twitter.infinityward.com, and of course, Call of Duty. From talking about COD, Jon & Kate Plus 8 and life experiences, I’ve gotten to know the man behind fourzerotwo. You should definitely get to know this guy. He’s got his head on shoulders and knows what he’s doing. Trust me, he’s had a lot of experience in what he does. Can’t you tell he’s holdin’ up shop? Everyone on the internet is on a frenzy when he posts something about Modern Warfare 2.
After lunch we headed back to the studio to pick up the swag for the upcoming contest at 360Junkies.com. I even got my copy of COD4 signed by the Infinity Ward team! After taking a couple pics with Rob in the lobby, I headed home. Call of Duty 4 Double XP weekend starts Friday! Don’t forget the inclusion of Hardcore Headquarters, too! Stay tuned, because big things are happening!
Pics from lunch found here.
Follow Rob via twitter or his website.
Frag you later,
Seeson
P.S. – Hopefully I’ll play MW2 with Rob & Dane Cook next time! 
About a month ago, my wife said that she wanted to start reading books. I said, “Why, you can read everything on the internet?” While that statement may be true, I cannot always take the Internets with me. My Sidekick LX’s browser and connection is like a vacuum; it really sucks. I spend too much time on the computer anyways, so picking up a book would definitely break that habit, or lessen it for that matter.
Reading leads to improved memory and a better vocabulary. TheMemoryPage.net states
Most of us have a really good memory, but we just don’t have practice in using it efficiently.
It’s true. One of my college professors said that we’re all good at everything we do. It just so happens that there are people who are better at certain things than you are. I agree whole-heartedly, so I decided to make a list a books to start off with:
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
- Gears of War: Aspho Fields
- Teach Yourself CSS in 10 Minutes
I’ve even signed up for a word of the day from dictionary.com. Today’s word of the day:
obscure \uhb-SKYOOR\, adjective:
1. not clearly expressed; hard to understand
verb:
1. to hide from view; dim, darken
adjective:
1. not well known; not prominent
2. dark, dim, murky
Try it out & improve your memory. Read a book!
This past Wednesday I visited Electronic Arts out in Playa Vista, CA. This was my first visit to an actual gaming company and I was in complete awe. Honestly, it was a dream come true, and it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for twitter.
I’ve met many gamers, community managers and junkies just like me. This EA visit wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t met Craig, EA Mobile Manager at EALA. I don’t remember how it happened but I think I just plainly asked if I could visit the studio and have lunch. He happily agreed and we set a date. Next thing I know, I’m at EA eating a hugemongous double cheeseburger with seasoned curly fries and a Dr. Pepper. We chatted about games and our personal lives. What else could two gamers talk about? 
After lunch, we walked around the various floors and met various people. The halls and cubicles were decorated just like you think they would; colorful and full of swag. After the tour, Craig let me shop in the EA store. I was able to pick up Battlefield: Bad Company, Dead Space, Mercenaries 2 and Lord of the Rings: Conquest. SUH-WEET!! I suggest that you take a tour one day at any game studio to see why video gamers turn into video game professionals. It’s fun and very rewarding. Pictures of the tour here.
On Friday Trixie360, Xbox Live Community Manager, sent out a tweet linking us to holiday pictures on xbox.com. I quickly clicked on it and I was giggling like a school girl that my picture was chosen out of the many submitted. My wife laughed at me, but she was happy that I was happy. (I wish I would’ve photoshopped my hair before sending that pic to Trixie360.) Here’s the link.
If any other gaming company would like to have me for lunch, please don’t hesitate to ask. I also might be in the Seattle area at the end of February. I need to hit up Major Nelson, Trixie360 and SixOkay to see if I can visit! To visit the Xbox Motherland and GOW would be nerdgasmic. ::crosses fingers::
References: @eamobile, @trixie360
So after playing Portal: Still Alive with the wifey, she wanted to try another game: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. I’ve grown up playing this game for quite some time and even though I’m not that great, my wife kicked my ass last night. One rule though: NO SPECIAL MOVES aka button mashing only. It’s weird to just button mash only. Either way it was fun, especially getting your ass handed to you by someone as sexy as her. 
BTW Xbox Live friends, if I am playing a Puzzle Fighter HD, Portal: Still Alive or SSF2THDR (whatever it is), the wife and I are playing. I don’t mean to ignore all of your game invites. I want to spend some time with the wifey. After all, my wife and video games are the two things I love to ‘play’ with the most. One key motto: Happy Wife = Happy Life.
Special shoutouts to GamertagRadio.com and Epic Games for their GOW2 Community Play Date last night. Sorry I was unable to join in on the fun. When I finished co-op’n with the wifey, the community night was over. ::sadface:: It’s okay, I’ll get in next time. Luckily fourzerotwo sent a game invite for Zombie Mode. Now that shit is hilarious when half the team has played it before. People wandering around while zombies are behind their backs is just good old fun!
We then hit up some multiplayer on World at War, then onto some COD4 action. At first it was some normal private hardcore team deathmatches, then pistols/knives/flashbangs only, then knives only, then shotguns only, then a new game someone suggested: Michael Myers. It’s one versus everyone else. The thing is only “Michael Myers” wields the knife while everyone has to run away and not shoot or attack. All in all, we had a BLAST. Good times from the twitter folk on Live.
I got a score of “402″ against “fourzerotwo”.
So I’m working on an upcoming XBOX 360 community site called 360Junkies.com. Just bought the domain name and I’m excited to work on it. I just installed wordpress just in case I want it to be a blog with forums, but I think I’ll keep it forums only. The premise for this site is to not only inform about xbox games (stories from devs or other game-related websites) but to network/socialize. Southern California is full of fanboys, nerds, gamers, etc., so why not network with them?
Please don’t visit 360junkies.com just yet… I’m still going to install some forums. What forums would/have you install on your site? Invision Board? PHPBB? Simple Machines? IP Board? What kind of material do you want to see on these forums? I’ve got a couple junkies to help me out as well. I have plenty of ideas that have yet to published to the internets, so keep watching out for 360junkies.com
My wife says I’m obsessive, aka a junkie, about video games. So why not make something out of that while being unemployed? It’ll keep me busy and I’ll get to meet new people and talk about video games at the same time. (BTW, I applied to be a QA Tester for Infinity Ward this morning, so hopefully I’ll hear back from them. My wife says working with the makers of COD2&4 would definitely be a dream job. I agree.
Here’s my first attempt at the 360junkies logo. What do you think? I hope to get this site ready for Feb. Wish me luck!
