A Collector's Dilemma...

I like TRON. I really, really like TRON. I loved the original movie, with its interesting visuals and its pioneering use of computer graphics. I like its original marketing ploy of releasing a videogame (arcade) and a movie simultaneously. I also enjoyed the game itself. I even played "TRON Discs" for "real" with friends back in high school, in a game I made up that involves a tennis court and Frisbee...

And, anyone who knows me knows that I'm a bit of a collector, as well. I was started early, with Hot Wheels, stamps and rocks. I then went on to collect comic books (primarily Spider-Man), up until the point in history where Marvel and DC had what I like to call "The Clone Wars" and the public was "blessed" with more versions of Spider-Man and Superman than, well, anyone wanted.

For all of these reasons and more, I was quite excited to review PDP's TRON Collector's Edition Wireless Controller when it came in for review. I had seen these controllers at E3 2010 and was anxiously awaiting a review unit. What I hadn't realized, at the time, was that these controllers are limited to 20,000 units per console... and that they bear a metal plate on the back which shows their number. This makes it that much more collectible. And, as collectors know, everything that's collectible is more valuable if it's unopened... and I have to review it.

I only paused for a brief moment, mind you, but I had to stare at the box for a bit before I opened it, considering the value that I would be instantly diminishing. It was, however, only after I opened it that I found out that it is actually numbered. Which is an interesting (and unfortunate) thing... if you actually want to add this to a collection, you can either have it in unopened condition... OR you can know what number you have.

My TRON Collector's Edition Wireless Controller is numbered 00111 of 20000... which I was especially tickled over, since 00111 could also be a valid binary number and it is TRON, after all. Which led me to an interesting realization: There are only 31 such units out there (well, possibly 32, if they zero-index the collection and stop at 19999).... which is pretty cool, in my opinion.

And to anyone out there who plans to pick one of these up purely as a still-in-the-box collector's item... I put mine through the paces to review it, so I just made yours slightly more valuable. You're welcome. Mine will probably come to rest in the GameVorplex display cases... lit-up, if I can manage it.

Transformers: War for Cybertron Video Interview

Check out our video interview with High Moon Studios' Game Director Matt Tieger -- Transformers: War for Cybertron. This is our first original content video - interview or otherwise, conducted and edited by our very own Ricky Tucker, AKA StarScream... Appropriate, no?

2009 Things to Do...

So, how did YOU read the above title? As things to do this year? ...or as the number of things to be done? Either way, you're pretty close.

Starscream is working on a new layout for GameVortex.com and PSillustrated.com... something fresh and much more easy to navigate around, while helping to reinforce the fact that PlayStation Illustrated is a part of the GameVortex Network. We will be going for much better integration between the two in this redesign.

J.R.Nip is starting to look at the redesign from a 'features' perspective... We don't intend for this to be merely a new paint job, so functionality will be improved, along with the look and feel of the websites as they are now.

As for me, I'm going to be involved in both sides, of course, but I'm also working on a few projects of my own, updating our RSS feeds so that they are more useful, seeking partnerships on various levels with other websites and companies and trying to become more active in my "community"... both in Baton Rouge and internet-based.

That's not quite 2009 things, but I'm not done with the list... just ran out of time to blog... gotta run and work on some of those aforementioned things...

...till next time.