The first Crackdown is one of my favorite games published by Microsoft. Despite it’s tired mission structure, barely there story and pretty short shelf life I had a stupid amount of fun with it. It was more enjoyable than Gears and Halo 3 even with it’s abrupt ending. Hell I’d put it right behind Mass Effect, Forza and PGR (R.I.P.) when it comes to exclusive games from the Bill Gates Mafia.

So when I heard that Crackdown 2 was in the works I did back flips. Well I wasn’t THAT excited but the kid was cheesing.

Crackdown, to me, wasn’t just an overly entertaining experience that got exponentially better via co-op. It served as a model that showed games get their money with gameplay. There’s a certain standard you have to reach with visuals in this day and age and I don’t frown on having a story (unless it’s awful.) These points can enhance the experience overall when done right. But if the game isn’t fun then what’s the point? Add replay value to fray and you got yourself a winner in my book.

Crackdown wasn’t much of a looker and like I said before the story didn’t really matter. I ran around, leaped to great heights, blew stuff up and caused absolute mayhem throughout the city with my friends. It was mindless as hell especially considering how you did the same mission (go kill that gang leader/boss) 20 or so times. But the upgrading system along with the level design kept me playing until I maxed out my cop.

The trailer for Crackdown 2 dropped yesterday and it seemed to add a grip of new features I’m anticipating. The most obvious addition is the four player co-op. The first one only let you play alongside one other person. Co-op shined in the first game so I bet it’ll be even better this time around with 3 allies. Plus it looks like you can fly in the new game. While it was something I wanted them to add it has me somewhat concerned as jumping was a key gameplay element in the previous iteration. Then again the devs already talked about incorporating vehicles more in the sequel as they didn’t matter much in the first game. I’m willing to assume they’ll tweak flying so that jumping is still important. On top of that I’m hoping they put in more new abilities to keep things fresh.

The new eight player firefight mode sounds cool enough as does the 16 player online multiplayer. I doubt I’ll spend much time on these modes as I could only take but so much Horde in GoW 2 and the game doesn’t look like it’s “right” for multiplayer in the early going. Still they’ll be decent time wasters. If anything I’m more concerned about the missions and reusing the same city from the last game (now with “mutants.”) They really need to spice up the campaign and add a myriad of side quests. Moreover I thought they’d create an all new playground Supposedly it’s changed and they have a whole new underground section to it. Whatever, just make it good. And let me create more than one agent. You couldn’t have more than one agent at a time in the previous game so I’d like to have that option for multiple playthroughs.

(Edit: I found the latest trailer *above.* It’s still in the oven but it looks better than the earlier vids. That campy 50’s Doo Wop-esque music in the background  was worth a chuckle too.) Crackdown 2, while crazy early, has the potential to be much improved over the last one. Unfortunately there’s no release date yet but it’s supposed to drop sometime next year. 2010 is going to be a great year for games anyway so I’m optimistic that it’ll fare well against the competition.

You get tripped up like your boy Greg Oden. I ran into a bit of laziness last month. Then I had to deal with some stuff that took a toll on me. Now it’s AG baby. Or at least I’d like to believe so. These “sorry for not updating” posts are pretty lame but I truly apologize for making my page look like this.

If you don’t follow I was going for old and not very interesting.

Anyway I’m making it up as I go on here (as usual) so stay tuned for some truly random posts. I think I expended too much energy in making Greg Oden jokes so far. Therefore, I guess it would be in poor taste to put that clip of Aaron Brooks giving him that good TIGER KNEE the other day. I decided to take the high road and put this Greg Oden highlight reel (i.e. a bunch of blocks, put backs and Shaq-esque dunks) below.

I find it funny that this highlight reel features “How Do You Want It.” No really I laughed when I watched it. Anyway that’s all I have for now. I holla (c) Martin Lawrence.

I might as well drop the bomb now before I forget. The samples (vocal and instrumental) on “Meiplé” came from Brigitte Bardot’s “Moi Je Joue”: french for Me I Play. You see what they did there? That ain’t the worst of it. Just listen to the source material.

Not very different from the end result now is it?

On to what’s cool about MeIple hook. On it, Robin Thicke and Jay go on to say “I know you wanna…” and it sounds like Ms. Bardot drops a sultry f-bomb. In fact she’s really saying “fort” which is french for strong. It’s just that her accent and tone make it sound like something else. If you wanna get REALLY nerdy and techincal, whoever cut the sample up left out the “plus” (literally meaning “more” in english) in front of fort which means she actually said “stronger.”

Last I checked, stronger isn’t a curse in french (plus fort) or in English. Even with this in mind it must have raised a flag  since it’s censored in the radio version. Shout out to Greums over at TSS for the post idea. I might as well wrap this up with another flick of Ms. Bardot in her prime. Have a good day.

]]> http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/answer-to-spot-the-sample-3/feed/ 0 Sam C. Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Bardot 2 http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/spot-the-sample-3-robin-thickes-meiple-me-i-play-feat-jay-z/ http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/spot-the-sample-3-robin-thickes-meiple-me-i-play-feat-jay-z/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:41:49 +0000 Sam C. http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/?p=2822 ]]>

This flick never gets old.

I checked this song out on TSS over the weekend. Then I heard it in the car on Hot 97 yesterday. Then I realized someone upstairs must be sending me signs to do another Spot The Sample post. Either that or it’s just one eerie coincidence after the other.

Now that that’s out of the way, here goes the latest sample challenge. This is probably the easiest one considering I gave a clue on where you can find it. And with that I just made the search that much easier for you. My thoughts on the song? Jay-Z’s face in the pic pretty much sums it up although I do like how the vocal sample was used on the hook. All in all the song isn’t terrible but it’s just not for me I guess. Anyway, get ta huntin’!

Sam C. You're better than that! (c) Mark Jackson

I know Mark, I know…

So it looked like I finally got the ball rolling around here and then things just went dormant. To tell you the truth I haven’t had much to write about outside of (irregular) posts on TSS and URB. Here’s what I’ve been up to outside of typing away on my laptop for scooby snacks.

We hosted a dope family reunion at the house.

I had technical issues with my laptop so I was strapped for innanet time.

I’ve applied to some more jobs but still haven’t gotten a call back.

I voted for Corzine on Tuesday but Jersey heads know what went down.

Then I finally got the laptop situation resolved this week. I’ve been geeking out since Wednesday.

I got fed up with my modem’s connection issues so I swapped it for a new one yesterday. And guess what? I still have problems with my signal. Time Warner/Cablevision/Optimum Online is always on that BS.

So that’s it really. I’m not struggling at all but I’ve definitely seen better days. I do have something new going for me though. I don’t want to jinx it but let’s just say you’ll see my byline on another magazine’s site. Well that’s if everything goes as planned. Either way I’ll keep you posted on that when I get the chance.

]]> http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/fake-hustle-indeed/feed/ 0 Sam C. Mark Jackson 5 http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/the-nba-x-newark-enjoy-it-while-you-can/ http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/the-nba-x-newark-enjoy-it-while-you-can/#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:55:02 +0000 Sam C. http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/?p=2786 ]]>

I decided to see the Nets’ last preseason game against the Knicks at The Rock. The tickets were only ten bucks so I came through with my lil’ homey from Rutgers.

So, do the Nets fit in well with Newark?

Let’s start from the beginning. This was my first time at The Prudential Center so I was somewhat anxious to check it out. We finally made our way in and somehow cut the line. It’s quite impressive once you get in the lobby. Neon lights painted the windows from the inside and it It just felt modern when you walked around. Plus the upper and lower levels entrances are open unlike Izod.

It’s convenient since you can take quick peaks at the game if you’re not by one of the flat screens. The only undesirable part was our seats. It felt like we were up in the Adirondacks but hey, that’s what you get when you don’t pony up. All things considered the Rock makes the Izod Center look like a dusty airfield hanger.

I thought we came late as we grabbed our seats 2 minutes before tip off. Then a lot of heads showed up out of nowhere deep into the 1st quarter. I guess everyone was running on CPT and I missed the memo.

Now on to the actual game. Well, the first half went from decent to abysmal. The Knicks got an 18 point lead at the break. I’m a Nets fan but I grew up in a family full of Knicks diehards so I have no hard feelings towards them. At any rate I don’t like blowouts and the crowd seemed to agree with me. It really took a ton of energy out of the building.

My friend wanted to grab some ice cream so I decided to tag along. I’m a tall dude so my legs needed some circulation anyway. We finally found a small Carvel vendor and she dropped a Lincoln for a cup of ice cream. That’s was a pretty ridiculous price but hey you can’t get between a woman and her food.

She didn't even finish it!

Thankfully things picked up in the third as the Nets went on a run. The place came back to life and then some. Chris Douglas-Roberts started to drain shots out of nowhere and got some cheers. Then Keyon Dooling shook someone (Chris Duhon I think) and made the crowd go OOOOOOOOHHH!! I had to bring myself down for a moment. It felt like a regular season game considering how well attended it was.

The Score After 3

The Nets built up a one possesion lead in the fourth but tempers flared as Bobby Simmons got it in with Nate Robinson of all people. Like I told my friend, what do you really gain from picking on someone Nate’s size? Dude is barely tall enough to ride a roller coaster but I bet he’d knock him out. Most NBA cats can’t fight anyway but it was funny nonetheless.

It's out of focus but that's the best I could do.

Nate and Bobby got a double Technical and they kept it moving. The Nets continued to fluster about with their slim lead as did the Knicks in their attempt to catch up. You could kind of tell that the game would eventually fall out of their favor with only 5 minutes left in the game and Devin Harris in street clothes.

Then those Knickerbockers got their act together and got the lead back in the waning moments. They seemd to ice it with a 2 possession lead and mere seconds on the clock. Then they fouled Courtney Lee which was pretty stupid. He missed the second shot on purpose, got his own board and got an and 1. The Nets were back in it with slim hopes but most of the crowd left at that point. Lee forced the miss and the ball bounced around with failed tips toward the basket until the buzzer sounded. The Knicks squeaked by with the W while the Nets suffered a winless preseason at home.

We had a good time even though they lost. Even though NY heads came in via Penn Station there were a good number of Jersey faithfuls seen throughout. it was easy to see that fans were genuinely interested in the slim possibility of the Nets making their new home in Newark.It took a little bit to get the crowd going at first but they stayed in their seats until the Nets choked at the end.

Obligatory post game photo shoot

Now on to some funny/weird events that transpired throughout the game. Dwight Gooden was in the building and that’s all well and good. But the DJ kept playing Michael Jackson records and I couldn’t figure out why. Sure MJ is a legend and all of that but it didn’t seem natural. Come to find out Joe Jackson was sitting court side and made the jumbotron. The crowd sounded confused when they found out. You know how weird it sounds when people cheer and boo evenly at the same time? Yeah that happened.

He can dance better than your grand-dad

Cheerleaders are OK with me but I guess the senior citizen dance team was all the rage. They started out with some geriatric dance number then started gettin’ it to this song.

It was pretty hilarious and somewhat unexpected. I just hope I can move as well as them when I get up there.

These little girls were a riot. They startin’ wildin’ when they played You’re a Jerk and got live for the free t-shirts. Unfortunately the cheerleaders didn’t have arms like Jay Cutler so those shirts didn’t quite make it up there.

Wrapping things up, having the Nets in Newark would really bring interest back in the waning franchise. But the NBA Lords don’t want that to happen so it’s just a pipe dream for now. Meanwhile, the people aren’t clamoring for the Barclays Center or Atlantic Yards. On another note, the traffic heading into the game was pretty bad even for Newark. Atlantic Avenue would easily be worse should people dare to drive in to the Barclays. Then again that’s why I suppose they’re building it right next to Atlantic Ave-Pacific St. Station. Oh well, it was great while it’s lasted. Now I just have to wait until spring when the league will take my team away.

Oh and another thing. My first post on the Nets and The Prudential Center made NJ.com.  It’s really dope to get a nod from the Star Ledger but I guess I should clear something up. I never went to that game. When I said I checked it out I meant I watched it on Yes. It sounded right in my head when I wrote it but I guess it didn’t translate to the author of that post. I just thought it was funny and I got some shine from it. I just hope I’m not discredited for being honest.

I’ll end it with this. As we got past security they had a promoter getting people excited for the game. He said “New Jersey and NEWW YORRK… Are YOU Ready?!?!” or something to that effect. Then some dude behind me says “We Don’t CARE about New York!! We CARE about NEW JERSEY!!”

Too bad more people out here don’t feel the same way…

]]> http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/the-nba-x-newark-enjoy-it-while-you-can/feed/ 2 Sam C. Nets Game 10-21-09 051 Nets Game 10-21-09 047 Nets Game 10-21-09 021 Nets Game 10-21-09 005 Nets Game 10-21-09 009 Nets Game 10-21-09 022 Nets Game 10-21-09 027 Nets Game 10-21-09 026 Nets Game 10-21-09 034 Nets Game 10-21-09 037 Nets Game 10-21-09 043 Nets Game 10-21-09 017 Nets Game 10-21-09 015 Nets Game 10-21-09 033 http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/im-not-a-blake-griffin-fan-but/ http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/im-not-a-blake-griffin-fan-but/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:41:29 +0000 Sam C. http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/?p=2777 ]]>

…you’d have to be stupid to try and block that halfheartedly. He doesn’t look like the smartest tool in the shed but he’s a pure athlete that can jump out the gym. Fake hustle never gets rewarded. I should know. I’ve been at it for over a year now.I don’t know about you but dunks like that make me jump out my chair and praaaaaiiiiise Jesus! As TC of TSS said, it does look eerily similar to Amare’s rookie year dunk on Michael Olowokandi. Plus they both got the And 1 on top of humiliating grown ass men.

No one’s heard from Olowokandi since and I’m sure Mitch Kupchack is considering changing DJ’s 10-Day contract to a one-time weekend special.

I know. DJ is signed through this year but it’s a funny thought.

The Jury’s still out on whether or not Blake is worth the hype. Still you can’t front on his flat out strength and leaping ability. So what’s the moral of this post? It’s never cool to be “that guy” on the poster kids. Just let the man dunk and get back on D.

Click to enbiggen

…I made the WordPress front page!

Click to enbiggen (again)

This is my first home page look so I’m happy. I don’t know how they go about choosing these posts but I guess somebody at the WP Tower read my complaints concerns. Either way I’m geeking out right now. Thanks WordPress!

Editor’s note: Yes it looks like a 5 year old scrawled all over my desktop. In actuality that’s the best I can do with paint.net. Also I guess WordPress thinks I’m on the same level as Anderson Cooper as evidenced in the second screenshot. I’m a humble dude (don’t let my friends tell you otherwise) so I’m cool with it. At any rate that’s a great look if I ever saw one.

]]> http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/excuse-my-enthusiasm-but/feed/ 0 Sam C. FH on wordpress homepage FH on wordpress homepage 3 http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/because-putting-the-nets-in-newark-makes-too-much-sense/ http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/because-putting-the-nets-in-newark-makes-too-much-sense/#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:18:15 +0000 Sam C. http://fakehustle.wordpress.com/?p=2752 ]]>

I checked out the Nets pre season game against the Celtics last night. The Nets lost a game they should’ve won but that’s not the point. Instead, it seems like their new owner has the game locked up as far as moving the squad to Brooklyn. I can go on about how it’s a dumb move in more ways than one but think about this. Why not just play in Newark?

Its a logistically and financially sound alternative to this oft-delayed move. Prudential isn’t used that heavily outside of Devils games and the occasional concert/event. On top of that Penn Station is just a few blocks away. You want to get idiots (like me) to pay for those PATH trains and overinflated NJ transit tickets if they’re not driving in. Besides Cory Booker is all gung-ho about revitalizing Newark. Therefore, I’m surprised he didn’t campaign harder for the Prudential Center to serve as the potential home of the Nets. Hell even the Devils said they’d work with the Nets in organizing home games.

Yes,building a new stadium creates new jobs and the Barclays Center looks impressive. But they’re beyond expensive usually don’t see profits for years to come. On top of that I never saw a huge demand behind BK wanting it’s own team outside of Mikhail, Bruce Ratner and co. trying to capitalize on an appealing location. NY belongs to the Knicks when it comes to basketball and Madison Square Garden is up there with Yankee Stadium anyway. The Barclays Center looks like the ugly stepchild in comparison and it’s not even here yet. On top of that New Yorkers either don’t like or don’t care for the Nets for the most part. What makes the owners think that the fans will keep coming after the honeymoon is over? It’s not like Lebron is coming here anytime soon.

Most importantly, as a NJ resident and one of the few that follows the squad, I’d hate to hit the bridge just to watch my team in person. The Meadowlands ain’t easy to get to either. In a perfect world the Nets would’ve been at The Rock since the Devils arrived: rendering the Izod Center worthless.

It was really a year ago today when i started my little slice of the innanet called FH. I was watchin’ pre season ball on TNT and decided I might as well try the whole blogging thing. Well I’m still at it 365 (and a quarter) days and 237,000+ views  later. So to all two of yall that read this page I really appreciate your support haha. I’d say I’m doing pretty well even though I have an axtra low profile online. Most other blogs similar to mine drop off in a couple of months so this is kind of a watershed moment.

2009 was dope here. Let’s make 2010 even better!