Energy Drink Shootout

Introduction
If you've ever found your reflexes slowing down around 3AM at a LAN party, woke up in the wrong lane during a seven-hour drive, or found yourself still yawning after lunch at work, this article is for you. A few weeks ago, nub pitched the idea of an energy drink comparison review to me, and I thought it was a great idea. So we decided to review the most common energy drinks; the ones that you invariably see whenever you go to the grocery store or stop in to refuel at the gas station. For this comparison, we selected Monster Energy, Rockstar, Sobe Adrenaline Rush, Red Bull, Full Throttle, and Starbucks Doubleshot. You may notice that some of the drinks are smaller cans (around 8oz.) while some are a great deal larger (16oz.), and are wondering why we'd compare them alongside one another. The reason is that all the drinks reviewed are in the same price range (around US$2.00 per can if bought by the can). We feel that you should get the same quality and satisfaction for your money, no matter which drink you buy. If a company believes that their product is good enough to sell half the quantity of its competitors' size product for the same price, then we'll hold them to that.

For our review, we've given you a little bit of background info on our state of mind and body during the testing periods, how much we paid (although prices will vary by store, region, and country), the major "energy" ingredients in the drink and the amounts thereof, and both impressions and ratings of the taste and aftereffects of each drink. One thing to note: on the 16oz. drinks, companies usually state that each can contains two servings. While it makes sense for them based on a health marketing and liability standpoint, for all intents and purposes a canned drink is one serving to just about everyone under normal circumstances. So bear in mind while reading that the ingredient levels are based per can, not per "serving". Also, we started to include information such as how many calories, or how much sugar and sodium was in each drink, but realized: if you're drinking an energy drink (or any canned beverage besides something like V8, really) then you're obviously not too terribly focused on how it's going to impact your overall health. I don't care if you do drink the "low carb" version. If you're after an energy boost and want to do it in a healthy manner, then get the right amount of sleep, exercise, and drink nothing but water and juice drinks. If you need something to pop your eyes open or pump you up for a few hours, buy an energy drink. That being said...we bought a lot of energy drinks. So without further ado, we at Gamer Bait give you our humble reviews. First up is Monster Energy.

Monster Energy
Glock's Review
The Setup: Let's see...not really all that sure what sort of thing is pertinent, actually. Physically, I'm 5'10" tall (178cm) or so and 150 lbs. (68kg). I usually drink either water or orange juice; no soft drinks or energy drinks unless I'm on vacation, and the only energy drink I'd had prior to doing this review was Red Bull. I work from 40 hours a week; 6AM until 2:30PM (with a half hour for lunch) on weekdays, and began my review at the beginning of my Thursday shift. Prior to trying that day, I had slept 4-5 hours every night starting on Sunday night, which is normal for me. My alarm goes off at 5:10AM and I'm out of bed by 5:20 or 5:30.
Size: 16oz.
Cost:
Single Can: $1.76
Per oz.: $0.11
Four-pack: $6.96
Per Can: $1.74
Per oz.: $0.11
What's in the Beast: Sugars (54g), Taurine (2000mg), Panax Ginseng (400mg), "Energy Blend" of L-Carnitine, Glucose, Caffeine (140mg), Guarana, Inositol, Glucuronolactone, and Maltodextrin (5000mg)
The Taste: Sweet, citrusy (it's a word, I swear), and smooth. Like they melted cotton candy into a syrup and added it to a can of Mello Yello, but managed to keep it from becoming too sweet. You do taste the "active ingredients" such as caffeine, guarana, taurine, and ginseng, but they are by no means overpowering. The aftertaste? Hardly even worth mentioning, because it's gone so quickly, and isn't bad at all to begin with. I have to say that I really like the taste of Monster, and would drink it as easily as any of the soft drinks that I might normally drink. Score: 9
Aftereffects: To me it seemed like it was instant. Expecting a harsh-tasting energy drink, I actually found the taste refreshing, so that may just be a partially placebo response. But the feeling persisted and built upon itself after that, so I guess that doesn't really matter. Two of Monster's "Energy Blend" ingredients are fancy words for simple and complex sugars, which might be why you feel a rush so quickly. But all the energy drinks reviewed have about the same amount of sugar, so that only makes sense if Monster's got some sort of special balance going on between the simple and complex sugars that the others don't. If that's the case, then while that's burning off, it gives the caffeine/guarana and other ingredients time to affect you. The reason I group caffeine and guarana together is because guarana is basically just another caffeine source. Guarana extract contains "pure" natural caffeine, whereas standalone caffeine is usually procured from decaffeinating coffee or tea. But back to the matter at hand: the sugars jump-start you, and keep going while the other ingredients get "warmed up", I guess you could say. When I drank a can slowly beginning at 6AM throughout the morning of my Thursday shift, I experienced a quick pick-me-up and solid follow-through. I noticed a bit of hand jitter when I went to write down some machine configurations, but not much. I definitely felt as if I'd gotten a full night's sleep, and even felt a little energetic past that. When I drank one (quickly) on Saturday afternoon, I felt amped up and felt like I was up for pretty much anything. I didn't have any urges to go screaming down the street in my skivvies, but I did feel energized. Oddly enough I didn't feel any hand jitter whatsoever. I think the reason for this is that I had not eaten yet Thursday morning when I had the drink, and had already eaten a burger for lunch a couple of hours before I had the Monster on Saturday. Score: 9

nubulicious' Review
The Taste: This is probably the best tasting energy drink out there. It has more flavor than red bull, yet it still more suttle than Sobe Adrenaline Rush. Its hard to describe the taste, so just go out an buy one it wont dissappoint. Score: 9
Aftereffects: Once again I believe this drink is superior in this category to most of the stuff you find on the shelf next to it. It has just enough for you to get the job done, but its not so overwhelming that you will loose 10Ib in the next two days. I, as most people, get up pretty early and need something to wake me up for the long day ahead. Ive tried many things, anything from coffee to caffeine mints, but nothing feels right. That is except Monster, this thing will wake you right up, not leave a nasty aftertaste and make your workday go by just a little faster. The only downside is the $2 price, it would take about $40 a month to support the habbit, which compared to a can of coffee is much more expensive. So if you have the means go ahead and make your morning a Monster morning. Score: 9.5

Overall Gamer Bait Score: 9

Next up: Rockstar

New 8600 and DX10 Value Cards

Many people are aware of Nvidia’s recent launch of the low and mid range DirectX 10 cards. People are questioning if the 8600 series will have enough punch to handle next-gen released games.

“NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600 graphics processors feature the award-winning GeForce 8 Series architecture with unparalleled levels of graphics realism and performance for Microsoft® DirectX® 9 and DirectX 10 games for the pricepoint.”

What sets the new 8000 series apart from Nvidia’s older line of cards is its new architecture. The 7-series cards were based off the G70 and 71, while the newer 8-series cards are based off of the G80. This is the first thing people need to realize when comparing the specifications of both card series. The 8800 GTS has 96 stream processors while the 8600 GTS has only 32. Many people are criticizing the cards because of this, as well as for the fact that the 8600 GTS models only house a 128-bit memory controller. However, when comparing charts (click here for chart), the 8600 GTS still outperforms a Radeon X1950 Pro. Also, the 8600 GTS only puts out memory at a rate of 32 GB/s while still outperforming the Radeon X1950 Pro at 44 GB/s. This goes to show that the new architecture of the G80 is quite an impressive feat for Nvidia. This is why people need to compare performance based on actual charts, rather than through specifications. However in other games, the 8600 GTS pulls slightly under the X1950 Pro (click here for chart). This is most likely due to drivers that have yet to be optimized for the mass of DX9 games. We find that many games are having patches released to optimize performance with DX10 cards.

If you're one who isn't concerned with gaming, it would still be wise to consider the cheaper 8500 cards, as they will perform exceptionally well for business applications. There is little heat output and Gigabyte has released a fanless heat sink version that will please those who are concerned about noise. The 8500 cards still come with dual DVI outputs and a few offer HDTV as well.

Some are a bit hesitant to fork over big bucks towards a higher end 8800 GTS. It would be wise to take a look at the new 8600 series that Nvidia has to offer. With it you’ll get DX10 capabilities for the future and many card retailers are releasing HDTV adapters. This will allow the consumer to hook up to their chosen HDTV and use it as a monitor. Either way you could still do the same thing through a DVI cable if your HDTV supports it. Based on the charts the 8600 still easily handles current-gen games. Remember that ATI is planning a release of their new cards supporting DX10, so it would be wise to hold off if you’re still unsure of a purchase.

Source - AnandTech

D&K2C: Ep 31

The weekly podcast is up, and you should check it out. This week in addition to the gaming segment, we discuss the new website for Damon & Klitts' Podcast, the tragedy at Virginia Tech, as well as the usual assortment of random news and feature segments. Also of note: they've got a comment line set up in the form of a voicemail, so go ahead and give it a ring. Be it a shoutout, a question for anyone involved in the podcast, a thumbs-up/thumbs-down, or anything else that strikes your fancy, try it out: 206-666-5053. Also this week I'm going to include the media player in this podcast post, although I don't know if I'll continue to do this because I don't want to keep people from checking out the podcast site itself. As a final note, Gamer Bait is looking for writers! If you're interested, send us an email at gamerbait@gmail.com or IM us on AIM using the screen name Gamer Bait. Thanks, and enjoy!


From the gaming segment:

• Nvidia releases new DX10 cards
• Snoop Dogg wants his Xbox
• Command & Conquer 3 Demo on XBL
• Wii still doing well
• Resident Evil for the Wii EU launch date
• Sony
1. PS3 1.70 firmware update
2. Over 100 games to be released in Q2 for Sony platforms
3. Job cuts abound
   
• Xbox
1. New backwards-compatibility update
2. 360 Elite trade-in programs
3. 360 Elite on eBay
   
• Halo
  
1. New ongoing Halo comic book by Marvel
2. Halo map remakes available for download
3. Mountain Dew Game Fuel: the semi-official drink of Halo 3
   

-Glock

Extra Bait

Microsoft is aiming high (or low) to help spread its popular software like Windows and Office. They are deciding to market some of these software suits for as low as $3 in countries like China which have experienced a huge techonlogical progression in the recent years. It probably should also be noted that this is a partial effort in helping to combat pirated material, which is a very dominant practice in the Asian markets.

"According to Microsoft, the software is part of a “new commitment to help close the digital divide” and an effort to “bring social and economic opportunity to the estimated 5 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of technology.”"

However in order to recieve this offer

"Governments will have to subsidize the purchase prize of a PC by a margin of greater than 50%, at least 10,000 PCs have to be ordered at once and delivered in a single language in a single year, and the software must be activated using Microsoft’s general software activation process."

This is not the first time these startegies were implemented, and hopefully not the last.

_________________________________________________________

We here at GamerBait have reported on several past incidents of mass identity theft from various companies and school, and here we go again,

"An online user by the pseudonym MaddoxX has posted a message on an anti-Valve site with pictures of what he claims are internal Valve files, including the company's balance sheet and customer transaction data."

However unlike the majority of these incidents which benefit directly from customer information, it appears that the hacker is holding the files for a pay off or ransom from Valve. Aside from the gloating he had this to say,

"I prefer you come with something good unless you want me to expose ALL of the customers [and] their information."

No response from Valve has been issued at this time.
_______________________________________________________


Now some comedy for everyone following the PS3 fiasco. About 2 months ago I mentioned here at GB that Sony was in no hurry to drop the price of the PS3. It was a bold statement in an interview with Gamedaily which asked Phil Harris,

"But don't you feel pressure from the realities of the market and people who maybe don't want to spend $600? Do you feel there is pressure to drop the price this year?"

to which he responded,

"Absolutely no pressure at all. I think that the reality of the market is that there's a great deal of software people want to buy, there's a great deal of software coming that will stimulate further activity in the market. We're very comfortable with the plan."

Fast forward to today and this statement came from the President of Sony, Ryoji Chubachi,

"We are re-examining our [PS3] budgeting process in terms of pricing and volume. Sales assumptions change and the market is competitive. We are in the midst of revisiting our strategy for the PS3."

This back and forth talk reminds me of good ol' Bush administration.

Source, Sony, Hacker, Microsoft.

Today, we are all Hokies...

Before now, for my generation there were two instances that stood alone in our minds...where we could instantly recall what we were doing when we heard the news; the day after Columbine, and the morning of September 11th. Now there's a third.

Monday, April 16th, 2007.

Monday, April sixteenth...two thousand seven.

That date has been emblazoned upon my brain along with "33 dead, 15 injured" ever since I got home from work on Tuesday and turned on the news. I've not been able to get my head around all of it, and my thoughts and prayers go out to anyone and everyone affected by this tragedy. Still, it really wasn't getting to me. Wasn't. Past tense. Today, I saw pictures of those killed on Tuesday, as part of a tribute video clip. I read a little about each victim; mostly just snippets about their majors and where they were from. But the pictures and little snippets of information about the victims made them suddenly incredibly real to me. I watched that video clip with a heavy heart, as pictures of the fallen flashed up one by one. A wave of sadness washed over me as I realized just how many people had died; the pictures just kept coming. Photos of people that had died for no reason at all.

As I continued to read articles related to the shootings at Virginia Tech, my sadness turned to anger. Everywhere I looked, I saw people exploiting the shootings to further their own agendas. Politicians, profiteers, and general opportunists across the nation were taking advantage of the coverage to benefit themselves, in many cases within hours of the shootings.

Despicable.

But as I continued to read, the anger faded a little. All over the country, people were reaching out with their words to show their support for the families and friends of the victims. Additionally, tribute videos have flooded YouTube, there are countless Facebook and MySpace groups in relation to the shootings (one with over 265,000 members; in the time it took me to write this article, the group grew by three thousand members), and the image of "VT" over a black ribbon has become ubiquitous. And it's not just United States citizens; I've read condolences and support from the world over, from as near as Canada to as far away as New Zealand.

All of this has made me realize just how much I value the people in my life, as cheesy as that sounds. I can't imagine how I'd feel if something like this were to happen to them. Hopefully I won't ever have to find out. And if you're reading this, then I hope the same for you.

- Glock

Are piracy complaints legit?

A few days ago, the US decided to file two piracy complaints against China. Humphrey Cheung of tgdaily.com reports that

"Susan Schwab filed the complaints with the World Trade Organization in Geneva and alleged that American companies lose billions of dollars a year to Chinese piracy."

Now you should first think about this for a second; if this music had no pirated alternatives would all these people go out and spend their cash to buy it? The music and software companies seem to exaggerate these claims, and as they have a pretty strong representation in Congress they generally can drive their objectives pretty far. In a country like China legal copies of many CDs can cost many times more then their pirated counterparts. Now lets look at the salary comparison,

"A professional employee could earn an annual salary of approximately 100,000RMB (approx. US$12,000) while a factory worker or an ordinary employee could expect about 36,000 RMB (approx US$4,340)."

With those numbers its hard to understand how anyone can spend several times more for the same exact content. So instead of filing useless complaints, how about investing into other sources of revenue that can be generated via their products?

In related news Microsoft will soon offer music without DRM.

"Microsoft is jumping on the DRM-free music bandwagon and will be offering unprotected EMI songs in its Zune Marketplace. Jason Reindorp, Zune’s head of marketing, announced the move, but didn’t add any specific pricing or timeline. He added that Microsoft has been advocating DRM-free music for quite a while."

Perhaps another move to help improve the Zune sales, but at least it's a move in the right direction.

Source, DRM and Salary and Complaints.

D&K2C: Ep 30

This week marks a milestone for Damon, Klitts, and the Roundtable: today they've released their 30th episode of Damon and Klitts' Two Cents. Friday the 13th? Who cares, we've got an hour and a half of jibber-jabber ready for you to listen to. If you don't have that much time to kill, feel free to jump around and find what you like. I guarantee that there's something in there for you, be it gaming news from yours truly, sports, wrestling, movies, general news, or personal interest discussions on a variety of topics. This week from our end, I talk about:

• Circuit City
• Half-Life 2: Episode 2/Team Fortress 2
• PSP Phone?
• Nintendo stocks
• Xbox 360 Elite Mother's Day Contest
• New song packs for GH2
• Guitar Hero III
• Halo:
1. Halo 4?
2. Halo 3 Documentary Clip
3. Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta going live
   

And of course all the other random things tabled throughout the podcast, including the Imus debate. Tune in and check it out!

- Glock

Extra Bait

If you have been getting tired of WoW recently, there is some good news out there. On Thursday

"Turbine, Inc. announced today that the World Tour of Middle-earth has officially begun. Over one million North American gamers are planned to be invited to this event where they can play The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for free from April 6th until its scheduled launch on April 24th."

So if you're one of the lucky "few", go ahead and enjoy the time, if not you can still go and check out their site here.

Now if you thought you haven't seen the iPod killer, the Zune, on the streets lately it's probably due to the lack of sales. However instead of going to the obvious strategy of lowering the price to pose an actual threat to the iPod, the good folks over at Microsoft decided that perhaps it was the color that was hurting the sales. So now you will soon be able to purchase the Zune in 2 new colors, Watermelon Red and Baby Pink. The price is set for $249, however some have been going on eBay for over $960.

As a good number of our readers use Firefox I would recommend a video from the people over at CNET. The video gives 3 tips for making the browser suck up less memory and thus run faster. You can check it out here.

For those who might have missed the coverage of the 2007 New York Auto Show you can certainly catch up on all the great photos and videos here. The year looks to be very promising and even though most of us can't buy up every car we like, they are just too pretty to ignore. Some of the big points; GM is losing a lot of the market share to the foreign companies, thus in an effort to become more globaly oriented they are bringing in their Asian design studios to display the concepts on the show floor for everyone to get familiar with, perhaps hinting towards some major changes in the company. Check out the pics above, not the typical Chevy design.

And finally the iPod contracts a virus, which has been specifically designed for it.

"Kaspersky Lab created Podloso, a specially designed iPod virus, to show off a minor hole in the iPod platform. "Podloso is a typical proof of concept virus, which is created in order to demonstrate that it is possible to infect a specific platform," said Kaspersky."

You can check out the rest of the story here.

D&K2C: Ep 29

It's that time of week again...it looks like Gamer Bait may well have an ongoing segment as part of the Damon and Klitts' Two Cents podcast. This week I discuss more news on the Xbox 360 Elite, as well as Guitar Hero II (and an accessory that, when mentioned, causes an uncontrollable outburst from an unnamed member of the round table). Also covered: GTA IV release dates, Rock Band (Harmonix's latest music video game), Nintendo's sales figures, and Smackdown vs. Raw 2008. As you listen, you may notice a little bit of a delay between the round table and myself, which becomes more pronounced the longer the show runs. The reason for this is that I am really phoning in the podcast from the Middle East (by which of course I mean that it's the Skype delay coupled with a slight recording delay). So if you hear us talking over one another, know that we're not rude, it's just the delay throwing things out of sync. All that aside, the podcasts are definitely worth a download, and I hope you guys are enjoying listening to them as much as I am enjoying being part of them. Go check it out and listen to the podcast in its entirety if you have the time. Because it's the weekend, and you're bored.

- Glock

Gears of War: New Multiplayer Mode, and the Value of Fun vs. Innovation

Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, recently made a brief post on the Gears of War message boards outlining the next title update for the game. Included will be fixes for a number of glitches, 720p support for VGA users running at 1280x1024, and a brand new multiplayer gametype called "Annex". Speculation and hopes flooded the board, until CliffyB (Cliff Bleszinski, also of Epic Games) stepped in and posted a (very) short reply:

::respawning::

This helps confirm the supposition that Annex will be a territory-based gameplay model, and many are hoping for a CTF (Capture the Flag) mode. As far as glitches go, we're earnestly hoping that they're fixing the instant chainsaw explosion kill in particular. Of all the glitches exploited in the game, that one is very likely the most frustrating one of all. I was going to post a video of the glitch, but couldn't find a video that had decent footage of the glitch in action that wasn't a tutorial. Since I find it so frustrating in-game, I reasoned that it would be somewhat hypocritical to post a tutorial for the glitch. Anyway, we're keeping our eyes out for more updates this week, and will keep you posted as we receive them.

Update: Microsoft apparently put up details at this URL, but yanked them back down, saying that the date was wrong. However, the info outlining gameplay for Annex was correct. Basically, it'll be a King of the Hill scenario. Read the whole shebang here.

Updated Update: The details at the above URL are back up, and the update itself was released on Monday, April 9th at 4PM PDT.

On a less technical front, Epic Games producer Rod Fergusson talked at GO3 last weekend in response to criticism of Gears, which said that the 2006 Game of the Year wasn't terribly "innovative". His argument? A game should primarily be designed to be fun, not necessarily innovative.

"That was the thing that bothered me with some of the early European reaction to Gears, that it wasn't being innovative enough. There's no mandate in the games industry that we have to make games that are totally innovative--the mandate is to make games that are fun."

"I'm sure everyone has heard of games where people say, oh, it's very innovative, but it's not fun to play. Well, that's death, even if it is innovative. It's about finding that sweet spot between evolution and revolution."

Yes, games must evolve. The way we play games and how games are presented to us will never cease to change. But I would much rather publishers sold games that I enjoyed over games that I thought looked cool. Currently the game that I play the most is a mod for a game released in 2002. No, it's not as pretty as S.T.A.L.K.E.R., but it's fun, and that's what brings me back. So Epic gets the nod for realizing that a balance must be struck "between evolution and revolution," as they put it.

- Glock

Extra Bait

So for a more casual look on the web I bring to you some of the more interesting clips and news I gathered on the net today for all to enjoy. First I bring to you a clip that most should have seen already, but if you haven't here is another take on the Black Eyed Peas "My Humps"



Another video you might enjoy is the rip on the PS3 to a pretty popular song, take a look here.



To all the Wii owners out there, Resident Evil 4 has been confirmed for a release. Some details have been released on how you will use the Wiimote, take a look,

The Wiimote is used to aim a targeting cursor in order to target and fire at your enemies. To reload, you hold down on the B trigger and shake the Wiimote. In case you were wondering, the built-in speaker is being programmed with a reload sound effect.

The Wiimote is also used for close-range attacks. When an enemy approaches, all you have to do is give the Wiimote a little of the shake-shake. The game automatically detects the direction of the enemy and makes Leon perform a knife attack. This move can also be used against trees and barrels.

Read the rest here.

On a side note you can check out a video from ABC here which asks "Are you more familiar with the Idols or the Candidates?" However I doubt you will be surprised by the results.

The Life and Times of Take-Two Interactive

Without a doubt, Take-Two Interactive is the company name on everyone in the game industry's lips these days. From attacking (and being attacked by) deranged lawyer-politicians from Florida in the legal arena, to realizing a net loss of $185 million in fiscal '06 (and subsequently announcing that they were up for sale), Take-Two hasn't had it easy of late. But the thing is, all that has just been the beginning of the current episode of ongoing turmoil and media coverage of the company's existence.

Stockholders kicked CEO Paul Eibeler to the proverbial curb last Thursday, installing Ben Feder as their new chief exec (although the plan is to replace him after the company gets back on track; possibly within a year). Other upper-level types were given the same treatment, with fresh faces stepping into fill the vacated (read: smoking) shoes. Among them was Strauss Zelnick (pictured), hand-picked by investors as the new chairman for the also-newly-formed board of directors. After such an extensive internal revolution, many are wondering if Take-Two should even be considering selling (no new news on that as of yet). Regardless, Take-Two's stock jumped after the coup, which is always good news for a company so far in the red based on the previous year (see above). Zelnick has stated that stability for the company is priority one, saying,

"We need to stabilize the company at the corporate level and give stakeholders, both shareholders and employees, comfort that we will maximize the value of the company."

Stability topping the to-do list, Zelnick has said that maintaining the books and keeping all the numbers straight (a problem for former CEO Eibeler) will be a constant priority, and that they are not ruling out reducing the workforce in order to streamline the company and make it more efficient:

"We will be candid with people about that. Running the company in an efficient manner is important to us and we think running a lean corporate operation will help shareholders."

All suit-and-tie matters aside, Take-Two released the first trailer mere hours after the takeover for their upcoming game Grand Theft Auto IV, due out October 16th of this year. That was late Thursday. The media sensationalists and politicians of New York City promptly went nuts on Friday morning. The NY Daily News claims that the "ultraviolent" game, set in a fictional city closely resembling NYC (dubbed "Liberty City"), has "little in common with reality." It's obvious that our esteemed colleagues at NYDN and those duly elected to office in the great city of New York are familiar with the concept of "fiction", and may or may not be aware of such precedents as books, feature films, and the ever-popular radio dramas of old. The three writers who penned the story for NYDN decided to include their own bit of fiction:

"In previous incarnations, players advanced through the game by killing cops, selling pornography to children and killing prostitutes."

Never mind the fact that there are no children in Grand Theft Auto titles to begin with to sell any pornography to...the story must be told! I imagine that the writers would claim artistic license if confronted, if only for irony's sake. Not content to let the press shoulder the responsibility of making silly public statements regarding the game, Peter Vallone---City Councilman for the city---said,

"Setting Grand Theft Auto in the safest big city in America would be like setting Halo in Disneyland."

While New York has been given the title of "Safest Big City", I believe that the crime rate is still slightly higher than that of Walt's family paradise. Setting GTA in New York is more like setting Crash Bandicoot in Disneyland, or setting Halo in the world of Invader Zim. And setting Halo in Disneyland would be more akin to setting GTA in a Cub Scout soap box derby---neither of which is happening (yet!). It's apparent that Vallone was not elected to his position as chairman of the Council’s Public Safety Committee solely on his ability to make accurate analogies.

Regardless of the setting or any fabrications designed by a sensationalist newspaper journalist, the fact remains that this is a work of fiction depicting fictional crime in an American city. Once again, the real problem is not the content, but rather the sociopolitical stigma associated with video games. Many films and other works have been based off of or involved crime and/or violence in major American cities, including New York City itself. Off the top of my head: the Godfather trilogy, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, American Psycho, Die Hard, Escape from New York, Shaft, Deuces Wild, King of New York...the list goes on. Fictional violence and crime in New York is not a new thing. "Liberty City" has been part of the Grand Theft Auto franchise for awhile now, but only recently has there been such an uproar over the game's supposed reflection on the Big Apple. As Flynn de Marco has said on the matter, if GTA IV were a movie and the city was being paid accordingly, you'd have not heard a peep from those that are up in arms today.

But Take-Two isn't just facing opposition from New Yorkers. In Denver, Colorado, the company lost the right to advertise for GTA on buses (Denver is one of a handful of cities citing this new policy), but has won the right to advertise on the train system. How? The Regional Transportation District initially refused to green-light the ads, but upon pressure from Take-Two (who argued that refusing to allow the ads infringed on their First Amendment rights), decided to pocket the money and put up the advertisements. Rocky Mountain News criticized the RTD for their decision, stating that the First Amendment is irrelevant in regards to advertising contracts. Brian Crecente (pictured), editor of Kotaku and formerly also a columnist for the Rocky Mountain News (he left RMN for reasons unrelated to this article; March 31 of this year was his last day with the newspaper), wonders why RMN didn't mention anything to him while they were writing their editorial, seeing as he was still working there as their gaming news columnist. It's not that he's slighted---it's that they're "deliberately missing the point of this story". Crecente had the opportunity to talk to Gavin McKiernan, the National Grassroots Director for the Parents Television Council, about the general issue. McKiernan stated that while they were concerned with the content of the games being advertised,

"The bigger concern is with the medium."

Essentially, video games are somehow inherently more harmful to the consumers than television or movies, which is the reason his group is not actively pursuing any restrictions on advertisements for, say, R-rated movies.

I suppose that means that Take-Two should start writing a screenplay. That's a movie ticket I wouldn't mind paying full price for, considering.

- Glock

Additional sources one and two.

Is that a new outfit?

Undoubtedly, many of you have noticed that Gamer Bait has undergone some changes over the past five days or so. We've moved from a simple, two-column, average-blog-style layout to what we hope is a more professional looking three-column format. The website is now optimized for a viewing resolution of 1024x768 or larger, since the vast majority of our readers (97%) use at least that resolution. A few weeks ago, we added Google AdSense pay-per-click ads to the site in an effort to generate a little bit of revenue for some of the changes and improvements that are still on the way for the site. Along with the layout revamp, we've exchanged the original text-based ads for graphical advertisements which (we hope) will blend in with the site a little bit better. We've added ourselves onto both AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and Xfire, so that you can reach us in real-time if you choose to (assuming we're online). You can of course still reach us by email at gamerbait@gmail.com. And as I outlined in my post on Friday, we've branched out into another medium entirely with the weekly gaming segment found on Damon & Klitts' Two Cents podcast. This past week has been the first major step towards what our "final vision" for Gamer Bait is, and more changes are on the way. We thank you for bearing with us through our growing pains as we try to improve Gamer Bait to better serve you. It'll be awhile before we have any more major announcements as far as major changes to the site or other projects, so we'll be back to our usual "programming" starting tomorrow.

- Glock