RPGCast - Episode 143: "AlwaysSummer"

Crytpic is giving us another chance to venture into the world of NeverWinter. Meanwhile, Square Enix is confusing the entire internet again. The biggest story of all is that Manny is getting his teeth pulled. These exclusives and more on this week's RPGCast.

'Dragonquest IX' heats up series

'Dragonquest IX'? Where do I begin? Without a doubt, it is an impressive addition to the series. As the game begins, you are a Celestrian Guardian who needs to recover scattered "Fyggs". What are "Fyggs" you may ask? "Fyggs" are fruit from a sacred tree.

'Lost Planet 2' fails big

The tagline for Lost Planet 2 is 'kill big'. Turns out Capcom did a spectacular, monumental, and grandiose job at sabotaging its own game, a game that could have been one of the greatest action titles so far in the 21st century.

ALBERTA OILFIELD TERRORISTS

These pictures were taken in northern Alberta when some oilfield workers showed up one morning. It's not unusual to see elk, moose or deer, but bears are a little uncommon. Apparently these guys were in and around the jobsite for an hour before they finally wandered off into the bush.

THE BANK JOB

Just finished reading Heist by Howard Sounes. In February 2006, a bunch of villains stole 53 million quid from a cash warehouse in Tonbridge, Kent by kidnapping the boss and his family and threatening to kill them unless he helped them steal the money. They also had an inside man.

Kent police were on to them pretty quickly, but not quick enough to let Paul Allen and the ringleader, Lee Murray escape to Morocco. About half the money was found, but the rest is spread between Northern Cyprus, Dubai and somewhere in the Carribean.

The book deals with the actual robbery, the police investigation and the court case. Despite what was printed in the press at the time, the villains weren't criminal masterminds but local buffoons who were incredibly lucky to get away with it (one of the robbers, Lea Rusha, actually had plans to the depot in his house when police raided it). In the end, 'Lightning' Lee Murray was sentenced in Morocco for his part in the heist and Paul Allen pleaded guilty back in the UK.

It's a cracking read (although probably not the best police book you'll ever read) and although it goes into some depth doesn't get bogged down the the details. While most police work in the UK involves petty stuff, it's interesting to see how a major investigation works and the amount of resources that can be devoted to it.

I had a minor role taking statements in the Great Kestrel House Heist of 2006, in the absence of anyone else to deal.

One of the few things I miss are the few remaining traditions of UK policing, like the suit wearing CID, the arcane language ('stolen by means of keys???') and the decent blaggings. We don't get much of that round here, mainly I suspect because all the CIT (Cash in Transit) drivers are armed. Also it's not as if you can do one bank in Calgary, then drive over to say, Winnipeg, and do one the following day because it's just too far.

MAPPED OUT

I'm planning to walk 300 kilometres through the Rocky Mountains from Jasper to Kakwa Lake Provincial Park in a couple of weeks.

Just before I left the UK, I did the Pennine Way, which is just over 400 kilometres but there are some important differences. When I did the Pennine Way, although I took my own tent I could re-stock every couple of days as I went through villages along the way. I could also stop by a pub and have a pint if I felt like it. I stayed in campsites most nights and could have a hot shower.

On this walk, there are two of us going and there's absolutely nothing between where we start and where we finish so we've got to be self-sufficient for the whole journey. The trails aren't especially good either, so there might be a bit of bushwacking. On the upside, the scenery is amazing with big lakes, mountains, glaciers and the like.

The wildlife is pretty scary though, in the sense that on the Pennine Way the biggest aminal you're likely to meet is a deer that will run away as soon as it sees you. Over here, there's every chance you'll see a Grizzly which might not run off. To this end, I'm getting some bear spray and hoping for the best. A firearm is out of the question because part of the route goes through National Parks where they are banned.

Apart from the bear deterrent, I'm not taking much else that I didn't take on the Pennine Way. I'm bringing a length of rope for the river crossings, renting a satellite phone and investing in a Clark Jungle Hammock.

I'm looking forward to it and I'm right in the middle of getting the maps ready. Below you can see all my maps on the floor of the basement (which I spent the winter renovating). Looks quite a long way now!

RPGCast - Episode 140: "It's Mortal Kombat"

Cataclysm impressions, Dragon Quest IX multiplayer, and Mortal Kombat highlight this week's show. Mikel also gives you his Pokémon trading rant.

A whole other Metroid universe

So you've put hundreds of hours into the 'Metroid Prime' series and can name off every boss, every weapon, and the placement of every secret powerup without breaking a sweat. You've scanned everything right down to the tiniest plant species and couldn't imagine another Metroid game without a first-person view. Well, if you're looking forward to the newest entry in the series, 'Metroid: Other M', you'd better forget everything you know and love from the 'Prime' series.

Fatal flaw ruins 'UFC Undisputed 2010'

An avid mixed martial arts fan, my expectations of 2009's 'UFC Undisputed' were not great. MMA offered a terrific platform for an immersive sports game but developers would have to deliver the authenticity and nuances of the rapidly-growing combat sport.

BUSY WEEKEND

Here are some pictures I took at the flag football game between the EPS and EFD, in aid of the Stollery Children's Hospital.

Here's a picture of Barney, the EPS mascot:

Just to Barney's left is his bodyguard, an EPS cadet, who makes sure that Barney doesn't trip over his own feet. The lion is the mascot for D.A.R.E. , the popular North American anti-drug education program.

The game was on Saturday, and the police beat the firefighters as normal.

Today, I've been canoeing down the North Saskatchewan river, which runs through Edmonton. Here's a view...

We started at Devon and paddled all the way down to the Valley Zoo in just over four hours. This was taken inside the Edmonton city limits.