Jitendra, The EA Customer Service Robot

One of the downsides of buying games 2nd hand or preowned is that often, DLC codes or codes used to import content onto your harddrive have already been used by their previous owner.

This happened to me when I bought a 2nd hand copy of Rock Band 2. At the time, I was still in college - thus, had a lack of funds to spend on games - so practically everything I bought was 2nd hand - usually from the local CeX in town. I'd previously imported the songs from Rock Band 1 and the song packs - as I like to have a massive library to choose from. I was due to get Rock Band 3 when it came out, so I wanted to import the songs from Rock Band 2 as well.

When I discovered that my Rock Band 2 came without a manual, and thus, without the code that was printed on the back of the manual - I decided to take my issue to the EA customer service department on their website.

Long story short, I ended up buying another copy of Rock Band 2 that had a manual and a code and trading in my old copy back to CeX. Why? Well read the conversation I had with Jitendra, the EA Customer Service Robot and find out for yourselves:

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Jitendra: Hi, my name is Jitendra. How may I help you?

2406577524: Hi, when I bought my copy of Rock Band 2, it didn't come with a manual and I wanted the code to import the songs - is there a way I can get a replacement?

Jitendra: For replacement you need to contact the warranty department.

Jitendra: Could you please let me know the exact issue.

2406577524: I don't have a code to import the songs into Rock Band 3

Jitendra: All right. In order to resolve your issue, may I know your  E mail account associated with your EA account?

2406577524: mog_anarchy@hotmail.co.uk

Jitendra: May I have your date of birth please.

2406577524: 24/09/91

Jitendra: I am sorry. Date of birth is not match with the detail available in our data base .

2406577524: 24th of September 1991

Jitendra: I am sorry its not correct.

Jitendra: Could you please let me know any game key which is registered under your account.

2406577524: The Sims 3 is registered, where do I find the key?

2406577524: Oh, I found it - it's BDTM-6DYS-BU9W-VE8Q

2406577524: Sorry, the one on the back of the manual - 19425

Jitendra: All right. Please wait.

Jitendra: Kindly use this code   B39NPNHCHXMCHCPJ

2406577524: Thanks for helping

Jitendra: Kindly try with the given code and then let me know  whether it's working or not..

Jitendra: It's working or not.

2406577524: Hold on a second

2406577524: No, it says the code isn't valid

2406577524: Will the code work on the PAL version?

Jitendra: Pal version? What exactly it mean.

2406577524: The European version of Rock Band 2

Jitendra: All right. please wait. I provide  you the another code.

Jitendra: G3B9-35BQ-QAHL

Jitendra: Kindly try with this code.

2406577524: It says the code isn't valid either

Jitendra: Again.

Jitendra: Wait let me check.

Jitendra: PNGM-79NA-FDET

Jitendra: Kindly use this code.

2406577524: That one doesn't work either.

2406577524: The PAL version codes are 25-digits long, these are too short.

Jitendra: B3ZCGG83XPCG7A7A

Jitendra: Try this.

2406577524: Doesn't work.

Jitendra: Wait let me check why its happening.

Jitendra: I suggest you please contact our warranty department.

2406577524: OK thanks for helping

You have disconnected.

Petty Niggles: Borderlands 2's Shitty Snow Effects

I loved the original Borderlands - and it had been a while since I treated myself to a new game, so I invested in a copy of Borderlands 2. Yes, I know I'm almost 2 years late, but listen to me for a minute. 

When Borderlands 2 came out in the UK, during launch week and for the first few months, it was around £30-£39.99 in shops and online. I waited and for virtually the same price, I bought the Deluxe Vault Hunter's Edition (because I love collectors editions and all the random goodies they come packaged with) and the season pass, which contains all 4 DLC campaigns. The game was £26 and the season pass was £19.99. So for just over the original retail price - I've gotten the game, all of the bonus goodies (including the amazing Marcus bobblehead) and all 4 DLC packs. And all I had to do was wait 2 years. :P

Seriously - when most games come out, their collector's editions range from £80 to like £150 - wait a few years and you can get them from £10-£50 (depending on the game, of course - Duke Nukem Forever's limited edition is only £12 now, while Fallout: New Vegas is still around £60) I'm considering buying some of the limited editions when I get some money - just for the lovely boxes, art books and bonus crap - even if I already have the standard game (i.e. Duke Nukem Forever, Alan Wake, Fable III etc.)

Anyway - after waiting like 4 hours for the game and all of the DLC packs to bloody install, I've been playing it non-stop. I love it, it's awesome. So far, I wouldn't say it's AS immersive as the original, but I can sense change in the air. Or should I say, the snow.

Yes, the snow. It's getting on my nerves. Not because of the atmosphere, or the sound effects or anything like that. But because of THIS:

Why is the fucking snow hitting the screen?! Does REAL snow hit you in the EYES? No, it fucking doesn't! Even if you wear glasses, like I do - snow doesn't plaster itself all up in your eyeballs. And snow that falls as slowly and gently as the snow in Borderlands 2 certainly doesn't! You'd need to be standing in a serious blizzard with a motorbike helmet on! And how many of the four starting character actually wear something over their face/eyes? ONE. It's Zero. Who I am NOT playing as! I'm playing as the Siren character, Maya (because I played as Lilith in Borderlands 1 and loved the Siren's ability). She doesn't wear ANYTHING on her head!

You would think by now, with video games becoming more realistic and whatnot - they'd iron out this sort of shit. But no. Even sometimes in games like Fallout 3/New Vegas when the screen gets covered in blood, I think it's a bit too much - but you seriously need to be getting hit in the face, get a crippling blow to the head or be popping out of your mam's fanny before the screen really gets blurry and bloodied up. 

Unless your character wears glasses or a helmet - rain/snow/blood/etc should NOT be hitting the goddamn screen!

Miiverse Code Of Conduct: The Strangest Guideline Ever?

So as I said in my last post, I've had a few posts on the Miiverse taken down because I wrote a link to my blog in them - thus I've become very bitter and twisted and started reporting any other posts I see with web links or YouTube profiles or whatever in them. 

So I decided to review the Miiverse Code Of Conduct to see exactly WHERE it said this - and I came across a very strange rule; one that I've never seen on Xbox Live guidelines, forum rules and general online gaming and social platforms. It was something along the lines of:

"PLAYERS MUST NOT POST ANYTHING RELATING TO EXCREMENT, VOMITING ETC. WHICH MAY MAKE OTHER USERS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE."

Seriously, WTF?

Not that I would, but we're not allowed to mention puke or poop? Well I had a good long trawl through the Earthbound community - because when I think of vomit in video games, I think of this guy:

This is Master Belch (later known as Master Barf) from Earthbound - an animated, talking, evil pile of VOMIT. So Nintendo, are us members of the Earthbound community not allowed to discuss tactics or opinions of this guy because he's a pile of sick?

As for "excrement" - there's tons of stuff, namely things like Conker's Bad Fur Day, No More Heroes, Banjo-Kazooie... Or even someone proclaiming "this game is crap", or "this game is the shit!" - are THESE against the community guidlines, Nintendo?

Fair enough, I can disagree with someone writing a huge in-depth description of the dump they took on Boxing Day, complete with its texture, scent and taste, no doubt was filled with pieces of turkey stuffing, mixed nuts and Christmas Cake - and probably smelled of Brussels sprouts - but where do we draw the line?

Bob-Omb Flavoured Pot Noodle?

OK Amazon, what the actual fuck?

I've recently ordered a handful of cool video game candy and products because I want to write some product reviews on my blog - so when I saw these little plastic Bob-Ombs from Mario that are filled with candy, I thought they were pretty cool:

 

[Amazon.co.uk link]

 

 

Well, for some reason when I checked my e-mails for the dispatch information, I saw THIS:

 



 

What the hell, I did NOT order a Bombay Bad Boy flavour Pot Noodle. I ordered a Mario Bob-Omb. (The same picture also shows up in my order history...)

If I end up getting a Pot Noodle in the post, I shall not be pleased.