Thanks for the add...

Like almost everyone I know, I've gone all Facebook.

Not that I want to be a 'friend collector', but feel free to add me as a friend.

The name? Grahame Robertson.

GAMING: Halo 3

The first reviews of Halo 3 are appearing online now, and it's scoring VERY highly. It's certainly whetting my appetite even further for the next chapter in this extraordinary gaming franchise.

If I didn't have so much to do at work on Wednesday, I'd be taking the day off to play Halo 3, but as it stands I'll have to wait until 6pm, when I get home.

This is probably the most important gaming release ever, and if I can tear myself away from it, I'll try and post my impressions before the end of this week.

Oh, and if anyone is interested in setting up a gay Halo 3 clan - leave me a message either here, or on Live. My gamertag is monkeybaby360.

GAMING: Re-evaluating the Wii.

Ah, the Nintendo Wii. Still in demand, and still outselling the 360 and PS3. But ask most gamers who've had one for more than a couple of months, and they'll tell you they love it, but they just don't play with it anymore.

It's certainly true in my case. I've not turned the thing on for over two months. Hi-def gaming on the 360 and PS3 has highlighted for me just how rubbish the Wiii looks in comparison on my HD telly. Talk about snobbery, but after a bout of Bioshock or Warhawk in glistening 1080i, turning on the Wii feels like someone just covered the screen with a pair of wrinkled tights.

Today though, that all changed. It's been a horrible day here in Manchester. Cold and wet. Instead of going out, my other half and I decided to stay in and watch telly. Then he mentioned he wouldn't mind a game of bowling on the Wii. He's not a gamer at all, so I jumped at the chance to share one of my passions with him. Steady!

Four hours later and we were still playing it. We even played a nine-hole round of golf. And we had so much fun doing it! Then it struck me. The Wii levels the playing field. The reason my other half doesn't turn the 360 on for a quick blast of Bioshock is because he's afraid he'll screw it up. He's afraid his confidence will take a bashing because he can't memorise the controller configuration, or grasp the games physics. And let's face it, why should he?

The Wii throws all that nonsense out the window. My other half won most of the games of bowling we played because he understands how to pick up a bowling ball and throw it. And he's got better aim than me. The Wii demands only that you have a good time.

So, if I don't turn it on again for another two months, that's fine. At least I know that when I do I'll have a bloody good time.

GADGETS: You scratch mine.

The iPod Touch is, of course, a very beautiful piece of technology. Ground-breaking interface, sleek curves... everything an Apple product should be. But what we all really want to know is if the screen will scratch after five minutes of use, right?

Thank goodness then, that this very silly chap decided to test the strength and scrath-resistance of his iPod Touch screen with pins, keys and a razor blade, film it and put it on You Tube.

All in all it looks pretty resiliant, and reassures me that when my iPod Touch arrives next week I won't have to snap on the Marigolds before I use it.

Pride in our work.

Manchester is currently in the grip of Pride fever. For four days the Gay Village is transformed into an event site hosting thousands of locals and visitors celebrating Manchester Pride.

For the Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF) - where I work - it's our busiest time of the year. We call it Gay Christmas. We've been preparing for it for months, and for many of the staff and volunteers the Parade is the highlight of the whole weekend.

I took my video camera into work yesterday to make a little video diary of everyone preparing for the Parade. The results of which you can see above.

Yes, I can see that your carpet is animated.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Sia is a very good pop star indeed.

It's an issue.

The new issue of outnorthwest is now in Shropshire being printed. I really enjoyed working on this one. Here's the cover.

This one celebrates 25 years of the Hacienda, amongst other things, and will be available across the north west from Wednesday 27th July.

If you're homosexual in any way, you might want to pick a copy up.

Flash!

Playstation 3 took a couple more steps to realising its potential today.

A recent PS3 firmware update promised PS1 game compatibility via downloads from the Playstation Store. Not only that, a firmware update for the PSP promised the same. But since then nothing much has happened to make use of the feature. Until today. Nestling nicely in the PS Store today were Wipeout, Crash Bandicoot and, best of all, Jumping Flash. These are all original Playstation games I remember playing... god, it must be nearly ten years ago. I guess they're officially retro now.

Of all those games, it's Jumping Flash (see video above) that holds the fondest memories. A pretty obscure early PS1 game, it didn't perform terribly well when it was released, but it was certainly original. Taking control of robot rabbit, called Robbit, the objective is to jump around various 3D levels collecting carrots. The level design is gorgeous, and verging on surreal, and to be playing it again all these years later is an absolute joy.

And, in a further boost for PS3/PSP synchronicity, it's also possible to download these PS1 games directly from your PS3 to your PSP (at no extra cost). Fantastic. I now have a pretty tidy collection of PS1 games I can take with me anywhere.

It might be a slow start, but the amount of time I spend on PS3 is now rivalling the time I spend on Xbox360. And it will only get better with even more downloads promised.


JUNK CULTURE

Music: Take It Like A Man - DRAGONETTE
Podcast: Mark Kermode - BBC
TV: Kyle XY - SEASON 2
Game: Jumping Flash - PLAYSTATION
Magazine: SciFi Now - ISSUE 3

Red Letter Day

I said in a previous post I'd let you see the new condom pack design.

And here it is.

You'll be able to pick the new pack up in a couple of months.

Nosey bastard

Due to the marvel that is the internet, I've added a couple of new features to the blog this evening.

If you look on the right hand column, you'll see two new additions - Twitter, and Just Listened To...

Twitter will give me a chance to add to the blog much more regularly, with short updates on what I'm up to. Even better, I can do it from my mobile phone, so look out for ocassional drunken message in there. If you've not seen Twitter in action, visit their site and you'll have a better idea of what it's all about, and why it's so popular.

Just Listened To is pretty obvious. Through LAST FM (a fantastic social-networking music site), you can check at any time of the day or night what I'm listening to (or what I've just listened to). It even knows what I've been listening to on my iPod. There will be some embaressing stuff there, I'm sure - especially during the hours I'm at work, but hopefully you'll see some music pop up on there you might want to seek out.

So there you. No part of my life is off limits it would seem...

I just walked in to find you here...

Hello. Long time no blog, eh?

There are any number of reasons/excuses I've not updated this for a while. None of which I'll bore you with; or even pretend you're interested in hearing about. Over the last few weeks though, a lot has happened.

So, here's just a random post about some of the stuff I've been up to...

GRRR! etc.
Been extremely productive at work the last month or so, primarily on a whole bunch of printed and design work for the Great British Bear Bash, which took place here in Manchester over the Bank Holiday weekend. I designed a Survival Guide for the Bash, along with production of fridge magnets, newsletters, posters and other goodies. They seemed to go down well with the guys who came to the Bash, so I'm very pleased with how that all went. It would be great to do more again next year.

Neon Condoms
As well as all the Bear materials, and the latest outnorthwest, I've also in the last couple of weeks designed a 56 page LGB rights guide (which you can download now from the LGF site); and also completely redesigned the new condom packs. If you're gay and familiar with Manchester, you'll have seen the free condom packs. Well, every year we redesign them because it keeps them 'fresh', and also, well, because we can. Usually it's a subtle redesign, but this year I've gone a bit mental. They're slight more, ahem, colourful and I'll post a sneak preview of them tomorrow.

Wales, isn't it.
I've just booked some time off to spend a weekend in Cardiff at the end of the month. And yes, it solely because of Doctor Who. I want to stand under the rift at the Millennium Centre, visit the Powell Estate, and go on the Doctor Who locations tour. I feel no need to apologise :-)

Open the Pod bay doors, Hal.
I've also been working on a brand new podcast over the last week or so with a very funny friend of mine. I'll tell you more about that in my next post... Needless to say, it's all very exciting. And drunken.

So, hopefully you can see why I've neglected this blog of late. Been a tad busy.

When I first started Vegetable Soup, I used to end each post with a list of stuff I was watching/listening to/reading etc. Then I slowly, and predictably, lost interest in it. But looking back over those earlier posts, it's actually quite interesting (to me, at least) to read. A multi-media snapshot of the time, if you will. So, starting from this post and until I lose interest again (probably around mid-August), it's the return of...

JUNK CULTURE

Music: Tony The Beat (Rex The Dog Disco Mix) - THE SOUNDS
Podcast: ZTT Podcast Episode One - ZTT
TV: Heroes (The Last Three Chapters) - SEASON 1
Game: Motorstorm - PLAYSTATION 3
Magazine: Death Ray

Bearing up nicely.

It's probably the hottest day of the year out there. I bet Canal Street is chocka.

It's also production week, which means I can't move away from the Mac until I've finished the new issue of outnorthwest. I've spent most of this morning working on the cover. That's it up there. This issue marks the 10th Great British Bear Bash in Manchester. Hence the bears. The BSI theme mirrors one of the videos the guys have produced for the Bash.

I think I like the cover. I've spent too much time looking at it to be honest. So I'm going to stop now. It would be nice to go out for a beer. But I have an article on gonorrhoea to design...

Tasty Bollox

Manchester, where I live, has a reputation for being a big homo-friendly city. What with Canal Street and all that.

Well Canal Street is a bit rubbish, to be brutally frank. The real reason Manchester is the best gay city in the world is a club called Bollox. Third Friday of every month at Legends. Good music, good crowd, good attitude. Bollox has, single-handedly, made me want to go to a gay club again. I was seriously bored and disillusioned with the gay scene until this.

That video up there? I'm in it! I couldn't be more happy about that. That's me in the white t-shirt in the middle and at the very end.

If you've never been. Go.

A tad over-excited?

The final episode of Battlestar Galactica's third season was a complete triumph. Some fantastic writing, and huge secrets revealed. It certainly makes the wait for the new season in January next year a long and hard one Fnarr.

However, as exciting as it was, it certainly didn't leave me as breathless and exciteable as this chap...



Bless him.

I think he might be a bit gay too.

Playstation 3: First Impressions

It's flippin' heavy!

Once you get past the loveliness of its sleek, shiny black curves, the first thing you notice about Playstation 3 is its weight. Imagine holding a really fat baby.

Initial set up was a doddle, and it was hooked up to my HD telly within five minutes of leaving its box. If you've got a PSP, you'll be familiar with the interface on PS3 - they're calling it the Cross Media Bar, or XMB. It's easy to navigate, but I have to say it doesn't feel as solid as the 360's Blade system.

Getting it online was easy too. Scan for a wireless connection, enter your WEP key and you're done. The first thing to do is download the system update, then on to registration. This took FOREVER! Entering text using a controller is a nightmare, and it must have taken a good 20 minutes to get everything set up.

Once that was all done, the fun really began. Exploring a new console is always exciting... "ooh, I wonder what that does", and PS3 is no exception. One of the best features is Remote Play, which works in conjunction with your PSP. This function allows you to watch video content and listen to music that's stored on your PS3 on your PSP. Using bluetooth, it works surprisingly well. You can even access the PS3's web browser, and buy stuff from the Playstation Store. This is a smart feature, and makes me wonder why Nintendo aren't exploiting the link between the Wii and DS yet.

Getting content on to the PS3, especially video, is tricky if you're a beginner. Best thing to do is download a free application called PS3 Video 9 on to your computer and use that to convert video files. Then just copy into a folder called VIDEO on to a USB memory stick, stick it into the USB slot on your PS3, and Bob's your uncle. I've already chucked 3 episodes of Lost and Battlestar Galactica on to the PS3, and with Remote Play, it means I can watch them in bed at night on my PSP! Marvellous.

Accessing Playstation Store will give you access to loads of free, and paid for, content. You'll find games, demos and videos, as well as in-game content to download. My recommendations? Blast Factor is worth a shot, and is very similar to Geometry Wars on the 360. You can also download a full version of the classic Lemmings for only £3.49, which is a bit of a bargain really.

So, what about the games? I'll do a couple of small reviews of Motorstorm and Resistance:Fall Of Man soon, so keep checking back. In a nutshell though, they're both great titles. Motorstorm looks amazing (better than anything on 360 at the moment), and Resistance? To be honest, nothing special and I've seen better on the 360...

All in all, it's a great machine with a lot going for it. The problem is though, that it's going to take a while (at least a year) before it can really take off. If it even does. The price point is way too high, and although there are a high number of launch games, there are just no must-have titles... yet. The sooner they get Home and LittleBigPlanet launched, the better.

THE GOOD
- Remote Play
- Media Handling
- XMB interface
- Playstation Store
- Online play
- Massive storage space
- Motorstorm!

THE BAD
- The price!
- The lack of killer games
- No rumble in the controller

Overall? If you can, you should ;-)

My iMix

Through the wonder of the internet and iTunes, I've created my very first iMix!

It's a selection of my favourite electronic tunes of the last few weeks, so why not click on the link below and have a listen? And if you like it, you can even buy it! It's only £8.69. Not a penny of which I receive, by the way.

Humph.

The Arrogance of the Geek

I'm old enough to remember schoolboy arguments around Spectrum versus C64 versus BBC Micro, etc. You know the score... "My machine is better than yours... blah blah blah." Twenty-five years later, very little has changed.

Fans of gaming and technology (let's just cut the crap and call them geeks - that's what we are, and I'm proud to be called one) can be an arrogant bunch. They take brand loyalty to the Nth degree, and can be almost fanatical in their hatred of 'rival' products. It's utterly pointless of course, completely small-minded, and serves no useful purpose at all, but I guess it has something to do with the sizeable financial outlay we have to make to fuel our obsessions. Nobody wants to be made to feel ashamed about the £425 they've just spent on the latest gaming console, do they?

For me, it's a constant soure of annoyance. As a Mac owner, I often hear from PC owners about how much more powerful/reliable/upgradeable/nicer a PC is. I really don't care. Really. I don't. I own a PC too. I can see the benefits of Macs AND PC's (by the way, those Mitchell and Webb ads are the epitomy of geek arrogance). My Mac is fantastic for the design work I do, and it pays my bills. And my PC is a workhorse when it comes to the copious amounts of downloading I do. I love them both. Equally.

Similarly, we've now got the arrogant billionaire brawl between Murdoch and Branson. The whole Sky versus Virgin Media thing is an embaressment to their industry and, most importantly, is taking the piss out of both companies customers. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses, and both companies are behaving like school children. Actually, taking one look at the childish goading on Digital Spy forums, the customers aren't exactly conducting themselves with much dignity either.

And most recently, with the arrival of Playstation 3, we now have the bitter rivalry between Xbox360 owners, and PS3 owners rearing its ugly head. There's no denying that Sony have ballsed up the launch of PS3 in Europe, but let's not forget the trauma of Xbox360's launch over a year ago. Neither company has cause to boast. Both of these consoles though, will usher in a new era of gaming. They're powerful and capable of serving up hours of quality entertainment Equally, they'll both have their fair share of disasters and mis-steps. I almost fell into the geek-trap of slating Sony before I'd had a chance to weight up what they were offering. And when I learnt what was coming up in the future for PS3, I decided I'd like to have a go. Simple as that really.

And - you might want to take a seat for this - but, for the last few hours, an Xbox360 and a Playstation 3 have been sharing space in my living room, and the planet hasn't imploded.

So if you're a geek like me, why not stop being a sheep and embrace difference? Support choice, and stop throwing tantrums at each other. Let's face it, if you had £425 going spare (who has right? But bear with me), tell me with a straight face you wouldn't be running to Game tomorrow to pick up your new games console.

And if that comes across as arrogant... well, I guess I rest my case.

Would you?

As has now become traditional, here is a sneak preview of the cover of the new issue of outnorthwest. As regular readers may know, I am the editor and designer of this north west based LGB magazine. I finished the cover, quite literally, two minutes ago.

Cover stars this month are Infernal. They did that annoying From Paris To Berlin nonsense last year. They have an album coming out. Hurrah. Also in this issue is one of the best features we've ever run - Would You Take A Straight Pill? Well, would you?

Anyway, thought you'd like to see it. It comes out on Wednesday 28th March.

That is all.

I admit it, I'm a turncoat.

I guess a lot of people (and by people, I mean the geeks like me) who decided they weren't going to buy a Playstation 3 can identify with the latest Penny Arcade strip (click on the strip above to see).

I was dead set against getting one. Far too expensive, backtracking on promises such as PS2 back compatibility; and the pure arrogance of Sony on the whole launch issue. But now, they go and preview two 'killer apps' for the PS3 which - fickle as I am - have turned me completely around.

Today I pre-ordered a Playstation 3. I feel dirty. And because demand is so low, most retailers are guaranteeing availability on launch day - 23rd March.

It's all because of Home and Little Big Planet. If you've caught the trailers online, you might have an idea just why these two applications could save the Playstation 3. Proper interactive entertainment. 'Creative gaming' is what Edge magazine is calling it. It could be a whole new genre of gaming.

Home is the PS3 equivalent of the Nintendo Mii. Only on a larger (much larger) scale, and incorporates a dizzying array of customisation options, and a virtual environment that encourages interaction and sharing. I can't wait to be a part of it.

Little Big Planet kind of defies description. Instead, I'll let this You Tube video go some way towards explaning it. Whatever it is... it looks mighty.



So, call me a traitor. Call me two-faced, but at the end of the day, if any company is going to produce electronic entertainment that looks this... entertaining.... then count me in.

Roll on 23rd March.

Where's the delete key?

Today, for about 10 minutes, I directed Doctor Who. Well, kind of. Well actually, not at all, but it felt good to say it.

In reality, I was at the press launch for a new Doctor Who Exhibition which opens at The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester at the end of March. Unfortunately (or fortunately, as it turns out), I was a little bit late. So, for 10 minutes I had two Cybermen all to myself. Actual REAL Cybermen from off the telly. It feels very peculiar telling a Cyberman where to stand and where to walk. But I enjoyed every minute of it. Not that you can tell from that miserable picture.

What you are looking at in that picture is not a 38 year old man, but a 10 year old little boy.

Look Who's Back! Etc.

Just this second finished the cover for the next issue of outnorthwest. It’s one for the Doctor Who fans. Which we all are, let’s face it.

It marks the return of the programme to TV at the end of March, and the opening of a large Doctor Who exhibition here in Manchester at The Museum of Science & Industry. The media launch is tomorrow, and we’re promised Cybermen! Expect a picture tomorrow :-)

This cover is completely open to change, as always. There’s even the chance we might not even use it, but I thought you’d like to see it anyway. Me? I’d put Doctor Who on the cover every month...

I could be purple.

Yeah. I know. It's been far too long since I put anything on the blog. But I'm back now after a lovely two weeks in Miami (check out the pictures by clicking on the Flickr button on the right there), and I'm raring to go.

So today, an old friend asked me if I'd met Mika yet. I had no idea who he was talking about. Turns out he's only the first truly fabulous pop star of 2007! Grace Kelly sounds like the first single from the love child of Freddie Mercury and Jake Shears. Which, in a sense, it is. And it's pure gold. It's also the most downloaded track on iTunes as we speak.

Check out the video above.

Not only that readers. Not. Only. That. Mika's album Life In Cartoon Motion is a work of total and utter genius and you should really not waste another minute and get yourself to iTunes and download it immediately. Every single track has a huge smile on it's face. You'll love it.

Nice to be back.

On my radio...

Hello. It just occurred to me I haven't wished you a Happy New Year. So... Happy New Year. Anyway, down to business. Kylie Minogue starts her tour in Manchester tonight. It runs for six nights and by law every gay person in Manchester must attend.

Bizarrely enough I was invited on to Terry Christian's programme on BBC Radio Manchester this morning to talk about why Kylie Minogue is such a "gay icon". You can hear what I had to say about it by clicking the play button below. Count how many times I say "exactly" or "sensibilities"



See you at the concert...

This.... is the good shit.

Brian: Can I borrow your video recorder?
Daisy: What you going to do? Stick it to a canvas as a piece depicting a nation of cathode junkies, selling their imaginations for quick-fix media hits from the Blockbuster syringe?
Brian: No, I want to tape Ready Steady Cook.

A casual conversation at work the other day about the TV comedy Spaced has had me digging out the DVD's to watch this fantastic series all over again. Shown on Channel 4 in 1999, Spaced followed the lives of flatmates Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner. Tim is a sci-fi geek with aspirations to be a comic book artist. Daisy is an aspiring journalist/writer, with absolutely no talent whatsoever. The subsidiary characters, such as Tim's best friend, the army-obsessed Mike; or Brian, the struggling artist who lives in the basement; and Marsha the leering landlady, are all just as well rounded and crafted as Tim and Daisy. All these characters are played to perfection.

There has been nothing like it since on British TV, and although the stars of the show (Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Jessica Stevenson) have gone on to bigger things, we can only hope that one day in the future they'll get together and do another batch of episodes. Or a one-off special at the very least.

At its best, Spaced was complete genius. Every episode was packed with pop culture references, observational humour and fantastic performances. The show celebrated it's geekiness gloriously, and rewards you on repeated viewing as you get more and more of the references. It's not aged at all, and deserves a repeat showing on E4.

If you've never experienced Spaced, now is the perfect time as the series has been re-released as a Collectors Edition DVD packed with extra material. It's an essential buy. Check out the condensed episode above for just a fleeting glimpse into the comedy genius of Spaced.