Creativity Sparks Compassion ...

... y'know it's true.

Anyhow, first off -- I'm proud to announce that, as of this upcoming Thursday, my now-year-old role-play, Fated Souls, is going to be celebrated with a party at my place. I'm kidding, for it's geographically impossible with people in the role-play being across the country / world and whatnot. ... but we'll still conjure up the virtual champagne, I kid you not!!!

Secondly, I ran across this and found it somewhat funny. Sony? What in the hell were you thinking when you thought of blackballing Kotaku? That's somewhat ... low for even you!

Link to the article here.

Excerpt here:

"The Playstation Home, we reported, would be an intriguing blending of the Mii and achievements, allowing gamers to create a virtual world for customized avatars and then decorate that space with items unlocked through game play.

What readers couldn't have known was the great lengths we went to to try and pin down the veracity of the rumor before publishing and, when finally deciding to go live with the rumor, to make sure we put it in the correct context.

In so doing, Sony asked us not to publish the story, first nicely, then not so much. Sony Computer Entertainment of American representatives reminded us that the story was a rumor and then went on to say that publishing it could harm our professional relationship with them.

When I responded that we were going forward with the story and that sometimes news doesn't come from official sources I was told that if we published we would likely be blackballed by the company.

Specifically, they said we would be asked to return our debug PS3, uninvited from all meetings scheduled with Sony at GDC, including one on blogger relations and a one-on-one with Phil Harrison, and that they would no longer deal with us.

Knowing that, we went forward with the story, choosing not to point out the threats.

Shortly after the story ran, and I forwarded it to Dave Karraker, the senior director of corporate communications for Sony Computer Entertainment of America, to point out we did decide to run it."

All-in-all, though, Dave and Brian were able to resolve their differences like big boys and I believe Kotaku and Sony have long made amends.

Thirdly, I thought this was pretty sweet. Actually, I'd've bought one ... had they been on sale. Best I can make is probably something that looks like utter sh*t compared to this:


Don't let it discourage you from trying to create your own, though! Buy your own paints and such he suggests from his webpage and order your very own Munny for almost $25 here!

I wish you the best of luck!

Lastly, before I leave, I'd like to make the recommendation that you run out and by the [now-fairly-old] Three Days Grace album by the title of One-X. It's pretty kickass.

And with that, the Reaper has paid his dues and is leaving ... !

--REAPER