I can't personally attest that Ike did no good. The hurricane afforded me some solid playtime with Rock Band 2. I drummed hours yesterday, much less today. I've unlocked a good chunk of songs so far, most of which I like, a few I could do without ever hearing again.
The sequel remains largely unchanged from the original. Harmonix did remove solo play, merging it instead with Touring. Which mean everyone forms a band and tours, even if you solo play the entire time. They also added some quality metadata into the song titles, including album covers and boxes that indicate what level you've mastered the song.
So far, some of my favorite songs are Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf, Interpol's PDA, Ratt's Round and Round, and The Silversun Pickup's Lazy Eye. I unlocked the latter this morning, to much hooting and hollering.
I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't an option to transfer my rock star from Rock Band to the sequel. Instead, Wifezilla and I had to recreate our stars. For some reason, RB2 didn't offer me the option to two-tone my hair blue and lime green, so Eddie seems very plain to me. After knocking out some gigs, I did repurchase his famed Dragon armor. So all is not lost. I once again dubbed our band Moldy Garbage and took the Peanut Reaper as our band icon. The caped peanut wielding a scythe even appears on the bass drum.
I consistently five star songs on easy mode so I'm going to have to start playing medium more often. The problem with medium is that it's greatly more difficult than easy. The songs play totally differently, with more complicated beat combinations and much more liberal use of the bass drum. I often can barely get through a song on medium that I can play flawlessly on easy. I wish the difficulty were a bit more graduated than that, but until I get more accomplished on the bass drum, I bear more resemblance to a monkey banging away with pots and pans than a professional drummer.
Showing posts with label Console Gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Console Gaming. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Sir, I'd Love to Sell You That Game. But Then I'd Have to Kill You
It's a little surreal jamming out to Rock Band 2 with chainsaws humming in the background. It's also strange that so much of Houston is shut down, but my neighborhood Gamestop was open for business. I drove there yesterday, snotbags in tow. Traffic proved nightmarish. I didn't see a working traffic light in sight, making everything a four-way stop. Except most people don't have the patience (or the training) for that and barrel through when it's not their turn.
But I'll always risk my life for a newly released game.
The specimans at Gamestop are always a pleasure. I'm not sure why, but I think they're actually trained to reflexively tell you the game you want isn't available. I had Rock Band 2 on reserve, fully prepaid. I knew September 16 was the official street date. I also knew that only the game was available. The bundle and the individually packaged equipment go on sale in later weeks. But when I step up to counter and say I'm here to pick up my copy of Rock Band 2, the shaved-headed manager says, "Next week." Apparantly I don't deserve the response of a complete sentence. I respond, "No, actually it's out today. The game only." Inconvenienced and convinced I'm wrong, the manager strolls to his computer and pecks at the keys. He blankly stares at the screen and then grunts. He mumbles something about the bundle coming out next week and then motions to one of his minions who proceeds to go in the back room, returning with a copy of Rock Band 2.
This guy is the manager of the store and he doesn't know the week's new releases? I admit that Rock Band 2's release is fragmented, with multiple release dates for different equipment and platforms. Still, the list of Tuesday releases can't number past ten on any given week. And Rock Band 2 is a hugely anticipated title, one of the biggest of the week, if not for this month. Gamestop clerks should be all over that. Certainly the first thing out of there month shouldn't be, "Next week."
I only harp because this is the kind of service and disinformation I get from that store on a consistent basis. Like I said, it's like they're trained to automatically tell you that whatever you're there to buy, it's not out yet. Rather than listen to what you're actually asking for (I never asked for the RB2 bundle) or respond with clarifying questions of their own ("Do you mean the X-box 360 game only sir?"), they seem curiously unmotivated to match customer to game. Not only that, they seem about as informed about what's coming down the retail pike as my very own mother who, by the way, couldn't tell you the difference between Half-Life 2 and Bejeweled.
I think this stems from monopoly. I knew it bode ill that Gamestop swallowed up EBGames. Not that EB's customer service was so vastly better. But it was better. Now that Gamestop, along with Best Buy, are really the only retail outlets left selling games (I don't count Target or Walmart because for the most part those stores don't offer reserve and pre-order options), customers are going to have to deal with lousy service, disinformation, and general churlishness.
If I ever lose my library job, I might just have to apply for a Gamestop manager position. I know the first thing I'd say as I stepped into my very own store, my pimple-faced employees lined up before me:
"Time to take out the trash."
But I'll always risk my life for a newly released game.
The specimans at Gamestop are always a pleasure. I'm not sure why, but I think they're actually trained to reflexively tell you the game you want isn't available. I had Rock Band 2 on reserve, fully prepaid. I knew September 16 was the official street date. I also knew that only the game was available. The bundle and the individually packaged equipment go on sale in later weeks. But when I step up to counter and say I'm here to pick up my copy of Rock Band 2, the shaved-headed manager says, "Next week." Apparantly I don't deserve the response of a complete sentence. I respond, "No, actually it's out today. The game only." Inconvenienced and convinced I'm wrong, the manager strolls to his computer and pecks at the keys. He blankly stares at the screen and then grunts. He mumbles something about the bundle coming out next week and then motions to one of his minions who proceeds to go in the back room, returning with a copy of Rock Band 2.
This guy is the manager of the store and he doesn't know the week's new releases? I admit that Rock Band 2's release is fragmented, with multiple release dates for different equipment and platforms. Still, the list of Tuesday releases can't number past ten on any given week. And Rock Band 2 is a hugely anticipated title, one of the biggest of the week, if not for this month. Gamestop clerks should be all over that. Certainly the first thing out of there month shouldn't be, "Next week."
I only harp because this is the kind of service and disinformation I get from that store on a consistent basis. Like I said, it's like they're trained to automatically tell you that whatever you're there to buy, it's not out yet. Rather than listen to what you're actually asking for (I never asked for the RB2 bundle) or respond with clarifying questions of their own ("Do you mean the X-box 360 game only sir?"), they seem curiously unmotivated to match customer to game. Not only that, they seem about as informed about what's coming down the retail pike as my very own mother who, by the way, couldn't tell you the difference between Half-Life 2 and Bejeweled.
I think this stems from monopoly. I knew it bode ill that Gamestop swallowed up EBGames. Not that EB's customer service was so vastly better. But it was better. Now that Gamestop, along with Best Buy, are really the only retail outlets left selling games (I don't count Target or Walmart because for the most part those stores don't offer reserve and pre-order options), customers are going to have to deal with lousy service, disinformation, and general churlishness.
If I ever lose my library job, I might just have to apply for a Gamestop manager position. I know the first thing I'd say as I stepped into my very own store, my pimple-faced employees lined up before me:
"Time to take out the trash."
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Xbox 360 Failure Rate
Bill Harris has a great post about the Xbox 360 during its early manufacturing runs. He's got data supporting the fact that the Xbox 360 suffered 68% failure rate in 2005 production runs. Worse still, Microsoft knew their product was full of defect and shipped the boxes out anyway. It was only when consumers cried foul and the media got a wisp that high-defect rate was the culprit that Microsoft capitulated and instituted their current replacement program.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Rock Out with Your Wife Out
Wifezilla and I jam together a few times a week. Yes, Rock Band. I doubt I have any better idea of what to do with a real drum kit despite my two month Rock Band expertise. Wifezilla plays a real violin, but she says that translates to a plastic guitar only so far. After hearing her play, I readily agree.
We named our band Moldy Garbage. And by “we” I mean I. To be fair, I gave Wifezilla two choices: our current name or The Sluts. So she really has no one to blame but herself for our band’s moniker. I must admit, Wifezilla pieced together a really hot rock star. She crafted long flowing auburn hair on top of a tight little package for a body. When she leaps into the air during particularly dramatic guitar solos, I frequently get distracted and fumble my sticks.
Drum sticks you filthy bastards.
Eddy, my drummer, sports blue and lime green hair. My drummer shows way more of his pelvis than I like, but he’s got a six-pack that sends the honies into convulsions. Some of the dudes too, unfortunately. He’s earned some money during his solo career, so he dons Dragonscale armor when he takes the stage, a mixture of black leather and gleaming steal, bristling with eye-gauging rivets. He’s made a practice of sacrificing a fan if he’s ever boo’d off stage. As a result, he is more often than not cheered even when he has dropped his sticks staring at his guitar player’s ass.
Last night, Wifezilla and Eddy we’re playing in Gay Paree. I don’t remember the venue’s name, but it’s the third one down since we’ve already unlocked the first two. The venue held no single song plays, just sets of three, four, and six. For the first set, Wifezilla got cocky and tried the medium setting. She crashed and burned on her solo. Eddy tried to pound the animal back into some stretched hide but he fell short of pulling them back from the brink; the crowd quickly boo’d the duo right off the stage. After Eddy got done ripping the beating heart from the chest cavity of the loudest heckler, the two retook the stage and plowed through all three songs effortlessly.
I have to confess, there’s something surreal in the realization that my wife is jamming out to the song Run to the Hills. The only people that could be more puzzled—perhaps even dismayed--would be the members of Iron Maiden themselves The entire scenario borders on the comical. She hates metal, to the point that she would leave the room if it ever seized the room’s air waves. And yet, there she was, in her bath robe and hair curlers, an unconscious sneer painted on her face, throwing the guitar’s arm into the air as she strummed titanic chords and face-melting riffs. Last night I found my wife just a tattoo away from genuine rocker.
I can’t wait to see her Billy Idol face.
We named our band Moldy Garbage. And by “we” I mean I. To be fair, I gave Wifezilla two choices: our current name or The Sluts. So she really has no one to blame but herself for our band’s moniker. I must admit, Wifezilla pieced together a really hot rock star. She crafted long flowing auburn hair on top of a tight little package for a body. When she leaps into the air during particularly dramatic guitar solos, I frequently get distracted and fumble my sticks.
Drum sticks you filthy bastards.
Eddy, my drummer, sports blue and lime green hair. My drummer shows way more of his pelvis than I like, but he’s got a six-pack that sends the honies into convulsions. Some of the dudes too, unfortunately. He’s earned some money during his solo career, so he dons Dragonscale armor when he takes the stage, a mixture of black leather and gleaming steal, bristling with eye-gauging rivets. He’s made a practice of sacrificing a fan if he’s ever boo’d off stage. As a result, he is more often than not cheered even when he has dropped his sticks staring at his guitar player’s ass.
Last night, Wifezilla and Eddy we’re playing in Gay Paree. I don’t remember the venue’s name, but it’s the third one down since we’ve already unlocked the first two. The venue held no single song plays, just sets of three, four, and six. For the first set, Wifezilla got cocky and tried the medium setting. She crashed and burned on her solo. Eddy tried to pound the animal back into some stretched hide but he fell short of pulling them back from the brink; the crowd quickly boo’d the duo right off the stage. After Eddy got done ripping the beating heart from the chest cavity of the loudest heckler, the two retook the stage and plowed through all three songs effortlessly.
I have to confess, there’s something surreal in the realization that my wife is jamming out to the song Run to the Hills. The only people that could be more puzzled—perhaps even dismayed--would be the members of Iron Maiden themselves The entire scenario borders on the comical. She hates metal, to the point that she would leave the room if it ever seized the room’s air waves. And yet, there she was, in her bath robe and hair curlers, an unconscious sneer painted on her face, throwing the guitar’s arm into the air as she strummed titanic chords and face-melting riffs. Last night I found my wife just a tattoo away from genuine rocker.
I can’t wait to see her Billy Idol face.
Monday, August 4, 2008
LittleBigHype
It's the darling of the press and the reporters on G4, Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb, especially adore it. But I don't see any game play in LittleBigPlanet. The game's website does little to shed any light on what makes this a game. It says, "LittleBigPlanet is a unique game combining an amazing platform adventure with a huge social community enabling consumers to play, create and share their gaming."
That's about as clear as mud.
I wouldn't normally give a rat's ass about game like this if it weren't for the fact that people are ravenously anticipating it. I look at the video game play and ask myself, "Sweet Jesus, WHY?" Awww, but look, the little avatars are so cute! Uh huh. Unless another side of the game produces the ability to rocket-explode those cute little avatars into tiny, bloody, meaty pieces, than I want nothing to do with it.
And by the way, Spore's ability to "create and share their gaming" led to an explosion of penis themed creatures. Some merely hinted the phallic. Others eschewed the subtle and told the world, "I made a creature and it has penises. See?" And still others were so covered in penises, it was the equivalent of having one whack you in the face.
For some of us, that's not good.
That's about as clear as mud.
I wouldn't normally give a rat's ass about game like this if it weren't for the fact that people are ravenously anticipating it. I look at the video game play and ask myself, "Sweet Jesus, WHY?" Awww, but look, the little avatars are so cute! Uh huh. Unless another side of the game produces the ability to rocket-explode those cute little avatars into tiny, bloody, meaty pieces, than I want nothing to do with it.
And by the way, Spore's ability to "create and share their gaming" led to an explosion of penis themed creatures. Some merely hinted the phallic. Others eschewed the subtle and told the world, "I made a creature and it has penises. See?" And still others were so covered in penises, it was the equivalent of having one whack you in the face.
For some of us, that's not good.
Too Human Demo
I bought a Xbox 360 for Rock Band. I'm a PC man until the day the format ceases to exist. Which is predicted every year by some gaming pundit trying to make a name for himself. The PC apocalypse never seems to materialize. If anything thing, the more pundits that predict it, the better the PC industry does that year.
As a PC gamer, I'm adept at mouse and keyboard. Don't get me wrong; I don't tear it up on shooters, even on the PC. But the control scheme is second nature to me, so much so that I can pick up just about any game on the PC and immediately start playing it reasonably well.
The Xbox controller? Not so much.
Even so, I've heard some hype about the upcoming Xbox exclusive title, Too Human. It's billed as an action/RPG, the same description as the Diablo series, so I decided to download it and give it a spin. Suffice it to say, my clumsiness with the controller impedes my ability to judge the game. I imagine I looked like a monkey trying to use a TV remote and not getting the channel he wanted. The Discovery Channel, I'm sure.
I think I did make it to the end of the demo. I made it to a boss, at least. Skullcrusher was his name. He reminded me a bit of Void Reaver, though a raiding party at my back was conspicuously absent. I got Skull down to half health, but after that my sword blows were damageless. After I died a couple of times, I tried some new strategies. One in particular, running behind the steaming machine and jumping, proved the right track. A tiny cut scene depicted me jumping on top of Skull's head; I looked like a was riding a mechanical bull. But when I started to mash some buttons in an ignorant attempt to spring an attack, I slid off harmlessly instead. I eventually got bored and quit.
The game shows promise though. I doubt it's anything I'll pick up. About the only Xbox game I'm thinking of purchasing outside of Rock Band 2 is The Force Unleashed. And even then I'm going to wait for some reviews first.
As a PC gamer, I'm adept at mouse and keyboard. Don't get me wrong; I don't tear it up on shooters, even on the PC. But the control scheme is second nature to me, so much so that I can pick up just about any game on the PC and immediately start playing it reasonably well.
The Xbox controller? Not so much.
Even so, I've heard some hype about the upcoming Xbox exclusive title, Too Human. It's billed as an action/RPG, the same description as the Diablo series, so I decided to download it and give it a spin. Suffice it to say, my clumsiness with the controller impedes my ability to judge the game. I imagine I looked like a monkey trying to use a TV remote and not getting the channel he wanted. The Discovery Channel, I'm sure.
I think I did make it to the end of the demo. I made it to a boss, at least. Skullcrusher was his name. He reminded me a bit of Void Reaver, though a raiding party at my back was conspicuously absent. I got Skull down to half health, but after that my sword blows were damageless. After I died a couple of times, I tried some new strategies. One in particular, running behind the steaming machine and jumping, proved the right track. A tiny cut scene depicted me jumping on top of Skull's head; I looked like a was riding a mechanical bull. But when I started to mash some buttons in an ignorant attempt to spring an attack, I slid off harmlessly instead. I eventually got bored and quit.
The game shows promise though. I doubt it's anything I'll pick up. About the only Xbox game I'm thinking of purchasing outside of Rock Band 2 is The Force Unleashed. And even then I'm going to wait for some reviews first.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Rock Band Instruments Will Work With New Guitar Hero
I've read this from numerous sources so it must be true. My brother and I bitch about the current incompatibility on a frequent basis. So much so that I'm worried what we'll complain about to fill the void. This is outstanding news, however. I even read a Guitar Hero developer say something to the effect, "It's ridiculous to make people buy redundant instruments."
Indeed it is.
Indeed it is.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Turbine Developing New Console MMO
1UP reports that Turbine indicated it's developing a new MMO, designed primarily for consoles. There's not even one hint of what kind of MMO it might be, but my respect for Turbine as a MMO developer ranks right up there with Blizzard. In fact, in some ways, I like Turbine better.
I can't help but wonder though, who's going to play all these new MMOs coming out? I hope their banking on attracting new customers because if they aren't, all they'll be doing is shifting their market from LotRO and DDO to their new franchise.
I can't help but wonder though, who's going to play all these new MMOs coming out? I hope their banking on attracting new customers because if they aren't, all they'll be doing is shifting their market from LotRO and DDO to their new franchise.
Monday, June 2, 2008
The King of Kong
G4 has been advertising the hell out of this documentary for the past month, so when it premiered last night, I dvr'd it and watched it today. It turned out to be pretty good, if not a bit scary. As the title implies, the movie tracks two competitive Donkey Kong players and their respective bids to be World Champion. My favorite part of the movie is when Wiebe is trying to videotape a world record attempt. His kids starts yelling in the background that he needs help right when Steve is set to beat Billy Mitchell's record. Steve tells him to hang on a sec, but the kid will have none of that. He yells, "Daddy! Wipe my butt!"
Haha, been there, wiped that.
I don't think the movie or the people in it have much in common with video gaming as we know it today. At first I thought Steve Wiebe's obsession matched that of WoW eng-game raiders. Really though, the only thing they have in common is that they're video games and they consume a lot of discretionary time. WoW end-game raiding requires social skills, planning, and scheduling outside the game. Donkey Kong is strictly a solitary endeavor. I'm not trying to take anything away from Wiebe or Mitchell (who comes off as kind of a dick in the movie), it's just I didn't find their gaming to be as insightful as I first suspected.
Haha, been there, wiped that.
I don't think the movie or the people in it have much in common with video gaming as we know it today. At first I thought Steve Wiebe's obsession matched that of WoW eng-game raiders. Really though, the only thing they have in common is that they're video games and they consume a lot of discretionary time. WoW end-game raiding requires social skills, planning, and scheduling outside the game. Donkey Kong is strictly a solitary endeavor. I'm not trying to take anything away from Wiebe or Mitchell (who comes off as kind of a dick in the movie), it's just I didn't find their gaming to be as insightful as I first suspected.
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Hard Sell
I played Rock Band for the briefest of time last weekend. Maybe three hours all total on my brother's 360. And now I feel like an addict going through withdrawal. I hear songs on the radio and wonder what the drum part would be like. I think back to Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper and the train wreck I wrought while drumming it and wanting to practice so I can swap boos and jeers for undying adulation. I really, really want to jam out to Interstate Love Song.
The problem in all this is I don't own a console. That's what we in the married business call a financial barrier. Putting aside the issue of convincing Wifezilla, I've been studying the big three next-gen console systems. I've given up consideration of a PS3. The system starts at $500 and I don't care about Blu-ray enough for the price difference. I know a Wii is all the rage, but I don't think Rock Band is in that system's library. So that leaves me with really only one option, a X-box 360.
I've been doing some research and the 360 has three price options: arcade, premium, and elite. Arcade has no hard drive or HD support, so it's out. Elite is . . . black, has an extra controller, comes with an HDMI cable, and has a massive 120 gig hard drive. All for around $450. And then there's the premium option, a 20 gig hard drive configuration that supports HDMI, but doesn't come with the cable. I've seen these systems at around $350 and it's likely what I'll end up getting.
But the investment doesn't stop there. My current stereo receiver is more than five years old. It's great, but it was probably manufactured before HDMI was even invented. Without HDMI ports, I'd have to run the X-box directly through the TV or through the receiver. Neither is viable because there just aren't enough ports for all the components I want to keep.
Long story short, I need to buy a new stereo receiver. I'm sticking with Sony because everything I buy from them lasts until I'm done with it (I can't say the same thing for some of the JVC, Pioneer, and Canon electronics I've owned). I think I'm going to buy this. It's got three HDMI and two digital optical inputs. The 360 and my HD-DVD player will take up two HDMI slots. I think video and audio run through that, but if they don't, I'll use both digital optical inputs. If my cable box supports HDMI, it will take the last input.
So that's $300 right there. The Rock Band kit is about $170, a bit cheaper at Walmart. Saving $10 might not be worth stepping into the cesspool of a store, but I've stooped for worse. Wifezilla naturally blanches at the prospect of spending this kind of bling. But it can't be avoided. I've got the bug and I'm starting to get the shakes from not being able to feux jam out. Plus, I really want to play with Wifezilla. We do precious few activities together. There's, uh, you know.
Yeeaah.
And then we like to watch TV and movies together. But that's pretty much it. The two snotbags hoard our time the way Dr. Phil does public affection. After they're cared for, there isn't a lot of discretionary time left over. So Rock Band is my Holy Grail of gaming, a video game that my wife will actually play. God knows I've tried to get her to play WoW or Oblivion. For some reason, showing her the bikini-clad toon she could play never sealed the deal. But she's good at Rock Band and I see us tucking in the snotbags and then hitting the stage frequently. And when the girls are a bit older, we'll have a full ensemble. I've already come up with two band name options: Moldy Garbage or Wad of Hair You Pull From the Shower Drain.
I know, the last one is too long. Screw you, I like it.
The problem in all this is I don't own a console. That's what we in the married business call a financial barrier. Putting aside the issue of convincing Wifezilla, I've been studying the big three next-gen console systems. I've given up consideration of a PS3. The system starts at $500 and I don't care about Blu-ray enough for the price difference. I know a Wii is all the rage, but I don't think Rock Band is in that system's library. So that leaves me with really only one option, a X-box 360.
I've been doing some research and the 360 has three price options: arcade, premium, and elite. Arcade has no hard drive or HD support, so it's out. Elite is . . . black, has an extra controller, comes with an HDMI cable, and has a massive 120 gig hard drive. All for around $450. And then there's the premium option, a 20 gig hard drive configuration that supports HDMI, but doesn't come with the cable. I've seen these systems at around $350 and it's likely what I'll end up getting.
But the investment doesn't stop there. My current stereo receiver is more than five years old. It's great, but it was probably manufactured before HDMI was even invented. Without HDMI ports, I'd have to run the X-box directly through the TV or through the receiver. Neither is viable because there just aren't enough ports for all the components I want to keep.
Long story short, I need to buy a new stereo receiver. I'm sticking with Sony because everything I buy from them lasts until I'm done with it (I can't say the same thing for some of the JVC, Pioneer, and Canon electronics I've owned). I think I'm going to buy this. It's got three HDMI and two digital optical inputs. The 360 and my HD-DVD player will take up two HDMI slots. I think video and audio run through that, but if they don't, I'll use both digital optical inputs. If my cable box supports HDMI, it will take the last input.
So that's $300 right there. The Rock Band kit is about $170, a bit cheaper at Walmart. Saving $10 might not be worth stepping into the cesspool of a store, but I've stooped for worse. Wifezilla naturally blanches at the prospect of spending this kind of bling. But it can't be avoided. I've got the bug and I'm starting to get the shakes from not being able to feux jam out. Plus, I really want to play with Wifezilla. We do precious few activities together. There's, uh, you know.
Yeeaah.
And then we like to watch TV and movies together. But that's pretty much it. The two snotbags hoard our time the way Dr. Phil does public affection. After they're cared for, there isn't a lot of discretionary time left over. So Rock Band is my Holy Grail of gaming, a video game that my wife will actually play. God knows I've tried to get her to play WoW or Oblivion. For some reason, showing her the bikini-clad toon she could play never sealed the deal. But she's good at Rock Band and I see us tucking in the snotbags and then hitting the stage frequently. And when the girls are a bit older, we'll have a full ensemble. I've already come up with two band name options: Moldy Garbage or Wad of Hair You Pull From the Shower Drain.
I know, the last one is too long. Screw you, I like it.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Rockband Saves a Marriage
There isn't much in this essay that really applies to Wifezilla or me, except for the fact that, just like the author, Rockband is probably the only video game my wife will ever play. Unless they come out with a version of Scrabble for the PS3 or 360. And if they do, the world should right then and there.
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