TL;DR SHORT VERSION AT BOTTOM IN BOLD

Because Section 1 of this operation is going to take a while I'd thought I'd have a blog break. But do feel free to check it all out, the operation is going well.

So I'm wondering whether to change my newgrounds name, my alias. Let me tell you how I chose BlueFlameSkulls. Now when I started on the internet I chose my first name and a series of numbers, I later learnt that numbers in your name is a faux pas. Keep in mind I hadn't made a newgrounds account yet as this is going back to dial up days.

I made a geocities website of Halloween gifs which I pretty much stole off some website. I saw a gif of a skull on fire, specifically blue fire. This is where I chose the name "BlueFlameSkulls". I was on newgrounds before then but not made an account. I wanted to make my own flash so I made some really poor immature flash which was made in windows movie maker and imported into flash (30 day trial).

I had to make an account so I decided now would be the best time to use my new name. It was "blueflameskulls", lower case. The flash was blammed, and this amuses me but someone then had criticized my name. This was the flash and although the reviews haven't saved for some reason there were some. Looking back I have changed a lot, I'm still crap with flash but the way I wrote was way different. I'm quite surprised I managed to find the obituary for that flash.

ONWARD. I kept the name and when I realised I could change my name freely I made the name with upper case for each word. Hence "BlueFlameSkulls". Later I changed my name to "ShitOnMyChest whilst keeping my BFS alias on an alt. It fit me well that name when I started writing shock stories.

It came to a point where we would have a username lockdown and had to choose a name we wanted to keep. So I changed it back to BFS after people telling me I should change it back and here we are now.

I look at this alias and I use it everywhere except certain places where I want to use a more mature alias. I go on gamefaqs rarely but I use a different name. Some of you may know my other aliases on the net anyway. I say 'some' a little strongly.

I use this name on PSN and 360 Live (ish, my alias was took by someone so I had to miss out the 's' on the end). Now imagine you have never heard me and see some guy called "BlueFlameSkulls" on CoD4. You would think it was a 12 year old kid with a D&D or other fantasy world fetish. Considering people who are adults and have names like "N00bUberPwner" and "Killah345" there isn't a lot of difference. At least 'ShitOnMyChest' has charm.

Now I was thinking I should ask to get this name changed and put BFS on an alt so I don't lose it. I was thinking of changing it to my first name as that seems to be a trend nowadays, plus it's easier to remember. The amount of times people have got my alias wrong is understandable but it's getting tedious. Or I could chose a completely new and unique name but I don't sound like a fag. I mean one of the reasons I chose BFS is that is was unique in the sense that nobody would choose it. I would also want it to be memorable.

But should I? When we could change our aliases as much as we want it would get annoying when you would wonder who that new guy was with 7000 posts. Plus it seems too much a bother to ask wade to change it. That man is hard to get to, PMing/emailing him is out the question, he has a rep to take time with those. I could go on paltalk and ask him there as that's how most people change their aliases now. But to be honest I hate using paltak, even if he's on he's usually AFK. But when he is on, people start spamming "OMG WAID".

So wut?

TL;DR SHORT VERSION: Should I change my alias? If so/not discuss.

So everyone is saying that the PS3 is too expensive and Xbox 360 is cheaper. This is true if you get the most basic package. However if you wanted to take advantage of all the features of your system it would appear the Xbox 360 would cost significantly more.

So let's say you want to get a games system where you want to go online and chat to your friends and maybe you want to play two player games with your friends this is how is would work out. You also can choose to go wireless online with you router in case it's too far for the Ethernet cable to reach. You have a HD TV too.

All prices are what play.com or amazon.co.uk usually sell them for and just averages.

XBOX 360

Xbox 360 Premium
with
20GB Hard Drive
1 Wireless Controller (batteries)
Wired Head Set
Ethernet cable for wired online access
HD AV Cable (with SCART adapter)
£249.99
You get quite a lot with the premium package even a headset and HD cable.

Official Xbox 360 Wireless controller (batteries)
£29.99
So you want your friend to join in the fun while he/she is round at your house. You'll need another controller.

Official Xbox 360 wireless adapter/bridge
£54.99
There is no WiFi with the Xbox 360 so if you want wireless online access then you'll need this.

Xbox live 12 month gold subscription(average price)
£40.00
For full use of the online features such as playing online games.

Xbox 360 quick charge kit (comes with 1 rechargable battery pack)
£17.99
The wireless controllers need batteries and getting batteries all the time can get tedious. Plus you could run out at midnight during a Halo 3 tournament. You can't play unless....You get a quick charge kit. It comes with a rechargeable battery pack that you can recharge in this charging hub.

1 Xbox 360 rechargable battery pack (to go with the extra controller)
£9.99
You have two controllers and one rechargeable battery pack. Do the math

Messenger kit (keyboard for messenger)
£24.99
The Xbox 360 like all consoles where you have to type to chat to someone over the internet via console has poor typing facillities. So you get the messenger kit which is essentially a small keyboard you plug into your controller which works much better than using your controller's directional pad.

Xbox live points (4200)
£32.99
To buy games, themes etc you go to the Marketplace, everything costs something so you need to buy points.

Live vision camera (xbox 360)
£34.99
I've not used the camera myself as I've not seen a game that uses the camera. I hear Rainbow 6: Vegas uses it but I don't have it for Xbox 360.

2 Xbox 360 games (brand new standard priced)
£39.99
Just the prices for a game that is new but nothing special like limited edition versions.

PLAYSTATION 3

Playstation 3 60GB
with
60GB Hard drive
1 wireless SIXAXIS controller with usb recharging cable
Ethernet cable
SCART cable
£349.99
You get slightly less with the PS3's own premium package but you get what you need.

Official PS3 SIXAXIS Controller
£29.99
Like the Xbox 360 you might want an extra controller for the PS3. Unlike the 360 you don't need batteries because it recharges by usb cable.

USB keyboard (prices vary as you can use any old USB keyboard)
£9.99(average price for a standard one)
You don't need an official keyboard so you can use a regular USB keyboard.

Playstation camera
£24.99
I tried to use a regular USB webcam but it doesn't work so the PS3 needs the official Playstation camera.

Bluetooth wireless headset
£24.99
Any bluetooth headset can be used it is claimed but I got mine bundled with a game. You could do this or use a Playstation camera as it doubles as a microphone as well as a camera. Best to go with a headset as the camera constantly records everything where as the headset requires you to speak into it. Much like the Xbox 360 headset.

HDMI cable
£12.99
The PS3 cable doesn't come with a HDMI cable so you have to buy one. They could of included one with the system but the SCART lead has to do until you get a HDMI cable.

2 PS3 games (brand new standard priced)
£39.99
Just the prices for a game that is new but nothing special like limited edition versions.

So what is the final totals with the systems and the peripherals?

Xbox 360
Total
£575.90

PS3
Total
£507.93

Okay maybe it isn't a huge amount of money but £67. 97 is still large enough to say that Playstation 3 isn't more expensive. However if you were to buy a Nintendo Wii with all the peripherals and online stuff it would cost the same as just a PS3 60GB package on it's own. So get a Wii if you can't afford either a 360 or a PS3

It's been a while since I made a news post. I might as well tell you what's going on if you're so kind to visit my little page.

I'm having problems with my network adapter and it's been annoying me to piss so I thought or getting a new hard drive because I needed one so I got myself a 80GB like my old one. Now I use my old one as an external with a caddy I also got from the shop which is quite snazzy. I installed a legit version of Windows XP and I plan to only use legit software from now on. Unfortunately Photoshop and Flash 8 wasn't as I exploited it, I won't go in detail so now I'm going to buy my own but they cost loads. I thought it was going to be £100 at most but some go up to a grand. Because of this I cannot continue this yearbook thing until I get flash 8, the 30 day trial is simply not enough time. Because I want flash 8 and Photoshop 7, they are old software so I assume I can get it cheaper or even free from adobe's website. No such luck yet but I don't want to use serials that are illegal.

Since the last news post I have got myself in debt, not the big bad company charging interest kind, I owe family members for purchases I've made. I bought myself a PS3, fully expecting I would have 50% of the cash to pay it off but I've barely dented the price tag. I can probably pay it off in February easily, maybe earlier and let me tell you it's better than what people say about it. It has games (lolwut you're all saying but there is a decent collection so far), online multiplayer, graphics, fun and it is much cheaper than what is in this little wonder. The majority of people bad mouthing just can't afford it, can't play it and spread bad news about it. The other consoles are rivals at this stage and I can't tell who is winning the console war in overall best console (units sold obviously it is low).

So I bought that by paying my parents monthly. I also got a HD LCD TV which initially I didn't want. I was in currys looking at the TVs, getting a better idea what I should make as a future purchase. I was with my ever generous aunt, the assistant recommended one and my aunt out of the blue said she'll take it for me. I couldn't back out of this because my aunt has mind powers. So got it home, it was broke, sent it back two days later and got a replacement which was also broke. I was fuming and decided to hook up my old TV again, I was slamming doors at this stage. Smoked a pack of cigarettes in mere hours. Got that one replaced and now have a working one, with £150 knocked off the starting price also about £100 off which my aunt regards as birthday/christmas presents. So from £550 to a £300 decent telly.

Christmas is looking good and all, I asked for no presents but they'll all got me something. I can tell. The TV schedules are promising but too bad about certain shows that seem to get another episode when they should of died long ago. New Year, I'm not expecting much as I gave up drinking a while back and everyone I know has moved on. Quite sad but at this moment in my life it doesn't affect me. I have things to think about like starting a small business, seeing if my uncle will live to see 2008 and I don't know about other important things. 2007 has been a shit year for the people I know but it's been quite a good year for me. Oh that's one more thing I need to think, my health. I'm worried about it and I might go in for a check up.

So that's it really except I have to figure out what to do for my Dad's 50th which isn't convenient as it's in January right after I spent money for Christmas. Anyway enjoy the rest of the year and savour the next. Hopefully this will be my last news post of 2007.

Edit: So it's Christmas day 1am. To me this is a normal day now. I had more to say but yeah to me this is the rest of my life, which I am happy with.