Let's face it, I'm a PC Gamer!

I've owned an Xbox. I currently have two 360s (the original white one and the black slim version). I also have a PS3. With all these consoles at my disposable you'd figure I would be heavy into console games and spending a lot of time in front of my TV.

I'm not. And I've come to terms with that.

I'm a PC Gamer. I would not consider myself a hardcore player (hell, I prefer to play FPS on consoles), but I've build my last two desktops PCs, with gaming in mind. I've upgraded pretty much every component there is to upgrade in order to keep up with the games I play.

But, I'll be honest. I'll a little behind on the hardware these days. I haven't kept up to date and the idea of popping the hood on my old tower, of removing parts and upgrading is getting a lot less fun of an idea.

Which is why I'm convinced that my next PC will be an Alienware.

Back in late October I had the chance to see, touch and feel some amazing PC gaming gear and listen in on a panel discussing PC Gaming, Consoles and the future of gaming in general. Alienware and Dell Canada held an invitation only event in Toronto, where they showcased some of their line-up. You can read/watch some of what the other invited bloggers had to say about the event:

• Hardware Canucks: Alienware 18, X51 (Console replacement) [VIDEO]
• C&G Online: PC Gaming Offers What The Consoles Never Can
• Toronto Thumbs: Alienwares Exists

I won't go into the whole PC vs Console debate. It's an old quarrel that I know longer have interest in. PCs will always be my gaming gear of choice. Yeah, the whole gaming in your living room is fun. I don't know about you, but my living room is not the most quiet place in the house. And having my own little haven of peace and quiet, where I can sit down and enjoy a few hours of gaming a week, is what I need. And that's where my PC sits.

For now that PC is an old, big, fat tower, with hardware that's recent enough to run current games at a decent level. But that won't last for long. That's where Alienware comes in.

What I saw at the #AlienwareTO event was a choice of sweet looking killing gaming PCs. Somewhere in there was my next gaming PC. Or would a laptop suit my needs better?


If money was no object: Alienware Aurora

The above is a photo of the Alienware Aurora -  a behemoth gaming machine and something that I'll only have in my dreams. At least until the kids are out of university and the wife and I have had a few trips to Europe and Asia. Then again, the base model of this beast starts at $1,700, while the high-end version starts at $2,400. But the specs will make anyone gamer drool and dream of the gaming specs.


If mobility was a priority: Alienware 14 - 17 or 18

I'll be honest, having my quiet space in the basement (it's not yet my Man Cave) is currently a priority and something I look forward to. So switching over to a laptop for my gaming needs isn't something I see myself doing in the short term. For those looking for a mobile solution though, the Alienware laptops are the definition of power pack in a small enclosure. Their top model, the Alienware 18 (price starting at $2100), has nothing to envy with other desktops.


What I'll be asking for on my next birthday: Alienware X51

That balance between great specs, expendability and pricing, is what the X51 represents for me. The pricing range is very reasonable - $700 to $1000 - and the specs on any of its version would make my current (4yr-old) gaming PC shy away in envy. I'll have a little less than a year to put away some funding for one X51 and a bigger monitor, and come October 2014, I should be unpacking this sleek beast!

Now all I need is a good excuse to convince the Secretary of Finance that I need a new gaming PC! Any advice?

The Return...

It's been a over 2 years since the last time I wrote a post on this blog. Back in August of 2011, I took the decision to stop blogging about games in general and EVE in particular, for the simple reason that I had started working for a game developer. Working for a dev and blogging about another wasn't appropriate, and I had agreed to put my pen down.

Earlier this year, my professional adventure in the game development industry came to an end. But the blogging bug had not returned. In fact, at the end of this past summer, I even let go CrazyKinux.com and did not renew it (it's now owned by a dentist!).

But the itch was always there. The need to engaged with past EVE bloggers, with a community of friends with whom I shared so much, was always there. And was slowly making itself heard.

That's when I made the switch. After August 2011 I had stopped using @CrazyKinux as my main Twitter account and had been using @SocialDave for both professional and personal tweets. Then, earlier this October, I tweeted about my return.

I haven't decided if I plan to go back to my usual blogging schedule. That seems a bit daunting for now.

What games am I playing? What about my return to EVE you say? That'll be the topic of another post. Of many more posts that is!

It's good to be back!

All good things must eventually come to an end...

As most of you know by now, I recently made a move into the video games industry as Director of Business Development for Behaviour Interactive. It's been a long time coming, and the privilege comes with lots of challenges. It's something I've been gearing up for for quite some time now. I'm a gamer at heart, and to have the opportunity to participate in the industry is quite exciting.
But with this new challenge ahead of me I've come to realize that some of the things I've enjoyed in the past must come to an end. Working for a developer and blogging/podcasting about another's work is somewhat a conflicting situation. I've been part of the EVE Blogging Community from its infancy and I've had the chance to participate in a number of podcasts with other capsuleer. This history and the people that were part of it (the good and the bad) is something I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

And so this will be my last post. Though I will keep the blog up and available to all, don't expect me to write anything new beyond this post. And don't expect to see much of @CrazyKinux for that matter too.

What about the EVE Blog Banter and the EVE Blog Pack? Who's going to keep their flame going? I've had quite some time to think about this. If you've read the previous post, you knew that initially I  was looking for someone to host both of these. And though I had quite a number of DM me or email me with offers, I came to realize that this might not be the best way to continue these 2 initiatives.

They need to be set free.

That's right. I won't do a thing. I realized that had I given the responsibility to either the Pack, the Banter or both to anyone, someone else (or even a group of you) might have seen this as preferential treatment. And to be honest, I'm no longer the best judge to know who should be taking over.

I'm letting the Community decide. I'm letting you pick up the Pack where I left off.

If you've got the fire, the passion to make your own Pack, then go ahead and do it. The same goes for the Banter. That's really all that it needs. Someone with the passion, dedication and enthusiasm to make things happen.

C'mon, I know you're itching to do it!


In the End

So this is it. What an adventure this has been! What amazing people I've had a chance to meet, both virtually and face-to-face, while writing, blogging and talking about EVE in particular and gaming in general.

I've become friends with quite a few of you and am happy knowing we'll still keep in touch through Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. Some of you I'll get a chance to see at industry events, while others I'll be keeping in touch virtually, as I have for so many years!

Now I'll have time to play the darn game and read your blogs! Anyway that's the idea!

For those of you who want to keep in touch and were following me via @CrazyKinux on Twitter, know that I am no longer using that handle now on Bluesky under the same handle. You can also follow me at @SocialDave and I'll do same.