Scheduled: 15:00 CDT, 11 October 2009 to 17:00 CDT, 11 October 2009
Schedule: Passed

UPDATE - The show can be downloaded and listened to at www.djwheat.tv/2009/10/12/live-on-three-30-sk-walle-the-agp/

Live On Three #30 with djWHEAT, SirScoots, and Slasher will feature Jarod "StreetRunner" Resin as the featured guest to discuss The AGP and answer questions from the audience.

The AGP has seen both positive and negative feedback since the launch in late September. On this week's LO3, Jarod will join us to discuss his vision for the AGP and the impact the recent vote will have on players, tournaments, and the organization. During the interview the hosts be fielding questions from show chat and open up the phones for the audience to grill him about every aspect of the AGP, including the membership fee, choosing Quake Live as the flagship game, the differences between the AGP and the G7, conflict of interest in running tournaments while also being a players association, and the long term goals of the AGP. Also on the show will be SK Gaming's Dennis "walle" Wallenberg to talk about the team's latest victory at IEM Chengdu with their new lineup.

We will also be discussing the Dubai event and the invites announced, along with our early picks, as well as the IEM North American groups.


Tune into Live On Three this Sunday at 15:00 CDT on djWHEAT.tv.

You can find the audio file, demos, and a VOD of the match on my site:

http://www.djwheat.tv/2009/02/08/pro-gaming-1...emi-final/

I plan to have an RSS feed (should be up tomorrow) that will notify you of new matches put up. Since I realized that not everyone can enjoy it live, I'll do my best to get it out there after the LIVE portion is done.

A few notes on things I want to improve:

- I know the HUD needs some work. I have SuperHud and I'm going to keep working on it. I did that in about 20 minutes. However if you are a HUD master and want to send me a .cfg with a sweet ass spectator HUD for the video stream - I won't complain :P

- I know the VOD is only 320x240 stretched. I've got a few ideas on how I might be able to get some higher quality videos, but I don't necessarily have all the resources. I'll try a FRAPS/Audio combo at some point, but I also gotta keep the file sizes down

- I finally figured out why all my audio levels were going crazy. Apparently one particular program kept overriding my recording level every time I activated the window. One pain in my neck gone.

- Eventually I will try to split the games into multiple parts, it just takes longer and efficiency is important right now since I'm pretty much a one man show.

- BTW, the VOD is basically what people watched LIVE - so apparently the quality was better than I expected!

Would love to hear your comments...

Yeah that's a pretty harsh headline... even coming from someone like me. But after the recent interview with Jarod, I have to give my two cents about the business plan/model of the AGP based on his responses. Also, Special Guest "Weenus" will be joining me to talk about "Community: Helping or Hurting".

Live on Three (LO3) - Episode 3

Airs tonight (Thursday 2/5/09) @ 7PM EST - Podcast and VOD available on djWHEAT.tv the next day. This week's topics include the following:

* Community: Helping or Hurting
* Why APG is Flawed!
* Dream Match-Ups - which two teams / players would you LOVE to see go head-to-head by your command?

PODCAST & VOD HERE: http://www.djwheat.tv/2009/02/06/live-on-three-e03-community/

Epileptic Gaming #161 - Friday

EG is back. And I'm stoked. Some of you were fans, some of you hated it, some have no idea what you are about to get into :) This Friday (2/6/09) at 7PM EST you can check out the return of Epileptic Gaming with Episode #161 (which is actually more like show 300 cause we were daily for several months).

This week will begin to return to "EG Format" with News of the Week, a look at current game titles, and open phones.

You can watch EG LIVE tonight at 7PM EST at http://djWHEAT.tv

Sup guys... here are some updates on what's going down. I want to thank everyone who assisted me with getting my Quake back to working order. I used to just cast with my Config, but now that I'm offering some video too, I had to really reconsider casting. The good news is that the audio stuff is all setup (would you believe I had over 35 binds all related to various broadcasting stuff?).

I expect to be covering some of the upcoming FD.Q3.2v2 games as a way to get everything sorted and I've already been contacted by a few cup admins to do some additional broadcasting. Thanks to everyone who reached out...

Here is the rest:

Live on Three (LO3) - Episode 2

Airs tonight (Thursday 1/29/09) @ 7PM EST - Podcast and VOD available on djWHEAT.tv the next day. This week's topics include the following:

* Cheating - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
* What are the 2009 eSports Break-Out Games? (Including QuakeLIVE, SC2, etc.)
* Open Phones

You can view the show live at djWHEAT.tv at 7PM EST. I'm still working on the format of the show, but I actually think it's will turn into a great source of pro-gaming discussion regardless of what game you might be involved in.

Epileptic Gaming #160 - Returns Friday

EG is back. And I'm stoked. Some of you were fans, some of you hated it, some have no idea what you are about to get into :) This Friday (1/30/09) at 7PM EST you can check out the return of Epileptic Gaming with Episode #160 (which is actually more like show 300 cause we were daily for several months).

We'll be catching up on alot of the games and news stories that we missed while EG was off the air for 9 months. Also if you happened to be a fan of Epileptic Gaming back in the early days, you'll really like the new show because it features NiceGuyEd and Force LIVE once again.

You can view the show live on FRIDAY on djWHEAT.tv at 7PM EST.

Funny Struggles:

- I have miniWHEAT now, so I can't cast past 7PM CST (which is pretty damn early). The good news is that I'm working on a studio in my garage. It's going to take me quite awhile to finish it, but once I'm done, I can cast a game at anytime, and not bother anyone. When doing my casting from home, I've never really had my "OWN" space to cast in. At least, a space where someone else in the house could not hear my every word. That will be a big day...

- I do have access to a Shoutcast server, but I've had some issues with it. It likes to just... TURN OFF. I dunno, but in all the casting I ever did "back in the day", I don't remember a single instance where everything would just randomly drop out of no where. Maybe to one or two people, but not to EVERYONE. I've got to get that resolved before anyone is gonna get their GTV/Cast lovin.

- More to come...

Peace

So I'm back. If you want a definition of what "back" means... I suppose I can try to explain. I've been rafting down the epic rapids of eSports for the past 3 to 4 years. Over the course of that trip I experienced many things I wouldn't ever want to give up, but I also experienced a bunch of shit I'm not necessarily proud of.

So I left LA. Obviously, after CGS closed (which ironically turned out to be a blessing). And I'm back in Nebraska. The same house that churned out thousands of hours of Q3/CS/WC3/etc.

But when I arrived here... I arrived with nothing... Just a computer.

See between 2001 and 2004 I built the "djWHEAT Shoutcasting Station". And between 2004 and 2008 it was completely raped by the companies I worked for. Most of that is my fault... cause I just wanted to get shit done. But the point was, I certainly wanted to be doing things like casting, EG, etc. but had nothing to do it with.

So I asked the Epileptic Gaming community to donate some cash. The main purpose was to "revive" Epileptic Gaming as a COMMUNITY show once again. If you're at all interested in how fucking awesome a gaming community can be read these: 1 - 2 - 3.

Now, before any fucking trolls go, "OMG DJWHEAT GOT LIEK 4 CENTS AND NOW HE NEEDS US" - that's not the case at all. The EG Community pretty much had the "djWHEAT Shoutcasting Station" up in less than 24 hours.

In reality, I think what I was missing more than anything over 4 years, was enjoyment in what I was doing. And now, back in Nebraska, I feel like more than anything, the community based casting and shows I was doing was bringing me the most enjoyment.

I'm about to give back to the EG Community by relaunching EG (it begins next week) - and now I want to give back to another community. The community that I put so much blood, sweat, and tears into... and then never got to really see that community benefit from "the big boys". So fuck them.

I'm going to do some work for various eSports organizations over the course of the next few months... but there's something much different about how it's worked in the past.

I WORK FOR MYSELF NOW.

I don't have to answer to a "station manager", a CEO, my own casters. I just wanna do my own thing.

And that's where you come in. I'm going to cast some Quake again. I'm going to cast things I enjoy... the games I like to play. I'd like to know from you guys what you would like to see in terms of coverage.

That means alot of things:

- What leagues? OSP or CPMA (both?)
- What kind of coverage would you like to see NOW that didn't exist back in the "prime" (when guys like me would go on air nearly every night). Do you want interviews, shows, just match coverage
- Do you just wanna have easy access to audio so you can watch it with GTV? Or do you want Q3 Video?

I've already had a few leagues approach me, and I'm not going to spread myself too thin. So here is a chance to be heard. What do you wanna see covered. I've already got access to a pretty hefty Shoutcast stream, and I'll likely be doing coverage off my djWHEAT.tv website.

I hope to hear from you... peace.

So I've spent alot of time trying to work on these Quake 4 VOD's. I didn't realize the engine was going to be such a pain in the ass. So this particular journal thread is two fold:

1 :: To update folks who have been asking about them where we currently stand

2 :: To get an audience feedback as to what they want to see

TOPIC 1: The biggest problem right now with the VOD's is coming up with a bitrate which allows for an acceptable filesize, while still maintaining a fair quality of video and framerate. The files I recorded today of the Jibo vs. Xatrix match turned out... OK. Actually, in my opinion, they suck. Granted, I'm a huge stickler when it comes to quality, but at the same time, I won't release something that I personally don't approve of or wouldn't watch. Which means that I've got alot more testing to do before perfection is achieved.

I don't expect the Jibo vs. Xatrix match VOD's to be released, because the only way I could achieve the quality I want is to go back and cut up the demos. Since that's extremely time consuming, I'd rather focus the time on the upcoming matches and improving the process that way.

TOPIC 2: I'm hoping folks who read this might answer some questions. Because even though I know what I would personally watch or download, that doesn't mean the entire audience feels the same way. So if you have a few minutes, please answer these in the comments:

a. How big of a file would you download for ONE 15 minute match?
b. Does the actual graphic quality of Quake 4 make a difference in a VOD? (for example, if the VOD was recorded with low textures which eliminates details, would you care?)
c. Would you rather download VOD's on a game by game basis, or a best of 3 series as one file?
d. Do you prefer the gamma and brightness turned up to get a better view of what's happening in-game?

BIG THANKS to anyone who answers these questions!

<Edited because a wise man MaJunior shared some wise words with me>

I'm here to tell you that despite my long vacation (that's what a mini-wheat will do to you - yes in case you hadn't heard I now have a SON!), iTG is about to roll full force into the next generation of the game which originally put us on the map. Quake 4. Already ReDeYe has done a great job with Q4 coverage, and now it's time for me to step up and give a little love to the series which got me started in broadcasting.

Wednesday I will be kicking off the first day of Q4 1v1 coverage for the EuroCup with two matches I believe everyone will enjoy. Look for the official announcement soon, but for those who have been asking on IRC, we are officially here for Quake 4.

See you Wednesday... more news to follow.

If there is one game I'm looking forward to more than any other game, it's no doubt Quake 4. Not only is it time for the next generation of Quake, but I'm very curious as to whether this will actually be an "updated" version of Quake 3. In which case, I have lots to be happy about... considering that Quake was the game which brought out the best broadcasting in me. It's the game that paved the way for a future I would have never expected. Even to this day, I still believe that Quake 3 is the best competative game out there. I keep my mouth shut about that last statement for the most part... but everytime Q3 has a major event, there's no doubt it is the one that truely shines (ie ESWC 2k5).

At a recently LAN event, I spoke to an individual who is pretty credible. He told me that there are people out there playing some sort of Q4Test, and that ID Software had spent quite a lot of time "hax0r" proofing it (ie, must download from their servers, records and tracks ips, etc.). I don't know if it's 100% true, but I do believe that my source wouldn't feed me incorrect information.

I guess I figured that if one person had their hands on it, we would be seeing some screenshots or some sort of NEWS/COMMENTARY on how the game actually is.

There are only SEVEN days until QuakeCon, and you can bet your ass the first thing I'm going to do when I'm there is to get my grubby hands on a game of Q4MP. I'll do my best to make sure we can capture some video and if things go well, do the first official Quake 4 1v1 Broadcast.

Soon the game will be in the hands of gamers... for those of you who may already have it. FUCK YOU. At least for now...!

Ok. So it's been 8 days. Before I go into anything... I just gotta thank everyone who has offered a piece of knowledge or wisdom to help breaking the terrible habit of smoking. Many of your stories and suggestions were listened to... and even tried! After 8 days of non-smoking, here are my current statistics:

Your Quit Date is: 2/23/2004
Time Smoke-Free: 8 days, 10 hours, 38 minutes and 44 seconds
Cigarettes NOT smoked: 253
Lifetime Saved: 1 day, 22 hours
Money Saved: $48.00

Quick run down of these stats. They are obviously calculated using base values... and I don't agree with all of them. For example, I'm pretty sure I spent more than $48 bucks a week on cigarettes. I guess I've saved more like $60 already. What's amazing is the "Lifetime Saved". To think that 1 week of smoking, is ALMOST 2 days of your life WASTED AWAY. By their calculations... 104 days are lost by a smoker every year. Damn. That's some incredible shit right there.

But the big question... how hard has it been? Well, I prefer to phrase it more like this: HOW EASY HAS IT BEEN?! Honestly folks, this was one of the easiest things I've done in quite some time. When you have the desire and will to do something... it shouldn't be difficult for you. For Jen and I (my fiance who quit at the same time), it's been quite easy. In fact, I can't say that I've even wrestled with the thought of having a cigarette. I simply woke up 1 week ago, and was a non-smoker. That's how easy it was. No patches, no gum... just alot of support, and a little bit of willpower.

NOW THE GOOD STUFF!!! HOLY SHIT CAN I EXPRESS IN CAPS HOW EXCITED I AM TO HAVE SMELL AND TASTE AGAIN?!? I don't know if I can or not. I was lucky to get my smell and taste back very quickly. For those of you who didn't know, when you smoke, you actually kill and degrade your tastebuds and other nasally goodness. When you quit, they quickly begin to work again... and it's truely amazing. In fact, the other day I went to put on this light coat since it was nice outside, and I just couldn't put it on. It REEKED of smoke and was literally disgusting. I know it's somewhat hypocritical of me to go from not giving a rats ass about smelling like smoke, to being a prissy little bitch about it... but the bottom line is: Fuck it. I feel good. If suddenly I have seen the light and passed through the gates of eternal non-smokingness. HELL YEAH. I'll overstay my welcome!

Think about things folks. Quitting is the right thing to do.

TO BE CONTINUED...

For those of you expecting my IGL WinterLan write up... SORRY! I'm still working on it, and hope to have it completed at the end of the week.

BUT, I just discovered some rather disturbing news. You can get the jist of it right HERE. As you can tell from the article, Konami (which is one of my favorite video game publishers since Famicom) has decided to change their logo. It looks like they are putting the old one to rest and replacing it with something MUCH LESS EXCITING.

There's an old overused saying... "If it's not broke, don't fix it". Konami... I wish you would have listened to this sentence of wisdom, because there was nothing wrong with the logo to begin with. It's hard to imagine that Konami would just change something that has garnered them visual acknowledgement for over 15+ years.

I guess we all need change... it was just this logo's time.