I'm currently enjoying my PES 2008 very well thank you. While I am awaiting the 2009 version release like any other guy, I hardly believe that I will be able to play it that much at the time that it will come out. I am already preparing for this year's university term so I don't see myself playing a lot of games until next May.

So for now I am celebrating all the trophies I have won in the 2008 version.

Speaking about games, I just heard that the iPhone is soon to have its first MMO game. However I doubt that it will be that "massive". I do not consider the iPhone as a gaming platform. You see, there's no damn buttons to press. The only game that would make the platform justice is a classic one; Marble Madness. If someone can pull it off on the iPhone it will make gaming history.

There's a new search engine in town, and of course it claims to be better than Google. Its name is Cuil, and it was developed by some people with previous experience with Google and IBM. I'm not going to compare the two; I just want to take a look around and see what I like or not. After all, I believe it will be better than Google only if Google decides to use Cuil's results to power its own searches. Always if Google doesn't sue them before then.

So here we go:


Pros

1) When I searched for my own brand name for Syntax Rebels, it's good to see that the first result is that for our website, and that the results in the first page are relevant. Although who is the guy in the picture below?

2) When I searched for my favourite band, not only did I get relevant results, but also other suggested searches for lyrics, tabs, discography and more. These other suggested results can be displayed by clicking on the appropriate tab at the top of the page.

3) The results are spread out nicely. I like the way that the layout is split in a columnar mag-like fashion with some text and a nice picture (although again, who was that guy?). However I think that SEOs will surely find this a problem as the first result does not get the upperhand anymore due to its position.

4) The main page has a cool black background and makes use of some CSS to make it look better. (Does that count as an advantage?)


Cons

1) There are a lot of results from the same domain. I like to see my own pages spread all over the first page of a search engine, but I think it would be better for the user experience to have at most only two or three relevent results from the same domain.

2) When searching for some toys to buy for my little girl, the majority of results pointed me to the home pages instead of the pages that are actually talking about toys. The less clicks and the less searching I have to do myself, the better.

3) Cuil is apparently an Irish word for knowledge. It has also a nice sound to it, because it is very similar to cool. However, it also sounds a lot like the Italian word for arse.

4) Finally, what would the web be without the possibility of searching for porn? Well, unfortunately Cuil does not provide a lot of help for those looking for a quick fix. The results showed some news articles and forums but no links to some tasty bits even with safe search turned off (although I did get sent to a spam site). W00t? 121,617,892,992 web pages and no p0rn whatsoever? What is the web coming to?



So is being cool and looking nice better than being useful. Only time will tell if people will prefer Cuil over Google or not. For further information, why not visit the site itself?

I finally nailed the trojan that was running loose on the Rebels website. I must admit that it was a bit of hard work, but the most important thing is that the threat is no more and now I know how to keep up with it.

The problem has been solved for over a week really, but I waited to see if it resurfaced again. This has been going on for nearly a month; Google banning the site for malicious code, me removing the malicious code, code reappearing back automatically, Google banning the site and so on...

My disappointment with all of this is how more information could have helped to solve the problem earlier. You know it's all good that Google and Stopbadware are policing the Internet, but if they know what is wrong with a website why don't they help with some feedback about the problem?

Anyway, I can get back to some real work now with some more knowledge on how to keep a website safe.

The download page for Foxx Fights Back gets moved here. Details about it below:

Summary

Version: 1.0
Last Updated on: 30.July.2003
Runs on: Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP with Pentium II P300, 64MB RAM
Download Size: 3928K
License: Free Download

Download Foxx Fights Back from Pantera Designs Server
Note: Download includes program, map editor, libraries, installer and uninstaller.

Details
Poor old Mr. Foxx is a hen-pecked husband. His vixen has a tendency to whack him over the head with her favourite rolling pin if he doesn't bring home anything for dinner.

But poor old Mr. Foxx can't just pop down to the local Tesco's and fill up a trolley like everyore else. No he must forage the countryside for titbits like every other wild animal. The trouble is that those hard working farmers aren't particularly fond of Foxx, and send their trusty hounds to hunt him down with guns.

But Mr. Foxx is not going to take all this lying down, so what does he do? Yes, you guessed right, he goes and gets himself a pistol.

So take control of Mr. Foxx and become the hunter, get the food and make the wife happy (although not for long). But take care because enemy hits will reduce your health, so keep an eye on the Pantometer. And also watch out for the various traps and pitfalls spread out across the level. The game is complete once you bring home all the food.

Control Foxx with the cursor keys and hold down SPACE to fire, or alternatively use a joystick. P to pause gameplay.

Installation
To install the game, you should find a file called Setup.exe. It will then ask you where to install the software and shortcuts. You will then be left with a shortcut on the Start Menu in the Pantera Designs folder and an icon on the Desktop, if the default installation is chosen.

Controls
Cursor keys left/right or joystick left/right - move Foxx left/right.
Cursor key up or joystick up - jump.
Cursor key down or joystick down - crouch.
SPACE key or fire on joystick - fire pistol.
Fire combined with left/right - Foxx walks slowly, ready to fire.
P - pause game.
ESC - Quit game and return to Windows.

Gameplay
The scope of this game is to collect food and return it back home to your wife. A counter on the top right corner shows how many food items are left to be collected. The game is complete if all the food is collected and returned back safely.

You will find various perils along the way in the form of traps and enemies. Some enemies have heavy firepower, but you can shoot them back. The amount of damage received by the enemies is shown by the Pantometer. Basically the more Foxx's tounge sticks out, the more miserable he is and the nearer he is to die. Fortunately, he can get some of his health back by eating the chickens and health will be totally replenished if any food is brought back to the wife. She is not entirely bad! What you must watch out for are the fox traps and stepping on water, which will both kill you instantly.

You start out with three lives, and more can be obtained every 4000 points. Points are given for killing enemies, collecting food and also bringing it back. You guessed right, lose all lives and it's Game Over, but hey, you can try to better those high scores!

The Map Editor
Included with the game is a map editor so that you can create your own levels or those made by others. I didn't have time to finish this feature in the game, but it is usable if you know what to do. Following are some points you have to note while using the map editor.

• Graphics in the displayed map are only symbolic, so a tree for example will only be shown as an icon. You have to assume that the icon is the placeholder for the tree base.
• To draw on the map you must first select a tile and then click on the map to place the tile. All tiles are named to help you out.
• You may scroll the map left/right by using the scrollbar.
• The top layer is only reserved for clouds. Put any food in there and it will magically appear in the sky.
• Restart points will allow the player to restart from the last one reached if he dies.
• The edges of the map will have to be deadly, so the first and last eight tiles must be either set to water or traps. If you don't do this, the game will just crash.
• Apples are suggested to be placed one tile up and to the left of a tree.
• Don't forget to put in the lovely wife! You can put as much as you want, but I don't know what will happen. In the relationship I mean!
• You can save as many maps as you like under different names, however there is no option in the game to choose maps. To play a particular map, you have to rename it to map2.txt and put it in the program's directory. Just take care not to overwrite a previous map that you wish to keep.

History
Foxx Fights Back has only had a single release on so far.

Reviews/Awards
Retro Remakes

It seems that the summer holiday season has started. Here it's already approaching the 30 degree mark and a jump in the water after work is surely welcome.

Anyways, yesterday I sold the first bikini of the season from The Bikini, who this year are promoting their new design SlingCross Bikini like the one this nice lady is wearing below.

This is a special and sexy bikini design.... It will surely attract the attention of other beach goers!!! The width of this bikini measures 2.2 inches (5,5 cms.). Just enough to cover the tingly bits.

Think about this; you can buy a slingcross alone or in combination with a bandeau top from only 31.00 US$. It is only available exclusively at The Bikini's on-line shop, the home for the sexiest micro bikinis.

As the Dark Knight approaches, I have prepared a full page of downloadable Batman wallpaper over at DeskDeco.

Since MMO week just ended, I thought that I should share with you some of the games I've played. Be sure to bookmark this page as I will be updating the list often.

A Tale in The Desert
Aion: The Tower of Eternity
Alien Adoption Agency
Anarchy Online
Archlord
Bots
Cabal
Champions Online
Conquer
Deicide Online
Dofus
Drift City
Dungeon Runners
EUDemons Online
Everquest
Fallen Sword
Flyff
Freaky Creatures
Fury League
Guild Wars
Gunz
Hero Online
Ikariam
Imperia Online
Last Chaos
Lineage II
Maplestory
Marcoland
Metin 2
9dragons
Pardus
Pirate King
Puzzle Pirates
Rakion
Rappelz
Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa
Rumble Fighter
Runescape
Seal Online
Shadowbane
Shot Online
Silkroad Online
Tales of Pirates
Talisman Online
Tibia
2Moons
Upshift StrikeRacer
World of Warcraft