TF2: Scout Tips

Heyllo there loyal followers. Started making a new little series to help people with playing certain classes on Team Fortress 2, feel free to add a few tips in the comments if you'd like.

The scout, the fastest class in the game.

First of all, get to know how other players percieve you. Most players - pyros especially, it seems - seem to dismiss scouts as annoying flies and prioritise more dangerous targets such as heavies, engineers (turtling ones especially), pyros and soldiers. However, a good scout is as dangerous as any class when used correctly. Try and lure them into danger by shooting them a few times so they come over to try and get rid of you in the most brutal way possible, as is TF2. Now (this works well on heavies) trick them with your speed and double jumps, and keep shooting. Obviously if the enemy is being healed by a medic you should probably back off and leave them to some allies with more firepower.

Use your pistol if you have it in your loadout. If you're using the Force-a-Nature or the Soda Popper and have the pistol as a secondary, don't forget to use it. Take them on with your primary and when you need to reload it, switch to your pistol. I've lost count of how many times I've gotten a kill using this strategy instead of just reloading and probably letting them get away or kill you. At close range it has quite a large damage output - around 20 damage per shot if I recall correctly, with 12 bullets in the clip, so 20 x 12 = 240 damage per clip, more than enough to kill nearly every class as long as they're not overhealed. and to severely weaken overhealed heavies and soldiers.. 

Know how to use Bonk: Atomic Punch. Don't just run into battle using it like an overenthusiastic baboon, you'll probably get killed the instant the effect wears off. Instead, do what your name suggests: scout around, checking for sentries and heavies. You can then press U to give this information privately to your team, for example, if you saw 3 engineers camping on a balcony, each with a level 3 sentry, tell any demomen to try and stickybomb them. If you see any heavies, especially ones being healed, tell your snipers and spies to try and pick them off. I've done this every time I've had Bonk in my loadout and it's really helped.

Use your speed and abilities to your advantage. If you're taking on a Heavy or a Soldier one-on-one, trick them by running around them in circles and changing directions every now and then, double-jumping over them, and using the pistol when you run out of ammo for your primary. If a medic comes and heals your target, back off. They will kill you. The medic can totally undo any damage you've done in a few seconds and overheal them too; leave the sentries, heavies, soldiers, and spies to take care of them. Dodge and fire at them while running away if you have to.

Only use your melee in dire situations. The scout is, essentially, a class which is designed for close combat and as long as the target isn't too dangerous, you can easily take care of them with the right strategies.  Don't go around trying to kill everyone with your bat; the sentries will inevitably mow you down before you manage to hit anyone, let alone kill them. Only use it when very low on ammo or if the enemy is already very weakened so you can save ammo. Using it when the enemy has full health and your primary and secondary weapons have ammo is, if I'm honest, stupid. Saying that, don't forget to always use the Sandman's alternate fire if you're using it; from afar, it can easily make them vulnerable for any snipers and any other players on your team.

Don't forget, you capture points twice as fast as other classes. But don't just stand there while capturing your point; move around, zigzag while still on the point. Snipers and spies will easily take you down if you're just standing there like a retarded goose. Playing as a scout is great on maps with control points that don't take too long to capture such as Dustbowl and the final control points of places like Egypt.

I hope you've enjoyed this guide, and as I said in the beginning, feel free to add some more tips in the comments. More coming soon. Probably.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review

Intro
Way back in 2006 Nintendo released their first Mario platforming game on a handheld for a loooong time. It recieved extremely positive feedback, although many experienced Mario platformer players complained that the difficulty wasn't quite as high as it could have been, making it an extremely enjoyable yet very easy game that could be finished in just a few hours.
As if Nintendo had been listening to Eminem in the 3 years between when that and its sequel, New Super Mario Bros. Wii was released,  they most certainly didn't "go back to that now". The difficulty in this new game (which was the first Mario sidescrolling platformer on a home console since Super Mario World all the way back in the early 90s) is easy enough for kids to have a great time and hard enough for experienced gamers to be raised a new challenge.

NSMB Wii's sexy red boxart.

As you can see from the image in the boxart there, it also marks the return of the plumber's trusty old dino friend, Yoshi.
Controls
The game is played with the Wiimote on its side, with the 1 and 2 buttons on the right. Speaking of those buttons, the 2 button is the essential button necessary in almost every Mario game, the good ol' Jump Button. 1 represents the Dash and Action button. Holding it down while using the D-Pad to move makes Mario sweat buckets as he sprints past the goombas. Press and release it while you have a projectile-shooting ability (the Fire or Ice Flower power-ups, for example), however, and you shoot an enemy-damaging ball of ouch. The D-Pad is used to control Mario, as always.
Plot
Peach, the Mushroom Kingdom's famous ruler, celebrates her birthday at a party with some of her Toad servants, and Mario and Luigi as well, of course. Her huge, tempting birthday cake screams for you to cut and eat a slice of its sugary goodness. But suddenly, Bowser's children, the Koopalings, and Bowser Jr., spring out of the cake and capture the princess! Mario and Luigi are quick to chase them, but the Koopalings get away from them! The helpful Toads fire huge boxes of Power-Ups to help the plumbers (and the 2 brave Toads with them) out of the cannon and they scatter across the land.

The dastardly Koopalings.

Each world has a different Koopaling in it. In the end of the halfway forts you engage the world's Koopaling in a one-on-one battle on a platform. At the end of the final castle at the end of the world, however, an evil sorcerer comes on casts a spell on the room, giving the Koopaling an advantage. The effect ranges from simply making some of the floor raise to covering the room with water. In the end, as with almost every Mario game, you face off in an epic battle against the primary antagonist, Bowser.
It's a little generic seeing as basically the same thing happens in almost every Mario game, but hey, the game's fun and it more than makes up for the fairly weak plot.
Graphics
Obviously due to it being on the Wii instead of the DS like before, the graphics have been polished up and looks as good as ever. Mario and the enemies look less choppy than before, and Bowser much more detailed than before as well, but obviously that's expected. It's a huge improvement from the graphics on the DS and in my opinion Nintendo have done a mighty good job of it.
Music
Many of the songs on this game's soundtrack are remixed versions of NSMB on the DS's music, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but I would have liked to see a little more new tunes. The songs are as catchy as ever, and the "hah" effect in a lot of the songs return from the original. Many of the game's tracks are original, however, and very well composed. A great job by Nintendo on the music as ever.
Special Features and Multiplayer
As I said in the intro this game marks the return of Yoshi, a small dinosaur with a huge appetite. In a few levels (I say few, I'll get back to that later) you can hit a block and and an egg will pop out, hatching in a second or so into Yoshi. The colour of the Yoshi depends on which order it's hatched (e.g. the first egg always hatches into a green Yoshi, the second one into Pink etc). If you get hit whilst riding him you're forced off him as the little confused creature frantically runs around before calming down, usually running off a ledge while doing this. If your Yoshi dies there's almost always another block containing a Yoshi egg in the level.

Yoshi in all his green-ness.

Playing as Yoshi is very fun, but there simply aren't enough levels which feature him. There's one in each world, at most. Sometimes there isn't a Yoshi level in the whole of the world, which is a great shame seeing as it's one of the major additions to the game.
Now for multiplayer.
I've played multiplayer quite a few times with my friends, and I can honestly tell you, it can end up in some hilarious situations. Whether it's chucking your friend repeatedly in the lava when they've gone to get a drink, or taking years to get a Star Coin together, it can give you some very happy memories. Nintendo really pulled the multiplayer off in this game.
Now for Star Coins themselves.
If you're new to modern Mario games, a Star Coin is a special coin which, if you collect enough, can nab you some good stuff depending on the game. There are 3 in each level in this game. I certainly adds replay value to the game, and it feels very satisfying to nab a Star Coin you've found very hard to get.
Rating
94%
Nintendo did a brilliant job with this game, and it's a massive improvement from the DS version. Just a few more Yoshi levels and it really would have been something special.
Thanks for reading! See you later.

Music

Good music is what sounds good to our ears. Keeps us going. It's what we think about in our time of need and it gives us that burst of hope needed to get through the restrictive barrister that is life.
This is good music. This is good music. This isn't. You see, what this is, is a successful attempt at sparking hope in young girls' hearts making them think that one day they'll meet him backstage and he'll fall head over heels in love with them. Obviously this won't happen in a million years, but that one, tiny little spark in those girl's hearts suddenly erupts into a fiery inferno of obsession. They throw away the microscopically low chances of it ever happening and start living in a dreamworld of love. "Justin Bieber DOES love me. He said it himself on his Twitter. He loves his fans. And that includes me." The reality is, you fools, is that he doesn't give a shit about you. You're nothing special. You're just another of those screaming girls at his concerts. But no, you don't care about that. You still think he loves you. You still think that one day you'll be Mrs Bieber. WRONG.
And these trending topics on Twitter. Every goddamn day, there's one about him made up by his insane fans. "WE LOVE BIEBER". "BIEBER OR DIE". "BELIEBERS RULE THE WORLD". Get real, you morons. He goes on Twitter to advertise and retweet some of his fans' tweets about him to make them feel good about themselves. In 20 years time he might be a judge on America's Got Talent or some shit. But maybe you'll get yourself some common sense and realise he isn't worth obsessing over. Heck, I bet if he wasn't so "cute" he'd never have become popular.
And don't even get me started on Dirty Bieber Secrets. It's just sick.
Reality is, let's be honest, you only like him because of his looks. He's actually got a little singing talent, but unfortunately, you'd be too busy screaming over him at his concerts you'd never hear him.
This isn't one of my usual posts (I'll be back to normal soon) but I just felt that it was worth having a rant over.

Monster Hunter 3G Preview

Since school started I haven't had much chances to post here much, sorry.

Monster Hunter 3G is basically MH3 but expanded, with more armour, more weapons, and most importantly, more monsters!
A few screens and monster info has been given which you can check out here. This includes info about a new monster called the Brakidios, who (I think) will be found in the Volcano area.
It's very similar to the Barroth from the original MH3 but its forehead and arms seem to be able to explode after a while, which should be interesting.
The second screenshot in that article (after a picture of the Brakidios) is called the Plesioth, which makes a return from some of the older Monster Hunter games. The Lagiacrus makes a return as well, and the Subspecies addition (recoloured versions of monsters which are usually much tougher) returns, showing the Azure Rathalos. A refurbished Loc Lac is also shown, along with the Moga Village offline hub from Tri.
This looks amazing and I am really, really excited for it. Defo getting it when it comes out here.

Agnaktor gon' DOWN

That's what the big bad critter I beat yesterday looks like.
Seriously, he's just a big, fiery, stronger Lagiacrus on Land and if you've got a good weapon and some good armour (I used the Sharq Attaq lance and full Rathian armour set) he's fairly easy. He's a bit bigger than Lagiacrus generally and has a few new attacks, such as digging into the ground and jumping up into the roof, coming back down and repeat, while trying to hit you. He can also dig into the ground and jump at you repeatedly, and it's hard to block unless you have a full Stamina bar. If you do the "invincible dive" (running back from a large monster and pressing the "roll" button) he'll hit you again when you get back up, so either try to run or hope your stamina doesn't completely deplete while he hits you.
By far his most famous attack, however, is his Fire Beam. He can perform this in two ways: He can just do it while you're fighting him, but he can also dig into the ground, partiall come back up, and perform a 360 fire beam. You can tell when he's going to do it when he raises his head snaps his beak a few times.
Also, I've unlocked the Ceadeus quest! I'm not going to do a guide yet, as it'll probably be a while til' I actually get the weapon I need and beat it.
I actually had a go on the Wii Fit yesterday as well and (thank god) I am a "healthy weight". My brother's actually nearly "underweight". I think it's because of his lack of muscle. But he might just be skinny.
So I'm going to try and follow some other people's blogs to try and get a follower or two back. See you people.

I've defeated Jay Leno!

Sorry for the recent lack of updates again. So yesterday I got round to fighting the Uragaan and I succeeded!

He looks a little like Jay Leno, hence the title of this post.
He's pretty hard but he's stunned easily so if you keep superpounding his chin and genitals he should go down without too much trouble.
I got a Uragaan Jaw as a reward for my efforts which I'm happy with.
I used the Vodyanoy Hammer (upgrade of Ludroth Splashammer) to do the job. His rolls do a LOT of damage and he uses it often so be sure to get and upgrade the best armour you have when you fight him, or bring a weapon that can block.
That's my bit for today then. Bye

ONM Top 100!

2 blog posts in one day! Disgusting I know.
Basically, I've beaten Barioth with Djinn which I got after a very quick and lucky Rathalos run.

So ONM (or rather, Shaun2k5 and King Slazo) revealed the results of the top 100 count tonight.

Shaun trolled us all by saying that Black Ops had come first but he was joking, and Guwuh's apparent reaction was rather hilarious. Okami came in the top 20, so I'm happy with that but I still think it could have done a little better. Everyone else thinks it's overrated. I just like it.

Brawl was the game that won. Fantastic game, but I did not expect it to come first.

That's all for today. Going to RSPB Conwy tomorrow to see if I can spot any Curlew Sandpipers that have popped up there recently.

One more thing, I'm going to be writing a review on Tri once I beat Ceadeus and beat offline.

Bye guys.