Hello, my friends! It has been a long time since we have conversed on the ways of video games under the cool blue moon. But do not fear! We are back, Laura and I, to facilitate fascinating discussions, to tickle your brain cells, to ruffle your hair affectionately through the tubes of the internet, and to bend your kind internet ears. Yes, we have returned from our long journey across the empty deserts of academia, and now we are thirsty. Thirsty for games.

We graduated from college on a rainy day in June. On that day, Conan O’Brian, our graduation speaker, complained about Jay Leno from a wood-stump podium, and for some reason Dartmouth gave an honorary degree to George Bush Senior. Dartmouth also gave real degrees to your friendly neighborhood games writers, Laura and Kent! Laura finished a double major with honors in History and Creative Writing and completed her thesis, which, instead of being nonfiction writing about games as she had planned this time last year, was in fact an entire 270-page-long novel about angry children treating each other poorly. Kent was awarded a degree in Creative Nonfiction with a minor in Digital Arts. We said our bittersweet goodbyes, to one another, to our friends, and to the icy granite of New Hampshire, and we went our separate ways, our eyes misty with rain and our hearts cobwebbed with memories.

Laura has just started doing some copywriting work– basically, writing quests– for Tencent America, which means that everything she now says about social games is probably a conflict of interest and should be summarily disregarded. She is currently in the process of moving to San Francisco. Kent is currently searching for work in Hong Kong!

This week, to celebrate our return, we will be offering up fresh from the oven gaming insights for seven consecutive days! After that we’ll be posting 2-3 times per week. But regular posts aren’t the only change ’round these parts. You might also notice the new layout. Don’t worry; it will get significantly spiffier before we’re done. Also, the short-lived Second Person Shooter Podcast will be raised from the grave, and will be slowly ambling towards your ears very soon. We’re going to try out a few new types of articles, including multi-part posts and commentary-laden Let’s Plays–beginning with a Dwarf Fortress Let’s Play that’s already in the works.  Additionally, we will see you again tomorrow for the first installment of a 3-part post by Laura about Tiny Tower!

Welcome back, readers, and thanks for joining us.

Kent’s Photos!

On my way to Hong Kong, I spent a day in Chicago. Here's a shot of Chagall's stained glass windows, featuring Girlfriend in the foreground!

I went to an MMA promotion called Legend in Macau about a month ago with some friends! Here is a fighter demonstrating the size of his recent fish catch.

This is a shot from the inside of the Hong Kong MTR--our subway/metro. I took this in order to demonstrate that as a 6'1" fellow, you can literally look over everyone's head. Blue shirt guy on the left is not amused.

This is Henry, the adorable doggy that I watched for a friend the other weekend! Dawwwwwww.

Laura’s Photos!

Recently a hurricane hit New England and covered my town with liquids! Here are some of those liquids.

I've been playing a lot of the Glitch beta recently. Here is a picture of what it is like. Click on the picture to go to the Glitch website because I'm too lazy to explain the game to you.

I am moving to San Francisco. I wonder what it will be like--- this?...

...OR WILL IT BE LIKE THIS? Only time will tell.