Category Archives: Site News

The State of Zero and Rise of a New Project

Some may have wondered what’s with me disappearing all the sudden… I can safely say that I am not dead or gone. I am very much alive (however sick) today.

Back in late May, I was working with some friends on a potential project site (Project Cheddar Mash) that had no name… Around late June, we had a “soft” debut as Mash Those Buttons. Since late June, I have been cranking out quality posts for the site as well as editing posts from my peers. As the site is a video game review and culture site, I have also had the task of reviewing games and seeking contacts/links with publishers as well as members of the community. So far, I have a contact with Rockin’ Android as well as Aksys Games. My next few are (hopefully) Capcom, Atlus USA, possibly Namco Bandai USA. I will probably be pretty busy with working for MTB (Mash Those Buttons) this holiday season as it looks to be a packed holiday with tentative games coming out.

I will probably use this blog as a thinking space for my thoughts as well as a place to play with personal musings.

A long over due introduction…

Zero gave me this space to share ideals, give helpful advise, and to spice things up a little by adding a new player to the table. So, with all the respect I can muster, I’m calling my hand! Here are the cards that I’ve been dealt…

If you were to ask me of my background looking at me now, I could tell you a story that has so many twists and turns you’d get lost just trying to follow me. Sometimes I look back at my past in disbelief to what I am now. So, the best thing that I could tell is I’m nothing more than a man with no real origin. Or if you prefer simplicity, I’m an orphan.

If you were to ask me where I’m going to end up…well, no one can answer that question with full conviction. Sure, people say it’s important to have a plan in life. We all know the age old question, “Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?” Mitch Hedberg said it best and ever since I’ve adopted this as my answer, “Celebrating the fifth year anniversary of you asking me this question!” Sure, I have a plan for my life… In fact, I have a million plans. But seeing them to fruition is a different story entirely. I may stumble upon fortune or my hard work may pay off in the inevitable end. Either way, nothing is certain. So I accept the misfortunes given to me, humbly receive what it is I do deserve, and take everything else in between and beyond. And once that’s done, I just move forward. In essence, I’m a nomad.

As far as me, the one that exists in the ‘here and now’, it’s best left to say: nothing ventured, nothing gained. And if you still desire more from me, then this much can be said: curiosity killed the cat, but generosity brought him back!

No hesitation. No regret.

So for now, just call me Xan and leave all else to the imagination!

Upcoming projects – Gear, Men’s Care and Independent Games!

Lately, my life has been swarmed with an influx of men’s care goods and and independent games. With spring in the air and new things abound… I want to seize the moment! I’ll be working on my evaluation of the following items…

– The Art of Shaving Fusion Chrome Power Proglide razor
– Anthony Logistics for Men: A Clean Start kit
– Dove Men+Care product line
– Axe Shampoo product line
– Shatter (May be saved for the new gaming site collaboration…)
– Coniclysm (May be saved for the new gaming site collaboration…)
– Asus Eee PC 1001P Seashell

Stay tuned for these works soon to come!

New Look and New Spin

I’d like to personally thank my dear friend Jarret/c0nc3pt for the new respin on my site… I think it suits the site, [“Calm” for ZeroXR] is the name of the theme. My site has been overdue for a refresher and I personally love it. Again, I can’t even begin to say how thankful I am for Jarret taking some time out to help put a fresh new design for my blogging home…

For you people who are lazy, there’s also Facebook integration to boot!

Happy 2010 Dear Readers!

I’d personally like to wish you all a Happy New Year’s Day and pray you all spend it with the one’s you love. I know I had quite the bit of fun at a New Year’s Eve LAN party, especially when my host decided they wanted a new monitor but they were a bit drunk to even consider driving. I linked up my machine with my host’s TV at a fun 1360×768 resolution while they were ecstatic over a huge upgrade from a 1028×768 CRT monitor to a 1600×900 20″ flat screen LCD.

The highlight of my night would have to be the fact that I had almost the entire team of my “gaming guild” (The Creed of the Deadly Artichoke) as well as the founder of Clan Avalanche chatting together in Steam as we were waiting for the New Year to come by. The socializing and interaction of everyone just either gaming, drinking and clinking ethereal beer bottles/champagne glasses together, and plain having fun.

I welcome 2010 with open arms and have faith it will bring good things to me, my friends, and the world.

I plan to have more guest editors and staff editors pushing quality work and hopefully… a new era of this blog.

Love,

Apologies for Slacking Off…

So I have been inundated by both studying for school in addition to also giving myself sanity diagnostic checks in the form of computer games… It’s been a bit harrowing as I have some personal matters I am dealing with to boot. However, there has been one obsession that I have been diving into: Borderlands

Need proof? How about this?

Borderlands

The game has over 17,750,000 guns over 12 in-game brands… The unique art style and sarcastic humor is grand. I have loved playing the game with my girlfriend and to top it off… My best female friend passed me my early Christmas present of the DLC “The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned” to boot. I have completed my first play-through for both the main game and “The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned” content with Roland at L42 and clocking almost close to 44 hours so far. I know in time that I do plan to get through the second game. Also I can’t wait to help my friends beat their games by helping them out.

C0nc3pt is polishing the Droid review which should be online soon. So those who are savoring it, please be patient as C0nc3pt has been busy with work and other fail problems he deals with at his day gig. I would like to thank him personally for guest writing the review for the blog! As for me… I am gonna continue relaxing and studying away.

New Editors and Back to School!

Zero View

On driving back to my dorm… This was my view of most of my trip. I have been glad to have friends through this holiday as they have kept me sane…

I want to say that I have been working in a few editors and grooming them into my process of making sure they write under the style I hope them to. So once they make their debut, then hopefully I will be able to welcome them properly and warmly to the site!

For now… I will be watching the time pass while studying again… Woe is as me!

Thanksgiving, Post Delays, Recruiting Additional Staff

So it begins… The day of feasting for a year’s harvests is upon us as well as the other things it brings us. Such as football games, reunions of family, and just good food. To my readers, fans, friends… I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving if you live in the US, I raise my glass to you. Stay safe, don’t get too crazy, and do have fun.

I know my posts have been delayed, but all in all, they are being worked on. I spent quite a bit of time working on my Gyromancer review. I will say that don’t let the price fool you, as the game has finally cranked a notch and is actually hard finally. I will explain more once I have the review online.

I have been considering expansion as a few editors on hand would be good to keep the site’s content fresh. So hopefully, once I have my crew together… I’ll be able to keep this site relevant with the times.

Hit ‘n Run Site Update

Just a quick update before I hit off to class…

I will be having a guest editor making an appearance here. It’s my buddy C0nc3pt from JarretRedding.com and he will be reviewing the Motorola Droid from Verizon. That post should be up soon for those curious on Android phone coverage here. I will leave him to give an introduction if he so wishes, but I will say he’s by far one of my great friends who is also technology minded while embracing my philosophies. I am very glad that he took up my invitation to provide a guest article and it is an honor to have him as my guest here. I hope that my readers will give him a very warm welcome when he posts up on ZeroXR 13mg!

I will be making a review for Square-Enix + Pop Cap Game’s fusion puzzle game Gyromancer later today soon. It won’t be too long, but the version in question will be the PC/Steam one as I don’t have an Xbox 360. I have my girlfriend Jamie to thank for Gyromancer. =D Other than that… Next week you may see me blogging more often as I have a 2 day school week and then it’s Thanksgiving holiday for me. For those of you who do game with me… You won’t see me in game this coming Sunday – Tuesday morning as I will be leaving Byakko (my gaming PC) at my office at my parent’s home. For those of you who do want to keep in touch while I am unavailable to game, do feel free to add me to any IM clients as I will be on my Linux laptop =) I will say that I will miss you all for that short time in games of Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Keep watching the site today soon for Gyromancer! Those curious of the demonically addictive puzzle game… Please see the following links:

Steam Powered Store Page: Link
Official Square-Enix Page: Link