DOCTYPE html> The GameKnights - Filed under 'nerds'

The Nerdy Times-The Green Lantern

Hello one and all it's Coarey again with another edition of The Nerdy Times. This one is gonna be a bit short and sweet, but I think any nerd worth their salt out there is probably pretty excited about comic book movies and that means you have to be excited about 2011! We have Green Hornet, Thor, Captain America, and this weeks spotlight, The Green Lantern.

Now I have to admit my knowledge of the character is pretty weak. I've only seen his origins and exploits as they've been represented in shows like Justic League and Justice League Unlimited; or of course the films Green Lantern:First Flight or Justice League: New Frontier. Both First Flight and New Frontier do the origins of the Green Lantern known as Hal Jordan. I know a lot of fans of the series have mixed feelings on Hal. Some people hate him with a passion, mainly from him turning in to the evil Parallax. I know a lot of fans are a huge fan of his successor, Kyle Rayner. I personally kind of like each of them, and there's more than just two to be sure.

For those who don't know, the Green Lantern Corp is a group of inter-galactic peace keepers who are chosen and assigned to different sectors of the galaxy to protect that area from threats. They do so with the aid of their power rings, which can do just about anything, as long as they keep a charge. They keep their rings powered by charging them of lantern-style batteries. They hold their ring to them and get juiced up. When their portable lanterns lose power they must return to Oa, the Green Lantern's homeworld, and charge them from the main battery.

Their rings can do just about anything you can think of, from making an energy shield to making weapons. Their energies and powers are focused by the wielder's imagination and force of will. They're pretty amazing things. They did for a time have a weakness to the color yellow, not being able to affect anything of that color, but I was told this is no longer so. Whether the movie will have this as a weakness or not I don't know.

So what about the movie? Well it stars Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, an interesting choice. I had read for years that he was very interested in playing The Flash in a feature film, and I couldn't think of anyone better, but now he's taking on one of the more powerful character's in the DC Universe. How will he do? Well we'll have to wait til June to find out for sure, but this week we get our first taste of what's to come with the release of the first trailer for the film. Here's Entertainment Tonights Sneak peak of the trailer. Check it out!

The Nerdy Times-Zombie State-Diplomacy of the Dead

I've decided to spotlight another board game this week that I just recently had a chance to play. The game is called Zombie State-Diplomacy of the Dead and it really captures the whole "outbreak" feeling. The game is for up to five players, each in control of a section of the world map. There's North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa; Europe and Asia are split with the western half of Asia also claiming Australia.

The object of the game is to control, contain, and eliminate the spread of the zombie virus outbreak in the country you control. Each round you gain resources that help you buy military units and research technologies to help you in your struggle; and let me tell you there is plenty of struggle.

The game really forces you to make some fast, hard decisions about how you're going to control the outbreak? Do you develop new technologies to give yourself alternative options to controlling the outbreak, or build up your military and try and take it on aggressively? Once an outbreak occurs in one of the territories on your continent, the need to control their numbers is paramount. If you're not careful you'll soon be overrun and lose your entire continent.

I loved the strategy of the game and the claustrophobic feel the game gives you as you watch the zombie hordes spread across the globe. So if you're looking for a really great game of strategy you can play with your friends, give it a try. I look forward to getting my own copy in the very near future! Enjoy!

www.ZombieStateGames.com

The Nerdy Times

Hello one and all, it's Monday and time for another edition of The Nerdy Times and today I'm gonna lead you to something, pretty obvious, but you might not know about it and that is the Marvel Comics Website!

There's a lot of things that are great on the site, like webcomics, wallpapers, Marvel Entertainment News, and of course comic news. But, I'm here to tell you about the feature I find most interesting is their Marvel Universe charactrer bios.

It is a huge database that can get you connected with just about every character in their entire universe, their entire multiverse. Not only is there origins stories and a list of their powers, but there is also a well detailed history. I personally find it fascinating to just scroll through their endless lists of characters and timeline and learn where they've been and where they are now. It even has a section dedicated to all the characters who are, currently, dead in their comics.

It's a wonderful resource for any comic book nerd, and if you are a huge Marvel fan it's a must. It really makes me wish I could afford a subscription to the greater part of their catalog. So head on over to www.Marvel.com and give it a good look. You lose more time there than you think.

The Nerdy Times-DungeonQuest

DungeonQuest is a board game currently in release by Fantasy Flight Games. The game itself is a remake of an 80's board-game of the same name. The object of the game is to choose and adventurer and head in to Dragon Fire Keep and reach the Dragon's treasure chamber,then, make it out with as much treasure as you can carry.

Sound Easy? Well it isn't. The game board is set up in a grid fashion, and each room and corridor is represented on tiles that you draw randomly. This makes each game a unique experience because your path is never same twice. Along the way you can find dead adventurers and crypts to search through for an opportunity at early treasure, or other objects that might help you along the way; it is just as likely though you might find a trap or a monster to fight. There are also dark and treacherous catacombs you can search and explore, and hope they lead you on an alternate route to the treasure chamber.

If you manage to make it to the Dragon's treasure chamber, it is not as simple as grabbing treasure and leaving; there is a chance with each round you spend within the chamber you might wake the beast, and be roasted.

I read somewhere, might have been in the rules, that the game has an 80% failure rate for all those who play. This means that if you play your character will most likely die before ever finding treasure or making it out with alive.

Why play?

Because the challenge of it is what makes it so damn fun! Never knowing what lies on the next tile, or on the next card is exciting. I love games that don't hold back and put you in the shit. They're fun, as long as there is a chance of winning; and this game always leaves you room to hope. Just don't get too greedy. There have been game sessions where I found treasure early on and turned around right then and there an left. And I won the game cause I was the only character to survive.

The game is great and it runs around $50, which isn't bad for a game of this type; so if you have some disposable income, you could do a lot worse. Click the link below and check out Fantasy Flight Game's version of DungeonQuest!

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=115

The Nerdy Times

It's Monday, time for The Nerdy Times! And in honor of Nerd Awareness Week I have decided to bring great awareness to a guy and his website that I think really hits to the heart of what I'm talking about!

The website is www.CineMassacre.com and it is the home of James Rolfe, better known to the world as the Angry Video Game Nerd!

I discovered his videos several years ago and laughed my ass off! His reviews of past video game titles and tearing some of the crappier games new assholes was, and is, great. It wasn't till recently, however, that I discovered his site, CineMassacre.com.

It's his home and a window in to the world of James Rolfe; a collector of games, movies, and memories. He reviews movies, music, and does special segments like Board James and CineMassacre's Monster Madness. I personally really like his Board James segment where he pulls an old board game out of the closet, dusts it off, and introduces it to a whole new generation. His Monster Madness segment airs each day of October where he reviews a classic horror movie, usually involving a monster, and lets you know their significance to our cinema history. It's a segment done with an incredible amount of love, and it's a genre he's is very open about his affection for and it's worth watching. 

So head over to www.CineMassacre.com and join James as he takes deep in to his world! It's a great ride!

Nerd Awareness Week Begins Today!

The GameKnights-Podcast is proud to launch an outreach program to nerds everywhere! If you are a fan of role-playing, table-top games, board games, MMORPGS, Comics, monster movies, or anything that might get you called a Nerd, then join us for Nerd awareness week! Here at this website, at our Facebook page, and on Twitter, we are looking to build a community of people who can enjoy and embrace these things! So feel free to start a conversation in any of our articles!

Starting tomorrow and every monday there after I will promoted a nerd related website or article, and it will be based on your submissions as well. If there is a webcomic, and article, another podcast, or anything on topic, let me know! I will choose one each week and promote them as our part of my new series The Nerdy Times!

So I hope throughout this week you will join us here, become our fan on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and help a community devoted to loving your inner-nerd!

Thanks for find us!

Contact us at GameKnightsPodcast@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you!