The MSG Myth

Glimpse Team on October 28, 2013

Monosodium glutamate, abbreviated as MSG, is one of the most extensively researched food ingredients. The extensive research may have arisen from a number of factors; however, controversies surrounding the food additive may be the major cause. At this point, it is important to note that MSG has been used as a flavor enhancer for a long time. For a long time it has been added in Chinese foods, canned vegetables, and processed meats. Despite the controversies revolving around the flavor enhancer, several food safety institutions, including the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have categorized the product as one that is “generally safe to use”.

MSG is manufactured through a process called fermentation. It is made using a procedure that other product like beer, vinegar, and yoghurt follow. Carbohydrates from food crops like corn, cassava, and cane are fermented to produce glutamate which is then purified and crystallized before drying. The resulting product is a pure white crystal which dissolves and blends well in many recipes.

Because MSG is often added to foods in form of MSG seasoning, it means that the amount of agent that an average person can consume per meal is very small. In that case, an average person can only consume 10 grams of bound MSG and up to 1 gram of free glutamate daily. Most of the consumed glutamate follows the digestive system and is digested, together with foods, to produce energy. This means that it rarely reaches the blood stream.

Since 1908, MSG has been used safely as food ingredient and a seasoning agent. Numerous studies have been undertaken by stakeholders in the food industry to establish the product’s role in the diet and its safety. Unsurprisingly, results from most of these studies have consistently shown that the product is safe for human use. Better still, the results show that MSG can be used by everyone, including young children and expectant mothers. Thanks to the myths associated with MSG, authorities, including FDA, require food manufacturers using MSG as a seasoning agent or ingredient to add a label on the package to that effect.

There are a few people who complain that their bodies are sensitive to both glutamate and glutamate seasoning. However, their claim may not necessarily be authentic. Most of the processed foods we consume on a daily basis, including canned vegetables, fish, and meat contain MSG. Where necessary, manufacturers include a label on the food’s packet declaring that the product contains MSG. Decades of painstaking research; however, have shown that there is no evidence to link MSG to any form of food sensitivity. Those who purport to experience the sensitivity symptoms rarely exhibit the symptoms when they are carefully studied and observed in controlled experiments. This only suggests that their alleged sensitivity is caused by a belief that MSG causes sensitivity or their sensitivity is caused by something else.

As to whether pregnant and lactating mothers can use MSG, studies have confirmed that the product can safely be used by these categories of people. Studies have consistently established that human milk contains high levels of glutamate than the MSG that can average person can consume daily. As mentioned earlier, an average person can only consume 1 gram of free glutamate. Lactating babies, conversely, consume up to 200 grams of free glutamate from their mothers’ milk.

There are still a host of other reactions associated with MSG. The reactions are better known as “MSG symptoms complex”. Top on the list of the reactions associated with MSG is headaches. Some believe that headaches that may be experienced after visiting a Chinese restaurant are caused by MSG. There is, however, no solid evidence to back these claims. Other reactions thought to be caused by MSG include overall body weaknesses, flushing, chest pains, nausea, vomiting, numbness, and facial tightness. Still, there is nothing credible that links MSG to these reactions.

So far, there is nothing that should prevent consumers from consuming monosodium glutamate. Several extensive scientific and health evaluations seem to have exonerated it from any form of wrong doing on human beings.
Surprisingly, the food additive has been cleared for use by the most sensitive categories of people- expectant mothers and young babies. The additive, used as a flavor enhancer, can reduce the amount of sodium used in foods by up to 40 percent. MSG, thus, deserves a clean bill of health.

Triple A Games VS Indie Games

Glimpse Team on October 17, 2013

There are a lot of discussions or even debates that talk about which is better, Triple A games or Indie games. Normally, a budget for Triple A games won’t be lower than a million. In fact, the overall cost for Triple A games are worth millions. However, do triple A games have consistent quality? Sure, there are some games who do that but there are also other games that don’t. Sadly, there are some Triple A games of today that lack in quality. In contrast, most Indie games today have quality and truly worthy of the title of  “game” or “video game”.

Examples of Indie games that have great quality both in terms of gameplay and graphics are Journey and Brothers: A Tale of Two sons. These games only last 2-3 hours but the experience you’ll get in Journey and Brothers: Tale of Two Sons are priceless. It just proves that there are a lot of creative minds out their, even though they have low budget in developing games compared to Triple A games, they are able to create a quality experience to the gaming community.

On the other hand, there are Triple A games that have millions of dollars in budget but in the end, gives the gamers a mediocre game. A perfect example of a mediocre or bad game is Resident Evil 6. Some developers think that when a franchise is well known they can SCREW it and make money. So they won’t exert more effort in the game. That’s my honest opinion about the game. Much of an opinion, I think it’s also a factual because a lot of people dislike the game as well. Resident Evil 6 is more of a “FRUSTRATING” game. It seems that the people who developed the game didn’t care at all and just gave us a crappy game. They have poor gameplay mechanics. An example of that is the clunky controls and the never ending “Shooting”. The shooting mechanics are also clunky and the “cover system” is completely flawed. I would rather spend my full $60 in buying Indie games that have quality.

It seems sad that some Triple A games are really taking advantage of its “name” because of the popularity of the franchise. Developers must realize that gamers are not senile. We know when you give us crap. Hence, your sales will drop down. Resident Evil 6 was again a perfect example of  “QUANTITY OVER QUALITY”. The game is very long, but instead of having a good experience through these long hours, I experienced frustration. I even played and completed other games and I still haven’t finished Resident Evil 6.

Another example of a mediocre game is Darksiders 2, again it’s frustrating and annoying. Its puzzle elements are fun but I believe they over do it. In Darksiders 2 you control Death one of the four horseman of the apocalypse. It’s rather disappointing for such a cool character to keep on solving puzzles instead of killing demons and stuff.

Overall, It’s safe to say that Indie games today are improving in terms of gameplay, graphics and narrative as compared to other Triple A games. I realized that if you have limited resources and limited time or materials, you’ll do your best in creating something beautiful. That’s the reason why Indie games are well received because of sheer quality. I even wished that Indie games should have longer “hours of gameplay”. Games like Brothers: Tale of Two Sons could benefit from this and I also wish that Resident Evil 6 to have a shorter “hours of gameplay” since it has really repetitive and bad gameplay mechanics. Nonetheless, games are games at the end of the day. It just depends on the developers if they want to make quality over quantity or quantity over quality. We hope for quality over quantity with longer hours, now that’s an encouraging thought.

The Last of Us

Glimpse Team on October 17, 2013

The Last of Us has been one of Naughty Dog’s greatest achievements. Not only visually but as a video game itself. This amplifies the fact that Naught Dog is one of best video developers in the whole world. The Last of Us has to main protagonists, Joel and Ellie. Set on a post apocalyptic world, these main characters main goal is to survive and they’ll do anything  just to live another day. Joel is sort of a “mercenary” and would do “deals” from clients just to survive. One day, he was assigned to escort Ellie back to her home or “group”. Thus, this starts the adventure of these two characters in a world that’s infested with zombie like creatures. These “zombie” people were infected by an indigenous plant. The enemies in this game are pretty aggressive and scary. Depending on the level of their infection can they become more deadly.

An example of some enemies of the games are the “Clickers”. These filthy creatures are blind but they are very sensitive to sound. They make clicking sounds and they attack once they hear you. So, you must be very cautious and you must sneak past them if you have a chance. In case of a worst scenario, fight back and kill them. Doing melee attacks would do. The game also lets you combine items that you picked up. This feature is pretty handy because there are plenty of enemies around the area. You can make a Molotov out the materials that you can find. Aside from the zombie like infected enemies, you’ll also have human enemies. These guys are sometimes more dangerous than your zombie enemies simply because they can shoot you and kill you.

You must be prepared when you encounter these foes. Make sure you ready your gun and shoot these crazy people. Doing stealth attacks are quite effective too and it conserves you ammo. The game is pretty well done visually. Naughty Dog really pushed the PS3 in terms of graphics. Squeezing each power possible in order to create a vivid and realistic post apocalyptic setting. The gameplay is pretty easy and traditional. You control Joel in a third person perspective. You’ll be with Ellie as your mission is to escort her through the game. The game boasts quality but the one that really shines in the game is Joel and Ellie’s relationship. This too have sort of a father and daughter relationship, well not in the beginning of course. Play the game for yourself and be able to experience the strong narrative and fun gameplay of this mature game. It’s really worthy of your time and effort.

A Brief History of Video Games

Glimpse Team on October 17, 2013

Back in the days, video games were simple but fun. During the time of the NES gameplay was very important. I’m not saying that the games of today have dull gameplay but back in those days, gameplay is really important. Graphics aren’t that “good” back in the NES days, so in order for games to sell, its gameplay elements must be fun. That’s the core factor of video games in the first place. Super Mario bros. for the NES was a great example of “fun” gameplay. As time goes by, the hardware for gaming improves. After a few years, the Super NES was introduced. Many people loved the games of this new console plus the graphics have improved. In the early 90’s, video games become more popular. Nintendo was topping the charts in sales. Sega was mostly second but it’s always good to have competition in the industry because if there’s competition there’s quality in products.

As time went by, the Playstation and Nintendo 64 were born. Many were amazed by the CD Rom technology that the Playstation introduced. Cartridge was still evident but it seems that CD based games are more realistic because the material costs less and you can put more data than in a normal cartridge. The sound quality for CD is way better than cartridge based games. Playstation was truly a hit back then. Although Sega’s Atari Jaguar had its CD based games, it didn’t sell as much. The Playstation because of its quality of games indeed sore high during the late 90’s. Playstation became number one despite being Sony’s first video game console. It was indeed a gamble when they went head to head against veterans like Sega and Nintendo.

After a few years, we were introduced to the Playstation 2 and Xbox. There’s no doubt that the Playstation 2 was the leading platform in its generation. Even up to today, the most successful console is the Playstation 2. The Playstation 2 has a lot of games. It has a library of games, this proves many people love Playstation 2. The Xbox was just there to “fill” up the competition. Although, the Xbox was deemed as the rival of the Playstation 2, it never went near to the Playstation 2’s success.

As technology evolved in these years, games become more and more cinematic. This is evident in this current generation. The PS3 and Xbox 360’s games are mostly “cinematic”. During the Playstation 1 and 2 days,  pre rendered cutscenes were mostly done but in this current generation the cutscenes are mostly in game. Of course, there are still pre rendered cutscenes for the PS3 but not so much compared to the Playstation 1 and 2. This shows the evolution or gaming so to speak. It is evident that video games today are improving graphically. The narrative aspect of video games today have also improved as well.

The transition of video games are really astonishing. Video games improved overall but this doesn’t mean that the games in the past are inferior than the games of today. In fact, there are games today that are “pure rubbish” compared to past games but overall games today improved a lot especially in both gameplay and graphics. There’s a sense of cinematic quality and the use of “open world” or sandbox type of gameplay. As we venture into next gen, expect that we will experience more new innovations and improvements in the video game industry.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst Out Next Week

Glimpse Team on October 17, 2013

Finally, we are drawing near the release date of Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Fullburst. Release date is set on October 22, 2013. If you are unfamiliar, this is an improved version of Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3. It is packed with content. You’ll get over 38 costumes, a new character, 100 new missions and a new story added in the Ultimate Adventure mode. Fans of the series who didn’t get the game can finally get their copies in full content. Plus, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Fullburst is available for PC. PC fans rejoice as you’ll play this wonderful game soon. The game’s cinematics are also improved, PC players may also have an edge when it comes to graphics.

This is probably the best Naruto game dedicated to its fans. As mentioned, there will be a new character available and that’s Sage Kabuto. The Uchiha brothers are also included in the main story. This is also interesting because the game is  covering the latest episodes of Naruto Shippuden. This means the latest episode is the Uchiha brothers against Sage Kabuto. The content in this game is amazing, it’s definitely worth the purchase. Amazon even discounted the game if you pre order, it will cost around $39.99. For people who already bought Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 last March, you can get the additional content as DLC for a lower price.

Truly, Cyberconnect2 never fails to impress. They have developed a game that really pleases its fanbase. Sure, there are some people who aren’t satisfied with it, but this is more of a nitpick than a valid criticism. Having this game on the PC manifests that they want to reach out to as many fans as possible, thus, creating a wider audience. PC gamers will be able to experience this amazing game, and that is always a GOOD thing.

Here’s  a link of the trailer:

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst Trailer

 

 

Knack

Glimpse Team on October 17, 2013

Playstation 4 hits stores next month. Everybody’s excited but the real question is, does Sony have great games at launch? Well, don’t you worry, we’re talking about Sony here not some money hoarding, milk greedy Microsoft. The “Xbone” or Xbox One is simply a disgrace of a console. Moving on to the matter, there will be great games for the PS4 as it launches next month,  and one game that caught our eyes is Knack. The game is created by Mark Cerny, this man is the lead architect of the Playstation 4 and is behind the creative force behind Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank, and Jak & Daxter, of which all were successful games. Knack’s gameplay is very enticing and nostalgic. It brings fond memories of the Playstation days and is indeed a game for everybody.

The story of Knack is simple, Goblins have started a war and the humans must defend themselves from this epiphany of carnage. A well known doctor created Knack to fight against these goblins. There’s also a kid named Lucas, the doctor adopted him since Lucas’ parents died and has become the doctor’s assistant. Lucas is smart, competent and hardworking. The Doctor is a very intellectual man and he invented a lot of things from airplanes to hovercrafts and finally, Knack. They believe that they will change the tide in this war and be victorious with Knack’s help. Knack is a creation of perfection. They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, this is very applicable to Knack. Knack is small but he can change form as he gets “orbs”, he can also dismantle himself at will. Knack is kind and compassionate and aids the humans against the filthy zombies.

Playstation 4 fans should be excited and I would recommend of picking this game up. If you want a game that will bring you the best experience for a new console release, then pre order knack now. The game is beautiful and fun, I think this game will also leave a positive reaction for gamers of all ages.

Watch Dogs Delayed Release Date Moved

Glimpse Team on October 16, 2013

I guess we won’t be seeing Watch Dogs just yet. Ubisoft has officially announced that they will release watch dogs in the first quarter of 2014.  Watch Dogs will be released in April of 2014. Ubisoft apologized to the fans who were excited, saying that they have made this hard decision for the betterment of the product and to give gamers the best experience possible. They want to polish more the game, and this is by all means welcome on my book. Some were disappointed while others were glad that it got delayed.

As for me, I think it’s better that we get a game that’s polished and bug free. I would rather wait than have a game rushed because of its deadline. Watch Dogs is a huge and ambitious game, so it’s very understandable that it got delayed. GTA V got delayed too, but the game turned out quite well in terms of its technical quality. There are a lot of people who are itching in playing this game but we have to wait, and waiting is mostly good. Patience is always a virtue, if you’re patient, then you’ll get the “good stuff” in the end.

“Our ambition from the start with Watch Dogs has been to deliver something that embodies what we wanted to see in the next-generation of gaming. It is with this in mind that we’ve made the tough decision to delay the release until spring 2014.

We know a lot of you are probably wondering: Why now? We struggled with whether we would delay the game. But from the beginning, we have adopted the attitude that we will not compromise on quality. As we got closer to release, as all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place in our last push before completion, it became clear to us that we needed to take the extra time to polish and fine tune each detail so we can deliver a truly memorable and exceptional experience.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you. We thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the way you respond on the web, at events, press conferences and other opportunities we have to interact. Your passion keeps us motivated.

We can’t wait to see you in Chicago next spring. We are confident you’ll love this game as much as we love working on it.” -Ubisoft Team

 

 

Dual Shock 4 will be compatible with PC

Glimpse Team on October 16, 2013

Sony’s new controller for its next gen system, the Playstation 4 will be compatible for PC. For those who are a fan of the playstation controller, this is great news for you. Although, the Xbox One’s controller is also compatible for PC on day one, we all know that the PS4’s controller is more superior in terms of design and comfort. It is essential that the responsiveness of each controller is important. People who love the placement of the analog sticks for the Playstation will certainly be satisfied with the new aesthetic of the Playstation 4’s controller. Personally, I prefer the placement of the Playstation’s analog sticks being aligned with each other, as opposed to the xbox’s top and down analog sticks.

The most important aspect that differentiates both controllers is the directional pad. Clearly, the Xbox 360’s directional pad is inferior than the Playstation 3’s, when using the controllers for fighting games, the d-pad for the xbox is really awkward. Although, this has been improved in the Xbox One, the Playstation 4 still has an edge if we compare it to all generations of Sony’s controller.

PC gamers will be satisfied with the Playstation 4 controller in their hands. I’m glad that we have freedom in choosing which controller we prefer in the future. As always, Playstation will always be ahead of Xbox. Sony and Microsoft has a strict competition leaving Nintendo behind, but competition is always good for business because each company gives its best to please its consumers. It’s also the same with the controllers, its design and feel is always top priority. So far, the Dual Shock 4 has the edge, and that’s a good thing.

 

Sony Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida said that the DualShock 4 “analog sticks and buttons will work just fine.” However, he did not mention whether any support will be necessary to facilitate the compatibility. The PlayStation 3 controllers require third-party support in order to function. -IGN

4K Television and the World

Glimpse Team on October 15, 2013

Is 4K  TV really necessary in this day and age? Some people say that 4K resolution is the future but do we really need to replace our Full HD TVs for 4k content? Let’s have a brief description and comparison of 4K resolution and 1080p resolution. 4K TV and Ultra HD are one of the same. Any TV described as 4K or Ultra HD will have a resolution of 3840 x 2160, where the 4K is derived from the number of horizontal pixels. This is slightly confusing as Full HD TVs, also known as 1080p TVs, take the number from the vertical pixels: i.e. 1,080. Well, this means more resolution, more detail.

It’s safe to say that Full HD is 1080p and Ultra HD is 4K TV. The sense of realism can be compared by these two resolutions but some people, especially who buy HDTV’s only for home use, say that 1080p is more than enough. Indeed, this claim is true because 1080p looks great. Personally, I think that 4K TVs are applicable if you want a very big screen, like 80″ and above.

Gaming consoles like the PS3 and PS4 only support up to 1080p. There are demos out their playing PS3 games in a 4K TV, even though it tried to upscale the resolution to 4K, the images look flush out and to be honest, awful. However, when you put a native 4K resolution to a 4K TV then you’ll get the opposite. You’ll get a very visual stimulating image on screen. The level of detail in 4KTVs are no doubt spectacular, the only problem is, no gaming console or even movies that support 4k yet. Sure, there are some who have native 4k content but it’s not enough.

I believe that 4KTVs are focused on people who want to have a “cinematic” or “movie” like feel in their houses. Another drawback is the price, the price of 4K TV is not that cheap. However, this is arguable because prices change over time. There are also 4K TV’s that are available for $300. 4K didn’t get off to the most auspicious of starts where pricing was concerned, with both LG and Sony’s debut 84-inch 4K TVs costing north of £20k. However, things are quite different. The 55-inch Samsung UE55F9000 recently launched at £4,000, a huge reduction in a short amount of time. Moreover, a matter of weeks later Samsung revealed a price drop of £700 down to £3,299 and £1000 off the 65-inch version to £4,999.

4K Ultra HD TVs have 8.3 million pixels while current Full HD TVs have just over two million. The result is 4K TVs have four times as many pixels than Full HD TVs at the same size. -John Archer

Native 4K looks stunning but in the meantime it’s not very practical to buy one today. Not just because it’s expensive but it depends on what you want to do with the TV. If it’s for gaming then better buy a 1080p TV because games look crappy on 4K TV because gaming consoles as of now are full HD or 1080p native, specifically the Playstation 4. However, this doesn’t mean that 4K would be a failure, let’s just wait and see what happens in the future.

Original Design for PS4 was Totally Different

Glimpse Team on October 15, 2013

Tetsu Sumii, the Playstation 4’s cheif designer has stated that the next gen console’s appearance was “totally different” than the machine that we know today. He said, that they are going to create a new brand identity through the product. He didn’t elaborate further but he was clear that the look of the Playstation 4 today is not the original look they have in early designs. Designing the console wasn’t that easy, so they really did a lot of thinking before coming to the final design.

 “When we started the product design for PS4, we didn’t start by thinking about what the shape would be,” Sumii said. Also important to the design were simplicity and a pleasing view from every angle. Sumii said, I just wanted to make a simple object for the living room. Sometimes products are a little too exaggerated. It should be simple. I think about the horizontal, not just the vertical. I think about the 360 degree view. The reverse should be beautiful, too.” -Tetsu Sumii

Designing consoles may not be such an easy task, but as we all know, this gives a much more deeper meaning to the product. Careful planning is imperative when it comes to making the best look for a next gen system. Sony has designed its consoles unique and simple.

The original Playstation was a grey square shape console and the Playstation 2 is a black rectangular console. The PS3 also was more of a bulk yet curve design, whether people like the designs or not, at least we know that Sony took the time in thinking and “re thinking” the designs of the console. Some people love and hate the designs and some don’t care. Now as we venture into next gen, we will be looking at the Playstation 4 as designed by Tetsu Sumii.

On a personal perspective, I think the Playstation’s 4 design is well thought of  than the Xbox One. This means that for me, the Playstation 4 looks better than its competitor. The Xbox One looks like an old VCR player.  The sleek design of the Playstation 4 is cool despite not being the original design. There are a lot of vents of which helps cool the Playstation 4. Having a proper cooling system is highly important because you don’t want to overheat your Playstation 4.

It’s good that the designs of the PS4 is well structured and well designed. It goes to think what the original “look” of the Playstation 4 was, it definitely was scrapped, so that we could have a better looking console touched with sleek design and constructional engineering.