CheapyD
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Saint's Row: The Third gives everyone CheapyD for free
It's not like THQ is going to fly the guy around the world so he can meet your family and stuff, but you will get to download the CAG proprietor in Saints Row: The Third soon, just as promised. And he'll be a free download! So here's the scoop right from the man himself: Xbox 360 users will need to either purchase the Genkibowl VII DLC for 560 MS Points ($7) or download the free Genkibowl VII Viewer Pack; PS3 users can grab him from the free CheapyD DLC pack; Steam users will find him inside of a compatibility patch on January 17. Now, there is one catch: Before you can hear Cheapy's hundreds of "unique lines and exclamations," you'll need to unlock Shaundie's ex-boyfriend's apartment in the campaign, right after the mission where you assault the armory. If you're past there, don't fret -- you'll be able to start saving Steelport citizens dozens and dozens of dollars on video games immediately. [Note: Trailer has some salty language!]
CheapAssGamer's CheapyD will be your homie (in Saints Row: The Third)
You folks know CheapyD, right? He's the owner and proprietor of gaming deals site CheapAssGamer, as well as a swell dude and friend of the site. He's also a big fan of the Saints Row series -- so much so, in fact, that he donated a heap of change to the Ashley Ames Foundation last summer in order to become a character in Saints Row: The Third. What began as a bit role (a random pedestrian) turned into a full-on downloadable pack, adding Cheapy to the game as a "homie." Like in Saints Row 2, homies can be called to help out during missions or whenever you may need them. Cheapy says he recorded "approximately 150 lines" for the character, all done from his Tokyo, Japan apartment with direction over Skype from Volition devs. He's not sure when the pack will be available (though he's been told it's coming out sooner than later), and it'll be free for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC players. [Image of CheapyD's custom character in Saints Row 2, via MTV Multiplayer]
CheapyD and son unbox the Japanese Uncharted 3 controller bundle
Sure, this post is ostensibly about internet sensation CheapyD of CheapAssGamer fame showing off the Japan-only Uncharted 3 controller bundle, but we confess ulterior motives. Frankly, your day just hasn't been adorable enough. This should take care of that right quick.
Cliff Bleszinski explains why there are so many bald space marines
If you think Unreal Engine 3 games feature too much gray and brown, laden with "pillars and girders," all being stomped around on by bald space marines, Cliff "Young Clifford" Bleszinski wants you to blame the tech. Speaking with Develop recently, the man that birthed Marcus Fenix said, "The technology of this generation just happens to be very good at rendering metals and stones and dramatic lighting." He argues that "translucent effects" are much harder to pull of with the technology given and as such, "the tech is good at showing off armor and it's not that good at doing hair ... that's why we have bald space marines."Though we'd argue that there are lots of bald men in our lives who happen to not be space marines -- CheapyD and Dr. Manhattan prime among them -- we can appreciate how Marcus Fenix may be more equipped to take down the Locust than an omnipotent blue man. Wait a minute! Interestingly, Bleszinski also notes during the interview that he's got "like five projects going on right now" -- we're counting Shadow Complex and another (still unannounced) Gears of War, which leaves three unannounced projects? Something is afoot at Epic Games. And it almost certainly involves bald space marines.
Readers pick best webcomic: A(ss)perture Science
Cheap Ass Gamer's first submission turned to gold and became the winner of this week's wrapup. Of course, it helps that the comic referenced Portal, which seems to consistently rank high in our webcomic polling.Second place goes to 2P Start, while Joy Of Tech takes third. As a reminder, the Weekly Webcomic Wrapup will be on hiatus this week and will return after the New Year. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this (and next) week!
Cheap Ass Gamer raises $11,000 for Child's Play in only four days
Ever wonder what devout followers of Cheap Ass Gamer do with their saved cash? From the looks of it, they give to charity. Last year, site owner (and wonderful Tokyo tour guide, if you must know) CheapyD raised $10,000 through CAG for Tycho and Gabe's Child's Play Charity, and in this year it only took four days to beat that record.This year's fundraiser is a raffle: for every $5 you donate, you received one raffle ticket for one of 38 prizes (one grand prize and 44 runner-ups - there are some duplicates, read carefully). $11,300 has been donated as of this writing; excluding CheapyD's initial $1,000 donation, that's 701 people who have given $10,300, or an average of almost $15 per person. The fundraiser ends December 31, although CheapyD has declared he might extend the contest a week. Care to donate a few extra dollars to a good cause, and perhaps walk away with some nice gaming gear? Head over to the CAG page and use the widget to donate for eligibility. The bar has been set pretty high for next year's fundraising.
CheapyD becomes a dad, now forced to become even cheaper
We interrupt our regularly scheduled gaming news for a little soft weekend fluffy niceness. Good friend CheapyD of CheapAssGamer.com, known to us normally as David Abrams, became a father yesterday (or today, we can never figure out these Japanese datelines correctly). We wish him, his wife, and the new member of their family Tai (?) a happy and healthy future. Now how early is it to get a controller into the boy's little hands?Feel free to leave congrats below, we're sure CheapyD and his wife can read them during Tai's 3AM feedings.
Microsoft gets tough on naughty gamer mottos
Even though your "Bros b4 hos" Gamer Motto may be both poignant and accurate, you may want to rethink it if you plan on playing on Xbox Live this weekend. Savings sultan CheapyD warns that his account was suspended for around 24 hours for his seemingly innocuous motto of "Konichiwa, bitches!" Another user on the site got a similar punishment for "called the šhit þoop," which is probably a bit more fair.As Cheapy points out, a warning probably would have been sufficient, instead of automatically suspending a paying customer's account. There's still no word on whether or not Van Halen fans will get similar punishment for using their mottos to celebrate For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.
CheapyD makes 'motion to quash' Circuit City subpoena
OK, just ignore how much you'll never shop at Circuit City again for about two minutes. CheapyD, also known over a couple pints as David Abrams, was recently subpoenaed for his information regarding Speedy1961, a forum poster on Abrams' CheapAssGamer site. Speedy1961 is probably best known to the general audience as the guy who pretty much breaks or verifies major sales information early -- like the Circuit City price break for the PS3 seen above. CheapyD's lawyer has now filed a 'Motion to Quash" Circuit City's original subpoena citing procedural errors and stating, "CAG reserves the right to further challenge the Subpoena on its merits after the procedural deficiencies noted above have been addressed by this Court." That's legal talk for burning time.CheapyD discusses the situation in the latest podcast. From a basic public relations standpoint, this really seems like a silly move. Circuit City has gotten tons of free publicity and advertising from these leaks. Well, the saga will continue and we're sure CheapyD will keep us informed.
Cheap Ass Gamer subpoenaed by Circuit City
If you're a regular listener of the CAG Cast (and you know we are) you may have already heard the news on this week's show that Cheap Ass Gamer has been subpoenaed by Circuit City. The retailer is attempting to get personal information on forum member Speedy1961, as part of legal action they're taking against him for posting info from Circuit City ads. The subpoena specifically mentions a forum posting that revealed the PS3 price drop before it was formally announced.As Cheapy D says, the only personal information the site takes from users is an email address and an IP address. He's not rolling over though, saying he will "do what is right and legal." We just hope Cheapy wasn't being a tightwad when he hired his lawyer, we doubt Lionel Hutz will be much help here.
Cheapy D fixes red ring with towel in video
You want proof that Cheapy D isn't just a clever name? The lord of Cheap Ass Gamer proves it with this video, demonstrating his personal spin on the red-ring-of-death-repairing towel trick. It's an interesting process to watch if you haven't seen it, vaguely reminiscent of our college days when we would watch, enthralled as our stoner friend Rusty would turn his PlayStation completely upside down so we could all play Tony Hawk.What makes this such a moving tribute to cheapness is not that Cheapy D will go to these lengths, it's that Cheapy D will go to these lengths every four days or so to avoid buying a new 360. Now that's a man who hates spending money.
Deal of the Day: Absorb the Darkness for only $49.99
Our favorite penny-pincher, CheapyD from Cheap Ass Gamer, has found yet another tasty deal for us. This week you can pick up The Darkness for a mere $49.99 from Circuit City. This knocks the price of Starbreeze's latest FPS from the unruly next-gen price of $60 to a more comfortable PS2-level price point.The Darkness has been getting fantastic reviews so far and looks like a must-buy when it comes out today. And now, thanks to CheapyD, you can buy the game and even have enough money left over for a McDonalds value meal and a 40 of Old English. Now THAT'S good living.
Joystiq Podcast 004 - Or IV, if you prefer edition (feat. CheapyD)
Another edition of the weekly Joystiq Podcast has arrived, surprisingly within a week of the last one! This fourth edition finds our Cheap Ass Gamer friend, CheapyD, taking a break from his CAGcast endeavors and joining us for what's likely to be one of the longest hours in his life. Thank heavens he's arrived to give us some pointers -- the multimillion dollar production that is the Joystiq Podcast was starting to spiral dangerously out of control. Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) [RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Hosts: Christopher Grant and Ludwig Kietzmann Music: "Ted E. Bear's Mafia-Free Playland and Casino" from the Sam & Max Season 1 Soundtrack Program: 0:00:40 - The Xbox 360 Elite! ("I've pre-ordered six or seven of them.") 0:03:24 - Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer ("That's why they need to put KITT in Grand Theft Auto.") 0:14:27 - Roooock Baaand! ("People realize those aren't real instruments, right?") 0:21:29 - Guitar Hero effects pedal ("It's something you step on, like the floor! The floor is free, why shouldn't the pedal be free?") 0:23:08 - Red Octane denies controller recall ("Seems like a pretty stupid computer.") 0:26:12 - PSP price drop ("Lots of memory... if you live in 1998.") 0:28:45 - Latest PSP firmware update ("I meant gaming heroin.") 0:31:19 - Dude, get your own ("All I want for Christmas is a decent ad campaign.") 0:32:52 - NiGHTS 2 confirmed -- again ("I've never played NiGHTS.") 0:34:04 - Time to reinvent Sonic, eh? ("I'll just Google a random butt and send it to you.") 0:38:11 - Resident Wiivil 4 ("Mii zombies?") 0:41:13 - What's up with the Wii? ("The basic rule is you can't criticize the Wii.") 0:51:12 - Continued Wii shortages ("^_^") 0:54:18 - The deal with stacker machines ("It's got mechanical pincers.") 0:55:28 - MAKE IT STOP ("I'm gonna edit one of those out just to screw you over.")
Today's most held in place video: Hori Play Stand DS Lite video review
CheapyD over at CheapAssGamer.com has put together a really nice little video review about the Play Stand DS Lite from Hori. We were dubious at first, but after watching this review, we've ordered one ourselves from Play-Asia, to the tune of fifteen bucks.This little sucker will make playing games with one hand a snap, and it also looks swanky as well. Cradle your DS Lite in some goodness, and wait patiently for the SimCity DS game to come out. It has the ability to hold the DS Lite horizontally and vertically, so basically any of your games will look sweet in its plastic and foam goodness.Nice work, CheapyD. Now we'll wait patiently for this to arrive so we can pimp out Animal Crossing: Wide World as it was meant to be seen.
Cheap Ass Gamer and Play-Asia team up for Child's Play
Lest you think we're the only game (site) in town supporting the Child's Play charity, we want to direct your attention (and your bulging wallets) to our good friend CheapyD's efforts at Cheap Ass Gamer. This year, he's partnered with Play-Asia to give away $1000 in credit to the popular import gameshop ... but that's not all! His legion of "cheap ass" gamers have stood up to pitch in prizes for the runners-up (our favorite: the random box. It's "basically, a ton of older games + accessories, some sealed, some not...NES/SNES/N64/PS1/PS2/Gamecube included.")$5 buys your raffle ticket but you'd better hurry. You've only got until December 19 at 12:01AM EST to throw your hat into this virtual ring of giving (the hat does not guarantee you a place in the raffle). Check out CheapyD's post for all the rules and regulations and consider spreading your raffle love around this holiday.
The sounds of startup
Excerpted from the Cheap Ass Gamer podcast, CheapyD has some fun with the three latest consoles adapting Name That Tune into Name That Console: The Next Generation. Can you pick out the Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 based on startup and fan noise? We'll give you a hint, the one that sounds like a vacuum isn't the PS3.[Image from Killer List of Videogames. We didn't remember a Name That Tune arcade game.]
Carnival of Gamers #17: CAG on our CoG
Next stop on the Carnival of Gamers Express is to the house of D. CheapyD's got the budget-priced tents set up in his budget-priced backyard over at Cheap Ass Gamer, hawking the wares. Best part? They're all free!So what's in the freakshow this month? Lots of great stuff, like Curmudgeon Gamer's look at the PS3's public image (it ain't good), spotanime's take on the Lester Bangs thing (we weren't offended ... really!), and an insightful look at ... save games? Get in line: Carnival of (grumpy) GamersCarnival of Gamers #15: roll up, roll up!Carnival of Gamers celebrates first anniversaryCarnival of Gamers gets n3rfedCarnival of Gamers rolls on to Virgin WorldsCarnival of Gamers gathers under Slashdot's tent
Joystiq invades "a very special" CAGcast
Last night I was invited by CheapyD, founder and Cheap Executive Officer of Cheap Ass Gamer, to join him and co-host Wombat on "a very special" episode of the site's podcast. No, we didn't talk about teen pregnancy and drug abuse; we talked about boobs in video games, the demise of E3, why epobirs can't get any more stars, and the apparently inscrutable Dead Rising save system. What made the show so special? It was the 40th episode and one year anniversary of the CAGcast. Congrats guys! Listen - CAGcast #40: Happy CAGiversary!
A peek inside Tokyo's Xbox 360 lounge
CheapyD, of Cheap Ass Gamer fame, decided to stop by the Xbox 360 Lounge in the Harajuku district of Tokyo before they finally close down. He liked the food, and the look of the place, and managed to--surreptitiously--snap off a couple shots. He concludes, "As you can see, the 360 Lounge is a pretty cool place. I guess if I have two complaints it would be: 1) Not enough kiosks; 2) No merchandise worth buying." I'm guessing those custom faceplates weren't for sale then, because they looked pretty cool. I'd also take one of those flat-panel televisions, and that Le Corbusier couch! Oh, and a kiosk or three, and that giant guide button, and the flooring...
