AWKWARD ZOMBIE

The problems with Steam yesterday was not a "hack" and the DDoS thing is only thought to be part of the issue but not the root cause. A DDoS (Denial of Service Attack) is not a hack, its just basically someone using a script or botnet to deliver a higher load than a webserver can handle and causes it to "panic" and shutdown so it can process all the sudden requests.

"As a result of a configuration change earlier today, a caching issue allowed some users to randomly see pages generated for other users for a period of less than an hour. This issue has since been resolved. We believe no unauthorized actions were allowed on accounts beyond the viewing of cached page information and no additional action is required by users."

From a Valve spokesperson directly. A DDoS would not allow something such as seeing cached versions of steam profiles. If you're unsure of what cache-ing means, if you for example Awkward Zombie and click the green arrow to the right of the result URL you'll see "cached" as an option. All this does is takes a read-only snapshot of the current webpage. This is essentially what happened with Steam, whenever you attempted to open the Store, Community or Account tabs you would be randomly given a cached version of a different persons Store, Community, or Account tabs. This would give you a view of their steam wallet balance, email, phone number, a (thankfully 90% censored) view of any saved payment cards, etc.

THAT SAID, A DDoS was possibly also happening as there were threats by some botters/script kiddies that one might happen on Christmas day but there isn't a whole lot you can do about that expect be ready to refresh and reload the servers as quickly as possible, not easy since, yknow, Christmas.

Yea, I know that now. I was just going by what I read on the steam subreddit at the time.

It's so good to be playing AC: Black Flag again, even if someone decided to call it Rogue this time.

Considering the "Meh" response the last two Assassin's Creed titles received, I think it's almost time Ubisoft moved on from it. Perhaps make something that expands on the pirating and sailing concepts developed in AC3, 4, and Rogue since that's what everyone loved about them. After all, the AC series was originally designed as a spin-off for the Prince Of Persia series, so why not?

So uh... Does anyone know what's up with EA's servers? Are they just slammed or shitty or what? Bro's been trying to play Battlefront and Madden but it keeps kicking him back for server stuff.

I know there's been the hacking scare the past few days, though most of it has been the hackers being too shitty to even take down anything substantial from what I've heard. And Steam was a badly timed coincidence?

It's just weird. and why I'm glad I got him a Wii U now.

Funny thing, earlier today I logged into Origin, and they asked for me to fill out a survey talking about how good their service is.

As long as they keep making cheddar, Ubisoft doesn't give a shit. The games themselves vary from stellar to mediocre but still sell regardless so the only people who lose out are the people who buy them when a shittier one comes out.

What I want, and what I thought the series would be like before even playing the first one, is for there not to be a ridiculous present-day conspiracy meta-plot. The first two games were fine, but every one after has gotten more outrageous, culminating in that you are now playing as various Abstergo employees playtesting their stupid VR history trips. The original game had its flaws, which the second did wonders in addressing, but I want to go back to the actual assassination stuff, like researching the target and choosing a plan of attack.

i echo this sentiment. assass creed 1 was a pain with the collectibles but the missions themselves were enjoy able, and i havent had as much fun in any booty seed game as ive had in black flag.

i mean hell i even bought the sea shanty songs and blare that shit out at max volume of my car

I for one am all in with the conspiracy bullshit. But after 3, well, it's not the same anymore you know.

That's just it, it was over. Desmond's story is over. I hoped, perhaps stupidly, that any games thereafter could simply be ABOUT murdering certain people in beautiful historical locales. But no, they're all-in with this Abstergo bullshit. At least with Black Flag and Rogue, the out-of-Animus sequences have been mercifully short.

I should mention, in Rogue, I am really enjoying what APPEARS to be an honest examination of the Templars' point of view. I'm sure at some point things will get shitty and stupid, but for now it's refreshing.

Sega is now celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Sonic The Hedgehog, with this new logo:

I've decided to finally start speedrunning Super Mario World. Hopefully I don't start hating the game.

I finished Shadowrun Dragonfall earlier. It was awesome. I haven't played many rpgs that good.

Shadowrun is amazing, I got Shadowrun:Hong Kong burning a hole in my pocket. Can't wait to play it.