Quick Xbox 360 "Fat" Elite Custom

 Back in September 2020 I picked up my Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2  Console (Blog Here) 

Then in November 2020 I also picked up my Xbox 360 Arcade Console (Blog Here)

Shortly there after I knew that I needed to get ahold of another Modern Warfare 2 Console, for parts at minimum to customize my Original Elite.

A few months go I finally got ahold of  a working one, with a seized disc drive for $40.00

What if the one on the Right were to get the Eject Button and Disc Tray Trim from the one on the Left?

The it would look like this!!

And here it is with the Inspiration

Love It!

Most of my 360's

I still have the White Slim complete in box and a Black E that I use

Bonus Picture:

Red Curtain in the Gameroom on the window the Sun comes up on. Gives the Room an Erie Glow

Thanks for Looking, More Soon!

Where Have I been and What Have I Been Playing?

 Hey! Where the Hell have I Been? 

My last post was back on July 9th. Just where the Hellghast have I been? 

And just what the Hell have I been doing?

I am going to be honest, I have just been in a pretty shitty mood for the last few months, and really just haven't cared to get things up on my blog. I will be honest 1. because I have been lazy, but 2. I have/had some content started that I wrote, but it was all fairly negative. Now I know a lot of my older content was pretty abrasive, but the posts for the last 2 maybe 3 years have all been fairly positive AND with no foul language. I liked not being so negative all the time, or using filthy crude language regularly. But, I have made the decision to no longer take prescriptions for a couple mental health issues that I have been fighting with off and on since 2015, and I guess this is the effect. Me, Raw and Unfiltered. 

I also Turned 48 Years Old in August, so maybe I am just now officially a Cranky Old Man?

So anyway, I do have a few odd blog posts already started or written that I will post soon. I took the time to write them, so why not? But I also have lots of misc pickups that I have not shared yet. some going back to over a year (or more) ago.

One a lighter note, What Have I Been Playing?

First up, the main console I collect for, the Xbox 360

I have been playing a lot of Jeopardy. Yep, you read that right I said Jeopardy. Spoiler, it's a lot of fun. I had got a disc only copy in a game lot I bought, and after I sourced artwork and a manual, I decided to toss it in and check it out, and have been having a lot of fun! I am a big nerd (I finished High School when I was 15 years old) and enjoy Trivia & Puzzle games. My favorite trivia fame is still Scene it though, as one of my other collections and hobbies is movies (especially horror). So if you enjoy trivia games, Check It Out!

I also played through and finished the Campaign in Rage. I had started Rage back in December of 2013 according to my Achievements, and it fell into my backlog, Then it recently popped up to play through Game Pass. Although after going through the entire campaign, I only ended up with 250 Gamerscore. So I decided to restart and do all of the side missions and such, and I also had the DLC stuff from the 360 days, so re downloaded it to the Xbox One and am working my way through the game again and seeing how much I can get done.

And speaking of Game Pass, I also have been playing ALOT of

And by playing a lot of, I have completely played though the Career Mode 3 times (so far). plus there is a free play option so you can play any of the levels at anytime. This is just a Palin Fun, Relaxing Game. I can turn it on and just power wash away while listening to a Podcast or some Music. I am really hoping for some DLC soon.

Game Pass Ultimate also includes EA Play

In the past I would have bought this day one, however I do not have as much disposable income as I used to, so I was happy to see this game come to Game Pass via EA Play.  I am a huge Codemasters Racing Game Fan and Racing Game Fan in General, and the previous Grid game on Xbox One back in 2019 (Blog Here) Was great, so knew I had to play this one!

However I do have One Complaint. unfortunately, as seems to be the case with so many games these days, it is one of those always online games and while working my way through the Career Mode, In two different races, I had some rando being a Fucking Asshole and wanted to play Wreckfest (Which is also a great game) in Grid Legends.....  Then if I need to pause in the middle of a race, I can't the race continues. I have a kid I need to take care of, and a Small Bladder, and I need to pause during a race occasionally........Ok Regularly, and This Really Sucks. Why can't I just play the Damn Career offline, by myself? And Pause During a Career Race?  Can someone explain the "benefit" of having a game always online? 

More Coming Soon, I promise.

Finally, Game Room Pictures!

 At last, the long awaited pictures of the game room in my new house.

I get the walls, the kid gets the middle for her Hot Wheels Tracks

The White Shelf and 2 Black Shelves on the back wall are 2 Deep with DVD Movies & Blu Rays

That's the Game Room for now, I want to build shelves with 2x4's sized for DVD Sized Cases all around the whole room. Things will fit better and look better. For now the various shelving works.

And as a Bonus, a Picture of my Office

The dresser is an old one and filled with things I am selling.

The boxes on top of the dresser and the pile of DVD's I am also selling

PS2 Collection Curating

 I have been slowly starting to keep track of my video game collection, in an excel style spreadsheet program. So that when I am shopping online and what not, I know what games I already have, or what version of a game, etc.. The time came recently when it was time to do the Playstation 2 Collection. In  doing so, I came across a few things I thought would be fun to share. 

Here is a picture of the screen with the program open.

As you can see, I keep track of everything. Whether it is a Special Edition, Limited Edition, Collector's Edition, Etc.. As well as notating if it is a Greatest Hits Disc, has a Bonus Disc, Map, Registration Card, Etc..

While I was doing this I would need to go through and open each and every single game to check the contents. So I figured it was also a good time to switch over all the game cases to the ones with the Memory Card Holder style PS2 case.

I just prefer the Look and feel of these.

And while switching over cases as I went, I noticed that there were 3 different variations of the case without the memory card. Just something I thought I would notate for future knowledge.

One has a "large" PS logo in a box

One just has the "large' PS logo

One has a "small" PS logo

Closer up picture

Also while logging the games I noticed that Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance had this on the artwork.

But No Hint Guide in the case.

Well, That just would not do. I collect Hint Guides. So Off to eBay I went!

Ahhhh, that's better

Then I get to this game

Freedom Fighters

But, Mercenaries was in the case.

How did I not notice that before? Oh Well, Need to find a case and manual for Mercenaries now.

And add a Freedom Fighters Disc to my list of Cases & Manuals without a game to pick up.

My Xbox 360 E Died........

 

Blue Walmart Xbox 360 E December 2013 - May 2022

I have been watching Transformers the animated series while I work. For those of you who do not know, I work at home for myself. What am I doing? Well, I buy Movie and or Video Game lots and shop thrift stores, pawn shops and garage sales (Now that it isn't blistering cold icy weather) and I also have a contract with a guy who has a basement full of 80's and 90's Electronics he had started to just throwaway. After listing, final value fees and shipping, we split it 50/50. I flip or resell all these things online through eBay, Craigslist (When I have to) or on Mercari. I make less money than I did working a professional office job, but I am Happier and can be home since my daughter does "distance" learning.

One morning I went to turn on my Xbox 360 as I have a remote for it, it is easier than using the controller to watch DVD's, and older DVD's work better on the Xbox 360 over the Xbox One (in my opinion) with all the screen settings and adjustments. My Blue Walmart Edition 360 E would not power on?

The first thing I did was look at the power brick, which showed the orange light when not in use. I unplugged the power brick from the Power Strip, waited a few minutes and plugged everything back in. Pushed the power button on the 360 and, Nothing. I then tried using the wireless controller to turn it on and, again nothing. Assuming it was going to be futile I tried to turn it on using the Media Remote and, Nothing. Just to be able to say I tried everything I grabbed a wired 360 controller, plugged it in and hit the power/guide Button and, Nothing.........

Now What?

With a Gnawing feeling in my stomach, I went to my extra 360 console shelf I am blessed to have.

 I grab the Black 360 E, bring it back to the TV and plug in the power cord, push the button and.....It turned right on. Well, guess I am using this console now. 

At the time this 360 died, we had been having ALOT of thunderstorms here, but the Xbox One X, 8 TB External Hard Drive, PS3, PS4, HD DVD Player and Cable box were all also plugged into the same power strip/surge protector and they all work fine still? I dunno just one of those things.

But how was I going to get my Transformers DVD out of the blue one? Well, I now know how to, but I did not at the time. Off to the Internet!

It did not come out so well on camera, but in the vent there is a yellow circle, with a hole in the middle of it. All you need to do is get a paperclip, push it in the hole, and the tray pops right open. Disc Saved!

Here is where I spend most of my time playing games and watching TV. Like my Coffee Table?

Well that now makes 4 Dead 360's to my name.

#1 - February 2007 - February 2007 Xbox 360 White "Pro", D.O.A. right out of the box.

#2 - February 2007 - March 2010 Xbox 360 White "Pro", Red Ringed Spring of 2008, warrantied.

#3 - March 2010 - December 2013 Black "Elite", Disc Tray seized solid.

#4 - December 2013 - May 2022 Blue Xbox 360 E, Died of unknown causes.

 

Xbox 360 Platinum Hits Games

 Hello all, I am suprised at how time flies! Six weeks since my last post, Ouch.

Today, Love them or Hate them, And ALOT of people seem to have a scathing hatred for them, I am going to talk a little bit about Xbox 360 Platinum Hits games.

People say that the main reason they do not like the Platinum Hits is because of the cases. And I can understand that for the most part, but Microsoft got it right with the early Platinum Hits games, making the spine basically the same as the standared Xbox 360 cases

There are 4 Platinum Hits Games here, Can you spot them?

The top 2 are what Microsoft switched to in late 2009 or early 2010

The bottom ones are with their "Standard" cased brethren

BUT Wait!

Before 100% condemning those Platinum Hits games, consider this. Is it one that had extra content?

Yes you read that right, some of these hated and shunned games had extra content, and isn't that why we collect games, to be able to play them AND enjoy the all the content available? I mean unless you are just collecting games as an investment, which is all too common these days unfortunately. But I play all my games (Eventually). 

Now if it is really that big of a deal, just put the Platinum Hits Game Disc in your regular case. But NO that is also a huge No No to these snobs too. And this post is not for you, grab your pacifier and go tell your mommy I don't collect the way you do so I am doing it wrong.

I am going to ahow a few of these and let you know about the extra content. As I come across more of these, I will share them. Maybe there needs to be somewhere online with a list so people knew which ones are a better value than the "regular" releases.

Pic I borrowed off the web somewhere.

Fable II includes 2 pieces of DLC right on the disc

And some of these even came with an extra inset stating what the extra content is.

Close up

Lost Planet, Branded as the Colonies Edition for the Platinum Hits release, also has extra content.

In this case it is laid out on the case

Oh online with PC, Shadowrun was the only game I knew about that did that.

The Disc and Manual both are labeled as the Colonies Edition as well

Mass Effect also includes an extra piece of DLC on Disc

Even tells you how to install it

And just as an F.Y.I. it also came in the newer style packaging

So if you are not picky or just want the discs to put in your standard case

And my Favorite Platinum Hits game with extra content

Forza Motorsport 2

List of all the extras

Cars & Tracks

With Installation Instructions

Not all Platinum Hits games came with Extra Content, but some did. For the most content, check into these Editions, and you may just get more for less.