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We have entered the final month of 2008, and Screen Play has been busy writing newspaper features looking at the highlights of the year.

Revisiting Grand Theft Auto IV reminded me that what I most loved about the game was its fantastic characters - particularly Niko, a refreshingly bold departure from typical video game archetypes.

But it's disappointing that he should stand out so much because developers are so often lazy or unoriginal.

Today I thought it would be fun to not only nominate your favourite (original) game characters, but also list those hoary character cliches that we have seen so many times before.

You know the ones, like the amnesiac tween, the trash-talking black dude or the pure-hearted (sexually unattainable) princess. Fire away in the comments section below...

Earlier in the year, James "DexX" Dominguez won a PlayStation 3 console for his thorough research on the difference in pricing between Australian and overseas retailers.

James found that Australians could buy software for less than half price by importing.

However, since the piece was published in June, the value of the Australian dollar has plummeted, so regular Screen Play contributor "McBlogger with Fries" believes it is time to reassess whether gamers looking for the best deals should be buying locally again.

"McBlogger" describes himself as "a typical sort of gamer" in his mid-20s. He enjoys fantasy games, films and books, can recite the Star Wars script word-for-word, and loves stories that are "so rich, vibrant and engrossing that my imagination can get lost from reality and run so deeply that I feel the landscape beneath my feet"...

Revisiting the conversion conversation

As an Australian gamer, like many others in this vast land, I have put up with many gripes
over the years, slights against us from the leaders of the industry - and our nation.

I suffered through the dark days of long-delayed release dates, always cursing the fact that we were classified with Europe due to the PAL system and not with the US.

I will admit that I have not been affected by the lack of an R18+ classification, but that isn't to say that I don't count it as a slight against me. I look upon my games as an art form, a medium for genuinely complex, deep and entertaining storytelling and should therefore be eligible for the same classifications as other art forms - books, movies, etc.

But one thing that I have always kept quiet about was the cause of much debate earlier in the year - the great currency conversion debate. Let's be honest, the heights that the Australian dollar (AUD) reached against the US dollar (USD) was unprecedented when it peaked in June at approx. 95c, and it may take some time before that peak is ever challenged again.

But unprecedented as it was, it was not an overnight boom that saw it hit those heights, looking back over the past year (Oct '07 - Sep '08) the average rate of conversion for the AUD was around 90c, even though the rate dropped below 80c in the month of September. The significance of the strength of our dollar was not lost on the Australian gaming community at large and with good reason, it was still the very early stages of a new generation of console gaming, a time usually of high hype, high sales and even higher prices.

As shown below though, just how high those prices were for Australian gamers when compared to our U.S. counterparts seemed to defy the logic of purchasing locally.

The figures in red represent the price of purchasing locally over the past year. Clearly it shows what every gamer in Australia already knows, we were being given a very raw deal by paying on average an extra $182.23 per console and $26.05 per game.

The glaring differences were probably the hottest topic of debate behind the R18+ classification and many gamers chose to look to importing their console of choice in order to save money. Even when interviewed by Jason Hill, the company big wigs always referred to the smaller market in Australia as the reason for the increase in price, sighting the simple economic formula of supply and demand to create the selling price of the consoles.

The greatest problem that came with the debate was that it was always based on a fluctuating market. We cried out for greater equality because at the time it worked in our favour but as Bob Dylan once wrote "the times they are a changing". The global economy is on very shaky legs, major nations including Japan are now in an official recession, and the AUD has dropped through the floor on the back of large interest rate cuts over the past four months and doubts over the economy of our greatest trading partner China.

The AUD has now begun flirting with the 60c marker and looks likely to fall below it before the end of the year. After more than a year of copping a raw deal, the Australian gaming community may actually have reason to feel as though we may be getting a fair go finally.

As is displayed above, the figures have a much more balanced feel to them with the exception of the Xbox 360 which just received a nifty price cut (Note: when doing my research, the price in the US had not received a discount) and the interesting thing to think about is that while we are seemingly on par with the current conversion rate being what it is, are we truly getting a fair go or not?

My answer would be that we aren't, and there are two reasons for my answer. The first is that in a stable economic environment, the value of the AUD should realistically be between 75-80c. The value of the AUD at the moment is being cruelly short-changed by factors beyond our control (such as the stalling Chinese economy) because as it stands Australia actually has one of the stronger economies in the world, with most analysts predicting we will be one of the well placed at handling and possibly avoiding the global recession altogether.

The second reason is that the high period of "launch" is always one of the key times in a console's sales lifecycle. All three consoles have surpassed the 18 month mark which means many early adopters would have jumped in and paid during the period when the AUD was at really strong levels. Now that the conversion rate has come back to seeing us on par with the US, Australian gamers are only slightly better off when purchasing games for the consoles that they were overcharged for a year ago.

Even though I know that the Australian gamer will finally get some reprieve if the exchange rate continues to drop - because the prices shouldn't increase on the consoles sold in Australia - I still feel that the Australian gaming community is entitled to ask for a "fair go" when the AUD inevitably bounces back. After all, isn't the fair go the Australian way?

Note: The prices used for the Australian games (in red) was attained from the JB Hi-Fi catalogue and the US game figures from the Best Buy website.

- McBlogger with Fries.

Screen Play readers can submit articles or ideas for consideration in Your Turn using the email address screenplayblog@gmail.com. The best blog post published on Screen Play between December 1, 2008 and January 30, 2009 as judged by Jason Hill will win a PlayStation 3 console from Sony Computer Entertainment worth $699. The next Your Turn prize winner will be announced on January 30. Only Australian residents are eligible and the judge's decision is final.

A tale of geek purgatory originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seriously, Capcom? I mean, I know he’s the only one in a pink costume, but did you have to make his character seem just a clothing change away from resembling a transvestite hooker?

You can check out more disturbing screenshots here.

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I have a special place in my heart for handmade things that are slightly off the beaten path. Knowing the passion and creativity that often goes into designing and creating these pieces make them extra special, and you can often get them at more than reasonable prices. I took a stroll through Etsy (my favorite website that specializes in handmade items) looking for stocking stuffers perfect for the gamer in your life. This isn’t your typical holiday gift guide full of video games and accessories (that one’s coming later). This gift guide is full of inexpensive handmade treasures (everything is $30 or less) that are sure to bring a smile to someone’s face during the festive holiday season. Enjoy something a little different, and perhaps give something a little different this year as well.

The Cake is Not a Lie - Slice of Cake
Description: Replica of the Cake from Portal, cut into individual charms. Comes with a cell lariat.
Price: $4
Purchase here: GeekToys’s shop
Check here if sold out

Rock Star Soap
Description: Microphone-shaped soap. Totally looks like a penis, lul.
Price: $6
Purchase here: Robinosities’s shop
Check here if sold out

Sackboy Charm - Pendant
Description: Comes with a cell lariat to use as a cell phone charm.
Price: $7
Purchase here: GeekToys’s shop
Check here if sold out

Space Invaders Set x 39 Pieces Fridge Magnets
Description: White, red and green aliens. Also guns, super rays, and special magnets for “score”, “game over” and more. 39 piece set.
Price: $9.99
Purchase here: PinMoonStore’s shop
Check here if sold out

Four Holiday Teabag Cards
Description: A set of four teabag-themed holiday cards made by yours truly.
Price: $10
Purchase here: bsangel’s shop
Check here if sold out

Polymer Clay Black Xbox Readjustable Ring
Description: The pendant is about 3/4″ long and attached to a silver-toned adjustable ring.
Price: $12
Purchase here: skybluebunny’s shop
Check here if sold out

Pac-Man inspired Nose Stud
Description: The length of the stud is 4.5mm. The head is 2.5mm squared. Available in a screw, L-shaped or barbell/ bone form.
Price: $15
Purchase here: Khristinne’s shop
Check here if sold out

Space Invaders Keychain
Description: Made of between 120 and 150 little tiny cubes of walnut and maple hardwood and measure roughly 1 3/8″ X 1 1/8″ by 1/8″ thick.
Price: $15
Purchase here: 1337motif’s shop
Check here if sold out

Polymer Clay Black PS3 Controller Necklace
Description: Pendant is about one 1″ long, 1/4″ wide, 3/4″ tall, and coated with sculpey glaze
Price: $16.50
Purchase here: skybluebunny’s shop
Check here if sold out

Mini Weighted Companion Cube Earrings
Description: Handmade with polymer clay, sterling hooks with matching glass beads
Price: $18
Purchase here: GeekToys’s shop
Check here if sold out

Piranha Plant
Description: One little red and white plant (needle felted from corrie dale wool) in a painted and varnished terracotta pot
Price: $20
Purchase here: poorlulu’s shop
Check here if sold out

Nintendo Controller Pouch - Large
Description: 3 3/4″H x 6 3/8″W, Nintendo DS holder
Price: $22
Purchase here: BraveMoonman’s shop
Check here if sold out

Health Wristlet
Description: Silver and red Zodiac Naugahyde, lined with cotton ticking. Zipper closure, fully lined. 7″w, 4.5″h.
Price: $25
Purchase here: Flamestitch’s shop
Check here if sold out

Christmas Tree Ornament - Xbox 360 Controller
Description: 2″H x 1.5″W, available in white or black
Price: $25
Purchase here: TheClayCollection’s shop
Check here if sold out

Christmas Tree Ornament - Nintendo Controller
Description: 2″H x 1″W
Price: $25
Purchase here: TheClayCollection’s shop
Check here if sold out

Christmas Tree Ornament - PlayStation 3 Controller
Description: 2.5″H x 1.5″W
Price: $25
Purchase here: TheClayCollection’s shop
Check here if sold out

Rock Band Set Hand-Etched Shot Glasses
Description: Set of four hand-etched Rock Band shot gasses.
Price: $30
Purchase here: Placidrain’s shop
Check here if sold out

Actually, this 30-second teaser trailer for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves does not necessarily take place in the North Pole, nor does it necessarily feature a fight to the death with a mystic artifact-enhanced “Super Santa,” but we are no less excited. Okay, maybe a little, but not much. Developer Naughty Dog’s sequel to one of my favorite games for the PS3, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, sees our titular wisecracking treasure hunter following in the footsteps of 13th century explorer Marco Polo, aided by a new free climbing mechanic and stealth based gameplay.

Though the teaser is short on details, Drake’s looking a little sadder and stubblier then when we saw him last, but that might have something to do with being stranded in a blizzard with only an ancient ritualistic dagger and a gaping flesh wound for company. As long as they don’t pull a Prince of Persia: Warrior Within and turn Drake into the typical moody anti-hero, carving poetry into his home room desk with a switchblade, I can deal with a little dark. I prefer charming and cheerful, but any Uncharted is good Uncharted, even when it jumps the shark in the third act by introducing mutant Nazi monsters.

As hinted at the end of the trailer, more details should be revealed during SpikeTV’s Video Game Awards on December 14th.