I’m in a writing mood today, so I figure I will venture outside of Commuto and write about a great game I played last night.  It’s called Braid for the Xbox 360 Live Arcade.  It’s created by Jonathan Blow, whose games I’ve never played before, so this might be his first release of a large commercial game, but it’s a wonderful one.

Braid is a puzzle game where you can reverse time whenever you wish, so basically you can never die, which my wife appreciated.   However, the puzzles are very well thought out and original.  I’ve played games before which featured time control, but most were action games, and the puzzle elements were uninspiring.  This is like the first time I played Portal, and proceed to not put the game down.  It challenges your mind in ways that you have never been challenged before, and unfortunately, like Portal, it ends way too soon.  What is it about these games which are so well done, that they have to end so quickly?  I suppose it’s difficult to think of so many original puzzles, or maybe it’s the limitation of the size of the game, but it always seems like the best games are over way too quickly.

I wish Jonathan the best of luck with this game.  I read his blog where he discusses quite honestly why the price of $15, (which to some may seem over priced for an Xbox Live game, but I assure you it isn’t), is the right price and how a game like this, which hasn’t received a lot of hype, might not sell as well as he’d like.  It’s unfortunate that other games which have a 10th of the originality sell many time more.  Hopefully this won’t be the case this time.

Thanks,

Stephen

Wired magazine has written an article on how to spot a fake listing on Craigslist and Ebay.  Unfortunately, Craigslist is having massive issues with fraudulent listings, some reports list it as high as 40%.  With popularity and success come those who will try to take advantage, and we are committed to minimize this as much as possible.  Regardless, some of these points are valid also with Commuto, so here is the list with my comments:

1. “Try to deal only with locals you can meet in person.” - This is a great point and is actually the foundation of Commuto.  One of the big reasons we thought local trading communities would be succesful is because they would help minimize fradulent listings since you are meeting with the person and are likely go to the same school, office or social group.

2. “Insist on cash.” - Doesn’t apply to Commuto since we are dealing with the trade of goods and not selling them.  Regardless, some users might actually end up selling their goods, so make sure you don’t except fake cheques or money orders.

3. “Never wire money to anyone under any circumstances.” - Again, doesn’t apply to Commuto, but it’s still common sense.

4. “Craigslist plays no part in transactions.” - This is true to Commuto as well.  We do not guarantee your trading partners, so please use common sense when interacting with someone.  If a posting or inquiry seems suspicious then do not get involved.

As for eBay; it’s obviously much riskier than any trading site since you have to send your money in advance and hope that you will receive your goods.  eBay does all it can to help its users not get scammed, and considering the size and scope of eBay, they do an excellent job.  But again, meeting in person with members of your school, workplace, city, or other social communities is the safest way to make sure that you get what you want without any surprises.  If you see anything that you consider to be suspicious, make sure you contact our support team at support@commuto.com.

Thanks and Trade Friendly,

Stephen