Flux Pavilion has been a dubstep pioneer in the UK since early 2009, and has amassed fans across the US thanks to the immense success of his breakout single Bass Cannon, which entered the UK singles charts at number 56 and remains one of the highest selling dubstep tracks to date in America. Flux’s undeniable musicality and gift for production was recently verified en mass when his most recent hit single I Can’t Stop became one of the most widely played tracks of 2011, and was sampled for the standout track Who Gon Stop Me on Kanye West and Jay-Z’s epic “Watch the Throne” album.

Flux Pavilion is currently working on his debut album for release this Spring 2012, has been touring widely in the America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, where he has shared stages with luminaries like Skrillex, Chase and Status and Diplo. Leading up to the February 21 release date, there will be more free remixes available from some of the world’s best electronic music producers. Stay tuned to the Syndicate Facebook page for more details.

Click here to “like” Flux Pavilion on Facebook.

Click here to follow Flux Pavilion on Twitter.

Click here to watch Flux Pavilion on YouTube.

Ryan and I are actually going on a dive trip later this year. We will be in Nassau, Bahamas hopefully diving with Stuart Cove’s. They offer reef, wreck, and shark dives. As a matter of fact, they offer shark feeding dives. Yes… shark feeding! I can’t wait! But the more I think about diving, the more it helps me reflect on the reasons why I wanted to dive in the first place.

Wreck Diving

Shipwrecks have always intrigued me. Not just the major wrecks like the Titanic or the RMS Rhone, but also smaller wrecks in locations that you might not expect. While in Aruba I did three open water dives, and one of those was a wreck dive.

Nothing beats seeing the wreck, but getting to circle around it, see the detail in the side of the ship, even swim through the ship… that’s something that just continues to excite me. The wreck we did in Aruba was about 60 foot down, and apparently fish (and coral) are obsessed with shipwrecks, so there is a lot of activity around the actual wreck site itself. I even saw a lionfish while I was down there! (Lionfish are not native to Aruba, and are actually starting to cause some damage on the surrounding areas.) Every trip that I plan from here on out will include at least one wreck dive.

Swimming with Sharks

This might surprise you, but I am stoked to swim with sharks. I love the idea of being able to swim right alongside these creatures, and have every intention of diving in places where sharks frequent. As a matter of fact, one of the dives that we will be dong in Nassau will be with reef sharks. They are not as dangerous as the great white, but still… it’s a shark and that is just sick! (Just so you know, reef sharks have never killed a human.)

I’m not sure what it is that excited me about sharks, but I can’t wait to be swimming next to one. Turtles also excite me, as do dolphins and whales… but nothing tops the anticipation of seeing a shark in the water. If all else fails, and one ends up eating me, think of how cool that story will be. “How did Ricky die?”

“Oh, a shark ate him.”

I’m also in the works for a short trip to South Africa in the next few years. Not only would I like to see some of the golf courses in the area, but also they have some of the best diving in the world. They also have great white cage diving, where you go down (with surface air) and basically engage with the sharks. They chum the water, and force the sharks to “fight back”. Now, I won’t be diving with great whites any time soon… but that is definitely on my bucket list.

As you can see, there are several reasons why I wanted to get certified to dive. Like golf, it’s something I can do for the rest of my life. I have an obsession with traveling the world, and this gives me an excuse to travel. It also gives me an excuse to travel to places that have beaches! With my SDI certification, I am forced to dive at least once a year to maintain my credentials. So I don’t have a choice.

Let’s get wet!

Earlier today I got an email from Sony regarding the issue. It was nice to have their continued communication regarding this issue. They are taking the blame (who else could you blame) and they are doing whatever they can to cover their own behinds. But again, it was nice of them to keep all the PlayStation Network members in the loop. If you are a member I am sure you got an email as well. Just check your inbox.

I wanted to share with you what that email said for a few reasons. First off, I wanted to make sure all my readers who are members were aware of what happened. I also wanted to make sure I did my part by sharing this vital information through the outlet that has been created here. So whether you play video games or not, this issue will affect a lot of people. Millions of people, actually.

Sony stated that they have:

1. Temporarily turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services.

2. Engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened.

3. Quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by rebuilding our system to provide you with greater protection of your personal information.

We greatly appreciate your patience, understanding and goodwill as we do whatever it takes to resolve these issues as quickly and efficiently as practicable.

Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained. While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained.

For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking. When the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are fully restored, we strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your PlayStation Network or Qriocity user name or password for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them as well.

To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant, to review your account statements and to monitor your credit reports. We are providing the following information for those who wish to consider it: – US residents are entitled under U.S. law to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll-free 877-322-8228.

We have also provided names and contact information for the three major US credit bureaus below.  At no charge, US residents can have these credit bureaus place a “fraud alert” on your file that alerts creditors to take additional steps to verify your identity prior to granting credit in your name. This service can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name. Note, however, that because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, it also may delay your ability to obtain credit while the agency verifies your identity. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the others are notified to place fraud alerts on your file. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, or should you have any questions regarding your credit report, please contact any one of the agencies listed below:

Experian: 888-397-3742 - www.experian.com – PO Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
Equifax: 800-525-6285 – www.equifax.com – PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
TransUnion: 800-680-7289 – www.transunion.com – Fraud Victim Assistance Division, PO Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

You may wish to visit the website of the US Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or reach the FTC at 877-382-4357 or 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580 for further information about how to protect yourself from identity theft. Your state Attorney General may also have advice on preventing identity theft, and you should report instances of known or suspected identity theft to law enforcement, your State Attorney General, and the FTC. For North Carolina residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; telephone 877-566-7226; or www.ncdoj.gov. For Maryland residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; telephone: 888-743-0023; or www.oag.state.md.us.

We thank you for your patience as we complete our investigation of this incident, and we regret any inconvenience. Our teams are working around the clock on this, and services will be restored as soon as possible. Sony takes information protection very seriously and will continue to work to ensure that additional measures are taken to protect personally identifiable information.

Providing quality and secure entertainment services to our customers is our utmost priority. Please contact us at 800-345-7669 should you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment

I don’t know about you, but I feel better knowing that they are at least aware of the issues. Chances are these hackers just wanted to prove they could do it. Not sure they are out there buying cheeseburgers with my credit card information. If they are, hold the onions!

With his revolutionary LED mau5head which flashed space scenes and robot smiley faces, deadmau5 – at his full production shows and extended sets at his “unhooked” gigs – highlighted his sets with tracks like Cthulhu Sleeps, Some Cords and the atmospheric track Raise Your Weapon featuring Picture Book singer Greta Svabo Bech.

Also included on 4×4=12 is the deadmau5 vs. Wolfgang Gartner collaboration Animal Rights, which Beatport described as, “…a huge club record that combines the styles of both producers and has been heavily compared to Daft Punk. We here at Beatport welcome the new direction and give it our thumbs up.”

The album’s next single Sofi Needs A Ladder, featuring a vivacious delivery by vocalist Sofi, made its live debut this past March at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami where deadmau5 was joined by Sofi and iconic drummer Tommy Lee in front of 50,000 fans and the track has been the opening piece on his current tour. Ultra Music will make it available on October 31.  Other highlights from the album include One Trick Pony which Sofi also appears on and the Michael Woods remix of I Said, a deadmau5 collaboration with U.K. DJ/producer Chris Lake.

In addition to many of the high-profile performances, 2010 has been a spectacular year thus far for the Toronto-based deadmau5.  He served as the MTV Video Music Award’s House Artist in September where Travie McCoy, Jason Derulo, and Robyn performed never-before-heard mau5-mixes of their current hit singles with him during the show.  He also made guest appearances on hit television shows Gossip Girl and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Meanwhile, gaming fans can now find deadmau5 starring as an in-game playable character in Activision Publishing Inc.’s DJ Hero 2.  (His smash #1 Billboard single Ghosts ‘n Stuff – which appeared on his last mix album For Lack of a Better Name (also from Ultra Music) – is also included on the game’s soundtrack.)

Recently profiled with a feature in Rolling Stone’s “Hot List” issue, deadmau5 will make his last North American appearances this year with three shows at New York City’s legendary Roseland Ballroom October 28, 29 & 30, the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans October 31 and a New Years Eve show December 31 at the Shaw Conference Center in Edmonton, Canada. The first two nights of his Roseland Ballroom “trifecta” shows will feature his powerful festival show supported by a fantastic cast of guests such as Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Erol Alkan, Afrojack and JDH & Dave P.  The final night, for his “unhooked” show, will feature his hit smash I Remember collaborator Kaskade as well as Calvin Harris, Pete Tong and Sleepy & Boo.  deadmau5 will bring his full production show to Voodoo and his Edmonton “Mau5quarade” NYE night also featuring guests Skrillex, Showtek, Mike De Rosa, Mikey Wong and Seelo Mondo.

In addition to a full album format, Ultra Music is also making 4×4=12 available via the iTunes Complete My Album program which permits single purchases through the digital retailer to apply for the full album when it releases.  Following Sofi Needs A Latter on October 31 will be Some Chords on November 7, Right This Second on November 14, Bad Selection on November 21 and Raise Your Weapon on November 28.

Before we get started, how do you pronounce your last name?

(Thinks) That’s hard to say through text. (Laughs)  I’ll try though.  It’s pronounced mei-ho-meh; something like that!  The J is like an H in Spanish.

You started at IUPUI in 2006. Did you eventually get that degree?

Yeah, I got my degree back in May of this year.

What was your major at IUPUI?

I was in the Computer Graphics Technology program on the animation track.

Why not IU? Or for that matter, why not PU?

I actually did start at IU and was there for a year as a fine arts major where my focus there was more on design/drawing/painting.  Then, decided to transfer to IUPUI to a degree in CGT because it was more technology based and I felt the degree was more general where I could learn a lot of different areas.  For me, this kind of degree would be more applicable to many different jobs, from web design to animation, than a BFA in fine arts.  I still like painting/drawing a lot though, and I think the one year I had as fine arts major gave me a good foundation for doing similar things, but on a computer.

How long have you been involved with SIGGRAPH?

I’ve been involved in SIGGRAPH for about two years now I think.  I got involved after Zeb Wood taught my first animation class and he was one of the heads of SIGGRAPH at the time.  I started going to some of the callouts and meetings and have been going to most of them since then.  It’s helped me a lot by getting me good connections and meeting a lot of cool people in the industry and also cool students.  I’ve been to the national SIGGRAPH conference last year and this year, and it’s a great experience to learn a lot about 3D and animation that I recommend everyone in this kind of major should try and go to.  I was a student volunteer for the one this year in LA and it was a really great experience.

Please tell me you are working on a Mac.

Yes!  I’ve been a Mac user for about seven years now I think.  My first Mac was an old iBook G4!  There’s nothing wrong with PC, especially since programs like Maya and Photoshop are pretty much identical in both, but I prefer to work in OS X just because I feel I can work faster and I’m much more used to it.

You worked on the Indiana Motorsports website redesign back in 2007. How did you manage to get hooked up with that so early in your career?

I think it was because my professors got to know me and my work early on in my academic career.  I remember my professor, Dan Baldwin, telling me about the project.  I had to interview, and was lucky enough to get to work on the project with some other cool students.  I’m still good friends with many of the students I worked with for this project.  After this project, I got a few more opportunities to work on projects with Dan as well, and I feel it’s helped me to get used to what it’s like to work on real world projects with real deadlines.

How was is it possible to pick a track at IUPUI?

I liked doing animation the best out of everything I think.  I guess that’s what led me to doing an animated short for my senior thesis project.  I really like to tell stories, and in animation, basically any story is possible if you have the time.  I’ve also really liked classes I had on storyboarding where I learned a lot of cinematography, like what different camera angles/shots mean.  I’m always watching movies and breaking down what I’m seeing, thinking about the camera movements/shots.  I think some of my inspiration in directing style from my short came from Wes Anderson movies.  I’m a big fan of his movies, especially Rushmore, and the way he tells his stories.

I taught in Poland as well. Did you have a good time overseas?

Poland was awesome!  All the Polish students gave us a huge welcome and treated us like their best friends.  We got to see a lot of the country, the culture, the people.  It was a really good time, and it reminded me a lot of when I lived in Argentina.  I got to travel to Germany and Italy after that as well.  So… besides missing my flight back home… the trip was great and I wish I could go again.

Tell me a little bit more about your experience working with The Red Kite.

I’ve been working on The Red Kite animated short for a little over a year now.  My role on the project is in animation and camera setup/layout.  I got involved in the project when Zeb Wood was looking for animators for the project.  I ended up using the work on this project towards my senior group capstone with a few other classmates (Vance Vaden, Jason Smith, and Wei-Te Wu).  It’s been a great experience and I think it will be shown and appreciated in a lot of different film festivals. I look forward to having it finished and letting people see it after working on it for so long!

How excited are you about North & South?

I’m pretty excited to see the short playing on the big screen!  I’ve watched it so many times already and had worked on the project for so long that I’m kind of tired of it actually!  I’m glad that my work on the short paid off though, and I’m always happy to have even more people be able to see the film.

Tell me more about North & South. I want the whole story; don’t leave anything out!

North & South started as my senior thesis project.  I had about one semester to complete the project, so I knew it was going to be a difficult task to pull off.  I tried to work smart and plan well to be able to get it done on time.  I had created a character in a project for another class, which had kind of started as a caricature of me.  Then in another class, we had to model and texture a character, so I decided to use the one I had already designed.  When it came time to do my short, having this character all set up saved me a lot of time.  Since I had a character, I began to build a story around him.  My original story was a lot longer and different than what I ended up with, but about a month and a half in to the project I had another idea for a story that would be shorter and faster to pull off.  It was going to be about a boy that lost his toy plane in a tree, and his plan to sled down the hill and off the ramp to try and get it back.  While working on the story I was getting a lot of ideas for camera shots and started visualizing in my head what I wanted it to look like.  During that time I started doing a lot of sketches and storyboards, then modeling, texturing, lighting, animation, compositing.  I was lucky enough to have Zeb rig my character which saved me a lot of time and allowed me to concentrate on other parts of the project.  By the week before the project was due, I was sleeping around three hours a night between this project and finals, but seeing people enjoy and my professors happy with my project was worth it when I screened it for my thesis presentation.

What is your dream job?

My dream job would be to work on making movies at an animation studio like Pixar/Dreamworks/Blue Sky.  I would like to work doing animation or layout at one of these places.  Being able to work on films that provide entertainment and good storytelling to millions of people would be amazing!

What version of Photoshop are you currently using?

I’m using CS5, but during my time in school I actually went from CS for a short while, to CS2 for a little, to CS3, to CS4 for a while, and had CS5 the last semester.

How do you stay up late at night when you have a tight deadline?

I like to drink coffee usually, but sometimes I need the kick of an energy drink, like a NOS!  I also like to listen to music while working late, helps me stay focused.

You are on Facebook. You are also on Twitter. How do you think social media has changed your profession over the last few years?

I think I’ve gotten to know people I may never have known and get connections I might not have gotten otherwise because of social networking sites.  Actually, someone from heartland posted on one of the animation user groups I have on Facebook that they were looking for animation entries for the festival.  I guess you could say Facebook is what got me to submit my short to Heartland!

Your short film has been entered into the Heartland Film Festival. What does that feel like? Tell me all that is going through your head, as we get closer to the festival.

I’m really excited to see it in the big screen, on the same theaters where I go to see the big Hollywood movies.  I’m kind of nervous about how it will look because a giant screen is a lot different than a computer monitor, not just in size but also in color.  Hopefully it looks and sounds good and I’ll see lots of my friends and family there.  I almost want to use my iPhone to record my short on the big screen while I’m there, but I don’t think Heartland would approve! (Laughs)

When can I see the full feature?

The full short is playing on four different days during the Heartland Film Festival in a collection with other shorts.  I believe it’s shorts collection #3 for those that want to go see it.  I will probably then put up the short online on Vimeo/YouTube after the festival is over.

Who is your favorite artist?

For music, Daft Punk is my favorite.  I’ve been listening to their Discovery album since 2001 and it’s still my favorite!  For fine art I was always a big fan of impressionist painting that captures a moment quickly, like Matisse/Cezanne/Monet.  I also like a lot of more modern art too.  For movies, some of my favorite directors are Wes Anderson, Coen Brothers, Kubrick, Miyazaki, Paul Thomas Anderson, and lots of the Pixar guys like John Lasetter, Pete Docter, Brad Bird, and Andrew Stanton.

I love the movie poster. I will assume that you designed that too?

I designed the movie poster to be sort of abstract, but instantly recognizable after someone has seen the short.  I also wanted it to create interest in the short for people that hadn’t seen the film yet.

The soundtrack for the trailer is great. How did you decide what to use for the soundtrack?

I think the music in the trailer is the same as the one from the short.  Originally I had used a music track from Fantastic Mr. Fox for my thesis presentation.  After that I had my friend Vance Vaden start to create an original score for the film.  He had just started when I submitted to Heartland though, so I ended up using some really great free creative commons music I found on a site dedicated to creative commons music.

How long have you been working on this thing?

I spent about four months during my spring semester working on this project.  After I graduated I have probably spent another couple of weeks working on tweaks and polishing a bit.

Are you already working on another film?

I’m still working on Red Kite, which is almost finished.  I also just started going to AnimationMentor, an online animation school.  My mentor for my first class is from Pixar, and the program has been great so far.  Hopefully as I have more time open up, I would like to work on another short film while learning advanced animation from AnimationMentor.

What do you do for fun when you are not sitting behind a computer?

I like to watch movies and play games!  I’m usually in front of some kind of TV/computer even on my free time.  It’s what I grew up doing and what I really enjoy.  I think originally I got into doing CG because I wanted to make video games one day.  I also like to browse the Internet, check reddit/Amazon/Twitter.  The times when I’m actually outside I like to play soccer/tennis, do stuff with girlfriend and friends, go to the pub, that kind of stuff.

Your blog seems to show a lot of your progression as an artist. How often do you post to your blog?

I try to post a few times a month on my blog, and at least once a month.  I feel that if I keep posting on my blog it keeps me motivated to do more work so I have new things to post!

Do you study other work as well or do you just get all your inspiration from within?

I get inspiration from all kinds of different things.  Movies, music, games, books, work, school.  You can get inspiration from anything I think, sometimes you just get that right moment that gives you an idea, but it could happen anywhere!

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Working at an animation studio, continuing to create short films in my spare time, and also coming back to IUPUI to give talks or help out other students with advice with what I went through in school.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

Hopefully my short film and my character will be remembered by the people that watch the film, and I’ll be known as the guy that made that film.  They probably will forget my name, but if they remember the character and the film, that’s good enough for me.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

I really do enjoy making films and telling stories through animation, so I hope that everyone that sees the film enjoys watching it as much as I enjoyed creating it.  You can click here to buy tickets and go see my short!  See you there!

One thing that Nintendo does well is handheld devices. I can remember waiting in line as a kid to get a Nintendo Gameboy and playing Tetris until all hours of the morning. My mom was a champ when it came to playing Tetris. I wish I knew what my lines record was. Or my mom’s for that matter!

It’s not that the other two companies have not toyed around with handhelds. Sony has the PSP, which had much better graphics but never seemed to impress the market. Microsoft has never released a handheld (to my knowledge) but I have read they have intentions of releasing one soon. Nintendo just remains the leader in these handheld devices. (There are rumors that Microsoft is working on an advanced version of the Zune, a popular media player. If the rumors are true, this will not only play all the same great media your Zune currently does, but it will have the ability to download and play all of the original Xbox games.)

Over the last few years their popular Nintendo DS unit has had gamers lined up for new releases, new game releases, and even for new accessories. They are about to release their latest handheld device, the Nintendo 3DS. This unit is said to be their best yet and actually simulates three dimensions without requiring the user to wear glasses.

Some of the features of this new unit are quite impressive. Below you will find some of the latest features of the Nintendo 3DS:

• Internal Camera – Just like all of the latest and greatest cell phones out there, the 3DS has added a camera. So smile and say, “cheese” because your unit is watching.
• Top Screen – The top screen on the new unit is the highest resolution yet. The top screen is 3.53 inches, is 800×240 pixel-resolution LCD screen, and is where Nintendo says, “all the magic happens.” This is where you can see 3D images without having to wear 3D glasses. This is something I have to see for myself!
• 3D Depth Slider – This will actually control how strong the 3D images will be. The unit leaves it completely in your hands for your gaming enjoyment.
• Bottom Screen – Of course there is a bottom screen, but this screen is not touch screen like your favorite smart phone.
• Home Button – This is a one-touch button that lets you manage all the functions of the 3DS.
• Stereo Headphone Jack – Don’t bother your neighbors by plugging in your favorite pair of headphones.
• Microphone – Don’t just play the game, interact with the game. There are certain games that allow you to communicate with the unit.
• Stylus – Just like older versions, this 3DS unit has a stylus. It is hidden in the unit and allows for easy access while playing or before you turn the system on.
• L & R Buttons – This just makes sense. What gaming unit would not have an L and R button now days?

As you can see there are a lot of great new features. I am not huge on handheld devices, but this unit, giving me 3D game play without glasses, does nothing short of intrigue me. I look forward to seeing what this handheld can do.

Don’t worry if you have a Nintendo DS. Your games will still play on the new unit. The new cartridges do have a unique slot in them that plays into the 3D aspect of the game. So as these video game companies move forward, always improving graphics and game play, make sure you keep up-to-date with the handheld varieties too.

Do you have a Nintendo DS? Are you going to get the Nintendo 3DS?

I would venture to say that I play my Microsoft Xbox 360 about 95% of the time.  I am a console collector, as I have all three of the next generation consoles, but the 360 has a special place in my heart.  Perhaps it is the fact that I waited in line at Walmart for over twenty hours to guarantee that I got one the day it came out.  Or maybe it is because this is the first time that Tiger Woods was a launch title.  Actually, I think the real reason is because of the achievement points.  These points are a way for you track your progress as you play and beat games.  You get points for doing things like completing a season in Madden or for running a lap in Project Gotham Racing without hitting a wall.  Some of the points are easier to get than others, but with that comes smaller point totals.  I currently have just over 14,000 gamer points and from what I can tell that is a lot.  But again, I do play a lot.  Think of gamer points as bragging rights for the rest of the gamers out there.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 has been giving me some problems lately.  I have not beat the game, I have not completed the tournament challenge, and I have only received about half of the gamer points that this game has available.  However, with that being said, I do know what all of these achievements are.  And not only do I know what these achievements are but I also have researched them a little deeper to know not only how to accomplish these achievements but also some of the little innuendos that go along with each task.  Below you will see a complete list of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 achievements and a little more information on each one.  (These will go from the easiest achievements to obtain to the hardest and highest point valued ones.)

Team Work – Watch the Credits – 10 Points

This is a pretty simple task to complete.  All you have to do is head to the main menu, choose the My Tiger Woods -10 option, then select Extras, and then Credits.  Once you have watched the credits for the game you will unlock this achivement.  This is an easy way to jump start your list and to learn a little bit more about the number of people that went into making this game possible.

Blammo! – Earn the Bingo, Bango & Bongo point on a single shot in the Bingo Bango Bongo Traditional game mode. – 10 Points

This is another pretty simple task to complete.  Bingo Bango Bongo is a pretty fun style of play.  The concept here is that you and your opponent(s) tee off.  You earn a Bingo for the first person to hit the green.  Then, you win the Bango for being the closest to the pin once everyone is on the green.  The Bongo then comes as the lowest score on that hole.  So, for instance, if you hit in the middle of the fairway, stick it to three inches, and your opponent misses his putt and is a foot away from the hole, you would in theory win all three.  There are multiples ways in this game to achieve this task, but the easiest is to play you with two controllers.  Set up the game to be you versus yourself.  Hit the shots that you know will allow the first, or the second, player to win all three.  Is it cheating?  Sure it is but it beats trying to figure out a way to do this while playing in the exhibition mode.

Weather Report – Complete an online 18-hole round in the rain using the Live Weather feed. – 10 Points

Live Weather is new to the Tiger Woods franchise.  This is a feature that based on GPS and the constant connection to the web that your console has (assuming you invested in an Xbox Live account) to pull the actual weather conditions as they are in the city of where the course you are playing exists.  So, if you head over to St. Andrews to play a quick round before bed, have Live Weather set, and it is raining in Scotland you better believe that it is raining on the game.  This feature is cool because it gives you an accurate sense of what these guys truly have to deal with from week to week out there on tour.

The Comeback Kid – Come back from a +5 or worse to finish Even or better, in any Traditional or Online game mode round. – 15 Points

This is a very easy task to complete.  The idea of this is that you have to come back from being at least five strokes over par and finish the round even or under par.  This is not hard as most of these courses have the potential to shoot in the low 50s once you have figured out the putting.  The easiest way I know how to tell you to beat this challenge is to knock a few balls out of bounds on the first hole and start your next seventeen holes already at your target of five shots over par.  Then, once you have hit that magic number just play the way you would normally play.  Chances you finish even or under par are pretty good.

Tough at the Top – Compete in Play-The-Pros mode and submit your score online. – 15 Points

This is also another easy task to complete.  All you have to do is log on, play 18 holes in this particular category, and post your score online.  It does not matter if you shoot twenty under par or twenty over par, as long as you submit the score online you will unlock this achievement.

Play with the Big Boys – Drive the ball 400 or more yards in the fairway in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 Points

This is a task that takes a little bit of planning.  First, your player (you could use Tiger Woods for this if you want to) needs to have a high distance rating.  Once you are near a full rating on your distance category, head out to any given golf course and let the big dog eat, as they say. Some things that might help are finding a downhill down wind par four or five.  If the wind is at your back it will be much easier for the ball to carry.  If you do get a big down wind open the club face a little to let the ball get that extra airtime after you hit it.  You will probably get this achievement on accident by just playing the game.

Maximum Power – Complete an 18-Hole round using a max stats costume in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

There are a couple of ways to complete this task.  You can purchase the bunny costume with 300 Microsoft points and get this challenge right out of the gate.  But, if you are like me and find yourself on a budget, you just simply have to unlock the bunny suit to break this challenge.  You can unlock this costume by making your way through the Tournament Challenge.  You have to play this to be able to unlock all of the achievements anyway, so it just comes with time.  But once you have unlocked the bunny suit all you have to do is play 178 holes.  Easy enough.

Raindancer – Play in the rain and score an Eagle or better in any Stroke based Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

This is simple.  Set the weather to rain, play a round, and score an eagle or better.  Once you sink that eagle you will get an easy 25 points.

Riding Spinnaz – Sink an approach shot using backspin covering a distance of 5ft or greater in any game mode. – 25 Points

You will get this just by playing the game.  As you make your way through the PGA Tour season or the Tournament Challenge.  Most wedges wil spin this much by default so do not worry about the distance of your spin.  So just go out and play and eventually you will sink a field shot.

Taking Flight – Total 50 birdies with a created player. – 25 Points

This is a pretty simple one to break.  Just go out and play and you will break this in no time.  I currently have over 1,000 birdies and I am not even at 100% game completion.  A harder challenge might have been 50 eagles with a created player. But make sure that you are using your created player as these do not count with the players that are already in the game.

Eye of the Hurricane – Shoot under Par through a Gale Force wind in a Traditional or Online game mode 18-hole round. – 25 Points

Gale force winds are insane on this game. You will be starring at 25+ mile an hour winds going in any given direction.  Sometimes with winds this crazy rain is also thrown into the mix.  Regardless, just play smart, make sure you sink a few birdies early, and you will break this achievement.

It’s All in the Hips – Use Precision Putter to sink a 30ft putt without Putt Preview, in a Traditional or Online game mode. – 30 points

For this challenge you must sink a 30 foot putt without using the putt preview.  The putt preview is your one and only chance at seeing where, if you hit the ball at 100%, your putt will travel.  It can be difficult not using this as the new putting is something very hard to grasp for most average to mid level players.  But, there is luck!  In the tournament challenge you will be matched with Tiger and are required to match him shot for shot.  One of these is a putt that is 30 foot long.  The first time you have this putt, line it up, and use the putt preview.  Understand where the putt will break but then miss the putt on purpose.  The challenge will restart leaving your putt exactly where you had it before. Adjust accordingly and sink the putt.

Bare Minimum – Play a round under Par in a Traditional or Online game mode with a Driver, SW, 5 Iron and Putter. – 30 Points

This is a fun one to break.  I suggest that you use a curse like St. Andrews.  The course is not that long, from the white tees, and has pretty flat greens.  Also, while playing use the three click style of play.  This way if you have a 5 iron going into a 130 yard shot you can guarantee you will not miss the green by very much.  But the easiest thing you can do is just go out and have fun!

Big Money – Win 5 Million Dollars in Live Tournaments. – 30 Points

Good luck on this one.  This is the hardest challenge in the game, in my opinion.  This will take you not only time but patience as you have to play a lot, and for a long time to unlock this one.  There are various styles of online tournaments ranging from daily, weekly, and play the pros.  Each one requires you to play four rounds and the top 350 places generally pay out.  The play the pros one pay fewer spots.  This is not hard; it is just time consuming and a lot of golf.  So get out there and start making some birdies!

Piece of Cake – Post a Top 50 score in a Live Tournament. – 30 Points

This is not s hard as it sounds.  All you have to do is go out to live tournaments and finish one round in the top 50.  Find a tournament that has just started, play your heart out, shoot a decent score, and you will place in the top 50.

Migration – Total 100 Birdies using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Just like the 50 birdies that you must collect this is just a continued effort.  Keep playing and keep making those birdies and this one will eventually find its way into you trophy case.

Birds of Prey – Total 25 Eagles using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Exactly like the two birdie challenges, this is based on eagles.  So, head out there, play some par fives, and rack up the eagles.

Big Tuna – Play an 18-hole Traditional or Online game mode round in FIR and GIR using only tuned clubs. – 50 Points

This one is quite difficult for multiple reasons.  First, every club that you have in your bag must have been tuned out on the driving range.  The putter is the only club that you cannot tune.  This can be done by changing the loft, the lie, or anything else that you think will benefit your swing in the club-tuning mode.  I changed my clubs by one degree of loft.  Now comes the hard part.  You have to play 18 holes and not miss a single fairway.  You also cannot miss a single green.  You must literally play a perfect round from tee to green to break this with those tuned clubs.  Mine happened by accident but with a little patience you can break this in a hurry.

Aces High – Ace a Par 4 or a Par 5 hole in any Traditional or Online game mode. – 50 Points

This one is a lot more difficult than you might think.  You might pull this off by accident during normal game play but if you want to focus on this challenge and guarantee that you complete it then you need to head back to St. Andrews.  And rather than using your created player take Luke Donald.  On hole #9 at St. Andrews Luke will hit a 99-100% driver pin high.  Then, just play with the spin until you knock it in.  Also, use the mulligan feature in case you miss it to save from having to go back and set up the hole again.

Well-Seasoned – Complete a PGA TOUR® Season with at least 10 Million Dollars in career earnings. – 50 Points

This is a pretty simple task.  Just play through a season, win as many tournaments as you can, and finish the PGA Tour season with over $10 million in earnings.  The first time you do this it will actually unlock not only this achievement but also the Tracking Tiger Trophy Ball for making more than $10 million in a single reason.  Think of it as killing two birds with one stone.

Circle of Life – Score an Ace, an Eagle, a Birdie, a Par and a Bogey in a single round of a PGA TOUR® Event. – 55 Points

This, as hard as it seems, will again just happen on accident.  You can play a round and get any number of eagles, birdies, and bogies.  But the hole in one is the issue.  Play a course like Wentworth where you have a lot of chances.  Play the white tees, as well, giving you a better chance at scoring that ace.  With a little luck this will happen during the course of play.

Eagle Eye – Total 100 Eagles using a created golfer. – 55 Points

Remember when I said they should focus on the eagles rather than the birdies?  Well, your wish is my command.  Score 100 of these and you will unlock another achievement.

Ten Thousand Ways – Earn 10,000 Player Points in EA SPORTS™ GamerNet. – 75 Points

This is something that just comes with time.  You can either win these through the course of normal play by knocking it close to the pin or by out driving some of the other players on Xbox Live, or you can do it online in their menu.  You can search for and find these set challenges and if you beat them this route it will earn you double points.  This track will allow you a much easier road and can be accomplished in a few hours if that. (I am doing it the old school route and earning them as I go through the PGA Tour Season.

Challenge the World – Complete the Tournament Challenge mode. – 75 Points

It does not get any easier than this. Just play through and complete the tournament challenge.

Sharkies – Play 18 holes online against an EA Tiburon team member or against a player who has this Achievement. – 80 Points

You can either head online and setup a match with this as a requirement or just risk it and play as many people online as you can until you unlock this.  You must, however, complete all 18 holes for this to unlock.

From Bad to Worse – Hit the ball from any bunker into a different hazard, such as a Water Hazard or Out of Bounds. – 10 Points

This is easy.  Hit the ball into a bunker then hit it out of bounds or into a water hazard.  It really is that simple.

Mulligans Island – Use 20 or more mulligans during an 18-hole round, in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 points

Just start a round with mulligans activated and go to town.  You can do this all on the first shot of the round if you want.  Once you have used twenty of these finish the round and you will unlock this achievement.

No Known Survivors – Equip the CEC Mining Hazard Suit – 35 Points

All you have to do is play through the Tournament Challenge.  Once you have completed the four rounds at the TPC of Boston you will unlock this in the pro shop.  Equip it and then you will unlock this achievement.

Levinator25 – Complete the first Bonus Challenge in Tournament Challenge. – 55 Points

This is a fun little secret achievement that you will have to complete.  Once you have made your way through what you think is 100% of the Tournament Challenge you will be given one more set of tasks to complete.  You will be given incredible shots from recent history on the PGA Tour.  The first, and the one that you need to complete to win this task, is knock it in from a lily pad.  Remember that Tiger Woods commercial where he hits the ball from a lily pad standing in the middle of the lake?  Well, now you get to experience this first hand.

These are the achievements in the 2010 Tiger Woods PGA Tour Xbox 360 game.  The game is the best graphics you have seen in this series to date and the game play is incredible.  The putting, as always, changes this year but you get used to it.  If you are like me and obsess over achievement points hopefully this will help you get a healthy chunk.