Magic America

I'm so happy now. My room has room (finally) with this new set-up I just bought; I've finally figured out how to turn off the annoying power on/off noise on my phone; I've gone somewhere; and everything is A-OK.

While in Winnipeg last week, I went into a Costco for the first time. My god, it's like that mega mart from The Simpsons, only real. It's an ugly-as-fuck warehouse with little to no organization at all - in essence, a chaotic mess of oversized products. Some of the prices on these huge-ass things are okay, but even when confronted with the best deal, you must consider that you have to pay AT LEAST $40 a year in order to shop there, which is just fucking weird (the different levels of membership even have different store hours. It's like we're living in India). The store I went to even had a little restaurant/stand thing, which served everything and did not require a membership to go to (it's basically its own entity).
The thing isn't as frightening as a Super Wal-Mart, but there's definitely something ugly about it. Unless you really need to have 20+ packs of toilet paper, 32-pack drinks, child-sized bags of chips, or any of the other pointless things...I don't see any real need to shop there. And like hell would I buy a computer or iPod at a horrible warehouse store.

CONSUMERISM TODAY.

Cinderland

Hey, I got sunburns on my arms. Fuck you.

I started a book! Hopefully I can finish it.

I also started playing Ogre Battle recently. I quite like it still, and its good to play a strategy-RPG that doesn't follow the FF Tactics mold, while still maintaining the customization aspect that makes me go OCD. It's a different kind of strategy involved, too - almost reminds of a board/card game-style game.
I am running into some problems, though. One, and this is an issue I didn't really have any time I played this before, but I am finding that managing some of those little factors can be very stressful. Stuff like Alignment and Reputation can be screwed up quickly and shut you out of various game options (especially classes, AND ESPECIALLY female unit classes, of which you have little choice in). On one hand, it's a neat balancing idea - it discourages players from making one unit too strong and just plowing through the game, although you can still do that. But one thing can lead to another, and now many of my units that would need high alignment to upgrade are not there yet, and my reputation is rock-bottom and I have no idea how to get it back up. Oh well.

Over

Another year, another gaming convention. It's unfortunate my last game was canceled, but oh well. I tried some new things and some old things, and generally had a good time.

Oh, and just for fun, I'm going to list my ten favorite games I've played over my 9 years of conventioning.

10.Apples to Apples
9.Clay-o-Rama
8.Wrasslin'
7.Corruption
6.Cosmic Encounter
5.Munchkin
4.Illuminati
3.Toon
2.Talisman
1.Super Giant Monster Showdown

Record

Hurray for a week of new computer!

So this week is the annual gaming convention. I'm pumped for some Munchkin action, man! PUMPED.

And then next week is E3 2009: Return of the Nerd Circus. My new rule states that I am to expect nothing, preventing disappointment and increasing surprise. I'm going to stick to that. I will, though, be very very surprised if Nintendo announces a new Zelda. I have my reasons for this.

I was thinking of possibly doing one of those posts where people list music they listen to with a theme. I was going to post about the music I associated with the last few years. But then I realized that there were large gaps. Oh well, here's two of them:

2005: Monkey Gone to Heaven - The Pixies
2008: Friends - Ween

Prediction + Health Update

I seem to be getting sick again. Maybe it's the H1N1 virus (man, what a 133t name). There has been one reported case around here. Of course, it was in a child from a school I haven't been to since grade 8, so unless it's diffused into the populace at a much more rapid rate than health officials knew, that seems unlikely. More likely I'm coming down with a common disease. It feels like the same shit I got last fall. Which wouldn't be too good, because that sick time sucked, but it still better than OMG FORIN PANDEMIC.

***************************************************

To update my game prediction posts from before (if you haven't stopped reading by now, DO IT. STOP READING.)

For Punch-Out!!, we have a few more confirmations. We have actual footage of Piston Hondo and Great Tiger now. Also, the ESRB website description pretty much comes out and says Super Macho Man and Soda Popinski are in the game, which fits my list. Current reviews point to 'a few' nods to Super Punch-Out!!, which means that someone else from that game will show up alongside Bear Hugger (I'm still going with Dragon Chan on that).

With Piston Hondo, though, I must take off one my original list, and it'll probably be original final boss. The final boss seems to be silhouetted on the web site (why else would the one unfilled profile be there since day 1?), and it looks like...a buffed up Mr. Sandman? That would be odd.


Now, Smash Up. Nothing big, but the current post on the developer blog says that "the characters all utilize a weapon of some sort", which would mean the characters in the game would have to have some sort of weapon. It's a pretty open phrase, I mean anything could be used as a weapon. I don't think it hurts the stuff I had in my prediction post, but its something to consider.

I art usefal

In me news, I discovered Google Reader the other day. It is awesome and amazing.

I have been listening to many old/new albums recently, as well. On the list:

Both Kind of Blue and Bitches Brew. I'm not a big listener of jazz, so I don't have a really informed opinion, yet. All I can say: it's crazy!

Also, a friend of mine inspired me to download Krautrock. So I have two examples of it, one of which (Kraftwerk's Autobahn) is awesome, and the other (Tago Mago by Can) is too weird to determine how much I like it on one listen.

:+]

Guess what I didn't watch tonight?

If you said anything other than Jimmy Fallon's show, you're WRONG.

Things I must do some time:

1. Read Don Delillo's 'Falling Man'
2. Watch all three seasons of Father Ted
3. Write something, I think I might be out of practice!
4. Read All-Star Superman Volume 1. Also, Sandman: The Kindly Ones.
5. Find new music to listen to
6. Figure out a way to print off Wikipedia's list of hat styles for reference.
7. Finish Principia Discordia
8. Figure out what the bottom half of my filing cabinet should be used for.
9. Crush my enemies
10. Get passport photo
11. Find use for big black box o' shit I have
12. Sleep at night.
13. See them driven before me.
14. Go on a trip somewhere. Not anywhere too far, because that's impossible. Just...somewhere.
15. Get rid of more possessions. I have too much stuff.
16. Make a new video.
17. Hear the lamentation of their women.

@_@

Due to Youtube's gang of miscreants, I've found myself exposed to far too much Hello Kitty-related things as of recent. It's messing with my mind, man!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Hello_Kitty_%26_Friends

Although the show is aimed at children between the ages of three to ten, it is popular for men and women of all ages.

YOU DO NOT FILL ME WITH CONFIDENCE!

1>1

Back to symbol titles I see.

Waiting for spring. It will come. OH YESSSSS, it will...

With classes on its last legs and the last few major assignments coming up (one of them was delayed until much later today, which makes me a happy camper and frees up the week), I'm busy with important stuff and not just the bullshit I'm usually busy with. I have more confidence in my ability to get stuff done this year, too, so that helps.

I decided that I am going to speed up my latest dumb project, which is to convert my old 'super binder' into an all-purpose dumb fact reference guide. I recently printed off a map of my province and a guide to colours, but they are just the beginning. I just need to think of some more things I may need to refer to in the future...

Beedly Beedly Beed

Last work of school is almost done. Week of Christ mass is almost here. Once that is done, then a full post about...things.

IELLO

Fuck yeah, Christmas Month!

The Days of Reckoning is upon me, and I am confident I will succeed.

I don't have anything interesting to say right now.

I do have plenty of year end interesting posts planned, though!

RELIEF

At first I thought all this school shit was going to pile up and destroy me, but I feel I am on my way to conquering it. Hopefully it doesn't get nukes along the way.

What was released this week, videogame-wise? Why, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe of course! Exciting.

As you may or may not know, I disdain all things MK. It's a series that has gone on for way too long, and has been consistently mediocre. Of course, I haven't played an iteration in the series since the fourth, so I am relying entirely on past experience and the word of others. But why should I play games I have no interest in? Plus, it's not like any of the lame conceptual things are getting any less lame.

MK vs. DC has a number of problems on its own without the added burden of being MK. The brand crossing is nonsensical, jarring even. It reeks of latching onto he coattails of better projects...better projects, I might add, that came out a decade ago. It's the last act of a desperate franchise.

I could mention that the game seems toned down in violence from previous MKs, disappointing the series' fanbase of drooling idiots, but I don't give a fuck.

But upon watching all the game's fatalities/"Heroic Brutalities" on Youtube (aw the modern wonders, allowing me to get the most enjoyable part of the game without having to spend any money on it), most of my preconceived notions seemed to be correct.

Another thing I noticed: what the hell is Captain Marvel doing there? I know DC wants him to be a banner character for them now, but jumping jack Jesus, he's so conceptually distant from the MK aesthetic, it's just plain bizarre. I mean, he is very much a character designed for children, even more so than any other DC character.

Also, while I for one love seeing Darkseid in a "real" fighting game (none of this JLA Task Force shit), it's too bad it's one I'll never play.


Speaking of comic book stuff...Watchmen trailer!

It's hard to pinpoint what I don't like about the new trailer. I don't even think I noticed Rorschach referring to the group as 'Watchmen' like others have. But it felt off. When the characters were speaking long strings of dialogue, it hurt my expectations. I, along with others, was growing more optimistic about the project. And while I'm not giving up on it yet, the newest previews leave me cold, definitely.

My biggest worries for this project is that it'll end up as being a lifeless recreation with details changed around (which isn't that big a problem, for the most part), completely lobotomizing the story. Some may say it's because Zack Snyder is a hack director who does the material for money. In my view, if the movie turns out this way, it won't be because Snyder is a hack, but rather that Snyder is a fanboy of the material, but for all the wrong reasons.

I mean, the reason Watchmen is partially responsible for destroying the mainstream comics scene is that fans that later became writers glommed onto the gritter elements but weren't smart enough to understand the themes.

But back to the movie, part of my fear comes from the absolutely ill-conceived Watchmen videogame.

Since I don't read EGM anymore, I didn't get the story on that. But from the excerpts and descriptions, it sounds like an abomination. Essentially taking the characters and putting them in a generic action game (complete with such horrific buzz concepts as finishing moves and a RAGE METER) under the guise of UNTOLD BACKSTORY! that no one wanted or needed.

Of course the game stars Rorschach. Aside from being the more violent/action-oriented character in the book, he's the one character who is misunderstood and will probably still be misunderstood by audiences (both the original readers and the ones brought in by the movie). They think he's a hardcore badass. He is really the representative of the logical extreme of vigilantism in superhero comics, turning into a simple-minded, Objectivist asshole. That's why he's a great character, but it's terrifying to see how some people would 'look up' to that.

The most unnerving part of the game, however, is that Snyder is right alongside the developers cheering them on. He apparently describes getting all hot and nerd bothered by seeing this stuff on screen. I'm sorry, but Watchmen really isn't something you can geek out to. Unless of course, you're one of the ones who loves it for all the wrong reasons.

Let us pray.

Ketchup

In the meantime, you missed many important events, including ma birfdah and spooky H'al'lo'we'en day. Thems the breaks when I'm busy doing super important junk.

I've been playing the new Castlevania for DS. It is difficult at points, which I mean every single boss battle. All after the first have killed me approximately 4 or 5 times each before I somehow plow through them. The enemies are also jerks, but not unbeatable jerks, and the game doesn't let buying important life-saving potions become an easy task either! The difficulty, in a way, does make it different from the previous portable editions of the franchise, which I was hoping.

The main gameplay mechanic, glyphs, is pretty much a combination of the previous games soul stealing/magic cards system. It works, and finding a neato combo is fun, but it seems the actual glyph collecting is more complicated than it should be, with the things showing up after defeating certain enemies at a low rate. It would be easier it they popped up as much as the souls in Dawn of Sorrow did, but maybe I'm just missing something at the point of the game I am in currently.

The element system for the weapons works, but switching between different sets of powers so I can gut jellyfish with swords and then smash derby-wearing skeletons with pickaxes can be tiring at times. Also, aside from stuff like "fish hate lightning" and "skeletons hate hammer", the weaknesses and resistances aren't always easy to figure out without killing one first and examining the enemy guidebook.

I'm enjoying it, but I've still a ways to go before slaying Dracula. I'll get that bastard good, though.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Even considering all the political hullabaloo this week, this may be the stupidest thing I'll read all week. The article itself speaks of terrible things, but the comments make the whole thing even worse.

And I guess I go back to school now. Joyous occasions.

Short

This year's 7-11 Halloween flavour: White Cream Soda. Not nearly as exciting as last year's. I think the straws are the same as last year, too.

Still not in school.

I know it's almost Thanksgiving because a large frozen turkey fell on my foot.

DING DING DING

Heh, and thus my patience is rewarded.

Now the strike at school has gone on for a week. Wooooooo I'm fucked.

Harr

Creative writing is just "there", but sort of refreshing because I am forced to actually write stuff instead of just daydreaming about it.

On one hand the project I recently finished for it has the beginnings of the evolution of my style. On the other hand, it still feels a bit lacking. Hopefully I will improve that, because I plan on doing something similar to it for my final project.

Ohhhhh faculty strike at school. First week will be used to get as much work done as possible, but more than one week and we're looking at a fucked up year. And then I will angered, and will write something slightly perturbed in the paper, I tell you what!

Oh and I guess Nintendo news on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Last year at this time they revealed Sonic in Smash Bros., but since there's nothing possibly akin to that this year, I have no expectations (I didn't even have expectations for anything last year, and then look what happened!) I decided to stop expecting videogame shit to happen, and just let it happen. Becomes more exciting that way. So no, unlike every Nintendo fanboy out on the webz expecting Kid Icarus to come back (HINT: It's never going to happen), I'll just wait and see what they'll actually show, not expect them to cater to my nerd whims.

(8^^)

Chirp Chirp.

Stupid important things in life preventing me from updating dis sheeit.

Finished Godland. It is good. Funny, thoroughly Kirby-inspired art, and moves at a good pace so you never get bored. I await future books.

Important stuff is entering my free thought space, and it's making me go crazy! Oh well, most of my responsibilities are on vacation for another day or so, so I'm good for a while now.

Reading Howard's End for school. It straddles the line between the upper-class snooty British novels that people often make fun of and the more cynical, mean-spirited British novels that I've become a fan and style-thief of (Adams). So in that way I wouldn't call it a favorite of mine, but it is interesting at points, especially when the narrator suddenly becomes a real person. A real person who not only knows what every character does and thinks, but also buys fruit. That's a bit nuts.

#>#

It's supposed to be a mosquito. Or something. It actually kind of reminds me of Poindexter from the Felix the Cat cartoons.

So yes, week of school and trying to get newspaper stuff together. Almost had a freakout from all the shit, but I pulled meself together and have it pretty much all figured out.

The first book of the year is Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, about a bunch of unlikable weirdos in the anarchist movement. Of course there's more to it than that, but that's all you're getting. Naaaaah!

Finally saw The Big Lebowski. It is indeed an inventive comedy. I can see why everyone likes it so much, but I respect it more than absolutely adore it.

My friend inspired me to go on a Bowie kick with him. I've thus listened to Aladdin Sane and "Heroes", and am currently downloading a complete version of Ziggy Stardust (I was missing some of the songs and just wanted the best quality I could get) and Lodger. This is the best bender I've ever had, I think. Who needs new albums!

I ordered three books from Amazon (the first time I've done it), and it was in fact very cheap and arrived quickly. I know they will be receiving my business the next time I want to get something semi-obscure (and maybe some things that are obscure, but in a town where even the slightest hint of obscurity gets you not carried anywhere, the order of obscurity in the things I get is of no consequence). I will read my shiny new Godland and Scud books once order has been restored to the force.

(++++)

That's Donkey Kong teeth, for your information.

Last night there was a conflict of some sort outside my house. It was more inconvenient than scary. But apparently, someone was stabbed, to death. Funny I didn't hear about that until now.

Much more distressing were the various Gumby cartoons my friend and I just watched. Those things must have been made by...aliens or something. How can English-speaking people have such a poor grasp of...English? Who thought of these plots? Who thought an episode where Gumby and friends almost get robbed in an elevator but a trench coat-clad freak and his horrific hell dog was sane? Plus, they used the one thing my entire peer circle has despised for years...characters being revived by the tears of others! Gaaaaaaaah.

Just go look it up and view the horror.