tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63871114664925249142024-03-13T17:24:40.264-04:00Talentless Troll's Anime/Video GamesTalentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-25297764566042097482012-03-13T14:21:00.000-04:002012-03-13T14:25:35.044-04:00Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl(This had been a draft I had never posted, I have no idea when it was written. I guess I wanted to add stuff, but since I vaguely even remember the movie, it probably will never be completed. So this is all you get, even though it seems complete to me...)<br />
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With a name like Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl, you pretty much get what you expect, albeit with a few twists along the way. The movie was a pretty wild ride. Deep down the plot is actually kind of decent, but there are a few moments that are just... I don't know... out there. Bizarre. It should be noted that the film not particularly horror, just gory as hell. Gallons of blood is spilled throughout the movie in comedic fashion.<br />
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The film opens up with a boy and a seemingly sickly girl who get accosted by three girls who can basically be summed up as Frankenstein monsters. One of the Frankenstein girl's kicks the boy out of the way, and the goes for the sickly girl, who reveals that she is titular Vampire girl as she bites the neck of the first Frankenstein girl. An overly violent battle ensues. As Vampire girl is about to finish off the third Frankenstein girl, the music changes to some bubblegum j-pop music that doesn't quite fit the scene, and the opening credits start to play. This pretty much sets the feel for the movie. Exaggerated violence, mixed with unfitting happy music. <br />
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** There is really no way to give a synopsis of the movie without spoiling it (so don't read past here I guess?)**<br />
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The first scene of the movie is pretty much actually the last scene. After the opening credits the rest of the movie is a told from the perspective of Jyugon, the boy from the opening scene. His whole life changes on Valentines day. In Japanese culture, a girl gives chocolate to the boy she likes. Monami, aka Vampire girl, gives Jyugon homemade chocolate. Jyugon already has a girlfriend, Keiko who is part of the Gothic Lolita subculture. She is also the spoiled rotten daughter of the vice-principle. She more or less forced Jyugon to be her boyfriend. Monami gives Jyugon the choclate and runs off. Jyugon eats the choclate and pretty much starts tripping out. Turns out the chocolate was made with Monami's blood, which turns Jyugon into a half-vampire. Eventually Keiko finds out about Monami and Jyugon, and learns that Monami is a vampire. In a confrontation Keiko falls off the top floor of the school and dies. She is later turned into Frankenstein Girl.<br />
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Not only is Monami a vampire, she can also manipulate blood. In a battle scene she is cut on the arms, but can harden the blood into swords which are her main attacks.<br />
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The Frankenstein Girl is pretty weird. She really is a Frankenstein monster, patched together from various students. The most bizarre feature is the two arms sewn together which she can wield as a boomerang, or she can screw it into her head and use it as a propeller and fly. <br />
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What I found weird was that the character Igor was actually a servant of Monami the vampire, rather than Frankenstein. In fact Igor actually fights the man who makes Frankenstein girl, clad in armor made from bones.<br />
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This movie is not for everyone. It is very gorey, with blood spurting everywhere. If the film were to take itself seriously, it does have a decent plot.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-14504928585391741772012-03-13T14:13:00.000-04:002012-03-13T14:13:24.325-04:00Dream about VindictusI've been playing a lot of Vindictus lately, something about two weeks ago I never would have thought I'd be doing. I typically hate MMO's, but theres something about this one.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, the dream:<br />
<br />
I guess I was some big important noble type guy or something. I don't think I was a specific class in Vindictus.. I was defending a castle against hordes of Gnolls. The gnolls hadn't reached the castle gates yet. There were quite a few other characters, but I mainly remember there were quite a few Evies. We were all in a tower of the castle, which is very similar to the Golgotha Assault map from Unreal Tournament '99. The Evies were hurling ice spears and fireballs as the Gnolls climbed the hill to essentially where the first spawn location would be (in UT terms). I was using a crossbow, which as far as I'm aware, is not possible in Vindictus at the time of this writing. At first I had no bolts and was using regular arrows, but because of that, my aim was really off, and I couldn't hit any of the gnolls. The gnolls were also firing back with bows and one hit a guard using a real bow, so I took his weapon and was finally able to hit the gnolls. <br />
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Unfortunately by this time the gnolls had infiltrated the castle and were coming down one of the hall ways. We made a strategic retreat back into the main hall. We barricaded the main doors with anything we had, which wasn't particularly much. We even used a few of our dead allies. Unfortunately there were some of the jelly blob monsters, and they were able to squeeze through the cracks of the door and enter the main hall. The Fiona's and Lann's began attacked the blobs as they came in, but I yelled "No! We have to kick them to get a title!" So we all started kicking the blobs to death. But one of the Evies made a mana-bomb too clse to the barricaded door, which exploded, and destroyed the barricade, and additionally the door itself. The gnolls tried to rush in, but the mana-bomb weakened the floorboard which collapsed as they came in. Some of our team jumped down there to take care of the monsters. I stayed up top with a few other party members, as more gnolls kept coming and they all jumped over the hole in the floor to where we were.<br />
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We fought off the gnolls for quite some time without much trouble. There were enough debris for the Evies to make healing ergs from. After awhile, two gnoll leaders came in and leapt at us. (In Vindictus terms, I guess they would have been Veteran Gnoll Captains. They were NOT chieftains.). The main hall we were fighting in really wasn't that large, and so fighting two large gnolls in close corners proved to be very difficult. Fiona was tanking the gnolls with her shield while the rest of us attacked from the rear. The Evies repeatedly slammed Ice Blast at them, and I went in using a smash combo, and backed out quickly before they decided to attack me instead of Fiona. It worked for awhile, but one caught on and attacked one of the Evies, smashing her upside the head with its large club. She went down for the count. There was a column in the hall, which I used for cover to regain stamina. The gnoll didn't see where I was, so I doubled around the column and attacked its backside. Fiona started to go on the offensive attacking the one gnolls that stayed focused on her. I tried to stay behind the column to confuse the gnoll that I was fighting to keep it from killing the other Evie. The captain I was fighting fell quickly between my attacks and Evie's. Once it was down we helped Fiona and quickly fell her adversary.<br />
<br />
And thats where the dream ends. Its kind of weird that a dream actually had an ending, to be honest. Usually I wake up somewhere in the middle of the big events of the dream.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-81425296817992401322011-04-08T15:22:00.006-04:002011-04-08T16:46:44.921-04:00MegaCon 2011<p>MegaCon was like two weeks ago... I've been too busy with classwork to post the pictures. Now I have the time, so here we go.</p><p>We'll start with the Lego displays. They were pretty cool this year. The Super Hero stuff was getting old, so its a nice change.</p><p>(Click on pictures to see full size).</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0706.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0706.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>A very violent Operation Overlord done in Lego. I like the random pairs of legs without bodies littered around.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0705.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0705.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>There will always be the Star Wars scenes at any convention, but this one was pretty original I think. This is the scene where Luke blows up the Death Star from whatever movie that happens in (I haven't watched Star Wars in years).</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0715.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0715.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>There's the big pirate ship, and then two Lego girls sunbathing on the beach in the background. The girl in the water better get out, there's a big sea serpent in the water. This picture came out kind of bad and artifact-y.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0710.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0710.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>I honestly don't remember ANY of Fantasia, but I thought this was pretty neat. Its fitting since the convention is in Orlando, and DisneyWorld is like 10 minutes away at most.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0718.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0718.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>This picture didn't come out too well either. This is a little medieval fantasy town right outside the castle. I like the stone henge thing with the ogres. Or maybe the army of dwarves.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0717.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0717.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Here's the castle mentioned in the previous picture. The serpent and the sharkman are my favorite parts.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0716.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0716.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Another view of the castle. In front of the dragon is a skeleton of a horse. I didn't even know there were Lego horse skeletons.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0713.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0713.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Here's some like, futuristic geo-dome thing. Amongst the people playing soccer there are aliens. There are a few people climbing the outside of the structure, I'm guessing they're supposed to be maintenance workers or something.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0714.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0714.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Just a better closeup shot of the scene.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0707.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0707.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>This is by far my favorite part of the Lego display. Its Jurassic Park. They recreated quite a few scenes of the movie.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0712.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0712.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>The main focus of this picture was supposed to be the car, but the green kind of blends in with the ground behind the car. I have no idea what that dinosaur in the front is supposed to be.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0711.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0711.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>This is a recreation of the beginning of the move where the triceratops is dying. In front of the triceratops, where you can see the flash is a mound of brown. I think its supposed to be the triceratops feces, just like from the movie.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0708.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0708.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>The infamous scene where the T-Rex eats the guy on the toilet. The Lego T-Rex is really cool. I want one...</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0709.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Lego/GEDC0709.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>I have no idea... The aliens are abducting the triceratops.</p><p>Alright, thats all for the Lego, now on to what everyone was waiting for, the cosplays.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0702.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0702.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>First off the Assassin's Creed guy. I have yet to play the game despite having it. I like how the sun blocks out his face. That was unintentional. The guy's costume is nice, theres a lot of detail in it.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0703.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0703.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Sander Cohen and random Splicer. Sander Cohen is awesome, he's my favorite character from Bioshock (granted there are only like 5 characters in the game...).</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0722.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0722.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Shiek really is a girl, at least in this case (I'm of the opinion that Shiek is a guy in the games). Also, having never played Majora's Mask, I have no idea what that thing is supposed to be. Is it Majora? As far as I'm aware, that is Majora's Mask its wearing.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0728.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0728.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>This was pretty cool. Its all the equipment Link carries around in the games. I wish I got a picture of him later when he was actually carrying it all around the floor.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0736.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0736.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Poor Luigi. He gets shafted. No Yoshi for him. I mean, come one. Daisy gets a Yoshi, why doesn't Luigi? He's more important than she is!</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0740.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0740.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>My sister and I always talk about how far a costume has to go before its furry. I honestly don't know about this one. It is a full suit, but its Bowser... I dunno.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0743.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0743.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Rydia from Final Fantasy VI. Its a bad angle, but I guess that plushie she's holding is supposed to be the Mist Dragon.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0704.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0704.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>OH MY GOD, THEY KILLED KENNY! YOU BASTARDS!</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0719.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0719.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Not entirely sure if she's supposed to be Esmerelda from Hunchback of Notre Dame, or just a random belly dancer. Regardless, at least she is happy and enjoying herself.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0720.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0720.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Random wizard dude. He's not very enthusiastic.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0721.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0721.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>The Men in Black. The dog is the sole reason for taking this picture. I'm kind of curious who the kid is in relation to the man.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0723.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0723.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>This guy was pretty cool. Some sort of Marine from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. I don't know anything about the Warhammer series. He had quite a few talismans with text written on them, there were a few on his back too, but the picture I took of his backside didn't turn out at all. This guy was pretty much stuck standing at the entryway all day. Every time he tried to move, someone else would want to take a picture.</p><p>During MegaCon, there was a cheerleader convention (somehow there always is every year...). A whole bunch of cheerleaders they're picture taken with him. Must have been awkward.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0725.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0725.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>The old lady and the skeleton thing from Howl's Moving Castle. I haven't seen Howl's Moving Castle in a loooong time so I don't remember names or anything.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0726.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0726.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Random Klingon. I'm kind of curious how he made the forehead.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0727.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0727.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Sakura form Card Captor Sakura. </p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0729.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0729.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>There is some unwritten law that there must always be a fat Sailor Senshi. Venus fills that role this year. At least Jupiter(?) counterbalances it. And Tuxedo Mask is pretty neat, although the hat looks a bit small for his head.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0732.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0732.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Random Steampunk people. They really were random in that they weren't together, but they were walking through the same aisle about ten feet from each other that I thought they were together.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0733.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0733.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Velma from Scooby Doo. She has the right build for Velma, although I think her bust size is a little big.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0734.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0734.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I like that the costume is obviously hand made. </p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0735.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0735.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Kid Robin walking into the picture of Speed Racer, with a dorky looking Link in the background. A 3-in-1 shot!</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0738.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0738.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>I've never seen a Jack Skelington cosplay.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0739.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0739.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Damn Spiderman, trying to always be the center of attention! Though to be honest, I might have already taken a picture of the Iron Man at a previous convention.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0741.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0741.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Another Steam Punk guy. His Bionic Hand was pretty cool. Too bad it turned out a bit blurry.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0742.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0742.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Yeah... Um... yeah....</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0737.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Cosplay/GEDC0737.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>POWDERED TOAST MAAAAAAAANNNNN!!!</p><p>A very unique costume. Never seen one before, probably won't see another.</p><p>Thats all the cosplay pictures, now on to the stuff we bought.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Swag/GEDC0747.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Swag/GEDC0747.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>Angevon bought these little Pokemon finger puppets. She tells me they are (from left to right) Feraligatr, Omastar, Seadra, and Murkrow. </p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Swag/GEDC0751.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Swag/GEDC0751.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>I bought these Ultraman toys. The look to be something like from McDonald's toys. Sorry Ultraman, but I think you can't fit into your space ship, and that the Lobsterman is going to snap your head off. Yes I have no faith in the hero. It should be noted I've never watched Ultraman.</p><p><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Swag/GEDC0756.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MegaCon%202011/Swag/GEDC0756.jpg" border="0" width="700" /></a></p><p>I also bought this Gundam toy. There was quite a bit of assembly required, and his butt keeps falling off. The picture makes it look really big, but its really about the same size of the Lobsterman of the previous picture. I have also never watched Gundam. </p><p>Why did I buy stuff from shows I've never watched? Basically since they were inexpensive, and they're pretty cool.</p><p>Thats all for MegaCon 2011.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-73242417368301475132010-09-30T21:05:00.009-04:002010-09-30T22:56:41.857-04:00Hausu<p>This was an interesting movie. I liked it, very retro and Japanese I felt. But at the same point I don't really know what to think of it.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/hausu.jpg" /></p><p>Hausu is a Japanese Horror film made it 1997 by Toho. Toho was made famous by Godzilla and other giant monster films. Though there is more to the story than horror. While horror is the overall theme, I felt the movie was trying to encompass as many genres as it could, and wasn't entirely sure what it <em>really</em> wanted to be.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/aunteyeball.png" width="300" /> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Yes, thats an eyeball.</span></p><p>The premise of the movie is seemingly generic enough. School girls visit a the house of one of the girls' aunt only to slowly disappear one by one. But honestly, in the first 30 minutes of the film I wasn't even sure if I was watching the right movie. It didn't feel like a horror movie at all.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/glass.png" width="300" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Her face is shattered.</span></p><p>The movie starts out with two friends talking about how they will spend there summer break. One of the girls, Oshare, finds out her widower father has been seeing a woman and intends to bring her to the family's annual vacation. Oshare is not happy and refuses, and decides to bring all her friends to her aunt's house. The aunt lives in a large estate in the middle of a forest all by herself. The aunt is crippled and has to use a wheel chair.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/evilcat2.png" width="300" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Kitty!</span></p><p>The film is really out there. Its surreal, and cheesy, all mixed together under a central horror plot. There characters are all pretty much arch-typical. The smart girl with glasses, the girl that eats too much, the strong aggressive girl, etc. The characters don't hurt the plot, if there really even is a plot to begin with. </p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/evilcat.png" width="300" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">OH GOD KITTY IS EVIL!</span></p><p>Slowly the girls all disappear. And as they disappear the wheel-chair driven Aunt gets stronger, even so that she doesn't need to use the wheel chair anymore. And then there's the cat. The cat is clearly more than it seems. Its eyes glow a demonic green color, and the cat is usually present when something bad occurs.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/fire.png" width="300" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Cheesy Special Effects.</span></p><p>The end of the film is what really threw me off guard. I'm not entirely sure how I was supposed to feel. It was quite melancholic, but it also seemed to be trying to have a moral too. I can only think that it was bittersweet? And that doesn't really feel right.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/clockgirl.png" width="300" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Her time has run out.</span></p><p>The effect of the film are cheesy. The glowing eyes of the cat for starters. In one scene there is a flashing zigzag border around the screen as if to emphasize the horror of a girl being eaten by a possessed piano. The film was obviously filmed on budget. Backdrops are obviously painted. I'm fairly certain few (if any) of the "outdoors" scenes were really even outdoors.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/maneatingpiano.png" width="300" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">OMNOMNOM!</span></p><p>Despite the budget, I believe the film is strengthened by them. If the film were made today, I think it wouldn't be as effective. It would just be another horror film. Whereas the film as it is, is clearly a cult classic.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/reviews/movie/maneatingpiano2.png" width="300" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Not entirely sure how the piano was able to eat her...</span></p><p>While Hausu is not entirely scary, it is a somewhat violent (?) film, no matter how comedic the blood is. Hausu might not be for everyone. If you're looking for a bizarre (a man turns into a pile of bananas, if thats not bizarre I don't know what it) comedic horror film that will make you say WTF out loud at some points than I can't recommend this enough. </p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-21443093879325664942010-09-28T16:17:00.007-04:002010-10-27T21:34:50.750-04:00Serious Sam: First Encounter<p>**As I'm currently playing the second game and have uninstalled the first game, I'm gonna post this without pictures**</p><p><br /></p><p>Last week I bought the Serious Sam series off Steam. I've heard good things about it and always wanted to play it. The Steam offer included and HD remake, which updated models and textures, which was a nice touch, though I went and played the Classic version instead.</p><p>Story:</p><p>Underneath one of Earth's oldest civilizations is a ruin of another ancient, albeit technologically advanced, civilization called the Syrians. Using the knowledge gained from this ancient technology, humans advanced greatly. Now in the 22nd century, humanity faces its greatest challenge of all: an alien race known as Mental who had previously battled the Syrians on Earth millenia befor.. Through many a battle, a hero emerges: Sam "Serious" Stone. Earth stands on the brink of destruction, but discovers its last hope: the Time Lock. The Time Lock has the power to send an individual back in time. By going into the past, humans could defeat Mental in the past and alter the course of history. Of course, only one man can do this: Serious Sam!</p><p>Basically Serious Sam takes the whole "Aliens helped the Egyptians make the pyramids" theory and runs away with it. All the stages are based in Egypt, taking you through the Thebes, Memphis, the Alley of the Kings [sic], the Temple of Ra and finally to the Great Pyramids. The final battle is inside a pyramid, which has its top removed and a giant flying saucer hovering above it.</p><p>Gameplay:</p><p>Serious Sam is a First Person Shooter game, however, unlike most FPS games where you might encounter small groups of enemies at one time, Serious Sam will pit you against armies. Some areas will put the player into a rather large arena and spawn dozens (if not hundreds) of monsters. </p><p>Riddled through most of the stages in the game are secret areas. Some secret areas are helpful, supplying the player with munition caches, others can be harmful such as traps and/or spawning monster, still others may even take you to a secret level.</p><p>Weapons:</p><p>Despite taking place in ancient times, weapons and ammo are quite abundant. Serious Sam's weapons are mostly standard issue FPS weapons with a few exceptions.</p><p>Military knife: The only melee weapon of the game. (I never used it, so I don't know how useful it is)</p><p>Shofield .45: The pistol. Its actually pretty decent for being the default gun. You can also find a second one and dual-wield. Whats more, using techno-magic (really!) the Shofield has infinite ammo!</p><p>Shot guns: 12 Gauge Pump is a pretty useful weapon, although less powerful than its Double Barrel brother. The upside to the 12 Gauge is it only uses a single shell at once, whereas the Double shoots two, which of course makes the double more powerful.</p><p>Machine Guns: Tommy Gun and the Mini Gun. The Tommy shoots slower than the Minigun, but the Minigun take a second to actually start shooting. Bother are excellent at taking down large distant targets.</p><p>Explosives: The Rocket Launcher, and the Grenade Launcher. Nothing special about the Rocket Launcher. You can sort of charge the Grenade launcher to determine how far it goes. Grenades can bounce off walls.</p><p>The Lasergun: In my opinion this is one of the best weapons in the game for taking out fast oncoming enemies. Not very good at long range.</p><p>Cannon: Not much to say. Its the most powerful weapon in the game. It shoots out a giant cannon ball that mows through anything in its path before finally exploding.</p><p>Graphics:</p><p> The game was released in 2001 but had been in the making since 1996 and I feel the graphics show this. The graphics aren't terrible or anything, but they do feel a bit dated. I hate to compare graphics, but I feel the graphics weren't too different from Unreal Tournament which was released two years earlier.</p><p>The HD version updates models and textures, and leaves the rest of the game identical. Its a nice touch. The graphics are immensely better. I only played through the first 5 or so stages just to see how different it is.</p><p>Enemies:</p><p>Some of the enemies are pretty weird... Some of the first enemies you'll see are headless people. There are 4 flavors of headless enemies. The "rocketeer" shoots a magic missile that barely even hurts, the "firecracker" which can shoot multiple magic missiles at once, the "grenader" which throws a grenade at you (almost never actually connects) and will explode after you kill them, and finally my favorite, the Headless Kamikaze. The first three all hold their head in their off hand. The Headless Kamikaze hold two bombs, one in each hand, and charges at you (quite fast too) all the while screaming. I have no idea how it screams without a head, and probably should ask!</p><p>Most other enemies are different kinds of aliens and would be too hard to describe.</p><p>Conclusion:</p><p>I had a blast playing Serious Sam! The shear number of enemies thrown at you keeps you on your toes during the entire game. Most games you can rocket jump (jumping and shooting a rocket below you to launch you further than a normal jump) but you usually don't need to. In Serious Sam you almost NEED to rocket jump to survive.</p><p>If you play Serious Sam I can guarantee you will die often, but that makes it feel all the more satisfying when you survive!</p><p>The graphics may be a bit dated, but if you don't like the dated graphics, thats what the HD version is for!</p><p>If you're a FPS fan that wants a fast paced game, this game may be for you. If you're more of a casual gamer, you might not like this game.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-68284187203578115842010-08-16T02:29:00.002-04:002010-08-16T02:45:19.606-04:00Battle Angel Alita<p>I'm trying to use my blog more often, so here goes.</p><p>A friend of mine on Twitter recently had watched the Battle Angel Alita movie (whatever its called, I think its just Battle Angel, because the translaters changed Alita's name to Gally, so it wouldn't make sense to be called Battle Angel Alita, people would be like "wtf there's no character named Alita"). So, yeah. He watched the movie and enjoyed it, which is cool. Anyhow, I had watched it a few months back. I honestly don't remember much about it, but I do know I liked it, so much that I wanted to get the manga, but I kind of forgot about that. That is until my friend watched it, and I decided to check if Ebay had the manga, and bam they did.</p><p>And I won! Its the older editions it seems. Theres a graphic novel version, which is really just a reprint. What I won is the original issues form. Its all the issues of the first five parts. I'm quite excited. </p><p>There were 5 auctions in total. All for 99 cents. I'm waiting for the seller to determine the combined shipping cost, which I don't expect to be cheap. But I think it'll still be worth it. Can't be more than $50, since that would be the price if I just paid the shipping in full. Hopefully the seller will contact me quickly. He was pretty good when I contacted him asking if he did combined shipping.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-73870170291922198642010-07-25T16:33:00.004-04:002010-07-25T17:30:12.840-04:00MetroCon 2010 Days 2 and 3So yeah, I was too tired yesterday to post the pictures I took, so here's yesterday's and today's pictures.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0595.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo dude from Sailor Moon, cause I'm sure you needed me to tell you that.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0596.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />Indiana Jones and a Splicer from Bioshock. And a blurred Cooking Mama in the background.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0597.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />A Jedi and his working R2D2. R2D2 kept screaming, it was funny. They were pretty popular at one point, everyone kept taking pictures that he couldn't even move from where he was.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0598.jpg" /><br /><br />A Magikoopa from various Mario games. Or Kamek. Whichever you'd like to call it. Its kind of a unique cosplay, I've never seen it done before.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0599.jpg" /><br /><br />Random Steampunk guy with someone random's girlfriend. She has similar style clothes so I didn't care that she was in it.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0601.jpg" /><br /><br />A cactaur from the Final Fantasy series. His arms were actually just tubes, but his legs were real, and he kept losing balance and nearly falling over.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0602.jpg" /><br /><br />The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0603.jpg" /><br /><br />No idea who this guy is supposed to be, but I'm guessing something from Warhammer.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0604.jpg" /><br /><br />Jill Valentine from Resident Evil. This is probably the 3rd of 4th time I've taken a picture of this cosplayer. She's at every convention I go to.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0605.jpg" /><br /><br />Terra from Final Fantasy 6. Dunno who the other girl is, if anybody.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0606.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />I think this is the hero from ICO, but I haven't actually played the game yet, so I'm not sure. The girl is Haruhi when she's part of the rock band in that one episode.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0607.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />Kyon, Haruhi and Mikuru from Melancholy of Haruhi. They were doing the ED dance, thats why their hands are blurred.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0608.jpg" /><br /><br />BILLY MAYS! After I took the picture he said that would cost $19.95.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0609.jpg" /><br /><br />His wings were pretty cool. Dunno who he is.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0610.jpg" /><br /><br />I'm guessing he's a vampire of some sort.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0611.jpg" /><br /><br />I love taking pictures of people taking pictures. Its Sailor Jupiter from Sailor Moon. I don't remember who she was taking a picture of, other than it was someone I had already taken a picture of.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0614.jpg" /><br /><br />Sailor Pluto, also from Sailor Moon. She actually has in my opinion one of the best shades of green hair I've seen.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0615.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />No idea who these people are, or why I took a picture of them.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0616.jpg" /><br /><br />These are characters from Trinity Blood. I can't recall names of the first two, but the one on the right is Abel Nightroad.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0617.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />Mr. Bubbles! This is a Big Daddy from Bioshock, with a Little Sister on the left, and a Splicer on the right.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0618.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />They were posing for a picture near where I was loitering, so I took a picture as well. No idea who they are.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0619.jpg" /><br /><br />I think this is the guy from .hack. I've only seen images of the face of the character I think it is, and didn't realize the actual costume was so crazy.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0620.jpg" /><br /><br />I think its a thief from Spyro. Thats what it looks like to me anyway. And a random kid with it.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Metrocon%202010%20Day%202/GEDC0621.jpg" /><br /><br />Priestess? High Priestess? Bishop? I dunno anymore. One of those classes from Ragnarok Online. And random Mexican staring at the camera as I took the picture.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0622.jpg" /><br /><br />This is kind of a bad picture. I guess they are pirates or something.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0623.jpg" /><br /><br />Belldandy from Ah My Goddess. The other girl behind her might also be from Ah My Goddess, but as I haven't actually seen the anime, I'm not sure.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0624.jpg" /><br /><br />Lord Conti from FLCL. He was also with a badly done Amarao, but honestly, other than from the fake eyebrows you couldn't tell it was supposed to be him.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0625.jpg" wifth="700" /><br /><br />Another Splicer and Little Sister from Bioshock. The Little Sister's Adam syringe was pretty cool.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0626.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />No idea who these people are. You can't tell too well from the shot, but the blue girl's boobs were fake. Like they were from a mannequin or something.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0627.jpg" /><br /><br />Can't recall her name, but shes from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0628.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />Dual Power Puff Girls, and a Mojo Jojo. I never really watched the Power Puff Girls, so I dunno who the person in yellow is.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0629.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />I think these are characters from Monster Hunter. The one girl in blue's costume was so complicated she could barely move her arms.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0630.jpg" /><br /><br />Appaently this character is called Genesis, because everyone nearby was screaming that name. I dunno where s/he is from. This shot doesn't show it, but the wing is really nicely done, and there was a detailed inscription along the blade of the sword.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0631.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />Odin Sphere characters. The crystals are pretty cool.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0632.jpg" /><br /><br />I took a rear shot to try and show off the feather dress of the girl, but the shot didn't really turn out too well.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0634.jpg" /><br /><br />Dokuro-chan, from the anime with the same name I think. Its actually a really good cosplay.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%203/GEDC0633.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br />And finally, a shot from upstairs overlooking the convention. This was taken today, so its not too busy. I should have taken one yesterday.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-72177089678641379722010-07-23T16:55:00.005-04:002010-07-23T17:19:00.817-04:00MetroCon 2010 - Day 1Didn't stay too long at MetroCon today. Got there about 1pm and left at about 4. As a result there aren't too many pictures. 8 pictures in fact...<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%201/GEDC0588.jpg" width="700"><br /><br />Dunno who these are supposed to be, but they looked pretty cool.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%201/GEDC0589.jpg" width="700"><br /><br />Howl and the girl (whatever her name was) from Howl's Moving Castle. This was the first Howl cosplay I think I've ever seen. Not five minutes later I saw another Howl, but it wasn't nearly as good.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%201/GEDC0590.jpg" width="700"><br /><br />Tidus, Auron, and Lulu(?) from Final Fantasy 10. Probably the best cosplay I've seen of each of them. There was another Tidus that I saw that had better hair, but his costume was not too good.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%201/GEDC0591.jpg" width="700"><br /><br />Gau from Final Fantasy 6 and some girl who was with him/her. I only saw the girl's backside when I asked for the picture and thought that she was cosplaying as someone. <br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%201/GEDC0593.jpg"> <br /><br />Kid Link! Literally.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%201/GEDC0594.jpg"><br /><br />Random Pirate? My sister thought the hat was cool and made me take a picture.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/MetroCon%202010%20Day%201/GEDC0592.jpg" width="700"><br /><br />Slayers characters. I don't know their names cause I still haven't watched the anime yet. Its on my to-do list.<br /><br />So yeah, thats it. We're gonna stay longer tomorrow, so hopefully there will be more pictures.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-60500327829531165892010-06-20T21:21:00.002-04:002010-06-20T22:37:32.344-04:00DiabloIf you follow me on Twitter (and personally, you do, because how the hell would you know of my blog if you didn't), you'll know that I had been playing Diablo recently. <br /><br />Diablo is a dungeon crawling RPG created by Blizzard Entertainment, the company now famous for World of Warcraft.<br /><br />Deep beneath the small town called Tristram, the Lord of Terror, Diablo, is awakening. With all hell breaking loose, it is your job to search throughout the labyrinth and destroy Diablo. <br /><br />There are three classes to choose from. The warrior, the mage and the rogue. Apart from maybe the rogue, each class is self-explanatory. The warrior has high strength, and low magic, the mage has high magic and low strength, and the rogue is more or less a jack of all trades, thriving in dexterity. Furthermore, each class has a unique innate ability. The warrior can repair equipment, albeit lowering the max durability value, the mage can recharge staves, also lowering the max amount of chages, and the rogue can detect and disarm trapped doors and chests.<br /><br />There are 16 floors in the labyrinth. The first four floors consist of the cathedral which is the entrance to the labyrinth. The architecture loosely resembles that of a cathedral or church I guess. There are many shrines which can potentially boost your base stats. Many of the monster found here are of the undead variety, with some minor imps thrown about.<br /><br />Floors 5-8 are the catacombs beneath the cathedral levels. There are many rooms with ancient tomes in these floors which can provide you with spell books. The monsters are still predominantly undead, but more and more lesser demons can spawn here as you go deeper. Some of these foes can be invisible right until they materialize right in front of you.<br /><br />9-12 are the subterranean caves. Lava flows freely here, which can be both an advantage or a disadvantage, provided archers a way to shoot down enemies on the other side of the rivers, but also letting ranged demons attack you from afar as well. The foes here are much different from the previous areas. Large lava demons can hurl balls of magma at you. Other smaller demons will spit globs of acid that will remain on the floor for a short period, causing continuing damage if you stray too long.<br /><br />Finally, the deepest parts of the labyrinth reside in Hell itself! Expect the fiercest demons and hellspawn in these dark recesses. Most notable are the succubi, with their magic that can drain your life and replenish their own.<br /><br />Much of the story of Diablo II is learned through the various quests, and talking with the villagers of Tristram. Furthermore, there are tomes in the labyrinth that will tell of backstory of the world of Sanctuary. Also, throughout the various quests you can learn more about the villagers themselves. Like how Wirt lost his leg to the demon called the Butcher, or what caused Farnham to sink further and further into a drunken stupor, and finally the true identity of Cain himself.<br /><br />There are four basic stats. Strength, Magic, Dexterity and Vitality. Strength increases your damage value, and allows you to equip heavier armors or weapons. Magic allows you to learn more powerful magics, and furthering you skill in already known spells. Magic also increases you mana pool, alowing you to cast more spells. Dexterity ups your hit rate, and can increase you damage and defense values, as well as increase your block rate should you use a shield. Dexterity is required to equip more powerful bows. Vitality increases you life, allowing you to take more damage from foes. <br /><br />Every time your character levels up, you gain Life and Mana, as well as 5 stat points in which to put into whatever stat you desire. However each cap has a max value per stat. In addition to leveling up, you may find shrines inthe labyrinth that can be used to enhance your stats. Be warned however that some shines will add points to one stat, but take away points to another. Further, starting in the Caves, monster may drop Elixirs that will add 1 stat to whatever stat the Elixir is of. These Elixirs can eventually be bought at the merchants in town for high prices.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there is very little to no music in the game. The only real music is the memorable Tristram village theme. In the dungeons its mostly just ambient music. Regardless what music there is does fit the theme of the game.<br /><br />All the villages are fully voice acted and have very memorable voices. From Griswold's Scottish-like accent to Adria's sing-song voices. And the classic voice of Cain, which sounds like Sean Connery. The player characters are also voice acted, although to a lesser extant.<br /><br />All in all, Diablo is a solid game, and worthy of its sequel. And with a third game in the making, its lived it legacy and will continue on for times to come. Diablo itself may not be as popular as it once was, but that doesn't mean it's obsolete. Diablo's sequel, the aptly named Diablo II is still growing strong over the years. If you've ever played Diablo II and never played Diablo, I suggest checking it out to see how the series starts. And if you've never played either, now is as good a time as any.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-33462679185609153292010-05-18T19:50:00.004-04:002010-05-18T21:10:54.150-04:00BioshockJust finished playing Bioshock. I know, Bioshock 2 is out, and I finally get to the first one. Whatever. I won't get to Bioshock 2 until Bioshock 3 is out probably...<br /><br />Anyhow. The game was fun, well worth the 20 dollars I spent on it. The game wasn't too hard, but I did play it on Easy Mode, because I remember the demo being fairly hard. And my friend kept telling me that ammo is hard to find in the game.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Setting/Story</span><br />The setting of the game is what interested me the most. The city of Rapture is basically a whole self-governed city underwater in the 1960's. It has the feel of an old Sci-fi movie. I believe that is why I like the game so much. All the technology is similar to what you would expect in the 50s/60s. Every so often you'll here a radio or Jukebox playing music of the era.<br /><br />Andrew Ryan is the creator of Rapture, and basically what he says is the law. Apparently everything was all peaceful until a new technology was discovered: ADAM. ADAM is a mutagen extracted from a special type of sea slug. Using ADAM, Plasmids were created. Plasmids rewrite a persons genetic code, giving them special powers. For instance, the first Plasmid you encounter in the game is the Lightning Plasmid, allowing you to shoot lightning from your hand. The side of effect of ADAM is that a person must be take regular injections of ADAM or go insane. But ADAM was in short supply. Thus the fall of Rapture. Soon everyone was killing for more ADAM.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Gameplay</span><br />One thing I have to nitpick is the walking speed in the game. At times it just seemed so slow. Fortunately there's a Plasmid that increases walking Speed. Once I got that, it was smooth sailing.<br /><br />The Plasmids are an interesting feature. Basically adding a feel of Magic in a genre thats all about headshots and blowing stuff up. Sometimes you'll need to use Plasmids to solve puzzles, other times, just to kill enemies. The game totes you off with the Lightning Plasmid and a wrench. When you bast an enemy with the lightning, it stuns them, then you can run it and smash their heads in. While they are fun to play with, I found myself mostly relying on the weapons instead.<br /><br />The game can be slow paced, more time looking for something than actually fighting things, but honestly, thats in my opinion a strong point. I love sneaking around the environments, not knowing when an enemy is gonna come pop out around the corner. But when action comes in, the game really picks up its pace. Especially if theres a big room with Splicers and a Big Daddy and you accidentally shoot the Big Daddy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Weapons:</span><br />The weapons is Bioshock, are pretty much standard issue: Pistol, Machnegun, Shotgun, RPG, Flame Thrower, and a less standard, Crossbow.<br /><br />Each weapon however has 3 different ammunitions to use with. For instance, instead of using Napalm for the Flame Thrower, you can get Liquid Nitrogen to freeze enemies with, or even use an "electric gel" that will shoot electricity at the enemy, stunning them. <br /><br />The shotgun, my personal favorite weapon, can use special buckshot rounds charged with electricty, or an explosive round that will detonate on impact, causing an enemy to burst into flames. <br /><br />The Crossbow can be equipped with electric trip wire arrows, to create traps for your opponent. These mght be useful, but frankly I didn't use them because I figured it'd backfire, and I'd accidentally run into the wire.<br /><br />While there is a vast arsenal of different types of ammo for almost any occasion, I found myself using the same weapons throughout the game.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Difficulty:</span><br />I can't really rate the difficulty, as I already stated above I played on Easy Mode, which is pretty damned easy. Though the game really did ramp up the difficulty around the halfway mark, when the game started shelling out "Elite" Splicers. Even the Big Daddies weren't very hard if you used the right ammunition.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Conclusion</span><br />Overall, the game is definitely worth picking up if you haven't already. And with Bioshock 2 already out, and a third game planned, now is as good a time as ever.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-67397449999056104562010-04-18T01:35:00.002-04:002010-04-18T01:39:15.573-04:00Slimes!<img src="http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/107/5/2/Slime_kin_by_Rogutaan.png" width="700"><br /><br />I just started playing around with the my tablet earlier, and this came up. DragonQuest Slimes. Its a quick sketch, but I think it turned out rather well.<br /><br />I signed it as both my aliases. I used to try to keep them seperate, but I don't really care anymore.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-82285194019945525762010-03-14T16:02:00.005-04:002010-03-14T20:56:21.794-04:00Megacon 2010<p>Yesterday my sister and I went to MegaCon in Orlando. Orlando is about an hour away from where I live, but we made perfect timing and got there right as the floor opened. Unfortunately we parked at the Northern Concourse parking lot, and the convention was in the Western Concourse, which, of course, is on the entire other side of the damned convention center. Fortunately there was a shuttle bus that takes you between concourses. As we made our way through the lobby of the Western Concourse we see cheerleaders. Yes cheerleaders. A few years back there was apparently a cheerleader competition held at the same time as MegaCon, and apparently it fell at the same time this year. So there they are, the clashing cultures. The preps and the nerds. Interestingly enough, they started taking pictures of cosplayers. Captain Jack Sparrow was especially a hit for them.</p><p>And without further ado, the pictures. First the non-cosplay pictures:</p><p>For the last two years, there has been a Lego display at MegaCon. Mostly taking scenes from movies and such and recreating it in Lego.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0480a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>In this instance, I'm guessing theres an homage to Jurasic Park, with all the dinosaurs in the left hand section. At the top you can sort of see Spiderman swinging from the skyscrapers and at the bottom you can see the Batmobile. Both the trains are actually running around the track. The Amtrak in the back on the left actually has people in them.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0485a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Here you can see a Lego Drive-in. The creators I guess used a portable DVD player for the drive in screen. The movie playing is Space Balls, the scene is when Dark Helmet's ship turns into a maid. And outside the movie theatre, the world is being destroyed by giant robots. In the very back, you can see a Lego Stay-Puft Marshmellow man, which I apparently completely missed, so this is the only picture of it.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0481a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Next up are Star Wars related stuff. Which is kind of hard to judge on a coolness factor, since all these are pretty much from actual Lego sets. Still they are pretty neat. The Death Star is pretty cool, and I liked the Lego Star Wars chess in the back.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0482a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>More Star Wars. These ones I'm pretty sure just came from the Lego sets.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0483a.jpg" width="700" /> </p><p>Still more Star Wars. Droids versus Jar Jar Binks army.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0487a.jpg" width="700" /> </p><p>Munchkin-land from the Wizard of Oz. With a literal Yellow Brick Road. I think the huts are pretty neat.</p><p><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0486a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>The Taj Mahal being attacked by an alien skull or something. The carouselis cool, but I dunno if it actually spins or not. Also its kind of weird to see a Lego man made out of Legos.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0488a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0489a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>These two pictures didn't turn out too well. But its still neat. </p><p>No more Lego. Moving on to other non-cosplay images.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0497a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Starting off with the Stay Puft Marshmellow man statue from Ghostbusters. He was about the size of a DVD case, since it was right beside a DVD display.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0498a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0499a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Go Speedracer! Go Speedracer! Go Speedracer! Go!<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0514a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>This was kind of disturbing in a weird way. I dunno the Ghostbusters are cool and all, but I don't think they should be viewed on the same level as divinity.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0515a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Ghostbusters Proton Packs. Pretty cool, but the picture is kind of bad, so you can see when one ends and the next begins.</p><p>And now, on to the cosplay pictures. </p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0532a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Alright, I lied... But first here's an overhead shot of the MegaCon floor. This was taken as I was leaving the convention, and, as far as I know, at the peak attendance for the day. Now, where's Waldo? No, seriously. There was a Waldo cosplayer. I dunno if he really is in this pic or not though. </p><p>Now seriously on to the cosplays.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0478a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>I thought this pic was pretty ironic. The two guys are dressed from like Assassin's Creed or something, and one of their daughter dressed as Sailor Moon. It just clashes in a bizarre way. Behind them you can see Domo-Kun.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0490a.jpg" width="700" /> </p><p>I honestly have no idea what this guy is supposed to be, but I thought it was a pretty cool cosplay. Turns out the guy was actually someone famous, cause I saw the costume hanging on a rack behind one of the people in the autograph-signing area. Forgot what his name was though. Inb4 Nerd-Rage for not knowing who this was...<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0491a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Hasta la vista, baby! I love the makeup and details of the skin damage and showing the machine body underneath. And, of course, the disgruntled look.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0492a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>This image didn't turn out so well, and I have a better picture of her from MetroCon from last year, but I can't find it at the moment. Anyways, she had some spiffy steampunk angel wings, and thats what I was trying to get in this picture.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0493a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Cross-play Kuja! One of the few characters you're glad its a crossplay of. This is by far one of the best Kuja cosplays I've seen.</p><p>Also, haha, I found Waldo!<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0494a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid. The hair is actually nice, and not obnoxious like most cosplay wigs/dyes.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0495a.jpg" width="700" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0496a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>This guy ran the T-shirt Bordello booth. He's a zombie, with a chainsaw stuck through him. I bet he kept crashing into things.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0500a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Megaman! He was posing for another person who wanted his son in the picture. I tried cropping the kid out, but his head is still there.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0501a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Some Star Wars Jedi. I forget what race the blue people are. I totally didn't realize the guy on the left was with them when I took the picture. </p><p>On the right you can see an actually semi-attractive classic Tifa from Final Fantas VII. There was about 4 of them this year, and none of them were really that good looking. Surprisingly, I didn't see Black-Tifa, and I've seen her at each convention since I've started going to conventions.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0502a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>I'm guessing this is a Final Fantasy 11 Black Mage? Well, regardless, its a Black Mage. Even though he's not ugly or anything, Black Mages just shouldn't have faces. Its like a fundamental rule in the Final Fantasy universe.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0503a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Random soldier people. I snuck this photo since they were posing for another person. Figured why not? They were right there and I had my camera out.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0504a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Dunno if this is supposed to be someone. Pretty cool costume though. And when he talked the mouth moved, in a somewhat over-exaggerated way.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0505a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Green Army Men! They were pretty cool. They saw my sister's Pokemon bag which had a Pikachu on the side, and pointed there guns at it. I didn't get a picture of that though.</p><p><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0506a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>More Star Wars. Han Solo and Princess Leia. This is actually the first Princess Leia I've seen that isn't scantily clad Leia from when she is imprisoned/enslaved by Jabba the Hut.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0507a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Anthropomorphication of the Companion Cube from Portal. There was a Chel with her, but she ran off. Oh well, I had gotten a picture of Chel at MetroCon last year, and to be honest, the MetroCon one looked better. Its kind of neat how her clothes match the Companion Cube. Also, this Companion Cube can talk! I wonder how hard it would be to throw it down the incinerator?</p><p>There was a guy who came to take a picture of her and had no idea what she was supposed to be.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0508a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Random Gothic Lolita. Not much to say.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0509a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>This is probably the closest thing to furry that I will take a picture of. Fox Mcloud from Star Fox and a Night Elf from World of Warcraft. Too bad the Night Elf's bow is covering most of Fox.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0510a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Anubis and a radom Pharoah from Egyptian mythology. Anubis' eyes are awesome.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0511a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>I never really played Fire Emblem, so I have no idea if this is anyone in particular, or just a generic Fire Emblem cosplay. Honestly, all the characters look the same anyways...<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0512a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>White Mage girl from a Final Fantasy. I like the staff.<br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0513a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Ragnarok Online character. From left to right, a High Priest, a High Wizard, and a Blacksmith/Mastersmith. The things they are holding up are in-game emoticons, which is a nice touch I think.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0517a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Dark Helmet and some whatever Storm Troopers are called from Space Balls. There was a whole group of people taking pictures of them, and I had to take two, because right as I took the picture Dark Helmet had turned his head, so I had to retake the picture.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0518a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Skeletor from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. This guy was cool and stayed in character. He had the Skeletor's laugh down pretty good.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0519a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>A Plague Doctor. Most likely an /x/phile from 4chan, though I didn't ask. I kind of want to cosplay as a plague doctor, but I'm too lazy to make the mask.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0520a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Jill Valentine from Resident Evil. I dunno if Jill ever gets to use a gun as powerful as that though...<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0521a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>This is the only picture I've ever taken of a Narutard, and I only took it because Wolverine was in it. But its kind of neat since the father was dressed as Naruto, and so was his son, and the son probably watches Naruto and thinks its cool that he and his dad are dressed as him.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0522a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>This was kind of unique. A Star Wars Stormtrooper impaled on a lightsaber. I didn't realize there was an Imperial General(?) taking a picture of it as well until I looked at the picture.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0523a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>A mecha made from cardboard and duct tape. Alongside a cowboy or something.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0524a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>The Boogey-man from Nightmare Before Christmas.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0527a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Inspector Gadget. He had a reflector-light on top of his hat, but it didn't get in the picture.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0528a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Random steam-punk girl. The crossbow was neat, but it didn't turn up too well in the picture. I thought the potions were a nice touch.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0529a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Some Pokemon. I never watched the show, or played the games, so I dunno what its called. I thought it was kind of neat, even though its dangerously close to furry.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0530a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>I dunno what she's supposed to be, but I know its from something.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0531a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Iron Man and Proto-Iron Man. I kind of pissed them off, because they had just taken their helmets off from posing for another picture when I asked for the picture. Interestingly enough, the Proto-Iron Man was really a black guy.<br /></p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Megacon%202010/GEDC0533a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>This was the last picture I took. Its all the Mario Princesses, Peach, Rosalina, and Daisy. We were leaving and they were arriving at the convention.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-74760246288128310512010-02-14T20:10:00.004-05:002010-02-14T21:17:38.676-05:00Temple of Elemental Evil<p>DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! I bought it online for 4 dollars and want my money back. I enjoyed the hell out of Icewind Dale, and had moderate enjoyment out of Baldur's Gate, so even though this game was not by Bioware, it was still D&D based, so I thought I'd enjoy it as well. I WAS FUCKING WRONG!</p><p>It doesn't seem so bad at the beginning. I liked creating my own party, that was one of the main reasons I liked Icewind Dale. And there were still NPCs to use, like in Baldur's Gate. So the beginning seemed like I would enjoy the game. Than the story comes in, which is pretty non-existent, but then Icewind Dale's story was a bit slow too. </p><p>The first set of quests are fetch quests. Dull, repetitive quests that take up all your time. Going from X NPC to Y NPC back to X NPC just to tell you to go Z NPC to tell you to go back to Y NPC, etc etc. Hell, this is less exciting than fucking World of Warcraft. At least you get items for doing fetch quests in WoW. You don't get shit for them in Temple.</p><p>Finally you talk to that one NPC that actually tells you about a dungeon! And you go in the dungeon, and you don't necessarily get your ass kicked, but you don't necessarily kick ass at the same time. You might even have a character die, or at least go unconscious. No big deal, just rest in the dungeon! Big mistake. It doesn't take 8-12 hours in game time to heal your characters. It takes days. Like 2 whopping HP per DAY. So if your fighter is unconscious at level 1 he probably has 10 HP max. Now depending on how unconscious he is, he could be -9 HP. That means he's missing 19 HP, so it'll take pretty much 10 days to heal. If your in the dungeon, you'll probably get fought at least every 6 hours, putting more damage on your already wounded party.</p><p>So you survived your first battle. Good job! So you go back down to the dungeon and fight a harder battle, and you still live but one of your characters dies. Like really dead. Oh shit. What are you gonna do? The cleric is only level 1 or 2, so you don't have Raise Dead yet. Oh well, there's always the church back in town. So you go to the church and you find out it costs 1000 gold to revive the dead. You only have 12 gold and 27 silver and 32 copper. I don't exactly know what the fuck that even mean, suffice to say you are shit poor. So your dude's dead and you can't revive him. Shit sucks. </p><p>So somehow you raise that that much GP by selling just about all your belongings that you don't need and maybe some you do need. And you go back to the church and have him revived. Only the fucking asshole takes your money and doesn't fucking revive your character, even though the bastard tells you he did. Oh, well, maybe its a glitch? Reload. Same shit. Close the game out and relaunch. Same shit. Well, I never did download the patches, maybe the patches will remedy this. </p><p>Install patches. Launch game. Your file's gone. WTF? Well, at least I was only at the beginning. Remake your party. Though it took probably an hour to make the party the first time, it'll only take maybe 45 minutes this time. And then do all those fucking fetch quests again. WHOO, THIS GAME IS AWESOME!</p><p>So you progress to the same point in the game and you actually win the third battle without too much damage, ie all your characters alive. Hell, you even level up! Awesome. So you continue down the dungeon and the next battle you fight you finally realize that, damn, you miss a lot. I mean a LOT. You probably didn't notice it too much earlier cause you were level 1. But your level 2 now and you figure you're probably missing 80% of the time, and the monsters are hitting you about 70% of the time. Somethings fucked up there. But you continue anyways. </p><p>Next you fight some bats that drain your stats. WTF? Stat draining monsters in the FIRST FUCKING DUNGEON. Oh my god this game fucking hates you. Save that shit for later in the game, God damn. Not to mention you CAN'T FUCKING HIT THE MONSTERS. Somehow you win, and you go back to town and rest for like 30 days and your stats return to normal.</p><p>Well, they were bats, so they might just be inherently hard to hit. Continuing on. Next you fight a group of bugbears. This looks like its gonna be easy. I mean c'mon, theres only three of them and 8 of you. How the hell are you gonna lose? Probably by missing. The one bugbears goes into a barbarian rage and gibs your fully healed fighter instantly. WTF was that? Fucking lame. Suffice to say, YOU DON'T WIN.</p><p>Alright fuck this game with its shitty chance to hit. Find out how to use the console. Set all character's Dexterity to 20. 18 in D&D s good for a level 1-2 character. 20 should be overcompensating. With your ill-gotten stat increase you decide to try that battle again. And you still get your sad ass kicked, and you STILL FUCKING MISS!</p><p>Fuck this shit, setting DEX to 50. That should teach them. WRONG! </p><p>Maybe 500? Hell having 500 DEX gives you a bonus of 200+. Theres no way in hell you'll miss now. Except you do, just MAYBE SLIGHTLY less. So you end up winning.</p><p>So you find the item you were sent to find and take it back to the NPC and the game fucking crashes.</p><p>You know what? FUCK THIS GAME! I'M GONNA GO PLAY ICEWIND DALE INSTEAD!</p><p></p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-31229118574486267892010-01-31T15:32:00.007-05:002010-01-31T17:11:16.570-05:00What's your favourite game evar (tm)?Got this question in my formspring.me account. My sister persuaded me to post in on my blog as it is wall-of-text-y. I've changed it from the original post, so its easier to read (ie pictures! click to enlarge any image). My elaborately thought out answer:<br /><br />Thats actually quite a hard question to answer... A whole bunch of titles immediately popped into my mind. I was trying to figure out which was my all time favorite. A few of the games were in the Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Zelda series, but really if I said one of those, thats really a cop-out answer. After sifting through my brain, I'm left with three contenders: Romancing SaGa 3, Der Langrisser, and Master of Magic.<br /><br /><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Snapshot2010-01-3116-07-30.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_Snapshot2010-01-3116-07-30.png" border="0" alt="RS3 Title" /></a> <a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Snapshot2010-01-3116-09-29.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_Snapshot2010-01-3116-09-29.png" border="0" alt="RS3 Battle" /></a><br /><br />Now for Romancing SaGa 3, I love the game, its at least my favorite game in the series. And while I do enjoy it and there is quite a bit of replayability, I honestly use the same party over and over again. And the story is generally the same each play through because of that. So I guess, this shouldn't be my favorite game "evar."<br /><br /> <a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Picture4.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_Picture4.png" border="0" alt="Der Langrisser Title" /></a> <a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Snapshot2010-01-3115-58-38.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_Snapshot2010-01-3115-58-38.png" border="0" alt="Der Langrisser Battle" /></a> <a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Snapshot2010-01-3115-57-02.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_Snapshot2010-01-3115-57-02.png" border="0" alt="Der Langrisser Field" /></a><br /><br />Der Langrisser is another great game. No one's really heard of it. The game is notable for its art, which was done by Satoshi Urushihara, as well as its music which was composed by Noriyuki Iwadare. Its a Tactical RPG, and the one that's my favorite is the one of the SNES. Its apparently been remade/ported to other systems, but I've never tried them, and they probably haven't been translated. Der Langrisser is either the second or third in the series, I can't remember which. But as for its standing in being my favorite game ever? Eh, I do like the game, but honestly I've never finished it. My file's been corrupted twice. And one time I chose an option which ended up with half the team leaving, and I accidentally press save instead of load. Not to mention at the time, the game was only partially translated, and choosing that option lead to the portion that wasn't translated. Anyways, I don't think I can call a game I never finished my favorite game ever.<br /><br /><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/MoMTitle.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_MoMTitle.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> <a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/MoMMap.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_MoMMap.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> <br /><a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/MoMCity.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_MoMCity.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> <a href="http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/MoMBattle.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/th_MoMBattle.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />So that leaves me with Master of Magic. MoM is an old game. It runs in DOS, so to run it I need to use an emulator. It can be compared to Civilization, but honestly, I've played Civilization and hated it. I think Lords of Magic should be what its compared to. There's more similarities between those two. Anyways, its a turn based strategy game. Its got a random map generator, and like 15 different enemy wizards with different temperaments. The game has high replay value. This game probably most deserves the spot of best game ever. There is just so much customization that you'll never truly have the same gameplay experience twice. Its a classic game, and quite frankly more people need to hear about it and play. Sure its dated. I mean it was a friggin' DOS game, of course its old. But its still probably the funnest strategy game I've ever played.<br /><br />I know you were looking for a one-word answer, and you got a wall-of-text, but honestly your question was kind of hard, and I had to think it through. There you have it.<br /><br />tl;dr:<br /><br />Master of Magic for DOS.Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-87250791917348037752010-01-30T15:59:00.004-05:002010-03-14T20:56:07.377-04:00Orlando Anime Day<p>Not much to post. I was vaguely excited about the mini-convention but wasn't expecting much. Turns out I was expecting more than it actually was, even then, which is to say, it was very unimpressive. Well, what do you expect when its free. That being said, it was still kind of fun. More or less it was a light snack before MegaCon, which is in March. The convention touted a 3000 square foot dealers room which equated to about 12 tables so maybe 6 booths? It was small. We stayed, maybe 2 hours. </p><p>Anyways, enough talk. PICTURES! (I didn't take that many...)</p><p><br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Orlando%20Anime%20Day/GEDC0447a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Grimdark Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, and... Pocahontas?</p><p><br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Orlando%20Anime%20Day/GEDC0446a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>The Pika-sluts.</p><p><br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Orlando%20Anime%20Day/GEDC0449a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>A Ragnarok Online Rogue.</p><br /><br /><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Orlando%20Anime%20Day/GEDC0451a.jpg" width="700" /></p><p>Final Fantasy VII Yuffie, Tifa and Reno</p><br /><br /><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Orlando%20Anime%20Day/GEDC0450.png" width="700" /></p><p>Suzumiya Haruhi and Sailor Jupiter</p><p><br /><br /><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Conventions/Orlando%20Anime%20Day/GEDC0452a.jpg" width="700" /><br />I dunno who this is supposed to be, but I took a picture of him/her/it anyway. At the convention it looked and spoke like a girl, but the picture looks like a guy... Actually come to think of it, I think it might be the Nazi dude from Inglourious Basterds. Still dunno if the cosplayer is fe/male...Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-73744364945155581992009-12-21T20:37:00.004-05:002010-01-31T17:13:19.207-05:00Unreal Tournament 3<p>I bought Unreal Tournament 3 at Fry's Electronics while I was in Vegas last week. I had been wanting to get it for like ever, but I was waiting for the Mac OS X version, which will probably never come out. But it was $20 at Fry's so I decided why not?</p><p>Overall, glad I got it, had fun, but its not what I was expecting. Too Gears of War-ish to me. Didn't really feel Unreal Tournament to me. Its hard to explain.</p><p>There are two different modes to it. Campaign, and Instant Action. Instant Action is just regular old Unreal Tournament. Campaign is different. Campaign tells a story. While the story is decent enough, the gameplay kind of kills the story. I dunno, trying to explain Respawners is kind of dumb. Basically, in war times, Respawners mean people won't die, they just respawn. But fragging enough players will eventually wear the respawners out. That explains the deathmatches. Now Capture the Flag was even worse. FLaGs, or "Field Lattice Generators," are basically items that generate power to the respawners. Somehow getting the flag to your base weakens the respawners? I dunno. It didn't make sense. The only maps that made sense to me were the Warfare maps which are supposed to be a cross between Assaults and Onslaughts. To me, I didn't see much resemblance to Assaults.</p><p>Respawning and Capture the Flag are just FPS conventions and should never have to be explained.</p><p>Fortunately the weapons are all the classic weapons. I actually found the BioRifle useful. But the best weapon in the game in my opinion is the Rocket Launcher. With the Flak Cannon as the Runner up. With the Rocket Launcher, its an instant kill if you hit them in the crotch. Its not entirely hard to do, but if you hit the feet they'll live and same if you hit them in the chest, arms, or head. </p><p>Flak Cannon is still the instant kill in close quarters, but is kind of useless in long range. Alternate fire on the Flak takes a bit to get used to. It arcs too high to me. </p><p>The Shock Rifle is still as useless as ever in my opinion. I always loved the idea of the shock rifle, but I could never figure out how to use it right.</p><p>They brought back the impact hammer/piston. It looks completely different, and I found myself accidentally using it a lot because it looks quite similar to the Flak. A nice touch, when you killed someone with the Impact Hammer, bloods splashes on your field of vision. </p><p>The enforcers were brought back, but they were changed, and in my opinion, not for the better. Alternate fire isn't Gangster Style, but rather a burst of 3 shot quickly in succession. When you pick up two, theres a reference to the Gangster Style, but I'm not sure if you shoot them like that or not.</p><p>The Sniper Rifle is pretty cool. And a lot easier to Head Shot with than UT2k4's. Unfortunately, its made useless for actual sniping, since the bullet trail is highly visible to anyone in the game. Fortunately there is no smoke in your face after a shot.</p><p>The Link gun is the Link gun. I didn't notice much change, if any.</p><p>Minigun Stinger is decent. Not as useful as previous games though.</p><p>Now, as much as I like the series, I absolutely suck at it online, so I play single player only. And thats where UT3 loses a lot of points. Single player is hardly customizable at all. One of the things I loved so much about UT99 and 2k4 were the customizable bots. You can set the bots' teams and everything in previous games. In UT3 you can set which bots are in the game, but not which team the bots are on, so they're always on different teams. </p><p>And then the absence of Brock and Xan is sad. Both of them are Unreal Tournament Staples. Whats more is the presence of Lauren. Why have Lauren without Brock. They're supposed to be lovers. Its just stupid. Hell, Facing Worlds wasn't even available on release! Granted it was released with the Bonus Pack, but its fucking Face! It should be the first map made! At least Deck 16 was available on release. All-in-all there aren't enough classic maps. I mean, yeah, I know its a different game, there should be new maps. I understand that, but there should be more than just three classic maps.</p><p>Apparently the people behind ChaosUT didn't think the game worthy of having a Chaos Patch. Which is sad, because ChaosUT is fun as hell.</p><p>In the end, I'm glad I got the game. I had a lot of fun playing it. But the game tries so hard to be different from the previous entries and suffers from it in my opinion.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-72192898528402755482009-12-12T23:28:00.004-05:002009-12-19T21:46:54.563-05:00Dominion Tank Police<p>I had read the manga awhile back, which wasn't anything particularly awesome, but as it was by Shirow Masamune, I had to give it a try. I thought it was pretty good. So I decided to watch the anime too. I haven't finished it, only on episode 3. Its fairly good. I don't particularly remember the manga too much, but the anime seems more linear than I remember the manga being. I laughed out loud in a few scenes.</p><p>If anything, its entertaining. And its not a long series, so I'll find out how it turns out in a bit.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-59262486302510143122009-07-24T14:15:00.003-04:002010-01-31T17:14:25.172-05:00AIKa R-16: Virgin Mission<p>Watched the last episode of Virgin Mission last night. Virgin Mission is the prequel to Agent Aika. I have to say that Virgin Mission is like ten times better than Agent Aika.</p><p>The story is set 10 years before the events of Agent Aika. Aika is a high school student who just recently passed her salvager license test. She is then contacted by the class president, Eri, to join the Treasure Hunter Club as their pilot. Aika meets Karen who has a tattoo on her breast of a butterfly, but upon closer examination, the tattoo is actually comprised of numbers that translates to "the gate of the truth will be opened by the sleeping butterfly" and a set of coordinates. The three of them set out to go to the coordinates as the first outing of the Treasure Hunting Club.</p><p>The series still has the expected fanservice as the original. I believe there is also more nudity in this series vs. Agent Aika. Again the story isn't exactly good, but its not bad either. The story in my opinion is better than Agent Aika. Again the fanservice is still the main focus of the series. The ending is equally as lame as Agent Aika's. </p><p>Of the two series, I actually wouldn't mind watching this series over again. Agent Aika on the other hand... Same recommendation as Agent Aika. If you're looking for a deep story, steer clear, but if you want a fanservice anime, this'll be for you. At three episodes long, you can watch the whole thing in one sitting.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-47100316493526237922009-07-24T14:02:00.003-04:002010-01-31T17:15:08.047-05:00Agent Aika<p>Finally got around to finished Agent Aika. It was alright. It wasn't good, but it wasn't entirely bad either. I think the series relied too much on the fanservice and could have actually made a decent series if they focused more on the story. Most of the characters were pretty memorable, especially Gozo, Michikusa and Gusto. The second half of the series was quite repetitive: the Delmo corp tries to kill Aika, in every episode. I won't spoil the ending, though it was kind of lame too.</p><p>Good thing about the series is that it was rather short at only 7 episodes. Overall I wouldn't recommend this anime to people looking for a story. If you want fanservice, this might be a series you'd be interested in. As Wikipedia states, there's about one panty shot every 20 seconds.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-42879969348817048002009-07-17T15:30:00.003-04:002010-01-31T17:15:44.366-05:00Japanese Barbie Stop Animation<p>Pretty entertaining videos I found while reading some of the blogs I follow. There are two videos, both made in the 80s. The first one is kind of funny in a cheesy way. It picks up in the second half. The first part involve a doll riding a toy motorcycle through the streets of Japan. Half way in it changes to I guess a parody of action movies in general. The doll is the heroine of a spy movie, with live action villains.</p><p>The second video is longer, but in my opinion better. Its like a stop animation magical-girl/gundam. The heroine's friend gets kidnapped by foreigners. The foreigners take her on board their flying crab ship. The heroine then calls for her paper airplane ship which can apparently turn into different origami creatures.</p><p>Click the post title to go to the videos.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-90974300030137388402009-06-27T21:25:00.004-04:002010-01-31T17:17:31.856-05:00Geneforge<p>I have been horribly, horribly addicted to the Geneforge series by Spiderweb Software. Horribly. I've been pretty much playing them non-stop. The only break I really took was when I went to MetroCon the other weekend (which I'll eventually get around to posting about). </p><p>Spiderweb Software is an independent game company that pretty much consists of a single programmer. Most of Spiderweb's games feature elaborate storyline with minimal graphics.</p><p>Anyways, there's nothing phenomenal about Geneforge, but for some reason I can't stop playing the games. I'm on the 4th game of the series now. There's only five games, so I dunno what I'll do when I finish the fifth. Its an isometric turn based RPG. The gameplay isn't what makes the game really. Its the story and the paths you can take.</p><p>In most of the games your character is a Shaper, which in the Geneforge world is pretty much a wizard. Shapers come in three flavors: Guardian, Agent and Shaper. Guardian is the melee class, Agent is I guess the Stealth/Magic-based class, and Shaper is the Summoner/Wizard class. Each class can summon creatures to help them in battle. </p><p>In the world of Geneforge, Shapers are the law. Shapers are respected as well as feared. Shapers can create lifeforms and easily snuff them out as well. Shapers commonly create Servile as basically slaves. They are made intelligent enough to do work on their own, but dumb enough to follow orders without question. Other creations, such as Drayks are so powerful and intelligent that Shapers decreed the creation of Drayks banned. </p><p>In the first Geneforge, you are a Shaper novice, sent off to an island to finish your training, but your ship (which is actually a living creature) is attacked, forcing you to abandon it and swim for the nearest shore: Sucia Island. Sucia Island is a barred island, with the penalty of death for all trespassers. As you travel the island you unravel the story of why the island was barred. You also find that the Shapers planned to return to the island. The Serviles still remain on the island, and have formed tribes (which was thought impossible by the Shapers). The three tribes are the Obeyers, who remain loyal to the Shapers, the Takers, fanatical Serviles who wish to destroy Shapers, and the Awaken, Serviles who believe Shapers and Serviles can live together as equals. You can ally yourself with any of the three sects, or none at all. There is a fourth force at work on the island as well. The Sholai, a race of people from beyond the ocean. A rebel Sholai discovers the secret of why the island was barred, the Geneforge. Depending on your choices you can help the rebel Sholai, or destroy the Geneforge.</p><p>The series is mostly rinse and repeat with variations. Each game reveals more information about the Shapers, and the Geneforge itself. In Geneforge 4 you begin as an anti-Shaper rebel and use a Geneforge to gain your powers. You can also play as a Servile, which I thought was kind of interesting (even though I didn't choose to play as it).</p><p>You can have up to five creations in the games, although I typically just stuck to one or two. Each creation has its strengths and weaknesses. Summoning creatures costs a base amount of Essence. When creating a monster, you can modify its stats, which increases the amount of Essence required for it. Essence can only be given back if the creature dies. You gain Essence by leveling up, and you gain even more by increasing you INT. </p><p>There are many stats in the game you can increase with levels. So many that its hard to decide what to do with. Along with the standard Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Endurance, there are different schools of Magic and Shaping, multitude of different combat specialties, as well as skills used for thievery and deception. You only get five skill points per level, so you have to decide wisely, as each skill costs a different amount of skill points to level up.</p><p>While the game is not for everyone, especially those all for graphics, the series' story is where the game really shines. I can't recommend this for everyone, but if you like classic-style old-school games, this is something you may want to look into.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-57472077999276315562009-06-03T14:35:00.004-04:002010-01-31T17:21:26.694-05:00Bahamut Lagoon<p>**WARNING: SPOILERS***</p><p><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d1/Bahamut_Lagoon_Coverart.png" /></p><p>Bahamut Lagoon is probably one of Squaresoft's last entries on the SNES. Its a mix of strategy and role playing games. You can control up to six units which consist of four characters each and a dragon. The dragons are not exactly part of the unit, they move and act on their own. On the battlefield the game shows its strategy roots. However when your units engage the enemy, it turns into a typical RPG type system. But instead of fighting until the enemy unit is dead, each character only gets one turn. Back on the battlefield, you don't necessarily have to engage in melee on the enemy. You can instead use special skills that the unit might have, like for instance magic. Skills you can use on the battlefield are Field skills. Field skills depend on the characters in the unit. So if you don't have a Wizard in the unit, you can't use magic. In addition, if you have more than one Wizard in the unit, the magic power is enhanced. However, having a unit with just Wizards is not exactly a good idea, as if they were to be attacked in melee they would have no chance. There are advantages and disadvantages to using Field skills as well as melee attacks. You get more money in melee, but the enemy can counterattack. Using Field skills you get a free attack on the enemy, however, the damage will be less than if you did a melee.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Dragons.gif" /></p><p>The dragon's determine what elemental attacks your units have, and how strong said attacks are. The dragon's have five elements: Fire, Lightning, Ice, Life and Poison. Each parameter goes up to 100, and every time points increases the elements level. So at 20 points, you have level 2 of that element. In addition to giving skills to units, the Dragon's can also attack in battle. Sometimes if you attack melee, the dragon will attack before your characters turns, doing additional damage. The dragons all have elemental breath attacks, which attack all enemy character in close combat, or they can attack multiple units on the battlefield.</p><p>Between battles you can feed the dragons to enhance their parameters. Weapons give plus to strength, armor to vitality. If the weapon/armor is elemental, they get pluses the corresponding element. The dragons can also evolve into more powerful forms as well. Unfortunately they sometimes devolve into useless dragons. If this happens, feed them a Matelite Axe, and they'll be back to normal. </p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Byuu--Knights.gif" /></p><p>All the characters have personality, and are very likable, with the exception of the princess and maybe Palpaleos. You are Byuu, the silent protagonist, and captain of the Dragon Squad. Byuu's default unit consists of his knight friends, Rush, Truce and Bikkebakke. Rush acts before he thinks, and doesn't get along with superiors, even so far as sort of mini-rebelling against Matelite. Truce is more quiet and level headed, but gets dragged into the mini-rebellion as well. Bikkebakke wishes after the war to live with his best friends Rush and Truce peacefully, and begins selling mushrooms in hope to afford a house. Sadly, Byuu is actually a pretty horrible character, battle wise. Using Field skills he is somewhat alright, but in close combat, Rush, Truce and Bikkebakke outshine him hands down, even when Byuu has better equipment than the others. The Knights get elemental attacks, but can only be used in melee. Byuu's Sword Tech can be used in and out of battlle, but its not exactly that great either way.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Heavy-Armors.gif" /></p><p>Matelite is a class of his own. He's the crazy Royal Guard of Kahna. He takes command of everything, and is completely dedicated to Kahna. Its really hard to explain his character. He probably one of my favorite characters. His unit defaults with three Heavy Armors, Taicho who is a general of Mahal, before it was taken by the empire, Gunso, Taicho's right hand man (who is creepy, he scratches himself all the time, and you get Gunso's ??? from him occasionally, which I don't even want to know what that is), and Barclay, he doesn't have much character, basically he falls in love with one of the Wizards. Matelite has Inspire, a lightning field skill that can destroy buildings, it can also be used in close combat as a powerful lightning skill. He can't get any other elements however. The Heavy Armors all move very slow, but the damage they deal more than makes up for it. They can get all the elements, but their attacks can only be used in melee.</p><p>I don't remember the rest of the default units, so I'll just list by class now.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Light-Armors.gif" /></p><p>Light Armors: Lukia and Jeanne. Lukia at the beginning seems to be an important character, as she always shows up in cut scenes, but later she is pretty much forgotten. She's a cool and level headed person. Jeanne has almost no character. Both Jeanne and Lukia apparently have had a past fling with Donfan. Light Armors don't have field skills, but their elemental attacks in close combat hit all enemies for moderate damage. Their physical attack is limited. What makes them invaluable, however, is there ability to increase the speed of units on the field. I highly recommend putting one in with Heavy Armors. There is a third Light Armor secret character but I didn't get her, so I dunno anything about her.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Wizards.gif" /></p><p>Wizards: None of the Wizards really have any character. Melodia is an annoying little girl that likes minidevils, Ectarina has a crush on Hornet (the ships captain), Nelbo is friends with Joy and torments Donfan, and Anastasia who is described in game as stuck up, but doesn't actually show up in game. Wizards are wizards.... There's nothing to describe really. Magic can be used as Field Skills and well as in melee.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Priests.gif" /></p><p>Priests: Frederica is my favorite priest. She's funny. She is physically weak and collapses after battle, and takes medicine regularly. She wants to open a pharmacy after the war. Zora is kind of funny too, she tells it like it is, and has no qualms about slapping the princess when she's be hard to deal with. Her son is Zora's Son. I'm not kidding. Thats his name. Joy is friends with Nelbo and torments Donfan with her. Diana is the ship's gossiper. She'll tell you the interesting things happening on the ship. Like wizards, Priests are priests. They're magic can be used on the field or in melee.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Lancers.gif" /></p><p>Lancers: Reeve and Frenze were close friends at the beginning, but at one point Frenze gets homesick and Reeve get annoyed at him for not being enthusiastic about being a lancer. Their friendship ends, and Frenze is constantly getting back at Reeve for ending it. Donfan believes he is the man for all the ladies. As soon as a girl talks to him he breaks in and tries to woe her. He always fails. At one point he goes to the girl's dorm and is caught by Nelbo and Joy who torment him. Zora's Son attempted to make a Dragon Squad in Mahal, but doesn't know how to take care of the dragon. He pretty much a failure at life, but does a good job cleaning up the place (catch that reference). His real name is Orelus, also the name of the games' world. He doesn't really live up to it. Lancers are pretty cool. Their field skills are pretty damned good if you have all of them in one army. However in melee they are pretty crappy. Their Lance skills do moderate damage, but they are physically kind of weak, and if you attack without using the lance skills, they can't do much damage at all. Fortunately, most lance skills take 1 SP to use, and they have quite a bit of SP, so you shouldn't have to worry about running out.</p><p><img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j152/rogutaan/Summoners.gif" /></p><p>Summoners: Princess Yoyo and Sendak. the Princess is probably the most annoying character in game. At the beginning it seemed like Byuu and the Princess were to get together, even so far as promising to go to the Church of Memories when they get older. However, all this breaks apart when she falls in love with Palpaleos when she was taken by the empire. Then its all "Palpaleos, Palpaleos, Palpaleos." Its sickening. Sendak is a creepy old man. He might be gay. Sexuality aside, he's pretty funny, and an important asset to the party. The the summoners get two different skill sets. The first one is Red Magic, which pretty much sucks. Its like 3 skills, Fire magic, Heal magic, and Status Recovery magic. I don't think they even get Raise Dead. At first they start as Red Mages, but become Sumoners as the game progresses. Summons break the game. They are way too powerful. On the field they can do extreme damage to a wide area of enemies. Summons do take a LOT of mana though. </p><p>Assassin and Minidevils: They are useless in my opinion. They're field skills suck, and in melee the Assassin are about as good as Light Armors. The minidevils suck in melee as well as in the field.</p><p>The story revolves around the infamous rebel force struggling against and eventually overthrowing the evil Empire. Only the empire isn't necessarily evil. In fact the Emperor is actually quite noble and honorable, even though he aims to take over the world. Emperor Sauzer wishes to awaken all the Holy Dragon's in order to make way for the new Era. However to do this, he needs the help of a Dragnar, some one who can speak to the Holy Dragons. Princess Yoyo of Kahna is a Dragnar, so he kidnaps her when he takes over Kahna. Once the Rebels rescue Princess Yoyo,they decide that the only way to defeat the empire is to gain the powers of the Holy Dragons. There is more to the story, but I won't spoil it entirely.</p><p>There is a Plus Game when you finish it, but ultimately I think its kind of worthless. The characters and Dragons all stay the same level as when you beat the game, with the addition that Sendak can use Summons right from the start, however you only have one dragon to summon. Apparently if you missed getting Princess ???s you can do the Plus Game to get them. If you feed 5 of those to a dragon you can make a Behemoth class dragon, which apparently is awesome? I honestly didn't care enough to find out. I'm a casual gamers, so doing EVERYTHING in the game is not something I strive to do. Also, the game wasn't too hard the first time around, so honestly its kind of stupid to play it again with high level characters.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-37591705589853997182009-05-28T23:55:00.002-04:002009-05-29T00:20:25.472-04:002001 Nights<p>Just finished reading the manga 2001 Nights, by Yukinobu Hoshino. It was really good, although I don't completely know what happened in it. The series is a combination of short stories all happening within a timeline of a few hundred years. The stories are sometimes related to each other, but there are a few one shots in it as well.</p><p>Its a sci-fi manga, telling the exploits of humanity in the Space Age. Many of the stories revolve around colonizing other planets, often with catastrophic problems. There are a lot lot weird concepts that are kind of hard to grasp, such as anti-matter planets, warp drives powered by black holes, and even a living planet. Some of the stories really make you think about what could be out there. </p><p>One thing to note: while there were life on some of the planets, there weren't any extraterrestrial intelligent life. There were mostly just different types of plants (some carnivorous) and primitive life forms like lizards, fish and birds. Though also important to know, man was not able to explore beyond the Milky Way in the course of the manga.</p><p>Its kind of hard to write a review on it, since its not just one story. All I can really say is that I really can't recommend this for everyone, but if you are a sci-fi buff, this will probably be right up your alley. </p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-86238920707998271142009-05-20T16:38:00.008-04:002010-01-31T17:22:27.129-05:00Suikoden Tactics<p>Warning: This entry may have spoilers. Read at your own risk.</p><p>I bought Suikoden Tactics quite awhile ago. I'm not a big console game player, so it can take me awhile to get to a game or to finish a game. Also since I never played any of the Suikoden games I was a little leery about playing it, in case it does follow the series plot. I'm not sure if it does, but I wanted to play a tactical game so I popped it in the PS2. </p><p>I must admit, I was about to turn the game right off. It seemed that from the first battle the main character was an annoying little kid. Fortunately I decided that maybe this was a "prologue" and the kid would grow up or something. Well that was not too far from the truth. As soon as the first "battle" is over, a group of characters come on, and another battle begins, and the story follows these new characters, and then the "few years later" comes up. And the stupid annoying kid is completely forgotten thus far.</p><p>The gameplay is more or less what you expect from a tactical RPG, albeit a few odd features. For one, the elemental spirits that travel around. They are technically enemies and you can kill them. But if you leave them alone, they will float around the battle field and anywhere they float over will have its element changed to the element of the spirit. Now elemental terrain is a bit weird and I haven't completely figured it out yet. But basically, each character has a innate element. If you stand on a spot that is your element, you will get healed, and your defense/attack increases. However if you stand in the opposite element, you will get hurt, and your defense/attack probably decreases (not sure about that, I tend to make sure I don't stand in the opposite elements). </p><p>There are also team attacks. In order to learn a team attack the characters have to have "Good Will" towards each other. Sometimes in battle if you have two character next to each other, there will be a Talk command. Using Talk will take the characters turn, but it will increase their Good Will and perhaps teach a team attack. Team attacks are incredibly powerful and can take out the strongest of enemies. It also splits any experience gained.</p><p>I personally like the characters so far, although Kyril, the protagonist, is a bit gullible, and too trusting. For instance: after a battle we go back to town and a pirate is yelling at us to hand over the rune cannon. It just so happens that this pirate was one of the pirates that helped Kyril's father 3 years earlier. Not to mention the fact that the pirate were not particularly helping so much as fighting the same enemy. But anyways, once Kyril recognizes the pirate, the pirates says he remembers Kyril as well, and says lets go to the pirate hideout. Kyril agrees. Well it does so happen that the pirates are in fact good guys, but the way it all happened wasn't all that convincing. Its like "Hey since we're sort of acquaintances, lets go to our pirate hideout, even though I was aggressively yelling at you a few seconds ago!"</p><p>Another instance was upon taking a job from a "rune cannon expert." First off he's a pretty boy, so in my book, he's not to be trusted. And his job involves going into an abandoned house and into the basement which leads to a cave. Now that doesn't sound suspicious to me at all. Thankfully another character feels the same way. The job was not a trick or anything, but Kyril's all "sure we'll do it!" </p><p>The other character are cool though. And so far of the characters I've used, I haven't found a crappy character, everyone kicks ass. </p><p>So far, minus Kyril's ever-trustingness, the only down side is permanent death. Fortunately, permanent death only happens on certain characters. If the character is crucial to the plot of the game, if they "die" they just "withdraw" from battle. Unfortunately, one of my best fighters is a non-story character. She also has pretty crappy magic defense and gets horribly maimed if magic is casted on her. Thankfully you can restart battles in the middle of the battle. </p><p>Rita is one of the character that can permanently die. She starts at level one. The first battle I put her in, she dies instantly. Instead of the text "Rita has withdrawn" I read "Rita has died" which kind of freaked me out a bit. I finished the battle without any problems, and go to the character screen and see she is missing from the party. Well, that sucks. Reload. At that point of the game there are no random battles, so there's really no way to level Rita up. So I bring her into the battle and leave her on the sidelines away from enemies. When there's only one enemy left I make her attack my own party to get exp. Now that Rita has caught up with the other characters she's one of the best fighters I have so far. </p><p>So far I'm really enjoying the game. The story is somewhat lacking, but I never really played tactical games for the plot. I'm looking forward to finishing this game, but I'm trying to savor it as well. Lets hope it stays as fun as it is now.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387111466492524914.post-86717948116757976772009-02-24T18:52:00.005-05:002010-01-31T17:23:00.293-05:00Review: Rule Number 1<p>Eh, not an anime or videogame, but its an Asian film, so I guess it'll work. </p><p>Rule Number 1 was the film of the day at Asian-Horror-Movies.com so I decided to give it a try. I was quite happy with the results. Despite being on Asian-Horror-Movies.com, the movie would fall better into the genre of thriller. And the movie keeps you on your toes, well, once you figure out whats going on. </p><p>Lee Kwok-keung is a small time cop. He apparently works at a parking garage security guard. One night a car pulls up, and the driver has no seatbelt on, and has very flimsy excuses. As he was about to let the driver go with a just a warning, he notices the tail lights are out, and asks if the driver has a screwdriver in the car so they Can fix it. Lee taps on the trunk of the car and he notices blood coming out from it. The driver is busy looking for a screwdriver, and Lee forces the trunk open to reveal a dead body. The driver notices that Lee opened the trunk and pulls a gun and shoots Lee a few times. Due to a distraction, Lee is able to dispatch the driver. After Lee recovers from the wounds, Lee is transferred to the Miscellaneous Affairs Office of the police, which deals with basically paranormal activity. </p><p>Thats about all I'm gonna say about the plot. The plot can be kind of confusing in the beginning, spawning more questions that answers, but once you get answers it all falls together. Thats not to say the plot doesn't have its twists, far from it.</p><p>I think one of the major points of why I like Asian films is because of the sound/music. Hollywood movies tend to have extravagant soundtracks, but this Asian films don't always have that. Rule Number 1 for instance has almost no music, but the dreaded ambient music in the most chilling scenes. Makes it more enjoyable and thrilling in my opinion.</p><p>The characters are likable, especially Inspector Wong. I liked the characters so much I wish they hadn't had to go through with what was happening to them, but a movie isn't made that way. </p><p>I enjoyed this movie. The subtitles on the version I watched were horrible, but I was able to watch it despite that. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good thriller.</p>Talentless Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16152081676722303201noreply@blogger.com0