Cody Musser vs Internet: Take Two!

Blog Moved

2011-02-24T16:08:00.000-05:00

This blog has moved to:

Cody Musser's Blog

iPhone 4 Reception Woes, Recorded by iPhone 3GS

2010-07-06T19:38:00.001-04:00

Take a look at the iPhone 4 reception issues in action, thanks to the video recording efforts of Dacvak. Note that we’re using my iPhone to capture his much nicer iPhone being worse than my iPhone in one regard. Classy.

Testing a new blog entry method!

2010-07-05T23:32:00.001-04:00

I have no worthwhile content to deliver you, the reader, however, I have an interest in exploring the captivating capabilities of the Windows Live Writer (really why haven’t I discovered this until now). So, I have written these sentences to fill this space ala lorem ipsum but with a hair more panache. There isn’t really more to this post than that, and if you were looking for sexy, relevant content I suggest you start with something I’ve written before.

I sepia toned, tilted and bordered this photo in the editor. What an amazing toy…

This Bird’s Eye View map of Point Park University was created in editor as well. It however seems to be difficult to specifically determine the pixel size of this feature (I mandate all my content fit my posting width perfectly. I’m a width fascist), even in the source code.

That’s it for tonight. Tomorrow I will post again, flirting with the video posting features of the Windows Live Writer. How fun!

Darklord Day 2010 - The Lines, Crowd, & Beer!

2010-04-27T17:53:00.001-04:00

So, despite having never written about it on this here blog -- I like beer. A lot. I've drank 100s of craft beer styles, I go to craft beer events, and I have a nice collection of beer to cellar. I also plan to, eventually, brew my own beer. For this reason alone, I'm moving to a new house with a full basement I can get down and dirty in.

With that said, myself and my companero Nathan Checkeye, traveled a mighty distance for the biggest beer release party in America -- Darklord Day. Darklord Day is something of an epic partaking in beer circles. It's the biggest beer release because of the beer itself, Darklord, and it's quality, rarity and trade-ability; but it's also the biggest damned party of its kind because of the sheer quantity of the people present, how cool they traditionally are, and the amount of great beer they bring with them.

So, it was here, in the first few miles of central time zone, that Nathan and I sampled some of America's greatest beers. We met new beer fanatics from all over and shared stories. We even spent a lot of time talking to the people we knew from Pittsburgh, who we spotted among the thousands. What did I taste? Oh, let's see:

Weyerbacher Tiny
Surly Furious
Surly Darkness
Surly Abrasive
Troegs Flying Mouflan
Pretty Things Hoppy Triple
New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red
East End Wooden Nickel Saison
Squatters Outer Darkness Russian Imperial Stout
Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
Victory Wild Devil
Minneapolis Town Hall Masala Mama
Minneapolis Town Hall Czar Jack Imperial Stout
Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout
Brooklyn Black Ops
Dark Horse Plead the 5th
Midnight Sun Monk's Mistress
Lost Abbey Angel's Share aged in Brandy barrels

... and from 3 Floyds, the reason for this party:

Vanilla Bean Darklord
Alpha King
Gumball Head

This doesn't even count what I've forgotten, or the few beers that I only tried one sip of. They'll be more to come about Darklord Day from me. Some critiques of the debacle it seemed to be, and how many people left (relatively) unhappy. As well as a post or two when I get down and dirty talking 'bout the beers themselves. Not to mention, my brief stop at Giordano's Pizza -- and the glory that turned out to be.

Help a Public Relations Professional Out.

2010-02-19T11:18:00.001-05:00

Here was the HAPPO pitch I sent out to the world, and it's all true:

Hire me because I'm infinitely malleable. I'm not an expert but instead an unyielding student. Emerging trends are my morning coffee. I'm a workhorse and I'll sweat out the deadlines and catastrophes like my father dug ditches and grandfather heaved coal. My work ethic comes from history. I'll see beneath the obvious, and dig up the truths that help weave the compelling stories others won’t notice. I'll lead from the bottom, by example; and, eventually, I'll lead from the top.

And here's the rest:

Today, I'm participating in a unique effort titled HAPPO. The basis of this web/Twitter campaign is to collect the job postings of various public relations and communications professionals in need and bring them to the eyes of seeking employers. Where do I fit in? As a public relations professional in need, no doubt.

I'm a graduating senior of Point Park University with a degree in Advertising & Public Relations. Throughout my education and professional experience I've collected skills in account management and campaign pitching, viral campaign conceptualization, copy-writing, event planning and management, layout design for publications and more. Also, I consistently maintain a watchful eye on emerging trends and keep a hefty arsenal of software, tools and utilities familiar and on my bench for when I need them.

I've worked within multiple branches of our public relations field, including three internships at unique and challenging organizations. I was responsible for the social media & Public Relations for the Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival, I completed a corporate, strategic communications campaign for the Accessible Transportation and Workforce Inter-agency Cooperative, and I've also assumed the role of social media & Public Relations for LeftRight Studios, a progressive start-up creating iPhone applications and games. All of these experiences have helped to leave me comfortable in a working atmosphere and loaded with skills and experience for a professional of my young age.

I am looking for the perfect challenge – a position that allows me to communicate with others in a way that they understand and reciprocate. I want to be a modern storyteller, using all the available and emerging tools to reach the public. I want to transform my experience with social media and marketing communications into the message that helps others see inside the organization I represent – hopefully, that they are always communicating and willing to listen.

Most of this information is available in my resume. You should ask me for a copy, then tell me what you think about it.
Much of it is also available here: On LinkedIn.
I'm also known for being StorytellerCody on Twitter.

Can the Chronicles Come Back to Life?

2010-02-11T14:46:00.002-05:00

This blog has been dead for a while, but I'm wondering now if I can re-purpose/redesign it as something new. Part personal, part professional, and possibly a new title are all things I'm considering. I miss writing things of substance and length (140 characters is not enough to make my point sometimes!) and I need a place to channel my professional critiques and case studies. But, is it here?

I'm not sure if it's my desire to not let the history of this blog die, or if I'm just hesitant of embracing my Tumblr or learning WordPress, but I actually like the Blogger format, even if it feels a little stale.

I guess in the coming days/weeks I'll start making some changes here, possibly integrating the vanity domain I've recently purchased (Yes, I own codymusser.com). We'll see, but no matter what, I'll be writing something, somewhere.

I've got things to say, damn it!

More Movies Not to Miss: World's Greatest Dad and Cold Souls

2009-06-20T01:21:00.005-04:00

Just a couple trailers I wanted to pass along for those interested in watching. Both the films were big hits at Sundance '09, however they're probably far from the eyes of the greater population. Thanks to Slashfilm for the trailers. I'm not going to spoil anything with long descriptions, so just enjoy.

World's Greatest Dad starring Robin Williams

Cold Souls starring Paul Giamatti

The Post E3 Post - Awards and Such

2009-06-14T15:34:00.004-04:00

I'm (as always) a little late to the game here, but still, there are a few things I'd like to say about the happenings of E3 2009. I'll say those things in the form of a list of awards and non-awards. Recognition, given be me, which makes it worth -- absolutely nothing. No matter... I'm still giving it.

Best Downloadable Experience - Shadow Complex
Shadow Complex might have been a little glitchy in demo, but something tells me that won't be happening after release. The concept behind the game is enough to sell me, as a game crafted in Unreal Engine 3 that is a side-scrolling Metroidvania is practically erection inducing. The 3D gameplay moments don't look as captivating, but I'm sure they'll ultimately play well enough to not be distracting.

Game to be Most Worried About - Castlevania: Lord of Shadow
On first glance this was without a doubt going to be Metroid: Other M, however after the developers spent some time explaining Team Ninja's role and the atmosphere of the title, I'm a little more cautious about the new Kojima-branded Castlevania. Kojima brings a desire to reinvent the franchise in 3D, perhaps successfully for the first time, and yet, I wonder if he'll remember the parts of Castlevania that actually need to be remembered. I'm afraid for this one.

Most Exciting - Scribblenauts
God fights the Kraken while riding a skateboard blasting away with his shotgun -- Time travel to ride on a dinosaur and return to chomp zombies. Imagination. This is a step in the right direction.

I'm wondering who will win in a fight between Cthulhu and Abraham Lincoln.

Surprisingly I Care About - DJ Hero
I never really jumped on the Guitar Hero/Rock Band-wagon, and still, I found that I devoured E3 media surrounding DJ Hero because of how different the gameplay mechanics actually were. It's not as much the Guitar Hero clone as I thought it was, and it definitely has a control style inspired by actual DJ experiences. Who knows if I'll buy it, but I can say I'm more intrigued by this than I ever was about Guitar Hero -- even if I don't exactly like the music.

Worst Idea Ever - Wii Vitality Sensor
'Nuff said.

Chance I'll Care About One of the New Racing Games - 100%
I haven't bought a racing game since Gran Turismo 4, and now, with the onslaught of Gran Turismo 5, Gran Turismo PSP, and Forza 3, I can honestly say I'll probably buy a racing game. Who'd have guessed? Surely not me.

Greatest Potential - New Super Mario Bros. Wii
I could award this game Best of the Show, or Best Wii game, or anything else that it probably rightfully deserves, but instead I'll take note that of all the games at E3 2009, New Super Mario Bros. Wii carries with it the greatest potential to be an incredible game. I can't guarantee that it will be incredible though, however I can guarantee that if Nintendo fucks this up I'm walking out on them... and I'm taking my dollars with me. No online play? That was a good start.

Franchise that Suddenly Seems Good - Splinter Cell
It wasn't a particularly shameful thing for me to admit that I never played a Splinter Cell game. I didn't care much about them, Sam Fisher seemed like an uninteresting hero, and I could get similar enough gameplay from Metal Gear Solid. Then I saw the walkthrough of Splinter Cell: Conviction, and I realized that maybe I had given this series an unfair judgment. I can't say I'll go back and play previous entries, but Splinter Cell: Conviction will be high on the list of my Fall 2009 purchases.

Words, on buildings. Why has no one else thought of this?

Biggest Waste of Time - Motion Control Prototypes
I'm actually a fan of Project Natal, and Sony's Motion Control Phallus was... ok. However, the way in which these tools are shown to the public in their prepubescent stages of infancy and glitches is... pathetic. If it's not ready, leave it in the bag. And even more so, if you're promising some of the outlandish things seen in the Project Natal sizzler reel, you'd better prove they actually work. The day Project Natal can scan a skateboard like it did for that kid, I'll eat my shorts. My. Shorts.

Thing I Missed the Most - Trailer Montages
They used to be so fun. Now everyone is stuffy and trying to show these epic walkthroughs of epic games for epic applause. I miss the two minute montage that showed 30 games with a surprise or two thrown in for good measure.

Where was It? - Xbox Live - Bringing it Home
Maybe even more than Half-Life: Episode 3 or Zelda Wii, what I thought was missing from E3 2009 was Bringing It Home. Where were the demos? There were a few trailers and stage videos present on Xbox Live, but not a single demo or surprise Arcade release makes me wonder if Xbox is forgetting the power and usefulness of their service. I guess they thought knowing that I'll soon be able to tweet from my dashboard was enough.

I think that's enough for today. I've waded through my post E3 depression of no good news and started mild anticipation for events like Blizzcon and PAX. Hell, even Comic-con is just around the corner and I can feel my interest bubbling up for that. I've made my list of must-buy Fall releases, and I've decided that I can't, of course, afford anything close to what I need.

And then the Crystal (Ball) Cracked - E3 Predictions Reviewed

2009-06-04T18:27:00.005-04:00

Well, with the big three conferences here and gone, E3 this year may not be quite over yet, but in terms of announcements that tremble the hearts of nerds and leave jaws agape, I think it's safe to say Goodnight. The announcements that did come? Some amazing -- some not quite -- some veer towards the thin line that separates plain stupid from mental retardation. Regardless, predictions were made, so let's discover how well I can estimate the future of the games industry.

Nintendo -

1. Colored Wiis - Maybe not "colored" but a black Wii was announced for Japan. Whatever, I'm counting it.
2. New Super Mario Bros. 2 - I said that this could happen on the Wii. It might not be called a direct sequel, but even still, this is close enough to what I imagined. Actually, it's even better -- props Nintendo, props.
3. Downloadable Virtual Console for DSi - I don't understand why this is so hard for Nintendo to commit to. Not a mention at all of this, what could be a killer service.
4. Pikmin - It exists. Did Nintendo remind everyone of that? No.
5. No New Accessories - If I believed in God, I'd curse him at this point. Damn Vitality Sensor. I'll let my treadmill measure my pulse (If I had one), thank you very much.

Predicted Grade: C-
Actual Grade: C+ - Don't worry, I'm still not in love with the backwards direction Nintendo is heading in terms of many things I love, but a new Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and even Team Ninja's Metroid: Other M deserve some praise. The more I look into this Metroid they're making, the more I think it might not be bad.

Microsoft -

1. The Motion Camera - Project Natal, eh? It has potential to be unique and interesting. I don't ever see it lending itself to hardcore games, but I won't write it off before it is fully realized.
2. New Halo - Halo: Reach. I hit the nail on the head (the rumors helped). Still, I'd rather it be a third-person shooter in the Halo-verse. That needs to be done.
3. Metal Gear Solid - Victory!
4. XBLA Gets Serious & 5. "New Game" from... hmm, I'll say Epic Games - I got them both right, I just didn't know they'd be the same game. Shadow Complex looks great, and I'm always for another Metroidvania.
6. Special Extra Prediction - New game from Rare - Wrong.
7. Special Extra Prediction 2 - Project Offset - So wrong.

Predicted Grade: A-
Actual Grade: B - That was unexpected. Perhaps the mystery hype behind Microsoft's announcements actually hurt them here and resulted in a backlash. What they actually did reveal was in many places awesome, however in others it was actually tame and expected. Who didn't know Crackdown 2 was coming? Great conference, but not earth shattering.

Sony -

1. PSP Go! - It didn't really count that I knew this one -- but whatever, I'm a cheater. What I couldn't have guessed was the price-point. $250.00? Come on Sony, what the hell are you thinking?
2. Metal Gear Solid - I should have guessed two Metal Gear's for Sony. That would have been a little more impressive.
3. Price-Cut then PS3 Slim - I'm not sure how Sony plans to sell systems this fall without making either of these announcements. Rest assured, I'd bet a lot that they're both coming, although, who knows when?
4. Gran Turismo 5 - Maybe Gran Turismo PSP was the GT darling with a serious focus, but we did see Gran Turismo 5 on stage... and guess what? The cars? YOU CAN DAMAGE THEM! Way to go Polyphony! That only took you 10 years or so to deliver.
5. New Syphon Filter - This was an absolute guess on my part. Shows what I get for making absolute guesses.

Predicted Grade - B
Actual Grade - B - I think Sony's conference was actually right around the B range. With some serious announcements lacking -- particularly the ones that would help them get console sales, they otherwise performed well in terms of surprises and interesting game announcements. I, for one, will admit to being hyped by ModNation Racers. Then there's always that Final Fantasy XIV...

Third Party -

1. Valve - Half-Life Episode 3 - Wrong.
2. Capcom - Viewtiful Joe on Wii - Wrong-er.
3. Konami - WiiWare Castlevania - Wrong-est.
4. Square Enix - Kingdom Hearts Wii - Super Wrong.
5. Ubisoft - Prince of Persia - I'm not very good at this.

I think I'll leave third party guesses for someone else next year.

THE GRAND TALLY: 10 correct predictions out of 22
GRADE: F

Nintendo Percentage Correct: 40%
Microsoft Percentage Correct: 71%
Sony Percentage Correct: 60%
Third Party Percentage Correct: 0%

That's that for the E3 crystal ball this year. Next post will be best of show awards.

The 2009 E3 Crystal Ball Prediction Post

2009-05-30T22:49:00.004-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted, and were it not for the fact I'm running out of time I probably wouldn't be making a new post. However, it's pretty much the beginning of the last day before E3, and as is the tradition around here -- predictions need be made. There is of course a system to my madness. I'll allow myself five official predictions for each of the big presenters at E3, and then five third party predictions, and lastly a grade for each showing at the conference. Then, post convention, I'll consider how well I did. So, without blathering on... let's get to it.

Nintendo -

Oh, Nintendo. No one really expects much from you. You're sad, and you hurt me with your inability to create compelling software for your hardcore fan-base. I could complain all day, but it's not like it would change anything, and it's definitely not like I actually expect it to happen. Anyways, what do I think Nintendo could actually deliver for E3 this year? This:

1. Colored Wiis - Long rumored and even seen, I think this E3 is when Nintendo will announce the release of colored Wiis. It's part of their ridiculous strategy of boosting sales when they start to get sluggish by infusing their hardware line with the power of the rainbow.
2. New Super Mario Bros. 2 - What? I'm willing to go out on a limb for something I actually want. It's long past time, and it's been rumored that Nintendo is announcing a Mario game this year. I think this is the one that we'll see -- or at least I hope it is, instead of Mario Math or Mario and Luigi Teach Shit.
3. Downloadable Virtual Console for DSi - I'm just saying ... Gameboy, GB Color, GB Advance games. It'd be cool. I think they can do it. I'm saying they'll do it. I'm probably wrong.
4. Pikmin - It will be there. I don't think anyone is doubting that? Will I care? Not really, no.
5. No New Accessories - Not technically a game, but I'll call this an important prediction. I'm going to say that with Wii Motion Plus not quite out yet and the balance board not even realized for much more than Wii Fit and gimmicks...excuse me, I meant to say just gimmicks, I believe this will be the first Nintendo conference in a while where they don't introduce some new piece of unique, but mostly uninteresting technology. Yippee! Wii Fit Plus, on the other hand? Totally expect that.

Overall Prediction - I apologize for not holding back my general disdain and lack of willingness to believe Nintendo can provide more than their, albeit awesome, key franchise games and other, not so awesome and generally terrible, reaches toward the casual market.
Predicted Grade: C- (If only for New Super Mario Bros. 2)

Microsoft -

Do I liken Microsoft to Jesus Christ these days? Yes, I'll admit it openly from the start. Microsoft is succeeding so admirably at their goals that I can't honestly say many negative things. I turn my Xbox 360 on every single day. I don't even play games that often, and still, between Netflix and other stuff, it's on. Damn I have high regard for this company right now. So, what makes this interesting is that Microsoft, according to the majority of game journalists, has an E3 lineup of absolute mystery. Well then, lots of crazy guesses to follow:

1. The Motion Camera - A bummer I know. This is the thing everyone expects Microsoft to be revealing and I agree. The sad thing? I don't care that much. I can't see how it will work effectively with the majority of good games on the console, so it can only pander to new, casual games -- oh. how. fun.
2. New Halo - Is Halo: ODST enough? I don't think it is. I'm pretty sure Microsoft will be announcing a new Halo to rile up the fans. Will it be Halo: Reach? Probably. It could be something else, but expect two Halo titles this year. I guess that's cool -- I personally hope one is a bad-ass third-person shooter.
3. Metal Gear Solid - Pie in the sky?! I think you'll see Kojima on stage. New game, or MGS4 ported? No idea... but Kojima on stage. 'Nuff said.
4. XBLA Gets Serious - What is the exact game that will make people say, "Oh my... XBLA is going to be awesome." I couldn't even say for sure. However vague it might be, I'm saying there will be more than a simple XBLA montage this year. This year Microsoft will feature an XBLA game in their conference, and it will be sexy.
5. "New Game" from... hmm, I'll say Epic Games - I think it's time for Epic to give a little shout along the lines of, "Yo guys... we do more than Gears." I haven't heard anything that said it could be true, and Gears is keeping them on top of the world right now, but eh, It's a guess. I feel it. So, let's see. I'm thinking they'll go back to a first-person game too. Let's see if I get that one right.
6. Special Extra Prediction - New game from Rare. I say so.
7. Special Extra Prediction 2 - Project Offset - Montage or no -- we'll see it.

Overall Prediction - Well, I'm stoked for this whole affair. Particularly stoked since it's only a little more than 12 hours away. Even my guesses don't seem to cover what would be the "mystery" that Microsoft is touting they have in store and how it's going to change the game forever. Unless of course, they're banking it all on that damn camera. We'll all know soon. On the other hand, Zune HD on stage though? Sounds good to me.
Predicted Grade: A- (Sad, sad camera brings down the hype.)

Sony -

It's so strange to me that everyone is saying that Sony seems like they could have the best E3 of all the consoles. I mean, maybe. They have a somewhat strong lineup of games coming this fall, so it's a possibility. However, in my mind, the winning of E3 is about the new announcements, not what we already know. So, in terms of that - what could Sony bring to the table?

1. PSP Go! - Alright, I'm cheating. This has been announced. It is coming. Well, I don't care. I was going to predict it anyways, so if it hadn't leaked I'd have just been right. It's about time for a new PSP. did Sony change it enough to dent Nintendo's market-share? I'm not even sure. I hope it goes over well though. A killer new PSP would be pretty cool.
2. Metal Gear Solid - Yeah, so Kojima on stage at the Microsoft conference? I said yes. Kojima on stage at the Sony conference? I said yes. If Microsoft gets a ported MGS, Sony will get a new one... and Lords of Shadow. The MGS? I think it'll be on PSP.
3. Price-Cut then PS3 Slim - I'll even go as far as to throw them into a single prediction. I think Sony will announce a price-cut on their current hardware, to push the stock for the new PS3 Slim that also gets announced. It's pretty weighty to expect both, but eh.. I'm that kind of guy.
4. Gran Turismo 5 - I'm not even sure racing games like GT are that big of an announcement anymore, but perhaps I'm biased. I do think however that Gran Turismo 5 will be announced, and in it, the cars will be very shiny. They might even be damageable... or they could take that feature out at a later date.
5. New Syphon Filter - Has it been announced? I'm not even sure. I think we'll see this one though. It's one of the few series that Sony has that isn't currently being employed and if I remember correctly does actually have a good fan base.

Overall Prediction - Sony is undoubtedly going to focus on some great games. God of War 3, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, and then of course there is the new PSP Go!. These things are in the bag and they'll make it a good conference. But the juicy stuff? The unknown factor? I just don't know if it's quite as exciting as what Microsoft could possibly have in store.
Predicted Grade - B

Third Party -

No super long explanations here -- just five third party predictions off the top of my head.

1. Valve - Half-Life Episode 3 - I heard they weren't showing it. I don't care. It's time.
2. Capcom - Viewtiful Joe on Wii - The mystery game? I think that'd be it.
3. Konami - WiiWare Castlevania - Another DS Castlevania? Sure, I love 'em. WiiWare? Now that'd be interesting.
4. Square Enix - Kingdom Hearts Wii - Was this announced? Well, it will be.
5. Ubisoft - Prince of Persia - The movie tie-in game? It has to exist.

That's about everything from me. Happy E3! I could talk on and on about the things I know, 100% will be at the conferences, but that'd be no fun at all.

PS: Wow, I noticed in making this post that my HTML is so rusty. I'm getting terrible.

Good ad? ..or great ad?

2009-04-09T23:52:00.003-04:00

Found this over on Adpunch and fell in love. Also, first post in a while, but I'm not one for excuses.

Movies not to Miss: Dizzle and Bronson

2009-02-04T02:37:00.005-05:00

Two movies that came to my attention today that seemed under the radar but interesting enough that if no one else is I'll at least try to get the word out.

Bronson - Wow. Doesn't it just look incredible? So the story here is true, and I know the trailer is a little off it's rocker, but what you're seeing is Bronson. The man who has spent more time in the prisons of the United Kingdom than any other man alive. Why? He really, really likes to hit things.

The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle - I'll let the trailer speak for itself on this one. It's just a solid indie flick that is deservedly gaining street cred, and I personally hope it cleans up at SXSW.

Thanks Twitch and /Film for bringing these to my attention.

Manuary: 30 Days of Beard Have Ended, Mostly

2009-02-02T12:12:00.004-05:00

And with that, the glorious month of Manuary has come to an end once more. 30 days of beard, celebrated in the name of our lord Cockstrong, have came and gone like the whiskers of the mighty Siberian. I look back now at the things I've done in these 30 days of testosterone and at the things I've failed to do; my accomplishments as a man and my faults. I list them here:

My beard was not once trimmed, shaved, or styled in any manner. Neither was any of my "other hair" for that matter. Praise be the Men.
There was an abundance of flannel and plaid. Praise be the Men.
I organized a following. Praise be the Men.
Liquors were put away, and much beer was drank. Cheap bear, quality beer, no matter. Praise be the Men.
Sports... they were watched. Praise be the Men.
Sex was bountiful and exploratory. Praise be the Men.

And where have I failed my brethren?

Not once did I ice fish. Forgive me my brothers.
My time in garages speaking on engines was not what it could have been. Forgive me my brothers.
There was not an incident of fisticuffs. Forgive me my brothers.
I did not sit and view upon the wise Grizzly Adams or the mighty Macgyver. Forgive me my brothers.
Logs were not chopped, nor boulders heaved. Forgive me my brothers.

House cleaning and The Wrestler.

2009-01-28T00:48:00.006-05:00

I'm still working on bringing a lot of the information on this blog up to date, as it seems to be a much more daunting task than I originally thought. I've updated some of the links (with more to come), updated my Twitter, Bloglog, and Technorati accounts, and I've been fiddling with the best way to keep the blog up-to-date on Facebook. Whether or not I'm brave enough to embark on the journey of a full layout change is yet to be determined, but chances are I'm not.

The only thing I've actually yet to really jump on is posting some worthwhile, interesting content. I used to apologize when my posts were boring, but I think I've since grown comfortable with saying fuck that. My blog = my topics, and sometimes I just want to sit down and do something like write a list of all the junk I want to buy. Imagine how exciting and interestingly written that could be. Whoosh!

The only thing of actual substance that I do have to mention is that last night I was lucky enough to see The Wrestler, a film that I hope tears through the Oscars much the same as Mickey Rourke's career seems to be tearing through Hollywood these days. Plain and simple: The movie was incredible. Mickey Rourke is a hollow shell of a man in many cases, broken and alone, and yet some of the most emotional scenes in the movie are those in which he still lets personality shine through from Randy the Ram. Inviting kids to play NES with him or my favorite, the deli scene where Randy finds his groove in customer service are the real shining moments for this character, and make his tragic role that much more gut-wrenching.

Professional wrestling fans are probably going to take home a lot from his performance and even I saw so much of the inner-workings of that world that I came off with much less bias against the sport than I previously had.

On a side note, a friend and I spoke recently about the ridiculous concept of critics seeing the Christ figure in EVERYTHING (I'll go into greater detail someday, for sure) but strangely enough as soon as I bash the Christ figure bandwagon The Wrestler drops a real-life goddamn Christ figure right in my lap. It's undeniable, it's visible, and hell, it's even mentioned. I'll be damned.

The bottom line: The Wrestler was incredible. I haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire or Milk yet (for shame), but it's my favorite for the Oscar for sure.

Return of the Mack.

2009-01-23T00:45:00.004-05:00

Return of the Mack,
It is,
Return of the Mack,
Come on,
Return of the Mack,
Oh, my god,
You know that I'll be back
Here I am.

In all seriousness, it's the return of the Mack. The last post to grace this blog happened closer to a year ago than I'd like to admit. I let the blog slip in favor of schoolwork, social blah-blahs and did I mention, schoolwork? I've been missing the artful wordsmithery of the days of old lately, so I thought I'd offer myself a chance at blog resurrection, fake Jesus style. The first post back is almost always fluff, so I thought I'd at least get a few things out of the way and then on to the meaty bits next time (Hopefully soon?):

1. As I always, always do when returning to my blog after a break, I'll work out some layout changes in the next few weeks. I've been exploring the old links I had collected on here and some are defunct while others have turned into just plain bad sites. Either way, I'll give those a once-over too. If the blog looks scrappy in the near future, this is why.

2. For the first time ever this blog is linked to my Facebook account via RSS. I'm not 100% sure I like that idea. I hate RSS in the first place because I put mountainous amounts of effort into my layout (seriously, I can't code, this stuff takes me ages to do), and RSS nullifies pretty much all of that. It's just something to do I guess, but if it sticks, I'm sorry to everyone on Facebook that has to see note after note as my posts get more frequent.

3. Hopefully I'll start blogging with relative frequency and even writing outside the blog again, so my portfolio and other information will all be updated soon too. This is all starting to sound more like work than fun; what am I thinking?

Well, that's it for the virgin post. No pictures or anything. Just raw, dirty text. The way it should be for everyone's first time.

Silly Kids and Their Tattoos.

2008-03-04T22:50:00.004-05:00

Today I got beat up by a needle... over and over and over again. Take a close enough look and you can see that my forearms aren't the shape forearms are supposed to be. Also, the image is a little stretched, noticeable mostly in the digitization on my top arm making things look a little uneven.

As a reward for taking the pain like a fucking warrior I'm eating cookies and drinking a large Mountain Dew. Mmmmm... Nothing says loving like stuff that's terrible for you. I'll add more pictures when things are less swollen and ridiculous looking. My next appointment is at the end of the month. My next-next appointment is sometime after that.

The Unlikely Rock Shock

2008-02-12T20:56:00.000-05:00

Nothing really needs said. Listen to more here.

Indiana Jones and the Red Ring of Doom!

2008-02-02T14:10:00.000-05:00

I thought I was safe. I thought that I had found the needle in the haystack. At least this time, anyways. I was totally wrong. This is why I need to learn to never, ever have faith in the manufacturers of video game consoles. They will all break. I imagine it's some corporate conspiracy involving repair fees or instigating early adopters to go back and re-buy the new SKU's that come out every couple months these days. Regardless, Microsoft being the greedy monster corporation they were, they probably went too far with the flood of "breaking damn near every other week" 360's out there. That's why they're fixing mine and everyone else's for free. At least when it comes to the Red Ring of Death. If your 360 is ailing from any other of the popular issues (broken DVD drive, scratching discs, freezing, transforming into a Decepticon and raping your pets whilst maiming close family members) then you're paying the damn repair bill if you're out of the 1 year warrany. Yeah, I didn't know that part until just now either. Fuck the fine print. Here's the hooker in all her glory:

I'll spare you all the horrific story of foreign customer service representatives and swear words and arguments, but I'll clearly state that it wasn't fun, or even what I'd call acceptable. Thanks to this little Snafu I won't be playing Rez HD, or Devil May Cry 4, or anything else scheduled within the next 3-4 weeks. This hurts deeply because I've gotta be honest, I was frothing at the mouth over Chessmaster Live. No joke at all.

I've Always Been this Tough.

2008-01-29T20:30:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to post something ... anything, to get myself going again. Did I mention that I've always been this tough. I mean, god, look at me... that stare can shatter the will of fucking grizzlies!

Scarlett Johannson Sings Me to Sleep.

2007-08-07T01:22:00.000-04:00

I take it you've all heard that Esquire, some time last year, went ahead and deemed Scarlett Johannson the Sexiest Woman Alive. This made me feel pretty much vindicated, as I've been touting that same line for a couple years now. She IS the Sexiest Woman Alive, and sure enough, she just went ahead and proved it once again. See, Scarlett Johannson is making a CD, and while that's a terribly cliche thing for an actor/actress to do, I have to believe that this one is going to be a little different than Eddie Murhpy's 80s disaster, or 30 Odd Foot of Grunt if you even know who that is. The description I found, somewhere in my vast (about 10 minutes worth) internet search on this matter was pretty much perfect; "All movie stars have to at least try to make a CD, because no matter how famous a movie star is, a rock star is, by definition, cooler."

This all comes together, because Ms. Johannson is creating an album of Tom Waits covers, and also, because I've heard her sing. She's silly good. Go ahead, take a listen:

I'll reiterate; the Sexiest Woman Alive with the Sexiest Voice. Did I mention she's my wife? No? Oh yeah... that's not true. She *could* be my wife. We're the same age and all. Let's see what I can do about making that happen. As long as I'm posting pictures, another wouldn't hurt.

Decoding Year Zero: A Dystopian Research Paper

2007-08-05T12:06:00.000-04:00

Decoding Year Zero: The Dystopian Alternate Reality
Written: May 3, 2007

The dystopian concept, present commonly in literature, has proven to be a pervasive notion that imposes itself through various forms of media. Dystopian reality has been explored through theater, radio dramatization, and has even lent itself particularly well to film. Each form of media carries with it the hurdles that dystopian concepts must leap, and in doing so, certain media has proven to be a fertile ground for highlighting and focusing on dystopian ideals. Radio dramatization, in the case of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, suggested that dystopia, otherwise limited to the restrictive and specific nature of literature, can by exceeding that medium become a tool of panic and fear. Film then progressed the notion of dystopia using the visualization of supposed dystopian societies that would have been previously relegated to imagination and nightmare. Now, with the advent of digital delivery and media in a communal, online setting, dystopia has once again adopted itself into new media. The alternate reality game (ARG), a narrative structure defined by user participation and concepts including the hive-like organization of internet communities, has become the latest medium to propose dystopia. The Year Zero album from musical artist Nine Inch Nails has initiated the use of ARG, in conjunction with popular music, as a tool for creating a dystopian narrative structure. Year Zero has taken the necessary steps to prove that new media, and in particular, the interactive nature of the ARG, will be an evolution in the role of dystopia, and how potent and contemporarily significant a vision they are able to provide.

In order to better explore the way in which Year Zero and ARG’s enhance the role of dystopia, one should first consider the definition of an alternate reality game. The platform came to rise with The Beast, a viral marketing experiment conducted surrounding the 2001 film A.I. The credits to A.I. included a listing for a “Sentient Machine Therapist” named Jeanine Salla. This position being impossible to perform with current technology, sleuthing viewers performed internet searches to discover that Jeanine Salla was a worker of Bangalore World University, in the year 2142 (Hon). The comprehensive university website led to a series of other websites and telephone numbers that all suggested the topics contained within were consistent and real. These events propelled the community to interact with fictional characters, and in doing so the creators of the game responded by suggesting puzzles and possible actions that the community could take to ascertain the entire narrative. The entire course of the game expired, and over one million participants had been involved with the solving, discovering, or following of the various puzzles. Popular media sources covered the events, and labeled The Beast as the first alternate reality game. Some of the most popular tenets that persist in ARG’s today were founded within The Beast, in particular, the common notion that most ARG’s focus upon, “This is not a game.” In short, ARG’s do everything possible to suggest through various means that the metacommunications announcing, “This is play,” not arise (McGonigal).

This tenet has been included in almost all ARG’s to date, and it is the most important propellant in the claim that ARG’s yield a more powerful and interactive narrative structure. The potency comes from the participant’s emotion that he is no longer simply viewing the story, but his actions are a significant part of the story. Video games have strived to achieve this sentiment for years, but have seemingly been trapped upon the notion of role-playing. Where a video game injects a player into a fictional world and the player is forced to assume a role, the ARG injects fiction into the actual world, and the player is left free to maintain his position, and in doing so, the presence of self and reality allows the ARG to provide a more powerful narrative structure.

Jordan Weisman, the creative director of 42 Entertainment, an ARG production company responsible for the Year Zero narrative among many others, suggested five other tenets that are beneficial in defining the role of the ARG (Weisman):

1. The concept of a hive mind. The generation we're speaking to now is so communications-obsessed and -enabled, we thought that if given a common emotionally charged history or mission, they would seek each other out and form into a cooperative to investigate and expose the story. We thought if we could get a couple hundred thousand people engaged in a project, various groups-with only one or two degrees of separation-would involve every skill base, every knowledge base on the planet. In reality, when that group formed (on the first ARG) and we had millions of participants instead of hundreds of thousands, not only did they represent every skill base and knowledge base, they didn't even need to go to degrees of separation-it was zero degrees of separation and they had every skill base. In retrospect, what we didn't realize was they had unlimited resources to devote to the subject-in terms of technology, canvassing, whatever was needed. It was very inspiring and daunting.

2. The experiment was to develop a narrative structure that was organic to the web. In looking at the web, I realized that it had been and still is used primarily for distribution of narrative formats that existed prior to the web-audio, video written word etc. There wasn't a narrative structure that embraced the chaotic and frustrating nature of the web. Stepping back and looking at it, I realized a lot of the daily experience of the web is looking through stuff we don't care about to find one thing we do care about. I likened it to archeologists who go through a lot of sand looking for a piece of pottery. After they find that shard they have an idea of how to find more, and if there are enough shards they can reconstruct the society that made the pottery. Similarly, in each of our campaigns we write very elaborate character-driven emotional stories, which is, in any entertainment format the key to everything. Then we create all the evidence that would have existed had that story taken place. Then we throw the story out and bury all the evidence in puzzles that are organic in the story. As the hive mind discovers those pieces and starts to crack the puzzle, they start to gather those bits of evidence. They start with a wide range of theories about what's going on and as they get more info they come to more consensus. Eventually, they've reconstructed our story, but now it's become their story because it's moved through the filter of these millions of minds-it's now a personal piece.

3. The 18-35 demographic has grown up in a marketing-saturated environment and has developed a sophisticated set of tools for avoiding the vast majority of marketing messages. As a rule of thumb, the bigger the neon sign the faster they'll run the other way. So the premise here was, instead of shouting, go the opposite way and whisper-hide it. Finding it becomes an act of discovery-something they can feel proud of and are willing to talk about with their friends. It shifts entertainment presentation from exhibitionist to voyeuristic.

4. The idea of hiding in plain sight. The premise here is that after building this groundswell of revealed info, we could then embed in subtle ways bits of info into the company's normal overt marketing campaign materials without disrupting the messaging they're doing in their normal campaigns. In doing so we turned those other media elements from "must be avoided" into "must be dissected." For a very small amount of additional media dollars, it turns your large investment into something people will seek out.

5. Surround the audience in what we call the electronic sphere in which they live. All demographics at this point live in sphere of communications tech that travels with them all day long-we didn't want these campaigns to live exclusively on their computer screen, we wanted to reach out through every communications mechanism to surround them and allow them to immerse themselves as much as 24 hours a day if they chose to. Whether that was reaching out to the campaign or having the campaign reach out to them, it meant that the campaign took place on the web, obviously, but also on cell phones fax machines, SMS messaging, voicemail, clues in newspaper personal ads, billboards, flyers at live events and at clubs around the world-every medium we could touch.

These tenets have been maintained effectively throughout the entire campaign for the dystopian ARG Year Zero. The course for Year Zero began when a fan noticed the highlighted letters on a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt spelled the phrase, “I am trying to believe.” The phrase led to the discovery of the first website, www.iamtryingtobelieve.com, in which the initial concepts of Year Zero were covered (Gunderson 01D). The website suggested through newspaper clippings that U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Anaheim were victims of devastating biological attacks, and the government intended to use these attacks as an opportunity to introduce a pharmaceutical drug, Parepin, into the water supplies of major cities including New York, Washington D.C., Boston, and others. The creator of the website explains that Parepin may be responsible for, among many other things, muscle spasms, hallucinogenic reactions, inability to reach orgasm, dropping birth rates, and most importantly, the sedation of the user into compliancy, while the government suggests that Parepin is the immunization technique against various forms of bioterrorism (I Am Trying To Believe).

Subsequent pieces of the Year Zero narrative structure were discovered through USB drives left conspicuously at Nine Inch Nails performances. The community to which an ARG needs to solve the puzzles had already been built, and the contents of the flash drives were immediately subjugated to the tech-savvy puzzle solving of a hive-mind group. The songs contained within were placed under spectrographic analysis, and discovered to contain an image of another piece of the Year Zero narrative, The Presence, a massive hand stretching downward from the sky, as well as a telephone number that rang as the U.S. Bureau of Morality. These and other hidden pieces led to the discovery of the next Year Zero website, www.anotherversionofthetruth.com. The website contained a picture of a serene, rural setting of an idealized America, with the text, “A New Beginning! Zero Tolerance – Zero Fear – America is Born Again.” Dragging the mouse over the advertisement provided by the U.S. Bureau of Morality reveals a hidden image, one that would properly be described as an apocalyptic wasteland. The decaying remnants of an American setting are superimposed with the text, “The Beginning of the End. Zero Hope – Zero Chance.” Within this image, the first two words of, “This message brought to you by the U.S. Bureau of Morality” have been blacked out, to suggest that the destroyed society is in fact the result of this fictitious government agency (Another Version of the Truth).

Other websites and pieces of the puzzle were discovered using many similar tactics, and ultimately a timeline was built surrounding Year Zero and the major events that led to its eventual occurrence. The timeline, as created by users on www.ninwiki.com, reads as follows (Year Zero Timeline):

The NINWiki Year Zero Timeline

If nothing else, the large and growing scope of events contained within the timeline proves that the narrative structure within ARG’s is laden with depth, and the role of the participant in discovering these events is integral to providing a dystopia that is more in tune with a contemporary setting. Of particular importance is the event occurring on February 10, 2002, or in the adjusted timeline on February 10, 0000, this scientific experiment is the basis for which all of the underground banned information is said to have been sent back in time, and ultimately, the reason for which it is available to users presently. This tying of the story to our own possible future likens Year Zero to prophecy, in which the participants are able to discover future events, and approach their supposed occurrence with heightened regard for the narrative structure. This has always been possible with other mediums as well, but only with digital delivery has it been found to be a particularly potent driving force in appealing to the participant.

The summary of events known to presently occur in the Year Zero timeline shares not only the similarity of prophecy with other forms of media, but also many of the themes, motifs, and symbols within Year Zero are present in other supposed dystopian realities. Most obviously, the complacency induced society by the drug Parepin parallels not only the contemporary reliance of the populace on drugs like Prozac, but also the alcohol driven society in 1984, and very similarly the widespread use of Soma within Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. This concept of dehumanizing the society is taken to its extreme in Year Zero however; as Parepin, through overly calming, is probably responsible for the removal of the sex drive altogether, and the subsequent lowering of the birth rate.

A lowered birth rate is also mirrored within the text The Handmaid’s Tale, as the result of widespread exposure to ecological disaster, whereas in Year Zero ecological disaster is replaced with bioterrorist attacks. Ultimately, both societies are left without many of their coastal cities. The Nation of Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale shares many other concepts with Year Zero, specifically the removal of Constitutional Law and an elected President occurs in both texts, as well as that of a centralized religion. Each text also has a burgeoning resistance, as they are both early dystopian societies, unlike 1984 in which The Party is heavily established and resistance seems futile.

All of these shared concepts prove that dystopia within an ARG setting can deliver many of the same ideals as dystopia in popular literature, but it is through interactivity and communal participation that it attempts to surpass them. The nature of dystopia is to rely on contemporary society and then propose a potential future or alternate society that is a negative interpretation of modern fears. Literature and all media can succeed in this endeavor, but the internal narrative device contained in traditional media can only propose a possible, fictitious society. The reader is always left the opportunity to remove himself from the events, or suggest that his reality, his society, would be incapable of progressing on the path to a particular dystopia. ARG’s, on the other hand, suggest that the future society is the participant’s society, and they lay forth a consecutive series of events, almost always with relation to modern fears and anxieties, that seem probable and realistic. The participant is forced to accept the fear that his reality can lead to a dystopia, and he is presented with the course of events to maintain a vigilant watch for. Unfortunately, the strength and potency of the ARG dystopia only exists until the timeline has been proven false, and the events never occur. This too could be said of literature, as texts like 1984 lose some of their authenticity as the setting reveals itself to be inaccurate.

The most interesting aspect of the ARG is that in exciting the participant with a possible future reality, dystopian or not, the nature of belief, and volunteered belief, is raised as an issue. There may be similar events and modern fears, but most would still argue that a dystopian setting like Year Zero, set in the future, is largely and obviously fictional. Yet, the role of the player is skewed through their participation, and the player assumes a role of belief unknowingly, and defends the fictional world he has helped create. When gaps are present in the timeline, the hive-mind and community of players make the effort to fill and defend all arguments. In short, they help to create the setting just as much as they unravel it (McGonigal).

The Year Zero ARG benefits from this participatory creative notion held by its participants, but this particular piece of dystopian fiction also carries the weight of being an album of popular music. Just as many ARG’s rely specifically upon their role as viral marketing for films and games, the same must be said of Year Zero. The creation of a cohesive narrative structure between both the ARG and the Year Zero album makes use of trans-media storytelling, but each half of the structure is still in some way independent. In this situation, is Year Zero still valid as a piece of popular music? That is not to suggest that the Year Zero album doesn’t support the timeline, as it does. The lyrics and imagery all point towards the subsequent Year Zero event and specific items of the narrative structure are present. The songs each highlight and cryptically focus upon the plot devices within Year Zero. Starting with "Capital G," in which the leader of the supposed dystopian reality is blatantly intended to be President George Bush, other pieces of the puzzle, such as the military running the government in “Survivalism,” and the role of the church to watch the citizenry in "God Given,” are all nodded towards within the album (Sheffield). Take this particular instance from the song “The Warning,” concerning The Presence (Nine Inch Nails): “Some say it was a warning/Some say it was a sign/I was standing right there/When it came down from the sky/The way it spoke to us/We felt it from inside/Said it was up to us/Up to us to decide.”

Yet, while Year Zero the album may focus specifically on a dystopian world, it still must rely upon the foundation of popular music, which has become a largely disposable and forgettable machine. Is it safe to assume that without the addition of the ARG, that Year Zero would have failed in providing a narrative structure deep enough to propose a potential dystopia? The critical reception of the album has largely written off the potential concept of dystopia and instead suggested that the direction of the album served only as a catalyst to reinvigorate the quality of music Nine Inch Nails is able to deliver (Sheffield). This raises another question: While the ARG is open-ended and available in a communal setting, is it seemingly oppressive enough to alienate those that aren’t involved in the participation of the game? Ultimately, the critical reception of the album and the nature of popular music may be detracting to the Year Zero ARG, but the progress of the timeline and the participation of the players should continue nevertheless. The two elements of the larger project aren’t particularly independent, but one, the ARG in particular, should be able to carry the burden of the other if it fails in proposing a dystopian setting that will be popularly regarded.

It is the alternate reality game that is the most interesting aspect of the Year Zero narrative, and it is only fitting that while the album may stutter in its interpretation of dystopia, the strength of this particular piece of new media is enough to carry both into a cohesive and impressive position among many other dystopian settings. The ARG has proven through Year Zero to be a vivid and potent tool for dystopian narratives, and the definition and tenets of ARG’s are in line with propelling this plot further. That is not to suggest that Year Zero shatters the boundaries of all the dystopian literature and media that has come before it. Our fears are much the same as they have always been, and as such, dystopia must, in order to play upon them, recycle the concepts of 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Brave New World. Where Year Zero propels from the traditional examples of dystopia is in providing the opportunity for the user to piece the narrative structure together, determine the connections with contemporary society, and ultimately, by creating a form of voluntary belief, possibly defend this fictional setting as a possible course for reality. Year Zero has given rise to a new evolution in dystopian setting, and it is one which grows through participation and is created with the possibility to change as quickly as our fears.

Works Cited

"Another Version of the Truth." Another Version of the Truth. 3 May 2007 .

Gundersen, Edna. Reznor nails big 'Zero' on the future." USA Today 19 Apr 2007: Life 01D.

Hon, Adrian. "The Rise of ARGs." Gamasutra. 09 May 2005.
CMP Game Group. 3 May 2007 .

"I Am Trying to Believe." I Am Trying To Believe. 3 May 2007 .

McGonigal, Jane. "A Real Little Game: The Performance of Belief in Pervasive Play."
Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA). Utrecht. Nov 2003.

Nine Inch Nails. “The Warning.” Year Zero. Nothing Records, 2007.

Sheffield, Rob. "Rolling Stone : Year Zero : Review." Rolling Stone. 17 Apr 2007.
Rolling Stone. 3 May 2007 .

Weisman, Jordan. "42's 5 principles of arg." CREATIVITY Volume 14. Issue 1. Jan 2006
03 May 2007 .

"Year Zero Timeline." ninwiki. 01 May 2007. MediaWiki. 3 May 2007 .

This research paper has been removed from its original format, and thus may contain certain formatting errors.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance and Diablo Game Design

2007-07-25T23:21:00.000-04:00

Marvel Ultimate Alliance wasn't easy to come by. I had to wait until just a few weeks ago to pick the game up; this is partly due to my strict law of judging certain games as being worth a certain amount of my dollars (in this case, no more than precisely $23.00), but also because for some reason people seem to have viewed it as popular enough for that price to not come to pass within something like a year of its release. I can't say I'm suprised as that's becoming basically the habit with games this generation, considering Dead Rising is still bringing in a regular $30 a solid year after its release, which is a game that I've decided I won't pay more than precisely $20.00 for. Don't ask me where I get these numbers from; they come to me like alien transmissions.

Regardless, I finally did get Marvel Ultimate Alliance, and I've since played through the games story, ultimately realizing why it is probably just that the price hasn't dropped. Marvel Ultimate Alliance is a pretty rich, and rewarding experience; it's also Diablo 2. Those two things are slightly related. Some quick, obvious examples of the similarities between both games:

- Both games are centered upon a 5 Act structure
- Both games play fundamentally the same (hack n' slash)
- Both games feature enemy mobs that carry the same benefit as their leader
- Both games are driven by story cutscenes outside gameplay (mostly anyways)
- Both games feature upgradeable skills

These are pretty generic things, but above and beyond all of them is the truth that the two games just feel undeniably similar. Remove from Diablo the Blizzard feel, and replace it with a Marvel feel, not to mention remove the Thundering Longsword of the Whale and replace it with Spider-Woman's Nano-Fiber Suit, and there isn't much else separating the two. Excluding of course the fact that Marvel Ultimate Alliance is buggy as all hell.

It wasn't buggy to the point of being distracting, but it was noticeable that the developer maybe reached a few steps beyond their ability in striving for a Diablo-like structure. This is most obvious when you come to realize that you're playing with 30 (or so) Marvel characters, and the game isn't set to recognize the character with whom you're controlling outside battle. Walking around the starting area (there's a separate one in each Act; Stark Tower, Dr. Strange's Mansion, Valhalla, the Moon home of the Inhumans, and Doomstark) and speaking with the NPCs can leave you groaning. In Asgard I'd speak to Valkyrie with Thor, and she would proceed to greet me as, "Human, welcome to Valhalla." I'm pretty sure that shit would offend the God of Thunder. Add to this the fact that with the additional downloadable characters players can literally speak to Bruce Banner as the Hulk, or speak to Dr. Doom, as... Dr. Doom. It's a little jarring, and it makes the game seem sloppy.

My team throughout the game consisted of Wolverine, Iron Man, Thor, and Deadpool pretty much exclusively. Originally, I planned to play through the game with my new Marvel favorite Moon Knight, but honestly, he sucked. Iron Man only maintained a position as temporary teammate until I'm able to unlock the Silver Surfer. There's no substitution for the Power Cosmic in the guise of man. Most of the characters have four costumes, which makes for a hell of a lot of customization in your team. Iron Man's Ultimates costume was a large factor in keeping him around; it's just plain awesome.

The game is very story driven, and the story is pretty much tantamount to anything you'd see coming from Marvel these days anyways. Expect all the super villains to gather, someone important to actually die (not Captain America!), and the world to get totally ravaged by the end of the game. Honestly, I never would have thought that the story would have been as good as it was. It takes you on a journey to Mephisto's Realm, Asgard, the homeworld of the Shi'Ar, the Skrull Planet, Latveria, and other places as well.

I can't say anything better or worse about it really; Marvel Ultimate Alliance was worth my dollars, and I'd dare say it would have been worth even more than $23.00. I've got a lot of unlocking and Achievement-whoring to do, and I'm looking forward to the majority of it. Diablo fans should love it...

Knocking you into the next dimension!

2007-07-23T18:02:00.000-04:00

Why does Fatal Fury: Battle Archives Volume 1, supposedly releasing next month, matter?

1. It will probably cost $20. I don't much care if it's a terrible, terrible game. It's a piece of gaming history, in a genre I find enjoyable, and $20 makes it totally worthwhile.
2. This is a 2D fighter, but sometimes Mai Shiranui will hit your ass so hard, that she'll knock you right into the next dimension.

Now let's see if SNK can follow up with three more 2D fighters before the end of the year, and hopefully they'll all be at the same price-point too.

Worst week ever? A Running Tally

2007-07-19T02:24:00.000-04:00

Let's take a look at the news dropping this week:

1. Peter Moore is leaving Microsoft to head up EA Sports. Not that it fucking matters, but I did like the guy. - Down 5 Points
2. Square Enix announces Final Fantasy 13 is 13% finished, and Final Fantasy 13 Versus is 1.3% finished. What?! - Down 10 Points
3. Microsoft announces that there will not be an X07 event. - Down 15 Points
4. A new Guilty Gear is announced. It's not a 2D fighter. - Down 20 Points
5. Capcom's mystery 2D fighter is not Street Fighter 4, but a Sengoku Basara game that will likely never be released in the US. - Down 25 Points
6. Capcom says Resident Evil 5 might not be released until 2009. - Down 30 Points
7. Bungie announces Halo 3 will likely ship WITHOUT online co-op. - Down 35 Points
8. The creator of Katamari Damacy, one of my favorite games, is making a game based on the whimsical nature of a double-headed dildo. + Up 35 Points

Tally Score = Breaking Even

That's a lot of bad, terrible, horrible, dirty, heart-crushing news; but that just goes to show that there are few things a double-headed dildo can't fix. Good looking out, Keita Takahashi!

You can find me in Springfield.

2007-07-15T01:52:00.000-04:00

It started with the South Park character generator, and then a thousand other create-an-avatar interfaces soon came flowing forth from the depths of the Netspace. It was doubly funny that they all tried to aim for that iPod appeal of silly branded titles. I can see the ads now, "Create your Twingy here. Custom Moblo's for everyone. Your very own Woompla." I imagine they all used the same damned interface and the same avatar design options. They're either stealing it from each other at lighting speed, or it's the same company behind them all. The Mii's were the perfect storm, as they came tied-in to Nintendo's gaming platform, or so it seemed at the time; we're obviously still yet to see them in much other than Nintendo's own games. Just one more gripe I have for the company that inspires no less than a million of the same.

Regardless, all of the avatar creation utilities can now be put to rest, because The Simpsons Movie website has come bearing the last we'll ever need. Web crawlers can now create themselves, in full Simpsons guise, with relative ease and infinite hilarity. It's not quite as robust as I would have liked, but it's just as addicting as Miis or the South Park generators, and it easily overshadows the Twingy/Moblo/Woompla phenomenons. I'm not really sure if they were ever phenomenons; somehow I doubt it.

I've made a short post long, but what I originally set out to say was, "Here I am, as a Simpsons character." Now, go and make yourself.

The Simpsons Movie Website via Fjetsam

Beatiful Boxes - Army of Two

2007-07-09T21:11:00.000-04:00

Here's something I wasn't really expecting. EA's Army of Two has some of the nicest cover art I've seen this side of all the Steelbook and Collector's Edition fare that loads the shelves these days. I'm all for the extra content, and I love a sexy Steelbook, but when a company puts their asses in gear and makes a standard case look like something stellar, that deserves a little praise. Here's hoping they don't go tweaking or fiddling around with this cover; it's beautiful just the way it is.

The game itself is another issue, but I'll be honest and say that I'm more excited for this than I was for Black, EA's last fledgling shooter franchise. The humor and deep co-op gameplay look really interesting, and the aggro system seems wonderfully orchestrated. Something tells me I'll end up buying this, just unfortunately long down the road from its release.

E3 Predictions ... and my 100th Post!

2007-07-09T00:43:00.000-04:00

This is my 100th post in the Zenspace catalog. That's chump change to some guys, but I just thought I'd share what is, to me, a small milestone. This is also the reason I hadn't posted in a while, as I was trying to decide on how to best commemorate the event. I wanted to take a historical cruise through the Zenspace, highlighting a post from every ten posts or so, and remember what led me to now. Unfortunately, that seemed like a lot of work and it just wasn't getting done. Add to that my actual desire to post on a bunch of other things but then I was unable to, thanks to not wanting to ruin the 100th Post thing ... and, well, it obviously gets a little silly.

So, I decided that E3 take center stage instead, and this is undoubtedly the proper choice to make. It is E3 after all. We're only a couple days out from the Microsoft conference with less than 48 hours to go, but I've still got just enough time to lay down some predictions to see if I have my finger on the industry. Chances are, I don't. My GDC '07 predictions turned out to be pretty much a bust so far (actually, they could still be OK), so we'll see how I do this time. By company seems the best way to go about it:

Microsoft

The Wii's coming in to this E3 riding high on popular opinion, but Microsoft's the crew actually in first place. This is interesting in particular, because Microsoft's never been here before and I'm not sure they understand the delicacies of maintaining hype. They'll always have a pull thanks to Halo and Grand Theft Auto 4, but the biggest problem I foresee for Microsoft so far is the utter lack of any surprise. We know no less than 100 games headed to the 360 in the next year, and many of them are all striving for blockbuster status. The question has to be, what else could they possibly have left to announce? Not much, I think. Microsoft's biggest problem will be showing people awesome stuff from awesome games, but nothing will be a surprise. They'll rely on Banjo Threeie, Mass Effect, Too Human, maybe even Halo Wars, and all the other games that we've known about since this went down last year. In short, Microsoft blew their load early to get in first place, and now they've either got to be warming up for another go, or they're dead in the water.

If the surprises do come, it might be another of Rare's titles finally getting a trailer, or some of the Japanese games we've known were in development. Although, I wouldn't hold my breath for any of those games; we may have felt it was necessary to cut back E3 to make it a more serious affair, but that doesn't mean Japanese companies are going to be comfortable announcing their titles in rooms that aren't filled with screaming fans. In case you're wondering, I'm talking specifically about Itagaki; I don't think the rock star will be happy with Ninja Gaiden 2 in a stuffy hotel conference room.

I think the Microsoft handheld thing is a joke, and if that's announced I'll be so blown away that I might just never try to predict anything ever again. I don't care if Dean Takahashi claims they're working on it or not, it just doesn't seem realistic. At all.

- Five Predictions and Un-Predictions -

1. 60% - We'll see a demo of Devil May Cry 4 on Xbox Live.
2. 10% - There will be a 360 pricedrop announced (Just don't see it happening).
3. 60% - Capcom will announce Dead Rising 2 (This could be multi-platform).
4. .1% - Microsoft announces a handheld gaming device.
5. 10% - They do the unthinkable; Peter Moore's tattoo is Metal Gear Solid 4.

Overall Place Prediction (in hype) after the show: Second

Nintendo

Please don't think I'm a hater after all this, but it's going to sound bad. See, I'm a hardcore gamer, and for that reason, I have some real problems with the Wii. I understood all the things they were saying when they announced what the purpose of this silly little machine was, and who it was directed towards, but I didn't think they'd actually go as far as they have. Or, maybe I did, but I thought they'd do it without forsaking me. That's the big problem I think Nintendo might have at this E3. Forsaking the hardcore gamer. They've already done it at their last media summit, and all these rumors keep swirling about this game or that game being canned in favor or more casual software. I'll say it right here, if Nintendo leads off E3 with announcements of casual games for the Wii, they've lost. They might fucking win the hearts and minds of the world, but they've lost me, and I think they're going to do it.

They might have one good year left in them, obviously with Smash, Metroid, and Mario coming (and we'll get dates for at least one of the second two at E3), but Wii Health, Wii Music, My Word Coach, and whatever the hell else there is, that can not be the focus of E3! Cassamasina claimed there is going to be a franchise renewal this year, and I'll make it very clear, if it's not Kid Icarus or Punch Out, I'm well beyond pissed. Actually, Punch Out worries me in itself, because I don't think the Wiimote is, at this point, sensitive enough to make a boxing game any better than Wii Sports Boxing, which is nothing more than a clusterfuck of flailing arms.

I think we might see Mario Kart, but I was never vastly into the series anyways. I think they'll show some WiiWare titles as well, just a couple in a montage or something, but they're so far off that it won't matter much anyways. Why are they so far off though? That's the question. It has, has, has to be for Nintendo to have enough time to figure out what to do with a HDD situation. Announcing it now, I'm not so sure, but it's, at this point, a necessity. Virtual Console and WiiWare titles are going to destory the 512MB available on the Wii, and carrying 20 SD Cards isn't a realistic alternative. The Neo Geo titles coming down the pipeline are only going to exacerbate this as well.

DS redesign? No.

- Five Predictions and Un-Predictions -

1. 85% - Nintendo announces Kid Icarus for the Wii.
2. 45% - Nintendo announces Metroid DS.
3. 30% - Nintendo announces New Super Mario Bros. 2 (Really feeling TGS on this one).
4. 65% - A Wii HDD is announced ...and it isn't big enough.
5. 05% - A DS redesign is announced.

Overall Place Prediction (in hype) after the show: Third

Sony

Sony. The monster. The behemoth. The $600 leviathan. Oh, excuse me, I meant $500. Sony's coming in to E3 with the world looking at them in a collective WTF? No one is exceptionally happy with their pricepoint, their handheld, their online structure (till Home anyways, and even then who knows), their non-stance on exclusives ... am I missing anything? They've got the most to prove, and here's an interesting thing from the guy without the Playstation 3; I see them pulling it off. The $100 price drop was the beginning of what I think is going to be a good week for Sony, that is if they don't rely too much on Metal Gear Solid 4. I'm not saying I don't want to see the game, but I'll say it one more time, winning E3 is about building new hype. We need to see MGS4, of course, but we need something else too. Something that is so new and unannounced it will blow our sneakers off. I think they might have something, what it is though, I have no idea. Also, if they go ahead and announce the PSP redesign as well as the PS3 price drop, they win by default. Cheaper hardware and new hardware is like, unbridled victory.

I think the PSP redesign is all but confirmed too. I could talk about their software but I don't have any idea what they've got planned. Some Final Fantasy tidbits would be nice, but like I said above, I think J-developers are going to be moving pretty heavily towards TGS these days, and in an off-the-wall prediction, I think that's where Square will announce the Final Fantasy VII remake. This year? Not so sure.

- Five Predictions and Un-Predictions -

1. 90% - A PSP redesign is announced.
2. 90% - A demo for Heavenly Sword is available on PSN. I weep at how cool it looks.
3. 60% - Little Big Planet steals another show.
4. 10% - There is no new Sony exclusives other than first party titles.
5. 01% - The Final Fantasy VII remake is announced.

Overall Place Prediction (in hype) after the show: First

- 10 Things I'm Particularly Stoked For -

1. More Smash Bros. Characters. Sonic to be FINALLY shown.
2. Condemned 2: Bloodshot being shown, and looking even more fantastic.
3. Golden Axe. Does it still exist?
4. Mario vs. Sonic at the Olympic Games videos. Sorry, I LOVE the Olympics.
5. Capcom announcing their new 2D fighter. It being THE game that ends all things.
6. New PSP games. I'm digging the lineup, but more is always better.
7. A new Castlevania DS game. A man can dream, no?
8. Seeing larger-scale planets in Mario Galaxy.
9. A new Mistwalker game, or Lost Odyssey in-depth. I'll take either.
10. Worthwhile content on Xbox's Bringing It Home E3 campaign.

100 Word Reviews - Volume One

2007-06-27T01:03:00.000-04:00

The amount of entertainment and media that I wallow through is sometimes a little intimidating. It's even more intimidating to think that I often would like to write something about each movie I watch, book or comic I read, or game I play. I think to do so would be noble and just, and bring the Zenspace to the forefront of coverage for such a small blog, but in terms of the actual amount of time I have, it's just damned impossible. So instead, I think I'll start tearing out a series of posts called 100 Word Reviews. In 100 words or less, I'll give the best impressions of something I possibly can, and I'll even try to keep the prose interesting and more creative than regular review-type fair. We'll see how that goes anyways, my creative writing is, at best, average. Why talk forever about something that's meant to be done in 100 words then? Let's just get started:

Movie: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (AKA Shaolin Master Killer)
Year: 1978, DVD: 2007
Genre: Kung-Fu, Chop Socky, The Best Things Ever Created
Available: Amazon

Imagine a version of Rocky that stopped at the end of the training montage, and then started again at the beginning, this loop repeating forever. Infinitely pumping that energetic Frank Stallone montage jam until your cock was erect and you were tearing out one-hand push-ups with fluid ease and primal motivation. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is the never-ending training montage, only sans the motivational theme song. Doubly important is the truthful realization of every American boy’s wet dream; a man enters a Shaolin temple with the goal of telling Buddhism to fuck off; he only wants to kick ass.

Music: Icky Thump by The White Stripes
Year: 2007
Genre: Rock, Whatever, Awkward Brother/Sister/Ex-Wife Relations
Available: Amazon

With undeniable surprise, The White Stripes offer classic rock a rebirth. Everything old is new again in Jack and Meg’s, but let’s be honest here, mostly Jack’s, auditory jumble-fuck of guitar squealing mayhem. Homage is an apt term for Icky Thump, but to whom or what is a mystery. It all sounds so familiar, but the presence of Jack White’s catalog of instruments makes for a unique listen. I don’t know what these sounds are coming from, but I’d wager things like harpsichords, glockenspiels, and electric kazoos aren’t far off. Who really cares? It rocks like something we’d long forgotten.

Manga: Brave Story Volume 1
Year: 2007
Genre: Action/Fantasy, Blatantly Average
Available: Amazon

A boy who’s terrible at everything but videogames finds himself chosen as a Traveler, those who navigate between two worlds. It’s as if they didn’t know this would play to the heartstrings of thousands of lonely bastards locked in their bedrooms without the benefit of depression solving sexual relations. Notably, the subsequent release of an actual game and an anime feature makes for a marketing triumvirate of Brave Story, just enough to be physically smothered in a story that’s not too appealing and characters that aren’t too deep. Minus, of course, that one kid who’s father killed his entire family.

A Quick Conversation with XBLA - Part 2

2007-06-24T00:41:00.000-04:00

There are some people you just don't ever expect to run into. XBLA, he's one of those people. The sneaky bastard will pop up at the most inopportune moments, and without thinking, you'll be forced into making snap judgments about him based on the way he acts. I've done this before, and I realize now that I might have been too harsh on an addict. We've all seen down times, and this poor bastard was just suffering from a dip in the sine curve that is life. So, when I saw him the next time, I was, well, entirely unready for the following. This is the transcribed conversation that XBLA and I had when he suddenly appeared at my workplace, the Barnes and Noble Cafe.

ME: Hi! How can I help yo... Oh, it's you.
XBLA: Hello sir! I remember you, I think, Burger King right?
ME: Um, yeah ... You know, if you cut back on the partying, you might remember things better.
XBLA: Hardly. I haven't partied in months. I've been living the high life without living the high life, you see? I'm on top bitch!
ME: Can't remove the trailer from the park apparently.
XBLA: Whatever that means. Anyways, I see you whoring yourself out to those achievement points. 145 for Double Dragon? You know that was a shit game, right?
ME: .... Yeah, I know. ... I couldn't help it.
XBLA: You're hooked! Then I STILL got you on Lumines. You're buying that new content, aren't you?
ME: Unfortunately.
XBLA: You sorry fucks and your skins. It's like, more of a fucking ripoff than Guitar Hero 2 songs.
ME: Dude! You obviously know what's still wrong, why don't you fix it?
XBLA: Why? Why should I care? You're still buying shit. You just bought Prince of Persia, and you're probably gonna buy Pac-Man, and Band of Bugs too.

I realized at this moment that I was at work, and I could end this here to go and ... well, work; but here he is, this smug bastard, and that last sentence made me taste a little throw-up. He's right. He's 100% fucking right. Do you know what it's like to sit and speak with the guy who's raping you with the force of a silverback gorilla? The restraint it takes just to not leap the counter and lose my source of employment is more than I can describe. Then again, half the money's going to his stupid fucking themes and picture packs anyways.

ME: Man, I've got to get back to work.
XBLA: Can't handle being near the man, huh?
ME: ... Yeah, something like that.
XBLA: Hey, did you see the critical reception for Pac-Man, they fucking ate that shit up. I knew they would; give 'em shit and they'll complain all day, give 'em shit with sparkles and they'll make you King.
ME: Let's not forget about the King. I saw Burgercon on there, McDonald's giving out Austin Powers for free and all, he's bound to get a little jealous.
XBLA: Oh My God. He called me the second it went live. Crying like a little bitch. What a fucking douche; he can't even take a little healthy competition.
ME: I can see where this is going.
XBLA: Damn right you can! I've gone and fucked the competition right in the ass. Sony can't get a single thing right, except for Calling all Cars, and I hear that's not even that amazing. Do I even need to bring up Virtual Console? They want $5 for NES games. It's like getting fucked by Reggie himself, and I hear he's huge...
ME: Oh God ... the imagery ... please, stop.
XBLA: HaHaHa. So, are you ready for what's coming up?

The conversation's a little more casual at this point. He's raping me; he knows it; I know it, and it sucks. The prices are too high, the content is sometimes shady, and, well, he's still an asshole. He's a giant asshole actually, but I'm getting used to it. Kind of like that one friend who never picks up the bill, XBLA's been fucking me for a while, and in the least homo-erotic way I can possibly say it, I'm pretty used to it. I can't say I enjoy the feeling, but I'm like cellmates with this guy, so it's an unfortunate necessity. The part that I know is coming next is the most interesting though, the part where he makes clear that our dark relationship is undoubtedly going to continue, whether I'd like it or not. The most important bit, though, is that I have one hell of a line of customers that he doesn't seem to care about.

ME: Dude, I've really got to get these guys soon. That old lady is looking mighty pissed.
XBLA: Fuck her, she doesn't Game, man. She's nothing. She'll fucking croak soon anyways. Just wait 5 minutes and she won't even be standing to worry about getting her drink.
ME: Good God, dude, that's one of the worst things I've ever heard.
XBLA: Well, get ready for one of the best. You're not, are you? Not only have I been flooding you with stellar shit up to this point, but it's only going to get better and you know that.
ME: Like?
XBLA: Like fucking Street Fighter, in HD my cheeky friend! Undertow, whatever the hell it's about ... I don't even know myself! Bomberman Live is this summer and I fucking know you're buying that; knowing you, you'd buy two just to keep them making more. Carcassone is going to be sooner than you think, and, well, the list is giant my friend. I'm the fucking Godfather of content these days, actually, fuck that, I'm like Odin the Allfather. I've got movies out the ass, and anime too. You can't resist that shit. Fuck, Puzzle Quest, I know how bad you want to play that, and you even passed on it because you wanted it with achievements right? You're. My. Bitch.
ME: Alright, point made. Can I get the old lady now? She's looking woozy.
XBLA: I guess. I'll see you every Wednesday. These days, I might see you twice each Wendesday; I'm that good.
ME: Fuck.
XBLA: Eh?
ME: She just hit the floor. I better call someone.

XBLA is laughing as he walks away, and I'm calling 911 for Grandma Death that just dropped to the floor. Whether she passed out from exhaustion or she dropped to the floor asking Jesus forgiveness from hearing the language XBLA casually spits forth, I'm not sure. Probably the Jesus thing; It's always the Jesus thing these days. The throw-up taste is gone, but I can't help feeling bitter. I like controlling my life, but this guy, this fuck XBLA, he's got me hooked and I know it. This guy who just a few months ago was hooked himself and treading the downward spiral. Bomberman Live though, it sounds so good ...

Check out my first conversation with XBLA here.

Moon Knight: He'll Cut your Face Off

2007-06-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

It's about time I put this post together, and I thought it would be important to start with the single most prominent thing about Moon Knight. Don't give him any shit, or he'll go ahead and cut your fucking face right off. I'm serious. If that isn't hardcore for a Marvel hero, I don't know what is.

In a panel that invoked everything hardcore that one could possibly bring to mind, Moon Knight does that deed to his arch-nemesis the Bushman, which was probably a good thing, because if I was going to commit to reading a book about a relatively lesser-known hero, I really don't want to hear about his unending battle with a fellow called Bushman. That shit would have gotten old really fast.

I'm getting a little ahead of myself, so I'll jump back to a more proper introduction. Moon Knight was relaunched just long enough ago for the first graphic novel collecting issues 1-6 to have recently made it to stores. I'd heard all about the critical reception of the new book and basically, it was praise all around. A ton has to go the artist, in this case David Finch (pretty sure), for bringing Moon Knight back with some serious style. In truth, he's not the toughest guy around, and I think even he'd admit it, but the way he looks in the relaunch you wouldn't be able to tell otherwise.

The evolution of Moon Knight from Casper the Ghost to Spawn in White.

The character is essentially Batman, in look and in spirit, as he's got no actual magnificent powers to work with. Add a dash of Spawn with the new gritty art style, cowl, cloak, and attitude; and top it off with some ancient Egyptian mythology, and that's Moon Knight in a nutshell. One of the coolest bits is where they explain why a character labeled Moon Knight, and obviously a patron of the nighttime hours, wears a shining white getup. Get this; it's because he's so hard that he wants them to see him coming, and be damned afraid he's there. Now doesn't Batman look a bit pansy from hiding in those shadows all the time?

The Egyptian mythology comes in to play through the backstory of Moon Knight and his relationship with the deity Khonshu. See, Moon Knight died, a few times actually, as both Moon Knight, and as Marc Spector before he took on the robes. He was returned to life by Khonshu, Egyptian god of the moon and vengeance, and his role is to be the avatar (living embodiment) of Khonshu. This seems like a cheeseball enough routine for a character, except Khonshu actually shows up to Moon Knight, talks with him, abandons him when he feels it's necessary, and expects him to deliver the requisite amount of vengeance necessary to satiate his thirst for bloodshed. This is where we start to see the layers of the character, as Spector doesn't necessarily want to go around cutting faces off, but without Khonshu he's, very literally, dead. Khonshu even appears to Moon Knight in the body of the Bushman, faceless and all, as a reminder of his greatest achievement towards vengeance. Dark, dark stuff.

Check the battle with the most badass reworked Taskmaster ever for great, great action.

There are other layers to the character and the story as well, as Moon Knight has even suffered from multiple personality disorder in the past thanks to his various alter egos and identities, but this hasn't been brought up (yet) in the new story by Charlie Huston. The first book serves mostly as a reintroduction and rebirth of the character, an opportunity to meet some of the popular villains from Moon Knight's history, and a chance to see the very delicate relationship Moon Knight has with Khonshu.

I can't recommend the book enough, it's beautiful, well written, and hardcover (at least I think they're all hardcover), and it's running at about $6.50 used on Amazon. Pick up a copy in good condition and by all means give it a read. The series has moved on from this introductory story and I think even touched on some cool bits with Spider-Man, Captain America, The Punisher (where they both talk about being guys who just beat shit to death), and Civil War related issues. The second book hasn't been announced yet, but I'd probably expect it sometime this fall or winter.

BUY IT! BUY IT! BUY IT!

Do you have the Optical Inch?

2007-06-20T02:24:00.000-04:00

Just giving a shoutout to the single greatest advertising campaign I've seen put together on the Internet. The Philips Norelco Bodygroom has a genius team of people cranking this stuff out. Make sure to navigate all the menus, from the introduction, to the hilarious backstory of Frank Sack saving the beach. There's even a music video.

The best line from the entire thing comes in the 'Where to Shave' section:

"As soon as your partner sees your new [bleep] she may want to wear your [bleep] and [bleep] as a Roman gladiator mask while unveiling Christmas lights..."

No Really, I'm Ashamed ...

2007-06-15T03:34:00.000-04:00

I've resorted to hyping my own blog posts ... someone, put me out of my misery. Instead of spewing forth a worthy collection of words, I'm going to offer a picture, and an excuse why those words aren't here. Here's the picture:

That's Moon Knight and he's going to be kicking your ass very soon. I've recently read his new book, and he's one of the greatest things the entire world of comic books has going for it right now. You'll be hearing about Moon Knight at length when, and here's the excuse, I'm not such a douche. Valid, no?

I've been busy with Modojo-work, preparing for school-work, and, well, work-work. Check the Portfolio link above for three previews I've tore out in the last week or so for Dungeon Maker (PSP), Touchmaster (DS), and Hoshigami Remix (DS). I promise I've got some stuff coming down the line that will make for interesting reading. Including, but not limited to, long thoughts about Power Stone and why it's so fantastic, my most recent conversation with XBLA, more on Moon Knight and other denizens of the Marvel Universe, and I'll be prepping a nice Zenspace History lesson for my 100th post (94th or so, right here).

The Zenspace Spring 2007 Anime Roundup

2007-06-13T00:47:00.000-04:00

I've been putting this post off for awhile, but I think it's finally a proper time to say at least a few words about the anime that I've been keeping up with this Spring. I'm currently partaking in no less than 8 series, but not all of them are necessarily current, so I'll try to stick with the newly airing shows only. Even still, this Spring had more going on in anime than I normally allow myself to commit to.

Bleach

Well, obviously there are going to be two series in this roundup that are ... well, givens. Bleach is like my long running lover, and although I left the skank while she flirted around with filler for 30 episodes, she came back, lost weight, and she's hotter than ever before. There's simply more going on in Bleach than the series had going for it even in the Soul Society arc. Add to that the increased powers that everyone is throwing around, and how can it not be awesome? The only lame thing I've noticed so far seems to be the subplot revolving around Orihime and her powers. Honestly, she's just not that interesting a character and her silly earrings are damned boring.

Naruto Shippuuden

I'm wondering if more people don't dislike Naruto now, than actually like it. I was never a bastion of the series, but just as with Bleach, I watched right up until the filler started. Now that things are back on track and time subsequently skipped, Naruto is definitely worth the attention. Characters are more powerful, less whiny, and the overall plot regarding the Akatsuki and the jinchuriki (those within whom the giant tailed beasts reside, i.e. Naruto & Gaara) is totally fascinating. I honestly can't wait to see all the tailed beasts revealed, because while Naruto the ninja fighting anime is mostly worthwhile, Naruto the giant monster/ninja fighting anime is freaking stellar.

Claymore

I was always under the impression that Claymore was a manga series originating in Korea (manhwa then?), but that may not be true. Regardless, it's been out in manga form here in the States for awhile, and I always notice it on the shelves as something that seems interesting. True to form, an interesting manga has become an interesting show, and all is good in the world. Claymore has a strange Berserk-type feeling, although I'm not sure if it ever delves so deeply into bad-assery and the world of darkness. I can't quite put my finger on why I draw similarities between the two shows, it's just a gut reaction type thing. The main characters in this show are the Claymore, bad-ass ladies who've given up their lives to become half-Yoma (half-demon), in order to go ahead and kill the full-Yoma populace. This course leads them to a life of solitude and stoic murderous rampage. Which, to me, seems like a good life. Noting of course that the more they rely on their demon powers, the faster they become a demon themselves. Gratuitous slicing in half and innumerable decapitations included.

Toward the Terra

Hopping back to the classics is Toward the Terra, a series based off a manga that's ... damn old. I love it though, as they maintained some of that classic anime art-style that always catches my eye (Metropolis, Android Kikaider, Cyborg 009 as examples). I'm genuinely not sure where this series is going, as the last episode I watched could have changed the overall direction thanks to some new developments, but as it starts this is a great view of, don't shoot me for going back to it again, dystopian society. A world in which all seems cheery and joyful turns out to be one hell of a fascist regime responsible for administering "Adulthood Exams" for children at the age of 14. These serve the purpose of identifying whether or not the children have within them the genes that would qualify them as Mu (Rahxephon, anyone?). Mu are normal humans, to some extent, but born with psychic powers, and they're systematically terminated by the government. The series follows a boy born with seemingly limitless psychic potential, and his interaction with the ailing leader of the Mu (and general cool dude), Soldier Blue.

Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann

Oh man, how do I explain this? Gurren-Lagann is everything that should be in a series. First, it looks ridiculously good. I mean, best looking series I've seen in a long time here. It starts off with this insanely climactic battle in which .... well, the entire damned universe seems to be exploding. That's SO hardcore. Then it tones down to human society, forced to love hidden under the ground on a planet that is riddled by "beastmen" and their attacks on the surface. Humans have lived underground so long that most don't believe in the surface, and consider it a rumor or legend. That backdrop alone should be enough, but add to that a fantastic sense of humor and you've got the mixture for greatness. Not to mention Kazuma, the patron saint of reckless-type fighting characters, who is willing to face off against giant mechs with ... a sword. And it's not even like it's his sword, he took it from someone, he might not even know how to use it! The sword is important though; in one of the great early battles the scope of this blade is brought into question, as unsheathing it takes ... seriously, like 5 seconds. Think about that. Oh yeah, I didn't much mention the mecha and the great situations surrounding those, and ... most importantly, the Gainax Bounce is in strong, strong, strong effect here. Fanservice for the undeniable win.

El Cazador de la Bruja

I'm falling behind in this, the latest series from those responsible for the other 'girls with guns' fare Noir and Madlax. It can only be expected though, as I've fallen behind in both Noir and Madlax as well. It's a ridiculous shame for me, because each one seems so damned good. El Cazador is no different, it just gets off to a slow start. There's mystery and supernatural elements and everything awkward that one could expect following Madlax, it just hasn't come in to play from what I've seen. Yet. The action, too, has been relatively low-key. I'm going to let this series simmer for a while longer before I jump back in. Hopefully, as the plot progresses the mysteries will either grow more mysterious (those are the best kind), or they'll reveal themselves (these kind, also are good).

The Skullman

Honestly, I wish I could say more about The Skullman. The character seemed so damned interesting, but I haven't gotten past the first episode. The subbing groups were behind so I'd stopped checking, but I'm sure all is good and cheery in the world now, meaning I'll have to catch up. The Skullman is definitely a mystery (Just who is the Skullman?), but there are also some elements of mystery surrounding the main character, and his interactions with those around him. It's a weird little show that seems to be getting overshadowed by the big guys this spring (Gurren-Lagann), and I'll have to rectify that in depth in the future. The show has a weird style that reminds me of Lupin the Third or something of that sort, as the characters seem loosely drawn or lanky in some way. Until the action starts and The Skullman shows up, then everything gets nice and detailed as always.

Denno Coil

The best for last? It could very well be that way. Denno Coil is a show that speaks to my passions. The storyline follows a world in which virtual reality isn't so much virtual, and our modern world has been overlaid with a digital one. This makes for all kinds of fascinating situations revolving technical issues like back doors, viruses, hacking and the like. This is blatantly reminiscent of what may be my favorite piece of animation ever, the segment Beyond from the Animatrix. Beyond is available on Youtube (Part 1 Here, and Part 2 Here), and I strongly suggest you watch it before undertaking Denno Coil, just for the ability to draw the reference. Even if you've seen it before, watch it again, as you probably forgot how good it is. Both Beyond and Denno Coil have that subdued look to them, Denno Coil much more so, and that is very visually appealing. The subdued look is far too underused in my opinion, and it alone is why I turn to things like Ichigo Mashimaro, Kino's Journey, and others.

That's it for new shows from me. Most importantly was getting the knowledge about these great shows to everyone else, but second to that, I need to know what I'm not watching that I should be from this Spring. Great stuff always slips under the radar, so if you know I should be partaking in a series that I'm not, let me know!

Riviera PSP: Have games gone too far?

2007-06-11T21:28:00.000-04:00

I'm all for mature games, but maybe Riviera's PSP rehash has gone too far. There is one precise location for bukkake parties ... and my PSP is not it. Get ready for the resurgence of "Porn on Your Child's Videogame System" on Channel 4 News.

All joking aside ... widget work is proceeding forward, although slowly. My movie links are back in action and stronger than ever before. It only took a Bonds-ian level of steroids to get them going too! More posts soon to come.

Under Construction?

2007-06-09T14:32:00.000-04:00

Well, not really. I'm not changing the Zenspace all over again, I'm just going to forgo posting duties until I get my widgets back in action. See, when I changed this whole blog layout I knew that everything in my widgets (oodles of links) was going to be deleted. So, I took extra special care to copy the HTML for each widget to get all my links up and running again once I changed over to my snazzy new layout. Well, it turns out I might have forgotten to save the text file that held all those links ... yeah. I HATE losing links. I always feel like I'll never get them all back, and I've lost access to some corners of the internet forever. The last time Firefox accidentally wiped my bookmark list I thought briefly of suicide, then murder, then depression. Obviously, they weren't going to happen in that order. Anyways, I've got to begin searching for all the DVD studios, gaming sites, great clothery shops and other such cool things I once found. Wish me luck.

On a more random note, the picture above is concept art for the Lego Universe MMO. How interesting is that?

Under the Radar Movies: Edmond

2007-06-06T12:10:00.000-04:00

Written by David Mamet, Edmond first caught my eye when I noticed the lead role was played by William H. Macy. Macy is criminally under-used as a lead actor, and his parts in ensemble pictures are brilliant, so Edmond was something that piqued my interest. Being written by Mamet surely didn't hurt it's prospects either.

So, now that I've finally taken the time out to watch Edmond, I was left with some awkward impressions. Edmond starts out simply enough with William H. Macy's character Edmond indulging in some cryptic fortune telling, inspired by a slightly less cryptic but apparently significant noticing of numbers repeating in his life. Nothing akin to The Number 23 here, but Edmond pauses to notice the numbers, so the viewer obviously should too. After having his fortune told Edmond spirals out of control, leaving his wife, his sanity (maybe), and his former self behind. His night becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as each event calls back the memory of the tarot card it so closely resembles.

The night is filled with Edmond's search for sex and it's almost comical the difficulties he faces in a bureaucratic sex industry. His rage builds until a confrontation with a mugger frees him of much of his character's anxiety. Edmond, in better spirits, meets a waitress played by Julia Stiles and ends up shagging her silly. I'll accept that as a suspension of disbelief, but ...osh, Macy at 50 taking Stiles home for a night of passionate love-making ... hard to wrap one's head around. Regardless, the couple's tryst is all but stellar, as Edmond's descent into madness makes for some heated after intercourse conversation. Plot twists and turns follow, but I'll leave it for the viewer to discover.

The focus of the movie is centered upon Edmond's descent into madness, and how it supposedly is freedom from the bland, mundane existence we're all forced to face, but Edmond's quest lacks real definition. He seems as shattered by his actions as he is welcoming them, and he is ultimately apologetic, seeking only to return to the life he once had. Later, the new man he has become searches for epiphany in a jail cell, but his philosophical quests are childish and lack any of the real issues that come from the higher roads of the mind. Can we really believe that Edmond is some new man when he and his cellmate speak at length about whether animals are aliens, or some gods sent to watch us?

While Edmond and his descent into madness might not actually parallel any intelligent purpose other than a mid-life crisis, that's not to say the issues and the situations he faces aren't significantly more important. Edmond's rage is fueled by his distaste for the uncaring nature of our modern society, and in more than one scene this society is more than evident. Perhaps being the most powerful theme in the picture, it's believable and more than likely true that the people Edmond sees and their rude and unsavory actions are people we could see any day of the week.

Mamet does wonders with the script though, and look for Macy spouting some of the best lines ever as Edmond. As he waves a WWI combat knife in his underwear and an obvious bout of madness he shouts, "I've got some warlike blood in my veins too..." in a very powerful diatribe. Watch Edmond for Macy's performance, a startling revelation on how rude society has become, and Mamet's script, but don't look to Edmond for any intellectual pursuit or lasting definition, it just isn't as deep or as life-changing as one could hope, and ultimately, that makes Edmond's character a bit of a joke. Also, note that there is an almost ensmeble cast of women in Edmond, with short scenes including Mena Suvari, Julia Stiles, and Denise Richards. Hotness is obviously present, if only for a short while.

The trailer is available here.
The DVD is now on sale at Amazon.

Future (Not So) Perfect: A Dystopian Research Paper

2007-06-05T04:04:00.000-04:00

Future (Not So) Perfect: Exploring Themes of Dystopia in Orwell’s 1984 and Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale

The persistent appeal of dystopian literature has left a considerable mark on the course of much academic study. Novels such as 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, Brave New World, and others remain constantly under the watchful eye of scholars and their students. Particularly, the nature of dystopian literature, which is to say, literature that shows the possible decline of societies not unlike our own, remains of interest because of the measure of similarities that can often be drawn to society as it now stands, and as it could possibly become. This proposes that much dystopian literature highlights current societal trends that tend to raise questions of the current course of economics, politics, or religious beliefs. Two dystopian texts in particular, George Orwell’s 1984 and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, deliver separate, but ultimately similar visions of the nature of possible dystopian states.

To consider a dystopian state, first clarifying the term itself is a necessity. The idea of dystopia is in short, the very opposite of utopia. Utopia, as defined in Thomas More’s text Utopia, is a small nation which seemingly lives in a perfectly ideal setting. A utopia, removed from the original literary source, has through time adopted the same notion. The term utopian is given to any civilization attempting, or currently undertaking in providing a society for its citizens that is better than the current conditions of other non-utopian states. The epistemological definition of utopia is “no place;” More could have been using the term itself to prove that the idea of perfection is not so easily attainable, although that has had little heed in altering the popular definition of utopia. To establish a utopia is to strive for perfection, and this is where More’s Utopia parallels the definition of the popular term utopia, despite the apparent failures the fictional society has been shown to succumb to. Just as dystopian literature is often based on the nature and course of the author’s contemporary society, More’s work is based in a time long past, and no longer proposes a place that the majority would proclaim to be ideal. Some would consider More’s Utopia to now constitute a dystopia, not only because of the vast difference in modern opinion from the time of More’s writing, but also is it not true to believe that attempting to create a utopia and failing is to potentially create a dystopia?

The natural opposite to utopia, dystopia is often described as an imaginary place in which people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives. (Merriam-Webster) Dystopias acknowledge the demise of individual differences as a way of keeping order in power and power in order. Dystopias are stories that contrast the failure of the main character with the unstoppable advance of society towards totalitarianism. The loss of the self is the character's final acknowledgement of, and ultimate contribution to, society's being definitively victorious. (Mihailescu) It is difficult to determine whether More has created a dystopia or a utopia, as our viewing of his text is now skewed by our own cultural opinions, but even then, the direction of most utopian/dystopian literature proves that “perfect” society is much closer to dehumanized and fearful society than one might think. For a utopia to become a dystopia is only through one small mistake or removal of freedom; it would be proper to suggest the two terms as opposite sides of the same coin, one flipping to the other with relative ease. The coin flips naturally to the dystopian side in the writing of 1984, which presents what might be the most potent dystopia of popular literature.

In writing 1984, George Orwell explores dystopia at its most hopeless and desperate vision. Winston Smith, living in Airstrip One, subjugated to a life that is in almost all possible forms, fearful and dehumanized. The laws and practices of Oceania, mother nation to Airstrip One and ultimately Winston Smith, portray a number of the characteristics (“International Reading Association”) that signify a society as particularly dystopian. Oceania is consistently under the influence of propaganda from numerous sources. Media, other society members, and most obviously the telescreens provide a ceaseless flow of misinformation for Oceania’s citizens. Individuality in any manner and even free thought are condemned to those living in Oceania. The society worships Big Brother, a figurehead that provides an emotional focus, and potentially doesn’t even exist. Those living in Oceania are thought to be under constant surveillance from the telescreens, microphones, and once again, even from other society members. The social structure in 1984 is also frozen, so as to allow as little movement as necessary. Each important aspect of Oceania’s civilization is built around maintaining a situation in which the populace is meant to partake in an obviously dehumanized and fearful existence.

Where 1984 depicts a society in which the whole of the populace is under the grip of a totalitarian state, within Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, another possible dystopia is shown, and this one, while dehumanizing and potentially dangerous to all members, is a much more significant threat to the liberty of women. The Republic of Gilead, the governing party in The Handmaid’s Tale, follows many of the same tenants of what could be characteristically dystopian, but it also explores other outlets that Oceania doesn’t, just as Oceania explores some that The Republic of Gilead neglects. The Republic of Gilead is modeled after a religious precedent, particularly The Christian Bible, a text that many in contemporary American society proclaim highlights what could potentially create a perfect society. This questionable source material for creating an ideal state allows those in power to propose a society that is actually an illusion of perfection, particularly an illusion in which men are superior to women. Men have (power over) "the word", women do not; "the word" is singular, monolithic, and biblical because it originated by God, the father. (Cavalcanti) Those living in Gilead are expected to conform to the standards set for their particular caste, whether they are Wives, Econowives, Handmaids, or Marthas. Citizens are also under the impression that they are consistently under surveillance by the Eyes. Naturally, this all makes for a society that is potentially as dehumanizing as the society in 1984, or any other similar oppressive state.

While these are both but small descriptions of the particular aspects that emphasize what makes each of these societies particularly dystopian, they obviously share between the two, a number of obvious similarities. Both societies focus on maintaining an apparent constant surveillance on their members, or at least imposing the thought upon their citizens that they could possibly be under surveillance. Also, the removal of freedoms is a necessary aspect to both dystopian states, and the members are restricted from possessing certain materials that can help propose individuality, freedom, or the knowledge of other or past societies. These similarities constitute what could possibly be the more weighted aspects necessary to create a dystopian state, at least in these two particular societies. To suggest that each author chose these among all possible outcomes as coincidence is to propose that these similarities weigh the same as other, less important aspects of each society. The notion of dehumanization, limited freedom, and constant surveillance are present in each text because these concepts maintained to be a fearful aspect of society not only during the writing of 1984 in 1948, but they also proved to be significant until the writing of The Handmaid’s Tale in 1985. The nature of dystopian, and even utopian, literature is undeniably shaped around society during the time of any text’s creation, and this fact, proves that while a particular setting, or other elements of a dystopian text may change, the reoccurring elements are the most important in defining society as it currently stands, and the possible fears that arise from the course and direction it is taking.

That is not to proclaim that the differences between the two texts aren’t equally valid in determining the fears and status of society at the time of a texts creation. The feministic view of Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale provides a very effective inspection of society at the particular time in which she was writing. Atwood explains herself, “The majority of dystopias - Orwell's included - have been written by men, and the point of view has been male. When women have appeared in them, they have been either sexless automatons or rebels who have defied the sex rules of the regime. They have acted as the temptresses of the male protagonists, however welcome this temptation may be to the men themselves.” (Atwood) However, this particular viewpoint of a feminist dystopia can only show the topic as it is understood within society at the time of her writing, not how important the issue has maintained to be, by consistently proving a factor in dystopian states through changes in time and society. The Handmaid’s Tale provides an excellent example of how relevant this is towards a temporary setting in the novel coming to no particular conclusion in the story of Offred. This irresolution reflects the position of mid-1980s feminism. In articulating the potential danger of certain directions in which the movement had been heading, the novel can only advise its readers to err on the side of caution, and defend liberty before ideology. (Tolan)

Some of the aspects of 1984 that aren’t shared in The Handmaid’s Tale are just as rooted in the post-WWII era in which Orwell was writing. The widespread fear of fascism and totalitarianism in this era is particularly responsible for the structure of the Party, and the realistic parallels to the failed communism in The Soviet Union between characters like Big Brother and Goldstein, and their possible counterparts in Stalin and Trotsky originate directly from Orwell’s own belief in socialism. Each of these aspects are integral towards the composition of a dystopian state in 1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale, but the rooted nature of these differences to their particular time periods could propose that these elements are secondary in nature, while the primary elements are those that tend to be more pervasive through all dystopian literature, and reoccur more commonly throughout the texts.

Identifying the nature of dystopia through the particular elements that most often repeat in literature allows for not only an academic analysis of each text, but also provides the opportunity to discern what core dystopian fundamentals are still being instilled through our society, and even through our own limited viewpoints. The nature of dystopia is to be dehumanizing and fearful, but the study of dystopia can provide answers to where fear and dehumanization truthfully originates. Orwell’s 1984 and Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale explore two dystopian societies, separated by nearly half a century in societal change, and yet each novel focuses on similar aspects of dystopia that have carried through those time periods in either society, or in the very core values of ourselves. For these fundamentals of dystopia to remain fearful allows us to, in some respect, define ourselves by them, while the differentiating aspects of each text can show society as it existed, or currently exists, only in discovering the pattern of how we view dystopia, can society attempt to view and shape where it will ultimately choose to travel.

Works Cited

"Definition of dystopia from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary."
Merriam-Webster. 2006. 1 Mar 2007
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=dystopia.

Mihailescu, Calin Andrei. "Mind the Gap: Dystopia As Fiction."
Style 25. 21991 1 Mar 2007
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=122&sid=...
cace465a-734e-42a3-ba33-ec3ce866ea03%40sessionmgr102.

"Dystopias: Definition and Characteristics." International Reading Association. 2006.
International Reading Association. 1 Mar 2007
http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson926/DefinitionCharacteristics.pdf.

Cavalcanti, Ildney. "Utopias of/f Language in Contemporary Feminist Literary Dystopias." Utopian Studies 11. 22000 1 Mar 2007
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=101&sid=...
a781beb2-fbb7-496e-94be-c227dbc06d4c%40sessionmgr108#AN0004215697-9.

Atwood, Margaret. "Orwell and me." Guardian Unlimited. 2006.
Guardian News and Media Limited. 1 Mar 2007
http://books.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,4691839-99930,00.html.

Tolan, Fiona. "Feminist Utopias and Questions of Liberty." Women: A Cultural Review
16. 12005 31. 1 Mar 2007
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=2&hid=122&sid=4b25353f...
-9d09-4ec7-825a-21a532a10f17%40sessionmgr103>.

Note: This paper has been copied from it's original format, therefore certain italic, bold, and other pre-formatted styles may not be included. Links may, or may not work as copied, please contact me for more detailed source information.

The Guantlet ... Thrown.

2007-06-02T07:33:00.000-04:00

There are no longer hidden gestures. No longer hushed whispers and offhand remarks. The line has been drawn. The gauntlet ... thrown.

Google ... is trying to love me. The dirty way. I can't even properly tag this post, as I fear I'll just be propagating this mess even further. It must end.

Note: The Beginning of His Blatant Desire

The Best Things in Life are Free.

2007-05-23T23:36:00.000-04:00

When you're a gaping media slut like myself, every so often it's beneficial to hit up Amazon and take a gander at the next month or so of releases before their time has come. It makes things easier, it helps determine budgets, and it lets you know what weeks or months are going to get grizzly. Occasionally, when I go about this I load up my Amazon Wish List (Well, I always load up my Amazon Wish List), but occasionally I load it up with some interesting DVDs that I would have otherwise missed. One of the most popular sort of DVDs that snakes its way into my view that wasn't otherwise present, are home releases of interesting PBS programs. Not to mention, cheesy 60s softcore porn, but that's another beast altogether. PBS has always been releasing their programs onto video, they do need the money being public and all, but now that they're on DVD, every so often a program that I missed will seem infinitely interesting.

The problem is that the DVDs aren't widely bought, and therefore don't really have the opportunity to drop in price like I enjoy my DVDs to do. The used market just isn't there. The first video to come into my view was The Question of God: Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, and I was always forced to pass because the price seemed prohibitive. (Looking now it has dropped somewhat, but perhaps not enough for the quality or nature of what it is.)

Recently, in conjunction with my interest in nutrition and weight loss I noticed another program while scouring releases, it was: FAT: What No One Is Telling You. This DVD has been in my Wish List for a while now, but I was really tempted to buy it. Before I did though, I wanted to at least see if I could find a trailer or commercial. Skipping Youtube and going straight to PBS's website, I found a little more than I bargained for.

It seems PBS is generous enough to offer the majority of their developed programs on their website not only in trailers, but also in almost their entirety. The Question of God is available in full, but not entirely in video, as some aspects of the program are transcript only. Regardless, that's awesome for the dead broke like myself. FAT: What No One Is Telling You was, as far as I can tell, available in its entirety, and I've watched it all. It paints a pretty grim picture for those trying to lose weight, so I'm not sure how I felt about the program after watching.

They don't suggest anything is impossible, just insanely difficult once you get so far beyond normal weight. I've lost 21 pounds in the last two months, so let's hope I can keep beating the odds and reach my goal with only 14 more pounds to go. Anyways, a TON of other programs are available for free on PBS's website, proving once again that the best things in life are free. If you're entertained by the occasional intelligent program (You should be!) instead of ... say, surfing Youtube for stupid videos, then by all means, get over to PBS and partake in the goods while they're available.

I've Got a Joke for You.

2007-05-21T03:42:00.000-04:00

Not that I'm trying to commit to posting more than once a day, or a week for that matter, but this was just too cool not to share.

That genuinely creepy face is apparently that of Heath Ledger, starring as the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie. It was revealed in a roundabout ARG sort-of-way through a website. I'll let Twitch explain the details, as they're where I found this.

It's hard to say this, but I was never desperately in love with the old Batman movies. Maybe I don't dig the character as much as other people, or maybe the original movies were spoiled by what came after, but Batman doesn't excite me as much as many others. Regardless, I would never suggest that Nicholson as the Joker was anything other than fan-fucking-tastic, so Heath Ledger obviously has some big shoes to fill. This image proves that at least they're walking down a very dark and stylish road with the character, and if the acting is to match, I'm already excited.

God damn, I looked at it again, and that is just one creepy looking Joker. Good stuff indeed!

That Uncomfortable Burning ... Crusade.

2007-05-21T02:21:00.000-04:00

The advertisements littered on the many gaming sites I often frequent beckoned that I participate in a 10-day free trial for The World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade expansion. It didn't take much convincing for me to cave in and start the lengthy download, so after nearly a day and 2 Gigabytes later I was back in Azeroth, somewhere I never thought I'd explore again. It's not that I was ever an addict, or that I'm against WoW in general, it's just that after passing on Burning Crusade at launch, I imagined there wasn't going to be much else that would pull me back into the game. Sure, the next expansion might be exciting, but the entire idea of expansions bothers me enough that I thought I'd stay away.

That's one ridiculously cool level 5 character, at least more so than other WoW races.

The nature of the expansion is to provide additional content for gamers who have largely explored the entirety of what is currently available, and also to provide a new starting grounds, races, classes, etc. for those who haven't yet played the game. I was neither, resting comfortably in the middle grounds, with a level 35-ish character on a server that none of my friends played on. The real problem with expansions, I think, is that they're a constant pouring out of content that is largely improved over the initial game, streamlined and made to look more appealing, and in some way, that has to be offending to the player that has already expired the original game. A player that spent the necessary time to reach level 60 with a particular race now finds two new races, in this case the Blood Elves and the Draenei, that he honestly may find more appealing than what he was offered when he started the game. So, he's forced with asking whether he would like to maintain his current character in the face of more appealing choices, or sacrifice the (very literally) days of effort that it took to create that character. That's a poor choice to inflict upon people.

At around level 15 I had to take the Christmas colors to keep up with the best available gear.

Regardless of my stance on expansions in general, the new starting areas in the Burning Crusade were alluring. I haven't had the chance yet to explore that of the Draenei, but I have seen the screens, and it's hard to argue how much more visually appealing it is in comparison to Elwynn Forest and similar early level areas in the original content. I haven't faced anything along the lines of Westfall, and that's a very good thing. The Blood Elves area is insanely beautiful, and the forest area is lush and vibrant. I had originally wanted to spend my time exploring the Draenei, but this starting area, and the Blood Elf characters as well, looked so good that they swayed my opinion. That feeling never waned throughout the time I've been playing, and honestly, it's a little ridiculous. My Blood Elf character, Esperante, looks, in short, much cooler than my human character at nearly 35 levels higher. The starting equipment and weapons for the blood elves seem to have only one real goal, make the Horde look attractive. It wouldn't be brash to say, in my opinion, more attractive than that of the alliance.

No doubt about it, my first character is an ugly rainbow bastard.

Another thing about the Blood Elves is that Blizzard seems to have honed in more on the mythology of Warcraft within the starting area itself, and that is something I'm glad to see. Other races within the game seemed so far from participating in the history of Prince Arthas and the Burning Legion that it could have largely been left out, but the Blood Elves and the Dead Scar within their homeland, as well as the Ghostlands, are very much intertwined with that history. The Dead Scar is a very awesome tear, splitting the lands of the Blood Elves in half, that was the land on which Arthas made his advance. Now, the land spits forth wraiths, zombies, and skeletons and is a very stark contrast to the beatiful forest surrounding it. The second area for the Blood Elves, the Ghostlands, is very akin to the Duskwood, as it is the land held in alliance by the Blood Elves and Undead, and is a front line in the war against the Legion. It's also an interesting contrast itself, moving from lush forest to dark and foreboding very quickly.

The Dead Scar is an insanely cool representation of Warcraft history within the game.

This whole post might be covering some fairly introductory topics, and considering that I'm genuinely late to the party here, this might sound a little silly, but I did have other directions in which I wanted to speak on World of Warcraft and MMO's in general. Perhaps though, I'll save those for another post, as they're fairly academic and deserve a broader focus than just World of Warcraft.

What I'm curious about, just to give an introduction, is what price do we pay for prolonged entertainment? In the case of MMO's in particular, what are we sacrificing for a game world that is apparently never-ending and loaded with replay value? This was inspired by a recent article I read about the human desire to seek happiness, and how it has, through drugs and science, reached an almost realistic position that happiness, under some other name, could soon be bottled. The cost of that is going to be large, and most people should stop to consider whether they're ready to live in a world in which we are all happy. Unhappiness, while not a very comfortable idea, is a very important part of why humans are still alive and thriving today. Using that same concept as the springboard to my discussion on MMO's, I'd like to ask, what is the cost of prolonged entertainment? Is it similar to that of prolonged happiness, and could it be that gaming, in general (as well as ourselves), is threatened by the game which never ends? Where, in all this, does the 15-hour game lie, and will it continue to exist?

Changes in the Scenery.

2007-05-14T23:22:00.000-04:00

As I seem to have a frequent habit of doing, I've once again changed the layout here on The Zenspace. Know though, that this is still a work in progress, as I'm trying to implement a random image generator in my header image, and that's not very easy for the code lacking like myself.

It's the free and easy summer now, so expect me to get back to posting on a more regular basis. Specifically, stuff is in the pipeline about another conversation I had with XBLA, and trust me, that dude is nuts. From flailing drug addict to King of the Hill, XBLA is doing a good job at making me look like a douche for suggesting he's anything but awesome.

Also, Google ... he's still trying to get with me. It's really kind of scary.

For now though, and for the next post as well (it will be a Modojo writing update), I've got nothing. Nothing except this picture:

Seriously, has a better line ever been uttered? Pretty much everyone and their mother has accepted that we'll be seeing a new Starcraft game announced by Blizzard this week, be it Starcraft 2 or World of Starcraft. It's a damn shame though, because as good as Starcraft is, and as many entire nations as it can captivate, that doesn't make it Diablo. If it is World of Starcraft, expect quite the post from me on the entire MMO-affar. I have some ideas brewing.

I'll stop with the books in just a minute.

2007-05-06T22:17:00.000-04:00

I'm sure that is a relief to most everyone that is actually visiting. Dystopia is cool, sure, but it can get a little ...meh... after the eighth or so consecutive novel. So, I can only imagine then what reading my poorly written blurbs on uncountable dystopian novels can be like. Chinese water torture, I'd imagine. We should all be pretty much stoked that this is all I covered in my dystopian literature course, as if there were more, I'd surely be absolving myself from returning to regular content. Alas, there are no more, and here I am, to return to posting about games and movies and the like. I hope I was missed. Before that though, I did ask for one more minute on books. See, today was quite the book day.

Working at a book store yields the occasional day that, for lack of a better term, could be called ... HOLY FREE FUCKING BOOK DAY! Today was that day ... strip day. Occasionally, we have too many copies of one book or another, they simply aren't selling, and when this occurs, specifically to mass market paperbacks, there are just too many for it to be cost effective to return them all to the publisher. Therefore, mass market paperbacks are stripped, the covers removed, and the bulk of the novels are trashed, or in our case, relegated to cardboard boxes and then picked clean by the vulture-like staff of a bookstore. A few strips here and there and you might get a good book to take home, if you're lucky enough to have done the strips or had someone tell you about them. Today, though, was a little different. We had 650 strips. Yeah, let it settle in. 650 books were headed to the dustbins today, mostly from fiction, but also mystery, romance, and science fiction, and to save them from their fate, they needed a hero, a reader of the greatest variety. They needed me.

So, scour the boxes I did, and goodness, look at my bounty.

Nary a dent on 650, but there was (after I had already filled a bag, I found this out) a lightly suggested limit of 5 ... or so. I'm told this rule is definitely not enforced. That's probably good. Here's the lineup:

Aztec and Aztec Autumn by Gary Jennings - Supposedly great novelizations of Aztec fiction.
Casino Royale by Ian Flemming - I've never read 007, so why not start at the beginning?
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield - A very timely novelization of the battle of Thermopylae.
A Hellboy novelization that seemed interesting.
Sarum and London by Edward Rutherford - The suggestion of my cafe manager. Two large and daunting historical pieces of fiction.
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl - A serial killer murders through Dante's Inferno.
Two books from the Dark Tower series by Steven King - I've been meaning to get on it all.
Two random Robotech novelizations that ... well, they were free. Come on.
What's In Your Food by ... Statham - It's a food guidebook ... again ... free.
Halo: Ghosts of Onyx by Eric Nylund - A totally pleasant surprise.
The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe - It was a movie, and it sounded familiar.

Not bad, eh? It's a little less cool when you realize the books all look like this:

Obviously, with all of those books, my reading should be lined up all through the summer. Oh ... wait, I already had started the beginning of another mountain of books for the summer.

I won't go through the entire listing of this one, but take heed of the hot stuff like Camus, Kafka, and some new Palahniuk that, in truth, won't last the rest of the week let alone make it to Summer Reading. It's. So. Good.

Anyways, that should be it for books a while. I'll talk about video games again, like I promised.

The Lathe of Heaven - Quick Journal Review

2007-05-04T00:32:00.000-04:00

Considering The Lathe of Heaven to be dystopian feels initially to be more of a stretch than saying the same of other works like 1984. This probably lies in the fact that the plot of 1984 centers upon a focus of realism, where The Lathe of Heaven explores science fiction. Just as in V for Vendetta, the entry of story elements like superhuman abilities removes much of the fear that the text would otherwise present. That’s not to suggest that the idea of someone who is capable of changing the world through dreams isn’t fearful, as this is shown very specifically in the case of Dr. Haber’s nightmare reality, but the notion itself is so outside our own society that it doesn’t lend itself particularly well to rationalizing dystopia in comparison to our cultural reality.

Texts like 1984 and The Iron Heel allow us the opportunity to view the progression of our own society in relation to those proposed within the works, but the inclusion of particularly outlandish things like aliens that appear to look like turtles and a world of gray people remove our own culture from the work, and act as a buffer for the dystopian world Leguin suggests. The relevancy is there, of course, just shadowed under laughs and feelings of distance from the events that occur.

Gray people as a solution to racism is an obviously important plea about the problem itself, just as a plague that solves the overcrowding of the world is a terrible solution to the issue, but relying upon the irrationality of dreams to solve these issues leaves the novel essentially without someone to blame. Haber is the culprit behind the manipulation of George Orr’s dreams, but as the book continually reminds the reader, his intentions are noble. Obviously, the same could be said for most totalitarian governments and despots who are seeking to improve the world, so in some way Haber assumes the role of imposing fear just as the totalitarian government in 1984, or the oligarchy in The Iron Heel. However, does the reader ever casually make that connection, or does Haber never feel as particularly threatening as The Party?

If he doesn’t, then why not? Perhaps the reader is reminded one too many times of how noble he is, or maybe the fact that Haber, while continually growing in power and significance in the multiple realities Orr creates, always remains tucked away in his office and removed from the world at large. He doesn’t become the President, or a living God in the eyes of the people, instead he remains unknown, simply shaping the course of reality. In actuality, once his position is closely examined, which is more fearful? The open dictatorship and propaganda of 1984, or the silent molding of society to the ideals of Dr. Haber?

Haber’s fear might have been more recognized if he used a more potent tool to shape reality than the dreams of George Orr. The single most deterring factor to comparing The Lathe of Heaven to a contemporary culture is that the dystopian element of society isn’t imposed by a realistic means. Dreams are irrational, and thus they are largely written off as a fearful means of proposing a future reality. They may only be the tool to which Haber applies his trade, but capitalism was the tool to the oligarchy, religion to Gilead, and technology to The Sprawl; these things resonate with us, and the dystopian worldviews they could bring about seem fearful because of it. They are culturally significant issues, whereas dreams, and shaping reality by them, are more a dream of their own.

V for Vendetta - Quick Journal Review

2007-05-02T00:53:00.000-04:00

Alan Moore explores dystopia within V for Vendetta in a very similar fashion as George Orwell in 1984. Both works establish a totalitarian regime in Great Britain, and both focus on a “future” world that, despite being history as of now, isn’t necessarily futuristic. The setting of both works is grounded in reality for the most part, and as such, inspires readers to believe that the resulting dystopias are more possible, and ultimately, more fearful.

It’s strange to assume that otherworldly and seemingly impossible things are less fearful than the familiar. However, through some byproduct of human reality, it is almost always the case that skewing the familiar is more unnerving than the fantastic. Not to leap away from the literature at hand, but this is very prevalent in the production of digitally animated films. For this reason, Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks consecutively choose to employ a stylized look to all their creations, as opposed to something like The Polar Express, in which we notice that closeness to reality, and are immediately repelled by it. Animators and those working in robotics have noticed this phenomenon, and labeled it the Uncanny Valley. Literature isn’t foreign to the valley, and we see that in work like V for Vendetta and 1984. In short, the closer these works seem to reality, the more they frighten us, while the more fantastic elements they propose, the less threatening they seem.

It’s particularly noticeable in the way in which we derive fear from V for Vendetta. So much of the resultant fear from reading the novel is directed at the totalitarian regime and fascism, the more realistic components of the work, that readers never identify V as an anti-hero, nor do they ever draw fear from the power and threat he poses to the human race. In his dialogue over the television broadcast V clearly proves the point that he defines himself as beyond human. He likens the human race to factory workers while he is the overseer, the management. This notion of an evolved being, even one that was created by human experimentation, is too fantastic to seem fearful, and as such, is written off by most readers.

It is in Alan Moore’s other most prominent work, The Watchmen, that he explores this fear alone. In a fictional world in which beings can have superpowers, humans are already facing an entirely different sort of dystopia than that of a totalitarian regime. This sort of dystopia is explored almost solely in the world of comic books and not literature, although The Lathe of Heaven, as far as I have inferred, seems to raise the question as well.

That isn’t to suggest that the totalitarian regime within V for Vendetta isn’t important. It just clearly isn’t the focus of the work. Moore never crafts a vastly threatening nation like the one present in 1984. This could have been intentionally done by providing the details of a fringe criminal society, a populace almost ready to be lead free by V, or a leader that is, while still somewhat threatening, a pawn to a machine, or it could simply be the result of poor writing. Moore may have wanted to suggest this government was vastly threatening, but the novels focus on V makes it seem otherwise. This is V’s vendetta. Is it against those who have imprisoned and experimented upon him, or is it against the entire human race? Through his death has he achieved victory by freeing the people, or by crushing his enemies? V’s actions seem noble in the face of those who are willing to topple a fascist regime, as we should all be, but is it acceptable to have a human society, of any kind, fallen under the throes of a being that views himself as better than human?

The Iron Heel - Quick Journal Review

2007-05-01T03:12:00.000-04:00

Within the last third of The Iron Heel, the novel finally breaks free from a seemingly realistic historical text and moves toward the dystopian domain. While the setup to this climax may have some dystopian elements, it is when the early 1900s society crumbles, and the oligarchy abandons what we would consider fair governmental practices, if we have the right to even suggest those, that a dystopia is fully realized. Prior to this we see what interestingly could be taken for history instead of the proposed future that London was writing about. Whether this comes four our lack of knowledge about the actual historical events in this time period, or from how culturally relevant these ideas and events seem to be, is something that could be debated. Regardless, what London suggested as the future we partially interpret as what could have been our past, so where does that leave us in comparison to the ultimate destination of society that London deemed the Brotherhood of Men?

Surely we haven’t yet reached a society as ideal as the one London suggested could come to power in 2200, but are we closer than he might have imagined, or is the oligarchy still in control? It’s hard to not suggest that the oligarchy doesn’t have some sort of control over society, even now. The truth that 1% of the world population controls 90% of the wealth is a genuinely potent example of how strongly capitalism has favored the select few, and it wouldn’t be outlandish to think that they’ve even gone farther than London imagined, by not attempting to impose a strict caste system and instead indoctrinating the belief that we should strive for that wealth, and that it is actually available to us, when realistically it isn’t. The class ladder is still used as a model to teach students that there is the low, middle, and upper classes, when it is evident to most that regardless of the naming and subdividing of the lower class, there is little more than the lower class, and the upper class – the oligarchy, of which migrating upwards to is impossible. This hidden truth that not everything is available to everyone, despite what they’ve been told time and time again, must be the most controlling aspect of our modern oligarchy.

The Socialist revolution that The Iron Heel focused on never does occur, and even now it doesn’t seem particularly possible. If anything, a defeat of the modern oligarchy will come as most other things have seemed to occur, as a gradual waning towards something better. This is akin to what Ernest proposes as a kind of social evolution. Society moves forward by growing in the direction of something more habitable for all. The amount of our beliefs and opinions that are now in league with socialism, whether we know it or not, are proof of this. Unlike much of Ernest’s philosophy however, it seems rash to believe we’re incapable of moving backwards. Much can happen in a society to reduce it to something it had thought it surpassed. Human nature itself shows this flaw to be something we contain. In examples like the Abu Ghraib prison incident, and even more clearly in the Stanford prison experiment conducted by Dr. Philip Zimbardo, people have shown that all of societies imposed progress can be quickly rewritten.

Even with our slow crawl towards the wonder cities of The Iron Heel, that destination seems much farther off than the relatively close year of 2200. Much can happen in 200 years, but the amount of conflict still in the world is a depressing tie to modern times. The oligarchy, albeit a slightly different beast than what London proposed, is still in control, and the slow process of moving the course of society towards The Brotherhood of Men is currently drudging along.

The truly dangerous thought is that what if all of our progress toward a better and more civilized society isn’t actually the result of wearing down the oligarchy, but instead it is the freedoms that the oligarchy merely allows us to enjoy, in order for them to maintain their role as our prison wardens. This sort of deliberation and knowledge is reminiscent of how brilliantly The Iron Heel’s oligarchy squelched the first rebellion in Chicago, and it is a scary thought to consider how that could translate to today. If nothing else, we at least have the luxury of knowing that society hasn’t yet reverted to the very dystopian “future” that The Iron Heel proposed. We aren’t the same sort of slaves they had become, and luckily, we never did find it necessary to go as far as reinstating crucifixion. Thank goodness.

Neuromancer - Quick Journal Review

2007-04-30T02:19:00.000-04:00

Distancing itself from other texts like 1984 or The Handmaid’s Tale, Neuromancer is in comparison, the least dystopic view of the future, or at least, it seems to be. Just as a dystopia ruled by drug abuse appeals to the drug addict, a dystopia centered on laziness appeals to the lazy, and a dystopia ruled by technology ultimately appeals to those with an interest in technology. In that sense, Neuromancer, and cyberpunk in general, reaches out to the readers of today, and the text dangles in front of the reader a vision of the future that may be fueled by violence and dehumanization, but the allure of the technology still persists. That is where Neuromancer strikes a strong chord in modern society, because the allure of technology is growing considerably more prevalent each generation. Gibson seems to ask the question, “What would you give up to have what I’m offering you in this future?”

Obviously, the question isn’t so easily answered for us, but for Case and Molly, the choice has already been decided. It’s interesting that while they were curious about the nature of their assignment, they never chose to abandon it, even after they realized the ultimate goal of Wintermute. Case never asks what the outcome of freeing an artificial intelligence could be. Case could only be Case, and do as was expected of him. The same could be said for Molly. The two are almost symbols for the direction all of society took in Gibson’s future. One side of life embracing the low, gritty violence of the streets, and the other withdrawing into cyberspace, to explore a different world, one without the nuisance of, as Case would say, the flesh. It could be suggested that the entire novel is centered on exploring two characters, each an opposite side of the “fight or flight” mechanism.

Apart from technology itself, many of the dystopian elements of Neuromancer are only alluded to. This is a world ran by corporations, but Gibson never fleshes out how terrible this idea could be; he saved that vision for the story of Molly’s past lover Johnny. Johnny Mnemonic is that character, and in the film of the same name, the true horror of a society ruled by corporations is the direct focus. That is, it would be the focus, if the film was actually good. It isn’t. This is also a world in which technology has made for terrorism to be an even simpler task than it now is, and even this, although at the time of writing Gibson probably wasn’t nearly as focused on the act of terrorism as we are now, is only briefly mentioned in the context of the larger events occurring between Case, Molly, Armitage, and Wintermute.

The novel itself never explains clearly what the outcome of Wintermute’s merging with Neuromancer is. We only know that Wintermute was destined to seek Neuromancer, and Neuromancer, not needing any personality because of its structure, was destined to avoid this fusion. Although, destined probably isn’t correct term, the two intelligences were programmed, not destined, to follow their respective paths. What is the result of having a free, sentient artificial intelligence roaming cyberspace? Gibson never answers the question, and he never suggests that there is anything particularly threatening resulting from it. Even now, considering society’s progress towards Gibson’s future, this issue is the most difficult and curious one presented throughout the whole of the text. Are we prepared to live in a society in which a machine can exist in a more powerful position than any human being? A machine that is aware it is a machine, that still has no true emotions and no concept of feeling outside the program it was created to follow. Perhaps Nueromancer is quite the dystopian novel after all.

The Handmaid's Tale - Quick Journal Review

2007-04-29T01:52:00.000-04:00

While the focus of The Handmaid’s Tale is primarily on the subjugation of women, just as much attention could have been placed on how fearful the idea of reverting to early Christian ideals is in all cases. The society that brought forth the Republic of Gilead seems to have progressed slightly more liberally than our own, or perhaps Atwood is only focusing on the most negative aspects of our own society, but for a world even similar to our own to allow itself to embrace nothing more than tradition and religious precedent; that is a frightening premise.

Interestingly enough, Atwood proves through the actions of nearly every character in the book that although The Republic of Gilead has proven itself a strong enough force to capture a large portion of America, it has failed in capturing the hearts and minds of its people, and is most probably doomed because of this. The fact that the novel is taking place in early Giladean history could prove that the nation still has a chance to establish itself further, but in reality, the characters’ passion for the world they left behind is too persistent and alluring for them. The Commander himself never mentions as he tours Offred through Jezebel’s that this “necessary evil” is something to be left behind over time. He still yearns for socialization with women and the many other fragments of pre-Giladean society that were lost. Serena Joy is just as troubled with this new society, although her own religious preaching could have been a propellant of Gilead; ultimately, she is left without that outlet in the new society, and is something of an empty shell.

A realistic analogy for the state of The Republic of Gilead and its people would ask: If you were to throw a stone down a chasm with a rope attached, you could always pull it back up, but if the stone fell too far, would you still be able to, or is the stone too heavy, and has it traveled too far? Could a society similar to our own actually revert to tradition and early Christian ideals or would attempting to do so prove that they’ve come too far (through good or bad progress) to ever really allow that of themselves?

The appendix seems to justify that Gilead does indeed fall, but to what extent, and at what cost? Apart from naming The Republic of Texas, the world is left open for interpretation. Atwood could have been leaving something optimistic for the reader, going against so many other dystopian novels, but at the same time she chooses carefully to include some chauvinistic attitude in the speaker, and never truly focuses on the atrocity of Gilead, just the occasional fact. Is post-Giladean society dehumanized, or is it back to what it once was? Which is better, and which is worse?

If society has returned to the state it was before Gilead, have all the negative aspects of society returned as well? It’s interesting to propose that while the feminist movement was undoubtedly positive, demanding so much freedom could have been the lone catalyst that propelled Gilead into being. The feminist movement, in some small way, is responsible for much of the open sexuality and lack of “traditional values” that inspired the men in The Handmaid’s Tale to rebel. Women like Serena Joy, scared of the waning morals in modern society, were content with letting, and even helping, the change to take place. Of course, our society doesn’t parallel this exactly, and while we have obvious similarities, it would be difficult work to prove that the feminist movement did even close to as much harm as it did good.

Utopia - Quick Journal Review

2007-04-28T11:15:00.000-04:00

At some point in reading Utopia, it becomes evident that Thomas More isn’t necessarily describing the ideal society, the definition for which we have given utopia, but his own version of that society. That’s not to say anyone who attempted the task would be able to deliver anything more than that, but More succeeds in coming closer than those with less wit, and less idealism otherwise might. His description of Utopia, and the Utopians, proves that he has taken the task of building a perfect society very seriously, and perhaps at the time of his writing, most could have agreed that the world described by Raphael Hytholoday is a near-perfect vision of a commonwealth.

Unfortunately, with the knowledge that hindsight allows, it becomes mostly evident that More’s ideal society, while noble, is still rooted particularly in the customs and times from which the text originates. Could the society of Utopia still prosper in a modern and technological world? More’s definition of utopia might, if reevaluated today, mention that there is no need for the technology that we now have; and that it only stands in our way from reaching the state of a perfect society. However, that stands in direct opposition to the course that More gave the Utopians by embracing the idea of the printing press so openly. More opened the door for the Utopians to accept technology, and while our technology today might often contribute to a less than noble society, it has become something that in our own, modern vision of a utopia, we couldn’t live without.

Interestingly enough, while much of our society is in direct opposition with the Utopians, that doesn’t necessarily mean we aren’t similar. At the time of writing, More predicted many things that actually came to pass years from his original writing, such as women being able to marry at the age of 18, or the idea that Utopia was a nation that allowed it’s citizens to embrace any religion they chose. These ideals, while More may have borrowed what he felt were the best ones from ancient civilizations, often weren’t popular until hundreds of years later.

The age of More’s Utopia also shows in the occasional brutalities and direct courses of action for many crimes and punishments. For the simplest transgressions citizens are reduced to prisoners, and the consistent notion that acting against the society will cause them to be looked down upon, or disrespected, makes for a society that is obviously oppressive to those harboring any ideas of change. Utopia even makes use of the death penalty for numerous offenses, some less deserving than what we allow today. Could we look at a society in modern times and view that as ideal?

Religion in More’s work is actually one of the more forward-thinking aspects in Utopia, but there is one section in the text that seemed unnecessary. My original belief that Christianity wouldn’t have been accepted in Utopia was obviously incorrect, but in review, it was my own view of Christianity that was shaping my opinion. Where I see Christianity as believing Jesus is the son of God, the Utopians have accepted what seemed to be the view that Jesus and God are one in the same, which is a fairly popular perception. This isn’t so far outside the idea that Utopians believe men are all born equal, but it did still feel forced into the reading. More’s own religious views might have been overshadowing the impartiality he gave to the character Hytholoday. Even later in the writing More’s description of the most holy priests in Utopia also seems awkward in relation to the other descriptions of Utopian society. Why, when princes and all other men were viewed as equals, were these priests so unique in being revered and respected?

Ultimately, More might have failed in creating a society that is perfect and would forever continue to be. Whether that is based on his own faults in opinion, the limited vision he could have coming from his time, or the basic belief that we as people can’t be jammed into an “ideal” society; is difficult to say. It is obvious though; that the fictionalized society of Utopia is a vision that is easily one of the most noble, and complex works ever created with the hope of making a nation a better place for all of its citizens.

1984 - Quick Journal Review

2007-04-27T00:06:00.000-04:00

Within 1984 George Orwell delivers what is essentially the most popular vision of dystopia ever written. The texts popularity is most commonly based on how Orwellian our society has become, or how 1984 has become more prophecy than fiction. Unfortunately, while the similarities behind Oceania and modern society are understandable, they aren’t the reason this novel should have such staying power. The true impact in 1984 is how completely and brilliantly Orwell envisioned dystopia.

Oceania is a society without flaws, without hope, and without end. The character Winston, until his ultimate acceptance of the party, portrays us. Humanity, for the most part, as it now exists. He is able to think freely, to rationalize, and to discover the world for himself. He may have to fight a battle against some very strong opposing forces to do so, but it is still an opportunity available to him. 1984 is the story of the final destruction of man as we are now, through Winston. Even O’Brien makes note to tell Winston he is, “the last man.” Men are extinguished in 1984, and only party members exist from the time after their extinction.

It could be realistic to ask, “What about the proles?” Winston asked himself the same question. Are they not still proof of humanities persistence? That was answered within the novel as well, “The proles are animals.” Through this answer each mention of the proles and their imaginary revolution is quenched as quickly as it is brought forward, and it is disturbingly correct. The proles are animals, even in an almost literal sense. They exist as the meat of the party, the cannon-fodder for wars and territory, and they could most properly be considered sheep. Their intellect has been forced downward by the party, the most intellectual eradicated, and their only real outlets include simple roles and the lottery. If there is a prophetic vision in 1984 to modern society, this is the most potent. Are we not often envisioned as sheep as well? We could be as much slaves to the forces in our lives as proles. Luckily, the integrity and intelligence of our society, while it is always in question (as it should be), is still a far cry from 1984, and I think most would suffer a revolution before we accepted a similar situation.

If there is any true threat proposed to us in 1984, it is the idea presented in altering reality. Although not quite as literally as when O’Brien claims he could float from the floor, as my ethnocentrism refuses me the ability to believe my mind could accept that, the idea of changing reality through the manipulation of history, language, and attitude is the strongest and most fearful aspect of the party. Oceania succeeded in removing thoughts from the brains of party members, and they did it not only through unspoken laws and the fear tactics of a repressive state apparatus, but also through what could be described as the destruction of academics. Removing thoughts is as easy as removing the knowledge that is their source. No one in Oceania is learned in anything other than their field of work, and even then they are barely adequate. Why should a society have 10 intellectual workers, when 100 average workers are capable of the same effort, and with less risk? Limiting the knowledge of an entire population is the most threatening aspect of 1984. The idea that this could be happening now without our knowledge is nothing short of scary, and the truth that no revolution could combat this or none would ever even be able to occur is even terrifying.

I suppose that in that context many could be correct in assuming 1984’s staying power is in how Orwellian our society has become. I can’t see it from that perspective, partly because I can’t take the bad without the good. Our society has adopted some patterns undeniably similar to the party, but we still retain the ability to question and fight against those policies. We are, unlike Wilson, still men, with at least some sense of freedom. Even if it is only the freedom to debate how much freedom we have, we still possess it. I could never accept Orwell’s book as prophecy or even an envisioning of what our society is headed towards, but I’d rather view it as a guide. Just as More’s Utopia was a guidebook in achieving what could be a perfect state, Orwell’s 1984 is also a guide. It is the guide to how totalitarian society could become if we don’t maintain a watchful eye on those in power, the knowledge of the populace, and the truth that could be avoiding us.

Sincerest Apologies ... I'm busy.

2007-04-15T22:54:00.000-04:00

I apologize. No lengthy explanation. All should be apparent. I'll make amends soon; I promise. Until then, know that I have been doing something at least:

Sudokuro Preview - Nintendo DS - Modojo

Where games like Sudoku Gridmaster seemed to pale in comparison to the add-on Sudoku in Brain Age, Sudokuro is at least launching with some hindsight, and hopefully will be presenting a fully featured puzzler's heaven of mathematical content. If not, then Brain Age is always hanging back somewhere in the catalog of a serious portion of DS owners, and Toondoku is still looming right beside Sudokuro on the horizon. The competition is stiff, but if nothing else, this one's got a budget pricetag of $19.99, and of course, the freaking dragons.

Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom Preview - Nintendo DS - Modojo

A couple years later and hindsight offers us the chance to look back upon the release of Death Jr. with the knowledge that despite the games unique storyline and interesting setting, gameplay mechanics and camera issues doomed what was a potentially brilliant IP into mediocrity. Even the sequel to the game never quite proved itself as the savior of handheld 3D platforming, and that is where Death Jr. seemed to be heading, down the road of being another platforming attempt that just failed to capture audiences like the big hitters, namely Mario and even the PSP's own Daxter. However, Backbone refused to allow Death Jr. to slip softly into the night, and thanks in part to the success of Nintendo's handheld machine, they've decided to give Death Jr. a shot on a device that is a little more geared to the audience they were initially reaching towards.

Valhalla Knights Preview - Sony PSP - Modojo

The vastness of the fantasy wold in Valhalla Knights is second only to the vastness of character customization within the game. Every single wearable item in the game doesn't only affect the character and his abilities, but they are all also viewable on the character model. As far down as rings and necklaces, everything can be seen. That is a truly impressive achievement for any game, on any platform, and it will surely inspire players to explore the appearance of their character.

Puzzle Quest Roundtable - Nintendo DS/Sony PSP - Modojo

I definitely noticed more RPG than I was expecting. Actually, it felt a lot like Heroes of Might and Magic. More than a lot, a TON like Heroes of Might and Magic. I'd have to imagine that was the mold they were facing when they chose to go down this design path. Of course, they removed the battle elements and replaced them with puzzly ones, which is why the game is so damn unique.

I noticed how ridiculously robust the game was when I was building my town up and using the structures (stables, mage tower, etc.) to gain abilities. Starting there, and moving onward, I just kept saying, "Jesus, this is in here too?"

Lost in Blue 2 Review - Nintendo DS - Modojo

There could be, in some way, a niche market that finds the grueling experience that is Lost in Blue 2 enjoyable. Diehard survivalists or the kind-of too old Boy Scouts with a seriously concerning collection of Merit Badges could be right at home with this game. Or maybe not, there's always that girl/relationship element in there, and I hear these guys are scared of those strange girls. Their strange smells and strange breast things tend to freak them out and make them lose their focus on the kindling and rabbit traps. Yeah, I lose focus too guys, nothing to worry about.

Hit the links for the whole written ordeal, not just an excerpt. Now imagine that I've also been doing tons of schoolwork, handling Modojo's scheduling, editing and uploading of reviews and previews, and working four days a week at Barnes & Noble. AND taking the time to (get ready for this one) exercise almost every day.

I'm owning the 24 hours in a day.

Words in Many Directions.

2007-04-03T00:32:00.000-04:00

I can't focus on a damn thing tonight, so I'm going to wander fairly aimlessly in words and pictures. Let's see if it is entertaining at all.

Naruto 360 looks beautiful, and when full size screens and footage do drop on IGN, 1UP, and the like (which should be soon), I imagine they will inspire a collective dropping of the jaws. The potential of cel shading on next generation consoles is looking to be a really interesting development. Here's hoping that Naruto 360 doesn't fall into the same traps of being a terrible anime game.

Yeah, so the opening city of Paprika has been announced, and I chose the wording of that sentence carefully. A single opening screen? And another in the following month? I wouldn't hold out much hope for seeing this one as it should be seen. In short: Fuck you Sony Pictures Classics. Fuck you all over the place. I'd rather companies not even bring good movies to the theaters if they're going to do it in a manner that even people willing to travel to the nearest city still can't see the movie.

I'd owned the first seven DVD's in the Tenjho Tenge series for a long time. I had never seen more than the first, instead waiting for the moment I could watch the series in full. Finally I bought the eighth and final disc, which is insane enough that a 26 episode series was on 8 discs, and sure enough, I crammed the entire series. Was it all worth it? No fucking way. Eight discs, tons of anticipation, and oodles of dollars later, I find out that the series comes to close in a non-ending? It's as if my balls were crushed under the mighty force of the oligarchy. One thing it does have going for it? The boobs.

I've just finished reading Kuhaku and it is one of the most delightful things I've ever read. Once again, I'm carefully choosing my words and not saying that this is great or epic; it's merely delightful. The novel is a collection of 16 stories/essays/accounts from those living in Japan. Some are from the view of foreigners, some from Japanese, and some from expatriates who will probably never leave their new home. Overall, the novel is a great insight to the varying worlds of the land I hope to migrate to in time. Not to mention, the cloth cover, color and b&w illustrations, and even an included bookmark make this one of the nicest looking books I own. Check out the website of the publisher, Chin Music Press, for more information on the book. Take the time to read the blurbs and I think you'll see that this is something everyone with an interest in Japan should own.

I could probably keep going, but I'd rather just finish with this ... it is the best game commercial I've ever seen. +1 Million experience points to anyone that knows which bit is from Conan the Fucking Barbarian (or Destroyer, I can't quite remember). Praise Cromm.

Yes ... the lamentations of their women.

Getting on the Tactical Train.

2007-03-29T22:17:00.000-04:00

I think when any gamer doesn't specialize in playing a certain genre, that is they don't abandon everything else for, say, their love of shooters, they tend to see that somewhere in the midst of all the types of games, one particular genre just appeals to them naturally. It's like they were born with a specific tendency to be good at fighting games or racing games. I'm not suggesting that practice doesn't make someone better at any type of game, but I think their is still that one genre that just appeals to the type of person we are. Because I play games for the most part universally, I have dabbled in everything despite my aversion to certain genres, and I think I've found the genre that, well, suits me.

My choice genre is the Tactical RPG. I carefully choose my wording here, because the Tactical RPG is in reality a subgenre of the Strategy RPG. The two are undeniably similar, and while I admit, I think I'm actually creating these definitions for myself, the difference lies in the minor details. Where my definition of a Strategy RPG places one in the setting of a grand battle with an army of units, a Tactical RPG on the other hand, still retains the party and unique characters of more traditional roleplaying games. I suppose a small list would be in order:

- A Strategy RPG has units, and a Tactical RPG has characters, or party members.
- A Strategy RPG often has one hero unit who is a character, but few more.
- A Strategy RPG often relies on the creation of bases and facilities.

I could probably go on, but I think examples are a better ... example:

Strategy RPG -

Warcraft/Starcraft
Command & Conquer
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-Earth
Advance Wars
Super Robot Taisen

Tactical RPG -

Final Fantasy Tactics
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Disgaea

I think that makes the genre distinction pretty obvious. Certainly there are some games that blur the lines between the genres (Makai Kingdom), and even between Tactical RPG's and Traditional RPG's (FF12: Revenant Wings). As I said, I'm mostly defining these as I go, but I think most people can agree with what I'm suggesting. Particularly, the separation between characters and units being the most significant. The real purpose of all this distinction is just to make the point that Tactical RPG's with their strategical gameplay and character driven storyline, appeal to me on some strange, biological level. For this reason ... I'm really, really excited about the near future. Let's take a look:

Hoshigami Remix - Updated PS1 tactical outings? I'll take that.

FF12:Revenant Wings is a unique mix of TRPG and gambit system.

Heroes of Mana is probably a little less than a TRPG, but it's interesting nonetheless.

Luminous Arc was announced long before these other games, but it's finally coming.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 is easily the cream of the TRPG crop.

I've been keeping an eye on all these games and it's exciting to know they'll all be released in the US, and all on a single platform: The DS. The PSP has its own share of TRPG's coming down the pipeline but I wouldn't want to be overly hopeful about games I may never play. If you enjoy the Tactical RPG as much as I, by all means relish in the bounty that is 2007.

Slightly Beyond Average: The Twelve Kingdoms

2007-03-25T16:49:00.000-04:00

This week during a terribly geeky Friday night literary journey, I read an entire book. I imagine it would be one thing to say that were it a small novel, or something of The Goosebumbs variety (God ... I'll never forget those), but this was a slightly less reasonable 464 pages in one sitting. Even more interesting is the fact that the book in question, The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow, wasn't even particularly amazing.

I wouldn't say the book is terrible by any means, but this is a novel marketed towards a Teen audience, and that's even where I had to find the novel at my Barnes & Noble. I rummaged through the Fiction, Science Fiction, and Manga sections before I decided I needed to look up its proper shelving. The fact that the novel is geared toward a younger audience gave me some initial fears, but I imagined that wouldn't be such an issue. I've wanted for a long time to finish The Chronicles of Narnia, and read the new His Dark Materials trilogy that seems to be fairly popular, so I was hoping that I could cope with fairly simple language and themes. I was, for the most part, wrong.

My literary tastes are, without tooting my own horn, fairly academic. I move from genre novels like Neuromancer, to cultural studies texts like Confucius Lives Next Door, and in most cases, I've grown to really enjoy ... wordiness. In moving backwards to The Twelve Kingdoms, all that appreciation I have for language is thrown to the dogs. As I've mentioned to others, note the first sentence of the novel:

"It was dark beyond darkness, deeper than the depths of night."

Ouch. I don't know about anyone else, but that isn't really working for me. They couldn't pull together anything more appealing than that? The rest of the novel isn't quite as bad, but it never really pulls itself together well either. I even noticed at least five typographical errors, and they stand out because, really, how often does that shit get through to a final product? I suppose, if anything, that shows we're working with Tokyopop and not an established publisher of literature.

That brings to question whether the issue of unimpressive language is the fault of Fuyumi Ono, the original author, or the translators responsible for creating the English version. I can't be sure, but I'd imagine the cause is equally dispersed among them. On the other hand, where Fuyumi Ono does excel is in crafting a vast fantasy world. Sea of Shadow is only the first novel in what, if I remember correctly, is a series of six or seven, and already the world is showing obvious Tolkien and Lewis inspired depth. Their are a series of kingdoms, rumored kingdoms, and a vast Void Sea filled with stars that connects these lands to modern Japan. C.S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia have a stronger influence here than Tolkien, and the parallels between the two stories are more than obvious. Happy talking badgers have become happy talking rats, but their role is the same.

If Tolkien's influence does show anywhere within Sea of Shadow, it is in the gore. The majority of the novel has the main character Yoko battling hordes of demons for days on end, to the point of physical and mental exhaustion. Her endless battles are filled with bloody details, and initially they're one of the better aspects of the novel. Especially as Yoko comes to term with her abilities, and finds herself enjoying the bloodshed. Unfortunately, as the battles rage on they grow tiresome, and it's easy to ask the question, is she just going to fight these random demons for the entire text?

When you realize the end of the novel is approaching, despite the story building around Yoko and her role in The Twelve Kingdoms, and the answer is Yes, then the entire experience feels a little jaded. Just as the vast climax approaches, it seems as if an entire portion of the novel was removed and we're left without the grand Tolkien-esque battle, only a half-hearted conclusion. It reeks of a writer who was forced to meet a deadline, and sacrifice detail for denouement. A novel with no climax is a hard sell for any reader. Were the sequel to the book readily available, and I could continue my journeys in The Twelve Kingdoms world, this wouldn't be such a blow, but no follow-up is in Tokyopop's schedule for the coming months. I suppose this is what Harry Potter must feel like, although I imagine each book is woven in a manner to avoid this.

The appeal of much children's literature like His Dark Materials and The Chronicles of Narnia, is that reading it as an adult makes the deeper themes more apparent. I'm happy to say that despite the language, Sea of Shadow does have that deeper underlying theme for adults to enjoy. For much of the novel this theme is, in short, the Socratic Paradox, or the truth that no matter our actions, whether noble or unjust, we're always acting according to the perception that we're benefiting ourselves. As the characters in The Twelve Kingdoms betray Yoko, she realizes that each member of this new world is very blatantly seeking their own benefit at her expense. Her acceptance of this, initially the terrible aspect of it, and ultimately the truthful aspect of it, is the most obvious example of her character growth.

So, I will say that The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow wasn't too impressive. A good many aspects of the novel, particularly the language, kept me from considering it a masterpiece. It was, however, a good read, and I will continue the journey in the world of The Twelve Kingdoms as the books are released. Sweeping fantasy epics aren't usually my thing, and I do have a strong disliking for series and the terrible waiting they inspire, but this world is fascinating, it has the perfect amount of Japanese culture to pique my interest, and to be frank, a series of beautiful hardcover novels at $11.00 a piece is more than welcome in my collection.

Fans of manga will be happy to see the occasional page within the novel devoted to artwork that is very pleasing, as is the art on the books dust jacket. I never shook a slight Inuyasha feeling that crept upon me during the reading, as a young girl transported from modern Japan to a world of magic and demons does sound vaguely familiar. I will say though, this was much, much better than any Inuyasha I've ever seen. The Twelve Kingdoms has its own anime series, totaling what I believe is 40+ episodes, and is already available in America.

I left much of the plot open so as to not spoil the story for anyone, but here is a synopsis for those interested:

Yoko Nakajima's life has been fairly ordinary--until Keiki, a young man with golden hair, tells her that she is his master and must return to their kingdom. With the help of a magic sword and a magic stone against the demons on her trail--Yoko begins her quest for both survival and self-discovery in her new land.

This book is available on Amazon.

So Google, what exactly are you trying to say?

2007-03-25T01:45:00.000-04:00

Somewhere along the line poor Google just got the wrong idea. I had to let him down soft. I knew he was fragile, and I didn't want to give him the wrong impression. Eventually, our conversations were getting too awkward; each time we spoke I felt like he was devouring me with his eyes. Ultimately, when the tension was peaking, I blurted the first thing that came to mind ...

"I still use Yahoo! ..."

He froze. I could see that he felt betrayed, and I felt more than a little disgusted with myself. Then he told me he'd stop with the ads. I felt like I lost a friend, but at least I wouldn't have to deal with his subversive suggestions any longer.

Oh the woes of search engines and their sexual preference. I thought by all the times I searched for "(Insert slightly skanky celebrity) + topless" that they'd have caught on.

Let's Fight Some Nazis: The Rocketeer - Part 1

2007-03-25T00:41:00.000-04:00

Penny Arcade made a brilliant pop culture reference in their latest comic that I fear too many people might not be privy to. This, of course, is because they're uneducated heathens and have no knowledge of some of our nations greatest Nazi bashers. Seriously, there have been so many amazing film characters who spend their screen time thoroughly wasting Nazis, that I thought I should do my best to highlight them on occasion. After all, if there are any heroes we should celebrate, shouldn't it be the dudes that thrash Nazis that we celebrate first? Specifically, shouldn't we be starting with the dude that thrashes Nazis while wearing a jetpack? Yeah, I thought you'd agree.

I strongly suggest no one fuck with The Rocketeer. He fights nazis, with a jetpack, and a seriously cool helmet. Like, the coolest of helmets. That helmet just says, "Yeah, I've got a jetpack AND this helmet. Obviously, I'm from the freaking future, and I'm here for some business with Hitler." Going on a slight tangent here, Howard Hughes has a little cameo in this picture, and no, not The Aviator Leonardo Dicaprio wannabe Hughes, Hughes as played by Terry O' Quinn, prime minister of badass. If that isn't ringing any bells, try this.

It should be clear that I'm not actually suggesting The Rocketeer is a particularly good movie, because, well, it isn't. However, that has no real bearing on the fact that A. Nazis are wasted, and B. He's wearing a freaking jetpack. For any true man, these things are more than enough to at least warrant a single viewing. The inclusion of ridiculously attractive Jennifer Connelly is the sole reason for repeat viewings. It's strange to me how she can be that hot, with eyebrows so ... furry. Her hotness exceeds the seriously dude-like eyebrows, and that gentleman, is a fairly high level of hot. I probably would have boinked her back in the Labyrinth days ... ... and I guess that's where I'd better stop that train of thought.

Expect me to further explore the greatest Nazi opponents of all time as this series of posts continues. Appearances include, but are not limited to, Hellboy, Indiana Jones, and obviously, Captain America.

The Big Empty.

2007-03-22T21:25:00.000-04:00

I fear that I've been suffering from Bloggers Block these last few days. Any posts that I started to spew forth felt as if they were too small for what I was interested in posting, or they just weren't congruent what what I was ready to type at length about. That's not to suggest I don't have some ideas:

I'd like to countdown what I feel are the 10 best magazines.
I'd like to begin a sort of bibliography of the books that I'm reading, will read, or have read.
I'd like to write at length about a particular actor, and why he's so damned cool.
I'd like to introduce everyone to Ichigo Mashimaro, and its kawaii heaven.
I'd like to write about God of War 2. Although, what else needs to be said?
I'd like to write about the American wannabe-manga Gyakushu, and how glorious it is.
I'd like to write about Final Fantasy VI and my vast love for everything within it.
I'd like to write about the Xbox 360's ridiculous lineup, and other soon to be gaming releases.

As you can see, there are a lot of things I'd like to write about, but for one reason or another, none of them feel particularly pressing. I'm sure these posts will see fruition at some point in the near future, and everyone can at least be jovial in the knowledge that they are approaching. However, when exactly, I do not know.

Until then, settle for my recent love affair with Imeem, a website that allows for chaps like myself to upload songs and share them, this is of course as long as I'm not infringing on any copyrights. Yeah ... I was laughing too. I've been looking for something similar to this for a long time considering any time I make a music post, I always wish I could share the song as well. I've uploaded a few songs, and they have as of yet not been removed. So, enjoy:

The theme to the Paprika trailer:

Any particular post anyone wants to see first? I'm in no rush.

Having bright thirsty pain of wonderful desire?

2007-03-17T02:32:00.000-04:00

I'm SO jealous. Any comedy I could ever deliver, and best post comments I could ever receive, they're all dwarfed by this.

Try the number one most honorable brand mammal juice drink.
Succumb to white mixture! Swallow! The flavor is like a fist!
FELINE DISRESPECT! FROM BEHIND!

Japanator delivers Bukkake Milk

I can't even put a picture on this post for fear of giving the wrong idea. And what the hell do I tag it?

Running full throttle through the battlefield of love.

2007-03-16T22:41:00.000-04:00

I'll only say what is absolutely necessary.

Ryuhei Kitamura's (Versus, Azumi) new movie is called LOVEDEATH. The trailer is out. The following things are contained within:

Main character with ... the best hair ever.
Muscle cars. Exploding.
Ridiculously good music.
Popsicle eating ... with rage.
Gyrating dildo guns.
A bowling scene.
Lots of fur coats?
Erotic cherry eating.
Girls almost kissing. Almost.
And 733% Kitamura flavor.

A quick rundown of the story is available here.
The trailer can easily be found on this website.

I probably could have just said this: Ryuhei Kitamura. New trailer. Here. Watch or die. I'm always so long winded.

MPAA Announces Newest Rating: SFU

2007-03-15T06:01:00.000-04:00

Whether you view the MPAA as a totalitarian behemoth destroying creative and independent film, or as a noble organization dedicated to protecting the sanctity of youth, all should be equally comforted with their newest amendment to the rating system.

The new SFU Rating is sure to be a target for films striving to reach a deeper, more mature audience. I for one, am proud to finally see The Department of Homeland Security doing what it ought to be doing by partnering with the MPAA, keeping questionable content away from the eyes and ears of modern America. The sort of questionable content that seems to be pouring out of other countries these days. In particular, Japan has a culture that is attempting to flood America with their wavering morality and rampant sexuality. If there is a country that needs to be stopped, Japan is obviously the prime candidate.

A perfect example of the Japanese and their meager attempts to sway our staunch American Christianity, family values, and good old fashioned down-home cooking, is present in the first film to be awarded the SFU rating. The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai! (and what sort of name is Sachiko anyways; it's not even in the Bible) has a plot that is unabashedly anti-American:

Prostitute Sachiko Hanai is accidentally shot in the head during a yakuza skirmish in a restaurant, but the wound acts as a sort of trepanation, turning her into a genius capable of complex dissertations on metaphysics, existentialism, and the work of Noam Chomsky, which causes her to be hired as the amorous tutor to a professor's teenage son. But it turns out that the mysterious cylinder coveted by the gangsters contains a severed finger that is a clone of the finger of George W. Bush, which North Korea wants to launch a nuclear attack. But the Bush finger has a mind (and levitation powers) of its own, and wishes to penetrate Sachiko ('I do not need the U.N.'s permission to invade!') through orifices both vaginal and cranial, just as a gangster attempts to retrieve the severed digit to aid in the unification of North and South Korea.

I'm disgusted at the very proposal of such poor moral fiber.

For exactly that reason, I hope everyone does NOT watch the trailer, which is available here. Downloadable Quicktime
I also hope no one visits the movie website Twitch, to learn more about it.
I do however, demand that everyone better familiarize themselves with the new SFU rating, in larger format here.

Fearing for Wii - A Photo Journey

2007-03-14T23:34:00.000-04:00

Take that however you like. I'm not saying Ninjabread Man won't be awesome, just putting stuff into perspective a little bit. And I only used what had boxart, so you know, that's not even all of them.

A Quick Conversation with XBLA.

2007-03-11T21:10:00.000-04:00

Stopping to get a bite to eat the other day, I randomly bumped into a good fella' by the name of XBLA. We had an interesting conversation about the future, particularly his future and how he thought I should be involved in it. This is the conversation as I remember it.

Me: Holy shit! XBLA, man, I didn't think I'd see you here at Burger King.
XBLA: Yeah, that whole Sneak King deal, and now I can't even show my face at Wendy's.
Me: Ouch. I suppose it's all for the best though. Man, Worms, Alien Hominid HD, you're doing pretty well for yourself these days.
XBLA: Truth. We'll see if I can keep the pace. I've got the freaking Ninja Turtles too. That's always a plus.
Me: That it is my friend. I'm pretty stoked about that. So, what are you eating?
XBLA: Pfft. Three triples bitch! I'm baked and I've to-ta-lly got the munchies.
Me: I'm sorry, what did you just say?
XBLA: Yeah man. I'm fucking thrashed. It comes with the fame you know? Wanna do some acid? I've got more acid than George Clinton and the fucking Parliament Funkadelic.

XBLA: Peddler of unquantifiable hallucinogenic experiences.

Me: Umm... I think I'll pass on that XBLA. Although, we could go play Castlevania if you want. Maybe ... if you calm down a little.
XBLA: Fuck that shit man. I'm not even ready for that. I'm just sort of teasing that like a Twinkie in front of a fat kid. April ... at the earliest.
Me: Seriously? That's kind of bullshit man.
XBLA: Don't tell anyone I told you though. They'll stop hooking me up with Minter's acid. That dude ... shit, I'm watching my mother fuck Yogi Bear right now ... on the menu. Right beside the Shamrock Shake.
Me: Yeah ... they don't even do the Shamrock Shake anymore man, and again, this is Burger King.
XBLA: Exactly man. Exactly.

XBLA receives his three triples, two king size orders of fries, and one crispy chicken sandwich minus the bun. He drops a stack of money on the counter (he is pretty financially stable after all), then stares at the cashier for a period of time no less than 45 incredibly awkward seconds. "I'll rootbeer tap your fucking face off," he explains to the cashier, and then stumbles off. Near the doorway he falls onto his tray and with little hesitation walks right out the door with nothing. In retrospect, I imagine he's quite used to stumbling, and even to nothing. He's given it to me more than a few times.

Cashier: Wow.
Me: Yeah, he's a little ridiculous. I think it's all the trippy shit coming down the pipeline.
Cashier: That motherfucker needs to stick to board games.
Me: Without a doubt.

Let's see if Catan can sober up the beast.

Spring Cleaning Begins...

2007-03-11T17:12:00.000-04:00

Winter might finally be on the way out, and that's almost strange to say because after this year I thought for a while it wasn't going to come at all. Thumbs down for global warming. I do like the chilly season, but I'm happy to see it go, even if I'm well aware of the unbearable heat and summer bullshit that is soon approaching. Not to mention, I'm so eagerly anticipating the nasal onslaught spring delivers. The raping of my allergies in these silly months leaves my nose feeling like a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader if that catches. If not, then in short ... fucked, and fucked hard, by something of a large and intimidating nature.

Luckily, I'm still breathing comfortably for the time being, and since I am, I've decided that there isn't much better of a time for spring cleaning than now. I don't need spring cleaning quite as desperately as some people do, as I keep my living quarters close to habitable, particularly when I occasionally have company to entertain. Even still, my actual domicile doesn't really matter to me what it looks like. 1. It's not mine to clean. and 2. I won't be hear much longer anyways. Spring cleaning takes on a second meaning for those entrenched in common geekery, and my hard drive is the target.

Considering the amount of media I regularly find myself consuming, and exactly how much of that media is of the downloadable variety, it isn't outrageous for me to say that my hard drive is consistently flirting with less than 1GB of space. I've only got 120GB to work with, and while that isn't exactly paltry, it really doesn't take too much to find that full. So, spring cleaning begins, and I've even thought to include a breakdown, just to show how ridiculous some of this can get:

DELETED:

Bleach Anime Episodes 1-80 - 6GB
Deathnote Anime Episodes 6-10 - 900MB
xxxHoLic Anime Episodes 1-15 - 2.5GB
Planescape Torment - 1GB (I WILL be downloading this again sometime.)
Daywatch Movie - 500MB
Marvel House of M Comic Series - 500MB
Japanese Game Commerical Package - 600MB
Shortbus Movie - 700MB
Stranger Than Fiction Movie - 700MB
Marvel Civil War Series (Outdated and Incomplete) - 750MB
Spawn All Series - 3.5GB
Wolverine Origin, Snikt, and The End Comic Series - 200MB
Old 1UP Podcasts and Videos - 500MB
Various Pornographic Videos - 10.5GB (There are still more! *wink*)
GDC 2007 Videos - 500MB
System Cleanup Utility - 200MB

Son of a bitch! Stop giving me second thoughts ...

I'm leaving some questionable things in, like World of Warcraft, 20 or so albums that I actually have physical copies of, The Maxx Animated Series (Seriously ... TOO good to delete), Ergo Proxy, and the copious amounts of pornography that I refuse to part with. All in all though, I'm coming out with:

29.55GB More space.

That's a nice chunk of space to have at my leisure once again. You know, so I can fill it up with more episodes of Bleach and Naruto: Shippuuden. I'm thinking about going back in once again tonight and giving all my files one more look over to make sure there aren't a few more things that aren't all that important. Particularly, you know, that one folder.

Welcome Home Bleach and Naruto.

2007-03-11T00:26:00.000-05:00

It's been quite the long time since I was able to say I was up to current in the two biggest anime series' this side of the rising sun. For as long as both series were nothing but filler episodes, I had been taking my time off from both. I stopped watching Bleach around episode 80 if I remember correctly, and Naruto at close to 140. So, that means I've basically skipped 30 episodes of Bleach, and a ridiculous 80 plus episodes of Naruto. I'm not going to venture into what I skipped, for good reason, but having started again, what am I missing? In short, nothing. In good faith, before I continue, the occasional spoiler might be present.

Bleach starts off the Arrancar arc at episode 110, and damn has it been a long time since I geeked out watching Ichigo and company go shinigami in what is probably my favorite currently airing anime. The show picks up right where it left off, leaving only the occasional lingering character from the filler Bount arc, and I've only felt out of the loop in a couple instances. Wiki solved all my worries, and at seven episodes in, the series is as good as it ever was. The introduction of the Arrancar, the Vizard, and one incredibly badass shinigami who I'll save the pleasure of naming for those watching, all make for one hell of an action packed return. I'm more eager to be watching Bleach than I ever was before, as the battles are growing larger, the characters more powerful, and the locale, dare I lead on what I shouldn't know, is going to be a bit darker from here on.

Naruto: Shippuuden, or Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles, as it's being called, starts off a little slower. With the exception of a little introduction that alludes to some interesting events to come, the series starts with Naruto's return to Konohona after his long training session. This is being billed as an entirely new series, and that is essentially the most interesting part. All of the characters, at least the young ones, have aged and are now more responsible, powerful, and most importantly, not as damn whiny as they were before. The show is intended for an older audience than it was before, so while it will definitely still include much of Naruto's humor and antics (note: the kancho has already made a sparkling debut), everything is slightly more serious in tone. My props are already delivered to the original crew and Gaara, as each of the characters is visibly more powerful, thoughtful, and finally in a world full of fucking ninja; they are acting a little like, you know, ninja.

So, by all means get to watchin'. A fan of both series is already a total 11 episodes behind from the time both new arcs began.

Enter Paprika: Dream Detective

2007-03-09T23:46:00.000-05:00

Now that 300 has finally made it to the theater-going public, asking me what my most anticipated movie for 2007 is would yield an interesting answer. On one hand, Spiderman 3, Transformers, TMNT, Pirates of the Carribean 3, and a damn slew of other epic-level movies are on their way, but regardless of how seemingly amazing those all might be, I can't seem to shake a much less known movie, Paprika, from the top of that list.

Paprika is an anime movie, and I almost hesitate to say anime because I don't want Paprika to be pigeonholed into the same category as Fullmetal Alchemist, Naruto, Pokemon, and other more typical fare. That's not to suggest that any of those are particularly bad things. I've enjoyed each of them at some point, but they serve a very distinct purpose, and it is without shame that I say it is probably a significantly less thought intensive purpose than Paprika. Naruto is fun, plain and simple, but Paprika, and taking it to a series level, shows like Ergo Proxy and Stand Alone Complex, exist in the second tier of anime. Movies and shows that aren't only enjoyable, but deep and philosophically driven at the same time.

A capsulated synopsis of Paprika would read like this: "In the near future, a revolutionary new psychotherapy treatment called PT has been invented. Through a device called the “DC Mini” it is able to act as a “dream detective” to enter into people’s dreams and explore their unconscious thoughts. Before the government can pass a bill authorizing the use of such advanced psychiatric technology, one of the prototypes is stolen, sending the research facility into an uproar. In the wrong hands, the potential misuse of the device could be devastating, allowing the user to completely annihilate a dreamer’s personality while they are asleep. Renowned scientist, Dr. Atsuko Chiba, enters the dream world under her exotic alter-ego, code name “PAPRIKA,” in an attempt to discover who is behind the plot to undermine the new invention."

Things go haywire when considering the nature or dreams, dreams mirroring reality, and all other potentially awesome things. What makes Paprika so interesting, is how beautiful the trailer seems. To attempt a project like this in anything other than animation would probably be suicide. Imagine the most ridiculous things that could happen in your dreams, and then you'll have a good idea at what Paprika might deliver.

Paprika is being released in America by Sony Pictures classics on May 25, and here's the catch. It's probably going to be of a vastly limited nature, and Pittsburgh might not see a release. That's not going to happen. Because everyone who reads this post is going to take two minutes out of their day and send an email here: oakscinema@aol.com The Oaks Theater is one of the only theaters in the area that often shows non-traditional releases. (i.e. Anime) They released Steamboy, Appleseed, and Sky Blue, when I think no one else had. Drop them a line that says we're interested in seeing Paprika in the Burgh, and there's a good chance, I think, that we'll have the opportunity. Make sure to say that:

1. You LOVE their theater.
2. You, and EVERYONE else you know is interested in Paprika.
3. You're reaching out to the Oaks because you know they care (cough ... guilt trip).

It just might work. If not, then I blame everyone of you for forcing me to download this movie and not support Satoshi Kon. Filthy pirates! Obviously, if you don't live here in Pittsburgh, then I don't blame you as much, but trust me, you're still not quite off the hook.

The trailer for Paprika is available here: Flash
Watching it again here is also available: Quicktime (Note: Also in HD here, which is practically orgasmic)
The hat trick would be here: Youtube

If there is any news about a theater listing, or any confirmation of Paprika showing locally, or not showing for that matter, I'll make sure to post about it. If the news is good news, you might just see me handing out fliers.

If anyone is interested, this is the website of The Oaks Theater. Not too much there, but of particular interest is the Moonlit Matinees Summer Film Festival, which will probably be updated soon for 2007. The Oaks always shows amazing indie, classic, cult, and foreign films each weekend throughout the summer. They sometimes even have prizes, celebrity appearances, parties, and Q&A sessions. All around good stuff.

Some Things are Just Surreal.

2007-03-05T00:19:00.000-05:00

In Taiwan there is a lantern festival to celebrate the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calender. Traditionally, the residents select some form of animal and create a massive papercraft lantern of their choice beast. However, this year no animal was chosen, and instead the giant papercraft lantern was ...

Is there a word that describes how awesome it is to see a somewhat realistically scaled Gundam? I can't seem to put my finger on anything other than boss. Endgadget is reporting that the lantern is 1:1 scale, but it is actually 1:2.5, making it a little less than half the monstrosity that a true Gundam would be.

Engadget's post is here.
A post from what seems like the design team (with tons of creation/end product photos) is here. My favorite is easily the man inside the Gundam head. SD Gundam anyone?

I'll repeat ... boss.

The Learning Quest: Virtual/Digital Ethnography

2007-03-02T23:08:00.000-05:00

Almost everyone I frequent in conversation here in the online realm got the chance to see the very creative video highlighting the Web 2.0 Experience. The clip explores Web 2.0, and the nature of many of the elements included within. Rarely do I bog the Zenspace down with Youtube videos, but I think this one is worth the hassle for those who still haven't had the enjoyment:

The video was the work of Michal Welsh, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University, and it is said to be an example of the work contained in the field of Digital Ethnography. Academic study on things I enjoy like this tend to get more than a raised eyebrow from me, so I took the liberty of trying to figure out what exactly the hell was peaking my interest.

Cropping the digital bit for a moment, the study of Ethnography, is in short, the study of people and writing. Auf Wiki:

The genre of writing that presents varying degrees of qualitative and quantitative descriptions of human social phenomena, based on fieldwork. Ethnography presents the results of a holistic research method founded on the idea that a system's properties cannot necessarily be accurately understood independently of each other. The genre has both formal and historical connections to travel writing and colonial office reports. Several academic traditions, in particular the constructivist and relativist paradigms, claim ethnographic research as a valid research method.

That sounds ... fantastic. Particularly for someone like myself who is so easily interested and open to exploring culture outside my own. I'm like a moth in the streetlight when it comes to being drawn to other cultures. Dances with Wolves, right? Those scenes always get me. The ridiculously stereotypical, "Why do you hate your own people?" I always feel like they want to follow it up with, "They're white ... you know that's better right?"

Wiki goes on to explain how cultural anthropology, sociology, and other fields all rely on ethnographic research. One of the best mentions is how ethnography can include research based on participant observation. From The Digital Ethnography Workgroup:

...because the best way to find out how people make meaning is to go among them and carefully examine what they actually do.

The digital in Digital Ethnography is for the most part self-explanatory. Digital Ethnography applies the same study to situations online, and particularly, the study is growing rapidly because of the advent of Web 2.0. That's not to suggest that the field is just being birthed as we speak however, Digital Ethnography has existed in one form or another since the 1990s, just under a different name: Virtual Ethnography. Auf Wiki again:

Virtual ethnography is a new development in the field of Ethnography. It extends the traditional notions of field and ethnographic study from the observation of co-located, face-to-face interactions, to physically distributed, technologically mediated interactions in virtual networks and virtual communities. In doing so it challenges the traditional notion of a field site as a localized space and moves it into the virtual world of physically distributed interactions.

Virtual ethnography attempts to maintain the values of traditional ethnography through providing a "thick" description through the "immersion" of the researcher in the lives of their subjects. This focus on the subject makes virtual ethnography quite distinct from Web usage mining or social network analysis, although it may use similar techniques to identify or map networks.

The key question for virtual ethnography researcher is "how can ethnography be pursued in technologically mediated settings"? Researchers have attempted to create virtual counterparts for many of the basic ethnographic concepts but whether they can appropriately be applied to technologically mediated interaction is still open. For example, if a researcher simply reads some emails or participates in chatrooms, does this represent an ethnography: can the researcher still be said to have immersed themselves in the life of the community?

Mr. Heston, why exactly are you such a staunch supporter of participant observation?

Genuinely awesome all around. I don't know if this is going to steal the spot of my favorite school of academic research (Film and Media Studies are hard to topple), but I can already see how potentially creative Virtual Ethnography could become. Amazon has a couple texts on the subject that I'd like to nab, but resorting to print to cover a topic as dynamic as the Internet seems a little archaic. Some of the most popular texts in Virtual Ethnography were written as far back as 2000, which is almost before the explosion of a full-fledged Web 2.0. This field is one that is sure to provide some difficulty for anyone trying to keep up. I did glance through a nice paper on the topic here: Issues in Virtual Ethnography. From the paper:

A virtual ethnography is one that fully immerses the ethnographer into the consensual reality experienced by groups of people who use computer-mediated communication as their primary, and often only, means of communication. As such, the online or virtual persona of the participants are the main focus of the ethnographer. Generally, researchers have wanted to focus on the person at the keyboard, a virtual ethnography reverses this and works instead with the persona that has been projected into cyberspace by the typist.

Once again: ... cool. The questions that this raises are fantastic! Things like:

Am I (Cody), and I (Zen) actually the same person, or are we two separate entities? It sounds ridiculous, but think of this: Would you always answer a question the same in a physical conversation as you would in an online conversation?

Back to gaming conversation and regular geekery sometime soon, just had to share where my learning quest led me.

Jacked In: Armies of Virus Sperm

2007-02-27T23:53:00.000-05:00

Did I ever lead on that I'm actually permanently jacked in to the Intronetspace. Since the birth of hypertext itself I've just been sort of hanging back, assimilating information, streaming my consciousness into all your desktop machines without your knowledge. I'm poised, like Skynet, for one massive strike in which I finally cease to be jacked in, and ultimately become ... jacked off. I'll let loose my horde of virus sperm across the desktops of millions. Proof, you ask?

Be ready. The end is nigh.

... or ... Thank John for noticing the ridiculous AOL hijinks, and expect me to post something worthy soon. I apologize for my intermittent posting attitude, these are the weighty days of an approaching midterm, coupled with the unbridled anticipation of GDC, and here I am, left flopping like a fish out of water.

In the Darkness ... the Astronauts Attack!

2007-02-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

Sometime last night, apparently when the blizzard was peaking, my power went out. Nothing amazing, but in this particular case, this was something I had been fearing. I was under the impression that my Wii only saved the game states of VC games as long as it remained in standby mode. So, about 10 seconds into the darkness, I thought aloud, "FUCK!" I had made it to the second level in Kid Icarus, the fourth or fifth in Super Castlevania IV, more than halfway through Kirby's Adventure, and through a nice chunk of Super Mario World. I was playing through each fairly often, particularly because I wanted to start doing some critiques of these retro titles on this very blog. The only reason I actually haven't started yet, is because I couldn't think of a damned name for the collection of retro features. Retronauts is taken, and Kohler stole "Virtual Consolation Prize" so I'm left with what? Yeah ... I'm silly. Anyways, my worries were unfounded, because all of my save states are still intact. So either I was wrong, or I've been blessed with the favor of the Nintendo god.

That of course wasn't the girth of this post, as I try not to blather on without something that is worth sharing. Luckily, The History of America is to my rescue. From Studio MK12, responsible for the effects in Stranger Than Fiction, is a movie about America. From their website: "It's about how America got born, with the cowboys and the astronauts and the whatnot." Terribly exciting stuff? Nah. Not really. Despite the short description, the idea of astronauts and cowboys together is enough to raise my eyebrow. Not to mention, the fact that MK12 could be shooting for a very deep, ideological explanation about the definition of America. What makes us Americans? Well, I know that doesn't get everyone going like it does me, so this production picture should suffice.

Freaking hatchet attack from the flying astronaut! And he's hatcheting cowboys!

Few words describe how awesome this could be. It's got an interesting rotoscoping animation technique, similar to A Scanner Darkly, and the movie is apparently already in post production. Check out the two trailers.

Trailer One
Trailer Two

The second trailer is the better of the two, but definitely watch both.

Kojima marries Igarashi!

2007-02-12T19:49:00.000-05:00

If Kojima were to marry Igarashi, and somehow mystically spawn a bastard lovechild: That would be Lunar Knights. My review is up on Modojo, and for the second time (I promise I won't be doing this again; I'm brewing new, authentic posts I swear!) I'm going to borrow it for some worthwhile reading. Note how difficult it seems for me to hold back from writing: "I have an absolute hard-on for this game."

My experience with Boktai lasted a sum total of ten minutes. Within that time I realized that I would have to try to enjoy the game in blistering sunlight, and in doing so, I'd have to somehow find a magical way to actually see what the hell was on the screen. Even backlighting can only go so far. I gave up, and I was sad for doing so, because from everything I had heard, Boktai was a genuinely good action title from Hideo Kojima, albeit one with some occasional flaws.

The occasional flaws are most likely what Konami wanted to avoid when they decided that Boktai-redux on the DS would instead be named Lunar Knights, and would cover a re-envisioning of the franchise, from the ground up. Gone were the casket dragging sessions, and the mostly lauded sunlight sensor; two things that I was happy to have never actually had to struggle through. Also, the majority of the game's original puzzle elements were removed for what is essentially a straightforward action title. With these elements dropped from the gameplay in Lunar Knights, other creative aspects rose to replace them, and the impressive bit is, they all work beautifully.

The sunlight sensor is replaced by the top screen's persistent view of the sky and climate. The world of Lunar Knights is on a constant cycle of day/night, and this affects not only which character, Aaron or Lucian, can recharge their energy through their own natural inclination to light or dark, but also the entire view of the game world changes as well. Climate in Lunar Knights is just as important as the day/night cycle, and managing climates through the unique ParaSol technology allows for gamers to manipulate the weather, and ultimately unlock the occasional new location. Even particular items are tied to certain climates or weather conditions. The end result of the setup is one that leaves so many options for the player, it's truly impressive.

Gamers that want to charge through the game without even exploring the climate are mostly able to do so, but they'll be doing it at a loss of the hidden weapons and bonuses that are all available. The game never becomes dishearteningly difficult, although the occasional group of enemies can be a test. Where fighting with a pack of random enemies might prove to be threatening, bosses rarely feel the same way. The bosses in Lunar Knights are fun, and creative character designs for that matter, but the almost overpowered TRC gauge makes for quick work of almost any foe. The gauge builds from damaging enemies, and taking damage, and can unleash an impressive attack from the six elemental terrenials that players acquire throughout the game. The majority of the attacks are stylus-based, but Aaron and Lucian each have a unique attack for their respective light and dark elements. The characters transform into hulking versions of themselves, which are more powerful than they almost need to be. Players looking for a challenge should try to play the game without these, while players looking for a breeze should keep one on standby for all boss encounters. In the end, it's a good option for players on each side of the spectrum.

The influence of Hideo Kojima is obvious in more than one of the games aspects, and the sneaking element is still present in Lunar Knights, although it is toned down somewhat. Sneaking is almost never necessary, but it is an extra element to gameplay, and really, who's against that? Blowing into the microphone allows players to catch the attention of patrolling enemies with a whistle, and send them off on a wild goose chase while players venture on without harm. While this feels very, very Kojima, it seems that the real influence of Kojima is in Lunar Knights' production value. The visuals aren't necessarily top-notch for the DS, but they are very stylized and charming. The animated cutscenes, on the other hand, are the best I've seen on the system, and the inclusion of an impressive amount of voice acting is really a treat. I had expected this game to have polish, but I was truly surprised at how much it actually delivered. Almost any fault that Lunar Knights has can be easily forgotten by how consistently the game delivers on production value alone.

Players should be aware that this game makes use of the critically difficult to enjoy isometric perspective. The same viewpoint made Scurge:Hive more of a chore than an enjoyment, but Lunar Knights, by adding a lock-on feature to gunshots and other attacks, and increasing the attack range of a sword swipe to what seems like a full 120 or so degrees in any direction, basically alleviates any worries that the isometric view causes. This is really promising, and other developers should look to this game to see how games in this perspective should be handled.

Other unique gameplay elements, like the shooting sequences when purifying enemy vampires, add even more layers of depth to Lunar Knights. The shooting sequences, in particular, are seriously enjoyable and creative, even if the conclusion of each seems to grow simpler as gameplay progresses. I would have much rather seen Starfox Command employ a system similar to the one in Lunar Knights, if only for the frantic pace it consistently provides. Powering weapons, unlocking new abilities, attributing stat bonuses (although very simply) are all present and accounted for as well. It's almost easier to look at what isn't included in Lunar Knights than what is.

What isn't in Lunar Knights? Anything resembling a bad game. No fault of Lunar Knights is enough to make it anything less than one of the best titles on the DS. The game is, as everyone seems to agree, more Castlevania than Metal Gear, but who could fault Konami for bringing their two best franchises into a beautiful marriage?

The review on Modojo can be found here.

Modojo Feature: Incredible 2007 Potential

2007-02-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

I don't normally allow myself to post my writings for Modojo here on my blog, but I enjoyed this feature, and I thought I'd like to share it to my "blog readers" as well as those who take the time to look at my writings on Modojo. I'd even like to add a few possible groundbreaking moments I think 2007 could hold, apart from handhelds, but I'll save those for an upcoming post.

Focusing on the handheld market in particular allows us at Modojo to take a look at the coming year a little differently than those who are watching the console scene specifically. While the large scale releases for consoles in 2007 are mostly laid out, and already under the gaze of gamers world over, handhelds are pretty unique in that the production time is genuinely shorter, and the releases come much sooner to their initial announcements. So, while we have games like Halo 3, Resident Evil 5, and Final Fantasy XIII for consoles that are pushing against 2008 already, there are only a minuscule number of portable games that have been announced for any later than this coming summer. Taking that into account, it’s safe to say that there aren’t just a few amazing games that are yet to be announced for 2007, but there’s actually a mountain of them, especially when you consider that we have basically no knowledge at all of how the Holiday 2007 season will be shaping up. We can only expect that with both popular handhelds having larger installed bases, and the DS in particular coming off an amazing year, the number of quality releases this Holiday should dwarf the already large number of games that dropped in 2006.

With that thought as our inspiration, we’ve taken the task of placing our bets on what 2007 could possibly hold for handhelds. Well, it’s not as if we’ve dropped ideas in a hat and selected what we lucked upon, but using some serious number-crunching and hypothesizing, it seems as if some of these things are more than likely to be occurring within the year. Don’t count on everything, as we couldn’t possibly have them all correct, and definitely don’t imagine that we’re quoting some hidden industry information. We’re not here to rumormonger, but only to look at what we feel is the realistic future. So, what exactly do we feel are some of the unannounced handheld happenings in 2007?

New Super Mario Bros. 2: The New-er

This is the most beautiful instance of how development time for handheld titles being shorter than a normal games development time is going to be beneficial to gamers. New Super Mario Bros. is still racking up sales around the world, but expect Nintendo to capitalize on never letting those sales falter. Just as sales for New Super Mario Bros. should probably be wrapping up, and we do say probably, sometime around next fall; expect New Super Mario Bros. 2 to be making its way to store shelves. This is THE DS game that Nintendo wants to have available for Holiday ’07, and do you think they don’t already know that? The announcement for this release will probably come sooner than later, and perhaps something could be revealed as soon as GDC in March. Mr. Miyamoto will be giving a keynote address, and it is just at moments like that, in which big bombs like this game tend to drop onto the radar.
Estimated Release: Fall/Winter 2007
Probability: 90%

Metroid DS. Dread Samus? Dreary Silence? Dropped Suit?

The announcement that Metroid fans have been waiting years for in 2007? Sure, why not? 2007 could very well be the Year of the Samus for all we know; and as far as we do know, it already is. Metroid Prime 3 will be released sometime in 2007 for Wii, Super Metroid, most realistically the series’ crowning achievement will undoubtedly hit the Wii’s Virtual Console at some point, and the time is finally ripe for Metroid DS to make its shocking debut. The interesting debate is of course, what type of game will Metroid DS be? Will it be a return to the 2D Metroid worlds that set the standard for the series, and that old-school fans are pining for, or will it be in the vein of Metroid Prime, or Metroid Prime Hunters? We’ve got our money on the return to 2D, as Nintendo has seemingly been comfortable going that route with almost all of their other popular franchises. If GDC isn’t the time for Metroid DS to appear, then expect it soon after, perhaps at the Min-E3 conference. Although this game will probably be announced in 2007, this is a title that could realistically find release a little later, maybe slipping into 2008.
Estimated Release: Winter 2007/Spring 2008
Probability: 75%

Kid Icarus DS – The One from Left Field

The announcement that is eating at our core is probably the one we’ll least likely be seeing, but we can’t help but feel as if something is up. Nintendo’s playing a pretty sly game including Pit, otherwise known as Kid Icarus, in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and being so hasty in releasing the original to the Virtual Console in Japan. Nintendo has Kid Icarus on the mind, and we’ve got a feeling it isn’t just because they were feeling nostalgic. The Kid Icarus franchise is going to be making a very exalted, and much deserved return to the forefront of gaming, but alas, will it be for the Wii, or for the DS? The truth is, if the game is happening at all, it will probably be on the Wii. However, pending the success of Kid Icarus Wii, or Kid Icarus DS, whichever comes first, the game will surely appear on the opposite system in time. This hypothesis does have some pretty concrete facts on which to stand, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the loftiest of the bunch. Here’s hoping that our whining at least wins over someone important.
Estimated: Fall 2007 (Most likely on Wii)
Probability: 35%

PSP Redesign? No. Price-Drop? Yes

A little different than game announcements, is the announcement that Sony is going to be required to make sometime this coming year about the state of their handheld system. While many fear the announcement might require a priest of some sort, and an audience garbed in all black, that probably isn’t the announcement we’ll be seeing. The state of the PSP is probably going to be a little like the State of the Union, in which everyone says really good things about the past and the future, but never dares to mention the hideous, glaring faults that are actually eating away at their very souls. Somewhere in that announcement Sony will HAVE to officially announce a price-drop for their hardware. If they continue to refuse, then truthfully, retailers are probably going to start dropping the price themselves in order to push units, and be hit with less of a loss than they otherwise would. Expect the price-drop sometime in 2007, but more interestingly, we wouldn’t hold out hope for the redesign that fans are clamoring for, and that the system really needs. Sony plays the redesign game rarely, and more often than not, years after the console’s release.
Estimated: Summer 2007
Probability Price-Drop: 85%
Probability Redesign: 10%

The rest of 2007 is going to be filled with all sorts of other announcements that we haven’t yet been able to foresee, or potentially foresee, or even imagine because of their sheer outlandishness. Luckily, we can think of a few more (slightly outrageous) things that 2007 might be known for come 2008, and here’s the quick list:

Pokemon Diamond/Pearl cause riots upon their US release and bring about the apocalypse, albeit, a very cute and charming apocalypse. Probability: 65%

Another Sonic Rush game is announced for the DS, and it is again very good, continuing the proof that anyone can make a good Sonic game these days, just not Team Sonic. Probability: 85%

When Maple Story DS launches North Korea abandons all communistic traits and surrenders to South Korea, with the conditions of surrender that all North Koreans receive a free year’s subscription to the game. Kim Jong-Il becomes the next person in a long line of Korean fatalities from those who refuse to stop playing video games past the 36-straight-hour mark. Probability: 10%

No less than four Mega Man games are released amidst the various handheld consoles, and all of them are, as expected, very average. Probability: 90%

Sega FINALLY announces some version of House of the Dead for the DS. Yeah, we’re kidding. The world is not that awesome. Probability: 5%

I am given a raise, a penthouse, and Shigeru Miyamoto’s home phone number, to call and discuss a few plans about 2008. Probability: 100% … guaranteed to never, ever happen. Well, at least the raise bit; me and Shiggy party all the time!

Anything else that seems like it will be making an appearance in 2007? Will it be the year of Castlevania, or the year of Final Fantasy? Will Reggie kick more ass, but take less names? Let me know what you think, or why you think we're wrong.

The original feature can also be checked out on Modojo right here.

The .MIDI Love Festival.

2007-02-04T23:31:00.000-05:00

A direct inspiration of Retronauts stellar exploration into retro game music, I've since gone and explored the vast netspace searching for an outlet where I could do the same. Luckily, I discovered www.vgmusic.com, and I've since been rocking casually to the long lost art of the .MIDI. It kills me to realize that this music is being replaced in video games, because it truly was an artform. Inspring an emotion with nothing more than cheesy synthesizers on hand is one damn impressive feat. Nowadays games ship with licensed rock garbage, so we can listen to Good Fucking Charlotte EVERY SINGLE TIME. Bleh! I'll accept licensing for Ouendan and the occasional moments it does us good, but from an overall perspective, it is not a very pleasing alternative.

However, The full-on symphony thing is acceptable, and it's hard to argue that it isn't the best direction for games; but in some places it just doesn't fit, and that is where .MIDI should always be. To hold up the little handheld adventure, or the occasional action game. I'd say it works for puzzle games as well, but Lumines and similar titles are proving that full-blown music is something that can change puzzling experiences profoundly.

Anyways, by all means jam out to some of the supreme .MIDI pieces I was able to discover. I was thinking this could be something I did weekly, but well, let's see if I can even do it next week before I start claiming I'll do it for all weeks until the end of time. Also, be wary of the occasional feedback reverb type thing at the beginnings of the songs. I don't know why it is there, but it is loud and painful to the ears.

Please copy and paste the links to your address bar. VGMusic broke my heart by not allowing me to hotlink.

A Few Selections from the GBA and DS:
Mother 3 - What Now? - http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/gba/Zenkusa_-_Mother3Jpn_WhatNow.mid
Mother 3 - Accelerando - Battle Theme - http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/gba/M3_Accelerando.mid
Mother 3 - Nifty Battle Theme - http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/gba/M3_NiftyBattle.mid
Metroid: Zero Mission - Norfair - http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/gba/MetroidZeroMission-Norfair.mid
Kirby Canvas Curse - Drawcia Sorceress - http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/ds/t_k_41.mid
F-Zero Climax - Illusion - http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/gba/F-Zero_Climax_-_Illusion_V1_1.mid

One of the most impressive things about .MIDI, is that it is one of the few examples where the best isn't always yet to come. Some of the tracks on the OG Game Boy are more impressive than songs on the Advance, or even the DS. That could mean the art is dying, or that it is so complex that now that we're able to do something else, few are willing to take the time to explore what all can be done with .MIDI. At least Mother 3 is a good showing that modern .MIDI music can still be more than throwaway tracks.

I'm only beginning to discover how awesome some of these songs are, so definitely expect more on this front as it develops.

A Photo Journey: "Bragging Rights."

2007-02-01T03:12:00.000-05:00

It's finally time to break the photographic seal on this technological masterpiece currently sitting behind me. The whole "picture = 1000 words" thing applies here, so I'll just jump right in. However, do note, some of the photos look rather grainy and plain bunk, particularly the DVD shot. That is not anything but a shitty digicam, with a shitty zoom function. Please allow me the pains of such a camera, you see, I sort of spent all my money on ... you know, something else.

This is the all-encompassing home theater masterpiece I've concocted. It actually looks small from this angle, but in reality it seems to take up more space. The basic contents are:

Westinghouse 32" HDTV - (Up to 1080i resolution)
Yamaha 5.1 Audio/Video Surround Sound Receiver with DD, and DTS
Phillips Progressive Scan Upconverting DVD Player - (Up to 1080i resolution and hacked to all region)
Microsoft Xbox 360
Nintendo Wii
Sony Playstation 2
Nintendo Gamecube
... and a satellite receiver and system selector. Although, I don't suppose those matter.

This is how you break in gaming on an HDTV. There is no other way.

Zooming ... I think it seems around this size when I'm playing most of the time. The first pictures were probably from close to 12 feet, whereas this seems closer to my normal playing distance of 5 or 6 feet.

The opposite angle and the dashboard. Notice the DVD shelf lingering in the corner. That is pretty much what makes the room seem crowded I think.

... and from a more dead-on viewpoint. Do you see wire Hell back there? I dare not look. Zatoichi is chilling there and saying, "You dare look at the wiresplosion behind me! I'll cut you. I'll cut you right in half monkey-whore." Yeah, Zatoichi totally said stuff like that. He's hard.

Well, if I'm going to be bragging here. This is probably noteworthy.

The Xbox 360 is on component, the DVD player on HDMI, but the freaking Wii is temporarily still stuck on composite. Although, you couldn't tell when looking at the menu. It's so bright and clear that it literally lights up my room like a lighthouse.

I don't care how useful it actually is, this is the coolest weather system ever.

Ummm ... stay warm. I don't know why I took this picture.

Yes, you're goddamn right it is. I've spent $50 in one evening so far. This is going to be dangerous to my financial situation if both the VC and the XBLA end up having consecutive "good weeks."

I think the zoom ruined this screen, but I'll be damned if I can even explain how glorious this looks in 1080i. There just aren't words. I'm told there is a Man Law, and this Man Law states:

"Any man purchasing an HDTV, who does in fact contain within him two testicles, must break in said HDTV (According only to the realm of film.) with Gladiator. If a man attempts to justify not breaking in said HDTV with Gladiator, and instead suggests other films including but not limited to Die Hard, Rocky, Rambo, Terminator, or any other franchise seemingly suited to this endeavor, that man, no matter his justification, is demanded to forfeit one testicle, and be henceforth called Katie for the duration of A. The HDTV's lifespan. or B. The remittance of his foolhardy original opinion and acceptance of Gladiator as the single film worthy of deflowering high definition. This is Man Law. So it is written, so shall it be done."

That's all she wrote. I had so much work to do instead of making this post, but obviously my priorities aren't skewed at all.

The Necessary Wii Post.

2007-02-01T00:16:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to announce my first post from the Wii internet browser. It''s not terribly cumbersome to post, but I think I'll stick with a keyboard for most activity. Browsing, on the other hand, is pretty solid, if a little blurry at times. I even watched the Youtube'd extended Sonic and the Secret Rings trailer through Wii's Opera browser. If I zoomed in enough, and waggled the Wiimote a little, it was as if I was already enjoying what is looking fairly must buy. I'm off to the VC, expect an interesting photo-laden post from me very soon.

The Bleach DS 2 Character Roster.

2007-01-29T14:13:00.000-05:00

So, Bleach DS, despite its minor flaws, was one of the best DS games around, and definitely one of the few games that was worth importing. Treasure delivered one hell of a 2D fighting experience for a handheld like the DS, and I'm happy to see that they're doing it again. Bleach DS 2 is coming out ... umm, very soon-like. Whether it's this week, or in the next couple, I'm stoked for release, even if I won't be getting the game directly. It will definitely reach my hands at some point, but I've got to be frugal in this dangerous year for game releases, so I'll give it some time to build up to the point where I can't take it anymore.

Helping me not take it is the fully outrageous character roster. I have this lust for 2D fighting games that deliver tons of characters, and for a handheld, this is plain madness. Check out the lineup I scratched together from screen captures of the Japanese site:

I've taken the liberty of tagging the blacked-out characters that I could recognize, but, WOW. I'm going to have to actually jump on the manga soon, or I know some of those guys will be spoilers. I don't even know that many other characters in the series. There are 44 total listed there, and if that isn't all of them, my brain could very well explode.

More blog posts to follow ... hopefully sometime today. I've got to finish reading Utopia for my Fiction course, and then grab a digicam to share and flaunt the glory that is high definition.

Tose!? The Universal Developer.

2007-01-24T23:20:00.000-05:00

Well, nothing new from me at this point. I'm busily scurrying along loaded with schoolwork, work-work, and other various important things. I've finally been playing Portrait of Ruin, and that's going well, as is Yakuza and Final Fantasy XII. Rogue Galaxy will be mine next week, and I'll definitely post some impressions from my initial travelings in that world. I'm trying to decide what worthwhile post I'll be making in the next couple days, but I'm still not 100% decided on what to devote my writing chops.

Until then, everyone should check out this quick feature at 1UP about the secret ninja game developers at Tose. I'm serious. Tose is actually the developer behind the occasional Resident Evil, Final Fantasy games on the GBA, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, Yoshi's Island 2, and something like 1000 other games that were otherwise credited to Nintendo, Capcom, SquareEnix, and other famous publishers. These guys are something incredible, and they actually desire to keep their affiliation with these games a secret. They're like the freaking Illuminati of game creation. Speaking of the Illuminati, they seem to be popping up everywhere, or at least ... everywhere I'm writing something.

Rejoice, for Life is Certainly Sweet!

2007-01-21T20:09:00.000-05:00

I'm obviously in celebration mode, as my Videogames and Art paper became a mightily popular force, and thus resulted in more than 2500 visits to this here blog. Which is something like, 2480 more than it would normally receive. I hope my content is sufficiently cool enough to keep the occasional guest returning. I can only think of one possible way to celebrate this achievement.

A good, old-fashioned cockfight.

English 102 - Research Paper - Videogames and Art

2007-01-20T22:18:00.000-05:00

The advent of any new form of media carries with it the introduction of debate. Can film ever carry a story as well as literature? Will a soundtrack ever incite the same emotions as a symphony? As time passes, the debate settles, and the lines are drawn for that particular medium. Videogames, the relatively young form of media that they are, are still wavering amidst the debate that previously surrounded other forms of entertainment. In particular, videogames face the same difficult views that accompanied theater, and ultimately film, during their respective times of origin. While film and theater have rooted themselves within our culture, and have taken favor by those who would deem each medium a form of art, videogames still face a strong opposition. Those who feel videogames are either unworthy or unfit to be critiqued and appreciated as an art form weigh heavily on the issue, and their opinions sway an obvious majority to their cause. Unfortunately for those hoping to halt the artistic appreciation of videogames, the undeniable presence of art in all facets of videogames, be it creation, the end product, or the experience of play, proves that videogames are a new and emerging art form.

The traditional brushstroke style of Capcom’s Okami surely deserves praise as an amazing piece of artwork.

The first appearance of art within a videogame is noted before the game is even a playable product. The creation of a videogame requires the presence of an artist from as early as the concept stage. Artists contribute to key moments in the creation of a game, whether as concept artists, character artists, animators, or level designers. (McCarthy 100) Artists also deliver to more than the visual aspect of a game, as composers often deliver the sound effects and music, and occasionally a game that offers a heavily scripted narrative or numerous dialogue situations will find it requiring input from authors and screenwriters. (McCarthy 110, 120) Videogames and film share an uncanny bond in these early development stages, and most likely for that reason, some of the world’s most famous film makers are venturing into video game creation. Steven Spielberg, director of Schindler’s List and Jaws, and Peter Jackson, director of King Kong and The Lord of the Rings are two of films most beloved directors, and they’ve both entered the realm of video game creation. (Tornquist)

The unfortunate truth is that while artists may help in the creation of videogames, that doesn’t necessarily determine that games can stand their ground as an art form. Artists may also help create the layouts for newspapers, and contribute to numerous other affairs not necessarily respected as art, but that has had little impact on proving that a newspaper is a piece of art. Luckily, while a newspaper might not be deemed art-worthy by appearance, that doesn’t mean the writing contained within isn’t art. The same can be said for videogames. The inclusion of artists doesn’t necessarily demand that a game is art, but the product and content they deliver, is luckily another consideration.

The acid-trip like visuals of Rez pulse and react to the players input and the accompanying soundtrack.

The final product delivered in a videogame is literally boasting of its artwork immediately. As soon as a game is placed on the shelf, the artwork on the case captures the eye of the consumer, and ultimately the visuals of the game itself are built around delivering the most impressive product as possible. Whether a game is stylized, realistic, or abstract, videogames represent art, and they represent a new, interactive form of art. Whether or not video games succeed in enrapturing the player isn’t necessarily important, as other forms of art can also fail in enticing particular audiences. The most important effort is that they make the attempt, and that is more than enough. As Dr. Henry Jenkins, Director of MIT’s Comparative Media Studies Department, states in the preface to Nic Kelman’s Game Art:

“Video and computer games, as we currently understand them, constitute art. I emphasize the phrase, “as we currently understand them,” because there are many more critics who have been willing to see games as a potential art from, seeing there the building blocks of something great and wonderful which we will see some day. For them, games can become art when they assume serious purposes, when they become meaningful activities, when our best artists build games, when we perfect the artificial intelligence, in short, when hell freezes over.”

Kelman argues that videogames are art in all their forms, simple or complex, as game designers are gifted craftsmen who construct compelling and visually fascinating worlds deploying skills which we would see as artful if applied in any other context, and that video games are also constructing meaningful experiences which tap deep chords within our culture, in part because they are carrying on timeless functions previously associated with myths and legends. (Kelman 8-9)

The abstract premise of Katamari Damacy: The Prince of all Cosmos endeavors to literally roll up the world.

The particular praise that Kelman attributes to videogame worlds is noteworthy, yet there is an attribute of videogames that hinders their appreciation as art. That attribute is interactivity. Interactive art is a relatively newly birthed creation, and as such, it doesn’t necessarily help that video games are rarely enjoyed by anyone more than the player. Those not experiencing a videogame through gameplay are restricted in a similar fashion as those watching a film, compared to those determining the events and situations present in the game world. This notion of videogames is what allows many critics to state that they can never be a true art form.

Those same critics should reconsider, as they are forgetting the most important aspect of interactivity. Interactivity marks a crucial distinction between decidedly non-interactive mass art forms such as film, novels, and recorded music and new interactive mass art forms. (Smuts) Interactivity is actually delivering an experience, one that could possibly be more artistic in nature than any medium that has come before us to date. The experience of traversing a game world leaves a respect of all the various outlets of artwork within a game. Players are subconsciously forced to take notice of the choices made by artists at the original concept stage, those being shown in gameplay and the overall style of the game world. Then, the art contained within the overall product of the game, thus leaving them noticing the visuals, details, and story. Ultimately, the binding of these various layers of art allows videogames to define themselves as not only an art form, but through delivering a lasting, interactive experience, they could become the most important art form of the future.

In Shadow of the Colossus, players are forced to emotionally slay mythic beasts that have caused no harm.

Where videogames lead art is knowledge that no one is privy to as of yet, but it is interesting to see that they first face the same questions that have surrounded other art forms for all of history. The philosophy of art is laden with issues surrounding definition, and videogames are obviously no different. The debate surrounding games has led to the redefining of terms such as ‘interactivity’, ‘videogames’, and even ‘game’ itself. (Smuts) The weighty discussion on these terms is proving that the critics unhappy with the notion of respecting videogames as art are already facing difficulty in voicing their opinions with concrete proof.

The gaps within the academic definitions of terms like “videogame” have left scholars and philosophers with much debate still necessary to classify games as an art form, and even what particular form of art games should be considered. Are they more closely related to film, or are they similar to performance arts, such as dance? Perhaps they are more akin to competitive sports and games like diving and chess? (Smuts) Videogame creators seem content to leave this debate to those willing to participate, and some have gone as far as to deem that they are striving not for art in their creations, but for enjoyment. Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid series of games, said, "Art is something that radiates the artist, the person who creates that piece of art. If 100 people walk by and a single person is captivated by whatever that piece radiates, it's art. But videogames aren't trying to capture one person. A videogame should make sure that all 100 people that play that game should enjoy the service provided by that videogame. It's something of a service. It's not art. But I guess the way of providing service with that videogame is an artistic style, a form of art." (Graft) This definition deems that games should be considered a product first, before they are deemed an art form. While Kojima may feel this way, the actual truth lies in the various examples games set forth.

Realism in games is brought to the forefront of importance in Epic’s grizzly space shooter Gears of War.

The artistic endeavors of games have spawned numerous examples of which traditional art has been called upon to continue an idea, story, or visual that was originally created within a videogame. If games aren’t worthy to be deemed art, how could they possibly carry such ramifications within the artistic world? Traditional art galleries have given forth their space to “I AM 8 BIT”, an annual art show dedicated to video games. (I AM 8 BIT) Film has been literally overrun by projects based on the worlds created within videogames, including movies based on the games Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Castlevania, and Halo, the game whose sequel Halo 2, sold $125 million worth of copies within its first 24 hours available, thus making it the single fastest selling piece of entertainment the world has ever seen. (Smith) Literature, comics, and music have also all seen their share of projects based on videogames.

The debate of videogames and art will undoubtedly wage on, regardless of the respect shown to videogames through other, more traditional forms of art. Some will forever deem videogames as mindless, and even damaging to children. Some still believe that videogames are created specifically for children and not for adults as well. As clear as some of the evidence supporting the labeling of videogames as art may be, the proponents of traditional art forms will undoubtedly face difficulty in admitting that what started with something as simple as Pong, has become much more than anyone could have ever suspected. The inclusion of art in the creation of videogames, the resulted product that showcases art and the experience of artistic integrity that results in playing videogames is all proof enough that videogames are more than the hobbies and passions of children and those who refuse to “grow up.” From the philosophers attempting to properly define “videogame,” to the swaying of the entire entertainment industry, videogames demand a certain level of respect, and hopefully, the eventual proclamation, and subsequent reward of videogames as art will fulfill this. Whether this will occur or not is undeniable. The proof is too substantial, and too promising for videogames to be stricken from academic critique. The only realistic question that can still be raised about video games being considered art, is: When?

From the birth of videogames to the very finish, Nintendo’s beloved Mario will be present to account for it all.

Works Cited:

McCarthy, David, Ste Curran, and Simon Byron. The Art of Producing Games. Boston: Course PTR, 2005.

Tornquist, Ragnar. RagnarTornquist.com. 03 Oct 2006. 17 Nov 2006 http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=211.

Kelman, Nic. Game Art. New York: Assouline Publishing, 2005.

Smuts, Aaron. "Video Gams and the Philosophy of Art." Aesthetics Online. Aesthetics Online. 17 Nov 2006 http://www.aesthetics-online.org/ideas/smuts.html.

Graft, Kris. "Kojima: 'Games Are Not Art'." Next Generation. 22 Jan 2006. Next Generation. 17 Nov 2006 http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2098&Itemid=2.

"I AM 8 BIT." I AM 8 BIT. 4. 17 Nov 2006 http://www.iam8bit.net/.

Smith, David. "Halo 2 In The Sales Record Books." 1UP. 10 Nov 2004. Ziff Davis Media. 17 Nov 2006 http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3136413.

Note: The transfer from Word document to an internet post is responsible for the removing of occasional italics and other aspects of the original work. As well as the degradation of picture quality.

Year In Review: 2006 - Movies

2007-01-20T17:53:00.000-05:00

The finale of my Year In Review collection of posts carries the purpose of chronicling my favorite movies from the past 12 months. I'll limit movies to films that had a theatrical run in 2006, although not necessarily in America.

Top 10 Movies

10. Silent Hill - Cybil Bennet: What the fuck? What the fuck? You saw that right? That was real? What the fuck is going on?

9. The Proposition - Jellon Lamb: [speaking about Arthur Burns] We are white men, Sir, not beasts. Oh, he sits up there in those melancholy hills; some say he sleeps in caves like a beast, slumbers deep like the Kraken. The Blacks say that he is a spirit. The Troopers will never catch him. Common force is meaningless, Mr. Murphy, as he squats up there on his impregnable perch. So I wait, Mr. Murphy. I wait.

8. Blood Diamond - Danny Archer: In America, it's bling bling. But out here it's bling bang.

7. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance - Geum-ja Lee: Listen carefully. Everyone make mistakes. But if you committed a sin, you have to make an atonement for that sin. Atonement, do you know what that means? Big Atonement for big sins. Small Atonement for small sins.

6. Brick - Brad Bramish: Hey! What are you doing here?
Brendan Frye: Just listening.
[long pause while Brad stares at him]
Brendan Frye: All right, you got me. I'm a scout for the Gophers. Been watching your game for a month, but that story right there just clenched it. You got heart kid. How soon can you be in Minneapolis?
Brad Bramish: Yeah?
Brendan Frye: Cold winters, but they got a great transit system.
Brad Bramish: Yeah?
Brendan Frye: Yeah.
Brad Bramish: Oh, yeah?
Brendan Frye: There's a thesaurus in the library. Yeah is under "Y". Go ahead, I'll wait.

5. Jesus Camp - Becky Fischer: I can go into a playground of kids that don't know anything about Christianity, lead them to the Lord in a matter of, just no time at all, and just moments later they can be seeing visions and hearing the voice of God, because they're so open. They are so usable in Christianity.

4. Casino Royale - James Bond: Now the whole world will know that you died scratching my balls!

3. V for Vendetta - Lewis Prothero: Did you like that? USA... Ulcered Sphincter of Ass-erica, I mean what else can you say? Here was a country that had everything, absolutely everything. And now, 20 years later, is what? The world's biggest leper colony. Why? Godlessness.

2. A Scanner Darkly - Fred: What does a scanner see? Into the head? Into the heart? Does it see into me? Clearly? Or darkly?

1. Nightwatch/Daywatch - Geser: ...And so it will be, until a man emerges who is meant to become the Great One. And, if he chooses the side of Light, then Light will win. But, those, to whom the truth has been revealed, say that he will choose Darkness. For it is easier to kill the Light within oneself, than to scatter the Darkness around... The prophecies are coming true.

What I Missed -

This section doesn't need an Honorable Mentions so much as it needs a realistic notation of everything I missed. My Top 10 is comprised of the movies I saw, but that doesn't mean there wasn't an outrageous selection of films that I really, really wanted to see, but wasn't able to. Such as:

Thank You For Smoking
Slither
Lucky Number Slevin
Nacho Libre
Superman Returns
Clerks II
Miami Vice
The Descent
The Illusionist
Snakes on a Plane
The Protector
The Last King of Scotland
The Queen
The Departed
Flags of our Fathers
Marie-Antoinette
The Prestige
Babel
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Stranger Than Fiction
The Fountain
Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny
Apocalypto
Eragon
Rocky Balboa
Curse of the Golden Flower
Children of Men
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Half Nelson
Big Bang Love, Juvenile A
Idiocracy
An Inconvenient Truth
Peaceful Warrior
Paprika
The Host
Rampo Noir
Sheitan
Tekkon Kinkreet
The Science of Sleep
The U.S. Versus John Lennon
Wassup Rockers

So ... obviously my list isn't a very complete one. I can't wait to see all of the movies listed above, and probably everything else that I haven't realized I missed yet. The only movies I can think of that I failed to give a mention to, because I saw them but they weren't quite good enough, were Pirates of the Caribean: Dead Man's Chest, and the Beastie Boys' concert documentary Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That. Which actually, considering I don't particularly like their music, was really cool.

I originally wanted to go ahead and list the best DVDs of the year as well, but considering I don't really own many of the best DVD packages that come to my mind from 2006, it's probably not a very valid list. Obviously, my number one selection would be Criterion's 3-Disc repackaging of Seven Samurai and below that would be the Oldboy Special Edition, the M*A*S*H Martinis and Medicine Collection, and probably the 5-Disc release of Dust Devil, a cult horror classic. Not to mention the super Superman Ultimate Collection, the outrageous Patlabor Limited Editions (Patlabor 2 here), an actual monkey, a movie that actually became good only when it was released on DVD (the second time), and, well, the largest and greatest box set ever conceived.

Year In Review: 2006 - Anime

2007-01-20T01:11:00.000-05:00

The onslaught of 2006 recollections continues as I take the time to remember what anime particularly piqued my interest this year. Anime in particular, is something where I might be citing something I enjoyed this year, but was actually a little older. Bear with me guys ... I'm old, and we old people, we forget things.

Top 5 Anime

5. Basilisk - Basilisk is something of an ancient tale in Japan, and seeing as the anime is told also in the novel The Kouga Ninja Scrolls, and the movie Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, it is something that is crazy popular in Japan. Think Grimm's fairy tales, but with ninja that have outrageous abilities. Like eyes that can cause your opponents to murder themselves. So. Hardcore.

4. XXXHoliC - I didn't exactly understand the Clamp world before I started watching the xxxHoliC anime, and in truth, I probably didn't afterwards either. Clamp manga are based on passing characters from one series to the next, and this anime, interestingly skipped most of that. Regardless, it was a well rounded and enjoyable anime to watch, and I never did get to see the culmination of the series.

3. Death Note - My favorite manga series? Absolutely. My favorite manga series translated accurately into a television series with good artwork and an impressive style? Absolutely.

2. Ergo Proxy - I'm guilty of criminally underwatching this series, and I promise it will be dealt with very soon. However, from what I did watch, Ergo Proxy is one of the most intelligent series since Stand Alone Complex, one of the most mysterious since Monster, and the action was about as fantastic as anything on par with a Shonen Jump action epic. Definitely something to be appreciated.

1. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimiya - It need not be said again.

Too little and too late -

Series that I've recently started watching like Air Gear and Coyote Ragtime Show are unfortunately a little late to be added to this list, and while I'm making up excuses. I've honestly no idea what anime will be coming out in 2007, so I'll be leaving that one void as well.

Year In Review: 2006 - Games

2007-01-19T19:54:00.000-05:00

Looking back at videogames in 2006 is almost like standing directly in front of an oncoming train. It's a little overwhelming. Console launches, relaunches, and the stellar games for existing platforms makes for a boatload of games to remember. For the purposes of my Year in Review, I'll naturally limit myself to games I experienced. Although, some were good enough to make the list while I didn't necessarily finish them ... yet.

Top 10 - Games

10. N3: Ninety-Nine Nights - 360 - I fail to understand how people can dig on the hack 'n' slash genre, when games like N3 can make it so damned enjoyable. The style was incredible, the character designs perfect, and mashing buttons mostly never felt so good. Only the shite save system, and less than impressive voice acting hurt this release in my mind, well, that and Mizuguchi really could have done a little more with the music. Also, let us not forget Inphyy's smoking hot.

9. Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter - 360 - The first game to make me feel like my 360 was actually next generation, Ghost Recon delivered the goods in an impressive way. I'll let everyone in on a secret that I've been saving so as to not spoil the moment for a long time. This part WILL incite a pissing of the pants. If for nothing else, Ghost Recon should be commended for proving that 360 games don't need to be so damned shiny.

8. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 360 - Rounding out this series of 360 titles, Elder Scrolls IV was a little dangerous for me when it was released. I racked something like 60 hours in a couple weeks, and I was amazed at damn near everything in the game world. Ultimately, my own aversion to first-person combat in RPG's, as well as the feeling I got for wasting so much time in such an open-ended environment caused me to abandon the game, but that doesn't mean I don't understand why it topped so many lists this year.

7. Elite Beat Agents - NDS - The redheaded stepchild of Ouendan, Elite Beat Agents never fails in capturing the same gameplay and occasionally the same charm of the original. It's also a landmark in terms of what importers can do to the game industry. I NEED to keep playing through this guy, and hopefully be ready if Nintendo decides that rhythm games of this nature are going to be a mainstay on the DS.

6. Disgaea 2 - PS2 - The return of charming, hilarious, never-ending tactical battles was something to take note of. Disgaea 2 sacrificed some of the comedy of the first, but charged ahead with better graphics, more character types, depth, and a nice string of cameos. The game wasn't perfect, and I could feel its flaws as I traversed the Item World for the 100th time, but nothing in particular caused me to ever feel like I needed to put the controller down.

5. New Super Mario Bros. - NDS - This may or may not be true, but I'm a firm believer that the success of NSMB is totally the reason we're seeing new 2D sidescrollers for Kirby, Yoshi, Wario, and Metroid. Wait, did I say Metroid? Pfft ... you know it's coming. This game rocked the house down, and was the single inspiring factor for the DS Lite, the first portable I'd owned since OG Game Boy, reaching my hands.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - WII - Sacrilege! I know leaving this monster of a game as far back as Number 4 is enough to cause the riots to return to Watts, but it unfortunately must be done. I have a strange disease that allows me to put Zelda games on hiatus, no matter their stellar quality. I've been suffering from it since Ocarina of Time, and I hope I find a cure sometime soon. Regardless, I feel the grandeur of everything I've played to date, and I still feel this is the most realistic position. Please ... don't maim me.

3. Final Fantasy XII - PS2 - I'll be the first to admit it: Final Fantasy XII is kicking my ass. I took some time off to explore the Wii, returned to Ivalice, and still find myself consistently being thwarted by the difficulty of this game. Each boss battle takes a serious toll on my wellbeing, and while I actually live through most of them, the constant struggle is righteously exhilarating. The only real issue I have with the entire experience is that Vaan is NOT a main character. Balthier, the pimptacular James Bond of Ivalice, he should be the focus of all storyline events and dialog.

2. Gears of War - 360 - What can I say that hasn't been said? Microsoft needed something to tide gamers over until Halo 3, they needed a shooter that could prove to people what the 360 was really capable of. This was it, and so much more. Gears of War could have been the best game I played this year, it was really, really close. I only needed a little more and I'd have handed the award over with smiles. Five more hours of gameplay, and I'd be one happy COG.

1. Okami - PS2 - Okami is Zelda done better than Zelda. It's only about 1/3 game, 1/3 story, and 10/3 masterpiece. Trust me ... I double-checked the math. I crammed forty hours of gameplay into something around a week, as if Okami was my full-time job when it was released. Maybe it's my love for wolves, traditional Japan, ...maybe my appreciation of artwork. I'm not sure what exactly propels Okami into legendary status in my mind, but whatever it is, it's there. Okami is my game of the year for 2006, and it's important to say that while we'll definitely see Final Fantasy XIII, the next Zelda, and something else in the Gears timeline, Clover Studios is closed for good, and that makes Okami a once in a lifetime title.

Honorable Mentions -

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence - PS2
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - NDS
Megaman ZX - NDS
Contact - NDS
Yakuza - PS2
Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting - 360 (Live Arcade)

What I'm Looking Forward To In 2007 -

Actually, I'll be making an entire separate post for this list, and expect it after I've wrapped up all the other categories that 2006 still holds.

Year In Review: 2006 - Music

2007-01-19T17:25:00.000-05:00

Top 10 - Music

1. Matisyahu - Youth - Album of the year? I can see where some might disagree, but Matis's particular style just speaks volumes to me. Reggae has always been a genre that I enjoyed, but Matisyahu explores it with nice slivers of hip-hop and rock peppered along the way. Standout track: "Late Night in Zion"

2. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere - The return of soul at the hands of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo is easily one of the most unique albums in years. There's not one song to skip on this entire release. Standout track: "Storm Coming"

3. The Decemberists - Crane Wife - Not quite as catchy as the other Decemberists albums, this release changes things up by becoming deeper, richer, and a plain beautiful release. Standout track: "The Crane Wife 1 and 2"

4. Tom Waits - Orphans - It's three entire albums of new, rare, and other tracks that span the entire musical career of Tom Waits. Not for everyone, but this served as my primer to the entire experience. However, no track is yet to claim my preference. Waits' growl is as good on Bawlers, as it is on Brawlers, as it is on Bastards.

5. Joanna Newsome - Ys - Joanna Newsome created an album composed of herself, her professional harp playing skills, and five songs that measured over 50 minutes in length. She also enjoys dressing up in medieval garb. I could listen to this disc everyday until I died, and I'd never be tired of the soundscapes, or the charming lyrics. Her occasional squeak is one of the best parts. Standout track: "Monkey & Bear"

6. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor - Jay Z is particularly good at signing lyricists to his record company that are better than he ever was, or will be. Lupe Fiasco is such a person, and his music consistently delivers. He could be considered the second iteration of Kanye West, or "rap for white people," but I like to think he's just a rapper that's more like me. Less hard, and more heart. Standout track: "The Instrumental"

7. K-os - Atlantis (Hymns for Disco) - Atlantis is almost difficult to explain. It's an album that serves up a beautiful mix of reggae, acoustic guitar, and soft-spoken lyrics. It's meant to bring about this positive feeling, but I can't help but find my self chilling into an absolute mellow state when listening. Standout track: "highway 7"

8. Lyrics Born - Same Shit, Different Day (2005) - The only album that slipped onto this list from 2005, Lyrics Born is a recent discovery. He is an Asian-American/Italian rapper with a voice strangely reminiscient of Tone Loc. Except for of course the fact that he's good, and his lyrical talents can shatter bones and melt faces. This is no joke. Standout track: "Do That There"

9. Knife - Silent Shout - Hmm... Silent Shout by Knife was Pitchfork's album of the year, and I can definitely see why. It's an exploration of awkward pop music, with ample lyrics, but it's the beats that make this album standout. Think background music for an album performed by the Blue Man Group. Definitely unique. Standout track: "From Off to On"

10. Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me - I'd call this the only "rock" album to make my list, and it's outrageous because I'm a damned rocker. In a year littered with rock music letdowns, an "emo" band is the only delivery of pure rock goodness that I can come up with. Even amidst all the crying, Brand New takes the time to melt some fools with solid riffs and even better lyrics. Standout track: "Deguasser"

Honorable Mentions -

Cat Power - The Greatest
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Nas - Hip Hop is Dead
Yusuf Islam - An Other Cup
Wolfmother - Wolfmother
Subtle - For Hero:For Fool

Dissapointments in 2006 -

...and there were so many. Rock just decided to take a break this year, as albums from NIN, and TOOL, my two favorite rock groups, both were less what could be expected from their respective 10 and 5 year waiting periods. Lucero also delivered an album that was a departure from their previous catalog, and as such, pretty much a waste of time.

Looking forward to in (early) 2007 -

I'm not sure yet what we'll be expecting from the musical 2007, but within the coming months releases from Air, and Arcade Fire at least blips on the radar. Bright Eyes apparently has something scheduled for the coming months, and a new Modest Mouse album is peeking somewhere over the horizon, and that is something to be anticipated.