Dear Computer Class:

To my computer class,

I thought I would like you at first, fond as I am of computers. Surely it would be joyous to learn more about you and, in so doing, bond until we were close partners not soon to be parted. We started with small talk, as new couples are wont to do. You began by telling me how to copy folders and relabel files. I thought you attractive, and so I stuck around thinking that there would be more to you. But your inane ramblings were just that with no deeper meaning attached to them. I was fooled because I allowed myself to be fooled. But that was just the beginning.

You moved on to Word Processing, and I thought, "Something we have in common!" But again, you offered nothing new. So enamored was I of this line of thinking, I stuck around. We were in the midst of that new relationship feeling where everything you do is cute. But cute was beginning to wear thin and I began to see the ugly hag that was beneath the makeup. You did not look like that last night before we went to sleep. What happened? But now you have your tentacles, long raggedy things ending in claws, stuck into me and I find I cannot escape.

What began as curiosity has turned into a nightmare. I wish to escape but find that I cannot. This has got to end, Computer Class. I am no longer attracted to you. We have nothing in common. I knew from the start that we had nothing in common, but I was fooled into complacency by your high resolution monitor and access to the internet. But even these things leave me bored and I fall asleep while in your embrace.

So this is my letter to you, Computer Class. We are through. No longer will I listen to you drone on and on about how to create databases, spreadsheets, and saving files. I refuse to listen to you tell me how to import a word document into a powerpoint document. This is the last time I will speak to you, Computer Class. I ask you to remember the good times. Remember? That one good time? No?

Me either.

Die.

Meanderings redux.

When school began in August, my history teacher told the class of a paper that would be due in October. To a student, anything more than two weeks may as well be a lifetime away. So, like a dummy, I didn't worry about it. I thought about it occasionally, but never actually began working on the damn thing. And so, imagine my chagrin when the paper is not only due, but due in 4 days and I have not even begun to do research.

I think, "It's the weekend. Plenty of time on Saturday and Sunday to do the research and write the paper." So on Saturday I go to the library, I check out some books (on homer and greek education, which my paper will eventually be about). I act like I'm reading them. And for the entire weekend I do nothing. I then continue to do nothing on the paper until Wednesday, the day before the paper is due. I then write about 4 pages (out of 12). I've been beating myself up over it ever since. Stupid papers.

My creative writing class progresses. By which I mean, of course, I'm progressing. My teacher thinks that I have talent, and I'm beginning to think so as well. I have filled up one entire journal and that gives me enough stuff to write about for six and a half lifetimes. Being nigh immortal, that is not enough, so I have purchased a second journal and will begin to write ideas in that.

I find that I not only enjoy writing fiction, I love it. I'm frustrated that I'm not good enough to write the ideas that I come up with...yet. I have read several authors that felt this way, though, so at least I'm not alone. I turned in my THIRD short story (of which only two were actually stories) for critique to my class, but only one person has read it yet. They have until thursday before I release the hounds. In the meanwhile my teacher is giving me extracurricular reading assignments. Right now I'm reading an amazing book by David Guterson called "Snow Falling on Cedars."

Not too much gaming going on. I bought Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, but that and Soul Calibur four are the the only games I've played since school started. I tried Infinite Undiscovery. It was horrible. Castlevania is not. It's good, I'm enjoying it. Perhaps I will post something pertaining to it in the near future. Knowing myself, the odds are against this. I have problems blogging for some reason. It's ironic. Something about the writer's friends never getting a letter.

I did get a "job" blogging for the front page of SRK (that's http://www.shoryuken.com for those not in the know). I've posted a few news updates but I find myself at a loss for other things to post. I should probably talk to somebody about it. Perhaps I will. Regardless, I was pretty happy when Mr. Wizard (the admin for SRK) asked me if I wanted to do it. Go me.

I have finished critiquing my classmates and find myself wanting to get back to Snow Falling on Cedars.
G'day

Meanderings

It has been entirely too long since I updated this, so bare with me as I ramble.

School has occupied a great deal of my time. Over the summer I took two classes: Masterpieces of Literature and Astronomy.

My astronomy class was a great waste of time. My literature class the exact opposite. I read The Iliad and The Odyssey in like...3 weeks. It was ridiculous, but I loved every line. Akhilleus (I no longer say Achilles, Romanized spelling be damned) has become one of my favorite literary heroes.

Anywho, this semester has started and I'm going to have much more free time. I plan on writing a lot more, reading a lot more, and hopefully keeping up with this blog a lot more. So far, I've been getting a lot of writing done. Not so much the other two, so here's an improvisational new year's resolution. Or something.

So what have I been playing/ have played since I last posted?

Well it's been so long!

Metal Gear Solid 4.

I played and beat this the first weekend it was available. Like a true dork, I took days off of work in order to accomplish this. I don't regret it. Having gotten over the post MGS4 high, I'm able to look back on the game objectively. I loved every minute of it, but it did have its flaws. I realize now that I would have loved some of the old school MGS1 or 2 sneaking. And that's what I think the major problem is. The game gave you fits of gameplay, like a buffet without a main course. Acts 1 and 2 were brilliant. Sneaking on the battlefield was so very well implemented. Act 3, on a replay, is the weakest act. Even if you know exactly where to go, you have to wait for the spy who walks at the speed of a crawling baby in order to reach your destination. The first time through this was so unique and different that I thought it must be amazing. Playing it again, however, I found it annoying. Aside from the on rails section at the end, this is my least favorite act. The scene at the end almost makes up for it, though.

Anyway, I'll probably have to sit down and write an actual review for this game. Suffice it to say I love it and it stands high on my list of favorite games ever.

I bought and played about 10 or 11 chapters of Ninja Gaiden 2. I was a huge fan of the first, so I was greatly anticipating this game. It mostly delivers. There are several technical issues that are very strange considering the developer. Itagaki and Co. usually deliver only the most polished of games. Rarely are there any glitches, bugs, or framerate drops in their titles. So imagine my surprise when, in the first level, I notice the framerate drops noticeably. I thought perhaps it was a fluke; too many enemies on screen, or things going on in the background perhaps. No, it was not a fluke. The framerate drops horribly and often throughout the entire game. One moment was so bad, I don't know how it passed certification. It felt as if the game was chugging along at 10fps.

I could probably tolerate the framerate if the game were fun. And it is, but not as much as the first. Team Ninja has amped the difficulty up. Instead of hard but fair, the game is hard and cheap. I am not one of the candy ass suckas who bitch that NG1 was too difficult. I have finished that game on every difficulty at least once, massochist that I am. NG2, though, is NOT fair. Difficulty in this comes from offscreen enemies pegging you with projectiles while you fight in close quarters. The further in the game I got, the more enemies appeared shooting or throwing stuff at me. The camera does not lend itself to dodging shurikens coming at you from off screen, and so I found my combos getting interrupted not by enemies I was fighting, but the ninjas who were hidden in a crevice the camera refused to acknowledge. It is extremely frustrating and instead of feeling satisfied when I clear an area, there was only anger. And sadness. But mostly anger.

I stopped at chapter 10 or 11 because of this. I'm sure I'll go back eventually, but right now there's too much other stuff to play. Like Disgaea 3 or Infinite Undiscovery. I'm pretty much Tri-Ace's bitch.

Soul Calibur 4 came out and I've been playing this A LOT. It is a great fighter, aside from a few glaring flaws.



I've been focusing on Setsuka, Hilde, and Taki for the most part. Setsuka is probably my favorite character in the game. I just love using her. She's got ludicrous amounts of style.

Anyway, I'll try to keep up a bit more with this.

This has been a Skillzilla Rambling

Went to A-town.

The Scene at A-town mall was electric. And hot. Mostly hot. There were newcomers, one grandfather (Hi, CJ!), and vets all gathered together for a tournament that could only be described as awwsome. I was walking around the arcade, getting a feel for the environment when I stumbled (literally, I'm clumsy) upon this conversation. Three people arguing about the upcoming Super Turbo matches.

Dude #1: You must be out yo goddamn mind! CJ Kyles is the greatest Soupra Turboer that ever lived. He was better than Skillzilla, he was better than MaceAho, and that new dude, what's his name, Smiles, looks like a bulldog, he was better than him too.

Dude #2: What about Halfro the Kid?

Dude #1: Oh there they go. There they go, every time I start talkin 'bout Soupra Turbraing, a white man got to pull Halfro the Kid out their ass. That's their one, that's their one. Halfro the Kid. Let me tell you something once and for all. Halfro the Kid was good, but compared to CJ Kyles, Halfro the Kid ain't shit."

Dude #3: He beat CJ Kyles' ass.

Dude #2: That's right, he did beat CJ Kyles' ass.

Dude #1: CJ Kyles was seventy five years old when they fought.

Dude #2: I don't know how old he was, but he got his ass whooped.

Dude #1: CJ Kyles had come out of retirement to fight Halfro the Kid and he was seventy six years old. CJ Kyles is always lying about his age. He lie about his age all the time. One time Alex Valle came in here and sat in this chair. I said Alex 'you hang out with CJ Kyles, just between me and you, how old is CJ Kyles? You know what Alex told me, he said 'hey, CJ Kyles is 137 years old.' 137 years old!

Dude #2: Oh Man you ain't never meet no Alex Valle.

Coming to A-town saw an excellent turnout, with Street Fighter 3: Third Strike (or 3s), boasting the most entrants at a surprising 28. In fact, 3s was most certainly the most interesting tournament. An out of stater we called Ghetto had a very nice Ken (and was a cool dude as well) Carlos (no nickname) defeated several of the states better players with a Dudley that was...unorthodox...to say the least. Smilez fought his way back from the Loser's bracket after a defeat at the might gloves to face Carlos in the grand finals where the Dudley player had no answer for Smilez' Ken. Smilez managed to win 6 straight matches and win the pot.

Perhaps the most “hyphy” moment of the tourney was the money match between Halfro and CJK. It was a first to 10 for 10 bucks (and bragging rights). Halfro managed to pull ahead a few games in the middle of the contest, but CJ's Gief was able to close the gap. In the end, Halfro ended up switching to Ryu and eked out the win in a down to the wire last match. The final tally was 10-9, Half.

In Guilty Gear: Accent core, several GG players showed some new skills. Tage*Proto won the tournament using Ky Kiske, beating out King Lowtier the top spot in the tournament. Halfro, GG player-come-lately, uppered his way to 3rd place.

It was a great tournament, and a special thanks from us at the EFL to those that managed to come out. The tournament was a lot of fun and to touch on all the tournaments and fun moments would take more typing than I'm willing to do. We've been uploading all of the vids we have capped, and you can find links.

AREEEEEEES!!

I played God of War: Chains of Olympus (title is so dope) for a couple of hours yesterday.

My verdict? Stunned is one word.

You know how sometimes you're playing a game that you thought was amazing when you first picked it up. Eventually, you get over the graphics unless you happen to pause to go get a drink, sit down and look at the screen and think to yourself, "This game is pretty." You then begin to play without really paying any attention to the graphics. This is especially true for a series. You expect Final Fantasy to look good, so it's no surprise when it does.

That's why, when I actually paused to pay attention to what was going in in GoW:CoO, I was so impressed. I'm playing a ps2 game on my psp. Seriously. I took for granted that I was playing this game on my psp because everything was represented almost as well as its ps2 counterpart. The music, the control, the feel of Cotton...err, Kratos...everything feels like it does on the ps2. Every little thing that makes GoW what it is is represented faitfully on the psp's beautiful screen. It's crazy, is what it is.

My one gripe is the QTE sequences that involve the analog nub. It's pretty difficult to get the same range of motion you get on a dual shock analog stick with the nub. I've gotten used to it, but not until I'd failed at some crucial times.

Speaking of QTEs, and this is coming from somebody that loves NG and owns DMC4, I don't get what all the bitching is about. It involves you in the sequences.

I'll take DMC4 for an example. Nero uses his devil arm to grab an opponent and dish out a devastating series of attacks. For the most part, you just watch and enjoy the dopeness. NG2 seems to have a similar feature with an opponent that has lost a limb. You press X (or Y or whatever) and Hayabusa destroys his opponent with a combo you watch for a second or two (or three or four).

In GoW, you're actually involved in these awesome sequences. There's the chance that you'll miss the timing of a button press, that you won't do it perfectly every time. That might not be the case (they're pretty easy to hit), but the chance is still there simply because of the fact that you have to interact with the scene. There's a sense of urgency involved because, if you miss, the enemy will be able to counter and you've missed a chance for precious health.

So, yeah...don't get the hate.

Anyway, it's great. I'll post more once I have beaten it. Apparently it's only like 5 hours or something like that. I said I'd do that with Lost Odyssey, but MS has seen fit to send me consoles that break...I'll get to that when I'm done with it.

If it ain't broke...

Let me get a few things off of my chest:

1. I hate, hate, hate, hate random battles with the passion of a thousand suns that consume my soul. They scream laziness. It seems as if the developer thinks, "Our battle system isn't very fun, so the only way to get people into battles is if they can't avoid it." I've got news for you, I like battles in rpgs. I will usually get into them in order to learn new skills! I hate how lazy it is. I hate being interrupted in my exploration by some stupid swirling screen and new enemies. Every random battle I get into is like somebody taking their fingernails across the chalk board while imitating Gilbert Gottfried.

Hate.

2. Kaim's run is ridiculously hilarious. I guess he forgot what a full stride was when he lost his memory because he runs like my baby niece. And when you sprint, he's the Flash and everybody else are just normal people moving at normal speed. Looks really silly.



3. 1000 years stuff is really good. Unfortunately, it's a book. I read faster than all the stupid text flourishes in the world. I don't want to have one short story at a time presented to me. I don't want to have to find things that flesh out Kaim's character. This shit should be given to me. This is an actual book in Japan that, I think, should have been given out with a Collector's Edition in other territories. I've got nothing against having the stories in the game, but I like reading books wherever I please. Not when I come across another chapter in the game. As it stands, I'm going to be skipping them because they disrupt the game (for me).

4. The packaging is the cheapest thing I have ever seen in my life. Three discs come STACKED on top of eachother with one in a paper sleeve not unlike (i.e. EXACTLY like) the packages of paper sleeves you can buy at your local office max for like a penny. I was pretty upset when I opened my game.


Okay, that's the bad (for me; your mileage will undoubtedly vary). And maybe it's because I went into this game with such low expectations, but after about 4 hours...I'm really impressed.

First off, the English voice acting is top tier. It is some of the best I've heard in a videogame. It's so good (I can't believe I'm saying this), that I have, for the first time ever, been playing with English voices instead of Japanese. The Japanese voice acting really throws me off; I don't think several of the character's voices match their personalities (Seth, Jansen). That might be because prior to buying the game, I watched the first couple of hours in vids all in English. I dunno, but whatever the case, it's good. And at least you have the option of playing with either one.

Nobuo Uematsu (of Final Fantasy Fame) has really got me with this soundtrack. I haven't heard a single tune I haven't liked. The Main Theme is classic. I'm instantly reminded of Terra's theme from Final Fantasy 6 (one of my favorite game tracks ever). It's worth listening to even if you don't like the game. Makes me miss him in Final Fantasy :(.

The graphics are amazing. When the opening CG transitions into battle, I was hardpressed to tell the difference between ingame and cg. I enjoy the way "magic" looks in this world they've created. It's used to power mundane things like lamps and "magic taxis." The effects really make it look otherworldly as you're walking through this technologically advanced town. You can tell it doesn't belong there. It's subtle, but really stands out for me.

Seth, Kaim, and Jansen are great characters so far. Their dynamics and voicework are a joy to listen to. Jansen in particular has some great lines. I'm eager to see more.

I'll get more into the battle system when I have more than 4 hours into the game. As it stands, it's a great evolution of the normal turnbased fare. The timing rings add a nice touch and keep me paying attention to battles.

So, basically, even though I hate random battles (fiery passion, soul, etc), the game is GOOD. And in the end, looking over a few warts is worth it for the overall experience that is a good game.

Definitely can't wait to play more.

Thanks, Gamersyde, for the pics :D.

Light Sabers

Look at him. I wish it was a new Masters of Teras Kasi. Unfortunately, it isn't. That's Yoda. And he's in Soul Calibur 4. You see, Namco has decided that the brand isn't strong enough to sell on its own. No, no. Namco has to go whore out the name to make itself more popular. That's fine by me, actually. This means there will be a lot more people to own up online. That's a good thing.

Soul Calibur 4 was playable at CES, but there was a surprising lack of new footage there. If one was of a mind to, one could go here to check out the new trailer. IGN also has a short gameplay clip up.


These show nothing new if you've played any Soul Calibur before. In fact, the producer said that only 50% of the animations were in this build, and none of the new gameplay systems. That's also good, as it looked like a very pretty Soul Calibur 1 in these vids.


It's got a summer release, so that might mean no EVO for SC4. Still looks awesome, though. Won't be long before the world witnesses domination hitherto unbelieved possible by the trifecta of Ninjas, Whores (with umbrellas), and Valkyries.

Yoda screen courtesty of 1up.com.

Street Fighter 4

Geez, it's been too long. My bad.

It's been around 10 years since Capcom initially released Street Fighter 3 in arcades. Since then fans have been wondering, "When will we get to see SF4?" It seemed that Capcom was content to let the series fade into nothing more than memories and fond nostalgia. Sure, we got CvS2 and...Capcom Fighting "Evolution." But for fans of the series, these offshoots didn't satisfy the needs that Street Fighter gameplay has at its core. What is that, you might ask? It's like the feeling you get when you eat a warm marshmallow. Or the warm fuzzies you receive when your new girlfriend kisses you on the cheek.

It can not be defined, it just is. Accept this. (By the by, this is the reason why it's so hard to pinpoint why so many fans don't consider SF3 a "true" SF. That is an argument for another blog.)

So the SF brand would dwindle away into obscurity leaving fans looking at other, smaller companies creating 2D fighters left and right. King of Fighters, Guilty Gear, Arcana Hearts, Melty Blood...hell, even Rumble Fish. These games all served as body blows to the Capcom faithfuls. If smaller, less successful companies could continue to churn out (subjectively) high quality 2D fighters, then why couldn't Capcom with their considerably larger budgets.



And then, after years of rumors and letdowns, it happened. Street Fighter 4 is a reality and the future of the (capcom) fighting game community rest on its shoulders. And if the internet is to be believed (my opinion: it never should be. Believed, that is) then it is buckling under the weight. Most message boards will be the homes of such posts as: "Hahahaha, more like SFEX4, amirite!" Or, "WHY NOT 2D!!!"


I couldn't care less about all of that; my opinion is the game looks awesome and, imagine this, the thing that will make or break the game, and any future games on this engine, is the gameplay.

It doesn't matter that Ryu's physique makes him look like a stunt double for The Master of Greyskull. It doesn't matter that Ken's hair is straight from the 80's. No, all that matters is that I saw a crossup. I saw Ken flip into a fireball that forced him to block. I see AN ACTUAL DUCKING FORWARD animation.

If one takes off the fanboy goggles that have undoubtedly been fogged up with the rage of the sprites not being 2D, they might recognize that it looks like Street Fighter. Not Street Fighter EX. I don't know that I've ever seen a crossup in that game.

So then, the gameplay looks okay, right? Well, looks okay. I haven't played it and odds are anybody bitching about it hasn't either. I won't pretend to be clairvoyant; there is still a lot that could go wrong. We'll have to wait and see. But people are now upset that it takes place before 3, which probably means new fans favorite characters won't be present (in this SF4, anyway). It also means that we'll get to see plenty of familiar faces. What's funny is that these are the same complaints that plagued SF3 upon its release. "Only Ken and Ryu? WHAT? I AM OUTRAGED!"

What's this prove? You can't please everybody. Especially the internet.

So, here we have SF4. If it's good (hopeful) and does well in the sales department, what does this mean? A resurgence in fighting games? This could mean a revival of several of Capcom's old franchises. Street Fighter 4 producer Yoshinori Ono has already stated he has interest in making a Vampire Savior game (Darkstalkers) using this engine. Perhaps Rival Schools? Imagine a crossover game with all of these characters? If Street Fighter 4 performs well, it could very well mean we'll see all of this come to fruition. Maybe, just maybe, it means that other game developers will take note. Maybe we'll see more clones!

Who knows?

At the very least, given Capcom's track record, this means that we'll get to see Street Fighter 4: Super Third Turbo Edition.

Screens taken from Famitsu.