5,000 words

This is the longest piece I've written yet, and I'm behind a day or so. I'm trying to make it up now, but I don't think I'll be able to just yet. Hopefully I'll have some free time this weekend to devote to the story.

I'm enjoying the process. I don't think my story is very good right now, but it's moving. Forward. Which is a farsight better than any other fantasy I've tried to write. On revising I'll have to work on description as I'm glossing over a lot of that right now, and characterization. The characters are quite clear in my mind, but I'm having trouble writing them. I think it'll become easier as I get further into my story. And it IS a story. I've got a pretty clear idea of where I'm heading.

Yay for NaNo.

Darkness Falls

It seems that I start every blog post with, "Wow, it's been so long'

Anyway, so I've decided to participate in NanoWrimo's National Novel Writing Month (Take the first two letters of each word...clever, right?)

My novel, and it seems so grand to say that, will be titled Darkness Falls. It's story I started about a year ago and has remained in the back of my mind since I put it down. I've started plotting it out so that the writing goes a bit easier when I do start. I'm pretty excited. The goal is to write 70,000 words in the month of November. The math says that is 2333.33333 words/day.

Edit no Jutsu: It's actually 50k words so that's 1666.6666 words/day

In other news, I recently finished a series called The First Law by Joe Abercrombie. It was amazing and has given me hope that fantasy is not all insipid cliche driven drivel. That's a good thing, I suppose, as Darkness Falls is fantasy as well.

I also read a story called "The Book of Lost Things" by John Connolly (may have spelled that wrong). It was every fairy tale you loved growing up twisted and warped for adults and thrown together in a single story. Loved it.

Here is the link to my Nano page: click me

I'll be updating here with my word count.

Wish me luck!

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.