Well, I guess my resistance to the 360 is about to be put to rest for good. I always said that I'd buy an XBox when Rare made a Banjo-Kazooie game for it. Of course, I didn't actually think it would happen. Hopefully - hopefully - the price will go down once the Wii and PS3 hit. It doesn't need to though, so I doubt it will. Not to mention that if Rare pulls, well, a Rare, it'll probably end up on the XBox 1080 and be suck-tastic. I really like the trailer though.
The forums are back with a fresh coat of paint, eagerly awaiting new use. I know I tried this before with disastrous results, but oh well. Try, try again. All the "classic" user accounts are still active and have kept their post count, so Forums of Death alumni will have a head-start in the rankings. Whatever that means. If you forgot your password, just send me an e-mail and I'll change it for you right away.
Enough of this jibba-jabba, click on the angry avatar to head on over.
Ryan's employed again. Neat. Also, I came across a hilarious image today.
Lawlz.
I've recently bought two new games for my Nintendo DS: StarFox Command and MegaMan ZX. I mentioned Command not long after I picked it up, and while I haven't rambled on about ZX yet, there is a small link between the two that I feel I should express my feelings about: aging characters. Really, I just want to get the unsavoriness of that last post off the top of the page.
I don't know how well you're acquainted with MegaMan and all the various MegaMan spinoffs, so I guess I'll give you a quick breakdown. The series started with the original MegaMan. Taking place many decades after that, you've got the MegaMan X series, featuring all new characters and whatnot. Taking place about a century after the X comes MegaMan Zero, which stars MegaMan's partner from the X series, Zero. And now, another century after that, we have MegaMan ZX. Only this one's main characters aren't even robots at all. They're humans who essentially dress up as MegaMan X. Now, the game is excellent, but every time Capcom introduces a new MegaMan series (that isn't some alternate timeline like Battle Network or Legends), the characters get further and further away from the source material. I guess it helps to keep the games from getting stale, but really, will they even be able to call the next spinoff a MegaMan game? If the trend continues, there will likely only be a brief mention of the characters from ZX, nevermind any kind of MegaMan.
So what does this have to do with StarFox? Well, the thing is, Nintendo's doing the same thing with those characters, just at a much slower pace. In the original StarFox, the team consisted of Fox, Peppy, Falco, and Slippy. After Star Fox Adventures, a new character named Krystal joined the team and Peppy stepped back from an active fighter position to just an onlooker. Now in Command, he's gotten real old, and taken over for General Pepper, who's been confined to a sickbed. By the next game, General Pepper will be dead, and I just don't want to see that day come. Because then it'll be Peppy's turn, and damn Nintendo if they think they can just kill off Peppy. StarFox Command has a lot of different endings, and since we don't know which one is the "true" ending, there's no way to know how the next game will turn out, but some of those endings suggest that the next entry in the Starfox saga will star someone other than our beloved Fox McCloud. And that would be horrible.
But why does it have to be this way? Why have the StarFox characters been plagued by age, while Mario, Donkey Kong and Captin Falcon stay infinitely frozen in time? I guess maybe because StarFox is a little more story-/character-centic than those franchises, but that still isn't a good enough answer. Just look at Metroid, for example. The Metroid series has developed a very deep storyline as of late, but Samus hasn't aged a day. And the basic story structure between Starfox and Metroid is the same. They both star hired guns who fight on the side of good, who often go out of their way to help people even when no reward is promised. So why does Fox fall victim to time while Samus is forever young? Just because you have an sequential story doesn't mean that you have to age and kill off the characters.
So I guess there's something for you to think about. I guess it's nothing really important, but it's something that I thought might make a semi-interesting post. Maybe I was wrong, I dunno. I really just needed something to occupy my mind for a half-hour or however long it took to write that. And, you know, the unsavoriness.
If you pay attention to my blog ramblings, you may remember that for most of February of last year (and some early March), I spent a lot of words going on about... well, stuff I don't normally go on about. And you were probably confused by it all, because I was very vague about it all. Yeah, I've gotta do that again today, so feel free to skip the next couple paragraphs. They should mostly be ignored, as it's just a place for me to vent.
If you did understand what was going on last year, then you might have come to the conclusion that I've been smitten by the same problem yet again. Yup, old Ryan is broken again. It's not a fun feeling, and I rather wish that it would stop happening. I mean, it shouldn't be this way, but my mom keeps bringing up the subject in question, and it's not helping. When people keep talking highly about something I don't have, I tend to start to want for it. Badly. Like, can't sleep badly. Maybe all people do this, maybe it's a problem specific to me, I don't know. What I do know is that I was much happier without this particular issue. But I have decided to tackle it head-on this time. Not at all wise idea, because failure will result in the loss of something very valuable to me, and I have no hand in the outcome of this particular scenario. However, I have a nearly infallible game plan, so I'm not sure what I'm so worried about. I guess I'm just afraid of a repeat of last time. But this time I am armed with knowledge, strategy, and the power of the rebound. You know, the more I type, the better I feel about this whole thing. Venting really does help!
On the upside of it all, since the job prospects are looking excellent (more on that next week) and I'll definitely pass my driving test next time (October 6th, baby), should I prevail in this current endeavor, I'll have the holy triad of success. Or in layman's terms, I'll be cleared of my "loser" status. I mean, all I really need to regain the respect of others is a job, but the other two would be very nice luxuries indeed.
And now to lighten the mood - Phoenix Wrong! (Make sure to check out the other two as well, they're all hilarious.)
While cruising the ol' wikipedia, I came across this. Maybe it's just me, but this sounds like an awesome movie. Having Jerry Seinfeld, Patrick Warburton, and John Goodman alone make it worth seeing, but there's so many other talents on there that I'd see it for the VA roster alone. And I never ever see movies because of who's in them.
I've been meaning to get a couple more blog essays done (got two good ones in mind), but I don't know when those are going to take place. Maybe never, maybe this week (that's what I'm shooting for). We'll have to see.
Well, we now know everything there is to know about that Wii thing. I just hope that the so-called "Wii Points" are easily to obtain. Like through EB or something. Because I have no credit card, and I'm gonna need me somma that Virtual Console goodness. I think the thing that makes me giddy the most are the Wii Channels. Getting the weather is neat, but you know I'm going to be spending many, many hours on the Mii Channel.
The fact that they're bundling Wii Sports with every console is nice, even if it is just filler. I'm a little bummed that Metroid Prime 3 has been pushed off the launch list, but looking at it from a marketing standpoint, I think it might sell better when not overshadowed by Zelda. Which, by the way, is like the greatest gift ever. A Zelda game at launch? That means they've got enough time to make at least two more before the Wii's lifespan is up. Here's hoping.
This morning I was working on a half-finished article that's been sitting around forever. It'll probably be up tomorrow or Saturday. Then another one's due next week sometime. Maybe. There's a whole stack I need to get done, and frankly I don't think it's gonna happen quickly. Just make sure I don't stumble upon any new article material for the next couple months, okay?
Oh, and if you can't appreciate Jessica Simpson's boobs, you're no friend of mine.
Continuing September's StarFox mania, I finally got around to finding a working ROM of the StarFox 2 beta, patching it, and playing it. You know, because everyone keeps saying that they pretty much based StarFox Command on it. So that's totally true. Except for Command has so much more to it. Mini-review below.
The first thing you're going to notice about StarFox 2 is that you move around the galaxy map freely, and not as you complete levels. You'll also notice enemies flitting about. Since your job is to protect Corneria and blow up Andross' base, and they're on opposite ends of the galaxy, things are going to get a little frantic. So you fly around, and when you come in contact with an enemy fighter, battleship, or occupied planet, you'll go into battle mode. Which, basically means not the map.
The problem here is that the SNES' 3D powers are kinda weak and flying around full 3D space is very disorienting. Once you get used to it though, it's kinda fun. Planets and battleships are less of a problem, obviously. The main objective of said battle mode is to shoot down whatever it is you came in contact with, or destroy the enemy bunker, if you're on a planet. Bosses will (seemingly) randomly show up on the map screen to challenge, and they're really just an extended version of the basic enemy fighter battles; bigger weapons and longer lifebars.
One of the really cool things about StarFox 2 is that on planets, you can transform your arwing into a bipedal robot. It's a little easier to control and aim with, and makes the fighter mode seem dull. There are also three different arwing models to choose from, each with it's own strenghts, weaknesses, and special weapons, which means your game can be easier or harder depending on your craft.
The downside to the game is that there's only the one "mission" to play. It gets really exciting/challenging on Expert mode, but after playing so much of Command, it seems a little lacking. Compared to the original StarFox, however, it seems to be on par. They also give you your mission stats and ranking when you finish the game, and the game even keeps track of your records. Really, it's a shame that StarFox 2 was never (officially) released, because it's an exceptionally neat game, and I think I might have spent even more hours on this one than I did on the original if I'd had access to it as a kid. I'd say Nintendo should refine it and release it on the Wii's Virtual Console, but really, they've already done it with Command.
Okay, a couple things to sort out today. Firstly, I've completed this week's comics for Coozy For Hire. You still have to wait to see them, but I think they're some of the best yet. CFH's for both art and writing, and Spare! because it's beautiful and involves StarFox.
Secondly, this is the greatest thing ever. The fact that it's actually in the game's code is awesome, and I hope that the next time Nintendo re-releases OoT, they put it somewhere for everyone to see.
And the last thing I need to note is that... Um. I seem to have forgotten what it was. It wasn't important then. But holy crap, I just realized that I started the last seven blog posts with the word "so." Somebody get me a fucking thesaurus. Or a professional writing class of some sort. Oh, and also I did the whole MySpace thing. I'm such a whore.
So I was Googling myself this morning, as I often do, and I came across a neat little page. Well, forum post, but same thing. check it out. Surely you know I sent in an entry to I-Mockery's Super Mario comic contest a few months back, and this dude thinks mine was the only funny one. It brings a tear to my eye, it does. I'll admit that Edwin came up with the base idea and I only really worked out the "punch line", but no less, my work has been praised by a complete stranger. It makes me so happy I took a printscreen.
So, um, yeah. That was pretty much it. I suggest joining them forums, and if enough people actually do, we can stage a coup and take over! Or something like that. Maybe we'll just make peace and some new interweb allies.
So the old birthday went pretty well. The cake pictured above is the brainchild of a couple of my friends. And McCain, I guess.
Got a wad of cash thanks to my many, many relatives, and with it, I finally got a DVD drive for my PC. Not only that, but my very own Best Buy incompetence story as well! I'm so happy to finally have one of these.
Sales guy (we'll call him Jim): Looking for anything specific?
Ryan: Yeah, I'm looking to pick up a DVD drive.
Jim: That's cool. They've really come down in price. They used to be like $400.
Ryan: Yes, I know.
Jim: So what are you getting it for?
Ryan: Um... playing DVDs? Burning stuff? (to self:) What else do you do with them?
Jim: Cool cool. So they're all pretty much the same. They're all internal, they all do dual-layer, what-have-you.
Ryan: What about this one? I think it's external. *points to an $80 Sony drive that's clearly external*
Jim: Wha? *Looks at the tag that says internal, and then the box, and the tag again* Well... That's fucked up. That tag is wrong. Huh. Well if you have any more questions, just ask.
At this point he walks away and I continue to mull over which drive to buy. About a minute later, he comes back.
Jim: Well, that's definitely wrong. And also, the price on that one is actually $170, not $80. *rips out the tag*
Ryan: Huh. Way to be organized.
I don't think there are many things that are as entertaining as stories about how Best Buy fucked up. Oh, and while I was there, my brother was looking for a cellphone, so my mom asked this one guy for help, and he said he'd go get someone who knew about cellphones. They waited five minutes, and after no one had shown up, they just left.
So the topic of Final Fantasy XII came up today over at the Penny Arcade. Surely if you've been following it at all, you know all about this Gambit system they're poking fun at. Now, this normally wouldn't merit my attention, but it creates a huge anomaly in my game philosophy.
See, I don't like conventional RPGs all that much (except Pokémon. I love Pokémon). Something about choosing your actions from a menu just doesn't click with me. The aforementioned Gambit system serves to further sever the link between gamer and game, and yet it makes me thirst for the game so badly. I mean, I played the demo and liked it, what with it lacking random battles and all, even if it was a little awkward to learn. Even the story piqued my interest to a high degree, and I'm one who commonly berates others who "play for the story." The thing is, either the Gambit system wasn't there, or I didn't notice it or I didn't use it properly or something, because there was no "programming my guys," to be seen. And now that I hear about it, and the depth at which I can set up my peoples, my desire for the game is only intensified.
So yeah, it's kind of wierd. Maybe I'll go play the demo again in hopes that I can convince myself it's just as bad as all the other FF games, but I doubt it'll work. It's set in Ivalice after all. And we all know that nothing related to FF Tactics, Advance or otherwise, can truly be bad.
So my brothers are really into this band, Avenged Sevenfold. Now, they've both come a long way as far as their taste in music goes, so I decided to give them a shot. I "borrowed" City of Evil to take a listen (and get a good feel for "The Beast And The Harlot" as it's gonna be on Guitar Hero 2), and I have to say I was more than disappointed. It started off okay, but I later noticed that I had to constantly check Winamp to see what song I was listening to, because lo and behold, all their songs sound the damn same. Each one relies on the same schtick of heavy dual guitar riffs and solos punctuated by melodic choruses. Or something like that. Anyway, I have to take serious points off just for their lack of diversity alone. It's basically different lyrics to the same music over and over. I'm pretty sure that if I looked up the lyrics, they'd all be pretty similar too. Needless to say, I don't get the infatuation.
I'm not sure why I'm talking about Avenged Sevenfold when the band of the month is Fall Out Boy. Yep. Ya heard me. Incase you haven't been paying attention to my blog, I'm basically as emo as fuck, so yeah. Don't get me wrong, though. I think everyone who dresses emo and cuts themselves should fall off a cliff and die (but then again, what else is there to being emo?), but complaining about bullshit is human nature. I'm not going to pretend I don't do it. And you know what? Fall Out Boy doesn't suck because of the emoness. Hell, if they dressed in tight ripped jeans and flashy vests and were 20 years older, they'd probably qualify as a rock 'n' roll band. All the emo in FOB is in their appearance (and videos). Their music isn't half as whiny as half the emo bands out there. So I guess what I'm saying here is that if you dislike a band because of their image (and I know so many do), you're a dickweed. If you don't like the music, that's one thing, and totally acceptable. But please, for your own sake, don't discount a band because of stupid buzzwords.
Hmmm. I seem to be in kind of a ranting mood today. I guess it's just because FOB seems to be the butt of every emo joke these days, and it's kind of an unfair generalization. Well, I think I got my point across anyway. I like Fall Out Boy. Under The Cork Tree is a smashing album, and I highly recommend giving it a try. A bonus is that you can tell where one song ends and the other begins. Start taking notes, Avenged Sevenfold.
So here's an odd one: Steve Irwin is dead. Yeah. Just let that sink in for a minute. I normally don't care when people die (what with the hollow tin chest and all), but this one strikes me as kind of sad. You know, getting pwned by a stingray and all. I'm not sure what else to say.
Um, so anyway, Mike's got a new article up. It's about comics vs video games. Go read it and vote. I won't tell you which side to vote for, but make sure you vote. Because it's your duty as an American interweb dork.
August 2006 archive is up and running if you feel like reading about what I did and saw last month. I also moved over a couple more old articles from Angelfire. Slowly but surely they're all making their way over, and it looks like they've got some unfinished friends in tow! But will I ever finish them? that's for the future to know and you to find out. A long time from now.
So I sat down today and wrote out an article. I've been meaning to do it for about two months now, but that's by no stetch the longest I've ever had an article waiting to be written. I still have a lot in the backlog, and I guess I should do some soon, because I think they might be breeding.
I also updated the CD collection on Friday, but never got around to making the news post to announce it. I also couldn't get the CSS to work right for the updated page links, so you'll have to consult the "last update" callout to see what's what. I guess I could tell you here, but I feel like being an ass and leaving it up to you.
I have a feeling September might be a little slower than the last couple months have been. I'm going through my "I don't even want to think about the internet" phase right now, so we'll see what happens.
Ooh, and I rented Clock Tower 3. Wow. I definitely should have played it before Haunting Ground, that's all I've got to say. Though I might never have given Haunting Ground a chance if I'd played CT3 first. Who knows? Either way, I recommend both for the high levels of cheezy horror. You might just want to watch someone play CT3 though. It's not so good when you're actually playing it.