Books You Should Look Into

Well...I've done it again.

This typically happens to me in some strange cyclical fashion, usually coming full circle every few months. Somehow, I'll accumulate several books that I find engaging and worthy of my time, only to realize that...well...I have several books that I find engaging and worthy of my time, but am lacking the time to read all of them!

Yes, yes...too much to read and too little time to read it all. However, I CAN do these works some justice and share them with you loyal readers out there. Do yourself a big favor and check these out if you get the chance, okay?

Garth Nix's "Abhorsen" Trilogy
I've only just begun this series, but I'm already entranced. The first book tells the tale of Sabriel, a young girl that suddenly finds thrust upon her the responsibility of being the "Abhorsen", a job held previously by her father. What is an "Abhorsen"? Well, as far as I can tell, it's a sort of necromancer that deals in keeping the dead things dead. A wonderfully creative and colorful world, this series is shaping up to be quite the enjoyable read.


"Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling
I'm actually rather ashamed of myself, as far as this one is concerned. This is a REALLY good book and yet I somehow find myself constantly putting it down and forgetting about it (definitely NOT a reflection on the quality of the work, I assure you). I guess I'm a bit hyperactive when it comes to reading material. Anyway, this is the first in a series describing a world where technology suddenly stops and the world is thrust back into the medieval days, people having to fend for themselves. Give it a look. Now.

"The Great Book of Amber" by Roger Zelazny
This is kind of a cheat, considering the "Great Book" is actually a compilation of all of Zelazny's "Amber" books, but he still wrote them all, so I'm sticking to it! Zelazny presents the reader not only a whole new world to experience, but an entirely different cosmos! At the center of all that is lies Amber, the one city from which all other cities are but shadows. And from Amber comes the nine princes of Amber. And with those princes comes back-stabbing, conflict, battle, etc. etc. etc.

"The Dresden Files" series by Jim Butcher
I'm sure many of you may be familiar with this one already, but if you aren't: SHAME ON YOU! I aim that admonishment at myself as well as you all, gentle readers, for I neglected this series for quite some time too. Chronicling the adventures of the "only wizard in the phonebook" Harry Dresden P.I., the reader gets thrown into a world very much like that of Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" if it were deeper, more complex, and more adult.

If you're a fan of science fiction, fantasy, science fantasy, good stories, or just books in general, check out any of the above titles. You won't be disappointed!

A Doctor Who Christmas Carol: The Christmas special we've been waiting for

As most Doctor Who fans are aware, having watched the past several seasons and their various Christmas specials, the specials tend to be less about Christmas and more about some crisis that happens to be occurring ON Christmas. The "Christmas" aspect just doesn't seem to play a part in them at all.

However, head writer Stephen Moffat doesn't disappoint with the 2010 special "A Christmas Carol" as he merges the classic Charles Dickens tale with the unusual adventures of our favorite time traveler. This special actually feels like it's injecting heart and drama into the action and conflict being presented as the Doctor's "Problem of the Week", giving a real sense of Christmas emotion instead of Christmas setting.

The story begins with our favorite new companions Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill, now upgraded to full companion) in danger as the ship their honeymooning on is crash landing on a cloud-covered planet. Amy, knowing exactly what to do, calls the Doctor for help. The Doctor visits the man who controls the cloud cover, the miserly and Scrooge-like Kazran Sardick (Michael Gambon), and finds him unwilling to help and perfectly content letting the 4000+ passengers die. To save the passengers and show Kazran the error of his ways, the Doctor, using Charles Dickens "The Christmas Carol" as inspiration, travels back in time and begins altering Kazran's childhood as the miser's "Ghost of Christmas Past".

Heartwarming, heartbreaking, light-hearted in the right places, the 2010 Doctor Who Christmas special has a lot of heart. Stephen Moffat not only succeeds but excels at giving the viewers the special they've been clamoring for since the days of Christopher Eccleston.

Wordslinging Critic: Skyline

Green Lantern Movie Trailer

Green Lantern trailer
Well there it is, folks. The much anticipated Green Lantern movie. I've, personally, been waiting for this movie for a long time and now it's almost upon us.

I have a few thoughts, however, on the trailer and what it's telling us.

Clearly, it seems Ryan Reynolds is portraying a much looser and carefree Hal Jordan than what's been presented in the comic books. Honestly, I assume the movie producers/directors/writers/whoevers did this because they felt a carefree Hal Jordan would be much more entertaining to watch than the clean-cut Boy Scout Hal Jordan we all know.

I can't say I agree with this, but I'm willing to give it a shot and see if it works.

The CG looks pretty all right. I can't say it's the most spectacular CG I've seen (literally everything in outer space, including the people, is CG), but again, trailers are usually created before last minute cleaning up so maybe it'll look nicer in the actual film.

Otherwise, I have to say that this movie looks AMAZING. I can't wait to see one of my top five superheroes finally on the big screen!

And speaking of my top five superheroes on the big screen, the Deadpool movie trailer should be coming out soon, so whenever that rears its ugly, cancerous head, I'll get back to you guys about my thoughts.

Tabletop Tales: The On-Going Legend

I have to admit, it must be one of the indications that you're a good storyteller/character creator when others begin using your characters in their games as NPCs.

And I don't just mean a game that's based in the same world as your original character in which that campagin's events take place chronologically AFTER the events your character was part of. No...I'm talking about a completely different timeline, different world, and even a different game system altogether!


Let me explain.


One of my favorite (and in my opinion, one of my greatest) creations I ever made was a Dungeons and Dragons character named Pak-cha. I won't go into too much detail about what Pak-cha is, so I'll simply say he's a 7-foot-tall five armed praying mantis creature that's REALLY strong. I mean really REALLY strong. 


Anyway, I made this character for the D&D campaign I was playing, played it through, and retired the character from play at the campaign's end. After it was over, I thought nothing more of it than how awesome the character had been.


Then, Pak-cha appeared in the sequel to the campaign he was a character in as an NPC. Nothing major...he just showed up as a deus ex machina once or twice. Don't get me wrong...him being there gave me a lofty sense of pride, but it was a normal progression for him to be there.


But this is where it gets ridiculous....ridiculously AWESOME.


I had told many of my gaming buddies about Pak-cha and his many exploits (and his exploits are AMAZING btw). My friends found him to be pretty amazing as well, thanks to my expertly told narratives detailing his encounters and conflicts. Again, I thought nothing of me doing this. I just assumed it was one gamer sharing with other gamers his amazing creation.


It wasn't until a few months ago that my buddy called me up about a BESM (BESM is an anime/manga themed roleplaying game) campaign he was going to run and if he could use Pak-cha as a villain. I was taken aback by this but happily consented to the use of my creation.


Then, ANOTHER friend asked if he could us Pak-cha in his Exalted game! It was as if my character had taken on other parallel lives of its own, being reincarnated for further glory in other worlds and other scenarios. A testament and example to good character craftsmanship, Pak-cha continued to live on well after I had completed my playing of him.


I am so proud.


And furthermore, it seems Wizard of the Coast decided to take my idea and steal it for themselves. Don't believe me? Look here at some of their 4e material.


Pak'Cha? REALLY? You guys are thieving bastard.


The mechanics are obviously different, but that name was taken from me. I simply know it to be true. How do I know? I created Pak-cha long before 4e came out back in the days of 3.5. Wizards of the Coast can suck it.

EDIT: I also remember another buddy that used Pak-cha, again as a villain, in his D&D game. Man, my praying mantis gets around a lot :D

Tabletop Connoisseur: Quick Guide to Roleplaying Terms

I break down the basics of roleplaying terminology for the roleplaying-impaired!

Wordslinging Critic: Morning Glory

Top 6 Alternative Spider-Man Costumes

Spider-Man. He's my all-time favorite superhero. Period. The end.

No amount of bad stories, poor writing decisions, ridiculous artwork, or terrible movies will make my love of the ol' webhead diminish. He's also one of the most recognizable superheroes in today's media (following, more than likely, Batman and *cough*Superman*cough*).

I mean, EVERYONE recognizes the red and blue tights! The web design! The huge eyes! No one would look at Spidey and think "Hey, it's (insert name of some OTHER hero here)" because it just doesn't happen.

However, Spidey (and others with the Spider persona) have donned various other costumes throughout the Spider-Man history. Several were....pretty horrible. A good handful were, however, very very cool and a, in my opinion, a welcome change from the traditional duds.

And here, I'll countdown the top 6 alternative costumes that Spidey (and Spidey people) have worn.

#6: The Amazing/Bombastic Bag-Man

Only seen once each, Bag-Man has become almost synonymous with Spidey forgetting/not having his costume. Improvisation is the key to success, as some say, and the web-head is not a stranger to this tactic.

The first instance was when he left his symbiotic black costume with the Fantastic Four to study and forgot to bring a spare to wear home. The FF was nice enough to lend him a spare suit and a handy paper bag for his face (not to mention a nice "Kick Me" sign provided by the Human Torch).

The second instant was when he was caught in a criminal situation, again, without his suit. Not willing to let the bad guys go, he donned another trusty paper bag (as well as stripping off his shirt) and going to town on them.

The Bag-Man persona shows us not only that Spidey refuses to let the lack of a costume stop him from doing what's right, but also that he has a sense of humor about himself. Willing to lampoon himself (sometimes begrudgingly or unknowingly, but still), Spidey gave us all laughs when he donned those bags.


#5: Blood Spider

Blood Spider is just a BADASS name. His costume, though having some slight design flaws and color scheme issues, is equally badass.

In one of Spidey's stories, the Red Skull and Taskmaster made a copy of Spider-Man (everyone was doing it, so why not them?) and gave him a costume similar to the black symbiote costume. Add in a web tank on the back and suction cups on the hands and feet, and you suddenly have your own web-head copy (not that there weren't enough running around, am I right guys?)

Now, the loose wires going from the tank to the shooters on the hands were a rather...er...poor aesthetic choice and I'm not crazy about the yellow color scheme (more a fan of the red and dark blue/black, really), but what better way to strike fear into your enemy than to send a clone of himself (there's that word...).


#4: Cosmic Spider-Man

What happens when you give our favorite wall-crawler incredible, godlike power? He changes his clothes, of course!

During a lab accident, Spidey was temporarily granted the Uni-Power (the powers of Captain Universe, for you unenlightened out there). The Uni-Power granted him advanced senses, even greater strength, telekinesis, and a kick ass costume!

I mean, seriously, if I was a villain and saw Spider-Man show up in THAT costume, I'd shit my pants and expect to have my insides turned into my outsides. It's intimidating to say the least. Unfortunately, power trips like this usually don't last long, and Spidey lost the super godlike crazy powers not long after receiving them. However, he did have both the powers and costume long enough to leave a lasting impression that if you give Spidey a scary costume AND superior powers, it'll be something special.


#3: Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume

Good ol' Ben Reilly. Y'know, I honestly liked Ben. I know he was introduced as part of that horrible, messy clone saga debacle, but I really did like him. He wanted so much to have a normal life without having to worry about being a clone. But...Spider-fans know how that all turned out.

Ben started out his Spider-career as the Scarlet Spider, sporting a costume a little similar to Spider-Man's but ultimately different in a tacky way (really, dude, a sweatshirt?). Eventually, he switched over to using a design more closely-resembling Peter's costume and thus we have the Ben Reilly costume.

I like this costume because it says one thing to me: no matter who it is behind the mask, it's still Spider-Man as long as they do what's right. Though Reilly's costume was mildly different from Peter's he still sported the traditional red and blue, the web design, the spider emblem, and everyone knew it was Spider-Man they were looking at. Taking the name of Spider-Man and merely putting a minor spin on the appearance simply said to fans "Yeah...I may be a different guy, but I'm still your Spider-Man, and I'm still going to do what you guys love to see me do"


#2: Iron Spider

Now, before I get into it, I want to say that I LOVE this costume. It is, personally, my favorite alternative costume. But it isn't the BEST alternative costume. That aside, let's dive in.

Right before Marvel's "Civil War" event hit and following Spidey's "The Other" storyline, Tony Stark took it upon himself to craft our friendly neighborhood you-know-who a brand new costume using the latest of Stark technology. A fully integrated, technologically enhanced super spider suit akin to the Iron Man tech. This suit provided Peter with a wide variety of tech gadgets, like radio, varying vision settings, bio-monitoring equipment, and other things. The COOLEST feature, of course, had to be the retractable arms that were controlled by Spidey mentally.

The reason I like this suit so much is because Spider-Man, while wearing the suit, went toe-to-toe with Captain America. During the fight, Spidey knew full-well he stood no chance against his (at the time) former ally since Cap was familiar with all of Spidey's moves. Except...Spidey had gained a few new "moves" thanks to the suit. With it, the webhead was able to draw first blood on Cap before the fight was abruptly ended.

Now, his time in the suit was brief, but memorable, and unfortunately he had to ditch it thanks to some betrayals from the suit's creator, but nonetheless it was really really really cool seeing Spidey in a spider-like suit. Even if it was gold and red.


#1: The Black Suit

 

Who honestly didn't see this choice coming? 

Originally an alien symbiote picked up from an alien world (and eventually becoming one of his greatest villains, Venom), the black suit was a drastic, yet fan-favored, change from the traditional duds. After ridding himself of the symbiote version of the suit, Spidey frequently returned to a normal cloth version of the black suit on numerous occasions (including right after the "Civil War" storyline). 

The black suit is cool because it's representative of so many things for the wall-crawler. On most occasions, it's used to show his dark side...the angry, violent, edgy Spider-Man that was typically associated with the Venom-driven tendencies. And why shouldn't it? It's downright SCARY. Comparatively, the red and blue threads are positively warm and inviting when put against the black suit.

However, other times the black suit has been used to show a sense of deep emotion and mourning. Specifically, following the "Civil War" storyline, Spidey adopted the threads to express his sorrow at the loss of some comrades and the regret he had for having to battle against what were once his allies. 

Though it may be a bit lacking in subtlety for the purpose of expressing it, the black suit shows us that even our favorite joke-slinging webhead can have a dark side.

Wordslinging Critic: Machete

Tabletop Tales: A Different Kind of Shadowrun

So...my friend Jim (one of the players of our "regular" Shadowrun game) decided he wanted to run a side game using the Shadowrun system. However, he wanted to veer away from the typical Shadowrun setting (2072 Earth) and try something a little different...

Welcome to Shadowrun: Ancient Earth!

Jim basically took the Shadowrun system, tweaked the skills, weapons, etc., and put it all into a romanticized ancient Earth setting.

So far, the Ancient Earth group has played two sessions, but I'm REALLY enjoying it. Essentially, we're all members of a hunter/gatherer tribe of primitive Native American-esque people.

Now, going into this game, I had to think about a concept that would FIT, but would also be something different from what the other players were making. What they were making, you may ask? Well...

• Adam created a skilled hunter character that specialized in using the spear. 
• Amy created a shamanistic type character that specialized in herbology
• Wes created an almost purely artisan-type character that could make nearly anything needed (given the materials)
• And Eric created a huge, lumbering, child-minded beast-like individual that preferred using rocks as weapons

So, what is missing from this party? Two things: a talker, and a scientist. Well...I use the term "scientist" loosely but an intelligence based, logically-thinking, cause-and-effect studying individual.

And thus, Aune was born! Aune is the talker and the thinker of the party (though, as I've found out in this last session, that the thinking is all a team effort). Aune is a Charisma heavy creature, having nearly every social skill available. He lies, he negotiates, he soothes, he scares, and in time, he will inspire. In addition to that, I'm going to have Aune grow into a science-like medium, studying new substances and plants to find out hidden properties that can be exploited.

His current scientific endeavors? Fire arrows and smoke pellets. The fire arrows were simple once I worked out a rudimentary design based on the materials I had available. I'm hoping to improve upon it over time, but what I've come up with will do. The smoke pellets, however, are a bit trickier.

My idea is to craft a small clay pot. Maybe something...a bit smaller than a tennis ball. Inside the pot will be placed the first of two substances. A clay barrier will be fashioned and fit into the pot to separate the first substance from the rest of pot. In the second half of the pot will be placed a second substance. Than, the pot will be sealed with a clay cover, creating a breakable sphere-ish device. The trick is that the two substances, whatever they turn out to be, will create a smoke-heavy reaction when combined. When the pot is thrown and breaks, the two substances will combine, react, and create the smoke screen.

Now, all of these ideas are handy no matter what we're facing. Aune's motivation, at the start of the game, was to discover new and usable materials. After it was determined, in-game, that our party would be heading into the unknown southern lands where "demons" supposedly dwell, his motivation changed to proving the "demons" were nothing more than stories.

Tonight's session, however, caused his motivation to shift one final time. Our party came upon a situation that outright PROVES demons DO exist, thus destroying Aune's motivation. So what is his motivation now? Fighting the supernatural....with science!

What better motivation to tie into his abilities than fighting back supernatural evil using his brain and the natural world as weapons against them?

Well...I thought it was cool.

Let's Play: Star Trek 25th Anniversary - Part 3

Pirates? In MY space sector? I think not!

Wordslinging Critic: Parnormal Activity 1 & 2

Halloween Special: Survive Norfolk

Personal Projects: Death Ray Part 2

All right!

The guts, lights, and sounds for my death ray have finally arrived!

Upon inspecting what I have to work with, I've decided it best to remove the back of the lamp's base, seen here:

 In addition to this, I've found that the bottom of the actual lamp takes up too much room and, through strenuous and careful work, have removed it. The rest of the lamp is intact, thankfully, and I'm working on slowly and diligently sanding down the sharp edges.

Now, here's where the fun begins. I've ordered several "alien" guns from a manufacturer. Upon opening one, I've found the wiring and circuity not terribly difficult to work with. It'll require careful adapting of the trigger mechanism and power supply area into whatever I choose to turn into the death ray's body, but if I can leap that hurtle, than the rest should be cake.

 Also, I've ordered several of these battery-powered necklaces that I plan to glue to the outside of the glass lamp in some fancy 50-ish death ray fashion. I'm still debating on whether to cut the necklaces open and remove their lights and wiring or just leave them as-is. I'm also debating on whether I should place them straight down the barrel or wrap one around the barrel in a nifty spiral pattern.

 The idea I'm having to get the motorized spinning light portions of the guns into the base of the lamp is to use some sort of packing foam, shaped to fit inside the base, and secure the motor and light within it. Or possibly a piece of wood, which might work better.

So much to try and so little time!

Video Series Ideas - Feedback Wanted!

Now, I have all these ideas brewing in my head for upcoming video series that I want to make and I wanted feedback from you, my readers/viewers/friends, about which you think would be entertaining to watch!

• Doctor WHO?: A Doctor-by-Doctor Analysis - this is an analysis of the entirety of the Doctor Who series. Each video will focus on one of the Doctor's incarnations, starting with the first. This will take a while considering I need to WATCH the entire series to get the necessary clips for the opening (or maybe I'll just search for the appropriate videos), but I believe this would be fun. AND it would allow non-Who watchers to get a taste for the sci-fi phenomenon. 
• Lord of the Rings: The Other Fellowship - I had this idea today, actually. It's a parody comedy series about LOTR. The premise? A SECOND fellowship of inept rejects is sent after the first fellowship to deliver important information that Elrond forgot to give them. The second fellowship always seems to arrive just after the major events the first fellowship experiences, and have misadventures because of it. In the same vein as The Legend of Neil, I believe this could attract a large audience.
• Adaptation Decay - This is my reworked movie review idea. I scrapped my original "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" review (mostly because I thought it was crap), and came up with this idea instead. The premise of this series is that I'll critique (hopefully humorously) movies based on books, comic books, and television shows and point out how far from the source material they actually are. 
• The Geekumentary - The first episode is out (as you already know), but I thought I'd ask for feedback. This series is going to focus, documentary style, on the geek culture and its various subgenres and aspects. 
• Wordslinging Critic - This series, as you've seen from the written and video reviews, will focus mainly on current movies that I see and television programs. I'm mainly going to be sharing my thoughts in a serious manner in these particular videos, mostly off-the-cuff, unscripted streams of thought on whatever it is I'm reviewing. 
• Let's Play - Everyone and their mother has done a Let's Play, and I'll be no exception. This video series will be me narrating (again, hopefully humorously) about a game I'm playing while the video shows the game being played by yours truly. I've started with "Star Trek: 25th Anniversary" as a testing platform for this series, so let me know what you think!
• Tabletop Connoisseur - I've had this one in my head since I started. The premise is that each video will highlight a board game or tabletop roleplaying game and explain how it's played, what the setting is, premise, etc. I'm also thinking about bringing in guests that are experienced in the particular games highlighted to explain about them in a more in-depth manner than I could give. 

Well, that's all I have for now! Feel free to comment on here and let me know your thoughts, opinions, gripes, grievances, complaints, ideas, etc. about any of the above. And if you want to see something in particular that you think would be up my alley, let me know! I'll be glad to take any suggestions into consideration!

Thanks guys!

Special Effects Showcase #1

My first real attempt at special effects!

Wordslinging Critic: Red

I share my thoughts on Bruce Willis' new action flick!

Video Announcement - 10/18/10

ZOMBIE MAYHEM!

Let's Play: Star Trek 25th Anniversary - Part 2

Geekumentary: Part 1 - What IS a geek?

Personal Projects: Death Ray

Well....I'm building a death ray.

For future video installments, I've decided to construct a death ray prop. I've been toying around with this idea for quite some time and I'm finally going to get started on it. Coincidentally, the item I've been eyeballing for the death ray just kicked the proverbial bucket and has now been torn apart for death ray parts.

  

This WAS the main portion of my lightning lamp (kinda like a lava lamp, but with lightning). Recently, the lamp finally died (I got the damn thing many years ago so...whaddyagonnado?), and now I'm going to use it for death ray parts. 

 

As you can see, I've been able to separate the main globe into its three component parts: the plastic "base", the glass globe, and the plastic tip. 

  

Upon closer inspection of the base and globe, you'll see the globe has a small opening at the bottom.

 

A closer look at the opening reveals a space large enough to house a small light of some sort. I'm hoping to put an LED light in there and wire it through the base into the body, stock, and trigger. At the very least, maybe a maglite lightbulb.  

 

 The bottom of the base reveals the opening and holes where the rest of the lamp was attached. I'm considering sawing this bit off to open up this end to other bits I may want to cram in there (the light, specifically), but I'll hold off until I have a light.

Finally, the tip. I'm planning on running wires into the tip and down the globe so that it'll give the whole death ray a nice "sciency" feel to it. These wires will be purely for show, but I think it could look good.

Overall, my goal is to have the entire lamp portion be the "barrel" of my death ray. I'm considering adding some attachments to the tip (maybe an antenna sticking forward from it). My OVERALL overall goal is to connect a light to the glass globe, running the wires through the base and into the gun's body and being able to activate the light via the gun's trigger.

Will keep updating!

Tabletop Tales: My First Gaming Experience

How does one get into gaming?

And I'm not asking how one enters a particular game. No, I'm asking how does one enter GAMING as a culture and interest.

Well, my entrance into this geeky world came nearly ten years ago at the young age of 14. I'll explain.

When I was 14, I was working at a Boy Scout summer camp for the very first time as a counselor-in-training. I really didn't know anyone at the camp in which I was working, so I had to do my best to make friends.

One evening, I was walking through the camp, bored out of my mind, when I came upon some of the older counselors huddled around one of many picnic tables strewn about the camp. Upon the table rested tomes upon tomes of books about something called "Dungeons and Dragons".

Now, I was aware of Dungeons and Dragons, but didn't know anything beyond the fact that it was a game where you played a character and rolled dice. Being the bored and curious young man that I was, I asked the elder counselors what they were doing and they replied that they were building characters for a D&D campaign they were going to play.

I nervously asked if I could join, they jokingly ran me through the ringer for my inexperience, and sat me down to show me how a character is built.

Now, normally building a D&D character is difficult (for a newcomer, anyway), and I was no exception. Fortunately, the premise of the game made character creation easier than normal. Here's why:

We were playing a group of kobolds that, at the beginning of the campaign, were just hatched from their eggs. We were LITERALLY birthed at the very beginning of the very first session. Our personalities, stats, equipment, etc were all determined by the actions we took shortly  after our emergence into the world.

After being born, our kobold team got into a combat with some...creatures, I believe. Me, being the inexperienced player that I was, decided to attack the creatures with reckless abandon. The leader of the party (a role he took for himself, since he had the strongest out-of-game personality), gave each of us names and dubbed me Rath (get it?).

Unfortunately, our first session was our last, but the impact the incident had on me made a lasting impression that gaming was enjoyable and that I wanted to do more of it. Nearly ten years later, I'm still gaming and probably still will be ten years from now.

Tabletop Tales: End of the Greek Gods...Rise of the Runes

This is why you never give Pete an inch.

He ALWAYS takes a mile.

You'll need some backstory for this incident to be properly explained.

Pete and Mike, two friends that I game with, have been gaming with each other a LOT longer than they've known me, to put it mildly. Those two, with other past players of course, have been through many different games and sessions with each other. Because of this, Pete has plenty of history in the world that Mike set his Greek gods game. So much history, actually, that he was able to summon the dead spirit of one of his former incarnations and take that incarnation's memories.

Now, you probably don't initially understand why this is bad. I'll explain.

Mike designed the Greek god game to be for characters of 5-7th level (or the equivalent of it in that gaming system). Initially, we all WERE 5-7th level equivalent characters when we obtained our god-powers. Pete, however, absorbing the memories of past incarnation, acquired most of the skills and abilities OF his incarnation, which essentially jumped him from a 5-7th level character to a 20th level character.

Another session or two with Mike and Pete had the entire problem we were facing fixed.

*sigh*

I don't begrudge Pete for this. It was ingenious. I was just having fun and wish the game hadn't had to end so quickly and abruptly.

BUT! There IS light at the end of this tunnel. Mike has planned a NEW game that we will be starting tonight. This time, to choose our powers, we have to choose one of the 24 Elder Futhark Runes and whichever we choose will determine what powers we receive.

Mike has also assured me that Pete won't be able to pull a stunt like this again, so the game should last longer than two months.

Haha, I have faith in Mike's abilities, but Pete is crafty. Only time will tell, I suppose.

Strange Dreams

Warning: Some of the things I'm about to describe are slightly graphic (in a gross way).

They're really strange the dreams I've been having lately. I'm completely serious when I say this...the past several nights I have, without a break in stride, had at least one dream a night.

I suppose I'll do my best to recall what they were about...

• In one dream, I was at some sort of convention setting. Initially, I kung-fu'd with some individual in the eating area (with surprising finesse and ability, I must say) and then proceeded to the video gaming area where it was filled entirely with old-school arcade games and a display of Power Ranger merchandise. And I'm talking ORIGINAL Power Ranger merchandise, like the Green Rangers Dragon Dagger and VHS tapes of the episodes. 
• In another dream, I was helping the Maximals/Autobots escape from an evil cult's underground prison...and then my teeth fell out. 
• I was hanging out with the Scrubs cast and one of them mentioned that I had some weird markings on my face. So, I proceeded home, looked in a mirror and found these giant...THINGS on my face. I asked my Father and he suggested I pop. I did so, only to find strange parasites in them. LARGE parasites. That was a disturbing one. 
• In another, I seemed to be wearing some sort of mask (though I never actually got to see what it looked like) and I was walking around ODU campus, randomly attacking people that I claimed were "demons from another plane of existence". Quickly following each attack, campus security arrived and chased me away.

That's all I can currently remember, but I believe those are a good indication of what I'm dealing with. My subconscious must be ridiculous!

VLog 10/1/10 - Random Stuff

Watch as I mock both myself and my poor attempt at making and everyday VLog!

Let's Play: Star Trek 25th Anniversary - Part 1

Blog Announcement 9/25/10

Regressing Back to Childhood

Well, I've just started learning how to work on my own car. It's not a quick process (clearly), but I think I'm making good progress toward being a real grease monkey someday.

Haha anyway...

This got me thinking back to my days as a wee little child, sitting my room full of toys....

And tearing them apart.

Yes, I was the type of child that would swipe his father's tools and disassemble his toys in ways that the manufacturers didn't intend six-year-olds to do. I took them apart, put them back together, mix-and-matched the pieces to see if I could make a BETTER toy...the possibilities were endless if you were working with interchangeable plastic pieces and toys.

  

GAH! Nothing like that though...now, I'm going to have nightmares.

The toys I specifically remember disassembling the most was the vast collection of old Power Ranger toys I owned. And, yes, before we get into it, I was a huge Power Rangers fan when I was a child. Couldn't get enough of that shit as a kid...stupid multi-colored, world-saving fuckers.

The Zord toys worked the best toward this endeavor. I loved taking those fucking robots apart and making a BIGGER robot that kicked ass and killed everything. I know those things already transformed and could be put together into bigger robots, but that wasn't good enough for me. Oh no, I had to have a robot that could step on entire cities!

Man, I miss the old days, sometimes.

Top 5 Computer Villains in Video Games

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back!

Last time, we counted down the Top 10 Computer Villains in Film. This time, we're taking a crack at the video game genre. Now, video games have given us some of the most memorable villains in the history of villaindom. Sephiroth, Bowser, that fucking unbeatable smiley face from Berserk...we gamers have fond memories of fighting (and defeating, if we're lucky) some of the toughest baddies. However, there is a serious lack of actual "computer" villains in video games, so I have to cut this list down by five.

No worries, valiant readers, for I shall persevere forward and bring you a satisfying (hopefully) list!

#5 - John Henry Eden (Fallout 3)

John Henry Eden is the President of the United States in Fallout 3. What people DON'T realize until their character actually meets him is that President Eden is, in fact, NOT human. No, President Eden is actually an AI supercomputer that was established, initially, as a monitoring device for a military base. Over time, however, it became self-aware and built itself a personality that is an amalgamation of all former U.S. Presidents.

What makes Eden a great villain is that it not only fools everyone into thinking it's human when it isn't, thus providing such a wonderfully devious surprise to the player, but it also has such a malevolent plan. It requests that the player poison the water so that all radiation-infected individuals are killed, leaving only "pure" citizens left.

Also, Eden is voice by Malcolm McDowell. And Malcolm McDowell instantly makes ANY villain ten times more badass.

#4 - Allied Mastercomputer aka AM (I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream)

Now, I know this is cheating, since AM was featured in a book by the marvelous Harlan Ellison prior to being in a video game based on the same book, but it's just so FITTING. AM is a supercomputer created during the Cold War (which escalated into a world war in this story's timeline) to aid in the fighting. Two other supercomputers of the same name were created, one for the U.S.A., China, and Russia. Eventually, one of the three became self-aware (go figure) and absorbed the other two, becoming the AM in the story/game. The now omnipotent AM enacts genocide on all of humankind, save for five individuals. These five individuals suffer 109 years of endless torture and suffering, as AM refuses to let them die.

AM is just EVIL in the game. He twists and manipulates the five individuals in their separate tests to fall upon the weaknesses they showed in their lives prior to being AM's puppets. He torments, goads, insults, horrifies, belittles, and hurts them in unimaginable ways that only a vengeful god could think up. A small example: he has kept the five from eating and drinking for a LONG time and when one of them initially finds water on their journey, he prevents them from even getting near it. Terrible.

#3 - SHODAN (System Shock series)

Ah, SHODAN. SHODAN was an AI in control of Citadel Station in System Shock 1. The player character, a hacker, was hired to enter SHODAN's systems and her ethical restrictions were subsequently removed, making her the monster that many gamers know and fear. The amusing thing about SHODAN is that the player is the one that created her. In System Shock 2, she manipulates a cybernetically modified soldier (modified by SHODAN, amusingly) to destroy her rogue creations and hopefully return to power once more.

Why is SHODAN deserving of a spot on this list? Well, I believe the answer you seek is here:

SHODAN

#2 - GLaDOS (Portal)

 
Who didn't see this one coming? Honestly. GLaDOS was, by far and large, one of the most popular villains to come out of recent gaming culture. Nevermind that she's a computer. That has NOTHING to do with it. GLaDOS is an amazing VILLAIN period. Being the AI in charge of a mysterious Aperture Science facility, GLaDOS is the nice computer AI that assists you in the testing of the portal gun. However, as the game continues, the player will notice certain things...wrong with GLaDOS. Did she just insult me underhandedly? Is she questioning my morality? WHY does she keep talking about cake?! Eventually, it comes down to this great battle between you and your portal gun versus the maniacal computer bent on killing you with rockets or horrible gas.

GlaDos is here because...well, I shouldn't have to explain myself on this one. No villain is more unnerving, no villain is more two-faced, no villain is more underhanded than GLaDOS. She, along with the amazing gameplay and suck-you-in atmosphere, are what made Portal such a perfection of gaming. What's even better is that soon gamers will be blessed with the return of their favorite computerized bitch in Portal 2.

#1 - The Video Game Computer (every game, ever)

 
Don't you DARE question this choice! It is definitely NOT a cop out, and I'll even explain why! Let's begin the lesson, shall we?

How many times have you played a fighting game until the end, only to be cheap-shotted by the boss AI?

How many times in an adventure game did you get stuck in an unwinnable situation because the computer didn't give you the clue you needed??

How many times in an FPS have you started to reload your gun, only to have ten guys with shotguns round the corner and light you up???

How many times have you played a strategy game only to have THE FUCKING ZERGS RUSH YOU FROM NOWHERE?!

The point I'm making is that there is no more evil a computer villain than the processor and AI of every game you ever play. It is DETERMINED to make you lose no matter what the cost. And that is why it beats you.

And THAT is why it tops my list. Period.

Tabletop Tales: Significant Other Syndrome

This is a difficult one to pin down, at least for the non-experienced tabletop gamer, but if you've been playing tabletop games for any extended period of time with multiple groups, you might be familiar with this dilemma.

Allow me to paint you a picture. There you are, bored, wishing you had something to do, when a buddy calls you up about a game that's being started. Now, this game seems to be a pretty standard situation: a bunch of your friends, one of whom is being the GM, starting up a new game together just for the fun of it.

All right, things are looking up!

So, you agree, and everyone gets together for the first session. The GM's significant other is pittering about, but nothing immediately alarming. He/she's probably there to hang out on the computer or watch television in the other room right? Right? Wrong. Right when everyone is ready to start the first session, he/she sits down with their own character.

And so the madness begins.

The problem with having the significant other (or S.O., for the sake of brevity) of a GM play IN that GM's game is because the GM will, more often than not, show the S.O. preferential treatment. This preferential treatment may even go so far as to ruin the game for all the normal players that are there to have a good time.

Here are some examples that I've experienced or been told about by friends:

GM: Okay, you're being attacked by some guys. What do you do?
Player 1: I'll attack with my sword!
GM: All right, that proves ineffective.
Player 2: I attempt to cast a spell at them!
GM: The spell goes off, but they don't seem fazed by it.
S.O.: I look at the guys and send them into the core of the sun using the power of my mind!
GM: That works! The guys are incinerated horribly! Good job, sweety.
Players 1&2: ....what.

GM: All right, you defeated the dragon and his horde is there for the taking. Among the treasure is an elven Moonblade.
Player 1: Excellent! Me being the only elf, I'll just-
S.O.: I take it!
GM: All right! He/she gets the Moonblade.
Player 1: But non-elves can't even USE a Moonblade! It KILLS them if they touch it!
GM: Oh...uh...oh! He/she has a small trace of elven blood that allows he/she to use it.
S.O.: Yay!
Player 1: This is horseshit.

Player 1: Hey, why does S.O. have all these skills and abilities? He/she's like...level 9.
GM: Um...
Player 2: Really? We're only level 5.
GM: Well...we kind of do a bunch of one-on-one roleplaying after dinner/before bed/after sex, so he/she leveled up a bunch when you guys weren't here.
Players 1&2: ....
GM: But it's all completely legitimate!

There are other completely DIFFERENT kinds of Significant Other Syndrome that also cause problems at tabletop games. The above examples came primarily from the category where the S.O. actually ENJOYS and/or UNDERSTANDS the games they're playing. The next example comes in the form of when the S.O. is new to tabletop gaming and not really into it.

GM: All right, you guys are brought before the king and he addresses you regally.
Player 1: I bow before the king, showing my respect.
Player 2: I take out my sword and hold it hilt-first to him as a sign of my willingness to do his bidding.
S.O.: *yawn* *sigh* I stab him.
Players 1&2: What?!
S.O.: I'm bored!
GM: Oh! Uh...well, this happens to be a kingdom where slaying the ruler makes you the new ruler! He/she is instantly crowned the new ruler and everyone pays homage!
Players 1&2: WHAT!?!

And, of course, there's the final example where the S.O. doesn't game at all but makes a general nuisance of him/herself by distracting the GM during a session. Example:

GM: You guys are lost in the dungeon. It is dark and you can hear the sounds of approaching footsteps, possibly enemies.
Player 1: I ready myself for battle!
Player 2: I take out my shield to prepare for an unseen attack!
S.O.: Hey hunny, did I tell you what happened at work today?
GM: No, what happened?
S.O.: *talks the GM's ear off for a good hour or so, halting the game entirely*
Players 1&2: Uhh...

(This has nothing to do with my friend Pete's wife, by the way. Her stories are HILARIOUS.)

Now, don't get me wrong, there are many GMs that don't fall prey to this problem. But many do. And it's wrong. WRONG.

The moral of the story is: S.O.s are okay to play in games...as long as their counterpart isn't the GM.

The Actor on Acting

I was out with my friends, Mike and Nate, this evening, and we got into a discussion about movies. Me, being the movie buff that I am, felt right at home in this particular discussion. Nate, not being as informed about who's a good actor and whatnot, throws out a few suggestions of individuals he enjoys watching.

I, of course, rebut him vigorously and stick my nose up at some of his decisions. Mike goes on, in typical Mike fashion, to call me a stuck-up artsy type. We laugh and he explains that Nate is the same way about music and reacts in a similar fashion if certain artists/bands are mentioned.

But that's a good point, isn't it? I mean, Nate is a musician and I'm an actor, so it makes sense that we have a slightly better insight and pickier tastes in our chosen mediums, doesn't it?

For instance, I (and I'm uncertain if this applies to all actors or just me), personally, watch a film and try to get a feel for the actors' interpretations of their characters. I ask myself questions like "What motivation does this character have?" "What conflicts does he/she face?" "Why did the actor make that particular decision when portraying this character?" and so on.

Not being a musician (no matter what I may tell people heh), I wouldn't even begin to imagine what one would think to themselves while listening to a song or piece. The furthest and deepest my thoughts venture when listening to a song is really "Do I enjoy this?".

I guess that spills over into practical skills as well. My training in technical theater also translates into a critical eye as far as the more technical aspects of films (and theatrical productions if I ever get the chance to go out and see one). Is the lighting appropriately done here? Does the music/sound effects further or hinder this scene? Why does the damn camera shake so badly?

Going back to the original point, when I watch an actor that I believe to be of poor quality, I find my line of internal questioning to be reduced to the lowest denominator. Say, Keanu Reeves, for example. When I watch Mr. Reeves in most movies, I don't ask myself the above questions or questions in a similar vein. No...my questions usually get reduced to "How funny would it be if he said "dude" at the end of that line?" and "Why the hell am I watching another Keanu Reeves movie?". Why does this happen? Well, Mr. Reeves doesn't suck me in with his portrayal of a character, and then I don't start questioning the character's portrayal on a serious level.

It's rather sad, really.

FUCK YES! STILL ALIVE BABY!

...you monster.

I Know Someone Famous!

Let's talk about my father and grandfather briefly. Both are excellent men, first off. I've always been told stories about how both of them rubbed elbows with famous people in their younger days.

My grandfather, may he rest in peace, was literally roommates with none other than the famous musician Pete Seeger and was LITERALLY good friends with former president John F. Kennedy.

I mean....wow.

My father, additionally, has his own tales of being friends with now-famous individuals. His favorite story to tell is how he was friends and drinking buddies with none other than comedian/actor Denis Leary. It really is quite amazing.

So, because of these tales told to me by my father about these celebrities that he and my grandfather knew, I always wondered what people that I've known that would someday find themselves famous for some reason or another. I mean, no one can really predict who will be elevated to celebrity status. Anyone you've gone to school with or have been friends with could someday find themselves famous.

Well, it seems being friends with famous people runs in the Willard blood, because I've just found out that a former high school classmate of mine is getting his big break.

Meet Jarred Farrow, or as people probably know him better, Jay Pharaoh.

Jarred is a 2005 graduate of Indian River High School, right here in Chesapeake, Virginia. This is the same school and same graduation year as myself. You may be saying to yourself, patient reader, that "Hey, that doesn't mean you were friends with him!". You're right...it doesn't.

But I was.

Jarred and I were theater kids. We took the theater classes, participated in the yearly theater productions, and we knew each other well enough. Jarred was always the funny guy and versatile actor, while I was always the technician and go-to guy for problems.



Here we are in the production of Oliver, way back in the day. The scene is Jarred's big number as the villainous Bill Sykes, and if you look closely in the background, you'll see a young chubby man in a white shirt and khaki pants. Guess who that is? Yup...you guessed it.

Hell, one day during Drama Club, Jared and I had a misunderstanding and got into an honest-to-God fist fight! We resolved it soon after...but seriously!

Well, Jarred finally got his big break. The 25th of this month, he's going to start his run as one of Saturday Night Live's newest cast members. I'm so happy for him. I knew he'd make it big with the kind of determination and perseverance he showed.

Plus, now I can tell people that I decked an SNL cast member. Heh.

Tabletop Tales: Horrible Death Posse

It's amusing, actually. I can't honestly tell if this is amoral or not.

Let me explain. My readers (readER) may remember my rant about horrible death powers earlier in my blog. Well, things just got a little more exciting for my intrepid and patient companions, Pete and Wes.

Having discovered that we've received these fun Greek/Roman god powers for the purpose of stopping the return and rise of the Titans from mythology, I figure we may need some help accomplishing this already lofty goal (cause...Janus, Hades, and Zeus are TOTALLY enough to do the job alone). So what do I do? Well...

I jump into my underworld kingdom and literally summon the entirety of HELL (Tartarus, for you scholars out there), and have them all get into one big battle royale to see who the scrappiest and toughest of the evil doers was. Well, I ended up with 10 top sinners and this is who I acquired!

10. Ragnar Lodbrok, the legendary viking warrior.
9. Agamemnon, legendary Greek mythological figure
8. Caligula, legendary Roman emperor and nutjob
7. Phil (named by me), the tattooed cannibal with filed teeth (probably from Livingston's expedition)
6. Jack the Ripper, infamous serial killer of Whitechapel
5. Steve (also my given name), a medieval warrior who renounced his faith and slew MANY
4. Jim (seeing a pattern here?), the Aztec warrior
3. Marco, a 19th century ex-military rapist and murderer
2. Cesar, the "Renaissance bastard"
1. "Ghengi", Ghengis Khan's torturer

So, now having my top 10 brawlers from Hell, I decided to outfit these fuckers with suitable and fitting equipment. How do I go about doing that? Well, I summon some blacksmiths from Elysium and order them to forge the weapons of choice for my happy posse.

• Ragnar receives a nice axe, chainmail, and helmet (no, the helmet doesn't have horns, you bastards)
• Agamemnon got a spear and hoplite armor
• Caligula wields a gladius and lorica segmentata
• Phil just wields these big butcher knife-looking thing. Something like this:

• Jack ends up with, surprise, a pair of knives
• Steve gets a nice, new set of chainmail, shield, and sword
• Jim only gets a wicked-looking obsidian knife
• Marco gets a breastplate and rapier
• Cesar gets a rapier and no armor
• Finally, Ghengi uses a bow, surprisingly. You'd think Ghengis Khan's torturer would be an up-close kinda guy. Oh, and a short sword

So, now that I've outfitted my horrible posse, I come to find out that these weapons and armor I've had made for them are not only forged in the fires of Hell, from the materials of the Underworld, by Elysium blacksmiths, but also enhance the already innate abilities of those they were made for.

This means that Ragnar will be stronger and tougher than before...Jack faster and sneakier...Caligula more blood-thirsty and wacko...man, I love this job!

I haven't heard how my moral anchors have reacted to this new development, but I did something to hopefully appease them...

I summoned Hercules to help fight this battle and keep my death posse in line. It's great being the king (of the dead), sometimes

Wordslinging Critic: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

All right...I've been catching a LOT of flack from my friends for any naysaying I do about this movie, so I'm going to put down into words what I DID and DID NOT like about. This way, all my feelings will be out there and any legitimate debate can follow.

First and foremost, I am in NO WAY saying that this is a bad movie and you should not see it. All I am saying is that, from my point of view, this movie had some flaws. That being said...let's dive in.

I'll begin with the negative points first, just so everyone can stop reading this article after this portion's conclusion (as I know most of you are going to, you lazy fucks).

By the way, spoilers.

First, the pacing. Honestly, I thought the pacing at the very beginning of this movie was fairly poor. Let's look at it from several viewpoints. If you're viewing this is an action/kung fu movie, the pacing at the beginning nearly killed it. There was literally NO ACTION for a good chunk of the film (leading up to the introduction of the first of the evil ex's). Normally, this wouldn't have bothered me, but when you billed this movie as an action-y type flick, and than wait that long to provide what you were selling, that's almost false advertising. If you're viewing this as a teen drama, than the pacing at the beginning was just fine. Good build-up to a crescendo, which built up into the climax, but therein lies your problem. No one that saw a SINGLE trailer for this film was going in expecting JUST a teen drama. No, the main pull of this movie was the action, and the pacing at the beginning nearly ruined it for me. I was literally sitting in the theater thinking to myself "Hey...wasn't this supposed to be an action-y flick? Where the hell is all of it?" Additionally, because of the poor pacing at the beginning, I felt the fight scenes later were SLIGHTLY rushed and weren't done as well or as expanded upon as they could have been.

Next, the casting. Now...this is a duel point with me. I both liked and didn't like the casting in many regards. The main issue I had with the casting was with Michael Cera. Now, before you all start chucking your flaming copies of "Juno" and "Superbad" at me, let me explain. I won't use the excuse that Michael Cera plays the same character in every movie (even though he does, the typecasted motherfucker). As a matter of fact, I believe Michael Cera was perfectly cast for the teen drama half of this movie. The action half of it, however....well, a Jackie Chan he ain't. I use Jackie Chan because, in many early Jackie Chan movies, Jackie portrays kind of a somewhat goofy, outnumbered, out-skilled guy caught up in these monumentally dangerous and precarious situations. Jackie Chan pulls that off VERY well (thus explaining how he built a career on it), but Cera doesn't. When I look at Cera in this film, I don't get the blundering but lovable underdog feeling I get from those early Chan movies, but rather a scrawny, douchey kid that would NORMALLY get his ass kicked by any one of these seven opponents (and please don't start with me about how its a surreal reality where Vegans are super warriors and such bullshit because I think my point still stands).

Finally, the writing (to an extent). Now, being a writer myself, I always make sure to focus a great deal on in-story continuity, plotlines, and dialogue when I'm watching a movie (because it's my area). This movie was fairly tight overall when it came to the screenplay, but I did notice ONE thing that stood out and bothered the fucking fudge out of me. One particular plotline that is built up from almost the very beginning of the movie revolved around Scott Pilgrim's ex-girlfriend "Envy" who dumped him to become a famous rockstar. This plotline was frequently hinted at, touched upon, and built up to the point where I expected some huge moment of resolution between the three characters (Pilgrim, Ramona Flowers, and Envy). But what did I receive for my patience? A dropped plotline. After defeating Envy's current boyfriend, one of Ramona's seven evil ex's, Scott apologizes to his ex and we never see her again.

We never. See her. Again.

She's not even mentioned! I figured Scott would have a huge revelation about how the pain he felt from that relationship translated over to how he was treating women, or Ramona and Envy get into a fight themselves, thus allowing another fun action sequence. But no. We got NOTHING. Well done, writers.

Okay...now, the negative is done with. Those of you that wanted to only read those points first and flame me with comments, go ahead. The rest of you, the intelligent lot, may continue with me.

Let's go back to the casting, to begin things. I have to admit that the remainder of the cast was very well chosen. Standout performances, specifically, from Ellen Wong (who played Knives Chau), Kieran Culkin (who played Wallace Wells), and the majority of the seven evil ex's were all fairly spectacular. Pretty much the entire secondary cast was fairly phenomenal in their portrayals of the various characters. Everyone did a stellar job bringing such subtle nuances to each character, such depth and growth, that I could've enjoyed watching the movie for one character at a time. I won't go into details about each particular actor and their portrayal (as I did with my Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy review), but I will say that as an ensemble, I wouldn't have deviated too far from those chosen. Good job, casting director.

Well...good job, except for Michael Cera.

The visuals and editing were above par. Not much to say beyond the fact that the special effects were big and in-your-face when they needed to be, and much more subdued and subtle at the quieter, more emotional moments. Not at any time did I find the SFX intrusive or the editing confusing and unnecessary. Yes, the editing at times was very quick, but not in a "I have no idea where we are now" kind of way. Now, the effects and editing weren't anything award-winning (not by a longshot) but I found them, overall, to be an asset to the movie rather than a hindrance.

I think the selling point for me, after thinking long and hard about this movie, was the underlying story and subtext. It took me several days of contemplating the movie before I came to the realization of what this movie was really about. Now, before I explain myself, I want to address those out there that call shenanigans on this movie because they found the characters of Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers to be too "douchey" and "bitchy" respectively. What do I have to say to you lot?

That was the point. And you missed it.

The whole point was to present these two characters in that way. The character of Scott Pilgrim is meant to start as a somewhat unlikable figure in his slacker, aimless lifestyle and in the manner he treats women. Ramona Flowers, also, is MEANT to be seen as a cold and distant character, detached from pretty much everything around her. The whole point of the movie to watch the growth of these two characters from the points they start at into what they become at the end.

I'll explain.

Scott Pilgrim's journey in this movie is really a journey of self-discovery in that EVERYONE around him in his life recognizes what a dopey, douchey loser he is. The point is that he really doesn't see it himself. His relationship with Knives Chau is meant to be seen as an outlet for his immature ways because the intimacy and speed of the relationship is within his control, and when that control is lost, he doesn't know what to do with it. When he meets Ramona, the object of his desire, he finds that he desires something well outside of his controllable little world and, because of the evil ex's that enter the picture, discovers something that is worth fighting for and THUS discovers, ultimately, that the one true thing he's fighting for is himself. The entire movie is his journey to discover the errors of his past, the growth he goes through into a more mature individual, and hopefully the self-respect he needs to make positive steps forward away from his slacker lifestyle into something a little less....loser-ish.

Ramona, on the other hand, already starts the movie having realized the mistakes of her past. The difference is that she allows those mistakes to continually haunt her (literally) in the form of her seven evil ex's. She knows, from the very first scene she appears in, that she's wronged these seven individuals in some way or another, and honestly wants to step back and reevaluate her life and the choices she makes. The introduction of Scott into Ramona's life comes as a conflict for her, considering she wants to be close to Scott, but fears repeating the same mistakes she's already made with the other seven. In the end, her ex's defeated, she comes to discover that life is full of mistakes and wrong turns, but it's what we take from those mistakes that truly moves us forward.

The last bit I'll touch upon is the general complaint I've heard about the audiences disapproval of Scott ending up with Ramona at the end when Knives is a much more realistic and compatible choice. This, believe it or not, is true. Knives and Scott are the much more likely match up. It is also true that there probably isn't much of a future between Scott and Ramona. But, again, that's the point. Growing up and being an adult means making mistakes not always choosing the path that is "right" at that point in your life. I earnestly believe that this is the message the movie was trying to convey in its ending.

Aaaand that's my review of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. Not as vulgar and insulting as my other review, but I think I covered my thoughts fairly well.

All I can say now is...let the flaming begin!

Tabletop Tales: Shadowrun Story

This is the story for my technomancer's third submersion in my weekly Shadowrun game. I thought it was actually decent, so I thought I'd share! Enjoy!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upon getting settled into their suborbital flight back to Seattle, Wires immediately entered the Matrix. He detested these long flights and used the time to his advantage to improve upon his Matrix skills. Now, after their long adventure in Hong Kong, it was finally time to see that old program again.

He dove into his world, quickly locating the technomancer group he had found to help him with this. They were young, younger than him, but he didn't mind. He'd rather keep the real technomancer community out of his dealings, considering his past indiscretions with them. With the grouping of young (nearly all of them newly emerged) 'mancers, Wires assembled a difficult to construct piece of code and dove back into the that serene Resonance realm.

Opening his eyes, he found himself on the same path he started on during his last ordeal. Knowing the way, he quickly located the building that had called him before...the building that he wasn't allowed to enter on his first trip here. Sure enough, the ever-pulling magnetism of the structure remained. It seemed to resonate into the very data core of Wires' icon, calling him. The very unnerving and yet natural feeling of it filled Wires with a sort of unease that he normally didn't feel while in the Matrix.

He slowly approached the building's front door, his eyes fixated on the handle. He had to know what was behind it. He had to feel it. He had to experience it. He knew the answers to many of his questions were in there and he HAD to have them. Inch by inch, his quivering hand drew closer and closer to the handle, to the gateway that separated him from whatever it was inside.

"Hello again, my pupil," a voice reverberated with the same soul-shaking reverberation that emanated from the house.

Wires spun on his heels to find the old monk program standing behind him, smiling softly.

"You, again!" Wires stated, both in surprise and frustration, "You are not going to make me spin more plates, are you?"

The monk seemed to chuckle as he strode over to the young technomancer. Head and eyes downcast at the ground, hands behind his back, he circled Wires slowly until they were side-by-side facing outward, away from the door.

"No, no, young one. That step in your training has long since been completed. Now, you have returned to seek what is in there," the old man made a slight nod over his shoulder.

Wires nodded.

"Come," the monk stepped off the buildings porch and into the courtyard adjacent. Crouching down into the dirt, he picked up a stick and began to draw something in the soft soil beneath their feet. Wires, curious, slowly approached and gazed over the monk's shoulder to inspect.

The symbol drawn was not one unfamiliar to Wires: a simple yin and yang. The monk finished his drawing and stood back up, gazing down at his work.

"Are you familiar with the concept of yin yang, my pupil?" the monk asked. Not waiting for an answer he continued, "It represents the seemingly contradictory and polar forces that somehow exist in harmony and even essentially give birth to one another. Balance."

The monk turned away from the yin yang toward the building.

"Inside is your yin and yang, young one. The two opposing forces that live in harmony with each other. Are you ready?"

Wires paused. The monk's words held heavy in the air. After what seemed like an eternity, similar to the extended exercise with the plates in his previous visit, Wires nodded, eyes still locked on the building before him.

"Then your time with me has come to its end," the old monk stated simply. He turned to Wires and smiled, "Young Wires, I permit you access. May our paths cross again someday."

With that, the monk was gone. Wires stood alone in the courtyard contemplating the nature of his mentor program and of the program's final words to him. The time had finally come for him to enter.

Without another moment's hesitation, no longer able to resist the building's call, he dashed to the door, flung it open, and threw himself inside.

Blackness.

He was surrounded on all sides by a familiar blackness, the same kind that had enveloped him in his first submersion. He examined himself and found that he was back in his icon's body, no longer restrained by the limitations of his meat form.

[Hello?]

Within the blackness surrounding him hummed a distant approaching sound, similar to how one can hear a train coming down a tunnel even when it is some distance away. The sound grew closer and louder with each passing milimoment until an earth-shattering THUMP shook him.

Wires breathed heavily. He blinked.

"Breath...?"

His hands were his own meat body hands again. He blinked several times, but to no avail as the hands remained as they were.

Again, the sound came from a distance and assaulted him with the pounding THUMP, knocking his concentration off once more.

[What is going on?]

The blackness around him seemed to fade away slightly as a view of the suborbital gave way. Not only a view of the suborbital, but the view through HIS eyes. His MEAT eyes.

The sound came again, faster this time, and much louder as the space around him literally shook with the powerful THUMP. Again, his form had changed back into the meat, his growing concern and doubt began to creep.

"What if I was not ready for this?"

Before he could think more on it, the image of the suborbital gave way a bit more, only this time, data streams and nodes seemed to merge with it. The THUMP came again. The blackness pulsed and receded each time. Again the THUMP. The nodes and streams and seas of information meshed more. THUMP.

Wires could feel himself being torn in twain.

 THUMP.

Meat body. Suborbital.

THUMP.

Icon. Data streams and nodes.

THUMP.

Meat body. Data streams and nodes.

THUMP.

Icon. Suborbital.

By now, the THUMPing was coming at regular, steady intervals. It was almost as if it was...

[My...heartbeat?"

And suddenly Wires was awake. Not awake in the sense that he had come out of VR, but truly awake. He gazed about himself. His icon's head and his meat head moved simultaneously and in tandem with each other. Surrounding him was his surroundings on the suborbital, including Bones sitting next to him, and the topography of the Matrix itself, meshed together into a seamless view of both realities. He could feel his complete connection to all these things at once.

He reached out and touched the video screen in front of him, at the same time his icon touched its node. They felt the same, at least to him. He had done it. He had finally unlocked the secrets. He had finally achieved...

"Balance.]

GMs are dicks

We had our Amber game tonight. Let me just say that I LOVE my weekly Amber game because of the seriously difficult mental components necessary to play it. The GM (Pete, from my earlier blog here) decided to have an important NPC mentally mudsuck my character with a mental compulsion to love her.

Not bad, right?

Well, my character has literally NO psychic defense (normally) and had NO idea he was mudsucked by this bitch. So, my character instantly loves her. Period.

Then, and this is the part where the GM starts to get fucking evil, Pete begins implanting these little suggestions in my mind. Things like "You feel like the rest of the party might be competition for her affection" and "You start formulating ways to kill them in case she wants you to".

 

Mind you, out-of-game I'm assuming all of this is the compulsion she placed on me. I normally wouldn't plot the death of my party members (unless they were being evil or destructive, of course), and I certainly wouldn't entertain such thoughts.

So, thinking that these suggestions are the NPC's influence taking its toll on my poor defenseless mind, I act on one.

Whoa whoa! I don't kill any party members. Nooooo...didn't go QUITE that far over the deep end. No no...I simply turned one of them gay because the suggestion, in my mind, was that it would be less competition for the affection of the NPC.

Seemed simple enough. So I did it.

The other PC isn't so pleased with this. Long story short, they hunt me down and remove the compulsion from my head. The kicker of this whole web of bullshit? The GM, Pete, proceeds to inform me that it was all my doing. The thoughts of killing, turning the other PC gay, that was all my character's doing and the NPC's influence had NOTHING to do with it! He says it was merely a strong attraction influence that my character's mind twisted into whatever conclusions he threw at me.

Gah...

I feel horribly manipulated and bitch slapped with the blame.

I hate GMs sometimes (and this is coming from a guy who's been one).

New Show Pitch: Sextracurricular

I honestly think this could sell.

The premise is simple: a teacher that has sex with her students.

Wait! There's more!

She (aptly named Jennifer 'Jenny' Dicksin) has sex with her students, but she's been doing it for some time and has this system/routine down to the point where she won't get caught.

Add in a principal that suspects her and doesn't say anything, but instead tries to collect evidence to blackmail her; a teacher that has a crush on her but keeps getting slighted because of her obsession with teenage boys; a gay young man she helps come to terms with his preferences; possible lesbianism....the possibilities are endless!

This show could make millions! It's copyrighted, so don't get any ideas!