welcome. everything I write here is something I felt to be important to some degree; game reviews, life updates/vents, and philosophical musings. I do my best to make my statements truthful. everyone is welcome to post comments, provided they are relevant.

11.25.2007

Equinox: Defender of the Horde

this is probably the most enjoyable web-based WoW story I've ever read. Sadly, it has just been finished, but the archives are there for all to enjoy.

11.19.2007

I'm an uncle :D [link]

edit: Ottawa citizen page removed, will replace as soon as the dad (Rob) gives me something to use

11.13.2007

global warming must-see, pass it on

no seriously, watch this if you have uncertainties on global warming or have just plain ignored the issue. it's slow to load on youtube so check out slide for a copy (it looks like it's loading when you still need to hit play, fyi).

11.08.2007

Guitar Hero III

It'll be about a million years before I can pull this off...

11.06.2007

GameFAQsCharacter Battle '07


L-block wins over Link, Cloud and Snake. I think the opinion poll is apropos for the whole thing:

10.17.2007

The Orange Box

two videos that will spoil the whole game for you if you're not getting Portal ever:
the "boss fight"
and credit roll song "Still Alive"

9.25.2007

Bioshock

at one point I felt that I should make a post about Bioshock, since I have it, but there's nothing I can say that obviously hasn't been said before. Forum posts tend to be divided between fanatics who think it's the best thing to happen to the game market since System Shock 2, and people who play Halo to an unhealthy degree. Any intelligent gamer can figure out that this game is between really good and kinda neat, which brings me to this really well done video review. check it out:

8.24.2007

So, I've signed up for 2 part-time courses; Business Programming and Object-Oriented Programming. I have high hopes that my teachers will be helpful and have at leastdecipherable accents. However, I've already hit one snag, however small, during the registration process, and I thought I'd share the e-mail I sent to the IT monkeys.

After selecting some part time courses and signing in with my student number, I get the page for verifying personal details and such. I usually ignore the Title field, and I know many people dislike the requirement of this field in online forms of any kind. The problem with this is that when I submitted the form without selecting a "title", the following page instructs me to use my browser's Back button (I'm using Firefox 2.0.0.6), but after selecting a title and pressing submit I get a pop-up error saying "The form has already been submitted." I had to cancel the form and start over by selecting the courses I want to take.

This error was not a major inconvenience for me, as I'm only applying for 2 part-time courses. I felt that requiring a "title" was somewhat old-fashioned and unnecessary, though it doesn't offend me personally. In any case, either the error, the requirement, or the correcting procedure needs to be fixed. I feel that the whole thing is a bit retarded, and whoever is responsible should be smacked (lightly, but firmly).

Sincerely,

DocTabasco ^_^

8.09.2007

updates: MMOGs and acquisitions

okay, so I still don't have a nether drake. I still don't have raid gear either and that's not going to happen any time soon. I lost interest in the grind and lost hope in finding decent groups for the last few quests, and decided to try out CoV again. I got a new mastermind up to level 22, and lost interest in That, again; the invention system is an interesting addition, but acquiring decent recipes And their ingredients could only be practical for the Super Groups (guilds), and I don't have the time (read: attention span) for that. I "accidentally" paid for a month of EVE and decided to buy and train the Exhumer skill, leaving me with under 10m ISK. ...In short, the MMOG market has temporarily(?) lost my interest. and yes, I did hear about the new WoW expansion, and I will most likely get it.

3 new games: God of War, Lego Star Wars II, Overlord

God of War is a great action game with a good helping of adventure and a hint of RPG. I can see why everyone (that fits the target demographic) loves it; It's like Prince of Persia, but a lot more kick-ass. Lego Star Wars is, in case you forgot, a nifty little action game with a lot of collectibles and zany Lego figures trying to imitate Star Wars characters. not something to blow more than $30 on, and I didn't. Overlord is, to be honest, overpriced, but I enjoy it quite a lot and don't regret the acquisition. (just the price.) It is a bit buggy, but what's most disappointing so far is Rose's voice actor.

While reading the GameFAQs forum, I can upon a list of complaints, by Paragonius, with a series of rebuttals that I completely agree with, by Lord_Isladar:

1. NO MAP!!!
Please see this topic: http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=932853&topic=37283620

2. No jumping.
There is absolutely no reason why the Overlord has to jump. The Overlord makes others jump for him.

3. Overlord is slow as ****.
Running is for villagers and minions. The Overlord strides at a deliberate pace so as to inspire maximum fear and reverence.

4. Overlord has no real fighting skills. (only one combo available per weapon)
There is no need for the Overlord to be a mixed martial arts master. The Overlord crushes all in three blows, maximum. When the Overlord deigns to sully his weapon with the blood of weaklings, that is. The Overlord leaves this grunt work to his minions.

5. Overlord has lame spells. (none better than the very first fire spell)
The Overlord is not some cheap magician. The Overlord is The Overlord. His minions do most of the killing. Leave the spells to Harry Potter and Gandalf.

7. Although the camera can be workable, for a long while, until you are good with it, it is absolute trash. Even when you are good with it, it still has very trashy moments.
I found the camera to be perfectly acceptable, although I will agree that it has some bad spots at times.

8. Although the minions are very workable once you learn the tricks, there are still many moments where they just don't do what you are trying to make them do. As if they are ignoring the buttons you are pressing.
That's because they are evil little buggers and must be kicked (and even sacrificed if necessary) on occasion to remind them who's the Overlord.

9. The item system is pointless. Very pointless. I can't say enough about how poorly designed the item system is.
To what items do you refer? The equipment, or the loot you pick up for the "Tower Master" achievement?

10. The effects of being good and evil are almost simply cosmetic in nature. Making a second playthrough very undesirable.
Actually, the villagers (in Spree, for example) react to you quite differently depending on how many times you've slaughtered them. Maybe you should've tried that second playthrough after all, eh?

6.22.2007

new mount



should have a nether drake in a few weeks.

5.31.2007

work work

I am employed; sports dept. started on the weekend. I'll be in electronics eventually.


so

sore

5.22.2007

the Movies in 30 Seconds (And Re-enacted by Bunnies) series has been positively prolific compared to when it first started, kinda like... some... animal, whose name somehow eludes me...

life update

SO, I passed the part-time courses from January-April:
Programming II ... A
Operating Systems (Linux) ... A
Data Communications and Networking ... C
Financial Accounting I ... C-

Not bad, if you consider how much I DIDN'T study.

Presently trying to get employed at Wal-Mart with my already-employed best friend. They've asked for a 3rd reference, but they weren't specific about whether they needed a work or character reference, so that will be dealt with today at some point.
My parent's got a puppy. It's adorable. I can't stand it!

5.17.2007

Storytelling vs. Gameplay: Can't We Get Along?

This sort of article is why I let fileplanet fill my inbox."Everyone wants more stories in games -- at least they say they do. But what does that really mean? And how do you create a meaningful story in an interactive medium? Fargo takes a look at the differences between Hollywood and games, the techniques developers can use to tell stories in games, and what we'll see in the future."



read more | digg story

Does God Exist? The Nightline Face-Off (Doc's Notes)

So, this was brought to my attention by the same guy that ever brings up religion that I know. It took me a while to find the video, so here's a link. it's cut into parts so you'll have to bear a few commercials. There is a hottie involved, if you need more reason to watch it.

edit: FYI, we're talking about God existing as an omnipresent entity

I'll summarize it as I view...

religious guy starts off by ignoring sciences, and then states that the existence of an object such as a coca-cola can is evidence that there was a creator of the coca-cola can, as his first argument for God's existence.

While us humans are intimately familiar with the coca-cola can, it does not mean that the creator exists. to be precise, the can was created by robots created by humans, and both levels of creator could cease to be before the can ceases to be. In any case, it is the features of the can that prove the existence of an intelligent creator, as opposed to a natural force like gravity.
religious guy shows that he has no concept of proper scientific procedure, since observing that an object of any complexity exists doesn't determine how it was created.

Basically he says there must have been a Creator because it exists, but doesn't really say anything about the Creator still existing.

He continues by elaborating on how awesome the human body is, it couldn't possibly have formed by chance. nothing to specifically debunk evolution.

He then says that the Builder will do stuff for you if you have faith in Him. where does that even come from? how do you go from objects existing to personal favors from someone you've never met, and with whom you have no means of physical contact? he then preaches about belief and how atheists suck.

His second argument is that humans have a conscience that puts us above animals, and how we punish wrong-doers and animals don't. except that I'm pretty sure some do. apparently we have a "distinctive knowledge of right and wrong". I'm pretty sure he meant instinctive, and that's wrong in either case.

However, he goes on to say that the conscience is sealed from the outside, so the only way to get at it is with the ten commandments. What A Load Of Bull. That just makes the ten commandments the guideline for one's conscience, regardless of what was being used before. he goes on to explain how closely you must follow the commandments to avoid going to hell on judgment day.

His third proof is the radical nature of conversion. apparently, people who are desperate for forgiveness of their sins will gain knowledge of God. he says that if you do not understand the Gospel, you will not respond to the Gospel... um, duh? how old is the Gospel anyway? Isn't it time for a re-write? Anyway, the rest is preaching. sounds like God is an experience as opposed to an entity, which is more in-line with my understanding of God, even though I'm sure he didn't really mean it that way.

The Atheists speak. he's clearly irritated by the religious guy. one thing he says perks my ear; "what contribution to mankind has religion delivered in the same time frame where science has contributed immeasurably?" spiritual unity for one. there's something to be said for herding the easily led into a shelter of just causes, away from the corrupt and exploitive. it's just unfortunate that the corrupt can still pretend to be a just cause to rope in the gullible and uneducated.

Anyway, he turns it over to his hot accomplice, and she explains why science is cool, and why you can't prove that God exists scientifically. shame her voice is so shaky. She spends the rest of her time mocking religion in general, and finishes off by mocking the belief that faith is all that is necessary to be in God's favor and stay out of hell.

3.21.2007

is G.W. Bush the anti-christ?

I mean, seriously, Christ was a leader wise beyond his years, and here we have a president that is retarded beyond comprehension... I'd say that's pretty close to polar opposite. but I asked the question, and i got a response that makes sense to me. I'm not big on doing research on broad topics like french military victories, so I'll leave it at that. I hope that the "east" eventually figures out that the "leaders" of the "west" are not truly representative of the people they "lead" and stop spamming /wrist in global chat

3.08.2007

Crackdown

[link]
classification: free-roam urban third-person shooter

with lots of jumping.

My favorite power in CoH/V was the super jump power, letting you jump like the hulk. the agility skill in this game doesn't quite get that powerful, but being able to shoot in mid-air and bound across the urban skyline is WICKED-AWESOME.

In general, I don't like to play shooter games unless there's some way to make things really easy, such as finding uber-powerful weapons early or simply turning on God-Mode. The premise of this game is such that you're already half-way to being a demi-god, thanks to some borrowed mad-science and a city full of criminals to crush. The more you fight, the more agility, strength, and skill you gain, ultimately becoming an nigh-unstoppable force.

this appeals to my desire for real ultimate power. also explosions.

did I mention college?

yeah, i'm taking 4 part time courses; financial accounting I, operating systems (LINUX), data communications and networking, and programming II. it's mid-term exam time. i'm actually most worried about programming and accounting. programming, because I find it hard to listen to the lectures through the instructor's medium-heavy (russian?) accent. accounting, because it's not computer-related (introductory course). eh, what can you do but pass the course at this point.

1.30.2007

that smell? it's me, locked in my room.



haven't been feeling quite right lately. I think I found the problem.

So. The Burning Crusade was released. my highest character is still only 57, but that's only because of all the alts I have.



I had a PvP encounter with a Draenei shaman earlier. Unfortunately for him, he was retarded. first off, he attacked me on sight, ignoring the angry spider next to him. second, I was 2 levels higher than him. there was no contest. What I can't figure out though is why he was running around Astranaar instead of through it. All I can think of is that he forgot he was Alliance.

My main characters on Sargeras:
Gajing, 57 troll rogue, miner/goblin engineer
Velystra, 22 blood elf warlock, herbalist/alchemist
Varkos, 6 blood elf paladin (I plan on leveling this with my friend)
My other characters on Sentinels:
Moganda, 34 tauren druid
Kayronne, 21 draenei shaman
Varkos, 8 blood elf paladin

1.14.2007

video: 23 minutes in hell - Bill Wiese hell testimony

got the link to this video from a friend who's been trying to save the souls of the D&D group I sometimes hang out with, which he is also a part of.

It should not offend you when someone cares for the safety of their eternal soul. However, it might be taken as a slight by the overly proud that you think their soul needs to be saved. I'm not one to say who is or isn't going to hell.

People generally fear what they do not understand. If you don't understand religion or belief, you should not be afraid to ask questions, and look for someone that can answer those questions, even a few conflicting opinions if you have the time and attention span.

this video is really long (1h 30min), and not something many would bother themselves to watch, so here's a rundown of what happens a list of my reactions to the video... feel free to post comments in response to the video or what I've said here.

Chris' Notes

-semantics: read my other philosophy posts
-abuse of science: total time of earth's existence used to make an improbability sound probable (number of people predicting Jesus' birth over time)
-the audience = sheep (oooh, the bible predicted scientific theories! spiffy, lol)
-Edit: there's a few people in the audience that like to pipe up when they hear what they want to hear - they're the sheep I'm talking about
-there was a blank when he was talking about Israel? did he say a bad word?
-abuse of science: His hand is as big as the distance between us and the Andromeda galaxy (God's big LOL)
-18:25 he finally gets around to visions
-19:40 starts talking about his experience
-(sounds kinda like an alien abduction... but maybe alien abductions are like this)
-(i guess it depends on the alien doing the abduction? heh. uh... this comment is not relevant)
-spoiler: hell is torture
-hell is 4000 miles under the earth?
-the "sheep" sound most impressed when he says his story fits with the bible
-pit with no bottom = center of earth, 'cause all ways are up -_-;
-SNAKES! :(
-40:10 starts getting pulled out
-40:40 bright light (audience goes YAY! GLORY TO GOD!)
-Jesus = love. is this news?
-some Christians don't believe. is this news?
-(So Jesus says to me "Go out there and herd them sheep, cause if you don't I'm throwing you back ;P lol j/k")
-God is coming very very soon. is this news?
- too many people are sheep. Go do stuff that makes the world better.
DO IT. DO IT NOW. Or, find a leader you can get behind. God wouldn't be a bad choice.
-46:38 Preaching 101
-returns to body
-52:40 the wife speaks
-(apparently there's someone else in their church with the same experience. something in the holy water?)
-1:01:08 intro to public testimonies
-1:08:20 video testimonies
-montage of hell sequences... kinda old though
-"Other religions are false! be saved by Jesus!"
-6 minutes of bluescreen at the end. GJ noob

this video is an attempt to get people to believe in hell, and entice people to get saved based on its existence.
Would it not be easier on the soul to believe in a better future?
it seems to me that the people who get these visions and are most moved by them are the people that have the most fear and the most to lose

my serious question: what exactly does it mean to "get saved"? surely it is not a simple matter of believing in Jesus and the word of "God"?