Goodbye, Face

[size="1"][font="Arial"]I originally joined right after V3 first started. It was light blue and purple or something, wasn't it? And then V4 was gray and black. Before I even had internet, my then-best friend showed me the boards back when they were in the first version. I registered as Cloud Strife00, and then changed my name years later to Axel--Ignition. Later on, another close friend of mine joined and he dated a girl we RP'd with. I made some good RP's and some really spammy ones, I got called out for one in a stickied mod post and I freaked out and left. A few years later, Dragon Warrior asked me to join again so I joined some RP's with him, and left when I stopped having time. When I had time again, I made a new account, RiflesAtRecess, which got changed to this name eventually. I was/am really into music and posted about it and got into arguments about it, woooo. I had made a lot of friends who stuck with me for a while, including one who lives near me and we're good friends outside of the internet, haha. I still talk to Clurr and Tony/Semjaza here pretty often. Tony is married now![/font][/size]

[size="1"][font="Arial"]I attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It's about to be my fourth year, getting a BFA in Art with a Design concentration. [url="http://kevinmccartyart.tumblr.com/"]Here is my portfolio.[/url] Due to getting screwed over with registration, I may have to attend a fifth year or at least half of one. If that's the case, I'm going to attempt to pick up a Communication Studies minor. I don't live on campus, I live with my parents and am saving up to move out with a close friend. I plan on taking a year off once I graduate and then going on to get my MFA under my favorite professor.[/font][/size]

[size="1"][font="Arial"] It's been a while since I've really posted here, and I saw a hair before and after thing from earlier so here we go! [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v231/73/39/515250417/n515250417_554020_2767.jpg[/img] This was how I looked when I could last consider myself active on OB. Since then, I've... [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs036.snc1/3291_66344935417_515250417_1756774_638864_n.jpg[/img] Grown a beard. [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs265.snc1/9222_121895545417_515250417_2539880_288711_n.jpg[/img] Grown out my hair for the longest it's ever been. (There's pictures around of it longer but I love this one.) [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs013.ash2/34006_398107105417_515250417_4445284_517539_n.jpg[/img] And cut it all off. [/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]I'm pretty willing to bet at this point that Pokemon is more popular around college students than it is with children. Children seem more concerned with what is a fad at the time, and the kids who were young enough to appreesh Pokemon when it was a fan are in college now. Having said that, I really wouldn't be surprised if one day they make a game where the main characters are like 18 or something. I also really want my gigantic Pokemon MMORPG with real time battles. I really don't understand why they haven't done this yet.[/font][/size]

[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="1"]I've been playing FFXIII since launch day, and it was me giving the series one last chance, as I found major faults in both X and XII. It turns out that I love the game. Hope greatly annoyed me until he later grew some balls, but other than that, I like all the characters. I felt like XII's story was too distant from the characters, so I'm enjoying that XIII's story has your characters directly in a dilemma and on the run through most of the main storyline. I also like that Lightning is a direct female clone of Cloud, from her being an ex-soldier, to having a mopey attitude, to riding in on a train with a black guy in the beginning of the game to face a scorpion robot. Yep. The combat system gives you just enough control while for the first time the combat almost feels natural, with the characters appearing to unleash an onslaught of attacks and then taking a strategic break to size up their enemy and prepare their next attacks. I'm up to the top of Taejin's Tower currently, and if I have a fault, it is that most of the bosses are way too easy. Many of which can be beaten by using the relentless assault paradigm to stagger them and deal massive damage, repeating this process until it becomes necessary to heal and then revert back. Thankfully, this boredom ceases when it comes to battling eidolons, which require some strategy to survive, let alone defeat. Also, a lot of the enemies can get really hard in certain groups. I'd also like to answer about the supposed linearity of the game. I personally find it no more linear than most of the previous games. An example being spending the entire first disc of VII in Midgar. A lot of classics did actually have a linear system but instead of running through paths, they gave you big, blank expanses of grass to walk around. If there were additional areas to discover, entering them would see you getting killed by the first enemies you happened across because as it turns out, you drifted from the set path the game provides and you're supposed to travel there later. There's exceptions to that, but few enough to make an argument invalid in my point of view. But yes, the magic those have provided is gone, but made up for by being able to play the post-game on Pulse, in which you can max out the Crystarium and go on 64 hunts, which is something the main storyline just teases at. But yeah, I'm kind of at odds because I consider Vagrant Story one of my favorite games, I disliked FFXII (I see Fallout 3 as a more similar game to it), but I love FFXIII, which I keep getting told DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[size=1][font=arial]I remember you! I joined in 2001 too, I was Cloud Strife00. I don't think I ever went to the Digimon forums until a while after 2001, but I'm pretty sure I saw you around anyway, I definitely remember your username.[/font][/size]

[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="1"]It's been a long time. [b]Who:[/b] My name is Kevin. Long ago I was Cloud Strife00, then I was RiflesAtRecess, and I've gone under this moniker for a while, I guess. [b]Where:[/b] I go to The University of North Carolina at Greensboro to study art. [b]What:[/b] The last time I posted on OB was my freshman year of college and I had a big ego and I was a jerk to everyone, sorry. I'm in my junior year at UNCG. I carry a camera everywhere. I play guitar and video games at home. I have plans to start a band and a video game webcast over the summer. I've been going to a lot of clubs and events doing self-promotion for my artwork and I'm building a portfolio to take it online. [b]When [i.e. Back Then]:[/b] I first started posting a few months after I got internet. I think I was 12. Needless to say, OB was a huge part of my life through all my teenage years. I talked about Final Fantasy a lot with a bunch of people named after the characters, and then devoted myself entirely in the boards' RPG's for a few years. I made a few of my own and one of them got shut down and I got huffy and I left for a year, but still talking to the friends I had made, such as Dragon Warrior. He dragged me back in and I was under some name I don't remember and we did a few RPG's together and then I got myself this account a month or so after the last one. I stopped doing RPG's and talked about music a lot while I was in a band. I became a real snob and I'm probably just going to try and avoid looking at that board. I left when I got something of a warning saying I was going to be banned, but nothing ever came of that I guess. [b]Why:[/b] I'm back again because ultimately, I've met many amazing people on here and I miss being in that circle. I feel like what frustrated me last time was that there were such a divide between the younger and older members and everyone seemed easily offended, including myself. I've been lurking here and there and I've been seeing a lot of names I recognize coming back. [b]Favourite Things About OB:[/b] The people I've met on it (including someone who became one of my best friends in the physical world), lurking the RPG's, the flying circus or whatever that was called, I'm sure there's more.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[font=arial][size=1]Welcome to world 1-2, baby! If it doesn't match up, let me know, otherwise, this is probably going to be my last post on OB for a while. [URL=http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wormin5.jpg][IMG]http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7163/wormin5.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/font][/size]

I've been listening to nothing but [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=QlH95btfHX8][b]Some Girls[/b][/url] (

[quote name='Nerdsy'][color=deeppink]First, to be absolutely sure, put her and a duck on a giant set of scales. If she weighs as much as said duck, burn her.[/color][/QUOTE] [font=arial][size=1]I came in here to make this joke too. I win situations like yours by being more creative than the person insulting me/whatever. When they see that they are clearly outdone by your wit, they should go find another target. Don't be too weird about it though, that'll just make it worse.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]Huh. I've never heard of these guys, but Josh is a pretty alright drummer so I checked out their song "Dregs" because I had the easiest time finding it. I actually like these guys enough to torture myself with trying to search for their records by typing in the number 3 followed by their album names made up of very common words. Fun. I am leaving this thread a surprised man. Prem has recommended something worthwhile to me.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]Now then. I have been listening to The Blood Brothers' older stuff, mainly March On, Electric Children. It's the turning point of their musical career, where they had the style of their new music forming, but it also had the rawness of their older records. Ever record since this one has seen them wimping out more and more (but they picked a lot of it back up in their last album, Young Machetes).[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]This is either really out of character or really in character, I'm not too sure, but I finally started liking Genghis Tron today. A little too much of their band is "fake" but they pull it off very well. Their new record comes out in like five minutes but of course it leaked weeks ago. It's really good. If you like Converge or The Dillinger Escape Plan, you'll probably like this.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]I didn't even notice it for a while. I was reading through here and was all "What is everyone talking about?! ...Oh!" Desbreko is the best admin ever.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]I love my waffles with a LOT of butter and a little bit of syrup. Too much syrup makes it soggy. I've also had them in restaurants with cream cheese and berries and that was pretty AMAZING too. This reminds me of the favourite sock thread of yore.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1][img]http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/629/thebestcdevermn4.jpg[/img] The country stars, List of National Football League Head Coaches recently returned to the spotlight with their fifth live album, At the Village Pump. The sounds of nature and animals heard between each track add a serene quality to their sound in a way few other bands can accomplish.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]Hey guys, I would like a spot wherever I can fit. :)[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]So. Many. Cute. Girls. Here. It's been a little while, here's two recent pictures of me with a haircut in between! [color=orange]----[/color][URL="http://a199.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/43/l_3741f4671576590b8cdc1e4eb9de4f26.gif"]I was at a show and one of the bands I'm friends with decided to turn the whole thing into a party. Thus, Balloon hat.[/URL] [color=orange]----[/color][URL="http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v183/73/39/515250417/n515250417_427474_4455.jpg"]I don't really like this picture. But... haircut.[/URL][/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]Uhhh. All of them. If they weren't worth listening to 20 times then I don't know why I'd buy/download it in the first place. [url=http://www.last.fm/user/RiflesAtRecess/charts/?charttype=overall&subtype=album]Click![/url] That link takes you to my last.fm album list, where it tells you how many tracks I've played off of each album, organizing them by most tracks played. For example, there's no way I've listened to Saetia - A Retrospective all the way through 1300 times. Those are individual tracks.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]I have to assume that Luigi had some other kind of mushroom than usual. Snake's and Jiggypuff's were awesome as well. I wish they were more creative with some of these, especially the Star Fox ones, that's really lame. So I take it you control these with the Wiimote?[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]You have to learn to ignore when Nomura makes a mockery of your favorite musicians. I chewed him out about his whole paragraph about Gospel over PM, it was fun. We Versus the Shark Has been putting up a ridiculous amount of new stuff on their MySpace these past few days. They're a truly exciting and unique band, definitely my favorite band to see live...it's just really hard to understand what's going on under all the chaos. It's nice to finally hear my favorite song of theirs recorded, "I am a Caffeinated Corpse." ([url]http://myspace.com/weversustheshark[/url]) Go go go![/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]Circa Survive isn't anything close to post-rock. They took Q but not U's drumming style and added guitar influences that sound more like space rock. If you use the term space rock, I will kill you, Nomura. Also, post-rock uuuuusually doesn't have singing, if it does, then it's normally not actual words (like about half of Sigur Ros' stuff). Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that DigitalBoy would hate iwouldetc.'s vocals and immediately pass them off as garbage if he were to listen to them. I also can't bring myself to listen to Fur Elise, it's ridiculously depressing music.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]Like Sandy, people confide in me for no particular reason. I know most of their deepest fears, who they like, etc. I'm amazing at recommending new music to people, even if they don't listen to anything close to what I listen to. I have found the favorite band for several of my friends, haha. Strange things about me include the fact that some sort of defense mechanism has stopped me from remembering my dreams. I've had like two dreams since I was eight years old. Also, my life from fifth grade to eleventh grade is extremely foggy. I had a girlfriend who messed me up really bad psychologically and I had a breakdown when I finally left her, and I don't really remember much about it now! I really want to see a psychologist to work all this stuff out. There's other things that I do better than most, but it's not enough for me to really say anything about it.[/font][/size]

[font=arial][size=1]Haha, what can I say, Spencer has an addicting voice. Travis (one of the guitarists) and I had a chuckle at your post and I ended up posting the rest of their videos that I have on YouTube. ([url]http://www.youtube.com/user/calmsongnc[/url]) I don't think he quite matches the excellence of the other singers mentioned here but I'm glad you like Fastest Kid, Panache. I also have to give hi-fives to those of you who mentioned Mikael Åkerfeldt (copy/paste), Chris Cornell, and definitely Anthony Green. Anthony is my favorite vocalist. :D Also of note is the same one I always bring up, Julie Christmas from Battle of Mice and Made Out of Babies. She can sing in various levels of evil, and she has a deeply emotional and piercing scream. Nothing quite moves me like her voice. One I never mention but I'm slowly realizing the importance of is Rick Froberg of Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu, and Hot Snakes. He and fellow guitarist John Reis have partnered up for each of these bands and the two are an unstoppable duo. Reis went solo in Rocket From the Crypt and I just can't stand them. Froberg really makes the bands he's in for me. He's got this balls-out punk-rock swagger, it makes him tough and emotional at the same time. Perfect.[/font][/size]

[quote name='Whoa, Mann'][SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]And Melt- Banana is effin awesome because of the noise! :] Chaos. Chaoooss. I love it. Crap flying everywhere. Tis nice. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=arial][size=1]I cried.[/font][/size] [quote][SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]But for some reason. I don't like Calm Song by pg. 99. Noise is awesome. But I can't tell wtf is going on at all in that song. Goodbye Face is one of the better chaotic songs, but I enjoy their punk-ish stuff alot better than the chaotic stuff.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=arial][size=1]I understand completely, I don't really like the music itself but the lyrics are good (look them up!). I really know nothing about Document #13 except that it was their last recording, it also was the record that got Circle Takes the Square noticed, from the sound of things (those two songs on it were their most experimental at the time, their demo sounded like every other emo band out there).[/font][/size] [quote][SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]I also have been listening to Me and Him Call it Us. Now, that is good chaos! :D Well written chaos at that. And also. HeavyHeavyLowLow. Not so much like Norma Jean as people were describing them to me. But Everyone's Watched, Everyone's Watching is one of my favorite albums now. Great stuff. I may also get Loss by Me And Him Call it Us.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=arial][size=1]Loss is a terrific album (if you're into that sort of thing, if not, it will make you faint). I regard it as somewhere in the top three angriest albums I own. It's surprisingly hard to judge anger in a band. Norma Jean is a strange comparison for HHLL but I guess it kind of works. They're more like Art Damage-era Fear Before the March of Flames. It's a shame that one of their vocalists left the band before Everything's Watched... I tend to like **** It?! a lot more because of it. In fact, see if you can find the song "Tragic Tragic Track Jacket" off of it. Good stuff.[/font][/size] [quote][SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]Recommendations, Kevin?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=arial][size=1]I'm not recommending anything after that Melt-Banana comment. Nooooo. Yeah, I'm still rockin' out to the new Mars Volta album, DigitalBoy is just a wuss who has to take the time to PREPARE HIMSELF before listening to this. Billy Shears and I are mathrock-hardened vets who can take anything some whiny, poofy-haired, pretentious musicians can throw at us. Speaking of leaks, that new Protest the Hero album is excellent, too bad Jake isn't around anymore to tell me how much he hates them. The story that made Kezia feel so epic is gone and now the music makes everything feel epic. If you've heard Kezia, I can tell you something you didn't hear, THE BASS. It's fixed, the bass guitar is overpowering at times and it's totally a good thing. Arif is a talented bass player and it's good to see him get his chance. The only thing I'm not too sure about is that all the hammer-ons/pull-offs the guitarists warp into solos make all their riffs sound the same. Throughout the entire cd you're hearing the same licks thrown at you. But I think The Bedlam in Goliath is pretty repetitive too. Maybe it's just me.[/font][/size]