Zidargh

Having just got out of a long term relationship literally half an hour ago I have some advice... And this is genuine. Screw the whole 'long distance relationships never work' argument because that's a complete lack of respect for the many people that do manage to work it out. Many wives lose their husbands when they serve at war (they managed it for years in World War II) and they work it out. Sure you're 18, but there are many circumstances besides marriage where long distance relationships do work. If you believe you want to be with her, and if you've managed it so far, then **** what everyone else has said with regards to LDRs. I guess I was in one as I'm at university, but my relationship wasn't supposed to be anyway (trust me on that one.) However, with regards to your insecurity over the cheating aspect, bear in mind the feeling is exaggerated for she is away. Personally mate, I believe the innocent until proven guilty philosophy. No one on here knows your nor your relationship, perhaps you should use Panda's method. Just take it easy. HOWEVER If there's one thing I've learnt, you're 18. And I think Ret summed it up the best, get back in the game... but only if you want to. I feel that we need to kiss a few frogs before we find our princes/princesses.

Well I recieved the game on Saturday and I'm now about 7 hours in. [spoiler]I'm still in Rabanastre, have done two hunts and need to meet Balthier at the Aerodrome,[/spoiler] so I decided to leave it there. As such, and I'm not sure whether it's due to the lack of anti-aliasing for example, or me just not being able to focus very well, but it's not completely drawing me in. I mean it's fun, and by all means I love the FF series, but I was just wondering if I will begin to get sucked into it after a while. If anyone could answer that, it'd be much appreciated. Please refrain from completely bitching about it though, as I don't want to be disappointed, lol. I guess it's what you make of it. And by all means, it could just be because I was very tired this weekend.

Well perhaps then it is decided. I've got the flu but I guess I'll just make the ole' effort. And with regards to that comment about the ladies: - [center][img]http://photos.pe.facebook.com/v49/83/21/286302067/n286302067_110224_6886.jpg[/img][/center]

See, I was going to do him (I've done it before), but does he class as a super hero?

Right, this is a quick plea to all of you super hero/costume/partying fans. With my hockey team (which could drink for the entire nation) at university, they've organised a superhero night for tomorrow being Wednesday 31st January. I've been putting in a rather poor effort as I haven't been showing up to the socials so I need to make a cool impact. Basically I need help on ideas that won't take days (as I have the equivalent of 1) but would look fairly good and would be easily attainable. Quite a task I know but I'm sure you're up for it. Thanks everyone. [Z]

In real life, James Brown was a bastard. There's no doubt about it that he brought soul to the music industry, however his personal life bars my respect for him. Admittedly though, it was a bit if a surprise that he died on christmas.

[center][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/ZIdargh/WeLoveCorona.jpg[/IMG][/center] [center][b]Name:[/b] Chris[/center]

Is the character development really that bad? I was pretty excited for an epic, involving storyline.

[QUOTE=James][font=arial] Enough is enough.[/font][/QUOTE] Owned. *PS turns red and then vanishes in a transparent haze with a weird sound.* [i]Anyway.[/i] Right, I'm not sure if I'm going to ask for a Wii for Christmas, however I'd definitely like to play Zelda. The only problem is that I'm not sure if I should wait 'til I get a Wii, or just request the Gamecube version. For any of you who've played it, and I'm assuming the responses will be from a Wii perspective, could you try and tell me if the GC game's worth getting? I understand that the Wiimote is incredibly different to a standard controller, but do you feel the system will 'convert' just as well onto the Gamecube? Much obliged.

Salvation? Ha. Weapons? Guffaw. Allies? Lolz!1 I would stay within my house, and when the moon had reached it's peak, I would place upon my skin, my only friend... A yellow anorak, made of PVC. At this point I would charge out into the distance and when encountering any hordes of merciless, mindless zombie-infested corpses I would respond in an appropriate manner. Flash them to kingdom come!

[quote name='Box][COLOR=SeaGreen][FONT=Times New Roman]Good point, but I think Mussolini wasn't hung in public. Didn't they just find him in some gas station? Besides that, Saddam might be able to give a speech or say something dramatic that'll encourage his sympathizers before he dies; you know, like when Mel Gibson yells "FREEDOM!" at the end of Braveheart(I don't know whether or not the real William Wallace did that).[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] Uh... no. He tried to flee to Austria via a plane (intending to stay in Switzerland) but it was pretty much hi-jacked by resistance forces whom of which were Communist partisans. The resistance tried to take him and his mistress, Clara Petacci, to Lake Corno but they had to settle for Mezzegra. On April 28th, which was the day after they'd been captured, both him and his mistress were shot and were then suspended for public view in Milan. So no, he wasn't hung to be executed, but he was hung as a form of humiliation. And trust me on this one, I'm sure he would've been rolling in his grave (had he had one at the time and not been dangling in mid-air by his feet) when many spat, cursed or even shot his carcass. So either way, a form of public hanging is a form of public humiliation, of which I'm sure Saddam's still pretty pissed off about being found looking like a hobo in a hole.

[quote name='Box']This has probably been brought up before in the thread(I've been keeping puppies from chewing on the walls instead of reading), but he keeps asking to be killed by firing squad, and not hanging. Why would execution by firing squad be so different from hanging? Why wouldn't they see him as more of a martyr if his death were more humiliating?[/quote] I assume it's due to the fact that death by firing squad would be a lot less painful (hanging involves the deliberate breaking of the neck) as two bullets are aimed at your heart by marksmen. Whereas hanging, not only being humiliating, will ensure he'll be forever remembered next to those such as Mussolini - a representation of the failure of his authority. Hanging will not result in him being regarded as a martyr. Bear in mind that 'less humane' hangings involve placing the executed in public view.

Yeah I played that game about 3 years after the one we've swooned over and it was a disappointment. Definitely focus on getting your hands on the 'King of N64' as we could have a bit of a nostalgia session together. Actually, if I can find the game somewhere, I'll probably give it a play again and post my thoughts. OR. Should I leave it and let nostalgia get the better of me? Maybe memories will be more rewarding than re-playing the game.

We should be more concerned with the fact NK people have been institutionalised into believing that 'Kimmy' invented electricity, the lightbulb, helicopters, etc. So what if Kim's removed? To many it won't be a liberation, it'll cause even more hostility. I for one am not concerned about this 'nuclear' crisis. I'm thankful and suspicious of China's intentions for they are in my opinion, the next superpower that will be able to fend for itself just like Germany did. Maybe they're tactically holding North Korea back, maybe Mao woke up on the right side of the bed. Personally, why don't we send Kim some platform boots a couple of inches larger so he won't have to make as much effort to feel more adequate? There's something about midgets with military might. Him, Napoleon, I assume Mao's not very tall, neither was Hitler(Even if he was of average height, he had one atrocity of a moustache.) ;) [Not the most mature response but I laugh about this crisis. The only people we need to worry about with nukes is those who do not give a damn about their own life. Imagine a 'martyr' riding a nuke across the world.]

[QUOTE=James][font=arial] I also really like the surprises. It was a while since I've played, but do you remember that village up in the mountains, where it snows? And the villagers tell you about local legends and give you some history on their town? I found all that stuff really wonderful - every town had its own feel and the game somehow had a very warm and inviting quality to it. It definitely created an emotional response. [/font][/QUOTE] Yeah I loved that town. Was that the one with the witch or something along the lines of that? Where you can use Yan (or whatever her name was) and her mermaid ability. Oh speaking of abilities. I think the trials you had to do to get these were horrifically difficult, especially the mermaid one. However, once you did do it, it truly paid off. One place that really sticks out in my mind is this random massive pagoda in the middle of nowhere which wasn't really related but it was a good example of just how massive the game was and how much exploration it allowed you to do. Ah, also, there was that very traditional town near the kid who gave you that dragon flute. You could go inside some place and it was very tranquil. I just found these kinds of towns absolutely beautiful. The game just had so much character. I truly want to experience that feeling of harmony in the way you described it in a game. Shadow of the Colossus didn't pull it off for me. I wish they could make even a re-make of MN for something like the Wii. I guess the only other game that came close to offering me a similar experience was Hyrule and the fields on LoZ:OOT. There was a vast landscape that just seemed persistent... Ah, good times.

[QUOTE=James][font=arial] In terms of other retro classics, I wonder if Mystical Ninja (Goemon 5) could be included here. I know a few of you are familiar with that game - who else has played it and what are some of your fond memories?[/font][/QUOTE] To me, this is one of the greatest games ever made. The PAL release was named 'Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon', XD. I played this when I was young, just like FFVII, and I think one of the reasons I like it so much is it was one of those things that me and my brother could connect through (something that is practically impossible today). We both found the absolute bizarre storyline and fun gameplay amazing. Now this game was [i]not[/i] a cliche! Who else would've thought that the villainous plot ends up revealing that the world literally has become Shakespearean, 'All the world's a stage'. I'd love to write an essay about this game but I'd first bring up one of my fondest memories. Actually two: - 1.) The soundtrack. I can sing the introduction and remember many other music tracks to date. I whistle them occasionally, especially the Edo track. 2.)There were these moments throughout the game where I felt at utter peace for some reason. Just before you fight the first Impact battle, or that moment where some Tea girl got kidnapped across a bridge or something and you're just left with utter silence besides the wind and that massive landscape. Actually, a third one's coming; 3.)The game didn't take itself seriously at all. It was just pure [i]fun[/i]. I loved scaling Mt. Fuji only to jump off again, rinse, wash, repeat. Or how about that random dancing fortune-teller, "PLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASMAAAAAAAA!" The design elements were wonderful. Konami sort of merged very traditional Japan (Edo being the capital during the feudal era) with random modern elements. Like that wooden camera you had to use against the ghosts, or the crane! ... Ah, memories. I feel I'm getting a tad too excited about this, lol. Anyway, discuss! --- Oh, P.S: I'll send the game to you if you'd like me to James. Just get in touch with me via PM or e-mail.

[QUOTE=Dagger]Er... that's kind of an odd question to ask, haha. Emotions =/= logic. You can argue all you like that FFVII has flat characters, and I doubt anyone here would be able to prove otherwise, but all the arguing in the world isn't going to make anyone go, "Jeez, you're absolutely right. I now understand that my irrational obsession with Sephiroth stemmed from the fact that I never experienced the full glory of the original Oedipus Rex." They'll just get riled up and go to extreme and even illogical lengths to defend the character(s) they love. Why? Because there's an emotional attachment--which is something that has very little to do with a character's realism and complexity or total lack thereof. And it just keeps going in circles from there. ~Dagger~[/QUOTE] I agree, which is why I think the argument's pointless. Either way, it doesn't matter what people say to me, or others who found some kind of bond with the game, it being a 'cliche in and itself' really doesn't matter at all. Perhaps in a sense, I took upon my own perspective of the game which is where I filled in the gaps of FFVII's storyline. (I wholeheartedly agree with you Papa Smurf with regards to the loopholes and lack of development time of characters. However, I only really notice them in retrospect. I think that back then I was just entranced by this type if game, none of these flaws seemed to matter. For example, I only really think about that 1/24[or whatever] Shinra collectible soldier side-quest.) I apologise if it seemed like I was attacking anyone's arguments, I was merely trying to put across my emotional attachment to it. I know many others feel the same but in my 9 year old state, FFVII offered me so much. It's only now that I'm 18 and much more cynical, do I begin to pick holes in it. As Dagger said, this will continue to go round in circles. Looking back, Aeris was actually incredilbly flat, but (is this even a spoiler today? lol) [spoiler]when she was killed, I was actually brought to tears.[/spoiler] As pathetic as that sounds. Jeez, I've just defended and wore my heart on a sleeve over a [i]game[/i]. Well hey, thankya' for letting me feel like a kid again, lol. (That wasn't sarcasm.)

[QUOTE=Papa Smurf] That's why A-Team was so awesome; because they managed to make the cliched main characters fun to watch. Plus, they had Mr. T bling-d out, cracking skulls, and an old, graying white guy who wasn't afraid of anything and would just run right into a bunch of terrorists. Even the idea of the A-Team itself was a cliche: ex-cons on the run who form their own crime-fighting unit. It was a live-action cartoon. [/QUOTE] Firstly, calm the hell down. You seem to take discussions so frigging personally and you speak with so much angst. I'm trying to discuss my opinion, not shoot at you. Secondly, with regards to Mr. T. Do you believe Mr. T was merely like that as B.A Barrachus? His entire life, by your standards, would be a cliche of some sort then. Mr. T is still like that today, albeit without the bling. He remained B.A with his bloody 'rap' song. I'm going to drift away from this whole 'cliche' discussion as Boo requested. However, I will leave this 'debate' with this one note. Every person I have ever spoken to about this game has strongly supported FFVII and stated that it had a brilliant story. I don't care, just as you don't care for the emotional attachment I had with this game, if you feel the story and characters are cliches. In my opinion, I feel that many games today expand upon the basic cliche that FFVII was and other games that FFVII was a cliche of. I absolutely loved the story, and I know many others did. Take Kingdom Hearts for example. I couldn't quite get into the storyline (pretty much because it bored me senseless) but many loved it. I respect that. I feel the problem with games today is that too many people analyse them rather than just take them for what they are and enjoy that. I respect your opinion and arguments Papa Smurf. And what I meant by doing the research is just what Shinmaru stated. Therefore, I'm not going to continue and start to get heated on the topic, perhaps I shouldn't have said anything at all. I loved the story, to me it continues to remain strong for me and I disregard its cliches. Respect that.

[QUOTE=Papa Smurf]Age has nothing to do with it. You could be 5 or 55 and it wouldn't change the fact that Barret was clearly Mr. T, that the Aeris/Cloud/Tifa story was a re-telling of tried-and-true love triangle melodramas that pre-dated Shakespeare, that Yuffie is a psychotic Daddy's Girl, that Cait Sith is totally the Fool from Shakespeare, that Vincent is straight out of Poe, that Cid is a burnt-out disillusioned nobody who once had everything and now finds himself snuffing rocket fuel, and Red XIII is basically Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Those characters were always cliches; you just didn't notice it before. *cackles maniacally*[/QUOTE] No, I understand what you're saying. (Red XIII as Eeyore, lol. o_0) What I meant was... I had gotten the impression by his post that he was almost saying it was a cliche of other games, saying like a modern RPG. And therefore in this sense, I'd say that the modern games would be cliches of FFVII. I perfectly understand it is one of storylines very typical of Squaresoft/Square Enix; Moody protagonist goes against an evil empire whilst battling his personal demons. As James said, it doesn't age very well. The game made a huge impression upon me for I had, at the time, played nothing like it, so yes, age does have something to do with it. Just because I have noticed some characters were carbon-copies of others, doesn't mean I feel any less about it. The nostaligia clearly outweighs its elements when compared to today. All I was trying to target was the issue that seemed apparent to me that FFVII was regarded was cliche of 'other games' which [i]could[/i] have been modern day RPGs. By today's standards, it is a cliche. But so what if Barret was portrayed as a game-type of Mr. T? I found it highly amusing. I don't think Square generalised a cliche of black people assuming they all say 'I pity da' foo'. It suited the story and that did me fine. The story itself is very similar to that of other Final Fantasies, but talking to other people at university... [quote name='james']That doesn't really take away from the impact the games have had, though.[/quote] :)

[QUOTE=PWNED]I might have to disagree with you on that accout about most of the things you said; The story was decent but nothing special, the characters were practically all cliches and the Battle System was the same as every FF that came before it and if your talking about the Materia system then that is way too unbalanced. If you want a real classic then play something like Chrono Trigger or Suikoden 2.[/QUOTE] Final Fantasy VII was a classic. The characters were cliched? A cliche of who? Note the game was produced in 1997 and there was no way near as many RPG games as there are today. RPG characters are often the cliches of FFVII and other games before them. Do some research into the industry and market a bit more before you make statements like these. It's a cliche by today's standards, but back then, and especially for me (being young and experiencing nothing like it before) it was nothing of a cliche. P.s: I managed to say the word 'cliche' five times... now six. AHA!

[QUOTE=James][font=arial] This is especially true for a male, where there's no hymen to break and so on...it's really not quite so black and white, I'd say. But that's just my view - I understand that other people interpret this aspect differently.[/font][/QUOTE] I also believe that religion has a good amount of influence on the subject of virginity, especially with 'The Virgin Mary' and what-not. Virginity was and probably is still regarded as a sacred aspect of life, especially in the church. Either way though, as you said, it is not so black and white - especially with the world modernising every day. Also, sex is absolutely everywhere, so it's one of those controversial issues that is down to personal opinion.

This argument's just turning into a 'I DO know how to please ... actually. So there' - type of debate. Mainly from Sandy's part I'm afraid. Either way, I still feel the word 'sex' is very different when used with the word 'intercourse'. As said previously, virginity is generally caused via the penetration of a sexual organ into another sexual organ. Typically, the penis and the vagina. End of. Jeez. [center][img]http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/2000/1101001030_400.jpg[/img][/center]

[QUOTE=Sandy]And I'm most definitely [I]not[/I] a virgin. Virgins don't have the experience I have, [I]seriously[/I]. [/QUOTE] A rich man doesn't have to tell you he's rich, mate. I wasn't even planning on posting in this but Sandy's posts caught my eye and they sort of hit a 'touch button'. I have been in another sexual relationship for the past year, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, I had always maintained I was a virgin until the 'ultimate' form of 'love expression', which is, sexual intercourse. Just because you're gay, it doesn't change the rules for heterosexuals. It's an entirely different ball game. I mean, a sexual experience could be like playing 'footsie' and I don't know about you guys but I'd feel a bit embarrassed if I lost my virginity via a bit of physical flirting. At the end of the day, I've always questioned 'virginity'. I mean, what is it? Is the loss of virginity where a girl loses her hymen? But then, what about us guys? Do they not have virginity full stop? The hymen can be broken via things such as exercise, sports, horse riding, etc. And then what about homosexual relationships? I feel virginity can be lost and maintained however a person feels fit. I'm sure many people would refuse to state they lost their virginity to a rapist. I feel it reaches beyond unto a level where two people share a sexual intercourse experience that is mutual. ---- [Edit:] Fair play to all of ya'.

[QUOTE=Bombu][color=darkred]Don't get me wrong, I own a DS Lite myself and I think it's a fantastic system, and there are some awesome games out for it, but from my personal experience, which I'm sharing with Zidargh, I would prefer to socialise with friends than play games a lot of the time. But that's just me. I mean, if all of my friends owned a DS or at least played video games half as much as I did, then that'd be great as I'd probably get the chance to play with them. Anyway, yeah, I just wanted to clear that up since I thought I came off at the wrong end of the stick. The DS Lite is an amazing system, and I'd recommend it over any of the current systems out right now, but if you're at a limited budget and feel that you may want to spend your money elsewhere, then you should probably save it, or at least get one later on. But of course, it all boils down to your personal interests.[/color][/QUOTE] Well said, mate. (Need to get in touch 'cause it'd be nice to chat about the whole uni' thing. Hope you did well with your results.) Yes I don't really think there was any need for potential flaming, and guys, just because I like games doesn't mean I'm not a sociable guy. I didn't get 'Most Sociable Student' in Sixth Form as an award for nothing. ;) I was just looking for something to fill my time, especially as I have a girlfriend. So, I guess I'll just wait for some more games to catch my eye before I make a decision. Thankyou everyone. (This can probably be closed now.)

Haha. ^_~ Well thank you very much for all the advice. I think that as much as I'd like the play that Phoenix Wright game I should now save my money. I realise that alot of the DS games are very short in that they are designed for re-playability and that's not my kind of think. So thank you. P.S: I was talking about for times during lectures and [i]after[/i] the clubbing and women. :p