Gavin

[SIZE=1]Just finished Lagann-hen, and I'm sure I'll sound like a pariah here among my fellow Gurren Lagann fans but I preferred the original. It's certainly a visual treat, and the STTGL was very awesome, but I disliked Simon's incessant need to growl everything, it lost some of the impact to me, ironically it made him seem less manly than before (after all Kamina never growled, nor did Kittan nor Lord Genome). Quite like the Gundam movies for me, decent retellings of the story but not as good as the originals. [/SIZE]

[quote name='Sara'][FONT=helvetica]That's the spirit! Also, I'd just like to say that Gavin's reaction (and follow-up) cracked me up.[/FONT][/quote] [SIZE=1]You're welcome. ;)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]...So apparently it wasn't Valentine's Day today but I'm sweet for panicking and getting her flowers. Damn your pre-emptive thread chibi. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Oh. ****.[/SIZE] [SIZE=1]I need to find a florists in the next 20 minutes or I'm a dead man.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Hey hey to 8-bit, Aidan and Fallen, I'm sure you'll have a great time with us here on OB and if you've got any problems be sure to send a PM to any of the staff here and we'll see what we can do to sort it out. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]General trend towards a better post-quality over the years brought about I think by our member-base gradually getting older (from early/mid teens to early/mid twenties now) bringing with it a shift in the overall demographic of the site. OB also seems to have regained some of its Otaku focus which was dormant for a number of years, which is a good thing (never made sense to have an anime-based forum which didn't really do anime). Gaming, music, film and television elements have grown and remained a solid aspect of the site. General discussion has also probably grown to be the main focus although I didn't post much outside the RPG forums until I'd been a member about 2 years so I'm not sure on that one. RPGs also seem to have dropped off in popularity, which is a shame given how much I enjoyed it, but I attribute this to the change in demographic as well as overall focus of OB itself. I think it may also have been down to the fact we moved away from stuff based on popular series to more original concepts. Having been here 8+ years now discussing particular members and how they've changed would require a considerable amount of time and effort, needless to say I've seen plenty of people start off here, develop and then leave and if I know them, it's always a bit sad when they leave. I also remain convinced that our population numbers have dropped significantly in the last 2 years due to a lack of new members staying on the site for more than a few weeks/months. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Finished the game as of about 5 minutes ago after just over 32 hours I think, will be posting my thoughts on it later tonight after I've had time to mull everything over properly. One thing I can say with relative certainty however is that this is a phenomenally good game, I have to agree somewhat with silpheed, it does feel more...linear than the first game and that does take away a fraction, and I mean just a fraction, of the expansive feel of the game. That said most of us hated the Mako missions from the first game which added a lot of that expansive feel, so I guess you just can't please some. I also wish to say that [spoiler]Legion[/spoiler] has overtaken HK-47 as my favourite non-biological character in a Bioware game. ME3 cannot get here fast enough, although I'll settle for TOR in the meantime. [B]I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, but some may slip through so read at your own risk[/B] Alright, have had a couple of hours post-finish to mull. I'm sticking with most of my initial thoughts, simply put Mass Effect 2 is a great game which doesn't just deserve a spot in an RPGer/Sci-fi fans library, it demands it. Building on the story laid down by the original, ME2 propels the player forward through a much darker, murkier gaming experience in the Milky Way galaxy. This isn't Council space, being a Spectre means nothing to the vast majority of people, you survive by your strengths, wits and skills because out in the Terminus systems that's all that's respected. I can't fault the game from a story point of view, it's a Bioware game and rip-roaring roller-coaster rides are what they do best. I was a bit disappointed initially I wouldn't be able to reunite my original crew and go kickass against the game's main threat but ME2's cast are certainly worthy successors to those of the Mass Effect, in some ways I think they actually eclipse their predecessors as Mass Effect's characters always felt a bit...safe, tame to me. There are some problems with the game however, just as there were with the original. As I said at the beginning, I felt the game felt more linear, more directed than the first one. Levels all feel designed to push you forward in terms of the mission, rather than allow you to explore at your leisure and push the missions when you want. A lot of the side missions outside the main plot seem to have been cut as well, again creating a less expansive feel. I think it's really summed up with the Citadel, what was once the main hub of the game reduced to 3 (and a bit) areas which really doesn't change or have anything go on with it which was tremendously disappointing given its function in the original game. I was actually quite disappointed with the way the story apparently played out from the original game and the Council's renewed refusal to accept the threat of the Reapers. The fact that Anderson seems to not even be a genuine part of the Council after 2 years felt off as well Planetary exploration, one of the things I felt needed a rework from the original as all explorable planets felt the same and Mako was boring as hell to drive have been cut almost entirely. I admit to having never really liked the Mako, it never felt particularly good to drive, but it did add to the expansive feel of the game being able to just drive around an area. Replacing it with the shuttle/scanner/probe combo feels like a cop-out and with the latter two even more tedious and dull than before. Combat has also changed for the worse, considerably. I felt the original combat system is Mass Effect was tight and well done, perhaps a tad unrealistic with the unlimited ammo capacity of most weapons outside of overheating but still good. The variety of weapons available is also disappointing, down hugely from the original game (and no, upgrading them periodically for ridiculous sums does not solve this problem Bioware) but my major gripe was the new heat-sync system which saddles the player with weapons with lower firing capacity and ammunition than firearms developed in the last 50 years and given the game is supposed to take place 250+ years in the future that's a bit of a problem. I do somewhat like the way armour was changed, the idea of buying components instead of whole new suits allows you to design something you like while at the same time having good protection/bonuses. Character development (levelling up/skill progression) also feels much weaker this time around, with huge chunks cut from the original trees in favour of each character having only 3/4 main abilities. I imagine this was done to prevent characters from becoming clones of one another but it again feels limited. The lack of XP and credits from killing enemies combined with the mining requirements for upgrades serves to force players into seeking out side-missions for cash and levels rather than allowing a player to seek them out for pleasure and fun, again not a good thing. Despite the fact the game is darker in story, I was somewhat disappointed that a lot of decisions are still very much black and white between Renegade and Paragon. Very few decisions force you to really weigh up the course of your actions, working out which serves the greater good (or serves yourself best). Given the lawless nature of the Terminus systems, drilled into us over and over in the original game as well as the player's association with Cerberus I expected there to be a greater emphasis on the grey, or having to make more consequencial choices (like Ash or Kaiden's death on Virmire). Indeed Cerberus seemed very much like a declawed beast in the sequel, despite all the ominousness surrounding them in the original. The tie-ins from the original game were certain a nice touch. Having lost the contents of my hard-drive after move from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Windows 7 I was forced to download a save-game online with similar choices to my own. It was good to see the consequences of choices I'd made but I was somewhat disappointed that quite a lot were limited to minor roles. Given the recurrent message of Rachni scout-ships being spotted, or Captain Shepard (Commander Shepard's mother) I was hoping for a little more than just messages or brief meaningless conversations. The way the romance of the prior game is dealt with was also a bit of a let-down, having romances Liara in the previous game I was rewarded with a scant kiss and rebuffed at the concept of rejoining the crew in a time of galactic need, made cheating on her with Miranda and Kelly a little easier on my conscience. Those issues aside, and really they don't boil down to a whole lot given how much I still enjoyed the game I would still unreservedly recommend this game. This is a fast-paced, no holds barred story with some truly excellent characters than any fan of the original game should play. My one recommendation would be to skip the Collector's Edition, some of the stuff is nice, but I don't think it was worth the extra €10 I paid (and I stuck with the Blood Dragon armour throughout the game). Personally with any issues I'm just going to do the Bioware fanboy thing and blame it on the fact they've been bought out by EA pushing for a sooner release date. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I dislike that Firefox 3.6 prevents me from using my Chrome-inspired skin as I'm now forced to choose between an ugly but useful browser and a pretty but crappy browser. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I've finished a number of books in the last while but I suppose the only one worth mentioning would be Dan Brown's latest work [B]The Lost Symbol[/B]. I wasn't exactly hopeful going into it, as you said James, Brown has a somewhat set formula to his books but I have to admit, I really wasn't prepared for just how bad the book could be at times. It wasn't just that TLS follows had a similar structure to The da Vinci Code or Angels & Demons, and it does, in fact it's probably fair to say that TLS borrows so liberally from the previous plots that it's identical in parts. The pieces are all in the same places, we've merely been treated to a change of scenery. Brown's characters also remain sadly one dimensional. Even Langdon who at this point has been the centre character of three novels comes across as undeveloped over the course of the novel. Other characters seem to embody a particular personality trait and run with it for the entire novel, but again characters have never been Brown's strong point in the story, it's the mystery and ultimate revelation that we're supposed to keep reading for, the characters are merely tools to progress the story and allow the reader to invest themselves into the novel (which may be why Langdon comes across as so...bland). Sadly where The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons (as well as Deception Point and Digital Fortress) succeeded in this regard, the final reveal in TSL is such a letdown it would actually be laughable if it weren't such a disappointment. What I assume was the big reveal for most people I figured out quite early in the novel and to be honest [spoiler]I think Brown is overplaying the "villain is the son of one of the other characters" plot device having occurred in 3 of his 5 novels so far[/spoiler]. One of my other major gripes with Dan Brown is his inability to accurately portray materials in his novels, particularly his portrayal of noetics in this novel as a legitimate science which it is nothing of sort as well as his embellishment of the Masons and their rituals. Langdon's repeatedly scowling and lecturing in regard to the Masons actually becomes rather irritating throughout the novel. As for the villain, regarding one specific passage I was actually lost for words (I think you'll know which one I'm referring to James) as well as his somewhat unbelievable nature (taken even further than Silas). This isn't just a typical Dan Brown pulp mystery, it's actually much worse. If I remember correctly I was putting down the novel after ever 15 pages constantly losing the will to soldier on with the novel, in the end a burst of vehemence to be done with it once and for all allowed me to finish the final 200 pages in a single night. Unless you wish to see Brown's latest offering this is one I would most certainly avoid. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Aside from being completely blown away by Evil Superman's ability to unreservedly pwn people (and yet again disappointed Hitsugaya runs his mouth and isn't killed) I'm rather curious why they thought Ichigo would be of any use at all during this fight, unless of course none of them fathomed just how powerful Aizen actually was. Either way I think it adds further chance that Isshin was indeed a Royal Guard given Ichigo is going to need yet another training session from hell and I can't see Yama agreeing to tutor him. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I have to admit, I actually really liked the way the Danzo/Sasuke fight was wrapped up. Sure, we had at least 3 new hax jutsus introduced but the fact Sasuke effectively beat him with just a single genjutsu used at exactly the right time in exactly the right way is nice to see after so much being dominated by "moar pwnerful jutsus". Quite glad to see rabid Sasuke fangirl No. 3 bite the dust as well, now if we can only get rid of No. 1 I'll be rather gleeful indeed. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]On a past trip to Rome.[/SIZE] [SIZE=1][B]Shopkeeper:[/B] What I assume was "How can I help you?" in German.[/SIZE] [SIZE=1][B]Me:[/B] I'm sorry I don't speak German.[/SIZE] [SIZE=1][B]Shopkeeper:[/B] *Thoughtful expression* I've never heard of a German who doesn't speak German.[/SIZE] [SIZE=1][B]Me:[/B] *Facepalm*[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Yet another maths module this semster, karma I suppose for all the evil.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Just 2 more days. God damn lack of a universal release. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Picked up Modern Warfare 2 about a fortnight ago despite being somewhat hesitent after all the "dis is teh bestest game evar!" hype around it and I have to admit it really blew me away with how good it is as a shooter. Story is sharp and gripping (albeit a tad short, and the Airport level) with great characters. Multiplayer is a heck of a lot of fun, my only problem being my internet requires a login and password, somewhich which I can do with my PS3's internet browser but not my 360 so I'm limited to games against my brother or my friends. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Depending on the team, anywhere from a day to three days in my experience for the SJ mains. Spoiler texts come out Tuesday, HQ scans the next day, then translating and finally "type-setting and other stuff". I've seen some teams have them out Thursday afternoon, others some time during the night ready for Friday morning. (I'm working off GMT so obviously adjust to your own timezone)[/SIZE]

[LEFT][SIZE=1]I do find that idea that Avatar had "too much CGI" a bit odd as well. While I wasn't a fan of the movie, it was conceived to effectively push Hollywood's CGI capabilities as far as they could go (and beyond) so having too much really doesn't factor into the equation there. Avatar should certainly be lauded for its achievements with CGI and animation, something which as you said has been Pixar's niche for quite a long and all the wonderful things they've done with it. (I happened to catch a Pixar documentary on TV about two weeks ago at 5 am, fascinating programme) [/SIZE][/LEFT]

[SIZE=1][B]Note to self:[/B] Before listening to System of a Down in the college library, ensure that the headphone socket actually works so an elderly librarian does not have to alert you to the fact everyone within five feet it too. [/SIZE]

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Calibri]...also someone has drawn male genitalia in the dust on the monitor next to me. Just so you know.[/FONT][/quote] [SIZE=1]*Immature snigger*[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]And my Christmas break from college has finally come to an end. :animesigh[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Coke, bottled not canned. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Unless I'm mistaken, and I very well could be, both Malkav and Allamorph's characters are played by Takeshi Kaneshiro. How interesting. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]*Random high-five*[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]As much as I've complained about the hax so far, I'm actually kind of regretting that this fight is coming to an end, just because it means we're back to characters Kishi clearly doesn't give two fiddler's whits about.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Yet another chapter of Aizen mind-screws which I whole-heartedly support. Hitsu proves he can't really debate anyone properly because he doesn't even believe his own argument to begin with. Kyouraku is a cheeky bastard and as expected Unohana is intelligent enough to heal the only other healer in the group before moving on. Good chapter, if a bit talky.[/SIZE]