Charles

I really like how this is coming along now. The repetition of "He's very much dead" and the sprites looking down on the corpse are priceless.

[QUOTE=Ani_Freak][color=dimgray]I just want to point out some things regarding my poll. Just to clarify. As I said near the end of the post, [b]I am not saying that this is the case here on OB[/b]. I think that the Moderators here are very good in what they do and that they are very committed in maintaining a respectful and friendly environment here. Maybe I am blowing things out of proportion, or maybe I didn't knew how to express my idea. It's a little dificult to try and think everything in Spanish and then translating it all the same time to English and then write it here. It's my mistake and I will definetly try harder in expresing what I'm thinking next time. Thanks for pointing that out Charles ~_^[/color][/QUOTE]Oh don't worry, you were clear. I was only citing OtakuBoards staff behavior because it's the closest I have to personal insight on the matter. But still, maybe others [i]do[/i] have specific complaints that can be addressed here. That's the main reason I moved your thread to this forum. As for my comment about you blowing the situation out of proportion, I'm just mainly referring to how dramatic your description behind the weight of the position of moderator sounded, that's all. Maybe an authority role on a message board does get some people off though, who knows.

I think you're taking the role of message board moderator and blowing it way out of proportion. Personally, I agreed to occupy a staff position on OtakuBoards because visiting the forums is a small non-physical recreational activity I enjoy. I agreed to undertake the responsibility of maintaining quality on the site because I respect the hard work and dedication others have poured into it to provide me with a fun little place to escape to. I think most staff members share a story to that effect. It's difficult to believe that anyone feels the site is a significant enough part of their lives that they accepted a staff position to inflate their ego and develop a feeling of superiority others here. That would be pathetic. The idea of supremacy accompanying a staff position on a forum makes me laugh just because it's such an insignificant role in the grand scheme of things. Someone with that sort of motivation would have to enjoy a seriously impaired life. Anyway, I think most staff members here are relaxed in their behavior and treat others with respect. Of course we hold people to a certain standard, but an individual has to post unbelievably poorly before they're lectured. I don't notice anyone here bullying people because of minor misspellings and holding it over them. I don't visit other forums much, so I can't speak on behalf of them. So yeah, I'll just move this to the suggestions/feedback forum in case anyone would like to identify specific examples.

You get points for being creative and disturbing at the same time. I love the opening art direction with the exception of the red text overlapping the monitor. As was mentioned, it's a tad hard to recognize. Other than that, I appreciate the dialogue; hopefully you'll start to show us a change of landscape though and move it along. I'm enjoying it so far but unless you're able to manipulate the sprites into interesting poses, this project is going to rely squarely on the narrative.

I figured I would drop by with one more of my own. [i]The View[/i], recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Talk Show," is ABC Daytime's morning chatfest, featuring a team of five dynamic women of different ages, experiences and backgrounds discussing the most exciting events of the day. The program has received critical acclaim since premiering August 11, 1997. It only seems natural then that such a successful television show should be translated into a video game. But, there's a catch. In the world of digital entertainment we would need a new element to make the chemistry shared between this "dynamic" cast of women more appealing to the male demographic. Hence, the inclusion of Viewtiful Joe. It's a match made in Heaven. You see, I don't watch [i]The View[/i] much, but from what I've seen, it already induces a slow motion technique that easily rivals that of Joe's. And, the show's backbone is strong personality. No one brings stronger personality than Joe. Lastly, if you imagine her in tight-fitting spandex, Barbara could be the female equal to Captain Blue. Here is some concept art: [img]http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1983/theview.jpg[/img]

I just want to drop in and say that I talked it over with Drix and we're inclined to allow this thread to continue for the time being. But, we're going to keep a close eye on how it develops. It's easy for threads like this to lose focus and turn into a certifiable mess. Considering the imminent nature of this discussion, a high maturity level must be maintained throughout or it will be closed. Remember, I'm always glad if OtakuBoards members can help one another in some way but you have to keep in mind the limitations an anime message board may present in dealing with particularly complicated problems.

[QUOTE=BlueYoshi][color=teal]I hope this news doesn't come as much a shock to you as it did for me, because I swear, if I was a few decades older I may have had a heart attack from this. No joke! Apparently, two youngsters aged between the ages of 19-20 stole the MGS3 demo that was at E3. Witnesses have reported that the two crooks cracked the Perspex case on one of the pods on the Sony stands in order to gain the disc. They managed to pull off this stunt by [i]leaning[/i] heavily on the actual unit, dispatching the disc from it. From there they took off with the one level demo to one of the most highly anticipated games of our time. I'm just anxious to know how this will effect the actual release and content of the game, as we all know how secretive Mr. Kojima is of his projects, and him knowing his demo is out there doing god knows what isn't really going to bake his cake. Man, that's seriously rough.[/color][/QUOTE][center][img]http://www.slownerveaction.org/forumfun/images/sucks/lastweek2.gif[/img][/center] [center] [/center] [left]It won't affect the release or content of the final game. The demo is quite different from the final version. For example, Snake finds a backpack loaded with ammunition and weaponry near the beginning of the demo. In the final game he'll just begin with cigarettes as usual. Also, there's some trick to the "time paradox" message in the final version that's not present in the demo.[/left] [left]So yeah, I'm sure this isn't a huge concern as far as spoilers go--the demo is probably fairly brief.[/left]

[QUOTE=Ashe]Hello. I'm new here, so pasensya na kung na mali man ang placement ng thread na to. I am Ashe. Perfectly new sa OtakuBoards, but not in the whole Message Board system. I am in a couple of other videogames - anime boards and I love to interact with other people who like what I like. So, mata ne? ^_^[/QUOTE]I couldn't really understand much of what you said there but you know how to go "^_^" so I suppose you'll fit right in. Anyway, welcome to OtakuBoards. We don't allow introduction threads, so have fun gettin' right to the interactin'.

[QUOTE=Transtic Nerve]I never understood cutting. I cannot figure why anyone, in their right mind, would actually cut themselves. Now I believe everyone has the potential to be smart, but with stuff like cutting, thats just f-ing stupid. I don't care how messed up in the head you are, you should be able to relate "cutting" to "pain" and "pain" to "bad." which is obviously never good, therefor WHY DO IT? It doens't accomplish anything. I've had chronic depression since I was 13, I know what it's like to be depressed, but I went to a therapist, I never cut myself. You know what you need to do. You need to take her to a therapist, or have her mom do it (whatever) and make sure she friggin stays there. If she can't do that, you should yell at her for being a stupid moron, and then if she still doesn't get it, abandon all hope and HER. Maybe she'll understand how dumb she was then.[/QUOTE]I'm glad on I'm the same frequency as someone else. I had never heard of people cutting themselves until about two years ago when my friend did it--and it angered me very much. It was surprising and hurtful. I never imagined that it was such a widespread problem either. But, here we have all these people calling themselves "cutters" and talking about how mutilating themselves relieves stress as if it's some sort of excuse to justify the act. I have another term in mind: "lunatics." I don't intend to offend people or be disrespectful but I'll never, ever, for the life of me, comprehend [i]why[/i] anyone would do this to themselves even once--or even consider it for that matter. I've heard all the explanations (and read them) and I still can't grasp the motivation for it all. I can only assume that these people simply don't love themselves at all. It doesn't matter if they're surrounded by people who care about them. Before they can be helped, they have to learn to find that love inside themselves and care about their own well-being. I'm human, I know what depression feels like, even severe depression. Yet, self mutilation has never crossed my mind. I would rather eat ice cream, talk with someone, write my feelings out, etc. than deliberately harm my own body physically. Anyone who is addicted to inflicting damage upon themselves is two French fries short of a happy meal and needs therapy, pronto. I apologize if I'm being insensitive; I just won't mask my feelings about this condition in an effort to sound politically correct on the Internet. [b][size=2][color=#808080] [/b][/color][/size]

[center][img]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4688/shutoffwebgore2.jpg[/img][/center] This discussion is no longer about analyzing writing itself, but rather the writer. Which, of course is interesting to a point, but inappropriate considering the original intention of this discussion and the inevitable outcome I forsee taking into account the history of your previous conflicts. [img]http://www.educnet.education.fr/svt/anim/bilpnf/groupe01/site01/eruption.jpg[/img]

I haven't created an Otaku Lounge thread in ages. It's probably been over a year. Can you believe it? Let's see if I can pull it off. Now, this may seem like a discussion appropriate to the Movies, Music & Television forum but it's targeted more towards social attitudes than anything. Here we go: Pop culture. It owns you; it's everywhere. It overruns the media, gracing the covers of newspapers and magazines. Rolling off the tongues of television reporters. The latest celebrity gossip dominates real world events. Feckless teens probably recognize Colin Farrel or Ben Afleck over the Vice President. It's almost like a sequestered state of existance. In this election year, I'll even wager that new voters, like still-training puppies would fail to identify Hosny Mubarak by name if tested. Meanwhile, many people put celebrities on mile high pedestals, often idolizing them to godlike proportions. I recently read an article on IGN that described stampedes of people literally falling over one another just to catch a [i]glimpse[/i] of Vin Diesel. I've even seen television programs where obsessed people undergo plastic surgery in an effort to look more like their favorite celebrity. It's this unfertilized state of being that just leaves me appalled. I mean, it's scary. And, it often leaves me wondering why someone playing a police officer on television gets more praise and income than a real life police officer. What's the fascination? Why are these people worthy of such attention? Are they really interesting enough to enjoy their statuses of grandeur? Apparently so, according to society. Something about celebrities and their personal relationships seems to captivate people--even if, to many of us, the famous just seem like screwed up people. Otherwise, their stories wouldn't headline 20/20 and they wouldn't gobble up newspaper space. You can't deny it, people really invest themselves in this stuff. This is celebrity society. So, how important are celebrities to you and what is your opinion of how they are portrayed in the media compared to other news? Do they really belong in newspapers or on local news reports?

This reminds me of Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup can. You're observing an everyday object most people come into contact with but probably don't notice. Instead of doing it to make a statement about the crap people consume on a daily basis, however, you're putting a humorous spin on it and I like that. I think it began better than it ended but the line about how it makes you pee is just too great. :D [img]http://www.pacpubserver.com/new/enter/images/warhol-campbells.jpg[/img]

Well, I finally decided to buy Fire Emblem. At first I was considering Advance Wars 2 but I wanted something with a little more plot. I'm only in the opening chapters (enduring tutorials), but I can say that the map visuals are just barely adequate, but the battle animations are as pleasing as I've read. So they make up for it nicely. I'm also fond of the advantages the landscapes provide and how once you lose your troops they remain gone. The impressions I've read indicate that the players each infused with their own distinct personality so the repercussions of carelessly losing troops on the battlefield should hold a lot of weight. Right now my only question is this: Does the scripting improve later? Right now the narrative is so cliché and predictable it's not even funny. The dialogue is simplified as if it's intended for children. Other than that I'm really impressed. It's a nice alternative to Superstar Saga for me.

This looks better every time I see it; I love 8 bit-centric designs. You described the advantages pretty well, namely the clear quality it presents. The main appeal here is how genuinely creative you were with the composition. There's really a sense of earnest appreciation for the subject matter. So yeah, there's a cool, elegant simplicity going on here I'm fond of. Also, there's a strong sense of color and contrast. The front page looks better now that you've changed the background color. Perhaps you should experiment with upping the contrast of the logo though. It has a soft pastel-like quality that's much unlike the strong saturation present in the other colors.[b][size=2][color=#808080] [/color][/size][/b]

We've had enough Matrix-related discussions on OtakuBoards for the time being, I think. For me to permit a discussion based on ideas derived from The Matrix, your central thesis has to be [i]really[/i] compelling. Unfortunately, your approach isn't focused. Because you're all over the place, the various themes you ignore suffer. That's not to suggest that you haven't put any thought into your thread, but really, these are issues we've visited [i]many[/i] times on the forums. Just do a search in the Movies, Music & TV forum; you'll see what I mean. Plus, I don't think that what you're saying gels anyway. The key appeal of The Matrix's plot is that the general premise is incredibly practical. Certain aspects create a sense of disbelief to be sure, but the general idea is considered intriguing to many because it's easy to relate to. The philosophy of conflict between man and machine has been explored in the realms of science fiction because it's so palpable. [quote][b]This is just them bending the rules of the matrix a tiny bit. What if you raised a kid and taught them nothing was impossible?[/b][/quote]Well, so what? Is that any different from someone consuming too much alcohol or falling under the influence of drugs and thus believing they're capable of flying? The Matrix is bound by rules. Simply believing you're capable of bending the rules isn't enough to defy them. First of all, someone has to be aware that the Matrix exists. Furthermore, they have to be released from the program in order to defy it. Your scenario is quite different from a physical reaction where the body's chemical production reacts to a crisis as a defensive mechanism. Many of the other ideas you're presenting are just references to human perplexities already explained in the films (i.e., deja vu, ghosts). The witchcraft concept is interesting but vague. You really need to flesh it out to make it a credible piece of insight. So, definitely have a look at the other Matrix threads. You have plenty to absorb. Also, feel free to use your myOtaku account to discuss your ideas. I'd like to direct you to this thread in particular to show you what you should strive for: [url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=39258&highlight=Matrix"]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=39258&highlight=Matrix[/url]

I believe that schools should provide peer support groups to cope with habitually cruel people--and they should be mediated by school administrators. Such gatherings would be beneficial for two reasons. A group of people who have endured common problems could share their experiences with one another and describe how they've coped with them. You know, they could offer effective techniques for dealing with jerks. It would be a nice way to make friends and draw strength from one another. They'd belong a social group they could relate to. This would be the motivational tool many of these children would need to prove that they're not alone. Also, this program shouldn't be exclusive to victims of hazing either. It's one thing to complain to a teacher and have them deliver a mild punishment to an overbearing person, such as a scolding, but it's another entirely to make them share in the experience of those they're affecting. Perhaps if they attended such meetings they would be introduced to the lasting effects they have on those they tease. After all, I highly doubt most predators know their victims as real people. They don't even think about those they're hurting at all. Sometimes, as wrist cutter said, their only purpose is to get a rise out of people (who, yes, [i]can[/i] bring it upon themselves). So, this would be a nice tool to give people a chance to directly confront their harrassers on equal grounds in a controlled situation. I suggest those of you suffering from bully problems offer this idea to someone of authority within your school because it sure sounds to me like they're ineffecient in their current state of dealing with these problems. In the past, confronting a bully physically may have resolved the conflict, but nowadays, it seems as if fights are rarely one-on-one affairs. Try not to go that route if at all possible.

[quote name='Falkon']Yes you ogo around telling people how to cook this and that....boy that would interesting. ah yes that makes me think of the movie Fight Club, when tyler is workin at the restaturant..eh heh... yeah that would make an intersting game. Fight Club, the game: go around and...pick fights and do the homework assignments fromthe movie. sw33t[/quote]Actually, they are indeed making a Fight Club game. [url="http://jpg"][/url] [url="http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/fightclub/screenindex.html"]http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/fightclub/screenindex.html[/url]

[quote name='Jagan']WHAT THE HECK! This is nuts! I..don't..uh..just...don't...know...to...say[/quote]"Nuts" isn't the word I had in mind. [center][img]http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9187/notthisshit3.jpg[/img][/center]

My answer is the Sesame Street theme by Joe Raposo, Jon Stone & Bruce Hart. The choice seems silly at first, but in the end it should be clear why I'm choosing this. There's a palpable profundity present in the lyrics that can't be denied. The song first impacted me because its upbeat nature caught my interest and encouraged me to watch a show whose characters were memorable, charming, and effective. The show demonstrated to me that learning can be fun--it can be integrated into an entertaining medium. It also displayed how effective it can be for individuals to help one another learn. So, the song introduced me to all that. When we examine the lyrics for what they are, we hear children singing about a place where neighbors are friendly, and all sorts of animals and people of all ethnicities gather together and treat one another nicely. Everyone is genuinely accepting of one another on Sesame Street. The differences among people are there on the outside, but no one seems to notice so they don't really exist. To hear children ask "Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street" is a moving question, because in all its simplicity, it's still not a question we can answer. We still haven't gotten to Sesame Street, we still haven't been able to accomplish that uniform receptive nature present there where people are interested in helping each other no matter how different they look. And, instead of being afraid of their differences, they learn from them, thus expanding their culture. I'd certainly like to know how to get to Sesame Street, figuratively speaking, that's for sure.

Most of us have heard of video games with rather unique themes, like Mr. Mosquito, Seaman and other quirky Japanese titles. We've also seen licenses applied to gaming products in bizarre ways that would make any red-blooded gamer grimace--as is the case with the Olson Twins games, for example. As the thread title implies, I think it would be a fun idea to introduce strange concepts that most people wouldn't associate with video games and try to flesh them out into a video game premise. [center][img]http://www.aperfectworld.org/clipart/food_dining/chef.gif[/img][/center] I would personally love to see more culinary simulations. Most people would dismiss this genre as "boring" but I think it has serious potential. You would begin working at a fast food restaurant, and work your way up through various jobs, such as serving school lunches. Along the way, your talents for cooking would be discovered and you would be offered your own television show. The customization would be deep, of course. You could pick from a cast of potential assistants, each with their own positive and negative attributes. Let's put it into perspective, shall we? Yes, we shall. The most capable assistant would look something like Al from Home Improvement. He wouldn't be much for the eyes, but he would be capable. Another candidate would be a stereotype we're all familiar with--a gorgeous blonde with big breasts who wears skimpy clothing. Although she would be clumsy and incompetent, her visual appeal would drive the ratings. The Create-A-Cook feature would be deep; there would be many options at the player's disposal. They would be able to design their own apron logo, pick from various hats, etc. I think it'd be a nice touch to see a likeness of myself on-screen with spatula in handf. Maintaining the kitchen would also come into play. Should you choose to neglect cleaning the set, roaches and other vermin may make themselves present during your show, which would hurt its reputation level. I could imagine great animations of the crowd looking on in appalled disgust as the cook shoos the vermin away. Obviously, the player would have certain options at their disposal; once they [i]did[/i] catch a rat, for example, they could choose whether to discard it properly or [b]include[/b] it in the meal. Silly situations could play out where guests enjoy the meal and inquire as to what the unusual meat could be, but the likelihood of getting caught in the act rises the more you continue this sort of hazardous behavior. Forgetting to wash your hands, or forgetting to wear a hair net would bear similarly negative consequences. People could find fugitive strands in their meal or contract salmonella, ecoli, or food poisoning as the sanitation level of the kitchen decreases, incidentally tarnishing your reputation further still. Or, in a silly comedic situation, your character could slip on some food they didn't clean up while on-air. Let's not forget about the preparation aspect either. If you failed to cook the meat properly, we could see a cut scene where someone cuts into it and blood comes out. Maybe you could overuse certain ingredients, ruining the meal. Heck, in the most disastrous scenario, you may forget to remove the aluminum foil from a meal, resulting in an explosion of some sort. Dicing and cutting food would operate based on a meter--sort of like what we see in sports titles. If you don't keep it steady, the shot will instantly cut to a wincing crowd and you'll hear the cook shrieking in agony. From that point forward, his bandaged hand will inhibited his abilities in the kitchen. Players would also encounter spontaneous segments that test their reflexes. If they didn't tap the action button in time, the cook may sneeze directly into the food. Once again, players may choose to throw away the meal (losing money in the process) or continue on as if nothing has happened (hurting the ratings). As time goes on, if your show is successful, you'll be able to purchase better equipment. Initially you would begin with a microwave that may catch fire while on-air, a refrigerator that is likely to die, thus spoiling the food, etc. As your wallet becomes more robust, you could expand your set and make it look more appealing to the eye. Of course, you'd be able to upgrade to more effective and reliable equipment as well. Plus, you'd be able to buy safety devices like fire extinguishers. Well, that's my idea. What ideas do you guys have that would be unlikely to appear in a video game? Edit: I didn't post it in the "If you were a game designerthread because this isn't was I'd develop if I was a developer. It's kind of the opposite side of the coin. Awesome reply by the way, thanks.

[quote name='Domon][COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][SIZE=1]My question is, has a release date been confirmed for both Japan or America?[/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] It's coming out in December. I've seen a couple dates thrown around, ranging from 12/7 to 12/31. Releasing it before Christmas would be the logical scenario. The trailer looks fantastic but I'll reserve my excitement for the finished product after being burned by last year's letdown. There are so many quality games being released this holiday season that I can't see myself investing in something I may not enjoy. Especially when I already have Ninja Gaiden in my library. At least this one seems to employ the sense of style that was missing in Devil May Cry 2. It also seems to rectify the lack of action too--and it better if it doesn't want to get lost in the crowd.

[quote name='Arcadia][size=1]Right now I only know one thing for sure: [b]I am NOT voting for Bush.[/b'] But at the moment I feel like I'd only be voting for the lesser of two evils. Once again, there doesn't seem to be much to choose from as far as good candidates goes. Not voting is the bigger crime, however, so I guess we'll just have to see how it goes.[/size][/quote] You can always vote for a third party candidate. Go ahead and waste your vote! [center][IMG]http://www.whatsbetter.com/static/images/9008.gif[/IMG][/center]

[quote name='Anime_fangurl*247]Now what would have been the icing on the cake is, if you had made the rhyme scheme of the poem itself ABA CAB B. [i]That[/i'] would have been a very nice subtlety to illustrate the obsession with the Blood Code your poem talks about, hehe.[/quote] I was considering it, but it was a spur of the moment thing I wanted to get done to show people. Perhaps I'll write another one with the rhyme scheme. That would be awesome.

*Charles instructs Daisy to read the rules. Daisy definitely isn't supposed to double post. But, such simple instruction isn't enough. So then, he removes the administrator stick from its sheath and uses it to direct her towards other RPGs. By reading them, Daisy will learn how to utilize the Recruitment forum and construct well-thought RPGs instead of spam. If Daisy has any questions, she private messages Arcadia, or Terra* The end. Wow, I haven't role-played in this forum for quite some time. Not so bad, if I do say so myself. This won't win RPG of the year, but it has a nice ending.

These threads, in their various incarnations, have [i]never[/i] once developed into any sort of discussion in the grand scheme of things. I'm certain to this day that the general poster in these threads contribute their own story and neglect to read anyone else's. We're left pointlessly listing these things. I can understand this, because from a personal standpoint, I don't care how most of you thought of your names. When I am curious, it's only a matter of privately asking someone. I've let this thread have its run. Now, it's time to put this baby to sleep.