Charles

I've been studying for quite a while now and my back is killing me from hunching over this machine. So, this probably will not be a quintessentially sound or memorable post. And at this time in the morning, I doubt I can add anything particularly noteworthy that hasn't already been treaded upon. But, this is one of those threads I've been meaning to reply to, so I'll make the effort. Now, first of all--what are [i]monsters[/i]? Generally, they're human brainchildren. They're monstrosities because they're foreign to us--and it's that alien trait that makes them so scary--so despicable. [I]Monstrous[/I]. If you watch a monster movie, you'll notice that the "monster" represented in the film usually feeds off of humanity's general fears at the time. Such is the reason why the killers in slasher flicks wear a mask. We don?t know who they are [I]and that makes them even more dangerous.[/I] This is an idea that goes back to childhood: don't talk to strangers. Oh, and we can?t forget that monsters typically kill young, beautiful, people. Citizens our society values immensely. When I think of monsters, I may think of larger-than-life hulking beasts that would scare the wits out of anyone: icy-white fangs, crimson gums, wicked breath, snarling with slobbering jaws. A massive, raw presence. That sort of thing. Or, I might fear someone like Leatherface if I fear chainsaws. So, the idea of what constitutes a "monster" is completely subjective. Unless you're an individual who fears or detests all others of your kind, I seriously doubt you can consider people in general to be monsters. They're parasitic. Yes. Selfish. Sure. Monstrous? Nah. [i]Anything[/i] can be a monster. It just has to possess qualities that we do not understand or represent ideals with disagree with or fear. Something different. You know, man bites dog. If you?re thinking within reason, humanity on the whole cannot be considered a population of monsters because we operate on universal values. We don?t behave like monsters. There?s an inherent nature to abide by laws and principles. That alone separates us from such a visceral, animalistic category. When you hear acts of human cruelty in the media, it, by far, involves the minority of individuals in our population.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B]In any case, I'm getting the picture that some of you care more about her ban than she even does. [/B][/QUOTE] That's a good point, actually. When I spoke with her she readily admitted that she made a mistake and therefore willingly accepted the consequence. At no point did she make a plea to have her account restored. Instead, she seemed more concerned with describing the situation from her point of view. I think that some people are just interested in gaining their own personal victory here. Now, to generally address this situation--this isn't about her character as a person. So, I don't see why anyone is blatantly calling her names. I'm confident that I can safely say that most everyone who gets banned from a message board isn't an inherently [i]bad[/i] person. Furthermore, we don't ban for personal reasons. People are analyzing the ordeal a bit too deeply. :rolleyes: What we have here is someone who acted inappropriately in an already exaggerated situation. As I've stated in this thread and directly to her, I can sympathize with her to a great extent because the situation was blown out of proportion by our staff. I didn't approve of the way it was handled to begin with. And I know James feels the same way. To be sure, either of us would have [i]supported[/i] her with the problem should she have handeled it properly. I think I've said this already. Judging from her past experience with the site, I think she should have known better. Unfortunately she didn't. Instead she opted to act recklessly and she created a thread attacking someone's art. That's where my problem lies. My decision was never based on her "rallying" people to come here from another forum and flame OtakuBoards; I think I've made that very clear. It's obvious that wasn't her intention. In the end this isn't a matter of liking someone or not liking them. This is about running things objectively. I'm glad that Magdalena had enough integrity to recognize her harsh behavior and mend fences by apologizing to Mei. I think that's the most important thing here. Other than that we're just running an online message board forum and handling things how they need to be handled. As for the PoisonTongue trouble--I've noticed that his posts in that thread have not gone unwarned. I'm glad for that. It is true that Deathbug provoked him, but I think PT's retaliation was too much. I certainly don't want to see that sort of behavior again. I know he's intelligent enough to conduct a discussion without verbally abusing others. So, that's what I want to see from now on. It's not as if requesting our members act respectufully towards one another is a bold new innovation.

Eh, I think it's pretty challenging when all the variables are set up properly or when you're facing opponents on the more challenging end of the spectrum in "World Tour" mode (such as Sunday Tiger). Especially when you're going through the process of building up your character. But, I'll also admit that I mostly play against others who are close to equal in my skill level. So to each his own I guess.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Shroom [/i] [B][color=#006699]Who cares if it's mean spirited. It didn't happen here, OB's rules don't apply to the rest of the internet. The point of that link was to show you she didn't lead them here to flame us. That's like banning me, for saying "I don't like Charles, he sucks" to a friend of mine. =p[/color][/b][/quote] I wouldn't care so much about that and it's not my point at all. Here's where my problem lies. Someone's work was paraded around and degraded. I accept the fact that we don't police the Internet. And I generally do not endorse a ban because of someone's actions on another forum. You, yourself, can go and create a million "OtakuBoards sucks" threads across the Internet if you wish and I won't care. But, when you provide a link to someone's banner and claim it sucks so that others can point and laugh, I take exception. I don't think Mei deserved that kind of treatment at all. It's like when we had the imposter attacks here at OtakuBoards. They didn't directly take place on the forum. But, the actions could have potentially hurt the feelings of others and that in and of itself is directly related to the site. [quote][b][color=#006699]Yes, it would have been easier for her to PM one of you. But one has trouble PMing someone when they are unable to see the board...because they're banned. :p Also she told me she had a chat with Syk3 recently, as did I. But sometimes you need second opinions.[/b] [/color][/quote] Wait a second. Wasn't she banned [i]during[/i] this problem? My point is that she could have used the private messaging system prior to creating the thread. And even if she just [i]had[/i] to create the thread, it could have been formatted in a different manner. She could have said "Oh, look how unfair they are; I'm critiquing this person and immediately they accuse me of personal attacks." I wouldn't have minded. As I said, there's a good chance I would have taken her side on this situation to an extent. But, to take the route she did and single out someone's work in such a venemous way--that just doesn't fly with me. [quote][b][color=#006699]Once again, she apologized.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] Yes, that's fine. But, I didn't mind what she posted within Mei's thread. That wasn't much of an attack as far as I'm concerned. But, then go on and see the second side of this apology. How sincere is it, really? She apologizes here--but go there and it's an entirely different story. And I'd like to illustrate this further. [quote][b]But the second time, I did nothing. I was a little harsh, that's all. I'm sure you got over it. I tend to be a lil brutal in my critiquing, but it gives people a wake up call, that maybe the 8.5/10's others give may not be as deserving as there is always room for improvement. [/b][/quote] How is that an earnest apology? "I'm sure you got over it." There's no accepting blame here. It's very passive. Furthermore, she shouldn't be making excuses for posting something completely negative just because people are posting too positively in general. Magdalena has discussed this situation at length with me on AIM and expressed her desire to improve and she's made clear her regret about making harmful comments. Yet, it's difficult for me to go back on this. I'm tired of sitting down with members who act inappropriately and are readily sorry when the consequences roll around. This is a very controversial situation. I'll admit that. And I'll also be sure to think it over at length. She recognizes that she made a mistake and I recognize there was overreating with how the staff handled the situation on a certain level. As I said though, that's no excuse for lashing out at someone who didn't even deserve it. I'd personally like to hear what James thinks about the situation. Remember, he can override any decisions I make on cases like this. Considering this isn't such a clear-cut situation we'll just see what happens.

Let me try to deal with this. At first, I was a bit taken back that Magdalena was banned for her actions on another board. But, before I could take issue with this I took a step back and looked at the situation for what it is: nasty and mean spirited. If this individual wants to rant about her disapproval with OtakuBoards on another forum then so be it. Having said that, however, I hardly think it was fair to try to publicly humiliate one of our members by putting them on display and saying "This banner sucks doesn't it" and then proceeding to call it "****." Where's the class in that? It's not very nice at all. If you don't see anything wrong with that, I'm sorry. Wouldn't it have been just as easy for Magdalena to private message James, myself, or even Syk3 about the situation if she thought it was unfair? It sure would have been the respectful and mature thing to do. Perhaps I would have been able to see things from her point of view. Maybe she could have convinced me that she wasn't trying to be malicious and that Syk3 was overreacting a bit. But, that thread she made immediately disproves that theory and reveals what her intentions really were. Everyone should remember that we don't ask for a lot in the art forum. Just that people critique maturely and do their best to offer pointers so that they can help along others. If you're not providing insight or anything of value--then you shouldn't be posting at all. Magdalena might have a chip on her shoulders when it comes to her artistic ability but her people skills leave much to be desired. And a true artist can communicate their message with the intention of helping others rather than degrading them. And most importantly, people should try to remember that the art forum is a recreational board. Not everyone is going to post masterpieces. So it's hardly fair to come down on them just because you don't appreciate what they put up in comparison to your own work. I might or might not have the final word on this but as far as I'm concerned I don't want someone like that participating on these forums. So, you can bet your bottom dollar that I won't be the one to reverse the ban.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by SilpheedPilot [/i] [B]I'll have to detest on the whole Soul Calibur II over-rated ness...What about Soul Calibur? or Soul Edge? The previous ones? They got almost no hype, so for thinking that Soul Calibur II is over-rated is kinda selfish, dont ya think? I mean it deserves the hype its getting. Which personally its my favorite fighter to date.[/B][/QUOTE] What? Soul Calibur has been the bar of excellence fighting games have had to live up to since its release. I don't think there was a problem with it getting the recognition it deserved--that's evident by the long line I had to wait in to purchase Soul Calibur 2. It just never found the audience it deserved because of the platform it was on. Which is a shame too. Everyone should have had a DreamCast in my opinion. [quote][b]Really, I never enjoyed Resident Evil. I think games have to actually have some semblance of a control scheme for me to enjoy them (what? Good controls? Horrors!).[/b][/quote] After spending time with the games I became accustomed to the controls. They weren't ideal--but they did become second nature for me. The gameplay sure was flawed though. No more could this be evident by the fact that every damn Resident Evil game has you doing the [i]same[/i] "puzzles" as the last. There's almost zero evolution or innovation to speak of. Resident Evil 3 made some nice adjustments with the spin and Resident Evil Zero was a nice step in the right direction with its character switching. But, the fact that I was [b]still[/b] (after all these years) pushing crates and finding cranks is [i]terrible[/i]. Now, to throw my opinion into the hat, I'll say that the first Turok was overrated. I couldn't stand it. The environments were too foggy, the controls were clumsy and I found no fun with it. Also, Windwaker was overrated to a certain extent. Don't get me wrong--I adore the game. But, putting visual splendor aside, I have to say it's a far cry away from being a huge leap over Ocarina of Time.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Shinmaru [/i] [B]Seriously, I'd consider buying this if I had a PS2 (which I don't, unfortunately) because it really is that good. [/B][/QUOTE] Actually, there is a GameCube version of the game. It's every bit as good as the Playstation 2 version. As far as I can tell the only drawbacks are the lack of online play (which I personally won't be using anyway) and the fact that it's two discs due to the huge number of courses. By the way, I feel your pain for having suffered through Mario Golf. What a shame that turned out to be. I was so fond of the orginal too. :worried:

I was drawn into video games by Donky Kong Jr. and Rampage. I wanted an Atari [i]just[/i] for Donkey Kong Jr. as a matter of fact. It's too bad Donkey Kong looked like a pink blob on said system. I was [i]so[/i] excited when I first saw the packaging for the Nintendo version. It looked just like the arcade version (although it wasn't [i]quite[/i] perfect it would later turn out). Quite a jump forward! XD Giant rubber monster movies were also the cat's meow for me at the time. I would stay awake until the early hours of the morning watching Godzilla marathons. And you just couldn't tear me away from my dinosaur toys. When I saw the Rampage packaging the deal was sealed. I [i]had[/i] to have a Nintendo. At that time, the games were just so incredible. I went from playing games like E.T. where you play as blocks making beeping noises to games with buckets of color, backgrounds, and music. What a treat indeed. Other than the two titles I mentioned, I really enjoyed the Super Mario Brothers/Duck Hunt package and Jaws. Jaws was particularly cool because I loved the movie and had an obsession with earning the submarine. Which was, in effect, nothing more than a yellow block. But, it was a yellow block that kicked butt.

You couldn't imagine my astonishment upon actually seeing a reply to this thread. And such a good one too! Much appreciated. ^_^ I enjoy sports--games included. I agree on your outlook somewhat when it's applied to children that sit inside all day as opposed to benefiting from the physical and social activity that applies to playing [i]actual[/i] sports. [i]Buuuuut[/i], the hook here is that I play games because they're fun, regardless of genre. And, from my point of view the most well-executed sports games in the history of gaming deserve to be recognized. I can't help but to list Madden 94 and EA's NHL franchise among the greatest games in the 16 bit era simply because of how fun they were to play. I think Tiger fits into that category. Here's a franchise that began wallowing in mediocrity and has now found itself on the brim of perfection. So, I think it is worth checking out just to appreciate how much work obviously went into it. There's no doubt about it--this is one of the most well-crafted games I've played. It manages to give you realism and accuracy but not at the expense of fun factor. If you can put aside your qualms towards the sports genre and just look at this as a fun, expertly made game, then I think you'll never look back once you play it.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Shinmaru [/i] [B]Anyway, I thought it was a funny banner (though, certain people might not agree with me lol). I also though the Administrator Teleport looked funny because it looked like you turned into a genie bottle before you teleported o_O[/B][/QUOTE] :chuckles: And then, I might be looking at the third suggestions topic dedicated to moi. If such a thing happened, it would be very humourous considering the opening title of the banner. ^_^;; I see that a majority of you are having problems with the speed. On my computer it runs fairly fast. But, using a campus computer, I noticed that it crawled just a nip faster than a snail's pace. So, hopefully I can get one with tweaked speed produced. It probably is fairly large in size too. Tons of animation and transitional stuff involved. [quote][b]The plot would be... "You are the last surviving Mod on the Company's Message Board. To escape, you must blast your way out of the Registration Complex. Upon exiting the Registration Complex, you find yourself in a catastrophic catacomb called N00bie Domain. Fight your way up through N00bie Domain, blasting any idiotic chatter with your ModCannon. You find better and more powerful weapons along the way, and opportunities to rescue survivors who are being held hostage by the N00bies. In order to rescue these hostages, you need to find Modchips and upload them into those held captive. The Modchip will install necessary files and update the database of the individual, allowing them to join you in your objective of escape. After blasting your way out of the horror that is N00bie Domain, a more pleasant situation will present itself. That pleasant situation is the ModChannel, a lone outpost, the last surviving stronghold of Mods. You will find a transport there. The transport will bring you to the starport, where you will destroy any remaining N00bie monsters and get your *** back to Mars.? I like that. I might use that. I will use that. ?til we speak again, PoisonTongue[/b][/quote] O_o;;;;;;

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Kieko [/i] [B]:rolleyes: What If you could control life? What if you could have your dreams really come true? What kind of life would you want? Action? Adventure? Romantic? Or something else? Would you get rid of your enemies? Would you want your life to be like a movie; perfect? Would you even want to change your life? [/B][/QUOTE] Ah yes, but if you held control over every aspect of your life, wouldn't you in effect be sacrificing the ability to dream? Wouldn't you be limiting yourself to a purposeless existence if you already knew what lie waiting around every corner, so to speak? How could a life be either adventurous or romantic when you don't have to work at anything--if it's all provided for you? There's no satisfaction there, I'm afraid. But, it seems that you realize this on some level. After all, you don't express a desire to impose your will on everything and everyone around you. [quote][b]In my dream life, I would be able to go to any Anime series I want and be a character in that series. I could also return to the "Real World" and visit my friends and family there. (I would also be able to go to some "Real World" movies like The Lord of the Rings.)[/b][/quote] Read a good book. It's an escape much like you're suggesting.

This is an epic effort directed by myself and produced by Vampire Ed. I would say it's one of the better banners I've posted, but that's only one man's opinion. We've tried some interesting things here so feeback would be helpful indeed. It could definitely influence any possible future tweaks, if needed. Perhaps it's too busy? Be sure to say so. Some of the effects are purposely cheesy though, so keep that in mind. Now, without further delay, bask in the glory that is this banner. Hold it to your heart and be happy for evertyhing is good. And beware. It features my usual style. That should be a clear indicator that you might do something like this upon seeing it: >_< [url]http://cwb.250free.com/CharlesBannerTest.gif[/url]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Pex [/i] [B]Hey did anyone manage to get the hidden characters yet, there is actually three unlockable characters. There's Captain Blue, Silvia, and there isn't word on the third character yet. [/B][/QUOTE] [spoiler]Actually, the other hidden character is Alastor. Instead of transforming into a hero he transforms into the devil. At least according to the strategy guide. I can't imagine that though. I would figure he would appear as how you fight him when he transforms.[/spoiler]

Hey, it's kind of a travesty that this thread has sank so early on. It's yet to reach two pages yet! I refuse to let it fade into oblivion yet. heh This game is just too good for that. ^_^;; I've just defeated Alastor. His voice acting has been the best as far as villains are concerned. The others were barely understandable. [spoiler] I just loved this encounter. It was pretty humorous seeing him fall into the typical cliche revealing the evil plot to the hero beforehand and by reading it from a script no less. lol It was also neat seeing Joe get the inspiration for his name.[/spoiler] So, here I am in episode six with all the abilities now unlocked (because of how many times I've died). Which is quite a good feeling. It's as if I've truly earned everything I have. "Viewtiful Forever" is especially cool. It's a very useful maneuver. As described in the pre-segment menu, it's a pose you strike upon dodging an attack in slow motion whilst zooming in. It came into use quite frequently when I had to deal with the tougher soldier bots in episode five. So, I highly recommend learning that ability if you haven't already. All I can say other than that is that I'm loving how well this game captures an old school feel while incorporating a welcomed dose of originality at the same time. But, has anyone else noticed that beginning in the fifth episode the game begins to wear down a bit? I'll admit that this portion of the quest made good utilization of Joe's abilities through interesting puzzles. Capcom did quite a good job in that area. Yet, I'm afraid the amount of mid-bosses I had to repeatedly fight was staggering. I fought the same aircraft and tank at least a handful of times. Admittedly, it's forgivable since it's almost like a throwback to the classics, but "eh." My main problem is that they operate on such a simple pattern that they're not exactly fun enough to pummel so many times. lol [spoiler]The runaway train segment definitely made up for it though. ~_^[/spoiler] Other than that, the sixth episode has me [spoiler] combating the game's previous bosses yet again.[/spoiler] Which is also a throwback I suppose. It reminds me of Mega Man in a sense. So, how has everyone else progressed?

Separating genders is almost as silly as racial segregation. The lengths people will go to hide their children from the real world is amazing. The same people that endorse single-sex education would probably have you believe that the grading system should be abolished because it could potentially hurt their childrens' feelings. I see no need in sheltering young people. The purpose of school is to prepare the next generation for the real world. Restricting interaction with the opposite sex is hardly preparation for entering adult life. In fact, it's almost propagating the message that interaction with the opposite sex is taboo or unnatural. If anything, it adds an awkwardness to male-female relationships later on. By integrating genders early on, you're adding a sense of normality to the everyday intermingling of opposite sexes. And, I think it's important that both genders learn to cooperate on an equal level while they?re young and build on that foundation as they progres through the educational system. That's where I stand on the issue.

I've hesitated in making this thread for some time now because, in part, I doubt there will be much interest in it. Let's face it, the chances of it actually provoking a discussion are slim to none. :worried: Being pretty mindful of what kind of discussion is hosted in the Sony forum, I can honestly conclude that golf games haven't taken OtakuBoards by storm. Unless, of course, you consider Mario Golf in the Nintendo forum (and even that received a lukewarm reception). Alas, I'm stubborn folk. I couldn't resist bringing to fruition a thread dedicated to one of the greatest games I've ever played. That's right! [i]One of the greatest games I've ever played![/i] Rock on mama! Tiger Woods PGA Tour 20004 not only obliterates any previous golf game you can possibly imagine (yay lol). But on a more important level it's, believe it or not, one of the most expertly executed sports games on the market in general. I just can't stress how fun this product is whether you enjoy golf or not. For quite some time, I've been impressed with how efficiently EA Sports has managed to cater to both fans of simulation and arcade-based gameplay in their sports lineup. Especially recently. Across the board they do a tremendous job providing gamers with minute details whilst not necessarily shoving them down our throats. And Tiger is no different. The front-end is incredible. There are a wealth of options at your disposal that range from lighthearted multiplayer arcade modes, to full-on tours where you create your own golfer from scratch. The create-a-golfer mode is very detailed considering the genre we're talking about. You're able to scale your counterpart's features, adjust the shape of their eyes, and even give them acne if that's what gets your rocks off. Building them up is quite an involved process and there's no shortage of accessories to dress them in. Especially cool, is the option to endorse gear from specific brands. If you sign a contract with a company, you're rewarded depending on how much of their equipment you endorse. ^_^ In addition to the standard tour mode, you have real-time events. Specific dates open up unique challenges. For example, holidays, full moons, or golfer's birthdays allow you to compete in events and unlock even [i]more[/i] accessories for your golfer. Aside from this, there's a mode that allows you to travel around the world and face special opponents ranging from celebrity golfers to fictional characters. Once you defeat them, they're unlocked for your golfing pleasure. The presentation here is top notch. We're talking [i]backstories[/i] before the match. I've never seen such attempts to keep a golf game both fresh and interesting. The control interface is what makes this the ideal golf game and an all around blast to play. Of course, it's not the first in the series to utilize analog golfing, but EA has tweaked the interface admirably. Having played analog golf, I can never go back to meters. It's that good. Putting isn't so much of a chore as it was in Mario Golf. If you mess up you know it's your fault. The physics engine, ball spin, and multiple swing positions all work wonderfully. This may be golf, but because of how it's set up, it can only be described as a pleasure to play. I won't go into much detail about the graphics or sound. They're not very important. Especially for the context of this particular discussion. But, I will say that this is arguably the best-looking sports title in EA's camp. The realism the models possess is impressive indeed. And, the camera is not a problem at all. That's all I can say of reasonable importance. I just can't imagine anyone caring so much that they say "Oh my god! Look how real Tiger Woods looks!" So, I encourage everyone to check this one out and give me a reply or two (if not, I will cry seas of sadness). You'll certainly thank me regardless of your feelings toward the actual sport.

I tried picking this up, but it was sold out. Which wasn't too surprising considering how well it's been selling. So, I got [i]Hollywood Homocide[/i] for now since it's easily one of the best movies I've seen in the past year. [i]The Lion King[/i] though, is one of my favorite animated films of all time. It came out during the Disney renaissance and compared quite well considering the company's other efforts at the time. Such as the aforementioned [i]Beauty and the Beast[/i] which I also adore. Timeless movies. I particularly like these movies because they're not dumbed down. Their themes are very mature. So, in that respect they give kids credit. Especially in the case of [i]The Lion King[/i] Hopefully I'll be able to come across a copy this week. I'd love to hear the "Home Theater Mix."

I've had Dead Or Alive 3 since launch. It was really one of the must-own premiere titles for me as there wasn't much else that stood out other than Halo and Project Gotham Racing. I'd say the game is good for what it is, which is a face-paced arcade brawler. It's not nearly as complex as Virtua Fighter 4, Tekken 4, or Soul Calibur 2. But, the reversal system really stands out, and the overall gameplay is solid. The stage designs are expansive to say the least and are interactive to a certain extent (although you won't necessarily have much time to explore). And, impressively enough, I have never encountered any clipping or camera issues. I can't stress how important that is. Camera issues completely ruined Tao Fang. From what I understand, the online version will feature the characters of DOA 3 but the stages of DOA 2. I've not read up on it in a while, but that information should still be accurate barring a change I didn't know about or something. It might actually be the better buy for you considering Dead or Alive 3 is a bit slim options-wise. You won't find interesting diversions like the ones found in the Virtua Fighter 4 games, Tekken 4, or Soul Calibur 2. If you want the best fighter on the system, however, you should check out Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. It's almost a year old but it holds up admirably with the current crop of fighters. I still prefer it to Soul Calibur 2. And, there is plenty of bang for your buck considering all the extra content involved.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by ssjBrolli [/i] [B]HAHAHAHAHA I'm your brother Charles. Now that's messed up huh? [/B][/QUOTE] Nah, couldn't have asked for a better person to play the part. heh :)

:Wonders if Lance Bass will do Sephiroth's voice for the domestic release: [i]Advent Children[/i] is good news for two reasons: It could potentially (and most certainly will) provide some clarification on exactly how the events of Final Fantasy VII unraveled. And, simply, it's concrete proof (as opposed to the rumors we've been hearing for years now) that Square is still interested in the property. Too many people have been clamoring for a follow-up or remake of Final Fantasy VII to be ignored though, so that's a bit obvious. Final Fantasy VII was a mess of a game as far as translation goes. The characters, for the most part, were wonderful and the plot was driven home with a dark, industrial edge not easily forgotten. Unfortunately, everything became congested as the story progressed. Some of the storytelling and dialogue were so vague or poorly worded that some of the more important events left me scratching my head as they unfolded. [spoiler] To this day, I'm not even sure if the real Sephiorth was involved in Final Fantasy VII. And, when Cloud savagely beat Aeris, it was difficult to even care because of how poorly it was executed. I mean, that's something so powerful, so guttural, and it didn't even bother me. Other examples I could cite involve the clumsy dialogue following eventual death of Aeris or the narration explaining how Cloud came to deliver to Sephiroth, the black materia.[/spoiler] After reading the interview, I'm sure that a sixty minute movie whose roots lie in visual demonstration can sate the appetites of Final Fantasy VII fans, I'm sure it'll be entertaining and provide a certain degree of closure/clarification. And who knows, maybe this will still be a demonstration--a teaser setting up for an imminent sequel to Final Fantasy VII. I would be most happy with a remake because I think Square needs to fix its mistakes before moving on. Yet, when it comes to Final Fantasy VII, I'll be happy with what I can get. As for my impressions of the trailer--it appears to me that the enemy Cloud is fighting is either Sephiroth or a clone of him. Putting the theme aside, the ending scene with the transition of his face to the Nibelheim(sp) scene blatantly give it away. Overall, it was nice. I could watch the bike scene fifty times and not become tired of it. I [i]love[/i] how they clash swords in time with the chorus. Can't get enough of it.

This is a link to the proper thread to post this in: [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=28325[/url] Notice Semajaza's opening post, please. You'll see that it doesn't just say "This is my pet." There is some elaboration involved. Please keep that in mind from now on. To just say "Here is my cat" doesn't do a good job of initiating discussion. ;)

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by James [/i] [B][color=#707875]In your case, I recommend working on spelling, punctuation and grammar if you want any kind of chance to become a Moderator. I also recommend that you check our rules and posting FAQ, to give you a better idea about the appropriateness of threads like these.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] I was just going to tell him to send me money, but this works too. ^_^;;

A breath of hot air sweeps through the gray teeth of his prison cell. Flashes of sunlight are caught here and there on the many faces of his sweat-streaked skin. He polishes off the remains of a saltine cracker---eating with one eye open. Almost like a pirate. Scattered clouds pass overhead; their movements can be marked by the shadows that spread out over the river and the low, eastern hills on the other side. His chin drops to his chest when he becomes tired of peering through the slits of the bars at the muddy water below. Sometimes he lets his spit slide off his bottom lip, down, down and away into the water, awaiting the slow departure of the day. "It's been a good stay, yeah?" the prison guard coughs out, forcing the words through a sandpaper laugh. He runs his baton across the bars affectionately, as if playing a familiar musical instrument. Charles looks up, having been off in some unnamable place, and then hatches a slow smile, the corners of his mouth being plucked upwards in the after of his dream. "Yeah, it's been good," he says. He lets the course of the river carry his eyes southwards to the bend. "A piece of driftwood--like driftwood" he rolls around in his mind. "It's been real good Mr. Jones sir," he says dropping some soft sarcasm and throwing a quick glance to his kind 'host." Jones wipes his mouth and brow with a napkin, taking a quick breath of the balmy early summer air. And he grins. "S' good to hear. Hope the accomdations've been good for ya." "Just wonderful," Charles says, with a scrap of distance in his voice, "As a matter of fact, I was thinking about renovating it. Planting a fern in the piss pot. Maybe nailing the bed to the ceiling--you know, to give myself a bit of Zen space. A regular Marriott." Jones throws the napkin on his desk and fumbles with a bevy of rusty skeleton keys, each singing a different jingle. The perfectly square waiting room is large and open. One wall consists almost entirely of clear glass windows and one glass door. The others are white and windowless. Charles collects his belongings and celebrates his freedom by hopping on a bus whose passengers are a bunch of multi-racial sardines jammed inside a can on giant wheels. He stands next to the door, holding a piece of the luggage rack, hanging right over the seats where the seated passengers are. That's when he first notices the letter. Invitation is more like it. Charles doesn't exactly know what draws his attention to it. But, when he sees it, it's like a shout from God. Charles stands still for a second, staring at the row of brick buildings on the other side of the bus's tinted windows. He yells "Right here, big buy!" The bus lets out a loud hissing noise before it stops and he swaggers out the double doors. He struggles through the dank motel threshold, shifting his cumbersome belongings in his arms. Placing them by a small foldable table next to the bed, he shucks off his shirt and throws it on the floral printed mattress. The carpeting is stained and veiled strands of cobwebs decorate the ceiling corners. The letter pins him in place. Suddenly, the Los Padres mountain range doesn't sound so bad after all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If someone wants to do something with me, then feel free. It can skip to me being there or whatever. Otherwise, I'll just figure out something, I guess.

[b]First Name:[/b] It's a secret; I'm not telling. [b]Age:[/b] Twenty-two (Yes I had to actually type it out; number keys aren't hardcore). [b]Hair Color:[/b] Dark brown, of course. [b]Eye Color:[/b] A very deep, dark brown. Some say you can the fourth ring of hell through my eyes. [b]Height:[/b] 6'3" [b]Wardrobe:[/b] I don't know. Forgive me for a second, but if [i]anyone[/i] actually reads this and cares what the heck I wear, please raise your hand or something. On a typical day, I wear jeans and a t-shirt. Occasionally, I'll switch it up with a football jersey, a silk shirt, or an overshirt. Sometimes I'll even wear kakis! Being a college student, I could do worse. [b]Personality:[/b] I'm an ***. [b]Hair Style:[/b] Messy. I just put gel in it and mess it up. Sometimes it looks spiked, other times curly. I'm considering getting it cut short so that I don't have to bother with it for a while. If it looks bad, I'll wear a hat. [b]Favorite Music Type:[/b] I don't listen to music. [b]Hobbies:[/b] Exercising, video gaming, writing, walking, going to the movies, and using OtakuBoards. I hope that everyone benefits somehow from this information. ^_^;;

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by OtakuSennen [/i] [B]Ooh, Charles' house has a hot tub. *wink wink, nudge nudge, hint hint* I think I may know where this is going.[/B][/QUOTE] Yes, I never knew that I had a hot tub. Perhaps I should let Laura be the ghost writer for my biography some day. The story would probably be better than its real-life counterpart. I'd be stylin'. :toothy: All in all, this is a sweet story and a fun read. I'm very flattered to be included. ^_^;