Charles

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Cyko [/i] [B][b][size=1]Also, aren't these type of threads against the rules here at OB? :therock:[/b][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] Nope, not really. When I first saw this thread, I immediately scrolled down and read through the feedback. It was genuinely good. The opening post was lacking, but there weren't any one-word responses and everyone was having fun, so I let it be. I decided to let everyone get favorite threads out of their system for the time being, and I was happy with how they were handled by most of you. ^^

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Mitch [/i] [B][color=red] In what I think, the games nowadays can't even be compared in funness to those of the pre-playstation era. I don't know, maybe the innovation and creativity's all been used before. Bleh. But, there certainly are going to be good games now and then, no matter what. Just believe that, and I'm certain you'll wait patiently.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] I'm not going to dispute what you just said Mitch. Rather, I will expand upon it. I believe that a lot of recent games are trying to recapture the successful formulas of their older brethren. Just take a look at Contra, Shinobi, Mario Sunshine, Rygar and Metroid Prime. Some titles are just more successful at building upon what made their predecessors so great than others are. [I]And[/I] there are games that just aren't timeless. They don't fit well with today's standards. Pac Man is a prime example. Titles like Metal Gear and Final Fantasy continuously wander off in the cinematic direction, but there are some genuinely pure gaming titles out there. I don't believe that that will change. So, I don't feel that there's a trickle effect when it comes to awaiting straightforward games, as opposed to interactive movies.

Snow lined the road. It was gritty, speckled with mud and rocks. Axle never did see God North again. They vanished, slipped off the earth. He waited at Rosario's for hours, stared at the ceiling fan absently, through wafts of blue cigarette smoke. The yellow-brown plaster walls, scrawled with sloppy graffiti, held no answers. The world was against him, for the first time in his life, he felt helpless. On stage, he referred to himself as the strongest man alive, he was spicier than pepper jack cheese. Now, the tunes stopped rocking. Axle North lost his smile. Sirens wailed in the distance. Another one bites the dust. Someday, the sirens would sing his tune. Until that time came, he would still be determined to own the world, the shores, seas, even the mountain tops, nature's snow cones. Axle snapped a cigarette away and thrust his hands into his pockets. His life had been turned upside down, a dramatic upside-down tumble. Had he gone soft? Settled down? A spray of water cascaded off a nearby roof top. Mist rolled over the ground. "A night in London," he sniggered. There they were, sneaking about like rats. Jaudiar had warned him not to do this, but child and woman be damned, this was war. Suffering under the weight of his own ego, Axle had united local Latino and Asian gangs. It was only possible under his influence. He supplied the dope. Their only task was to bring down one man, bring down Rajaah. Meanwhile, Axle would search for something much greater, he had to find himself, his true identity. Someone asked him for a smoke, he gave them the entire pack. Suddenly, cigarettes didn't make him feel so warm inside.

[font=arial]I never take advantage of people for what they can do for me. If someone can benefit me in some way, and I can't stand their personality, then I won't put on a facade and deceive them. For some reason, it's almost impossible for me to ask others to do anything for me. I could be independent, I could be egotistical. Who knows? One might consider that a flaw, but at least I know that I only like people for who they are. I, on the other hand, always help people. Through that I've learned that it's bad to lend others money; it causes amnesia.[/font]

I feel that the reversal system was the most glaring flaw in the gameplay. Anyone who has more than a fleeting experience with the game and a decent timing ability is able to easily master it. There's no skill involved. Hence, frustration can overcome fun factor, particularly when two fairly competent human players run into endless stalemates. The expansive environments were definitely an asset to the game, as were their destructible elements. It was obvious that they were being touted as the game's focal attraction along with sexual appeal (of course). I would like to see the next installment remedy the gameplay flaws and expand the front end a bit, but judging by Itagaki's comments (in which he regretted not expanding the environments even [I]further[/I], I'm afraid that DOA4 will just be more of the same, but with larger backdrops. That's unfortunate, because the DOA series caters to an arcade-driven audience. The action is so fast-paced that there's little time to explore. So, what's the point? lol

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Gohan Enraged [/i] [B]The game was awesome, dont get me wrong. but easy + short. oh well. [/B][/QUOTE] Actually, the game wasn't too short if you gather every hidden item and summon in the game. I would say that the length was fairly typical of a role-playing game. Which, was impressive considering the cinematic nature of the game (Final Fantasy has always been cinematic for its time though). Some of the enemies were difficult to beat too. Especially when you combine monsters in the Calm Lands. Without the appropriate magic spells, you have no chance of surviving. Some of the hybrid monsters are more difficult than the Final Fantasy VII's Weapon creatures, as they can annihilate your entire party in a single attack.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Raiha [/i] [B][cOLOr=royalblue]*crosses self* You need therapy. Lots and lots of therapy. And you might want to start running away from any people of color that don't like politically incorrect people.[/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] Are you saying that white boys can't be jiggy with it?

Twas da night befo' Christmas and all in the hood Not a homie was stirring cuz it was all good The tube socks was hung on the window sill and we all had smiles up on our grill Mookie and BeBe was snug in the crib in the back bedroom cuz that's how we live and moms in her do-rag and me with my nine had just gotten busy cuz girlfriend is fine All of a sudden a lowrider rolled by Bumpin phat beats cuz the system's fly I bounced to the window at a quarter pas' Bout ready to pop a cap in somebody's-- well anyway I yelled to my lady, Yo peep this! She said, Stop frontin just mind yo' bidness I said, for real doe, come check dis out We weren't even buggin, no worries, no doubt Cuz bumpin an thumpin' from around da way Was Santa, 8 reindeer and a sleigh Da beats was kickin, da ride was phat I said, Yo red Dawg, you all that! He threw up a sign and yelled to his boyz, "Ay yo, give it up, let's make some noise! To the top of the projects and across the strip mall, We gots ta go, I got a booty call!" He pulled up his ride on the top a da roof and sippin on a 40, he busted a move I yelled up to Santa, "Yo ain't got no stack!" he said, "Damn homie, deese projects is wack! But don't worry black, cuz I gots da skillz I learnt back when I hadda pay da billz." Out from his bag he pulled 3 small thin's a credit card, a knife, and a bobby pin. He slid down the fire escape smoove as a cat and busted the window with a b-ball bat I said, "Whassup, Santa? Whydya bust my place?" he said,"You best get on up out my face!" His threads was all leatha, his chains was all gold His sneaks was Puma and they was 5 years old He dropped down the duffle, Clippers logo on the side Santa broke out da loot and my mouf popped open wide. A wink of his eye and a shine off his good toof He cabbage patched his way back onto the roof He jumped in his hooptie with rims made of chrome To tap that booty waitin at home and all I heard as he cruised outta sight was a loud and hearty..... "WEEESST SIIIIDE!!!!!!!"

Enough of this silly talk about the future. Because I am all-knowing and all-seeing, I will consult the gods about the future of otakuboards for those of you clamoring to know. It's an odd quest, but it's obvious that a few of you are desperate to know. Gods, [I]oh gods[/I]! What will happen to the boards in the future? [center][img]http://www.freefungames.com/scripts/4.gif[/img][/center] There you have it, the definitive answer. Stick a fork in this thread, it's settled.

I joined the boards back in May 2001. While searching for DragonBall Z material for an art project, I stumbled upon the boards. I had visited the main site on several occasions for that very reason, but by some twist of fate, the site was down and I was redirected to the forums. I gave them no thought and went about working on my project. I just wasn't interested in online forums. Upon completing the project, my friend and I became bored. We were the practical jokers of the class, and our teacher's tolerance of our "sense of humor" was wearing increasingly thin. Suffice to say, we needed something to keep us out of trouble. [I]So[/I], I started searching aimlessly around the net wondering if "that site" was back up yet. I wanted to look at the DBZ pictures, darn it! No dice, I was once again redirected to the boards, which would soon upgrade to version 2, according to the message that popped up. "What the heck," I thought to myself. I figured that I would get a few laughs out of the place. Hehe, I intentionally joined under the silliest name I could possibly fathom, and immediately let the community know that Mr. Satan was the man. I also spammed a bit, saying that Sonic the Hedgehog was my favorite Digimon because he possessed the sacred dragon whistle. No one responded to that thread. Go figure. To date, that is my only post in that forum, lol. After a brief time, this place grew on me. It gave me something to do while I was bored, and the discussion was entertaining. My friend also joined too, flamed a lot of people, and caused our entire school to become banned from otakuboards, since they operated on a singular network. Thankfully, we graduated shortly thereafter, and I found myself still using the site. After version 2.0 went down I went on a brief hiatus. I had just reached Master Member with 500 posts and was forced to start over with a different name, since the character length of the old name was too great for the space provided, so I was a bit discouraged. I was still around, but rarely. When I came back, it was in an effort to defend the mighty :sniggers: X-box. It seemed like a cool challenge, but it didn't go so well. It did mark my first run-in with Semjaza though, in which I swiftly throttled him. Well, not really, lol. After that experience, I started to come around a bit more. The "Crazy White Boy" name wasn't so bad, and it was still possible to have fun. After all, the gaming forums had been expanded since my version 2.0 romp. Fast forward to now. Some things haven't changed. I'm [I]still[/I] not an otaku (cataku). Anime isn't my thing. Phew, and I'm still not a message board kinda guy. This is just a unique spot. But, I have met some neat people, had some good times.

It's hard to give you advice in this situation. Training the mind is very similar to training the body. You can't just hit the gym one day and walk out in top form. Molding the mind is a methodical experience, you have to shape it over time, exercising it with thought. As I mentioned in another thread recently, the best exercise you can partake in right now, is rewriting your class material repeatedly. Rewrite it and reread it for about an hour. Once you've done so, put the notebook down and try to recite the notes to yourself. If you can't repeat and understand the material, then you haven't learned it. I know that it will take some time, but if you push yourself, I'm sure that you can get a grasp on some of the material for tomorrow's exam. You know that your problem is laziness, therefore, you know what you must overcome. It's really simple; in this situation you must help yourself. I know you can get by this. Just hammer it all in, lol. If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

Well, you better get that GameCube, because the Resident Evil titles filling in the central plotline are exclusive to Nintendo's console. So, don't hold your breath waiting for a PS2 Resident Evil 0 or anything. However, Resident Evil Online is still scheduled to release for the Playstation 2. With the question having been answered, I'd say that this thread has been dismissed. [center][img]http://cwb.250free.com/Others/thatsfinal.jpg[/img][/center]

I've always liked the femininity that Anne Rice has draped the vampires in. It's pure gold having them occupy an aristocracy as opposed to a worthless Neanderthal bloodsucking existence. It's been a while since I've seen the movie, or read any of the vampire chronicles, but I've always enjoyed the tender relationships shared by the characters. Sometimes the males come off [I]too[/I] feminine, but I enjoy the humanization. [I]The Queen of the Damned[/I] was indeed horrible. It took "The Vampire Lestat" and "The Queen of the Damned" and tried to mesh them together. While doing this, most of the depth the books featured was lost. Certain vital characters to the Vampire Chronicles were featured incorrectly or barely at all. Blech. The soundtrack was the film's only redeeming quality, lol.

I agree with Transtic Nerve. Your father sounds really overbearing and it seems to me that the intense pressure he is placing on you is saddling you, rather than motivating you. The real problem here isn't discovering a magical means to pull your grades up to an "A." Admittedly, you should ask your math teacher for extra attention to pull your spiraling average up. But, I suggest having a talk with your father. Explain to him how hard you're pushing in your studies, and how his overzealous expectations are burning you out. You don't have to be perfect to be a good student. The key to succeeding in your studies is [I]thinking.[/I] After you're done taking notes, find a quiet spot and rewrite them, and think about what you're writing. That's how you hammer them into your head. Just try to think about the material and how it relates to the course for ten minutes. I would rather pull out a hard "C" than an easy "A." Your father should realize that if you work hard on the material and gain something from it, you're getting a greater reward than an alphabetical character. Perhaps if he sees the effort you're putting forth, he'll stop hindering you with these silly expectations. Show him the notes. Correct your "F" test and [I]show[/I] him that you know where you went wrong. In the end though, you're your own person, and it's impossible for you to be exactly what he wants you to be. You've got to be who you want to be.

I know that I'm coming into this relatively late, but I feel that a friend is someone that one can confide in. If I'm placing my trust in a friend, especially concerning intimate details of my life, I'm doing so with a firm understanding that they're there to listen and lead me in the right direction, if necessary. As you and others have said, this is your life, your personal business, and it's your obligation to "come out" whenever and however you wish to. When you do, I'm sure that those closest to you will accept you for who you are. They might be taken back at first, but if your sexuality doesn't matter to us, it certainly shouldn't matter to people who have known you and grown with you. To me, you're still the same cool guy with a great sense of humor, who loves Duck Tales and Captain Planet. So, I wish you the best of luck in letting those around you know your secret, as opposed to someone who has no business speaking of it. As long as you accept yourself unconditionally, and be proud of who you are, I'm sure that others will be proud of you. Truth, like surgery, may hurt, but it cures.

Today, there's not much of a difference between children and adults. Children smoke, drink, have sexual intercourse, and know more about technology than most adults. The only difference between an adult and a child, presently, is awareness and knowledge of what is going on in the world. Television, peoples' favorite soap operas and whatnot, are just distractions. They're instruments put in front of you to keep you from being aware--from asking questions. Without television, people would be worlds more political, aware of what's going on in the actual world. The politicians probably love television, lol. Without it, people would be a lot less optimistic about having their civil liberties stripped away in favor of "safety precautions." So, basically, the television stops you from thinking, excluding good, national news. Basically, television tells individuals what is acceptable, how to think and what to think.

What you see is what you get. I've never tried to create a false identity. There are probably a lot of people who try to appear more glamorous online, because it's easy to hide their imperfections. That's a novelty of the internet, I suppose; it can give people a chance to be something they normally couldn't be. By creating a false identity, they feel that they can gain a higher level of acceptance. I could never do that, because I'm a fairly lame actor. After a while I would probably become entangled in lies and make myself look silly, lol. Then again, I've never felt a need to hide behind a mask. I'm just a weirdo through and through--nothing can mask that. If people don't like me for who I am it's cool. "It's better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for something that you are not."

I probably won't be buying it because I already went through the original DreamCast version. The new character, evil versions of the three original characters, and new sub quests all sound nice, but they're basically just a new layer of icing. In all honesty, I don't care too much about the removal of tobacco products or alcohol. Their omission is silly, considering how downplayed they were. It's nothing that will affect the game in the least. If you haven't played the DC version, then this one is a must-own. People say that it's about as good as Grandia II for DC, but there's no comparison--SOA crushes it. Because there is a heavy emphasis on exploration, you must uncover the entire world map. There are all sorts of hidden goodies and secrets to find. Plus, the GameCube version will tone down the overzealous combat, so it should make friendlier exploring. With the GameCube pretty much starved for role-playing games, it'll be nice to see this title come along. At least it's not a port of Crazy Taxi or something, lol.

It's snowing here to, thus my Campus has cancelled all class. I wasn't expecting this at all. If anything, I thought that we would get a few flurries tonight. Heh, you won't see me complaining about an impromptu day off though. Now to pelt small balls of ice at unsuspecting children, like the grumpy jerk that I am. [spoiler]I'm not really going to do that, you know.;)[/spoiler]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Spikey [/i] [B]That made me kind of sad. It was very good. Not a lot of stuff makes me said. If you got an A- on that paper, then you my sir, are good. It has perfect meaning, greatly written. Just amazing. I have a couple of question. Have you seen the person since you wrote this? Did he cry when you asked him questions and stuff? I amagined he would. [/B][/QUOTE] I'm glad you liked it Spikey. I see George almost everyday. It's quite amazing too, considering how much colder the weather has become. I figured that he would have seeked out some kind of shelter by now. He didn't cry when I asked the questions though. I believe that he's pretty much accepted what he is. Although, when I tried to dig into the story behind his mother's death, he told me that it was too painful to talk about. Also, he was visibly upset when talking about his children...

Men of Honor was a really touching movie. I've watched the movie repeatedly. It's just amazing. To see the main character overcome all the injustice and tragedy in his life for the purpose of living up to his father's expectations is unforgettable. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who has not seen it. It's very emotional. I also thought that Forrest Gump was really touching. Tom Hanks' is just innocent and passive in life and despite his limitations, manages to learn and experience more in life than most people ever could. Lastly, no one can forget the Rocky films. They're the classic "worst to first" movies. I've never met a person who doesn't like Rocky I-IV.

OOC: For a bit of novelty, I've decided to integrate Salivas' song "Always" into my post. I think it works out pretty well. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [I][center]I hear... a voice say "Don't be so blind"... it's telling me all these things... that you would probably hide... am I... your one and only desire... am I the reason you breath... or am I the reason you cry... Always... always... always... always... always... [b]always... always... [/b] I just can't live without you... [/i][/center] "God damn it," Axle muttered. Gleaming panels of glass imploded, sounding off like firecrackers about the room. Initially there was the empty sound of nothingness, complete silence. For a brief second, he couldn't hear himself think. The silence was the scariest part. It made him wonder if silence was the sound of death. The following pandemonium was familiar--his life story. Axle covered his eyes, intense white light washed out everything. It was the closest to heaven that he would ever be. Particles of glass ground into dust burned his skin. He was the lead singer of the most notorious band in the history of the music industry, a bounty hunter. Unlike most bands, murder was their addiction. Drugs were for the weak. Axle, a man paid to take lives, wasn't prepared to make life. For an instant, he hated Jaudiar--a wave of anger swept through his body, it shook him. But, he knew that it wasn't her fault. They trapped one another in a moment of reckless lust. [I][Center]I love you... I hate you... I can't live without you... I breathe you... I taste you... I can't live without you... I just can't take anymore... this life of solitude... I guess that i'm out the door... and now i'm done with you... [/center][/I] "God damn it," he echoed. He knew that he was as helpless as toothless a lion gumming a grizzly. Jaudiar's body thrived with searing jolts of energy. She lit the syndicate headquarters up like a Christmas tree. He knew that the Koreans were no longer their most potent problem. Most fled as the structure began to buckle under its own weight. Jaudiar was down. It wasn't a good sign. It was too much. This stranger--this bastard, was trying to hurt his girl and his unborn kid. He still wasn't clear on where he stood. Maybe he would run, just leave it all behind. After all, his magic was nowhere near the caliber of this new nemesis. The door was so close, it grew as he mechanically approached it one step at a time. [center][I]I feel... like you don't want me around... I guess i'll pack all my things... I guess i'll see you around... Inside... it bottles up until now... as I walk out your door... all I hear is the sound... Always... always... always... always... always... [b]always... always... [/b] I just can't live without you[/center][/I] Jaudiar groaned with pain as Rajaah's magic began to overcome her. Suddenly, Axle became frozen in his steps, couldn't move. If someone asked Axle if he actually cared for someone other than himself for the first time in his life, he would firmly deny it. But, for one brief moment, he showed a sliver of compassion. It was an impulse, a reaction. His actions were almost a reflex when for the first time in his life, he did something noble. "There it is," he said, noticing an opening, a weakness. Axle withdrew the gun he lovingly referred to as "Ole' Betsy" and fired a flash grenade. Poetry in motion. Another burst of white light flooded the room. Some Catholics believe that lightning strikes when God is angry. On that day, the world felt the anger of man, as brilliant flashes lit up the horizon. [i][center]I love you... I hate you... I can't live without you... I left my head around your heart... Why would you tear my world apart... Always... always... always... always... I see... the blood all over your hands... does it make you feel... more like a man... was it all... just a part of your plan... this pistol's shakin' in my hands... and all I hear is the sound...[/center][/i] God North's singer didn't remember scooping Jaudiar up in his arms, cradling her. But there she was, helpless for the first time since they'd met. As the building fell behind them, the two criminals slid down a zip line. But, Axle couldn't help but to wonder, if it was their ticket to freedom, or a highway to hell. [center][i]I love you... I hate you... I can't live without you... I just can't take anymore... this life of solitude... I pick myself off the floor... and now i'm done with you... Always... Always... Always...[/center][/i]

I gave him ten dollars for the interview even though I give him change everyday. I thought that was [I]very[/I] compassionate, even bordering on foolish of me. Anyway, he knows where the shelters are at and it's up to him to get a job and work. There are certain things in life that we have to do by ourselves, without relying on others to hold our hands for us. Mitch is one-hundred percent correct. People can only help themselves when they want to be helped. Today I learned that my article will, in fact, be printed in the school newspaper under the features section. I like to believe that I did my part in demonstrating that the homeless are people too, people with stories. By the way, I got an A- on the paper. Not bad.

Fighting games are probably the easiest games to complete with just one quarter. Sould Calibur, for instance, doesn't require a lot of practice. At the arcade I beat it at, the difficulty must have been set to easy, because I could simply mash the buttons and win almost flawlessly. The Simpsons arcade game was probably the first that I beat using only one quarter though. I was always good at the Streets of Rage/Final Fight beat 'em ups, so it was only a matter of time before I rescued Maggie from Mr. Burns....

My favorite quote is kind of obscure and doesn't come from a major player in the series. But, it's really memorable. It was the episode when ex-president George Bush moved into the mansion across the street from the Simpson family. The Simpsons were having a yard sale, and one of their junk items was a jacket that read "Disco Stu" on the back, because Homer ran out of room and couldn't fit "Disco Stud." Soon enough, an unamed character says to a man dressed in seventies clothing, "Hey, you should buy this jacket Stu," and he replies "Disco Stu doesn't advertise."