James

[color=#707875]Although this game has been rumored for a while, it's nice to actually see screens of it. It looks [i]gorgeous[/i]. Beautiful art design, from the looks of it. And it comes with an interesting gameplay concept too. Yet another reason to suggest that Nintendo might be owning this year's E3. ~_^[/color]

[color=#707875]This is what I've always wanted. I have to say, it's one of the more surprising announcements. A real-time 3D Advance Wars? It's almost as though Nintendo's been reading the thoughts of all of those Advance Wars fanboys the world over. ~_^ I still have to download the video, though. I will probably comment more after that. ^_^[/color]

[color=#707875]All I can say is that I'm majorly impressed with what I've seen of DS so far. The hardware unit is a great piece of technology, with some awesome features. "Versatility" is definitely the key word here. In terms of the games...I don't know how anyone could be disappointed with the initial first party lineup that we've seen. You've got Animal Crossing DS, Mario Kart DS, Super Mario 64 x 4 and more; the list goes on. Even PictoChat looks pretty cool in terms of being a good demonstration of what the machine can do. It will be amazing to see developers put the wireless communication to some good use, especially in multiplayer games. If there any surprises for me, they'd be the simple fact that DS is already sporting such an abundance of big name software. There were concerns about how Nintendo would distribute its development resources, to cope with the introduction of this all-new platform. But based on what we've seen, even in simple numerical terms, things are looking good. And the third party support is insane; already significantly higher than PSP. I've already done a lot of DS-related browsing and I've spoken to a couple of my N-S colleagues about it. So far, everyone seems to be quite impressed with things. The demonstration at the conference was definitely impressive in and of itself; it'll be good to start getting proper impressions going soon. All of these announcements give me the distinct impression that those who doubted Iwata early on may soon be eating their collective hats. Remember when IGN used the headline "Iwata Reiterates Baffling Philosophy"? That headline was obviously biased. I think now, his philosophy for Nintendo may not be quite so baffling.[/color]

[color=#707875]As a footnote to what you said there, Alex, I think it's important to note that when you're in a relationship (whoever it is that you're with and whatever their hobbies are), there's give-and-take involved. Obviously both of you won't thoroughly enjoy every single hobby that your partner has. So rather than saying something like "it's cool if she likes what I like", it's better to say that each of you will dabble in the other person's hobby a little bit, whether it's games or anything else. Know what I mean? In terms of gaming specifically, I've rarely come across people in my own dating history who have thoroughly enjoyed gaming. I can only think of one person (my most recent relationship and also my longest) who actually had some interest in gaming (mostly Zelda, which was fine by me lol). But gaming is gaming, like any other hobby. If the partner I'm with doesn't like it, that doesn't mean I have to choose between games or the girl, as it were. It just means that I have to incorporate both into my life as is appropriate. I also think that there are a lot of stereotypes surrounding girls and games. I know that my two sisters play games like Halo and GTA a lot more than I do. My oldest sister found Animal Crossing boring, but much preferred the frantic action of Mario Kart. And she was addicted to Goldeneye. So it's not as though she preferred so-called "girly games". It came down to individual taste, rather than taste based on some kind of sexual boundary. If you look at the statistics, you'll find that a massive number of gamers in North America are actually women over the age of 25. I don't have the exact figures with me, but I believe that it's estimated that about 40% of gamers are women. And a majority of those are over 18. If I find the results again, I'll present 'em here. Whether the survey is accurate or marginally accurate, it still paints a picture that largely contradicts the stereotype. Games like The Sims really helped to change this trend too; the vast, vast majority of Sims players are women. It's also true that The Sims is more of a "girls' game". It's a game that may appeal to female non-gamers, as well as female gamers who may not be interested in blowing stuff up or racing cars. The sheer fact that it's based on character relationships, as well as having a strong creative component, has helped to draw in female gamers. I tend to find that female gamers would generally prefer to create, rather than destroy, during a gaming experience. With males it's often the opposite. But that is most definitely a broad generalization. We're all individuals and there are obviously various tastes within each sex. In general though, there are far too many stereotypes out there about female gamers and gamers in general. In today's market, things are far more even-handed than one might expect and more and more companies are deliberately targeting women. One of the reasons that GBA and GBA SP have been so successful, for example, is because a lot of women are buying them. Again, this is what made The Sims the highest selling PC game ever; it was tapping into an audience that most games ignore with their marketing.[/color]

[color=#707875]If you've been looking at our sticky E3 games thread, you'll know that there have already been a number of announcements about new games and hardware, even before the actual show begins. In terms of hardware, there's quite a lot to look forward to. Right now the big ones are Sony's PSP, Nintendo's DS and Nokia's N-Gage QD. But there is also Infinium Labs' Phantom. Before I begin talking about the machine in a little more depth, I want to point out that there's already been a thread on the subject in Play It. You can find it [url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=20020&highlight=Phantom"]here[/url]. There are two reasons that I decided to create an "official" thread for this unit. The first reason is that when the original thread was made, there was so little information. And there was a lot of skepticism about the machine in general; that's no surprise, given the original claims about it as well as the fact that there no realistic details given. We didn't even had a proper shot of the hardware; just an awfully silly conceptual rendering. And it looked ugly. lol But if you fast forward to the present, things have apparently changed. For one, the Phantom project is now headed up by Kevin Bachus, who used to work in Microsoft's Xbox division. He recently gave an interview with IGN, where he was pretty clear about where Infinium is going with the Phantom and what we can expect. He also admitted that the original announcement had been poorly handled. But he assured everyone that things would be done more carefully now that he's in charge. And from the most recent pre-E3 details, it seems as though Bachus may just have kicked things into shape. But before I do anything else, I want to tell you exactly what the Phantom is and why it's different to what's out there currently. First and foremost, the Phantom is [i]essentially [/i]a PC and console merged together. Whilst it uses PC components on the inside, players don't have to install games or anything like that. So it has the plug-and-play functionality of a game console. Secondly, the Phantom won't really need its own library of games, like a console. At least, not in the traditional sense. Instead, the Phantom can play any existing PC game. And while PC games will no doubt make up the bulk of its library, Infinium Labs has said that there are developers who are working on Phantom-specific games at the moment. But these differences are the small ones -- there's much more to it than that. You won't actually have to buy the Phantom. You'll get it for free. Instead of paying outright for the hardware, you will be need to join a two year contract with Infinum Labs, which will set you back around $29.95 per month. So, think of it like cable television; you don't pay for the hardware, you just pay for the ongoing service. Once you've signed up, you can then play a list of included games on demand without paying any extra. I'm not sure how big this list will be, but these games will be included in the monthly cost. How do you play games? Well, you don't go and buy them from the store. Instead, you use an online interface to stream the games on to your Phantom. Bachus has said that the streaming can be done with any game (so the game doesn't have to be modified to accept streaming) and it will work in much the same way that one would stream a video file. So, you won't have to wait for ages to download the entire game and [i]then [/i]play it. Presumably you can play [i]as [/i]the game streams. This should make for a very seamless process, if it works out. So, the Phantom will operate this feature via a broadband connection. You'll never actually see a physical game or anything like that -- everything is done through this online streaming mechanism. And then, if you wish, you can actually purchase certain "triple A" games. This service goes above and beyond the regular service and because you aren't getting a packaged game, the cost of purchasing games drops by around $10 to $15. In addition to this, you can rent games (games that aren't available in the standard package). Apparently they'll be offering PC games to rent for around $5 for three days. And they're now talking about a possible rent-to-own system as well, for the future. As you can see based on this information, the Phantom is definitely offering something pretty different and untested in terms of video games. Although similar techniques have been used on various occasions, I don't think anyone has actually tried to offer a complete package like Infinium Labs is doing with Phantom. For those who are interested, here are the specs: [list] [*]XP 2500+ CPU [*]256MB RAM [*]128MB GeForce FX 5700 Ultra [*]40GB hard drive [*]nForce 2 Ultra 400 motherboard [*]Custom controller and game pad [*]Keyboard and mouse [*]Lapboard [*]LAN enabled [*]Supports HDTV and Dolby Surround [/list]All of the above (including the keyboard, mouse, controller, pad and lapboard) are included in the package. [img]http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/512/512854/phantom-200405101007498.jpg[/img] This is apparently how the machine looks when you have it on your lap. The keyboard is angled upward so that you can move the mouse around underneath it. I think that this is a really cool idea. The angle looks like it would also be relatively comfortable for FPS games (where you might be using W, S, D and A for movement). [img]http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/512/512854/phantom-200405101007795.jpg[/img] This is the flat position, for when you aren't using the mouse. [img]http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/512/512854/phantom-200405101007529.jpg[/img] [img]http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/512/512854/phantom-200405101007670.jpg[/img] I must say, I am impressed by the fact that this is now a tangible machine and that we have some details as to how it'll function and so on. I'm also impressed by the fact that Infinium Labs are taking such a risk with this new technology. In principle, I think this is a great idea -- it responds to many of the current challenges within the industry, while attempting to carve out a new niche in the market. I can imagine console gamers buying this instead of a high end PC, if only for the sheer convenience. Even PC users may purchase it, so that they don't have to worry about the assorted problems with PC games (installation, the fact that you can only purchase games and not rent them [though you can rent them over here], varying tech specs, etc). In addition to all of the above, the Phantom is LAN enabled. So you can connect to an online game with PC users, without having to really set up anything -- it's all there for you. The Phantom will enter beta testing in June and July and will be available to the public in November. Although I can't sit here and say that I'm sold on this new machine, I [i]am [/i]impressed by these new developments. I really wish Infinium Labs luck with the Phantom; it could be a big breath of fresh air in the industry, if it takes off.[/color]

Joshua approached Jamie and ran his fingers over Jamie's lips delicately, wiping away the small traces of blood that were still there. Jamie smiled. "Let's get the *****," he said. Both men walked toward the trailer's doorway. As they passed the kitchen counter, Joshua paused to grab a wooden chair nearby. He reached down and snapped one of its legs off, which he then gripped tightly in his right hand. But just as he did this... [size="4"][i]CRASH![/i][/size] ...he saw Jamie fly past him. Jamie crashed through the trailer's rear wall and tumbled into a kiddie wading pool outside. Joshua's attention returned to the doorway where he saw Arianna, who posessed a satisfied grin. She stroked the handle of her chain-whip in an almost seductive manner. "You two still haven't learned, have you?" Joshua's expression didn't change, as Arianna chuckled to herself. "You [i]really[/i] expected to just walk outside and see me waiting there for you? Both of you are so damn naive, it's no wonder Adam didn't want you around anymore." "In that case, I won't waste any time," said Joshua flatly. Just as his sentence finished, he flung the chair leg at Arianna. She let out a shrill scream as it struck her shoulder; the few rusty nails that had been sticking out the end of the leg had dug into her skin. Arianna looked down at the wound and just as she was about to swear at Joshua, she felt a heavy boot against the side of her face. Joshua had lunged forward and delivered a round-house kick to Arianna's jaw, which sent her sprawling backwards out of the trailer and on to the grass beyond. "Argh!" Arianna tore the chair leg from her shoulder and groped around on the grass, in search of her precious chain-whip. She could hear Joshua's footsteps, as his boots clunked with each step. The sound of those cowboy boots was unmistakeable. Arianna's fingers could feel the cool steel handle of the chain-whip, which pleased her greatly; she had almost felt lost without it. But having it in her grasp once more gave her quite a confidence boost. Arianna spun 'round sharply, sending the chain-whip thrashing through the air in a circle around her. The chain-whip's end collided with Joshua's lower jaw, which stopped him in his tracks. He put his hand over his jaw and then looked down at his palm. He could barely see the skin on his own hand, for all the blood. Arianna stood up and dusted the grass from herself. She looked quite a sight, standing there in the yard with Joshua. Her cheek was bruised and the frilly white front of her French maid's uniform was now streaked with the red stuff. Adam would have been proud of her. He'd always said that she was at her most sexy just after a good fight. The trailer door gave a loud thud, as it snapped off its hinges. Jamie stood in the doorway, soaking wet from head to toe. He held his katana up in front of himself, as he approached Arianna. Joshua stood next to him, holding his knife; he'd managed to grab it from the grass, as it'd fallen out of Arianna's hand when she landed on the ground. Arianna smirked and began swinging the chain-whip around sharply, in a figure eight pattern. The whip sounded light; it almost screeched as Arianna manipulated it effortlessly. That sound was very unique to Arianna and many in the underworld had learned to fear it. The whip was travelling so fast that it could easily cut off a limb without too much effort. "******* bastards," breathed Arianna, as she spat blood at the grass. "You couldn't even let me catch up with my own mother, could you?" "We're just going after the cunts who took our boy," said Jamie slowly, as he pointed his blade at her, "and you're one of them." Arianna grinned once more, bearing her bloody teeth. "You can try your luck, Kidd. I'm more than just a pretty face." "Let's see how pretty you are once we're through with you," said Joshua. And with that, Joshua lunged forward at Arianna, closely followed by Jamie. Arianna flicked her whip at Joshua and knocked the knife from his hand once more. The knife flew through the air and lodged itself in the side of the trailer. With another flick of her wrist, the whip jumped up at Joshua's neck and wrapped around it tightly. Arianna tugged the handle and brought Joshua down to his knees on the grass. He had both hands wrapped around the chain, as he tried to loosen it from his neck. "You're forgetting that there's two of us," said Jamie, "and now your only weapon is occupied." Jamie held the katana over his head and brought it down through the air, right at Arianna's face. "Oh, I'm not forgetting," she said. She then pulled the feather duster from the belt of her maid's uniform. She gave it a sharp flick with her wrist. Just as she did this, a long, thin blade emerged from within the handle. Arianna held the blade up over her face, just in time. With a loud "clank", Jamie's katana met Arianna's dagger. Jamie pushed down on Arianna's dagger forcefully. "Clever," he said under his breath. Arianna tugged on the chain-whip again, tightening it around Joshua's throat. He gasped and looked across at Jamie, as his face began to redden. Jamie struck at Arianna again with his katana and for several moments, the pair lunged and blocked with their blades. "Okay, enough of this," said Jamie, as he stepped back and brought his katana down, right across chain, which connected the handle to Joshua's throat. The chain had been so tight that cutting it caused Arianna to fall backwards suddenly. Joshua quickly pulled the chain off his throat and stood up. Arianna had fallen backwards towards an old set of children's swings, that had been sitting in the yard and rusting for years. She fell right into one of the swings and grabbed the two chains tightly. Jamie momentarily put his hand on Joshua's neck. "Are you okay?" But Joshua didn't have time to answer. A pair of black stilettos suddenly came into view, hitting Jamie right in the side of the head, sending him backwards on to the grass. Joshua looked around and saw Arianna on the swing. She'd deliberately swung forward forcefully enough to strike Jamie and now she was coming at Joshua. But he was ready for her, this time. As Arianna's stilettos suddenly came closer, Joshua grabbed them and pulled hard. He heard a shrill scream, as Arianna was torn from the swing and sent flying through the air. With a sudden and thunderous crash, Arianna landed on the windshield of Bill's truck, which had been parked in the yard near the trailer. She slowly picked herself up. Her hands were shaking, as she pulled shards of glass from her skin. "Ugh, look what you've done!" she roared. "I'm going to ******* kill you!" And that's where I'm going to leave it. Sorry if parts of it are a little poorly written...I lost my post and tried to remember what I'd said. And that never seems to work. -.- Anyway, now it's Josh's turn. He'll be the last to post in this chapter. It'll be up to him to conclude this battle and decide what happens. ~_^

[color=#707875]Beautiful, Sen. Out of all the work I've seen from you, this is my favourite. I really like the banner. It really hits the sweet spot for me. It's very subtle, but it tells you so many things at the same time. The smoke stacks (or whatever they're called; I forget), are really obvious symbols in terms of their shape -- everyone's seen them, everyone knows what they are. So the fact that you've used them as silhouettes is clever. The radiation symbols only serve to further enhance that point. I also really love the smokey effects you've used with the whole thing. It looks almost as though this image could have been a photograph taken on a clear day...but the smoke and grit is so heavy that it's blocking out the sun. It's like a night time scenario has been created simply due to the smoke stacks. I really like the way that the smoke kind of "wraps around" the stacks themselves, so it's as though they're almost 2D silhouettes enveloped in more of a 3D space. The text at the bottom is effective -- the font, and the treatment you've used on it works very well. I would say, personally, I would [i]almost [/i]prefer this banner without any text at all. It's just a very powerful image. It's very imposing and dominant. It almost looks like the stacks are sitting there in the darkness, brooding away amongst themselves, you know? That emotional effect has been produced to a fine degree here. The avatar is similarly good. You've kept the same colours and texture, but only maintained the radiation symbol. It's such a great symbol, it works really well in images like this. And the fact that you've scratched it out a little only adds to the effect. So, this is by far my favourite work of yours, Sen. You've improved by leaps and bounds, since I first began seeing your images. I have absolutely no doubt that it won't take you long to really rival the very best artists in this community -- your work is improving at a remarkable speed. Excellent job.[/color]

[color=#707875]There are a billion bosses that come to mind for me, in terms of them being really cool. But I have to say, the one that first came to mind when I read the thread title was Bowser, in Super Mario 64. There was something incredibly awesome about spinning him around by the tail, in 3D. I mean, it was Mario's first 3D game...and we weren't even doing something boring like jumping on his head. The sheer coolness of spinning around a giant dinosaur like that just can't be comprehended! [/color] :lecture:

[color=#707875]There's also the fact that Virtual Bulletin doesn't seem to support the "username/screenname" idea by default. And although we could probably implement that type of feature, I think it would also be more of a security risk. If your username is identical to your "screen name", it becomes harder for you to switch names frequently. So, Charles and I are happy to change people's names on OB. The main reason that we don't let you guys do it yourselves, is because frequent name changing would cause some big headaches; it's happened before. Nobody knows who anyone else is, and then people want to set up threads where they list the screen names they've had...and it becomes a huge, confusing mess. We recommend that you carefully consider your name before registering. And then if you really want it changed, we'll do it for you manually.[/color]

[color=#707875]He acts gay and sings gay? What is "singing gay"? I don't know the answer, but I [i]do [/i]reckon that this is a pretty pointless thread. [/color]

[QUOTE=cloricus]Honestly James, you are now going far away from the topic and if what you say in your last post is true then your original post rebutting mine had nothing to do with what I said. (This makes my last response null.) First off I have nothing to be embarrassed about, if I do please explain and point out why.[/quote][color=#707875][/color] [color=#707875]I will illustrate why below, in response to your points.[/color][quote=cloricus] The topic is "Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners" and that is what my post addressed, I assumed in your response that you were talking about general abuse of people by the Australian Army. If you were not and were (as you now say) talking about general lack of discipline I miss understood and apologise but I fail to see how this, which is even further from the topic, has anything to do with my first post which you have still not justified your 'put down' of. It was an opinion, not an attack on other countries just for the hell of it.[/quote] [color=#707875]I will explain, if it was not clear enough in the beginning. This topic is about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. So what are we discussing in general terms? We are talking about this specific incident, as well as discussing the conduct of the military in general. Obviously these two topics are related, so that's the first point. The second point is that, in [i]your [/i]post, you cited the idea that this situation has occurred because the American military is undisciplined. You implied that this sort of thing doesn't happen elsewhere, based on the fact that your comments were specifically targeted at the Americans; once again, you used this incident -- which is obviously not representative of the whole -- to paint the American military with one brush. I pointed out that this type of misconduct occurs elsewhere. I pointed out that there is some very extreme hazing going on in the Australian military at times. How does this relate? I will explain in detail for you. This relates becuase we are discussing military conduct. You brought up the idea that the American military is undisciplined because of the incident in Iraq. I pointed out to you that this type of incident -- while absolutely awful -- is not [i]only [/i]an American problem, as your original contention implied. Rather, this problem occurs in just about every military force out there and it is unfair and wrong to suggest that this is generally an American problem, or something to do with an overall lack of training or discipline. While hazing and the incident in Iraq are both different, they do underline a shared key point; discipline and conduct within the military, which leads us back to the topic of discussion at hand. Now, Cloricus, you have not only misinterpreted what I said earlier (which is an indication that you simply didn't read my post -- you skimmed it), but you also suggested that I'm creating some sort of unprovoked attack on you. This is false. I am responding to [i]your [/i]incorrect generalizations and [i]your [/i]misinterpretations of what I said. If that doesn't clarify it for you, I don't know what will.[/color][quote=cloricus] This is where you should reread my post; an army is ultimately responsible for the training, screening (of personalities/actions) and watching that troops obey their orders and do nothing 'wrong'. This did not happen, which I'm sure that you can observe as people have been beaten and humiliated, this is the fault of the respective army?s in general. I believe my comments were founded. [/quote] [color=#707875]Yes, of course I agree with that. These people should be punished for what they did, and the army [i]does [/i]have to consider its policies in this regard. However, you can not imply guilt by association; you can't imply that the entire American military is undisciplined, simply because a few soldiers decided to do something awful. That's simply an unfair comment to make, and you made it. [/color][quote=cloricus] Also I was unaware that the highest moderator at this boards would come down so hard on 'one' generalisation even though sweeping statements like this are being made by others in other controversial threads without comment. (Eg gun control.) I will think again before adding an opinion to a debate here in future.[/quote] [color=#707875]Don't be so ridiculous, Cloricus. I'm not having a discussion in the Gun Control thread, I'm having a discussion [b]here[/b]. I am participating in the discussion in the same way that you are. I am not "attacking" you; I am simply pointing out that your vast generalizations are incorrect and that the implications you've made aren't wise to make, simply because you aren't in a position to make them -- just as I'm not. And as with anything, it's inappropriate to suggest that an [i]entire [/i]military force is undisciplined because of a few idiots. I'm asking you to be realistic, and I'm calling your comments to attention. In a debate, or discussion, you are responsible for what you say. If you don't want someone to disagree with you or question your statements, then why participate? A discussion is all about this; it's all about questioning and [b]discussing[/b] ideas. That's what we're doing. The problem occurs when you skim someone's post and fundamentally misunderstand it -- misunderstanding on its own can even be forgiven, but you aggressively pursue an unrelated topic in a clumsy and confused manner. I [b]read [/b]your posts thoroughly, Cloricus. It's a sign of respect. If I can afford you that respect, you can do the same to me. Otherwise, it's a waste of time to address me.[/color][quote=cloricus] As obvious of the pictures of piled up men who are naked, as blatant as the bloodied bodies, as clear as a terror boot flying towards the face of a random Iraqi? [b]It happened, it should not have happened, it should not be justified; it should be corrected.[/quote][/b] [color=#707875]Why are you even saying this? Are you implying that I'm trying to justify it? I certainly hope not, because that would be a [b]very[/b] embarassing mistake on your part.[/color][quote=cloricus] Now, if it was a well disciplined and over all 'good' force would you not think that at least one of the people involved in the beatings would have stood up, or at least as soon as they saw it happen go up the chain of command and get it stopped ASAP. If you say that did happen then I will question how so many photos of separate incidence exist. [/quote] [color=#707875]Think logically, Cloricus. If a murder occurs somewhere in Australia, do you then suggest that all Australians are blood thirsty murderers? Of course not. That same principle cannot be applied to the American military, in the case of people doing the wrong thing. [i]Yes[/i], someone should have stood up and done something about it. [i]Yes, [/i]it was horribly wrong and those involved should be punished. [i]Yes, [/i]the military should review the situation and do their best to ensure that it doesn't happen again. These are all obvious points to make, and they've been made. But again, let's not use this one incident to cast doubt upon thousands and thousands of other troops. It's like condemning the entire police force because one officer does something wrong. Yes, it should be fixed and there should be punishment; but don't suggest that the whole force is undisciplined.[/color][quote=cloricus] Also the military should be removing these elements if it cannot instil enough discipline to control them, though from the last news report I heard none of the people involved have been dishonourably discharged. Does this say something about the practices of the American army? (The British have already taken strong action from a statement I read earlier today.)[/quote] [color=#707875]As per usual, you're jumping the gun. Last I heard, there is an investigation underway and the prison system there is receiving entirely new management. Give it time, and be reasonable. At the first sign of something going slowly, you jump all over the Americans. That's ridiculous and unrealistic. A process will be followed and these people will be dealt with; several are already under investigation, according to a newspaper I read this morning. And some of them may even face a court marshal. Be very, very careful to ensure that your facts are right before you suggest some conspiracy or lack of concern on the part of the Americans.[/color][quote=cloricus] I would ask that once some one says that your opinion on their post is incorrect (or not what they wanted to convey) and then outlines it in more clear text that you do not continue to hound them and accept what they are 'really' trying to say. [/quote][color=#707875][/color] [color=#707875][/color] [color=#707875]So what are you [i]really [/i]trying to say? You've explained yourself here. I'm not hounding you; I'm explaining why you are incorrect. And I'm further clarifying my own comments, to ensure that you understand me. The fact that I am spending the time to actually respond to you is a mark of respect. You should try to appreciate that, because not everyone on the Internet is going to sit there and explain themselves, or try to clarify things.[/color][quote=cloricus] As when you do not you put them in a position where they have to defend themselves and that response can put them in a position for you to ban which I think is unfair in a debate. (Like now.)[/quote] [color=#707875]Cloricus, you're still in love with conspiracy theories. lol A position where I can ban? Please. That's a complete insult; if I was going to ban you, I wouldn't create some elaborate argument or confrontation; I'd ban you and be quite satisfied with that. But you're not banned, are you? You shouldn't play the victim here, Cloricus. [b]You[/b] are the one who vastly misread[b] my[/b] post, and who then proceeded to chastise me for being nasty. You're being a complete and utter hypocrite if you honestly believe that I'm picking on you; it's quite the reverse, I assure you. The problem is that you apparently skim my posts, eager to respond in disagreement with me. Every time you do this, you make mistakes. You either misread the plain English in my posts, or you throw out random and problematic facts, or you end up "clarifying" what you mean until the meaning changes a few dozen times. You need to correct that kind of behavior if you want to debate with me, because our discussions will always be confrontational if you are unable to pay a very basic level of respect to my posts and the meanings I'm getting across.[/color][quote=cloricus] Please accept I was stating my general disgust at how the army?s involved allowed this to happen in the first place and there lack of swift and harsh response. At the time I did not know about the English response and was unhappy with the American?s (lack of harsh) actions.[/QUOTE] [color=#707875]No, that's not what you stated. Read your post again. You implied that these actions are representative of a military that simply allows them to happen, and you further implied that what happened is a result of poor training and discipline. I responded by saying that you made a harsh generalization (which you did), and that you should not judge the entire force based on a few criminals who decide to do something stupid and cruel. Let me be very clear about that. In addition, you [i]don't [/i]know what the American response is, based on my reading of your latest post. But as per usual, you are ready to jump the gun and attack the Americans, as you always do. The problem is that you [i]presume [/i]the outcome before you know it. I just finished telling you that there is an investigation and that the leadership of the Iraqi prison system has been completely changed; this is a direct response, designed to improve conditions and change the system of working. No doubt, the investigations of those involved could result in anything ranging from a dishonorable discharge to something entirely more severe. But nobody knows that for sure yet; not you, not me, not the media. So, making a conclusion at this stage of the game is completely inappropriate.[/color]

[QUOTE=cloricus]I totally love it James. :D Your response is the totally unjustified attack here. I at no point mentioned the Australian army, at the time of writing I wasn't even thinking about it, I kept on topic through my post. I was very disgusted at the (now disproved) assault that the Australian troops were meant to have carried out in East Timor, and I made that known at the time so your claim is unfounded. Plus I respect the British army no end and am really saddened at this happening from some of their troops, I would have expected something better... (And I hope those photos are fake.) Now my point, if they are allowed to do that or don't have the ability to step away from it they are undisciplined and that is a bad reflection on their training and army, no matter how big a problem it is it did happen and those are the two factors that should have stopped it. Or would you like to be the man that had all his front teeth smashed out?[/QUOTE][color=#707875][/color] [color=#707875]Wait a minute, Cloricus. You've just embarassed yourself here. I mentioned [i]hazing[/i]. I said nothing about East Timor. I was talking about the hazing that new recruits go through in the Navy, specifically the incidents that took place on various Australian submarines. So on the first point, you are completely [i]missing [/i]the point. Had you actually paid attention to what I'd written, this would not have occurred. Secondly, you flatly mentioned that the incidents in Iraq are a result of America having an undisciplined army; this is a broad, sweeping generalization that is simply unfounded. You and I both know that we're talking about a minority, rather than a majority. But you took the opportunity to make a very general comment, which isn't terribly accurate on the whole. No matter how great the training or discipline is, there will always be someone who is going to break the rules. It's interesting to contrast this recent event with the incredibly humane way that the American troops dealt with various Iraqi detainees (thousands of them) who surrendered during the initial invasion. To point to this one instance and say that it represents a break down of training and discipline, is simply not accurate or realistic. I shouldn't have to even say that; it should be obvious. I suggest that you read my post a bit more carefully before you reply next time. Not only have you answered a point that I wasn't even making, but your response bares little relevance to [i]anything [/i]I mentioned at all.[/color]

[color=#707875]Regarding the "**ND" part...you're right that "ND" can only be used for "2ND". But there's a reason that there are two asterisks before the ND. Perhaps I'm being too cryptic for my own good though, and tripping over myself in the process. lol Regarding the silhouettes...these are not pre-fab designs. They are my own creations. And they are specifically based on characters in the story. Anime_fangurl actually hit the nail on the head with her interpretation of what the silhouettes represent, although as to who they are specifically...that's another issue. I didn't want to make the second silhouette stand defiantly next to the first; I wanted it to shrink back, as though it's slightly afraid. It's true that I could have done something classy with the numbers, Baron. But remember, you haven't yet seen Kill Bill. If you do...I think this type of design will make more sense, in that you will recognize its deliberateness (rather than anything being an accident).[/color]

[color=#707875]Yeah, I did two years of graphic design in high school, and I'm in my second year of a Bachelor of Arts (in graphic design). So, I've done a lot of design classes over the years. I'm definitely not an amazing artist though; but I have come to a greater understanding about the psychology of design. So, that's helped with site development and stuff. But yeah, anyway...I should really get this thread back on track somehow. lol It's great that you've noticed the link with Kill Bill, while also acknowledging that it's a different overall design. I really like the Kill Bill "style", so to speak. The colours are so well used, especially in the movie itself (ie: not just the wallpapers/logos/site graphics). I've actually had fun working on different post backgrounds for Volume 2 as well (all of which will be optional/chooseable by those who enter the RPG).[/color]

[center][img]http://www.otakuboards.com/killadam/KIlogo.gif[/img] [size=4]Chapter 11: One Last Conversation[/size][/center] [b]Summary:[/b] In this chapter, Adam has a final conversation with **** before his release from prison. [b]Characters:[/b] ****, Adam. [b]Setting:[/b] Alcatraz Prison Complex. [b][i]|A puff of thick smoke...|[/i][/b] [font=trebuchet ms]"So you're back again."[/font] "Yes. I wanted to get one last look at you, before I go." [b][i]|A silence...|[/i][/b] [font=trebuchet ms]"Go? Where are you going?"[/font] "I'll still be around, but we won't be able to talk like this again." [font=trebuchet ms]"Why not?"[/font] "Because..." [b][i]|A deep sigh...|[/i][/b] "...when you leave here, you will find out the truth. You may think that you respect me, that you look up to me, but you will want to kill me when you leave here, just like they are trying now." [font=trebuchet ms]"I don't understand. You've always been there for me. You were a tough parent, but that's what I needed. It's my own fault that I've been rotting away in here for the past few months."[/font] [b][i]|"Keep your hands off the glass!"|[/i][/b] "I'm not your parent. I'm...only an employer, if you could call me that. You're not my son." [b][i]|Another silence, but no tears...|[/i][/b] [font=trebuchet ms]"That doesn't surprise me."[/font] "I know. I knew it wouldn't. You are..." [font=trebuchet ms]"What?"[/font] "You are revenge. You are payback. You are the result of someone else's failing to keep to a commitment -- a commitment to me." [font=trebuchet ms]"What are you talking about? Who didn't keep their commitment? And if you're not my father...what about Joshua?"[/font] "Joshua [b]is[/b] your father. So is...Jamie." [b][i]|A deep breath, and another puff of smoke...|[/i][/b] [font=trebuchet ms]"I see. So you and Joshua weren't..."[/font] "No. I enjoyed his company, but it was nothing more than that." [font=trebuchet ms]"And what of Jamie? You sent me to kill him, don't you remember? Or was that part of your plan too?"[/font] "Let me see if I can explain it to you." [font=trebuchet ms]"Go ahead..."[/font] "When you were very young, I had you taken from Jamie and Joshua. They found you and kept you without my permission; at the time, they were in the middle of a contract for me. It was an important contract, perhaps the most important I've ever given to them. And they abandoned it because of you." [font=trebuchet ms]"They wanted to save me..."[/font] "Perhaps they did. But the point is, they abandoned their contract with me. [b]Nobody[/b] abandons a contract with me, [i]nobody[/i]. If they can jump in and out of the business, what's to stop others from doing the same? It's carelessness like that, which puts people in places like this." [font=trebuchet ms]"I see. Go on."[/font] "I took you from them and they naturally assumed that I'd done it -- who else would? It made sense. But, they thought you were dead. You weren't, which is why you're still here. I kept you from them...I kept you from them for years. For years, they built up a hatred for me. They tried to kill me on several occasions, but failed. This is why they created the Southern Vipers; it was going to take more than two men to bring me down." [font=trebuchet ms]"For all those years, I was working for you...and I never knew the fate of my real parents. Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why did you let me rot away in this cell for so long?"[/font] "Why should I have told you? To be [i]nice[/i]? Nobody was ever nice to me, kid. Nice doesn't build character...and nice doesn't make for efficient assassins. You were one of the best I ever had, 'till you got caught." [b][i]|"Keep the noise down over there! I'm watching you!"|[/i][/b] [font=trebuchet ms]"About that...about my getting caught. That seemed like a pretty sloppy operation."[/font] "Yes, it was uncharacteristically sloppy on my part." [font=trebuchet ms]"..."[/font] "I let it happen. Deliberately. That's why you are here. I didn't want them finding out about you. I knew they were coming after me...closing in on me. With you in jail, I stood a chance to survive. They couldn't talk you into joining their gang." [font=trebuchet ms]"Yeah, I would have joined if I'd known."[/font] "Exactly. By the time you are released, they will both have had their chance with me. If I'm not dead, they will be. And then it'll just be the two of us." [font=trebuchet ms]"You know I'm going to come after you."[/font] "I know. I knew you would from the very beginning. I didn't walk down that path being oblivious to the outcome. You can only commit so many crimes in your life before they come back and drag you down." [font=trebuchet ms]"Goodbye, Adam."[/font] "Goodbye, Soju." [center][img]http://www.otakuboards.com/killadam/KIlogo.gif[/img] [size=4]Chapter 6: Trailer Park Wars[/size][/center] [b]Summary:[/b] In this chapter, Arianna has traveled home to the United States to visit her mother (and to do a little business in the area, on Adam's behalf). Jamie and Joshua track her down in the trailer park where she grew up. She fights them both. [b]Characters:[/b] Arianna, Joshua, Jamie. [b]Setting:[/b] Trailer park, southeastern United States. Okay, so...Tori will write the first post, and Josh and I will write one post each. Of course, Arianna will be killed in this chapter. After this, there is one more chapter for Volume 1. So, have fun. ^_^

[color=#707875]Thanks for the critique, Kinetic. The character behind the first silhouette is actually dark grey; I'm not sure if that's your monitor, or if it's just the type of colour (and if it's giving off the wrong impression or something). The yellow used in the texture is actually directly sampled from the "Kill Bill yellow", which can be found on the official posters. However, it's darker because it's been mixed with various shades of grey, to create a concrete style effect. I actually began to make something very clean and pristine...but then I realized that I didn't want that at all. I wanted it to look dirty and gritty...dirtier than the first chapter. Because, afterall, the second chapter [i]is [/i]dirtier. Regarding the logo, I see what you mean; brighter colours would definitely enhance the contrast. But by the same token, I wanted to keep that subdued and dark look. Kill Bill actually seems to use multiple logos (there are a few different versions shown during the movie), so I figured that I could maintain the style but still do my own thing. Anyway, again, thank you for the comments. It was a fun image to make. ^_^[/color]

[color=#707875]I've already discussed this with you on AIM, but I thought I'd post here simply because this essay deserves to be read. The parallels that you've drawn are really very perceptive I'd say. In some cases during the past, I think you've over-analyzed certain materials. But in this case, you're drawing a very defined link that has some really tangible evidence on both sides. I know that the Wachowskis had many influences when they created The Matrix trilogy. But I'd never considered the Moby Dick connection, despite the fact that it is now very clear and apparent based on your essay. So, I would definitely recommend this essay to anyone who is even remotely interested in The Matrix. This is a piece that should definitely be added to the other great essays out there, regarding the trilogy.[/color]

[color=#707875]Three thumbs eh? Why thank you. ~_^ You're right about the summer/winter thing, but eh. Most of the people who read/participate in it are American (or non-Australian), so I guess it makes sense in that respect. And yes, I forget how many RPs I've made...they [i]might [/i]go into the double digits, if I'm lucky. Maybe the true number is "09" or something. Or [i]maybe [/i]there are no numbers there at all, if you catch my drift. Anyway, thanks for the feedback. The silhouette is a kind of icon/logo that I was developing for it. I wonder if anyone can guess who the two characters are.[/color]

[color=#707875]I was working on a little logo for Kill Adam 2, and I decided I'd make a funny little movie-esque preview poster for the RPG. I remember that my little tagline for the first RPG was "The first and last movie by James Otaku", or something along those lines. So I couldn't really think of something to follow that up...except for the tagline you see on the poster there. I couldn't think of how many RPGs I've done in total, so the bleeping fit in quite nicely (though there's a bit more to it than that). ~_^ As you can see, it's quite a simple piece, but I kind of like it. I kept the Kill Bill theme, but I also moved away from that theme just a little. As far as RPG promotion goes, people seem to be making banners and such more and more these days. Maybe this will encourage people to make fake RPG posters as well. :-P[/color] [center][img]http://www.otakuboards.com/jamesimages/Kill_Adam_Lives_04.jpg[/img][/center]

[color=#707875]I think it's pretty obvious that this incident shouldn't cast doubt on the entire allied force as a whole; in the same way that we shouldn't use the acts of one person in a group, to somehow place a generalization on everyone else in that same group. So let's be logical about that point, first and foremost. And Cloricus, don't even start talking about America and Britain having undisciplined armies. Haven't you heard about the hazing that goes on in the Australian Navy? Don't be such an obvious hypocrite; you're just using this as an opportunity to launch yet another criticism at foreign countries. It's pretty unjustified and you know it. The truth is, [i]every [/i]military force in the world will have a percentage of people who do the wrong thing. There is no way to avoid that, no matter how disciplined you are. Some people are just going to go out there and break the law, or they're going to become easily traumatized by war and do things that they wouldn't otherwise do. It is ridiculous to assume that this is some wide spread systemic problem, when we've seen no evidence of that whatsoever. Of course this is a horrible incident...and those involved should be punished severely. But let's [i]not [/i]turn this into some kind of ridiculous attempt to get into some mud slinging. That doesn't help anyone.[/color]

[color=#707875]friday13, I strongly recommend that you double-check our rules and FAQ. This topic is really something that should ideally be confined to PM; you could easily ask this question in your signature and have people PM you privately. Moreover, this would be the wrong forum for such a thread anyway. Suggestions & Feedback is where people post their suggestions for new site features/improvements, or feedback on the site in general...it's not about providing feedback on specific members.[/color]

[color=#707875]It seems to me that the biggest problem is actually capturing the essence of what the game is about, in terms of plot/atmosphere. I mean, the Resident Evil was a pretty poor attempt to reproduce the games on screen, in my view. The movie was [i]okay [/i]-- and I'm being generous in saying even that. But it [i]could [/i]have been so much more, had the movie's creators really tried to do something true to the games. In regard to Silent Hill...obviously, the sheer atmosphere alone would make a gorgeous (and potentially very frightening) movie. However, it's not going to work without a decent plot and script (as well as a director who understands the games and what makes 'em work). Silent Hill does have one big advantage over other game franchises though; there's quite a lot of material to draw on, in terms of plot. And both the first and second games took a really unique spin on the Silent Hill concept, while still keeping things "in the family" in terms of style and execution. So...like all video game-based movies, I'm cautious. Hopefully the creators will do the games justice and hopefully they'll consult heavily with the directors of the actual game series (which is really critical if one wants to do it properly).[/color]

[color=#707875]One of the things that makes this thread difficult is the definition of "horror film". For example, a lot of "scary" movies would be classified as "thriller" films, perhaps. It seems to me that there are a lot of sub-genres and different interpretations on that point. If we were to talk specifically about those slasher-type horror films, or the zombie ones, or the ones that you would typically regard as "horror"...I'd definitely have a tough time choosing a favourite. I would say that just about every film I've seen that fits into the above category is incredibly cheesy and simplistic. I really love the Silence of the Lambs trilogy...all three movies are fantastic. Beautifully cerebral dialogue, too. But not specifically "horror", I guess. ChibiHorseWoman actually mentioned a movie that I'd forgotten; The Birds. That's one of my all-time favourite movies. And it's definitely a classic film in every respect.[/color]

[QUOTE=wrist cutter]Or lesbians... or wait, they aren't as vile and disgusting as straight males, so easily controlled by sex. [/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Of course. The very fact that they're women and not men makes this so. ^_^ But it's also a reflection of the people who are producing the commercials in the first place and the audience they are appealing to. A lot of products limit themselves because they do not appeal to heterosexual women, for example. The products that [i]do [/i]successfully appeal to both men and women are usually the ones that are in a class of their own, in so far as marketing goes. You might also say that if more women were running corporations around the world, we'd see more products and services being advertised with men [i]and [/i]women in mind.[/color]

[QUOTE=Who?] That's very true. Sorry, Adam. I know that you have to tend to Velegant, but it seems you've been disregarding your email from your anime sites lately.[/color] [/QUOTE] [color=#707875]When I had a public OB email account, I was receiving up to 50 emails per day, with various requests and stuff. Adam must receive at least double that number and probably more. I think we must understand that there are some serious limits on service for members in those circumstances. Adam's only one guy, and he works incredibly hard behind the scenes. I know that you're not suggesting otherwise, I'm just pointing out the reality of the situation. This is why I recommend that people post requests for help and feedback here in this forum. That way other staff can attend to it, and Adam can view it at any time or search through topics. It's much better that way.[/color]