James

[color=#707875]Just to note...he didn't mistake our site for something else (well, not quite). theOtaku.com used to be Absolute GameBoy, years ago. But it isn't anymore. So I can see the confusion -- but obviously, it's pretty easy to see that things have changed over a period of several years. Wolfgang688, as Drix said, please read the rules before posting. [/color]

[color=#707875]Well, I have six impacted wisdom teeth. Ouch. X_X They were checked a few years ago...and the dentist said that they might move a little and then stop and be okay. Two of them have grown through...and now they seem to have stopped moving completely. So if they stay still, they should be alright. If not, I'll have to go to hospital to have them all removed at once. Bleh. I feel your pain...even though I'm not quite at the stage you're at. I hope everything goes well for you; it'll be such a relief to have them gone! ^_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by UnsungHero [/i] [B]Why not make a new forum where people CAN ACTUALLY talk about anything? Really I mean if you aren't asking a stupid question it gets banned. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Well, your second point is actually the wrong way around. If you were to ask a stupid question, your thread would get closed. I think you are misunderstanding our definition of "off topic". When we talk about "off topic", we're saying that you can use Otaku Lounge to discuss any topic that isn't specifically covered in one of our speciality forums. So if you wanted to talk about an anime, you'd never use Otaku Lounge. But if you wanted to discuss pet training for example...you'd use Otaku Lounge, because we don't have a forum specifically for pets. So that's how it's designed to work. When we say "off topic", in that context, we are not at all trying to imply that you can just go crazy and post junk. No matter what you're discussing (whether it's funny pet behavior or teen pregnancy), we expect you to be reasonable with what you post. In other words, we expect your posts to be clear (ie: spelling/grammar) and to be relevant (ie: keep to the topic and don't throw in irrelevant junk, like "Hey, visit my site!") Basically, that's what we're talking about. OtakuBoards is designed to be a place where people who are looking for a higher quality of discussion can get it -- without wading through thread after thread of irrelevant/silly stuff. It doesn't mean that you can't have fun (quite the contrary), or that you can't talk about a wide variety of stuff. It just means that you have to show respect to others by putting effort into what you say. [/color]

[color=#707875]I know you tried a little harder with this one, Outlaw. But I'm afraid that this should probably be closed too; we've already had two topics about what people want for Christmas. However, if you'd like, you can post in one of those. [url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35008"]Click here[/url] to post in the most recent thread.[/color]

[color=#707875]OutlawKFK...these posts are incredibly difficult to follow. They're just one long run-on sentence. You haven't even tried to be clear about what you're saying to us. Half of your comments make little sense and as a result of your apparent distate for periods/paragraphs, your posts come across as though you've just been struck by lightning. Please...a little more effort and attention to the rules in future.[/color]

[color=#707875]Lady Katana pretty much hit the nail on the head there. We do allow people to use coarse language in their fan fiction and RPGs, [i]but[/i], we do ask that it is done with great care and responsibility. Unfortunately, there are a few RPGs operating at the moment that seem to have popped up [i]just[/i] to take advantage of the lack of censor software. So, not everyone is taking this request to heart, unfortunately. [/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by G/S/B Master [/i] [B]OUt of Topic: GTA still has hookers in my game and I'm in the US. Strange... Into Topic: I think Manhunt shouldn't even be considered as a game. It should've been taken out of production. Rockstar games has taken adult games to a new level. Manhunt is way to violent, nonetheless too gruesome to watch. The only pros about it, that it actually has a decent storyline lol. If adult actually play games, I think they need a hobby. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Firstly, there were of course hookers in the US version of GTA. We're not talking about the United States, we are talking about Manhunt being banned in New Zealand. And in reference to GTA, the point was that the game was edited for both Australia and New Zealand. To be more specific, the hookers were not actually taken out. But the ability to "pick up" a hooker was. The OFLC in both countries apparently determined that to be over the top. So, the notion that our games were severely edited or "kiddified" is really not correct; the picking up of hookers was the only aspect to be changed. I know you are not specifically referencing that yourself, but I wanted to clarify it for everyone else. Secondly, I'm an adult. And I play games. Something in the region of 80% of game players in the United States are over 18. And a massive percentage of GBA owners (I think well above 60%) are 25 or over. So the idea that games aren't a legitimate hobby annoys me. It's a very outdated view, especially when you consider the massive increases in complexity of games today, when compared with a couple of decades ago. In terms of Manhunt itself, a lot of you seem to be condemning this game purely because of its violence. I can understand that. And I do not know if I would personally want to buy this game. I think that GTA itself is pretty overrated in some respects and Manhunt seems to be little else but a deathmatch-esque setup, more or less. So that doesn't particularly interest me. And I don't know if I want to hear some guy in the game swearing at me and bashing gays and hurling racial insults. That's really not my idea of fun. [i]However[/i], I am going to stick up for this game on two levels. Firstly, have any of us actually [i]played[/i] the game? No. Those who have indicate that it's actually quite a clever title in many ways -- the A.I. is finely developed and is quite complex and realistic. So the first point is that this game might have something to offer in terms of gameplay and technology. Secondly, it's just a matter of principle. There are people who go out there and make first person shooters, where you go around killing students at Columbine. There's a shooter where you have to kill gay people. And there's an upcoming game where you have to escape the WTC on September 11. In other words, there are still far worse games out there. The question is, would I actually want to ban any of these games? I don't know. I don't think that any of us should be quick to agree with the banning of a software title. On principle though, I tend to disagree with the idea of banning games. If the game is appropriately rated and if retailers are enforcing that rating...what's the problem? If you are an adult, you have the ability to exercise some choice in your life. You can choose to buy it, or you can choose not to. But do you then have the right to stop [i]others[/i] from buying it? I don't think so. I don't think that's at all fair. [/color]

[color=#707875]Oh, let's not go [i]there[/i] again. ~_^ What life means to me? I don't really know. "Life" is such a broad term. When I look back on my life, I see a lot of good things and a lot of bad things. But in general, I'm happy with the way things turned out. Even the bad things that happened to me taught me valuable lessons about how to conduct my own affairs. And I'd have to echo what Charles says, about seeing the negatives of humanity. Whenever I hear about the Israeli/Palestinean situation for example, I always feel sick. I feel sick largely because it's something that [i]can[/i] be resolved, if not for blind stupidity and ideology on both sides. It makes me feel hopeless about human beings. But at the same time, I'm generally optimistic. I feel that things will usually go in the right direction -- in the less hurtful, more sympathetic direction...if that makes sense. I say that because I believe that deep down, pretty much all sane human beings want the same thing. What do we really want? We want to be happy. We want to live in peace. We don't want to fight or argue with others. At least, I don't. So yeah...I think that most people have the right motivation when they live their lives. For me, there are big moments in life that I have experienced (like high school graduation and discovering love), and there are big moments that I really [i]want[/i] to experience -- like truly pursuing the career of my dreams and being financially independent enough to make my family comfortable and safe. But on a day to day basis, there are lots of things that I find pleasure in. I find pleasure in simply talking to people on AIM for example. Sometimes the smallest little thing in a discussion will make me smile and keep me smiling for the rest of the day. Those little things, that remind you how sweet life can be, are wonderful. I don't know what else to say, I guess. I just try to focus on the positives and I try to work my hardest to make my own life comfortable and to leave a positive impact on others.[/color]

[color=#707875]That is correct; it means you must activate your account via email. However, sometimes that doesn't work for people. If that is the case, I can activate the account manually. We don't really do manual activation often though, because it would be time consuming to do it with every single new member. In addition, if you ever change your email in your user profile...you may experience problems. OtakuBoards might think that your "new" email needs to be activated. So if you change email, you may have to activate again. In those cases, I often have to manually activate the account with its new email.[/color]

[color=#707875]Well, we tend to have posts one under the other, chronologically ordered. We do that just to make reading easier. I mean, when you read a novel...you generally read from left to right, top to bottom (at least if you're reading something in English). So, I feel that this is the most natural setup for OtakuBoards. I welcome your suggestion though. ^_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The Vampire: Ed [/i] [B] Anyway, it's not as simple as just killing gang members. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]I didn't mean that the game was simple; I wasn't referring to mechanics. I was talking about the main character's motivation. I'd basically forgotten all that I'd read about it though, because at least from the information I've heard, it doesn't interest me a great deal. Obviously the game should have an R-rating...I wouldn't oppose that at all. I'd definitely prefer that than seeing it banned. In terms of the game content itself...I do know that it puts a heavy focus on some really hardcore language and violence. And, let's be frank here; that is the selling point. Those elements are what will sell the game -- and, those are also the elements that will make younger gamers want to play it. Still, that isn't something I blame the developer for. They are free to make whatever kind of game they like, provided that the game is appropriately rated and that retailers uphold those ratings. Retailers who sell to underage customers without checking for ID are also part of the problem here.[/color]

[color=#707875]The wise old master stroked his beard thoughtfully. Clearly, his students were not all prepared for the test which he had planned for them. One boy had lost a shoe through the Toy Store window, as a result of trying to execute a "flying kick". Another boy had been so nervous that he'd fainted before his sparring match. And now, there stood little Keizo in the center of the garden, waiting to hear what the old master had planned for him. The ninjitsu classes were being held in a small garden just outside the Toy Store. The owner had been kind enough to allow the students to use the area; it was a small plot of land, but it was large enough for the relatively small group. The old master had allowed his students to develop their own individual talents. Unfortunately, some had simply not practiced enough during their time off. And the results were showing. Keizo bowed and looked at his master with large, eager eyes. He was nearly bursting with excitement; he really wanted to impress the class. Unfortunately, the old master was himself not a particularly alert -- or even bright -- fellow. "Well, Keizo," said the old master, still stroking his beard thoughtfully, "I'd like to see what you can do with your telekenesis." Keizo cocked his head. "Telekewhatsis?" "[i]Telekenesis![/i]" "Oh. Yeah...that. Okay, master. What shall I do?" The old master paced back and forth slowly. "Well...err...I would like it if you levitate an object." Keizo looked around. As his eyes fell upon the students nearby, nearly all of them flinched. The mere vague hint that Keizo might try to use his telekinetic powers on one of them even caused one girl to scream and leap over the fence into a flower bed on the other side. "Hm...I wonder," murmured Keizo. "What should I levitate?" Keizo looked around and noticed an open window in the Toy Store. The window was sitting just over the plot of land where the class was taking place. And, sitting on the sill, was a small brown object. It was a pie, cooling in the breeze. Perhaps the Toy Store owner's wife had set it there for their dessert. Keizo rolled up his sleeves and raised his hands, angling his palms directly toward the window. As he did this, the old master raised his cane high in the air. "No, boy! What are you doing? You're not supposed to move [i]that![/i]" But it was too late. Keizo concentrated on the pie, as it slowly drifted away from the window sill, toward the old master. The old master himself flinched, as though the pie were going to hit him square in the forehead. But it didn't. It floated gracefully past him and circled him slowly. "Aha! That's very good, Keizo," remarked the master happily. "You have a great talent there; not to mention the fact that you're the first child in the class today not to injure someone else or shatter a window. You get an A." Keizo was so overjoyed by this news that he threw his hands in the air with delight. At the same time, the pie began circling the old master very rapidly. "K-Keizo! You can put the pie back on the sill now!" cried the master, with a tone of anxiety in his voice. Keizo didn't notice the master. He was too busy dancing around happily; it was his first [i]ever[/i] "A". He was overjoyed, he was amazed, he was-- "KEIZO!" Keizo paused, mid-dance...and glanced over at the old master. "JUST LOOK AT THIS! I TOLD YOU TO PUT THE PIE BACK ON THE SILL, BUT [I]NO[/I], YOU JUST HAD TO DANCE AROUND LIKE AN IDIOT AND FORGET WHAT YOU WERE DOING!" The old master had transformed from a small, quiet person, to what seemed like an enormous monster. As he yelled, flecks of saliva hit Keizo's forehead like little bullets. Keizo was terrified. And, true to form, he only made matters worse... "B-But...master..." "WHAT?!" "It's [i]only[/i] a little cherry pie in your beard...it's not a big--" "ONLY A [I]LITTLE[/I] CHERRY PIE IN MY BEARD? MY BOY, IF I WERE TO WRING MY BEARD OUT RIGHT NOW, I'D PROBABLY DROWN THE ENTIRE VILLAGE WITH CHERRY JUICE!" Keizo opened his mouth, but as he went to speak, the master interrupted him. "YOU GET AN [B]F[/B] FOR THIS LITTLE PERFORMANCE. EVEN MY HALF-BLIND PET GERBIL COULD LEVITATE A PIE WITH GREATER ACCURACY!" Keizo frowned. The master took a deep breath and composed himself. "Now, Keizo...go home. The other students may not be any more skilled than you, but at least they didn't cover me with pie. It's going to take me a good week to wash this out." Keizo hung his head low and opened the little white gate nearby. He stepped out into the town square and began walking home, with his hands in his pockets. How could he disappoint the master like that? Was he really meant to be a ninja? And would it [i]really[/i] take a week to wash cherry pie out of a beard? These are all questions that Keizo ran through in his head as he walked. But it wasn't long before something else grabbed his attention -- a large group of men, women and children standing around the village fountain. A young boy who appeared to be a similar age to Keizo was standing atop the fountain, calling to the townsfolk. For a brief moment, Keizo completely forgot his humiliation at ninja school; he decided to approach the fountain and see what all the fuss was about.[/color]

[color=#707875]The point is that we shouldn't be getting spam in the first place. I know that I don't want to spend five or ten minutes deleting 150 spam messages, just so that I can then get through to a handful of legitimate emails. It wastes my time and it wastes the time of the person who is sending mail to me in the first place.[/color]

[color=#707875]Well, Manhunt is really much more brutal than GTA. In terms of both violence, language and themes...it's definitely a different kind of game. It's on another level in terms of adult content. I wouldn't be too comfortable with an underage kid playing the game, however, I think that there is a broader issue here. In both Australia and New Zealand, the respective OFLC organizations simply don't see video games as being for adults. They seem to refuse to acknowledge that adults [i]do[/i] play games and [i]are[/i] a large part of the audience. In Australia, there's no R rating for video games, as an example; I don't know about the case in New Zealand. The lack of an R rating means that games such as GTA are watered down...and games like Manhunt are banned outright. Although, I don't know if Manhunt will be banned here or not. However, GTA was edited (though hardly at all), but still, it's a significant concern. Basically, people should be allowed to buy these games -- provided that the games are rated appropriately. So I'm not saying that a 15 year old should be able to buy Manhunt. But an 18 year old? Definitely. At the very least, it should be similar to movie ratings. There [i]should[/i] be an 18+ category for games. So that's my feeling on it. As for what you mentioned about Manhunt...you aren't meant to kill "random" people, as far as I know; you're actually killing rival gang members or something like that. So you're killing criminals basically. But still...that obviously isn't going to negate the fact that the game is still incredibly violent and brutal.[/color]

[color=#707875]This is an extremely old rumor. And it's false. Nintendo is developing a next generation game machine, as is Microsoft. There is no indication that either company are doing anything together, though ATi will be developing the graphics chips for both next generation machines. Nintendo has mentioned that it intends to be "first to the market" with its next machine and, more importantly (and unless Nintendo has changed strategy overnight), Microsoft is going in a completely different direction to Nintendo...at least as far as hardware goes (game-centric versus multimedia-centric). I'd also argue that Microsoft is going off on its own tangent, seperate from PS3/GCN2. But that's another story.[/color]

[color=#707875]And again, kids will go into this thinking that they'll be pulling off flying kicks in a month. lol I mean, I just think that many of them have false expectations. If some guy with a gun tries to shoot you in the street, you wouldn't be pulling out a katana...you'd be disarming him. Martial arts is usually about being defensive, rather than offensive. Of course, if you're surrounded by a gang or something...I doubt that martial arts is going to help you very much, unless you have a weapon. The idea that you're going to somehow kick everyone's butt is pretty false. lol But of course, by the same token, someone who isn't trained in martial arts isn't going to take down a karate expert with a strong punch or a crowbar or something. I mean, that is also pretty unrealistic in itself.[/color]

[color=#707875]Unfortunately, there will always be some level of intolerance around. And even more unfortunate is the fact that some people will actually be prepared to kill based on some stupid sense of superiority or a warped sense of morality. I don't know what else to say. I'd say that hate crimes are probably lower now than they used to be...and they will probably always decrease steadily, but still, they won't ever disappear completely. I'm not sure how a topic like this can really progress, though. It's sort of like saying "crime is bad, isn't it?" You know? I'm not entirely sure what the discussion is here, other than discussing whether or not hate crimes are getting more numerous and stuff. But we'll see how it goes.[/color]

[color=#707875]Heh, thanks for the comments. I think. ~_^ In response, I too was a bit iffy about the animated one. But I thought it'd be a nice little teaser. It's a shame that it didn't come out as smoothly as I had expected. Regarding the Tokyo Highway banner...I don't know what to say really. It's a highway. You know, a road. So it's very simple. I like it, though I can see why you wouldn't. But by the same token, I think that you have a very specific taste, Kaisuke. One of these days I might impress you by making a minimalist/high-tech image. I don't do it very often simply because I find it really boring; [i]everyone[/i] does it. It's very easy to do. Mostly my banners are pretty much a case of mucking around with images and trying out different compositions. So you know, there is often no particular "design" to them you might say. Still, I welcome the comments. And Tori...don't worry. It doesn't matter. I only dislike it when people request a banner from me specifically and use it/edit it without crediting me in some way. I feel that the creator should be credited with their work. But in your case I don't mind; I gave the image to you as a gift. So it wasn't something you really requested from me or used without my permission. ^_^[/color]

[color=#707875]Heh, it sounds like that was a pretty loose class, HC. But fun, nonetheless. When people post here saying that they do ten martial arts or something...I find it hard to believe. I say that because I know that if you are going to [i]truly[/i] learn or master martial art, you really have to dedicate a massive amount of time to it. It'd be like training to swim in the Olympics. Think of all the hours that must be invested into that to be successful. Martial arts is very similar; you can't just do a bit here and a bit there and think that you're really learning it. I mean, you wouldn't train to be an Olympic swimmer [i]and[/i] a triathelete. You know? Each individual activity requires huge levels of attention and time. So it's very unlikely that you'd be studying two or three martial arts at once -- unless you're investing very little time with each one. Even some of the most skilled martial artists were only ever trained in one particular form, because they literally invested their life into studying it. The whole reason that I stopped taking martial arts was because I personally didn't have the time to commit to it. Even just doing one at a time required several hours of my time each day. Not to mention the fact that I think a lot of kids get into it because they think it's cool or because they want to be tough. lol And that's why a lot of people quit, too. I don't think they realize that being cool/tough isn't what it's about.[/color]

[color=#707875]Guys...WW2 in particular, [b]please user spoiler tags[/b] in your posts! Most people here haven't yet bought FFX-2. Don't spoil it for them already.[/color]

[color=#707875]I have a few more added to my rotation (and some removed) that I thought you guys might want to see on their own. [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/banners/banneranime1.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/banners/JSR_Banner.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/banners/tokyohighway.gif[/img] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/banners/v7.gif[/img] The last two relate to the next edition of OtakuBoards. ~_^ The final banner really messed up though; it was supposed to animate very quickly (the still parts are right...but the movement was meant to be faster and smoother). It looked fine in Animation Shop and I saved it with the exact same settings/timing/number of frames. Yet on the Internet, it seems to be slow. Oh well. At least it's something. ~_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Swordsaint [/i] [B]Sorry bout not responding sooner UnsungHero, but yes I study Ninjitsu. It's pretty cool, we learn how to disarm people, pressure points, places to land a punch (neck, the spot where your ribcages join on your chest) pretty much we learn to do whatever it takes to take down an opponent/s as quickly as possible. We also learn tumbling, about the chakra's (key points of energy on the body) and self control through using the five elements (just stances that we move slowly from to learn balance and control) And we learn how to use Katana, I struck out on my own to learn how to use Knunchaku. That's basicaliy it with ninjitsu. if I happened to have not answered your question, tell me and I'll try to do better. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]I did Ninjitsu, and we never learnt about five elements or anything like that. Primarily, it was about getting away from a bad situation; avoiding a fight. Afterall, the idea in self defence is usually to avoid a confrontation if at all possible. Even if you do have to confront someone, Ninjitsu is mostly about buying time -- buying time to actually get away from your attacker. I found that there was very little in the way of direct combat, at least until you reach more advanced levels. Rather, it was more a question of using personal items (like a key or your glasses or something like that) as a weapon of defence. So we never learned how to use a katana or anything like that, as you're very unlikely to be carrying a katana around with you on the street.[/color]

[color=#707875]I get spam occasionally, though it's never too bad. I get a [i]lot[/i] of spam at my address at theOtaku.com, although I very rarely use that address to contact people. I don't get any spam at my private address, largely because only two or three people know what the address is. So, I have three email accounts that I use...and by being selective and careful, I tend to avoid spam in the main accounts.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Baron Samedi [/i] [B] So, I think that while the coward label is slightly accurate, he also may have done the most sensible thing. What kind of martyr would he have been if he had been killed, and nobody ever knew that it was him? I never knew that he was armed James... I didn't hear about that. Anyway, they were about to blow his little spiderhole sky-high. So can you blame him for giving up? Sure he was a hypocrite, and a liar [among other things] but I don't really think you can call him cowardly. I coward would have given up as soon as the US threatened to invade. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]I don't blame him for giving up, no. But the man is a coward. He sat there and ranted and raved that he'd die for his country -- that he'd never surrender. So what does he do? He starts pleading to "negotiate" with US troops. Give me a break. If his cowardly behavior at capture aren't enough for you to be convinced that he's a coward, then you only have to look at what he did to his own daughter and other family members. I don't even know why there's a debate on that point. There clearly shouldn't be -- no matter what your views on the war are. As far as WMD are concerned...I'm not even going to comment. I'm not going to comment because it will just fall on deaf ears. If I hear "where are the WMD" one more time, I'm going to scream. Yes, I can see why people would ask that question. And yes, I can see why it's legitimate. But resolution 1441 [b]did not[/b] require the recovery or discovery of WMD. It [b]only[/b] required that Iraq verifiably demonstrate the whereabouts of unaccounted stockpiles of weapons and munitions. So many people seem to forget this basic fact. And it annoys me, because we can never have a reasonable debate about Iraq without some idiot (from either side) jumping in with stupid and uninformed comments. I am willing to say that 90% of people who are arguing for and against war (in this thread or in any other venue) [b]do not[/b] even understand (or have read) 1441. So why bother? I give up.[/color]

[color=#707875]I think that Eddie Murphy is a pretty clever/creative guy. His Nutty Professor movies were pretty well done and his creative work on other things (he starred in some claymation thing recently...I forget the name) has been pretty good. Of course, he's also done a lot of awful stuff. It's almost like he's been trying to plaster his face everywhere. It's disappointing. I don't expect much from this movie. Most critics have canned it; but I don't like movie critics anyway. They take things too seriously and they're usually cynical about everything. I might possibly rent it when it's on DVD...but that's about it. I can't say that I'm really looking forward to it.[/color]