James

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Queen Asuka [/i] [B][color=hotpink][size=1] The companies HAVE to edit that stuff out or parents would start such a riot that they wouldn't even be able to show the stuff on television. About lower morals and values, I could go into it with my opinion, but I don't want to offend anyone around here.[/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#335062]The first point is well taken. And my feeling is that parents are generally stupid. So I guess that deals with that. lol Hehe, but seriously...parents who complain about it are either ridiculously conservative or they're simply too lazy to moderate what their kids watch. Slack parents bother me. And as for the second thing...well, as I said before, morals and values are an entirely subjective thing. I certainly can't imagine Japanese children being allowed to watch horribly grotesque violence and sex -- their parents are just as concerned about such things as western parents. Even when I've read conversations with Japanese game directors, they talk about this issue a lot...and how it relates to their own kids. So, I would not want to say that Japanese parents in particular have a [i]lower[/i] set of morals and values. Preferably, I'd say that their [i]perception[/i] is just different. If Japanese parents are more englightened with this sort of thing (and I don't know if they are), then maybe that's a good thing. Maybe it shows a greater appreciation for the artistry that is anime. But then again, it's like with comics and video games. A lot of parents in western countries are ignorant about them and so, they fear their kids using 'em. But in some countries (ie: Japan), where such mediums are more acceptable, maybe parents are more willing to be leniant. I don't know, I'm just throwing out random thoughts there.[/color]

[color=#335062]If your name's on the list, you're in. If not, you're not. I think it's pretty self explanatory... o_O;[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Queen Asuka [/i] [B][color=hotpink][size=1]And the Japanese have very low morals and values. I am GLAD that my parents were overprotective of me. It's not necessarily sheltering, it's more like a concern for how you turn out. This world is already too corrupt. I know children who are pregnant in middle school. Do the children REALLY need to be watching stuff like that? NO! When you're a child is when you are the most impressionable. I know that when I was a kid, I wanted more than anything to be a Power Ranger. [/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#335062]The Japanese have very low morals and values? In relative terms and in your eyes, perhaps. But it [i]is[/i] a relative issue, let's remember that. Secondly, I don't know how you can draw a correlation between these animes (and what we're really talking about is mild swearing most of the time) and corruption in society. My parents were never overly protective of me when it came to the media. In fact, I can't remember them ever not letting me see movies due to violence or coarse language. And yet, here I am. Violence horrifies me (as it should any decent human being) and you'll never find me behaving in anything but a professional manner at school or work. Even with friends, I don't sit there swearing my head off (as most of my friends know). My point is, I'm the example that this stuff doesn't corrupt your brain forever. If you have parents who can explain [i]why[/i] certain things are bad (ie: swearing) and if they are englightened enough to allow your mind to expand...I don't see a problem. But anyway, regarding subbing...I'm starting to feel less sympathetic to the argument that "if so-and-so wasn't bringing it to us, nobody would". This argument implies that people should settle for low quality entertainment because it's all they're getting. Ultimately, bad subbing is bad subbing. I mean, I personally feel that there is no excuse for it. Of course, it's probably better to get something butchered than nothing at all...or at least, that's how a lot of people seem to see it. And for the most part, kids are the ones watching these shows -- and most of them couldn't care less, I guarantee you. But having said that, I really think it's fair to complain about these companies who are getting it wrong. I mean, obviously the constant whining can be annoying. But I think the complaints are really legitimate. [/color]

[color=#335062]I think that all too often, people forget how powerful simplicity can be. Typography in particular can paint something in such a vivid way, without requiring complex lighting effects and heavy beveling. In addition, most graphic designers aren't designing funky sci-fi movie posters or something. Most of them are designing packaging for toilet issue, point-of-sale promotional pieces for home appliances or magazine covers. See what I mean? The key is to be creative with what you've got -- to make a powerful statement within the confines of the brief. It seems to me that you've done pretty well, given your brief. Magazine design and layout isn't easy. In fact, for me personally, it's one of the most frustrating things. It takes me a lot of time to make very efficient use of space and such. But yeah, I like this cover. It looks realistic. And it looks seamless, which is what good graphic design (in this context) needs. I mean, it's a magazine about dogs. It [i]shouldn't[/i] necessarily be wowing the reader with flashy, nonsensical imagery. It needs to fill its purpose, you know? The only thing I dislike about it is the way you've got the Australian Heelers heading and sub-text on the right. "Australian Heelers" is centered, with left-aligned sub-text underneath. To me, it seems a bit jarring. Not to mention the fact that centering is generally a no-no with publishing -- at the very least, it's something that is difficult to do effectively. In this case, my personal recommendation would be to align all of that text to the right. That way, I think it'll sit more flush with the edge of the page. Other than that, I don't think you've done anything wrong here. I like the overlapping ear, I like the distance blurring and I think the colour works for the context, even though I personally find it to be unappealing (the colour, that is). But anyway, good stuff. ^_^[/color]

[color=#335062]Well, as funny as that picture is...(*saves it as wallpaper*)...this is a really pointless thread. There's no real discussion here, I'm afraid. Although, this would be good for that caption contest thread. You should try your luck there.[/color]

[color=#335062]Well, does it really matter? I mean, do you need to rate every single deck? If so, it is probably easiest to simply type the name of the person and the rating for their deck. That way, you can rate about ten or twenty people (or a page's worth) in one post. Surely it's not [i]too[/i] complex.[/color]

In the Mushroom Kingdom of all places, weird and relatively pointless events occurred with some frequency. Enter the 16-Bit Festival, an event that attracted gaming icons from all corners of the world. Everybody from the Ice Climbers to Princess Ruto would be in attendance and it was critical to ensure that security was as tight as possible. Mario, as the Secretary of Defense for the Mushroom Kingdom, was in charge of organizing security for the event. This year, the fesitval was to take place on the enormous lawn in front of Toadstool Castle. The fact that Princess Toadstool had absolutely nothing in the way of royal guards, despite the fact that she was a Princess, was definitely a worrying sign. And yet, Mario was confident. He stood on the castle's drawbridge and waved his arms in the air excitedly, as a large group of Goombas, Hammer Bros. and ParaKoopas stood to attention. [color=red]"Now, today we-a gonna practice the drill!"[/color] said Mario, his little voice echoing through the gardens. [color=orange][i]SQUISH!![/i][/color] Mario spun around and eyed the group suspiciously. [color=red]"Hey!! What's-a going on here?!"[/color] [color=green]"Nothing, sir!"[/color] said a nearby ParaKoopa. Mario tapped his foot and stared into the crowd. Just as he was about to turn around and lead the troops to their positions, he heard that sound again... [color=orange][i]SQQQUUUIIISSH!![/I][/COLOR] [color=red]"[size=4]That's it! What is-a going on over there?![/size]"[/color], yelled Mario at the top of his lungs. He approached the troops and inspected them carefully. As he did so, he heard muffled giggles coming from the second row. Mario pushed his way past the first row of ParaKoopas...and then he saw it. Two ParaKoopas were taking turns stepping on a plump Goomba. The Goomba didn't seem to mind. In fact, it appeared to be asleep (:sleep: ). [color=red]"[i]Wake up!![/i]"[/color] squealed Mario. The Goomba's eyes snapped open suddenly... :excited: [color=purple]"Bah, wha...what is it?! Are we under attack?! HELP, HELP!!"[/color] ...as it began to run around in circles, its little feet shuffling like crazy underneath its bulbous body. Mario rolled his eyes. He pointed to the Goomba with a stern look on his face, as he prepared to lecture it on the finer points of being in the army, when suddenly... :sleep: The Goomba fell asleep once more. Mario rolled his eyes. [color=red]"Aye! How can-a we ever hope to beat these enemies? I'm-a going back into the castle for a warm bath and some of Peach's chocolate cake..."[/color]

[color=#335062]For a first attempt, this is very impressive. You're certainly better than I was when I started out making graphics. ^_^; Your image cropping is pretty good and everything's looking pretty balanced here. I guess the only real concern I have is that the black text is a little hard to see. But other than that, this is an impressive first effort. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future. ^_^[/color]

[color=#808080]If it was truly a '70s logo, it'd probably be...white and brown. lol Ew. But yeah, I like the banner. Hopefully we'll still be here in 2070. ~_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Desbreko [/i] [B][color=indigo]o_0 . . .When I click the "WWW" button, it takes me to "http://otakuboards.com/www.shineget.com/blog". [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#335062] Ah yes, that was pretty bizarre. I've fixed it now though. ^_^ Anyway... [b]My blog address:[/b] [url]www.shineget.com/blog[/url] [b]My blog name:[/b] My Little Universe [b]Reason/thoughts:[/b] I'm the same as 'breko, basically. People were asking me to make one and suggesting that I should. And some people got mad at me for not updating my old one, lol. I was surprised that anybody read it, because it was mostly pretty dry/boring stuff. Still, the new one should hopefully work out. I don't know where it'll go...but this time I think I'm just going to stick with the one blog, even if it doesn't cooperate. :worried: [/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by cloricus [/i] [B]Charles I'd question that. I don't believe that it has much to do with sony, mainly because they can't do much. I think it's more the problem of porting it, they don't want to get any ones hopes up. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]There are a couple of points to make about this. 1) Sony and Rockstar do have an exclusivity agreement with this franchise. There's no getting around that. Sony [i]can[/i] do much, in the sense that Rockstar physically isn't allowed to produce ports for competing consoles for a certain period of time. Having said that, I think that a GTAIII/VC release on Xbox and GameCube in 2004 is, to put it mildly, a bit late. Unless the two games were released together as a special bundle or something, I think it'd be a bit of a cop out for owners of those consoles. 2) From what I know, GTAIII and VC are developed using the Renderware platform. One of Renderware's greatest strengths is its cross-platform capability. Afterall, this is why Sonic Team has specifically chosen Renderware as its middleware of choice - because Sonic Heroes is a multiplatform release. So, I don't really buy the argument that Rockstar physically finds it difficult to port the game. At least, I don't see these games being any more difficult to port than other Rockstar releases.[/color]

[color=#808080]Before I say anything, I'm going to point out that there have been threads on blogs before. [i]But[/i], we haven't had one in a while. And I've been thinking about blogs lately, because I've been reading through a couple. And I find them interesting, especially when I'm reading the thoughts of people who I'd really like to get to know more. It's a way of finding out how people think and feel without necessarily sitting there and asking them a whole list of questions. My friends on OB will know that I've had about 10,000,000,000 failed blogs in my life. lol Well, actually, only two. But both suffered from lack of updating/attention and were generally pretty poor. Plus, I kept having technical problems with 'em. But I've started a third (which you can find by clicking the "WWW" button under my posts). Hopefully this time, it'll work out. ~_^ Anyway, I guess that I wanted to ask people (especially frequent blog users) why blogs are so attractive. I mean, some people use them religiously...to the point where they're posting a couple of times a day or more, or they're describing every aspect of their life in great detail. Obviously, blogs are kinda public. Anybody who knows the address can access 'em. So, do you find that you're really writing the blog for yourself...or for your friends and others? From my point of view, I really don't want to include anything [i]too[/i] personal in there, because no matter how personal the site is...it's still something that anyone can see, even people who I wouldn't want to share things with necessarily. And yet, some people really get into some very deep ideas in their blogs. Some people write poetry (which can be great to read) and some use their blog in other interesting ways (surveys might seem boring, but you can learn so much about a person when they answer one). But anyway, I also thought I'd give everyone the opportunity to link to their blog in this thread and to talk a little about it. It's nice to update this sort of thing now and then, because I know that I really enjoy browsing through the stuff people have done (some blogs are so personalized and unique that they're really fantastic to look through). And since everybody likes surveys (or so it seems), I thought I'd make a little one here too. [b]My blog address:[/b] [b]Blog name:[/b] [b]Thoughts behind it/reasons for creating it:[/b] I guess the last question is more a general one. In my case, a blog isn't anything very serious. It's a way for people to learn a bit about me, especially if they're too afraid to ask...or if they simply want to read things that they might not have known. And I guess, in some ways, it's like thinking aloud. Putting your thoughts down in words (either written or typed) can really help you sort through things, I think. Of course, I know some people really take their blogs very seriously, while others do nothing but tell jokes and funny stories...everyone's different. I'd really like to see what this thread comes up with, because I'm sure that there are many OB members out there who'd like to learn more about each other (and who may not know each other's blog addresses). Now's your chance. ^_^[/color]

[color=#808080]Wow! This stuff is absolutely awesome. It reminds me of the mosaics that people make with small objects (like making an enormous, detailed facial picture from matchsticks). It's really painstaking, but the end result is so phenomenal! Really, really great stuff. I always enjoying seeing unique art like this. ^_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by G/S/B Master [/i] [B] I have a question: Is it possible to jack a police car? I tried to once and I got busted. Soon I find out that you could kill the drivers by aiming at the drivers seat and shoot away... So if you've done that, can you jack the police car? [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]That question's already been answered, but what I will say, is that I really prefer stealing FBI cars and SWAT trucks. It's a [i]lot[/i] of fun too. Sometimes I find myself playing for half an hour, and doing nothing but stealing FBI cars. I have a few garages full of them now. Ahem. :blush: [/color]

[color=#808080]Proteus, Demos and Iota left the scene and jumped back into the elevator. "The power hasn't been restored," said Proteus, "so we won't be able to use this elevator to reach any of the sub levels." Demos rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We're going to have to take the stairs," he said. Proteus and Iota both nodded, picking up their share of gun-laden bags. The three reploids ran down the expansive white corridor, passing countless grey doors with seemingly random numbers painted on them. It was like a sterile maze, something that would have made any human being feel uneasy and intimidated. Thankfully, the reploids were all equipped with elaborate three dimensional maps of the facility and thus, escape was a far more simple prospect. Finally, the reploids came across an enormous starway, which led down into the darkness below. Demos nodded and led the way, with Proteus and Iota following close behind. The stairway itself seemed to last forever - the reploids were jogging down the stairs at a brisk pace for at least ten minutes without seeing anything but darkness ahead. But soon enough, soft blue light could be seen at the end. As they neared it, the light became brighter and brighter until they found themselves in a cavernous underground parking garage, bathed in the soft blue laser light. The garage was filled with dozens and dozens of APCs of various kinds. The most common APCs (like the Alpha) were capable of holding around 12 personnel inside and were significantly equipped machines. They were the workhorses of the Maverick Hunters. But a little further in the distance, the three reploids could see a group of much larger vehicles. Heavy APCs. Without needing to say a single word to one another, the reploids dashed across the cool cement flooring of the garage until they reached the HAPCs. There were five of them, in pristine condition no less. "Looks like they've just been washed," said Demos with a mischevious smirk. "Hurry, we've gotta load these weapons into the back before we're caught. Iota, Proteus...you guys get to loading. I'll go up front and bypass the cabin security." Proteus and Iota didn't need to be told twice; they grabbed as many bags of weaponry and ammunition as they could and opened the HAPC's rear gate. The gate folded out slowly, as the powerful hydraulic arms struggled to manipulate the heavy steel doors. The interior was remarkably large. The entire HAPC was around 16 metres long and on the inside, a thin hallway and several small rooms were visible. Command Center, Batallion Coordination Room, Wing Command; they were all there. Impressive, even to an Elite Hunter. Proteus and Iota began lifting the heavy bags and piling them up in several large storage containers, which sat snugly against the interior walls. "I can't believe I'm doing this," sighed Iota quietly. "What do you mean?" asked Proteus. He looked at Iota, who was busily arranging the bags and making sure that the firearms were secure. "You know...[i]this[/i]. Betraying Hunter HQ like this," she said, an ounce of tension in her voice. "But we're not betraying the HQ," said Proteus, "we are just doing what's right. That situation back there, with the ALED...I don't know what that was. But it wasn't right. And Duke, I don't know. I am afraid of what might happen to this place." Iota stopped and looked at Proteus. Her gaze was intense. She might not be human, but her microfiber titanium eyes were more human now than they'd ever been before. "But don't you see? All we are thinking about is Hunter HQ. We have to remember that Duke ordered that attack on the ALED. He [i]must[/i] have known who they were, Proteus. The Commander is supposed to have that kind of information; he'd never have ordered us into that situation if he wasn't sure about it." "What are you saying, Iota?" asked Proteus. "I'm saying...that this could be far bigger than we can imagine. What happens if there are more attacks on the ALED? What happens when the public loses faith in the Hunters?" Proteus shook his head slowly. "But the people will never lose faith in us..." "Proteus...I'm afraid that we could be on the verge of something disasterous," said Iota softly. She glanced down at her feet. "What?" Iota paused and looked up at Proteus once more. "A war, Proteus." The pair stood still for several moments, collecting their thoughts. But the silence was soon broken, as the HAPC's plasma engines began to rumble quietly. A soft blue glow emerged from underneath the hull and the entire vehicle slowly rose several inches from the ground. Proteus smiled. "That Demos...he's good." Iota nodded and smiled. But it was an awkward smile. Proteus could tell that she was deeply worried. He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled once more. "C'mon. Let's get out of here," he said. The two reploids disappeared inside the HAPC's darkened inner hull, as the rear gate closed behind them with the soft whir and hiss of robotic parts operating in unison. The massive HAPC slowly trundled forward through the air, toward the garage's main exit ramp. The tough part was still ahead though, and the three reploids knew it. They'd have to get past the Barrier Guns and Barrier Security if they were to escape.[/color]

[color=#808080]I'm really surprised that Lulu is so young. She seems to be at least thirty in the games...[/color]

[color=#808080]I like the way that the text is very slightly obscured. It's an interesting effect. I also like the monochromatic look of the whole thing - it looks subdued and not too over done. I don't really like giving numerical ratings for banners, because I guess I don't have a single standard for measuring how good a banner is. But yeah, I think the banner's pretty good. Perhaps a bit empty to the left (apart from text, there is a lot of negative space). But other than that, it's looking pretty good to me.[/color]

[color=#808080]Also, it's interesting to note the whole idea of [i]mature gamers[/i]. I mean, my younger brother and his friends are all into games like GTAIII and such. And that's fine. But I tend to find that people my age aren't falling over themselves for GTAIII and its equivalents. It doesn't mean that our taste is somehow superior or anything, it's just a difference in perception. I mean, I consider myself to be a mature person. And yet, I'm quite happy to play games like Mario and Zelda. By the logic of some gamers, that in itself would make [i]me[/i] immature or childish. In reality, the [i]reason[/i] I can play these games and enjoy them is that my maturity allows me to enjoy and appreciate the artistic/creative aspects of the game. So, in that sense, I'm less concerned about how "gay" the Link model looks, and more concerned about how the game feels to play, how the puzzles are structured and how the atmosphere feels. Also, I'm not in a position where I aspire to do adult things. I mean, when you're a kid...all you want to do is drive a car and move out of home and be independent. But when you're an adult with responsibilities, maybe you are quite happy to step back into your childhood, you know? At least, that's how I feel. Of course, I'm quite happy to play games like Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid, as well. These games are no less artistic and creative than Zelda - they just achieve creative outcomes in a different way. Bleh, I don't know if that even makes any sense. Chalk this one up to being way too tired when posting. ~_^[/color]

[color=#808080]The voice in the Revolutions trailer sounds different to the original actress's voice, in my opinion. In fact, I was originally wondering who it was supposed to be. So, it sounds like it might be another Oracle...who knows. [/color]

[color=#808080]Ah, have you been reading philosophical essays on The Matrix website or something? lol I know what you mean. Having read some of them, I sometimes really want to discuss philosophy. But basically, I think Otaku Lounge is fine for that stuff. [/color]

[color=#808080]Yep, I just bought this album and I give it my stamp of approval. ~_^ The first disc also has that song that they play during the rave scene. It's cool, especially if you've got a nice sub-woofer (it's a very bassy/vibrant track). The rest of the stuff you're probably familiar with. I found that the second CD has been my favourite so far, because I really like the instrumentals. I really like Mona Lisa Overdrive, because the full track contains a lot of different elements (from techno to almost complete orchestral). Overall, it's very good. And the bonus features only make it even more worthwhile. ^_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by AzureWolf [/i] [B]::Sigh:: Not to be rude, but that is truly one of the most "close-minded" things I've ever heard. As if anime and cartoons are any different: drawn motion entertainment. Whether you like it or not, anime is just the Japanese way of saying cartoon. Years back, Tom and Jerry was rated as the most popular ANIME in Japan. If an American draws it, or a Japanese draws it: are we so prejudiced that we have to segregate these categories? :confused: US otakus only separate the two for simplicity's sake, but there's nothing offensive about keeping them in the same boat.[/b][/quote] [color=#808080]Okay, first and foremost, you've [i]totally[/i] misunderstood my post. I explained, quite clearly, the fact that I dislike the way some anime fans complain about American cartoons and nearly die if anyone dares compare Western cartoons to Japanese anime. I mean, please...just read my original post again. Don't quote me and call me close-minded, only to make the [i]exact same[/i] point that I was already making.[/color][quote][b] Maybe you are open-minded because you are willing to watch anime in the first place. Whatever the case, I've seen too many like my roommate to think that people who don't watch anime don't let culture and language be a barrier to entertainment. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]Well, the language barrier is obviously not an issue if you're a kid watching DBZ on Cartoon Network. I don't think you necessarily have to be more open minded or "well travelled" to enjoy anime - I've definitely come across a lot of ignorant people who still enjoy anime. The "hardcore anime fan" who we've described in this thread (the person who can't accept anything that isn't Japanese) is certainly [i]far[/i] from open minded. [/color]

[color=#808080]I think one or two people are holding their own banner contests at the moment. As far as an officially sanctioned contest...we might do one just for fun, but we won't be using any banners from competitions as official OB banners. [/color]

[color=#808080]It really does depend on what you mean by "mature". If you mean something "adult" (ie: violent, sexual), games like GTA and such are going to fit that category. However, I think maturity is something else. Running around and shooting people at will is not something I consider to be [i]mature[/i]. I would class a game like Silent Hill or Eternal Darkness as being mature. Both games require a mature thought process in order to be fully appreciated - they are deeper than their action, so to speak. Maturity in games really isn't based on violence. Just look at games like BMX XXX or Carmageddon. Neither game is what I'd classify as "mature", yet both are "adult" titles. Really, I think you find that a [i]lot[/i] more kids are playing these games than adults. Why? Because I think most adults can recognize something that's passe, whilst kids are always interested in the forbidden fruit - or in other words, something that is above their age level. Kids don't care if there is anything underneath that violence; if they see some blood and breasts, they're happy. So, this is really a multi-layered question. Generally I think mature games are games that [i]require[/i] maturity to really understand and appreciate to their fullest extent. In that sense, I think all platforms equally posess a myriad of mature games.[/color]

[color=#808080]I've heard nothing about this either. Although if this is the case, as you've put it, why would you shut down the camp because of something like that? I mean, don't get me wrong - it's terrible and horrible. But do you necessarily shut down an entire area because a crime occurred there? I guess I'd need more details of this story in order to really react fully to it.[/color]