James

[color=#808080]There really isn't any chance of a forum like this at the current time. In recent history, we've had forums for Mario/GTA etc. But these forums really took discussion away from the main gaming forums. And as such, everything was all spread out and not very focused. Our gaming community just isn't large enough to foster that kind of forum. I mean, I'd like to discuss Dreamcast too...but can you imagine how few people on here would actually discuss Dreamcast on a regular basis? It'd be like having a forum for Neo Geo Pocket Color or something...it just wouldn't work. So, for the time being, I'm afraid there isn't much I can do. We've made some changes to make things more streamlined (by merging the GTA/Mario forums back into their respective parent forums and by combining Square and Enix, as appropriate) and those changes are there to really focus the discussion in one place. If things change in the future (ie: more gaming members), then I'll certainly consider adding more major game forums. But right now it's just not on the cards.[/color]

[color=#808080]The characters are...Rebecca Chambers and Billy Cohen, I think. o_O As for the plot...I know the background to it, but I've never played the game, so I don't really know. I'd rather not type it though, because it might be a spoiler. lol I have a question to add to the quiz, though. Who was the director of Luigi's Mansion? (hint: It wasn't Shigeru Miyamoto).[/color]

[color=#808080]The GBA:SP is the same as the current GBA, in terms of hardware. It will play the same games. It's still a Gameboy Advance -- just a different version of the same product. For more information, please refer to this thread: [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19470[/url] You can continue the discussion there; you'll find a lot of information about the system in that one thread.[/color]

[color=#808080]We actually have quite a lot of smilies right now. Close to 100, I think. If you load the entire smiley list, you'll find a massive array of smilies are available. As Tony said, we've had some problems putting in new smilies lately...so I don't know whether or not we can put in a whole new set.[/color]

[color=#808080]You'll notice that they have added wounds to the characters; primarily, the character's face shows damage. But really, with fatalities and such...I think it was wise for Midway to focus more on the individual fighting mechanics rather than to go overboard with the extras (babalities, animalities, etc). Fatalities were always window dressing. They were never a fundamental gameplay feature. And by limiting them in this new game, I think that Midway have really played a stronger emphasis on the process of combat itself. [/color]

[color=#808080]Cloricus, I don't think that your post is exactly very accurate. "Large parts of countries" don't go offline for six hours a week. It seems that your area (perhaps via your ISP) is the area having problems with OB. I'm not sure why this happens. But really, I don't believe that it has anything to do with OtakuBoards itself. It's probably more likely related to your ISP. Some problems are obviously related to OB -- sometimes people will bring up a problem and it will be fixable. But in some cases, there's nothing we can do -- it's something beyond our control. Either it's a problem with our server (which can occasionally happen) or it's a problem with the user (either your PC hardware/software or ISP). If you're having trouble accessing OtakuBoards for any period of time, there is really nothing I can do about it...at this point, anyway. I simply don't know what the problem is and thus, I can't take any steps to fix it. This isn't a consistent problem; it's not happening to [i]everyone[/i], just a small minority. And so, it's very hard to pin down the precise causes.[/color]

[color=#808080]I don't buy magazines much anymore. I used to buy EGM and Gamer's Republic, but now I buy neither. I occasionally buy Hyper or Nintendo Gamer (Australian EGM and Nintendo Power equivalents respectively). Most of the stuff in magazines I can get on the web these days, anyway. I also tend to buy Wheels and Motor quite a lot now...both are excellent magazines. My involvement with magazines is really different now; I write for Nintendo Gamer, rather than read it. lol And last year, Dan Hsu of EGM (I don't know if he's still the EIC since I don't read the magazine) emailed me and complimented me on one of my articles. So that was nice, since I remember reading his stuff in EGM a while ago.[/color]

[color=#808080]If I were you, I'd make a new layer and use bezier curves to redraw the map. Then, once you've done that, you can delete the layer with the map on it.[/color]

[color=#808080]I don't really like it. The strip along the top is quite good, but the "metal" bits don't do it for me. The combination of heavy bevels and a very flat object creates a jarring visual effect. I recommend removing the bevels entirely and [i]then[/i] creating some sort of attachment to the main rectangular strip at the top. The text is a bit blurry and hard to read, but that might be fixed if you removed the bevels (or severely limited them) and tried another approach. If I had to rate it, I'd give it maybe 5.5/10. It has merits and potential, but I don't really like it "as is".[/color]

[color=#808080]I have MK: DA on GCN, but it's basically the same game. I'm so pleased with it, in the sense that I was always a big MK fan. And really, MK was the "king of fighters" for quite a few years. That all died when Midway started rehashing the series with horrible games such as that Mythologies title and the endless "Trilogy" rehashes. And then, MK4 basically killed it all. It was a horrible, horrible game. One of the worst games I have ever played. Thankfully, MK: Deadly Alliance is quite good. It totally restores my faith in the series, as a longtime fan. It does have a lot of gore -- but the gore is really something you ignore after five minutes. It's meaningless and adds nothing to the game at all. At its core, the fighting engine is very solid. Each character has varying fighting styles (three for each, including a weapon-based style). And these aren't just gimmicks; they are truly based on tactics and it takes quite some patience and skill to truly master the various aspects of combat. One thing I like about this game is that it's not all about fireballs and magic. Those things are great (and they worked on the older games), but in MK: DA they are more subdued. The focus this time is more about hand-to-hand and weaponized combat. And that's really important to remember. You can still perform combos -- which are a strong addition to the game. The movement between individual styles and the execution of combos feels incredibly smoothe and natural, as it should. Also, interestingly...if you are using a weapon, you can often perform a kind of "critical move" and stab that weapon into your opponent. With Kitana, for instance, you can throw the fan and it will stick into the neck of your opponent (neck or chest, I forget). You lose the fan -- but it slowly drains your opponent's life. Often, these critical moves are slower than traditional weapon-based moves. So, they're easier to predict and to block. But, if you time things correctly, they can be a very critical aspect to a match (or at least, enough to tip the scales in your favor). There are a few things I dislike about this game though. Firstly, the character models look okay at a distance -- but up close, they look absolutely ridiculous. The men all have GIANT arms (so much so that it's almost comical) and the faces are often pretty silly looking (Sonya's face looks like a male truckdriver). Some characters are also poorly modeled -- not in terms of texture detail or animation, but in terms of actual shape and form. For instance, Sonya looks utterly gross; she's got ENORMOUS breasts and a square head and plenty of muscles. She's horrible. In the old games, she looked so much better. At least back then, her proportions were real. Now she looks like a pro-wrestler who's had a sex change. And there is another character, I forget her name...she has black hair. Her breasts are saggy and they jiggle moreso than anything I've seen in Dead or Alive -- and that's saying something. lol Once again, it looks horrible. It takes away from the character. And then there's Shang Tsung. I don't think his "new look" gels with how he used to look. I'd have preferred it if they'd modeled him after the "movie version" of him (ie: shoulder length black hair, darker skin, long black trenchcoat with the red dragon symbol on the back). As it is, he looks like some sort of wizard on drugs. But other than that, the characters generally look quite good from a reasonable distance. The animation is very good in most cases and the general movements and costume designs are of a pretty high standard. So, yes...if you're a fan of the series but hated MK4 and Mythologies...you should REALLY pick this one up. It will reinvigorate your MK love. ~_^ And even if you're a big Tekken fan...you'll still find a lot to like here. The fighting system is no less complex than that of Tekken -- and I'm serious when saying that. It's not overly complex, but it's not a button masher, really. A button masher could never beat a skilled player in two player mode; so it's not easy to just use one move to "cheat" against another human player.[/color]

[color=#808080]I think you should go. You can always write to your friends...or use the phone or email. And you're not going to be living at the school [i]forever[/i]. You'll come home. And when you do, your friends will be waiting. ^_^[/color]

[color=#808080]I think it's important to note that expectations are not the same as goals. If you [i]expect[/i] something to happen, then you are taking for granted the fact that it should happen. It doesn't mean that you're working towards a particular outcome, necessarily. It's important to have some expectations (we all need to have them), but if we start expecting all the major things in life...we're basically getting to a point where we know what's going to happen and where we are taking everything for granted -- as if nothing will be different. A big aspect of life is the spontaneous nature of it...and the fact that more often than not, things happen that are outside our own control.[/color]

[color=#808080]It should work for everyone. I can see it fine. So if you're having problems viewing it...I have no idea what to do to solve that. It's probably something to do with your browser or something; most people don't seem to have much of a problem seeing the banner.[/color]

[color=#808080]I think people would get used to it. And from what I understand of our software, it's reasonably easy to introduce. Plus, that field might have bold text...or a different colour. Who knows. Maybe we can even make it so that you can [i]choose[/i] what colour to include. There are [i]many[/i] possibilities besides those that have been mentioned so far.[/color]

[color=#808080]I think this is kind of a moot subject, in the sense that most people understand that life isn't all sunshine and roses. ~_^ As for having expectations...well, sometimes having expectations is extremely important; especially in your career. If you have no expectations, you might end up with a lower quality result. And quality is the name of the game in your professional life. As for your personal life...once again, sometimes expectations have to be there. For instance, I expect that my partner won't cheat on me. That is my reasonable expectation -- if I didn't expect that, then I wouldn't be in a relationship. So yes, having some expectations is very important to the stability and reassurance in your life. But certainly, don't expect [i]everything[/i] to go your way. Having some expectations is important, but it's impossible (and probably not very interesting) to plan out your life to the nth degree.[/color]

[color=#808080]A "no" wouldn't suffice, because the answer was not a "no". ~_^ The answer was a "yes, under certain circumstances".[/color]

[color=#808080]Being comfortable with PS2 development bears little to no relationship to whether or not developers create games for GameCube. There are many issues -- lisencing, marketing, profitability, media format costs...many, many issues. Game companies tend to consider two aspects; the financial and the creative. Konami, for instance, is now looking at the creative potential of using the sun with the GBA (in terms of having differing light levels affect the game environment). And then you have SEGA, exploiting the GBA/GCN connectivity with games like F-Zero. Game developers will make investments in new hardware if they feel that it is in their interest. So, whether or not they are comfortable with PS2 doesn't have a great deal of influence on whether or not they'll develop for GameCube.[/color]

[color=#808080]Hiachi, what does that have to do with anything? That sounded like almost nothing but a rant about AOL. lol[/color]

[color=#808080]Perhaps we could add an extra field in the postbit, underneath the avatar that reads "Custom Title:" or something. I'd be willing to do that; it'd be a lot easier than some of the more complex systems that may otherwise be required.[/color]

[color=#808080]Sexual attraction is important to any longterm relationship, because your sex life is a major component. It's a major component, but it's not the BIGGEST aspect. Obviously, let's face it...you're not going to go out with someone that repulses you physically. If you think you'll be doing that, then you're deluding yourself. As for me, I really don't know what I look for in a person. Physically, the field is so wide open. I can find someone from ANY race attractive. Though, I tend to be less attracted to asians physically, but I should emphasize the word "less", because I've known some asians in my life who were physically stunning. On a physical level, I mostly want the person to have a nice smile and a pleasant face. Not necessarily a flawlessly beautiful face, but you know...a face that is comforting and nice. A smile can be so attractive, I think. Even if you're really fat or whatever...if you have a nice smile, that can really make a major difference (to me, anyway). As far as body type, I honestly don't care. I've had crushes on chubby people, skinny people and "in between" people. lol I guess the main thing is that the person is clean (bad hygeine is a BIG no-no for me) and has a pleasant face. Other than that, my tastes are way too varied to start listing. I tend to find also that if you start talking to a person and you really relate to them on a personal level, they start to become more physically attractive. This happened with my first partner to some extent. Someone can look kind of "ordinary" to me...but if we can have good conversations and if they're sweet, I'll find myself being more physically attracted to them. At the end of the day, I guess if you're talking about a longterm partner...it has to basically be someone who I'd normally be friends with. It has to be someone who I can be [i]best friends[/i] with. Someone who understands me, who comforts me and who is always there for me. A good sense of humor and intelligence are also pretty important to me. But basically, if I have all of those things (intelligence, humor, understanding, etc)...the physical elements tend to fall into place. Bar a few very basic things (like if I REALLY was repulsed by the person's face or something lol), I don't think there'd be too much of a problem. As it happens, I already have a partner with all of those attributes above (including the looks lol), so I'm happy with that. What I've described is really what I already have. But yeah, in a longterm relationship it's always important to think about the things that fundamentally sustain your relationship. Looks do play a role (and an important one), but there WILL be days where your partner is sick or something...and the looks just fly right out the window. lol Or if your partner puts on weight or something...at those times, if you feel [i]less[/i] physically attracted, you'll still be in love because of the more fundamental things. And that's what counts in the end. But anyway, I've rambled far too much...I'll leave the floor open for someone else. lol[/color]

[color=#808080]Custom titles is a common practice at many forums. But as I said before, OtakuBoards has its own unique needs when it comes to this subject. So if I can find a way to do this that actually works for us, I will. Obviously every site has its own policies and way of doing things, it's just that the software that other vB-based sites use is the standardized system that I talked about earlier. And we can't apply that here. Whatever we do, we need something to be customized for our own setup.[/color]

[color=#808080]I have no idea. Shyguy pointed out that perhaps the conditions might include the amount of time you've been on the boards. That's one possibility. Another condition is that we might place restrictions on the length of your title. Or we might have any number of other conditions. Those are things that I can consider if and when I know that such a customized system is even possible for us to produce. If Justin gives me the green light on it, I can actually go through the practical issues that are involved.[/color]

[color=#808080]Oh of course, it's impossible to develop a perfect system that blocks everything. Even our current censoring system on the boards, as you've pointed out, isn't perfect. It will block most things (even some symbols), but not everything. However, the great thing is that we have added to our censor over a period of time. It's much more reliable now than it was before. Yes, you can still get past it -- but if you do, you're breaking the rules anyway. So, the same would go for custom titles. We could use the same censor that we use in posts. No, it wouldn't be ideal. But it would a lot better than having to constantly edit people's titles; in other words, it'd be better to have an automated censor as opposed to none at all. Also, I was talking about the question of automation. I don't want myself and Charles to be bogged down in manually adding/removing custom titles here and there. That's too inefficient. I want a system that allows members to put titles in themselves -- but only under certain preset conditions. [/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by wrist cutter [/i] [B]I think it is. You said it yourself, you don't want to "open any more floodgates", so there ya go. Unless you want to spend days inputting every possible bad word/some variant thereof to censor. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]Ah, but you're not concentrating, Mr. Cutter. ~_^ I said that I didn't want to open the floodgates to a system that could be abused. This is true. However, if we can develop a custom titles system that allows for a censor...that would be a different situation. Currently, most "standardized" custom title software additions don't have a censoring component. So, once again, my concern has nothing to do with whether or not people have custom titles. It's about what kind of controls we can put in place, how automated the system can be and whether or not it interferes with what we currently have in place on the site. This is mostly a technical/implementation issue. And, as with various other suggestions in the past that have been a bit tough to deal with on a technical level, I'm looking into whether or not this is feasable. If I can find [i]some[/i] alternative that operates to my specifications, I'll use it.[/color]

[color=#808080]Read my post above; this isn't a hopeless situation. Shyguy has been willing to explain his idea to me and I'm responding. I'd be happy to include custom titles on OtakuBoards, but [i]only[/i] if it can be done in an appropriate way. So, yes...if you actually read what I've said thusfar, I've not rejected the concept of custom titles. So the discussion is certainly not pointless. I do understand and accept that there is a desire within the community for this feature; but there is only so much the OB Team can handle at one time. If it becomes feasable to include a custom titles function that also gels with our current system, I'll be the first to encourage and support it.[/color]