James

[color=royalblue]Well, once again...I can only tell you that I'll bring it up with Shift. That's the best I can do.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I recommend reading the latest announcement...[/color]

[color=royalblue]Hm...I must say, it seems weird for a Bond movie. I thought that the Garbage song for that Bond movie (I forget which one lol) was really good. I really liked it. I also liked the one tha Tina Turner did for Goldeneye. Sounded modern...but very "spyish" Hehe. The Madonna one [i]is[/i] good, but it will take me a bit to get used to. It's different for her...and it's different in regards to a Bond movie. Still, I always love Bond movies...so I can't wait to see the latest one. ^_^[/color]

[color=royalblue]I think artists have responsibilities...but there is no way anyone can compare some idiotic "gangster" to a woman who wears skimpy clothing. There truly is [i]no[/i] comparision between the two. (Er...I fixed that mistake, Deus. :blush: )[/color]

[color=royalblue]Well, I don't subscribe to the idea that the way a woman dresses dictates that she is more likely to get raped. When people say "if you dress like a slut, you're asking for it"...that pisses me off to no end. As long as someone isn't showing anything incredibly rude...then it's fine. Really, it's their choice. People have no right to judge those things. Of course, if you're talking about a little girl...then that is very different. She can still be allowed flexibility without dressing incredibly rudely.[/color]

[i]Proteus and Reverb sat down infront of Signas' desk. Within moments, Kurt wandered in and sat next to the pair.[/i] [b]Signas:[/b] Right, let's begin shall we? [i]Proteus eyed Reverb and Kurt.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] What about the others? [b]Signas:[/b] We don't have time for that now, Proteus. If they wish to join this mission, they will have to catch up with you. Your coordinates will be tracked on our satellite system, so they won't have a problem finding you. [i]Proteus shrugged.[/i] [b]Signas:[/b] Given that you are the oldest member here, Proteus...you shall be the team leader for this particular expedition. [i]Proteus nodded. Signas stood up and placed his hands behind his back. He frowned.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] ...What is it, sir? [i]Signas walked out from behind his desk and took some papers from it. He handed them to the three reploids. The papers were an incident report that had just been sent to him from one of the city's district officers. [/i] [b]Signas:[/b] One of the city's districts is experiencing severe devistation... [i]Signas leaned against the desk.[/i] [b]Signas:[/b] A large explosion was heard in the subway's 71st sector hub. The explosion has killed at least 180 people...and many more are injured. A reploid was seen leaving the area right before the explosion... [i]Signas frowned again and shook his head...[/i] [b]Signas:[/b] I don't know if there is any evidence down there...but I want you to travel to District 71 and investigate. Whatever this is...it is a new breed of attack. We've never faced an attack on civilians like this...the attacks have usually involved Hunter-related interests. [i]Proteus nodded and stood up.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Where is that district again, sir? [b]Signas:[/b] District 71 is the codename we use for Nebula Heights. Nebula Heights is one of the city's northern-most districts...it's very large. The population there is well over 10 million. This attack was only small, compared to what it could have been. But it was clearly targetted at this area...and I want you to find out why. [i]Proteus nodded again and gestured for the others to follow him. The three reploids made their way down towards one of the HQ's underground transportation hubs, in order to find a suitable vehicle to get to the location...[/i]

[i]Proteus stopped and turned to the animal-like reploid.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I had to get out of there... [b]Kurt:[/b] Oh, you were in isolation? [i]Proteus nodded. But he did not continue speaking. Instead, he continued making his way down the corridor. Finally, the alarm stopped. The fire must have been contained, Proteus suspected. He continued making his way down the expansive Eastern Corridor of [b]Hunter HQ[/b]. Eventually, he came to an enormous hub, which was littered with reploids of all shapes and sizes. This was the famous East Wing of [b]Hunter HQ[/b]. On the other side of the hub was a large holographic sign, which said simply "Hunter Barracks". Proteus made his way across the hub, eyeing the latest recruits as he did so. He remembered what it was like to be a new recruit...but now, that memory seemed so very distant. Finally, Proteus found the entrance to his old room. Number 145. He pushed open the door and found something he did not expect. An odd-looking reploid was sitting on a bed opposite his. He was reading the Hunter Manual. Proteus noticed several pieces of paper sticking out of various pages -- obviously this reploid was a keen student of the Hunter Headquarters. Proteus entered the room and immediately, the reploid looked up and smiled. In that split second, Proteus nearly fell backwards. His eyes widened...[/i] [b]Reverb:[/b] Hello...I'm Reverb. What's your name? [i]Reverb continued smiling, as if nothing had happened. But Proteus noticed it -- this reploid looked very much like someone he had known years ago. Of course, it couldn't have been the same reploid...it simply couldn't...[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Hi...I am Proteus. Pleased to meet you. [i]Proteus leaned forward and shook Reverb's hand. Reverb pointed to the manual in his hand and made a face: :drunk: Proteus smiled and nodded.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Yeah...not easy stuff, is it? [b]Reverb:[/b] Not at all...I've read it twice over and I'm still having trouble. [b]Proteus:[/b] Well, if you ever need any help...you're welcome to ask for my assistance. [i]Reverb nodded and smiled.[/i] [b]Reverb:[/b] Thanks Proteus. [i]Proteus nodded and walked into the ensuite. He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked the same as he always had...but something was different. It was intangible. Proteus' hair was a little longer now...but that wasn't it. Silent bolts of blue energy snaked through his hair quickly every few seconds. He looked closer...and saw the small titanium structures in his eyes...the microscopic hydraulic systems that powered his vision and HUD. Nothing here was different. But he felt different, somehow...[/i]

[color=royalblue]Well, I personally don't respect Christina for her talents. I mean, I respect her for her voice perhaps...but I know she doesn't write her own music, etc... She's essentially a manufactured product. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that...if there is a demand for it. And there is. My message is basically "good luck to her". I don't have anything against manufactured artists, as long as they don't pretend to be some kind of holier-than-thou creative genius. And most don't. It's like, recently...I saw Kelly Osbourne talking on Channel V. And when asked what she thought of her fame, she pretty much said "Look, I know I'm here because of my dad...and that's okay, I'm just having some fun". And I thought that it was a great attitude. She wasn't taking herself incredibly seriously...and she understood why she is now famous. Because she's Ozzy's daughter. She seems to understand that. Of course, some artists don't...which can be frustrating. As for Christina...I don't know how she sees herself. But if she pretends to be some major music genius...then of course I'd dislike that aspect. As far as being slutty...well, I rarely use the word "slut" to describe a woman. I think it's one of the most offensive, horrible words a person can use. And let's face it...Christina is not [i]truly[/i] a slut. She might dress like a hooker, but it doesn't make her behavior slutty. lol [/color]

[color=royalblue]Mnemolth: I respect the person. I respect them as a human being. I might not respect them as an artist...or even has a nice person. But I respect them as a fellow human being. So, that's the most basic respect. I can see why you'd differentiate it from respect of the person...but for me, they are both one in the same. Of course, I have that basic respect for everybody...with maybe a few exceptions. It's like with ProudClod for example. He said really nasty things about Sephiroth...and is generally incredibly nasty to anyone he talks to. Despite the fact that I don't like him -- I [i]do[/i] respect him as a person. I would not want for him to be physically harmed or killed. But by the same token, I accept the fact that he isn't a nice person...and I don't respect him as an individual. If that makes sense. :drunk:[/color]

[color=royalblue]You know the funny thing? I wonder if those who had respect for this guy have that same respect now. He STUPIDLY left a massive trail of evidence, some of which the police kept secret until now...deliberately. He was apparently even trained by the military, yet two of his victims were not killed. That respect must surely be under question now. ;)[/color]

[color=royalblue]Rico's right. That is why I allow double posting in the fan fiction area. It's the [i]only[/i] forum where double posting is acceptable. [/color]

[i]Proteus sat up again. The room looked just the same as it had before. Proteus guessed that it was probably night time. His internal clock was a bit off -- but he felt that it was probably around 6 or 7 hours after Dr. Karman had entered the room. All he knew was that he didn't want to be here any longer. He had to get out...and fast. Proteus stood up in the pool and tore the optic nerves from his body. Immediately, the little cube next to the pool shut down. The screen went dark. He stepped out of the pool and looked around. He remembered where Dr. Karman had entered the room -- from a special wall on the right. Proteus approached the wall and touched it. He didn't feel any gaps or anything -- he had no idea how Dr. Karman got in.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Hm...well, only one thing I can do. [i]He stood back and lifted his arm. He squeezed some of the hydraulic muscles in his hand, which activated his Adaptive Buster routine. Using his internal HUD (Heads Up Display), he cycled through a list of available modifications.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Ahh, here we go. Spacial Disruptor. [i]Proteus lifted his arm, which immediately began to morph into the selected weapon system. The temperature inside the nervous system of his arm increased, giving the metal more flexibility. Individual pieces of metal lifted outwards and shifted position on his arm, creating an entirely new structure from his existing exoskeleton materials. Proteus aimed his new cannon directly at the wall...and fired. His entire body shook momentarily, and after half a second of silence, an enormous red burst of energy erupted from the cannon's barrel. It effortlessly crossed the room and dived right into the wall, creating a massive explosion which sent shockwaves through the surrounding corridors. Immediately, the installation's security alarm was audible. Proteus stepped through the partly-demolished wall into the corridor and made his way toward the barracks. [/i]

[color=royalblue]Actually, I had quite a major Metroid Prime thread a short time ago...with lots of screenshots and details. Anyway, yeah...best to think of this game as a "first person Zelda". The game really does control much like Zelda and in terms of exploration and objectives...I wouldn't call it a standard FPS-type game. At least not in the vein of Goldeneye or TimeSplitters. I'm certainly looking forward to it...it's definitely on my top five list right now. [/color] :)

[color=royalblue]But Mnemolth...respect and tolerance for life are the same thing. I respect someone in the sense that they are a human being with feelings and emotions. And they have as much right to exist as I do. That is the most basic respect I have for someone. Obviously that respect grows depending on the person. I mean...for example, I have huge respect for firefighters and police, even though I may have only met a few of them. There is an inbuilt respect in some situations, I think...based on that individual's life and what they do.[/color]

[i]Proteus woke suddenly. His eyes burst open and stared at the white space above. The ceiling, walls and floor were all white. And there were no discernable markings or etchings anywhere in the room. In the middle of the chamber lay Proteus, submerged in a pool of light blue liquid. Hey lay under the surface, his eyes staring forward without blinking. And at first he felt completely cold and numb all over. But after a few minutes, warmth and feeling returned to his limbs. Proteus blinked and slowly sat up. He looked down and saw a handful of optic nerves protruding from his chest and legs. The nerves were attached to a small cube that was sitting next to the pool. The cube had a small screen on its upper-most surface, which displayed a number of vital signs. The large, white wall infront of Proteus began to fold open rapidly and without any sound. A young woman entered the room from a hallway beyond. As she entered, the opening in the wall closed itself again.[/i] [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] Hello, Proteus. How are you feeling? [i]Proteus looked around the room a little groggily...and finally shifted his gaze back to Dr. Karman.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I-I'm alright. What am I doing here? [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] Please do not be alarmed. You are here because of your accident. [i]Proteus held his head. One side was throbbing -- he didn't feel any pain, as reploids were unable to feel such sensations. But he could feel the damage inside...[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I don't understand...what accident? [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] Oh...well er...you don't remember? [b]Proteus:[/b] No... [i]Dr. Karman sighed and brushed a lock of blonde hair from her cheek. She adjusted her glasses and pulled up a chair next to the pool.[/i] [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] You were on a training mission outside [b]Hunter HQ[/b]. You were there with a couple of canine units...and an unknown reploid fired on you. [b]Proteus:[/b] What? I don't remember it... [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] Yes, you were hurt pretty badly. Several of your nervous sectors were severely damaged. You're lucky to be alive, Proteus. [b]Proteus:[/b] Heh, I guess that's the payback I get for having a different internal structure to other reploids... [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] Exactly. Your optic nervous system gives you some advantages over any other reploid in existence. But by the same token, you are more vulernable to certain attacks. It's a tradeoff...but you are no less valuable to [b]Hunter HQ[/b]... [b]Proteus:[/b] Yeah, yeah. Spare me the "don't worry about your life-threatening injuries, you're still so valuable" crap... [i]Dr. Karman looked away. She knew what Proteus was talking about and it made her feel uneasy. Despite the fact that she'd been working at [b]Hunter HQ[/b] for some eight years now, she still hadn't become as inhumane as some of the establishment's scientists.[/i] [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] I'm sorry Proteus. I understand how you feel...and I want to assure you that I'm doing all I can to take care of you. [b]Proteus:[/b] Why did they assign you to my treatment? [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] I guess because you're a unique case, Proteus. I've worked with reploid nervous systems before, especially the kind you have in your body. So perhaps they think I'm the most qualified. [b]Proteus:[/b] I see... [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] ... [b]Proteus:[/b] When do I get to see my friends? I want to get out of here...I hate it in here. If you want me to recover, this is not the best way to do it... [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] I'm sorry...but you'll have to remain here until your optic nerves are completely healed. This is a quarantine unit...if you travel outside, you may become over stimulated. That would further risk your health. [b]Proteus:[/b] So how long am I gonna be in here? [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] I don't know...maybe another two weeks. [i]Proteus glared at Dr. Karman.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Two weeks?! [b]Dr. Karman:[/b] I'm sorry... [i]Proteus closed his eyes and lay back down in the pool. He didn't want to talk to Dr. Karman again...[/i]

[color=royalblue]Cera is correct. We have been planning to put in this feature. Shift emailed me with a pretty lame excuse for his lack of work lately...so I'm not sure how that'll go. Hopefully he can get back on track and get all these software updates completed. If not, I might need to find someone else.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by AnimeLover [/i] [B][color=red] A Juxtaposition, if I remember correctly, is a word or object or even being that is side by side, parallel if you will.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Juxtaposition basically means that one thing is opposite or inverse to another. Anyway, I think you're basically right on the whole respect thing. There are different kinds of respect...and it definitely varies from person to person. I think most people have a "general" respect for people...a respect for humankind. That is why most of us cannot understand terrorism. Because we have a general respect for all human life, no matter what nationality, etc... [/color]

[color=royalblue]Frankly, the more technology we use to prevent these problems, the better. The problem is that right now, I have a totally inactive Tech Staff. And good tech staff are very hard to find. So my hands are tied when it comes to software upgrades at the current time.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I do agree with Mathguy to some extent -- of course we don't want too many closed threads. But you have to remember that if we delete every closed thread, some people will not learn. They won't see bad examples. And therefore, people are more liable to make mistakes more frequently. So obviously we have to strike a balance. It may not be to your tastes, but we can't please everyone unfortunately.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I think most Moderators aim to be as civil as they can. But as I've said before, they are human too. If they have closed two or three really silly threads that day...well, you can see how it might build up. I think both sides need to give leeway where it's due. Members have to understand that Moderators are doing their job...and they don't always have the time to be 100% careful about wording their posts. On the other hand, Moderators have a responsibility to not only uphold the site's rules...but to also deal with things in a calm and resopnsible manner. Both sides are always going to make mistakes. It's bound to happen. But as long as we understand these issues...I don't see it as much of a problem. Of course, if something really significant arises...then by all means, members have the ability to talk to me about it so that it can be resolved. Or you can even PM the Moderator to talk it out. It's better to talk about it in a civil way, as opposed to bearing a grudge that just grows over time.[/color]

[color=royalblue]What can I say...this looks great. I don't think that they are in any way degrading Yuna or anything. Just remember that post Lulu had in FFX when she won -- deliberately leaning down and letting her ample breasts cascade down the front of her dress. lol! The style suits. It's very "FFX" and screams of the original artist's designs. And that's a good thing. As for the game itself...if it retains the Sphere Grid, then I'll be a happy man.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Actually yes, I think the Admin CP tells us about log in/log out times. But I'm not sure...I've never really used it. In this case though, I guess it's important that they don't log out...otherwise it would ruin the spirit of the contest! :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]Yeah, I think it's just because Seph hasn't been around much over the last couple of months or so. It's understandable. Seph has always been an important member of our community though...he gave me great support and I consider him a friend. So he's definitely on my list (I [i]told[/i] you I didn't mention [i]everyone[/i]) ;)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Phantom [/i] [B][color=sienna]Well, in given sense of thought. Yes this is a question that could be answered on severy mentalities. [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]o_O;; Subforums cannot be displayed on the main page. To the best of my knowledge, there is no software feature within Virtual Bulletin that would allow it. Given that we use vB for this particular site...we are restricted in terms of what is actually possible on vB. Also, subforums are there because they belong to a parent forum. For example, Recruitment really has no meaning or purpose on its own. It is designed to be a companion to Adventure Arena. In terms of the web design & development forum...that forum was not performing very well. I wasn't very satisfied with it. However, if you really must discuss HTML/web development stuff...I strongly recommend using the PC/Mac forum. This forum is great not only for game discussion, but also for technical help and web development. I see no reason why all of those subjects, which fit under the same umbrella, can't be discussed in that forum. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]These subjects [i]can[/i] be discussed in Otaku Lounge. I have no problem with that. The problem arises when we get 10 threads relating to a war on Iraq. I mean...come on, let's just keep ONE thread for that subject. That's the main thing. You can talk about politics 'till you're blue in the face, as long as you don't make five million political threads. So maybe just have one thread related to each subject.[/color]