James

[color=royalblue]We have indeed only just had a thread identical to this. I think most people here are pretty sensible. Those of us who own GameCubes (and/or PS2s) are well aware that a game's visual style doesn't mean that it specifically for children. Just look at Kingdom Hearts on PS2. You can never judge a book by its cover. People who use this very weak criticism are people who really don't understand either Nintendo or gaming in general. And as such, their opinions are pretty invalid when it comes to gaming discussion.[/color]

[color=royalblue]As mentioned in the addictive games thread, I'm a massive Mario fan. And I'm sure many of you here are also big Mario fans. :) I think I posted some information about Super Mario Sunshine back when E3 was occurring...but since then, so much more information has been revealed to the public, that I thought I'd share some of it with you. Firstly, I notice that the level of anticipation has sharply increased over the last couple of weeks in particular. During E3, the hype was slowly building, but many commented that Super Mario Sunshine's textures were "bland and blurry" and that overall, the game didn't look very good. Indeed, some of the original shots seemed to reflect some fairly poor texture work, but I believe this was down to bad screen captures rather than bad graphics. [IMG]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mariosunshine_062802_7.jpg[/IMG] However, the most recent images of the game actually show some very sharp, high resolution texture work. And given how smoothe the framerate is, this game actually looks pretty damn stunning in motion. [IMG]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mariosunshine_062102_1.jpg[/IMG] So what can Mario do in Super Mario Sunshine? Well, as most of you already know, the key aspect to Mario's movement and environmental interaction is his water pack. The pack contains a small tank for water as well as a large spout at the top. [IMG]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mariosunshine_gcn_ss38.jpg[/IMG] Initially, it was believed that the pack was used primarily for spraying away a black gunk, which has been liberally splattered around the beautiful tropical island where Mario is staying on vacation. However, it turns out that the pack has several very different capabilities. [IMG]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mariosunshine_062802_5.jpg[/IMG] Mario can use his water pack to hover whilst jumping in the air (when jumping, the pack sprays jets of water directly downward, allowing Mario to gently over over the ground. This technique is useful for hovering over enemies [or gunk] to kill 'em). [IMG]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mariosunshine_062802_3.jpg[/IMG] Secondly, Mario can execute a kind of "rocket jump", whereby he jumps waaay up into the air, leaving a huge trail of smoke/gas behind him (I'm not exactly sure what it is). I'm not sure how the move is activated and it seems so far that it can only be activated at certain times and not all the time. [IMG]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mariosunshine_062802_1.jpg[/IMG] The third action described so far is the ability to "water ski". Basically, Mario stands on a big leaf that floats on the water and the nozzle of his pack points backwards. When activated, the pack fires jets of water backward and effectively pushes Mario along like a speedboat. It looks like a [i]lot[/i] of fun! :) The fourth action is the basic "spray" action, where Mario stands still and sprays a stream of water forward. The steam can be manually aimed and can be used to attack certain enemies. Interestingly, there are some "balloon-like" enemies that require you to shoot water into their mouth. Some shots show them attached to the nozzle of the water pack itself. When you've filled the creature with water, it eventually "bursts" and goes flying off into the distance -- exactly as a burst balloon might. [IMG]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mariosunshine_gcn_ss53.jpg[/IMG] Some images also show a strange "imposter". If you'll remember reports of the story of Mario Sunshine, the villagers in the tropical town believe that Mario is the one spraying all the gunk everywhere because someone who [i]looked like him[/i] was seen in the area. Could this mysterious blue Mario be the imposter? Who knows. (~_^) Anyway, I hope that answers some questions regarding the game. Feel free to use this thread to discuss everything related to Super Mario Sunshine. :) Lastly, I want to show some images from the latest Japanese commercial. They are very poor quality images (as they were taken from a moving AVI), but they [i]do[/i] show some very interesting stuff, including the hover and rocket jump actions. Enjoy. :) [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/nozzle.JPG[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/2.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/3.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/4.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/5.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/6.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/7.jpg[/IMG] (How cool is that rocket jump?!) ^_^ [IMG]http://www.nettendo.com/com/91.jpg[/IMG][/color]

[color=royalblue]I have found Pikmin to be very addictive. I keep playing the Challenge Mode over and over again, trying to beat my score. I always thought (before I bought the game) that it sounded pretty boring, but it's actually a great deal of fun. Over the last few years, in terms of Nintendo games...there are a few that really had me hooked. The biggest game to truly hook me beyond belief was probably Super Mario 64. When I first bought the game, I played for about three hours that night (I came home with it pretty late at night). However, the next day, I played five hours straight. And then five hours the day after. lol I was just amazed by it. I'm probably the world's biggest Mario fan -- he practically brought me up more than my own parents. lol So, Mario 64 excited me beyond words. And over the first few months of owning it, I played it over and over again...just taking my time to explore the worlds and find the game's secrets. That is why I am [i]so[/i] excited about Super Mario Sunshine (which is looking utterly spectacular, by the way). I can't wait for it...it's probably the most exciting reason to own a GameCube at the moment, for me personally. Other than that...Ocarina of Time was another game that I became very addicted to. It was wonderful to turn that game on for the very first time and explore Hyrule in three dimensions. I can see why some Nintendo fans actually cried at Spaceworld 2000; seeing characters that you've known all your life suddenly have new life breathed into them on GameCube...it's a pretty emotional thing. I think that is why there are so many devout Nintendo fans in the world...most of us have grown up with these characters, they've been growing with us for the last two decades. :) Egh, too much rambling...but I think you all know what I'm on about. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]Heaven's Cloud is absolutely right. I don't ban people for their opinions -- only if they go overboard in expressing them. In any case, I think that most of corporate America is above board. In cases like this, it's easy to paint everyone with the same brush, so to speak. As far as resources goes...I think western countries need to push harder for research into new fuels (hygrogen, for example) so that the reliance on OPEC drops. It constantly annoys me that much of the world is ultimately relying on some cartel of often untrustworthy nations. I'm not sure about how much oil Australia imports though. From what I know, we are pretty self sufficient...meaning we have enough oil reserves to satisfy our local market. Of course, a large percentage of our own oil is exported (which is minor in global terms) and we [i]do[/i] import some oil. In any case, it'll be interesting to see what happens with these scandals in future. President Bush gave off some good rhetoric, but really, he hasn't addressed some of the core industry reforms that need to take place. I think all Americans (and those of us in markets that are affected by America) definitely have a stake in the issue.[/color]

[color=royalblue]A lot of PS2 machines have this "clicky" problem...I don't think it's a major thing. As for Cowboy Bebop...get used to it. PS2's laser is of inferior quality and you'll find that with extended use, less and less DVD movies will work properly. This is also related to the machine's poor DVD drivers. You can try to get it fixed...but I doubt there is much that can be done.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I must agree with Heaven's Cloud here. I haven't read the last page, so I won't address the argument itself. But I do want to say that I personally believe that most members here are mature enough to debate an issue...no matter what it is. In the Xbox/PC forum, where I was debating an issue with Black Hawk and Jabroni, I can see that some would say "they're only gone because they disagreed with him". But, if you actually read what I posted...and if you read the Wall Street Journal article that I put there...you'll notice that neither of the aforementioned members [i]ever[/i] responded or addressed what I said directly. They simply moved on and continued to talk about totally unrelated issues. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I am trying to say that I don't discourage people from disagreeing...that's what freedom of speech is all about. And everyone is entitled to their opinion. But at the same time, if you're going to debate with people...you have to remain civil and be respectful. It's also respectful to actually [i]read[/i] what others say and understand their comments, so that you can effectively reply. I know that seems a little off track in this thread, but I guess I'm basically trying to say that debate on OtakuBoards is fine...as long as we understand that debates shouldn't get personal and that we can all debate without getting nasty about it. I think Justin and Heaven's Cloud in particular have been very good in this regard...Heaven's Cloud seems to be able to state his case without getting angry with people. That's what I want to see. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]I don't think she should be put in jail for life without parole... Let's remember that she may [i]not[/i] have known that her actions would result in the children's death. It sounds stupid...and most people would know that it is wrong and can result in death, but unfortunately there is no legislating against stupidity/ignorance. She will have to live with this her whole life...she will have to live with the horrible guilt of killing her own children by accident. I think that's bad enough. She should be charged with manslaughter, rather than murder.[/color]

[i]Luca sat up straight. He was staring forward, eyes wide open. It was that same dream again. It was haunting him. And lately, he'd been having it every single night. He wasn't sure if Rasanak was experiencing the dream as much as he was, nor did he know what to make of the cryptic messages within the dream itself. Luca looked around his apartment. It was morning. The clock next to his bed had "7:03AM" glowing on its facia. Luca stood up and walked over to the window near his bed. Vin Kartia looked so beautiful on this particular morning. Everything had an orange haze from the morning sunlight. The streets below were bustling as usual, but not as frantic as they were the night before. Luca smiled. It was a genuine smile, not the kind of smile he'd use infront of Rasanak or other people to pretend that he was happy. He was happy to live in the city, but it never really felt exactly right to him, as if he didn't really belong. But in any case, he didn't want to overthink it right now. He had a mission to attend to. While he was having breakfast that morning, Luca switched on the plasma monitor to watch the news... [b]"...the bombing took place on the outskirts of Meridion, where several leaders from across Gaia were meeting to discuss Verdun's recent military expansions on some of its minor islands. Several diplomats were killed, including the King's Aide from the nation of Esperna. There were more than thirty elves injured in the attack. While no details have come out about the attack yet, some elves within Oleron are already accusing Verdun of plotting the attacks..."[/b] Luca switched the monitor off. An explosion in Oleron? That sounded so strange to Luca. Oleron was always known as a place of peace throughout Gaia. Who on Gaia would want to perform such an attack? For a moment, Luca wondered if it had something to do with Rika-Sun. But Rika-Sun only seemed to be concerned with his business operations in Verdun, so why would he possibly want to attack diplomats in another country? It was all too much to take in. Luca decided that for now, it was best to just get dressed and stock up on weaponry for the mission ahead...[/i]

[color=royalblue]Heh...yeah, you have to be 21 in the United States to do a lot of the stuff you can do here at 18. Being 18 is great...nothing like going to a big nightclub and ordering the most alcoholic drink on the menu. Beheh.[/color] :drunk:

[b]Name:[/b] Ivan Shukhov [b]Age:[/b] 42 [b]Height:[/b] 6'5" [b]Initial Weapon/s:[/b] Trademark steel-handled revolver and brass knuckle. [b]Initial Vehicle:[/b] Black Russian Skoda Octavia (a sedan with leather seats and tinted windows -- Shukhov sits in the back) [b]Gang Affiliation:[/b] Soviets [b]Description:[/b] Ivan has short grey hair and wears a black suit with a red tie. His red tie has a small, black hammer & sickle symbol on the bottom...the trademark of the Soviets. [b]Personality:[/b] Ivan is calm and collected; he is rarely involved in a fight, often allowing his personal bodyguards to get involved for him. However, when required, Ivan is able to pack a mean punch. He has become greatly feared in some circles, particularly when he was actually living in Russia, some twenty years ago... [b]Bio/History:[/b] As mentioned, Ivan spent half of his life living in Russia. Whilst there, he became involved in a faction of the country's Soviet Mafia. And when he was 20, he moved to America...he moved up the ladder slowly and now he is one of the senior members of the Soviets in Liberty City. While not at the head of the organization, Shukhov holds significant sway. He is particularly interested in taking out the other gangs in the city and his ultimate goal is to claim Liberty City as a 100% Soviet territory. Thankfully, he has many friends in the organization...

[color=royalblue]SS, I doubt you'd like it...since it's electronic music lol. But you can find it on Kazaa or something like that pretty easily. :)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Aries [/i] [B][color=darkblue] You have to take into account that James edited her post, so he could have schemed it :p [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]What the...? I never edited anything. Hm...that's a worry. lol[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Final_Flash [/i] [B]Hey James, I gave 'Southern Sun' a listen... And what can I say, I love it! I haven't been a fan of Oakenfold in the past, but hey, things are looking up. ^^ [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Ahh that's cool. I'm not a huge fan of Oakenfold either...but I really fell for this song. It's very cool indeed and will probably see me buying the new album. Now, just for a change of pace, can anyone [i]avoid[/i] talking about stuff not even related to the original post and maybe give me some suggestions of other really good Oakenfold stuff? Heheh.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I'm not a huge follower of "the most highly paid DJ on Earth", but lately I've been listening to a couple of his newest songs. His latest piece is called [i]Southern Sun[/i]. And I love it. When I first heard it (I saw the clip, when I first heard it)...I wasn't sure if I really liked it or not. But after downloading and listening a few times...I think I'm hooked. It's the first single off his new album, titled "Bunker". Those of you who like electronic music (particularly progressive trance)...I would strongly recommend it. Not everyone will like it, but for some, it may really hit the warm and fuzzy spot. ;) The singer is Australian too...which I thought was interesting...I've never heard her in anything else before. Anyway, I just wondered what everyone thinks of this song and of Paul Oakenfold in general. :) (ie: Do you have any PO favourites that you'd recommend for download?)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by PiroMunkie [/i] [B][color=indigo]Ah yes, good ol' people from other countries. :) Just as a cultural question for those of you in other countries, do you have a similar holiday at all like the 4th of July here in the states? Just asking out of curioustiy and interest. :)[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Australia has "Australia Day" in January, which is basically the date that the First Fleet landed here. And then there is January 1st...which is the date when Australia was federated and became an actual country. But all of the celebration is done on the 26th. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]Happy 4th of July to all our American members. :) It's good to see that most people had a great time :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]I wouldn't kill her (that would make me no better -- revenge isn't the answer). But she deserves to be charged with manslaughter. It is a well known fact that if children are left in a car for any long period of time, they can die from heat and suffocation. In fact, it has been estimated that if you leave your car's ventilation closed (recycled air conditioning), the oxygen in the car actually starts to run out within fifteen minutes. So leaving a child in a car for [i]hours[/i] is incredibly stupid. Similar things have happened here in Melbourne -- a woman left her baby in a car while she went to gamble all night. When she came to her car in the morning, her baby was dead. And now, I believe she is in jail...as she should be.[/color]

[size=1]Sorry I haven't posted in a little while guys. I've had a few things to attend to, including a very sick family member and server issues. But let's keep it going, shall we? :)[/size] [i]Luca looked at his watch. The LCD display read "5AM". Luca rolled his eyes. He'd been sitting here with Rasanak for two hours. He looked over and noticed that Rasanak was looking a lot better; he didn't even seem to be tired. Rasanak smiled.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Heh...I've been thinking about that monster hunting thing. [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Oh? [i]Rasanak nodded enthusiastically.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Yeah. I'll bet it's a marketing stunt...I'll bet Mr. Sun has something special planned. Who knows, maybe it [i]is[/i] our lucky night! [i]Luca wasn't so sure about that. But he was feeling too groggy to question it.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Yeah...okay, so...we have to go to Mr. Sun's office, right? [i]Rasanak nodded.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] The card says that it's on the top floor. Do you want to see him now? [i]Rasanak grinned.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Might as well. ;) [i]He stood up and left 120 Gil on the table for the drinks. Luca stood up and followed him toward the teleporter at the corner of the room. On the way, Rasanak pointed out at least two waitresses that he wanted to "ruffle up" -- both comments were met by eye rolls from Luca. The teleporter was a unique device. The user simply had to stand on a coloured pad on the holographic floor and then say which floor they wanted to travel to. Rasanak was always whining that their apartment building should install the device. Within seconds, the pair were standing in a cavernous hallway. Luca looked down at the blue floor. As he did so, he noticed that unlike the other floors in the building, this floor became completely opaque after only a few seconds. And now, it was impossible to see anything below. At the end of the hallway was a large archway with steel double doors situated underneath. As Rasanak and Luca approached the doors, they both noticed the words "Office of President Sun, X-Ion Entertainment Corporation" engraved on both doors. Luca went to knock on the door, but just as he was about to raise his hand, Rasanak pushed the door wide open. Luca couldn't help grinning; he often felt that Rasanak was a little less cautious than he. Luca and Rasanak stood still. As they looked around, they saw that the room they were standing in was utterly huge -- probably bigger than [i]both[/i] of their spacious apartments combined. The floor was a deep blue colour and the walls appeared to be made of brushed steel. There was a solitary desk at the back of the room and an array of strange and exotic plants flanking the walls. Luca looked up and saw strange patterns moving over the ceiling (the result, no doubt, of some kind of holographic display).[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Whoa..fancy office... [i]Rasanak approached the desk at the end of the room and began examining its contents. Luca walked up beside him and nudged his arm.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Hey hey...are you forgetting who's office we are in? What if he catches you? [b]???:[/b] That's quite alright. I can understand his curiosity. [i]Rasanak dropped the gold pen he was holding, which rolled off the desk and hit the floor with a louder-than-expected thud. The pair turned around. In the rear corner of the room was a large couch, shrouded in shadow. Luca could see a pair of leather boots protruding from the darkness. [/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Hello..? [i]Luca heard the soft rustling sound of cloth; the person in the shadow was standing up. And finally, the figure emerged from the corner of the room. Luca and Rasanak blinked and looked at each other. They had absolutely no idea who this strange man was. He was wearing what looked like a black Hume suit. However, draped over the suit was a traditional elfin cloak. The cloak itself was black and its edges appeared to have white angular patterns running all the way along. The cloak was open at the front -- Luca and Rasanak could see the suit underneath. The suit itself was uniquely shaped, with silver buttons and an asymmetrical jacket, the edges of which tapered off in a series of sharp triangular-type shapes (a traditional Hume business suit). However, the man occupying the strange combination of Hume and Elf clothing was not a Hume at all -- he was most definitely an Elf. His long ears were unmistakable. His grey hair formed sharp edges framing his handsome face (elves were popular as models in Verdun -- most Hume considered them to be the more beautiful race). The man eyed the pair cautiously and walked past them, sitting down behind the desk at the end of the room. His motions seemed slow and deliberate and his voice was noteably calm, yet deep.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] Good morning, gentlemen. I am Rika-Sun. [i]Luca and Rasanak looked at each other in surprise. An [b]Elf[/b] was the richest Hume in Verdun? It didn't make any sense.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Erm...morning, Mr. Sun... [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Mornin'. Um...excuse us, but we both thought you were a Hume. You [i]sure[/i] you're Rika-Sun? [i]Luca rolled his eyes for what seemed to be the millionth time that night. He loved Rasanak like a brother, but sometimes Rasanak's trademark bluntness made him worry. However, Rika-Sun didn't seem to be at all affected by the remark. Rather, he leaned back a little in his large leather chair and nodded calmly.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] I know you expected a Hume. But it is necessary for me to portray myself as a Hume to the people of Vin Kartia. In any case, I am pleased to finally meet both of you. I trust you know why you are here... [i]Luca and Rasanak nodded.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Yep, 'cuz we're the best damn Monster hunters in Gaia! [i]Rika-Sun nodded and pressed his fingers against a pad on the surface of his desk. The pad glowed green for a few seconds and then faded back to its original grey colour. As soon it did so, a second man stepped into the room from the back of Rika-Sun's office. It was Kahn, Rika-Sun's personal bodyguard. He stood next to Rika-Sun and bowed, then simply stared forward. Luca felt a little uneasy. He wasn't exactly sure how this "meeting" was going to progress...[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] Actually, I must admit...I lured you both here under false pretenses. I knew that your passion for Monster hunting would be my best chance of getting you here infront of me. However, I am also aware that you are both excellent fighters. And that is why you are here. [i]Luca and Rasanak's faces must have looked obviously confused; Rika-Sun continued without being prompted by a response.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] You see, at the current time, my entertainment business is somewhat stifled. I own more property in the city of Vin Kartia than anyone else in the nation. And I am most definitely the wealthiest man on this entire planet. However, the Vin Kartia Grand Council has restricted me from doing business in any other cities in Verdun. They think I'm becoming a little [i]too[/i] rich and thus, a threat to their political power. [i]Luca was feeling even more uneasy...[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] There are a few select Chancellors within the Council that are deliberately blocking my attempts to expand my enterprise elsewhere. One Chancellor in particular comes to mind -- he has been encouraging other Chancellors to oppose my business expansions recently. [i] Luca pulled up a chair by the desk and sat down. He looked up at Rika-Sun, who stared back calmly.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] So what do you want us to do about it? [i]Rika-Sun reached into his pocket and pulled out a small card. It was a Vin Kartia Bank cheque. Rika-Sun put the cheque on the desk. Luca picked it up and examined it -- he nearly fell off his chair. The cheque was made out to Luca and underneath his name, Luca saw the figure of [b]"1,000,000 Gil"[/b] printed in bold text. Underneath that, he saw Rika-Sun's signature.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] I want you to kill the Chancellor. [i]The room fell silent for what seemed like an eternity to Luca. He was shocked. Only a few hours earlier, he and Rasanak had gone out to have a good time and now, here they were in Rika-Sun's expansive office, being asked to murder a Chancellor of the Vin Kartia Grand Council -- the governing body of the city.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Are you serious?! What makes you think I'm going to murder a Chancellor just so that you can expand your business to a few more cities?! [i]Rika-Sun's expression hardened. He didn't seem pleased with Luca's little outburst, although Luca assumed that he expected it.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] Fine. If you don't want one million Gil, then you can give me the cheque back. I will just use one of my many employees to kill the Chancellor. [i]Luca was surprised. He didn't expect such a flippant response. He looked over at Rasanak helplessly. Even if he and Rasanak didn't agree to commit the murder, they now knew of Rika-Sun's intent. Luca didn't think that Mr. Sun would let them out of the office with such incriminating knowledge. Rasanak stood up unexpectedly and smiled. He glanced at Luca and winked, then he looked at Rika-Sun.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Heh, sorry 'bout that. My friend Luca is a little worried about the authorities finding out. We'll do it. [i]Rika-Sun smiled for the first time during the meeting, though his smile wasn't the kind you'd normally see on a happy face.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] Excellent. I knew you'd see things my way. [i]Rika-Sun reached into the drawer underneath his desk and pulled out a small device (which looked somewhat like Rasanak's Game Boy Hologram). The device had a small screen with what looked like a map of the city on it. There was a blinking red dot on the map. Rika-Sun handed the device to Rasanak.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] I want you to kill the man known as Chancellor Hikaru. This tracking device will tell you where he is at all times. I don't care how or where you kill him, just as long as you get it done quickly. [i]Rika-Sun stood up. Luca pocketed the cheque and stood up a moment later.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Okay. We can do it, Mr. Sun. Thank you for the opportunity. [i]Rasanak bowed. Rika-Sun nodded to both he and Luca.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/n-sider/images/Rika_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rika-Sun:[/b] Excellent. I knew I could count on you. Now if you'll excuse me, I must be getting back to my home. I expect good things from both of you. [i]And with that, Rika-Sun nodded once more and exited the room, followed by Kahn. Rasanak and Luca quickly walked out of the room into the hallway outside. Luca glared at Rasanak.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Are you crazy? Now you want to murder a politician?! [i]Rasanak put his finger to his lips.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] Ssh! I have a plan... [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Oh? [i]Rasanak nodded.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] You heard what President Sun said...if we don't do it, he'll get someone else to do it. Don't you see what we have to do? [i]Luca shook his head. He was still confused.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] We have to find Chancellor Hikaru and protect him! We need to get him out of the country somehow...it's the only way! [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Ugh, [i]why[/i] do I always get involved in this stuff... [i]Rasanak smiled.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Rasanak_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Rasanak:[/b] 'cuz you're a good person. :) You know this is the right thing to do. There is no other way -- if we don't act, someone else will kill the Chancellor...and I'm sure President Sun wouldn't let us go with the knowledge we have now. [i]Luca sighed and nodded.[/i] [IMG]http://www.itsmysite.com/j-otaku/images/Luca_Avatar.gif[/IMG] [b]Luca:[/b] Yeah, I know. Okay...let's just go home and get some sleep now. I don't want to think about this at the moment...we can start considering our plans tomorrow...

[color=royalblue]I would probably be Semjaza Azazel, so I can feel young again. Other than that...I'd be ShadowGohan. He always makes me smile. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]SS Trunks, I think you need to read the rules again to be a little more clear. This link is provided with discussion on a specific topic -- that is allowed. What isn't allowed is a thread which is designed to specifically feature/advertise a website. It's a minor difference, but it [i]is[/i] a difference. Ray, I'm afraid I can't help you with your problem...but other members who read this might have a solution for you. :) Welcome to OtakuBoards, by the way. :)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by AqUaWoMaN [/i] [B]Sorry for the other tread, I thought dutch was allowed. I ask some friends to come here too, but they don't speak English. My English is very bad, my mother must help with translating. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Languages other than English aren't used at OtakuBoards for two reasons -- first, other members (who predominantly speak english) need to know what you're saying and second, all Moderators, Super Moderators and Administrators need to be able to understand what is being said. If someone comes on and starts posting stuff that nobody can understand, it is likely that they'll either be banned or warned. We understand that some do not speak English very well, but it [i]is[/i] a requirement on our site. Those who are totally unable to speak English should probably look for an anime site which is suited to their language (to make it more enjoyable for them, most importantly).[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Crazy White Boy [/i] [B] Yeah, I'm sorry that my topic caused so much trouble. I just wanted to spark a little conversation in this forum. I had no idea that it would mutate into this....[/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]It's okay. Not your fault. :) I've removed the more objectionable posts...so that the discussion can hopefully continue. It's a good, in-depth discussion for the most part. :)[/color][quote][b] Well, I don't think that Microsoft has to catch up with Sony. In fact, it'll be quite impossible in this particular console war. As stated, Microsoft is in this for the long haul and it is focusing on it's next platform. Microsoft is merely using the Xbox as a launch pad....[/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]I'm glad [i]someone[/i] was reading what I said. :) And yes, this is all about longterm strategy for Microsoft. It's not an excuse to bash the Xbox itself -- it's just a fact of life.[/color][quote][b] Third place can definitely be a profitible position for Microsoft to occupy. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]That is definitely true (especially if Xbox Live [i]is[/i] a success).[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Blackhawk [/i] [B] Oh my god I missed to 'u' I should be drug out in the street in shot! [/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]Heheh, I'm just saying that if you want to engage in a serious debate, you should at least learn how to spell correctly. ;)[/color][quote][b] I still haven't seen an actual press release or anything else stating this. However if you really want I can get numerous articles from game mags and IGN and just about anyother site saying it will be totally 3rd party[/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]I'm guessing that you [i]don't[/i] get very involved in gaming media at all. Sony announced its initial online plans quite some time ago. I just assumed it was common knowledge -- apparently not.[/color][quote][b] Quote from My post: Ofcourse they have plans for the xbox 2 hell sony's had plans for the PS3 since the start of the ps2 Did I ever say they Weren't looking into the next gen xbox? nope I never said. I said There were focused on the xbox now. Ofcourse they're in the process of gearing up for the xbox 2 they do plan on staying in the industry or they would have never started it![/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]Yeah, but your poorly-worded post gave me the distinct impression that you were totally dismissing the idea of Xbox being a launching pad for another machine. I know for a fact that this is the case. Microsoft is of course focused on Xbox now, with the idea of using it as a springboard for HomeStation/Freon in the future. Read what I say clearly; it helps.[/color][quote][b] Again another quote from my post: Are they loosing money now? Ofcourse, with the expecption of the GC all Game system loose money at the start. Did you even bother reading my post or just skim over it and pick out what you want?[/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]I don't even know what you're trying to say here. I responded very clearly to what you had originally said -- and I pointed out exactly how and why Xbox/Xbox Live is/will lose money over the coming financial year. If you want to dispute the Wall Street Journal on that, be my guest.[/color][quote][b] In response to: There will be enough people for MS to ATLEAST get it's lost down to millions hell go to GameSpy and see how many people are playing Halo. There is always atleast 400 people in there, atleast I've never seen less than that and I've been on pretty damn late. You said Do I even need a source logon to gamespy and see for yourself. That after all is the best kind of source. Oh and seeing as I'm a NWA for a few local banks and oil industry professionals, A+ certified and about to complete my final test for my MCSE certification I know a hellva lot more about server cost and operations than you'll probably ever know! [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]I didn't say "Do I even need a source logon to gamespy and see for yourself. That after all is the best kind of source." and I don't even really know what relevance it has to the discussion -- it's horribly worded. Heh, I'm guessing you included that last paragraph as a way of trying to deflect the fact that all of your points so far have been utterly wrong. It's okay, I understand. But considering that you seem to have no idea about the most basic fundamentals of online gaming as a business, I'm going to hope that you study very hard for that final test. :) EDIT: When you are able to debate correctly (and not enter ridiculous emotive speech into the discussion), I'll let you return. Until then, I suggest that you read a dictionary and learn to string a sentence together. [/color]

[color=royalblue]Definitely, the demand will no doubt increase. And that is why I am pointing to MS's plan as being a longterm plan. I just get annoyed when I'm asked to quote sources, while the original member who posted it clearly isn't interested in extending the very same courtesy to me. Anyway, regardless of any opinions on the matter, time will definitely tell. Hopefully Microsoft and other companies can turn the indifference in the market around. I sure hope so -- I'd absolutely love to play Halo online with a few friends. :)[/color]

[quote][b]Sorce please! Last I checked Sony is totally 3rd party based. Unless of course you count first and second party exclusives considering those are sony's own games you'd think they'd support them [/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]The word is spelled "source". ;) Sony has actually stated in the past that it plans to introduce a singular network whereby it can offer not only gaming services, but also online entertainment (remember the whole "order a pizza while you're playing a game" scenario?). However, Square has recently gone forward with PlayOnline which is a serviced based purely around its own franchises. The question is, how will this arrangement work in the United States and other countries? Sony has [i]continually[/i] expressed the desire for a central network, but clearly, some companies are not interested in a centralized system (as they effectively lose control of their own online operations by following this route). If you follow gaming media at all, then you will be well aware of Sony's repeated backpedalling on the issue.[/color] [quote][b]How do you figure? They are popping a good 2 billion into the x-box. That a hellva lot of money to be focusing only on the xbox 2 don't ya think? Ofcourse they have plans for the xbox 2 hell sony's had plans for the PS3 since the start of the ps2 [/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]How do I figure? Okay, let me run through it with you.[/color] [i]Quote: The Wall Street Journal, by Rebecca Buckman, Khanh T.L. Tran and Robert A. Guth[/i] [quote][i]ITS CODE NAME is "Freon," reflecting the notion that it is the coolest secret project at Microsoft Corp. these days, at least in the eyes of the Xbox video-game division. What Freon stands for is a [b]souped-up successor to the Xbox console[/b] -- capable of [b]playing games but also offering television capabilities[/b], such as pausing live TV and recording shows onto a computer hard drive, say people familiar with the effort. Though it is unclear whether such a product will ever be built, its core concept appears to have the backing of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, who wrote in an internal memorandum in January that he was a "big fan" of a machine that would combine video services with gaming. Such a device, which could cost around $500, would have another big advantage: It could beat video-game market leader Sony Corp. to the punch. [b]Microsoft officials are mulling releasing some kind of new game machine sometime next year or in 2004[/b], say people familiar with the matter. That timing could shake up the $20 billion global video-game market, breaking a long-established pattern of developing and releasing new systems in roughly five-year cycles. Sony, the undisputed leader in a three-way race with Microsoft and Nintendo Co., isn't expected to release its next PlayStation system until 2005. "The utmost goal is to ship something before Sony," says a person familiar with Microsoft's plans. Changing development cycles could be particularly threatening to Sony, which relies more than Microsoft on specialized computer chips that take years to design. "My biggest concern is if Microsoft or Nintendo try to change the rules of the market," says Shinichi Okamoto, chief technology officer at Sony's game unit, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "I can imagine several [ways]. The first one is very simple-launching an annual new model: Xbox 2002, Xbox 2003." Microsoft officials won't comment on Freon. [b]But the software titan has been playing catch-up to Sony since it introduced the Xbox last year.[/b] Though Microsoft hoped the introduction of a hard disk and other features would inspire developers to write more exciting games than for the PlayStation 2, Sony's hardware has retained an edge among consumers and programmers. "It's amazing how far we have come, and yet we still have to get people to see Xbox as even more of a breakthrough than they do today," wrote Mr. Gates in the internal e-mail sent to top Xbox executives in January. Officially, Microsoft says the current Xbox has been an early success. The company's focus right now is on selling more Xbox consoles this coming Christmas season, says John O'Rourke, director of Xbox sales and marketing. At the same time, "we have to be thinking about the future," Mr. O'Rourke says. [b]Microsoft officials are also mum about the release date for the Xbox console's next version, known as "Xbox Next," expected about 2005 or 2006. [/b]Still, the various Xbox projects inside Microsoft -- as well as Mr. Gates's musings in his memo -- [b]show Microsoft is serious about overhauling Xbox, if necessary, to strengthen its challenge to Sony.[/b] A key pressure is economics: [b]The Xbox console isn't profitable for the Redmond, Wash., company and its costs are believed to be higher than Sony's, partly because of the hard drive and a version of its powerful Windows operating system included with each machine. [/b]While "the Xbox is a full-feature BMW, the PS2 is a Toyota," says Bruno Bonnell, chairman and chief executive of French game maker Infogrames Entertainment SA. But many gamers prefer the more practical Toyota. Sony has shipped about 32 million PlayStation 2 machines world-wide, while Microsoft was expected to ship only 3.5 million to four million Xboxes by yesterday, the end of its fiscal year. Microsoft, which lowered sales expectations earlier this year, insists its more-powerful machine eventually will win over customers. Mr. O'Rourke says the machine's hard drive helps deliver features like the voice commentary on Microsoft's "NFL Fever" football game. Microsoft also recently showcased a new Xbox game called "Blinx: The Time Sweeper," which allows players to record moves they have made in the game and replay them at different speeds in the future. "That is something you can only do with a hard disk," Mr. O'Rourke says. Still, Mr. Gates doesn't seem convinced. In his memo, sent after one of his periodic "think weeks" away from the office, he mused about whether a hard drive would be necessary for Xbox's online-gaming service, expected to be launched later this year. [b]"Do we really know that you have to have a disk to do online?" Mr. Gates wrote. "I think it's probably right, but say Sony tries to do online without it -- how bad will it really be?"[/b] Mr. Gates also tossed out a thought he described as "heretical," wondering whether Microsoft will have to "back down" from its plan to offer online gaming only over high-speed Internet connections. That plan has been criticized because so few U.S. computer users have high-speed connections. Mr. Gates received a briefing about the Freon product last week, a person familiar with the matter said, and also presided over a pep rally of sorts for a larger Xbox group. When asked about Freon at the meeting, Xbox chief Robbie Bach said there were no definite plans for deployment, this person said. Mr. Gates has long been fascinated with extending Microsoft's Windows software into the living room, though Microsoft stumbled with most of its previous TV efforts. And many in the video-game industry wonder if consumers would pay $500 -- compared with the $199 Xbox -- for a complicated home-entertainment machine. [b]"I worry about what I call feature creep-layering too many things into a product so the original intent of the product gets lost," [/b]says Schelley Olhava, an analyst with International Data Corp.[/quote][/i] [color=royalblue]This is one of many articles relating to the Freon, or "HomeStation" as it was originally labelled. Microsoft even provided a visual design of HomeStation a year or more ago. Furthermore, being involved in the industry myself, I am friends with the ex-President of Epix Interactive, a company who was originally producing the very first fully online RPG for Xbox entitled "Fate" (try looking it up at IGNxbox, you're sure to find it). Even before Xbox was released, Microsoft were thinking about HomeStation. Xbox is not the focus -- Microsoft's goal is not shorterm. The longterm goal is to establish Freon/HomeStation by way of using Xbox as a launch pad. Microsoft couldn't care less whether Xbox is a success or not -- Xbox is the gateway for its next generation set-top-box styled machines. So, I actually know quite a bit about Microsoft's plans (hell, when I started in gaming journalism, I was writing [i]almost exclusively[/i] for Xbox-based websites).[/color] [quote][b]Uhm show me a source and finicial predicitions to prove this. It's a stupid and uneducated comment. [/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]No, [i]that[/i] is a stupid and uneducated comment. Read the WSJ article above. Of [i]course[/i] Xbox is losing money right now. And of [i]course[/i] Xbox Live will lose money initially. Microsoft itself has projected that Xbox Live will not make a profit until at [i]least[/i] 2005 or so. I'm not saying that's a bad thing -- not if you look at MS's plans in the long term. In the long term, it's an extremely wise move. Don't try to frame me as an anti-Xbox fanboy just to further your own foolish agenda.[/color] [quote][b]Servers are cheap now days and Bandwidth is also really cheap.[/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]Incorrect. For Microsoft to set up a worldwide network (and even a USA-based network), the company is going to have to ensure that the infrastructure is there. That alone is going to cost millions. You also have to factor in the concept that Microsoft will need to pay full time staff to operate its network -- the revenue incurred from online gaming is going to have to be such that Microsoft can make Xbox Live a self-sufficient service. And as Microsoft itself has said, the service won't be fully self sufficient for several years; as any educated person can attest.[/color] [quote][b]There will be enough people for MS to ATLEAST get it's lost down to millions hell go to GameSpy and see how many people are playing Halo. There is always atleast 400 people in there, atleast I've never seen less than that and I've been on pretty damn late.[/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]Where are your "sorces"?! Heh, it's funny that you ask me for sources, yet you yourself are unwilling to list things -- you are pulling facts out of your butt, my friend. We are talking about an entirely new venture -- one where the demand is still not great. Surveys of gamers taken during 2001 indicated that [i]less than half[/i] of the gamers out there are interested in paying a monthly fee to play games on their console. This is something companies around the world will need to deal with -- and hopefully a stable online technology/infrastructure combined with excellent games will help to do that. But nobody can say for certain right now. [/color] [quote][b]You honestly think when it comes to people get online they will loose money through xbox live? as I said before servers and bandwidth are cheap nowadays.[/quote][/b] [color=royalblue]Of course I do. I understand the business model behind it whilst you clearly do not. Servers and bandwidth being cheap have very little to do with the overall picture. It's easy to dismissively say something like that without being in posession of any factual data, which you aren't. I suggest that you take some time to read "sources" and consider exactly what you are saying. Until then, don't try to preach on a subject that clearly, you don't know a great deal about. :)[/color]