James

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Yori Peacecraft [/i] [B] stole the words out of my mouth.... we have other skins? :worried: [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]We currently have two skins: Default and V4. The one you see now is probably default (the dark, Industrial style skin). V4 is a lighter skin based on our old Version 3.0 design. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]To be honest, I haven't read a great deal about SC2. To me, it sounds as though Namco are taking an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. It really depends how things pan out. The arcade version of SC2 may have little improvements overall, whereas console versions might be improved...it's hard to say at this point. Furthermore, most of the improvements in SC2 were pretty trivial things (they were minor visual and peripheral changes...I mean, who really cares about new costumes?). So I guess I'm saying that as long as the gameplay is solid...and features improvements, it won't necessarily matter how many articles of clothing are up for choosing...or how lovely the hair looks blowing in the wind.[/color]

[color=royalblue]There is no way GTAIII would be edited if it came to GameCube -- to suggest as such is to be ignorant of Nintendo's release list. Games like Resident Evil and Eternal Darkness are [i]far[/i] more violent and "mature" than GTAIII. [/color]

[color=royalblue]Both styles have their benefits. And I like a broad range when it comes to electronic music. Sometimes I like listening to house/rave style music...sometimes I like ambient or neo classical and other times I like progressive/experimental electronica. If you're interested in some more weird/progressive/unusual stuff, try downloading these tracks: [b]Orbital:[/b] Halcyon + On + On [b]Aphex Twin:[/b] Windowlicker [b]Orbital:[/b] Doctor? (A cool remix of the Dr. Who theme) [b]Orbital:[/b] Funny Breaks [b]Jakatta:[/b] American Dream (Different Gear Mix) Those are a few of the songs I'm listening to at the moment...although none of them are really within my favourite style of music -- but I guess I feel like a change at the moment. ;)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Blaze [/i] [B]If i saw that, i woulda been really scared like you, i would then take out my SwitchBlade and silt his throat. But thats just me [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Well, there are a few reasons why I wouldn't have done that: 1) I probably couldn't [i]reach[/i] the man's throat (plus it was under a beard lol) 2) I don't carry a switchblade 3) I'd have been arrested for murder Damn...those things kinda screwed the situation up...[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Frankie5 Angels [/i] [B]About how tall did he seem James,because from what Iv heard he is quite tall. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Well this guy was at least 6ft something...taller than 6ft. I swear, I have never seen [i]anything[/i] more scary in my life. lol [/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by SephirothNIN [/i] [B]I just rented the Ghost in the Shell dvd a few days ago because I heard a lot of good things about it, but I can say I was pretty disappointed. I mean....I heard that the Matrix was based off of it (the scrolling green numbers in the beginning and the whole 'jacking in' concept was also in the matrix) and it was from the same people that did Akira (which is awesome), but the whole movie was pretty blah. They tried to make it way too dramatic and it ended up being boring, they'd show 10 min of a bus going by, then a puddle, some stores, nothing relevant to ANYTHING, at least after renting it now I know that if it's on showtime or something that something ebtter is on that I could be watching =\. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]I dunno, I think you'll find that Ghost in the Shell is a very artistic movie. It does tend to focus on small things like what you mentioned...but that is to set mood...and sometimes those things act as a sort of metaphor as well. So I think it really depends how you watch the movie. If you just sit and think about the artistic direction...and the small elements which have meaning...then you will appreciate it a lot more.[/color]

[size=1]Hm, the only danger this RPG faces is having too many people in [i]one[/i] area. It'll be hard to keep track of 10 or 11 people or whatever...[/size]

[color=royalblue]Noodlez, we've had this topic soo many times before...at least three of four times lol. [/color]

[color=royalblue]Anime character? Errm...I don't know. :drunk: People say I look like Tidus from FFX, but a lot of people say he looks like a girl...so I don't think I'm very proud of any resemblance. lol As for anime characters...I don't think I look like any that I know of...[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by SuperSayian [/i] [B]Ah, I believe I know what this is.. A friend of mine at another board has informed the Administraitors (Yes, I'm an administrator at the board), that vBulliten is going to do a sweep of illegal vBs, or boards that haven't been registered. Actually, the only way they CAN shut down a so-called 'illegal' board is to hack into a server, which is very much so illegal as well. So in short, don't get your britches in a bunch... Edit: Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh.........What changes James? C'mon.... I'll give you a dollar...:tasty: ok, TWO dollars...........and from me and my greedy self, that's a lot..:cross: [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue] First part of your comments: We [b]do not run an illegal message board[/b] here. We purchased this board from Virtual Bulletin. Therefore, even if vB is doing sweeps of illegal sites...there would be absolutely no reason to shut us down. As for the second part...I'm not going to tell you yet. You'll see when it happens. ;)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by ganon997 [/i] [B]...about these boards. They are powered by Vbulletin. Every forum I have been on that was powered by VB had problems and had to be shut down. They eventually came back up, but with different, more stable boards. Look, I am warning you, people with over a thousand posts are not going to be happy when these forums go down. It has happened to every VB powered board I have been on...just a warning.... [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]vB does certainly have its share of problems, but thankfully, they are pretty minor ones. I wouldn't worry about our site shutting down anytime soon. Not every website has an expert programmer in its midst (Adam). By the way, OtakuBoards members can expect something exciting to happen in May of this year. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]I loved JSR on Dreamcast...and I look forward to getting JSRF on Xbox when I buy one later this year/early next year.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Squashed Snail [/i] [B][color=green]You rented it on DVD?! Hmmm, it's not even out on VHS here.... :drunk: It looks good from the magazine, though I really won't know untill I see it I suppose....[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Hm, you are often saying stuff like that...but my local video store has Ghost in the Shell on VHS and DVD. Maybe it's because you live in Dubbo? lol Anyway, I personally enjoyed Ghost in the Shell. The animation was superb...and the effects were amazing (I especially liked that water effect, when she was kind of surfacing while wearing those goggles and it goes to first person view...the beading water effect was gorgeous). Anyway, yeah...I liked it, but I don't see why the woman had to constantly get naked...it was like "we're doing it because we can". I think it kind of took away seriousness from the plot and frankly, I found it to be a little stupid. But the rest was fine by me...I enjoyed it. :)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Crazy White Boy [/i] [B] Well, yeah, I know it comes across that way in writing (which is why I put that thing in about not being harsh). You see, I'm just giving the bare bones of what needs to be straightened out. Like, she could just go up to the girl and say, "I just want to know if you're mad at me, because that's what it seems like." If the person still doesn't answer, it'd be best to leave them alone, because it's what they want. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Yeah, I see what you mean. It's like with one of my friends a couple of years ago -- there was this girl he really liked in our class. And she showed signs of being interested in him, infact...they went out a couple of times. But often, the next day, she'd pretend he didn't exist. She didn't acknowledge their relationship...which was really pretty odd... And I remember being at a party where most of our year level was there...and she had one of her friends talk to him. The whole thing was so stupid. The more it went on, the more distressing it was for him. So he, myself and another friend went for a walk. And I basically said to him "If she's going to play games like this, then just dump her. She should be the one talking to you, not her friends". That may sound harsh, but the whole thing was so childish...and sometimes you have to be very frank with your friends if they are fooling around -- you just have to lay your cards on the table and tell them how you feel and ask how they feel. If you get some kind of silly, garbled response...then it's probably not worth it. Geh, I hope that made sense...it's kinda late here. o_O[/color]

[i]Proteus was sitting next to Flash. He stared out the window with his deep blue eyes. If anyone had looked closely at his eyes, they'd have seen millions of tiny blue circuits in the cornea, all pulsating with soft blue light. Flash still felt a little uneasy about Proteus. Afterall, he was a new model, he'd never been tested or even activated for that matter. And moreover, Dr. Light had never mentioned him to a soul. If he'd never been mentioned, perhaps Dr. Light thought of him as too much of a risk? Perhaps he was still too experimental? Even though Flash had his doubts, he was kind at heart. Dr. Light had never embued any of his robots with the desires of greed or hate -- and Flash knew that even if this robot were a risk, Dr. Light would have wanted him to recieve a positive reception from his teammates. Flash looked over at him.[/i] [b]Flash:[/b] Hey, are you okay? [b]Proteus:[/b] I'm fine, Flash. [b]Flash:[/b] You seem very quiet. [i]Proteus was looking at fields of grass toward the left side of their vehicle -- the grass was laying just beyond a large area of volcanic rock and brimstone. Proteus sighed.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I have never seen fields of grass before. [b]Flash:[/b] Yeah...it's like being born as a newborn baby, isn't it? You've never seen things...never felt things... [b]Proteus:[/b] Yes. It's an experience that I can't describe. I was designed largely to be efficient and to be able to coordinate my attacks and whatnot...and sometimes I wonder, is there more to life for an artificial being like me? Am I meant to go beyond what I was intended for? [b]Flash:[/b] Just look at the rest of us. We are all artificial...but we are still living beings. We have minds of our own and we have grown from what we started as. Your designer was Dr. Light...and even if he designed you for specific purposes, I know that overall, he would just want you to be happy. [b]Proteus:[/b] Yeah I guess you're right. Do you think the others will like me though? [b]Flash:[/b] Why does it matter what they think? [b]Proteus:[/b] I guess I still feel sort of "cold". I can speak properly, but I'm still not really used to contact with others... [b]Flash:[/b] Heh, we all went through that. It's perfectly normal. Anyway...I think we're getting close to the destination...

[size=1]Sorry that I haven't been here in a few days -- I've been buseh :( I'll start posting again more regularly I hope![/size] [i]Satoru and Denki strolled through the main street. They were both wearing their Shinra disguses, and so they didn't expect anyone to see who they were.[/i] [b]Satoru:[/b] Hey look, Denki...over there! [i]Satoru pointed to a large Shinra march that was taking place on the adjacent street.[/i] [b]Satoru:[/b] If we run, we can slip in behind them while the crowd is standing around...it shouldn't be too hard! [b]Denki:[/b] Hey...who's that guy behind the line? He looks familiar or somethin'... [b]Satoru:[/b] Bah, he's just a civilian. No doubt he's too caught up in the parade to notice us! Let's go! [i]The pair ran through a nearby alleyway and into the crowd near the parade route. They stood there for a few minutes and waited for their chance...[/i]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Solid Snake [/i] [B] [COLOR=teal]I'm going to have to disagree with you there. Imagine, the Playstation 2 does great, and the market is finally demanding for the Playstation 3. Do you NOW want them to start on it? This would cause a puplic outcry, and they would loose even more money than if they had began on it a bit earlier. By starting on it earlier, they have the intention of bringing it out when they feel the time is right, when most of the world is getting tired of the PS2 and wants to see something more. If it bothers you that much, then you probably shouldn't have heard about the development. It will be released in about three to three in a half years, which is a while, and things change through time. Could your analagy of PS3 coming too early change too? They want to be ready for whatever the future holds, and I am with all the way.[/COLOR] :blah: [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]The general life expectancy of a single generation of consoles is about five years, roughly. And I can guarantee you that [i]all[/i] of the major hardware makers are at [i]least[/i] undergoing preliminary planning for their new hardware. It takes years and hundreds of millions of dollars to engineer new game consoles. And therefore, even though Sony is the only company to really discuss its new console in any form, you can bet that Nintendo and Microsoft are also thinking about the distant future as well. Sony would be utterly foolish not to begin working on PS3 now -- if they wait even six months, it will end up pushing the console's launch way back. Sony want to have the machine ready for release within the next three years or so. And really, three years isn't very long when you're talking about creating a new hardware from scratch...using very new technology and such.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Well, the most famous person I've ever seen in my life would have to be former President Bush. He came to Australia about ten years ago or something...to Melbourne. And I just happened to be in the city when he was there. Also, those of you who live in the UK will know of that show Neighbours...(which I hate)...but anyway, that show is filmed near where I live. So when I go to the local department stores, I am almost guaranteed to see one of the celebs from that show lol. And there are a lot of models in Melbourne...o_O But that's all I can think of right now. I can't remember if I've seen anyone else particularly famous...[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Lady Macaiodh [/i] [B]probably gonna get flamed for this, but i think having a king & queen would be kind of cool. i mean, it would suck if they were all "off with their heads!" every five minutes, but the british monarchy doesn't even have any authority. as long as the people get to choose who their rulers are (& i have no idea how they do it in the UK, i'm speaking of the US here) i really don't see the harm in it. it's just a tradition, part of history. or maybe i'm still harboring some fantasies of being a princess. ;) [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Well, the British Royal Family don't even rule the country. the British Government has an elected Prime Minister...so it's still a democratic nation.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Spikey [/i] [B]Just like Sephiroth. Why do people need rulers? I aks myself everyday that question. But I never seem to find the answer. I know that Presidents tell you what to do, but without them the world would go mad...But in the UK, why can't they have it the same? I never doubt the 10 vommaments, and the laws...But why do we have to have a ruler. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Well once again, it depends how you view the term "ruler". The Monarchy is really only the ruling power in name only -- it doesn't have [i]any[/i] real power.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Crazy White Boy [/i] [B]Well, this goes to show you that it'll be darn near impossible for an American system to be successful overseas. With both Atari and Microsoft failing, I have to wonder just what American company could make a dent in the console wars. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Well, compared to the PlayStation 2...the Xbox is also lagging behind on its home turf. But there are a few important things I think should be mentioned. First, the "failure" of Atari was (in my opinion) quite different from that of Microsoft. And second...I remember Shigeru Miyamoto once talking about the time when Nintendo approached companies in the United States regarding chip development for GameCube. He said something like "The Americans always talk of producing new technology and developing better graphics and sound. But the Japanese are fundamentally different; we have to continue to remind them not to talk about speed or power, but to talk about creative design and how technology can be used as a tool for such design". Not exactly the words, but I'm paraphrasing. Nevertheless, I think it's definitely an interesting point. The American game companies are often discussing features, gizmos, graphics and sound...but not [i]fun[/i]. Of course, not [i]all[/i] Americans are preoccupied with processor power. But it does seem to be a general concern of Japanese game companies when working with American studios. It's interesting.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sephiroth [/i] [B]sony has no need to be worried about releasing the ps3 so soon, they need not fear the xbox since the xbox has sold so poorly in japan and europe.... when the ps2 was first released in the UK and Germany, they sold 140 000 ps2's priced at the same price as an xbox, however the xbox only managed to rake in a mere 60 000, less than half of how many ps2's were sold on release, and this is after heavy advertising as well.... [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Yep...and in the first week of sales in Australia, the Xbox only sold 9,000 units. Nintendo 64 sold 24,000 in the first [i]couple of hours[/i]. And when you consider that the market was much smaller back then...you really know how badly Microsoft has failed. lol[/color]

[color=royalblue]I have mixed feelings about the Monarchy. I live in Australia and we are technically a part of the Commonwealth of Nations, meaning...Queen Elizabeth II is our Queen the same as for every Commonwealth country. I am definitely a supporter of Australia becoming a Republic. Maybe one hundred years ago we needed to cling to Britain because we were a fledgling nation...but now we are among the top five fast-growth developed economies on Earth...we have a formidable defence force...and we have positive relations with most of our neighbours across Asia. So I don't think that there is any [i]need[/i] to have a Monarchy kind of "overruling" us...even though the Monarchy (as has been said), has no [i]real[/i] power. But another side of me likes the idea of having a King and Queen...I guess it's more a sentimenal thing. I am happy to have a Queen if she has no political power...OR if she is a democratically elected Queen (the latter being if she DID have political power). Britain has thousands of years of heritage and tradition -- and over time, the Royal Family has played less and less of a role. These days, the Royals are pretty irrelevant when it comes to political matters. And for the most part, they are simply involved in ceremonial duties (like when the Queen opens Parliament). And I personally like those traditions...those ceremonial events which mark a nation's history. I think that they are nice things to have. So as I said, I'm mixed about it. If the Queen has no power (which she doesn't)...then I see no problem having her there for ceremonial and historical reasons. And even though Buckingham Palace and whatnot are owned by the Royals...they are also valuable historic landmarks. And therefore, I think that it is fair for those landmarks to use public money for upkeep...the same as the Statue of Liberty or the Sydney Harbour Bridge would use public funds to remain in order. And also, as I said...I wouldn't be in favour of the Queen having any real power, unless she were elected. So I guess I think it's appropriate for Britain to keep it's Queen (it'd be kinda sad if Britain gave up its Royal links)...but for Australia, I prefer the idea of a republic. I would rather have a national President who is our head of state, than a Queen from another country.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I expect the PS3 to arrive in early 2005 -- but probably no earlier than that. Sony really managed to drag out the life of the PSOne...and I think the same can be done for PS2. Something that hasn't been mentioned here is the fact that the Cell architecture is so far touted to be some 1000 times faster than the PS2 technology. This would directly contradict the "law" which states that processing power can only increase by two fold every 18 months. But apparently Sony says it's found a way of engineering something completely different. In any case, I'm sure you can imagine the prospects. :) As for the whole "getting closer to PC" issue...I'm very much against the idea. The more video game machines become diluted, the more gaming itself invariably suffers. Microsoft is positioning the Xbox as the precursor to its HomeStation machine -- which is more focused on bringing streaming media and Microsoft services directly into the home. And that is all fine and good -- but I think that video game machines should be kept seperate. When companies are scrambling to have "the next best online game" or to have various online services which don't even relate to games...it definitely dilutes the quality of the games themselves.[/color]