Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Way of the Sword

A katana, spills the blood of
many. Enemies or innocents, it cuts
just the same.

Crimson filled its mind, from birth
to rust.

A katana exists to be used.
To kill or to maim, to scare or to show,
makes little difference to the sword.

In different hands,
it changes shape.

To a blacksmith, each sword
is his child.

To an amateur, it is a tool.

To a veteran, an old friend.

The polish on this metal is
gone, shined only in myth and tale.

Now all that remains are the stains of men.
The chips of battle. The cracks of age.

But still the blade remains, immortal to humanity.

Save File

Level 2

Chomp-a, chomp-a, goes
the yellow circle.
Eatin away or runnin away
from four
spectral baddies.
Not too freaked,
it keeps eating.

Tag out


Zone 2-5

Start playing and start running.
Anything in the way of this
blue blur
will be smashed to pieces.
Leave the rings, you don’t
need them as much as the
orange blur
might.

This island’s going to
hell. But at least, the
fight scenes are exciting.


One guy VS another
FIGHT

One sends out a
large blue fireball.
The other ducks, and
lands a spin punch.

The man in a
white hamaka
and his opponent in a
red hamaka
face each other. The
onlookers are ignored.
Forget rules...


World 5-2

You’d never expect to see this.
Mushroom baddies, mushroom goodies.
High jumpers, squashing the enemy,
riding dinosaurs and going through pipes.
Even though they’re just
plumbers,
who could be more awesome?

The princess isn’t always
rescued by the macho men.
Some heroes you can
find in a phonebook.


Temple of Light

Darkness, rising
from another's ashes. A country
in turmoil again.
Only a hero of generations
could take on this task,
destiny demands it.

The boy in green,
sword in his left hand.
Go forth,
be the hero
of every tale.


Real World

The world freezes, they all do
right at the same time.

There must be dust in the cartridge.


Reset

Inner Intervention



A Little Piece of Heaven
A cup of coffee.
Newspaper in hand, and
a biscuit between teeth. Here
lies a man who’s life went nowhere
near where he wanted it to go
“Before the story begins...”

Maybe you should know,
your dreams never mattered.
The hopes you had for them,
however,
did.

Monkey Wrench
in the plans of a simple man.
God’s plan had not intended
that a man would lose sight of
what he hoped for,
and what he was.
“What have we done”

To deserve the beating that
we received at the hands of
friends. It was them, I know.
They expect the wrong things.
The people who hope to be
great, may be greater than them,
and so they beat us down.

Strutter
Moves along the sidewalk.
He’s got it, still there, deep
in his mind. It’s the only reason,
she hangs around him.
She wants him back.
She wants the hope.
“I know a thing or two”

About love, hopes, dreams.
I have them, I still do.
They keep me going,
because life is too dull
to not have them by your side
keeping your eyes to the sky.

Sound of Silence
He’s stopped, listening.
There is nothing in his office.
He can hear no movement,
no life. He stares into the wall.
He hasn’t turned on his lights yet.
“Hello darkness,”

I’ve not seen you for
a long time. His life
is filled with light and
noise. I think he forgot what
peace felt like. Can
you save me? Or him?

Girlfriend
He’s alone, even with his
friends. She loves him, he thinks.
“I wanna love somebody”

I could sweep her off her
feet. But you need to let me out.
Stop chaining me, locking me up,
I’m a part of you. Just let me loose.
Hey, can you hear me?

Invisible Touch
He shudders, standing quickly,
his chair toppling over. His desk
now stared at by fearful
wide eyes.
“Well I’ve been waiting”

For you to pay attention
to the words of your soul.
It’s not easy, I know, but
you should start to
listen.

The Pretender
is what he’s been. And what
he is at this moment. He could
open his eyes, but would it
be enough?
“Keep you in the dark”

Find the light, it’s
in the hope. You’ve got
some left. Use it on something,
or someone, that you know.
That’s right, you get it.

Company Car
speeding down the highway.
She lives near him, she
has for the last decade.
He knows why, at least,
he hopes he does.
“Mike, was right”

He knew you’d figure out
where your old self was.
You found the remains,
keep what’s left. It’s
the good parts.

Smoke on the Water
He left the engine running,
and the brakes loose. The
car toppled down a hill,
and smashed into the lake.
He didn’t notice.
“We all came down”

To see you get it on.
Go on my friend, she’s
been waiting on you
for a long time.
Now hurry up.

Let it Whip
Let it out, let yourself
keep your hopes and
dreams. Through life
until the end.
“Love to see you”

Remember how to confess,
and how to show her you care…
Can you get off of her now?

Forgotten Photo

A white house, seven people,
bunched together, as if
pressed in by the walls
of the frame. Smiles on their
faces, wrinkles around their eyes.
Who are they? I have this
Photograph

that I’ve never seen before.
I show a friend, he doesn’t
know either. He’s not
very focused on it though.
Hypnotized

by his own writing. He
sends me along. The street's
getting a little busy
especially during the night.
An old friend sells me
Guavaberry

my favorite drink. He doesn’t
know it either. But it looks
familiar to him. He makes me keep
it though. He says, “I’m not the thinker
that you are. Find out on your own.”
Frijolero

stop giving me more things
to do, and energy to do it.
There's a special drive during the night.
It’s good to be alive then.
I meet two sisters. I dated them
both once...
never mind.
One tackles me quickly,
forcing me into a
Moondance

with her. The other kisses
me. They’re too fun loving
to have them think too hard
on something so small.
I’ll see them at the party,
“Or maybe in bed?” I hear, and
turn around. My last friend,
they thought he had
Cancer

but he showed them.
I show him the photograph,
he looks at it and then at me.
He smiles, he shakes his head,
and then he walks away.
“There’s a party in town,”
he says to me,
“All our friends are there.
Don’t go
Crazy.”

Colossus Once More

Haku, dragon of Lore.
I fear him, as all people should.
A foe one
hundred times greater than
I. I
cannot look away from him. The
valley of
Apsu. A battleground.
My horse, my
sword, myself. Death all a-

-round. Never pretty, but never dead.
He can-
-not see me, I am too small.

Yet, the sword is smaller. No light should
reflect through fog and
mist. Does he sense
its bloodlust?
A centipede crawls through
the
sky. Poisoning the sun, the vall-
-ey
yearns for warmth. I shall deliver.
The air rum-
-bles, and Haku descends.
He comes to be with
mortal men, and
deliver ‘divine’
punishment. May
my sword, strike true. Dust
kick up, and the

fog breaks at my charge. Haku swallows
the fog
in front of him. He will not
be stopped from reaching his prey.
Fear no
evil. I whisper.
Dirt kicks up as
Haku smash-
-es into the ground. I
choke,
the air cannot be breathed. My horse
top-
-ples, I am sent through the air. I
land onto
something hard, not ground or
dirt. Scale and hair. Ha-
-ku, can you feel
me? He can as he shakes him-
-self, try-
-ing to rid himself of me.
I can

see his head from where I am laying.
I grip onto his hair. His blood is
below me, I feel it pulse. A vein?
A nerve? A weakness...
Ring true, my blade.
Stab through the
scale, the hair, the skin, the
flesh.
Kill my enemy, make me a
he-
-ro. Save the desolate valley.
Bring me Death.
The dust will clear. I will
stand, a miracle
or fluke, it mat-
-ters not. The beast is fallen,
by my
hands, my horse
and my own bloody sword

That One Shot

My cleats dug into the matted grass and my hair was plastered against my forehead with sweat, dirt and wind. My legs were tired, burning from all the running I had done as the right-forward.
I remember I liked doing that, pursuing my opponents relentlessly. It gave them a scare, and made them wary of me as I came in to attack. I must have felt quite a rush because I would keep on doing it, until I overtook them.
I looked over to one of my teammates, who passed me the ball instantly. I felt the ball bounce lightly off the inner side of my right foot. I pressed forward, dribbling between two oncoming defenders.
I looked up and saw the net of the goal, and my laces made hard contact with that black and white ball, sending it flying and spinning. I did not care if people were shouting. I did not care that the rest of the defensemen were running towards the ball in the air, and I did not care that the goalie was staring at the ball, running to try and block it.
All I could hear and feel was the beating of my heart, and the pulse that coursed through my body, as I stared at the spinning ball, blurring towards the goal and the goalie.
What happened next? That does not matter. What does matter is that I was able to give a shot that would change the course of a game. There is at least one of these in each game, even if they miss. An incredible tension comes over the player as he watches the ball sail, as if it was now in God’s hands, and he had no more control over where it would go. I remember this feeling. I felt helpless as I watched, noticing it curve but not sure if it would miss the intended target or not. I almost gave up hope right at that moment.
Soccer is a sport that has been around my life for a long time. It has been a part of everyone’s life whether they like it or not. The United States has a soccer team that has been able to reach the final tournament, the World Cup. Even though, a good deal of the population may not be aware of it.
Then there are the countries where soccer is not just a sport or a game, but a way of life. It is a passion like no other. The victory of a soccer game, especially in a tournament like the World Cup, is like a victory in a war over another country. I grew up in a country like that, Mexico. I had friends who loved watching soccer, or even listening to it on the radio. There is pride in the game, especially when their country is being represented against the world.
When a soccer-loving country watches a game in a stadium, the cheer of the crowd is unbelievably loud and constant. Whether you are a soccer player or a fan, the sheer volume is enough to get anyone’s blood pumping.
When I watched the Mexican team play in the World Cup, I knew that I was not the only one. We all watched the game and supported the team as a country. We would watch the ball, while the player looked forward for an opening to attack or a fellow player whom they could pass their weapon. The other team would close in, blocking off and protecting their goal. Still, all it takes is one charge between the defensive players, and one well-placed shot to change the course of the game. At the same time, we would sit there, watching the game, our eyes on the tactics and the skills of each team.
It reminded us of our own soccer experiences, and our own well-placed shots that may have changed the course of the game. Sometimes we can change the course of the game in our favor, and sometimes we can give the enemy a chance to counterattack. It is the way the game is played. That one shot, chokes the air as it runs over it.
I fell to my knees, sighing in relief as I watched the ball slam silently against the net.

Red-Hooded Jacket

Eight years old and I was waiting for the bus in front of school. I was wearing my favorite red hooded-jacket, like I would any day, whether it was warm or cold. It was just a coincidence that it was cold that day as I waited on the school sidewalk. It had clouded up when school ended, and the skies would growl every so often, threatening to rain down on us. Still, we waited, like any other day. However, that day I was sitting next to a special someone. A girl that I had openly proclaimed my love to; an important and at the same time not very important proclamation for an eight year old who acted like he was four. We both had brown skin, black eyes, and dark brown eyes. We had the same racial background, which in that school was different from the rest. She was kind, smart, but maybe a little too rational to be in that class. Still, she was pretty and I liked her.
She sat beside me that day, and as it began to drizzle, I looked over at her and I saw her glasses placed upon her cute nose. “Your glasses are getting wet,” I said quickly. She probably knew that already. She was much smarter than any of us were, but all she did was turn to me and smile, before slipping them away from her nose and folding them up. She looked back up to me and said, “Thank you.” I smiled.
It was raining a bit harder. I looked over at her and noticed that she had no jacket on. I then unzipped my favorite red hooded-jacket, and slowly put it around her shoulders. She looked at me in…surprise or confusion, maybe both, but I replied, “To keep you warm.” She nodded and gave me that same smile, before looking away and closing my jacket around her tighter. After that, I am sure that I was proud of myself for being courteous to a girl without sounding like much of a moron. After that I am not sure how I got the next idea, but all of a sudden, my bare arm snaked its way through the rain and I felt my hand close loosely around her shoulder. Moments later, I felt the weight of her head against my shoulder. I looked in her direction, but I could only see her hair and I could barely see her lips. I wondered if she was smiling, and I wondered if it was because of me. If only I had had the chance to ask her…
The next school year, she disappeared without a trace. I never saw her again, but I will never forget her. I have always asked myself what it would be like if I had met her again now that I am older, and a bit more rational than I was before. I might ask her normal questions, to see if she had remembered me, or if she had even cared. Maybe I would ask if she remembered that time, when my red-hooded jacket was around her shoulders. She might say no, and she might say yes. Either way, after a long time, the only goal in my head with meeting her would be curiosity. I wondered and imagined how she would look as she got older. I could see her lovely dark hair grow longer around her face. And her round glasses placed snuggly on her nose. I cannot say how her face may have changed, but what I can say is that she must have turned beautiful. I know, that everything about her must have changed, save for three things. Her smile, her eyes, and my red hooded-jacket over her shoulders.

Choosing a Good Video Game

The broad video game market today exists thanks to the current population of varying individuals who play video games. Understandably, people who are not used to purchasing video games, or choosing the right games for someone they know, can have a difficult time deciding on what game is the right choice either for themselves or for others.

While this article might not make the choice crystal clear, it will definitely set several qualities to look for and guidelines to follow when looking for a video game.

Gameplay
As there are several genres within video games, there are also several forms of gameplay which can differ as much as chess does to paintball. What a person may believe is the best kind of game depends on their past experiences with video games, what they enjoy, and what their reflexes can handle.

Fast-paced games, like first person shooters (Call of Duty or Halo), can serve to frustrate inexperienced gamers or gamers who do not have sufficient reflexes to succeed within them.

On the other hand, slow-paced games, such as strategy-based products (Front Mission and Starcraft), might seem like much more work and thought to someone who would rather get right into the action, though it may be a good idea for someone who has not played many games before or currently.

These are all simple possibilities however, and the best option would be to remember enjoyable games and look for similar ones.

Story
This factor within video games is typically glanced over, or outright ignored, by many reviewers. It is unfortunate considering that the definitive thing that a gamer will have to accept and live with throughout an entire game would be the storyline and the characters within it.

Additionally, a dull story within a video game can be similar to a dull book which a person might have little to no drive in finishing.

Originality/Franchise
The originality of a product can be replaced if the game is a part of a larger franchise, such as Halo or Final Fantasy. Franchise games typically focus on a single main character, mode of gameplay, or basic concept, though they can stand apart from each other.

Each game within a franchise is related to each other at least through gameplay and sometimes characters which have been successful in the past. Though the game is not necessarily the same one as before, it is generally considered a safe gamble in enjoyable games.

Originality focuses on the fact that the game is new and has never been done before, which means its unique take on entertainment cannot be reached by any previous game. Sometimes, this can be a gamble. While the uniqueness can be interesting, it is also technically a type of gameplay that has never been tested on the masses and these kinds of games can only be compared to what is normally encountered in gameplay.

“Mirror’s Edge” is a perfect example. This brilliant concept focused on giving gamers a first-person view of the main character free-running from rooftop to rooftop, across and inside buildings, up walls, over railings, and even avoiding or combating enemies through hand to hand means or with weapons. It received critical acclaims and sold well. The only prevalent issues came from the fact that such a new form of gameplay was a bit difficult and frustrating for even the experienced gamer to become accustomed to.

There is also the fact that another game with a similar kind of gameplay has yet to be created or even announced, leaving “Mirror’s Edge” as a one-of-a-kind game and no others to support the genre and any gamers who enjoyed this type of gameplay.

Price
When purchasing for a fourth-generation console system (PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii), pricing can have very little impact. Video games typically start at $59.99, and if they become best sellers, then those games will likely retain that price for at least a year, before being bumped down maybe $10.

Games which are cheaper than this are either fairly old, obscure, or just that bad. Going into older games for different generations, such as the PS2, PS1, Xbox, Gamecube and so on, is another article by itself.

Replayability
This quality exists for video games that need to be completed more than once, or are so enjoyable that gamers cannot help but play through them again. Such games can have multiple endings, hidden secrets, a complex storyline requiring multiple playthroughs, or achievements/trophies.

Final Product
The final product of a video game is different from how trailers and development interviews portray it. This quality can be judged by how successful the developers were able to complete what was promised in the video game. It does not take an experienced gamer to notice choppy control schemes and cheap graphics, all of which are qualities that make a developer look lazy and a product seem unfinished and frustrating.

Unfortunately, while one can trust reviewers from IGN, GameSpot and other such websites to some degree, there is no better way to test the final product until a gamer plays it and makes his own decision. This is where renting from Blockbuster or Gamefly comes in handy.

Personal Opinion
One game can bring a wide variety of opinions from different people. There are some qualities in a video game that some people can forgive while others might find it completely unacceptable. A game can receive nothing but bad reviews from professional writers, though an individual gamer may not agree with such reviews.

Again the best way to make an informed decision is to research and then rent the game itself. If buying for another person and the buyer is not a gaming enthusiast, the best option would be to move on to a different game.

Gundam Games with Good Ratings

The Gundam franchise is famous for making a long list of low quality games over the years. So much so that reviewers tend to have a cynical approach to most every Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG) game that arrives, ignoring the good quality games that already exist.

MSG Encounters in Space
This game is a rare gem that made it through the import process. The game included plotlines from the point of view of Amuro Ray (the protagonist) and Char Aznable (the antagonist). Also included, were main characters from the 0079 Stardust Memory story, and the ability to create and develop original characters.

For each pilot, there are dozens of mobile suits made available, and the combat system for all of the space battles is smooth and easy to use. Although the path is railroaded, and only allows small movements as the player goes forward, there are several times when 360-degree movement becomes available while they are attacked from all around or from one particular enemy. Gamefly’s members rating of the game averaged out to a 6.5 score.

Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG) Federation vs Zeon
This game attracted some of the better reviews as the Gundam game history became longer. Players take the form of a faceless character who becomes a mobile suit pilot and joins the war for either Zeon or the Federation, and begins by piloting the weakest unit available as it follows the timeline, such as the Zaku I for the Zeons or the Ground GM for the Federation. The movements of each mobile suit are slow and usually clunky, but this allows for the realistic challenge of mobile suit combat, on the ground and in space. IGN rated it with a 7.0 score.

MSG Zeonic Front
This game received several praises for focusing on the story elements of the Principality of Zeon, the antagonist group from the original show. The inclusion of a tactical system also added a level of originality, allowing for planning attack and patrol routes for Zaku squadrons as well as piloting one of the mobile suits during combat. Gamespot rated this game as fair, giving it a 6.8 score.


MSG games are generally cheap, thanks to Bandai, but every now and then a good effort comes through that can be enjoyed by more than just the fans.

Front Mission Evolved Review

The game did well not to disappoint though it was evident that the game play was new for the developers to work on.

The video game Front Mission Evolved is a part of a long lasting series of Front Mission video games, though this recent rendition is a tad different than the rest. In general, the story revolves around a future Earth with several political organizations/nations living uneasily next to each other. Combat generally sparks between nations for one reason or another, in which the bipedal mechanized combat units, known here as wanzers, are used to fight against each other.

Until this rendition, the Front Mission game has usually been a slow paced, turn based strategy game with customizable RPG elements mixed within. Front Mission Evolved is a third person shooter in which the player is in control of one single wanzer pilot known as Dylan Ramsey, and goes into fast-paced combat according to the mission specs and personal preference of the player.

A player can customize their wanzer according to a different assortment of parts and from there equip several kinds of weapons as long as it does not become too heavy. While this may seem like a lot for the player to think about, it should be noted that there are prebuilt models which a player can choose from which can make the decision process much easier to handle. What turns out to be a lot of fun for either casual or professional gamers would be the visual customizations that a player can do to personalize their wanzer. Choosing from a wide range of colors, they can color each separate part (left arm, right arm, torso, and legs) whatever mix of four colors they desire, then attach a decal where they might like and even change how glossy a wanzer looks or does not look.

Gameplay is definitely interesting and easy to get used to, even for people who were used to the strategy games from the past. Unfortunately, the game does tend to become repetitive after a while, and the customization feature might not seem worth the effort when the default option is typically the easiest and most powerful option to choose from before going into battle for any and all situations.

Multiplayer Shooter Tips

Easy tips when joining a first person shooter multiplayer

Trying to join the first person shooter (FPS) multiplayer mode for the first time can end brutally with the number of skilled players now playing, but even the experts of today were beginners. All of the top ranked players had to start from the beginning, like Rikki Evans of the top 50 players in Battlefield: Bad Company 2, but they reached their ranks and improved their skills by following simple tips.

Always be aware of your surroundings
The common rule of caution is prevalent in a real combat situation, so a game should not be any different. Besides making sure to note any snipers and moving enemies in the distance and in the windows, it is also important to note when and where there might be an ambush.

Entering a dark room, for example, is already risky but charging in with guns blazing is foolhardy. Making sure to “check those corners,” advice said by Captain Price and Sergeant Foley on separate occasions during the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series, protects the player from being caught by surprise. Another alternative would be to throw in a frag or smoke grenade and a flash bang, if they are available, before moving inside.

Make friends and play matches with them
Instead of playing alone or with complete strangers, finding friends with the same game or joining a clan to make new friends can keep a player’s frustration to a minimum. Playing alongside and against friends turns a match into a fun competition, and one in which it is more likely to learn from others and from mistakes.

The clan has the benefit of making players a team even when off of a battlefield, and those clan members are willing to train and help newer members become better.

Try to stay with teammates in a match
Staying with other members of the team lessens the burden of finding and fighting enemies. It also creates a sense of camaraderie between players, making each action have more meaning than pressing a simple button. Rikki Evans also said that players who “work as a team…get a lot better.”

Coordination and communication can also be improved through the use of headsets, although this is expensive optional equipment.


Each tip is a baby step part of the learning curve for the FPS multiplayer that steadily improves the skills of players.

G Gundam

The Mobile Fighter G Gundam series creates an original story that succeeds in mixing the mystical martial artist with the explosive and dramatic scenes normally found within Gundam anime.

Mobile Fighter G Gundam is an original series of 47 episodes that stands apart from the rest of the Gundam universes. In this story, each nation on an overpopulated Earth created space stations to send up their leaders and wealthy citizens. In order to avoid a war between each nation as they shared outer space, a tournament titled the Gundam Fight was organized in which each nation sends a representative Gundam fighter down to Earth in order to win their nation the right to rule space for four years.

The main character, Domon Kasshu, is the Gundam fighter for Neo Japan in the 13th Gundam Fight and is searching for his brother while he fights other Gundam fighters in one-on-one combat.

Each Gundam is piloted by the mobile trace system, which creates a skin-tight suit of nano-machines around the fighter. This allows the fighter to move the Gundam by moving his own body instead of using pedals and joysticks. This shows good original thought in explaining why a martial artist is piloting a Gundam, instead of a soldier.

The show succeeds in giving the audience a number of diverse and interesting characters that are usually non-existent in other Gundam shows. Each character also has their own fighting style and a unique and clearly recognizable Gundam amongst all of the others.

The show itself is driving with its emotional scenes, enhanced by the English vocal-cast. Admittedly, the cast initially comes off as fake and amateurish, but they warm up quickly and serve to support each episode well until the end.

Unfortunately, the show is riddled with a number of major racial stereotypes that can be considered both insulting and ridiculous. For example, Neo Mexico’s space colony is a giant sombrero.

The final two episodes bring good closure but do not represent the rest of the series very well, relating better to Power Rangers than Gundam.

Even so, the storyline in general for G Gundam is interesting and original, with the mystical quality of the martial artist mixed with the powerful and destructive Gundam. In this, it is a successful credit to the Mobile Suit Gundam series.