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Broken Saints Finale Available

Posted by simoniker on from the new-and-decaying-directions dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The hour-and-a-half finale to the killer animated Web comic Broken Saints is finally available. I just finished watching it, and I can't believe that only three guys made the damn thing. The story is intense, the music kicks, and the art's cool if you dig anime. Nice effects, really cool style, and even some nice Linux hacking scenes." We've covered this award-winning Flash-animated series previously.

129 comments

  1. Very Exciting by theArtificial · · Score: 0

    Yeah it was a real blast to watch, you know if any other series are under development?

    --
    Man blir trött av att gå och göra ingenting.
  2. stuff like this by Transient0 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    makes me incredibly happy as an artist. We are slowly but surely moving away from the paradigm of a handful of millionaire artists with corporate backing to a new world where every other person is an artist. The community is once again entertaining itself in the tradition of the tribal storyteller, only now the community is global.

    gives you a warm feeling inside if you can get past the pervading cynicism of the times for a moment.

    --
    lysergically yours
    1. Re:stuff like this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm a professional artist, too...I'm a photographer and graphic artist. yeah, I think it's cool that more people have more time and means to make art, too, but the way you talk about it makes us all seem like hippies. We're not all flower children, dude, and your "global village paradigm" schtick makes people not take us seriously. Knock it off.

    2. Re:stuff like this by Transient0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      the point is, it's too late for people not to take us seriously. people are looking on-line for their entertainment and almost nothing is going to make them stop. bands that are frustrated with the mad struggle to get someone at a record company to listen to their demo are realizing that they can just release their stuff on-line. Sure, it may not make them rich, but it gets them heard. The ones that are good may get some money out of it in the end, but even if they don't people will keep doing it. I'm a tech person too, but there is a heavy hippie undertone to what's happening in the art community these days. It makes no difference how ceesy the "global village paradigm schtick" may be, a time is coming where people are producing art and putting it out there simply because the community wants to be entertained and it feels good to be the entertainer.

      You don't have to be a flower-child to appreciate that..

      --
      lysergically yours
    3. Re:stuff like this by Telastyn · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Umm... every other person has been an artist for millenia. Now though the ability to entertain MANY others is available at a very low entry cost. It doesn't mean that the artists are any better, or even that there will be more artists. Hopefully the new distribution medium will allow people to find artists more easily, and artists will gain a larger mean fanbase, though the cynical side of me doubts that for most cases. The majority of people are sheep, and will continue the same trends that keep Carson Daly from working at the local McDonalds.

    4. Re:stuff like this by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 2, Interesting
      "It makes no difference how ceesy the "global village paradigm schtick" may be, a time is coming where people are producing art and putting it out there simply because the community wants to be entertained and it feels good to be the entertainer."

      Wow, I don't think I've seen a better job of someone summing up the original definition of "entertainment". That is what it used to be all about. Now its going through its whole corporate phase because thats the only way to get heard. But thanks to the internet, that is slowly starting to change. Eventually, it will compete with/replace those who do it for profit because the desire to be heard is worth more to some people than making money. And suddenly there's a lot more passion behind the work too. Distribute it for free...and guess what? Corporate garbage entertainment is then seeing a direct, free, LEGAL competitor who they have no control over. If its hippies that are starting all this, I say PASS ME THAT JOINT!!!!.

      --
      Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
    5. Re:stuff like this by derch · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately, it used to be that good artists were the only ones who could get an audience. Now with the internet, every crap artist with angsty poems can easily put up a site. There is such a thing as bad art, and there is a damned lot of it.

      The real paradigm of the artist is starving. And like someone else said, every other person already is an artist.

    6. Re:stuff like this by Abcd1234 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      it used to be that good artists were the only ones who could get an audience

      Hah! You are kidding, right? I think you meant to say "it used to be that artists who had mass market appeal were the only ones who could get an audience". Of course, this typically translates to artists who appeal to the 12-20 age bracket, or so, since they have massive amounts of disposable spending cash which they are willing to spend on the latest fad.

      The fact is, for nigh on 20 years now (at least), art has been all about demographics and marketability. This applies to music, books, movies, and pretty well any other form of popular art (as opposed to "high" art, which is a different beast altogether) you can think of.

      So, the hope now is that, maybe, artists will be able to mass distribute their art without having to worry about marketing, etc, etc, meaning that new, unique stuff might start appearing. Of course, you do have to wade through the crap to get to the good stuff, but at least you CAN get to the good stuff, now. And new technology can help people find the high quality art. For example, imagine a site where you could submit a site for an indie piece of art which can been reviewed by peers. With something like this, it should be quite easy to weed out the less interesting material and get to the good stuff.

    7. Re:stuff like this by adrianbye · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What is happening is that it is becoming easier for individuals to get their content out.

      In the past it was much harder - and thus we had record company royalties of 5%-12%. The reason those rates are so low is that getting content out by traditional methods is hard. But now that is changing and the balance of power is shifting to the artists.

      Its a good thing.

    8. Re:stuff like this by Moofie · · Score: 1

      Yeah, we better put a stop to that freedom of expression thing. It's really annoying.

      So, should I ask YOU before I update my blog? Can I have your home phone number please?

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    9. Re:stuff like this by pdbogen · · Score: 1

      If its hippies that are starting all this, I say PASS ME THAT JOINT!!!!
      Hey, even if it's not...

    10. Re:stuff like this by ivar · · Score: 1

      There are some still some free large scale artist communities on the Net that really help facilitate this kind of ethic. ZeD, a production of the state run Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, is a *commercial free* hybrid of television and the web designed to showcase independant and underground artists.

      Incidently, ZeD covered Broken Saints in a previous episode. Yay Zed (and the CBC and Canada) !

      Disclaimer: I'm a Canadian, and I love Zed + the CBC.

    11. Re:stuff like this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Considering population growth, if we assume that an approximately fixed percentage of people are reasonably good artists, we should have a rapidly growing number of decent artists.

      To an extent, perhaps we do, but they are currently drowned out by mainstream pop culture, which often has very little to do with art. Not to mention the fact that with more artists, it is more difficult for any individual artist to gain recognition, and thus fewer people would choose to an artistic career seriously.

    12. Re:stuff like this by derch · · Score: 1

      Good artists get the audiences. Not just good pop artists with national backing. Not just artists who appeal to the 12-20 y/os.

      Sure, everyone can point to Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Arnold Schwartzenneger and claim the sky's falling.

      Any honest person will also observe that many talented artists are readily available: Terry Gilliam, David Mamet, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding', 'Bend It Like Beckham,' Radiohead, Yo Yo Ma, Sleater Kinney, Kevin Spacey, Mel Brooks, Chuck Palahniuk, Douglas Copland, Kenneth Follet, the guy who wrote The West Wing, the artist who draws Boondocks. And those are just widely known artists off the top of my head. I could fill another two paragraphs with high quality local artists who regularly pack local bars or fill gallery walls in a city with an average age over 35. Nevermind that art house movies and small character driven dramas are still produced in and outside of Hollywood.

      All it takes is opening your eyes and getting past the artists that marketing shoves down our throats. It takes the merest sliver of time to find true art in any community.

      For example, imagine a site where you could submit a site for an indie piece of art which can been reviewed by peers. With something like this, it should be quite easy to weed out the less interesting material and get to the good stuff.

      You mean like the "ease" of reading Slashdot where good comments get burried and trolls run wild? How is this site going to find art I like? Won't a peer reviewed site suffer many of the same problems as the marketplace - easily accessible competant pieces rise to the top, more complicated pieces get modded down by people who don't understand it?

    13. Re:stuff like this by derch · · Score: 1

      Nice strawman. It has nothing to do with freedom of expresssion. The right to free speech is not a right to distribution. I made no claims that people *should'nt* put up blogs or create websites for their art. I said that as a member of the audience, giving every half-assed artist easy access to my eyeballs will be counter productive.

      See? Nothing about stopping people from making art.

    14. Re:stuff like this by Moofie · · Score: 1

      Yep. And none of the artists are very interested in your opinion, fortunately for those of us who happen to enjoy the diversity of voices on the Internet.

      What, do you think somebody's going to come to your door and MAKE you read their blog?

      "every crap artist with angsty poems can easily put up a site" They sure can. And good for them.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
  3. As a person non-interested in comics and anime... by garcia · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I found the animation (while small in size) to be rather boring and slow-paced. I suppose that was the point.

    The animation was VERY well done and the sound-effects and graphics were actually pretty amazing.

    The story-line was slow and didn't hold my attention.

    While I appreciate the artistry it wouldn't be good for the mainstream unless the pace was quickened.

    Just my worthless .02

  4. Bittorrent by Obiwan+Kenobi · · Score: 5, Informative

    Remember to use the Bittorrent links for those who want to download the whole thing in one go.

    1. Re:Bittorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Uh huh. Why in all hell would anyone do this? Broken Saints's site is feeding me directly 60-80 kbit/sec on my cable modem. BitTorrent is giving me 0-1 kbit/sec with an upload of 11 kibit/sec.

      I downloaded their data by hand already from the time the /. posting went up. Meanwhile, BitTorrent is 1% done (probably nearing 2%...I hope) and has, by their estimate, some 40+ hours to go.

      I like the idea of BitTorrent and saving folks costs in bandwidth, and I'm in no rush, but this difference is whoppingly huge. Maybe I need more bittorrent karma, given this is my first time using it, but cripes.

    2. Re:Bittorrent by noisehole · · Score: 1

      while looking at that site i saw this:

      "The Matrix Reloaded Trailer [97.35MiB] Laid to rest with 9380 transfers (1018.31GiB)"

      a quicktime file hosted on aol's server, and we used p2p software to distribute it. thats 1tb less of traffic. on aol. we could have slashdotted aol. sometimes we are just too smart. damnit!

      and dont you dare and provide a revolutions trailer torrent!

      btw: thats still the old torrent without the finale if im not mistaken. any package to update that previous broken saints download?

    3. Re:Bittorrent by anttik · · Score: 1

      I'm having the same problem. There is no info in BitTorrent FAQ about getting more bandwidth later on after using it for a while. And hey, I could upload 25 kB/s even if I have to dl with 2 kB/s if it would help someone, but it doesn't seem to upload more than it's taking down, at least not as much as would be possible.

    4. Re:Bittorrent by MKalus · · Score: 1

      As far as I know there is no Karma.

      I have this too, some things download lightening fast (lie a file this morning which I pulled with 80KB/s) and then others they just drip in and I upload more than I download.

      Last time I checked I had a 1:2 download to upload ratio, so for every byte I downloaded I uploaded 2.

      Either I am the only one in my area who has the file and everybody is coming to me or something is fishy here, at times I am connected to more than 30 nodes at the same time and still only get 5KB/s download.

      --
      If you want to e-mail me, use my PGP Key.
    5. Re:Bittorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm the person who orignally complained in this thread. To clarify, it's odd that I have the availability to upload at roughly 75 kbit/sec (I've done this before), but I'm no where near that. As well, if you go 1:1 or 1:2, my downloads should roughly be 30 kbit/sec. (Cable modem, hugely assymetrical, so I could pull down 200+kbit/sec, but this is bittorrent we are talking about--some parity is written it presumably).

      I'm no where near these numbers. No, nothing else is running or hosing the connection (with the exception noted below).

      Meanwhile, I downloaded on another similarly configure machine what I wanted in a fraction of the time.

      Overall, the result is, by the old method, I'm done. Meanwhile, bittorrent is still at 17%, and I was finished downloaded from the original site roughly 30 minutes ago.

      Of course, the double download will cut into BitTorrent bandwidth, but the numbers didn't change--at all. Only recently has it been picking up.

      Maybe there needs to be a smarter algorithm done. Bittorrent seems a little too nice in it's bandwidth handling.

    6. Re:Bittorrent by paranoia2k · · Score: 1

      I used to be pretty disappointed with Bittorrent's performance as well, until I started opening the right ports on my firewall. Once I did that my download speeds started to skyrocket. (My bandwidth caps at 250kB/45kB -- currently downloading Broken Saints at ~195kB/15kB). This is especially true when there is this high a number of downloaders and seeds. (When you're getting a less popular file, you're obviously at the mercy of other people's available bandwidth.)

      It turns out that Bittorrent will work (sluggishly) without inbound ports open, which is why many people never think to look deeper into firewall settings.

      BTW, Bittorrent uses TCP 6881-6889, one port for each torrent you are getting/sharing.

    7. Re:Bittorrent by magarity · · Score: 1

      Remember to use the Bittorrent links for those who want to download the whole thing in one go.

      Now that this is the next day, I can tell you that the bittorrent file circulating is WITHOUT the last chapter, so no, it isn't the whole thing. The brokensaints site has a handy link to download the last chapter. Without the flash editor there's no updating the menus included in the bittorrent so the last chapter must be viewed independently.

  5. Too bad it is Flash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

    Too bad it is a Flash file. I have it turned off to avoid 5 minute waits to enter web sites and it also gets rid of a lot of ads on pages (not only that, it is obnoxious in that it ignores browser "no sounds at all" settings).

    1. Re:Too bad it is Flash by OctaneZ · · Score: 5, Informative

      If you're using Mozilla, or a mozilla derived browser, you can add Ted Mielczarek great Flash, Click to Play extension: extension installer. You can find info on it here and here.

  6. Looked lame, but I'll try it by mao+che+minh · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I watch the trailer and some of the first spisode. It looked awkward and messy to me (animation and artwork). I wasn't sold on the average storyline either. But, considering the fact that it won a Sundance award, I'll give it a shot (I can only assume that it gets better).

    The whole "treatment of Iraq" based character is ignorant though. I bet the creators are punk rock slackers - you know the kind, they attend the riots but never know what they're fighting for, they ramble on all day about imaginery politics and "fighting the man" (which is usually their rich white dad), they are always in a "band", etc.

    1. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by dknight · · Score: 1, Insightful

      What is with people bashing punks anyway?

      Yea, ok, SOME punks are as you described, but it's a minority. Most punks really do believe in the causes they fight for, and they're quite intelligent. I'm a punk (well, sorta). Most of my friends are punk. Ok, I'm better off than most. "The Man" is not my father (he's quite far from rich, by the way). I also am not particularly political. However I make sure to understand the things I do become involved with, and most other punks I've known are the same way.

      Ok, that got kind of rambling there, sorry about that.
      The point was: Dont stereotype us. You wouldnt like it, and we dont like it. We're all different, and you shouldnt make generalizations like that.

    2. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by AKnightCowboy · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      The point was: Dont stereotype us. You wouldnt like it, and we dont like it. We're all different, and you shouldnt make generalizations like that.

      Then why stereotype yourself by calling yourself a punk? "Punk" has connotations of a loser with spiked green hair wearing crappy denim clothes adorned with chains or huge baggy pants. Don't forget the obligatory 5 foot chain attached to the wallet. Punks are people that never grew up and are incredible attention whores. If you're something other than what I described then you're not a punk, you're something entirely different.

    3. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then why stereotype yourself by calling yourself a punk? "Punk" has connotations of a loser with spiked green hair wearing crappy denim clothes adorned with chains or huge baggy pants. Don't forget the obligatory 5 foot chain attached to the wallet. Punks are people that never grew up and are incredible attention whores. If you're something other than what I described then you're not a punk, you're something entirely different.

      Kind of funny that all that is steriotypes. Punk is an enthusites of the punk subculture. Which basicly means nothing. You can call yourself whatever the hell you want it doesn't force you into a cliche.

    4. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by osu-neko · · Score: 1
      So, what do you call someone who matches your description except they only have a 3 foot chain attached to their wallet?

      Not a serious question, of course -- just pointing out how silly your point is. Your overly restrictive definition of "punk" would exclude about 90% of the punks in the world. He's not stereotyping himself, you're just *way* overgeneralizing...

      --
      "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
    5. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I used to be punk.

      I had a green mohawk

      I shot heroin every day

      I sniffed gasoline ... and glue and hairspray and I forget all the things.

      I squatted in an abandoned warehouse in brooklyn

      My favorite breakfast was a 40.

      That is punk! Everything else is just fake!

    6. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The "Man" isn't a stereotype in and of itself? Please.

      Stereotypes applied to specific individuals are sometimes wrong, but stereotypes applied to groups are usually correct.

      MOST punks are as he described--ignorant and reactionary. Countering this as saying that they are intelligent means next to nothing.

      Near everyone wants to say that their friends are intelligent. So be it; makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Reality is, most of your friends probably are intelligent but NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE. They have the capacity and ability, but they'd rather complain and react than read CATO or GAO or Heritage Foundation reports. They'd rather get their news from interpretive, offbeat sites, validing it as countering CNN, instead of analyzing the data.

      Unlike the average citizen who neither pretends to be knowledgeable or reactionary, they chose the latter and justify it with their slacker intelligence.

      The key sign to intelligence and knowledge, imo, is that you realize that no matter how thoughtful or knowledgeable at the time you may be or believe you are, there is something else that can change your mind. You may make decisions based upon what you know or feel at the moment. You are always striving.

      Slack punks stopped doing that somewhere in their late teens.

    7. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by phrogeeb · · Score: 1

      All correct except for the loser part. Punk != loser, and in fact, it's one of the more popular subcultures in America today.

      Proud to be Punk.

      --

      ------

      "Will the highways on the Internet become more few?" --George W. Bush, in Jan. 2000

    8. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by stinky+wizzleteats · · Score: 1

      Is the term "punk", as used to describe a social group, still in circulation? When I left off, punks were mohawked Sid Vicious types in the '80s, and seemed to turn into what everyone called "goths" in the '90s (discounting the many splinter groups). What is a modern punk?

    9. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by Ikoma+Andy · · Score: 1

      :: All correct except for the loser part. Punk != loser, and in fact, it's one of the more popular subcultures in America today. ::

      Doesn't that pretty much defeat the purpose of being a Punk, if you're just like everybody else? That's why I wear and suit and a tie, I'm rebelling against established social norms.

    10. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If I asked you to define what the characteristics of a chair were, no matter what you said I could find a chair that does not fit that description and yet is indisputibly a chair. Does it have 4 legs? Here's a three legged chair. Does it have legs at all? Here's a chair with castors. Its purpose is to be sat in? Wicker chairs.

      My greater point is, if he can't define what a punk is, how can you if you are calling yourself that? He was just giving an example.

    11. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by aeoo · · Score: 1

      Sir, your words are foul indeed. You're acting like a spoiled king. You spew venom about people you don't know anything about. You employ generalization in a dangerous way. You should reflect on this for a moment.

    12. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by dknight · · Score: 1

      Modern punks are complicated. There are many many groups of us. The hardcore punks are more or less as you described, but not really goths. Goths have a tendency towards dark makeup, being very pale, and wearing nothing but black. I'm not a hardcore punk. I do have dark hair with random bits of bright red dyed into it, but not in a mohawk. I do dress a bit goth, but I dont do makeup, and I dont do it to be dark, I simply like black. Many of the "goth" punks are still around though.

      Anymore, I dont class punks based on what they look like, that's just silly. I base it more on philosophy and musical preference (you know, someone who listens primarily to punk music would probably be a punk).

    13. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by sahala · · Score: 1
      "Is the term "punk", as used to describe a social group, still in circulation? When I left off, punks were mohawked Sid Vicious types in the '80s, and seemed to turn into what everyone called "goths" in the '90s (discounting the many splinter groups). What is a modern punk?"

      I definitely don't classify myself as a punk, but from observation I've noticed that it's not just about musical preference and style of dress, although recently there is that superficial resurfacing. I believe punk was originally simply a philosophy. It's basically an exploring, convention defying attitude -- finding unnecessary walls and breaking them down without being paranoid about breaking from the mainstream. The punk philosophy has roots in dadaism and futurism, and it's not really about anarchy and destruction, even if this is expressed in typical "punk" music. s

    14. Re:Looked lame, but I'll try it by Moofie · · Score: 1

      Contrariness is not a virtue. Not liking something because everybody else likes it is just as stupid and short-sighted as liking something because everybody else likes it.

      I simply don't care about social norms. If I happen to be congruent with them today, fine. If I don't, OK. I just don't care.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
  7. pretty cool stuff by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    First off let me just say this is really great work ... great story, great art, great flash programming. I'm excited to see stuff like this coming out, stuff done independently that's quality.

    I only have one complaint ... I think this story would be better served going all the way to animation. I know the comic purists out there would balk, but to have basic animation, dissolves, and WORD BALLOONS of all things, when you already have audio ... this work has already left the roots of comics on a page. This project should just go fully animated.

    Oh, and I just have to mention, no Scott McCloud-esque micropayments going on here. Kudos to these guys ...

    1. Re:pretty cool stuff by Fjord · · Score: 2, Insightful

      To go from word balloons to audio is a large step. It requires voice acting, which isn't that easy, especially if you are playing more than one part.

      Then there is the bandwidth difference for including audio and full animation. That can add up to a hefty bill, something these guys probably can't swing considering they do not have and McCloud-esque micropayments.

      --
      -no broken link
    2. Re:pretty cool stuff by Abcd1234 · · Score: 1

      You should keep in mind that the transition from what they're doing to full animation is an order of magnitude increase in raw work. Because of the model they've gone with, they only need a few still shots per sequence. If they actually did full-blown animation, that would mean at least 24 shots per second, and given 18 minutes just for the first episode, we're talking ~26000 frames! Basically, what you ask for is NOT easy, and very well may not be in the realm of feasibility given the resources they have available.

      And this is ignoring all the styalistic issues (those pesky "comic pursists" you alluded to). What they're doing is rather new and unique... a moving comic book, which is, IMHO, actually kind of cool. Going to full animation takes this away, and thus their work loses some of its uniqueness (at least, IMHO).

    3. Re:pretty cool stuff by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 1

      I'm well aware of the cost and workload of going to full animation ... that wasn't the point. I just think since they're already going half way there with flash animation and and audio track the work suffers. As soon as you add motion and sound to drawings, people want to see it animated. And if they think it's too expensive to go this route, then I suggest they go back to boxes and put out a print edition. They'll reach more people that way. I think the story, art, coloring, everything is great but the medium is not appropriate.

    4. Re:pretty cool stuff by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 1

      I'd say if they were concerned about the workload they should have just left it as a print style comic book. If they wanted to do a web based comic, just put up a bunch of images. Overall it's the story that matters, not the media, and they have a good story. If they don't want to do a traditional comic book I say they get some animators to help 'em out. I'm not terribly interested in waiting a long time to download a flash flick that ends up just being a comic book where the images slide around.

  8. Only three guys made this? by djeaux · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Heck, I figured they'd need a team of at least a dozen just to wait for it to load & review it.

    And I still can't comment on the artwork -- after a 5 minute wait for the "50K skinny site" to download, my browser locked up. OK, I'm probably not running the latest-and-greatest: this is "only" a 1.8 GHz Wintel PC with 255 MB RAM & a T1 connection with Netscape 7.02... I'm sure the site looks fine on a 3.0 GHz Linux box with a gig of RAM & a T3...

    The point of this rant is that it's a damned shame that excellent artwork gets flushed down the tube of Flash.

    --
    "Obviously, I'm not an IBM computer any more than I'm an ashtray" (Bob Dylan)
    1. Re:Only three guys made this? by SkankhodBeeblebrox · · Score: 1

      Site loaded fine in Opera 7.11 on my Wintel w/ DSL, the fact that your 'browser locked up' is probably more due to the fact that you're running Netscape than it is your system specs.

    2. Re:Only three guys made this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yea, but it feels "right" to bitch about Flash. I wonder why he didn't work Microsoft into his failure formula as well.

    3. Re:Only three guys made this? by djeaux · · Score: 1
      I wonder why he didn't work Microsoft into his failure formula as well.

      I did. I said it was a Wintel box & that it would probably work better on Linux. Gotta stick to the /. code, y'know? ;-)

      But you're correct -- my usual reaction to an overly-Flashed site is to "stop" & "back"...

      --
      "Obviously, I'm not an IBM computer any more than I'm an ashtray" (Bob Dylan)
    4. Re:Only three guys made this? by Chris_Jefferson · · Score: 1

      Hmm... I wonder. Could the slowdown have been due to the famous "slashdot effect", and in fact have nothing to do with your computer, or their website design (except the fact they can't handle a slashdoting, which few can.. in fact they are handling it better than many)

      --
      Combination - fun iPhone puzzling
    5. Re:Only three guys made this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just finished watching the "WHOLE SCHEBANG" and there were 6 Major credits and about a dozen and a half minor credits or so on the last "Credit Screen".
      Very well done IMHO. All the subtile nuances and such haven't been sorted out yet but I may get back to it.

      -Lemidan (no time to log in)

  9. Broken Saints soon to have Broken Server by mikeophile · · Score: 0, Redundant

    A Bittorrent link would be a lot nicer on their bandwidth bill.

  10. To those of you just starting to watch BS. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Keep in mind that this started over 3 years ago when both technology and politics were different.
    To watch the evolution, especially of the art and flashwork, is quite amazing also!
    I just can't believe it's finally over.

  11. I tried, I tried... by kahei · · Score: 1

    ...to watch that darn thing but it's just sooooo slow-moving and reactionary. It kind of reminds me of that British comic from the late 80's, Crisis. Except that you have to sit there looking at it for ages waiting for the next character to sliiiide into view :)

    But I persevered, slow as it was, until I was sure the actual content was a bunch of studenty drivel about saving the third world and getting in touch with your feminine side. I think it's safe to conclude that the same stuff that has always sold to college kids still sells to college kids :)

    --
    Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
    1. Re:I tried, I tried... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      I'm a 'college kid' and I still thought it was crap.

      But at least it didn't have any gratuitous sex.

      Well, I didn't watch it all.

      But I'm assuming it didn't.

      I don't wanna imagine how they'd try and draw 'sexy'.

    2. Re:I tried, I tried... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and getting in touch with your feminine side

      I keep my feminine side gagged and locked in a closet.

  12. Smart anonymous reader by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 5, Funny
    "I just finished watching it..."

    And only then did he submit it to /. Veeeeerrrrry clever, Mr. Anonymous Reader. Let this be a lesson to us all.

    1. Re:Smart anonymous reader by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmmm, this looks interesting, lets give it a try. Got about 2 hours till my appointment......Damn, Gotta go. This took longer than I expected... You Dumbass who thinks himself superior.

  13. Broken Saints? by frodo+from+middle+ea · · Score: 1

    Or more like broken server ?
    Not even 25 post on /. and the server is dead.

    --
    for the last time people, I am "frodo from middle eaRTH", not "middle eaST".
    1. Re:Broken Saints? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Their website server setup is near utterly slagged, but whatever they are using for their downloads rocks. Maybe no one can get to the download page... :)

  14. 10 and a half hours! by mikeophile · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I totaled up the lengths of all 24 parts and it come up to more or less 10 1/2 hours.

    Not an ad on the site and the creators pledged that there won't be any profiteering or commercialization of this.

    We are so not worthy.

    Thank you guys.

    1. Re:10 and a half hours! by JackAxe · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's 10 hours of pauses, and a half hour of actual animation. =)

    2. Re:10 and a half hours! by Darth · · Score: 2, Funny

      and then they opened up a cafe press store and put the broken saints logo on a thong.

      --
      Darth --
      Nil Mortifi, Sine Lucre
    3. Re:10 and a half hours! by Moofie · · Score: 1

      Bully for them. Extra if they can get hotties to wear them.

      Why is this bad?

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
  15. i hate flash.. by Suppafly · · Score: 4, Informative

    I hate flash movies because there is no good way to pause them and come back, nor is there a good way to fast forward or rewind or do anything that you normally would when watching video. Flash is alright for those annoying interactive websites, but its damn annoying for movies.

    1. Re:i hate flash.. by JackAxe · · Score: 1

      Yeah there is, it just requires know how. Something most Flash monkey's are ignorant to.

    2. Re:i hate flash.. by The+Evil+Couch · · Score: 1

      just out of curiosity, how? the closest thing to an easily navigatable movie that I could invision in flash would be one that let you skip back and forth between scenes, sort of like chapters on a DVD only shorter.

      --
      The World's Worst Webcomic!
    3. Re:i hate flash.. by JackAxe · · Score: 2, Informative

      You can pause, forward and reverse with Flash using Action Script. Here's an excellent example made a couple of years back and it was done with Flash 5. Make sure to click on "Advanced Controls" buton in the upper right when watching the prologue. http://www.becominghuman.org/

    4. Re:i hate flash.. by Eric+Savage · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, and this isn't just a "nice to have" thing either. This is a "got interrupted halfway through and knew I'd have to site through 15 minutes of stuff I just saw and didn't bother to come back to the site" thing.

      Not to say I don't appreciate people dedicating themselves to their craft as these guys do, but just because you're an artist doesn't mean you don't have to pick the right technology.

      --

      This is not the greatest sig in the world, this is just a tribute.
    5. Re:i hate flash.. by Lord+Omlette · · Score: 1
      annoying interactive websites
      Thanks to SVG or even DHTML, it's not even good for those either.
      --
      [o]_O
    6. Re:i hate flash.. by sahala · · Score: 1
      Not to say I don't appreciate people dedicating themselves to their craft as these guys do, but just because you're an artist doesn't mean you don't have to pick the right technology.

      Out of curiousity, what is the "right technology"? Quicktime? MPEG4? Powerpoint slideshow?

      :)

    7. Re:i hate flash.. by cygnus · · Score: 1
      I hate flash movies because there is no good way to pause them and come back, nor is there a good way to fast forward or rewind or do anything that you normally would when watching video. Flash is alright for those annoying interactive websites, but its damn annoying for movies.

      when i right click on this movie (on my mac, with the two button mouse i bought, you one-button trolls), i get the following context menu:

      • Zoom-in
      • Zoom-out
      • Show All
      • Quality
      • Play (checked)
      • Loop (checked)
      • Rewind
      • Forward
      • Back
      • Settings...
      • Print...
      • About Macromedia Flash Player 6...

      additionally, creators of flash movies can easily embed controls that allow for easier (and more-custom tailored) controls like scrollers, etc.

      stop spreading FUD.

      --
      Just raise the taxes on crack.
    8. Re:i hate flash.. by Eskarel · · Score: 1
      You ever tried using forward? It doesn't do what you think it does, it's sort of a step forward control which unless you're looking for a very particular scene isn't bloody helpful at all. Rewind takes you all the way back to the beginning. Leastways that's what it does on mine.

      Therefor this isn't FUD, but a genunie complaint.

    9. Re:i hate flash.. by cygnus · · Score: 1
      save for that you're ignoring my other points, like how that context menu lets you pause playback, and how the developer can rather easily embed controls in the movie.

      the problems that you're citing are problems of the particular implimentation and not Flash itself.

      --
      Just raise the taxes on crack.
    10. Re:i hate flash.. by Suppafly · · Score: 1

      You don't get those for everything, for instance, on the flash.com website if you right click on the flash banners you only get settings and about macromedia flash. I believe if you have the commercial version of flash it may give you a few more options, but for the most part you usually don't get the option to pause, fast forward, or rewind.

    11. Re:i hate flash.. by maur · · Score: 1

      Media Player Classic can play back Flash 6/MX movies, and it gives you the standard video controls like the seek bar, pause/rewind/fastfw, and 200% zoom.

      http://vobsub.edensrising.com/mpc.php

      http://guliverkli.sourceforge.net/

    12. Re:i hate flash.. by Bubblesculpter · · Score: 1



      Nothing a couple lines of ActionScript can't fix.

      Here is an example of a Flash movie I've made which has a pause/play button, as well as a Fast Forward and Rewind Slider that acts just how you want and expect it to.

      BIG advantage of using Flash is that it's more likely to appear the way you want it to on your website, as opposed to Quicktime, RealPlayer, WindowsMedia, etc, which adds all their controls to it.

      Bear in mind the example above is only a rough example that I placed on the web to show a couple other people.

      --
      www.Beyond7.com Insane modern art water sculpture.
    13. Re:i hate flash.. by Ian+Jefferies · · Score: 1

      the problems that you're citing are problems of the particular implimentation and not Flash itself.

      Except that the the problems turn out to be caused by a technical choice between event and stream audio in Flash. More info here:

      Broken Saint's FAQ

      Ian.

      --
      A physicist is an atom's way of thinking about atoms
    14. Re:i hate flash.. by stikves · · Score: 1

      Sorry to say this, but flash has "pause, reward and forward" functionalities.

      Just try to right click on the movie.

      - Uncheck "Play" to pause the movie
      - Check it again to "Resume"
      - There is a big "Rewind" option
      - Use "Forward" and "Backward" to navigate (unfortunately these two does not work well all the time)

    15. Re:i hate flash.. by cygnus · · Score: 1
      i work for a group that makes animations and slide shows in flash that sync with scrolling transcript text and last between 3 and 5 minutes and have pause, play, fast forward, rewind and scrub controls. we've *never* had any of the problems they're talking about. at least, you'd think they could find opportune moments in the audio track, divide up the movie based on those, and make each a packet that calls the next one. bingo, you have tracks.

      i'm standing by my earlier implimentation argument.

      --
      Just raise the taxes on crack.
    16. Re:i hate flash.. by Ian+Jefferies · · Score: 1

      I've not worked with Flash animation so can't call you on the implementation technicalities.

      I suppose that from their point of view it takes out a lot of the hassle out of trying to get the synchronization exactly right... some of the scenes just wouldn't work the way they do if the sound or looped music transition were a second or two out. It would lose much of the intensity and impact. And that, for me, has been a large part of what the Brokens Saint's experience has been about.

      I don't know how much of difference it makes to filesize either but I've downloaded 23 out of 24 chapters on 56k, so if it reduces file size then I appreciate that too :)

      Ian.

      --
      A physicist is an atom's way of thinking about atoms
  16. Re:As a person non-interested in comics and anime. by MagPulse · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I agree that it's technically good but the story is slow. Slow stories are okay if there are things happening to think about or pay attention to. But this animation could be compressed to a third of its length and lose nothing.

  17. Here is a direct link by arcadum · · Score: 1, Informative

    http://bs.brokensaints.com/chapters/chapter24.prol ogue.swf

  18. A mplayer-like program for flash files? by Saiyine · · Score: 1

    Hi!

    Is there any media player for linux able to play those flash thingies? I only use my webbrowsers... to browse the web!

    Thanks

    --
    Hosting 20G hd, 1Tb bw! ssh $7.95
    1. Re:A mplayer-like program for flash files? by JackAxe · · Score: 2, Informative

      Here's a link to the Linux player: =) http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/alter nates/

  19. Re:As a person non-interested in comics and anime. by JCCyC · · Score: 1

    Right-o. I started watching the trailer for chapter one, and while the artwork is nothing short of genius, the endless psychobabble quickly overloaded my patience. I stopped watching while some girl was ranting about being in paradise.

    Gimme some Grant Morrison-like stories (lots of extremely disturbing concepts, delivered with economy of words). Or, if you use lots of words, make them meaningful (like in Watchmen).

    Having said that, I have to admit the concept has a bright future.

  20. The limitations of flash by popo · · Score: 5, Informative

    The problem is that even with Flash MX's great JPG compression and vector graphics, the technique used by most flash animators is to apply a series of animation techniques to a small set of images.

    In other words, the animation is a set of instructions, and the downloaded data is kept to a minimum.

    The upshot of this is that while there's a lot of movement on the screen, it gets pretty repetitive. For example, during the intro, we see the same artwork (various faces) used over and over again using a variety of different animation effects.

    Whereas film uses a separate image for every frame, flash can use 3 or 4 images and a set of instructions. But these 3 or 4 images (flashed, panned, faded and moved around the screen), hardly approach the immersive experience of thousands of frames used in film.

    In an era of digital video and truly fantastic compression technologies, this approach seems dated. True, the potential audience for flash movies may be larger, but that seems like a business decision and not a creative one.

    They've done a great job with the medium, but unfortunately this medium, as with so many others online, is extremely limited.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
    1. Re:The limitations of flash by JackAxe · · Score: 1

      Exactly, the problem lies with the animator(s)/direction. =) Flash is only limited by the user. This animation is a good example of that. Looking at Flash as only an animaton tool, is very ignorant. Flash, like Director can be used to create all types of content. Pretty much whatever one can imagine. What's scary, is that more an more short cartoons are ending up on TV that were created using Flash. "Gary the Rat" is one of them. Comparing Flash to a flim really isn't fair, nor is it a good comparison since it's geared towards a completely different market. One can easily say that unlike film, Flash can provide true interaction. FYI, Flash MX can embed movie media, so games like Dragon's Lair ( as an example ) could easily be recreated in Flash. Or this entire series could've been created in video first, then assembled in Flash kind of like a DVD. Please don't use this Broken animation as an example of Flash, it only shows about 5% of Flash's capabilities and like any media, it could've been done better with the right people.

    2. Re:The limitations of flash by cubicledrone · · Score: 1

      For example, during the intro, we see the same artwork (various faces) used over and over again using a variety of different animation effects.

      Perhaps in order to make you happy, they should spend a couple hundred man-years painstakingly drawing, one dot at a time, ultra-high-resolution chroma paintings for each frame?

      --
      Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.
  21. OMG free expression by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I think it's good.

    Much better than the tripe that's played on mainstream TV.

    Yes, primitive animation, etc. but I don't care.

    Disney, and others should realize they are obsolete except to the mindless drones that want to rehash stale PC ideas and wait for death on the couch.

  22. No shit, Sherlock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    there won't be any profiteering or commercialization of this.

    That's because no one in their right mind would pay for that crap.

  23. Spoiler? by MickLinux · · Score: 1

    Unfortunately or fortunately [I have a lot of work], my bandwidth won't handle this too easily.

    Do you have a link to a spoiler [storyline]? Or can you tell what it is, approximately?

    --
    Correct Horse Battery Staple: 72 bits of entropy. Enter "Correct H" into google. When it generates the phrase, that's
  24. Then you should move to a better neighborhood by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0






  25. Direct link to movie to get it fullscreen by Cee · · Score: 1

    Link here. Press F11 and enjoy =)

  26. Re:The limitations of flash-Reality check. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "In an era of digital video and truly fantastic compression technologies, this approach seems dated. True, the potential audience for flash movies may be larger, but that seems like a business decision and not a creative one.

    They've done a great job with the medium, but unfortunately this medium, as with so many others online, is extremely limited.
    "

    Well gee, sorry to disappoint you, but a good portion of the audiance doesn't have a last-mile OC3, and I doubt the Broken Saint guys have the money for one either.

    Sometimes reality can't be ignored.

  27. limitations of a medium. by danitor · · Score: 1

    flash-haters, at least flash can be distributed over the internet for FREE by a couple of great animators.
    I am aware of a medium called "film" which takes millions of dollars and the MPAA to get distributed, additionally costing the end viewer 5-10$ for only one viewing. i know, it's proprietary, it's inconvenient in your browser, but for chrissakes, stop your whining. what do you want it in, an animated GIF?
    NOBODY FORCED YOU TO WATCH IT.

    1. Re:limitations of a medium. by whatch+durrin · · Score: 1
      I am aware of a medium called "film" which takes millions of dollars and the MPAA to get distributed

      Says who? Every heard of independent films?

      NOBODY FORCED YOU TO WATCH IT

      True. I went to the site and downloaded the intro, which I watched. The whole time I was hoping this was just a ploy to get me to say "Man, there wasn't much content in that...I guess I'll have to watch Chapter 1 to find out more!" Consequently, I downloaded and began to watch Chapter 1.

      After sitting through 5-10 minutes of crap flash and psychobabble, I decided I'd had enough.

      It's not like I don't like deeply introspective animation/movies, but this stuff moves slower than anything I've ever seen. Besides, the flash is really poor quality. I could probably handle one or the other, but not both.

      Look, I commend anyone who has the time and patience to manufacture 24 espisodes of this, especially if the last 23 are as boring as the first. But there's a reason why I will pay to see movies and true animation - they're quality works that I enjoy watching!

      --
      ***
      Radio Shack. You've got questions...we've got blank stares(TM).
  28. Watched 1...does it get better? by eclectic4 · · Score: 1

    I only ask because so far Ninjai kills this stuff. Unbelievable music, voice overs and animation.

    The only problem with Ninjai is that this will be the THIRD time they are re-releasing the chapters every two weeks. In other words, I have to wait a couple of months before those of us that have seen all of the chapters from the beginning can see a new one.

    Anyway, the question still stands I guess. Does this get better? Has ninjai spoiled me?

    --

    "The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." - Daniel Boorstin
    1. Re:Watched 1...does it get better? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's the story and MOOD that makes this kill Ninjai. If you've ever watched anything like Twin Peaks or that old 60's show with the big white ball (The prisoner)...or even that creepy MTV animated series called the Maxx...then that's the vibe of Broken Saints.

      Ninjai is WAY better animation, to be sure...but the story/characters suck monkey cock. Same old crap. BS made me think and more importantly FEEL. For that, I can't thank the gang enough.

    2. Re:Watched 1...does it get better? by eclectic4 · · Score: 1

      Ok. Cool, and thanks for the reply...I will continue the story...

      --

      "The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." - Daniel Boorstin
    3. Re:Watched 1...does it get better? by eclectic4 · · Score: 1

      Ok. Cool, and thanks for the reply...I will continue the story...

      I will say though, that the later chapters of Ninjai gave me the chills at times. The animation and the music is unbelievable...

      Thanks again though, I've already bittorented the stie and will continue BS.

      --

      "The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." - Daniel Boorstin
  29. Not all that odd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just because thousands of half hit hacks can't make Linux good doesn't mean that three talented artists can't create poetry in motion.

  30. Re:As a person non-interested in comics and anime. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I felt the same. I've seen the 'rave reviews' with a feel much like the /. article, but compared to reading most books, BS didn't seem to HAVE a story. Nice artwork, cool technical stuff, neat to have a full scale production in a medium I like. New and Different can be good.

    In this case I felt I was watching several hours of the same MTV video.

  31. Re:As a person non-interested in comics and anime. by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    I thought the animation was mediocre, but the sound was definitely fantastic. I almost fell asleep during the very first episode, however. I think that they wanted to make manga, and they can't read very quickly (maybe they're used to reading them in japanese or something) but instead they made this slow-ass thing. 1.6 liter Hondas go faster than that.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  32. Why fishy? by mindstrm · · Score: 1

    There is nothing fishy about this at all. Someone who wants the file connected to you, and is grabbing the pieces you do have. You are connected to others who have pieces you want, and they are slow. There is no rule that keeps it symmetric. This just happens sometimes.. I think usually when there are very few seeders and a lot of people trying to get the file.

    1. Re:Why fishy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      iow, there is no part of the algorithm that tries to compare variable download rates? You'd think a broadband user could connect to a comparable/like broadband user. The way it sounds is that a modem user could be feeding a broadband user. That's absurd.

      6 broadbanders could download 32 megs each, and then distribute outward to the other 6, until the circle completes. This would be faster, and if 1 of 6 kept their windows open, feed several other broadband users or a much larger number of dialup users.

  33. One word. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



    Excellent.

    Rock the fuck on. Art is more than money. It's about achieving something unique that was not previously available.

  34. I suppose... by ffatTony · · Score: 1

    Broken Saint's animation is cool, but the story bores me I'm afraid to say. (I think I just get tired of reading and wish they included a voice audio).

    I also wish they had a "play the whole story" button, it's a pain waiting for their lovely, but ultimately time wasting graphics as I navigate between episodes. And before you say anything yes, I am aware they provide zipped copies of the episodes for download and easy viewing (I think this is very nice of them).

    In my book the best flash animation site has got to be this one. I just wish new episodes were made available a little more frequently.

  35. Comics? by sharkey · · Score: 2, Funny

    This isn't about football?

    --

    --
    "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  36. Not necessarily Liberal propaganda by cliffmeece · · Score: 1
    I haven't seen the whole thing because it is sooo slowly paced. At first I thought it was, as you say, 'save the third world from evil capitalists' yada yada, but now 3/4 through the last episode it seems to be about a lunatic who, in his quest to rid the world of evil capitalist nations and corrupt military powers, has sunk to deeper level of evil.

    This makes it much more of an Orwellian type of tale in that it describes how parties in the search for 'noble' revolutions can sometimes deliver regimes much worse than the ones they are replacing.

    So in that sense, I don't think it is the kind of leftist propaganda that some imagine, because even if you believe that some injustices are done by large multinational corporations and powerful military industrial complexes, it does not justify creating evil mind rays to sanitize the human race. At least that's what I think the guy in the end has created, but it's hard to tell because the whole story appears to be a long string of 'near-coherent-kinda-cool-sounding-I-just-got-a-de gree-in-Poetry-and-I-really-like-william-s-burroug hs-but-can't-write-as-well' slogans

  37. So by cubicledrone · · Score: 1

    Flash doesn't suck now?

    --
    Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.
  38. This is a problem, but not a big one by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 1

    Overall I say the break down of the established channels is a good thing. You do raise a common complaint, that because it's so easy for people to make "art" and put it up on the web, there's so much more shitty art out there. Take a listen at the crap on MP3.com and you'll get the idea. That being said it's hard to say where it will go. Part of me thinks talent will rise to the top, but another part of me is worried that so many people out there have absolutely no sense of taste. You give a bunch of kids video cameras and are there any Coppolas or Spielbergs out there? No, most of them mimic Jackass. Great. I think most likely we're going to have a severe fragmentation of arts and what people like on the web. People will get obsessed over their tiny little niche of some obscure art form and not venture far from it. Gone will be the days where one type of art is universally popular to all. So the pie of fundage will be divided into infintesimally small pieces. More poeple will get access to the "pie" but the slices will be very very small. Certainly not enough to earn a decent living.

  39. Horrible trite writing by scudco · · Score: 1

    I understand the creators are most likely trying to stay true to anime or something similar to that form of animation, but did they have to keep the horrible writing of anime? I have seriously seen better philosophically centric writing on a cam girl's website. Give me a break. The writer was either entirely too lazy to piece together the things we so affectionately call words into cogent sentences forming the basis for an introduction into the storyline or he was afraid of the viewers having to read more than a bunch philosophical one-liners. Despite my distaste for the writing the animation is top-notch and compilation is quite well-done for flash. I appreciate the kind of work they're trying to accomplish through this series, as well. Good Day

  40. Does anyone know "rmatthews@red" password? by Crazy+Eight · · Score: 1
    Navigate to "A/V" -> "B.T.S." and you'll find a simulated rxvt terminal with Sawfish's microGUI window dressing in the middle of a login that seems to accept input at the password prompt. They even put brokensaints.com's ip address in the title bar.

    Does anyone know if this thing has a response to a valid password? What does "B.T.S." stand for here?

  41. well done original by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The best discriptive term I could come up with is well done original.

    The wait was well rewarded as the slow narration, setting the mood of a dark amoral world in which I've come to expect from anime. By the first 45 seconds of the 2nd feature the pace quickens, I was a bit captivated.

    Recommended viewing-2300 hrs, some tachos and beer.

    Original-heh... Canadian lads too. And here I thought Freebsd was the only Canadian creation that wasn't mangled and plagiarized beyond recognition.

    Well done.

  42. You actually read what's on a cam girl's website? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



    Let me guess: you buy her things from her Amazon wishlist.
    You have a special relationship with her.
    She cares about you.
    I would laugh if it weren't so sad.

  43. Ninjai by alexburke · · Score: 1

    Even though I have modpoints at the moment, I will forego moderating in this discussion to pose the following question to the rest of the Slashdot readership:

    What the hell happened to Ninjai? I was really getting into it, then they stopped, two episodes from the end, and haven't pumped out anything new for nearly a year. :(

    And now you can only view chapters 1 through 3, instead of the 10 they'd completed! Argh!

  44. "You're not punk unless you've had scabies" by krysith · · Score: 1

    It seems that we have a number of intelligent, articulate punks on slashdot today, which is pretty cool, IMHO. Of course, there are always the hardcore ones, like AC parent's post (not sure if serious or not). It reminds me of what a punk friend of mine said once:
    "You're not punk unless you've had scabies!".

    Of course, really there are lots of different kind of punks. I used to know this really hot little punk chick in Savannah named Kitty who knew more about music than god and lived homeless for a year "just to see what it was like". Was she punk? Hell yeah! Did she have scabies? I hope not! (scratches crotch)