It should also be mentioned that board games are definitely more portable than a game console/PC. I've known a couple of people who stopped going to LAN parties simply because they were sick of dragging out 10kg worth of equipment to the four corners of the earth. And, although the difference is less prominent, a Diplomacy game box is a lot easier to carry than a PS2, four controllers, a Multi-Tap, and your copy of TimeSplitters 2.
Thus, board gaming also appeals to computer players who need their social and competitive fixes but are sick of lugging around so much equipment.
The closest thing to a fighting game coming out in the near future is probably One Must Fall: Battlegrounds. It's a 3D brawler based on the old concept of big, smashy robots. Way back in the day (1994) they had a 2D fighting fighting game, which was rollicking good fun.
This reminds me of a documentary that the CBC showed not too far back about Jens Naumann, who was blind due to two separate accidents but regained sight through the use of eyeglasses-mounted cameras. The image from the camera was then processed and routed to his visual cortex via cables.
PCKeyboard.com stocks non-USA keyboards in five flavours: French, German, Latin American, Spanish, and UK. They're $79 a pop, but they're built like tanks and will last longer than your computer.
Before I switched over to optical mice, I used denatured alcohol (purchased at any pharmacy) and those foam swabs that electricians use to, well, clean things.
Once you crack the thing open there'll be a lot of crud caked on the rollers, but it usually comes off quite readily once you swab it with alcohol. If you want to be thorough, wear latex gloves and be sure to clean the ball off, too.
Take things in a new, exciting, and decidedly more modern direction. I highly recommend St. Germain's two studio releases: Boulevard and Tourist..
St. Germain is, in my opinion, a luscious blend of jazz and electronica/trip-hop. It's organic and ultimately enthralling. They're both amazing party albums, and St. Germain's obscure enough in North America that you'll be hailed as a god among men.
I'm not sure if people will complain about it being 2D. SNK has always been about superior 2D fighting, and the market they're aiming forhard-core fighting game fansrealizes that. SNK don't have an interest in whiz-bang uses of technology; it's about depth, depth, depth.
IMHO, the only 3D fighting game that comes even close to matching an SNK game's depth is Soul Calibur, and the only 2D fighting game that comes close is Guilty Gear X2.
Adam Baldwin (Jayne) said on the Fox Firefly message board that one of the commentary tracks was going to be the entire cast, plus Joss and Tim Minear (one of the head writers), drinking beer and generally mocking their characters.
The standard version only sets you back, on average, $30. I'm unsure as to where the $79 figure comes from unless you're using the Incorporated Business version.
The spin-off that everybody's chomping at the bit about is most likely Ripper (Alternative title:The Watcher), which is going to be primarily about Giles.
Filming for Ripper starts this May, and if all goes well it will air on UPN September 2004. (Source: tvtome.com)
I'm not sure if you guys noticed, but the page contains only known elements, not the stuff from fantasy land. Hence, the blatant exclusion of adamantium and kryptonite.
RTFP!
My new baby: Rurouni Kenshin
on
Essential Anime
·
· Score: 1
Up until two weeks ago, all I had heard about this show was that it was good.
I was wrong. This thing *rules*.
I'll try not to give away too much of the plot, but here goes: the time is late 1860's Japan, just after the ending of the Tokugawa dynasty and at the beginning of the Meiji. One of the fighters for the revolution, Himura Kenshin, forsakes his old life as an assassin and goes ronin, vowing never to take another life again and instead using a 'sakaba' sword, a katana with the sharp and blunt sides reversed (ie he hits people with the blunt side). While he may want to atone for his past actions, the past isn't quite through with him . . .
I love this show. Every last minute of it. It meets all the criteria for a good anime: large, intricate plot with numerous story arcs, comedy, a bit of romance and, most importantly, a kickass sword fight every episode.
The show in Japan ran 98 episodes, ending some time in 1998, IIRC. There is also a manga edition that the anime is based on, which is supposed to be top-notch.
There is no official North American release, so the only way to see this is to go the way of fansubs. I'm not sure how many different fansubs are out there, but avoid the Hecto fansub like the plague. They smell.
Slashdot Mirror
It should also be mentioned that board games are definitely more portable than a game console/PC. I've known a couple of people who stopped going to LAN parties simply because they were sick of dragging out 10kg worth of equipment to the four corners of the earth. And, although the difference is less prominent, a Diplomacy game box is a lot easier to carry than a PS2, four controllers, a Multi-Tap, and your copy of TimeSplitters 2.
Thus, board gaming also appeals to computer players who need their social and competitive fixes but are sick of lugging around so much equipment.
The closest thing to a fighting game coming out in the near future is probably One Must Fall: Battlegrounds. It's a 3D brawler based on the old concept of big, smashy robots. Way back in the day (1994) they had a 2D fighting fighting game, which was rollicking good fun.
Don't forget that Bikini Karate Babes came out last year.
This reminds me of a documentary that the CBC showed not too far back about Jens Naumann, who was blind due to two separate accidents but regained sight through the use of eyeglasses-mounted cameras. The image from the camera was then processed and routed to his visual cortex via cables.
PCKeyboard.com stocks non-USA keyboards in five flavours: French, German, Latin American, Spanish, and UK. They're $79 a pop, but they're built like tanks and will last longer than your computer.
. . . you clicked on the link just to see if there were any hot women who game living in your area.
So lonely.
Before I switched over to optical mice, I used denatured alcohol (purchased at any pharmacy) and those foam swabs that electricians use to, well, clean things.
Once you crack the thing open there'll be a lot of crud caked on the rollers, but it usually comes off quite readily once you swab it with alcohol. If you want to be thorough, wear latex gloves and be sure to clean the ball off, too.
I do own VF4. Yes, it's deep, but I prefer the faster-paced fights of GGX2.
GGX2 is also a bit more forgiving w.r.t. button-mashing.
Take things in a new, exciting, and decidedly more modern direction. I highly recommend St. Germain's two studio releases: Boulevard and Tourist..
St. Germain is, in my opinion, a luscious blend of jazz and electronica/trip-hop. It's organic and ultimately enthralling. They're both amazing party albums, and St. Germain's obscure enough in North America that you'll be hailed as a god among men.
I'm not sure if people will complain about it being 2D. SNK has always been about superior 2D fighting, and the market they're aiming forhard-core fighting game fansrealizes that. SNK don't have an interest in whiz-bang uses of technology; it's about depth, depth, depth.
IMHO, the only 3D fighting game that comes even close to matching an SNK game's depth is Soul Calibur, and the only 2D fighting game that comes close is Guilty Gear X2.
We're already doing that, and the results have been pretty promising. There's a good review written up by my honours supervisor here.
Adam Baldwin (Jayne) said on the Fox Firefly message board that one of the commentary tracks was going to be the entire cast, plus Joss and Tim Minear (one of the head writers), drinking beer and generally mocking their characters.
Good times, good times.
The standard version only sets you back, on average, $30. I'm unsure as to where the $79 figure comes from unless you're using the Incorporated Business version.
The spin-off that everybody's chomping at the bit about is most likely Ripper (Alternative title:The Watcher), which is going to be primarily about Giles.
Filming for Ripper starts this May, and if all goes well it will air on UPN September 2004. (Source: tvtome.com)
I'm not sure if you guys noticed, but the page contains only known elements, not the stuff from fantasy land. Hence, the blatant exclusion of adamantium and kryptonite.
RTFP!
Up until two weeks ago, all I had heard about this show was that it was good.
I was wrong. This thing *rules*.
I'll try not to give away too much of the plot, but here goes: the time is late 1860's Japan,
just after the ending of the Tokugawa dynasty and at the beginning of the Meiji. One of the
fighters for the revolution, Himura Kenshin, forsakes his old life as an assassin and goes
ronin, vowing never to take another life again and instead using a 'sakaba' sword, a katana with
the sharp and blunt sides reversed (ie he hits people with the blunt side). While he may want
to atone for his past actions, the past isn't quite through with him . . .
I love this show. Every last minute of it. It meets all the criteria for a good anime: large,
intricate plot with numerous story arcs, comedy, a bit of romance and, most
importantly, a kickass sword fight every episode.
The show in Japan ran 98 episodes, ending some time in 1998, IIRC. There is
also a manga edition that the anime is based on, which is supposed to be top-notch.
There is no official North American release, so the only way to see this is to go
the way of fansubs. I'm not sure how many different fansubs are out there, but avoid the
Hecto fansub like the plague. They smell.
For more information check out any of the info sites listed at The Anime Web Turnpike