"How is it that a Canadian like me knows American history bettert han you?"
Because Alaska means we have you surrounded, with your only hope for escape being through the Quebecois.:)
"1959 when Alaska was admitted to the union. Some people get confused about the whole Guam thing too."
But Alaska was part of the United States as far back as the middle of the Nineteenth Century, just as Guam (et al) is a part of the United States today. So while it wasn't in the Union proper, it could still be considered part of the "continental US" if you want to be an anal-retentive bastard and take things literally (which, of course, I do:) ).
As far as I'm concerned this isn't about language, it's about behavior and courtesy. Consider all the assholes on TV and the radio that still come up clean as far as the FCC is concerned.
Consider. You can scrub their language until you're blue in the face, but they're still assholes and they still detract from the gaming experience of paying customers.
And, conversely, it is possible to be polite while still swearing like the proverbial sailor.
In contrast, Nintendo really made a name for itself in the US around the time they got smacked by an IP-infringement suit from Universal and their supposed ownership of the word "Kong."
I really couldn't care less about the Olsen twins otherwise (and I know I'm probably the only guy here who doesn't have their 18th birthday marked on a calendar somewhere), but anybody who goes after Acclaim makes them alright in my book. May they go bankrupt and take their copies of BMX XXX with them.
Acclaim should declare they're now developing exclusively for the Phantom. The two deserve each other.
"Energy bars? Different but its pretty clear what they're trying to do."
But it's definitely different from the way energy has been displayed since the first game. There might be something else involved in there (another try at the Reserve Tank concept?), especially considering the way everything else seems to be revised to get less clutter on the HUD, not more.
"The two verticle bars under the missle count? Again, pretty clear (Dark Blue shows max, Teal shows remaining.)"
Or there's two flavors of missiles again. Fusion and Prime had interesting ideas for variety in missiles, but it seemz Zero Mission has gone back to two flavors again. I don't think we'll know either way until we get to play the game ourselves.
"(Though I wonder why its not spiking with that enemy right in front of Samus... maybe an alpha version screen shot?)"
Because the "danger meter" was the environmental danger meter. It only goes off if you're about to step in lava/toxic water/Phazon/hot rooms/etc.
"Map? Again, basic change nothing special."
I hope the map screen will tell you what rooms you've already colleted items from...
"Green beam? Now admittedly this is reaching a bit but maybe a Plasma Beam?"
The icon is swirly. I'd guess Wave.
Now my question is: If the HUD is so different from Prime, does thsi mean she's in a new/different/modified suit?
"This game was a labor of love. I can't imagine how many man-hours it must have taken to develop all those textures."
What I found neat was that the textures in some of the "Loading: Please Wait" tunnels in the Chozo Ruins get (more) reflective when you look at them through the thermal visor.
Aw, come on! That movie was hilarious! It was Hornblower and Midway in space!
I mean, when they had to go off and push the wreckage off the flight deck so that others could land, I laughed until I cried! And let's not forget the Kilrathi sonar!
"Good luck on keeping your carriers and escorts alive."
Those escorts include destroyers and, IIRC, the occasional cruiser and attack submarine. And there's still the aircraft that linger around the battlegroup on CAP. In general, to take on a US carrier battlegroup at sea you either need your own battlegroup or tactical nukes. France has been trying to work on the former, but their experience with nuclear power plants doesn't seem to be enough to keep them from irradiating their own crew.
And for sustained ground support missions they'd probably re-un-retire the battleships for the umpteenth time. 16" shells are still cheaper than cruise missiles and are a very different kind of scary (ask the Lebanese).
"A lot of crappy old soviet tanks and modified missile systems, great."
Mock not Soviet equipment, for they tend to be reliable, cheap and plentiful. There are reasons why things like the T-34 and the AK-47 linger around for so long.
"A lousy air force and anti air defence."
They had great air defenses, they just didn't know how to use it. Baghdad's system at the time was pretty similar to what Belgrade had, but the Serbs knew how to use it. I'm tempted to say Iraq's greatest enemy was nepotism.
"That would change very quickly if you were to attack one of them."
Just remember how many US troops are already in Europe as we speak. You'd have a better chance if you weren't so reliant on us so much to begin with.
"You would certainly be fighting a unified Europe"
So, how's the whole EU thing working out for you so far? Got Cypruss all straightened out yet? How about relations with the former Warsaw Pact members and the apparent Franco-German bloc?
(Reminds me of some interesting things I heard coming out of Germany when it was suggested that German troops serve under a Polish commander in Afghanistan... I guess old habits die hard!)
I'm tired of AF jocks going on and on about how air power is the alpha and omega of modern warfare. When all is said and done they're simply taking the place of artillery in older forces, and chucking explosives at someone (and doing nothing more) won't get you all that far.
That, and once somebody figures out a viable, tactical surface-to-air laser then there won't be any more combat aircraft. Even hypersonic jets can't outrun the speed of light.
"The country isn't large or exceptionally modern, but it was quite a military foe."
There is such a thing as giving the allied forces too much credit. Don't forget the ineptitude of the Iraqi commanders. "They'll never attack from the Saudi border! They'll get lost in the featureless desert!" Nevermind the fact that we crossed two freakin' oceans without getting lost to get there to begin with... Sun-Tzu who?
"Germany, the UK, israel... the list is small and we're on good terms of most of the strongest countries (coincidence? I think not)"
Germany is on good terms with the US (like most of western Europe) because they don't like having to pay for their own defense. For example, with Europe so advanced and modern and first-world and whatever, why did North American countries have to get involved in the meltdown of Yugoslavia? NATO did what it was supposed to do (Americans in, Soviets out, Germans down, etc.), but it seems to have worked a little too well.
The UK is an interesting anomally as far as "western Europe" goes (which is certainly nothing new), but some of the "good relations" can be blamed on a common language (I can't remember which Nineteenth Century German bigwig portended problems for his country from that front).
Israel has other things to worry about. Their neighbors are still smarting over military defeats that most of their citizens are too young to remember first-hand. (In my opinion, the US also has better things to worry about, but God forbid we leave the Arabs and Israelis to their own devices and let them kill each other off like they so desperately want to do.)
"The fact that the US hasn't fought a "big" country in years doesn't mean jack with regards to the ability to."
It means we ran out of cruise missiles in the aforementioned Serbian fiasco. We've suddenly found ourselves backpedaling from our traditional aversion to standing peacetime armies (again) after a decade of downsizing.
"And yeah, if we fought a united (!) Europe, we could probably be beaten."
Not for the next decade at least. Even though troops and materiel have been crossing the Atlantic fairly regularly for the past half-century now, most of that has been one-way in nature and I don't see European navies able to try it out in the other direction any time soon.
Slashdot Mirror
"How is it that a Canadian like me knows American history bettert han you?"
:)
:) ).
Because Alaska means we have you surrounded, with your only hope for escape being through the Quebecois.
"1959 when Alaska was admitted to the union. Some people get confused about the whole Guam thing too."
But Alaska was part of the United States as far back as the middle of the Nineteenth Century, just as Guam (et al) is a part of the United States today. So while it wasn't in the Union proper, it could still be considered part of the "continental US" if you want to be an anal-retentive bastard and take things literally (which, of course, I do
"You can't have public policy that is aimed at 100,000 people when the other multi-multi-millions are also involved."
No state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
"Linux users do not have a God or country given right to watch American Wedding on their Linux box."
Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.
How else are they going to make money? Make good movies?
As far as I'm concerned this isn't about language, it's about behavior and courtesy. Consider all the assholes on TV and the radio that still come up clean as far as the FCC is concerned.
Consider. You can scrub their language until you're blue in the face, but they're still assholes and they still detract from the gaming experience of paying customers.
And, conversely, it is possible to be polite while still swearing like the proverbial sailor.
In contrast, Nintendo really made a name for itself in the US around the time they got smacked by an IP-infringement suit from Universal and their supposed ownership of the word "Kong."
"What bothers me is that there are a few dangerous criminals out there who read newspapers,"
Yeah! Think of all the MP3s they can rip with those laptops! Why, I bet those ThinkPads are the equivalent of 5 or 6 regular-speed laptops!
"The only casualties by Japan in the continental US during WWII."
Why? Is Alaska not on the same continent as the contiguous 48?
I really couldn't care less about the Olsen twins otherwise (and I know I'm probably the only guy here who doesn't have their 18th birthday marked on a calendar somewhere), but anybody who goes after Acclaim makes them alright in my book. May they go bankrupt and take their copies of BMX XXX with them.
Acclaim should declare they're now developing exclusively for the Phantom. The two deserve each other.
"No longer do you have to seat near the geek to get good grades!"
And why then, praytell, would the cute girls have any reason to come within two meters of said geek? Stunning good looks? Charming personality?
And it is equally obvious that the chicken came before the egg.
"Firmware upgrade"
By whom? Last I heard, the suit (and a good chunk of her) were Chozo technology
"Doesn't this also count as political education"
In a state-run school, no less! Go figure!
Too bad those words are copyrighted...
"Energy bars? Different but its pretty clear what they're trying to do."
But it's definitely different from the way energy has been displayed since the first game. There might be something else involved in there (another try at the Reserve Tank concept?), especially considering the way everything else seems to be revised to get less clutter on the HUD, not more.
"The two verticle bars under the missle count? Again, pretty clear (Dark Blue shows max, Teal shows remaining.)"
Or there's two flavors of missiles again. Fusion and Prime had interesting ideas for variety in missiles, but it seemz Zero Mission has gone back to two flavors again. I don't think we'll know either way until we get to play the game ourselves.
"(Though I wonder why its not spiking with that enemy right in front of Samus... maybe an alpha version screen shot?)"
Because the "danger meter" was the environmental danger meter. It only goes off if you're about to step in lava/toxic water/Phazon/hot rooms/etc.
"Map? Again, basic change nothing special."
I hope the map screen will tell you what rooms you've already colleted items from...
"Green beam? Now admittedly this is reaching a bit but maybe a Plasma Beam?"
The icon is swirly. I'd guess Wave.
Now my question is: If the HUD is so different from Prime, does thsi mean she's in a new/different/modified suit?
"This game was a labor of love. I can't imagine how many man-hours it must have taken to develop all those textures."
What I found neat was that the textures in some of the "Loading: Please Wait" tunnels in the Chozo Ruins get (more) reflective when you look at them through the thermal visor.
"It's amazing how much tension you can build in a B/W gameboy game."
Reminds me of the end of Metroid Fusion.
Someone who had never played Metroid II:
"What in the world could that be?"
Someone familiar with Metroid II:
"FUCK! An Omega! I need more life! I need more missiles! I need my mommy!"
"In just 47 days our friendly neighbour planet Venus"
Why "friendly?" Because they don't try to invade us as often as Mars does?
I don't think Clue would have worked as well if they hadn't turned it into a comedy and if it hadn't the cast of thousands it did.
Two years ago you were saying the same thing about Metroid and FPS.
Aw, come on! That movie was hilarious! It was Hornblower and Midway in space!
I mean, when they had to go off and push the wreckage off the flight deck so that others could land, I laughed until I cried! And let's not forget the Kilrathi sonar!
"Why is Nintendo so averse to doing providing a real online multiplayer service?"
Because then they'd have to filter out all the assholes online.
"Good luck on keeping your carriers and escorts alive."
Those escorts include destroyers and, IIRC, the occasional cruiser and attack submarine. And there's still the aircraft that linger around the battlegroup on CAP. In general, to take on a US carrier battlegroup at sea you either need your own battlegroup or tactical nukes. France has been trying to work on the former, but their experience with nuclear power plants doesn't seem to be enough to keep them from irradiating their own crew.
And for sustained ground support missions they'd probably re-un-retire the battleships for the umpteenth time. 16" shells are still cheaper than cruise missiles and are a very different kind of scary (ask the Lebanese).
"A lot of crappy old soviet tanks and modified missile systems, great."
Mock not Soviet equipment, for they tend to be reliable, cheap and plentiful. There are reasons why things like the T-34 and the AK-47 linger around for so long.
"A lousy air force and anti air defence."
They had great air defenses, they just didn't know how to use it. Baghdad's system at the time was pretty similar to what Belgrade had, but the Serbs knew how to use it. I'm tempted to say Iraq's greatest enemy was nepotism.
"That would change very quickly if you were to attack one of them."
Just remember how many US troops are already in Europe as we speak. You'd have a better chance if you weren't so reliant on us so much to begin with.
"You would certainly be fighting a unified Europe"
So, how's the whole EU thing working out for you so far? Got Cypruss all straightened out yet? How about relations with the former Warsaw Pact members and the apparent Franco-German bloc?
(Reminds me of some interesting things I heard coming out of Germany when it was suggested that German troops serve under a Polish commander in Afghanistan... I guess old habits die hard!)
"Again, airpower is king."
*cough*Vietnam
*cough*Serbia
Not to mention the whole Battle of Britain thing.
I'm tired of AF jocks going on and on about how air power is the alpha and omega of modern warfare. When all is said and done they're simply taking the place of artillery in older forces, and chucking explosives at someone (and doing nothing more) won't get you all that far.
That, and once somebody figures out a viable, tactical surface-to-air laser then there won't be any more combat aircraft. Even hypersonic jets can't outrun the speed of light.
"The country isn't large or exceptionally modern, but it was quite a military foe."
There is such a thing as giving the allied forces too much credit. Don't forget the ineptitude of the Iraqi commanders. "They'll never attack from the Saudi border! They'll get lost in the featureless desert!" Nevermind the fact that we crossed two freakin' oceans without getting lost to get there to begin with... Sun-Tzu who?
"Germany, the UK, israel... the list is small and we're on good terms of most of the strongest countries (coincidence? I think not)"
Germany is on good terms with the US (like most of western Europe) because they don't like having to pay for their own defense. For example, with Europe so advanced and modern and first-world and whatever, why did North American countries have to get involved in the meltdown of Yugoslavia? NATO did what it was supposed to do (Americans in, Soviets out, Germans down, etc.), but it seems to have worked a little too well.
The UK is an interesting anomally as far as "western Europe" goes (which is certainly nothing new), but some of the "good relations" can be blamed on a common language (I can't remember which Nineteenth Century German bigwig portended problems for his country from that front).
Israel has other things to worry about. Their neighbors are still smarting over military defeats that most of their citizens are too young to remember first-hand. (In my opinion, the US also has better things to worry about, but God forbid we leave the Arabs and Israelis to their own devices and let them kill each other off like they so desperately want to do.)
"The fact that the US hasn't fought a "big" country in years doesn't mean jack with regards to the ability to."
It means we ran out of cruise missiles in the aforementioned Serbian fiasco. We've suddenly found ourselves backpedaling from our traditional aversion to standing peacetime armies (again) after a decade of downsizing.
"And yeah, if we fought a united (!) Europe, we could probably be beaten."
Not for the next decade at least. Even though troops and materiel have been crossing the Atlantic fairly regularly for the past half-century now, most of that has been one-way in nature and I don't see European navies able to try it out in the other direction any time soon.
Yeah, and then we can send Kurt Russell in to save him.