Sony VAIO EB37FX BJ 2.53GHz Core i5 15.5" Notebook $899 w/ Free Shipping
Panasonic 42" TC-P42C2 Plasma 720p HDTV $499.95 from PC Connection Express
I'll admit that this is one game that snuck up on me. I loved the original Golden Sun games for the Gameboy Advance, but I thought the series had died, since there hadn't been even a rumor of a new game that I'd heard of in years. Then suddenly, I walk into my local Gamestop, and there are displays for preorders for a new Golden Sun!
Fast forward to now, and I've just finished my first playthrough of the game. And it was everything I'd hoped it would be, and more. Fans of the original games will find the core mechanics virtually the same. Newbies to the game will find helpful tutorials early on, but really the controls are easy enough that anyone familiar with turn-based RPGs like the original Final Fantasy games should be able to figure them out with ease.
As in the earlier Golden Sun games, the name of the game is Djinn hunting, and finding the more powerful summons. Some of them are easy to find (more than one Djinn literally comes up to your party and asks to join) but some take creativity to reach, solving puzzles. And some are scattered around the world map, as random encounters. Likewise, you have to hunt for most of the powerful summons. My only suggestion is to follow every path, and see where it goes.
The story takes place 30 years after the events of Golden Sun - The Lost Age. The return of Alchemy to the world has issued in new challenges, but the credit (and blame) for saving the world is given to the legendary Warriors of Vale (the PCs from the first two games). Isaac and Garet live in a cabin overlooking the remains of Mt. Aleph, and the ruins of Sol Sanctum, but when the soarwing they need to cross the volcanic wastes between the cabin and the sanctum is destroyed, they send their children, who have inherited their Adept powers, to get a Roc's Feather that is needed to repair it. And thus the kids are launched into their own adventure, which soon becomes a quest to save the world, just as their parents did thirty years ago.
One thing that is different from the original games is that your Psynergy Points (PP) will renew themselves over time as you're walking around. To me, this made the game much easier through large stretches of the game, as I would simply use Psynergy to heal my characters as I went around leveling up and getting the gold I needed for the best equipment. Items like vials and herbs seemed largely pointless, until you hit a Boss encounter and the healer went down.
Speaking of boss encounters, there are several of them in this game, and for the most part they are challenging, though not impossible encounters, especially if you've leveled up enough first. The final Boss, of course, is another matter entirely, as he has an insane number of hit points, does massive damage to one or more of the party members four times every turn, and is largely unaffected by anything other than djinn summons. Fortunately, when he beats you (yes, I said WHEN, not IF), you revive a little ways away, and can trek back to try again.
Golden Sun - Dark Dawn is a solid, enjoyable RPG, and I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the genre. In addition to providing dozens of hours of entertainment searching for the djinn and summons, while progressing the detailed and intriguing storyline, Dark Dawn is one of the games that definitely falls into the 'workplace friendly' category. By which I mean that you can be playing it at work, and set it down in an instant, even in the middle of combat, and you can rest assured that you won't get destroyed while you actually do your work.
I rate it a 4 out of 5.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Head of Vecna
Those of you who are gamers will get a laugh at this. Those of you who aren't, will still get a laugh, even if you don't understand everything.
http://www.blindpanic.com/humor/vecna.htm
Just goes to show that players can be their own worst enemies...
http://www.blindpanic.com/humor/vecna.htm
Just goes to show that players can be their own worst enemies...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The 'Israelification' of airports: High security, little bother - thestar.com
The 'Israelification' of airports: High security, little bother - thestar.com
This is an interesting article that was passed to me by my brother in law. Definitely worth a read.
This is an interesting article that was passed to me by my brother in law. Definitely worth a read.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Strengths and Weaknesses
For those of you who know, I'm a gamer, but it is often hard to find a game in real life, so I do some Play-by-Post games online, at a great site called Roleplay Online. Now, one of the best things about the site is that there is an open forum in one section, where the community can chat about anything and everything (subject to certain guidelines, of course, since the site is open to all ages).
Over the past week, there's been an interesting discussion going on about some of the differences between the two major political parties, and I thought I'd share my thoughts on the issue. Yes, gamers can talk about serious issues. Try not to let it throw you. We'll be back to arguing about which edition of D&D is better in a sec.
I'd like to think of myself as a neutral observer, since I'm not a part of either party, but that would be a half-truth. While I see myself as a stubborn independent, I will freely admit that I tend to vote one way more than others. I'll explain that more later.
To paraphrase a poster in the forum I mentioned, Democrats and Republicans act the way they do because they act more like a Democracy and a Republic than the other. Let me explain.
In a true democracy, everyone has a say, and it can be something akin to mob rule. While this certainly hurts when it comes to actually getting things done, it does act as a very effective limiter on some of the more radical elements of the group, as they have to first sway the more moderate types.
In a republic, people choose leaders, and then those leaders run the show until their term of office is over, with everyone else toeing the line, unless something major happens. This makes things much easier in terms of getting things done, but there isn't much to stop the crazies from running things how they like it if they get the leadership.
Yes, I know this is a very broad-based analogy, but in broad strokes, it does fit. Look at how things have been going. Democrats act like a herd of cats, going this way and that, which makes them ineffective at governing, but does keep the far left from doing anything too crazy. Republicans walk lock-step with one another, repeating the same crappy sound bites, like some kind of Borg collective.
I've said before that I'm an independent mainly because both parties piss me off about different things. Frankly, I believe government does have a role to play in helping people. And don't give me that crap about private companies or charities filling that role. The reason we have things like Social Security is because private companies and charities WERE NOT filling that role, and the federal government was the only one with the resources to step in and fill it.
But I also believe that we should balance the budget (allowing for emergencies, of course), and that the balancing act shouldn't come from tax increases alone. Yes, I know that sounds like crazy-talk, considering my last paragraph, but it is true. I think that the government should find a way to get into the black, and start paying down the debt.
Unfortunately, the only way you're going to do that is to do a series of things that are political suicide.
First, you have to stop giving tax cuts at the drop of a hat. In fact, you need to take some of them away, and close a lot of loopholes. Yes, that means effectively raising taxes on most everyone, especially the rich. This will especially rankle Republicans, who seem to answer every question with "tax cuts", but that's the simple truth. We need to take in more than we pay out in order to reduce our debt, and eventually pay it off. For all the talk of fiscal responsibility that we heard in the 90s, most Republicans seem to have forgotten this simple fact.
Second, we have to reduce spending. In some cases, this means cuts. In others, it means restructuring programs so that we can eliminate red tape, and make things actually work like they are supposed to. This will piss off Democrats, who answer every question with "I've got an app for that". But it is an undeniable fact that there are many programs which do not work, and have not worked for years.
So what would I do to balance the budget? Well first off I would close all tax loopholes and remove all tax credits for ten years. Yes, it will SUCK to pay more taxes, but there is not going to be any painless way out of this. The only thing we can do is spread the pain as evenly as possible.
Second, I would decriminalize many illegal drugs. Anyone who thinks our drug policy is working is either certifiably insane, or they've been living under a rock for the last thirty years. People are already using drugs. They have been for years, and they are going to keep using drugs. Best way to deal with it is to make it legal so we can tax it and regulate it. Not only would we save a ton of money that we currently spend prosecuting and jailing users, but it would also cut the legs out from under organized crime outfits who have been getting rich for years off the drug trade.
Third, I would go line by line through every department of every federal agency, and eliminate as much of the bureaucracy as possible. Streamline agencies, and remove red tape, so that people can actually do their jobs without filling out eight different forms in triplicate, which then need to be filed with however many different departments... Lot of waste there.
Fourth, I would cut the pay of Congress and the President to no more than $100K a year, including leadership positions. Not only would it save a great deal of money, but it would also help to discourage people from becoming career politicians. Afterall, $100K is a lot of money, more than some people make in five years, much less one.
Of course, this drastic course of action would never happen, because it would require politicians to actually do what is best for the country as a whole, rather than what is best for them, or even what their constituents want. Because this would be political suicide, requiring actual courage and fortitude, it is easy to see why this won't happen while the career politicians are in power.
Over the past week, there's been an interesting discussion going on about some of the differences between the two major political parties, and I thought I'd share my thoughts on the issue. Yes, gamers can talk about serious issues. Try not to let it throw you. We'll be back to arguing about which edition of D&D is better in a sec.
I'd like to think of myself as a neutral observer, since I'm not a part of either party, but that would be a half-truth. While I see myself as a stubborn independent, I will freely admit that I tend to vote one way more than others. I'll explain that more later.
To paraphrase a poster in the forum I mentioned, Democrats and Republicans act the way they do because they act more like a Democracy and a Republic than the other. Let me explain.
In a true democracy, everyone has a say, and it can be something akin to mob rule. While this certainly hurts when it comes to actually getting things done, it does act as a very effective limiter on some of the more radical elements of the group, as they have to first sway the more moderate types.
In a republic, people choose leaders, and then those leaders run the show until their term of office is over, with everyone else toeing the line, unless something major happens. This makes things much easier in terms of getting things done, but there isn't much to stop the crazies from running things how they like it if they get the leadership.
Yes, I know this is a very broad-based analogy, but in broad strokes, it does fit. Look at how things have been going. Democrats act like a herd of cats, going this way and that, which makes them ineffective at governing, but does keep the far left from doing anything too crazy. Republicans walk lock-step with one another, repeating the same crappy sound bites, like some kind of Borg collective.
I've said before that I'm an independent mainly because both parties piss me off about different things. Frankly, I believe government does have a role to play in helping people. And don't give me that crap about private companies or charities filling that role. The reason we have things like Social Security is because private companies and charities WERE NOT filling that role, and the federal government was the only one with the resources to step in and fill it.
But I also believe that we should balance the budget (allowing for emergencies, of course), and that the balancing act shouldn't come from tax increases alone. Yes, I know that sounds like crazy-talk, considering my last paragraph, but it is true. I think that the government should find a way to get into the black, and start paying down the debt.
Unfortunately, the only way you're going to do that is to do a series of things that are political suicide.
First, you have to stop giving tax cuts at the drop of a hat. In fact, you need to take some of them away, and close a lot of loopholes. Yes, that means effectively raising taxes on most everyone, especially the rich. This will especially rankle Republicans, who seem to answer every question with "tax cuts", but that's the simple truth. We need to take in more than we pay out in order to reduce our debt, and eventually pay it off. For all the talk of fiscal responsibility that we heard in the 90s, most Republicans seem to have forgotten this simple fact.
Second, we have to reduce spending. In some cases, this means cuts. In others, it means restructuring programs so that we can eliminate red tape, and make things actually work like they are supposed to. This will piss off Democrats, who answer every question with "I've got an app for that". But it is an undeniable fact that there are many programs which do not work, and have not worked for years.
So what would I do to balance the budget? Well first off I would close all tax loopholes and remove all tax credits for ten years. Yes, it will SUCK to pay more taxes, but there is not going to be any painless way out of this. The only thing we can do is spread the pain as evenly as possible.
Second, I would decriminalize many illegal drugs. Anyone who thinks our drug policy is working is either certifiably insane, or they've been living under a rock for the last thirty years. People are already using drugs. They have been for years, and they are going to keep using drugs. Best way to deal with it is to make it legal so we can tax it and regulate it. Not only would we save a ton of money that we currently spend prosecuting and jailing users, but it would also cut the legs out from under organized crime outfits who have been getting rich for years off the drug trade.
Third, I would go line by line through every department of every federal agency, and eliminate as much of the bureaucracy as possible. Streamline agencies, and remove red tape, so that people can actually do their jobs without filling out eight different forms in triplicate, which then need to be filed with however many different departments... Lot of waste there.
Fourth, I would cut the pay of Congress and the President to no more than $100K a year, including leadership positions. Not only would it save a great deal of money, but it would also help to discourage people from becoming career politicians. Afterall, $100K is a lot of money, more than some people make in five years, much less one.
Of course, this drastic course of action would never happen, because it would require politicians to actually do what is best for the country as a whole, rather than what is best for them, or even what their constituents want. Because this would be political suicide, requiring actual courage and fortitude, it is easy to see why this won't happen while the career politicians are in power.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Job Search Update
Sometimes, the only thing that is worse than not having a job is having one that not only doesn't pay well enough, but also has hours so unpredictably spaced that you can't get a second job because you have no fraking clue what your schedule will be one week to the next.
Such is the position I now find myself in.
So after literally carpet-bombing the surrounding area with applications, I finally managed to get a part time job at a gas station. Yeah, that ain't cutting it at ALL.
So here I am, looking for more work, different work, anything really.
The problem is that, while I enjoy the gas station (it isn't exactly difficult work) the hours are too unpredictable. If it was a set schedule, I could at least find a second part time job to supplement those hours. So now I'm basically looking for something full time, and hoping the bill collectors don't come after me until I find something that works.
Personally, I would like to get a job in one of the local game shops, or a bookstore. Something where I actually know a thing or two about the product being sold. A video game store would be pretty much ideal.
Such is the position I now find myself in.
So after literally carpet-bombing the surrounding area with applications, I finally managed to get a part time job at a gas station. Yeah, that ain't cutting it at ALL.
So here I am, looking for more work, different work, anything really.
The problem is that, while I enjoy the gas station (it isn't exactly difficult work) the hours are too unpredictable. If it was a set schedule, I could at least find a second part time job to supplement those hours. So now I'm basically looking for something full time, and hoping the bill collectors don't come after me until I find something that works.
Personally, I would like to get a job in one of the local game shops, or a bookstore. Something where I actually know a thing or two about the product being sold. A video game store would be pretty much ideal.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Scam Alert
As some of you might know, when I get emails that are obviously scams, I like to share them, so that some other poor schmuck doesn't fall prey to these things.
New Release! Medal of Honor for PS3, Xbox & PC only $59.99 available 10/19 at Kmart.com
from Mackey Kathi
reply-to Mackey Kathi
to info@notice.com
date Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 10:40 AM
subject Hello
mailed-by uwm.edu
hide details 10:40 AM (2 hours ago)
Partner,
I write to you as a matter of utmost urgency in respect of abusiness transaction which I trust will be of interest to you.It pertains certain accounts which in the wake of the september11 attacks were "MARKED" by the Counter-terrorism unit of the FBI,these accounts are belonging to key arab businessmen and influentialplayers in the mid-east,these accounts have been a subject of investigation and has since been cleared by the FBI and I have been entrusted with the duty of returning these account to the rightful owners but unfortunately a lot of these people are no where to be found.My proposal is for you to be the sole beneficiary of these funds which is running into $126,000,000 USD. This partnership is to be on 50%-50% basis.Get back to me immediately on this Email (rog206@usa.com) if you are interested.
Sincerely,
Mackey Kathi.
OK, first off, anyone who falls for this piece of crap deserves to be taken. Seriously, does anyone really expect someone to just be sending out $126 MILLION dollars without any kind of auditing looking over their shoulders?
Second, note that the email the thing came from is different from the email replies go to. This is usually the first sign that something is up.
Third, notice that the address the email was sent to is not my email. This means it was sent to a listserv, which sent it to who knows how many people in the address book.
The sad thing is that these kinds of schemes actually work on some people.
Don't be one of them.
Canon PIXMA MP560 Wireless Photo All-In-One $79.99 from PC Connection Express
New Release! Medal of Honor for PS3, Xbox & PC only $59.99 available 10/19 at Kmart.com
from Mackey Kathi
reply-to Mackey Kathi
to info@notice.com
date Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 10:40 AM
subject Hello
mailed-by uwm.edu
hide details 10:40 AM (2 hours ago)
Partner,
I write to you as a matter of utmost urgency in respect of abusiness transaction which I trust will be of interest to you.It pertains certain accounts which in the wake of the september11 attacks were "MARKED" by the Counter-terrorism unit of the FBI,these accounts are belonging to key arab businessmen and influentialplayers in the mid-east,these accounts have been a subject of investigation and has since been cleared by the FBI and I have been entrusted with the duty of returning these account to the rightful owners but unfortunately a lot of these people are no where to be found.My proposal is for you to be the sole beneficiary of these funds which is running into $126,000,000 USD. This partnership is to be on 50%-50% basis.Get back to me immediately on this Email (rog206@usa.com) if you are interested.
Sincerely,
Mackey Kathi.
OK, first off, anyone who falls for this piece of crap deserves to be taken. Seriously, does anyone really expect someone to just be sending out $126 MILLION dollars without any kind of auditing looking over their shoulders?
Second, note that the email the thing came from is different from the email replies go to. This is usually the first sign that something is up.
Third, notice that the address the email was sent to is not my email. This means it was sent to a listserv, which sent it to who knows how many people in the address book.
The sad thing is that these kinds of schemes actually work on some people.
Don't be one of them.
Canon PIXMA MP560 Wireless Photo All-In-One $79.99 from PC Connection Express
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