Scrivener

*Soldiers: Heroes of WW2 - Awesome game with some even more awesome cooperative multiplayer. A new LAN party classic among my group. *Total War - The problem with these games is that there is no grand strategy multiplayer... there's only the battles. While this is fantastic, I have yet to find an oppenent who can beat me - you have to have some serious real world knowledge to play the game well.

There are still some things you should get a warranty for. For instance: 1) Cars 2) Canon GL2 (or other misc expensive video equipment) 3) Playstation 2 (It *will* break. More than once.) 3) Non home-built computers Best Buy's warranties are pretty good. If worse comes to worse you sabotage the stuff and take advantage of the no-lemon policy. BING! Instant free upgrade! On the other hand, there are places where you just shouldnt be shopping, let alone buying a warranty from them. These include: 1) Electronics Boutique (Warranties cover everything, but only work 1 time) 2) Komp USSR [Comp USA] 3) Circuit $#!++y [Circuit City] 4) GameStop 5) Games4Less 6) Any other specialty game store Good places include: 1) Fried Electronics [Fry's] 2) Busted Buy [best Buy] 3) MicroCenter 4) NewEgg.com 5) MWave.com

A gay female talk show host to play God. Um, yeah. If only she were black too...

Political Machine is, mechanically, a dead ringer for the board game I'm shopping around right now - something I've invested 4 years of my life in. I'm talking to some lawyers about a violation of IP rights, but it's looking pretty bleak unless I prove that they deliberately stole my design. I've played TPM and it's just not as fun as playing my board game with a group of friends, but it's a depressing turn of events nontheless. Some friends playing my game: 'Elektorate'

Currently listening to: "Some Kind of Strange" and "Chasing the Ghost" by Collide. If you're into Delerium and Enigma type music, then this is right up your alley.

Check out the new Eyes_2 poster, pretty proud of that one. The white rose poster is the weakest IMO. I'll have to reshoot to get that one right. Thanks for the feedback =)

Yeah, this is one of those situations where I'd stand around lambasting the lame use of CGI in modern cinema... except I think that I've already beat that dead horse sufficiently. Good CG - Whale Rider Bad CG - Exorcist: The Beginning. Also, anything Steven Sommers. As for the gore, it's about par with the recent Dawn of the Dead remake. What's sad is that the gore (and I like me my gore) really dosn't help this big fat turd of a movie one iota. Give me creeps over gore any day (although I'd prefer both). ;] Just avoid this one altogether and wait for the original Paul Schrader version on DVD.

Fable didn't look so hot at E3. For the most part it was met with complete wonton indifference. It really just looked like you wandered around the countryside aimlessly killing things ala Diablo or Sacred. Hopefully that impression proves wrong because I really like the concept. HOWEVER - I'm not going to even think about buying it until it hits PC. I've sworn an oath to never buy another console game - I just dont get sucked into console games like I do PC games - and it's a matter of control (mouse & keyboard is infinitately better than a dodgy little controller). *sigh* On the other hand I'm a real grognard and ancient history buff, so games like Rome and BFME are undebatable purchases for me. The Total War series has always made me feel like I was really in charge - there's just so much minute detail there. My chips are on Rome, but Fable may yet surprise. quote:In the end I can only say this... I really have stopped careing about what happens in the world the only people I care about are the people I knowI know how you feel. I also sympathize with the rest of your posts. It's an interesting conundrum. You learn to hate everything and become constantly bitter and angry with everyone and everything. Although you can be extremely charismatic around familiar faces or people you're confortable with, others may get the first impression that you're a real bastard based on your outspoken nature and cynical outlook on life. Am I right? I think of it as an 'arch villain complex' since there are times when you wish you had a button that would wipe humanity from the face of the earth. It's a side-effect of being 1) Well educated 2) Intelligent and 3) Caring. That last part sounds ironic, dosn't it? Really, it's the biggest cause of your anger and cynicism. You see the world so clearly and don't understand why others don't "get it." If they only used their brains. There are a few ways to cope with this kind of situation. Make a list of all the things you love doing. For example, I love fish tacos, movies, and photography. When I feel really down I go to Rubios and treat myself to a couple fish tacos or I watch one of my favorite films - to remind myself that there is, indeed, some good left in the world. Journals are also very therapeutic, especially if you fictionalize your experiences (Write fantastic stories that merely resemble your real life). Message boards like this one also help, as you can rely on the people here to not be jerks when post something meaningful. Hope that helps.

The assignment is to deliver a series of movie posters based on an original concept. This afternoon I sketched out some ideas and got a friend to do some modeling for me. All the type is entirely placeholder but it gives an idea of what the photography will look like in poster form. There's still two more variations on the way, but take a look at these and tell me what you think: UPDATE: And the finalists are... Flower_1 Flower_2 Bowing_1 Face_1 Face_2 Eyes_1 Eyes_2 [ 08-23-2004, 02:14 AM: Message edited by: Scrivener ]

I always figured the perfect solution was - the toilet seat stays up when not in use. It's always worked in my house.

The BB is Westminster, Ca. Here's a funny story: My Sony Rep came into EB last night and when I told her I was quitting, she insisted that I send her a resume right away since Sony is hiring right now. Apparently they love to hire from EB, and it pays $13/hr plus mileage at 30hrs/week flexible. *shrugs* I figure, why not? So I might just end up working at Best Buy for a week before I give my two weeks there and move on to Sony. Is that bad? I'm also getting swamped with freelance web design requests after some of my work was shown at school (Despite my rustling up general unrest among students as we try to get one of the professors fired for gross incompetance). GameGestapo is junk next to some of the stuff I don't actually have on the web right now. Keep an eye on FrankAndJoes.com for a new design in the next week or two. It's a small cajun restaurant in Monrovia I'm doing a pro-bono job for (Or maybe not quite pro bono since I get free food). Although if you're in the area - stop by. They have the best damn gumbo this side of the Mississippi - I kid you not. >>>>>> EDIT FOLLOWUP: I sent my resume to Sony on Friday and got a reply back this morning. That was fast. Anyway, I'm being considered for the Long Beach district. BestBuy might just turn out to be the shortest job I've ever had. It's too bad, really. The guys there are cool and I don't get my discount till after my 30 day review ;[ So whaddya all think? Best Buy - Starts at $8.50. Very sales/goals oriented (meaning you work your ass off). Dealing with nonstop barrage of customers in a predominantly vietnamese neighborhood (some of you retail cats will know what that means). Promotional opportunities including Geek Squad ($13-18/hr). Legendary Cost+5% discount. 24hrs/week over 3 shifts, no working weekends. Sony - $13/hr plus $0.38/mile. Lots of driving. No selling involved. Possibly might cover bad parts of town? Marketting compliance checks, data collection, promotional education. NO CUSTOMERS. Flexible 30-hr schedual but may include weekends. Employee purchase plan at cost (Not sure what this includes - DV Cams and TVs would be nice). Any recommendations? Please note that I only just started the Best Buy job today - so if I am offered the Sony job I would be leaving Best Buy only two weeks after starting! [ 08-31-2004, 10:58 PM: Message edited by: Scrivener ]

Wow. Just... wow. When the credits started to roll I just sat in the seat, stunned into silence, reflecting on the magnificence which I had just beheld. Eventually, and with much preponderance, I turned to my friend and said "Dude, that was the most f***ing beautiful movie I have ever seen." No. Really. Garden State is simply incredible and if Zach Braff doesnÔÇÖt walk away with one or more Oscars for this film than itÔÇÖll be a bloody crime against art. ItÔÇÖs like a cheery Donnie Darko or Adaptation without the car crashes. Ignore the critics who say nothing happens, theyÔÇÖre retards. This is a movie about life. About the wonders of living and new experiences and the insane and beautiful abyss that is love. Braff has constructed a marvelous story where there are no villains, no gunfights, no CG, and no big twist. For these characters the conflict is all internal, just under the skin, and yet each actor conveys their inner turmoil with so much skill that you simply surrender to them and the surreal dreamlike worlds in which they live. Each has found their own little heaven ÔÇô no matter what anyone else thinks, they have life, and it is good. See this now. You wonÔÇÖt be disappointed. 10/10

I guess the major media blitz made it worth a midnight opening, so I figured "What the hey." And now I wish that I just gone home and got the extra 2 hours of sleep. So with that, I declare the summer movie dungheap parade is now in the full swing. If you're a sucker for "Bird flys in front of camera trying to make you jump" scares with the added bonus of insect-swarm effects stolen straight out of Steven "I make cinematic filth" Sommers' The Mummy, then you might not absolutely hate this film. It's like a weak made-for-cable-horror Halloween special. The CG is god-aweful and the scares are ALL limited to the BANG! I MADE YOU JUMP variety. Oh yeah, and those mysterious backstory monologues that we love so much (*snic*avp*snic*) are BACK! Oh joy of all joys! Unlike AvP, this isn't so bad it's funny. It's just not interesting. Or fun. Or scary. Or entertaining. Wait for it on cable - which is where it belongs. 4/10 P.S. What's more infuriating is that Warner had another version that, when shown to test audiences, was supposed to be genuinely creepy. That's the kind of creepy you feel while watching Blair Witch at night by yourself in the dark in a cabin in the woods. Not "HelP! I'm being chased by a swarm of CG flies" scares. But no, they thought it needed more SUCK, so they scrapped the original and started over from scratch with all new people. Fortunately we'll get that one on DVD soon. Edit: Fixed typos. Added formatting. [ 08-21-2004, 04:22 AM: Message edited by: Scrivener ]

This has been in the works for YEARS. I read a few scripts by two different writers some time ago. One was pretty close to the book, set in the late 1800s. Another draft by the same author was adapted to modern day. Those were very hardcore rated-R scripts - comparable to Starship Troopers. Another one, also modern day, was pretty Van Helsing PG-quality crap, including manditory silly alien overlord and comic relief sidekick talking telepathic dog - likely meant to be an animated film (Thank god that didn't happen). The second R script was really good. With some work it could be a great science fiction/horror film. Dead bodies piled in the streets, people who had been gassed. This was pre-9/11, though. So it's very likely that script got shredded. Too bad. I'm giving this one 90/10 odds that it's going be yet another PG13 family summer crap flick. *sigh* This just isn't going to get done right. Ever. It should be dark, sinister, scary, and graphic. Like Saving Private Ryan with giant spiderlike walking alien death machines. Maybe Spielberg will give us just that... but I wont expect it. He has the skill. But does he have the guts?

Fastest interview ever. Pretty much the guy said "I'm the best manager ever. We're the best computer department in the country. I have a sixth sense about people. You're hired." ... whoa. Anyway, it's always a bummer going from one job to another - especially when you've been at the same one as long as I have. Even more of a bummer since I gotta leave all the great guys at my old job (the only reason I stayed on for so long). But hey, I get $1 raise over EB and way better schedual (3 days of 8hrs each, as opposed to 24 hours spread over 5-6 days). Not to mention BB's legendary employee discount and honest-to-God advancement/promotion opportunities... something EB inherrently lacks (They now hire all [unskilled] management from outside, the bastards). *sigh*

Well, I'm going in for an interview with the head of the Computer Dept at Best Buy tomorrow. I've just become too disgruntled with Electronics Boutique. I've worked for the company for 4 years and I havn't recieved one review - not one raise - not even cost of living. In fact, I'm making less now than I was when I was hired on. You see, we used to get bonuses for selling certain items. When our founder/CEO Mr. Firestone resigned - bonuses were the first thing to go. Followed by our employee game/rental policy, and a veritable parade of other benefits. Top that off with the ever-rising cost of gas, increased mileage thanks to school, and just general raises in the cost of living - and I'm one unhappy camper. Still, I know better than jumping out of a pan into a fire - so I'm going to drill the guy tomorrow. If they're willing to give me what I want, then I'm totally happy to defect. It'll also be nice to use my knowledge to help people again. In the time I've been with EB we've gone from carrying all PC games and accessories to carrying almost exclusively gobs of console crap with my PC section relegated to the deepest darkest 5ft corner in the store. I used to have intelligent conversations with the intellectual elite - about the best way to grow your civilization or which of the eight virtues is most important. Now I merely recite the differences between Madden and ESPN, while repressing the urge to tell the fat bastard at the counter to go out and play it in the park some time. ...and argue with the dimwits who wont buy an XBox because "it's made by Microsoft." So you'd rather buy from a bigger, meaner, more anticompetetive Japanese superconglomerate who would like nothing more than to own every last appliance in your home? *sigh* Anyway, hopefully I'll be better off at Best Buy. That is, if they allow beards. The beard goes nowhere.

Love love love lvoe love these films! So much so that I had the (far superior) ultra-gory Japanese Collector's Edition of Vol. 1 imported. I just can't wait for the Special Edition with both movies cut back together (inluding the japanese cut of Vol 1) including some new extra footage! A lot of people like to pick which of the movies they like best - but they really have to be seen together as a single film. Anyhoo, Vol 2 is a definate must-buy for movie lovers everywhere.

You really can't expect a videogame like AvP to accurately portray the universe. I mean, I'm *always* for realism - but most game companies don't give a rats hairless tail for making a game realistic. Whatever they can do to sell it to the most people they can. Anyhoo, AvP the movie really can't be considered canonical alien or predator material. Hopefully it does well enough that James Cameron is given the funding for his Alien 5 dream. There's a writer/director I have faith in. If this were any other franchise I would just ignore it. The fact that this is an Alien movie (Not a big fan of Predator) is what irks me. This has nothing to do with the other films. As far as the movies, comics, and games are concerned - this is a disaster. You might enjoy AvP if you fit any of the following criteria: 1) You really, really, really like explosions. 2) You've never seen the Alien or Predator movies. 3) You've not only seen the other movies, you're a blind overzealous fanboi of either franchise who gobbles up any Alien or Predator bone that the Fox marketing dept throws your way. 4) You're not old enough to get into Collateral without a parent. 5) You don't speak english and therefore can't understand any of the dialogue. 6) You don't like to think about the movies you watch. Let me put it this way - if I turned in the AvP script for my scriptwritng class, I would fail. It was amateur on the level of a grade school student who watches too much Dragonball Z. I don't think Paul Anderson is a bad director. He's just a very very very very very bad writer. I have never seen a movie as unintentionally funny as this was. Visually, there were some interesting bits that seemed polished and had relatively good design sense. The real problem was the content. AvP was a veritable smorgasboard of scenes from other, better movies. It could have been a great Spaceballs-esque comedy if it didn't take itself so deadly serious. IMO, it was really, honestly, truly that bad. What the critics are saying: "Whoever wins, we lose. Thank you, Fox, for the truth in your advertising." "Alien vs. Predator is a cool-looking lunchbox that's full of rocks." "Alien Vs. Predator isnÔÇÖt the worst movie of 2004, but it is the most blatant exploit of a franchise, and maybe that is worse." "Quite possibly the worst film of the year...a real stinker." "Unintentional laughs outnumber legitimate scares." "Going from the noisily routine to the ludicrous, AVP's final reel or so are likely to produce howls." And the list just keeps on going... Need more nfo? Check out the collected reviews at RottenTomatoes.com -> Has there even been so much hate directed at one film? I'd bet not. IMO, you've really got to able to overlook a lot to enjoy the movie as anything but the best MST3000 episode ever.

YouÔÇÖve heard my prophesies and predictions concerning this movie. Let me just say that I was wrong. I canÔÇÖt ever remember being as entertained as I was during the last 60mins of AvP. Let me explain. This movie is awful. Terrible. Inexplicably incomparably incomprehensively indescribably badÔǪ like having a fire-whitened piece of steel forcibly inserted into to your rectum. First ÔÇô the script was as bad as if it were written by a 10-year-old special needs student during movie hour at the special Olympics. Every line of dialogue, every plot element, every character and death and location was amateur, unbelievable, and ridiculous. This is most apparent during the first 45 minutes, where all of the piss-poor actors stand around on Jurassic Park 3 sets tossing around clich├®s like they were going out of fashion. ThereÔÇÖs the obligatory strong female lead, Alexa - ÔÇ£You want my advice: stay on the ship.ÔÇØ Millionaire Charles Bishop ÔÇ£McGuyverÔÇØ Wayland - ÔÇ£Nobody turns their back on me.ÔÇØ Sebastian ÔÇô ÔÇ£The enemy of our enemy is our friend.ÔÇØ Et al. The scientific characters pulling-backstory-out-of-thin-air was in abundance here as well. Characters would wander around the temple and spontaneously start spouting off backstory completely out of the blue (ItÔÇÖs all those carefully placed ÔÇÿhieroglyphics.ÔÇÖ) Like I said, the first 45 minutes were so bad that people were starting to get really pissed off. A few just up and left, usually making much rukus on the way out. But then something extraordinary happened. Following a 20-foot Matrix-jump across a giant chasm, the last human character bit the dust in a scene stolen straight out of Fellowship of the Ring. IÔÇÖm not sure if the words were actually said, but I swear to god I heard the character say ÔÇ£Run, you fools.ÔÇØ Moments later Alexa was staring the Mongoloid Predator in the face as he handed her a makeshift spear and alien-head shield. I didnÔÇÖt mean to say it aloud, but in my best Don KnottÔÇÖs voice I said ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm gonna make you my deputy.ÔÇØ The tension broke, the people behind us started laughing, the people next to them, the people next to those people. In seconds, the whole theatre erupted in laughter at the sheer incredible stupidity of what we were seeing and hearing. Even without further commentary, the rest of the film was one good laugh after another. ThatÔÇÖs right. THE ENTIRE AUDIENCE WAS LAUGHING. There were no surprises ÔÇô you saw everything coming. Even the ridiculously loathsome end ÔÇÿtwist.ÔÇÖ The movies logic is so off that itÔÇÖs not just full of holes ÔÇô it simply doesnÔÇÖt exist. Alien juice is apparently only acidic when it suits the storyÔÇÖs purposes ÔÇô meaning that about half the time itÔÇÖs only so much harmless snot. Oh yeah ÔÇô and the aliens know kung fu. Again, IÔÇÖm not kidding. Most of the action between predators and aliens consists of shaking the camera around in front of a big grey cloth. At least thatÔÇÖs what it looked like. Then every so often an alien would get in a flying jump kick or some such nonsense. Anyhoo, the movie ended just like it began ÔÇô with scenes stolen straight out of Jurassic Park and every other lameass action movie you have ever seen. ThereÔÇÖs a big explosion, running away from a tunnel of fireÔǪ and an Queen alien gets loose in downtown San FranciscoÔǪ Ok, not really on the last part. But it gives about the same effect. It was so bad that at one point, I actually believed that Alexa and Mr. Mongoloid Predator were about to make out. IÔÇÖm NOT kidding. And I wasnÔÇÖt the only one either. The friend I was with and many other patrons discussed it openly following the film. Leaving the theatre I was laughing so hard I puked in the parking lot. Again, I am not kidding. I was laughing THAT hard. Anyway, I said at the beginning that I was wrong about this movie. It's true. AvP is much worse than I could have ever imagined. So much so that it is my new candidate for ÔÇ£WORST-MOVIE-EVER.ÔÇØ And I have to stress, every word of this review is the complete and honest-to-God truth. No exaggerations. No joshing. This really is the worst film ever made in the entire long history of cinema. -3/10

The other Hitman games were watered down, dumbed down, Tom-Raideresque quick-release console trash. Expect 1 identical Hitman game a year until people get sick of it.

*removed* Please stop posting stuff like this here. I was looking forward to the new DVD release of THX-1138. But when I heard that Lucas was adding CG, I got antsy. I mean, he carnally violates Star Wars every 5 years or so. He talked Spielberg into ruining ET. How many other ways could he screw the film loving public? This is one way - THX-1138 isn't just being digitally restored - new scenes aren't just being added. He went back and decided that we needed to be beat over the head with the story until we had a cartoon-worthy lump sticking out of our hair. I guess he really dosn't think much of the public. If his dog tilts it's head, the story isn't clear enough. And what is with this bloody obsession with CG? It's crap. It will take another 5-10 years before CG technology reaches a level that can compete with live action or big-scale miniatures. You can smell CG. You can sense it's fakeness - even the best has its problems, and the best is usually combined with animatronics/miniatures/physical footage to abolish the pervading sense of CG fakeness. He has NO sense of subtlety. No vision. No ability to tell a story in a way that might make you think or invest or care. The Full Review In other news: George Lucas has just purchased the Sistine Chapel from the catholic church. He plans to repaint it with characters from the new film trilogy. The paint, it is said, was formulated to last forever. Lucas' renovators have begun to scrape off the original paint in preparation for the new. [ 09-11-2004, 09:29 AM: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

Yeah Zane, that's what I'm sensing too. I'm pretty open about not being an action film buff. I like movies with action, I hate action movies - and this is undoubtably going to be an 'action movie.' I'm also a huge fan of the Alien films, but not so much for Predator (merely 'pretty good' in my book). I just don't think there's any way to do justice to the source material with a PG13 action movie. Then there's the issue of the cast, I've heard the acting is very poor - the numerous interviews and behind the scenes footage floating around only helps to support that conclusion. Sure, some people are going to like it - there are plenty of people that make a passtime of killing brain cells - I'm not one of those people. Just look up my reviews of Van Helsing and The Mummy. IMO, those films were utter crap. It seems more and more likely that AvP is going to be - just - like - those. BTW - since you can't show a chest-burster and get a PG13, they show them only through a green XRay vision thing. You can also get ONE f-bomb in a PG13 so long as it's not overly apparent/stressed. T-minus 2 days till I pass my final terrible judgement. Who will say "I told you so." Will it be SC... or me? Or will we Ebert/Roper it like The Village? Tune in Friday night (or Saturday morning) for the shocking conclusion of "AvP: Kickass, or just plain ass?" EDIT: "Oh God. They did it. They really did it. They blew it all up. You bastards!" Ugh, I feel sick. Click here for a grand attroupement of AvP reviews. [ 08-12-2004, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Scrivener ]

At least Ubi Soft puts out some decent games from time to time. Don't remember the last time I played an Eidos game I can say I actually *liked*... maybe the original Hitman Codename 47?

OMG! SC and I just agreed on a movie! In other news: Hell hath frozen over.

Those are guys who liked The Village about as much as you, SC Anyhoo, Aint It Cool News posted some very similar reviews a while back from another preview screening. While not as scathing as the reviews I got secondhand, most people still felt pretty indifferent towards the film. In any case I still say that Riddick could have benefitted greatly from the R content cut at the last minute. I've seen too many 'ok' movies that could have been GRRRRRRREAT if only they hadn't been dumbed down to meet a PG13 audience. It's funny how Hollywood works - they make an R movie(s) that become(s) a pop culture phenomenon, then all of a sudden, the franchise goes PG13. Can you imagine a PG13 'Friday the 13th'? It's not as unlikely as you might think. The Alien and Predator franchises have, what, 6 R-rated movies behind them - and this one is suddenly PG13? That means no chest bursters - no swearing - no BLOOD (human blood, anyway) - and no SCARY. We're gonna get a straight-out WWE-style smackdown between Aliens and Predators with some really bad actors thrown in to salt the wound. I see this as a way to water down/ruin/massmarketize the two most beloved american scifi/horror concepts in one fell swoop. Maybe you don't mind this - I do. I've seen enough mindless action flicks to last me ten lifetimes... and they just all look the same to me now. I don't bash a movie just because it's PG13, but because in instances like this - the PG13 is a very bad omen... like Robocop 3 or Conan the Destroyer (Which was actually a PG sequel to an R rated movie). Coupled with all the other news surrounding the film, the PG13 rating means that AvP is definitively aiming for the teeny bopper/family crowd instead of fans of either franchise. If you're any kind of Alien or Predator fan, prepare yourself to be dissapointed. If you set your expectations low enough, maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised. I'm just trying to warn you, this isn't going to be an Alien OR Predator film - just so much wonton massmarket popculture action garbage.