TAL, which is aimed at local bloggers, points out that hyperlocals recently covered the G20 and the papal visit and suggests that they should be given the opportunity to report on the Olympics in a hyperlocal way.

The blog adds that if bloggers were sitting alongside the big broadcasters and publishers in the press centre, then they could syndicate their content to the wider hyperlocal community.

You can read the original post via this link: Hyperlocal Olympics | Talk About Local.

Each week, Regator brings you a list of the ten stories bloggers have been writing about most during the previous seven days (click any trend to see a list of posts about it). And while blogging about the week’s hottest topics may help you snag some new readers, it also puts you squarely in the center of a massive crowd, all talking about the same subject. That’s why, along with the top ten lists, I always give examples of posts that covered the week’s top stories in interesting ways.

We’ve already looked at interesting formats that can inspire you and add variety to your blog. Today, we’ll look in more detail at one of those formats: list posts. Writing a list post is the assignment for Day 2 of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook because (among other reasons) list posts are scannable, succinct, visually attractive, persuasive, and have a higher than average chance of going viral. If you’re new to this type of post, get some valuable tips by checking out “10 Steps to the Perfect List Post.” Let’s see how some bloggers used lists to cover this week’s top stories:

1. Gulf of Mexico – By offering five solutions, Inhabitat’s Top 5 Green Ways to Clean Up Oil Spills ensures that readers know exactly what they are being promised.
2. Rand Paul – The Atlantic Wire’s 6 Ways Rand Paul Is Like Sarah Palin uses a bullet-pointed list to break up what might otherwise have been an unwieldy block of text providing comparisons between the two politicians.
3. Google TV ­– 7 Ways to Watch Web Video Without Google TV gives readers value through tips on products, along with the pros and cons of each. Using a non-round number such as seven can have the effect of encouraging readers to add to the list in the comments, which has happened on this Gadget Lab post.
4. French Open ­– The Bleacher Report’s 10 French Open Observations, provides tennis enthusiasts with ten scenes from this important event. As one commenter noted, the post keeps things “brief and moving along.”
5. North Korea – As demonstrated by PajamasMedia’s North vs. South Korea: How Bad Could a War Get? list posts don’t always have to be numbered. Breaking this story down into “The Good News,” “The Bad News,” “The Worse News,” and “The Downright Scary News,” dissects and simplifies a complex situation.
6. World Cup – Abduzeedo’s The 10 Stadiums of the 2010 World Cup is appropriately image-heavy and text-light for this design-focused blog and uses the round number 10, which (like 25, 50, or 100) lends the post a certain amount of authority.
7. Mark Zuckerberg ­– Agree to Disagree’s 5 Ways to Deal with Facebook’s Privacy Policy shows that the list itself might be only part of your post. Create the list then spend the rest of your post playing devil’s advocate or debating the pros and cons of each item.
8. Craig Venter – Jacks of Science used a bold, attention-grabbing, humorous headline to sell 5 Reasons Craig Venter Might Kill You. It’s not a brand-new post relating to Venter’s recent creation of the first synthetic life, but it does provide interesting trivia in a fun-to-digest format.
9. Series Finale ­– BuzzSugar’s The Top 10 Highlights From the American Idol Season Finale! uses the word “top” to create interest. Words like “top” and “best” lead your readers to believe that they’re seriously missing out if they don’t read your post and therefore tend to do very well in the titles of list posts. Techland’s 10 Ways LOST Shouldn’t End takes the opposite approach and looks at the worst ways the show could end rather than the best. Lists of the “worst,” “most awful,” “most disastrous” also tend to do well. Call it schadenfreude.
10. Shrek Forever After – Reelz Channel’s Top 10 “Wow, You’ve Really Let Yourself Go” Movies uses one timely story to illustrate a trend, presenting each list item with a clear subheadline in larger text and bolded phrase that hopes to intrigue readers into reading the smaller text.

How often do you use list posts? Under what circumstances to you think they work best? Let us know in the comments.

Kimberly Turner is a cofounder of Regator.com and Regator for iPhone as well as an award-winning print journalist. You can find her on Twitter @kimber_regator.

Original: Blogging >> Top 10 Blogosphere Trends + 10 Great List Posts

Why not introduce your local Bobbies on the beat to your readers with a short post about them, much like Newcastle Rocks have done in this simple post, which includes details of the Newcastle PSNI station, Who’s Who and statistics on How They’re Doing.

You can read the original post via this link: Content idea: introduce your Safer Neighbourhood Team to the community | Talk About Local.

Capcom was having a superb sale for all you gamers out there interested in looking to add some video games or video game related merchandise to your collection. I, for one, was super stoked about this sale and was planning to throw a bunch of items in just before the sale ended. This is an account of my woes related to the sale among other Capcom related things that I truly believe that the Capcom gods in the heavens have decided to scorn me.

When the two biggest hobbies that you actively collect from collide, it’s hard to weigh out and get everything that you want from both hobbies without one given thing conflicting with another. If I had waaaay more money than I do now, then this wouldn’t be a problem at all. Anyways, I placed my order in the last two days of the sale and was met with such strong resistance that is bound to give anyone a headache.

I wasn’t at my house and had to navigate the terrain on unfamiliar territory (I was on a Macbook Pro). I proceeded to add the awesome things to my cart. At first, I added it through the More Info option and was met with an Empty Cart page. Funny. Then, I tried adding it through the “Buy” button and was also met with an Empty Cart page. As resilient as ever, I proceeded to do this multiple times over within the span of what seemed like an eternity of items not being added to my cart to all items disappearing completely bringing me back to the begin where I had to go and re-add everything again in the futile hope that the items would stay in the cart. It was such a frustrating process to have to relocate and re-add items only to have that happen to you on both the Macbook and an iPhone.

Then, after the items were successfully added, I logged in with my account because I am an already existing member only to go to an error page or my favorite – the Empty Cart page. This happened to me at least 3-4x on top of the items not adding and even reaching this point.

On the rare occasion, I was able to make it past not just one but to the final “Submit Order” page only to receive an internal error page that my order could not be processed at this time.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY ORDER CAN’T BE PROCESSED AT THIS TIME?!?!?!?!??!

To see those wretched red text rob me of what was so close to a victory is equivalent to an opponent just barely winning a match with just a sliver of health. I was met with this red error text three times before I finally decided to throw in the towel.

To my amazement, success lay in hiding behind the error text as all was not for naught because my orders seemingly errors had actually gone through. The only problem is that I had 2 additional duplicate orders that weren’t necessary. I mean I love you Capcom and all, but I don’t think I have a need for 3 copies of the same artbook. I know other people who are into the Konata way of doing something, but it’s definitely not my style (Lucky Star reference for all of you in the know).

I made sure to email Capcom asking for a cancel of the duplication orders before my order gets shipped out to me and then it’s really too late to do anything about that. This is what my message looked like:

None of the options specifically describes the
problem. I was trying to place an order on my Mac and I got an error on
the last page of checkout informing me that the order could not be
completed. I did this about three times reaching the final checkout page
and several other times trying to add products in my carts and log in
with my account. I had no idea that the charge actually went through. I
would like to keep the original order and cancel the two others that I
didn’t know went through.

This was my response from customer service:

Thank you for contacting the Capcom Online Store.

We have verified that your order below has been canceled, and will not
be posted to your credit card nor shipped out.

Order numbers: 6787368118, 6783568018, 6783417918

Sincerely,

Shella P.

Okay, Shella, but where in that entire message along with the two specific duplicate orders that I specifically requested to cancel did I ever give you the impression that every order should be canceled. I have no idea if customer service just sees one word such as “cancel” and goes about canceling something without taking a moment to read what the situation calls for. In another situation that is Capcom related, but not through the store, there was a slight mishap that looks like it will be rectified *crosses fingers*

Why Capcom? I have done nothing but love your many splendid franchises and to have this extremely frustrating thing to happen just sucks. Here’s hoping that this will be fixed, but I’ve been screwed often in situations like this.

P.S. While I’m at it, I don’t get how the Final Fight press kit was supposedly limited on a first base quantity that would revert back to it’s original price of $149.99(?). I stayed there clicking refresh and hoping that my comment would be met with a direct message. I see that it’s just regularly available at that MSRP and had I known that, I would have not been glued to my laptop refreshing like an idiot fool.

I used to have 982 points Capcom and now I’m down to 703. Between the switching back and forth between my Manage Categories tab to refreshing my home page, I managed to lose those points for some reason not quite apparent to me. *sigh*

WordPress readers, ignore the Capcom and points mention as I am trying to hit two birds with one stone and update as efficiently as possible.

My glorious return back to the workforce after having conflict of schedule with school which wasn’t really conflict of schedule at my previous job has made for a hectic schedule this semester. Between going to evening classes and immediately doing a graveyard shift employment that is stressful and requires quick mental aptitude has left me with no choice to ignore my blog and browsing routine. In all fairness, my involvment with both video games and figures has diminished if not been reduced to a mere observation. Quite sad, really.

Anyways, my school is about to finish up here and I owe it to myself at the very least to spam some updates.

I really miss figures and still keep up to date with the scene and what I should be preordering.

I really miss video games and am happy that I am playing again with both Left 4 Dead 2, Super Street Fighter IV, and Resident Evil 5 DLC to welcome me back.

I really miss blogging because I genuinely love to write and haven’t been able to use this as a channel for all the things floating around in my head.

Journalism.co.uk reports on what the top hyperlocal bloggers are doing on election night and predicts that this shift in the traditional media food chain will continue regardless of who wins.

#ge2010: The hyperlocal election| Journalism.co.uk.

In this post, he suggests a few tips and tools to help site owners to do just that.

8 quick tips for covering the general election in your community | Journal Local.

The site is hoping to fill an information gap for people  for people who regularly vote, while encouraging those who’ve not bothered to vote in the past to get involved.  Information on the site includes online portfolios on each of candidate.

You can read the original article by following this link: Covering the Local Elections on Harringay Online | Local Democracy.

theawkwardbox.deviantart.com

yes, i know. but that’s where all my poetry goes. it updates a lot more regularly.

also i might post the abstract from the monster of a paper i’m writing for my ap government class if you’re lucky. by which i mean if you want to bore yourself to death. <3

Community surgery: how to tackle the problems that could kill your blog | Talk About Local.

The winner will be announced next week and readers can share their opinions on each entry in the comments section or via Twitter.

Thanks to @joshhalliday of SR2 blog for the tip off.

You can read the original post via this link: Design an Infographic About Neighborhoods: Submissions | GOOD Blog.is.

You can read the original article via Cafés Double Up As Newsrooms For Hyperlocal Journalists | PSFK.

Lightning will shoot her way into your heart

With the creation of a minimum of twelve iterations of a not-so-final journey, Square Enix’s latest premier title, Final Fantasy XIII, is looking less like its predecessors and more of a preview of the (un)forseeable future for the franchise.

WARNING: The opinion of this post reflects that of the writer and their initial impression taken from numerous gaming sources. FF fanboys or otherwise uninformed opinions be wary of commenting lest ye incur the wrath of Bahamut!

Before the angry mob decides to set this blog aflame,  it would be wise to assess and evaluate the information presented before you to be able to fully formulate an educated statement in lieu of what a certain inner rabid voice may tell you.

In a traditional sense, the role-playing genre (RPG) can be defined as a fantasy setting in which the player assumes the role of one to multiple individuals,  utilizing an array of skill sets to progress through a predetermined storyline. Now, I would like to clarify two words (“fantasy” and “predetermined”) as to the context that the words are being used in relative to this subject so there isn’t any room for confusion or misinterpretation as the readers of this blog tend not to be as deeply intertwined with gaming as I am. When most people think of the word “fantasy”, they instantaneously think of the supernatural or involvement of magic which can definitely hold true for the concept being used as a genre, but “fantasy” loosely conveys anything that is unfettered by the limitations of your imagination. Since imagination is unique to every individual in question, then the limitation is the one that that individual in question imposes; and luckily for us gamers, the bright minds behind the creation of our video games don’t believe in such limitations, either. “Predetermined” is not to be mistaken for linearity. Storyline encompasses a number of characteristics – which I will go into some light explanation later – that is limited in nature from the moment you power on your console and insert the video game format media. Regardless of the number of choices and different ways that a situation can play out, the storyline is defined by what parameters are being put in place by the original creators. Simply speaking, if Kazuhiro Aoyama directed Resident Evil 3 for the Playstation to have sexy female protagonist, Jill Valentine, die as a result of her NE-T viral infection, then the possibility of ever seeing a Jill cameo in future Resident Evil games becomes moot. This is as best as I can define the rpg genre, taking the simplest common denominator from all the ones that I ever played, watched or read about without adding characteristics that convolute or stereotype the genre.

In general, role-playing games embody these characteristics:

1. Story
2. Exploration
3. Character Development
4. Customization
5. Statistical Upgrade

Other characteristics that have commonly been accepted as a strong distinguishing factor in most role-play games are:

1. NPCs (see Non-playable character)
2. Side/Optional Quests
3. (Interactive) shops
4. Dungeon crawl

Now, you might say, “But Jem, wouldn’t you say that the Zelda franchise can be deemed an rpg?” My short answer might be a rage-filled “no”, but saying that still doesn’t educate the other person. Let’s take a look at the five role-playing definitive traits and apply each and every one of them to any Zelda game with both my argument for and against each trait highlighted in different colors.

Why is Zelda not an RPG?

STORY

• (FOR) – There is a story in place with Link traveling across vast lands near and far to ultimately save Princess Zelda and restore Hyrule to its former glory
• (AGAINST) – While there is a story that compels the hero to go and save the princess, the story is more like a background descriptor instead of being used as a driving tool to develop and identify with the character (s) being played

EXPLORATION

• (FOR) – The map is very big with lots of areas to explore, therefore there is a heavy emphasis on exploration
• (FOR) – This clearly plays a huge part in Zelda because the very nature of the game is an adventure and what good would be an adventure without places to go and people to see

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

• (FOR) – You control Link and vicariously experience the trials and tribulations of his adventure en route to saving the damsel in distress
• (AGAINST) – The emphasis on developing Link’s character is very minimal and the growth you witness doesn’t go through a wide spectrum of stages, hence you don’t really get that sense growth. You’ll never see Link go through an identity crisis where he faced with a situation where he struggles to come to terms with who he is and is placed in scenarios that could compromise ideals he’s held firmly in his heart

CUSTOMIZATION

• (FOR) – Link can equip different armor, items and weaponry during the course of the game
• (AGAINST) – Your level of customization is trivial in Zelda because he’s not gonna don 50 bazillion different boots with a marginal increase in stats, thus causing him to discard said boots like it’s going out of style; the majority of the equipment is to aid in solving the puzzles even though each piece of equipment is very useful in certain situations and battles.  Customization isn’t just isolated to aesthetically changing your character’s wardrobe, but it can include but is not limited to personal history and identity

STATISTICAL UPGRADE

• (FOR) – You can statistically upgrade Link’s health by collecting heart pieces and get improved forms of combat techniques
• (AGAINST) – Being able to increase your health gauge and get better moves is paltry in terms of statistical upgrading because these facets of the game are meant to supplement the adventure being experienced as opposed to heavily emphasizing numbers as integral to your survival

The only strong parallel between a basically defined rpg and Legend of Zelda is the emphasis of exploration due to the scope of the world in which the game takes place in. All other qualities exist on a lesser scale, bringing the gamer’s attention to the fact that s/he must get from Point A to the goal at Point Z. Unlike Legend of Zelda, rpgs heavily emphasis development through story, character growth, exploration, customization, and statistical upgrades to immerse the player into the role of the character that s/he controls, hence assimilating that character’s persona which is what the act of role playing all about. While it can be argued that Legend of Zelda is an action-adventure title with underlying rpg-esque elements, a heavier emphasis of those elements would definitely push it into the rpg genre, specifically that of the action-rpg sub-genre (see Mass Effect), but that would be a redesign of game mechanics to fit that mold.

It goes without saying that the Final Fantasy franchise is one of the most well-known and widely played rpg staples in the video game industry. Even casual gamers who don’t know a lick about gaming have surely played if not heard of one of the many titles that comprise the series.

Every numbered Final Fantasy title including the abomination that is Final Fantasy X-2 (ugh!) heavily incorporates those five main traits along with a number of the distinguishable features, each with varying degrees of success in both execution and presentation.

Now, there have been previews and reviews alike along with interviews that have critiqued the highly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII title and I grow weary of the assessment I have seen thus far. I am as open as open can get, but I can’t help but feel a little shocked with how drastic of a change it is. I would just like to evaluate what XIII has and essentially taken away and provide a comparative analysis to its predecessors which I firmly believe are strong examples of what an rpg is.

Final Fantasy XIII Characteristics taken from various sources

• 7% Upgrading your weapons by adding bits and bobs
• 2% Hitting switches, solving puzzles, and various similar tasks
• 40% Mashing buttons trying to keep up with the new battle system
• 10% Messing around in Crystarium, unlocking new powers and abilities
• 1% Chatting to people on the street before rifling through their drawers
• 40% Sitting back and watching all those gloriously depicted cut-scenes

• Lack of explorable towns until a significant amount of hours has been invested
• Game controls your leveling up
• Being healed after every battle
• Things are bought via an Amazon-esque shop
• Towns aren’t actual towns and more of a background prop
• Control of only 1 character with the rest of your party being automatically controlled; if the character you are controlling dies, then it is Game Over
• Linear
• Repetitive
• Lack of NPCs with existing ones void of any form of interaction
• Uninspired villains
• Extreme amount of cutscenes
• Lack of a connection and fondness for the world and characters
• Party tends to be fixed
• Lack of side/optional quests

One of the things that I have always loved and looked forward to in an rpg is the level of customization, meticulously weighing out stats in various armor and weapons to give your characters the biggest advantage possible. 7% seems like an awfully low number to outfitting your character with gear unless the base stats for the weapons is high too begin with or there are other traits that govern character statistics. Mashing buttons screams out mindless hack ‘n slash, so I will need to see how this new battle system is put into use before coming to a solid conclusion. Lack of an actual town that is populated with NPCs and interactive places such as shops does put me off because ripping out a distinguishable feature like that from your game is really shocking and too drastic of a change that there is bound to be mixed feelings. An online shopping interface ties in with the lack of explorable towns or supplementary NPCs, so logically speaking it makes sense that shops would follow suit, but it definitely takes away from the interaction and experience unless there are other factors driving development.I have played rpgs that don’t include NPCs or towns, but the nature of that particular rpg (see Valkyria Chronicles) is very different from your standard fare of rpgs, since the sub-genre of tactical-rpg or strategy-rpg removes exploration, yet still heavily draws upon the other four main traits. Valkyria Chronicles has no NPCs or explorable towns, but it is definitely an rpg worth playing! From what I read, the game determines at what point it will assign skills  and abilities, tying the event to a plot in the storyline. I really need to see how this is going to be executed because rpgs give the player reign over their character’s growth and development. A unique take on a game controlling your leveling up which was executed superbly is the experience and leveling system in Lost Odyssey where the player was never given a hard number at the end of each battle, thus eliminating a sense of urgency in level grind that typically exists in most rpg titles. In doing so, the game adjusted the character’s experience points relative to the in-game progression with enemy encounters yielding more or less points to balance out characters whilst never taking away from the narrative flow of the storyline. I know this bothers a lot of people, but being automatically healed after every battle has existed in another shape in an rpg – just run over to a save point or sphere to automatically restore hit and mana points. Granted, I might have to run ways away in order to locate the closest save point, but my health and magic points are still being restored without exhausting medical supplies. I don’t know if you are completely healed before and after every battle or if the party must be in a “safe zone” to initiate regeneration in the same fashion as Dragon Age: Origins. Now, I have no clue as to whose gripe is it that only 1 character can be controlled and that the game ends as soon as the controlled character dies because that person obviously doesn’t know what they are talking about and is using their limited knowledge of rpgs as the basis for the genre. I wouldn’t be surprised if for some reason XIII treated the controllable character as the main character during different intervals, therefore death of that character would be treated as a big deal or something along those lines in the same token as Persona 3. I love cutscenes as an accessory to driving other factors in, but if the stress of the game relies heavily on CG or real-time cutscenes then all that development gained through interaction, growth and experience is lost on both the character and the player.

Final Fantasy XIII replacing Grand Theft Auto: China Wars building billboard

According to producer Yoshinori Kitase, though, that’s absolutely what the FFXIII team was aiming for. As far as Kitase is concerned, FFXIII isn’t even really a role-playing game. “We didn’t really intend to work within with the RPG template,” he says. “We wanted to create a new game, even a new genre. The way we look at it, there’s isn’t a certain format that we have to keep to and build a game around. Rather, it goes the other way around. We create a game and, depending on what works or doesn’t work within that game, it ends up reflecting different staple elements.”

“Because players are presented with multiple different situations on the field, in a lot of senses FFXIII is more like an FPS than an RPG,” says director Motomu Toriyama.

While I had originally intended to write this preview before the North American release, this post became more drawn out because I realized that casual gamers wouldn’t understand where I was coming from unless I explained what an rpg is. There was no set of definitive traits out there, so I had to really sit down and think about all the various rpgs that I played to identify elements that define the genre as well as provide an explanation for those elements. There would be no point in me explaining my initial shock to the direction that Final Fantasy XIII went in without first giving a foundation for why I felt that way akin to how a Street Figher fan might initially react and have some initial concerns if the next Street Fighter 32 Turbo FX stripped the core mechanics that define fighters as well as the franchise as a whole.

Both producer and director confirm my suspicions about the direction of taking the Final Fantasy franchise to a more FPS-oriented style of gameplay to appeal to the North American population where FPS (First-person shooters) genre is a highly lucrative business venture due to the numerous casual gamers being able to jump into the action with little to no effort involved. From a business standpoint, I think this is a very intelligent decision to promote the survival of your company; as a fan and long-time gamer, I welcome new IPs that want to go and do something different all the time, but Square Enix is trying to do it under the guise of their cushion that is the Final Fantasy name brand, knowing that a long-term fanbase won’t outwardly abandon a title that is connected to some of their beloved memories in their gaming history.

Now that the game has officially come out, I need to receive my copy and confirm or discard the points from this post and form another evaluation of Final Fantasy XIII as the genre it is being marketed for, the merits and flaws of the title itself whilst being objective as possible. I love Squaresoft dearly, but I haven’t been in good terms with Square Enix ever since the merger. Since then, I’ve gone on to date Valve, have lunch with Infinity Ward, rekindle with Capcom, and court Naughty Dog. Even then, I will go out and revisit Square Enix with this latest title and see how our lunch date plays out. I sincerely hope that with that drastic of a change, the game is still able to embody the essence of what it is to be an rpg with their own spin on it.

To quote something a friend who is a long-time fan of Squaresoft and the Final Fantasy franchise:

“To  some people, FFXIII is just another game. To some people, it’s just another RPG. To some people, it’s just another Final Fantasy game, but to me that shit means way more than that….for me, this is Square’s last hope….it’s like that chick I’ve been in a relationship with for a long time and she keeps fuckin’ up, but I remember the good ole days, so I stay with her hoping that she’d go back. And I’m just waiting for her to fuck up one more time and I’m done with her.”

Quote of the Day: “My affinity to the person has to be really strong for them to breach my emotional immune system and make me love sick.”

Broadcast Journalism

Last year around late Fall, the Lost Planet 2 demo went live on the, you guessed it, Xbox Live Marketplace. I immediately played it and got hooked with the gameplay mechanics that I was able to witness. I played and joined numerous online games with each one bearing a slightly different experience from the last game played. My original intent was to post up my thoughts on this demo, but all of this got sidetracked with everything else going on which is usually the case for me.

Recently at the beginning of this year, I replayed the demo with friends after urging them to download it. This post is based off of my experience and thoughts from that time.

Upon loading up the demo, you are brought to the title screen where campaign trial is the only accessible part of the demo. The campaign trial is divided in an offline and online game mode with online play allowing you to connect with up to three other individuals for some cooperative fun. For all intents and purposes, I will be covering the online aspect as the single player campaign is relatively the same as the online component sans the additional help made available to you.

When starting up an online game, you can find an already pre-made lobby and the game will provide a list of lobbies with the amount of open slots available. You will need to back out of this menu to the previous one if you want to refresh current and active lobbies which was a bit frustrating on my end considering the amount of times I needed to refresh to actually find a suitable lobby that wasn’t already in session, full or had the lobby creator – who is the host or leader – idle indefinitely on that screen. If you have at least 2 other friends, it is recommendable to create a game with private slots so that you can invite whomever you want without running the risk that a random individual with join your lobby.

The controls for the game are, for the most part, common in button assignment and functionality; the right bumper allowed for a 90° right turn, the left bumper was a 90° left turn, the left trigger threw grenades, the right trigger fired the weapon, the left stick button manipulated movement, clicking in the left stick button made the character assume a crouched position, the right stick button aimed the reticule of the equipped weapon, clicking in the right stick button reloaded the weapon, the directional pad/D-pad activate the zoom feature of a scoped weapon, the A button dictates jump , the Y button changes from a primary to a secondary weapon or picks up a new weapon, the B button melees, the X button anchors the user by deploying a grappling hook. Other button functionality includes pressing the Back button to access the PDA which is essentially pausing your game to access other sub-menus such as in-game options that offer limited tweaking to the restrictions of a demo, pressing the Start button uses up a health item called the Harmonizer to restore some lost Battle Points, and the Y button + left trigger/ right trigger to heal with T-ENG or to drop the current weapon. The aiming speed is defaulted to 5 which is not too slow and not too fast for most players. I am starting to play on maximum aiming speed levels in other games, so playing with a neutral speed level can feel a little off at times.

In the pre-game lobby, warriors outfitted with various gear and articles of clothing similar to a nomadic style stood before us. In that instance, I guessed that the climate to be a colder one based on how much clothing were on our warriors and the environment from Lost Planet. You could also see the regions of the players in the pre-game lobby which I’ll explain one of my experiences with an online game later on. On my first trial run with my two other friends, we decided to create a close lobby with private slots to see if we could invite someone from our friend’s list to join us. Seeing as no one on our friend’s list were on, we jumped into the game with a party of three.

Once the game loaded up, there was what appeared to be a lush environment with plenty of green for the eye to see. This right here undid my previous thought of some arctic battlefield with unforgiving snowstorms and lands devoid of plant life. On the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, the HUD displays a simple image of the currently equipped gun along with the current amount of ammunition while the top right has a mini HUD with your character as the central marker. The user has a default of 5000 battle points with 3000 allocated to the team’s overall status on the top left-hand corner as well as the harmonizer bar and the T-ENG supplier prompts and grenade stock occupying the bottom left corner. There are game controlled AI teammates that assist you in this demo, but AI teammates are usually never comparable to that of another human being. Clicking in the left stick button immediately reminded me of the running mechanics in Gears of War where the player’s character is closer to the ground to do a sprinting motion before returning to a clunky motion that is also featured in that game. There are multiple fluorescent cyan modules that scatter the initial area where the player(s) are  deposited in that offer some gameplay tips. Teammates’ names – both in-game and real life – are highlighted above their heads so you’re aware of position, health and can provide some assistance. Items such as weaponry and equipment have a thin yellow highlight to them, making it easier to detect where weapons and equipment are located.

As soon as the players make their way towards the edge of the overlook, an enormous reptilian armor with a spiky exoskeleton emerges from the ocean. This creature is of elephantine proportions and is even bigger than the dragons in Capcom’s successful Monster Hunter franchise. Without needing any obvious directions, the players need to destroy Category G and are prompted to aim for its core which might be a vital spot for the monster. The rocket launcher near the edge of the overlook is the best weapon to grab from the get go to land in some crucial shots when G initially emerges from the water. After playing the demo and observing others, I quickly make a dash for the data post and repeatedly tap the B button to quickly activate the data post. Completing certain objectives such as the activation of the data post rewards the character with points that rank players, but the data post serves as spawn points for the player so that they can easily join the fight immediately after a respawn. Glowing spots situated on Category G’s six knees as well as the bright horn atop its head are vulnerable parts that effectively take damage and break off after sustaining x amount of hits.

Since, I knew the importance of activating the data posts would prove pivotal to our success of the mission (and the additional points didn’t hurt, either), I took no care in trying to damage Category G save the few shots I would fire every now and again. After activating the third data post near the tunnel, I jumped down and anchored by hook into the tall overlook and began to rappel myself towards higher ground. Using the injection gun, I quickly scoped in to fire off a burst offensive then defensive stat boost. It was a temporary effect, but it could mean life and death if the situation called for it. One thing I tried in close proximity to another teammate was to send off thermal energy blast akin to throwing hadokens that restored allied health.

Slowly, the glowing parts would glow brighter with each impact of a bullet until the leg blew apart into 3-dimensional cube shaped objects scattered about on the ground. Collecting “?” serves no purpose in the game aside from accruing bonus points that get tallied into an overall rank. Well, the demo had no real purpose for them, but I imagine that they might be exchanged for other objects or be an achievement based challenge. The destruction of any three of Category G’s legs gets the monster ready for infiltration via its oral cavity. Yes, you have to go inside what seems to be a feral abyss.

Every time Category G nears infiltration, I stock up assault rifle ammunition and grab a rocket launcher or sniper rifle. If I happen to be close enough, I’ll rip off the gatling gun and use that as the primary weaponry in whittling away at its innards. One of the coolest things in this demo was that I could rip off the gatling gun off of any of the multiple immobile mechs scattered in this demo level. It is honestly the best thing to use to steadily decrease G’s health gauge. Oh yeah, reloading while in scope mode is definitely the way to go! Once inside, numerous smaller insectoid creatures with multiple legs spawn from intestinal tract along with bulbous masses that explode after damage. Landing shots on what appears to be a lone, dangling organ in the distance upsets G severely. Eventually, the peristalsis causes the user to flow deeper within the intestinal tract until s/he is expelled out of the body.

Mechs named VS are useful in the sense that they can hover and effectively move out of G’s area of effect attacks, but they provide additional firepower and protection. The majority of the mechs scattered in the demo seat only one user, but the mech situated near the tallest overlook in a small alcove has two additional side seats. In one of my earlier playthroughs, I repeatedly put my mech in standby mode to appeal to other players. I mean what’s the point of riding in a 3-person mech with only 1 person. I don’t have what any clue what happened next, but hovering near G’s body with a player at either side of me holding down on the trigger button filled me with much delight. I may have been amused at the time. After successfully killing G, multiple cube shaped objects fall to the ground with players scurrying about in a frenzy to collect as much before the timer ends. The highest ranking is S with D being the lowest that I have personally seen in the matches that I played. My best score was an ‘A’.

I imagine this might be an option for customization, but friendly fire is always on in the game. When using the injection gun, it might cause confusion in allies who are too quick to judge that you are trying to sabotage the mission. It also means that the possibility of getting a bonafide douchebag in your game is much higher if you don’t know who you are playing with. For example, I ended up in a team with all Russian players who took it upon themselves to bombard me with fire. Being the type of person who doesn’t back away from a challenge and knowing this game wouldn’t go anywhere, I retaliated back just waiting for the game to end already. In my most recent game with my friends, we got grouped with a douchebag who kept throwing grenades in our direction, but was not very good at tk’ing. We all had headsets on and proceeded to curse said douchebag out. While these are just minor grievances, they are still grievances nonetheless.

I took this from Grizzlyfire’s youtube channel to demonstrate what the demo looks like so that my words have an image to connect with. In this video, the player does an offline single player campaign and does things very differently from what I described and the video cuts out before the demo is technically finished, but you should get a good idea of this game.

Here is the trailer with hints that there might be some Gears of War cameos.

- Courtesy of

• Grizzlyfire’s youtube Channel
• Playstation Universe
• Machinima

Lately, I’ve just been preoccupied with school and other things that I have been neglecting my blogging duties. Even with school, I think I would still regularly blog had it not been for the unreliability of my damn laptop who chooses to crash on me every so often. I could blog on the desktop, but I hate the hard keys of the keyboard that give resistance each time I clack away. I’m a fast typist and don’t like resistance of any sort when I’ve got my creative juices flowing.

Oh yeah! I just remembered how crappy Timewarner is! Okay, let me take that back. Apparently, in the previous week, our cable decided to die out of the blue and I was left with no internet for at least 4 days straight. It was quite irritable to watch the blinking green dot never make it past the first stage. When the internet technician came over, he informed us that there was something wrong with the cable box which was the underlying problem to our internet dilemma. To simply translate this, a bastard neighbor probably was trying to steal cable lines or do something shady. Nice…

So, there you have it. My laptop crashes and I have had the pleasure of wiping it several times already. I think I’m going to have to scout out some great deals for laptops or something. As of right now, I’m sick and further want to extend my vegetation mode.

I can still be reached if you know of the means to do so, but I will be more or less floating around the cyberspace.

Taking a quick look at this 2009 year that seemingly went by very quickly and setting up goals and aspirations to help define and look forward to this upcoming 2010 year. Placing  2009 into perspective will include tidbits of my hobbies, activities, interpersonal relationships and anything else that factored into this year for me without cutting into the core.

Unlike the end of 2008 where I blogged about a series of hauls – heavy on the figure merchandise – formatted to mimic a Twelve Days of Christmas layout, I’ve considerably toned down (or at least I think so) my expenditure in my hobbies. Or the extreme delay and backloggery of putting up haul pictures in a timely fashion in conjunction with technical difficulties have convinced and deceived my brain into thinking that I haven’t bought as much as I have. In all honesty, it is probably closer to the latter but not by very much as a picky collector who has quickly amassed at least <478 figures in a year> has gotten a good bulk of all the prioritized figures that she wants. It’s hard to believe that this year has finally ended and that everything starts anew once more with hopes of starting off to a fresh start and everything in the horizon seems so bright and vivid.

“I can’t believe it’s the last day of the year. I can’t believe it’s the last day of the decade. I was in a very different place 10 years ago.”

The above quote comes from a tweet that I stumbled upon that left this nagging feeling in me that I could not attach any words or make sense of. In an effort to make sense of this nagging feeling, I reread this tweet several times and finally came to understand why these statements left a lasting impression on me. The first two sentences, while important, establish a time frame to better define what I feel is the most important part of the quote; in a similar situation as the person who originally wrote this quote, I, too, was in a very different place 10 years ago. Everything about the beginning of that decade was worlds apart different from what I am doing and the person I shaped out to be that it’s something out of some fantastical dream – a dream so vivid and extreme to normalcy at the time that the stark contrast about forewarning of future events and life’s twists and turns in the road have you shaking your head and murmuring aloud, “That would never happen in a million years!” I felt the need to express this thought which appears to be quite random and perhaps even ambiguous to all the friends and passersby that happen to find this blog and its author’s cathartic rants by chance or choice.

Quantitatively, I cannot hope to exponentially increase or even double the total amount in the collection. Quite frankly, I’d rather not open up a can of worms without having the proper accommodation (i.e. house with sexy customized display cabinet in a room dedicated to the collection) to properly combat the situation. According to Tsuki-board.com – who is currently called MyFigureCollection -, the collection stands at a monstrous count of 698 assorted figure and figure related merchandise with 123 preorders with time left before I mark another year in this hobby. Several months ago, a fellow collector expressed wishes for my collection to double in  count and sexiness. I would need a tally of 956 to bring his well wishes into fruition, meaning that all preorders obtained before the year cutoff point would bring me to a count of 821. Not all of the preorders will be obtained before the cutoff point nor is the actual number for both total amount in my collection or the amount shown as preorders is an accurate reflection of the situation. The collection is actually over 700 with figures not added to the database out of laziness and indifference towards making any effort to add something that will ultimately get flagged because of the obscurity of some of the limiteds/exclusives in my possession that “wet behind the ears” collectors find its validity to be inconceivable.

What’s even scarier is that I would have hit double the amount and much more had I not calmed down in my spending habits and placed blinders to obstruct the gleam of shiny auctions, sales and other sources that yield bargain deals. There is always some figure that I would like to have in my possession, but the bottom line is that a weak want is not enough to necessitate any action in trying to acquire said figure. Due to the sheer amount of what I feel are bonafide quality figures in my collection and the ease of having gotten them as well as being able to find practically anything with little to no effort, my attitude has been jaded by the entire experience. I love the thrill of a hunt, but thrill alone isn’t a reasonable justification for getting something that isn’t highly prioritized in the list.

With that said, there have been noteworthy releases or figure additions that were definitive adds this year. Rather than limit that list to some small number and cause grief in the process by having to scrutinize reasons on why one figure was better than another, the reasons for these figures being notable will be included as well.

1. ALTER 1/8 Yukiko Amagi Limited Peacock Feather ver.
2. Square Enix 1/8 Sebastian Michaelis & 1/8 Ciel Phantomhide Limited
3. Megahouse 1/8 Nanael 2p Limited
4. Megahouse 1/8 Capcom Maniax Felicia
5. Kotobukiya 1/8 Rin Natsume Gemaga exclusive
6. Megahouse 1/8 Melona 2p Limited
7. Megahouse 1/8 Echidna 2p Limited
8. ALTER 1/8 Gwendolyn
9. ALTER 1/8 Hobby Japan Alice ~ Boost ver.~ Limited
10. Kotobukiya 1/8 Erika Sendo Gemaga exclusive
11. AlphaxOmega 1/8 Alice ~ Akatsuki ver. ~ 2p Limited
12. ALTER 1/6 Kos-Mos ~ T-elos ver. ~ Limited
13. Megahouse 1/8 Menace 2p Limited
14. AlphaxOmega 1/8 Sheryl Nome
15. Volks 1/8 Mai Shiranui 2p Limited
16. ALTER Non-scale Arbalest
17. Max Factory Non-scale Karas
18. Kotobukiya 1/8 Spica Limited
19. Good Smile Company 1/6 Miura Azusa Limited
20. Good Smile Company Asakura Otome Limited

Yukiko Amagi

After the initial announcement of Persona 3 figures, I vowed that I would collect the line especially if it was done by ALTER. Prior to Yukiko’s release, I had owned every Persona figure by ALTER; heck, I even own two copies of the ALTER Aegis. There are two versions of Yukiko Amagi and as always, I preordered the limited version of the figure. The regular version was up for preorder at Toyslogic at an inflated price which gave customers a chance to still be able to own this figure. I love ALTER and Persona 4 enough to go and seek out the regular version.

Sebastian Michaelis & Ciel Phantomhide

Figure manufacturers would do some good by adding more male characters into their repertoire of pvc releases. If you’ve got similar tastes as me, then you probably thought that Sebastian Michaelis was a handsome and devilishly sexy *wink* butler. The show and characters left such a lasting impression on me that I just had to secure an order for these handsome gentlemen. Luckily for me, I got both gents preordered for retail price. Not only did I get the preorders secured, but I got a second copy of Ciel Phantomhide for retail price as well. In order to match the extra Ciel that I got, I hunted another Sebastian to complete another pair. There are some Sega Prize figures of the two out and while they are cheap and provide a visual representation of these characters, it doesn’t come remotely close nor does it do these awesome characters any justice.

Nanael

The preorder period for this color variation of Nanael was just plain ridiculous. I think I had 10 days or something to go and preorder this figure. One of my goals is to amass a grand and voluptuous Queen’s Blade/Queen’s Gate army to decimate countries and civilizations alike. The 2p variant was absolutely stunning with the angelic coloring on the wings and how the pink worked so well for Nanael’s character.

Felicia

A video game aficionado like me would jump on the bandwagon to own video game characters in her collection. Just like any other character pvc release, the character representation can be off and just atrocious. For me, it’s not enough to slap and decently mold a medium to remotely look like the character. It defeats the purpose of owning figures of that individual if they don’t look accurate or close to being an accurate representation. I’ve always loved the catty and sensuous feline attitude in women and what better way to appreciate that form than to have your own spunky and sexy feline, Felicia. Rawr meow meow *licks hand and grooms self*

Rin Natsume

Between her and Erika Sendo, there was something about Kotobukiya’s Gemaga collaborations that really caught my eye. I know a lot of people who don’t generally trust Kotobukiya for their inconsistent craftsmanship, but later end up with other pvc additions that are on the same level or worse than a Kotobukiya release. I believe Kotobukiya is filled with greatness due to the strength of their non-anime line. I’ve also got a keen eye for craftsmanship and this Rin Natsume is the very best that I’ve seen.

Melona

I don’t care if she is a really ecchi figure. I mean she is really ecchi even for me, but I fell in love with her color scheme for the variant and you’d be blind not to see how well sculpted she is. I even have the promotional slime that you can pour over her. Haha!

Echidna

Not a lot of people are familiar that Megahouse released 4 different versions of Echidna. Well, it’s now 5 with the “special” edition that acts as a regular release and adds an accessory and not an actual repaint. There is a red Hobby Japan exclusive that is one of the rarest QB/QG release that I have ever come to experience. In my opinion, she is much more worse than the Akatsuki ver. of Alice. Echidna is a perfect example of how the same character can look and feel different if given a different coat of paint.

Gwendolyn

I let out a big shout when I saw prototypes of Gwendolyn at the Atlus’ booth. I think the face on the e2046 Gathering prepainted kit looks cross-eyed even though the coloring on the wings are gorgeous. I was very much a fan of the series, so it was love at first sight with ALTER’s prototype pictures.

Alice

The regular bondage theme was so aesthetically appealing to me. Pink is not my favorite color despite having a lot of pink in both my wardrobe and pvc collection. It came as a real big surprise to me that this sugar-y version caught my eye. She released around the same time as my birthday, so it was destiny that she would be a part of the collection.

Erika Sendo

The first prototype pictures that surfaced caught my eye, but it didn’t go past simply acknowledging it for a good figure. I was also not pursuing limiteds or exclusives at that time. After revisiting the picture and seeing her in someone else’s collection, I saw how well done she was. Unlike other limiteds or exclusives, I didn’t want to pay a reasonably inflated price for her, either. Luckily for me, I found her for such an awesome price, making it that much sweeter for me.

Alice

Alice is remarkably beautiful and rare release. She is a loli collaboration between ALTER and Megahouse with the regular release getting canceled at numerous retailers. Combining the awesomeness of two epic companies only leads to gorgeous results and Alice definitely delivers. I don’t like loli or moe looking figures, but Alice is the best looking loli figure release thus far.

Kos-Mos

Girls with a tan rock. I can never appreciate pale or even pasty skin in both real and fictional life. Swimsuits are a plus if the swimsuit and character look good. Swimsuits also mean lack of material that can be used to create ripples, folds and creases. For me, swimsuits also mean physique and being able to see the contours of the character’s body.

Menace

Queen’s Blade/ Queen’s Gate repaints always get me excited. I think it’s poor on figure manufacturers to take the lazy route and consider a slight accessory or change in shimapan or lazy color switch is a repaint. The matté finish really caught my attention. She’s also a very unique character with a fun and dynamic pose.

Sheryl Nome

If you’ve noticed some trends in my collection for both video games, figures and personal tastes, I prefer sexy vixens. I think Ranka Lee is cute like a button, but it’s that radiance and bold confidence that Sheryl possesses that gives her that enormous edge. I think cute and moé is fine, but they are little girls to me in the end. Sheryl is one of the sexiest female anime characters that has ever graced anime and AlphaxOmega does a fine job exemplifying all that sexiness into plastic.

Mai Shiranui

Mai Shiranui hails from the King of Fighters series. Max Factory released a pvc of her in her typical attire, but she became part of the Queen’s Gate universe. There are a few video game characters crossing over into the Queen’s dimension, making the series even more appealing for me. Volks created an elegant looking Mai with a gorgeous kimono pattern whilst still being able to show some skin in a tasteful way. I love this figure that much that I went and got both versions of Mai. *shakes fist*

Arbalest

When ALTER announced that they would be adding the Arbalest to their lineup, I quickly secured a preorder for her over at Otakufuel. Unfortunately, there were allocations and my preorder was cut. Thankfully for me, I was able to snatch her up for the same price with free shipping elsewhere. The only thing that I would wish for at this point is a figure of Sousuke and Mao, but I doubt that that will ever happen.

Karas

Max Factory must have previewed a Karas prototype at almost every event they showed up with, giving fans some semblance of hope that the figure would receive a release date or any conclusive information some time soon. Time went by until a release date and preorder solicitation reached the internet surfaced along with a whopping price tag. It’s amazing how nicely done poseable figures are expensive, but it makes sense considering Full Action Max Dann of Thursday had a slightly steep MSRP. I chose against the limited repaint version and may very well pick up that copy so that I may be able to recreate an action filled pose with two Karas.

Spica

I am weak to gimmicks on sexy characters. Sumaga is a popular erogé that features three varying female anime stereotypes. Spica is my favorite and the most well-balanced of the group. This figure has “win” written all over it. She’s got a dynamic pose. Her face is beautiful and can be display with or without a hat. She looks nice without a hat despite most figures looking weird when displayed without a hat or head gear. AND, the receptor on her wand lights up!

Azusa Miura

I’ve wanted this figure for such a long time. She was part of my list of grail figures, yet I wasn’t expecting to purchase her until I had secured a career. As a result of a seller lying about not having the figure and backing down from my offer, I scouted her current market value and really didn’t want to shell out over $250. I don’t care if someone doesn’t want to sell anything to me as long as they are honest about it. I’m glad the deal didn’t go through as I got her for substantially cheaper than intended. I always knew that she was lovely, but I didn’t know that she was that beautiful until in person.

Asakura Otome

Nendoroids by default should be cute evil pieces of plastic. A lot of these nendoroids range from unusual to ok to extremely adorable. Asakura Otome falls in the latter category with her big pink ribbon and serene expression and dainty umbrella. If you’re looking for one of the cutest nendoroids, she is worth the buy. Shame that she is an exclusive, but that’s typically how it goes.

Notable Posts in 2009

1. Valentines Day and a Rant – I just reread this post and came to realize how much more vitriol that is usually contained laid out openly
2. Good Smile Company – What the hell is wrong with you?!?!?!?! – My stance on Good Smile being ridiculous using Saber Lily as an example
3. Mmmm Pork Loin Chops – A fun post with my own personal recipe
4. Whatcha watchin’? Anime, it’s what’s for dinner – First attempt at anime preview format that was never continued
5. Post E3 Haul – Swag, swag and more video game swag
6. 1 year and 478 figures later… – Picture extensive post commemorating a year of collecting
7. Failed attempt at avoiding the Dark Side – A sudden epiphany concerning kit recasts, bootlegs and my dilemma about wanting to get into the kit building scene
8. Am I an android? [ALTER Aegis review] – Photo shoot of one of my favorite recent video game characters
9. Sega Dreamcast Tribute ~ 10th Anniversary – Tribute to a revolutionary gaming platform
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ~ Figure Store Review Edition ~ – Critique of some of the figure retailers
11. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Fortune Hunter Edition – Will You Be Mine? – A show of absolute support with a bit of crazed determination in trying to acquire a coveted piece of gaming history
12. Kitty Got Wet ~ Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Ed. ~ – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves preview
13. Assembling a Nendoroid Army – Depicting how crazy I am for nendoroids without being completely aware of my subconscious goal of wanting to own ‘em all
14. Uncharted 2 – Game of the #@!%$@ Year! VGA Results – Rant about the VGA results

2010 Goals

1. Clean and maintain the apartment
2. Move into a better apartment or start looking at condominiums or town homes
3. Start saving money towards a house
4. Catch up and watch some anime
5. Begin to read more manga from series I’ve watched that are still going
6. Begin working towards finishing up achievement or master runs on some video games
7. Work towards playing some of my backlogged video games
8. Replay beloved titles that I’ve already played to reminisce about the good old days
9. Evaluate my current relationships; strengthen the ones that need work and cut loose all the unnecessary and unimportant ones
10. Exercise to tone my body and bring back my obliques
11. Eat more healthy things
12. Make an effort to have a normal sleeping habit (This will most likely fail as my sleeping habits are in insomnia mode)
13. Be conscious about not spending a lot (right now) and saving more money
14. Hunt down some RAHs and other figures; I’m not going to name specifics as I don’t know what will fall into my lap
15. Figure out storage for the growing collection
16. Keep up-to-date on noteworthy video game titles that might get rare and expensive later on
17. Go to San Diego Comic Con
18. Successfully complete a portion of academia
19. Get a better paying job for the time being
20. Spend more time with family
21. Get back into reading more books

This past year, I was extremely overworked, tired, stressed out and had spurts of nonexistence on this blog site. For those who knew me in real life, these factors were the same in person as well. 2009 definitely ended on a strange note with the sudden life altering revelation, opening up another perspective on how to view life while adding a new defining chapter on this path that I continue to walk on. Who knows what events will turn up or how 2010 will come to shape me as a person and define my future.

For everyone that I have shared a part of 2009 with, thank you for the memories and experience. May your 2010 be a memorable and pleasant one.