# posted by Chronodin @ 11:38 PM
 
In my last post, my comments regarding the game "Elite Beat Agents" (see below) were, well, indicating my confusion as to just what the game is. Bill so kindly clued me in, and boy did I miss the boat.

Apparently, it's a "spiritual successor" to the Japanese game "Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan", or, "Hey! Fight! Cheer Squad". Ahh... let's leave it in Japanese. Ouendan is a rhythm game, like Dance Dance Revolution or Guitar Hero (swoon!) but it involves not just pressing a certain button at the right time, but hitting targets on the DS' touch screen at the right time, but the targets appear at different locations in different orders, so there are a couple other factors not present in other rhythm games.

Sound confusing? Probably. You're better off seeing for yourself. That's a video from the original Japanese game, while a couple videos from the upcoming English game can be found here.

Well, I'm sold. I'd probably import the game, if not for that whole, y'know, money issue (stupid real life, always demanding my money.) and the fact that the English game/sequel/whichever is coming out in just a couple months. I've got plenty of other stuff to keep me busy, but this is definitely a game I'll be keeping an eye on from here on in.

(Oh yeah! 10+ hours into Xenosaga III, and the game has delivered much better on character and E.S./mech battles. Also, the game's graphics continue to really amaze me... truly some of the best graphics on any system of that generation, and the soundtrack is really growing on me.)  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 9:59 AM
 
I picked up Xenosaga Episode III yesterday, and so far, I'm really enjoying it. A vast improvement over Episode II, which was still good, but had its share of flaws. Problem is, I'm like 6 or 7 hours into it, and I've only been to one actual dungeon, per say (that is, an area where I can fight stuff) and two individual mech battles.

Hmm.

Now I DO love the story and all, and it didn't bother me so much in previous installments, but because the battles are a lot of fun now, I find myself really missing them. That and I was wholly unimpressed with the little minigame thing they included, which I likened to a 3D Lemmings, but someone else suggested it was more like Chu Chu Rockets. Either way, it didn't really keep my attention, but I may give it another shot later. The main game, however, IS fun, and although there is a TON of story progression, it's all still good -- voice acting is much better, gorgeous graphics, music is an improvement from II (some... I really liked the battle themes in Episode II, though) and the battles are much better balanced. I'll give another update later as I get more into it.

.:[ Links ]:.

• Yoshi's Island 2 for DS - Screenshots!
• Elite Beat Agents screenshots - This game looks... um... interesting?
• Final Fantasy V Advance screenshots - And this I can't wait for.
• Mario Hoops 3 on 3 screenshots - While this one looks like fun.
• Captain Picard's Song - Someone had too much free time. And at over 5 minutes long, you may not have the free time to watch it -- but it's worth a quick listen for a minute or two.
• Dictionary.com redesign - Not a huge thing really, but I just noticed that Dictionary.com went through an overhaul, and the server even seems faster. Check it out; you'll notice the improvement if you're familiar with the old site.
• USB-powered BBQ - Thanks to Bill for giving me this one. This is neat and all, but it asks the age-old question... why???
• Guitar tab sites under fire - This is kinda getting out of hand. Just because they market and make money from guitar tabs, does that mean anyone else should be banned from making their own and sharing them?
• Louisiana judge rules against violent video game ban - At least some people remember what the First Amendment is.
  

Those aren't all the links I have, I've got about that many more currently, but don't wanna use 'em all at once! More soon.  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 9:48 PM
 
Not much to say today, just some links!

.:[ Links ]:.

• Kool-Aid Man Magic Card - How come I've never thought of this before?
• Han knows the code - I don't even know the code. :(
• The Hardware Store - A WoW video to a Weird Al tune, very well-done.
• Blair and Bush sing to each other - Ahh.... no comment.
• Berlitz commercial - "Alo?  Zees eez zee German Coastguard..."
• Make your own Motivator - This is fun.
• PS3: Full Auto 2 video - I figured I'm so hard on the PS3 usually that I'd post something that actually looks pretty cool.  Video footage from a PS3 exclusive game that looks like it'd be a lot of fun.
• Boot Camp updated - Finally!  This update has support for the Mac's built-in camera and microphone, plus right-click support(!) - sorely missed from the previous version, let me tell you.
• World's largest Etch-a-Sketch - Kinda neat, but not terribly exciting.
• Europe is a country - Sigh.
• Aliens prefer Firefox - Can't argue with that.
• likebetter - This website gives you pairs of pictures and you click on which you, well, like better.  Then it makes assumptions about who you are.  Kind of neat.
• Video: The Wayward Cloud - I, uh... um... wow.
• Pokemon polka? - And if you weren't convinced yet that some of our friends from the Land of the Rising Sun have totally lost their minds...
• You're on notice! - Another one of these!
• Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Boss Rush mode < 1 minute - Impressive, particularly if you've played the game.
• Plasma Pong - You've NEVER played Pong like this, I promise you that.
• Armadillo Run demo - But this game is ADDICTING.  It takes just a little bit to get used to it, but it's so worth the time.
• Update on new Sam and Max game - New screenshots and info, courtesy of a trip to Telltale Studios.
  

 0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Zillax0rz @ 1:22 PM
 

If there was one TV show that had a profound effect on my life, it would far and away be Mystery Science Theater 3000. Its rapid-fire sarcastic wit made me the smartass I am today and I still watch the show on DVD, eight years after it was cancelled. Luckily, it had a ten season run and there are many episodes I've missed, but even still, there's a deep yearn within myself for new shows.

My prayers to the Flying Spaghetti Monster were answered with the announcement of RiffTrax, downloadable mp3s of Mike Nelson riffing on current movies and classical Hollywood blunders, such as The Fifth Element and Star Trek V. Simply find a copy of the movie, put the RiffTrax onto your MP3 player and play both at the exact same time. It's like you're on the Satellite of Love again!

There's only four RiffTrax available now, but what's even cooler is that one of them features Kevin Murphy, the voice of Tom Servo. They range from $2 to $3 a track, but that's a small price to pay for a diehard MSTie like me. Download them at www.RiffTrax.com  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 12:24 PM
 
Pluto gets the boot

It's a sad day for Pluto-fans. :(

Though, in all honesty, it's probably for the best. I'll take 8 planets over 24.

Brown was pleased by the decision. He had argued that Pluto and similar bodies didn't deserve planet status, saying that would "take the magic out of the solar system."

I tend to agree. What do you think?

And on that note, they just HAD to post this before I got to post links in regards to the story! Oh well, here they are anyway: your outdated links of the day!

• Solar system to get new planets? - It will if this definition of a "planet" is approved, since previously there has been no official definition. The new planets would be the "tenth" planet discovered a few months back (and awaiting naming/definition), Ceres (largest known asteroid) and Charon, aka. Pluto's moon. Read on for why Charon would qualify.
• Astronomers struggle to define new planet - Another article on the same.
• Pluto safe! - There you have it. Pluto will probably remain a planet, and three more will be added. Sweet. (Ed: Yeah, way to follow through with THAT one.)

I also had an awesome webcomic regarding the Pluto situation, but alas, I can't find it. If I do, I'll be sure to link it. Honest!  2 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 12:05 AM
 
www.myspace.com/chronodin

Don't judge me!

I thought it was a good place to put a few of my remixes, and if you're interested, you can download any of my remixes (that I have deemed fit to let you download!) from the link on your left that says, ironically enough, Chronodin's remixes.  Go figure.
 1 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 2:55 PM
 
A bit of a moral (if that's what you can call it) debate has started in regards to this story.  Apparently, some Apple employees downloaded copies of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard from the internet that they weren't supposed to.  They then bragged about it at work, the Apple execs found out about it, interviewed them, the employees admitted to it, and the employees were then terminated.

So why are people so fired up about this?

The opinion of at least one of the employees, plus a number of people on the net, can be summed up in the following excerpt from the article:

"All of us know that we violated our NDA and ethics policy. Therefore, because we had the character to tell the truth and to face the consequences of our actions, we were terminated," said one of the fired employees, who spoke with Think Secret on condition of anonymity. "My only question is, if we all lied and denied it would we still be working at Apple today? Even more so, is that the kind of person that Apple wants working for them?"

Sure, that's one way of looking at it.  So what do these people think should have happened?  They admitted to it, got a slap on the wrist and sent on their way?  I liken this to someone committing, say, murder (only to a lesser degree, obviously, but hey, the analogy works... stick with me here!).  They'll be given a chance to admit it or not, and if they are, they're still punished but to a lesser degree.  Note that these employees downloaded this software illegally: it was intended for developers to whom it was distributed at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, and hence the source of the leak.  My point, and a question I ask, is what could Apple have done?  Is termination their only route, or could they have filed charges and taken these employees to court?

So why would Apple do this?  Is it really that big of a deal?  The employee said it himself (or herself): "...we violated our NDA and ethics policy."  The Non-Disclosure Agreement is something Apple needs to protect and enforce.  If people believed they could get away with just a minor punishment for violating said agreement, then they would... one slippery slope later, and you've got a company full of employees you can't trust.  They have to enforce it to show that it is not something to be taken lightly.  In a sense, these employees were used as examples to other employees, but rightfully so: they knew what they were doing, they knew the risks and, foolishly, they were caught.

Oh well... how about something a little more cheerful?

.:[ Links ]:.

• Neon - Kind of an asteroids clone, but different enough to stand on its own.
• 3D Tetris - This is cool... controls are a little wacky, but it's fun.
• Back to the Future I & II compared - This is the same scene but from the two different viewpoints from the two movies.  Interesting experiment, maybe a bit on the long side though.
• Japan’s underground photography - There's some crazy stuff going on under Japan.
• Differences between Super Mario Bros. 2 and Doki Doki Panic - Yes, as many of you may know, the Super Mario Bros. 2 we got here was not the REAL one.  Read on for screenshots and comparisions.
• Darth Smart*ss - This is how you know the sith are truely evil.
• Vader parody - And this is how you deal with them.
• Travis Pastrana Double Backflip - How do you PRACTICE for something like this??
• Live Punch-Out!!! - Why didn't anyone do this kind of stuff at MY high school?
• Cider makes porting games to Mac easier - If this does what it says it does, it's the kind of thing Mac gamers have been waiting for for a long time.
• Jack Thompson interview on G4 - Discussion about violence in video games, the upcoming game "Bully" in particular, with Jack Thompson doing his normal stuff, Adam Sessler and some guy I'm not familiar with.
• Final Fantasy III DS gameplay - Just like the title suggests.  Game looks fun.
• Paper art - Does this even count as origami?  It's pretty darn neat regardless.
• Gert - Gert is a band made up of several musicians who had (until just recently) never met; they wrote and recorded a handful of songs, all of which can be downloaded from the website (a few with some expletives), without meeting at all.  Pretty neat concept, and the songs aren't too bad, either.
• Tone Deyf - This is a "game" of sorts where there is a good number of video game MP3s ready for you to download and try to identify.  Give it a shot, you have unlimited guesses and aren't timed, but there are a lot of tough ones.
• Objection! - I don't remember if I linked this before or not, but it's a site which shows one of the "objection!" animations from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for Nintendo DS, only you can customize it say whatever you please.
• Official Playstation Magazine editor buying Xbox 360 - Another big ouch for PS3.
• A vision for adventure games on Nintendo Wii - I'll admit it, I'm an adventure gamer at heart.  The genre has been pretty weak the past, say, 10 years or so, though there are enough games coming out just to barely keep it alive, and a little bit more in the past couple years.  But could this be what it takes to really revitalize the genre?  One can only hope.
  

 2 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 10:30 PM
 
Ack!  I'm behind!

.:[ Links ]:.

• Final Fantasy XI sequel in development? - Just like the internet, a piece of information is released...
• Final Fantasy XI sequel officially denied - ...and almost immediately withdrawn.
• Animusic - Acoustic Curves - These animations are really neat, and you can see a bunch of other ones elsewhere on Google Video or YouTube.  This one is one of the best.
• Luckiest Guy Ever - Eek.
• Mario Kart arcade game - Apparently this can be found in certain arcades, though I hear it isn't as good as one might hope.
• Experimental Gameplay Project - This is the kind of stuff the gaming industry needs!
• Robot Chicken Halo+Mario clip - I'd play that game.
• SeaGaia - The best part is that the real beach is like less than a mile away.
• Shawn Hogan, Hero - "You downloaded Meet the Fockers!" "Uh, no I didn't." *holds up DVD*
• AMD confirms ATI acquisition - Kinda old news now, but if you hadn't heard, read on, my friends.
• Nvidia on ATI: "basically throwing in the towel" - ...and what Nvidia thinks about it.
• New TMNT movie - YES!  My prayers have been answered!
  
• TMNT movie facts - All awesome... except the no Shredder part.  Ah well.  Sounds like he might be in the next one, if made.
  
• TMNT movie posters - Can you tell I'm a little excited about this?
• Webpage for new Sam & Max game - Okay, here's something to distract you from the new TMNT movie.
• Okami videos - This game looks really interesting.  I'm looking forward to it.
• Atari chooses gamer-designed concept for Test Drive Unlimited - More influence from fans in the development of games is a step in the right direction, methinks.
• Gunmaster Onslaught - Graphics in this game are a bit simple, but it's a lot of fun.  Try it out.
• What the Windows XP EULA really means - Thing to remember is that a lto of that is in there so they have it just if they need it.  A little bit unnerving regardless, though.
• Halo movie studio loves Nintendo - Go figure.
• Prediction of E3's demise - They called it.
• E3 show not cancelled, but downsized - They clarified it.
• Steven Colbert on 60 Minutes - Entertaining interview.  Also gives you a chance to see Colbert out of character.
• Pop vs Soda by county - See where your county stands.
• Playstation 2 Hi-Def adapter - An adapter to let PS2 games be played in high-definition?  If it works, that would be very cool.
• Millions of caterpillars - Uh... creepy.
• Luna City Arcade - Me want!
• Windows Vista demo goes awry - Deja vu.
• The slowest man on Earth - He must have relatives in my neighborhood.

More coming!  Spread the word!  Tell your friends about NerdCentral!  Send me an e-mail and let me know what you think of the site, how I'm doing, your thoughts on a certain link, anything.  Or comment, or post on the message board.
 0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 10:03 PM
 
Oh, where to begin?

List of Cancelled PS3 games

That seems like a good place. It's true, a number of important games for the Playstation 3 have been cancelled. Adding insult to injury is that several of them are not completely cancelled... rather, they're multi-platform games that are still in development for the other systems, just not PS3. In fact, Splinter Cell: Double Agent is even in development for PS2 along with Xbox, Xbox 360, Gamecube and PC, indicating that PS3 is even being hurt by its predecessor. For what it's worth, I can only think of two big name games in development for PS3: Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII. I really think that MGS4 will be released for 360, either at the same time or shortly thereafter, and considering Square-Enix is releasing (has released?) Final Fantasy XI for the 360, it doesn't seem to be out of the question to make FFXIII a multi-platform game. The biggest hit is probably Oblivion, though, which is still in development for the 360 and PC, but no longer for PS3.

If it was just that news story that Sony had to worry about, things wouldn't be TOO bad. But it seems like the bad news just keeps on coming:

• PS3 to require adaptor to read PS1/2 memory cards
• Developers are Steering Away from PS3

And though it's not directly related to the PS3, it's just one more thing not going well for Sony:

• Sony kills off UMD movies

Ohh, well. I will definitely get a Wii as soon as it comes out, and likely a 360 at SOME point in the future... when, I'm not sure. There aren't really any killer games just yet, though Ninety-Nine Nights looks like a lot of fun when it comes out, and Xbox Live Arcade is looking better and better... I mean, heck, it's getting Castlevania: Symphony of the Night! That scores big points in my book.

.:[ Links ]:.

• Fanged killer kangaroo - Piglet, behind you!!
• Free game: Penumbra - This game is supposed to be really scary. I haven't gotten around to playing it, myself, so download at your own discretion.
• Greatest error message of all time - "Honey, I don't think I'll be getting that raise this year..."
• Wil Wheaton temporary blog: In Exile - Wil Wheaton has an interesting view on things sometimes; his blog is worth checking out.
• Vonage V-Phone - This is a pretty cool idea.
• Wii could be first overall - Good point... "If you're second on everyone's system, you're first overall."
• Ragnarok Battle Offline video - This is apparently a game you can download and play, but it's... weird. I'm not sure how to explain it. I downloaded it but haven't tried to install it. Either way, the game looks like a lot of fun.
• Game: Final Fortress - Here's a good way to kill some time.
• Live Space Invaders - I just can't believe how much time this must have taken. Really neat video, definitely check it out, at least for a minute or so.
• "Nerd Nirvana" - I... that's... those... so... just wow. That's a lot of games.
  
• Zidane headbutt outrage: new video evidence - Nothing is safe from people on the internet with free time.
• OneRedPaperclip guy actually gets house - Wow, he really did it.
• Rubberband ball - Don't these people have, I dunno, jobs or something?
• Google Maps finds UFO - What IS that? Is it some kind of arena or something?
• Black Sun in Denmark - This is a lot cooler once you realize what it is you're seeing.
• Putting things into perspective - I don't know if this makes me feel really tiny or really huge. Amazing, either way.
• Guy tearing up at BeatMania - This game is rediculous, and the people playing it are even MORE rediculous.
• Video Game Culture Clash - Article about the differences between Japanese and American gamers.
• Game: 3-D Logic - This game is fun, but gets tough after not too long.
• Dragonlance Movie - Cool! I read a few of these books, back in the day.
• "Portal" trailer - Did I post this yet? Pretty innovative game idea.
• How to Steal a Bike in NYC - Take notes.
• Team Fortress 2 Teaser - This looks like fun. I remember playing the original TF... back in the day...
• The Wrath of Giga Bowser - Nerds + Smash Bros Melee + debug mode - anything else to do = this.
• ??? - I don't even have a name for it. Warning: If you click on this, you may never get this out of your head.
• Narbacular Drop - Apparently this was the inspiration for Portal (see above)
• Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin video - Someone playing the new Castlevania game for DS... playing badly, I might add, but playing nonetheless.
• Google Quick Reference Guide: Advanced Operators - There will probably be at least a few things here you didn't know you could do with Google.
• Star Fox DS Trailer - I'm looking forward to this game, even i fI can't remember the official title.
  
• Legend(s) of Zelda timeline - You gotta admit... I don't even think Nintendo knows the "official" timeline.
• How to share a wireless connection with Nintendo DS on a Mac - ...would this even be helpful to anyone but me? Not even me so much since I have a wireless connection in my house anyway, but still.

Well, it's not terribly late, but I am getting somewhat tired... I've been doing some substitute teaching at a band camp the past two weeks, and things are going well, but being outside for several hours and getting up early and everything does tend to drain your energy a bit. Plus, I have an interview tomorrow! We'll see how that goes.  0 comments links to this post