Just a quick photo - purposely done with a single light source to increase the feeling of doom and gloom (work lamp not pictured). I've got a paper today at 2pm.
It's not to say I don't know the material, I just don't feel I know it well enough.
Shows I'm Following Now
A few weeks into the new season of TV shows (both American and Japanese), and here we are again. As for American TV shows, I'm following the usual: How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Heroes, House and Boston Legal. I've decided to hold off on The Amazing Race for a while, since I'm already following so goddamn many shows.
Japanese anime series are more diverse every season, so I'm inclined to write more about the ones I'm following:
CHAOS; HEAD - A show with a Higurashi-like theme at first, but once the story picks up it's really about something else. I watched the first few episodes, and decided to play the visual novel. Now that I've finished it, I'm convinced the TV series, if done correctly, will still be awesome to watch (even though I know what's going to happen.)
Ga-Rei Zero - A show about demon slaying or something like that - by the name, I assume it's a prequel to the manga, although the timeline seems a little messed up in the first 2 episodes (compared to the manga) - making me wonder if those first 2 episodes are canon. Of course: plenty of blood to go around too.
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 2 - I watched season 1 - so I'm obligated to at least follow season 2. :P
To Aru Majutsu no Index - A show about magic and ESPers and fighting based on a light novel series of the same name. It's interesting, although I'm not too sure what about it makes me find it interesting - I guess watching a worthless guy with the power to negate everyone else's power it kinda amusing.
Toradora - I guess I'd call this romantic comedy. Two people want to go after each others' friends, form a pact to help each other, and at the end of the day, probably (I don't know yet), fall for each other instead. What makes the show funny? Crazy antics of all the characters involved!
Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka - Eroge adaptation into an anime. Main heroine has gravity defying hair (coupled with strange hair colour) - is rich, and decides to get out of her engagement to her fiancé, who is the male protagonist, by staying with him and writing up a report on why he is worthless. Hilarity ensues.
So yes, I'm following 11 shows this season.
Quick Review: Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
Unless you've been living under some rock, you'd know Red Alert 3 was released recently. If you know me, you'll also know that I'm a fan of the EA LA age of Command and Conquer games - but let's face it, after the abominations that were C&C2 and RA2, any improvement I would've seen as a godsend.
Red Alert 3 turns up the craziness a few notches - loads of units are amphibious - and naval warfare is BAAAAACK. If there's anything that I notice - it's that the scissors-paper-stone philosophy that's been creeping around RTSes is a lot more pronounced in RA3. I haven't felt the need to keep such a varied unit base in a C&C game before, of course that could be my skills improving a little bit - but there's no denying there's a greater focus on micro, with nearly every unit having some skill that get be triggered by the 'F' key - which using correctly will get you out of a lot of sticky situations.
The campaign is rather short - 9 missions each side, no intertwining storyline, no canonical ending (apparently) since all the sides seem to just kill everyone else at the end of the game, which is reminescent of the Generals story, where nothing seems related. That being said, they did hide a few pleasant surprises in the story - and if you look around and pick pieces up here and there, you can build a timeline of the missions - since some things don't conflict with each other - but it doesn't help that there is no canonical ending, since they all end similarly: death to all the enemies. (If history is any indication, the Allies ending is usually the one considered canonical. Heh.) I would've liked a intertwining campaign, but hey, the missions are fun, and you get to play with the 3 commando units of the 3 factions at some point. (Not to mention a certain Empire of the Rising Sun campaign-only epic unit.)
They've also introduced the concept of disables/suppression where certain units can immobilize or disable other units (and sometimes make them more vulnerable to damage) - which stops you from relying too much on small numbers of powerful units, or at the very least, make you pay attention to the battlefield.
Me being me, you know which side I favour. :D Empire of the Rising Sun FTW!
The Empire is the only side that doesn't have an airfield. :D And this is why:
And at the press of the 'F' key later:
(The screenshots have been downscaled from 1680 by 1050 to 1280 by 800 to save space - no reason to put super large screens to make a stupid point, and yes, I did lower the shadow quality - although it was unnecessary, I was too lazy to change it back.)
I don't think any C&C fan should pass up on this instalment, the skirmish mode is fun (with the 3 varying AI per side to keep you interested for slightly longer than usual with their varied strategies - you still kick their asses though). The fact that there are three locations units can be in (air, land and sea) although makes you plan a little more with what units to bring around and which units to keep - which makes both attacking and defending and interesting endeavour.
Short Announcement About Posting Regularity
There's a good chance of me not posting anything (not even photos or short rants) the last two weeks of November since I have exams (which I really need to do well in this time) and I have to move out as well. I already have the whole of next week planned out - and I intend to end with a nice long post - which will be about something random - so prepare to be partially surprised. UPDATE: That long post? Cancelled due to studying for exam.
Photo: Dead Bulb
Several days ago, the bulb in my room died. One that had faithfully served me the past few years. That night, I noticed that it began to flicker erratically. As I was telling chewxy that, my room was suddenly engulfed in darkness - the only light source being my computer monitor.
And so, in the middle of the night, I went outside to salvage a light bulb from the living room so that I could continue my studies in peace. That bulb is also a Philips, but it's only a 14W CFL. Now, I've replaced it in its rightful place in the living room. In my room now is a PHILIPS Tornado 24W CFL - and it's nice and bright. :D (The photo is using illumination from this new bulb, of course.)