Pondering

I've been meaning to write something sooner then this, but I've just not gotten around to it as quickly as I think I would have liked. Maybe I am lacking a little bit of motivation these days and I do tend to have more on my mind then I would ever care to have. But overall I suppose I just don't want to sound like a broken record out here, just spinning the same old song and dance every other post.

I am/was considering on writing about Dynasty Warriors 7 here, which I picked up over WWE All Stars, but I've opted to keep that one separate from whatever I end up writing about here. I guess the idea is that will help me keep things around here a little neater, a little cleaner? I've noticed I tend to get messy whenever I write about multiple topics...

Anyway, I just felt like dropping in here and getting a word or two out there. Maybe having done this will help me break out of my little writing drought, then again maybe not. But then, I think I will be back a little later today with some thinkings about Dynasty Warriors 7 after all.

From there, who knows?

The Plan

I've been dragging around lately and I think I am mentally burning out on a lot of things. I am getting a bit more irritable and I am putting up with less and less of people's bullshit. I am a little afraid that I might snap at someone and manage to get myself fired. As much as I would love to put a number of people in their place, I need the job more then that. Above all though, what I feel like I need is to step away for as long as I can and that time could be coming up very, very soon.

Well, if everything goes according to my plan, I should be getting the last week of March off from work. I am liking that week because Dynasty Warriors 7 and WWE All Stars is released on my last day of work for this month (March 29th) and at the end of my little break would be Wrestlemania 26. Dynasty Warriors 7 is all but an absolute buy for me, while WWE All Stars is a slim maybe/probably not type of deal. As for Wrestlemania, I am not sure about my watching that event at the moment. Whether or not I actually watch the event on April 3rd depends upon how willing I am to shell out nearly $60 to get it streaming online. But in the event I should, it is at least nice to know that I will have that day off from work.

So this whole thing does sound favorable for me and I am looking forward to having the time off, but the question remains if I will even get the days that I've requested. Ever since my department got a new boss, things have been tossed all over the place and this guy has been trying to change up everything he can get his hands on. But I won't get into that at all, at least not here and not right now...

Well if this plan does come to fruition, then expect to be hearing more from me here as I will probably be bored out of my mind during that week. Still, it'll be nice to not have to go to work and still get paid regardless. Wouldn't life just be awesome if this work stuff worked that way*?

*Yes I am dreaming...

The Right To Forearm

Today was just one of those days.

You know, that kind of day.

Everyone has their bad days at work, mine has returned to being just a headache from the moment I step foot onto the property and lasts until the very minute I leave. I hate feeling this way and I hate it even more that I am working in a place that really, seriously drives me insane. I know things are getting worse when I can only be a few hours into my shift and I feel like I was hit by a car.

I don't like that feeling, but I don't know how to deal with it in a way where it'll go away without me having to attack someone to do so. More about that and how it's related to the title of this writing a little further down the line if you please.

I also don't like having to work under a "boss" that does not pull his/her own weight. I don't like how people like these think they simply command the world to work the way they want, but refuse to get down and dirty in the process. And I understand that the purpose of a boss is to make sure the operation is running smoothly, but when things are falling behind and apart I think he/she should step in, find the problem and work towards solving said issue.

But that isn't how things work, at least not in the real world as I understand it.

Instead problems arise and are just shoveled onto whomever is nearby at that moment without so much as a second thought to it. No help in any manner either, just given the problem and shoved out the door to go deal with it. Is this really how the world works?

While I would like to rant on further, I realize that this is just beating a dead horse at this point. If things are as bad as it makes me feel, I understand that I have the obligation to G.T.F.O. Otherwise the problem is solely mine and mine alone.

But I will leave this half-ass rant with a thought: Is there any profession out there where there is real team work? Where everyone truly works together for the greater good/common good and not just to advance one's self alone? Or am I just dreaming of Neverland?

Last thought, this is about the title and me having the desire to attack a person on sight. Yes, it is work related and the title came about when I told my girlfriend that I was moments away from attacking. She said no. I told her, in my moment of thoughtlessness, that it was my constitutional right to forearm. She, of course, informed me that the constitution did not have anything that states a person has a right to forearm anyone, not even a lazy manager, in the head or any other part of their body.

If I ever became President, I think my first act would be to write this into law....

Note: That whole last portion was intended as a joke, though really, aren't there laws in place for all manner of stupid as it is? Who's to say this law would be on par with those? I think the world might be a better place if we could settle our differences in a battle of forearm shots to one another...

I think I need to take a couple of days off, maybe even a week would probably do wonders for me at this point. I think I will, I think I will...

Mobile ET - Volume 2

Another random thought as I sit at work on this beautiful day: Why am I sitting at work on such a beautiful day? I do know why, but its nice to think I didn't.

Human Revolution On The Horizon

Beyond the upcoming Dynasty Warriors 7, the next game that I believe I will be getting would be Deus Ex: Human Revolution. For some reason, however, seeing the videos for this game brings my mind back to the terrifying Alpha Protocol. There seems to be aspects that do remind me of that game, but my worries to ease a little since this game is coming from Square Enix. That isn't to say that I am 100% back behind that company, but I am willing to give them a chance on this one.

The obvious thing though, is not to be fooled into thinking that the game will look as it does in the picture above. The above is from one of the numerous trailers for the game. Granted, from what little I've seen of the game play screen shots, it doesn't look all that bad either.

What is worrying me about this game is that it looks very cinematic, much in the way that Final Fantasy XIII was. As much as I like to watch the beautiful cut scenes, I don't want to have a game that gives 2-5 minutes of play and 10 minutes of movies. Now I have seen that there are videos showing gameplay, so that is something I will be digging through over the next few days I think.

Anyway, the last thing I will leave in this post about this game is the director's cut of the trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I am also glad that there is finally a release date out for this game, which I believe is August 23rd, 2011.

More about this game in the near future for certain.

Dragon Age II

With everything going on in the real world these days, my mind has sort of been adrift when it comes back to video games. But nevertheless I have been putting in some time with Dragon Age II and I have to say that some of the changes made does help the game in my opinion. Combat is much faster paced and the graphics do look a lot better then they did in the original game. But more on that below...

Starting from the top, the changes to the way combat plays out does leave it open to faster, crazier battles. In a lot of ways, the fighting does indeed remind me of Dynasty Warriors, meaning fights can break down into button mashing, hacking and slashing. My choice of character was a mage this time around and the battles at the beginning were pretty boring. I mean you don't really have a lot of choices in spells obviously, so you cast your only spell or two and then spam normal attacks until they recharge. 

On the other hand, once you level up to about level 8-9, you do get a much better arsenal of spells and combat begins to get fun from there. If fights are as they were in the beginning of the game (during the trumped up tale about the Champion), then I am looking forward to those high powered days.

Graphics have been cleaned up and the game does look better for it, much better then it did in Origins. Is it perfect? Of course not. But it is enough for a game like this and it does convey the dark and dreary settings that is Kirkwall.

The conversation wheel changes aren't that big of a deal to me, though I see they have made it more like how conversations go in Mass Effect. I do kind of miss the old style from Origins, if only because it takes away from the surprise of picking an answer and actually making situations worse. Maybe things have gotten a little too predictable I guess? Still, knowing the general effect of your choices does allow a player to freedom to mold their character's personality the way that they want. 

The only aspect I still don't really like is the lack of choice in races, though I suppose that can't be helped. But considering the removal of the other races as choices, I would have expected there would be much more life in the city of Kirkwall. Instead the place feels rather empty and dead, which seems to be a problem with RPGs these days.

Overall, I do find this game fun and it is interesting to see some familiar faces popping up when they are least expected. I had a fear that maybe this was going to be a short game, but about 8 hours in and I am still within the first game year of the story. So I hope that means there is just that much more ahead.

Scattered

I have been a little scatter brain this month, just way too much going on and I don't even know where to begin or if I will even address it at all. I guess it would be best to address the top pressing issue in my mind and that's about what happened over in Japan. I suppose what has happened over there served as a heck of a reminder that life should be enjoyed every single day because it can be taken away in a heartbeat. It is very sad to see and hear the news get more and more grim with each passing day.

On the flip side of this, you know what makes me sick? Seeing how people have already cashed in and made t-shirts which have the saying "Tsunami Survivor 2011." Are you serious? Are you fucking serious? Oh wait, that's right... those of us in Hawaii were in such a tragic event of our own huh? We had such huge waves... we are so lucky to be alive right? You know what though, these places I see selling these shirts, I will not support these businesses in any way. This is just stupid and sick...

Heartbreaking

A picture of the devastation that I think I've seen a dozen times over by now. Even still, it is a heartbreaking sight to behold.

 It is just absolutely heartbreaking, hearing the news about what is being called the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan. It is crazy how they've been hit with quite a few aftershocks as well, some of those were nothing to scoff at either. But what is even sadder yet was to hear about how these folks had next to no chance to even evacuate before the tsunami hit. I cannot even imagine how life must be like to those who've survived this series of disasters.

We spent quite a number of hours following what was happening not just over in Japan, but also here at home as well. I tried to keep up, but I finally backed away about 8:00 this morning because I just don't want to see or read anymore. Watching the reports about how officials over there are finding hundreds of bodies in the flood waters was just too much for me.

My heart goes out to all those who've been affected by these disasters. I hope they will find the strength to pick up the pieces and move on with their lives in time.

Growing Old

Of all the obstacles that life has thrown my way, the thing that has been the most difficult to accept has just been growing older. I mean there is the adapting to having more responsibilities and having to work all the time, but the age stuff has probably been the hardest thing to accept thus far. I mean I am starting to feel more aches and much more physical pain then I ever use to feel. I guess I forget a lot of times that I am actually only a couple of years away from hitting my 30's.

That is just plain scary for me.

I don't know why, but just the thought of being old does not compute in my brain right now. I can even imagine myself as an old guy, just shuffling along as everyone else around me zooms by. And seriously, everyone else grows old, sure. That part is an obvious fact of life. But me? Growing old? No... that doesn't happen.

I suppose it is getting to that point in time where I have to really consider on living and working a lot smarter or else I will be pained quite often and that isn't appealing to me in the least.

Mobile ET - Volume 1

Just thinking, who blogs with just 160 letters? What the hell is this really? Twitter? Or maybe it is just my phone? Stupid smart phone! Give me more space! ! !

A Link To The Past

Continuing on with the looking back into the past idea, I don't know what brought up the memory of Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past. But just thinking back to that game does bring back a lot of memories as a kid and the feeling of being on an adventure like no other. I think in some ways, it was because of this game that made sure I played RPG games in the years that came.

I will never, ever forget storming into Hyrule Castle (the second time, after collecting all three pendents), fighting off the guards and running into the main chamber just in time to see Princess Zelda being zapped to the Dark World by that bastard Agahnim. What I especially will never forget is the music playing as you storm the castle...

Listening to this again does, indeed, bring back the memories of playing this game all those years ago. Strange how I've recently come across my DS and what was lodged inside the cartridge slot? The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past!

I remember always wanting to buy this guide in the picture. It never happened and that broke my heart as a kid gamer.

I don't recall how far along I got in that game, but just having it and running across the music and seeing this picture above makes me want fire that game up all over again. Maybe I will start a new game, just to see Link being awakened by Princess Zelda and watching as he braves a stormy night to come across his wounded uncle and seeing the torch passed to this new generation of protector. Little does Link know that by rescuing the Princess from the depths of Hyrule Castle, it would be the beginning of one goddamn awesome adventure.

Now if only Nintendo would release The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, I think my trip back to my childhood would actually be complete...

EDIT: I just looked up Link's Awakening on Wikipedia and to my surprise, Nintendo will be re-releasing Link's Awakening on the 3DS Virtual Console in the future. Am I convinced to pick up this pricey new hand held? Now if I see some kind of announcement that says Final Fantasy VI will be re-released on the 3DS, now that might very well tip that scale...