"Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom" in the classroom!




"If there's one word I would use to describe Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom, it would be "delightful." From beginning to end, Majin is a game designed from the ground up to make you smile, and in that respect, it is a magnificent success. A charming and compelling experience, if any game this year could be considered heartfelt and genuine, then this would be it."

Jim Sterling (DestrucToid)

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom has just hit stores in Europe, the 26th November 2010. It is the kind of game that you will love at first sight

In a effort to reach a wider audience, Namco Bandai bet in height (8) languages including Portuguese. So, it's available in the native languages of a maximum number of people.

Wow!! Finally Portuguese language!! It's good to have the text and the voices in the native language!




Some screens of Namco Bandai's charming new adventure game, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom. A good Narrative text for sure! And the music! Fantastic!

Let's visit the official website that describes this fantasious game!


Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (screenshot)


With a charming atmospheric look and with what seems like an endearing and heartwarming story as opposed to a bleak and depressing one, Majin has potential to be a terrific game. 

It's a PS3 and Xbox 360 game and is available on Amazon.



Synopsis:

A kingdom has been overtaken by a substance known only as the Darkness, which envelops living beings and turns them into mindless, nigh invincible soldiers of evil. Tepeu, a young thief who can talk to animals, steals his way into this kingdom to protect his own home from decay. 

Once in the kingdom, he discovers an ancient power that has been hidden away by the Darkness, a creature known as the Majin. Together, Tepeu and the Majin must work together in order to destroy evil, rescue the kingdom, and get the girl. 

Oh, don't miss the telling story on the website. Students will love it!



http://bulk2.destructoid.com

The game caught my eye today with a really promising trailer, seeming to hint at a game with all the aesthetic need to gaming in school.

The screens continue this theme, with some really pretty looking backdrops and unique character designs. I think this has potential to be a cult classic, if the gameplay is as good as the visual style. 

For Portuguese students or Portuguese foreign language, don't miss the Portuguese trailer below:





This new game was released very recently. If, like me, you somehow managed to not hear about this game until today, do check it out! . It's hard not to fall in love with this beast, and I'm already drawn into the journey the game's two characters will share.

Just love it! It's so charming!  Majin, a towering beast that forges a strange friendship with a thief, Tepeu. The two characters balance each other surprisingly well, with Tepeu's cunning and speed matched by the Majin's adorable dimwittedness and hulking force.




So well! Here we are again! Games in the school! 

Ok! Do you remember Prince of Persia, no doubt! The narrative seems very similar. So, let's include some activities and enjoy a different course.  

In the classroom, begin to let students, on theirs smartphones, visit the official website "Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom" on the internet, and discover the story, the features and media.


Don't forget to get the mission on the Facebook info.  


Context:

A. Cross curricula: native language, foreign language, design, music
B. Values: cooperation, collaboration, equality, inclusion, loyalty
C. Target school group - secondary school

Some activites: 

Teaching and learning different languages (choose the languages between English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Dutch and of course Portuguese)

1. Languages courses:
1.1. Listening & comparing the translation into Portuguese or another language;
2. The Narrative text (structure);
3. Civic values: cooperation, friendship, equaliy, inclusion;
4. Grammar; vocalulary;
5. Translation exercises;
6. The creation of different characters in the design course;
7. Listen and comprehending the music composition in the music course.


The music of "Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom" was written by "fairy tale world" music specialist Sahashi Toshihiko, who has also composed music for Tokio's Disneyland. 


Share with your students the videos music behind the game here 
Be yourself creative and share some other activities with us!


Good practices!

G-Souto
30.11.10
Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®




References:


Gina Souto, Prince of Persia: an interesting narrative text, June 16, 2010
http://gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com


Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom
http://majin.namcobandaigames.com


Jim Sterling, DestrucToid
http://destructoid.com


Gameover/Sapo
http://gameover.sapo.pt



Labels: , , , , , , ,

Novel Release Alert! VORTEX

NEW RELEASE: Tuesday November 30, 2010:  
Fate of the Jedi: Vortex

 

Pick up your copy of FotJ: Vortex, the newest release in the FotJ series where ever books are sold.  

400 pages of awesome from Troy Denning.  


I'll be downloading my copy to my Kindle tomorrow.  Should have a first impressions post, a spoiler free and a spoiler review posted later in the week.  Check back for my thoughts.  


Description from the dust-jacket:
In a stunning turn of events, Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben, joined forces with members of the Sith armada sent to kill them -- and turned their combined might against the monstrous being Abeloth, whose power was causing young Jedi Knights to go seemingly insane. But with Abeloth gone and the Knights sane again, the Sith reverted to form, making a treacherous attempt on Luke's life.
Luke and Ben have no time for retaliation. A new and even more insidious threat is rising, one that endangers not only the Jedi but the entire Galactic Alliance. Unless the Skywalkers survive to sound the alarm -- and to pass along the secrets they have learned about Abeloth and the Sith -- the galaxy will suffer as it has never suffered before. But the reinforcements they need remain grounded on Coruscant, where the political battle of wills between the Jedi Council and Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala has reached a boiling point.
Now Luke and Ben must go on the run, taking along the inscrutable -- and dangerous -- Sith apprentice Vestara Khai. With a host of Sith warriors in hot pursuit, the Skywalkers soon find themselves trapped on the moon Pydyr, caught between their former allies and a mob of angry Fallanassi. A new truce may be their only hope. But can a Sith ever be trusted?
With the Jedi's most famous father-and-son team outnumbered and outgunned, the countdown to galactic disaster has begun -- and time is running out!
Amazon.com link to Vortex

Labels:

Clone Wars Season 3: Episode Top 10 (S3.1-S3.10)


Ten Episodes into Season 3: Secrets Revealed is a good time to take a look back at the season so far and rank the episodes from worst to best.

#10 Corruption (Episode 5) 
Corrupt government officials allowing smugglers to import toxic tea, makes Mandalorian school kids sick.  Yawn.....This was unfortunately one of the worst episodes of the entire series.  Pacifist Mandalorians are boring enough, but the plot felt contrived and pretty pointless.

#9 The Academy (Episode 6)
A return to pacifist Mandalore.  This Scooby Doo like episode was better then "Corruption," but that is not saying much.  There was some interesting foreshadowing that potentially suggests Duchess Satine Kryze isn't the political idealist she has been portrayed as.  Could she be a wolf in sheep's clothing, a villain to break Obi-Wan's heart?  I doubt it, but it would be a much more interesting direction to take her character.

#8 Supply Lines (Episode 3)
I will say this for Jar Jar Binks, he works better in the cartoon series then he did in the movie.  But for some reason Senator Bail Organa, doesn't feel quite right to me in the series.  I'm not sure why, but his character is just kinda blah.  Jedi Master Di and his last stand on Ryloth was the highlight of this episode.

#7 Sphere of Influence (Episode 4)
Riyo Chuchi, the Pantoran Senator is a interesting and cool looking character, but other then establishing that she and Ahsoka know each other and are friends, I'm not sure what this episode contributes.  Its  disappointing that George Lucas didn't voice Chairman Papanoida, that would have given the episode more buzz.  It wasn't bad, it just felt more like a story from Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, then anything else. 

# 6 Evil Plans (Episode 8)
A dinner party interrupted by Droid torture.  Nobody asks what Anakin is doing at Padme's apartment for a dinner party with other Senators.  Are the citizens of Courscant as naive as the citizens of Metropolis?  Surprisingly this episode actually worked for me, I enjoyed the R2-D2 and C-3PO focus.  But Cad Bane was slightly disappointing.  The coolest part of the episode was the Holo-Hutt Counsel at the end.  Hutts were pretty prominent in the Bantam era expanded universe, I miss those filthy slugs.

#5 Clone Cadets (Episode 1)
The first of the two-part season premier was actually  part 1 of the 3 part story arch, Clone Cadets-Rookies(S1.E5)-ARC Troopers.  It was cool to return to Kamino and get a glimpse at clone training.  It was very dissappointing they didn't use Mandalorian training sergeants.  To me that seems like an easy way to tie the EU into the series, you don't even have to use the particular Mandalorians mentioned in Karen Traviss' novels to make it work. 

#4 Heroes on Both Sides (Episode 10)
The new demolition droids were pretty awesome.  The new character models for Anakin, Ahsoka and Palpatine also look great and make this episode a keeper.  A lot of criticism I have heard is that the terrorist attack by the Separatists wasn't a big enough threat to cause such fear by the Republic Senators, but I think critics are forgetting just how important power is on a planet that is entirely reliant on technology.  Courscant is a planet covered by layer upon layer of cityscape.  From solar mirrors to atmosphere scrubbers, everything from light, heat, oxygen relies on power to keep the planet functioning.  The subplot of Ahsoka-Padme behind enemy lines was interesting, in that it causes Ahsoka to shift her perspective on the war.  The Separatist Senate scene was pretty cool, as we haven't seen much of what goes on behind the Separatist lines among the flesh and blood members of the CIS. 

#3  Assassin (Episode 7)
Ok, so admittedly we know going in that the assassination attempt is going to fail, but Aurra Sing is just really cool and evil looking.  Who cares that they ignore her force using abilities as described in the EU, as long as they don't explicitly contradict it, there are no continuity issues for me.  Ahsoka having force visions and consulting Yoda, is a nice nod to Episode III.  Padme traveling to Alderaan, the future home of her daughter is a nice connection to Episode III and IV.  Just a fun episode overall. 

#2  Hunt for Ziro (Episode 9)
This episode stars the two weirdest creatures to figure prominently in the series.  Ziro and Sy Snootles were strange, but they worked very well.  Mama the Hutt makes Jabba look handsome.  The return of Obi-Wan and the introduction of Quinlan Vos were great.  Cad Bane fighting with a lightsaber.  The betrayal at the end was a little telegraphed as soon as that scene started, but overall this episode was a home run.  Felt like an hour instead of 20 minutes. 

#1  ARC Troopers (Episode 2)
The Clone Wars on a grand scale.  The invasion of Kamino was awesome.  This episode has some of the best visuals of the entire series.  The scene with Ventress entering the DNA chamber looked like something out of one of the Prequel movies, stunning.  Great story, great action.  I would gladly have paid $15 bucks to see this on the big screen. This series needs more episodes like this.   Credit writer Cameron Litvak and Director Kyle Dunlevy for a great episode.

Blu Ray.  If you haven't seen this series on Blu Ray, you have no idea what your missing.  It is the best looking Blu Ray product I have seen.
Labels: , ,

SHOTO LIGHTSABER: Size Matters Not

One of the most recognizable aspects of Star Wars is the lightsaber.  Whether its the image of the laser sword, or the familiar snap-hiss noise of its activation.  The lightsaber is synonymous with Star Wars.  While the original trilogy gave us Luke, Obi-Wan and Vader using what can best be described as standard lightsabers (note that Vader's hilt was over sized) .

The Expanded Universe and the Prequel Trilogy gave us more variety in lightsaber design and technology, from the movies most notably, Darth Maul's Dual-bladed lightsaber, Count Dooku's curved hilt, and Master Yoda's minaturized (arguably Shoto length) saber.

In the Expanded Universe during the Legacy of the Force novel series, we see the reintroduction of a character Lumiya, a Dark Lady of the Sith who first appeared in the Marvel Comics Star Wars #96: Duel with a Dark Lady.  Lumiya uses a unique weapon, a lightwhip.  In battling Lumiya, Luke Skywalker constructed a Shoto lightsaber to use in addition to his regular lightsaber to attempt to counteract the multi pronged attack advantage that the lightwhip gave Lumiya.



With Lumiya's return as Jacen Solo's Sith mentor Luke and his wife Mara Jade Skywalker see the need and dust off the old Shoto to face the threat from Lumiya.  Admittedly this novel series was my first introduction to the Shoto, as I am not an avid comic reader. The term Shoto is Japanese for "short sword" and it generally referred to a sword that was between one to two feet in blade length.  I thought it was pretty cool that the in universe term for the short lightsaber was taken directly from the sword fighting tradition in Japan.



In terms of Star Wars fans the Shoto is about to explode in popularity.  The reason is that in addition to the new character model for Ahsoka Tano (voiced by Ashley Eckstein), she also got a new weapon.  A shorter green Shoto lightsaber to use in conjunction with her regular lightsaber.  There are two benefits to the Shoto, not only does it provide an offensive advantage, a second means of attack.  But it also can be used like a shield to deflect an opponents attack, while pressing the offensive with your other lightsaber.

There is a very logical reason for (as I believe is rumored) Anakin to build this Shoto for his Padawan.  There are three main lightsaber wielding enemies we have currently seen in the Clone Wars Series.  Dooku, Asajj Ventress, and General Grievous, of these Ventress uses two lightsabers, and Grievous varies from one to four lightsabers.  We also are soon to see the appearance of Darth Maul's brother Savage Opress using either his brother's dual bladed lightsaber or a lightsaber of the same design. 

Anakin clearly wants to increase his Padawan's chance of survival, so giving her a Shoto and teaching her a new fighting style gives her a better chance to survive and potentially win encounters with Ventress, Grievous and Opress. 

From the perspective of a fan of the Clone Wars series, the addition of a second lightsaber, hopefully portends an increase in lightsaber fighting, and the inclusion of multiple lightsabers and different lightsaber combat styles/forms could make for some awesome visuals.

The addition of the Shoto, is also a way to further show the character growth of Ahsoka Tano as she ages and gains more experience as a Jedi and a deeper understanding of the Force.  It makes her character more nuanced and just plain cooler.  I can't wait till we see Ahsoka and her Shoto in action in the series....


Labels: , , ,

A day in the day of the days






Noiserv is a project that appeared in 2005 when David Santos decided to join all the material that he had achieved for a long time and turned it into something real and serious. 

After that David had played in Portugal's most important alternative scene venues and quickly had become well-known in Portuguese media and audience.

Finally on October 13, 2008, the singer-songwriter had self-release is debut full-length record called "One Hundred Miles from Thoughtlessness", which was considered as one of the best 2008 Portuguese records. 

On November the record starts to be distributed in Tokyo (Japan) with Preco records, in Manchester (UK) with Piccadilly records and also in several stores around europe. 

On April 2009 was released the first noiserv single 7” in Autumn Ferment Records, U.K., with one song of "One Hundred Miles from Thoughtlessness" - "Bullets on Parade".

In July Noiserv released the last EP called "A day in the day of the days"... a soundtrack for a day in our life... 




Well, in a sunday day in the day of days... I pick "Mr. Carousel" for a sunny break, returning from cold Brussels, after "Media & Learning Conference".


G-Souto
28.11.10
Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Labels: , , , ,

Preview Review: Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber: Chapter 4 *SPOILERS*


Warning: The following contains spoilers for the forthcoming novel, Red Harvest.


In what hearkens back to old serial novels, Starwars.com continues to release Joe Schreiber's novel Red Harvest chapter by chapter.  This is a very curious move.  If the novel is complete enough to release this much of it so far, why not push up the publishing date to before Christmas and attempt to get a bump in sales?

Is it part of some test balloon of viral marketing?  Get a cult following for a novel before its released and see how it effects sales?  I'm not really sure what Del Ray/Lucasbooks is thinking with their approach to this novel, but what I do know is that so far so good.  This book looks awesome.

So far we have gotten a close up view of Sith Training, Sith Alchemy, and Sith Bullying.  But the latest chapter is like something out of Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lecter novels.


Chapter Dramatis Personae:

Pergus Frode, Sith Academy Mechanic
Darth Scabrous, Sith Lord, Head of Academy
HK, HK Droid (Model # unknown)
Skarl, Nelvaanian Male, Bounty Hunter/Tracker/Dinner
Dranok, Male Human,Bounty Hunter

Knights of the Old Republic fans will be excited over the inclusion of the HK Droid.  Statement: Stupid Sith Meatsacks. 
Chapter Excerpt #1:
“Statement: It’s through here, sir,” the HK said, gesturing up at the
tower. “Right this way.”
Dranok paused in his tracks and looked up. He’d seen some weird
architecture in his time, but the Sith Lord’s tower was unsettling in a
different way. It was imposing, yes, and much taller than it had looked
from the air, but there was another quality to it, an indefinable sense of
wrongness, as if it had been built at some unnatural angle so that it
seemed to curl down on top of him like an immense black claw. He’d
once overheard talk in some spaceport about the Sith, how they’d
learned to manipulate spatial geometry itself, creating buildings that
were, in themselves, detached from physical reality. The guy telling the
story had claimed you could get lost inside a Sith labyrinth and never
escape. Dranok had dismissed it as a lot of drunken superstition, but
looking at the tower now, he wasn’t sure. He didn’t like standing in
front of it, and liked even less the idea of going inside.
Not only does Schreiber make the Sith creepy, he makes their architecture creepy.

We also get a nice description of Lord Scabrous:  Chapter Excerpt #2
The bounty hunter froze at the sound of his own name, the voice
turning his breath to dry ice in his lungs. Up ahead, standing between
him and the exit, a tall, dark- cloaked figure gazed back at him from the
other side of a long stone table. Dranok realized that he was looking into
the face of a man with long, refined features, the aquiline nose, raked
brow, and prominent cheekbones stretched out until they were almost
a caricature of arrogance. Thick gray hair, a strange silvery blue color,
swept back away from his forehead. The figure extended one longfingered
hand, gesturing him forward, and at the same moment Dranok
saw the man’s eyes flicker and pulse as if reflecting the burst of
some far- off explosion.
We also found out that the particular black orchid that Lord Scabrous is after has a name, its Murakami Orchid.

We also get some confirmation that Lord Scabrous has probably been training Rance Lussk, because he uses the same Dark Side technique that Lussk used on his fellow student Wim Nickter.

Chapter Excerpt #3:
He stared at what lay underneath, sudden horror piling up inside
his throat like a clogged siphon. It took less than a second to realize
that the shaggy thing in front of him was the severed, stewed head of
his partner, Skarl. The Nelvaanian’s mouth had been pried open wide
enough to accommodate the ripe red jaquira fruit that had been thrust
between its jaws. Dead, boiled eyes gaped up at him with what almost
looked like accusation....

“Every traitor makes a meal of his allies.” Scabrous held up a knife
and fork in front of the bounty hunter’s face. “This is your last meal,
Dranok, and you must eat it, every morsel. That is the offer I present
to you. If you can do that, I will allow you to walk out of here alive.”
Dranok recoiled, struggling harder to pull himself free. But the only
part of his body that he could move was his right hand, the one that
Scabrous was allowing him to lift in the direction of the dining uten-
Star Wars: Red Harvest 29
sils. Jaw clenched, he grasped the knife from the Sith Lord’s hand—
and then thrust it forward, as hard as he could.
 The chapter preview also ends on  a cliffhanger and what appears to be the first appearance of our zombie friends....

Read Chapter Previews 1-4 below and get hooked on some Sith Zombies...

Download Red Harvest Chapter 1: Here
Dowload Red Harvest Chapter 2: Here
Download Red Harvest Chapter 3: Here
Download Red Harvest Chapter 4: Here

Pre-Order Red Harvest from Amazon.com: Here

Follow Joe Schreiber: Twitter @joeschreiber1 and his blog, http://www.scaryparent.blogspot.com/
Labels: ,

Red Harvest Chapter 4: Released on Starwars.com

Star Wars.com continues the serialized release of Joe Schreiber's forthcoming novel Red Harvest.

Chapter 4 is now online in PDF form.

StarWars.com article

Direct PDF download link

Look for a Preview Review of Chapter 4 later this weekend...
Labels: ,

Podcast Profile: We Talk Clones


We Talk Clones, is a podcast produced by Solosound.net, the podcast has been going since season 1 of the Clone Wars and has over 50 episodes at this point.  I came across the podcast this past summer and has been in my podcast rotation ever since.

As with all of the Solosound podcasts, the production quality of this podcast is extremely high.

Hosted by Stephen, Tom and William, the WTC provides a very nice recap and analysis of each Clone Wars episodes, you may have missed something in the episode and not even realize it until you listen to these guys dissect it.

They have just posted Episode 52: Heroes on Both Sides.

To listen go here: http://www.solosound.net/category/wetalkclones/

Follow them on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/WeTalkClones

There email is: WTC@solosound.net

For other high quality Star Wars Podcasts, also visit: http://www.solosound.net/
Labels:

LA Clone Wars Special Savage Opress Screening Date Changed to December 6th.

I Just received the following e-mail regarding the LA Clone Wars Screening that was scheduled for Tuesday December 7th.  Not sure if other cities are being changed as well.

A gofobo studio representative has sent you a message regarding the following screening:

Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Monday December 6, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Hollywood, CA

Message:
Dear Attendee:

We apologize for the inconvenience but – due to the overwhelming response from fans – the date and location of the STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS debut episode screening in Los Angeles has been changed to accommodate more people.  The new time/date and location are now:

Monday, December 6th
7:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre                                          
6712 Hollywood Blvd.                                          
Hollywood, CA 90028

We ask you to please reprint your passes with the new information by logging into http://www.gofobo.com and selecting MY FOBO at the top of the page. Once on MY FOBO see the right side of the page and locate the STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS screening and select "Reprint Passes." A new PDF of your passes will generate on your desktop and you can print out these passes to replace the passes with the old location. Please recycle the old passes if possible.

Please note that these episodes include some intense scenes.

If you cannot attend the screening please go to MY FOBO as directed above and select "Cancel RSVP" to allow your passes to be claimed by other members wishing to attend the screening.

If you have any questions, please contact our support staff at (866) 372-0272, or e-mail at support@gofobo.com . Our skilled support staff is available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday CST to answer questions and to guide you through any technical issues.

Thank you and again we apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,

The gofobo team
 Time to reprint your passes LA Star Wars fans.
Labels: ,

Update: Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion ( To Be Released 3/20/12)

Pablo Hidalgo, Lucasfilm's on-line content developer for Starwars.com, gave a recent interview to http://korpil.net/ .  Its a wide ranging interview, but for Star Wars novel fans, we got a great update on the new Essential Guide that is going to be covering the written material in the EU, primarily novels.

It is called: "Star Wars: The Essential Reader's Companion."


16. The announcement of the Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion sounds like a great addition for those who don’t know how to delve into the Star Wars Expanded Universe. What can you tell us about this book?

It’s still coming together. In a nutshell, it’s basically Star Wars: The Comics Companion but for prose fiction. A high-level summary of all the novels, short stories and young reader novels in a chronological reading order, with what I hope are interesting footnotes that track the evolution of the expanded universe. A big bonus is that there will be all new art to depict characters and events that have yet to be depicted.

17. The addition of new illustrations for previously non pictured characters is simply great, do you have a list of the artist who will be collaborating with this project?

Not yet. I would expect a lot of the artists who have contributed to Essential Guides in the past to be onboard, joined by new ones as well.

-Full Interview by Korpil.net

Previously we had received this blurb from Sue Rostoni's SW.com blog:


March 20, 2012 - Star Wars: The Essential Reader's Companion by Pablo Hidalgo. Trade paperback. A super guide to the novels, short stories, e-books, etc. With new illustrations of characters you've only read about. This will be organized chronologically according to in-universe dates and written out-of-universe so that it won't be like the Essential Chronology but more like a non-fiction guide to fiction, with side-bars calling out related comics and events.
http://blogs.starwars.com/eeusuestornii/15
Labels:

Podcast Profile: Star Wars Book Report


 In what will be an on going series, I am going to highlight some of my favorite, Podcasts, blogs and websites concerning Star Wars.

Sci-Fi/Star Wars Book Report is a website and Podcast Run by Jesse and co-hosted Wayne. Jesse is a one of the more insightful Star Wars novel reviewers that I have come across.  His podcasts are a little irreverant at times, but entertaining and he has scored some very good interviews.

He has just released his 13th podcast episode and is going onto my MP3 player as we speak.

So head on over and download the podcast at http://starwarsbookreport.com/

For quick download links, the RSS feed for the podcasts:  http://starwarsbookreport.com/?feed=podcast

If you like what you here contact Jesse at  jesse@starwarsbookreport.com and send him your comments and suggests.

Keep up the good work Jesse.
Labels:

"Do it over, do it right... do it again and again... sometimes you just have to dance naked in the rain..."

A lot of people think that if they could mix and match characteristics and traits from all of their previous relationships, just cherry pick their favorite things about each person that they’ve been with, that they could create the ideal mate. She would have this one’s sense of humor, and that one’s body, and this one’s face, and that one’s career, and this one’s fashion sense, and that one’s parents, and this one’s apartment, and that one’s political views, and on and on until I had the girl of my dreams. But there are two problems with this plan, in addition to the fact that the technology just isn’t there (yet) to make it realistic. First of all, it overlooks the excitement and unpredictability of meeting someone wholly new and learning about them. And second of all, what if it turns out that there’s something you’d really be into that you didn’t even know was an option? Like maybe it turns out you’re really into middle-aged women who spin around in circles with a video camera and recite horrible, awful poetry about dancing naked in the rain?

Prepare to fall in love.

Labels:

People Still Dig Christmas, Right?

I mean, I know the "sanctity" of it has been diluted, neglected, and washboarded into a marketing nightmare, but still... people make the most of it, yes?



I have never been religious enough to consider it Jesus' birthday, and if I was I would no doubt still realize his birthday was in August.  I do not have childen to keep the illusion alive for.  My family probably finds me the exhausting one; no keeping up appearances for their sake.  It is just for me.  I love it and force those around me to as well, lest they kill me in my sleep.
I just enjoy being able to have a reason to be blissfully indulgent.  Indulgent in food, drink, appreciation, gifts (giving and receiving), friendships, generosity, etc.
It is like spring break but with snow.
And it is a great way to end a year and start another... with new stuff and a reason to go to the gym again.

Anyway, I already have the decorations up, the baking planned, the movies cued, and the parties marked on the calender.  If you need a bit of the cheesy Christmas spirit, you know where to find me.


P.S.  Watch Modern Family if you are not already.
Labels:

Under Siege -1st Portuguese game for PSN3






Under Siege/screenshot

Se tudo correr como previsto, Under Siege estará disponível na PSN em Dezembro. O preço será de 14,99 euros.

Este RTS é da responsabilidade da produtora portuguesa Seed Studios.

Salienta-se a compatibilidade com o Move, a inclusão de um editor e a integração com o YouTube e as redes sociais.


Under Siege is the first Portuguese game for PlayStation 3-exclusive real-time strategy (RTS) game. Under Siege is from the Portuguese Seed Studios.  It's possible that Under Siege would be available on PSN in December for 14,99 Euros.


Expected the compatibility with the Move, the inclusion of an editor and the integration on Youtube and social networks.


The screenshots of the game look quite gorgeous already which is always a good sign don't you think?
Oh! The in-game Editor enables players to create their own maps and share them with the world.


Kari

Kari is her name! She's strong and determined. She's the daughter of the leader of a small village on the edge of the Citadel's territory. Read more

Are you curious about the story? Well, you can read it here.

And for now, view the intro of Under Siege below





“Under Siege features an original world, unique gameplay elements and a control scheme designed with a console controller in mind,”- “We are also working on implementing a large number of multiplayer and community features with special emphasis on user generated content.”


Mr. Ribeiro (Seed Studios)

Oh! Don't miss the "Under Siege" on Facebook or Twitter




G-Souto
22.11.10
Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

References:

Game over/Sapo

Under Siege official website


Labels: , , , ,

Preview Review: Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber: Chapter 3 *SPOILERS*


Warning: The following contains spoilers for the forthcoming novel, Red Harvest.


In what hearkens back to old serial novels, Starwars.com continues to release Joe Schreiber's novel Red Harvest chapter by chapter.  We now have 3 chapters out but given its December 28th release date, I would not be surprised if they go up to Chapter 5, to try to slowly build an audience for the novel.

After the 3 short chapters we have received, I am invested in the characters and I am anticipating the novel much more then I was when we first learned about this prequel to Death Troopers. I actually enjoy Schreiber's shorter chapters, I think it makes books easier and quicker to read, especially if your busy and not reading it in long sittings, it makes for more convenient stopping points.

Chapter 3 is subtitled, Deep-Down Trauma Hounds.  In this chapter we see our unfortunate Sith whipping boy Wim Nickter, and well he is worse off then when we last saw him.

Nickter has become an unwilling lab rat for the twisted Sith Lord Scabrous (Scabs to his friends).  What exactly is Scabs doing to poor Wim, well that's not entirely clear.  Nickter has at least 6 tubes running from a pump into his spinal column.  The pump is filled with a yellowish/red liquid.  We also have some creepy black lotus flowers and a Sith Holocron for good measure.

Schreiber does a particularly good job in this chapter setting a creepy and evil tone.  Scabs is one of the creeper Sith Lords we have been introduced to, and this is only a glimpse of what we will see in the full book I am sure.

What is the fate of Nickter?  Does he day, another in what appears to be line of failed Sith evil botany experiments?  Or does he become the blood slobbering Sith Zombie that appears on the cover of the novel?

I was only so so on Mr. Schreiber's Death Troopers novel, it was a good read, but didn't feel enough like Star Wars for me.  So far in the first three chapters of Red Harvest, I think Mr. Schreiber has nailed the tone and feel of Star Wars.  This book looks like a keeper to me, I'm sure it will make a killing.....muahhaaahaaa

Download Red Harvest Chapter 1: Here
Dowload Red Harvest Chapter 2: Here
Download Red Harvest Chapter 3: Here

Pre-Order Red Harvest from Amazon.com: Here

Follow Joe Schreiber: Twitter @joeschreiber1 and his blog, http://www.scaryparent.blogspot.com/
Labels: ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)