A Tech Specialist Walks Into An Insane Asylum

So, my role-playing group started a new campaign semi-recently and I, for the first time in my life, am playing an Anomid Tech Specialist. This is exciting. As per usual with our group, I wanted a picture to represent my character so, naturally, I went to Google. Unfortunately, Anomid Tech Specialists don't seem to be a favorite among artists (or even acknowledged at all), and so, I went to my second choice. SWAG. The Star Wars Artist Guild, that is. Thus, I tried something new and requested a picture to be drawn for me. Within two hours, the request was finished and I was elated. The picture was great and I had a picture for my character, specifically for my character.

The link to the picture is this: http://www.swagonline.net/node/5848

Death Troopers: Masterpiece... or Fluke?

Death Troopers is a story which centers mostly on two brothers on a prison barge. The book is set during the First Galactic Civil War, a few years before A New Hope. At first it is rather slow going and the actual zombies don't quite come into play until close to the middle, although there are signs of them before then. This is rather annoying, yet at the same time, satisfying; annoying because this is a zombie book and thus, one would expect lots of zombie from beginning to end and satisfying because this writer takes time to develop the characters of the story, instead of making the zombies the stars of the book. He makes sure that you care for the characters before they're being chased down by undead, flesh-eating monsters of various species. 

When the zombies do come into play, the writer makes sure to describe them in such a terrifying manner that the reader is very able to see them in his or her mind's eye. Not only are the descriptions horrific, but the situations that he puts the characters into are equally ghastly. And not only does the writer rely upon the horrible scene of a  hoard of zombies running full speed at a 13 year-old kid in a broken down Imperial prison barge, but he also employs various suspenseful scenes, which I believe are a must in any thing to do with zombies, whether it be a book, movie or any other medium. 

So, in summation, is Death Troopers a masterpiece, fluke or something in between? I would have to say that it is verifiable Masterpiece of Star Wars horror. An excellent read for Star Wars fans and zombie fans alike. 

The Force Unleashed II: A Review

I would like to begin by saying that essentially, the game is very fun. The gameplay is very smooth and everything works very well. I greatly enjoy the improvements that the creators have made to the game, such as the targeting system changing to a bright outline of the person and the Force Grip much more powerful and much, much easier to use. Gone are the agonizingly slow loading screens and no longer must one fear to change anything on his lightsaber or upgrade his force powers. Also, the loading screens between levels now have quite cool pictures to look at while waiting. Somehing that I enjoy about the combat system is that, finally, after waiting for so long, you can see limbs fly. At least, sort of, although yes, you can sever about half of an arm from a stormtrooper, it is almost impossible to see it unless you are actually watching for it because of the flurry of your double lightsabers. Another thing that is nice about the combat system is that the combos are gone. No longer must you pause the game every ten minutes trying to find that one combo that would be helpful. No longer must you try to keep to many variations of different ways to almost kill people in your head. Instead, you can mash buttons until the stormtroopers go flying across the room. Back are the wonderful days of Street Fighter II where, you may do some awesome finishing move, but you have no idea how you did it, because you were to busy trying to stay alive. The force powers are amazing. Mind trick is incredibly entertaining (I'm mean, really, what other game can you cause a person to jump off the spired cities of Kamino without even touching him?). The graphics are great and the landscapes are amazing. Honestly, Cato Neimoidia is more beautiful than any of the landscapes in the first game.

Some things I don't like about the game: I don't like how easy some enemies are and how infuriatingly hard others are, without really any middle ground. I miss the amazing costume selection of the first one. Honestly, it was one of the better parts of the first game. However, in the sequel, the costumes, while very cool are the ones you do get, are in short supply. Another thing would be the motion capture. While still very good, some of the characters don't quite look the same. Juno looks like a different actress played her, though that is not the case. The story was weak at best and the game is possible to beat in about three or four hours. However, I have heard that this game is simply a sequel game (something to set up the story for the next game) and so that is promising, however, It still would have been nice is they could have added a bit more story and a lot more length to it.

The Clone Wars: A Retrospective of the Show: Part 2

Welcome back, faithful reader, to part two.

Another simple thought about a big part of the show is the fact that is causes something that we in the Star Wars loving community like to call RetCon, or Retroactive Continuity to happen. This is when something is written or made that changes a common fact about Star Wars and something must be come up with that makes the continuity work. One such matter the the show caused was a matter that I like to call the Mandalorian Fiasco of Season 2. This would include the first episode which contained Mandalore and all other episodes containing any mention of them after it. What I am referring to would be the fact that the Mandalorians were depicted as peace-loving, and neutral in the war. As any Star Wars fan who had read anything to do with the Mandalorians during the Clone Wars would know, this is completely ludicrous since they (before the show) were a nomadic people who were almost constantly fighting someone's war. In the show, Jango Fett was even said to be a "common bounty hunter" and his traditional Mandalorian armor was garbage which he had most likely stolen. These facts are so completely against everything that had been made before the show about the Mandalorians that it almost made me refuse to ever watch the show again and caused me to not watch any episodes containing anything to do with Mandalore. I would also like to request that anyone who would consider letting their child watch the episodes simply not. It would also be best that they not watch them either. (This peace-loving, hippy crap is another example of trying to make the show "child-friendly").

Another problem that I have with the show is that every so often, there will be an episode that has to do with something such as a corrupt government official needing to be exposed or some such nonsense. This is quite infuriating. If I wanted to see a couple of politicians speak at each other, I would watch CNN. I don't watch Star Wars for the political aspect, and I would be willing to bet that the children who watch the show probably can't even understand most of what is going on. Therefore, these episodes are completely lost on most of the viewers and for those who can understand it, I am sure it is obnoxious to watch something as tedious as a debate when they were expecting some good fight scenes flawlessly melded into an amazing story-line.

I think that that is about all I have for my Clone Wars Commentary. Until next time, Twilight is still worst than Jar-Jar Binks.

The Clone Wars: A Retrospective of the Show: Part 1

So, I have had quite a few thoughts about the Clone Wars since it started a couple of years ago. Although,over all, I do enjoy the show, There are several things about which I am occasionally angered. Point number one would be the immaturity.

The immaturity of the Clone Wars has always been a major, up-in-your-face part of the show. From the inaccurate naming of items and characters throughout the show, to the very blatant disregard for realistically acting droids. While I have always considered Star Wars to be Child-Friendly, I do think that there is a line to be drawn. I do not believe that a child should be enjoying an animated show containing characters he knows nothing about. If the child is not old enough to watch the movies, then the Television show based on those same movies should be towards the same demographic. I believe that George Lucas has quite enough money without selling out his idea to a bunch of 4 year-olds. If a parent isn't going to let their child watch a movie with next to no cursing and gory deaths, then they shouldn't be willing to let those same children watch a Television show based on characters from those same movies, especially when that Television show is depicting a violent war. I'm not expecting the children to learn all of the correct terms for things, but they will eventually if they hear them enough, and that would only better prepare them for later when they get into other things, such as the novels and comics.
With the droids, it's a simple matter of coming up with a (much) better way to add humor to the show. Considering how well the original Trilogy did with humor, I am assuming that George Lucas can remedy this simply, but ugly part of the show. I mean, really, the droids having a personality wouldn't make any sense, considering the fact that they would then be subject to all of the mental illnesses that any organic soldier can succumb to. Not to mention, that, without personality, the droids will follow a command without question and without thinking. That is quite possibly one of their greatest strengths as well as greatest weaknesses, for, without thought, then a droid has none of the ingenuity that is so valued in a organic soldier. This is a reason that the Clone soldiers were so beneficial to the Republic. Because they could adapt (to a point) to the lack of forces, intel and good equipment. They could adapt to the changes that so often can take place in a real-time battle. It is annoying to me when I hear a droid question an order or ask for clarification, considering the fact that the orders would be sent to the droids instantaneously, thus nullifying the need to yell out orders which can be so easily garbled by the sounds of battle.

Star Wars: 3D Style

        I do like the idea of Star Wars in 3D. I believe that George Lucas has the resources to re-release the movies well and I have faith in him to do so. Not to mention, this gives him a perfect opportunity to right some of his wrongs. Namely I am speaking of the "Who Shoots First" dilemma. It's quite simple and I don't see a reason for George Lucas to have changed anything in the first place. For those of you who don't know, I am talking about the scene of A New Hope, where Han Solo is confronted by Greedo in the Mos Eisley Cantina. In this scene, in the original release of the movies, Han Solo shoots Greedo before Greedo has a chance to react. However, in the Special Edition release of the the movies, George Lucas changed the scene to have Greedo shoot first, miss and then have Han Solo shoot him. While not a major part of the movie, it sets the character of Han Solo as a sly, smooth scoundrel who doesn't let anyone get the best of him. Changing this by making him not shoot first takes away at his character.

       Another thing that George Lucas has the opportunity to change would be the existence of the blight upon Star Wars that is known as Jar Jar Binks. Generally accepted as the worst character in the entire universe, (including books, television shows, comics and any other medium) I believe that everyone can agree that he needs to go. Jar Jar Binks is a giant zit on the face of Star Wars and no one but the youngest or the most ignorant of viewers would actually enjoy any type of comedy that he tries to bring.    

      So, yes I am quite excited to to see the movies once again. Even if George Lucas does not change those simple facts, I will be going to see them, and I am particularly excited to see the original trilogy in theaters for the first time.