Ephemian Outer Ring

A few days ago I mentioned how UCLA isn't represented on Xbox Live's university clothes for Avatars. I actually visited the Avatar marketplace today and saw something more dire ...


This background looks relatively harmless, right? But this is Royce Hall from UCLA, image ganked from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_Hall:


Microsoft took UCLA's Royce Hall as a backdrop, and not only failed to note UCLA at all but also DIDN'T UPLOAD UCLA CLOTHES TO MATCH. HOW CAN THEY SLIGHT MY ALMA MATER THIS WAY. What is this shit!! "University" banners indeed!! Way to frigging go! hahhahahha

As I strive to finish these applications, I realize that once again my complacence has bit me in the ass. But I can't say I'm too surprised. I'm not whole heartedly into further education this moment and I put the apps off as I struggled to care. I still feel the sting of breaking down during studio classes two years ago. Man, has it really been two years? I guess 2009 was quite the stopgap. Or maybe the entire past five years have been a stopgap? My enthusiasm for artmaking started off fairly high but during/after 2008 it evaporated quite a bit, and now I've got no clue what I'm going to do with it. I guess it's just another hobby but it's funny to just say that as I studied it for so long. I've never been too good at coping with seemingly wasted/futile resources, effort, and time. But I guess it's folly to expect to go somewhere tangible after studying art, huh?

Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All Stars is funny as it's one of those things we could've sworn North Americans would never get. Tatsunoko licenses in America, what? But it's also sort of funny as it's Capcom's first VS fighter in years. It's even more funny because now people will use their Wiis again, amirite? Even though several Xbox Live users like madnesshero trashed my lazy Fightpad using ass in Marvel vs Capcom 2 during 2009, I still feel like getting some VS fighter action on. I played a little bit of the Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes import last year and I'm still kinda queasy about established Capcom characters being pared down to three attack buttons, but I guess it doesn't matter as I'm going to spam Zero, Roll, Megaman Volnutt, and maybe Karas anyway too much in the long run. At any rate I would assume this title will certainly draw faithful fighter fans, but will its streamlined controls and visual style draw anyone else?

I haven't really played too much of Q Games' Trajectile and Starship Defense but it's apparent DSiWare could use more solid titles like these. They each toy with established concepts in engaging ways: Trajectile is superficially a cross between Bust a Move and Breakout yet emphasizes careful puzzle solving with different resources, and Starship Defense is a minimal looking tower defense with a decent number of cannon types to use and rotate. The difficulty ramps up fairly quickly in both, as you really don't have much room to mess around if you want to hit par goals in Trajectile. Enemies in Starship Defense have unpredictable flight paths so you need to cover ground effectively when building towers. The titles appear to have a decent amount of levels, which fleshes them out and prevents them from feeling like half baked mini game downloads.

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to catch up on January's retail releases for quite some time. I'm not entirely sure how people do it.

Man, this cold and insane Hydro Storms outside has really affected my knuckles ... I suppose that's inadvertently one reason why I should've gotten this stuff done earlier. Heh.

Xbox Live just added University themed clothes for Avatars but while USC is on here, I don't see UCLA! How can this be! My virtual avatar is crying a river! I don't really have a lot of school spirit anyway I could have replaced my Avatar's Lucidity shirt for once lol lol

I keep up with digital game marketplaces but I apparently smashed DSiWare 2 Hell haven't gotten any DSiWare since Castle of Magic on 11/24 and Digidrive on 11/16. I was vaguely contemplating standbys like Uno, Bookworm, and Bejeweled Twist but didn't feel like it, really didn't feel like shelling out 800 points for Dragon's Lair or Oregon Trail, and haven't taken the plunge on Rayman. Everybody knows these names and original content seems far and few between. But I completely missed how Q Games' Trajectile came out more than two weeks ago possibly because I was occupied by Borderlands instead, and I couldn't hit up Q Games' Starship Defense as my system was being repaired over the past week. I've rectified that void and now I suppose I'll proceed to hump Q Games as much as I jump on Skip Ltd.

I'm not so sure if I feel comfortable trying out DSiWare 8-bit retro platformer Dark Void Zero. Capcom claims it's a commissioned tribute to the original idea and I suppose that's an interesting excuse, but I've got a sore taste from witnessing all this poser 8-bit culture around me. I'm at the breaking point after seeing Mega Man 2 merchandise everywhere and Mega Man 10 just fuels the poser fire some more. Maybe Dark Void Zero doesn't involve the same sort of gimping as Dark Void is out and contemporary and is too much for me to afford now. But can I do this in good conscience?

( dsiware, wiiware, virtual console top 20 popular lists cut to protect the innocent )

This past month has felt disjointed. Certainly the current crisis puts things into perspective. Anything I might struggle with is nothing compared to what's going on right now. I hope for swift recovery.

I'm just sliding along. I've been ever so slowly working on applications while playing a random assortment of titles. I polished off Borderlands today after getting it two weeks ago and letting it sit for some time, and I do thoroughly enjoy the quest-driven structure and role-playing elements alongside the first person action. Those role-playing elements are fairly light but they still facilitate some engaging character progression. But the end does drop the ball ... I wasn't really expecting much plot in the first place but it's evident more development time would've rounded the package out. It's relatively insubstantial in the long run, I suppose.

( psn titles )

I'm not sure if I completely grasp the depths of my ineptitude yet. I'm going to venture a guess and say no.

2009 highlights confusion following the end of my undergraduate classes in December 2008. Some loose ends have been wrapped up while others remain. Amid such confusion I've only made a handful of art pieces but played more games than before. Regardless, I've been able to spend a decent chunk of time catching up with old and new pals. The year has had a lot of fun moments and I'm glad they happened. It's time to recap those fun moments!

( drifting through 2009 )

Right as New Year's approaches, these ruffians are ruining celebration preparations all over town! Will these evildoers be set straight?

( eight more images )

All my insecurities and sloth surface whenever I'm doing formal writing. I self censor like no tomorrow and it takes me hours to actually construct much. It's been a lifelong issue and I'm not sure if I'll ever overcome it. I guess it's due to general paranoia and fear, but if I don't break break through the ice it's only gonna get worse down the road.

Last week Games for Windows Live was overhauled to include a digital download marketplace, but the main added attraction was the free puzzle game Tinker. I never got to try it since it was formerly exclusive to Windows Vista Ultimate ... Ultimate ... Ultimate and I'm pleasantly surprised by its intricate isometric puzzles. These puzzles present tools like teleporters/switches/boxes as you try to reach the goal in a limited number of turns. Reaching par times/goals quickly becomes increasingly difficult. I'm not the best at puzzle solving but I can certainly appreciate these complex yet engaging layouts.

This past Tuesday, some additional titles were added to Games for Windows and they're 50% off until January 4th. These titles use the same ID as the 360 so players can now farm for Achievements on older titles like Osmos/World of Goo/etc display both Games for Windows/360 games. The titles include the minimalist physics game Osmos, which I've been raving about for months. I was surprised to see a version of Where's Waldo and curiosity got the better of me. It excellently translates the Waldo picture books: vivid characters animate as you're finding targets, the voice samples/music supplement searches well, and objects can be hidden fairly well in these extensive maps. The end product is fairly polished and it's got considerable charm.

I've been saving my most epic Shaymin pictures for months. But with the holidays coming up, I put together my own festive bundle of green and red! This is my Christmas present in advance!

( eight pics of a holiday for all )