Ted Puffer review: 4 stars
Beyond Good and Evil reminds me of Twinsen Relentless and Twinsen's Odyssey, which is a wonderful thing to happen. Relentless was a fantastic game which was totally immersive, meaning that you could get lost in the artificial world presented in the game within minutes, and when the game was over you'd be asking for more. What an adventure! A third installment of Twinsen is badly needed to round out the trilogy.
Good and Evil has the same cartoonish feel, but adds its own steampunk atmosphere which is beautiful and makes exploring every nook and cranny of the landscape a treat. In this game you play Jade, a judo photographer on a mission. With the help of your trusty friends you seek to uncover the forces behind a global war which is decimating the world and causing the unexplained disappearances of countless citizens. Your closest friend is a talking pig.
Yes, a talking pig.
I'm not sure about the symbolism of this, but the game was released with voice files for multiple countries which could explain the pig part. Maybe somewhere on Earth there's a country where having a talking pig as a best friend is normal, or a sign of good fortune. However it came about, it works. I'm sure there was a reason behind this character at some point in the development of the game, but by the time the game was completed the original explanation was lost. They kept the character and the game is better for it. Normally I'd think that having conversations with a protective porcine would interrupt the suspension of disbelief which is vital for the best games to capture the imagination. But in this case it works.
There is talk about a sequel, but nothing solid. Actually the last news announced the indefinite suspension of work on the project, but it’s hard to read anything into that. Gloomy forecasts are normal for any game in development and this may not be sounding the death knell for the project. I hope it doesn’t. This is a world that I’d love to revisit. And I’d like to talk to the pig again.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Impossibles
I was selected to be the voice in the audiobook version of "The Impossibles"! Hurrah! More later...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Palomar Lake
(looking cool)
Is it possible to look cool while birding? Not really, but you can try. This image was taken at the top of a long descent into a valley towards a lake in the Palomar mountains. The lake in the distance was the eventual destination of the birding group, which I hadn't fully appreciated when we started down the hillside. First off, cows had been there before. We didn't see any walking around munching on the dry grass that carpeted the area, but there was plenty of evidence that they had been there in the past. The recent past.
Fortunately the way wasn't completely through active pastureland. About half way down the slope is a small fence that the group shimmied through to get to the untouched side. That side of the valley was better for hiking, and that's where the birds are. Lots of birds. Pelicans were in abundance, Great Blue Herons and shorebirds aplenty.
And some bones.
Any fish unlucky enough to be swimming near the surface of the lake while a raptor was overhead quickly becomes a meal and ends up as a small pile of bones on the sand. The same can be said for birds as well. I'm not sure what predators were in the area, but there were a few sad mounds of feathers scattered around as well. It may be the circle of life and everything, but it's not pretty.
But the lake was beautiful, and it's a great hike.
Fortunately the way wasn't completely through active pastureland. About half way down the slope is a small fence that the group shimmied through to get to the untouched side. That side of the valley was better for hiking, and that's where the birds are. Lots of birds. Pelicans were in abundance, Great Blue Herons and shorebirds aplenty.
And some bones.
Any fish unlucky enough to be swimming near the surface of the lake while a raptor was overhead quickly becomes a meal and ends up as a small pile of bones on the sand. The same can be said for birds as well. I'm not sure what predators were in the area, but there were a few sad mounds of feathers scattered around as well. It may be the circle of life and everything, but it's not pretty.
But the lake was beautiful, and it's a great hike.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Serious Man
Ted Puffer Movie Rating : 4 Stars
There is so much to go into about this movie, I'll keep it brief. Partially because this is one of those movies that specialize in analysis and so going over the length of the work frame by frame would be rewarding but exhausting. Also, it's getting late and I don't want to spend the entirety of my evening at the keyboard. So here it is:
Very good movie.
Very highly recommended.
The movie presents an image of God as one who is intimately connected with the lives of His followers, and is quick to test their faith and resolve, and even quicker to punish weakness and lack of resolve.
Very good movie. Dumb name though.
There is so much to go into about this movie, I'll keep it brief. Partially because this is one of those movies that specialize in analysis and so going over the length of the work frame by frame would be rewarding but exhausting. Also, it's getting late and I don't want to spend the entirety of my evening at the keyboard. So here it is:
Very good movie.
Very highly recommended.
The movie presents an image of God as one who is intimately connected with the lives of His followers, and is quick to test their faith and resolve, and even quicker to punish weakness and lack of resolve.
Very good movie. Dumb name though.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Art Tour
I hadn't expected to get an ego boost from attending the Highway 62 Art Tour in Yucca Valley, but that's what happened. In brief, the city puts on a huge art show which allows visitors to hit dozens of local galleries and speak with artists by aid of a handy map. The show is pretty broad, so you get to see pottery, ceremics, metal sculptures, painters, craftsmen and women and everything in between.
Of course, if you actually DO art you also get a rough idea of where you rank in the community. From my informal estimate, I'm above the half way mark. Sure there were some folks who's work I really didn't like, but there were some artistic geniuses as well. So placing mid range is pretty good. Very good actually.
I didn't buy any artwork, but I was tempted.
The one artist who sticks in my mind is a woman who paints in acrylics and decorates the canvas with beadwork. I really didn't like her stuff, but there were two that caught my eye. Both of them were bright colored geometric patterns which were impressive. At first I thought that someone else had done them, they were so different from her other works. The more I looked, the more I was tempted to buy them from her. Since she was in the studio at the time I asked her about them and found that they're based on Native American glyphs. Typical glyphs. She'd taken the standard bear and kokopelli figures and created repeating patterns from them.
I'm sorry that I asked. Once she'd pointed it out, I couldn't help but see them and the magic was gone. Ah well.
Of course, if you actually DO art you also get a rough idea of where you rank in the community. From my informal estimate, I'm above the half way mark. Sure there were some folks who's work I really didn't like, but there were some artistic geniuses as well. So placing mid range is pretty good. Very good actually.
I didn't buy any artwork, but I was tempted.
The one artist who sticks in my mind is a woman who paints in acrylics and decorates the canvas with beadwork. I really didn't like her stuff, but there were two that caught my eye. Both of them were bright colored geometric patterns which were impressive. At first I thought that someone else had done them, they were so different from her other works. The more I looked, the more I was tempted to buy them from her. Since she was in the studio at the time I asked her about them and found that they're based on Native American glyphs. Typical glyphs. She'd taken the standard bear and kokopelli figures and created repeating patterns from them.
I'm sorry that I asked. Once she'd pointed it out, I couldn't help but see them and the magic was gone. Ah well.
Palomar Birds
I hit the Palomar mountains this weekend to do some hiking with a group from the local college, and had a blast. Part of the fun is watching hikers who haven't been acclimated to high altitude try to keep up. At first it's funny to see your hiking partners huffing and puffing up a mild slope above the valley, but then you start thinking about how long it's been since you've attended a class in CPR, and you start wondering if your cell phone has signal that far up in the hills.
To our credit, no one needed to be airlifted home. Lots of pelicans and woodpeckers spotted and Native American markings uncovered. No 911 calls. All in all, very successful!
To our credit, no one needed to be airlifted home. Lots of pelicans and woodpeckers spotted and Native American markings uncovered. No 911 calls. All in all, very successful!
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