Friday, November 18, 2005

Sonic Team annoys me.

After seeing a few reviews of Shadow the Hedgehog, I think it's time for a little rant. ~_^ Although I love many Sega franchises, I'd have to say that Sonic has always been my favourite. Sonic was the primary reason why I bought a Dreamcast as soon as it launched in Australia. But since the Mega Drive (Genesis) days, Sonic Team has been consistently screwing the series up - so much so that I don't think even they really understand what makes Sonic games fun. I thought I'd do a little run-down of several of my biggest annoyances about Sonic, since the Mega Drive days. 1: Sonic 3D Blast This was the first "real" Sonic game on Saturn. And it wasn't even developed by Sonic Team, but by Traveller's Tales, of all people. Don't get me wrong; Traveller's Tales, a UK developer, have improved greatly over recent years. But pretty much all of their early games were incredibly shoddy. Not only was Sonic 3D Blast a terrible game in every single sense, but it wasn't Sonic. Instead of being a side-scroller (or a fast-paced 3D action game), it was a psuedo-3D game that you played from an overhead isometric perspective. There was absolutely no sense of speed and only a few token loops thrown into the environments - even they weren't particularly fast and due to the viewing angle, gameplay was ridiculously awkward. As far as I'm concerned, Sonic 3D Blast marks the first really major mistake by Sonic Team, in terms of handling the series. 2: Sonic Jam Sonic Jam was a kind of Mario All-Stars type game for Saturn. I never owned it, but the core menu system involved a 3D virtual world where you could move Sonic around. Isn't it funny that this is pretty much what Sonic fans had hoped to see on the Saturn, but they only ever recieved it in the form of an elaborate menu system on a compilation disc? Not to say that Sonic Jam itself was necessarily bad, but the fact that the most significant evolution of Sonic was seen in a mere menu system rather than a full game seems to have annoyed plenty of Sonic fans. 3: Lack of Sonic on Saturn Okay so we had Sonic 3D Blast and we had Sonic Jam. Oh, and Sonic R, which wasn't really a Sonic game anyway (and was designed by Traveller's Tales). But we had no real Sonic games on the system. When you consider that Saturn was brilliant for handling 2D software, it would surely seem logical that Sega could make a gorgeous 2D Sonic game on the system without much problem. But no, apparently not. Of course, we did get the fantastic NiGHTS and the well-received Burning Rangers (the latter I never played, but would definitely like to). So they did do something good with the platform. But throughout Saturn's lifespan, Sonic Team only took value away from the Sonic franchise...they really added nothing to it whatsoever. 4: I want to be like Mario, only not nearly as good! People always compare Sonic and Mario, which is understandable. Both games are in the same genre and both characters are mascots for their respective companies. Fair enough. But anyone who is a big fan of both franchises understands that they are fundamentally different in terms of gameplay. Mario has its fast-paced moments, but Mario is generally about precision jumping and environmental interaction. Sonic is more about blistering speed and fast obstacle avoidance. Sonic feels different to play, because it has a different emphasis. So when Sonic Adventure came along on Dreamcast, I thought I was in luck. A 3D Sonic game, designed by Sonic Team, with giant loops and lots of fast-paced action? Can't go wrong, surely! Unfortunately, the only way to experience true 3D Sonic gameplay was as Sonic or Tails - and their portion of the game combined was still relatively small. In order to play the game through, you had to play as other characters as well, including Amy, Big the Cat and Knuckles. Sonic Adventure made two fundamental mistakes, I think. Firstly, it tried - and failed - to be like a Mario game. By adding slower-paced moments and treasure-hunting aspects, Sonic Team were presumably trying to inject depth into the game. But it didn't work. The treasure hunting areas were a complete nightmare. Not only were they not fun, but it hurt to play them. They were the epitome of terrible game design. No real challenge, few enemies, an awful camera that you are constantly fighting with...and a ridiculously boring and uninspired objective. Big's levels were just as awful and Amy's were slightly better, but still nothing compared to Sonic and Tails. Even the Sonic and Tails levels only had occasional "wow" moments. They were not as multi-tiered as the levels in the 2D Sonic games and they featured far too many "automated" moments. In those moments, you could put down the controller and let Sonic run on his own - there was no real player involvement. Again, that is completely contrary to what made past Sonic games fun. 5: That brick really hurt! Can you hit me again, please? You'd think that after the complaints about Sonic Adventure - particularly from longtime Sonic fans - Sonic Team would actually try to correct the problems. They didn't. Sonic Adventure 2 was identical to the first game in one key sense; it still had the occasionally cool high-speed moments, but once again, Sonic Team had tried to inject terribly redundant exploratory gameplay. And it was just as bad - if not worse - than in the original game. Does anyone remember that level with Rouge, where you're in the room full of lockers, looking for gems or whatever it was? If you don't, I can only assume that you have blocked it out because it was a traumatic experience. The only reason I even attempted that level was to try to end the game - it is, hands down, the worst experience I've ever had with a video game. Even Mortal Kombat 4 wasn't that mind-numbingly, horrifically bad. As I was playing it, one thought kept racing through my mind: This is not Sonic! 6: Taking Sonic for granted In my view, Sonic Team (or at least, Naka-san), has lost any concept of what makes Sonic fun. It's certainly not impossible to translate Sonic's great gameplay into 3D - why not just have the guts to design a 3D action game without all the arbitrary "depth"? If the company had focused more on making brilliant rollercoaster-like experiences, rather than adding a ton of dead weight, I think we'd end up with a far better game. And we'd definitely end up with something that resembles Sonic. Now you've got Shadow the Hedgehog, which is possibly the biggest abomination I can imagine for any Sonic fan. First of all, they've gone all "extreme" with it. Why? Shadow looks ridiculous when he holds a gun. That's like making a game called "Bowser: Vice City", where the object is to hijack cars from innocent Goombas at gunpoint. It's just ridiculous and couldn't be more uncharacteristic of the series. Worse still, Shadow the Hedgehog seems to repeat all of the mistakes that previous 3D games have made. Sonic Team has not learned a single lesson. They just keep driving the franchise into the ground with each new game. This reminds me of two other quick points, as well. The first is Naka himself. I think his role is massively overrated. On the original game, he acted as programmer - but he was not the character designer and he wasn't originally involved in level development. It was actually a team of three who created the original game and it was Oshima who designed the characters and primarily worked on environments. Moreover, the consensus among fans seems to be that the best Sonic game of all time was Sonic CD. I'd agree with that. And guess who designed it? Oshima. Naka had nothing to do with it. So, surprise - as soon as Oshima takes the reigns, we get the best Sonic experience we've ever had. The second point relates to Sonic Adventure and its successors. It's another thing I really took issue with: the fusion of Sonic and the real world. What on earth was that all about? I had always thought that Sonic most-suited his home planet. He is a character who does not exist in the real world - he lives on a fantastic planet with strange and beautiful environments. He doesn't belong in a city with people. And he certainly doesn't belong in a situation where he's fighting military or para-military groups, lol. It's not that I dislike Yuji Naka, but I really wonder if he understands the franchise that he played a role in creating. It saddens me that we may never really see a Sonic game that does for Sonic what Super Mario 64 did for Mario - a game that really feels like a major evolution of Sonic in 3D. At least, we certainly won't see it while Sonic Team continue in their current direction. The only game I have really not mentioned here is Sonic Heroes. I haven't played it. But from what I understand, it's more "Sonic-like" than the Sonic Adventure series. That's good news, although given that Shadow the Hedgehog is newer...I kind of wonder whether it's a case of one step forward, two steps backward. Anyway, I know that's a long and dorky post...but I really had to comment on it. I feel like slapping Naka around a little and reminding him why I used to adore Sonic games...and why I now view them as recycled garbage. The only ray of hope is in the GBA and DS Sonic games, which funnily enough are not even made by Sonic Team. Figures. Liam: Yeah, I don't want to go up there during Schoolies. However, where I'd be staying...it's in a great spot, because it's much further down the beach. So while I expect it to be busy, it won't be anything like Surfer's Paradise. Thanks for the offer, too! Luckily I have a local tour guide, but I may still take you up on the offer sometime. ^_^ RaR: I hope that your report comes out well. The game industry is certainly very interesting, but it does take a little digging to find certain information. I'd definitely like a tour if I ever went out that way - I'm sure I will someday. I don't think I'd want to go through life without having been to America at least once! Alan-chan: I just found it weird that a news site made such a fundamental mistake. But then again, there are people who are ignorant enough to think that we ride around on kangaroos here...so I guess it happens. lol John: Your comment almost brought a tear to my eye. ~_^ But seriously, I appreciate it, hehe. Somehow it was very appropriate. CosmicSailor: Wow, that sounds like a cool experience. It's very surreal to have photos of yourself in places like that. And thanks for the advice. Don't worry if it seems cliche or anything - it's genuine and that's what really counts. I think you are right though...sometimes risks need to be taken, sometimes you have to throw yourself in the deep end and see where you land. I think that's really what I should do. Annie-kun: My dear Annie...you always know what to say to brighten my spirits. Without fail, you always make me feel better. I really appreciate your comment and I'm very flattered that you think of me that way. I really hope that you are okay - I was admittedly a little worried when I first read your PM, but as long as things are working out for you, I will be happy. You deserve the very best. indifference: Yeah, you know, I think this path is right for me. If I'd moved back then, I'd have known nobody in Sydney and I'd have been alone. But now I've been there, I am more familiar with it...and I will actually know someone there too. So it's generally a better time for me to seriously consider it. Thank you for sharing your experience - that type of thing really gives me the confidence to try it myself. And thank you for your e-card as well! I only just saw some older emails in my inbox today (as I hadn't checked for a while) and I noticed your card. Thank you very much! SunfallE: Virtual tour, huh? That's an awesome idea. Although glossy photos in magazines are nice, it's especially good to see photos that people have taken themselves. Somehow it makes things a lot more realistic. And thank you for your e-card as well! I feel bad for thanking you so much later than you'd originally sent it, but I really appreciated it. Oh and before I go, I want to send a special thanks to Aaryanna for her card as well. The message on there was very touching. If you have AIM and want to chat, I'm always happy to do that. That goes for any of you, as well.

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Wednesday, November 16, 2005

We'd really like to sell you...

Credit for my intro image has to go to CrisVector over at deviantART. As soon as I saw the image I knew I wanted to use it - the whole glam rock thing is very cool. I've just recoloured it a little to suit my page. Lately I have been using a lot of outside art for this page, largely just due to a lack of time. I really enjoy doing vector drawing, but it's so time-consuming that it can be hard to justify doing a major image just for here. Still, I will probably do something more time-consuming when the new myOtaku comes out (I will want to redesign my page at that point anyway). At the very least, I hope it keeps things here visually interesting. ~_^ Ever since I got home from my trip, something has been stirring in me - an urge for a big change. I have few real commitments here in Melbourne these days, as the majority of my freelance work isn't even sourced from here. And most of the media work (ie: magazines) is actually in Sydney. In 2004, I was actually approached by the then-Editor in Chief of Official Australian PlayStation Magazine, to become a full-time writer. OAPM is basically published by the same company that publishes a billion other entertainment magazines here, including Rollingstone, Nintendo Gamer, DVD Now and various others. At the time, I was offered an interview (despite never having spoken to this guy at all) and told that if selected, I'd have six weeks to move to Sydney. At the time, it all seemed too much. I was in the middle of school and I felt that it would be wrong to take the job and leave school early. As it turns out, that was a very silly mistake on my part. I ended up being not entirely satisfied with school and I realize that the job would really have been great for me. It's probably the biggest regret I've had over the last few years. Since that time, I have done less and less freelance writing work. Now I'm not doing any writing for Next Media (OAPM's publisher). So I feel as though I am out of the loop a little. But considering that Next Media was always very interested in me, I am thinking about seriously approaching them once again. Now that I've actually visited Sydney and now that I have no schooling commitments here, there's really no reason why I can't put all of my energy into pursuing a full time career with them. At the same time, the travelling lately has made me feel that I need a change in general - more than just a move of suburbs or something. A big change. My friend on the Gold Coast (who my sister and I stayed with) offered for me to move up there and work for a while. And now I'm seriously considering it. I don't think that I could ever live in Queensland permanently; I really enjoyed my time there and I felt that in some ways, it really suited me very well. But it's not where I want to end up, as there just aren't enough things going on there that relate to what I'm interested in (other than EA Gold Coast, but their studios do little else but produce terrible local sports games). Really, Sydney is where I think I need to be - at least, if I want to work for a publisher full-time. So, I am thinking that I could live on the Gold Coast for a few months while simultaneously pursuing work with Next Media or another Sydney-based publisher. Then I'd move down there for however long. At least that way I'd be a bit closer to home as well (Sydney is about halfway between Melbourne and Brisbane). I guess I'll see how it goes. It's a big decision in some ways, but then again, if things didn't work out there would be nothing stopping me from returning to Melbourne on short notice. So I suppose it doesn't really matter in the end. As long as my siblings can visit me regularly (and vice versa), I'll be happy. CosmicSailor: It's cool, I am like that a bit myself. I tend to have a lot of acquaintances, but there are very few people in the world who are truly very close to me. I kind of prefer it that way though. And yes, seeing things with your own eyes makes a huge difference. Approaching the Opera House from the Botanic Gardens at dusk is pretty amazing. As you round a large arc in the pathway, the Opera House slowly comes into view. It's definitely one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen in my life. John: Did you check out the Brisbane ad? I'm still kind of amazed at how well it reflects the experience of visiting the city at night. In terms of American cities, there are quite a few I'd like to see. New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Fransisco, Seattle...I could go on and on. That's why, if I visited the USA, I would really have to spend a couple of months there. I'd really want to see a lot of places, rather than just visiting one place and staying there. RaR: Birthday extravaganza? Happy birthday! It's good that you appreciate the city. I think that it's especially easy to take your own city for granted, but I've always felt that Melbourne was one of the world's most beautiful cities. Despite the beauty of Sydney and the charm of Brisbane, I still think that. Unfortunately, my state is often advertised around the country, but the ads pretty much don't mention Melbourne. It's the same with Queensland - we get lots of Gold Coast ads here, but no Brisbane ones. And that's a great shame, because I think both Melbourne and Brisbane are like these amazing undiscovered places that would really wow people if they had the chance to visit. I mean, if Sydney lacked the harbour, it would be far less impressive than Melbourne. The city itself is nice, but the expansive harbour areas are really what make it shine. Annie: Sorry for not responding to your PM, I hadn't checked my messages until I came back from my trip. I really hope that you are doing well, though. And I hope we can talk soon. Alan: Yeah, it's romanticized, but so is every other tourism ad really. The thing I liked about this ad was that it really captured the feeling of the city, without actually exaggerating anything. I was in the city mostly during the night and although it was mid-week (and much quieter than in the ad), the general feeling was still there. I'd definitely like to go back on a weekend. indifference: Thanks. I will try to put some up soon, it's just a matter of resizing them and stuff. I also need to get a cable to transfer a lot of the pictures across from my dad's camera. Aaryanna: Travel is expensive, but coming here isn't too bad...especially Queensland. But if you visit a place like Sydney or Melbourne (and if you stay in the city), you'll find that it's quite expensive. But there are plenty of lower cost options for people who are coming in from overseas. SunfallE: I'd love to see your photos of the National Parks over there. I definitely enjoy seeing people's holiday photos, especially if it's at a place I've never been to before. I really like learning about other countries as well. There are a lot of things about Australia that people don't know. For example, a site called Gamesindustry.biz had an article about Australian laws relating to video games and they talked about us having "provinces", rather than "states". It's a relatively small thing, but I found it interesting that they apparently did no research on that. lol

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Tuesday, November 15, 2005

The loud and annoying model was the last straw.

I'm feeling very tired right now, because I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night. By the time I got home and unpacked, it was 2am. Ew. I feel exhausted. But it was worth it! It was absolutely the trip of a lifetime, despite the relative shortness of it. So instead of talking about anything in particular, I'm just going to respond to your comments. My next post will contain something more, I assure you. Alan: I only went on twice (once on each day) and it was great fun. I think that it was probably the second-scariest ride in the park. My personal scariest was The Gaint Drop. Coming down from it was fine - but waiting in mid-air, for the free fall to happen at any second, is quite unsettling. ~_^ Baronness: Which one was the Tornado? Was that the rollercoaster? There was a Nickelodeon one as well (I went on both). They were pretty cool, especially the bigger one. And yes! Everyone tells me that Singapore is very exciting. I actually saw a big Singapore brochure at my friend's house and I'm definitely pretty interested in seeing it for myself. indifference: No worries! And thanks for the PM. I really appreciate your interest in the network, it's very nice to see. I hope things are going well with you. ^_^ Shinji: I think that Brisbane is just so underrated. In some respects it reminds me of Melbourne, at least in comparison to Surfer's Paradise. It's country town-ish, but it doesn't contain the general plastic and fake feel of Surfer's. It's more real and more down to earth. For me, that was a treat. The theme parks are cool; I still haven't been to Movie World, so that'll be next on the agenda. ComicSailor: I appreciate your comment; it's cool that you decided to comment after visiting for a while. I would really love to travel in America. New York is a place I'd particularly like to go. One of my friends has pictures of himself and his family in NYC during New Year's and stuff...and it's all quite impressive. It would certainly be fun to visit some of those sights that you often see on television. I can say that the Opera House in Sydney is more beautiful in person than in any glossy photo. And considering how gorgeous the photos are...that's saying something. I'm sure that's also true of many other famous landmarks. ^_^ Alan: Oh yes, I was in Queen Street Mall only yesterday! I went to a souveneir store there and I also had lunch there. It's similar to Bourke Street in Melbourne, only smaller and without the trams. I think if you went to Melbourne you would feel quite comfortable in that sense. ^_^ dream wings: Haha, I like your comment! Actually, there were some very odd people at Dreamland (especially the second time 'round). Not only does just about everyone up there dress like it's still 1985, but there were some very funny characters up there that really stood out. For example, we went to get ice cream and a woman was waiting for hers at the counter. Another woman went to order and the first woman yelled "I'M NOT FINISHED YET!" at the top of her lungs. You really had to be there...the look on her face was priceless. She looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon or something. And then there was the service station woman who loudly joked about the rides she'd been on at Dreamworld (with swear words as every second word). She was very funny though, and very friendly. Anyway, I'm rambling, so I'll stop. Thanks for your comment. Oh! Before I go, I must show this to everyone. Click here to view a very cool Brisbane tourism commercial. This TV spot really captures what Brisbane feels like. It even captures the lightness of the clouds at night (especially where they are walking up the sand dune). I feel that this captures Brisbane far more than any of my own photos ever could. Definitely a must-watch, especially for those of you who are only really familiar with Sydney. It demonstrates that there are plenty of other beautiful cities in Australia to visit.

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Saturday, November 12, 2005

From Coolangatta to Cape York...

It's only two days 'till I leave for home and I'm already missing everything. I began to miss Canberra and Sydney before I'd even left them. And now, leaving behind the miles and miles of Gold Coast beach is a very difficult prospect to face. But I will be glad to be home - as much as I'm adoring this place, I still feel as though I'm not really in the heart of things. I'm not sure about Brisbane's population, but the actual Melbourne cityscape would have to be around ten times larger than this city. Somehow, even when visiting the city, I still feel like I'm in a country town. But that's certainly not a negative thing. In fact, Brisbane was a pleasant surprise. So many people have told me that Brisbane is boring and Surfer's Paradise is where it's at. I can understand that, particularly if I'm talking to a young person. But Brisbane is quite gorgeous. It's much more like Melbourne than Sydney or Canberra; it is more down to earth and not quite so shallow or glitzy. In any case, I'm very much enjoying my trip. I think it might be best for me to just wait 'till I get home before I put up some more pictures and videos, because I haven't really had the time to sit down and resize things and upload stuff. Anyway, on to the comments. Solo: Yeah, this trip has given me even more appreciation for my home. It really is a paradise here. Shinji: Thank you! I hope you enjoy the others that I put up soon. Some of the stuff I have here is really very cool (especially a couple of videos). Alexus: Oh yeah, a friend told me about that. Sounds good. DDG: Don't worry, I understand how you feel. All I can say is that when you do visit one in the future, you will be very impressed. Airports are a lot of fun, especially when you're in Coolangatta and giant planes are flying only metres over your head (and deafening you in the process). John: Oh you just wait, there's a lot more than just the bridge and the Opera House to keep you slippery. ~_^ Actually I would like to visit America one day. I think a big road trip would be fun. There are several cities and towns over there that I'd love to see. Aaryanna: Ahh, thank you. There are some brilliant old threads on OB - I'm happy to see that Enter the Net is still going. It's one of my favourites on there. Sara: Australia is full of odd/funny place names. I should keep a list of the places I visit up here, just so that I can share some of the weird names with you. I've always thought that having a city called "Surfer's Paradise" was awesome. meteoragurl392: Besides WV? I'm not really sure what you mean. lol Baronness: Oh yes, Gold Coast is definitely our version of Florida...but much, much prettier. Sydney is one of those things where I think people appreciate it more as they get older. This is also true of Canberra. A lot of young people don't like it because it isn't much of an entertainment destination, but I'm glad I went at my current age, where I can really appreciate many aspects of it. But having said that, it really depends on the person. If I had to drive around in Sydney all day, I'd grow to dislike it. Sydney is all over the place compared to Melbourne. Where Sydney's roads start and finish at random intervals and go all over the place, Melbourne is a clean grid design with a ridiculously logical layout. But because I didn't need to drive in Sydney, I didn't have to worry. So I didn't experience any of that frustration, thankfully. And yes, I've heard great things about Singapore! I would love to visit it. One of my friends told me that it's highly impressive. Alan-chan: I like Surfer's Paradise, but I like the beach down here at Currumbin a lot more. That's probably because it's quieter down this end and it's less plasticky. However, Surfer's Paradise is quite nice to walk around in at night...especially in the beautiful weather we're having now. As far as the beach itself, Victoria and NSW have several beaches that are just as nice. The main problem is that many of those beaches are not adjacent to a big commercial/residential centre. So with Surfer's, you are right in the heart of the city even while you're on the beach. But in Victoria or NSW, you usually have to travel a little further out to reach the nice beaches. So I'd rate Surfer's higher largely for convenience. As far as the Miami thing goes, I can only say that driving around Surfer's is very much like driving around in GTA: Vice City. It makes me feel like stealing cars or something. lol And that isn't to mention the fact that this area even has its own Palm Beach and Miami suburbs, haha. But yes, it has the beach and the towers, it has the resorts, it has the neon, it has the slightly tacky overtones and it is full of identical golden people. So it has a very movie-set kind of feel in some ways. But that gives it its charm, for sure. The only thing is that, while all the golden bodies and blonde hair is nice, it doesn't make for much variety. I may have mentioned that before, but I have noticed it since I've been here...it really stands out that there's so little variety among the people here (physically speaking). I kind of oogle when I see a person with black hair (who isn't Japanese), because it's just so rare. Melbourne, by comparison, is incredibly varied. You get your golden people just like here, but you also get a wide variety of oddities - almost to the point where some people seem to be dressed in costume. If you come to Melbourne, it will probably seem very obvious, anyway. But yeah, I shall stop now, because it's very late and I'm going to Dreamworld again tommorrow. Thank god for those second day passes! I think tomorrow will involve the Tower of Terror and more sunbaking. ~_^

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Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Australian Tour

I managed to get the 'net working while on holiday, so here I am with a little entry. The last few days have been amazing. I'd only ever travelled a short distance past the Victorian border, so it was fantastic to be able to travel much further north and see the many sights along the way. On Saturday night I spent the evening in Canberra (Australia's capital city). It's very much smaller than Melbourne, but it's really very beautiful. I also spent the next day exploring the Houses of Parliament and even for young people who aren't into politics at all, I think it's pretty impressive. Unfortunately I didn't bring a cable to connect the camera to this computer, so I am unable to show you any Canberra photos. However, I can show you some photos from Sydney. Sydney was the next leg of the journey; I spent a night there on Sunday. I'd heard a lot about it from different people. My dad hated Sydney due to the strange roadways (roads in Sydney change names part way through, rather than being a single road name all the way to the end like in Melbourne). But going there for myself, I was able to really form my own opinion. And I have to say, I think I'm in love. Being in Sydney is surreal - it's truly a gorgeous city. Everything about it is very clean and tidy and the harbour is quite possibly the most amazing sight I've ever laid eyes upon. Even photos do not really do it justice. Being there for yourself is like being inside some incredible painting. I've taken the time to upload a few shots to imageshack (they are a bit smaller so that they are easier to view). These shots were put from an SD card to a CD, so I'm able to share 'em with you. These shots are from the ferries that go from port to port. I found it odd to be using a ferry like a taxi, since that doesn't really happen in Melbourne. In the third picture, you can see some people walking up the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which gives you an impression of how large it actually is. I even have a couple of videos from my camera, which I may upload to show you. After Sydney, we went up to Queensland. I am now Currumbin, which is between Coolangatta and Surfer's Paradise. Coolangatta is a charming place (and standing at the end of its airport runway is a scary experience - I have a video of a 737 passing only metres over my head, which I will show you soon) and Surfer's Paradise is very pretty, albeit very much like an Australian version of Miami. It's very movie-like and plasticky, but it's in an amazing spot (the Gold Coast is really breath taking). Hopefully I can get some nice images of that to put up here as well. Anyway, I'll end it here and I will write another post at some point soon. Hopefully I can share some more images/video with you as well. Sara: I'm glad you feel that way. We really try to be ethical and to go out of our way to do the right thing by visitors. So I'm happy that it's appreciated. ~_^ flirtinangel08: I had a good Halloween, although there were no parties unfortunately. Halloween isn't really celebrated in Australia, although usually people use it as an excuse to have some kind of dress-up party. But yeah, none of my friends were doing that this year. SunfallE: Yeah, I think that the key is just to keep everyone happy and fulfilled. As I said before, it's not enough just to have someone enjoying a service - you have to try to exceed their expectations. I'm sure we don't always do that, but we certainly try. ^_^

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Friday, November 4, 2005

Celebritarianism

Well, tomorrow I am leaving for my trip to the Gold Coast. I have to admit, in some ways it's a bit stressful, because there is so much to organize. Normally I wouldn't mind so much, but I'm also responsible for my sister (who is joining me), so that adds to it a bit. But it should be fine. I am hoping to be able to access the Internet via Wi-Fi during the trip, so that I can continue to submit work while I'm away. If that goes well, I might update my posts here and show you some photos or something (that is, if the camera will decide to work). Today also brought a nice surprise. I'd been following Mansonusa.com for a while, as more information about Marilyn Manson's new era began to trickle out. Today there's a bigger blow-out about it. For those who are interested in the band, it's a great read. I like the idea that the next album will be quite different (as Mechanical Animals was to Antichrist Superstar). According to Marilyn Manson at least, it'll be quite different to anything he's done before. Good stuff. There are also some photos of the new visual style that will be accompanying this new era. It really doesn't seem massively different so far, as it seems to be almost an evolution of what we saw with Lest We Forget. But still, it will be great to see more imagery and to read more information about his upcoming projects. Other than that, I've been reading some of the previews about Mario Kart DS (including play-tests of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection). So far it seems good. I have to say, the actual offline game is almost more interesting than the Wi-Fi stuff to me at this stage. I say that because Mario Kart DS seems to be changing the formula a bit more than previous games have. Not only are there new items and such, but there's a mission mode (very unexpected) and the mixture of "retro" and new tracks is certainly a good move. The concept of having different karts is also interesting and is at least new in terms of the Mario Kart series. I'm very much looking forward to this game - it may be the first DS game where I really spend a great deal of time playing it. In addition, there has recently been some interesting Revolution news. Apparently you will be able to do "download play" on Revolution (so you only need one copy of a game to play multiplayer - one Revolution would upload the game to other participating systems). I have no idea if that would work over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, because that would presumably be a lot of data to transfer (unless the game were very simple or something). But I can imagine that it would work well in a LAN environment. Nintendo also confirmed that Revolution is expected to launch within a 14 week window globally. I hope that includes Australia. But in general, it's good that console makers are starting to shoot for global or near-global launches - they are starting to actually understand the massive potential of the PAL territories. It's also interesting to note that Jim Merrick (from Nintendo of Europe) suggests that Revolution's graphics will be comparable to other new systems. I do have the feeling that people are over-blowing the idea of minimal specs; I suspect that the differences we'll see will probably be like this generation (ie: the differences between PS2 and Xbox games aren't really all that major, but are noticeable to the really hardcore crowd). In any case, it's probably good news for those who were worried that Revolution would be some kind of glorified GameCube. Although Resident Evil 4 still looks very nice... Before I go, I want to point you to a few threads that are still active. First up, Solo's OtakuBoards: Enter the Net. For those who are a little newer, I would have to say that this has become one of the most famous threads in the site's history. Well-written, perfectly-parodied and flat-out-funny (that all sounded very wrong), it's something you should definitely check out. Apparently Solo is thinking of writing another chapter and he's included another post in there just yesterday. I definitely hope to see the thread continue. And then there's The Reanimatrix. Technically, this thread is still active. It's still accepting submissions. Older members who have contributed there may not wish to include anything else, but newer members who haven't seen it might be interested. I have considered adding some more of my own writings in there, as well as some more "official" writings. But I guess we'll see how it goes. As it stands, I'm quite happy with the depth and breadth of what's on offer there - at the very least, it makes for quite a read, especially if you're a fan of The Matrix. Finally, there's the Kill Adam Underground thread. Participants from this RPG are advised to take a look at my latest post, because I am attempting to get the ball rolling again. I'd like to finish Volume 2 and start thinking about some of my other ideas related to the series. Annie: I'm happy with the response, I'm really glad you liked the changes. ^_^ Sammy: Ahh, AIM. Okay, let me see if I can help you out there. First, go here, to AIM.com. From there you should be able to download the program and register a screen name. Once you've done that it's a simple matter of starting up the program and logging in. Once you've got a screen name, you can send it to people and they can chat to you on there. It may take a bit of getting used to if you've never used an IM program before, but I guarantee that it's worthwhile. ^_^ indifference: I'm glad that you continue to enjoy the services here. It's that enjoyment which really makes me want to continue with what we're doing. I think you will be very pleased with what we have coming. I'm quite happy with the initial reaction to Art of Otaku's beta program, so hopefully the final release will be just as impressive. At the very least, we'll be continually adding things along the way, right up until launch. SunfallE: Yeah, I think that the satisfaction of the members is the most important thing. Like any site, we have our complaints and things we need to fix. But in general, the vast majority of people really enjoy the what we've provided here. So I think it's important to keep improving that. I figure that if we simply strip down the free service further and then say "you need to pay to get what you were already getting for free", that's just a complete slap in the face to everyone. And it's not even particularly logical. So it's really important for us to show that we value our members by offering a better free service as well as a subscription service. At the end of the day I think it comes back to the idea that it's very easy for people to just click away from myOtaku and go anywhere else - we have to work hard for every new member and we have to work extra hard to keep the majority of them for the longterm.

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Tuesday, November 1, 2005

I want to write my name on your t-shirt.

So, it's been an interesting weekend. The weather is finally starting to settle itself. Right now, it's absolutely perfect. Warm air, with a slightly cool breeze. It's one of those nights where you can sit outside and feel completely comfortable...the cool air just gently drifts over your skin. It's amazing. The weather will be great for the trip. I should be leaving this Sunday, though I'm not quite sure how long I'll be away for. I am hoping that I can get 'net access with my laptop while I'm gone, because I still have quite a lot of things that need to be submitted by email and stuff. It should be fine though. In network-related news, I spent most of yesterday working on Art of Otaku with Adam. It was good fun, it reminded both of us of the time when we were working on theOtaku.com v2 together for hours. Ahh, nostalgia. ~_^ The beta of Art of Otaku is now running I believe and I hope it will be a success. The beta has certainly improved in its various iterations, but I am hoping to be able to spend some time further refining things for the November 20th launch. I really feel that we have to keep working up until the deadline, to get things as solid as possible. It's not enough to meet people's expectations; we have to exceed them. You may have also noticed the Halloween changes on OtakuBoards. I'm glad that people seem to like them. We usually tend to make some changes for Christmas, but that's about it really. I really like Halloween, so I thought it'd be fun to do something for that too. I think I will leave the Halloween changes up for just a little longer before I take them down. Sammy: Ah, but how many of these threads are you reading? Heavy issues, but shallow debating? I totally disagree with that. Just look at the thread about suicide. Yeah, you get your shallow people, which will pop up no matter where you go. But there's a hell of a lot of insightful/well-thought-out stuff in there. I wouldn't be so dismissive. I think that people are always talking about trends on OB. I don't know how long they have been around or how observant they are, but I think I can confidently say that OB is always in a state of flux. I don't believe that we're ever "getting more serious" or getting one way or another, as if it's a longterm trend. It just changes on an almost monthly basis, based on the individual people who are active at the time. I saw your new OB screenname and I might as well take the opportunity to remind you that you need to get AIM. I harp on the issue, but you really should try it! Anyhoo, congrats on the new name. ^_^ Baronness: And I still think you are weird for having such an obsession with two words that are totally different. Seriously, the only thing they share is "an" at the start! Hehe But yeah, it happens. There are a lot of innocent words that remind me of things they shouldn't. For example, Mitch knows that his previous AIM name "dilapoid" reminded me of "dildopoid". I didn't intend that to offend him, but I always read the word that way. So I guess that no matter what I do, someone will associate it with something. But you know, the word is what it is and it means what it means. So I'm happy enough. *shrug* indifference: Well, the free service is paramount. It will be our focus initially. So I can say that not only will we not get rid of our free service here, but we will dramatically expand and improve it. So nobody needs to worry about that. Some sites create a subscription service that locks free users out of some features that they've already been using. In our case we're adding more features for free users, and then adding more on top of that for premium users. So I think it's something everyone will be happy with. Alexus: Reminds you of Bruce Wayne? Oh man, don't make me laugh! Hehe. Anyway, yeah, it reminds me of something Homer said: "He's just a crazy nut." So yeah, that's about the size of it. SunfallE: Yeah, it was a name I was going to use for a domain. But I don't really mind that it's taken - an AIM name is something I can easily change, but a site domain really has to be what I want. I sat here a few nights ago and came up with about a dozen names, all of which were taken. So, it's very tough! But it really has to be right, it has to be what I really want. I'll keep at it. ^_^ Shinji: Absolutely, I think that's what it's all about. This is one reason why I don't get starstruck when I meet famous people. Sometimes people get like that just because someone is famous. Why? They are known by many people, but does that matter in and of itself? Surely not. What matters more is what kind of person they are and what they've done. I'm far more likely to be starstruck by someone like Miyamoto than by even the most famous Hollywood actor (oh gee, starstruck over Miyamoto, that isn't going to go down well in some quarters ~_^). But that's just how it is. I have so much more interest in people who have done things that have had an impact on me in some way. Zid: Oh there's nothing to tolerate - I enjoy talking to you and that's it. When it comes to friends, I'm always there to listen. Even if a problem seems stupid to you or something, it's still a problem and it's still affecting you...so it's as real as any other problem. You know what I mean? I'm not concerned with the general flows of traffic. People come, people go. That hasn't changed in the last five years or so and it won't change in the future. That is why I talk positively about new members - if I only clung to some old clique, I'd never be satisfied and nothing would ever change. Of course, I appreciate old friends and good memories, but not at the expense of making new friends and having new experiences. It has to be a balance and for me, I enjoy equally spending time with "oldies" as well as people I've become friends with only recently. ^_^

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Saturday, October 29, 2005

Switch me on, turn me up.

Thanks to everyone for your comments on my last post. They are very much appreciated. Comments like that really put things in perspective. I also had a long chat with Tony for the first time in ages today and I really enjoyed that. It reminded me why I introduced him to OB in the first place and why we can still chat about anything after all this time. As you can see, I have once again changed my intro image. This time, it's Aeon Flux. I was never a huge fan of the TV series, although truth be told, I have such vague memories of it now. However, the movie (which doesn't seem to involve Cheung at all), seems like it'll be more of a "movie based on the series" situation. Speaking of the film, it stars Charlize Theron. For the longest time, I really thought she was fairly overrated. When she won that Oscar for Monster? My first (admittedly cynical) reaction was "Here we go again, an actress wins for 'going ugly' by default". I think that was probably part of it, but when I saw the movie I was very impressed with her performance. The make-up helped, but I don't think make-up would have made up for terrible acting. I then saw the documentary "Aileen", about the serial killer who Charlize Theron was portraying in the film. And then I realized that she was actually incredibly close to the real Aileen Wuornos. Pretty incredible stuff. So, the presence of Charlize Theron is now probably one reason to look forward to Aeon Flux. I expect it to be pretty standard sci-fi fare (I will be surprised if it turns out to really wow me), but that's okay, I'm in the mood for that right now. Other than Aeon, there's not a whole lot coming out soon that really interests me, off the top of my head. In other news, I now have a new AIM name. It's listed on the left there. I don't even know if I will keep it, but I think it's time for a change. I absolutely loathe my old name; I really only kept it for convenience. Over the next few days I'll notify some people and switch things over. If you want to add it, that's up to you. If you do, feel free to say hello. Solo: It's good to know that you visit. I don't think you have to worry about saying something stupid though. ^_^ Tony: I think I just tend to forget that, no, I'm not insane...sometimes people are just bratty and that's all there is to it. It's okay for me to acknowledge that, I guess. I really should stop trying to be so diplomatic and just call a spade a spade. The only thing that frustrates me about the Sciros conversation is that he has this habit of apparently not really reading what other people are saying. It's a bit like he's skimming and responding as fast as possible. Either that, or it's just misinterpretation. Either way, it does kind of make any effort to have a pleasant conversation futile in the end. lol But yeah, it happens. There are people like it everywhere. I think anyone who actually pays attention to what I have to say will understand where I'm coming from. Thanks again for the chat, by the way. We should do that more often. Aaryanna: Sometimes I think that OB fans are like Nintendo fans. They're a spoiled bunch! The more spoiled you are, the more you're willing to complain about smaller and smaller things. So perhaps that's just an indication that we might actually be doing something right. lol I think the problem is that from my point of view, I am swimming upstream. Yes, it's wonderful to have hundreds of thousands of visitors to the network each month. It's great to know that something you've made is enjoyed by many. On the other hand, maintaining high quality among a sea of fourteen year old girls is frankly very difficult. You take one step forward and the current pushes you two steps back. Having said that, it really is a generalization. Our visitors are relatively diverse (as I think the comments on my own site probably show) and things are always changing. Sometimes I think I prefer creating things for groups of people who do not share my taste. It's more challenging and interesting at times. Anyway, thanks for your comment. You're the kind of newer member who really impresses me - I sometimes wonder why "oldies" don't see all of the great new members that I see all the time. They're missing out. Bio: Yeah, I think you are basically right. The whiners are the ones who come and go and at the end of the day, nobody really notices them in the longterm. Things were running just fine before they came and they will run just fine after they leave. Dagger: Bingo. But hey, gossip is supposed to be fun, right? Negativity does well! Sammy: RPGs seem to go in waves, just like the membership at large. Usually it seems as though we get a few stellar RPGs, which everyone else is then inspired by. And that leads to a period of creativity and new ideas. And then things sort of bottom out again. Right now we're definitely in that bottoming-out phase I'd say. There are always some exceptions, just as there are now...but in general it's pretty boring. But then again, I haven't had the appetite for RPGs at all lately in general. So perhaps I'm not very qualified to talk about that. As for the other stuff, I don't know, I really don't believe that things have changed so much. The only thing to have changed is that some members have arrived and some have gone. We still have plenty of deep discussions, they are all over the place. In fact, some complain that we have too many of them. But you see, this exemplifies my overall point. You say that there aren't many deep discussions, others say that we only ever have deep discussions. The sky is blue, the sky is pink. In the end, the reality doesn't even seem to matter - everyone has their own interpretation and opinion. All we can do, really, is ensure that the majority of people are enjoying their experience. And on that score, I'm very comfortable. Alexus: I just wish he wouldn't take conversations so personally. I wasn't even necessarily defending Nintendo, I was just trying to illustrate a difference in approach. But as soon as I do that, I get labeled as some fanboy or something. It just goes to show that he wasn't really paying attention, that's all. Unless I'm speaking another language, I can think of no other explanation for it. lol HC: Yeah, unfortunately I was just too late for Legionnaries. I couldn't think up a character quickly enough! On suck-ups, yeah, I think you are basically right there. But sometimes I question whether some of the actual friends aren't pulling my chain or trying to get something out of me. Mostly, though, I'm not concerned. I'm here to do a job and to enjoy what I do. And that is what must come first. As for the criticism thing...thank you. Your lack of sense is still probably one of the most logical things I've read lately! I'm glad to know that not everyone has been sucked into the vortex. lol Sammy Again: So I'm suckable, am I? I shall remember that. ~_^ Anyhoo, yeah, I think there's definitely a difference between a suck-up and someone who actually admires someone else. I know of people who like or admire me, but who are still themselves and who don't put on some silly facade in front of me. That is what I appreciate. RaR: No, I've never thought of you that way, so don't worry. Basically I feel that everyone desereves a basic level of respect anyway. Even if someone disregards what I say in a discussion on OtakuBoards, I'm not going to hold a grudge - next time 'round, I'm going to talk to them as if nothing had happened at all. I think that's how it should be. I hope that if people respect me, it's at least on that basic level of respecting another person. Other than that, I hope people's respect comes from my achievements versus my actual title/position. The position can always change and is kind of meaningless in some ways...but the enjoyment people may or may not have from something I've made is more significant I think. I hope that is at the forefront of people's minds more than anything else. Does that make sense?

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Friday, October 28, 2005

Stand up and bitch.

Usually, my immediate family goes on holiday to Phillip Island once a year. Unfortunately this year it hasn't happened for various reasons, which is disappointing. I did go down there with one of my friends recently, but that was only overnight (thought it was still very nice). However, it looks like I may be in for another trip anyway. One of my friends recently lost his job and is going back home to Brisbane to study. As far as I know, he's actually going to be driving up there and he invited me to come along. So that could be very cool; I haven't been to either Sydney or Brisbane, so it'd be fun to take a tour of the east coast. The only problem really is work. Given the relatively short notice of the whole thing, that could be a little tough. But I'll do my best to work around that - it'd be a great opportunity to see more of the country than I've seen so far. Anyway, I've been following The Legionnaires a bit and I have to say that the whole thing is pretty impressive. I'm enjoying what I've seen so far. The scale of the project is very daunting though, I don't think I could organize something like that. But it did lead me to thinking about my own RPGs. I have updated my Arena Underground thread with some of my thoughts. Speaking of OB, I've noticed that some people seem very dissatisfied with it lately. The guy quoted there reminds me of Sciros a little, although I'm not sure who he actually is. It's kind of funny though and it made me think. I get the strong impression that people tend to treat me differently because of my position. By that I mean, maybe people feel that they can't disagree or something like that (not that it's ever been a problem for plenty of people, lol). Perhaps that's not quite it, I don't know. Usually I feel that I'm kind of walking an odd line. On the one hand, I'm a member of this community and I've made friends here. So I try to basically just be myself and express my views and all the rest of it. But at the same time, I'm also heavily involved in working on this place and organizing staff. So I'm also on the other side as well. Because of that, I'm often in a position of having to sell ideas and "promote" things, for lack of a better word. I suspect that my "promotion" comes across as it shouldn't at times. With Art of Otaku for example, it's not as though I'm literally standing here and saying "OMG, everything we do is the best, you will love it more than your mother!" You know what I mean? Obviously I'm promoting it, because it's an important project of ours...but I'm really only promoting it the same as any of you would promote your own sites. Of course, I do actually believe that it's good quality - even when I'm not happy with things we do, I still think that we attempt to provide as much value as we can. So it's not dishonest or anything, it's just that I'm kind of in a role where it's my job to promote something. Shy will tell you that one of my known traits is loving newbies. I was thinking about that today as well. Maybe one reason why I enjoy them is because they haven't yet developed that cynicism/negativity. I notice a bit of a pattern. Members come and go and when they finally go, they seem to go in one of two general directions. Either they simply lose contact gradually and pop in from time to time...or they become somehow bitter or upset or angry and decide to launch bombs at the network from afar. I wouldn't say that I object to criticism, if it's constructive. If I did, we wouldn't have a Suggestions & Feedback forum. But the whole bomb-throwing thing confuses me. It's not as though I've chained these people up and forced them to visit OB or myOtaku, you know? It's not as though they are breaking free from years of oppression. They chose to come, they chose to visit and they chose to leave. So why, then, is it necessary to dig the knives in from a safe distance? Perhaps I am just taking everything too literally, but sometimes I can't help but wonder why I bother at all. Where is the encouragement to do better? Where's the encouragement to expand? If the being more successful and prominent also leads you to being a bigger target (which seems obvious as I type it here), then what incentive do any of us have to work hard and create something popular? I sometimes feel that there is a double standard, because I can't seem to get away with expressing an opinion on anything without it seeming as though I'm pounding it into someone's skull - no matter how generous or calm I attempt to be. And yet someone like Kevin (who you may or may not know), can gain sympathy despite all of the unethical behavior (everything from direct plagiarism to pretty harsh treatment of a whole slew of people online). Do you think that my attempt to walk the line between "member" and "PR person" results in some kind of duplicity from people? If I am walking a line between two things, maybe other people are doing the same to me. And what does that really mean? Does it mean that I should only be one or the other? Just do a job and not have personal connections, or have personal connections and never promote anything or do anything "official" around here? It's not something that really worries me - I'm sure I'll just continue to do what I've been doing - but it's an interesting question. The guy mentioned in Azure's post isn't really a good example, because if anyone cares to read our discussion...I simply tried to explain my disagreement in a logical and calm way. And then I get told that I'm sucking Miyamoto off. I can't be missing something - whatever that is, it's not my fault. lol But I suppose that in general it did make me think about what I've been seeing lately - something that is not really a recent phenomenon, but which is just a bit more noticeable lately. At the end of the day, I guess I really can't change how people feel about things. All I can do is try to have fun with what we do here and make the best of it. There will always be unfairnesses to it and I think I have to simply learn to look forward rather than sideways. In an odd way, it actually kind of spurs me on. Sometimes I view it as a challenge. When it doesn't downright confuse me, it motivates me to simply do a better job and to work harder to make something fun/worthwhile. By even devoting this much space to these thoughts, I am probably giving them far more visibility than they really deserve. But this is a blog and this is what I was thinking about just now. So I thought I'd spill my random and vague thoughts about it here. Anyway, on to the comments. Alan: Hah, that's an odd association. But I know what you mean...that sort of thing happens to me all the time! Solo: Wow, a Solo comment! It's nice to see that you're still around. ^_^ Alexus: Yeah, it's so weird how we can associate two very different things like that. HC: Er, I don't remember...but PDFs in general aren't necessarily great. Just depends on the actual PDF. Art of Otaku works well in PDF form though. Annie-kun: I'm sure you will enjoy it! Hopefully it includes some tutorials that suit you. ^_^ Chab: Yeah, it's a little like that, except that the modules are not visible on your page. Instead, they all relate to the backroom workspace. John: Oh believe me, Adam's public-friendly juggernaut-mode is how he is in real life! He's just too pleasant for his own good - I keep telling him to be more aggressive. ~_^ But yeah, perhaps he should share my "picture" around again. Or maybe I should share his. You'd be surprised at how much he looks like Raul Julia... indifference: Well, I think a lot of places tend to neglect their free services when they introduce a subscription service. What we are doing is focusing first on myOtaku Basic, which is the free service. It will be a major upgrade in just about every way. So really, you will still feel as though you're getting a premium service. Premium will be even better and more feature-rich, but it will come a little later. We felt that it would be best to focus on the free service first and then build up from that. That way we can ensure that we aren't leaving behind the free service users. Sennen: So, will you always associate The Cure with Revolution now? I will always associate Revolution with Goldfrapp, after first seeing the controller. Somehow though, the song's lyrics matched what I was seeing in an odd way...

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Thursday, October 27, 2005

Fly me away.

Funnily enough, that Goldfrapp song is what I was listening to when I first saw the Revolution controller. I will now always associate that song with Revolution. It happens to me a lot - I associate songs with different things. For example, I will forever associate Godsmack's Voodoo with Metal Gear Solid 3...partly due to the lyrics and partly because my sister was listening to it non-stop while I was playing the game. I don't mind having that association though - whenever I hear the song it gives me a nostalgic feeling or something. Anyway, I have amended my layout yet again, though I'm 100% unhappy with the intro image. But frankly, I can't be bothered changing it right now. So consider it a placeholder. When I have time, I shall change it to something more appropriate. Anyway, today was interesting. I discovered that we may indeed be offering Art of Otaku on CD-ROM. Of course, it will have complete packaging and be correctly labeled and so on. I'm excited about that, although it does put some extra pressure on me - I will be handling all of the design work for that. I don't mind, though. It should be fun. We are also about to do a beta offering for Art of Otaku, so the feedback from that will be interesting. I have a few things to complete on my end before we can do the beta offer, but I expect that we'll be putting that out on Monday or something. So if you're one of the 2,200 or so people who signed-up early on for Art of Otaku stuff, you may be included in that beta. That should be good fun. Other than that, I have kind of spent some more time tinkering with myOtaku. I may not have mentioned it, but not long ago I actually up-ended the tea table on Adam and Justin. Basically, we required a "white" version of the site, but implementing that was difficult for various reasons. During that process I came to realize that our design was great for teenagers, but that it would not be so suitable for older people. So I created something new from scratch, which both Adam and Justin seem very happy about. And that design is what we'll be pursuing for myOtaku 3.0. It is therefore possible that I might be able to show you the design that I'd been working on beforehand, since it's basically now redundant. If you are interested in seeing that, perhaps I could put it up. The new design, which has been in existence for a few weeks now, is about as different to the first design as you could get. When I was working on it, I was thinking about the palettes in Photoshop and how you can easily move them around and create a workspace that suits whatever you're working on at the time. I have applied this same concept to myOtaku - so yes, it will be a more visual site than what we have now, but it should also take all of those new features and present them in a pretty simple fashion. At least, that's the goal. The more you strip away, the more difficult the design work becomes. What exites me most about Art of Otaku is the possibility that we may even be able to offer it at retail or something. I imagine this will depend somewhat on the reception to the beta, but even if we offer the packaged version over the Internet...that would be fantastic. Of course, a PDF is great and I'm sure it's just as useful. The end product is a PDF regardless anyway. However, having a packaged CD-ROM full of pretty artwork is no doubt a much better alternative than a digital file. It would also really be our first actual physical product. So in that sense, after all these years of working on various things, it would be a bit of a collector's item I imagine. I was also talking to Adam today about the possibility of expanding Art of Otaku to include various other little tidbits (like a ton of free wallpapers and things like that). Hopefully we can include some extras to further improve the value. I can tell you that we do have one inclusion planned that we aren't advertising or talking about - it's a surprise for buyers. I think it's a cute little addition, myself. Oh, before I go, gaming fans may want to know that Electroplankton will be available online and at the Nintendo World store as of January 9th. I know a few of you were debating whether or not to import this title, but now you won't have to. I wonder if the American packaging will be like the Japanese packaging. I hope so, because I think it's really worth buying if you are a Nintendo fan. Given the limited appeal of the product, I'd say it's going to be a big collector's item one day in the future. Anyway, on to the responses... indifference: The price of myOtaku Premium will be so low that it will be virtually free. I'm not sure if I can discuss price at this stage, but I can tell you that we're talking pocket change. The big challenge is to make Premium really worthwhile, because even the standard myOtaku 3.0 will be a pretty big leap over what we're providing today. So we have to make a new benchmark and then beat it for Premium. I'm sure the process will be fun though. Aaryanna: Ah yes, I've heard about that restaurant. All I can tell you is that it's basically one of the most warped stereotypes I've ever seen. It's more American than Australian, unfortunately. *shrug* Anyway, Art of Otaku will be something you will need to pay for if you want it. It will be significantly cheaper than most publications of its type, though. And hopefully we will be able to have CD-ROM versions widely available. So I hope that you look forward to it! John: Ah yes! I remember now. We have Takeshi's Castle here, complete with local presenters (and a cross-dressing Geisha). Unfortunately though, Takeshi's Castle is no longer airing here. We also had another Japanese game show here. I forget the name, but I know that it involved insects and body paint. And those pictures...oh yes, I remember. And some people thought they were real, too! They literally thought I was an 80 year old man who was screaming, lol. Funny stuff. XD RaR: Again, I'm not quite sure if I can comment on the price of Art of Otaku. I can only tell you that it will be pretty affordable - certainly cheaper (and superior in quality) to many of the bound publications that currently exist. As for myOtaku, I do not know when we will launch it, given all of the things we are working on right now. At the moment I can tell you that my primary concern is Art of Otaku. After that, I'll be 100% dedicated to myOtaku development. It's a tough wait, but I hope that as things take further shape, I will be able to start sharing specifics with you on here. I would like to perhaps reveal one new feature each week or something like that. We'll see, I guess. Zid: I'm not sure I believe the sinus infection = cleansing thing. It sounds a bit like an old wives' tale to me...like the idea that being cold gives you a cold. Still, whatever the situation, I'm just glad to be over that awful virus. I hope your cold improves soon though! Annie-kun: Ah yes, I am feeling better thankfully. Thanks for the conversation today too, I enjoyed it. I was feeling pretty physically crappy, so it was great to be able to have a good discussion with you. SunfallE: Thank you, you too! Don't worry about not coming by, it's cool. I often forget to do the rounds myself. Bio: You bet your ass! It's so difficult to find the right tone for OtakuBoards, but I prefer what we have now to what we had previously. I am never satisfied, though. It still isn't completely right.

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