Video game violence exhibit A.
(Source: mtv, via bastardlybrendan)
Epiphany Delirium
A secularistic Heathen who is currently taking up the runes (Elder Futhark) in order to have a better understanding of Heathenry, I usually post (or reblog) things about American theocracy, Heathenry in general, or theories and interesting facts about Homestuck. I might also write a review or talk about some of my writing from time to time.
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March162013
March12013
What I wish Medallions in OoT Could do for Link and (Kind of Short) Explanations Why
- Light: Allows you to safely travel through time. This happens in the game without a word. To go "forward" in time, Link "sleeps." But how does he go "backward" in time? He cannot sleep, and he certainly cannot "unsleep."
- Light Explanation: "Light" in OoT is practically interchangeable with "Time". We can see this with the Sage of Light's connection with the Temple of Time (where the Master Sword is held) and the Temple of Light's placement in the holy realm. (I like the theory that each of the temples are connections for the races between the physical world and the Sacred Realm.)
- Forest: Allows you to safely travel through "bizarre" locations (i.e. twisted corridors, The Lost Woods, etc.). Every aspect of the forest (Kokiri Forest, Forest Temple, The Lost Woods) connects the forest to illusions and twists and turns.
- Forest Explanation: "Forest" in this game seems to be connected with "maze" or "confusion." The explanation for the Kokiris partnering with fairies is that the fairies keep the Kokiri people from becoming skullkids - children become skullkids while adults become skeleton warriors. In other words, without a guide, even natives will be lost. To enter the Forest Temple, one must find their way through The Lost Woods, and the Sage of Forest seems to be the only one capable of doing this on her own (everyone else uses the echoes of her music to find their way). After that, one must traverse a maze. The temple itself has bizarre architecture.
- Fire: Allows you to life extremely heavy objects (i.e. The Goron Sword, pillars, large boulders, etc.). This primarily comes from the connection between "Fire" and "power".
- Fire Explanation: Death Mountain houses the Fire Temple - the place connecting the mountain's natives with the Goddesses. Din is most connected with the mountain than the other Goddesses, and the residents (of the era of the Hero of Time) of the mountain are incredibly strong people of moving stone. The Sage of Fire is capable of breaking through massive boulders gating the temple, and is considered the strongest of the Gorons - his Sage status aids his strength.
- Water: Allows you to travel through any body of water (wouldn't be feasible on the N64, probably). This includes waterfalls, strong currents, and ice. It would extend to safely falling into bodies of water from any height.
- Water Explanation: The Water Temple was originally the hardest temple of them all, even though it was only the third to be encountered in the game (for the adult Link). I believe this was intentional to emphasize the concept of "Water" as overcoming impossible odds; even with the incredibly strong current against you, you get through it. To further this, the Zora people - attributed to the "Water" symbolism - can swim through most currents. It isn't always easy for them, of course, but they have the power to force their way through most currents AND survive being frozen solid for years. I doubt any other species would be able to do that.
- Shadow: Allows you to speak with the dead (i.e. corpses, poes, redeads, etc.). From a player's POV, this would mean learning special information or being allowed passage through sealed doors not otherwise capable of getting through.
- Shadow Explanation: The concept of "Shadow" in this game is closely tied with darkness. Not that it's "evil," just "darkness." And within the concept of "dark," the concept of "illusions" and "The Great Unknown" come forth. These two concepts combine to create the concept of The Afterlife. "Shadow" is interchangeable with "Death" in OoT. So this medallion making it possible to hold conversations with poes and redeads and such could make sense. I'd have loved the ability to free those poes from the Poe Peddler in the future, but can you imagine going back to the well as a kid and talking with spirits talking about that guy who became Bongo Bongo?
- Spirit: Allows you to have a second wind after reaching zero hearts. With Forest already giving you access to bizarre locations, the traveling through the desert temple can't really ALSO do that.
- Spirit Explanation: Spirits have been connected with the wind for a long time now. "Breath" and "mouth" can be translated as "spirit" or "magic" in many old cultures, so the placement of the Spirit Temple in the windy desert (with the boss being two WITCHES) is very appropriate. Fairies in LoZ can give Link a second wind, but they don't give him a full heal on their own. With this second wind, Link would have full health (though there would likely need to be a discouragement - like being slower for a while or something) OR three hearts and an attack/defense boost. Essentially, the Spirit Medallion would take influence from the Sage of Spirit, who survived years of brainwashing AND guarding the Spirit Temple AND the battle between her and Link. The Sage of Spirit had many second winds throughout her screen time, though she did - eventually - die (accepting the "Sages die to attain sage-hood" theory).
February252013
But video games do it all the time!
I wish more comedians did stuff on video games. Surely there’s lots of material to be had from it.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
(Source: satanxmay, via bastardlybrendan)
February82013
(via judesoldblog)
February72013
I heard this great joke on Sims once…
Ba harmy putar?
GLARCH!
I’ve seen this post three times now and I still lose my shit.
(via social-darwin-awards)
December182012
My favorite is Fa Ping/Mulan. I like nice, simple fanart like this…
(via thiswhitewidow)
June22012
this is what is what people refer to as ‘saving’
One of the various reasons I know video games aren’t total wastes of time?
Quotes like this.
(via centaurstestickle)
December172010
Hollow Worlds in Kingdom Hearts?! (Oh noes!)
So apparently, people have yet to notice the lack of NPCs within the Kingdom Hearts series. I find this odd, mainly because all of the worlds seem to lack NPCs in each of the games. When I thought about it further, I found that most of the worlds are completely justified in not having them. It makes the first game look even better, to be completely honest, and makes me frown upon Kingdom Hearts 2; many of its worlds lack the subtle justifications that the first game’s had.
This was so convoluted that I made it into a list, and I even gave this post headings! Seriously!
Kingdom Hearts 1
Traverse Town - The NPCs are within the First District. Why? Because that was the only district that was secured. To venture anywhere else in that world was an invitation to being attacked by abominations that destroyed your home. No point in going out there, huh? And even then, some NPCs can be found outside the First District, like in hotel in the Second District. This world’s lack of NPCs is justified, if one could even call it a lack of NPCs.
Wonderland - We’ve only seen Wonderland in Alice’s perspective of her first time there (based off of the Disney film). To be completely honest, I’m kind of surprised there were any NPCs at all; I expected the Mad Hatter and March Hare to be there; we’re lucky the cards were standing guard.
Deep Jungle - This world is basically a forest with about four humans in the film’s main cast, justifying the emptiness right there, but if you want to go and say that some of the main cast never saw the game, I’d like to point out that that happens in this series.
Olympus Coliseum - I don’t think there was any room for more NPCs, though the arena could have used a crowd. In that, however, we have the justification that the crowd could have lagged the game or something (it’s why we don’t have capes in Birth by Sleep, after all). I was a bit disappointed the first play through when this world was only the coliseum, since the movie showed so much more, but the game is international, and the film the world is based on didn’t get much praise for distorting ancient Greek myths (at least, in Greece).
Agrabah - I remember in the film the streets were always crowded, and I remember in the game there was an area called “The Bazaar”. Bazaars are typically shown as always crowded and always busy, so I don’t believe Agrabaah’s lack of NPCs is justified. There weren’t even any guards afoot!
Monstro - Totally justified. In the film, there’s only Pinocchio and his father and the fish (within the whale).
Atlantica - I’m going to say that this one’s justified. It is world within an ocean, and monsters are popping out of nowhere… if you could go anywhere in any direction (which the citizens of Atlantica could), then you probably wouldn’t stick around for the monsters, right? Though I’d expect some guards in the throne room, to be honest.
Halloween Town - I’m not sure about this one myself. It could be justified in that the citizens don’t know what the Heartless are, and it was shown in the film that they don’t fight for themselves (Jack has to save Sandy Claws and Sally). However, I’d prefer it if the citizens were shown or something, as there isn’t any clear indication why they weren’t seen in the slightest.
Neverland - Justified in that the only things we see of this world in this game is Big Ben and Captain Hook’s ship. It really didn’t follow the plot of the film, methinks.
Hollow Bastion - Justified. Remember that there really aren’t NPCs here until after the keyhole is sealed.
100 Acre Wood - It is filled with NPCs! There are no enemies here!
End of the World - Uh… duh…
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
All of the worlds in this game are justified, as none of them are really worlds; they’re memories from Sora or Riku. Even Castle Oblivion is justified in that it’s a looming castle that saps one’s memories (that’s my understanding of it: it leads one to oblivion or something).
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days
Considering the fact that the Organization is a stealth group, and Days was so bad anyways, I don’t see how the hollow worlds aren’t justified.
Kingdom Hearts 2
Twilight Town - This world is the least hollow of all of the worlds within this game! It was very annoying when trying to level up, as there are no enemies when NPCs are around, for some reason.
Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden - The first time I noticed the hollow world thing was with Twilight Town, but the first instance in-game where there should be more NPCs is right after the very first cutscene in this world. That market area was filled with shoppers in the first scene, and then completely empty two seconds later when Sora and Co. walk off of that patio. This world has no justification for the lack of NPCs.
Land of Dragons - This world has a lot of NPCs found within it, so I don’t think it needs justification— there’s nothing to justify.
Beast’s Castle - Justified in that the Beast didn’t want his subjects to be harmed, so he wouldn’t want them to be walking around the castle; meaning that he probably ordered them into some of the areas Sora and Co. never enter. Note that there were four doors in the entrance, but Sora and Co. only went into one of them.
Olympus Coliseum - Same justification as the first game, really. Though there’s a whole other region of this world to explore, there shouldn’t be NPCs walking about anywhere but the Coliseum itself, which gets destroyed early on in this world’s plot.
Disney Castle - Minnie could have ordered her subjects to abandon the castle or to go into a safe area of the castle, where Sora and Co. never get to, but once the world is safe again, there are no Heartless or Nobodies to be found, so those subjects should have entered the castle again. I don’t think this world’s justified.
Timeless River - This world has plenty of NPCs, so it doesn’t need justification.
Port Royal - Perhaps justified in that the streets of Port Royal were still barricaded up, meaning that no one cleaned up the streets. In other words, I think it’s justified in that the citizens are all still in hiding or in that they all fled.
Atlantica - Bahahaha! No justification needed… It’s just… hahaha.
Agrabah - Same with the first game, only worse. This game expanded Agrabah, but instead of more NPCs, we get the Peddler. Seriously, I don’t understand why Sora and Co. can’t enter the palace; they saved Jasmine, after all. This world is even less justified in this game than it was in the first one. We should have been able to enter the palace, and there should have been citizens and guards as NPCs.
Halloween Town - This world saw more NPCs and an expansion on its size, so I don’t think a justification is really necessary… Though a justification on Jack’s amnesia would have been nice. In this series, it has been hinted that the film has already happened, so why did Jack redo the “I want to take over Christmas” thing? It doesn’t make any sense, and it’s also off topic.
Pride Lands - Justified in that all the other species are dead or have fled due to Scar. However, the matter of how Scar did that to the Savanna in the first place is still a mystery.
Space Paranoids - Possibly justified. To be honest, I never saw Tron, so I can’t really speculate why there weren’t more NPCs other than the fact that the data was being messed with by the Heartless.
100 Acre Wood - Filled with NPCs.
The World That Never Was - Justified. The city is filled with Heartless, any NPCs would become Heartless pretty quickly, and the castle is filled with Nobodies (besides the fact it was not possible to enter it from the city until Sora came along), so it is expected that any NPCs would get attacked if they were to find their way into it.
I haven’t played Birth by Sleep, so I won’t have this list go into that game. I just wanted to point out that, for most of this series, the lack of NPCs/emptiness of the worlds has made sense.
November42010
Award for Favorite Female Character: Intro & Nominee #1
Hmm… I’m kind of curious… Which character gets my Award for Favorite Female Character? Damn. Now I must figure something out! I know!
I’ll go through all of the characters that I know of that could fit the bill! Yay!
Larxene, from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, would be the first character— second character— that comes to mind.
She’s anything but a stereotype… except the craziness. She could use a lot more of it though! She’s a strong opponent, and she’s one of the few bosses that can be literally in two places at the same time. She holds mastery over lightning, and she tried to overthrow her oppressors (man!). She isn’t one to be made fun of, as she’s likely to fry you or worse.
She also slapped Namine. She pimpslapped Namine. Much respect from me this one has.
But another thing that I like about her is that her element is electricity lightning, and her weapons are kunai, which wouldn’t be that big of a thing if she didn’t not throw them all the time. Then again, I haven’t played Chain of Memroies or RE:Chain of Memories for a while now.
But regardless, she must be somewhere on this list!
November32010
So I’ve Been Hearing Ke$ha
So I’ve been hearing a lot of Ke-US Dollar Sign-ha on the radio lately, and I’ve heard once or twice the radio hosts commenting that she reminds them of Lady Gaga or that they think Kesha will be “the next Lady Gaga.” This is a bit irksome when I hear this, because Kesha, to me, sounds like, to be completely honest (read “to be lying horribly”), a dying cat whose lost its way.
No, in all seriousness, I actually like some of her songs… I just don’t respect her. I mean, if I hear her on the radio, then I’ll probably listen to her music, or if I’m bored and on the computer, then I’ll probably go on to my music playlist on YouTube and listen to one or two of her songs. But that’s really it. Note the mocking of her “name”? Yeah, I’m kind of an ass, hating someone because they are so stupid they think it is perfectly okay to have a special character in their name. I wonder if she thinks she’s special because of that special character… This thought has not occurred to me until now… Huh…
Oh, but I want to make it clear that I’m not saying that special characters in names are stupid or something. ü ï, î, and Ü are special characters in English, but they are a part of the alphabets of other languages. “$” is not a part of any alphabet that I know of, and Ke-USD-ha pronounces it like an S as though it is a part of the English alphabet, which makes her look like a complete idiot.
But I don’t want this post to be completely bashing on the gal…
Uh… I like her beard…?
As you can tell, I didn’t do any research for this. Why should I? This blog is one of those “Whatever is on my mind”, so you should expect something ridiculously ignorant and unprepared. It isn’t like I know the gal!
But this post needs more links…
Speaking of Links, that last one is amazingly sexy (ignoring any and all context with it/him).
In one of the forums that I frequent, there’s a “Legend of Zelda Fan Club”, which I joined (because I actually like the games that I’ve played). The person who made it did a good job, if I do say so myself, and when I got around to asking about that timeline thing… she didn’t budge at all, saying things like, “It’s really controversial,” and I must really say that I did not expect it to be.
I don’t know, maybe I’m just weird, but shouldn’t the setting and plot and, as a result, the timeline be figured out by the people creating something when they’re creating it in a team (at least)? Ugh, I really don’t know what to think about this, but if it really is controversial, then I guess I’ll leave it here for now, and give the Legend of Zelda games their own post, since it deserves more than a pun joke in which Ke-USD-ha gets “completely” ignored.
Should I connect to the first thing of this post at the end of this post? Nah!
I’ll just end it without finishing this sent—.
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