I played the Gameboy version a loooong time ago.

Here's a Faceball 3000 version.
Faceball 3000 Flash

Info on the game series

I always loved it...check it out.

I got really ticked with Netflix last night for that weird "we don't have the first disk in a series...so sucks to be you if you want to see it" for Heroes. I'm not gonna wait this time. I'm still waiting for Planet Earth from the BBC to drop from Long Wait.



I made my way through the first disk and it's pleasant looking back. I'm convinced the best of TV should not be seen on broadcast television. At best, plug it into a TIVO, DVR or pull it from a VOD source. It's very unpleasant when you can't slow a particular part to catch or rewatch a critical moment. Also, I don't like having the ad-placers deciding when I can take a break. Part of why premium channels are so nifty, even though they have much shorter runs. I am really looking forward to the HBO adaptation of "A Song of Fire & Ice" by George R.R. Martin. A season a book...mmmmm



But back to Heroes. I watched the unaired version, which gave me a neat, insider sort of sensation since I've never made it as far as Comic-Con (I haven't leveled up to that state of geek-cred yet...only an anime/video-game/books geek, but I'm a girl so it's been an uphill battle).

I found it interesting, if a bit confusing, how the 'chapters' played out in the early pilot. With multiple chapters in each episode, the season may have wound up with around 50 or so by the end. I wonder if they'll be doing something like that for the second season, since they've said they want to create smaller arcs in the course of the season.




Pilots are interesting because I've heard enough DVD commentary to know they may take place many many months before a show eventually gets picked up. In a serial show, this can be especially difficult because the next episode then needs to be a seamless transition.





For Heroes, I'm still bewildered they didn't digitally insert Erick Avari into the Chandra Suresh moments like the photograph or at least redub it with his voice. Same goes for Sylar, who just sounds strange without Zachary Quinto's presence and far too old. These are simple edits to me. Heck, when the anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya came out on DVD, all sorts of errors were digitally fixed! (Download that show now if you don't know it...don't keep reading. Go somewhere and find it. It is among the greatest science fiction works, blending humor, amazing voice-over writing which makes all other voice-over writing pale in comparison, and non-linear storytelling. Don't get it on DVD, Bandai botched it like they botched everything but Cowboy Bebop. Get it yet?) And that's a relatively small-budget anime show when compared with a prime-time US TV production.




It just irks me that with all the planning they did, that they didn't go back and fix these particular flaws which would seem easy to fix. It's a real shame. But I'm ultimately willing to overlook it.

So far as the other changes, I am so very glad they pulled out the Muslim terrorists subplot. It didn't ring very true to me and felt desperately-hurried. The moment with Matt Parkman finding the little girl is a lot better than the one with him, coifed in uglier hair than he has in the 2nd episode, finding the hidden terrorist.

I don't think I would have wound up liking Amir as much as I did Ted Sprague but then I didn't like HRG after those first two episodes, so you never know how things will work out in the long-run.

I liked the little scene with Parkman's wife, even though it's clear she was recast in the series. I also noticed that it was the one they used to introduce him in the previews for the series.

I actually liked the music better in this version, even if they were just placeholders till the final score.

The Micah run-away plot was weird even though I liked how his abilities were better foreshadowed in this version.

Despite all the positives, I think the version that ultimately aired was better because it keeps a faster, more efficient momentum through the entire episode. Certain parts in this version feel wedged in and slow things down when it would be better to just get on with a new plot thread.

The deleted scenes were interesting.

On another note...the 2nd episode, neck-snapping hit taken by Claire is still really funny to me. Maybe I'm just morbid like that...

I really recommend the DVD set to anyone with a passing interest in comic books or serial shows. It's a fun program which is only better on DVD, rather than on NBC. I do feel annoyed that a certain number of extras were left off of the DVD release and instead placed on the HD-DVD release. I know why it was done (temptation to HD-DVD peoples) but it still smarts. At least the pricing is different...I'm intrigued to see how the HD-DVD will sell at the price-point it's been given (100 MSRP) vs. the regular DVD version (60 MSRP and...from Best Buy $40.04 total when I picked it up).

Addendum - I could swear it was 36.99 from Amazon the other day and now it's up to 40. Is NBC-Universal futzing with their prices for DVDs like they wanted to with their iTunes prices?

Despite the fact NBC-Universal can go F themselves, this is a great series run which I highly recommend to anyone.

But lately it's been a real load how companies and groups have dealt with DRM...

I've always been alright with and even respectful of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (when my book gets done I COULD'VE well been a part of them on the Fantasy side --- may need to rethink that now). I've liked their compilation books and I respect many of those in the organization --- particularly Connie Willis, who is my idol so far as writers go. But they really have their heads up their butts lately.

Vogon poetry - Still going strong in third-place!*

On a side note - Cory Doctorow rocks (see the link on paragraph six of the first link) and may well become my new writerly role-model.

And we also have NBC-Universal thinking their cash cow deal with iTunes should be earning them two and a half times as much money as it is. Apple thinks different(ly).

Some info on it
The big WTFer

Bleh...at least Viacom provided a bit of amusement for a shitty DRM-week.

Viacom reams itself over but buys itself flowers as an apology...

And finally, as a non-sequitur, this case rocks...



* First place is technically deceased and second place was brained by his large intestine, so the distinction is academic at best.

LSD is appropriately named from all I've seen. It was released only in Japan in 1998 across a few mediums.

Consider this something like Psychonaut's trippy ancestor.



A lot of images from the game can be found here

Check out the Wikipedia entry for all the details :)



So far as getting the game in some form. There's importers and also this link to a rar of the game which might be recommended because this game will never ever see release outside of really old import copies. (to play the game - look for an "epsxe" torrent all set up or you can try "pSX", which a friend who told me all this says they've heard is better).

Here's hoping for a remake or something one day.

Even more than handhelds or video games, when I'm not writing or doing something for classes, I try to find my way onto Kongregate as much as I can. It's changed so much, I remember when I accidentally found it during the pre-Alpha stage before it had the points system and then later they unwisely made rating a game worth 5 points and a glut of high-level users arose. It's still a work-in-progress but I like where it seems to be going :)

For me, what I love about the site is that it has all the flash games I love from across the internet in a single place where (at least with Firefox locked and loaded), there is no weird spyware to clog your system.

Here's a few of my personal picks for most enjoyable games.
Bloons
That goes without saying - I recommend the sequel and the Tower Defense version of the game.
Bowmaster Prelude I wasted sooo much time on this one.
Possibly one of the best zombie games ever made in the flash medium - Boxhead 2Play The More Rooms version is also very good.
The Last Stand - the other really great flash zombie game. A lot easier though.
Swords and Sandals 2 - my most played flash game all-time, it makes my computer sweat. Amazing game but it is a system hog.
Newgrounds Rumble - despite my misgivings about Newgrounds (except their music offerings), this is a great, SSBM-style fighting game.
Ring Pass Not - great game, an inventing and very challenging puzzler, I've never gotten very far with it but I've tried soooo many hours...
Amberial - best the recent games uploaded.

I can't believe I missed this so long!

Okami Art Book in English form!

So pretty...and such a long wait...

I hope this is a positive sign that Capcom hasn't forgotten about the amazingness of Okami and will one day take it multi-console or follow-up or something awesome...

Till then, I await what Seeds Inc. (the former Clover people) has in mind for their first game.