We've had so many great years together, shared so many fantastic memories... Ever since we first started our relationship back in April of 1997 when my father brought home a Nintendo 64, you had always been there for me.
Super Mario 64. Banjo-Kazooie. Ocarina of Time. Pokémon. Mario Kart 64. Super Smash Bros. Wind Waker. Metroid Prime. Twilight Princess. Super Mario Galaxy. Such great and special moments were shared with you over the last twelve and a half years... And that's why this is so hard to do.
I'm breaking up with you. You're not the company I thought you once were. I was like every other fan of your's when the Wii was unveiled. "Really? You're going in that direction? Alright then, I'll trust you" is what I thought. And for a while it was fun. But you have since slipped away from me and have been seeking attention from those who never appreciated you.
You brought the industry back to life in '83 with Mario. An industry that was quickly withering from an abundance of terrible games. You even went so far as to approve the quality of games that were released on your first console, the NES, with the 'Nintendo Seal of Quality' badge on game covers.
Look at you now. Yes, you succeeded in bringing video games to the mainstream and helping to make our beloved industry be taken with less criticism and cynicism. But at what cost?
You tout that casual games are bridging the mainstream consumer to the gaming market, but does that really mean that those who made you what you are today should suffer? I remember the night I lined up to receive the Wii from my local EB Games at midnight thinking "this is it. This is going to change everything". I was right. Too right.
Now, I'm not saying that you have completely forgotten us hardcore fans. You have brought us some fantastic games such as Galaxy, Brawl and Twilight Princess, but to quote Eddie Murphy, "what have you done for me lately?".
Yeah you released New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but look at the lack of effort that game shows - two unnamed Toad characters, no online multiplayer, a visual presentation not unlike that of the DS version... Then there's Wii Sports
Resort. Now my arm-flapping motions are recognised with more accuracy. So what? And to go back to last year, there's
Wii Music and Animal Crossing: Let's go to the City - two titles that I could write an entire spiel about of their own.
Thankfully the DS is equipped with an enormous library of fabulous games... Too bad your home console's is packed with crap. You continue to argue that the consumer doesn't "need" or "want" high definition graphics. Have you not heard the continuous outcry your fans have made since even the days of the Revolution? You also claim that online play is unsafe for minors due to vulgarities by other players. Though this may be true in a lot of cases, was it really necessary to give such a gimped friends system that utilises numbers instead of usernames? What's wrong with leaving it up to the individual to decide who they do and don't want to talk to, or lo and behold, even leave it for parents to do their jobs? This was just the easiest option for you create - lord forbid that you actually enforce and monitor rules regarding good sportsmanship and a fun community of online gaming.
I want to love you again, but I fear you will never come back to us. I'm willing to bet that you haven't noticed that most of us who have followed you for almost all of our gaming lives have left you. Or perhaps you just don't care. Regardless, I can't keep kidding myself. Perhaps we should just be friends, and I can look forward to enjoying your company every now-and-again... Or is that too much to ask?
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Evolution of Video Game Music and its Development as a Sub-Culture
It’s possible that I may have missed some important points, or gotten something wrong. So please, if that’s the case let me know!
__________________________________________________________
Electronic entertainment technology is one of the fastest evolving forms of entertainment. Though there have been different forms of electronic gaming dating as far back as the 1950s, the first in-home console dedicated to rendering games entirely in video was released in 1972 by Magnavox, called Odyssey. Since then, ‘video games’ have grown to be one of the biggest entertainment industries, and is still growing. Many people born in the late-70s to late-80s remember the so-called “Golden Years of Gaming” or “8-Bit Era”, being the biggest boom of video game influence over the entire globe. However, though some people may out-grow playing the games they loved as they were children, or perhaps even forgotten what the game involved or was about, they will usually remember the music. And the best known example of this is the legendary Super Mario Bros. theme.
What was it that makes music from the 8-Bit Era (Nintendo Entertainment System (or NES) and SEGA Master System, most notably) so memorable? Is it the fond memories people had of playing the games? Is it the way the music was emotionally portrayed? Or is it the simplicity of the tunes due to the less-powered technology of the generation? Arguably, it is all of the above. Many people of the older generation(s) might argue that game music from the 80s conveyed little emotion. However people who grew up playing these games would argue otherwise. Due to the power of the technology at the time if a game’s character falls into a trap and dies, instead of a sound sample of screaming in absolutely agony as their life ends, the game would play a tune that would soon become imbedded into the player’s mind. The same for if a character jumped; instead of a sound of the character’s feet kicking off from the ground and the character perhaps grunting, a short glissando would be played to represent the movement. Eventually these MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) compositions would come to represent actions or emotional moments in gaming – ask anyone how proud they felt once the fanfare played after they completed their first level in Super Mario Bros on the Nintendo Entertainment System.
As time moved on and the technology within gaming consoles evolved, so did its music. Into the 16-Bit Era (launch of the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (or SNES)) the technology allowed composers to write more complex compositions, and they were able to write full orchestrations of works in MIDI. Adding to this, since this generation of consoles was at the turn of the 90s, the music reflected a lot of styles of the decade. Many games involving characters with ‘attitude’ such as Sonic the Hedgehog (mascot of SEGA) incorporated ideas from popular music at the time, like punk and rap/hip-hop. And as the install base grew for gaming, many more popular tunes came to fruition from games such as Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World, Street Fighter, Dr Mario, Contra, and the Mega Man series.
One of the most notable games from this particular generation of gaming to feature music as part of its emotional make-up was Super Metroid by Nintendo for the SNES. Unlike most games of the time that used music to portray a sense of cheerfulness or intense action, Minako Hamano and Kenji Yamamato’s soundtrack portrayed the sense of mystery as the player was exploring an unknown and alien world. The Metroid series features the first female gaming heroine named Samus Aran, who wasn’t portrayed as your typical pretty-dress-wearing or scantily-clad female. The plot of these games is to hunt a race of alien predators named Metroids. The tone and scenery of Super Metroid in particular is very dark, as most of the time the game is spent inside caves/destroyed facilities. The huge emotional push, however, is that the player is immersed in a completely alien environment; by utilising a very atmospheric soundtrack (though its predecessor Metroid for the NES also attempted this with its main theme). A lot of the game is spent wondering what is beyond the next door, and the music constantly drives that sense of tension. However, the game and music’s pace quickly shifts to that sudden sense of urgency when presented with a boss battle – a challenge in which the player must defeat one of the game’s antagonists, usually by way of a climactic struggle.
Over time more games began to adopt this theatrical type of experience, and into the next generation of consoles (Nintendo 64, SEGA Saturn, and the new competitor Sony Playstation) around the mid-90s many more game developers were dramatic in the ways that they utilised music. Due to the increase in technological power and save space thanks to the transition from plastic cartridges to compact discs, this generation of game music composers began to include live recordings of works and sound effects onto their products.
This revolutionary transition from digital music to fully orchestrated/band recorded works eventually led to the distribution of video game soundtracks. Many games have had huge success in this regard, such as the critically acclaimed role playing adventure series Final Fantasy (most of the music being composed by Nobuo Uematsu) by Square Enix, the first-person shooter Halo series (Michael Salvatori and Martin O’Donnell) by Bungie, and the classic side-scrolling action/platforming series Mega Man by Capcom. As a matter of fact, some games such as WipEout by Psygnosis (now called Sony Computer Entertainment Studio Liverpool) were released on mixed mode CDs – a disc that held both game and audio data, but were also playable in CD players.
It was around this time when people not only acknowledged the creative minds behind the game, but also began to acknowledge the composers of these soundtracks. Today, it is not unusual if the composer(s) of a game’s album is/are usually much better known than the person who led production on the title itself. Some hit composers include Stephen Barton (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare), Kazuki Muraoka (Metal Gear Solid series), Grant Kirkhope (Banjo-Kazooie), Masato Nakamura (Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2), and the immensely famous Koji Kondo (Super Mario series, Legend of Zelda series).
Due to the increasing popularity, the eventual confirmation of video game music as a genre and then a sub-culture, some of the world’s best known symphony orchestras performed selected works at concerts – the London Symphony Orchestra once played a Super Mario Bros. medley, and the Boston Symphony orchestra once played the Legend of Zelda theme. Due to the huge success and response to live orchestrated versions of hit game works, concerts dedicated to live video game music began to take place across globe.
However, what a lot of people outside of Japan don’t realise is that orchestral performances of live game music actually began in 1991 with the annual concert tour titled Orchestral Game Music Concerts performed by various orchestras throughout Japan. The tour was an annual event that began in ’91 and ended in ’96, having produced five different programmes and recording an album of each one.
The next notable concert dedicated to game music was 20020220 Music from Final Fantasy featuring the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in Japan. The performance, as the title explains, premiered on February 2nd 2002 and featured selected works spanning the entire Final Fantasy series. Next was the Symphonic Games Concerts series in Germany, which was the first of its kind outside of Japan. The concerts were used as opening ceremonies to the Leipzig Games Convention, the second biggest electronic entertainment convention next to the USA’s E3 (both are annual events). The biggest successes in live orchestral performances of video game works, are the Play! A Video Game Symphony and Video Games Live tours. The two tours travel the globe entertaining fans and classical music lovers alike with their impressive shows, featuring the local professional orchestra in that city. Though the latter is larger and more successful than the former, both are much respected and highly regarded concert tours to professional musicians, the classical audience, and gamers alike.
Video Games Live premiered at the Hollywood Bowl and featured the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra on June 6th 2005. The project was put together by video game composers Jack Wall (Myst series, Mass Effect) and Tommy Tallarico (Earthworm Jim, Prince of Persia) in the hopes of introducing gamers and the classical audience to each other’s respective genres. The shows continue to sell out in cities across the globe, including New York, London, Taipei, Brasilia, Paris, Wellington and Mexicali. Play! A Video Game Symphony premiered at the Rosemont Theatre in Illinois on May 27th 2006. It then continued to tour through Europe, Asia, South America, New Zealand and Australia.
A much more popular mainstream innovation that has helped sparked the interest of non-gamers is the music game genre and the use of licensed music. Games such as the Guitar Hero series by Activision and the more recent Rock Band series by Harmonix are prime examples of games utilising music to excite the experience. The developers of these games pay for a license to various recording labels to incorporate popular music into their games, giving people the opportunity to “rock out” to their favourite music, even if they have never played a musical instrument before. An earlier series of music games that have done well with this approach also were the Dance Dance Revolution arcade games by Konami. The games had licensed and original dance/techno music (mostly of Japanese pop music influence) and required the player to dance whilst stepping on the forward, back, left or right buttons on the dance pad with their feet.
On the topic of dance/game music, another massive fan-base of game music is the remixing scene – most notably in the styles of “8-bit music” or “chiptunes”. There are many websites dedicated to communities who re-arrange and remix video game music, some of the largest and most popular being OCRemix.org and 8bitcollective.com. Many of the site’s composers are people who have studied music and/or composition and have acquired internet fame through this digitally artistic hobby. There are also many bands around the world who dedicate much (if not most) of their repertoire to covering game tunes such as The Minibosses, NESkimos and Anamanaguchi.
Video game music has evolved and opened up to be experienced in many different and memorable ways. Though many people will try to disregard game music as a viable genre, there is no denying that it has evolved from ambiguous or monophonic melodies to something that completely enhances, or is the experience. The technological and intellectual innovations that help drive game music forward continue to bring people all over the world new and exciting experiences. Music from video games has seen so many different forms over the decades such as emotional, theatrical, obscure, intense and relaxing. Also, like all music, the styles change to fit the decades/eras that game is developed. Most people do not and probably will not look too much into video game music and what it represents but to a lot of us that do, we believe it to potentially be the classical music of the future.
v2
Sunday, July 19, 2009
My review on The Conduit.
The Conduit by High Voltage Software is one of the most anticipated Wii titles to date. Sparking oodles of attention across the internet since its announcement last year, it has been every hardcore Wii owner's wet-dream. Since its official release in Australia on Thursday, there is only one question left to ask: does it live up to the hype?
Yes and no. High Voltage Software boasted incredible achievement in regards to its Quantum 3 Engine - the engine that runs The Conduit and HVS's own code that renders almost next-gen quality graphics, lighting and physics on Nintendo's little white box. In this, it is very hard to disagree that they succeeded. The Conduit features top-notch particle effects, clear textures and incredibly detailed character models and environments. For the most part the game runs smoothly, only taking a slight hit in frame rate during battles when things get hectic.
My small problem with the development team putting such a huge emphasis on graphical detail is that it seems as if it limited their environmental design to mostly corridor-based quarrels. Of course, this doesn't necessarily make the battles any less engaging - quite the opposite really, as there is less room for mobility and forces you to think strategically and take cover. However, even by last generation's standards, most popular First-Person Shooter titles feature more open environments for the more intense fights. Hopefully HVS will look into that in a possible sequel, or their next FPS title The Grinder.
The second most talked-about feature of this game is controls - more notably, the customisation. IR control in The Conduit feels great and being able to have complete control over its sensitivity makes it even better. The customisation options include IR/motion sensitivity, bounding box (area on-screen that once pointed at will turn the player's view to that direction) and button mapping. The amount of freedom you're given to alter the controls to your preference make it the second-best control method for FPS titles, next to a keyboard and mouse. However, with the controls as good as they are, I still had a few issues.
The first is aiming high/low. Oftentimes you will come across enemies that are above you, or find an ammo crate at your feet that you are not able to see properly. For some reason the player is restricted from looking directly above or directly below, which for some may not be a big problem, but it made relatively simple situations a hassle. It was quite often that in the heat of battle I'd run out of bullets, find an ammo crate, and would end up jumping over rather opening it because I would aim too low forgetting about the restrictions. Just something to bear in mind.
The second issue is melee attacking. In theory it might sound cool to thrust forward with the Wiimote to bust the chops of some chump with the butt of your gun. However I found it really awkward since my IR sensitivity was fairly high, when gesturing a melee attack my character's view will accidentally shift due to movement of the pointer. It is possible to re-map this gesture to a button press, however I didn't find a comfortable combination. It could just be my bad coordination, but it is still something to keep in mind.
Voice acting in the game is very well done. Apart from Mr Ford's - the main character's - voice (who sounds just a little too cliché action hero-y for my taste), the characters sound quite believable. The soundtrack could do with a little more variety, as it is mostly used to depict intense action rather than intrigue or atmosphere. As for sound effects, they're great as far as sci-fi go. Think of the sounds of some of the weapons from the Star Wars movies.
As for story - not bad. Not Emmy Award-winning material, but pretty good compared to a lot of other action games out there. Something that people might dig at about the story is that it's not very deep and pretty straight-forward. Which to me works, since the game only lasts about six to eight hours. With the amount of story that the player is given, if the game was fleshed out just to add content to appease gamers who judge games by gameplay length, then it would make some moments feel like a chore, which I did not find at all throughout the campaign.
And finally there's online multiplayer... Yeah... Perhaps the game's network settings doesn't like my internet set up (though Xbox Live and PSN work just fine), but whichever the case, I did not have one enjoyable experience. Sometimes just searching for a match would take over seven minutes, and even when one was found, it was very laggy. Which is a shame because given the amount of precise control that one attains, it would make for some very good times. And something I should mention was that I was only searching for games within my region (Australia) - I don't want to know what things would have been like had I tried international. Hopefully it's just my connection and that at least a large percentage of people are not experiencing these problems.
Overall I really enjoyed High Voltage's efforts on The Conduit, apart from the online portion. The Conduit strongly reaffirms what the Wii is capable of in terms of detailed graphics and fluid FPS controls, something that Nintendo fans have been asking for since before the console's release. I highly recommend this to any Wii gamer looking for a more mature, action-oriented experience. I'm sure that at least some people will agree that this is the game Perfect Dark Zero should have been.
Score: 8/10
Yes and no. High Voltage Software boasted incredible achievement in regards to its Quantum 3 Engine - the engine that runs The Conduit and HVS's own code that renders almost next-gen quality graphics, lighting and physics on Nintendo's little white box. In this, it is very hard to disagree that they succeeded. The Conduit features top-notch particle effects, clear textures and incredibly detailed character models and environments. For the most part the game runs smoothly, only taking a slight hit in frame rate during battles when things get hectic.
My small problem with the development team putting such a huge emphasis on graphical detail is that it seems as if it limited their environmental design to mostly corridor-based quarrels. Of course, this doesn't necessarily make the battles any less engaging - quite the opposite really, as there is less room for mobility and forces you to think strategically and take cover. However, even by last generation's standards, most popular First-Person Shooter titles feature more open environments for the more intense fights. Hopefully HVS will look into that in a possible sequel, or their next FPS title The Grinder.
The second most talked-about feature of this game is controls - more notably, the customisation. IR control in The Conduit feels great and being able to have complete control over its sensitivity makes it even better. The customisation options include IR/motion sensitivity, bounding box (area on-screen that once pointed at will turn the player's view to that direction) and button mapping. The amount of freedom you're given to alter the controls to your preference make it the second-best control method for FPS titles, next to a keyboard and mouse. However, with the controls as good as they are, I still had a few issues.
The first is aiming high/low. Oftentimes you will come across enemies that are above you, or find an ammo crate at your feet that you are not able to see properly. For some reason the player is restricted from looking directly above or directly below, which for some may not be a big problem, but it made relatively simple situations a hassle. It was quite often that in the heat of battle I'd run out of bullets, find an ammo crate, and would end up jumping over rather opening it because I would aim too low forgetting about the restrictions. Just something to bear in mind.
The second issue is melee attacking. In theory it might sound cool to thrust forward with the Wiimote to bust the chops of some chump with the butt of your gun. However I found it really awkward since my IR sensitivity was fairly high, when gesturing a melee attack my character's view will accidentally shift due to movement of the pointer. It is possible to re-map this gesture to a button press, however I didn't find a comfortable combination. It could just be my bad coordination, but it is still something to keep in mind.
Voice acting in the game is very well done. Apart from Mr Ford's - the main character's - voice (who sounds just a little too cliché action hero-y for my taste), the characters sound quite believable. The soundtrack could do with a little more variety, as it is mostly used to depict intense action rather than intrigue or atmosphere. As for sound effects, they're great as far as sci-fi go. Think of the sounds of some of the weapons from the Star Wars movies.
As for story - not bad. Not Emmy Award-winning material, but pretty good compared to a lot of other action games out there. Something that people might dig at about the story is that it's not very deep and pretty straight-forward. Which to me works, since the game only lasts about six to eight hours. With the amount of story that the player is given, if the game was fleshed out just to add content to appease gamers who judge games by gameplay length, then it would make some moments feel like a chore, which I did not find at all throughout the campaign.
And finally there's online multiplayer... Yeah... Perhaps the game's network settings doesn't like my internet set up (though Xbox Live and PSN work just fine), but whichever the case, I did not have one enjoyable experience. Sometimes just searching for a match would take over seven minutes, and even when one was found, it was very laggy. Which is a shame because given the amount of precise control that one attains, it would make for some very good times. And something I should mention was that I was only searching for games within my region (Australia) - I don't want to know what things would have been like had I tried international. Hopefully it's just my connection and that at least a large percentage of people are not experiencing these problems.
Overall I really enjoyed High Voltage's efforts on The Conduit, apart from the online portion. The Conduit strongly reaffirms what the Wii is capable of in terms of detailed graphics and fluid FPS controls, something that Nintendo fans have been asking for since before the console's release. I highly recommend this to any Wii gamer looking for a more mature, action-oriented experience. I'm sure that at least some people will agree that this is the game Perfect Dark Zero should have been.
Score: 8/10
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
My life plan.
Okay, so lately I've been really thinking about where I've been, where I am, and where I want to go in life. And this is what I've come up with:
Age 10 (past)
- In primary school
- Learning violin
- Life goal was to be a paleontologist
- Was playing basketball
- Madly in love with my Nintendo 64
- Had just started experiencing Pokemon
- Was not very popular
- Most probably had a girlfriend
Age 20 (present)
- In third-year University
- Playing trumpet
- Studying to be a performer/teacher
- No longer have time to play any sports
- An avid gamer, and own all current-gen consoles
- Have many friends, most of which are female
- Single, and retardedly awkward at courting
Age 30 (future)
- Living my dream career (hopefully overseas)
- Still maintaining being a musician, at least as a hobby
- Be much fitter
- Still in love with video games
- Still in touch with at least some of my past friends
- Happily married, with maybe two children (at least one girl), and a beautiful home
Okay... Go.
Age 10 (past)
- In primary school
- Learning violin
- Life goal was to be a paleontologist
- Was playing basketball
- Madly in love with my Nintendo 64
- Had just started experiencing Pokemon
- Was not very popular
- Most probably had a girlfriend
Age 20 (present)
- In third-year University
- Playing trumpet
- Studying to be a performer/teacher
- No longer have time to play any sports
- An avid gamer, and own all current-gen consoles
- Have many friends, most of which are female
- Single, and retardedly awkward at courting
Age 30 (future)
- Living my dream career (hopefully overseas)
- Still maintaining being a musician, at least as a hobby
- Be much fitter
- Still in love with video games
- Still in touch with at least some of my past friends
- Happily married, with maybe two children (at least one girl), and a beautiful home
Okay... Go.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Oh, how I miss retarded messages from angry teenagers!
How about i commit a hate crime on you and smash your fucking head in????
hey cunt?
your fucking messing with the wrong people!
how about i fucking kidnap you and shave your fucking head you fat piece of lard!!!
your a stoopid inbred fuck! seriously, the only place your going is straight to hell faggot,
god doesnt accept A
AID carrying fatards like you, you dirty ass cunt!
oh,
and believe me,
im going places! straight to pussy town!
...with the rest of normal un-infested men in this world that the good lord created!
ur fucking disgusting! i fucking hate you! ur a sick and twisted pervert that needs to be shot in the face!!!
you should have been put down as a pup, you labradoodle fuck!
your nothing but a messenger from hell, carrying STDs to spread throughout gods semi-healthy earth!fucken, your so stretched out that you could sit on [name removed] and swallow that fat goth bitch whole with your gaping ass!
btw your heaps gross, i hate your fucking lisp!
Oh GAWD I miss hearing these "threats" get thrown around back in early high school! This wasn't addressed to me in any fashion, by the way; it was sent to my sister's friend (who is homosexual) from some dude who was supposedly friends with my sister's friend - and to top it off, this dude apparently was gay or something, but now he's ranting on about getting pussy. lolz.
I especially love the "labradoodle" touch he added there. Never heard that one before. But then again, how could anyone compete with someone who's going "straight to pussy town!"?
VIVA LA RETARDATION
-Jello out.
hey cunt?
your fucking messing with the wrong people!
how about i fucking kidnap you and shave your fucking head you fat piece of lard!!!
your a stoopid inbred fuck! seriously, the only place your going is straight to hell faggot,
god doesnt accept A
AID carrying fatards like you, you dirty ass cunt!
oh,
and believe me,
im going places! straight to pussy town!
...with the rest of normal un-infested men in this world that the good lord created!
ur fucking disgusting! i fucking hate you! ur a sick and twisted pervert that needs to be shot in the face!!!
you should have been put down as a pup, you labradoodle fuck!
your nothing but a messenger from hell, carrying STDs to spread throughout gods semi-healthy earth!fucken, your so stretched out that you could sit on [name removed] and swallow that fat goth bitch whole with your gaping ass!
btw your heaps gross, i hate your fucking lisp!
____________________________________________________________
Oh GAWD I miss hearing these "threats" get thrown around back in early high school! This wasn't addressed to me in any fashion, by the way; it was sent to my sister's friend (who is homosexual) from some dude who was supposedly friends with my sister's friend - and to top it off, this dude apparently was gay or something, but now he's ranting on about getting pussy. lolz.
I especially love the "labradoodle" touch he added there. Never heard that one before. But then again, how could anyone compete with someone who's going "straight to pussy town!"?
VIVA LA RETARDATION
-Jello out.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
And so it begins...
University started a couple of weeks ago. So far things have been good - hardly any work has been set yet (other than getting back into practice) and the weather hasn't been bad either; a little warm, but not terribly hot.
One good thing about getting back into Uni is that I can finally get back into a comfortable routine of listening to IGN podcasts while riding the train to/from the City. Whereas during the holidays I would (somehow) put off listening to them and play games instead. Which was awkward 'coz I would be a little behind in gaming news.
I've also been really enjoying band lately. Granted that some of the music isn't some of the best we can play, but it still feels good to be really working towards something again.
We've been working towards recording another CD, since our last one is from 1996.
Tonight I'm heading out to Her Majesty's Theatre in the City to see Tim Minchin with some friends. I'm not much of a fan of his (though I admit, his musical skill isn't something to scoff at) but I'm hoping that seeing him live will sway my opinion of him.
And with that I bid thee adieu.
-Angelo
One good thing about getting back into Uni is that I can finally get back into a comfortable routine of listening to IGN podcasts while riding the train to/from the City. Whereas during the holidays I would (somehow) put off listening to them and play games instead. Which was awkward 'coz I would be a little behind in gaming news.
I've also been really enjoying band lately. Granted that some of the music isn't some of the best we can play, but it still feels good to be really working towards something again.
We've been working towards recording another CD, since our last one is from 1996.
Tonight I'm heading out to Her Majesty's Theatre in the City to see Tim Minchin with some friends. I'm not much of a fan of his (though I admit, his musical skill isn't something to scoff at) but I'm hoping that seeing him live will sway my opinion of him.
And with that I bid thee adieu.
-Angelo
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Garden of Unearthly Delights
So I went to the Garden of Unearthly Delights last night with my friend Renee who I hadn't caught up with in forever. It was a really fun night. First time I'd really gone out and had some fun in a long while.
We primarily went to see this cool Jazz-y band called the Barons of Tang, but we had a bit of a wander around aswell (plus the gig started an hour late). The band was pretty awesome - they were a mix of jazz and some sort if quirky gypsy stuff. And it was at this gig that we realised there are some really retarded dancers.
But the music was great. They were a five-piece band comprising of drums, guitar, double bass, accordian and sax/clarinet. Something that caught me off-guard part way through was that some of the time the lead singer would scream the lyrics. It didn't ruin the experience or anything, just sorta suprised me.
Another highlight of mine was that I'd found out that a question that I'd sent in to IGN's Game Scoop podcast a few weeks ago had gotten read out on yesterday's episode. I won't repeat it here but if you listen to Game Scoop, just listen out for my name.
Anywho... Uni starts up again soon. I'm sort of looking forward to it and sort of not. I'm more looking forward to seeing the people and not the heap of work that's coming.
-Angelo
We primarily went to see this cool Jazz-y band called the Barons of Tang, but we had a bit of a wander around aswell (plus the gig started an hour late). The band was pretty awesome - they were a mix of jazz and some sort if quirky gypsy stuff. And it was at this gig that we realised there are some really retarded dancers.
But the music was great. They were a five-piece band comprising of drums, guitar, double bass, accordian and sax/clarinet. Something that caught me off-guard part way through was that some of the time the lead singer would scream the lyrics. It didn't ruin the experience or anything, just sorta suprised me.
Another highlight of mine was that I'd found out that a question that I'd sent in to IGN's Game Scoop podcast a few weeks ago had gotten read out on yesterday's episode. I won't repeat it here but if you listen to Game Scoop, just listen out for my name.
Anywho... Uni starts up again soon. I'm sort of looking forward to it and sort of not. I'm more looking forward to seeing the people and not the heap of work that's coming.
-Angelo
Thursday, February 19, 2009
"Attack of the Show"? More like "Attack of the SHUT UP"
Good God... What has G4 done?
The Screen Savers used to be such a great show back on Tech TV, back when it was, you know, about technology. Nowadays, AOTS (the supposed "successor" to TSS) is all about lolz funni YouTube videos + terrible sex advice. What the fuck?
And it's not just the content. It's also Kevin's and that bimbo bitch's really annoying attitudes. They're like a couple of retarded eighth graders who think every-fucking-thing they say is so hi-goddamn-larious. Just SHUT UP.
I miss the days when Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, (good, previous) Kevin Rose, Sarah Lane and Yoshi DeHerrera actually had some real shit to talk about. Like how to build a cheap, but powerful, gaming PC. Or interesting tech mods. Or any actual technology news. None of this "In Your Pants" how-do-i-get-to-be-friends-with-benefits-with-this-girl-i-like-kthx bullshit that's on there now. Bah!
I'm gonna go cry now.
-Jello out.
The Screen Savers used to be such a great show back on Tech TV, back when it was, you know, about technology. Nowadays, AOTS (the supposed "successor" to TSS) is all about lolz funni YouTube videos + terrible sex advice. What the fuck?
And it's not just the content. It's also Kevin's and that bimbo bitch's really annoying attitudes. They're like a couple of retarded eighth graders who think every-fucking-thing they say is so hi-goddamn-larious. Just SHUT UP.
I miss the days when Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, (good, previous) Kevin Rose, Sarah Lane and Yoshi DeHerrera actually had some real shit to talk about. Like how to build a cheap, but powerful, gaming PC. Or interesting tech mods. Or any actual technology news. None of this "In Your Pants" how-do-i-get-to-be-friends-with-benefits-with-this-girl-i-like-kthx bullshit that's on there now. Bah!
I'm gonna go cry now.
-Jello out.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Your mum is on the top of my things to-do list.
I am so sick of hot weather. It's boring, makes you feel like crap and makes grass/plants look horrible. Autumn and Spring are the best seasons, though I also like Winter. I'm more of a cool-weather type of person.
For some reason I tend to get really hot really easily. Even if I'm just wearing a t-shirt and shorts in 23º weather. It's a lot worse when I'm practising trumpet, 'coz I end up completely saturating myself in sweat, it's disgusting. At Uni I have to set the air conditioners in the practice rooms to 16º to keep myself from dehydrating. =/
Although, a total upside from the hot weather is that I get to stay inside and watch movies/play games. Been getting back into GTA IV (not The Lost and Damned - might end up buying that within the next month or so) again which is always fun. However, I'm reeeaaally looking forward to MadWorld, The Conduit and Animales de la Muerte (hopefully) over the next few months.
And speaking of stuff to look forward to, a couple of days ago I ordered The Bro Code (written by Barney Stinson (hehe)) from www.thebookdepository.co.uk. Apparently it takes a few weeks for things from that site to arrive in Australia, but whatever, they were selling it for $17 AUD whereas places like Angus and Robertson were selling for around the $40 mark. Screw that.
Anywho, ahmunna bounce.
-Angelo
For some reason I tend to get really hot really easily. Even if I'm just wearing a t-shirt and shorts in 23º weather. It's a lot worse when I'm practising trumpet, 'coz I end up completely saturating myself in sweat, it's disgusting. At Uni I have to set the air conditioners in the practice rooms to 16º to keep myself from dehydrating. =/
Although, a total upside from the hot weather is that I get to stay inside and watch movies/play games. Been getting back into GTA IV (not The Lost and Damned - might end up buying that within the next month or so) again which is always fun. However, I'm reeeaaally looking forward to MadWorld, The Conduit and Animales de la Muerte (hopefully) over the next few months.
And speaking of stuff to look forward to, a couple of days ago I ordered The Bro Code (written by Barney Stinson (hehe)) from www.thebookdepository.co.uk. Apparently it takes a few weeks for things from that site to arrive in Australia, but whatever, they were selling it for $17 AUD whereas places like Angus and Robertson were selling for around the $40 mark. Screw that.
Anywho, ahmunna bounce.
-Angelo
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Post Christmas - Early February update.
Managed to buy a PS3 with my Christmas moniez$ plus gig earnings. Yay! I also got a copy of LittleBigPlanet with the system, which I am very, very happy with. To add to that, I also bought Resistance: Fall of Man and Metal Gear Solid 4. Merry Christmas, indeed.
I had what was quite possibly my best New Years ever. It was spent with some very good friends of mine from the brass band I'm in (K&N Spring Gully Brass, represent!) at my Aunt & Uncle's house that I'd been house-sitting. Thanks guys, for a great turn of the year!
A few weeks into January - not long after I'd finished my new PS3 games - I found myself very bored. And since I still had a few more weeks to go until the house-sitting was over, I borrowed all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls from my sister. Hell. Yes.
Unfortunately, I only got up to the end of season five by the time my Aunty and Uncle got back, and am currently up to the last episode of disc three of season 6. I have to say, the last episode of season four and pretty much all of season five are my favourite episodes (especially 'You Jump, I Jump, Jack'). Though, it's sad to say, I'm a little sad knowing that Lorelai and Luke break up, and that I'll eventually end up finding out why and how...
A friend from high school had her nineteenth birthday not long ago. It was really great seeing her again - and knowing that she's still pretty much the same as I remember her. It was also the first time I'd gone out and actually enjoyed it in a long time - I can't wait 'til Uni starts back up so I can hang out with more friends in Town. I've also decided to drink a little more, since I very rarely ever drink. Time to be a big boy.
On this passed Monday I moved back home after house-sitting for three months. Upon doing this, I completely re-organised my bedroom, making it so much more open and spacious. Now I can finally play my games (especially the Wii) and watch movies a lot more comfortably.
And speaking of comfort (or lack of), most of Australia had another massive heatwave, apparently breaking another umpteenth-year record. Some how, for the last four or five years, we have managed to have "the hottest x amount of days" in 100 years. Either the media and the people who believe it are just retarded, or in a few more years, we're all fucked.
And last, but not least, just a couple of hours ago I finished watching Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and holy shit, it was freakin' brilliant. For a short 43-minute movie, it does a lot. And the music is great. I was a wee bit disappointed with the ending, only because it was very sad and finished without really saying much. But oh well. It was still awesome.
I have to say, I love Neil Patrick Harris's work. The characters he play are always hilarious - especially since he's very good at playing a sleazy, horny, straight guy in How I Met Your Mother, considering he's, you know, gay.
And on that note, I recommend you all go watch Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. And How I Met Your Mother. And Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. And Starship Troopers 1.
-Mannus Jellonius.
I had what was quite possibly my best New Years ever. It was spent with some very good friends of mine from the brass band I'm in (K&N Spring Gully Brass, represent!) at my Aunt & Uncle's house that I'd been house-sitting. Thanks guys, for a great turn of the year!
A few weeks into January - not long after I'd finished my new PS3 games - I found myself very bored. And since I still had a few more weeks to go until the house-sitting was over, I borrowed all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls from my sister. Hell. Yes.
Unfortunately, I only got up to the end of season five by the time my Aunty and Uncle got back, and am currently up to the last episode of disc three of season 6. I have to say, the last episode of season four and pretty much all of season five are my favourite episodes (especially 'You Jump, I Jump, Jack'). Though, it's sad to say, I'm a little sad knowing that Lorelai and Luke break up, and that I'll eventually end up finding out why and how...
A friend from high school had her nineteenth birthday not long ago. It was really great seeing her again - and knowing that she's still pretty much the same as I remember her. It was also the first time I'd gone out and actually enjoyed it in a long time - I can't wait 'til Uni starts back up so I can hang out with more friends in Town. I've also decided to drink a little more, since I very rarely ever drink. Time to be a big boy.
On this passed Monday I moved back home after house-sitting for three months. Upon doing this, I completely re-organised my bedroom, making it so much more open and spacious. Now I can finally play my games (especially the Wii) and watch movies a lot more comfortably.
And speaking of comfort (or lack of), most of Australia had another massive heatwave, apparently breaking another umpteenth-year record. Some how, for the last four or five years, we have managed to have "the hottest x amount of days" in 100 years. Either the media and the people who believe it are just retarded, or in a few more years, we're all fucked.
And last, but not least, just a couple of hours ago I finished watching Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and holy shit, it was freakin' brilliant. For a short 43-minute movie, it does a lot. And the music is great. I was a wee bit disappointed with the ending, only because it was very sad and finished without really saying much. But oh well. It was still awesome.
I have to say, I love Neil Patrick Harris's work. The characters he play are always hilarious - especially since he's very good at playing a sleazy, horny, straight guy in How I Met Your Mother, considering he's, you know, gay.
And on that note, I recommend you all go watch Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. And How I Met Your Mother. And Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. And Starship Troopers 1.
-Mannus Jellonius.
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