Much like most summer action movie releases, X-Men Origins: Wolverine received a videogame iteration courtesy of Raven Software. The game, which imitates the tride a true button mashing gameplay, offers some interesting new gameplay mechanics and visual elements. However, a later release date would have gone a long way to improving all aspects of the game.
Gamers have been lucky enough to play amazing button mashers, such as God War II. Wolverine has all the main elements (jumping, light attacks, heavy attacks, and grabs). But, at the same time, it introduces special tactics, such as lunging and fury attacks. The popular X-Men’s animal like senses are in the game, which allow gamers to easily find collectibles and hints on completing objectives.
Raven Software took an innovative approach in the character design of Wolverine. As Wolverine encounters the various enemies and takes damage, his flesh and adamantium skeleton is revealed. His healing abilities then kick in and his opened wounds close in real-time.
Now, although all these aspects of the game are interesting, Wolverine does tend to hiccup technically. The visuals don’t hold up with the fast-paced battle sequences. This lagging and choppy textures can pull gamers out of the environment in the game and put a sour taste to this decent movie game.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
I Don't Get Down with The Honky Tonk
Being in San Jose gives us a great opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of cultures. I know at San Jose State our ethical majority is not Caucasian, which assures me that every interaction I have with others will be new and exciting. However, our nightlife seems to follow a distinct pattern. There is certain music that is played and one can guess on the people to go to the hotspots in downtown San Jose.
I play an interesting role in my group of friends. I love hanging out and going to these different places in downtown, but I hate the culture. I can’t stand the music or some of the people that I meet down there. So, change is definitely accepted by me. Last week, we all decided to go out to the Saddle Rack in Fremont. It was explained to me as a huge country bar, which did not excite me too much since I dislike country music with a passion.
We got there early and from the moment I stepped into the bar I felt out of place. The Saddle Rack is about two-thirds the size of a Safeway. I enjoyed the fact that we wouldn’t be all cramped into small places like we usually are in downtown San Jose. On the other hand, that did mean that it would fill up with a ton of people making it more hectic to navigate through the place.
One can expect that since the Saddle Rack played mainly country music that the general population would be Caucasian. That was no surprise for me, but it did make me feel even more of an outcast. I didn’t seem to be able to relate to anyone other than my friends that I came with. Everyone cheered every time a song started to play and I thought to myself, “I have no clue who this is or what song this is.” Not knowing names like Taylor Swift gave that clear line of separation between me and the rest of the people in the bar.
At one point in the night, girls crawled on the stage and started dancing in a cage to the left of the stage. Then some of the guys in the crowded pulled up chairs and just watched them for about 30 to 45 minutes. I definitely had to hold back my disgust. Although there are many differences between the two cultures in downtown San Jose and Fremont, some of those aspects still stay.
Looking back on the experience, I definitely see the cultural divide between the two areas. The Saddle Rack did do one good thing for me. It gave me a new experience and taught me a little bit about myself. I’m starting to think that I need to be a little bit more open to other cultures and forms of art, including country music.
I play an interesting role in my group of friends. I love hanging out and going to these different places in downtown, but I hate the culture. I can’t stand the music or some of the people that I meet down there. So, change is definitely accepted by me. Last week, we all decided to go out to the Saddle Rack in Fremont. It was explained to me as a huge country bar, which did not excite me too much since I dislike country music with a passion.
We got there early and from the moment I stepped into the bar I felt out of place. The Saddle Rack is about two-thirds the size of a Safeway. I enjoyed the fact that we wouldn’t be all cramped into small places like we usually are in downtown San Jose. On the other hand, that did mean that it would fill up with a ton of people making it more hectic to navigate through the place.
One can expect that since the Saddle Rack played mainly country music that the general population would be Caucasian. That was no surprise for me, but it did make me feel even more of an outcast. I didn’t seem to be able to relate to anyone other than my friends that I came with. Everyone cheered every time a song started to play and I thought to myself, “I have no clue who this is or what song this is.” Not knowing names like Taylor Swift gave that clear line of separation between me and the rest of the people in the bar.
At one point in the night, girls crawled on the stage and started dancing in a cage to the left of the stage. Then some of the guys in the crowded pulled up chairs and just watched them for about 30 to 45 minutes. I definitely had to hold back my disgust. Although there are many differences between the two cultures in downtown San Jose and Fremont, some of those aspects still stay.
Looking back on the experience, I definitely see the cultural divide between the two areas. The Saddle Rack did do one good thing for me. It gave me a new experience and taught me a little bit about myself. I’m starting to think that I need to be a little bit more open to other cultures and forms of art, including country music.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Brass Knuckles Fail
Tchotchkes. Companies circulate these small items around the industry to create buzz and build suspense for upcoming products and events. Some are amazing, such as a paper thin sheet of coaxial cable that was passed around at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. However, there are times that you question: why would (insert company) give me this?
EA released Godfather II, a multiplatform action title that resembles the Grand Theft Auto series, earlier this month. The videogame is based on the second film as the player continues to build their mafia army. Godfather II has received decent reviews, but the most interesting part of EA’s launch was the decision to include gold plated brass knuckles in the press kits for the journalists.
As an initial idea, brass knuckles seem like a great choice to build interest on Godfather II. The item directly correlates to the theme of the videogame and could bring the Godfather experience out of the virtual world (not saying that journalists should go use these). However, brass knuckles are illegal!
Moral of the story is creativity in great, but ensure that enough research is done prior to sending out this swag. While it did create buzz in the media, it probably took away from their initial message.
EA released Godfather II, a multiplatform action title that resembles the Grand Theft Auto series, earlier this month. The videogame is based on the second film as the player continues to build their mafia army. Godfather II has received decent reviews, but the most interesting part of EA’s launch was the decision to include gold plated brass knuckles in the press kits for the journalists.
As an initial idea, brass knuckles seem like a great choice to build interest on Godfather II. The item directly correlates to the theme of the videogame and could bring the Godfather experience out of the virtual world (not saying that journalists should go use these). However, brass knuckles are illegal!
Moral of the story is creativity in great, but ensure that enough research is done prior to sending out this swag. While it did create buzz in the media, it probably took away from their initial message.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Does Social Media Make Conversations Awkward?
Social media is a great tool to use especially with the massive amount of growth it has been receiving over the past couple of months. However, at the same time I feel that my involvement in these various platforms somewhat hinder my ability to develop a relationship in person.
Through my participation on Twitter, I tend to learn a lot about some of the individuals that I follow. Just over the past week I heard, or read, about some of the Twitter community getting married and other moving into new apartments.
Now, I usually do not have a problem engaging in conversations with unknown or random individuals (my work at SomethingPunk has taught me to suck it up and talk to artists). I believe that when I post something on Twitter or my Facebook feed that it is fine for people to bring up in random conversation. However, does everyone else feel that same way?
Social media, although being an amazing way to communicate with individuals and other broader audiences, may hinder real-life communication. The lines between what is appropriate and inappropriate in face to face conversation vary with the individual.
Through my participation on Twitter, I tend to learn a lot about some of the individuals that I follow. Just over the past week I heard, or read, about some of the Twitter community getting married and other moving into new apartments.
Now, I usually do not have a problem engaging in conversations with unknown or random individuals (my work at SomethingPunk has taught me to suck it up and talk to artists). I believe that when I post something on Twitter or my Facebook feed that it is fine for people to bring up in random conversation. However, does everyone else feel that same way?
Social media, although being an amazing way to communicate with individuals and other broader audiences, may hinder real-life communication. The lines between what is appropriate and inappropriate in face to face conversation vary with the individual.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Japanese Internment Essay
Imagine leaving your native home in search for freedom and opportunity in the United States. Everything is looking up until one day your new life is stripped away. You are forced to leave your home, your belongings and potentially your loved ones. This is the experience that many Japanese Americans faced in the 1940s. Approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps during this time. Many have heard the stories of Japanese interment, but some do not know why it happened or what effects these processes had on Japanese Americans. After the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were forced into housing facilities.
At San Jose State University, Yoshiro Uchida Hall was used as a transfer point that evacuated Japanese residents from San Jose and Santa Clara. Some to this day say that the building is haunted because of its involvement in Japanese internment during World War II. To memorialize the internment of the Japanese, Ruth Asawa designed the Japanese American Internment Memorial Sculpture that can be found in front of the Federal Building on Second Street in San Jose. The whole memorial uses vivid imagery to depict the life and trials of being a Japanese American during World War II.
A scene on the right side (if facing the Federal Building) depicts a family of Japanese Americans packing all their belongings and leaving their home. Many Japanese Americans were forced to sell and leave some of their belongings during the internment process. Those who had important family documents sometimes burned their information in order to prevent from being identified as Japanese.
Another scene that shows the chaos that Japanese Americans felt during the interment process is the train scene on the right side of the memorial. The train scene shows Japanese Americans being packed into trains that are already full. Japanese Americans reach out for their friends and families hoping to get one last goodbye. The thought crosses their mind, “will I ever have a chance to see them again.” Soldiers with guns drawn oversee the process of these trains being packed. The Japanese Americans know if they resist, there will be gruesome consequences.
The structure of the memorial gives an overall feel of the process of Japanese internment. Scenes are placed in a chronological order with the earliest scenes starting on the left. As the viewer continues to through the memorial, they will see the attitude of the memorial change from freedom and new opportunities to captivate and dismay. The left portion of the memorial shows soldiers watching over the internment camp as a piece of barbed wire cover the top of the memorial.
After seeing the memorial and hearing about Japanese internment, I believe that something like this could definitely happen again. Various cultures have felt shunned after the 9-11, myself included. The verbal ridicule and scorn that some may experience may not equal the severity of being interned in camps. Although these experiences are different, the current situations are just stepping stones to turning into something more severe.
At San Jose State University, Yoshiro Uchida Hall was used as a transfer point that evacuated Japanese residents from San Jose and Santa Clara. Some to this day say that the building is haunted because of its involvement in Japanese internment during World War II. To memorialize the internment of the Japanese, Ruth Asawa designed the Japanese American Internment Memorial Sculpture that can be found in front of the Federal Building on Second Street in San Jose. The whole memorial uses vivid imagery to depict the life and trials of being a Japanese American during World War II.
A scene on the right side (if facing the Federal Building) depicts a family of Japanese Americans packing all their belongings and leaving their home. Many Japanese Americans were forced to sell and leave some of their belongings during the internment process. Those who had important family documents sometimes burned their information in order to prevent from being identified as Japanese.
Another scene that shows the chaos that Japanese Americans felt during the interment process is the train scene on the right side of the memorial. The train scene shows Japanese Americans being packed into trains that are already full. Japanese Americans reach out for their friends and families hoping to get one last goodbye. The thought crosses their mind, “will I ever have a chance to see them again.” Soldiers with guns drawn oversee the process of these trains being packed. The Japanese Americans know if they resist, there will be gruesome consequences.
The structure of the memorial gives an overall feel of the process of Japanese internment. Scenes are placed in a chronological order with the earliest scenes starting on the left. As the viewer continues to through the memorial, they will see the attitude of the memorial change from freedom and new opportunities to captivate and dismay. The left portion of the memorial shows soldiers watching over the internment camp as a piece of barbed wire cover the top of the memorial.
After seeing the memorial and hearing about Japanese internment, I believe that something like this could definitely happen again. Various cultures have felt shunned after the 9-11, myself included. The verbal ridicule and scorn that some may experience may not equal the severity of being interned in camps. Although these experiences are different, the current situations are just stepping stones to turning into something more severe.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere
Through similes and metaphors Z.Z. Packer cleverly engages the reader’s imagination to visualize the scenes in the story and understand the true meaning of each first-person encounter.
In this chapter, “Geese,” an African American woman moves from her run-down town to Japan as a means of escaping her current situation. Z.Z. Packer uses a large amount of similes and metaphors to give the readers the overall view of the interactions of this woman and the Japanese culture. The vivid details do not only describe the woman’s feelings, but show the readers the imagery that is sculpted by her words. Here are two great examples of Packer’s use of metaphors and similes. The first creates the scene of Dina and Ari sleeping in the same bed; while, the second depicts what Petra looks like after her accident.
Nevertheless, she nudged him, ran her palm against his arm, the smoothest she ever remembered touching, the hairs like extensions of liquid skin
Of course, Petra could no longer model; her face had been ripped into unequal quadrants like the sections of a TV dinner, and the stitches had been in long enough to leave fleshy, zipper-like scars in their place.
Without Z.Z. Pakcer’s use of words, the readers would find the story would sound very stale, as it lacks dialogue. Also, they would not understand some of the emotions that this woman is going through as she partakes in the adventures of being in a different culture.
In this chapter, “Geese,” an African American woman moves from her run-down town to Japan as a means of escaping her current situation. Z.Z. Packer uses a large amount of similes and metaphors to give the readers the overall view of the interactions of this woman and the Japanese culture. The vivid details do not only describe the woman’s feelings, but show the readers the imagery that is sculpted by her words. Here are two great examples of Packer’s use of metaphors and similes. The first creates the scene of Dina and Ari sleeping in the same bed; while, the second depicts what Petra looks like after her accident.
Nevertheless, she nudged him, ran her palm against his arm, the smoothest she ever remembered touching, the hairs like extensions of liquid skin
Of course, Petra could no longer model; her face had been ripped into unequal quadrants like the sections of a TV dinner, and the stitches had been in long enough to leave fleshy, zipper-like scars in their place.
Without Z.Z. Pakcer’s use of words, the readers would find the story would sound very stale, as it lacks dialogue. Also, they would not understand some of the emotions that this woman is going through as she partakes in the adventures of being in a different culture.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Metaphor/Simile Paragraph
As I Lay Dying finished of their set with “Illusions” from their album Shadows are Security. The crowd started to move like the turbulent sea in the Perfect Storm. As the drummer continuously hit the snare, the shaggy dog on stage shook his head causing the sweat to fly of his head as he grunted into the mic.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)