Raw Consciousness

FILM - DOOM....

... not that I should need to warn you but JUST DON'T.  Bad bad bad. Did I watch it? Yes. I went with a friend (a "pseudo-ex" I guess I can say).  Hollywood just doesn't get a videogame into a movie translation it seems...  Maybe because when you make a movie and NOT a game, you lose the interactivity and *you have to* do something different perhaps?

    Is Mortal Kombat 1 and Resident Evil 1 the only two movies I can think of that at least are half-decent? Any more?  Silent Hill is coming next year as a  movie... and boy there's material for a *really good movie* - if they say based it on the first or second Silent Hill... I hope they don't screw it up.

MY LIFE - iPod Nano...

Black, 4 gigs please.  Yes, I did it, I bought one.  What do I think?  Believe it or not I have some mixed feelings although overall it's good.

The good:

+ Apple really knows how to package an item. Even opening it, out of the box is an experience and a presentation by itself.
+ Super slick design, super small, same iPod interface and can do even photos
+ Hey, 4 gigs flash ram. No hardisk to deal with.

The bad:

+ When I first connected it, it froze on me.  I had to do the iPod nano reboot sequence which I didn't find at first, but to Apple's credit it's the first item on the "How to..." list on their instructions.
+ Nano-scratchable. Yes, it's true. The iPod Nano is super prone to scratches. Metal part or non metal front.  I am a bit amazed this is so. My iRiver after using it a lot with no case to protect it, putting it in pockets and many otherp laces is near unscratched.  Funny that the iRiver is plastic but it certainly holds better.
+ I really think Apple should have included a belt clip for the price.  Particularly because it's just so scratchable.
+ When I ejected the nano today from windows, I had to force disconnect it as at one point apparently "some application was using it."  That caused it to not find any of its songs on the way back home- apparently the table of contents (or equivalent) file got corrupted.  Connecting it when I got home fixed the problem and didn't have to re-download all songs.
+ I am not thrilled the battery is not user replaceable- and I know iPod has been like that since forever, but I am not really too happy about the $60 USD Apple charges you to replace the battery.

I have to say, if I could have used iTunes to sync my iRiver, I would not have bought the nano. Having 4 gigs is sure nice but I feel like I am carrying a piece of delicate glass with me- and that's not cool.

Other goodies:

+ I like the contacts and notes feature. It's totally readable.
+ I really like all the options for play lists, ratings, etc.
* I like how iTunes works with it for the most part.

Anyone knows if iTunes allows you to browse for a CD/album by pictures thumbnails?

VIDEO GAMES - required playing...

If you care about games and game design, you really should play at least until chapter 3 (inclusive) of Trauma Center: Under The Knife.  Atlus really made some very interesting design decisions and surprises using the touch pad game mechanics and the "language of gameplay" (more on this on another post) they establish with the player.

Even if you can see some flaws, there's some real brilliance in some of the things they did. I am not finished though I am in Chapter 5-2 (I understand there's only 5 chapters?).  Very very interesting. I can see now how much more they can expand with a sequel and it would be simply really really good.

Good job Atlus.

VIDEOGAMES - Traumatized by Castlevania...

So finally, it's here, and so far is incredibly super-awesome.  Man do I wish the DS had the "better than life" screen with the high contrast ratio of the PSP, but it still looks pretty pretty good.  Yes, Castlevania DS seems to be all that.  Music is definitively without a question one step closer to CD, non of the noisy samples of the GBA, and the graphics.. awww man... they are doing what they did for Symphony of The Night on PS1 but in spades.. lots of super smooth animated blendings with gradients thanks to an alpha-aware polygon engine.

It's really good in that animation... Of course I haven't played the game entirely so I can't in good faith review it well but man it looks so far so uber-promising.

I am playing Castlevania Aria of Sorrow in a hurry as I never played that game more than 2-3 hours... I want to finish it becuase the DS one because the stories apparently connect.  I am big on videogame stories :-)

But I couldn't just stop there, i also picked up Trauma Center: Under The Knife. Finally I have two games I feel are worth owning the DS.  I played only for a little bit but the music/tension and things you have to do in Trauma Center, plus strinving to get a higher ranking it's nice.

And I totally agree with this patient.... and looking at the game art cover, I guess hands are really powerfull in Japan...

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - noon ihop shots...

I went to the iHop after stopping by the train station and got these couple of shots today with my Fuji F710:

I like three shots in this little "morning-brunch" batch...