Army of Three 10: You'll need 9 UPs in Battle for Terra!

Here are some upcoming 3D movies I'm looking forward to

And so ... 9 ... I'm creating YOU... [09.09.2009]




UP up and away... [29.05.2009]




Terror in planet Terra [01.05.2009]








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Army of Three 9: 256 gang-bangers online?

My life and things had gone really really MAD recently. Been getting a lot of headaches from work, too tired and unable to continue making my own 3D and manga projects, my RPG gaming weren't progressing ... AND ... getting robbed by the beloved annual income tax!

But despite all those things mentioned, I still feel the need to post something ... to keep doing things I normally do ... yeah, blogging can take my mind off those trouble for a while (or so I hope)

MAG Trailer: Talk about hail of bullets



This MAG thing (I mean the game, not the cosmetic!) is looking kind of cool. I'm not a hardcore online FPS-ter but thinking about a match with 255 other people in it (minus the lag) it could turn out to be a really exciting online experience, unless you're at the wrong end of the barrels :)

2 more videos from this Massive Action Game after the click...



MAG: Architecture Interview



See and listen to what the good people at Zipper Interactive have to say about this conceptual FPS.

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MAG: E3 2008 CAM Trailer



Old stuff but still cool to watch.


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Susan Boyle Flew, How About You?

Seems like everyone (or most of the online people) knew or heard about Susan Boyle and the stir she caused last weekend. It moved the hearts of so many people.

I admitted her performance and the scene captured from the Brit show touched my emotion a little too, I said a little because I always believe in the hidden selves of us people, I always believe that we are all different in one way or another and we all have something special inside that we need to search and realize for ourselves, something many of us as well as the judges and most of the audiences in last Saturday's audition didn't believe in.

But according to Peter Bregman, Susan didn't pass with flying color just because she has the talent, her triumph was 35 years in the making and she also had the most important thing we all need ... The heart...



Her brief story from the article told us that apart from 35 years of singing, she also had one of the most important ingredient above all. That ingredient is (are) Heart(s). She has the love for something which she has been doing it for 35 years and also she acquired the love and believe from some important people around her and these are the reason she stands tall and keeps her head high in the position she's in right now.

Now come back to take a good look at ourselves. How many of you who after getting Susan's slap on your faces, felt motivated during that weekend and now finding your skins sinking into the same old couch (where you got motivated) stop believing in yourselves and others?


Susan Boyle is a phenomenal role model for all of us, not just because of her talent or her courage or her perseverance or her supportive friends. She is a phenomenal role model for us because she is us, in all our awkward ordinariness and amazing extraordinariness - Peter Bregman

^{(We'll see how long people are going to keep this in mind)}

It's hard to really get up there and work on your dream especially after the long day at work and other headache stuffs, but I believe if you don't start doing something when you're motivated then you will never get anything done for the rest of your sorry lives. You can start from smaller steps but at least you've got to have a slightest progress in order to keep on being motivated. And when your fire died down, you'll stop believing you're special and you'll stop believing in others also, I noticed people who lost their motivation (or never had, to begin with) always say words of discouragement, because they know themselves won't get anywhere therefore they tend to bring other people's hopes down too.

So which type are you? The Susan Boyle type or just ordinary dreaming machine type? Your future is yours to decide.

And before I go I'll leave you with something good to watch, cheers!



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Army of Three 8: RPG Head too busy at work

Too busy working and playing Last Remnant, but I still want to post updates of some upcoming (cool looking) RPGs, enjoy!


Magna Carta II: RPG with BJD!!



Okay, it did strike me as a little creepy at first, but the character models look kinda interesting though.

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End of Eternity: How?



I don't know how you could find the 'end' of 'eternity' (here may be?) but this is another cool looking RPG, reminds me of Shadow Hearts.

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OH! Don't forget one more RPG trailer after the click...




X-Edge: so 'X' is pronounced 'Cross'?



Just cool, I didn't (and still don't) know anything about this game but I already pre-ordered it. (life of an RPG Head :p )

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Army of Three 7: Ninja Medias - Dos and Don'ts

What the hell are Ninjas? Why they became so popular in the west these days? Actually Ninjas has blended into western culture for quite some time already (remember this shit? or this cool thing?), but personally I think it was this punk who brought the Ninja hype in the west up to the level it is today.

Who are they? You could probably find out about Ninjas here and there on the internet. And you might like or dislike these Ninja stuffs, but what I'm going to show today are little examples of Dos and Don'ts for the uses of Ninjas.

DO(s)

Cute/Fun Ninjas



I love this trailer of Mini Ninjas from IO and Eidos. It has cute looks, nice animations, good overall look and fun to watch (and hopefully fun to play too).

Although this is not likely the first image that came to my mind when I heard the term 'Ninjas', but a lot of people (especially kids) loved, still love, will love these kind of ninjas. There are a lot of cute and fun ninjas out there ranging from old school types to modern ones. Here are some examples...

Hattori-kun: This cute ninja by Abiko Motoo or Fujiko Fujio (A) from Fujiko Fujio Duo had captured many young hearts (a lot have become middle-aged or elderly people by now) since the 60s' to late 80s'. They (both manga and anime) were really fun, funny and had a lot of things to teach young kids.

TMNT: This cartoon about turtle ninjas, ratman, pigman, rhinoman, slimy brain, cyborgs and a cool villain called Shredder was one of the most favorite TV shows among children in the late 80s' to early 90s'. Its easy going tone and cool fighting sequences made this show a fun and memorable action-comedy cartoon.

Jubei-chan: Although it's an anime about a girl who possesses the power of Yagyu Jubei, a samurai, but she looks more like a ninja (and definitely fights like one). Secret of lovely eyepatch? Hell yeah, this is one lighthearted and fun ninja-ish anime to watch.

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Serious ninjas and Ninja's Don't after the jump
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Deadly Ninjas



So these are the ninjas which appeared in my mind. The deadly ninjas or assassins, the people living in the darkest shadow of history performing dirty and lethal tasks. This type of ninjas reminds you of what these people really are. Here are a few examples...

Iga vs Kouga: Classic rivalry between these 2 clans shown in Shinobi and Basilisk series (video shown above) are the example of how dangerous and deadly these ninjas could be. These tragic love stories full of political agendas, surreal techniques and incredible amount of blood and gore might change the way you think of ninjas.

Assassin Ninjas: As long as they are ordered to kill, it doesn't matter if they are androids or not. Ninja Warriors and Robocop 3's Otomo are those ninjas with any cool stuffs (like Titanium Endoskeleton?) but magical abilities.

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DON'T(s)

Ninjas WTF?!?



Bad example of the exploitation of ninjas in pop cultures, just because kids these days like ninjas as well as pirates doesn't mean putting them into the same environment, let alone doing some sports, would succeed. I really wonder whose magnificence idea was this? Or were they just responding to people's needs? If you're about to point fingers at this game's developer, I'd say wait until you've seen forum post like this. Seriously I've been seeing a lot of these questions for many years now, Ninja vs anything from worm to cowboy to even Chuck Norris!!!, why don't they throw in Jesus or even better, the Earth into the combination also?

Coming up this summer,
- Ninjas vs Cowboys: Bank Robbery
- Ninjas vs Nerds: Hacking Battle
- Ninjas vs Pimps
- Ninjas vs Gangstas
- Ninja vs Moms
... the list goes on.

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Army of Three 6: Plastic girls are creepy but attractive (?)

Yes, you (boys) always complain about how these girls look just like plastic. But according to the stats found in places hosting these precious resources, you boys love them. So now it's the time you stand tall and admit like 'a man' that you have a thing or two for plastic girls.


Reiko from Rumble Roses XX performs SEXY dance



I found the clip on he internet many years ago so I posted it on GameTrailers's user movie section and guess what? It had got more than 100,000 views in the first month (not to mention thousands of private messages requesting me to send the hi-res video to them)

Seriously, do you find Reiko in this video appealing? I just couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous she looks and dances.

Don't forget! We have 2 more videos of plastic girls after the click...

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Even slayer needs shower: Aya from Onechanbara



Yes, seems like plastic girls are always taking shower when the world need them the most! And like they said (with their fists raised) 'Something always get in the way!!!' If you were to be Aya's costume designer, it might bore the hell out of your life since her wardrobe would filled only with (some) bikinis, a pair of cowboy boots, cowboy hat and a (pink) Mink scarf (and probably some Katanas also).

Actually she's not that creepy compared to the ones above and below :D


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Naughty Lara Croft? (You all know where this girl came from)

- Stirring rumors among boys since 1996 -

How can we miss The Big Sister of the Plastic Girl Association?
Her sex appeal worked better than any kind of propaganda ever existed in mankind's history, it sent a lot of young and old out in the quest for the mythical (console) nude code. Well, it's 2009 now and all rumors died but the nude patch lives on.
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Army of Three 5: Secret World with Pip Boy 3000

Secret World Debut Trailer: Simply Gorgeous!



This debut clip for the game 'Secret World' from Funcom (yes, the developer behind The Longest Journey and Dreamfall: The Longest Journey) is simply gorgeous.
Watch how well the editing was (as well as the lighting, rendering and visual effects)

After the click, I have interview with director of Secret World and a real Pip Boy!



Ragnar Tornquist Interview



Hear from the director, Ragnar Tornquist, what this game is about.
Yes, an MMO (as if you haven't found that out by now, duh) which is set to come out for Xbox360 and PC where you will be fight monster in modern day, but could they get rid of zombies though? I'm kinda sick and tired of those animated corpses already.

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Pipboy in real life?



This guy made this Pip Boy 3000 from the collector item and his Ipod Touch, looks pretty cool. The next thing you need to do, mate, Is to figure out how to bring VAT (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) into reality! (ha ha ha)

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Iraq, The Video Game: Neutral Documentary Game (and my thought about it)

Developer 'Atomic Games' and publisher 'Konami' (Yes, THAT Konami) as stated in an article from Wall Street Journal (WSJ.com), are working on a documentary-style game with the name of 'Six Days in Fallujah' Read the full article HERE. Right now I don't think we've got much to talk about the concept of this game or even the game itself because we pretty much know nothing in detail. But I have some opinions about this subject after the click...



I think this is a pretty ambitious idea to create a 'game-amentary' (the term was used by the developers of this game themselves) which lacks the commentary elements usually presented in its counterparts (films) in order to stay 'unbiased' toward a particular viewpoint about this war.

Yes, it is ideal to try to be neutral, but how can we define the 'neutrality' of this subject? Atomic Games said it took into account experiences and memos from many soldiers as well as interviews with Iraqis involved in the battle, but how can one be totally neutral when the game puts us gamers in the shoes of US Marines? How can we, who will be struggling to survive in the digital version of this reenacted conflict, learn about the pain and suffering innocent Iraqis who were caught in the conflict between US battalions and Iraqis insurgents? And last but not least, how could a piece without commentary tells you about the reactions of US soldiers after they were briefed that all Iraqi males from the age of 18 - 65 were potential threats (especially when one had Kalashnikov in his hands) or would the developer show the truth concerning Fallujah Ambush in which 4 American contractors were killed while working for Blackwater and were sent into Fallujah 'underarmed' on a food-delivery mission^*? or will they just talk about these deaths as the victims of 'insurgency'?

So what is neutrality in the context of this game?

"We're not trying to make social commentary. We're not pro-war. We're not trying to make people feel uncomfortable. We just want to bring a compelling entertainment experience,...At the end of the day, it's just a game." Anthony Crouts - VP of marketing, Konami

"In parts of the "game-amentary," as the developers of "Six Days" have called it, users are forced to make hard choices. In one opening sequence, an enemy bursts from a door without a weapon in hand. Players can decide if this character qualifies as a hostile and can act accordingly. Whether you choose to shoot the unarmed person will drastically change your experience with the game and will be heavily based on the player's own support or objections to the war. Those personal feelings are complicated by the need to survive to succeed in the game." Jamin Brophy-Warren - WSJ

Sure thing, having these kind of choice making processes would add some depth and realism to the gameplay, this doesn't sound too different from your Karma system in Fallout 3. Without commentary, would it make any difference if the player is someone who doesn't have any knowledge about the social lives of people and the environments of the place? When you had never seen the looks on faces of injured Iraqi women and children, you tend to say the same thing I always hear (or read) from a lot of people (especially Pro-War American who had no idea of what the war is all about) "Better get them before they get us!"

Personally I don't have anything against this game because we will need to see more about this game before passing any judgment on the qualities of the game itself, but it was my personally feeling toward the idea of throwing facts and the precise events taken place in Operation Fallujah (at the moment I haven't had the idea whether 'Six Days' was modeled after the event in Operation Vigilant Resolve or Operation Phantom Fury) at the players without giving out any opinion or drawing any conclusion might result into a hyper-realistic war simulation which might not be too different from any other shooting games out there.

I watch documentaries on a daily basis, and rarely did I find a documentary which gave viewers only 'facts' without creator's point of view of the subject. The point about a good documentary is that the director states his/her views while giving the viewers breathing spaces to think, to do their own research and to draw their own conclusions by themselves. Personally I think a documentary without a clear directions or thought is a little pointless.

So we'll have to wait and see which direction and what decisions the developers at Atomic Games would adopt for the subjective matters in 'Six Days in Fallujah'.

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* Go do some research about how private firms do their business and earn profit from the current war in Iraq. (I think we gamers can acquire knowledge beyond our HDTVs if we want and choose to do so)

Update: From this article on Joystiq, it's inspired by Phantom Fury


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Army of Three 4: J-POP Bio Hazard Rules

Black Prophecy: You Are Destined to STFU!!!



It's always a good concept to have cool voice and catchy phrases in trailers, but of course it's good when you do it right. This trailer for a PC game with the name of Black Prophecy got that concept wrong. As soon as the guy finished saying 'destined to...' for the second time at the 35th second of this clip he couldn't keep his cool any longer and went totally nuts until he got tired at the end of the video. Don LaFontaine would have made it higher morale if he was to narrate this one, but well it's just my opinion.


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Bio Hazard J-POP: Something we won't expect western gamers to understand



Yes, most of you wouldn't understand us Asian gamers. It's in our cultures to add songs into our medias, you wouldn't understand how cool it was for me when I first saw this promo video for the original Bio Hazard. Guess why we love animes or movies with high-octane themes, guess why Asian kids love Sentai shows and guess why we have got something like JAM Project, classics like this or even this Kingdom Hearts' Ending? We love these stuffs and you can keep making fun of us but you will never change our hearts.

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Too much ranting I almost forget that there is one more relaxing video after the break... enjoy!




Sweet Eyes Ninja!



In my April Fools post, I posted a link to a piano rearranged version of Dr.Wily stage from Rockman 2. This time I brought you another version which is more grand and cleaner to your ears. You've gotta love this guy, he played the song really really well and he occasionally looked at the camera with his sweet eyes (too sweet for a ninja anyway).

This guy has only 4 videos on his YouTube, but check them out since they're pretty cool

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Army of Three 3: Martial Death of Chipmunks

Today's videos, I've got Tony Jaa's actions and Disney's Death of Chipmunks, right after the click.



ONG BAK 2

Ong Bak 2 (2008)
by DjFreakazoid

Seriously, I didn't even know Ong Bak 2 was out in Thailand already (and I'm Thai!!!). Looks like a good movie to watch for action scenes, but I don't really understand why they decided to continue using the name 'Ong Bak' since the plot is totally different from that of the original Ong Bak. It's like having Arnold Schwarzenegger in a drama about a bodybuilder who travels around the globe in search of his lost hamster and put 'Terminator' in the title.

But yeah, more action from Tony Jaa = more fun!!!

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Dragon Around Part II: Death of Chipmunks



My friend Dong Hyun Kim from dksajin.blogspot.com sent me this video. After watching what this crazy wood chopper from hell could do, I recalled a memory about one of my favorite Disney's cartoon 'Dragon Around' (video at the bottom, highly recommended) and it made me think of a stupid idea that if Donald replaced his power shovel with this hell chopper, Chip and Dale wouldn't have lasted long enough to have their own show, that's for sure.

Now I hope you enjoy this!


Disney's Dragon Around (1954)



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Army of Three 2: All your fool are belong to us!

I promise. No, Rick Astley

In today's Army of Three, the topics are... The next Metal Gear, The best Famicom(NES) game you might have missed and one more WTF video. I put no comment or writing for any of these videos since they are something to watch just for fun. Enjoy!



Kojima has a thing for senior people!



Geezer Coolness!

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Wish I had played this!



Anyone recognize which game the song at the end of this video got its melody from? Click here for answer.

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WTF? Cyber DOG???



???

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sources:
- Gametrailers
- BartBaker@YouTube

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