Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Monday, December 26, 2005

Emacs Commands List

Emacs Commands List

Thread Pools

Thread Pools

ThreadPoolExecutor (Java 2 Platform SE 5.0)

ThreadPoolExecutor (Java 2 Platform SE 5.0)

Executors (Java 2 Platform SE 5.0)

Executors (Java 2 Platform SE 5.0)

Core Java Technologies Technical Tips

Core Java Technologies Technical Tips

Selectors... a little something i'm playing with at the moment...

Guild Wars Fanmovie - DesertFarming - Google Video

If someone can please tell me what skills is she using here...

Read more at video.google.com/videop...

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Iron Realms

Iron Realms

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Adage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Adage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Godwin's Law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Godwin's Law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Discworld - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Discworld - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

" 'All right,' said Susan, 'I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need ... fantasies to make life bearable.'
No. Humans need fantasy to be human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.
'Tooth faries? Hogfathers?'
Yes. As practice. You have to start out learning to believe the little lies.
'So we can believe the big ones?'
Yes. Justice. Mercy. Duty. That sort of thing.
'They're not the same at all!'
Take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder and sieve it through the finest sieve and then show me one atom of justice. And yet you act as if there were some sort of rightness in the universe by which it may be judged.
'Yes. But people have got to believe that or what's the point—'
My point exactly.
– Hogfather"

Google Press Center: Zeitgeist

Google Press Center: Zeitgeist

"It turns out that looking at the aggregation of billions of search queries people type into Google reveals something about our curiosity, our thirst for news, and perhaps even our desires. Considering all that has occurred in 2005, we thought it would be interesting to study just a few of the significant events, and names that make this a memorable year. (We’ll leave it to the historians to determine which ones are lasting and which ephemeral.) We hope you enjoy this selective view of our collective year."

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Pete Butler's 1UP Blog: just thought I'd share...

Pete Butler's 1UP Blog: just thought I'd share...

Nice Street Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat flash animation. Very Sweet.

Octopus Eats Shark - Google Video

Octopus Eats Shark - Google Video

Yep. Like it says... watch!

The Wizards of Winter - Google Video

The Wizards of Winter - Google Video

Now this is a winter music show!

Ikaruga - Google Video

Ikaruga - Google Video

Hmm.. this is humbling... the same guy plays both ships on the first stage in Ikaruga... an almost doesn't get killed!

Street Fighter Diago - Google Video

Street Fighter Diago - Google Video

Must be seen to be believed....

Monday, December 19, 2005

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Cryptic Reference to Recent Events

Amazing how much junk can jealousy come up with on short notice. How the mind, when lacking any explanations, will come up with what seems most probable at the time, while always looking for someone else to blame, so as to be able to focus hatred outwards.

In any case, the damage is done. Even if it comes to light that the whole thing is a misunderstanding, the damage cannot be undone. Which just makes me not care. I mean, why should I try to fix it, if it won’t be fixed?

I guess it’s for my friends. Even if the relevant people don’t change, at least I did what I could. I wash my hands, carrying the assumed sins away.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Classic Live - SimCity.com

Classic Live - SimCity.com

play SimCity on the web! free!

Monday, December 12, 2005

<> The Video Gamer's Amp

<> The Video Gamer's Amp

Telltale Games - Comics

Telltale Games - Comics

Next Generation - Ragnarok Online Goes Mobile

Next Generation - Ragnarok Online Goes Mobile

Power Game Station! "game&game"

Power Game Station! "game&game"

A portal for Westeners to play Korean games. Pretty nice.

Summons

A day, like every other day. I volunteered to escort Whisper to her temple, seeing as how Angel was with our Liege, and Magistrate was on business, and how we haven’t seen Geburah in quite a whileSo I’d rather not be bored. Besides, the Labyrinth is a nice place. I mean, just take out all the mad ghosts who want to kill you, the nephwracks who want to turn you to the service of Oblivion, and the Morthwrights who want to just drag you down with them. What do you end up with?

I know, not much.

So I decided to escort Whispers to her temple for today’s sermon. Nice girl, that one. Very devout. I remember when I went to collect her, she even murdered her own sister because she wasn’t believing. She was just imitating. And I can understand that. No space for wannabes, I suppose.

So Whisper starts with her sermon. Her voice is always melodious, yet hinting to a profound darkness. I’m pretty sure her connection to our Malfean lords runs much stronger than the one to our Liege. As long as she does her job, I guess.

I’m hiding in the shadows, letting Whisper do her thing, when the pain hits. A strong pain deep in our soul, like a shard of it was extirpated from our very essences. Makes me even drop to the floor in silent agony. Then I hear our master’s voice, summoning us, asking for help.

Seems things won’t be as boring as I thought they would be.

I take a quick glance at Whisper, and she’s doubled over on the floor, gasping for air. Her followers quickly go to her aid, trying to determine what the problem is. Our eyes meet, and all that had to be said was said. She can manage herself here, in the Labyrinth; she was here for a full year before joining us. I’ll go check what’s up with our Liege.

I quickly envelop myself in darkness, and race to the temple doors. As I open them, a flurry of blows cascades in from outside. I defend myself in time by the sheer force of my essence-fueled sword parries, and the preternaturally malleable weapon at my disposal. My sword reshapes at my will to defend me from the claws of the hungry ghosts now pouring into the temple.

I pull back, partially dematerializing my form to make it even harder for them to hit me, and take a look at the situation. The ghosts and other Labyrinth creatures are now entering the windows as well, and closing down around both me and Whisper. Whisper’s followers are doing their best to defend her, but as most of them are peaceful ghosts and mortals, they don’t stand much of a chance. Something must be done, and soon.

With a flick of my sword, she rebalances herself for maximum accuracy, and as I touch her to my forehead, my anima blossoms, my caste mark cracks open, bleeding, and the blood blossoms around my blade, enveloping it in dark fury.

Time seems to stand still as I dance around my attackers, a pattern inspired to me by the Malfeans. I slash and thrust and slice, seemingly at random, yet leaving a thick red line, the glittering essence echo of my blade as it moves through the air and plasm of my enemies. By the time I’m done, I did 2 full circles of the temple, and destroyed about 25 ghosts. All in about 3 seconds.

Yeah, I know. My training’s paid off.

But they keep pushing in. It seems to be an unending wave. I begin to prepare for another circuit, as I ask Whisper, “What will you do? We have to get out”. Whisper looks at me, noticing he doesn’t have many more followers between her and our enemies, and she yells back “Just go.”, softness in her voice disguising the latent power in the sound. I immediately uinderstand, and again activate my Anima, yet instead of slashing at the enemies in the temple, I slash at the first, stab at the second, and use the sword stuck in his body as a pole, vaulting me above the whole group, and taking me outside.

Once outside, I continue, essence guiding my movements, as I keep razing all enemies between me and my Liege. It worries me that he would summon us with such hurry. I worry for Angel, who was with him, and doesn’t know restraint. I worry for Geburah, where could he be? I worry for Whisper, who is still in there with the hungry ghosts. Magistry should be safe, although when he hears the summons, he will plunge for the source, seemingly within the Labyrinth.

Most of all, I worry for the sudden pain in my soul. Have I lost something?

Sunday, December 11, 2005

RPGnet Forums - Exalted second edition official spoiler thread

RPGnet Forums - Exalted second edition official spoiler thread:

"It is to differentiate between the literal and the figurative that the Primordials crawled from nowhere into nowhere, created Creation, and then established themselves in the Heavenly City to play the Games of Divinity and rebuff the Fair Folk hordes.

In this they were at best partially successful; for in the end, it is unclear that the elemental poles and land and sea and fire of their work is truly literal, and not a representation for the intimacies of their kind. And as for humanity, last and most notorious of all their ill-thought works, it must be said that to consider them as nothing more than what they appear---ungainly constructs of flesh and bone that wobble as they walk and speak without comprehension using their flapping tongues---is a ridiculous failure on the critic's part. They are transparently a complex metaphor, a denunciation, a long rolling ranting speech by the Primordial that gave them birth on all the imperfections and illusions hiding from even the Primordials forever the glory of the true existence that they will never know.

Rebecca"

A post on The Primordials and Exalted

RPGnet Forums - Exalted second edition official spoiler thread

RPGnet Forums - Exalted second edition official spoiler thread:

"I drunkenly vociferously campaigned for 'Hittin' Stuff,' 'Hittin' Stuff With Things,' 'Shootin' Stuff,' and 'Throwin' Things At Stuff' but was overruled early in the design process. Maybe. I don't exactly remember. "

Love the name changes for Brawl, Melee, Archery and Thrown, respectively... ^_^

Interesting Quote

He who knows, and knows that he knows -- he is wise; follow him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows -- he is asleep; wake him.
He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not -- he is a fool; shun him.
He who knows not, and knows he knows not -- he is a child; teach him.

[Exalted]Nephipal, A Question - RPGnet Forums

[Exalted]Nephipal, A Question - RPGnet Forums

A question I had on the AByssal charm "Reaper of Men" from the game Exalted.

NO SEX TONIGHT!

NO SEX TONIGHT!

Heh... this one's good.

RADIO.BLOG.CLUB

RADIO.BLOG.CLUB

Anime Lyrics (.com): Anime Lyrics: Initial D: Blast My Desire

Anime Lyrics (.com): Anime Lyrics: Initial D: Blast My Desire

Anime Lyrics (.com): Anime Lyrics: Initial D: FOREVER YOUNG

Anime Lyrics (.com): Anime Lyrics: Initial D: FOREVER YOUNG

Gadgets � The top 10 weirdest USB drives ever

Gadgets � The top 10 weirdest USB drives ever

Friday, December 09, 2005

MTV.com - Video Games

MTV.com - Video Games

Nice read about the future of gaming, with the Nintendo Revolution.

Online FPS GAME WARROCK

Online FPS GAME WARROCK

Free MMORPG Lair - Huge List of Free MMORPGs

Free MMORPG Lair - Huge List of Free MMORPGs

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Mailanka -- stunt cheat sheet

Mailanka -- stunt cheat sheet

Mnemon Explains Solar Combat - RPGnetWiki

Mnemon Explains Solar Combat - RPGnetWiki

Animal Crossing DS Friend Code

Well, Seeing as how I'm awfully bored, why don't some of you with Animal Crossing DS show up around here? My name's Ashtear, my town's called Astyria, and my Friend Code is 395197739747. Come on over!!!

Stupid PSP Firmware crap

Hmm... at first, I thought I could weather it out with the homebrew people making ways to bypass the firmware checks on newer games, but I have given up. PoPoLoCrois seems to be a very good game, and I bought it, only to run into the 2.0 check. I have a 1.5 version PSP, from the day they came out, but it seems I will have to upgrade it...

Bummer...

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

deviantART: News: Merry Litmas!

deviantART: News: Merry Litmas!

Maybe i should try this...

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

VG Cats - Updated Mondays

VG Cats - Updated Mondays

Today's is hilarious, but do watch them all. They are all funny.

Hyung-taekim.org // A whisperSlip NIEU productions.

Hyung-taekim.org // A whisperSlip NIEU productions.

Monday, December 05, 2005

Rainy's

Rainy's is a site with two applications of interest: Rainlendar, a lightweight calendar application, and Rainmeter, a lightweight system monitor application. Skins for both these applications are here and here, respectively.

The Hunt for the Orb

The construction is magnificent. A maze of catwalks suspended in the air above the ocean, probably created from blue jade and steel. The paths criss-cross with each other, making the whole thing look like a painting with a serious perspective problem. The structure seems to be suspended in midair, though 2 paths enter the ocean, and 2 paths contact the mountains at the sides. Still, they are too flimsy to actually offer support to the whole thing.

There were mortals there too. Seemingly, we needed them there for some reason,
something to do with the end of whatever it is we were doing there. I think Angel was tasked with defending them, while Otoniel and I had to defeat the orb's guardians.

At the top of the structure sat a triangular platform, some 40 yards on a side. Each point had a stone, that, when properly activated, would allow us access to the blue orb that sat in the middle of the platform.

I remember being up there with Otoniel, trying to touch the Orb, and one of the stones on the points began to glow with unearthly light. Then the whole pedestal where the stone was set moved, shaping itself like a great hunting cat, the stone set in it's brow. Apparently it wanted to defend the central orb. Which made it our enemy.

As soon as it began to move, I activated my Ebon Shadow Form, concentrating the dark essence within me to shroud my silhouette in fading copies of my shadow. At the same time, the bands in my arms began to glow, unwinding and showing scriptures of martial prowess, before fading into nothing, yet reinforcing my movements.

It pounced at this moment, yet it seems the shadows were successful, for he didn't hit, even though I didn't move. Otoniel began the motions to cast a spell, so I moved to defend him while he finished. It seemed the cat thought the same, and tried to attack Otoniel.

As it pounced his way, I struck first, forcing it's snout upward, which I followed up with an upward roundhouse, pushing him up in the air. Once there I jumped, followed it with another kick, and then a formal spin kick, pushing it away. Once I realized he was out of range for any other hit, I snapped a bolt of focused necrotic essence at it, and that finished it. The stone in it's brow stopped glowing, looking like an inert rock.

Unfortunately, all of the impacts forced the cat off the platform, and into the ocean. As it fell I could see how the cat itself began to turn to dust, until the only remaining thing was the stone, which landed in the water on it's own.

Otoniel stayed on top, thinking of furthering his defenses for the other 2 guardians we were missing, while me and Finian, who had arrived late, went for the stone. We both just jumped from the platform to the water. But where Finian made a splash as he sank in, I landed with a skid on the water's surface. I peered into the water, and even though I saw some creatures going after Finian, I wasn't too woried.

As expected, a sudden flash of necrotic energy centered on Finian did good work of getting rid of those stupid fish, and a few seconds later her came up with the stone. But as he surfaced, and we started the trek back to the platform, I heard the sounds of combat up above. Seems the second cat woke up ahead of schedule.

I told Finian to get going to the top. We needed all 3 inert stones to unlock the Orb from it's casing. As he climbed off the water and started to run on it's surface, I allowed myself to sink in the water, seeking the shadows deep below. The calm of the waves was soothing, but I had more pressing concerns. As I reached the shadows, I willed myself to travel through them, to take me to the shadow cast by the pedestal atop the platform.

Suddenly, I can hear the combat sounds a lot louder, and just a step takes me out of the pedestal's shadow, to see how Otoniel's finely dealing with the second cat on his own. Or should I say, with the help of a construct he created from the very material of the platform.

I've always marveled at the perfection of his constructs. Right now he created something very similar to his opponent, if a bit bigger. Both cats are squaring off a small distance from him, and whenever the enemy tries to strike at Otoniel, his construct bats him away. Very, very nice. Maybe I'll let him do those augmentations he always offers me... But then again, my body works just fine, thank you.


This is based off of a dream I had a few minutes ago. I tried to write down the dream as fast as I could, and when it faded, I used what I had written as a seed for a story on the new characters me and my friends are making to play in Exalted. We'll be playing Abyssals this time. I haven't finished this, I'll see if I can finish it later on.

ExaltedWiki: WelcomeToExaltedWiki

ExaltedWiki: WelcomeToExaltedWiki

A veritable font of info for Exalted.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Metroid: Third Derivative

Metroid: Third Derivative

Nice little webcomic.

Friday, December 02, 2005