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Akano

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Blog Entries posted by Akano

  1. Akano

    Thesis Submitted

    By Akano,

    Six years, four papers, and 179 pages later, I have submitted my Ph.D. thesis.
     
    Now I have to defend it. But first, STRESS RELIEF VIA VIDEO GAMES!
     
     

  2. Akano
    So, I bought all the remaining Time Cruisers/Twisters sets (minus 1) that KK and I need to complete the entire theme for under $80 (Mystical Mountain Time Lab, Flying Time Vessel, Rocket Racer, and the Time Tunnelator; all that remains is the Hypno Cruiser).
     
    Also, I think that during the summer I'm going to start reviewing LEGO sets of the 90s (more from the mid to late 90s), since this is the era of my childhood when I was first introduced to and subsequently obsessed with our favorite ABS bricks, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
     
    I'll also make some more comics over the summer. Right now is the home stretch of the semester, which means more work in a shorter amount of time, leading to more stress and less free time.
     

  3. Akano

    This Day

    By Akano,

    I've decided that This Day Aria is my favorite song from A Canterlot Wedding. Its juxtaposition of Cadance singing about her love for Shining Armor with Chrysalis singing about her callous indifference and plot to use him is amazing.
     
    Also, it's (at least partially) a villain song, and those tend to be awesome.
     

  4. Akano
    I've been playing Fire Emblem Fates for the last couple weeks on Hard, Classic mode. I'm currently on Chapter 15: Wolfskin of Birthright (got the Conquest cartridge, bought the other two as DLC). My thoughts so far:
    Story: Eh. It should be good; it has all the prerequisites to be good. You make a choice between two warring families (which puts tension on everything and everyone), the history between Nohr and Hoshido seems complex and long-standing, the circumstances of your upbringing are frustrating/unfair, but all in all the story just seems to happen. It has so many things ready to set itself in motion, but instead is very stilted and lacks flow.
    Characters: Hit and miss for me. Some characters are phenomenal (like Kaden, he's fantastic. Also, Jakob is so wonderfully British. I mean, Nohrian.), while others are just sorta meh. Also, Azura's A support with the female Avatar is the least satisfying support ever. They could have made it a lot more interesting/developing. This and the previous category have made me think to myself, "Man, I just want to play Awakening/Blazing Sword," which doesn't reflect well on this game.
    Classes: Interesting/why? There are some new Hoshido classes that I think are cool (Kinshi knight!) and others that I prefer the classic classes to (Diviner << Mage; I really don't like Orochi and her horoscope nonsense. Mages at least learn their magic from study, not dubious astrology pseudoscience...). I think I'll enjoy playing Conquest a bit more for this reason, among others.

    Also, I lost it when Garon says "Do it!" in the Opera House chapter. He looks a bit like Palpatine anyway, but it reminded me of the Game Grumps "Do it!" impressions from their Mario Party playthrough.
     

  5. Akano
    So much more enjoyable. I'm on Chapter 10 of Conquest (decided to switch it up), and already I feel much more positive. The characters have fun quirks and interactions, the plot is interesting, and I'm invested in finding out what happens next.
     
    Glad that this version is my physical copy.
     

  6. Akano
    That's right. Last week, May 9, 2007, at 2:25 pm, Akano's Comics officially turned 3 years old!
     
    Boy, that's a long time for any topic on BZP to be going. I know I haven't kept up the production in recent history as much as I did before, but several obstacles fall into place during one's senior year in high school (AP tests, college applications, scholarship auditions, etc.). But, I've kept my lovely topic going and going as inspiration came to me or knocked me to the floor. So, in lieu of quality over quantity, Happy 3rd birthday to Akano's Comics! ^^
     

  8. Akano

    Together, We Ride

    By Akano,

    So, my roommate finally coaxed me into playing the first Fire Emblem (actually the seventh, but the first one released in the US) for GBA, and I'm loving it. After finishing it, I'm definitely looking forward to playing Fire Emblem: Awakening, because I've heard nothing but good things about it.
     
    The music is great in that awesome nostalgic way, the characters are fun and memorable, the magic wielders are freakin' awesome, and the gameplay is fantastic – in order to keep all your troops alive, obtain everything worth getting in each level, recruiting all new troops, and beating the levels is a fun challenge.
     
    Other things I've done in the past week or so include:
    Finishing MetalBeard's Sea Cow (Awesome!)
    Learning how to derive the formula for the volume of an n-dimensional sphere (really clever trick!)
    Drinking lots of tea.


  10. Akano
    It's been a while since I posted something, eh?
     
    Last week I went home to visit my family for a couple of weeks. It's been pretty low key so far; visited some friends over the weekend, mowed the lawn (so lovely), and tried to get things a bit cleaner around the house. I also ate way too much food at various gatherings.
     
    This weekend my dad and I pick up KK from grad school (he successfully defended his Master's!) and will enjoy two long, arduous, 10 hour-long trips. Then, I fly to Wisconsin for a conference, so that should be fun.
     
    I also got the Back to the Future DeLorean LEGO set, and I must say it's a very nice representation. Also, Doc Brown's "Great Scott!" face is perfect.
     
    I really want to make the purple skateboard in that set an actual hoverboard using magnets and a superconductor. One of these days...
     

  11. Akano
    I got the Vampyre Castle and Gandalf Arrives today at the LEGO store thanks to a handy dandy $20 off coupon along with a mini-scale Sopwith Camel. Today was a good day.
     
    Also, for those of you who aren't aware, I have a new comic up as of yesterday! Head on over to the topic and have a laugh.
     
    Expect a review or two on my new acquisitions in the coming days. 8D
     

  12. Akano

    Video Games...in 3D!

    By Akano,

    So, I purchased a lovely Zelda-edition 3DS with some money I got for Christmas and some out of my own pocket after the festive holiday. I have to say, it is awesome. Playing the classic game that got me into the Zelda series in 3D is fun, and due to the fact that I am used to 3D stereogram images the 3D bothers my eyes minimally. Actually, I think OoT is a great game to do in 3D, because there are many scenes that the 3D adds to well (such as Navi's flight at the beginning, establishing shots of dungeons, and basically any scene in the Chamber of Sages). Another great thing about the 3DS is its two external cameras, enabling you to take stereogram pictures. This was one of the biggest appeals to me buying one (the deciding factor was the Zelda-edition-ness). To demonstrate, I have put some 3D LEGO pictures here. Note that the images are crossview stereograms. Enjoy!
     

     

  13. Akano

    Visiting KK

    By Akano,

    So, it's currently my fall break, and I decided the best way to spend that time would be to visit my brother, KopakaKurahk. I arrived Saturday evening and enjoyed a fun day yesterday of meeting people at his grad school, checking out his lab, and enjoying some relaxation (also watching JonTron and MentalFloss and discussing physics and geology).
     
    Good times.
     
    EDIT: Also, apparently this is my 200th entry! This is a milestone for some reason!
     

  14. Akano

    Voting and such

    By Akano,

    You people are all slow; I voted weeks ago (absentee FTW!). Thanks to all who voted, whether it was Democrat, Republican, or Bull Moose. Statisticians really appreciate having a good sample size for such things.
     
    (But seriously, voting is important. Exercise those rights!)
     

  15. Akano
    So, I be back from the untamed lands of the north, and my sleep schedule is messed up. And I have work tomorrow. Fun times.
     
    On the other hand, I saw Legend of Korra yesterday, and OH MY GOSH SEASON FINALE MUST SEE FINAL SHOWDOWN (?) BETWEEN AMON AND KORRA AHH!!!
     
    Also, I got the Mines of Moria LEGO set and have finished building half of it (the cool half with Balin's tomb, the doors, and the well). The rest will wait until tomorrow. I hope to review it (after I review the Vampyre Castle and Gandalf Arrives).
     

  16. Akano

    Welcome To The Herd!

    By Akano,

    I am now officially a brony thanks to KK and Tekulo. Lauren Faust can really make a cartoon series that multiple groups can enjoy while still being targeted at girls.
     
    The fact that Timmy Turner's voice is in the series doesn't hurt either.
     
    My favorite is Fluttershy.
     

  17. Akano

    Where Is My Mind Today?

    By Akano,

    Hey, all, it's been nearly a month; I should probably post here again.
     
    I'm currently in New York visiting family before the summer wraps up and I'm back at college. It's been stormy and rainy today, though, which makes it seem kinda miserable outside. Not the good storms that last about a half hour and are filled with beautiful lightning bolts, but the cruddy ones that, eh, a few cracks of lightning and a burst of thunder, but cloudy all day. It is clearing up, though.
     
    Also, I obtained Bitil yesterday! Haha! The first true yellow BIONICLE set in five whole years! WOOT! I'm totally thrilled. 8D
     
    (Yes, Atako, I got him. You should still bring him to the picnic, though; we could have him use his mask power. )
     
    I'll be taking pictures of him soon and possibly reviewing him here in my blog. Yes, my view on him is heavily biased due to his coloration, so sue me.
     
    Also, I hope to make a new comic next week, but I may be preoccupied a bit with packing to go back to school. It should be a continuation of my latest comic, so keep your eyes peeled.
     
    I think that's all for now.
     

  18. Akano
    My elementary-school self is jumping with joy.
    One of the ways I've occupied myself this summer was by trying to reconstruct one of the old LEGO Pirate ships, the Black Seas Barracuda. However, I wanted to do it with a twist. I've always loved the sails of the Skull's Eye Schooner, but the yellow/black/white motif of the Barracuda was always my preferred color scheme. Therefore I opted for a mixture of the two.
    The sails are, alas, not genuine, but printed sheets of paper cut appropriately. Surprisingly it looks really good in person, but I do want to try printing actual cloth sails in the future.
    A keen eye will notice that the bow is modified to be more like that of the Skull's Eye Schooner, and there are still some minor decorative pieces that need to be obtained, but otherwise it looks quite impressive.

  19. Akano

    WIRELESS WIZARD!

    By Akano,

    Not sure what started this fad, but I'm okay with this.
     

    I Am A:
     
    True Neutral Human Wizard (3rd Level)


     
    Ability Scores:
    Strength- 9
    Dexterity- 12
    Constitution- 12
    Intelligence- 16
    Wisdom- 14
    Charisma- 12
     
    Alignment:
    True Neutral- A true neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. He doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most true neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil after all, he would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, he's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Some true neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. True neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion. However, true neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction.
     
    Race:
    Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.
     
    Class:
    Wizards- Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells, everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar- a small, magical, animal companion that serves her. With a high Intelligence, wizards are capable of casting very high levels of spells.
     

  20. Akano

    Wow...

    By Akano,

    It's been a while since something like this happened. I was shocked and amazed Friday night.
     
    Our band got a standing ovation.
     
    It was amazing how much better our dance and our spirit was compared to that of last week. The crowd got pumped, they cheered, and we danced. It was amazing. I haven't felt that pumped in a while.
     
    It was the best show for our homecoming game.
     
    Oh, and we won.
     
    Rock on.
     

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