Ektris

Guess I'll have to check out Accel World, then. By the way, if there is a graphic novel of SAO, can anyone recommend if it's better/worse/the same as the anime? TV adaptations always seem different from novels (aside from FMA:Brotherhood).

 

Anyway, I finished Alfheim yesterday. It was better than I expected, but I am kinda severely disappointed by the villain. When Kasugaya had the chance to kill him, I was pretty engaged in the scene. All I could think of was "don't... don't..." and I really wondered what he would do. That scene was pretty well done, in my opinion.

 

Also I liked when his sister yelled at him after she figured out he was Kirito. She has made more progress than so many other one-sided crush characters I've seen. Also, siblings fight. A lot. I still think that aspect was creepy, but I'm glad with how they handled it. Now she just needs to get over it and the show will never allude to such a creepish topic ever again -ignores the dancing scene-.

 

Anyway, what I liked most about this season was life outside the game with everyone meeting up and the highschool where SAO players attended exclusively. Yes, that was interesting. Let's see more of that.

The light novel, though, is where it's at. I truly do think it's a good read and does have things the anime didn't.

(And Accel World might be set in the future of the same world as SAO... Still no clear answer on that.)

Yeah, Accel World was good too IMO.

They just adapted what was written. The original story did jump around a lot - but even now Reki Kawahara does a side story every now and again set during SAO to flesh it out. (In fact, one of the episodes in the first season of the show was actually released in print several volumes after SAO concluded in part of a compilation of shorter stories. There's one in there set in Alfheim that I really hope gets adapted because it fleshes out Asuna a whole lot and felt a bit more mature than what came before.)

But I do agree that it's a fault of his storytelling and maybe some more original, adventuring episodes should have been written just for the anime (not the stuff with him forming a "family" that bored me to death).

The second half really is a giant mess and I like to think that it never happened...

I swear it does get freaking better in the light novels almost immediately (aka SAO II, the real second season, which should begin airing this summer), but everyone I know is so turned off by the Alfheim arc (myself included, granted) that they refuse to give it a shot... And I understand, but it's kind of a shame.

GET OUT!

I was stoked when this was announced.

Do need.

(Also totally expected something else for your next Smash Files, so I'm still looking forward to see what you have to say about that little round bundle of joy.)

 

 

I'm still pretending the EU is canon and Disney is just making a new version.

Too bad nothing more under "Legends" is going to ever be produced to continue that timeline. :/

 

I'm really really upset about this. I was excited for VII, but now knowing that sure, Luke, Leia, and Han will show up on screen, but that they won't be the same ones I've cared about for twenty years really ruins it for me.

 

There's more I could say but I've said it sooo much and tire of going into it... But you'd be one who surely know it all already anyways heh.

Point is here, this Darth Maul is awesome.

I'm still pretending the EU is canon and Disney is just making a new version.

Congrats! I decided to check up on the site and this was one of the first things I saw. Hope all is well man

Thank you! Things are indeed looking up, and I hope they are for you as well, my friend.

Argh, The End set... I keep forgetting about that since it's not been put up for preorder anywhere. Need that.

Also I totally need to break down and finally get some AH merch.

Goodbye, my friend.

Congrats dude, but that text is nigh unreadable

I am typing one handed on a phone. XP Fixed now.

Guess you don't pay attention to the previews.

I did not expect this one to be a Spike episode.

I've been wanting one for a while too but just haven't had the incentive too. The MK bundle that will allow for a free game too (definitely would make it Wind Waker HD) is so incredibly tempting. I don't even mind the goofy Mario controller.

But the special WW console/gamepad (mostly the gamepad is special) does look really cool...

Yeah I visited during their first week in the new office, so I just barely missed my chance to visit them.

Nukaya.

As for city living, I really can't stress enough how awesome Austin is. The downtown area is immensely walkable, the grocery stores are easy, accessible, and HEB is phenomenal. The lakes around the outskirts are amazing, and while it does get crazy hot, you get used to it. The nightlife is fantastic, even for folks not into bar-style nightlife. Great theaters, and some of the best restaurants in the country. And luckily, as someone who also has a distaste for country music, Austin is the live music capital of the world, and almost every musician in America on tour stops in Austin at some point.

I most definitely am not into bars and that type of nightlife, but the theaters and restaurants were definitely looking good. The few I stopped at were great and I can't wait to attend a show at the Alamo Draft House.

You should have more luck catching Transformers and other toys in stores too, as Austin is a big market for distributors. Plus, you won't be in Dallas.

As for apartments, Google is your friend. Just google "Austin apartments" and a ton of sites that do apartment aggregates will show up. Don't be afraid of Craigslist either.

I've never used Craigslist so it never even crossed my mind. When it's not finals week (so this was great timing for all of this >_<) I just might.

Yo. I know moving for a job is a crazy stressful thing. I'll be doing the same later this year, and even though it's with a company I've worked at before and in an area I've spent the summers over in the past, it's still really freaky.

 

All I can say is - when you get there, start branching out. See if IBM's got any interest groups, even if it's something as casual as board game nights or something. I'm not saying you'll meet your new BFF first week in town, but meeting new people is doable.

 

Similarly, for the job - yeah, your team's probably expecting things of you, but if they're anything like where I work (and it wouldn't surprise me if they are) they'll be willing to help you learn the ropes. Don't be afraid to ask for advice or resources. They know you're fresh out of college and that this is your first time working with them; on balance, teams tend to be more reasonable than not about this sort of thing. My first software dev job was in a field I'd never worked in before in a language I'd never used, and while it was a bit overwhelming at first, you'd be surprised at how quickly you pick up on stuff.

 

The short version is I guess - yeah, it's freaky, but moving and working has a lot of upsides to it. Drop me a PM if you ever want to talk about the industry/etc. - I've never worked at IBM, but it sounds like I've had some similar experiences to what you will.

Austin is one of the coolest cities you could possibly be living in. I would be more jealous if I weren't in Portland. I cam this close to living there once-upon-a-time. You should talk to Adrian, he lives there now.

 

As for Austin itself... Wow it's hot here. And not even summer. Ugh. That'll take some getting used to.

I've lived in Texas for all my life and I'm still not used to the heat .

 

Congrats on getting the job, though. Sounds like you're doing all right in that area.

 

-TNTOS-

 

 

As for Austin itself... Wow it's hot here. And not even summer. Ugh.

As another lifelong Texan I can assure you, it will only get hotter. Sunscreen and a good hat should be on your packing list, not to mention a good water bottle!

 

Also, the traffic is absolutely horrendous. And toll roads just to get anywhere?! Not cool.

Count your blessings: at least you aren't moving to Houston. Traffic in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, or Austin is gonna be horrendous, some worse than others. Just make sure to plan ahead and give yourself a lot of time. Most of the radio stations I know of down here give traffic updates every 10-15 minutes (I would be surprised if that was unusual) so don't be shy to explore the channels.

 

I can't agree with DeeVee that Austin is such a great place, but I'm an Aggie so I have a natural anti-Austin disposition I can say, however, that Texas is awesome and we look forward to having you

 

And if you need to be rescued from those weird people in Austin, I'm just down the road in Aggieland (College Station). Whoop!

 

P.S. I hope you like country music.

 

I guess I'm probably just not used to life in the city, which is why the traffic came as such as surprise/nuisance. I know it's something I can probably adjust to, but I definitely don't know how to handle it yet..

(UGH country music!)

----

Thanks everyone. It's looking like it's still going to be a rough transition for me, but... Still hearing about it helps some.

I've always said that I never, eeever wanted to live in a city. Well I still feel like I don't have a choice but to now. I'm coming from a rural place with a very different climate and it's going to be tough.

And I can't shake off the fear of not having a place to live either. Despite all of their insistence that I go through companies IBM has contracted for moving, I simply am not getting the help that I need in finding a place. Like I'm supposed to. Instead I've got far too many companies assuming I have a destination and they keep coming, but nobody to actually assist me and I don't know the first thing about where to start or how to even contact apartments. I've literally never lived in one and it's all so confusing.

I'm glad I saw that as it aired... But it's really eerie listening to it now, to know that just days after he passed.

Actually, I never made mention NOT to tunnel in that one. So AT doing that was legitimately acceptable due to my explanation boo boos.

Those Simons are so adorable and I still can't decide if I want one. D:

Huh. So the comments explaining it were deleted before I got around to replying...

I don't think it should cause a ban on tunneling. No, that has nothing to do with how I play, because you know very well that although I do start every round by tunneling, I always poke up and explore too. So they got a lot of diamonds... They got lucky. It happens.

The case from the mineral hunting challenge is completely different. You explicitly told us not to tunnel, so that was straight up cheating. But in survival PvP... you have to get your resources somehow. Or stick to adventure mode preset maps to prevent it.

Super Megaforce, which I'm assuming is what you watched as the current season, is being heavily disparaged as one of the worst of all time. The acting really is terrible and all of the audio put in during fights unbearably cringe-worthy and distracting. Don't know why I keep watching besides hoping it will get better, being an anniversary season and all. Well that and I loved Gokaiger, the source material for this season.

So what the heck happened?

So what happened to the special map?