Danska: Shadow Master

What is the purpose of this blog? Why do I write it? I think somewhere along the way, I've lost sight of that. When I started blogging aaaages ago, it was a new feature I decided to try out. A place to write down whatever happened to be in my head or recount interesting tales of real life. I then stopped updating, before reviving it some time later when I realised I had things to say. There were various subjects, mostly bionicle-related, that I had opinions on which I wanted to share. Often this was related to a topic that had been heavily debated at the time, but I was too late to contribute or felt furthering the discussion on the forum itself would be flogging a dead horse which had long since passed away and was never really mourned in the first place. So it became a receptacle for various opinions and, of course, somewhere for me to share whatever I happened to be working on at the time. Eventually what I wanted to say was said and my inspiration started to dry up, so this became more of an everyday blog. What was happening in my life and whatever else I wanted to say at the time. Now it's more a case of "I'll find something to say when I update it." In many ways, I think these changes have reflected my mood. When I was happy to fire off long, (hopefully) intelligent-sounding entries, I was going through a very good phase. I was generally happy with life and in myself and I had inspiration enough to do it. Things have gone downhill since then possibly due to recent events but also possibly due to less-recent ones lurking at the back of my mind which I haven't managed to fully face yet. I could go into all sorts of reasons why and probably be very uncomplimentary about myself in the process, but that's not something I especially feel like putting down, least of all here. In terms of recent events, my major concern was having some teeth out on Monday. Not exactly pleasant, and I can no longer effectively use the right side of my mouth because there's a hole there. Worse, the tooth next to it seems to have been broken during the extraction, which I am not happy about at all. I was also feeling quite ill next week to the extent that I went to A&E for fear that it might be carbon monoxide poisoning. Next door have an open fireplace which they've been told not to use, but they do anyway and it causes smoke to get in which was speculated to be a/the cause for my illness. After two blood tests (I hate needles btw) it was concluded that I was as healthy as any ill person, so was sent on my way. Fortunately I've recovered from that illness now, so it was likely nothing more than a cold/flu or something of that nature. I'm also losing sight of any kind of purpose. When I was at school, I was there to get my grades and hopefully manage to enjoy myself along the way. This year most of my friends are already at University, I'm stuck volunteering at a charity shop and won't be going anywhere until September/October when I finally go to University which is simply too far ahead to focus on for the moment. I'd originally planned to get a job not a volunteer post, and while that would have got me some money I'm not sure how much better it would have been. When I do something in life, I need to see some sort of point in it. With a job, I would be spending most of my day there doing something I probably wouldn't enjoy so I could make money so I can...what? Spend it in the short amount of time I'm not working? Earn it so I can keep on working to earn more money to keep on working in an endless and ultimately futile cycle? For my that's not an especially pleasant prospect, so maybe I'm not cut out for a full-time job just yet. I certainly don't feel like I am. I would speculate that a job is worthless without some other goal in mind - without something else to achieve in life. This may be to live as comfortable life as possible, to raise kids, to achieve goals such as writing a book or maybe the more practical mind works because it's a necessary part of life and can be content with that. Being a former and prospective Philosophy student, I spend far too much of my time thinking about the abstract, trivial and frequently useless to maintain much of a sense of practicality in regard to life. I'm not sure that's entirely what I mean, but it makes sense in my own mind, so you're all going to have to become mind readers I'm afraid. Anyway, this is all getting quite depressing which does no one any good. I mentioned in my last entry the possibility of doing a story based on my responses to the Glatorian. Well, I've started work on that. I have a map, and I've sketched out the detail of one of the regions and its inhabitants. I even have the barest notion of a plot forming in my mind. Whether this will amount to anything I don't know. I hope so, because I'm liking it so far. I might even decide to adapt it because right now, it bears no resemblance to Bara Magna and its story/characters whatsoever. Oh, except that there's a desert. But that's only one part of the world. I've used the Glatorian and Agori figures as templates to create my own world and characters which have nothing whatsoever to do with the official storyline, so I could potentially go one step further and remove it from Bionicle altogether. I'm hesitant to do that though, as I have by my own admission used Bionicle as more than just an influence. It would feel wrong somehow to label it as entirely my own work with so many strands drawn from the Bionicle universe, even if they're not necessarily present in my story. As any of my friends can tell you, I've been spending a lot of time playing Half-Life 2 and related games, including something called Garry's Moderator. I don't mean Moderator of course, but the filter prevents me from using that particular word. This is a game in itself (but it requires Half-Life 2 because it uses its items, textures, maps etc) but it's not really a game game. It's the ultimate sandbox, basically. You can spawn any item from the Half-Life 2 series + other Valve games and use them how you like. To help you, the game gives you a couple of tool guns. One is the physics gun that lets you move, turn and freeze objects however you want and is a core element in building. The other is a series of tools from the menu including weld, creating wheels, keeping things upright, making them intangible and my personal favourite, ignite. It is literally designed to fuel your imagination (or your flames). You are given the tools, you are free to build whatever it is you want to build. Or you can just watch NPCs mindlessly slaughter each other. That's fun too. My friends devised something called Antlion Football. This uses a large custom-build stadium, Antlion Guards painted different colours to represent a team, a goal on each end and a football inside an invisible rollermine. The Antlions view the mine as an enemy so they charge at it, and the mine views them as enemies so it gives off a considerable charge on impact which sends the mine flying. Antlions, being the tough creatures they are, tend not to die and instead provide lots of entertainment for the onlookers. My friend also made his own ecosystem by spawning lots and lots of different NPCs that move around by themselves onto a map and...well, seeing what happened. The game provides many amusements. Oooh, on a good note, I visited Reading University on Wednesday. That is the University I will be going to, and they were quite smug when I visited. In December (I think), the Government published the results of something or other designed to gauge the efficiency and 'goodness' of a University's department based on its research quality. From what I gathered it's only done every few years, and involves the department sending off lots of research they've done over the years since the last one presumably, so it's quite extensive. Reading did quite well. At least, the Philosophy department did. Third in the country apparently, above both Oxford and Cambridge which for those who don't know are the country's 'elite' Universities. That got mentioned once or twice. Y'know, just in case we hadn't heard them mention it once or twice before and as a precaution should we miss them mentioning it another couple of times in the future. You know what else I've noticed? I'm tired. I have a feeling I say this a lot in my blog entries, which says something about the time I write them. I'm not convinced just before I go to bed is the best time to write anything, but there we go. Oh! One last thing! I've played the Beta of Dawn of War II and it left me with one question: Where's the war? Goodnight!

Far as I know, it only works in the UK. I have a nasty feeling that international shipping's going to be expensive.

I bought them online from Amazon. I've been checking it regularly, as I haven't found them in stores anywhere. At first they had everything except Malum and Gresh - two that I particularly wanted, so when they did become available I snapped them up. Amazon's very good, especially now that you can get free delivery on anything over £5. Quicker and cheaper than the Lego website, that's for sure.

I have Glatorian! Finally! I am now in possession of Malum, Strakk, Tarix and Gresh. I like them a lot! I was so, so pleased to see real elemental colour schemes make a return. Each one looks like they belong in their respective environment even more than the original Toa Mata did! In fact, each one looks like a creature you would find in a lava cave or an icy wilderness and so on. Let me go through and explain why. Malum You know what I think of when I look at Malum? I think of a huge, fearsome creature rising from lava. He is the personification in my eyes of all those huge brutish monsters you find in fantasy stories lurking around volcanic areas. Everything about him conveys a sense of immensity and power, and miniature flames adorn his head. The claws really complete it for me. Those huge, terrible claws. Can you not just see one bursting forth from a river of lava, grasping onto the side and hauling the rest of his terrifying bulk up out of the river? They're absolutely perfect! I just love the brutish menace that surrounds this guy. He has a wonderful colour scheme combining deep red with a fiery orange, vibrant yellow and a surprisingly fitting grey. I find myself fully able to believe him to be an outcast, for he looks the part completely. Strakk This guy strongly reminds me of the ice creatures seen in the background of the old Ice Slizer. He's another fearsome looking being, though not in the same way as Malum. Strakk represents menace. Everything about him screams it. The bent body, the huge ice spikes, that terrifying grin and oh that axe! He looks like the sort of creature who would lie in wait for his prey, then detach himself slowly from the side of a glacier and slowly stalk them. I'm so glad he has blue eyes, too! Green or orange simply would not have worked for this guy. I didn't like how the shoulder armour was attached at first, but it's grown on me. It didn't look right sideways (not that I could get it to fit), so on the front it must stay. It does work with his mask. It works very, very well. It's just a pity they couldn't come up with something for his very plain legs. Tarix Unlike the others, Tarix does not look menacing or evil at all. Tarix looks warrior-like, certainly, but welcomingly so (if there is such a thing). He looks like a being you'd find lurking in the ocean depths, one of a small cluster of survivors from an ancient yet rich civilisation. A fearsome presence but a reasonable one, and willing to aid those in need. The gold adds a lot to Tarix's demeanour. It gives him a truly regal appearance, and the Mata blue (which some think looks out of place) I find to be necessary to avoid excessive dullness by joining three dark blue limb pieces together. I really, really like Tarix. It probably is the gold, but there's something about him that truly captures my imagination. The weapons are very nice, too. They look fluid and elegant, which in many ways is what Tarix represents. Gresh Gresh has the look of a hunter about him. His appearance suggests that he is a member of a forgotten jungle tribe - an important member at that - who are masters at hunting and sneaking about the jungle unseen. A master of ambush but willing to communicate with those captured. That is what Gresh says to me. He is one of my favourite Glatorian. The lime, green and black combination has been pulled off beautifully adding vibrancy and contrast to the set. I adore his helmet too, which I prefer to think of as his actual head, and those blades...simply beautiful! I like how the claws were used, too. Spikes seem to be the in thing for this year's sets. He has a very lean appearance, which suits him well. The way his blades can be used as either dual-wielded blades or a shield I think is wonderful, and both look good. I can find very little to complain about with this guy. I'm realising that I shall have to start writing a story that incorporates all these ideas. The Agori will be the heroes of the tale, representing your common band of adventurers, and the Glatorian can be the various creatures and beings encountered on their quest. I'm really looking forward to this! Well, that's my rather unusual take on the Glatorian over. Let's see where this goes!

Hello! I have been woefully lax in updating this for the past month or so. About time I did really, so here we go! Another entry! Just what everyone - um, anyone? has been looking forward to! Ignore the title again, btw. Let's start with Christmas. I had a good Christmas. As usual I went down to visit family, although it was all a bit more complicated this year. Both sets of grandparents live in the same town, so I see all of them, however my parents split up this year. This meant my dad went to one set, my mum to the other and I was free to choose whichever. I spent time with both sets though I spent Christmas itself with my mum's side. I took both my laptop and my Wii down with me, so I wasn't short of entertainment. I managed to get my family playing the Wii, too! That proved entertaining. Unsurprisingly I won most of the time. I have had rather more practise than anyone else there. We all agreed that bowling was the best sport in the Wii Sports pack. The two best things I got for Christmas would have to be The Dark Knight on DVD, and The Orange Box for PC. Excellent film, excellent games. I completed Portal quite quickly, and I'm now working my way through Half-Life 2 and playing the odd game of Team Fortress 2 with some friends. The pyro is so awesome! *is not a pyromaniac, honest* Half-Life 2's good, too, though Ravenholm is creepy. I have never in my life played a zombie game before, or even watched a zombie film (or had much to do with horror in general) so that was a new experience for me. I am of the opinion that all headcrabs and headcrabs zombies should burn in a blazing inferno of burning...stuff! I also think normal headcrab zombies sound funny when they're burning. ^^ Portal is, of course, magnificent. Fun and challenging gameplay combined with hilarious and downright creepy humour become what has to be one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Solving the puzzles can be very satisfying, and listening to GLaDOS' unnerving suggestions and comments adds a whole new element to the game. And the turrets! I think they scared my uncle a bit. I can understand why! It is not normal for turrets to say "I don't blame you" in a strange, almost cute voice when you knock them over! Skipping ahead, New Year! I was back in Bristol for that. What did I - oh, I remember what I did! I went to a party not at my friend's house, but at the house of one of her friends who lives opposite to my aforementioned friend. Between tasty food, terribly cheesy music that we sang and danced to anyway and the odd drink, it was a very enjoyable party! Since New Year I have been spending most of my time playing games. The Orange Box has delivered with it Steam and all the delights therein. I also know a few people online who own the box, and I'm able to talk to them (actually talk, not write) through a little application called Ventrillo. Those conversations tend to be entertaining. I met most of them through an MMO called Eve Online, so we play that a lot too. I probably play it too much. Still, it's fun, and is one factor in my complete lack of kit-related work recently. Most of my time may have been an exaggeration. I've spent quite a bit of time with my friends too, doing all sorts of things. Bowling's a popular option, though last time I went I did abysmally. I blame the caffeine. Unfortunately most of them are going or have gone back to Uni, so less opportunities for such things now. That reminds me! Uni! I am almost certain I have mentioned The University of Reading at least once in previous entries. I have a place there, which I have accepted, and I cannot wait to get there. I'm going there on the 28th January for a Visit Day, the purpose of which I believe to be learning more about the course and the University. It's probably intended to convince people to go to that University and not another one, but as I've already made my decision there's not much for them to do in that regard. Still, I'm looking forward to it. I enjoyed the Open Day, so with any luck this will be just as good. Other things. Ah yes. I'm working at a local charity shop, which again I'm sure I've mentioned. I now have some regular shifts - Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Not being a morning person, this is quite a chunk of my time taken up, but I do enjoy it and reckon it's much better for me than slouching in front of a computer monitor all day. The manager is a wonderful person, and I can't think of a nicer person to be working under. On a more Bionicle-ish note, I'm getting Glatorian! They recently became available on amazon, if not in any local stores, so I've ordered them. I was sorely tempted to order them from the Lego website before, but the ridiculously high P&P costs were a heavy deterrent. I've ordered Malum, Strakk, Tarix and Gresh. Hopefully they'll be arriving soon. When they do, not only will I be consumed by waves of great joy and happiness, I'll be able to start work on the 2009 kit! I say start, I've already started, but I haven't been able to find suitable reference images for everything I wanted to. This gets round the problem entirely. I'd say I've rambled enough. Until next time!

Well this doesn't make me much more excited about the game (I'm excited already), but it does boost my desire to get my hands on the Glatorian. Not sure why, but there we are! Now if only stores in my area would start stocking the darn things!

Curse you Bones! There were a dozen things I wanted to to before I went out, but I don't have time now because I spent it all reading that! I shall find time to comment, however, though looking at my watch...eep! Anyway, I have to mostly agree with you. This method is how I always write short stories, and it's brilliant fun! I usually have some idea in my head of where I want them to go, but they always wander off somewhere else. I totally agree about starting the story off with something interesting, too. It's always fun to throw the reader straight in and let them pick things up as they go along. It's more fun to write, too. When I've written longer stories (years ago now), I have planned them out. Of course, those plans usually fell through about half-way in and my story meandered into various strange places that I hadn't intended at all. The plan helped me set it off, and while the various circumstances in the story did force the characters towards whatever ending they were supposed to reach, the climax ended up resolving itself in a completely different way than I'd intended too. It was hardly worth planning it, as by the time I got to the next story my previous one had spiralled away from my original intentions and gone against what I'd planned for the next story. I REALLY have to go now! Late already! *runs*

But on Mata Nui, the real danger lay with the dangerous creatures under Makuta's influence. The environment itself had its dangers, certainly, but was for the most part well-suited to the Matoran. City of the Lost did have some interesting bits and pieces, yes, but still nothing especially substantial. There is considerably less space in the story for that kind of thing, which I think is a real shame. I would really like to see something, somewhere, about the inhabitants and their lives as a supplement to the main story. The MNOLGs were absolutely fantastic in this respect, although expecting one of these every year is certainly asking a lot and almost certainly not going to happen (I'm sure the experience would wear thin eventually, too). I'm sure there's space somewhere, perhaps on the web, for some information on this. I just feel I'd like to know something about the people living where the story's taking place. The title could be more appropriate, yes, but I couldn't think of anything better when I wrote it and can't be bothered to change it.

Since 2006, I've noticed one thing that has stayed entirely consistent. The story has changed, the places have changed, but each time the inhabitants have been having a really rough time living there. Voya Nui was mostly barren, Mahri Nui really wasn't suitable for Matoran habitation and Karda Nui wasn't especially either, now we have a desert world that is also a difficult place to live. I would quite enjoy seeing a place where the inhabitants don't struggle to live out their every day lives, if only for the sake of variety. I mean, it's not even as if it's added anything to the story these past few years. We've had a bit at the beginning of the story where the Matoran are stated to have difficulties living (very little demonstration), then the story immediately switches to the main plot of the Toa and whatever quest they happen to be embarking on at the time. I don't want a story that focuses on all the little ins and outs of Matoran life. That could get dull very quickly. What I do wonder is whether these harsh environments are holding back certain details. Remember Mata Nui and Metru Nui, and the diversity in culture found there? Remember the Le-Koronan bands, the Kolhii matches, the aloof Ko Matoran in their towers and all the other little things we learnt about the hugely diverse, varied and detailed cultures of the Matoran? I've said it before, it's these details that can really make a story gripping. When the heroes are fighting for the lives of a group of Matoran, it helps if you can connect to those Matoran and have some reason to care about them. This was true on Mata Nui, to a lesser extent on Metru Nui then not at all after that because we knew so little about them. We had next to no knowledge or information about their lives, culture or society, we knew a tiny pocketful of inhabitants whose only purpose involved playing bit roles in the main plot, and beyond that only the faceless masses of unknowns. What incentive is there to care about these people? When Ta Koro was destroyed, I felt that. I had come to know the village and its inhabitants, and it was terrible to see it gone - to see so many homes, the source of such diversity and culture, sink beneath the lava. By knowing the village and its people I could connect to it and care. When Mahri Nui was destroyed, when the Av-Matoran were forced to abandon their homes in Karda Nui, did I care? Did I feel it mattered? No, not especially. Those Matoran may as well not have existed for all the difference they made. Some people will live in harsh environments, it's true, and struggle to live out each day, but in Bionicle it's not new any more. It's been done. Something else please?

What pieces? Oh, so many over so long. Letsee... - A large number of black axle pins - Black and Metru Green Inika torsos - Red and blue Piraka torsos - All the Metru Green pieces on Lewa - Four red Piraka legs - Four Metru Blue Inika legs - A few more smaller pieces I also bought a second Gali and Kopaka to get some of the parts I needed, namely the extra Blizzard Blade and the silver jets/fins for Onua. Think that's about it. Took me a while to get all of that, because I didn't realise all at once what parts I wanted.

I've finally completed a project I've been working on for months. No, not because it was a lot of work or difficult or anything of the sort, but because I simply didn't have the pieces available. Two days ago, I ordered the final pieces I needed. Today they arrived. I was quite impressed with that, to be honest. Two days is very fast indeed. What I wanted to do, rather than complain constantly about how the Newva aren't right and so on, was to redesign them slightly and fix the parts I didn't like. I'm not talking rebuilding them entirely, just tweaking them here and there. So, here they are! Yeah, I threw Takanuva in as well because I felt like making a Toa-sized version of him. I still love the 2008 set (considerably more than my Toa version, I might add), but he does throw things off a bit in group photos. I'm not going to go into detail about each set now. I'll probably make a topic in the BBC forum at some point. I will, however, explain the blanket changes I made. First off, the projectile weapons had to go. They're fun, certainly, but I think the sets look better without them. Besides, does the most powerful Toa team in the universe REALLY need them? Secondly, I replaced all the red and blue pins with black ones. I also, where I felt it was appropriate, replaced the light grey axle rods with black ones too. It's only a minor thing, but I think they look much better for it. Thirdly, I removed the Matoran connector/Inika shoulder armour thingy from the sets' backs. I really love the function, but it looks so silly otherwise! That's it. All the other changes were made specifically for each set. I hope you like!

I've been wanting another Blizzard Blade (Kopaka Phantoka's miniature weapon thing) for some time now. My initial thought was to buy one off a website, but given the P&P costs (and all the other pieces I'd inevitably buy) I couldn't help but wonder if buying a second Kopaka set wouldn't be cheaper - or at the very least better value for money (an entirely different concept from cheaper. Don't let the adverts tell you otherwise). Well, I was right! I was happily wandering around town when I happened to spot Kopaka Phantoka in Woolworths. I've seen him there before, but I was loathe to pay full price for a set I want a single piece from. I check the price tag: £3.49 - less than half price. "Hey, that's not bad," thinks I. It takes only an instant for me to decide whether to buy it or not. I get to the checkout, set in hand. The cashier scans it. "That's £2.00 please," she says. £2.00! I could hardly believe it. That's fully a quarter of the price! Complain I did not and out I walked, a very happy customer indeed! I also have Pocky. They are very tasty.

Of all the ones you could have got, it is those that make me most jealous. Want more pics! Pwease?

I couldn't tell if you were joking. You were joking here, right? Worry not, it was indeed a joke. Do you have any examples? What to you mean by scrapped? Talking about things like the Turaga's legend in 2001 or suchnot? I just want to make sure I'm understanding you correctly. Oh, it would take me a long time to find actual examples. I read through a lot. I do remember answers saying that Matoran eat, (which they can but don't, they absorb energy), Turaga have no elemental powers, Toa discharging their elemental powers any way but through their tools is extremely dangerous, masks being virtually indestructible (he stated something to the effect of Makuta would need certain tools or equipment to destroy a mask), the Matoran's '03 forms being what they looked like before they shrunk and Takanuva having no physically harming power. I think there was something about Mata Nui and Makuta being considered Great Beings, too. Mostly smaller things that hadn't been explored enough in the story to becomes fixed yet. There were also things like there only being 12 Matoran in each Koro, but that was just Greg repeating what he'd been told by the story team at the time. Oh, here's one answer I will quote that I found particularly amusing.

Whaaat? Of course Greg lies! Isn't his purpose to deliberately mislead us and keep us from ever knowing the true story?? For anyone who's interested, the original OGDT started in March 2003, which is the perfect sort of time to start looking for answers regarding Takua/Takanuva, yes? I had a look through (only got to mid-august as I needed sleep), and not once did Greg ever say that Takua was or was not Takanuva. In fact there were shockingly few questions asking that. I think I spotted two. Oh, there's also some VERY interesting things lurking around back there. It's amazing how much has changed and how many things have been re-envisioned or scrapped without us being any the wiser.

Wonderful. One of the Universities I've applied for, the one I'm most interested in as it happens, has just asked me to send copies of my A Level certificates to them. This is fine, except for one tiny flaw: I don't -have- my A level certificates. They haven't been given to me yet. They need to have them by November 18th, which gives me two weeks to get them (somehow). Stupid, stupid world...

Excellent! Are you still working in the same role next year or will it be different with Leah back?

Ah, but I always take any such announcements from the developers with a pinch of salt. That's exactly the sort of thing fans want to hear, so naturally they're going to say that. How far it will be true when the game comes out I don't know. But yes, it is Bioware. That tends to be a good sign.

So, it's official. Knights of the Old Republic III, or The Old Republic as it's called, is going to be a MMORPG. I'm not entirely sure what to think of this. For me, KotOR has been a decidedly single player experience. I am the person tied up in the plot single-handedly saving the galaxy with lightsaber and force powers. It is me, or that character, upon which the entire fate of the galaxy rests. I am the centre of an epic, twisting plot with everything hanging in the balance. I matter. In an MMO, I am one of thousands. That feeling of importance is completely gone. It is impossible for me to be that influential, because the influence must be shared amongst thousands and thousands of people cannot all be the epic hero of the age. How, then, can my role in the game ever hope to compare to what it was in the previous two games? The plot was absolutely key to both games. It drew you in, slowly but surely, then right when you least expected it threw a massive bombshell at you which completely wiped clean your previous notions of the game, the characters and your entire purpose. It twisted and turned in many different ways, and was so, so in depth. Dozens of NPC characters prodded and poked at your history, the world's history, your party member's history and levered you into positions of influence and power not just to the major organisations, but of little people. On many occasions you have the power to make or break a person's life and it's these little things as well as the world-shattering events that made the games what they were. I shall never forget the first game where I had to conduct a murder investigation on behalf of a friend of one of my companions and not only gather the evidence, but actually act as the lawyer for the person. I honestly don't see how they can implement everything into an MMO. Perhaps the micro-level elements, but the macro? How do you do that? The entire purpose of a single player game, ignoring side-quests, is to complete it. To reach the end, to kill the bad guy and restore peace (or your own reign of terror). The moment that happens in an MMO, the MMO is over and that can never happen. How can you possibly have a substantial plot for a game that can never end? Where can a plot go, except to wind itself further and further into loops and circles and whatever else? How can any plot work for thousands of players, and how can players who join later in the game's life hope to understand what is going on? I am really apprehensive about this move. I imagine I'll get the game and play it to see what it's like, and who knows? Maybe I'll like it. It is being made by Bioware, after all, who are the only people who should be allowed near such a project with a twenty foot vibroblade. Perhaps there is hope after all - certainly there is from their announcements, but what else would they say? Any official announcement exists solely to make the game sound good, to encourage hype and eventually to get as many people as possible to buy the game. Time will tell.

Second week of having the house to myself, still managed to avoid any serious cooking for the most part. But all that is about to change! Oh yes! Next week, I have set myself the challenge of not heating up any pre-cooked food or resorting to microwaveables. That means doing my own cooking! I've never done that before. I've been told how to do a couple of mince-based dishes, I can do pasta, I can do sausages, mashed potato and one of two other things. In theory, I should be ok but...who knows? Cooking has never been my strong point. Still, if I survive, at least I know I'll be ok for Uni if I go self-catered! If I survive.

It's now widely known that the general reaction of BZP to pictures of new sets tends to be negative, to put it very mildly indeed. And yet here comes 2009, and people...like the sets? What is going on!? Does this mean people will start hating the sets when they get their hands on them?

The Republic was written by Plato. ...I cannot believe I didn't get that. I studied The Republic. I even got full marks in the exam! HOW did I fail to understand it!? Love the behaviourist one. Think I've heard the first two before. My friend's a Maths student, so... "Descartes walked into a bar. The barman asked "The usual?" Descartes pondered this for a moment, then replied "I think not" and vanished."

Yesterday I completely wasted my time by going to Kent University for an Open Day. It's a long way from me, and I had to get up at 4:30am in order to get there. The journey involved two train journeys and a ride on the London Underground to travel between stations in the middle. Once there, a coach was waiting to take people to the University except there were more people than could fit on the coach, so we had to wait half an hour for the next one. In the meantime I had a interesting talk with a student who'd been sent to organise things at the Station. He happened to do Philosophy, so could tell me things about the course (and in the end more than I learnt from the lecturer I spoke to). The organisation for the Open Day was pretty poor. Considering it's something they do every year, you'd at least think they'd understand roughly how many people need to get there, the need for signposts and that having six hour-long talks in a day, only two of which are repeated, is not clever when there's so much more people want to do and find out. The talk on Philosophy was a waste of time for me. It was all about paradoxes and logic which, while interesting, is not the area of Philosophy that interests me and it certainly doesn't tell me anything about the course itself and what I'm likely to be doing if I study there (you know, just minor issues like that). I did get some amusement from hearing people after the talk commenting on how fast he moved and problems with keeping up. I had no trouble at all and thought he laboured some of the points for too long. Heh. I didn't learn much about what it's like to live or study at the University. While I knew where the shops and clubs were, I didn't see what the clubs and bars were like. I did get to see some of the accommodation, which I didn't on my last Open Day trip and was quite surprised by how small it is. Still, that shouldn't be a problem. I doubt I'll be spending masses of time there save to sleep. I'm not sure whether to go for catered or non-catered. I can't cook that well, but surely part of the fun of Uni life is learning skills like that? Catered would be easier, but it all seemed a bit too much like school dinners for me to be overly enthusiastic about the idea. I just hope I don't poison myself if I choose non-catered... The library was massive, though again they seem to expect people to know what part is what without due signposting. I wanted to have a look at the Philosophy section, but couldn't for the life of me work out where it was (except it was on the top floor, meaning I climbed lots of stairs for nothing). It's a very scenic sort of place and has some beautiful locations. It's just a pity the buildings spoil it. The University was built in the 1960s, and British architecture really wasn't at its best in those days. Big, rectangular grey buildings were the norm with little or no distinguishing features to make them seem even the slightest bit appealing. I found it a bit depressing to be honest, and don't think I'd like to wake up to that every day. That is what really put me off, for I really don't think I could live there happily. I could be wrong - I could love it - but I'd rather go for somewhere that gives me a decent impression. The lack of organisation seemed to be building up to a glorious climax as the coaches that were supposed to take us back to the station didn't turn up. Instead I had to rely on a Uni bus (after over half an hour of waiting) which cost me £2. Cheap, yes, but when there's supposed to be free transport available having to spend any money is very unwelcome. Undoubtedly a good University, but I don't think it's for me. If I get into Reading, I know where I'm going.

I was rather bored today, so decided to write a review of The Force Unleashed. Wanna know why? Well, why not? Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Nintendo Wii) I'm sure this game is known to almost everyone who has anything to do with games. It's the latest Star Wars game promising to completely revolutionise the story and to take the Force to a whole new level. I honestly believe it achieved both of these – to an extent. It's not perfect, but then what is? The gameplay is fairly straightforward. Run around, slash things with lightsaber and blast them with the Force until dead. Move on and repeat. That said, it's really fun! I mean, who hasn't wanted to be able to lift a Stormtrooper into the air and use him as a battering ram against his allies? What isn't cool about incinerating an entire room with Force Lightning? Is choking the last, annoying and powerful enemy to death while suspending them over a bottomless pit not immensely satisfying? You can do some very cool things with the Force this time around. Telekinesis provides the bulk of your Force abilities from hurling enemies across the room, lifting them and throwing them over ledges or sending nearby scenery (and bombs, for some reason) flying into a group of unsuspecting stormtroopers. There are also a number of combos you can get, mostly combining your lightsaber and some sort of power. To be honest I mostly ignored these, but being able to combine Force Push and Force Lightning was VERY useful. While the gameplay can get repetitive, it's fun repetitive! As your force powers grow stronger through the game you'll enjoy testing them out to see what you can now do. The enemies get progressively more annoying as the game continues, the worst being anything with a jetpack. They delight in flying above your camera and shooting you with fifty-lasers-a-second guns and flame-throwers while you flail around helplessly trying to get them in view. Then of course, they DON'T DIE!!! And you can't throw them off ledges either, because they have JETPACKS! Besides that, you'll usually find a few combos that work well and will continue to use them through the game. I utilised Force Push, Lightning and Grip far more than anything else – even my lightsaber – so could take out most enemies from a distance. Of course, charging into the fray with your saber blazing is another approach that works well. There is a lot of variety here, and the range of abilities should keep you entertained for a good while. I enjoyed the game enough to have completed it twice now and was always finding new, better ways to kill things. What's really great about this game is that I actually feel like a Jedi! I feel like I can control the Force and the range of lightsaber abilities is excellent. In other Star Wars games I've often been left wondering “well, why couldn't I do that? I'm a Jedi!” That happens much less often in this game. While it's good, the game does have its flaws. The camera often seemed much more interested in looking at walls than the enemy that had just sneaked up and was whacking me in the face. When I turn round, I kinda want to be able to see what my character is looking at, y'know? Taking five seconds to do that can be costly. My character, and NPCs, also seemed to get stuck in some stupid places. I think a boss managed to take off half my health once just be trapping me in a corner and breaking the game so I couldn't move or jump. Boulders also seem to be difficult for NPCs to navigate round at times and even manage to make them blind to my presence when I can see them just fine. I've seen it said in many places that the force doesn't really feel as unleashed as promised, and I kind of agree. Certainly the system stands head and shoulders that of any other Star Wars game, but as I mentioned, it just felt like I was a Jedi and not some super-powered planet-destroying death machine the Apprentice was reported to be. I don't want to complain too much as I love the system, but it does feel more scaled back than was originally mentioned. The controls are excellent. Really, they are. A lot of games for the Wii spam the motion sensitive controls and throw them in where, really, they were not needed. This game uses them appropriately and really, really well. Your wiimote works as your lightsaber. Swing it to kill stuff. Your nunchuck is your left hand (well, right in my case) and acts as your Force powers. Push forward to use Force Push, hold Z to grip, C to use lightning etc. It makes so much sense it hurts. It will take a while to get used to them, but once you do it's absolutely fantastic. I found the key was getting over thinking about it as a wiimote and nunchuck. Think lightsaber and force powers and you'll be away! Get the Lightsaber add-on for the wiimote you'll be even better. I don't have it myself, but I imagine it makes things very fun indeed. Boss battles tend to be either a Jedi or a giant robot. Of those, the Jedi are easily the most fun to fight. It's not like a lot of boss battles where you wait for them to attack, dodge then hit them lots – these guys don't have a routine as such, making them all the more dangerous. They will act logically (keep your distance they'll use force powers, get close they'll stab you) so you have to be prepared for that. These battles are really, really fun and one of the best parts of the game experience. Don't expect to be waiting ages for your first Jedi battle, either. They appear very early on in the game. The graphics aren't brilliant, and at times they seem quite old, but this is the Wii. It isn't up to the same standard as other next gen consoles. To be honest, I don't think the graphics are that bad. I also don't adhere to the current opinion that good graphics make a good game. A good game makes a good game, that's why it's a game and not a series of cinematic videos. It's designed to be played, and so the most important thing is gameplay. As I feel the gameplay here is excellent, for me it overrides any graphical issues the game might have. My judgement here is “good enough”. If you're a Wii owner you probably aren't used to amazing graphics anyway, so it shouldn't be a huge issue. The music is up to the usual standard. I recently watched A New Hope, and through the entire film I kept thinking “I've heard that piece in this game!” or “Oh, that's from that bit!” You can't go far wrong with traditional Star Wars scores, and the game uses them very well indeed. The sound effects work well too, and are never overpowering. Overall I wouldn't say the sound quality is exceptionally noteworthy, but it's not by any means bad or lacking. The storyline is, in my opinion, another area where the game shines. Far better than the prequel trilogy and containing a couple of breathtaking twists. From start to finish I was hooked, and was genuinely surprised at times. About half way through a certain event (which I shall not elaborate upon) happened and I thought “oh no! This must be the end!” only to be even more surprised by the way the story continued! The story itself is advanced through cutscenes and cinematics. This is nice, but it makes the game incredibly linear. During many of the cutscenes I became quite annoyed by how the Apprentice was acting, because it simply did NOT fit with how I'd been playing him! After a game like Knights of the Old Republic, this entirely linear development seems restraining. It's almost a kick in the teeth when the game finally allows you to choose the light or dark side. All through the game you've been rigidly following its structure then you FINALLY get the chance to effect the game, except by then it's too late! It's the end! I would much rather have been able to effect my alignment and perhaps other things throughout the game, but I digress. There are a few extras available in the game. It's possible, for example, to choose the colour of your lightsaber by collecting crystals, choose your hilt (by finding them) and to choose your outfit. You also collect holocrons throughout the game which let you view various images or pieces of concept art. There are 200 to collect, so chances are you won't find them all. After playing through the game twice I've only found 120 or so. There's also the Duel Mode, which allows you to pick a character and face off against a friend. I haven't had a chance to try this yet as I don't often have friends round, but I'm having a few over on Thursday so will hopefully be able to play around with this. So, what do I think overall? Well the gameplay, despite a few minor faults, is fantastic. This, for me, is the most important part of a game and the part that has the most impact on my opinion. It's quite a basic system but with the potential for greatness should you wish to experiment. The controls work nicely and seem a lot better than a normal controller. They seem so natural and intuitive, which really helps you get into the game. Lots of enemies around you? Frustrated that they're not dying? Trying to slash them apart with a lightsaber (or Wiimote) has to be more fun than endlessly tapping a few buttons. The graphics serve their purpose, though are not nearly as good as they are on next-gen counterparts, and the sound is essentially what you'd expect from a Star Wars game and nothing more. The story should keep you hooked and will surprise you (unless you've looked at spoilers), although the love aspect seems a bit...well...it's Star Wars. Need I say more? The extras are nice little additions, though nothing to shout about. I would have been much happier if the Duel mode let me fight an NPC opponent, but alas. So, should you get this game? In fact, let me phrase that differently. Do you want to be a Jedi? If the answer is yes, buy this game. If the answer is no...bah, what am I saying? EVERYONE wants to be a Jedi! The pros far outweigh the cons in this game and in my opinion it's well worth your money. I thoroughly enjoyed it (both times), so hopefully you will too. On a side note, this is Entry 66. Like Order 66! You see!?

Random thought. The Takanuva Blog is updated every Monday and Thursday. We know this. We've known this for ages. And yet still, without fail, a topic turns up announcing it shortly followed by a news report as if it was completely unexpected. Given the regularity of the updates, surely it would only be news if it didn't update?