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Swert

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Blog Entries posted by Swert

  2. Swert

    I accidentally Gaming

    By Swert,

    So back on Friday, during the huge flood of Steam sales, Bioshock Infinite was one of those games on sale. I didn't buy it.
     
    But I was gifted it by a friend as an early Christmas present
     
    So now I'm playing it off-and-on (CURSE YOU WORK! *shakes fist*) and enjoying it immensely.
     
    ... Granted, had I not read the spoilers like a month after it came out, I'd probably enjoy the twists more. But fortunately knowing the story is actually not enough to prepare me for some of the twists and turns it has.
     
    I also have to continue playing Assassin's Creed 4, but I finished that main storyline already (Man that was a thing, wasn't it?) and I had a chance to play Forza 5 during Thanksgiving at my brother's (got an achievement, w00t! ... It was for completing a race, not so w00t.) I managed to smoke him in the last race, when he commented "This isn't going to fair, this is just for my amusement." He proceeded to spin out off the track twice, and I took the opportunity to catch up and blocked him from ever passing me. The satisfaction of seeing him go "Oh come on!" (in less BZP-friendly terms, I might add) is always satisfying.
     
    So yeah, that was a thing. I'll probably go play more Bioshock after work tomorrow. I also helped a buddy in Minecraft with some things he was having trouble with, but turns out he just needed a kick in the rear end to get an idea going. Let this blatant foreshadowing sink in for a bit. Of course, by now nobody's reading this part except for maybe you (yes YOU John!) and has no idea what I'm talking about. Ho hum.
     
    Man I should sleep.
  4. Swert

    Updated Status Of Bs01

    By Swert,

    For once, I bring -good- news on this 26th day of December. Nothing really special happens today for me, sorry.
     
    But in regards to BS01, and believe me there's good news to it, we're finally settling in on the server quite nicely, and HS01 is up and running quite well. BS01, however, is being a naughty boy and we haven't even started the road to Christmas 2012 yet. No matter, we're speeding up the process internally, and images are (SLOWLY) being reintroduced.
     
    I honestly do wish to apologize to all members of BZPower, viewers and editors of BS01, and people who don't read my blog but saw the word "Bs01" in the blog title and clicked on it. I was not immediately aware of how long this process would take me, but I'll share with you a few details to explain why I chose what I did and why then.
     
    In October of 2011, I took over paying for BS01's server by returning to my job at City Blocks in Tacoma, WA. I spent two months paying for the site at the beginning of the month, a whopping $151.97. Now, I'm not ashamed to mention this price any longer, since I don't pay it any more. Keeping in mind I did this out of my own pocket with no ads, I looked down the line at my financial status and so forth, discussed it with staff, advisors, family, my boss and finally myself and decided moving to a cheaper, SMALLER solution would be best.
     
    I had initially planned to purchase this server in mid-November. I would install MediaWiki on it, get the other MediaWiki on there, slowly upload BS01 and HS01 over, test its progress, then switch over same-day when I cancelled my old server. Well as we all know, that didn't quite work out that way.
     
    So here comes early December. BS01 and HS01's old server was now acting up through some weird event, and I decided to just let it die and go get a new one, which was already planned. I cancelled my server that day, having taken the day off Dec. 6th, and initiated the purchase of my new server shortly thereafter. I now own two Virtual Private Servers, one optimized for the DB, and both run in sync with each other.
     
    In regards to content, we did back up every inch of BS01 and HS01 of the IMPORTANT documents. We tried to save all user pages, but we did miss out on BS01's subpages (or some anyway) and talk pages were deemed unimportant (we are sorry, keep in mind I lost some logs, too.) Once HS01 was backed up, and BS01 99% backed up, I saved the images (every single image was saved), the users' DB (nobody lost, I swear!) and a few extensions (not many, but some).
     
    Now for some issues on why images are taking forever: Turns out you don't just get to upload images into a folder on the site and expect it all to work. Turns out I forgot to save the images database table, so we gotta reupload each one, one by one. Or well, 10 at a time once I installed the Multiple Images upload extension (might keep it, might not, who knows.) I'm handing off images to volunteers over here to upload slowly over time.
     
    So there you have it, BS01's status explained from the guy who did it. Now, one more final crucial reason why it's taken me a whole month despite having it all up and running within days, I do apologize. Let's just say work was rough all month, but the final result is well worth it. (I might upload the images of the products we did in the shop in another blog entry, just for fun.)
     
    I hope my explaination wasn't -too- long and let's hope we get it all done before too much longer.
     
     

    -


  5. Swert
    So, exciting times coming up here in the studio this coming beginning of the year.
     
    We're in the process of making up to 6 different events at the same time happen, including three shows in the summer, a -huge- model for Emerald City ComicCon, an event in February at CenturyLink Field (Probably the WaMu Center... but if it's the real field, I'll be a happy Swerty : D) and another couple of things I forget off the top of my head.
     
    Basically I'm busy. With any luck I'll be able to post teasers of my work, but for now I'm keeping mum. Let's just say Emerald City ComicCon will be amazing with the model we're looking at making, if only because I look forward to inviting one of the main guests to see it completed. With any luck, there will be little resistance on his part. It would be futile.
  7. Swert
    Alright, some HAPPY news. Aww yeah and stuff.
     
    So my hard drive enclosure finally arrived. It takes the hard drive I own already, that being the laptop's hard drive, and converts it to a USB 2.0 based connection, thus effectively making it an external hard drive.
     
    Advantages? All my stuff is now secured on SWERT04, via SWERT01, plus I have the ability to access this data at any time without opening up my computer to get to it.
     
    Also, I'm closer to finding a replacement processor and motherboard, too. Yay is me.
     
    Finally, http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/18258 SUPPORT! I want this to happen.
  8. Swert
    Whew!
     
    Okay, so... for the past 6 weeks or so, I've been swamped at work. I've had to build 10 large skyscrapers (4 to 9 feet in height, pure Lego no gluing) plus set up for another show in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (which we handled, the client loved it, they want more work, yay us). This is literally the first night I've had where the next day I get to do absolutely nothing. I'm going to be seeing Man of Steel in the morning. NO SPOILERS KTHX. (Cue the several "HE'S FROM KRYPTON!", "HE'S CLARK KENT" and "HE'S SUPERMAN" replies.)
     
    I'll try to get photos to you guys asap. So far, the exhibit's still being set up down in Florida.
     
    Meantime, I'm just posting here to show up again and assure people I'm still alive. However, I just learned today I missed out on booking a hotel in Seattle for BrickCon.
     
    ... ALL the hotels in Seattle, that is. Guess I'm busing it in every morning.
     
    Great.
  10. Swert
    But it could easily have been.
     
    Click for larger detail

     
    Taken with -my- phone.
     
    Fortunately both phones are insured, and it'd cost me no more than say 100 bucks to replace, and Sprint's cool in that we can add it to our next bill and maybe even set up a payment plan on the bills. So we can handle the blow, but it's gonna take time.
     
    Now then, if you'll excuse me, I'll be going to work.
  13. Swert
    Haven't even hit morning of the 15th, and already got a few gifts:
     
    2 new Polos + Floyd T-Shirt
     
    $70 total from relatives
     
    $75 Amazon Gift Card from brother
     
    Three new DC-related movies/DVD collections: Batman Mask of the Phantasm, Green Lantern Emerald Knights, and Green Lantern The Animated Series Season 1.0 (13 episodes already debuted, with the other half coming out next week or so on CN) (I bought myself this one)
     
    Black Mesa Source
     
    Not expecting too much else, but you never know. I'm still waiting on my brother and his Amazon Gift Card idea
  15. Swert
    Okay, I must personally apologize to all MakutaFest people who attended during that question. When writing them, we did research pretty deeply on BS01 directly, and I remembered the Taku but mistakened it for the same role as the Kewa, which is much larger and indeed the one we wanted instead.
     
    One of our biggest errors was in how BS01 worded it: "When the Great Cataclysm brought about the creation of the island of Mata Nui, many Kewa migrated there and established themselves in Le-Wahi. In the wild, they shared their nests with their relative, the Taku."
     
    Now, we do wish to apologize to everyone for that question, it was clearly made in error. Now having said that, I'm still trying to find out if there was a third bird, and I'm thinking "Husi" woulda been a much better answer.
     
    I am now taking all steps towards making BS01 more efficient in searching, including adding categories to pages specifically related to online media and/or specific sets such as the BIONICLE Master Builder set.
     
    I think, with this in mind, we'll be better off in the long run than we were. And at least we had other questions to ask, right?
  17. Swert
    For all readers of the Expanded Multiverse and more specifically the Cipher Chronicles, you may or may not recall the character named Revolution.
     
    If so, you will recall Bonesiii and I had taken plenty of steps in keeping the identity of Revolution secret. In fact, I even resorted to using a nanite android in order to use him without using him, just to keep the identity secret.
     
    You see, Revolution is not, as one might expect, what he seems to be. Revoution was always an envisioned figurehead, someone we wrote into the story who has had plenty of secrets. It is indeed a main character from the Cipher Chronicles, though the truth behind this character goes very deep if you think about it harder.
     
    Now, just by saying all of this, you might know exactly who I am referring to. If so, the short story I plan to write will simply be confirmation, and I hope you enjoy how I present it. If this blog post doesn't give you enough hints, I hope that the story proves to be entertaining in how I present the character's true reveal (I am aware that the V android I pulled was kinda an unreveal, sorry about that).
     
    tl;dr: I get to write a SS, Revolution's in it, read it please kthx.
  18. Swert
    I -really- want to get a game going eventually, and I've never felt comfortable playing random games online with people I don't know.
     
    So, I'm inviting the users with Gold XBL membership on the 360 to play. I know there's at least 5 of us around here.
     
    Any takers?
  19. Swert
    So yeah, I've been busy. ... Very busy ._.
     
    On the plus side, I've had a lot of stuff happen. I kicked Sprint to the curb and signed with AT&T. In hindsight, I needed much more money than I had at the time to do this, but I'm confident it won't break me. Because of this, I ended up having to purchase a new phone. It was high time to replace it anyway. I decided to get a Nokia Lumia 1020, a wonderful choice I don't think I'll regret until probably halfway through the contract when the 1030 launches or whenever. The only drawback is this particular phone had a mechanical issue with the camera, so I already called away for a replacement (it'll be here tomorrow).
     
    The next major thing is I made some sporadic Lego purchases in the last two months, including the Eiffel Tower set (the new one, not the original; I'm not made of money XD), Wyldstyle's motorcycle, Martian Manhunter, a Green Lantern and White Lantern figure (sadly not the original GL NYCC figure, again NOT made of money), a custom Gambit designed by Brickstorms (they were a vendor in our shop during BrickCon Spring Exhibition), Nick Fury and Aquaman (I have a full set of Avengers and Justice League now, strictly because of those purchases), and Lego The Hobbit (which got me both Good Morning Bilbo Baggins -and- Western Emmet, the guy at GameStop recognized me as "that Lego guy" and had some Emmets left over from The Lego Movie VG. I did not complain once).
     
    I need to make room for both the new Minecraft The End set and Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP set, but those are minor. I think I know where they'll end up, then I'll photograph the new bookshelf once I do.
     
    Finally, I made two new poster purchases over the weekend, including the Hunters of Achievements poster and Achievement City. I'll need two new frames, and I'm thinking I'll take down my Pink Floyd tapestry for room. The tapestry served my wall well, but blank canvas is needed, especially for Achievement Hunter.
     
    Otherwise, that's the collection thus far. I still need to make a mask out of the Lhikan's Hau from the playset, I just realized. Any suggestions there would be welcome, I think I know how it should be done but I'm still mulling ideas.
  20. Swert
    So, I didn't go to ECCC yesterday, but I did get the chance to go today. Didn't buy much, but what I did buy is truly amazing. I also got to do something amazing. (Warning, large images.)
     
     



    Basically, I got to chat with Stuart Sayger again, along with buying a Green Lantern print that he signed, then took a photo with him, and wore the Tower of Plimps on my brick badge for a brief time before packing it away.
     
    Today was a good day.
  21. Swert

    Long Day x_x

    By Swert,

    Sup Internet. It's Swert.
     
    So I went to work in my usual timeslot today... tons of LEGO building, gluing and making things look pretty for clients... again.
     
    And didn't finish until 7:30 Pacific.
     
    So yeah, I'm tired and it's my dad's birthday. But all is well, I'm just going to relax now and enjoy the rest of my wee- wait, I have to work two more days?!
     
    ... Challenge accepted.
  22. Swert

    Atlas Or P-body?

    By Swert,

    Which should I play as when I get my hands on Portal 2? (After I beat the SP, of course.)
     
    Pros to ATLAS: Blue portal gun 8O
     
    Cons to ATLAS: Rather short and stout.
     
    Pros to P-body: Taller and looks more agile.
     
    Cons to P-body: Orange portal gun
     
    Though both's rollcage skin is epic :3
  24. Swert
    Man, I'm bored. So I updated my blog with new stuff. More Green Lantern related, go figure.
     
    In the real world I am in the middle of summer, so our schedule is down to 3 days a week in the studio. FORTUNATELY I'm busy working on something epic, that being a megafig of Iron Man. I may have described the last four before (Green Lantern, Captain America, The Flash and Logan (Wolverine) in street clothes) so this is a bit more challenging.
     
    For the geeks out there, I'm designing the Iron Man 2/Avengers first-half Mk. VI armor on the torso, with the Mark III/Mark IV legs. The arms are solid dark red, done by another one of the artists. We're also simplifying the design, the back isn't getting as detailed, but the front is heavy in it.
     
    I may recommend changes later on, if we decide to tone down the dark red and make it more yellow (akin to Mark 42) just to give it more color balance.
     
    I'll try to get photos later on, I want to show off the progress as I go. I also desperately want to bring it with me to BrickCon, along with the other four, but it depends on Dan.
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