joe randel's art dump

I loves me some video games… but I don’t always have time to play them.

Boo!

But I just so happen to come across this little browser game the other say that allows me to play the game while I’m doing other things… like working. ^_^ The game is called Ikariam.  I guess it’s like Civilization but simpler.  You start the game on an island with other people that are playing the game.  You get your own little chunk of land where you can start you town.  Then you start o build other buildings that allow you to research topics that will allow you to build more things, manage you people better etc, etc.

Each island has a wood mill that you send your people too so they can gather wood so you can build your town up and a special material that your people can gather as well.  Our island has crystals.  You have to watch though.  The more people you send to gather materials the less money your town will make.  Oh, and everyone can contribute to the development of the mill and make it larger.  The larger it is the more people can work at it.

Once you get going you’ll soon realize they you’ll need other materials so you can build some of the top of the list buildings.  That where trading comes in to play.  You can then trade with people from other islands so get the materials you need.  You can also build up your army and pillage your neighbour or make allies though diplomacy.  It’s pretty neat over all.  I don’t usually play these kinds of games but I thought I’d give this a try.  Oh, did I mention it’s free?  I like free ^_^

So how can I play this during work?  Simple.  The game continues to play even when you’re not logged on, so in the moring you’re people will have gathered all night like the good little subjects that they are.  And research and building things take a loonnngggg time to do.  I built a wall around my town and it took 45 min.  I’m researching maps for my town and it’s taken almost a whole day.  I tend to like this style of play because I can set up something and then do some work and check on it every hour or so and see how things are coming a long.  ^_^

If anyone is interested in the game, I’m on the Zeta world, under the name Hondo and my town is called Kaien’thon (which is Mohawk for garden). ^_^

Capcom… what are you doing?

I’ve stood on my soap box once on this topic and I’ll do it again damn it.  Capcom is going to ruin the Street fighter franchise.

First they flip the game so it’s 3D instead of 2D.  Then in a bad design move (in my opinion) they bring back every character from SF2 basicly making SF4 another SF2 remake.  Finally they’ve toped the cake by releasing sub par new characters.

I’m sure most have seen Crimson Viper, Able and El Fuerte.  If now then travel here and check out the character page to see them.  Now… just leaked is… Rufus

o_o

This is no joke.  This is for real… at a actual local test in Japan.  I’m sorry, but Street Fighter is going down the tubes in my book.  Nothing about this game gets me excited now.

Nothing.

For those interested here’s also some gameplay footage.

El Fuertte
C.Viper vs Balrog + C.Viper vs Sagat
C.Viper vs Able

So people out there are playing Super Smash Bros Brawl.  Are you?  If so are you one of those people that are trying to take snap shots of Peaches panties?  No?  Well have a gander at what others have discovered about the game.

Peach Pantsu?
More Peach Pantsu.
Even more Peach Pantsu… with some Zelda too

It was bound to happen.  I remember hearing that once a new type of media comes out it’s only a matter of time before people attempt to do naughty things with it.  Games are not void from this topic.  I guess it’s so bad that Masahiro Sakurai has had to add a disclaimer at the bottom of the Smash Bros Dojo site about how naughty pic from the game will NEVER be posted there.

Hmmm…    this was actually found at the Smash Bros Dojo site ^_^

Well, with that out of the way.  Let get on to what we all really want to see…

HARDCORE BRAWL SEX

hahahaha!

So today I when to the hospital.  The other day I had some chest pains.  Just to the left of my sternum.  Right here (points to chest).  I’ve had them before in the past, nothing major, just some very slight discomfort for about 5 seconds or so.  Nothing to get crazy about in my books.  But Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning the pain was more sharper then ever before and lasted though a night (although it didn’t keep me up).  So I figured I should have myself checked out and make sure its’ nothing I should worry about (my wife also made me go).

I went to the ER at the local hospital (I don’t have a family doctor) around 7:15am expecting the waiting room full of people only to be shocked that it was totally bare.  I got to see a nurse right away but after that I had to wait for a doctor to see me.  Around 8:45am ish I was taken in back and asked to dress in the those hospital smock things… ugh… at least I could keep my pants on so it wasn’t so bad.  A nurse checked my heart and then a very pretty lady doctor asked me a bunch of questions about my pain.  She said that it sounds like (according to my description of the pain) that I’ve bruised and/or strained the cartilage that joins my ribs to my sternum.  Just by doing everyday activities is making it inflamed.  That’s good, I was afraid I was dieing ^_^ She sent me to x-ray just to make sure it wasn’t a cardiovascular problem because then that when the real problems happen.  My x-ray came back all fine so no worries there.

She told me that I can take some Tylenol for the pain but to watch it and to come back if I feel dizzy, sweaty have shortness of breath or the pain starts to travel to my arm or neck and jaw.  No problem pretty lady doctor ^_^

Yeah, so that was my morning.  After that I went to work and had a regular day.  ^_^

Still got some fight in me it would seem. ^_^

So I’ve posted now two new characters.  Ping and Pong.  Yeah, the names may be a bit silly but I don’t care, I think they’re fun.  Before people start to assume things about them I figured I’d give some background on them, or how I picture them in my mind.

Ping is in college and very studious.  She takes her classes very seriously and always keeps her grades up.  She’s shy and doesn’t really talk much to others except her close friend, and dorm roomie Pong.  Ping also helps to keep Pong more focused then if Pong was left to her own devices.  Who knows how far Pong would get with out her encouragement.  Other then that, Ping reads, rides her bike, and does other low key activities.

Pong is more crazy and daring in her life then Ping and feels that Ping needs to have more fun in her life.  She generally leaves things to the last min, stays up way too late playing video games (when she should be studying) and likes to pull pranks on Ping in order to make things more exciting.

The two balance each other well and have lots of fun together in their spare time.  How much fun?  I have ideas that I’d like to do ^_^

These two are sort of an experiment.  See pretty much every other character I’ve done started out with no background, story or real thought in to why I made them up.  These two are different.  I drew Ping first and my ideas started to run with who she was and such.  Pong was next and she fit in with what I saw perfectly.  I hope I can do more with these two as I can see myself having lots of with them.

So here’s to me trying out a duo of characters in a real story and relationship.  I hope it goes well. ^_^

So I’m in a meeting today and wouldn’t you know it… I gotta cut one.

It’s quite possibly the worst time to try and squeak one out. There’s usually one person talking so it pretty quiet in the room and even if you manage to slip it out if it’s a sinker and the person beside you smells it… you’re so busted. So there I am shifting… squirming… starting to get stomach cramps cuze I’m trying to hold it in. I excuse myself to I can let it out away from others but man, as soon as I sit down again… frig… always in a meeting too.

I should just let them rip. Right in the middle of the meeting, and then look around like I “who the hell did that?” ^_^ Although it’s great when I get to let it all out…. such relief ^_^

Can you tell I had nothing else to talk about today ^_^