(no subject)
Seattle was a lot of fun! I was wholly unprepared for the weather (brought only skirts and a dress, and thus ended up buying some black polka-dotted tights, plus my shoes were not made for walking) and missed out on a lot of fun opportunities, but overall feel pleased. I really love the weather there! And Uwajimaya is an amazing store (Japanese, Korean, even Filipino food aww yeah). Usually I have to drive about 30-40 minutes for an East Asian grocery store beyond Chinese ones (99 Ranch...everywhere...). The Space Needle was pretty boring, though.
The major highlight, of course, was PLAY! A Video Game Symphony. I dressed up like a classy Morrigan again (black sheath dress, those aforementioned tights, a wine cardigan, black heels, goldtone bicolored Egyptian-esque collar with a separate turquoise cabochon pendant worn beneath, purple eyeshadow and of course my hair in a bun, among other things lol). I actually enjoyed it more than the last time I went, even though the setlist was a little less encompassing.
Mario: Pretty predictable, eliciting a lot of excited cheers from nostalgia and the Nintendo crowd.
Sonic the Hedgehog: LMAO meh. I've never played a Sonic game. Good music, though.
Chrono Trigger/Cross: As always, one of my favorites. I was pretty much the only one who got excited when they announced it, though, especially the mention of Yasunori Mitsuda. :( Am I getting old...?
Castlevania: Fucking amazing as always. I've actually never played Castlevania either, but I love the music more than others. I was disappointed to see how much Lords of Shadow footage they showed, though. One of my favorite tracks is any version of "Vampire Killer", which a lot of people echoed (lots of cheering).
Metroid: Sigh, another game I've never played. But always good to hear in orchestra form.
The Legend of Zelda: Yes, I've never played a Zelda game. I'm sorry! Still, this is pretty memorable too.
Kingdom Hearts: Always recognizable. My mom was very confused as to why Mickey Mouse was running with an anime character.
Dragon Age II: LMAO GUESS WHY I FLEW ALL THE WAY TO SEATTLE. The moment Andy Brick (the conductor) said "BioWare" I went bonkers, and a bunch of people around me seemed taken aback. Some guys behind me were all, "That's a pretty good game, I think." Haha... Anyways, not much cheering from the crowd. :( The footage was all promo stuff (I'd never even seen some of it before, since I avoided spoilers) and made me realize this game does not look as awesome as some of the others. I was disappointed that they didn't play some of my favorite tracks (any Qunari battle, Forever War, Enter the Deep Roads, Destiny of Love, and of coures Mage Pride!), but they did play the main theme, Hawke Family Theme, and small bits and pieces of Rogue Heart. Audrey Ashburn somehow reaches notes that I cannot fathom, and she looked gorgeous!
Halo: Reach: Not as memorable as the original Halo soundtracks, but still good. Martin O'Donnell was actually in the audience.
Guild Wars 2: A game that hasn't come out yet. But, very excellent music by Jeremy Soule (I'm pretty sure I actually started the clapping when his name was said haha).
World of Warcraft: I'm not a WoW fan, obviously, but this music is AMAZING.
Final Fantasy VI: Terra's Theme (Encore): HOLY SHIT THIS WAS AMAZING. I'm so used to One-Winged Angel being played as an encore that this took me completely by surprise. My mom actually recognized this because I play the song all the time on the piano. It's not as epic as OWA but sooo much better. (The bad thing about VG concerts is that they're still catering to the larger audience, and don't play from less impressive games or the lesser known tracks.)
I feel like I'm missing some, but I can't remember. I really wish there could've been some others I heard before (Shenmue, Oblivion, Metal Gear Solid) and haven't heard (Shadow of the Colossus, Lost Odyssey, DRAGON AGE ORIGINS), but so it is. Unfortunately I neglected to stay afterwards for the Meet & Greet! WRYYY
- - - - -
This is pretty old, but very much describes me to an extent. Except I really am shy (#2).
Gabe of Penny Arcade made a post that really has me curious about SWTOR. Ugh, why does it sound interesting?
I'm currently reading Deus Ex: Icarus Effect and while the writing isn't amazing, the story is pretty good. I love that the world of Deus Ex takes into consideration ethical, political, and societal changes that might occur given the epoch of human augmentation development and popularization, which doesn't seem to be discussed much in more popular nanotech stories. Although I never actually sit down to write it, I have this story that I've been brainstorming for years and it mainly deals with human alteration/weaponization and space-based government and colonization, so I tend to think about the related trivial details whenever I have time to let my mind wander (which is a lot).
I'm also curious about Shadows of the Damned, which has a great soundtrack (naturally, given Akira Yamaoka). But I probably won't buy it. I starting to think I should sign up for Gamefly for shorter games like that, with actual purchases made later, when the game has dropped in price (or no purchase at all).
- - - - -
More info on the DAII DLC, now titled "Legacy", has come out, and it's a little disappointing. I'm all for (almost) anything DAII, but since it takes place during the game (even playing it postgame places it prior to Act III's final events) it obviously has no bearing on what you do or have done. I do like its title, since it might shed more light on Malcolm Hawke, as well as an opportunity to interact with the Hawke siblings (unlike others, I really like the both of them). Also, genlocks! I just hope it's more than an estimated 2 hours (I normally take 1.5 the time others take haha).
24. Most shocking scene
I had spoiled myself already about Anders' big boom, so it wasn't super surprising (though still reeling). I would probably have to say the betrayal in Origins. Next to defeating the Ogre that wasn't supposed to be there, you wake up in Flemeth's hut having just seen the death of the king and Duncan and the utter defeat of the army at Ostagar. In fiction (not in real life), I love this sort of situation, though usually the protagonist is small and insignificant. I guess the Warden fell into that category in the beginning, depending on the origin...
A similar sensation was felt when you learn about the Broodmothers, even if the Deep Roads weren't super fun in DAO.
- - - - -
25. Scene that made you cry
All That Remains is an obvious one, though having seen it so many times it's less so. I'm a real sucker for crying (I have wayyy too much empathy sometimes), so I teared up at some less-than-tear-worthy scenes. Of particular note is talking to either Carver or Bethany after the Birthright quest. Carver in particular stands out because his relationship with a mage Hawke is so volatile. Also, I only recently made him a Grey Warden (with a Neutral relationship with him) and it's much more appealing to see him that way.
A second scene I recall in particular is Anders' Questioning Beliefs conversation in Act III if you're rivaling him. Right when Justice emerged, the Hawke I was playing went naturally to an aggressive response. "This is Anders' decision, not yours!" And Justice accuses Hawke of sloth (which is so goddamn true, but DAII is DAII). Anyways, Anders admits (after reemerging himself) that he's been blacking out occasionally. This Hawke was rivalmancing him and it was just so dramatic; I just burst into tears, lol. One comment made about rivaling (good-naturedly, of course, not out of spite) Anders that really struck home was describing the change as if you were watching your best friend fall apart over the years, and with the added level of romancing him, it's just too much.
And of course, the reason why I love it.
1. Favorite Dragon Age game (i.e. Origins, Awakening, Dragon Age 2)
2. Favorite character
3. Least favorite character
4. Favorite Love Interest
5. Least favorite Love Interest
6. Your Warden’s story
7. Favorite quest
8. Least favorite quest
9. Favorite class (e.g. mage, warrior, rogue, assassin, healer)
10. Favorite party banter
11. Favorite song from the soundtracks
12. OTP
13. Mages or Templars?
14. Character you wish was a romance option
15. Your favorite “Bro”
16. Your ultimate team from all games
17. Favorite Origins story
18. Character you are most like
19. Character who’d be your best friend
20. Character you wouldn’t get along with
21. Favorite villain
22. Favorite NPC
23. Scene you wish you could change the outcome of the most
24. Most shocking scene
25. Scene that made you cry
26. Crack OTP
27. Best part of the games
28. Worst part of the games
29. If you made a deal with a demon what would your bargain be?
30. Hopes for Dragon Age 3
The major highlight, of course, was PLAY! A Video Game Symphony. I dressed up like a classy Morrigan again (black sheath dress, those aforementioned tights, a wine cardigan, black heels, goldtone bicolored Egyptian-esque collar with a separate turquoise cabochon pendant worn beneath, purple eyeshadow and of course my hair in a bun, among other things lol). I actually enjoyed it more than the last time I went, even though the setlist was a little less encompassing.
Mario: Pretty predictable, eliciting a lot of excited cheers from nostalgia and the Nintendo crowd.
Sonic the Hedgehog: LMAO meh. I've never played a Sonic game. Good music, though.
Chrono Trigger/Cross: As always, one of my favorites. I was pretty much the only one who got excited when they announced it, though, especially the mention of Yasunori Mitsuda. :( Am I getting old...?
Castlevania: Fucking amazing as always. I've actually never played Castlevania either, but I love the music more than others. I was disappointed to see how much Lords of Shadow footage they showed, though. One of my favorite tracks is any version of "Vampire Killer", which a lot of people echoed (lots of cheering).
Metroid: Sigh, another game I've never played. But always good to hear in orchestra form.
The Legend of Zelda: Yes, I've never played a Zelda game. I'm sorry! Still, this is pretty memorable too.
Kingdom Hearts: Always recognizable. My mom was very confused as to why Mickey Mouse was running with an anime character.
Dragon Age II: LMAO GUESS WHY I FLEW ALL THE WAY TO SEATTLE. The moment Andy Brick (the conductor) said "BioWare" I went bonkers, and a bunch of people around me seemed taken aback. Some guys behind me were all, "That's a pretty good game, I think." Haha... Anyways, not much cheering from the crowd. :( The footage was all promo stuff (I'd never even seen some of it before, since I avoided spoilers) and made me realize this game does not look as awesome as some of the others. I was disappointed that they didn't play some of my favorite tracks (any Qunari battle, Forever War, Enter the Deep Roads, Destiny of Love, and of coures Mage Pride!), but they did play the main theme, Hawke Family Theme, and small bits and pieces of Rogue Heart. Audrey Ashburn somehow reaches notes that I cannot fathom, and she looked gorgeous!
Halo: Reach: Not as memorable as the original Halo soundtracks, but still good. Martin O'Donnell was actually in the audience.
Guild Wars 2: A game that hasn't come out yet. But, very excellent music by Jeremy Soule (I'm pretty sure I actually started the clapping when his name was said haha).
World of Warcraft: I'm not a WoW fan, obviously, but this music is AMAZING.
Final Fantasy VI: Terra's Theme (Encore): HOLY SHIT THIS WAS AMAZING. I'm so used to One-Winged Angel being played as an encore that this took me completely by surprise. My mom actually recognized this because I play the song all the time on the piano. It's not as epic as OWA but sooo much better. (The bad thing about VG concerts is that they're still catering to the larger audience, and don't play from less impressive games or the lesser known tracks.)
I feel like I'm missing some, but I can't remember. I really wish there could've been some others I heard before (Shenmue, Oblivion, Metal Gear Solid) and haven't heard (Shadow of the Colossus, Lost Odyssey, DRAGON AGE ORIGINS), but so it is. Unfortunately I neglected to stay afterwards for the Meet & Greet! WRYYY
- - - - -
This is pretty old, but very much describes me to an extent. Except I really am shy (#2).
Gabe of Penny Arcade made a post that really has me curious about SWTOR. Ugh, why does it sound interesting?
I'm currently reading Deus Ex: Icarus Effect and while the writing isn't amazing, the story is pretty good. I love that the world of Deus Ex takes into consideration ethical, political, and societal changes that might occur given the epoch of human augmentation development and popularization, which doesn't seem to be discussed much in more popular nanotech stories. Although I never actually sit down to write it, I have this story that I've been brainstorming for years and it mainly deals with human alteration/weaponization and space-based government and colonization, so I tend to think about the related trivial details whenever I have time to let my mind wander (which is a lot).
I'm also curious about Shadows of the Damned, which has a great soundtrack (naturally, given Akira Yamaoka). But I probably won't buy it. I starting to think I should sign up for Gamefly for shorter games like that, with actual purchases made later, when the game has dropped in price (or no purchase at all).
- - - - -
More info on the DAII DLC, now titled "Legacy", has come out, and it's a little disappointing. I'm all for (almost) anything DAII, but since it takes place during the game (even playing it postgame places it prior to Act III's final events) it obviously has no bearing on what you do or have done. I do like its title, since it might shed more light on Malcolm Hawke, as well as an opportunity to interact with the Hawke siblings (unlike others, I really like the both of them). Also, genlocks! I just hope it's more than an estimated 2 hours (I normally take 1.5 the time others take haha).
24. Most shocking scene
I had spoiled myself already about Anders' big boom, so it wasn't super surprising (though still reeling). I would probably have to say the betrayal in Origins. Next to defeating the Ogre that wasn't supposed to be there, you wake up in Flemeth's hut having just seen the death of the king and Duncan and the utter defeat of the army at Ostagar. In fiction (not in real life), I love this sort of situation, though usually the protagonist is small and insignificant. I guess the Warden fell into that category in the beginning, depending on the origin...
A similar sensation was felt when you learn about the Broodmothers, even if the Deep Roads weren't super fun in DAO.
- - - - -
25. Scene that made you cry
All That Remains is an obvious one, though having seen it so many times it's less so. I'm a real sucker for crying (I have wayyy too much empathy sometimes), so I teared up at some less-than-tear-worthy scenes. Of particular note is talking to either Carver or Bethany after the Birthright quest. Carver in particular stands out because his relationship with a mage Hawke is so volatile. Also, I only recently made him a Grey Warden (with a Neutral relationship with him) and it's much more appealing to see him that way.
A second scene I recall in particular is Anders' Questioning Beliefs conversation in Act III if you're rivaling him. Right when Justice emerged, the Hawke I was playing went naturally to an aggressive response. "This is Anders' decision, not yours!" And Justice accuses Hawke of sloth (which is so goddamn true, but DAII is DAII). Anyways, Anders admits (after reemerging himself) that he's been blacking out occasionally. This Hawke was rivalmancing him and it was just so dramatic; I just burst into tears, lol. One comment made about rivaling (good-naturedly, of course, not out of spite) Anders that really struck home was describing the change as if you were watching your best friend fall apart over the years, and with the added level of romancing him, it's just too much.
And of course, the reason why I love it.
1. Favorite Dragon Age game (i.e. Origins, Awakening, Dragon Age 2)
2. Favorite character
3. Least favorite character
4. Favorite Love Interest
5. Least favorite Love Interest
6. Your Warden’s story
7. Favorite quest
8. Least favorite quest
9. Favorite class (e.g. mage, warrior, rogue, assassin, healer)
10. Favorite party banter
11. Favorite song from the soundtracks
12. OTP
13. Mages or Templars?
14. Character you wish was a romance option
15. Your favorite “Bro”
16. Your ultimate team from all games
17. Favorite Origins story
18. Character you are most like
19. Character who’d be your best friend
20. Character you wouldn’t get along with
21. Favorite villain
22. Favorite NPC
23. Scene you wish you could change the outcome of the most
24. Most shocking scene
25. Scene that made you cry
26. Crack OTP
27. Best part of the games
28. Worst part of the games
29. If you made a deal with a demon what would your bargain be?
30. Hopes for Dragon Age 3