Project D

Here is the link to Project D...

Episode 1: Contra

Episode 2: Battletoads

Episode 3: Mega Man 2

Episode 4: Punch Out

Episode 5: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Episode 6: After the Final Game

            Project D is about a man and his nephew, Dylan, playing games from the 1980’s. All of the games were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Dylan played five games; Contra, Battletoads, Mega Man 2, Punch Out and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Dylan chose Contra as the hardest game out of the five games. I believe that Contra is truly a difficult game compared to current releases. I do not think that the game has design flaws, in fact compared to other games that were released at the time it was a revolutionary. If I remember correctly, Contra was one of the first platform shooters that could be played by two players at the same time. I think that the fact that Dylan only had three lives and lost one each time he was hit made the game difficult.

            With Dylan growing up in the age of 3D graphics, 2D 8-bit graphics look primitive. During the time of release, 8-bit graphics was a step up from 4-bit so these games could have been called revolutionary. Regarding the sound, Dylan’s uncle commented on Mage Man 2’s “soundtrack,” as being know as one of the greatest ever. I think that since current released games have actual music instead of tone music, Dylan might have not thought it was very good. Through out Project D, Dylan commented on the controls being hard to get used to, compare to an Xbox 360 controller. You would think that more buttons would be harder but Dylan did not.

            One game that I have never beaten is Mega Man X. I remember the day my brother received the game as a birthday present. He would never actually play the game; he would just watch me play. I could play through the game fine but as soon as I reached the first of four final bosses, a giant robotic spider, I would stress out and die. When I was younger, I could never figure out how to dodge the spider as it came down from top to bottom. Recently I turned on my old Super Nintendo Entertainment System and played Mega Man X. I reached the giant spider and beat it. I was so proud of myself; I jumped out of my chair and cheered. Of course it was too soon, I died on the next boss, a giant vehicle that splits in to two and charges at the player. I don’t think that the game was poorly designed, I believe that I lacked of skills to beat it. Even though I never beat Mega Man X, it is still one of my favorite games of all time.

BRAND NEW STARCRAFT II ONLINE UNITS!!

     Here are pictures of the new units for Heart of the Swarm shown at Blizzcon! (starting with Protoss, then Terran, and finally Zerg) Enjoy!

 

Here are the NEW Protoss Units... No official names have been released yet...

New Protoss Air to Air Fighter

Here is the Unit using a charged splash attack, much like the Corsair from Brood War

Here is a New Ground Protoss Unit

Here you can see the unit "transform" into the Tearran Siege Tank... I don't know if it is mech only

 

 Here is the New Terran Transforming Ground Unit

Here you can see the New Terran Mech use a flamer thrower for its main attack

Here is a New Terran Mech Walker, equipped with Missiles and Lasers

Here is the New Terran Mech Walker using missiles while attacking a Protoss ground force...

Here are the New Zerg Units, ground and air

Here is a new Zerg Burrowing Unit...

Here you can see the New Zerg Unit burrowing...

From the purple sacs on its back it seems to be spawning some sort of small melee unit, like the Broodling...

Here is the New Zerg Flyer...

Here you can see the New Zerg Flyer shoot out a tentacle at a nearby Colossus...

 Here you can see the New Zerg Flyer pull the Colossus towards itself...

 

Here you can see the Colossus down on the low ground...

I will try to update more on these units as Blizzcon continues, so stay tuned :D

*UPDATE

Here are some images just uploaded from PC Gamer, that has the names and a description of the new units. Enjoy!

*UPDATED AGAIN

Here are some pictures of the Shredder... Enjoy!

Revising Responding to Pop Culture (My English Comp. Final)

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

Daniel Weimer

English Composition

Brett Pribble

October 19, 2011

Original Post

                        Video games, there have been many best selling, award-winning industry changers. But what makes a great game? Some plus are next generation graphics, a compelling storyline, advance game mechanics, or having a never before seen game engine. Not all of these are required to have a Game of the Year Award; an award giving by different video game magazines or websites. For example, Fallout 3, which came out in 2008, won Game of the Year, even though the Gamebryo engine that was used is horrible and the graphics were barely up to par. A different example could be 1998’s Zelda: Ocarina of Time; which at the time had revolutionary game mechanics, next generation graphics, and an extremely immersive story. Blizzard Entertainment is notorious for making best selling Game of the Year award winning computer games. Every game that Blizzard Entertainment has released has received a Game of the Year Award, some earning more than one.

            One game in particular, that I enjoy, is StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. StarCraft, one of the best-selling games of all time, was released in March of 1998. Twelve years, Blizzard Entertainment did it again with the release of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. StarCraft is a science fiction real time strategy computer game. StarCraft is widely known as one of the greatest real time strategy games, along with Dune. Based off the criteria set above, Wings of Liberty has a compelling story, crisp graphics, a Blizzard made engine and a widely accredited, free online multiplayer network. Though the graphics are a few years old, they were revised many times to make StarCraft look as clean as possible. The online service also has some latency issues; otherwise having a free online network to use is a huge plus.

            I think StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is popular because of its worldwide fame. Countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia all have dedicated servers for players in the respected countries. Also, StarCraft II is one of the most bought computer games ever. In South Korea and the United States StarCraft and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty are considered an electronic sport, or ESport. There are thousands of people who go to these ESport tournament events to watch gamers, from around the world, compete against each other for cash prizes. These ESports events and the number of StarCraft teams have well known sponsors, such as; Intel, SteelSeries and Monster Energy.

            Now, StarCraft is not for everyone. Blizzard Entertainment targeted gamers who played StarCraft and younger players that enjoy other Blizzard games. I have met people from the ages of 5 to 45 years old who play Wings of Liberty. I feel that StarCraft and Blizzard Entertainment are important to my generation of gamers because those who played the first StarCraft have a nostalgic feeling towards the game. While the younger player get exposed to a game and company that has been so influential to the video gaming industry, for many years.

 

Revised Post

                        Through out the years, there have been many best-selling, award-winning industry changing video games, but what makes a game great? Some pluses are next generation graphics, a compelling storyline, advance game mechanics, an online feature or having a never before seen game engine. An example could be 1998’s Zelda: Ocarina of Time; which at the time had revolutionary game mechanics, next generation graphics, and an extremely immersive story. William O’Neal, from CNet, has said that Zelda: Ocarina of Time “represents what a platformer is capable of being. With a ton of side missions, minigames, and compelling puzzle levels.”  (O’Neal, 2006) Blizzard Entertainment is notorious for producing Game of the Year award winning computer games. Every game that Blizzard Entertainment has released, has received a Game of the Year Award, some earning more than one.

            One game in particular, that I enjoy, is StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. StarCraft, one of the best-selling games of all time was released in March of 1998. Twelve years later, Blizzard Entertainment did it again with the release of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. StarCraft is a science fiction real time strategy computer game. StarCraft is also on CNet’s Top 10 list at number 2. (O’Neal, 2006) StarCraft is widely known as one of the greatest real time strategy games, along with Dune. Based off the criteria set above, Wings of Liberty has a compelling story, crisp graphics, a Blizzard made engine and a widely accredited, free online multiplayer networking service. Macworld associate editor, Chris Holt has said that StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty has “once again raise the bar on sci-fi real-time strategy” games. (Holt, 2010) One thing that many reviewers have noticed is that Wings Of Liberty is still true to the core mechanics of the first StarCraft. IGN, a major gaming magazine, has given StarCraft II a 9.0/10 rating. (Onyett, 2010) IGN editor, Charles Onyett has said StarCraft II has “incredibly high production values throughout, from the cut-scenes to the interface and menus across campaign and multiplayer modes.” (Onyett, 2010) Onyett also has said that StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty “is one of the most fully featured, expertly designed, and impressively refined real-time strategy experiences on the market.” (Onyett, 2010)

            I think StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is popular because of its worldwide fame. Countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia all have dedicated Battle.net servers. Battle.net is the free online service that Blizzard Entertainment provides. Also, StarCraft II is one of the most bought computer games ever, selling over 11 million copies. (Mayor, 2010) In South Korea and the United States StarCraft and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty are considered an electronic sport, or ESport. There are thousands of people who go to these ESport tournament events to watch gamers, from around the world, compete against each other for cash prizes. In South Korea alone “professional players can earn upward of $100,000 a year.” (Mayor, 2010) Some professional gamers in South Korea have “fan clubs and websites devoted” to them. (Bellos, 2007) These ESports events and a number of StarCraft teams have well known sponsors, like Intel, SteelSeries and Monster Energy.

            Now, StarCraft is not for everyone. Blizzard Entertainment targeted gamers who played StarCraft and younger players that enjoy other Blizzard games, like World of WarCraft, WarCraft III, and Diablo II. I have met people from the ages of 5 to 45 years old who play Wings of Liberty. I feel that StarCraft and Blizzard Entertainment are important to my generation of gamers because those who played the first StarCraft have a nostalgic feeling towards the game and are appreciative to be able to play this long awaited sequel. While the younger players get exposed to a game and company that has been so influential to the video gaming industry, for many years. With ESports on the rise, I feel like StarCraft and Blizzard Entertainment will soon be household names, along with other popular up and coming video games.

References

O'Neal, W. (2006). Top 10 video games. Retrieved from http://www.cnet.com/1990-11136_1-6310088-1.html

Holt, C. (2010, July 31). Starcraft ii: wings of liberty. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/202291/starcraft_ii_wings_of_liberty.html

Onyett, C. (2010, August 3). Starcraft ii wings of liberty review. Retrieved from http://pc.ign.com/articles/110/1108642p1.html

Mayor, N. M. (2010, July 27). Starcraft ii shows decade of polish in slick new presentation. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/07/starcraft-2-impressions/

Bellos, A. (2007, June 29). Rise of the e-sports superstars . Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/6252524.stm

Reflection

            It took me about a day and a half to finish revising my paper. I read the piece maybe four or five times. It was easier to prove my point now, since we are allowed the use of sources. I probably changed or added about 30 to 35% of the original paper. I tried to keep in mind the points that Mr. Pribble talked about, my grammatical errors and run-on sentences. I felt more confident about this piece compared to the original because I could express my feelings towards StarCraft and supply a professional opinion on the points I was trying to make.

            Like I said earlier, the researched that I conducted helped boost my confidents. Also, I believe that the paper is more stable with the facts that the research provided. Over the ten or so sources that I found, all but two supported my thoughts. The two in questions didn’t talk about the game as a whole, mainly talking about one or two small features in the game.

            Over the month we have learned how to write our opinion down on paper. In the beginning of the month, I felt like my writing was very poor and could be improved upon. Over this month’s assignments, I felt the practice of writing and researching has helped me greatly. I truly feel that the revised piece is much better than the original.

Letter to the R&R HoF

Dear Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Induction Committee,

            My name is Daniel Weimer. I am 21 years old and I am from Martinez, California. I am a student at Full Sail University, in Winter Park, Florida, taking the Game Design BS online program. This week I have an assignment to nominate a person to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The person I would like to nominate is the musician, producer and entrepreneur Travis Barker, the drummer for Blink-182.

            Travis Barker was born November 14, 1975 in Fontana, California. He has been playing drums since he was 4 years old. (Drum Lessons, 2011) At the age of 5, Travis began taking drumming lessons from a local jazz drummer. (Drummer World, 2010) Travis Barker has played for many different bands, such as; Blink-182, Transplants, Box Car Racer, +44 and The Aquabats. He also features playing drums for other musicians, such as; DJ AM, Black Eyed Peas, Slash, The Game and Pharell. Travis is also an entrepreneur, starting his own clothing company, Famous Stars and Straps. Travis Barker also works with DC Shoe Company, Orange County Drum and Percussion and Zildjian, having his own line for each company respectively. In 2004 Travis started his own record company, called LaSalle Records.  He has also opened a Wahoo’s Fish Taco restaurant in Norco, California. (Drum Lessons, 2011) Barker survived a plane crash in 2008, which took the lives of four others that were on board. This experience has caused him to live a healthier lifestyle.

            Travis Barker has won numerous awards over his 18-year career. Blink-182 has won “Teen Choice Award(s), a Blockbuster Music Award … and Best Group Video” (Drummer World, 2010) at the MTV Awards in 2000. They also won Best New Act at the MTV Europe Awards. (Drummer World, 2010) In total Blink-182 has won 10 awards. Blink-182 has been on Billboard’s Top 200, Top 100 and America’s Top-40. (Drummer World, 2010) The band’s best-selling album, “Enema of the State,” sold over 15 million copies around the world. (Drum Lessons, 2011) Blink-182 has performed on Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show, as well as featured in a number of movies. (Drum Lessons, 2011) Travis Barker himself has been on the cover of many different magazines.

            In conclusion, I believe in 7 years, when he is eligible, Travis Barker should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has a long record of being an innovator and he aspires to be the greatest drummer of all time. Barker has given joy to millions of people with the music that he has produced; and I believe that he will continue making music that will inspire millions more.

Sincerely,

Daniel Weimer

References:

Drum Lessons. (2011). Travis barker biography, videos & pictures. Retrieved from http://www.drumlessons.com/drummers/travis-barker/

Drummer World. (2010). Travis barker. Retrieved from http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Travis_Barker.html

Rain

I woke to the sound of drops of water hitting my window sill. If felt like home. There are somethings I miss and think about. There are some people that I miss and think about as well. The rain felt refreshing. No worries, no judgement just the pools of water. I always think back to those days with old friends huddled around a bench. I think about her and how we used to be, but now happy how things turned out. The cool air smells so clean. So relaxing. Now thinking about new things. And thinking about new people. I wanted to let you know that I am okay. I am fine. Here with the rain, everything is okay. I am ... happy...

The First Full Length Advengers Trailer

For those who didn't see the teaser at the end of the Captain America: The First Avenger movie, here is a full length trailer that just came out! Enjoy :D

Responding to Pop Culture

            Video games, there have been many best selling, award-winning industry changers. But what makes a great game? Some plus are next generation graphics, a compelling storyline, advance game mechanics, or having a never before seen game engine. Not all of these are required to have a Game of the Year Award; an award giving by different video game magazines or websites. For example, Fallout 3, which came out in 2008, won Game of the Year, even though the Gamebryo engine that was used is horrible and the graphics were barely up to par. A different example could be 1998’s Zelda: Ocarina of Time; which at the time had revolutionary game mechanics, next generation graphics, and an extremely immersive story. Blizzard Entertainment is notorious for making best selling Game of the Year award winning computer games. Every game that Blizzard Entertainment has released has received a Game of the Year Award, some earning more than one.

            One game in particular, that I enjoy, is StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. StarCraft, one of the best-selling games of all time, was released in March of 1998. Twelve years, Blizzard Entertainment did it again with the release of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. StarCraft is a science fiction real time strategy computer game. StarCraft is widely known as one of the greatest real time strategy games, along with Dune. Based off the criteria set above, Wings of Liberty has a compelling story, crisp graphics, a Blizzard made engine and a widely accredited, free online multiplayer network. Though the graphics are a few years old, they were revised many times to make StarCraft look as clean as possible. The online service also has some latency issues; otherwise having a free online network to use is a huge plus.

            I think StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is popular because of its worldwide fame. Countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia all have dedicated servers for players in the respected countries. Also, StarCraft II is one of the most bought computer games ever. In South Korea and the United States StarCraft and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty are considered an electronic sport, or ESport. There are thousands of people who go to these ESport tournament events to watch gamers, from around the world, compete against each other for cash prizes. These ESports events and the number of StarCraft teams have well known sponsors, such as; Intel, SteelSeries and Monster Energy.

            Now, StarCraft is not for everyone. Blizzard Entertainment targeted gamers who played StarCraft and younger players that enjoy other Blizzard games. I have met people from the ages of 5 to 45 years old who play Wings of Liberty. I feel that StarCraft and Blizzard Entertainment are important to my generation of gamers because those who played the first StarCraft have a nostalgic feeling towards the game. While the younger player get exposed to a game and company that has been so influential to the video gaming industry, for many years.

The Power of Voice

Here is the link for the podcast below: http://storycorps.org/listen/stories/max-voelz/

            “She died on an incident that I sent her on.” is about a married couple, Max and Kimberly Voelz, who severed in the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit in 2003 in Iraq. Kimberly Voelz was sent on a mission to defuse an explosive. The bomb exploded and took off her leg. Max Voelz went to the hospital and stayed by his wife’s side until she passed. Max still receives letters from the government saying, “Mrs. Voelz we are sorry for the lost of your husband…” which makes Max feel like him and his wife do not exist. (Voelz)

            As I was looking through the podcasts that were available Max Voelz’s picture caught my eye. I also read the short summary and felt like this would be perfect for the project. After listening to the podcast, I felt bad for how Mr. Voelz has been treated and for what he has been through. Losing his wife on a mission that he sent her on is devastating.

            Hearing Max Voelz’s voice and reading a story is completely different. Hearing Mr. Voelz narrate his story about him telling his wife that he “loved her and didn’t want her to die,” (Voelz) is extremely emotionally evoking. Also hearing him say that he feels “like no one knows that (they) exist,” (Voelz) makes me feel horrible because for what he has done for our country and for what he has lost. Losing the love of your life under any circumstances is terrible, but hearing him talk about it really makes me think. I know when I read a story in the newspaper or online it doesn’t evoke as much feeling to actually hearing the story from the person firsthand.

            If I had to record my own StoryCorps episode, my story would be about leaving my home behind and moving to a different country. I am from Martinez, California and I am currently living in Incheon, South Korea. I would like to tell people to not be afraid to move another country, even if you can’t speak the language or if you know nothing of the country’s culture. My transition from an American culture to an Asian culture took some time to get used to but I now know what to do and what not to do. Plus you have to think about all of the opportunities you will have to experience while in a new environment and all the people you could meet and network with. Life is meant to be experienced and you shouldn’t be afraid of change.

Reference:

Voelz, M. (Performer). (n.d.). “She died on an incident that I sent her on.” [Audio podcast]. StoryCorps. Retrieved from http://storycorps.org/listen/stories/max-voelz/

The Complaint Box

           There are many different types for people in the world. Many people are polite and well mannered, while others don’t seem to know what the meaning of respect is. There are people who interrupt, display a disgusting habit and people who portray an “I don’t care” behavior. The people who annoy me the most are those who love to stare. The feeling of strangers’ eyes affixed on me fills be with rage or I have a feeling of wanting to know why.

            I have been living outside of the United State for two years; I am now living in Incheon, South Korea. I remember when I first got off the plane; my parents took me out to a Korean restaurant for dinner. When we walked through the doors everyone already inside looked in our direction. Once I noticed that everyone was looking at us I felt like I was being judge because I look different. The feeling of judgment automatically changed to anger and when all of the customers eventually went back to their meals, the feeling subsided. Ever since then, whenever I go out or meet with friends I constantly catch people who cannot seem to stop and stare.

            I feel as if there is something wrong with me or I am not good enough. I understand that some older Koreans do not like foreigners and there are some young Korean people who have never met someone from outside of the country, but that barely helps my predicament. I have tried many times to understand why people stare and how to force people to stop staring. When I catch someone staring, I now try to confront the person in some way, be it saying hi to the younger suspects or I just stare right back. I have found that a stare off can easily extinguish the situation. It is still an issue that I deal with and tried to surpress.