loveme4whoiam
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Posts posted by loveme4whoiam
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Indeed, EA can go do something unpleasant, possibly to do with bowel movements, I am lezving 2142 well alone. Unfortunately, some guys in my clan want to get it as a stop-gap for ETQW because everyones tired of not playing any more :s
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I've just polished off Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton, and I have to say it was one of the most satisfying reads I've had in many years. The characters are wonderfully solid and thought-out, and the storyline is perfectly paced. I thought at the start that it was a bit jarring to have so many minor characters introduced, but about half-way/two-thirds of the way through everything suddenly clicks and you understand why he didn't wait to introduce them. Some sections which focus on a single subject, for instance the explanation of the "main" aliens in the book, are exceptional in bringing comprehension swiftly to the reader. I would heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone, even if they aren't sci-fi fans. Now, if only my library stocked the sequel Judas Unchained I'd be set - as it is, I have to buy them both from work :P
Also finished reading A Regimental Affair by (Brigadier) Allann Mallison. I think I would have been better served by starting at the beginning of the Matthew Hervey series, as Mallison doesn't put a great deal of explanation of the past into the story; compared to Cornwell, who does enough that anyone could pick up any of his books, out of order, and instantly comprehend the characters and their histories. The language is also a shade jarring, being exceedingly 19th century. While I don't mind it - indeed, I enjoy reading a book of that style - it does interrupt the flow of the story a little, and would certainly spoil the book for anyone who doesn't "get" the style of writing quickly. Also, there is very little - actually, there is no action whatsoever in the book. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the excellence of Bernard Cornwell's falir for action sequences, but there is nothing in the book that comes even close to that level. Again, perhaps I should have read the first two which sound like they would contain a bit more vigour. As it is, while I enjoy the characters (I think the period writing style makes it all the easier to hate Lt. Col. Towcester) I wouldn't re-read this book - but I would read its follow-on, or a prequel.
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Guess you won't be interested in the tasy-looking new sequel Stampede :P
I'm currently subjugated the Illyrians in Rome: Total Realism mod for RTW. I have plans to expand into Thrace and mayeb Macedon, thanks to a strong naval blockade keeping Carthage well and truly bankrupt :D Arm-chair generalling is fun 8)
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Really? Everyone I've talked to about it says its pish - I haven't summoned the energy to see it yet. On the "youth in WWII" theme I read a book years ago, called something like "Land of the Rising Sun", about a lad whose parents are killed in Shanghai and then being somehow sent to an internment camp. As I recall it was an excellent book, well worht the read. If only I could remember its name... :)
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I found this mildly amusing. I was wandering around Anvil's docks after finishing a Fighter's Guild quest, and spoke to a random NPC and noticed a NPC's name as a topic (Thorindle, something like that). Apparently, he was "a very confused young man; docile though". Not thinking much of it, I proceeded to carry on down the docks in time to see a fist-fight start between a random Khajiit and, of course, this Thorindle. Ah, the amusement :D
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My friends are huge fans of The Subways, they saw them last year in Bristol and said they were great, but frankly on their album they sound terrible. I'll probably get dragged to see them unless there's someone else I want to see then. Wolfmother aren't bad, I've listened to about half of their album and it sounds fun.
Then again, the show-stoppers of last year are going to be hard to beat. Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl drumming, hell yeah) Iron Maiden :ohmy:, Marilyn Manson (although for the entire show he had an, erm, itch in his crotch area :mellow:), they were all great showmen, and the headliners for this year are a bit naff in comparison. Muse will be good though, as long as they do their old stuff as well as stuff from their new album.
And oh yeah, The Killers last year were terrible. Spot-on musically, but all the charisma of a constipated dog. They said about 5 words to the crowd - it would have been better to stick a stereo on the stage than have them play. Avoid :D
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I just discovered that I can go to Reading Festival this year, the greatest (probably) rock music festival in the country - well, if you excuse Download, which was a bit harcore for my tastes, and apparently Guns 'n' Roses were awful :P So right now I'm currently hunting fown as much music of the smaller bands that are playing as I can, for research purposes.
So far, Anti-Flag, Millencolin, The Like, and a couple other ones sound good. There's loads of girl-fronted bands this year, which I'm all for as I like the sound of female voices backed up by hard-core guitars, something you don't hear too much of. Then there's the bigger names - Franz Ferdinand (although headliners? Give me a break), Kaiser Chiefs, Muse (yay!), Coheed and Cambria (oh baby), Jet, Hundred Reasons, Killswitch Engage (under all these other bands :o) Slayer, and so many other. Check out lineup and go green with envy because the tickets are all sold out :D: http://www.meanfiddler.com/displayPage_rea...58&URLID=67
Damn, this post soudns like an advert. Don't ban me, please!!
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Excellent :D I have yet to complete Oblivion, in fact I have yet to advance in it almost at all, as I've been diverted by other games and exams. Fortunately, these have now all finished, and I only await August 17th to see which university I'm packed off to - Kent at Canterbury (woo!) or Wolverhampton (boo - no offense to any locals there, but I much prefer Canterbury).
Enjoy the Spanish sunshine in Spain Dark0ne - to repeat the advice given to me when I went on holiday by members of the board, take plenty of beads to trade with the natives. Also a camel or two (or horse, considering it's Spain) to buy back your sister if your brother-in-law to-be is a jerk ;)
Looking forward to further updates to the site, I especially like the voting system as it has helped my mod selection no end. If I can suggest a feature for your to-do list? Being able to rank the mods of each category by voted score would be nice - I know No. of Downloads does a similar thing but I'm picky :)
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I dunno if its in a series, although I think it might have something to do with a vampyre book he did a while ago, I'm not sure - I don't deal with the kids section :D
Theta and karkarinus, that sounds about right, more fool me for not recognising it :D Fortunately I've now found a new author who is ace, Peter K. Hamilton. I'm currently reading Pandora's Star and, as the blurb reviews say, he makes intelligent space opera work. I would recommend it to anyone - don't be put off by the size of it (800+ pages in the hardback) you really don't notice it, and the sci-fi terms are so much better handled than D ick, it feels so natural.
Anyways, that's that one. I have a question though, has anyone read Tom Clancy, and if so what do you think of his works?
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Erm, too lazy to do an exact quote :D but its generally used in the context of describing someone as old, but more as the stage post-growing old, possibly some sort of life-extension process. Its a bit hard to explain, especially since the author *string of top-row-of-the-keyboard-symbols* doesn't say anywhere in the book, just dropping it in and expecting the reader to know what it means.
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Okay, I finished Cantata-140, and I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed. It was pretty short, as I said, but I got the feeling that Monsieur %&$! (other string of Shift-Num symbols) didn't know if he was writing a short story or a novel. He adds in quite a bit of side-stuff that would be good in a novel as they could be explored further, but in a short story seem tacked on and makes the rest of the story unwieldy. Added to that, he steams through the story at a breakneck pace which makes comprehension of the instant changes to the storyline, not helped by the aforementioned "tech-lingo" (even now, I'm still not sure what a jerry is).
Theres some attempts at philosophy in terms of racial differences, but if that is supposed to be the main "message" of the book it comes across garbled and half-cut. The characters are inconsistent in their behaviour (especially in the latter stages of the story), or at least exhibit behaviour that would have been understandable had the author taken the time to explain it.
Overall, a bit naff unfortunately. Its probably wrong to judge an author by a single book (for instance, I took a disliking to Terry Pratchett after reading Truckers when I was 7; look what a mistake I made there :D) but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Perhaps I should read one of his more famous books, Minority Report perhaps, to see if those are better.
Those links turn up bad by the way karkarinus, but I had a glance at the page after searching Wiki. An, erm, interesting man to say the least.
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The Darren Shan books have been pretty popular in sales, and the final one (I think) called Slawter (Darren Shan may be a good author, but not a good speller :P) has just been released. My sister is reading through them, which is damned surprising since she hardly reads anything, so I guess that's something in their favour.
Just started a Philip K. %&$! story, fairly short by my standards but thats not a bad thing, called Cantata-140, as it was the only one in the local library :dry: So far, seems interesting. He instantly jumps into the story and expects the reader to pick up the intricacies (poor sp) of the story and sci-fi tech-terms very quickly, which can be a bit jolting. I've only just realised that the 'scutter this character is repairing is not a robot hoover, but in fact a teleporter :huh:. Like I said, not much in the way of explanation. I shall inform further when I've finished :D
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We have loads of Iain M. Banks stuff in store (Waterstones - your local book store :P), and that was one of the guys I knew I'd left off my list. Cheers for the reminder of Dan Simmons, and for the recommendation. I only mentioned them because the covers are shiny and good-looking :blush:
Never really liked the look of Stephen King - I'm not one for horror movies or books, although I have it on good authority that Rats by James Herbert is scary as hell. C.S. Lewis enjoyed something of a rebirth in sales when the Narnia film came out, but nothing like as spectacular as LotR did, of course. I'm thinking about reading one of his religious texts just to see what he was going on about.
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Thud! is one of the best books I have ever read - no book apart from that one has actually made me cry out "NO!!" whilst reading at 2AM. It even knocked off Men at Arms as my favourite Pratchett book.
So I'll stop now before I get going :P I am a total Bernard Cornwell fan - I love the Sharpe books, they are the reason I'm going into the career I am, and the new Uhtred series that he is writing now. And what's more, I might even meet him in August if our shop manages to win negotiations with HarperCollins :D
I'm currently looking to diversify what I read - I'm such a completist with the two above authors that I haven't read much else. I read Da Vinci Code (like everyone else in the country, apparently three times over judging by the sales :dry: ) I prefered Angels and Demons to DVC as it took a more even-handed look at the Church (not that I don't mind DVC's attacks on it) and kept the reader twisting and turning a bit more. I'm not generally into thrillers/conspiracy theory stuff so I can't really judge it in the genre.
I've just read two David Gemmel books, apparently the "master of heroic fantasy". And I'll admit, he's pretty good at that. The most recent one I've read reads just like how one wishes online RPs would play. However, he rushes through the story a bit too fast for me, especially in Sword In The Storm - that book could have been double the thickness and not suffered a jot. Maybe that's just my taste though.
I'd like to read some David and Leigh Eddings books (because there are so many it'll take me a while) and maybe some sci-fi, Isaac Asimov or... damn, can't remember the guy's name. Wrote Hyperion at any rate. Can anyone recommend something in those genres?
Oh yes, and I want to read some of Macdonald Fraser's Flashman books, just because in the blurb of them Flashman is described as a "cad and a bounder". Nothing with a character description like that can be bad :D
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*Waits 'til the mods see this one and remove the evil and corruptign topic from the forums :P*
In seriousness though, good luck with the TC. I would offer my services but I'm currently working on my own project. Keep us up-to-date with the development :D (assuming the mods allow this unholy subject to be talked about :P)
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A guy in my clan has already shown me two links in the totalbf2 forums listing just dumb stuff that has occurred through the vehicle air-drop feature. To echo all of those wise gamers, and myself when I first heard about the feature - Unthought-out gimmick. I'd be disappointed if I hadn't expected EA to screw the game even more.
I wonder if BF 2142 will sell a single copy....
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Ratfactor? Seek help. Immediately ;D
The only really amusing story I've had so far (aside from the usual mistakes one makes while swinging a sword about; they should know better than to stand near me) was when I rode out of Chorral (I think), and just as I rode past a boulder an arrow whistled out of nowhere to stick out of my horse's flank.
After a second to marvel at the AI, I got off, at which point the horse barrells over and clobbers the hapless bandit to death. So once I've looted the body, I turn around to get back on the road, when I notice a second bandit, who'd apparently had a tiff with the bow-wielding one, lying dead in the road clearly riddled with arrows. That was good for a laugh.
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I get paid at 00:01 tonight - I swear that twelve hours shall not pass from that time before I get Oblivion. How fortunate that my PC troubles (ie, lack of one) were literally resolved today!
I feel your pain Stampede. I'll be sure to take plenty of screenshots for you *runs away*
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Erunanion looked blankly at Fairgoth for a moment. "I do beg your pardon, I completely failed to comprehend your meaning. If you would grant me a moment, I shall write out my list in the proper manner and return it to you." Borrowing a sheet of parchment, quill and ink, Erunanion went back to the table where the four of them had gathered. Looking up for the others, he then forgot them as he bent to his task. His hand was not beautiful to look at, as he very rarely practiced the scholary arts the Temple priests had beaten into him, but it was legible. Hoping that his knowledge of his companions was full and accurate, he wrote out what he knew.
The Party of Erunanion, Ralaith, Gnaag, and Emerelda
Name: Erunanion
Race: Dunmer
Age: 55
Weapons: Plain steel longsword, and a longbow
Armour: Mail over netch leather, no shield or helm. A large cloak.
Potions: Two small health potions
Scrolls: None
Enchanted Items: An Increase Luck amulet (DM's choice of power)
Other: A small knife
Name: Ralaith
Race: Dunmer
Age: 45-55
Weapons: Twin silvered longknives and a pack of 15 ebony darts
Armour: Full set of reinforced Dark Brotherhood Armor, minus the helm. Traveling cloak, no use in battle, but aids when sneaking in the darkness.
Potions: 6 healing, 6 poison, 2 restore fatigue
Scrolls: None
Enchanted items: Two rings: one of fortify agility and speed, one of chameleon and sneak. 1 charge on each. One amulet: medium-level shock on Target, one second resist shock on self. 4 charges.
Other: Carving knife (no use in battle) and a pouch of 20 small pieces of raw ebony (able to make 3 darts out of each piece, but it requires time).
Name: Gnaag
Race: Bosmer
Age: 30
Weapons: Steel dagger
Armour: A buckler
Potions: Four health potions
Scrolls: None
Other: An Increase Speechcraft ring
Name: Emerelda
Race: Bosmer
Age: 25
Weapons: Two daggers
Armour: None
Potions: None
Scrolls: None
Other: Three Master lockpicks
Erunanion completed writing out the document, then took it back to Fairgoth along with the writing implements. He now just awaited Fairgoth's approval and the assembly of the rest of the party before they departed into battle.
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[OOC] Apologies for my absence, I have had major PC troubles, and I'm currently using my old one so I can post :( [/OOC]
Erunanion looked about, surprised by Ralaith and Emerelda's absences. His eyes flicked over to Gnaag, and remembered the display of healing powers he had shown. He nodded, gruffly, but was mildly impressed. "Good enough," he said, "I have travelled with far greater healers in my time but none of those are here today. I'll travel into Oblivion with you." He grinned. "I would also travel with Emerelda, except for her absence. Indeed, Ralaith appears to have vanished as well. No matter, I am sure he has also consented to our joining of forces. I assume, once they have returned, we are all ready to depart, Gnaag?"
He suddenly heard more of Fairgoth's words within his head - the delicate but precise voice entering into his mind was becoming familiar, but no less invigorating. At her words, he mentally tallied his own equipment, and what he knew of his companions'. He, Erunanion, of the Dunmer people and of middling age (truth be told, his parentage was not exact - he only new he had come into this world roughly fifty-five years ago. His arms were those of a ranger - a plain steel sword, and a longbow. The arrows for his bow, long ash staves with steel heads, were kept in a bag that hung from his belt. His armour too reflected his battleclass; netch leather armour under a mail vest, which he donned from his pack in preparation. He carried with him two small health potions, and a small knife, nothing more, save an amulet which was said to bring luck to whomever wore it. After he pulled the mail vets over tight onto his chest, he regarded the amulet. It had not brought him much fortune in the past, but it never hurt to aid the fate that you make for yourself. He slipped it on over his head; it hung from a simple silver chain.
Of Ralaith he knew only what he had been told whilst conversing, before the attack on Fairgoth by the atronachs and that demon of Mehrunes Dagon. He was also of the Dunmer blood, but seemed of indeterminate age. Ralaith's weapons seemed formidable - his hand-crafted darts were exquisite, as were the twin knives; the intricate silver detailing along the blades made them shimmer as Ralaith skillfully handled them. His armour, taken from a Dark Brotherhood member, looked sturdy if not, on the surface, in good repair. Erunanion knew of no potions or magical artifacts which Ralaith carried.
Erunanion was less certain of what equipment his other two companions had, but set out to remember them also. Gnaag, a Bosmer, looked to be of around 30 years, had only a steel dagger with some gaudy and obviously fake gems inlaid into the pommel for defense, and no armour to speak of. He wore a ring upon one finger, which seemed to aid his already impressive verbal skills, and apart from his healing powers had no other magical device that Erunanion could see, although he had said he would acquire some healing potions from Fairgoth, along with a buckler should she be able to supply one.
Of the acrobatic Emerelda, whose dagger he had already been acquainted with (she had mentioned finding a second dagger, along with some lockpicks - Erunanion assumed she would get these things from Fairgoth). He was unsure of her age, but she appeared to be veyr young in his eyes. A Bosmer like Gnaag, her acrobatic skills made any armour she might have worn unnecessary, so she wore none. Erunanion had not seen her with any other implements, magical or otherwise, save the lockpicks she wished to acquire.
When he was certain of his information in his own mind, he approached Fairgoth and, once she was ready, told her of all of this. He then took a step back. and waited for his companions to return for their adventure to begin.
[OOC] Guys, if any of this is wrong or incomplete PM me and I'll edit it - I've also sent this lot as a PM to Malchik. Hope no-one minds me doing this :) [/OOC]
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Erunanion looked over at Fairgoth, who seemed none the worse for her battle with that minion of Oblivion. Whilst waiting for a response to his and Ralaith's questions, he checked all of the equipment he was going to take with him into the otherworld.
His sword was still in its fleece-lined sheath, and in a pouch at his waist he had two spare bowstrings for the bowstave he carried in his left hand - he had plenty of arrows, so had no need to beg for more from Fairgoth. His netch leather armour was in fairly good repair, and the chainmail vest in his pack was almost new. Also in his pack were two small potions of healing, his small knife for gathering herbs to be used when the potions ran out, and a small amulet which he'd taken from one battlefield or other. A Temple priest had told him it would bring him luck, but he'd not noticed anything especial happen to him while wearing it.
Erunanion still waited patiently for Gnaag and Emerelda to answer him - he was anxious to join battle.
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Erunanion continued looking forward as Emeralda suddenly sprung onto the bar and thence onto his back. His expression remained impassive and slightly distainful, but her speed and agility had astonished him. Not least, the feel of her legs wrapped around his chest reminded him just how long it had been since he had last felt such intimate contact.
Clearing his throat, he was about to speak when Ralaith moved like a ghost and appeared at the Bosmer's shoulder. Even with his heightened elvish hearing he could not take out what he said to her, but assumed that it was not pleasant, perhaps taking exception to her fancy acrobatics and half-threats.
Erunanion nodded when Ralaith challenged them both, but Emerelda's revelation of knowing a healer interested him. His own skills in that art were paltry; and he was accutely aware of what a difference a healer could make to a party. Once on an expedition to clear out an egg-mine near Gnisis in Morrowind he had been poisoned by a Kwama Warrior, and had nearly died from the wound before his companions could rush him to the nearest Temple. From that day on he always ensured a healer travelled with him - the scar of the Kwama claw was an ever-present reminder of his own mortality; and he would be damned if he would enter the bleak otherworld of Oblivion without a skilled healer, at least, not if one could be found.
Before either Gnaag or Emerelda could respond to Ralaith's questions, he spoke. "You mentioned knowing a healer. Tell us more of here, and quickly, and you might redeem yourself for that little display." It was hard for him to keep a straight face; the beguiling memory of her light voice in his ear amused him.
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Erunanion stumbled forwards, his blade spearing empty air. He felt bewildered, but tried to appear calm as he sheathed his sword and looked at the tavern's occuptants. Spotting the bard who had been speaking to himself and Ralaith, he walked over to him. He saw a young Bosmer approach him, and waited for them to speak to each other before speaking himself. Whilst waiting, he decided to ask this newcomer what skills she might possess also - he was anxious to form a working party and depart into Oblivion. He hoped Ralaith would not mind his asking on both their behalfs. After the Bosmer, whose name was Emeralda, had finished talking he stepped forward.
"Forgive my interruption, but before that happened-" he waved a hand behind him at the blood-splattered decals of the tavern, "Gnaag here was good enough to answer my companion's question about his skills.
"Your skills in Alteration and Illusion could be useful, as could your quick tongue and way with locks. But tell me, what use are you in battle? I did not notice you attacking those usurpers. But then, perhaps you are not that sort of party member. In all the groups I have led, we have always had a skilled healer with us to keep us fit and ready for battle. Do you have any skills in this art?"
He turned to Emeralda. "If I may so bold, can I ask what skills that might aid our party that you might have? While I would hesitate before placing you in any kind of danger we are in need of a healer, or anyone who might have abilities that could aid us in our mission against the beasts of Mehunes Dagon."
Erunanion let out a deep breath, as if purging himself of the adrenaline he had felt flow through him when the atronachs had unveiled themselves. He awaited their answers with interest. He had already decided that perhaps he should invite the Breton Gnaag to join the party, as he possessed no such light-fingered abilities as he did, nor did he know if Ralaith had similar qualities.
EDIT:- Taken Yeknom's post into account.
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All together everyone - Oooooo! :D
The Source engine seems to be working superbly for this site, it'll be good to see some other ones spring up soon :)