YouTube - 16ths: Dreamcast Startup Theme

Album - Adventures in Undertale

I recently played through the indie RPG, Undertale. It was a pretty good time, and I would recommend the game to anyone who's a fan of good things. This is an album with screenshots showing silly stuff and stuff that I just plain liked. Spoilers are abounding, so beware.

View post on imgur.com

Music - More Than Just Ink

Music's great, right? Beautiful sounds, dramatic sounds, discordant sounds - and even the silences. Civilization has done music since the very beginning.

Now that technology has progressed, music is available to hear and to study. I am very grateful for the neat, transcribed scores of Beethoven's symphonies, at my university, that I could peruse whilst listening to a sound recording of the very works. In the music theory classes I took, we examined a number of pieces, both on the sheet, and via the piano skills of the professor. Especially helpful were piano and voice lessons, that forced me to study and learn the pieces in far greater detail than a mere aural audit of them.

What prompted this ramble about music and a small trip down College Nostalgia Ln? I was looking at my brother's music appreciation textbook. A composition of Charles Ives in particular. "Country Band March" is full of quotes from other famous works and composers, such as Sousa's "Semper Fidelis" and folk songs of Ives' childhood. All western pieces.

And, most music theory and history classes focus primarily on western music. Classical music was created by western composers, and a good deal of popular music is dominated by western artists. The great music of legendary composers was able to be passed down due to the innovation of sheet music. As Europe perfected musical notation, composers rose to prominence. Even as far as the 20th century, sheet music was the primary way listeners were able to experience some of history's greatest gems.

In short, western music and its notation are virtually inseparable. A fact that shows its greatest strength, and greatest weakness.

What do I mean by that?

In giving us the means to preserve music, sheet music can misdirect or even redefine what music people see as music. One might grab a collection of piano pieces and think, "This is difficult music. I wonder if I'll ever be able to play it?" In this case, music is seen as the ink on the page. The quarter notes and rest marks. However, music is far more than this.

In early Christianity, the church did not refer to a building, but rather, the body of faithful. Prior to the written word, literature was the stories passed down from generation to generation. As with these cases, music should not, and cannot, be viewed as merely lines and dots in books, or a physical object.

This is not music

Other art forms can, and should, be appreciated for their physicality. The works of Michelangelo or Van Gogh are best seen on canvas, or pedestal, as the case may be. Music, though, can only truly be enjoyed through the hearing. The listening.

Don't let sheet music fool you. There's more to music than meets the eye.

MGS V - Some Thoughts on a Letter, Some Thoughts on a Number

Recently (as in the last few months) I've been getting into the lore of another fandom. Namely, that of Metal Gear Solid. I remember seeing a physical copy of the first game at my house years ago, but never got to play it because it was rated "M." Fast forward to a many years later, and I've already read up on the story and lore, and just break down and buy it as a PS One Classic.

Now the hype is increasing as the release of Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain draws near. I've just finished the 3rd game and started the 4th. Then Jamez took over and started into 4 also. And gotten further than me. ARGRH.

Anyway, the poster of Phantom Pain got me thinking.

Almost a !. So close, yet so far

The letter V, I'm sure, was chosen because it's seen as "classier" than a plain old 5. Maybe to avoid the appearance of churning out so many games. (Probably not. Anyway, if there were a 6th, I'd hope it'd be Metal Gear Solid 6, since Roman numerals can be pretty awkward to deal with in certain numbers.)

V has several meanings, though. As a music major, I immediately think of a famous V - Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. It has the famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) musical figure of three short notes followed by a long one:

Dun dun dun DUUUUH, dun dun dun DUUUUH

While looking up morse code to try to "decipher" part of a trailer (there wasn't anything there, at least not that I could find) I saw another interesting connection: the pattern short-short-short-long, present in the Fifth Symphony, was also the morse code for the letter "V."

That's all fine and dandy, you say. V = ..._ = Fifth Symphony. Big deal.

However, let's take a closer look at the motif and symphony itself. First of all, Fifth Symphony is considered to be one of Beethoven's greatest works. Ground Zeroes and Phantom Pain have the potential to be Kojima's Fifth Symphony.

The main motif of Beethoven's work is usually seen as signifying "fate," by most listeners in the public. GZ and PP are the chapters which will most likely conclude Big Boss's saga by showing his ultimate transition from anti-hero to villain. As much as we may feel for his loss at the end of Ground Zeroes, Big Boss ultimately sets in motion the development of several world-endangering Metal Gear projects, among other things. Ultimately, his fate is sealed. Yet, like the different moods within the Fifth Symphony, there is opportunity for some hope within BB's tragic tale.

The key of C minor represents a heroic struggle, much like Big Boss faces.

Anyway, enough romanticizing - the link between the two was tenuous enough.

The V on the poster vaguely resembles the font of the first PS title, and could be seen as either an upside-down "A" or a ! that got into an accident with a letter-opener. I should refrain from reading so much into a single letter, but it is interesting that the "V" does not match the font of the title of the game (Or anything else on the poster, for that matter.)

One last thing I'll say about the V: a common hand-gesture, known as the "V sign" meant at one time "victory," and can now mean that, or "peace." Big Boss suffers a major loss, and this loss was of a base built and manned during a game called "Peace Walker." On the other hand, if the gesture is reversed, it becomes an offensive one. I'm sure that at least one of the MSF felt like flashing at least that at the forces that destroyed Mother Base.

Anyway, I could go on finding thin links between real-life used of V and the V sign, and Metal Gear, but I won't. I could say something like, "V gesture can also be devil horns, and Big Boss is already a demon," but I'll quit now.

Stay hyped!

"V has come to."

Gaming - Metal Gear Solid V: The Build-Up

At first, I was going to let myself make due with having played Metal Gear Solid and read about/seen the other titles in the franchise. After all, the game is set right after MGS 3, so I wouldn't be missing too much, right?

Snake/BB eats snakes and stops the bad guys.
That's it, right?

However, we went shopping at Mr. K's. Besides the book Moby Dick, (to possibly be addressed in another post) I quickly discovered that they had MGS 2 for $8. And later we found MGS 4 at GameStop for $4.99! So I showed them to Mother, and she insisted to get them for me. And when people offer free games, who am I to argue?

I had to decide: continue the (very early) save file on 3, or begin with the much-maligned, occasionally crazy 2.

This cover is a BIG. FAT. LIAR.

In the end, I opted for 2, because why not? I figured I could see Jamez's (my brother) reactions to stuff. Like how the box art and manual lied about the player character. Or the weird characters in the game. Or how Otacon isn't the next Mei Ling.

Naturally, I began at very easy. I'm in the game to have fun and see the over-the-top story, so there's no need to try to prove myself or anything. Big Boss, I am not.

I must not despise the game myself, since my first play session lasted a little over 5 hours. Jamez was there for most of it too, so it was also bonding time! Yay!

My first impression is that there's not as much fun dialogue or voice acting. Sure, the Tanker mission lets you tease Otacon by taking *certain* pictures and has Kevin Michael Richardson (aka Bulkhead from Transformers Prime, among many other cartoons) as a speech-giving Marine commandant. However, once I got into the Plant mission, there was just Colonel Campbell, "Snake," and Rose. The reals Sna- I mean, Iroquois Pliskin, didn't show up until a little later - and he slept a lot!

Fortunately, other major characters started showing up, like the bomb expert and Mr. X. So after somersaulting around, slipping in pigeon poop, and icing down a few C4 bombs, I finally decided to take a break. Looking forward to showing/seeing how Jamez reacts to the rest of the game and its zany characters!

TIL that this line originated here.
Oh dear.

(Thankfully, we've already seen footage of Phantom Pain, so Kojima couldn't have pulled a bait-and-switch like last time.)

(Right?)

Gaming - Chrono Trigger HD?

Random screenshot!

A week or two ago, I started playing through Chrono Trigger in order to get footage for a video I planned on making. Despite only needing footage from the first dungeon in the game, I continued playing the game.

And it was totally worth it.

Chrono Trigger (CT) is a JRPG, but with enough of a difference from the rest to make it unique. Most battles take place in the actual environment, rather than on a separate battle screen. Additionally, characters can combine powers to create super powerful attacks. I'm sure I'm not the only one that spammed Crono and Ayla's "Falcon Hit" attack on the last boss fight. The fact that CT is about time travel only sweetened the deal for me.

Another thing that I like is the influence that the player can have on the world map. Unlike certain Final Fantasy titles, it's not static. For instance, if a player encourages a certain NPC to plant a seed, an area in the future will be affected, and again in another era. By completing a side quest, a desert in 1000 AD can be made into an extensive forest with a new building to enter.

Plus, the characters were fun and silly - quite fitting from the artist, Akira Toriyama, well known for his work in the Dragon Ball series.

Chrono Trigger is something that merits a remake - even more than Final Fantasy VII, or its predecessor (both of which have been ported several times). It is the opinion of this author and gamer that CT simply doesn't need a remake, HD or otherwise. The art style is engaging and interesting, despite the limitations of the native hardware (SNES). Plus, the New Game + feature preempts the drive for duration and/or replayability that so many people demand of games now. There's multiple endings, and even an optional super boss to try.

While I wouldn't complain about a HD Chrono Trigger, I do not believe that it is necessary. Having only played it this year, I have relatively little nostalgia for the game itself. (I mean, there's some for the SNES itself, but still...) Plus, CT has been ported to PlayStation, DS, iOS and Virtual Console.

In the recent blossoming of indie games, the 16-bit classic look of Chrono Trigger fits in amongst the likes of Shovel Knight and 1001 Spikes. Adding the fact that CT is already a solid JRPG, further alterations are unneeded.

Now, Final Fantasy VII on the other hand... :P

YouTube - 16ths: Manoria Cathedral Organ

Language - A Case for, Like, Like; or, I Was All Like...

So, like, some might call be a nerd or stickler when it comes to language - more specifically, English. I always attempt to enunciate syllables, say "for whom," not use ain't, etc... I have a great care for the language, despite it's frequent inanities.

That being said, vernacular English is totally different. Like, an entirely different ball game sometimes. I can take liberties in speech that I would never consider in casual writing, let alone academic. But sometimes, I have to look at myself and say, "Like, whatever man!"

Alright, the gag's getting old, but I'm talking about "like" here. In formal English, it operates in a multitude of ways, from "I like Chrono Trigger a lot!" to "It is like Back to the Future, but with a talking frog," or even "It seems like a game that more people should be playing." However, a very common usage is as a replacement for "said." Wikipedia calls this a "colloquial quotative." (Wow. Such research. Very brains.)

"So, he was like 'Don't leave, Arin. Arin!!!'"

For the longest time, something like (heh) that would bug me to no end. However, the more I think about it, this is a pretty good usage of the word. Allow me to make my case:

First, in writing and speaking, it is important to vary the words that you use in sentences. Constantly using the word "said" in dialogue will tax on the reader or listener, and even the speaker to some extent. The word will lose its special meaning and just become a jumble of sounds. Although this might be the weakest of my arguments, "like" is another way to vary word usage. Outside of any serious writing, it can be effectively employed in both character dialogue and speech.

Second, it's vernacular. We use "shorthand" and other expressions in speech that would never fly in actual writing, whether formal or informal. "Should have" becomes "should of." "The" becomes "Tha". "I don't want to" becomes "Idunwanna" And many, many more.

A third possible justification of "like" is that language changes. "Suspicious" can mean both the person who is doing the suspecting, and the person who is in the state of being suspicious. I was suspicious of the suspicious person." The conjunction "and" used to act like "if!" Regardless of how I feel about it, the range of uses of "like" is growing.

Anyway, we said that "like" is a good shorthand that we can use, instead of having to say "And she said is in this manner." My fourth reason for not hating "like" is that it carries a broader connotation than "said" ever could. In oral narration, it can show not only what the person said, but also their tone, their actions, their mannerisms, and even the speaker's opinion of said person.

Now, I'm not saying it's good to use in even the least formal of writing. However, it's use as a "colloquial quotative" lends it more meaning than even its users are aware of. In a world where even Shakespeare used "ain't," it's only fair to give "like" a fair shake.

And I was like, "It's OK to use like and like it! Just don't use it twice in a row or you'll lose your shield."

Gaming Chronicles - Sonic '06: The Last Episode

** Spoilers Ahead. As if you cared at this point... **

Just when I thought it was over, when I thought I was done, there was more. I knew it had to happen, as the Sonic mortality I had heard about hadn't occurred yet, and I knew from Sonic Adventures 1 and 2 that a "last story" was almost assured.

I started the Last Episode almost immediately on the heels of playing Silver's episode. Uggh. It's terrible. A la Sonic Adventure 2, we play as multiple characters. However, unlike Sonic Adventure 2, this last segment is awful and no fun to play. Mysterious eye-like orbs begin appearing in random spots, and you MUST avoid them: they draw you in and hand out one-hit kills to the character unfortunate enough to come into contact with them. Certain stones reverse the effects of the end of the world/universe, but the effects wear off very quickly. My first attempt, I blazed through three Game Overs and much patience.

Any other time, there'd be checkpoints between characters. After all, Last Episode has loading screens between each character's sections! Alas it does not, leading to a terrible situation. You, the player, are tasked with retrieving the seven Chaos Emeralds from various terrains from the game. Let's do the math here. Every time the player gets a Game Over, he or she restarts with 5 lives. There are 7 Chaos Emeralds, meaning 7 segments to gather them all. Given how the different characters play, and how the level design practically throws you into the grabby eyes, this equation equals 1 very frustrating end story.

Once that frustrating bit of game is over, there's even more cut scenes. Sonic is brought back to life, and the three hedgehogs go super. The final boss fight itself is kinda "eh." It's just flying around, trying to hit Solaris's weak spot. I didn't know what to do exactly, so I just spammed the attacks of whatever character I was playing. (You had to alternate so each character could gather more rings off-screen.) A few minutes of whaling away later, and it was done. Sonic and Elise blow out the flame in the past, and the game didn't happen.

If only that were true of real life.

YouTube - Secret Agent: A DOS Game Review

Gaming Chronicles - Sonic '06: It's NO USE! (And Now We're Playing Silver)

Alright, shocking truth coming your way. Big upset, so you'd better sit down. Sitting down? Good.

I enjoyed playing as Silver. Granted, the camera was still a pain, and the overall gameplay was still bad, but finally being able to throw things at enemies and It's No Use (TM) my enemies was great. In Silver's first few levels, I was having a good time. Even the fight with Sonic was easy, and I beat it in less than a minute.

That said, much was bad. Certain levels took over 15:00 to complete. One particular level, Silver's run through the Dusty Desert, has a terribly convoluted puzzle involving a numbered sphere and a over long obstacle course. In a proud moment (at least, for me) I finally did a useful clip in-game. Previously, I clipped through a door just for kicks. This time, I used Silver's powers and a random box to clip him through a door to skip the obnoxious puzzle. It was a glorious moment.

After that, I finally started getting annoyed at the game again. Hits from enemies stops characters completely, Amy Rose played horribly, and Blaze didn't play much better, despite better attacks and mobility.

The last straw was Silver's final boss fight with Iblis. I went through four Game Overs before breaking down and looking for a video online. The game never indicates that a particular attack can be used back on him. Besides that point, the boss fight was easy, if a little boring. And annoying.

And then I started into the Last Episode... More on that later.

Gaming Chronicles - Sonic '06: Shadow! The Grittier Sonic

Alright! Now it's time to tackle the Shadow campaign. I know I could go ahead and play Silver, but I'll save that fun for later. Anyway, I actually like Shadow more than Sonic or Silver. Yeah, yeah, the games overload his angst a bit. Still, he's a bit deeper of a character than Sonic. (At least, in my opinion.)

One nice thing about Shadow is that there are no mach speed sections. Instead, Shadow's story has a lot of vehicular sections. Oddly enough, I enjoyed some of them. The glider was a bit fun! However, the land buggy thing was way too sensitive, and I found myself jumping out of it early to escape the annoyance. I can't say much about the water vehicle. It was OK.

Unlike Sonic, Shadow has a kick technique that he does after a homing attack. Most of the times, I avoided using the attack as getting out of it was annoying and slowed my pace down. Similar to Sonic, aiming a homing attack incorrectly would send my flying, often off random ledges into the abyss. And there was another Silver fight. (I dread Silver's story because of that; he fights Sonic and Shadow... Ugggghghghg.)

Playing as Rouge was just annoying. She has to stop whenever she attacks. Walking, flying, whatever. At least Tails could fly and throw at the same time. Anyhow, that didn't compare to the E-123 Omega sections. (I won't go into how they totally changed his voice, that's a different issue entirely.) His attacks were weird, and I couldn't just attack enemies. I had to be above them. Supposedly he had a target-lock system (a la E-102 in Sonic Adventure) but I never got the hang of it.

As I feared, the Silver fight was horrible. Out of the five Game Overs I got in that play session, three of them were from Silver. I eventually figured out a trick to beating him (using the passing cargo containers by kicking on top of them. It wasn't perfect, but it helped.) Shadow's final boss fight, with Mephiles, was also annoying. I wasted 11 minutes in one failed attempt because the dodgy homing-attack aiming didn't let me climb the fake Mephiles to get the final hit on the real one.

Starting out, I was ambivalent. However, by the time I got to 80% and higher, I just wanted to be done with Shadow. I just couldn't *wait* to get to Silver's story. Just one full campaign left, and I'll be finally done. I hope.