FLOTSAM

W O R D S M A T T E R

2011-01-10T21:57:00.000-08:00

EOM.

Donna Klie Launches "Frontier Wife"

2011-01-01T03:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Donna launched her new blog, "Frontier Wife," dedicated to old-fashioned comfort-food cooking. Making the world better - one recipe at a time. http://frontier-wife.blogspot.com/

Love and Respect

2011-01-01T02:40:00.000-08:00

I resolve in the year 2011 to give my neglected blog the love and respect it deserves. But not right now. It's 2:43 AM, and worthwhile sentences evaporate from my mind as quickly as I can think of them. No, seriously. My short-term memory at this hour is for shit. I was going to talk about the holidays, and I'm pretty sure I had something terribly clever to say about "Star Trek," but... nope. They're gone. Million-dollar, blog-busting musings vanish from my mind as quickly as they appear.

So, you know. Screw it. With any luck, I'll have something monumentally interesting to say tomorrow. Maybe I'll create a list of my top 30 all-time favorite songs. I've already made my Facebook friends suffer through such a list.... Why should you be immune?

Facebook is back! Hooray!

2010-10-05T21:58:00.001-07:00

Goodbye, blog.

Facebook is down.

2010-10-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hence my mighty return to my blog.

Do you hate my blog's new template as much as I do?

2010-08-29T23:51:00.001-07:00

Me too.

Just finished DeathSpank!

2010-08-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Donna and I will mop up the remaining side quests.

Ron Gilbert's 1UP.com Interview

2009-09-04T07:26:00.001-07:00

Okay, well, I haven't posted to this blog since December, but this is worth sharing: http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3175862

An excellent interview with a world-class game designer who isn't afraid to carve out new territory.

Doomworld Interview

2008-12-12T23:42:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was interviewed by Doomworld as part of their celebration of "15 Years of Doom." It was a privilege to have taken part in the interview, the contents of which can be found here.

Election Update

2008-11-05T20:37:00.001-08:00

This just in.

Statbuilder: Cooler Than You

2008-08-23T07:32:00.001-07:00

Statbuilder blithely eschews the bulky encumbrances of traditional RPG's - pesky annoyances such as art, story, music, art, character, and depth of character - and focuses instead on statistics. Stats, if you will. An RPG's bread and butter. Its cheese and its whiz.

Oh, and clicking. Statbuilder focuses on clicking. Lots and lots of clicking. (Listen, those stats aren't going to build themselves. You must click!)

Whether you're a long-time fan or a short-time something else, you can finally enjoy Statbuilder again for the first time - courtesy of the fine folks at Backburner Games.

The online version of Statbuilder is called World of Warcraft.

Hey Jood

2008-08-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

I've been singing and playing guitar for decades, and I'm not nearly this talented.

Dr. Horrible

2008-08-03T10:35:00.001-07:00

There's no excuse for not watching this . Unless you don't like fun.

998, Red Elvises

2008-08-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

I'm two hours away from having invested 1,000 hours in Phantasy Star Universe. Part of me wonders whether I'll actually reach the 1,000-hour mark. Lately, I play the game on and off, in shorter and shorter bursts. Each new play session is half as long as the previous session.

In other news, last night Donna and I got together with some friends, and we took in a fantastic show by the Red Elvises - a kickass, straightforward, "good-time rock 'n' roll" band formed 8 years ago by a couple of Russian political refugees. Imagine American pop fed back to Americans by eager-to-please, pajama-clad lounge lizards rocketed straight out of the Eastern Bloc, and you'll basically get the picture.

It was an awesome show, and we partied like Russian rock stars.

Funds have been added to your wallet

2008-07-29T23:04:00.000-07:00

Seems like a reasonable blog-post title. Thanks, Sony!

Goodbye, money.

Blee Blee Blee

2008-07-23T23:39:00.000-07:00

Came across this decent video of the Cocteau Twins performing "Carolyn's Fingers" - one of my top ten favorite songs, and definitely one of the most beautiful rock songs ever.

This song was recorded back in 1988. The Cocteau Twins were light years ahead of their time.

My "Dark Knight" Review

2008-07-19T15:45:00.001-07:00

Holy crap, that was awesome.

Pill Kills Blog

2008-07-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

My doctor has put me on Trazodone, to help combat the chronic insomnia from which I’ve suffered for years. I’m happy to report: the medication has had a profound and positive impact. I’m actually deep-sleeping now (during normal hours, like people do), and having vivid, prolonged dreams about pleasant things – as opposed to jittery, half-formed, truncated dreams about things that make me nervous.

This might seem like an odd subject for a blog post, but sleeping soundly through entire evenings is a brand new experience for me. I’ve suffered from chronic anxiety-induced insomnia for so long that an experience most take for granted is actually alien to me. But I’m welcoming the change, obviously. I love being able to sleep, and I love being focused and productive at work, and I love being able to more meaningfully connect with family, friends and co-workers.

On the down side (if you want to call it that), I’m blogging a lot less – mainly because I’m no longer up all night writing about all the stupid shit rattling around inside my head. But fear not. I’m certain more stupid shit will start rattling around inside there soon.

Why, there’s something now….

The New York Times "Wall-E" Review

2008-06-29T04:37:00.000-07:00

Here’s a link to the New York Times review of Pixar’s phenomenal “Wall-E.” So far, the New York Times review is the best I’ve read, and I expect it’s the best I’ll read. (Wait. Am I offering a review of a review?)

Props to Pixar matte painter Paul Topolos, whom I’m proud to call a friend.

I'm a little surprised no one's made the joke "Hello, Wall-E."

Tekkonkinkreet

2008-06-22T13:55:00.001-07:00

In one of the Indiana Jones movies (I don’t recall which one), Indy tells his students archeology is the pursuit of “fact,” not “truth.” Conversely, the lush anime feature “Tekkonkinkreet” represents the pursuit of unadulterated truth, not fact. See it, and you'll know what I mean.

I recently had the distinct pleasure of watching the film for the third time, this time on Blu-Ray. As you might have guessed, I love the film all over again. War and Peace. Hatred and Love. Separation and Union. The eternal struggle between Good and Evil, and the ways in which each of us experiences it. Frame for frame, Tekkonkinkreet is a work of inspired genius. For more details, check out the salon.com review.

The Kristin Hersh Backstory

2008-06-22T09:52:00.001-07:00

For years, I’ve had sort of a fan-boy crush on Kristin Hersh. For my money, she’s one of the most captivating, inventive and expressive musicians rock has ever seen. With that in mind, a few years ago my wife bought us tickets to see Kristin and her band 50 Foot Wave at Slim’s in San Francisco.

When the show began, my wife and I were standing a good distance away from the stage. The show started strong. I was immediately caught up in Kristin’s swirling, captivating performance (yes, I’ve used the word captivating twice – three times now – I don’t care), and I was content with the view. Without warning, my wife began pushing me toward the stage. I turned around and shouted above the din, “What the hell are you doing,” to which she replied, “Move up. Go stand close to the stage.”

She wouldn’t take no for an answer. She insisted I stand near the stage to get the best possible view of Kristin and her band. I barely did any actual walking on my own. My wife was pushing me the entire time.

When we finally arrived at an ideal vantage point near the stage, my wife said to me, “It’s okay, honey. Have fun.” Thanks to my wife, I stood only yards away from the amazing Kristin Hersh, with a stupid, glassy-eyed, awe-struck expression on my face for the entire show.

Proof positive my wife is unsurpassed in her coolness.

The Incomparable Kristin Hersh

2008-06-21T02:42:00.000-07:00

Kristin Hersh is one of my all-time favorite musicians. Please take time to check out her site, throwingmusic.com. As of this writing, the site features a 7-minute video of Kristin performing live and talking about her experiences in the music industry. Just awesome.

Once More into the Slipgate

2008-06-21T01:25:00.000-07:00

For about a year I worked for Slipgate Ironworks, John Romero’s MMO studio. I left the company for personal reasons, which was difficult because the team there is fantastic. Without question, they’re some of the most talented, creative and hard-working people in the industry – people I’m proud to call my friends.

I mention this because yesterday I took the day off, and drove down to Slipgate to have a reunion lunch with about a dozen of my former co-workers. I had a fantastic time, they picked up the tab (which made things even more fantastic), and I left with an even deeper appreciation for the connection and camaraderie we all seem to share.

Really looking forward to seeing those guys again.

Direct2Drive, Eleet Hackzorz!

2008-06-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

I established my Gmail account on January 4 of this year. Since then, Gmail’s spam filters have protected me from countless offers to increase the size of my "pen!$." Seriously, Gmail’s algorithm is stunning. I’ve seen nary a hunk of spam wind up in my inbox. That is, until today.

The nimble-fingered, eleet hackzorz over at Direct2Drive have cunningly negotiated the minefield leading up to my inbox in order to deposit the following urgent message: “Download Spore Creature Creator now!”

Thank you, Direct2Drive, for breaching my defenses, and getting all up in my face about the Spore Creature Creator – a product so popular even babies are aware of its existence. Thank you for the valuable reminder. And, by the way, my inbox isn’t your litter box.

Hey, at least they didn’t offer to increase the size of my pen!$.

Star Trek's "Rule of Three"

2008-06-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Huh. The literary “Rule of Three.” I didn’t realize it was an actual thing, recognized and openly discussed by others. I liked imagining I was the only one aware of the conspiracy.

The reason I mention it: The other day I was thinking about "Star Trek," and how the show’s characters are always ready with lists of three examples of something during a conversation. Usually (if not always), each list contains two examples familiar to a wide audience, followed by a total horseshit example rooted in some Trek-alien culture.

A typical exchange goes something like this:

KIRK: Tell me, Spock, who are some of your favorite authors?

SPOCK: Why, thank you for asking, Captain. I’ve always enjoyed the works of Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, and Blornfast of Nebula Nekron 9.

I need to get a group together to see how many actual examples we can pick out. If that isn’t a drinking game, then I don’t know what is.

(Here's an update: It turns out this is a terrible drinking game, because the Rule of Three doesn't crop up all that often in a single episode. Maybe a better game is to take a drink every time Picard says, "Make it so.")

Phantasy Star Universe

2008-06-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, I’m still playing this. Kill some monsters, earn some XP, bolster my skills, advance my character, sell some stuff in my shop. I’ve got a level 130 character, I’m rapidly approaching the 1,000-hour mark (yes, I soon will have spent 1,000 hours in the game), my hands hurt from playing, my eyes are bleary, and I’m 20 pounds heavier than I ought to be. Can’t tell if I’m having any fun, but I sure am addicted.

Honestly, I don’t know what it is about “Phantasy Star Universe” on the X-Box 360, but I'm hooked. There’s no wide-open world to explore, the gameplay is the same from dungeon to dungeon, and sometimes trying to converse with pickup party members is enough to make one lose faith in humanity: “Dude, where’d you get your daggers? GRM shop? Really? That’s cool. Yeah, I was thinking about getting a pair of those myself.”

Maybe I’m misty-eyed and nostalgic, having played a little “Phantasy Star Online” on the Dreamcast. Maybe I’ve got low self-esteem, and I’m desperate to prove my worth as a mighty defender of my online village. Maybe today was a long day and I’m tired, and I want to mindlessly beat the snot out of Parum’s indigenous creatures – for no reason other than they’re indigenous. (I used to love pretending the indigenous creatures were rushing to greet my character, to welcome him into their peaceful dell, only to receive a thunderous crack on the head from his mighty broadsword.)

Whatever the case, regardless of what compels me, I’m still playing PSU like a fiend. Maybe I should find a little time for “WiiFit” before my wife realizes men aren’t supposed to look like cookie dough.

OMGZORZ!

2008-06-09T03:58:00.000-07:00

Here comes a long sentence, because I want to get it all out in one breath:

Back when we were working on Rogue Leader, I spent some crazy amount of money on a Turbo Duo system (I had owned the system once before, but sadly traded the thing in for something else) for the sole purpose of re-playing Hudson Soft's amazing side-scrolling shooter "Lords of Thunder" and its almost-as-amazing predecessor, "Gate of Thunder." Yes!

For those who don't know, back in 1993 "Lords of Thunder" was a kick to the head of all side-scrolling shooters. The game featured fantastic anime-style visuals, great animations, an over-the-top screaming metal soundtrack, and tough-as-nails gameplay. "Gate of Thunder" was similar, except it lacked the anime-style visuals and the metal soundtrack. Oh, and it was set in outer space. And it was reminiscent of R-Type. But I digress.

Anyway, both of these amazing games are available as Virtual Console titles on the Nintendo Wii. I can't recall how much the games cost, but I flat-out recommend buying these games regardless. If you crave the best of retro gaming, love a challenge and love fast action, then you need to pick up "Lords of Thunder" and "Gate of Thunder" on the Virtual Console.

Let me point you to the IGN reviews (Lords, Gate). They tell the story better than I can.

She'll Eat Your Soul

2008-06-09T03:21:00.000-07:00

I promised myself I'd never become one of those bloggers who post pictures of their cats, but I came across this old picture of our awesome cat, Ms. Beatrix Kitty, and I had to share it around. Doesn't she look like she could kick someone's ass?

Yes, Beatrix is named after Beatrix Kiddo, the deadly assassin protagonist in "Kill Bill." Beauty and danger wrapped up in a furry gift pack.

Go, Speed Racer!

2008-06-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

“This race is full of cheaters!”

I might be one of ten people who really loved the Wachowskis’ “Speed Racer.” Yes, the characters are two-dimensional, the dialogue is stilted, the story is razor thin, and the car stunts are impossible, but that’s the franchise. That was the Speed Racer TV series to a tee (a series I enjoyed watching as a kid), and the Wachowski brothers absolutely nailed it.

As for the candy-colored, hyper-kinetic visuals, the Wachowski brothers have deftly incorporated anime and video-game styles to create something bold and inventive, to the point of blowing away any creative restrictions – just as the 6-episode "FLCL" anime series did some years ago. I’m not saying the approach is without flaws (the abundance of talking heads serving as wipes was a little much), but for the most part it succeeds brilliantly, and pushes the boundaries of visual language in cinema.

Can’t wait for it on Blu-Ray.

Doomworld

2008-05-21T00:37:00.000-07:00

Been spending some time on the Doomworld forums, surprised to find there’s still interest in a series of Doom levels I built probably 13 years ago. Feels pretty good, considering how far the community has taken wad development over the years. Let’s hope my recent re-uploads of the levels can stand up to modern-day scrutiny.

You hear that, you guys over at Doomworld.com? Don’t kick my old levels too hard. In “wad years,” they’re about 91 years old.