Next Gen Fish?

Got a good laugh out of this one.

Sequel Issues

I am a big fan of Dreamworks 'How To Train Your Dragon' series, from the movie to the television series, I have loved it. So why do I feel a shiver of fear when I found that it was to be made into a trilogy and that the second movie was in production?

I guess it comes down to how the story goes. As everyone should know, a good franchise can be ruined with a sequel, so it's now surprise that when you start hearing more of what they have planned that I get a little worried. Given it's potential, the possibility that it will end with the third movie is disheartening. Another factor is that the second movie is to take place 5 years after the first and that they will now include the northern hemisphere for the characters curiosity to explore. That's a big time bracket (which I guess the first T.V series is ment to fill) and even then, that much area is a lot to offer for just one movie.

The movie itself (due in 2014) is suppose to continue on from the first, while setting up events for the final movie (this sounds strangely familiar.....Dead Man's Chest anyone?). Despite all my fears for all this, I'm glad that they will still have the same voice actors (for the most part) and who knows, perhaps there are still plenty of stories to tell in between each of them and beyond.

Update: Noticed that there will be a sequel series to Riders of Berk called Defenders of Berk and will be released this year before the next movie. I guess this will work up to conclude the Riders arc while possibly setting up for the next movie.

That Comp?

Late as always, but this is the update to Saturday....and what a day that was. Still suffering from the after effects of Fridays migraine, the train line was down, bad day at work, late getting into the city for the painting competition and wouldn't you know it, the model I got suffered a bad case of Finecast failure. Still, it was an enjoyable day and while I didn't complete the model, I did get enough done to give me an overall idea of what she would turn out like.

I don't think they ever announced who won it, but I was happy that my model was getting it's fair share of attention. Much of that was directed towards her hair and dress (which, alas, this photo doesn't show off so well). While the hair was blind luck, the dress I had practice a day or so prior.

My test subjects were the one I had previously used for testing ghost paint schemes and though a couple of goes I got to a point in which I was happy to use. As for the Everqueen, I will be finishing her off, but there are a few model issues that have to be dealt with which could stuff up her paint job, so I'll have to wait for a day when I'm not feeling frustrated.

This model also showed up today. It's a musician from the old Handmaidens unit and will be used to represent a Handmaiden of the Everqueen with the Horn of Isha (which can only be used if the Everqueen is in your army).

Nerves and...Ghosts?

Amazing how much sleep can be lost over them. I think it was just after midnight I really regretted ever agreeing to enter this painting comp. Sometimes this whole depression/stress/anxiety crap can really get to me at times.

Of coarse, then my mind played a little game by giving me a strange dream about a ghost who communicated to me through manipulating words on pages to the (somewhat creepy) use of objects. To clarify it was a friendly ghost who was trying to remember who it once was and it's tragic fate, while also wanting to exist in the same sense as we do (and to a certain point, be alive). Heck, if I could write it would have made an interesting book/movie script.

The subconscious is weird like that.

The Day Before.

Man I hate migraines, such a pain in the arse.

So, tomorrow is the in store painting competition (5 hour to paint the model) as part of Games-Workshops 20 years in Australia anniversary and I am a little nerves. I will be painting the Alarielle the Radiant model, both as part of the 'Avelorn' army challenge and because my brother want's her to duke it out with his entry, Teclis. To be fair, I do think Teclis does stand a better chance in a duel with the Everqueen, but it would certainly be interesting. I am going against the 'Eavy Metal colour scheme and using pinks in her dress as opposed to the greeish colour. The reasons for this is that I like her to stand out compared to the rest of the army and pink does that as well as still giving her that soft, gentile look (she's suppose to be one of the most beautiful female characters in warhammer, yet also very powerful, so it does add that deceitful look better).

Update: Bugger. Just found out that the painting competition starts at 10am, which is also when I finish work. To make matters worse, I need to change before I leave work and make a bus since Queensland Transport decided to close down my train line for maintenance this weekend. So instead of 5 hours to complete the model, I now have around 3.5 hours......just great.

Also, to the guy who wrote the article saying that Backwards Compatibility is just a recent thing, you ether need to check your facts or re-word what you said. If you were to say that built-in backwards compatibility was recent, then that would be fine. As for backwards compatibility in gaming, they did invent small devices to let you play previous system games on the newer ones. My example was for the Sega Genesis (or Sega Mega Drive as we know it here in Australia). While the Genesis was out, they created a device that was cartridge sized that allowed you to plug your old Sega Master System games into it and play them on your Sega Genesis. That was my earliest recollection for console backwards compatibility. With the never consoles, we just wanted them to add it in as a normal feature, so you should expect anger when the next gen consoles don't have it.

Pogo Stick Goblins

So they posted up their article on the variants to one of the enemy types, the Kobold. One such plan was to make one that did less damage, but moved faster with roller skates on. So I threw out my first immediate thought.....and they responded:

I do have more ideas for variants (both serious and comical) but I'm not sure if it's worth putting them up...at least not yet anyway (I would love to see what other variants they come up with first).

Let It Go

What can I say, this song just picks me up for some reason.

Xbox One....the heck?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ekOtn7L1N0 (blogger won't link the vid for some reason)

Wow.....just wow. What the hell was Microsoft thinking? Did they just forget that they were making a gaming console. I agree with Joe on this one, this reveal just ended any hope of getting top spot in the console wars. No backwards compatibility, fee to play pre-owned games (let alone no longer being able to lend games to friends) and on top of that a pointless reboot of the Kinect. Clearly they have learned nothing from past experiences and the complaints about the PS4. If anything, they made it easier for console gamers to go to their competitors.

Am I too harsh on Microsoft? Hell no. First up, why call the console Xbox One? What the hell does the 'One' stand for anyway? Why not call it something that sounds like a must buy like 'Xbox Infinite' or something similar. Xbox One just sounds stupid, more stupid the Playstation 4.

Secondly, no backwards compatibility. Are you serious? Given the backlash over the lack of it for the PS4, there was high hopes you'd include it as a major advantage over your competitors. So why did in the nine hells you not include it. That's even more stupid then your ridiculous console name. Then you go ahead and say all games will need to be installed in order for you to play them, which given the graphic and game power your promising, will fill up the hard drive on it quick smart. And after all that, you tell us that there will be a fee on using pre-owned games. If you skip the 'lending to friend' part, what about things like renting games or buying pre-owned games? Bad enough the video stores are closing down, but then the purchase of a pre-owned game only to have an additional cost would mean it could end up being cheaper just to buy a brand new copy.

Finally, this big focus on things like the T.V. function (which will only be available to the US on release.....thanks a bunch) and the new and improved (a term I use loosely) Kinect is a major disappointment.

The truth from all this (which Joe is right about) is that there is no reason for me to now buy this console. If anything, I am better off pumping my money into getting a good PC rig since that's were the only real form of gaming seems to be heading.

Xbox One? Seriously?

Update: Apparently the name is suppost to be something like 'All in one media centre'. Except that anyone with a PC with one of Microsoft's more modern Windows programs already has that (I think Apple too has them) and to be truthful, why do we need that? I buy a console to play games, if I want T.V I'll watch T.V and I also have an iPod for music and apps. The hell, you might as well call it 'it's like an iPad only bigger and better'. It use to be about gaming, now it's just filling a box with pointless rubbish.

The Internet Can Do Some Good

Over the years we've seen just how terrible people can be on the internet with trolls and bullies constantly attacking without any remorse for their victims. Then you here stories like this and you can still have faith in humanity. This is Markiplier and this is his story:

Elf Update

Change of layout to the unit. After reading the book Sword of Caledor, it occurred to me that the Elves of Avelorn are more attuned to using bows. That said, given that there already is a bow unit (Sisters of Avelorn) and I still need a counter unit, I decided to go with Sea Guard. To give them a more 'Avelorn' theme, I'm using Spearmen and adding bows/quivers to the models to give them the Sea Guard WYSIWYG rule while giving them an Avelorn paint scheme. So the new look force is this:

Heroes - Maidenguard of the Everqueen

Core - Sea Guard (21) with full command

Rare - Sisters of Avelorn (8) with High Sister

Total: 499pts

So this means I'm 8 Spearmen short, but I may get one or two rounds of shooting in (probably includes 'Stand n Shoot' reaction).

High Elves and Avelorn

So, High Elves were released today and my brother was lucky enough to get one of the 1000 limited edition books, looks nice too. Anyway, it was suggested I try my hand at doing a small group, specifically a group from Avelorn, home of the Everqueen. A 500pt list was done:

Heroes - Maidenguard of the Everqueen

Core - Spearmen (28) with full command

Rare - Sisters of Avelorn (8) with High Sister

Total: 499pts

 Given that High Elves are much easier to paint then those annoying extras on those blasted Empire State Troops, I'll probably spend more time trying to produce a good Avelorn bases (my Jade wizard is a good start). While High Elves are associated with whites and blues, Avelorn is more browns and greens, so we'll see what kind of colour scheme I come up with.

Note: I will still be finishing my Empire. This is sort of a side project and one that can easily be done given how easy the spearmen are to paint. Much like the Empire, this one is open to expansion later on.

The Music of Dungeon Defenders

In a quick web search I manage to find the OST of Dungeon Defenders. Oh hell yes. Now I finally get to listen to some of my favorite tracks from that game.

BTW, my most fav track from it is this one, the End Credits Theme. I love to here this one as it's used as the final wave music from the one level I play the most as Storm Spear the Summoner, City in the Cliffs.

An Upload.....finally.

Finally got some miniature pics uploaded. This brings the current Warband models to three:

1. Grimmo Ironbeard (Crusader)

 2. Specks (Jokaero Weaponsmith)

 

3. Maul (Warrior Acolyte) 

Note: Maul's base was re-painted to match the others (not shown in this pic)

Designs for the Psyker and Daemonhost/Xenos creature are almost done, with most of the Psyker being sculpted as opposed to converted. The Ur-Ghul just needs some slight conversion work, were as the Lizardman-like Xeno will need alot more converting.

Also, why the hell did I ever choose Empire as the good force to paint up? I know I've mentioned it before, but those little bastards they call State Troops have so many little annoying things to paint on them that it can really drive you insane trying to paint when you have to focus on such things.

Lesson of the Day!

Do not eat sour Skittles while drinking Pepsi, it does not help you when painting.