Month: May 2011

Oblivion Mod Impressions: The Lost Spires

a Lost Spire

Basic premise, the Archeology Guild needs an enforcerbodyguard for their researchers and you’ve been hired. This quest mod is way more fun than it sounds though. Intrigue, ruins diving, ancient artifacts, basically be Dr. Indiana Jones in Tamriel.

Technically the mod is well implemented with some solid custom models and textures. The voice acting is perhaps a little uneven but more than adequate.

The story is well-written. This mod strays a little from the official established Elder Scrolls lore. I am usually a stickler for lore-correctness in my mods but here the additions are explained well and, in any case, the fun to be had more than makes up for it.

One thing I don’t like, though, is that the player becomes *gasp spoiler* the Headmaster of the guild at the end of the quest line. Silly stuff, considering the player is, in universe, said to have no archeology skills. I just don’t think it’s necessary to reward the player so. Even for the vanilla Fighters and Mages Guilds quest lines I would have liked the option of deferring the Master and Arch-Mage positions to Modryn and Raminus.

Grab it at the official website.

WTH did they do to you Jon

It worked for Mr Men right

You’re taking this a bit too calmly, Ganthet. I wonder who was responsible for this, the writer or the penciller that had too much leeway. In any case, massive groaner is an understatement.

American Politics – The Concise Primer

A unionized public employee, a member of the tea party, and a CEO are sitting at a table. In the middle of the table is a plate with a dozen cookies. The CEO reaches across and takes 11 cookies, turns to the Tea Partier and says ‘look out for that union guy, he wants a piece of your cookie!’

That’s as succinct as it gets. Maybe they can work in batter as a metaphor for taxation.

In which I embark on a journey and meet Lucifer and a cheeseburger

Deconstruction is the third in the four album Devin Townsend Project cycle and it has been leaked (check it out on YouTube). After listening to it I do believe the man has out-Ziltoided himself.

As promised, the music is brutal and complex and the story is ostensibly about “a man who goes to Hell and meets the devil. The devil eventually promises to show him the secrets of the universe and presents a cheeseburger to him. However, being a vegetarian, the man cannot eat the cheeseburger, rendering his journey pointless.”

Early reviews are very positive and I’ll add my voice to that chorus. It’s one fucking intense album. When the guest list was first announced I was a little worried at how many there are but even on a preliminary run through my fears were dissipated. The many guests are brilliantly featured, their voices contributing to and blending with that trademark Devin Townsend Wall of Sound. Floor Jansen’s (formerly with After Forever) turn on “Pandemic” is particularly awesome.

Production is fantastic as usual for Devin. He has announced his dropping out from the Loudness wars and good thing too. Finally a loud album I can crank my hi-fi for.

Listening to the album one thing is clear, Devin has been sober for years and it turns out it really wasn’t the drugs or alcohol. He really is insane. In a good, mad genius way though.

Can’t I just kill aliens and blow stuff up?

Bioware recently revealed Mass Effect 3 will have gay romance options for male Commander Shepard.

I have no problems with homosexuality in a computer game but given the seeming amount of effort and attention to detail involved it seems that it is at the expense of game play and storytelling. Worse when the relationship plots are so immature and poorly written. This smacks of Bioware trying to be edgy for its own sake which is stupid.

I hope it doesn’t turn out like another Dragon Age II which, to be fair, I have not played due to all the negative reviews and comments.