Saturday, February 6, 2010

As cool as this scene looks, it's just several seconds away from a Game Over screen. Trust me.

Nothing wrong with that right? Here's how a gamer sees it. "This difficulty setting is for players who aren't complete PUSSIES" Normal mode starts out alright, but it really gets tough as it progresses.

The temptation of changing the difficulty down to easy has emerged in my mind more than once, especially during several ridiculous parts which pit you against enemies whom are tough enough for you to mistake them for bosses, but then the real boss arrives and tears you a few new holes, but I fought it back, because easy mode is automatic.

This means that all attacks and combos will be automatically performed for you by the AI, all you've got to do is continuously hit the Y button, which is basically as fun as doing a Powerpoint presentation. At least when doing the presentation, there is the challenge of needing to know when to change slides.

Ok, I just realised that I am deviating from what I was initially saying. That's what happens when I start thinking about games.

Back to what I was saying. I decided the write blog! It's been what, like a month since I last posted? Blame it on school, and all the projects and assignments that comes bundled with. But that said, I still love school, so just blame it on my inability to plan my time well :D

I finally decided to stop procrastinating and get started on my training routine! It consists of 16 weeks of proper diet, gym and cardio. Technically, the 16 weeks are going to start next next week, once my holidays begin, but until then I'm doing the cardio part.

I went swimming this morning, after like a year long hiatus. I wanted to go at 8 in the morning, where the weather would be cooling and the pool water still clean, but I only woke up at 11. Despite it nearing the worst time possible for a swim, I decided to go with it. Besides I'm already dark a little darker wouldn't do any harm.

But whoa, has my swimming stamina dipped or what. After 18 laps my body hurt like crap and I couldn't even do one lap of free style at my maximum speed. Disappointed. I'm going to train until I am back on form. I swam for an hour, then took a shower, and went to meet Say Yin.

Along the way, I dropped by at this skate shop in Queensway, because it was nearby. If I'm not wrong, this is the shop that Damien goes to because he knows the shop owner. They recommended several pair of skates for me, but all are within the $350-$600 range.

I also saw those pair of skates Damien was talking about; the ones where you just clip onto your own pair of shoes. Those were $400 if I'm not wrong. Oh well, I can't afford them just yet, but hey, my birthday is coming soon! Only 2 more months! :D

Then I went to meet Say Yin at Marina Square. We played pool for two hours or so, then we went to have Pepper Lunch. It's been a really long while since I ate there. Tried the hamburger today. I want to try the spaghetti next time I go there!

After lunch, we went down to Vivocity to pay Desiree a visit at her workplace! First time I drank a drink from the Boost store. It had strawberries, bananas and some other stuff in it. Tasted like frozen Yakult. I like.

We then went back to city area to have dinner at Wendy's, which is my new favourite fast food restaurant. The food is cheaper than Burger King and Carl's Jr, and in my opinion, tastes better too.

Only bad thing about Wendy's is the fries. They are probably one of the worst among all fast food restaurants, but that's alright because the burger makes up for it with its 3/4 pounds of SHEER AWESOMENESS.

So yeah, the holidays are now coming. Next week is going to be the final week of year numero uno. That means the last few days I'll be sharing with my awesome awesome class 1C01. We're still going to be in the same lecture theatres and all, but we're never going to be in the same class again.

As much as I know that I'm going to miss all the crazy shit that went down, I am also looking forward to the upcoming well deserved holidays. By right, there's supposed to be three more weeks before the holidays, but because we only have 1 end semester test, it was brought forward to last week.

So CMM people have holidays starting from 13 February 2010 all the way until 19 April 2010. That's 9 weeks by the way. That may be too long, and would get boring really fast under normal circumstances, but a whole lot of things are going to be happening during that period.

The most major one is of course my trip to University of Western Australia (UWA), which is in Perth, for an exchange programme. The trip has already been confirmed, and it will be from 19th March to 2nd April. It was initially stated that the cost would be $3000, but it has now been cut down to $1850, because I'm sharing a room with 3 other guys.

The trip is actually part of a module called Global Citizenship. There will be lectures and tutorials held locally for a week, a field trip during the end of that week, a 25% weightage common test (for 1 week's worth of content, lol), the actual trip, then finally a group project when we get back to Singapore.


The whole thing is expected to take up the whole holidays. Meaning that not only am I paying for the trip, I'm also giving away my holidays.

But it's ok, because 1) I'll be spending it with most of my good friends, 2) There will only be lecturer supervision for a week, 3) We're staying in a 3.5 star hotel, 4) I'll have full access to an (almost) personal gym and pool for 2 weeks and finally, 5) It'll be an experience that I won't forget.

Other than the exchange programme, there also all the outings planned for during the holidays. I'll definitely need to catch up with the guys from MSHS. And I really need to do all the things that I've wanted to do for a long long time.

I want to go jamming. I want to learn how to roller blade properly. I want to buy a new guitar. I want to buy skates. I want to complete a whole bunch of games. I want to stay over at people's houses. I want to slack the night away outdoors at certain places.

There are already several outings happening the week after next. There's the roller blade day at ECP. I want to go back to the barrage and fly kite again, this time with more people. And our 2 alliance groups need to go to ECP food village for all that good food again! TULANG LA SIA.

By the time the holidays are over and Semester 2.1 starts, I'll be 18 years old. I plan to take my driving theory soon. I want to pass and get my driving license by the end of this year, if it is possible.

I was looking at a whole list of second hand cars a few days ago. The prices ranged from $9,000 for a vintage Mazda model to $650,000 for a Lambo. Oh well, looks like the Lambo is going to have to wait for a while. A LONG LONG while.

I'll also be attempting to work from home during the holidays, rather than work outdoors. Some of you might know that I have been working on the script for this trilogy of games for several years now.

While the script for the first game is still a long way from being done, I've decided to try and do something useful for the time being.

Rather than waste my holidays away, I'm going to look for a small team of talented individuals. I need someone who can draw Western comic book style (meaning that characters look human, and have normal faces unlike the bug eyed characters found in manga), and someone good at inking and colouring. I'll provide the story.

I already have all these scenes in my head, but I'm a fail artist, so I need some one to help me put all those scenes down on paper. As for the colouring, I can do that, but I'd rather have someone dedicated to it.

If you can draw/colour/ink like this, I want you.

The plan is for us to work on the first issue of the comic, then put it on as many social websites a possible IE. Facebook, Deviantart, etc. It would obviously be better to have a copyright before doing this.

We then approach as many local publishers as possible, until one decides to give us a chance. Then I would be a small step closer to realising my dream of having my own universe of characters, with manga style of storytelling but Western comic style of art.

If this whole thing is successful, whatever money we get will be split 25 - 25 - 25, no questions asked and no strings attached. The remaining 25% will be kept as back up and for promotions.

Imagine, if we make a thousand from sales, that's $250 per person. And the best part about this whole thing is that we only need to work hard at the start, then we can sit back and relax as the money comes in.

So yes, if anyone is interested, just leave a note. It would be better if I know you personality, and if you are located in Singapore. Don't just go for the money, you've got to hear me out and you yourself will have to be interested. There isn't that high a priority for this whole project, just several hours a week will be enough.

I will also be doing that 16 week training thing I was mentioning earlier throughout the holidays. This training will ensure that I get about 8-16 kg of muscle at the end, but I don't want that! I'll just be following the training schedule until I'm happy with how I look, then I'll stop.

Finally, I want to get new clothes and hair before year 2 starts. I am freakin uncomfortable with wearing other colours, but I'm going to try to do that. That means that I'll need to get new clothes soon. But I am hopeless at getting clothes, so I will need a shopping companion. Anyone?

I also want to get my hair cut properly. I have always been doing it the way my parents want me to, so I'm going to try something new for a change. I'm thinking of shaving the sides, and a little of the back, while keeping more hair on the rest of my head. I'll be keeping a little of my fail fringe I think.

The back will have to be cut in a V shape, and I'll be letting it grow into a tail. The hair on the top of my head will probably be made into a Mohawk, or I might just leave it as it is, I'm not too sure about that yet.

Something like this. Bonus points if I can rock the beard. I can grow it definitely, but will I look good with it?

I'll also be piercing my ear, since my mom has already given me the green light. I'm thinking two or three piercings on my left year. I'll probably be using those ear studs that look like nut and bolts, or those that look like bones.

So yes, the holidays are coming, and a whole lot of things are going to be happening over the next few months. So far, 2010 is shaping up to be a much more awesome year for me than 2009 was, and a whole lot of good things are already happening :D

Also, since the holidays are coming, and I'm much more free now, I'll be posting more often! So remember to check back tomorrow for more awesome shiva-ness! See you! (: