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mikeszekely

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Everything posted by mikeszekely

  1. mikeszekely
    I never owned any of the Mega Man or Castlevania games as a kid. I rented them a couple times, though. I don't think I got particularly far in any of the Ninja Gaiden games, but I made some progress in Castlevania 3. Eh, I was always more of a Mega Man guy myself. We were kind of poor when I was a kid, so I remember getting maybe two or three games a year total (never more than one on my birthday, two for Christmas if my dad got overtime). Seems like I was always asking for Mega Man.
  2. mikeszekely
    Yeah, the region lock has been a bummer since the first 3DS. It's like, as console makers are finally starting to drift away from it (I loved importing Gundam games on the PSP and PS3 without having to get a modded system like I did with the original PlayStation and PS2), Nintendo (who never had region locks on their Gameboys or older DS models) suddenly felt this sort of bull was absolutely necessary.
  3. mikeszekely
    I haven't preordered anything, yet. I don't really like gold, and the Majora's Mask one doesn't even come with the game. The Monster Hunter one looks pretty nice and at least comes with the game, but I've never played a game in the series and don't have any inclination toward Monster Hunter art/text on my 3DS. So I guess I'll either hold of until there's a special edition I actually want and keep using my regular 3DS XL, or wait until a handful of games that require the new hardware are released. Or, knowing me, I'll browsing the electronics at Walmart while grocery shopping and say "screw it, gimme a black one."
  4. mikeszekely
    Here's a fun tip for Far Cry 4. Early in the game, one of the first story missions will be to help reclaim a town/outpost/whatever. If you exit that town from the room with the store closet, walk around the building to the main road through the town, then turn right to head north along the road and out of town. Eventually you'll come to an intersection, and parked at the intersection will always be a buzzer. Now, get on the buzzer and head to a radio tower you haven't taken over yet. If you careful, you can land the buzzer at the top of the tower (not on the actual roof, but on the level where the radio switch is). Sure beats climbing!
  5. mikeszekely
    The real shame is that the the white with the colored buttons wasn't available in the XL size in the first place.
  6. mikeszekely
    Yeah, me either. When I built it I'd only built two or three HGs probably six or seven years ago. I remember looking at the instructions for RG Zeta and thinking, "What the heck have I gotten myself into?!" I'd almost like to try it again (or even better, one day getting my hands on the Zeta 3) to see if what I've learned since would improve my impression of the kit, which is that it's the worst of the RG line due to a transformation gimmick I'm afraid to try that leaves the entire thing far too fiddly. In other gunpla news, Sei's Dad... er, I mean renegadeleader1 was kind of enough to send me a gunpla gift when he heard I didn't get any gunpla for Christmas. It's the HG Zaku II Ground War set. Now, I'll be honest, I figured he'd grab whatever was readily available, like maybe some Build Fighters kit, so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the package. I love the Zaku and it's descendants, and despite having three variations of the Zaku II, I'd never built one without a head fin. Now, as near as I can tell without having actually built the original HGUC Zaku II (just an HGUC Zaku I Black Tri Stars, an HGUC Shin Matsunaga Zaku II R1-A, and the RG Zaku IIs), the Ground War set is basically the old Zaku II repackaged with some extra runners. The extra runners have little dudes on them, parts to make a pair of Feddie tanks, parts to make a pair of those Wappa hovercraft, some explosion effect parts, and a few extra hands and accessories for the Zaku. This made for a very simple kit (each foot, for example, is only three pieces including polycaps). There's detail that's missing from newer kits, even newer Zakus, like the detailing on the joints. The end result is a chunkier Zaku that looks more like the animation and less like a "real" robot. What it lacks in detail, though, it makes up for in accessories. While the RG Zaku has the machine gun, bazooka, and heat hawk, the Ground War has all that plus a pair of Sturmfausts, a pair of crackers, plus the leg mounted missile launchers and six missiles. There's also a pair of rockets and a pair of smoke effect parts that can mount the rocket to the bazooka, and Bandai threw in some waterslide decals that I doubt were included with the original release. Obviously, if you just want one good-looking 1/144 Zaku the RG is the way to go. That said, if you're in the market for extra Zakus the extra accessories help make the Ground War Zaku visually distinct without requiring a custom paint job or anything like that. Also, the dudes, tanks, Wappas, and effects parts make this a solid choice for doing a Zaku diorama build. Here it is with the RG and the Wappas... sorry, didn't have time to build the tanks today.
  7. mikeszekely
    Judging by the comments after yours, looks like nope. I kind of think a combination of factors- the difficulty finding recent Generations toys at retail, the price increases, the reduction in size/plastic used/paint apps/overall quality, the rise of the Masterpiece line, etc, have made collecting CHUGs less appealing. This thread stopped being a general Transformers thread and became a MP thread awhile ago. It's not worth bringing up the Combiner Wars toys when any comments you make are going to be swept away by a dozen comments about how excited people are about the MP-10 reissue because it's their chance to buy toy they already have three off, but it's less money this time! Or comments about how terrible MP Magnus is so bad that people are only buying two of him. Honestly, I got tired of the hunt, tired of TRU getting the Hasbro MPs as exclusives and immediately marking them up, and I quit. The Combiner Wars stuff has my curiosity piqued, but not enough to make an effort, and I've yet to even see any at retail.
  8. mikeszekely
    Good to know, but I doubt I'll ever remove them from the storage rack. From a military design point of view it makes sense for it to carry some, but from a model display POV it's a sniper, so I can't imagine displaying it without a sniper rifle.
  9. mikeszekely
    So, I had some credit at Rakuten, and while there's not a lot of gunpla there, I managed to find this guy... As far as HGs go, I really liked this one, but I also think it's somewhere in the middle overall. Like, I still had to paint a few spots like the gray knobs on the shield, the red vents on the shoulders, the black vents inside the knee, etc. However, compared to some other HG kits where you'd have large unpainted verniers, you could almost get away without painting the GM Sniper. As far as the build itself goes, it was fairly straightforward. I was able to complete it in probably three hours of actual work time (there was a hockey game on tonight, so I did the torso and legs before and the arms, head, and weapons during intermissions). For an HG, they did a pretty good job molding some small parts like the chest vents and chin vents in red and having you build around them, sort of like an RG kit. I also appreciated that this kit gives you a left and right closed fist/beam saber fist, on open left hand for supporting the rifle, then separate trigger hands for both the rifle and the machine gun. So, if you want to change the weapons, you don't have to pry open a hand to switch the gun. So why do I like it so much? It could be because it's my first GM in a sea of Gundams (with a small handful of Zeon MS). It could also be, placed as he is in the Detolf with Feddie Gundams (0079-0087), that he's visually distinct. Could be that I liked the way the head is built. Or, it could be that in the PSP Gundam Battle series I found the GM Sniper to be useful early in the 0079 Feddie campaign, so I used it a lot. In any case, the GM Sniper is one of my favorite GMs, and the HGUC kit is a pretty good 1/144 representation of it.
  10. mikeszekely
    Amazon Newegg TigerDirect MicroCenter
  11. mikeszekely
    I'd have been worried (although still meeting the minimum) if I hadn't just upgraded my video card to a GTX 970.
  12. mikeszekely
    Oh, we're on the same page, then.
  13. mikeszekely
    I gotta side with other Mike on this one. Don't get me wrong, replacing a myriad of ports with a single, reversible standard isn't a bad idea, per se. Only including one of said port, though, seems a little ridiculous.
  14. mikeszekely
    This, pretty much. I've been following coverage, but I'm not seeing anything mind-blowing. In fact, the biggest tech story so far is probably the new MacBook Air, and that's just rumor. And the only reason why it's getting so much attention is because it's rumored to have nothing but a headphone jack and a single USB type C port (one port for charging, peripherals, and an external display).
  15. mikeszekely
    I'm getting the game when it comes out, but just the standard edition. My house is cluttered enough with Transformers and Gundams; I don't need a random skull kid laying around.
  16. mikeszekely
    The instructions just refer to it as a hologram seal. My Japanese isn't good enough to be sure, but the way it's written it's suggesting that you can use a hologram seal and a marker to create a "light" effect for the sensor unit, but I don't think the seal is included with the kit. It's more like, if you have the stuff laying around, you can do that for effect.
  17. mikeszekely
    You've got me curious now, what thoughts? Are you more inclined to get one, or less? I have to say, when I bought the Surface I expected that it'd become my daily driver PC-wise, but it didn't seem like I'd give up my iPad over it, and I expected that I'd still have to so some stuff on my desktop. I have to say, though, after a couple days the only time I've used my iPad is for reading ebooks in bed (something that would actually be more comfortable on a smaller, inexpensive Android tablet or an iPad mini). I haven't missed any of my iOS games or apps, and web browsing, even in tablet mode, has been fine on the Surface. Likewise, once I set up a Homegroup to give the Surface access to most of my desktop's files and bulk storage, I haven't set foot in my man cave.
  18. mikeszekely
    Been spending a lot of time with the Surface Pro 3. In fact, I spent almost the whole day using it as a tablet. Now again, I still don't see this as matching the iPad when it comes to sheer convenience as a tablet (and as Az pointed out, Microsoft doesn't really market it that way). It's a shade too big, and battery life is nowhere near where it needs to be. I went to bed with it at or near 100% and woke up this morning to 77%. Spent most of the day on the internet with it, and by 4:30 I was below 20%. However, the more I use the Surface, the more I love it. Yeah, Windows isn't always the most finger-friendly OS in desktop mode, but the screen is precise enough that it's not exactly difficult to get around with your finger, either. Then there's the pen, if you want some added precision. Indeed, the Surface has a keyboard for handwriting recognition if you don't want to type on the on-screen keyboard, and it's pretty fantastic. But mostly what I love about it is the sheer power. Sure, maybe it's a little bigger and less finger-friendly than an iPad, but it's a whole frickin' PC, capable of doing just about anything a PC can. Want to watch the free Hulu videos on a tablet but don't have a Hulu+ sub? Surface Pro. Can't watch Escapist videos on an iPad because they want you to pay a sub for MP4 versions? Surface Pro. Want to download a video that's weird format? Install VLC on your Surface Pro. Play your favorite SNES games? Use a PS4 controller and an emulator on your Surface Pro. Real PC gaming? Well, the Surface Pro can play some stuff on it's own, like Civ V (which even has a neat touchscreen mode). If you're like me, though, you probably already have a custom-built gaming desktop... which you can then set up to do Steam in-home streaming, allowing the gaming rig to do the heavy lifting while you game away on your Surface Pro. Speaking of my gaming desktop... I have three physical drives in it. The biggest, a 3TB, is just for bulk storage. I created folders for the usual Windows stuff like Download, Music, Documents, and Pictures, then told Windows to use them as the default locations for the libraries so I wasn't cluttering up my SSD. Now, I made sure that those folders were shared with full read/write access with my Homegroup, then made sure that my always-on desktop and my Surface Pro are on the same Homegroup. Now I can use the Surface Pro's internal storage for files I'll need with me when I'm out of the house, but if I don't need a file on the go the Surface Pro can use my desktop's bulk storage. This also has the added benefit of keeping the majority of my files in one place, so I don't have to remember which computer I saved a file on. I think it's fair to say that the Surface Pro 3 is pretty great. I think the tougher question, though, is whether or not it's the right device for you. Pretty much any other tablet is going to be cheaper and more comfortable to use as a tablet. Likewise, you can get Windows laptops for a lot less, too. You'd be hard-pressed to find a laptop this portable, though, especially one that doesn't make compromises like an Atom CPU. If you think of the Surface Pro as an Ultrabook with a few tricks that set it apart, then the Surface Pro is a very appealing device. And if you're in the market for an Ultrabook that can perform double-duty as a tablet with a few compromises, then you'll probably love the Surface Pro 3. I do.
  19. mikeszekely
    I agree, more or less. I mean, it's not a totally unfair price, and better than the regular rental prices, sure. But my PS3 is still hooked up, I have a decent library of PS3 discs, and I'm still buying PS3 games. I'm not really inclined too pay $20 a month to stream games I already own for one console onto a different one.
  20. mikeszekely
    Just a sketch, or is this really happening? I'm not sure how I feel about it, honestly. I love Prime, and MP-10 is just about perfect. I love the idea of Prime being able to power up. But I've never cared for Ginrai's toy-accurate, truck on the front and back animation model, and I don't necessarily want that as an MP. Then again, there could be a masterpiece Godbomber...
  21. mikeszekely
    Well... my Surface Pro arrived. This thing definitely isn't an iPad replacement (although it does have me thinking about replacing my iPad Air with an iPad mini). In tablet mode, it's significantly bigger (although not that much thicker). And while it's not super heavy, the weight being spread out over a larger area makes its weight more noticeable. Navigating with a finger isn't bad if you're using a Metro/Modern app, but it can be tricky in desktop mode. On the plus side, though, comic book files and PDFs look pretty fantastic on the Surface's screen. The Surface Pen can be pretty handy, too. The handwriting recognition is pretty solid in general, but it's got some special tricks for the included OneNote app that have me thinking I'll probably use it for planning my D&D sessions. To be clear, the Surface Pro 3 isn't a bad tablet, it's just a little awkward compared to an iPad. On the other hand, though, it's a fantastic laptop, as long as you don't mind investing in a few accessories. The TypeCover is pretty much a must. It's a little pricey, but it's backlit, and I've found that I have no trouble touch typing on it. The trackpad on it is serviceable, and there's always the touchscreen, but a bluetooth mouse is cheap enough that you might as well grab one of those, too. Speaking of bluetooth, a PS4 controller will pair wirelessly without any special tools. Simply open the bluetooth settings on the Surface, then hold down the Share and Home buttons on the PS4 controller until it starts blinking. It'll show up as "Wireless Controller" and work as a Direct Input device. For a little added functionality, you can download a program called "DS4Windows." Simply run it after your controller is paired and it will make the PS4 contoller appear as an XInput device (like an Xbox Controller). The touch pad on the controller even works! Aside from using it for some games and emulators that the Surface can run on its own, if you have a dedicated gaming computer you can use Steam's in-home streaming to stream games to the Surface. Oh, and if your PS4 controller starts to get low on power? There's a USB port on the Surface's power brick you can use to charge it up. The Surface also supports wireless display and Miracast, which is kind of nice. I'm still not sure about the battery life. I charged it fully, then used it on the battery from 4:00 in the afternoon until around 10:00, and it was down to around 30%. I charged it overnight, then used it sporadically (I'm sick, so I've been sleeping a lot today) from the time I got up until around 5:00, and it was down to 50%. Power usage is going to increase or decrease between using it for Office, web surfing, or gaming. I think you could get through a work day on battery, but if you're going to play you'll probably want to be near an outlet. At the end of the day, it's hard for me to say if I'd recommend the Surface Pro 3 or not. For what it costs to get the Surface and the TypeCover, you can probably buy a cheaper laptop and an iPad mini 2. The iPad's still more convenient for random couch surfing, and as I noted there are cheaper laptops. Still, if you don't mind a few trade offs, the Surface Pro 3 is solid laptop that can pull double duty as an adequate tablet, and is a great choice for people looking for a single portable device when they're traveling.
  22. mikeszekely
    I'm a little jealous that everyone but me got Gunpla for Christmas...
  23. mikeszekely
    It's a reference to the movie. "Jettison some weight, or we'll never make it to Cybertron." Megatron, Skywarp, Thundercracker, and the Insecticons were the guys who got tossed and became Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps.
  24. mikeszekely
    Here you go. Oh man, that is so tempting. I think a few months ago I wouldn't have hesitated, but right now I'm leaning more toward the Nexus 6.
  25. mikeszekely
    There is a Casval RG Gundam. I'd link it, but I'm on my iPad sick. IIRC, though, Gundam Planet had it in stock for around $57. As for the G3 not turning up until April, I dunno. Maybe it takes time to print the stickers and mold the parts in the purple-blue? All I know is I want it. The G3 is my favorite of the 7 main RX-78s. Too bad I couldn't find a Zeta 3 for under $100... I bet it's look great with the G3. And an RG Hi-Nu, if/when it happens. As for the Mk-II, the cloth tubing is the hardest part. I didn't mind it as much as you seem to, and I think it's worth it, because it looks fantastic when it's done. When I cut the cloth, I just put a fresh blade on my hobby knife, lined it up with the guide in the manual, then sliced at it. That'd cut 90% of the way through the tube, and plain ol' scissors could finish it no problem. It's alright if it frays a little, because the armor will cover the ends. Honestly, it's probably one of the simplest RG's, but also one of the best-looking and most solid when it's done. Probably my favorite.
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