mikeszekely

At least you're okay, and at least it was your car. Like a week after I got my license, I was speeding to make a greenlight, understeered, over-corrected, didn't re-correct to avoid hitting some old guy's 'vette at the intersection, and wrapped my mom's car around a phone pole. The front end was pushed halfway to the dash (thank god for the cabin's frame!), and I wrenched my shoulder to boot. For that reason, I got to ride the ambulance to the emergency room... which was good, because if I wasn't hurt, my mom probably would have sent me!

Is there a decent PCEngine emu that's not Magic Engine? The idea of paying for an emulator doesn't sit well with me. I tried Hugo 2.10, and just a regular pce rom file to test it out... at first it's okay, just a little flickery... then all the sudden it jams up.

Not to mention passive stealth. The active stealth on the VF-19 goes down, it's gonna have one mean radar signature...

F-22 and the YF-23. It's a shame we couldn't have had both...

Not big enough, IMHO. VF-22, hands down.

Pretty modest for a walking dictionary on the subject, David.

That'll learn me. Don't sweat it.

Is it possible to rip the audio and video from the DVDs I have, and then add different subs? If so, what do I need, and where can I find good subs?

Exactly! The YF/VF-19 is cheaper and more conventional, and thus is declared the winner. The YF-21/VF-22 is actually the superior plane, but is costlier and less conventional (even the VF-22, which has a more conventional cockpit and controls, requires a special flight suit). Kinda like the whole YF-22/YF-23 thing in real life.

Um, yeah, he asked about Macross Zero, not Macross TV. And I honestly can't answer the question. Everyone must be using the R2 DVDs as their source. With reguards to subtitles, though, I haven't seen or heard anything about any except the MI versions, and eBay sellers simply seem to know that they have a Macross Zero DVD to sell, not who made it. For the MI versions, the audio is excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sounce, probably identical to what is on the R2's. People have complained about the video quality, but I don't really have any complaints there. I'm starting to wonder if it's pixelation that shows up on something like a computer monitor, which has a much higher resolution, since I really only watched them on my home theater (DVD player connected via S-Video to a Panasonic 27" CRT TV). The subs, though, we can all unanimously agree are attrocious. It's like the subbers had some mild understanding of the story and the names for the characters, so they threw something in whenever someone is talking, and yet it doesn't make sense. A perfect example is in the first episode, when Shin goes outside the hut and seems some chickens. He says "Tori," which is Japanese for bird or chicken, but the subtitle reads "Sara and Mao." Rather than dick around with eBay (I got burned when I bought Zeta Gundam off of one seller, only to find that it was a bootleg of the MI version... that is, a boot of a boot, with the worst video I've seen on a DVD yet), I buy my DVDs from Animeniacs, who carry the MI versions. The MI DVDs aren't a bad way to go, just got to mahq.net and check out their summaries after you watch them. It helps clear some things up.

Not to alarm anyone, but Rebel Strike was reviewed in the new issue of Game Informer... and it didn't do very well. 6.5 (out of 10) from one reviewer, and a 6.75 from the other. A quote from the article, "The butchery that Factor 5 has inflicted upon this game has led to a disasterous release that will likely be remembered as one of the biggest dissapointements in all of gaming." The gist of the review, from both reviewers, is that the on foot stuff is terrible, with bad controls and a useless targeting system. The flying parts are still supposed to control fluidly, but the enemy AI is supposed to be terrible, making the game way to easy (and boring) this time. Doesn't sound good, guys. I'm gonna save my money for Castlevania instead.

I used the VF-22 for that mission.

That's a given. Although the initial batches of VF-19s were used as an elite group during the Protodevlin war, we know that since it won SuperNova that it's going to replace the VF-11 as the main fighter. After the Protodevlin war, the Macross 7 fleet makes their repairs, and more VF-19s will replace the VF-11s lost during the war. But we clearly see in Dynamite 7 that Diamond Force is upgraded with VF-22s, meaning that they replaced the VF-17s for the elites. While the VF-22 might still cost more, you give the elites the best... and that would mean that the VF-22 is superior to the VF-19.

A pile of downloadable files. You need a CUE sheet, and depending on the distribution, either the disk image or the rips of the data track and assload of redbook tracks(likely distributed as moderate-to-low-quality MP3s). the cue is absolutely vital due to the non-standard format of PCE CDs. Track 1 is redbook, track TWO is data, and then everything else is redbook. Some burners actually can't burn them. CUE sheet, eh? Any links where I can read up more on this?

Yes, but even then, the VF-22 retains the aforementioned advantages of a sleeker design, passive steath, the Q-Rau's inertia vector control system, and the ability to lose all four of its limbs and still be able to operate in fighter mode. You shoot both the legs off of a YF-19, and at best it'll try to gun you down while it's falling from the sky. Also, as I mentioned, the VF-19 will become cannon fodder in the future, while the VF-22 is reserved for the elite teams like Diamond Force. I'm pretty conviced that the YF-19's victory over the YF-22 came down to three things: 1. More conventional technology. David can say for sure, but I think this is one of the reasons that the F-35 won the JSF competion. 2. Lower cost. Probably one of the reasons why the F/A-22 beat out the YF-23. 3. It was the only one left after the Sharon Apple thing. Winning SuperNova on those counts says nothing about which plane was actually the superior fighter, which I believe is actually the YF-21/VF-22.

Ooh... PC Engine games... I wanna play! I got emulators running for just about everything, but I gave up on PC Engine since all the good games were on CD, and I thought that I'd really need to the CD. Am I to assume then that there's someway to play the PC Engine Macross games with just a downloadable file and an emulator?

In an ideal world, the Macross game would get a US release for the PS2. That said, a US Cube release would be the next best thing. Failing that, a Japanese Cube port beats importing for the PS2, because to import for the Cube all you gotta do is get the game, and either get a Freeloader or an Action Replay (Freeloader is part of the AR software), load that, swap discs, and play away.

My vote goes for the VF-22. Although I'm given to understand that the both the 19 and the 22 ended up with some form of active stealth technology, the 22 looks like it'd have a smaller radar cross section without it... so the 22 is the only one that incorporates passive stealth. As David pointed out, the forward swept wings don't really mean much on the 19, and although the canards help in an atmosphere, the VF-22 has the Q-Rau's inertia vector control system. Without a full count and listing of locations for all the verniers on both fighters, I'm not handing the "most manoeverable" award to the 19 yet. Now we toss in the fact that they 22 can continue to operate in fighter mode with all four of its limbs blown (while the 19 would be missing... well, the entire back half of the fighter...), and the fact that an average pilot can fly it without killing himself... I think it's obvious which is the better fighter. Which makes sense... even though the 19 won (by virtue of being the last fighter standing), the 19 was going to be the main fighter... in time, the cannon fodder, even. Meanwhile, the UN buys the 22 for it's spec ops groups... in other words, the elites who get the better machines.

I'm with Keith. I remember getting like half of the series, and the then guy I bought my fansubs from quit... fortunately, the owner of my local anime store is a huge Macross fan, and he copied the rest for me from his fansubs. For those that have really watched Macross 7 to the very end, it's hard not to like the characters. Even the annoying ones like Basara are kind of likeable in a way. Spiritia aside, Macross 7 is probably the best character story in the Macross universe, and if pressed, I'm more likely to watch Macross 7 again than SDF Macross. But if no one's going to push me, I refuse to pick one! The only place I disagree with Keith on is Basara's VF-19. I don't care how gaudy a mecha's paint job is, it's okay by me until you put a face on it. Once you put a face on it, you've crossed a line for me. The VF-19P is my favorite of the VF-19's, but I hate Fire Valkyrie, and I pretty much hate all of the Sound Force valkyries. I think the Jamming Birds' VF-11s are the way to go if you want a valkyrie for singing at aliens in.

Anyone know if those PSX thingies still have the territorial lockouts? As it stands now, I'm considering to buy a Japanese PS2. That way I have a no-fuss solution for playing VF-X, VF-X2, DYRL, and Rockman Battle and Chase (and Super Adventure Rockman, if I can ever get my paws on it!), as well as the new Macross game, the Generation 1 Transformers game, and AEUG vs. Titans if it doesn't see a US release (although, looking at Bandai's track record lately, it will). On the other hand, if PS2's drop in price to $99.99 like the rumors are saying, I'll be able to get a used one for like $55 with my employee discount... I could just do that, and mess around with mod chips or slide cards and figure that if I break it, so what? For $55 bucks, it was worth a try.

But I liked Macross 7. If they could have found a way to do the story without Sound Force, yeah, it would have been better... but I still liked it.

If you want my just my three favorties, two off the bat would be the Gundam Mark II and the Nu Gundam. In my opinion, they are the two most elegant takes on the whole Gundam design. Every Gundam before them was too much like the robots of 70's sci-fi. Every Gundam since has been too stylized or over the top. That'd make my third choice come from one of the alternate universe stories. So for that one, Gundam Virsago from Gundam X. It had what's cool about Epyon and Shenlong from Gundam Wing amalgamated and polished until you had a supremely cool, supremely evil Gundam.

I'm curious, what are your favorite mobile suits from each Gundam series? This isn't a poll, because I didn't feel like listing a few choices from each series. Just write in and tell me which ones you like... but just one from each series. (I'm grouping all the One Year War suits together, but if you want to break them up by series, go ahead. I just don't want to see stuff like "From Char's Counterattack, I really liked Sazabi, the RE-GZ, the Jagd Doga... etc, because that just gets ridiculous. I only want to know your one most favorite for each series.) My list is thus: One Year War - Gouf Zeta Gundam - Gundam Mk II ZZ Gundam - Bawoo Char's Counterattack - Nu Gundam Gundam F91 - I'll go with the RX-99 Neo Gundam... but in my opinion, UC mobile suits are all downhill from Char's Counterattack. V Gundam - Victory 2 Gundam G-Saviour - I'm gonna go with the J-Saviour from the game version. G Gundam - Master Gundam (but Manager Gundam gets props for the tie and cigar) Gundam W - The Endless Waltz version of Deathscythe Hell Gundam X - Virsago Turn A Gundam - Borjarnon! Gundam SEED - Blitz Gundam For you manga lovers out there... Sentinel - Sigma Gundam Under the Gundam - D Gundam 3rd Hathaway's Flash - Penelope Gundam F90 - RF Gouf Silhouette Formula 91 - Silhouette Gundam Gaia Gear - Zorin Soul Crossbone Gundam - Crossbone Gundam X-1 G-Unit - Gundam Griepe

Ah yes, always nice to see people unafraid of giving their opinion. So here is one right back at you. I can't really comment on the Macross TV series. However, I imagine I would not like it as much as Robotech considering I don't like reading my television shows and I don't plan on learning Japanese. I also like the voice acting in the Robotech series. BTW you smell like a Macross snob. Don't take it personally, Deadzone. From time to time, we get snots from RT.com who come over just trolling over, looking to start a flame war. Now, whenever someone comes around, admitting that they're not familiar with Macross and talking about Robotech, we instinctively reach for our guns. In all fairness to you, you weren't trolling, you were just asking an honest question. The honest answer is that Jack Archer was made up for Battlecry. He may or may not have turned up in the comics later, but he was definately created for the game. As far as the whole reading subs vs. watching dubs, I can respect your opinion (although I myself prefer subs, as the Japanese voices are usually much better than the American dubs). However, unlike other anime that's been shown in the States, where they just translate and maybe change a few names here and there, that's not the case with Macross/Robotech. Robotech is actually a meld of three unrelated shows, and much of the story has been edited and re-invented to make all three parts fit. The original Macross TV series is a much more mature and slightly darker story than the Macross Saga of Robotech. And, Macross has better sequels than Robotech, that take the story in a much different direction. While we do have some fans here who still claim to like both, many of us actually drop RT entirely for Macross. If you ever get the chance, check out the original Macross and see what you think. For more info on the differences between Macross and Robotech, check out Leb's Site or the pinned topic in the beginning of this forum. For more info on Macross in general, check out the Macross Compendium.

If you're gonna unite all over the place... try to form some sort of mighty robot like Voltron, would ya? Otherwise... it just sounds a bit frilly. EDITED because spelling things correctly is fun. And I'll form... the head! Go! Voltro... uh, Macross Snob force!