Commander McBride

You know, there's a really thing about the singing. The TaTu songs they play on the radio, in english, suck. But, oddly enough, the original Russian songs, which were what introduced me to the group, are actually pretty bearable. So, if they keep the russian songs int eh anime, it may not be too bad. And the anime itself seems to have a good crew, and it looks like it's probably going to have very little to do with the group anyway. It may not be too bad afterall. And, besides, the character designs aren't bad, so the thing being a psuedo-hentai won't be a total loss!

Some may not be into arcade games, but there are some things that just can't be done properly on consoles. A good example is racing games. Initial D is a pretty awesome game in the arcade, when sitting in the racing seat and sing the high quality wheel, etc, but is merely average as a PS2 game. The same goes for many racing games. It just costs a huge amount of money to have such an elaborate setup. Another example is gun games. Sure, you can play them on a TV, but unless you're loaded, you don't have a 60" flatscreen to play on. And games like Time Crisis just aren't as fun when you don't have the pedal. Or how about crisis zone? It revolves around the use of the SMG, playing it with a pistol would be no fun, requiring purchase of an SMG light gun. And how about that cop game with the sensors, where you can move an duck down to take cover. That'd never work on a console. And all the music games. DDR for example. It costs a couple hundered to have a really good setup, with the good pad, and that's if you have somewhere to put it. Or Guitar Freaks, that's a huge peripheral, as is the one from any drumming game. And don't even think of having a Para Para machine in your house! And who has the money to make a setup like the one in Sega Strike Fighter? Sure, 80 bucks will bring you a HOTAS, but then you're stuck in a computer chair looking at a little monitor. And the Airline Pilot game has a whole bunch more controls, which would cost even more money to do. In other words, arcades have a definite purpose in modern gaming. And putting money into them will allow more interesting games to come out, ones that can't be done, or aren't as fun, on the console. So, all of you who don't go to arcades, you're missing out.

Back to the subject of the VF-0/VF-1 issue for just a minute, I have a little theory of my own. I think the VF-1 and VF-0 were originally developed by seperate corporations as competitors. I'm guessing the VF-1 was a Stonewell-Bellcom and the VF-0 was a Shinkasu. Shinkasu's higher technology in the avionics area allowed them to have an extensive system in their VF-0 prototype. They also had Overtechnology advancements like the SW-AG system/ However, Stonewell-Bellcom's experience in the airframes themselves allowed them to creale a lighter, more compact, aircraft. When it came down to the final competiton, both VFs were evenly matched, with different strengths and weaknesses....until S-B unveiled their secret weapon, the Pratt & Whittney Thermonuclear Turbine, which led to the adoption of the VF-1, because, despite the higher cost of the engines, the savings in fuel would be huge, and due to the monetary issue, was viewed as a better advantage than the stronger SW-AG armor. After the completion of the competiton, due to the fragile situation, Shinkasu was convinced to work alongside S-B in development and production of the VF-1, and to share the expertise learned in the VF-0 project. Some of the VF-0's improvements were integrated into the VF-1, such as a production version of the SW-AG system. Shinkasu aqquired the right to build a version of the VF-1 inder license, specifically the VF-1J, which incorporated some of the weapons, sensor, and avionics advancements that appearred in the 0. Note the similarity of the 0S head to the !J head. However, Shinkasu continued development on the VF-0, adding such features as GERWALK mode, and making a limited production run of VF-0s, possibly to test the use of VFs, not testing the transformation systems themselves, but to develop tactics and train the first batch of pilots while the VF-1 was not yet ready. When tensions flared up, and turned to conflict, with the Anti-UN, the small force of VF-0s was deployed to ASCA and sent to the South Pacific. In addition to the fact that more VF-0s were available and ready for combat, it also helped that the ASCA (possibly) and the VF-0s, which were at Shinkasu, were in Japan, much closer to the target area than any of the S-B development aread in the US.

A space missile would not be prohibitively expensive at all. Missiles with thrust vectoring already exist. And having a missile steer with thrusters (hell, it could even be compressed CO2 or Nitrogen, that's what is used in some current day thrusters) would not be any more complex than having motor driven fins for steering. And, the lack of gravity makes it easier, as th emissile will fly straight instead of having to account for gravity, and the vacuum would allow for very little propulsion fuel, as there would be no loss of speed, only necessitating a very short burn time, or, alternately, a missile with insanely high velocity.

I like X-2, but I really have to admit that it really hasn't held my attention. I hate to say it, but the best game on PS2, three years running, is Gran Turismo 3.

Oh dear, I just took a look. That is really not my cup of tea. Looks like one of those G-taste garage kits! Hmm........gimme small any day. Small is cute. I bet if she tried to run or jump she'd knock herself out Graham Oh my god, she really does look like a G-Taste girl! I mean, the resemblance is nothing short of uncanny!

Woah! The character designs are like.....area 88 plus Yukikaze !!

I have to say, those shots of the Paris Act are possibly the best valkyrie model I've ever seen on MW. That paint job is absolutely worthy to grace the pages of Model Graphix.

The VEFR-1 "Funny Chinese" makes a momentary appearance in a large group of VFs in the TV series, at some time or other. I've seen the screencap around here somewhere.

Naw, I think ed-oh-gah is gonna make it. He seems too likely to die, they're probably gonna keep him alive just to throw us off. Hell, We'll probably see Edgar at Shin's funeral. Now..... Where's my Cheyenne figure? For that matter, how long do you guys suppose it's gonna be until we see a custom model of one in DHM or Hobby J, or even Model Graphix, they seem to have a lot of Macross stuff too?

Not all of them are bad. I can safely tell you that I have seen more good cosplay then bad. The bad ones seem to happen mostly in the US.... seriously. Hey, I'm a cosplayer myself! There are as many good ones ibn the US as there are anywhere else. It's just that there seem to be, how can I put it?.....More ugly ones.

ESB. I like how much darker it is than the other movies.,

Honestly... rent it first. Hardly any review source can be considered good now a days. My major problem is that there's nowhere around to rent games. I know, I live right in the middle of LA, but, for some reason, the local rental places only get the crap games.

Man, I'm just a kid compared to you guys, being only 17 and all.....

I, too, have a feeling that we're gonna see an updated version of the VF-1 showing up. Updated in the area of specs and features, that is, anyway. And I have a feeling that it's gonna be Low Viz, and look very similar, proportion and detail wise, to Yamato's 1/48.

Competition, 'eh? Maybe I'll go grab a copy and dust off the old X-45...... Now, how bout a LO:MAC battle, when it finally hits stores?

EGM gave it a horrible review, too, (or was it OPM? I know it was one of the ones I subscribe to...) I think it got a 2, and that was only because the guy was a gundam freak. I'll still get it, though, because of the favorable info I've heard from you guys and other boards and online sources.

Woah! There are six of those guys! I just noticed that there's another room behind them, I always thought it was a mirror! BTW, if for any freakish reason anyone would want one of those anime chick pillows, (daki-makura, or "Hug Pillow") they have them at J-List ......

I really like BF. Be aware that the flight controls are quite simple, though, but that may not be such a bad thing. You may want to get the game of the year edition or whatever, to get the Road to Rome expansion, which will allow you to get the experience WWII mod, which improves the realism of the standard stuff and adds a lot of new weapons and vehicles.

EiS has a split-screen multiplayer mode, right?

There is a Stuka variant with two big cannon in/under the wings, replacing the other ordinance. It's in the XWWII Realism mod for BF1942, so I know it exists, as the XWWII team is obsessed with total accuracy. I've also seen a model of it.

It does have ground based missions, though, right? In the other modes of the game? It at least has missions on the asteroid surfaces, I'd imagine?

Forget both of them. The Xamel is the coolest MS ever. And also the cooles MSiA.

I really want a Shin's 0D.... But I really want a couple Destroid Cheyennes!

I thoaught perhaps as a senior officer she chose the the front seat. I would speculate that it's because the rear positions were all devoted to specific roles, and all were manned by their specific officers, leaving only the co-pilot's seat for Misa.