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sketchley

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  1. sketchley
    Speaking of sun and fading... I recently discovered a Bandai Rigado that I had accidentally left on a downstairs window frame (long story short: earthquake damage repairs), and all the decals facing outside were faded (especially the reds). The plastic doesn't appear to have faded/yellowed, but keep in mind that thicker plastic usually takes longer to show discolouration. What about a 'throwaway' VF? Something that doesn't matter if it falls off the desk and breaks, or becomes discoloured from the sun, etc. Like one of the Mecha Collection VFs?
  2. sketchley
    2 suggestions that resulted in more successful results for me: 1) masking. While there *may* be a little bit of bleed through under the edges tape, it'll prevent overspray or the dreaded paint drop. 2) paint it before assembly (in this case... is it possible to disassemble? If not, partially transform it, and mask whatever you don't want painted). .... and while it is a pain in the a$$ at times*, go slow. Work on one part at a time (if you can't disassemble it and work on a batch of parts at the same time). * especially when cleaning the brushes, etc.
  3. sketchley
    I live in Japan, and there's a funky time difference/time warp involved. Seriously... it's actually uncommon for movies to be released concurrently to their 'world premier' here. (Nevermind that due to RL that seeing something in the theatre is more of a costly chore than a fun night out, and I wait for them to come out on BR... in the used shops. )
  4. sketchley
    I fully agree. Well, as long as the comments (even if they are negative) are adding to the conversation. If it's the same poster making the exact same diatribe point for the nth time, well TLDR. As far as movies that I haven't seen yet go: avoiding any and all discussion threads is also my preferred action. You know—internet: spoilers!
  5. sketchley
    Ah... but let's take whatever they reveal with a grain of salt: some of the stuff they decided to produce hasn't always made it into the (final cut of) the movie. E.g.: the First Order Snow Speeder.
  6. sketchley
    You can tell... sort of... when it comes to lighting and shadows. LOL A good rule of thumb with a more realistic* looking movie is: if it is static (e.g. a building or spaceship), there's a good chance that it's a model (something to do with models costing less in the long run). If it's dynamic (e.g. a character), then it's more often than not CG. * perhaps "better director" is better? LOL If I''m not mistaken, directors like Ridley Scott and Christopher Nolan prefer to use them. However, even heavy blue-screen and CG users, such as George Lucas, also use them for cost and ease of production (E.g. the pod race stadium set - in long shots, even the audience were Q-tips being moved by blow dryers!1) 1 https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mos_Espa_Grand_Arena/Legends#Behind_the_scenes
  7. sketchley
    I was going to argue it, but a line by the producers of the TFA came to mind: "physics works differently in the Star Wars universe." (or something along those lines) So... we're left with only one thing: the needs of the plot. In ESB, it was essential that the X-wing still worked. As far as SW9 is concerned... refer to the line of comments about JJ being a hack, et al.
  8. sketchley
    This is a common SF fallacy. While it is true that spacecraft and submarines are both pressure vessels, one is designed to keep high pressure out (a submarine) and one is designed to keep high pressure in (the spacecraft). Putting it into different words: how many airplanes can keep the water out when they ditch in the sea?
  9. sketchley
    I understand. While I thought Solo was pretty good, the whole new trilogy is "meh". Anyhow, there's an article that sums up our melancholy: "Has Star Wars Reached Peak Prequel?" https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40973254 It's from the eve of Solo's release. For the TLDR crowd:
  10. sketchley
    Maybe that X-Wing was there just to show how he got there, and that he never, ever, intended to leave?
  11. sketchley
    Re: VF-4 I think that's a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Though, a more reasonable explanation is that the VF-1 Space Wings book was published years before the VF-4 book. Writers changed (or the writer deepened his knowledge) by the time the VF-4 book was in production. Re: in-universe obfuscating Without going into too much detail, in the justifications for why the VF-1EX (and it's immediate predecessor, the VF-1Z) were still in demand and front line use in the 2060's is because they're still capable fighters when dealing with Zentradi Mobile Weapons. So, the context of my preceding post was preventing that information from falling into their hands. Not to mention that military surplus VF-1's are stripped of most of their military equipment when they're sold to civilians. While FAST Packs can be acquired, perhaps the "it makes lethal poison when used" is just one more excuse to use when the consumer says, "can I get one of those, too?"
  12. sketchley
    Nah... I had finished that section well before it came up in discussion. Marking it up in PHP and slapping it onto my site was on the to-do list (after I had completed the rest of the FAST Packs section). But you know that old story: started working on the VF-1EX translations... and then got a load of work from my side job at a translation company. Perhaps we should take what they say about the beam gun not being used for AA purposes with a grain of salt: as you pointed out, it's a very scary weapon. So, while they didn't describe it that way, it would be a complete and total waste to use it on a 'mere' airplane (on par with overkill taking it past the scorched earth degree). Though, that reminds me of something: these books are written from the perspective of 'in-universe publications'. Could it be what we're seeing is really a bit of misdirection to hide the weapon's true capabilities ?
  13. sketchley
    Bottom of page 23.
  14. sketchley
    Especially because that's *not* the DYRL movie that they're referring to in the book. DYRL is apparently a sequel to the movie that they're referring to!
  15. sketchley
    Variable Fighter Master File: VF-1 Valkyrie Wings of Space: http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/OTvfmf/OTvfmf.php Additional translations of the FAST Pack section (Pgs 021-025). For those participating in that discussion where the subject of the Strike Valkyrie not actually having participating in SWI came up: therein contains a detailed description of how it wasn't possible. And Seto, it also includes the passage you alluded to (however, it means something different than what you think you read. ).
  16. sketchley
    Let us not talk of Batman & Robin again... (It doesn't exist in my head canon for Batman movies! )
  17. sketchley
    Well, we are watching an in-universe fictional representation of historical events. We'll have to ask the in-universe director why. :lol:
  18. sketchley
    The *real* Hikaru, Misa, and Minmei all left on the first Megaroad Emigrant Fleet. So, the question about that "poetic licence" in FB2012 is: was that a Minmei clone looking up at the departing *real* Minmei? (and both envying each other's future) Or was that merely 'poetic licence", as the *Minmei* remaining on Earth knew that she wasn't the *real* Minmei, and there were some sort of societal rules preventing her from resuming the *real* Minmei's musical career (see my previous post regarding that).
  19. sketchley
    This is where there's a slight conflict with what has been published (Macross Chronicle) about that mass cloning: skilled and/or important key people from the First Interstellar War were cloned and used to crew the ship's in the early Emigrant Fleets. Therefore, it's very likely that Minmei was cloned. However (and this is a big one), we do not know if those clones were given the same names. Macross is as clear as mud when it comes to cloning. On the one hand, there are strong indications that the memories of the cloned person are implanted as-is into the clone (see the above paraphrasing from Macross Chronicle). On the other hand, as we don't have any protests or other social upheavals from clones discovering they're not the real person—à la Ah-nold's reaction when discovering he's a clone in The 6th Day—we can presume that the clones know that they are clones. The one mitigating factor is that the Emigrant Fleets were sent out to the four corners of the galaxy. So, while there may be "a" Minmei on any given (early) Emigrant Fleet, the chance of them running into each other later in life is quite slim (fun fact: the Macross Frontier fleet took 20 years to get to the center of the galaxy. It'll take 10 years to get back to Earth.) It's been implied that the problem with the mass cloning was that there may have been two or more clones of ordinary people in any given early Emigrant Fleet (how else can we explain the sudden rise in genetic disorders in children that brought the mass cloning program to an immediate stop within a mere decade or two?). So, your point about doppelgangers is true, just not in the way you intended. (^_-)
  20. sketchley
    There's an in-universe reason for that as well: tourism (from other Emigrant Fleets, etc.)
  21. sketchley
    Storytelling. Kawamori-san is very particular on certain things (E.g.: even the (main/sub-/enemy/etc.) mecha silhouettes all have to look different). In this case, it's an instantly recognizable pose that tells the viewer what the character is doing (in this case: we aren't looking at just anyone. We're looking at a sniper! [← even this term is Kawamori-approved. You, I, and he all know they're called "precision shooter". But the layman doesn't, and he visually designs his shows for them.])
  22. sketchley
    Agreed. Trying to copy the success of a different franchise by emulating it in an already successful franchise is always dissatisfying—especially because they tend to get rid of what makes it unique and interesting in the process! Aside from ST:D, there's: Stargate Universe: copied the rebooted Battlestar Galactica. Lost the lighthearted feel, over-the-top bad guys and stopped using the Stargate itself! :gasp: James Bond: became a Borne clone in Quantum of Solace. See how well that worked out. :roll: James Bond (!): tried to be a Star Wars clone in Moonraker. Thankfully we had Ridly Scott make his own film riffing on Star Wars... James Bond (!!!): became a kung-fu movie clone in The Man With a Golden Gun. Do these guys never learn? I'm sure there's oodles more examples out there. Case in point: don't mess with what makes your franchise a success! As people are mentioning Rogue One and Solo... here's something to ponder: was RO a success because it had Jedi (Force) related elements? Did Solo bomb because it didn't? (a certain someone's cameo at the end doesn't count, of course. )
  23. sketchley
    I can't comment on MF, however when it comes to SDFM & DYRL, it's a bit easier to make sense—if one keeps in mind Kawamori-san's official line that the anime we see are in-universe dramatizations of historical events: The TV series was made with the equipment as it appeared (akin to those post-WWII films that used actual combat footage). DYRL was made about 25 years after that, using the available models of the equipment and (if what came out at the time of M7 is still valid) used holographic technology over at-the-time modern equipment (explaining away how Bodoruza's Fortress and the Beginhill Training Ship look suspiciously similar). VFMF: VF-1 Valkyrie Space Wings has a perfect way to illustrate it: the book claims that the Strike Valkyrie (Beam Gun equipped version of the Super Valkyrie) wasn't developed until after the First Interstellar War (of course, it should be noted that the book self describes itself as not being part of the "Official Setting" ).
  24. sketchley
    Personally, I really like the X-men franchise. Especially the better ones that are actually about something more than pumped up super dudes playing fisticuffs (namely #1, 2, FC, DoFP, etc.). Of course, honourable mention goes to the 2nd Wolverine film: on top of a meditation on what it means to be effectively immortal, we also get some really goofy-fun action scenes (though I admit that the goofiness might be lost on those who don't live in Japan—I'm looking at you, SMG armed Yakuza guards! )
  25. sketchley
    That's what I thought, too. While the other style (many side-view drawings) wasn't as much fun for the eye, the accompanying squadron descriptions and mini-histories that further fleshed out the Macross universe was more than welcome! ... and it's odd, too, as the TiAS: Macross Plus has eight of those squadron illustrations & descriptions in 4 pages (2 are side and top, to boot!), while this new VFMF book gives us fourteen in 14 pages...
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