text:
Bungie Weekly Update
Posted 22 April 2005 - 04:12 PM
Posted 22 April 2005 - 05:24 PM
Posted 22 April 2005 - 05:49 PM
Posted 22 April 2005 - 08:15 PM
Posted 29 April 2005 - 05:44 PM
Hella dudes ask,
How's the playlist update coming? When can we expect it to go live?
The playlist update is still undergoing a test pass but things are progressing nicely.? We're still hoping to have it ready for your enjoyment in just a few more days - most likely middle to late next week.? In the meantime, remember that you and your friends can play the new maps as much as you like via custom games. Check out our forums if you're looking for more map owners to play with!
Lots of folks wonder,
What's included in the Playlist updates?
This is just a taste. A lot of things the vast majority of players won't notice, but here's one or two of the more visible and necessary changes. Note that NONE of these has been done casually. All of this has undergone testing and tweaking. Thanks to Jeremiah and Sketch for the new info.
Sudden Death has been removed from all Assault variants to prevent griefing. If you think that griefing was a legitimate tactic, you are simply going to have to learn other basic skills. You all knew that doing it was bogus, aggravated the other teams and was fundamentally imbalanced. Did we have any responsibility there? Sure. And we've fixed it. Thing is, we accept all our responsibilities, while griefers continue to defer theirs. Stop cheating, stop griefing, and don't cry about how it's our fault for making it possible. We had issues with our designs that did make it possible, but nobody forced you to exploit them. Especially when other teams DON'T do it. Griefers who complain about OUR responsibility to stop them from cheating should dial 911 and ask for a Waaahmbulance.
Round time for Assault variants has been increased globally to give teams a better chance to score since sudden death is gone. That should mean more epic struggles, and some maps, like Headlong, will become very, very interesting?
?especially since we've removed Banshee from CTF and Assault games on Ascension and Headlong. Why? Because griefers will surf the bomb to unreachable places anyway, just to be jackasses.
No more Plasma Pistol / Battle Rifle ownage in Slayer games on Beaver Creek or Colossus - we now use Human weapon sets for Slayer variants on those two maps. This will be controversial and we understand there is some small skill required to use the combo, but frankly it has become tiresome on those maps. It takes far more skill to win without that combo. More skill = more fun, right?
Motion Detector (radar) has been removed in all head to head playlist variants. This one I'm personally ambivalent about. Partly because of my inability to look at radar while fighting/getting owned. Partly because it sometimes adds a layer of strategy (creeping on objective based games, being a good example) but we hear the thronging masses. Loads of noise demanding its removal and almost total silence on the opposite opinion.
The majority of game variants on Coagulation and Burial mounds will now start players with Battle Rifle and an SMG - exceptions include games such as Team Snipers, Team Rifles or other variants which feature specific weapon sets. THIS one we expect universal approval on. Now that I can actually shoot the Battle Rifle with some modicum of skill, I will be putting it to good use. We've done more palatable Battle Rifle starts on the newer maps too, but since they're not in matchmaking yet, you'll have to take our word for it.
We've added King and Oddball variants to Head to Head to encourage more conflict, less hiding and more variety.
No more Phantoms. You'll have to custom game that one. Phantoms was a rarity anyway. Now it's just super-ultimate-rare. That is to say., gone.
We've added new CTF and Assault variants which feature Covenant vehicles just for variety. The Spectre is making an appearance and should make for some interesting encounters. Shouldn't really change balance too much though.
When is the leaderboard reset going to happen?
When are the Halo 2 Xbox Live leaderboards being reset?
The leaderboard reset is tied to the playlist update, so we anticipate this will happen around the middle to late next week.? Players should be prepared for their levels to reset at some point next week.? We can't say with 100% certainty due to unknowns with the test process and Xbox Live dependencies.? For now, plan on this all going down next week.? And for the record, your friends lists will NOT be reset nor impacted in any way whatsoever. The leaderboard reset will only impact the level that appears next to your name in the ranked playlists.
Just to clear up one odd rumor about this ? we're resetting EVERYONE'S stats, not just the top 1000. Don't know where that rumor came from. Also, remember that your rank is only designed to match you against players of similar ability. It serves no other purpose. The upcoming contests we plan to run will be based solely on merit ? not your rank. We will in fact ignore rank and look at legitimate match results. Rank whoring and cheating show up like a red flag, and will result in immediate banning from matchmaking. So don't do it. You've been warned.
Mr. Robbins asks,
Hi, I own multiple Xboxes. Do I have to purchase the new maps (assuming I want them immediately and not when they become free) for each separate Xbox I have, or is there a way I can dupe them to my other machines?
I'm afraid so. The maps are sold on a per-box basis, much like downloadable music, or in fact, any kind of software. This is done to prevent piracy of course; otherwise every school in America would be passing around one memory card with a Live account on it. Like it or not, the new content requires thousands of man hours, resources and other costs to produce, and even though we love puppies AND babies, we're not a charity. That said, when they are eventually free, in summer, you can go nuts and fill up as many Xboxes as you like.
BlackMagic says,
I was playing a game and it was lagging when ever I got close to the other team .once it went into blue screen and then when I got out there was a guy how came up behind me and killed me from behind when I was sniping.??
Jerks can still cause standby to happen, they just can't use it effectively, as they did before the autoupdate ? this is a hardware issue, not a software problem. It can happen with any game attached to a modem. However, we are also much, much more efficient at automatically spotting this behavior and we've been banning offenders from matchmaking forever. They are also ejected from games for doing it. Basically it's a total waste of time.
SentinelMujer asks,
What's up with the RSS feed? It seems sort of sporadic. Am I doing something wrong???
Our RSS feed allows Halo 2 players to incorporate Bungie.net Halo 2 stats into their own websites (among other things). However, due to higher-than-expected usage, we've temporarily reduced the number of games the RSS query returns, but are actively pursuing a way to return it to its former glory. Please bear with us and we apologize for the inconvenience.
SUIV asks,
Hey. I'm sure you get enough annoying questions but can you tell me what the record for the most suicides is because my friend and his friends held a game and they got 10680 suicides. Is that a record or a waste of time.
If it's in a custom game, it's an impressive statistic. But also a complete waste of time. Also, play around in custom games by all means, but don't do it in matchmaking, or you could be banned.
Kittenz asks ,
What about the as yet unreleased maps. Any news???
Hopefully by next week we'll have some new details
I must say I'm very happy with the new changes. BR and SMG start for Coag and Burial Mounds, no more bitch combo (PP/BR) on Colossus and Beaver Creek, no more sudden death on Assault games, and finally putting that idiotic "friends list reset" rumor to rest.
Posted 29 April 2005 - 06:17 PM
No more Plasma Pistol / Battle Rifle ownage in Slayer games on Beaver Creek or Colossus - we now use Human weapon sets for Slayer variants on those two maps. This will be controversial and we understand there is some small skill required to use the combo, but frankly it has become tiresome on those maps. It takes far more skill to win without that combo. More skill = more fun, right?
Posted 29 April 2005 - 08:08 PM
Posted 06 May 2005 - 05:17 PM
Bungie Weekly What's Update
A few nuggets of information here. Nothing to go nuts about, but that doesn't matter, because people go nuts anyway. There's no stopping them. This week, a few bits and bobs on multiplayer, and a couple of screens from the new maps because I was too lazy to do a Mister Chief. Well, that and the fact that OXM is out now. But these are slightly different ones.
Hella dudes ask,
I just read about the new maps in OXM. Can you tell me any more about them?
* Relic is a big map set on a sandy islet on Delta Halo. A large Forerunner structure runs along its spine, and in CTF games, is a primary flag point. The structure contains loads of weapons, a teleport (that has to be unlocked) and plenty of hiding places. The varying terrain, and a human base at the tip of the island, provide lots of variety. We like playing single flag CTF with middle to large sized teams on it.
* Backwash is set in a swamp on Delta Halo. You can tell it's Delta Halo because Penitent Tangent is floating around humming to himself. The mist and trees provide plenty of cover, and a central power generating structure is a great place to get ambushed with a shotgun. The map works really well for Slayer, Oddball, and King of the Hill, but CTF and Assault are challenging too.
* Terminal is a larger, asymmetric map with lots of vertical levels, two parking lots, and oh yeah, a superfast out of control train hurtling through the map in either direction. It's a very, very flexible map that works for all sorts of Gametypes. CTF, snipers, team Slayer, you name it. Good use of vehicles and an Earth setting give it a scary, gritty feeling. There are also lots of hiding places.
* Gemini is a deceptively big and mostly indoor level set on High Charity. The Covenant environment is dark and foreboding, and the twisty corridors and teleporters make it a tough level to navigate when you're pursuing a flag carrier, for example. Learning shortcuts here is key to success, and note the location of the enormous Prophet statue?
* Elongation is a remake of Longest, set aboard an orbiting spacecraft, actually a supply ship near the Cairo. Two moving conveyor belts move materiel and supplies (crates) along the central spine of the structure, while smart players try to stay above the fray as long as possible. Fantastic for small team CTF and Assault matches, but just as much fun for slayer mayhem. Don't forget to look out of the windows. Pretty out there?
Lots of folks wonder,
My lag sucks. I got the new maps and the update, but it seems like everything is laggier than before. What's the deal?
We have some code in the game that trains your Xbox to look for the fastest, cleanest connections. When you autoupdated, the slate was wiped clean. Your Xbox is now in the process of training itself to find smooth, quick connections again. The same thing happened after the last autoupdate too. Should be better even as you read this, as long as you're putting in the hours.
Josh asks,
I was reading a thread in the xbox.com forums, and some guy said that Bungie was releasing a disc with like 9 new maps and a new cutscene for like 20 bucks. i was just wondering, if it's true, where i could get it. i assume it's true 'cause he said they were available through Live for $11 I think. But I don't have live 'cause i can't get DSL or cable where i live, so I reaaaally need the disc.
The thread was correct. On June 28th in the US at least, you can purchase a disc that contains all the maps, all the updates (including the gameplay enhancements) and a couple of neat extras, including a documentary and an animation short. This disc is primarily for folks who don't have lIve, but want to play the new maps.
Pop the disc into your Xbox, it will install the new maps and autoupdate your game to include the new gameplay balances.
Millions ask,
Is that your head on the Halo ring in Containment?
No, that's a natural cloud formation that happens to look exactly like a photograph of our tallest staff member.
Jcoffman78 asks,
I am wondering, How is it possible to get better at this game when I keep getting my ass kicked? I just don't see the benefits to a butt whipping!
So, there are loads of ways to practice. We have Rumble Training, where you can learn to fight head to head against other players. We have Team Training, where you can learn the ins and outs of objective games. You can also start empty matches to learn the locations of objects, practice firing, practice weapon combos and generally improve your skills, without affecting your rank.
Parfait asks ,
My experience levels are all weird, and so are those of my friends. What's the deal?
Some players have reported that they have weird level drops or gains after just one game. This is due to various caching and other mechanisms; you'll notice odd jumps for a few days after the reset. To fix this, all you have to do is keep playing in the playlists, and the system will autocorrect as you gain/lose experience over time.
Illegaltomo asks,
you have to do something about the weapons on halo 2 there not carnage enough bring out some weapon downloads for halo2 with weapons like chainsaws and gatlin guns that is what guns you need to take down a sparton.
There won't be any weapon downloads for Halo 2. Occasionally, we will play around with the rules to put turrets in places you normally wouldn't find them ? like Lockout ? or move starting weapons around, but there's no facility to add new weapons into the game and no plans to introduce that. Also, you can play around with those options yourself in the settings menu.
Billy asks ,
Let?s say we?re playing an assault game on foundation, our team is losing, only 1 or 2 minutes left, the other team have the bomb but they aren?t trying to score anymore. They keep the bomb in one of the rooms. We attack them and get the bomb, but as soon as they recover the bomb, they return to the same room and get cover. My point is, there aren?t trying to score, so it harder to get the bomb and get even. Is that legal?
Yes it's "legal" although probably annoying. If you can get to the bomb by straightforward means, no matter how well defended it is, then there's no cheating going on, just an irritating strategy. If they surf the bomb out of the geometry on a Banshee, or get it to somewhere the other team can't physically reach, then that's crap. It's like spawn camping. It's really, really annoying, but it can be defended against.
Forzo asks ,
When I enter Team Preview, I seem to get more old maps than new. What's the deal?
The maps are picked at random, but weighted towards the new ones, so you've basically been unlucky, but we are going to increase the frequency of the new maps anyway, so you should see them more often in Team Preview.
Silent Xenocide asks,
Hi, I have a question about the stats, or more accuratley, my stats. Anyways, since I started playing yesterday on the new update, I should of been on the top 1000 players list for team prievew, I should be on it right now, but im not. Could you find it in your small heart to tell me why ?
Well, as I write this, there are about 60k players online which is low. That means that even if you'd gotten up early, you'd have needed to play and win a ton of games to place in the top 1000. And besides, the ranks are designed to match you with players of equivalent skill, not to be used as some kind of trophy.
SuperCarpet asks,
I was playing double team on ivory tower when my internet started to lag a bit. But what intrigues me most is, i heard the other team say that i walked through a wall and started accusing me of standby! The thing is,my modem doesn't support standby and i'm just as against cheating as you are!
I'm almost positive the other team reported me for cheating , but i didn't!
I dont want to be banned, so please help!
We use more than just feedback to ban people for pressing standby. Other data is visible that shows whether or not standby was used, and you certainly won't be banned for one instance of feedback. So relax. And don't cheat.
Posted 13 May 2005 - 08:16 PM
All of a sudden people are asking,
I just went to my favorite game retail site, and they claim that the game is going to release on July 5th. I thought it was coming out a week before that?
It was. But now it's not. Slight delay while we make it marginally more awesome. July 5th is the new date. Which is pretty convenient since it lets you play during your Fourth of July hangover.
FestFans ask,
Is Bungie gonna be at E3?
Sorta. Sketch is going down, dressed as a booth babe no doubt, and he'll be on hand to help folks play through the five remaining maps. That will be the first chance folks will have to play them outside of these offices, so it should be fun. Also, Sketch will be quite the social butterfly, attending a legendary SoCal LAN party and having the BEST SALSA EVER MADE. Deanero, get your Taco guy to send some back with Sketch. I am begging you.
Many, many people ask,
When are you going to change the rules on Slayer so that jerks get penalized for suicides? I'm sick of losing because an idiot or a team got one kill and then killed themselves over and over again to prevent me from winning ?
Yesterday. We adjusted the rules so that they lose. It happened to me today in fact, and it was hilarious as the guy took like seven suicides before he realized they were counting against him. I mean really, if you can't win, or play the game fairly, maybe it's just not the game for you. And here's a funny thing ? I get about 2000 PMs per day at Bungie.net and I have never, ever had one from an admitted cheat saying why they did it.
Lots of peeps demand to know,
When exactly is Volume 2 of the Halo 2 soundtrack coming out?
I can't tell you exactly, because we still don't have a definitive date. But it will be available in summer, hopefully around or shortly after the release of the map pack retail disc. The new material is a collector's dream, although if you're looking for a sort of broad soundtrack, I'd still recommend the original version. This new one is packed with stuff that we couldn't fit on the original soundtrack and tends towards the more obscure (but often cooler) tracks. We'll have more details on that pretty soon. Marty has actually finished assembling the album, and gathering rare snippets with a couple of special guest musicians we may never identify.
Fuzzypuffis asks,
If rankings aren't meant to be a trophy, why show people what their rankings are and why have leaderboards? you could keep everybody's rank hidden and still use it to match people up....
Is there ever going to be a fix for the bug where...someone quits, and all the weapons respawn? so there are multiple snipers, RL's, etc.
And put the Banshee into containment for CTF and assault...the map pretty much sucks *** as it is anyway, but with a few more vehicles to help get across the huge pointless open space, it might be better....if I wanted to run forever for no reason I'd play Everquest 2.
The rankings are designed for the vast majority of players, literally, millions, to be matched against players of similar skill. Leaderboards simply show off the top five or ten most elite players because frankly, people are curious.
The weapon respawn thing you're talking about would cause more problems if fixed, than it does now (most people don't notice) so I'm afraid it will likely never change. Obviously not optimal, but the good thing is that it sort of self-balances. The opposing team can grab the "cloned" weapons too.
Erm, it takes about 30 seconds to run through the central trench on Containment. Or take a Hog. Or play a custom game and put the Banshee in. In practice, they only last a couple of seconds anyway, or until the opposing team gets the rocket launcher.
Max Iodine asks,
Why do people have to be sore WINNERS?
Yep. Often I will lose, go back into the lobby and have someone berate me for losing. "You suck man, I owned you!!!"
Now this sort of confuses me, because normally a victory would make someone happy. But no. We live in a world where folks are sore winners AND losers. I blame parents and teachers for telling kids that they're ALL special. They're NOT all special. Newsflash, some of you are mediocre, and some of you are actually really crappy kids with bad manners and not much in the way of brains. When your mom tells you that you can be anything you want to be? She's totally lying dude. You're going to be working the graveyard shift and living in a loveless marriage in a bad part of town before you know it. Up to your eyes in debt, the closest thing you'll have to a friend will be the repo guy who just came to repossess that lemon of a Buick you bought. What were you thinking? And all because you couldn't keep your mouth shut after you won a game of Halo 2.
APK asks,
I just played a ridiculous game of assault on Headlong where a team member of mine kept started each round with betrayals and then killed all of us as the other team ran in the base so they could plant the bomb.
Where can I go to report this a-hole?
Just leave feedback on him after the game session. You can probably still find his Gamertag in your recent players list., scroll left from your friends list and press X to see what your options are. Enough cheating feedback will get him banned. Don't abuse feedback and use it only when you have a genuine grievance.
FrankDawg420 asks,
Why isn't the Fuel Rod gun available in multiplayer?
Two very good reasons, performance and balance. It's waaaaay too powerful for most of the Halo 2 maps, and it also chugs when you have more than a couple on screen at once. It would have been cool, but we have to make sure all the weapons are as balanced as possible and we have to keep the frame rate nice and smooth. Fuel Rod gun would have killed both.
Usertolley asks,
Now that the 360 has been unveiled, are you guys going to unveil Halo 3 for Xbox 360?
We're quite some time away from announcing what our next game is and for which platform. We'll tell you when we're ready to talk about it. The 360 looks sweet though. I've seen one in real life and it looks even better up close. Personally, I am very excited to have a new thing to attach to my HDTV. And the controller rules. Obvious MS bias aside, I can tell you it's one of my favorite controllers ever. Wires suck. Anyone who's used a Wavebird can tell you that. And now the subject has changed again.
Spiv asks,
What do you think of the 360? Have you played it? What are your impressions?
As I mentioned above, I have been lucky enough to play around with the controllers and the machine itself. It's lovely. The color is weird, hard to describe ? it's not exactly white and pearlescent would be the wrong way to describe it. It's sort of deep and shiny looking, and the contrast with the honeycomb vents, and the hard drive attachment is really nice. I keep reading on the forums about how it can't stand horizontally ? erm, it stands perfectly well. I will probably end up placing mine horizontally too, since the shelves on my entertainment center are too short for vertical placement. I'm looking forward to playing almost everything, from Perfect Dark Zero to Project Gotham 3. Those cars looked sick. I can also reveal that I had a chance to see Kameo up close and personal. It's utterly lovely. And full of surprises. And being a huge Ghost Recon fan?
And finally, KittenBus asked, can we see what Mister Chief would look like if Miyazaki made a Mister Chief movie?
I'm sure Mister Chief is next on Miyazaki's list.
I'm fuckin' pissed that we have to wait another week.
Edited by Blaze, 06 April 2007 - 06:14 PM.
Posted 13 May 2005 - 09:47 PM
Posted 13 May 2005 - 09:48 PM
Posted 14 May 2005 - 01:56 PM
Posted 14 May 2005 - 02:33 PM
Posted 17 May 2005 - 04:36 PM
Posted 20 May 2005 - 06:32 PM
Does the delay of the retail pack mean a delay for the downloadable version of the Maptacular Pack?
Yep. The main reason for us holding the downloadable version for that extra week is so that we can match up all the iterations of autoupdate, matchmaking playlist changes and so on. The maps themselves are done, so we're now in the land of retail shipping, matchmaking tuning and so on. Sorry to keep dragging it out. The reason the retail pack slipped was that we found a problem during the final test pass (which is what the final test pass is for, so I suppose it worked).
Aaron asks,
Bill Gates said you guys were working on Halo 3 in Time Magazine. If you deny this, or try to talk your way around it, you're basically saying he's a jerk. So is he? Is he a jerk?
No, he's awesome. Seriously. I once asked him if he had underwater speakers in his pool and he totally didn't have me killed for insolence. And for the record, he does. His subaquatic sound system is better than my terrestrial one.
Bungo asks,
When are you going to take the banshee out of Battle Rifles on Ascension?
We realize it's a pain in the ass, and we're taking it out during the next playlist update. Which will likely be timed to coincide with the new maps.
Lots of peeps demand to know,
Why are people quitting all the time? And what can you do to stop it? Can you ban them?
This is a tough one. We can't ban people for quitting, because we can't force them to play. It's annoying, it's lame, but it's not cheating and we're not in charge of their games. It's human nature. They don't like a map, they quit. They don't like losing, they quit. They got off to a bad start, they quit. We ARE looking at ways to mediate the problem, but a good example of our dilemma is this: If you were playing, and your wife went into labor, you quit and you get back and we've banned you from matchmaking? You're pissed! Not only that, but now you have a BABY. Which requires feeding and probably wants to go to a party school to do some binge drinking.
Crinkles asks,
Why do I keep getting Warlock more than say Turf or Sanctuary or Containment?
Simple statistics. There's weighting built in ? Warlock shows up a lot because almost everyone has it, and it's suitable for the more commonly played game types. That weighting will change when the next map pack is available and eventually when all the maps are free. In the interim, the best thing about Warlock if you don't like it, is that the games are always very short.
Swimmer61 asks,
Assuming Xbox 360 has backward compatibility (I realize this is definitely not confirmed yet), would I be able to play the Halo 2 campaign without the renders popping? I loved the campaign, especially the portion where MC was on Earth, but seeing the cutscenes load while I watched them kinda ruined the story for me, because rather than being immersed in the story (Bungie's goal, I believe) I was distracted. I work at a game store, and many customers I've spoken with share this opinion about single-player Halo 2.
That's an interesting question. It looks (according to our muckety-mucks) like the 360 will in fact be backward compatible and if it is, folks will definitely be playing Halo 2 on it. Thing is, we're almost certainly not going to revisit the 360 code. We're already too busy working on our next project. The pop-up was one of those compromises we had to make to ensure the nearly-zero loading times for the game. The alternative ? no popping and lots of loading, was actually much less palatable. To change or fix that, would take significant resources away from our new stuff, and I very much doubt we'd do that. And from what I understand, contrary to internet swirling, you would simply put your Halo 2 disc in a 360 and then play it. You wouldn't have to re-purchase some kind of 360 special edition version.
Anonymous Coward asks,
Is boosting cheating? And will I get banned for it?
Yes. As a matter of fact, you were actually stupid enough to include your Gamertag in this message, but by the time I'd checked, you had already been banned for matchmaking forever, because you'd already served out a seven day suspension and learned nothing from it. We're banning like crazy now, because we have better tools for detecting it. Boosting, for the non-cheaters amongst you, is the practice of "fixing" games so you play with your similarly idiotic buddy and artificially increase each others' rank. It sticks out like a sore thumb in our system kids. So QUIT DOING IT. And also, quit whining to me about your banning. I don't care. I look at the stats for every whiner email I get and they ALWAYS turn out to be a cheat. "It was my brother?.waaah." Well, even if it was your alleged brother, your account is being used to ruin everyone's experience. So bye-bye.
Frosty something asks,
I was just banned for no reason...Why? I don't know I logged on and BAM cant play till a day later and no reason why either. I haven't done anything wrong except play the game and waste my money on Xbox live service. I don't have tolerance for this kind of inconvenience especially when i didn't do anything to deserve it. Please explain to me in some sort of a sarcastic or idiotic way like you answer all of your other questions with why i was banned.
We didn't ban you. Xbox Live did. Most likely because of reporting from the Xbox Live feedback system. How's your language and attitude on Live?
CrossNatty D asks,
Colossus. Love the board but why do you only have one sniper on it .... it seems whoever is the lucky one to be close is the one who rules the board .... think about it make it even and have each side have a snipe ... you do that on a little board called Ascension.
I like that you call levels "boards." As if it were Galaxians. Folks also used to call them "sheets." The answer to your question is that with the inclusion of battle rifles and powerful grenades, it's hard to hang onto the sniper rifle for any length of time. I have not been owned by the sniper on Colossus since the update.
Alex 135 asks,
I was playing TS and admittedly only got 2, I got completely outclassed by everyone in the game. My team mates said that they'd leave feedback and get me banned for being bad in that one game. Can they do that?
Tenebrae asks,
You've said in the past that the retail disc with all the new maps will include some extras. What about those of us that paid for the new maps through xbox live? any chance that there might be a content download available to us early worms that will include those things?
There won't be a download through Xbox Live for those extras, but it is possible we might make them available on Bungie.net one day. Don't hold your breath, however. They'd be enormous files.
Ben asks,
When I sign in it shows my old gamer tag. I would like it to be my gamer tag that I recently changed two weeks ago.
It's permanently connected to your Passport account, and it's a minor pain in the butt, but you can do it here:
Instructions on how to fix your Gamertag.
Farnsworth asks,
I am one of three friends making a knock-off of red vs blue, called Spartans vs Elites, and we plan to make Terminal one of our main levels, but we need to know if Terminal will support the Banshee or heavy vehicles, and if it will allow for more than one light vehicle, especially on the train tracks. Also, when will there be pictures on your website for the other maps. Thanks for your time, and for making this great game.
In custom games, it supports pretty much everything. Right now, for matchmaking, it's scheduled to have Ghosts, a Hog, a Wraith and turrets. No Banshee. You can get vehicles on the tracks, but it takes some fancy driving.
Yeah, I didn't quote it. Ya wanna fight about it?!
Posted 29 May 2005 - 07:16 PM
Bungie Weekly What's Update
It's Friday, it's 80 degrees outside, not a cloud in the sky. You think I wanna be here? Dang no. I wanna be sittin' in a boat sippin' suds and yelling Scottish obscenities at passing yachts. but no, here I am. Answering questions.
Curtis asks,
Hey Frankzorz, has the Multiplayer Maptacular map Pack shipped to retail manufacturing yet?
Yes, as a matter of fact it has! Huzzah. It'll be on store shelves (or available for download) on July 5th.
Ajenteks asks,
How's everyone in the office doing? Are you guys still drunk from success and slacking off or have you gotten back to business as usual, or as usual as it gets over there ?
We're all busy on our next project. The only ongoing Halo 2 stuff is matchmaking playlists and the odd thing that needs to be done for the final five maps. The only drunk slacker, is the Webmaster.
Littlebigman asks,
I've asked another Bungie employee about this, but I have a question about Racism. I also PMed this to you, I just want a definitive answer... Im just wondering, will anything more be done to the racists on XBL? Its getting worse. Even in non ranked games there is horrible amounts of racism. Also, is it possible for you guys to add a racism category to the Feedback option? And maybe even a betraying or "griefing"?
Will there be any changes to Halo 2 at all on the 360? And if there will be, it will probably be minor, but will there be?
Racists are banned frequently by Xbox Live, and the best way to combat them is by leaving feedback. Obviously that system takes time and effort, but constant racism and other forms of abuse will eventually show on a player's record, as long as the offended continue to use the feedback system. I'm continually shocked by the amount of garbage I hear in games. 90% of games I pay are fine, with the odd curse word, or the use of the expression "noob" but I do get irate when I hear the kind of mindless crap that comes out of (mostly) kids' mouths. Mute 'em.
As far as Halo 2 on the 360, I have no idea. I'd be daft if I said I didn't think it would be one of the compatible games, but I have no idea if it will be changed for use on the 360. It's a true emulator from what I understand, so hopefully everything will look at least as good as it does now, and things like loading times and downloadable content will be questions for the future.
Ragnarok asks,
I love Zanzibar. Most people don't saying it's too one-sided. I love it because of its interactivity. I was hoping for more of that in the new maps - I think the train in Terminal is cool as a mug. So will any of the five remaining maps have interactive moments like the bridge or the fortress gate?
Terminal is the best example. It even has barriers that open and close at the parking structure, although they're not much of an obstacle. Relic has a VERY important switch that unlocks a teleport (and lights up a Forerunner structure). The moving crates in Elongation play a HUGE role, even in Slayer games and there are one or two other elements that you might like too.
HaloCHAT asks,
You've posted before the total Xbox Live Halo 2 statistics... any chance we could have an update on those?
Maybe next week. Roger, who knows this stuff, is ina hot tub somewhere.
KP asks,
There were once rumblings about taking your icon on b.net and turning it into hats, t-shirts, and stuff of the like. I thought it was a neat idea, but did it go the way of the grunt plushy?
No word yet, but still a distinct possibility.
Saint asks,
If I get dropped from a game because of a connection "hiccup" or the like, can the game distinguish the difference between being "disconnected" and quitting?
I've been dropped from several games and it gave them to me as losses and affected my rank when it wasn't my fault, it was just an unforeseeable connection issue. I think I've fixed the problem and it hasn't happened in awhile, but I'd still like to know and I think it could help some people with the same question.
Probably not. The exception is if everyone is booted, or as a result the game returns statistics that are unreliable. You can probably imagine how many folks would abuse the system if we didn't treat dropped connections like quits. It shouldn't happen often enough to affect your stats, otherwise you should seriously consider a new ISP.
Dry Ice asks,
When are you guys moving to your new building?
Late summer, methinks. August or September with luck. They've just finished gutting the building, and have started putting in wires, plumbing, removing the headstones, but not moving the bodies, that kind of thing.
A dude asks,
Are you going to take options from players for the next updates. Cause it would be cool if some of them are from people who want some specific gametypes. Also, I think it would be fun if you add some crazy gametypes like slayer with camo and snipers or something like that. Thanks.
We do take feedback on game types from the community, although not from individual requests. You'll certainly see things you've been asking for in later updates. There's some things we'd like to have included, but can't because of the way the game works ? Zombies for example. If the ability to force team changes and colors had been built into Halo 2, we'd probably have included that.
Hikaru-119 asks,
How angry would Bungie be if a fan made a live action Halo movie and posted it around the net? Assuming of course that fan made zero money off of it and that the storyline did not interfere with the main plot of the Halo story. Also would any of you be interested in seeing it finished? Any comments, flames, and jokes are welcome.
Although we seethe with ill-concealed venom 24-7 for no reason at all, we wouldn't be any angrier because of a fan made movie, as long as you didn't sell it, profit from it, use it to disparage us or give Master Chief boobs.
A wild-eyed fan asks,
I'm very concerned about some of Bungie's other game franchises that seem to be getting ignored due to the success of Halo 2. I realize that while making money is nice, Bungie should attend to it's most diehard of fans and finish what it has started before starting work on Halo 3.
First, Pimps At Sea. The game's website was never (apparently) transferred to the new Bungie.net. The old link doesn't work any longer and this isn't a good sign for those of us who have been stealing lunch money for years so we can afford this amazing game.
Second, Quest for the Ruby Emerald. According to the credits of Quest for the Crown, QftRE would be released in 2005. Well, 2005 is already half over and the Quest fan community hasn't heard a peep from Bungie. All we can say is that we hope Bungie hasn't forgotten us, that the delay is worth it, and that Orson Scott Card is doing the story again this time!
Orson Scott Card couldn't do the QftRE story because if his intriguing work on Advent Rising. But good news. Have you ever heard of a little author I like to call Jackie Collins? Excelsior!! Pimps at Sea is still in pre-production.
Dan asks,
Do you know if you can transfer game saves from the current Xbox to the Xbox 360? I'm not sure if this is something you can't discuss. When the new maps come out is it going to be like it was before; a week waiting period on the Matchmaking playlists to insure that a lot of people get the maps?.
Dunno if you can transfer saves to 360. I hope so. There will be a waiting period before we introduce new playlists to support the maps.
Stan asks,
What is the average internal temperature of a hippopotamus?
Why was a movie like House Of Wax ever allowed to be made?
Whatever happened to Kirk Cameron?
That's about all I've got for now.
The Hippo's body temperature actually differs significantly from other mammals and is more similar to that of cetaceans (whales, etc), hovering at around 96 degrees F. Interestingly, it's been theorized that Whales are evolved from a Hippo or pig-like animal. They even have little residual hooves.
House of Wax was the most fiscally efficient method of keeping Paris Hilton distracted for six months, and had the added benefit of not giving her puppies to kill.
Kirk Cameron, child star of hits like TV's Growing Pains, and blockbuster, "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes," is currently headlining in those Jesus vs. Satan "Left Behind" movies. The third one, about World War III, is coming out soon. The movie will be released this summer, barring any unforeseen Rapture.
Marcel asks,
Do you know or can you tell us if you know any more books are in progress? I really enjoyed the first three, and would love to see some more, pretty please.
Nothing right now, but not out of the question. Eric Nylund's awesome storywork (new word, suck it up) can be seen in the forthcoming Gears of War game on X360.
Eclipse asks,
Is it possible at all to include race as a gametype? Because some could work really well with it.
Nope. Race is gone baby. Sorry.
Boxer asks,
Are we ever going to get the option to "Download Current Gametype"? I know that I've played several gametypes where I would have liked to have made it myself but I didn't know all the little ins and outs. PWEAZE!!!
Not in this game, but swapping game types is a great idea. I don't know if 360 will be able to support game save swapping.
Traize asks,
Have you created any new sports involving Bullet Trains, possibly including Hogs or other forms of vehicular transportation that you'd like to share, so that we may all enjoy gems, such as being catapulted into a solid wall?
Spartan 662 asks,
So I know this is asked a lot , but will there be more content downloads in the future ? Or will the maps be it?
It's entirely possible this will be it. We do have to move on to our new project.
Angry man asks,
So what the hell do I have to do to get an assist anyway? Cause I sure cant figure it out.
Damage an enemy and then get your kill stolen by some jerk at the last second. It's a booby prize.
Rankle asks,
Is it possible that the magnum damage might be increased slightly, for while it was too powerful before it is now useless. Compare it to the SMG/Plasma rifle for example. I should at least be able to kill someone without reloading when using a single magnum.
Use it with the SMG. And pump, don't squeeze. That's good advice for life, period..
Fella asks,
Did you play Halo 1?
Yes. Lots.
A cut and paste error victim asks,
Just like I asked on the B.net forums, this has nothing to do with your next game, have you received an Xbox 360 Dev Kit yet?
What would you say (legally speaking) to having one of your weapons from Halo 2 (namely, the battle rifle) used as a replacement model and skin for a weapons from Counter-Strike Source (replacing the FAMAS)?
There's an Alpha kit sitting right behind me with an early version of the 360 interface. A dolphin is swimming on it at a literally unbelievable frame rate. As far as your Counterstrike mod, don't use our code and don't sell it. If it's for your personal use, you can do it.
Epyon asks,
Are there ever going to be additional emblem downloads? Maybe bundled with the Map Pack?
OscarGordon asks,
Two things, I guess:
Any chance at all of Bungie making a new Marathon for the Xbox? -and-
What's on vol.2 of the Halo 2 Soundtrack?
Marathon on Xbox? Not very likely given the timeframes we're working with here. Not impossible, but it lives next door to impossible. It borrowed impossible's mower, actually. And the Halo 2 soundtrack features tracks that didn't fit on Halo 2 vol. 1, with some cool extras.
Suckbex asks,
Will the changes made to the playlist a few days after the last 5 maps come out be the last of its kind? Or, do you plan on continually updating, refining, and mixing up the playlist from here on out?
We will continue to adjust playlists. We may even do some crazy stuff in the future.
And finally, somebody asked what Mister Chief would look like in a Spanish soap opera.
Senor Chief es me corazon.
"Spartan 662 asks,
So I know this is asked a lot , but will there be more content downloads in the future ? Or will the maps be it?
It's entirely possible this will be it. We do have to move on to our new project. "
And there you have it.
Posted 06 June 2005 - 11:37 AM
Bungie Weekly What's Update
Not too much going on this week. An update on cheating and glitching, some strange art requests, some story semantics and really, all's quiet on the Halo front. It's almost as if Bungie is busy working on its next project. Which is rumored to be a bitchin' IROC that we're restoring from teh ground up.
Plenty of angry players ask,
What am I supposed to do when I encounter a dirty rotten cheater in Halo 2 on Xbox Live?
We hate cheaters as much as the rest of you and we're doing our best to hunt them down and remove them from our community. You can help our efforts by reporting people using our new "cheater hotline." If you encounter a person who you know is cheating during a game of Halo 2 on Xbox Live, please report them by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com. To expedite our investigations, please be sure to include your gamertag, their gamertag, and when possible a link to the actual game in question. Please keep in mind that submitting false reports of cheaters is only going to hamper our efforts and keep the real cheaters in the system that much longer. Just because you lost it doesn't mean the person broke the rules.
The Bungie Team will be investigating alleged cheaters using data we're able to extract from every game played on Live. Once we have indisputable evidence we will issue the appropriate ban on the offending player - 7 day matchmaking ban for first time offense, permanent for subsequent offenses.
While we don't like jerks anymore than the next person, we are not able to police behavior on Xbox Live. Please do not submit reports of players who are racists, using profanity, making threats or any other inappropriate conduct. Your best defense against these types of people is to use the in-game feedback system and report them. The Xbox Live team monitors this feedback and they will issue punishments ranging from voice muting to full blown banning from all of Xbox Live. The Bungie Team will not be banning players from matchmaking based on inappropriate behavior - we are only reacting to data we can collect that proves someone is cheating or violating our online policies.
Please check out the cheating FAQ on Bungie.net for the latest information regarding cheating, banning and our policies..
Curious folks ask,
What types of cheats or activities does Bungie consider a bannable offense?
Due to the never ending creativity and resourcefulness of griefers and jerks, it's almost impossible to provide a definitive list of all the known offenses occurring on Xbox Live. Suffice it to say, we are well aware of what's going on out there and we'll continue to do our best to stay on top of the latest tricks and exploits. Here are a few examples of the types of things that will get a player banned from Halo 2 Xbox Live matchmaking:
* Using hacked maps, playlists, profiles or any other user-edited content on Live
* Manipulating or disrupting data flow between players in a game to give yourself or your team and unfair advantage
* Interfering with matchmaking to affect the selection of opponents, maps or gametypes.
A good Samaritan asks,
I have edited some of the maps to give players a new experience and enhance the game (or I've created my own playlists to give players what they want), this is ok, right?
No. This is not ok. We do not condone the use of any "hacked" content on Xbox Live at all. Regardless of your intentions, only bad things will come from opening this can of worms. We can and will be detecting instances of players using modified content over Live (in matchmaking as well as custom games) and if found to be guilty, you will be permanently banned. Wannabe hackers should note that even if you're playing modified content offline but your Xbox is connected to Live, you run the risk of being detected and banned.
A few hardcore stat wankers ask,
Are the stats going to be reset again when the new maps are released in July?
We currently do not have any plans to reset player stats when the new maps are released. The reason we reset the stats and leaderboards last time was more due to the auto update than releasing four new maps. In light of rampant cheating we felt that prior stats were mostly invalid and meaningless. The auto update bug fixes and some fairly major gameplay changes were enough to warrant a fresh start and a clean slate for everyone.
Sandy Crack asks,
I noticed that I can handicap myself during matchmaking. The question is, will this affect my rank?
Well yes and no. You don't gain anything other than props for playing handicapped in a game, but it's likely you'll perform less well in the long run should you severely handicap yourself. But you know, you can always think of it as Legendary for multiplayer.
Really it's only even in there so that Shishka and Sketch have a chance when I'm owning them in custom games over Live. Yeah. I said it.
Quikthnkr asks,
[I am paraphrasing a very loooong email]Someone is hijacking my Clan. They keep inviting new players, griefing and diminishing our rank, and Xbox Live won't do anything about it.
That's because it's none of Xbox Live's business. The person in question is an overlord in your clan, same as you, that's why you can't simply boot him. Now, it also appears from your email that the dispute started as a personal fracas. We cannot get involved in that aspect of it and the problem began because he was legitimately invited and promoted. What he's doing now, is not our concern. Why? Think of it this way ? what if YOU were the griefer, sending me this email to make things even worse for the clan? How am I supposed to know who the "good" overlord is and who the "bad" overlord is?
The simple lesson from this is a) that people often suck and B) you need to be really, really careful who you invite to your clan and what privileges you give them. The simplest remedy, and I know this sucks, is to start the clan again from scratch. And be more careful who's in charge this time.
Boothby asks,
Simple question. Is it 'What ARE they to say now?' or 'What HAVE they to say now.'
I've seen many casual mentions of this line from the Halo 2 promo and I have my own ideas, but I wanted a general consensus. One of those 'I know I'm not crazy' type of things.
What say you?
The word is "have."
Sammy asks,
Since the Xbox 360 has changeable faceplates, would you ever make a Halo 3 faceplate?
Nice try, Sherlock. There's no reason you couldn't have a Halo 2 faceplate, with Guilty Spark or the Halo itself around the "ring of light." I just checked out some of the new faceplates at the Xbox euro website and they are gorgeous, even the more avant garde ones. I think it'll probably end up a little like skateboards, where the weirder, more collectible, more bizarre the faceplates are, the more popular they'll be. That said, I want aluminum NOW. See some more here
Shadowguitar asks,
How about Mister Chief's Forza Motorsport car? With his customization?
No way. That takes ages. But if someone makes me a Mister Chief car in Forza and sends me a picture, I will hand draw them their own Mister Chief as a "prize." The winner will be chosen from whichever one I feel like, and remember this prize is worthless and this contest is hardly worth your time.
Finally, Garriot asks, what would happen if Shishka and Mister Chief had a baby?
Probably something like this:
Posted 11 June 2005 - 08:33 PM
Nothing much happened this week, although some Australian bloke hurled a phone at me. Halo movie tales are spewing out of Hollywood like overheated popcorn and the release of the last five maps gets closer and closer. We actually reveal what to expect in terms of matchmaking and otherwise, we wish you all a great weekend.
Sanjay asks,,
Who won the Halo world championships and what role did Bungie have in the event?
Some Dutch kid! He owned. You can read about it here:
Halo 2 World Championships
And the event was hosted by the Xbox Live team, not by Bungie. Congrats to the winner and the finalists though.
Moviegoers ask,
Have you read the Halo movie script?
I've read an early draft of the script, and it rules. I heart Alex Garland's stuff anyway, from The Tesseract to 28 Days Later. Garland also wrote the script for an upcoming Sci-Fi flick, Sunshine, which you can read more about here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448134/
Best thing about Alex, apart from his ability to type awesomeness, is that he's actually a Halo fan, and he really, really gets it.
Angry Yoofs ask,
How come none of the Bungie staff or moderators ever respond to PMs?
I currently have 750 PMs. We simply don't have the time to get into hundreds of discussions which the majority of the time deal with questions and topics that have been covered elsewhere on the site. Or are death threats from irate 11 year olds. The mods? They are just regular people who have their own lives and they only have so much time to spend helping on Bnet.
Jilted Lovers ask,
Are the stats going to be reset again when the new maps are released in July?
We currently do not have any plans to reset player stats when the new maps are released. The reason we reset the stats and leaderboards last time was more due to the auto update than releasing four new maps. In light of rampant cheating we felt that prior stats were mostly invalid and meaningless. The auto update bug fixes and some fairly major gameplay changes were enough to warrant a fresh start and a clean slate for everyone.
Sandy Crack asks,
Why won't you JUST ACCEPT MY FRIEND REQUEST. Oh, and play 'Misty' for me.
I would love to, but my list is almost always full. The only time it's not, is when I have to clear space for a Humpday challenge. I, and other Bungie guys get dozens of requests, sometimes in a matter of hours, and realistically, the only thing we can do is run through and delete 'em. To apologize, we'd have to accept your request, type a message, then delete it. After the 8th time, that gets kinda old? So here's a blanket apology to everyone nice enough to send us friend requests that we have to turn down. Sorry!
PS., we still accept requests from hot chicks.
Stinky asks,
Hey, what's going to happen to the Team Preview matchmaking playlist on July 5th when the new maps are available?
The current maps in Team Preview will become free by July 5th and will be integrated back into the regular free playlists. Team Preview will then incorporate the five new maps across a variety of team based games like it does right now. In addition, we will be adding a "Rumble Preview" playlist to give players who purchase the five new maps additional gaming options.
When Team Preview is reset with the new maps, we will be resetting the leaderboards/ranks for that playlist (and ONLY that playlist).
At the end of the summer once all of the maps are free, all the Preview playlists will be removed and all maps will be integrated into the free playlists.
Keyes86 asks,
When the map pack is out, will the "making-of" documentary and "cinematic featurette" only be viewable on the Xbox, or will I be able to pop the disc into my DVD player? I ask this because another game (I won't say which) had special videos that would only play on the Xbox. I'm really concerned because I don't want to shell out $30 for the Xbox remote control when I already have a perfectly fine dvd player.
Hrms. This is a weird question. You don't need a DVD remote to play the movies on our disc, just a regular ole Xbox. It uses a proprietary licensed video Codec that plays in our map pack's interface at very high quality. And even if you did need a DVD remote (because it was encoded as a regular DVD) it would work fine on any DVD player. So I'm kind of confused about what happened with the game you aren't naming.
Super_Panda asks,
Question: Will there ever be a "Special Edition" of HALO 1 released for Xbox or Xbox 360 with Online multiplayer (and maybe some new maps or something)?
That's unlikely. Not out of the question, but not something Bungie has in its sights right now. We're busy working on other things. That said, it seems likely that original Halo and Halo 2 will be among the games supported by Xbox 360's backward compatibility.
Weaklerdrake's poll on our forums asks,
When we're dual-wielding, we shouldn't have to drop our left hand weapon. BUT WE DO.
Well, you don't have to. In most cases, players will hold one range weapon, say a rocket launcher or a Battle Rifle and one mid- range burst weapon, like an SMG. The trick is to manage what you hold so that you have the best selection of weapons for your play style. Personally I like to have an SMG and a Plasma pistol dual-wielded with a Rocket Launcher or a Sword on my never-seen imaginary backpack. It's designed like this for a nice mixture of variety, strategy and balance. Believe me, we tried other schemes, and this one worked best for us.
And finally, Oddleif asks, What would Mister Chief look like if you drew him in less than thirty seconds?
Really good, actually. Practically the best one ever.
July 5th...Can't wait! Thats not as far off as one would think, people. We're very close to fun tiem.
Posted 17 June 2005 - 01:17 PM
Posted 17 June 2005 - 05:58 PM
Slowly becoming your entertainment dictator.
I hates me some sports games.
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Senkonna joined on Aug 27th, 2011, since that has made 199 posts that are still accessible today, 6 of which are threads. Helping shape the community, Senkonna has given 238 upvotes, and was last online on Dec 25th, 2014.
Normally I'd be all "fuck these user appreciation threads", but Guard is the bro-est among bros.
I sign this contract in the blood of a young virgin.
Everything is Gargron's fault.
It's rude to read English scans of manga that was meant to be bought from a store, then scream spoilers when someone who buys and reads the magazine mentions something about the series, especially when he posts a page from a chapter that's 9 months old.
Ah, my bad, I didn't read your post before writing this, feel free to make any changes you want then or just not use it. So have something I wrote in 10 minutes without proofreading.
A ruler is someone who the ruled may look to and may place their beliefs in.
Though above the ruled, a ruler must also see himself as an equal to them.
A ruler need not be the ideal person, but must still strive to be.
A ruler must know humility.
And, more so than anything else, a ruler must put their people before themselves.
"Aaaaah, what's with women these days? They turn into hags the second you take your damn eyes off 'em. It's not like I mind getting new servants, but fuuuuck is it pain in the ass when it happens so often."
Emperor Sen was far from any of these things.
He cared not what sort of example he set.
The concept of equality was as foreign to him as mathematics to a newborn.
He was his own ideal person; therefore, striving for what he had already achieved was not worth his time.
He had shown humility but once in his entire life.
And he saw his people as nothing but another throne for him to sit upon.
He is a man that trampled on the established system, without any acceptable reason, to fulfill his own whims. He is fueled by nothing by lust, being called the very incarnation of the word by his people. He takes very little action, only indulging in the trivial privileges of his position while pushing the labor of maintaining the empire on those beneath him, and when he does act, it's only in his own interest. A man who would send thousands of his soldiers to certain death against one of the numerous dangerous beasts roaming this land for the mere purpose of having it served to him for dinner.
Even now, there are countless assassination plots with him at the very center, but like the many that came before them, there's little hope of their success. That is because, this man, despite his countless transgressions, is strong. He is strong to the point that it's an injustice to the laws of nature. But that ridiculous strength is how he came to rule.
4 years prior, the heir to the Empire was Prince Sen, who had been raised from birth to be as proper an emperor as his predecessors. Groomed from the moment he could walk in the ways of a ruler, he led those around him with his natural born charisma and benevolence. The people of the Empire felt blessed to have the opportunity to one day follow this man and his seemingly limitless potential. However, when the day of his coronation came, that opportunity would be pried from the people's hands.
"Prince Sen, Hero of the West, a saint to your people, an unapproachable enemy to all that threaten this great empire, my heir, my son, you have grown to be a ruler worthy of this crown, and with no shame, I can say you are far more worthy than this declining old man."
"No, Father, you and all of those that came before paved the way for me. Assuredly, I am able to stand here as this person before you due to your guidance."
The King was moved so that he thought he would pass on to the next life where he stood.
"WHAT HUMILITY! My people, the future of the empire will shine like no other under the rule of Prince… no, Emperor Sen!"
Hearing "Emperor Sen" at last, the people present erupted into cheers, anticipating the glory this new emperor would bring to them. However, their cheers were interrupted with a crash. A knight tasked with guarding the area around the ceremony was sent flying through the doors of the throne room.
"M-My Liege, an intru-… a-a-ack…"
The knight was not given the chance to finish his sentence; the intruder had thrust his sword through the once honorable warrior's throat.
"Seriously, knights sound so damn annoying through their helmets, at least take it off or something if you're going to talk."
"W-W-Who?!" shouted the aging Emperor.
The intruder looked turned to face the father and son.
"Hey there, this may be a bit sudden, but I'll be taking the throne now. I just wanted to tell you that you can't do anything about it."
"Kill him," the Emperor commanded in a meek voice. Normally in this sort of situation, the best thing to do would be to apprehend this intruder. There was always the chance he was working for a rival nation, so killing him would also kill off any chance of gathering information. But the Emperor felt a chill from this person, something that told him that he should not be left alive.
The knights charged in at the intruder, but their limbs retreated as the intruder severed them. Horrific. This wasn't anything except meaningless slaughter.
"Do not engage him!" a booming order came from a knight that was clearly different from the others. The Knight Leader. He drew his sword and pointed it at the intruder.
"I will take him on. Intruder, I-" the decorated knight's life had already been extinguished; the intruder had landed a decisive blow.
"Don't worry, I used the back of my blad-… oh wait, I guess that doesn't really work with broadswords." A joke in poor taste as it could clearly be seen that the Knight Leader's torso had been separated from the lower half of his body.
The people fled, whoever this intruder was, they felt being in the same room as him would lead to their deaths, but… they couldn't make it past the gate of the inner wall.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, but I've already taken care of the guard at the top and locked the gates; it'd also be for the best if all of you could withhold from making a racket, that way, I won't have to kill you." The one to lay this nightmare of a reality out for them was a little girl no more than the age of 13. The people froze, unable to defy her, feeling the same terror as the man they had just fled from.
Unable to get out, the people knew that no help would be coming; the royal castle was built in the middle of an artificial lake at the borders of the city; there being only a single, long bridge connecting the two, and without someone to alert those on the other side, the chances of anyone noticing the distress within the castle were next to none.
"She really is efficient… though I would have been able to kill anyone else that came my way, so it doesn't really matter, but this does speed it up some. Anyhow, just to get it out there again, I'll be taking the throne."
"You want to just hand over our family legacy to you? Absurd. I am Prince Sen, he who shall inherit the throne on this day. I will not hand it over to a lowly intruder and walk away."
"Oh, wait wait wait, there's some miscommunication going on here."
The Emperor managed to work the words out of his mouth, "Just… what would that be?"
"I was never going to let either of you walk away. I mean, who lets the royal family go if they're intent on taking over an empire? I guess I wasn't clear enough though, so I'll rephrase:
From this day on, the Empire belongs to me, and in order to take it, I'll have to also take your lives."
Without another word, the intruder ran his sword through the elderly emperor.
"Father…" Prince Sen wanted to rush the intruder and take his vengeance, but he dropped to his knees instead. "Who are you? And why? Why are you ruining everything?! Do you not realize what repercussions will come of this?!!!"
The intruder rammed the bottom of his foot into the side of Prince Sen's head.
"'Who are you?' Good fucking question, I don't really know; I guess God or whoever the fuck runs this universe decided I should be the sort of cliché character without knowledge of his own past. No parents, raised by some random stranger, killed that random stranger when he became a pain in the ass, I'm the whole package; I don't even have a name. As for why… I just felt I should. I was going to raid this place alone, but the girl you see out there decided to tag along, still no idea who the fuck she is though, or how she knew so much."
"Wha-? You don't even know why you chose to destroy our empire?! A nameless piece of shit like you has no right to-"
The intruder interrupted him.
"Let's not start slinging mud like that. But, well, I do want to apologize."
"Apologize? What could you possibly apologize for now?!"
"I'm probably not going to be what most people would call a great emperor, so I felt that I should apologize to you. So sorry about robbing you of all this, though, I don't really mean it."
The prince stared at the intruder, wondering how, just how, someone like this could possibly be allowed to exist.
The intruder then remembered what Prince Sen mentioned and spoke his thoughts, "Oh and does me being nameless bother you?"
The prince was taken aback by this meaningless question.
"If so, then… I'll go by 'Sen' from now on. And to be honest, I was thinking of a name for myself earlier, and all of them sounded like shit, but 'Emperor Sen' works for me."
"Come on, it'll be one of those 'I'll live on in your name' things, except, well, y'know, I'll be the one killing you." Without any more words to say, the intruder waved his sword and the prince's head bid farewell to his shoulders. The new emperor pulled the crown from the pool of blood, not even bothering to clean it. He faced the royal corpses he felled in the room and bowed, "Again, sorry, though I still don't mean it."
That was the one time that Emperor Sen would bow his head, as he would be subjugating others from then on. The girl, his mysterious accomplice, showed what was barely distinguishable as smile. Walking to the throne and resting his body on it, he contemplated what steps he would take next as he stared at the terrified citizens from behind the doorway.
[Insert cool date] - End of the [insert cool number of years] reign of the [insert cool last name] family and the beginning of what history affectionately refers to as "The Era of SENseless Rule."
Sounds good, I'll see what I can shell out while I'm not listening during econ because that class is 2EZ.
I want to be the Rance of this story.
It is when you have abs.


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Here is the finished art for 2012's Christmas card. Happy Holidays everyone!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
When I was a kid, Christmas was a very special time. Not only because the food, presents, and cartoons that were coming along with the holiday, but because of the things we, as a family, only got to see once a year and the new things that would be added to our tradition.
|Raymond Larson circa. 1980. If you look closely, you can
see a couple of the miniature houses he built under the tree
I had spoken in a previous entry about my Dad, Raymond Larson, and how creative he was. Christmas time was when that creativity seemed to shine the brightest. He had produced special decorations that were exclusive to us. From paintings to ornaments to miniatures, we were surrounded by things that could not be found anywhere else:
|This painting was done when he was still a student
at American Academy Of Art in 1948.
Poppy also used to create miniature houses and buildings from
scratch. Though around all year, they usually became part of the old railroad
train set that came out at Christmas time.
In addition to the decorations, Poppy also made his own Christmas cards. He was doing them all by hand ( unlike the ones I make and digitally print out- this was before computers) so only made a couple each year.
|These are the plans for one of his earliest creations - a puppet
theater for the kids
|My brother Erik, Me, and my nephew Joey doing a puppet play ( circa. 1975)
|He created the fort out of illustration board, dowel rods, and styrofoam.
The end result was a more durable and realistic toy than was mass produced by the toy company.
|30 years later and this creation is still mind blowing to me...
The effort that was put into these creations was amazing. The result of all of this is that Ray Larson gave us all something special. It wasn't just the unique gifts, but the memories that we will always carry with us. There is no better Christmas present than that.
Friday, December 14, 2012
In a previous blog I showed the preparation I did for this year's holiday card. Every year I draw my own cards with different variations. I wanted to do something a little different.
As with all artwork I do, I start with a pencil sketch. This pencil is always a little rougher than my finished comic book pencils are:
So this year, instead of doing a traditional painting, I decided I wanted to "paint" the card digitally. This process starts by adding the basic colors just like in a painting that's done by hand:
After this I started adding details. Because this was something new, it took me a while to get a feel for what I was doing. Eventually, things clicked and I was able to render a good face:
Once that was done, the rest fell into place pretty quickly:
After the faces were nailed down I began to concentrate of the smaller details:
So how did the finished product come out? The finished card will be shown in a future post closer to the holiday.
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The following steps set forth the general routine at Baylor University for preparing and submitting a proposal to a nongovernmental funding organization. In some cases, a sequence of steps is implied or expressed. However, some steps can and should be accomplished concurrently with others. For example, some research into funding entities can be conducted without a project budget, but enough information to establish overall cost is needed to identify and qualify potential sources.
Step 1: Get Early Administrative Concurrence
Step 2: Coordinate Planning and Strategy
Step 3: Prepare a Budget
Step 4: Research
Step 5: Establish a Schedule
Step 6: Get Guidelines and Required Forms and/or Permissions
Step 7: Develop the Proposal Narrative
Step 8: Get Thorough Reviews
Step 9: Get Administrative Approval
Step 10: Work Together to Finalize and Submit Proposal
Please click here for a PDF file with further explanation of the above steps.


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This is my new home on the web. I hope to be posting updates here when life permits.
My thanks for setting up this website go to Khalid Mukhtar aka Javeed Chida, my well-wisher and all-around greatest human being that lives in his house when he's alone. Please visit his blog here. (Yes, he wanted this link as payment.)
Peace and prayers.
Simala Kureishy


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Well, here it is. My first post!
I was planning to start this blog on my twentieth birthday, but because I'm a professional procastinator it's a week later.
Anyhow, I'm very excited to start all this. I don't really have a plan for this blog yet, but I hope to share some diy's, outfits and other things I find interesting.
First things first, though, a proper introduction.
Hello everybody, I'm Lonneke. Twenty years of age as you already know. Living in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and studying Art History.
Five moths ago I moved out of my parents' house to work and live in an elderly people's home. The best part: my neighbour is my very best friend!
I love reading, looking at pretty pictures, making things, art, watching movies/ tv-series and hanging out with my friends.
For now this is all you need to know about me, I think.
As I'm not sure when the next post will be created, check out my tumblr in the meantime!


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A Sailor and His Wife
As you steamed away to the big open sea
I prayed you wouldnt forget about me.
As I had promised to you, I didnt cry one tear,
However my heart was breaking and full of fear.
How would I cope? What would I do?
How can I live my life without you?
For the next six months I would be all alone-
This house without you is not a home.
The sweetness of your smile, the softness of your touch
My darling husband, this is hard I miss you so much.
The days pass by and turn into weeks.
I am longing for the day my lips touch your cheeks.
40 more days till we embrace on the pier,
When all of my worries and pain disappear.
I yearn for the moment to be held in your arms,
Knowing youll keep me safe from all harm.
No one said this was easy the notorious Navy Life
But were in this together; as a sailor and his proud Navy Wife.
submitted by Nicole Kahle
For my husband Rob (ET2 Robert Kahle) with all the love in my heart.


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We are on our last half a day in Europe and in this one moment of stillness, I thought I would relate a trivial — but curious — discovery we made.
Jade has a ringlet of curly hair growing at the nape of her neck.
This may seem unremarkable, but the rest of her hair is straight. She was actually born with curly hair and had soft curls until after her second birthday. After her seizures started, with her hair getting longer, I noticed the hair growing in was flat. Thinking her hair was getting too long and weighing down the curls, I had it cut… and that was the end of her curls.
I supposed that this was just a case of baby hair being different from bigger-girl hair and she has had straight hair ever since. Until now, that is.
So I am left wondering if her seizures or her diet affected the curl of her hair, whether she is going to get curls all over her head, if it's the humidity in the European air, or just one of those random, strange things hair sometimes does…


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FORT MEYERS, Fla.- Senior infielder Joe Petry was one of four Coast Guard players who had multiple hits on the day, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in as Coast Guard defeated regional foe Salem State 8-2 in their final game at the 2013 Gene Cusic Classic. With the victory over Salem State (3-4), Coast Guard (5-2) wrapped up their best Florida trip since Coach Grant took over the program in 2007.
After falling behind 1-0 after two and a half, Coast Guard broke through in the bottom of the 3rd with three runs of their own. Despite Salem State getting one of those runs back in the 4th, the Bears showed their resiliency by putting another three runs on the scoreboard in the bottom half before scoring another in the 5th, extending their lead to a very comfortable 7-2 margin.
Senior Nate Toll (1-0) got his second start of the season for the Bears, tossing four strong innings as he surrendered just two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four to record the win. The win was the result of a hidden NCAA rule which factors in preset pitch counts to allow a starter who doesn't go five innings to record a victory. Toll departed with a 6-2 lead as the game moved to the top of the 5th. He made way for sophomore Anthony Martin to come on in relief.
Martin worked a pair of scoreless innings, allowing two hits and recording a strikeout. Senior Curt Barrett came on in the top of the 7th, throwing two shutout innings, yielding a single hit and a strikeout. Senior Tyler Vieira put the finishing touches on the victory by working a scoreless 9th, allowing just one hit.
Leading by five in the bottom of the 7th, Coast Guard padded their lead with an insurance run, accounting for the final margin in the game.
Joining Petry with multiple hits for the Bears were senior Mike Massaro (2-for-4), sophomore Matt Hanks (2-for-5), and freshman Kyle Wood (2-for-4). In addition to his two hits, Massaro also had a pair of RBI's, while Wood and senior Nolan Gallagher each had doubles for the Bears.
"I thought we pitched and played very well," started Coach Grant, before continuing "we're pleased to be coming home with a 5-2 record. That's very good."
For the game, Coast Guard outhit Salem State by a 14-9 margin, and each team committed one error.
Freshman Sean O'Brien suffered his first collegiate loss for the Vikings after struggling through 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (all earned) on seven hits and two walks. He did manage to record a pair of strikeouts in the effort though.
Next up for Coast Guard will be a trip to Springfield on Friday, March 15th, as they look to get the NEWMAC portion of their schedule underway with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 pm. The home opener is scheduled for Saturday, March 16th, with a double-header also against Springfield. That is set to get underway at 12:00 pm.


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Date Added
Job Type
Inpatient mental health facility seeking full- time BC/BE Adult Psychiatrist to join their dynamic, established team of Psychiatrists about 45 minutes outside of Erie. Position requires 50/50 inpatient and outpatient work. This twenty bed mental health facility has great opportunity for growth to include additional beds in the near future. Call is 1:4 with weekday calls by phone, weekends do involve rounding. Competitive base salary, full family health benefits, with loan repayment, relocation assistance, and many more benefits available. The ideal candidate will possess a current PA license, a full DEA, and must pass state clearances. Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity with a great benefits package!!!
How to Apply
If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Jeff Nicholas at 270-784-5664 x239 or email us at email@example.com regarding job number PA101G


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Vegan Recipe:
- 1 cup raw walnuts, unsoaked
- 1/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut
- 1/4 cup whole cane sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 4 pitted medjool dates
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons agar flakes
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 1/4 cup whole cane sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or dark agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mashed avocado (1 avocado)
To make the crust, place the walnuts, coconut, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the raisins and dates and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Don't over-process. Pour the crust crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan. Use your hand to distribute the crust crumbs in the pie pan. Gently push some of the crumbs up the sides of the pan to the rim in order to create a 1/4 inch thick, loosely packed wall. Next, press the crust on the bottom of the pan down with your fingers and palm (be especially firm where the bottom of the pan joins the sides). To finish, press with your thumb to consolidate the crust wall along the pan's sides.
For the filling, place 3/4 cup of the water and all of the agar flakes in a small saucepan on the stove. Let soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Place the carrots, sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, lemon juice, salt, and remaining 3/4 cup water in a blender and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the blender jar with a rubber spatula. Add the avocado and the agar mixture and process until smooth. Pout the mixture on to the crust, spreading it evenly with a small offset spatula. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
In 2013 I made 4 of these for Thanksgiving, I did not tell anyone that is was a Vegan Recipe , I just told every one Happy Thanksgiving and I brought some Pumpkin Pie, When it was time for Dessert, I got so many ( WOW's , and your Pumpkin Pie is so Delicious , ) and What is your recipe ? Haha... Well, I told them sorry maybe some day you will see the recipe on my Website... 😉
Thanks to all the people that add Recipes to the web, If it wasn't for you, I would not have this recipe to share with friends and family...


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|m yet to see a Man more graceful, civilized and patient while making love with his woman; and a Woman who has never rejected her man's sexual advances!
– RAMANA PEMMARAJURate it:
|M-O-T-H-E-R M is for the million things she gave me, O means only that she's growing old, T is for the tears she shed to save me, H is for her heart of purest gold E is for her eyes, with love-light shining, R means right, and right she'll always be, Put them all together, they spell MOTHER, A word that means the world to me.
– Howard JohnsonRate it:
|Ma citation préférée qui décrit Boston, ma ville natale, est vraiment bien par grand écrivain Mark Twain, qui a dit "à Boston ils demandent, combien savent-t-il? à New York, combien vaut-il? à Philadelphie, qui étaient son parents? "ce est tellement vrai. qui plus est, boston est l'endroit où tout le monde connaît votre nom. acclamations à Boston, la plus belle ville en Amérique!
– Deodatta V. Shenai-KhatkhateRate it:
|Ma définition d'un leader court et simple: "Un leader connaît le chemin, va le chemin, et montre le chemic.
– Deodatta V. Shenai-KhatkhateRate it:
|MacDonald has the gift of compressing the largest amount of words into the smallest amount of thoughts.
– Sir Winston ChurchillRate it:
|Machen Sie das Beste von allem, was vorhanden ist, vor allem während der schwierigen Zeiten. Wenn das Leben wirft Zitronen auf Sie, machen süße Limonade. legen ein solides Fundament mit Ziegelsteinen, die Ihre Feinde auf dich werfen. Und am wichtigsten, das Beste aus sich selbst, denn das ist alles, was es für Sie jetzt.
– Deodatta V. Shenai-KhatkhateRate it:
|Machines can't be tempered but the top men controlling all operation can easily be influenced to favour anyone.
– Anuj SomanyRate it:
|Machines take me by surprise with great frequency.
– Alan TuringRate it:
|Madam your wife and I didn't hit it off the only time I ever saw her. I won't say she was silly, but I think one of us was silly, and it wasn't me.
– Elizabeth GaskellRate it:
|Madam, I have been looking for a person who disliked gravy all my life; let us swear eternal friendship.
– Sydney SmithRate it:
|Madness need not be all breakdown. It may also be break-through. It is potential liberation and renewal as well as enslavement and existential death.
– Ronald David LaingRate it:
|Madonna is just a hooker that doesn't get paid.
– Eric PioRate it:
|Magic is believing in yourself. If you can do that, you can make anything happen.
– Foka GomezRate it:
|Magic of the nights is always much impressive than the magic of the days!
– Mehmet Murat ildanRate it:
|Magic of the shadows can best be seen in the deserts.
– Mehmet Murat ildanRate it:
|Magic, miracles and messages abound when you step into the inner sanctuary of your special self.
– June SaruwatariRate it:
|Magnanimity does not make you affluent but it buy you gems a affluent can't..
– Sunil JoyiaRate it:
|Magnanimity is the first thing people lose once they get the power.
– Prof.Salam Al ShereidaRate it:
|Magnanimus, et dimitte hostes, si oblitus sui actus.
– Deodatta V. Shenai-KhatkhateRate it:
|Magnificent promises are always to be suspected.
– Theodore ParkerRate it:
|Mahatma Gandi was what wives wish their husbands were: thin, tan and moral.
– UnknownRate it:
|Mahatma is one whose soul doesn't rest in peace while there are tears even in a single eye.
– B. J. GuptaRate it:
|Maiden China
– Tom CarterRate it:
|Mainstream America is depending on you - counting on you - to draw your sword and fight for them. These people have precious little time or resources to battle misguided Cinderella attitudes, the fringe propaganda of the homosexual coalition, the feminists who preach that it's a divine duty for women to hate men, blacks who raise a militant fist with one hand, while they seek preference with the other.
– Charlton HestonRate it:


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How do you listen to music? Maybe you plug in your cell phone and let Spotify curate a playlist for you? Or, perhaps you prefer listening to a satellite radio service like SiriusXM? Regardless of what your preferences are, more than likely, you're embracing the digital age with your listening device.
However, if you're old school, enjoy more lo-fi listening or nostalgic, next time you want to jam out, turn the radio dial on, and you may be surprised at what you find. FM (which stands for frequency modulation) radio stations are top notch across the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, with local DJs (disc jockeys) that are not only passionate about radio but the entire state of Oklahoma. The simple fact is that you won't find personalities like this from an algorithm or a DJ that is located halfway across the country.
Oklahoma City FM Radio Stations List
The local stations in the city span the gamut from rock to country, to top 40 hits, hard news stations, sports commentary, religious and devotional stations, and many more. The stations are arranged in ascending order by their call numbers.
- Operated by the Oasis Radio Network, KMSI - 88.1 is a religious station that broadcasts spiritual music, Bible study programs, and interviews with prominent members of the Christian faith.
- Known as "K Love," KYLV - 88.9 focuses on contemporary Christian music that is suitable for both children and adults. You can also find this station on 103.7 in nearby Edmond.
- KXTH - 89.1, "The House" focuses on contemporary Christian music as well as motivational programming.
- Even if you're not a Buddy Broncho you can still enjoy the University of Central Oklahoma's broadcast on KUCO - 90.1 from the school's campus in Edmond. KUCO plays classical favorites that span across central Oklahoma, and much of southeastern and northwestern Oklahoma via the stations KBCW 91.9 FM in McAlester, and KCSC 95.9 FM in Woodward.
- KOKF - 90.9, "Air 1" plays "Positive Hits," primarily consisting of contemporary Christian music.
- KOSU - 91.7 / 107.5 is a public radio station that has been around since 1955.
- A Tyler Media property, KOMA - 92.5 plays the oldies-but-goodies from the 1960s and 1970s.
- Known as "The Brew," KBRU - 94.7's focus is on contemporary alternative rock hits.
- KXXY - 96.1 is a favorite among country music fans, and one of the best stations in the area for classic country hits.
- KKNG - 97.3 was formerly a country music station but switched to broadcasts tailored to members of the Catholic faith.
- WWLS - 98.1, known as "The Sports Animal" is a Cumulus station, and one of Oklahoma City's top stations for sports talk. Due to its live broadcasts, it's a very popular station among basketball enthusiasts, particularly Oklahoma City Thunder fans.
- A longtime OKC favorite, KYIS - 98.9, "Kiss FM" plays adult contemporary music, soft rock, and top 40 hits.
- KATT - 100.5 calls themselves "Oklahoma's Pure Rock Station." The KATT plays both new and classic rock tunes.
- KTST - 101.9, "The Twister" focuses on new country hits from favorite artists like Brantley Gilbert, LoCash, and High Valley.
- KJYO - 102.7 is known as "KJ 103," the station plays Top 40 hits. Not surprisingly, it is one of the most listened to stations in the metro area.
- KVSP "Power 103.5"'s format is urban contemporary, playing both local and national hip-hop and R&B favorites.
- Consistently one of the higher rated radio stations in and around Oklahoma City, KMGL - 104, or "Magic 104" plays adult contemporary tunes starting from the 1970s until today. To celebrate the holidays, the station plays Christmas music around the clock beginning just before Thanksgiving.
- Branded "Wild 104.9," KKWD - 104.9 plays contemporary hits with a focus on pop, dance, and Electronic dance music (EDM).
- Formerly a station that played Mexican regional tunes, KINB - 105.3 is now a CBS Sports affiliate radio station that broadcasts National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football, baseball, and basketball games, National Football League (NFL) games, National Hockey League (NHL) matches, Major League Baseball (MLB) games, and more.
- KWCO "Kool 105.5's" specialty is playing classic hits from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
- KGOU - 105.7 and 106.3 is a National Public Radio (NPR) source and is licensed to the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman.
- KIRC - 105.9 the "Real Country" station broadcasts a wide range of country music favorites.
- A part of Tyler Media, KTUZ - 106.7 is a Spanish-speaking station that plays hits from popular artists from Mexico.
- KRXO - 107.7's is classic rock station that allows listeners to "Pick the Rock" by voting on what songs they should play each day.


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Le Binh Giang's "Kfc" is a bizarre film, even for a splatter
Le Bình Giang (1990, Vietnam) was educated in Film at the University of Ho Chi Minh, but he wasn't allowed to graduate because the script for his film Kfc was considered too violent by the Council of Examiners. Lê didn't give up on his project and tried to find sponsors. He won the Film of the Future Award at the Vietnamese Autumn Meeting 2013, which helped him get started. After making several short films he finally made Kfc (2016), his feature film debut, three years later.
The story takes place in Hanoi, and revolves around a number of characters. A cannibalistic doctor who uses an ambulance to hit people in the street and then post-humously raping them. His son, who has become fat due to eating human flesh and his friend, the daughter of a prostitute who has fallen victim to the doctor. Another boy roaming the streets who becomes friends with the two children. A man whose wife has also fallen victim to the doctor. Overall, a circle of violence and revenge that seems to transcend generations.
Le Binh Giang directs, writes, co-edits and produces a genuine splatter film, where onerousness seems to derive from every frame. In this fashion, the movie includes cannibalism, amputation and torture, kid violence, necrophilia, and even flesh-eating worms. Giang, however, managed to include some comic scenes, mocking multinational companies like Coca Cola, Pepsi, and KFC. A somewhat romantic scene with a couple riding on a motorcycle and the main theme, a romantic and nostalgic song, also move towards the same direction.
The issue with the film lies with its narration, that includes many flashbacks and back and forths in time, which deem the story quite difficult to follow, despite the fact that, at the end, much of the events are explained.
In terms of cinematography, Nguyen Phuc Vinh uses some interesting techniques with slow-motion, fast forward, and Bullet Time shots. The special effects are impressive, with the torture scenes and the depiction of blood being utterly realistic. Tilkerie Pham has also done a great job on the sound, which occasionally sounds even more grotesque than the actual images it accompanies. In terms of editing, there is an amusing scene, where the torture is paralleled to a comic strip.
"Kfc" will screen on International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), that will be on from January 25th to February 5th


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Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.
Hosted by For What It's Worth and Midnyte Reader. Check out the Book Blogger Confessions Schedule to see what topics are coming up.
Today's Topic: How long do you see yourself blogging for? Do you think it's ok for a blog to evolve over time? For example: You may have started out as a book review blog but now your interest is in cooking as well. Do you incorporate that or start over?
Thought: I don't necessarily see an end to it. Actually I don't think I've ever thought about bringing my blogging to a real end. I've taken time off and have considered the possibility of not blogging anymore, but when it comes to hitting that delete button… No. This is not a concept to me. I'm sure it's more reasonable and logical to realise my blogging career will come to an end one day, but I can't contemplate it. I'd rather live thinking I'm going to be blogging.
When it comes to a blog evolving, I think it can evolve in different ways. Personally I would create another blog for another subject or keep it to my writing/everything blog. I see blogs as evolving in other ways, such as extending on a subject or adapting, adding to, that sort of thing. This is a great way to evolve and I think every blog needs to eventually in order to avoid becoming stale for both creater and readers.
What about you? Feel free to share in the comments or let me know if you're taking part on your blog.


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Zebra Mussels Take Over Boats
Boaters are now Missouri's greatest line of defense against what could become a sharp-shelled, stinky, nuisance.
Missouri Department of Conservation officials say they're not happy with the October zebra mussel find in Missouri's lower Osage River.
"'Uh oh,' I said. 'I hope these aren't what I think they are.' We kinda looked at each other, and I picked 'em up and took them here to Steve McMurray the mussel biologist," said resource assistant Jarad Milligan.
And MDC Resource Scientist Stephen McMurray confirmed the find. He says the adult thumbnail-sized mussels cling to any hard surface, and clog water intakes.
"They attach to the pipes and anything hard that's under the water. Then they, themselves, become something hard and keep attaching to each other and the pipes until eventually they just clog it up," explained McMurray.
The mussels reproduce at rapid rates and can quickly dominate waterways. MDC officials say that boaters can play a key role in slowing that process. They should always check their boats, but they're not always easy to find.
"Smaller juvenile zebra mussels are not gonna be visible to the unaided eye. You're not gonna be able to see them," explained McMurray. He says if you run your hand along the hall, and it feels scratchy like sandpaper, your boat could be swamped with microscopic zebra mussels.
MDC urges boaters to inspect their motors and trim plates to rinse their boats with hot power-jetted water. They also urge to let boats sit in the sun for 3 to 5 days before entering another lake or river.
Milligan says if boaters find zebra mussels on their boats they should immediately contact Missouri Department of Conservation.