May you find serenity and tranquility in a world
You may not always understand.

May the pain you have known and conflict you have experienced
Give you the strength to walk through life
Facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those whose love and understanding
Will always be there, even when you feel most alone.

May you discover enough goodness in others
To believe in a world of peace.

May a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile be yours
Every day of your life,
And may you give these gifts as well as receive them.

Remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending.

Teach love to those who know hate,
And let that love embrace you as you go into the world.

May the teaching of those you admire become part of you,
So that you may call upon them.
Remember, those whose lives you have touched
And who have touched yours are always a part of you,
Even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter that is more important than it’s form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters,
But instead place immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart.

Find time in each day to see the beauty and love in the world around you.

Realize that each person has limitless abilities,
But each of us is different in our own way.
What you may feel you lack in one regard
May be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
May become one of your strengths in the future.

May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself,
And not be dependent on another’s judgement of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

Once we’re able to travel that 40 light years to the super-Earth, we will see mini-super-men on the planet.  And, just like us Humans, they’ll go ballistic and try to defend their planets against the UFO’s of Earth.  Once we make touch-down on the planet, everything turns to chaos with mini-men running amok screaming about giants and the end of the super-Earth.  While we try to ask them to “Take me to your leader”, they’ll greet us with a volley of artillery fire to the gonads.

The gloves come off at this point (Humans can only take so much prodding)…

It will be the battle for super-Earth!  Think Avatar, or maybe not.  Our space marines will be riding missiles and building overly-large-and-overly-power mechs.  The super-Earth-ians fight back tooth and nail with their own United super-Earth Defense Force (UsEDF).  We will slowly take over their territory, edging our way into the heart of their planet.  Little men praying to be saved by some unknown super-Earth supernatural entity.

And then, their super-Earth Chuck Norris single-handed-ly disrupt our supply lines, knock off communications from surface-to-space, and win the heart of a very beautiful space marine.

Licking our wounds and limping back to Earth, we’ll prepare for the sequel.

You just have to love Square Enix’s humor as convert your song list into Tune Troopers. Three things change when you create one: (1) Picture/Model (e.g., Woody, Little Sister, Fantastic Man… no, I’m not making this up!), (2) Type (e.g., Mage, Archer, Soldier, etc.), (3) Color of music (e.g., red, blue, yellow, etc… this will affect how your team work together in bonus damages via “harmonics”), (4) Class (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum… better = stronger, but less deployment; meaning that you’ll spend gold to keep them in your team via “Rewind”) and (5) Stats (e.g., Strength, Accuracy, etc.).  Each song seem to create a different trooper but every trooper can train and rise in Class via “Pearl Points” (think of it as currency to spend on leveling up).

Here’s an example of one I found hilarious:

Wood(Knight) – “His drill looks impressive” (Too bad you never get to see him use “his drill” in-game)

I’ve used the song “All My Life” and this is his initial stats (pretty bad for a Knight in terms of defense and strength).  The joy comes from the surprise of the superbly drawn characters.  It must’ve been the wee hours at work because I could not stop laughing.  Thanks Square Enix!  Keep the antics coming!

“Chapter 11: Magical Senses” is now available for you readers!  Please visit the TLFT (The Last Fairy Tale) page to read.

Chapter Note: Rowena, the Ambassador of the Mage Guild, is greeted by the king of Venisuvia in the capital city.  Even though she is enmeshed in the splendors of the city and the populace’s warm welcome, she could not help but notice magical disturbances right in the very heart of the kingdom.  Will she find out the source of the disturbance with her magical senses?

Happy Holidays, OETers!  It’s the season to give and receive and give some more!  Not to mention a good round or two of tales as you warm from the chilly weather.  Whether you’ve been naughty or nice this year, you deserve something for the holidays (or at least enjoy the joy of gift giving).  Here is OET’s very own last-minute-gift guide for those that love a good tale, is an adventurer at heart, or fit the OET mold!

You can either read on down or click on the follow to fast-forward to a particular section:

Netbooks - Games - Books - Gadgets

Netbooks

The reign of huge notebooks that weigh a gazillion pounds are over (ever lugged around a Dell XPS first -en laptop?  Have you seen the AC unit that you need for it?).  Back at the start of the new millennium, I was wondering if laptops would out-weigh desktop units in the near future.  Even though makers were trying to cram in more-and-more features (a good thing) the weight started being overbearing.  I remembered having hickie-like marks on my shoulders from the backpack.

Netbooks are now the new gold standard in portables.  I remembered a year ago being gawked and laughed at as I procured my MSI Wind U100 from my backpack.  A big guy with a little laptop.  I remembered laughing back when their laptops ran out of juice on our delayed flight (with the battery upgrade and just a single pound added, I was able to continue my work for a total of 7 hours).  Plus, I loved to tinker and the U100 had an empty RAM slot so I personally upgraded from the 1 gig RAM to 2 (although it does void the warranty).

MSI Wind U100 (check out the U123 if you want the newer one)

Price: $250 and up
Specification overview: 10.1″, Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz), 1 gig DDR2 SDRAM, 80 GB harddrive, bluetooth camera built-in, and full-size keyboard (minus the numerical paid… has F1 through F12, unlike other netbooks)
Colors: Black, White, and Pink

Samsung N130

Price: $299
Specification overview: 10.1″, Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz), 1 gig DDR2 SDRAM, 160 GB harddrive, webcam
Colors: Black and White

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Gaming

There’s holiday without some gaming (whether it be console, computer, or board games!).  While your chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, you can frag your opponents over multiplayer LAN.  Here are a few of my not-to-miss selections for this end-of-the-year gaming.  You’ve heard enough about the games in my last post so here are some eye-candy for you to go along with the technical stuff.

Dragon Age Origins (Bioware) - $49.99 (PC/XBOX360/PS3), RPG/Strategy
This game is massive!  Be prepared to be a fighter, a tactician, a lore-weaver, and even a pick-pocket.  You’ll find yourself planning each battle like a chess game (and trying to stay one step ahead of the wily CPU).

Need for Speed SHIFT (EA games) – $49.99, (PC/XBOX360/PS3), Racing/Simulation
Fine tuning, check.  Upgrades and after-market parts, check.  Drifting and aggressive driving, check.  Realistic damage models, check.  This game allows you to drive your favorite name-brand cars (e.g., Lexus, Lotus, and Lambo and more) and award you for the play style of your choice (precision or aggressive?).  You’ll feel BIG when you flip your first opponent over by drafting and ramming him at over 200 mph (and I mean head-over-bumper flippinp).

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward) – $59.99 (PC/XBOX360/PS3), Shooter/FPS
One-part shooter, one-part team-play, and one-part cinematic (and you’re the star!).  I think some of the impossible stunts and the thrill of the gun fights in this game makes it all the more appealing.  Furthermore, this shooter makes you feel like you’re part of something BIGGER and fulfilling the star role of a movie.  You can’t go wrong with a good storyline that moves you through the game.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive Inc.) – $49.99 (PC/XBOX360/PS3), Action
How about a little visit to Arkham Asylum as your favorite dark knight?  The story-line helps emerge you into the world of Batman as you fend off the inmates of the asylum searching for the Joker.  The fighting system is a joy if you love smash-em-up style gaming.  Easy enough for the most casual gamers and fun enough visuals for the hardcore types (slow-mo elbow and flying kicks sure hits the spot).  If you feel like mixing it up a little try throwing a quick batarang every now and then.

Plants vs. Zombies (PopCap Games) – $19.95 (PC), Puzzle/Tower Defense type
Don’t be fooled by the cute-sy graphics and toonish-style backdrop.  This game is challenging as well as entertaining.  I’ve always been a sucker for tower defense style games and this one hits the spot (for variety and humor).  You build flowers to defend your house from brain-thirsty zombies and each level encompasses a new plant or a new type of zombie.

Torchlight (Runic Games) – $19.95 (PC), RPG/Diablo-style click-n-slash
While waiting for D3 to hit the stores, this game really hits the spot for your Diablo-ish style play (think potions, transmuting stuff, socketing gems, and fending off hordes of baddies in the dungeon).  You even have a companion that can change depending upon the fish you feed him/her (and yes, you can fish in this game).  If I had to start someone off in this style of gaming, Torchlight would be a good introduction without much hassle in customization (oops, you’ve put a skill point in the wrong tree?  Just get more fame and you get another point!).

(Small) iPhone Game App Guide
For those of you who wants portable gaming without lugging around your PSP or DS, the iPhone offers a variety to satiate your gaming needs.

Song Summoner Encore (Square Enix) – $9.99, RPG/Tactics
Who can go wrong with Square Enix?  Final Fantasy fans rejoice!  This tactic style game (e.g., Final Fantasy Tactic) is refreshing in the iPhone context.  The gimmick is creating your Tune Troopers from the songs on your phone (and earning bonuses for listening to those songs outside of the game).

Dragon’s Lair (EA) – $4.99, Old School Adventure
Since the last post, nothing have changed about this game.  As warned, new gamers may not appreciate the sentimental value of this game and the way it plays.  If you still love Dirk the Daring and want to relive your childhood then this is a must!

Voltron (Sony Pictures Television) – $3.99, Sci-Fi
A short game featuring the beloved Voltron (BEFORE Power Rangers ever existed).  The graphics are reminisce of SNES but the models stay true to the original.

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Books

Remember the days LeVar Burton told you “But you don’t have to take my word for it!” (Reading Rainbow for the clueless).  Well, OET would like you to see our recommendations for the epic gift of lore.

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy – $23, Fantasy
A very well-written fantasy story around a city befallen to an autocratic savior called the Lord Ruler.  Furthermore, this story gives you another take on the magic genre with allomancy that is refreshing to the fantasy readers.

Warcraft Archive, War of the Ancient Archives, StarCraft Archive, Diablo Archive (Blizzard) – $17 – $20 each, Fantasy
These archives give you the whole story and lore behind Blizzard’s games, WarCraft/StarCraft/Diablo.  If you know a fan who loves lore (rather than just hack-and-slash their way through the game) then this may be the perfect gift.

EVE: The Empyrean Age (Tony Gonzales) – $6.99, Sci-Fi
Capitalism gone stellar, religious fanatics, and over-worked working-class all clash in this wonderful sci-fi thriller.  Mix in your immortal of clones and a vast array of starships to make for a truly epic tale.  Will they ever find out their heritage from the collapsed EVE gate?  Or, will they succumb to self-interest and bickering?

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Gadgets

Bond… James Bond or Inspector Gadget, your choice.  Who can resist the joy of a new nifty gadget?  Ask anyone who have ever bought anything “As seen on TV” and you will get your answer.  A little ShamWOW goes a long way, I’ll tell you that.

3M MPro120 – $399, Pocket Projector (think gaming and presentations!)
Not quite as bright as the big boys this mini-projectors still give you the kick you need for portable large screen.  Along with a netbook, you can play your Plants vs. Zombies on the wall of your hotel room (with equipment that can fit in your backpack).

Juice Pack Air (Mophie) – $79.99, iPhone hard-case and built-in battery.
If you play games as much as I do on my iPhone, you would find that your battery dies often during talk-time.  Solution, double your battery capacity!  Juice Pack Air offers you a hardshell case to project your iPhone 3G or 3GS while providing double the battery time.

Verizon MiFi 2200 – $299.99, mobile Hotspot
For those of you who subscribe to Verizon and in need of WiFi, you’re in luck.  Verizon MiFi 2200 (and soon a Sprint version) will enable you to have WiFi by tapping into the 3G network.  I have not tested this out personally but have heard good things about having WiFi in the woods where cable and DSL cannot be accessed.

theFlip UltraHD – $180.00, Mini camcorder in HD
Gone are the days of camcorders the size of a pitbull.  theFlip’s UltraHD is a portable HD (H.264) camcorder that allows the user to easily upload their video to their laptop via built-in USB (or viewing the video via HDMI with the purchase of the connector).  The 8 GB, ~2 hour of recording time is enough to piece together snippets of your trip to Disneyland (and if you have your netbook with you, you can dump the video and record more!).  This version of theFlip has removable batteries and can take “AA” batteries on the go.

Friday Afternoon Hammer (totes; you can find it at Kohl’s) – $9.99, Hammer/Bottle opener
Stop… HAMMER TIME!  One end to smash things, the other to a open bottle of your favorite brew.  What more do you want?

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I hope this guide inspired some of you to buy cool-neat-o things for your OETer.  Or, maybe it even helped you find your own wish list.  Happy Holidays!  Hope your holidays come with epic tales to tell!

Here I am up again at the wee hours.  Figuring that I could not possibly doze off in the next half hour or so, I turned to the App store to browse the new additions.  Dragon’s Lair caught my eye instantly and brought warm, fuzzy memories of my childhood years.  With a couple of heated left-over pizza and a glass of tea, I am proud to present this app to the OETers (and children of the 80s alike) and reminisce about the past role playing/story-based games of the past.  If you are still confused about this “Dragon’s Lair” thing, please see the video below before continuing.

If you are a new-comer to the game, you may be put off by the way you “control” the “action”.  It feels very much like watching a cartoon but you have to make the right decision and press the button at the right time or… face death (which happens often than not at the first go).  I’m sure you Guitar Hero/Rock Band fans can appreciate that (even fans of Indigo Prophecy, Parrapa the Rappa, and even the Adventures of Willy Beamish, if you can remember that one).

Why does it bring me a smile?  It brings me back to the time when we thought “virtual reality” and virtual reality goggles will dominate the gaming world in the near-future.  Too bad choose-your-own adventure books have gone out of style, audience-voted movies were a mess, and virtual reality goggles have all but blipped off our radar (remember the Nintendo’s attempt at this with their HUGE virtual reality goggle system? *Ahem* Virtual Boy).

How about the movies-to-game attempt in the 90s?  It seemed like a good concept since CD’s and not floppy or cartridge were thought to be the next step in console gaming.  Anyone who owned the short-lived Sega CD and who played the cine-style games would know the frustration of the limitation of hardware back then (they looked and played awfully in general).  You don’t have to take my word for it (see video below).

Well, the technology that we need to succeed in this venue as well as the cartoon/movie style gaming may be possible today but the target audience may not be the 20-somethings.  Do we need to though?  With games like Dragon Age Origins and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, it seems like they are coming very close to looking realistic (with voice-sync’d characters as realistic as real actors).

While we wait, why not relive the joys of your childhood with Dragon’s Lair and Monkey Island?  Before I go, here’s something for you to enjoy and remember:

The graphics brings me back to my high school years in the 90s (think Final Fantasy, Ogre Battle, and Secret of Mana) and it isn’t hardware intensive.  There’s voice dialogues and reminds me of the old Diablo series with the scrolling speech.  If you have time, check it out.

My favorite character class is the Alchemist (think mage) that’s part melee and spell-caster (customizable to be full caster or partially melee).  Take a look at the trailer for the Alchemist below!

Now if only Blizzard would hurry with Diablo III (but I would be away from OET for a lengthy period of time… or covering it here!).

Gaming for the Holidays

• Dragon Age Origins (Bioware)
  • Type: RPG gaming (Role-playing Game)
  • Platform: PC, PS3, XBOX360
  • Pros: Very indepth storyline and customization of character play-style, high replay values, multiple side quests
  • Cons: The race/class/ability system may be intimidating to the casual gamer
  • Length of gaming: +40 hours
  • Similar: Neverwinter Nights, World of WarCraft, Diablo series

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward)
  • Type: FPS Gaming (First-Person Shooter)
  • Platform: PC, PS3, XBOX360
  • Pros: This game plays like a movie and you’re the star!  Cut-scenes and storyline moves the action along nicely
  • Cons: Some gamers may be overwhelmed by the sudden shift in objectives (e.g., riding snow mobile)
  • Length of gaming: +20 hours
  • Similar: James Bond 007 Games, Half-Life 2

• Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos)
  • Type: 3rd Person Hack-and-Slash
  • Platform: PC, PS3, XBOX360
  • Pros: Easy to use combat system and leveling systems, compliments the “dark” style of the current batman movie releases (The Dark Knight and Batman Begins), The Joker (Why so serious?)
  • Cons: Objectives are not always clear-cut but Detective Mode helps a lot
  • Length of gaming: +20 hours
  • Similar: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell

• Need for Speed SHIFT (EA Games)
  • Type: Driving
  • Platform: PC, PS3, XBOX360
  • Pros: Circuit driving, Drifting, Cat-and-Mouse chases, and all your favorite brands are here.  There are even guides (e.g., arrows on the ground) to help casual players and modes for expert drivers.  The upgrades and Tier system is very intuitive.  The graphics are sleek and the damage is realistic (almost).
  • Cons: Keyboard will not work well for this game (playable but I would suggest a controller or steering wheel peripheral)
  • Length of gaming: +20 hours
  • Similar: Gran Turismo series

Other suggestions: The Rock Band series and Guitar Hero series can keep your team-playing mode high (and more fun for everyone).  PopCap games such as Bejeweled 2, Plants vs Zombies (Tower Defense style!), and Peggle can keep you entertained as well.  This will also be the perfect time to dig into your old game folder or the bargain bin and fish out titles like:

• Sim City 4
• Monkey Island Series (including the newly released chapters!)
• No One Lives Forever
• WarCraft III, Diablo 2, StarCraft: BroodWar
• Rollercoaster Tycoon
• Grand Theft Auto series
• Sims 1/2/3
• The Longest Journey
• Half Life, Counterstrike
• Leisure Suit Larry series

Movies for the Holidays: DVD and Blu-ray galore!

You can’t forget the greatest epic tales of the past year or two:

• Batman Begins and The Dark Knight sequel
• Zombieland
• Star Trek (2009)
• Up
• Rocky (The Undisputed Collection) (7-DVDs/Blu-rays)
• District 9
• Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days (what?)

And, of course, the oldies but goodies:

• 300
• Forrest Gump
• Moulin Rouge
• Goodfellas
• Scarface
• Back to the Future I/II/III
• Starship Troopers (and the rest of the series)
• The Matrix (and Animatrix)

*Can someone please tell them to release a special version covering ABC’s TGIF Fridays in the late 80s and early 90s (Perfect Strangers, Full House, Family Matters, etc.)!  Hey, I’m a child of the 80s and I can’t forget those shows.

And, there’s always the free games on Facebook (e.g., FarmVille) that will keep you connected to the outside world and keep you entertained!  If you missed Black Friday deals, you will still have time to grab them for your Epic Talers!   If all else fails… food is good.