Lets start of by saying this was the longest series of books I have read. While Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game series is roughly the same number of books, Sword of Truth books seem a lot thicker individually. This series is fantastic. I recommend this to any fantasy or even science-fiction reader because I read more science-fiction then fantasy and I was intrigued. Please, I implore you read the first book, Wizard’s First Rule, at least. If you don’t feel like picking up the second one, fine. But I bet you will

If you don’t want any spoilers, I don’t recommend reading any further as I will be discussing points that I would like to point out in various spots in the series. (more…)

Well, let me begin by saying, overall Warhammer Online was very enjoyable. Most of the issues I have I’m going to present here to be addressed perhaps in hopes of being fixed in the future. Let me start off by saying I’ve played FFXI (2 sad years), WoW (3? or 4? lost years),  some Age of Conan and a tad of Lord of the Rings Online.

Lets start with the little technical things that are quite easily fixed. My fiancee, Meghan, and I have the same computer. Serious. The specifications are:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500
EVGA 750i FTW motherboard
Corsair 4gb (2g x 2) Duel Channel PC2 8500
BFG 8800 GT 512mb

The only difference is that I run Vista Business and she runs Windows XP. I would periodically crash randomly in scenarios, load screens, or even walking down the road. It happened after at least 2-3 hours of game play. Not a big deal at all, just saying it happened. Also, one time during a Public Quest in the Shadowlands all of a sudden the graphics started tearing, the NPC models disappeared and all I saw was the shields and weapons. Meghan never experienced a single issue. She also loads 3-4 seconds faster then me in all cases.

The level of graphics seemed to be throttled down, imo. I kept looking for a setting to make it a little better, but never found it. It is totally playable though. I think the engine is intentionally built like this to support a large number of people on the same screen, which I totally understand. Then again, I am just coming off from playing Crysis so… I might just be spoiled.

Game play thoughts after the break.

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Once upon a time, someone calling themselves Fake Scott McCloud (henceforth known as FSM), set up a blog mocking, critiquing and generally airing their dislike for the webcomic PvP. It is called PvP Makes me Sad. That’s fine. We all have opinions.

Long story short, Scott Kurtz, creator of PvP made a post on Twitter which read the following.

Free original PvP artwork to anyone who can bring me the true identity of the Fake Scott McCloud.

So of course, PvP being a very well known webcomic, the fanboys want this most illustrious prize. And fanboys, especially on the internet, are rabid. So what do they do? They track FSM’s IP to New Jersay apparently, take screenshots of said IP idents, and request for password changes to FSM’s sites.

So what does Kurtz do? He Twitters again.

Whoa. Guys. Easy. I don’t want to know his address. just curious if he’s another webcomic guy. This manhunt is at a 10. I need it at a 4.

To this I say the following. Kurtz, you knew from moment one what your fanboys would do. You know what internet anonymity makes people do. Now that you’re being frowned down upon, you’re back-tracking.
And for what? Because you can’t take a little criticisms? Do we really have to go over this again? Your comic is in a public space. It will have eyes on it and mouths to speak what the eyes perceive. You’re not going to please everyone. You just can’t. There will be critics, there will be people who don’t get the joke. There will be people who down right mock you simply because they can. And just like they can mock you, others can find your address and come to your house and invade your privacy. All in the name of (free) art.

Mr. Kurtz? I know what I like. And I don’t like this.

Disclaimer: The opinions in this post do not necessarily reflect all of those at ChoiceComics.net. Q doesn’t read PvP as she finds it boring and over-rated.

$100 dollars to go! But travel & expenses? Is it worth it? With WotLK around the corner, Starcraft II, and Diablo III (YAY!) in development, I would most definitely say hell yeah!!

Then cold harsh reality slaps you in the face. You don’t shit money.

I estimate, $1200 for plane & hotel accommodations, the a day or two not working,  and the ticket…

If someone would sponsor me I will go with a camera strapped on me and or dress in something with logos all over it. DO IT.

Donate through Paypal to webmaster [at] choicecomics.net.

In wake of the California earthquakes, news has been all about hyping up the worry over “the big one.” While small threads of truth lie underneath the layers of “OMG WE R ALL GOING TO DIE!!!” portrayed by the news, I feel that some things are just ridiculous hyped up.

Take for instance, this morning watching Good Morning America. Of course, the main story was the earthquakes in California. However, in hyping up the fear factor of the 5.4-5.8 they show scenes of the general public doing what they do in an earthquake (as they were taught). Some where running to door jams, outside, and getting under desks. This is where the news, taking their slight of mouth, tweak a sentence in such a way to portray a totally different feel to the story.

They casually mention everyone running to their spots in terror and then made the comment, “…children even hid under their desks…” while flashing up a picture of children huddled under their school desks. BAM! Oh my god, not the children! Look at their terrified eyes! The apocalypse is here!

Now let me change the apocalyptic event and location of a disaster. Say… well… say “tornadic” weather was about in Kentucky and the following day, news from another area shows cameras showing people huddling in closets and tornado shelters. Then they flash a picture of two children in a bath tub with a mattress over their heads and say, “… they even hid in tubs with mattresses over their heads…” OH NOES!!! That’s terrible!!

No… no its not.

IT IS WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.