Popular art from my DeviantArt account:
 Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Monday, July 03, 2006
Star Wars Redux: A programmer's perspective on reworking Star WarsWith a few hundred novels and comics, the Star Wars EU (Expanded Universe) is a mess at the moment. The mess is that two-thirds of these were written before the prequel trilogy was finished. And this creates some massive gaps and inconsistencies.
The past of the Jedi being the biggest of those, and Imperial past (post-RotS, pre-ANH) as well. As a Star Wars loyalist (aka freak), it just rips me apart when I think of the whole Callista and White Current and Luke's supposed mother.
Inconsistent lines include:
- The past of the Jedi ("Children of the Jedi", for example)
- The White Current deal ("Black Fleet Crisis", I think)
- Creation of the Empire, Palpatine's rise to power
- How lightsabers work (eg, in some stories they work underwater, but not in others - "Splinter of the Mind's Eye")
- Missing Planets (Where the heck is Naboo in the new generation?)
In the more high profile works of Zahn, Denning, and Stackpole, some inconsistencies have been ironed out.
There are also many minor inconsistencies because these books are not published in a linear timeline, but more like all over the place.
As a programmer, when you're dealing with legacy code you have usually two options: Create a go-between app that acts as a liason between the old and new code, or rewrite the old stuff with new tech.
I think the latter is the answer for Star Wars books. Not EVERYTHING has to be rewritten. For example, in Star Wars X-Wing: Solo Command, there is a line: "I couldn't prevent Senator Palpatine's rise to power..." could be changed to "I couldn't preven Chancellor Palpatine's rise to power..."
Some good stuff can be rewritten if the author wishes and can, which would just give them pure new sales for a book that people like me bought. It would be much better than the mix and match efforts they are trying to put up with right now.
At the time of writing, I have read 192 novels (24+ re-read more than 3 times), and over 380 comics. 
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Friday, March 03, 2006
Star Wars InfinitiesStar Wars Infinities is a series of comics, which I personally don't like, that deal with "what-ifs" in the Star Wars Universe. The storyline is altered here and there and the whole deal comes off a lot different than the actual storyline. As a fan(atic) I consider this blasphemy. Why I mention this is because I was just watching in-sequence the original trilogy, and I started thinking... what if...
Let your imagination go wild as we consider these infinities.
Variation 1: Father and Son vs Sister
Ignoring Yoda and Ben's warnings, Luke Skywalker makes his way to Bespin. He encounters a trap laid by Darth Vader. They fight. Vader chops off his hand, and tells him the "truth". Confused and in pain, Luke can think of only one thing - he has found his father. He forgets that this was the same man who killed Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, tortured Han and Leia, and tried to shoot him to death on the Trench Run. Overwelhmed with mixed emotions where Yoda and Obi-Wan's betrayal only shines, Luke loses consciousness and falls into the gas tunnel. Using the Force, Vader grabs him out of the air and lands him safely next to him.
As Leia, Chewbacca, and Lando begin their search for Han, thinking Luke lost to death by Vader's hands, Luke arrives on Imperial Center (formerly Coruscant). Under the Imperial med-droids care he recieves a black armored gauntlet that replaces his right fist - reminiscent of Anakin's first prosthesis. And under the cruel but powerful tutelage of his Father and the Emperor, Luke is drawn completely to the Dark Side. Having lost Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber at Bespin during his fall, he builds a new - RED - lightsaber. Vader tells him his training is complete.
Without Luke's help Leia, Chewie and Lando rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hut. After escaping Tatooine in the Millenium Falcon, Leia has a dream in which Obi-Wan comes to her. Tells her of her heritage. And beckons her to follow the path of the Force - the path of a Jedi. Leaving Han and the others, Leia leaves for the Dagobah system. There she goes through Yoda's last training, and forges her own GREEN lightsaber.
Meanwhile Luke escorts the Emperor to the new Death Star where Vader awaits. The Emperor reveals his plan for the Rebel Strike that is imminent. Luke is sent to Endor.
Leia and Han lead the strike team on the assault on the shield generator on the forest moon of Endor. While staying the night at the Ewok village, Leia confronts Han and tells him the truth about her, her family, and where she went (Dagobah). She tells him that Luke is still alive, but a servant of the Dark Side. She tells him there is still a chance he can be saved and she must take it. She leaves Han and turns herself over to the local Imperial garrison.
Leia finds Luke at the garrison. She tries to talk to him about leaving Vader's side, but he tells her - almost sadly - that it is too late for him. He looks at her lightsaber, activates it, and congratulates her on completing her training. She tells him of Yoda's death. Luke scoffs at the news, telling her that all Jedi do is decieve and betray.
Luke takes Leia to the Emperor. Entering the Throne Room, they see Vader standing over a large crater in the floor where a tattering black robe lays. Vader turns off his lightsaber and turns to see his children. Leia tells him that she has come to take her brother back. Vader tells her he will not go, that he has complete control over him. Leia, only half-trained by a dying Yoda, gives in to her anger, calls her saber to her hand through the Force, and lunges to strike Vader with her lightsaber only to be intercepted by Luke's lightsaber.
Brother and sister fight.
Leia's powerful strokes batter Luke to the ground where she chops of his whole right forearm! Howling in rage, Luke slumps to the floor. Vader laudes Leia's abilities and commands her to strike down her brother and take his place by his side. That it is her destiny. Leia calms down and finds her center. She looks at her brother. The brother she came to save and yet almost ended up killing. She throws away her lightsaber and claims that she is a Jedi, like her brother before her. Vader releases his fury at Leia in the form of Force Lightning. Bolts of lightning wrap Leia and seep her strength. Curling into a ball on the floor, Leia calls to Luke for help.
Sub-Variation 1a
Watching his sister in agony, Luke comes to a decision. His mind is clear. He grabs Vader from behind and thrusts his lightsaber into his chest. The Dark Lord of the Sith falls to the ground and dies in a burst of Dark Side Energy.
But in helping Leia and protecting her from the Dark Side Burst of Energy, Luke himself is crippled. He tells Leia that she has finished what she set out to do. That she has saved him. Luke lets go of the living world and fades into the Force. Leia escapes the Death Star as it explodes.
Sub-Variation 1b
Watching his sister in agony, Luke comes to a decision. His mind is clear. He grabs Vader from behind and thrusts his lightsaber into his chest. The Dark Lord of the Sith falls to the ground and dies in a burst of Dark Side Energy.
Leia helps Luke - who is now crippled from the explosion - up. They both know they have struck the death blow to the Empire. But they also know its too late for them. They embrace each other as the exploding Death Star consumes the Last of the Jedi.
Sub-Variation 1c
Watching his sister enveloped in bolts of electricity, Luke Force pushes Vader out of the way and stops his barrage of lightning. He tells him "She's mine" and drives his lightsaber straight through Leia's body.
Vader regains his balance and walks towards Luke and says "Well done, my son. You are truly strong." only to hear his son say "And you are too weak". Luke activates his Lightsaber and lunges at the former Dark Lord.
Sub-Variation 1d
Watching his sister enveloped in bolts of electricity, Luke grabs Vader with the Force and hurls him down the reactor chute. Vader dies in a fury of Dark Side energy. Luke walks up to Leia who is struggling to get up. He squats down to her. He touches her cheek gently and smiles at her. Leia sees hope. But the smile suddenly turns deadly as Luke says "Goodbye, dear sister" and runs her through.
Luke Skywalker, the Last of the Sith, assumes command of the Empire. He wipes out the Rebellion at Endor and plans to take the Empire to heights even Palpatine couldn't.
Now this all seems blasphemy to me and I am considering myself a blasphemer. But you gotta admit - this is interesting. 
Saturday, February 18, 2006
The Force is with me
The last couple of days I was sick. I was miserable. But this morning, I felt a lot better, and felt even better when the FedEx guy delivered two large packages. Excited out of my mind (and also tired of not being able to blog anything for many days) I finally lugged my new tripod, camera, and the kriffin' awesome Vader lightsaber (Force FX) to my roof at 2:30am (its 3:30am now) and took some shots and a couple of videos. Most of 'em turned out bad (I'm still sick I guess) so will take new ones over the weekend and post then. For now, these will have to do:
The Vader saber was surprisingly larger than I expected. It's true the Force FX is not a 100% exact replica - it was slightly enlarged to fit all the electronics. The hilt is also surprisingly solid metal (looks like chrome coated plastic from afar) and heavy (I'd say about 600g or so, not sure). You need to hold the lightsaber with both hands unless your hands are as big as David Prowse'. As soon as I put in 3 AA batteries and switched on the activator stud I was pleasently greeted by a menacing snap-hiss and then idle humming that suddenly brought back memories of watching old Ben Kenobi face Vader on the Death Star. As soon as I twisted my wrist, the (supposedly) gyroscopic motion sensors fired up and the bottom mounted speakers played very accurate lightsaber motion sounds (whrrooom, vrrrrrmmm), and when you hit the blade (tho not too hard) on something it plays a clash sound like hitting another lightsaber!!
The blade glows a bright red visible even in full sunlight! At night its a horrifying scene (to the person watching). An hour ago I scared the stuffings out of the watchman passing by my house. Looking how he hurried his pace, I almost wanted to go down and start chasing him - lightsaber blazing! I didn't. I plan to do it tomorrow when I have more strength.
Lastly, notice the fine finish (ignore my fingerprints) on the hilt. The pattern in the bottom corner is the black nozzle on top from where the blade comes out. It's just how it looks in the movies! The construction is excellent and sturdy.
The second package has the .45 (45%) scaled down model of Darth Tyranus (Count Dooku) replica lightsaber. This is EXACTLY scaled. 100% of what was in the movie (just half the size). It's usually about $35, but I got it free with my FX saber. I intend to order ALL the .45 ones ... not yet. Food first. Sabers second. Food first. Sabers second. Sigh.
As I look at the curved lightsaber, I have half a mind to order two full-scale replicas and see if I can modify my motorbike's handlebars with this. Hmmm. The blade gaurd at the tip of the saber is just so cool.
The detailing is fantastic. Simple excellent craftsmanship. The certificate that came with this said this is a hand crafted model. And this 4"-5" model is also surprisingly heavy. 100g at least. It has a great feel when you hold it - even if its .45 sized.
The rubber grips around the hilt are also very nice. This lightsaber is a lot more comfortable than the Vader saber. The Vader saber has large vertical hard rubber strips that serve as a cleaving grip. Seriously - it bites into your flesh if you hold it too tight! After 3 hours of playing around with the saber, I finally found a comfortable grip. Also, the Dooku saber has a metal "spine" in the under curve that can be uncomfortable if held improperly. You must remember, these were Dark Lords of the Sith. They CHOSE pain. Frustration can fuel their rage.
Oh hey ... I hear the neighborhood watchman making his rounds again. BRB
Sunday, February 12, 2006
What does one do while awaiting the delivery of his lightsaber?So I'm gonna need to wait a week or so more for my sabers to get here. Here's the stuff I'm doing in the meantime:
- Playing Jedi Academy once in a while to get the feel of the lightsaber and some pretty hot moves.
- Buying replacements for the stuff I broke in my house while practicing the aforementioned moves.
- Using a thick whiteboard marker as a lightsaber hilt and practicing thrusts and parries.
- Apologizing to my colleague whom I drew red marker stripes on while practicing. Note to self: buy him a new shirt.
- Using a broom as a double-bladed lightsaber and practicing the moves.
- Thanking the Force for helping me not break anything this time.
- Building a special display case in my home office for the lightsaber.
- Thinking of starting a collection of different replices (including replica Katana blades and other types of swords).
- Might even take up fencing lessons if I can make the time.
- Practicing chopping of Dooku's head (using cabbage).
- Practicing kneeling in front of (imagined) Emperor Palpatine.
- Practicing killing people with a Force grip. (tho I'm still not able to call the TV remote from afar - now that's a Force power we all could use. That and using Force Sense to find the car keys)
- Wearing more black clothes (I already used to do that, so no biggie - being a graphic designer rocks)
- Trying to explain to men in white coats that I am mentally stable (note to self: get a certificate from the psychiatrist)
- Practicing being redeemed by my son near the end (note to self: get a son) (note to self: find a woman insanse enough)
- Playing more Jedi Academy.
Don't worry. I won't post photos of myself dressed in black, brandishing a red lightsaber. Well, not more than one or two, at least.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Wooohoo! It shipped!I love the people at MasteReplicas.com. They gave me FREE international shipping (usually costs like $40 to $80 for things like these!) and now instead of the usual month or two I need to wait for a package from the States to get to India, they are estimating a delivery in the next 11 days!!
I can't wait wrap my hand around that cool polished hilt of Vader's lightsaber. Red blade blazing. Jedi fearing from it. Muuhaahahaha. I'm drooling already. Oh damn, need to clean the keyboard now.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Falling to the Dark Side, Crossing the LineYup. I did it. I just ordered me a Force FX vader lightsaber and a scaled replica of the Dooku's saber.
The Vader Lightsaber (on top, for the ignorant types - seriously, how could you not know the Dark Lord's blade?) has a red blade. Now all I need is one of those Vader masks to transmogrify my voice, and then a black cape. I will haunt the streets at night, waving a red lightsaber and scaring the stuffings out of the public!
Okay, so I'll just eagerly show it to friends and display it proudly in my office (along with the 80s authentic Snow Speeder model, the Delta-38 helmet I'm gonna make soon, and my almost half dozen Golden Web Awards  ).
So, the statistics are:
~185 novels
~219 comics
~15 games
~2 lightsabers
~0 costumes (can't join the 501st yet, but that's a topic for another blog post)
Does this make me a freak? Hmmm. Be careful of your answer. Say the wrong thing and you just might have a red lightsaber'd phantom menace on your ass!! I may not control the Force, but I can sure kick your behind with an aluminum lightsaber!
The expensive replicas are next, but a bit farther into the future. My psychiatrist has suggested I start spending my money on food and clothes. Oh well.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
It's happening - AGAINIt has happened before and before that too, and it is happening again. There's something about the toilet and Star Wars (uh oh, I just gave SW-haters an opening)... anyway, I am... uhh... y'know, doing the thing and suddenly the flush won't work. So, what do I do? I pull up my hood (I was wearing a hoody, coincidentaly... a black one that hid my face) and point to the flush handle and say:
"I know you want to. Flush it down and fulfill your destiny."
Nothing happened.
"Your feelings betray you. You hate the smell too. Do it!"
Nothing still. But I can sense a change. The impatience.
"Only I have the power to save Padmé."
Padmé? Padmé! What the fierfek...? As realization set in that I was mumbling Palpy's dialogs, I could feel the flush handle look at me quizically. I called the full power of the Dark Side, felt it swarm my very being, and I yelled UHHHNNN-LIHMITED POWWWWERRRR!! and slapped the handle again hard - and it flushed.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
The next super cool Star Wars action/FPS game - "VADER"This is my vision for the next Star Wars game. I doubt anyone at LucasArts is listening, but what the hell.
Based on either the new Unreal engine or the Doom 3 engine, or perhaps the The Elder Scrolls IV technology, a dark Imperial game called VADER. Looking at the world through rose-colored glasses has a whole new meaning. You see nothing but red. You feel nothing but emptiness and rage.
The game should be more focused on storyline than action, but still have a good balance of both - like Republic Commando! You are often joined by a special squad of stormtroopers from the 501st in a Republic Commando style gameplay - only this time, you do less of the same things they do. You face a handful of missions:
- THE PURGE: Follow rumors of a Jedi in hiding, find him, and eliminate him. Employ bounty hunters, bargain with crime-bosses in the exceptionally hazardeous (to the opponent) Vader-Style. And finally - face a group of Jedi Knights and Padawans and kill them. But one Jedi-Padawan team escapes, much to your disappointment.
- MISSION FROM THE EMPEROR: Take control of a planet that has refused to let the Empire rule their planet. Vader is sent to a mid-rim system with Grand Moff Tarkin. Employing supreme manipulation skills, you bend the situation to your will. Then finally you show you hand (and yourself) and capture the local resistance leader - and of course, execute him in public.
- DARK INTERLUDE: After a few missions, you return to Imperial Center (formerly "Coruscant") and undergo dark training under the Emperor's guidance.
- WRATH OF THE DARK LORD: On the way to another routine mission of intimidation in the Outer Rim, Vader's shuttle is crippled by pirates who think Vader to be just a stormtrooper in black armor. Taken aboard a salvaged Acclamator class Old Republic Assault Ship (like the one that carried the clones in Episode II) you battle the pirates, take control of the ship while suddenly learning dark powers in your rage that the Emperor never taught you - Force lightning. While not able to fully employ it like the Emperor, it still is a useful Force power.
- LOOSE ENDS: Your network of spies report sightings of the Jedi and his Padawan that escaped your grasp. Vader takes four stormtroopers to Kli-44 - an almost uninhabited planet near Hutt Space. You battle a small group of resistance fighters who were thinking of starting a galactic rebellion and were harboring Jedi. When you are ready kill all of them, the Jedi and his Padawan appear. The Jedi comes forward to duel the Dark Lord in hopes to kill him, or at least give the others time to evacuate. The horrified Padawan watches the Sith cleave his master in two. As the only Jedi here, and being responsible for the rebels, he escapes with them.
- INTERLUDE - JEDI HUNTER: An injured Vader returns to Imperial Center to find a Force-user who calls himself a Jensaarai (from "I, Jedi" by Michael A. Stackpole), wanting employ in the Dark Lord's service. As a Jedi Hunter. Vader calls him foolish. He offers to prove himself. Without warning Vader activates his lightsaber. The young Jensaarai uses his own lightsaber to defend himself. Then gives in to his anger and starts fighting Vader in earnest. A small but four-part duel level taking place in Vader's chambers, on the balconies, in the hallways, and on the observation platform of the Imperial Palace. You obviously kill him.
- DO NOT HESITATE, SHOW NO MERCY: Plagued by a very un-Jedi like thirst for revenge, the young Padawan trains himself for two years and with the help of the rebels he saved, gets himself to the dark lower levels of Nar Shadaa - the smuggler's moon. Vader gets a smell of this and goes to Nar Shadaa. Finding their "enemy" - the percieved only strength of the Emperor - Black Sun Vigos and Hutt crime bosses gives out silent bounties on Vader. Overconfident bounty hunters plague Vader's path. Ultimately you kill them all and find the young Padawan. Vader faces the 14 year old Jedi who has becomed an exceptional duelist, breaks his Jedi training (to stay true to the Light), breaks his will, and then with one swift stroke of his saber - breaks his body.
- EPILOGUE: On your return, the Emperor tells you of the final steps being taken to complete the Weapon. He orders you join Tarkin aboard the Death Star.
The story, of course, needs to be fleshed out a bit. But you get the idea. You get special appearances by EU characters like Xizor, Gurdulla the Hutt, Zuckuss, Bossk, and more. You get to see Tarkin's new slave/aid - a fish-like being named Ackbar. On the second mission, you travel aboard a Star Destroyer under the command of a Captain named Dodonna and give him orders that will place the seeds of rebellion in him.
This would be a best-selling game! A story without hope, without the good guys winning - heck they get slaughtered! Become the scourge of the Jedi, the dark beacon that spreads darkness. Be the Dark Lord!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Starting to crack... Delta style!Too much stress + too much Star Wars + (pre-existing) psychotic behaviour = dangerous.
Why? (Like you need to ask!)
Settling into my new PC ... well, half re-built old PC ... I decided to do something I haven't done since Windows 95 - name my hard drives. Now, can you guess what I named the four partitions?
Boss (C:) - Primary Drive / Windows / Programs / Websites
Scorch (D:) - Work files / graphics / animations / XAML / MSFT stuff
Sev (F:) - Windows Vista / WinFX
Fixer (G:) - Media files / downloads / Channel 9 / DNR / DNRTV / MONDAYS / etc.
And yes, I still play Republic Commando for an hour before going to bed. And yes, I have no personal life at the moment. And yes, I still am crazy about Republic Commando. And yes, of course I've earned the wrath of the unnamed someone who I was supposed to mention being crazy about (instead of a game...well, a beautifully made, exceptionally executed game - which is of Star Wars EU nonetheless!!). And yes, now I need that Katarn armor more than ever.
In the words of Scorch: "Need...bacta...now!"
Monday, January 23, 2006
Putting on the Katarn armor... again[Spoiler warning!]
Tired to death of countless lines of code, tons of paperwork, and stress, I decided it was time to put on the T-visor helmet again. It was time to become Delta-38 again.
As soon as I selected my personalized command profile "Jango", I was transported back to Geonosis. Black smoke and red dust was everywhere. Clone gunships ferried troopers into the arena. In the distance, I could see Republic walkers challenge the spider droids. The GAR [Grand Army of the Republic] knew no fear. Intestines (or whatever passed for those in bugs) and broken carapaces were scattered on the ground. Green, sticky blood made it slippery. Checking my DC-17 I dropped into the trenches and followed the guidance system in my HUD. The core of the mission was simple. Extremely simple. Kill.
Never before have I seen such replay value! I just can't get over how cool this game is. Kicking ass to Mandalorian war chants is the best! Bug-eyed Geonosians, droids, trandoshan slavers, and even General Grievous. Knowing that if you catch one in the gut, your brothers will revive you. Knowing that they have your back (unlike those punks on the game servers). Knowing that when you throw that electromag charge right between the jumble of droids, your Katarn-armor vibroblade will give you the satisfying of slicing and dicing the enemy in a way that is more up close and personal than a lightsaber.
The fear and excitement of walking between countless droids in their deployment racks, just waiting to be activated by a heedless commando. Delta-68 over the comm going "I think I've found the coolant intake valve. Oh wait... it's an exhaust port." The fear of failing when all three of your brothers are down near the feet of a giant spider droid, waiting for a bacta shot. Delta-07 grabbing a droideka (while it was rolling!) and slamming down hot plasma bolts down it's CPU.
The dull numbing ache in the back of your mind when you climb onto the gunship as it takes you out of the Kashyyyk battlezone, leaving your brother in hands of the enemy - dead, or worse. Realizing as if for the first time with incredible pain that the GAR comes first, that duty comes first, as Yoda's words slowly sink in.
Nothing can beat this game. Not the fact that it will probably be a Delta who gets to execute Order-66. Not the fact that even with the fierce loyalty flowing in your blood, it will be you will help snuff the flame of the Jedi Order. Not even the fact that I've spent more than a few hundred hours playing this game over and over 50 or 60 times!
Republic Commando ROCKS!
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Too much Star Wars - a repriseIt's happening again. Not only am I saying "What the kriff?" and "Stang!" and "May the Force be with you" all the time, my normal language is taking on Qui-Gon's tone as well. It was also pointed out that I have a Kenobi-like beard, but that's only coz I'm working [or reading] so much that I don't have time to shave.
So I'm in the bathroom while a friend kept messaging me on MSN. I came back and he asked "where the hell were you?" (of course, if I were in his shoes, I'd have said "Where in star's name were you?") and I answered, quite sagely, "I was fulfilling the sewer's destiny".
Star Wars vocubalary + toilet humor (even this is pun in this case). Now if this isn't the Dark Side, I don't know what is.
Friday, January 20, 2006
A Dark Side Discussion - 3Two timelines, the same mistakes. Warped mistakes, perhaps.
Yoda said it were his strict static rules that were the cause of the Jedi Order's fall. The Sith adapted for a thousand years, the Jedi did not.
Now, Luke Skywalker, decades later, decides that perhaps the "old way" was the best. "Know not, the cause of our failure, he does" Yoda might say. But it all comes back to the "spark" of the New Jedi Order - when Yoda trained Luke. Obi-Wan merely taught him the basics of the Force, he did not have a chance to do more. Yoda, despite his acknowledgement of his failings, and perhaps even against the original teachings of the Jedi, forged Luke not as an heir to the Jedi heritage, but rather as a Lightsaber. A weapon, with the sole purpose of correcting the Jedi's last mistake - Anakin Skywalker and his Sith Master.
Yoda put his faith in the Unifying Force, not Luke, to rekindle the flame of the Jedi Order. But the Living Force had other plans for Luke. It was Luke's strong strength in the Living Force that made him interrupt his training to save his friends - and even sacrifice himself to do so, and unknowingly perhaps even the Galaxy itself. It was his connection to the Living Force that saw the good in Anakin - which only Padmé's love had seen. It was his unknowing faith in the Living Force that brought out the good in Anakin, and led not only to rectify the Order's biggest failure, but to help bring peace (well, sort of) to the Galaxy - and more importantly - fulfill the Chosen One's prophecy by giving Anakin the strength to bring balance to the Force.
But with the new times came a New Jedi Order. The New Jedi Order was built on the "Light Side", but the war with Yuuzhan Vong and Jacen's experiences gave the Jedi - for the first time in millenia - a new view of the Force. Not in terms of Light and Dark, but as a whole.
However, it is not without danger. The Jedi's new understanding is incomplete. The Dark Side was called so for good reasons. Yoda, the Grandmaster of the Order, contrary to popular belief, did carry a darkness with him. Something lost in time. A long ago incident that made him (and perhaps other then Masters) to revise the Order's teachings. To shun teaching aspects of the Force to Padawans and apprentices that may give them an unwitting path to the Darkness within. It was, sort of, decreed that if a Master was ready to learn the higher secrets of the Force, he or she would be guided to do so by the Force itself. And many did, like Quinlan Vos, and especially the blind Jed Master Zao. They followed the authority of the Force first, not the Republic or the Jedi Order itself.
Luke's Jedi Order - which is apt to call it that since Luke is now forced to "take command" - is the Jedi in its second (?) infancy. Will they discover the mistakes of old, or will they learn from new mistakes they make themselves? Balance is there only to be tipped, and then to be restored again. Will there be a new Chosen One? Will he or she be from the blood of the earlier Chosen of the Force? Will the darkness that will inevitable threaten the Jedi come from within or from outside?
In the unending questions of fate, destiny, right, wrong, Jedi, Sith, life, death, peace, war, supernovas and blackholes, only one constant exists: The Force. And it will have its will done, one way or the other.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Reading ListHere's what I plan to read this month and possibly into the next:
DragonLance
~ Chronicles Trilogy
(read) Dragons of Autumn Twilight
(reading) Dragons of Winter Night
Dragons of Spring Dawning
~ Legends Trilogy
Time of the Twins
War of the Twins
Test of the Twins
~ War of Souls Trilogy
Dragons of a Fallen Sun
Dragons of a Lost Star
Dragons of a Vanished Moon
Star Wars
Path to Truth
Dangerous Games
The Master of Disguise
The School of Fear
The Shadow Trap
~
The Fight to Survive
Legacy of the Jedi
Secrets of the Jedi
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
~
The Unseen Queen
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A rare occurance here is that I've put off reading the Star Wars books (and not just books I'm re-reading, these are NEW BOOKS!) until I've read the Chronicles, Legends, and War of Souls books. And the 2/3 of these I've already read! I just can't get enough of Raistlin!! :D
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
A Dark Side Discussion - 2When the Darkness took the Galaxy, and the Jedi were being purged, Yoda told Qui-Gon:
"My failure, this was. Failed the Jedi, I did. Too old I was, too rigid. Too arrogant to see tht the old way is not the only way. Changed, has the Galaxy. Changed, the Order did not - because let it change, I did not."
The Dark Side holds a key to great understanding, which Yoda learned much later - after he died, quite possibly. "The brightest light casts the darkest shadow."
The way of the Force is balance. The Jedi became more conservative over the years as Jedi left the Order and fell to the Dark path. They only wanted to protect their own. But life cannot be contained, and the Dark Side is just as much part of life as the Light. The Jedi started becoming too righteous. The younger ones and even some older ones - including Yoda himself - started seeing Light as the only right - and in that itself, the Order was doomed.
Decades later, a young Jedi of the Skywalker bloodline, Jacen Solo, metaphorically threw away his lightsaber after fighting the Yuuzhan Vong and learning great secrets of the Force. He went on a "pilgrimage" of the Force. Wandering the galaxy and learning of the White Current, the ways of the Aing-Tii, and others. In his fight with the Yuuzhan Vong, and especially in his captivity on Yuuzhan'tar, Jacen learned of the Dark's reality. He helped Luke (and other Jedi) realize the greater concept of the Force. That it is the action that is "Light" or "Dark" - the Force itself is complete and inseperable.
Luke Skywalker is no stranger to the Dark Side. But the new understanding of the Force - something even the Old Jedi Order didn't have, or perhaps long along the way - the Jedi are more powerful and dangerous (to themselves as well). Luke hurled Force Lightning while saving Jacen and Jaina on Yuuzhan'tar (a few moments before Jacen saved the galaxy and understood the higher levels of the Force) and will probably be seen again in The Swarm War.
The Jedi Code is now invalid. The Sith Code is now invalid.
But the Light Side and the Dark Side still exist. They're safer, yet they're more dangerous. Can a Jedi truly flirt with the Dark and remain clean?
Only time will tell.
To be continued...
Monday, December 12, 2005
A Dark Side Discussion - 1A being "lost" to the Dark Side is shown as a typical maelstrom of anger-hatred-selfishness-ruthlessness. Through the ages - Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker, Exar Kun, Vos, Dooku, Ventress, C'boath, Malak, and many others. But the Dark Side goes much deeper and has many faces.
This panel is from Republic #50. That's Anakin. "ought to be" is the key. Many turn for the more raw darkness, some fall victim to the Dark, like Anakin. His only dream was to bring peace, and save his love from death. It's difficult to see the terminator line. And even when you see it sometimes, it is difficult to know which side you are on. Padawan Bariss Offee described the Dark Side as "feeling very right".
Yes, anger fuels the dark side, but there are many who go over for willingly and don't show their rage. Emperor Palpatine was very much like that. He fed on pain. His only anger-filled outbursts were when Mace Windu and the other Masters came to arrest him, and many years later when Luke said "You have failed, your Highness. I am a Jedi. Like my Father before me." But even that lasts less than a few seconds.
Palpatine's manipulative powers spanned outside the Force as well. He hardly had to use the Force to turn Anakin. Which is a scary thought. Because if a non-Jedi can do that ... it can exist in our world.
But back to my original point, the popular image is that once Anakin did the things he did, he became a monster filled with anger and hatred. But that anger had the scent of death in it. It wasn't raw psychopathic anger. It was not the essence of who he was, but rather a permanent effect that had settled on him. He had lost his mother, then Qui-Gon - the only man who saw him for who he truly was, and any others. Even the person who he thought of as his brother turned on him and left him in lava pit to burn to death. And he lost Padme, the only person who really loved him. The person who has his balance point. And every living moment he blames himself for failing everyone he loved (except maybe Obi-Wan) and his anger is towards himself and his frustration - his failings.
Matthew Stover described this best:
And there is one blazing moment in which you finally understand that there was no dragon. That there was no Vader. That there was only you. Only Anakin Skywalker.
That it was all you. Is you.
Only you.
You did it.
You killed her.
You killed her because, finally, when you could have saved her, when you could have gone away with her, when you could have been thinking about her, you were thinking about yourself. . .
It is in this blazing moment that you finally understand the trap of the dark side, the final cruelty of the Sith-
Because now your self is all you will ever have.
In the end, the shadow is all you have left. Because the shadow understands you, the shadow forgives you, the shadow gathers you unto itself-
And within your furnace heart, you burn in your own flame. This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker. Forever . . .
To be continued...
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Microsoft Star WarsI have two lawsuit possibilities in this title. I can see it now Gates & Lucas vs Pandhi. Hon'ble Judge Ackbar presiding. All rise.
Anyways, like I said in my previous post that my psychological condition is getting worse, it's not just the day job either. The too much Star Wars is also affecting me beyond the exclamations.
I had a dream last night. I am in a (Microsoft?) office somewhere (Redmond, maybe) and I'm pestering Robert Hess (why HIM?!) about giving me some secret code for WPF. He is adamant and denies having the code at all. So, I call up Governor Tarkin who comes with the Death Star and threatens to destroy Hess' planet (which looked quite like Alderaan). Torn between varying emotions and loyalties, Hess gives up and says "The codes on Dantooine." But Tarkin goes ahead and destroys the planet. The noise of the explosion was muffled by Robert Hess' screams.
But the thing that stayed with me and horrified me more than I thought possible was when Tarkin grabbed Hess' chin and said "how can someone so beautiful be so foolish?"
Monday, November 28, 2005
The Force: a thesisOkay, so I've gone far, but not far enough. This is gonna take me far enough. What you ask? A conversation with my best friend, Parvez, on MSN right now has convinced me that I should do this.
<drumroll>
I'm restarting the work on the long lost thesis on The Force. I started writing this a few years back. Now I intend to finish and publish it. I might even put it up for consideration for a literary or philosophical degree at some university even - not sure about that tho. But it will happen.
More to come on The Force: a thesis.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Marka RagnosA wallpaper fashioned after this image is coming soon! Just trying to get my hand set on 3D MAX again. 
Too much Star WarsAs of November 8, 2005, I have read 117 Star Wars books - and retain over 80% of the material. As a side (or direct) effect, I now use exclamations such as "Sithspit!", "Sithspawn!", and "By the Force!". When subordinates don't work properly, I almost use a Force grip to choke them and say "The Force is with you, young one, but you're not a Jedi yet!"
A person I had delegated a project to said "If we don't deploy locally, we don't deploy at all." to which I replied "Only the Sith deal in absolutes!"
I even answered a client's IM by saying "What is thy bidding, my master?" Thankfully, he said "Rise, Lord Vader."
I even put an audio-clip in the Outlook alert for a particular powerful client that says on incoming mail, "I see you becoming the greatest of all the Jedi"
But even after all this, the Force still leaves me when I get up to find some snacks, sit at a different position, and forget that the remote is out of reach. I try to use the Force to reach the remote, but... well, the remote is too remote if you know what I mean. :-P
The Force is weird in this one.
Completing my training
I've been wanting to make my own hand-crafted lightsaber for a long time. That time is coming near. After successfully defeating Tavion and the spirit of Marka Ragnos on Korriban, I think I am finally ready for my own ligthsaber. This blue-bladed "adept" lightsaber will complete my training as a Knight.
All I need now is a Sith lord to chop up!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Making a Republic Comando HelmetI've been wanting to do this for a long time. My father and I will be making four Republic Commando helmets. Plaster of Paris, with appropriate color coats. 5" each. Dad's got a lot of experience in this kind of stuff - I prefer 3D polygons. But it will be great to learn such an art. I'll need to start doing "physically" connected things to avoid (more) psychological problems in the future. Sigh. I'll need to distance myself from my computers. :-(
If it goes really well, I might even make a 3 feet tall bust of Delta 38. I love the shape of the helmet. Next would be a wallmounted bass relief work of a Krayt Dragon stalking a Bantha on the Jundland Wastes. Or maybe a lightsaber. Oooh. Maybe I should do that! Ohhh .... or maybe VADER's helmet! Ohhh ... or maybe a small X-Wing... Or oohhhhh....
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Star Wars Philosophy: Why Luke is a greater Jedi than anyoneThe rise of the Empire made Yoda realize that his cherished traditions, traditions he had kept intact for almost a millenium were no longer applicable. The Jedi did not adapt as the Sith had. And Palpatine was right - "Your arrogance blinds you, Master Yoda.". The Jedi did become too arrogant in their righteousness. They kept a strong net of principles that guided their actions and philosophies and kept them from falling. But the net itself was not perfect.
Yoda and Obi-Wan took it upon themselves to raise the Chosen One's children, hoping that their strength in the Force would be enough to defeat the two Sith ruling the galaxy. But as Corran Horn once noted during his short stint at the Jedi Academy, they were forging a lightsaber. They wanted to make Luke into a Force Warrior. In the tradition of the Old Jedi Order. A sword of Light to banish the Darkness.
But Luke was, as Obi-Wan's spirit told him - "Not the Last of the Jedi, but the First of the New". He succeeded - both in his mission to destroy the Sith, and in the real philosophy of the Jedi. He trusted his feelings - he did not listen to Yoda or Obi-Wan - and he learnt the hard truth about his Father. He also saw through the Mask. He saw the good that was the core of Anakin Skywalker. And it was he who fought the Dark Side in himself and made his father realize that good that he saw in him. He gave his father the strength to fulfill his destiny - to bring balance to the Force.
Luke's New Jedi Order did not have the knowledge of the Old. It was born to infancy in the Force, and must learn it's ways by trial and error. The New Order adapts. And Luke Skywalker, Ben Skywalker, and Jacen Solo carry it's torch into the new era.
Luke carries the Dark Side within him. And he is not afraid to use the more potent forms of the Force - namely Force Lightning a la Emperor Palpatine - when the greatest need arose - as in the last book of the New Jedi Order series, The Unifying Force, when both his nephew and niece were in the jaws of death courtest of the Yuuzhan Vong. And we can expect a similar Force display in the last book of the Swarm War trilogy by Troy Denning.
Luke may not have as high a midi-chlorian count as Anakin, but it is greater than Yoda's. Luke carries with him uncertainty. He is afraid. And treads the path between the two halves of the Force - in Balance. It is as Obi-Wan told Anakin - "Only the Sith deal in absolutes."
Do not hesitate, show no mercy!Maybe it is all the stress of working overtime, or maybe it's the PDC trauma, but suddenly, Palpatine's Dark Side speeches to Anakin, and Dr. Breen's insistent monologues on the public screens in City 17, are starting to make sense.
If you ever see me with a red lightsaber or babbling stuff about Instinct no longer being needed, please run away - for your own sake.
Funny thing is - according to the rules of the Dark Side, Dr. Breen is actually talking about the Jedi way, not the Sith way. One man's poison...
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Life is a GamePeople say RPGs (or Role Playing Games) are like real life. Well, what many people don't get is that life is RPG as well. It's a subtle thing - but the "righteous" character loving RPG'ers might have a better handle on life than the rest.
Life is all about INF (Influence), DEX (Dexterity), REP (Reputation), and of course, Money.
INF is the main modifier in life. Especially business. While I'm not a hardcore RPG fan, I love Morrowind and KOTOR. And I've learned from them.
For example, some months ago, I was new in "town" and did not have much of a REP value. So I helped out this established Lord in the town. I gained INF, and because he told everyone in town about me, my REP went wayyyy up and I got new work.
Don't you sometimes wish that RPGs were even more open ended? Well, try playing RPG in real life - its as freakin' open ended as could be. Just be careful - there are no Quick Loads and Quick Saves here.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Crossword, fudge you!My sister (whom I'm visiting) and I went to Crossword, the largest book store chain in the country. They used to have such wonderful books. A visit to the store was a regular highlight for this farm boy everytime I visit my sister. But lo and behold, these idiots have a stupid collection of music, books, comics, and just about everything they sell! Quality doesn't stick does it? Well, I'm sticking to Amazon.com from now on!
I did end up buying "Battle Surgeons", a collection of 100 works by O Henry, and an assorted collection of Edgar Ellen Poe. I also got a few CDs: soundtrack from That Thing You Do, Sting: Sacred Love, John Williams conducts Star Wars Symphony (special collection from Sony Classical). I did have to stop browsing for a few minutes when I had to go wash my hands when I accidentally touched a Britney Spears disc.
The highlight of this was that I also found a copy of RESURRECTION OF EVIL - the Doom3 Expansion. Can't wait to get back, and get my hands on the double-barreled shotgun.
I shall be leaving tomorrow (Sunday) and arriving back around midnight.
I leave you with this (very appropriate) quote (for me) printed on free bookmarks they have at the store:
"When I get a little money, I buy books: and if any is left, I buy food and clothes." - Desiderius Erasmus
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Blogging on the roadThis is more or less a meaningless post. I just wanted to blog while on the road. Just so that I can say, yes, I've done it too.
Being in the "big city", I'm realizing how much of an isolationist and a "farm boy", I've become. The moment you start being awed by a 20 storey building, you have to come to your senses. Hey, its not my fault. I live in a Class-5 Earthquake Zone - that's as bad as it gets - and we're not allowed to have more than 2 storey buildings where I live.
In any case, I have nice adaptability skills. And I'm not gawking that much. I'm not whining "Uncle Owen" anymore either.
Back on Monday. Might blog before that. I'm addicted. There's no turning back.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Sickness, Alien Artifacts, and the PastSickness, Alient Artifacts, and the Past - all three things hurt (often).
Ever since this morning, I've been feeling quite down. Nothing serious. Mostly stress, fatigue, and lack of a social life. After sleeping from 10am to 8pm, I was still not feeling too good. To battle these things, I started working on some alien artifacts. I've been wanting to do some cool, totally profitless, creative work. I have a bad habit of being focused on good, practical, and profitable goals. Unfortunately, that doesn't include too much fun. Don't get me wrong, I love my work. But you do need some fun. As my Uncle says "All work and no play, makes you hippy and gay". Trying desperately to avoid these things (no offence to anyone who is either or both), I say down, did a quick sketch with Alias SketchBook Pro on my Tablet and opened 3D Studio MAX after so long.
I might follow up on this "project" later this weekend if I can squeeze it into my schedule. For now, I leave you with a test shot.
The final result, tentatively titled "From Oblivion" (personal tribute to Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), will be a 20 to 30 second clip - or even more than one 15 second clips - I will post 'em here over the weekend.
Special Credit to Jessica Pletcher for some 3D design advice. You rock, Jess!
If you are good at math, you are wondering where did the third hurting part go - The Past. Right. Well, in my sleep, someone in my neighborhood started playing "Walk Like An Egyption" - mostly because I hate The Bangles (like anyone with more than 2 brain cells). I think he or she must've been pissed off by yours truly during some point in time and wanted revenge. Well, it worked! The madhre mucking (to use a curse created by Tim Zahn in STAR WARS: VISION OF THE FUTURE) tune is stuck in my head. I am currently listening to Dargaard to get it out of my head (and for that nice gothic/ethnic inspiration for the Alien Artifact).
Friday, August 19, 2005
Star Wars: Holy Sith!Here is an excerpt from "BIG NUMBERS: Ep III Animation" story from the StarWars.com official newsletter.
"The shots of Episode III resulted in a total rendering time of 6,598,928 hours, spread across the rendering farms of multiple processors. To do it on a single system running continuously, it would take over 750 years to produce."
I will *NEVER* complain again when it takes 2 hours to render some complex scenes.
I bet they were putting out at least 5 terabytes a day with their files!
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Core Ship Infiltration: Republic CommandoREPUBLIC COMMANDO
Zero Hour - Clone Wars - Geonosis
I order Four-Oh to point and send him to recon the forward area. Clone Advisor 01's voice pipes into my helmet: "Delta, now that you've destroyed the gun placement, we are making a supply drop near your position. This includes an anti-armor attachment for your DC-17."
Scorch lets out a whoop of joy. "Yes! More explosives! Delta Advisor, you just made my day!"
Time to get inside the Seperatist Core Ship. "Alright, Delta's move out." "Aye, sir." Fixer takes point as Sev follows behind with sniper cover. Scorch keeps looking for the anti-armor drop, and I bring up the rear.
"LOOK OUT! BUGS!" A swarm of Geonosians drop from a hidden cave from the mesa behind us. The deep orange sun blinds my vision as I take aim and punch plasma into the onslaught of bugs.
Scorch lobs a grenade into the midst, sending sticky yellow bug juice everywhere.
"Alright, there may be more of them. Let's move out."
"Look, boss, there's the Core Ship." says Delta Four-Oh, looking at the gigantic spherical ship as big as a small mountain.
"You sure, Forty? Maybe there's another one around the corner." quips Scorch.
"Keep this comm clear. Let's go."
We move out, strangling Geos and electrocuting droids. From the corner of my visor I can see Four Oh happily plunging his Katarn Armor Vibro-blade into a Geo's heart - or whatever they have that passes for it.
"Aaaarggh" Someone screams.
SCORCH! Swarming Geonosians are sticking their pikes into Six-Two's armor. His vitals look bad on my HUD. "Sev, sniper cover! NOW!" "Snipe position, ready, boss." Under Oh-Seven's steady stream of plasma covered metallic bolt cover, I crawl my way over to assist Six-Two. I plung into my backpack for the Bacta-Utility. I plug it into Scorch's implant and pump him with bacta. An electric wake up call, and he slowly gets up.
"Thanks, Boss. Six-Two, ready for action."
"Alright, let's move in."
"Oh-Seven: ammo spent."
"Four-Oh covering vector."
We hike through the broken mesas and wreckages of fighter craft - Geonosian and Republic. I see a dead trooper, half burried under a laser cannon mount. What a waste of good genes. Not too far, we see the supply drop being released. But a Clone Commando's life isn't that easy.
Delta-40 opens comm: "Boss, we have SBDs converging on our waypoint." Super Battle Droids. Just what we need with almost no ammo.
"Delta, take sniper position there." "Aye, sir."
"Four Oh, see if that turret is operational." I say pointing to a half broken turret placed by the now dead clone troopers. "Roger."
"Scorch, cover me - I'm going in for the supplies." "You got it, Delta Lead."
With plenty of cover fire - though it would not remain for long - I sprint for the supply drop. Scorch throws in an Electro-static grenade, temporarily inhibiting the large battle droids, but sucking some juice from my personal shields as well. I jump for the attachment. There. I made it. I slap on the anti-armor attachment on the DC-17 and fire off the first roung, taking out all three of the Super Battle Droids.
"WOOOHOO" "Quite. Delta Advisor, we are at the entrance to the Core Ship with moderate resistance, but the entrance is shielded."
Seven yells from his sniping position way behind, "Stupid droids! Let us through!"
"Delta Squad," the Advisor joins in, "make your way West. I'm updating the Objective Tracker. You will be able to go through the aft loading bay. Once you reach the entrance to the loading bay, I'll give you further instructions. Delta Advisor out."
"Boss, we need to demo this rockslide to get through... and I'm not just saying that coz I love to blow things up."
Scorch's pod brother, Seven, replies, "Yes you are."
"Alright, Delta, give me an explosive solution."
Scorch plants a demolition charge as Sev finds a new position to snipe from. Fixer covers Scorch's back, as I ready the AntiArmor for the next onslaught of droids.
"Demo is ready when you are, Three-Eight."
"Stand back, Deltas." BOOM! The rocks turn into dust as a barrage of laser fire cuts through the cloud of smoke and dust.
"SBDs!"
"Delta, sniper - there. You, cover him. Four-Oh, sniper position - there." I cover them with the anti-armor rounds as they take position. A Super Battle Droid takes the chance of grabbing Fixer when my anti-armor rounds are depleted.
Oh for crying out loud - I can't let his crush my brother. I let go of my weapon, stick out the vibroblade from under my gauntlet sheath and ram it into the droid's posterior shell, ripping wires, circuits and - at last - hydraulic command units! The droid goes down as Four-Oh looks for a bacta dispenser. Command had made a drop of hundreds of them across the battle fields on Geonosis as the battle began.
Suddenly, Seven yells "Look out!"
Scorch: "What is that thing?"
Clone Advisor joins the comm: "Delta Squad, pay attention. This is a dwarf spider droid. One of the nastiest anti-infantry units the Trade Federation has. It's armor is rated for starship hulls. The only weak spot is the red control orb on it's abdomen. If you can destroy it you can disable the droid."
Scorch: "So, hit the big red ball on the spider. Right."
But the Spider Droid, as large as a drop ship, hunkers on towards us - and fires. A large plasma round takes both Seven and Fixer down. And then it "sits", closing down the gap between it's hull that exposes the control orb with it's frontal leg plates.
Damn.
"Scorch, take up anti-armor position there. It's up to you and me now..." and I run towards the Spider Droid, DC-17 all charged up... Kote!
Star Wars vs Star Trek: Rant #954-021So (Oh my God, I'm starting to talk like a Microsoftie!) as you may know, I'm a fan of sci-fi and sci-fantasy. Star Wars rates at #1, and Star Trek somewhere below it.
After reading almost a hundred Star Wars books, I picked up a couple of old Star Trek TNG paperbacks from the local bookstore. And while I do love 'em both, I think Star Wars is certainly more imaginative. Here's an example:
If there was an analogy to be made, in Star Wars the author would write, "The plant resembled an overgrown kowakian monkey-lizard."
In Star Trek (I'm reading ALL GOOD THINGS, at the moment), Worf is thinking, "The eskimos of 20th century North America had 16 words for ice, and Klingon only have 1 word for Honor."
WHY EARTH? WHY ALWAYS EARTH? AND WHY ALWAYS 20th FREAKIN' CENTURY EARTH? At least you can add another similarity to some fictional planet.
Looking back, Star Trek - the original series and the next generation (tho I think ENTERPRISE is better in this regard) seems more like a history trek than a futuristic trek. I love Picard. He's a fantastic, eloquent, elegant character. But his deep, deep nostalgia for 20th century crap is just too much.
Trekkies? Where art thy imagination?
Friday, June 24, 2005
Rage of the Shadow WarriorsWiping the blood and grime off my helmet, I look towards the bridge. Kachirho's lights shine in the distance. As the smoke clears, and the deafening explosions stop, I can see the blurred forms of my brothers holding off the enemy, giving me cover fire so I can help our fallen brother. I hear Four-Oh's heavy breathing and soft groans under me. I realize I am standing on top of Delta-40, his white and green armor dented and splattered with blood - not his own. I get him up and send him to heal up at the near by bacta dispenser.
Delta-07 - Sev - snipes the onslaught of SBD's - their grey headless bodies seemingly immune to the plasma shots. Scorch - Delta-62, makes a joke, easing the pain as always. Advisor's voice echoes in my helmet - "Delta 38, we need to destroy that bridge now!"
The battle for the Wookies' freedom rests upon us - four lone commandos against an endless supply of Battle Droids, Super Battle Droids, and Trandoshan slavers. I remember a trooper's remarks - "Look! Commandos! If they're as good as I hear they are, they can win the war all by themselves." I hope that's true.
With Four-Oh - Fixer - at 100%, I move to take Six-Two's position. "Scorch, I need some radical restructuring." I can feel his eyes light up even behind his plasteel faceplate. "Roger that, Boss."
I lob a EM grenade hoping to slow down the SBDs. Damn. They're too tough. "Four-Oh, man that turret." Maybe he can take out a few more of them with some heavy fire power. "Turret. Got it, Delta Lead."
Delta-62 fixes a large explosive to the ammo crates lying on the bridge the Seperatists require for their occupation of Kashyyyk. "Boss, we better get off this bridge before we blow it up." But we're surrounded. There is no time to waste. The only way out is to destroy the Droid dispensers.
I relenquish my cover and order some cover fire. Dodging the twig-legged droids, knocking some out with my vibro-blade, I move in. I hear Sev taking some shrapnel. I set up an explosive on the dispenser, and start to set the timer. The large bay door opens. A spider droid. Fifteen tons of pure armor and firepower.
The bridge and dispensers primed for an explosive finish, we prepare for what we've been trained to do: die for the Republic.
"We'll make 'em remember the day they tried to blow up Delta Squad."
Never before have I seen such a perfect fusion of action, military tactics, breathtaking graphics, superb AI, and war chants that makes you want to die for your cause. STAR WARS: REPUBLIC COMMANDO is one of the BEST GAMES ever! It certainly knocked DOOM3 from first place on my list. Instead of the "lofty perspective of the Jedi", this games takes you into the trenches as you command 3 elite Clone Commandos - DELTA SQUAD - in 3 dangerous missions - Clone Wars: Zero Hour on Geonosis, repelling an invasion on the Republic Assault Ship PROSECUTOR in space, and a special mission on Kashyyyk that would end the Clone Wars. And while you play, whenever the going gets tough, the music keeps your spirits high. This is THE best game to come out from LucasArts (yes, they made this in-house - no outsourcing) EVER!
Baritone voices sing old Mandalorian war songs: (all songs are available for download at the site. I recommend VODE AN, RAGE OF THE SHADOW WARRIORS, and GRAT'UA CUUN, as well as the ambient tunes THE JUNGLE FLOOR, COMM INTERFERENCE, and KACHIRHO BY NIGHTVISION)
Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an.
(One indomitable heart, Brothers all.)
Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an.
(We, the wrath of Coruscant, Brothers all.)
Bal kote, darasuum kote, Jorso'ran kando a tome.
(And glory, eternal glory, We shall bear its weight together.)
Sa kyr'am Nau tracyn kad, Vode An.
(Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brothers all.)
This music can literally set your blood on fire as you play the game and immerses you into the world of the Commando. It's the BEST soundtrack a game ever had. PERIOD!
You fight hand-to-hand as well as with your DC-17 modified blaster. Every close hit is rewarded with a generous splatter of sickly yellow geonosian blood on your face, which your helmet visor wipes with a laser wiper.
 Delta-38 "Boss" - Delta Leader
 Delta-07 "Sev" - Sniper / Weapons
 Delta-62 "Scorch" - Demolitions
 Delta-40 "Fixer" - Slicer (Hacker) / Tech
You issue commands to your 3 brothers - Delta 07, Delta 40, and Delta 62. Each has a distinct personality and voice (just coz you're clones don't mean you can't have a different accent - which are picked up from their respective instructors). You have the voice of Jango Fett - which was marvelously voiced by Temeura Morrison himself.
The missions are fast paced, dangerous, and set in breathtaking environments. And when you set NIGHT VISION on, it feels more real than a movie. The visuals look as if it is REAL. Just plain real. Mind boggling.
The game is based on the Unreal II engine (modified, of course). It shames the graphics of Unreal II. Then again, Unreal II was shameful in many ways. But the engine is, in fact, quite cool. Republic Commando shows its power very nicely.
The whole game often doesn't feel like a Star Wars game. The credits music is high-pitched rock music. The soundtrack is Mandalorian war chants. And the only time you see a lightsaber is when you see a deadbody of a Clone trooper who tried to use it. That's when your character says "An elegant weapon for a more civilized time. Well, guess what ... times have changed!"
I wish they would've added a mission from Episode III, where they escort Obi-Wan to Utapal. 3 missions seem a bit "small" once you've played it 6 times in 4 days. But it still rocks. Especially the one-liners. "Baby wookies? Nah, too cute." or "Boss, we gotta place a charge here, and I'm not saying this 'cause I like to blow stuff up."
The end is cool too. Very military-movie like. And you get a special appearance by General Greivous and Master Yoda. George Lucas took interest in the game too. It was his idea to give colored, personalized armor to each Commando - something he was thinking of doing in Episode III.
I recommend you go see the trailer on www.swcommando.com and then listen to the music and download the demo, and then order the game!!
It runs FANTASTIC on a GeForce FX / 128MB. Though a gig of RAM didn't hurt. :) And don't be afraid of this game if you're not so good with games like Rainbow-Six and all - this is more suitable for the Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 players. Just go download the damn, demo! NOW, soldier!
Delta Squad, move out! 
KACHIRHO BY NIGHTVISION
There is also a book based on this game by Karen Traviss, called STAR WARS: Republic Commando - HARD CONTACT. Cool book. Worth reading. 
Monday, May 30, 2005
The Saga EndsAfter 10 days of unbearable pain of not being able to witness the end of the Saga as almost everyone else I knew already had, I finally saw Revenge of the Sith. I can now die without regret.
At the end of it all, it somehow felt "good". Even though the entire galaxy plummets towards total darkness, with every being fearing the shadow of the white armor, it still felt GOOD!
Here's a list of my fave things from RotS:
I just loved the intense 'Vapaad' style fight between Windu and Palpatine. You can see Windu edging into his natural anger caused of Vapaad.
The nostalgic command from the Wing Leader, "Lock S-Foils in attack position", and the wookie howl.
The drop Yoda makes near the end after his failure - so reminiscent of Luke's exit on the Cloud City on Bespin.
Palpatine's Force Lightning.
Both Jedi Heroes did good acting this time. I just LOVED Obi-Wan's more natural personality. Ewan McGregor did a heck of a job. Even Hayden Christensen's Vader-mode was cool. The anger in his voice was scary. Natalie Portman's acting abilities were also nicely explored. But the best acting had to be a tie with Yoda (animators/Frank Oz) and Palpy (Ian McDiarmid).
The whole film was like a full mirror of Return of the Jedi. The Apprentice vs Jedi fight with the Emperor watching in a grand seat. The immense space battle. The appendage chopping. Vader's creation as opposed to Vader's redemption.
Some things that were in the novelization were not included in the film, but SHOULD'VE BEEN:
Commander Cody (the clone commander who goes with Obi-Wan on the Greivous mission on Utupal) gives Obi-Wan his lightsaber back, and as Obi-Wan goes away he gets Order 66 from Palpy, and then after Palpy's holo vanishes, he says "you could've given the order BEFORE I gave him his lightsaber back!". And when Obi-Wan loses his lightsaber when chasing the droid general, he says "Anakin will never let live in peace if he finds out" - or something to that effect.
But the thing they REALLY should've added was Yoda talking with the ghostly image of Qui-Gon Jinn before Bail Organa interrupts his meditiation near the end. And this is the REAL conversation Yoda and Obi-Wan have in the end:
Yoda: In your solitude on Tatooine, training I have for you. I and my new Master."
Obi-Wan: Your new Master?
Yoda: Yes. (Smiles) And your old one...
The Swamp troops (the clones in green/silver on Kash'yyk) had the best armor.
Sigh ... I gotta go now ... I will keep writing my comments about RotS and its comparison to RotJ later (like you can stop me!).
Copyright � 2005-2007 Dax Pandhi. All rights reserved.
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