Monthly Archives: March 2008

“That level looks old!”

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I was just reminiscing using the “way back machine” perusing the news I wrote while I was the Head Monkey at the AQMD (Action Quake Map Depot) back in 1999-2000. I can still remember receiving the e-mail from Death Magnet telling me he was stepping down and was handing the “reins of power” over to me. LOL.

While I cannot find the exact day, I still vividly remember the day I stepped down from the AQMD because I felt I was not fulfilling my position as the Head Monkey and my interests were moving to Quake III, in search of the “next action.” That turned out to be Urban Terror and my time and work at the AQMD became history.

A part of me wanted to leave the AQMD because the Quake 2 engine was getting dated and levels were looking old. Even new levels were retreads of old ideas and very few level designers were bringing something new to the table in terms of development. I guess I can’t fault them, but why anyone would spend months working on a level that will be tossed in an ever growing pile of already “official” AQ2 levels was beyond me. I guess each individual had their reasons.

Just the other day I had an ill feeling when I looked at some new images of a level in development for Urban Terror. Just like the day I left the AQMD, that feel returned, when the first thought was “that level looks old.” Now, I know the Quake III engine is dated, just as Urban Terror is. But even with this engine it is possible to up the level of quality before releasing a level.

Some level designers have stated they won’t spend the time taking their level to the proverbial, “next level” for numerous reasons. First, it’s too much work. Okay, I’ll give you that reason, to a point. Level design and development is nothing but work. Why half ass your work? Part of level development is improving and learning, working with techniques that will improve your skills and level. I don’t understand releasing a level that looks like it’s from 2000, when it’s 2008.

Second, there is always a chance your level will not be played. The reasons vary; FPS, poor layout or game play, or those asshats who just say, “it sucks” without reason, just to name a few. While many level designers understand this before diving head first into their levels, some don’t. After spending months and months, possibly even years on a level that last thing you want it no one playing your level. But to admit defeat before you even start is setting yourself up for failure.

I know the “basics” of level design, but I am no expert when it comes to what some in the Urban Terror Community create. I will cite INVIS, who is a consummate professional, maybe too much so when it comes to his levels. He understands level design from the inside out, knows the elements and how to construct them to create a successful and good looking level. WetWired was another Urban Terror level designer who was able to accomplish the same thing.

These are just two examples, but they worked at a different level than most other level designers. Their time, effort and persistence usually paid off. While I don’t mean to characterize other level designers as failures, I would like them to take a look at what levels have all the elements that make up a successful level. Above all other is game play, but this isn’t something that “just happens” this is something that is planned from day one. You can’t happen upon game play, you must create it.

While game play does reign supreme and is the foundation on which to build, you cannot ignore the other factors when level designing. I am hoping that some level designers understand what makes the good levels good and try to learn why another level not so good. Don’t only push the Quake III engine, but push yourself to rise above the mediocrity we see creeping into the levels that are played in Urban Terror.

“I had a sushi bar…”

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Okay, I really didn’t OWN a sushi bar, but growing up in SoCal, there was a sushi bar called Shien of Osaka, located in Rancho Bernardo. Outside of having some of the BEST sushi I have ever tasted, the bar/restaurant was tops when it came to its clientèle.

What do I mean by that? Well, I was a “regular” at the sushi bar, as were many others from the surrounding area. The best thing was the chefs got to know you and your orders. So you could walk in and the chef would already start making your first few orders. For me, two spicy tuna hand rolls were my starter.

Unfortunately I moved a couple hundred miles north to Torrance and while I never found the same sort of comfort in a sushi bar, there were some other restaurants that really had the same appeal to them.

Before it was closed and knocked down for town homes, Tommy’s Family Diner was the best hole in the wall diner you could find! The waitresses were friendly and quick, along with knowing what each of the regulars wanted. Jeff aka “Big Country” and I would eat Tommy’s way too much. Their top item on our menu was marinated steak and eggs with Tommy’s potatoes (fried with cheese and onions).

It was a dark day when they closed this restaurant. I never did know why the restaurant closed. But all was not lost. Jeff and I were pilots and would frequent the D&D Cafe, located next the runway at Riverside Airport. Like the aforementioned diner, D&D could be defined as a “greasy spoon.” We too became regulars there, eating biscuits and gravy, a side order of bacon and coffee, black.

Moving to NoCal, there have not been many restaurants that have caught my fancy. Then again I am not fond of NoCal, but that is a discussion or another day. Until I was hired by BART and began training in downtown Oakland, I did really favorite the same restaurants on a regular basis. Chipotle was probably the closest and they would do me up a real “phat” burrito.

Phnom Penh House was one of the first restaurants I was introduced to by a co-worker with whom I was in training with. Our office is located on the outskirts of “Chinatown” so it is row after row of hole in the wall dining, shoes, sidewalk farmers markets.

I had never had Cambodian food before and this restaurant looked like a legitimate hole in the wall. Like many restaurants in this part of town, it is family owned and operated. The first time I ordered a dish called Singapore Noodles with Chicken.

That was about a year ago. Since then I usually eat there once or twice a week, the same dish. It is a curried noodle dish with bean sprouts, green onion and chicken. I add some of their home chili oil and it is to die for.

I have never ordered anything else there, but I hear many of their dishes are great tasting. And believe it or not the restaurant has a wall full of awards and accolades from around the Bay area.

Giallorossi Live!

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Looking back on this football season, it has been a season of missed opportunities for AS Roma in Serie A. Unlike last season which saw Inter run away with the scudetto title, this year has been a banner year!

Roma  has seen some excellent play while on the pitch from the starting  eleven, lead by their captain, Francesco Totti. But it has  also been the brilliant managing of Luciano Spalletti. His timely substitutions and  tactics have seen Roma sore in the club ranking, as  the best team in  Italy and arguably one of the best in Europe.

While a Serie A  title is not out of the question, Roma must get the “monkey off their  back” in Champions League play against Manchester United, the best club based on Fox Soccer’s World Club Rankings. And who is number two? AS Roma!

Last season in Champions League play, Roma was embarrassed, 7-1 during the  second leg versus Manchester United and as luck would have it, these two giants face off again this season in CL play. Roma is  definitely in form currently, albeit a slip up last week in a loss to  city rival,  Lazio, 3-2 on a last minute goal.

As it goes now a strong showing  in league play has set Roma up with an excellent chance in Champions League play and an even stronger  finish to Serie A, as their remaining  fixtures are not all that challenging. Matches against Genoa, Sampdoria  and Udinese are all top  half of of the table, but all more then  winnable, regardless of how CL  play finishes up.

MicrofuXored Again!

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It was bitter sweet coming home last night, knowing I my XBox360 had arrived via UPS from being repaired a second time. This on top of having to return three consoles when I bought the damn thing because they did not work. So I get home, and read the paperwork that I pulled from the box telling me this is a brand new console with new identification number, but not to worry all the warranty and paperwork would be done without my intervention.

I connected the hard drive, the wireless network card (which is a POS!) and the video and power cables. I start the machine and get three flashing red lights. Needless to say this nearly sent me over the edge. I shut down the console and restarted, twice and after setting a few options my LIVE! profile comes up and I am good to go…or so I thought.

I load up FIFA 2008 and things are going well until I select a game and it loads. Upon starting the actual game, I notice the sound is not as it is supposed to be. The volume is low and the commentators voices are intermittent, as well as the game sounds. I knocked it off to the game, so I shut down and loaded up The Orange Box.

Initially when the game loads, the sounds work in the menu. I started TF2 and all be damned if the game plays fine, but the sound is just like FIFA was. I can already hear the barrage of questions when I call XBox support, including, “Well maybe it is your TV or sound system.” Eh, sorry champ, it’s not my TV, nor any component of my audio/video system. It is a bad XBox. AGAIN!

Seriously, I cannot be the only consumer having this sort of luck with a bad MS product, can I? Okay, Vista aside, since we know they release beta operating systems. But this is getting ridiculous, I will phone them tomorrow and demand (because the consumer is ALWAYS right) a new XBox. I don’t want this supposed new one they sent me fix, I want a new one.

Oh yeah and for my trouble, I received another 1 month free LIVE card. LOL. You jackholes!

Round 2: XBox 360

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Okay it has taken the better part of 2 weeks before I decided to make that time consuming call to XBox Support. As I have stated in the past, this is the WORST console on the market! I would definitely NOT recommend anyone bother purchasing one. Then again the Wii is poo too, but that is another story.

So I went online looking for tips on how to “fix” the “red ring of death.” First let’s start with poor design in the console itself, if indeed it is actually a solder on a connector that malfunctions. I was not going to waste all that much time looking into the problem. The “solution” wrap your 360 in towels for 15 minutes. This “solution” would heat up the necessary solder and your 360 would work. Or would it?

After 15 minutes in towels, I let it cool down and then started it. Viola! It worked…well sort of. I got in about three games of footie before the console locked up on me again. Upon restarting it would lock up. It took about 3 restarts before I was able to get the red ring of death. At that point I disconnected the POS and set it aside.

Today, I finally called customer “support” figuring to get the runaround, which I did to a point. After providing my name, address and serial number, I was asked a series of questions. The only one I got wrong (LOL) was when asked, “Do you plug your XBox into a surge protector or a wall socket?” My answer, obviously, a surge protector. Well needless to say, the kid on the other end of the phone said that the console must be plugged into a wall socket. Yeah, sure whatever jackass keep giving me you $9/hour answers.

I am sorry but plugging the console into a wall socket or a surge protector has NO adverse affect on something internally in your malfunctioning product. If so, then please, please provide me information supporting your FAQ claim, because I beg to differ. But you are Microsoft and are always right, with the best product around. LOL.

So let’s see if customer support can get things done this time around in a timely fashion. Waiting 8 weeks as I did previously was a joke. Let’s TRY and not loose my order again. Oh and that one month XBox Live card, just keep it, what a slap in the face for my time and your below average product.