Spore: What is it?

There's been talk about a new game out, brought to the computer gaming world by Electronic Arts and Maxis called Spore. The game allows you to create not just a character, like many other online games have you do, but the entire society and planet of the race that character comes from. You build one creature, and watch it grow, and evolve, and create a society.

You can expand in the universe as well, allowing yourself to meet other players and interact with them right away.

I downloaded the trial for the creature creator, and trust me, that alone is hours of entertainment to see what different creature types you can create.

Check the game out, if it's anything like the trial for the creator, and just as much fun, then it's completely worth it. And while you're at it, take a gander at my creations.



And, to see some of these little guys in action, just take a look at this.



Until next time...

...keep 'em flyin'!

Animation World Network

Found an incredible web site for those interested in animation, or just looking for some well done short animation videos. It's called the Animation World Network TV. I've been watching it for the past couple of days, and it is very entertaining.

Check it out sometime.

Until next time...

...keep 'em flyin'.

Paranoid

This is a local band out of Outlook. I have it on good information that they are putting together a demo, and putting together their own material. They are called Fragile Transit. Check it out.

Until the day the music dies...

...keep 'em flyin'.

Last Saskatchewan Pirate

Saskatoon Ex had some great stuff this year. Including this accidental find. A band by the name of Fun in the Front seat. They played a rendition the Last Saskatchewan Pirate.

Here's the lyrics to sing along.

I used to be a farmer, and I made a living fine,
I had a little stretch of land along the CP line
But times were hard and though I tried, the money wasn't there
And bankers came and took my land and told me "fair is fair"

I looked for every kind of job, the answer always no
"Hire you now?" they'd always laugh, "we just let twenty go!"
The government, the promised me a measly little sum
But I've got too much pride to end up just another bum.

Then I thought, who gives a damn if all the jobs are gone?
I'm gonna be a PIRATE on the river Saskatchewan!!!

Cause it's a heave-ho, hi-ho, comin' down the plains
Stealin' wheat and barley and all the other grains
It's a ho-hey, hi-hey farmers bar yer doors
When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores

Well, you'd think the local farmers would know that I'm at
large
But just the other day I found an unprotected barge
I snuck up right behind them and they were none the wiser,
I rammed their ship and sank it and I stole their fertilizer!

A bridge outside of Moosejaw spans a mighty river
Farmers cross in so much fear their stomachs are a'quiver
Cause they know that Captain Tractor is waitin' in the bay
I'll jump the bridge and knock them cold and sail off with their hay!

And it's a heave-ho, hi-ho, comin' down the plains
Stealin' wheat and barley and all the other grains
It's a ho-hey, hi-hey farmers bar yer doors
When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores

Well, Mountie Bob he chased me, he was always at my throat
He followed on the shoreline cause he didn't own a boat
But cutbacks were a'coming and the Mountie lost his job
And now he's sailing with us, and we call him Salty Bob!

A swingin' sword, a skull and bones and pleasant company
I never pay my income tax and screw the GST (SCREW IT!!)
Sailin down to Saskatoon, the terror of the seas
If you wanna reach the co-op, boy, you gotta get by me!

Cause it's a heave-ho, hi-ho, comin' down the plains
Stealin' wheat and barley and all the other grains
It's a ho-hey, hi-hey farmers bar yer doors
When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores

(*spoken* Arrrr! Ya salty dog!)
(*spoken* Arrrr! Ya salty gopher!)
(*spoken* Arr.. ya.. salty bale of hay!)
Well, Pirate life's appealing but you just don't find it here,
I hear in North Alberta there's a band of buccaneers
They roam the Athabaska from Smith to Fort McKay
And you're sure to loose your stetson if you have to pass their
way!

Well, winter is a'comin' and a chill is in the breeze
My Pirate days are over once the river starts to freeze
I'll be back in springtime but now I have to go
I hear there's lots of plunderin' down in New Mexico!

Cause it's a heave-ho, hi-ho, comin' down the plains
Stealin' wheat and barley and all the other grains
It's a ho-hey, hi-hey farmers bar yer doors
When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores...
When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores...

When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores...
When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores...

The 40 buck ride

What began as a great afternoon of taking in rides, turned into one of the most expensive rides ever. But no one could have predicted that a lightning storm would end the midway at the Saskatoon Ex. A friend of mine bought a super pass to the rides for 40 dollars. This is the only ride he went on.

Nightwish-Creek Mary's Blood (End of an Era)

Music is a big inspiration to what I write. And this really inspired a lot of the creation of Maxwell and Naomi Running Cloud. I find this inspiration is rather coincidental. I'll get to that in a moment.

The band is called Nightwish. Formed in the mid 90's, they are a Finnish band that has mixed the symphonic sounds with gothic and metal, and completed it with a lead singer who is classically trained. In this particular piece, John Two Hawks, a Lakota Indian who resides in Arkansas, came together with Nightwish and recorded this song, called Creek Mary's Blood.

I created the character concepts of Maxwell and Naomi a couple of years ago, and have found different pieces of music that has been helpful in my writing, but none as much as this. I find this song a coincidence just for one fact. In Naomi's history as a member of Canada's military, she married one of the soldiers she met during her time. His name is Peter Simonson, and is of Finnish decent. When I created the character of Peter, I pulled a lot of things from the area I live in. Outlook, Saskatchewan has a very large population who are descended from Finnish settlers. So, when I found this song from Nightwish, a Finnish band, you can imagine how things kinda clicked.

Oh, I'm currently editing the next part of Canyons of Steel and may take a while, so don't worry, it'll be up soon.

Until next time...

Keep 'em flyin'.

Canyons of Steel

Guild Wars Dance Party

The fun with videos continues. Except this time, I've started posting it up on YouTube. I decided to take a few of my characters from Guild Wars and do a compilation dance routine with them, just to show off their moves. The game itself is fun, and one I'd recommend for anyone who wants to get involved in an MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role playing game for the uninitiated). The biggest selling point is the fact that it doesn't cost a monthly fee.

cat bloopers 2

And even more lolcat action!

Cat bloopers

LOLcats in action!

Rick Mercer: Rough Ride

I saw this and couldn't stop laughing. I especially like the mock movie trailer for Piffles Taylor.

The Evolution of Dance

Something absolutely hilarious to watch, and amazing to think how this was conceived. The evolution of dance.

Within Temptation - Angels

A friend of mine introduced me to this band. They are a Dutch goth band and have been around since 1995 but haven't recorded that many albums, as they took a small break to continue their studies. The band's name is Within Temptation. This song, Angels.

Iron Chef

Is it a case of reality tv going too far, or is it reality tv you can really sink your teeth into?

The latest in a long line of reality tv shows will be premiering on October 8th, and unlike any other of it's genre, it should be an instant hit. I'm talking about, the Next Iron Chef.

Iron Chef is a show that's been around since 1993. First appearing on Japanese television, chefs would compete, like gladiators in the kitchen arena. Not too long after, the Food Network in the States decided to rebroadcast dubbed versions of the show. Until eventually an American version of the Iron Chef would begin.

Well, now the Next Iron Chef is to be decided. Unlike Survivor, Big Brother, Last Comic Standing or even the American/Canadian Idol shows, Iron Chef is one show that will be entertaining and informative. I mean, come on, cooking with a deadline utilizing a secret ingredient not revealed until the show starts. Entertainment is there.



Until next time...

Keep 'em flyin'.

The Original Laugh-Out-Loud Cats

Found this as a link from our favourite lolcat website ICanHasCheezBurger.com. Seems that the term Lolcat (or Laugh-Out-Loud Cats) has been around for almost one hundred years. This rediscovered footage of Aloysius "Gorilla" Koford drawing one of his Laugh-Out-Loud Cats, circa 1912, as he draws one of the two characters in the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats in chalk. Want to see more of the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats? Then check out apelad.blogspot.com.

Machinima

I've seen a good number of people who create movies that fall into this genre. First, what is machinima? Machinima is a way of creating a short film utilizing already existing game engines to create a 3D Computer Animated movie. Some of the really good ones have several different people that log onto a game server, and begin playing the different roles.

Fortunately, it doesn't really take much to play the roles. But one person acts as the camera man. One of the first, and quite a popular machinima series, was Red vs. Blue. Using the Halo game, or engine, the creators of the series managed to pull off a very entertaining movie series. Each episode was about two to five minutes in length. All scripted, then filmed, and then voiced.

So, what utilities does one use to capture in game footage for use in a machinima?

Well, after some searching, I found one such program to help in creating a machinima. Called Game Cam, this little utility can sit in the background while you play a game and record every action. This video footage can then later be taken and edited using Adobe Premier, or, if you're like me, Windows Movie Maker. I haven't reinstalled my Premier yet. And the program itself is about six years old, I don't have an updated version. Nor can I afford to get one. At any rate, I used what I had and created a small video. Keep in mind, I was testing, had no prewritten script, nor did I have camera men to follow the action. So this is pretty raw.




Sort of made with a hats off to my belated Talk Like a Pirate Day, I used the music from Pirates of the Carribean, as composed by Klaus Badelt, and the game engine of Guild Wars. Any game engine can be used, and it's very easy to do. Again, no pre production or thought went into that video, I just dove right in. Maybe I'll actually try my hand at scripting one some day.

Until then...

Keep 'em flyin'.

Robot Chicken Top 10 Star Wars Special Clips

Robot Chicken is a good show for a quick laugh. And finding this, the top ten moments of Star Wars on Robot Chicken was priceless.

bruce lee x chuck norris

This obviously must have been taken before all of the Chuck Norris jokes. Gotta love the set up for this one.

Otters holding hands

This video was something I found while watching another video and reading the website for, get this, Dramatic Prairie Dog. Yes, the blog is www.dramaticprairiedog.com. While the prairie dog is interesting, and native to Saskatchewan, this video of two "hand holding" otters is much more cute.

GREEN IS THE COLOR 2005

An interesting take on the old Saskatchewan Roughriders theme song.