New Years is an amusing holiday to me. People are so ready to be done with one year and welcome in another without thinking that in a few months they'll be ready to forget the new one, as well. I suppose it's a time of hope, though...people like new beginnings. For me, it's a day like any other.
I stopped wasting my time with resolutions years ago after I realised that many of them were unrealistic; I'm a believer in setting goals, but I feel that they should be attainable. For example, everyone always says that they want to lose weight, or stop drinking/smoking/vicing...to actually accomplish this, I think that a tangible number works better, e.g. if someone were to say they'd like to lose 10 pounds in the next 3 months. The human brain seems to function better on such a goal, and it's measurable, so we feel that we're going somewhere with it.
I feel that goals and such are not just for the first few months of a year, but as I said, people enjoy a sense of hope, and that seems to be what January is all about.
Moving on.
Little Big Planet is an enjoyable game that everyone should buy. It's been passed up by many since it appears to be a 'kid's game,' but like every all-ages game, it has something for everyone. It plays like an updated Mario game since it's a side-scrolling run-and-jump type, but you're able to customize your character (the sack person), and better yet, you're able to create your own levels.
Dragon Age: Origins is a must-own for anyone who enjoys high fantasy stories. It reminds me of one of Bioware's older games, Jade Empire, since it doesn't play like Mass Effect (as I thought it might). It's realistic, though, in that the choices you make can't please everyone. By choosing to side with one member of your party, you risk your friendship with another, and even your origin affects how people view you. My character is looked down upon since she's an elf, and therefore less than human. Most elves in this world are slaves and servants to humans, so I get talked to in that fashion. I also chose to be a mage, and mages are the source of the evil darkspawn that plague the world. Two strikes against me.
Borderlands has proven to be a lot of fun, as well, as long as you go into the game with the right mind frame. Similar to Fallout3, it's not a run-and-gun type of shooter; the game takes some time to get into, and there are quests and missions for you to complete...you can't just run anywhere you like, shooting whatever you please. It's also more fun (in my opinion) to play with someone else.
Left 4 Dead 2 is a blast. There's something sickly satisfying about cracking open a zombie's head with a crowbar. It is meant to be a multiplayer game, though, and just doesn't feel right if you're trying to traipse about on your own.
Assassin's Creed 2 is better than the first, and I loved the first. Ezio has more personality than Altair did, and the game itself is bigger and more expansive. I mean, you can buy paintings for your mansion, for crying out loud!
I've picked up several other titles including A Boy and His Blob, and Folklore, but I haven't gotten the chance to play them, and will have to write about them some other time.
As far as school goes, I completed my Digital Storytelling course recently, and you may view my final project as long as you promise to be kind to me. The original sound files were corrupted, so the I had to re-record everything in a last-minute hurry. I begin Game Design and Game Play after winter vacation has ended, but I'm not sure I'll have any artwork come out of that. After that, though, will be my next animation class, and hopefully I'll have learned enough in the first to not make a fool of myself.
My costume is still behind in schedule, and I'm planning on working diligently on it for the next few weeks, as Ohayocon is at the end of this month, and I was really looking forward to cosplaying as Pocco. Niko has so generously allowed me the use of her basement for the completion of my sword and wings since the weather isn't exactly ideal for foam and paint. I've been posting pictures of my work in progress onto my Facebook page, and I'm sure I'll put some of the highlights into one of my blog entries...perhaps I'll even do an annoying little step-by-step thing for anyone else who may ever be interesting in making a Pocco cosplay.
