fuzmeister: Semi-Annual Vent Post

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Yeesh - This place has become a digital ghost town. I'm half-expecting tumbleweed animated GIFs to roll across the bottom of my screen.

Thanks a lot, Facebook, Twitter, and other assorted corporate-owned social media sites... I sometimes miss the old days of Vent.

Not often, but sometimes... Anyone else here still alive? A/S/L? * tap, tap tap * ...is this thing on...?

Mood: Nostalgic
Music: Nirvana - Big Cheese


Tags (beta): vent

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fuzmeister: Finally Updated The S&F Site

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I've been sitting on this simpler, Bootstrap-based S&F Software site for a few months now... finally got around to uploading it: http://sfsoftware.sevensoupcans.com/

And yes, I know I need to debug the Helibomber SDX high score stuff, but who is seriously visiting our site anymore anyway?

I mean, really... who? Ah, well... it's a nice piece of history until I get the urge to spontaneously release something new. I'd truthfully like to at least port another 1 or 2 of the old games to Java as I did with Helibomber...

The incentive of doing this don't really outweigh the time and effort though I wouldn't mind playing some Rapid Fire again.

Mood: Historic
Music: Nirvana - Something in the Way


Tags (beta): s&f software, game development

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fuzmeister: Rogue One

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Possible spoilers ahead, so read on with caution if you haven't seen this flick yet.

I am somewhat unsure why this film is getting so much praise while many people thought Episode 7 was a "garbage re-hash." Let me be clear, I didn't hate Rogue One. From a technical perspective, it's a well-made film... excellent special effects and very nice cinematography. I'd be willing to say it inspired a sense of awe that was missing from The Force Awakens in terms of world-building and scope.

However, I generally think this film was a mess in terms of pacing, character development, and narrative. Maybe it's partially my bias that I didn't even want to see this film from the beginning. I mean, if the story isn't super-interesting, do we really care how the plans for the Death Star were retrieved? I consider myself a big fan of Star Wars and even the now-defunct expanded universe, but I didn't have a great feeling about this film from the moment it was originally announced.

So, in terms of the film's characters, what's the deal here? So much lost potential with the protagonist and her father's relationship. I really felt like this could have been a very interesting aspect of the story, but it felt rushed and hollow like much of the movie.

To be fair, everyone felt superficial and shallow - why was the great Forest Whitaker so wasted? I know there were reports that a large portion of this film was reshot after the original cut, but is that what's to blame for the unsteady pace and superficial characters? I feel like this movie had so many moments of wasted potential.

And yes, I know what you may be thinking - "dude, Darth Vader was such a boss in that movie." Ok, sure. It was cool to see him again and hear James Earl Jones reprise the voice, but Vader was mostly there as fan service without playing any crucial role in the story.

I absolutely do love Star Wars and I'm trying not to be a jaded grandpa, but where The Force Awakens gave me hope Disney wouldn't just exploit this property without creating quality content, Rogue One makes me extremely nervous for any future anthology films. I guess if you view this as a one-off, we have to give credit for toying around with what works. To me though, this could be a slippery slope.

Mood: Eh
Music: 10cc - I'm Not in Love


Tags (beta): star wars, film

Comments (4)

fuzmeister: The Glorious Demise of the Wii Brand

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Earlier today, Nintendo announced a new video game console to be released next year. While I have my own collection of thoughts specifically on that, one of the highlights of today was the realization that the poisonous Wii brand is finally dead and Nintendo can finally be released from the shackles of the past.

When the Wii came out ten years ago (!!!), it was a hot item for months and months. It encouraged non-gamers and casual bystanders to pick one up with its prospect of motion-gaming and a "new level of interactivity." Unfortunately, after the hype-dust settled, Nintendo's core audience was alienated by a system plagued by loads of shovelware and missing the ever-crucial support of third-party developers.

When the successor Wii U was eventually announced, Nintendo's attachment to the Wii brand and lack of aggressive marketing caused the console to stagger right out of the gate. Many who had played the Wii were confused about what the Wii U exactly was. While third-party support started out very promising, low sales eventually caused key players to pull their support of the console. I personally love the games I have for Wii U, but let's be real - the majority of classic titles made for the Wii U have been first-party Nintendo games. No doubt.

Now in late 2016, the Nintendo Switch has been revealed. I don't want to comment too much on the system or its potential at this point, but the first press release makes it a point to list FORTY-EIGHT third-party companies (most developers) that will support their new console. I want to remain optimistic they will be able to move past the last decade which started off so much more promising than it ended. Ditching the Wii branding was a great first step in potentially doing so.

Mood: Optimistic
Music: The Rolling Stones - It's All Over Now


Tags (beta): video games, nintendo

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fuzmeister: Sam Klemke's Time Machine

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What a curious film. Despite the title character's existence being mundane and, at times, rather depressing, it feels like there is some universal correlation that can be drawn. I guess this movie puts everything into perspective - some universal experience or intrigue into the unavoidable passing of time.

I can't say this was life-changing cinema, but it kept my interest even if just as a curiosity of sorts. Check it out on Netflix!

Mood: Intrigued


Tags (beta): film

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