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Topics - Forest Guy

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1
Not sure if anyone remembers me, but I was super active wayyy back in the day, under the name of Meowrik/Meowrio before changing over to this username. Spent a good chunk of my junior high years on this message board. That was like ten years ago...
My fiance and I spent last night looking up old Livejournal/Myspace/etc posts to show one another how dorky we used to be, and part of my showing was looking up my earliest posts on this site. I figured I'd drop in and say hello again, see who's around. But it appears to be a ghost town. I guess specific message boards can't survive in the year 2014 :(


For anyone who cares, I'm 25 now, engaged, and am working as a medical lieutenant/EMT at the fire department. I DO have a 3DS as well as a Wii U, and SM3DW and DK:TF were fantastic. That's about it.

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Forum Games / The Miyamoto Game
« on: December 17, 2009, 11:50:52 PM »
Let's celebrate the simultaneously most brilliant and senile game developer of all time with his very own forum game. It's easy. Here's how it works.

Just follow the basic template. Miyamoto was doing random everyday activity A, which influenced him to make game B.


You see, one day I was clipping my nails when I realized how wondrous it would be if I were to find a way to make personal grooming fun! This is how I was inspired for the creation of Wii Clean.

But why stop at something simple like that?

When I was a young boy I enjoyed roaming throughout town. However one day I witnessed a grizzly murder by a masked man. I was determined to discover the identity of the masked man, but never did. This led me to think, how much fun would it be to create a Super Mario detective game? And so, my idea for Mario Case Files was born!


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http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=108087

Step 1: Envision idea for new big-name game.
Step 2: Begin developing game.
Step 3: Cut corners in game development.
Step 4: Release game
Step 5: Pretend to be joking when pressed about lack of effort in game


All this, hot on the heels of the flying-Peach-skirt-Wario-farting-two-Toad controversy...

Seriously, I can see it all now when Galaxy 2 is released...
'Ah yes, well we originally looked into recording orchestral music for Super Mario Galaxy 2 just like in the original but decided not to. We realized in order to do that we'd need to have one of the percussionists in the orchestra playing a bongo drum for every song in the game because of Yoshi!'

Following this, the droves of nintendo fanboys will declare whoever said this was joking again, and label everyone who refuses to believe it a racist bigot who does not understand the cultural differences between Japan and apparently the rest of the world.

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http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=101002


Because apparently all you need for the best holiday lineup is a console rehash of a DS game, an updated version of a game released a year ago, and a portable Zelda sequel.

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Video Game Chat / Sometimes Nintendo makes no sense...
« on: October 07, 2009, 09:16:03 PM »
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/30/dsiware-purchases-locked-to-hardware-only-nintendo-can-transfer/

This is similar to the whole complaint on how Wiiware and VC games were locked to one Wii and couldn't be transferred unless your console broke. I really don't see why Nintendo makes decisions like this. Or at least I hope these are business decisions designed to scam us out of money, because if it's not, the only other explanation is that their company is just fundamentally flawed. It's just... all these inconveniences like inferior online, friend codes, system locked downloads, they're all minor problems on their own, but together it's just a big eyesore on a company that's supposed to be making current generation video games. They already have the ability to link your Nintendo account to your downloads... why can't they link the games too? It's just insane. They're hurting themselves in the long run. A great example is the new DSi colors. I really liked the white DSi, but I got a black one when they first released. I was this close to buying a brand new white DSi, but the fact I would lose all my DSiware titles shut that possibility down instantly.

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General Chat / Shower in the morning or evening?
« on: October 06, 2009, 03:49:05 PM »
I always take them right before going to bed since I have a mental qualm against being dirty before laying in a covered up space for multiple hours without moving, on a daily basis. Just the thought of laying in my own filth for that period of time skeeves me out.

Also, not taking showers in the AM saves a lot of time.


Also on topic, what's your fastest speed-shower time? Mine's 2:56. That's a full shower; body, hair, face, etc.

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Video Game Chat / Scribblenauts
« on: October 02, 2009, 12:45:24 PM »
I bought this game since I bought into the hype like everyone else, only to find it to be one of the most disappointing experiences of my entire life. I haven't played such a glitchy, broken game since I was like 8 years old and bought Babe: Pig in the City for Game Boy Color. I know the population is more or less split down the middle right now, most people either hate it or love it. I hate it and want to get rid of it as quickly as I am physically capable of doing. Where do you fall?

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After universal acclaim from the game critique industry, tracking sites such as Gamestats and Metacritic currently show Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story the highest review/rating average of any handheld game made in history. Or at least since reviews began to be tracked.

Regardless, I was surprised at how fantastic the game is. I wasn't keeping track of it at all until about a week before it came out since like a lot of people the story concept put me off a little. When people were telling me it was the best in the series, I flat out denied the possibility and refused to bellieve it could be true. But I was pleasantly wrong. Let us discuss how amazing the game is.

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Fan Creations / Gallery of FG
« on: July 25, 2009, 01:08:25 AM »
I used to draw sketches and stuff in my notebooks during class, but haven't done much of it lately. As I mentioned in another topic, I could never do it as well with a tablet, so all my good stuff was restricted to pencil and paper.








As you can see, they're by no means pretty, but they get their point across. To be fair though, both of those were from a notebook I had sitting in my closet for months, so they smudged up a bit.


http://f0restwanderer.deviantart.com/

And that's my gallery if you're at all interested in seeing any of the others. I've even got some sweet wallpaper quality pictures of sunsets and other landscape crap.

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http://www.forbes.com/2007/12/11/princess-peach-money-oped-books-cx_de_fict1507_1211peach.html

Yeah, I don't even know what this is. But then I found this.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/12/18/fictional-characters-wealth-oped-books-fictional1508-cx_de_1218dropoffs_slide_7.html?thisSpeed=15000

Yeah I still don't know what this is. I didn't know anyone who wrote for Forbes had a sense of humor. Or ever played a Mario game.

11
I mean, Harmonix is making a Lego Rock Band. Alternately, Activision does love whoring out the Guitar Hero series by creating as many games as possible. With DDR Mario Mix on the table, I don't see why it's not a possibility.


And personally, I think it'd be an awesome concept anyway. After seeing Bowser breakdancing in DDR Mario Mix, I'm eager to see him shred a guitar.

12
Video Game Chat / Retro Collectors
« on: July 18, 2009, 01:25:38 PM »
So I recently reached the conclusion that the majority of new games really don't do it for me anymore, and that I want to start collecting older games. I just picked up a Dreamcast and an original Playstation. Eventually I want to work my way all the way down to the Famicom Disk System. I've already had an impressive Game & Watch collection (real ones), plus all my Nintendo systems, so right now I've got my eyes on getting an Atari 2600 and a Sega Genesis. Anyone else ever get into this? Also, any ideas of where I could look around for stuff besides ebay?

13
I got a Play-Yan Micro a few years back when I didn't have an MP3 player. Since then I've gotten a 120GB Zune, so I have no use for the Play-Yan anymore, but I hate to see it sit there and gather dust. If anyone wants it, I'd be willing to let it go for relatively cheap. I originally got it for around $90, so I think a fair price would be around $30, but I'd be willing to negotiate.

For anyone who doesn't know, the Play Yan was a cartridge accessory made by Nintendo which plugs into your GBA or DS like a regular game. However, it has an SD card slot and a headphones jack on it as well. So in other words, it turns your DS and GBA into a media player. It can play both mp3 files and a couple of movie files as well, though I forget which. Just add the files from your computer onto the SD card and you're all set. It even has a neat little retro Super Mario Bros. theme to the menus. 

If you're into the whole geek-chic kinda style, then this is right up your alley. Especially when you use it in a Game Boy Micro. It's pretty nifty looking and works great for what it does, but I just have no use for it anymore. If anyone wants it, I'll also throw in a free pair of headphones as well.

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Mario Chat / I wrote a 300 level writing course paper on Super Mario Bros.
« on: December 10, 2008, 01:49:56 AM »
The topic was that we were supposed to analyze an icon of some sort. Some people picked simple icons like the Ying Yang or Tostitos' dip bowl icon but I wanted to go bigger. It's always been my dream to write a serious, college-level paper on Mario so I finally found an excuse to. I know I'm not the first to do it but I figure some of you might like to read it for kicks. Anyway, enjoy it.





                                                                                       Super Mario, Super Icon

   Thousands of businesses fight an ongoing battle to sell their merchandise, yet despite this, each class of products achieves the same fate as always, resulting in a select handful of companies who dominate their market. This of course is the goal of any large corporation, to attain such popularity as to reach this status. More often than not, to achieve this goal, the commercialism of the product is a key element in sales. For example, the video game company Nintendo is represented by their own iconic mascot, Super Mario. Like all companies, they have created an icon for themselves which is both memorable and appealing to consumers. An icon must be easily recognizable, yet, not necessarily associative with what it represents. However, once an icon has been perfected, the results are always beneficial to what it stands for. In Nintendo’s case, Super Mario has become one of the most successful business icons of all time.


In the early 1980s, Nintendo entered this market and released their own game titled Donkey Kong, in which a gorilla, Donkey Kong, has escaped from the zoo and kidnaps the main protagonist’s girlfriend. This main character’s appearance was shaped almost entirely on technical limitations at the time, yet this very appearance is one of the reasons he has become so recognizable. For example, animating hair was too difficult, so developers instead chose to design a character wearing a hat instead. For this same reason, he was also given a mustache so facial expressions would be unnecessary as well. In order to help him stand out from the background, overalls were chosen as his choice of clothing. Finally, his entire ensemble was red, the same color as the platform he walks on, as a limited amount of colors could only be used in arcade games. Soon, this character, named “Jumpman” at the time, would soon become known as Mario.


Mario’s appearance has not changed drastically since the 1980s. The most notable example is his red overalls being changed to blue jean overalls, while his shirt is now red. He is always portrayed in games as a very quiet, solemn hero, yet still retaining a kind heart. This of course runs in tow with the fact that many video game players are children, and can view him as a sort of role model. Mario was revealed to be of Italian-American heritage and has a younger brother Luigi. Incidentally, they are referred to as the “Mario Bros.” which alludes to the fact that their full names, strangely, are Mario Mario and Luigi Mario. This idea of kinship that Mario shares with his brother is another reason why many people can relate to him on a personal level. Finally, in the late 1990s, Mario was given a voice in the popular video games Super Mario 64 by voice actor Charles Martinet. Upon turning on this game, players were greeted with a fully rendered Super Mario where he boldly declared “Hello!” This cheerful tone has become a staple of the Super Mario video game franchise. Most people will instantly recognize his voice upon hearing his trademark “It’s-a me! Mario!”

(Side note: Yes, I know Martinet's first performance was in that PC Mario Clubhouse Games game or whatever, but I figured that was getting too nitty gritty for this essay)


Super Mario has often portrayed in many advertisements for Nintendo’s products, ever since adopting the role as their icon. His popularity has grown tremendously since his first video game, now that he has appeared in over two hundred other games worldwide. There are countless types of Mario games, which has helped his fan base grow. He has starred in nearly every genre of video game on the market, including sports, racing, puzzles, party, fighting, educational, adventure, and many others. Nintendo created him to be a very simple character in that he is a plumber from Brooklyn, New York and despite appearing cartoon-like, is very human too. This fits well as they tend to market themselves as a very casual video game company as compared to their rivals. However, at the same time because Mario has starred in such a diverse array of video games, cartoons, and books, he has an even greater chance of appealing to many audiences. For example, if one person does not like adventures but is a fan of sports, they may like Super Mario for his sports games. Though some see this as a cheap form of marketing, regardless it is a very smart, efficient way to promote your products.


Super Mario as an icon is interesting in that he says so little, yet stands for so much. He does not “look like” a Nintendo, and yet most people can instantly recognize him as the mascot of that company. Another very peculiar aspect of Mario is his Italian-American heritage. Today’s society typically sees stereotyping as bad, shunning it as a discriminatory act. Ironically, Mario is more or less the ultimate stereotype of Italian-Americans. He is short and stout, with a bushy mustache. He dreams of pasta and other foods and speaks with the stereotypical Italian accent. This actually says something about Mario as a character, though. He is so popular and highly regarded by so many people, in fact, that this act of stereotyping is forgiven, if even recognized at all. Perhaps because he is always portrayed as a hero, or simply because he is such a fun character to behold, he is never criticized by the public, while more violent games are looked down on by many. Ironically, in recent years, video games as a whole have begun to embrace an entirely new audience, namely young adults. As a result, the mainstream game market has become more mature. While these adult-oriented games have become more popular today, Super Mario games continue to outsell many of their more mature counterparts. As recently as last year, the highly anticipated video game Super Mario Galaxy was rated “Game of the Year” in 2007 by many critics, and the original Super Mario Bros. video game is still considered the greatest game of all time by many fans and members of the electronic entertainment industry. Despite the fact Super Mario appears to be aimed at children when compared to more violent games, the truth is that he is simply a timeless character that can be appreciated by people of any age or background.
In the early 1980s, video games were a dying business and merely a passing trend until Super Mario Bros. arrived to revitalize both Nintendo and the game market as a whole. In a nationwide survey during the 1990s, Mario was shown to be more recognizable than Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald. The Super Mario series has at the same time become the highest selling video game franchise of all time on a worldwide level. Because of this, Mario is not popular in only America or Japan, but is a well-known icon around the world.  These figures, along with the fact that Mario is such a distinct character as both an icon and mascot, are no coincidence. To be an effective icon, something must be recognizable and memorable, yet not actually having to look similar to what it represents. Mario is both a game and an icon. He is cartoon-like and at the same time very relatable. There are countless reasons why he is an effective icon, but in the end, all that matters is his success. After all, two hundred million sales cannot be a passing trend, now can they?




Figure 1: One of the most recent art renders of Super Mario.


Figure 2: Super Mario as depicted in the "Paper Mario" series.


Figure 3: Character art from the game "Mario & Luigi: Supertar Saga".

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As part of a project in my political science major, I have to perform a political survey. Right now I'm collecting data on it, so I need to get as many samples as possible. if anyone wants to help out, it's only two questions and you can just reply here.

1. On a scale from 0 to 6, with 0 being Strong Democrat and 6 being Strong Republican, what would you say your own political beliefs are closest to?
(0 = Strong Democrat, 1 = Somewhat Democrat, 2 = Weak Democrat, 3 = Independent, 4 = Weak Republican, 5 = Somewhat Republican, 6 = Strong Republican)


2. On a scale from 0 to 100, with 0 being completely negative, 50 being indifferent, and 100 being totally positive, how would you rate your feelings towards the New York Yankees?


Really, I would prefer if baseball fans participated or else it might skew the figures since non-baseball fans generally will feel negatively toward any team in general, however I could make some exceptions. Thanks.

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