I was playing Shivah again today and found myself stuck. I searched on-line for a FAQs, because I am weak. But there were no FAQs, so I had to start trolling through forums to find one, *le sigh*, I hate forums. It is there that the lowest of the internet species live out their lives, bitterly complaining and venting their powerless rage on the fellow lifeless husks that live there with them. Only the bravest of explorers goes there or the most hardened veterans. I finally found one in the forums of the game developers, I looked over some of the hints I didn’t want an entire walk-through just a point in the right direction. Turns out the FAQ was only for the deluxe version of the game. I went back into the game and tried some more, fiddled around and discovered a game mechanic that isn’t mentioned in the docs anywhere?! This opened up a few more conversation paths for me, which lead to a new location, which lead to me dying… not fun. I still like the game, but from my readings in the forums, the deluxe 5 dollar version has many of the trickier and esoteric parts of the game fixed. I don’t really want to pay money for a game I already have… still it might be worth checking out if you want to spend 6 dollars on an retro styled adventure game, here’s the link.
Thoughts and a mini review of Neptune’s Ark
I guess that last post was my 100th, so congrats to me for making it that far. I finished reading Neptune’s Ark today. I’m not going to put up another review here, full of spelling errors and bad grammar. Instead I’ll just say that if you love the ocean and the life that is in it, if you love the California and western US coastline, if you are put in awe by the power of time and evolution, you need to read this book. Here is my tiny review, if you require more:
A deep look at the evolution of the pacific coast of the North American continent. It also looks closely at the life that was born, prospered, and languished there. Wallace’s work is scientific
and factual, yet poetic and haunting. He creates a yearning for the ocean physically, mentally and spiritually.
and factual, yet poetic and haunting. He creates a yearning for the ocean physically, mentally and spiritually.
The parts of the book that most affected were the recollections of the genocide we humans waged against pinnipeds and cetaceans, from the 18th through the 20th century. Reading the stories of Russian sealers clubbing to death seals by the 1000s in a day bring my blood close to boiling. The horror is that I know these actions are repeated today, if not on the same scale, the violence, horror, and needless deaths of these animals is a crime we humans will never be free of, and this is only one species… It is hard at times to be optimistic about our species…
Life, Shivah and other things.
What am I doing today? I slept in, which was bad. I then got up and rushed off to the pool to swim. After doing that I came home and read my email and news. Then I decided to find out if I really have graduated from college. I cycled down to campus and the registrars. Waited 10 minutes in line and then… found out I don’t know. Nor does UCD apparently. They told me that my graduation status is pending until the end of August. It has to go to the Academic Senate, for some reason. I was also told to talk to my Major adviser. So, why I wait for the end of August, I’ve sent an email to me adviser and payed all my debts to the college. There is nothing in the UCD’s system that says I’m not graduating, which is good. Last time I tried this I found out right after the ceremony that I wasn’t graduating. It’s been a month or more since then and no such email. I’m staying positive.
In other news, I need to quickly finish Neptune’s Ark and start reading Mainspring which I need to review for Steampunk Magazine. I’m also playing an independent adventure game called Shivah, which so far is very good, very cerebral. I want to review it as well.
I’m also trying to come up with a life re-format plan. You know, make some changes, small, but substantial, that will make be a better, more organized person. So that is what is going on.
My bad, I need to get better at this.
So, the review below is full of poor grammar. I’m wholly at fault (who else could be?) for this. I cut the review together from 2 separate works and then re-wrote parts of it. I failed to go through though and look over it critically. It shows. I’ve started cleaning it up but I’m busy with other things right now and don’t feel like going through it at the moment. Please forgive and ignore them if you’d be so kind.
In other news, I’ve got a big party happening here tonight and I need to get ready for it. So you have fun and I’ll prepare to have fun.