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DnD Status Flags
A group of friends has recently taken up Dungeons and Dragons. I wanted to do something neat for the group and, using inspiration from Penny Arcade and resources at Ben’s RPG Pile, created these:
Pretty nerdy, right? But also pretty sweet! They turned out much better than anticipated, especially because I kept having setbacks in finding materials and figuring out how to put it together with limited resources. If you’re interested in making some for yourself, instructions are after the break. I’m also including changes I made from their guide that I found easier or more cost-effective.
New Plan
I had been planning on playing Rainbow Six Vegas with a friend, but for some reason GameStop has been ever unhelpful in assisting him. In the meantime, I’ll figure something else out to play.
Game Finished: Company of Heroes
I must confess: I didn’t actually finish this game in its entirety. It was probably user error, but I failed the very last mission of the Falaise Pocket campaign and refused to complete it at this point. Let’s just say it was a very frustrating experience. Other than that, I did complete all 17 missions of the Opposing Fronts expansion and completed 8 of 9 missions from the Tales of Valor. I had already completed the original campaign some time ago.
Here’s my review for Company of Heroes. Once again please feel free to hand out some constructive criticism as I refine my review process.
Next game: Rainbow Six Vegas
Game Next
The polls are closed and it looks like the winner is “Strategy Title.” I have such a hard to choosing games sometimes. The current strategy games on my list are:
- Company of Heroes (2006), Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts (2007), Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor (2009)
- Empire: Total War (2009)
- Supreme Commander 2 (2010)
Through use of a random thing picker, the game I’ll be playing is…
Game Finished: Assassin’s Creed Revelations
I know this one wasn’t on my list, but I created that list just as I was finishing this game. And it was AMAZING! I posted a review, so go check it out and give me some feedback: was the review good? was it bad? what would would you like to see in the reviews more? I’d like to make this a habit so any constructive criticism would be great!
Also, I need to know what game to play next. I hate making that decision, so I’m asking you to make it for me.
I’ll let the poll run while I’m finish up some cheevos in Assassin’s Creed Revelations and then get started on the next game.
Casey out.
Gaming Backlog (or Contentment)
I have a large backlog of video games I own but have never completed, i.e., finished the story line; we’re not talking about 100% completions here or 1000GS for Xbox. The problem is that there always seems to be another game, something newer and fresher that pushes these games to the side. Or sometimes I’d be making good progress but then start up an MMO and forget every other game I was playing. This year I have a kind of resolution: to start cleaning up my backlog. There are a lot of good games coming out this year, but I don’t want to focus on those. I want to focus on what I have. To be happy with what I’ve got and enjoy it.
Another thing I’ve neglected is any sort of writing so as a secondary resolution, I’d like to give a short write-up of each game upon completion.
The List
- Bioshock
- Batman: Arkham City
- Battlefield 3
- Chrono Trigger
- Company of Heroes
- Dead Space 2
- Dragon Age Origins Awakening
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- Empire: Total War
- Final Fantasy IV
- Final Fantasy V
- Final Fantasy VI
- Final Fantasy VIII
- Final Fantasy X-2
- Final Fantasy XII
- Final Fantasy XIII
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
- Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
- Mass Effect
- Mass Effect 2
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
- Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 2
- Rainbow Six Vegas
- Supreme Commander 2
- The Witcher
- Various Indie Games
The only problem I currently have is with the Playstation and Playstation 2 games. My the unit that was storing my PS2 was burgled the other day and that was one of the only things they took: the 12-year-old gaming system. I know they are relatively inexpensive, $40 used at GameStop, but that’s a purchase I can’t currently afford. We’ll see how the rest of the year plays out and what money I can scrounge up from my birthday and the like and see if I can’t replace it.
Here’s to a great year of old and unfinished games!
UPDATE 2/1/12 Forgot to list Company of Heroes
Chef Kenobi
Sorry it’s been so long, but I have something in great need of posting.
Rachel was going to cook salmon patties tonight. I give props to her, since it’s one of my favorite dishes ever. We’re talking if not #1, it’s in the top 5. We were using my mother’s recipe, a recipe we totally butchered before, when Rachel starts to panic. “We don’t have any parsley.” I mean, how does one respond to this? Not knowing the correct answer, I respond incorrectly with, “So what?” Long story short, I end up being in charge of the cooking tonight. And with that I give to you a modified version of my mother’s salmon pattie recipe:
Salmon Patties à la Kenobi
- 1 can salmon with juice
- 1 pkg crackers (we used Whole Wheat Ritz)
- 2 heaping tbs. mayonnaise
- 1 heaping tsp. prepared mustard
- 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- sprinkling of minced onion
- 2 eggs
Mix all ingredients together and shape into patties. Using light oil or cooking spray, fry until brown.
It’s that simple, and that delicious.
On dreams…
“Dreams are the touchstones of our character” -Henry David Thoreau
I leave for Basic Combat Training in 21 days, exactly three weeks. One thing that I have pondered recently is what I am potentially giving up by taking this career path. Since I was young my want to explore, create, and imagine dominated my being. My youth was not so different from Calvin, the young protagonist of the Calvin and Hobbes series by Bill Watterson.
I dreamed about being just about anything, from the realistic (doctor, artist, marine biologist, fighter pilot) to the fantastic (Jedi, dinosaur hunter, Ghostbuster). One dream that formed and finally solidified was my dream to make a movie – write, shoot, direct, edit, or all four for a major, feature-length film. I didn’t really care about the money or fame. In essence, I wanted to make my imagination come to life. I wanted to imagine something, put it on paper, then put it on screen. That’s why I got a degree in Electronic Media Production from Harding University. The idea was that would put me on my way to realizing that dream. Through different circumstances, some good and some bad, I realized that dream started to fade. It made me sad, especially to see one of my friends doing so well with his dream. We roomed together, made short videos together, had class together, and dreamed together. Now I’m leaving soon for the Army to start a career very different from any I initially imagined. Did I give up my dream?
Yes. And no. I kept thinking about giving up a dream as a failure, but that really isn’t the case. Some dreams have merely been exchanged for other dreams. Rachel once had a dream of becoming a famous opera singer, but she exchanged that dream for a beautiful daughter and motherhood. Was that dream lost? You would have to ask Rachel, but my guess is that she wouldn’t exchange Abby for anything in this world (unless it is dinner time and Abby keeps spitting out her food). I’m very excited for this new dream I have: work hard through basic training and officer training to become an officer of the United States Army, so I can provide for my family and server others. I want to travel, see the world, and have my family along for the adventure. This is a dream I feel is worth the exchange.
Casey out.
PS – Dave has to keep at it because I know that he is going to be famous one day for editing, directing, screenwriting, or all of the above. I need him to succeed so I can also live vicariously through him.
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