Thu, 25 Dec 2008
![[story title]](/images/fractal_iter1.png){kind=small}
Kneejerk Review - Super Stardust Portable (PSP)
Super Stardust Portable is a very current interpretation of Asteroids with Robotron-style fire control. My armed space ship sits in the middle of the screen while zooming around outer space and in each new level becomes surrounded by an ever-intensifying crush of danger and malevolence in the form of asteroids and alien craft. I purchased and downloaded it with my PSP from the PlayStation Network.
I've only just unlocked the second planet in this game but I'm ready to say that I think it's a lot of fun. Most reviews complain about how poorly the controls migrated from Super Stardust HD and the dual sticks of the PS3 controllers. Whatever. I can't say because I've never played that version. The developers cleverly worked around the issue with the face buttons by concentrating rapid fire along the compass directions if a button is held, and distributing fire out in a 90° spread if the button is tapped repeatedly. If only I'd had that kind of control in Asteroids! And I need it, because the screen is almost always filled with things that want to crush or otherwise disintegrate me. Bonus: when these forces are successful in their nefarious pursuits, the resultant explosion from my engine core breaching vaporizes everything on screen. Yet, for a game which loves to deal out one-hit player deaths and still uses limited lives, it's surprisingly un-frustrating. It's fun to wield and power up the various weapons, it's fun to escape from inevitable crushing defeat with smart bombs and booster rockets, and the game looks and sounds excellent. The controls work really well, which I've realized is The Only Reliable Way To Make Me Happy when it comes to video games. It's satisfying to play and it's only ten bucks!
Rating: +
(on a scale of - to + where "meh" means I don't care one way or another)
Also, get flOw (+) from PSN, too, because you'll need an excellent way to chill out.
[/bithead/games/reviews] permanent link - comments (0)
Sun, 02 Nov 2008
In August I picked up a cute little all-solid-state Acer Aspire One subnotebook computer. I wanted a companion machine with which I could email, surf, and most of all, write. The intent was to promote my aging MacBook Pro to a cushy position at home for CAD, gaming, and music, and tote the smaller and more rugged AOne around with me as a digital notebook. But, in order to make a laptop into a truly mobile tool, one needs the right bag.
My most excellent brother Andrew once said "Overbuilt is the Kahrl Way." It is as good a motto as I've ever heard and it was the primary inspiration behind the bag I built for my AOne.
Anyone who wants an AOne because it's so small and light is going to think I'm crazy, because this is complete overkill. Serious leather, double stitching & rivets everywhere, and hardware meant for things 2 or 4 times this size. Even so, it's still lighter than the MPB&bag and the wiiide strap makes it really comfortable to carry.
The small compartment is fitted to the AOne (with extra depth for a 6-cell battery when I get one), armored with puncture-resistant plastic and lined with suede. The large compartment has room for a trade paperback along with the power cable and several other small things. It's also got a flat pocket on the back outside the flap for boarding passes or whatever.
I spent most of Labor Day Weekend on it (Kristel and Arthur over at Renaissance Art were kind enough to let me work at their studio into the wee hours) but I'm really pleased with the result. The flat black and orange remind me of the enormous iron woodburning contraption my dad built in the basement when I was young, which is why I call this design "The Furnace".
(image courtesy of Arthur Scharf. more images here)
[/tools] permanent link - comments (1)
Mon, 25 Aug 2008
WOW! That's a lot of comment spam.
I didn't think that I'd have this problem since I don't do much to publicise this blog. So much for that theory. I've upgraded the comment plugin to one that uses WordPress's Akismet system to try and mitigate the jerk factor. If it doesn't work I'll try and find a CAPTCHA tool instead, but I'm hoping that I won't have to.
[/blosxom] permanent link - comments (1)
Thu, 24 Jul 2008
[/music/transmit] permanent link - comments (321)
x0xb0x is a 303 clone that comes as a kit. I jumped on the waiting list a little over a year ago. My name came up in near-perfect alignment with my Economic Stimulus check last week, so mine should be on the way!
Bonus: the Aurora Mixer kit should be available soon, as well.
[/music/receive] permanent link - comments (333)
Sun, 25 May 2008
On approach to Sky Harbor International, my initial reaction to Phoenix, AZ
"My God, it's full of swimming pools."
[/travel] permanent link - comments (2)
Thu, 17 Apr 2008
My stomach turns a little every time I hear a talking head say that "Green is in". Much like the problems inherent in government certification of organic foods, the commodification of "green products" has great potential to do more harm than good.
At the heart of the problem is that people drawn to "green" products by fashion will be drawn away just as easily. A product that wears out prematurely, or is discarded when its styling is no longer current, is not a green product, no matter how it is made. Conversely, the greenest thing you can do is buy well made things that will last, and then keep them.
[/work] permanent link - comments (330)
Fri, 04 Apr 2008
My employers posted a pretty flattering profile (and slightly less flattering picture) of me over on the company blog.
[/work] permanent link - comments (1068)
For the moment, I'm just using Rael's original WriteBack plugin. I'll upgrade to something smarter if I start to have spam problems.
[/blosxom] permanent link - comments (1661)
Tue, 01 Apr 2008
until cranberrygrape![[external blog]](/images/ext_blog.png){kind=small}
returns to New Mexico. A few hours after that, we'll meet up and life will be good.
I have not missed someone this much for a long, long time.
[/life] permanent link - comments (335)