Presents!
My parents came back from their 5 week holiday trip, and they were back telling us about their stories of their time in the other side of the world. I managed to get a few presents, and these include the following:
- Cross Edge PS3 Game
- K-On! Original Soundtrack
- BoA BEST & USA
- A lot of random key chains etc, I might post them up some other time cos they're scattered everywhere =P
I've yet to open both CD's yet, but will probably take pics of the inserts when I do! I also received a late 21st Birthday present from my parents too. I got a compact DC - the Nikon S610. I like the feel and design of it, and I think this will last me until I get a DSLR in the future! So from now on, all photos will be taken with this camera, until that DSLR arrives! ;) Because of all these presents and the cold weather lately, it feels like it's Christmas in July! =D
Busy Busy Week!
Having a busy week = no social life, sigh. That's basically what I've been up to lately. That plus a horrible exam timetable is the perfect combination of saying goodbye to socialising! Other things I've been up to this week:
- First successful Japanese Music Circle for WASABI - it was great and awesome to listen to new Japanese songs too and meet new people.
- Had hotpot last night, it was great, and ate heaps!
- Working on 3 stupid group assignments all due within the next week or two
- Ate at Mi Sushi - pretty good cheap Japanese food in St Lucia, give it a go!
- Went to the ICT Industry Networking Night - got some stuff out of it, and realising how good networking is.
- Performed my first cold calls - telling people about AIESEC and what not, was kinda nerve-wracking at first, but I'm a lot more confident now. =D
- Received a late birthday present from Kelvin, Yao and Sue - a 1/144 Seravee Gunpla; hope to build it when I have a few hours to spare. Thanks guys!
Miku Miku!
So what's a Nendoroid? Basically it's your typical SD (Super Deformed) or chibi-fied figurines of various anime/anime-related series. Some of these include characters from Haruhi, Lucky Star, and Fate: Stay Night. They are of good quality, and usually require a stand to stand them up, because their heads are usually heavier than their bodies. They usually are cute, and are great additions to any collection.
So what's the vocaloid series? It is the name of a computer software that interprets what you type, and outputs it as a song or speech, kinda like the old Microsoft Sam days. But instead, you get a kawaii anime character (like Miku) for each different software. e.g. You can get Rin and Ren I think? You can hear what Miku sounds like with my Miku clock on the side as well by clicking on the musical note.
I haven't bothered unboxing my Miku just yet, as I'll be leaving here in a few days time - it just seems better if I open it later when I come back from the States. I might take better pics of it when it gets unboxed. =P
I hope this isn't the start of me getting into figure collecting - it could become a really expensive hobby!
Cute isn't it?可愛いですか。
Kansei Dorifto!
Boy I wish I had a PS3 now.
I received my belated birthday present last week, and that being the PS3 game, "Initial D: EXTREME STAGE". Pictured here is:
the cover (sealed xD) :
And the back:
I didn't think that a few of my friends would actually get me this for my birthday, as I don't currently own a PS3. They told me to force me to get a PS3 A.S.A.P. Hopefully I'll be able to get one by the end of the year, during x'mas time!I managed to drop by my mate's house today to give it a whirl, and I sure was addicted to it. Slick graphics, online gameplay, and tweaked racing physics make it a nice first addition to my future PS3 game collection.
Graphics wise, they are a huge improvement over the PSP and PS2 versions, and are the same, if not better than the arcade versions. They are crisp, and work well with the action. I can't exactly compare it with the arcade graphics, as I haven't played at the arcades much, and the PS3 version I played on, wasn't on 720p.
Online play was an enjoyable lag-free experience. I don't really understand the ranking system yet, but basically you have a rank starting from D4, and then gets up to SS. The more you race in a ranking match online, the faster you go up a rank. There was also the option to turn on handicaps if you wanted it on as well. (i.e. the car behind would suddenly be quicker It was enjoyable, and it felt like you were actually at an arcade sitting next to your opponent. I didn't win any matches, but my friend managed to win one - it shouldn't be too hard after you have played through the story mode.
Racing physics wise - if you have seen any Initial D related stuff, you know that drifting is a major component of racing in it, so you can chuck realism out the window. Going to Initial D after playing GT4 for a few months makes it hard to adapt to the game quickly. It's fun drifting every sharp corner, and having rain as a racing condition changes the course dramatically. Compared to the older Initial D games, this one feels a lot more like drifting.
As my friend's setup didn't comprise of a steering wheel, I ended up using the SIXAXIS controller. As I was a d-pad user throughout my racing career, it took a while to adapt to using the left analog stick. It should be fun when I can play it with my G25!
Although some people beg to differ, being a fan of Initial D, I really enjoyed playing this game and it makes my PS3 wait a lot more harder. >_< I highly recommend it to arcade racing fans, and for those people who want a game they can pick up and play whenever.
I'll leave you guys with a trailer and a promo pic for the game itself. The person in the promo pic being a Japanese model and professional racer, Mika Kaboshima. Enjoy~
Credits to Dengeki Online for the pic!