Saw Miami Vice last night and though it was outstanding. The final shootout is probably the most realistic and intense depiction of what it's like to be shot at that I've ever seen. The only flaw was that the character writing was a little flat and as a result the Farrel-Gong Li romance tends to drag a bit. Otherwise it was frickin amazing; the mood, tension, atmosphere and visuals were all top notch. I'll probably end up going to see it again tonight it was that awesome.

Saw Miami Vice last night and though it was outstanding.

Anywhere close to Heat?

Thanks!

edit:HL2 mech = awesome!

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GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 16 W/Mo

No venomhed, you can't fuck me. Please stop asking.
This comment was edited on Jul 30, 17:24.

Pretty impressive for a free online DM FPS...sorta UT + Q3

Anywhere close to Heat?

Not as good as Heat overall but the end shootout is arguably better than the bankjob in Heat. As I was leaving the theatre I heard a lot of people say it was boring but from the looks of it these were mostly 16 year old boys who were expecting Bad Boys III or something. Very good movie, I highly recommend seeing it in theatres because the sound during the gun battles is absolutely incredible.

I'm on the fence - it does look exciting in the preview, but I've read little but negative reviews...

I love Jan Hammer's music, though - is any rendition of the main theme or Crockett's Theme in the movie?

Dan =0)

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I'm on the fence - it does look exciting in the preview, but I've read little but negative reviews...

To me, the previews and reviews look blah...but it's Michael Mann.

Maybe next weekend...

Thanks for the mini-review SMA!



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GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 16 W/Mo

No venomhed, you can't fuck me. Please stop asking.

I'm on the fence - it does look exciting in the preview, but I've read little but negative reviews...

Reviews were mixed however among professional critics the response to Miami Vice has tended to be quite positive. If you look at Rotten Tomatoes the negative reviews that are giving it such a mediocre rating are almost entirely from some random guy's movie review blog.

My suspicion is that this movie was just marketed very poorly and individuals expectations were as a result very different than what was actually delivered. If you are expecting a true remake of the series you will be disappointed. It would be more accurate to say that the movie is loosely inspired by the television series, not a movie remake of the show. Along those lines there is none of the Jan Hammer music from the TV show. There is a cover of In The Air Tonight played during the credits but personally I thought it sounded like shit.

The previews and advertising make the movie look like it is in the vein of the Fast and the Furious or Bad Boys II. Miami Vice is nothing like either film and if you are expecting mindless action you won't get that either.

Most of the negative reviews I have seen for Miami Vice have centered around it either not being enough like the TV show or not being action packed enough for a summer action film. Again, the professional critics seem to like it for the reason that it is a very well put together film. The main weakness however is the script; the characters just arn't very well developed. The direction however is superb and does the absolute most that could have been done with the material. For example the cinematography and visuals are just incredible. There is one scene that has a car getting shot up by white supremicists but how you view the scene is from inside the car as bullets tear through it. It doesn't sound especially interesting when you read about it but to see it is just incredibly intense.

In another gun battle the camera is behind the shoulder of a guy shooting a rifle. The camera zooms in past his head so that you can view the muzzle flashes of the people shooting at him as he would. Then the camera tumbles backward as if the cameraman has been pushed to the ground. The camera tilts to the side where you can see a pool of blood forming on the ground and another one of the gang members continuing to fire. At first you don't know what's going on but then you realize that he's been shot. It perfectly conveys the surprise and complete shock that must occur when someone is hit from gunfire.

I would say that the final gunbattle is worth the price of admission by itself. The first third or so of the movie is extremely tense and very, very well done. The middle is were it tends to drag but the last half hour or so is where the action actually heats up and more than makes up for the slow middle part. I thought it was a great movie and am goign to go see it again tonight.

http://sugartits.ytmnd.com/


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This comment was edited on Jul 30, 21:19.

Pretty impressive for a free online DM FPS...sorta UT + Q3

considering its played in your web browser yeah, it is impressive.

Imagine if high-end PC games could be played the same way? PC gaming would be as popular as consoles I think.

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I am a Blues Nazi.

A showcase of my craptastic guitar playing:

http://www.dankupka.com/m8.mp3

(Yes, I do like how it's progressed, I just need to fiddle around a bit more...)

After bills this week, all I'll have to my name is a $20 in my pocket. Until Friday. Whee. (Take-home message to self: Spend wisely.)

Dan =0)

EDIT: Forgot about adding in the "http" part of the protocol to display a link correctly..

EDIT2: Not to have an excuse or two, but 1. I'm not by nature a guitar player, and 2. I do not in any way own a Stratocaster or anything high-end.. just a lowly SquireStrat... though I'm sure someone with much more skill than I have could make it sound like... er, Hendrix, or Santana... or Slash..

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This comment was edited on Jul 31, 00:59.

So I got prey in the mail and beat it in the same nite. It wasn't too bad but I just get the feeling all these games made with the doom 3 engine are all a like with the same story and a new "thing" that makes it different from the others. Doom 3 was good and I liked it. Quake 4 was sort of like doom and prey was look quake 4. A few times during prey I was thinking "wait, is this quake 4 1/2"? Anyone else kinds feel this way?

I just noticed the latest guild message about the previous message being a rather depressing one. I was wondering, what was the message?

Glad to see the guild isn't quite dead yet, and that it feels happy (sort of). I think I'll go for a walk, now.

Dan =0)

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Trust Microsoft to AGAIN fuck up a good program.

MSASW has expired (for those of you that have it installed, trust me.)
So I went to download a new version. Only, they don't have it anymore. It's now called "Windows Defender Beta 2."
Apparently this program will never get out of beta, despite the fact they've now been working on it for, what, a year and a half now?

First off, if you do get this, it turns on all kinds of irritating crap, you can turn off the "Automatic Settings Update" under tools. For me, it immediately turned on Automatic Updates, the security manager and all kinds of crap.

But then the fun part. Running a full scan now takes 20.5 minutes and counting. MSASW did a full scan in seven minutes. I haven't really installed THAT much since the last time I ran a scan, maybe a minute's worth of files or so.

Bravo, MS. Your ability to go up in version numbers and down in actual functionality is, as always, firmly intact.

Re : Prey. I finished it yesterday, I hadn't played for awhile as Titanquest took up all my time. I love Prey for its visuals. Most levels had at least a few "Shit, that looks cool" moments. It's fun to explore. It also has a nice twist near the end of the story to do with Jen, I won't spoil it for those that haven't finished it yet, but I thought it was a good bit of storytelling.

One thing I can't figure out, though (Secret Text) Even though you're some sort of immortal Native American who can fall off a walkway to his splattering death 5000 feet below, then just get back up on the walkway as if nothing happened, how exactly does Tommy take control of the Sphere, then FLY IT INTO THE FUCKING SUN, and yet be walking around on Earth six months later as if nothing happened? HIS BODY DISINTEGRATED IN THE SUN! Awesome bit of storytelling there... Very logical.

However, in the gameplay department, Prey is sorely, sorely lacking. Since you are essentially playing with Godmode on (in fact, because the whole "deathwalking" bit is so fucking boring, I'd just recommend turning on Godmode to begin with), the developers felt no need to balance any monsters or any encounters. Those flying red-dotted robots, for example. Launch heatseeking bullets, three of which kill you. Or they launch mines which have a blast radius of approximately 80% of the entire level. If one of those hits you, you'll be lucky to survive. And they send 4, 5 of those at you at any one time. Wow, that's real great.

Or, my real favorite. Quick everyone, what's more fun than a guy with a rocket launcher in a small enclosed area? TWO GUYS WITH A ROCKET LAUNCHER! Woohoo!

Every time I died I just read PC Gamer for a minute while the stupid birds flew around, then I continued playing, died again, waited again, continued, until I finally managed to kill those bastards (only to get at least four more, ofcourse).

The worst offender in this aspect was the final level, with all those fucking Keepers. Great, monsters that take 10 blasts from your own rocket launcher to die, that's just great fun.

Blergh.

But those levels are sure purdy.

Creston

Is it at least set in the 80s? Come on, it's Miami Vice. That show was always a big showcase for the 80s as much as anything.

I doubt I'll go see it. Miami Vice without Don Johnson diving into the filthy miami harbor and coming out with his hair intact is just not Miami Vice.

Creston

Hi Creston,

I'd already rolled out Windows Defender (gah... another farking generically-named piece of software..) at work a few months ago. It's a bigger resource hog than MSAS, it's got some functionality removed, so I think anyway, but still seems to half-decently catch stuff.

Eh, I'll live. It's not my only home machine - though it's the only one out of the four that runs any flavor of Windows (and thus, is the one on which I play games... moving on..).

As to Prey, love the demo, visuals, etc; however, I can't bring myself to spend so much on games at the moment - bills, rent and a few unexpected financial things and all that. I'm planning to wait until it hits at most $30 or around there. *shrug*

Dan =0)

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GW: Akpuk Lienad Lvl20 Mo/Me, Dilkaen Pauk Lvl10 Ne/El, Keilda Nakup Lvl 1 Ra, Leana Kipduk Lvl 13 El/Ra, Kaliena Dupk Lvl 4 Rt

Is it at least set in the 80s?

From what I can tell in the preview(s), no...

Never saw much of the original series, as much as I like some of the music. Which, I suppose, doesn't have to do with watching, or liking, the series itself...

Dan =0)

Self-plug: http://www.dankupka.com, http://www.myspace.com/dankupkamusic
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No, and they should have went retro with it ala GTA:VC. As someone who grew up and enjoyed the show I was hoping for the show, but grittier. Would have been a great laugh and flashback seeing everyone in 80's threads.

The one thing I'll give Mann is that his work is very deliberate. I recall the first time I saw Heat I didn't much care for it, but with every subsequent viewing I came to love it more and more. I think MV will probably fit - more or less - into that category. But...let's face it, Colin Farrel and Jamie Foxx are no Pacino and DeNiro either.

Hoping to get to see POTC2 this week. And for anyone who hasn't seen Supes at the theater yet, see it on the big screen before it goes. It's totally worth it...as Enahs and his lost biscuit will attest to.

Kind of looking forward to Ricky Bobby, but apart from that I can't hink of anything in the next few months I'm stoked to see except Casino Royale in November.


"But, seriously, no B.S, if you ever want to rap,
or, you know, just get weird with somebody...hey, buddies for life."
- Carl Spackler

Prey was a good looking game.

But it was kinda boring, I was disappointed.

They did the wall walking, portals and spirit walking all to make a very linear and predictable game. Go through alien ship, kill aliens, kill bigger aliens, repeat.

The weapons where horrible too, to damn arcade-y.

For what it was it was done very well, and it was fun enough to play through….but I just kind of thought….meh.


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The Prey demo seemed like a good gimmick (Portals, which have been now shown better in Portal), a lame gimmick (spirit walking) and very generic gameplay.

Like Quake 4, with portals.

I haven't played the full thing, but I watched my roommate play some of it on the 360. The levels I saw kind of took the wind out of my sails. I wanted to play it figuring it would be a generic but solid game, what I watched just looked boring.


I am, however, dying for Portal. I'm looking for something with really good puzzles.

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Doomriders: the first new band worth a signature - http://www.deathwishinc.com/

I just noticed the latest guild message about the previous message being a rather depressing one. I was wondering, what was the message?

Bucky has left the building.

Glad to see the guild isn't quite dead yet, and that it feels happy (sort of).

You missed a fun late night run the other night...Hez, Rodya, myself and a few others made it through Nu-Underworld. Started w/ 7 plus a bot, lost one player in lvl 2 and another about 1/3 of the way through level 4. So we finished w/ 5 people..with a -60% bot in tow.





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GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 16 W/Mo

No venomhed, you can't fuck me. Please stop asking.