Animation Complete, and Yes It Was Awesome

Wow, busy past two days.  As I said in the previous post I was working on an animation for a friend of a friend of mine.  It actually turned out pretty well.  After I gave the animation to him, his exact quote was “OMG.  DUDE. this is awesome” so I’d say he’s happy with it ^_^  I don’t know exactly what it is for, other than I made a digging animation (as in what on does with a shovel), and it might be awhile before it’s actually gonna be used.  I dunno if I can say who I made it for or any other details other than the above, so good luck to the guy I made it for.  PERSON.  Person I made it for…yes…that’s it….persian sand tigers…

Also in the news is WAR’s NDA has now been dropped, and since I signed up my pre-order info apparantly with 49,999 others I’ve been lucky enough to get in on a Warhammer Online preview weekend.  It’s an invite only sort of thing, I feel special.  But this is a double whammy.  See, my cd-rom and or hard drive are being pissy, so I can’t use my cd/dvd drive or my pc locks, then keeps giving me boot errors when I attempt to turn it back on, so I needed a way to get the game info on my pc.  Luckily enough, since I’m part of this preview weekend (this Friday to Monday) I actually downloaded the client.  Furthermore since I pre-ordered I’m guaranteed a spot on the live game headstart.  Basically I can play the game before it’s out…meaning since it didn’t ship yet I’d *have* to use the download client, so the odds of me actually needed to install with a disk are slim.  AND I’ll get to play WAR this weekend, and since the NDA is down I can say that.  Woot!

When I uploaded the shoveling animation into SL today I was told by another friend that I might have more work with someone else, which is obviously a bonus.  Three cheers for gainful employment!

Tomorrow I should write.  Should.  Hopefully I WILL but, this remains to be seen.
 

-Enric

I’m feeling animated today.

My puns tickle my sense of humor like a man made of feathers on an island made of noses.  (It’s supposed to be a punny, not funny.  “Punny” being just a few shades above “Cheesy” and just a few shades below “Chuckle-Worthy”) Just a minor post, got an offer to animate something today.  I’ll update this later as I get closer to finishing it.  Now begins the glorious struggle with the animation program to make it do what I want, as it digs in and vehemently tries to stop me from getting anything done.  Joy.

 
-Enric

Hah! The Phone Girl Must Play Alliance.

I find it funny how every five days I happen to get the ‘I should type something today’ itch, or if it just works out that way.  I noticed it happened with my second and third posts, so I guess I’ll stick to at least that.

Wanna know what I bought yesterday?  It’s right here.  ::shakes box, contents go clunkity-clunk::  Any guesses?  WAR baby!  Oy, what a delightful time that was too.  My birthday was recently, and I have stock-piled Best Buy gift cards from xmas, so that means I’m gonna buy it from Best Buy.  In theory.

My girlfriend’s car has been acting up, apparently the starter doesn’t wanna do what it was named for.  Every time she turns the ignition, if it doesn’t start up, we hear a dull clang under the hood.  I’d describe it best as throwing a corpse head first into a metal girder.  Such a pleasant sound.  Some twenty times later it may start the car.  In order to avoid wasting time and gas, we decide to call Best Buy, just in case, to make sure they have some pre-order boxes left.

A quick “411″ and we are put on hold as someone looks.  Apparently ‘looks’ means to be transferred now, and someone from the electronic section (which really narrows it down in Best Buy) says they’ll check it out for us and we are on hold again.  Total of six minutes on hold during this call, mind you.  Then *click* and someone picks up, a girl laughing saying “Sorry we are all out” and then the phone call was over.   I guess they laugh at you when they have bad news for you now, new policy.

Hmm.  Maybe GameStop.  I generally go there as they are almost right next door where I live and the people working there have been there for at least a few years.  Nothing against Best Buy, but when I have a quick in-and-out “I need a WoW time card” boom they get it, I pay, transaction accomplished.  I’m well on my way back to the PC and more importantly back to the game.   So I go to check online if GameStop gets a special bonus item with the pre-order.  But then it hits me that I have ‘free money’ in gift cards so I *need* to get it via Best Buy or my cards will expire before I use them.  Which lead me to want to get the game online. 

Only Best Buy has *no* pre-order information on it’s site.  Directly from http://www.warhammeronline.com/preorder/ as well, ironically enough.  The only hint of a pre-order is when you go to add it to cart it says “Pre-order” and it will ship the 18th or so.  Which makes me feel that this is for the *game* and not to get the pre-order box.  I want the bonus items!  If I’m gonna get the game either way and pay the same price it might as well be with bonus items.  “Rittenbach’s Portable Camp,” I’m looking at you.

Now, just for comparison, GameStop also has a link from the pre-order page, yet they specifically state you WILL be getting bonus pre-order items, which makes me worry even more that I’ll be gypped if I order online with Best Buy.  We call the ironicly named customer service only to have someone we think said her name was Linda tell us she believes we won’t get anything other than the game itself if we buy it online from Best Buy, which means we gotta go in person.  We thank Linda for her time and hang up.

Me and my girlfriend discuss, and decide as to not waste gas on a ‘pointless’ trip should Best Buy not have the pre-order box as the bubbly female worker on the other end of the phone said, we’ll go and eat at a Chinese Buffet.  10 bucks for all you can eat.  Pass the Crab Rangoon my friend or get the hell out of my way, I’m having some of THAT, thank-you.

So we go, hearing the fleshy skull-on-metal sound a good number of times, the car resurrects itself, and we’re off.  Minor detour to avoid construction, of course, and we arrive!  Silent nod to the Doorman, and we work our way to the PC game ‘isle’…only to find a good thirty pre-order boxes.

As I look up as from this isle I can see about five employees at the computer section itself, some twenty feet away.  Only one girl is ‘manning’ that section, pun intended.  All the guys are ‘working’ near her and letting the customers walk about as she’s laughing and soaking up all the attention from them.  After observing their behavior I quickly brush it off, as I got the prize I was looking for.  But I did have enough time to have a few thoughts run through my head.

“Lying, incompetent WHORE.”

We walk to the check out, pay for the pre-order, the cashier says I just have to bring the box and receipt when the game comes out and the 10.75 I paid will be taken off the price of the game.  I knew I’d get the amount reduced but I appreciate him going out of his way to ensure I get the game when it ships.  At least this guy is earning his pay.

Put the cards back into my pocket, I raise the box and receipt at the Doorman and we’re free to enjoy our General Tao’s Chicken.  That guy must have had a lot of chicken’s, as every time I’ve been to the Buffet they always have more of the stuff.
 

-Enric

Ode to Warhammer Online

In the flavor of Guy Fawkes: 

Remember, Remember The Eighteenth of September,
The Day “WAAAGH” Is Screamed ‘Cross the Net.
The Faithful With Patience,
Form Orc Battle Formations,
Under The Banner of Barnett.

WAR *is* coming, my friends.  As it has been foreseen and written in the great book of Owning, Chapter 42, Verse 1332-1337:

“After a time of great deliberation, Mark the Stalwart shall unsheathe his mighty blade and hack off the unwanted from his grand creation.  Four warriors will be deemed unworthy of the upcoming battle, and He sends them back to whence they came. 

The warriors are filled with rage within themselves as they are exiled.  Instead of accepting their shame they cry out for revenge as they band together and destroy four cities in their blood lust.  They attempt to burn the remaining two, but Paul the Mad and Josh the Enlightener will best their efforts, and finally silence the four wayward souls.

Time passes and all grows quiet.  The dust begins to settle.  The remaining combatants wonder if any more will be denied entry to the grand arena.  Mark the Stalwart casts his mighty gaze upon the battlefield, peering out for anything that does not please him.  In the distance He hears cries of The Dedicated asking for a sign.  He finds his world is ready, and speaks this great joy directly to The Believers.

There is much rejoicing.

War songs play and banquets are held, a mighty celebration planned for the eighteenth of the ninth month.  During this time Paul the Mad and Josh the Enlightener are joined by Jeff the Pillager and Adam the Mutard as they wade through their massive following until they reach the Tome of Knowledge.  Finally all is ready.

All of the Great Ones assemble before the masses.  As they open their mighty Tome, the vast amounts of The Dedicated, The Faithful, and The Believers shall bask in the greatness of WAAAGH!!”

War is coming, and it is good.

 
-Enric

Bloggin’ on the Noggin’

Well, I need to change the look of this here blog, I says.  The pure white look just does not match my style.  It does, however match my tan.  Good lord this boy is pasty.  I’m no albino, that’s genetic.  Though I am as close as I can get minus the Jackson Treatment and I’m no fan of needles or bleach so this is the epitome of white, my friends. 

Supposedly fair skin was a sign of royalty back in the day.  Proved the lady was so well off she never had to go outside, or that she was so busy training to cook and clean that she just didn’t have time for anything else.  Tomatoes, toe-mah-toes.  Personally I find the fair-skinned look appealing, which could be why the female goth look is quite popular with guys online I’ve noticed.  Now, I’m not talking about the fully twinked out Goth that frightens small animals and cannot ride a swing without their piercings whistling.  No, that is not my cup of tea, thank-you.  The less “look at me, please?” Goth is what actually gets my attention.  The ideal here would be short hair, usually a dark color to further offset the light skin, knee-high boots and pleated skirt with a corset.  Throw in a spiked collar and we got ourselves a winner.

Not that seeing women dressed like that does anything for me or anything.  /ahem

Also I think I figured out how these blogs get around, I didn’t get the Tag and Category options at first, as when I actually used a blog ‘back in the day’ they didn’t even have those options.  Though I think it best if I don’t Tag this post, lest the Goth Gab at the top frighten off any readers.  “First the Nerd Dominatrix now the Hot Goth, think of the children!”  Bah.  After awhile of hearing crap like that on TV ‘reports’ it just gets laughable.  Anyone can connect any one to anything, but the more attention grabbing -IE: Advertising Revenue- the more the play it on the air.  The news does bother me, though.  It went from actually reporting news to just a professional version of a Soap Opera that makes more money.

But, as for changing the look of this place…eh.  I’ll have to tinker.  And tags!  Use tags…yes…wonderful tags, marvelous tags…

 

-Enric

I ate all the rice pudding.

I’m not even gonna deny it.  ::laughs::  I’m not!  It was good!  Well, it wasn’t the best, but it was darn good.  Especially considering it was rice pudding, I haven’t had that since I’ve gone to a restaurant and chose it as desert.  Then the waitress comes back and gives it to you, and it’s either extremely too small, or slightly too large.  I don’t recall ever getting a perfect amount.  Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy to guess this sort of thing, I mean the cook doesn’t even know me or my size so it’s really just a spur of the moment sort of choice.  Yes they have amounts they probably have to fill the orders with, but I’m sure the waitress has some part to do with it, at least a small one.  (”Give him a little extra, Mr. J.  Yeah he’s a real sweet hawrt, thanks!  ::walks out and serves said dessert:: Hear ya go!  Puddin’!” )

And if that *is* the case then the chef isn’t entirely at fault, it would be in part the waitress’ for giving me too much.  Or perhaps both?  Chef give too little?  Why isn’t the chef giving too much and the waitress requesting less?  Because I like my imaginary waitress and she likes me, that’s why.  If your imaginary waitress is ripping you off of rice pudding then I highly suggest seeking psychiatric attention and replacing her with a better version.

What does this topic have to do with anything?  Not a damn thing, my friend.  You see, I was told that blogging is a grand way to self-promote yourself.  This came as a surprise to me as just a few years ago it was a clear indication of geekdom (Geekdom being a place for all things Geek, not geeks with a domination fetish.  How would that even work anyway? A leather-clad woman with a whip above an overweight man with thick glasses screaming “Who uses a d20?!  WHO?!”)…but now every one and their uncle has one of these things.  So what do I have to promote?  Who am I, anyway?

I am a writer, builder (in Second Life), sleeper, and gamer.  More precisely if you were to base this upon hours spent doing the above in the last year it would be in the reverse order, but well, who cares about those details.  As for beneficial details, in order it would be:

Writer!  I’ve been having an idea for a movie on and off for some time now and recently have attempted to pen it.  I have yet to publish anything, but one day I was at work, doing a retail job thinking about movies I have seen recently and how ghastly some of them were and realized that every person is just a person, and every movie has to be approved by a person, and it has to be written by a person.  (Repeating “person” so much is making me giggle) Personally (tee hee!), I think that I can do a hell of a lot better than some crap I’ve seen lately, so I left that retail job and have since started writing a script.  Basically, even the higher-ups are just people in suits that had to start somewhere, the only thing stopping me is me doing nothing about it.  Though, if I am having a slow day writing, or just feel the urge to create something, I then become a…

Builder!  I ‘played’ Second Life just about one year ago when I got bored of WoW and needed something somewhat productive to do.  I then saw you could actually make money selling things and I was hooked.  I have yet to sell anything, minus one animation I created, but I still stayed on and off.  I did end up putting a halt on playing as I just didn’t have the time, but I have since come ‘back’ to the game and started making random things again.  I was lucky enough to get contacted out of the blue to make something for someone, and have since been working on that project.  My in-game name is Enric Darkstone and I’ll more than likely be updating this blog with screen shots of things I create.  This is actually one of the main purposes of this blog, but eh, never know where Fate takes you.  Though, as Second Life is a game when you boil it down, I am thus classified as a…

Gamer!  My personal favorite title, I might add.  I’ve been playing games for years, though no Nintendo for me, though I did play a friend’s system whenever I visited.  I didn’t get really sunk into until I got a Playstation back in ‘96 or ‘97.  Been kind of a blur since hee hee  But I do like to think I’m good at it.  As far as what games I am currently playing it would be Diablo 2 on and off, Team Fortress 2 (also on and off), and my current MMO is WoW, as my girlfriend bought me a time card for my birthday.  After it runs out hopefully Warhammer Online is out so I can play that, as that is what I’m *really* waiting for.  But, after a long day one does have to become a…

Sleeper.  Not much really to say here, I’m sleeping.  We all clock in enough hours to qualify as one, in my opinion, but this one is still a negative title in my eyes as generally I fall asleep of boredom laying in bed as I’d rather be working on one of the above instead of wasting time asleep.  “So you’re going to blog about you sleeping?”  No!  Well, minus the above paragraph, no!

You see, if I’m going to keep up this blog running even somewhat regularly it has to be about something I actually am willing to type about *regularly*.   And things that are important to *me* may not be important to *you*, but I will try to keep it entertaining.  I already know that only so many people are going to think the above D20 Dominatrix line is funny.  It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just that I know my limitations.  So one day I might be posting about pudding and my fantasy waitress, another might be a rant or rave about whatever game I’m playing or waiting to play, or it might even be just a post promoting something I’ve built in Second Life and plan on selling, or don’t.  Might be something funny I’ve written, or something pertaining to what I’m thinking about writing, or it could be just me typing about a dream I’ve had, or thoughts I’ve thought.  Random, baby!  It’s the new thing.

 
-Enric