Eagle eyed and regular readers would note that I change my 'Rants' and 'Raves' side column all the time.
For the first time through I will actually explain what has inspired these 'Rants' and 'Raves'.
Rant- Blogger Upload Limits: self explanatory this one. I am annoyed I can't upload my last couple Raged Death Combos to my Apocryphic Videos blog. It's a sucky development for sure.
Rave- Last Season of Lost... so good!: Another easy one, the last season of Lost on ABC is really captivating and really is a reward for watching the show for as long as the fans have. From twists galore to shocking deaths and returns, this season has it all. It's going to be a real dark day when I realize I have no new Lost to look forward too.
Rant- No Promotion Chance for Zaffy: This one is really driving me nutty. I have been the same rank with Zaffy for a minute and for some strange reason Xbox Live is refusing to match me up with people remotely close to my rank. I mean 1st Dan and Mentors? 9th Kyuu's? Really?!? I want my top 10 spot damnit.
Rave- Ninja Gaiden II: Easily one of the blood filled games I have played EVER and it's soo good. The demo is action packed and filled with tons of stuff to do and people to slice. LOVE the new 'obliteration' technique and new Ninpo (Wind Blades... sick!). Kinda sad it didn't end with a boss encounter but eh, more to look forward to when I actually buy the game.
Rant- New season of Heroes, not announced yet: It's crazy, Lost is ending and my other favorite genre show hasn't had a official announcement if it's coming back. I know Heroes is getting flack from everyone and there dog but the show has it's die hard fans (me and my family are in that category) and it's wrong how they are holding out. Renew the show already! I mean, Sylar being a good guy, the world knowing about super powered people? It can't end like that?
Rave- This Sunday is my second anniversary and I am really looking forward to spending time with my lovely wife. Hopefully we can get away.
Well that's that.
pP
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Magnetic Shockwave
So as promised, I am back and regular visitors would noticed April's music player is FINALLY up. Yeah it took me a minute to find some good music I wanted to share and nothing out there really has rocked my socks lately. I mean after 'Echo' by Leona Lewis and 'The Fame Monster' by Lady Gaga, I haven't heard or seen anything that has really impressed me. So I went old skool.
I dug into my collection and decided to go with two artists I really like:
First off is Gorillaz
The wackiest cartoon band is back with 'Plastic Beach' but I am still rocking their old tunes. One of my favorites is 'Rockit' with it's uber disturbing video. The demon in the video is also the same demon in the image and one of the reasons why I picked it. I mean how can you not love 'Rockit' with it's 'reject false icons' message and 'blah blah blah' hook (not the Ke$ha song).
Next is Foxy Brown
The incredible lame-ness of newest female rap star Nicki Minaj reminds me of why I miss Foxy Brown and how I wish she was making more music. I know she is still around but I was really feeling her during her 'Broken Silence' days and I was kinda salty her follow up album 'Ill Na Na 2: The Fever" was shelved. Thankfully the internet scores and I was able to find leaked tracks from it including the song 'Magnetic'. I love the old skool Neptune sound and this is a prime example. Add Foxy spitting some hot stuff like "you know your the best when rap dudes got at you". Damn girl is something else.
So 2... not 3 songs. I am feeling different.
pP
P.S. LOL random spammers... I guess spamming in a foreign language means you don't understand me when I say I moderate my comments now. Well keep trying, I'll keep rejecting them.
I dug into my collection and decided to go with two artists I really like:
First off is Gorillaz
The wackiest cartoon band is back with 'Plastic Beach' but I am still rocking their old tunes. One of my favorites is 'Rockit' with it's uber disturbing video. The demon in the video is also the same demon in the image and one of the reasons why I picked it. I mean how can you not love 'Rockit' with it's 'reject false icons' message and 'blah blah blah' hook (not the Ke$ha song).
Next is Foxy Brown
The incredible lame-ness of newest female rap star Nicki Minaj reminds me of why I miss Foxy Brown and how I wish she was making more music. I know she is still around but I was really feeling her during her 'Broken Silence' days and I was kinda salty her follow up album 'Ill Na Na 2: The Fever" was shelved. Thankfully the internet scores and I was able to find leaked tracks from it including the song 'Magnetic'. I love the old skool Neptune sound and this is a prime example. Add Foxy spitting some hot stuff like "you know your the best when rap dudes got at you". Damn girl is something else.
So 2... not 3 songs. I am feeling different.
pP
P.S. LOL random spammers... I guess spamming in a foreign language means you don't understand me when I say I moderate my comments now. Well keep trying, I'll keep rejecting them.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
House keeping
So regular vistors to my blog would notice some little changes. The most obvious is the new color scheme. I decided to go with a 'cool' color scheme, especially after the 'Man on Fire' inspired one I had.
This blog isn't as busy as it used to be mainly because I am focusing alot of my blogging into my Apocryphic Videos blog, especially now I actually have stuff to showcase. I will try to come back and drop some words now and again through.
There will be some more minor changes and yep some new music will be added.
Keep it locked, Rants & Raves isn't going nowhere.
pP
This blog isn't as busy as it used to be mainly because I am focusing alot of my blogging into my Apocryphic Videos blog, especially now I actually have stuff to showcase. I will try to come back and drop some words now and again through.
There will be some more minor changes and yep some new music will be added.
Keep it locked, Rants & Raves isn't going nowhere.
pP
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Forever Young
Sorry it took me a minute to come back to my 'main' blog but my other blog (shameless plug www.apocryphicvideos.blogspot.com) has really be taking up most of my time.
One of the sure things 'Rants & Raves' would blog about was the three songs I was feeling for the new month. I was liking them so much that I would want to share them with y'all. However as of late, I haven't really heard anything that blows me away and stuff that I should like, like Ke$ha feat 3OH3!'s 'Blah Blah' isn't really rocking my socks.
The only real song I would want to share would be 'Young Forever' by Jay Z feat Mr. Hudson and that's a shame because I usually have a couple good songs to chat about.
Ah well, maybe the week will change and I'll find some new music (or old music) I would like to share.
Until then...
pP
One of the sure things 'Rants & Raves' would blog about was the three songs I was feeling for the new month. I was liking them so much that I would want to share them with y'all. However as of late, I haven't really heard anything that blows me away and stuff that I should like, like Ke$ha feat 3OH3!'s 'Blah Blah' isn't really rocking my socks.
The only real song I would want to share would be 'Young Forever' by Jay Z feat Mr. Hudson and that's a shame because I usually have a couple good songs to chat about.
Ah well, maybe the week will change and I'll find some new music (or old music) I would like to share.
Until then...
pP
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Welcome Back
Yep, I decided to take a month off from blogging but now I am back.
As you can hear, the music hasn't been updated and that's mainly because I wasn't really feeling any songs for the last month. I now have a couple ideas what I want to use but I will be saving them for the April mix.
Also check out my other blog www.apocryphicvideos.blogspot.com for the first of my Tekken 6 Rage Death Combo Videos.
pP
P.S. No more random comments please. Consider this blog moderated.
As you can hear, the music hasn't been updated and that's mainly because I wasn't really feeling any songs for the last month. I now have a couple ideas what I want to use but I will be saving them for the April mix.
Also check out my other blog www.apocryphicvideos.blogspot.com for the first of my Tekken 6 Rage Death Combo Videos.
pP
P.S. No more random comments please. Consider this blog moderated.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Taking her to the next level: Zafina (part 1)
It's been awhile since I purely blogged. This a pure gamer blog so be forewarned I will be using Tekken terminology and gaming terminology like meaty, hit confirming and what not.
One of the reasons I haven't been blogging is because I have been so caught up playing T6 on my XBox 360 and working on the combos videos which are all coming together.
One thing I have noticed whilst working on my Zafina combo video is how she is designed. My personal understanding of Zaffy (as me and my friends affectionately call her)is she is best played as a counter hit hunting/ poke intensive character.
She has alot of moves that support this theory. She has b+1+2 which is a long distance low poke. Db+2 is a good meaty mid poke that gives her slight advantage as well. She can also use df+3 and then 4 which acts as a natural combo, good for punishing long distance whiffs and un-safe moves. However the player needs to hit confirm the first hit before going for either follow up because both of her follow ups can be option selected out of (i.e you can duck the high and block the low if you block the first hit).
Another good move that works wonders on people who don't know the match-up is 2,1,3. A high, mid and the low string that grounds opponents and leaves Zaf in Mantis (one of her stances). Once people get familiar with it, 2,1 by itself is a good poke string and if the 1 hits on counter hit which usually happens people try to interupt the slow low, she gets a juggle.
This leads us to one of Zaffy's more important tatics, counter hit hunting. 3 of Zafina's better moves require counter hits to make the 2nd hit guranteed. B+4,4 is one of them. B+4,4 is launch punishable on block, it however does alot of damage (51 on CH) and can also wall splat if done up close to a wall for a very damaging wall combo. The beauty of b+4 is on counter hit you get a Zaffy specific hit spark (purple) which is a indicator to end the move or not finish it at all.
A move very similar to this is Tarantula 4,3. It is punishable on block but the 4 has a hit spark if you hit it on CH and you can then finish the move to get a proper combo.
The final move is d+4,3. D+4,3 is safe, however it is low,high so anyone aware of the move should be ducking the last hit. On counter hit through, the move become natural. You do not get a hit spark if the move hits on counter through, you get a change in animation (opp is hopping and holding there knee/shin) so you need to be extra alert to spot and finish this one. The reward is well worth it through.
Db+4,2 is similar to d+4,3 in that you need to counter hit confirm before ending the move but db+4 is unsafe, the db+4,2 is launch punishable AND you get no special animation if it hits on counter, so use it at your own peril.
This first part address, Zaf's pokes and counter hit hunting both essential parts of her game. The next part will address okizemi and high damage juggles. I will also be updating this post with pictures.
pP
One of the reasons I haven't been blogging is because I have been so caught up playing T6 on my XBox 360 and working on the combos videos which are all coming together.
One thing I have noticed whilst working on my Zafina combo video is how she is designed. My personal understanding of Zaffy (as me and my friends affectionately call her)is she is best played as a counter hit hunting/ poke intensive character.
She has alot of moves that support this theory. She has b+1+2 which is a long distance low poke. Db+2 is a good meaty mid poke that gives her slight advantage as well. She can also use df+3 and then 4 which acts as a natural combo, good for punishing long distance whiffs and un-safe moves. However the player needs to hit confirm the first hit before going for either follow up because both of her follow ups can be option selected out of (i.e you can duck the high and block the low if you block the first hit).
Another good move that works wonders on people who don't know the match-up is 2,1,3. A high, mid and the low string that grounds opponents and leaves Zaf in Mantis (one of her stances). Once people get familiar with it, 2,1 by itself is a good poke string and if the 1 hits on counter hit which usually happens people try to interupt the slow low, she gets a juggle.
This leads us to one of Zaffy's more important tatics, counter hit hunting. 3 of Zafina's better moves require counter hits to make the 2nd hit guranteed. B+4,4 is one of them. B+4,4 is launch punishable on block, it however does alot of damage (51 on CH) and can also wall splat if done up close to a wall for a very damaging wall combo. The beauty of b+4 is on counter hit you get a Zaffy specific hit spark (purple) which is a indicator to end the move or not finish it at all.
A move very similar to this is Tarantula 4,3. It is punishable on block but the 4 has a hit spark if you hit it on CH and you can then finish the move to get a proper combo.
The final move is d+4,3. D+4,3 is safe, however it is low,high so anyone aware of the move should be ducking the last hit. On counter hit through, the move become natural. You do not get a hit spark if the move hits on counter through, you get a change in animation (opp is hopping and holding there knee/shin) so you need to be extra alert to spot and finish this one. The reward is well worth it through.
Db+4,2 is similar to d+4,3 in that you need to counter hit confirm before ending the move but db+4 is unsafe, the db+4,2 is launch punishable AND you get no special animation if it hits on counter, so use it at your own peril.
This first part address, Zaf's pokes and counter hit hunting both essential parts of her game. The next part will address okizemi and high damage juggles. I will also be updating this post with pictures.
pP
Friday, February 5, 2010
Starstrukk
It's a brand new month, the shortest month but a new month never less. So without anymore fanfare, I bring you the new music for this month. I actually had all these songs in mind before the start of the month which is pretty rare for me. I knew however that these will be my songs for February for sure.
Steaming by Sarah McLachlan- I love Sarah, she was actually part of January mix as well, I recently got her Greatest Hits cd and whilst I listened to it, I came to realize how much I love this song. Steaming from her 2nd lp 'Solace' is probably my favorite song from that album. It's a combination of the deep lyrics and awesome dual chorus which ALWAYS get me.
Tik Tok by Kesha- A relatively new artist, on first listen I was perplexed by this song but just like another song (you might know it, it's called 'Just Dance') this song grew on me and now I find myself singing it to myself all the time. This song is definitely coming to a combo video/ AVision very soon. I mean "fight till we see the sunlight" on a stage in T6 called 'Temple Grounds' where background actually changes from night to day, tell me that isn't cool!
Starstrukk by 3OH!3 feat Katy Perry- 3OH!3 is back with their crazy sense of humor and sick beats. These guys have been on my music hit list before and with Starstrukk they not only make a reappearance but also get a blog named after them. Also crazy is I am not a big fan of Katy Perry but she fits really well on this song.
Well, enjoy!
pP
Steaming by Sarah McLachlan- I love Sarah, she was actually part of January mix as well, I recently got her Greatest Hits cd and whilst I listened to it, I came to realize how much I love this song. Steaming from her 2nd lp 'Solace' is probably my favorite song from that album. It's a combination of the deep lyrics and awesome dual chorus which ALWAYS get me.
Tik Tok by Kesha- A relatively new artist, on first listen I was perplexed by this song but just like another song (you might know it, it's called 'Just Dance') this song grew on me and now I find myself singing it to myself all the time. This song is definitely coming to a combo video/ AVision very soon. I mean "fight till we see the sunlight" on a stage in T6 called 'Temple Grounds' where background actually changes from night to day, tell me that isn't cool!
Starstrukk by 3OH!3 feat Katy Perry- 3OH!3 is back with their crazy sense of humor and sick beats. These guys have been on my music hit list before and with Starstrukk they not only make a reappearance but also get a blog named after them. Also crazy is I am not a big fan of Katy Perry but she fits really well on this song.
Well, enjoy!
pP
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