Category Archives: geekspeak

site-related techspeak, computer crap, other technical garble not of interest to the general populace.

otaku

Video Skillz

For your viewing pleasure… Anime Punch 2006, as presented by the Weekly Anime Review Podcast.

In March of 2006, Aaron and I attended Anime Punch (aka The Armageddicon) in Columbus, and we brought the old-school 8mm videocamera for shits and giggles. I played videographer and taped a few panels, some musical guests, and some otaku milling about in the hotel lobby for ambience. Aaron finally happened upon the source footage tapes last week, and captured them to his computer, setting into motion the process of video making. Also known as “Oh, shit — I’m certified in defunct non-linear video editing software, and now I have to translate that knowledge to a more basic yet more pirateable prevalent program.”

I acted mainly as technical consultant, showing Aaron the basics of nonlinear video editing — take your giant source file, make little clips of the stuff you want to use, then string those clips together on the timeline. We learned some things together, like how to apply audio and video transitions in Premiere. He was the main artistic force behind the project, deciding which clips to use, whether to keep the ambient sound, things like that. I put together the images for the intro, suggested the basic wipe as a non-annoying transition (“Is that like what they used in Star Wars?” “Yeah.” “OK, that sounds good.”), and showed Aaron the ropes of video editing, so to speak.

Both of us decided that we’re feeling a little better about someday making an AMV — well, I have about 10 seconds of one put together, but I feel like I might be able to finish the next minute and a half of my short song without crashing and burning.

But, yeah. Good times. Aaron wants to buy a digital video camera now. 🙂

geekspeak

Game Design Oversight

So, as per usual, I was whiling away the hours playing CivCity: Rome this evening. I completed the campaign I had started last night, then began a new mission. Unfortunately, I was so stoked about successfully completing the previous military mission that I failed to save my game before starting anew. This created a slight annoyance when the Egyptians overcame my legionnaires and velites (OK, non-Latin speakers, v’s are pronounced like w’s, so say it in your head: WELL-ih-tays. Close enough).

Anyway, the dudes with swords and the dudes with javelins were toast. I had no more army. And here come the fucking Egyptians. Dammit. Where’s the “Concede Defeat” button? How about “Restart Mission”? No? You mean I have to just wait around for the damned Egyptians to either a.) destroy my Town Center or b.) inadvertently cause me to run out of money?

Wait. Where are they going? My Town Center is RIGHT THERE. Where you came in? Where you fellas headed, anyway? Oh, you’re just going to plunder and sack the entire town. Nice. I’m gonna go get a glass of milk. Call me when you’re done.

Ten or fifteen minutes later, the marauders finally, FINALLY made me run out of money. Killing all the workers and destroying the tax-revenue-generating houses will do that, I suppose. The bastards never did attack my Town Center, even when I used my last remaining… um… shit. Singular of “velites” is… *hits google in ultimate geeky frustration* …veles. I think it’s one of those funky third declension nouns? It’s been over seven years since I took any Latin. —Anyway, even when I lured them over toward the Town Center to kill my last javelin dude, my dude proved victorious over the one enemy dude that was sent over to dispatch him, and no one else cared.

Long story short, I finally got to restart after I ran out of money and the Senate refused to grant me another loan. This time, I was sure to save BEFORE I started the mission, so I can reload my saved game if things go south on me again.

otaku

Gone To The Con

Heading out to Ohayocon in the morning. Planning to stop in Waldo en route for some fried bologna sandwiches. Meeting Amy at the Drury Inn & Suites (hopefully before opening ceremonies), and all three of us are bunking up in a hotel room for the weekend.

This might be our last con for a while (or we might go to Anime Punch in the spring), so I’m planning to live it up. Not that I don’t usually, but you know.

Still need to pack my clothes, get Amy’s Christmas and birthday presents ready, upload the Low Carb Lifestyle Podcast episode so generously recorded by a guest podcaster, and do some dishes (if I don’t fall asleep first). I’m sure there’s something I’ve forgotten, too, but I’ll think of it eventually.

I’m tired already. This can’t be good.

otaku 1 Comment

Hen Na Gaijin

For anyone who remembers Jeff “Pip” Hawley, from Residential Computing Connection at BGSU:

Japanese T-shirt “Hen na Gaijin” (I’m a Strange Foreigner)

I remember him telling us that the Japanese exchange students nicknamed him Henna Gaijin, which he said meant crazy foreigner. It’s one of only two phrases I picked up from him that semester we were both Senior Lab Coordinators. The other one was “Nihongo o hanashimasen,” (although I believe it’s technically “wo,” but pronounced “o”?), which basically means “I don’t speak Japanese.” Not exactly the literal translation, but close enough.

Since back then, in the year 1999 or so, I’ve learned a few more phrases, and a little of how the language is structured, and a few bits of hiragana and katakana (I can recognize “n,” “to,” “ro,” “no,” and “shi,” from sheer repitition alone). I can introduce myself, and get into a knife fight with the Yakuza, and warn the locals that Gojira is coming. Being that I’m not going to Japan anytime soon, though, I’m not in a big hurry to actually learn the language, although it’s something I want to accomplish someday.

Although I can’t speak or read Japanese, that doesn’t keep me from totally digging on Japanese language and culture.