Bradezone

I offer this advisory warning: the content of this post concerns a video game. If you predict your time will be wasted by continuing, then read no further. Otherwise, I’d like to tell you about Final Fantasy XII, the greatest video game ever.

Okay, so that’s a strong statement, and I may or may not have total conviction about it. But the point is that for the first time in many years, a new video game has actually forced me to reconsider my list of all-time favorites. Final Fantasy XII seems to be the culmination of every good idea that has ever been hatched about how to craft a sensational RPG. As someone who has played and beat every installment in the FF series (aside from the online FF XI), not to mention a bevy of other console RPGs, I feel at least somewhat qualified to crown FF XII the new king of the genre, its excellence readily apparent in the areas of story, art direction, battle system, and soundtrack.

The first thing I have to mention is the battle system, since it is both a radical departure from anything to which gamers are accustomed and yet a seemingly obvious evolution of the tried and true gameplay mechanics that have come before it. When I first heard of how much automation took place with the new system, I cringed. I didn’t want the battle system deprived of its strategy, which for me is a key aspect of the fun factor of any RPG. But when I bought the game, I decided to go “all in” with its pioneering concept of Gambits and resist my urge to slow the game down to its traditional pace. One impressive quality about FF XII is that it allows you play both ways, but clearly the game designers intend for you to get the most enjoyment from using Gambits—automated actions that are prioritized by you, the player. This system has just the right amount of complexity to make it accessible, but becomes even more enjoyable as you progress through the game. As you steadily compile a vast array of techniques, healing spells, status enhancing spells, and weapons, you are forced to rearrange your Gambits for maximum effectiveness. And when your party launches into battle, the fun is witnessing how well your Gambits translate into victory—and you can still interrupt the normal automated flow of battle at any time to enter a manual command. The battle system of FF XII truly is revolutionary and even causes me to have reservations about playing some of my old favorites, knowing I’d have to start entering each command manually again. And coupled with the impressive Gambit system is a challenge level that is nearly ideal. I would say I died about eight times during the game, and those demises were the legitimate result of a lack of refinement in my strategy. A couple of tweaks later, and my new set of Gambits were leading me to victory.

Since the battle system is the core of the game and the primary basis by which I judge any RPG, I will not delve into as much detail about Final Fantasy XII’s presentation, but it stands far above the competition in this area as well. The art direction is truly inspired, resulting in fascinating character designs and breathtaking locations. The textures and lighting are incredibly impressive for the PlayStation 2 and noticeably surpass the already high standards set by Final Fantasy X on the same system. The music is utterly gorgeous and perfectly complements the on-screen action at all times. Many of the creative team behind FF XII worked on Final Fantasy Tactics, another game with sterling art direction and and incredible soundtrack, so I approached FF XII with high expectations of its graphics and music, and the game surpassed those expectations demonstrably. The story in the game manages to be richly woven with political intrigue, yet remains more tightly unified than many RPGs. Because of the scope of many games in this genre, their plots too often lose focus, especially near the end. But FF XII stays on course, delivering a powerful end-game sequence without relying on contrived events to bail out any dangling plot threads. The mission is clear from the start: prevent war between two powerful nations and protect your own centrally located kingdom. FF XII never loses sight of that mission, even with the side quests that are inherent to any RPG.

For three weeks Final Fantasy XII kept me riveted (and even piqued the interest of my roommates from time to time), and I was a bit hesitant to see it come to an end, but I am thoroughly convinced I have just played something that will revolutionize the genre. I waited patiently for another modern RPG to supplant Star Ocean 3 as the best of this generation, but Final Fantasy XII goes for broke and dares to take its place alongside such legends of the genre as Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI and VII, Dragon Force, and Panzer Dragoon Saga. It has become the crown jewel of RPGs.

So I outfitted my car recently with new sound system components, and now my CDs sound glorious. Given that driving around whilst listening to music is one of my top three favorite leisure activities and that I had recently blown out a second of the four factory speakers, the time was ripe for an overhaul. Now gracing my 2000 Galant are four Polk db650 speakers, a Pioneer DEH-P4800MP head unit, and a Kenwood KSC-SW1 subwoofer. One can scarcely overstate the improvement in the clarity and power of the music-listening experience in the Brade-mobile since I upgraded. The installation itself was pretty fun, even though my car required much more effort than most vehicles would demand. I had to remove the entire back seat and peel plastic away from parts of my car I barely knew existed. It was fairly grueling and time-consuming, but I could not be more pleased with the finished product.

Normally I would not post a “look what I bought” anecdote, but in this case I feel inclined to recommend these fine items to anyone who, like me, loves to pop in a favorite CD and cruise the streets wantonly. One of life’s simple pleasures has now been made all the more enjoyable because of a few upgrades. By the way, I got the speakers and CD player at Crutchfield and the subwoofer at Techronics—it pays to shop around for the best price.

Our bachelors’ pad recently welcomed a fifth member: Kuro Kuro, the black kitty of triumph. But you can call him Kuku for short. Not only is he highly personable, he possesses a very stately appearance with his oversized ears and long legs. Everyone who has met Kuku loves him. In fact, we’ve had to stave off a couple of would-be catnappers. What is the world coming to?

Let the fanfare begin. The long (and I do mean long) awaited publication of The Trials of Kelvin and Isaac Reynolds is now a reality, and you can order your copy online by clicking the miniature book cover on the sidebar. This patently absurd novel was written by Ed Long and me during our eleventh grade year at Dickson County High School. For those keeping score, that is roughly 11 years ago. As such, you will find that the novel features the type of humor that appeals to iconoclastic high school students who value the bizarre in ample doses. You may also find that the grammar is not flawless in some cases. Having just taken a class in expository writing earlier this summer, I am now all too aware of each grammatical anomaly. But having also recently read the first book of Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I was comforted/annoyed that he too experienced some issues in this area.

The book is a shade under ten bucks, of which I will only receive three for each copy sold. And since I managed to obtain two speeding tickets this week, it appears that all proceeds from the book will be going directly to various courthouses in due time. So do not hesitate to show your compassion and assist me in this endeavor by purchasing one of the most mind-thrashing reads you will ever come across. And please feel free to leave some feedback on the store website and enhance my street cred.

…approximately 10 years after finishing high school. I took the scenic route. But I now possess a B.S. in computer science with a minor in English. I’ll be handing off my diploma to my mom, because she supported and encouraged me through the whole process, but shhh, don’t tell her about my plan. My friends and I celebrated this evening by watching The New World, eating some Domino’s pizza, and playing Dungeon Siege on the LAN in our new pad. I wanted to listen to Filter’s “Where Do We Go From Here?” but my sound card didn’t boot up properly, and I don’t think it’s quite worth a restart.

I’ll be starting full-time at the same place I’ve been working part-time for several years, developing websites for the university. I plan to veg out completely during the evenings for the next month or two, then I’ll consider doing some freelance web stuff to supplement my meager day-job earnings. Plus I have a web project of my own that I’ve been itching to work on.

Also look for the vanity-published edition of “The Trials of Kelvin and Isaac Reynolds”—the infamous novel written by Law and myself—on sale via this website very soon. And possibly other goodies you can purchase so that I can begin paying my student loans with even more ferocity. In the meantime, please note my new Paypal donate button…

First things first. With God’s merciful assistance I was able to pass all my classes this semester (with nary a D, no less) and participate in “The Great Hooding” along with my fellow special achievers. The minor caveat remains of two summer classes, but these predominantly involve writing, so I plan to enjoy them.

I have had the special opportunity of “getting my grub on” recently at two Chinese bistros here in Greenville: Lieu’s and P. F. Chang’s. Aside from honing my chopstick skills to near adequacy, I savored the flavor of each restaurant’s take on the classic Kung Pao chicken. I am pleased to report that both establishments accomplished the taste equivalent of the zapateado inside my mouth. Though I would give Lieu’s the slight advantage, I am actually more pleased that each dish left an impression wholly distinct from the other. A slight “mishap” occurred at Chang’s when I was brought Kung Pao with scallops instead of the desired poultry, a fact not discovered with certainty until half my portion was consumed. Upon allowing my fellow diners to affirm my findings, I requested an exchange and the staff promptly delivered. I should mention this was the opening night for Chang’s here in town, so a few “kinks” were bound to occur, and I was more than willing to help “iron them out” via a second helping. Also I should mention that the decor and ambiance were top notch, and the young ladies who took my name and assisted us to our table were of pleasant countenance. One wore eyelid glitter, which merely emboldens my belief that every living female has at least one piece of glitter on her at all times.

So BJU doled out our midterm grades today, and all seem fine save for my actual major courses. My current computer science classes are borderline torture, but I keep trying to tell myself that these are the last two I will have to take. I can foresee having to speak with both profs in the near future. Why do I frequently so despise my major? I truly enjoy programming for web development at my job, but getting this “general purpose” computer science degree is like being slowly charbroiled over an open flame. Sure, I might make a good burger, but the process hurts like heck.

Despite this, I am actually feeling less pseudo-depressed than I have felt the last couple of weeks. Yayness.

In other news, I have opted to be set up on my first ever blind date. Hey, everyone needs to do it at least once, n’est-ce pas?

Outside the mild afternoon rains continue to fall, while inside the relaxing whir of espresso machines fills Greenville’s latest Barnes & Noble bookstore and adjoining Starbucks coffee shop. I sit alone at a small circular table, burnt orange in hue, while reading Dostoevsky and soon resolving to write my own impressions of my immediate surroundings. My table forms part of a long line situated snugly against an ebony barrier about four feet high that divides the coffee shop from the rest of the store. A couple sits at the table next to mine playing a card and dice game, which the man introduces to his partner as the game of “Cheating.” The man is older, perhaps in his early fifties, clad in a maroon sweater and tan casual slacks, and wearing white Nike sneakers. His hair is dark gray and neatly combed, and his wire-rimmed glasses adorn an inconspicuous face. His voice betrays his refined southern heritage; it is subdued yet subtly animated as he explains the rules of the game. As their contest unfolds, he chuckles intermittently at his ever-changing predicament. The woman, who is overweight but not offensively obese, is discernibly more expressive than the man, at some points laughing mischievously and at others accusing him of bending the rules or at the very least seeming a bit too lucky. Yet her voice is ever coupled with some measure of restraint, politely conscious of the other patrons. Her back is to me the entire time; she has on dark denim jeans, stylish black boots, and a long-sleeved shirt only a shade lighter than our table tops. Her hair is mostly straight and brownish with streaks of blonde here and there. She appears about fifteen years younger than her opponent. Over the course of the game a die rolls off their table three times, and is in each instance accompanied by a brief whispering laugh from one or both of them, a silent acknowledgement of the possible disruption they have caused. At one point the woman insists that the man is cheating, but in a tone that reflects her obvious lack of any real irritation. The man responds with a playfully sinister laugh and exclaims, “I love it!” but only as loudly as the most austere fellow customer would be willing to tolerate. At intervals he tutors her on the rules of the game; likewise she audibly figures out its various aspects, finally giving her stamp of approval to the game of “Cheating.” After an hour or so they leave their table, and soon enough I do the same, hoping to read the rest of Notes from Underground later that evening.