Resist or Serve

Still in a writing slump. Haven't resorted to the so-called means of guerilla writing due to bouts of procastination. Creativity levels are not at peak yet. But something else was prodding me enough to go about soon after obtaining my long-waited monthly fix of NewType USA. The conscience prodding came about while sticking around with AEGIS people on the recent montly open meet they had. March ender's meeting and rounds of stories are a bit lean in some respects but one incident I've heard got me good since it was a bit synonymous with my current situation. That and some new eyecandy to look at with the soon-to-acquire new issue of NewType USA.

Onto the reason behind the title of this entry. Just recently acquired 3 new games for the PS2 last Saturday. One of the three games needs to be replaced since it doesn't seem to run. Defective game in question was Seven Samurai 20XX. The other two games that work is X-Files: Resist or Serve (XF:ROS) and The Suffering. XF:ROS is regarded by some game players as a Resident Evil or Silent Hill clone but the draw of the game is in a number of little details that would appeal to X-Files fans.

Storyline for it starts off as innocuous at first, Mulder and Scully investigate a number of murders in Red Falls, Colorado. Scully and Mulder were discussing about the possible merits of witchcraft in the case given what scant info they have about the possible perpetrators, a pair of teenaged girls. The rest of the "episode" proceeds with the discovery of zombiefied townsfolk, Mulder's psychic visions and subsequently the discovery of the so-called "black oil" in the area. The game actually comprises of 3 "episodes" with 2 acts per episode. You can play as either Mulder or Scully and see how the story handles on parallel tracks.

All the voices in the games are done by the cast of the tv show as well. Lone Gunmen (Byers, Langley, Frohike) are present as well as Cigarette-Smoking Man, Alex Krycek, Assistant Director Skinner and Marita Covarrubias to lend their presence and voice in the game. The story covered in these 3 "episodes" are more or less estimated to be within the timeline of around Season 6 on upwards given the obvious references of the alien ship fragments discovered in that season, mention of the black oil as early shown in Season 4. The TV series may be over but the game itself has enough immersion for one to go through it again.

"People rising from the dead and taking cheap shots from behind is just bullshit." - Mulder (Cutscene in XF:ROS)

Women In Refrigerators

Title of this post kinda reads off like a David Lynch TV series by-line, eh? Not exactly. It was something of a unexpected commentary that I haven't recalled or mentioned for some time regarding female characters in the comicbook universe.

This was initially prompted when I read an essay regarding John Byrne's treatment of women in a number of titles he penned and pencilled through the years. I read that essay at Zan's Super Page. The Zan site is an excellent site to look up matters regarding Superhero Gaming. I read the essay in question under the title "Don't Do It To Me Again!".

Reading said article kinda struck me as to how there was an unspoken issue of maltreatment of female characters, superhero or not, in those past years or more so in the present time with the way over-the-top writers in the industry do it. The end of the article indicated to me another linked which was the aptly named "Women In Refrigerators". It piqued my curiosity until I saw the reference behind the title.

It was the last two pages in an issue of Green Lantern, of the Kyle Rayner bearer kind, who arrives back from somewhere and finds the remains of his girlfriend stuffed in a refrigerator. I recalled enough then it was Major Force (Of Captain Atom fame) who did the grisly deed. It was a shock when I read that issue. It was also startling to think that a female companion of a superhero would be killed and placed into a kitchen appliance. It would have been more shocking if it were orchestrated that hero arrives home, finds no one home and goes about his business, till he needs some ice and finds a severed head in the freezer. *Shudders and shivers.* How's that for shock value?

Such violent and brutal times we may be living with such depictions of inhumanity and cruelty that manifest in today's current media and info-accessible setting. Of course, conflict is inherent in man's nature in order to survive and stuff, yadda yadda but does it have to be that the powerful have to step on the weak? Where's the humanity and justice in that? Makes one also consider in light of the political climate currently happening in the Philippines.

Its about time I got to find some coherence to write something noteworthy in lieu of being a human being and a comic afiocionado myself. More stuff along the way. Next time.

Slow Updates

Still at a snail's pace for the meantime. Not that enervated yet to tackle the writing task of the meantime. Haven't got in touch with something that would kick me into gear to go about it.

Presently, my room is currently not a good location to go about the typing since my niece uses my room, which happens to be her one-stop primo entertainment area: larger space than her room, a PC, VCR and PS2 as well. Only my dad's DVD player has the spot for DVD entertainment matters.

The end of my niece's schoolyear also heralds a 3 month or so lack of privacy and long nights since her bedtime is extended to god-knows-when at her discretion, short of a direct order from her lola.

These things kinda gets under my skin and thoughts with the overbearing presence of a privacy lost for the meantime during my niece's waking hours or presence.

I might have to set things up involving the use of my sister's laptop, which she entrusted to me for the meantime.

I'll go about composing more coherent entries next time while sorting out things here at the home front.

Life Signs Present

Whoever reads my blog would have noted lack of any activity since the March 4 entry. This is on account of my being a shut-in for the duration to go about writing up the remainder of my backlog of written stuff promised to a friend of mine. Progress-wise already at rounding up tail end of Episode 5 on my campaign chronicling.

Wasn't able to plug away much text, since I had to be reminded again as to the bulk of backlag I had to do and the amount of text called for. The other matter that crept in was the arrival and temporary stay of my sister for around 2 weeks. She tends to use the comp I log onto the Net for her to check her emails and E-bay items for my brother. Compounded matters is with my niece's preoccupation with the offline version of Ragnarok Online and the occasional use of the comp as a DVD player. No way I would shorten the lifespan of my PS2 for that purpose.

My creativity well is kinda dipping low for now and I haven't been in contact with people of late that can provide me the drive and energy for it. I'll be looking forward to another visit at Vinnie's shop for my latest fix of NewType USA.

Indisposed

*Sign tacked on the top of the doghouse for people to see at its entrance.*

"This is to let people know that I would be indisposed a couple of days or less. I have to rectify a matter personal and attend to a backlog of something that precipitated my blog entry titled "Walking Papers". Any messages or something can be handled by comment function at end of this post, tagboard at the left of this page, email either through: obsidiax@hotmail.com, obsidiax@yahoo.com, Instant Messengers through: ICQ: 69895954, Yahoo IM: obsidiax, AIM: obsidiax, MSN IM: See my hotmail addy above. Leave whatever messages there until I can resume blog writing here for the meantime."

Excelsis Mission(Remix of Retrieve and Exit - Part 1)

Somewhere in Germany...

A figure descends down into a secure room. The figure's weight held by a single shoestring thick strand woven out of monofilaments. The figure stops inches above the floor and in front of a glass display case.

"Vesper in position." She maintains a steady height over the floor, which is loaded with pressure sensors. Her entry route bypassed the main web of lasers that fill the room.

"Copy Vesper. Victoria, proceed with security system disable. Go." Sho and Devon, inside a van parked outside of a mansion, away from prying eyes of roving patrols and security cameras. Sho was designated team leader for this op for Excelsis. Devon was acting as secondary observer and extra hand to doing the C3 chores in the van. But like all Excelsis operators go, they all work and fight in the name of God and their patron saints.

"Why we have to do the sit and wait while the girls get the fun?" Reynard asked. He's up in a nearby tree, watching the perimeter of the mansion's front with binoculars and a sniper rifle next to him. Ghillie suit over his Excelsis-issued combat suit.

"The ladies are better suited to get in and do the job. Leaving guys like you and me to deal with the mess if things go wrong." Gregor responded over the comm, watching the rear side of the mansion's perimeter.

Reynard's and Gregor's video feeds are showing a clear view off the mansion. The van's interior shows a number of viewscreens that shows the video feed from Reynard's and Gregor's point of view. Vesper’s video feed is also present. One of the screens show a real-time overhead view from a patched-in satellite feed in geosynch orbit that was hacked and tasked by Excelsis techs for the mission.

Victoria hears the order, though she's playing the role of torchlight singer at this instance. She finishes her song and announces to the guests of the party that she has to take a break. She leaves the ballroom and covertly proceeded to the security room without attracting any undue attention.

Victoria made quick work of the guards in the security room by using a flash grenade miniaturized into one of her earrings and quickly KOed all of them. She was unaffected by the high candela light by having flash compensating contact lenses provided as well. She makes a quick look to insure no other hostiles are present.

She sees that no other guards are present. She quickly recognizes the panel she needs to disable.
Victoria spies Vesper on one of the cameras. “I see you Vesper. You must be slipping dear.”

“ I can’t account for the camera angles on my entry.” Vesper defends her skills as an infiltrator and thief seriously.

“Victoria. Vesper good to go?” Sho inquires her. Devon’s eyes move from screen to screen to double-check what may be overlooked by the other two operators at the mansion’s perimeter.

“Vesper’s good to go on the snatch.” Victoria replied back with a slightly cheery tone to it.

“Okay Vesper, proceed.”

“Copy. Retrieval of target object commencing.” She extends her arm out to the display case and a small laser was deposited into her hand. She proceeds in cutting a hole through the thick glass. Minutes pass by. While cutting the glass she notices a rather peculiar and grotesque looking statue in one corner of the room.

Devon notices the selfsame statue on the video feed from Vesper’s camera. He furrowed his brow at what he glimpsed. Devon rewound a section of the feed and isolated the image. He had the image referenced for identification to the Excelsis archives back in Hungary. The search will take a few minutes to process.

Sho looked at Devon making the query. “Something wrong?”

“Something about that statue in the room is bothering me. It wasn’t accounted for during the planning of this op a week ago.” Devon kept a critical eye on Vesper’s video feed.

“Nothing we overlook we can’t handle Devon.” Sho assured Devon. Throughout their many years operating as a team, there was nothing they couldn’t handle. If it’s something over their heads, they have their faith to carry them through the worst of it.

“I got the artifact. Preparing to exit the room.” Vesper announced after extracting the object from the case. The object in question happens to be an old stone tablet.

As she securing the tablet on her person, she started to ascend. There was some subtle movement. The statue shifted and moved to look at Vesper. (To Be Continued...)

Walking Papers

Things have gone far again enough to break the camel's back this time around. Its quite a shock to get such on my email tonight. I've come to the realization that there are limits to one's patience and consideration.

Email I checked really got me in the gut as something I have dreaded yet anticipated on its inevitable import to me. It was more like being shot with a 10 gauge shotgun at close range with either choice of solid slug or anti-personnel flechette with its entire payload expended.

I'll not get into the exact content or wording of it. Its suffice to say that its an equivalent of getting a termination notice from an employer, even though I'm unemployed for sure. To be more correct, its more of a termination of a partnership as well as contract with something.

It pretty much presented a paradigm shift of some import for me as to some of the steps I'm doing with my life and how to conduct things.

A few more life-changing incidents of this sort would get my life sorted out as well as affecting my perspective on things as a person.

It still boggles me as to my current position in life, which is yet to be described or directed to and how I am as an individual.

I have to proceed with whatever plans or actions I need to undertake for myself. As another friend of mine told me earlier: "Some things happens as a means to grow and move on with things no matter what hand you are dealt with." Its not exactly a verbatim quote but it follows along that line.

As my other friend were to look at it from the outside and towards the big picture of it, its a path presented in this tapestry of life that is to be undergone in order to grow and improve. I feel more of it as regret as to the current decisions I have made with my creative outlet on this blog and newer associations with other people. Admission of guilt matter with those mentioned decisions would be conveniently described "wanderlust" and my current distraction-prone nature as of now. My channels and focus are not exactly what they are now compared to say 11 years ago involving a now obscure comicbook title called "Flashpoint".

I wonder to myself at this conjecture as to my interaction with other people who're more responsible, creative and successive than the current deadbeat that I am of late. Does my presence get any improvement as I bask in their presence? One of the possibilties that niggled my mind out of guilt is that: Does it forsake or neglect those I have associated in past for so long that it becomes rather routine?

As I look at it from the outside, I do see a need to socialize and experience something new outside of the normal routine I've been in the past decade or so. This is also of note as to how other people have changed and moved on in their own respective paths.

As I have noticed nowadays, there is a major wave of creative talent getting their projects up and running while the past glories of old are now gone and in the shadows. Myself, on the other hand, ain't exactly on par or equally talented as a writer or artist for that matter. I feel more like the most isolated element outside the fringe element for sure in obscurity, capability and talent. Any potential? Not sure. Many questions of my worth are pretty much hanging and on the line in connection to my life.

Quite a downer to say for myself, yah? Its just me going into the metaphorical "pit" to wallow in my own pity and despair until its time to pick up oneself up and move on until something happens again to put us back into said "pit".

I will not linger and ramble much more on this matter. I'll have to do some part-time soul-searching to sort myself and my life after clearing out the burden first to get a more clearer view of things and looking to other people to help me through.

This is pretty much one of those "down" moments people say about it on the wheel of life.