My new wallpaper-inspired by Tiberium Wars

Recently I've been reading a novel for Command & Conquer: Tiberium Wars (based on C&C3:TW), n was inspired to try out the game. I tried it once in a lan shop which i 'took shelter' for a night when I knew I had a problem going back home (this is a tale for another time ;x), n the game was pretty terrific. I know I'm kinda slow to try it out, though that's also because I knew my own computer is pretty weak to handle a game like that...

Just today, I was reading the last portion of the book, and it just occured to me that I could make a wallpaper similar to the game C&C3:TW's main screen (the one with earth on the left panel, along with all the menu options etc). Following that, i googled for pictures and came up with a couple of pictures that i could use to make the one i had in mind.

The end product? A cross between matrix and tiberium wars :D

Credits to http://blog.stephanosgnomon.com/media/%27From_Earth_2%27_Remix.jpg for the picture of earth, which i tilted and take the picture of the crescent Earth, as well as http://www.sshock2.com/fanworks/artwork/digital_shodan.jpg for the picture of a digital shodan, which reminds me of something futuristic and scientific, bringing to mind of Matrix as well as TW's EVA unit. The mixing is done by a very simple Microsoft Paint :D (drag copy does the job pretty well).

~Peace through Power~

Hong Wen Meetup

I was initially surprised to find one of my primary school classmates a few weeks back when she came to book a tour in my dad's office. After saving each other's contact, I got a message that the class was gonna go for a class gathering.

I wasn't much prepared for going to the trip as I had just returned from camp, but it sure was a good feeling to see some old friends once again. Having said that, it's truly many years since I even see one of them (I only saw a few by chance, but we didn't exactly hang around much). It felt almost as if the whole class was there, though I know too that there were a few who weren't there and probably lost contact too.

We went to the Central @ Clarke Quay yesterday night, spending some time taking a few photos and dinner (to be honest, I haven't gone for a dinner with friends and not family for a loooooong time, so I kept looking at my phone for any calls from my parents..) Had a jap ala carte at Waruku restaurant while spending most of the time catching up with the rest. In fact, I nearly forgot some of them until I heard them calling each others' name. Some I hadn't recognise initially because of some change in hairstyle, etc. Others I had truly forgotten, until someone mentioned their names. However, I could remember at least half of them :D

Most of the guys back there are still studying, be it poly or JC. A few of them, like me, are now serving in the army, and it was an interesting experience learning about how other units are operating (for security reasons I will not elaborate anything here). For the gals, they are either waiting to step into uni life, or doing other things.

After dinner, we hung around and wandered without direction for half an hour or so XD Because of my parents wanting me to go back asap to watch over the house, I decided to leave the group at 930, along with one of the friends. Despite my early departure, I felt rather elated at having this meetup and I daresay I'm looking forward to another one, though not too soon haha.

Zack Fair - what if he had never died?

I've been pondering over this question for a long time and so I've decided to write my thoughts on it...



A brief intro about Zack. He's the main character in Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, a SOLDIER 1st Class and a friend/mentor of Cloud (who is the main character in Final Fantasy VII). Zack was a person who upheld personal honour and his ideal dream was to be a hero. His former mentor, Angeal (another SOLDIER 1st Class), had passed him his family's Buster Sword when Zack 'set him free' from his monstrous side. In the later parts of Crisis Core, Zack and Cloud were hunted by Shinra for they had escaped a lab experiment. Attempting to flee back into Midgar while remaining undetected by enemies (which failed), Zack supported an unconscious Cloud, who was suffering from mako addiction. In the end, the Shinra Army caught up with them and Zack gets killed as a result (it's always a tearjerker to play this part of the game). Zack passes his legacy to Cloud in the form of the Buster Sword, formerly the treasured blade of Angeal. As Cloud wields the Buster Sword, the plot continues to the original 1997 Final Fantasy VII game.



The question now... is what if Zack and Cloud weren't discovered by the Shinra Army? Before the cutscene of the army finding Zack and Cloud, we see that Tseng of the Turks (an Shinra-employed force used to do underground work) telling his colleague Cissnei (another Turk, unmentioned in later plots) to find him and bring him back... to save his life. Cissnei willingly do it not just for the job, but also likely because she had a crush for him (it's too obvious if you played the game). Tseng said that he still had 88 letters for Zack (Zack only received the 89th. They were written by his own love, Aerith).



Now.. if Cissnei managed to rescue them in time, and ensured that Zack and Cloud were kept in safety (probably somewhere in the slums), Zack would probably be able to spend the rest of his free life with Aerith. The mako addiction in Cloud may not have triggered the overwhelming confusion which led him to live thinking he was Zack (he had believed himself to be in Zack's shoes in the earlier parts of Final Fantasy VII). However, if Zack had wanted to live his life in freedom with Aerith back in his hometown, Gongaga, he may still pass the Buster Sword to Cloud, so as to break free from his SOLDIER life. On the other hand, I don't think that they would move to Gongaga, because Aerith loves the flowers that she can grow in the Church of the slums, and they had wanted to sell the flowers together and spend time with each other.



The only problem is that the Turks are watching over Aerith (the last Ancient of the planet, I don't know how they found out lol), and should Shinra attempts to catch her, the Turks will have to follow the orders (which really happened in the original Final Fantasy VII). Zack will have to pick up the Buster Sword once more to defend Aerith (in a way it's like Cloud's role in Final Fantasy VII).



And what would happen to Cloud then? Zack only knew that Cloud was from Nibelheim, and it would be suicidal to return to it. Maybe he will let Cloud stay with them in the church, or let him wander on his own.



These are just my thoughts for now, on what if Zack hadn't died.

Darkness and Starlight

If you read the post's title and believe that i'm going to talk about something related to the night sky or even astronomy, you probably haven't realised that this is the title of an album. Darkness and Starlight is the album produced by The Black Mages this day last year. As their 3rd album, Darkness and Starlight is a combination of rock versions of original Final Fantasy games' soundtracks, such as Grand Cross (The Black Mage's version of The Final Battle theme in Final Fantasy IX) and the Opening-Bombing Mission song from Final Fantasy VII's first chapter, as well as original songs including Life ~in memory of KEITEN~. Though this album is up for a whole year by now, I only managed to get all the songs recently as I haven't been free for some time.

Just to briefly introduce about The Black Mages... they are a instrumental rock band organised by Nobuo Uematsu, original producer of many songs in different Final Fantasy games and even movies, such as Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. Most of the songs that they play are like rock remixes of the original, and indeed many of them are a true success. In this way, the songs you hear are not wave soundtracks, or basic tunes originally made from computer softwares, but rather you will hear the song played by proper music instruments like the electric guitar, keyboard, etc.

Up till now, they have only released 3 albums:The Black Mages, The Black Mages-The Skies Above and The Black Mages-Darkness and Starlight. With the addition of all the songs from Darkness and Starlight, my list of Black Mages album songs are finally complete :)

Here's the top 10 of my favourite Black Mages album rock songs:
1.Clash on the Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V, Gilgamesh's theme!)
2.J-E-N-O-V-A (Final Fantasy VII, Jenova's theme)
3.Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII, boss theme)
4.The Man with the Machine Gun (Final Fantasy VIII, Laguna's theme)
5.Maybe I'm a Lion (Final Fantasy VIII, Ultimecia fight's theme)
6.Blue Blast - Winning the Rainbow (a non-Final Fantasy song, but still nice)
7.Opening - Bombing Mission (Final Fantasy VII, AVALAUNCHE's first mission's song)
8.The Extreme (Final Fantasy VIII)
9.The Rocking Grounds (Final Fantasy III, battle theme)
10.Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI)

Despite having rock songs as their main genre, The Black Mages have come up with melodious songs as well. The ones I particularly enjoy Vamo' Alla Flamenco (Final Fantasy IX) and Matoya's Cave (Final Fantasy I; you might find this song familiar even if you have never played Final Fantasy before).

All in all, even though most people nowadays would listen to other various rock/pop songs, there are still these unique songs that you can try listening to. If ever you think of the darkness and starlight, remember there are also songs that can be equally enjoying as gazing at the night sky.