Dark_Jedi06

Tile size, the way the regions are set up and the lack of terraforming are keeping me from getting this game. The gameplay looks solid and I'm sure the bugs will be ironed out...I'd even be okay dealing with the always-on internet connection. A shame too, as I had high hopes for SC2013 getting me back into Simcity.

This was certainly fun, considering I was able to grab a codeword. I found Gorilla in the Simtropolis Blogs: Support and Information thread, it was a welcomed surprise. And I have now spent my whole day away playing the Beta.

Genevran WikiProject Progress [link] New Pages [[None]] Updated Pages [[None]] Still not much progress with the Wiki, I've been relying on a really crummy wireless connection here at school after inadvertently exceeding my bandwith limits by quite a bit. I've also been busy with finals week but that will be finishing up soon and I wanted to post an update to hold everyone over until I finally break for summer. Today's chapter is actually taking a step back from our previous expansion and returning to some areas of the capital city that remained unfinished; around Chapters V and VI, so some of this should be recognizable. The first image also takes another look at the rail line that snakes around Montereau, for those well versed in Genevran you geography you will know that Montereau lies in the Rhone River valley surrounded by densely forested, sloping hills (note the use of dedgren's new ploppable water as well as FARR puzzle pieces). In addition, the Grand Duchy would like to proudly announce that we were elected to be the 14th president of the SimCity Journal Union over the New Kingdom of Sierrastare by a margin of 16-2.

Genevran WikiProject Progress [link] New Pages [[None]] Updated Pages [[None]] Still not much progress with the Wiki, however this chapter I would like to start off with a bit of a clarification. I think some are confused on the location of Genevra as well as the current conflict erupting with Cameroon, so here's a simple map: 1: This is the location of the Genevran homeland in western Europe and the site of the capital of Montereau; the conflict with Cameroon does not and will likely not spread to affect the European motherland. 2: This is where the Genevran colony of île de la Guinée is located in the Gulf of Guinea, just off the coast of Cameroon. This is where the current hostilities are occurring as well as the blockade of Douala. Now onto the images themselves...in this update we return to the previous area shown in Chapter 12. Most importantly we see a frontal view of the Palais D'été, or the Summer Palace. Historically it served as the summer home of the Grand Duke in Montereau, surrounded by lush gardens and fountains. Today it is far more modest and serves the purpose of being the permanent residence of the Grand Duke. The gardens and ostentatious flair of the palace were largely removed in the mid-20th century as a means to further reduce to the Genevran absolute monarchy. The outbreak of hostilities in the Gulf of Guinea also found a spot on Fox News.com as nations around the world reacted to the blockade.

Originally posted by: Archean Ocarina of Time is still counted as one of the best games in gaming history, and yet they feel the need to make this garbage...quote> I agree that the handheld Zelda games are, well...in your words garbage. But I think you forgot the newest and greatest Zelda game that came out for Gamecube. Twilight Princess! Make another Zelda game like Twilight for the xbox, and my life will be AWESOME! OF course, though, Zelda is Nintendo property, not Microsoft...damn.quote> While Twilight Princess was certainly a fun and beauitful game, it was nowhere near the challenge that OoT was. Nintendo has lost its ability to make games difficult by pandering to younger gamers and so-called "casual gamers". There was a time when I was in Elementary School and games like OoT were new and my 40 year old uncle played them obsessively and found them difficult. Now they're a joke...I still can't get over Link (not just Link, cel shaded Link!) driving around in a train, it's disturbing.

You got me all excited...and then after sitting through that atrocious Comcast advertisement, I see that it's another crappy LoZ game for the DS and there's a train, a TRAIN made out of freakin' barrels. One of the great series of all time suffers yet another blow to its dignity and reputation, Ocarina of Time is still counted as one of the best games in gaming history, and yet they feel the need to make this garbage...

This has happened to me, except it looked a wee bit worse... I assumed it happened to me simply because I had waaaay too many props and was moving too fast for my computer, so it just seized up and did this. My mouse was also moving extrodinarly slow and just jumping across the screen...I was able to exit out eventually, but when I started it up again the results were the same. After restarting my entire computer it cleared up. It's happened to me twice since then. Please ensure that images posted on the forums don't exceed the site limit of 800x600. tungston

Oh please don't encourage this new Om Nom Nom Nom fad.

Originally posted by: warrior From Dark JediI'd the say the brilliance in his writing is that it is largely open to interpretation, and therefore can adopt a somewhat universal quality. His bending of the meaning of average words (and often eclectic words) allows one to have some leverage in how they choose to accept the overall meaning. That, and the plots and character development in his plays are almost always thoroughly intriguing.quote> This is one of my points, English teachers give you a test on what extracts mean. How can they mark that if it is open to interpretation, everyone will have a different way of looking at it. So all it assess/examines is how the teacher interprets it, not how the student has done. And that list of phrases Shakespeare invented, a lot of them I haven't heard before, but I use some of the phrases regularly and before I knew, I had no idea they were from Shakespeare (There's a list like I was given at school) But then Shakespeare can't have been the only person to shape the English language, there must have been others so why don't we remember them? I agree he did a lot for English, but as is blatantly obvious when you read his books the language has change a **LOT** since then. I don't really see how learning Shakespeare can affect you in later life, this is something I have talked with my Mom and she said once she left school she hasn't had a use for since. Also Shakespeare has affected the language, and I can't see it affecting it now. The point of language is for the other person to understand what you are saying so there is no *need* to know where or why the words came from(sometimes though I admit you can just be curious). If we keep looking back to the past of language the slower it will evolve. Personally I would much rather read a book I can understand as I read the word, not looking the words up because then you lose the story. He didn't write them to be dissected and nobody will ever be able to understand exactly why he wrote what he did or where it came from. Instead he wrote the books to be enjoyed, so I think if we're going to learn about Shakespeare we should read a practically word for word translation and enjoy it, then as a small side of the topic is looking at the original text just to see what it's like. Jonathan quote> You don't have to "use" Shakespeare in an explicit sense for his work to have an impact. Critical thinking associated with the dissection of his work is what is most important, and I think you would agree that being able to take apart a work of literature, see its parts and then arrive at an informed conclusion as to its meanings and implications is important. And this is exactly why he is studied in school, to foster in students the ability to deduce their own conclusions that stem from critical observation and therefore have the ability to formulate opinions and defend those opinions. This has obvious practical applications in the real world, such as being an informed citizen in the political process. Outside of that, many of the themes in his plays have become the bedrock of "classical" storytelling. Just as Shakespeare drew on the authors before him, so contemporary authors draw on Shakespeare. Thus common themes that he addressed show up in modern literature as well. As to teachers marking students work in response to Shakespeare...they should be, and as I experienced it when I was in high school, basing the grade off of the ability of the student to put forth their interpretration, provide a sound explanation for why they believe that to be so and to be able to defend their position. The content itself should not be at issue so long as it is substantiated.

Originally posted by: warrior When are we going to forget him please? When he turns 500 then not another word about him *hopes like mad*. He wrote some plays that bore most to death at school, looking up every other word and then in the end it doesn't make sense and the book could have been cut down to a quarter of the size. Then the teacher asks you to analyse why and what Shakespeare wrote that and why you think he did, when they have no idea why Shakespeare wrote what he did because noone alive has met him and it really doesn't matter what I think he wrote. I'm British and yes we should we remember great things that happened but Shakespeare "ain't that great". I also find it ridiculous how much attention he gets, at my school on the GCSE options, you are forced to do English literature(ie Shakespeare and Poems), when an Electronics option is not even available and IT is only a short course (IE half a GCSE). I'm pretty sure in this age, Electronics and IT is going to be way more useful than Shakespeare.# I do admit though he created some phrases that are used in normal life, but he's done that bit of good no reason to study the 'bad' stuff aiumkastarkius: Very useful inventing words that people can't understand without translating it. Sorry for the rant, just can't stand his writing. Jonathan quote> I'd the say the brilliance in his writing is that it is largely open to interpretation, and therefore can adopt a somewhat universal quality. His bending of the meaning of average words (and often eclectic words) allows one to have some leverage in how they choose to accept the overall meaning. That, and the plots and character development in his plays are almost always thoroughly intriguing. I'd say that just because his writing is a bit difficult to understand doesn't mean his masterful use of language should be shirked. Not only that, but high schoolers are the last people you want commenting on the merit of an author. And though some will say he stole most of his work from others, then more power to him because he's the one we still continue to talk about.

Genevran WikiProject Progress [link] New Pages [[None]] Updated Pages [[None]] Today's chapter contains several important developments, including the first "Interlude", breaks in the showing of in-game pictures to progress the storyline of Genevra more fully. We will start with this Interlude, and the SC4 pictures will follow. Heavy fog blanketed the Dubois Strait, minute filtrations of moonlight tapering through the miasma. It is at this point in the Gulf of Guinea that the shores of île de la Guinée and Cameroon and closest, and it is at this point the Genevran naval patrols are most heavily concentrated. On that foggy night, April the 24th, 2009, captain of the GNS Balthazar Cesar Garnier commanded a portion of the West African Naval Fleet consisting of the Balthazar, an aircraft carrier, and two escorting guided missile cruisers, the GNS Monarchie and le Rhone. It was an ordinary night, a routine that captain Garnier had undergone more then a dozen times since arrive to the Gulf of Guinea nearly a month ago. However, the appearance of several blips on the bridge radar screen would change all that. His senses heightened and his curiosity aroused, Garnier radioed his small contingent and ordered all personnel to be on high alert and altered his course to intercept the three ships steaming directly towards île de la Guinée in Genevran waters. When at least visual contact was reached, it was ascertained that these war vessels flew the flag of Cameroon. From there, the situation quickly escalated... 4:31 AM, Captain Garnier establishes radio contact with identified Cameroon warships, demands several times that the ships immediately leave Genevran waters on the course they entered. No response is received, and the vessels continue at full speed towards île de la Guinée. 4:35 AM, Distance between ships close, still no response has been elicited or change in action. Captain Garnier informs the Cameroonian command that several warning shots will be fired, if the demands are not met after those initial salvos the Genevrans will open fire in earnest. 4:37 AM, Several shots land harmlessly in the waters around the Cameroon vessels yet no effort is made at slowing or changing course, Captain Garnier decides to allow several more minutes for compliance. The result is disastrous, the Cameroon warships unexpectedly open fire. Without hesitation Garnier orders returning fire. The Genevrans instantly gain the upper hand. 4:45 AM, The Genevran ships make short work of the enemy, sinking two vessels and allowing one to escape badly damaged. In total, 44 Genevran sailors are killed and many Cameroonians are fished out of the water and taken prisoner. The GNS Balthazar and its escorts of the West African Naval Fleet on patrol in the Dubois Strait. The Grand Duke, who at the time of the hostilities was just about to enter into meetings with government officials in Seto, is shocked by the events and commends the sailors on handling the situation with military professionalism. A call is immediately made to Prime Minister Leutrim Wetter back in Genevra, who in a televised event before Parliament elucidates the nation on the travesty that has occurred. He informs the people that the Grand Duke has not yet declared a State of War, however all troops have been placed at maximum readiness. Several hours later that same day, after engaging with talks with the supreme leaders of the armed forces by secure televised conference, the Grand Duke addressed his people from Seto in an internationally televised speech. He denounced the actions of the Cameroon forces, praised the professionalism by which his own troops conducted themselves, and offered condolences to his people who lost loved ones in the brutal attack. He assured the Genevran people that they were safe and stated that war had not been declared, however that a blockade of Cameroon's major port of Douala and an all around containment of the hostile nation would occur such to impose the will of Genevra and to support the territorial integrity of its borders. Satellite image with overlays showing the division between Genevran and Cameroonian territorial waters (10th Vertical) as well as the location of the hostilities and the impending blockade. Cameroon President Paul Biya responded by decrying the destruction wrought by the Genevran navy, yet he declined to provide an explanation as to why three heavily armed vessels of the Cameroon navy were so close to the shores of île de la Guinée. At the time of his comments, he was not informed of the impending blockade and his response on that matter is yet to be determined, however he was adamant in stating that he did not want to see war erupt... Now onto some less dire developments, continuing with the development of the capital city. An important new landmark shows a bit of itself in this chapter, however we shall leave it anonymous for the moment. In addition, we see some of the first "modern" signs in Montereau, namely the major A1 highway artery cutting through the city and running parallel to the Rhone River. It is a little ways beyond this highway that the major commercial city of Lafayette lies, but that's for another day.

We're very glad the trip was a success and thoroughly enjoyed our time in Seto. We will have to return again shortly, once all the current unfortunate business his concluded. The city itself is glorious, I love the organization exuded by the placement of your buildings, everything feel's as though it in the right place and shouldn't be moved an inch.

The butchering of the English language is an atrocity. The means by which we communicate forms the bedrock of our society, and I get the feeling that such rampant 1337 speak only makes people less intelligent...or at least sound less intelligent. Writing is an essential form of communication and should not be shirked.

This website is always fun. I generally end up in the same spot...right near Angela Merkel!