Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Why I Have Been Playing FFX for over Four Years?



It's shameful and true. As of today, I have been wandering through the wilds of Spira for more than FOUR YEARS! What gives???

The subject of games unfinished and perhaps abandoned has recently been brought to the fore for me, thanks to Y's recent podcast on the same subject. As the speakers reeled off the titles they had started and were yet to complete, I began to think of my own list.

I am a casual gamer so it's short yet, somehow mortifying. At this date on my PS2 I am currently playing FFX (where I've clocked about ninety something hours), Kingdom Hearts (the original not part two or three), Sims (also the original for PS2), Katamari Damacy and Sly Cooper. On my DS I am currently playing FF7, Animal Crossing, Cooking Mama, Pokemon Sapphire, Etrian Odyssey and Super Mario 64 for the DS.

Wow. Confession really is good for the soul.

Games I actually have finished are : Pheonix Wright: Ace Attorney and Pokemon Pearl. We-ell, Pokemon Pearl is really a technical finish because I beat the elite four and am the official pokemon league champion (yup, yup!) -- but I am two rare pokemons short of completing my pokedex and I am yet to venture into that last island with all the fighting areas (rumor has it that you have to be a bad ass to hang there!)



Man, that's short. Okay my soul feels kind of bad again.

Anyway I have been thinking about it and wondering why my list of completed games is so embarrassingly short whereas my list of unfinished games continues to grow. Am I a serial Giver Up-er?

My story with FFX began in about 2004 (three years after it's release). I discovered it in my ex's collection and after falling in love with it, I absconded with it and got myself a PS2. So, it is actually the game that made me buy a console (that's why I feel compelled to defend poor Tidus whenever he gets dissed!). I did get my ex a game he wanted in exchange, though. Unfortunately that game was X-men Legends which now I feel was very poor compensation. All I can say is that we were misled.

Anyway, I've been playing since that ancient date and I think I can say even now that it's not that I've lost interest in the game. It's just time. I've lost a lot of that.

This might sound like whinging but I feel like lots of games today share the characteristic that to make any kind of proper progress, one has to log in some serious hours. This is problematic because I find fewer and fewer days in my life that contain even up to one hour to kill. If I want to finish FFX (and any of the games I am currently playing) it's going to take discipline, focus and even some sacrifice. I wonder, like Gatorade; do I have it in me?

Actually, there has also been some Naija factor involved in my PS2 lapse at least. For the last two years and a bit, I haven't been able to even touch the machine. This is because I brought it with me from the US and couldn't find a transformer that wouldn't blow up when I plugged it in to it. Well, I did find one but then I accidentally blew it up on my George Foreman grill. But all that has changed now.

I have recently acquired a monstrous transformer (actually, Y hooked that up for me) that deals in about 200 watts of electricity and so have been able to literally and finally dust off the old box. It's good to be back in Spira and I have every intention of getting to the end of this particular game more than the others. Why?

Not because of the shame of how long this is taking though, granted, there is that. really it's because, about four years ago I also got FFX-2 and I can't let myself even open the shrink wrapping till I'm done with Tidus.

As a casual gamer, I have a long and challenging road ahead of me so - wish me luck!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Some Kill Giants - GIN!!!




So my boyf (who I have been referring to as Y) just recorded the first podcast for his gaming blog Some Kill Giants. I realise, of course, that I haven't written about SKG before but I think that's excusable seeing as this is just my fifth post!

So here's the skinny; Some Kill Giants is a blog about gaming with highlights about gaming in Nigeria in particular. It is relatively new on the scene (Started in June this year) but already has been noted by prolific gaming blog Game Set Watch.

Anyway, Y decided it was time to move into the exciting world of podcasting where he could bring to life some of the relevant voices in Nigeria's gaming scene. The show is about gaming in Nigeria. That is literally what GIN stands for.

This maiden show in particular covered two interesting topics the first of which was Games you haven't finished and why you haven't finished them. The second topic which was nostalgia based was a discussion of the game Super Mario World.

I'm not going to spoiler it by breaking down what was said. I will just say that it was a very interesting discussion because the speakers were obviously well informed and passionate about the subject.

It's a first effort so it's not perfect and could use some cleaning up here and there but it still has a lot going for it. The tone and energy, for instance, was consistently high level and fun. Also, different perspectives were brought to the floor as Nigeria like other places breeds a variety of gamer types.

We have the every console/every high profile game gamer, we have the select consoles/reviewed games gamer, we have the no console/friends selection dependent gamer and we have the no console/strictly PC games gamer. Each of these broad archetypes was, I think, well represented in this discussion.

So if you have about thirty something or so megabytes of space on your computer hard drive, mp3 player or phone, please consider downloading this. It's so nice to hear Nigerians speak passionately about something other than politics or football.

Long live fringe culture!

(Oh and that banging logo was designed by Y! Big ups, babe!)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Current Shoujo Reading

Skip Beat and Nodame Cantabile


It's really, really hard to download ANYTHING in this country which I suppose is good because it forces you to develop patience and a Zen attitude (theoretically, at least). What this means, however, is that at any given time I am always in the middle of between two and fifteen different manga titles. Most of which are off my favourite genre; shoujo.

Right now, because our internet is being seriously erratic, I am only downloading volumes of both Skip Beat by Nakamura Yoshiki and Nodame Cantabile by Tomoko Ninimiya , one painful volume at a time.

I am dedicating this post to my opinions on both.

Skip Beat



This title only came to my notice recently because of its being released as part of the line up of anime being shown in Japan this Fall. It got some good ratings so Y and I added it to the list of animes we are currently downloading. After seeing episode one, and finding it so so, I had a feeling that this was probably a shoujo I would prefer on page rather than on screen. I downloaded volume one (took a whole day) and found I was right.

First I realised that this was a mangaka I was familiar with. I read and was thoroughly addicted to Tokyo Crazy Paradise by the same author just last year. It's a title I would recommend to anyone about a non-typical shoujo heroine who ends up being the body guard of an extremely young and aristocratic yakuza boss.


Skip Beat is similar in that it also features a non-typical shoujo heroine. Mogami Kyoko turns from a self sacrificing angel to a vengeance obsessed demon when she discovers that the love of her life who she has even given up high school for is actually cynically using her as his house girl whilst clawing his way to pop stardom. He becomes a big untouchable star and she swears revenge but how can a pleb (which is what she is) have any hope of affecting a pop idol?



A few people have complained of Nakamura's art style which is quite distinctive (really small heads and wide necks on the guys) but I think that it's something one gets used to.

The premise is refreshing in that it's nice to see a heroine having to deal with some nice earthy demons like malice and bitterness for once! I mean, I loved Tohru Honda of Takaya Natsuki's Fruits Basket but man! What an act to follow!



Kyoko is imperfect in a very understandable way. She's also stubborn and not willing to be walked all over! It's just so rare to see strong, non-submissive women in this genre so big ups to Nakamura for providing us with another successful one!

The story really picked up for me by chapter 3 and after that I had that nice feeling of absolutely having to know what happens next!

There are two main bishounen in the series so far. There is blond Sho Fuwa the evil bastard who betrayed her and there is dark Ren Tsuruga who is the perfect, aristocratic number one hottest celebrity in Japan and who doesn't like her. I say from my long history of struggling to read shoujo that them are some good odds for romance!


I have only reached volume seven but I am really enjoying this manga. On the whole it's a high energy ride, sometimes wicked and sometimes sweet. It's always funny though and I'm recommending it.



Nodame Cantabile



Also another shoujo I got into via the anime. I used to have a good portion of the series but I was storing it on my ipod and when that crashed, I was forced to say a bitter Sayonara to it.

Anyway, someone reminded me of it this year and I was like, Oh, yeah and I started downloading the manga. This is also not a typical shoujo as it has a very relaxed and almost whimsical slice of life feel to it. Also, though the series is named for the female lead, Nodame (Really Noda Megumi), it seems to me like the main character is actually the male lead, usually called Chiaki Sama or Senpai.



Chiaki is a genius pianist who wants to conduct in Europe under his mentor Sebastiano Viera. He is kept from this dream, however, by his fear of flying and is very embittered. The fun starts when this strait laced, perfectionist meets Nodame who is also a genius in her own way.

She can't read music, but she can play anything from ear and her style is wild and emotional. She is also a filthy housekeeper who not only falls openly in love with Chiaki but attaches herself to him like a stray cat depending on him for food and the occasional clean place to bath (she is his neighbour).



I am currently in volume 3 of this series and I have found it both easy going and very, very funny. Tomoko Ninomiya's beautiful, lightly sketched in art style adds to this feel and makes this manga a good entry point for anyone that may be put off by the tropes of the genre's typical art styles (Huge eyes and no nose or mouth to speak of.)

Chiaki senpai as the male lead must stand in for the obligatory bishounen. He doesn't really have the mouth watering androgynousness but he quite makes up for it in arrogance and status. Plus his never quite neat hair is cute.

I look forward to seeing where it all leads. It will take forever (*sigh) but I'm hoping it will be worth it.

Extra Info: Nodame Cantabile: Paris Chapter is currently showing as part of Fall 2008 Anime lineup in Japan and for those who just can't get enough of this title, there is also a live action series (11 episodes covering up to vol 9) and a Two Episode Special both on FujiTV in Japan!!!



Oh, and Cantabile means to play with feeling.


Conclusion

Skip Beat and Nodame Cantabile are my recommendations for the season. Two funny, sweet, musical mangas that will leave you, like the best kind of dessert, wanting more.

I am grateful to the translators, editors, scanlators and everyone without whose help, people like me on my side of the world would have no hope of even hearing about these mangas much less actually seeing them! You guys work your butts off for free and I for one cannot appreciate you enough.

To those who actually have the opportunity to buy these works, don't waste it! The other people who work their butts off on making our mangas happen are the mangakas themselves and every true manga fan knows there is no better cause to spend money on than in the feeding of a mangaka!

Therefore show love.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Gayness and Game Culture




Okay, this doesn't have too much to do with my experience in Nigeria particularly, but it is something I've been wanting to broach.

I find it fascinating just how important the term "gay" has become in a culture so well known for its homophobia. And I mean this despite the fact that its use is almost always negative. The fact remains that it is used to a degree probably only surpassed by the gays themselves (and I'm talking your more flamboyant queen types here) and with a passion and emphasis that demands at least some examination, I think. I suppose it shouldn't be surprising considering the theories abounding about what homophobia tends to really be! But, as intriguing and provocative as this path may be, I am resisting it for today.

Instead I would like to address something that came up in a discussion today. I was recalling how my first sight of the intro to final fantasy x some years back had been like someone had opened up my skull and dumped half a kilo of Nicaraguan White over my brain and that got us all talking about how far graphics have come and the things that used to knock us for a loop back in the day. Nostalgia had us getting on you tube and checking some of the oldies as well as some of the more recent trailers and intros out there. One of the things we looked up was this intro for final fantasy xii (which, btw, I haven't played yet). We oohed, ahhed and gave props and then scanned the comments. For some reason, one comment in particular just jumped out at me. It read simply thus: Vaan is gay --- final 12 is a shit.

Now I know that one can't expect to be on the internet without coming across this sort of random, instigatory type, english-is-not-my-first-language rubbish. One comes across it far more often than one comes across any kind of sense. In addition to this, without having played the game and based on just viewing the character design, I actually agree that Vaan is indeed probably homosexual. Notwithstanding, the comment affected me. Why? Because after about six or more years of being involved in gaming culture, when that word gay jumped off the page at me, something inside me tipped and crashed and I found myself asking: and so what?

Seriously. So what if he's gay? Does it make the role player gay? Does it even make the role player not gay? After hounding and harassing gays in the real world can we really not even leave them alone in virtual ones? Come on!!!!

You know what I would love ideally? What I would love is for Squaresoft or even better, Konami or some other company that creates hardcore, macho, angsty type games to release the most amazing rpg in the world. The graphics would be enough to make you tear up, the story line addictive and the game play a perfect symphony. It would be the perfect game with a lead character that was even more charismatic than Dante, Snake and Kamina (Gurren Laagan) rolled up into one. To play it would be to partake in the most submersively satisfying gaming experience ever. And about 3/4 ways through the game, it would be revealed as an incidental that the main character is gay. It would have nothing to do with the plot and probably only come up that one time just to add another exquisite layer to his character. But it would be undeniable. He would be G.A.Y.

I would love that!!! Like "reunited" it would "feel so good"! And not just because I'm a shuojo addled, bishounen addicted, Yaoi loving freak (which is really still up for debate). And not even because it would serve every gamer homophobe out there right (though it so would). I would love it simply because dammit, gays get such a hard time in the real world, I think that they at least deserve a break in the virtual ones.

So about Vaan I say:


Absolutely go on with your bad self, sister girl if he is gay.


And if he is not...I continue to live in hope.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Are there Gamer Widows in Nigeria?



Nigeria is football country (if you're in the US then Soccer Country). People here are absolutely fanatical about the old, leather ball and not just on a local level either. My country is home to some of the International leagues most manic fans. As a result, football culture is far from exotic here and almost any one would know what you meant if you brought up the catch phrase: "Football Widow."

It's not that there are no female football fans here because there are. Lots of them. It's just that for every one of them you could probably count 50 women who are only mildly interested in the game ("I only like to watch our boys") and maybe 20 who are left cold by it ("I'd rather be watching old episodes of Law&Order. Mmmm, Benjamin Bratt.").

Since the majority of football fans are male and a substantial number of them are married or involved in a relationship, it is quite inevitable that the phenomenon of the football widow would arise. Wives who are thrown to the side during all important footy events. It's a problem that female culture has been trying to come to terms with for years. What to do? Fight? Revenge? Compromise?

The whole thing got me thinking. Is there an equivalent situation for the wives and girl friends of gamers? Especially here, in football country?

If one thinks about it, the situations are somewhat similar. People who are far enough into the vast world of gaming to be considered gamers have just as much a passion for their consoles, handhelds, and desktop platforms as any rabid football fan. Even though female gamers exist, they are way fewer and further between than female football fans in Nigeria. It stands to chance, therefore, that most Nigerian, male gamers that are in relationships are not in the happy position of being able to share their passion for the joystick with their significant others. Logic, therefore, suggests that Nigeria as a country must be sprinkled with it's fair share of Gamer Widows.


And how do you know you are a Gamer Widow? Do you spend a lot of your visits to his place on the couch watching him defeat vast hordes of enemy orcs? Is it like pulling teeth to get him to spend time with you in your cold, console bereft home? Does he fight for possession of the TV set with the kids on Saturday morning? Does he have a Halo night (an entire day and night to be spent with his buddies drinking beer and shooting each other)? Are you forced to use Mario allegories when trying to explain your feelings to him? (okay, that last one was a cheesy joke!) Then don't kid your self because you are indeed a Gamer Widow.

We don't hear that much about it here but I assume that this is because adult gaming (er - not pornography) is still barely one step above a dirty little secret in Nigeria. Overseas one hears much more about this sort of thing. I have heard the story of a girl whose boyfriend was so deeply involved in his Massively Multiplayer Online Role Player Game (MMORPG) world that their relationship melted down. This despite the fact that she was actually a gamer too and also involved in that particular world too. But cases like these are pretty drastic and Gaming culture is rife with similar sensational stories!

I ask out of the curiosity of a girl who is indeed in a relationship with a gamer. Unfortunately I can't truly bring my experience to bear here because I myself am a casual gamer. In fact at this point in my life I have realised that not only do I have a predilection for games, but I also have a taste for the guys that love them. Why? I will have to explore that in another post as I think there's something there that perhaps I can get some feed back on.

Anyway, apart from that I think I may be lucky as my gamer boy falls in a category that I would like to call "the considerate gamer." What this means is he always tries to get me involved, going out of his way to find out what games might interest me and seek them out. He also makes sure Halo night will be okay with me and has an open door policy as far as it's concerned. Finally, he actually makes out time from his work and gaming schedule to be my bf. Putting it all down like this is my way of saying I noticed and thank you.

Meanwhile I will try and investigate by asking the gfs of the gamers I know here what they think of their gamer boys and if any of them have been widowed. Who knows, Nigeria might have a better track record as far as this is concerned than the rest of the world!

Anyway here's a funny I stole from somewhere about gamer relationships.

Monday, November 10, 2008

What's a neogogo?



I'm a neogogo. And this blog is going to be about all the silly inconsequential stuff that we never talk about here. And by here I of course mean Nigeria.
As my header suggests, this will mainly consist of manga, gaming, foreign films and, since I don't have a cat, my boyfriend.
Hope you like!
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