http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:Cyberlink420&section=today deviantART RSS for by:Cyberlink420 en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:03:03 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/23431701/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/23431701/ Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:30:23 PST
Sketchbook's full, at last. Got a good grade on it from my teacher, whose only critique was that I use too many outlines and need to work on using shading to define objects instead of lines. Something to work on in the future, I suppose.

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/23389991/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/23389991/ Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:53:41 PST
Sketchbook's almost full; just a few more pages to go. Fortunately, I'm on break next week, so I'll have a chance to unwind. Aside from a Smash tournament this weekend, I've got no plans so far, but we'll see.

BEYOND!

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/23297300/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/23297300/ Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:20:22 PST
Oh well. I've still got a whole backlog of other pics that I haven't posted yet, so this'll just be more stuff I can add to the pile.

SCOOP!

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/22553375/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/22553375/ Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:31:57 PST
Oh well. Expect some more pieces uploaded in the very near future. Unfortunately, Flash now refuses to work for me, so I can't do any digital cleanup work...bummer.

...

Look at me still talking when there's drawing to do
When I look out there, it makes me glad I'm not you
I've got erasings to run
There is artwork to be done
For the people who are still alive

And believe me, I am still alive
I'm doing doodles and I'm still alive
I feel fantastic and I'm still alive
While you're sketching I'll be still alive
And when you're done I will be still alive

Still alive

STILL ALIVE

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13641402/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13641402/ Sat, 07 Jul 2007 00:59:59 PDT
The whole thing was amazing They opened up with an arcade medley, mixing songs form like 20 or 30 different arcade games (I seriously LOL'd at whatthey did with Duck Hunt...) From there on, it just continued to get better. They managed to fit in a Metal Gear Solid medley, a Sonic medley, the Medal of Honor theme, the Civilization 4 theme, and the Zelda theme all before intermission. Afterwards, they really turned it up a notch with their renditions of Hikari (Kingdom Hearts), a Warcraft medley, and the Super Mario Bros. theme.

In fact, between some of the songs in the second act, there was a special guest appearance by none other than Martin Leung, AKA the Video Game Pianist, who performed a 10-song Final Fantasy Medley, the theme from Super Mario World, and the theme from NES Tetris. Seeing how fast his fingers moved up on the big screen was downright unreal. But it REALLY got interesting when none other than Halo composer Michael Salvatori himself came up on stage to introduce the downright kickass Halo Medley, which they couldn't help but finish up with "Finish the Fight" from Halo 3.

As the song concluded, it looked like it was over, but the crowd was demanding an encore. Therefore, they had no choice but to pull out the big guns...

One.

Winged.

Angel.

It was absolutely mind-blowing, even without the accompanying video footage for that song. In fact, the whole concert left me feeling thoroughly satisfied. If they come into town again, I know I'll be picking up a ticket. Hopefully, they'll start playing the music from Metroid by then...

I still can't believe Square wouldn't let them use footage from KH or FF7 for their respective songs...greedy jerks.

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13588230/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13588230/ Tue, 03 Jul 2007 05:27:28 PDT
Once the movie began, though, it was only a matter of minutes before I had become totally immersed. The special effects were absolutely spectacular to the point where Optimus's first transformation scene alone made my jaw drop. I don't know why everyone says it's hard to keep track of which robot is which, because I managed to do it just fine. The final battle in particular was absolutely stunning, assaulting my mind with so much imagery and sound that I'm surprised I left with all my senses intact.

And if there's one thing I can definitely say about the movie, it's that it was hilariously funny. The whole script was overflowing with one liners, awkward situations, and the like, but never to the point where it became overly cheesy. The actors, both the live-action stars and the Transformers' voices, were spot-on during the majority of the movie, especially Shia LaBeouf, who pretty much stole the film and ran away with it.

I think one of the biggest things about the movie, though, was the experience brought on by the audience. Throughout the whole movie, everyone was laughing along and applauding at the best scenes, though not to the point where it became troublesome to hear the movie or anything. If you're going to see the movie, be prepared to become part of the crowd, laughing along for the movie's entirity. I'd think twice about bringing a younger sibling along, though, as there's a lot of stuff that...how can I put this...explains why the original cut was R and why it's worthy of the current PG-13.

I only had a few problems with the movie itself: first of all, the Decepticons, save maybe Frenzy, didn't get nearly as many lines or as much screen time as I would have liked, especially Starscream, who I expected would have a much larger role in the whole thing. Also, during the action sequences, the shaky cam became a bit too much to handle, making it sort of difficult to keep track of what was going on. I think it would have been a bit easier on the eyes if they didn't move it around nearly as much...

Regardless, the film was absolutely amazing, and esily the best one I've seen all summer. Anyone reading this absolutely HAS to see it as soon as they get the chance. It's just that good, and I'm really eager to see the two sequels they're planning. Granted, it'll be at least two or three years before it's released, if that, but hey, I can wait...

On a side note, my love of Bo-Bobo has broken the language barrier, as I finally imported the OST from Japan. And it...is...awesome. Sadly, the track that plays whenever Bo-Bobo fuses with somebody doesn't seem to be on it, which is disappointing because I really liked that one, but hey, what're you going to do?

Be sure to check back later today and throughout the week for more classic artwork, plus late on Friday or Saturday for my review of the Video Games Live concert!

For now...AUTOBOTS, TRANSFORM AND ROLL OUT!

*turns into shopping cart and rolls away slowly* ]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13567408/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13567408/ Sun, 01 Jul 2007 17:49:01 PDT
Lots of fun stuff going on over the next week or so.

First off, I'm going to try and see the very first screening of Transformers tomorrow night (I'll order my tickets ahead of time so we don't have another "incident" like last time...), plus I'll be attending Video Games Live on Friday, so once I see both, I'll give my review of the experience here in the ol' Journal.

Second, I've decided that over the next few weeks, I'm going to be adding a bunch of my old artwork and sketches to the Gallery, one each day until I run out. A fair number of these some of you may have already seen, but soon, I'm also going to scan in several pieces that until now have never left my sketchbook. My first one, "Preteen Wannabe Ninja Eds", will be up tonight, so keep your eyes peeled.

Lastly, I'm finally going to be getting my bedroom redone sometime within the next couple of months, something I've been hoping for for a while now. Granted, it means I'm going to have to spend a week or two sleeping in the basement, but hey, who's complaining? Now to start taking down the ol' Nintendo Power centerfolds...

*notices that the walls are practically covered in them*

...this could be a while. ]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13394626/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13394626/ Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:38:22 PDT
Check out the new stuff, as well as the rest of the series, here. (Hope you have an hour to spare...possibly more if you haven't seen any of the other episodes...)

On a side note, I finally had my graduation party this past saturday. Considering how much work and planning went into it, I'm glad that it's finally over. Now I can kick back and relax...for the most part anyway. There's still the whole job thing...

Also, I may be helping out with the production of a SonicAnime.net podcast in the near future, so keep an eye out! If you're lucky, you just might get to hear my deeper-than-I-initially-realized, no-longer-able-to-imitate-R2D2 voice that everyone claims sounds nothing like they expected!

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13307645/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13307645/ Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:56:55 PDT May he rest in peace...

On a side note, I just started work again for the firs time since last summer. It's only an office job, but it's pretty good pay, which is important considering that I'm saving up for a PC drawing tablet and Adobe Premiere.

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13287232/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13287232/ Sun, 10 Jun 2007 07:26:28 PDT
Thus, I present to you...

YouTube Poop: The Password is...BREAKAWAY PANTS!

Enjoy (But not too much. Otherwise, people will think you're creepy. Trust me, I know.)

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13283506/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13283506/ Sat, 09 Jun 2007 21:45:27 PDT
I've got an awesome YTP (YouTube Poop) video all set and ready to go, and I've put hours of work into it. The problem comes from the fact that Movie Maker doesn't seem to appreciate all the hard work I did, because it adamantly refuses to publish my movie. It downright sucks...

If I can get it working, I'll be sure to post it here. Something tells me, though, that I'll be waiting a while...

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13258803/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13258803/ Thu, 07 Jun 2007 22:39:52 PDT shutting down their animation studio, the same one where they produced such infamous shows as Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Justice League, Freakazoid!, and other unforgettable toons. Now, as someone who spent the better part of his childhood watching these shows, I can't help but be a little pissed off. More significantly, though, it made me look at what animation has become these days, and just how far we've fallen.

Fact 1: People just don't seem to care about traditional 2D animation anymore. I mean, for a while, Disney totally shut down their 2D animation studio, opting for full CG when it came to their animated movies, and they didn't change their minds about that until after they merged with Pixar. It seems that nowadays, people want shiny graphics over intricate artistic design and plot, much like what's happened with the video game industry. (How else would you explain Clover, the studio behind Viewtiful Joe and Okami, getting dissolved?)

Fact 2: Since when did a show have to be overloaded with fart jokes, cheap physical gags, and toilet humor to be funny? Nowadays, it seems like the weaker the script for a TV show or movie, the more likely it is that it will find an audience. I really wonder why it is that an awesome show with well-written jokes and great animation like Freakazoid! gets canned after one or two seasons while something noticeably bland and overloaded with crappy jokes like My Gym Partner's a Monkey can be renewed for who-knows-how-long. I mean, I'd much prefer hearing Freakazoid make a joke about how the scariest thing in the world would be Sinbad getting another TV show as opposed to watching Jake Spidermonkey moon the camera for the upteenth time.

Fact 3: Everything has become way too similar. It honestly feels like every TV show these days is the exact same thing as another TV show, but with different characters. Picure this: a group of three (sometimes more) friends, usually two guys and one girl (occasionally the other way around). One of them, the main character, usually the guy, has something that makes him different, and only he and his friends know. Another, usually the girl, has a crush on the main character but refuses to admit it, nor will the main character admit his crush on her. The third is most likely even more of an outcast than the other two. Meanwhile, they have to not only put up with everyday life in school, at home, etc., but they also have to deal with strange occurrences each day due to the main character's uniqueness, not realizing that one of their archenemies is actually someone they know or are friends with in real life. Catch my drift?

Fact 4: Are the writers even TRYING anymore? Nowadays, almost all shows are same old cliches and episode plots to the point where they seem inescapable. I mean, think about it. You've got the traditional "Accidentally trapped in a video game/TV" episode, the "Date someone you think you like but end up hating and realizing you love your best friend" episode, the "Switch bodies with someone you're arguing with and discover just how tough their lives are" episode, etc., etc. Come on, would it really kill them to come up with something original for once? I mean, REALLY?

Fact 5: Loonatics Unleashed. I'll say no more.

Sad to say, it seems that all we're going to be getting in the near future is more of the same. However, at least we can take comfort in knowing that there are still a few really good shows out there, like Avatar, Billy & Mandy, the newly-resurrected Futurama, and many more. Not only that, but with movies like The Simpsons Movie and Transformers, and the sales of DVD box sets, companies seem to finally be catching on that there's a real market for classic animation. Hopefully, things will be able to soon get better, so keep your fingers crossed. (I'd give anything to see Steven Spielberg make a new animated series...)

On a lighter note, the SSBB site has confirmed 4 different control settings, including sideways Wiimote, Wiimote + Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and GCN Controller settings. Happy day!

And thus, I leave you with a quote from an episode of The Angry Beavers which never aired, but which fits oh so well.

We'll always have memories...and syndication...

*resumes waiting eagerly for a Freakazoid DVD box set to be announced*

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13241750/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13241750/ Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:22:39 PDT
Anyway, I was going to see the Naruto movie tonight, which was only showing for one night at only one of the theaters near my house. Ironically, I had gone earlier to pick up tickets, but when I got there, they hadn't opened yet, which I found preposterous. I mean, what movie theater hasn't opened by 1:00 PM in the middle of the Summer? Yeesh.

So I ended up arriving at the theater again a little more than half an hour early for the movie, which I surprisingly discovered had been given a PG-13 rating...who knew? Naturally, when I looked, I saw that the showing was sold out. My first though, of course, was "Aw, man," but when I looked at all the 10-year-olds wearing headbands, fighting each other using the toys, and yelling loudly at each other while imitating various jutsu, I thought, "You know what? It's probably better this way." I mean, I'll give it one month, maybe two, before the movie comes out on DVD and/or is shown on Toonami, and I'd much rather watch it in the comfort of my own home as opposed to a sweaty theater full of raving preteen fanboys, so it's not really that big a deal. Hopefully, though, I'll have much better luck when it comes to getting in to see Transformers on opening day. (July 3rd, folks!)

On a side note, WTF was up with today's update to the Super Smash Bros. Brawl website? I mean, it's been, like, 8 years since the first Super Smash Bros. game; I think we know how to get back up onto the stage after falling off by now. I know that this site is supposed to be for those who are new to the Smash Bros. franchise as well, but come on, Sakurai. Couldn't you give the rest of us something more to salivate over? I mean, even the confirmation of another Pokeball character would be nice! (Groudon still looks awesome, BTW...)

At least we now know that recovery seems to have become much easier now (did you see how far Mario jumped?), not to mention that the background for the Battlefield stage appears much more awesome than I realized, now that I can actually see it without it being obscured by the stage itself. Even though the game play is the most important aspect of the game, it's nice to know that SSBB has undergone such a serious overhaul from a graphics standpoint since E3 last year. Still, I hope that tomorrow's and Friday's updates are as good as, if not better than, the ones from the last few days. *continues crossing fingers for playable Sonic*

Well, that's all from me for today. Transform and roll out!

*spontaneously turns into a tricycle and rides away*

]]> ~Cyberlink420 http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13227894/ http://Cyberlink420.deviantart.com/journal/13227894/ Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:00:55 PDT
Hmm...it's much roomier than I expected.

Anyway, I doubt I'll be updating my journal much, given my past streaks of laziness, but who knows? I might actually think to update this thing once in a while.

]]> ~Cyberlink420