Envision

"Checkmate," I said, staring at the new Windows Vista's game Chess Titans. For once, I managed to defeat the AI with slick moves by fully utilising the queen early in the game. It wasn't an easy job, since the AI could calculate and plan its moves way faster than a sane human could. Yet, there is a flaw: the AI does not prioritise every piece's prowess in the game. The AI is sometimes willing to save a pawn instead of its knight. Taking full advantage of this, I won the game by forcing the AI into deciding wrong moves - moves that a normal human would not usually make.

Sitting back, I realised how obsolete board games have become. In this current google age, even when we want to play board games, we play them on the screen. We'd rather save our time by sitting on the chair and waving the mouse in front of the screen than to get our butt across the room to get the chess set. Something got me thinking... why did men invent the chess game? Even the Chinese have their own Chinese chess. Mankind's history is always about bloodshed and war. Even when there is no war, men plan strategies and plot the downfall of others. Strategies and correct movement of military forces is what usually wins a battle, which is what chess really is, in simple terms of course.

But in the cyber world, something forever changed the course of strategic board games. Three letters tells the story: RTS. Real-time Strategy.

Recently, I was watching some videos of top Korean players playing StarCraft. Apparently, StarCraft is a huge industry in South Korea and is constantly growing in scale. They have it in some sort of stadium where two players sit in opposing booths with a PC in front of them and a hot chick standing behind them invigilating the game. It was quite a culture shock: the Koreans watch StarCraft like the English watching the English Premier League. Yet, watching the Koreans duke it out on a virtual battlefield is pwnage. It is mind-boggling to see how they wiggle their mouse like a a venomous snake slithering and dance their fingers across the keyboard (quote Yi Xian) like playing a piano.

For some noobs who don't understand what I'm stating here, RTS is a video game genre that involves playing with brains. Similar to the somewhat "ancient" chess game, RTS requires plots and thinking of strategies, correct timing and movement of forces, and most of all, killing each other's forces. It is part of human nature to like killing one another (lol). But there is more to RTS than just simple planning and moving your men across the plane. Most RTS requires funds to produce more forces - in which you will need to build your economy and a base for unit productions. RTS also needs massive skill in order to excel. You need to really work fast and capitalise on the cash you currently have in producing your forces, upgrading them or building an even larger economy. With a large enough army you can stomp your opponent to the ground. So, basically this genre of games is about multitasking, infrastructure and economic planning, military strategies and a driving will to crush your enemies.

Now I'm going quite deep into RTS knowledge. In terms of skills, there are two aspects of RTS gaming techniques to be grasped: macro and micro. Macro is the ability to really multitask: sending your forces to battle while pumping out forces and/or managing your economy at the same time. Micro is the ability to manage from one to a handful of units in battle to maximise their capabilities or save their lives before they get killed. Let's put it this way: macro-ing is producing forces, and micro-ing is keeping them alive. Both are key points in an RTS game in order to really determine who wins and who loses - a pivotal part of the game. A good macro player can really maximise his economy and generate a strong army, while a wise micro player is able to knock down a large army with some intricate usage of only a handful of his forces.

And a research showed that, since RTS games involve so much multitasking and skills in the gameplay, it is recommended that senior citizens play them. RTS is proven to help older people to keep their brains functioning well and make them more alert and react quicker.

From what I can see, there is now no reason to play chess. We get a more dynamic gameplay, with some nice animation graphics of things blowing up, as well as a more well-rounded strategy/planning game. Real-time strategy, in short, is the new chess game.

P.S.   RTS includes popular game series like Command and Conquer, Red Alert, WarCraft, StarCraft, Generals, Warhammer 40,000, Supreme Commander, Company of Heroes... and many more!

Share on Facebook

Only a couple of years ago, we were watching classic alien movies like Independence Day and War of the Worlds. We enjoyed every bit of them, of how man depict extraterrestrials. The whole thing was entirely imagination-based, and drilled into everyone's mindset how ugly and terrible aliens would actually appear. Classic alien movies always feature aliens as strong, intelligent, powerful, advanced, monstrous, ugly, destructive, cruel and most of all, superior. In truth, movie producers may seem quite biased about alien supremacy over mankind, crushing planet Earth with a familiar iron fist.

Turning the tables are two 2009 films, District 9 and Avatar. These two films were outstanding contrasts to each other, set in different aspects, with totally different themes and moral values to be learned. What do they both share in common then? They strayed from the usual alien-movie-plot-formula, and forming one by their own. Both films depict man as, sort of, the superior species. And oh, they're not just action-packed alien vs human sorta show, they both symbolise moral values laid out indirectly.

Basically, District 9 is a low-budget film trying to make a film that will have a great impact on us. Everything in this fockin' film has got a fockin' awesome meaning to it. It's not just about the fockin' prawns strolling about our fockin' planet. Alright, I gotta stop it. So District 9 has got some issues on bad language but you must read between the lines, watch between the pixels. It's about how mankind alienate a person who is different. It's also about how bloodthirsty mankind are, exploiting advanced weapon technology from another species. District 9 depicts how, when a man is in a position of power, he can do inhuman things.

Blockbuster film Avatar also delivers a message to most of mankind. It isn't just about biolumiscent trees and animals with parasitic problems. The film puts man in a position of power too, this time invading another planet trying to exploit the land filled with a mineral they want. Consequently, this would involve deforestation and destruction of natural habitats. This movie has a very eco-friendly theme, warning humanity not to develop too much as nature will strike back ultimately. Avatar portrays how greedy mankind are, ignoring all circumstances to achieve economic and financial growth, albeit destroying the environment and indigenous species.

Finally, we get a chance to see humans depicted as baddies. For once, we tend to cheer for the aliens instead of human heroics. Boring old "man vs alien" films have changed.

Henceforth, both Avatar and District 9 are awesome shows of their own category. This new movie formula is a breath of fresh air needed. They remind us humans of what we're capable of, not just getting invaded by aliens. They remind us not to be too greedy or power hungry. We know not even aliens can destroy us, but our behavior and mentality can ultimately do so.

Share on Facebook

Windows 7 will probably revolutionise the computing universe. Though it's still early in development process, Windows 7  has already added the touch-screen features into their user-interface feature list.

If they're thinking of going Star Wars, I'll be backing them. A quote from Jo Fan: it's an oversized iPhone running on Windows!

It's so similar to Vista...

As Windows 7 edges towards release, around October 2009 (finally... a successor to the awful Vista), we can only hope the long-awaited multitouch function will be good. Or else, we wouldn't want out fingerprints imprinted all over the screen.

Windows 7's user-interface is rather more Vista-like than anything else. They look so similar, when I first saw a screenshot of Windows 7 Beta I thought it was Vista. I'd love to try out the Beta to get a clue on what's hot in Windows Se7en.

In this video below, it seems the reaction time after clicking on something or dragging a window is fast. Unlike most touch-screen monitors you see around airports, malls or anywhere, Windows 7 apparently speeds up the reaction time.

A big question in mind - how is this going to affect gaming? Are we going to shoot down enemies by jabbing our fingers at them on the screen? If the fight gets intense, you might make a hole in your screen. But for the case of RTS games, the touch-screen might come in handy. The mouse might get ruled out of trend as business PC users will no longer need them.

I think Microsoft is rushing to recover the losses they went through with the indigestion of Vista. Through this mess, Microsoft is trying to recapture their lost fame by incorporating the features of an iPhone with a PC.

Windows, to me, is still better suited than Apple's OS X. So, I hope Microsoft will do a fine job here in rectifying the remnants of Vista to the new touch-screen-capable Seven.

Share on Facebook

Yet again, another game review. Mirror's Edge is another EA masterpiece. If you're thinking Mirror's Edge is a boring game involving jumping and running only, you are wrong. It's a whole new and different experience like no other.

The game features a city (more like a megalopolis) full of splendid architectural marvels. The huge buildings loom the somewhat impressive landscape and gives YOU the power to jump around the city while accomplishing your missions. You are basically a runner, and in this case, runners steal information away from prying eyes. You will end up having to escape from police force.

A quote from Timothy Goh: Mirror's Edge makes you vomit out your past eight meals.

Well said. The exhilirating running and jumping amidst a large city is an experience so different from other games. Especially when the cops are on your tail. The adrenaline and mixed emotions will bring about a unique atmosphere. Things get even more dramatic when you end up leaping a series of leaps and jumps as some runner cops are pursuing you throughout the city.

Your character, Faith, is however extremely vulnerable to gunfire. Don't try to pick on multiple cops during the game, you are sure to fall prey to their weapons. Pick them one by one, disarm them and use the groovy new weapon to take down the rest of the cops.

There are quite a number of  disadvantages in the gameplay. Sometimes the series of jumping puzzles might break down the momentum during running and makes the player frustrated. This often happens, leaving you thinking how to get past hurdle after hurdle. You'll be seeing red, both figuratively and literally. It leaves you fuzzy and confused.

All in all, Mirror's Edge is a game to behold for its uniqueness and exciting gameplay. Run hard.

I give it a 8.2 out of 10.

Share on Facebook

I have to say, and insist, that the latest Apple iPod Nano is a true beauty.

Share on Facebook