Freedom

Lot of folks have been looking for the official version of this song all over the net, so just in case you're one of them...

 

 

Arguably one of the best songs in the whole series, even if the movie itself was a little thin.

Hi, everyone. I just had this question bothering me, and I want to see if you can help me resolve it. When it comes to fiction or media, which to people prefer: utopia or dystopia. Now let me expand on that for those of you too lazy to use wikipedia (I know I am).

- A utopia or utopian society is a fiction where everything is perfect (or has the illusion of being so). There's really no money, or people have it easily and everyone lives comfortably. No war, no disease, no racism or anything else that countinues to plague humanity. Prime examples of this are the Jetsons cartoon, where everything is all hi-tech and awesome; but can also include Star Trek, where we have transcended the boundaries and problems that hounded us. Society is tolerable of new ideas and everyone just gets a long nicely.
Many people may claim this particular branch of fiction is boring and uninteresting, but keep in mind that no one wants to live in pain or constant fear. We want something to look forward to, a future where we don't suffer as much. Why do you think the concept of heaven exists?

- Dystopia is more the opposite. Society has crumbled, or is close to doing so. There's a huge gap between the fortunate and not so fortunate. The same problems we face today are still present, if not evolved. There's little joy in the world, and the happiness there is, probably just comes from booze and drugs and other nast vices. People live in fear and have little to look forward to except death probably. The definition isn't always as rigid as utopia's, though. A dystopia can wear the mask of transcending into a greater future however, but not really. Governments are corrupt, money is still the worst thing that happened to people, and there's little freedom. War's like a regular game of ball. Examples include all post-apoc settings, maybe the Hunger Games, Deus Ex, and other worlds you don't dream of living in.
So while the setting could make for some great stories and characters and something about the beauty of the human spirit, it isn't something you want to live in necessarily.

So my question to you as a reader, movie-goer, and gamer is: which do you prefer to see? Dystopias where we display the worst of humanity and the consequences of our actions? Or utopias that have transcended our current state, a new light at the end of the tunnel; something to look forward to and attempt to possibly achieve, no matter how pipe-dreamy it may look? Basically optimism or pessimism?

Oh my goodness goshies! Check these out! These are amazing. I know they're mostly colorful swirlies, but you put a lot of other professional graphic artists to shame. It's not an exaggeration... Seriously, have you ever thought about hypnotizing someone with them? My swirls. They're prettier than a Cinnabon!

Just to let you know, Burngirl, I made this my official desktop background...



Now get this. I'm one of those people who just leaves their desktops blank for not wanting to waste time staring instead of what I'm supposed to be doing. But this... this is time well wasted. Awesome job.

Hey, Scorp. If you don't mind, I have a request. How about a propaganda poster for Roscoe O'Donnell? You know, showing us the cheesy exagerated Zygbar dictator with his face on a brick wall. That be really neat to see.

Yeah, Darknoon beat me to it, and he did a better job of explaining than whatever I could say. But yeah. It's a cyberpunk game... that looks completely amazing! If anybody is looking for a different setting instead of the charred grounds of Pennsylvania Ave, and something else to kill but nonstop waves of Russians, and is also looking for cooler and more rewarding ways to customizing your character and actually play the way you want (seriously, this franchise is famous for that) other than mixing up your AK-47 a bit or taking a different route; as well as playing as some cliche Marine without a face (And instead be Robert Downey Jr. with kickass sunglasses)... this is basically the game to play, basically.

I'm currently against any sort of co-op... Sorry, but it just doesn't seem like a good idea to implement cooperative play into the main story. It'd just ruin the game for me personally. Even if they made them self-contained missions where Shepard was part of it.

That is not to say I wouldn't like to see co-op as an Alliance Marine during the Invasion, akin to Halo's Firefight against Reaper husks, or something where you 'systematically' destroy actual Reapers. 'cause we all know that'd be pretty badass, right? And as mentioned, custom Spectres (or other non-Citadel races) into some-sort of story co-op or deathmatch would be cool also (I'd make a mean Krogan if the 'other races' option was available, mm-hm). So that'd be cool, just don't mess with Shepard... and we won't have a problem, will we? At least in my oppinion.

Okay, everybody. I woke up and realized one mid-summer afternoon, that SSLF doesn't have a "Video Game News Topic." You knows, where people can post news about their favorite console or rumors that aren't ready to have their own topic. It would certainly reduce Red Base's clutter, wouldn't it?

For starters, did anybody hear about this?

Sorry. Well I just thought so because I remember once Scorp said they were Roman/Norse; somewhere...

Can I offer my own insights here?

Isn't "Rome" more Xarkonian, being as they're Roman/Norse mostly. And Victory is thereby Medieval/Greek? I think New Alexandria is fitting then, because Alexander the Great was Macedonian, which is just north of Greece. But that's just me... I think I might of actually heard that name before.

New Athens?

Well yeah, obviously. He said he wanted to make it believeable, but not to 'gritty'. But again, the big moral of the story is that Scorp is just short of being god for Nova Refuge. He does what he wants, and there ain't nobody goin' say nothin' 'bout it.

EDIT: It's still fun to see how well he can actually do it, though. There were a lot of parts (Especially characters) that made me roll my eyes because they weren't things that a real person would say and/or were exagerated a bit. But, he seems to have fun with it and people seem to like Nova Refuge's charm (Including me, obviously). I just can't wait for Saber's Edge to see how correct people's predictions were and maybe how he's improved his writing skills a tad.

I just want to point one thing out here: It's cool that you guys are making the connection between WWII and the Ultimite War, but In still think it boils down to what Scorp wants to accomplish with his universe. Just remember that Justin R. Stebbins is god in Nova Refuge. He can do what ever he wants with it... and that includes not making it like other wars in our history. It's every writer's goal to be well-known and unique, and if he copies things right out of the text-book, it won't be too fun, now will it. He himself stated that he doesn't like gritty realisic sci-fi stories too much, and I garantee you that it'll stray away into some form of epicness not found in real war. Maybe Saber-Scorpion hasn't thought it out completely and entirely how the War will progress and end... Maybe he hasn't gone too far into it just quite yet. I just wanted to lay that out on the table before people started making assumptions way to close to WWII. That being said, I understand it's fun to make guesses like this and I'm gonna make some of my own based on what I know about Saber-Scorpion and what he's hinted:

As the War progresses one year later from the events in Shardasha, neither side is gaining the upper hand... At times, the Xarkonian Coalition (Whatever it decides to be called) seems to be at the head, or sometimes Victory's Alliance prevails victorious in a few consecutive battles here in there... But there is no clear winner yet. It seems that both sides are too strong, and the War won't end as quickly as Radcliff wants it to (Much to the pleasure of Mars). Victory does what it can to end the War rapidly and/or defend whatever territory it has left. Xarkon on the other hand, is in it for the long run and buys their time... and with it's immense wealth, they can do this without making it look 'strange'. Occasionally, they'll send in Grimm's Army to do their dirty work, while Zygbar hangs back and watches. Victory will handle the more direct approaches with brute force, while Yavakaro takes care of more covert opperations (Such as secret communications as mentioned). For a while, the War goes nowhere... Until the Xarkonians get more offensive and begin to take out major colonies of Victory (As mentioned), as the latter simply tries to survive the onslaught. At the end of the second novel, Victory launches a special 'plan' and the already weakened Xarkon retreats from the mentioned planet. Famed Enomeg, Saber-Scorpion, begins to change gradually, as various people and actions begin to shake his confidence in his nation. For now, he simply follows... if not painfully. I think eventually, Zygbar will amass enough wealth behind the Empire's back to buy Grimm's loyalty and backstab Xarkon...

From here, I don't know where it'll go... Only that Saber-Scorpion and Grimm's Army will be big factors in deciding the outcome. Overall, I still think that it'll all depend on Scorp's goals for NR rather than realism and history. It isn't really happaning; it could go either way. "Good or Bad." In my oppinion, it all depends on what Scorp wants for NR...

I know, but it's how you put the shapes together! Whenever I try and draw armor, it always ends up looking way too much like Greek Hoplite Armor. Not necessarily a bad thing, but when every single suit of armor I draw ends up like that, it's a little frustrating. I just don't know where else to get armor inspiration from. Where do you usually draw inspiration from?

Hoplite armor is the coolest armor and existance, but since you don't want to draw that, I guess I can help you draw inspiration. If you don't mind of course.

Well, first off, I watch a lot of movies and play a few games, browse the 'Net, and all that good stuff. I also try to look at nature for quite a portion of it, then go back and draw from History. Actually, going back and skimming through your ole' History textbook would be the best idea for now. But it really depends on what exactly you're trying to draw. For Sci-Fi, it actually works quite well; but for something a bit more modern, you could always just go around looking at military hardware while throwing your own twists into it. Or try mixing those together. I dunno. Just get some refference pics (Most people don't recommend this tactic - and I wouldn't either for most things - but it also helps if you're just drawing from pure memory, becuase it allows you to improvise quite a bit) and begin by attempting to change it as much as possible, while keeping the basic style intact.

Hope this all helps, Harry.

When does Saber's Edge take place relative to Warrior Born?

Bah, I really hate cluttering up other people's topics like this, but I believe he said it kicks-off about a year later.

That's why we have an "edit" button.
-Loki

I've never seen more than three "wild" snakes... Ironic given the fact that I live in the Mojave, or really close to it actually.

Anyways, I have no authority to say this, but we should really be getting back to the topic...

In other news... that Whisper sure is pretty, isn't she?

...but it appears to us you haven't been working so hard.

...

A few of them were good, and I even really liked them, but others I didn't much care for and I felt they were unnecessary... and cluttering up the place with way too much magical stuff.

I belive you talking about, Aries. Just kidding, I hate to brag like that...

Anyways, I've been trying to think of some nice things for you other than the carravan idea (Though it does seem like the the most feasible). I once did a school RP in sixth grade about a carravan on the Silk Road for History class. Everybody else wanted to fight the Mongols or something until I suggested the whole Silk Roads deal, and the teacher loved it. Because of that, I'm trying to stray away from it and start from scratch. Maybe something about an Imperial diplomacy mission to the Southwest, incorporating the carravan idea while keeping it fresh. No mercs or stuff, but educated and pompous Noblemen who somehow get trapped in the wilds by a centaur raid. Just a nice suggestion, I guess...