David Hingtgen

Apparently you can find out who is. I know from being spoiled by someone who did, but I haven't seen that part of that quest. Maybe you have to be a renegade.

Awesome!!!------American Gladiators coming back, that is. Episode was meh, but better than most of the first half of the season.

<<THERE HAS TO BE A LEGAL, INEXPENSIVE WAY TO WATCH NEW ANIME IN ENGLISH.>> That's all that really needs be said. Nobody's going to wait 3 years and pay $1+ per minute for anime. And half the stuff I want/watch NEVER comes out. (If it passes 3 years, that's effectively never). Example---Macross Zero. Or Macross 7. Even if it does some day come over here, it took so long it's effectively pointless/worthless at this point. Of course, as I have for years, I blame dubs. Subs are cheap. Company X could license and sell a dub in weeks for cheap. But they don't, because the masses want dubs. And that costs a ton of money and time. And they refuse to quickly make a cheap sub and sell it to us sub-preferrers, to make money to fund the later dubbing.

Oh, THAT mission. Hmmn. I only had like 7 secs to spare the first time but made it. I wonder if you COULD fail it and go on. Kinda doubt it, as isn't that mission the key source for ? I have a theory that you can not get Wrex, or at least delay it. Going to try it next time. (not timed, but I bet you can just avoid him). Though he seems to be a required character, unlike say Juhani or HK-47 in KOTOR.

From all indications, it's true as well.

Any "timed" mission just ends with you dying and having to re-load. I have yet to find one where you can actually fail it yet continue on with the game, living with the consequences.

Well, there are a few real choices near the end (either or, not both), but you're right concerning 90% of the game.

I *hate* glossy piano black stuff. That's an instant deal-killer for a TV. Reflections and glare galore, constantly catches my eye. But I haven't seen that particular TV--BestBuy says online only. (Really, that's one of the few places to get a TV around here). I'll check Sears and see if they have it, it may be better. However, the 32S3000 was already about at my limit, I was really leaning more towards the M3000, which is 200 cheaper. Going 200 above the S3000 is now 50% more than a planned to spend. But if the Sharp's noticeably better, I'll splurge for it. (And not get any valks for a while--sigh, I want that new YF-21) Question for people who know----on a PC monitor, if you go from say 1024 to 1280, all the text shrinks. If you go to 1600 on a 15in monitor, you've got very nice graphics with 1-pixel-high text. Does the same happen on a TV with game systems? How will text on a 360 look on a 720p vs 1080p TV? Tiny text is a problem, I play lots of RPG and hud-dependent games. Or is stuff the same size, just "smoother"? I don't think I've ever seen anyone comment on resolution vs actual display size on HD games and HDTV's.

Actually, I never ignored a call, but none seemed to be "urgent"---as in you could leave and come back hours later and be fine. I mean, there's plot planets with distress calls, but you can wait 20 hours and 30 sidequests later to do it, and it makes no difference. Anyone actually "ignore" a call, come back later, and find them all dead---yet you know they can be saved since other people did it? (A lot of the time, they're dead anyways no matter how fast you get there) Many "calls" are actually level/stat based, the communication comes in "next time you go somewhere at level 21"---you'll get the call, regardless of where/when you are.

Anyone seen a gold DS Lite? Nowhere around here has one. (And yes I said I didn't like Zelda DS much, but it's like half-price as part of the package---I just haven't decided if the gold is good enough to buy. (Sigh, I still really want Navy, but can't risk importing it due to possible dead pixels--I've had bad luck with Nintendo LCD's, I've had to have several brand-new Gameboys replaced due to bad screens)

Exactly--a lot of people are thinking that (as opposed to Bioware dropping the ball) that the ending of ME 1 doesn't really show your actions on purpose---it'll take a while, and show up in ME 2. There's at least 2 species that are VERY affected by your actions, but it'll take more than a week for it to be apparent. (Plus humans of course). I mean c'mon---Suikoden 3 on the PS2 could read your Suik 1 character's name and stats from a PSX save file----I'm sure that a game DESIGNED to have future games on the same system read the info can do much more. PS---I'm annoyed that the neat "tough decisions" trailer sequence doesn't happen at all. There's no planet "Castalon"? to go to instead of Noveria. And Noveria doesn't send out a distress call. That'd be an awesome option though---which planet do you answer the distress call of? Also that's the only time we see Ashley lower her visor--I always thought it was fixed, but it's apparently retractable.

Problem is, when you need one for a bedroom, it can't be too big. And "high quality, small TV's" are basically non-existent.

Go check reviews of any TV in Sony's "S3000" series. A LOT of them have a "transformer buzz". As do many other LCD's this year. Heavily influenced by backlight settings on some.

Nosecones often aren't painted at all, they're either molded in color (they're not metal) or covered in urethane, which both only come in certain colors. It is because of radar interference. If it's white, it's probably because it's molded that way. MANY missiles have white nosecones. Planes often have mis-matched nosecones because even if they're lucky enough to get one that "matches"---it almost always fades at a different rate, or it never quite matched in the first place. And it takes years for nosecones to start becoming available in a new color if the camo changes---it's not a very high priority. The amount of non-metallic nosecone (and types) needed varies by plane and radar, and can change over time as materials and radar improve. Early F-14's had half the nosecone "radome tan" and bare, while newer ones can have all 3 colors of their standard low-vis painted on. (And that's one of the few spots to see all 3 colors in close proximity) F-15's have only the extreme tip molded in color, the rest can be painted--but the entire structure is still non-metallic.

Well actually, the REAL name would be "The adversary camo worn by F-14A 161869, while painted up as Black 20 for NSAWC in 1999/2000". NSAWC based theirs on the Ukrainian splinter camo, but it's certainly "their own" and Dobber followed that one (AFAIK), not a Ukrainian pattern. But he "splintered" the camo more than it was, and even more than the Ukrainians do. So it's like "super splintered". I posted several camo diagrams and links on the first page of the thread, check my posts on the first page. Second pic is a different plane in similar camo, but shows the colors better.

Mr March--expanding on that, Dobber based his off of one of the NSWAC F-14 schemes. That NSAWC F-14 scheme was itself (apparently) based off of Ukranian Flanker splinter camo. Ghostkiller based his off of Dobber's version of NSAWC's version of the Ukraine's splinter version of the standard Flanker camo. Which IMHO ended up looking mostly like Ukranian splinter camo pattern in standard Flanker colors. Regardless, it "looks like a Flanker scheme".

If there's many players (7 or more), F-15E with XMAA. Sheer numbers---fire a lot, hope something hits. (once and only once, I got all 6 to hit 3 different players--took out the entire opposing team) Fewer players--dogfight Su-33 w/QAAM.

Currently leaning towards Sony 32S3000. It's 200 more than the 32M3000, but there's quite a few reports of issues with the M series, and it seems the black levels aren't as good, and simply has fewer shades of black/grey. If not, second choice currently Panasonic's 32XC700 or whatever, not sure of the exact model name, but it's 700 I think. Current biggest/issue worry: Humming/buzzing. Seems a LOT of sets do it this year, especially Sonys. But it's set by set. You can buy 5 and exchange 5, and every one makes a buzzing sound. Or you can luck out and get a dead-silent one.

Posting this in two threads because it's appropriate to both: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1286859/L/ Even cooler than a vapor shockwave, is a sheer distortion shockwave (also much harder to photograph). And no, this ISN'T photoshopped. So yes, AC6's "warp waves" that "peel off" the plane are somewhat correct, it's not purely a "heat waves for the engines" thing.

Posting this in two threads because it's appropriate to both: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1286859/L/ Even cooler than a vapor shockwave, is a sheer distortion shockwave (also much harder to photograph). And no, this ISN'T photoshopped.

Still waiting for a MP Thundercracker, but only if he's very G1-colored. And that means G1 toy dark *metallic* blue (best TF color ever), not dull pale blue. Anyways---finally found 08 movie BB.

That's what I'm wondering. The trilogy will die if we have to wait like 3 years for part 2. Or even 2 years. I expect 18 months. Kinda depends---will they use the same engine and models (hey, if they use the HDD next time and sacrifice just a bit of environment texturing for smoother framerate, it'll look very nice), and just new plots/scripts/planets? Or will ME 2 be made from scratch? Still, 2 will take less time to make, as they don't have to think up the aliens, backstory, and science all from scratch. I bet a lot of pure backstory you find in the codex etc---like "Salarian political history"---while not seen at all here yet still has an in-depth article, will be seen in the future. Heck, you can spend an hour just reading how the ship's stealth system works. And there is the whole "how soon after" issue? A week later? 5 years? Can't be too much, as AFAIK it's supposed to be the same Cdr Shepard through the whole trilogy, and you probably won't want to play them if they're 60...

I was a pure soldier, and the armor quality starts going up exponentially at the end. Like all RPG's--you are (relative to the enemy)weakest early, and strongest at the end. Final boss is a big jump though! Way longer fight than anything before. Don't know if it was due to high defense, super-high HP, or a low hit rate. (It moves fast, a lot of my shots missed---I pretty much just sprayed randomly at points and hoped SOMETHING hit----biotics might do better, due to area effects) Veteran and Hardcore make big changes---enemies start actually using the special abilities and have immunities/effects. As in, don't try to burn a geth, or poison "the most common organic enemy in the N-planet". (spoiler-free description). You will need to ALWAYS take cover on anything past "normal" and frequently change weapons and ammo (and armor upgrades) to deal with different enemies. Even playing just a few minutes on the harder ones, it's a BIG jump in difficulty. It's no longer "soldier can just plow through without even losing shields" it's "soldiers now live 0.3 secs longer than an adept due to their heavier armor". Anyways---I'm going to stop playing ME for a while, until I have an HDTV. Going through again will be overkill I think. Better to take a break, and enjoy it all over again. I've seen people post pics of ME with the TV I'm most likely going to get, and it looks like a whole new game. I'm going to wait a few more weeks, month, etc until I can afford it and then will play my second game (which will be my "master" game where I do EVERYTHING and max out levels/stats--renegade female, of course) I started another character, but a "throwaway" one I never intended to play long, just to try out some stuff. Also found out (after wasting an hour) that the singularity achievement cannot be gained by simply spamming it--it has to hit something. Maybe if I find an indestructible crate or something, otherwise it's not at all worth the time it'd take to unlock it for my future Vanguard. It's not THAT much better of a move, but I'd sure like to have it for my "master" playthrough. But not if it'll take hours and hours to get. Barrier is the only biotic that can simply be spammed to get the achievement. All others need actual contact, with either an enemy or "interactive part of the environment"--of which there's not much that I found, and much of it goes away after one good hit. I don't think there's any quick way to get singularity for non-adepts, just have to play the entire game basically.

The more I see, the more I keep thinking they're ripping off Sin from Final Fantasy X...

Mass Effect. Why? Spoilers. The longer you wait, the more people will post spoilers all over. If the story's spoiled, there's not much left of the game.