David Hingtgen

I might have to go make a uber-password for my Live account. It's currently one of my "high level" ones. But it's not one of my "totally random mix of letters and numbers" which I reserve for really important stuff. (I can only memorize so many totally random long character strigs)

Exactly--Congress etc wouldn't understand that there's much more to the F-22 than just agility etc. They'd read reports that the F-15ACTIVE can out-fly the F-22, and say "well then we'll just buy new nozzles for F-15's and 16's and save billions". As for stealth---I say the F-22 beats anything but the B-2. The F-117 is an angled compromise limited sheerly by computer processing ability of the time. The B-2 is utterly perfect 3D curves, as it has no need to fly in anything but a straight line. The F-22 is a "slightly compromised" 3D curve design, as it needs to be able to dogfight. Though the F-23 would beat the F-22.

I vote for the F-15ACTIVE beating even the F-16VISTA, as the ACTIVE has twin 3D nozzles and canards, which is far more than simply adding a vectoring nozzle to a single-engined non-canarded plane. Some say ACTIVE can out-fly the F-22. Supersonically I doubt the F-22 can out-do the ACTIVE. And it's very cheap and easy to add just the nozzles, the ACTIVE nozzle was designed to retrofit every F100 engine out there. So of course it never happened. (If you could get F-22 performance from old planes, why buy F-22's?)

I've personally see a mach shadow, though I didn't photograph it. Lasted several minutes. Took years before I ever found a mention of the phenomena (and its name)----thought I was seeing things or was nuts for a while. (Most people doubt you saw a hovering shadow of a non-existent object above a plane's wing) http://atmospherical.blogspot.com/2007/09/...ridescence.html (bottom 3 pics) I can't find any references to a "mach shadow" using google, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was called---it was specifically more of a shadow/darkness than a simple mirage-like "transparent distortion) But that link's the closest thing I could come up with. Though if you look, you notice everything to the right of the shock in the photos is slightly darker. What I saw is more like a clearly defined "line of darkness".

Well from the promos for next week, at least they learned one lesson--don't drag it out. Looks like , instead of 6 eps from now.

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.