David Hingtgen

The LR-44 is a very common battery, practically the standard "little watch battery". Wikipedia has a list of brands/names: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LR44_battery

Is everyone taking the summer off? It's been almost a month since the last post. Of course, I can't say anything, I haven't modeled anything in a year. Still have that F-15E, F-14A, F-8E, and F-18A to finish... (F-15E's furthest along) And my USS Iowa, and DKM Tirpitz (those are LONG-term kits, maybe I'll be done 5 years from now)

::checks exact dates:: OK, Halo 3 comes out Sept 25. Ace Combat 6 comes out Oct 23. GTA IV is Oct 16. The thing is---on-line Ace Combat is something totally new and has been much-desired for years. But Halo of course is THE online game... So Oct will be all Halo, but Nov will start getting a few AC 6 players, who've probably completed the main game and want to start dogfighting online. Halo will still be the main thing for online players in Nov though. GTA IV doesn't have any online gameplay, does it? Personally, I'll probably blow through AC 6 at warp speed, split my time for the rest of Nov between a 2nd campaign in AC 6 and online AC 6, then drop everything to play Mass Effect straight through twice when it comes out.

Playing a few hours on DOA quickly made me realize that no amount of beating up on the CPU will prepare you for live opponents, so I took a week off to finish up Oblivion, then am going to work on my painfully-pointed-out weaknesses in DOA, then try DOA online again. I figure October will be fun, as we'll all be playing AC6.

Because the artist researching for his CG model probably had no clue who the merchandise department would pick to make a kit.

Just FYI, not the full demo. Full demos won't happen until either 2008, or very late this year. They have a lot more planned---these are more like "teasers".

Sketchley has a really good point IMHO. Jet engines work by moving AIR (many people confuse "moving air" with "needing oxygen for combustion"). In space--no air=no jet engines. Thus a valk has to use a different mode/method of operation. It can still use its "jet" engines, but they sure won't work as well or even in the same manner as they do in an atmosphere. (There are plenty of jet engines out there that have multiple modes of operation, or even engines which are combinations of different types of engines, with a jet usually at the core)

Another point: The Fujimi F-14D kit has an A's cockpit. But if they intended to make an F-14D, and used the Fujimi as reference--why is it the F-14A+ Kai, and not the F-14D Kai?

I'm amazed that got licensing approval for the damaged 2009--we all know how anal the companies were about even breaking up the panel lines for Alternators, and many companies won't license a "damaged" version of their cars for video games nor toys.

I'm waiting for Nora's.

Yup, I think they used the Fujimi F-14D kit as their reference. Which means it actually is externally closer to a B, with a D's chinpod. The entire shroud/fairing area around the engines "isn't quite right". And the cockpit is A/B. It can carry AMRAAMs, but doesn't seem to use the F-14's AMRAAM rail---likely because they didn't know what it looks like, there's very few pics out there. If you get really picky, the Sidewinders couldn't fly due to having "dummy fins" and the AMRAAMs are dummy missiles entirely. I believe they intended for it to simply be an F-14B with a D's chinpod (Thus "F-14B Kai"), but due to poor references/research, it wasn't.

I've only seen Blade Runner once, so I'm really lost.

Re: the concept art. With good clear views, you can see that Scorponok is made (mostly) from one of Blackout's engines. I'm trying to figure out exactly what else, but he looks pretty clearly to be part of Blackout's helicopter mode, not an external fuel tank etc. (There's "no step" "rescue" and "fuel" markings on him) Doesn't that mean that Blackout can't transform back to copter mode without Scorponok? He should be missing a big chunk of himself whenever Scorponok's not attached.

Something new I just learned to look for (though I'd be very surprised to see it): Apparently, the F-22 uses a single fully-deflected stabilator to create drag to induce yaw, at high alpha. Normally as alpha goes up, planes use the ailerons less and the rudder more---but the F-22 goes to stab control past a certain point. Also, the F-22 is statically nuetral---neither stable nor unstable. It will hold any attitude in a steady state with no input.

Nintendo always (except for Metroid on N64) has the big 3 (Mario, Metroid, Zelda) in the first year or so after launch for a new system. Then---well, often times nada after that. The GC was the same way. The majority of games I bought for it were in the first year, then very little after that. I definitely plan to hold off a year---there'll be a million used copies of any big-3 title in the future. And maybe the Wii will be cheaper. (unlikely, if it's selling this fast at the current price)

I've rapidly gone from "still looking for a Wii all the time" to "I think I'll snag a PS3 first". From Nintendo's press conference, it really looks like they want NEW gamers, and casual gamers, and that's all they're developing for. Get rid of Metroid Prime 3, and what else is there really, that's not just another version of Wii sports or Mario Party? I want my RPG's, 3rd-person action-adventure, flight sims, and thrill/horror games, like I have for the past 15 years or so. Wii has almost none of that. I plan on getting Zelda for the GC now, instead of Wii. It's really the only "gotta have" game, and it was for the GC in the first place. I still consider my GC "borderline" in "was it worth the money?". It's spent more hours playing GBA games via the GB player than actually playing GC games I think. About the only games I ever got for it were Metroid Prime 1 and 2, Resident Evil 4, Soul Calibur 2, Wind Waker, and Rogue Squadron 2. There just wasn't much else. (And I picked up Geist when I saw it like 80% off) "True" Mario (and Zelda) games are once a system now, and it's just not worth buying another system for. IMHO, Nintendo has utterly abandoned the "hardcore gamer" market for consoles. It's their handhelds that are getting all the good stuff. The Wii is to expand the market to non-gamers and families, not to sell to hardcore gamers. Nintendo is basically abandoning the "traditional" game market to Sony and MS, and trying to make their own new market.

Though Hasbro said Hercules (apparently a quote) I wonder about that. Octane is a personal fave of mine, but how to hide 4 propellers in the other modes? Seems like a bad choice because of that. Especially since he was a 747 in G1. (Yes, a twin-engine 747, but clearly a 747) Other people reported "large bomber" for his plane mode. Has Octane actually been seen in some form?

No idea, I don't know that plane well enough to tell, and they were shot at from long range. AC6 is very "fast" compared to all the other games in the series--planes fly by in an instant. I don't think I really "saw" any of the dozens of planes I've shot down, maybe 1 or 2.

I wish I'd found this site long ago--they preview 360 themes. Anyways, here's the "other" AC6 theme: http://dashboardthemes.com/theme/Ace-Combat-6/theme-2 Hmmn, based on how often we see the Tornado GR.4, it's certainly going to be the other main plane in the game I'd guess. It shows up as often as the F-15E. Here's my theme: http://dashboardthemes.com/theme/Ace-Combat-6/theme-3

But with valks (and the Macross) made with "hypercarbon" material perhaps heavy metals aren't so important? The current trend for planes are lithium alloys and composite material. Kevlar and carbon-fiber have been used for decades for major parts.

I only just now found this, but those are awesome. Even more awesome--he's done Lords of Thunder. Lords of Thunder--possibly the greatest game soundtrack ever, but so few people have played/heard it.

My brother just got a PS3 a few days ago and said DVD's look MUCH better on his HDTV through a PS3 HDMI, than through his standard player---it must upscale pretty nicely.

Personally I want to see a "Classics scheme" Thundercracker. SS and SW got (IMHO) pretty neat new takes on their paint schemes, yet still being based on the original. SW in particular looks neat. But the Botcon TC is exactly like G1. Lazy, and kinda boring IMHO. I want to see what Hasbro's Classics design team would do for a "new" G1 TC scheme. (I've been thinking maybe something along the lines of lightning bolts/stripes in the design---subtle ones, not obvious---just a zig-zag in the stripe here and there)

Ok, the A380's held up due to manufacturing. But that's a rare example of stupidity in the aircraft industry. There's no new technology or production process to blame it on, it's simple "we didn't agree on the measurements of the final product". It's flat-out embarrassing. If the 787 has problems, everyone will point to new (for an airliner) composite construction materials. But the A380 has no excuse, it's a giant A340 and nothing more.

I'm kind of surprised. Just 10 days until release, and no early sample pics from Graham? Did he even get one this time? PS---it comes with R-33's? Cool! Just FYI, it is *much* better-known in the West as the AA-9. AFAIK there is no real name for the missile, "Amos" is purely a NATO reporting name, same as the "AA-9" designation. PPS---the AA-9/R-33 is an almost direct copy and counterpart of the F-14's AIM-54 Phoenix missile.