A Game of 302 Mad Roses

I am currently watching The White Queen to tide me over a bad case of Game of Thrones withdrawal. It is a series about the War of the Roses, a very turbulent episode of Britain's history that apparently served as inspiration for GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire and it shows. It has the same amount of politicking and backstabbing (not as literal as in ASOIAF). But it's surprisingly tame on violence for the period it depicts. It took five episodes for a battle to happen that we actually get to see. Still it is interesting to watch, since I know little about the War of the Roses.

I also recently watched 300 Rise of an Empire, which had all the battles The White Queen lacks. On ships. If you liked the first one, you will like this one, too. Though, this time they tried to flesh out the pretense of story. And stopped at tried. It still does not make much sense.
Although this time there is an actual fighting villain in the person of Arthemisia instead of the faceless Persian hordes and there is less Spartan overacting. (Ahu, ahu ...) The visuals are still great and who really watches 300 for the story?

Something else that is sadly lacking a story is Mad Men. I watched the first season, but stopped once I realized that basically nothing had happened. Women bitched at women, men bitched at men and the status quo staid the same. Still, the look of the series was cool. (But everybody seems to have smoked about a pack a day back then)

Speaking of stories, I'm also sketching out a continued story for the Iron Kingdoms roleplaying game I ran for some friends. I'm still not decided if I'll fling pirates and zombies with a bit of survival horror at them or if they'll be going on a simple rescue mission in a full blown war zone. Either way, it's gonna get steampunky since two of the characters have a more technical background. (A gobber mechanik and a human warcaster)

Even if the last game made me feel a bit like Scar here, I'm already wondering what shenanigans they are going to come up with.

And which curveballs to throw at them. The forums suggested a Warjack that's afraid of flowers.
I've got a great twist planned, but that's for a later adventure.

In other news: Steamsale happened. I bought trousers. And some games. God, my backlog is soooo long.

Signin' off
Fenris

2014! Yay!

It's already a different year. Feels like it was just summer in 2013 and suddenly I need a new calender to replace the old one (especially since that one is from 2012 and stuck in June. Hey, I like the picture!)

Anyway, my new years resolution is 1920x1080 thanks to a new Laptop.

Nah, actually  it's making less god-awfull puns.

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Dammit!

May your 2014 be as cool as my 2013!

Fenris

Another successful Reboot!

Yesterday I finally found the time to watch the Judge Dredd remake. And it was awesome!

Sooooo much better than the original.

It's a great, straight forward action movie, with good pacing and good actors. Great visuals, especially in the scenes involving the slo-mo drug. But, oh boy, it is bloody! Nothing for the visually squeamish. Lots of blood and gore.

Lena Headey makes for a great villain, Karl Urban is a lot more badass as Judge Dredd than Stallone was, since he does not overact so much. Olivia Thirlby makes for a infinitely cuter and infinitely less annoying sidekick than Rob Schneider. She kicks nearly as much ass as Dredd himself. (say that last part aloud) Then she basically mind rapes one of the baddies.

Only weakness would be the story. It is a bit too straight forward and lacks twists you don't see coming a mile away. But it never really feels forced, so it's not that bad either.

Final verdict: 8/10 years Iso-cube for exaggerated coolness!

I am the law!

Fenris

Tomb Raider Reboot is awesome!

I just finished playing through the new Tomb Raider. It was a blast. Great story, enjoyable game play awesome graphics and really good pacing. Only minor nitpick I have is that Lara went quite fast from vulnerable young archaeologist to Katniss Everdeen as trained by Captain Price. But that's something I'm willing to overlook, since Ms. Croft went from a bland action-girl with big boobs to an actual character.

Not only Lara got her origin story, but also her two iconic pistols. Which she used to blow away the big Bad, after using a bow most of the game.

I have to confess, I have played Tomb Raider 1-4, but never finished one of them. I watched the movie, though, which had cool action scenes. (that's probably the only good thing you can say about it)
I still have Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Legend and Underworld lying around in my Steam account and will probably play those one day.

In a funny coincidence, Freebooter Miniatures revealed a new Mercenary a few weeks ago. Clara Cadora, who is blatantly inspired by Lara Croft. Sadly she is more along the lines of the old Lara, slinging around two huge pistols, while wearing only little more than most of the Freebooter Amazons.

Here's to hoping there are more Tomb Raider titles like this along the way.


I's like to try archery some time
Fenris

Giantesses and Spanish Art

Monday this week I managed to snag Guild Wars 2 of ebay for cheap and have been leveling a female Norn guardian (think giantess valkyrie). She is now level 9 and kicking a lot of butt. I never really got into Guild Wars 1, but found part 2 very enjoyable during the weekend trial.

I just received the Infinity Artbook I preordered and it is awesome! Chock full of full color art and concept drawings from the spaniards at Corvus Belli. Along with it came ten full color DIN A4 prints I originally planned to hang on my wall. But looking at them now, I might have to frame them, so they don't take damage.
The book also has revitalized my interest in my Caledonian Highlander Army. I have researched tartans since they are all wearing kilts and they are bloody hard to paint.

Also I am still listening at least once a week to the newest Amon Amarth Album. Favorite songs: Shape Shifter, We shall destroy and Snake Eyes


Thinking about buying a kilt
Fenris

A very suspicious looking German Politician (at least to whovians)

Every time I ride my bike to work I see this sign:

and the guy on the right really reminds me of this guy:

So, we might have need of a madman in a blue box some time after September the 22nd.

To explain this to people who have not watched Doctor Who. The second guy is the Master. In the series he is a recurring enemy of the Doctor, being the only other Timelord to have survived the destruction of Gallifrey. He once tried to take over our world by first becoming Britain's prime minister and then summoning his allies, the Toclafane (not exactly aliens) through a temporal rift. (Dr Who 3.11/12/13 Utopia/ The Sound of Drums/ The last of the Timelords)
Then later on he tried to "resurrect" Gallifrey and the Timelords at the expense of annihilating earth. He was stopped by the Doctor and mortally wounded. (4.17/18 The End of Time I+II)
John Simm did a great Job playing the Master as a charismatic, but insane villain.


I believe in the man from Gallifrey
Fenris

(Don't) fear the Reaper

And I horribly failed at painting a mini each week. Great. On the positive side I am now training as a professional computer nerd, so that's something.

Also, I am currently working on a conversion for Asphyxious the Hellbringer heavily inspired by Darksiders 2 and the new Diablo 3 trailer. Acording to his feat "the restless souls of the slaughtered rise only to be harvested and fuel the Hellbringers power." So I decided to make him look like the Reaper. (Not the one from Mass Effect)

 Progress after some cutting and sculpting

What I am going for:

Darksiders 2: This is the good guy. Yes, really!

The guy I mean appears at 1:56. He's definitely not the good guy. But, what's interesting is that apparently his motives are pure or the sword wouldn't let him do that.

Now I'm wondering how to do the smoky wings. Or find some suitably bony wings. And if I will have to play the Diablo expansion. I mean they include the exact class for me, the Crusader. A heavily armored shield-bearing knight that batters his enemies with a flail.

This might also make a great color scheme for the Protectorate

Seriously, if I had to go into battle, rest assured I'd bring the biggest portable wall I could find and I have a soft spot for zealots in videogames. They are fun to roleplay, too.

The Templar is my homie

Fenris