The Nerdiest Kids

Anyone else getting a scary boner from this Bioshock cosplay?...

nerdsworth — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:42:00 -0500

Anyone else getting a scary boner from this Bioshock cosplay? Because mine has peaked… >_>

Epic Street Fighter X Tekken Rap Song is Duper SickSauce! HOLD...

nerdsworth — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:38:09 -0500

Epic Street Fighter X Tekken Rap Song is Duper SickSauce!

HOLD THE GODDAMN PHONE! Did these Broken Pixel dudes make an astonishing hip-hop song about one of the most anticipated fighting games coming out this cotton picking year!? You bet your clean shaven ass they did! Get ready to bust all the nuts in your collective pantaloons because it looks like they went all out. If you can’t tell, the beat is actually a remixed version of the game’s main theme. The fact that at one point they have a lyrical tagging sparring match is pretty notable, as it keeps with the theme of the game.

Even if you don’t like Rap, you’re sure to enjoy this as a music lover and as a gamer. The Groups Members Equivalent Exchange, Jerome Chance, and Nerdsworth did indeed, the damn thing! Check it, yo! Werd Lyph! Thug Life! 187!

Amra “Flitz” Ricketts

The first episode of Know Your Role has gone live on Machinima...

nerdsworth — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:40:30 -0500

The first episode of Know Your Role has gone live on Machinima Realm. Check it out as Nerdiest Kids Co-founder Flitz, teams up with NK Tech Guru Kurtis Reed, to build you something long lasting sexy and affordable.

Here is the last thing you see before you kiss your ass goodbye.

nerdsworth — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:03:27 -0500

Here is the last thing you see before you kiss your ass goodbye.

Bioware has gone on a damn monetization spree with the upcoming...

nerdsworth — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:44:00 -0500

Bioware has gone on a damn monetization spree with the upcoming launch of their much anticipated space epic, Mass effect 3. They’ve teamed up with Razer to piss off the biggest and brokest “Mass Effans” (*Mass Effans* Coined by Flitz of the Nerdiest Kids.), to make some of the sexiest accessories and peripherals this side of the galaxy. Look at all this shit you won’t be able to afford with those bi-weekly unemployment checks you’ve been enjoying.

A sexy-ass Razer Keyboard

This son of a bitch is sexy as hell, which makes sense since it’s called the “Black Widow Ultimate”. Buying this asshole will get you the DLC Collectors Assult Rifle. It’ll run you $139.99 It would be great if this jerk cooked a meal for you once a month at that price, that would be great!

An Iconic Ergonomic Mouse

WTF is an Imperator? This bastard is so bitchin’ they had to make up a damn word for what it does; imperate… Perfect for getting your ME3 PC skills on. It has a 6400dpi 4G Dual Sensor System, I don’t want to pretend I know what the hell that is. This smooth slicer will run you $79.99

Holy Hell Head Phones

How in the name of Zod do they spit out full 5.1 surround sound channels into my head through head phones? We only come with two ears! Not only are these exalted pricks equipped to blast dynamic sound through your eye sockets, they’re mother fragging wireless! Their called “Chimera 5.1” I wish they were called “Mine” because $209.99 is a bit steep for me. You should get them though, seriously.

SexBox 360 Controller

PC gamers have been getting tons of butt love with most of the applicable peripherals being put out for ME3, but leave it to Microsoft to make sure their community gets some fan wank as well. Onza is what it’s called. This one boasts a ton of features I’ve yet to see on any controller. Adjustable resistance analog sticks? Guess you can change you sensitivity on the fly which is quite handy. Programmable buttons on a console controller? That’s a pretty rare beast. The controller also has backlit buttons, so even Helen Keller can do her best during multiplayer while signing commands to her teammates. Bam $59.99

The other peripherals being manufactured are cool as well, but not as sexy, much closer to the foreplay.

The Magnificent Vespula Mouse Pad $34.99

Super Spiffy Mass Ebbag $79.99

iPhone 4 Suicide Net Protection Case $24.99

Enjoy drooling over the idea of owning any of these. If you just so happen to purchase them, send us pics and we’ll celebrate your new found poverty together! :D

-Amra “FLitz” Ricketts

Going super Saiyin should be the new Planking. Most of these...

nerdsworth — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:02:00 -0500

Going super Saiyin should be the new Planking.

Most of these “body memes” (that’s what I call them. Don’t judge me!) like Planking and Owling, are lazy. They are also only really meant for photographs. We need one for video, and “Going Saiyin” would be perfect for that. The idea of a person screaming at the top of their lungs with that one gigantic vein popping out of their forehead as if they are passing the worlds largest kidney stone is hilarious. And the idea of them doing it in public!? Even more Hilariouser <—- New word

The least informed nerds who only know Dragon Ball from the english dubs will tell you “You can’t go Super Sayin, because you aren’t Asian”… and they are completely wrong. Son Goku wasn’t Asian, he was an alien that fell to earth. He just so happen to be found and adopted by Granpa Gohan, who was Asian. Saiyin are Saiyins from the Planet Vegeta. The only reason Gohan and Trunks and Gotenks can go SS is because they are half Sayin; they are halfling Aliens. Nuff Said.

So you should start going Super Saiyin and getting it on Film. Submit links to your beast Super Saiyin going skills. We’ll review and post them. Do it in your room. Do it in Public. Do it during family dinner. Do it on the toilet? Just go Super Saiyin!

To the new Planking! Going Super Saiyin.

-Flitz

Nerdiest Kids Member Christina (Girastina: Give her a follow),...

nerdsworth — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:08:33 -0500

Nerdiest Kids Member Christina (Girastina: Give her a follow), has made her very first Pokebra and she is excited as all hell. As easy as it would be to use a tutorial she actually just used pictures of Pokeballs and compared them to pictures of her naked boobs.

She bought a white bra. To create the Poke look she used Acrylic and Fabric paints after laying out the look with pencil and a sharpie. She says the whole project only took her about an hour. So if you want you can have your very own Pokeboobs to release during battle! :D

“girastina:

If you could not tell from the expression on my face, I am very pleased with what I have just created.

I AM A MUTHAFUKKIN OP, ORIGINAL POKEMASTER. GET THE FUK OUTTA MAH WAY.”

There was a day in time when The Nerdiest Kids were primarily...

nerdsworth — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:33:24 -0500

There was a day in time when The Nerdiest Kids were primarily G4TV fans. Shows like Code Monkeys, for one reason or another, just couldn’t make it to a third season and many were surprised it even got a second. The show is genuinely funny with a very original style in sense of humor and animation; which might be why it didn’t last that long. It did what it could on a penny and nickle budget. I’d have to say it was actually probably ahead of its time. If it came back as a web series under the umbrella of a YouTube Giant like Machinima, I think it could have as strong a shelf life as Red vs. Blue. If you have Netflix you should definitely check this one out.

it8bit:

Code Monkeys (TV Series)

(2007) TV-14 - Seasons 1-2

Designed in the style of an early-1980s video game, this outrageous animated series centers on the gonzo programmers at tech startup GameaVision and their antiheroic struggles to get their ideas off the ground. Stoner lead programmer Dave pursues every crackpot impulse, whether joining an underground eating competition or teaming up with pro wrestlers, while neatnik best bud Jerry meekly plays along, and scheming new boss Mr. Larrity cries foul.

7.5/10 - IMDB

View Clip || Add/Watch on Netflix

(via:netflixia)

dcu: Chris Haley writes: Dear DC, Why did you do...

nerdsworth — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:48:18 -0500

dcu:

Chris Haley writes:

Dear DC,

Why did you do this?

Pretty sure this actually fits the attitude of Rorschach. Nerdiest Kids like this, and now need this.

Youtube user GuizDP, pays homage to the music of the Dungeons of...

nerdsworth — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:29:42 -0500

Youtube user GuizDP, pays homage to the music of the Dungeons of the Legend of Zelda with this one. As cool as this is, I think this guy needs an intervention… because he clearly has a drinking and hoarding problem with all those unlabled alcoholic beverage bottles. He’s so drunk he seems to talk to robots…

Either way this is cool. Check it!

justinrampage: Artist Mateusz Sypien created three death...

nerdsworth — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:00:43 -0500

Hunters

Black Magic

Prime Time

justinrampage:

Artist Mateusz Sypien created three death dealing animated art pieces for the updated Goverdose 2.0 artist collaboration site. The killer Predator / Darth Vader “Hunters” creation won me over for sure.

Click on the images above to see them all in animated form.

Death In Motion by Mateusz Sypien (Behance) (Facebook) (Twitter)

The Amazing Spider-Man Official Trailer = Holy shit… This...

nerdsworth — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:38:05 -0500

The Amazing Spider-Man Official Trailer = Holy shit… This one is going blow the old ones out of the water. I’m calling it now.

Need A V-day Present for the Nerdy Lady in Your Life?

christina-eats — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:26:47 -0500

Need A V-day Present for the Nerdy Lady in Your Life?:

Hey fellahs! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Have you started shopping for that special, vagina-bearing person in your life? No?

Well, look no further! Sanshee has the most adorable video game themed jewelry I have ever seen. And look at those prices! So affordable! If my ears were pierced, I would by them ALL.

You have no excuse, now. Go! Buy her things!

Batman: Arkham City Review

nerdboywonder — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:05:58 -0500

Batman: Arkham Asylum is considered one of the best games in the video game medium. Not only did it feature total immersion into your character, but it gave you an open and detailed world filled with smart villains, helpful allies, and enough trivia and side content to keep you entertained long after the main story was finished. Now, combine that with the stigma of video games based on comic book properties, and Rocksteady performed a miracle. A sequel was inevitable, and the question becomes; can lightning strike twice? Find out after the break!

Batman: Arkham City
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Single Player
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Publisher: Square Enix and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
ESRB Rating: T For Teen
Price: PS3,PC, 360: $59.99

Pros
Story: Arkham City takes you into the game, fighting masterminds, minor villains, and even allies.. Each story, aside from some hiccups, dovetails into the main narrative with ease, and the player feels the urgency the rest of the NPC’s feel. The dialogue is mostly top-notch, almost everyone feels in characters, and the added story details you unlock, the side missions and the main missions all give you a complete experience very akin to a well written story arc in comics.

Gadgets and Combat: The gadgets you unlocked in the last game are mostly kept, and the new ones add many layers to the game. The wonderful part about Batman in the comics is not only his willpower, but that he can think himself out of most situations. The game fosters that feeling with gadgets that truly make you feel that if you sit down and plan out something, you can achieve it. The reversal system, and the system that allows you to use gadgets in your combat combine to make you feel like Batman at his most Morrisonian (Grant Morrison) “Bat-God”, and leaves a very satisfied player. Altogether, you feel like a world-class martial artist, and a brilliant gadgeteer that can solve or combat anything.

Middle Ground
Graphics: It seems unfair to judge the graphics of the game too harshly, after all most of the game is lovingly rendered. The backgrounds look fantastic, the characters represent themselves well, but once things are in motion, the game has serious issues. The greatest issues are clipping with the cape and other characters, and the camera during fights. The one time you do not want to be confused, is during a fight and the camera has a nasty habit of moving in a wrong direction during climatic exchanges, not to mention the clipping of the voluminous cape can distract during a mass fight, along with issues with stepping through people, being stuck in doors, etc.

Cons
Characterization: The characterizations of the criminals, specifically Two-Face and the thugs are one note, bordering on parody. I know most developers want to save the big moments for the bad guys, but I found the utter lack of differentiation of the thugs problematic. Not only that, but Two-Face was lacking a lot of the complexity that other villains in the game displayed. Two-Face fans may be extremely disappointed in his portrayal here.

Violence and Sex: The disturbing violence in the game should be a warning to all parents who buy this for their children. Batman repeatedly abuses criminals, even some who do not deserve such harsh treatment in the game. Only the lack of blood makes this game a teen rating. The utter brutality in the game (bones breaking, dropping off rooftops, unprovoked violence etc) is disturbing as Batman is deemed heroic or even funny with each crunch.

The other issue is an old enemy of video games; sexism. When Catwoman was announced for the game, a lot of people were excited. Excitement sort of faded when it was revealed that she was only in a few missions, and faded a bit more when it was revealed what she looked like. Media consumption is part of what the rating system is all about, and when you see the game and how it refers to Catwoman and other female characters as “bitch”, the talks about lewd things that the men would do to the women, the costume designs, the camera angles; many might think twice about buying the game. It’s a major issue for the medium, the overt sexualization and misogyny directed towards the characters, show an institutionalized sexism that is impossible to ignore. The characters can be sexual, and perhaps it is in character for criminals to be misogynistic, but the camera angles that act as a voyeur (like Catwomans introduction), the avalanche of derogatory words towards women, the costume designs, the objectivication, the list goes on. Be vigilant when buying or renting this game.

Overall/Verdict
Overall, Batman: Arkham City is a fine game. Lightning will strike twice, but the scorch marks remain. It puts the player into the shoes of the iconic DC hero, and creates a world that is brutal and exciting for the characters and player to explore. The worrisome aspects of the treatment of women and the excessive violence might put off some parents, but overall the game is a fantastic recreation of Batman, and I recommend it with the hope that Rocksteady and DC Comics take the time to improve aspects of the game in a, hopeful, sequel.

Saints Row: The Third - Review

nerdboywonder — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:07:04 -0500

Since 2006, “Saints Row” has been gang-banging its way out of the shadow of its fellow third-person shooting, open world, gun-toting, car-stealing extravaganza, “Grand Theft Auto”. With this third installment to the series, Saints is looking to expand that gap far beyond what many would have ever believed. Though gigantic purple dildos played a major role in the advertising campaign of the game, that isn’t the only ‘gap enlargement’ tool at play here.

Saints Row: The Third
Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC
Single Player, Co-Op
Developer: Volition, inc.
Publisher: THQ
ESRB Rating: M for Mature
Price: $59.99

Right off the bat, Saints Row: The Third’s over-the-top action hits the stage with an epic bank-breaking and mid-air battle prologue, setting the tone for much more extreme gameplay elements to take place down the line. You return as whatever (unnamed) custom boss of the 3rd Street Saints you decided to craft or download from the game’s in-depth initiation station, male or female.

The game’s story is fun. It is your duty as the boss of the Saints to recapture your gang’s clout in the city of Steelport by buying up property and beating out other gangs through violence or challenges, which wind up being violent, anyway. The Saint’s gang members’ working relationships come off as believable and genuine, greatly in part due to the quality voice performances of the game’s cast. The plot is full of twists and turns, with hard-hitting ‘holy shit’ moments aplenty. An aspect that makes the game’s narrative work so well is the dialogue and voice acting of each individual character as you progress through the game. There are also ‘choose your own adventure’ elements that provide a tinge of welcomed replay value. That factor plays a major and minor role when it comes to the game’s ending. Major because the choice you make forever changes the face of aspects of the city; minor because you have the choice to go back and get the alternate ending. One is indeed more satisfying than the other.

Saints Row: The Third plays near to the style of an arcade adventure. The default shooting configuration may be a bit sluggish for those more experienced, quick-to-react gamers. Head shots and nut shots being the key to stopping an assailant cold is very gratifying. The driving is fairly far from a simulation experience. Things like power-sliding can be pulled off without a hitch once you understand the simple control of the driving mechanics. Yes, some vehicles do feel heavier than others, but you will only have to adjust slightly to get used to each particular set of wheels. The game’s assorted flying contraptions control much closer in style within their vehicular grouping. There are also boats in the game…but they don’t matter when it comes to the grand scheme of things.
Rounding off the SR3’s base story are an assortment of mini-games that must be played in order to obtain 100% of sections of Steelport. These, and the three tiers of difficulty of each challenge, keeps things from becoming too repetitive when it comes to progressing through the campaign.

Combat, health, weapon, and car upgrades will make your adventure in Steelport easier as you go. The gun pickings have their typical pistol, SMG, and rifle selections; however, it is the other special gun options that make SR3 outstanding as a third person action game. Car modification is possibly the most gratifying and addictive hobby in SR3. With the customization options of each individual ride, you may want 2 or 3 of a kind in your garage, as if you are preparing for your own personal ‘tricked-out-whip’ convention.

There is nothing graphically groundbreaking about SR3. That’s not saying it isn’t a pretty game, though. The colorful Steelport environment holds up fairly well, considering there is no apparent loading time during travel from one section of the city to another. The loading doesn’t really come into play until you change instances or die. With the graphics engine does come a load of glitches that may be encountered during your exploration sessions; mostly getting stuck in walls.

All in all, Saints Row: The Third is a fun game, once you get past the fact that most of the NPC’s in the game drive as if they have Tourette’s syndrome. The level of customization is notable. Custom fashion, custom gang, custom cars, and low speed rickshaw chases make SR3 more of a unique experience than a mindless slaughter fest GTA clone. It’s over the top action will excite most crowds, causing a lot of “Oohs” and “Oh Damn’s!”. Despite all the story has to offer, SR3 is short, if you choose to go simply from one in-game mission to another. If you do choose to go for 100% completion, you could easily squeeze 40 hours of gameplay out of this one, not including Whored mode. THQ has yet to announce what the DLC content will be, but after playing through the game’s story completely, there is a chance a good portion of it will be story based.

Your Life of Privilege

nerdboywonder — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 06:01:54 -0400

“A primary function of art and thought is to liberate the individual from the tyranny of his culture in the environmental sense and to permit him to stand beyond it in an autonomy of perception and judgment.” Beverly Sills

First, thank you everyone who read last weeks post on Art and Criticism. I talked about how awareness was needed and criticism was good for showing both merits and faults, now we’re expanding that idea. The culture and media we consume, along with individuals we engage; are all seeped in an invisible world of privilege.

What’s privilege? Betty Brown states, “Privilege is: About how society accommodates you. It’s about advantages you have that you think are normal. It’s about you being normal, and others being the deviation from normal. It’s about fate dealing from the bottom of the deck on your behalf.”

With privilege defined, let’s identify our own. Personally, I identify as a white, male, straight, educated, able-bodied, western, healthy, heterosexual. It’s easy to make a larger list, but I wanted to give a small example. These are my privileges, things I benefit from; while existing in society’s institution. Identifying can cause people to become defensive so remember, this alone does not make you an enemy, though it can draw suspicion. This isn’t about guilt, but about building compassion. This isn’t about you, this is about awareness both inside and outside yourself. It’s about changing perception (identifying), educating yourself (reading and critiquing) and finally joining the conversation (applying).

âThere are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says ‘Morning, boys. How’s the water?’ And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes ‘What the hell is water?’ â David Foster Wallace,This is Water

The difficult task of identifying our privileges is done, though with constant observation, listening and engagement, we might identify more. It’s important to remember that privilege is both outer (society) and inner (psychology). Changing our perceptions is inherently difficult. The goal is similiar to Neo from the first Matrix; when he saw and understood the Matrix code.

Unfortunately, it’s improbable to get to that zen like state. It’s akin to wearing a friends prescription glasses, your vision is blurred, its painful, and you want to take them off as soon as possible. I’m asking you to leave them on, because the pain will subside, the vision will get clearer; though a blur will always be prevalent. We can never stop questioning our privileges, constantly checking ourselves and absorbing different perspectives. The code will become clearer; the blur giving way to awareness and self-appraisal. So, lets train ourselves using different mediums.

The following examples will not include all oppressions. They are tools to begin a discussion and make the invisible world more tangible. This will be difficult, in fact you might reject it, but try and push past the pain of prescription glasses and pierce the illusion of The Matrix. Ok, lets take a look!

The Help, a popular movie released this year (that I haven’t seen), has received criticism for how it portrays POC (people of color). The film follows Skeeter (Emma Stone), as she writes about the trials of African-American women in the 1960’s. The issues focus on how the story distorts the history and trials of African Americans in the time period. What other movies fall into the privilege trap?

Red Hood and the Outlaws,one of the New DC 52. The issues of this comic have been spoken across the blogosphere, but this picture might help identify the privilege. Look at this picture and see what would inspire strong posts from women and others about Starfire, the woman in the picture. Is it her posture? Is it the positioning that seems to facilitate a male gaze? Read the issue, and identify what the non-privileged discussions are talking about.

Marvel vs Capcom 3 is a recent entry into pop culture. Can you identify the institutionalized videogame privilege? Has it gotten better? Count how many characters are in this game. Then ask yourself how many people of color there are? How many women? How many LGBT? Now look at your videogame library and ask yourself the same questions.

âThe really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day.â â David Foster Wallace, This is Water.

The invisible world is now discovered, testing senses and awareness. Through criticizing (merits and faults) all that we consume and interact with; the invisible world will never slip from our grasp. Our first instinct is empathy, but our privileged psychology often taints well-meaning empathy, and marginalizes.

Compassion is our goal, and remembering you’re not evil; rather it’s about awareness and opening ourselves to criticism, suspicion (when we join conversation), and overcoming our innate defensiveness. A language to respect the non-privileged will develop; mistakes will be made by joining the conversation, but overcoming our natural defensiveness is important; as we strive to acknowledge our personal privilege and improve.

Diving into non-privileged discussions (made to avoid patronizers) will be difficult; remember this is not about you; discussions, rantings and general lack of trust towards you are the effects of being privileged. We have glimpsed the invisible world and awareness; through criticism, trial and error combined with meaningful dialogue; can improve our respective mediums and culture.

Resources:

Finally, A Feminism 101
Fantastic Outline of Privilege and how to Overcome
XOJane
A Structural Definition of Privilege
Privilege in Action
TransGriot

Image Sources:
Thumbnail Black Lava, White Privilege from TransGriot, Matrix The Matrix and Quantum Conciousness, Striving Cruzine, The Help USA Weekend, Starfire Beyond the Bunker, MVC3 Attack of the Fanboy

Review: Eightarc's Ebony Fusion Joystick

nerdboywonder — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:00:29 -0400

When it comes to fighting games, most players choose to use a joystick instead of a controller. There are many types of joysticks available from different companies. MadCats are dominating the market with their Tournament Edition fightsticks. However, MadCatz do not make a joystick that can be played on the PlayStation 3, PC, and Xbox 360 (dual mod). Of course you could modify your joystick for it to do so, but that would cost over a hundred dollars and you’ll need to know what you’re doing if you aren’t having someone do it for you. So, what complete high quality dual mod joystick could you get for a reasonable price? Eightarc and Quanba have teamed up to make premium joysticks and I got my hands on the Ebony Fusion joystick. Is this the stick to get for all your fighting game needs?

Ebony Fusion Joystick
Works On: PlayStation, PC, Xbox 360
Company: Eightarc/Qanba
Price: $184.99 (Plus Shipping & Tax)
Comes With: Joystick, Headset, Cleaning Cloth, 2 Button Covers

The Body
The body of the is constructed with ABS plastic and has a matte finish. With this type of construction, the joystick has toughness and is impact resistant. So if you drop your joystick on accident, then it should be just fine. The body also has smooth curvature wrist rest that make your wrists feel comfortable while playing. The underside of the stick has rubber feet and a felt bottom. The rubber feet are standard for most joysticks as it helps the stick from not moving while on a surface. I feel that the felt bottom is better than the usual metal bottoms as it prevents the stick from sliding while using it on your lap. The USB cord is on the side of the stick and it’s eight feet, two inches long which is a good length. It has its own compartment to store the cord in, so no need to fuss. One gripe I have with the stick is the headphone jack for the Xbox 360. Standard Xbox 360 headsets have a 2.5mm plug that fits in the controller perfectly. The Fusion Ebony has a 3.5mm jack which means if you want to plug in your Xbox 360 headset, you’ll have to buy an adapter or use the headset that came with the stick. However, the headset that is included feels very uncomfortable. You can find the adapters at a Radio Shack and they run for about five dollars.

The Parts
Now, to the meat of the arcade stick. The actual joystick is a Sanwa JLF and the buttons are the Sanwa OBSF-30. Sanwa is the standard arcade stick parts used in arcade machines and sticks. The Sanwa joystick and buttons are very responsive and are some of the best parts you could find on the market. Of course, there are other companies like produce joysticks and buttons that people to tend to like. But if you want the golden standard of arcade parts, Sanwa are the way to go.

The Look
The Ebony Fusion has a black and white scheme that looks pretty damn sexy. It reminds me of a classic piano. The Eightarc logo is placed where the joystick is, but it looks good. It has a very simplistic look to it and I appreciate that. Most of the time, arcade sticks have art on the stick that does not look good or just has the logo to a specific game. With the Eightarc stick, you could keep it nice and simple. However, you could also add in your own art.

Modding
With every arcade stick, you’ll be able to customize it. With Eightarc, it’s no different. Just unscrew the eight screws on the bottom and open up to see the insides of your stick. By doing this however, it will void the warranty so make sure you want to open it up. You can swap the buttons and joystick, change the art, and add any cosmetic touches such as LED buttons if you dare desire. Eightarc also sells clear panels and gives the art template on their website so making your desired stick art is very easy. Even though modding the stick voids the warranty, it’s great that Eightarc gives you the assets needed to mod.

Functionality
So, how well does the Ebony Fusion work? It works like a charm. The joystick and buttons are very responsive, but maybe too responsive for some people. However with sometime to get use to the stick, they will feel just right. Pulling off moves in Street Fighter were easy to pull off. You can’t say that it was the joystick’s fault anymore! You’ll also be able to assign turbo to buttons as well. However, fighting game fans don’t use turbo right? The main feature about the joystick is that it can be played on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. This is a great thing to have if you are going to a tournament running multiple consoles or if you have both a Xbox 360 or PlayStation. It is as easy as toggling a switch on the stick to the system you want to play then plugging it in. Simple as that!

Overall/Verdict
Eightarc’s Ebony Fusion is a high quality joystick that every fighting game fan should have. The parts are top of the line, it looks great, and the stick is reasonably priced. Also, the ability to play on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC is just awesome and very useful. However, I wish they made the headphone jack a smaller size, but getting an adapter will fix that easily. So if you are looking to get a premium arcade stick, Eightarc’s Ebony Fusion is definitely something you want.

Check out Eightarc to buy arcade sticks, parts, shirts, and more!

Art you not entertained?

nerdboywonder — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:08:29 -0400

âArt is moral passion married to entertainment. Moral passion without entertainment is propaganda, and entertainment without moral passion is television.â~Rita Mae Brown

During an interesting debate with fellow bloggers, it came to my attention that deep analysis of popular culture and the entertainment through various mediums (comics, film, music etc.) it churns out isn’t needed. The idea was, these things are meant to be just entertainment, not art. I thought the various mediums were pumping out art, not just entertainment. “Its just a comic.” “Its just a game.” Can anything be quantified as “just” anything? In my stubbornness, I wanted to shout out that art and entertainment were separate things, and to illuminate their differences and to show how they could be reconciled so we could do real criticism about what mediums produce.

Then the article morphed when I came upon my own realization.

I realized I had created a false distinction. Seperating art and entertainment is not sufficient. Its a false division. Regardless if low to high brow, objective and subjective. Entertainment wants to inform, even at a subconcious level, while art wishes to entertain, even if its just the artist themself. The truth, if we can attempt to discuss such an abstract thing, is that we are to be responsible for what we put out in our mediums. We ought to be willing to look at every aspect, inspect it, and critique (find merits and faults) it without fear.

“Too often we… enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” - JOHN F. KENNEDY

As a society, it has been ingrained the idea of pass or fail, making money or losing money, to determine success. An idea that is anathema to experimentation. But from the low brow and banal to most experimental and high brow , the subject must be critiqued. Not to disparage the artist or the medium, but to elevate it, to improve it and to show how it has or will impact us. Whether its a toy that has dangerous characterizations, to a game to a comic to a novel to a film. We must criticize, for if we do not, we are irresonsible. Entertainment seeps into our culture, we consume it and digest it and process its contents through our own perceptions. We must be wary of what we are consuming.

If a person eats a doughnut, they are aware of the implications, yet can also enjoy it. Same with eating fruits and vegetables. The difference is unlike art, food has a tangible influence and rating. We want to know what our food is made of and how it has or will impact us. We see its effects on our health, and to remain ignorant is to become unhealthy, another thing we can see. To be ignorant of the art we consume, means to be ignorant of its effects on society and ourselves, something that we cannot easily see or understand.

Our responsibility; as educators, reviewers, commentators, bloggers and as human beings is to do this. This is, again, not to weaken or take the fun out of our entertainment but to strengthen it, to enlighten, to simply be aware. For without that, we are sitting at the doughnut shop becoming diabetic, becoming overweight, becoming sick, and dying. Because no one told us that we could eat something else, or ought to. We just consumed, and never questioned.

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.”- Socrates, Greek philosopher (469-399 BCE)

Resources:

A list of places you can go that are rampant with critical thinking of various mediums.

Son of Baldwin
DC Women Kicking Ass & SDCC Batgirl (Kyrax2)
Nerdy Bird & The Mary Sue
Too Busy Thinking About Comics & Sequart
Film Critic Hulk & Asking The Wrong Questions
Ars Marginal & Penny Arcade: Extra Credits

Just some of the sites I go to. Places I don’t always agree with, but they do help me think. For anyone out there reading, add in your own links to places that help you think. Enjoy, and I hope you enjoyed this article. I will be back to talk about individual stuff next time, but I wanted you all to know where I was coming from. Let everyone know what you think, here, tumblr, twitter, facebook or wherever you can find us :)

Images Courtesy of: Creativity Unleashed; Gladiator. Dir. Ridley Scott. Perf. Russel Crowe. Dreamworks Pictures/ Universal Pictures. 2000.; ProBlogger; Taught to Think; Homer Simpson Wikipedia ; Jodi Truscott Blog

Btp: Aquaman #1 Review

nerdboywonder — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:56:16 -0400

This article was submitted by Ryan Green. If you would like to submit an article, please e-mail to myself at jadams@nerdiest-kids.com or contact@nerdiest-kids.com

From animated portrayals in the âSuper Friendsâ, to short skits in âRobot Chickenâ; Aquaman is often the most ridiculed super-hero out there. Not just in popular media, but in comic books as well. Due to rapid creative team switch ups, Aquaman has been everything from a teenage pretty boy, to king, to eco-terrorist, all the way to a zombie, and has had almost as many continuity problems as Hawkman!

However, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel with this weekâs release of Aquaman #1, which is part of the âNew 52â relaunch by publisher DC Comics to bring more readers into comics and the DC Universe. Spearheaded by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado; this creative team seems passionate about bringing Aquaman to the forefront and in the same league (figuratively and literally) as Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and The Flash. Such passion and love for a character is always a good sign when dealing with a new creative team, and now with Aquaman #1, out in stores, we can see firsthand just how this new take on the character works.

The beginning of Aquaman #1 is all about introducing Aquaman as a major power house and player in the DC Universe. As you can see in the images and preview below, Aquaman shows feats of invulnerability, great strength and, (not shown in the preview) the ability to super-leap. The great thing about these pages is that not only are they awesome Aquaman moments, they are also logical Aquaman moments for a character built to survive in the harsh environment of Earthâs oceans. This is great to witness as it shows that we finally have a writer taking Aquaman seriously, and showing he is a serious âheavy weightâ in the DC Universe. Johns seems so confident in this characters ability to hold his own title that, rather than use an established Aquaman villain, he has elected to introduce us to a new foe in the form of carnivorous, horror movie-looking creatures of the deep (hence why the first Aquaman storyline of this series is called âThe Trenchâ).

Thatâs not to say that this first issue is solely action. Like the master storyteller he is, Johns also manages to add a key ingredient in the recipe to make this story all the more enjoyable: Humor! Johns is acutely aware that the underwater hero has an unfavorable reputation, and is often seen as a joke despite the fabulous feats of power he shows throughout the issue. The highlight of this being a scene with a âbloggerâ in a restaurant, who constantly ridicules everything that fans have said about Aquaman for years (such as his ability to talk to fish, even though he claims he merely cajoles them to his whim) and flat out calls him a laughing stock. The reaction Aquaman has is logical, and creates a great sympathy for the character.

Blended in with plenty of action and humor, Aquaman #1 also has a great many heart-filled and compassionate moments. In the restaurant scene described above, Aquaman has a moment of reflection about his late father; later taking a moment to reflect on a lecture his father once gave him on responsibility as a child. Along with the empathy point of an adult figure from his past, we also see a great moment where he helps the citizenry in less action-star ways. It gives us two great things about Aquaman: it entrenches him in the superhero genre with a patriarch origin, and makes him unique with the lack of a secret identity and the reasoning for it. Finally, a unique part of this opening issue is the fact that the series has dual protagonists. Along with Aquaman, there is his wife Mera (refreshing to see in the land of comics: a happily married couple).

When it comes to art, it is hard to top the linework of Ivan Reis. Here, Reisâ talents are fully utilized , showing incredibly realistic facial expressions from Aquaman and all the other characters to convey personality and emotion. From the anger of the bank robbery, to the love from Mera, Reis captures the full spectrum of human emotion with his pencil. If he can and Johns can keep this momentum up, this will be a truly classic series.

No expense is spared for the details of this issue, as along with great pencils, the colors and imagery from inker Joe Prado on this entire issue stand out and hold your attention. The rendering of Aquamanâs costume, opting instead to do away with the garish orange color of Aquamanâs shirt for more of a shiny and metallic golden look instead, befits a former king! Pradoâs mastery of color isnât just for the Sea Kings wardrobe; he effectively bridges the look of a sun filled day, with the horror of the main adversaries. A fantastic and difficult feat to pull off!

After 70 years of being the butt of many jokes, and ridiculed in every manner possible, itâs good to see someone finally giving Aquaman the long overdue respect he deserves. Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Pradoâs Aquaman #1 is a fantastic and entertaining tale, and is set not only to be another success in DCâs âNew 52â initiative but will not disappoint new & old Aquaman fans alike. Honestly, I felt more like this was the first act of a movie rather than just the first issue of a comic book storyline, and I already canât wait for issue #2!

"The Strange Talent of Luther Strode" SNEAK PEEK

nerdboywonder — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:32:53 -0400

Finding a new comic title that’s exciting and somewhat fresh is hard to do these days, but every now and then you stumble on something really cool. The last title I had the pleasure of really sinking my teeth into was Lil’ Depressed Boy (still one of my favorite Image titles) but now Image is throwing out an amazing hero/slasher/nerd-turned-bad-ass title called The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, written by Justin Jordan. You may have seen this title in a recent Previews issue and thought to yourself “well, this looks interesting.” As it turns out, it is. And it’s not just interesting, but it’s fun and different. I’ll admit that I was skeptical when I first saw it, thinking “yeah, yeah, I’ve seen this before. Nothing new.” I’m happy to say that I was wrong and now I’m on the Luther Strode bandwagon.

We’ve all seen the story where the nerd needs a change in his life so he goes out to do something about it and, VOILA! Superhero. This starts out similarly but with a bit of a twist in that not only does his body change physically into a magnificent figure of a man, but he gains incredible fighting skills all because he’s learned to focus and concentrate. The magic of Luther’s choice is no super-soldier serum or radioactive experiment, but a book called “The Hercules Method”, the end-all-be-all of changing that pathetic little form into an Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator. And though he seems to maintain his sense of self there are hints that maybe this new technique he’s discovered is doing more to him than just making him tougher.

After Luther beats up the school bully, in a fantastically bloody fashion, and gets the girl the meat of the story starts to develop with a mysterious bad guy who’s got a thing for tying people up like mummies. Our beloved baddie seems to have some strange talents of his own and is looking to expand his ranks. Perhaps with one beaten-up bully? Fascinating… and a plot point I look forward to reading. There is also hint of a dark past with Luther’s father that I’d like to read more about.

This title is one that anybody can enjoy. If you like superheroes, you’re good. If you like hack and slash, you’re better. If you like mystery, you’re set as well. Luther becomes the equivalent of a Batman-esque figure rather than a Superman or other over-the-top heroes, which is what makes him so interesting. There’s a bit of a darkness inside him that he probably didn’t even know was there, but I’m sure we’ll get to see it soon enough. Another beauty of this title is that you can see where Justin Jordan gets part of his slasher influence from by simply looking closely at some of Tradd Moore and Filipe Sobeiro’s art (Voorhees High School? Brilliant.). I’m not one to give out spoilers, so the fact is that you’re going to have to read this one on your own. That said, you probably won’t regret spending only $2.99 on this sweet new title that’s slated for an October 4th release. Below are a few pages for your viewing pleasure, courtesy of Image Comics.

[gallery columns=”4”]