|
Post by Ambrienne on Jul 21, 2009 0:41:33 GMT -5
I also liked the CS games for their humor, especially with 'punny' villain names and taunting you for your inability to get coffee from the agency vending machine without spilling it. There was even one of them that had the Chief herself from the gameshow series handing out your quests via movie clips. As a whole, I appreciate the older educational games like the ones dealing with the Underground Railroad, survival scenarios, basic to intermediate math skills, spelling and the like. Except for that accursed Picture This of the C 64 days. Evil British based lexicons. How many words for the same object can it possibly fail to recognize? Argh. I'll bet that I could pull it out today, and it would still give me a hard time. I guess the best educational games don't have to really label themselves strictly as such. They make learning fun, sneaking things in all the time when you're not looking without it seeming like a plate full of your least favorite vegetables. Now, if you'll excuse me, It's getting darker. To continue, enter the correct punning, er, spelling. (Already explained, a line given by the wizard whenever you misspell a word in a C 64 spelling/adventure game I can't remember the name of)
|
|
|
Post by Solana on Jul 21, 2009 12:02:40 GMT -5
They kept the coffee joke in the SNES version of the game, when it was traveling in time instead. I wondered what the significance of that was. Number Munchers was another one of the old school educational greats. My bro got to borrow a computer to use at home after breaking his leg in elementary school, and the kid got to know prime numbers like no one's business. Even a good RPG sneaks in quite a few things, especially reading and vocabulary. I still can't find anyone who knows what 'prestigidator' means without having to look it up. Perhaps another of their great strengths is teaching ethics and philosophy indirectly, economics in having to save money or go out and work for it, and things like that. As for the plates of least savory vegetables, a Gourmet Chef can hide those in the good things. We've gotten a few books in about how to sneak cauliflower and squash puree and the like in various baked goods, so that kids don't know about it. It'd probably work just as well for adults. (DS title, and Internet is now restored.)
|
|
|
Post by Ambrienne on Jul 22, 2009 1:00:26 GMT -5
Bad office humor, of course. If they had really wanted to be cute, they would have thrown in an old style vending machine with knobs as well. There was one in my high school that jammed all the time. And it wasn't as easy to shake down whenever it held your rightfully bought goods hostage, either. I can just see it giving you messages like, "Sorry, try again later." and "I'm all stuck up."
As far as the nastier veggies are concerned, I'd rather have them juiced to liquid. It's so much easier to drink , even if it tastes less than wonderful. After all, it won't be in your mouth very long or allow the intended victi... er, favored drinkers to reach Escape velocity.
|
|
|
Post by Solana on Jul 22, 2009 10:59:55 GMT -5
Depending on what kind it is, I wonder if it would work to modify one of those little 'grabber' things that are useful with limited mobility. Say adding a few joints to it and feeding it into the little door and twisting up to grab what you need. One could even wrap the grabbing arms in flypaper for extra grip. Have you ever tried some of those V8 combo juices of veggies and fruit? They're a Gathering of the Best veggies for vitamins and fruit for taste, and I found them to be really tasty. A few other companies have tried the same concept. The juice is good, but this way you lose out on the fiber. If parents are really trying to be sneaky, they could buy a pitcher's worth of that and then add in a packet of Kool-Aid or something. Maybe the kids still wouldn't know. (Achievement in Soul Calibur IV.)
|
|
|
Post by Ambrienne on Jul 24, 2009 23:29:02 GMT -5
If the fruit/veggie combo is as salty as the original V8, there's no way I'm touching it. A drink should not make you thirstier than you were to begin with. It's just not right. ...Though, now that I think about it, the main component, even of normal V8, is a fruit we call the Tomato anyway, so that's not right either. That's two strikes against it. I wonder if the kids would really be fooled by that or not. I guess it wouldn't matter to them as long as it tasted good and didn't look too yucky. Of course, to really get the kids started off right, you must enact an even more insidious plot. Making sure that the words ice cream, cake, cookies, soda, and all other traditional forms of dessert are unknown to them for as long as possible is key to allowing more healthy foods to take hold in their regular eating habits. But then, nothing's foolproof. Especially if the child happens to be especially cute. Then, sometimes, waitresses will give them ice cream for free. After that, you might as well abandon all hope. (Ingredient in Tales games)
|
|
|
Post by Solana on Jul 25, 2009 20:14:09 GMT -5
It's not salty at all. The V8 ones where it's half fruit, half veggie juice are the best. They taste like a very hearty fruit juice, if that makes any sense. There's also a blended juice called Ceres that makes different flavors. The trick would be to never let them see the containers. For years, my mom hid the fact that she puts ketchup and mustard in chili. Hmmm, instead of hiding the existence of goodies, maybe kids can be started on the healthy ones right away. Whole wheat, sugar-free, etc. Their taste buds will be attuned to those and they won't even WANT the regular ones. After eating sugar-free peanut butter for months, I tried the regular stuff again and thought it tasted like sugar butter. Or if one wanted to be truly nefarious, you could always distract the kid and swipe their ice cream for their own good. > Kids can really have a thing for butter, too. My niece likes to eat it right out of the tub if she can. I think part of it is that she's so hyper that she needs the extra calories, like a hummingbird. Especially now that she's in martial arts and swimming. (Character in KQVII.)
|
|
|
Post by Ambrienne on Jul 29, 2009 0:38:39 GMT -5
Eating... butter right out of the tub? I may have eaten sugar out of the bowl/box once or twice as a kid, but the thought of butter like that makes me shudder.
Do you really think that it's possible to Steal ice cream from a kid without them noticing? I'd think that they'd keep up their defenses until they'd eaten every last creamy bite. Unless you filled them up with things that were actually good for them beforehand. Then, it might be possible to pry it away.
There also might be some measure of Success if you can convince them to share. After all, there's that saying about eyes and stomachs that should apply here.
(Technique in numerous games, game production group)
|
|
|
Post by Solana on Jul 29, 2009 11:24:07 GMT -5
Yup, and when she can't do that she'll load it onto her food. Luckily, she's equally obsessed with grabbing an Apple off of our tree whenever she comes over. Good point, kids don't like hearing 'no'. I guess what one could do is order frozen yogurt of the same flavor that the kid has, then Block and Switch them when the kid is distracted. It's for their own good, truly! > But, that's pretty mean. Maybe doing a half and half of ice cream and frozen yogurt, or dumping plenty of fresh fruit on top would be a good compromise. Or using a little ice cream as a topping for fruit. I'll even cheat at times by eating half of a regular cookie or a handful of M&Ms. Teaching them moderation early on in food would hopefully transfer over to other situations instead of causing them to mistrust and eventually rebel against us. (Character in Suikoden series, PS title.)
|
|
|
Post by Ambrienne on Aug 2, 2009 0:01:30 GMT -5
Preventing rebellion in a country of Vandal Hearts. How... revolutionary. Well, I suppose we can't have anyone turning Vanguard Bandits on us after all. We've got eNephi trouble in this world as it is, what with people being Julious of all their neighbors' prosperity (real or imagined).
(PS game, another PS game, character from Black Sigil, character from Angelique)
|
|
|
Post by Solana on Aug 2, 2009 21:24:11 GMT -5
Well, I look at it as implementing good habits now that Maya may not prevent more problems in the future, especially with the economy being what it is. Sure, problems will still Arise, but moderation is a good skill to acquire.
Yeah, we're seeing the jealousy factor in a whole new light. We just banned a guy for selling us merchandise that had been acquired from his dad without permission. (This has happened a few times, I'm sad to say. )
After getting that speech, he sent in his buddies to do his dirty work for him. The first one probably wouldn't have been caught if the banned guy hadn't been standing just outside the store where we could watch the money change hands. The second guy would have fared better if he hadn't been seen with the banned guy and used his same backpack to sell us things. ("I owed him money!") I'm wondering if he'll next be looking for other used goods stores or other buddies.
(Character in Parasite Eve, spell in FFIV: The After Years.)
|
|
|
Post by Ambrienne on Aug 3, 2009 20:42:47 GMT -5
My father came up with this one recently. "Which of the following statements do you agree with? Once a chump, always a chump. Or chumps change?" In this case, I'd say it's the former. Even were they told to Go to jail, not pass GO, and not collect their cash, they're still out for trouble.
You know, it seems like a kind of pathetic training for a future life of crime with them attempting to use you as a fencing foil. But then... it's always fun to disarm the stupidity with a superior, Rapier wit. Still, I've got to wonder how the father must feel having a kid like that. Though, I suppose the father may not be any prize either. Not being an all-seeing Oracle, any kind of judgment is flawed at best.
(Monopoly reference, sword type, FF Tactics charater class)
|
|
|
Post by Solana on Aug 4, 2009 21:00:15 GMT -5
Call me an incurable optimist, but I usually go for hoping that even chumps can find redemption. That kind of hope can a Vale one much, as long as reality is mixed in there so one doesn't get cheated too many times. I usually try to Overkill the pushy customers with kindness, so that they don't have a target for their rage. > It's amazing how much of a difference one gets in reactions depending on how responses are worded. However, one of my coworkers was awesome when a guy brought in a bunch of plastic-wrapped strategy guides. Customer- Hi, uh, can I sell these to you? Coworker- We'll take a look at them. (After an intermission, we decide to ask a few questions first.) Coworker- Do you have the receipts for these? Customer- No, I got them from a friend of mine. Coworker- Still wrapped? Customer (one can see the gears turning)-.......................................................................................................................................- Coworker- I'm not going to give you time to think up a lie. Needless to say, the guy left with them in hand. Another dad came in after his kid sold us his things and was furious, swearing that he was going to sue us for being a front for stolen goods. But, he was upset and it was easier for him to blame us than his kid. (He never did sue us.) (Last name of character in the NES Batman, effect in FFX.)
|
|
|
Post by Ambrienne on Aug 7, 2009 14:05:24 GMT -5
I don't know. I think it's easier to blame the kid. You can do that without leaving your house. Oh, wait. That was from a practical, lazy point of view, not from the emotional view of a parent. Then, even if the kid is caught red-handed with the smoking revolver, in the hall, over Mr. Boddy, they're still in denial. ...Well, I guess you just have to be close enough to a person to be in denial, not necessarily their parent. After all, it's just another side to trust. It's a wonderful thing to have, as long as it's not abused. I seem to remember a line in Makai Kingdom about killing people with kindness. It even used to be one of my quotes a while back. But then, I included Etna's following line and 'other option', which was a pillow filled with knives. I'd imagine that my response is somewhere in between. Let's not say which end I'm closer to. ...I promise you, I haven't kicked any prinnies yet. But I can be a bit Partisan, so put anything I can consider a weapon and an angry me in the same room together at your own risk. Oh, drat. I can make anything a weapon, so you're always at Risk. Oh well. (Spear type weapon in several games, emphasis, board game turned computer game)
|
|
|
Post by Solana on Aug 7, 2009 21:39:43 GMT -5
Oh, yes, I remember well your resourcefulness in 'The Blue Star'. And since you're also a Burn Notice fan, I wouldn't trust you in an empty room, especially with a cell phone. So, I believe the best strategy would be to not make you angry to begin with. It can also be fun to normally be the sweet, innocent one so that people drop their guard. There would be occasional 'Evil Princess Sara' days, but mostly I could smooth down a customer's ruffled feathers. (Though I have to say, since my diagnosis, it's been a bit of a Lament of Innocence- I could probably make Dr. Cox cry like a baby on a bad flareup day.) You get some interesting reactions when the other side starts coming out. You know, I wonder how many people have tried making the gadgets from Burn Notice, such as the 'cantenna' or making cell phones into listening devices. They even have some simpler 'gadgets' on the website, such as using instant coffee to develop film or making a compass with a leaf floating in water. I'd imagine the writers have done a LOT of homework. (Character in Final Fantasy, Castlevania game subtitle.)
|
|
|
Post by Ambrienne on Aug 10, 2009 0:38:35 GMT -5
...My computer hates me. If I only had a dollar for every time it's eaten my replies on this thread (and it's predecessor), I'd have enough to buy another computer. Really, though, if I were put in a locked room with a cell phone, the only thing in danger would probably be the cell phone. I've only had one in my hands a couple of times, just long enough to think Vile thoughts towards the designer of the menu/sub menu structure. Then again, necessity being the mother of invention (and dissatisfaction with the status quo being the midwife), one never really knows what they're capable of until they're backed into a corner. Most people never see (or even know) how close my dark side's lurking. Of course, these same people seem to think I'm calm all the time and that nothing upsets me. Maybe it's just me, but I think they need some Eye Drops. If I had to take a guess, I'd bet that among the books they researched for those tips was a military survival guide. I can't say for sure about the show itself, but the writer for the series related books lists a couple of his sources on the spy crafting trade in the acknowledgments. I'd request them at my local library, but then I might get put on a watch list or something. ;D I did manage to get a book about one spy... excuse me, intelligence officer's experiences and have decided that one requirement of the job must be the ability to bluff your way through anything. Another is the ability to say a lot of words that sound informative but, on closer examination, really mean nothing. And, though it's not required, a sizable ego would also be recommended. The author never said that, but his attitude speaks volumes all on its own. (the tribe from Lunar, Blind status curing item)
|
|