Time And Forgiveness

Hey Stephen, Tyler. I thought I'd send this email to both of you because you like games and have giant brains. ;)

If you get the chance, try a game on Xbox Live Arcade called Braid. It's like Super Mario Bros. These are the instructions:

A Button: Jump. (Jump on monsters' heads to jump higher.)

B Button: Do stuff.

That's it. When you "die" (fall into spikes, run into a monster) you press the X button to reverse time (like Prince of Persia). You can reverse time all the way back to the beginning of a level. There are no limits to your time manipulation. But (and this is the kicker) certain objects can exist outside of time.

For example, you come across a locked door and there's a hole in the ground that contains a key. You jump in the hole, but there's no way out. So you grab the key (which exists outside of time), then you reverse time. The key comes with you as the game rewinds itself like an instant replay, and you're out of the hole but now you have the key. Jump over the hole, open the door and you beat the level. It's simple, but maddening at the same time.

The other strange feature is the use of jigsaw puzzles. In the background to a level (like the clouds in Mario) are picture frames, and scattered throughout the levels are jigsaw pieces. The pieces you pick up and place in the frames become the background to the level, and can be manipulated. So you could come across an impossible jump, but then find a piece that has a drawing of a bridge. Go back, slide the piece into the background:

Presto.

It's too bad neither of you are here, because I think you'd both love it. Stop by sometime and you can try it out.

-d-

Nerd Appreciation

Been a quiet day at work, so colleague Douglas and I have browsed this site in its entirety:

xkcd - A Webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math and Language

Reg'lar readers of Mini Nerd (and friends of the particular nerd who writes this here site) will likely share the sense of humor leveraged by supreme math geek Randall Munroe at xkcd above. In fact, I often thought of my fellow dorks while reading Randall's sweet, brainy strips. So much so, I have some dedications!

This one's for Dave:



Here's something for Lisa and Teresa:



Doogie'll appreciate this:



For Clem and Lisa:



For Neil and Jenn:



For Santino:



For the Absent Canadian (Mike):



For Sandy:



And for Douglas, who sent me the link that started this day of laughing and clicking:

Mission Statement

Fellow Canuck geek Eric Poulton laid down some righteous pixel masterpiecery that to me represents the philosophy of Mini Nerd in its near-entirety. Without further ado, here's "Underneath It All":



To witness more of Eric's genius, visit Where Is My Eyeball.

He also regularly loiters around ConceptArt.org (where the above piece was a contest entry), as do I - except Eric can draw like an angel and I just scroll and drool.

Andy McKee

I don't have a lot of patience for guitars, usually because their players aren't doing much interesting with them. That's my bias and I'm sticking to it.

This fella, though, is an exception to the rule. And the music? Just gorgeous. A nice way to start the morning during this emotional June, our hinge of the year.



Thanks to Dave for the link! And Mike and Doug will probably love this, so I'm tagging those jerks too.

We're All It

Tagged by Kerrie with this bit of navel-gazing. Consider yourself tagged too. I'm an innie, and here's my lint:

Where did your last kiss take place?
In an aeroport.

Who knows a secret or two about you?
Most folk.

Three words to explain why you last threw up:
Beer, wine, gin.

Have you ever burned yourself?
Mostly the sun does that.

What's crazy to you?
Inattention.

Who is probably talking a load of crap about you right now?
Nobody.

Would you ever want to be a model?
Not really.

Do you tell white lies?
Only to protect.

When is your next party?
Tomorrow night.

Who do you want to be with right now?
Myself.

How do you handle a break up?
Make new stuff.

Your motivation for tomorrow?
Do my best.

Last person to hurt you?
Shannanigans.

Last person to make you laugh?
Doogie.

Have you ever cleaned up someone else's vomit?
Nope.

One best friend or 10 aquaintances?
All of the above.

Favorite food?
Pizza.

Most favorite person?
Too many to choose from.

Are you an emotional person?
Sure.

Do you like your name?
Yep.

Do you dance naked in your room at night?
No, but I critique my reflection.

Biggest fear?
Fear.

Favorite place to be?
Happy.

Do you hate anybody?
Nah.

Does anyone hate you?
So I've been told.

How many people do you trust fully?
Probably too many.

F.O.R.G.E.ry

Regular readers of Mini Nerd may notice some new functionality in the navbar to the right.

Or maybe they won't see it at all, because it's not working.

In the latter case, the reason for the error is the URL you're using to link to Mini Nerd. From here on, please consider the address "www.stephenreese.com/blog" retired and out of service. The new URL is "www.mininerd.com". That's the one you need to type into your address bar for the site to work.

Right then. The first of the new functionalities is something called F.O.R.G.E. (Fantasy Object Random Generator, Eh?). It's the product of Dave's code and my words (plus some from Helms and Trueman - everyone else is welcome to suggest more). Also several hours of frustration and revision as Dave (primarily) and I labored to get the thing working. All you have to do is click the blue "I Dub Thee:" text and you'll receive a randomized silly-sounding fantasy weapon. With our current database of words, over a hundred million combinations are possible. Aww jazzy!

And hey - if F.O.R.G.E. is only amusing to that group of us who grew up together, or those nerds (mini or otherwise) who've played a Dungeons & Dragons campaign at some point in their lives, so be it. Everyone else can safely ignore the extreme geekery and perhaps make use of the new sections and links in the navbar, if they wish - these should make it easier to browse through the content stockpiled on the site so far.

Once again, regular readers: PLEASE change your Mini Nerd URL to "www.mininerd.com" and only use this address to reach the site from now on.

(Thanks to Lisa for the catch.)

Cheers,
Reese

Televisikinepathy

I'm a little wary of making a post about the boys in red. Last time I did, it was for my first attempt at a blog (failed) and Calgary's first attempt at the Stanley Cup in recent years (also failed).

I wrote in ecstatic, beer-fueled reverie about the pleasure of cheering for the Flames at local hangout The Rose & Crown, and our subsequent stampede (har har) into the finals. I even foregave the gal who emptied her entire pint onto my coat (since replaced) in her enthusiasm, because, as my friend Lisa pointed out, it seemed a prerequisite for a win at those games I watched in public that somebody spill beer all over me. Yes: I am prone to superstition, belief in jinxes and general meaning-mongering, even outside hockey season. And during - let me tell you, buster.

Watching last night's game against the Phoenix Ferrets - screaming, yelling, bouncing on the bed and violently disturbing my agonized lover (for she is at the mercy of her back this week and spent the previous day and night immobile on the hardwood floor of our living room) - I theorized (no, believed), as I always do, the intensity of my passion could propel our team to a decisive win.

(Andrea, bless her heart, forgave me the animated display. I think the reason I was pardoned is she's a hockey maniac, making this an acceptable breach of conduct.)

Maybe you yell at your television set when your team isn't playing up to standard. Maybe you laud these well-paid athletes with oft-deserved applause through the negligible membranes of glass, liquid crystal, plasma or cathode-ray - knowing they can feel your appreciation miles away on whatever ice they carve and conquer.

Me, I take it a step further. I've convinced myself I can achieve a telepathic link with hockey players, particularly my man Dion Phaneuf (chosen not because he became the upstart goal-scorer of the season, but because saying his last name aloud amuses me no end). I can even manipulate his actions with my mind.


Note the clear line of sight from my eyes to Phaneuf's brain.

I guess that's telekinesis, actually. At any rate:

Blame it on too many years playing computer games; playing God, even (thank you, Will Wright). But if we do edge our way closer to that ultimate win on account of my mad televisikinepathy skillz (and yours, too; I believe anyone can do it), then don't turn up your nose at those of us who've spent years honing The Craft.

For what it's worth...at home, in the 'dome, on the road:

Support your Flames!

< televisikinepathy >
Shoot the puck! Skate the ice! (Hi, Doug.) Win the Cup!
< /televisikinepathy >