I have to get this off my chest if not I be in agony. Basically my boss called everyone in and tell us that the company is not sure what to make of next year with Europe being in shit and other stuff.
So at the end of it, it came down to being more productive at our work. That just gave me a straight message that the MIS department is not getting anymore new operation personnel which I personally feel is becoming insane with the amount of new stores opening and the amount of projects and new to come projects coming next year.
I am already working extra hours on the daily basis to get things and I am already getting the fact that the company staff has a lack of respect for MIS personnel weekends by calling us regarding IT on a weekend.
So I like to end with a quote from Southpark. "Bail?" "Bail"
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
An experiment
I started a new twitter account called "unclekilTC" which stands for Uncle Kilvear's Training center.
I just started 31 years old 3 days ago from this post and I wonder how much have I slowed down in terms of reaction time, learning things etc. You know the general stuff about aging. I also like to test the idea that age doe not apply to video games since you are not using a lot of muscles save your arms.
So I decided that I would want to test this out by learning a fighting game that is not available here. Well I decided to learn 2 rather than 1. The 2 games are Chaos Code and Aquapazza. The character I will pick for Chaos Code is Kagari and Aquapazza is Tamaki.
The tweet feed I will use will have updates on what I learn and the notes about the characters and the videos I watched. So you can use and follow that.
All this updates and tweets will be on going till I go to Japan end of this year from 24th Dec 2012 to 2nd Jan 2012 which once I reach Japan I will post as much as possible regarding my progress, match descriptions and match outcomes.
So that's that. I thought I share a bit of the my gaming history so it can provide more background on the experiement.
I have been playing games since I was 9. I started fighting games around the time Street Fighter 2 first came out and did not get serious honestly until I hit my polytechnic days which was 17. Given the time I played I still consider myself by far slightly below average player (AKA scrub for those familiar with Fighting game terms).
I joined a couple of tournaments and also organized a couple myself. My tournament standing is pretty poor and probably only thing that I was like getting something was 2 Arcana Heart 2 tournament where I got second and first place respectively. This isn't a big deal as the tournament only had 9 entries and the best place was not in the tournament.
I have been to Japan a couple of times and I know the relative standard of players is pretty high compared to mine.
So the experiment begins.
I just started 31 years old 3 days ago from this post and I wonder how much have I slowed down in terms of reaction time, learning things etc. You know the general stuff about aging. I also like to test the idea that age doe not apply to video games since you are not using a lot of muscles save your arms.
So I decided that I would want to test this out by learning a fighting game that is not available here. Well I decided to learn 2 rather than 1. The 2 games are Chaos Code and Aquapazza. The character I will pick for Chaos Code is Kagari and Aquapazza is Tamaki.
The tweet feed I will use will have updates on what I learn and the notes about the characters and the videos I watched. So you can use and follow that.
All this updates and tweets will be on going till I go to Japan end of this year from 24th Dec 2012 to 2nd Jan 2012 which once I reach Japan I will post as much as possible regarding my progress, match descriptions and match outcomes.
So that's that. I thought I share a bit of the my gaming history so it can provide more background on the experiement.
I have been playing games since I was 9. I started fighting games around the time Street Fighter 2 first came out and did not get serious honestly until I hit my polytechnic days which was 17. Given the time I played I still consider myself by far slightly below average player (AKA scrub for those familiar with Fighting game terms).
I joined a couple of tournaments and also organized a couple myself. My tournament standing is pretty poor and probably only thing that I was like getting something was 2 Arcana Heart 2 tournament where I got second and first place respectively. This isn't a big deal as the tournament only had 9 entries and the best place was not in the tournament.
I have been to Japan a couple of times and I know the relative standard of players is pretty high compared to mine.
So the experiment begins.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Things I done in the past
Thought I wanted to blog about something that is more personal. I remember the time 5 years ago I did a thing that is unimaginable if I would do it now.
I left my job and traveled to US on my own. Yes a maiden journey to US first by myself, second to meet with people I have never ever seen in my whole life before.From that trip, I gained probably the best experience in my life. I talked to people like spook and Arturo. Get to play people like someasiandude(ken) and splayko.
From that trip I got to know Rob then traveled to Japan to meet him and stayed at his place the second time.
That first trip is the craziest thing I ever did in my life. The things I got out of it benefited me for the rest of my life. Simple things like how to plan a trip. Buying tickets online. Looking up maps to get around. Following directions to get around in a place I never been before.
I have to be honest. Recently I have been suffering from burn out from work and generally depressed. I have been playing it safe for a while. Like keeping the job and thinking about my family and what they need. I guess that got to me a lot.
I do envy when people are able to move on and recognizing the need to rest. I am still thinking about my decision and my plan. I guess whatever the decision it is, I can never know if it is the right decision. I probably have to decide for something better.
It is funny how things change in life. I can't tell what is for the better I do know I probably need to change something in my life perhaps soon.
I left my job and traveled to US on my own. Yes a maiden journey to US first by myself, second to meet with people I have never ever seen in my whole life before.From that trip, I gained probably the best experience in my life. I talked to people like spook and Arturo. Get to play people like someasiandude(ken) and splayko.
From that trip I got to know Rob then traveled to Japan to meet him and stayed at his place the second time.
That first trip is the craziest thing I ever did in my life. The things I got out of it benefited me for the rest of my life. Simple things like how to plan a trip. Buying tickets online. Looking up maps to get around. Following directions to get around in a place I never been before.
I have to be honest. Recently I have been suffering from burn out from work and generally depressed. I have been playing it safe for a while. Like keeping the job and thinking about my family and what they need. I guess that got to me a lot.
I do envy when people are able to move on and recognizing the need to rest. I am still thinking about my decision and my plan. I guess whatever the decision it is, I can never know if it is the right decision. I probably have to decide for something better.
It is funny how things change in life. I can't tell what is for the better I do know I probably need to change something in my life perhaps soon.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Live Streaming
Recently I have been doing some live streaming on and off. It is for 2 purpose. First and more important is just a hobby purpose of messing around with some new tech and figuring how they work. Second trying to setup a game night kind of thing for No game No Talk. The details for the second one will not come anytime soon. Well details are not even concrete.
Regarding well the hobby part. First off I like to say, all this video streaming thing made me realize 2 things (I wonder why it is often 2 things not 3). I learn a lot of stuff regarding video formats, types of video connectors, bitrates frame rates, terms used, video file containers, encoding format etc. It is a huge amount of information to absorb. I don't think this knowledge will net me any more money in my job but I do believe in improving myself and knowing more stuff. The saying goes "You become good at your job outside your job" assuming of course I earn from this which I don't.
Second thing is, all this equipment cost money. A lot of money. I lost count of how much I spent on the hardware but its like I am still lacking hardware to do some really good quality stuff. The last count I remember was nearly 3 thousand. I still lack another vital piece of hardware which is a sound mixer and a good mic which is clearly going to like cost another 500 bucks.
Also live streaming is like the cutting edge crap. If anyone actually asks me how to do it, I be like "I need to spend an afternoon at like my own place with you showing you how everything works". I was talking to Farp just today regarding some of the new stuff he recommended me to have a look. It is literally exposed PCB boards with PCI-E cards sitting on it.
Yeah that's how haphazard things are regarding the state of streaming and doing thing via your laptop for like tournaments. (Warning Tech mumbo jumbo ahead)
The setup I use is something like this. Xbox 360 into HD-Pvr into my comp via USB 2.0. On my computer (Running Windows 7 64bit) I would this software called SCFH DSF which is actually a software that captures the desktop at very good frame rate. You can google the name of the software but the page is in Japanese. If you wonder why I cannot capture straight from HD-pvr, the reason is HD-pvr doesn't not output what it captures straight into the computer. So it actually does compression on the hardware before it outputs to the computer via its own software. So I have to capture the output of the video of the software into FME. I also connect my webcam to my comp and launch my webcam software then I will make SCFH capture the video window of the webcam software then I will do some panel arrangements.
Anyways that's the general gist of it. If it sounds complicated, that is because it is. Definitely not for who casually wants to do streaming. The cheapest setup would still set you back at least a hundred. Again assuming you know what you are doing and what you need.
Regarding well the hobby part. First off I like to say, all this video streaming thing made me realize 2 things (I wonder why it is often 2 things not 3). I learn a lot of stuff regarding video formats, types of video connectors, bitrates frame rates, terms used, video file containers, encoding format etc. It is a huge amount of information to absorb. I don't think this knowledge will net me any more money in my job but I do believe in improving myself and knowing more stuff. The saying goes "You become good at your job outside your job" assuming of course I earn from this which I don't.
Second thing is, all this equipment cost money. A lot of money. I lost count of how much I spent on the hardware but its like I am still lacking hardware to do some really good quality stuff. The last count I remember was nearly 3 thousand. I still lack another vital piece of hardware which is a sound mixer and a good mic which is clearly going to like cost another 500 bucks.
This cost lots of money.
Also live streaming is like the cutting edge crap. If anyone actually asks me how to do it, I be like "I need to spend an afternoon at like my own place with you showing you how everything works". I was talking to Farp just today regarding some of the new stuff he recommended me to have a look. It is literally exposed PCB boards with PCI-E cards sitting on it.
Invasion of cables. Lots of them
The setup I use is something like this. Xbox 360 into HD-Pvr into my comp via USB 2.0. On my computer (Running Windows 7 64bit) I would this software called SCFH DSF which is actually a software that captures the desktop at very good frame rate. You can google the name of the software but the page is in Japanese. If you wonder why I cannot capture straight from HD-pvr, the reason is HD-pvr doesn't not output what it captures straight into the computer. So it actually does compression on the hardware before it outputs to the computer via its own software. So I have to capture the output of the video of the software into FME. I also connect my webcam to my comp and launch my webcam software then I will make SCFH capture the video window of the webcam software then I will do some panel arrangements.
Anyways that's the general gist of it. If it sounds complicated, that is because it is. Definitely not for who casually wants to do streaming. The cheapest setup would still set you back at least a hundred. Again assuming you know what you are doing and what you need.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Trip Break Down
Day 1 - Arrived In Itami Airport 7.30pm. Got to Rob's house. Mostly slept
Day 2 - Rob is at work. I wandered around his NeighbourHood took some photos. We headed for Osaka in the evening. Went to Round 1 Amusement for free play for 3 hours for all the arcade machines there. No fighters there though. Bunk at a capsule hotel for the night.
Day 3 - Shopped around Denden Town for ANIMAY! shit. The rest of the day was kind of fuzzy for me. I guess we spent alot of time at the arcades and we headed to Kyoto in the evening to visit A-cho. Probably the greatest arcade ever. Went out for dinner with Rob's friend Dan at TGIF. Back to A-cho for more arcades before bunking over at Dan's place for the night (some umineko action before bed of course)
Day 4 - Woke up at around 11.30am. Was so freaking tired. Hiked up hill to visit the most famous Shinto Shrine in Japan. Took some pictures before finally heading back to Ono.
Day 5 - Woke up damn early to catch the bullet train for Tokyo. Ended with a 5 hour long bullet train ride from Shin Kobe to Tokyo as there was a serious blizzard between Osaka and Tokyo. Though it didn't snow in Osaka or Tokyo. Got to Akiba around 1.30pm. By the time I am done with looking for ANIMAY! shit it was already 8pm and I remembered alot of trips for the bullet train was cancelled. Bunked at random hotel for the night.
Day 6 - Woke up and checked out the hotel at around 9.30am. Got breakfast. Waited for some of the stores in Akiba to open before heading to Ropongi. Managed to find Konami Style opened and actually Konami company located there as well. Back to Akiba for last round of ANIMAY! shit before running back to Osaka for Denden town again before I couldn't find Arcana Heart 3 available in Akiba. Headed back to Rob's place by 8.30pm
Day 7 - Mostly slept for the morning because again I was so tired. Bunked around Rob's house trolled some folks online in IRC. Rob got home we rode bicycles down to a hot spring place to chill have dinner and head back to Rob's before I started packing shit for home
Day 8 - Bid farewell to Rob for the great stuff. Rush to the airport to check in and the usual. Spent like almost the whole day just on the plane. Landed in Singapore after midnight and found that check in luggage is missing. Report made, staggered onto to cab. Made a call back home then upon reaching home made a call to insurance company before finally collapsing in bed.
Day 2 - Rob is at work. I wandered around his NeighbourHood took some photos. We headed for Osaka in the evening. Went to Round 1 Amusement for free play for 3 hours for all the arcade machines there. No fighters there though. Bunk at a capsule hotel for the night.
Day 3 - Shopped around Denden Town for ANIMAY! shit. The rest of the day was kind of fuzzy for me. I guess we spent alot of time at the arcades and we headed to Kyoto in the evening to visit A-cho. Probably the greatest arcade ever. Went out for dinner with Rob's friend Dan at TGIF. Back to A-cho for more arcades before bunking over at Dan's place for the night (some umineko action before bed of course)
Day 4 - Woke up at around 11.30am. Was so freaking tired. Hiked up hill to visit the most famous Shinto Shrine in Japan. Took some pictures before finally heading back to Ono.
Day 5 - Woke up damn early to catch the bullet train for Tokyo. Ended with a 5 hour long bullet train ride from Shin Kobe to Tokyo as there was a serious blizzard between Osaka and Tokyo. Though it didn't snow in Osaka or Tokyo. Got to Akiba around 1.30pm. By the time I am done with looking for ANIMAY! shit it was already 8pm and I remembered alot of trips for the bullet train was cancelled. Bunked at random hotel for the night.
Day 6 - Woke up and checked out the hotel at around 9.30am. Got breakfast. Waited for some of the stores in Akiba to open before heading to Ropongi. Managed to find Konami Style opened and actually Konami company located there as well. Back to Akiba for last round of ANIMAY! shit before running back to Osaka for Denden town again before I couldn't find Arcana Heart 3 available in Akiba. Headed back to Rob's place by 8.30pm
Day 7 - Mostly slept for the morning because again I was so tired. Bunked around Rob's house trolled some folks online in IRC. Rob got home we rode bicycles down to a hot spring place to chill have dinner and head back to Rob's before I started packing shit for home
Day 8 - Bid farewell to Rob for the great stuff. Rush to the airport to check in and the usual. Spent like almost the whole day just on the plane. Landed in Singapore after midnight and found that check in luggage is missing. Report made, staggered onto to cab. Made a call back home then upon reaching home made a call to insurance company before finally collapsing in bed.
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