Author: Wilfrid

Categories
Book Reviews Non-Fiction

The Cloud Revolution By Charles Babcock – If You Need To Know What Cloud Computing Is As Of Today, This Is It

If you happen to fall under the category of someone who has heard of the term “cloud computing”, may have some ideas of what it is, but cannot quite pinpoint what it does and how we can benefit from it, “The Cloud Revolution” written by editor-at-large of InformationWeek Charles Babcock will get you acquainted with the topic in no time.  While the book is still technical in nature, those who have worked in and with the technology industry should have no problem following the materials from start to end.  The ideal audience would be those in the professions of application and system architect, data center specialist, business analyst, and all the way to CIO, CTO, and COO.  What “The Cloud Revolution” provides is a snapshot of where cloud computing is today and presents the snapshot in an easy-to-understand manner.  This includes both its potential and challenge.

In a nutshell, cloud computing enables on-demand network access to a shared pool of resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released.  It simplifies and drives down the cost of operations while enabling the business users to tap onto the computing power in a way never dreamed before.  Today, most businesses over provision what they normally need in terms of computing resources due to operational spikes.  But yet, when there is an unforeseeable demand spike, some businesses fail to delivery (have you ever tried to buy movie tickets online during the holidays?).  The idea is that instead of buying more and more servers to cater for the spikes and leave the servers way under utilized in normal day operation, outsource the spike (or even the entire operation) to the cloud.  How much would that cost?  For example, Amazon’s Elastic Computing Cloud (EC2) charges $0.085 per instance per hour.

The cloud economy is hard to ignore.  Take web hosting as an example.  Most bloggers do not host their websites in a server at home (having said that, I know some do).  For those who have opted for a paid service, we often have to be mindful on how much disk space and monthly bandwidth we utilize.  Right after my holiday to Spain, I have published articles that came with photos on a weekly basis.  During the 12 weeks publication period, I had experienced spikes that busted my monthly bandwidth quota and had the site shutdown momentarily several times.  There are web hosting companies out there that have grown into a significant size and offer unlimited disk storage and monthly data transfer.  That is way more that what I would dream of (though I have my reasons to stay with my existing hosting company).  And that is an illustration on how such an economy of scale can benefit the consumers.  Imagine what this could mean for the corporates.

As highlighted in the book, there are challenges that corporate users faced with cloud implementation.  Not having a control on where the corporate data resides can be an issue.  It could be a security risk too.  There have been talks about ‘private cloud’ or even a ‘hybrid cloud’ in achieving the economic of scale that lowers the cost using existing data center setup as a benchmark.  If corporates can host their in-house applications through virtualization, outsource the spikes to a public cloud, or even consider conducting the system test, user acceptance test, stress test, and etc. that often do not contain real life data outside the private cloud, they may be able to reap the benefits of cloud computing.

Another barrier of taking cloud computing to the next level – as mentioned in the book – is that some of the major standards are still very much proprietary.  And it seems to me that the open standard is still at its maturing stage.  I think one of the reasons why this book is so named is because if the corporates wish to skip through the proprietary stage, the corporates need to get together and voice out what they want: No vendor lock-in.  That is a revolution in a sense, besides the fact that to make cloud computing works, there are changes in almost all levels.

The book has quoted some noteworthy implementations.  On the private sector, there is SalesForce.com’s cloud platform – Force.com.  On the public sector, in USA, there is NASA’s Nebula Cloud Computing Platform.  The author has also quoted a number of major players in cloud computing.  If you wish to pick up one book to know what cloud computing is as of today, “The Cloud Revolution” would be it.

External Link: To browse the book in Amazon.com, click here.

Categories
I See I Write

Asmara Lifestyle At Bishan Park – Singapore’s Best Kept Secret?! – Garden Spa, Restaurants, And More

You have no idea how surreal I felt last evening, when Cynthia and I attended a blogger event somewhere so close to our home.  We have driven up and down passed Bishan Park along AMK Ave 1 so many times a month, in the day and at night.  We had absolutely no idea that behind the rolls of trees there are restaurants, a garden spa, and more.  During the private tour organized by three cordial ladies from Asmara Lifestyle, when we got a chance to shuttle between the bar and the restaurants and the beautiful spa, for a moment, I thought I was inside our Botanic Gardens.  Such serenity and soothing scent.  That brings me to the second reason why I felt so surreal.

I often participate for a blogger event knowing more or less what I am getting myself into.  Bar and restaurants, checked.  Catching up with good friends, checked.  But the spa is a surprised for me.  Pilate?  And nails treatment?  In a way I was relieved that I brought Cynthia along.  Seeing how excited she felt.  But in a way I am a bit weary what this could mean to my credit card bill, having a resort like spa and facility so close to our home.  Then again, since a happy wife means a happy life, I am delighted to have come to know this establishment.

The overall design of this awards winning establishment follows very much to the philosophy of being immersed with the nature.  Initially I observed that some trees appear to be out of place.  Upon inquiry, I realize that the structures are built around the original landscape – trees and etc.  There is a rather huge rock in the middle of a bar, which has been there before the bar was built.  At first, it is strange to see staffs at times hopping over the stone to get in and out of the bar area.  But I suppose this adds another layer of charm to the decoration.  I heard that they may call this new bar “Middle Rock” and intend to bring in live bands for entertainment.  I also heard that they may bring in a projector TV for the broadcast of World Cup.  Immediately I said to Cynthia: You can have the car key, I will have my beauty sleep.

For those who are into garden dining and bar, there is Canopy.  Beautiful ambiance, with different dining theme from month to month.  They are open for breakfast and brunch too.  For the vegetarians, there is Green Room Café.  For both indoors and alfresco dining.  We have tried some of the dishes.  They are delicious.  A must try even if you are not a vegetarian.

OK.  I must admit I can’t write more than my first impression after spending a short albeit lovely evening at Asmara Lifestyle.  I am not a man for spa but I may try it out once and share my experience here with you.  Meanwhile, I have taken a few photos for sharing (see below).  To reach Asmara Lifestyle by bus, you can take Bus 136, 133, and 262 from AMK Bus Interchange.  Or by car, there is a public car park in front of the entrance.  If you come by CTE, exit AMK Ave 1, drive pass Bishan Road and then drive s-l-o-w-l-y.  You wouldn’t want to miss the public car park entrance on your left.  Back to the garden spa, there are 17 rooms in total open till midnight.  Some are for special treatments.  Some are couple rooms that are pretty spacious.  Stay tuned for more write-ups.  For reservation details, please click onto the links below.

The address is: 1382 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 Bishan Park 2 Singapore 569931.

Categories
For the Geeks

Sony Ericsson Backstage Event

Last week I have attended a Sony Ericsson blogger event and got a chance to ‘speed date’ some of their recent and upcoming devices.  I must say, the last time I owned a Ericsson phone was more than a decade ago.  Back then, seemed like everyone around me was either holding a Ericsson 688 or that banana-Matrix phone.  Back then, battery packs were easily changeable.  Even the antennas.  Look how far wireless phones have evolved.  It never ceases to amaze me whenever I stop and ponder upon it.

Forward to 2010, the five Sony Ericsson phones I have had brief moments with are the Google Andriod powered Xperia X10 mini pro, Xperia X10 mini, Xperia X10 and the Vivaz and Vivaz pro (picture above from left to right).  I suppose if you are into Google Andriod, Xperia series may be your cup of tea.  For those who are familiar with the Symbian OS, you may feel at home with the Vivaz series that is able to capture media in HD format.  Sony Ericsson Vivaz comes with a 8.1 megapixel camera while the pro version comes with 5.1 megapixel.  I guess with a QWERTY keyboard, there are some trade-offs users have to make.  But still, 5.1 megapixel is pretty decent, in the context of wireless phones.

During the blogger event, quite a few of us fell in love with the Xperia mini and its little brother “pro” that comes with a keypad.  The pro version does remind me those cute little phones that were used in the TV series Gossip Girl, as one good friend of mine has pointed out.  The colorful mini series is designed with simplicity in mind, easily operable with one hand.  At the four corners are the shortcuts for popular functions.  As for me, I prefer larger screen – like the Xperia X10.  4 inches large with a resolution of 480×854.  That is pretty impressive.  I have yet to fully understand how do the Timescape and Mediascape work in real life.  There is this “infinite button” – a magic button that helps you organize your contact communications and favorite friends and artists related contents within and beyond your phone.

So tell me, are you a Sony Ericsson fan?  How do you like your Sony Ericsson phone?

Categories
Book Reviews Non-Fiction

Neon Angel, A Memoir Of A Runaway By Cherie Currie – Heart Wrenching and Heart Warming At The Same Time

I seldom read memoirs.  But I was curious about the life story told from Cherie Currie’s perspective after watching “The Runaway” played by Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart.  “Neon Angel” has enough dramas that can pass as a great fiction.  The rise to stardom, the crash, substance abuse, brutal rapes, exploitation by the management, constant struggle amongst the dysfunctional family and band, and through it all, Cherie Currie constantly reinvents herself from a singer to actor to drug counselor to physical trainer to author to painter to one of the prominent chain-saw carvers in the world.  While it is hard to position Currie as a role model –  rather as a projected symbol of angst, rebel, and perhaps victim of the seventies, her survival spirit is astonishing.

Originally published in 1989, Currie reworks the materials with Tony O’Neill.  That explains why in this new edition, the events that happened more than thirty years ago are told in such a vivid manner, in such level of details and emotion.  And I suppose with age, the rework exhibits a better sense of mature reflection on the key decision points and milestones.  Some are deep regrets.  Some are triumphant.  For those who are interested in how the music industry worked in the seventies, “Neon Angel” has much to offer.  The road trips, the music creation and recording journey, the tours, and the fans.  A big chunk of the literature is dedicated to substance abuse – of hers and of those around her.  The honesty within thrills me: On how drug and alcohol has destroy hers and her family’s lives again and again.  No, I don’t despise her.  I sympathize her.

And in the mist of the chaos and illusions, there are glimpses of heart warming moments.  One ending chapter moved me to tears.  If you happen to like the movie “The Runaway”, this book “Neon Angel” will fill in the gaps on the stories that cannot be told in a movie setting.  The movie contains snapshots of events pasted together that may or may not follow the actual timeline.  I am short of saying that “Neon Angel” is an entertaining read (in fact it is).  Because the book is more than an entertainment.  It would mean different things to different people.  For those who are into the music industry or the sociological fabric of that era, the book is certainly an insightful read.  For the victims of substance abuse, broken families, and rape, there may be a common voice within.  Some parts of “Neon Angel” reminds me of a book I have read a long time ago – “Prozac Nation” by Elizabeth Wurtzel.  Yes, it is both a heart wrenching and heart warming read.

*     *     *     *     *

In 2013, I have reread this book.  And the updated book summary can be found in here.

At Amazon.com: Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway

Categories
For the Geeks Game Reviews

So You Want A Final Fantasy XIII “Growth Egg” As Early As End Of Chapter 11?! Yes You Can!

Arguably one of the most important items to obtain in Final Fantasy 13, “Growth Egg” doubles the Crystogen Points (or experience points) you earn that are needed for your character development.  Who wouldn’t want it as soon as possible?  To obtain a “Growth Egg”, you need to complete a class A mission that is opened for you at the end of chapter 11.  It is a very hard mission and I reckon it is designed as an end game activity.  But if an average gamer (me!) can do it, there is a high chance that you can too!  Here is how I made it, not without blood and sweat.  And in the mist of it, I have obtained a 5-star rating and unlocked the “Limit Breaker” trophy or achievement.  That is a 100,000+ damage in one shot!

Prerequisite

After the final boss in Chapter 11, instead of moving forward and trigger Chapter 12, move backward and obtain Mission 55 “Can’t We All Just Get Along” from the rooftop of a deserted school.  I chanced upon this because I have missed out one of the components to repair Vanille’s toy (another pretty rewarding thing to do).  If you need a guide to obtain that mission, click here.

Key Strategy

For this class A mission, you have to face a very tough boss called Neochu that can take down casters with one shot.  And it has quite a few hyperactive adds called Picochus that hit very hard, very fast.  The encounter is very much like its little brother nearby (which I hope you have tried).  Take down the boss first, and then worry about the adds later.  To do that, you will need Vanille (hence picture above!).

Battle Team Setup

Interestingly, Neochu is not immune to Death spell.  So the key is to have Vanille picking up that ability (under Saboteur role) after the expansion of Crystarium at the end of Chapter 11.  To have a better chance to pull off this debuff strategy, upgrade the Belladonna Wand to Malboro Wand.  I have upgraded the weapon level to close to 40, which may not be necessary.  I have Snow equipped with Paladin and Hope equipped with Hawkeye.  Both equipments are at star level.  By the way, all the upgrade components I have obtained from mob drops (or spoils).  It is very doable if you have been doing some side missions.

I set up Snow as the tank (Sentinel) and Hope as the healer (Medic).  As for Vanille, she switches between Saboteur (for debuff), Ravager (for damage), and Medic (for extra heal).  So in total, only 3 Paradigms are required.  To manually execute the Death spell, I have picked Vanille as the leader.

Prior to the final boss of Chapter 11, all my characters have maxed out their Crystarium for three roles (out of six, for all six characters).  After the boss fight, I choose one role to specialize and max that out.  I didn’t make any special purchase for this mission.  I suppose wearing accessories for extra health points would help in some ways.

Stage One – One-shot the Boss

Preemptive strike is out so left with the options to either use the shrouds to buff up your offense or defense before engaging the boss.  I walked into the battle with neither because I forgot (see, I am your average gamer).  In retrospect, buffing up the haste level may work better.  It may speed up the process.  The target time to finish the battle is 28 minutes.  I have earned the 5-star rating.  So I must have taken lesser time than that.

I went in with Snow tanking and Hope healing (for the entire fight).  As for Vanille, I spammed Death spell.  If Neochu hits Vanille first before Snow grabs the aggro, it is game over.  If Vanille unable to land the Death spell and one-shot the boss within 5 rounds, it is also game over.  The combined damage of Neochu and its annoying little creatures is just too much for one healer to take (before end game that is).

I read that some spent hours one-shooting the boss (only to be overwhelmed with the little ones – how sad!).  It didn’t take that long for me.  Maybe upgrading the wand helps.

Stage Two – Heal Up!

Once the boss is down (which is the easy part), it is time to survive the group of cute little Picochus.  Even with two healers and a tank, my team could barely survive.  Especially when my tank lost the aggro.  You could either fast switch Vanille between the Medic and Ravager roles to heal and to spam the area of effect spell Firaga.  Or if like me, the tank was down and soon faced an inevitable wipe, I called in the cavalry.

Stage Three – Summon the Eidolon

Some say Eidolons in Final Fantasy 13 are pretty useless.  It is quite right that these god like creatures don’t seem to be as powerful as they should be (given the fact that it is such a pain to make them yield and be your own).  As for me, Eidolons have turned the tide in the past when I faced with seemingly insurmountable battles.  And I must say, I love the over-the-top animation for these Eidolon encounters.

After Vanille summons her Eidolon, Hecatoncheir, your job is to keep both of them alive for as long as you can (which is not long).  Before Hecatoncheir gets decimated by these little adds, switch to Gestalt Mode and unload some punishment to the Picochus.  I manage to half their health points, which in retrospect, it is really not bad.  Meagre amount of damage dealt aside, the beauty of summoning an Eidolon is that when Eidolon leaves the battle, all the party members are back up with full health.  Time for round two!

Stage Four – Taking Down the Adds

This is the most nail biting moment.  I mean, I have come that far.  I really don’t want to fail here.  With Snow tanking the little mad Picochus, Hope can barely keep him alive (he is my best healer in the game).  I have to switch Vanille between Medic and Ravager mode to balance between staying alive and killing off the enemies.  It is a painfully slow process.  The good news is, as you wear down the number, it gets progressively easier.  Later on I found out that I could cast Imperil debuff on the little ones to lower the spell resistance.  That made the job done much faster.  If I am to do this again, I would cast the area of effect debuff, Imperilga, before the area of effect spell Firaga.  You may be tempted to one-shot the little ones with Death spell.  I don’t like the extra aggro on Vanille.

Some find it hard to take down the adds.  At bare minimum, if you have Snow on tanking position and both Hope and Vanille on healing, you should be able to last indefinitely.  Hope should also be able to solo heal Snow most of the time (there is some randomness in FF13 after all).  If you can’t, you may need to further develop your characters and gears with the side missions.  If you can, it is simply a matter of patience.  And “Growth Egg” is a reward you would love to have.

Categories
I See I Write

The Story Of Yeh Chi Wei – Singapore Art Museum

At the opening ceremony of “The Story of Yeh Chi Wei”, it is heartwarming to hear the late artist’s granddaughter giving a speech on Mr. Yeh Chi Wei’s art and the effort in putting an exhibition together – works by Yeh and works by The Ten Men Group (a community led by Yeh).  It must have been a proud evening for the Yeh’s family as well as Yeh’s fellow artists to see this collection artwork displayed in one of Singapore’s museums.  There is a strong essence of Southeast Asia style in Yeh’s work as he was used to organize painting trips to different locations in the region and exhibit their works together after the trips.  Yeh taught art for 22 years in Singapore and passed away in 1981.

As an Asian, some of the themes I can quite readily relate, which is always a good start in attempting to appreciate the art.  I in particularly am drawn to the usage of powerful black color contrasted with muted colors.  That intensity.  Below are some of the photos I took during the opening event.  As for the event itself, Cynthia and I really appreciate the school kids stationed in front of the key exhibits explaining the artwork to the visitors.  They have done a great job and we love it.  Back to the exhibition, catch “The Story of Yeh Chi Wei” now at the Singapore Art Museum from May 27 to September 12, 2010.

Categories
Whacky Thoughts

Life As A Business Analyst – A Comic Relief

Here is where I need to put a little disclaimer.  While the following write-up is inspired by things that I see and do during my nine-to-five job, all the characters and events are fictional and by no mean resemble to anyone or anything in particular.  That means to say, if you think that I am poking fun at you, it is purely your imagination!

*     *     *     *     *

Job titles often mean little.  When people ask me what I do for a living, I would tell them that I write to pay the bills.  On one side, I have a bunch of buyers representing a corporation who have the money and think they know what they want.  On the other side, I have a bunch of producers who have the skills and able to procure and create what they think the buyers want.  Think, is the keyword here.  It is near to impossible to transform thoughts into words.  Or collective thoughts into words that everyone can interpret in the same way (think about religion).  The buyers are busy talking.  The producers are busy crafting.  As for me, my job is to articulate the requirements in black-and-white so that the producers produce what the buyers want.  Or think they want.

All good requirements begin with something visionary, something bombastic.  Why?  It is simple.  Within a corporation, resource is limited.  In order to convince the shareholders to fund your great idea, it has to stand out from your peers.  It has to be inspiring.  If you can relate to the following illustrative story, you have worked in a corporation for far too long.

*     *     *     *     *

It begins with a one-liner that I have crafted after a brainstorming session with the buyers that represent our corporation.  It says: To equip our top team with vehicles of prestige and unparalleled power.  The buyers seem happy with that.  It is a bit vague, but who am I to complain?  I take this document to the engineers of our corporation and immediately, they frown.  One asks, “What do you mean by unparalleled power?  Can you be more specific?”.  Very well, I haven’t given much thought.  I know nuts about cars of unparalleled power.  If we start to ask the buyers about the required down force and aerodynamic development, the average damping of vibration after bumps, the type of engine (V8, V10, or V12), and maximum power and torque, I am sure we will lose them.  What shall we do?  I know we can’t afford a Bugatti Veyron.  What about a Ferrari?  With the end goal in mind, the engineers and I do a bit of reverse-engineering.  The requirement now says: To equip our top team with vehicles of prestige and unparalleled power in excess of 600 horsepower.  The engineers seem happy that they do not need to produce a car that is impossible to make.  The buyers would be happy not to read too much into the technical details.  In a strange way, our buyers can visualize horses better than engine design.

The next day, we present our ideas to the buyers.  They love the Ferrari.  Out of nowhere, one buyer talks about how the bumpy road is near his home.  More chip in on the terrible road condition in some selective areas I have not even heard of.  The meeting turns into a pandemonium.  I attempt to quiet the crowd and offer, “Well, it is a Ferrari.  Just go over the speed humps slowly.  Or take a different route!”.

One buyer attempts to wear the hat of an engineer (uh-oh) and asks, “Can’t we modify the car and attach a set of bigger wheels?”  “Like a custom build design?” I asked.  What about aesthetic?  Will it even work?  The engineer replies, “We can custom build anything“.  All the buyers nod with delight and as the presentation is drawing to an end, another buyer asks, “How many can fit into a Ferrari?”

Good question, how many do you need?  It has been a long meeting and no one wants to think anymore.  “There are some pretty powerful SUVs,” I offer.  But no, they love the Ferrari, with custom big wheels.  “Can’t we have an extension that fits as many as we want?”  I look at the engineers and here comes the standard reply, “We can custom build anything“.  The meeting ends with a refined requirement that says: To equip our top team with vehicles of prestige and unparalleled power in excess of 600 horsepower that can handle all road conditions and fits a group.  In my mind, I think of a limo, an elongated version of a beautiful Ferrari.

*     *     *     *     *

After some intense prototyping exercise, our engineers come up with the following design.

And the buyers are shocked by what they see.

*     *     *     *     *

A few months later, before we roll out our final product to our top team, I have received an urgent call from the legal and compliance department informing me that we have a non-compliance issue.  How so, I ask.  You are missing a few stickers at the back of the trailer, the caller replies.  By law, we have to display how many passengers at most we carry inside the trailer.  That is odd.  So I make a visit to the engineers and investigate what has gone wrong.

“You have not specified what is inside the trailer and we assume that we are carrying a bunch of monkeys.  We don’t need a sticker for that,” an engineer explains.  “Why would we do that?!  Just doesn’t make sense!”  “Since our buyers have no clue how big or what the group is, we called up Ferrari and asked if their engines are powerful enough to satisfy our needs.”  “And they replied?”  “They said: Our prancing horse can pull a zoo of monkeys with no sweat!”

“Since when we take requirement from our suppliers?!”, I ask in desperation.  The engineer shrugs, “Since the day we define what unparalleled power is?”.  “And by the way”, he continues, “we have to put a 60 kph sticker at the back of the car by law because of the trailer.”  “That is an awfully slow car with an imposed limit of 60 kph,” I protest.  He shrugs again and says,”We ask for power, not speed, yes?”

Categories
Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

The Losers – Actually Pretty Fun To Watch!

How come I have watched so many movies lately?  In recent Spanish classes, our teacher often asks what we have done over the weekend.  Most of us would have watched at least one or two movies.  One dude has watched Iron Man 2 twice!  OK.  The power of peer pressure.  But still, what do Singaporeans do over the weekend?  How come so many of us watch so many movies all year round?

Cynthia and I were going to give “Losers” a pass.  But our buddy TK wanted something brainlessly fun.  And with all the work stress over the weeks, I really don’t mind to have a good laugh.  I suppose one wouldn’t lose much if to watch “Losers” on TV.  The plot is hardly memorable.  But still, the chemistry between the actors and the fun factor … Gosh!  It is absurd.  Some parts don’t make sense.  But with enough blood, sex, and money in a strong dose of humor, I am not complaining.

An environmental friendly nuclear-like bomb that is capable to decimate the entire island with no pollution – designed for the green terrorists?  At that point onwards, I didn’t take the film seriously.  That works.

Categories
Drama Foreign Movie Reviews

Snow Prince – What Hard Life This Little Boy Has

This Japanese movie is going to make lots of girls tear, though not the quite the same way as “10 Promises to My Dog” as one would have expected.  The story begins with a mysterious manuscript that arrives at the hands of a grandmother and her granddaughter.  And the manuscript tells a story of a grandfather and his grandson more than half a century ago.  Life seems to be hard for this grandfather-grandson pair trying to make some money with their monthly delivery of handcrafted goods, especially in the winter season.  Come to think of it, I have watched quite a few Japanese movies and TV series in the past that often show a glimpse of how the poor lived in the post-war era.  Yet, a common theme I observe is that one can live a happy and dignified life even when one barely has enough to eat.

So, we have this 10 years old boy named Sota who does not have the opportunity to go to school but loves to paint; a young girl named Sayo who comes from a wealthy family and plays the piano.  Together, they find a puppy called Chibi.  Friendship has developed between the two but you know what it is like when family background gets into the way. 

There are quite a few heartwarming moments.  In one scene, Sota is pulling a cart with his grandfather (and Chibi) on their way to sell their monthly worth of products.  Halfway through the journey, his grandfather falls sick and needs to return home.  Sota continues the journey, sells the goods, and unfortunately, he is robbed on the way back.  When his grandfather hears the news as he embraces Sota who in tears, so full of remorse, he breaks into laughter, comforts Sota and tells Sota that someone else needs the money more than them.  Everything is going to be OK.  To me, that is pretty heartwarming.  I also love his motto of never hate and hold grudges towards another person, no matter what.

“Snow Prince” got me into a little reflection – on how blessed life is and how little it takes to be happy.  Its pace can be rather slow in parts (115 minutes) and while I do question some of the plot’s logic, I enjoy watching the drama as a whole.

Categories
For the Geeks Game Reviews

Heavy Rain (PS3) – Immersion Can’t Get Better Than This!

How far are you prepared to go to save someone you love? – from the theme of “Heavy Rain”

It is hard to define the genre of this critically acclaimed title “Heavy Rain”.  It is not exactly an action game, though there are some elements of action.  It is not exactly an adventure game either, though it plays like one at times.  Certainly feel like watching a self-directed movie with full fledged orchestra soundtrack – a movie of a serial killer to catch and a kid to save.  172 days of casting, 90 actors selected from 457 auditions.  You get to switch between different key players according to the key story events.  And because you as a player get to decide your course of action and to participate in the action, the story unfolds based on the decisions  and the mistakes you have made.  Believe me, if you are not an expert in using the game controller or if you are like me who tend to press the wrong buttons or move the motion sensitive controller to the wrong direction when you get nervous, you bound to make mistakes.  Making too many mistakes may lead to an alternative storyline.  Continue to make too many mistakes may lead to a character’s death.  I have learned my lesson the hard way.  I thought I could sit back on my sofa and relax, I was grossly wrong.  And because it is one continuous play-through, you have got to live with your mistakes, for better or for worse.

The characters on the screen reacts to the sequence of buttons you press as guided by the game.  Some motions also take into consideration of how fast or slow you move the game sticks or shake the controller in certain directions.  Some scenes require you to press and hold a set of buttons in a sequential order.  How tricky the combination is depends on the situation.  For timed event, you really do not want to make too many mistakes.

“Heavy Rain” runs in 720p graphic quality.  Although it seems inferior compares to 1080p games such as Final Fantasy XIII, it is by and large acceptable.  The motion sequences are realistic (due to filming using real stunt men).  My only complain is the rendering of characters.  The real actors behind the scene look so much better (I thought it should be the other way round).  The interaction between characters – like the kissing scene with the mouths not exactly locked together – has much to desire for.  Still, consider the complicity of the game based on player’s interaction and the sum of all possible paths, the game play has made up for some of these flaws.

My first play-through does not take long to complete.  Such is the characteristic of a non-linear game.  For one play-through, I have probably only seen a quarter of what the game is.  I will need to replay this game multiple times if I wish to explore different storyline, different endings.  Bonus materials are unlocked based on game progress, such as the making-of videos that are entertaining to watch.  Believe it or not, being able to play this exclusive title is one of the major reasons why I bought a Sony PS 3.  And I am very much satisfied.  I will for sure play it again but not right now.  For such a dark game (and the constant rain) – the mood, the suspense, and the sorrow, it can get a bit depressing.  Such is the beauty of immersion.