Disqus - Latest Comments for tristaanogre

Re: Infinity +1 Update!

Robert Martin — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 17:40:02 -0000

Gonna miss Jason...but I'm sure y'all will do a great job.

Re: Episode 114 – Emotional Photon Torpedos

Robert Martin — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 13:34:33 -0000

The pilot that sucked me in was the first episode of "The Good Doctor". I have a friend who is a high functioning autistic, we have another friend who has a son who is in the severe range of the spectrum, we have a nephew who has Ausberger's... So, to see a show starting an autistic character and their struggles to relate to real society... And see it done WELL I'd fantastic.

As for the think-feel-act... Think and feel probably, in best case scenario, should work in synergy... Think rationally, but acknowledge feelings, and consider the feelings of others, let that feed back into the rational thought, and ponder the feelings that actions may entice... And so on... I tend to be more Spock than Kirk... And when I have a very emotive wife and daughters, that doesn't always play out well.... I need to let my inner Kirk out a bit more...

Re: Episode 113 – What Audio Error? There’s No Audio Error!

Robert Martin — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 11:27:27 -0000

Chili peppers... I would drop chilli peppers... And there would be trash, common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary peppers on a scaled randomization.... Those would be cubanelles, anaheims, jalapenos, serranos, habaneros and Scotch bonnets respectively... Now, to BEAT me as a boss, you would have to eat your way through various waves of hot peppers... And survive....

They wouldn't give buffs but they'd be used in crafting, specifically cooking, to make different t potions of varying effects... Everyone would want the Scotch bonnets because they would make the BEST potions

Re: Episode 112 – That’s a Spicy Bitcoin

Robert Martin — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 14:33:13 -0000

True, and yet, other than the song ("Yo, ho, ho, ho it's a pirates life for me") and that it was pirates in the Carribean, there was no other link between the two. In fact, after the movies came out, the Disney parks remodeled the rides to match the movies... It's not quite the same as the successful Clue movie or the dismal Battleship. This is where Disney did it right... They didn't try to make the movie to completely match the ride, they just took the idea and made their own whole new story.

That is, truly, what's going to make a good crossover from board game to film. A loose tie to the concept and a creative story. But it's going to take SERIOUS work and effort. Just playing big budget effects and cliche story just is not going to fly with me.

Re: Episode 112 – That’s a Spicy Bitcoin

Robert Martin — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 10:28:01 -0000

Honestly, I don't understand the trend if turning board games into movies. Some board games (like House on Haunted Hill) lend themselves to it because you game through a story... But most board games have such a one dimensional aspect to them like Ticket to Ride... I mean, a whole movie about building rails between cities before someone else does... I just can't see it.

HOWEVER, if I have to pick one, it would probably be Settler's of Catan. I think you could actually make a story about competing groups of settlers trying to gain control of the resources of some remote island... I think it could be done, but as with most in the genre, it will take some GREAT creativity to make it work... Or we'll end up with another Battleship...

Re: Episode 111 – Chocolate Cures Everything

Robert Martin — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 14:48:07 -0000

I could just do a me, too, to Anna... But I want to get creative here

I would have to say Xenocide by Orson Scott Card... Followed by a closer second in Enders game... One of the things of those stories is the way that Card uses his characters to talk about perspective... That what we think is true may be clouded by our limited view and that many times we need someone or something from the outside to reveal our blind spots

Re: Episode 110 – Mega Faves

Robert Martin — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:11:03 -0000

And I realize that i probably trumped any other comments now by playing the Cancer Card... But I don't care because NOTHING compares to facing death...and beating it.

Re: Episode 110 – Mega Faves

Robert Martin — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:06:49 -0000

Ok... Need to specify first the WORST part of 2017... Because you need to know the worst before the BEST makes sense.

Through the end of 2016, my wife was dealing with increasingly worse back pain and leg pain that was initially diagnosed as sciatic pain. When it kept getting progressively worse and the standard treatments weren't helping, they did an MRI...

And found that the breast cancer she had beaten 4 years earlier hadn't in fact gone away... She had metastasized stage iv breast cancer presenting on her lower spine and sacral spine. We found out later that it had progressed to the point where she pretty much did. It have a sacral spine any more.

So... The best thing of 2017? A PET scan done in September showed that not only were the treatments working but had, in fact, put her in complete remission. The way our oncologist described it was that, if he didn't know better, he wouldn't know she ever had cancer.

I know this site tries not to be heavy handed with the religious stuff... But 6 months from diagnosis to full remission... Some may credit "good medicine"... I credit a good God.

Re: MCU Watchalong: Captain America: The First Avenger

Robert Martin — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 13:23:02 -0000

The guy who plays Arnim Zola voiced Dobby in the Harry Potter movies....

Re: Episode 106 – Snape’s Littlefinger

Robert Martin — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 15:50:48 -0000

Hrm... Mythical beast...

Gryphon... Specifically, the gryphons of the style that Mercedes Lackey writes on which are sentient beings in their own right with intelligence and personality. They are truly a wonderful creature

Re: Episode 105 – I Wanna Ragnarok!

Robert Martin — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 13:49:01 -0000

We have a drawer in our kitchen at home that we have to say a prayer to Anoia when we try to open it... Always some random spatula or tongs getting stuck in there.

I personally love it when Bilious reverses his hangover back to the God of wine... 😁

Re: Episode 105 – I Wanna Ragnarok!

Robert Martin — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 12:21:10 -0000

Eru Iluvatar... "HE" is the Creator deity of Tolkien's universe, the source of the "Secret Flame of Armor" that Gandalf is guardian of, orchestrator of the Song of the Valar... REDEEMER of that same song when Melkor/Morgoth attempted to usurp it, merciful to all life, divine provider and source of hope because the Song ends in hope and victory, even though the Children if Iluvatar have not yet seen it...

The Dude is Lit...

Re: Episode 104 – A Grimm Outlook

Robert Martin — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 17:57:41 -0000

From the Martin family:

Charis (age 17)- Mike Wyzowski from Monsters Inc... Charis, I swear, was the model that they digitized to create Boo
Talia (age 15) - the demi-gorgon from Stranger Things 1... Because he was truly a freaky nifty guy
Heather (the mother) - Frankenstein's monster because he was complex and tragic
Robert (me) - The xenomorph queen from Aliens... She was truly a being of horror and fear

Re: MCU Watchalong: Thor (2011)

Robert Martin — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 13:50:19 -0000

FYI, the Robin Hood guy is played by the same guy who plays Prince Charming in the TV show Once Upon A Time

Re: Episode 103 – Save Your Progress

Robert Martin — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 12:29:47 -0000

"Inconceivable!"

Ok... Your cue...

...

"I'm waiting!"

I mean, seriously, ANYTHING Princess Bride is the perfect quote...

When I was in undergrad, my friends and I would always sign off to each other with the following

https://youtu.be/AjUmULa0R-8

Re: Episode 102 – John Williams Listening Party

Robert Martin — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:22:55 -0000

Isaac Stern is the violinist featured in Fiddler in the Roof...

And music... Look, my wife is a music educator, my eldest is an amazing flutist, and we are all film nerds... So John Williams... When he finally passes, there is NO ONE to take his place.

Re: Episode 101 – Should I Watch It?

Robert Martin — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 20:11:35 -0000

When I first heard about the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings and saw the first pre-production trailers, I felt like my heart would burst... And then sitting in the theatre seeing the imaginary focus of my mind for decades brought to reality on the big screen... I cried... Literally... Tears rolled down my cheeks. The Hobbits, Gandalf, Sauron, Elves, Nazgul... All my companions for so long... And they became real... Star Wars has nothing on my Middle-Earth obsession

Re: Relief and gratefulness after Hurricane Irma

Robert Martin — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 11:51:41 -0000

Was this article published before Maria? As I understand it from my father, Betania in Aibonito is in much worse shape now after Hurricane Maria pretty much did a direct hit.

Re: Episode 98 – I’d Like To Eat Your Brains

Robert Martin — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:06:02 -0000

Go read the book by Iain Banks called Player of Games... The "game" that is played in the majority of the book is so cool and intriguing. It's like chess on steroids combined with Warhammer and some aspects of hologaming... Totally cool game where some pieces are bio-tech that morphs as the game is played and how the game reflects the society in which it is played... Seriously, AWESOME concept...

You can read more about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Can you imagine American or Candian political contests being determined in this fashion rather than the popularity contests they currently are, where the competing philosophies are played out on a game board that represents societal reality where the winner leads the society for the next 6 years?

Re: Episode 94 – Time To Attack The Fire Nation

Robert Martin — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 10:31:28 -0000

My brother and I created this whole science fiction universe of space fighters, capital ships, personnel types, enemies, combat, etc. We supported this universe with a LOT of drawings of ships and such. We would frequently play act our latest drawings on our two acre farm. Lots of fun

Re: Episode 93 – Offense Up!

Robert Martin — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 13:04:46 -0000

The Tick mashed up with Logan/Wolverine... just think about it... a big, dumb, slightly insane blue guy mashed up with a similarly invincible mutant with adamantine skeleton

Re: Episode 92 – The Passion of the Geeks

Robert Martin — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 09:15:48 -0000

Ok.... I'll say up front that my answer would be obvious... Return of the King, either book or film.... but that's too obvious.

But I'm going to go a bit obscure again... Mercedes Lackey "Arrows of the Queen" trilogy... final book, Arrows fall.. the hero wins... but the way she wins... and the final love story resolution... made me cry everytime I read jr

Re: MCU Watchalong: Iron Man

Robert Martin — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 14:55:37 -0000

You asked if we like these... we love these. Please keep them coming

Re: Episode 91 – The One With Enthusiasm

Robert Martin — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 10:12:07 -0000

My two favoritems are opening songs... Baba Yetu which starts out the Civilization IV game. And secondly is the opening theme music for World of Warcraft... the former because it is the Swahili version of the Lord's Prayer... and the second because, well, it's just so cool

Re: Episode 90 – Cold Vengeance

Robert Martin — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 12:50:17 -0000

On the topic of vengeance. ... I want to expand this a bit. One thing that was brought up was the difficulty surrounding restorative justice. It is harder on the level that restoring someone is harder than punishing. It's easy to say, "You did wrong. Here's the prescribed penalty." It's harder to say, "You did wrong. Let's work together to figure out why and what we can do to bring you back as a functioning member of society."

But I think, fundamentally, that difficulty is used as an excuse because, honestly, we want a solution NOW, fix it NOW, I want instant results. Punishment is instant. "Swift justice" is the mantra. Restoration takes time... many times spanning more than one lifetime. And, for those of us working in the realms of social justice regarding racism, oppression, etc., we see the immediate effects of these societal ills and want immediate answers... and unfortunately, the immediate answers end up making things worse. We are impatient... and that is a bad thing