Proving The Old Axiom
Two weeks is way too long between posts, but I feel like I’ve been really busy. Emphasis on the feel part. I can’t really think of a lot that’s been going on, but I know there is quite a bit that I should be doing that I’m not.
I should be working on Laura’s corporate identity. I’ve started designing the logo for her business, purchased the domain name, and installed WordPress for the backend, but that’s about it. However, I don’t want to do too much more until we settle on a logo design. I think we’re getting close, but we still need to iron out some of the smaller details and choose a color scheme.
I should be working on Nick’s illustration. Nick wanted me to design a cartoon character for his website — and I’m going to do it, I promise! — but I’m going to need to start on it soon. I wanted to wait until I finished the work on Laura’s stuff, but it seems that’s going to take a while. I may have to switch gears after finishing Laura’s logo and start on Nick’s.
I should be finishing my self portrait. I’ve illustrated myself a profile portrait, similar to the ones the fighters use in Super Street Fighter II HD Remix (sneak peek in the image above). The drawing has been inked and is ready for coloring. I want to get this done so I can post it as my Gravatar image and put it on all my websites. That should work better than stealing Ken’s.
On top of all these projects, the house needs a good Spring Cleaning, the yard needs worked on, and I’d like to spend more time with MarkMark since he’s moving to Chicago in two months. It’s so weird that all I have to do is go to a job from 8 to 5, but somehow I have very little free time. A lot of it has to do with the time black hole that is Street Fighter IV. I can’t stop fightin’ streets!
Note: I got bored and changed my blog design a little. I like the new look a lot better.
Let’s Do This
At the beginning of this month I decided to pre-order the Collector’s Edition of Street Fighter IV. Normally, I don’t do these types of things because a) I think preordering is kind of a waste of time (but with Amazon it’s cool) and b) I usually stay away from the Collector’s or Limited Editions. The thing is that I really like Street Fighter. I was addicted to Street Fighter II as a kid and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix on Xbox is a godsend. And since I kind of regretted not getting the Mirror’s Edge or Prince of Persia Collector’s Editions, I thought, “Why not?”
It turns out that the game is gorgeous, and a ton of fun to play, but it wasn’t like that in the beginning. I don’t know what I was doing, but even the easiest setting was defeating me, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I almost broke down and sold the game — I was that frustrated with it. I thought that I was either getting too slow, too old, or just didn’t have the determination that I used to when it came to fighting games.
I’m very glad that my friends talked me down from that ledge because yesterday, something snapped and all of the sudden I got it. I have no explanation as to why or how it happened but now I’m having zero trouble with the final boss and I’ve nearly unlocked all the characters — a stipulation of which having to complete Arcade Mode multiple times, hence the frustration. I just have to complete the game with every normal character to unlock the final boss as playable.
This post isn’t a review of the game inasmuch as it’s a reminder to myself not to get so discouraged with things I’m not good at when I first start them. I’m not getting any younger and I know a lot of these situations are coming in the future where I just won’t be able to do the things I used to. I think the hardest part about not being a kid anymore is that you just don’t learn and pick things up as quickly as you could back then. That, and falling down really hurts. As a kid I could fall all the time, no sweat. Now, diving after the dog leaves me achy for a couple hours.
Anyway, if you have a chance to play Street Fighter IV, you should. If you like fighting games, it’s probably one of the best I’ve ever played. The game is incredibly fun, though challenging, and it’s a blast to play with friends. Now, if they’d just add the spectator/quarter lobbies from SSFIITHDR, we’ll be in business.