#i very specifically and somewhat notoriously do not know how to make textures | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

obliviousriki · 6 years

Text

So because I’m in a very specific mood to yell about why I like Xenoblade so much, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I tend to be decently long-winded (though in-depth!)

Probably again nobody’ll end up reading this but that doesn’t matter especially to me right now. I’ve thought of doing reviews for each individual game in the past, but I don’t know if that would be feasible. So instead, for now I’ll just talk about all three that I’ve played.

So one of the first things that I’ve been thinking about in this past hour or so while listening to the XC2 soundtrack is why I like the Xenoblade series as a whole so much. Clearly it has some fantastic entries from a gameplay perspective, as all three games have been regarded as amazing from some standpoint.

In fact, the series as a whole comes close to being my favorite piece of entertainment I’ve ever consumed. It’s just so fun to be in a Xenoblade game, to interact with the environment and the people, and to learn everything you can about the world. And in my opinion, that superb immersion is probably the one thing that makes a video game go beyond the rest. I hear a lot about Dark Souls and Skyrim being great at these as well, and it’s probably also why they’re so widely enjoyed by most people. From my personal experience, the Zelda games are also very good at that, but nothing that I’ve played in recent memory comes close to these games.

But surely it can’t just be some good video games that fascinate me. I have very weird, specific tastes when it comes to entertainment, and they’re often hard to sate. So what, specifically, about Xenoblade makes it such a good series?

I personally feel it’s the way storytelling is handled. Each game has a unique take on how the story is driven, and how the environment affects the story is also a huge thing I enjoy. As a writer myself (tried putting some writing here, if you want to see it it’s still there), this sort of storytelling is only possible in visual media, but I feel that video games do the best job at it. I think I’ve mentioned how I find Metroid’s passive, environmental storytelling to be some of the sort that I really enjoy. Xenoblade’s titans for the first and third games really do this well (as the places you explore are also characters to some extent) while XCX’s massive, explorable environment also hints at past events that you never get to know about, but can only speculate over. I get super excited when ancient lore (speaking of, I’ll likely be getting the expansion pack soon) and things like this are brought into any sort of story, but when they’re done like this specifically this feeling of fascination is only multiplied.

The main story in every game has not been... great. XC1′s main story was very good overall, and heavily driven by character interaction, which I find to be some of the best stories. Obviously it isn’t perfect, as some things about it don’t feel quite right (lots of technicalities about the Monado and Shulk existing and everything like that), but overall it’s probably the best of the three. XCX’s main story was passable, though I’m in agreement with a rather popular post that’s been floating around that says that XCX’s main story appeal comes not from the main story but from the sidequests that build Mira’s world and characters. This also somewhat contributes to the passive storytelling; when ordinary people that you can talk to react to events as you complete them. I feel like the linearity of a lot of games prevents this from happening at such a scale as it does in the Xenoblade games. Finally, XC2′s main story is alright. Because I didn’t get as invested in the characters as I did in the other games (they felt less real, but this could just be my perspective), the character-driven scenes seemed less interesting, and thus bogged down the story. There are some standouts, especially in Morag & Brigid’s case, and Nia to some extent as well. I may be missing some, but many of the characters seemed rather flat and boring. However, this game is definitely one of the more environment-based of the three. You can almost constantly see the titans moving, reminding you where you are, and how the people here have evolved to fit their surroundings. It’s great for just imagining all the things that’ve happened on these titans, why things are the specific way they are, and things like this.

My main issue with this is that often this subtle, almost unconscious storytelling is very rarely brought to the front of attention. I often wonder about things in a world because that's my nature, but if the devs threw in an occasional group conversation that was just them wondering about what happened in a certain area, I think it would serve to make both the world and the characters stronger.

And that's also just the thing; Xenoblade is interesting to me not only because of what it is, but of what it could be. In fact, I believe that the flaws in each game just give the series as a whole more flavor. Instead of only getting a chance to appreciate what's done well, one could also critique what's done poorly and think about how it could be better. This might just be a me thing, but based on how many people want to talk about the water temple in Ocarina of Time, I feel that it's probably something that applies to more people.

Clearly every game has its faults. XC1 had bad base graphics (which I mitigate by using dolphin and HD texture packs) and some other bad visual things that were mostly a product of the time and system. Some gameplay elements were easy to exploit, such as agility. I also personally feel that many characters were much less interesting as they could have been. Fiora is especially weird to me, as she constantly protects Shulk and, based off her passive characterization, seems like she wouldn't have the battle line, "Reyn... you saved me!" She seems much more in-control and confident than she actually is in-game. I personally love how sonocomics handled Fiora, and I'd encourage all two of you that've bothered to read this far to check them out.

XCX handled alien races terribly. I particularly despised the Ma-non, a supposedly genius race that constantly acted weirdly and like they knew nothing at all. All of the humanoid races were, for one, humanoid, which is just so weird to me. How has every species in the universe evolved specifically to be able to handle the exact same kind of weaponry, have the same body type, and the same basic cultural archetype as Earth cultures?

XC2 is super-notorious for its oversexualization of its female characters, but that's already been analyzed to hell and back, so I'll just skip that one. It's still a huge issue, but everyone's heard so much about it by now. I've also already mentioned how the characters themselves are weird, tropey, and usually flat (especially in Rex's case, because I don't know how much he actually grows). Plus the ending was just really bad in my opinion. Pneuma dies, Rex shows emotion and cracks, but then she (they) just... come back. It really ruins all that emotion that was expressed in the previous scene, and the game could have left way more of an impact.

But lastly, what I feel is most important about these flaws is that one can take them and think about how they could be made better. The potential that Xenoblade has for improvement is enormous, and just makes me giddy to think about. It's already so huge, so great and diverse, that the mere idea that it could be bigger, more diverse, better, and even more in-depth just makes it all that much better.

As I play through XC1 for the fourth time, I've noticed so many more things about the game that I've never really paid attention to in my previous playthroughs. In trying to 100% the game, I've been completing each map. Just seeing areas I had no idea existed in the game until now makes me so much more excited to see all the things I've missed. Again, this is my fourth time through the game, and I'm still discovering new things about it. How great is that?

I think I'm pretty much done. Xenoblade is great, and hopefully this expressed my feelings on why it is as great as it is. Please let me know if I missed anything or if you disagree with anything I said, I'm legitimately curious to hear other's points of view. And thanks for reading this far.

#xenoblade #xc1 #xc2 #xcx #xenoblade spoliers #its long but i like how it turned out #i really like analyzing games #hopefully you do to #oop just realized the read more doesnt work on mobile #my bad guys

34 notes · View notes

myqualitycollectioncrown · 6 years

Text

Benchmade 51 Review

A couple of months back I got my hands on a balisong from Oregon’s knife powerhouse Benchmade. Balisongs, or butterfly knives, have been around a long time, and there is much debate about their exact origin and purpose. What everyone agrees on is that balisongs are a heck of a lot of fun to use, and they are still increasingly popular despite the many legal issues. The model I’m examining today is the well-respected Benchmade 51 Morpho.

>> See the Benchmade 51 at Amazon <<

There are a growing number of butterfly knives to choose from today which can overwhelm the newbies. As usual there’s a lot of crap on the market so you need to make sure you pick the right one. First and foremost a good balisong needs to be safe, but also combining the right weight and strength to be used effectively.

Benchmade 51

Blade

Handle

Design

Value for Money

Solid

Benchmade keeps the Balisong fanbase happy with the impressive 51 Morpho.

Key Specs

Blade length: 4.25 inches

Overall length: 9.35 inches

Closed length: 5.40 inches

Weight: 3.3 ounces

Blade material: D2 tool steel

Handle material: G-10

Country of origin: USA

Price range: About $200

Overview

Benchmade has been producing balisongs since the beginnings of the company, so they’ve had a long time to refine their production over the years. In fact, Benchmade started out back in ’79 known as Bali-Song and even registered that term as a trademark to the later annoyance of butterfly knife fans worldwide.

Since those early days, they have churned out several different models of balisong but the Benchmade 51 Morpho has always been a fan favorite. The current Benchmade balisong lineup includes:

Benchmade 32 (3.25” blade, modified spear point)

Benchmade 51 (4.25” blade, modified spear point)

Benchmade 62 (4.25” blade, crowned weehawk)

Benchmade 62T (3.75” blade, trainer)

Benchmade 67 (4.25” blade, recurve tanto)

The Benchmade 51 was first introduced in 2009 as the successor to the popular Benchmade 42 which was considered by many to be the standard-setter in the balisong flipping community. To the surprise of many the BM 51 was marketed as an EDC which is unusual in the balisong marketplace. In today’s society it can be difficult to use your balisong as an EDC but I know many who do.

In the 51 Morpho, Benchmade offers the option of black or blue G-10 handles and black or satin coated D2 blades for a little more personalization. Deployment of the blade can be accomplished in many ways which sets it apart from many other types of knives.

The knife can be whirled around wildly in a series of deft maneuvers, or it can be simply opened directly in a swift action. As a result of this, some states restrict the use of balisongs, so before you buy one and tote it around be sure to check your state laws.

The precision with which a balisong can be opened depends partially upon the user, and partially upon the specifications of the knife itself. So let’s get into the details of this butterfly knife.

Size, Weight and Ergonomics

The 51 Morpho measures 5.4” closed, opens to 9.4”and the handle thickness is 0.48”. This slim handle combined with the length spreads the knife out deep within your pocket. This keeps things incognito, and makes it easy to reach past the knife to grab anything else within your pocket. At four and a quarter inches, the blade is relatively lengthy but not out of the ordinary for a balisong.

Benchmade used titanium liners (in a striking blue color) to reduce the weight without compromising strength. This adds to the price tag, but helps to put the weight at a very manageable 3.3 ounces. This is definitely light for a balisong and as you’ll discover, one of the stand-out features of the 51.

The fact that a balisong has two skeletonized handles can make them unpleasant to hold, but I found the 51’s ergonomics very comfortable and it fit within my handle nicely. The G-10 is nicely textured, enough to prevent the knife slipping out of your hands, but not too abrasive that it becomes a pain to use.

The pocket clip is very low profile, sturdy and does not adversely affect the use of the knife. My hands are a bit on the smaller side, but I think users with medium to medium-large hands will find it just as comfortable.

The Blade

The blade of the Benchmade 51 is a crowned modified spear point, made from D2 tool steel. No surprise it comes razor sharp out of the box and really well manufactured. It really is silky smooth. As I discuss on my blade steel page, D2 is a hard steel that will take and hold a sharp edge for quite some time.

On the flip side, the hardness of the steel can make it a serious chore to re-sharpen. Also important to remember, D2 tool steel is not particularly rust resistant, be sure to adequately protect or clean the blade it if you plan on using it in a humid or moist environment.

A common problem among balisongs is the strength of the tip. Many times, blade tips will have to be re-profiled to provide adequate strength. Benchmade’s choice of blade type has made this almost a non-issue with the 51. Many a times I have inadvertently whacked the blade into furniture (the wife hates me) but the tip has always emerged unscathed.

Deployment and Locking Mechanism

The opening mechanism of the balisong is indeed unique. There are two handles attached to blade via pivots, which can be held in open or closed position by a latch. If the latch is disengaged, the handles are allowed to swing freely. Wrist movement and adjusting the position of the handles in the user’s hand determine the movement of the balisong. The 51 flips with ease, I had no problem opening and closing it.

For most balisongs, the handles are held in place by a T-latch which has to be manually moved by the user. Benchmade, however, has a patent for its spring latch which is much easier to operate. To disengage the latch from the closed position, one simply has to squeeze the handles and the latch springs open with a satisfying click, and the knife is ready to open. It does take a fair bit of force to activate the spring latch, and I have never had it open accidentally.

When the latch is locked in place when the knife is open, the user has to manually disengage it by squeezing the handles and moving the latch with a finger. It isn’t necessarily convenient, but it does help ensure the latch doesn’t unintentionally open while the knife is being used. Kudos to Benchmade for their innovation.

Fit and Finish

We’ve come to expect near perfect fit and finish from Benchmade, and they didn’t disappoint on the 51 Morpho. With many balisongs it can be especially hard to get the tolerances right. Too tight and the knife won’t flip smoothly, too loose and the blade will hit the handles and dull itself.

When I picked mine up out of the box for the first time, I was amazed at how smooth it was. No matter what you do with the knife, it obeys quickly without question and it does not slow down for anything. There are downsides to this, but I’ll discuss that later. For the EDC use Benchmade intended, the ease of use is a fantastic factor to consider. Overall the 51 Morpho looks stunning all round.

While it is perfect out of the box, unfortunately I have to report it may not stay that way forever. After owning it for about a month or so, I noticed a pivot screw had become loose and I was very concerned to say least. In fact, the constant stress from flipping the knife had loosened both pivot screws, and that fantastic out of the box tolerance had not lasted for long.

I used a thread locker (try Loctite) to secure both hex screws back in their proper places, and I suggest any Benchmade 51 owner to do the same once every other month. While this problem can be remedied fairly easily, it is certainly something to watch out for.

Other than my experience with the pivot screws I found the finish to be top notch. The blue anodized titanium liners are absolutely stunning, and I couldn’t find any serious flaws. The G-10 looks great and extremely clean cut. Through my experiences, only serious abrasion will affect the knife’s appearance. Rest assured the 51 will keep its good looks for a long time.

Flipping Ability

An important aspect of this knife is as its use a flipper. Balisong manipulation is an art, and there are many different styles and techniques of flipping. The weight and balance of the balisong will have a major affect on how well one can flip. I’m not an expert flipper myself so I also brought in my balisong buddy Tim to put the 51 through its paces.

This is one category where I have to say the Benchmade 51 is somewhat lacking. While speed and ease of use are great for EDC purposes, it negatively affects its ability to be used for advanced maneuvers. It is far too easy to lose control of such a light knife, and it carries almost no momentum making many rolling flips tricky. Certainly not a competition flipper as it demands perfection to execute many tricks.

Flipping with speed can be fun, but for some moves control is more important. To be fair, it is a decent weight for an introductory knife and very easy to learn on. However, for anyone aspiring to become great at flipping, you may want to try the heavier BM 62.

Wrap Up

Unfortunately the 51’s weight is a double-edge sword…

Overall, the Benchmade 51 Morpho is a very impressive butterfly knife but not without a few minor flaws. The handles are very robust and the D2 blade is one of the best I’ve seen. The 51 has great fit and finish, and a perfect size and weight for EDC use. The lightness of the 51 is an advantage here as you can flip it open super quick and close it likewise. Unfortunately the 51’s weight is a double-edge sword (no pun intended) as it hinders its use as an advanced flipper which may not satisfy some balisong enthusiasts.

Finally, balisongs are notorious for their expensive production costs, and Benchmade knives are usually expensive in any case. This double whammy puts the 51 at a price point of a whopping $240 or so. Still, it’s cheaper than some of the offerings from competitors like Microtech.

Worth it? Well, I agree it’s a tad on the pricey side but yes I think it’s worth it overall. Sure you can buy ten or more cheap Chinese balisong’s for that price but if you want quality the Benchmade is the way to go. Is it the best balisong knife? Well, perhaps not but probably the best you can get under $250 right now.

Two final words of warning – (i) watch out for fakes and (ii) respect your state laws.

The Good: Outstanding blade, fit and finish, robust The Bad: A bit pricey, Hex screws can come loose Bottom Line: One of the best quality production balisongs and perfect for beginners

>> Check out the Benchmade 51 at Amazon <<

The post Benchmade 51 Review appeared first on Buy Best Knife.

from Buy Best Knife https://ift.tt/2qvVfCf via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Buy Best Knife

0 notes

easyweight101 · 7 years

Text

Revyve Skin Review: Don’t Buy Before You Read This!

What is it?

Revyve Skin is a topical skin care product that is designed to be a moisturizer and collagen generator. Their advertising calls it a potent anti-aging cream that can help repair damaged skin while also preventing future damage from occurring. Their product is supposed to tighten the skin cells, which makes the skin look younger and also makes it more reflective, which helps prevent the damaging effects of UV rays.

Our team of health and beauty professionals has decided that the top rated product available is Kremotex. Their blend outperformed others in metrics like elasticity, color correction, and cellular turnover. Click here to see pictures of Kremotex users before they began using the product and after.

Do You Know the Best Anti-Aging Creams of 2017?

Revyve Skin Ingredients and Side Effects

One of the major issues with the marketing of Revyve Skin is that they do not post their complete ingredients list anywhere in their promotional materials. Instead, they discuss their ingredients mostly just in terms of their effects.

The advertising of Revyve Skin makes vague generic claims about being moisturizing and helping to improve collagen production, however there is very little information about how they actually go about achieving those claims. The most specific that they get is that they briefly mention in their materials one concrete detail:

Whole Collagen Molecules

Whole Collagen Molecules: This is the most specific ingredient that Revyve Skin lists, and it is not a particularly good one in terms of improving the health and appearance of the skin.

Collagen is the main building block of the skin and being able to encourage collagen generation is one of the most effective ways to get skin to look young, plump, and healthy. Because of this it is natural to assume that collagen must be one of the best ingredients for skin health, however that ignores some of the more complicated ways that the body works.

Collagen is a larger molecule that has trouble being absorbed by the skin when applied topically. Most of the collagen in a skin cream, lotion, wax, or serum will remain on top of the skin’s outer layer where it provides no nutritional benefit to the skin.

Topical collagen does get ground into damaged areas of the skin, where it can fill in gaps and cover up discolorations in the skin. The overall effect is a smoothing out of skin tone and texture that helps the appearance of the skin temporarily, but does nothing for its overall functionality.

The majority of topically applied collagen will be washed away the next time someone cleans their face or takes a shower, however some of the molecules may actually end up getting absorbed by the skin. Even those molecules, though, do not actually provide the kind of nutritional benefits that help the skin directly.

Collagen is a complex compound of proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that has to be broken back down into its constituent parts before it can be utilized by the body. These elements are generally useful for a number of biochemical functions and there is no guarantee that they will ever be utilized in the collagen generation process again.

There is very little danger associated with collagen, and the only side effects that have been connected to its usage relate to ingestion. While generally harmless, expecting to rub collagen on your skin and have it become part of your skin would be just as effective as rubbing an animal’s hair on your hair and expecting it to become a part of it.

Follow this link for our experts’ rankings of the most effective skin care products in the world.

EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this product with a proven anti-aging cream such as Kremotex for better results.

Revyve Skin Quality of Ingredients

It is unclear how Revyve Skin expects potential customers to accurately evaluate their product from the total lack of information that they offer about it. Manufacturers of quality products try hard to show off their ingredients blend because they know that comparison between brands works in their favor.

Prominently displayed ingredients panels also allow users to find products that are safe and effective for their skin type and needs. Oily skin, dry skin, and old skin all have different nutrition and care requirements. Many consumers have allergy issues with some products, or are taking specific kinds of prescription medication that could have dangerous interactions with others. People have a right to know what they are putting onto and into their bodies.

The other major issue with Revyve Skin is the one product that they do choose to mention. It is not wrong that a customer wouldn’t know how the body processes collagen, however it is strange that a beauty products manufacturer wouldn’t.

Users are forced to ask themselves the question of whether they believe that a company that specializes in skin care is ignorant about the way the body makes new skin, or if they are just trying to sell products that they know don’t work to consumers who will purchase them based on the value of the word “collagen” alone. We are unable to fairly assume what the reason is in Revyve Skin’s case, however neither explanation is very favorable for the company.

To see which skin care products our team scored the highest in cellular hydration levels, click here.

The Price and Quality of Revyve Skin

Unlike most traditional products, there are no stores that carry Revyve Skin, nor are there even any independent online distributors. Instead, the only option available top those individuals that decide they would like to try Revyve Skin is to sign up for their “Free Trial Offer.”

This offer’s name is somewhat misleading because for the vast majority of people that sign up for it, it will not end up being free. The offer is actually an enrollment form for their automatic renewal program, which send the users a 1 oz. jar of their product every month and charges their credit cards $89.69 for the service.

This price is way out of line even if users were aware that they are being charged, and the evidence online shows that many, or even most, of them are not. Some customers have been charged hundreds of dollars before they caught the scam, which often times doesn’t even keep sending the skin cream.

To learn more about which brands of skin creams, moisturizers, and serums have the most effective ingredients blends, follow this link.

Business of Revyve Skin

Revyve Skin is an affiliate of the notorious skin care products manufacturer Coal Cosmetics. Coal Cosmetics lists their contact info as:

Phone Number: (800) 958-5410

Address: 5404 Whitsett Ave #128

Valley Village, CA 91607

Email: [email protected]

Coal Cosmetics has been the target of many formal notices by watchdog organizations like the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission regarding their marketing tactics. As of the date of this articles publication there is no evidence that Coal Cosmetics has ever responded, however there is no evidence of any legal proceedings against them either.

For our panel of experts’ analysis of the top brands of skin care products, click here.

EDITOR’S TIP: For the best results, our experts recommend using anti-aging creams for at least 3 months. Save your money by buying a few bottles at once.

Customer Opinions of Revyve Skin

Many customers are furious with the product that they were sent as part of the “Free Trial Offer” and had comments similar to these:

“I don’t think skin creams are supposed to give you acne worse than when you were a teenager.”

“I got the free sample for my mom and she hated it so much that she still brings it up every time I see her.”

“OH DEAR GOD WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FACE?!?!”

Negative reviews covered a number of topics beyond just their manipulative business practices. They addressed the texture and smell of the product, as well as the sensation that it gave their faces when they applied it.

They complained about it not moisturizing and even seeming to dry the skin further, they complained that their skin looked more wrinkled than before they started, and they complained of other side effects like acne, redness, swelling, and hyperpigmentation.

Click here for the most up-to-date standings of our experts’ rankings of the top over the counter skin care products on the market today.

Conclusion – Does Revyve Skin Work?

In order for our panel to recommend a product they have to believe that it can make the skin function better, not just look better, it has to be safe and effective for the vast majority of users, and it has to cost a fair and respectful price. By all of these measurements, Revyve Skin is not an acceptable product.

They do not disclose any of their ingredients except one, which is not even known to be effective. Not only that, but it is also known to be an ingredient that unscrupulous manufacturers use to hook unsuspecting customers.

Their “Free Trial Offer” is unethical if not illegal, and their customer reviews of their product make it seem not just ineffective but also possibly dangerous. For all of these reasons, our team cannot recommend this product.

Kremotex is a safe, reliable skin care option. Their ingredients are formulated to be mild on sensitive skin but powerfully effective at regenerating damaged tissues. Kremotex’s entire ingredients list can be seen by visiting this webpage.

from Easy Weight Loss 101 http://ift.tt/2kkVNXz via The Best Weight Loss Diet In The World

#sticky #hcg diet south africa #hcg diet injections #hcg diet drops

0 notes