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" Genre: Role Playing / PEGI Age Rating: 3+ / Published 2011-03-04 by Nintendo / Release date: 2011-03-04 "
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Not gonna lie...but i completed this game with a walkthrough. However, while i am telling the truth, i could have completed it fairly easily without the walkthrough.
Pokemon Black is like so many of the pokemon updates before it. It's brilliant fun, ridiculously addictive, and it'll keep you entertained for hours on end, even after you've completed the game. I've always been a huge fan of pokemon, and this installment was no different.
Do I miss the old pokemon? Of course. I wish they'd involve more of the original pokemon, I wish you'd see the odd Growlithe and Magikarp along the way, but their absence shouldn't detract from the fact that this is still a brilliant game. The new wireless connectivity feattures are a great way to play in a group, and the aesthetics improvments to the game are all valuable, with a multitude of 3D offerings to keep you entertained.
As part of the "Pokemon Generation", I was very excited to buy this game and rushed to pre-order it as soon as I could from Amazon. Naturally I was still very excited when it arrived and rushed to play it.
Unfortunately, my nostalgic enthusiasm was short lived. Having grown up playing the games, I was expecting the same kind of feeling I'd had for the rest of the games. I bought Soul Silver and Diamond recently, but had not played Pokemon for about 6 years before that, so was naively expecting something very different from this game. I was obviously disappointed to finally realize that the game franchise had lost its "magical" feel, and was releasing rehash after rehash of the same story line with different character names.
It follows the same formula of all the other games:
- Defeat the 8 gym leaders
- Catch as many Pokemon as you can
- Defeat the Elite Four
- Defeat generic, evil, Pokemon catching team
However, I will admit I did like the graphical update that the game received. It did look much better than the previous games with it's slightly more 3D graphics and they were much more detailed than the very early editions of the game.
As a long time player, I can't say I hate this game. I do think this was a brilliant game, the first 5 times I played it, but after a while it becomes a repetitive chore and the childhood magic is lost. The story line is good, and it is a very fun game to play - if it is your first time playing. I couldn't help but feel that I'd been ripped off in buying a game that I might as well say I already own twice over already.
Summary of my review: buy only if you aren't worried about playing a game more than once.
Pokémon Black and White are the latest instalments of the hugely popular 'Pokémon' series of video games, released in 2011. I've been a big fan of Pokémon since I was six years old when I watched the anime show and played the trading card games (sort of :S) and eventually started playing the games since Silver, having at least owned one game from each generation. I bought Pokémon White several months after its release and hearing positive things? But does this game live up to its predecessors or is the Pokémon franchise going stale? Well read on to see my view!
===---Aim of the Game---===
In Pokémon you play the role of a ten year old boy or girl who is a Pokémon trainer in the new world of Unova. Pokémon are creatures that inhabit the known world and be caught and trained by humans to help them or use in battle against others.
In every Pokémon game there are two main goals. The first is, of course, to catch as many Pokémon as you can to fill your Pokedex- an encyclopaedic device given to you by your mentor-like figure of the game, Professor Juniper. During your journey you will encounter Pokémon while travelling and catch them with Pokeballs for them to be yours, but other Pokémon needed to be traded with a friend (or stranger's) game or from previous games in the series With over 600 Pokémon now available this is an increasingly difficult task and one I've resigned myself to never completing, but it certainly one that is a rewarding experience for young and old trainers alike!
The second big aim of the game (and more important story-wise) is to become the best Pokémon trainer of all. Raising the Pokémon you catch, you will progress through the world of Unova beating the Gyms and their leaders- powerful trainers whom carry a certain type of Pokémon- in each city. Upon beating each gym leader they will give you a badge. Once you collect all eight badges you advance to Victory Road and then the Pokémon League where you beat the extremely difficult Elite 4 trainers and then the champion.
The stories of the Pokémon games are pretty formulaic: you're a trainer, a professor gives you (and rival) a starter Pokémon and Pokedex, you go out into the world catching and raising Pokémon, there's an "evil" corporation around trying to mess with the world but you sort them out and eventually become the Pokémon Champion.
However Pokémon Black and White's story, whilst hardly at 'Final Fantasy' levels of storytelling, has much more depth than its predecessors. Your two rivals are your friends Cheren and Bianca, and I found that they are realistic characters with personality and development throughout the course of the story. Bianca for example is a bit of a naive ditz whose father subsequently disapproves of her going on her Pokémon adventures, but by the end she's a bit more mature and capable of being a trainer by herself. Then there is the mysterious trainer N, who you meet throughout your journey and has much more sinister opinions about Pokémon but is shown to be a very conflicted individual. The big bad corporation of these games are the rather dated looking (seriously- they're dressed as Knight Templars!) Team Plasma. They envision taking away Pokémon from their trainers so that they're "free"; the philosophy behind this is actually well-explained and treated with more thought than previous series. It is a well-enough told story and the ending, along with some surprising story battles and a predictable but decently handled plot twist, definitely held my attention.
Gameplay is more or less the same as other games in the series. At the beginning Professor Juniper lets you choose a starter Pokémon: Snivy (grass type), Tepig (fire type and my personal choice) and Oshawott (water type) and then you head off into the rest of Unova, beating gym leaders, other trainers and the occasional Team Plasma grunts on the way. Wild Pokémon are found in patches of grass, on water or in caves and can be caught with Pokeballs from your Bag, or defeated by your Pokémon, which grants them experience points. Gaining enough Experience Points lets your Pokémon level up so they get stronger, learn new moves and eventually evolve into another more powerful Pokémon! If you're Pokémon are injured or affected by one of the various status effects, then you take them to a town's Pokémon Center where they all are restored to full health. Some Pokémon are as common as mud and very easy to catch, some are only available in certain kinds of places, and some are even only available at certain times of day or year (the games introduce season cycles). but a few Pokémon are the one-of-the-kind legendaries who are much more powerful than regular Pokémon and are only available to catch once- if you defeat them you cannot find them again to catch them!
So as always I found Pokémon Black/White's gameplay to be fun and very simple to get into. It's easy for anyone to learn about which Pokémon types work best against each and which moves are best to use in certain situations, regardless of age. However there's nothing really new or innovative in the core gameplay and it's very much more of the same, even with implements such as Triple Battles (3 vs. 3 Pokémon on at the same time), Rotation Battles (similar to Triple Battles but with only two Pokémon fighting with the opportunity to switch in/out with the third). I still find constant battling to be repetitive and the idea getting your Pokémon to the max level of 100 is too long and uninteresting a task for me to deal with. That said, there are no major changes that will annoy Pokefans either so I should be thankful.
===---Graphics and Music---===
Pokémon Black and White's graphics are huge improvement over its predecessors. Buildings, paths and landmarks have been 3D rendered to a great level that makes the towns and other places you visit truly fascinating for a handheld game such as this, especially when your character is travelling across bridges that extend into the distance or watch the coastline from a ship. They do lack polish when zoomed in (as found with some paths) but it's still impressive and it is still a large enough step from the previous games as it is that I can ignore it. In battles Pokémon have also been rendered slightly 3D and are animated too so they will move about slightly in battle instead of being a staccato image- neat! However, with regards to the new Pokémon introduced in these games, some of their designs are beginning to look stale. I'm beginning to think that the developers are taking the basis for other Pokémon and then changing their appearance and type to get a new Pokémon. They are even designing Pokémon that look like bags of rubbish (Trubbish) or having punny names (new Rock/Ground Pokémon Roggenrolla- get it?). It's pretty uninspiring and the creators need to think of some unique designs fast for the next games or start introducing less Pokémon next time.
The music is very good as always, with fittingly atmospheric tunes for various cities and different kinds of battles. I don't think they're as catchy as the music from the Gold/Silver games but that might be nostalgia talking, and besides I'm happy to listen to it rather than put my DS on mute- even when the critical Low HP song is playing!
===---Replay Value---===
The main story game length is about twenty hours, which I find is a decent amount for this game. Fortunately after you've beaten the final boss story wise there is plenty of extra content to sink your teeth into; defeat more trainers (quite the difficulty spike here too), re-battle the Elite Four and Champion, find more Pokémon, complete your Pokedex...all this I believe adds another twenty hours to the game and perhaps longer if you're a total completionist. This isn't even counting all the minigames you can do in the various cities (no Game Corner however) such as having your Pokémon play in sports or participate in musicals. Personally those activities don't interest me but they should be fun for other players and add further longevity.
Furthermore the multiplayer options are numerous too. You can trade or battle either wirelessly with another person's game on their DS, or go onto a network called GlobalLink and do the same with trainers all over the world via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Although I cannot access Nintendo Wi-fi myself (my DS Lite doesn't support my broadband connection), I like that the WFC has been expanded so that rare Pokémon can be received easily through special online events.
Pokémon Black and White is an excellent addition to the series with some excellent improvements and plenty of challenges and bonus content to keep you interested. If you are a fan of the games I suggest you definitely buy this if you haven't done so already! If you aren't then by all means still buy it anyway- you shouldn't be disappointed.
(Review also on Dooyoo under the username Anti_W)
I still remember in 1999 when I finally managed to get my hands on a copy of Pokemon Red for my Gameboy Colour. Pokemon was sold out everywhere and getting a copy was near impossible. I remember catching my first wild Pokemon (a Pidgey) and my first Charmander evolving. That was arguably the golden age of Pokemon. At least it was for me. Now we're in 2011 and a lot has changed. Now 9 year old kids would rather watch horror films and text their friends than play with lame old Pokemon. Wow it's finally happened ... I'm already a fogey complaining about the new generation of youth! I'm 21 years young and I've played every single generation of Pokemon that's hit the store shelves and this generation is no different. I saw it advertised and simply had to get my hands on it even though I knew exactly what to expect. So is Pokemon still relevant nowadays? Should Nintendo keep cracking out new games or just let the franchise die an honourable death? Here are my thoughts.
So in the 2011 version of Pokemon we have two versions; Black and White. To be honest I thought they would have used these titles sooner. Certainly before Ruby and Sapphire anyway! Anyway that's not the point. You can expect the usual version specific differences such as which wild Pokemon appear in the wild, the legendary Pokemon you'll encounter and also some game locations will be different. Nothing particularly new here. It's the classic formula that has worked for all these years where you need to have at least 2 other friends in order to collect all the Pokemon. This can be a pain if like me, you haven't grown up but your friends all have -sigh-..... Technology has advanced since the link cable days though and you can trade with anyone over the internet thankfully. If anyone wants a trade partner then send me a message! Maybe Nintendo will do as they always do and make a game which combines all the Pokemon so there's little need to trade? Hello Pokemon Grey version.
Now I'd like to reply to those who are outraged at how 'unoriginal' the new Pokemon are. I can definitely understand where you are coming from. There IS a Pokemon which looks like an Ice-cream and evolves into a double scoop. There IS a Pokemon based on a rubbish bag. I'll admit it took some thought to make me happy with some of these new additions but I've decided it's all fine. The original 150 creatures were essentially based on animals! You can't get more unoriginal than that really if you ask me. Rattata was a purple cartoon rat, Pidgey was a cartoon bird, the three legendary birds were birds which were surrounded by either Ice, Fire or Electricity, Pikachu was even described as the 'electric mouse' Pokemon. Pokemon designs have never been original but we've grown to hold the original 150 dear because they're the ones we grew up with. Younger kids might have grown up with Gold/Silver versions and remember that generation more fondly. The new Pokemon are good enough to capture the imaginations of young kids all over again in my opinion. OK so we've established that the Pokemon are good to go, so what's the game actually like?
Gameplay works very much like it always has but attempts to make the formula fresh again and less of a chore for those who have always found the pace of Pokemon too slow for their tastes. I'd say the game has enough to make it feel fresh while maintaining the original formula we all know and love. You'll be travelling from town to town battling gym leaders, exploring multiple routes and caves and of course catching and training Pokemon. I'll talk about some of the new features for those who are thinking about taking the plunge but don't want to play the same game again.
You don't name your rivals and you'll battle them more regularly. They are also more involved in the story than rivals have been before. Tall grass now 'rustles' in certain patches and contains rare Pokemon which as well as being rare will give much more experience than other wild Pokemon battles and probably trainer battles too. This is a welcome change and really mixes up the game a bit as some Pokemon can only be found in rustling grass in certain locations. Any help with training is always welcome right? Your first gym battle factors in your choice of starter Pokemon (if you chose a fire type you'll face a water type etc). The Pokemon centre and Pokemart have been combined into one building to save you walking all over the place. You can run indoors since some inside areas can be quite large. Some areas of grass are even taller and can contain 2 wild Pokemon simultaneously to make training more efficient. There's more but I like to keep my reviews a certain length because I'm weird like that.
Graphically the new games have come along way even since the last generation. The whole of a Pokemon's body is now displayed in battle and they are slightly animated whilst not attacking. The camera also zooms in and out during the battle depending on what's going on. The environments are made much more lively with nearly 3D graphics being used and camera angles showing the scope of some of the landscapes. Pokemon gyms are made to look particularly good, there's even a roller coaster system in one of them so look forward to that!
I'd recommend Pokemon Black/White to anyone who's been a fan of the series, young kids who've never had a taste and RPG fans in general. I firmly believe that it is the best game on the DS platform and an excellent last send off from Nintendo for the now last generation handheld. You can guarantee that as soon as Pokemon 3DS is released, I'll be making the switch. The series has given so much over the years and it's still going. Get involved people.
Thanks for reading, if you have any helpful comments I'd love to read them and again if you want someone to trade with send me a message.
Pokemon Black and White is a simple enough game to play. The graphics have been highly improved since the last generation and there is also a whole new online way of playing. Once you have completed the initial game, you can nattle other players from around the world online, wherever, whenever! The storyline for the initial gameplay is surprisingly well scripted, and the new generation of Pokemon firstly seem to have downgraded, quality wise, but once you start playing they seem to improve. One problem with this game is that the story is easily and quickly completed, leaving you with little else to do. There is a similarity between this and previous generations of Pokemon in that you need to buy both of them (Black and White) to fully complete the game and 'Cath them all'. My verdict would be that this game would be a good buy for a gamer who doesn't take it too seriously.
Nintendo are now on their fifth generation of Pokemon games, but have they simply done too many now? How they gone from the slightly bizarre to the sheer ridiculous? Having played the game for about three months ago, there is no obvious answer either way.
For Pokémon black and white, they have decided to modernize the games to fit in with the ever modernizing society of today, but it somehow seems that they have changed it a little too much for the games to have that old pokemon charm that we all know and love.
The main basis of the game is exactly the same as all the others, you start off in a very small town with only 4 tiny houses and by the end of your journey you've just past a huge city with 30-40 buildings and you've beaten the elite four etc... Also the same as the other games is the storyline. There is a big team of bad guys - in this case 'team plasma' - who want to steal yours and everyone's pokemon and they also want to take control of one of the main legendaries, but by the end everyone has their pokemon back and you have have the legendaries and the bad guys are never to be seen again. This repetitiveness is what makes all pokemon games great, there's nothing drastically new, it's never too difficult and to play through the storyline doesn't involve a huge level of thinking.
What I feel is wrong with these games is that it relies too much on connectivity. First of all and the problem that annoys me the most is the 'Dream World'. This is a website you can go to on your computer and look after your pokemon and help them sleep and stuff like that, if I wanted that I would have bought a Tamigotchi. I want to be able to play a pokemon game and complete it possibly with a few trades and a few downloadable event pokemon from Nintendo. I don't want to have to go on a website that was clearly designed to be aimed at 3 year olds to bring back friends and more items.
Another thing I find it a tad odd about this game is simply a lot of the pokemon. It was always going to happen right from the very start, there's only a certain amount of pokemon they can design before they are all just inanimate objects with eyes, for example: 'Trubbish' Basically just a rubbish bag with eyes; 'Litwick' A candle with eyes. The list could go on. The other types of pokemon which annoy me are once which are clearly just an animal: 'Sandile' it's literally just a picture of a crocodile; 'Lillipup' and the rest of it's evolution family are just dogs!
My ranting above may make it seem like I don't like these games, but I do honestly think that they are still brilliant installments into the work of pokemon games, but they need to scrap the dream world and be a bit more imaginative when it comes to their new pokemon. That is all.
First off I must say I was chuffed with how good the graphics have become. Playing pokemon since the first red version came out in the mid 90s I have been playing all the different games ever since.
Its a completely new world with all new pokemon that awaits you. I wont b giving away to many secrets as thats whats so great about the pokemon games, all the little extra bits and that you have to think to progress in the game.
Besides the normal story (collecting, training and batteling with your pokemon, eventually beating all 8 gym leaders and then off to the elite four) its got a few new additions. The pokemon musical, where you dress your pokemon up in different props. You dont win anything, but it can be quite fun sometimes. The battle subway let you win special prizes and status enhancers for your pokemon - that part on its own is VERY time consuming should you choose to try and clear all of it.
Pokemon being famous to be able to go off to different worlds (previous games) once you have cleared the main one sadly doesnt accur in this one. That left me quite dissapointed on what had so far been the best pokemon game by far.
Its still a big game, takes around 40 hours to clear if you investigate everywhere and try to catch everything you meet - so not bad but not as brilliant as the old ones.
Pokemon has been around for a long time. I can still remember my original excitement and joy when I got the original Pokemon Blue when I was about 8 years old. I loved it, and I have been a fan of the series of games ever since. So, when Pokemon Black came out I had a similar reaction to when every single other Pokemon game came out: I had to have it. It didn't matter that over the last couple of games I become rather disappointed in Pokemon (maybe I'm finally growing up), there was an impulse that could not be denied and within a week of it coming out I was a proud owner of it (maybe I'm not growing up after all!).
Pokemon is a franchise that is owned by Nintendo and created in 1996. The whole thing started with the release of Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue on the original hand held Game Boy, and has since spiralled into one of the most popular and most lucrative video game based media franchises in the world. According to the Wiki it is only behind Nintendo's other series Mario. But since that fateful release Pokemon has moved into collectable cards, a children's show, anime, mango, toys and just about anything else you can imagine. They've been through many games throughout the years and have always released two almost identical games side by side (slightly different Pokemon in each) with a third following as a mix of the two.
But basically, Pokemon is the name for the 649 critters that are a fictional species that inhabit the various countries/worlds in which the games are set and the basic concept of the game is to catch 'em all, hence the catch phase that has become so well know "Gotta catch 'em all!". I've found out today that the idea for it actually stemmed from the hobby of insect collecting, which the executive director of the game enjoyed doing as a child. But this theme runs throughout the entire Pokemon franchise.
===Basis of the game===
You as the Pokemon trainer collect Pokemon; you collect them, train them and fight with them. There are two main aims; to own every Pokemon in the realm of Unova and to become the strongest Pokemon trainer and defeat the Elite Four. It is basically a role playing game which is presented in a third person view. From the beginning of the game it is obvious that this is an adventure game; you are a child who is going on their first big adventure with a Pokemon of your choosing. As you go through the game you will encounter wild Pokemon which you can catch or fight and other Pokemon trainers who you will fight against. As you fight more trainers your squad of Pokemon will get stronger and stronger allowing you to take on tougher enemies.
Although I said fight, I should point out that at no point are these lethal battles; a Pokemon will never die it merely faints. If it's in the wild or another trainer's that means that you have defeated it and if it belongs to you then you need to make a hasty trip to the PokeCentre where you can restore its health to full. To catch Pokemon you need an item called a PokeBall which you will throw at the wild Pokemon once you have weakened it (you can never catch another trainers Pokemon) and if you are lucky that Pokemon will be yours. If it can't get out of the Pokeball then you have caught it and you can now train it. You can really tell the old hands at the game because as soon as the Pokeball is released you hold the B button and then start tapping the A button - this doesn't actually work in the new games but in the original Red and Blue it increased your chances of catching a Pokemon and many of us never lost the habit!
===Gotta catch 'em all===
I have already briefly covered collecting Pokemon by catching them, but there are a couple more things which need to be covered here. The reason why you are trying to collect the Pokemon is always the same; you are trying to complete a Pokedex (an encyclopedia of all the Pokemon in the region) for the professor of that region. In this game it is Professor Juniper but in the original games it was Professor Oak. When you get a new Pokemon its data is automatically added to the Pokedex, although minimal data is added as soon as you have seen the Pokemon including a name, picture and where you can find it in the wild.
But catching Pokemon is not the only way you can complete the Pokedex, because Pokemon have a strange ability to evolve. Evolution is what happens when a Pokemon morphs into a new, stronger version of that Pokemon, in most cases this happens through levelling a Pokemon up by fighting with other Pokemon. However, there are other ways some Pokemon can evolve and as time has gone by more ways of evolving Pokemon have been invented. In the original games you could use an evolution stone on some Pokemon, but by the time we have reached Pokemon Black there are many different ways including friendship levels and levelling up in certain environments.
===Champion of them all===
But if the game was only about collecting Pokemon it would probably be very boring indeed, so your other aim is to become the champion of all Pokemon trainers. To do this you need to prove yourself by training a strong set of Pokemon that can go through eight gyms and finally the Elite Four and the resident Champion. Once you have defeated a gym you are handed a badge to prove it and then you move onto the next gym! This is also what gives the game its longevity because training a squad of Pokemon takes a lot of time and a lot of effort. So fighting is given a massive importance in the game and has its own rules and strategies, and is in essence what the game is based on. You can't do anything without battling.
Each Pokemon has an elemental type and there are 17 to choose from - some Pokemon even have two types. But these are important because they effect how a Pokemon will behave in battle; for example fire is strong against grass so any fire move used against a grass Pokemon will do double the damage, but it's weak against water so it will do half the damage against a water Pokemon. All of the types have strengths and weaknesses so any battle will have to be planned strategically and carefully; sending in an electric Pokemon against a ground type for example would be complete suicide, sending in a fire type would be silly but sending in a water or fighting type would work very well and you'd be on your way in no time. Whether you have the correct Pokemon types in your party will have a massive difference on how you play the game, although some people make life deliberately hard for themselves by deliberately having a party of just one type.
And like all Pokemon games they have an overarching plot. At the same time as collecting all the Pokemon and becoming the worlds Pokemon Champion you have to find the time to destroy Team Galactic's nasty plans. They want to kidnap Pokemon from people and free them because they believe that Pokemon are enslaved by people. You know this isn't true, the bond between a Pokemon and it's owner is strong and they are more like friends than pets, but unless Team Galactic are stopped it could have catastrophic outcomes for the regular trainer. What they're willing to do to get their goals is up to you to find out though. Historically the plot has always been about you beating a team of bad guys (Team Rocket, Team Plasma/Magma), but it's always been a bit weak. There's no reason for them being bad guys aside from the fact that they are. Nintendo have attempted to address this in Black and White and there is a political/moral side to their actions, which in turn gives you a little bit more to think on and work with.
===New Pokemon===
In previous games they've always added new Pokemon to the game with a new release, but they keep a lot of the old Pokemon, or even all of the old Pokemon. In this game they've shaken things up a bit by releasing 157 new Pokemon and not including any of the old Pokemon in the old game. This was quite a brave move considering how attached many of us old hands to the old favourites, but it has worked quite well. The new Pokemon are cute and well drawn and animated, and probably most importantly it makes it seem like a new game instead of just being a re-run of what has been before. My only complaint would be the names of some of them are awkward and difficult to remember; I mean I can still recite the original 150 in order but Cofagrius? Come on, give me a break - go back to Charmander! I think it was probably this though that reminded me of how infuriating the old game was, you get lax when you know all the Pokemon and so you have a battle plan ready...when it's all up in the air because you can't remember the Pokemon it's a little trickier!
This is where this game truly comes into it's own in the Pokemon franchise as they have worked wonders with the graphics. There is a certain three dimensional feel to it rather than the standard 2D that has always been there previously. Because the world itself is much bigger with towns having several screens whereas previously they only ever had one, the game designers have been given more freedom in what they want to do. It's not a scratch on a PS3 game, but you don't expect it to be, it is however spectacular for a DS game. The cut scenes that they have included are stunning, and the Pokemon themselves are very cutely done. But just to go one step forward, all of the Pokemon are animated in a very cute manner which is something that Pokemon has attempted before but never quite got right. This alone will be a nice surprise for any Pokemon fan!
Like all of the Pokemon games there is the ability to connect to another gameboy and trade Pokemon; in particular with its sister game Pokemon White which will be the same basic game with slightly different Pokemon. This is a well known tactic to pick up a little extra cash as some people will shell out for both games, and I know me and my brother always used to synchronise our buying to ensure that we could get all the Pokemon. However, because the DSi can connect to the internet there are new options available including chatting through the wireless and connecting to the 'Dream World' via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. Unfortunately, I don't have any friends as sad as myself and so I have nobody to talk to online!
===In comparison===
This was always going to be the biggest question with any new Pokemon game; how does it do in comparison to what is already out there. Unfortunately this game both excels and fails at the same time. This may sound strange but bear with me and I'll explain myself.
Firstly the difficulty level of the game; in one way it is harder because it seemed to me that you got less experience from fighting and so it was far more tricky, particularly at the beginning to get your little darlings up to the standard required to fight the gyms. Unfortunately this is the one area that they really didn't need to make any more tricky as it just makes it a pain in the proverbial backside and an absolute grind to get anywhere in the game. This isn't helped by the fact that for the first time the experience is levelled so you actually get less experience for defeating an enemy the higher the level you are...on top of needing more experience to level up anyway. But then they made it much easier by kind of handing everything to you on a plate. In terms of the actual game it is much more linear than the previous games were; you actually can't leave an area until you've defeated the gym and you have to do things in a step by step, logical manner. This may suit some people, but I liked the fact this I wanted to try and take on a harder gym I could, I liked the fact that it was up to the player - the only thing you couldn't do was challenge the Elite Four if you had less than all eight badges. Likewise there is far less of a reliance on Hidden Moves, which makes it a little less interesting as you don't have to cut things down or smash rocks to the same extent to figure out what you need to do next. And Technical Machines which teach your Pokemon moves don't disappear/break after use meaning you can use it as many times as you like.
Pokemon has always tried to have puzzles in key areas of the game to keep your mind engaged, but I don't think they've ever really succeeded before. In this however they have made the puzzles more challenging and that in turn means that I can quite happily sit scratching my head over something for quite a while. I think before it had been aimed solely at the kiddies market whereas they've kind of clued up to the fact that a lot of us a have been following it religiously and loyally since we are knee high to a grasshopper.
But just about everything is a massive improvement on all of the previous Pokemon games, although some of the new Pokemon are a bit generic and boring...but considering there are now 650 Pokemon this is quite understandable; it must be getting hard to think of ideas!
===My Opinion===
I loved it. At least for the first section but then I got peeved with the endless grind of training; something I usually enjoy but was much more difficult in this game. Usually with a new Pokemon game I will be hooked on it for months and will have to be forced off it to do normal things like sleep, eat and wash. I didn't find that with this. I don't know whether this is a fault of the developers or whether it just means that maybe I am growing up after all. However good the graphics, however cute some of the new Pokemon I found that I was plodding through it instead of racing, and fairly shortly put it down for my new Harvest Moon game. Without a doubt it is better, it is smarter, it is fancier and I should have loved it...but I think, personally, I'd prefer Charmander to Tepig and I want my Pikachu back!
This is a game which a lot of people are raving about, and I can't blame them. But it just didn't hit me like the older versions did (still do, I started playing Gold again). To ardent fans of the Pokemon series, you may love it. Or you may come away with a certain amount of disappointment like I did. To newcomers to the Pokemon series; you will love it. Without the attachments and the knowledge of the older games this is not something you can really fault all that much if you're honest. The only issue there is that new players will probably be fairly young and a decent reading level is required for the game.
Unfortunately, I seem to be one of the few people who was impressed but not enamoured by this game. I can see the work they've put in and I can see the results in the detail and the story. But, it's not for me.
Ok, let me start by quite simply saying this game is fantastic, after being quite disapointed by the 4th generation of pokemon games i was a little concerned that i would let down by black and white, but i need not have worried. Whilst there are many new scary features in black it has the same basic game mechanics and fundemental features of a traditional pokemon game: ie: choose your starter and go of on an adventure aiming to become the pokemon champion, meeting new pokemon on the way and going of on several other sidequests.
Ok, so thats what stays the same but what about these new games is different, well i won't go too much into it or i'll spoil it for you but heres the basics.
Tripple and rotation battles:
I personally really enjoy these, basically in old pokemon games you could only fight pokemon 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 (starting in ruby/ sapphire), however in black and white you can pit your pokemon against each other 3 on 3, now i find these really interesting as you can't rely so much on raw force as so much tactics, this is because you've really got too consider which of your opponents pokemon too attack, as with 3 on your oppnents side they could very easily focus on just 1 of your pokemon resulting in a quick KO in just 1 turn! and perhaps causing you too loose the battle.
Pokemon design:
Right i'll admit when i saw the first few pokemon unveiled online i thought, "oh my god their hideous" and i'm sure many others thought the same thing and desided not to buy this game based on the design of the new pokemon, but i assure you now that you made a mistake. Whilst sprite design in this game is very different from previous generation the pokemon themselves are far from ugly and as you set of on your adventure through the new region you really do learn to love them.
Theres a few other differences in gameplay mechanics which i haven't mentioned here but they don't really effect the gameplay experience so their not really worth listing and shouldn't effect your descision on whether or not to buy. So in conclusion if you haven't already got this game go out and get it, or pick up a copy "for the kids", just remember no-one really outgrows pokemon its for kids and adults alike.
Pokemon has been around since the year I was born so I naturally grew up with it, my first proper game was Pokemon Gold and the one thing I remember doing was continuously using the Train to go between regions. 10-14 years later however Pokemon has drastically changed for me, exactly like The Simpsons it has grown off me. I remember encountering a Legendary Pokemon in the classic games and was in awe but now it's not really a big deal other than thinking "I better catch this because it's unique". Pokemon Black to me is probably my least favorite Pokemon game mainly due to the reason that it is just so different to the original games. It's also so much more complicated with all the new features that have no influence over the story which itself hasn't changed AT ALL, before you would go through 8 gyms, get the badges and beat the league and in every game since it has been just that.
I actually haven't completed Black yet because I am just so bored with it now, the story is repetitive, it feels a lot different to the classics (This isn't a contradiction) and it's over complicated now with all the online features. Pokemon Diamond was really the last game which I actually enjoyed however I enjoyed HeartGold also but that's an exception due to it being a remake of Gold.
In conclusion I would not recommend this game unless you are a newcomer to Pokemon, it's like Doctor Who, you each have your own favorite "Doctor" and then when he regenerates you don't like the show as much anymore.
Sorry for the lag in review writing and rating, it is because I've been hooked on this game which I have now finished and thus, here is a review of it!!
A new generation of Pokemon has arrived! The fifth generation of Pokemon games come in the form of Pokemon Black and White (back to the colours, eh?) and feature 150 new Pokemon.
Among the 150 new Pokemon are some rather silly additions such as Woobat (we already have the Zubat family) and Trubbish (A rubbish Pokemon, literally!). This was a problem with the last generation, where many additions were completely unecessary, such as evolutions to first generation Pokemon such as Lickitung, Magmar and Electrobuzz. Thankfully, Game Freak have learned from their mistakes and these 150 are all original, with some lovable ones, my favourite being Emolga, a flying squirrel Pokemon which will go very nicely next to my Pachirisu from Pokemon Diamond.
Like the predecessors, you start as a budding young Pokemon Trainer, enroped into helping complete the Pokedex, this time by an all time first female professor, Juniper. She gives you one of three starters, Snivy (grass), Tepig (fire) or Oshawatt (water) before you begin on your typical journey of gym battling, Pokemon catching (Gotta Catch 'Em All!) and training.
Most unfortunately, Team Plasma are here to stop you. They believe that Pokemon should be free to roam and not captured by Trainers, our use exploitation of them obstructing their development as a greater being. This darker plot is probably the best they've come up with thus far but is never developed deeply enough, due to the short storyline and the surprising ease of getting through the game.
This may be due to the linear progression through the world map, which is literally a straight line from home town to Pokemon league, with very little need to revisit previous towns. Each town houses a Pokemon centre so your Pokemon can be healed, which is now merged with the market to buy goods, the most convenient upgrade. Another noticeable upgrade is the ability to register multiple key items which can be accessed with a touch of a button. Now there is no need to go into the bag every time you want to use the rod or bike! Most of the towns will also have a gym, eight in total, which you will have to defeat to collect the badges necessary to fight the Pokemon League.
Gym Leaders are notable opponents, each mastering a certain type of Pokemon. Whilst gyms in previous games were rather laborious, the puzzles are now so much more fun and less of a chore. The complexity of originality of the ideas in each gym really make going to the next gym an exciting prospect. One of my favourites was the roller coaster gym and the dragon one.
Upon beating all eight gyms, the Pokemon League awaits. Whilst many reviewers slate the game for being too similar in storyline to other games, I personally found this the most refreshing. The team behind it successfully spruced things up, offering surprise after surprise. This time round, you can choose the order in which you want to tackle the league and once you do, there will be a big surprise for you which is totally unexpected and is definitely the highlight of the whole Pokemon game series.
The completion of the game took me about 25 hours, including talking to all the trainers and exploring every crevice to pick up items. Whilst this was much shorter than previous games, which took me an excess of 40 hours to complete, this game offers a vast amount of post game content.
Three towns and new routes are unlocked upon completion of the game, where Pokemon from previous generations can be found and obtained, as well as trainers with very high level Pokemon (60+) for you to battle. Daily Swarms also activate where special Pokemon will appear on certain routes each day.
Most notably, an exclusive location is available for each game, Pokemon Black has Black City (with tough trainers and rare items up for purchase) whilst White has White Forest (with rare Pokemon to capture and items to find). A connection from the game to the Internet can also be made via Dream World (used on the computer) where berries can be grown and exclusive Pokemon to be captured (via mini games?) and sent to the DS game, making full use of the DS's wifi capabilities. This is open on the 30th March 2011.
Multiplayer has also been given a revamp with the C-Gear accessible on the lower touch screen, offering infra-red, wifi sync and wireless capabilities a touch of a button away. As well as playing friends you know, you can battle and trade with people across the world over Wi-fi, accessible at every Pokemon Centre. Matches can be played via free mode or rated, with official tournaments also held on here, making this game a must for competitive players.
Perhaps the most stunning thing about this game is the graphics. Exploiting 3D capabilities, for the first time ever, the Pokemon World is truly life like. Whilst the whole game isn't rendered in 3D, special aspects and locations here and there really bring out the beauty of Unnova, especially the bridges and spiral staircases, with a moving camera which will WOW you the first time you see it.
Overall, Pokemon Black and White offer the most comprehensive Pokemon experience, set in a beautifully rendered landscape, with the short storyline made up for by the extensive post game content. With over 600 Pokemon in all to catch and numerous side quests and games, these two games will undoubtedly last longer than all the other games combined.
This game can be picked up for just over £25 on Amazon, which as far as I know is the cheapest out there.
Pokemon Black/White has been released, meaning it is time to grab a new starter Pokemon and head out on the familiar journey of the Pokemon games. Travel from city to city, challenging Gym Leaders until you are ready to join the Elite Four. The developers, Game Freak, have been on to a winning formula since the original games reached Japan in 1996. The problem however, is that even a winning formula can get stale, and though there have been slight changes to the series, the recent games have felt somewhat familiar.
Pokemon White, thankfully, leads the way in terms of changes. It is still very familiar, though the recent changes keep the series feeling fresh. There is no radical change, but it feels refined. The aim of the game remains the same - you will still be travelling around a new region with the aim of taking on the Elite Four. The combat remains the same - brilliant turn based action where various strengths and resistances of the Pokemon Types come into play. What is different however, is the Pokemon.
As you travel around the new region of Unova you won't be fishing up any Magikarp, nor will you come across a Pidgey. Until you complete the main story, you will only see new Pokemon, and though this doesn't seem huge, what it does is take you out of your comfort zone. If you can ignore the calls of the Internet at least, you won't know what you are up against. Is this new Pokemon a fire type or an electric type? The best way to find out is to attack and hope for the best and the game feels less familiar, because the discoveries aren't just linked to the regions to explore this time.
This does have its downsides however. Though there are some brilliant new designs of Pokemon, too many of them look like the rejects in an Art Attack competition, a far cry from the glory days of the first generation of Pokemon. The positives outweigh the negatives however.
Team Plasma is the enemy this time - they have the aim to liberate Pokemon from their evil trainers and though this brings the usual theme of compassion towards your Pokemon seen in all Pokemon games, the plot this time round certainly feels more integral to your journey also. It is just another example of the Pokemon game not fundamentally changing, just refining. However, for the most part the game does remain the same, and though the story feels more important it doesn't change the gameplay. The turn based combat is as addictive as ever, easy enough for the casual gamers, yet it has ample depth for those looking for a deeper RPG and those who are looking into competitive battling. The casual players will have their fun learning of type advantages. Water beats Fire for example, but Fire is strong against Ice, reminiscent of a more complicated game of rock-paper-scissors. Those looking for the deeper gameplay however will be looking for the nature of Pokemon and Effort Values - stat affecting attributes.
It is not all positives however. The greatest negative shows itself once the main game has been completed, when there is still so much left to do. Unlike the brilliantly structured main game however, where you are lead from town to town at a decent pace, once the main story has been completed you are left in a world with a fair amount to do, but little guidance, which leads to a lot of slow grinding. Post-game feels like fun and more like a way for the developers to drag out the game. Pace yourself with the main story and it will take over a days game time to complete however so it does give value for money. The trading system is equally confusing - you can no longer trade Pokemon up from your GBA games, meaning aside from the flawed Global Trade System, the only way to trade from game to game requires two DS's.
The same happens with the interface. Instead of the touch screen providing instant access to your inventory and Pokemon, it is instead used for the C-Gear, which allows fast wireless interaction between Pokemon Games. The problem however is that if you live outside of Japan or aren't heading for a bring-your-own-games-to-school day in primary school, it has little practical use. The touch screen could be used much more effectively.
The graphics have been given a slight update. It still feels very reminiscent of the old Pokemon games, though there have been touches of 3D added, instead of the birds eye 2D style games. In the main city of the game for example the camera situates behind the character in an obvious attempt to give the city a grander feeling and though it had its charm, the city feels confusing because of it and the pixel graphics are quite off-putting.
You know what you are going to get with a Pokemon game. The Pokemon, the combat and the music all give the game a brilliant appeal. It's a game you can't help but like. It has its problems and the game is far from original - it is largely the same game you played 15 years ago. However, there are enough changes to keep the old fans happy and for any youngsters looking for a DS game out there - it would be a great shame if you missed out on Pokemon. Let's just hope the next game on 3DS innovates a little more.
The game can be purchased from ASDA for just short of £28 new.
Pokémon is an RPG with slight elements of adventure; this is the 5th generation of the series which remains one of the biggest sellers of all time. In the game you start off with a single Pokémon (fire, water or grass type) and have to catch and train more Pokémon as you progress through the game, earning 'exp' every time you successfully fight a trainer or wild Pokémon. There are a few more game mechanics included in this version, triple battles and rotation battles, both fairly explanatory, combination moves (your Pokémon an learn these to create more powerful attacks), and double battles with wild Pokémon.
This game
As a Pokémon fanatic, I was ecstatic when I heard a new Pokémon game was being released, so much so I ordered a copy from Japan! Anyway, this game offers you a completely different sense of Pokémon, although it is pretty much the same thing as previous games, it feels like a lot of improvements have been made and the small things which annoyed me about games before, appear to be fixed. With every Pokémon game there are different Pokémon and this is no different with 156 brand new Pokémon to catch, it is set in the Unova region, also with the addition of new legendary Pokémon which is exciting! The storyline itself is fairly straight forward with you having to train your Pokémon to beat gym leaders and eventually the elite four, who I have to say seem more challenging than previous games, and instead of the classic team rocket from games like 'Leaf Green' and the popular anime series, you fight against team plasma. Also in order to complete the pokedex you have to trade with 'Pokémon White' (like with Ruby/Sapphire). The game in total still hasn't been fully completed and I have a total of 20 hours play time so far (which is extremely good for a game like this), and although the storyline itself has been completed (in about 7-8 hours play time) i am not yet bored of playing and am continuing to train my pokemon and battle on-line.
Feel for the game
Unlike previous Pokémon games, when I play this I feel involved in the Pokémon world, and almost feel a part of the battle. This creates a tense and exciting atmosphere in those tough battles, which really makes you want to play the game. Unlike the previous Pokémon games, instead of the bird's eye view you are given more of a third person type view, which does get a bit confusing, however makes the game feel smoother. Overall the multi-player mode has been improved significantly, it is now much quicker to enter games and with the addition of the Wi-Fi there is no need for long cables to connect to another console.
New Pokémon
Most of the Pokémon are easily comparable to the classic ones (golbat, snorlax etc.) as they look remarkably similar, which is helpful because it means you do not have to learn what each Pokémon does again. Personally I go with an all fire team and the majority of fire Pokémon in this game are clear and easier to find, which is a blessing, also as the game is on DS and there is a Wi-Fi function it is so much easier to find partners online and play against people, which adds to the fun you can have on this game. The on-line itself is quite good, it matches you up with partners according to the level of your strongest pokemon, this makes it easier for new players to gain experience and for the advanced players to have intense and thrilling battles!
Would I recommend it?
If you enjoy playing Pokémon, and love adventure based games then this is the game for you. If you found previous games disappointing but liked the idea, then give this game a try as it is completely different to previous games, but with the same concept and idea behind it. And if you don't like Pokémon games full stop, then you will probably waste your money buying this. Also, if you are unsure whether to buy it, and have never played a Pokémon game before, this is a great place to start as it takes little effort and can play it in your spare time (e.g. 30 minutes before you go to bed etc.).
This review was originally posted on Ciao, by me (warda010)


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subset: commoncrawl


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How far will you be sitting...
...never mind, I got nothing.
I impulse bought a 70" Sharp (Model # 70C6400U) LED LCD at Costco for ~ $2400. Thrilled with the size and most viewing though LED's are awkward at first as people are almost "too real" and their movements are paradoxically almost robotic - but I'm accustomed to it and like it now.
The issue: Watching a flying football/baseball/etc. The TV badly blurs balls moving rapidly in the air (insert joke here). I bought the TV for football and it bothers me enough that I may return it.
What should I buy and what features to ensure this doesn't happen in my next TV - thank you. You advice is much appreciated.
How far will you be sitting...
...never mind, I got nothing.
Note: in this TV play with Play mode (set to OFF), Digital Noise reduction (set to OFF) and Motion Enhancement (try 120 High, but can be different setting). And (important) turn OFF AQUMOTION.
Last edited by RussianGreen; 09-07-2012 at 03:05 PM.
Try putting cardboard under it.
Then wait.
Bunch o' rich dicks on this site....
Think we have a winner!!!!!
RG - my eternal gratitude.... you just saved me hours of my day and probably a couple hundred bucks. This has been a thorn in my side for 2 months. Literally fixed it in seconds and the Sharp Help never mentioned this setting, we were adjusting contrast/color/etc for about an hour.
Yet more proof that the Hampur can literally fix the world's problems.
I've noticed that during every Jets game, the image on my 54" LCD gets progressively blurrier and blurrier, and by the end of the game it's like a double image.
Any tech help would be much appreciated.


text:
This has showed up in two places via a super scan mode. It had to have shown up yesterday (July 30, 2010) as I do regular scans and a super scan once a week.
Two questions:
1) What does this Trojan do and what is the risk to my system and personal information?
2) Why did Zone Alarm Extreme Security not prevent it from downloading?
Any help would be appreciated.


text: National Review is accepting applications for its summer internship. The intern will work in our New York office and receive a modest stipend. She or he will be involved in every phase of the editorial process and will have some opportunities to write. Preference will be given to rising college seniors, but anyone is welcome to apply. The ideal candidate will have an excellent academic record and some experience in student or professional journalism. If you wish to apply, please send a cover letter, your résumé, and two of your best writing samples (no more, please) to [email protected] before February 1.


text:
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on the international community Friday to provide generous support for Eritrea and Ethiopia as they prepared formally to end their war in the Horn of Africa.
"I appeal to the international community to assist and to give, and give generously," Annan told a press conference in the Ethiopian capital two days after declaring that the border conflict, which broke out in May 1998, was over.
"Now that the war is over, we should begin the urgent task of reconstruction and economic and social development both in Ethiopia and Eritrea," Annan said, before leaving for the Eritrean capital Asmara.
The UN chief added that he will attend the signing of a comprehensive peace treaty between the two countries on Tuesday in Algiers and called the accord a "very positive step for both sides and for all of Africa."
A cease-fire between Eritrea and Ethiopia was brokered in mid-June by the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Algeria had then held the rotating presidency of the pan-African organization, which went to Togo in July.
The first of around 4,500 UN blue berets armed with a peacekeeping mandate began to deploy in November for what the UN hopes will be a successful mission on a continent where the international body has suffered several setbacks -- ADDIS ABABA (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com [1])
[1] http://www.albawaba.com


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Some Assembly Required' started by kajj, Feb 23, 2012.
Just one more wheelie pic
This thing will be fast with the DRZ fork legs.
looking at this pic you did a really nice job with the tank-panel!!!
I have to admit that while thinking the Versys to be a very good motorbike - especially the dual-sport-bikes built here - the original front-fairing is ugly. It seems to me that this bike is even better than I thought as it's riders ignore this point and just praise it's abilities to do everything for them.
Now back to yours: I'm very sorry but I don't like your front-fairing, too. It's much too large and it doesn't flow into (or flow out off?) the tank-line. It looks like a strange thing that has been nailed to the front of a pretty bike - I'm sure for some good and practical reasons. But could you imagine a front fairing like the ones African Queens in Germany or Rugged Roads in Great Britain offer for Honda's African Twin. This would make your bike a stunning winner in the 'looks'-category, too!
Just my thoughts, except for this point your build is absolute top and your build-thread is also a number-one reading!
Oh, sorry, just another thought of mine: If you don't need the passenger's seat the bike might look better if you take it off. I think that a dual-sport bike shouldn't have a stepped seat. Hopefully the area underneath the pillion-seat isn't too hard to be covered or perhaps it's even nice enough to be disposed.
Except for these two things: both thumps up!!!
Kind regards from Germany, Bambi
To show you what I meant:
Ok, there'll be some work to adept this fairing as your tank isn't by far as big as the African Twin's. In Germany, there is an online shop under www.off-the-road.de
They sell just an upper part of a fairing like this ...
Kind regards, Bambi
Thanks for those kind words Bambi
About the fairing:
I have cut down the fairing, and with a higher front end it looks a lot smaller. But I understand what you mean.
I have thought about the rally fairing for the AT, KTM and several others.
This design is also avalible for the tenere 660 and seems possible to work with.
But this would almost be as complicated as making one from scratch or at least it would need some modifying with fiberglass and epoxy to make it flow with the side cowlings.
But It is on my to do list!
If this fork swap turns out to be the right thing to do, then I could be close to having my dream bike.
If it tuns out that it is, I will not hesitate to design a custom front fairing.
It is not possible to remove the passenger seat without reshaping the whole seat.
And I think it is comfortable to have on those long trips (1-3 weeks and hopefully longer in the future).
Also it has the perfect shape to support my GL bag.
Thanks again for showing interest in my build.
The same company that makes the fairing for the tenere 660 in the previous post also makes these!
And they do not cost that much.
Dammit now you have made me interested in upgrading the fairing sooner then I had planed.
We will see how things play out this winter
Hello kajj,
exactly the fairings from off-the-road are the ones I have in mind.
As you can see from my avatar, I ride a 750 cc Suzuki DR Big. I'm also thinking of adepting the fairing shown in the first pic in your last post to my Suzuki. Leaving the beak in it's place this might be a far easier job than your's as it seems to be just a matter of 'cut and shut'. But working on motorcycles often confronts you with with unexpected surprises. And it's really not too expensive ... I'm a lucky guy as this company is sitting at Cologne, just some 80 kms from my home. So I can take a very close look before spending my money.
Kind regards, Bambi
I envy you. Wee do not have any companies that sell these kind of fairings here in sweden.
And it is hard to get an idea of the size trough pictures
Hello kajj,
when I go there, I'll take some pics and do some measuring to help you save your money (or spend it!!!). Concerning that short distance it's absolute no problem to go there for a second visit and ask the questions you forgot on the first one or that sprung to mind afterwards ...
It'll take some time as an engine-bearing has failed on Miss Marlboro. But a nice friend of mine from the German www.dr-big.de - forum wants to help me and to enable me to be part of a sandy tour in the Netherlands on the last weekend of octobre. So I should be back in the race soon ...
Kind regards, Bambi
it's me again. Just to give you an idea of my bike in it's actual state. Not very far from original except for the paint-job (first Dakar-version, done by one of the pre-owners), smaller direction-indicators (and their re-location up front) and the tank-crash-bars. Some things are still going to come: dual-head-lights (with a new fairing? ;-) ), dual separate rear-lights (upper one in the spanner-compartment, from an elder XT 660, lower-(LED-)one at the usual place, frame should be painted white and swinging-arm should look like an alumium-alloy one on a real Dakar-replica, round speedo and rev-counter from the later model, road-book-mount ... enough, back to your build!!!
Kind regards, Bambi
Nice build Kajj!
I like the improvisation with re-using old parts in that high-tech workshop of yours.
That would be awesome. Thanks
Nice bike, Love the paint job. I am a fan of Dakar to. And yes it would look really good with a dual headlight.
Are you going to keep the beek? or remove it and go with the look similar to the AT?
I guess these are the measurements that I would need to know if it would fit or not.
Not a nice sketch, I know. But hope you understand.
I do my best with wh
Hello Kajj,
I do understand your sketch!
And yes, I'll keep the beak on my Big. I think it's not the prettiest form of a fairing's front, but this beak is the one and only original! Don't let BMW, Ducati, Triumph and all the others tell you anything else. When acquiring the bike I wanted to swap it's front for a fairing just like the ones I mentioned above. But I'll stick to the beak and put an adepted version of the twin-light fairing above it! It might even happen that I don't change the front-fairing as it's rather slim where the head-light sits. It's a challenge to put twin-headlights into the original rectangular place and looking at the space for and between the reflectors of the 'off-the-road'-fairing this might prove impossible. Because of being to wide for a proper flowing line. That's the reason to visit them with the bike ... and now we'll get two results!
Concerning the recycling of your handle-bar as an elongation for your prop-stand, the start of Scottish cooking-recipes springs to mind: 'Take what you've got ...' Well done!
Kind regards, Bambi
It's going to look a lot better after you get it all dirty and through it on the ground a few times.
Dirty is beautiful. Great build.
Hehe, Thanks!
Just stumbled on this thread and now read thru the entire thing. Really like what you have done with the bike and the bad a$$ fairing.
I think these bikes are great fun to ride and you get some extra enjoyment working on them. The looks are 2nd in my book because I always end up trashing something sooner or later after a couple of dirt naps.
Got my new set of OEM DL1000 wheel spacers. They make a perfect fit:
Now I only have to extend the threads on the wheel axle and cut it in the right length
Also installed a new chain and rear sprocket.
II tried to remove the front sprocket but that sucker wont move
Things to do!
* mount new brake line
* Find a 310mm disc
* Finish wheel axle
* fabricate brake caliper adapter
* headlight rubbermount................ok
* new rally fairing
* carbonfiber dash, relocate swithes and power outlets
* relocate turn signals
* Weld and paint sidestand
* Install HID lights
* mount radiator guard
* cut front fender and fabricate mount.
* change sprockets and chain....................2/3 ok
* Air filters
* paint lugage rack
* tighten side mirror mounts
* check rear wheel/swingarm bearings................ok
I had the same problem! I ended up taking it to a friend that owns a X-Large air compressor and an impact wrench. We hit approx 100ft lbs of torque before that thing came loose :huh
Good luck
A short vid a friend and I put together. Nothing to serious, just having fun on the trail.
Not that god quality but enjoy
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I have one more that should be up in a few weeks.
So. I need a front fender. And I prefer a low fender to keep the mud and gravel away from the radiator and engine.
But I can not mount the Versys fender as it is supposed to be mounted.
Hmm, I need a custom bracket from the fork legs to support the fender.
Well I had this available
Some time later I now have this
Don`t look to bad and is really sturdy. The nuts might be a bit too close to the tire, but it should be fine.
This mount is adjustable, and I can move the fender up and down depending on the terrain.
If it gets to muddy, just move it up a bit to get more clearance.
Things to do!
* mount new brake line
* Find a 310mm disc
* Finish wheel axle
* fabricate brake caliper adapter
* headlight rubbermount................................................ok
* new rally fairing
* carbonfiber dash, relocate swithes and power outlets
* relocate turn signals
* Weld and paint sidestand
* Install HID lights
* mount radiator guard
* cut front fender and fabricate mount...........................ok
* change sprockets and chain.......................................2/3 ok
* Air filters
* paint lugage rack
* tighten side mirror mounts...........................................ok
* check rear wheel/swingarm bearings...........................ok


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* Prices may differ from that shown
I purchased these MS16 monitors to go with a studio set up. Obviously, as they are quite cheap, I thought these would be a great start for the studio.
I have heard a lot of bad things about Behringer products, as they are cheap, but from personal experience, I have never had a problem with any Behringer products.
These speakers are very clear, bass stands out, and are very ideal for people who are looking to upgrade from those standard shabby desktop PC speakers. These are definitely the best monitors I have used, especially for the price.
The speakers are very good looking also, very sleek and also very light.
When the speakers arrive, they come with all essential cables, which makes life 10x times easier when it comes to actually setting them up.
On the front of the speaker, there is 3 knobs. One controlling the treble, one controlling the bass and also the master volume knob. Next to the 3 knobs is a microphone input.
So, if you're looking for a cheap pair of monitor speakers, Behringer MS16 monitors are the way to go. You won't be let down!
I bought these a while back to replace my standard computer speakers as they just weren't good enough. Behringer seems to have a nack of making good quality products and selling them cheaply and these speakers are no exception. Very good clarity and an anbundance of bass, these are ideal for those who want an affordable set of great sounding speakers. These really are the best speakers you can buy at this price point and unless you're an audiophile, you'll like them. As for looks, they're very sleek and surprisingly light. They're also super easy to set up and they come with all the necessary cables. There are bass, treble and master volume knobs and also a microphone input. I love these speakers because theres are two inputs which means I can have my tv monitor (for my ps3) and my ipod plugged in at the same time so there's no faffing about changing wires over. Due to the variety of inputs, these speakers would be ideal for home studio use.


text:
1. Who did you think the visitor in Bella's room was?
I was so confused. I accepted Carlisle's theory about a curious visitor really easily.
2. Do you think Edward was too harsh on Alice for not seeing the visitor? Why or why not?
Yes, I really do. He has her watching for so much, of course, like she said, things are bound to slip through the cracks.
3. What do you think about Edward and Jacob's conversation and their sudden willingness to work together?
Mutual desire to protect the woman they love... it's a sad truce.
4. If you were Bella how would you feel about their conversation?
I honestly can't say.


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If it was primarily a read-only server with heavy usage and only being written to in an extremely controlled manner, MyISAM might be a reasonable choice if you can't get performance any other way (short of paying for Oracle).
We use MyISAM for a dimensional data warehouse. The data in the warehouse is extracted from other databases (which are InnoDB) and are used by clients and software mostly to make complicated reports that just wouldn't be feasible on the normalized InnoDB tables. Since we already know the data is good we just want fast access to the extracted parts.
A lot of people have never realized that this was MySQL's target task for many, many years.
I initially laughed my head off at that because I thought you were talking about using MySQL to support broken Web counters
That's PHP and MySQL, actually, but I don't blame either.


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W00t!? Ive been a mod for almost a year and haven't contributed all that much in my opinion, other than hours on mod work, jutsu-list updates, sarcasm, and a post about how to add Youtube videos to your posts (:p).
Any-who, upon reading this thread I figured that I would give it a bit of a revamp/update/upgrade as its grossly outdated. I will however be quoting his entire post as a respectful measure to someone who obviously knew windows 95 and 98 just as well as I did. Thanks rahul for all your work as a moderator, and a decent post about PC advice.
You might ask why my post, while detailed, does not, and will never, contain information on Windows Vista. The answer to this is simple, I hate it. I dont know anything about Vista, I feel it was worthless, and completely bypassed it in all my system. I went from 95 to 98 to XP to 7. If you have Vista, I personally recommend a downgrade, or upgrade. Either is better lol
1. Wallpapers: They slow your whole system down, so if you're willing to compromise, have a basic plain one instead!
2. Drivers: Update your hardware drivers as frequently as possible. New drivers tend to increase system speed especially in the case of graphics cards, their drivers are updated by the manufacturer very frequently!
3. Minimizing: If you want to use several programs at the same time then minimize those you are not using. This helps reduce the overload on RAM.
4. Boot Faster: The 'starting Windows 95/98' message on startup can delay your booting for a couple of seconds. To get rid of this message go to c:\ and find the file Msdos.sys. Remove the Read-Only option. Next, open it in Notepad or any other text editor. Finally, go to the text 'Options' within the file and make the following changes: Add BootDelay=0. To make your booting even faster, set add Logo=0 to remove the Windows logo at startup.
5. Restart only Windows: When restarting your PC, hold down Shift to only restart Windows rather than the whole system which will only take a fraction of the time.
6. Turn Off Animations: Go to Display Settings from the Control Panel and switch to the Effects Tab. Now turn off Show Windows Content While Dragging and Smooth Edges on Screen Fonts. This tip is also helpful with Windows XP because of the various fade/scroll effects.
7. Faster Start-Menu Access: Go to the Start menu and select Run. Now type Regedit and hit Enter. The Registry Editor will appear on the screen. Now, open the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. You should see a MenuShowDelay value. If you don't then do the following: right click on a blank space in the right pane and select New\String. Change the name in the new value to MenuShowDelay. Now that we have the MenuShowDelay value, double click on it and enter 0 in the value data field. This sets the start menu delay to 0 milliseconds.
8. Resolutions: If you are willing to do anything for faster performance from your PC, then try lowering your display resolution. The lower it is, the faster your PC.
9. Turn off Active Desktop: Go to your Display Properties and switch to the Web tab. Uncheck View My Active Desktop As a Web Page. Since the Active Desktop option under Windows 98 uses a lot of system resources, this option can have a dramatic effect on the speed of the whole system.
10. Defragment Often: Windows 98's Defrag tool uses Application Acceleration from Intel which means that when you defragment your drive, data is physically arranged on the drive so that applications will load faster.
11. Take your PC to Bed: Using the Advanced Power Management feature under Windows 98 gives you the option to use the sleep command. That way, you can send your PC to sleep instead of shutting it down and then restarting it. It's as simple as pressing a button and then pressing the same button to wake it up. You can tell Windows after how many minutes/hours of inactivity to automatically sleep the machine in the Advanced Power Management section of the Control Panel.
12. Faster Internet Access: If you use the internet for reference and the sites you visit are rarely updated then try the following. In IE (the same can be done in Netscape) go to Tools, Internet Options. Next, click on Settings... in the Temporary Internet Files section. Finally, select Never for the first option and double the amount of storage space to use, click OK!
13. Benchmarking: Benchmarking can be very useful when run frequently. It can tell you how your PC's components are performing and then compare them to other machines like yours. For example, when you overclock your PC, you want to know how much more speed you have and whether it is stable. All this and more can be discovered using benchmarking. An excellent piece of software for doing this job is SiSoft Sandra which can be found in the Downloads File Archive!
14. Refresh the Taskbar without restarting: If you in some way change the taskbar, either in Regedit or elsewhere, you can refresh the task bar without restarting. Hold down Ctrl Alt Del, and double click on Explorer. Say Yes to close Explorer, but no to closing Windows. This will refresh the Taskbar and system tray.
15. Quick CD Eject: Instead of pushing the button on your drive, right-click your CD drive letter in My Computer and click on Eject. This will also remove any icons that have become associated with the CD drive.
16. Start Up Programs: Windows can be slowed down when programs run on start up. To eliminate this, check your Start up folder. You can access it from the start menu: Start, Programs, Start Up. Another way to eliminate programs from loading even before Windows actually starts is by doing the following: Click on Start, then Run. Type msconfig. It will take quite a long time for this program to load, but when you finally see it on your screen, explore the different tabs. They all have to do with how quickly your PC boots, so select what you want, and uncheck what you don't want!
17. Fonts: When Windows starts, it loads every single font in the Fonts folder. Therefore, the more fonts you have, the slower the booting process. To get rid of unwanted fonts, simply go to the Fonts folder under c:\windows and remove whatever you don't want. Fonts that have a red letter 'A' as their icon are system fonts, so don't delete them.
18. Stretching Wallpapers: Don't "stretch" your wallpaper in Windows 98 since it actually slows Windows down when you drag icons around on the desktop.
19. RAM Matters: If you have less than 32MB then you should seriously think of upgrading it to at least 64MB. Windows runs much more smoothly with 64MB or higher and tends to use less hard disk space for virtual memory.
20. Partitioning: A very nice little thing you can do to boost system performance. By partitioning your hard drive, splitting one physical drive into several logical ones, you can gain several advantages. 1. If you get a virus or you accidentally format a drive, not all will be lost. 2. By placing the swap file (Win386.swp) on a separate drive, The swap file will be less fragmented and thus, faster. 3. Place Windows on a separate drive and whenever you need to reinstall it, you rest assured that your data is safe on a separate drive. Partitioning can be done using a few programs such as FDisk which comes with DOS. However, FDisk formats everything on the hard disk before partitioning. Alternatively, you can use Partition Magic from Power Quest to partition your hard disk without losing your data.
1. Preface to Windows XP: Windows XP, in my own personal opinion, is the perfect Windows Operating System (Abbreviating to OS from now on). It combines the perfect amount of functionality, control, and performance that to this date, no other Windows OS has presented. It is so good that pirates all over the world have edited hundreds of thousands, if not millions of different variations to this magnificent OS. Ive personally run XP since its inception and used it and only it up until March when I purchased a new laptop preloaded with Windows 7. Given this knowledge and love that I posses for Windows XP, I will now give you some tips, trick, and programs that will allow you to tweak your Windows XP system to extreme performance.
2. Editing start-up entries: Speed is the most important thing to most people who use PCs, no one wants a laggy PC on start up. So type "msconfig" into run via your start button. After doing so, click on the start up tab. Then un-tick all the entries that you do not wish to show up on start up. Anti-virus programs, instant messengers, and other CPU hogging programs should be un-ticked in this field because they will cause your PC to seriously lag during start up. Be sure to leave the system needed processes to run on start up, as it can cause your PC to not boot correctly. Some programs are essential to system stability, such as ctfmon.exe, cmd.exe, and svchost.exe. Do not disable these processes.
3. Removing un-needed XP contents: Go through your add or remove programs menu in your control panel uninstall any and all programs that you don't use/need. This hogs hard-drive space and will cause XP to run slower.
4. Ashampoo Winoptimizer: This is a VERY useful program that will allow you to clear out a load of un-needed files which will free up system space and speed you up a bit. It will also allow you to run a speed test on your PC to see where you benchmark at.
5. Tweak XP: Another very useful program that will allow you to tweak various things in XP to allow it to run at full speed
6. Ram: To comfortably run Windows XP, you will need at least 256 to 512 MB of ram. However, as a personal recommendation, I have always used 1 to 2 GB of ram. It allow you to be able to run more programs as a faster pace and it makes your PC load extremely fast.
7. Windows XP Gamer Edition: While it IS technically a pirated OS. If you do have a copy of Windows XP Professional, it can be argued in court that you simply edited out certain entries. Anyway, gamer edition is just the bare essentials for Windows XP. It has everything that you need, and none of what you don't. Its ISO size is below 100 MB and installs to below 500 MB. Which saves overall drive space, and time that it takes to redo your OS. Very essential if you redoing your OS for a time sensitive issue .
8. Defragment your hard disk: Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Disk Defrag rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can work more efficiently. Run a defrag every month or so to attain optimal performance.
9. Closing to Windows XP: All in all, as I said above, if appropriately managed and up-kept, Windows XP can be the perfect OS for any user. Take these tips for XP and go pirate a copy of Windows XP Gamer Edition and go enjoy full control of your PC. ^::^
1. Preface to Windows 7: Windows 7 has a very innovative user interface. However, while a very nice looking, and decent running OS, it takes away alot of the user control. Windows 7 is basically Microsoft's idea for an "every-man" OS. There are however, alot of ways to make your system yours in your own way, and it has enough controls that you can tweak and edit to take full control. Like switch to XP (:p lol). Don't get ne wrong, I actually like my new laptop with 7 pre-installed on it. It comfortable and allows me to not to have to think as much lol. But I digress, here are some tips and trick to help it run smoothly and under your control.
2. Delete user accounts: On your Windows 7 PC, there should be 1 user account. Your own. The administrator. This will both improve overall system performance and it will also ensure that your account is the decision making account on the PC, which removes all those pesky run as administrator issues.
3. Removing start-up entries: Just as with XP, type "msconfig" into run via your start button. After doing so, click on the start up tab. Then un-tick all the entries that you do not wish to show up on start up. Anti-virus programs, instant messengers, and other CPU hogging programs should be un-ticked in this field because they will cause your PC to seriously lag during start up. Be sure to leave the system needed processes to run on start up, as it can cause your PC to not boot correctly.
4. Delete programs you never use: Use the add remove programs menu found in control panel, uninstall all the programs you don't use. This includes both manufacturer software and software you installed yourself but don't want any more.
5. Defragment your hard disk: Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can work more efficiently. Run a defrag every month or so to attain optimal performance.
6. Clean up your hard disk: Delete any and all file that you dont need/use. This frees up system space which will allow you to save more items and run smoothly.
7. Run fewer programs at the same time: Because of the high visual demands throughout Windows 7, running less programs will cause your pc to run faster. IE, dont run Photoshop and burn a dvd at the same time.
8. Turn off visual effects: Turn off certain visual effects will cause less programs to run at once. Transparency in particular. Turning that off alone will cause a dramatic speed boost
9. Ram: Ram is again, one of the most important things in a PC. Windows 7 demands at least 2 gb of ram. I personally run with 4 gb. It runs alot smoother even with all the visual effects on. I have them off though which allows me to run pretty much anything I want (:p)
1. Anti-virus, spyware, adware, malware programs: ARENT NEEDED! *inhales* Apologies for the outburst, but I have dealt with dozens of people that get defensive over their anti virus program that I literally get on edge when people bring up the subject. Anti-Virus programs hog system space and barely ever work. 9 times out of 10, a serious virus WILL get passed your anti-virus program and then your screwed because you relied on the program to protect you rather than you protecting yourself.
~ Instead of using a system hogging anti-virus program, instead try using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, its small, only one process, and highly effective at removing most viruses. However, it, like any other top name anti virus such as Norton and Kaspersky IS NOT PERFECT. You WILL get a PC virus eventually, I cant stress that enough.
~ In the event that this happens, in advance, right now, go download Hirens Boot CD, burn it to a disk, and keep it safe. Hirens is full of all kinds of useful DOS apps including a portable mini Windows XP that you start up through dos to run 1 of the many very detailed and thorough anti-viru programs on the cd. This way you never have to install some laggy, crappy, unreliable anti-virus program. Plus you get all the nice free-ware that comes on the boot cd along with the AV programs.
2. Internet Issues: Alot of people confuse and relate their system speed, with their internet speed. And the important thing to realize, is that while the 2 are minorly connected in the grand scheme of things, they are effect both by far different issues. Here are some tips to improve your internet speed...
~ Your internet browser should be a careful, detailed, important choice that you make for your PC. Naturally if you have Windows, one would presume to go the easy way and use Internet Explorer. I advise against this as IE is total crap (lol). Instead, try using either Firefox (Recommended) or Chrome (Decent as hell, but not as good as Firefox). Try one of those and make it your primary browser.
~ Run a speedtest to test your connection through your ISP. With this crucial info you can decide whether or not to actually upgrade your internet. Its not always the PC thats the problem with speed. Many people play facebook apps, and people that are good at them usually can require and eat up around a 20 Mbit internet connection. While most ISP's generally offer a minimum of 7 to 10 and a back of 40 to 50. I personally run fast as hell with the 40 mbit connection I pay for. But some people cant afford it. So, as a recommendation, if you have a connection that is around 7 to 10 mbits, then try upgrading to between 20 and 40 mbit.
Foreign countries have access to extremely faster internet speeds at cheaper prices than in the US. So that segment was based on a US resident perspective. I recently found out that Kagutsuchi has a connect that is over 100 mbits...I still want to burn his feet >.<
3. Installing your own OS: Installing your own OS can be a very beneficial step in your PC usage. This gives you, the user, full control. Shopping around in the store or on a warez site will allow you to make the decision on what you want to use, some recommended OSs are:
- Windows XP Gamer
- Any "Black Edition" OS
- Windows Vienna
Installed the right way, any of those OSs can put you, the user, in full control. And they all run hella great.
4. Picking your own hardware: This can be another helpful choice for you, the user. You can gauge what you wish the PC to be used for, then purchase and build the PC, upload a custom OS. And then your basically perfect. Your PC would do pretty much exactly as intended. Their are plenty of help sites for things like this as well.
5. Google: Google is probably the most useful thing on a PC. It will answer almost any problem you might have and its free, where-as alot of tech help people will charge you to answer questions.
6. Re-moveable storage: Its always best to have a large flash drive and/or a portable hard drive. This allows for more space for worthless files. I personally have one for all of my pirated media. If anything goes wrong i can just quickly get rid of it.
More to come, all for now, hope this helped


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By Shannon Carlin
Turns out, country shows can get as rowdy as EDM ones. Case in point: Keith Urban's concert this past Saturday (July 26) in Mansfield, MA where 22 people were sent to the hospital due to "alcohol-related issues."
According to The Boston Herald, EMS attended to a total of 46 people suffering from alcohol-related illnesses, with 22 of those being sent to the hospital. Police also reportedly took more than 50 people into custody and made several alcohol-related arrests.
Related: A Hologram of Keith Urban is Touring Malls in Australia
The large quantity of those needing medical attention in a period of just three hours caused the EMS to activate phase one of a plan that has them using ambulances from five local communities.
In a joint statement from the Mansfield Police Chief and Fire Chief they said, "Last evening's Keith Urban concert was not anticipated to present with the volume of issues handled, but measures were in place to provide appropriate and adequate care and protection to all patrons. As a result, although there was a higher than expected volume, appropriate care was available through the expandable model."
Following the show, Urban didn't seem to know what had gone on at the 18,000 capacity show, tweeting a video message to fans of him singing the Bee Gees hit "Massachusetts."
Goodnight from Massachusetts!! http://t.co/ozZReQr3eK #RaiseEmUpTour
— Keith Urban (@KeithUrban) July 27, 2014
"What a great night tonight. It was killer," Urban said. "Gosh, up on the lawn tonight, that was nutso. It was so cool." If he only knew how nutso it really was. Urban has yet to respond to the most recent reports.
Last month, an Avicii show in Boston turned into a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident with 36 concertgoers being rushed to the hospital.


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Things I won't miss about the Kings
As I write this, the less-than-beloved Maloof family have apparently sold the Sacramento Kings to a group of wealthy Seattle, Washington investors headed by some hedge fund guy named Chris Hansen. The selling price appears to be about $525 million, which should go a long way in helping the Maloofs pay off about $200 million in debts they have racked up over the years while owning the Kings, not to mention the $6 or $7 million they say they are going to lose on this year's operation of the team. Other possible buyers are also trying to match or top that offer, but one way or another, it looks like the Kings will finally be leaving Sacramento in the not too distant future.
Looking back on the history of the Kings, it seems like they were always having serious money problems and demanding that the taxpayers of the City of Sacramento foot most of the bill. I remember Jim Thomas (the guy who owned the Kings before he sold them to the Maloof brothers) at one point wanting a $60 million loan from the city and their help in passing a $145 million bond measure so he could build himself a new arena, and if the city didn't fork over, he was going to move the team. And the Maloofs, of course, have been threatening to move the Kings out of Sacramento and to greener (as in dollars) pastures for ages.
To tell you the truth, as exciting as the Kings once were back in the days of Vlade Divac, Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, and "White Chocolate" himself, Jason Williams, I'm not really all that sad to see them go. The Maloofs (or any new owners willing to keep the Kings in town) would only continue to demand more millions from the already cash-strapped City of Sacramento to make possible that seemingly universal demand of all professional basketball teams – a shiny new arena with all the bells and whistles paid for by someone other than themselves.
There was a time when I considered myself to be a pretty loyal Sacramento Kings fan, even though decent seats cost $50 or more and that was just the tip of the iceberg. It also cost a small fortune for parking, bad food at the concession stands, and a few souvenirs for the kids. In fact, by the time my family and I had finished watching a Kings' game and were stuck in all that traffic trying to get back to West Sacramento, I had easily spent over $250, which is not exactly a cheap family night out on the town.
Anyway, although I somehow managed to live through the days of Billy Owens and Olden Polynice and God only knows how many other not-ready-for-prime-time Kings players, the straw that actually broke my back had to do with a little argument I had with my wife at the last Kings game I ever attended, and it went a little something like this:
"Are you hungry?" asked my wife, noting that it was close to 7 pm and neither one of us had eaten very much for dinner before we left for the game.
"Not really," I said, "but I am a little thirsty. And since we are in these fancy seats tonight (a friend had generously let us use his season tickets) instead of up in the nose bleed section like usual, I think I'll ask that waitress to get us something to drink the next time she strolls by."
"Good idea," said my wife, digging through her purse and handing me $5. "Get me a bottle of water, okay?"
"Are you kidding?" I asked. "A bottle of water can't possibly cost $5."
"I bet it does." And sure enough (including a little tip for the waitress), it did.
So, a little after halftime, long after my wife and I had finished our $5 bottles of water, we found ourselves thirsty again.
"I'll go and get us Cokes or something," I said, "although God only knows how much that will cost."
"But I just want water," insisted my wife.
"No way am I paying another $10 for two small bottles of water!"
"Would you stop being so cheap, Daryl. You didn't even have to pay for the seats tonight."
"I don't care, it's the principle of the thing. Here, give me your empty water bottle and I'll go fill it up at a water fountain."
"There are no water fountains in here, Daryl. They want you to buy beer and cokes and bottled water when you get thirsty. They wouldn't make any money if everyone was hanging out at drinking fountains."
"What?" demanded my wife, her face suddenly full of horror.
"Now I know for sure they've got bathrooms with sinks to wash your hands in this place, even if they don't have water fountains. I'll even let the faucet run for a good long time so the water is nice and cold."
"Daryl, there is no way in the world I'm going to drink Arco Arena men's restroom water!"
"But why not? I'm going to be getting it out of a sink, not a toilet."
With that, my wife was up and out of her seat and on her way to purchase her own ridiculously over-priced container of non-bathroom water.
"Okay, okay," I shouted after her, "then how about this? You can fill up the empty bottles with water from a sink in the women's bathroom?"
Copyright News-Ledger 2013
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