Fallout 3 Review - 31st Oct

Well, after the rampage with Crysis. I've moved on to Fallout 3 the game for the Post-Apocalyptic Experience and my, this one great experience. When the usual Role-Playing Game would provide you with some standard screen where you input your name, and distribute your attribute points accordingly, together with selecting the skills that you're proficient with, this game made this integral to the game, by playing your early years of life, even your appearance can be customized during these stages. This in my opinion is masterfully done and deserves an applaud for being different than the current mainstream. Well, this game is in fact relatively subjective in terms of game-play time, as it depends on your curiosity and speed.You may play it longer or even shorter than what I've done, but heck, let's move on to the main story first.

Living in a vault for 19 years, your in-game father suddenly left the vault and you're not sure why. (Sorry Mr., I've amnesia and I only remember 4 days of all these years:- My birth, 10 years old, 16 years old - GOAT test and today, when I'm 19 years old.) So, you decided to search for him outside the vault ( Can't I choose to stay in and not go outside?) And in the process, you find out all your father's projects such as the Project Purity, to bring clean water to the people of the Capital Wasteland and in fact, you're not even born in the vault. The ultimate objective here would be the Project itself and finding your father is one part of it. In between, you'll meet all sorts of people, ranging for common people to the Enclave. The story in this game is rather generic, saving the world, although this is not so important before you found your in-game father as it will be your main focus, halfway throughout the game. Although, the story seems rather odd and it is one of the main cons of the game. I believe Bethesda should have done a better job in this department.

Gameplay wise, I would say that, even it may seem a little repetitive after a while, but with the high number of weapons available for you to use, makes it variable even towards the end of the game. The graphical gore of limbs flying and heads bursting with eyes popping gives a minor sense of satisfaction when you shoot something. Due to the fact that you're able to play in real time or using the VATS, it plays like a first-person shooter and also like an RPG, which helps in prolonging the gameplay. But I would rather have the enemies to be a little more varying. So far, i fought: Cockroaches, Molerats, Bugfly, Deathclaws, Humans, Super Mutants, Enclave, Centaurs, Mutant Behemoths, Robobrain, Giant Ants and Protectron which sums up all the enemies I've encountered during my play through. I've played it through in 24 hours and would say that it is possible to play it up to at least 50 hours if you are willing to finish all quests and explore every inch of the Capital Wasteland but one annoyance would be that your level cap is only at 20 which makes it rather pointless to actually explore and do everything.

Graphics-wise, it is quite nice, considering that the developers were able to provide the atmosphere and mood to the post apocalyptic condition of the Wasteland. This in my opinion translate rather well from the previous versions of Fallout and I think, have done a better job in making the whole scenario more believable. In the previous installments of Fallouts, the wasteland is rather empty with barren lands while the Capital Wasteland is strewn with all sorts of structures and roads, and places to go. With the proper setting, the Capital Wasteland would definitely look realistic but with my computer specifications, I'd rather put all to low settings and surprisingly, it still looks great. The grim and half-destroyed buildings, even the obelisk in the distance is mesmeriizng.

Overall, I would say that this is a great game and very well made, but minus a couple of annoyance and this would be the perfect way of experiencing the post apocalyptic world that we may face in the future. And so, the score for the game would be:-

Story:- 4/10
Gameplay:- 8/10
Graphics:- 8/10
Overall:- 8/10

On9Ads.Com - 30th Oct

On9Ads.com

Before this, I've said before that my site will launch at around this time of the year, but yet it didn't. After almost 5 months of developing the site, I guess it's now 75% done. Although, at this stage, the site still looks a little primitive and does not have all the sleek graphics that modern websites used to have these days. And the thing is that the back-end system for the site is still not done, which means: the thing that we need to do now would be the testing and system back-end setup. Maybe at the meantime, I should be making up tutorials and step by step guide to making your websites with Dreamweaver? I wonder how many people would benefit from this? Up to this point, I've only made tutorials that cover word based procedures without actually showing the detailed steps. But anyways, back to my site, I guess the timeframe for earliest beta release would be at the end of this year perhaps? Perhaps...perhaps...

Tracing Dependents in MS Excel - 29th Oct

I'm not sure if this information is actually redundant and everybody else knows about this, but I'm putting it here so that Iwouldn't have to look when I need it later. It regards the dependency check for certain formulas or cells.

Scenario:- In MS Excel, you have a cell (A1) with formula say "=A2 + A3"
Then you have another cell (B1) with the formula "=A1 + B2"
Then you have another cell (B3) with the formula "=A4 + B4"
And many other cells with different / various formulas.
Suddenly you realise a few days later, you forgot what A1 stands for and which other formulas
actually refer to the values contained in cell (A1), therefore, you will need the dependancy check.

Solution:- All you have to do is:-
1> Select cell A1
2> Select "Tools" form Menu -> Formula Auditing
3> Click on Trace Dependants
4> That's it, you will have the dependencies highligted with arrows.
5> You can remove the arrows by clikcing on "Remove All Arrows" instead of "Trace Dependants"

Apocalypse: Second World War - 28th Oct

As the French evacuated Paris in June 1940, amateur filmmakers documented the exodus as thousands lined the roads with their families and most precious possessions. As the British sifted through the rubble, people grabbed cameras to capture what it meant to stand up to Hitler throughout the Blitz. And as the Nazi army slogged through the mud and snow of Soviet Russia on the way to Moscow, soldiers used 8mm cameras to film the hardships of the war as they experienced it. This was not the stock, newsreel or propaganda footage from World War II that authorities approved and audiences became accustomed to seeing. This was provocative and sometimes disturbing footage taken by those who witnessed the war first-hand. This was the footage deemed ‘unfit’ for civilians to see. At the end of the war, this and other “Top Secret” footage of the war’s destruction was stashed away and forgotten.

Thanks to the efforts of a few, private collectors and archivists, these forgotten films have been rediscovered, restored and made available by National Geographic Channel in an extraordinary six-part series: Apocalypse: The Second World War, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of World War II. In addition to stunning footage, the series presents WWII in an innovative and provocative way, giving audiences an unprecedented sense of the reality of war not conveyed by black and white footage.

Made up entirely of original 35mm, 16mm and 8mm films, Apocalypse: The Second World War includes rare footage of the Polish officers’ massacre at Katyn, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk, the inhumane treatment of French soldiers taken prisoner by the Nazis and the sacrifice of Soviet soldiers at Stalingrad. By bringing this incredible footage together, Apocalypse: The Second World War provides viewers with a ground-breaking portrait of WWII that depicts not only its complexity, but the perspectives of both its victims and its victors.

EPISODES 1:

THE AGGRESSION

Germany. 1939. When almost nothing seems to stand in his way, and with the USSR as his ally, Hitler invades Poland. Britain and France declare war while the U.S. maintains its neutrality. “The Phoney War” begins as millions of civilians wait to see if the conflict will resolve itself and Germany builds up its arsenal. The Aggression features fascinating, colourised footage of Hitler as he visits the Austrian village where he grew up (and the children still run barefoot), as well as footage shot by Eva Braun, his mistress, of the Führer relaxing at his Alpine chalet. Witness haunting images of the persecution of the Jews in the Lodz Ghetto in Poland, Stalin’s gulags for political prisoners, and the magnificent city of Strasbourg emptied of its residents. Watch heart-felt good-byes as French soldiers leave loved ones
at Gare de l’Est train station in Paris and civilians – young and old – as they prepare for air raids by donning gas masks. As Hitler continues his conquest of Europe, he invades Holland and Belgium and plans to make a surprise “sickle cut” through the dense Ardennes Forest, leaving the Allies with little chance of escape.

Download links:
Hotfile for All countries:
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944626/1b6f87a/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E1-gavn.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944627/a1a26e4/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E1-gavn.part2.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944629/bde4e6f/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E1-gavn.part3.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944628/f42a3f3/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E1-gavn.part4.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944708/1ace4f0/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E1-gavn.part5.rar.html

EPISODES 2:

THE CRUSHING DEFEAT

France. 1940. The Allied defensive lines are broken by Hitler’s daring sickle cut through the supposedly impenetrable Ardennes forest. British troops hastily evacuate from the beaches at Dunkirk, France, but are forced to abandon kilometres of precious military vehicles and equipment. The French army, once considered the best in the world, is in a shambles as almost two million soldiers are taken prisoner. Within a matter of days, the Germans march into Paris at daybreak. The Crushing Defeat includes colourised footage taken by Nazi soldiers on the beaches at Dunkirk as they gather around an old record player to celebrate their victory, as well as sound recordings taken by German Secret Service at the signing of the Franco-German Armistice. Heart-rending footage captures the plight of thousands of French civilians as they flee from the Nazis, as well as home movies taken by Londoners as they dig out from daily bombings, sleep in tube stations and carry on despite the death and destruction that surrounds them. In yet another daring gamble, Hitler now turns his attention to his Eastern campaign.

 Download links:

Hotfile for All countries:
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944712/bd5953a/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E2-gavn.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944744/cfcac22/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E2-gavn.part2.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944815/245d5bb/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E2-gavn.part3.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944848/0e3f723/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E2-gavn.part4.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944859/9a4a3ba/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E2-gavn.part5.rar.html

EPISODES 3:

SHOCK

Prague. Copenhagen. Paris. 1941. The Germans now occupy several capital cities in Europe. After the Germans defeat France, Nazi soldiers are sent to Paris for rest and recreation while Polish prisoners and Jews are forced into slave labour to complete Nazi building projects. The Italian army is in disarray so Hitler dispatches one of his best generals to Libya. The Afrika Korps fry eggs on the surfaces of their tanks amidst the blistering desert sands of North Africa. Shock includes vivid colourised footage of the battle for the Soviet Union as the Germans struggle toward Moscow in the brutal Russian winter. Russian civilians are forced to burn their homes and fields so as to leave nothing behind for the Germans to salvage. No longer able to wash or to change their clothes and suffering from dysentery and typhus, German troops are just 30 kilometres from Moscow, when they are finally pushed back by the Red Army. Moscow is saved – but the USSR has been ravaged. Two days after Hitler’s first, major defeat, Japan launches a surprise attack on the United States at Pearl Harbour and the war officially becomes a “World War.”

 Download links:

Hotfile for All countries:
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944862/9fbe724/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E3-gavn.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944885/33584e4/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E3-gavn.part2.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944929/43bf8f7/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E3-gavn.part3.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944933/be7e262/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E3-gavn.part4.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/11944969/c2de75f/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E3-gavn.part5.rar.html

EPISODES 4:

WORLD ABLAZE
Following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt declares war on Japan. The war becomes global.

 Download links:

Hotfile for All countries:
http://hotfile.com/dl/12005463/b834bd9/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E4-gavn.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12005324/a76d329/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E4-gavn.part2.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12006293/78ec717/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E4-gavn.part3.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12005326/ddda230/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E4-gavn.part4.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12005322/105c70e/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E4-gavn.part5.rar.html

EPISODES 5:

Great Landings
D-Day in Normandy and Saipan in the Pacific.

Download links:

Hotfile for All countries:
http://hotfile.com/dl/12001300/798a509/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E5-gavn.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12001368/c8cc57d/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E5-gavn.part2.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12001484/c40ea08/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E5-gavn.part3.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12001554/66e333a/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E5-gavn.part4.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12001561/58dc2d4/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E5-gavn.part5.rar.html

EPISODES 6:

INFERNO
Bombing of Germany; the Holocaust; V Day; the atomic bomb.

Download links:
Hotfile for All countries:
http://hotfile.com/dl/12000848/77956ed/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E6-gavn.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12000849/48fe1e2/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E6-gavn.part2.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12006563/829a242/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E6-gavn.part3.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12000851/0837715/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E6-gavn.part4.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/12001823/e5fd16f/Apocalypse-The_Second_World_War.2008.E6-gavn.part5.rar.html

Everyone Connects? - 27th Oct

Quite a while ago, the media was buzzed with the hype generated by "Everybody Connects" ( site HERE )with the submission of a CD containing a single track:- Through My Window. A visit to the site shows download links to their song and some interesting things to see, such as "Banner Concerts". Well, I would not say that the Everybody Connects is band, but heck the idea is quite intriguing. But the main point of it would be the song itself, entitled" Through My Window.

Although, I wouldn't say that it is a bad attempt, but I would say that the song is plain tad and not to my taste. In my opinion, it sounds somewhat like some typical Rock Band with no style of their own, the music wasn't catchy enough for me and for a person who listens to some Indie songs, I would say that it wouldn't be a chart topper but it may last for a couple of months due to the hype generated. They say that they're open to collaborations? I mean, so fast? They're not even famous. Well, I have to say, listening to song once reveals how the band would be like soon enough and I think, once will do. Unless they make up a really good song, this band is definiely not for me.

Indie Folk Songs - 26th Oct

After the introduction by my pal to the "indie folk" genre, I currently have an acquired taste for indie folk songs! Indie folk, as Wikipedia would define it ( HERE ):-  indie rock with heavy influences of 50s, 60s and early 70s folk music. While, in my definition, indie folk is more like some rock, with catchy tunes, and a small dash of mysticism into it where its more like those fantasy theme music. The band I started with was "Fleet Foxes", they have marvelous voices and harmonics. Among the recommended highlights includes:- White Winter Hynmal, Mykonos and Tiger Mountain Peasant Song.

Now that I've been introduced to it and think that its actually a great genre, I began searching online for more indie folk bands and Wikipedia already has two stated besides Fleet Foxes: Bon Iver and Beirut. After listening both, I decided to ditch Bon Iver as it sounds too 'lovey-dovey', soft, mellow and the catchiness of it is lacking. Instead, Beirut makes wonder from its songs. I've posted here one of my favorite songs from the band:-



The other band that I've also heard from somewhere, would be: Dead Man's Bones. Songs by this band is rather melancholy, but the mysticism is still there with some catchy tunes. Although this, the songs by this band are more dark-themed compared to the others and a major part of it is the somber death, but not all of it either. Here's one of my favorite songs by this band:-



Enjoy the songs!

10 billion dollars? - 22nd Oct

I've stumbled across a site which claims that you are able to make ten billion dollars with just some simple tasks HERE . All you have to do would be to do some marketing and in post links in Google to get money from Google. But, the thing is that, things that are too good to be true are often correct. Imagine, 10 billion dollars by just posting links? Even a 5-year old computer illeterate kid can be a billionaire with some minor trainings. Even if the sales page do not have all the bells and whistles, I would remidn people to read the Terms and Conditions or "Secret Dungeon of Demise" to look for some clues that this must be some scam.

Quote from the Make10 billion dollar sales page (Terms and Conditions):-

By submitting your credit card information, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions for all 21 Google kits listed on this page, as set forth: By sampling all of those products for shipping and handling charges of the various bizarre and random trial fees assigned to them you will be given a period of six days from the time you place the order to decide if you want to continue using the products. You will receive 21 usernames and passwords in your “Welcome” email at the time you complete your original transaction. This email will be sent to the email address provided at time of sign up, however we have programmatically designed the email to trip your spam filters so that it gets sent to your junk email box. Please ensure you view your “Junk” email folders to find your email with this important information as your filters may put it there. This will allow us to claim that we sent you immediately access the website and defeat any dispute claims you may be thinking of filing with your credit card company or bank. Please allow several days to receive your product. A good way to figure out when you'll receive the various products is to take the number of trial days allowed and multiply that number by 5. You can cancel at any time during the various trial periods by unsubscribing at all 21 websites with no further obligations. In fact, you can keep the trial product as our gift to you for trying these offers (and by “gift” we mean a CD-Rom loaded with malicious trojans). In the event you do not cancel within your alloted number of trial days, you will be automatically enrolled in our convenient home delivery plan and your credit card will be charged $2,972.34. Thereafter, 30 days from your initial order, you will be billed the monthly charge of $5,241.22 each month. Limit of twenty-one trial samples per household. If, at any time thereafter, you wish to cancel the convenient home delivery plans, you may unsubscribe at your local post office with no further obligations. Please take the time to read our complete Terms and Conditions below before continuing.

See all the extra charges involved after you give them your credit card number / information? It's in the small and hard to read Terms and Condition area which is also masked with a green background and white font (which is a pain to read). It's extremely longwinded, but it will definitely help keep your money in your pockets from these yokels who is thinking of prying them from you. And the best part would be that all these are not stated in the sales pitch, which is sort of leading you into the drain with telling you that you'll reach happiness walking over it when you will definitely fall into the drain. While you're in the drain, this guy happily hops on your head over the other side.

Way the go buddy. No wonder he claims that his method can help you make 10 billion dollars.
Yeah, it sure did for him with all the extra hidden charges that you can't blame him for.

I think I would be often posting a review of sales pages found online, whether in Bahasa Melayu or in English and telling readers the points that have them exposed as frauds. There are, I admit, real oppurtunities, but yet, better be skeptical than lose tonnes of money.

Oh, and before I forget, here's a total giveaway for the scam of the page, that made it fail:-
( It says:- (Auto-Insert Potential Victim’s City Here) )

Official Malaysia Day (16th Sept) - 20th Oct

It is finally official today that 16th Sept is a public holiday for the whole country! The states of Sabah and Sarawak has been arguing and fighting for this for a very long time and its finally official. The article can be found through the "The Star" Newspaper online site. Well, if you include the East Malaysia sentiment, of course this holiday is important but if you exclude it the sentiment, its another public holiday to add to the already abundant of public holidays in the country. I'm sure many people don't realise that foreigners actually consider our public holidays as a joke as we have way more holidays than they do, but yet they do not realize that it is vital to have all the public holidays due to variation of races in the country. It is important to show that the government did consider the culture of all races and religion.