Cardboard Models

They are not new. Far from it.
People have been making cardboard model buildings since the 17th century. Now the models encompass everything from aircraft to sneakers or motorcycles.

I first discovered them in the late 1980s during a trip to the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.

For $9.99 I bought a postcard sized package that had fifteen 3x5  sheets of cardboard with Buckingham Castle (including Big Ben + Parliament) printed on one side in color/colour.

An Exacto knife, a ruler and some Elmer's and a piece of wood with which to mount the model.
That is all that is needed in most cases.

If you are really meticulous you will also need toothpicks for cleaning joints and also to act as gussets in strategic corners.

And then it is nothing more than cutting and folding and gluing. The folding being the most exacting part of the process. Sharp corners are not always easy to achieve with cardboard, thus the need for the straight edge.

Modeling is an exercise in patience for the most part. You are alone with your thoughts. They do tend to be about the model under construction.
I like to play some mood music or have a theme movie playing.
I always found modeling to be very therapeutic.

These types of models are very popular in Europe. Poland, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom seem to produce the most in terms of numbers as well as complexity.

Found on eBay for $15 with shipping.

The German Battleship Scharnhorst along with an accompanying tanker, the Olschiff.
Do not expect a perfect package. Many times the pages have been printed in a haphazard way leading you to think half of the instructions are missing et cetera.

Give yourself a good few minutes to 'catalog' exactly what you have in your hands.
(Ah, the first half of the illustrations are in the back of the book while the second half are at the front)

What led me to looking for these models again, I am not sure. Maybe I need some therapy.

You Can Optimize Your Rig, Can't You?

Back in the day, (I really dislike the expression) everyone who played games on a PC knew how to optimize it to within a nanosecond of it's life.
Today you are lucky if players know what is under their hood.

nVidia and AMD/ATI have all but neutered tweaking gamers.
nVidia wants to load a streaming service - and players wanna know why the game they are playing is lagging?

Or they use WiFi as a connection and wonder - "What is packet loss?"

Okay, here are some basics.

First rule is to minimize what is running in the background.
One of the best ways to learn about programs running on your computer is to go to Black Viper's site.

He teaches you to run services.msc.
Open the run window - windows key + R
Type services.msc

What you'll see is a list of ALL the programs that launch on your computer.
Some are .indispensable. He'll let you know.
Some are superfluous garbage, he'll let you know that too.

Some Anti-virus suite have a "game mode" to limit the interference while you're online gaming. Cheaper AV flags any change to an executable as a virus so every update to your favorite game causes your AV to quarantine or delete you game.

Then there is your router.
Have you enabled UPnP?
Many times a game wants to use specific ports UDP or TCP.

Each aspect of you PC is worth examination.

When was the last time you opened the case and cleaned the dust from your CPU heatsink fins? Your GPR heatsink?

Does your power supply allow for a good deal more wattage than you normally consume? Or are you running at the limit?

There are some great programs to monitor your hardware.
HWiNFO64 will show you everything you need to know about your hardware and it's performance after running a game.

If you have any general questions about tweaking your rig, ask away.

Cogmind - Roguelike My Ass, This Is Rogue Only Better

This is one amazing piece of code.

Rogue was a game that used ASCII characters as avatars for you (@) and your environment.

This is what Rogue looked like in 1980 on a Trash 80.

What defined the game was "permadeath." Die and the game was over, there was no save to restore and continue from.
You had to begin all over again.
Explore, find loot, kill monsters and then find the stairs to the next level. That was the entire game.

Later, Avalon Hill made another version dubbed, "Telengard."
It expanded the initial game in a few ways, many of them graphic. That is, if you had a Commodore or Apple II.
On a Trash-80, this is what you got.

More character information. Now you could roll dice to your hearts content to get that perfect character. And you could play as a Rogue, Fighter, Mage etc.

The trouble was you got invested in your character, much like D&D but the game...not so much. You could roll for a half an hour to get what you wanted in stats and then die on level two. How many times you'd do this, a measure of your masochism?

Well in Cogmind you are a bot that grows (levels, evolves) by finding and attaching various parts and subsystems.
Yes, there is permadeath. Yes, you can play using ASCII characters or tiles, your choice.
So they can call it Roguelike but I'd call it Rogue's successor.

On  the Cogmind screen you will find windows with all the information you need. What you have installed and it's condition. Your major systems (and their health), your logs, scans and inventory.
A Unix like environment.

There are many other types of bots to be found; scavengers, serfs, pests, mercenaries et cetera.
Some are innocuous, although destroying them can leave you with some loot. Some are enlarging the map - watch they don't wall you off.

The game play is familiar. Sneak or shoot but you are trying to find the stairs to the next level.
Sometimes you will "evolve" upon completing a floor; you gain extra slots to distribute.
"Do I place the slot in 'Power?' Or do I put it into 'Weapons?'"
That is about the extent of the RPG elements.

But again, I am more invested in the game - I want out, rather than being invested in a particular build I crafted.
It's $20 on Steam. And well worth your time.

Flight Simulations

In 1981 I bought a cassette from a firm named Sublogic, it was called Flight Simulator.

It was crude but it began me down a road that has lasted 36 years. Through one iteration to the next I followed.

Recently I restarted my pursuit of a private pilot's license. While talking with my instructor the topic of sims came up.

"If you don't already have one I suggest you start using P3D or FSX to hone your skills. Specifically using  the A2A Cessna 171 or 182. I prefer the 182."

Flight Simulator X (ten) was the last iteration of Sublogic's code before the whole kit & caboodle was sold to DoveTail Games.

A2A Simulations has been on my radar since their very excellent stab at the Battle of Britain,  Then known as Shockwave they produced in 2005 a sim with both depth in strategic gameplay and they also began acute modeling of aircraft. Down to minutiae such as the affect of recoil from eight machine guns on an aircraft flying at 350 mph.

Over the years they abandoned full fledged games to produce addon aircraft for the popular simulations.
It naturally began as modeling WWII aircraft.
What brought them to the General Aviation community is anybody's guess.

Once they had decided to pursue the GA market they went for it with the same sense of fidelity that had been an obsession in their WWII aircraft.

The culmination of this experience became the Cessna 182. An "upgraded" version of the ubiquitous Cessna 172, this thing is modeled down to the rivets.

If you run the mixture rich you will foul the plugs. There are consequences to operation of the aircraft. Parts wears and fail if not maintained.

Where many aftermarket aircraft tend to ride on rails, Carenado & A2A being notable exceptions feel like real aircraft reacting to the winds  and environments you encounter.

Furthering that bent is Accu-Sim (AccuFeel V2.0 is the solo addon) technology. A2A has modeled wind tunnel and ground data so the aircraft reacts to the simulation as it would in the real world.

You feel the bumps in the taxiways and runways. If you land at an angle you will hear the individual tires land and perhaps bounce. Each flight is different, no two takeoffs or landings are the same. THAT is what a sim is supposed to do.

And it is done with meticulous care and attention. At any time you can inquire as to the condition of your aircraft - whatever maintenance needed is outlined and available for you to initiate.

And then A2A gives you choices - turn the whole shebang off and fly blissfully unaware. Do you want wheel covers? Different spark plugs? How about a two blade prop? All there for you to choose.

This has added to my education in many ways.
I picked up pointers from the sims walk around inspection that directly translated in real life.
I look forward to much more of this.

G'day

Alfrex 1/6 Scale (12") Action Figures

G.I. Joe sized dolls.

In 1959(?) I needed a doll, mom bought me that very first Barbie. I recall being fascinated with the miniature aspect but a zebra striped bathing suit glasses and high heels were only going to keep me occupied for so long.

When G.I. Joe was released. I HAD TO HAVE ONE.
Didn't every red blooded ten year old who played "army" every night until mom called out it was "time?"

And I wanted the pilot or the scuba diver or even the dress Marine in his blues, but not the generic Army or Navy version.
(I got the generic Naval one - grrr)

When the Far East bug bit I soon found a manufacturer called Alfrex that made of all things, one sixth scale samurai action figures.
Yojimbo - the worst Mifune head sculpt - bar none.
Zatoichi - one of the best head sculpts ever.

The list goes one for quite a ways. Many lines were envisioned but the company failed and all we were left with were the completed runs. Most had been limited to 2,500 pieces.

Incredibly detailed. Zatoichi comes with the traditional straw sandals and if you wish to use them you will have to learn how to wrap and then tie them. They are made from straw. These are not slip on, plastic Barbie shoes. Same thing with the loincloth, kimono shirt, gloves, leg warmers, and cloak.

Okay, the included rice balls are plastic, but okay no issue with that. Or the plastic tobacco pouch, although the holder for the pouch requires affixing and tying.
The sword blade, hidden in his cane is metal. And on the experience goes on & on. They spared little time and expense to make these dolls.
In the early 1990s when the were released they were sold for $150 each.
Now on eBay they go from $140 for Yojimbo to over $1,100 for the Seven Samurai boxed set.

The horrific Yojimbo (above)

The actor for comparison

The sublime Zatoichi (below)

The actor for comparison.

Overly articulated, beside the twenty to so movement points a regular 12 inch action figure would have, these have several for each limb. There is no pose you cannot achieve, literally.

eBay and vendors overseas are the last place they still live.

Zato No-Ichi

About ten years before Kung Fu and David Carredine captured our mystic Eastern hearts there was Zatoichi.

Ich-san was a masseuse and he was blind. He was a minor gangster and a heavy gambler.
And Ich-san was a samurai. Inside his innocuous walking stick was a deadly sword.

At least a full ten years before we watched as Master Po asked,
"Do you hear the grasshopper at your feet?" Ichi was hearing everything that went on about him in exquisite detail.

He knew just where the opponents were standing and with five deftly placed "swishes" of his backwards held blade he would dispatch another five opponents.
He would hear when an unscrupulous dealer in dice switched cubes and invariably knew where the originals had been secreted.
He'd flash his sword, a sake bottle would fall in two and there were the original dice. Or in a bodice, hair, or kimono.
He could throw a coin into a sake bottle across the room. Or hit a moving target with a bow & arrow. Things a sighted person might have trouble achieving.

He took to children and women loved him. But...he was a loner. Always drifting from town to town.
Unlike Kung Fu there was no one underlying reason given for his wandering.
Even the opening of the 1960s television show was copied by Kung Fu - a sunrise over an nondescript landscape.

The writing was very thin.
Defending the lowly peasants from Yakuza (gangsters) or corrupt officials.
Ichi found a way to come between a boss and his money and make the down trodden smile with hope.

As I binged through the movies and then the television show I saw that several of the plot lines were repeated. None too far apart either.

A woman takes his place in a palaquin and is killed. Now he must deliver the child to what will turn out to be an unworthy father. The first time he must change the babies diapers the kids pees on his face and the line, "Oh, you must be a boy." is uttered.

Taken in context; after WWII Japanese culture was suppressed by calling it "Imperial Propaganda". Samurai movies were not available but John Ford Westerns still were and had been since about 1915.
As the 1950s dawned the local culture was being restored.

The mix of Western attitude with Eastern culture was a success and led to an entire body of work that spawned into what we call "Spaghetti Westerns," and eventually Star Wars.
(Tell me you never looked at Darth Vader and thought, "Hmmm?" And the Jedi use what? Swords? And Jedi is really a bastardization of "Jidai Geki" or Costume Drama)
The 13 Saumrai is the basis for The Magnificent Seven. It is almost identical, down to the final line of "The farmers are the winners."

Although every once in a while they throw you a curve and adapt a western classic. id est The Hidden Fortress is Macbeth.

Having a goofy blind man offering hope to the people of Japan seems natural in retrospect. Having him do the same for us seventy years later is remarkable.

Way Of The Samurai 4...3

Ever wanted to be a samurai? A gifted swordsman? Speak Japanese fluently?

Both Way of the Samurai 4 (which was released prior to 3) and Way of the Samurai 3 - The Prequel allow for you to explore life & death in 19th Century Japan.

There are factions at odds with each other. In WotS3 some are foreign nations wishing to open Japan to the rest of the world. While the others are those who would also open the country and those who oppose it.

Sandbox sort of games that allow you to explore a small map of a fictional town.
You play a samurai with no lord. Ronin.
The decisions you make will make or break alliances and drive the story forward.

Short game but one in which you are expected to replay to see the alternate outcomes.

There are touches in both games that make for fun and immersive and there are times when you wished they had kept this mechanic or that from the earlier game.
For instance; in WotS3 all the characters, even the British speak Japanese by default with subtitles included.
In WotS4 they have all learned to speak English, although when wandering you'll hear Japanese chatter from the NPCs wandering about. And yes, you can change it back but good luck finding it - the UI is awful)
I found the Japanese language only a better mood setting tool.

In 4 there are more customization choices. Clothes, your katana et cetera.

Fight sequences are easy. This is not a fighting game. It is an RPG with fighting included. The moves get easier in 4 than they are in WotS3. You will feel like "Kiddo" in Kill Bill with little or no work. You will not be practicing moves or trying to improve your technique.
It is still most satisfying when you battle three enemies and emerge triumphant and unbloodied.

Both are enjoyable. Although I would suggest to wait for Steam sales before purchasing though.
Way of the Samurai 3 is $19.99 on steam at full price and 4 goes for $24.99.

Munetoshi Water Dragon Differentially Hardened 1060 Samurai Katana Sword

I do not like Samurai Jack.

But I do love Toshiro Mifune.
Seven Samurai is sublime.

• -Overall Length: 39.125 "
• -Nagasa Length: 27 "
• -Tsuka Length: 10.75 "
• -Balance Point: 5.25"
• -Weight W/O Saya: 2.1 lbs
• -Lamination: Mono Steel
• -Blade: Very Sharp
• -Blade Material: Differentially Hardened 1060
• -Fittings: Iron
• -Tsuka Material: Cotton
• -HRC: 53 Degrees
• -Accessories: Sword Bag
• -Condition: Brand New
• -Sword Name: Water Dragon
• -Manufacturer: Munetoshi

1060 spring steel is hard enough to keep an edge after light to medium cutting.There is no blood groove - bo-hi. And yet the weight is 2.1 lbs. Balance is 5.25 inches.
(Although the certificate is questionable to say the least -  The Chinese characters underneath "Serial Number" are the words 'Serial Number' - spec sheet says HRC 53 and Certificate says 55)

What was a pleasant surprise was the quality...fit & finish were more than twice a sword that retails for half the price. (Ponder that for a minute)
The fittings upon delivery were tight. The blade was lightly oiled and covered in cling wrap.

A cheap sword may not fit well into the scabbard/saya. The $50 example was jammed into the saya and took a flat lever to pry it loose. The cutout at the opening is too small for the Habaki (the brass piece mating the steel blade and the Tsuba/guard/Quillions and where it meets the scabbard).
Too tight or too loose. Once you jam it into place it is hard to draw. Not the epitome of cool when confronted with an armed enemy.

On the other hand this low priced ($100) piece fit extremely well. It drew with little effort even with the cling wrap affixed.

Mifune was to me, Japans' John Wayne - the personification of the nation. The fact that both actors focused upon the past is not trivial. Whether it was a desire to revisit an earlier time or a fascination with history we can only guess. (Maybe it was just a good paycheck...crass greed?)
Mifune was as versatile as Wayne was wooden. He was larger than life in a Rocky Balboa sort of way. His characters could defeat an army of enemies single handed without the special effects of the Matrix.

And then he would refer to them as, "Nice guys, cute and not capable of hurting a fly." 

The katana was the soul of the samurai.

Okay, for $100 you can buy some soul.
A real mid aire hamon (Line caused by differential heating)
The blade may have a slight curve to the right. I have not laid the blade upon a surface plate.

There are a couple of slight imperfections. The Meguki (bamboo pins) that hold the handle on the tang arrived with the surface of the pins cracked on the side the hammer made contact. They're also not symmetrically pushed though to be even.

The spacing of the Menuki (ornaments that provide the finger holds) are larger than perfect. The way your hand seeks the handle is not natural as could be. You must re-grip the handle to feel comfortable.

The edge is extremely sharp. I have not tested it, so cannot comment on edge retention.
I do, however have confidence in 1060 spring steel. It should hold an edge and not roll under medium use. 

Two lessons - 1045 versus 1060 is a no contest. Go 1060 every chance.
Mifune is greater than Wayne in that he didn't resort to jingoistic rhetoric to make his point. But rather the raw courage and prowess that Wayne pretended to possess.