Today's one of those days where their services would be of excellent use, because in case you don't know/remember/care, today is the official start of that summer campaign I told myself (and y'all) I'd get done.
And with the power of
*cue amazing orchestral sound as the "Current Music" section is read*
CURRENT MUSIC:
David Arkenstone - "Argent Coliseum 1", "Argent Coliseum 2" & "Argent Coliseum 3"
[World of Warcraft 3.2: Call of the Crusade]
While most of the excellent in-game music heard in World of Warcraft isn't available on the official soundtracks, that doesn't mean it's any less worthy to listen to for good ol' aural enjoyment - especially if you're not a WoW player.
I've always been one to herald video game music as some of the lesser-known musical delights of the world, and here I am sharing it with you - not just because it sounds awesome and epic (like this day will be known as) - but because it fits with the tone brought in today when the clock struck midnight and when I woke up this morning.
Digression aside, let me get to the music and the backstory. *clears throat*
In World of Warcraft lore, the divine Argent Crusade creates and hosts the Argent Tournament, a competition designed to find the best warriors and casters of Azeroth to fight Arthas the Lich King and his Scourge armies. As can be expected in a fantasy game, a good portion of this competition is held coliseum-style, where groups of players face multiple challenges in order to prepare themselves for the inevitable assault on Icecrown Citadel, the home of the Lich King. While performing these tasks, six tracks will play at random to help set the mood. All six of these pieces give you that "I'm a gladiator; let's slay some [insert species of your enemy here] ass!" kind of feeling, but half of them really stood out for me.
I found "Argent Coliseum 1" to be the perfect starter piece of the six. It threw me off when I first tried breaking it down years ago (patch 3.2: "Call of the Crusade" came out around the time I first started playing), but after listening to it enough times, it's rubbed off as a clever piece that announces impending combat with a heavy fanfare. (Not to mention it's got a 3/4 time signature - something I usually don't see with most video game music pieces...)
Despite that, "Argent Coliseum 2" is my personal favorite out of the six due to its versatility - not only is it great for gladiator introductions and pre-/post-combat conversations with the crowd and/or contestant(s), but it's perfect background music for fighting other champions on horseback, the Argent Crusade's own champions, devious agents of the Lich King, or just about any opponent in any challenge you're facing.
Of course, like in real life the jack-of-all-trades is usually outclassed by someone who is a legitimate expert in their field (assuming both entities are present), and that's where "Argent Coliseum 3" plays in. If you wanted pure tension and pressure, this track delivers it in spades. Quite handy for an arduous fight sequence - which, if you're not a good enough player, will be the entire instance or raid.
With all that said, I think the "Argent Coliseum" pieces are quite fitting for today (just look at the title) and what I now have ahead of me...
Harry Gregson-Williams - "Virtuous Mission"
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Original Soundtrack
Feels like a throwback to April's last entry when I post both this music track and the YouTube clip of the Virtuous Mission I want people to see it with.
Either way, it's almost poetic how this shows up again in my music playlist. I ended that month slowly formulating Operation: DREAM EATER... and now here it is, actually leaping out of
If you're watching the clip or listening to "Virtuous Mission" itself, consider the post-midnight insomniatic session (most of this was written before I went to sleep) as a metaphorical pre-jump phase.
When I wake up... *dramatically smirks* ...I'll be spreading my wings to fly.
Frank Klepacki - "Just Do It Up"
The Music of Command & Conquer
Seemed to me that the old-school Command & Conquer games were more badass than the new ones out there right now. No, it's not the gameplay or anything - but ever since Klepacki stopped being the primary music composer for the series, it's felt... not so fun.
Quite a fun piece to cruise along to. Whether you're casually cruising to work dressed like a (wannabe) badass or cutting through the desert in a rolling death machine, it's the perfect piece to turn the most unpleasant of drives into an awesome experience.
Don't believe me? Get this soundtrack somehow, pop it into your car via CD or MP3 player and "Just Do It Up." HAH! You see what I did there? Heh? Punny, right... right...? ...what, I don't even get a dry laugh?
=(
Keiki Kobayashi - "Glacial Skies"
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War Original Soundtrack
A drumroll into a timpani crash and low tremolo strings... followed by a crash of more strings fanfaring the start of something new? Oh, I love the sound of that in the morning.
I've been a fan of the Ace Combat series since my dad got me a copy of Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies. The music's really drawn me to the games - there's something about it all that just gives the combat a bit more drama and intensity than I usually see in the big Hollywood films they make these days.
Anyway, with today being what today is, I'll be flying up alone into "Glacial Skies" - and while it'll be chilly and lonely, I know that if I don't conquer those skies I won't have anyone flying with me. (Don't get the metaphor? I don't, either. It just sounded awesome.)
I can imagine me blaring this as I begin driving to work. Matter-of-fact... I think I just might do that. *nods firmly*
Koutarou Nakagawa - "The Master"
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 Original Soundtrack Volume 1
I mentioned before that another track from this album, "Beautiful Emperor," was excellent for a kind of dramatic entrance - "heroic dominance," I believe I said. While this is true, it doesn't seem to be appropriate when the character in question either has a streak of metaphorical blood tarnishing their reputation... or has violently usurped control of everything and wants to announce it to the world in style.
This track feels quite appropriate for today - after all, not only am I "bloodstained," but I'm highly confident in the impending victory. Just thinking about me makes me want to let off a domineering and evil-sounding laugh... and I've been told I can pull off quite an evil laugh.
Anyway, if you don't believe it's usable in a situation like mentioned above, just ask Lelouch vi Britannia what he has to say to that.
If you hear this playing from my end, either I'm still going power-crazy from the sudden surge of motivation hitting me now... or I've just claimed victory in a dramatic manner. Or I'm just wanting to let people know aurally that I'm currently maniacal. Or all three. *evil laugh*
Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori - "This Is the Hour"
Halo 3 Original Soundtrack
So far it looks as though today's playlist will primarily be composed of tracks possessing that "dramatic/explosive beginning/entrance" sound to it. When I woke up, it was indeed the hour I immediately set off to start "DREAM EATER" and get it underway.
Oh, and did I mention that the music from Halo 3 was just amazing?
Saliva - "Ladies and Gentlemen"
Blood Stained Love Story
I remember thinking when I first heard this back in high school: "Hey, this would be GREAT for a movie trailer or introductory theme of some kind." I was right, but some other bastards got to capitalize on the idea before I did. Made me sad.
Regardless, this is perfect for the scenarios listed above, plus a few more (pumping the crowd up and "nighttime driving," amongst others). I'd use it myself for my video blogs if I had the camera for it, but... it'd feel like I'm copying ideas (even though I'd be legally safe due to not making a profit or claim off of it...).
"Never act until you have clearly answered the question: 'What happens if I do nothing?'"
- Robert Brault
Well, aside from failing this pre-planned and carefully-calculated campaign of chaos (say that five times fast), I will probably end up in the same square I'm in now - and it's not a fun square to sit in at the moment. Trust me on this one.
"Let us be blessed with glory as we pass through the gates of Hell!"
- "OFNIR 1"
(Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War)
...I honestly don't think I need to explain this. I mean, it's a battle cry. Much like how people scream "Remember the Alamo!" or "Curahee!" or "All hail Britannia!"* or "For the
I mean, it'd better - it's more along the lines of "things one says in a last stand" than a battle cry, but those still get the job done.
* = If you supported the resistance efforts of the Black Knights, I think you'd prefer "Nippon banzai!" Or, if you stood by Lelouch until the very end: "All hail Lelouch!"
** = Yeah. I went there. I still proudly support the Alliance. NYAH.
"Spread your wings and fly! God be with you!"
- Major Zero
(Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)
Great advice for me, too. Today... TODAY... TODAY I will be
Good morning/day/afternoon/evening/night, fair ladies and gentlemen. No matter what time you read this, let it be known that today, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, is the day Operation: DREAM EATER has commenced! The campaign against the debauchery known as monotony, apathy and stagnancy starts NOW!
Quick recap to those of you who're either too lazy to re-read the backstory behind Operation: DREAM EATER or just don't know because you're new or haven't been here in a while:
Back in the middle of May, I woke up from a dream that seemed to hold meaning to a potential future - one of success, accomplished projects, accolades and lots of female company.
...okay, so there weren't lots of women flocking me with their presence. (I can dream.) However, the other three held true, and after deciphering its meaning and absent-mindedly working on small projects I thought I'd never do, I realized what it all meant - it meant that my mind was screaming "J'en ai marre!" (not the Alizée song, mind you) to my current life and that I had to do something dramatic and amazing with myself to earn this "reward" I'll be seeing soon.
So I ingested the dream and absorbed it into my mind, came up with a list of things I wanted done, and called it "Operation: DREAM EATER." (If you want the reason behind the name, it looks like you're going to have to read back on it. No getting it out of me today. =P)
The overall objective of "Operation: DREAM EATER": complete all 11 tasks by Friday, September 23, 2011 (the official end of the summer season).
As such, I've begun working on a good portion of the 11 tasks I've set out for myself.
For those of you wishing to keep score at home and don't really want to check another entry for the 11 tasks, here they are once more (in no specific order):
- find the "perfect" look for this blog
- get Gefallen (US-Tichondrius - Human Rogue) to Lv85 and figure out a workable Combat PvP spec
- get Chariselle (US-Ravenholdt - Blood Elf Paladin) geared for end-game PvE raiding
- finish the first 30 pages of a new screenplay
- work on and complete the next chapter of my Street Fighter fanfic Unincorporated
- begin and complete Radiant Historia (NDS)
- lose some weight / get more fit
- write a poem
- work out and organize the rough basics of an epic road trip I want to take next year
- clean my room and maintain its cleanliness
- complete at least 50% of a cosplay outfit of my choice
Let's take a look at some made-up-yet-entirely-true "statistics" here:
- Of the eleven tasks I'm set to finish: three involve video games (Gef, Chari, and Radiant Historia); three involve writing (screenplay, Unincorporated and poem); two are quite simple to accomplish, despite "possessing" an "easier said than done" look on them (blog looks and room cleaning); two involve physical aesthetics, fashion, and the concept of "looking good" (fitness and cosplay); one has no physical effect on the current timeline of 2011 (road trip 2012).
- Four of these tasks are completed by partially completing their tasks.
- The World of Warcraft-based objectives will most likely only be worked on when I have days off from work.
- One task will probably show no short-term results - it'll all be long-term (which is something I despise waiting for).
- One task allows me to look into the future. Three guesses as to which one, huh?
- One task will allow me to look cooler and enable me to pose for pictures for a certain convention I'll be going to in November. Details on that will be saved so they can be told to you, the general public, another day.
C'est magnifique, no?
As of right now, I've worked on several of these. Rather than repeat the list and explain what's been conducted or what hasn't been done, I'll just cite the objectives I've actively worked on today.
- begin and complete Radiant Historia (NDS)
I figured I'd have enough down-time during my lunch break at work to get myself started, and I know I sure will when I'm trying to sleep tonight. It's loaded on my 3DS and ready to play. Of course, there might be a problem with this challenge seeing as BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II comes out for the 3DS tomorrow...
- write a poem
I rifled through an old notebook of literary ideas I had years ago and found an incomplete entry that immediately grabbed my attention. I don't know what it was that drew me to it... it was hauntingly beautiful (at least by my standards), and it begged me to complete it. I chose it, and now I know what I'll be working on when my poetic muse wants a turn at the wheel.
- complete at least 50% of a cosplay outfit of my choice
I know what I want to create. Details will show up the same day I post about Pacific Media Expo 2011.
(P.S.: Amazing discovery: leftover Five Guys burger + submarine sandwich dressing = WIN. Just thought I'd share that with y'all. *noms*)
(P.P.S.: I told you I keep my promises. Didn't I say that today's entry would be prime quality?)
If you look at Matthias's primary spec I've already done the hard work for you. ;)
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