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Psalm Of Fire · Unread postby **Psalm Of Fire** » May 2nd, 2011, 7:29 pm

Top ten lists are the love of lazy internet readers everywhere. Ahem, I mean... love of purists everywhere!

We should have a top ten list thread. This is the kind of thing new members can easily read and appreciate, or even participate in.

Lists of what? Who cares!

Psalm of Fire's Top 10 Favorite Websites!

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10: ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com
Just eeking in here on the bottom of the list, but worthy none-the-less, is that guy with the glasses. I mostly enjoy Nostalgia Critic, and the Old vs News. He's insightful, entertaining, and inspired me to make this thread (forgive me for not being the top 11). And I've watched so much of him I can read any text in his Nostalgia Critic voice. Even this as I'm writing it.

Now were's a pistol, I need to shoot something...

9: TED.com
TED conferences are places that the world's top scientific, sociological, environmental, educational minds and more get together to tell us awesome stuff. If ever you need to regain a bit of hope for the direction of things, go watch some videos under the "inspirational" or "ingenious" label.

I get to learn where the edge of the scientific frontier is being pushed (such as the first printed DNA successfully placed in a bacteria last year) or the trends of reducing reproduction rate as westernization/modernization sets root in a country. And as a result, how the worlds population looks like it will stabalize rather than over-populate if certain conditions are met (female education and low infant mortality rate being the biggest). Or how you can shoot female mosquitos (and just female mosquitos) out of the sky with lasers using a re-wired PS3s and some wing-beat-measuring algorithms.

Most videos are short. Many are awesome. Like Bill Gate's presentation on spent-uranium reactors he's trying to get running, using the radioactive waste of enriched uranium reactors as the fuel for the next generation of nuclear power plants. If this kind of stuff tickles your fancy, check it out.

8: ViridianDreams.net/forum
Hey guys! I met L10 here, the editor for the fan fiction I'm pouring a ton of work into. And he's poured a ton of work into providing feedback, too. When I traveled around the US with my brother (delivering horses for my parents' breeding farm) we decided to stop in and see him. My brother dropped me off, we ate some sweet Chicago Pizza, and hung out for three days before I flew to Texas for the holidays. (Yes, that means we're friends IRL :P).

I loved the insight, the imagination, and the cool fan fictions the community cranked out.

Then so many threads seemed to devolve into Kishi bashing and both L10 and I ran for the hills.

Then, things changed. It wasn't like stepping into a rancid pool of whine. To be fair, there were still good posts during that period -- but for me, it felt too much like mucking through elephant poo to find the dollar bills it ate. With things changed, I'm BAAAAACK. And it's good to be back. <3s to yee all!

7: NewGrounds.com/audio/
I don't look into the rest of the site much, but I do love the audio portal. Especially for Dubstep (Which I've confirmed almost no one here likes aside from me -- well, there's no accounting for taste ;}. )

Still, it covers a many genres, and it's cool to see the stuff people can make in their free time. So much of it sounds pro! If you're bored and feel like bobbing your head a bit (or rocking, or zen-ing, whatever), check it out. They have a really healthy metal sections.

6: TVTropes.org

We must not talk too much about this. It will suck us in and we will never get anywhere

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5: TeamLiquid.net

As a pretty avid StarCraft II player, this place is invaluable. There are entire theses on various strategies and couter-strategies and rushes and turtle strats and exploits and mouse accuracy trainers and multitask training methods... And of course, the one-stop-shop for pro player streams. That's the real money, right there.

If you like SCII, go there.

4: KhanAcademy.com
Learned of them thanks to TED.com. Kahn Academy: Revolutionizing education since 2009 -- for free! But no, seriously, if you want to see what I hope is the future of education, go here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_le ... ation.html

3: Youtube.com
Duh! From AMVs to music to people like FreddyW (everyone will appreciate this: Flower Warfare). The place is pretty sweet. And beyond huge. Of course, you should know this already.

2: Pandora.com
Wow is this site awesome. You know the saying "my life should have a soundtrack"? Pandora lets you get close to that. Free, legal music with a clever player. Just don't go to it to hear a specific song, that's what youtube is for.

Unlike a place like Grooveshark, Pandora does the song selection on its own based on the "Music Genome Project". And it really works. I love the idea behind the service, and I love the service.

1: docs.google.com
Where do I even begin?

-Every letter you type is saved. Never lose your work again.
-Because it's all on the web, you can access your work from any computer. Never shuffle files through email or over a network again.
-It supports upload of almost any format.
-Google Doc's home page makes file organization a breeze. Between the previewer, using a collection system instead of folders, and the powerful search, it's just better than on-your-computer file mangement.
-Simultaneousness editing. This is where Google docs really shines: two users or more can work on the same document together. The other guy's curser appears as a color, and each editor gets their own. Each keypress they perform is updated in real-time, and you can see their selections and everything.
-Revision History. From the creation of the document every version is saved, and there's a "compare versions" feature that makes seeing the changes you coeditor did, or you yourself did, very easy.
-Sharing options. You can share with anyone, share with people who get a specific link, allow the to view or view & edit, or allow specific google accounts to coedit.

All in all it's a wonderful platform, and the holder of all my story notes.

And for you to make your own top ten, a convenient sample:

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Psalm Of Fire · Unread postby **Psalm Of Fire** » May 5th, 2011, 6:19 pm

What, no love?

Fine, I'll do another, top 10 appropriate smilyfaces for this thread's reception:

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*snicker*, jk, jk

AshBellringer · Unread postby **AshBellringer** » May 5th, 2011, 7:55 pm

You want a top ten list? Fine.
I got your top ten list right here.
THE TOP TEN BEST VIDEO GAMES

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Psalm Of Fire · Unread postby **Psalm Of Fire** » May 5th, 2011, 8:25 pm

Ha ha ha, yeah, Golden Eye. I remember those days. It was "The Shooter" to play. Do you remember Red Faction? It was like the transition from Golden Eye to Halo, at least in my circle of friends.

Also:

doc.exe · Unread postby **doc.exe** » May 5th, 2011, 9:19 pm

Well, I find the thread interesting. But I don't really have time to write a top ten right now (that may be what deters more posting). Maybe I'll do it latter.

Psalm Of Fire · Unread postby **Psalm Of Fire** » May 5th, 2011, 9:35 pm

Would top-five make a better format?

Wittgen · Unread postby **Wittgen** » May 5th, 2011, 11:33 pm

I had to come up with a top 10 movies list recently. Might as well flesh it out a little and post it here. If it'll keep Psalm from weeping, well, then it's for a good cause.

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10: Paprika
The last movie of made by the late Satoshi Kon, this is a trippy anime about a technology which allows for travelling into dreams. It's supposed to be used for therapy, but someone less than scrupulous has gotten their hands on it. Hijinks ensue. As with most Satoshi Kon films, the symbolism gets gratuitously heavy as the movie wears on, but it hardly matters. The animation is stunning, the direction is slick, and the soundtrack is probably my favorite movie soundtrack of all time. I would definitely rate it as a must see for any anime fan.

9: In Bruges
This is the story of a couple of hitmen laying low in the beautiful old town of Bruges after a botched job. I kind of expect Colin Ferrel to be a worthless, pretty piece of shit in any movie he's in. Not so here. All the acting is great. The pacing is glorious. The story, its imagery and its characters have really stayed with me even though I've only seen it once.

8: Brazil
The story of a quest to fix a simple bureaucratic error, this is also a more harrowing descent into despair and doom than, say, Evangelion. Put more simply, this is the funniest, most terrifying dystopia I have ever encountered. It's glorious, but I would warn that it is not an easy view. There is always a lot of stuff going on, and the movie doesn't bother with any hand holding. It can be hard to keep track of what's going on, who's who, or why the world is the way it is. But it's worth it.

7: The Matrix
We've all seen the Matrix. It's a ridiculous movie, of course. Keaneau Reeves is Jesus. But he's kung fu Jesus, and it's awesome. I've seen this movie and the fight scenes in it many times, but they're still exhilarating.

6: Little Miss Sunshine
An extremely dysfunctional family goes on a road trip so a little girl can participate in a beauty pageant. It's sad and poignant and very, very funny. The interactions between the members of the family really make sense. The direction is also really good. One shot probably has my favorite mise-en-scene ever.

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Psalm Of Fire · Unread postby **Psalm Of Fire** » May 7th, 2011, 12:57 pm

I should see Brazil, I guess. A lot of people recommend it. That, and you're #2 look interesting.

doc.exe · Unread postby **doc.exe** » May 16th, 2011, 3:01 am

Would top-five make a better format?

Mmmm.... I think the number of entries is OK. If you try to write with some detail it may take some time to finish one (it took me a week but I have this bad habit of writing too much

). Nevertheless, five might be too little for some people and 20 or more would be too much.

Anyway, recently there was this flood of rumors regarding the new Nintendo home console. One that particularly caught my attention was the one stating that it will have a similar look to the SNES.

Given that I'm really nostalgic when it comes to gaming, I decided then to write a Top Ten list with my favorite games from the 16-bit system. I focused on three criteria: Actual quality of the games, impact and importance when they came out and just how much fun I had when I played them.

Now, as I said, 20 or more entries would be too much, but I think I can give some honorable mentions to some great games that didn't entered my list: Battletoads & Double Dragon, Pilotwings, Gradius III, Mortal Kombat 2, Killer Instinct, Cybernator, Demon's Crest, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, Earthworm Jim, TMNT IV: Turtles in Time, Contra III: The Alien Wars, Super Street Fighter II, F-Zero, Final Fantasy II (actually the IV, but who cares).

And now to the actual Top Ten:

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10: Earthbound

At first I was not really sure if I should include this game on the list given that I didn't really play it at the time the SNES was at its peak. Nevertheless its level of quality convinced me (not to mention it made me lament that I didn't play it when it came out). While the graphics and the gameplay are not spectacular compared to other RPG's of the era, the setting (a caricaturized version of the modern world rather than the standar fantasy realm), the storyline (which starts rather lighthearted and humorous but gets increasingly creepy as the game progresses, to the point that the final battle wouldn't feel out of place in the Chulthu mythos), its quirky characters (all of them very charming) and its particular sense of humor ("ZOOM!") make it really stand out. It's simply put one of the more enjoyable games I have ever played.

9: Super Mario RPG

This game it's notable for being the last colaboration between Nintendo and Square until the Gamecube era, as well as the first time the tittle character appeared on a RPG. Its prerendered graphics are some of the best that the SNES produced, with great art direction that mixes the styles from both companies. The gameplay was quite simple compared to other RPG's, but presented a rather seamless mix between genres: Traditional JRPG mechanics combined with platforming elements. It also pioneered the use of Action Commands during battles, making them more dynamic. The storyline was not that complex but it was quite interesting as it subverted the standard formula of Mario games: For the first time in the franchise the damsel in distress and the archenemy joined forces with the hero to combat a rather powerful villain, and things got epic towards the end of the game. The characters (both enemies and allies) were quite charismatic, and some of the situations, while silly, were hilarious. Finally, the music was awesome.

8: Donkey Kong Country

Outside of any Mario related platformer, I think this was probably the most important game of that genre for the SNES. While they don't look that impressive today, at the time of its launch its pre-rendered graphics marveled everyone and helped to keep the SNES relevant even as the 32-bit hardware generation emerged. It also modernized the image of one of gaming's legendary icons, made Rare a household name for Nintendo, and was just plain fun. The gameplay was solid, the variety of levels was excellent, there were a lot of secret bonus to discover and the challenge increased quite nicely as you progressed. The music and enviromental sound were great, helping to create a particular atmosphere for every area of the game. And while the sequels improved on certain elements of the gameplay, I think they increasingly lost the charm of the first one with every subsequent installment. Indeed, it's quite sad that it took more than 15 years for this series to really get a sequel worthy of the original.

7: Super Castlevania IV

IIRC, this one was the first game of the franchise that I played. While it was one of the earlier games that were launched for the SNES, it was a technical marvel in all respects. Very few games that appeared later managed to make use of the system's Mode 7 in the same amazing and clever ways this game did (just play level 4 and tell me it's not awesome). Not only that but it was full of great graphical details (just the animation of the whip was amazing), which coupled with the incredible music and excellent sound design gave it both an epic and sinister feel. The game design did have a few issues: The placement of certain enemies and traps was rather sadistic, the Cross was the only sub-weapon worth of using, and the mobility of the character was just awful (though that part was balanced with the offensive and defensive capabilities of the whip). Despite this, the game was always challenging and fun rather than frustrating. I may say that, with the possible exception of Rondo of Blood, this was the best game of the series prior to the Symphony of the Night era.

6: Star Fox

Polygonal graphics in a home console! Yes, it may not sound impressive nowadays but in 1993 it was astonishing. The game itself was great too. While gameplay-wise it was not that different from other on-rail shooters, it had its own personality and introduced charismatic characters and an interesting setting that was later expanded in the sequels. Each level had its own distinctive feeling and the obstacles and enemies were not only diverse enough, some of them took advantage of the polygonal graphics in creative ways. Some of the boss battles were impressive (the final boss in particular is still a treat to the eyes). The controls were responsive, and the music was excellent. It was also hard as hell, demanding good reflexes and quick thinking (indeed, I don't remember ever finishing it by going on Route 3). The graphics may look archaic by today standards and the N64 version might be the peak of the series (and with good reason), but the original set the foundations and still has its charm.

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5: Final Fantasy III (aka Final Fantasy VI)

If I had to list one single reason why I consider Final Fantasy VII to be overrated, that reason would be this game. Simply put, everything that VII did in terms of gameplay and story, VI did it first and better. Let's see: A deep and complex storyline that poses some interesting philosophical questions (and yet never gets confusing)? Check. A big cast of charismatic characters (probably the biggest in the franchise), almost all of them with their own trials and tribulations to overcome? Check. A sympathetic main character with a mysterious past, suffering a serious existential crisis that nevertheless manages to find her purpose in life? Check. A powerful and horrifying villain that manages to inspire fear and repulsion in the same amount that he inspires amusement, and that you just love to hate? Check. A rather linear first half that leads to an open ended second half where you can do pretty much whatever you want? Check. A really flexible magic system that allowed you to customize your party in any way you liked (and that combined with the individual skills of every character lead to interesting battles)? Check. All of that combined with some of the best side quests in the series, memorable sequences, great music and graphics that, even more than a decade later, still look as charming as ever. To put it simple, to me this game is the absolute peak of the series and (while IX got really close) no other game has dethroned it yet.

4: Megaman X 1-3

OK, ok. I know I'm cheating by putting the entire SNES trilogy in a single spot, but it was rather difficult to only choose one of these games. While every game in the trilogy has it's pros and cons (the 1st had the best story, the 2nd the best gameplay, the 3rd was in the middle), all of them are excellent and any person that loves old school action platformers should play them. They took everything that made the original series so good and beloved in the NES era and, rather than just improving upon it, they reinvented it. The new gameplay mechanics like the wall kicking or the armor parts increased the scope, with bigger levels that rewarded exploration and experimentation. Enemies and obstacles required you to master the new mechanics, making the action and pace of the game more dynamic. Not to mention you really felt how your character became stronger with every new upgrade that you found, yet the game always remained challenging. The story and setting also became darker and grittier, with characters (both heroes and villains) that were more complex but not less charismatic than their 8-bit counterparts: X was a reluctant warrior that nevertheless felt it was his duty to stop the carnage, while Sigma was a savior for his followers rather than just a simple megalomaniac. The graphics were beatiful, sometimes managing visual effects that were impressive for a 16-bit console, and the music, like in every Megaman game, was just awesome.

3: Chrono Trigger

One of the best (if not the best) JRPG ever created. At the time the mere fact that it involved a team-up between the creators of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy caused sensation. The game itself is practically a piece of art. The storyline, while not excessively complex, was really well written and had its fair share of twists and turns. There are at least two moments in particular that were quite shocking when you experienced them for the first time. Not to mention it was full of awesome moments: Epic, heart-warming, heart-wrenching and sometimes just hilarious. The characters were full of personality, it was impossible not to get connected to them as you progressed in the game, and by the end you really felt that they became family. Gameplay-wise was excellent as well. The time traveling mechanics added an interesting layer to the game and were used in inventive ways. The battle system was not very complex but it was quite innovative at the time and made the combat incredibly fun. While the game's challenge was a bit on the easy side, the battles were just so fun that you didn't mind at all. It also had a lot of replay value, thanks to the New Game + option and it's many different endings. The music was incredible (among the best soundtracks that Square-Enix has produced), and the graphics and art direction (with character designs from Akira Toriyama) were fantastic.

2: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The first game in this franchise pioneered the action-adventure genre. The third game perfected it and laid down the foundations on which every subsequent Zelda (if not every action-adventure game that followed) has been build. While Ocarina of Time is still the most beloved and praised entry in the series (and certainly is without a doubt one of the best games ever created), A Link to the Past is still to me the most important game. It introduced many new elements that expanded the scope of the series: The Dark World and it's interaction with the Light World, a multifunctional button, dungeons with multiple floors and complex puzzles that took advantage of the verticality of the rooms (not to mention that each dungeon had a very different and specific theme and feeling), awesome boss battles against monstruos opponents, a really big inventory with some of the coolest and more interesting items in the series, and a background epic story about the origins of Hyrule. While Ocarina refined some of the elements that it introduced (and added some of its own), it still followed this template very closely. A Link to the Past was also one of the most impressive games that appeared on the SNES during it's early years: It had beatiful graphics that used multiple layers to create nice effects, it had epic music with some memorable themes (like the Dark World's), featured a massive quest full of secrets, and provided a level of interaction with the game's world that very few tittles had at the time. Finally, A Link to the Past is probably the longest Zelda game in existence (it had more than 12 dungeons) and one of the more challenging games in the entire series.

1: Super Metroid

At first it was difficult for me to choose between this game and A Link to the Past for the first place on the list. But ultimately I decided for Metroid for the simple fact that it was one of the pioneers of the "emergent narrative" that has become a distinctive element unique for videogames. Simply put, the storyline was almost perfectly integrated with the gameplay itself. This game perfected the "Metroidvania" formula that was established in the first entry in the series, giving you as a player an incredible level of freedom to explore and approach the game's world in any way you wanted. The power ups and skills you acquired were incredibly versatile, to the point that some skillful players were capable of finishing the game with just a minimum of them. The atmosphere was also incredible, giving the impression that the world around you was alive. Every area was full of details (not only visual but also aural) that gave them a certain level of mysticism and that combined with the feeling of isolation produced a really exciting experience: You as a lone bounty hunter (and a badass beatiful woman to boot) entering this really hostile environment, fighting not only for your life but also for the safety of the entire galaxy. The excellent music and sound design contributed to accentuate that mood. The graphics were fantastic and had very fluid animations for all the characters. The controls were excellent and while the pace was a bit slow at times, the game still provided a lot of action and some incredible boss battles. The battle against the final boss in particular deserves praise: It's one of the most powerful scenes that I have ever seen in a game, managing to transmit a lot of emotion without needing any dialogue at all. In conclussion, this is one of the best games ever produced, and some of us still consider it the best in the entire franchise.

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