(no subject)

[bzarcher]

OK, so the free tickets to the ballgame turning out to be for a doubleheader was pretty damn cool.

Even better, Dave popped me a mix CD titled "Robo-Death", starring the works of Basil P. and the Mechwarrior 2 soundtrack.

The Starship Troopers theme needs to play every time we perform a drop pod assault on some poor bastard.

Comments

[dklegman.livejournal.com]

Helpful translation: Where Matt says "Drop Pod Assault", he usually means "do anything whatsoever".

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

I own Mechwarrior 2 simply because of its awesome soundtrack for rpgs (it's especially great when one LARPs at home). I have no inclination to play a mech. I don't even understand the appeal. *dodges geek rants*

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

*disappointed*

The appeal generally comes from having the power to shatter a city at your fingertips.

It's neat.

[alathaniel.livejournal.com]

Bah, why settle for a city when you can destroy entire continents?

"Mr. Battlemech, let me introduce you to my friend, Mr. Bolo."

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

Hm. Being trapped in combat inside a large, slow-moving, destructive machine doesn't appeal; and shattering a city doesn't either. *shrugs*

I'm too much of a roleplayer, I guess. Never found glory in slash 'n' hack, except the occasional Carmageddon play.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I actually got into it as the Giant Robots! aspect and then appreciated the tactics of the table game, and from there the PC version. :D

I'd almost say it's a very Guy Thing, all things considered.

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

It probably is. *shrugs* Then again, I've been known to roleplay a guy fairly convincingly. ;)

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

*grins* Well, true.

So, just gird up your imaginary loins, and imagine being a giant robot pilot? :D

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

*laughs* My daughter would enjoy that more than I would. I really ought to start getting her some basic robot assemling kits for her, she's obsessed!

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Muwhaha.

My reccomendations, depending what you think she's ready for: Robotix, which you can still find, is a good "young" kit - all plastic, easy to set up connectors and gears, and nothing too sharp on dangerous.

Erector robot kits, with the metal, screws, and tools, are better if you're going to have adult supervision or you'd be comfortable letting her do a lot of mechanical work on her own. There will be lots of small, sometimes sharp, metal parts, and a small ocean of bolts, nuts, and washers.

The MOVIT robot kits, which you can find in science, educator, and hobby stores, are definently more "Working with Mom only" kits. They tend to involve a lot of precision assembly and actually having to grease axles, solder connections, wire motors, and aligning chassis.

Now, that said, if she wants to learn about how to make electronics, the MOVIT kits are also some of the best she could ever ask for, but I'd say that in general, unless you're comfortable with her working on that sort of thing, she probably shouldn't get one until she's closer to 9 or 10.

...not that I grew up obsessed with robots.

Really, it's a shame that Heath/Zenith got out of the robotics buisness. Some of their kits were just awesome. Imagine spending a summer, working night by night, to build one of these little guys.

One year, my dad told me that if I got straight A's, he'd buy a Heath Jr. kit and we could build it together that way, but sadly that was the year they stopped selling them.

Ah, well. Now I can simply encourage the next generation.

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

Wow. Thanks! I haven't know where to turn for the right kits for her to start with. It sounds like the Robotix are perfect for her level of understanding (although I'd still need to help at this point), and she could work her way up to the MOVITs when she's older and understand that hey! Electricity isn't something to mess around with. *rolls eyes* She wants to help with electronics, but she still doesn't pay enough attention to how I handle electrical things to be doing anything like that on her own. :)

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

*grins* Yay!

I've found the Robotix kits at toy stores, now and then - they're no longer marketed as action toys, just as building kits.

Someday, though, maybe she can try building one of these guys... ;D

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Aw, shoot, nevermind. They don't sell him in kit form anymore.

(Not that he's not cool - the RB5X is still a really neat robot, especially in the classroom use he's intended for, but the kit was about $1,000 cheaper and supposed to be a really good electronics lesson to assemble him step by step.)

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Oo.

Also, in the same vein as the Robotix idea...I'm really not sure it gets more awesome than Lego Robot minions.

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

ooh.

[alathaniel.livejournal.com]

The Starship Troopers theme needs to play every time we perform a drop pod assault on some poor bastard.

You weren't before this? Clearly you have been doing -something- wrong.

(Disclaimer - save for the soundtrack, I detest the film adaption of Starship Troopers. It is an utter travesty of both Heinlein's work, and of tactical sensibility in general.)

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

If you have selective memory and completely forget that Starship Troopers was EVER a book or anything else, you can enjoy it as a very, very cheesy sci-fi flick.

And for the points they're trying to make (unsubtly), it works. But the soundtrack really is the best part.

[alathaniel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's about as good as the typical Sci-Fi Original Picture. Problem is I tend to have relatively high expectations for something that's based off a book that I like.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Ahh, see, that's silly. Because no property survives contact with the Hollywood.

Some shall sleep, but all shall be changed.