A long while back, this dude named Raita (known for his stuff under the Zettai Shoujo moniker and more recently for his character designs in Valkyria Chronicles) drew this omake page showing off the characters of a potential game called Katawa Shoujo (Disability Girls or 方輪少女 if you prefer).  As you might expect from the name, all the characters that you can persue are uniquely disabled.

(That's what these graphic adventures and visual novels are all about right?  Sympathizing with someone's sadness?  What's more sad than having permanent disability?)

Anyways, it was just a gag.  Most people out there took a look at the page (or glanced at the picture on 2chan/4chan), had a laugh, then promptly forgot about it.  I know I did.

Little did I know that since 2007, "an international team of amateur developers" has been working on turning Raita's vision into reality.

I really don't know what else to say so just go check out the recently opened website and the developers blog.

Huh.

For many video game fans out there, working for the greatest RPG developer in the world would be the awesomest, bestest, most cooleriffic job ever!  Unfortunately, Team Andromeda has long since dissolved (ha HA!), so Square Enix is fine too.  The interesting thing about Squenix right now is they have a position open for a native English speaker!  Japanese skills optional!

If you don't feel like checking it out, basic gist is:  computer literacy, 2-3 years game industry experience, and solid English skills with objectively good writing style.  All well and good, but a bit more interesting is how they ask you to demonstrate your writing ability:

Topic:
You are a character from a Square Enix game who has been magically teleported to Japan. Using the language of the position for which you are applying, write a short story about your adventures in this new land. The story must be 800-1000 words in Chicago Manual style.

* There are no topic or setting restrictions.
* We will not answer any questions regarding the assignment.

So there you go!  All those years of alternate universe fanfic writing haven't gone to waste!

Over the last week, I've been extremely dead.  A couple jobs have kicked me in the ass, another job kicked me in the teeth, and another one has got a gun aimed at my left temple.  The joy of being a crazy audio contractor.

But in about a week, I won't be caring about any of that stuff because: I'm going to be rocking out in the Pacific Media Expo Game Room.

It's going to be a fun game room.  It's going to be cool.  It's going to be wacky.

And, it's going to be different.

Yeah, there'll be some of "the standards", like Rock Band and Brawl and all that stuff that con-goers and video gamers expect after seeing game room efforts in other places.

And then there will also be some neat/cool/different stuff that will be both illuminating and fun.  Yeah, you've played fighters like DOA and Street Fighter before... but what about Garouden: Fist or Twist?  Or how about Capcom's manga-based fighter Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi?  What about a Hyper Neo Geo 64 with Buriki One?

Back in the day (read: the 90s), I loved anime conventions because they were a place where I would discover something I had never seen before.  For me, that sense of discovery has been lacking in the game rooms I've seen recently.  Sure, Brawl is fun... but I wanted something new!

Now that I'm part of the powers that be at this game room, I'm going to do my darndest to entertain you while showing you something different.  Or cool.  Or crazy.  Or wacky.

We're going to be constantly rotating games in and out so that the game room on Friday evening will be quite different from the game room on Friday afternoon.

Also, nights will features some funky themes.  You should definitely check out the ecchi/hentai game night.  Steam Hearts, anybody?  How about some Rumble Roses?  And of course we have to break out the PCs so you can try some of the crazy PC doujin-software out there to satisfy the perversions of otaku everywhere...

Yeah... the game room will be awesome.

Recently, I had trouble describing the concept of zettai ryouiki.

There are lots of websites available detailing this particular moe attribute.  Lots of examples (Tamaki, Rin).  Lots of numbers ("According to Hatena Diary, the golden ratio for the ultimate zettai ryouiki is 4:1:2.5 (length of skirt : zettai ryouiki : length of socks above knee) and the acceptable margin for error is ±25％.").  Lots of funny details ("The sock is raised at 16cm and leaves plenty of flesh, yet for some strange reason, it is less appealing...").

Despite that, I was struggling to efficiently describe the concept to someone who is not a Japanese anime/manga/game fan.

It wasn't until now that I realized a nice and simple analogy that I can use:

Zettai Ryouiki is to the Legs as the Exposed Midriff is to the Torso.

I think this is a good analogy that communicates the concept quickly and easily.  Feel free to disagree.

Thank you, 360voice.com, for allowing my Xbox 360 to berate me for not playing it ten days in a row.

Thank you for making me feel horrible by coercing me into seeing my system as a living thing with wants and needs.

Thanks.

Really.

I owned the Pentax K20D for five months in the middle of 2008 and there's no doubt in my mind: The Pentax K20D is a brilliant camera. 

Damn shame that I had to sell it... just had to be done...