Scifi Blog :: Fiction & Movie

Ender’s Game is a novel by Orson Scott Card. Lauded with both the Hugo and Nebula awards, it tells the story of genius child Andrew “Ender” Wiggin who is reared to be the military savior of humanity. At the tender age of six, he is whisked off to battle school where warfighters tutor him in the lonely job of commanding Earth’s fleet against the alien “buggers” who twice attacked earth. I read Ender’s Game over a weekend. It was an interesting page-turner. While it took its time to get to a point, somehow the journey did not seem tedious. Card’s well woven vignettes of life in a future space based Annapolis for baby geniuses explores the difficulties of growing up by showing ordinary boyhood conflicts backlit by the terror of human extinction.

The author’s premise that a six-year-old could absorb in four years not just the operational aspects of command, but the human nuances of leading people under your command tripped my plausibility alarm. Even a genius needs maturity. This small flaw, though, is only a token criticism of an excellent book. The author barely whispers of faith, but still soulfully contemplates innocents forced inexorably to actions of overwhelming moral implication. Card’s characters’ moral spectrum run from white to ecru. By not resorting to blinding white goodness and inky black evil, the story’s tone is set to look at the great question of the book, “what price may we pay for survival?” These subtle shades better reflect those found in real life. What passes for human villainy are defensible actions, only reprehensible were it not for the plausible fear of destruction by the ruthless “other”.

For me this subtlety of moral conflict is the power of the narrative. Originally published in 1983 (I believe) it reflects the Cold War fear of extinction prevalent then. Our fear was annihilation of both person and freedom, and as we contemplated the former we became unsure if the latter were worth the risk. We knew the alien culture of Communism was incompatible with our bourgeoisie culture of freedom of thought, worship, expression and commerce, but brinkmanship with the fate of the world in balance over ideals invited ambiguity when weighing risks against outcomes.

Today we don’t face the theoretical destruction of millions, but the actual destruction of thousands. Our enemy employs a moral calculus equally alien to us. “Understanding” this alien culture and coming to peace would be preferable to waging war, but the utter incompatibility of the combatant’s mindsets lead to a defensible conclusion that only defeat of one will ensure the survival of the other. Card lays out the question as to how much goodness can be retained when destroying the “other” is the chosen path.

Poker games online are becoming very popular, as a matter of fact, most poker players prefer playing online as opposed to in person. Even online video poker is being played more statistically than video poker in the casino! People from all around the World are finally realizing you can do all the gambling you want in the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. No more paying for airfare, outrageous hotel fees, gas (especially at over $3.00 a gallon), food, etc… Not only that it’s nearly impossible for online poker cheating to happen and in real life at the casino it definitely can happen. Why do you think all those cameras are installed in a casino? Cheating is definitely going on and even though casino owners try everything they can to prevent it, it’s impossible. There is one solution to solve the problem though. That solution is to play online poker. Online poker has turned your average Joe into the World Series of Poker winner and the World Poker Tour Winner. Take a look at the history of the World Series of Poker and you will see that half of them came from online and over half of them won an entry into the tournament by playing online poker tournaments. Online poker tournaments, especially Sit-N-Go’s can be a great source of income if you learn the secrets behind winning them over and over again.

Final Fantasy XI is a brilliant game and is distinguished in all manner of ways. It is beautifully made and its world has been designed with great care and thought on every level. It is a deeply satisfying and enjoyable experience with much to offer to its players. It is truly a special game.
Final Fantasy XI is special because it is a cross platform title. It is possible to access the world of Vana’diel on both PC and PlayStation 2, which makes it a cutting edge and innovative piece of work. It was the first massively multi-player online role-playing game to do this. Its game world is open to players in America, Europe and Japan, and it features an amazing online community. The game includes a translator so you can communicate with the Japanese players and interact with each other.

Final Fantasy XI has a strong social aspect to its gameplay. It is possible to play with your friends and this can be useful when it comes to forming a party to complete challenges in the game. The interaction in the game also allows you to befriend other players and get to know them. People are always happy to talk to you and are very helpful if you are having any problems. Vana’diel is one of the warmest of all the online game communities and it is a pleasure just to be there.

Final Fantasy XI is addictive and engrossing. It is a game that can be played for a long period of time and still maintain your interest. Indeed, it is so absorbing that you could literally play it all day. The game’s storylines will really draw you in and capture your attention. There are a variety of quests and missions in the game, and they include things like looking for objects and tracking down people. You will also carry out conquests for your government. There is a nice diversity of tasks on offer.
There is great imagination on display in Final Fantasy XI. The creatures and races that inhabit Vana’diel are all very intriguing. The five main races are likeable and individual enough to satisfy any player. The Beastmen that you encounter make for riveting opponents, comprising an assortment of animal, demon, giant, orc and undead creatures. You will come across all manner of characters as you proceed. The game’s array of species creates a sense of a fantastic and original world.
Final Fantasy XI has beautiful graphics and is remarkable on a visual level. Vana’diel is a handsome world. The countryside areas in particular are lovely to look at, with the terrain encompassing features like beaches, canyons, jungles, oceans, and waterfalls. It can be very gratifying to observe something as simple as the sun rising and setting. The character design is of a fine quality and the different creatures have an appealing style and look to them. They move well and come across as graceful.

The game world in Final Fantasy XI is deep and vast and rendered in great detail. You move around mainly by walking and here the game creates a convincing sense of distance, space and perspective. Vana’diel is enormous and feels like an actual place. The sense of realism is strong and shows the excellent design of the game. While walking around on foot is pleasant it can also take time, so there is transportation like airships, ferries and chocobo creatures to carry you as swiftly as you like.

The Final Fantasy series is renowned for its music and Final Fantasy XI is highly proficient in this department. The game features a wonderful soundtrack with a score that is played at numerous points throughout the game. There are also ambient sound effects that stem from your environment as well as things like the noise of battle. These give the game serious atmosphere and presence.

Final Fantasy XI is an extraordinary title. It is a game that is peerless in every way and that represents the best of its kind. There is a magic and beauty to it that is rare, and everything about it combines to create a tremendous experience overall. It should definitely be considered a special game.