Talkradar UK, you called me out. Now I respond!

On this weeks Talkradar UK my comment criticising the zero-g missions in Halo and Killzone was received with some…confusion by the hosts. They proceeded to challenge me to defend my claims and prove my scientific girth (just for you, Cundy) by shedding light on the issue of gravity in space. I will now do so, one erroneous comment at a time.

Battle: Los Angeles Review – Callin’ out the Haters!

Halo: The Movie will never be made. And even if it is, you can guarantee it will be about as far off the mark as a sniper with parkinsons. 

But if a director ever musters up the testicular fortitude to try, I strongly recommend that they watch Battle: Los Angeles first, and take some serious notes. Why? Because here we have an example of a near perfect action/invasion/sci-fi movie for our generation of virtual gun-maniacs.

 

And I mean this in the nicest possible way; Johnathan Liebesman has merged Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Halo 1-3 in the most seamless and gritty way possible. For the first time this year, I have watched a movie that I sincerely hope gets the sequel treatment. But more on that later.

The Physics of Mass Effect

Recently I have been playing Mass Effect 1 and 2 for the second time. During these play-throughs, I have taken more time to read the codex entries, and I have become fascinated with the Mass Effect Universe. Naturally, one of the parts that really fascinates me the most is the science behind Mass Effect.

Then I stumbled onto this video, in which Theoretical Physicist Michio Kaku examines the various aspects of Mass Effect, and tires to comment on the plausibility of each aspect. 

For example, how far off of ‘invisibility’ are we? Are Biotics physically plausible? Could we travel faster than light using “the Mass Effect”?

While the video is enjoyable and all of what he says is accurate, unfortunately it seems as if Dr Kaku has never played the game, as he doesn’t actually address the “mass effect” in good detail. Instead he talks about dark energy and matter, which is nothing to do with the mass effect. I will now attempt to jump in!

Inception Rejection: It Should have Been a Better Movie

Inception (c) 2010

When it comes to hype, Christopher Nolan’s Summer Blockbuster “Inception” had a more than ample supply. In the weeks and months before the movie was released, quotes were being banded around like “will literally blow your mind”, and “The next Matrix”.  That was back in May and June of 2010. Now, in December, the movie is receiving practically 90% positive critical ratings, with review quotes like “A wildly ingenious chess game”. I disagree.

I have watched the movie twice now, both at the cinema and at home. I have given it ample chance, but in my opinion the movie fails to deliver on its promise. But rather than give the typical internet-user ‘trolling rant’, I’d like to take the time to acknowledge what this movie does well, but what I feel it fails to do.

The First Bad-ass in Space

Space travel today is generally a much safer endeavour than it was in the sixties. Some people feel that Space agencies such as NASA are too cautious; that Space should be an explorative, risk-taking endeavour. Each mission is strictly controlled and monitored, and must have a tangible, practical objective, like delivering goods to the space station, or repairing satellites.

But it hasn’t always been this way. Once upon a time Astronauts would go up to space and pull some frankly outrageous, cowboy-esque stunts. I’d like to tell you a story about what I think is the craziest thing an Astronaut has ever done.

Kirk, Sulu and Lieutenant Laser-Fodder

Remember that scene in the Star Trek 2009 movie, where Krik, Sulu, and Red-shirt do a ‘space-jump’ from a shuttle and freefall to the planet, parachuting to safety? Well one brave Astronaut pretty much did that over 40 years ago! I’d like to tell you his story.