FireFly... to be or not to be? :o

So yeah, the daily geek has been putting posts up regarding the possible ressurection of FireFly...

As I understand it, at the very least Nathan Fillion is wanting to do it - and the old crew (writers, etc - not cast.) are game to make things work - but by the sounds of it they will make it webisodes rather than a TV series.

I love FireFly... I was saddened by Serenity (awesome film, but it pretty much killed off the hopes of a reboot) and the fact that this looks like this could be completely different makes me... sceptical.

If it follows on from Serenity, then things are clearly going to be different (Ill avoid spoilers here.). If it does not, what are the chances they will get the original crew? In my eyes, its going to be a sort-of spin-off of FireFly. Different crew, different format - and if its done in webisode form: Different quality (I have yet to see a web-based series that is of high quality. The best I have seen is The Guild and Dr. Horrible's sing along blog - and they have this "feel" to it that flags them as low budget productions - made for fun, with some impressive results.

Regarding the crew: many of them are main stream actors/actresses now (although some were before) that are contracted in to do other stuff, if they are not interested enough to do it on the cheap - I doubt we will see them. I know firefly was not done with a massive budget, but it seems to add to its charm.

Anyway, it sounds like Im slating it all - Im all for it... Im just worried that its going to be TOO different, but Ill take any portion of Firefly they wish to dish out! Even if it is just the adventures of Malcolm Reynolds and the glowy-bummed space-junker.

-V

Joys of Web-Design

My biggest project on the go at the moment in university is to develop a Fault Reporting system. The website will use .jsp web pages, java servlets and connect to a mySQL database, hosted on the university system.

The assignment was handed out over a month ago, and is due in less than a weeks time... thankfully with some help from a classmate, I started to push some progression on the task last night.

So far I have achieved the following:

• Created the web-pages (primarily html for now, but as the servlets come into play there will be java script aswell.) 
• Designed the database tables and uploaded them to the mySQL server with the use of mySQL workbench.

After a coding session last night I now have working servlets for:

Logging in, Registering a user and the fault-report form. There is no existing connection to the database yet, although I think I have a session script set up and working for the user log-in that will help with logging in and out.

Ill spare the details of coding it all up for now, but Im taking notes as I go and may make a post as a sort of guide/reminder as I plan to do a lot more of this in the future...

Here are some images from my front end.

Its a... uh... work in progress... the actual design is a bit shit, but I had a theme in mind, just not the skills to do it yet :p

-V

The joy of Werewolves, vampires and Lichs - oh my!

Image courtesy of one of my gamers, Doug.

My d&d campaign is still running - it has been over a year and some 40 gaming sessions now, and there have been many changes. Changes in characters, change in player line-up - but I still think it is great fun (well, there is the occasional session that just doesn't flow, but sometimes its just hysterical :D )

I thought I would give an update on where we are now - since it will take me an eternity to write up all the games from the session notes I have.

By the end of the last gaming session the party consisted of:

Lvl 11 Sorceror with mighty fireballs of doooooom!
Lvl 10 Dread-Necromancer (in the process of becoming a Lich) (CL:TBA)
Lvl 10 Beguiler (in the process of becoming a Vampire) (CL12)
Lvl 10 Werewolf-Warrior (CL14)
Lvl 10 Rogue/1 Assassin with Silver Dragon Orb

Two side-characters (not currently playing)

Lvl 10 Werewolf-Monk (CL14)
Lvl 8 Druid

The last session ended with the destruction of a White-Dragon cultist lair, containing the Silver Dragon orb... the next session is planned to be a free-for all of wanton randomness. That should be fun to document!

-V

R.E The Instance, So long Randy, and thanks for all the fish!

Randy Deluxe and Scott Johnson, writer and presenter of: The Instance

*Hugs them through the internet*

Im currently listening to The Instance podcast - #217. (hey, mil-standard used for electronic components in reliability engineering!)

I must say, I am saddened :( - I listened to the last couple of episodes back to back to find out a couple of days ago that Randy Jordan, AKA Randy Deluxe, will be leavign after this episode... and now here I am listening at it...

Wow, so gonna miss his contribution to my favourite podcast on the internet (The only one I truly listen to religiously)

I started listening to the instance either early 2008, or late 2007 when I was either ending employment at one unnamable company, or starting work at another unnamable company... I like to think it kept me entertained for the countless hours that it took to listen to the backlog of podcasts, and have been listening since. It has kept me entertained during work hours, whilst listening while playing or for a period of my life where I was doing fortnightly commutes of 9-12 hours between Somerset and Fife to see my wife, son and family whilst working there till i could hand in my notice.

Between him leaving and the ending of Extra Life Radio - I feel a big hole  has been left, but I am hopeful that the show will continue and that perhaps they will create a new podcast in the near future.

I love this show so much - I listen to it even during the phases that I dont have an active subscription, just to hear them discuss, and joke and laugh, and to feel part of the community.

I could go gay for those voices.

That is all.
-V