Watching the news these days is increasingly depressing.
Sometimes, I just want to turn the TV off and forget about reality.
But it seems reality always finds a way to wake you up. So now
I find myself writing this blog entry in the hope that my thoughts
can somehow form something constructive to ease my frustration with
current events. I'm talking about what's happenning in
Zamboanga (for those of you who rarely read the news). The news
is very sobering for me, we already have enough problems with
territorial disputes. Now this?
To my mind, the crisis in Zamboanga is a result of critical
information not getting to the right people in a timely manner.
There have been statements from military and government sources (who
prefer to remain anonymous) alleging that this was not a failure of
getting intelligence, but of the government underestimating the
importance of the information gathered. This looks like the
start of a never-ending finger-pointing circus to me. But
nevertheless, I still believe all of this could have been averted
somehow.
If we are to accept that intelligence data was gathered
beforehand, then why was it "underestimated"? Could this
mean that there was a seeming lack of supporting data to give
emphasis to the gravity of the situation at hand? Was
cricitical information relayed too late? Or was this a lack of
putting bits and pieces together from various and disparate
intelligence sources? Does the government and military have the
resources to sift through all the information they are receiving and
make sense of it all? Do they even have the means to share
vital information with each other in real-time so they can
collaborate and act on it quickly and decisively?
We have the Government, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI), and even the National Intelligence Coordination
Agency (NICA) supposedly our version of the CIA, and who knows what other agency involved in
intelligence-gathering and counter-intelligence. I have strong
doubts as to their ability to effectively share key bits of
information that may prove to be critical in helping the top brass
make informed decisions. If they only had the means to quickly
analyze all the data coming in from their sources and quickly provide
insightful reports to those who have to make the big decisions, then
maybe, just maybe, the crisis in Zamboanga might not even be in the
news right now. All because the right information got to the
right people at the right time. And who knows, lives might have
been saved in the process...
Obviously, there is so much that Big Data can do for the
government and military of this country. But are the decision
makers they even aware of it? I certainly hope proponents of Big Data have already
reached out to them to help them realize what they may be sorely
lacking all this time...
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Monday, September 9, 2013
Losing Faith in your Country
I recently read an article focusing on the sad state of affairs regarding our territorial sovereignty:
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/61320/losing-ground--how-ph-has-handled-sabah-west-philippine-sea-disputes-over-the-years
I was disheartened to read one comment from a reader saying he is so ashamed for being a Filipino because of the inaction of many of our leaders and the rampant corruption in our government. To those of you who feel the same way and feel there is no hope left for our country, and even wish they could change their nationality and even the very fabric of their being, I only have this to say:
I'm sorry you feel ashamed for being a Filipino. I can't blame you either. There's a LOT that needs to be done to put the Philippines back on the right track. Personally, I still have hope for the future of this country. I want my children to grow up proud of their country and try to teach them that we have to do what is right in order to have a better future. Every chance I get, I show them the shortcomings of our country, leaders and fellow countrymen, but I also try to teach them what we need to do to become better. I know that what is right is not always the easy thing to do, but we need to have faith that things can get better if we do our part, no matter how small it is. Even when things are looking bad, I tell my children DO NOT LOSE HOPE and ALWAYS DO WHAT IS RIGHT. Because I believe that personal integrity, hard work and hope for a better future can help us get to where we want to be.
I really think that recent events are now forcing our leaders to move in the right direction (the PDAF and other govt scandals, people become more aware and vigilant against crime and corruption, China showing its true intentions, the push for the FOI bill, AFP modernization, our president actually taking a firm stand on defending our sovereignty). We are already very late in the game when it comes to having a credible self defense capability, that is painfully obvious, but I see that there appears to be a genuine desire from some of our leaders to actually do the RIGHT THING. Honestly, I wish there was some way I could contribute to our country aside from paying taxes and following the rule of law. I have even sent emails to the office of the president expressing my views (I can only hope it actually reaches the president, but I wont bet on it since I am not a gambling man). Anyway, I think I am too old to be a soldier and probably no good at fighting anyway :) but I think I can still help somehow with my technical skills and knowledge if given the right opportunity. I just hope I am not alone in thinking like this...
Finally, I always tell my children: "Walang magmamahal sa Pilipinas kung hindi tayong mga Pilipino."
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
An Open Lettter to the President of the Philippines
Dear Mr. President,
Greetings! I know you are a very busy man so I will try to be brief and direct to the point.
The situation with China over the disputed territories is getting out of hand. China is now brazenly building more and more structures in the Spratlys and there's nothing we can do about it! Like myself, more and more Filipinos are becoming aware of this issue and are enraged by what the Chinese are doing there.
The situation with China over the disputed territories is getting out of hand. China is now brazenly building more and more structures in the Spratlys and there's nothing we can do about it! Like myself, more and more Filipinos are becoming aware of this issue and are enraged by what the Chinese are doing there.
In my humble opinion, wouldn't using the PDAF be the most
efficient and quickest way to modernize the AFP especially our Navy? I
know there are many pressing issues on your mind right now but I
honestly think that protecting the sovereignty of our country should be
your top priority. I know we have to deal carefully with China on this
issue since we simply cannot match them ship for ship. But the handling
of this issue by the DFA is simply infuriating! There appears to be no
self-respect left whenever the DFA makes any announcement regarding this
issue. This is simply disheartening!
I implore you to significantly increase the budget of the DND for modernization. If I am not mistaken, we not only have the PDAF, but also Malampaya to turn to for funding. If we can show China that they cannot bully us easily and at the same time, broadcast to the world that we are simply defending what is legally and rightfully ours and not being the agressor, this will go a long way to boosting the morale not just of the Philippine military, but of the entire nation! This will also show the International community that we are not a nation of weaklings, and that we are serious about protecting our national interests. This will also help our economy because I believe that more nations will see our country as finally becoming progressive and self-reliant.
Just think of how much jobs your administration can create by investing in navy shipbuilding and maybe even local weapons development! Didn't we use to have a missile development program? Didn't we also have a fighter plane development program as well? Whatever happened to them? If you can revive these programs, and maybe even get support from the private sector for R&D, I am confident we can become another Asian powerhouse! Imagine if you can tap the best minds from our top colleges and universities and get them to work on projects for the DND, we might even be able to create a home-grown military drone aircraft! Who knows what else we can come up with? Ultimately, securing our place in the Spratlys will not only be a boon for our poor fishermen over there, but also pave the way for our country to finally tap into the vast oil reserves supposedly existing there! Imagine the kind of bright future this country can have if we only had the will to take that first, hard step forward!
I personally believe we can be a small country that is capable of standing alone in a sea of hostility (just like Israel). Having allies is always good. But we cannot pin all our hopes on them. They have their own interests that we may or may not be aware of. China owns a huge chunk of the US debt and I am very sure you are all too aware of what is happenning between these two superpowers on an economic level. China is slowly buying out the US bit by bit! Sadly, when all is said and done, we have no one to turn to except ourselves. You can see this happenning all over the world.
It is painfully obvious that time is not on our side, so please find a way to show your countrymen that your promise of AFP modernization and attaining a minimum credible defense posture does not stop with the purchase of second hand ships and a dozen fighter jets.
Before I proceed any further, I want to be clear, I am against the actions of the Chinese government. I bear no ill will towards the citizens who probably are being fed lies and propaganda by their government regarding this issue. Some might take
me for a war monger. On the contrary, I would like to think of myself
as a patriot who fully supports your efforts for a better Philippines.
And I can honestly say that I am not alone! God Bless!
-----
Disclaimer:
These are my personal views and opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
-----
Disclaimer:
These are my personal views and opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
PACIFIC RIM: My Movie Review
Now that I've finally settled down after watching PACIFIC RIM, I am now truly convinced that Guillermo Del Toro really knows what he's doing when it comes to delivering a live-action Mecha / Kaiju-inspired film.
I have never been this excited to see a film before. From the first time I saw an article on Del Toro and his upcoming projects, and having watched his films like Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy Movies, I was excited by the prospect of being able to finally watch this kind of movie about giant robots on the big screen. Because ever since I saw ROBOT JOX in the early 90's (which you should try to watch by the way, because the stop motion done on the robots were freakin' cool for its time), I knew deep down it was still not the right time for these type of movies to flourish given the level of special effects and technology available at the time. But ever since Iron Man become a huge box office success, and the quality of special effects (both practical and CGI), I was now convinced that we only needed a brave soul with enough imagination to make my childhood dreams a reality. Guillermo Del Toro stepped up to the plate and I was not dissappointed one bit.
This movie brings back good memories of my childhood when I became enchanted with Godzilla and Mecha Anime. Aside from watching out for the latest Godzilla flick, I would always remember the timeslots of robot shows like Mazinger Z, Voltes V, Diamos, UFO Grendaizer, Jeeg, Balatack and Mekanda robot. I would always imagine myself as one of these daring and herioc Mecha pilots battling evil monsters bent on destroying the world.
PACIFIC RIM was shot in 2D but Del Toro really took his time in converting this movie so that we can all watch it in IMAX 3D. Indeed, Del Toro goes on to say in an interview that "if you can watch this movie in IMAX 3D, then you really should watch it in IMAX 3D". And watch it in IMAX 3D I did! Much to my enjoyment, opening day coincided with my birthday. So thank you Mr. Del Toro for making this film! Because it was such a wonderful birthday gift!
From the first time I saw the very first trailer on YouTube, I was totally hooked on this film. I began watching out for every news tidbit I could about PACIFIC RIM on the Internet. My imagination was on hyperdrive! I was so glad they finally put up an official website and created a Facebook and Google+ account for the film so I knew where to get first hand information about the film. My craving for more info, images and sneak peeks was insatiable. I will happily admit to being a fanboy of the Mecha / Kaiju genre.
Ok, here we go!
In the world of PACIFIC RIM, the giant mechs are called "Jaeger" (a German term for "hunter", which just adds to the coolness factor). The giant monsters are called "Kaiju" (or Japanese for "strange beast"). The Jaegers are controlled by at least two human pilots. Del Toro goes on to explain in promotional video sneak-peeks that a single human pilot cannot control a Jaeger because of the sheer mental strain imposed on the brain of the pilot. In this film, pilots wear combat suits that not just let them survive battle with a Kaiju, but also acts as a conduit to the Jaeger itself. So that his/her body movements are imitated by the Jaeger. There is also a feedback mechanism that lets the pilot "feel" what is happening around the Jaeger. So imagine what you would feel if a Kaiju rips the arm off your Jaeger. Another cool concept is that pilots enter the "DRIFT" where they become one with each other (something like a Vulcan Mind Meld). So one pilot controls the right hemisphere of the Jaeger and the other controls the left.
The movie starts out with a short narrative by Raleigh (one of the pilots of the hero Jaeger "GIPSY DANGER"). He tells of the time when the first Kaiju emerged from the "RIFT" (a gateway between dimensions that opened up at the bottom of the Pacific). Since that time, more and more Kaiju began to appear and spread havoc across the countries near the Pacific Rim. People didn't want to resort to nukes everytime a Kaiju pops up so they came up with the "Jaeger program". Hence the tag line "To fight monsters, we created monsters".
The Kaiju and Jaegers are HUGE! They range from 250 to almost 300 feet tall (move over Transformers, you don't want to get stepped on by these behemoths). When it finally looks like mankind has found it's solution to the Kaiju menace, new Kaiju start popping up that employ new strategies and start beating the Jaegers. And to the horror of mankind, the Kaiju onslaught comes in more frequently with no end in sight. We see a sort of "doomsday clock" where the next Kaiju attack is predicted to happen and a countdown is shown.
PACIFIC RIM is all about giant robots vs giant monsters. It's a wild and loud roller coaster ride of epic proportions. This is something you should keep in mind when you go to see this movie. If you are looking for intense human drama and thought provoking ideas, this is not the movie for you. Be sure to keep your thinking caps outside the theater for this one!
As far as the action goes, I am an extremely happy camper! My only problem is that I am left wanting MORE titanic battles from the other Jaegers aside from Gipsy Danger and Striker Eureka. During the "Battle of Hong Kong", the four remaining Jaegers (Gipsy Danger - USA, Striker Eureka - Australia, Cherno Alpha - Russa, and Crimson Typhoon - China) are transported to the last operational Jaeger base called a "Shatterdome". Here, they will hold the fort while the rest of mankind builds a gigantic wall which they hope will contain the Kaiju. At this point in the history of PACIFIC RIM, politicians have lost faith in the Jaeger program and have decided to put their remaining resources in the construction of the "Wall of Life". Unfortunately, the wall is easily breached by a Kaiju and Striker Eureka (the latest, fastest and most agile Jaeger to date) arrives and puts an end to the Kaiju menace.
Meanwhile, Stacker Pentecost (portrayed by Idris Elba), head of the Jaeger program, has a crazy plan in mind. While the rest of humanity wallows in despair and walls itself off from the Pacific, he plans to enter the Rift at the bottom of the Pacific and nuke it from the inside to close it once and for all.
As they prepare for their daring mission, two Kaiju appear from the Rift and head towards Hong Kong. Our heroes are forced to send Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon to do battle with the Kaiju. Unfortunately, the battle left me wanting to see more of these uniquely designed Jaegers! It was a shame to have them so quickly defeated by the Kaiju. Personally, I would have preferred that they got more Kaiju kills before they sacrificed themselves on their mission to the Rift. The rest of the battles were a sheer joy to behold!
Anyhow, I hope this movie earns a lot so that it easily warrants a sequel. I have read that Del Toro is already working on a sequel so this is good news! I also hope this sparks more fans to produce fan-fiction and inspire more Jaeger / Kaiju fan-art on the Internet. Hopefully, a successful toy / action figure line is not far behind.
Lastly, if you're a fan of Guillermo Del Toro and also like me who loves these types of films, GO WATCH THE FREAKIN' MOVIE AT LEAST TWICE! You will not regret it!
I have never been this excited to see a film before. From the first time I saw an article on Del Toro and his upcoming projects, and having watched his films like Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy Movies, I was excited by the prospect of being able to finally watch this kind of movie about giant robots on the big screen. Because ever since I saw ROBOT JOX in the early 90's (which you should try to watch by the way, because the stop motion done on the robots were freakin' cool for its time), I knew deep down it was still not the right time for these type of movies to flourish given the level of special effects and technology available at the time. But ever since Iron Man become a huge box office success, and the quality of special effects (both practical and CGI), I was now convinced that we only needed a brave soul with enough imagination to make my childhood dreams a reality. Guillermo Del Toro stepped up to the plate and I was not dissappointed one bit.
This movie brings back good memories of my childhood when I became enchanted with Godzilla and Mecha Anime. Aside from watching out for the latest Godzilla flick, I would always remember the timeslots of robot shows like Mazinger Z, Voltes V, Diamos, UFO Grendaizer, Jeeg, Balatack and Mekanda robot. I would always imagine myself as one of these daring and herioc Mecha pilots battling evil monsters bent on destroying the world.
PACIFIC RIM was shot in 2D but Del Toro really took his time in converting this movie so that we can all watch it in IMAX 3D. Indeed, Del Toro goes on to say in an interview that "if you can watch this movie in IMAX 3D, then you really should watch it in IMAX 3D". And watch it in IMAX 3D I did! Much to my enjoyment, opening day coincided with my birthday. So thank you Mr. Del Toro for making this film! Because it was such a wonderful birthday gift!
From the first time I saw the very first trailer on YouTube, I was totally hooked on this film. I began watching out for every news tidbit I could about PACIFIC RIM on the Internet. My imagination was on hyperdrive! I was so glad they finally put up an official website and created a Facebook and Google+ account for the film so I knew where to get first hand information about the film. My craving for more info, images and sneak peeks was insatiable. I will happily admit to being a fanboy of the Mecha / Kaiju genre.
Ok, here we go!
In the world of PACIFIC RIM, the giant mechs are called "Jaeger" (a German term for "hunter", which just adds to the coolness factor). The giant monsters are called "Kaiju" (or Japanese for "strange beast"). The Jaegers are controlled by at least two human pilots. Del Toro goes on to explain in promotional video sneak-peeks that a single human pilot cannot control a Jaeger because of the sheer mental strain imposed on the brain of the pilot. In this film, pilots wear combat suits that not just let them survive battle with a Kaiju, but also acts as a conduit to the Jaeger itself. So that his/her body movements are imitated by the Jaeger. There is also a feedback mechanism that lets the pilot "feel" what is happening around the Jaeger. So imagine what you would feel if a Kaiju rips the arm off your Jaeger. Another cool concept is that pilots enter the "DRIFT" where they become one with each other (something like a Vulcan Mind Meld). So one pilot controls the right hemisphere of the Jaeger and the other controls the left.
The movie starts out with a short narrative by Raleigh (one of the pilots of the hero Jaeger "GIPSY DANGER"). He tells of the time when the first Kaiju emerged from the "RIFT" (a gateway between dimensions that opened up at the bottom of the Pacific). Since that time, more and more Kaiju began to appear and spread havoc across the countries near the Pacific Rim. People didn't want to resort to nukes everytime a Kaiju pops up so they came up with the "Jaeger program". Hence the tag line "To fight monsters, we created monsters".
The Kaiju and Jaegers are HUGE! They range from 250 to almost 300 feet tall (move over Transformers, you don't want to get stepped on by these behemoths). When it finally looks like mankind has found it's solution to the Kaiju menace, new Kaiju start popping up that employ new strategies and start beating the Jaegers. And to the horror of mankind, the Kaiju onslaught comes in more frequently with no end in sight. We see a sort of "doomsday clock" where the next Kaiju attack is predicted to happen and a countdown is shown.
PACIFIC RIM is all about giant robots vs giant monsters. It's a wild and loud roller coaster ride of epic proportions. This is something you should keep in mind when you go to see this movie. If you are looking for intense human drama and thought provoking ideas, this is not the movie for you. Be sure to keep your thinking caps outside the theater for this one!
As far as the action goes, I am an extremely happy camper! My only problem is that I am left wanting MORE titanic battles from the other Jaegers aside from Gipsy Danger and Striker Eureka. During the "Battle of Hong Kong", the four remaining Jaegers (Gipsy Danger - USA, Striker Eureka - Australia, Cherno Alpha - Russa, and Crimson Typhoon - China) are transported to the last operational Jaeger base called a "Shatterdome". Here, they will hold the fort while the rest of mankind builds a gigantic wall which they hope will contain the Kaiju. At this point in the history of PACIFIC RIM, politicians have lost faith in the Jaeger program and have decided to put their remaining resources in the construction of the "Wall of Life". Unfortunately, the wall is easily breached by a Kaiju and Striker Eureka (the latest, fastest and most agile Jaeger to date) arrives and puts an end to the Kaiju menace.
Meanwhile, Stacker Pentecost (portrayed by Idris Elba), head of the Jaeger program, has a crazy plan in mind. While the rest of humanity wallows in despair and walls itself off from the Pacific, he plans to enter the Rift at the bottom of the Pacific and nuke it from the inside to close it once and for all.
As they prepare for their daring mission, two Kaiju appear from the Rift and head towards Hong Kong. Our heroes are forced to send Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon to do battle with the Kaiju. Unfortunately, the battle left me wanting to see more of these uniquely designed Jaegers! It was a shame to have them so quickly defeated by the Kaiju. Personally, I would have preferred that they got more Kaiju kills before they sacrificed themselves on their mission to the Rift. The rest of the battles were a sheer joy to behold!
Anyhow, I hope this movie earns a lot so that it easily warrants a sequel. I have read that Del Toro is already working on a sequel so this is good news! I also hope this sparks more fans to produce fan-fiction and inspire more Jaeger / Kaiju fan-art on the Internet. Hopefully, a successful toy / action figure line is not far behind.
Lastly, if you're a fan of Guillermo Del Toro and also like me who loves these types of films, GO WATCH THE FREAKIN' MOVIE AT LEAST TWICE! You will not regret it!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Concept Gundams for the Philippines
Inspired by the movie +Pacific Rim, I also decided to do some sketches of what Philippine designed Gundam Mobile Suits might possibly look like. Hey, I'm an optimist when it comes to the future of my motherland! The Gundam setting I was aiming for was Mobile Fighter G Gundam hence the use of "Neo-Philippines". :D
My first sketch: Adarna Gundam (Adarna is a mythological bird with magical properties in Filipino folklore). This is primarily a long range combat unit as it packs a lot of missiles and other long-range weaponry. I have to admit though that the design was influenced by elements from Voltes V, Destroids from Macross, Gundam Sandrock, a Roman gladiator and a rooster! (Whew!)
My second sketch was inspired by ethnic themes one would normally see in Mindanao. I call this one the Lapu-Lapu Gundam. Note the broadsword and shield which shows this as a melee unit. It also has a Gatling cannon on the right shoulder area. I was also thinking of this as a possible mass-production unit.
Lastly, I made the Indio Gundam, (Indio was a racial term used to refer to native Filipinos during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines). My idea for this was to have another melee unit whose primary weapons are "Arnis" sticks and a "Kris" sword. Well, that's it for now. Hope you like these illustrations. Till my next blog, keep feeding your imagination! :D
My first sketch: Adarna Gundam (Adarna is a mythological bird with magical properties in Filipino folklore). This is primarily a long range combat unit as it packs a lot of missiles and other long-range weaponry. I have to admit though that the design was influenced by elements from Voltes V, Destroids from Macross, Gundam Sandrock, a Roman gladiator and a rooster! (Whew!)
My second sketch was inspired by ethnic themes one would normally see in Mindanao. I call this one the Lapu-Lapu Gundam. Note the broadsword and shield which shows this as a melee unit. It also has a Gatling cannon on the right shoulder area. I was also thinking of this as a possible mass-production unit.
Lastly, I made the Indio Gundam, (Indio was a racial term used to refer to native Filipinos during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines). My idea for this was to have another melee unit whose primary weapons are "Arnis" sticks and a "Kris" sword. Well, that's it for now. Hope you like these illustrations. Till my next blog, keep feeding your imagination! :D
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Pacific Rim - No Jaeger for the Philippines?
So I already mentioned that I'm pretty stoked with the movie Pacific Rim. I was so excited with this movie by one of favorite directors (Guillermo Del Toro of Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth fame), that I just had to make my concept of what a Philippine Jaeger would look like. What's a "Jaeger" you ask? A Jaeger is basically a human-piloted giant robot that fights giant monsters called "Kaiju". From what I've seen in the trailers so far, the Philippines didn't get it's own Jaeger for some reason (Is our country just for Kaiju poop stopovers? BOOO!), anyway, a Jaeger probably cost billions of dollars to build so I'm not gonna complain anymore and just show you what I have so far. This is something I already posted in my Facebook account so some of you might have already seen it. I have a few more in the works and I hope to have them posted here very soon! I call this Jaeger TIDAL SPIKE !
To be honest I sent the webmasters a suggestion to have a "design your own Jaeger" contest (and not just the design your own Jaeger using parts from the Jaegers shown in the movie). Looks like I wasn't the only one who wanted to see what other fans had in mind for original designs, and boom! They actually held a contest! Unfortunately, it was only for US residents (BOOO again!). BUT, Since I'm a big fan of Del Toro and giant robots/monsters, I did my own designs anyway. If this post peaked your interest, go visit the Pacific Rim Facebook or Google+ account for more juicy tidbits on this movie! AND WATCH THE MOVIE! :D
In designing the TIDAL SPIKE Jaeger, I was thinking of a mech that could not only engage in close quarters combat but also do damage from long distance. Here's a quick rundown of TIDAL SPIKE's specifications:
Height: 260 feet
Weight: 2100 tons
Weapons:
1) Hi-density / Hi-velocity drill spikes
2) Head-mounted medium-range plasma cannon
3) Two (2) hip-mounted plasma cannons
4) Two (2) shoulder-mounted AKM (Anti-Kaiju Missile) pods
Power Source: Advanced Heavy Water Reactor Core
Here's what my original sketch looked like before I started working on it in Photoshop. Just goes to show nothing's set in stone when you're on a roll with your ideas... :D
If I have enough time, I'll try to make a battle spec section just like the one below of my favorite jaeger, CHERNO ALPHA (you just gotta say it in a heavy Russian accent)!
To be honest I sent the webmasters a suggestion to have a "design your own Jaeger" contest (and not just the design your own Jaeger using parts from the Jaegers shown in the movie). Looks like I wasn't the only one who wanted to see what other fans had in mind for original designs, and boom! They actually held a contest! Unfortunately, it was only for US residents (BOOO again!). BUT, Since I'm a big fan of Del Toro and giant robots/monsters, I did my own designs anyway. If this post peaked your interest, go visit the Pacific Rim Facebook or Google+ account for more juicy tidbits on this movie! AND WATCH THE MOVIE! :D
In designing the TIDAL SPIKE Jaeger, I was thinking of a mech that could not only engage in close quarters combat but also do damage from long distance. Here's a quick rundown of TIDAL SPIKE's specifications:
Height: 260 feet
Weight: 2100 tons
Weapons:
1) Hi-density / Hi-velocity drill spikes
2) Head-mounted medium-range plasma cannon
3) Two (2) hip-mounted plasma cannons
4) Two (2) shoulder-mounted AKM (Anti-Kaiju Missile) pods
Power Source: Advanced Heavy Water Reactor Core
Here's what my original sketch looked like before I started working on it in Photoshop. Just goes to show nothing's set in stone when you're on a roll with your ideas... :D
If I have enough time, I'll try to make a battle spec section just like the one below of my favorite jaeger, CHERNO ALPHA (you just gotta say it in a heavy Russian accent)!
Monday, July 1, 2013
REBOOT!!!
Ok, I am going to reboot this Blog of mine!
I don't have anything yet to post except that I'm totally excited about this movie (Pacific Rim) by one of my favorite directors... Guillermo Del Toro! :)
I'm definitely doing a movie review on this after I watch it in IMAX 3D on opening day (July 12) which just happens to be the day after my birthday! YAY!!! :)
I'm nuts about robots/mecha so expect more stuff related to this in the future... :D
I don't have anything yet to post except that I'm totally excited about this movie (Pacific Rim) by one of my favorite directors... Guillermo Del Toro! :)
I'm definitely doing a movie review on this after I watch it in IMAX 3D on opening day (July 12) which just happens to be the day after my birthday! YAY!!! :)
I'm nuts about robots/mecha so expect more stuff related to this in the future... :D
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