Cult Icon
2585 replies · 37551 views
"The Witcher" series seems interesting but i never played to it though... I already heard about it but i'm not an adept of this kind of game so far.
But the theme is great !
Donny is Donbot ?
What are my favorites, hmm good question 
Well, i keep a good memory of The Prince from Machiavel, i read a modernized version as you can imaginie I really enjoyed to read the novels from Italo Calvino too. Italian litterature is not well known but actually very interesting. The Queen of Spades from Pouchkine got me too, it's really romantic to read the Russian litterature from this time. I have to say that i'm one of those who make the movie of the book while i'm reading it. My memory is a visual one, so i read the books very slowly, and i can't read several books same time.
Of course one of my fave writter is Agatha Christie, definitely. Murder on the Orient Express is a master piece for me. I really like Conan Doyle as well, but who don't.
Philosophical books are the worst...
And well, i definitely prefer Chateaubriand to Victor Hugo...Hugo is overrated IMO...
I had to read a lot of Moliere too, but Pierre Corneille who is less know once again was more interesting. I never read completely one of his text, but complete resume.
I forgot lots of things ...
My favorites tv shows hmmm, Dexter, Friends, TWD... Daredevil, the first season was GREAT ! Hmmm, i watched so many tv show, Pretty L.Liars is nice too, surprisingly. The good Wife, especially the 5 first seasons was very entertaining...I surely forgot some, but those are my favs... The BigBangTheory as well, or the firt seasons of HIMYM as well...
I think the first tv show i ever watched was V, the one from the 80th
In France we're used to say that History is an eternal resumption... I think this is possible since some people have bad memory, of the history and of their own life
Make the enemies blind, this so logical lol
In France, Monarchism is dead during the 19th century. But our country keep a centralist idea of the State, legacy from the Monarchy Era.
What are the most important battles in french culture? Agincourt, Verdun, etc.? These are failures; how about victories?
Sooo, good question !
I will list you them, but it's only my opinion, and it give my personal vision of the History, but it follow the reality also. (V=Victory, D=Defeat)
- The Battle of Alesia 52 BC, D
- The Battle of Tours 732, V
- The Battle of Roncevaux Pass 778, D
- The Siege of Jerusalem 1099, V
- The Battle of Agincourt 1415, D
- The Siege of Orléans 1428–29, V
- The Battle of Marignano 1515, V
- The Siege of La Rochelle 1627-28, V
- The Siege of Maastricht 1673, V
- The Battle of Hastenbeck 1757, V
- The Battle of the Plains of Abraham 1759, D
- The Battle of Yorktown 1781, V
- The Battle of Valmy 1792, V
- The Siege of Toulon 1793, V
- The Battle of Fleurus 1794, V
- The Battle of Arcole 1796, V
- The Battle of the Pyramids 1798, V
- The Battle of Marengo 1800, V
- The Battle of Trafalgar 1805, D
- The Battle of Austerlitz 1805, V
- The Battle of Iena 1806, V
- The Battle of Borodino 1812, V
- The Battle of Leipzig 1813, D
- The Battle of Waterloo 1815, D
- The Battle of Solferino 1859, V
- The Battle of Sedan 1870, D
- The Battle of the Marne 1914, V
- The Battle of Verdun 1916, V
- The Battle of France 1940, D
In red the major Vs or Ds. For me they are all strategically MAJOR in the History of France and for the destiny of France!
I trawled through it. On youtube, there are full walkthroughs and cutscene/boss compilations and such. It's a very well done and big budget sort of thing. The environs/world building is highly crafted and the cutscenes are 13 hours (!) long.
Basically, the story involves the 'witcher' exploring 4 major fantasy settings: villages/countryside, towns, city, and mountains in an exhaustive search for his missing adoptive daughter, who looks like Bree Smith! As the story progresses, it gets less about the world crafting vision (fun) and more about the fantasy world's politics. (less fun). The environs remind me of the lord of the rings/shrek and the voice acting is good.
Yes, that's donbot. He is a gamer/graphic designer and knows all sorts of things.
The Wisher remind me a bit the movie The Brothers Grimm with Matt Damon but the movie was pretty good.
I keep a good memory of Donbot. I never talked to him, but he was a great poster, like BZ need to have !
^
Also, the type of content in Game of Thrones and Vikings. The Witcher is a big mass of fantasy tropes and folklore- I've come into contact with at least forty. I must say (having seen most of the story/situations in it now) that it's one of the best things ever made for the medium and I have now been introduced to many concepts of the fantasy genre.
Donbot was a big fan of high quality story-games. I think he recognized the potential of the medium to do things that film/TV shows cannot. (Bioshock, Fallout, The Last of Us, etc.). He appreciated the art and design work that went into producing these things.
It took me a while to get back to you as I don't recognize some of these titles/authors. thanks.
What are my favorites, hmm good question
Of course one of my fave writter is Agatha Christie, definitely. Murder on the Orient Express is a master piece for me. I really like Conan Doyle as well, but who don't.
Philosophical books are the worst...
And well, i definitely prefer Chateaubriand to Victor Hugo...Hugo is overrated IMO...
I had to read a lot of Moliere too, but Pierre Corneille who is less know once again was more interesting. I never read completely one of his text, but complete resume.
I forgot lots of things ...
My favorites tv shows hmmm, Dexter, Friends, TWD... Daredevil, the first season was GREAT ! Hmmm, i watched so many tv show, Pretty L.Liars is nice too, surprisingly. The good Wife, especially the 5 first seasons was very entertaining...I surely forgot some, but those are my favs... The BigBangTheory as well, or the firt seasons of HIMYM as well...
I think the first tv show i ever watched was V, the one from the 80th
In France we're used to say that History is an eternal resumption... I think this is possible since some people have bad memory, of the history and of their own life
Make the enemies blind, this so logical lol
In France, Monarchism is dead during the 19th century. But our country keep a centralist idea of the State, legacy from the Monarchy Era.
Sooo, good question !
I will list you them, but it's only my opinion, and it give my personal vision of the History, but it follow the reality also. (V=Victory, D=Defeat)
- The Battle of Tours 732, V
- The Siege of Jerusalem 1099, V
- The Siege of Orléans 1428–29, V
- The Battle of Marignano 1515, V
- The Siege of La Rochelle 1627-28, V
- The Siege of Maastricht 1673, V
- The Battle of Hastenbeck 1757, V
- The Battle of Yorktown 1781, V
- The Battle of Valmy 1792, V
- The Siege of Toulon 1793, V
- The Battle of Fleurus 1794, V
- The Battle of Arcole 1796, V
- The Battle of the Pyramids 1798, V
- The Battle of Marengo 1800, V
- The Battle of Austerlitz 1805, V
- The Battle of Iena 1806, V
- The Battle of Borodino 1812, V
- The Battle of Solferino 1859, V
- The Battle of the Marne 1914, V
- The Battle of Verdun 1916, V
In red the major Vs or Ds. For me they are all strategically MAJOR in the History of France and for the destiny of France!
I have noticed for a long time that french politics are more statist minded in rhetoric.
These battles...they are mostly from the 18th/19th century. What do you think/the mass perception thinks about the war in Indochina?
Indochina was not a real war. It was a war for independence, very far from the metropol...The french army just did some resistance out there, more for the symbol than for something else...
Yes, these battles can be seen like being old, but that's what happens when a country has an old History. You could say the same for UK.
^
True!
In the US, it's mainly the Revolutionary war, Civil War and WW2. WW2 is most influential and is deified as a great "struggle against evil". The generation that fought it are called "the greatest generation" in pop culture. Vietnam is seen as a 'forlorn hope' and a symbol to support anti-war opinions.
Yes. I'm curious to see the US army engaged in a global war as the WW2 was. I mean, at this time, everything was all about Patriotism and the "Nation" ... I would like to see the US of today and its army engaged agaisnt a serious foreign army. The same for France and UK. The Falklands War was a semi-disaster for the UK... Soldiers was wondering what they was doing on the battle field. How a professonal soldier can think that. I feel the US soldier was feeling the same in Afghanistan and Irak... Vietnam before. Multiculturalism never worked when we are talking of the troop. I think the West armies are actually not able to conduct serious operation very far of their own bases, and borders lol The same for Russia, and VERY probably the same for China.
The internal desorder will be a problem for the West. Not for Russia or China. A futur global war could be lost in our own streets i feel.
I think the generation of Americans of this time was indeed the greatest that USA knew so far.
But the "struggle against evil" is a recuring thing in the foreign politic of the US, recently they used it again. This manicheism always worried me a bit, but i feel it can be useful at time.
About it, American army of this time was segregationist. And the internment of the japanese ppl who was living in the US since long time in some cases is a black spot, about the US in the WW2.
And, also, a % of the troop was anti semitic. Like the movement "America first" proved it with the isolationism pre-WW2.
text wall
^
oh that was tongue- in cheek :-D As an American, I know that things were most certainly not as good as it was painted. There's a bit of looking at a rose-tinted glasses with that one. The great problems were forgotten. Besides racism, sexism- Most people were much poorer, for one. The Manichean thing is obviously a political instrument/ideological meme used to get things done.
The WW2 generation was certainly the most courageous and sacrificial. But their society was filled with defects that have been erased today.
hmmph, I see our times as a time of commerce/relative peace (thank goodness). The developed world is neutered. With the military just 1%-4% of the economies (instead of, say 25% in the 1930s in the Third Reich/Soviet Union) of most nations in the EU/North America there is simply no capacity for total war. If the military increases to 10%, (the size of an entire major industry) then things will start getting dangerous. Same if there is the introduction of universal conscription.
So I have a very positive and optimistic view as to the future, and have so even during the great recession.
======================
A military interest of mine are the west vs. east models. The western way (US/UK) of war is to have a small, overequipped professional military that expands in time of war while the Soviet way (which was exported to states across the world) is geared towards the strategic and operational levels of war and the social/economic conditions of the third world or developing country with an industrialized core.
With China and Russia, they are still operating under the influence of "the great patriotic war" and soviet military operational art. They both retain millions of reservists and have always retained a larger manpower pool than the US. In time of non-nuclear total war, they would likely follow the war fighting model of the soviets.
In terms of "fighting the peace" (eg. Afganistan, Iraq, Vietnam/IndoChina) things become more social/political. A conquering nation cannot simply buy their way to victory- they have to align interests, create partnerships, and both sides need to come out getting a "square deal" in order to reach a peace. That's what I believe, anyway.
You live in France- I would have thought you thinking different. Do you think there are threats to France?
Thinking different about which subject ?
Terrorism mainly, the same as all the others countries. From the West at least...
^^In terms of geopolitical issues- France has some different priorities/interests than the US.
Also, I updated my galleries!!!!! I added 6 more and then re-formatted the last 15 entries or so. I also added 20 galleries links to the 'Contents' thread!
^^In terms of geopolitical issues- France has some different priorities/interests than the US.
I'm curious to know the difference of priorities and interests between FR and thr US according you ? 
Hmmph, I can't say or express confident opinions about France. The US media does not devote much attention to it and nor do I. The country that US business and news media is obsessed with is China. Everything else gets only small coverage.
Due to the size of the US and the varying interests, there is diversity and it often seems like a federation of states at times.
I'm curious to know the difference of priorities and interests between FR and thr US according you ?
do you have an idea about your own question?
Hey, did you ever play "Dragon Age: Inquisition"?
Hmmph, I can't say or express confident opinions about France. The US media does not devote much attention to it and nor do I. The country that US business and news media is obsessed with is China. Everything else gets only small coverage.
Due to the size of the US and the varying interests, there is diversity and it often seems like a federation of states at times.
I'm curious to know the difference of priorities and interests between FR and thr US according you ?
do you have an idea about your own question?
The geographic positions of the US and France make their priorities and interests a bit for from each others of course. But if you look this subject closer, i think US and FR are very close countries, very good allies, not to say the best ones... Economically and finacially far, but Geopolitically close IMO.
The geographic positions of the US and France make their priorities and interests a bit for from each others of course. But if you look this subject closer, i think US and FR are very close countries, very good allies, not to say the best ones... Economically and finacially far, but Geopolitically close IMO.
JJ3,
Yes, allies and under the NATO umbrella. BTW thanks for updating
Natalie Jayne Roser- I thought everybody forgot about her
Hey, did you ever play "Dragon Age: Inquisition"?
No, I have not. Ophelia recommended me this on the other thread. What do you think of it? I will look at it later.
I was actually going to rant about it.
I loved the first two games, especially the first one.
But they further reduced what is possible within the leveling system.
I guess this is done to make it more console-friendly?
JJ3,
Yes, allies and under the NATO umbrella. BTW thanks for updating
Natalie Jayne Roser- I thought everybody forgot about her
Yes NATO, we don't need it at all IMO, i was agaisnt the come back of France into the NATO in 2007... I prefered the politic of independance of the past 40 years ... but after all, it's maybe more "normal" this way.
But we are permanent member of the UN Security Council, we have the nuclear weapon, and i thought it was unfair to Russia to be back into NATO... I deplore the loss of friendship between FR and Russia, since we're back into NATO ...
For you, who are the best friends of the US ? Which countries ?
You're welcome NJR is really great, i hope she will work more in Europe and in the US !
Hmmph, I have looked at it a bit now; while it is fantasy it is quite different in style compared to witcher. I am entirely new to such things so I don't know about the other stuff. What do you like most about it?
I was actually going to rant about it.
I loved the first two games, especially the first one.
But they further reduced what is possible within the leveling system.
I guess this is done to make it more console-friendly?
I finished watching "Hearts of Stone" (first out of two expansions of Witchery 3) It's really good- the story is basic off of classic polish folklore. There's a good soundtrack and the writing/voice acting was gripping with effective pacing & sense of mystery. Good artwork. I highly recommend it:
This is also the only game where I have seen a medieval wedding party being depicted.
I would say the "commonwealth" (UK, Canada, Austrialia, etc.), France, Germany, Netherlands, and other developed nations. China is the great commerce partner, but at the same time is held at arms-length due to vast cultural differences and trust issues. Our economies are intertwined.
You know, you bring back some old talks I've had. I know that considerable Europeans also do not want NATO/EU in their country. (eg. US military bases and the influence of US multinationals on domestic societies) I never, however, had the chance to ask any more. (It would be awkward). So I don't have a strong sense of what the perceived negatives are in various countries.
Same thing for alliances with Russia-what do you see as the benefits of friendship?
The self-serving US POV is that we are effectively subsidizing the defense of western europe (with, eg. 4 % military expenditures) while they can get away with up to 1%. Also, with international monetary systems, we deserve the "tax" we present to others with the US dollar as the reserve currency.
Yes NATO, we don't need it at all IMO, i was agaisnt the come back of France into the NATO in 2007... I prefered the politic of independance of the past 40 years ... but after all, it's maybe more "normal" this way.
But we are permanent member of the UN Security Council, we have the nuclear weapon, and i thought it was unfair to Russia to be back into NATO... I deplore the loss of friendship between FR and Russia, since we're back into NATO ...
For you, who are the best friends of the US ? Which countries ?