Grazza

I don't think there has been a truly brilliant British sitcom since The Office... until now. That is to say, Alan Partridge's Mid-Morning Matters (sponsored by Fosters) on YouTube. It's more of a sketch than a sitcom, but it's often hilarious and feels like the big boys have returned to show people how to do comedy. I particularly recommend episodes 2, 4 and 5.

My point, really, is that it's not about human potential. Albert Einstein was a genius, but he was still just human. To my mind, a different type of creature, not necessarily a human, could spring up which has massively greater intelligence than us, not just through study, but a greatly more capable brain. One rather depressing alternative is that we are the most advanced civilisation, but advanced civilisations destroy themselves in the pursuit of scientific knowledge.

Quite. It's possible that a being with greater brain capacity than us could solve problems that we couldn't even imagine in the first place.

LOL, keep going! What's your best Grotto like? Mine is level 98, has two Rank 9 chests and one Rank 10, with Tyrannosaurus Wrecks at the end (which is one I really want the drop from). I kept playing though it last night and got a spare Metal Slime Sword and Spear and, best of all, the Rank 10 hammer, "Groundbreaker"!

Deleting my one Grotto with him in was rather silly of me! Indeed. I would recommend everyone gets to level 99 at least once with one, twice if you want the Revocation medal. It's that time again where I chuck 3 Orbs and 3 Agates into the Alchemy pot, this time to upgrade my Immortal Trousers. This ridiculous outfit gives me a Magical Might of 887. How humiliating!

You mark my words: this may be small, but they're just trying to get us used to the idea. I predict, over the next couple of years, they'll reveal that (some) UFOs are extra-terrestrial and they've been visiting us for centuries.

Indeed. If I had to sum up in one word the reason this is an 8 or 9/10 and not a 10/10 like Zeldas usually are, it'd be this: "Overdevelopment". It's like when you do a sketch. It might be a great, but then you work on it too much and eventually you lose what it was meant to be about in the first place. I know a lot of gamers think "longer development time = better game", but this is not the case. When a game takes too long to be developed (say, more than three years), it's normally because it's been overhauled for some reason. Think of Kameo or Too Human - two games that spanned multiple consoles and weren't favourably received in the end. Wind Waker was, in a way, "rushed", but it was released at the right time on the right console and thus the essence of the game was preserved. Needless to say, it was also a work of genius. To understand the backlash towards Twilight Princess, you have to remember when you were a GameCube owner in 2004. How you loved the trailer where a Moblin bashes link (there were no Moblins in the finished game - why?) And then remember how utterly complete the game was in August 2005, and how the playable demo had controls just as a good as Wind Waker. Then, it gives me no pleasure to say, remember how it got needlessly delayed for 12 months, how they changed the controls, how they ruined Castle Town with an overhead view, how they took out the magic meter and any items that may have used it. It was insult after insult to those of us who'd waited for it on GameCube. So, give me a "rushed" game any day. Even if it had less dungeons, I'm sure it would have been better. Not meaning to be rude at all, but there is no way there will be anything like the same backlash against Skyward Sword - a game people have, frankly, no expectations for at all.

Argh, wish I hadn't spent my last points on Mega Man 9.

Bought it on GameCube, bought it on Wii and I do indeed have an urge to replay the former. Over the years I have come to appreciate the tone of the game. However, even if the story, dungeons, graphics and music were perfect, unfortunately, this would still always be the Zelda Nintendo mucked up. That is because it doesn't have the controls it was originally intended to, or the game design those controls would have allowed. The reason for that is the decision to put it on Wii. In the extended development time, much of what had been achieved on the GameCube was altered. Neither version could have anything that wouldn't work on Wii, and I'm afraid that has forever tainted the game.

Yes, it would be a dream to have one of those. Personally, I'm trying to get everyone to Level 99 in everything, to help my Alchemiracles. Following on from the list I posted, I do believe these classes are the best for these specific traits: Magical Might - Mage Magical Mending - Priest Agility - Martial Artist Deftness - Ranger Resilience - Warrior Strength - Gladiator Charm - Luminary ...Though I could be wrong. It's interesting that not all of them are the "Prestige" classes. Sage, for example, is a blend of Priest and Mage, but not as extreme as either of them in terms of Might or Mending. The Paladin is a blend of Warrior and Priest, and thus does not have the Reslience of a pure Warrior. Grr...!

Yeah, the Metal King and Erdrick's equipment certainly give the Legacy Boss drops a run for their money. It means you can't dress for fashion if you want the best protection. Something as far back as the Ethereal Gloves, for example, give better elemental protection than any other. The Vesta Gauntlets and Hero's Boots have the least reason to equip them instead of other items, in my opinion. I think, as a rule, my Hero will have the Erdrick's equipment, my No.2 the Metal King and my No.3 the "Victorious", though I will mix and match. I'd love to get the best robe for my healer. The element- and spell-protection is done as a percentage, eg. -25% means you take 25% less damage. This page is a brilliant guide to it: http://www.gamefaqs.com/ds/937281-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels-of-the-starry-skies/faqs/60936 Yes, but that's 16% with all your Shield bonuses. Erdrick's gives me a 15% block chance, for instance. I'm in!

I want to experience all the technology, like future games consoles, future Zeldas and Dragon Quests. Sad, I know, but I'm totally happy as I am.

Whilst I thank Rezourceman for creating this thread, and I don't underestimate the seriousness of the world issues involved, the actual leaks so far seem to be tittle tattle. We'd be very naive to think that the USA doesn't spy on us or criticise us. There's nothing shocking at all so far and I can't understand these quotes at all (from the original post): That's conspiracy theory stuff, whereas the actual leaks (so far) are just bitching behind people's backs, to put it crudely!

Oh, superb, I'd forgotten to check that today - thanks very much. I honestly hadn't made the connection that Sollerets were shoes and this is a Footwear sale. They weren't there today, but hopefully I'll get them before Friday. Incidentally, the Metal Slime sale kept offering me Shield after Shield (about four), and I don't think the Helm or Spear became available. I hope the next handheld Dragon Quest allows you to share and swap items online, because I've got quite a few items I'd be happy to give away. Ooh, haven't tried Malroth yet. Incidentally, Estark was the one I was referring to when I said I'd fought one that was hard at Level 2.

I saw this on the shelf today and, whilst I'm not bothered personally, I cannot believe Nintendo are just repackaging a SNES cartridge on disc. No 60hz option, no Super Mario World... it's quite unbelievable!

Did anyone think Monday's episode (Episode 4) was hilarious? From the Alan Partridge fan at the beginning to the bit where Brydon impersonated Partridge. Brydon (as Partridge): "Lyn, I told you to bring crampons!" Coogan: "Yeah. I would quote your stuff. If I knew it." What a putdown!

Thanks! Yep. Each Alchemiracle item has a particular attribute. The Gloves have Deftness, whereas the Infinity Trousers need Magical Might. So, I'd recommend being a level 99 Mage with all the the Magical Might-boosting clothing and equipment when you try it. The photo I took was blurry, but such high Deftness gave me a 50% chance of an Alchemiracle for that item.

I received three Silver Orbs, and so I got the chance to create my first potential Alchemiracle. I wanted to upgrade my Master's Gloves, so I set my character as a level 99 Ranger, equipped with Matador's Gloves and the Medal of Freedom, giving a Deftness of 895.

Really, really laughed out loud at that! It'll be a while before I get my Paladin up to level 99 again, but I assume it'll be like when you're level 99 with less revocations - that is to say, you still get EXP but it doesn't do anything. The system of this game is that you have to receive EXP, if only to calculate the smaller amount that the lower-levelled characters receive.

Well, I bought the Sollerets and couldn't resist alchemising them, so I can't complete a certain Quest yet. On the other hand, I now have the full Metal King outfit, which was an ambition of mine before I'd even bought the game! In other news, I have Revocated 10 times as a Paladin! It was the slowest class to do, but I wanted to be a "true" knight!

Wow, that's early to get those. Personally, I had a fruitless weekend of Grottoes! Despite doing four high-quality Grottoes (and revisiting them a few times), with plenty of Rank 9 and 10 chests, I simply didn't get anything good out of them. I seem to keep getting Gleeban Gold Pieces, Mini Medals and occasionally Orichalcum. However, I did buy the Metal Slime Gauntlets today, so I only need the Sollerets (preferably x2).

If it's any consolation, Beast Claws are in Rank 8 chests, so I'm sure you'll get them eventually. Metal Slime gear is Rank 9, and is on sale this week, of course. I wonder if there'll be a Rank 10 sale? Certain Rank 10 weapons have already been on sale, although not in a dedicated fashion (I bought two pairs of Dragonlord Claws). Personally, I'd love the Poker and Bad Axe.

A rollover is the element on Vekoma SLCs that inverts you twice but you leave facing the same way you entered. B&M's version is called a "sea serpent" and (although I'm rusty on this) the most well-known to me featured on the West Coast version of Medusa. Indeed. I hope it's not too extreme, not too excessive and doesn't stray far from the formula of the type of coaster it is. For example, whilst I like Air, I wouldn't like to see an enormous flying coaster that literally starts (ie. no first drop) with a pretzel loop. That design has been seen/rumoured. I'd really just like a great layout. Obviously it won't be an inverted, but would you really regret if it was just a "normal" floorless or sitdown looper? I wouldn't, I'd love it (remove Colossus, I say, if it's a problem). Oh, I tell you what'd be brilliant - a junior hyper/speedcoaster! Hill after hill! The UK needs those almost/just as much as it needs more woodies. The Euro Fighter at Dollywood started a trend of putting those indoors, so I bet it's one of them. For my money, Gerstlauer's best coasters are their "Bobsleds", ie. luxury wild mouse. How I'd like another one in the UK, ideally at Pleasurewood Hills or Adventure Island.

Snape is definitely the best character. Just think, these stories will probably get remade again and again, in high-budget TV series and eventually more films (like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis), but the one thing I don't think they'll ever better is Alan Rickman.