Hao Tran - Bloghttp://hao-tran.com/home/Hao Tran - Personal Blogen-US2012-02-16T01:01:37ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Please support an open internet by protesting SOPA & PIPAhttp://hao-tran.com/home/2012/1/18/please-support-an-open-internet-by-protesting-sopa-pipa.htmlHao2012-01-18T10:05:03ZEvents Internet OPEN PIPA Protest Reddit SOPA WikipediaIt's begun: today is the designated day when many sites will "black out" in protest to SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) & PIPA (Protect IP Act). They come from noble intentions: to stop online piracy, but the current wording of these two bills are incredibly dangerous and would be a huge threat to the freedom of the internet, should they pass (there is an alternative act: the OPEN Act (Online Protection and Enforcemen of Digital Trade Act), which still tries to stop online piracy, but does not sacrifice the openness of the internet to do so).

Wikipedia and Reddit are probably the biggest sites to blackout today, with Wikipedia having already started, and running for a full 24 hours, and Reddit blacking out for 12 hours.

If you haven't been following this, and/or have no idea as to what SOPA and PIPA are, you can read an explanation on Reddit and Wikipedia. You can also read about the OPEN act here.

As a person who enjoys exploring the internet, reading little blogs like mine, it's important that we don't allow bills like these, which were written with little technical and expert input, to pass. We cannot allow ourselves to be put in a position of fear over legal action because we want to express ourselves. We cannot allow a government-regulated internet, especially to this level, to be (it hasn't really worked for other countries either). Contact your local representative, and (respectfully) show them that the people they represent do not support these bills.

]]>Game On starts with a bit of a sputterhttp://hao-tran.com/home/2012/1/15/game-on-starts-with-a-bit-of-a-sputter.htmlHao2012-01-16T05:56:55ZBrian Brushwood Game On Gaming Review TWiT Veronica BelmontReview and video after the break.

]]>Pixel Noise 13 - Chapter's End, Continuing Journeyhttp://hao-tran.com/home/2011/12/15/pixel-noise-13-chapters-end-continuing-journey.htmlHao2011-12-16T04:48:20ZFinale Pixel Noise Pixel Noise Video Game MusicA bit of sad news, but this will be the last Pixel Noise. I don't think this particular format is working, so I'm going to try to develop something new and improved in the meantime. However, I do plan on keeping the spirit of Pixel Noise alive, so I'll be sure to incorporate a music feature in whatever I do next. It's been a fun ride, and these songs are amongst my favorites. I think they convey the feeling of an ongoing journey well. It's the end of this chapter, and transitioning to a new one. Hopefully I'll see you there!

Track List:

00:19 Dragon Quest IX - Overture
03:25 Disgaea 4 - Last Engagement
09:22 Headhunter - Jack's Theme
15:41 The Last Remnant - Gates of Hell
20:49 Etrian Odyssey III - Those Who Slay and Fall
25:10 Scott Pilgrim vs. the World the Game - Leave the Past Behind
28:55 Katamari Damacy - Lonely Rolling Star
35:41 Final Fantasy IV - Theme of Love
40:51 Final Fantasy Tactics - Ovelia's Worries
45:11 King's Bounty: Armored Princess - Dreamland
51:03 Eternal Sonata - Heaven's Mirror
59:43 Mirror's Edge - Still Alive
66:39 Soul Calibur 2 - Path of Destiny

 

]]>Pixel Noise 12 - It's Good to Game Againhttp://hao-tran.com/home/2011/12/7/pixel-noise-12-its-good-to-game-again.htmlHao2011-12-08T07:29:18ZBayonetta Dark Souls Dynasty Warriors 7 Eternal Sonata Final Fantasy Tactics Final Fantasy Type-0 Final Fantasy XIII-2 Lost Odyssey Pixel Noise Skyward Sword Tactics Ogre Video Game Music XenobladeI've got my gaming time back, and I've already finished Eternal Sonata! Still plenty of games in the backlog to power through, but it's all still lots of fun. No particular theme for the week, other than games I'm playing, will be playing soon, or songs I stumbled into on my iPod on shuffle.

Track List:

00:10 Bayonetta - Fly Me to the Moon
03:58 Dark Souls - Firelink Shrine
08:05 LoZ: Skyward Sword - Ballad of the Goddess
11:24 Lost Odyssey - A Mighty Enemy Appears
15:52 Xenoblade - Those Who Bear Their Name
20:27 Dynasty Warriors 7 - Pierce
25:54 Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Main Battle Theme
31:13 Final Fantasy Type-0 - Boss Theme
37:19 Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together - Chivalry and Savagery
41:34 Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions - Ovelia's Worries
47:43 Eternal Sonata - Heaven's Mirror

 

]]>Pixel Noise 11 - Video Game Music is Serious Businesshttp://hao-tran.com/home/2011/12/2/pixel-noise-11-video-game-music-is-serious-business.htmlHao2011-12-02T08:21:20ZAdvance Wars: Days of Ruin Bayonetta Dragon Slayer 4 Headhunter Heavy Rain Lemmings Mass Effect 2 Metal Gear Solid 4 Pixel Noise Strider Hiryu Thief Uncharted 3 Video Game MusicWe're on a mission to spread some video game music to the masses! Though, seriousness all the time probably isn't fun, so there's a few quirks in it too. You can just feel the tension and excitement!

Track List:

00:10 Headhunter - Jack's Theme
07:13 Thief - Rising Hunger
11:50 Dragon Slayer 4 - Dungeon Entrance
15:53 Lemmings - Stage 1
18:30 Uncharted 3 - Main Theme
21:27 Strider Hiryu - Raid
24:44 Metal Gear Solid 4 - Main Theme
30:33 Heavy Rain - Ethan Mars' Main Theme
35:40 Advance Wars: Days of Ruin - Brenner: Hope Never Dies
38:15 Mass Effect 2 - The Normandy Reborn
41:28 Bayonetta - Climatic Battle
 
]]>A Winner Am I! - Elemental Minds: NaNoWriMo 2011http://hao-tran.com/home/2011/11/30/a-winner-am-i-elemental-minds-nanowrimo-2011.htmlHao2011-11-30T23:50:58ZNaNoWriMo UpdatesJust before 1AM Tuesday morning, I finally completed my NaNoWriMo novel at 50,269 words! It was a long path, but it feels great to be done! I don't think I've ever written anything that long before in my life (Microsoft Word says it was roughtly 80 pages, single-spaced), and even though I know the quality of writing isn't all that great, and there are some continuity issues, the NaNoWriMo novel is supposed to be a rough draft. It was definitely good for developing some diligence, and it was also a great way to just relax my mind and let it wander.

If you're interested in reading it, for whatever reason, you can find it here.

I'm currently at that stage where I'm not sure if I want to do it again next year, but it's something I'll keep it mind when the time rolls around again.

Meanwhile, I'm going to start working on my gaming backlog again, and there won't be a Pixel Noise tonight (sorry about missing last week's, but it was Thanksgiving weekend and all). I have rehearsal tonight, so expect a new Pixel Noise tomorrow!

]]>Pixel Noise 10 - Flow Into the Skyhttp://hao-tran.com/home/2011/11/16/pixel-noise-10-flow-into-the-sky.htmlHao2011-11-17T06:57:10ZASH: Archaic Sealed Heat Blue Dragon Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Halo King's Bounty: Armored Princess Lost Odyssey Pandora's Tower Pixel Noise Skyward Sword The Last Story Video Game Music XenobladeWell, I was unable to keep up with NaNoBloMo, but here's another episode of Pixel Noise! Not much gaming lately, so we went with some Mistwalker, transitioning into Operation Rainfall, and covering some upcoming releases (or in Skyrim's case, already released). It's a fun little grab bag!

Track List:

00:09    Blue Dragon - Main Theme
04:00    ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat - Battle of History
07:52    Lost Odyssey - Main Theme
12:18    The Last Story - New Days
17:42    Pandora's Tower - Boss Theme
28:09    Xenoblade - Mechanical Rhythm
31:45    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Romance Theme
35:51    Halo: Combat Evolved - Truth and Reconciliation Suite
44:55    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Main Theme
49:02    The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Minstrel's Lament
54:13    King's Bounty: Armored Princess - Dreamland

]]>Pixel Noise 9 - A Dash of Nexon MMOshttp://hao-tran.com/home/2011/11/9/pixel-noise-9-a-dash-of-nexon-mmos.htmlHao2011-11-10T07:39:45ZAtlantica Online Battlefield 3 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Dragon Nest Dungeon Fighter Online Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Mabinogi Maple Story Maple Story Adventures Pixel Noise Video Game Music Vindictus Zombie MisfitsNot a lot of gaming over the past week or so, but I've rekindled my interest in Vindictus, so we'll visit some Nexon MMOs! And just so I step away from the Asia-train once in a while, I've put in Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, and Oblivion too!

Track List:

00:05 Vindictus - Main Theme
04:57 Maple Story - Temple of Time
11:02 Maple Story Adventures - Main Theme (?)
16:22 Zombie Misfits - Map Screen (?)
21:30 Dragon Nest - Main Theme
25:07 Atlantica Online - Login
28:39 Dungeon Fighter Online - Golem Tower
34:45 Mabinogi - Final Boss Theme
39:33 Battlefield 3 - Fire From the Sky
42:49 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Warlords
48:00 Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Auriel's Ascension

 

]]>Mini-Updatehttp://hao-tran.com/home/2011/11/8/mini-update.htmlHao2011-11-09T07:38:00ZUpdatesI don't really have much to write about today, as I spend most of my Tuesday evenings at Oregon Repertory Singers (ORS) rehearsal. So a mini-update will do for NaNoBloMo:

  • I am making steady progress with NaNoWriMo. I'm currently at a little over 12k words, and I'm supposed to be a little over 13k by the end of the day today. The weekends have been really helpful in catching up, and I'm going to need to get ahead a little, as I have ORS rehearsal on the evenings of the 29th and 30th.
  • I closed my Bank of America checking/savings accounts last week, and put the money into a new checking/savings account at First Tech Credit Union. It's taking a bit of an adjustment period, but I'm sure everything will work out.
  • Regarding my finances, I'm feeling pretty good at paying off my student loans. If I can be a bit more aggressive from time to time, I should be done in the spring next year. It'll feel good to be debt free!
  • I haven't touched Eternal Sonata in over a week (been spending my time working on NaNoWriMo instead), but I really want to beat it so I can finish the story, and then move on to Dark Souls.
  • I recently became re-interested in Vindictus, so I logged in and caught up on all of my characters (spent unused AP, which reached the cap months ago). Hopefully I can start playing that again soon too.

That's all for now! Hopefully I'll have a new Pixel Noise ready for tomorrow's post, and I have a few plans for some more interesting posts in the days to come!

]]>Cardfight!! Vanguard is the new children's card game on the block,http://hao-tran.com/home/2011/11/7/cardfight-vanguard-is-the-new-childrens-card-game-on-the-blo.htmlHao2011-11-08T06:37:56ZAnime Cardfight!! Vanguard Random