Friday, April 17, 2009

Mobile Suit Gundam 機動戦士ガンダム - Senjou no Kizuna (戦場の絆) PSP

If I live & work in Japan, I would be in line every single day for the arcade game Mobile Suit Gundam 機動戦士ガンダム - Senjou no Kizuna (戦場の絆). But unfortunately I am stuck in the US...so all I could do is drool over all the youtube video of people playing this great Gundam game.

But thankfully, PSP owners now have the opportunity to own & play the portable version of 機動戦士ガンダム (戦場の絆). In fact, I was the 1st one to arrive at the local import game store before they open for business, standing close to the front window placing both hands above my eyes to look inside the dark interior of the store, hoping to see the owner coming out to open its grand doors. Of course, I exaggerated a little.

In truth, I paid an arm & a leg for this game (About $70 USD). Only gundam stuffs can make me dish out such a hefty amount of doe. Anyhow, so I got the game. I loaded onto my PSP 3000 which is connected to my 24" LCD & 5.1 sound system. (SEE VIDEO ABOVE) And so far, I must say this game rocks!!! I love everything about it. It even have things that is only exclusive to the PSP version like:

- Able to play strategically as the base... giving orders to AI controlled MS, ordering bombardments, deploy minosky particles...etc.

- EX system, allowing player to manually customize their favorite MS. For instance, toggling between different armor & mobility options.

- COM pilots allow player to specify AI pilot to specific MS. So I can assign a mid range specialist to pilot a mid range MS...thus using it effectively in combat. The AI is pretty good in the game, and at the planning phase player can assign Team MS to sortie to cover specific location.

Great game indeed! And I love how constant grinding in single player unlocks various weapons, perks, game levels, & comm chat / commands.

Now I just need to wait until my friend bring me back a Xlink device, so that I can play mulitiplayer with people on the internet.

For a better quality of the video, check out the link below (and watch in HQ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSiacVXX9JQ&feature=channel_page

Takkeman Blastor (Customized) - Part 1

While I've stopped all efforts in finishing the Flag Custom kit...due to busy schedule. However, I've been building another kit for a friend who is paying me for it.

The kit is the 1/16 Takkeman Blastor (An old kit from the early 90's).

Although I have never seen this anime before, but I thought the box art looks pretty awesome. Notice the kit only cost $16.00 USD. Quality down the drain....So due to the poor design of the kit, some modifications are in order.



I've pre-built the kit to check for errors and just to see how it looks, and surely is a big difference from the box art... One of the major difference is the length of the leg (which is a bit short).


Notice some of the pieces just doesn't snap well together (like the head)....


It was at this point that I knew this kit need some modifications in order to satisfy my friend.

The box art shows the antenna to be long, and is 2 pieces instead of one. So mod begins.

I've modded the antennas and also lengthen & sharpen the shoulders. Also I have added some pla-plate to the collar, to make it more 3 dimensional.

In order to lengthen the leg, I had to cut the leg in half carefully.
Then insert a pla-tube in between...adding 1 1/2 inch to the kit. I've also made the spear longer to match the new height.

I performed a bit of kitbashing here to enhance the look of the new legs, using spare plamo parts from some 1/144 kits. Also I have lenghten the toes and sharpen them.
Then filled in the gap with magic sculpt & epoxy putty, and file/sand away...

The back also need some mods, since the kit is now taller, the lower wings need to be lengthen as well. So I used pla-plate to do this, adding in panel lines.

And here is the results after all the mods have been implmented.

NEXT UPDATE: PAINT JOB