Another One

So another Gundam model has arrived at my doorstep.  This time, it's the Gundam Astray Red Frame from the Gundam Seed universe.  The box itself is quite impressive but the content and the details are even more amazing.  Like Sword Impulse before it, there are a lot of parts.  And it appears that the model comes with a support base to help with the overwhelming weight of one of the equipment.  This will be quite interesting when I pair it up with the display base that I got for Sword Impulse Gundam earlier.

I do not know on how long or when I will start the assembly.  For starters, I am considering getting some model glue in order to help solidify the pieces.  This kit comes with clear and translucent parts that can be put in place of the regular parts.  While nice to have, I prefer the regular parts for display purpose.  However, the main framework of the model itself will probably benefit from having model glue to hold them together.  Another item to consider is painting.  I do not know if this will work out in the end, as I have tried painting before and my hands and patience do not go well with me.  When I have worked on the assembly for Sword Impulse Gundam, I have spent hours on some parts and when it is time to put them away, I had to put them all back into the box so they would not be a hindrance.  This is probably not a good thing for the purists and hardcore hobbyist out there, where they have their own dedicated and isolated area for model assembly.

In any case, trying to find a hobby store other than the one I know of is going to be tricky and difficult.  My last visit to that hobby store left me with a very doubtful impression of the person working there.  I know the kind of tools I need but the individual there seem completely clueless.  I hope that my next visit will be more fruitful.

The beginning of March means the beginning of another round of gaming.  While Guild Wars is still a game that can occupy time, it is now being replaced with Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for the PC.  Having played the beta and liking the feel of the game, it is becoming more interesting as I try out the new weapons and play around with them.  So far, gathering points for getting to the next rank or level isn't all that difficult.  The method used here is similar to that of Battlefield 2142, where players earn bonus points for awards and support tasks while in game.  These bonus points make it far less painful to reach the next level/rank and requires only normal play.

So far, I have been impressed by how the weapons are designed.  There does not seem to be anything absolutely superior to the other and all the weapons are just as deadly as the next.  Some have a higher learning curve while others have a more different way of handling.  But perhaps the only thing that truly needs fixing is the way melee attacks are handled.  Auto-aiming and lunging forward is not the way to make a melee attack.  Simply make the attack an attack so that it requires timing and skill, and does not distort your direction and aim by a wide margin.

Nearly two weeks in, things are shaping up.  I can only hope that the stability with EA's servers are soon to be resolved so the developers can finally start working on the next item of the list: bug fixes, tweaks, and feature additions.