SWTOR rocks! Yup, my Tatooine Toyboxers, I’m back for my final broadcast of 2011. And guess what I’ll be talking about? The “Star Wars: The Old Republic” (SWTOR) massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, of course! Well, just a little bit, hehe. After two amazing SWTOR beta weekends (11-13 and 25-28 November), I leapt back into SWTOR early access almost one full week (14 December) before the official launch date (20 December), and brought back my bad-ass female cyborg character, Punktrooper Motoko Mandara, based on the most-famous cyberpunk chick in anime history: Major Motoko Kusanagi, the elite anti-terrorist commander in “Ghost in the Shell”, “Stand Alone Complex”, and “Solid State Society”. Haha, very nice indeed!

After watching the 8th and final “Harry Potter” film on DVD, I finally cancelled my 7-year rental subscription to Netflix (19 December), so I can pay for my new gaming subscription to SWTOR, haha. Since there’s just too many quests and too many screenshots to include in this broadcast, I’ve included a couple of screenshots to provide a tiny taste: (1) Punktrooper Motoko at Bounty Hunter Level 05, and (2) Punktrooper Motoko at Bounty Hunter Powertech Level 27. Such an amazing evolution of her armor and firepower! For more details on her epic journey, here’s my Google+ alias as Punktrooper Jacob Mandara. Otherwise, take a peek at my “Possibly Random Links” below. Till next time. Peace. Out. Happy New Year! Gotta play some more SWTOR!

Whoa, three months flew by fast! And now, my Tattered Toyboxers, I’m back for a mini-broadcast. For this one, I’ll be leaping from 2D art to hi-def hardware to 3D renders, and hyperspacing from the Old Republic to Daz Studio to Poser. How did it all begin? I think it began in July-August with my unexpectedly consuming interest in the upcoming “Star Wars: The Old Republic” (SWTOR) massively multiplayer online (MMO) game! Since then, that interest has spread into SWTOR-laced 3D art as well, haha. So here we go, folks, time to let the Force flow through us…

Part 1 of 3 > Daz Studio 3D Renders

Like I mentioned above, it all began in July-August. In fact, in August, I made the following Google+ public post (02 Aug).

Me: Ah, very nice. I’ve been accepted as the 40th member and 6th bounty hunter of “The Sith Assassin Elite” guild for the upcoming “Star Wars: The Old Republic” MMO.

Then one day, I replied to a Google+ public post (01 Sep) by a fellow artist.

Me: Very nice. Hey, question for you. As an intermittent Photoshop artist, I’ve only dealt with 2D. But with all the 3D SWTOR art I’ve been seeing, I’m thinking of making the hyperspace jump from 2D to 3D art myself. Assuming a new gaming PC soon, what 3D rendering tool would you recommend? Poser? (Version 9 is coming soon.) DAZ?

Patrick Lambert: Both work fine, depends on your preference really. Prepare for a bit of a learning curve.

Me: No worries. I’m sure it’ll take months to adjust, and years to master. Still learning new things in Photoshop. :)

Within the following week, I downloaded and installed the free Daz Studio software, then experimented and created my first 3D render…

Here’s my Google+ public post (08 Sep).

Ahh, in 3 days, my first-ever full 3D render experiment! The free version of DAZ Studio 4 provides minimal libraries for characters, morphs, wardrobe, and props (more libraries can be purchased separately), and it crashes pretty often on my weak-kneed 3-year-old iMac 24. But impressively powerful for zero cost. Can’t wait to test-drive its sister software Poser 9 on my new i7 laptop soon, hmm…

Within the next few days, I created my second 3D render…

Here’s my Google+ public post (11 Sep).

Whew, my 2nd render in Daz Studio 4… Tinkering with props, wardrobes, poses, morphs, expressions, even mesh smoothing and collision iterations to patch up the flaws, so the hours just fly by! Btw, no post-work except for adding my sig, title and date. Not bad for 6 days of practice…

Within the next week, I created my first Star Wars 3D render…

Here’s my Google+ public post (17 Sep).

Ahh, my first-ever Star Wars render! Only my third experiment in two weeks of practice, but making progress. Tools: My aging iMac 24, DAZ Studio 4, and Photoshop post-work. Special thanks for Dodger’s lightsabers, Chimera46′s lekku and +Patrick Lambert’s pointer to New Aurabesh. Still can’t wait for my new i7 laptop and Poser 9…

Part 2 of 3 > New Hardware

Yup, looking back, it was a good idea to get familiar with some 3D rendering software. The next step was getting better hardware, not just for more SWTOR-MMO power, but for more 3D-rendering power as well.

Here’s what I wrote in my Google+ limited post (23 Sep).

Ahh, my sweet new 17-inch i7 Win7 notebook finally arrived yesterday. Love the Razer Deathadder gaming mouse! Plus an amazing Darth Talon wallpaper created by DarthHell @ DeviantArt. I am now prepared to wreak havoc on pitiful Jedi scum, hehe…

The following week, even more cool hardware, hehe.

Here’s what I wrote in my Google+ limited post (01 Oct).

Over the past week, I got a raise and completed my 200-day J200X workout. What better way to celebrate than to find a 32-inch buddy for my 17-inch Darth Talon?… For the Empire!

Part 3 of 3 > Poser 3D Renders

Finally, with this cool new hardware, I was able to take another larger step by installing new Poser software and achieving more powerful 3D renders! SWTOR-styled 3D renders, of course, hehe.

Here’s my Google+ public post (03 Oct).

Amazing. If you remember, I tried the new DAZ Studio 4 (free) for several weeks. Then last week, I installed the powerful new Poser 9 for the first time. Lo and behold, after 7 days of Poser 9 practice, here’s my first 3D render with multiple characters! “Zhaanin’s Revenge”. Photoshop post-work for the lightsaber, smoke effects, and text.

Within the next few days, I created my second SWTOR-styled “Zhaanin” 3D render (1600 x 900)…

Here’s my Google+ public post (07 Oct).

Wow, using Poser, the hours and days just fly by. Wish I had more! But for now, here’s my next 3D render in the SWTOR “Zhaanin” series called “Zhaanin’s Getaway”. Even more complex and more fun than my last. Photoshop post-work for the lightsaber, smoke effects, and text… Soon I’ll need to create a worthy (and sexy) Jedi adversary for my Sith Zhaanin, hehe…

Within the next couple weeks, I created my first SWTOR-styled “Silverstream” 3D render (1600 x 900)…

Here’s my Google+ public post (23 Oct).

Ahh, back from a hectic week at a software user conference in Vegas… So it’s time for another SWTOR 3D render!

But first, an observation: From what I’ve seen on DeviantArt, lightsabers are pretty tricky to execute, particularly the blade. Artists (even faves like Darth Hell and Aphrodite-NS) occasionally misalign the blade with the hilt, or the blade is too short, or sometimes the blade effects aren’t quite right. Personally, I’ve based my blade lighting on Darth Hell’s designs and of course, the SWTOR cinematic trailers.

Now, although lightsabers or duels are non uncommon in 3D renders, what I rarely see (even from Darth Hell and Aphrodite-NS) are duels where sabers are locked against each other, blade on blade. My guess for this rarity is the multiplied trickiness in achieving an aesthetically pleasing arrangement, proper blade alignment, and excellent blade lighting, all at once. Definitely a challenge!

So of course, my newest 3D render accepts that challenge, tosses in a third blade, and adds some swirling smoke in between, haha. Well, here they are: Yukiko and Akiko Silverstream, Jedi sisters in training! My Sith Zhaanin better watch out! Hope you enjoy.

Within the next few days, I created my second SWTOR-styled “Silverstream” 3D render (1600 x 900)…

Here’s my Google+ public post (26 Oct).

“As the sunset-tinted steam sifted through the skytower training observatory, the icy-blue eyes of Yukiko Silverstream analyzed the dark-armored defense of her little sister. With a subtle smile, she noticed Akiko’s familiar patterns, disturbances, and weaknesses that come from a lack of focus and flow. Suddenly, Yukiko lunged with a single-saber strike to her sister’s weaker arm, igniting a furious flash of sapphire and violet vapor…”

Hi folks! Hard to believe that I created my 1st three Daz Studio 3D renders just last month, then created my 1st four Poser 3D render just this month. Luckily, if you already have extensive experience with Photoshop, the post-work process is much more efficient and effective. So now, here’s my 4th SWTOR 3D render. Yup, two days later, Yukiko and Akiko Silverstream are back. Since I fell in love with the original scene, I decided to render a nice reverse-angle close-up, showing more of Yukiko’s expression. Hope you enjoy! Till next time…

Hmmm, maybe I should revise my assessment: Only weeks to adjust, and months to master? Otherwise, that’s all, folks! I think we’ve adequately felt the Force, hehe. But hey, if you’re interested in some of my other “Star Wars” broadcasts, just click the “Star Wars” link at the top of this page. Otherwise, take a peek at my “Possibly Random Links” below. Till next time. Peace. Out.

Heyyy, welcome back, my Trickling Toyboxers! What’s new? Well, this time, it’s a new mega-broadcast focussing on the infamous Nathan Fillion, from his current spotlight as the multi-season star of “Castle” (2009) to his previous spotlights as Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the retro-sci-fi cult-favorites “Serenity” (2005) and “Firefly” (2002). Why a Nathan Fillion post? Well, why not? First of all, “Serenity” and “Firefly” are two of my personal favorite sci-fi titles. Secondly (on 11 June 2011), when I decided to give “Castle – Season 1″ a try, I was hooked. Thirdly (on 21 July 2011), when I witnessed Nathan as Richard Castle dressing up as his old character Malcolm Reynolds in “Castle – Season 2″ Episode 6, I had no choice but to write a post, haha. So here we go, folks, time to burn up the atmo…

Part 1 of 3 > Castle (2009)

Ah, the world of rich castles and castle riches. Quite a far cry from the universe (or ‘verse) of raggedy fireflies and firefly rags, huh? In any case, like I mentioned, when I watched the fictional character Richard Castle dressing up as the science-fictional character Malcolm Reynolds in “Castle – Season 2″ Episode 6″, I laughed out loud! Hysterical! For a small slice of the scene, here’s the YouTube video “Castle: Space Cowboy” below. Enjoy!

So what did you think? Cool? Geeky? Shiny? Yup, I agree, all three. So for those of you who have no clue what the heck I’m spewing, here’s a quick summary of the “Castle” TV series from Wikipedia.

Castle is an American comedy-drama television series broadcast on ABC and produced by ABC Studios. Castle premiered on March 9, 2009, and the final episode of the third season aired on May 16, 2011. On January 10, 2011, Castle was renewed for a fourth season.

Castle follows Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, a famous mystery novelist who has killed off his main character in his book series and has writer’s block. He is called in to help the NYPD solve a copy-cat murder based on one of his novels. Stana Katic co-stars as Detective Kate Beckett. Castle, who becomes interested in Beckett as a potential character for a new book series, uses his connections at the mayor’s office and receives permission to continue accompanying Beckett while investigating cases. Castle decides to use Beckett as the model for the main character of his next book series starring “Nikki Heat”. Beckett, an avid reader of Castle’s books, initially disapproves of having Castle shadow her on her cases, but later warms up and recognizes Castle as a useful resource in solving crimes.

Season 2, Episode 6, “Vampire Weekend” – As Halloween approaches, Castle and Beckett are assigned to investigate the death of a young man found stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake in a graveyard. To Castle’s delight, the two must delve into the world of vampires and werewolves to find the killer.

Next, here’s a quick summary of the “Firefly” TV series from Wikipedia.

Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear.

The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity. Whedon pitched the show as “nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things”. The show explores the lives of some people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and others who now make a living on the outskirts of society, as part of the pioneer culture that exists on the fringes of their star system. In addition, it is a future where the only two surviving superpowers, the United States and China, fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance, resulting in the fusion of the two cultures as well. According to Whedon’s vision, “nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today.”

Firefly premiered in the United States on the Fox network on September 20, 2002. Despite high expectations for the Joss Whedon-led project, by mid-December 2002, Firefly had averaged only 4.7 million viewers per episode and was 98th in Nielsen ratings. It was canceled after eleven of the fourteen produced episodes were aired. Despite the series’ relatively short life span, it received strong sales when it was released on DVD and has large fan support campaigns. It won an Emmy in 2003 for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series. The post-airing success of the show led Whedon and Universal Pictures to produce a film based on the series, Serenity. The Firefly franchise expanded from the series and film to other media including comics and a role-playing game.

Yup, pretty cool indeed. So now, to celebrate the moment, here are a dozen high-resolution images from “Castle – Season 1″ and “Castle – Season 2″ featuring Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle and the gorgeous Stana Katic as Detective Kate Beckett. Feel free to enlarge and save, haha. Enjoy!

Part 2 of 3 > Serenity (2005)

Ah, now let’s rewind back in time (or forward into the future) to the universe (or ‘verse) of raggedy fireflies and firefly rags, where Captain Malcolm Reynolds roams free! Here’s a quick summary of the “Serenity” film from Wikipedia.

Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship. The captain and first mate are veterans of the Unification War, having fought on the losing side. Their lives of petty crime are interrupted by a psychic passenger who harbors a dangerous secret.

The film was released in North America on September 30, 2005 by Universal Pictures. It received generally positive reviews and was number two its opening weekend, taking in $10.1 million its first weekend. The movie spent two weeks in the top ten, and its total domestic box office gross was $25.5 million with a foreign box office gross of $13.3 million. However, it did not make back its budget until its release on DVD. Serenity won film of the year awards from Film 2005 and FilmFocus. It also won IGN Film’s Best Sci-Fi, Best Story and Best Trailer awards and was runner up for the Overall Best Movie. It also won the Nebula Award for Best Script for 2005, the 7th annual ‘User Tomato Awards’ for best Sci-Fi movie of 2005 at Rotten Tomatoes, the 2006 viewers choice Spacey Award for favorite movie, the 2006 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form and the 2006 Prometheus Special Award.

Yes, shiny indeed! So next, to celebrate another moment, here are 19 wallpapers and high-resolution images featuring Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds, the eclectic crew of Serenity, and Serenity herself. As always, feel free to enlarge and save. Enjoy!

Part 3 of 3 > Firefly (2002)

Finally, let’s rewind even farther back in time to the origins of Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his eclectic crew! To celebrate yet another shiny moment, here are 82 more wallpapers and high-resolution images featuring Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds, the unforgettable crew of Serenity, and the Firefly-class cargo ship Serenity herself. Once again, feel free to enlarge and save. Enjoy!

Well, that’s all, folks! I think we’ve adequately burned and boiled the atmo, hehe. But hey, if you’re interested in some of my old “Firefly” fanart, hop over to my Blog 196 > Art Deco, Retro & Steampunk, and scroll down to “Part 4 of 5 > Firefly Fanart Flashback”. For more Summer Glau wallpapers from “Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, skip over to my Blog 207 > Angels, Badasses & Cyborgs, and scroll down to “Part 3 of 7 > Chronicles of Cyborgs & Terminators”. Otherwise, take a peek at my “Possibly Random Links” below. Till next time. Peace. Out.

Welcome, my Tweeting Toyboxers! Now that I’ve regrouped and reintegrated my abandoned Twitter and WordPress.com posts into the Toybox, I can now relax with a shiny new entry. This time, we’ll curl, crunch and focus on extreme workouts! From my hybrid “J200XC” to the web-based “BodyRock.Tv” to the highly-anticipated sequel “P90X2″. So, without further ado, let’s rock the show…

Part 1 of 3 > J200XC > My Extreme Hybrid Program

Whew! This morning, I completed Day 126 of “J200XC”, my second 200-day hybrid program. For the dirty details of my uphill path through “P90X”, then my first “J200X”, then my current “J200XC”, feel free to peek at my #1-ranked Toybox post: “From P90X to Insanity” (25 July 2010). Meanwhile, here’s a little taste from my “Exercise” page.

Started February 2011, here’s my next “J200XC” 200-Day Hybrid Program, based heavily on Chalene’s programs. Yup, after 2 rounds, I got tired of Tony’s “P90X”, and replaced it with Chalene’s “ChaLEAN Extreme”. Interestingly, I decided to bring back Tony’s 90-minute “Yoga X” on a weekly basis as the most intense-yet-invigorating stretching session from any fitness program, hehe. Then in May 2011, on Day 63, I decided to replace Beto’s unsatisfying “Zumba” and bring back Tony’s kick-ass “Kenpo X” and “Kenpo Cardio Plus”. Nice.

Consequently, here’s the PDF file for “J200XC”, Version 2. As always, feel free to peek inside.

Haha, but what I didn’t mention was that I couldn’t wait to use my new dumbbell set! So instead of another boring Kenpo Cardio Plus routine, I decided to do ChaLEAN’s Lean 3-40W. Wow, much more intense with a pair of 35-pound instead of 25-pound dumbbells! I can also load it up to 40 pounds! Basically, I ordered the Cap Barbell 40-Pound Dumbbell Set (Amazon) plus four Champion 10-Pound Standard Flat Plates (Amazon) to combine them into the most-affordable and adjustable 80-pound dumbbell set for under $105 USD (free shipping). If I choose to, I can also buy additional plates. Nice!

Here are my new plated dumbbells (black, Cap Barbell and Champion) as they compare to the old hex dumbbells (gray) I’ve had for years before P90X.

Then after my morning workout and stretch, I tossed together a tasty bowl of cereal. Actually, this bowl combines several tasty high-fiber cereals (General Mills’ FiberOne, Kashi’s GoLean, and generic Frosted Shredded Wheat), plus a handful of dried fruits on top. Hehe, fiber is getting tastier every year, isn’t it?

Part 2 of 3 > Body Rock > The Home Workout Movement

BodyRock.Tv. Have you ever heard of this website before? I certainly didn’t. That is, not until a few weeks ago. While browsing YouTube, I accidently stumbled upon one of Zuzana’s many workout videos. From there, I found her website and daily videos, put together by Zuzana and her husband Freddy. Wow, extreme home workouts for free!

While I haven’t done a true BodyRock workout yet, I’ve tried a few exercises that didn’t need specialized equipment. Consequently, the biggest obstacle is my lack of BodyRock workout gear, such as an interval timer, dip station or sandbag. So, to compensate for an interval timer, I assembled my own 21-minute electronica-dance music MP3, with the familiar high-pitched beeps between 50-second “high-energy” clips and 10-second “rest” clips. Yup, last weekend, I improvised a full 21-minute interval workout with the help of my newly-minted mix, hehe. Sound intriguing? Feel free to test-drive the “BodyRock-Mix-2011” MP3 (about 20 MB).

Hopefully, I can incorporate a handful of Zuzana’s exercises into my next “J200X3″ hybrid program. Actually, her “Fierce Friday Workout” (01 July 2011) demonstrates exercises without any specialized equipment. So that’ll be a great start.

Meanwhile, her “Just Did It! Workout” (15 July 2011) demonstrates exercises with a pink fitness ball. Hmm, as more and more accessories and expenses are required for her workouts, the tougher they’ll be to incorporate. I’ll just have to improvise or ignore them, hehe.

Part 3 of 3 > P90X2 > The Sequel to P90X

A-ha, coming soon! “P90X2“, the highly-anticipated sequel to “P90X”. Here’s a taste from the Beachbody website.

Currently in development, P90X2™ is the sequel to Beachbody’s best-selling workout program, P90X. With P90X2 workout, P90X grads can get even stronger, more flexible, and more ripped. This program is designed for maximum intensity and efficiency. In fact, this completely new 90-day program features cutting-edge workouts so intense, we only let you do them 5 days a week.

The original “P90X” Extreme Home Fitness Program released in 2004.

The sequel “P90X2″ with Muscle Confusion 2 coming in 2011.

Need I say more? More fitness balls? Well, I guess it’s yet another thing to incorporate into my next “J200X3″ hybrid program starting in October 2011. Extreme indeed.

Haha, no, my Tumbling Toyboxers, I’m not leaving the Toybox. However, I must say…

R.I.P. WordPress.com. R.I.P. Facebook. R.I.P. Twitter. Thanks for the short but sweet memories, March-July 2011. Follow me on Google+ @ https://plus.google.com/100244940787002926656/posts

If you remember in my Blog 225 several months ago, I wrote: “… To explore the bright blue bubble… I feel it’s time to move onto the next phase of my extracurricular life… I no longer have the blocks of time and energy to spend. The days of pulling a heavy wagon have drawn to a close. And the days of carrying a simple backpack have begun. In other words: a new WordPress, a new Facebook, and a new Twitter… By freeing myself from a heavily-centralized self-hosted ‘wagon’ of computer files and folders, I can leap lightly from site to site with a simple but liberating ‘backpack’ of ideas and expressions. Free to pursue and explore exotic new territories along my technical path. At least, that’s the theory. We’ll see what the bright blue bubble offers…”

Unexpectedly, all three paths led me to the same sparkling destination: Google+. See you there.

Happy 100th Birthday, IBM! Yup, after the stunning announcement in March, blazing acquisition in April, and furious integration through May, I finally became an official IBMer on June 1st. Yup, photo ID badges too, hehe. But guess what? Just two weeks later, IBM celebrated its 100th birthday on June 16th. What monumental timing!

To celebrate, feel free to peek at this illuminating and inspiring YouTube video: IBM Centennial Film: 100 X 100 – A century of achievements that have changed the world.

Proud to be a newbie IBMer, hehe.

Ah, from Angels to Devils! More specifically, a 5-day Utah hiking trip that conquered (1) Zion National Park’s strenuous “Angels Landing”, (2) Bryce Canyon National Park’s breathless 8000-foot elevations, and (3) Arches National Park’s dehydrating “Devils Garden”. Wow, such an awesome, inspiring and unforgettable trip! Here’s the day-by-day breakdown…

• On Tues, May 3rd, picked up my brother from McCarran Airport.
• On Wed, May 4th, drove several hours from Las Vegas to Zion.
• On Thurs, May 5th, conquered “Angels Landing” and drove a couple hours to Bryce.
• On Fri, May 6th, conquered “Bryce Point” and drove five hours to Arches.
• On Sat, May 7th, conquered “Devils Garden” and “Delicate Arch“.
• On Sun, May 8th, drove seven hours back to Las Vegas.
• On Mon, May 9th, dropped off my brother at the airport.

At this point, it’s probably not too worthwhile to describe the granular details — the random road-trip discussions, the last-minute fuel-or-lunch stops, the endlessly colorful small-town landscapes, the wide-and-wild spectrum of breakfasts and burgers, even the laid-back lend-a-hand hiker culture, let alone the drenching sweat-and-awe of the actual hikes themselves — because it’s pretty difficult to convey unless you’ve experienced them yourself!

Nevertheless, from our combined 800+ photos, here are just 50 photos spanning across these 3 stunning National Parks. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Enjoy!

See the photos >>