New Blog

This blog is now closed, and has been remade at www.austinkretzer.com

Thanks for visiting!

- Austin

Blog Maintenance 「しんぱいしないで！」

I am in the process of switching my blog to Wordpress. I want to do more with this blog and be able to customize it more, and Blogger is just not cutting it. I will be installing Wordpress on a hosting service and redirecting my domain name via DNS and so on. Expect some down time, once everything is complete though, you will be able to access www.austinkretzer.com as normal, it will just look different.

Hopefully this goes smoothly.


- Austin

Shining Wind (シャイニング・ウィンド) PCSX2 Emulation

Well, after messing around with it a lot, I finally got Shining Wind to run under PCSX2, this game isn't listed under the compatibility list over at PCSX2, so I figured I would share how I managed to get it running, considering I couldn't find much info at all about it when I was looking.

In order to play Shining Wind on the PCSX2 PS2 emulator, you need to be using version 0.9.2, not the new 0.9.4, which seems to be the case with a couple of games actually, this is the big step. Under 0.9.4, the game runs at about 9.4 FPS, though, under 0.9.2, it runs at its normal 60 FPS. (Assuming you have a decent computer)

The only problem that I have yet to fix, and probably will not be able to fix, is the cut scenes. PCSX2 can play them, but once it gets about halfway through it will lock up the program. What I do is just press F1 (Save state) at the beginning of the cut scene, so I can just reload it once it crashes and skip the cut scene with the Start button, that way I get to see as much of the cut scene as it will let me. I am a big fan of cut scenes though, so it disappoints me that I can't view them properly. Besides that though, Shining Wind runs great on my computer, not to mention it loads faster.

Here is my config for PCSX2 0.9.2, this is the best way I have found so far, and I have tried all the new plugins:

Graphics: ZeroGS KOSMOS 0.96.0 (640x480, Interlace on at Mode 0)
Sound: ZeroSPU2 0.4.4 (The sound plugin that comes with 0.9.2 will not work with Shining Wind)
Controller: SSSPSX PAD Plugin 1.7.0
CDVDROM: Linuzappz ISO CDVD Driver 0.5.0
Bios: Japan v01.00
CPU: All options enabled.

And for those that are curious, my computer set up:

-Intel Quad Core Q6600 @ 2.4GHZ
-4 GB of RAM
-MSI GeForce 8600GTS Over-clocked edition video card
-320 GB HD
-DVD-RW with Lightscribe
-Windows Vista x64 Home Premium


So far, I've really liked Shining Wind, even though I can barely read any of it (hence the guide I am using in the screenshot), but the game play alone is pretty fun, and I love the artwork. If anyone needs some help getting Shining Wind running on their PC, feel free to leave a comment or something.

私のさいきんのこうにゅう (Figure Collecting)

Well, recently I received some money as Christmas gifts, so I purchased some new figures, some really good ones at that, considering how I haven't really bought any figures for myself in a good while I figured now was a good time. Every otaku needs his figure collection, right?

Anyways, here is all that I bought, I've never spent this much before on figures at one time, but whatever, I like it, so that's what counts.

Excellent Model Core Queens Blade EX 1/8 Scale Pre-Painted PVC Figure: Shizuka

Manufactured by Mega House

I don't think I have ever spent this much money on a single figure before, it cost me $80 in total with shipping from Japan. It is a very rare limited production model, and it looks fucking amazing, the second I saw it over at figure.fm I just had to buy it. The amount of detail and quality put into this figure is amazing, not to mention that Shizuka is just an awesome character to begin with.

This figure is of course pre-ordered, and comes out in April, with it's other version already sold out, and this one following close behind. I'll be sure to post once I receive it and take some pictures with the SLR.

Haruhi Suzumiya 1/8 Scale Figure
Manufactured by Max Factory

I loved the Haruhi Suzumiya series when I watched it, and I thought it would be awesome to have a figure from the series to own, so I did some research and picked out the best Haruhi figure I could find that wasn't super expensive, and I came upon this. Very nice build quality again, and a very nice pose, fits her personality well. This one cost me $37, not too bad for the quality of the figure.

Mikuru Asahina Nendoroid Figure
Manufactured by Good Smile Company

I bought this figure for my girlfriend as she is new into figure collecting and is wanting to start her collection, so I figured I would start her out with some nice quality figures, I think Nendoroid series is awesome (Would -love- to have that Hatsune Miku figure coming out). She thought that having Mikuru as a Nendoroid would be cute, so I got it for her.

Apparently though, after I placed my order, I noticed it said PREORDER: 11/30/07. Not sure what that means considering it's 1/7/08... May have to get my girlfriend a different figure if this one falls through.

Shining Wind Xecty Ein 1/8 Scale PVC Figure

Manufactured by Kotobukiya

The Shining Wind figures that have came out recently were actually what made me want to buy some figures again. I actually have not played the game yet (Which I am fixing that problem at the moment), but I fell in love with the characters and their figures once I saw them, and so I just had to pick me up one of them. Once again, pretty good build quality for the price, It's a awesome figure for the price in my opinion.

All of the Shining Wind figures that have been produced recently have either gone way too high for my taste on Ebay, or are pre-orders. So, I pre-ordered this one, it's release is Jan 28th.

Tales of Phantasia Arche Klaine 1/8 Scale PVC Figure
Manufactured by Kotobukiya

I played Tales of Phantasia years ago, when I was around 12 years old, and I loved every minute of it, since then, I have played it a couple other times as well. Arche was always my favorite character, and about 3-4 months ago, I saw this exact figure in a store, and at the time, I was flat broke, and could not afford it. So now, a couple months later, I found it online, and bought, had to pay about $10 extra then what it was at that store, but at least I have it now.

I think its another great figure, and I love her wooden stand. Man, just looking at the figure makes me want to play Tales of Phantasia again. One of the best RPG's to grace the Super Nintendo (and now Gameboy Advance) in my opinion.



Well, that is all that I bought, it was a hell of a lot, I definitely had a nice Christmas this year, seems like a pretty awesome way to finish off the year. I am also going to Ikea in Atlanta, GA soon to pick up the famous Detolf glass display case from Ikea. I am starting to get too many figures (30+ now), and I need a better place to put them, especially the new ones.

Here's a picture of the display case:


I am probably going to install some lighting into it as well. So, overall I'm going to have a pretty nice set-up for all of my figures. No more collecting dust on my desk! They are quite dusty...

I will definitely post some pictures one I pick up the Detolf (Which is about a 4 hour drive from here, it is out of state, but I'm sure as hell not paying shipping for that heavy thing). I am looking forward to all of my new figures and display case (which is more incentive to collect more), so even if things are going downhill for me recently, this is definitely a very big plus!

いよくてきじゃない・・・

I have not been very motivated lately, I haven't been doing much at all recently. I'm not sure why I get like this sometimes, but I really hate it. I wish I was more motivated and got more things done throughout the day, but I never do. I just talk of doing them and thats about as far as I get.

I really need to fix that. I can be heavily motivated at one moment, and then not care at all the next. I'm not going to get anywhere in life like that, yet it's a lot harder to fix than you would think. Maybe I should see a doctor or something about it.

Anyways, it just pisses me off how I can never manage to get anything done because of my own self. I should be practicing 3D modeling (which I will never get a job doing if I don't), studying Japanese (and attempting to go to Japan), and spending more time to better my life, yet I do none of those. I pretty much just sit around, sleep, do random shit, and waste time. I just can't bring myself to do anything worthwhile without getting pissed off at it and giving up on it, or being sidetracked.

Anyways, enough about that, just wanted to get that off my chest.

Happy New Year

Well, it's another year, hasn't really dawned on me much until now. Hopefully this will be a good year for everyone. I've been pretty busy doing all sorts of things with Christmas, besides that I have just been sitting back playing video games and trying to enjoy what I have left of my break.

Started playing Lineage II recently too, been pretty awesome. Only game I have seen that can compete with FFXI so far.

Anyways, I don't have much to say at the moment, just wanted to state that it's a new year. Hope anyone reading this has a good year.


- Austin