Recent news updates tell of a possible alliance of all pirate lords throughout the universe. If this is true then the universe as we know it may be in some very serious trouble. It has been centuries since an occurrence like this has happened. It seems that all around the the universe pirates, assassins, criminals, mercenaries, etc are all pouring into the Xellon Nebula. This nebula was for decades abandoned, once the base of the last alliance of pirates, criminals and so forth known. Officials have tried for just as long to figure out a way to get into the nebula and have been unsuccessful every time. Many are starting to feel worried about what this could mean.

Are the pirate lords really uniting? What for? How will it affect us? Well, officials from all over the universe are all holding a closed conference to discuss the matter. From all over the most ruthless, dangerous, sly, devious and deadly scum are gathering into the criminal nebula. But what for? Well top secret sources have shed a little light onto this dark and disturbing subject. It appears that the fall of Xavior the Ruthless was more than we ever though it would possibly be. As you may know Xavior was the ruler of the most ruthless and powerful criminal gang of our time. Once Xavior was captured the PCM Alliance fell into turmoil and utter chaos. Everything they had ever known was brought to a complete and abrupt halt. We soon found that without their leader the organization was helpless, everything had almost completely depended on Xavior. But the chaos was son capsized and finally order was brought to insane criminals.

Some how a very sly mercenary who’s name is still unknown was able to rally the organization into order. Even more surprising he immediately won them all over with a small speech. The whole organization seemed to be once again rising back to power, and indeed it was. The mystery mercenary seemed to have calmed down the ruthless gang, and even more he seemed to have gained their respect, and himself a very powerful position. The only name we could find for the devious mercenary was a name he might have gone by many years ago which we believe the name to be X. Krozor. It took a while to dig the name up, and even longer to find what little information we have about him. Krozor is a highly dangerous criminal, who may have been some sort of a former politician who later became a very powerful, and not to mention successful mercenary. Officials have issued an arrest warrant for this man, and all are suggested to take extreme caution with this situation. With such a dangerous gathering things could get dangerous and chaotic quickly.

For more information on the recent pirate gathering, it has been discovered that soon after Krozor’s quick rise to power he then made his position official, and possibly permanent. Surprisingly there seems to have been little objection to this sudden and maybe even potentially dangerous act. Although we do not at this time know much about Krozor’s plans, we hope that they will not affect us all too direly. Then after Krozor made his position official, he then did the one thing that nobody would expect, he called a universal meeting for all pirates, mercenaries, scum, criminals, assassins, well I think you get the picture. Not only are all the pirate lords attending this mysterious meeting, but they are also bringing all of their own personal legions and armies of pirates and so forth. The nebula is vast, but nothing on the inside has ever been seen by officials, so they have not even a glimpse of hope to solving the situation.

It seems inevitable that every single pirate lord and all other leaders of scum will arrive to the meeting. But this could like said before bring immanent danger to all citizens in our galaxy, for the nebula is just outside the empire itself! We have no doubt that as the criminals arrive they will attempt to vandalize anything in their paths. With such a gathering even the empire could meet its match. Forces from all over the galaxy are also coming in hopes to capture some of these famous and ruthless titans of chaos. Even bounty hunters are pouring in also in hopes to claim numerous bounties. But it seems that the pirate lords may have anticipated this as they are hiring highly trained guards from the best of their very own ranks to guard the nebula even as we speak. Some predict that a great war may break out, and if one does, it will not be very pretty at all.

Officials from all over are issuing warrants to anybody brave enough try to capture these criminals, but can any of them be captured? With such a vast number can they even be stopped, or will we have to wait for the plan to unfold? Well much to our dismay it seems that this may be to much to handle. Already thousands of reports from several hundreds of planets are spreading about. It seems that the not all the pirates just want to attend this meeting. They also seem to be taking this as a very good time to plunder any place they can possibly reach. They have left several large numbers of cities on planets from all over the galaxy in ruins from the shear numbers of criminals pouring into our galaxy. Already galactic prisons are filling up from all the pirates and criminals that officials have been able to capture. But even with all these captures, there are still more than almost four fifths still out there. Despite their efforts compared to the number caught and the number out there still, sadly it seems the officials really don’t have much.

But there still may be some hope. Galactic Patrol forces from all over have also been uniting in an attempt to secure our galaxy, and maybe even more as well. Things in this situation are happening on such a massive scale, it is really hard to picture what is really going on. Patrol units are trying to secure all areas in order to try and stop any more of the masses of criminals from getting anywhere near the Xellon Nebula. Whatever Krazor may be up to, it no good can be made of it.

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The VESA needs graphic artists to design and produce product displays. Creativity and an eye for detail are a must, as well as an ability to take criticism when offered. The VESA will pay per job, and there are always opportunities for advancement. If you’re interested please send a sample of YOUR OWN ORIGINAL WORK and a short description of why should get the job to [email protected], or in a comnet pm to Sniping101.

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Recent reports of a deadly pirate lord yesterday stated that the famous pirate “Xavior Alekaine,” also known as Xavior the Cruel was finally brought into custody. Xavior was known for capturing helpless victims and holding them for ransom, among many other devious things. Xavior has been classified as an extremely dangerous criminal for years, and has evaded capture for even longer. Xavior is also the founder of the ruthless criminal, mercenary, and pirate organization called The PCM Alliance. F.W.I. by the way, PCM stands for the Pirate (the most ruthless), Criminal (of the highest rank), and Mercenary/Assassins (of the very best), all formed together as the P. C. M. Alliance. The PCM Alliance has plagued the galaxy for decades, and not even the Empire has been able to do much about them. A governor of a nearby planet, Alekai Dromak once stated, “The PCM Alliance has grown too big, they are buried to deep in the societies around the galaxy. They have become a part of the galaxy whether we like it or not, all we can do is fight and keep our ground, then hope they do not grow so big they can take over the Empire.”
But as you can see, that really won’t be happening any time soon anyway, and probably never. Although The PCM Alliance has grown to a vast number beyond what anyone would have imagined, the Empire is still very much larger and still growing just as fast. Plus the Empire will not go down without giving a hugely considerable fight back. The Empire has lasted this long, why would it not last even longer? Like many we feel that the Empire is going nowhere, so what is there to worry about again? There will be many organizations, alliances, etc, that come along, but unlike all of them, the Empire is going nowhere. It will be here longer than any organization, or whatever else apposes us. Now for the latest news on Xavior:
It has been revealed that Xavior was arrested in Corellia. Apparently he was heading to a “business meeting.” Reporters later discovered that Xavior was actually one of the key contributors to the Human League Organization on Correllia. In fact he was actually meeting with the one of the highest ranking officials in the Human League, and his meeting was in a way was after all, “A business meeting.” Apparently Xavior and his multitude of deadly pirates, criminals and assassins had formed a treaty with the Human League, supplying it with weapons, armor for the wars, money, and much more. You can probably see how this could potentially be a problem for the Empire, and the rest of the Galaxy. But lets not forget of course the Corellians, who have been affected most of all by all of this.
While the Corellians in the Human League announced war with various races, and planets, Xavior and his gang supplied everything including back up when things got troublesome. Xavior has never been known to make any kind of deals with anyone before, and hopefully later reports will be able to discover why he would even consider forming an alliance with an organization so much smaller than itself. The PCM has even recruited some of Corellias most prized assassins for their own ranks. Many fear that with the help of the PCM, the Human League may grow too strong to touch, just as the PCM Alliance itself has. One good thing out of all of this is that yes the resident Imperial government is friendly with the VE, and has not wanted to form any kind of Alliance with the PCM, or really with the Human League for that matter. They have agreed to investigate this matter further and report anything they find worth telling.
Xavior is now halfway across the galaxy on his way to the best prison possible in our galaxy. Officials want to make sure that Xavior does not escape, or be able to have anyone break him out. He is sentenced to life, with absolutely no chance of bail. He will be placed in a specialized Maximum Security section of the prison that will ensure he will never see another living being again. Officials wanted to make sure that all his crimes for the past few decades will not go unpunished, if that is possible at least. But they can at least try right? The Empire now waits to see how the PCM Alliance will be affected by the capture of their leader. Will it crumble, or will they elect a stronger more effective leader? Well one thing is sure they will probably fight for the sacred position and hopefully send the organization tumbling down. The Empire has already prepared to send troops in to help the Corellians so that nobody gets hurt.
The Corellians do have one thing to say out of all this and their words were these, “It was not easy to bring down Xavior, many died in the line of duty to bring down such a deadly criminal. But we are glad to have able to have done such a task for the rest of the galaxy.” Now as you can imagine not all Corellians were that glad to see Xavior captured, but the resident Imperial government was however very glad to have caught him. The Empire is grateful to Corellia for bring down Xavior, for we have been trying to that very thing for decades. Nobody can predict how this will affect Corellia where a lot of their population is involved with the Human League, which is then tied with the PCM Alliance, who in return supplies them with everything. Although we don’t like it the Human League is a big part of Corellia, and taking out the very thing that helps the PCM who in return helps them Human League.
This could seriously damage their economy if you think about it. But, however, the VE has agreed to help their Government when need be. This is quite a relief for the Corellians and perhaps it will strengthen our ties with them. But as you probably know only time will actually tell though. Hopefully we can help Corellia get themselves back on their feet. The Empire does do some trading with the planet and it would be a shame to lose all of that because of what all this has done to them. Well that concludes this article for now. We will have the next update on the growing situation soon. In other news keep on the lookout for the wanted Kale Anon, the Empire wants him in as soon as possible.

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Navy High Command just moments ago have issued an arrest warrant for Kale Anon.This is the first such warrant since the Istivaan V incident.

Little is known about Kale Anon, other than that he is a high ranking mercenary among the pirate clans, and that he sells his services to the highest bidder. Strangely enough though, he has never worked with an Imperial employer, suggesting some old animosity towards us.

Information on his movements as of late is scare, however scattered reports placed him in the Xyouju system a few weeks ago, and other unofficial sources have put him on the planet Volek, a well known hideout for Pirates.

Rumours have also been circulating around the Government, suggesting that this warrant is connected to the supposed disappearance of Rear Admiral Riel Fury, the Naval Executive Officer.

Whilst it is true that the Admiral has not been seen in a few weeks, High Command refuses to comment on his whereabouts.

We will keep you up date on this mystery as more information come to light, but for now, we have supplied a copy of the warrant.
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Wanted: Dead or Alive

From the Office of Fleet Admiral Japeth
Naval High Command

Name: Kale Anon
Species: Human
Known aliases: Kaan Leon, Kanon.

Description: When not using a disguise, it is believed that Kale is around 5’10, with cropped red hair, medium build, several facial tattoos, and his left hand is a prosthetic. He has Blue Eyes, with no facial hair.

Reasons: For acts of piracy against the Vast Empire and for the Murder of Vast Empire Citizens.

Details: This is an open contract, anyone may take it up, however no payment will made until confirmation. Payment will depend on the individual.

Upon Completion: Bring Kale, either dead or alive, directly to Tadath, where he will be handed over to VE Security.

The thanks of the Vast Empire High Command are with anyone who completes this task

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WARNING: Possible Spoiler to Featured Games Ahead

If you are a gamer, then this is most likely happening to you. One, you own one of the following games; Two, you received one of the following games as a gift; or three, you hold cash, and or, a Gift card with you and arte planning on buying on of the following games. These games are four of the top games for the Fourth Quarter of 2007; Call of Duty 4, Guitar Hero 3, Halo 3, and The Orange Box. Though some may dispute them being the “top” of the list, you must agree they are the some of the most owned and most played of the quarter. In this report, there will be review for each of the games, and then it will show how they stack up against each other.

I will start by going over how this rating system works. First is the “Game Play” section. This is the storyline, levels, characters, weapons, and such of the selected category. Thus, there will be a separation of Single Player and Multi Player, due to them both being very different categories. However, they will be totaled and will make up the Game Play Score. Next, there is Graphic Look and Effects of the Game. This is everything from textures to water effects. It is important for the game to look good while you are playing it, therefore it also is scored in the reviews. Also Important to this review is the Sound Quality and Effects of the game. Everything from explosions to footstep sounds play a role in how the game sounds, and whether or not it sound real enough to receive a high rating. Control also plays a major role in the rating. This is everything from the control of the main character or character in multi player, to control of objects in the game. (Doors, Ladders, Switches, Moving Objects, ect.)

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Developer: Infinity Ward

Publisher: Activision

Consoles: PC, Xbox 306, Play Station 3

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 4/5

– Multi Player:  5/5

Graphics: 9.5/10

Sound: 9/10

Control: 9/10

I do not even know exactly what to say about this game, except one thing … Wow. I was a little skeptic when I heard that Infinity ward was taking their World War Two Shooter License, and shoving it into Modern War. I expected a rip-off of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, but you cannot imagine how much I was wrong. It is a nice break from the previous games of the series.

Lets Start with Game play, and keep it simple. The Single Player Campaign is everything you want in an award winning game, but is a little short. The Story line is excellent, and has a few twists to mix up the game play a little. You still have you everyday levels though; foot solider, car, ect. However, they added some more to it, my personal favorite is the AC-130 level. Even with how short it is, the excellent design of it makes up the points lost by its length. Now for the multi-player, two words describe it … Kick Ass. With major changes in the classes systems, and having the ability to create your own class, it adds a level of customization to the game. Player Perks, Weapon Modifications, and the number of weapons available keep it so that you can create your perfect solider. However, you still have you basic game modes; some are reworked into modes that are better than the average game. Territories is reworked into Domination, where you have three flags that you need to try to control, it labels each with a letter, allowing better communication between teams on where to go to get the enemy. In addition, the added in game rewards of UAV Scan, Air Strike, and Helicopter support is a much welcome addition. The Multi-Player is worked almost too well, just kidding it rocks, it surpasses all the previous Call of duty games in Game play, and is definitely a contender for Game of the Year.

Graphics wise, Call of Duty has always had great graphics, maybe not the best graphics you have ever seen, but still great graphics. The Character Models are greatly textured, along with Terrain, but it always seems as through they put much more detail into the weapons and a little less into everything else. Maybe that is just my opinion, but still the graphics still are great. There really is not much to say here without tying in another category, Sound Quality. The Sound Effects go hand in hand with the graphics, the weapons fire and look just as if they were the real thing. The explosions and other visual effects have top-notch sound effect to go with them. These are both pushed to their breaking point during the last level as the US Marine. However, the graphics are not the best, the sound makes up the lost points.

On the control end of the game, everything just goes right. The controls have not changed much from previous installments of Call of Duty, but still manage to do it better. The keeping o the fast passed “throw back grenade” action is a welcome idea, along with the “snap the Dog’s Neck” action on levels with hostile dogs. Remember, though that may seem wrong to do that to the animal, if you don’t they kill you. Air strikes are called in by use of the in game map, and selecting where it is that you want the strike. The game even alerts you if you are too close to the strike so that you can sprint out of the zone. Perks can modify controls though, adding addition speed, agility, or the ability to have a “Last Stand” with your pistol after you get shot. Thus, there is not much to say about the control aspect of the game, except that it holds very well.

Overall, the game has definitely secured its place as a game of the year nominee on any award show, site, or magazine. I personally give it a Thirty-Six point Five out of Forty, a very high score. This game definitely does not disappoint, and excels the previous games of the series.

Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock

Developer: Neversoft

Publisher: Activision

Consoles: PC, Mac, Xbox 360, Play Station 2, Play Station 3, Nintendo Wii

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 5/5

– Multi Player:  5/5

Graphics: 7/10

Sound: 10/10

Control: 10/10

There is not much to say about this game. It is one of the greatest, if the top, seller for the Holiday Season of 2007, and for good reason. Though much hasn’t changed in this game since the last version, it still deserves a full review, so here it is.

On the game play section, not much has changed from the previous versions (Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 2, and Guitar Hero: Rock the 80s). Yet this game feels like it has been fine toned a little more. The Controls feel a little looser, but tighter as you play. It just works well for what the game is trying to get across. You again, as with previous versions, have the option of playing the game with the Guitar controller of the Regular Xbox 360 Controller. This adds to the fun and complication that makes the game worth playing for hours on end. Though, I cannot completely agree with the selection in songs, for I feel a few songs could have been switched off for a better song by that artist, but for the most part the songs are excellent. The Single player and Multi-Player go hand and hand in game play, with one exception. I personally do not believe that the Single-Player Campaign is long enough. I beat it in about 6 hours of game play, it is a good campaign but it needs to be just a little longer. The Multi-Player aspect is fine-tuned with battle mode and co-op play, adding hours to the Xbox Live games you will play. Also, a nice feature is that there are, and will be more, songs added to the game through Xbox Live; some of which, some of the one currently available, do not cost any Microsoft Points. It is a Welcome addition.

As far as graphics, well it scored low on that area. The game’s emphasis was never the Graphics, it was the music and game play. I feel it lacks a little on the side of graphical quality, and should be improved in the next games. This could be done by adding anything from more effects in game, more realistic effects, or even more movement from the characters; the seem a little stiff during game play. The sound excels at what it is, because of the selection of music. There is no description necessary for it; all the greatest Rock bands are here, old and new. The quality is amazing, all the songs are in here in their Top Quality; either by the original artist, or if a copy of the song could not be obtained (as was the case for “Anarchy in the UK” by the Sex Pistols), they were re-recorded for the game. The Control Aspect of the game is the difficulty area of it, for it varies from the controller and who is playing it. If you use the Guitar it is much different than playing it with just the regular Xbox 360 Controller. The Controls on the Guitar are tight, but powerful. They feel as they should for a guitar, but yet you can tell it is not a real one from the buttons. In Short, the controls are excellent, and do their job perfectly; though the whammy bar is a little weak, and is known to break.

Overall the game scores Thirty Six out of Forty, a very high score. You can tell while you play it why it is the most bought game of the Fourth Quarter. It is an excellent game, that is definitely worth a buy, that is if you want to put out One Hundred Dollars to get the game and Guitar Controller.

Halo 3

Developer: Bungie Studios

Publisher:  Microsoft Game Studios

Consoles: Xbox 360

 

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 4/5

– Multi Player:  5/5

Graphics: 10/10

Sound: 9/10

Control: 9/10

You have waited a long time for this, and as of November it is here. The Climactic Finally of the Critically Acclaimed Halo Trilogy.  The Question is, does it live up to all the Pre-Release Hype? Well, I am sure that there is one very simple answer to that. Hell Yes!

First off, the game play; the finally to a Fight you have waited to finish. The Covenant are at Earth, and they have the Ark, haul-ass and stop them or we all die. Simple, but effective. It makes for an excellent story, though I wish it was a little more detailed and a tiny bit longer. The Choice in locations is well planned, going back to where the previous installment (Halo 2) took place in Eastern Africa. Only this time, after the slip space rupture, the area is a wasteland. It adds to the feeling of the war, making you see how the planet was destroyed. Later on, you change location to other places and a Location that should seem all too familiar if you played the First Game. The Multi-Player Aspect of the game keeps everything Halo 2 had (Minus Coagulation, I mean really? They dumped my favorite map …) and builds on the fact of Dual Wielding, Melee, and all out Havoc. The Choice in Weapons, combos, and vehicles is amazing. The game even gives you “Forge”, the map-editing program that allows you to customize your maps to you likening, and allows you to use it online. The Only major problem with the online play is the number of Player on it, and their attitudes. However, that is not something Bungie could have avoided, so it shall not harm their score.

On the Graphical Side, there are no simple words to describe it. It boasts the greatest quality of the fourth quarter and deserves more points than are on this scoring system. There is nothing like it on the console. The effects are perfectly executed; smoke, blast, flame, its all here and in full force. The Graphics go hand in hand with the sound, which also is top notch. The sounds are beautifully recorded, placed, and used. They take you into the game, the battle, the whole war. They make you feel like you are actually there fighting off a Brute. Again, there is nothing like it on the Console, it is truly amazing. As far as control, it is basically the same as Halo 2, only reworked for the new controller. Everything moves smoothly and has a feel to it that make you know what it is for, and why its here. Every weapons acts as you think it should, fires how it needs to, and carries adequate ammunition. It has some of the best Control in any Xbox 360 game to date, which is good for it is also one of the most played games on Xbox Live at the current time.

Overall, the Game Receives a Thirty-Seven out of Forty, the Second Highest Score in this review. It is a definite buy for any gamer, and especially if you enjoy spending your entire life on Xbox Live. ((If you get the game, drop me a message on IRC and I’ll play you on live : p))

The Orange Box

Developer: Valve Corporation

Publisher: Valve Corporation

Consoles: PC, Xbox 360, Play Station 3

 

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 5/5

– Multi Player:  4/5

Graphics: 9.5/10

Sound: 10/10

Control: 9/10

This one is fresh in my mind, and believe me when I say that it is as good a deal as it sounds. Five games for the Price of one, what other package can you get something like that. Half-Life 2, and its Two Expansions; Episode 1 and 2, Portal, and Team Fortress Two are all included in the package. Though it is kind of cheating to rate Half-Life 2, seeing as it has won over forty game of the year awards. Therefore, I am not going to base the score off that, nor will I base the score with Episode 1, seeing as it also has  previously won awards and it would not be fair to rate the overall game package based it.

Half-Life Two Episode Two, on the other hand I plan to use in the rating. All I can say is that this game is Uber, yes I said Uber. It picks up directly following the events of Half-Life 2: Episode One and continues the journey that Episode One Takes. After Completing Episode Two, I can honestly say that the moment that Episode Three has a release date, I will definitely go out and pre order it. The Game not only continues the Half-Life 2 story, but it also explains parts of the storyline of Portal. It goes into further details about Aperture Science, what is going on with the Citadel, the Super Portal, and so many others it will make it seem as if you were actually there. It is amazing what they have done, though similar to Episode One it is very short. The Storyline is Epic, taking you deeper into every character and location you play in. The combat is intense and twisted as you journey through the lands far outside City 17.

Portal, somewhat of a mind game, is an interesting concept. Place a person is a small room with impossible obstacles and then hand them a gun that shoots two-way portals. Through the levels, the Challenges get tougher and longer. They begin to require more thinking as the levels go on, but so far this is the most “fun” game of The Orange Box. There really, at this time, is very little along the lines of a storyline, though some is explained during the final levels (along with Half-Life 2 Episode 2’s Final Levels). As far as a sequel, well … I am not sure how they could make it work, but it would be good idea for them to try. The Portal Technology of the gun being used by the game engine is some of the greatest parts of a game engine I have ever seen. However, it will not take very long to complete, for the game is a little short on the amount of levels.

Team Fortress 2, what can I say … I never played Team Fortress. I cannot compare this game to its previous version because of that. However, I can say that if the previous game had any bit of the genius used in this game it was almost certainly a great success. This is the only Multi-Player game in the Orange Box, so the Multi-Player aspect will be reviewed from this game. This game is … different, to say the least. It is a major change than what was previously shown for it. This is a game that was in Development Hell, as it had not been heard from in years it was listed as a game that was as dead as Duke Nukem: Forever. I cannot say I like the wait, I hate to see any game go into that stage, but what they have come out of it with, well that is up to you to decide whether it was worth the wait. Keep in mind that they took a more humorous approach to this game, and there is a lot of comedic parts added in it, as seen from some of the characters. The locations of the maps are solid locations, and so is the online play. It is a solid shooter that you will have fun playing on repeatedly. The Different classes available also add levels of use to the qualities they have. (Ex: Engineers can build Turrets, Dispensers, and Portals) The control is very similar to the system used in Half-Life 2, so it should not be much of a switch.

As Far as Graphical Quality, well this presents an issue. Half-Life 2, and its games, along with Portal used similar texture quality. They both give you a very real looking game, but Team Fortress 2 decided to go another way with their game. A major change in the game was its cartoonist graphics that add a level of humor and fun to the game. Nothing in lost from the graphics in either, it is just that they are very different looking. Overall, the graphics are some of the best in current games. On the other hand I have no trouble in the sound area of the game, they are both Top-Notch and deserve a rating that goes beyond the levels that I set for this review. The sound effects go hand in hand with the graphical effects and draw you into the game. Finally, there is the control of the player and the environment. If I even have to go into this for you to know it there is a problem. In the Half Life games, you have the Zero-Point Energy Field Manipulator, aka the gravity gun; in Portal, you have the Aperture Science Two-Way Portal Gun. There is no lack of control in this game. Everything from picking up and moving objects, to moving through portals to maneuver the environment.

Overall, the game scores Thirty-Seven point Five points out of forty, the highest score of this gaming review. It is definitely worth buying for any fans of the Half-Life series, Team Fortress, and Valve Products, along with your everyday gamer looking for the next best game.

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| The Orange Box     –              37.5 / 40 |

| Halo 3                    –              37    / 40 |

| Call of Duty 4        –              36.5 / 40 |

| Guitar Hero 3         –              36    / 40 |

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Reports from Corellia have shown an increasing amount of activity in an ‘up-and-coming’ human supremacy movement. More and more disgruntled members of society are actively speaking out against many of the non-humans that live within Corellian space. Those of us who were more self-aware of the ‘glorious’ empire in which we used to inhabit would remember the Humano-centrism and ‘Human High Culture’ which permeated much of Imperial society.

Here at the VE, it’s hard to imagine an upper class elitist system, where non-humans were segregated and even discriminated against. Iconified as the “Non-HuMan” or nHm classification, this purist attitude started to die out after the death of Emperor Palpatine in 4 ABY. However, a group of individuals calling themselves the “Human League” are apparently trying to re-live this ideology.

With Corellia still reeling from the Battle of Tralus, and with the entire sector suffering from a post-empire slump, disgruntled individuals serve as excellent recruits for this charismatic and extreme movement. Who better to blame than the aliens?

This new move is bizarre as it is unwelcome. ‘nHm’ classifications also included females and droids, but the “Human league” seems to be more lenient with the former. The League also holds a deep hatred for the growing “New Republic”, and the self-appointed ‘Jedi’ Luke Skywalker. People who have come into contact with the League have speculated that this group is trying to iconify everything they thought the Empire stood for, as they seem to hero-worship Palpatine and Vader.

This is not to say that this group is Imperial friendly. Ignoring the fact that the VE does not condone racism or xenophobia of any kind, since the Human League at the moment is comprised mainly of Corellians, the fanatic isolationism that most Corellians secretly harbour is a key point to the League’s manifesto.

We here at VE Today have decided to issue a general warning to all citizens that frequent Corellian space. The resident Imperial government is friendly with the VE, and have said they will try and protect any visitors, but please, if for no-ones sake but ours, please be careful.

We will keep and eye on this troubling movement, and keep you up-to-date with the latest happenings.

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Connector hoses, Jedi Communicators, Helmets. Most if these you can make in your own home with your everyday basic items. Prop building has always been part of making the magic on screen. Some props one would be amazed on what items are used to make what we see from the movies or what is used in them.

Take the Scout Trooper Helmet. One can easily buy a Rubies off the internet or in a costume store. However to make it look just like it came off from the set is another thing entirely. Take the below picture for example. This is what a rubies, normally looks like when one orders it from an on-line store.

        

Now the one above actually looked slightly worse when it came out of the box. It looked as if someone had sat on it during a hot day. Therefore it had to go into much needed work. One of the first things needed was to re-shape the helmet with a leather belt strapped around it and then re-heated to form it back to the shape wanted. Once that was done the next step was the “Snout”. The small black knob on the end had to be cut out and a Sink Aerator was placed in there and the outside painted black. The remaining painted areas had to be painted to the correct color or Grey and the black outline to go across the top area above the breather.

The Ears on the side of the bucket had to then be cut out and a wire mesh put in it’s place to have the effect real. Also it makes it allot easier to hear out of. It’s hard to see in the pictures but the eye plate had to be cut out and replaced. The inside had plastic and eye site was extremely poor. Also you could see the outlined plastic viewing into it. The Faceplate was next and you had to revers the bolts that held it together and then glue on small button covers on the outside (painted grey) to cover the ending of the screw. For an added realism effect the inside of the visor (from the outside view) was caulked to make it look as one piece.

Sounds pretty simple but it’s allot of work. Rewarding in the end and that is only one prop piece. Allot of the weapons can be made from the original Kenner toys from the original movies. Mainly re-painted to look real. Some use molds and cast Resign weapons. A few Jedi Props such as the Jedi Communicator that Qui-gon had I have seen made from a Ladies Razer (Venus) with a few washers and nails added as well as paint. Many things are made and used for the props. I just touched on a few basic ones that don’t need to go into too much detail. However one of the best props that has been seen in the movie would be the ice cream maker… Yea.. that doesn’t need much explaining

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Naval Command was put in a state of high alert yesterday when the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Suspense was damaged in what looked like an act of terrorism.

The Suspense had entered the Abrea system at approximately 10:00:00 local time, having just returned from a mission in the Rakata Prime area. Naval Command refused to comment on the nature of the Suspense’s mission, but it is believed that the destroyer had been trying to deal with the reported pirate activity in the area.

At approximately 10:45:00 local time, all contact with the Suspense was lost, and about 5 minutes later, an internal explosion ripped through the outer hull. Apparently fearing that the ship had been overrun by pirates, or worse, New Republic agents, high command dispatched elements from the local defensive fleet to surround the Suspense, and prevent it from heading any further into the system.

At 11:05:00 local time, the Victory-class Star Destroyer Desjani, along with two Dreadnoughts, the Scorpio and the Hercules, intercepted the Suspense just before it reached the orbit of Abrea. Firing across the bow, the Suspense was brought to a halt whilst a stormtrooper detachment from the Desjani was despatched to board the ship, and if necessary, take it back.

Once on board, the stormtrooper commander managed to track down the ships captain, Commander Shodon, and he was informed that the ship had not been overrun. With the situation resolved, the defence fleet retreated, and the Suspense on continued towards Abrea.

In an official statement later that day, naval high command revealed that the loss of communication was due to a simple malfunction due to ad-hoc repairs, and that the explosion was merely a ruptured power conduit. Naval XO Riel Fury commented that it was “Two simple coincidences that lead to some unnecessary and unfortunate panic.”

However, sources from within the crew of the Suspense have confirmed that after the mission, codenamed “Trojan Horse”, the Suspense had uncovered some mutineers, and were transferring them to Abrea for processing. He hinted that, whilst the loss of communication was a malfunction, the explosion was defiantly not a power conduit, and that it may have had something to do with the prisoners.

 The Suspense has since been into dry dock for repairs, and awaits redeployment. No further information regarding an alleged mutiny has turned up, and Naval Command refuses to comment on the subject.

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Wars have always been commonplace in Galactic Society. From small tribal wars on undeveloped planets, too full scale engagements between empires, war is, and will probably always be, one of the few constants in the universe.

But how do we find out about them? How does a society find out about these things? Obviously there are Government announcements: friendly, reassuring statements saying everything is fine and that you’re not all going to die. Whilst these statements are about as useful as an angry wookie, they at least can guarantee that the populace are mildly aware as to whether or not they’re at war.

But what of the rest? What of the details? And how do people who don’t even care get told about these events that they are so busy not caring about? Enter the Journalist: a creature of such a rare breed, that their one single craving is information, details, events… The Journalist will strive to find out what happened, and tell you about it, whether you want to hear about it or not. Why? Probably because he or she has nothing better to do.

When it came to wars, Journalist would in days gone by simply sit on the sidelines, gleaning what information they could, and constructing a report over what they heard, or were told. Unfortunately, this still meant that the authorities were the main source of information. Whilst this would rate as slightly more useful than an angry wookie, it was still pretty poor, especially when an average Journalist could have found out more about the person they were interviewing, as opposed to the subject matter of the interview – If the public cared little for conflicts between foreign leaders, they would care even less for the detailed breakdown of sexual affairs conducted by said leaders.

Classic examples of how this style of reporting simply didn’t work can be seen from reports of the Clone Wars. Reports on the war were sporadic at best, especially when the military took over the Holonet News service in 22 BBY. Independent news networks on a galactic scale were still rare during these days, and so an overall view of the war was lacking. Some sector wide news agencies managed to get coverage, but only because it was their sector that the war was taking place in, and the coverage was mainly one sided. During a shoot of the popular talk show Coruscant Today, a guest on the show famously commented:

“Despite scouring the Holonet every day, listening to government updates, surfing the web and Vid shows, I have absolutely no clue how the war is going”

As time went one, there was a shift in attitudes towards war reporting, especially after the formation of the Galactic Empire. As atrocities such as the Great Jedi Purge and the Ghorman Massacre tried to go unnoticed, reporters were suddenly struck by a bad case of conscience. Did events really happen as Imperial Centre told us? What is the REAL story? Reporters from around the galaxy started hunting down the truth, and when the Declaration of Rebellion was realised in 1 BBY, reporters suddenly realised that there was a different side to the story. News corporations such as the newly formed Galactic Press were becoming fed up with the propaganda machine, and started to find ways to get independent reports, especially when it came to wars. And so led to the rise of the ‘Frontline’ reporter.

Frontline reporting went through serious growing pains in the early years. Skirmishes with the Rebellion were kept on the quiet-side as much as possible, so that not too much attention was drawn to their cause. Reporters who did manage to work up more objective works had their work stamped out, or simply refused distribution. A lot of reporters died during the fights, especially in later years as the Empire got more and more forceful. However, Journalists were given a break with the defeat of the empire at the battle of Endor. As the Imperium disintegrated, and the Rebels became more prominent, Journalists were given more of a free reign. The biggest break through in war reporting was with Zahn Sim, and his report of the ‘New Republics’ liberation of Courascant in 7 ABY. From start to finish, Zahn was there, giving a blow by blow account of the liberation. Once NR forces touched down on the surface, Zahn went all over the place, reporting as he went. His reports are generally considered one of the best pieces of Journalism in history.

A couple of years on, and Journalism is generally considered to be on a high. Reporters are going from place to place, tagging along with one army or another, and constructing comprehensive reports. News company owners predict a shift in how reporters are employed, moving from a more company ethic to more freelancing. HoloNet and Galactic Press bosses have especially commented that they tend to ‘hire’ people who are on or near the conflict, rather then send someone out.

What does the future hold? Who knows. Here at VE Today, the ethic is that all of our information is first hand. Many of our reporters were there during the Third Outer Rim War, telling a tale that needed to be told, and I hope that they will continue serving the people in such a selfless and courageous way.

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So how come you’re not a scout trooper?”
“Once I put the helmet on, I couldn’t see. I sideswiped a cadet and caused a pile up that destroyed twelve speeder bikes. I was kicked out of the Trooper Corps.”

―Anonymous Stormtrooper on why he wasn’t a Scout trooper

 

Ok. So the scouts got their butts whooped with the rest of the Empire by those furry little teddy bears. However, out of all the armor that one could wear the Scout had the better end of the deal….Flexability wise. It was made to give the best movement during combat. Also it is one of the extreme few that the trooper could actually sit down in without a problem.

The Scouts armor consisted of two shoulder, two upper arm, two writs, the front and back plate, two knee and the helmet.Also add in the belt, TD (thermal Detonator)belt box’s and Balaclava. The scout also wore a black under suit,a groin-flap and a pair of white boots with tanned bottoms.Their helmets view plates capable of locating energy emissions and motion tracking. The helmets also gave the trooper night vision as well. Let’s go over the more finer details other then listing them.

The cummerbund or “diaper” is an essential piece of the costume. This is an item made from white fabric (generally heavy duty material) that extends from under the chest armor to the crotch. They completely wrap around the lower torso. The codpiece portion goes from white to a black piece of wide nylon webbing (think of a thong) that connects to the back of the piece. Also noted that camel toe is a common side effect to wearing these.

 

The Balaclava is what most scouts wear in their uniform. This is a “hood” that covers the head and makes sure that hair or skin will not be seen peeking out from under the helmet.The vest is another item that is used. It is not essential, however, some scouts do use them. Heres a few pictures from the film with it.

     

As far as weapons go the scout is lightly armored. Most just use a small pistol that’s carried in the boot holster. Some however would use a Blaster Carbine or a Rifle if they chose. The Scout in itself may not have the best armor or even camouflage, but they sure as heck made up for it with their flexibility and speed. Yet they still couldn’t take down those pesky ewoks! For more information of the finer details of the scout you can go visit Biker Scout.net ( A Detachment of the 501st Legion)

http://forum.bikerscout.net/index.php?act=idx

 

Quote was taken from the Wookieepedia and the pictures were uploaded from my computer and were from Biker scout.net

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