Review : Paladins - After 500 Hours Grinding

So, I invest my most of time playing this FPS game that approximately spending 500 hours of grinding and also spent much money for cosmetics such skin for 50$ and more. Nothing to regret playing "free to play" beta game with eye candy characters and also interesting mechanic to train my reflex for fast paced shooters where I enjoy the game mostly for casual play.

And here I am, after spending 500 hours and grinding each characters for leveling each characters to reach 10 level, I think I am kind of done playing online game like this all this year and back to my productive sessions or playing some good-narrative video games and leave some review on Steam, maybe I just play less than three matches and done. 

In each session, i was rage for stupid team-mates who dont know their role and it also gives ego-fest for each players who think playing team based games just go random jihad and blindly attack enemy. 

I was so satisfied with intense and competitive session where everyone take things seriously and ended have "good game" pops up on chat section where even though we are losing, players just get satisfied to get balance and intense battle. Sometimes, i face most dumbos enemy that are too easy to beat and lag is the only factors to decide are you going to win or not instantly. 

I think this is the game where I was so doubt that free to play strategy wont attract players spending their wallet for cosmetics, guess I was so wrong.. the way game is marketed so appealing and most of the cosmetics for each characters dont have that "buyer remorse" to have. I bought the founder pack for unlocking each characters and also VIP membership where I think its because I fully support the developer to make this game is going full potential because its still on development. 

The only thing I expect from this game is single player mode with lore and things to do for specific mission against bots, not only pushing payloads or 5v5 random battle for grinding and unlocking loot boxes to improve characters ability.

Paladins is kind of game where you have to be ready to understand what if FPS is mixed with moba skills where each characters should have be mastered to gain satisfying gameplay, and also it has competitor with high price tag while this game is free but if you like it, you wont mind to buy for full price.

Rating : 8/10
Finished : Maybe after I unlocked all paid skins

What I Wanted and What I am Now

Every kids have their own aspirations for something what they want to be when they grow up. I am the one who also want to be something I want to be. When I was in elementary school, my grade for IPA or Science Knowledge was satisfyingly good enough that made me want to be scientist or veterinarian because I like learning creatures and see how I can save animal life.

I changed my aspiration for my last year on elementary school to be an Islamic religion teacher or Ustadz, I was not so sure why I wrote it on the aspiration field in our senior year book, but the situation where I took and attended boarding school after graduation perhaps made me to fill it.

I was so innocence and naive about seeing the world works, in my boarding school where I spent 7 years being focused to study religious texts and being in ascetic way for junior years made me forget what I wanted to be since there were no area to learn on such boarding school. There is nothing to regret though for me deciding to take the path. There are many things that affected my life and way of thinking eventhough its so limited world.

Fast forward to my college days, I took English for Education as my major. I didnt know single idea how I will end up where I realized that this major was for people who want to teach English. I wasnt not interested in teaching instead I was excited to learn English because it opens my curiosity for the world I have never accessed.

And boom, 5 years passed and I graduated. My interest are eexpanding, I took many interests in learning any fields and I dont take the job as teacher because I think I dont have the competency on that field and its not something I dont want to be stuck on that. Its noble profession, but here... what I wanted to be and what I am now.

I took different path and still curious to learn everything I want to learn.

Review : Bioshock 1 - Objectivism Philosophy on Video Game

Oh boy... What can I say about writing this awesome game after finishing it for approximately 15 hours of having exciting and thrilling adventure in a city below the sea called Rapture. The gloomy atmosphere 60s retro vibe with stunning 3D graphic, philosophical based of Ayn Rand take on Objectivism ideas, and simple and yet challenging game play FPS mechanic involving arms with guns and body genetic modification where you can throw fire, ice, wind, and other things with your bare hands defeating various kind of deformed human. Bioshock 1 is where you can bring philosophical ideas into video games with perfect game play mechanic. And this is what I want to say for the first of paragraph of my review.

PLOT : 

Its 1950, You are an average John who flights across the ocean where suddenly your flight got crashed and you are survivor in the middle of ocean where there is only a lighthouse that leads you into a beautiful city under the sea that is apparently all of the residents are corrupted by advanced genetic body modification and also aftermath of idealistic city built by Andrew Ryan. The man who thinks that the world don't need limitations in science advancement, art works, and also established government system. 

In other word, he is the one you will face and fight alongside mysteries that you have to unravel the glory days and the downfall of Rapture by finding some audio records left with help from survivor called Atlas where you communicate using radio wave to find your escape from savage modified human like residents turned into addicts for your ADAM, your genetic substance where there are two iconic ADAM Hunter like Big Daddies and Little Sister that you can fight for your own benefit by using weapons to find or using PLASMIDS that simply makes you powerful to control any substance like fire burst, electro charge, and many more to make you stronger after beating Big Daddies and later you have to choose whether to kill little sister by harvesting her ADAM, or save her where those choices it will affects your ending and also your moral compass.

CONTROL :

Bioshock 1 is first-person shooters where basically you can play using keyboards with mouse and also game-pad. It has smooth movement for character movement and easy to use weapon and ability function that has less rpg mechanic and depend of looting system where you can get some money, first aid, some proper ammo to battle specific enemies by killing enemies or find those hidden on various object you can find alongside the location where you can rely on the arrow cursor to guide you. It seems easy to play, but in some encounter you have to consider and make strategy to prepare enemy attacks because every bullets counts and using your special ability what makes this game more fun, such throwing stuffs, make flammable floor or doing hack for machine that against you such as CCTV and turret guns.

VISUAL :

The game came in 2008 and it revolutionised and introduced the new graphic of what Unreal Engine is capable of. Even though Bioshock 1 has limited area to explore, the vibe of being under the sea with astonishing landscape of Rapture city through the window makes this games has its own identity where beautifully background location setting with thrilling sense of claustrophobia. Some objects through the location such paintings, ads, and radio can be the hint and to reveal the plot line in case you miss and perfectly crafted to support your progress to understand what does it like being in Rapture city.

The music and sounds effect represents of vintage feel and fits with the theme properly. The voice acting that you can hear through records and radio is top-notch and makes story more believable with key characters to give you guidance and knowledge with the setting.

FUN :

For a FPS fan genre, Bioshock is not average shooter that relies on the machine gun only, but it requires to use your strategy how you can use ability and makes advantage of objects such as shooting gasoline leaks with fire or electrocute water floor to make enemies more vulnerable. There are also bunch of abilities to explore to progress the game to make it easier.

Bioshock has looting elements which means you can take money and particular items from enemy you kill where later you can spend on it to buy health, eve (for using ability), bullets and explosives.

Storyline wise, Bioshock 1 has more mature theme with its own objectivism philosophy without shoving theories and the game gives you the foundation and description on how Objectivism work, if you never touch the subject before. Its like the introduction to you and the aftermath if you finish the game and like the concept. You may be interested to read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountain Head just like I do.

Now, would you kindly do the same?

Rating 9/10 would kindly recommended.

Instrumental Hiphop Beat Tech Related : System Not Found - Initializing Darknet

Perhaps, creating instrumental hiphop beat is something I am good at to understand the concept of 95 beat per-minute tempo with experimenting to create sounds template for hours such bassline and arpegiated leads that leads me to create specific project aside of Qoreader called SystemNotFound moniker.

SystemNotFound is basically my online game ID where I spend hours playing games mostly online, and also the name has been created when I had terrible experience with my laptop where I lost my music projects that I saved from 2010 to 2015 due my harddisk wouldn't boot up while "system is not found" appeared on the screen. It gave me a lesson. Thankfully enough, the music I created has been compiled into physical album and uploaded into cloud storage. But, the project are lost except I re-create the same sound and exact composition which at the time, i dont know much time about music theory. Maybe someday... gonna re-work those awful tracks 

Right now, I'd like to post my project which I have been started one year ago that I dont post on my personal Youtube. There are twenty beats already I had created and I manage to make into 100 beats for SystemNotFound goals and then I release as the one album.

For the first track, I named as Initializing Darknet. SnF (lets make it shorter) has closely tech and internet themed because as the sound I use mostly use virtual electronic synthesizer instrument which sounds more electronic than organic.

As initializing darknet start, welcome to SnF journey. I am gonna post more tracks with each commentary soon.

Partying in Couchsurfing Indonesia Festival 2017 on Yogyakarta

There are only two real life of communities that I am really interested right now, one is where you can play augmented reality game that involves many players abroad and have monthly events competition, its called Ingress where I attended big event months ago in Surabaya. The other one is where I can connect life learners who travel and being hosted or surfed in the biggest hospitality exchange called Couchsurfing which I am rarely active to participate in real life aside  geting in touch with other members on chat room app.

This months I decided to spend my monthly salary to participate three days of Indonesia Couchsurfing members which was held in Yogyakarta. I was interested the concept and some events that cater the participants to choose for the second day such as Temple Hunting, Instagenix, and Gallery Hopping where I took to join. The event itself was organized from local Couchsurfing members as voluntary activity to gather around 150 travelers across SEA and international as well that were currently being in Yogyakarta at the time. To participate, there were little bit cost to pay for accommodation where participants to stay for two nights.

So, I took direct flight and arrived early one day before the event started. Luckily enough, I met some Indonesian members who come from Jakarta and Bandung where later we decide to spend half day to visit one of most public spot that I have been there before but gladly ti really enjoy this travel as part of vacation and also connecting link to new travelers. 

> Nemenin ibu ibu rombongan

The first day event for opening the festival was actually get started at night where we might to rest in a public room before with another members who just came by and signed up the registration. I feel honored when DJ (actually his name is Djamaluddin), one of event comittee told me that I can give a speech about Couchsurfing on the opening of event representing Indonesia or Borneo participants.

So I took my gut to speech in front of public anxiously talking about what is the "difference" (the topic that came out) and how relates in Couchsurfing. The opening might sounds like this "Imagine that we are colored pen, there is not only white and black, there are bunch of color. A canvas where we live right now and we as the colored pen must decide to create something on canvas. It could be chaotic drawing or simply can be beautiful piece of art." 

This is me speakin

This is the audience

My speech that I had said actually was sudden idea but relates what I want to do for the second day of event, its called Gallery hopping that would be attended with some of participants that has similar interest like me. After giving speech, participants are showed some Pencak Silat acts and also a movie screening which ends around 10.00 pm. 

Later in the morning, I contacted gallery hopping what I was supposed to do with approximately other ten participants how to drive around the city visiting some art painting museum. First was Affandi museum, a legendary painting that scared out shit of me back in elementary school when I found a book with spooky and creepy painting. Later I found out that Affandi is experimentalist painter (a term I created my own), so we spent some times enjoying all of his paintings in his museum. After visiting the museum, I lost some interest to get focused enjoying painting on another museum instead I took some picture of participants and wander around till its finished in the afternoon where we gathered in a cafe, the rest museum I remember were about Indonesian politic painting situation and absurdism gallery about mundane things, too bad I got exhausted so I cant focus to notice.

Hello Mr Affandi

Bunch of hipster group

On the second day, we had a little competition called "Relung Yogya" which was not actual race, but the participants that were randomly selected must find some clues about some "interesting" parts of Yogyakarta and must take a picture and later presented tonight in the partying event. So, together with new participants we took a stroll on the spot where the comitee had referred. One of couchsurfing member who comes from Australia named Jason suggested us to make something different in taking a bit of photograph concept where later leads us into winning the competition. 

Actually... there are more.. but this is okay.

After Relung Yogya event was finished around the afternoon, we move away into a beach where we were going to spend the night there and also.... THE PARTYYYYYYY! Its not regular party with electronic music, but with dangdut music. After arriving, before the sun went down and event get started... I took a stroll across the beach, being in my own world, listening an spcae ambient album with sound waves as the natural background, looking back to my life, what I have been going through, what was future would look like. That was sure hell of comfy.

Back to the party event, at first I act just like on normal mode being not interested to engage instead talking with new friends and relaxing to watch another members presenting "Relung Yogya" pictures they got. Apparently and suddenly, when the dangdut get started... my mood turned change into chaotic and uncontrollable mode where I dance to the song [I am chuckling right now] and being hysterically enthusiast and later I wander around talking more with people. There was little contest where participants must wear sarong both male and female, DJ asked me to choose who was going to win the contest for female participants. There was a girl I must chose to be the winner, and it went to Aiko, to the Japanese girl who appears there. When the MC asked why I chose her, i said hysterically "I like Anime!" Haha... and I bowed to her, I had little bit conversation with her on the loudest music background where I talk random shit like drunken people even though I was not event drunk, just being hysterical and cringy at the same time, and Aiko was like... wass this guy mentally retarded look?  

A weird background with people do dangdut behind.

DJ, Achu, Aiko, and a new friend who likes anime too

So, the dangdut was over in the midnight and some participants turned on some electronic music with drunk influence, I was exhausted and couldnt sleep. Tomorrow, the event just finished and participants got back to the city and some of them went back to their home town or simply continue their journey while I had to back working back to the kitchen and continue my cake selling and must pay my debt for the rest of PC build i owed from my dad. Before we left, we took a picture that I want to put here: 

A big fam!

I am so relieved to join this event and being part of Community where in the local, there were no members that eager to continue making events because years back ago. I like creating meet-up events and interesting activities around Banjarmasin city. So, after this events... I have to spread the great idea of being on hospitality exchange. 

P.s : A book prize where we won the competition for Relung Yogya

Destiny?

Review : Spec Ops: The Line - Redefining Military Shooter

The only I remember about Spec Ops franchise back when my childhood days, its on Playstation X where the game play resembles and looks like Army Men franchise but with real soldiers as character you play in the realistic setting, after long years forgotten I found this game recommended as a game that every shooters and military genre fans should try.  I played and finished this game twice when for the first time, I played it curiously because of the unconventional plot and great story line about how bad the outcome of being in combat and military environment to question your morality as in the process to finish the game. 

And secondly, I re-played for fun and also make little bit different choices on the game play where SO:TL is basically third person shooter with linear plot but still give choices to its player to see what will we choose for better decisions on combat that later affects how we see the characters we play (that basically the player themselves) about the deed we have done every each chapter. One thing for war : Kill or be killed, or you don't have to?

Here is my review: 

PLOT :

You are Martin, an idealistic soldier with high rank as captain. Along with your two partner and subordinate. You are deployed into a post-natural disaster state on Dubai, a city that was wiped by the standstorms. And here is your task, a simple task: Find survivors and mysterious radio signal that presumed as evacuation from inner city with civilian survivors and armies that you have to face in combat and later leads you into a journey of our main character mental state of mind choices where your partner question a lot about your decision into deep rabbit hole with the intense of inside city battles which you dont fight your enemy but also your sanity. 

As a military shooter game, the plot will drag you into philosophical questions about choices and your realization (as player) to continue fighting and also SO:TL will deconstruct the whole thing of being what is right and what is wrong in military combat with realitic touch how are you the hero of this story when you have to fight what you tought is right as your duty.

CONTROL :

Grab your controller or simply use mouse+keyboard, the control is pretty responsive with stunning graphic and dynamic camera movement that shows third person perspective which makes this game easy to enjoy and not really hard when you are in combat, I personally use normal mode and found its challenging because as in combat you have to think on every single move you have to do.  As main character, you can bring two type of guns and explosives where you can find along the gameplay or you can simply grab your enemy weapons after being taken down. As a captain, you can order your two partners (as AI) to use their skills in order to solve the thightness in some combats where they can shoot specific enemies or doing distractions to move forward. 

The gameplay set some realitic tone when it comes to your health system, you wont see any healtbar or indicator, just avoid massive of gunfires from enemy or you instantly being killed, your character can survive if your partners maintain their distance in order to save you if you are taken down. Probably, the annoying side of control system is when the cover system in combat have false detection in deciding to take cover or moving forward. 

VISUAL :

Enjoy stunning visual of post-disaster state of Dubai where sky scrappers are being torn and crushed buried among desert hills, walk and explore straight into miserable places of war casualties and what left that you will experience. Some parts are athmospheric and you may find some disturbing scenes (that involves with the plot) This game visual will touch your minds (literally) and your character mind when they face some odd strange situations where leads you into questioning, are you enjoying this kind of game, or you just feel something else. 

Moreover, this game have to offer interesting side of how music really influences how you perceive this game as serious but sometimes (in the early parts of games) it have the fun part of musical cues that can be enjoyed while you shoot everyone. The voice acting are top-notch and convincing that the characters you are playing have the situation as in the game.

FUN : 

SO : TL have good tier storyline where I assumed eventhough the plot sounds cliche at the first time (about a soldier being a hero and typical American shooters where glorifies its greatness and you act like another Rambo in this game, eventually, I was wrong. This games have no fun when you really think of how it projects what is great being American soldier or simple being a soldier when facing the outcome what you did on the entire gameplay. Yes, you do mass killing people and blow some shits to progress, its fun on video game medium. But when SO : TL approaches of realistic tone of this kind of genre. It has the plus point where I stated this game deconstructs what is kind of type shooter genre looks like mostly, and this game prove us wrong. 

If you like playing shooter game with great storyline and message, grab this game and experience your state of thought will be filled the consequences of various feeling on your main character decision and choice by the hand of yourself as the player in the challenging of combat system but still rewards you an thought-provolong experience.

Rating : 8/10

Difficulty : Normal
Finished : 8 August 2017

Review : Sophie's World and How It Affects My Perspective about Learning Philosophy

“A Russian astronaut and a Russian brain surgeon were once discussing religion. The brain surgeon was a Christian but the astronaut was not. The astronaut said, 'I've been out in space many times but I've never seen God or angels.' And the brain surgeon said, 'And I've operated on many clever brains but I've never seen a single thought.” ~ The best part of book.

I dont have buyer remorse syndrome for buying this book as my collection and wasting my time to finish it. I used to roll my eyes when attending philosophy class in college because at that time it sounds like a bitter pill for me when I listen someone told me about philosophy which is in my language called "Filsafat". 

In my Islamic boarding school on my teenage years, it is stated that person who learn it could be insane and crazy enough if you cant handle this scientific field which I thought was kind of supernatural teaching that our teachers mastered to unlock the truth about faith and how to believe. 

Back to my college days where on first years that I dont really care of, philosophy is a new field where I had to yawn my lecture told me some strange un-Islamic names from Greek talking shit about the meaning of human origin and the universe. I remember other students didnt have same enthusiast either, we just see that this field is obligatory to pass one of our first semester, and after that philosophy was never heard again because our major was English learning. And yes, even our lecture told me its so pointless because it against of Islamic faith but students my study it in order to understand western education system and how its related to our major. 

For me, philosophy is the all answer of my unanswered questions how the world works after years being "outside" of world than my boarding school taught me how to become that good moslem or simply being dogmatic religious. It challenges my rationality and also what is the best way to reveal the core principal of being someone in the era I got more knowledge and perspective from Internet and also people I have met from different countries. And also, it amazes me that everything I enjoy and live comes from philosophical thinking of someone who already dead. 

So, I tried to look for some material like books and video about philosophy teaching that mostly made me yawning more than enjoying it because those teaching material were so systematic and hard to understand in order to relate what was the matter right now. So I have found some interesting learning sources where I can relate to. I can study philosophy by watching some Youtube videos about how pop culture medium can be entertaining and philosophical at the same time. 

And book is different matter, books about philosophy are mostly written in non-fiction way. When I look up for books about philosophy as my personal birthday present, I found "Sophie's World" novel on the book store with the subtitle "a book about philosophical novel" that interested me to get even though the synopsis is plain simple, where a young girl was challenged to question herself about her existence from mysterious man.

The book has everything that philosophy book for dummy has to offer, but it has charm with the story line and characterization having discussion about the beginning of philosophy history with examples (that helped me to understand the context) to modern philosophy where will lead into our main fate conclusion that keeps me reading. Some parts were like my college philosophy class but still keep me on the line listening the lecture while give me understandable example and how events on the plot still relate-able with the sequential subject of philosopher figures each chapter. 

Maybe I cant recall everything the whole novel I've got here but the magic of Sophie's World will remain intact on my mind about what philosophers can give their teaching and also its meaning when it comes to understand their work. Actually, I dont read novel too much and I am also selective how I invest my time finishing a book to keep me learning subjects that interest me, and Sophie's Wolrd becomes one of my all time favourite because it introduces me how something I question have the way to explore by using thesis, anti-thesis, and synthesis method to give me some answers that I have not know before. 

Rating : 9/10 

Review : Kane and Lynch Dead Men™ - A Gritty Shitty Action FPS I ever Play

To be fair, writing this review should be divided into two kind of aspects. First of all, the technical issue, this game is barely out-dated so everyone can run the game flawlessly and I had nothing problem on running it on the latest GPU such Gtx1060 with i7 processor. You have to install Windows Live first to run the game if you encounter error issue such the game wont start properly.

The second thing, of course its about game play. So lets get started with the plot.

You are Kane, an ex-criminal that do revenge against to your crime organization because they kill your family and must save your daughter that is kidnapped. In order to do that, you don't do it alone, you will be accompanied by Lynch, a troubled temperamental guy who swears a lot. He helps you during the game play and mission which you must shoot everyone from police to Yakuza where the game play is basically just getting from point A to B and so on with interesting feature such as commanding your partner or your groups (on some mission) to face your enemy for killing. 

Story-wise its over-used theme and the dialog are terrible, for personal reasons, I cant see the reason why the writers here write their every single characters in this game have swearing lines that were not necessary and exaggerating in order to convince the character you play is not average good guy trope. Its like written by an edgy writer who thinks that character who swears a lot is great to convince the player that has unique personality, and the problem almost single of characters here sound same with angry attitude. 

This game requires keyboard and mouse to control, so if you have controller/joystick its useless. The problem with the control mechanic is really awful in aiming for far range. You have to remember precisely which the keyboard button function for exact control. The most annoying thing that this game dont have "jump" button which in one mission I almost being stuck to continue my game play, and besides please be patient that your movement isn't smooth enough to move with confusing camera movement and auto-hiding feature that is glitchy. But overall, still you can enjoy game if you get used with default controlling mapping if you don't play this game often. 

Its little bit out-dated but still cannot categorized into retro game considering this game came out in mid 00s. The facial movement looks stiff and sometimes ridiculously weird with characters moving their lips on dialog un-synchronized and you can find bug here and there during the game play. 

For the game that you can spend for more 5 hours, this game can potentially be fun for third-person shooting genre, but considering this game is not controller / joystick ready and have lack of story-line interesting plot. You can still add to your collection but for me, Its really hard to see what is the replay value from this game and maybe I never look back because the only thing makes this game interesting is probably its kind of starter to explore third-person genre on PC that is "cheap" to try on Steam (bought on sale). 

P.s : too bad, there is no such button beside yes or no on steam, i'd like to put "maybe". And this is the first game I ever bought and finished on Steam.

Rating : 6/10

Difficulty : Normal
Finished : 30 July 2017

Year of watching capeshit movies

Watching movies in cinema are the most generic hobbies that modern people do. And I am one of them, and the only reason I watch in cinema because I like watching capeshit movies or superhero movies that started attract me in 2015, its pretty late and I didn't jump in the band wagon because I remember this kind of genre has existed several decades ago and I think watching this kind of movie just like chores that you can watch on TV besides the idea of grown man using costumes I thought its so campy and marketed toward kids.

I am pretty sure that the glory age of capeshit movies emerged since the birth of "Internerd" culture in early 2010's where watching capeshit is a must to do in understand internerd memes so that you can stay hip and being that nerdy guy who know imaginary characters based on comic books and being involved endless debates which capeshit movies are the best.

So, I tried to watch religiously some late cape shit superhero movies like The Dark Knight trilogy and get attracted by its approach serious tone how a man in bat suit fighting againts any ideals from his enemies that look stupid enough that this is based kid cartoon but re-imagined for adult audience. And then It gets me, I then watched Iron Man, Avengers, Captain America and another superheroes original movie, some of interesting part are those movie have fun tones but still takes realistic approach to depict how the heroes are still relevant, moreover... I really prefer to watch the origins of each superheroes itself.

Tv serials are also something that I cant miss where probably those series require time investments in order to finish. Maybe I want to discuss about this later. But the thing that attracts me watching this medium is same as the reason i like cinema capeshit offered, origin of superhero and what kind of thing they stand and fight for.

Moreover, capeshit movies will be likely endless trends that people like to watch perhaps one or two decades later this will be ended. Its like western themed movie that had glorious days  in early rise of cinema which I think this has same case with superhero that rely on the good guy vs bad guy card that save the whole world or city and even the whole universe.

Podcast Episode 01 : Ofcourse its about Podcasting

Its midnight before my birthday, I read my last previous post that I wrote a year ago about everything that related with my aspirations and something I want to achieve. Realistically saying some of them have not reach to be true, I just think maybe I don't create another one. Just simply being focused to finish them all.

Anyway, I like archiving what happened on my life that I spent, not all of them mostly. Taking pictures, create notes (on my secret blog) and also writing blog occasionally. I managed to plan creating audio and share it into Internet, something like called as Podcasting, so I start recording my self using a microphone device that I bought several months ago that is dedicated for Podcasting, thankfully... I can start now.

For the first episode I want to say its about podcasting itself, what I want and why you should do for archiving thought into Internet and also sharing your opinion into audio file (I am quite sure that Internet is already filled with various opinions). I like learning about media and want to master it (that what I wrote last year ago) and maybe podcasting will be like my attempt to get started for applying what I have learnt about it.

If you use PC, creating podcast is not actually that really simple and it takes about 2 hour for recording and edit the audio for better audio quality which is better than using recording device on smartphone. So, I manage to post occasionally once or twice in a week for scheduling and also planning on the topic that later circle around media like books, video games and movie review. Also, language learning and culture are my interest and will be feature for future episodes.

Here we are, this is my first episode of my podcasting and ofcourse ots about podcasting:

The most peaceful momemt

Everyone have their own greatest moment in their life which isnt something that occur every single time and probably just one time. It is the moment where they get an unconventional situation that make life has something to appreciate. And that one of the greatest things are the most peaceful one.

Perhaps, sleeping is the one of peaceful moment that everyone think of. Its a close friend of the death which disturbingly some say that moment  when you stop breathing, it will lead into peacefulness that separate from conscious state of living where no one has the answer where the soul go if they dont believe something dogmatic from religion.

I had one that peaceful moment that I still remember how my consciousness left my physical body and "blending" into universe  or being that universe or maybe I am the universe where this sensation occured in the dawn of my youth day on religious boarding school when we were as students " being forced" to pray around 03.00 am that most of the students didnt like. Its not obligatory pray but everyone knew that if someone didnt attend the ceremony, punishment would be applied. So, everyone played like or not.

Its just short session where you pray together in the public mosque with another students for 15 minutes and after that finished, we can go back to our dormitory or simply stay on the mosque to continue praying if they were religious or continue sleeping to wait "subuh" time arrive around 05.00 am.

And then before that moment happened, I stayed on the mosque start to re-sleeping on the praying mat on the other side the mosque. The reciting of Quran plays, I had no idea whether thats simple audio recording that used to play every single time or person who recited directly, the absolute thing I felt that moment that reciting started my self to "afloat" and going into the deep sleep but keeping my conscious soul intact to feel existed... and then.. the most peaceful moment that happened on my life started.

I can describe it literally, but the sensation will probably hard to explain. Its the state where i didnt exist in the world and my self roaming around on the space or probably universe slowly. Its like you arent yourself, you are the universe that merged with consciousness with nothing to think about and drifting into different state wandering but in fact you are the destination or the journey in same side. And my friend, thats the thing that I want to become.

...... and then a loud yelling woke me up because Subuh arrived leaving me with euphoria that made me think the reason why we must exist. Sorry, for something quasi-philosophical bs.

How Qori Name Originated?

I always wonder why my parent gave my name as Qori. Its bi-gender name isnt popular name except Qori is the term of professonal people who recite Quran slowly with beautiful voice. The literal meaning Qori is just "people who read" and thats it, later I asked to my father about his intention giving me such name because in Islamic teaching, name is a pray so its encouraged for parents to give their childreen good name.

And then, the good part about having parent occurs to me when my father told about why he decided giving my name as "Qori" that turns out he got that name from someone whisper on his dream. I thought this name comes from an expectation that someday this kid will be an addict book reader for his entire life but seeing a fact that my family dont have any interest in reading books except my father that read Quran and local crime newspaper where he just want to read local soccer news section. And the rest of family just avid tv watcher and social media addicts for younger one.

In my family, reading and collecting book is like alien culture. My dad wants me to be an educated man, so what educated man have? Books to read and knowledge to discuss. It amazes me when my parent wants me to attend college so I dont become like them in education but they always questions me when I told them planning to buy books where it will be ended by questioning me why should bother buying books if i dont read it and probably just reading it once. I have no idea, but they have the point though... maybe they know what are e-books for.

I dont ask too much for this life, in fact my name is something that represents me. I love reading, ofcourse some good books to read that suits me for my age right now. Back to my father dream when he came up for Qori name. It was one of ramadhan night when in the middle of the night he dreamt flying from his room into the sky. Someone whispered toward him to recite one of the Quran chapter and then later my father saw two stars, the bigger one or the smaller one. The mysterious whisperer told him to choose between those two. Later, he chose the smaller one that shines brighty alone far away. Then, "give your son name , Qori". And that time was several month before I was born.

I alway think his story about the name I have now is something that remind me what is my purpose in this life. Maybe the story is made up or just simply plain dream that means nothing. But somehow, I am being inspired remembering how the name originates and if I have one only choice to meet someone that never exists, I will choose a person that whispered my dad about my name..

Now enough about me me me time.

First Time Online Experience : A Nostalgic Note about How to Connect into Internet in 2006

This is kind of nostalgic post that I always want to write. The experience of my attempt being online and connected into Internet circa 2006 when I was teenanger and being curious what was Internet had. I had serious and stupid assumption back in the day when PC were introduced and known in the early 00s. I remember the price was high and unaffordable for everyone. There was first internet or just probably pc game center that opened in 2000 in my city and I was standing there watching people play Counter Strike because i was too afraid to touch the pc because I thought i would give the virus if i mishandled the device. So I forgot to get started learning because no one in my family never touched computer and knew about it and also I was in fourth grade back then.

Fast forward to 2006 when i was in junior high school time (i can say that), I was attracted to my friend story that told me about his experience using the Internet when he was outside the school. I was attending strict boarding school back then and having touch with technological device except public phone wasnt allowed for us. Just imagine just like a prison minus tv and entertainment.

Encouraged by his saying that i wont give any virus to pc, i decided to go one of local internet cafe called warnet or warung Internet (we call it warnet) when I had one day vacation that my school give to students each month so they comeback to their hometown. I used the opportunity to look some warnet and couldnt find much except one that located in the city center. It was midnight and i drove with my bicycle rushing into the warnet for the first time. It was not common a teenager like me in the middle of night going to warnet where later the operator had that look confuse and suspicious to me, but still answered was there any space to use Internet when I asked about it.

I am pretty sure that in some years later, no one remember what warnet was and what it supposed for except for some images. So let me describe what was warnet in the dawn of speed information exchange. Its a place where you can rent and then use PC in order to get connected into Internet that mostly used for looking educational sources (sure, Qori... "educational"), chatting with random strangers on MiRc or Internet messenger service, checking e-mails and social media, or just having fun playing paid online games like Ragnarok or free one with shitty graphic but still fun and its called flash games. And dont think about downloading stuffs there. It takes almost one minute to load any sites and yeah you can figure it out for downloading any music or videos, but you can save images though, and importantly... its quite expensive.

So, there I was in one of box where there were others people minding their own business... while I was sitting in front of blank CRT monitor. I was confused and how to turn this  thing on. Duh, there is a button on monitor, so i pushed and expecting it will turn on. Yes. Its on, but still had nothing on it. I was confused and little bit scared because i thought i give this computer a virus. So, i went back to operator and told him that my pc was unable to turning on. I didnt want to see his face reaction, but he moved anyway into my box and then just like magic, he pushed a button in a box behind the desk. Its the PC case and hell yeah its finally on. He shrugged off and went away, so i continue staring the pc monitor. This time its billing that show how much hour that I was gonna spend. One hour was enough since I dont bring any much money.

And then... here the time. My first experience using PC and still confused how to connect it into Internet. All I saw were some icons and  that iconic green fields. Confused again, i went back to operator asking him how to open the Internet. This time, he look piss off because i knew that i disturbed his typing session. So he went into my box and innocently I asked him to show me the way. He just said, you open this "e" icon by clicking and then type www.yahoo.com, and that... you are finally on the internet, kid!

So, my friend that told my his experience using internet gave me some list of websites that i must input to see on this "e" window. I remember that two sites that he wrote in a piece of paper that i was holding now. One is mystery and spooky website where I can see ghost sightings in photos and the another one is just humour website with funny picture that were hardly considered as dankest internet meme today and also short jokes writing.

Wait Qori, thats it? How about you being honest... you were curious right? No that "educational" website that you friend bragged about? This is experience is bullshit if you dont browse that web.

Well actually, I was curious too... he mentioned some website where he saw human do human things and its called pornography. I wasnt brave enough to write the web adress and also... he said I can get more pc viruses that will broke the computer in freeze. Anyway... my billing time was expensive enought to continue, so I had no idea to turn of the Internet. So, I unplug the PC cable to shut down and ran over anxiously toward the operator. 

Not stealing anymore...

There are anything that you can steal Internet, except a physical car. Starting this blog with the jargon that revolves around the net hopefully able to help me to finish this writing. I recently just bought (particularly) being in debt to afford decent CPU for multimedia editing with over $1000 budget. Its not replacing with my old PC that lays on the new PC. I use it for mostly for casual things like buying playing latest video games that I never could not afford before (where mostly I've got from torrenting). Suddenly, for several months, I can get decent and stable earning from real life job where the PC is likely to be my "prize".

Playing games becomes a thing that fills my break time that mostly at night where in the first place I suppose to start my project to be "productive" making review videos (halfway project that has been succeeded) and a new thing activity such podcasting. I am not pretty sure I can be more discipline in writing blog, but one thing for sure this is my attempt to write even though I have to forget that probably my writing skill is so basic. 

Asides paying more for budget PC, I bought some games occasionally on Steam. I didnt have a chance to collect games when I was kid or my teenage days. If people ask me what is the best escapism media have to offer for me nowadays, its playing (good) video game and learn many things from it. I realize, i dont get any cents from playing video games but considering it as entertainment. Its worth it and I am gonna write it about the enjoyment playing games with paying. 

Not only games, I wishlisted some softwares that I am going to buy for redeeming my stealing way because I have passive money on internet through multimedia work such as video producing on Youtube and still working on music project that I have to be intensify this year by taking serious course. One of the software that I want really hard is Vegas Pro (that I am sticking to master), i have various copies of many version but its pirated. When I found out that I can get Vegas with affordable price from one of dealer that has the copy with discount price. 

I forget for several months to continue editing project because playing games excessively is my main thing. So, i decided to buy the software with intention that I can appreciate it and also my hardworking job earning. 

Now I am going to play Paladins after 1gigabyte update.

Releasing Music on Spotify

Being serious in the music production hobby is my main goal to fill my part-time with easy-to-access technology and rig that everyone can take part of it. For 7 years of being amateur on music production but takes a little more effort into it such as buying some gears which I afforded by taking part time job that had nothing to do with music industry. Its pretty easy to become anything on the net, all you have to do type any subjects what you want on Youtube, get more serious and practice more. You can produce anything (and the result depends on how much hard-work you put in there).

I released more 50 electronic music  tracks along the seven year where half of my file projects were lost but the audio files were released and compiled into each album that I saved for archiving. For starter, my first release sounds really really bad with mediocre compositions and simple arrangement. Not something I regret because the way I learn from nothing and improve into something. So, currently... I am in the improving phase but there is something that I want to do with my music projects to get more serious where I just dont produce and release it over the Internet, expecting someone listens to my music for free. I want to get more broad audience and "sell" my music (the definition selling of music is probably will be next topic later).

So, my fb feed filled with audio gear and services ads like how to put your music into audio-digital store and stream-able into Spotify. I am avid-user of Spotify and putting my music there is not something free. So, I found a service called Tunecore on my facebook ads and try to figure it out how to upload music there. It wasnt free service apparently and requires around 50$ fee to release an album. Luckily enough, I have some balances on Paypal that I got from my Youtube channel and use it for paying the service. 

The technical method to upload music is not something easy to do, I managed to plan my latest album release (that I think passable enough to be called thematic album with decent composition by taking techno-house as main genre). The audio requires in high-quality format such .wav that must be converted through iTunes software. Once again, I am lucky enough my latest project release is not the one get deleted when my laptop disk broke. So, i have a little bit work to enhance the mastering production.

The album itself called Seventhouses (Its my seventh release) where I upload three years ago, my main reason to re-uploaded for getting more abroad listeners and get some earning for my part-time hobby. Seventhouses is something like a projection of local electronic scene (where it doesnt really exist except Funkot part that the audience just want to hear fast-faced tacky electronic mixed with dangdut basslinee and top 40's ripped sounds where DJ yells every names who are on drugs every single fucking time on the nearest club in my city.

Anyway, if you want listen some my electronic music works on Spotify, here is the embed-able that you can stream directly. Tbh, i released 2 months ago and yet, I dont know how much I will get from puting my music there, if you click play already. Thank you.
Link : https://open.spotify.com/artist/32X07d25DEBKsfs5XaR4vM

Building PC Gaming Master Race

I am probably too late to catch current trend in gaming culture, five years in college with old laptop while I watch lets play videos and play some casual online game like MOBA was regular thing I used to do. And seven years backward, I lived in a place where there was no real gaming activity besides trying to be more religious in religious school. 

The reason I like video game activity and its culture (i know its pretty general but I want to make some post that specify my definition of gaming later) is this is something like part of my escapism today and when I was younger. Maybe, my motivation to learn English came from video game (I remember when I try to translate some phrases on video game dialog and want to know the meaning of the plot. It was back when I cant afford to have console and watch some people play in public video game rental (this is something to post worthy).

Today, I am aware of technology and what it can offer toward the consumer of current gaming system that I can choose (when I was kid, I really want to have console like SNES or PSX. PC had double price than today and I was too afraid to have one because if you couldnt use it, it will infected your PC and blow). 

In 2008, dad bought me a pre-build PC as for my long-waiting gift. Its a time when I just barely knew a little bit about Internet and also dont know too much about how to understand pc works and its hardware until 2012 I took a course in PC building and repairing. (Its became my part-time job for additional bux).

Fast forward now, I can have my own stable job where I can afford more higher budget for my building better pc than I had before for music editing and rendering video (its just dualcore processor with shitty vga that basically used for daily entertainment and browsing. So, after many research and considerations to get better PC. I plan to build my own PC with more budget. Anyway, here the components I am using. 

Case : VGS 

Rp: 550.000

Motherboard : Asus H170 Pro Gaming

Rp. 2.580.000

#Ram 16gb (8x2) Avexir 

Rp. 1.050.000

Processor : i7 Lga 1150 Skylake 6700

Rp. 4.280.000

#VGA Asus GTX 1060 Strix Gaming  6gb

Rp. 5.250.000

#Cpu Cooler Gammax 400

Rp. 330.000

#Power Supply Corsair CXM 650 

Rp. 1.200.000

#HD 1tb WD  Black 

Rp. 1.190.000

#SSD Avexir 120gb

Rp 690.000

#Asus DVD RW 24F1ST OEM 

Rp. 180.000

#CM Pasta V1

Rp. 50.000

#HDMI Cable

Rp. 40.000

#Printer HP 2135 

Rp. 700.000

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Grand Total : 18.090.000 / $1500 (Estimation)

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I know its not reaching for ultimate PC gaming for sure I get decent PC to maintain my productivity besides gaming. I tried to run audio project with heavy loaded sample packs and premium VSTi's that ran on my old PC very lag and unplayable. With the rig I use, it runs flawlessly. 

Anyway, I dont really talk about the title about PC Gaming Master Race, maybe later. Its midnight and I need to sleep so that tomorrow I can get my earning while this pc gaming master race is my debt that probably I can pay in two - three months.

Changing This Blog Type

Its been so long since I didn't post for this blog. I know that this is kind of repeating same excuses why I don't continue on English blogging anymore.Its probably because I have real serious "business" on real life besides lurking around the Internet for entertaining my mind. Sometimes, I work on my project but too lazy to update it here mainly because there is nothing much I can do with this blog so far.

There were some plan to jump on online business band-wagon and also write some decent article. But what for? There are many people who do same thing out there. So, that was an excuse to continue on learning how to write right.

Anyway, I have many ideas and thoughts that crawling on my mind and sometimes I want to put it here on blog. And also, there are some moments that I want to save here on the Internet. For the next thing on this blog, I'll put short and simple so that I can continue on journal.

Anyway... I want to put my last pic on my "Real Business" that I am currently working on.