TinyNightmare | Geekscape

Geeky Tiki

by TinyNightmareJune 16, 2017

It’s no shocker the new trend is tiki everything. While some of us may find our inner geek in all things tiki, there are still those of us who like to kick it old school and keep our geekdom more, well, traditional. But if you’ve been trying to figure out how to cash in on this trend and still stick to your roots, here is a short list of our favorite Geeky Tikis:

Now obviously, your first stop might be to Geekitikis.com to find a wide array of all things Geeky and Tiki. The craftsmanship isn’t too bad either. As far as content goes? Well, they have all things Star Wars related (including a Jabba the Hutt, Yoda and Boba Fett), as well as Marvel, TMNT, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek and classic Monsters. So, if you’re looking for a catch-all Geeky Tiki fix head over there to start your own collection or grab a gift for someone else. These Tiki Mugs are created and manufactured by a toy company who have offices in Marina del Rey, Ca and Hong Kong which means these guys are not limited run editions. In fact, there is a button on their website in case people want to be wholesalers. So, while these tikis are cool talking pieces – they definitely aren’t rare or hard to come by, but they are a great way to start your Geeky Tiki Collection!
Now as you get into a bit more of the collectible tiki mugs you’ll want to do some research on modern artists who are reviving this vintage tradition. One of the most prolific names in Tiki Art and Mug sculpting is Tiki Farm. These Mugs are always collectible since they are only produced in limited quantities. Tiki Farm will often team up larger companies and restaurants to produce some interesting and collectible items.One of my favorite Tiki Farm collaborations is Mondo Teekis “Alien” Tiki Mug, inspired by the James Cameron classic, ALIENS. While this tiki is currently sold out and will be shipping out this summer, it looks like Mondo will be having a consistent line of Geeky Tiki Mugs being released for the foreseeable future. According to their website it looks like their next release will be a mug based on The Iron Giant – so stay tuned because the drawings look great!
For all the horror fans out there, there is a Tiki producer, Horror in Clay whose Cthulu Tiki has gotten some recognition. However, there is a very small tiki sculptor on Etsy by the name of Kachaktano Mugs who I think has a way better Cthulu design. When it comes to tiki, it’s all about the art to me and less about the name! Besides it could become collectible one day!
If Walking Dead is your thing, you’re in luck! One of the most popular, classic tiki drinks is a Zombie! One of the most sought after vintage tiki mugs is a creepy zombie mug designed by Verne Langdon. It’s gruesome, it’s creepy, it makes me want hide in the corner of my room waiting for the impending zombie apocalypse with my hoard of vape samples from zamplebox.com.

My favorite Geeky Tiki that was recently released was the Hitchhiking ghosts tiki mug released at Disneyland this past Halloween season. Inspired by the Haunted Mansion ride this Geeky Tiki is double collectible because it’s a tiki and it’s a limited release from Disney, not too mention the art is definitely on point! It sold out within a few days, which means it’s definitely a good ebay gift for a special geeky tiki someone!

K. Flay in the Mainstream

by TinyNightmareMarch 1, 2017

I was recently listening to the local radio and heard an oddly familiar voice come across the speakers. I quickly looked down to see if my phone had automatically connected to the car, but it hadn’t – one of my favorite artists, K. Flay was getting some well deserved airplay and I couldn’t be more stoked to hear it.

K. Flay’s single, “Blood in the Cut” which is getting pretty good radio play right now and reached #4 on the Alternative US Music Charts, is not unlike her previously released music. It’s still greatly melodic, intrusively personal, and fun with some heartbreaking lyrics. Her music is something all millennial women in their 20s and early 30s can relate to – trouble with guys, being broke, the hard road of following your dreams, and generally just trying to figure out life.

I imagine the boy she is referring to is still the same guy she references in “Wishing it was you” in her 2014 album “Life as a Dog”. The lyric, “Thought if I was smart / I’d make it far but / I’m still at the start” in “Blood in the Cut” references her on-going battle to make it as a musician, something that most people don’t realize is not easy these days. It’s the same theme of balancing life and working towards your dreams in “Get it Right” also on the “Life as a Dog” album.

Her music has always been therapeutic for me as someone who is also constantly working on different projects with life fluctuating and branching out in ten different directions.

I learned about K. Flay back in 2010, when I was promoting nerdcore shows and working with artists like MC Frontalot, Dual Core, Doc Awk and MC Lars. It was through these interactions I learned about K. Flay’s music, to this day I think she is the only musician I don’t personally know who’s mailing list I subscribe to.

K. Flay got some practice with MC Lars while they both studied at Stanford and produced an album “Single and Famous” which has some of my favorite duet songs to laugh and sing-a-long with, including “The Game” and the title track “Single and Famous”.

Since then she graduated college has been on a few different record labels, most recently signing onto Night Street Records, a subdivision of Interscope Records. It’s been a long road for K. Flay and as someone involved in the music industry, I couldn’t be happier to hear someone who truly deserves to get some airplay on the radio. Maybe next we’ll even see her on a commercial to save with DirectTV – who knows what’s in store for this girl, but I am happy to see a road where she can pay her bills and maybe finally get that dude she keeps pining for.
K. Flay is currently on tour now until mid July with dates in the US, Canada and Australia.

Disney Pixar Fans Rejoice! Easter Eggs Officially Revealed!

by TinyNightmareJanuary 18, 2017

Disney Pixar released a video via Toy Story’s facebook page on January 15th, that reveals easter eggs connecting the films of the Pixar universe. Admittedly, I felt like I needed an iphone data recovery on my brain to remember each scene, but it was fun to recall each movie and see the connections! Watch the video below and see how well you recall these scenes:

https://www.facebook.com/PixarToyStory/videos/10154597909999130/

While I am still awaiting to see if other fan theories about the Pixar universe being connected, this is a fun step in that direction. So, excuse me while I steal my niece now and dive into a wormhole of Pixar movies and fan theories online.

Original Netflix Shows To Look Forward To In 2017!

by TinyNightmareJanuary 17, 2017

We can all agree that 2016 wasn’t the best year, but at least 2017 is looking up for now. Donald Trump has already secured one job for Alec Baldwin for the next four years, Nintendo announced the release of Super Mario Odyssey and Netflix looks as if it will have some pretty great series we can all look forward to in 2017.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

In true Lemony Snicket fashion, the show was released this past Friday on the 13th and so far I am impressed with the level of detail. Neil Patrick Harris is practically unrecognizable as Count Olaf and the delivery of the storyline is quite respectable. I am personally giving a lot of credit to the fact that they brought the original author, Daniel Handler back to the writing table for this show for how much it feels like the original work.

Frontier release date: January 20

Starring everyone’s favorite Aquaman, Jason Momoa is the main protagonist of this historical drama which chronicles the chaotic and often violent power struggles within the North American fur trade of the 18th Century. So, if you’ve ever felt like a modern anachronism or if you’re like me and looking for something to entertain your father with something other than the History Channel, this is looking like a great and entertaining solution.

Iron Fist release date: March 17

Netflix’s fourth Marvel series will star Finn Jones, whom you might remember from Game of Thrones, in the lead role of Daniel Rand (Iron Fist). The hero fights against the criminal elements corrupting New York City with his master kung-fu skills and ability to summon the power of the fiery Iron Fist, which strikes opponents with superhuman impact. The show will reportedly pick up just as Rand returns to the Big Apple, after having gone missing from the city for several years.

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later release date TBA

Since the original movie was one that my older brother made me watch as a kid and I will always remember, I am personally excited to see where this goes.

Piggybacking off of the original movie’s scene in which Bradley Cooper’s character Ben proposes that all the campers return in 10 years to see how they’ve turned out, this eight episode series takes place during that proposed ten year return.

The Defenders release date: TBA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBZtM8q2Z1g

All four of Netflix’s street-level Marvel heroes — Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones) — will join forces in this team-up series, also set to debut in 2017. Though specific details of the show haven’t been revealed, the miniseries event will follow the group of heroes as they are brought together to face their biggest threat yet.

Daredevil showrunners Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez are expected to oversee the show. While an exact release date has not yet been confirmed, Netflix’s previous schedule of Marvel series premieres indicates that The Defenders will likely kick off sometime in the latter half of the year, probably next fall.

Bill Nye Saves the World release date: Spring 2017

Bill Nye was my personal hero as a kid, so as much as I am excited to see my favorite Marvel characters come to life, my inner science geek is giddy at the prospect of seeing my favorite scientist on TV again.

I am also glad to see that the show has grown up with me. Bill Nye Saves the World has been described as an unfiltered talk show where my favorite science guy will tackle a new topic each week and explain it from a scientific point of view. The series will work to debunk myths and refute anti-scientific claims that may be spread by politicians, religious leaders, or titans of industry. In other words, I am very excited.

All in all, Netflix will be releasing 16 new shows this year and many of them with A-list actors such as Naomi Watts, Drew Barrymore and other shows like El Chapo which chronicle famous elusive real life characters. Not too bad for a couple guys who originally wanted change how we rent movies.

While our parents’ generation still has to learn that cutting cable doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the best shows maybe this year’s new A-list line up will convince them otherwise.

Logan: Hugh Jackman Reveals Official Plot via Twitter

by TinyNightmareJanuary 16, 2017

If you’re like me and have had a crush on Wolverine since you were four years old, have followed every X-men movie and spinoff comic since you can remember with mutants adorned on everything from your iphone cases to your underwear, then you’ll be just as excited as I am to learn the plot of the new Wolverine 3 movie.

Since the trailer came out in October, we did know the movie would feature an ailing Professor along with X-23, but Hugh Jackman’s Tweet on January 13th revealed the official plot of the movie:

“In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempt to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.”

Netflix Tiptoes Into The World Of Gaming

by TinyNightmareJanuary 9, 2017

In an interesting turn of events, Netflix put out an original 8-bit style game featuring the stars of some of its shows, including one of my favorite love-to-hate characters of all time, Piper Chapman among other characters from their popular shows such as Stranger Things, Narcos and Marco Polo even though it got cancelled.

Netflix Infinite Runner, an autoscrolling platformer where characters jump to collect items or avoid obstacles, seems to have gone a little under the radar as it seems to be a foreshadowing of what may come next from Netflix: Video Games.

For all of us geeks and nerds out there, this may be a very good thing considering how well they have done with the recent netflix originals series and how they have changed the way we consume movie content.

When the idea of the second screen concept came out, marketers by all accounts failed to capitalize on this concept, but we may be seeing the early signs of Netflix succeeding where others failed.

Be on the lookout because you may be the next character in House of Cards to steal the Secretary of State’s Secure USB flash drive with information that could make or break the election.

A Geek Girl’s Top 6 Most Anticipated Films

by TinyNightmareSeptember 17, 2014

I got on a roll last night watching movie trailers and wanted to share my top 6 films I can’t wait to see in theaters – spoiler alert one of them comes out Friday!

Tusk
Release Date: September 19, 2014 !!!

Tusk, which officially releases THIS Friday seems like director Kevin Smith channeled his inner Stephen King when writing this script. If you are a Kevin Smith fan like myself, you may have known about the existence of this script for the past year – you may have even tweeted #yeswalrus to encourage Kevin Smith to make the movie.

Since I can’t explain the absurd plot of this film better than its official description, here it is: “A chilling horror tale about the perils of storytelling, this film follows a brash American podcaster as he braves the Canadian wilds to interview an old man with an incredible past-only to discover the man’s dark secret involves a walrus.”

Yes, a walrus – or rather #YesWalrus. Smith explained in a Tusk featurette that the idea for the film came from a public listing for “lodger” in an old man’s house whose only requirement was that said lodger must be willing to wear his realistic walrus suit for two hours a day. As Kevin Smith pointed out – clearly this had to be made into a horror movie so he did and you know where you can find me tomorrow.

Watch the Trailer

Star Wars: Episode VII
Release Date: December 18, 2015

After watching the Tusk trailer a YouTube suggestion for “Kevin Smith describes what he saw on the Star Wars Episode VII set” and made me really excited for it to come out. It’s a ways off for the release, but it can’t come soon enough for a girl like me. Since I was three years old my big brother was telling me stories of Tattoine, the wisdom of Yoda and the badassery that is Han Solo.

While we all thought the tragedy of the new Star Wars was over after the final release of the prequel trilogy, Disney had another idea. They teamed up with director J.J. Abrams whose storyline will take place 30 years after the original George Lucas trilogy’s timeline. The screenplay is set to revolve around the original main characters, Luke, Leia, and Han Solo who have all been confirmed from the original cast.

I am personally excited to see what Disney does with the storyline – I actually really like Clone Wars on Disney. I also anxiously await a new Star Wars drinking game – a shot for every lens flare J.J. Abrams puts into the movie.

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
Release Date: March 2016

Okay, so here is another one that is pretty far off. I have always loved Batman – he’s a super badass. I’m not a fan of Superman however, so I think it will be interesting to see how this one works out.

They’ve released the images of Wonder Woman and we’ve been seeing a lot of Batmobile photos on instagram lately – so far it looks like it will be entertaining. I also think that looks-wise Ben Affleck will make a good Batman – I’m just weary of Superman’s involvement… Hmmmmm. Also, what was your final decision on Wonder Woman’s outfit? I think she looks more like an Amazonian.

And in case you missed the (very short) leaked Comic Con trailer – Here is a link

Mad Max: Fury Road
Release Date: May 2015

How could I not be excited for this movie to come out? Mad Max was one of my family’s favorite movies to watch – the original was basically a western set in a dystopian Australia so it broke up all those John Wayne movies my dad loved.

I’m really excited for this movie, not just for nostalgia reasons but because after seeing the trailers it really makes me excited to get into another action movie and be able to appreciate it. The quality of this film and the fact that George Miller directed it – pretty much guarantees a 90 minute big-screen action packed adventure. I always think the best stories are those with characters full of vengeance, PLUS I can’t wait to see all the new cosplay outfits that will come out of this movie.

Watch the trailer

The Hobbit: The Battle of the five armiesRelease Date: December 17, 2014

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings is hands down one of my favorite movie franchises. The storytelling in the books was epic and they’ve done an amazing job bringing everything together to bring the books to life.

I can’t wait to see the visual detail of Smaug desolating Lake Town (which is where the last one left off), how each of the characters transforms and grows – especially Thorin’s greed (what is up with those dwarves and treasure?!) and Bilbo’s adventurous spirit.

I love a good back story though, so I am actually most excited to see the beginning of Sauron’s power grow and his legions of Orcs begin to become what we saw in The Lord of the Rings.

Watch the trailer

Pixels
Release Date: May 15, 2015

I can always enjoy a good family-friendly movie when its done right and especially when it involves 80s arcade video games! Pixels is an Adam Sandler comedy that Sony is putting out, that seems to be their answer to Pixar’s Wreck It Ralph.

A huge kudo to this kids film is the inclusion of a bunch of awesome video game classics like, “Asteroids,” “Breakout,” “Centipede” and “Missile Command” from Atari Interactive; “Galaga” and “Dig-Dug” “Pac Man”(Bandai Namco); “Q*bert” (Columbia Pictures Industries); “Space Invaders” (Taito Corp); and “Joust,” “Defender,” “Robotron” and “Wizard of Wor” (Warner Bros. Interactive) and “Frogger”.

The movie’s plot is interesting – intergalactic aliens invade Earth when they misinterpret video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them and it also boasts a great cast, including our favorite Game Thrones actor, Peter Dinklage.

Down the Wormhole of Flight Simulators

by TinyNightmareAugust 12, 2014

A Brief History of Flight Simulators What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of flight simulators? There are plenty of good historical markers to consider. My first encounter with a flight simulator was PC gaming. But flight simulators were around a lot longer than PC games, and doing a lot more than entertaining bored 12-year-olds.

Here is a brief look back at flight simulators and the more interesting uses made of them:

The First Flight Simulator Ask an avid gamer about the very first flight simulator, and they will probably point to 1980 or 79. But ask an airplane enthusiast and they will cite a date many decades prior. They might even go as far back as 1910, though this might be pushing the definition of flight simulator even for airplane enthusiasts. At least one definition I found restricts it to a system using computer graphics to simulate a pilot’s view. But such a limited definition confines fight simulation to computers running high-end graphics.

That ignores the history of ingenious methods early pilots used to learn, and train others how to fly without actually taking flight. They were finding ways to simulate flight using heavily modified planes and interesting techniques. These early pioneers deserve to be in the flight simulator discussion. One of those early simulators was called the Sanders Teacher. It was built from parts that could actually be used in the construction of an actual aircraft. It was tethered to the ground, yet could respond to aerodynamic forces. According to the National Center for Simulation, it:

was really an aircraft mounted on a universal joint in an exposed position and facing into the prevailing wind. In this way it was able to respond in attitude to the aileron, elevator and rudder controls as would an actual aeroplane of the type.

Flight Sims go digital

Bruce Artwick invented the modern flight simulator in the mid-1970s. It was the product of two passions: flying and computers, coming together. He formed a company called SubLOGIC, and introduced the first consumer version of his thesis project in 1980. It was an Apple phenomenon, quickly becoming the best-selling software for the Apple computer. It wouldn’t be until 1982 before there was a Microsoft version of the software. Almost lost to history is the fact that this innovative software did not go to Microsoft until after its success had been established with Apple.

But make no mistake about it, Flight Simulator found even greater success on the Microsoft platform, entering into the Guinness Book of Records with 21 million copies sold. While all that is interesting, the real success story of this program is that it made the leap into the real world, from gaming to flight training. The military uses it to train pilots. It is so accurate, it is useful for teaching ordinary people what it is like to fly. If you are interested in getting a feel for the controls, sites like www.pilotmall.com provide you with everything you need to get started.

The past and present collide

When the mechanical past of flight simulators meets the digital present, the sky is no longer the limit. In 2012, Texas A&M took possession of NASA’s SMS. I’m not talking about their text messaging account, but their Shuttle Motion Simulator. After the shuttle program was shuttered, the SMS was out of a job. Texas A&M gave it a new home and a new leas on life. It is a piece of living history that is fully functional, and available to the public.

This technology is a fusion of the mechanical ingenuity that gave birth to the Sanders Teacher, and Bruce Artwick’s Flight Simulator. These technologies and techniques are being used to teach people how to fly space ships. The training simulator depicted in Star Trek II wasn’t much more advanced from what we have today. The next time you simulate a flight between San Francisco and LA, consider that the pilots overhead probably did the same thing in the course of their training

A Look Behind Weird Al’s “Lame Claim to Fame” Music Video

by TinyNightmareJuly 20, 2014

“Is it just me, or has Weird Al taken over the internet?” is the question everyone has been asking this week. The answer is a definite YES!

In fact Rolling Stone said, this visual onslaught appears to be working: Mandatory Fun is on pace to top the Billboard 200 for the first time in Yankovic’s career, as long as he can hold off Jason Mraz’s Yes! One thing’s for sure: According to Billboard, Mandatory Fun will definitely give “Weird Al” his best first week album sales since Neilsen SoundScan started keeping track in 1991.

Al’s #8videos8days takeover of the internet started with “Tacky” Monday and continued with parodies like “Foil“, “Word Crimes” and “Handy” BUT I have been waiting since last Summer for today’s video, “Lame Claim to Fame” to debut because my “lame claim to fame” is that my friend, Tim Thompson directed the video.

Tim has been a Weird Al fan since he was a kid, so he was more than excited to create a video for one if his favorite artists. It took him more than ten sets of ink cartridges, more than 1,000 cut-outs of Weird Al’s face, 30 pairs of scissors and one year to complete the stop animation video.

As some people have noticed in the comments section on YouTube and Weird Al’s Facebook page – there are A LOT of references in this video. Pretty appropriate for a man known for his parodies, don’t ya think? Well, I won’t spoil all of the references throughout the video, but here are some to take note of and that you may not have known otherwise:

The opening scene

1.) Overall this is a stylistic reference to Food by Jan Svankmajer.

2.) The cow painting on the back wall was painted by MC Lars. Tim was able to do this video because Al was a fan of Lars’ “This Gigantic Robot Kills” video, which Tim directed. The two first met in elementary school and have been friends ever since. Tim asked him to paint the cow because he remembered Lars drawing it on papers while they were in class together and “moo”ing. Pretty perfect for a video that is influenced Southern Culture on the Skids and homage to his friend.

3.) A VHS copy of Johnny Dangerously is on the table, notable because Weird Al’s video “This is the Life ” was made for that movie.

4.) The two portraits on the wall are Steve Jay Al’s Bassist and Jim Kimo west his Guitarist. There have been a lot of people commenting on the video asking if it’s Neil Young – nope, its a band member! Tim wanted to make sure the entire band was highlighted in the video, so you’ll see all of them throughout the video.

The rest of the video

5.) [0:18] The cashier is actually the director, Tim Thompson.

6.) [0:19] Each of the food items are references to Weird Al’s music – do you know which songs? Also, that Bologna sat in Tim’s fridge for months.

7.) [1:04] bottom right-hand drawing is a personal drawing from MC Lars to Tim congratulating him on being able to work with Al, a childhood hero of both of theirs.

8.) [1:23] Redrum is a reference to The Shining and at [1:24] you can see the creepy twins appear for a half of a second with Al’s face.

9.) [1:54] Steven A.K.A. Al’s dentist appears to sneeze on Russel crow and light-saber battle him, he was also in MC Lars’ “Flow Like Poe” video

10.) [1:58] The preview of suggested EweTube videos are actually some of Tim’s other videos including student work and Reel Big Fish’s “Don’t Stop Skankin’” – Bonus points if you can find the second video listed online.

11.) [2:05] Ten extra points if you can name all the people in the theater – 20 points if you can name the classic actors in the photos on the walls!

12.) [2:17] Yes, that is Dr. Demento, the man who first discovered Weird Al and apparently knows Kevin Bacon. No joke, I didn’t know who Dr. Demento was until I asked Tim and we listened to every Dr. Demento record in the house.

13.) [2:18] Reference to “This Gigantic Robot Kills” since that was the work that got Al’s attention.

14.) [2:39] KCPR – Reference to the college radio station where Al was a DJ and got the name “Weird Al”

15.) [3:39] My actual Lame Claim to Fame – I was animated into a Weird Al video.

More photos:

Girls + Gaming: 4 Things Your Battlestation Needs For Game Immersion

by TinyNightmareJanuary 31, 2014

Ahhh, the battle station. Sometimes we girls can overlook this key feature of our gaming lives, especially when we are first dipping our toes into the virtual landscape.

But really, it’s the home of your gaming operation – the cave to dip away from all those troubles, sit down, and enjoy endless amounts of gaming in peace and comfort.

The goal of any battle station is to fully simulate the gaming experience; you want to feel like you’re submersed in-world, whether you’re currently fighting the Eve Online war — which, by the way, is turning out to be pretty epic — or trying not to starve in Don’t Starve. Even if you’re replaying all of Mass Effect to try and romance Garrus, you want that deep, intimate conversation between you and your Turian crush to feel as realistic as possible.

So. Let’s look at the four components of any good battle station. (Mountain Dew not included.)

1. Top-of-the-line headphones

The typical gamer starts gaming with a pair of cheap ‘phones and slowly begins to graduate to more high-end options. After all, a game’s soundtrack is just as important as its visuals (sometimes more so). New games are so audio-lush that you can hear your enemies breathe, and sound is the first element that truly adds to the in-game immersion experience.

Our pick for best gaming headphones is always Turtle Beach, but you may have a different opinion. (I know a few gamers who swear by Beats By Dr. Dre.) Just make sure your ‘phones and mic are sharp enough to pick up all the footfalls and friendly fire.

2. The Fastest Possible Internet Connection

Gamers need internet. Whether you’re playing multi-player or downloading the latest upgrades, you need the fastest connection possible to get things done. It’s hard to say whether internet is more or less important than sound to the game-immersive experience; after all, there are still a few games out there that don’t require an internet connection, but those are becoming few and far between. Let’s say they’re roughly equal: if you don’t have headphones, you can’t hear the game; if you don’t have fast internet, you can’t play the game.

This poses a problem for those out in areas not so well covered. If you are in an rural area that doesn’t have a lot of options, look for DSL deals (compared to the available dialup), which you can actually save on since the AT&T promotion cards still don’t need any codes. This lets you play just as fast as your guild mates in better-connected cities.

Besides, how are you going to stream walk-throughs on YouTube and play at the same time with a slow internet connection?

3. The Right Hardware

We’re not all privileged enough to have the expendable income to buy the latest, top-of-the-line gaming PC hardware, but we should make the effort to upgrade, over time.

What we all want:

· A big monitor

· A beastly PC

· The latest systems

· The best games

If you have to choose what to invest in, focus on the fundamental hardware for your setup – pick a smaller monitor and a faster PC. If you wait it out you can generally pick up most of the AAA titles for a pittance of the original cost. Create a small backlog in your gaming (be a patient gamer) and suddenly *gasp* you’ll have money to invest in that wide-screen monitor, upgrade your drivers, and immerse yourself even more fully in your gaming experience.

4. Comfortable Seating

I can’t begin to tell you how many battle stations I’ve seen where the person went all out on the computer (or gaming system) and skimped on their seat. You know the ones – those little swivel chairs that are majorly uncomfortable.

Truth be told a lot of gamers don’t care; they’re perfectly willing to power through the pain. In fact, when you’re fully immersed in a game, you probably don’t even notice that your feet are asleep and your lower back is screaming.

But here’s my advice: as soon as you can, spend the extra $100 – $300 for something decent. Your back will thank you for it and you might as well be comfortable while playing rather than constantly switching which leg to sit on during the session. Pick an immersive-design, surround-sound gaming seat that is designed to integrate you into the gaming experience and support you as you fight the Alliance or meet Garrus up at the Citadel.

These four components are the pillars of game immersion, and once you level out all four, you’ll find yourself truly sucked in to the gaming world — as if it were the only world that existed.

New Year’s Resolution: 5 Tips On Becoming An Indie Nerdcore Rapper in 2014

by TinyNightmareJanuary 3, 2014

Okay, well maybe I won’t exactly be an Indie Nerdcore Rapper – but I definitely intend on living like one in 2014. After the past few years as a promoter I can safely say I have been continually inspired by an interesting group of people – nerdcore rappers. They are some of the most passionate, driven, creative and intelligent people I have ever come across – so here are the top five ways you can channel your inner nerdcore rapper in 2014 too:

1. Do What You Love
I remember Adam Warrock was on tour with Kirby Krackle a few years ago and my dad came by to visit. My dad asked him if he had another job and Warrock hesitantly explained he quit his job as a lawyer to pursuit a career rapping about comic books and video games. I’ll never forget my dad’s response: “Well, that’s probably the best decision you’ve ever made – It sounds a hell of a lot more fun than being a lawyer.” Do what you love, who knows – you might even find out its exactly what will make your parents proud.

I made the switch after being a lawyer for three years, practicing as a litigator in DC, said Warrock. I was getting opportunities to do shows, do events; and I was being badly managed at my job. There was a moment that I truly believed I could be more successful as a musician than as an attorney, when you take out salary/money as the only factor. So I just quit one day. Been three and a half years since. I guess I made the right decision.

2. Become a Jack of All Trades
Infinitely more-so than with any career have I seen a single person take on so much responsibility and really drive their own career to accomplish their goals. From figuring out how to manage a brand, to figuring out how to publish music on iTunes, to learning how to plan a national tour and star performer – these guys have problem-solved their way into being able to launch and maintain a music career.

You have to be your own cheerleader, publicist, manager [and] online brand handler, said MeganRan. You become everyone of those roles and you must do it well before anyone will see any need to help and even after, no one will work harder than you for your dream.

3. Find Balance
Every time I talk to MC Lars he’s either making an album, prepping for a TEDtalk, packing for an international tour or working on a kid’s show. So, every time I think I’m busy, I remember how just thinking about all of his projects make my head spin. To this day I am pretty sure he stole Hermoine’s time turner necklace. What I have learned from MC Lars is to prioritize time and projects.

You could spend all day chatting with fans on Facebook, or you could spend that time making a great song, said MC Lars. It’s all about finding a balance between the two.

4. Apply skills from one aspect of your life to another
I remember when I was in school I would always wonder what my teachers would do in their free time, but I don’t think any of my teachers were rapping about old school video games. In a former life MegaRan was a teacher and if you’ve ever been to one of his shows its obvious he can command a crowd.

In teaching and in performing it’s all about instilling trust in your audience and being confident in what you deliver, said Megaran. I utilize a lot of techniques from the classroom — call and response, wait time, icebreakers – all kinds.

5. Don’t get hung up on perfection

Make stuff, publish it. However you can. No one can support what isn’t out there. And don’t worry if it’s not perfect, if it’s not ready. People like process. They like falling in love with someone as they figure it out. They enjoy seeing the cracks and the faultlines, so that one day, when you hopefully rise up and become a giant, they can say they were there from day one. Just get started making stuff. You’re already behind the curve. -Adam Warrock

Want to actually be an Indie Nerdcore Rapper? Here are some helpful pointers:

From MC Lars:

TuneCore is great for digital distribution, but physical distro isn’t so important any more. My last album didn’t come out in stores, just online and to the Kickstarter supporters. I had a ten year retrospective vinyl that I put out last year that a friend of mine helped get into Amoeba and other indie stores. It’s all grassroots but you don’t need to put everything you release in stores… . Spotify is great because you get paid for each listen instead of just once like when someone buys your mp3 on iTunes – the cloud model is more sustainable.

From MegaRan:

Learning how to budget your incoming funds is the hardest thing. I just got a financial plan from a fellow musician which is really helping me, but you have to have a plan and stick to it. the money could stop at any time. I’ve also been told by veterans to keep a side hustle– a skill that you’re good at that people often need help with that can make you some additional income — graphic design, web design, mixing services, anything.

From Adam Warrock:

I remember hearing Chris Hardwick give advice to young comedians once. He advised them to have a weekly gig, hosting an open mic or something like that. Do the gig, every week. Never miss it. Treat it like it’s mandatory. You’re sick. You’re busy. You’re sad. You can’t miss it. The first time you go on stage when you absolutely do NOT want to be there – and you kill it – boom, you’re a professional.

Be sure to check out these artists in a city near you! Check their websites for tour dates:

MCLars.com

AdamWarrock.com

Megaran.com

The Geek and The Emmys

by TinyNightmareAugust 9, 2013

I don’t typically browse through the Emmys nomination list because… well, let’s face it – it’s a popularity contest and most people like pretty terrible things, so there really has never been much in it for me. But this year, I heard that Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory got more than a few nominations again, so I wanted to check it out.

I didn’t realize that there were so many categories that a show could be nominated for (Outstanding Main Title Design, really?) or that reality TV has its own category (which is ridiculous) or that House of Cards was nominated for so many Emmys as well (insert your own applause here).

All of my discoveries were interesting to say the least and it got me thinking:

1.) If there is a Reality TV Show category, why isn’t Strip Search on the list?

2.) Why didn’t anyone in GoT receive a nomination for Outstanding Lead actor / actress? Oh wait, that’s right George R.R. Martin kills off anyone you think might be a lead actor. Can someone make this into a meme for me: Will never be nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor, because you have followed me through an entire story which means I will probably die soon. Really everyone should just be in the “guest actor” category because no one will be around for the entire series, let’s be real.

3.) If House of Cards was nominated so much, does this this mean that web series and other forms of vehicles that aren’t on cable will finally get the credit it deserves? My friend’s play “Gamers” is being made into a web series right now and it would be awesome if they eventually came up with a web series category.

4.) If those shows don’t get the credit they deserve can we just start our own Geek Emmys where we can publicly applaud low-budget or entertaining online series instead of mass-marketed “popular shows”?

5.) If we had our own Geek Emmys – What would the categories be? Both author George R.R. Martin and HBO programming president Michael Lombardo have said on record that the amount GoT episodes pirated is a compliment. So I think the category of Drama Series we most want to pirate could be an appropriate category.

Seriously though, that last one is a real question – What would you want the categories to be? I want to see in the comments section below!

Oh and to get back to my original point:

Big Bang Theory’s nominations includes: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor (Jim Parsons – or Sheldon), Outstanding Supporting Actress (Mayim Bialik – or Amy) and a few other more technical nominations that no one really cares about like like Outstanding Hairstyling For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special. Besides were they nominated for best hairstyling because Sheldon is so picky about his haircut?

Game of Thrones has been nominated for gobs of Emmy’s including Outstanding Supporting Actor (Peter Dinklage, as Tyrion Lannister) and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Emilia Clarke, as Daenerys Targaryen). (Your applause for Dany and intellectual imps go here).

</3,
Tiny Nightmare

Oops, I Did It Again… Casual Gaming

by TinyNightmareAugust 2, 2013

When I first started playing Halo over XBox live, I learned how to play from a highly ranked female gamer. We laughed every time she would receive a message in her inbox that made the accusation she must be a “fat ugly loser” to become good enough to beat her male counterpart. Because obviously her only option in life for any social engagement would be to sit on the couch and play Halo with strangers and that could be the only explanation for this guy to have his ass handed to him by a girl.

None of their accusations were true – to this day she is a very beautiful model. That very fact is probably why we laughed so hard at their ridiculous comments.

Of course, whenever I would play I would get my ass beat and a flood of messages would come in about how I should go back to playing house with Sims. Not only did these interactions bring up the obvious problem of the male-dominated world of video games and their very anti feminist points of view – but it also made me think, “I really like Sims and when I am working on my computer waiting for something to render – I really love my casual gaming.”

But then that calls into question: can I still call myself a gamer if my work has forced me to spend more time playing Doodle God, Angry Birds, Cityville or leave me wondering if I should start to play online bingo?

I guess the real question is: What defines a casual or hardcore gamer?

If I love my FPS and MMO‘s but I don’t have a few hours everyday to dedicate to it and I use casual games on my phone to get my fix – am I just a poseur now?

Kind of like people in NA, I still consider myself a hardcore gamer because I know if I start, It’s hard to stop. I get easily addicted to bettering my head shots and I had to cancel my WoW account to make sure I spent more time working on my business than on raids.

So, if really I am just being responsible with my gaming and casually playing Borderlands and Halo every once in a while – maybe the real question is: What’s wrong with being a girl and casual gaming?

SDCC Roundup: Gam3rCon

by TinyNightmareJuly 23, 2013

Kari wrote an article about what to expect for Gam3rcon a few weeks ago, which helped when I went to check it out.

I’ve been involved in Gam3rCon in one way or another for the past three years. It started off with an ill-fated rooftop party that involved getting hot tubs on the roof for a nerdcore show, but that story is for another time.

This year was a big year for Gam3rCon and there were many internal changes that could have easily brought the con to a halt, but instead the changes made for another great year. Due to their increasingly successful and busy lives, two founders of Gam3rcon, Walt Meyer and Brian Bielawski had made the decision last year to release some of the responsibility of the convention to a few new vice-chairs: Benja Johnson, William Morgan and Josh Stolze.

Co-Founder Walt Meyer Enjoying the Photo Booth

“I think they did great,” said Meyer. “There were glitches and dropped balls, of course, but it ran better and was far more successful than any previous Gam3rcon.”

As with years previous there were rooms dedicated to table top gaming, video games, theater, panels and the roof top with entertainment. Last year the main theater area was taken over by LanDiego with a huge console gaming set up and the 8-bit cubist art gallery on the second floor showcased gaming industry professionals’ fine art.

For rooftop entertainment Kirby’s Dream Band and Radioactive Chicken Heads were among the musical highlights while comedians AJ Salas, Ron Swallow and Andre from Black Nerd Comedy kept the con lighthearted and fun.

After working with Gam3rcon throughout the year I am always excited to stop by and see everything they are working on and to see them moving on up in the world.

I love seeing the convention grow. The past two years Gam3rcon has come in every month for the Nerdcore Nightmare showcase I host in San Diego. They set up their gaming station to promote Gam3rcon and when the convention comes around I host panels and have industry professionals come in to do presentations.

This year I gave a presentation on Nerdcore and was able to inform convention goers on the tenants of nerdcore, its history and how artists navigate the current state of the music industry.

Attendees also got to hear my favorite story of my prowess as a three-year-old Street Fighter champion in my house that started me on my path to nerd-dom. It was later pointed out to me that if I had kept with it, I may have been able to overtake Daigo Umehara today.

I’m sure by next year Gam3rcon will be able to overtake both myself and Daigo Umehara.

A San Diegan’s Guide To SDCC

by TinyNightmareJuly 9, 2013

San Diego Comic-Con is a week away, and all of us OG Gamers and nerds will be using our well-honed gaming strategy and critical path-building skills to plan which panels they want to see, which celebrities they hope to meet and how they’re going to handle the 8-hour-long lines.

Being from San Diego I am lucky I have somewhere to stay ( and no, you cannot crash on my couch – sorry).

However, if you know anything about SDCC, whether you are a local or not, you know the weekend is going to be expensive. Well-aware of the popularity of the event, hotels have increased their prices to match the demand, and many rooms are renting for over $400 a night! CRAY-Cray!

Airline algorithms have also noticed the increased traffic to San Diego in late July and are charging around $200 extra dollars per seat. If you haven’t already organized your travel and lodging, be prepared to spend even more; nearly all the hotels in San Diego are booked, and services like AirBed and Breakfast are charging $800 per night for local couchsurfers. Although there are couchsurfing websites you may be able to look into – it’s better than the convention floor! Besides, San Diegans have a reputation for being nice, so I’m almost 75% sure you won’t get brutally murdered.

After all that money getting here, you’ll need to eat. SDCC is right in the middle of Gaslamp Historical District, and honestly SDCC is the ONLY time this place is cool. Its overrun by nerds during SDCC instead the usual drunken jock crowd that tend to congregate here.

Since it is SDCC, and the only time of the year this part of town is absolutely awesome, you will want to check out the awesome events going on outside the convention hall (a local put a list together on Facebook) and buy a few things in the 460,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall and . (We’ve already written about the toys we want, like the exclusive Adventure Time puppies or the Transformers Masterpiece Soundwave.)

Imagine you are a San Diegan, because rent will still be due on the first of the month. Here are a few tips to enjoy the weekend without breaking your budget:

Don’t put anything on a high-interest credit card

Seriously, I live in San Diego and it is expensive! That one time you splurge on a $20 burger, or an $8 slice of pizza, trust me it isn’t a splurge. That’s how much it costs here, especially Gaslamp. We’re nerds, we can do math. There’s still time to search for a new credit card with a 0 percent interest rate. Start with the best cards from NerdWallet and make sure your $800 AirBed and Breakfast room isn’t going on a card that charges 20% interest!

Don’t buy food anywhere you have to sit down

I live in San Diego, so maybe I’m just biased but, you’ll have plenty of time for sitting when you’re waiting overnight for NBC’s Community Panel (Sunday, Hall H, hosted by Chris Hardwick). Instead, save on cash by eating only from places where you have to stand up: convenience stores and even those pretzels they sell in the convention center lobby.

If you really want to plan ahead, fill your backpack with delicious foodstuffs like granola bars and fruit; that’ll save you from a mid-afternoon snack attack where the only thing you can afford to eat comes with its own packet of orange nacho cheese (which is never actually cheese!).

But if you really want good food, go outside of downtown. Check out “restaurant row” on 30th street in North Park. It’s a $15 cab ride and well worth it if you need a break from the hustle and bustle.

Don’t buy anything you can’t carry

It’s way too easy to run through the Exhibit Hall like a katamari on Red Bull, grabbing everything that looks shiny until you have action figures spilling out of your arms. Because I have somewhere to go every night, I avoid those big bags like the plague or trust me – I WILL FILL IT. I’m a girl, its what we do. So I only hold on to what I can carry in my arms. If it isn’t worth carrying in my arms all day or immediately taking it back home (in your case your hotel room), then I probably don’t need it. When you run out of toys you can hold in your arms or pack into your Thinkgeek Bag of Holding, you’re done.

Don’t get defeated by money-sucking minibosses

Most of us are still Level 1 Financial Ninjas. We’re slowly making our way through the Financial Timeline of Adulthood but can still easily get tripped up by something stronger than we are, like an original animation cell from Spirited Away or a night spent drinking overpriced cocktails just because you heard that Joss Whedon was going to show up at the bar. (Pro tip: he’s not, unless its our Nerf Herder show – we hope.)

Last tip: whenever you feel like buying something, go sit in a line for a panel instead. It’ll take up a few hours, you’ll make new friends and you won’t be able to spend a single cent until the panel’s over.

How are you planning to spend your Comic-Con? Let us know in the comments – and don’t forget to visit the Geekscape crew at Booth 3919 in the Exhibit Hall and at Comic Con Nerdathon!

Geekscape Interviews: Catching Up With Kyle Stevens of Kirby Krackle

by TinyNightmareJuly 9, 2013

Every year I put together a Comic Con show that brings together best and brightest of the nerd realm. I like to call it a Nerd-a-Thon and this year I’ve tricked Geekscape.net into being my partner in crime. MUAHAHAHA!

We’ve put together an amazing two-day line up complete with Geek Rock and Nerdcore hip hop and of course the lovely ladies of Devil’s Playground Burlesque. It just so happens that one of these uber-talented Geek Rock bands that will be playing are my friends, Kirby Krackle. I recently caught up with Kyle Stevens, the front-man of Kirby Krackle to fire a ridiculous amount of questions his way.

TN: You’ve performed at many comic-cons and your partner Jim was a founder of the Emerald City Comic-Con – When did you first attend SDCC, and which Comic-Con (in any city) has been most memorable for you and why?

KS: Our first album (Kirby Krackle) came out in January of 2009 and being new to touring the comic con circuit, we knew we had to go big and make an appearance that year whether we’d even make a dent there or not as a new band. In retrospect, it was a smart thing to do because from the very beginning we set ourselves up as a booth that invited fans and con-goers to take a break from the madness and found they were more than happy to take a second to put on the earphones and take a listen to what we do; the organized sound in power-pop rock form of everything they were experiencing walking around the con.

TN: There has been a lot of news about events and announcements at SDCC this year – which are you most looking forward to?

KS: Truth be told, I’m just catching up on all the news as we speak! We’ve been so in the trenches with getting our new album out and the tour that it’s been my entire world for the past four months. Besides looking forward to rocking the Merrow with Nerfherder and H2Awesome, I’m really looking forward to the special SDCC W00t stout that was brewed up by Wil Wheaton and Stone Brewing Company for the event. Being a huge fan of the San Diego craft-beer scene I know I’m going to need to track some of that goodness down!

TN: I will definitely have to bring you around the San Diego beer scene. Okay, next question: Who are your comic book heroes?

KS: I’m a big Wolverine fan from back in the day; I was raised on a steady diet of Jim Lee 90’s X-MEN and so that will always be my jam in my heart. I’m a big Marvel guy, as well as much of what Image puts out. What a great time it is to be a fan of comics, and great comics at that.

TN: They’re coming out with a new Wolverine! Which comic to film/TV adaptation has been your favorite so far?

KS: TV and film offerings these past few years have been completely insane. We’re living in the golden times of geek franchises coming to the screen and we’re all so spoiled that we don’t even know it! The Walking Dead is something I can’t get enough of, and the way Game Of Thrones has taken over pop-culture is simply amazing. People can’t get enough, and I always hope new fans of these shows give a moment to take a look at comics and what they have to offer their life.

TN: You have been creating music for many years – How did you come to making “Geek – Rock” ?

KS: Long story short, it was simply a wanting to create something that wasn’t there. It was scary to do since it hadn’t really been done the way we choose to go about it; emotionalizing all of our favorite characters and finding the human element to put into song. Lucky for us, people thought it worked and we’ve been pounding the pavement ever since. Our new album, “Sounds Like You” (out July 9th) is another extension of that; geek lifestyle colliding with pop-culture observances for another 13-song offering to ear-holes everywhere.

TN: So, who are your musical influences?

KS: I try to tap into everything as an influence and see what sends my brain towards a new angle or melody, but my heart-on-my-sleeve influences are Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin, Counting Crows, Matthew Sweet, and ALL 90’s R&B. No joke, those are some of the best jams I’ve ever heard still.

TN: I know every musician has a different songwriting process – how would you describe yours?

KS: Ha! I’m always trying to figure out what my process is, and them moment I think I’ve got it then it changes. It likes to mess with me! Truthfully, many of the new songs were came to me in the shower. I do a lot of thinking there, to the point where my water bill reflects that. How eco-conscious of me, right? Yikes. I mostly start with a melody line and then figure out the guitar part. Sometimes it’s the reverse of that, but nothing never makes the cut if I’m not humming it subconsciously later in the day. It needs to have a hook that I care about. If I don’t care about it, how can anyone else? I’m in the business of creating songs that are fun and catchy / something you’d like to play for some friends in the car. That’s the goal.

TN: I remember you mentioning before that Jim is your other half when it comes to music. How would you describe your’s and Jim’s working relationship?

KS: Jim and I sit down and come up with the ideas together and what makes us laugh, and then I go off and make them (hopefully) sound good in song form. Once I feel it’s in some sort of state to become something cool, I bring it to the band and they rock my face. It’s a great way to do things and it’s worked for us this long that it’s kinda second nature now.

TN: You mentioned Kirby Krackle’s new album is being released on July 9, just before Comic Con Nerd-a-Thon, Are you excited to perform the songs from the new album? Which is your favorite?

KS: I’M SO EXCITED TO PLAY THE NEW SONGS ON TOUR! Can you tell? The songs on the new album were specifically designed to be performed live and get the crowd singing along which is one of the best things to me about playing live. I never take it for granted and always strive to create new tunes that folks will want to yell back at me. That said, our new song “Grandma’s House” is tons of fun and the few times we’ve played it live so far it’s been such a great vibe from the audience. Another song, the Game Of Thrones influenced “North Of The Wall” is the heaviest song we’ve recorded to date. Haven’t played that one live yet, but I’m dying to see how the crowd screams the chorus back at us.

TN: Nerd-a-Thon will be the third stop on your west coast tour with H2Awesome to promote your new album – When did you first meet the guys from H2Awesome and how did their appearance as your openers come about?

KS: We’ve known those guys for about four years now. We’ve had them at KRACKLEFEST, our annual show ECCC weekend in Seattle a few years ago and they’ve had us out to NYC as well. They’re tons of fun on stage and off, and I’m excited for the West Coast to finally be able to experience them.

TN: Do you have anything special planned for the Nerd-A-Thon?

KS: We’ve got some fun experimental performance things to try out…something to get the vibe fun and crazy. We’ll see what happens!

TN: Are you excited to be performing with Nerf Herder and the girls from Devil’s Playground Burlesque?

KS: I was so psyced to hear we’d be perfomring with Nerf Herder! Let’s be honest though, everyone will be waiting patiently for us to get off the stage so the ladies can get up there. We understand how this works…

TN: Ha! That very well may be true, but I am sure you will provide some great interim entertainment. Through the grapevine, or should I say hops vine we’ve heard you are embarking on a new business chapter in your life – care to share?

KS: Totally! Not only am I a fan of the San Diego craft-beer scene, but I’ve also been a homebrewer for years getting ready to go pro and open my brewery this year in Shoreline, Wa. It’s called Charging Hippo Brewing Co. (www.charinghippobrewing.com), and it’s very exciting / fun / scary as hell, all at once.
The nano-brewery movement in the states and across the world is exploding and I’m excited to be a part of it. I’ve spent the past few months narrowing down my first offerings, and most of my stuff is very hoppy and made with a lot of love. Small batches is what we’re talking…I’m not looking to take over the world because I’ve got the band trying to do more and more, but we’ll hopefully make a dent in an area of North Seattle that really needs a brewery to call their own. As you might be able to guess, this year is pretty crazy so far.

TN: What is the geekiest thing you do when no one is around (be honest, we won’t tell anyone … in person)?

KS: Um…I’ve been trying to trigger my mutant powers since my first issue of Uncanny X-MEN at age 9 and thus far it’s not working. What am I doing wrong? I’ll keep trying though.

Kirby Krackle’s new album, ‘Sounds Like You’, released earlier today, and is definitely worth checking out (here). Again, Kirby Krackle is performing on night 1 (July 20th) of the Comic-Con Nerd-A-Thon, and it’s going to be incredible. Look for more interviews in the coming days, and don’t forget to pick up your tickets to the Comic-Con Nerd-A-Thon! They’re selling out fast, so grab them here while you still can!