Sony PSP: Taking care of the PSP

I've made random posts about my PSP on FB but figured, it's time to move the rambling over here for a moment. I feel, times have really changed in terms of our portable technology. I'm not referring or focusing on cd and cassette players or boom boxes. Rather, cell phones (aka mobile phones for early adopters, right?) and portable game systems, especially the PSP (and maybe the Sega Gamegear).

Remember, eons ago, when we, as the consumer would protect our newly bought mobile devices? Those old Nokia phones and the plastic pouch-like thing we'd put it in? Now, I don't remember how much phones were back in 1998/1999 when they started gaining in popularity. To me, it wasn't a thing but it ended up a trend I joined in. I wasn't against it, just didn't see the point of needing a phone on me when not at home. Someone wants to get ahold of me? Leave a message. At some point, a certain someone felt it necessary I have one.

According to Google, the Sony PSP was released in the US in 2005. Cell phone technology was still pretty early; I don't think touch screen was quite a thing.

Now, the PSP was definitely an amped up version of whatever Nintendo Gameboy model was available. Google sez the MSRP on the PSP was $250. That's for just the system and I've no idea if they had bundles upon release. There were, in the end. The point here, $250 was a pretty good chunk of money for a portable system for any gamer out there. There were plenty of accessories to go with it and in the end, a wonderful slew of games and movies. What I'm getting at here, I bought a case for it. I believe the intent was to protect the thing from getting scratched.

Do we remember how much we cared about our portable device getting scratched???

Like, we took great care of our phones back then. They weren't a throw-away item (yet). And the PSP, I'm pretty sure, beat any cell phone price at that time.

I look at this case and wonder, was it really necessary? To keep the PSP safe, yes. Who knows if a cat would attack it or knock it off the desk. Drop a quarter on it, might scratch or crack the screen, right? That'd be $250 down the hole! I did find the case useful for holding 2 games (I always kept one in the PSP so 3 total) and it was a good protective container for it. Now, there's a protective lens in the case and I'm not sure what it's supposed to represent. Trying to play the PSP in the case, doesn't work cuz the shoulder buttons are difficult to reach. But I think the case used to be able to be propped up like a pyramid so you could watch a movie. Unfortunately, the lil plastic/rubber pieces that would keep it from sliding on the desk are long worn out.

Anyway, I like to think I take great care of my PSP (and Vita when I owned one). I was very paranoid about anything happening to the screen. I also tend to take care of my phone. Not the best I can, but I've had this thing for a few years. While it's been dropped a few times, it's managed to escape permanent harm. (knock on wood)

Ah, the old days.

MTF: Demon Hunter 3: Which way to go?

Currently in the writing of the story, the Demon Hunters have found their target. I'm at a crossroads of how to write it up.

Do they see the enemy so they have a clue what they are facing? Visual references would include how SG-1/Atlantis did things, Starship Troopers seeing the bugs for the 1st time, etc

Or do I keep the creatures a secret so when they run into them, there's a better chance of the reaction from the team? Doom, Alien(s), Predator, etc

Decisions, decisions. 

I'll probably do 2 versions and see how it flows.

Demon Hunters - Lt Rocker

 MTF: DEMON HUNTERS: #3

I'm kind of taking a lil break from the story. Or at least, it feels like it. I pushed on #2 and the VS: Beach Head vs Zandar stories then dove right into Demon Hunters 3. Part of the idea, in my mind, was that the stories were going to be short and fast. Nothing too deep. But as I wrote #2 (and to an extent VS: Storm Shadow vs Helix), I found myself creating and connecting various aspects of the Zedd Universe, which is most of the fun (in my mind). Demon Hunters 3 brings in the Andromeda Quest project. It's really weird cuz the project is unwritten, but I showed the very 1st few pages of what the 1st story was going to be like. I fully admit, it's based heavily on Stargate: SG-1. It was supposed to be a short, fast, episodic diocomic. But just the few pages I did took a lot of time. It doesn't look like it, but that all took a few weeks (posted on Facebook). In Demon Hunters 3, the Devil Dogs are sent to New Micronia. This is their first time and for the reader (since the project was never written), it's their first time too. What's weird is... If I ever write the Andromeda project, well, how much will I have screwed things up by going forward x-amount of years? It's hard for me on how much to reveal about the project in the story. Because a lot of it happens 'off screen'.

For example, GI Joe continues to battle the Tyranids on this random planet in the Andromeda Galaxy (this is based on the story TRANSFORMATIONS). Eventually, they meet the Microman race (aka Micronians) and they become allies and eradicate the scout force of Tyranids who were just eating up the planet (not dominating it in this instance). There's no official story for that. Or that the Micronians rebuild the Cobra's Anaconda Research Facility on Earth to stablize the gateway (Micronians called it a 'gateway'. Earthlings called it a 'portal'. It's a play on the Chappa'ai vs Stargate terminology from SG-1.) There's also no story for when the Marauder Task Force takes over, the creation of the Off-world Teams, how people ended up on the teams, etc. There is a GI Joe diocomic that introduced OT1 in which, 1 or 2 members get knocked off. (That leads to Lt Falcon and Bombstrike coming aboard and becoming OT1 which is where the Andromeda stories really start; several years already into it.)

It's a lot of fun to write #3. What's fun is I'm finally exploring the Andromeda project. Plus, the Devil Dogs meet the Demon Hunters (who'll be showing up real soon as a regulars) and OT1. Fun little connection but it won't be the main aspect of the Devil Dogs stories. If I can get my act together, the Devil Dogs stories should be wrapping up soon and then they can evolve into the team called The War Hounds. Still working out the details on that, but it's close. Assuming I can remember what I'm doing.

To note, and this is part of today's blog, my writing on this one is much tighter than the last 4 stories? 5 stories? I went through chapters 1-4 the last few days (me taking a break is not writing, the editing/revising/rework is another matter) and for once, I didn't have to write in my notebook, entire sections to add into the chapters. Rather, the edits were minor enough to do on the hard copies (i edit on hard copies, not on computer). I don't know how it happened. It's not like I had grand plans before writing. It just seems to flow better. Maybe the stories written before were good practice on getting my mind better focused.

*raw image of Blitzkrieg and Razor of the Devil Dogs meeting the Demon Hunters, Rocker and Hunter*