As I've played through a very large number of old-school Japanese
RPGs over the last several years, I've paid quite close attention to the
music. While there are lots of limits on what you can technically do on
an 8-bit system, I've always felt that enough themes have been able to
convey their intent even on a limited system.
So I've
decided to make a list of my favorite overworld themes from 8-bit JRPGs.
I've tried to find YouTube videos of the original themes, as well as,
when possible, updated versions from a re-release or alternate
soundtrack. Although I'm providing links to orchestrated versions, my
ranking is based on my perception of the original 8-bit
versions.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Understanding «se» in Spanish
In Spanish, se has a bunch of different meanings:
Many will explain this as a fundamental difference in the Spanish thinks about verbs, in that certain verbs are inherently reflexive, even if, in English, we omit the reflexive pronoun. This makes sense at a certain level, and is pretty easy to accept: you just have to remember that, whereas a lot of verbs in English can be intransitive in form, but are semantically reflexive, these verbs in Spanish require a reflexive pronoun more often than not. Fair enough.
Then we come into the rule that le transforms into se before lo or la. This is usually explained on the basis of ease of pronunciation, and is another rule that can be accepted. It's just something to remember.
And then we come to the "passive reflexive" or "impersonal reflexive", from which we get se dice que, se sabe que, and sí, se puede. For me, this use of se was the easiest to internalize, because of the myriad phrases in which it's common, and which translate well to corresponding English phrases involving impersonal you or they that are probably just as common.
None of this should be new to anyone who's studied Spanish for a while, and I wouldn't be blogging about the various uses of se just for the sake of listing and explaining them, because that's already been done, and probably in more clarity than I just did. With the caveat that I haven't formally studied linguistics, the reason that I'm blogging about this topic is that I was curious how se came to be used as an impersonal pronoun, because this phenomenon of using the third-person reflexive pronoun as an impersonal pronoun exists in other Indo-European languages.
It turns out that this all stems from the mediopassive voice. With the usual caveats involving Wikipedia, its article on mediopassive voice is a decent introduction. Mediopassive voice was/is used for, among other situations, reflexive/reciprocal actions, cases where the subject changed its own state, certain stative verbs, and verbs that are semantically passive but not grammatically so (e.g., this sells well in English).
Over time, the distinct mediopassive voice as a separate conjugation became lost, and was replaced by the use of the reflexive pronoun. (My guess is that the reflexive made sense because the mediopassive involved many situations involving oneself). The Wikipedia article gives Spanish as a particular example of a Romance language that developed this, and explains why, for example, enojarse should not truly be viewed as a true reflexive verb, but rather as a mediopassive verb (although the wording in the article makes this point a bit unclearly). Another example that lucha fans might recognize is dice llamarse (says to be called) Here, se is better interpreted as a passive/impersonal construction rather than a true reflexive.
It's then logical to assume that the other impersonal constructions involving se (se dice que, se puede, se habla, etc.) were not too far of a leap from the original pure mediopassive voice.
Knowledge of how se came to be used in this way isn't necessary by any means to being able to use and understand Spanish effectively, because there are other not-too-difficult ways of remembering its usage. But understanding the rhyme and reason behind many of the seemingly disparate uses of se does involve going back and understanding a little bit of mediopassive voice and how it was used in older languages.
- Se hizo daño. He/she hurt himself/herself.
- Ellos se pelean. They quarrel/fight [among themselves].
- Se levanta la mano. He/she raises his/her hand.
- Se enojó. He/she became angry.
- Ya se lo dije. I told it to him/her already.
- Se habla español. Spanish is spoken.
- Se dice que... It is said that... / They say that...
Many will explain this as a fundamental difference in the Spanish thinks about verbs, in that certain verbs are inherently reflexive, even if, in English, we omit the reflexive pronoun. This makes sense at a certain level, and is pretty easy to accept: you just have to remember that, whereas a lot of verbs in English can be intransitive in form, but are semantically reflexive, these verbs in Spanish require a reflexive pronoun more often than not. Fair enough.
Then we come into the rule that le transforms into se before lo or la. This is usually explained on the basis of ease of pronunciation, and is another rule that can be accepted. It's just something to remember.
And then we come to the "passive reflexive" or "impersonal reflexive", from which we get se dice que, se sabe que, and sí, se puede. For me, this use of se was the easiest to internalize, because of the myriad phrases in which it's common, and which translate well to corresponding English phrases involving impersonal you or they that are probably just as common.
None of this should be new to anyone who's studied Spanish for a while, and I wouldn't be blogging about the various uses of se just for the sake of listing and explaining them, because that's already been done, and probably in more clarity than I just did. With the caveat that I haven't formally studied linguistics, the reason that I'm blogging about this topic is that I was curious how se came to be used as an impersonal pronoun, because this phenomenon of using the third-person reflexive pronoun as an impersonal pronoun exists in other Indo-European languages.
It turns out that this all stems from the mediopassive voice. With the usual caveats involving Wikipedia, its article on mediopassive voice is a decent introduction. Mediopassive voice was/is used for, among other situations, reflexive/reciprocal actions, cases where the subject changed its own state, certain stative verbs, and verbs that are semantically passive but not grammatically so (e.g., this sells well in English).
Over time, the distinct mediopassive voice as a separate conjugation became lost, and was replaced by the use of the reflexive pronoun. (My guess is that the reflexive made sense because the mediopassive involved many situations involving oneself). The Wikipedia article gives Spanish as a particular example of a Romance language that developed this, and explains why, for example, enojarse should not truly be viewed as a true reflexive verb, but rather as a mediopassive verb (although the wording in the article makes this point a bit unclearly). Another example that lucha fans might recognize is dice llamarse (says to be called) Here, se is better interpreted as a passive/impersonal construction rather than a true reflexive.
It's then logical to assume that the other impersonal constructions involving se (se dice que, se puede, se habla, etc.) were not too far of a leap from the original pure mediopassive voice.
Knowledge of how se came to be used in this way isn't necessary by any means to being able to use and understand Spanish effectively, because there are other not-too-difficult ways of remembering its usage. But understanding the rhyme and reason behind many of the seemingly disparate uses of se does involve going back and understanding a little bit of mediopassive voice and how it was used in older languages.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Lucha libre mask vendor review: Don Galle
If you follow me on Twitter, my avatars there for the last several months have been a sampling of the masks that I have purchased from Don Galle, who's located in Zapopan, Jalisco, but can be found on MercadoLibre on the Internet: http://eshops.mercadolibre.com.mx/don+galle/listado/_CategID_7831_Desde_1_DisplayType_L . (However, I've done direct email transactions with him after the first purchase; it makes for a smoother and more flexible transaction.) I'll cut to the chase and say that I'm generally really happy with his work. Examples:
The Rey Cometa mask was a custom order; the others are (or at least were) masks that he kept in stock or, at worst, with about one week's lead time. Additionally, I have several other masks not yet photographed, including Máscara Dorada (signed!), Volador Jr./Carnage, Stuka Jr., and Mr. Niebla. He keeps several other masks in stock.
His prices per mask generally range from 400 to 700 MXN (at the time of this writing, about US$30-53) each, depending on the luchador and style of mask, which is among the lowest prices I've seen for comparable quality. His shipping rates are reasonable, 200 MXX for one mask to the United States via EMS and 700 MXN for a 1-kg package (5 masks) via DHL.
One thing that I appreciated was that Don Galle haas been transparent in letting me know about minor differences in stock that he had remaining on hand (e.g., drawstring versus elastic band at the neck, minor size differences from standard size) and giving me the option to take what he had versus waiting a week or so for new masks. I appreciated being given the choice.
Out of the 10 or so masks I've purchased for Don Galle, one (a different Sin Cara mask from the one pictured above) had the piece and the bottom center of the mask very noticeably curved to the side. Don Galle was happy to exchange (although I did ship back at my own expense), and I haven't had a problem since. I do ask for photos of masks that he has in stock now, though. Otherwise, in terms of quality, the masks have been excellent. I suppose that one other minor quibble is that the evenness of the stitching could be a little better overall. Even though slight variation is always to be expected, there's probably just a little more of it on average here for a professional-quality mask. Don't get me wrong; it's not as if the stitching is bad, but I think it could reasonably be a little bit tighter in spots.
He's usually prompt with communication and answering my questions, although a few times I've had to ping him for status updates when original ETAs have passed.
Nonetheless, the masks are overall great and very reasonably priced. Given how the Rey Cometa mask turned out, I'll probably be asking Don Galle to make me an Aero Star mask in the upcoming months.
Update: Someone asked in the comments how to contact him directly. With his permission to post his email address publicly, he can be emailed at dongallezap2010 [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] mx . He's also on Facebook (which I rarely use) as Don Galle Delgadillo at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001120442436 (Note that I don't think that he speaks English; hopefully, your written Spanish is decent enough to be understood.)
The Rey Cometa mask was a custom order; the others are (or at least were) masks that he kept in stock or, at worst, with about one week's lead time. Additionally, I have several other masks not yet photographed, including Máscara Dorada (signed!), Volador Jr./Carnage, Stuka Jr., and Mr. Niebla. He keeps several other masks in stock.
His prices per mask generally range from 400 to 700 MXN (at the time of this writing, about US$30-53) each, depending on the luchador and style of mask, which is among the lowest prices I've seen for comparable quality. His shipping rates are reasonable, 200 MXX for one mask to the United States via EMS and 700 MXN for a 1-kg package (5 masks) via DHL.
One thing that I appreciated was that Don Galle haas been transparent in letting me know about minor differences in stock that he had remaining on hand (e.g., drawstring versus elastic band at the neck, minor size differences from standard size) and giving me the option to take what he had versus waiting a week or so for new masks. I appreciated being given the choice.
Out of the 10 or so masks I've purchased for Don Galle, one (a different Sin Cara mask from the one pictured above) had the piece and the bottom center of the mask very noticeably curved to the side. Don Galle was happy to exchange (although I did ship back at my own expense), and I haven't had a problem since. I do ask for photos of masks that he has in stock now, though. Otherwise, in terms of quality, the masks have been excellent. I suppose that one other minor quibble is that the evenness of the stitching could be a little better overall. Even though slight variation is always to be expected, there's probably just a little more of it on average here for a professional-quality mask. Don't get me wrong; it's not as if the stitching is bad, but I think it could reasonably be a little bit tighter in spots.
He's usually prompt with communication and answering my questions, although a few times I've had to ping him for status updates when original ETAs have passed.
Nonetheless, the masks are overall great and very reasonably priced. Given how the Rey Cometa mask turned out, I'll probably be asking Don Galle to make me an Aero Star mask in the upcoming months.
Update: Someone asked in the comments how to contact him directly. With his permission to post his email address publicly, he can be emailed at dongallezap2010 [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] mx . He's also on Facebook (which I rarely use) as Don Galle Delgadillo at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001120442436 (Note that I don't think that he speaks English; hopefully, your written Spanish is decent enough to be understood.)
General considerations on choosing lucha libre masks
I probably should blog more than once a month, but I'm a slow writer. :-p Anyway, some final, non-vendor-specific tips on buying masks, before I start reviewing individual sellers.
As a note, I'll be focusing on professional-grade masks, since that's what I've been personally buying. I don't have the experience to judge the quality difference between a vendor's pro-quality masks and their next step down, or to recommend whether the savings would be worth it. I do know that I'm happy with most of my masks, and that there's enough variation within what's nominally called "professional-quality" to give me enough material to write about. :)
Know what you want, how much you want to pay, and how long you want to wait
This may seem obvious, but there are infinitely many variations on any given mask style, and any good mascarero will be able to change colors, materials, sizes, and styles on demand, especially for pro-grade masks. Some may keep some sort of stock on hand, especially for masks of the more well-known luchadores, but will be happy to do a custom order if you're willing to wait. Lead time varies depending on how complex/different the order is and the size of their backlog, but 4-8 weeks is reasonable for a style that the mascarero isn't used to making. (I waited about 8 weeks for my custom Rey Cometa mask; it was worth it!) Be sure to ask ahead of time and to be prepared to be very specific about what you want. (Pictures help here, if it's a style that the luchador has actually worn.)
Even if you aren't placing a custom order, it's possible that the mascarero has lots of different styles available for a given mask (including, in some cases, variants that were rarely or never actually worn by the luchador), so be ready to choose among more options than you were originally thinking about.
Know whether and where you're willing to compromise
If you aren't willing to wait for a custom order and can't find someone who has exactly what you want, have an idea of how much you're willing to compromise from what you originally wanted, and in what aspects. Perhaps a different color is available, or perhaps an open-/closed-mouth variant is acceptable, or perhaps a lower-quality version is okay for what you want.
Also, have an idea of how much of a stickler for accuracy you're going to be. Do keep in mind that masks are hand-made and that a given luchador has possibly worn masks with more minor variants than you might be aware of, so a strict, hard-line comparison to single reference image or video may not be the best idea, even for the purposes of looking for something like alignment of one part of the design with another. (For example, the exact placement of the cross on the forehead of the Rey Mysterio mask varies considerably. A quick Google image search shows this rather readily, but making this sort of determination for lesser known luchadores is going to be harder.)
Ask for more pictures if necessary!
If you need pictures from different angles (especially with designs on the back of the mask becoming more common) to judge whether you want to buy, don't be afraid to ask for them! Sometimes vendors, especially private sellers on eBay or MercadoLibre, don't take as many (or any!) pictures of the back of the mask, or don't take photos at high enough of a resolution to be able to judge the quality of details, such as stitching.
If you suspect that the mask would be on hand, it might be worth asking whether you can see photos of the exact copy that would be sent to you before you buy it. This might be a bit toward, but I explain that I'm a serious buyer, understand that masks are hand-made and, because of the shipping distance and cost, want to be sure beyond a doubt that I'll be happy with what I'm specifically buying.
As a note, I'll be focusing on professional-grade masks, since that's what I've been personally buying. I don't have the experience to judge the quality difference between a vendor's pro-quality masks and their next step down, or to recommend whether the savings would be worth it. I do know that I'm happy with most of my masks, and that there's enough variation within what's nominally called "professional-quality" to give me enough material to write about. :)
Know what you want, how much you want to pay, and how long you want to wait
This may seem obvious, but there are infinitely many variations on any given mask style, and any good mascarero will be able to change colors, materials, sizes, and styles on demand, especially for pro-grade masks. Some may keep some sort of stock on hand, especially for masks of the more well-known luchadores, but will be happy to do a custom order if you're willing to wait. Lead time varies depending on how complex/different the order is and the size of their backlog, but 4-8 weeks is reasonable for a style that the mascarero isn't used to making. (I waited about 8 weeks for my custom Rey Cometa mask; it was worth it!) Be sure to ask ahead of time and to be prepared to be very specific about what you want. (Pictures help here, if it's a style that the luchador has actually worn.)
Even if you aren't placing a custom order, it's possible that the mascarero has lots of different styles available for a given mask (including, in some cases, variants that were rarely or never actually worn by the luchador), so be ready to choose among more options than you were originally thinking about.
Know whether and where you're willing to compromise
If you aren't willing to wait for a custom order and can't find someone who has exactly what you want, have an idea of how much you're willing to compromise from what you originally wanted, and in what aspects. Perhaps a different color is available, or perhaps an open-/closed-mouth variant is acceptable, or perhaps a lower-quality version is okay for what you want.
Also, have an idea of how much of a stickler for accuracy you're going to be. Do keep in mind that masks are hand-made and that a given luchador has possibly worn masks with more minor variants than you might be aware of, so a strict, hard-line comparison to single reference image or video may not be the best idea, even for the purposes of looking for something like alignment of one part of the design with another. (For example, the exact placement of the cross on the forehead of the Rey Mysterio mask varies considerably. A quick Google image search shows this rather readily, but making this sort of determination for lesser known luchadores is going to be harder.)
Ask for more pictures if necessary!
If you need pictures from different angles (especially with designs on the back of the mask becoming more common) to judge whether you want to buy, don't be afraid to ask for them! Sometimes vendors, especially private sellers on eBay or MercadoLibre, don't take as many (or any!) pictures of the back of the mask, or don't take photos at high enough of a resolution to be able to judge the quality of details, such as stitching.
If you suspect that the mask would be on hand, it might be worth asking whether you can see photos of the exact copy that would be sent to you before you buy it. This might be a bit toward, but I explain that I'm a serious buyer, understand that masks are hand-made and, because of the shipping distance and cost, want to be sure beyond a doubt that I'll be happy with what I'm specifically buying.
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