So I'm 32 now, guess I must update my profile age to show I'm now half the age of the value of this site.

And when I say strippers, I really mean my Strip2vox program.

http://www.moddb.com/games/orbital-contract-defense/downloads/strip2vox-v3-beta

It now creates an not-really optimized, usable, but sloppy voxel model in OBJ format. It needs work to reduce the excess faces and vertexes, but it does store the color information and creates a material map.

Since voxel engines are limited, as in there's only a few actual real ones and the rest are just polygon engines with fancy drawing formulas like Minecraft. Which I've enjoyed playing with, along with its many clones. Interesting how some of them are evolving beyond the boxy look. Currently watch Planet Explorers and Realm Explorers, plus there was a third fantasy inspired one that's freeware that looks pretty interesting.

So yeah, not many actual voxel engines out there.

But now with OBJ output, you could make voxel-like models! Hopefully I'll finish it off soon, still need to have it generates real normals as well as reduce excess faces.

Besides minding my kids, occasionally working on O.C.D., I've found myself playing some old school games.

Recently I've been playing SC3000, mostly out of spite for the new one. Also to see how it compares and if I've gotten any better at playing it. I like how its more like SC2k, where as SC4 kind of lost that feel in favor of a very tempting region map feature.

And since I like to rant about how companys have fucked their products, let me just simply look at SC3k vs the New one.

First off, Traffic. New SC claims to have this advance AI, but can only handle 10% population. Says its Sims and Cars should be watchable. Well, from what I've seen and read on Kotaku's SC deathwatch, both use the lamest AI of all, nearest X object.

Nearest house to nearest job to nearest commerce. Kind of sad when SC3000 I'm able to watch common cars, leave a specific house and go to a specific job. Buses and trains have no problem navigating and following basic traffic laws. People cross streets, cars wait for them. People don't wait for trains(idiots, but realistic) and trains wait for car traffic. In some ways I like this traffic better than SC4 despite the interactivity it had.

Also subways. Thats all I have to write. All Sim City games that I've played had subways. I didn't really play SCS, but thats more of a spinoff, like Snapcity.

And lastly, SC3k's play style retains the classic's time based tech reward, plus SC4's compulsive reward system. The best of both worlds. The only downside to SC3 is the limited land modding ability despite an external editor. But SC4's unlocking system is kind of annoying and broken, so it keeps me playing the older one.

Oh, and revisiting some old NES games that I viewed as nearly impossible.

I've finally beat Deadly Towers, after spending years failing to beat it as a child, and with shameful aid of save-states, I've finally beat it. If only it had a save system, it would have been a less frustrating game…and less horribly broken bosses. Some you can be cheap with and hide in a corner, but not the centipede, a nearly godlike enemy that is harder than the final boss. Still worth beating it, almost tempted to play again because of all the secret shit I still didn't collect….

Also another tragicly difficult yet innovative game of the past, Dungeon Magic, a unique JRPG First person dungeon crawler, complete with exteriors, multiple towns and dungeons. Also a notoriously hard and unforgiving game. Although I've used save states, I found this one can be better mastered than DT, do to its RPG grinding. Also not using INNs can be crucial. I found that after 12 uses all enemys get +1 to all stats.

Also enemies everywhere respawn if you sleep at an INN, but otherwise stay dead forever. The game also features a pretty advanced magic system for a NES game, using a 3 level, 5 element system, aside from staple curing status, protection, and damage(no healing, life is your magic) you have some unique spells like teleport to a realm, part water(kind of cool), auto-opening doors and map display.

You can also camp in the game, restore 10 points per set of food and water, nice in that camping isn't like sleeping at the INN.

Townfolk are actually useful, telling you what strange items you found are, and what to do with them. Except for when they told me I should go to Bell, instead of the starter town, with a magic sword I found.

I think its difficulty made this game an overlooked gem, kind of wish I had an NES and the Cart now.

I also found a shrine(website shrine to the game via google) with most of the info, all of the maps, and the secret exp tables, since you never know how much you need in-game. Navigating without a map is very difficult do to the organic nature of the world map's design. Also make sure you get the compass from the first old man you meet!

Still haven't beat this one though, still as you get further its actually fun. And if you start with water magic its actually playable ;) the protection spells are a boon at getting a good head start in the game, then getting Earth magic next is the next best, allowing you to part water and get to certain special areas and temples.

I highly recommend it actually. The toughest part is collecting the money to get your armor and weaponry upgraded, but pretty detailed in that you have helm, gloves, pants, shield, boots and chestplate armors to collect.

And the blinking NPCs are a nice touch for a NES game. Kind of wish there were more attempts at this style.

I know of two SNES games like this, but they are turnbased. One is kind of lame with its 'card' monsters and overused card theme, but that's just me. Then there's also Sega's Shining in the Darkness, but while graphicly fancy, not nearly as deep gameplay wise as Dungeon Magic turned out to be.

So Happy St. P-Day, get "legally" drunk and play some video games ;)