The SSM Framework Of Game Design

This article goes over a framework for understanding how videogames work. It divides games into systems, story, and a mental model, and then shows how these interact. Using this system makes it easier to make design decisions and enables one to have insights into the workings of a game.


I've previously talked about story and mental models, and now it's time to wrap it all up into one neat framework. By looking at how these aspects influence one another it's much easier to talk about a game, and it also allows us to draw some fresh conclusions. In this post I'll go over the basic framework and then discuss how it can be applied to gameplay.

It's worth noting that this is by no means the only way of looking at games, nor does it take into account every single aspect of what games are. I think it's broad enough and covers enough ground to be really useful, though. In fact, it'll be used as a foundation for many of my upcoming articles on design. With that said, let's start.

The first thing you need to realize is that all games work in three different spaces: System, Story and Mental Model. These are the building blocks of the entire framework and I'll henceforth refer to this as the SSM-framework. This theory derives a few of its basics from the MDA framework, so it feels right to briefly go over that. In the MDA framework, games are divided into Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics. The mechanics are the basic building blocks of a game, the dynamics are how they work together, and the aesthetics describe the user experience[1]. All of these different components are layered and dependent, so mechanics give rise to dynamics and dynamics give rise to aesthetics.

While I think the MDA approach to looking at games can be really helpful, it doesn't properly separate the player's understanding of the game from the actual behaviour of the game. That's the main thing that the SSM Framework tries to fix. The way it does this is by viewing a game as something that takes place in the three spaces I mentioned earlier: Story, System and Mental Model. Now let's go through each of these.

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System
The System space is where all of the code exists and where all of the game simulations happen. It's here that things get done. We can divide this space into two layers: Mechanics and Dynamics. This is incredibly close to the MDA framework, with the exception of the Aesthetics layer. It's also important that the mechanics and dynamics here are abstract; we don't take any account of how they are presented to and understood by the player. System space only concerns itself with functionality.


Story
Story, as explained in this previous post, is what gives context to the things that happen in System space. In Super Mario's system space, a fireball is just an abstract object with bounds that trigger a particular event on collision. It's in Story space that it looks like a fireball, which helps the player intuitively understand what sort of threat they are dealing with. Sometimes the Story space is very thin. For instance, in Tetris the visuals are basically just a direct visualization of the system space. In other cases, the Story space can be very thick. A good example of that is The Walking Dead where the systems are supported by hours of non-interactable Story-space cutscenes.

Just like the System space can be divided into two layers, so can Story space. At the bottom layer we find the Mis-en-scéne, which is basically everything that the player can see, hear, and in other ways reach their sensory organs. This is a term borrowed from film and I think it best encapsulates this component of the story layer. In the layer above that we find Drama. Just like the Dynamics of System space, this is something that is generated by the layer below, in this case the Mis-en-scéne. Here's a quick example of this: In Super Mario, the character of Bowser is part of the Mis-en-scéne and the fact that he does not like Mario is Drama. Just like with Mechanics and Dynamics, there is some overlap between the two, but they are still separated enough for it to be a useful distinction.


Mental Model
Finally we arrive at the Mental Model space. It's hard to quickly summarize exactly what a Mental Model is, and the best thing really is to read the previous blog that discusses the subject. In very simplistic terms the Mental Model is the player's personal experience of the game, making it similar to the Aesthetics of the MDA framework. The big difference is that while it does derive from what happens in a game's Mechanics and Dynamics, it is thought of as its own separate space. When you join together the three different spaces, it looks like this:

It is when the Story and System space are experienced together that a Mental model is formed. I think it's incredibly important to think of this as a separate space, because just like System and Story have their components, so does the Mental Model. At the basic level you find Affordances. This is basically the functionality that the player attributes to a perceived object, e.g. that a door is something that can be opened. Then at a layer above that you find Schemas, which is how the player thinks they should behave in various situations and how these situations ought to play out.

This is a quite rough division of layers and as before there is overlap. There are also further details to take into account, such as the player's emotional responses and so on. Normally, you wouldn't think of these as part of, say, Affordances, and if you wanted to you could make the components of the Mental Model space quite complex. I feel that for a framework to be useful it needs to simplify things and as a start Affordances and Schemas work quite nicely. It's not at all that different from Mechanics and Dynamics; these are widely used concepts in game design despite not being exact expressions.

A final important note about the Mental Model space is that it doesn't necessarily need to contain things from either System or Story space, it can be things that the player makes up from their own imagination. For instance, certain items might disappear when they are out of view for a long time. The player might form the Mental Model that that this is due to some gnomes, despite neither System nor Story space contains any such information. This is very common, and a large part of the Mental Model space is usually taken up by these kind of imaginary entities, actions, etc. Sometimes a game is designed for this, other times it is purely accidental.

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With the basics laid down let us discuss how the SSM Framework describes a game loop. Here is a an overview for how it all works:

Click to enlarge.

The steps are as follows:

1. The users triggers an input on the controller and this data is sent to System space.
   Example: The fire button is pushed.
2. System space handles the data, does all the required simulations and then generates a bunch of abstract data.
   Example: The trajectory of the bullet is calculated, a collision is found, the hit points are lowered for the object and this causes the object to transition into the "exploded" state.
3. This abstract data is sent to the Story space, where it is given context.
   Example: The game changes various numbers which are used by various graphics components to produce output. The "exploded" event triggers a particular sound file to be played.
4. A collection of sounds, animations, graphics and so forth is produced.
   Example: The bullet is animated as a flying projectile. It is seen hitting a barrel which then explodes to the sound of a loud "Boom!".
5. This Story generated content gets sent to the various sensory organs of the player. The most common are the eyes and ears.
   Example: The player hears and sees the explosion.
6. The player's sensory organs sends the data to the brain where it is processed in various ways. We are now entering the Mental Model space of the game loop.
   Example: The player recognizes the bullet and barrels as those objects. It's also clear that the bullet hitting the barrel caused an explosion event. This, together with the boom sound, gives the player a feeling of satisfaction.
7. The player's impressions are fed into the current mental model.
   Example: This is the first time the player witnesses a bullet making a barrel explode.
8. Using the new data, the mental model is updated.
   Example: The player is now aware that shooting barrels will make them explode and cause satisfying effects.
9. The player uses the most recent model to figure out what to do next and simulates what effects various scenarios would have.
   Example: The player is surrounded by barrels and knows that their goal is to destroy as many objects as possible. They consider what would happen if they were to shoot at more barrels. A mental simulation is made where the result of shooting the other barrels would make them explode as well, causing a lot of carnage, which brings the player closer to their goal. This feels like a good plan.
10. With a plan for what to do next, commands are sent for the player to trigger the game's input device.
    Example: The player's brain sends signals telling their hands to move the stick and hit the fire-button in such a way that it should hit the nearby barrels.

And then then it all loops back to step 1 again and begins all over. Hopefully this gives an idea of how useful the SSM Framework is in describing the game loop. Once you have this sense of how data is formed and transported around as a game is played, it's much simpler to see where something goes wrong. 

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Now for a simple example of how this framework can be helpful when analyzing input. Hopefully this will also show how SSM can help us discuss certain game design problems in a much simpler way. 

Let's start by imagining a System space that has the following: 

• A character where the bounds are defined as an abstract cylinder.
• An abstract device that will play sound files when certain events are triggered.
• A couple of rules that will make the cylinder character stay at a certain distance from the player.

Now say that the Story space looks like this:

• The cylinder takes the form of a cute rabbit.
• The sound files played are cute quips that the player is meant to find endearing.

The designer's goal is that the rabbit should be something that the player cares about. If the Mental Model gets constructed properly the player will think of the rabbit as a living creature and base their imagination mainly on the story aspects of the character. This makes the player protect the rabbit and makes sure that it never falls too far behind. This is a case of the Mental Model working as desired.

However, it might be that the player realizes that the rabbit is a great shield against incoming enemy attacks. The game becomes much easier to play if the player manages to position the rabbit in between them and any hostiles when it's time to loot treasure chests. 

This radically changes the player's mental model. Instead of being a living creature, a fantasy mostly derived from Story space, the player now sees the character mostly as an element of System space. The rabbit is now simply a handy game object that has various tactical benefits.

This sort of thing is quite common in games. Entities usually start out in story space and then as you play the game and discover how they actually work, your mental model becomes more influenced by System space. And since the story content can usually deliver a lot more emotional depth, the experience comes off as very "gamey". In some cases this can be perfectly fine, but when you want to deliver a narrative experience it can be devastating. In this case it's really important to keep our Mental model close to what we had in Story space.

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These sort of story vs gameplay issues are really easy to discuss in the SSM Framework, and it also provides us with several avenues of attack for how to solve them. You need to make sure that System space doesn't generate Mentally Modeled behaviors that directly contradict what is in Story space. By thinking about the flow of data in the game loop you can pinpoint where it all went wrong and then change things accordingly. While this doesn't spell out every single step needed to fix the problem, it gives us a way to formulate it and a foundation on which we can lay a more detailed plan.

Next week I will go over how the gameplay is defined in the SSM Framework and how it shows us a way to give narrative games a great sense of play.

Footnotes:
[1] The MDA framework also brings up various ways in which games engage players, but that I felt no need to go over that in this article. Do note that there is more to the framework than simply 3 layers of components.

2018 NFR Nominees: The Dark Knight, The Haunting, And Somewhere In Time

It's that time of year again, folks.

I am pleased to note that four of my nominees, Superman, Titanic, Spartacus, and Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? were selected for preservation into the 2017 National Film Registry. Other notable inductees included Dumbo, Die Hard, La Bamba, Field Of Dreams, and The Goonies. The total number of films in the registry is now a massive 725.

Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation estimates that "one half of all films made before 1950 and over 90% made before 1929 are lost forever" (Novak). This makes the mission of the NFR all the more pertinent, as we can no more afford to lose these amazing shadows of our national heritage. Every year since 1989, the film archive selects 25 American films to be listed as deserving of preservation due to their historical, cultural, or aesthetic significance. The films must be at least 10 years old and the public is free to nominate up to 50 films each year.

Without any further ado, here are my nominations:



The Dark Knight
(2008)

Highly regarded as one of the greatest films in the superhero genre, The Dark Knight brought the classic American characters of Batman and the Joker into the modern era. What many consider the high point of Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight Trilogy", the films deals with matters of justice, morality, and heroic symbolism, all with the nuance of a post-9/11 world. The film is also fondly remembered for Heath Ledger's chilling performance as The Joker, which earned him as posthumous Oscar.


The Haunting
(1963)

Based on Shirley Jackson's classic novel The Haunting Of Hill House, and adapted by Sound Of Music and West Side Story director Robert Wise, this film is about four people who enter into a house that is believed to be haunted. The Haunting is skilled in ambiguity, as the ghosts are never shown, and the black-and-white cinematography adds a menacing air to the house, a demonstration most evident in the notable staircase sequence. The film is also bold in its addition of the lesbian character Theodora, whose lesbianism while not explicitly stated, added a nuanced and sensual LGBT representation on film. The Haunting is also the standout performance of Julie Harris as a psychologically fragile Eleanor who is driven mentally insane.


Somewhere In Time
(1980)

Based on the romance novel Bid Time Return by I Am Legend novelist Richard Mattheson, the film stars Christopher Reeve, who goes back in time to meet his love Elise, played by Jane Seymour. It is also the first and only movie to be filmed almost entirely on Michigan's Mackinac Island, and a treasured visual representation of that land. While met with lukewarm reviews in theaters, the film earned a a strong fanbase after its replays on cable television and the resonance of John Barry's musical score. Activism from the fanbase helped lead to both Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour earning stars on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and the annual "Somewhere In Time Weekend" at Mackinac, where fans dress up as characters from the film.


Lonely Are the Brave
(1962)

A film that Kirk Douglas himself regards as his best, Lonely Are the Brave belongs alongside Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven and John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance! as a mediation on the death of cowboy lifestyle. The films stars Douglas as a cowboy on the lam, and with a screenplay by Dalton Trumbo, it could be interpreted, like Spartacus, as a statement on the McCarthy era.



1. Barney Oldfield's Race For A Life (1913)
2. Bottle Rocket (1980)
3. The Shining (1980)
4. The Cat Concerto (1947)
5. Der Fuehrer's Face (1947)
6. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
7. The Defiant Ones (1958)
8. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
9. Jurassic Park (1993)
10. Rape Culture (1973)
11. Gimme Shelter (1970)
12. What's Up, Doc? (1972)

13. The Patterson-Gimlin Film (1967)

14. Return of the Jedi (1983)

15. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)

16. Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

17. Carrie (1977)

18. The Blues Accordin´ To Lightning Hopkins (1968)

19. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer´s Stone (2001)

20. Fight Club (1999)

21. Batman (1989)
22. Mulholland Dr (2001)
23-26. The Mind's Eye (film series) (1990-1996)
27. The Secret of NIMH (1982)
28. The Color Purple (1985)
29. The Truman Show (1998)
30. Pleasantville (1998)
31. WarGames (1983)
32. The Crow (1994)
33. Crumb (1994)
34. Lake Of Fire (2006)
35. Mutiny On The Bounty (1935)
36. Boogie Nights (1997)
37. Inherit The Wind (1960)
38. Clerks (1994)
39. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)
40. Scarface (1983)
41. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
42. Humorous Phases Of Funny Faces (1906)
43. Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)
44. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)
45. Strangers on a Train (1951)
46. The Sixth Sense (1999)
47. The Dark Knight (2008)
48. The Haunting (1968)
49. Somewhere In Time (1980)
50. Lonely Are The Brave (1962)



Previous NFR Nominees and Justifications:


1.      Barney Oldfield's Race For A Life
       (1913)

           

A classic silent comedy that immortalized the famous image of a damsel in distress being tied to the train tracks by a mustachioed villain. The film also features the Keystone Cops, who stand along with Chaplin and Keaton as comedy icons of America's silent film era.

2.      Bottle Rocket 
       (1996)

Wes Anderson's films have gone on to represent independent filmmaking in America for many years, and much of that started with his meandering debut Bottle Rocket. The film, though flawed, maintains a strong focus of friendship between its cast, through the adventures of bored middle class suburban teenagers who try to become professional criminals. Bottle Rocket is a looking-glass, perhaps, into America's restless Generation X, as well as into the creativity of Anderson's own mind.

3.  The Shining 
      (1980)

The Shining goes alongside 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange as one of Kubrick's more iconic films. This psychological horror film that deals with insanity, alcoholism, and isolation, is set against a haunted house, with the writer Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) suffering a violent mental breakdown, and his son Danny, who's supernatural abilities grant him an extra sense to the spirits around him. Kubrick's visual cues here draw out the unknowable tension in the film with his tracking shots behind Danny, the elevators of blood, and the Grady twins. Jack Nicholson pulls off one of his best performances as the mad Jack Terrance who gives the popular line, "Here's Johnny!" The Shining, much like The Exorcist, is one of the more intelligent horror films that asks that its audience interpret its events for themselves as opposed to explaining things to them. The film is also the best visual representation of Stephen King's works, which have captured the imaginations of American pop culture for ages. The film was added to the American Film Institute's "100 Years…100 Thrills" and Roger Ebert's Great Movies collection.

4.      The Cat Concerto 
       (1947)

Tom and Jerry are one of the most popular duos in animation history, and the oft copied Cat Concerto stands as one of their finest examples. Tom and Jerry compete with a piano while Franz Liszt's famous Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 plays on. The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject and was included on Jerry Beck's 50 Greatest Cartoons.

5.      Der Fuehrer's Face 
       (1943)

During World War II, Disney produced multiple animated propaganda films to sway public opinion in favor of the war. Der Fuehrer's Face is an excellent example as it features Donald Duck living under the horror of the Nazi regime. Much like Chaplin's The Great Dictator, it is a great satire of Nazi Germany. The film one the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject.

6.      20,000 Leagues Under The Sea 
       (1954)

Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is one of the most famous and critically acclaimed adaptations of Jules Verne's enduring novel. The film has a cast of some of Old Hollywood's best actors: Paul Lukas, Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, and most famously, James Mason as the chilling Captain Nemo, who stands as one of the most morally complex characters ever put onto film. The film is one of Disney's most mature, carrying many of Verne's themes on personal freedom, the dangers of science, and the failings of society. It is especially interesting that the film was released during the Cold War, so much of the growing fears about nuclear war are cleverly added to the film. The movie itself is a special effects milestone, featuring an impressive giant squid and winning the Oscar for Special Effects that year.


7.     The Defiant Ones
       (1958)

Stanley Kramer's The Defiant Ones is great film about America's changing attitudes towards racism against blacks. The film stars Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier as prisoners on the run chained together. The two, in many ways, are a microcosm for the racial tensions between blacks and whites in America, but their ultimate ability to work together shows the superiority of friendship over racial prejudice. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

8.      The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 
       (2001)

Peter Jackson's opening feature of his critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings Trilogy, which along with Harry Potter, reinvigorated an interest in fantasy, and promoted the accessibility of blockbusters over two hours long. The film is a fantasy epic with an ensemble cast, including the likes of Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, and Hugo Weaving among others, which centers on the friendship between its leads, Frodo and Sam, as they go on an odyssey to throw the One Ring into the fires of Mt. Doom. The film echoes back to older epics, such as Ben-Hur and Gone With The Wind, that has a memorable grand score, along with a balanced use of computer animation and practical effects to create truly breathtaking shots and scenes. The author of the original trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien, once called his books "unfilmmable". Conversely, The Fellowship of the Ring as one of the first major pictures of the 21^st century represents just how far American films have come since D.W. Griffith's opuses. Indeed, it is a culmination of all the breakthroughs American movies have made in the 20^th century, and a golden standard by which future American films would be set to.Fellowship of the Ring was nominated for numerous Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and was added to the American Film Institute's list "100 Years…100 Movies (10^thAnniversary Edition)."


9.  Jurassic Park 
      (1993)

Jurassic Park is Steven Spielberg's popular blockbuster that convincing showed audiences photo-realistic dinosaurs for the first time, and exhibited the power of computer animation. The story is a simple morality tale on the dangers of exploiting nature for profit and has a quirky cast, and is competent enough with the script to keep the movie from lowering into the stupidity of a standard slasher movie. The film's success guaranteed computer animation as a staple of future movies, altering the paradigm of special effects, which have been both a blessing and a menace. It won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, and was added to the American Film Institute's "100 Years…100 Thrills" list.

10. Rape Culture
      (1973)

A raw documentary produced by Prisoners Against Rape, the DC Rape Crisis Center, and political filmmakers Margaret Lazarus, and Renner Wunderlich, Rape Culture is probably one of the first movies to examine the crime of rape in its ugly forms and the roles that Hollywood films, pornography, masculinity, and racism have played in its persistence. The film also features various feminists such as Mary Daly, who give viewers a glimpse into radical second-wave feminism. Although many aspects of the film may seem quite obtuse today, the film represented a time in American history when the causes of rape began to be identified, or at least discussed. Whether or not one agrees with all of its assertions, or even the existence of rape culture, the film represents a visual milestone in the start of a conversation that still continues to this day.

11.  Gimme Shelter 
      (1970)

Ever since the British Invasion of the 1960's, The Rolling Stones have been a staple of American rock music. The first half of the movie shows their energetic live performances on concert and the stresses that go into recording their songs. The Stones were not at Woodstock, but they did have their own sort of festival at the Altamont Free Concert. Thus, the second half of Gimme Shelter depicts the concert itself, set up at the Altamont Highway. This section of the film shows some of the crude excesses of the counterculture, which tragically culminated in a murder during The Stone's song, "Sympathy For The Devil". In a sense, this film is a gritty contrast to idealistic flower power of Woodstock. Gimmie Shelter has since been added into the Criterion Collection.


12.  What's Up, Doc?
      (1972) 

Peter Bogdanovich's excellent tribute to the screwball comedies of the 1930's that manages to be something of a great comedy in itself. The movie keeps in the tradition of the New Hollywood era which were the first films directed by people who had grown up on films. The American Film Institute included it as one of the nation's best comedies.

13. The Patterson-Gimlin Film

      (1968)

The Patterson-Gimlin film is believed by many to be the best evidence for Bigfoot captured on film. At the very least, it has captured the fascination of many since its release. Even if one doesn't believe in Bigfoot, the film has played a big role in shaping our popular understanding of the elusive beast. Indeed, if there could be one film you would use to symbolize our ongoing fascination with Bigfoot, this one is probably it.

14. Return of the Jedi

      (1983)

Episode VI of the Star Wars saga may not be the best in the Original Trilogy, but it's a undoubtedly a great film that's worth preserving. The special effects were second to none at the time, with grand spectacles being Jabba´s Palace, the Battle of Endor, and the final showdown at the Second Death Star. VI also brings an acceptable end to Luke Skywalker's bildungsroman as a Jedi who conveys tact and wisdom upon his confrontation with Darth Vader. Indeed, it is the essential resolution to an American mythos.

15. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

      (1982)

The series, Star Trek, has proven to be iconic in the world of American television. So too does The Wrath of Khan hold an enduring impact for bringing the best of Star Trek onto the silver screen. Leonard Nimoy's role as Mr. Spock has become lauded within the annals of science-fiction. Of course, Spock's place in Wrath of Khan is particularly famous, including a heartfelt moment where he utters, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Of course, none of this is to diminish the superb cast of the USS Enterprise, played by William Shatner, Deforest Kelley, George Takei, James Doohan, Walter Koening, and Nichelle Nichols. Though few stick out as well as the fearsome Khan himself, portrayed viciously by Ricardo Montalban.

16. Jason and the Argonauts

     (1963)

This work is a marvel of Ray Harryhausen's spectacular stop-motion effects, from the many headed Hydra to the army of skeletons.

17. Carrie

     (1977)

Based on Stephen King's debut novel of the same name, Brian DePalma's horrifying adaptation has helped launch King's narrative into a popular myth of contemporary America's culture. Carrie touches a nerve in many, the social outcast with an unappreciated talent. The horror film has particularly haunting performances by Piper Laurie, as Carrie's fundamentalist mother, and Sissy Spacek, whose portrays our conflicted protagonist's spiral into madness. Both of whom were nominated for Oscars, a rarity among horror films today.

18. The Blues Accordin' To Lightning Hopkins

      (1968)

Lightning Hopkins is considered one of America's finest guitarists, and Les Blanc's documentary shows just why. Blues is an integral part of our cultural history and Hopkins plays with an emotional understanding of this fact. Throughout we see the impact of his music on ordinary people. The Blues Accordin' To Lightning Hopkins has been added to the Criterion Collection

19. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
     (2001)

Harry Potter launched from more than a bestselling book series and into a global phenomenon. This influence was felt no less by film. The inaugural entry into the popular film series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was successful in creating Hogwarts, the fantasy world where goblins run banks, sports are run on broomsticks, and chess pieces can run you over. Harry Potter also provided America with a showcase of Britain's best talent, from Alan Rickman to Richard Harris to Maggie Smith, as well as catapult for bringing fantasy novels and young adult fiction onto the silver screen.

20. Fight Club

     (1999)

Based on the equally controversial book by Chuck Palaniuk, David Fincher's Fight Club is a film that examines masculinity, consumerism, and meaning in a changing society. Edward Norton plays the unassuming narrator, whose directionless life is given an injection of adrenaline by the wild Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt. Tyler starts a fight club, which allows men to fight out their aggression, within various rules, of course. The first rule of Fight Club being that you cannot talk about it. Fight Club is a dual image, both a condemnation and a celebration of our twisted society, along with the men who reside in it.

21. Batman
      (1989)

Batman, along with Superman, Wonder Woman, or Spiderman, is one of the most iconic superheroes in American comics. Tim Burton's adaptation of the character in 1989 is considered, alongside Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, one of the definitive interpretations of Batman on film. The film was successful in returning Batman to his darker origins from his campy image on the Adam West show. The movie is a showcase of talent: Tim Burton's artistic use of sets, models, and lighting, Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson's performances in the leading roles, Danny Elfman's sweeping score, and Prince's pop additions. Batman would go on to define the character, and superhero films for the years to come.


22. Mulholland Dr.
      (2001)

David Lynch's magnum opus, and one of the most acclaimed and divisive films of 2001, Mulholland Dr. was directed in pure Lynchian style: obscure, enigmatic, strange, thoughtful, ambiguous, and addictive. The film explores identity, desire, dreams, and the many faces of Hollywood. Much like Sunset Boulevard, Lynch's Mulholland Dr. is as much a critique of the Hollywood system as it is a celebration of it. The film is also among the first to start the craze of Internet forums and websites analyzing and interpreting movies of this kind. Mulholland Dr. is also one of the few films from the 2000's that came of BFI's Sight and Sound poll for greatest films of all time.


23-26. The Mind's Eye (film series)
           (1990-1996)

4 films:

- "The Mind's Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey." (1990)
- "Beyond the Mind's Eye." (1992)
- "The Gate to the Mind's Eye." (1994)
- "Odyssey into the Mind's Eye." (1996)

In the past, the NFR has recognized the relevance of computer animated films, having previously selected Toy Story, Luxo Jr, Tin Toy, and The Computer Animated Hand for preservation. The experimental Mind's Eye films made by Odyssey Productions pushed the technological boundaries of computer animation at a time when it was still a novel device. The films have found a new life in the vaporwave genre of music, which often recycles images from these shorts to express the aesthetic of 1990's computer technology.


27. The Secret of NIMH
(1982)

While Disney floundered throughout the 1980's, former Disney animators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman filled the gap in quality cartoon films. The best of these works was Bluth's magnum opus The Secret of NIMH, based on the book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien. NIMH stands above many other animated features, in that it has a subtlety and adult sensibility that is often left by the wayside in children's entertainment. It also carries a female protagonist in the lead who has no special powers or alluring beauty, but simply seeks to save her home.
 

28. The Color Purple
      (1985)

Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Alice Walker, the film, directed by Steven Spielberg, provides an important lens into an area of American history, particularly the struggles of African-American women in the early 1920's, who had to deal with racism, poverty, and sexism, as seen through the eyes of Celie, a woman who takes a slow odyssey of liberation from her abusive husband. The film is also a grand showcase of African-American talents, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, Adolph Caesar, and Oprah Winfrey. The Color Purple was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress In A Leading Role, and Best Actress In A Supporting Role. Film critic Roger Ebert added it to his Great Movies list.


29. The Truman Show
      (1998)

One of Jim Carrey's most acclaimed films, which is about a man whose entire life is a well-constructed television show, but he's the only one who does not know it. The film satirizes and questions the utopian concept of the "American Dream", like The Matrix, examines the concept of simulated reality, and like Network, examined the endless shock factor of burgeoning reality television.


30. Pleasantville
      (1998)

A clever tribute as well as parody of the black and white sitcoms that were popular during the 1950's. The film features two 90's teenagers who enter the world of the fictional 1950's television show, "Pleasantville", and come face to face with the ideals that America projected onto the screen, and see their strengths as well as shortcomings. The film also examines the conflict between the culture of that era and the culture of the later decades, through art, music, literature, and sex. This is mainly achieved through the film's mixture of black-and-white and color visuals. The film also stars the late Don Knotts of The Andy Griffith Show as a guiding force.


31. WarGames
     (1983)

One of the first films to accurately portray hacker culture to a mass audience, WarGames also examines the strategy of "mutually assured destruction" and the growing roles of computers and artificial intelligence in governmental affairs.








32. The Crow
      (1994)

Alex Proyas's film adaptation brought to life James O'Barr's gritty comic book that features the resurrection of Eric Draven, a rock musician who seeks to avenge the rape and murder of his fiance. The film is foremost the last, and perhaps best performance of Brandon Lee, who died during the production of the film, just as he began to emerge from his father's shadow. The film's creative special effects echo the minaturesque macabre of Tim Burton's Batman, and the dystopian hell of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. Also, keeping in the theme of Draven's former role as a rock musician, The Crow also serves as a showcase of some of the 90's most popular rock groups, from The Cure to The Stone Temple Pilots.


33. Crumb
      (1994)

A documentary which examines the strange and obscene lifestyle of one of America's most famous underground cartoonists, Robert R. Crumb. Through the film, we see his legacy through creations such as Fritz The Cat, Mr. Natural, Keep On Truckin', and his album cover for Big Brother and the Holding Company's Cheap Thrills, as well as the grotesque and pornographic side of American cartoons never explored through the films of either Disney or Warner Bros. In the film, we also see the broken lives of Crumb and as his brothers as they struggle with loneliness and depression, and how for Crumb, cartooning provided him a unique escape.


34. Lake Of Fire
     (2006)

Abortion, alongside gun control, remains one of the most divisive topics in American politics, will a comfortable resolution yet in sight. Through this 152 minute documentary, filmed over 16 years, and costing $8 million dollars, director Tony Kaye allows for all points of view from across the political, religious, legal, medical, and philosophical spectrum to be heard, without editing or judgement. The film examines the pro-life movement, the murders of abortion doctors, the pro-choice movement, and shows us two actual abortion procedures. Among those interviewed include Norma McCorvey, Noam Chomsky, Peter Singer, Alan Dershowitz, Nat Hentoff, and most importantly, the women who have been directly affected. The film is shot in black, white, and shades of grey, reflecting, perhaps, the various perspectives.


35. Mutiny On The Bounty  
      (1935)

Considered by many to be finest film on the true Bounty mutiny, if not the most historically accurate, is the most influential in shaping the popular perception of what occurred during the incident. Most notably framing Christian Fletcher (Clark Gable) as righteous and Captain William Bligh (Charles Laughton) as sadistic. For their convincing roles, Gable, Laughton, and Franchot Tone, were all nominated for the Oscar of Best Actor that year, with none of them winning. Mutiny did, however, win the Oscar for Best Picture. The American Film Institute has listed it as the 86th greatest film of all time, and Laughton's depiction of Captain Bligh as the 19th greatest villain of all time.


36. Boogie Nights
      (1997)

Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights is one of the few dramas to depict the Golden Age of Pornography in American cinema, and as well as one of the few to humanize pornographic filmmakers, producers, actors, and actresses as people. With its ensemble talent of Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reiliy, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Luis Guzman, and Alfred Molina. Through the film we see the behind the scenes of how pornographic films were made, their near-mainstream popularity, the effects of the rise of home video, and the discrimination these people faced, and indeed, still do face, for their work. The film also has cameo appearances from Golden Age porn stars Nina Hartley and Veronica Hart.


37. Inherit The Wind
      (1960) 

Inspired by the famous Scopes Monkey Trial, which to many Americans symbolized the conflict between scientific progress and religious fundamentalism, the film is a rarity, as it acutely and boldly explores questions of faith, education, and fraud. At the center of the film are powerful performances from Spencer Tracy, Gene Kelly, and Fredric March, all playing characters inspired by the American icons, Clarence Darrow, H.L. Mencken, and William Jennings Bryan. Film critic Roger Ebert added Inherit The Wind to his Great Movies list.


38. Clerks
      (1994)

The directing debut of geek culture commentator Kevin Smith remains one of the great milestones of low-budget, independent cinema in the 1990's, from Richard Linklater's Slacker, Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, and Robert Rodriguez's El Mariachi. Smith's Clerks is a comedic day in the life of a cashier at a convenience store, who goes through episodes inspired by Smith's own working experiences. While not only providing a comedic venue into middle class America, the film, through its dialogue, often explores gender relations, gross video rentals, and popular culture, such as Return of the Jedi.


39. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?
      (1962)

The only film where Joan Crawford and Bette Davis share the same screen. The film like Sunset Boulevard, is an examination of old stars who no longer fit into a changed Hollywood, as well as a popular representation of the infamous rivalry between the two leading actresses. The film launched the psycho biddy sub-genre of horror, garnered Davis an Oscar nominee for Best Actress, won an Oscar for Best Costume Design (Black and White), and helped to further establish Davis and Crawford as LGBT icons adopted by many drag performers. Indeed, the film the egos behind it have gone into popular myth, most recently examined by the acclaimed FX series Feud: Bette and Joan. The American Film Institute listed the movie as the 63rd greatest thriller and Davis's depiction of Baby Jane Hudson as the 44th best villain in cinema. Film critic Roger Ebert added Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? to his Great Movies list.


40. Scarface
     (1983)

Brian De Palma's controversial remake of Howard Hawk's 1932 mob film. Scarface is the story of Tony Montana (Al Pacino), a Cuban refugee from the Mariel boatlift who rises to great wealth through his involvement in cocaine trafficking. Much like Bonnie and Clyde, the film pushed the limits of violence that could be shown on screen. The script, written by Oliver Stone, it both a critique of the American Dream as well as the War On Drugs. The film launched the career of actress Michelle Pfeiffer, and made Montana an icon for rap and hip-hop artists. The American Film Institute listed it as the 10th greatest gangster film of all time, and film critic Roger Ebert added it to his Great Movies list.


41. The Nightmare Before Christmas
      (1993)


Conceived by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the signature stop-motion animation films, which carries elements of both Christmas and Halloween, and is an effective tale for both holidays. Drawing from the German Expressionist movement, the film is a great palette of Tim Burton's creativity, Danny Elfman's musical talents, and Henry Selick's attention to detail. The Nightmare Before Christmas has gone on to become a seminal part of America's gothic subculture.


42. Humorous Phases of Funny Faces
     (1906)

James Stuart Blackman's three minute short carries the unique significance of being the first animated film. An important landmark in the history of animation.

 
43. Bambi Meets Godzilla
     (1969)

One of the most famous student films of all time, that features a brief, but humorous, encounter between Bambi and Godzilla. Created by Marv Newman, it reveals the creative skills of one who can make a memorable joke with limited resources. Animation historian Jeff Back listed it as one the greatest animated shorts of all time. Bambi Meets Godzilla was also preserved by the Academy Film Archive,


44. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
     (1987)

Regarded as the best as most popular Thanksgiving film, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles signified a shift in John Hughes's direction from movies about teens to those about adults. The film also portrays the ranging comedic talents of John Candy and Steve Martin. Film critic Roger Ebert added the movie to his Great Movies list.


45. Strangers On A Train
     (1951)

Alfred's Hitchcock's thriller, which like North By Northwest, portrays an innocent man caught up in an extraordinary situation. In this case, Guy Haines (Farley Granger) meets Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker), who tempts the young tennis player with a murder. Strangers On A Train is probably the best portrayal of Walker's acting talents, as the seductive and sexually ambiguous Bruno. The film also shows Hitchcock's ability to translate thrills through unusual situations, from a tennis match to a carousel. The American Film Institute listed Strangers On A Train as the 32nd greatest thriller of all time.


46. The Sixth Sense
      (1999)

The debut film of director M. Night Shaymalan, which remains his most famous and critically acclaimed work. Drawing upon elements of Hitchcockian thriller and the Twilight Zone, Shyamalan crafts a sentimental tale of death and the afterlife. The film established Shyamalan as a director of thrillers, particularly those with twist endings, and launched the career of child actor Haley Joel Osment. The Sixth Sense was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and the American Film Institute listed it as the 60th greatest thriller of all time, and in 2007, the 89th greatest movie of all time. The Writers Guild of America listed its screenplay as the 50th best of all time.



 
National Film Registry

2017 NFR Nominees
http://sansuthecat.blogspot.com/2017/04/2017-nfr-nominees-color-purple.html

2016 NFR Nominees
http://sansuthecat.blogspot.com/2016/04/2016-nfr-nominees-tim-burtons-batman.html

2015 NFR Nominees
http://sansuthecat.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-2015-national-film-registry.html

2014 NFR Nominees
http://sansuthecat.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-national-film-registry-nominations.html


Films In The Registry

"Star Wars"
http://sansuthecat.blogspot.com/2017/05/skywalkerlied.html

"The Exorcist"
http://sansuthecat.blogspot.com/2017/02/communion-with-pazuzu.html


Bibliography

Novak, Matt. "About 90% of the movies made before 1929 are lost forever." Gizmodo, July 2, 2014. Web. http://gizmodo.com/13-enchanting-posters-from-hollywoods-lost-years-792599020/1599159742

15 Best URL Shortener to Earn Money

1. Clk.sh: Clk.sh is a newly launched trusted link shortener network, it is a sister site of shrinkearn.com. I like ClkSh because it accepts multiple views from same visitors. If any one searching for Top and best url shortener service then i recommend this url shortener to our users. Clk.sh accepts advertisers and publishers from all over the world. It offers an opportunity to all its publishers to earn money and advertisers will get their targeted audience for cheapest rate. While writing ClkSh was offering up to $8 per 1000 visits and its minimum cpm rate is $1.4. Like Shrinkearn, Shorte.st url shorteners Clk.sh also offers some best features to all its users, including Good customer support, multiple views counting, decent cpm rates, good referral rate, multiple tools, quick payments etc. ClkSh offers 30% referral commission to its publishers. It uses 6 payment methods to all its users.
   • Payout for 1000 Views: Upto $8
   • Minimum Withdrawal: $5
   • Referral Commission: 30%
   • Payment Methods: PayPal, Payza, Skrill etc.
   • Payment Time: Daily
   
   
2. Shrinkearn.com: Shrinkearn.com is one of the best and most trusted sites from our 30 highest paying URL shortener list.It is also one of the old URL shortener sites.You just have to sign up in the shrinkearn.com website. Then you can shorten your URL and can put that URL to your website, blog or any other social networking sites.
   Whenever any visitor will click your shortener URL link you will get some amount for that click.The payout rates from Shrinkearn.com is very high.You can earn $20 for 1000 views.Visitor has to stay only for 5 seconds on the publisher site and then can click on skip button to go to the requesting site.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views- up to $20
   • Minimum payout-$1
   • Referral commission-25%
   • Payment methods-PayPal
   • Payment date-10th day of every month
   
   
3. Bc.vc: Bc.vc is another great URL Shortener Site. It provides you an opportunity to earn $4 to $10 per 1000 visits on your Shortened URL. The minimum withdrawal is $10, and the payment method used PayPal or Payoneer.
   Payments are made automatically on every seven days for earnings higher than $10.00. It also runs a referral system wherein the rate of referral earning is 10%.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$10
   • Minimum payout -$10
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   • Payment method -Paypal
   • Payment time-daily
   
   
4. Linkrex.net: Linkrex.net is one of the new URL shortener sites.You can trust it.It is paying and is a legit site.It offers high CPM rate.You can earn money by sing up to linkrex and shorten your URL link and paste it anywhere.You can paste it in your website or blog.You can paste it into social media networking sites like facebook, twitter or google plus etc.
   You will be paid whenever anyone will click on that shorten a link.You can earn more than $15 for 1000 views.You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $5.Another way of earning from this site is to refer other people.You can earn 25% as a referral commission.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$14
   • Minimum payout-$5
   • Referral commission-25%
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   • Payment time-daily
   
   
5. Ouo.io: Ouo.io is one of the fastest growing URL Shortener Service. Its pretty domain name is helpful in generating more clicks than other URL Shortener Services, and so you get a good opportunity for earning more money out of your shortened link. Ouo.io comes with several advanced features as well as customization options.
   With Ouo.io you can earn up to $8 per 1000 views. It also counts multiple views from same IP or person. With Ouo.io is becomes easy to earn money using its URL Shortener Service. The minimum payout is $5. Your earnings are automatically credited to your PayPal or Payoneer account on 1st or 15th of the month.
   
   • Payout for every 1000 views-$5
   • Minimum payout-$5
   • Referral commission-20%
   • Payout time-1st and 15th date of the month
   • Payout options-PayPal and Payza
   
   
6. Adf.ly: Adf.ly is the oldest and one of the most trusted URL Shortener Service for making money by shrinking your links. Adf.ly provides you an opportunity to earn up to $5 per 1000 views. However, the earnings depend upon the demographics of users who go on to click the shortened link by Adf.ly.
   It offers a very comprehensive reporting system for tracking the performance of your each shortened URL. The minimum payout is kept low, and it is $5. It pays on 10th of every month. You can receive your earnings via PayPal, Payza, or AlertPay. Adf.ly also runs a referral program wherein you can earn a flat 20% commission for each referral for a lifetime.
   
7. LINK.TL: LINK.TL is one of the best and highest URL shortener website.It pays up to $16 for every 1000 views.You just have to sign up for free.You can earn by shortening your long URL into short and you can paste that URL into your website, blogs or social media networking sites, like facebook, twitter, and google plus etc.
   One of the best thing about this site is its referral system.They offer 10% referral commission.You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $5.
   
   • Payout for 1000 views-$16
   • Minimum payout-$5
   • Referral commission-10%
   • Payout methods-Paypal, Payza, and Skrill
   • Payment time-daily basis
   
   
8. Oke.io: Oke.io provides you an opportunity to earn money online by shortening URLs. Oke.io is a very friendly URL Shortener Service as it enables you to earn money by shortening and sharing URLs easily.
   Oke.io can pay you anywhere from $5 to $10 for your US, UK, and Canada visitors, whereas for the rest of the world the CPM will not be less than $2. You can sign up by using your email. The minimum payout is $5, and the payment is made via PayPal.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$7
   • Minimum payout-$5
   • Referral commission-20%
   • Payout options-PayPal, Payza, Bitcoin and Skrill
   • Payment time-daily
   
   
9. Cut-win: Cut-win is a new URL shortener website.It is paying at the time and you can trust it.You just have to sign up for an account and then you can shorten your URL and put that URL anywhere.You can paste it into your site, blog or even social media networking sites.It pays high CPM rate.
   You can earn $10 for 1000 views.You can earn 22% commission through the referral system.The most important thing is that you can withdraw your amount when it reaches $1.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$10
   • Minimum payout-$1
   • Referral commission-22%
   • Payment methods-PayPal, Payza, Bitcoin, Skrill, Western Union and Moneygram etc.
   • Payment time-daily
   
   
10. Wi.cr: Wi.cr is also one of the 30 highest paying URL sites.You can earn through shortening links.When someone will click on your link.You will be paid.They offer $7 for 1000 views.Minimum payout is $5.
    You can earn through its referral program.When someone will open the account through your link you will get 10% commission.Payment option is PayPal.
    
    • Payout for 1000 views-$7
    • Minimum payout-$5
    • Referral commission-10%
    • Payout method-Paypal
    • Payout time-daily
    
    
11. Short.pe: Short.pe is one of the most trusted sites from our top 30 highest paying URL shorteners.It pays on time.intrusting thing is that same visitor can click on your shorten link multiple times.You can earn by sign up and shorten your long URL.You just have to paste that URL to somewhere.
    You can paste it into your website, blog, or social media networking sites.They offer $5 for every 1000 views.You can also earn 20% referral commission from this site.Their minimum payout amount is only $1.You can withdraw from Paypal, Payza, and Payoneer.
    
    • The payout for 1000 views-$5
    • Minimum payout-$1
    • Referral commission-20% for lifetime
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12. Short.am: Short.am provides a big opportunity for earning money by shortening links. It is a rapidly growing URL Shortening Service. You simply need to sign up and start shrinking links. You can share the shortened links across the web, on your webpage, Twitter, Facebook, and more. Short.am provides detailed statistics and easy-to-use API.
    It even provides add-ons and plugins so that you can monetize your WordPress site. The minimum payout is $5 before you will be paid. It pays users via PayPal or Payoneer. It has the best market payout rates, offering unparalleled revenue. Short.am also run a referral program wherein you can earn 20% extra commission for life.
    
13. CPMlink: CPMlink is one of the most legit URL shortener sites.You can sign up for free.It works like other shortener sites.You just have to shorten your link and paste that link into the internet.When someone will click on your link.
    You will get some amount of that click.It pays around $5 for every 1000 views.They offer 10% commission as the referral program.You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $5.The payment is then sent to your PayPal, Payza or Skrill account daily after requesting it.
    
    • The payout for 1000 views-$5
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14. Linkbucks: Linkbucks is another best and one of the most popular sites for shortening URLs and earning money. It boasts of high Google Page Rank as well as very high Alexa rankings. Linkbucks is paying $0.5 to $7 per 1000 views, and it depends on country to country.
    The minimum payout is $10, and payment method is PayPal. It also provides the opportunity of referral earnings wherein you can earn 20% commission for a lifetime. Linkbucks runs advertising programs as well.
    
    • The payout for 1000 views-$3-9
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15. BIT-URL: It is a new URL shortener website.Its CPM rate is good.You can sign up for free and shorten your URL and that shortener URL can be paste on your websites, blogs or social media networking sites.bit-url.com pays $8.10 for 1000 views.
    You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $3.bit-url.com offers 20% commission for your referral link.Payment methods are PayPal, Payza, Payeer, and Flexy etc.
    
    • The payout for 1000 views-$8.10
    • Minimum payout-$3
    • Referral commission-20%
    • Payment methods- Paypal, Payza, and Payeer
    • Payment time-daily
    
    

A Bit Of Work

   A few things I finished off recently, mostly things for Frostgrave

A neat little cottage, one of the few not ruined

A long forgotten king?

Witch for Frostgrave

The Witch's Apprentice

Old GW Trollslayer

Frostgrave ruins. I used GW's Valhallan Blizzard on the snow.

Warsaw Pact Reinforcements Arrived

   Just in time to hit the battlefield a week or two after the end of our Firestorm Campaign... but they are here.

   I just got some air defense systems and some heavy artillery support. The ADA comes in the form of a pair of ZSU-23-4 "Shilkas" and SA-13 "Gopher" missile tracks. The Artillery is a trio (battery) of 2S3 Acacias.

SA-13 "Gopher" (NATO designation)

9K35 Strela-10 (Pact)

2S3 "Acacia"

SO-152 Akatsiya

ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"

Named for the battery of four 23mm cannon... tricksy Russians!

   Now if I can just get them painted... but I think I have come across a quick paint solution for Soviet vehicles, which, let's face it, don't have the most difficult paint scheme of solid green. I'm trying it out on some BM-21 Hail MRLS trucks and a battery of Czech DANA SP guns. Wish me luck.

I'm That Guy!

I am replaying Suikoden 2 at the moment, a game I last played back in something like 2001. I'm now playing it on PSN, purchasing it for something like $5.

 Funnily enough though, I actually owned the game back in 2001! The actual CD! FFVII basically took over my life when I was 11 years old and after completing it, and becoming obsessed with it, I started looking through my back copies of the Official Playstation Magazine to try and find some games that were like it in some way, part of this genre called "RPG" which I had never even known to have existed previously (I'm not sure I can be blamed for this either, because in the UK we hardly received any RPGs for consoles).

I made it my mission to check out the used sections of Electronic Boutique and the other second hand games shops near me (which included a shop called a record shop called Bebop and another which I think was called Games Express in Sutton, surrey).

 On one fateful day, I found it, Suikoden II, as I flicked through the boxes in Games Express. From what I remember, I think I payed an insignificant amount for the game, I certain don't remember having the save and go back, I'm guessing it must have been about £10. I took it home, I played the game through and I had a great time with it, it isn't too tricky and I completed it, getting the 'bad ending' the only ending I knew of at the time. And then I took it in a second hand game shop and sold it.

 I'm that guy! I had Suikoden II, now worth £150 on EBAY, and at points in the past worth even more. I have almost no recollection of exactly what I traded it in for. Sometimes I like to tell people I traded it in part exchange for Chrono Cross.... but I don't know for certain if that is true. I know I definitely got CC pretty soon after Suikoden II, but I don't know... another memory says I traded it in for Ergheiz (now worth as much as Suikoden II on EBAY! A game which I also traded in!), or possibly it was Destrega or Street Fighter Alpha 3. The thing I do remember though is that I was surprised at how much the store gave me for Suikoden II, I think it was £15 or something, more than I paid for it to begin with.... I think they got the recommended price out of a book.

 Anyway, I'm that guy, the guy that traded a super rare and expensive game in for almost nothing. But in all things Praise be Jesus Christ now and forever. Games are there for fun and recreation, and if we are really lucky, we can find something good and true and beautiful in them which can lead us to praise Him and bless Him and love Him more. Games aren't my life, my life is hid with Christ in God.

 I played a lot of great games back in the day, I owned and played almost every PS1 RPG released in the UK, and now I own Suikoden II once again on PSN, in all honesty I have no regrets that I sold it, but it makes a fun story. I am going to write a review on Suikoden II soon. There is a lot in this beautiful game which is genuinely inspirational and supportive of the truths of our holy faith.