Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2008 May 26

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May 26

Magic: The Gathering Question

Hello I just purchased a "Shadowmoor" deck as I'm a newbie to magic. The salesman in the game shop said that I can't use older version of cards such as the "Time Spiral" (No idea what that is). He also advised me not to purchase the Kamigawa and Darksteel theme decks (Maybe because they are 2$ cheaper?). Why is so? Do magic cards become obsolete after some time?--Lenticel ^(talk) 00:39, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

The cards that are allowed in tournaments keeps changing. A lot of players only use decks that are tournament legal at the time, so they kinda do become obsolete. There are groups of players who don't care for that though, and even people who play with out-of-date and/or inexpensive cards on purpose.

This is the website for the organization that makes tournament rules[1]. There's various formats [2].... I guess(?) the most used is this 'standard' one [3] (in which the cheaper older sets are illegal). -Haikon 02:41, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

I disagree with the "obsolete" statement. MTG cards almost never become obsolete. In addition to many cards getting reprinted in later sets, there are different tournament formats such as Type 1, 1.5, and extended where you can play older cards. Type 1 includes 99.9% of all cards with some restrictions on the powerful ones. Your shopkeeper probably gave you advice based on the frequency of tournament types being played either at his shop, or in the vicinity. Search a bit more and you might find others holding regular older format tournaments, if you're in a large city that is. Funny salesman anyway, why would he not want to sell older cards? A sale is a sale. Anyway, if you go to places like starcitygames.com, you will see other-format decks being posted. There is even an annual type 1 world championship. The current type 2 world championship has an extended section in it every alternate year. This would include Kamigawa etc. Sandman30s (talk) 18:59, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the info and advice guys. I'll look at those links that you posted. (I also downloaded the tutorial in the main site, I think playing MTG isn't as hard as I once thought).--Lenticel ^(talk) 23:11, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

Like chess, it is a very easy game to learn the basics but incredibly hard (and expensive unlike chess!!) to play well at a tournament level. Sandman30s (talk) 11:20, 28 May 2008 (UTC)

Malibu's Most Wanted

In Malibu's Most Wanted, Brad gets into "Black" culture when first listening to the song played by his family's maid's walkman. What is that song?68.148.164.166 (talk) 06:47, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Can't believe I know this (too much Comedy Central), but if memory serves, it's It's Tricky by Run-D.M.C., or, if not, some other Run-D.M.C. song. Someoneinmyheadbutit'snotme (talk) 20:09, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Trying to identify a film with giant scorpions and a mannequin on the back of a motorbike

I am having real trouble trying to identify a film, and am hoping that someone can help. The film is set in some kind of post-apocalyptic future, with the characters living in a desert environment. In one scene a man is watching through binoculars/telescope the return of one of his group, who is approaching on a motorbike. He appears to have a woman on the back of the bike. The bike is attacked by one or more giant scorpions, and the rider leaves the woman to the mercy of the scorpions. When he arrives back at the base, the man who was watching his approach (and who saw him leave the woman) starts to argue with him. The rider then tells the man to take another look, and when he does he sees that the woman was in fact a mannequin. If anybody could help identify it, I would really appreciate it. It is driving me crazy! :) Scorpion Question Man (talk) 11:43, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

I believe that would be Damnation Alley (film). Deor (talk) 16:46, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Yes that's it! Thank you very much. I even managed to download the clip from YouTube (it is at 5:30 here if you are interested). I have not seen it since around 1984, so am really pleased to find it. I read the article about it too, funny to read the connection with Star Wars. Scorpion Question Man (talk) 21:45, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Please

Anyone know where I can download/listen to the Age of Empires II (the original, not the expansion) soundtrack? There are only four songs in that soundtrack that I can find. I need to know where I can find the other ones! I have the disc for AOE II, but I have lost it. So a link to these songs is my only hope! Interactive Fiction Expert/Talk to me 11:59, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Sorry mate, I tried looking for a complete AOE II soundtrack before, with no luck. I tried again, but I can only find the incomplete soundtrack you mention. Maybe you may find some of those extra songs in the Collector's edition? Sorry I can't help more. Kreachure (talk) 15:14, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

See if you can find any music credits anywhere. Then see if you can find a website with e-mail address for that person/ group. Bang them a mail telling them how you love their work and would they mind sending you a file. Worked for me in a similar situation. Good luck. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 07:01, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

HP3 Film

I was wondering about what seems to be a goof in the movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Lupin knows about the Marauder's Map (obviously, because he made it) but he mentions to Harry that it was a map (something like "What were you doing with that map?") before Harry tells him what it is. Wouldn't Harry get suspicious?

Also, how do Fred and George know how to work the map if they nicked it from Filch's office (saying "I solemnly swear..." and "Mischief managed.")?

--Nick4404 yada yada yada What have I done? 15:59, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

You cannot go by the movies. They omit most of the information in the books. Instead, read the books and you'll find that it is much better explained. -- kainaw™ 22:07, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Actually, in this case, I think Nick4404 has a point. According to the Harry Potter wiki, Fred and George do "nick" it from Filch. And that's the way I remember it from the book. I don't recall now how she (Rowling) explains away the fact that they seem to know how to use it without any instruction. Dismas|^(talk) 00:22, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

When they give the map to Harry he asks them if they know how to use and they simply reply that they do. But, if memory serves, later on Harry realises that Fred and George would have employed every resource available to them to figure out how something found in a cabinet marked Confiscated and highly dangerous works. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 07:46, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

The whole Marauder's Map plot is very over looked in the film, and never really explained. In the book how ever it is never fully explained how F&G got to know the secret, but I imagine as the map seems to answer (as it did to Snape), so it might "programmed" clues in it, and if you show your self worthy of it, it might show the secret. ← chandler 09:41, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

JKR mentioned in an interview somewhere (I don't have the exact link, maybe her own site?) that it "I solemnly swear I am up to no good" was a very "Fred-and-Georgish kind of thing to say". I assume they figured out how to blank it like that too, or the map told them (a la the map told Harry to use "Dissendium on the hump-backed witch's statue). But again, I agree that the movies are not entirely faithful to the books, so whether this "goof" is notable is quite uncertain. On the other hand, maybe Harry just wasn't paying attention? He ain't perfect, y'know. -- THE DARK LORD TROMBONATOR 11:01, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

Nice one, pass off an author's flaw as an intentional flaw in the character. JK herself admitted to writing herself out of holes in the plot. For such a detailed work, I'm surprised there aren't more. JK ain't perfect - is more like it. Sandman30s (talk) 18:47, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

I agree that the movies do not exactly follow the books, because I have read the books (all up to book 5) and I don't think that the books tell you much about Lupin or Fred and George, either. --Nick4404 yada yada yada What have I done? 18:57, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

Fred and George are characters used for comic relief in an increasingly dark series. As they are not central to the plot, the author didn't care to expand much. Sandman30s (talk) 19:18, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

Expand much? Do you know what happens to them in the last book" Katana Geldar 23:08, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

F&G are in the last book, sure. But the characters aren't really expanded upon very much. Dismas|^(talk) 06:40, 28 May 2008 (UTC)