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I'm driving cross country in 5 days. Help.

Victor FrostVictor Frost
edited August 2008 in Everything Else
So some of you may know that I'm gonna be driving from Rhode Island to Los Angeles soon. Soon now equals 5 days and the trip itself is going to last about a week. There are four drivers and each of us will have 3 hour driving shifts. So for the 9 hours a day I wont be driving, do you guys have any suggestions on entertainment to keep myself sane?

Restrictions
  • I have no money.
  • I currently own no portable gaming consoles. (although emulation is a possibility)
  • Preferably PG-13 if its an anime because theres a good chance my two year old brother will be sitting next to me.
  • I have only 25 GB left on my hard drive.
  • Internet Access will be available via cell modem but coverage is not guaranteed.
  • I've already listened to every episode of Geeknights.
If you have any recommendations, please share them! :)
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Comments

  • AprecheApreche
    You definitely should get a DS, and since you are poor, get one of the pirating cards and a 4G micro SD. Then load it up with all the GBA and DS roms you can fit on there.

    Another good option is to get some comics. The problem is they take up a lot of space. So you need comics that have a lot of pages in a small space. The Bone one volume edition is not a bad idea. Any of the Marvel Essentials or DC Showcase books will also do well. I always bring an Essential or two to the beach. This year it's going to be Essential Ghost Rider and Essential Marvel Team-Up I think.
  • One SinOne Sin
    I would recommend downloading every podcast you can get your hands on. I can give you a bunch of suggestions, but maybe you could throw up a list of what you've already listened to.
  • SailSail
    I would suggest doing something that doesn't only involve you. Interacting with people always makes time go faster than doing something solitary.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited August 2008
    You definitely should get a DS, and since you are poor, get one of the pirating cards and a 4G micro SD. Then load it up with all the GBA and DS roms you can fit on there.

    Another good option is to get some comics. The problem is they take up a lot of space. So you need comics that have a lot of pages in a small space. The Bone one volume edition is not a bad idea. Any of the Marvel Essentials or DC Showcase books will also do well. I always bring an Essential or two to the beach. This year it's going to be Essential Ghost Rider and Essential Marvel Team-Up I think.
    Comics = Money
    DS = Lots of money

    I don't have money. However emulators aren't out of the question. If you have some game recommendations, I can play them on my laptop since we have an inverter in the car and I wont be running out of juice. I've played many a Genesis game, but not a whole lot of SNES or NES games if that helps narrowing it down.
    I would recommend downloading every podcast you can get your hands on. I can give you a bunch of suggestions, but maybe you could throw up a list of what you've already listened to.
    Currently I'm listening to Geeknights, Engines of our Ingenuity, Futures in Biotech, Twit, This Week in Law, Security Now, Windows Weekly, Friday Night Party Line, and MacBreak Weekly. I tried Dave and Joel's Fast Karate for the Gentlemen, but they annoy me.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • Li_AkahiLi_Akahi
    edited August 2008
    You can use some of that 25 gigs on Batman: The Animated Series. That would be something that both you and your brother would probably enjoy.
    Currently I'm listening to Geeknights, Engines of our Ingenuity, Futures in Biotech, Twit, This Week in Law, Security Now, Windows Weekly, Friday Night Party Line, and MacBreak Weekly. I tried Dave and Joel's Fast Karate for the Gentlemen, but they annoy me.
    What about Anime World Order? Going through their backlog would take up quite a bit of time. Why didn't you like Dave and Joel?
    Post edited by Li_Akahi on
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    I dunno, although Batman rocks, He's two and Batman might scare him.
  • JasonJason
    I know this sounds boring, but I have done the cross-country drive several times and I recommend dedicating at least 20 minutes an hour to looking out the window. You're going to see some amazing landscapes. Take a digital camera, and take pics frequently. You'll probably spot a lot of wildlife, mountains, desert, sand dunes.... I demand you post a photo journal on the forum.
  • Li_AkahiLi_Akahi
    He's two and Batman might scare him.
    It never hurts to try, besides, that Batman was created to be family friendly.
  • Mr. EricMr. Eric
    I don't know what kind of podcasts you like, but they are amazing while driving. I recently drove my Raleigh to 5 hours north of Detroit, and I listened to over 50 podcasts roundtrip. It was actually enjoyable.
  • JasonJason
    Books on tape/CD/MP3.
  • CHOIS CHOIS CHOISCHOIS CHOIS CHOIS
    Audio books, go to the library and rip some audio books from there selection. Find some other Podcast, the twit network is good place to start, or just sleep.
  • One SinOne Sin
    Currently I'm listening to Geeknights, Engines of our Ingenuity, Futures in Biotech, Twit, This Week in Law, Security Now, Windows Weekly, Friday Night Party Line, and MacBreak Weekly. I tried Dave and Joel's Fast Karate for the Gentlemen, but they annoy me.
    I'm no good with tech, so I can't recommend any of those kinds of podcasts. However, I can throw a bunch of others at you.

    Podcast Novels (especially the first two):
    - 7th Son (Start with the original trilogy. The first episode is slow, so i'd wait until episode 2 or 3 before deciding to continue or stop.)
    - Scott Sigler's Audiobooks (Check under the "audiobooks" tab to see the complete list. I would personally recommend starting with Ancestor or Nocturnal first.)
    - Tee Morris' stuff
    - Seth Harwood's Audiobooks
    - Mur Lafferty' Audiobooks (She has both podcasts and podiobooks, so take your pick.)
    - Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff's stuff

    Anime:
    - Anime World Order
    - Destroy All Podcasts DX

    If you're feeling daring, then check out the Nate and Di Show and Fanfiction Dramatica. The former is a random-topic show that died awhile ago. If you check it out, be sure to start around the 70's and avoid the last two episodes. The latter is a relatively new podcast that reads the worst fanfiction on the net. Their episodes tend to be short and their updates are inconsistent, but there are some lulz to be had.
  • AprecheApreche
    If you want SNES ROMs just get Chrono Trigger. That on its own should occupy your time for the entire trip.
  • DkongDkong
    I was at the beach all last week. The drive down is somewhere around 10 hours. My dad did all the driving this year (which actually isn't really that safe, now that I think about it...), so I had all that time to spend.

    What I brought: DS with a flash card loaded with shit plus 3 game carts, headphones, a few dvds (mostly for the condo), a few comics and manga, and a book. I fit it all in a small duffel bag.

    On the way down, I mainly slept, looked out the window, and played my DS. I tried listening to podcasts (threw some on my DS flashcart), but the sound of the road and whatnot, combined with the radio, made it hard to hear it unless I turned it up really loud, which I really don't like doing, since I enjoy my hearing. I think I ended up finishing Dororo volume 1 on the way down, too.
    On the way back, I slept a lot more (we usually leave at like 8am, so I basically just stay up all night and then go to sleep when we start driving), then woke up and played some DS and did more looking out the window. I used to watch anime on an ipod during the car trip, but I didn't this year. I just felt like staring out the window most of the time.

    I definitely second Jason's idea of looking out the window and taking pictures. I don't know why, but I just like sitting in a car, half asleep, and looking out the window. It's a good atmosphere for thinking or just vegging out. You should also definitely get some anime, movies (or bring some DVDs), and emulators since you're gonna have a laptop.
  • ZeehatZeehat
    but the sound of the road and whatnot, combined with the radio, made it hard to hear it unless I turned it up really loud, which I really don't like doing, since I enjoy my hearing.
    You know you don't use Etymotic earbuds when:
  • DkongDkong
    That's assuming you have any. The headphones I have aren't, and I didn't feel like shelling out. Sonic says he has no money, so unless he has a pair of noise canceling headphones, he isn't going to have access to noise cancelers during the trip.
  • ZeehatZeehat
    That's assuming you have any.
    No its not. If you had them, you would know why you would never switch back. Don't use therefore also means, does not have.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited August 2008
    Believe me, Etymotic headphones are one of the first things I'll buy once I get a job in California and No, I don't have any noise canceling headphones. I'm gonna get another 10 bucks though, and get a $20 pair of Sony in-ear earbuds before we embark. I'm taking your suggestions and I'll be listening to a whole mess of Audio books on the trip as well as downloading Chrono Trigger and a bunch of Revision 3 Shows I've been back on.

    And picture taking, ahhh, picture taking. Let me tell you something about picture taking. DONT EVER BUY A FUCKIN SANYO CAMERA!!!!! I bought one this past March and I've been taking good care of it. Never dropped it, never had it in my pocket with keys. Here are its current ailments: Dust and lint under the glass of the screen, constantly forgetting my settings, missing screws (fixed with crazy glue), and there is something inside the lens assembly. Now if I want to take a picture, there is a black line on the picture. And Sanyo won't take it back or replace it because it's out of its 90 day warranty.

    AUGH!
    Ehem, I will endeavor to take some photos with my sisters awesome Kodak camera and post it on my Flickr and Sosauce albums.
    Anyway, on top of podcasts, SNES games, N64 games, and audio books, I'll probably do post production for the next two Geektalks. Any recommended anime? I've already got the last tow episodes of Big O and most of the Lupin the III series to watch but those will go fast.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • DkongDkong
    edited August 2008
    No its not. If you had them, you would know why you would never switch back.
    I'm just saying that suggesting to get a new pair of headphones is kinda ridiculous since Sonic says he has no money. I assumed that Sonic doesn't have a pair, and it looks like I was right.
    For some strange reason, I have a feeling that neither of us understands what the other one is trying to say...
    Don't use therefore also means, does not have.
    Uh, what?
    Post edited by Dkong on
  • VigaViga
    Read every manga you have? Download a bunch of anime and watch it? Books?
  • One SinOne Sin
    Books wouldn't be a very good idea. They're very space-intensive, even if you don't get carsick.
  • DkongDkong
    Books wouldn't be a very good idea. They're very space-intensive, even if you don't get carsick.
    Not really. A 400-600 page paperback is barely any bigger than a typical manga volume.

    Then again, that brings up another point- Sonic, how much car space are we looking at, here? I mean really, if you have enough space to bring a backpack or something, that's plenty of space for some books and manga.
  • SchnevetsSchnevets
    I say a few ROMs would be your best bet for a trip like that. Bring a book for when you're sick of playing as well. Finally, don't forget to talk to the other people in the car. Without a doubt, talking beats anything else during a drive.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    Then again, that brings up another point- Sonic, how much car space are we looking at, here? I mean really, if you have enough space to bring a backpack or something, that's plenty of space for some books and manga.
    Basically whatever I can fit in my laptop bag, which isn't much. That's why I'm leaning more towards digital goods.
    Books wouldn't be a very good idea. They're very space-intensive, even if you don't get carsick.
    The only time I remember getting even a little carsick was when I was playing Need for Speed while my dad was driving. Somehow they didn't mix very well.
  • belarmbelarm
    Scott already suggested the one ROM I was going to suggest as a 'must-have', but you could fit every SNES game ever made in the space you've got free on that laptop. In addition to Chrono Trigger (or FF6...but you've played that, right?), I'd make sure to bring at least a few action genre ROMs. U.N. Squadron, Mega Man X, and R-Type III are all good 'brainless' games you can play after you make a horrible mistake in an RPG that makes you want to take a break. The only downside being you really need a gamepad to play an action game; RPGs can be played with the keyboard without any real issue.

    Books are always a good suggestion; they're less cumbersome than a laptop in the car. I like to bring something I've always wanted to read, but haven't gotten around to.
  • DkongDkong
    And as for ROMS, if you don't have a gamepad, NES roms are great, since it only has 2 buttons and a d pad. Gameboy roms are good, too. For SNES, you'll want a gamepad for most games.
  • SchnevetsSchnevets
    Also, for a new podcast, might I suggest You Look Nice Today? They have a couple of hours worth of great comedy podcasting which is a little bit more structured and dead-pan than Dave and Joel (I prefer Fast Karate, but this may be your thing).
    SModcast, Kevin Smith's podcast, is also pretty funny (although very racy). If you like Clerks, the show is full of the same non-chalant dialogue that made the movie famous (although some people may just think Smith is annoying).
    Finally, 12 Byzantine Rulers (or, History of Rome, if you have heard 12 already).

    Also, if you're trying to stretch all of your entertainment as far as it can go, don't multitask. When you're playing a SNES game, just play an SNES game. Don't listen to a podcast or music, to make sure these attention suckers last as long as possible.
  • ChurbaChurba
    edited August 2008
    The Geekson Podcast is quite good - And each episode is about an hour and a half, so it'll keep you entertained for a good long while - www.geekson.com
    Post edited by Churba on
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited August 2008
    Okay, I think I've got everything I need to keep me occupied.

    The List
    • Lupin The III
    • Batman The Animated Series: Season 1
    • Batman: Gotham Knight
    • Lucky Star
    • Trinity Blood
    • The Universe in a Single Atom (audio book) - Dahli Lama
    • Test Drive (PC Game)
    • Aliens and Satanic Creatures Wanted (Humans Need Not Apply) Audio Book
    • Beautiful Red (Audio Book)
    • Half Life 2
    • Half Life 2: Episode 1
    • Track Mania Forever
    • Get All Gold on Mario Kart 64
    • Chrono Trigger
    • Make some tracks for my new album
    • Write two chapters of my Sci-Fi Novel
    • Finish writing the malware proof of concept I've been working on.
    I've also downgraded my phone to a less locked down one so I can have full time cellular internet access.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • JenJen
    edited August 2008
    Forget all that space wasting garbage. All you need to take is the Bible. If you don't have one, just take it from the first hotel you're staying at – they're free.
    Post edited by Jen on
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