Starcraft II Wings of Liberty Beta demo at License 2 Play 2010, Singapore Expo

Starcraft. A feared name in the line of PC strategy games in history. This game was released 12 years ago by the undisputed game creator of all times, Blizzard Entertainment. After the “like-never-coming-wait” for four years from the official announcement of Starcraft II, Blizzard will be releasing it finally on 27th July this year.

There’s a single player vs. AI beta crack which is available for download on the internet early this year, for all those who have “itching-rotten-fingers” for this new PC game. However, one cannot enjoy the game at full extent because Starcraft II is server based and an internet connection to log in is required.

The crack does not log in but opens a map file, thus starting a single player vs. AI game. A LAN network game and "campaign-storyline-mission" game is unfortunately not possible. This just proves the saying “haste makes waste”.

As a big fan and an avid supporter for the game, I do have the same “burning-can’t-wait-desire” for the game, but I have decided to forget the beta crack and wait. Why? Is it worth for all the patience? Well then, the answer is a big yes. Starcraft is not an ordinary game, it’s a legend and a classic far better than any strategy game known to mankind.

I rushed to try the online beta demo on the first day, 28th of May of the License 2 Play 2010 in Singapore Expo, hoping to partially quench my great thirst of this game. With all of my expectations, Blizzard never failed me. The gameplay and graphics were excellent even up to of breathing muscles of the Zergs, and the animated detail of the mineral crystals. The booth as seen on the photos above is so Terran based, as obvious as the Marine being equipped on an "Ironman-like-suit" on on the “all-already-have-watched” cinematic trailer since 2007. The day ended with hearts fulfilled and stomachs too. Why? Because there’s a Food Fair on the adjacent hall.

















To know and see more of this “Starcrafted Beauty”, please visit: www.starcraft2.com

Passport Renewal at the Philippine Embassy, Singapore

It was on 23rd of May 2010 in 20 Nassim Road when I applied for this Machine-readable passports for renewal since it will expire this august 2010. This is not cheap, it punches an $85 sing dollar in your pocket. Is it worth it?, or we just can go home in our beloved country and process there instead?

Now, I want to share my good and bad experiences, the pro’s & con’s and my drop dead advices.

Pro’s:
Open on Sundays and the convenience of immediate need in Singapore itself without coming home in the Philippines. In which for a fact that most of the Filipinos working more-human-than-human in Singapore, deprived of the breath-catching “TIME”.

Con’s:
Again, not cheap. Processing fee: $85 sing dollars which is about P2720 pesos.

When to go there?:

The embassy location itself is not quite accessible, no public buses will be passing by there and its a 20 minute walk from Orchard MRT.

Embassy services are served in the traditional, classic Filipino way that we grew up and get used to be. I’m not going to elaborate this, I took the photo above at almost 8am there, so just “be early as much as 7am”.

We enjoy holidays right?, so is our beloved embassy. I strongly advice to check both Philippine & Singapore holidays and government events; e.g. election. The embassy takes part of the overseas absentee voting for the recent national elections for all the Sundays last month.

Last month I was broke. I was completely prepared for all the requirements when the security says that the embassy will not serve passport renewals on that day. I was there very early and everything was a waste on the start of my Sunday morning.

What to wear?:

For both ladies and gentlemen please wear something with a collar, It is necessary to have collars in your attire in your passport photo. So I strongly advice to wear such, in case that the embassy don’t want your photo, you can just take it in the photo machine inside. The photo cost $7 sing dollars for a set of four.

I hope this article helps. Please do check their website at: http://www.philippine-embassy.org.sg , all the information will be there.

Thanks for reading, Mabuhay po ang Pilipinas!...