The Spark!

Change is good!

2008-05-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

The Spark! website is now located Here!

Soon..the DNS change will take effect and all things pointing to http://www.sparkshow.net will also point there :)

T.G.I.F.

2008-05-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

It's Friday! The work week is over and, it is time to kick back and enjoy our weekends! With that said, every Friday I am going to post what I feel was the "story of the week" in my eyes.

This week? It's something half of the internet is talking about but..it made some serious waves. Revision3 and Media Defender . I don't really need to say too much on the story itself. We all know what went down. However, if you look into it you'll see some definite irony on how the whistle was initially blown.

T.G.I.F people.

Oxhorn does it again

2008-05-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

Well, once again Oxhorn delivers another very amusing machinima. Associate Professor Evil is going through a problem with the "Evil Alchemist University". He discovers the horrors of LFG and the horrors of raiding as well (OK personal opinion there). A very "The Breakfast Club" montage is also included in Associate Professor Kills All Ninja Looters.

Watch it here at WeGame.com !

And, if you are a Digg user Digg it!

Coders are people too

2008-05-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Sparky has reminded me that "coders are people too". How correct he is. For all of you code monkeys out there. I got the love for you all. This one is dedicated to you.

It's a classic song and if you don't know it..you've been hiding under a rock. It's "Code Monkey" by Jonathon Coulton.

The Spark!#6: "I Don't Like this Game!"

2008-05-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Candace got to play a game and she didn't want to play! That and a lot more on this caffiene charged episode of The Spark!

What sparked your interest this week?
* Alternate Reality Games
* Mahalo.com
* Voice Acting
* What to use if Yahoo gets bought out and dies?
* World of Warcraft and why we quit
* Gaming Moms

Download it here

Other links;
Burning Man Studios
the Geek Media

Stargate Worlds

2008-05-27T01:12:00.001-07:00

...Wait a minute! Man, I really need to stop playing World of Warcraft. This is the second time I missed something good. A random bit of chatter after rehearsing some dialogue tonight gave me this gem. Thanks for the heads up, Chris (yeah, he's one of the dudes @ Burning Man Studios) .

Stargate Worlds is an MMORPG for..Stargate! One could say they're cashing in on the huge sci-fi series and movie. You could say that...until you go web searching for some trailers. (Hint; check gametrailers.com for the debut trailer). Then, you may think again.

For me, a game needs to show me good aesthetics and a good story to be a good game. We already know Stargate has a great story behind it. Being able to see something like this shows off some of the beautiful graphics the game is promising. The sneak peek of the game on the website shows me this could become a new favorite.

For reference. I'm an SG-1 fan. I didn't like Atlantis at all. Let the nerd rage wars begin!

Coming Up Next Week..

2008-05-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

Next week on The Spark! are a few topics that were sent in to me. I'm going to do something I don't normally do just to give you all a little example of what we're talking about.

Topic #1; Someone asked me what they should use other then Yahoo after hearing me talk about Microsoft buying Yahoo.

Topic #2: I've been asked a couple of times now to transfer servers on World of Warcraft for a *guaranteed* raiding spot. I'll be telling you all why that is *not* happening

Topic #3; I was told about Wii Fit outselling the PS3 in Japan. We'll chat about why that is a big deal.

...What about machinima? Well. We're not talking about that this week. We *are* going to chat a bit about my role at Burning Man Studios

Still got suggestions for topics? You can send them in to SparkCast@gmail.com

Time to Pimp Pixel

2008-05-23T01:26:00.000-07:00

Looks like it's time to pimp my own ride geek style. I first saw this on Tech Crunch and, it caught my eye!

Infectious is a company that's bringing custom art to cars but, making it much more affordable. In South Florida I had some friends who were very particular about their cars. They paid thousands for custom art to be done. This company seems to be broadening the horizon a bit and, bringing these custom pieces right to...almost anyone. I must say I am very interested in this indeed. If you follow the link to the company site, there's nothing there yet. They haven't even launched. Still, the possibilities of this could be endless.

We all know how much I love my car. I'm also rather proud of the very unique Zelda decal that is so discreetly stuck on the back window. I suddenly see my beautiful Scion xA with a portrait of Samus Aran on the hood. That would be so sweet.

Make Me a Song

2008-05-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

I've been saying the past couple of weeks about making The Spark! a theme song. Many of you have expressed interest in it. Well, I did promise a prize for the winner and..I can now tell you what you are going to get.

The novel "Conquest of Heroes" by Christopher Lee Buckner will be released very, very soon. It is the prequel to the upcoming game from Burning Man Studios. The person who makes SPARKs theme song will receive a copy of the novel signed by the author himself. I think that is pretty cool.

Thanks Chris for helping me out on this!

Now..information. The theme song needs to be between 45 seconds and 1 minute long. It must be original. No songs spliced together or soundbytes from other songs,movies, etc. You may use "generic" sound as long as it is royalty free. Once the theme song gets to me, it belongs to the Spark!. However, you will receive credit for creating it. The contest will go until we decide it stops. Winner will be chosen by me..and probably some help from my friends.

A lot of you are concerned that Nathan Pinard will make me one and win. I guarantee this..since Nathan and I work together so often, if he does win ...second place will receive the book.

That's the rules and everything else. Oh, you can send your entry to SparkCast@gmail.com please be sure it is in MP3 format.

The Spark!#5: "Burned Out"

2008-05-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

This week on The Spark!..the show where you tell host Candace Holly the never-ending answer to "What sparks your interest?"
- Games, songs and Rick rolls
- Microsoft buying yahoo
- Starcraft 2, Red Alert 3 and WoW burn out
- Mystery Science Theater 3000 trivia
- Advice to kidlets and the cousin on MySpace strikes again!

Download it Here!

Bad Reviews? Oh noes!

2008-05-16T20:51:00.001-07:00

Recently, a bad review for Chronicle of the Annoying Quest was pointed out to me. The person who pointed it out was very concerned and, found this negative comment out of a sea of good comments. Someone else wrote a review people took as "bad". It wasn't a bad review at all. The person just didn't understand a few things but, they did give their compliments.

I've been asked before how I deal with bad reviews and comments. It's pretty simple. I don't pay too much attention to them. I've been getting bad reviews for 2 years. I've had downright nasty comments from people. I pay no attention to them at all.

In a sea of good comments and, people praising Chronicle of the Annoying Quest, one comment was picked out. Well, what about the other 90 something good ones? Someone e-mails me and says "Candace, I loved thex I hate SPARK." Well, I'm sorry you feel that way but, looking at the hundreds of people who get my podcast I think someone likes it. Someone tells me "I'm not interested at all in the video game you are doing a voice for. I don't like it." Again, I'm sorry. It's not a genre for everyone but I know for a fact a lot of people are interested in it.

I have a pretty good way of handling bad reviews and comments. Sometimes, it's constructive critcism that others take as a bad comment. I do pay attention to those. However, things that are negative or rude I don't pay any attention to. I enjoy myself and, my audience seems to enjoy what it is I do.

I'll start paying attention when more bad then good comments come along. That's when I might sit back and wonder if I'm doing something wrong. However, one bad comment out of a sea of good ones won't bother me too much.

Two Fandoms Combined

2008-05-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Normally..I don't care too much for music videos of this type. However, when you put Kingdom Hearts and my favourite band; The Cruxshadows together you have a winner! I enjoyed this.

Doh!

2008-05-15T02:54:00.000-07:00

Way to go, Candace. I need to pay more attention to what my friends are doing. I was talking to Oxhorn last night and, he told me that Chronicle of the Annoying Quest was reviewed on WeGame.com's weekly review.

I am so sorry I missed it. Well, better late then never. I'll watch the weekly review from now on. Anyway, here's a link. Oh and, check out WeGame.com . It's very cool!

http://www.wegame.com/watch/Weekly_Video_Review_13/

What I Do and SPARK

2008-05-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

Recently, some questions have been asked about what it is I do for a living Maybe I can explain it better.

On one hand, I'm a voice actor. I'm not a professional. It's something I love doing and, really enjoy. Maybe one day I will be a professional. That would be awesome.

I've been in a few machinima and, I got my “break” voicing the female lead in the upcoming game “Conquest of Heroes” from Burning Man Studios . I do talk about that as often as I can because, it's very exciting. I love being a part of the cast of the machinima I work in and, I love being a part of the Burning Man crew.

On the other hand, I do Public Relations for a living.I have mentioned this on the show. I've been challenged that SPARK could be a “show off” for my clients. Well...I can break that down for you guys pretty easy.

I will be truthful with you about this. I have no reason not to be truthful about it. I don't hide what I do for a living and I don't hide the fact it can sometimes intersect with the podcast. I don't mind that at all. It's great that I can do something fun and, have it be a part of promoting a client.

SPARK is a show to talk about “What sparks your interest”. Many people who listen follow some of the work I do for voice acting. Because of that, they ask questions about it. So..if you want to hear about something and, I happen to be working with that organization it's killing two birds with one stone for me.

Who I represent I can not always talk about openly. However, I can tell you the following about who I represent (as far as the people I talk about often are concerned).I do represent The Geek Media . I am also a founding member of The Geek Media..so representing them makes plenty of sense. The rest of the people and organizations I work with, I do not officially represent. I have done some consultations with a couple of others but, I haven't been contracted as anyone full time yet. I've given others some free advice just being friendly.

Now, if any of them do ask to contract me, I would definitely accept it. I know these people. I have worked with them in the past and, being able to work with them again or, continue to work with them and help them grow would be wonderful.

SPARK and my job are not the same thing. One is a hobby and entertainment. The other is a job. Sometimes..I'm one of those blessed people that can do both at once. That's all. I hope this cleared up any of the questions being asked.

Alright, let's try this again

2008-05-14T16:56:00.001-07:00

In my reply to my most recent post comparing Powerset , Yahoo and Google Mark Johnson who is a product manager at Powerset replied to the post with some information.

Mark, I will admit. Powerset's enhanced pages and navigation is great. They are wonderful and, add a lot to the pages you are looking at. However, the search engine itself is still a bit of a concern to me. I will do a second comparison of the three engines still using Powerset, Yahoo and Google (making sure to add; “site;wikipedia.org” in Yahoo and Google). This time, I won't ask the full question. I'll just type in “first radio broadcast” and see what comes up.

Alright. Time to test out Powerset – Wikipedia's own search engine.

This time, my search did work out a little better. However, the exact thing I was looking for did not show up. The only really helpful article on the first page of search results was the article on Reginald Fessenden who is known as “the Father of radio broadcasting”. However, the answer I'd like to see is when was the first radio broadcast?

I'm going on the hypothetical assumption I'm acting as a student in school doing a report. I know well enough that they never want to read full articles. They want to see a result that gives them their answer fast. Lazy? Yes. Welcome to the internet age, I guess?

Alright, time for Yahoo.

As you can see, my wonderful graphics program (AKA Paint) has circled some key things. First, I noted I did use the site command in my Yahoo search. Second, the two articles circled in red. These are the articles that are the most helpful on Wikipedia for my search. Neither of those two articles showed up in the Powerset search for Wikipedia.

It is time to check Google.

Google received my “gold star” (don't we love my graphics?) . The first article that showed up in Google was the History of Radio. This also showed up in Yahoo search. However, it did not show up in Powerset. The only helpful article Powerset showed me was the one on Reginald Fessenden.

Google and Yahoo both indeed won this second time around.

Even as the Wikipedia search engine, I can definitely see room for improvement. Now, I am all about being fair to Powerset. So, if any of you readers or listeners out there would like to see me use these three search engines for another inquiry feel free to suggest it. We'll do the same comparison with that inquiry as well.

Featured!

2008-05-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

Chronicle of the Annoying Quest; Episode 24 was featured in today's spotlight on Warcraft Movies . That is some awesome news. Goliath (AKA Rob) stole the show on this one. People seemed to love him. That's great! Goliath was always a great character.

I am really happy for *everyone* in Baka Savants for this achievement. This episode was definitely something that seemed to push us over the edge.

I've gotten a lot of compliments on voicing Vlada and, I do want to tell everyone that I appreciate those compliments very much. Vlada and Goliath are two very old characters Rob and I created for a little podcast skit some time ago. It was amazing to see them "come to life" like that. As always, I really enjoy working on Chronicle of the Annoying Quest. Stefie is a challenge because she annoys even me!

Thanks guys for making this episode such a great episode!

Missed it? Watch it here On WeGame.com

This was a fun comparison

2008-05-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Powerset, a possible new search engine that could out perform Google? We'll see.

I just happened to be checking Twitter as I wrapped up work and, noticed a story at calacanis.com and, it did interest me. I also caught the end of a live broadcast and, decided to participate in this little challenge. I always enjoy comparing new products especially products that make claims like Powerset.

Powerset currently has a site based search engine for Wikipedia. So, this is going to be fun. Lucky for me, I don't have to go to the Wikipedia site itself for my answers. (Read the recent Geek Media bulletin to the community to understand why none of us are using Wikipedia). I'm going to do my own comparison using the formula at the original story and post my screen shots. We'll see how it stacks up on my end.

The question I am picking is "When was the first radio broadcast?" (Yes, I know this answer). Here we go...

First time I'll use Powerset's Wikipedia search engine, Yahoo and Google making sure to put in the site:wikipedia.org command in the Yahoo and Google searches.

This did not help me much at all. Looking through just the first page of results showed nothing that would help me.

Well, the second and third result on Yahoo using the “ site:wikipedia.org” command gave me good results. Time for my favorite search engine, Google.

Result #2 gave me a helpful answer.

Before I go any further, here is an amusing observation. Both Google and Yahoo showed me an article on the history of radio . Wikipedia's own search engine (Powerset) did not show me that article in the results.

Now, let's try Yahoo without the “ site:wikipedia.org” command

First, second and third results were very helpful. Go Yahoo! Now, Google time.

Google came through for me without needing to put in the site command. First result was perfect and exactly what I needed. I don't know about you all but, I am sticking with Google.

Want to see the original post that spawned this? Look no further then this long URL; http://www.calacanis.com/2008/05/13/the-official-verdict-on-powerset-or-what-would-i-do-if-i-was/

SPARK #4: "I Should Be a Therapist"

2008-05-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

SPARK #4: "I Should Be a Therapist"

This episode of SPARK, you bring a ton of new topics to the table. Candace admits her newest "addiction" on the internet and, other topics are;
- Games as Escapism ..and Candace's own version of therapy
- Twitter and why it's "the geeks social network"
- People who speak in "net speak"
- Candace's moment of nerd rage over combat systems

Download it here: Episode 4!

Show Notes:
Candace's Twitter Feed: http://twitter.com/CandaceHolly
The Geek Media's Twitter Feed: http://twitter.com/TheGeekMedia
Baka Savants: http://www.bakasavants.com
Nathan Allen Pinard: http://www.nathanallenpinard.com
Acolyte 1.5: http://www.warcraftmovies.com/movieview.php?id=74399

From Draenor With Love

2008-05-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

You waited and waited. Here it is guys, "From Draenor With Love". That's right. Vlada and Goliath have been "brought to life" thanks to Chronicle of the Annoying Quest.

Here on WeGame.com!

The Elf I Actually Like...

2008-05-06T18:37:00.000-07:00

Never have I thought an Elf was so amazing..until now. A guild mate of mine in World of Warcraft ; Nilsen (Moon Guard server) drew a picture of my character "Waltz" . She's a Blood Elf who I like to think of as a nerdy, dorky professor type and she is rather shy. Well, Nilsen out did herself in this drawing. It is absolutely amazing!

I have the beautiful picture here for all of you to see. It's my current desktop wallpaper. Yes, I liked it so much that I don't have Samus on the desktop. This is monumental!

Wikipedia...I hate it.

2008-05-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

You can be certain that I will be talking about Wikipedia (and Twitter) on *SPARK* . Once again, the internet waves are buzzing with an issue over Wikipedia's sister site and one of their contributing editors. I still can't stand Wikipedia. I still do not care to use the site except for the one thing it is good for - Urban legends and internet slang. I don't care if people edit those.

I remember not too long ago a friend who is a professor was telling me if his students reference Wikipedia, he marks the paper incomplete. I applaud him for that. However, a younger person who heard it was very upset and tried to justify themselves. Too bad they had no idea what they were talking about.

Wikipedia is not an encyclopedia . Wikipedia is edited and, written by any yutz who can get an account and type on a computer. Wikipedia is not a huge source for all of this amazing information. It can be defaced, and incorrect. Try a real encyclopedia or, a website with some good sources. Heck, use the Discovery Kids website ..just don't use Wikipedia.

Animaniacs are so awesome

2008-05-06T02:30:00.000-07:00

I remember the Animaniacs. I loved that cartoon. Even when I was younger it cracked me up and, as I got older I got some of the jokes. Maybe that's why Animaniacs is such a great cartoon. It's meant for an older audience but, kids loved it. So, even as an adult you can appreciate it. Anyway, the entire point of the post is because Amazon.com has 3 DVD boxed sets of Animaniacs episodes and, I am going to buy them. I got a gift certificate for my birthday and I haven't used it yet. Why not buy something so silly and so cool as Animaniacs?

Oh, and for your viewing pleasure...Yakko and the nations of the world.

WoW Cupcakes

2008-05-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

Rob from the Geek Media has made Adamantite and Khorium cupcakes. On a recent episode of his podcast he mentioned the mining nodes in Outlands look like cupcakes. So..here they are. Instructions below;

Use regular box cake/cupcake mix (Rob used a yellow cake)
Use store bought white icing (cream cheese is the best)
Bake cupcakes as directed on box.
Separate icing into two bowls. In one bowl mix icing with green food coloring. In the second bowl, mix icing with blue food coloring.
Ice the cupcakes.
Take green and blue colored sugar cubes *or* green and blue rock candy that has been crushed. Sprinkle the colored candy over top of the cupcakes.

There you have it...super geeky and super sweet. Sugar rush, anyone?

SPARK #3: "It's A Woman Thing, Man"

2008-05-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Candace returns with episode 3 of *SPARK*. There is no way to choose a specific topic for this episode. Listeners bring in topics of;
- Media Stunts for Publicity
- Social Networking and issues with social networks
- Nintendo on the PC Front?
- Starcraft 2
- Gaming history and geeky cars

Download it Here

Notes:
Nintendo in Second Life Article

Or, subscribe on iTunes Here

*SPARK* Forums

*SPARK*'s E-mail

Episode 23 - FIGHT!

2008-04-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

Chronicle of the Annoying Quest Episode 23 is out. Though I am in it...who cares? What you *should* care about is the fight scene at the end. The Alliance characters go all out in a Warsong Gulch free for all. The Alliance wins a battleground alright and man, do they kick some butt. Got to watch it!

How to Find Me

2008-04-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

Once again on the forums there is talk of a World of Warcraft guild that is oriented to the listeners of *SPARK* and members of The Geek Media community. This has been done before. None of us in TGM really felt like moving servers or creating alts to level. We didn't mind popping on once in awhile to play but, being very active was tough.

A solution has been reached. If you would like to create an alt to hang out or, feel like playing somewhere else, come hang out on Moon Guard Horde. There's a chat channel you can join. When you get in game just /join TGMChat . This way you can find a guild that suits your play style and, still hang out with other audience members and, members of The Geek Media community.

Also, for those of you who are Wii Players, I have been asked for my friends code. There is a thread located at the TGM forums Here with that information. Just in case, I'll post my Wii Friends code here as well. 2138 0966 0786 2595

Blame Rob

2008-04-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Rob from RnD Podcast started with a joke that was meant for me but, ended up coming to all of you. The latest episode of RnD features this great joke from *SPARK*. Plus..it's a great show.

Warning: Not for younger ears!

Check them out here!

Important Safety Announcement for Wii Players

2008-04-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Important Safety Announcement for Nintendo Wii players. If you play a Nintendo Wii, this safety information is a must-watch. I post this because I care.

Say what?

2008-04-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

Gamer Tell has a blog post that is defintiely worth looking at. A Wired magazine contributing writer had an article published that generalizes the gaming and "geek" subcultures to the point where his article borders on derogatory.

Stereotypes and generalizations are over-done. We're over it already. As I said on the show recently and, I will say again...everyone has some sort of "geek" in them. Being part of the internet subculture, knowing about Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, certain video games etc. has become part of "mainstream" culture these days. How about giving us some good articles we want to read and not wasting paper on this crap?

For those of you reading, here is the Gamer Tell article

Oh and.. digg it.

2008-04-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

*SPARK* episode 2 is underway! Why does Dee Snyder rock? Exactly what is Candace ranting about? And, a huge surprise at the end of the show! You can all thank Rob of RnD Podcast for the surprise ending.

Download it here!

iTunes

Show notes:

Festival of Blood Radio

Gamer Tell

Tauren Women

2008-04-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

I must be on a World of Warcraft kick. This jewel comes from my own "home" server Moon Guard. A budding WoW movie maker , Draculu (of Sanctum Patria) shows us all how over-powered Tauren women are. It's short, sweet and I about spit out my coffee. Enjoy!

He does it again

2008-04-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are familiar with me, I have been involved with the machinima community for awhile. My friend Cranius has been quiet as of late. All of us (including me) have been wondering what he is up to. Well, here it is! His new original song for World of Warcraft called "Darrowshire" . Get out your tissues ladies (or sensitive men), it's a tear-jerker.

An Open Letter to My Audience

2008-04-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was made aware of something that shocked me. I agreed to help out a new machinima artist and voice a character in the machinima. I was shocked to see a very offensive scene taking place involving the character I voiced. I am also sorry to know that member of my audience may have seen this before the scene was removed.

I can assure you all that I had no idea that scene even existed until I saw it after it had already been released. The moment I saw the scene, I was very upset and immediately contacted the creator and requested the scene be removed. I also let him know that the scene in question was never included in the script I received. To the best of my knowledge, that scene no longer exists on any platform where a machinima could be shown.

Unfortunately, because of the issues this has caused I can no longer endorse that particular machinima. I do apologize profusely to the member of my audience who may have seen this scene and, I can assure I had no inkling of an idea that it existed. I was just as shocked as you were to see it. I am glad and thankful the scene was removed quickly and, I do hope that nothing more comes of it after today.

Thank you,
Candace Holly

SPARK #1 : "Secure the Lines"

2008-04-01T18:01:00.001-07:00

*SPARK* episode number 1 is underway! Meet your host Candace Holly and, "meet" the show that is *SPARK* . This show is driven by you - the audience member. Lucky for Candace, someone already suggested some topics to talk on. We get the show kicked off with talk about internet security, how to take care of a compromised account and, security for your gaming accounts as well. Candace also goes off on a little rant over responsibility on the internet and, what children shouldn't be doing. Plus, we find out what geeky things are hidden in her room.

Download *SPARK* Here

Show Notes:

Security Now Podcast:

Burning Man Studios:

The Geek Media:

Festival of Blood Radio: