raymond padilla, Author at RPad.TV

The Best Game of Thrones Battle

One of the most outstanding aspects of Game of Thrones is its battles. The show set a new standard for television action sequences by blending superior choreography, effective storytelling, and riveting drama. With the final season of Game of Thrones just days away, it’s a fine time to bust out the retroscope and pick the best Game of Thrones battle.

This was a tough decision for me. I adore “The Battle of Blackwater Bay” from season two. After being conditioned to heavy use of CGI in swords-and-sorcery combat by The Lord of the Rings films, I was amazed by the heavy use of practical effects in “Blackwater.” It was also the first epic battle in Game of Thrones and despite what Prince said, the first time can be the greatest. While “Blackwater” will always be one of my favorite Game of Thrones moments, there’s one battle that’s undeniably greater.

Random Thoughts on Shazam

Shazam is a delightful movie that’s full of joy and wonder. It has a lighthearted tone that’s deftly balanced by weighty consequences. It’s also the best film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

Unlike previous DCEU efforts, Shazam isn’t hampered by dull moments sandwiched by great scenes (Wonder Woman). It doesn’t suffer from action that’s distractingly frenzied and Patrick Wilson yelling as if he graduated from Vegeta’s School of Melodramatic Screaming (Aquaman). The other DCEU movies…the less said about them, the better.

Shazam is funny, exciting, and captivating. It does very little wrong and does so many things right. You should see it. Now in the grand RPadTV of binary lists, here are some random thoughts on the wonderful Shazam movie. [Spoilers are about to strike like lightning. Preterite mode engaged.]

Pokemusings Pokemon Go Edition: Perfect Pokemon and PVP

Player-vs.-player (PVP) battles have given Pokemon Go a new dimension. They’ve also added another layer of confusion. Recently, I had conversations with two hardcore Pokemon Go trainers and was surprised to learn that they only use Pokemon with perfect individual values (IVs) in PVP battles. While that makes sense in no-limit Master League, there are several cases where perfect Pokemon are suboptimal in Great League and Ultra League.

The issue is combat power (CP) — a nebulous stat created by Niantic (and a number that too many players focus on). Great League has a CP cap of 1,500, while Ultra League has a CP cap of 2,500. Due to how CP is calculated, there are many Pokemon that would be more effective with a 0 attack IV than a 15 attack IV.

To help you understand this issue, let’s take a look at the formula used to calculate CP.

Your Avengers Endgame Theories

The latest trailer for Avengers Endgame (embedded below) has dropped and it looks amazing. The upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film will probably be the nerd movie of the year and, more than likely, the highest-earning film of all time. Forget about all the for a moment. Today I’d love to hear your theories on how Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will get out of the dire predicament Avengers: Infinity War left them in.

Before we delve into Avengers Endgame theories, let’s take a look at the trailer. Be sure to turn your spoiler shields on (please)!

The Best Game of Thrones Season

With the final season of Game of Thrones nearly here, I’ve been rewatching the first seven as a refresher. It’s been fun examining how characters have developed, remembering departed heroes and villains, seeing glorious battles, and chuckling at comedic lines. Out of the first seven seasons, one stood out as my favorite — season four.

Sure, the battle at Castle Black wasn’t as grand as Blackwater or The Battle of the Bastards, but it was still pretty damn entertaining. More importantly, Game of Thrones season four had some of the best moments in the show — both comedic and dramatic — and introduced one of my favorite characters.

Out of curiosity, I’d love to learn which Game of Thrones season is your favorite and why. Kindly share your thoughts in the comments section. Below are three reasons why Game of Thrones season four is my favorite.

Pokemusings Pokemon Go Edition: Understanding Breakpoints

With Rayquaza raids coming back to Pokemon Go, some local trainers have been wondering what counters to use. Thankfully, the recent Swinub Community Day gave trainers access to the best Rayquaza counter — Mamoswine with powder snow and avalanche. Having the right Pokemon is essential, but how much should it be powered up? Enter breakpoints.

What Are Pokemon Go Breakpoints?

A breakpoint is the level required for a Pokemon to do additional damage. Damage calculation in Pokemon Go is rounded and doesn’t scale linearly. For example, a 15-attack Mamoswine at level 26 does the same damage against Rayquaza as a 15-attack level 28 Mamoswine. Powering up a 15-attack Mamoswine to level 29 allows it to inflict more damage than its level 26 or level 28 counterparts.

Trainers can optimize a team by seeing the amount of damage their Pokemon will do against a specific boss using handy tools like Dominkzen.com. This allows trainers to efficiently use stardust and candy. To help you understand breakpoints a little bit better, let’s stick with the Mamoswine vs. Rayquaza matchup.

Your Game of Thrones Season 8 Predictions

The latest trailer for Game of Thrones season 8 has dropped. It’s full of excitement, drama, intrigue, and (pending) death. RPadholic smartguy suggested that it would be a great time for us to make our predictions on the final season of Game of Thrones. As you’d expected from him, that’s a fine idea.

Below are the trailer and a bunch of questions about Game of Thrones season 8. Kindly answer the questions when you have a chance, but don’t let them limit your thoughts. If you have any theories and musings that aren’t covered by the questions, I’d love to hear them.

(Some) Tesla Fans Are the Worst

Tesla is an amazing company that’s attempting to do some truly remarkable things. That said, some Tesla fans are insufferable. The company and its CEO Elon Musk have created a cult of zealots that are incapable of criticizing the company. These fanboys dismiss every mistake Tesla makes (and it has made several) and vapidly attack any opinion on the company that’s not 100-percent complimentary. As a prospective customer that has been annoyed and disappointed by the numerous “hells” Tesla has encountered (production, painting, delivery, etc.), the zealots make supporting the company…challenging.

As several of you RPadholics know, I reserved a Tesla Model 3 in April 2016. My first estimated delivery date showed that I could expect my configuration (standard battery) some time between April and June 2018. I received an email from Tesla on November 1, 2017 that said, “your estimated delivery timing will now be slightly later than we originally expected.” I received another on February 7, 2018 that said, “your estimated delivery timing has been adjusted to a slightly later window.” My account currently states, “Standard Battery available in 4-7 months.”

After leasing a Ford Focus Electric for three years, I did a lease takeover on a BMW i3, planned around my April-June 2018 estimate. That lease expired at the end of July 2018. As you can imagine, waiting for the Model 3 Standard Battery has been aggravating. I’ve shared my story in the comments section of Electrek (great EV enthusiast site that’s in dire need of moderation). Some of the attacks I’ve received were so pathetic that it’s funny.

Let’s start with some replies from a person that goes by Oneb.

Continue reading “(Some) Tesla Fans Are the Worst”

Random Thoughts on Iron Fist Season Two

Iron Fist season two reminded me of how we used to make fun of the “Most Improved” award in high-school sports. My friends and I would joke, “Most improved just means that you used to suck.” The first season of Iron Fist was easily the worst show in the Marvel Netflix universe, but the sophomore season is worth watching. It’s not among the best Marvel Netflix shows and it still has the same core problem that the first season had, but numerous improvements have taken Iron Fist from “used to suck” to “reasonably enjoyable.”

Here’s a breakdown of Iron Fist season two in the traditional RPadTV binary style. Be sure to summon your chi and make a spoiler ~~shield~~ fist.

Continue reading “Random Thoughts on Iron Fist Season Two”

Pokemusings Pokemon Go Edition: Stupid Trainers Am Stupid

If you’ve been playing Pokemon Go for a long time then you’ve surely encountered stupid Pokemon Go trainers. Most of the time they’re harmless — village idiots that can easily be ignored. However, when they complain loudly, stupid Pokemon Go trainers can be a genuine nuissance.

Recently, I had to suffer the presence of a stupid Pokemon Go trainer. As part of the Celebi quest, two of the tasks required trainers to evolve an Eevee into an Espeon and an Umbreon. This requires walking Eevee for 10 kilometers and evolving it during the day (Espeon) or night (Umbreon). The important thing is that you have to evolve Eevee while it’s still your buddy. This particular trainer didn’t do that.

Continue reading “Pokemusings Pokemon Go Edition: Stupid Trainers Am Stupid”