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Kurgan

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29-Jan-2006
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Post
#293615
Topic
STAR WARS: EP IV 2004 <strong>REVISITED</strong> ADYWAN *<em>1080p HD VERSION NOW IN PRODUCTION</em>
Time
Hey I am still downloading them!


Well, as I said several times, its your choice. I was more concerned with fending off the people who were leaping to dismiss it without having seen it first. If you have already watched MoveAlong's version and think it doesn't fit in your project, fine. All I asked is that you check it out. Since you're already tampering with the movies I figured it wasn't something that was out of the question. But, not my call to make, since it's not my project, obviously!


You did say earlier that it wasn't so much that the scenes didn't work, it was that you didn't like the quality that was available and didn't want to spend time restoring them yourself.


Anyway, for those curious, here is where the scenes would be located in the script (based on the revised fourth draft screenplay as published in "The Art of Star Wars," 1979 and matches up with the Mar 15, 1976 screenplay posted on the Jedi Bendu Script Archive site). Parts that survive as deleted scenes are in bold. Other scenes are listed for context. Now the lines and so forth are not always EXACTLY as depicted here, but you get the idea and you can of course compare with the scenes.

INT. IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER

On the main viewscreen, the lifepod carrying the two terrified robots speeds away from the stricken Rebel spacecraft.

CHIEF PILOT
There goes another one.

CAPTAIN
Hold your fire. There are no
life forms. It must have been
short-circuited.


INT. LIFEPOD

Artoo and Threepio look out at the receding Imperial starship. Stars circle as the pod rotates through the galaxy.

THREEPIO
That's funny, the damage doesn't
look as bad from out here.

Artoo beeps an assuring response.

THREEPIO
Are you sure this things safe?


EXT. TATOOINE - ANCHORHEAD SETTLEMENT - POWER STATION - DAY

Heat waves radiate from the dozen or so bleached white
buildings. Luke pilots his Landspeeder through the dusty empty street of the tiny settlement. An old woman runs to get out of the way of the speeding vehicle, shaking her fist at Luke as he flies past.

WOMAN
I've told you kids to slow down!

Luke pulls up behind a low concrete service station that is all but covered by the shifting desert sands.


INT. POWER STATION - DAY

Luke bursts into the power station, waking The Fixer, a rugged mechanic and Camie, a sexy, disheveled girl who has been asleep in his lap.
They grumbled as he races through the office, yelling wildly.

FIXER
Did I hear a young noise blast
through here?

CAMIE
It was just Wormie on another
rampage.

Luke bounces into a small room behind the office where Deak and Windy, two tough boys about the same age as Luke, are playing a computer pool-like game with Biggs, a burly, handsome boy a few years older than the rest. His flashy city attire is a sharp contrast to the loose-fitting tunics of the farm boys. A robot repairs some equipment in the background.

LUKE
Shape it up you guys!... Biggs?

Luke's surprise at the appearance of Biggs gives way to
great joy and emotion. They give each other a great bear hug.

LUKE
I didn't know you were back!
When did you get in?

BIGGS
Just now. I wanted to surprise
you, hot shot. I thought you'd be
here... certainly didn't expect
you to be out working.
(laughs)

LUKE
The Academy didn't change you
much... but you're back so soon?
Hey, what happened, didn't you get
your commission?


Biggs has an air of cool that seems slightly phony.

BIGGS
Of course I got it. Signed
aboard The Rand Ecliptic last week.
First mate Biggs Darklighter at
your service...
(he salutes)
... I just came back to say goodbye
to all you unfortunate landlocked
simpletons.

Everyone laughs. The dazzling spectacle of his dashing friend is almost too much for Luke, but suddenly he snaps out of it.

LUKE
I almost forgot. There's a battle
going on! Right here in our system.
Come and look!

DEAK
Not again! Forget it.


EXT. TATOOINE - ANCHORHEAD - SETTLEMENT - POWER STATION - DAY

The group stumbles out into the stifling desert sun. Camie and The Fixer complain and are forced to shade their eyes. Luke has his binoculars out scanning the heavens.

LUKE
There they are!

Biggs takes the electrobinoculars from Luke as the others strain to see something with the naked eye. Through the electrobinoculars Biggs sees two small silver specks.

BIGGS
That's no battle, hot shot... they're
just sitting there! Probably a
freighter-tanker refueling.

LUKE
But there was a lot of firing
earlier...

Camie grabs the electrobinoculars away banging them against the building in the process. Luke grabs them.

LUKE
Hey, easy with those...

CAMIE
Don't worry about it, Wormie.

The Fixer gives Luke a hard look and the young farm boy
shrugs his shoulders in resignation.

FIXER
I keep telling you, the Rebellion
is a long way from here. I doubt
if the Empire would even fight to
keep this system. Believe me Luke,
this planet is a big hunk of nothing...

Luke agrees, although it's obvious he isn't sure why. The
group stumbles back into the power station, grumbling about
Luke's ineptitude.



INT. REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER - HALLWAY

Princess Leia is led down a low-ceilinged hallway by a squad of armored stormtroopers. Her hands are bound and she is brutally shoved when she is unable to keep up with the briskly marching troops. They stop in a smoky hallway as Darth Vader emerges from the shadows. The sinister Dark Lord stares hard at the frail young senator, but she doesn't move.

LEIA



And later...


EXT. TATOOINE - DUNE SEA

Threepio, hot and tired, struggles up over the ridge of a dune: only to find more dunes, which seem to go on for endless miles. He looks back in the direction of the now distant rock mesas.

THREEPIO
That malfunctioning little twerp.
This is all his fault! He tricked
me into going this way, but he'll
do no better.

In a huff of anger and frustration, Threepio knocks the sand from his joints. His plight seems hopeless, when a glint of reflected light in the distance reveals an object moving towards him.

THREEPIO
Wait, what's that? A transport!
I'm saved!

The bronze android waves frantically and yells at the approaching transport.

THREEPIO
Over here! Help! Please, help!

EXT. TATOOINE - ANCHORHEAD SETTLEMENT - POWER STATION - DAY

Luke and Biggs are walking and drinking a malt brew. Fixer and the others can be heard working inside.

LUKE
(Very animated)
... so I cut off my power, shut down
the afterburners and came in low on
Deak's trail. I was so close I
thought I was going to fry my
instruments. As it was I busted up
the Skyhopper pretty bad. Uncle
Owen was pretty upset. He grounded
me for the rest of the season. You
should have been there... it was
fantastic.

BIGGS
You ought to take it a little easy
Luke. You may be the hottest
bushpilot this side of Mos Eisley,
but those little Skyhoppers are
dangerous. Keep it up, and one day,
whammo, you're going to be nothing
more than a dark spot on the down
side of a canyon wall.

LUKE
Look who's talking. Now that
you've been around those giant
starships you're beginning to sound
like my uncle. You've gotten soft
in the city...

BIGGS
I've missed you kid.

LUKE
Well, things haven't been the same
since you left, Biggs. It's been
so...quiet.

Biggs looks around then leans close to Luke.

BIGGS
Luke, I didn't come back just to
say goodbye... I shouldn't tell
you this, but you're the only one
I can trust... and if I don't come
back, I want somebody to know.

Luke's eyes are wide with Biggs' seriousness and loyalty.

LUKE
What are you talking about?

BIGGS
I made some friends at the Academy.
(he whispers)
... when our frigate goes to one
of the central systems, we're going
to jump ship and join the Alliance...

Luke, amazed and stunned, is almost speechless.

LUKE
Join the Rebellion?! Are you
kidding! How?

BIGGS
Quiet down will ya! You got a
mouth bigger than a meteor crater!

LUKE
I'm sorry. I'm quiet.
(he whispers)
Listen how quiet I am. You can
barely hear me...

Biggs shakes his head angrily and then continues.

BIGGS
My friend has a friend on Bestine
who might help us make contact.

LUKE
You're crazy! You could wander
around forever trying to find them.

BIGGS
I know it's a long shot, but if
I don't find them I'll do what I
can on my own... It's what we
always talked about. Luke, I'm
not going to wait for the Empire to
draft me into service. The Rebellion
is spreading and I want to be on the
right side - the side I believe in.

LUKE
And I'm stuck here...

BIGGS
I thought you were going to the
Academy next term. You'll get your
chance to get off this rock.

LUKE
Not likely! I had to cancel my
application. There has been a lot
of unrest among the Sand People since
you left... they've even raided
the outskirts of Anchorhead.

BIGGS
Your uncle could hold off a whole
colony of Sand People with one blaster.

LUKE
I know, but he's got enough vaporators
going to make the place pay off. He
needs me for just one more season.
I can't leave him now.

BIGGS
I feel for you, Luke, you're going
to have to learn what seems to be
important or what really is important.
What good is all your uncle's work if
it's taken over by the Empire?... You
know they're starting to nationalize
commerce in the central systems...
it won't be long before your uncle
is merely a tenant, slaving for the
greater glory of the Empire.

LUKE
It couldn't happen here. You said
it yourself. The Empire won't bother
with this rock.

BIGGS
Things always change.

LUKE
I wish I was going... Are you
going to be around long?

BIGGS
No, I'm leaving in the morning...

LUKE
Then I guess I won't see you.

BIGGS
Maybe someday... I'll keep a
lookout.

LUKE
Well, I'll be at the Academy next
season... after that who knows. I
won't be drafted into the Imperial
Starfleet that's for sure... Take
care of yourself, you'll always be
the best friend I've got.

BIGGS
So long, Luke.

Biggs turns away from his old friend and heads back towards the power station.


EXT. TATOOINE - ROCK CANYON - SUNSET

The gargantuan rock formations are shrouded in a strange
foreboding mist and the ominous sounds of unearthly creatures fill the air. Artoo moves cautiously through the creepy rock canyon, inadvertently making a loud clicking noise as he goes. He hears a distant, hard, metallic sound and stops for a moment. Convinced he is alone, he continues on his way.

In the distance, a pebble tumbles down the steep canyon wall and a small dark figure darts into the shadows. A little further up the canyon a slight flicker of light reveals a pair of eyes in the dark recesses only a few feet from the narrow path.

The unsuspecting robot waddles along the rugged trail until suddenly, out of nowhere, a powerful magnetic ray shoots out of the rocks and engulfs him in an eerie glow.

He manages one short electronic squeak before he topples over onto his back. His bright computer lights flicker off, then on, then off again. Out of the rocks scurry three Jawas, no taller than Artoo. They holster strange and complex weapons as they cautiously approach the robot. They wear grubby cloaks and their faces are shrouded so that only their glowing yellow eyes can be seen. They hiss and make odd guttural sounds as they heave the heavy robot onto their shoulders and carry him off down the trail.


The "dream" that some of us had that Lucas was going to release these and other scenes in better quality for the 30th anniversary obviously was just wishful thinking.

So why insert such scenes? It might seem blasphemous if we're used to the traditional way the movies are, but this is an edit, so it's not as if that line hasn't already been crossed. Anyhow, it introduces Luke earlier than before, and it gives us some more of Luke's backstory, talks more about the Empire's oppression and life on Tatooine. It gives us more development for Biggs and why he (and the other types of young men who join the Rebellion) does what he does. It lends more emotional weight then to his death at the end of the movie. Lucas already inserted one of his scenes, these other two give us a lot more.

I look forward to the day when some edit of the movies includes these scenes...
Post
#293577
Topic
STAR WARS: EP IV 2004 <strong>REVISITED</strong> ADYWAN *<em>1080p HD VERSION NOW IN PRODUCTION</em>
Time
I think folks are still misunderstanding me, but here I'll post the details from this already released project. It's your choice of course, but read it over... I'm NOT talking about pasting the Behind the Magic clips in as is. I'm talking about MoveAlong's conversion of the scenes to an acceptable format on DVD:

From here:

Video Format: MPEG2 NTSC and PAL Anamorphic Widescreen
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio Format: Dolby Digital 1.0 448kbps
Size: 1.91 GB (NTSC) and 1.92 GB (PAL)


Included in the PAL & NTSC .img disc images are the following:

1. VIDEO_TS folder
2. AUDIO_TS folder
3. JACKET_P folder
4. DVD_ROM folder including:
- High quality disc and cover art by Coov
- Extracted "Behind The Magic" cd-rom material


In 1998, four of Star Wars' deleted scenes were released for the first time on the now out of print "Behind The Magic" cd-rom. These scenes were presented in very low quality, being limited by the cd-rom medium's capabilities. However, despite the poor quality, these "lost" scenes hold a special place in every serious Star Wars fan's consciousness. Up until now, the best way to view these scenes in their unedited entirety was to view the BTM cd-rom. With BTM long out of print, these scenes have essentially become "lost" again. The purpose of this DVD is to allow viewing of these scenes on the most appropriate device, a widescreen television.

Technical Notes:

Using information from the technical forum, these four scenes' raw files were extracted from BTM in ZNM format. Using grisc on each ZNM, each scene's individual frames were extracted as PNG stills along with corresponding WAV files. These files are as close to the original cd-rom material as possible.

Each lost scene on BTM runs at roughly 12fps. For television viewing, each frame was doubled and an image sequence was created running at 24fps. The image sequence was then exported and resized for anamorphic 2.35:1 and then letterboxed for 16:9. This was done for both PAL and NTSC and then framerates were conformed to 25fps and 23.98fps, respectively. Each file was then taken into a video editor and fade in/outs were added. A lossless video codec was used at every step until encoding to MPEG2 and every original frame is presented completely.

Work done on each scene:

TREADWELL - Each still frame was cropped from 640x272 to 616x256 to eliminate black borders.

TOSCHE STATION 1 & 2 - Nothing. Each still frame 640x272.

CANTINA - Each still frame was cropped from 624x416 to 616x257 to eliminate black borders and the ridiculous additional SE material at the bottom of each frame. The original Cantina frame area was also surprisingly interlaced. A de-interlacing filter was applied to remedy this. Han's line "I don't have it with me. Tell Jabba..." was moved forward in the timeline for better sync.

Tools Used (Mac OS X unless otherwise noted):

grisc (Windows)
Photoshop
Renamer4Mac
Quicktime Pro
Cinema Tools
Final Cut Pro
Compressor
A. Pack
Illustrator
DVD Studio Pro
NFO Creator (Windows)

In making this DVD, I attempted to present these scenes as close to the source material as possible. I did not try to perform any major restoration or clean-up. The frames are very pixelated and have tons of dirt and scratches on them. Both BTM discs' extracted raw contents are included in the DVD-ROM section. The source material is in there for anyone with the desire and skill to restore these frames. I would be interested to see what someone could do with this. I personally like the feel of the dirt and scratches so my work is done...



You commented on boba feta's restoration work on these scenes (cleaning up those dirt flecks and scratches), ady, back in March. On page two of that thread, pittrek also comments that he's doing a restoration of the deleted scenes.

Check this restored clip out too.


My advice, is to at least watch this disc before it's dismissed out of hand...
Post
#293532
Topic
STAR WARS: EP IV 2004 <strong>REVISITED</strong> ADYWAN *<em>1080p HD VERSION NOW IN PRODUCTION</em>
Time
I'm not talking about adding in faded, black and white footage for the hell of it, I'm talking about THIS.


The scenes look better than they do on BTM and are already anamorphic, I was saying use those two scenes with Biggs in them.

He's not going to have it finished for another 3 1/2 months right? So what's the hurry?

It's just a suggestion, in the end. Nobody has yet released an edit of Star Wars with those scenes re-inserted....


Post
#293499
Topic
STAR WARS: EP IV 2004 <strong>REVISITED</strong> ADYWAN *<em>1080p HD VERSION NOW IN PRODUCTION</em>
Time
As long as the project isn't coming out for awhile, is there any chance (or has this already been done) of any of the classic "Deleted Scenes" being re-inserted into this cut of ANH?

I'm thinking of the scenes on the "Lost Scenes" fan disc that was recently released... like a cleaned up version of the two "biggs" scenes on Tatooine? If you wonder where to insert those into the movie, check the screenplay.

Just a thought!
Post
#293330
Topic
Idea &amp; Info: Highlander (1985) US theatrical cut, anyone?
Time
Apparently it's a bunch of things... the buzz Immortals feel when another of their kind is near, the energy release that happens when one is beheaded, the ability to feel at one with living things around them (the stag) and the power that makes them immortal itself. Highlander 2 attempts to expand upon this by showing it as a power that "binds" Connor and Ramirez together beyond life and death. There's also a scene in the first movie that makes me think there is some kind of "coming of age" that each Immortal experiences when they are struck by lightning that could be called "the quickening" (unless the scene I'm thinking of is just Ramirez having Connor struck by natural lightning to show him what the real "Quickening" will feel like when he beheads another Immortal, as part of his training).


But as the movies and series progress, it becomes such that "The Quickening" is just an electrical storm when an Immortal gets killed in proximety to another.



Other differences between the US theatrical cut and the Director's cut on DVD (besides those already mentioned), from memory:

The final Quickening is modified. In the original you can barely make out the wires that are lifting Christopher Lambert into the air. In the DC, extra lightning effects were layered over them to cover up the wires, and some extra CG pyrotechnics were added forming a circle around him at various points. The Kurgan's head actually falls off in the original and you see energy underneath it. In the DC his head starts to "crack" from the cut in it and then it pauses as energy surges out of it (like glowing blood or something) and you hear a supernatural "woooO" type sound effect.

The "buzz" of the Immortals is modified. You hear a characteristic humming helicopter (hard to describe) sound effect when Immortals are near each other (for instance in the scene near the beginning where Connor stops suddenly in the parking garage and then steps on a coke can, originally there was no extra sound effect, the "buzz" we hear was inserted, to make it more consistent with the TV series that always plays some sound effect to notify the viewer that Immortals are sensing each other). Originally you had to just go by the acting alone.

The first Quickening is modified. In the DC version, the energy of the quickening that surrounds Fasil's body and levitates it actually forms a "phantom head" (where his head used to be) made out of energy, that wasn't there before.

When Kurgan beheads Ramirez, there's a series of whooshing crackling sound effects that weren't there before. Originally there was just some normal lightning flashes in the background and he's shivering with the unseen power.


But yeah, otherwise it's just spliced in footage from the European/Japanese versions, the removal of the scene of Bedsoe burning himself in his car and the voice over "I want to go home."


What should be preserved is the "making of" featurette that is featured on the recent European "Immortal Edition" set but not the US Immortal Edition (that came out earlier).

Speaking of extras, many pages of publicity still images and script pics from the Laserdisc version were copied over to the 1997 DVD but not the Immortal Edition (due to a glitch, they would speed by the viewer ultra fast, making them impossible to read unless you paused and did frame by frame, rather than the slideshow they were intended to be), also the quality was poor.

The Laserdisc edition supposedly also included a "3D connor macleod sword model" that you could view on the disc, but I never saw what they were talking about.

If somebody wanted to throw those onto a "bonus disc" that would be worth seeing.


Also, I haven't watched the 1997 DVD in years, but some folks claimed, when the Immortal Edition came out, that the new version's audio wasn't quite as good, but I couldn't really tell a difference (I don't have good equipment, I still watch my movies on my computer).
Post
#293184
Topic
The Mono Mix Restoration Project (Released)
Time
Originally posted by: Darth Mallwalker
Read the .NFO file.



Roger that, now that I've downloaded it, I see I've gotta grab yet another application to expand it. Got that, done.

Thanks!


I can't wait to listen to this synched up to my 2006 disc... and I look forward to seeing it as an alternate track on any future "restoration"
Star Wars discs! Now somebody needs to do the 6 channel version...
Post
#293183
Topic
Phineasbg/ HIGHLANDER II: Extended Versions (Released)
Time
First off I'm grateful for the efforts, and grateful for the folks who are willing to mail these out for free!

As for my feedback on the cuts:

To be honest, I always felt the "Fairytale ending" was part of the movie and should have been included (or the option to watch it WITH the rest of the movie) in either version.

The "extended Fairytale ending" was cool, but I could tell immediately which parts were fan made from the "Special Edition" cut footage (where Lambert is just on wires in front of a blue screen) because it appears purple, whereas the original (European theatrical/TV cut) footage was blue. So that could be worked on a bit.


I was glad to see all the Zeistian footage, some of it I hadn't seen in years, since my pan 'n' scan impulse buy VHS experience back in 1993! And there some I don't remember ever having seen before...

I wish somebody had cut the stupid "bang against the wall" scene. That always bugged me. Ah well. There's always "the Serious Edition."

What is it about this (bad) movie that keeps me coming back for more?

Ah well, D/P owes us for all the years of annoyance... fanedits keep it tolerable.

So great job overall, but a few tweaks and it could really be great!
Post
#293182
Topic
'The Matrix Squared' Question
Time
Thanks for the help guys but I figured out what was wrong.

First off two of the rars of the pars were corrupt. I re-downloaded them and all was well.

Then I realized that I didn't put all the rars AND the numbered rars in the same folder while running quickpar. Once I did that, I was able to rebuild the ISO from them flawlessly and it burned great.


Sorry for not posting here to say I'd solved the problem! And thanks for the assistance.

Let's just say it takes real dedicated to get a fan edit this way... or else a great way to get rapidshare subscriptions (I'm just too cheap to download a fanedit when I own all the movies it's based on already).
Post
#293160
Topic
STAR WARS: EP IV 2004 <strong>REVISITED</strong> ADYWAN *<em>1080p HD VERSION NOW IN PRODUCTION</em>
Time
Originally posted by: adywan
OK, just a quick update with a bit of good news. I've worked my ass off this week and got hell of a lot done. the good news is that i now only have just under 15 minutes of footage left to finish (apart from the credits) and then its on to the audio. That should work out to hitting the November deadline if no problems arise. I still definitely need this last hard drive though. I'm still £40 short. The FX work for the Death Star battle is eating up the hard drive space. One shot had almost 70 layers which resulted in a huge file. But it looks great. Just think Jedi battle and that'll give you some idea. With all this rolling along there could well be a brand new trailer coming out real soon




That's great news! Hopefully you won't have another catastrophic hard drive failure in the next 3 1/2 months (fingers crossed)...

Just in time for my birthday.
Post
#292521
Topic
'The Matrix Squared' Question
Time
Well the webmaster insists that all the files are fine and repeated back to me the "instructions" on the page. I guess all try downloading all 449 mb worth of rar files again. *sigh*



The trouble is that one of the files within the rars is corrupt. The same file is present in all five of the rars that have the par files... and it's corrupt in every single one of them. Winrar reports an invalid CRC. So it can't extract, meaning quickpar will always says 2227 blocks are "missing" and can't build the iso file. It's hopeless...


I don't know what to do with all these numbered files otherwise. It's not simply a matter of unraring them, because they're not rar files (rar, r00, r01, etc) but just numbered (001, 002, 003, etc). Somehow I'm supposed to combine them...


I haven't a clue! Ah, for the simplicity of torrents...

Interestingly, I can drop any of these numbered files into media player classic and watch them (they're anywhere from 1-4 minutes long) in perfect clarity. I just can't join them all together into a burnable DVD.
Post
#292386
Topic
Phineasbg/ HIGHLANDER II: Extended Versions (Released)
Time
Hooray! I opened my mail to find the special zeist edition and the extended version finished d/ling.

I will be sure to share these with my friends. Wow, some of these clips I had never seen before.

Wonderful job to the editing crew...!

Thank you to everyone who helped out so I could finally see these efforts.... hooray for fan edits and this community!



I eagerly anticipate some cool covers to print for these...
Post
#291735
Topic
Idea: &quot;Grayson&quot; (Untamed Cinema) - an Edit on DVD?
Time

I’m sure many of you are familar with the “Grayson” trailer that was made some time ago for a movie that will never
see the light of day (but what a concept!).

Check it out here:

[url]http://www.untamedcinema.com/[/url]

I was wondering if this was ever put on a fan dvd or if it ever could be?

That would be awesome. I’d love to show it to a friend of mine but he only has dialup…

Post
#291472
Topic
Help: looking for... &quot;Highlander 2: Special Zeist Edition&quot;?
Time
It seems Demonid is the problem.

Is there any other way to get files except from them? They're always down and I'm not a member (and never will be unless I can catch the site when it's actually up).


And yes, I did catch it just now, but here's what it says:

June 26

We had a system problem which will force us to restore everything from backup.
The disks are pretty much empty right now and until we are able to upload the backup and set up everything up, we have to close down.

We.ll be back as soon as possible. Sorry for the inconvenience.

June 27

We were planning on returning online in the next few hours - probably tomorrow afternoon. But due some recent events, and following the advice of a lot of you, we will make a few more changes that might take a few days longer. As always, thanks for you continued support and patience. For the ones wondering, the timing of the downtime was coincidental.

Edit: We are currently performing some changes to the servers. Complete blackouts are to be expected.


So no registration for me!

Argh... is there no other way to download except through that site? Could somebody post on here when the site is up?
At least I'd know what's going on... and why I can never load their page.