E3 has come and gone. Big console news was announced, games were revealed, fanboys have been baited, and the dust is settling. With arguments back and forth about who won, Microsoft or Sony (Sony), the power of Nintendo has crept by, seemingly unnoticed. I'm here to tell you a truth, however. Despite all the fan fare and chest pounding of some of the big names out there, we all recognize one absolute truth.
Nintendo gets to us all.
The first system I owned was an N64 that my parents bought us one summer. One Christmas, my grandparents sent the money that got Kyle and I GameBoys. Some years later, my brother and I bought a PS2 a little after it came out. I then saved up and bought myself a Gamecube. When the Nintendo Wii was released, it was my Christmas present one year. I would go on to buy DS. This last semester, I bought the 3DS. Nintendo has been a part of my gaming log book for years, and that won't soon change.
My story isn't unique. Look at some of the big YouTubers out there who play games and a lot of them can tell you about their times with Nintendo. That is Nintendo's biggest strength. They become a part of your life. The characters in their games are as much a part of your childhood as Snow White and the Trix Rabbit. For many of us, Nintendo has always been there.
And they always will. This last E3 showing, and their 3DS focused Nintendo Direct, has shown how much fight is still in this company. So often we see others who want to write them off as a casual company, pronouncing casual with the same tone they might describe dog vomit. Yet despite that, the Wii was a massive seller, the 3DS is the most prominent handheld system, and fans across the globe still rally to them. For some reason, Nintendo has always been slow of the gate with their releases. The Wii U's launch line up was pretty paltry, as was the 3DS's. The same can be said of the Wii, and the Gamecube. But we've seen what Nintendo has up its sleeves and what they can do with their IPs.
Nintendo really is a creeping curse, a shadow that slips past all the hustle and bustle that comes with much of the gaming industry. And they do it in the most ethical way possible, by creating great games and being a company that is endearing. Though they tend to hash out their same franchises over and over, you can always expect real quality out of them. Reggie Fils-Aime, head of Nintendo of America, is a well known face in gaming and is often very vocal about the company. There are countless interviews with him talking about the passion he has for games. He was recently quoted as saying that if developers wanted to cut down on used game sales issues, then they needed to make better games. A ballsy statement, but one that Nintendo often backs up.
The reason I'm talking about this is two-fold. The first being, I was skeptical about the Wii U. In all honesty, it seemed gimiky and with little value. But like always, I'm seeing what Nintendo is putting out of it, the development and games going into it, and I have to say I am interested. In time, I will probably end up buying one. Take this as a recommendation from me to look into the system at a later date. Second, I look at this as an amazing trend in the industry and indicative of who we are as consumers. We walk a fine line. Companies like Nintendo don't venture into new IPs very often, and we don't fault them too greatly for it, but others send out similar games and they become the villains. As consumers, our dollar has a lot of power, unfortunately, I don't know where to tell you to use it. While it is true that we shouldn't buy up every shoddy sequel that comes out, how can we tell what makes a Good sequel? Do we wish that companies would only make one of any title? Who knows? But what I can say is this. There are some companies that we can turst and some that we know will turn out good products. No matter what and fanboys, haters, or PC master race says, Nintendo is here to stay and will continue to influence gaming for years to come.
Now I just want a new iteration in the Mischief Makers franchise.
Just something to chew on.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Sunday, June 16, 2013
What's In A Second?
Well, thanks to my friend Patrick, I've found myself digging deeper into the gaming world. I have bit the bullet and began playing League of Legends. With it, I have begun to recognize some important components of game design. Comparing it against some other games that I have played, I have noticed something interesting.
A lot can happen in one second.
League of Legends is packed with spells and actions that last only one second. Some of the unique spells can last as long as 3.5 seconds. Now this doesn't seem like a long time to those outside the game, but in League, 3.5 seconds can be an eternity. What we see in this game is how much can be packed into a few seconds.
One of my first, and still favorite champions, is a girl named Annie. She builds a stun that lasts 1.75 seconds. In that time, games can be won or lost. Her spells allow for plenty of damage in a short time, and in a team fight, if you catch a few champions with it, an entire team can be wiped out. But look again, that's not even two seconds. What this illustrates is how important managing the flow of a fight can be. Riot, the company that develops League, makes its players capitalize on the short bit of time that is given to them.
In gaming, the flow of the game is crucial. The players need to feel in control at all times. In Annie's case, her stun takes away that control and can change up how the game plays. Many other champions have similar abilities. Another champion of mine, Morgana, has a spell that holds opponents in place, though they can still attack. The two are used in different ways to change the game. To players, time is essential.
As a facet of game design, understanding how players use the time and the breaks you give them is necessary to getting to the heart of how your game is played. If there is wasted time, or time that is used unfairly, the player feels cheated. Look at Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Nintendo Wii and 3DS. This game shows how time can be used incorrectly. In some levels, platforms fall from the sky. When I was playing, I noticed that there were times I had to wait for the platform to fall because I had made it to the section faster than the developers had anticipated. Because of this, I had to wait for one or two seconds for the next to fall. For me, this broke my flow in those levels and sometimes ended up causing me to fail. Instead of rewarding the player for reaching an area faster, he or she is punished with either wasted time, or if they tried to continue early, failure. The developers did not understand how time influenced their players.
While there is a major difference between MOBAs like League and Platformers like Donkey Kong, the same principle holds to each. Time is a resource for the player and when they can't use it like they want, there is an issue. This isn't to say that the player should always be allowed to do as they please when they please, it is important to note that they should never feel like their investment is being ignored. In League, when a stun or other spell influences their play, they know that the developers knew how long it would take and thus they can relax a little. It wasn't the game just wasting time, there was a reason. Donkey Kong could take some notes.
I'm sure that I could spin this idea into some life lessons, but we'll leave that for another day.
Just something to chew on.
PS. I've started another blog called Pipes and Poetry as a place to just throw around some new writing. It is mostly just emotion and whatever I happen to be feeling, so don't give it too much credence as I write. It's more for me than anything else.
A lot can happen in one second.
League of Legends is packed with spells and actions that last only one second. Some of the unique spells can last as long as 3.5 seconds. Now this doesn't seem like a long time to those outside the game, but in League, 3.5 seconds can be an eternity. What we see in this game is how much can be packed into a few seconds.
One of my first, and still favorite champions, is a girl named Annie. She builds a stun that lasts 1.75 seconds. In that time, games can be won or lost. Her spells allow for plenty of damage in a short time, and in a team fight, if you catch a few champions with it, an entire team can be wiped out. But look again, that's not even two seconds. What this illustrates is how important managing the flow of a fight can be. Riot, the company that develops League, makes its players capitalize on the short bit of time that is given to them.
In gaming, the flow of the game is crucial. The players need to feel in control at all times. In Annie's case, her stun takes away that control and can change up how the game plays. Many other champions have similar abilities. Another champion of mine, Morgana, has a spell that holds opponents in place, though they can still attack. The two are used in different ways to change the game. To players, time is essential.
As a facet of game design, understanding how players use the time and the breaks you give them is necessary to getting to the heart of how your game is played. If there is wasted time, or time that is used unfairly, the player feels cheated. Look at Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Nintendo Wii and 3DS. This game shows how time can be used incorrectly. In some levels, platforms fall from the sky. When I was playing, I noticed that there were times I had to wait for the platform to fall because I had made it to the section faster than the developers had anticipated. Because of this, I had to wait for one or two seconds for the next to fall. For me, this broke my flow in those levels and sometimes ended up causing me to fail. Instead of rewarding the player for reaching an area faster, he or she is punished with either wasted time, or if they tried to continue early, failure. The developers did not understand how time influenced their players.
While there is a major difference between MOBAs like League and Platformers like Donkey Kong, the same principle holds to each. Time is a resource for the player and when they can't use it like they want, there is an issue. This isn't to say that the player should always be allowed to do as they please when they please, it is important to note that they should never feel like their investment is being ignored. In League, when a stun or other spell influences their play, they know that the developers knew how long it would take and thus they can relax a little. It wasn't the game just wasting time, there was a reason. Donkey Kong could take some notes.
I'm sure that I could spin this idea into some life lessons, but we'll leave that for another day.
Just something to chew on.
PS. I've started another blog called Pipes and Poetry as a place to just throw around some new writing. It is mostly just emotion and whatever I happen to be feeling, so don't give it too much credence as I write. It's more for me than anything else.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Sex Re-Education
There is so much about sex that we don't understand as a culture. We have conflicting ideas on homosexuality, premarital sex, marital commitment, and personal gratification. Christians can site various studies about sexual satisfaction, and those on the other side have their claims. I can make no claim about knowing the intimate details of sex, but I have been doing my research into the concept as a whole. I want to look at one idea today.
Marriage isn't a restriction.
I've heard the argument that no one should have to wait for a ticket from the church, claiming their marriage as true, to have sex. Especially for those who are atheists this claims seems to be a bit outlandish. And I would be inclined to agree. There is nothing specific about the paper you get from a church that makes the sex you have with your spouse that much more legitimate than with anyone else. Note that I am saying that the paper has no significance.
What does have significance is the claim made with it. Marriage is a promise to be true to the one you are with. With the free-wheeling sex that is so common on the bar scenes these days, there is no real commitment to it. Even between those who claim to love each other, there is not that permanent commitment. Marriage is taking a vow that says you will stay with this person for the rest of your life. That makes sex a gift between husband and wife that will not be shared with anyone else.
In theory.
The thing is, with the cultural idea with sex being skewed, our views on marriage are just as messed up. Marriage was supposed to be a permanent bond between a man and a woman. That was the reason they were "allowed" to have sex. They would be wholly committed to each other. These days, that idea has died. Marriage is seen as a temporary thing, able to be picked up and dropped at our leisure. If we are unsatisfied with whatever situation we are in, we can get out and find something new.
With this change, that commitment expected for sex that comes from marriage is null. So to think that they need to make a commitment to have sex is irrational, at least in their minds. This is where the disconnect comes from. What we need to do as a society of Christians is address the real issues. These are the value of intimacy, the power of commitment, and the satisfaction that comes from deep connections physically and emotionally. Too often we yell about not having sex without getting the real mindset change that needs to precede it.
Also, I was going to call this article "Ticket to Ride" but that was just trashy.
Just something to chew on.
Marriage isn't a restriction.
I've heard the argument that no one should have to wait for a ticket from the church, claiming their marriage as true, to have sex. Especially for those who are atheists this claims seems to be a bit outlandish. And I would be inclined to agree. There is nothing specific about the paper you get from a church that makes the sex you have with your spouse that much more legitimate than with anyone else. Note that I am saying that the paper has no significance.
What does have significance is the claim made with it. Marriage is a promise to be true to the one you are with. With the free-wheeling sex that is so common on the bar scenes these days, there is no real commitment to it. Even between those who claim to love each other, there is not that permanent commitment. Marriage is taking a vow that says you will stay with this person for the rest of your life. That makes sex a gift between husband and wife that will not be shared with anyone else.
In theory.
The thing is, with the cultural idea with sex being skewed, our views on marriage are just as messed up. Marriage was supposed to be a permanent bond between a man and a woman. That was the reason they were "allowed" to have sex. They would be wholly committed to each other. These days, that idea has died. Marriage is seen as a temporary thing, able to be picked up and dropped at our leisure. If we are unsatisfied with whatever situation we are in, we can get out and find something new.
With this change, that commitment expected for sex that comes from marriage is null. So to think that they need to make a commitment to have sex is irrational, at least in their minds. This is where the disconnect comes from. What we need to do as a society of Christians is address the real issues. These are the value of intimacy, the power of commitment, and the satisfaction that comes from deep connections physically and emotionally. Too often we yell about not having sex without getting the real mindset change that needs to precede it.
Also, I was going to call this article "Ticket to Ride" but that was just trashy.
Just something to chew on.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
150 Hours of Bus
How would you like to drive a bus for over one hundred hours? Through a desert? That pulls to the right? And you can't stop? And it can stall on the side? It sounds awful right? Well, what if it was with a bunch of your friends? Will all kinds of goofy hats and costumes? And phone calls from friends that you work with? And guests that show up every now and again? And you're supported by a bunch of different businesses. And you keep a running video feed and chat with the internet? And it's for a good cause?
This is what Desert Bus for Hope is all about.
In 2007 the group behind the popular video series, Loading Ready Run, started a charity drive for by playing the horrible game Desert Bus for as long as they had supports and donations. They broadcast their self-induced torment to the world to help raise money. They've been doing this every year since, raising nearly one million dollars in six years, and bringing in countless celebrities and personalities to help their cause.
The reason I bring this up is because Desert Bus for Hope is happening again, right now. This is the first time I've actually watched it, but it's been incredibly entertaining. But behind all the crazy voices, ridiculous hats, and generally goofy acting, I really appreciate what they are doing.
The organization that they are raising money for is Child's Play. This charity was founded by the guys behind PennyArcade. The goal is to make the lives of hospitalized children better by providing toys and games for them. They are also out to crush the stereotype that gamers are all antisocial, maladjusted, adult children. And the results speak for themselves. Child's Play has raised somewhere over 12 million dollars to date.
The Loading Ready Run crew might not be known for being the smartest comedy, but they are entertaining. They've been working and growing for years and now reach a wide audience. And what are they doing with their influence? They're working to better life for others. The reason I want promote their work is for the same reason Child's Play was instituted.
The world of gaming is as wide and varied as that in TV or film. There are good people. There are stupid people. And unfortunately, the stupid people seem to get a lot of the recognition. But the community has a deep soul to it. First and foremost, we are all human. We are not some monstrous entity made of immaturity and Mountain Dew.
I would invite you all to check out Desert Bus for Hope and consider supporting then. If nothing else, you can enjoy their antics. But I hope you see the real reasons behind it all. They've already spent over a day playing.
I'm so getting quarantined for all this steaming.
Just something to chew on.
This is what Desert Bus for Hope is all about.
In 2007 the group behind the popular video series, Loading Ready Run, started a charity drive for by playing the horrible game Desert Bus for as long as they had supports and donations. They broadcast their self-induced torment to the world to help raise money. They've been doing this every year since, raising nearly one million dollars in six years, and bringing in countless celebrities and personalities to help their cause.
The reason I bring this up is because Desert Bus for Hope is happening again, right now. This is the first time I've actually watched it, but it's been incredibly entertaining. But behind all the crazy voices, ridiculous hats, and generally goofy acting, I really appreciate what they are doing.
The organization that they are raising money for is Child's Play. This charity was founded by the guys behind PennyArcade. The goal is to make the lives of hospitalized children better by providing toys and games for them. They are also out to crush the stereotype that gamers are all antisocial, maladjusted, adult children. And the results speak for themselves. Child's Play has raised somewhere over 12 million dollars to date.
The Loading Ready Run crew might not be known for being the smartest comedy, but they are entertaining. They've been working and growing for years and now reach a wide audience. And what are they doing with their influence? They're working to better life for others. The reason I want promote their work is for the same reason Child's Play was instituted.
The world of gaming is as wide and varied as that in TV or film. There are good people. There are stupid people. And unfortunately, the stupid people seem to get a lot of the recognition. But the community has a deep soul to it. First and foremost, we are all human. We are not some monstrous entity made of immaturity and Mountain Dew.
I would invite you all to check out Desert Bus for Hope and consider supporting then. If nothing else, you can enjoy their antics. But I hope you see the real reasons behind it all. They've already spent over a day playing.
I'm so getting quarantined for all this steaming.
Just something to chew on.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Whose Freewill is it Anyway?
If there is one sure fire way to get Christians arguing, it's to bring up the ideas of predestination and freewill. Typically everyone in the argument will be on one side or the other. Either God has predestined everything in your life to happen and you have no control over what goes on, or you have the freedom to choose where your life will take you. This is one of those topics that get everyone riled up, with good reason. I believe, however, that we can approach this a little differently
Life is like a rerun of an improve show.
But before that, let me just address why this is such a major issue for Christians. What it boils down to is an understanding of our purpose on this earth. Each side has its strengths and weaknesses. Predestination offers undisputed confidence that God is controlling everything. They can hold onto the fact that God knows what happens in the next year, the next week, and the next second. The downside to this seems to be that there is no chance for anyone to make a meaningful choice in their lives. God has already chosen who will be saved, who will live and die, who will marry who, everything. The choices that we think we are making amount to nothing really. With that, the idea of why do anything at all starts to creep in. On the other hand, if it is all freewill, then that is all different. The choices we make have impacts on the our lives, and the lives of those around us. Making that choice to become a Christian becomes a herculean effort on our part to align with God. The things in life that we choose have significance then. But that does make it hard to recognize things like God's omniscience. If the choices are our own, made right then and there, then we might end up "surprising" God. If He doesn't already know what we will pick, then are is He really all-knowing? As you can see, there's a lot of theological weight on either side.
Now then, I would guess that most of us have seen the show Whose Line is it Anyway at some point. It is an improve show centered around four actors (Ryan was my favorite) and their host Drew Carey. The actors would get random scenes and personalities to act out for a few minutes. They did their best to be funny and original. It was a great show. The best part, was that Drew the host often didn't know what the actors would do, and his reactions were usually just as riotous as the audience. Even the reruns were good, but there was something different about them. If you had seen it before, then you know what choices the actors were going to make for the skits, even though at the time, the choices were freely chosen and unknown.
That is what I feel our freewill is like to God. God chose from an infinite number of worlds to create the one we live in today. He knew the history and future of each and every world. He experienced it first in His mind, before it was ever created. When He chose our world, God knew what choices we would make and what their outcomes would be. But we still have the freedom to choose.
It is sort of like Merlin from the T.H. White book The Once and Future King. Merlin claimed to live backwards in the book. He knew the choices that Arthur would make, and even the ones that he himself would get into (including being locked in a cave by a crazy ex for years). Everyone still had the freedom to choose their own actions, but Merlin would know what the outcome would be.
Knowledge does not limit the choices available. I can still make my choice even if God knows what it will be. The thing is, He made me free, and He put these opportunities into my life. He wants what's best for me, even if I don't make that choice. I could if I was informed enough, or not so stubborn, but sometimes I chose wrong. This isn't because God destined me to choose wrong, but because He lets me choose. God already knows where humanity is going, we just have to make the choices to get there.
I do wish He had caused me to pick some different friends a few summers back. Wouldn't mind missing that event.
Just something to chew on.
Life is like a rerun of an improve show.
But before that, let me just address why this is such a major issue for Christians. What it boils down to is an understanding of our purpose on this earth. Each side has its strengths and weaknesses. Predestination offers undisputed confidence that God is controlling everything. They can hold onto the fact that God knows what happens in the next year, the next week, and the next second. The downside to this seems to be that there is no chance for anyone to make a meaningful choice in their lives. God has already chosen who will be saved, who will live and die, who will marry who, everything. The choices that we think we are making amount to nothing really. With that, the idea of why do anything at all starts to creep in. On the other hand, if it is all freewill, then that is all different. The choices we make have impacts on the our lives, and the lives of those around us. Making that choice to become a Christian becomes a herculean effort on our part to align with God. The things in life that we choose have significance then. But that does make it hard to recognize things like God's omniscience. If the choices are our own, made right then and there, then we might end up "surprising" God. If He doesn't already know what we will pick, then are is He really all-knowing? As you can see, there's a lot of theological weight on either side.
Now then, I would guess that most of us have seen the show Whose Line is it Anyway at some point. It is an improve show centered around four actors (Ryan was my favorite) and their host Drew Carey. The actors would get random scenes and personalities to act out for a few minutes. They did their best to be funny and original. It was a great show. The best part, was that Drew the host often didn't know what the actors would do, and his reactions were usually just as riotous as the audience. Even the reruns were good, but there was something different about them. If you had seen it before, then you know what choices the actors were going to make for the skits, even though at the time, the choices were freely chosen and unknown.
That is what I feel our freewill is like to God. God chose from an infinite number of worlds to create the one we live in today. He knew the history and future of each and every world. He experienced it first in His mind, before it was ever created. When He chose our world, God knew what choices we would make and what their outcomes would be. But we still have the freedom to choose.
It is sort of like Merlin from the T.H. White book The Once and Future King. Merlin claimed to live backwards in the book. He knew the choices that Arthur would make, and even the ones that he himself would get into (including being locked in a cave by a crazy ex for years). Everyone still had the freedom to choose their own actions, but Merlin would know what the outcome would be.
Knowledge does not limit the choices available. I can still make my choice even if God knows what it will be. The thing is, He made me free, and He put these opportunities into my life. He wants what's best for me, even if I don't make that choice. I could if I was informed enough, or not so stubborn, but sometimes I chose wrong. This isn't because God destined me to choose wrong, but because He lets me choose. God already knows where humanity is going, we just have to make the choices to get there.
I do wish He had caused me to pick some different friends a few summers back. Wouldn't mind missing that event.
Just something to chew on.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Darth Mickey
Lucas Arts was bought out this week by Disney, and I am impressed. That is a big move for the house of mouse, and it'll have a lot of ramifications on the entertainment industry as a whole. The Disney touch will now be on their movies, games, and books. I've heard a lot of fans bemoan the change. For some reason, Star Wars in the hands of George Lucas is a good thing to them. I'm might not agree.
I think this acquisition will open some great doors for fans.
Let's be honest, most of us know that George Lucas is kind of a hack. His first few movies were good because he had good directors who told him when things were stupid. It's pretty common knowledge now that Luke was going to look like Darth Vader in Lucas's original vision, but the director wouldn't let that on set. So Lucas had some major help from the outside. When he got control and started his own work, things get messy fast. Anyone remember the fourth Indiana Jones movie? No, you don't. It never happened. And the prequel trilogy? Another fowl up. George Lucas has been abusing his toys for too long now.
With Disney in control, and the promise already of a new series of Star Wars films, I think there is a lot to look forward to. For starters, Disney is pretty nice to its intellectual property. We heard a lot of complaints when they bought Marvel comics, but look how that has turned out. We've had a run of enjoyable, if generic, superhero movies, and the comic section have continued publishing unhindered. Disney executives didn't charge in and make drastic changes, but they improved on what they had. With all the junk Star Wars has been accumulating, Disney might be the spring cleaning the universe needs.
Along those lines, Disney's production values are phenomenal. The prequels had some glaring issues in production, and faltered because of it. Lucas Art's film section is strong, but they couldn't seem to pull it together in the best ways. Something that always bugged me were the transitions between scenes. This might sound like a small complaint, but it get's bigger if you recognize it. They basically use the same transitions that comes stock in Window's Movie Makers. They have the pinwheel, the box out, even the slide checkerboard. Once you notice it, you can't stop noticing it (which means that I've just ruined the movies even more for you). Disney is held to a higher stander than most, and they'll apply those expectations to the works with the Star Wars franchise.
This might also see a revival in quality Star Wars videogames. The recent releases has been decent, but not as great as they could be. Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bioware's MMO, recently took to the free-to-play model even after saying initially that it would not. With the backing of Disney, developers will have more that they can invest into the projects and have a better end result. We might even see the release of Star Wars: Battlefront 3, which had been canceled, even though it was basically finished, by the president of Lucas Arts two years ago. Fans have been waiting for it, but management decided to shaft the fans.
Star Wars is being brought under the umbrella of one of the most prolific companies we have around. There is so much good that can come from this. Despite the fans woes, I believe this will give Star Wars the new life that it so desperately needs. I would hate to see such a fun franchise go the way of others, becoming hallow shells with no innovation. I expect a great deal of good from this.
And if Darth Vader happens to be in Kingdom Hearts 3, awesome.
Just something to chew on.
I think this acquisition will open some great doors for fans.
Let's be honest, most of us know that George Lucas is kind of a hack. His first few movies were good because he had good directors who told him when things were stupid. It's pretty common knowledge now that Luke was going to look like Darth Vader in Lucas's original vision, but the director wouldn't let that on set. So Lucas had some major help from the outside. When he got control and started his own work, things get messy fast. Anyone remember the fourth Indiana Jones movie? No, you don't. It never happened. And the prequel trilogy? Another fowl up. George Lucas has been abusing his toys for too long now.
With Disney in control, and the promise already of a new series of Star Wars films, I think there is a lot to look forward to. For starters, Disney is pretty nice to its intellectual property. We heard a lot of complaints when they bought Marvel comics, but look how that has turned out. We've had a run of enjoyable, if generic, superhero movies, and the comic section have continued publishing unhindered. Disney executives didn't charge in and make drastic changes, but they improved on what they had. With all the junk Star Wars has been accumulating, Disney might be the spring cleaning the universe needs.
Along those lines, Disney's production values are phenomenal. The prequels had some glaring issues in production, and faltered because of it. Lucas Art's film section is strong, but they couldn't seem to pull it together in the best ways. Something that always bugged me were the transitions between scenes. This might sound like a small complaint, but it get's bigger if you recognize it. They basically use the same transitions that comes stock in Window's Movie Makers. They have the pinwheel, the box out, even the slide checkerboard. Once you notice it, you can't stop noticing it (which means that I've just ruined the movies even more for you). Disney is held to a higher stander than most, and they'll apply those expectations to the works with the Star Wars franchise.
This might also see a revival in quality Star Wars videogames. The recent releases has been decent, but not as great as they could be. Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bioware's MMO, recently took to the free-to-play model even after saying initially that it would not. With the backing of Disney, developers will have more that they can invest into the projects and have a better end result. We might even see the release of Star Wars: Battlefront 3, which had been canceled, even though it was basically finished, by the president of Lucas Arts two years ago. Fans have been waiting for it, but management decided to shaft the fans.
Star Wars is being brought under the umbrella of one of the most prolific companies we have around. There is so much good that can come from this. Despite the fans woes, I believe this will give Star Wars the new life that it so desperately needs. I would hate to see such a fun franchise go the way of others, becoming hallow shells with no innovation. I expect a great deal of good from this.
And if Darth Vader happens to be in Kingdom Hearts 3, awesome.
Just something to chew on.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Character Design: Spontaneous
So some of you might forget that I am actually a professional writer, not just some chump with access to blogspot.com and a keyboard. I forget myself sometimes. I've decided to take a bit of time to stretch my writer's muscles every now and again. So I've decided to start up a recurring section looking at what makes a good character. Usually this will be inspired by whatever I happen to be indulging media wise at the time. Let's get started.
Good characters think on their feet.
Romantic movies and books always point out how women want men to be spontaneous, to do the unexpected. A cute thought, but not what I mean. Spontaneity is the notion of not settling into a routine. That is not, however, what we expect out of a hero. A hero needs to have a plan when there seems like there can be none.
Take Batman. Batman has contingency plans for everything. His main strength, however, is his mind and his ability to think. In his work, if a plan goes wrong, he will be able to think up how to come at the problem from a different angle. Even as plan A fails, plan B is being implemented, plan C prepped, and plan D going into beta. Thinking on his feet is the reason Batman can come out on top.
Now what does this mean for writers? It's all well and good to say that characters need to think on their feet, but how do you put that in as a writer. That comes through in the execution of sequences. Here's what I mean. When crafting a scenario where you the author knows something goes wrong, there needs to be a back up plan that the character can implement later. The mechanics for that have to be in the works before hand as well. That is your job as the writer.
When writing the scene, there can be little indication that there is other plans in the works. It's so tempting to drop little hints that, when looking back, give away what happened. This is a big thing in movies, and can be pretty cool. But most savvy readers can pick up on stuff like that, especially if it is in a suspense or mystery story. That ruins it for them and makes the plot predictable. The goal should be to execute the new plan in a way that seems organic. It should seem to flow from the failed first plot and round out the story.
Surprisingly, Scooby-Doo was great at this. Fred always came up with ingenious (and stupidly elaborate) plans to catch the bad guys. Typically something would go wrong and the monster would avoid the first trap. Then, Scooby and Shaggy would find a way to haphazardly catch the monster for the big reveal. These situations show that a secondary option can appear completely out of the blue as long as the writer understands how to make the character seem like they thought of it on the fly.
I'm still trying to figure out how they managed to screw up Batman's plan when he teamed up with Scooby.
Just something to chew on.
Good characters think on their feet.
Romantic movies and books always point out how women want men to be spontaneous, to do the unexpected. A cute thought, but not what I mean. Spontaneity is the notion of not settling into a routine. That is not, however, what we expect out of a hero. A hero needs to have a plan when there seems like there can be none.
Take Batman. Batman has contingency plans for everything. His main strength, however, is his mind and his ability to think. In his work, if a plan goes wrong, he will be able to think up how to come at the problem from a different angle. Even as plan A fails, plan B is being implemented, plan C prepped, and plan D going into beta. Thinking on his feet is the reason Batman can come out on top.
Now what does this mean for writers? It's all well and good to say that characters need to think on their feet, but how do you put that in as a writer. That comes through in the execution of sequences. Here's what I mean. When crafting a scenario where you the author knows something goes wrong, there needs to be a back up plan that the character can implement later. The mechanics for that have to be in the works before hand as well. That is your job as the writer.
When writing the scene, there can be little indication that there is other plans in the works. It's so tempting to drop little hints that, when looking back, give away what happened. This is a big thing in movies, and can be pretty cool. But most savvy readers can pick up on stuff like that, especially if it is in a suspense or mystery story. That ruins it for them and makes the plot predictable. The goal should be to execute the new plan in a way that seems organic. It should seem to flow from the failed first plot and round out the story.
Surprisingly, Scooby-Doo was great at this. Fred always came up with ingenious (and stupidly elaborate) plans to catch the bad guys. Typically something would go wrong and the monster would avoid the first trap. Then, Scooby and Shaggy would find a way to haphazardly catch the monster for the big reveal. These situations show that a secondary option can appear completely out of the blue as long as the writer understands how to make the character seem like they thought of it on the fly.
I'm still trying to figure out how they managed to screw up Batman's plan when he teamed up with Scooby.
Just something to chew on.
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