I know many of you are really hyped for the return of Doctor Who this fall. BBC knows it too, and this new trailer for season 7 runs the gamut of episode stories, from “holy crap that’s a ton of Daleks” to “dinosaurs on a spaceship” to “dark, dramatic, body-carrying.” I think it’s an easy thing to say that this upcoming season seems to have a little bit of something for everyone. Looks to be another fantastic ride!
It might not be what you’d expect, but Chewie, The Movie may be happening. Collider reports that Peter Mayhew, the actor who played the famous wookie, is currently working with Fanboys director Kyle Newman to flesh out the biopic which recounts Mayhew’s experiences while playing the iconic role. The initial script seemed promising enough to make the Hollywood blacklist, so it’ll be interesting to see if the project takes off. Given Newman’s previous dealings with Lucasfilm, I’m sure getting George Lucas to sign off on it won’t be too difficult. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 1, 2012 in Animation, Tech
Like many of you, I’m always looking for new reasons to dust off my iPad or Kindle. To be fair, I use them for everything from casual gaming, to streaming films, and reading books, but being the creative type that I am, I’m never really satisfied. I’m constantly looking for new outlets for my creativity, and with their touch-based interface, you’d think visual art would be a natural fit for such a device. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve come across some fantastic applications, and I’ve managed to create some impressive works — at least, by my own standards — with just my fingers, but sometimes you just want to have a tool you’re more accustomed to. Introducing the Sensu Brush.
BioWare made the official announcement earlier today — Star Wars: The Old Republic will be receiving a free-to-play option this fall. I know there are a handful of you out there who still play the game, and might be worried that the change in format might require you to embrace micro-transactions. You’ll be pleased to know that might not be the case, after all. Indeed, there will be several options available to you. If you choose to go the free-to-play route, you will have access to all eight character classes and can play for free until you reach level 50, at which point, high-level content can be purchased through micro-transactions. If however, you choose to go the subscription route instead, you’ll be spared that fate with unlimited access to the content. But wait, there’s more…
I know what you’re thinking, Vans made an iPhone case? I realize its 2012, and while I don’t personally endorse their line of skater-friendly kicks, it’s nice to see the brand is still branching out. Thanks to the good Doctor, I’m much more of a Converse man these days, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a clever idea when I see one. So, what makes their case so special? Read more…
Flickr user _Tiler has been getting some attention recently, and rightly so: his small LEGO models, while made of only a few parts, have a striking amount of detail and character! Ranging in subjects from The Dark Knight Rises, Blade Runner, and The Fifth Element, I’d hope LEGO would take note of these, as they’d make great sets, especially as stocking stuffers or the like. Click through for a mini-gallery! Read more…
You may have caught the news from Comic-Con that VIZ Media’s catalog (via their new app Neon Alley) and the Crunchyroll app would be debuting on the Playstation 3 this fall. Great news for anime fans who want to watch their latest streaming shows on their HDTV, but that’s not what I wanted to bring up. IGN recently took a look at Crunchyroll’s app, and while the app seems to have all the necessary features, it lacks in one prominent area: it can only play video in 480p. Hopefully this will change before release! Read more…
Bioware cinematic designer James McVinnie was excited by the prospect of Source Filmmaker – it’s an easy-to-use tool allowing someone to make digital movies using game models. Combined with motion-tracking from two Kinects, he created Practical Problems, a short TF2 film in which two Engineers duke it out. It’s really quite cute, and shows the potential of Source Filmmaker to open up the animation world. Many of these videos are mighty impressive, and they’re onlygetting better!
I don’t think we expected much else, but Collider recently reported that Indiana Jone’s producer, Frank Marshall, said just that: to him, Indy has taken his last ride. I’m sure some fans might’ve wished for a better ending to the series than Crystal Skull, but I think another film might hurt more than help. We had heard inklings that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had been thinking about another film, but Marshall says there’s “no idea, no Macguffin.” Maybe we’ll hear more in the future, but I’m fine with this – you got a solid three movies, Indy. You’re set, in my book.
Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but here’s another really fascinating Kickstarter: Castle Story. While we may be flooded with way too many Kickstarters, I have to say, I love that people are embracing them! Castle Story is a strategy game that revolves around sending your chubby yellow minions to gather supplies on your floating island world. With these, you can build up your castle and defend yourself against an onslaught of enemies. A little Minecraft, a little RTS, mixed in with real-time physics and this game is looking pretty neat! Support them on their Kickstarter page, here.
If you’ve been wondering what the Matrix creators have been up to since Speed Racer, here’s your answer: Cloud Atlas. Based on the novel of the same name, the Wachowskis are partnering with director Tom Tykwer to adapt the story for film. It looks to be mighty impressive in scope and scale, and this trailer reflects that, clocking in at 5 minutes and 42 seconds. I’m really interested to see how this project turns out, so once October 26th rolls around, I’ll have to hunt down a theater to see this at!
I like taking a look at the unique stuff that comes out of the modding community. You’re always guaranteed to find something quirky, cool, or often, barely functional. That said, Garry’s Mod (the popular Source Engine physics playground) has been a fertile garden for budding modders and this roller coaster mod will satisfy the lack of Roller Coaster Tycoon in everyone’s lives. The best part is you can build more items on top of the coaster, thus making things a bit more crazy than the usual Tycoon game.
After much of the hubbub surrounding the initial release of Final Fantasy XIV, it seems Square Enix has been trying to restart the messy MMO. Now we’ve gotten a new trailer and several screenshots featuring the new title “A Realm Reborn.” Dropping the “2.0” moniker is a good idea, I’d bet. They had released some screenshots at E3, but now, here comes the hype trailer. Will this bring players back and improve the situation? Let’s hope so, as visually, the new cinematic looks great – it’s even tempting me. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jul 26, 2012 in Tech, Videogames
Another Kickstarter, I know. I’m getting sick of seeing them posted everywhere too, but I still stumble across a cool one every now and then. For example, here’s a neat little project that’s almost fully funded. The GameDock is a device designed to take the iOS platform to the next level by offering a classic console experience. It claims to be compatible with iCade titles, so there should already be a handful of games supported. The dock itself will be able to connect to your HD displays via HDMI out with a crisp 1080p resolution. Some of the games will even have support for two players. Just note that in order for them to send you an actual unit, you’ll need to “donate” at least $125 at this point, and you’ve gotta ask yourself, do you really need an iOS console? Really? Read more…
BBC America will be airing four all-new Doctor Who documentaries leading up to season premiere of Doctor Who next month. The line-up starts on August 4th with The Science of Doctor Who. I’ve been seeing plenty of ads for it while trying to catch mid-day reruns of Battle Star Galactica, so I’m already a little excited. Next up is The Women of Doctor Who, set to air on the 11th, followed by The Timey-Wimey of Doctor Who and The Destinations of Doctor Who on the 18th and 25th respectively. Is it just me or does the “timey-wimey” bit seem like a reach? I’d like to think the science would pretty much cover all that, but perhaps they realized that a little too late. Oh well, I know I’ll be watching them either way.
The first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation in HDshould finally be available at store near you. My copy arrived earlier today, and I couldn’t wait to marathon a few of the discs. Of course, watching the first season of Star Trek the Next Generation can almost seem like a chore — the writing wasn’t incredible, the props and costumes needed some work, and the acting left plenty to be desired — so I had to pace myself. I was a bit worried that the experience would be much akin to chewing on a stick of Fruit Stripe gum — you know, ‘oos’ and ‘ahs’ for the first few minutes then suddenly ‘aww’. However, it actually isn’t that bad.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jul 24, 2012 in Videogames
The other day Kotaku posted a rumor stating Final Fantasy Versus XIII had been cancelled. More and more sites reported on it, ourselves included, which eventually led Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada to refute the claim via Twitter. Not only did he deny the cancellation, Wada even mentioned having recently attended a presentation for the game, and being incredibly impressed by the quality of the cityscape. This is great news for diehard fans who had purchased a PS3 with the expectation of being able to purchase the exclusive title. Of course, whether or not it’ll remain a Playstation 3 exclusive remains to be seen.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jul 24, 2012 in Comic Books
Shown below is a nice mini-video profile of comic book artist Joe Sacco: Joe will be a for a live chat at billmoyers.com on Wednesday, July 25 at 2 PM ET. Joe’s latest book is Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt and is on the invisible poor. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jul 23, 2012 in Science
I was heartbroken to read that Sally Kristen Ride has passed away. On June 18, 1983 she became the first American woman (and also the youngest American at age 32) to enter space. She went on a second ride in 1984 and spent a total 343 hours in space, but more importantly she inspired a generation of girls to get involved in science. Here is a wonderful photo of her on the job: Read more…
How else do you need to start your week than with some crazy bloke singing the Indiana Jones theme? What if it’s well done? And what if it’s 62 tracks combined to make one full-sounding vocal piece? Well, you’d have this. I think we honestly need vocal versions of every pop culture song. And that’s what the internet is for.
If you’ll take a step back in time with me and recall the excellent short film RUIN, by Wes Ball, that was posted online earlier this year, I’m sure you’d remember something along the lines of: “that was a pretty awesome short film.” Yes, I know, reading minds is a talent of mine. I also thought it could maybe work as a feature-length film, and it seems Fox read my mind. They’re in negotiations now to secure film rights with Wes Ball directing and McG producing. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a watch, and then imagine a full-length live-action movie in that style. Interested?
You may have caught it in front of your Dark Knight Rises screening this weekend, but here it is online and easy to catch: the first teaser trailer for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the new Superman reboot. There’s not much happening here, aside from giving us a look at Clark Kent’s journey across the world, and it’s very nicely shot. However, Snyder being the director makes me a little hesitant – yet, perhaps Christopher Nolan (producer) can reign in Snyder’s over-the-top style. We’ll find out next year.
Alright everyone, I’ve got some bad news: it seems that Final Fantasy Versus XIII has been cancelled. Wait, what’s that? You’re not surprised? That look of apathy and disinterest you’re giving me is surely the result of something else, right? After six years of waiting, I suppose people just gave up hope, especially with so little news on every front. While this is still a rumor, let’s just say it the most obvious and sensible rumor we’ve heard in a while. Read more…
We all love Whose Line Is It Anyway, right? I enjoy Colin Mochrie’s delightful sense of abrupt humor, and what could be a better way to lift your spirits this weekend than to see him goofily reenact Star Wars with Kenner action figures. It’s perfect. Also, George Lucas being an Ewok is now canon – I will accept no other explanations. Read more…
