tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52572490918474047172024-03-28T08:39:36.723-07:00Street Writer: The Word WarriorA blog about my interests, mainly the history of fighting games. I also talk about animation, comic books, car culture, and art. Daily blogger on the old 1UP community site, blogger on Capcom-Unity as well. NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.comBlogger673125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-60479529980817410242024-03-27T07:00:00.015-07:002024-03-27T07:00:00.142-07:00Looking forward to Wondercon and check out these Sonic Adventure figs! - A 1UP classic from March 16, 2012<p>Hello friends, glad to see that you've made it to another Friday. What plans do you have for the weekend? It's my gal's 18th birthday. To celebrate my family and I will be attending the <a href="http://www.comic-con.org/wc/" rel="nofollow">Wondercon 2012 in Anaheim</a>. The show is being put together by the same people that organize the San Diego Comic Con. You might remember that a few years ago Anaheim was in a bidding war to host the Comic Con. Many had been saying for the past few years that the show had outgrown the SD Convention Center and was a logistical nightmare for attendees as well as sponsors.
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Despite the best effort from Orange County the hosts signed up with San Diego for a few more years. However the organizers never made mention of the Wondercon. If the show does very well then they are hoping to extend it by a day or two and make it a sort of preamble to the Comic Con in the summer. Right now they have a lot of programming planned and a bunch of sponsors and floor space. We'll find out if they can handle the crowds this weekend. Thankfully the rain will keep the numbers down over the next three days, but there can't possibly be a worse smell than con funk and wet nerdboys.
<p>As I was digging up CD's to import I came across the Sonic Adventure figures I had given my daughter. Take a look at these classic figs.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sonicadventurefigs01.jpg" /></p>
<p>Almost all of the other action figures that I gave the little gal were loose. To mean that I had taken them out of their packaging ages ago. For some unknown reason I never took the Sonic figures out. Possibly because the series had such sentimental value to me.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sonicadventurefigs02.jpg" /></p>
<p>It turned out to be a good thing for collectors as the original Sonic Adventure figures go for a pretty penny these days. Check out eBay and see how much a mint set of these figures go for.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sonicadventurefigs03.jpg" /></p>
<p>Those on a budget may not be able to pick up these classics but there is an even larger set of figures that they can collect from the Toys R Us. The series is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. Figures in the Classic and Adventure styles are out in multiple sizes. Sonic fans owe it to themselves to pick up the figures before they sell out again! I hope you have a great weekend and look forward to seeing news from the Wondercon next week. If you are going then let me know so I can get a pic with you. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-59513620273053506412024-03-25T07:00:00.012-07:002024-03-25T07:00:00.141-07:00Manhwa, Chinese and Korean comics take on Street Fighter - A 1UP classic from June 17, 2011<p>The previous blogs <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2014/09/copycat-culture-part-3.html">mentioned that SNK was developing MMO titles for Korea and China</a>. What many in the west might not know is how much the players in both countries are fans of the genre. It extends beyond the arcades and the consoles as well. The characters and icons developed over the years are very much engrained in popular culture overseas. One way of checking the relevancy of the franchises is by seeing how they are represented in comics and graphic novels.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/fightingmanhwa01.jpg" /></p>
<p>Chinese and Korean comics are called manhwa, or manhua depending on the pronunciation. The Japanese word for comics is manga, which has the basis in Chinese as well. Just about every major fighting game had a mahwa attached to it. The Art of Fighting, King of Fighters and Street Fighter series all had several licensed and unlicensed titles appear throughout Asia. There are noticeable differences between the Chinese Street Fighter manhwa and both Japanese manga as well as western comic books.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/manhua01.jpg" /></p>
<p>The first thing is the size of the volumes. Manhwa titles are in a larger format than comics or manga. They are almost magazine sized volumes. Manhwa are usually stand-alone titles like comic books. Most manga titles appear in a monthly series printed on newsprint or collected in an anthology. Japanese stories are also serialized and released in smaller format books. Manhwa titles are usually in color but aside from the glossy covers the pages are printed on cheaper newsprint.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/manhua02.jpg" /></p>
<p>Mahwa based on fighting games are different from those featured in Japan or the USA for a number of reasons. In manhwa characters are all presented with the traditional costumes or uniforms yet later on in the series they are often presented in "player 2" colors as part of canon. These costume changes often signal a major plot point. In some instances the character that has been defeated or even killed is brought back much stronger and more dangerous. These Player 2 changes also signal a change in personality and in some instances abilities. The next major feature of manhwa are the non-canonical liberties that the writers and artists have with the characters. These titles introduce many new characters, plots and relationships that never appeared in game or in any other comic book. Chun-Li and Ryu for example often end up together in the stories, much to the delight of many fans. Sadly most of the characters and relationships in the series end in tragedy. Characters can actually get killed and they are not guaranteed to return.</p>
<p>The major artistic contribution that the format features is the inclusion of painted panels on several pages. The majority of the art is done with lightly inked panels but some of the strongest poses and frames are actually painted by the artist. Very few artists working in the manga or comic markets are able to do this, let alone on a consistent monthly basis. These painted panels are unique and refreshing to the graphic arts medium.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/manhua03.jpg" /></p>
<p>Unfortunately not all of the painted panels are original works. Many of the poses used for the figures and sequences in the books or the covers are lifted from official art. Even some of the sequences featured in the book can be based off the work from a Japanese manga like Masahiko Nakahira's Ryu Final series or from Udon's Street Fighter comics. The copies of art seem to be rampant in certain manhwa, as if the concept of intellectual property or even artistic integrity were lacking for some of the artists. But that is a cultural bias against the Chinese comics. As a whole there are some interesting takes on the canon and characters of the SF universe.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/manhua04.jpg" /></p>
<p>These comics show a completely different interpretation of the characters by some genuinely talented artist. They show that Japanese and North American artists are not the only ones that can do the Capcom icons justice. In fact many of the best manhwa artists working in Korea contributed to the SF Tribute book.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/korean_manhwa01.jpg" /></p>
<p>The hard part is getting access to these books. Not every town is fortunate enough to have a large Chinese community where these comics might turn up. I was lucky enough to find some on eBay and even Italian language versions of some SF books. There were a couple titles released in English a few years ago. One for the KOF series and the other for SNK vs Capcom Chaos. Those collections might still be available in local comic book stores. The only other way to see some of these interesting books <a href="http://www.dm5.com/m62709/" rel="nofollow">would be to try one of the larger free manhwa sites online</a>.</p>
<p>Perhaps someday these artists might get more exposure on the pages of western titles. It would be interesting to see a collaboration of manhwa designs and designers working on the next generation of SF characters, wouldn’t you think?</p>
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As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-36270594744325712452024-03-23T07:00:00.000-07:002024-03-23T07:00:00.144-07:00Fatal Fury City of Wolves, a new game system, and new character revealed!Not long ago SNK released several trailers with new information for Fatal Fury City of the Wolves. This was the successor to the arcade classic Garou Mark of the Wolves. <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/08/fatal-fury-city-of-wolves-what-we-know.html">This was a game that I talked about with every new tease</a>. I thought it was funny that each time a game trailers came out from Capcom, or SNK that my blog would get a significant bump in views. Even though I hadn’t written anything new about Street Fighter 6, the King of Fighters, or any other of games from those studios I still managed to double, or triple my daily views whenever there was any footage released by the publishers. It was humbling more than anything thinking that people that did web searches got pointed to my blog because I had written about them on, and off for years.
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I’m going to highlight the things I was able to pull out of the two most recent trailers, those being the REV system, and the voice reveal trailer. I had no idea what the REV system was about, but according to <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2024/03/18/revving-up-an-old-engine">Game Informer: “The REV system serves as City of the Wolves' big new addition</a>, giving players enhanced attacks to bolster their offense. REV Blows are powerful, near-unblockable supercharged attacks; REV Guard serves as an enhanced block; REV Arts are flashy cinematic combo attacks; and REV Accel is a speedy assault of sorts.”
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It made sense that the Garou team would be looking for ways to innovate the game play in the sequel. The King of Fighters universe had the tradition of a second “Spirit” bar going back to the Art of Fighting from 1992. Remember that the characters, and game play mechanics of Fatal Fury, and the Art of Fighting were ideas that <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/08/street-fighter-6-master-class-in-game_073156235.html">The Godfather of fighting games Takashi Nishiyama had planned at both Capcom as something that might work in the Street Fighter franchise</a>. Every studio since had been exploring ways to change up the game. V-ISM, Alpha Counters, Rage meters, Revenge meters, Super attacks were all variations on the spirit bar. What made the SNK games different was that you could charge this meter manually, and even drain your opponent’s by taunting them. I had a feeling that the REV system was the logical evolution of that classic mechanic.
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I don’t usually talk a lot about strategy, offense, defense, and attacks. There are plenty of people on YouTube that can talk about frames, counters, and strategy. I’ve always been more focused on the visuals of fighting games. The first thing that stood out to me were the stylized graphics featured in the voice actors trailer. I noticed that the characters had lines, almost crosshatches on their skin, and clothing when the camera zoomed in on them. It made them look like they were hand drawn. This level of detail was not lost on me. Having multiple fighting games developed on the Unreal engine made them all look the same. In order to stand out a lot of studios had to develop their own graphics engine. Even if they used Unreal it was still possible to make their characters stand out from their competition by modifying the light, models, and textures used on the characters. The games that used classic 2D sprite proportions, but created in a 3D model definitely stood out from the rest. This was the topic of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhGjCzxJV3E">GuiltyGearXrd's Art Style : The X Factor Between 2D and 3D, a GDC presentation from 2015</a>.
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I genuinely loved what I was seeing in the Fatal Fury City of Wolves trailer. The studio managed to recreate a lot of the same stylized figures that were featured more than 20 years ago in Garou, but now in 3D. The level of care that went into creating the visuals should not be understated. It took much more than lighting a 3D model. If you looked carefully the characters didn’t necessarily have realistic shadows. The darkest parts of the figures were designed to highlight muscles, folds in clothing, and even the lines of hair. On the edges there was just a hint of a contrasting light, that caused the edges to stand out from the background. This light source did not wash out the shadows that the art team wanted to preserve on the character models. This must have taken some clever programming to achieve.
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The other thing I noticed in the trailer, aside from the amazing looking bright flashes of light, and color when performing special attacks, were actually the ways in which speed was conveyed. The models were blurred when attacking, this was an old trick that I remember seeing during the development of Street Fighter IV back in 2008. What was different however were how strong the blur effect was depending on the speed of the attacks. When a character ran they were blurred a little. The same thing when they were knocked back. However if they were performing a quick special attack the blur effect was even stronger. For the people that don’t understand the distinction between graphics, and aesthetics in fighting games I wrote a three part series earlier on the blog. Here are the links. <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-aesthetic-versus-graphics-debate.html">The aesthetic versus graphics debate, part 1…</a>, <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-aesthetic-versus-graphics-debate_12.html">The aesthetic versus graphics debate, part 2…</a>, <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-aesthetic-versus-graphics-debate_15.html">The aesthetic versus graphics debate, part 3...</a>.
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The character reveal trailer highlighted four returning faces; Terry Bogard, Rock Howard, Tizoc, and Hotaru Futaba. The new person in the lineup was named Preecha, and she appeared to be a Muay Thai specialist. SNK had a tradition of introducing girl characters out of left field in several of their fighting games. For example in the King of Fighters 2000 the studio featured Hinako Shijo. The diminutive girl with taped up fingers practiced sumo wrestling. She could manhandle the largest characters, and shove them with almost supernatural force. It certainly broke tradition, and made for an interesting shift in the way fighting game characters would be received. Before Hinako’s debut when most of us thought of sumo <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2022/06/e-honda-return-of-sumo-legend-in-street.html">we could only imagine fat men like E. Honda from Street Fighter</a>, Taka-Arashi from Virtua Fighter, Akatsuki-Maru from Buriki One, and Ganryu from Tekken. Hinako had actually followed tradition going back decades. Female judo, Muay Thai, and boxers had been featured in SNK titles as early as the ‘90s. Also there was also a trend of featuring girls that had a unique look, and form of fighting. I discussed this in the <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2016/03/odd-girl-out-look-at-alternate-female.html">Odd Girl Out blog</a>. These characters that broke tradition included Lucky Chloe, Emi, Area, and now Hinako.
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SNK was again shaking up the traditional roles with a female Muay Thai practitioner. That form of fighting was brutal in its effectiveness. It was an ancient tradition that was honed in the battlefield. It was a perfect counter to karate in manga, and anime which was seen as a refined martial art. That was one of the reasons why Sagat had that style against Ryu. The most fearsome, and earliest fighting game bosses was a Muay Thai monster. <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2022/06/coloring-action-how-color-impacted.html">He was the template that Fahkumram from Tekken 7 was cut from</a>. Now we had a young lady that was capable of delivering traditional clinches, elbows, kicks, and knee strikes. If you were not familiar with the different forms of fighting I covered it previously on the blog as well. Here’s the link where I <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-fight-culture-became-fighting-game_29.html">talked about the history of Muay Thai, and Tae-Kwon Do characters in fighting games</a>. Preecha was not the first female to use that form, that would be Chompoo from Capoeira Fighter 3. But two distinct characters in the 45+ years of fighting games let you know how rare it was to assign traditional forms to girls.
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SNK had a couple of star Muay Thai practitioners going back to the birth of the series. Joe Higashi, and Hwa Jai made their debut in the original Fatal Fury. Hwa was a villain in the first game, but would return more recently as a playable character in KOF XIII. Given that Joe was a friend of Terry, and Andy Bogard I would say it was possible that he was the teacher of Preecha. There were several reasons why thought this was the case. The first was the most obvious. In the sprite art for Garou Mark of the Wolves 2 from more than 20 years ago we could see Joe Higashi was in arm, and leg casts. Clearly he was not able to fight at that point, but he was accompanying a Muay Thai, possibly kickboxing girl. This was the template that would be revisited for Preecha.
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The other thing about having a younger Muay Thai fighter in the game was due to tradition. Many of the characters in the Garou series were young masters of a particular form. They were essentially the new guard, picking up where the icons left off. Even in the sister KOF series Kyo Kusanagi had already surpassed his father Saisyu. Rock Howard was the son of series villain Geese Howard. Yet Rock was mentored by Terry. This meant that his fighting style was a mix of the two, and in time would probably eclipse both of their accomplishments in his battles. The game also featured Kim Dong-Hwan, and Kim Jae-Hoon, the sons of Tae-Kwon Do master Kim Kaphwan, Hokutomaru was a very young ninja master, and understudy of Andy Bogard, the younger brother of Terry. I wouldn’t be surprising to see Lilly Kane appear in the series, the compassionate little sister of the villainous Billy Kane.
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Although Marco Rodriguez was an adult, he was still <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-legend-of-kyokugen-karate-marco.html">the heir apparent of Ryo Sakazaki, and the Kyokugen form of karate</a>. Of the original three heroes of Fatal Fury only Joe was lacking representation in the Garou series. I think that was now resolved. The thing about each of the new characters was that they were still lacking the complete library of moves, strength, and stamina of their masters. In the voice trailer we saw that Preecha had a number of amazing moves. She had all of the fundamental Muay Thai strikes, and more important she was performing the moves correctly. There were no missteps, or sloppy attacks. What was noticeable was that she did not have the hurricane uppercut of Higashi, the one that caused a small whirlwind to fly across the stage. She did however have the punch portion worked out, just not the projectile.
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Preecha was a popular name in Thailand, it meant “wise.” But how do you tell audiences that she was wise, or smart? We got a hint of that with her glasses, which were typically presented on smart characters in popular media. To highlight her youth we got an explosion of color. Each of her fingernails were alternating pastel colors. Then there were the colorful streaks in her hair, with sensible bangs to keep her hair off her face while fighting. Did you notice her arm bands? The traditional <a href="https://muaythai.com/pra-jiad-muay-thai-armbands/">pra jiad arm bands were symbolic of the culture</a>. Preecha had purple bands with orange, and sky colored links. Purple was the colors assigned to a lower-level fighter. The colors of the bands could be similar to the colors of belts in karate, or Tae-Kwon Do. In Muay Thai purple meant she was an intermediate fighter, the alternate colors were complimentary to her hair, and outfit. Traditional Muay Thai featured hands wrapped in knotted cord, which were much more damaging to opponents. We could see her hands were wrapped in cord as well, however these were actually gloves made of cord, so that she could put them on quickly. I think the most interesting detail in her outfit could easily be missed.
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Preecha had taped ankles, however she also wore <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slouch_sock">slouch socks</a>, which was an integral part of kogal, or gyaru fashion. According to Wikipedia “Kogal refers to the members of the Gyaru subculture who are still in high school and who incorporate their school uniforms into their dress style. These high school girls are characterized by the typical bleached hair, make-up, shortened skirts, and wearing of loose socks.” Preecha doesn’t fit the role of fashionable teen, but she does represent the same youthful energy of other characters in Garou. This was the most important part of SNK character designs, when compared to the Street Fighter cast. I did a multi-part series breaking down the approach from the studio. The links are below.
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<a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/09/hiding-master-in-plain-site-genius-of.html">Hiding the master in plain sight, the genius of SNK's character design... part 1</a> <div><a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/09/hiding-master-in-plain-sight-genius-of.html">Hiding the master in plain sight, the genius of SNK's character design... part 2</a> </div><div><a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/10/hiding-master-in-plain-sight-genius-of.html">Hiding the master in plain sight, the genius of SNK's character design... part 3</a> </div><div><a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/10/hiding-master-in-plain-sight-genius-of_5.html">Hiding the master in plain sight, the genius of SNK's character design... part 4</a> </div><div><a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/10/hiding-master-in-plain-sight-genius-of_10.html">Hiding the master in plain sight, the genius of SNK's character design... part 5</a> </div><div><a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2017/10/hiding-master-in-plain-sight-genius-of_12.html">Hiding the master in plain sight, the genius of SNK's character design... final part</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>I’m eager to find out more about Preecha’s story, how she plays overall as I enjoyed playing as Joe in earlier entries. I’m eager to see who else is waiting in the wings of this highly anticipated sequel. Anyhow those were the things I was able to pull from the trailer. What things did you notice? Were there any character you were waiting to be revealed? Tell me about it in the comments section please. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-30381570723622468202024-03-22T07:00:00.002-07:002024-03-22T07:00:00.140-07:00Married to the Sea, part 3 - A 1UP classic from February 8, 2008 Welcome back to this final part of the sea fairing adventure. Before I cast off let's take a look at the underwater games you might have missed. What makes this group different from yesterday's is the loss of the submarine. There is no metal barrier protecting the heroes of these games, no torpedoes or missiles to shoot at enemies. Just the player and wide open ocean. The majority of these games are based around free diving or small watercraft vehicles. Like the titles featured yesterday most of these games have their roots in the arcade. Early on they relied on a gimmick, like the periscope, to get players interested. The first ones were mostly about swimming around and shooting things with a harpoon gun. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/sharkarcade.jpg" /></p>
Some of the oldest games were inspired by the <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=ucMLFO6TsFM">movie Jaws</a>, which demonized the great white shark. Atari was the first to make the connection with Shark Jaws released in 1975. A few years later <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85g7qw_FkgE">Shark Attack</a> by Pacific Novelty put you in the role of the shark, chasing around divers and eating them whole. The tables were turned and the seeds were planted for one of Scott Stoddard's favorite Shockwave creations Mad Shark.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/jaws_attack.jpg" /></p>
Not all of the games were in the same format, some tried to mix things up by changing the objectives. K'K Tokki's Kaitei Takara Sagashi aka "Underwater Treasure Hunting" was released in 1980 by Namco. In this game players had to navigate a deep sea diver as they descended from the ship to the ocean floor. Along the way they were expected to avoid sea creatures. Once at the bottom of the screen they had to locate a treasure chest and then bring it up, again avoiding obstacles en route to the surface. This was a fun game but like the submarine titles, the SHUMP format seemed to work perfect here. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=WdqDkUVa-8c">Sea Fighter Poseidon</a> by Taito was released in 1984. I believe it was the first SHUMP using the personal watercraft in place of the sub.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/poseidon.jpg" /></p>
The SHUMP format seemed perfect for the genre, as divers could now swim as fast as sharks and their mini vehicle could shoot harpoons in the place of machine gun fire. One of the most well thought out games using this format was Thunder Jaws, released by Atari in 1990. Players swam around portions of the sea shooting a harpoon gun at enemies and trying to locate underwater lairs like caves and pipelines. The game then switched from swimming to running and gunning. Not quite the high action of Metal Slug but instead the slower pacing of <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=v559cYVKp34">Rolling Thunder</a>. It was a unique concept but neither the diving nor the gunning was really superb. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/thunderjaws.jpg" /></p>
this game was recommended to me by Marc and is quite good. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=5KD1cuiJDcs">Treasures of the Deep</a> by Namco was released in 1997 for the original Playstation. The game allows you to explore the sea floor for hidden treasure. At the same time you have to fight off all sorts of sea creatures and pirates with their own personal watercraft and mini sub. This game is very much like Sea Fighter Poseidon in 3D. You get to travel all over the world, upgrading your equipment and buying different mini subs for certain missions. You can revisit levels and try searching for artifacts to unlock a secret level.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/treasures.jpg" /></p>
Of course the greatest ocean adventure game came out a year later. I've already said that the Ocean Hunter was one of my <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/04/my-favorite-games-of-all-time-12.html">favorite games of all-time</a>. What else could I possibly add about the Sega title from 98?<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/oh01.jpg" /></p>
It's tough to put the experience into words unless you followed the game from beginning to end. It captures all of those themes that I had grown up with, including the amazing underwater world, awesome subs, sea monsters, sunken cities and wrapping them into a complete adventure. This is the only underwater game that trumps In the Hunt. It was the perfect design from the get-go. We are presented a steampunk world where science and myth collide. Sea monsters are attacking ships and ports and it's up to you to collect a bounty on these creatures by traveling the world with your hot air balloon and mini harpoon craft. This is a shooter on rails, akin to the other Sega titles Gunblade NY and Gunblade LA. Visually this game is still among the more impressive arcade titles you'll ever see. The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUl5hIktw_c">only decent Ocean Hunter footage around</a> is not very clear and does not give you a sense to how well made this game is. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/oh02.jpg" /></p>
The character designs, levels, music and bosses are all amazing. They help create a great atmosphere for the title and help pull you into this world. Too bad Sega never followed up with anything else on this title. I'd put my money down to get this on an arcade classics collection. This was truly one of Sega's unknown gems and worthy of a spot on the real top-100 games of all time list (especially since some magazines rank the dismal Bubsy the Bobcat on their list).<br />
<br />
So does this wrap-up my never ending love of the sea and water videogames? Well it would if the genre didn't keep sparking new ideas. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=fvy9LzJ3ADw">Undertow</a> by Chair is a popular Xbox Live arcade shooter. It takes many themes featured in both the submarine and diving genres and mixes them in a western SHUMP format. Japanese SHUMPS are usually linear, the level moves left to right or top to bottom. SHUMPS over here from as old as <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=JZsIyJehtE8">Robotron</a> to computer titles like <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=yTa62Nm7rc8">Wingnuts 2</a> or as recent as <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=pEN0aNnOb3A">Geometry Wars</a> have allowed us to move freely all over the screen. While I don't own an Xbox 360 I still like to keep tabs on the genre and the video I've seen has me very interested in it. It also gives hope that developers haven't given up on the sea-based titles.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/undertow.jpg" /></p>
Well this brings me to the end of another series. I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and didn't get turned off with my crazy fascination with the sea. I didn't talk about all the <a href="http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=detail&id=2987">popular boat games</a> because those you are more familiar with. Although Aqua Jack by Taito and Hydra by Atari did take the high speed boat and put machine guns and missiles on them... hmm... maybe I should mention them at least.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/aqua_hydra.jpg" /></p>
Plus I never did get Blood Wake for the Xbox, was it any good?<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/mts00.jpg" /></p>
Ah, enough of that. Have a great weekend and let me know what you are up to! As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-28387728625072051242024-03-20T07:00:00.028-07:002024-03-20T07:00:00.130-07:00Married to the Sea, part 2 - A 1UP classic from February 7, 2008<p>Welcome back ye land lubbers. When we last left off I was speaking in general terms about my love of the sea and the boats and subs that inhabit it. What makes the sea so great is how much it can change. One minute it's calm and smooth like a sheet of glass, the next it's 70 foot waves and a dark tempest that could snatch away grow men like leaves in a strong wind. But just under the surface the ocean remains calm. Quite and interesting dynamic. Today we'll take a look at this mysterious world under the sea to some history-defining games. A good number of these titles are older than you, some are older than me but I've played almost all of them in the arcade or console as the case may be. <br /> <br /> You can break down a sea adventure into one of three types, those with a submarine, those with an underwater personal watercraft and those based on the surface of the ocean. I won't talk about the third because few are adventure games and most are boat or jet ski racing games like Wave Race or Hydro Thunder. Those you should already be familiar with. The first two sea adventure genres have had a few sleeper hits in their time. I'll highlight the submarine ones today.<br /> <br /> The submarine genre is one of the few that can claim to have a deep-rooted arcade legacy. One of the earliest electronic games was Sega's Periscope, released in 1968 and Midway's Sea Raider released in 1969. The gimmick for many of the submarine games has been a reliance on the periscope, a form of control unique to actual submarines.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/periscopes.jpg" /></p><p> Unlike traditional arcade screen where everyone could see what you were playing, gamers on sub games could peer into their own screen which displayed a CRT or mini LCD. The player had the firing buttons at the thumbs of the periscope handle with some crosshairs on the display to help target enemies. While this gimmick worked in arcades for over 30 years it was not always the most popular format for players.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/helifire_polaris.jpg" /></p><p> It didn't take too long for companies to begin applying the SHUMP (or shmups) formula to the submarine genre. While the flying ship in most SHUMPS can only fire forward the submarine was unique because it could fire torpedoes forward and missiles straight up. This allowed developers to come up with games that could be played like Space Invaders but with attackers from the side as well. Early adopters of this format included Midway's Submarine in 79, Taito's Polaris in 1980 and Helifire by Nintendo also in 1980. But it wasn't until 1981 when the side-scrolling aspect of the SHUMP was also applied to the submarine game.<br /> <br /> The Battle of Atlantis by Comsoft featured colorful underwater environments where ships and sharks would attack you. Amenip's Mariner game (aka 800 Fathoms) also came out in 1981. This game expanded on the the themes of exploration and diverse locations through which you had to pilot your sub while also taking on advancing enemies. While not as memorable as their sky and space contemporaries, the submarine SHUMP would survive for decades.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/800fathoms.jpg" /></p><p> A fast-paced arcade FPS shooter using the periscope was released by Taito in 1989. It was called <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=FUM1RbDsfVY">Battle Shark</a> and was probably better remembered for having a main character that looked just like Charles Bronson.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/bshark.jpg" /></p><p> The designs in Battle Shark were all great, plenty of sci-fi subs battling it out over sunken cities. The only sticking point was the periscope. It was large and clumsy, it also felt dated. So the remaining classic sub games were all played with traiditonal joystick or game pad. The best of the early console adopters was <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=m657eK9f_rg">Submarine Attack</a>, released in 1990 by Sega for the Master System. It was a throwback to the classic arcade SHUMP and had a quiet following.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/sub_attack.jpg" /></p><p> Over the next few years we would see all sorts of attack sub games for the Genesis, PC and Nintendo. Some console titles based on popular movies like the Hunt for Red October. One of the more original titles from recent years featured a mini sub that controlled like a combat fighter. The series was called <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dcvu4lXmCLw">Aquanox</a> and it was set in the near-future so the tech was semi-believable. Plus it was a nice change of pace to be fighting in underwater cities rather than storming through the clouds or off in space.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/aquanox.jpg" /></p><p> Of all the submarine SHUMPS ever made, my favorite by far has to be Irem's 1993 sleeper-hit <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=wC_OcxnHdes">In the Hunt</a> aka Kaitei Daisensou. This game should look and feel very familiar to fans of the Metal Slug series because it was made by the same people. <br /> <br /> Here is where I have to make an aside as to what makes In the Hunt and Metal Slug such a classic. It goes back to 1990, before the Irem and SNK designers joined forces and founded Nazca to develop the Metal Slug series. Most SHUMP developers are looking for a hook, a gimmick to make their game memorable. It's hard to come up with something memorable when Japan cranks out so many SHUMPS year after year. In some cases it is the design of the ship and enemies that stick with fans. The large grotesque monsters and falcon-like hero ship featured in R-Type helped put Irem on the map. Other developers rely on cartoony, anime-inspired designs with soft bubbly graphics like <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=E75b-4MdM-Y">Cotton</a> by Success.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/ith.jpg" /></p><p> The people at Irem had been experimenting with a fusion of hyper-realistic designs and cartoon-like animation. The "style" that they were working on began to gel in the early 90's. Air Duel was a SHUMP that featured traditional air combat with hundreds of enemies and gigantic bosses, what set the visuals apart was the highly-detailed graphics on every plane and even in the backgrounds. The attention to detail was nothing short of maddening. For the next game they took this level of detail and then threw it in a blender with an artistic style that can only be called genius. <br /> <br /> In the Hunt was the first title that Irem made featuring the fantastic, over-the-top vehicles and levels that eventually made <a href="http://www25.tok2.com/home/metaharu/shiryou.html">Metal Slug so great</a>. All of the obscene detail was in the game, every billboard, car, truck, railroad tie and sewer could be counted individually. On some levels if you looked closely you could even make out pedestrians running for their lives, they could not have been more than a few pixels in height! This unique style of presentation, superb animation combined with the classic submarine SHUMP formula and fantastic bosses made In the Hunt the best sub game ever made. Fans would clamor for a sequel but Irem had other plans.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/air_gunforce.jpg" /></p><p> They took the stylized world featured in Air Duel and In the Hunt and applied them to a side-scrolling run and gun game in 94. The game is better known as <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=yy8bYfNws1U">Gun Force II / Geo Storm</a>. While the designers still hadn't made the main characters completely cartoony, nobody can deny that the template for Metal Slug had been created between those two titles.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/ms3.jpg" /></p><p> I am not a super fan of Metal Slug but I do like the designs. My favorite Metal Slug level takes place in <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=syYWywe_Xmw">Metal Slug 3</a> because it is the only time we are introduced to the Metal Sub, a nod to In the Hunt. What you might not notice is that the Metal Sub and scale of Metal Slug is much smaller than that of In the Hunt. The sprites featured in both games are relatively the same size, however proportionally they are different. The sub in In the Hunt is about five times bigger than the Metal Sub. It would be great if the next Metal Slug game could begin incorporating more scale in their series so that if a player jumped into a larger tank or a larger plane then the camera would pan back and allow us to see more of the world like In the Hunt. Of course even if the camera pans back you would still keep the same level of detail that Nazca is famous for.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/subcomparison.jpg" /></p><p> But that is just me thinking out loud again. Making a sprite-based game is a lost art and it seems that nobody has the dedication to keep the format alive. If Nazca wanted to have a complete meltdown then they would take my advice and feature a scalable world with infinite detail. They wouldn't get far before running out of time and money, but damn would it be a pretty game.<br /> <br /> Let's end this aside and finish with In the Hunt is the best submarine SHUMP ever made. I hope that you have played it and if not go track down a copy online or in the arcade. You won't be sorry! If you think my blog on underwater-based videogames is over then you don't know me very well! Tune in tomorrow for the final part of this series.
</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/mts00.jpg" /><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">
As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-11606867795660165272024-03-19T10:49:00.000-07:002024-03-19T10:49:58.137-07:00Gouki in Street Fighter 6, the greatest fighting game villain has returnedHello friends, I want to say thank you for visiting the blog, even though I am posting old 1UP blogs on Monday, and Wednesday, and trying to come up with new content on Fridays. I noticed in the past week I’ve gotten a significant bump in views following the release of the new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sAU1fPK0K4">Gouki / Akuma reveal trailer for Street Fighter 6</a>, and more recently the first character voice trailers for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydRUmigKzJM">the next Garou City of the Wolves</a>. I put together a few words on what I picked up in the first trailer.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf_fexl601.jpg" /></p>
The first thing we saw was a variation <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-fight-culture-became-fighting-game_35.html">of the cave stage, which had been used as the backdrop to Gouki since the days of Street Fighter Zero / Alpha almost 30 years ago</a>. I have a feeling that the location presented in the trailer will be his actual stage in the game. Gouki has always lived as a hermit. Away from society, mediating, and training to turn his body, and mind into steel. There were a number of details in the trailer that meant a lot more to the Asian community rather than western audiences. We could tell that the stage was designed to be as intimidating as the character himself. It reminded me of the Garuda stage from Fighting EX Layer.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/goukisf6conceptfinal01.jpg" /></p>
The other thing that stood out to me was that Gouki’s hair has finally gone from red to white. In the early leaked SF6 concept art he looked as intense as ever, but he still had red hair, with some white streaks which were a carry over from SFIII. The finalized version had all white hair, and even white fur on his costume. This was important for several reasons. First off it separated his appearance from that of any other game in the series. The other was that Capcom was willing to continue refining a design until the very last reveal. Remember all <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-look-at-lili-new-native-mexican.html">the details I pointed at from the original Lili concept art</a>? A lot of that was changed by the time the game was released. <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/02/lili-gets-makeover-just-in-time-for.html">Lili’s new look was both culturally sensitive, and culturally relevant</a>. Gouki had several changes, more subtle than Lili’s, but also gave his appearance more of an impact.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/goukisfv601.jpg" /></p>
When we first got a good look at Gouki in the SF6 trailer we could tell he was designed to inspire fear. He had always been an imposing villain, however in previous incarnations he was not frightening. In order to tell audiences that they should be afraid the team at Capcom made him much more visceral. His body was more shredded, with veins, and muscles rippling over an entirely new 3D model. From a storytelling perspective they did the reveal slowly. We saw his frame, his massive torso, his thick arms, and his club-like fists. He looked like a nightmare brought to life. When the studio revealed him for Street Fighter V they literally just gave us a trailer made up of cool moves. By telling us nothing about his library of attacks in the SF6 trailer it would give audiences a chance to discover how truly powerful he was in person.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/oni_goukisf601.jpg" /></p>
The other thing that the updated look do was signal that his transition from beast-like human into a literal demon. I had talked about it multiple times in the past, but Gouki’s design was based on that of a lion. Going back to Street Fighter IV the studio has transitioned his look <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-fight-culture-became-fighting-game_15.html">into two phases, he went from inspired by a lion, and Nio, to being based on an oni</a>. The white hair, and leathery skin made him a plausible human-turned-demon. In fact the whole trailer was filled with design cues from ancient Japan.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/onisf601.jpg" /></p>
The cave where Gouki is training has several oni statues in the background. These are sometimes confused with the nio, which were the guardians of the gates of the afterlife. Oni were some of the various types of demons the roamed the countryside in ancient Japanese traditions. They were often seen wielding a spiked club, a kanabo. There were a few short shots in the trailer that would be easy to miss if you didn’t know to look for them. When Gouki lets his rage flow though his fist we can actually see a glowing spirit envelop him.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/goukinio601.jpg" /></p>
It almost appears that he is wearing the frightful mask of the nio. We can see the large eyes, curved brow, and open grimace. The focus of his rage was actually a few quick flashbacks of Ryu. To long-time fans of the franchise it was the confirmation that he was obsessed with Ryu. The pupil of his former master, and his own brother was certainly under his skin. Gouki was boiling with a supernatural rage. Punching at immovable statues, honing his strike to razor sharp precision. When he went for a shoryuken we could see him enveloped with a red aura. For a fraction of a second we could see Ryu in a white light performing a similar dragon punch, but he looked serene by comparison. It was a yin / yang opposite approach to the powerful strike. Gouki had become the living oni, the living nio.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ryuflashbacksf601.jpg" /></p>
This was the thing that I loved the most about the best of the Street Fighter designs. They were archetypes, <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2018/06/30-years-of-street-fighter-30-years-of_29.html">inspired by equal parts real heroes, and mythology</a>. The studio was creating plausible fighters with historical context. Certainly demons didn’t actually roam the Japanese countryside centuries ago, but consider that perhaps there were wild men, hermits built like brick buildings back then as well. There were people <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CEjK9haKSQ">that enjoyed lifting heavy stones</a> in order to prove their physical superiority. Those that lived off the land, killed animals with their bare hands, and only rarely interacted with villagers. Then there was the case <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-fight-culture-became-fighting-game.html">that these settlers were from China, bringing over Buddhism, as well as the martial arts traditions</a>. These types of outcasts could easily have inspired the rumors that there were fearsome ogres that lived on the outskirts of towns. Or Gouki was genuinely possessed by powers from the spirit world. It was the <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-fight-culture-became-fighting-game_24.html">type of mystical ability that ARIKA used when creating Street Fighter EX, Fighting Layer, and Fighting EX Layer</a>.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/goukisf602.jpg" /></p>
The fighting game archetypes that Capcom had developed over the past 35 years were icons in the gaming world. The artists, and designers at other studios could also exploit these visual storytelling cues when coming up with their own roster. Of the three greatest fighting game boss designs in my book, with Gouki being first, I would argue that Silver was the third best. He worked as a fighting tournament villain because he used many of the same elements as Gouki, however he was western based. I had <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-fight-culture-became-fighting-game_2.html">had discussed Silber previously on this blog</a>. As a quick primer in case you weren’t even born in 1999 when Buriki One was released. The insanely strong German created his own fighting form, and traveled the world seeking out opponents. He would fight wild animals to prove his ability, and had been painted smashing the face of a polar bear in official SNK art. He was very much cut from the same cloth as Gouki.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/silber_gouki_painting.jpg" /></p>
The animal pelt Silber wore on his gi was not to be confused as <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-street-writer-blogcast-episode-2.html">the fur lined jacket of a mafioso like Mr. Big</a>. By a similar token Gouki had evolved past his black gi. His appearance in Street Fighter 6 was more feral than ever before. Losing his humanity to the Dark Hadou, the evil force that propelled him forward. That <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-fight-culture-became-fighting-game_17.html">drove him to kill his master, and his brother as well</a>. By having him shirtless with white hair the studio had amalgamated the Oni design from Super Street Fighter IV with his more recent Lion Mane SFV look. I don’t think the company would ever bring back the Shin-Gouki, or Oni characters as essentially Gouki in SF6 was a blend of the alternates. I am certainly interested in how he will be used in the story. I’d like to know your take on the character. Tell me in the comments section please. Now I have to make time to talk about Garou: The City of the Wolves for a future blog. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-74251697471467794532024-03-18T07:00:00.015-07:002024-03-18T07:00:00.154-07:00Married to the Sea, part 1 - A 1UP classic from February 6, 2008Hey there friends, now don't get all bothered about the title of this series. I really didn't go out and get married, but if you'd like to send me wedding gifts then I'd gladly accept them. This blog series deals with my <strike>fetish</strike> fascination with the sea. It all goes back a long time ago, before some of the peeps on 1UP were even born. All my life I've been a fan of vehicles. Cars, trucks, trains and planes fascinated me. My mom says one of my first words was "train" for every time I saw one I'd point and say "ten, ten." Of all the vehicles in the world I hold a particular interest in ships and submarines. It must have something to do with being born and raised in Long Beach. The Queen Mary was always on the horizon, the Port of Long Beach was just across the LA River and the beach even nearer. The creatures of the sea interested me to no end and I often longed for ways to see them in their natural habitat. Say, who wouldn't want a bathysphere, deep sea diving suit or submarine to call their own? <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/sub03.jpg" /></p><br />
I spent lots of time doodling whales and sharks in my notes, the octopus was always my favorite, always thinking that the seven seas were infinitely large. I'd wonder what it would be like to pilot a mini sub, deep-sea research sub or even massive nuclear sub. Later did I realize that not every kid grew up near the beach or even a large body of water, so they didn't share the same interests. Too bad for them!<br />
<br />
You can put some of the blame Disney for the early influence as well. The movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the park rides the Submarine Voyage and Pirates of the Caribbean were very strong memories of my childhood. These things taught me to fear and respect the creatures of the deep. They showed how amazing ships were. The Submarine Voyage in particular introduced me to the underwater narrative, themes of Atlantis, mermaids and sea monsters that sparked my imagination. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/sub01.jpg" /></p><br />
I understood that many of my childhood friends dreamed of being the star quarterback for a super bowl team or even becoming an astronaut and exploring space. These things never interested me. Piloting a submarine was an achievable goal, <a href="http://www.seamagine.com/acrylic%20triumph%20submarine.htm">something tangible</a>. The sub was a window to another world, far more fascinating than space travel. There was life underwater, changing terrain, vast unexplored areas, many wonders yet to be discovered. In space there was nothing but... space. Cold, dark empty space for millions and millions of miles in every direction. In my lifetime we would never have the resource to visit other planets with the speed that we could visit other continents. Space travel was a science fiction dream but the real application of science was exploring the sea. To be a pilot of a sub that explores the ocean floor, treading through the unknown, it would be the closest we'd ever come to finding out what it would be like to discover life on another planet.<br />
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The toys my parents got me reflected this curiosity. My favorites were the toys that could float. Submarine toys with action figures were my favorite. My big brother had the majority of the G.I. Joe's and vehicles. Some of the Cobra boats were really keen but early in childhood I preferred to play with Adventure People from Fisher Price. These were action figures of everyday heroes. Some came with camping gear and a kayak, others had motorcycles. Some drove dragsters and funny cars. One had a parachute and a couple with scuba gear and a boat. My parents must have got me all of the sets that Fisher Price made, most of them I still have in the garage, those that I'm missing I can easily go to eBay for. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/sub02.jpg" /></p><br />
My two most favorite sets were the deep sea diver with octopus and treasure, and the submarine and helicopter set. I figured that a deep sea diver must feel like an astronaut leaving the shuttle. He is weightless, tied to a lifeline and his suit is a self-contained atmosphere. So while I'd never take a ride into space I could imagine that I wasn't missing much. I spent years having all sorts of adventures with these toys. Unlike Eddie Murphy my childhood bath time toy was a floating submarine, I never had to fight a brown shark. I'll consider myself very lucky for being that kid. Even today I am fascinated where I hear a story about the <a href="http://www.wired.com/culture/design/multimedia/2007/06/gallery_nemo_office?slide=1&slideView=7">game studio that looks like the inside of the Nautilus</a>. Or when news reports surface of <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=5dv9JhQ0Msw">giant squid</a> footage, I'm all over it. <br />
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Granted I don't play with toys anymore (wish I had the time though) and the only things I collect are the odd Hulk toy and the occasional vinyl figure. I realize that it's been 30 years since I've seen anything as playful as the old Adventure People series... that was until recently. You may not know that Mattel bought out Matchbox a few years ago. Those would be perennial rivals Hot Wheels versus Matchbox under the same label. Some of the best Mattel toy designers are now collaborating on new products for Matchbox. Mega Rigs is a series that features interchangeable parts. It's not a Lego system where you can build anything but instead more generic one where you can swap out wheels for tank treads or tack on a helicopter propeller. I thought the series was okay, mostly because it allowed kids to create their own vehicle combinations. Some time ago they created a Mega Rig ship and submarine one as well. My interest was piqued but I didn't buy them as the toys were a bit pricey for my budget. So I just let them go. Over the holiday season I saw that the big retailers Sams Club, Costco, Target began offering special boxed sets of Mega Rigs. There was a bundle with the ship and submarine in one set for a low price. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/subart/sub04.jpg" /></p><br />
One variation of this set offered an extra motor, one offered a shark. I chose the latter and picked it up just to have. Both ships float and each comes with all sorts of accessories and figures. While they aren't as large (in scale) as the Adventure People toys they were still pretty big. These toys helped remind me of my childhood and love of the sea. They made me want to share these interests with you. Of course this is a videogame blog so I have to connect the dots. Tune in tomorrow when we look at the best submarine videogames.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/mts00.jpg" /></p><br />
As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-83606995445480238942024-03-15T07:00:00.012-07:002024-03-15T07:00:00.137-07:00Michael Lau and Disneyland weekend! - A 1UP classic from October 5, 2009<p>Hello friends, it's been a busy morning! Tomorrow should be busier, the nurses will be in on Tuesday and Thursday to practice for state exams. We will be busy in the lab, but it's better to be busy than not busy.</p>
<p>This weekend was quite eventful. On Thursday I took my friends and their families to the Michael Lau show and on Friday I took my girlfriend and her daughter. Friday night Michael was signing for the public and we were each allowed to get two things signed. My g/f and her daughter acted as mules and carried two boxes for me, I'm shameless when it comes to signings. Since Michael is a big soccer fan I bought him a Beckham jersey from the LA Galaxy as a present. I also got a card for him signed by myself and my pal Victor. He appreciated the gesture.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/g10th17.jpg" /></p>
<p>He signed the throne of my Crazychildren King. Many people in line had never seen that figure. He obliged me by signing a few other boxes. He even signed the issue of Ollie where I first saw his work.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/g10th18.jpg" /></p>
<p>Michael was quite a character. Making jokes with the people in line, taking off from the desk where he was at and going to the back of the line to sign stuff for the late arrivers. My girlfriend hit it off well with Victor and even Michael's wife. Hopefully the next time he comes to town we'll be able to treat him to Disneyland and even Club 33. As for the show itself, I am digitizing video of the show and will be uploading soon so you could see the Gardeners in all their glory.</p>
<p>On Saturday the girlfriend, daughter and myself went to Disneyland. It was a media event day, they were showing off the changes they had made to the park for the Halloween season. Those that live in the area should see how different the Haunted Mansion is with a Nightmare Before Christmas makeover.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/diz_09.jpg" /></p>
<p>Yesterday it was lunch with the family and some videogame playing. I showed the g/f and her daughter NiGHTS into dreams... as well as Shadow of the Colossus. All in all I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. What about you guys and gals. What did you get up to? <b>EDIT: I created a fan page dedicated to the Art of Michael Lau in the early 2000's. I let the domain expire in the mid 2010's because I no longer had time, or money to keep it going. Although it will no longer be getting updates <a href="https://www.noe-v.com/MichaelLau/" target="_blank">I have restored it on my personal server for people that want to find out about the Urban Vinyl movement</a>. </b> As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-49536589772347915052024-03-13T07:00:00.021-07:002024-03-13T07:00:00.138-07:00Michael Lau in Los Angeles! - A 1UP classic from October 2, 2009<p>Hello friends, super-busy over here. I will comment on your replies to yesterday's blog on Juri later. Right now I wanted to recap the first day of the Michael Lau exhibition in Los Angeles.
</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/g10th07.jpg" /></p>
<p>My friend Victor, the webmaster of CrazyToyzLife.com flew in from Canada for the show. Actually he flew to Japan, then Hong Kong and then LA for the show. He was really tired that day but super excited. Here he is pointing out Gardner street.
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<p>Victor brought me a present from Hong Kong. A heart-shaped figure that Michael did for the new Jan Lam album. The LA Fat figure on the right was the exclusive figure for the show. It came with a tee shirt and little spray cans. There are 100 in the world and I was lucky enough to score one.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/g10th09.jpg" /></p>
<p>After years of following his work I finally got a chance to meet the man himself. Victor had met Michael at a previous show in Hong Kong. Michael commented that I was really tall. I told him that I get that a lot. He wasn't supposed to sign autographs or make drawings until tonight (Friday) but was kind enough to oblige me with a giant illustration on the inside cover of the hardcover retrospective book. I wonder why people always draw me without a neck?
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<p>Here Michael is with that old issue of Ollie where I first discovered his work. Both he and his wife Florance, noted that he looked like a kid back then. I don't think he's aged at all. Okay, maybe some facial hair. On the right I'm hiding behind my illustration and paragraph that appears in the book itself. I'm a published writer and artist now!!!
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<p>The figures themselves were dressed in exactly the same clothes that they had 10 years ago. In previous exhibitions Michael had given them wardrobe changes. To celebrate the 10th Anniversary they were back to normal. The amount of detail from the figures was obscene. The photos simply do not do them justice. It was amazing seeing them in person and absorbing all the details. I could spend days just looking them over.
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<p>My favorite figures were even better than I remembered them. Michael made sure to include his earliest sketches and illustrations from the pages of East Touch magazine.
</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/g10th14.jpg" /></p>
<p>The gallery walls were adorned with some new and rare pieces. I even pointed out an unpublished comic that had been faintly superimposed on the back of a page. Michael said I had a very good eye to have caught that.
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<p>Could this be a hint as to Michael's next collaboration?
</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/g10th16.jpg" /></p>
<p>There were a few artists and celebs walking the floor. Here are Joe Hahn of Linkin Park and artist Gary Baseman. I wish you were here! Tomorrow I'm going with the g/f and her daughter to Disneyland. On Sunday she meets my mom. Things should be good. I hope you have a great weekend! Let me know what you are up to. <b>EDIT: I created a fan page dedicated to the Art of Michael Lau in the early 2000's. I let the domain expire in the mid 2010's because I no longer had time, or money to keep it going. Although it will no longer be getting updates <a href="https://www.noe-v.com/MichaelLau/" target="_blank">I have restored it on my personal server for people that want to find out about the Urban Vinyl movement</a>. </b>As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-45305232203490020262024-03-11T07:00:00.025-07:002024-03-11T07:00:00.130-07:00Michael Lau is Urban Vinyl - A 1UP classic from July 13, 2005<div>Those vinyl figures are everywhere today. When you go to a toy store you notice how they have influenced the design of current figures. You can't walk through a Tower Records without seeing the figures patterend after rock artists like Metallica and the Insane Clown Posse. Maybe it's an odd teddy bear, a robot duck or an oblong monster taking up shelf space.</div>
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Why is there a club dedicated to the figures at 1UP? How did 1UP's own SuperJenn get involved in her own collection? I don't know how other 1UPpers got started with their collection. I know where I was the moment that Urban Vinyl first hit on the old Action-Figure website.<br />
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I wasn't keeping a pulse on street culture. I wasn't seeking out the next big thing. Six years ago I was flipping through a Japanese magazine when I saw the first "gallery art" that spoke to me.<br />
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An artist out of Hong Kong named Michael Lau was exhibiting at PARCO in Japan. His medium was unique. Hand-crafted plastic and resin figures that captured a slice of street culture. It all started with Maxx.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/maxx.jpg" /></p><br />
I've heard people comment on the attitude, the clothes, the detail... I was impressed by the whole. These weren't just cool figures, they looked like people I knew, they spoke more about the culture I followed than any picture or article ever had. Michael had crafted 99 figures each one as impressive as the last. Each one telling a story.<br />
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I wanted to know more.<br />
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Like how Michael created a comic strip in the magazine East Touch.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/gardener12.jpg" /></p>
Eventually he modeled several 12" figures on the same characters he featured in the strips. These predated the 1/6 scale figures wearing street fashion that would explode in the 2000's.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/comicstrip.jpg" /></p>
His friends pushed Michael into doing something with his figures. Michael didn't realize there was anything to it. Eventually he began working on the original "Gardeners" all 99 figures at about the same time he began sculpting smaller figures and producing them in limited runs out of vinyl... the rest as they say is history.<br />
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Michael was too far ahead of the curve. Most of the news I found out about him was either in Chinese or Japanese. So I set about making a webpage for my friends in the hopes that they could help me track down his art.<br />
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People that saw Michael's work longed to have a 12" Gardener of their very own. Michael did appease the patrons by offering scaled-down 6" figures based on early Gardeners. It was these 6" figures that are directly responsible for the look, style and craze behind present urban vinyl art. Michael's ambition is to have figures made of the now 103-deep gallery figures.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/boxd.jpg" /></p>
The secret was out. My page was getting more visits from strangers than friends. Urban vinyl was slowly seeping into our culture.<br />
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But Michael is and always will be in a league of his own.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/comic_bw.jpg" /></p>
His designs are the most unique of all the figure artists. That's possibly because he was the first one out there and his style was not influenced by any other artist. His figures lend themselves to comic strips as easily as they do animation.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/bb.jpg" /></p>
He has been approached time and time again by studios, producers and game publishers about licensing his characters. He has turned down 99.9% of these people (including EA) because they aren't willing to properly represent his art and his characters. He is more protective of his characters than most Hollywood parents are of their children. The man cannot be bought!<br />
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Nike has sponsored his last two gallery shows. At the same time he denied the request of an executive at Nike to buy an original 12" Gardener. Sure Michael could always sculpt a new figure but then again it's the principle of the art. Michael Lau don't mess around!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/elsa_eyer.jpg" /></p><br />
Michael had quickly found himself ranked among the elite artists with street roots. Futura2000, James Lavelle and Hardy Blechman were some of the friends and contemporaries that Michael had made. Michael used the exposure as did other artists to send a message to the leaders of the allied nations before they invaded Iraq. His 103rd Gardener figure was named No War.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/nowar.jpg" /></p>
Every time Michael produces a new figure or gallery piece he tries to reinvent himself. At the same time he is always on top of the quickly evolving street world. Only Michael could make sneaker heads flip out over a Nike with an Ice Cream pattern.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/icecream.jpg" /></p><br />
If you remember my blog post a few weeks back, Ice Cream's are the hottest property on the sneaker scene. Created by N.E.R.D.'s Pharrell and Reebok. Michael turned the sneaker scene on end when he used the art on one of his Nike figures. "Can it be done?... Oops, it has!"<br />
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Michael Lau gives me a reason to collect. No other figure artist can claim that they have influenced my collection.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/collection.jpg" /></p>
Michael Lau e-mailed to say thanks for creating the web page... That was crazy! Michael Lau <i>is</i> Urban Vinyl.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ml/michael.jpg" /></p><b>EDIT: I created a fan page dedicated to the Art of Michael Lau in the early 2000's. I let the domain expire in the mid 2010's because I no longer had time, or money to keep it going. Although it will no longer be getting updates <a href="https://www.noe-v.com/MichaelLau/" target="_blank">I have restored it on my personal server for people that want to find out about the Urban Vinyl movement</a>. </b>As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-36152656356323430272024-03-08T07:00:00.000-08:002024-03-08T07:00:00.139-08:00Remembering some rare fighting game news in ArcadiaA couple of weeks ago I talked about <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/02/bringing-my-arcadia-magazines-in-out-of.html">bringing my Arcadia magazines out of the garage, and into the house</a>. I’ve been flipping through them, and remembered that many of the games featured within never came to the USA. Not only that, but even Japanese audiences didn’t always get a chance to play some of these games, as they were only in location tests, or never saw a wider release. If you follow this blog you’ll remember that I talked about Psy-Phi that last two Fridays. It was a touch screen arcade game made by Sega.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/arcadia2024/psyphi01.jpg"></p>
In addition to being a touch screen game, it was also notable because the mechanic was an evolved version of Psychic Force. Psychic Force was a Taito fighter from 1995. Its sequel Psychic Force 2012 came out in 1998, and was published on multiple consoles including the Sega Dreamcast. Those games featured a cast of psychic powered characters that could float, and battled in the sky using their mental powers. I could imagine that arcade visitors didn’t like the touch mechanic, despite the buzz it generated at the AOU trade show. After 2005 nothing came from it.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/arcadia2024/arcadia_kenju01.jpg"></p>
It wasn’t the only rare fighting game immortalized in the pages of Arcadia. There was also Ken-Ju. The 3D fighting game had a lot of unique things going for it, including online matchmaking, and character customization when these things weren’t even available in the biggest titles of the time. I was able to <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-look-at-ken-ju-unreleased-fighting.html">do a deep dive on Ken-Ju on the blog</a>. I was thankful that I held onto these issues, and share them here.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/arcadia2024/warofthegrail01.jpg"></p>
Possibly the most important cancelled fighting game that was covered was War of the Grail. It was a fantasy-strategy-fighting game from Capcom. Kinu Nishimura created some fantastic designs for the game, and it would get a limited location test in a few arcades. Sadly the project was scrapped, and very little on the game was released after this issue came out.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/arcadia2024/wotg2024.jpg"></p>
It would be the first game directed by Yoshinori Ono, who had moved up from sound production in the studio. When he was appearing in his first San Diego Comic Con in 2008 I brought my issue with me for him to autograph. He was blown away that there were people in the US had been following his career. It wouldn’t be the only time I surprised him with these rare issues. When he did another signing to celebrate the release of Super Street Fighter IV I brought out two more Arcadia issues to autograph. I remember him asking his translator where I was getting these issues, and telling him that I had a subscription to the magazine.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/arcadia2024/arcadiacover2411.jpg"></p>
Some of the games featured in Arcadia were unique. Although I was getting the issues mostly for info on fighters, it was nice to see those characters pop up in other games. The Korean title <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-abridged-history-of-brawler-part-21.html">Perfect K.O. for example featured Ken, and Chun-Li from Street Fighter</a>. It was neat seeing how they would fare in 3D combat. It wasn’t the only unique cameo. This was the case for Guilty Gear, when it crossed over with Lost Saga, the free-to-play game developed by I.O. Entertainment in 2009. The game was brawling chaos, like many other games in that vein.
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Were there any fighting games you wished you had played, or you wished had been published? I’d like to read about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-91868559723741162442024-03-06T07:00:00.004-08:002024-03-06T07:00:00.132-08:00Motorcity, a show to watch, a game to play - A 1UP classic from April 20, 2012<p>Hello friends, I'm happy to see you at the end of another week. I normally don't talk about web based games but this is a preview for an article I'm doing at Jim Hill Media. In order to get into the E3 I have to have at least two game-related pieces posted at his site within a few months of the show. Besides that the game and show I'm mentioning today is pretty cool.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/motorcitydrive01.jpg" /></p>
<p>Visitors to the Disney websites have probably noticed that the "Games" button is listed prominently next to "Stars and Characters." No longer considered a passing trend online gaming is a billion dollar industry that has caught the eye of Disney. The company has done well targeting younger gamers and families through the Club Penguin online community but has found it a little harder to find a game that caters to the larger gaming public. Previous efforts to tie in characters and games online have fallen a little flat among visitors. The Tron Legacy Lightcycle game was good visually if a little limited in the control arena. Fans of the arcade original could always try the Classic Tron game online as well. The introduction of Marvel characters has helped slightly, see Spider-Man in the Iron Spider for proof, however Disney’s finally hit their stride with a new game titled Drive. The game is actually available for both online and mobile (iPad / iPhone) devices.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/motorcitydrive02.jpg" /></p>
<p>Drive is based on the new Disney XD series titled Motorcity. The series follows the adventures of a motor gang named the Burners fighting against an evil industrialist named Abraham Kane. Lead by Mike Chillton and his friends, Julie, Dutch, Texas and Chuck the Burners drive all over a futuristic version of Detroit in high-powered hot rods. The character and vehicle designs are reminiscent of Genndy "Samurai Jack" Tartakovsky with a sprinkling of Duncan Roleau, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly and Steven T. Seagle's "Ben 10" series. I would even venture to say that I see some influences from Jaimie Hewlett (Tank Girl / Gorillaz) as well. The animation featured in Motorcity is a mix of 2D and 3D. The game has some 2D cut scenes but the gameplay is entirely 3D based. The world of Motorcity appears part futuristic and part modern urban, with beams of light outlining the edges of the buildings and graffiti filling in the cracks. Players might be surprised as to how great the game looks and plays for a browser title.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/motorcitydrive03.jpg" /></p>
<p>Players are introduced into the world of Motorcity when starting the game. In particular they meet Mike and his car, a highly stylized muscle-car-meets-import monstrosity appropriately titled "the Mutt." The Mutt is reminiscent of the Barracuda / Challenger clone featured in Ben 10, aka Kevin's car There is even a cartoonish Ed "Big Daddy" Roth-styled dog driving a hot rod painted on the car door. The show and game are clearly made for and by gearheads. Boys who might be fans of the Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 series will be paying particular attention to this title. Battle Force 5 ran on Cartoon Network and featured a bunch of high tech cars and multi-ethnic teens. That series had a moderately successful toy and videogame line.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/battleforce5.jpg" /></p>
<p>Motorcity was undoubtedly Disney's answer to the Hot Wheels show but not a direct copy. Car-based cartoon shows were nothing new to television but seem to skip a generation. Speed Racer captured the imagination of boys in Japan and North America in the late 1960's. The Mach 5 was a dream machine for many young men but there really wasn't another show featuring a high tech car in the spotlight until the 80's. Car-based animated shows really took off in 1984 when the Transformers hit the airwaves. The heroic robots were known as Autobots and transformed into all sorts of vehicles. Since then there were many variations on the theme. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_haRIsvqvG4" rel="nofollow">Turbo Teen</a> (1984), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwF-UgQCz9Y" rel="nofollow">Pole Position</a> (1984), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQdgbs0IUDg" rel="nofollow">M.A.S.K</a> (1985), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cosi-n3dFDg" rel="nofollow">Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines</a> (1985), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1c1G24GWDg" rel="nofollow">Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors</a> (1989) were some of the shows that had toy tie-ins as well as decently written episodes. Some of the Jayce shows were written by award winning author J. Michael Straczynski.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/motorcitydrive06.jpg" /></p>
<p>The first episodes of Motorcity have yet to hit the airwaves so audiences playing the game have a preview to the world. Hopefully the other vehicles featured in Motorcity are as mind numbingly awesome as the Mutt. I can almost see the toys on the shelves right next to the Pixar Car's, both sets putting the squeeze on Mattel. I'm not too proud to admit that I might be picking some Motorcity cars myself when and if they do come out. Of course some adults are too proud to admit that this show seems genuinely interesting. Those viewers might want to check out the Japanese animé titled Redline which shows that cars and stylized animation can be cutting edge and entertaining. But again I digress...</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/motorcity_redline.jpg" /></p>
<p>The game itself is an interesting combination of driving and shooting. The play mechanics featured in Motorcity Drive have a classic arcade feel. Night Stocker and Night Striker introduced the mechanics of driving and shooting to arcade goers over 25 years ago. In Drive gamers can use the mouse to steer and shoot at robot targets using the keyboard. The setup is a little harder on mobile devices but the experience is the same. Players do not have to worry about running off the track as they are automatically guided around and over the futuristic world. Players do have to actively steer out of the way of giant electric pylons and laser blasts from flying robots. The shooting mechanic is fairly straightforward, simply move the crosshairs over an opponent and shoot. Players can earn upgrades to their weapons and switch between different types of lasers. The gameplay is reminiscent of the classic on-rails shooter Panzer Dragoon by Sega.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/motorcitydrive07.jpg" /></p>
<p>Gamers don't have unlimited energy. If the Mutt takes too much damage then it's game over. To help players out the car has a couple of limited use weapons that can clear all opponents off the screen. Saving this weapon until it is absolutely necessary can make all the difference between reaching the next level and having to start all over. Drive is possibly the best free game on the Disney site and far superior to Cars 2 World Rally. Players can post high scores on the online leaderboard and even unlock Achievements for each level similar to an Xbox 360 title. Hopefully we'll be seeing more online games from Disney that has this level of polish and presentation, at the very least expect to see this game available for download on Xbox Live or Playstation's Network with some more cars and features to round out the experience if Disney Interactive does not develop a fully-realized console experience. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-46968085375901344482024-03-04T07:00:00.029-08:002024-03-04T07:00:00.153-08:00Oswald art for your walls - A 1UP classic from March 8, 2013<p>A year ago I had attended the Epic Mickey 2 press junket as the guest of <a href="http://jimhillmedia.com/" rel="nofollow">Jim Hill</a>. We were treated to a fantastic breakfast and presentation by Warren Spector and Peter Ong after which we got some hands on time with the game on all the platforms. Afterwards the editors of various game sites were taken on a tour of Disneyland where we got to eat at the exclusive Club 33. I ended up winning an Oswald sketch by Disney artist Stacia Martin.
</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/em2pr08.jpeg" /></p>
<p>All of the journalists were promised a limited edition print for visiting the junket. Due to problems in production the painting was not available right away. A few months later Disney honored their promise. They sent out copies of an amazing painting by Shawn Melchor which was also autographed by Warren Spector. All of the major characters from Epic Mickey 2 were featured including Prescott the Gremlin and the Mad Doctor. Each painting came with a certificate of authenticity which was also signed. As the man that writes most of the articles and owns the domain Jim Hill received the painting but decided to send it to me instead. He knew how crazy I was about the rabbit and would proudly display the painting at home with the rest of my Oswald figures.
</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/em2pr26.jpg" /></p>
Over 85 years Oswald had his ups and downs. He was transferred to new owners twice after being created. He contributed greatly to the golden age of animation before falling out of the spotlight. He even made it through many historic events. Oswald survived through the Great Depression, the second World War, 14 US presidents and Duke Nukem. Oswald was absent for the rise of the video generation, cable, satellite, DVD and HD. He also missed the rise and fall of the arcade, the console wars and the transition to 3D gaming. With a Masters in Animation Warren Spector made sure to help make the character <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX7dRA0k1qQ" rel="nofollow">memorable to modern gamers</a> while creating the next chapter in his history.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/em2painting.jpg" /></p>
It was not easy to decipher the motivations of the character, especially since both Walt Disney and Walter Lantz weren't around to answer questions. Thanks to Junction Point and writers Marv Wolfman and Peter David the Disney Studios had a greater understanding of the character. They now knew more about him than the ratios and proportions scribbled on a design sheet. They learned what made the him unique, his temperament and personality. They learned why audiences fell for him in 1927. Only when the notes were compiled for Epic Mickey did the studio realize what a great influence Oswald was on his little brother.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/empainting02.jpg" /></p>
<p>Having a unique piece of art related to the Epic Mickey series was something I would cherish. Of course not everyone was lucky enough to win a painting like that and chances were a copy would never turn up on eBay. However fans of Oswald that would like to decorate their walls were still in luck. Disney had been making inexpensive prints featuring the rabbit for a few years. Most recently they had added a tin sign, available at Oswald's Service Station in Disney California Adventure and a print ready for framing in Disneyland. Either of these pieces would be great buys and would be perfect to hang over a fireplace or even garage. Now if only I could get one of the gas pumps from DCA to go along with it...</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/oswaldsigns2013.jpg" /></p>
<p>I hope you have enjoyed this look at rare Oswald merchandise and as always please leave a comment or question. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-71373537922376970282024-03-01T07:00:00.000-08:002024-03-01T07:00:00.145-08:00What about touch-based fighting games? - A 1UP Classic from April 7, 2011Since fighting games are on the mind right now and the GDC had recently past I was reminded of an arcade fighter that came and went. <a href="http://www.thekartel.com/news/sega-nerds/17662552-gdc-yu-suzukis-psy-phi-could-have-taken-fighters-in-a-different-direction.html" rel="nofollow">SegaNerds covered Yu Suzuki talking about a cancelled fighting game project</a> called Psy Phi. The veteran game designer and godfather of 3D fighters was trying to bring entirely new mechanics to the arcade with a touch screen based fighter. <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="390" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Toi0TTMkhyQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Toi0TTMkhyQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div>
<a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-glimpse-at-psychic-fighting-games.html" rel="nofollow">I mentioned this game years ago here</a> and was not impressed when 1UP declared it the best game of the 2005 JAMMA show.
I have tremendous respect for Mr. Suzuki but the game did not have groundbreaking gameplay elements. The idea of warriors with awesome psychic powers, or at the very least fighters that could fly are nothing new in gaming. These genres were done before the Dragon Ball Z series went 3D. The two best console standouts in the genre were Bastard! on the Super Famicom and Psychic Force on the Dreamcast.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<object height="390" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2YWZbiXTaIY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2YWZbiXTaIY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
I was never sold on the concept of a fighting game using touch screen controls. Requiring gamers to move and activate special moves by sliding their hands all over the screen seemed to make the game more complex than it had to be. Yu was trying to make a fighting game more accessible to gamers but I felt his control scheme was far too cumbersome. It would be easy to lose an opponent if they moved behind an arm as it crossed the screen. Plus most fighting games require quick reflexes and reaction times, having to move by clicking the corners of the screen would have slowed down the gameplay tremendously. Who wants to play a sluggish fighter after all?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<object height="390" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lrRQQ78J1aE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lrRQQ78J1aE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"></embed></object> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">What do you think of touch based gaming? Does it work on the small screen of the DS or iPad but lose it's practicality on a larger scale? I know my wife would love a <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/surface/" rel="nofollow">MS Surface</a> but what types of games work best on touch-based TV-sized displays? Perhaps a strategy game, StarCraft or the like would make more sense than a fighter. I know a Dawn of War on a table-sized monitor would be mad fun. What do you think? As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div></div></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-32845542998516226342024-02-28T07:00:00.025-08:002024-02-28T07:00:00.132-08:00Play this before you die - A 1UP classic from August 10, 2006<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ico01.jpg" /></p>
That's right true believers. This is the game that you can enjoy best after beating Shadow of the Colossus. You see, I got my friends to play SotC recently, I was pushing the game quite hard. Why shouldn't I? It was an exceptional game, an award winner, art on the plasma screen... but my friends recently beat it. The ending was melancholy, it didn't settle with some of them.
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The ending was the reason I didn't touch the game again for months after beating it. I wasn't sure my heart take that type of punishment again. I don't mean the stress of fighting wave after wave of enemies in Ninja Gaiden. Or the pressure of entering a FPS match for big money. The punishment I mention was the emotional kind.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm a big guy as you may know. But I'm also a kid at heart, a big softy, I fall for the stories. The game I could beat without breaking a sweat. Anyone that knows their videogames and has played adventure titles could beat it too. The story got to me. It was the ending that beat me.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It wasn't a bad ending, but very melancholy. I wouldn't say bittersweet because you've just been had. A trick by Fumito Ueda to get you into his world. Subtle with his use of everything that goes into a great design, so subtle you don't even realize he's playing you, not the other way around. You fall for the game hook, line and sinker. At least I did.</div>
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sotc01.jpg" /></p><div style="text-align: left;">Jane Pinckard asked a long time ago when games would be able to disturb us. I never posted a comment on her blog. Shadow of the Colossus disturbed me, in the way she mentions. How could we keep playing a game if it was no longer "fun?" (ask GH about his Resident Evil 4 experiences). Take a step back and look at the themes that SotC conveys.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wander is hurt for every colossus he defeats. The scars are quite visible by the end of the game. Is the life of Mono, the girl worth it? What about his self-sacrificing horse Agro? Was it his love or something else that kept us pushing forward? Maybe we just wanted to see what happens at the end. It is our own morbid curiosity that takes us there. It was then that I was unsettled by the outcome, when I was disturbed just a little.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fumito Ueda is no fool. I've already said that he's carrying the Prince of Persia torch for Michael Ancel. There was a reason for his design, his plot and the outcome of the game. Shadow of the Colossus is not the end but rather the beginning of the legacy. It is supposed to be the prequel to Ico.</div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ico02.jpg" /></p>
Although Ico doesn't immediately follow SotC in continuity it could be interpreted as such. Is there a relationship between the protagonists in Ico and SotC? There is one! In fact Ueda has said that both games are open to many possible interpretations. The themes of both games are universal. They cross ethnic, political and religious borders. They are games based on good versus evil, right and wrong. Ico frames that better than any puzzle game to date. <br />
<br />
Ico is a child sent to a prison because he was born with horns. In the opening moments of the game you really feel sorry for the kid. He is a sympathetic character with wide eyes and a simple way about him. If and when the opportunity to escape arrives you are ready to lead him out of danger. That is until you realize that the mysterious castle in which you are trapped also has another prisoner, a princess named Yorda. In order to escape you have to take Yorda with you. Not that many a gamer would choose to be selfish and escape by themselves. In pursuit of Yorda are some shadowy monsters, sent to recapture her by Yorda's own mother, the Queen.<br />
<br />
Talk about an epic adventure!<br />
<br />
Ico is a puzzle game, practically a three dimensional retelling of Prince of Persia. You can see exactly where the SotC team learned their chops. You can see where other games like PoP the Sands of Time and God of War took some inspiration. The control in Ico is simple and intuitive, the puzzles are very clever, the graphics amazing and a straightforward plot that beats all. Ico is nothing short of a perfect game, it becomes epic when played right after SotC and not the other way around. Go on and play it again if you have it, pick it up if you don't.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ico03.jpg" /></p><br />
The environments will absorb you. This is part of the world that was on the other side of the forbidden valley in SotC. A castle built on an island, apart from an unseen kingdom in the woods. A giant stone monolith that was built ages ago, with some of the castle lying in ruin. You can tell that Ueda and his team were thinking of a fully-realized world when they began work on Ico. <br />
<br />
As far as the eye can see there are details. Birds in the distance, the sound of crickets and frogs. Flowing water, an ocean, clouds and fog to change the mood of the level. All the while you lead Yorda, taking her hand and helping her through the labyrinth of a castle. Ueda says that holding hands is a very powerful symbol of affection in Japan, more so than in any other culture. Most couples just do not do that in Japan. So when Ico first takes Yorda's hand we see the beginnings of a romance. As gamers we have to do our best to get both characters away from the castle and the Queen. To see if they are given the chance to live their lives together, a fate complicated to Wander and Mono in SotC.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ico04.jpg" /></p><br />
Ico teaches us to be brave in the face of adversity. To take a risk and yet always be mindful of using your brain. Every puzzle has a solution and we have to look and listen for the clues. Sometimes we have to leave Yorda behind to figure out how to escape a room, those few moments apart feel like an eternity. Will she be okay? Will the shadow monsters come for her in Ico's absence? Why should we care? After all she is just a polygon model, a device to get us from point-a to point-b.<br />
<br />
If that's the case then we are playing games for all the wrong reasons. <br />
<br />
Nintendo fanboys have nothing to get worked up over because Link will always save Zelda, whether they play the game or not. Gears of War is not really a battle to save humanity. The zombies aren't really killing people in Dead Rising. This is not really the <em>Final</em> Fantasy and Grand Theft Auto is not about the GT or the A.<br />
<br />
Ueda is no fool. He plays with our emotions in Ico just as easily as he did in SotC and does so masterfully. Ico has an ending, something unique. While open to interpretation it is less melancholy than SotC. <br />
<br />
For the scope of both games Ueda delivers a story that is the videogame equivalent to the Star Wars trilogies. What unsettled me in SotC was what could have been in the turn of Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader. What worked in Ico was the redemption of Luke and his father. Had Lucas done it right the Anakin to Vader story should have disturbed audiences. Fortunately Ueda doesn't fall for the same traps, there are no Jar-Jar's, CGI does not replace plot and Han always shoots first. <br />
<br />
The US version of Ico doesn't have the secrets found in the European and Japanese versions. It still delivers one hell of an experience. Ico is a game that everyone should play before they die, especially if they have just finished Shadow of the Colossus.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/ico05.jpg" /></p>
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lawn to mow and work to catch up on. Peace. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div><p></p>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-53316303964247396112024-02-26T07:00:00.025-08:002024-02-26T07:17:40.375-08:00Red Dead Revolver, the arcade game? - A 1UP classic from May 2, 2012<p>Friends, today we are going to take a look at a game that was and almost was. The title in question was one of my favorites, Red Dead Revolver. It was one of the games highlighted in one of my most popular blogs ever, the Great Western Shootout. It was also one of the titles featured on my <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-abridged-history-of-brawler-part-29.html" rel="nofollow">Abridged History of the Brawler</a>. I was following this game when Capcom had announced it back in 2002 and had kept tabs on it even when Rockstar San Diego took over duties and published it a few years later. Rockstar’s version was slightly different than the original design but it was great nonetheless. When a sequel was finally announced I held out hope that many of the characters and elements featured in the original might be preserved.</p>
<p>Red Dead Revolver was a rarity among high profile titles. That was because a large volume of material was documented during the development process and shared with media outlets. These included screenshots and video of pre-beta footage. Some of the ideas were interesting and others were laughable. The Japanese certainly had a unique take on the western mythos. Take a look at the oldest trailer from Capcom of Japan, circa 2002.</p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NMRkVyuzG54?si=i4qIakgovVloFAv4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p>There were distinct visual elements that they were pursuing in the game. It was set to be an over-the-top western adventure. There was tremendous change to the layout, interface and heads-up display (HUD) from year to year. Capcom's next trailer from 2003 showed tremendous progress from year-to-year.</p>
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<p>Not long after their E3 showing in 2003 Rockstar took over development of the game and would publish it in the USA while Capcom retained the rights to publish it in Japan. Here was Rockstar's first trailer from around 2004. It was obvious that the tone and feel of the game had changed considerably.</p>
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<p>The second trailer that Rockstar released introduced the rest of the cast featured in the game. This was the first time that players got a chance to see characters other than Red Harlow running the main portions of the game.</p>
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<p>In 2010 Rockstar would release a spiritual successor to the game. Red Dead Redemption had nothing in common with the original title, including locations or characters. That was until the expansion pack “Legends and Killers” was released. Fans of the original RDR could now play as some of the most iconic characters in multiplayer mode.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="315" width="560"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FltpGgrn6zE?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FltpGgrn6zE?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"></embed></object></p>
<p>There was something that had always been a pet peeve of mine. Capcom had created a large number of assets that were not used in the final game. Perhaps it was for budgetary reasons or deadline issues but many assets were complete during the development of the title just never incorporated. Some of the changes made to the locations were necessary but the missing items could have shaped a better experience.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrbeta01.jpg" /></p>
<p>Before it was Brimstone that Red visited in between levels the town was named Tombstone. Perhaps Rockstar changed the name so that players would not think that this was set in any historical town. Other things, like the interior of the barber shop were complete in the Capcom build of the game. In the final release the barber shop was there but when players tried to access it a sign said it was closed. The items that players could buy to unlock levels or weapon upgrades from the barber shop were instead placed in different shops. Perhaps Rockstar did not want to hire another voice actor to play the role of the barber so they just closed a small part of Brimstone down.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrbeta02.jpg" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEOVtc3VdHI">In another early build of the game the interior of the Harlow homestead was a playable level</a>. It was fully decorated and the environment was entirely destructible. Players could shoot down pots and pans, break the glass on windows and even shoot holes through the walls. Moreover since the inside of the house was a confined space the camera might be blocked if the player backed into a wall. Capcom had solved this by outlining Red in a sort of see-through chalk form. This house and several other assets featured in the prototype builds did make it into the game but a shadow of their former selves. In RDR’s multiplayer mode the house sits empty and the figure is never outlined when backed into a wall.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrbeta04.jpg" /></p>
<p>Based on the Capcom version of the game it would have been possible to visit the homestead at least two other times in the game. One of the more cinematic sequences featured a level, not far from Bear Mountain, at night and during a snowstorm. The house in the level was on fire, presumably a family was being attacked by outlaws and Red had to save them. This stage appeared amazing in concept. A version of this asset did make it into the final release as a multiplayer level. However this stage lacked any connection to the game or any dramatic tension. The ground was covered in snow but it never snowed in the actual game. There was a burned out remains of a cabin that players could use for cover but no hint as to what had happened on the mountain. It was a wasted opportunity for Rockstar to add more dramatic staging into the final build.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrbeta03.jpg" /></p>
<p>Many characters in the Capcom build of the game were revised or removed. The wild-haired girl in the Capcom prototype was turned into a saloon girl in the Rockstar version. There was a Native American character that had a winged suit and presumably his special ability was that of flight. Every character in the story mode and in multiplayer had a special attack. Some had special weapons they could activate or extended “Dead Eye” (bullet time) mode but the ability of flight would have been extraordinary. As amazing as the move was it would have fit into canon as there were characters that could teleport, spit fire and poison as well as do other supernatural things.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrbeta05.jpg" /></p>
<p>The final build of Red Dead Revolver earned a cult following because it preserved a large number of over-the-top elements, scenes and characters. The villain Colonel Darren had his arm shot off by the powerful Scorpion Revolver, the arm was replaced by a shoulder mounted cannon. General Diego travelled between Mexico and the US on a private armored train loaded with soldiers and artillery. These characters and scenes were far more fantastic than those in recent western films. Games like Red Dead Redemption and Gun tried to present the west with a realistic, dark and gritty atmosphere while the original RDR was more like the classic “Spaghetti Westerns” of Sergio Leone. In fact the soundtrack for the original RDR was based on music from multiple spaghetti westerns including Django, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT4ktfdgJ6g" rel="nofollow">One Silver Dollar</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBQGvYFZmDA" rel="nofollow">A sky full of stars for a roof</a>.</p>
<p>Fans of the series were left wondering how the game would have turned out if Capcom had finished the developing it, not to mention how they would have approached a sequel. The main characters, levels and assets used by Rockstar were designed and created by Capcom after all. The early success of the game was owed to Capcom as much as it was to Rockstar. In the early 2000’s Capcom wasn’t afraid to develop new IP. Devil May Cry, Crimson Tears, Shadow of Rome, Maximo and Viewtiful Joe were highly original titles that would have been considered a contemporary to RDR. After almost a decade after the original RDR was released people were still talking about it. Wikipedia and a few random gaming forums had perpetuated some myths about the franchise that should be addressed. In all my time searching for data and assets on the beta build I had never seen where Capcom was allegedly going to put zombies in the game. I was at the E3 back in 2002 and 2003 and saw nothing of the sort in the Capcom footage. Until somebody could show proof of zombies in a western game other than Red Dead Redemption or Darkwatch then this would remain nothing more than an urban legend.
</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrbeta06.jpg" /></p>
<p>Now something did turn up online recently that would add a whole new chapter to the game that might have been. A few weeks back I was searching eBay for rare gaming items and I came across an arcade marquee. I don’t have many original arcade items, save for an occasional poster or flyer. I never imagined that I would be adding anything new to my collection. That was until somebody put a Red Dead Revolver marquee up for bid.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrmarquee01.jpg" /></p>
<p>The characters and logo featured on the marquee were pre-Rockstar. I could tell right away because I had collected assets from the Capcom of Japan site and designer Akiman’s blog before Rockstar took over production. The figure of Red on the left side was from Akiman’s painting of the character while the CGI models pictured on the right were some of his very first 3D renderings also by Capcom. I put in a bid and won the marquee for a song.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdr2004.jpg" /></p>
<p>The marquee gave me more questions than answers unfortunately. The printing on the marquee was top-notch, it made me believe that the assets came from Capcom themselves. The resolution used for the Akiman painting and original RDR logo was much higher than any asset I’d ever seen from a media outlet. I could see details in the marquee that weren’t as sharp as they were from Capcom’s own site. However nowhere on the marquee was Capcom’s logo listed. The RDR logo did sport a trademark sign but it would be curious that the developer was not credited. I was left wondering who created the marquee and what it was for. To the best of my knowledge Capcom did not intend RDR to be an arcade title. They haven't said anything on the Capcom-Unity site about this find. Perhaps in the earliest planning stages RDR might have been a multiplayer arcade title or a successor to their classic Gunsmoke game? Romstar published Gunsmoke for the US back in 1985, perhaps Rockstar was going to be a spiritual successor? Or perhaps Capcom was considering mocking up an arcade cabinet to show at the E3 in 2002 and then changed their minds and told the manufacturer to destroy it.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrmarquee02.jpg" /></p>
<p>The thick acrylic sign was flawless. It was too well made to be a fan project and if it was a fan project from a US person then it should have used the US lettering and character art. If this was from a Japanese person then how did it end up in the US? I asked the seller on eBay what he could tell me about the sign. He said he had picked it up along with a bunch of other marquees from an arcade estate sale. Every other marquee he had was from a published arcade game. This was the only RDR marquee in the bunch. That’s all he knew about it. He could not offer a manufacturer or point of origin which was bad news for me but good news for my collection. The gem of my RDR set was previously a huge standee that I got from eBay as well.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/rdrmarquee03.jpg" /></p>
<p>There were other things that I’d like to add to my collection. Like the cool swag that Capcom of Japan gave to pre-orders. A leather keychain with the scorpion logo and a red bandana with a scorpion logo were some of the things they gave out. If any readers have a lead on the items then I’m listening. FYI in canon Red Harlow tied a red bandana around his hand to cover the scorpion logo burned into his palm. He got the scar as a young man after pulling his father’s revolver from a fire and shooting off the arm of Colonel Darren. This was yet another thing that made Red cooler than just about every other western videogame protagonist ever created. One of these days I’d like to unlock all of the assets on the disk and put together a comprehensive version of RDR just for my own amusement. Until that day take care and let me know if there were any videogame mysteries you wish had an answer to or share a special piece from your gaming collection and tell us about it.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/gunsmoke_rdrcabinet.jpg" /></p>
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As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-19882431399682406622024-02-24T07:00:00.000-08:002024-02-24T07:00:00.150-08:00The Street Fighter 6 Original Soundtrack Release EventHello friends, I have an extra special weekend posting for you. Earlier this week there was <a href="https://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/upcoming/detail-2835/">a special event announced by Capcom</a>. Here is the official statement. <div><br /></div><div><b>Join us at Amoeba Hollywood as Capcom celebrates the release of the Street Fighter™ 6 Original Soundtrack Collector’s Edition Vinyl on Tuesday, February 20th at 5pm! Featuring a special performance by artists behind the video game’s songs “Not On The Sidelines” and “Legends” – <a href="https://twitter.com/GRP_beatz">GRP</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/itsRandyMarx">Randy Marx</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rocco808_">Rocco 808</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jayystarrmusic/">Jayy Starr</a> – and an intimate conversation with <a href="https://twitter.com/takaNakayama">Takayuki Nakayama</a> (Game Director), Yoshiya Terayama (Lead Composer), Shuhei Matsumoto (Game Producer), and Koyo Sonae (Soundtrack Executive Producer).</b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing11.jpg" /></p>
The album, and the extras are perfect for collectors. I love the attention to detail that the studio put into the releases. I didn’t pick up the day of the signing, as I had just paid my car insurance. Thus I didn’t have extra funds, but I will hopefully be getting the set soon. I still wanted to support the Street Fighter crew, and the musicians as well. I decided to dress up for the event. If you have been following my blog then you would know that I was always eager to go to any Street Fighter event in the LA area.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf4fc02.jpg" /></p>
Whether it was <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/02/street-fight-club-special-weekend.html">the original Street Fight Club</a>, or the Super Street Fighter IV Launch Party, or the <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-street-fighter-x-tekken-event.html">Street Fighter X Tekken event</a>, then I would dress up in my El Fuerte mask, and show out. The original mask was made out of a white tee shirt, and foam sheets. The second mask from around 2009 was made by an actual luchador mask maker in Mexico. I had long since retired that mask, as it started showing wear, and tear from age. I don't think I've worn it in almost 10 years, but it will always be an important part of my memories. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing01.jpg" /></p>Given my size (6' 7", 300+ lbs) I wanted to put together a Zangief outfit, and possibly a Mike Haggar costume. I was always a Zangief main, with Hugo, Sodom, Alex, and Birdie also being secondary characters. But that cosplay was supposed to be for some point in the far future. Then six days before the Amoeba event I decided to get serious about putting something together. I got a haircut the night before the signing. My brothers had been trying to get me to sport a Mohawk for 30 years. I finally obliged. I guess the look does work on me.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing02.jpg" /></p>
The primary challenge was putting together the suit. I actually had a gray striped suit, black tie, and vest from a wedding that happened a few years ago. The thing that I didn’t realize was that I had lost a lot of weight from when I first got the suit, so it ended up being really baggy on me. I’ll have to get it tailored next time there is a Capcom event. I didn’t have a red shirt, but thankfully I found one at the local JcPenney.
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I got an inexpensive watch chain, wrist watch, and pocket watch from eBay. I think I only paid $30 for all of those combined. To add an extra layer of authenticity the pocket watch was an old Soviet timepiece. I also bought arm garters, but I forgot to wear them when I got dressed the night of the signing. The only thing I’m missing is Zangief’s gold pin on the vest. If anybody has a 3D printer, or could help me source one then please let me know!
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing03.jpg" /></p>
It was a rainy night in LA during the signing. The winter weather had been very strange in the southland for the past two years. It’s been much wetter than normal. Los Angeles County can go months, if not years without steady rain during winter. My wife, and I made it out to Hollywood, and found parking just in the nick of time. The crowd had already started growing inside the Amoeba Records.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing04.jpg" /></p>
The Street Fighter 6 team, and record producers did a Q&A session, while the record store played selections of the soundtrack in the background. I know somebody was filming but I don’t know when, where, or if the video will be shared.
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The questions were thorough. We found out about the challenges of approaching a popular franchise with a new musical approach. The team talked about incorporating Hip Hop into the soundtrack, and searching for authentic voices that could capture the spirit of the brand. As for the special edition album, Koyo Sonae explained how he grew up with the Street Fighter II book, and CD. He said that it was very influential to him while growing up. He would listen to the CD while pouring over the illustrations.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf2completefile01.jpg" /></p>I think Mr. Sonae was referring to the Street Fighter II Complete File book. It had a lot of concept art, and character art that was extremely rare. He wanted the SF6 albums to have the same reception with the current generation of fans. That’s why it came with an album sized book featuring detailed illustrations, and original art. It would be the kind of thing that fans would be pouring over again, and again while listening to the game music.
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The translator did a great job memorizing the lengthy questions, translating them for the team, and then memorizing the lengthy responses, and letting the audience know. There’s no way I’d be able to do anything remotely close to that in English, and Spanish. I’d have to translate one sentence at a time just to keep up.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing07.jpg" /></p>
After the Q&A session the team took a short break. Amoeba then lined up the guests, and set up a table for the signing. For those of us that didn’t purchase the album, we were allowed to get a limited print for an autograph. That was a very generous surprise. I was prepared to go home early, as the web site said the signing was for purchases only. My wife, and I literally turned up just to show our support.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing08.jpg" /></p>
Takayuki Nakayama got a laugh out of my outfit, and commented that even my belt was spot on. On the other posters he was just signing, but for mine he drew a Zangief. That was the first blessing of the night.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing09.jpg" /></p>
Mr. Nakayama asked for a picture, and <a href="https://twitter.com/takaNakayama/status/1760144518639198344">posted it on Twitter / X that night</a>. I thanked him, and the team on his post. He then followed me! A second blessing! My night had absolutely been made!!! Thank you to Amoeba Music for hosting the event. Thank you to Takayuki Nakayama, Yoshiya Terayama, Shuhei Matsumoto, and Koyo Sonae. Thank you to GRP, Randy Marx, Rocco 808, and Jayy Starr! I wish you all continued success.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sf6signing12.jpg" /></p>
I encourage visitors of my blog to support the fighting game community, and the larger gaming world any way you can. If you can host a tournament that’s great. But if you can help mentor young players, share their interests, and encourage their hobbies that would be even better. I’m getting old, and gray, but my passion for Street Fighter has never been hotter. If you ever get a chance to attend an event I encourage you to do so. It’s a chance to make some friends, and learn what goes into making your favorite titles. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-49077404849534772582024-02-23T07:00:00.000-08:002024-02-23T07:00:00.136-08:00A glimpse at the psychic fighting gamesI had originally posted a blog on this topic on my old 1UP page, but sadly couldn’t save the HTML before the site was disabled. I did however have the images, and will try to put together the topic as best as I can remember. If you’re a regular on this blog you know that I like to talk about different types of fighting games, and bring back some little known titles. One of my favorites was based on the manga, and anime BASTARD!! Ankoku no Hakaishin (The Dark God of Destruction). My brothers, and I enjoyed playing import games in the early ‘90s. One of the benefits of living in the southland was being able to visit Little Tokyo where they had import games for a reasonable markup. We were literally watching Dragon Ball Z on VHS a month after they aired in Japan. Plus we were playing DBZ fighting game on the Super Nintendo while kids were waiting for Super Street Fighter II to come to come out on the same console.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/bas01.jpg"></p>
The manga was high fantasy, with lots of violence, and nudity thrown in for good measure. It predated Berserk by years, and is owed its flowers. What separated it from other violent fantasy titles was that the characters had magic, and psychic attacks, in addition to their traditional swordplay. Adapting the series to a game format was Cobra Team, and SETA Corporation. They actually did a fantastic job recreating the flying/fighting mechanics on the 16-bit console. Most games based on a property were platform titles, you would follow the main character from stage to stage fighting the various bosses, in a Castlevania-tyope quest. Sometimes a licensed game would be a fighter, but those were sloppily done. But this was different. It was actually a brilliant game with a lot of originality.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/bas09.jpg"></p>
You had a sort of behind the back mechanic where you could see your opponents in the distance, flying over the various kingdoms. You could circle each other, fly at each other, and change elevation slightly. As fresh as the gameplay was, it also made a clever use of the special attacks. In order to perform a special move you would use button combinations, and these were inspired by the magical seal attacks from the manga. You know, where the main character draws a sort of spell over a pentagram? These were things that had been seen several times in manga, and anime. Most notably in Fullmetal Alchemist. I was lucky to have picked up an issue of V-Jump magazine which let me know all the magical seal combinations of the main characters. It became intuitive after a few rounds of battles with my brothers.
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This mechanic of drawing special attacks would pop up in RPGs, and other titles some years later, when touchscreens had entered the mainstream. But the idea for creating spell patterns with button combinations? That was all thanks to Bastard!!. Speaking of which, the manga, and game ended up setting a sort of standard that would predate the evolution of the Dragon Ball Z fighting games. The downside was that 3D flying, and fighting mechanics were difficult to present accurately using 2D sprites.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/bas05.jpg"></p>
While Dragon Ball was known for its impressive fight scenes, there were other manga, and anime shows that showed combat that was equally unique. One of those was X / 1999, a series by CLAMP. The main characters looked like typical high school teenagers, however they fought using awesome psychic powers. Think about how Tatsumaki from One Punch Man, or Mob from Mob Psycho 100 fight in their respective shows. They’re able to fold buildings, and turn cities into rubble with just a glance. Mind you these archetypes were made popular in the early 1990’s. It was about that time when 3D models were replacing sprites in arcade games.
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Taito took a chance on free floating 3D psychic combat in their cult hit Psychic Force. The arcade game from 1995 was a breath of fresh air. In a sea of 2D fighting games this one truly stood out. The characters had a heavy anime design to them, and players battled within psychic cubes, this contained the force of their attacks, and prevented innocent civilians from getting hurt. You could float in three dimensions, and direct close, and ranged attacks at your opponent. It was an even more polished version of the Bastard!!, and Dragon Ball flying mechanics. Its sequel Psychic Force 2012 came out in 1998, and was published on multiple consoles including the Sega Dreamcast. I urge you to track down a copy if you have a DC, or play on an emulator. It’s still a fresh game.
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With the exception of the more recent Dragon Ball games the free-floating fighting game genre seemed to hit a dead-end at the end of the 20th century. That was until Psy-Phi was announced by Sega, and actually demoed in 2005. It was the first new fighting game <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-racing-fan-that-started-revolution.html">designed by Yu Suzuki, the legendary mind behind many of Sega’s biggest hits</a>, including Virtua Fighter. His goal was to completely rewrite the fighting genre, while at the same time making it more accessible to audiences. He saw the limitations of gamers using frame data, and other gameplay nuances to take the creativity out of fighting. So he designed a touch screen interface. And rather than rely on quick reactions like a martial arts game would demand, his characters had psychic powers, so there was more strategy involved in each battle.
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It was a good idea in theory, but for more than a decade I worked in a computer lab. I knew how reliable touch screen technology could be. Not only that, I knew how filthy monitors would get after a few hours of playing. There was no way you would have convinced me, or my brothers to put our fingerprints all over a display, and pick up some nasty germs. I had no idea how Sega was going to handle that question, or how much it would cost arcade operators to buy touch screen games. What would the maintenance have been on these screens, or whether the technology was even viable in the arcade.
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The character designs in Psy-Phi were nice, but not memorable. They didn’t seem to break any new ground as far as influences went. I’m glad that Mr. Suzuki, and Sega were willing to try out new ideas, but it seemed so far out of left field I couldn’t help but wonder if the studio was simply trying to see if their technology was even viable. Shortly after this demo Sega, and a number of other studios started releasing card-based games in the arcade. Where you could play your physical cards on screen, these included sports games, as well as RPGs. In futbol / soccer games you could actually field your players, and choose what formation you wanted to use based on the card placement on the screen. This allowed you to change formations in the middle of the game, as a good manager would be able to do in real life. These mid 2000’s games seemed to last a while, but never took off outside of Japan. I think it had something to do with relying on the technology.
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Psy-Phi would be hard to bring to consoles without touch displays as well, or some sort of new controller. For anybody that has a stack of unused guitars, conga drums, and dance pads in their collection could tell you that games with peripherals did not usually last very long. What do you think? Would you have liked a chance to play a touch screen fighting game? Were you a fan of psychic characters in games, or pop culture? Did you ever play any rare import games at home, or in the arcade? Tell me about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-60171632516542593272024-02-21T07:00:00.020-08:002024-02-21T07:00:00.141-08:00Returning to Shadow of the Colossus - A 1UP classic from September 23, 2008<p>Apologies for the tardiness of this blog my friends. There are multiple workshops going on. I'm even lending my chair out to a student and typing this blog on my knees in front of the screen. I'll keep it short before the circulation to my legs gets any worse. I just got Shadow of the Colossus back from my cousin. I lent it to her a year ago after I let her borrow God of War and GoW II. Her and her boyfriend were feeling pretty confident in their game playing skills so I told her I had something equally epic yet more artistically presented. I lent them SotC yet after a year they couldn't pass the second colossi. So I just told her to give it back so I could play some more.
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It says a lot about the state of game design. We take games and the ability to play games for granted. The button combinations and boss strategies are second nature to most of my friends. But for those that aren't die-hard gamers then a title like SotC is simply confounding. My cousin is no slouch, she plays games all the time including Guitar Hero but I am wondering if both GoW titles are really that much "easier" or that they are simply more forgiving in their challenges. With GH it is easy to see that repetition and button memorization gets non-gamers through the levels. But what of SotC? What is the challenge there? Perhaps it is a right brain versus left brain struggle. Minimalist cues are used to help gamers locate and defeat each of the colossi. Those that explore the game and learn the nuances of control are rewarded for their efforts. A gamer that isn't used to experimenting in such a way, while at the same time being able to control Wander and target moving colossi would be stumped. Those more casual are used to being "spoon fed" the next location or strategy for defeating bosses. Somehow they get the same sense of accomplishment for beating the title as a core gamer would. OR do they? I'm not sure.
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Shadow of the Colossus is a game layered in detail. A tremendous visual and emotional treat for those that are willing to go completely into Fumito Ueda's world. The more you look the more you will see, even year's after the game's release. These things may be coincidence, glitches or programming oversights but many fans have convinced themselves that Ueda and team left a lot of clues about the game's relationship to Ico hidden throughout the level. For example there is a beach in SotC named <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRWm_bjTsl8">Ico Beach</a> by fans. It was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOXF5yDmhKE">named after the ending location of Ico</a>. There is even a "Secret Garden" with gems that tie the universe of SotC and Ico together.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/revsotc01.jpg" />
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<p>One thing debated amongst fans is the existance of the Queen's castle from Ico in SoTC. There is a large blurry texture, tucked away in a far corner of the map and not visible from the rest of the world. Are fans seeing something that is not there? A texture that was supposed to represent a mountain range perhaps?</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/revsotc02.jpg" />
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<p>I think it's a stretch to say that it's the same castle featured throughout Ico but if we were to run it through a Photoshop motion blur and stretch it a little then it becomes more apparent. Perhaps the Queen's castle won't materialize from magic to reality for another few centuries so it is distorted? What do you think?</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/revsotc05.jpg" />
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<p>Or perhaps the charm of SotC is seeing how the world is set to evolve and how the icons and magical totems would change between games. It's all reasonable if you stop and think about it.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/revsotc03.jpg" />
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<p>When I first got the game I used to imagine what each of the colossi would look like. As great as they were I was kind of let down with the final one. I thought that Ueda had set us up from the get-go and the final colossi was actually in plain site the entire time. From a distance the castle and temple that Mono is lying in looks to me like a throne with a colossi sitting atop.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/revsotc04.jpg" />
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<p>This stone man would have been even larger than the final colossi and had he stood from his throne and walked about the forbidden land for the final showdown then my head would have exploded from the awesomeness. Although that never happened I can always wonder can't I?</p>
<p>A game that is filled with tremendous wonder and a feeling that the universe is infinitely larger than the story we are presented. It allows our imaginations to run wild and fill up the spaces in between. That is the legacy that Ueda has left us with. Now, if only he could be so kind as to drop a hint for his next project. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-11675464341592351272024-02-19T07:00:00.011-08:002024-02-19T07:00:00.283-08:00Sony Pictures Animation celebrates 10 Years! - A 1UP classic from September 6, 2012<p>Hello friends, I hope you are having a good day so far. I just wanted to let you know about an important anniversary happening this year. Sony Pictures Animation is celebrating 10 years in the biz. Last night the missus and I stopped by the studio for the first film in a series that they will be showing over the next few weeks. It was hosted by the producer, writers and animation director.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sony10th01.jpg"></p>
<p>Sony began producing animated features with Open Season. The idea for the film was originally started by the comic strip <em>In the Bleachers</em>. The writers had a collection of strips and they pitched a story to Sony in where the forest animals turned the tables on the hunters. The studio greenlit the film and gave them about three years to turn it into a reality. That initial film was moderately successful and actually spawned two sequels.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sony10th02.jpg"></p>
<p>Sony then began looking for new directors and ideas for films. The surfing penguin film Surf's Up followed, as did their first CGI / live action hybrid the Smurfs.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sony10th03.jpg"></p>
<p>The studio was doing well with licensed characters like the Smurfs as well as adaptations from books like <em>Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs</em>. They were eager to try out new things and partnered with the stop motion animation studio Aardman (Wallace and Gromit) to produce <em>The Pirates! Band of Misfits</em>.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sony10th04.jpg"></p>
<p>It's hard to believe the volume of work the studio has produced over a short timeline. Arthur Christmas and the future Popeye film, directed by Gennedy Tartakovsky being polar opposites (no pun intended) as far as storytelling and animation styles.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sony10th05.jpg"></p>
<p>It's great to see how the studio uses isn't afraid to take on new ideas and foster the creativity of their animators. Too many other studios will only work on licensed features while others are locked into a spiral of "sequelitis." Sony Animation has a good track record of trying out original ideas as much as existing IP.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sony10th06.jpg"></p>
<p>I can only imagine what great ideas are being cooked up. At the end of the film series Sony will be showcasing their next feature to the public for free.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sony10th07.jpg"></p>
<p>Hotel Transylvania will be screened for families and I hope to have mine there for the show. When the location and information for tickets are revealed I'll be sure to let my So Cal friends know. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-88287597515065344102024-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:002024-02-16T07:00:00.181-08:00Bringing my Arcadia magazines in out of the rain...If you have been visiting this blog for a while you <a href="https://streetwriterpodcast.blogspot.com/2024/01/i-am-thankful-for-you-first-post-of-2024.html">might remember that I made myself ill while working on the Street Fighter 6 deep dive</a>. I had a whole new perspective on my life, and my health while I was recovering. I thought about my family, my friends, and the loves in my life. Should anything happen to me I wanted to share online as much, if not all the gaming items I had collected through the years. To do that I needed to bring in my collection out of the garage, and into the apartment. In late summer/ early fall of 2023 I brought over my game books, comics, manga, and magazines. The majority were from Japan. It gave me a tremendous peace of mind, but was incomplete. I would have to return to the garage to do more digging.
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Granted, I used to have a much larger collection. Decades ago there was a flood in my mom’s garage, where I lost the majority of my US gaming magazines, comics, and monster truck magazines. It broke my heart throwing away decades worth of memories that were ruined, and dissolving. About 15 years after I lost them I started rebuilding my monster truck magazines, and in the early 2020’s had them mostly restored, plus other gems that I never owned. By a fluke most of my Japanese issues were spared during the floods, and multiple moves. I set them aside, and kept them in storage, and our garage for years, and years. With the freak storms in Southern California started picking up in 2023-2024 I didn’t trust that they were going to be safe much longer. To keep them out of the elements I cleared out room in my hallway, and hallway closet. This month I brought over another big chunk of my collection, specifically my issues of Arcadia magazine.
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In case you didn’t know there were some fantastic magazines coming out of Japan. The most popular from the ’80s to today was Famitsu, but as far as arcade gaming went there was nothing better than Gamest. I had a bunch of those issues from the early ‘90s through their last issue in 1999. I had brought them into the apartment last fall. When Gamest magazine closed down a number of their writers, and editors launched a new magazine called Arcadia. I started collecting those issues shortly after 2000, and even had a subscription from the middle of the decade, all the way until their last issue at the end of 2012. Of all the magazines I owned it was the longest consecutive streak still in my possession. I loved all the Japanese mags in my collection because they were a repository of an entire era.
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In addition to previews, and reviews these magazines were also places where the developers shared concept art, and official character art. In many instances these games would never get an official strategy guide, or art book. So these were the only places where fans could see the work of some brilliant creators. It was a privilege to be able to refer back to them, and study the work that went into the creation of some little-known arcade games, as well as the most popular titles.
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The magazines also would publish episodes of a manga based on a popular games, like the Street Fighter series. They would have recurring columns from pro gamers like Daigo Imahura, and interviews with SFIV, and SFV producer Yoshinori Ono. As if that wasn’t a great insight to the gaming community the magazines would sometimes throw in a poster, or even a paper craft model.
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Those weren’t the only cool things that they included. In several issues there were music CDs, DVD previews of games, and even entire fighting game tournaments included in plastic sleeves. Japan hosted the Arcadia cup, which was sort of like their EVO tournament. Many of the best players of today cut their teeth in those contests.
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The thing that I especially loved in the pages of Gamest, and Arcadia were the collectables from popular games. There were officially licensed soft goods, hats, shirts, jackets, etc. of various franchises. There were also toys, and statues that you could only order from their pages. If you were a serious gamer in Japan then chances were you had ordered some exclusives from those magazines.
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If there was a game merchandise item you wished was produced what would it be? A cosplay piece? A weapon recreation? A tee shirt, or toy? I wish some of the skateboard decks from Sega’s Top Skater had been produced. I actually own a plastic deck from the actual arcade cabinet. But I mean I’d like one of the skateboards from the in game characters. How cool would a pair of the jet-powered inline skates from Jet Set Radio look hanging on your wall? I’d like to hear about which collectable you wish was made it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-67754994963538470482024-02-14T07:00:00.010-08:002024-02-14T07:00:00.139-08:00Space Invaders, the game, the game changer. - A 1UP classic from November 21, 2012<p>Happy humpday amigos. Today I will wrap up my short homage to Taito by talking about their first breakout arcade hit. The 1978 game Space Invaders hit it big in Japan, it was the phenomenon overseas that Pac Man was in the USA. The demand was so great that 100¥ (yen) coins, the equivalent of the quarter, became scarce. No game in the modern era will ever ever caused a dip in circulation. Space Invaders became a cultural touchstone, the arcade game was now mainstream and even non-gamers knew about the title. Some were afraid of what it was doing for a generation. Parents and religious leaders were scared that the arcades were drawing in young people. That somehow it was brainwashing them with the flashing lights and loud sounds. Those in authority didn't understand what the movement was about. They demonized it like they had done to rock and roll and comic books years earlier. Those that enjoyed the game and saw something more profound in the experience were able to create great works of art.
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<p>The idea of a game physically drawing in a person and forcing them to play was explored in the film Tron. The fictional game featured in the film was Space Paranoids. It was supposed to be a phenomenon whose success was owed to an uncredited Kevin Flynn. In the real world Taito reaped hundreds of millions of dollars from the game and licensing while designer Tomohiro Nishikado remained a regular employee with a regular paycheck and benefits. What he did to the industry would be felt for generations. Designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Hideo Kojima credited Space Invaders for getting them interested in video games. As Tron demonstrated those were not the only creators that were influenced by the game.
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<p>Animators and homebrew programmers referenced the game more than 30 years later. In Futurama an alien invasion was fought off by Fry. He was the only character born in the 20th century and remembered the first time Space Invaders tried to take over his life. Fans of the arcade classic also sought ways to emulate it on mobile devices. Programmers created a way to convert a phone lcd screen into a miniature arcade screen and fabricated a tiny arcade cabinet to go along with it. One of the first, if not the first arcade games recreated in this way was Space Invaders.
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<p>The French street artist Invader was known for pasting mosaic tiles of the Space Invader alien ships around the world and at several landmarks. His work was also referenced in Futurama when Bender began putting up his own mosaic tiles as well. The game-influencing-the-artist-influencing-the-cartoon was a very meta distinction for Taito and Space Invaders.
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<p>Even high fashion could not escape the influence of the game. Luxury watch maker Romain Jerome was known for their stylish timepieces built with expensive materials and made in limited quantities, usually 10 or less pieces. At $14,000 - $22,000 per watch you might wonder what the deal is. The Space Invaders timepiece is part of the <a href="http://www.sincere-store.com/goods.cgi?sg1=spaceinvaders" rel="nofollow">DNA of Famous Legends series</a>. The "DNA" for the Space Invaders watch is actual Moon dust used in in the metal components. One of the other watches in the series include steel from the Titanic. My rich friends should check the <a href="http://www.sincere-store.com/" rel="nofollow">Sincere Store</a> in Japan if you are interested. For everyone else just be thankful this Thanksgiving for Taito and their first arcade hit. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-39535094987912534882024-02-12T07:00:00.011-08:002024-02-12T07:00:00.161-08:00The Street Fighter X Tekken Event Coverage! - A 1UP classic from March 2, 2012<p>Happy Friday amigos! I hope you have a great weekend planned. On my side I have a long day of work and orchestra rehearsal scheduled for tonight. Our first concert of the season is this Sunday. I'll see about getting some footage for you hopefully in the week ahead. I'd like to talk about the Street Fighter X Tekken event that went down in Los Angeles last night.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent01.jpg" /></p>
<p>As with other Capcom release parties this one had a queue almost a block long at least two hours before the doors opened! If you ever think about going to a release party then make sure to get there early. I was fortunate because work was not too far from there and I could drive down and get in line relatively early. The people at Capcom were trying things slightly different and made sure that people understood it was 21 and over only. They, and the hosts at Majestic Halls did not want any trouble with minors crashing a party that was serving alcohol so they were going through the RSVP list and checking state issued ID's very carefully.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent02.jpg" /></p>
<p>Once inside the building guests received a complimentary tee shirt. This shirt will undoubtedly be fetching a pretty penny on eBay very soon. Sorry but even though the shirt was too small for me does not mean I will be selling it.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent05.jpg" /></p>
<p>Capcom has gotten quite experienced at hosting release parties. Every SF IV release, Marvel VS Capcom 3, Resident Evil and various Comic Cons would testify that they are a very community-oriented company. They had multiple cabinets set up for players to check out the final version of SF X TK. Plus they had free drinks, and a live DJ spinning at the show.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent03.jpg" /></p>
<p>Attendees and sponsors were dressed up for the event.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent04.jpg" /></p>
<p>Capcom spared no expense posting gigantic banners and making guests feel welcome. Goodies were given away at the event and Producer Yoshinori Ono was signing posters for attendees.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent16.jpg" /></p>
<p>The coolest thing at the event was the art show presented by the Tsunami Syndicate. It was a collection of local artists putting forward original pieces and prints for sale of the SF and TK characters.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent14.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent07.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent06.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent08.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent09.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent10.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent11.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent12.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent13.jpg" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfxtkevent15.jpg" /></p>
<p>I would like to say thanks to Capcom, as always, for showing the community much love. They demonstrate time and time again how a publisher should reach out to the fanbase and make them feel like a part each and every release. The studio supports the local and national fighting tournament scenes, even when their games have to share the spotlight with other titles.There aren't many publishers that can claim to do the same thing. Cacpom, unlike several publishers that save their showings to the GDC or E3 make sure to appear at public events including PAX and the Comic Con.</p>
<p>Keeping tabs on community members on forums and sites outside of Capcom-Unity and Facebook makes the company seem more invested in the community than just about any other publisher. This type of reaching out will continue to earn the respect and admiration of the fans. Although I am not a fond of Mr. Ono's direction with the fighting titles I still wish the studio the best. Be sure to check out SF X TK this weekend and let me know what you think.</p>As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-28889445830066769952024-02-07T07:00:00.010-08:002024-02-07T07:00:00.137-08:00Street Fight Club: Special Weekend Posting!!! - A 1UP classic from July 19, 2008<p>Hello friends! I am breaking tradition of not blogging on the weekend for a special reason. Last night Capcom held a Street Fight Club at a secret location in Downtown LA from 8PM to Midnight. I managed to get on the list and made sure to represent 1UP to the best of my abilities.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc00.jpg">
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<p>Those that found out about this event by scouring NeoGAF or getting clued in by a friend (thanks Eric!) had to pre-register with the Capcom people early, it was a first-come first served basis. Only after getting approved did you find out where the event was. In this case it was in an industrial district, inside an old brick warehouse.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc01.jpg">
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<p>Once past security you go through a steel door into a dark concrete room. From there you find the stairs and head up. The walls are covered in graffiti, lending an air of ghetto urbane to the club idea.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc02.jpg">
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<p>Past another door there were some Capcom staffers in Ryu headbands checking people in and making sure they had RSVP'd. Once you filled out a name tag they gave you a playing card. Turn the card in at the end of the night for a special gift bag.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc06.jpg">
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<p>Capcom supplied pizza and drinks to the few hundred gamers that showed up. They even had a DJ spinning. Unfortunately they were not happy with the latest build of SF II HD Remix so it was not available at this event. Which is a bummer because I wanted to see how the SF II experience translated after 17 years and countless builds.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc05.jpg">
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<p>Even without SF II HD Remix the event went off like a bomb because there were no less than a dozen SF IV arcade cabinets set up all over the club. People queued up again and again to get a chance to try it out for the first time.</p>
<p>So how does it play? It plays fast and relatively tight. It's not ZOMG TOO fast like the 1UP editors would have you believe. The players, including myself were busy figuring out the hit boxes on the characters and where this fell in regards to SF II and SF III. There was a lot of eye candy on some levels and layers of details on the Chun-Li stage (as it was the longest stage in production) where you can almost lose yourself staring at the details.</p>
<p>There were some nuances to figure out yet and the whole EX, Saving thing is very strange. Mr. Ono went in trying to balance the game for everybody with his unblockable attacks but what I think happened is he found out a way to make top players dominate the scrubs even more. Only time will tell how players adapt to these new moves.</p>
<p>Unfortunately everyone was eager to try out their favorite characters and none bothered to stop and realize that we have a chance to play each character through from beginning to end and not only see the final boss, but also to record some endings. Like kids at Christmas time logic was overridden by the desire to play with their new toy.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc08.jpg">
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<p>I cannot understate how out-of-their-way Capcom went to give the fans something to talk about and share with their friends. Capcom staffers and BBS honchos <a href="http://www.capcom-unity.com/kramez">Kramez</a> and <a href="http://www.capcom-unity.com/s-kill">S-Kill</a> have been pushing for serious community involvement for a while now. Taking the events out of the online forums and making them material at both Captivate08 and now with the Street Fight Club shows their dedication. Bringing SF IV to the people, to the die-hards, in a great atmosphere has to be commended. They knew that the scene was out there and if they built it, people would come. If it were in my power I'd give them medals for their efforts and for all the staffers that put this event together.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc03.jpg">
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<p>Capcom decorated the inside of the club with gears, camo netting and bomb reproductions. Possibly the theme displays they had from the E3, specifically the Commando 3, 1942 and Bionic Commando military themes. For the hardest of the hardcore players, the serious tournament guys, they even had a cage in the middle of the club with a head-to head cabinet.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc07.jpg">
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<p>While I was there I met some cool people and made some new friends, including Ted, whose Vega win streaks make up the majority of match footage that I got. Check GameVideos and do a search for Street Fighter IV footage, 13 new videos are from yours truly! Other cools guys that I met were Luke Anderson, a staff writer for <a href="http://uk.gamespot.com/">Gamespot UK</a> and Ryan Gutierrez aka Gootecks. Ryan is a fantastic Street Fighter III player and has a <a href="http://denjin-video.com/blog/">podcast to raise money to send Team USA</a> to compete against Japan. Check it out, and more importantly kick in a few dollars to help cover the cost of traveling.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc12.jpg">
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<p>Of course what would a Street Fighter event be without some cosplay? The best costume of the night goes to Chun-Li!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc04.jpg">
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<p>I bet you are wondering what went into the gift bag at the end of the night? Well, once I woke up this morning, no thanks to a telephone call from my little brother! I got out the camera and took pics for you to see. The poster of the secret event was in the bag.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc10.jpg">
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<p>As were some other equally awesome things. Stickers and a postcard for the upcoming I Am 8-Bit show in August. The poster and tee shirt design appear in the show this year. A gold foil limited edition Street Fighter comic book. A red Ryu headband that says Street Fighter IV on the front and a bar of soap with Street Fighter embossed on it. Tyler Durden must be rolling in his grave!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc09.jpg">
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<p>I managed to get on camera at least four times that night. Be on the lookout for me on G4, Spike's GameTrailers, GameSpot and Capcom's own mini documentary. How will you be able to spot me? Well, this was part of the surprise that I was working on. Since I did not go to the E3 and cover it for my friends and family I wanted to make sure that they would be able to spot me on TV. I made a mask of the new Street Fighter IV character, El Fuerte. It coincides with the lucha libre game series I'm working on. I kept it on all throughout the night and attracted the attention of media types and new faces.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/sfc11.jpg">
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<p>The surprise for you is that when my lucha series is finished I'll teach you how to make your own lucha libre mask out of an old tee shirt. The El Fuerte maskabove is nothing more than a tee shirt and a couple of felt squares! It's not too hard, if I can do it, anybody can! You just need patience and some craft supplies. I hope you have a great rest of the weekend!</p>
<p>EDIT: Hello friends, it turns out that Chun-Li is actually a fellow 1UPper, <a href="http://www.1up.com/do/my1Up?publicUserId=5689724">Jay Jay aka J4Yx2</a>, go visit her page if you don't believe me. Talk about small world! And seriously, bug the 1UP editors to see about raising money for Team USA's trip to Japan. The <a href="http://www.tougeki.com/">Super Battle Opera is the Arcadia Tournament</a> that I've been talking on and off about here for years. If 1UP is serious about the gaming community in every aspect, including the most core of the core, they they should get behind Team USA at least a little bit. Keep the dream alive people. The deadline to raise the funds is quickly approaching and they haven't even gotten close!</p>
As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>
NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257249091847404717.post-52021955817303755832024-02-05T07:00:00.002-08:002024-02-05T09:01:21.967-08:00Thank you Michael Ancel - A 1UP classic from July 20, 2006This summer I've been plugging away at one of my all-time favorite titles (that didn't make the top-20 list). Michael Ancel's original Prince of Persia.
<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/prince01.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">The game is filled with many cliffhanger moments and spectacular jump sequences. Mario can get away with flubbing a jump every now and then, in this game one misstep can cost you five minutes of progress. That can get very tiring very fast.</div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/prince02.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">Prince of Persia is an adventure game in the loosest sense of the word. It is also a puzzle game. Not in the sense that you pick locks and figure out magical boxes. The puzzles are the labyrinths, some paths lead to certain doom, others to reward.</div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/prince03.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">The only thing you can do is keep headed forward. Hope that in the next screen there is a way out and not a trap. It's the first game that I know of where you could take a leap of faith. Nope, you <i>had</i> to take a leap of faith in order to progress.</div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/prince04.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">Step on a gate release, turn around and run full tilt for three and a half screens and at the very last possible moment leap off of a falling tile, over a chasm and a pit of spikes and catch a ledge on the other side of the room. Hurry now and climb the ledge before the gate closes on you!</div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/prince05.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">That magic, wonder and simplicity of the first game was gone in the remakes. The Prince had become a jaded hero with attitude. You know, the stuff that was really popular in the late 90's? The original Prince was like Indiana Jones... timeless.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm thankful for Michael Ancel's original game. It taught me to be brave in the face of adversity. Always be willing to take that leap of faith.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The closest thing to capturing the spirit of the original Prince of Persia has to be Fumito Ueda's Shadow of the Colossus.</div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/wander.jpg" /></p>
My friends have started playing it. Because of them I decided to give the game another go around, this time on hard mode. Possibly the time attack on hard mode once it's all said and done. The rewards are worth the sacrifice, I know that's what the Prince of Persia would do in the same situation. As always if you would like to sponsor me <a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">please visit my Patreon page</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/streetwriter" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the Street Writer on Patreon!" src="https://www.noe-v.com/images/articles/streetwriter_animation_sm.gif" /></a></div>NoeVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04779247007364271106noreply@blogger.com0