Indie Watch: Outer Heaven

If you are anything like me, the release of Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain was the sharpest double edged sword you’ve ever been cut by. You finally get to play  a masterful peace of art that is rewarding down to the soul.  A true feeling of control in every situation and creating your own cutscene-worthy moments make the game a must play—and has garnered high scores all around the net. On the other hand, with Hideo Kojima leaving Konami—or taking a “vacation” as Konami calls it—playing this game means the end of an era. There will be no announcement of the next MGS game down the line. This is truly the end.


Outer Heaven early gameplay – Indie DB

Or is it? Enter Boker and his game Outer Heaven. The game is described by its creator as, “. . . a Metal Gear(MSX) remake with Unreal 4 engine, you will play all original storyline with detailed scenes, details, and places.”

For those, like myself at one point, who didn’t know the Metal Gear series started before the PlayStation 1, allow me to catch you up: this game will be an updated version of Solid Snake’s first major mission. You will embark on a solo-sneaking mission to take down Big Boss, his nuclear weapon Metal Gear and topple his Outer Heaven army by utilizing tips from teammates via radio, your wits, and whatever you may find along the way.

Outer Heaven stands to be an amazing update to bridge the gap between the exploits of Big Boss and Solid Snake. The early gameplay video gives us a glimpse into the developing world in action. Because it’s a very early build, the character models are not quite the iconic levels we may be accustomed to. The environments, however, are clearly a cut above Metal Gear Solid levels already. The sound work has been established early: the infamous exclamation sound when Snake is seen by an enemy solider. Even the music invokes memories of tactical espionage action.

Water_place
The original Water Place from Metal Gear (MSX)
Water Place
Water Place in Unreal 4 Engine

It is still very apparent that the potential for greatness is there. The screen shots that have been released thus far show great promise and a solid attention to detail when compared to their counterparts in the original title. Boker also plans to add voice work to the final version of the game using the script of the original title updated to make the remake fit better with the series cannon.
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However, as with any sign of greatness, there’s also a dark side. For those looking for alternatives to their favorite franchises or rebirths of a long lost series, the cloud of cancellation always looms overhead. As amazing as this looks and as great as the potential may be, at any point in time Konami or Hideo Kojima can pull the plug and banish this dream back into nothingness. Several 3D Pokemon titles have met a similar fate over the years as well as some of the more popular M.U.G.E.N. fighting titles. Legalities are nothing to play with, especially at a time when there seems to be less money circulating through the gaming industry and more people wanting to make it big.

Comments from Outer Heaven IndieDB page
Comments from Outer Heaven IndieDB page

Fingers crossed that this game sees the light of day. As a HUGE Metal Gear fan, the MSX titles (Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake) are just too dated for me to play. This revitalization of these titles would give me my first real chance of reliving the first battle between Snake and Grey Fox, the fall of Outer Heaven, and a bridge between Kojima’s first masterpiece and his last.

Stay tuned people. This is either going to be really awesome or dead before it even sees the light of day. Man, that’s really upsetting.


Outer Heaven Teaser 2 – Indie DB

 

Madam Secretary: Season 2 Episode 5 Recap

World War III seems to be just around the corner after this week’s Madam Secretary. The drama with Russia continues to intensify when Maria Ostrov calls for a special election for Russia’s new president to be held in just 30 days, and of course she is vying for the position. Maria’s victory would be a disaster for the United States (and arguably the world), which is why Bess spends most of her time in this episode trying to help her Russian pal Gorev get out of London. Gorev’s had to live in exile after Mr. Ostrov’s funeral, and because of sanctions that England refuses to lift his bank accounts have been frozen. Without any access to his funds, he can’t run for president against Maria Ostrov.

After talking with the president, Bess meets with the British Ambassador, and they come up with a plan to get Gorev his money. Gorev owns three large properties in England, and if they can sell them to wealthy Englanders Gorev would have the money he needs to challenge Maria. However, when Bess delivers this news to the President and her arch nemesis, Craig, the two of them decide that they don’t want to give Gorev the money with no strings attached. Instead they tell Bess that the only way the U.S. will help Gorev is if he’ll give up Russia’s government secrets, specifically their plans for invading Ukraine. Gorev refuses this plan (which Bess knew from the start), but something he says gives Bess the information she needs to solve this problem once and for all.

While all this drama is happening with Russia, the tech guy who’s been investigating the Air Force One hack has revealed who done it! They don’t know the man’s real name, but he goes by an alias, Dash. And while they don’t know who hired him, they know he has plans to attack again. After Bess speaks with Gorev, she realizes there’s a connection between this Dash fellow and Gorev (which I honestly didn’t understand, and don’t really know how to explain). Bess somehow realizes that Maria Ostrov must have hired Dash to sabotage Gorev during one of his earlier travels, and she brings this news to the President. He agrees to give Gorev the money he needs, but hours later Gorev is murdered by his “assistant.” At the same time, during his flight back to Ukraine the President of Ukraine’s plane is also hacked by Dash and is forced into an emergency landing. Once again, Bess meets with the President and his staff in the situation room where they realize that Russia is absolutely behind the Dash attacks, and that this will likely lead to war.

That about sums about the major action of this week’s episode. In a less dire yet equally important moment, Alison (Bess’s middle daughter) confronts Bess when she fails to show any enthusiasm for Alison’s new position as a fashion columnist for her school’s paper. She accuses Bess of having no interest in her at all. This moment couldn’t have come at a better time for me. So far, Alison’s never had an important story line. She’s basically just been hanging around in the background or making little quips, and I was starting to wonder why the creators of this show even included her. So it was very satisfying for this episode to address this issue in a way that makes sense to the story. Bess eventually apologizes to Alison in a lovely little scene. I’m always on Bess’s side, but as a middle child myself I really felt for Alison (not that I don’t think my parents find me interesting. We middle children just have to stick together.).
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Henry and Dimitri continue spying on everyone, but at least it was less melodramatic and actually compelling this time. Dimitri gets a drunken Russian official to admit that Maria Ostrov is planning an invasion of Ukraine once she is elected president, and that two of her henchmen were sent to kidnap Gorev’s daughter (this of course being planned before they simply have him murdered). While I’m still not a fan of this subplot, I can at least stand to watch it now that I know Henry isn’t a sociopath.

Back at Bess’s office, Jay plans to assemble a few TV studio executives to license their shows to be broadcast on Russian television together with a pro-American news show. Jay and the other members of Bess’s press staff are attempting to fight anit-Ukraine propaganda currently airing on Russian TV. Unfortunately, the government can’t pay the executives so they back out of the deal.

All-in-all I quite liked this episode of Madam Secretary. It’ll be interesting to see where this conflict with Russia goes, and I hope there are more compelling stories happening within Bess’s family and staff.

Metroid: The Sky Calls

Fan films, as I have discovered before, can capture what makes these honored franchises so special. Metroid: The Sky Calls is a short film by Rainfall Films. The film portrays Samus in way that kind of heals the wounds left by Other M. Rainfall also does a great job of keeping space mysterious, with more focus on the locale than the action.

Check out this awesome fan film before Nintendo takes it down.
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Yoshi’s Woolly World Makes me Feel Warm and Fuzzy

Nintendo has a way with creating wonderful settings with its characters. In the past few years, the company has enabled some of their franchises to change things up with new styles and art directions. Kirby’s Epic Yarn was one of those experimental titles, but suffered from harsh criticism for its lack of challenge. Good-Feel, the same developers of Epic Yarn, took its knack for handmade adventures and brought it into its newest title, Yoshi’s Woolly World. 

From the onset, there is a clear difference visually between Woolly World and Epic Yarn. The Wii U’s high definition capabilities make every single asset stand out in Woolly World’s handmade style. The yarn-spun creatures and backdrops look tangible, with every fiber clearly visible, giving Yoshi’s environment a fuzzy feel. It’s hard not to smile while playing; even watching gameplay is a delightful experience as crocheted waterfalls and cotton ball clouds set the stage for Yoshi’s rescue mission. Yoshi must travel to each world to put together the other Yoshis, who have been unraveled by Kamek, all before Bowser Jr takes over the island. A simple story, but one that feels like a wonderful bedtime tale.

Yoshi's adventure through handcrafted levels is wonderful.
Yoshi’s adventure through handcrafted levels is wonderful.

Those expecting a casual experience should keep an open mind. There are over 2000 items to collect in the game and these items are well hidden from the beginning. Back on the SNES in Yoshi’s Island, I could usually snag all five flowers on the first run through, but in Woolly World, I’ve only managed to get all five flowers on a couple levels after two worlds. Players truly have to search each level thoroughly to succeed, but the drive to do so is built into the game’s premise. The main collectibles are bundles of yarn that, when collected, knit together a unique Yoshi that’s usually themed with the level. Players can then use these patterned friends as playable characters, including some that show off Nintendo’s legacy.

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Completing various challenges unlock console based skins! Image courtesy of NintendoNews.com

Woolly World can be described as an updated Yoshi’s Island in the best ways. The game challenges players to learn how the mechanics work, similarly to Yoshi’s Island, but the yarn-made aesthetics change up the way challenges are presented and approached. For instance, Yoshi now unravels his enemies and throws balls of yarn, which can bounce off of water to reach items that can’t be reached by swimming. Chain Chomps are now wire frames that chase the player, but can be covered in yarn to use as a boulder to reach new heights, crush enemies, and press weighted switches. The yarn-based physics creates new ways of thinking.
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Chain Chomps can be pacified with yarn!
Chain Chomps can be pacified with yarn!

Yoshi retains his strange ability to transform into various vehicles, but the forms make much more sense in this setting. In one level, Yoshi grows massive, stomping around like a Toho Kaiju. In another, Yoshi becomes a motorcycle for a high speed race across water spouts that look like blue, cozy blankets. Each form is used to break up the standard platforming gameplay in interesting, albeit brief, ways.

Some forms are stranger than others, but each section offers unique challenges.
Some forms are stranger than others, but each section offers unique challenges.

Good-Feel has gone above and beyond with Woolly World.  The entire game offers unique visuals and mechanics that are inspired by Yoshi’s Island, but add new layers of depth. Yoshi will forever hold his spot as a hero of one of the best Wii U titles in its sparse library. It’s a delightful experience for all ages, including veterans looking for a solid platforming game. Hopefully, Woolly Wold’s success will lead to more experimentation from Nintendo.

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ARTIST ALLEY: Taylor Esposito

Taylor Esposito
Taylor Esposito

When most people think of comics, they think of the writers, the artists, the covers and the colors. More often than not, there is still a team vital to a comic that is not  remembered. One of these is the Letterer, without whom there would be nothing to read. I decided to have an interview with a Letterer that everyone spoke so kindly of and that is Taylor Esposito.

What exactly is a letterer?

A letterer is the person who puts the dialogue, sfx, captions, titles and credits and other typographical elements onto the comic page. It’s their job to get the writer’s words on the page while preserving as much of the artist’s vision/work as possible. Arguably more important than coloring, in that you don’t necessarily need colors for a comic, but all comics need letters, otherwise it’s just pretty pictures.

What is your current project?

Zenescope Grimm Fairy Tales, Heavy Metal Interceptor and Narcopolis, Gamer Girl and Vixen; more to be announced

What inspired you to become a letterer?

I always had a love for comics, and after randomly ending up at Marvel out of college and seeing them made, I knew it was something I could and wanted to do.

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How did you get into lettering as a profession?

After getting laid off from Marvel in 2011, I needed a new job, and I had always talked about lettering comics, so with my wife backing me up, I started freelance lettering comics, which eventually led to a staff lettering job at DC, until the move to Burbank, and now I’m back at the freelance game.

What is a comic you worked on that you are most proud of?

Too many to decide. I got to work on Batman, Detective Comics, Action Comics, and many of the major titles at DC, but some of the standouts are Watson and Holmes (first book), Human Bomb (first DC), Red Hood and the Outlaws (first regular series).

Who is your dream team to work on a comic with?

That’s hard to say, I’ve already worked with so many people I’ve already wanted to work with. Being a DC letterer let me do so much volume that it’s a who’s who of creators to work with.

What is your typical day in the life of working on a comic?

A lot of alone time. I usually spend about 10-12 hours a day doing stuff for work, be it lettering pages, invoicing, dealing with clients, managing projects, etc. If not for getting up in the morning with my wife and cooking/eating with her when she gets back from work, there wouldn’t be much movement from the desk. That said, you make time, walk the dog, and get the mail, run errands.

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As a letterer, how long does it take to complete a single issue?

On a good day, with no interruptions and an average book, about 8 hours.

What is the process?

Get files, make sure they are correctly formatted, drop the art into the template, and just go through. It’s fairly simple as far as personal process. The actual process of lettering is actually way more involved than most people realize. If you have an interest in it, or just want to understand what the heck your letterer is doing, you can read Lettering the Comicraft Way and the DC Guide to Colouring and Lettering. You need more than the books to become a letterer, but it’s a good start.

Who are your inspirations?

A lot of them are my colleagues, the guys who came before me in the lettering department, like Sal Cipriano, Carlos Mangual, Jared Fletcher, Rob Leigh and those guys, and then there is my friend Joe Caramagna who helped me out in my early days getting started. Nate Piekos is another friend who amazes me and drives me to work harder. Of course, there are also the legends like Todd Klein and Tom Orzechowski, who still bring it, 30 years later.

 What is your dream project?

Probably the main assignment on a book like Batman, or another top-tier title. Definitely the Phantom, and maybe some licensed stuff like Ghostbusters or something like that.

If you could pick anyone to act as your mentor, who would it be?

Sal and Joe are folks I’d actually call mentors.

What is your biggest cringing moment as a letterer?

“It’s easy, I’ll do it myself,” from anyone’s mouth. Comic Sans, not following the rules of lettering, and breaking those rules without understanding them. Basically, anyone who is starting out and thinks it’s easier than it is. Those who actually make comics know it’s one of the harder things to get and value a good letterer. Also, the word “letterist” ::shudder::

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What advice would you give to others who may be considering lettering as a profession?

Don’t. (ha-ha) Be serious about it, but understand that there are many of us out there, and only so much work to go around. Lettering is actually one of the hardest things to break into in comics, contrary to what most believe. There are too many good guys, all competing for work, and some companies only use a select group of people, so it’s hard to find work. And especially with lettering rates being on the low end, most letterers take on about 15 books a month, so the work becomes scarce quickly.

What is something you have always wanted to say to a writer but couldn’t before?

Can you not end your balloons with a long word? (ha-ha)

What was it like working for the big one, DC Comics?

Wonderful, easily the best job I ever had in my life. Loved working there and the people were a pleasure to work with. If they hadn’t moved across the country I definitely would have delayed my decision to go back to freelance by a few years.

How can a writer and artist make your job easier?

Honestly, just be aware of the dialogue being put down and the space you are leaving for it. Also, don’t be afraid to edit the dialogue down or change a layout. I mean I usually just go with it because I don’t want to dictate the vision of either one, but sometimes it is a challenge to make it all work. That said, I’m here to work for them and like the challenge, so it’s really a non-issue. Ha-ha

Have you done anything at a convention, as in had a table in artist alley or a booth or been a guest?

I usually do the local shows, but just walk around and visit with friends, or meet folks I’ve worked with, but never spoken to in the real world. Tables aren’t usually a good idea for letterers, as they are costly and I can’t draw/do commissions (ha-ha).

It should be taken 1 hour earlier the sexual viagra online australia activity as well. Spam is a http://greyandgrey.com/spanish/veredictos-y-liquidaciones/ buy generic viagra problem that faces most people with email addresses today. You will be astonished to witness the end results of moving with a planner approach. brand cialis for sale ESPN Deportes — ESPN’s generic tadalafil 5mg 24-hour, Spanish-language sports network in the U.S. will carry the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on a tape-delayed basis beginning at 4 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 9 p.m. on ESPN. What was the most memorable fan moment you have had?

I did get to do my first con signing at NYCC though this year for Rosy Press’ Fresh Romance story I did (School Spirit).

How has the industry changed since you first started?

Not much, really. I got in about 10 years ago, and the only real change was digital comics, but it’s been so gradual, I barely noticed the change.

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How do you feel about the change to mainstream thanks to shows like The Big Bang Theory and the movies now in the cinema like Spider-man and Batman vs Superman?

I don’t mind, like any media it needs to evolve. As long as good stories are being told, and the art is great, it’s all good to me. I just like to create, so it’s not a big deal to me.

Fun time:

Who is your favorite comic book character?

 Batman, Joker, Red Hood, Flash, Snake Eyes (probably more)

Who is your favorite author (books)?

Hmm, maybe Orwell, never give it much thought

What is your favorite movie?

On any given day: The Dark Knight, Shawshank Redemption, Godfather, Star Wars OT, Mean Girls, and probably more

What is your favorite band/music artist?

Changes with the day, but I’m mostly good with any 70–90s rock.

What is a quirk you have (like dipping fries into a chocolate Sunday)?

I wipe up all the leftover sauce from the pot with bread, even in front of company (it’s the Italian in me).

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Pick-

Day or night?

 Depends on my mood.

Star trek or Star Wars?

Wars

Coffee or Tea?

Depends on my mood

Summer or Winter?

Summer

Cats or Dogs?

Dogs

Batman or Superman?

Batman

Movies or a Book?

Movies

Pizza or Burgers?

Pizza burgers

Coke or Pepsi?

Pepsi

 For those wanting to see more of Taylor’s work you can find him on FacebookTwitter and Ghost Glyph Studios Twitter

Current project:

Probably this Wednesday, lettering is so much volume, we always have something out.