Funcom‘s (best known for the MMO The Secret World and the MMORPG Age of Conan) The Park takes place in the same universe as the The Secret World. If you haven’t played The Secret World—no worries, it won’t interfere with your playthrough—you’ll soon find out the Atlantic Island Park has a dark history of mysterious murders, unexplainable accidents and a seemingly crazy owner. Players control Lorraine, a woman who has lost her son, Callum, in the infamous park.
Lorraine
This psychological horror isn’t the run and hide—or shoot wildly at nothingness, hoping you made contact—kind of game I’m used to playing. There are no weapons, no monsters stalking you, waiting for the perfect time to attack. You’re just a spectator, watching a woman, mother unravel before you. The controls are simple: walk, run, look around and pick up random items. You can also call out your son Callum’s name and get a reaction/response.
The Park isn’t scary like Silent Hill or Outlast, it’s more of a creepy game with a few jump scares. I scared myself more than the game did. I spent most of the time expecting something to jump out and chase me, but it never happened. The sounds in the game raise the creep level even more: whispers, echoes, something that sounds like a speaker or radio in distance, the wind. The sounds are a nice touch, and there isn’t much music, which made the experience better for me. I did missed the scary, though. A creepy park at night is the perfect setting for terror, and I was expecting that.
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As you explore the dilapidated park, you’ll come across notes, reports and letters revealing bits and pieces of the park’s history. Lorraine will chime in with her thoughts and revelations about the park and her life. Riding the rides also causes her to give insight into her past and her decent. For someone who has lost her son, she is awfully calm: walking around, riding rides and contemplating. By the end of the game, I understood why, of course, but it did confuse me for a bit.
The story doesn’t get really interesting until the second half of the game; that’s when it gets juicy. Learning about the park and its dreary past is interesting, but as Lorraine reveals more about herself, the more I wanted to know about her and Callum. However, I felt a disconnect between the park and Lorraine. Because The Park is connected to the MMO The Secret World—which I haven’t played—developers had to tie in references, but it was still nice to learn a little bit about the park.
Plaque inside the park
It’s a short experience (about an hour or two), but that’s expected when you are seeing only a glimpse of a woman’s life. The Park didn’t wow me or keep me up at night, but I did really enjoy the game. the story touches on a topic we rarely hear or know much about. I also like the short-story approach, peeking into a character we may have never bumped into during another game. I probably won’t play The Park again—maybe just to get the last two achievements I missed—but I would recommend it to a friend.
I recently had a chance to interview Cameron Miller, founder of the gaming company PuppyCat Productions, about his first ever game, Derbalan Shuffle, which he’s funding now on Kickstarter. This is a card-based RPG that in many ways is the antithesis of Dungeons & Dragons.
“The original inspiration for Derbalan Shuffle was Munchkin,” he says. “I picked it up, played it, and wondered what it could be like if it was an actual RPG instead of a parody of an RPG, and so I made it. It went through a series of permutations until I found one that I knew I had to get on the market, and that version is now called Derbalan Shuffle: The Shuffle Begins.”
Malkan (cat person). Art by Jarod Marchand.
Miller, a longtime gamer himself, believes a game like this is needed because many people find the copious rules in many RPGs to be intimidating. “Ever try to pitch roleplaying to a friend who hasn’t tried it before?” he asks. “‘Hey, we’re going to play this cool game. You have to try it. We’re going to spend a few hours setting up the game, and then we start playing next week, and in two to three short months, you’ll level up to having the abilities you want, and then it’ll be awesome.’ This is not that game. Derbalan Shuffle is fun from the get-go. Every roleplaying crowd I’ve brought it to has loved it.”
What makes the game unique, he says, is the freedom it grants to everyone involved. “This is designed to be a goofy, rules-light approach to gaming. Character creation takes two to five minutes. You also set aside a minute here and a minute there to explain the rules as you go along. But it’s designed to be easy to get into, easy to teach people new to roleplaying, and yet with enough depth and strategy to last for a campaign.” He adds, “The goal was to have simple mechanics for the players that still allowed for a lot of creativity and strategy, and also to take a lot of the load of prep work off the GM with monsters and loot all there in cards to be pulled out for strategic use or to be used as random monster and loot tables.”
The Shadow Elf. Art by Jarod Marchand.
In a nutshell, how does the game work? Miller explains: “The players pick a class that has cards ranked Ace through 10, and add to it a race that gives them three face cards. Each class has its unique abilities, and instead of digging through the book to find the description of that one feat or spell you want to use, it’s right there in front of you on the card. Same with the loot. For monsters, all their attacks and stats are right there, with a picture, so you don’t need to use a mini-fig, and you can keep track of damage and status effects by what cards have been laid on it.”
As for the components themselves, Miller says, “Everything’s based on a deck of 52 cards. There are 52 monsters divided into 4 types. There are 52 loot cards, again with 4 types. Your own personal deck will feature your choice of 13 cards each ranked 2 through ace. Instead of rolling dice, you flip the top card from a standard deck of playing cards. If you don’t have one with you, you can flip one off the top of the monster or loot decks, since they have the same values. Or, if this skill check is too important to leave to chance, you can play a card from your hand to ensure you get the result you want.”
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Being that PuppyCat is a small independent company, the game was tested in the field, so to speak. “I go out and find random groups of people and talk them into trying this game as a one-shot. I’ve also been volunteering for game day at the library, running this as a campaign for months on end. And so far, pretty much everyone’s loved it. Gamers, non-gamers, adults, teens. I even had a 9-year-old love it even though the game wasn’t designed to be playable in that age group.”
How’s that for a ringing endorsement?
Miller also spoke highly of those who volunteered much of their time and talent to help make this game a reality—including my younger brother. “The main help has been Jarod Marchand. His art is perfect for this game, and he agreed to help me for free when I was broke. My wife [Linette] has also been a big help with editing and inspiration. But I have to give a major shout-out to the people who’ve play-tested and told me this was awesome, that I need to get this published, that this game can really make it in a world where few RPGs do. Some of them were so emphatic that this could be successful that they pledged $200 on Kickstarter.”
The Adventurer. Art by Jarod Marchand.
Speaking of Kickstarter, while the game is complete as is, Miller hopes to continue improving the game using donations. “The Kickstarter determines how soon [our] work will pay off and I can start seeing the game on store shelves. As it starts selling, I’m going to put out expansions. New classes, new races, new monsters, new loot. Each new game will be complete on its own, but will also be compatible with each previous and each new Derbalan Shuffle game.” He was quick to mention the perks contributors will receive. “We’re offering all kinds of things: copies of our game, sheets of stickers, the ability to play-test future games. For those who want to be more involved, we can write you into one of our adventure modules or include a card of your design in every game we ship.”
Gamers can purchase copies through the Kickstarter campaign, but that’s not the only place they can get it, says Miller. “It will be on the Game Crafter sometime in November 2015. I’m hoping to get it backed on Kickstarter or sold to a publisher so I can get the price down and get stores to take it. If the Kickstarter funds, it should be out in time for Christmas. If not, I’m going forward with this project until I can either get the money to publish it myself or find a publisher who sees in it the same potential that my play-testers have. Other than that, the website will have freebies for Derbalan Shuffle. Free adventure modules, free setting information, free tips, and whatever else I can think of.”
If this sounds like a game you’d love, check out its Kickstarter. I just sent in a pledge, and you could, too!
Classic PC gaming has always been a bit of an enigma to me. I didn’t get a chance to spend time with Doom, Mech Warrior or Starcraft. Even during those times, PC gaming was more of a niche than it is today. Pirating was super easy and a norm for the culture. Players would often have access to the code and create mods or whole new games. While this culture has waned a bit, several servers are still active for these old games. Whole communities are still playing classics like Unreal Tournament or Quake. Lucky for gamers, these communities hold many talented people, which sometimes leads to full-blown independent game development.
Even though Halo and Call of Duty rule the multiplayer scene, Unreal Tournament still sees regular play. Gotta love PC gaming.
Kickstarter has been the breeding grounds for indie games. Many success stories bolster overnight funding with plenty of cash to use for even greater development than before. Usually, the titles that pay homage to older, well-loved franchises see the highest donations, such as Shovel Knight or Bloodstained. Following this trend, Storm Isle Productions hopes to keep its passion for the 1997 PC strategy game, Netstorm, alive with its newest title, Disciples of the Storm. It’s even working with some of the original developers of Netstorm!
Players use a bridge system to create connections to other islands to capture, attack, and defend. Its widely interesting.
To truly understand where Disciples is coming from, I had to dig into Netstorm, a game I hadn’t even heard of until recently. After a few hours of playing it, I can understand why Storm Isle chose to revive it. For starters, the interface is silky smooth which is a must in these competitive strategy games. Each motion of the mouse, each placement of units, everything just feels modern. Mechanically, there are many interesting things at work; plenty of depth for each unit type and faction. Players must build bridges to the enemy floating isles to attack, while keeping their own island safe from invasion. However, bridges take time before they are sturdy. Players can be quick with their bridge building, but it leads to cracked designs that crumble over time. This creates a flow to matches that I haven’t witnessed in any other title.
Luckily, the game is free since it is abandonware and I can attest that it works smoothly in Windows 8, which means I’ll be looking to sharpen my skills soon.
Playing Netstorm really gives Disciples of the Storm new life. The amount of detail being put into each unit is astounding, considering the basic graphics of Netstorm. For instance, the golems were once lifeless blobs that called me master, but for Disciples, they take on new life.
Yeah, I don’t want this guy touching my priest.
What’s even better than this guy stomping over to capture enemy units? Each of the four planned factions will be getting unique designs, making them easy to distinguish when in battle. Each unit from Netstorm is getting a glorious upgrade, making them fit their faction’s theme and being a better fit for the game’s environments. To begin with, your lifestyle choice plays a significant role in keeping a levitra overnight healthy pH for bile is super important. generic levitra from india Every government of the world supports to use this generic medicine than the genuine. It is not a disease that cannot be treated. purchase generic levitra downtownsault.org Best Sexologist will treat with the help of Ayurveda, which does not have any side effects. price tadalafil tablets Raining rain! From a lacerated raindrop!
The developers of this title have obviously spent a lot of time on Netstorm, judging from the amount of joy being put into each aspect of the game. These are players who not only remember a classic game, but they also want to share this experience with a new generation. I can’t wait to see how players use the bridge system to creatively attack and defend. What sort of crazy strategies will come out of it?
Either way, its sure to bring a smile to old and new players alike.
Disciples of the Storm is accepting support on Kickstarter.
I discovered this project while searching for people interested in the gaming industry who are active in my home state of West Virginia. I found a little group of folks who discussed and traded games, but one user stuck out. Nathan Hunt trumpeted constantly about this exciting project he was working on, often showing models, environments, and the like for Disciples of the Storm. This lead to our connection, as there is very little to note for the game industry going on in WV. Since then, I’ve been keeping a close eye on the project, counting down the days til the Kickstarter. It’s been an eye-opening experience for me, as I thought game design was merely a hobby in WV. As I’d hoped, there are developers making awesome games everywhere, even WV.
Because of this, I challenge everyone to find local game designers, writers, video producers, and gamers and make a connection. Community is what makes being a gamer so awesome. We make lifelong friends through sharing these wild experiences that no other medium has.
UPDATE: It’s BACK! Song of Horror are back on kickstarter and even better. Don’t forget to show your support. Tweet, follow and spread the word. #IndieDev #SupportIndies!
UPDATE: Unfortunately, funding for Song of Horror was unsuccessful; however, developers continue to work and haven’t let this throw them off of creating an awesome game. You don’t need Kickstarter show your support. Tweet, follow and spread the word. #IndieDev #SupportIndies!
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I’m extremely excited about this game. The graphics look great and I’m loving the different camera angles. I did notice, however, some of the wording in the descriptions and narrations is a little off, but this game is still in it’s early phases. I can’t wait to watch the next gameplay video with the voice acting and eerie music.
Now that my hopes for Silent Hills are dashed, I need Song of Horror even more.
Through my life, I’ve learned one universal fact. . .
Cosplayers often dedicated a lot of time and money to become closer to their favorite characters. Image from Santana Cosplay
Geeks are the most passionate people on the planet.
This passion often leads us to wield our various talents to try and become closer to the works we so enjoy. This has led to many creations: from terrible fan fiction that becomes a movie to amazing film projects highlighting technical skills and upcoming actors.
Yep, this concept was once a labor of love for Twilight. However, this becoming a top-selling book gives me hope as a writer.
Today’s list will be of the latter.
Dragon Ball Z: Light of Hope
The talented folks of Robot Underdog bring much shame to Hollywood’s attempt to bring the high flying action this legendary anime is known for. Light of Hope is an adaptation of the animated film The History of Trunks, one of the most emotional moments in DBZ‘s history. With this as its inspiration, Light of Hope has a lot to work with as far as scenarios and character development.
Even though there is only a pilot episode available, Robot Underdog delivered one of the most accurate live action visions of the Dragon Ball Universe. Every punch is highlighted. Energy ripples from the fighters. Malice drips from the Androids like hot oil. All of this is used as the paint that wets the canvas, displaying what DBZ fans have been wanting for a long time.
My only complaint is waiting for the series’ completion. Keep rockin’ the dragon, Robot Underdog!
Spawn: The Recall
Some of the most amazing art in comic books comes from Todd McFarlane, whose main man is none other than Al Simmons aka Spawn. While the Avengers were fighting a giant purple dude with bling, Spawn was dethroning Satan, destroying the world and recreating it in his own image. While Spawn has been kicking ass in comics, his live action experiences have been lack luster.
Michael Paris and his team sought to redeem the red-caped knight and did just that in their short film, The Recall. Spawn’s tales have always been oozing with darkness, which is why this project’s direction of being more of a horror film makes sense. There’s all sorts of disturbing imagery and suspense that leads up to some of the best effects I’ve seen in a movie period, let alone an indie project. I’d share more, but its just so good that after the eight minutes are over, you’ll be crawling to the feet of Malebolgia, begging for more.
Croft
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It’s this image of Lara that Can Cinema latched onto, creating a gripping short story of a hostage situation. What’s interesting in this piece is the desperation Lara shows, just as she did in the newest game. Each kill is done effectively for the huntress, but every time there’s a bit of regret in her eyes. The film is filled with action, but these tender moments with the character is what makes it worth while. Even fans of the original character will enjoy a few notable scenes, as a lot of inspiration was pulled from the Tomb Raider’s early years.
Welcome to Hoxford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stnRvFzGWY8
IDW Publishing has been putting out comics such as Transformers and Ninja Turtles for several years. Yet, there is one mini series that they released that stands out, Welcome to Hoxford. The story centers on Ray Delgado, a murderous, insane man, believing himself to be Chronos, lord of the Titans. He is sentenced to death for all of his crimes and transferred to Hoxford. Unfortunately, the prison is being run by a group of werewolves that enjoy hunting down their inmates. Ray faces these monsters head on, knowing that he is destined to destroy them.
Like the comic series, the fan film highlights the dark nature of the story in its visual style. Reflections are bright, stark contrasts to the encompassing darkness of Hoxford. Coupling this with absolutely brutal action scenes, the film seems to have been done professionally on the same level as 300 or Sin City.
Personally, this fan project has sparked a deep interest in the comics. Hopefully this team will get a chance to expand Ray’s story into a full length film.
Joker Rising
D.C. Comics has inspired a flood of fan films. Whether it’s the overall need to put these characters onto the silver screen in ways closer to the comics or the general ease at which these scenes can be recreated, I’m not sure. Either way, there have been loads of amazing projects featuring characters from the D.C. Universe.
Joker Rising tells the origin story of the Clown Prince while paying homage to Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight. The fan film was shot in just over a week and has a vibe similar to Blow. What’s amazing is the deliverance of the character, building on each scene that leads to a climax that is chilling, but also puts the Joker in a sympathetic light. In fact, this portrayal rivals Ledger’s in my opinion.
Smoking Alien will also be creating a sequel series called The City with Two Faces and a pilot episode is on the way. Keep a sharp eye on their Youtube page for more information, as well as other projects they have produced.
Over the course of researching for this list, I’ve discovered not only these amazing projects, but a multitude of worthy films. The D.C. Universe is a playground for these indie developers, for I stumbled upon an excellent Harlequinn story and a Nightwing Mini Series.
Fan films give producers, directors, writers, and actors a chance to make their mark in an industry that’s nigh impossible to get started in. Yet, even if they don’t have absurd budgets or A-list actors, their passion for films rings out louder than ever.
Even though its hard, log off Netflix, shy away from Hollywood and explore the world of indie film once in a while. There are amazing stories being told. Don’t forget to spread the word about these films; each of them deserves being viewed much more than they have.
Please share your favorite fan films in the comments below! They may even be mentioned in future articles.
