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I haven't updated anything this week and I did that on purpose. Valve had my attention this whole week and I was waiting for the all of their 3 part announcement before I put in my 2 cents. Now that all 3 announcements have been made I feel comfortable in talking about everything. So my first 3 points will talk about each individual announcement then I will throw in some other big stories and end with a wrap up paragraph or two.
SteamOS
The first of the 3. "Available soon as a free operating system designed for the TV and the living room." Looks like a standalone OS designed to be installed as an alternative to Windows.
The OS will have "significant performance increases in graphics processing", and Valve is working on "audio performance and reductions in input latency at the operating system level". It sounds as if they plan to release this as open source software, allowing other users to change it - they state "Users can alter or replace any part of the software or hardware they want." This implies that SteamOS will be built on Linux, supported more by the recent push into Linux that Valve has been doing. Great great news for PC gamers and I know I will be jumping on board once this hits. I have been waiting for years for an alternative to Windows and now I can finally make the change.
Steam Machines
As opposed to the popular "Steambox" name given by users on the forums. Valve is working with multiple hardware partners to put out Steam Machines that will come in a variety of options, all of which will be running SteamOS. Valve is taking an interesting approach to this by using multiple manufacturers. Not a whole lot more info was given other than a few FAQs and a guide as how to enter in the random BETA testing giveaway (Valve said they will be shipping out 300 units to BETA testers later this year)
Steam Controller
And finally as announced today, the Steam controller was unveiled. Speculation has been circling the idea of input peripherals for a while and Valve was known to be working on a gamepad that would mimic keyboard and mouse inputs in games. Designed to work with all Steam games (past and present), the controller will be able to emulate keyboard/mouse input allowing any game on Steam to be played. The controller was built with high precision and low latency in mind. Anything that bridges the gap between PC and console gamers is good for the community and this controller will attempt just that. It is well known that no matter who you are, a keyboard and mouse game player will always out play a gamer using a gamepad, that's just the nature of things. It will be nice for me to be able to stream my PC gameplay to my television and be able to sit on the couch and play a game with the controller while still having (speculatively) the same amount of precision I would have if I were sitting at my desk with a mouse and keyboard.
Nvidia pledges help on open source drivers
Possibly a reaction to the Valve announcements and the SteamOS being open source, Nvidia has said they will support open source drivers. Great news for everyone as we need these companies all to be on the same page to advance the industry further.
AMD announces Mantle
Keeping with the open source theme, AMD at their new GPU line reveal, also reveal Mantle which is a new low-level, multiplatform API developed by AMD and DICE. It was then announced that it will be used in Battlefield 4 instead of the traditional DirectX. It was an interesting announcement to say the least and I will be on the lookout for how it performs once released.
GTA V online microtransactions revealed
Really Rockstar? You really need MORE money after surpassing a billion dollars in sales of GTA V in 3 days!? Microtransactions in online gaming is really getting out of hand. Sure I can see them being implemented for free to play games or even games that cost $5 to $10 to buy, but not a $60 blockbuster! As much praise as Rockstar has been getting lately, I feel like this is a black spot (albeit a small one) on them. I would like to know how the community feels about this and if people really are on board with all these microtransactions in games.
That's it for this week. Valve's announcements are really looking to push gaming to the next level in terms of accessibility and gameplay. I think we can all say we are a little bit disappointing that one of these announcements was not the legendary Half-Life 3 or even just the announcement of the Source 2 engine but I feel we will get them not too much farther down the line. I am looking at from a perspective of, Valve just announced all these great things but what really is my incentive to go turn to SteamOS or get myself a Steam machine (even though SteamOS for me is a no brainer it might not be for others)? Valve needs something to sell to get people over to the new OS and what better IP to sell than their Half-Life series showcasing the new Source 2 engine with Left 4 Dead 3 and Portal 3 on its heels. Such an exciting week and I cannot wait for more information about the OS and the steam machines (ok the controller does look awesome too).
Thanks for reading and until next time:
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Friday, September 27, 2013
Friday, September 20, 2013
Week in Review 9/20/2013
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This week has been fairly quiet since everyone has locked themselves in their places to burn through GTA V which came out on Tuesday. So far reviews have been very positive and it is looking to be a serious contender for Game of the Year. We will see where is really stands once the initial hype dies down (which may not be soon because of the delayed release of multiplayer coming out in a week and a half which everyone is looking forward to). Other than that here are this weeks big stories:
Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi dies at the age of 85
I posted about this yesterday. Mr Yamauchi was an visionary and with him at the head of Nintendo, helped to revolutionize the gaming industry with his interest in taking a small time card company in Japan and steering it towards electronic gaming in the 1980's. He was a bright icon in the industry and the cultural impact he had on the world will never be forgotten.
Grand Theft Auto V makes $800 million in one day
The single biggest opening for a video game of all time. GTA V's first day sales SHATTERED the record that was held by Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 last year which was $500 million. You can read my review roundup for GTA V here. I can see the game reaching the $1 billion mark by next week and all praise goes to Rockstar who has shown that they have the ability to keep the franchise fresh and interesting. I had my doubts about this installment but it seems Rockstar delivered and has re-invigorated their series and raised the bar on open-world games.
Blizzard to shut down Diablo III auction house on 3/18/2013
A step in the right direction for the game that may have been a success when you look at the numbers sold but ultimately was a failure when it came to the gameplay and design of the game. The big dissapointment of Diablo III to me was the auction house which basically made you pay to get to the end game / high level play. It was next to impossible to advance through Hell difficulty without using the auction house and while Blizzards intentions were to make a little extra money off of the playerbase, it ultimately broke the game to where there was a huge drop off after players completed the game once (like me). With the new expansion and the removal of the auction house, Blizzard is looking to bring back the charm and lasting value that was seen in Diablo II. Will it work? Is it too late? Who knows, but it is 100% the right move by the company.
DOTA 2 adds LAN support
Bold move by Valve but the right one. Huge news for DOTA as an e-sport because now it is the only MOBA game to feature LAN support which means a better and infinitely more reliable tournament setup. Valve is proving once again they are the big dog in town and they will continue to further their brand and games to give gamers the best possible experience.
PS4 supports HDMI video capture
Excellent news to hear from Sony. Now capturing video from the PS4 will be 100% high quality without having to jump through hoops to do so like users had to do with the PS3 and still could not get any higher than 720P. More high quality streams will pop up and hopefully the PS4's streaming capabilities will help the community grow. I look forward to seeing tons of content from the playerbase.
That's all for this week. In other news from me, if you have not heard, my best friend Phil has joined me and has started to contribute his own articles. He wrote up a few updates on the League Of Legends World Championship, his trip to Baltimore Comic Con and his experiences with LoL. Later on he will be attending the LoL World Championship finals in LA so be on the look out for something from him on that. I had some free time yesterday and tried to work out some more kinks in my stream to no luck. I promise I will work hard to try and bring it to you guys in the next few weeks. I played a little more through Tomb Raider, I started Sleeping Dogs, and I am looking forward to Watch Dogs later in November. I have been following people streaming GTA V and it is diving me crazy that I cannot play it. Hopefully the PC version will be announced sooner rather than later. Other than that, I am probably going to have a quiet weekend and then get back to it on Monday. We will see what the days ahead bring!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
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www.hypersmash.com
This week has been fairly quiet since everyone has locked themselves in their places to burn through GTA V which came out on Tuesday. So far reviews have been very positive and it is looking to be a serious contender for Game of the Year. We will see where is really stands once the initial hype dies down (which may not be soon because of the delayed release of multiplayer coming out in a week and a half which everyone is looking forward to). Other than that here are this weeks big stories:
Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi dies at the age of 85
I posted about this yesterday. Mr Yamauchi was an visionary and with him at the head of Nintendo, helped to revolutionize the gaming industry with his interest in taking a small time card company in Japan and steering it towards electronic gaming in the 1980's. He was a bright icon in the industry and the cultural impact he had on the world will never be forgotten.
Grand Theft Auto V makes $800 million in one day
The single biggest opening for a video game of all time. GTA V's first day sales SHATTERED the record that was held by Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 last year which was $500 million. You can read my review roundup for GTA V here. I can see the game reaching the $1 billion mark by next week and all praise goes to Rockstar who has shown that they have the ability to keep the franchise fresh and interesting. I had my doubts about this installment but it seems Rockstar delivered and has re-invigorated their series and raised the bar on open-world games.
Blizzard to shut down Diablo III auction house on 3/18/2013
A step in the right direction for the game that may have been a success when you look at the numbers sold but ultimately was a failure when it came to the gameplay and design of the game. The big dissapointment of Diablo III to me was the auction house which basically made you pay to get to the end game / high level play. It was next to impossible to advance through Hell difficulty without using the auction house and while Blizzards intentions were to make a little extra money off of the playerbase, it ultimately broke the game to where there was a huge drop off after players completed the game once (like me). With the new expansion and the removal of the auction house, Blizzard is looking to bring back the charm and lasting value that was seen in Diablo II. Will it work? Is it too late? Who knows, but it is 100% the right move by the company.
DOTA 2 adds LAN support
Bold move by Valve but the right one. Huge news for DOTA as an e-sport because now it is the only MOBA game to feature LAN support which means a better and infinitely more reliable tournament setup. Valve is proving once again they are the big dog in town and they will continue to further their brand and games to give gamers the best possible experience.
PS4 supports HDMI video capture
Excellent news to hear from Sony. Now capturing video from the PS4 will be 100% high quality without having to jump through hoops to do so like users had to do with the PS3 and still could not get any higher than 720P. More high quality streams will pop up and hopefully the PS4's streaming capabilities will help the community grow. I look forward to seeing tons of content from the playerbase.
That's all for this week. In other news from me, if you have not heard, my best friend Phil has joined me and has started to contribute his own articles. He wrote up a few updates on the League Of Legends World Championship, his trip to Baltimore Comic Con and his experiences with LoL. Later on he will be attending the LoL World Championship finals in LA so be on the look out for something from him on that. I had some free time yesterday and tried to work out some more kinks in my stream to no luck. I promise I will work hard to try and bring it to you guys in the next few weeks. I played a little more through Tomb Raider, I started Sleeping Dogs, and I am looking forward to Watch Dogs later in November. I have been following people streaming GTA V and it is diving me crazy that I cannot play it. Hopefully the PC version will be announced sooner rather than later. Other than that, I am probably going to have a quiet weekend and then get back to it on Monday. We will see what the days ahead bring!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Hiroshi Yamauchi passes away at the age of 85
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I don't remember the exact year I first played the Nintendo Entertainment System but I do remember the day and the setting in which it happened. I remember my family was at my grandparents house for a get together (probably Christmas eve as is the tradition in my family) and set up in the den on the old 13" TV was a brand new NES. The whole family (cousins, aunt and uncle, my parents, and my grandparents) were all crowded into the small room as I picked up the controller and powered up Super Mario Bros. Everyone was in awe at the device and EVERYONE wanted to play. I remember taking turns, and passing the controller around to my parents and cousins and other family members and just being totally blown away by what was on the screen. The NES that year brought the whole family together on one solid ground to enjoy our time together and watch in amazement at technology literally changing the way we all viewed the world and I will never, ever forget that day because it also changed me at such a young age and steered me towards what has become my ultimate passion and that is video games.
To say that the NES changed my life is an understatement because at that point I was only a small child with no real grasp on the world. The NES inspired me to embrace technology and that is why I took the news of Hiroshi Yamauchi's passing earlier today so hard. Mr. Yamauchi is one of the most influential if not THE most influential person in the entire gaming industry. He single-handedly took a small trading card company in Japan and built it into one of the most recognizable and successful video game companies today. Ian Livingstone, co-founder of Games Workshop and former chairman of publisher Eidos, said it perfectly today: ""He understood the social value of play, and economic potential of electronic gaming. Most importantly he steered Nintendo on its own course and was unconcerned by the actions of his competitors. He was a true visionary."
Mr. Yamauchi changed the world and inspired so many along the way. Nintendo will always have a place in my head for what it accomplished and how it affected my life. Without Mr. Yamauchi I may never have started this blog, I may have never taken an interest in video games, I may never have learned to appreciate the visual arts that are presented in games. Mr. Yamauchi is solely responsible for getting me started in the world of gaming and is THE iconic figure that the world will sorely miss. Even though he stepped down from his presidency at Nintendo in 2002 and then from the executive board in 2005, Mr. Yamauchi created a video game empire and was responsible for bringing some of the most iconic characters in all forms of entertainment to the masses to embrace and love. Today is a day of mourning all around the industry as one of its brightest lights has been extinguished.
Thank you Hiroshi Yamauchi for everything you have done for the industry and thank you for letting me play.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
HyperSmash.com
I don't remember the exact year I first played the Nintendo Entertainment System but I do remember the day and the setting in which it happened. I remember my family was at my grandparents house for a get together (probably Christmas eve as is the tradition in my family) and set up in the den on the old 13" TV was a brand new NES. The whole family (cousins, aunt and uncle, my parents, and my grandparents) were all crowded into the small room as I picked up the controller and powered up Super Mario Bros. Everyone was in awe at the device and EVERYONE wanted to play. I remember taking turns, and passing the controller around to my parents and cousins and other family members and just being totally blown away by what was on the screen. The NES that year brought the whole family together on one solid ground to enjoy our time together and watch in amazement at technology literally changing the way we all viewed the world and I will never, ever forget that day because it also changed me at such a young age and steered me towards what has become my ultimate passion and that is video games.
To say that the NES changed my life is an understatement because at that point I was only a small child with no real grasp on the world. The NES inspired me to embrace technology and that is why I took the news of Hiroshi Yamauchi's passing earlier today so hard. Mr. Yamauchi is one of the most influential if not THE most influential person in the entire gaming industry. He single-handedly took a small trading card company in Japan and built it into one of the most recognizable and successful video game companies today. Ian Livingstone, co-founder of Games Workshop and former chairman of publisher Eidos, said it perfectly today: ""He understood the social value of play, and economic potential of electronic gaming. Most importantly he steered Nintendo on its own course and was unconcerned by the actions of his competitors. He was a true visionary."
Mr. Yamauchi changed the world and inspired so many along the way. Nintendo will always have a place in my head for what it accomplished and how it affected my life. Without Mr. Yamauchi I may never have started this blog, I may have never taken an interest in video games, I may never have learned to appreciate the visual arts that are presented in games. Mr. Yamauchi is solely responsible for getting me started in the world of gaming and is THE iconic figure that the world will sorely miss. Even though he stepped down from his presidency at Nintendo in 2002 and then from the executive board in 2005, Mr. Yamauchi created a video game empire and was responsible for bringing some of the most iconic characters in all forms of entertainment to the masses to embrace and love. Today is a day of mourning all around the industry as one of its brightest lights has been extinguished.
Thank you Hiroshi Yamauchi for everything you have done for the industry and thank you for letting me play.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
HyperSmash.com
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
GTA V Reactions
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Grand Theft Auto V hit the shelves around the world last night and tons of people were lined up to get their hands on a copy at midnight releases. While I am a PC gamer and do not have access to a console to play GTAV I have still been following the release and seeing what the reactions have been. The critics have been overly positive around this release and the fans seem to be enjoying the game as well. I cannot wait for the PC release of this after reading many reviews and watching gameplay videos. Rockstar seemingly has revitalized what I saw as a stagnant series and really stepped it up with V. Below are some of the big hitting reviews so you can keep up with what everyone is saying. If you haven't been convinced to get GTAV yet, read and watch these and I'm sure you will make up your mind by the end.
Rev3Games 5/5
IGN 10/10
"Grand Theft Auto V is not only a preposterously enjoyable video game, but also an intelligent and sharp-tongued satire of contemporary America. It represents a refinement of everything that GTA IV brought to the table five years ago. It’s technically more accomplished in every conceivable way, but it’s also tremendously ambitious in its own right. No other world in video games comes close to this in size or scope, and there is sharp intelligence behind its sense of humour and gift for mayhem. It tells a compelling, unpredictable, and provocative story without ever letting it get in the way of your own self-directed adventures through San Andreas.
It is one of the very best video games ever made."
Gamespot 9/10
"GTA V is an imperfect yet astounding game that has great characters and an innovative and exciting narrative structure, even if the story it uses that structure to tell is hobbled at times by inconsistent character behavior, muddled political messages and rampant misogyny. It also raises the bar for open-world mission design in a big way and has one of the most beautiful, lively, diverse and stimulating worlds ever seen in a game. Your time in Los Santos may leave you with a few psychological scars, but you shouldn’t let that stop you from visiting."
Gametrailers 9.8/10
"Grand Theft Auto V is an almost unbelievable achievement. It's not a perfect game, as open world oddities are inevitable and the story is a bit scattered. There's no 100% guarantee of a good time, all the time, and it may only feel like a real challenge in its most important moments. But GTA5 always seems to give you something new to experience, and when you complete the campaign you'll realize the game only asked you to engage with around half of it. If you like GTA, you own it already. If you don't, you're missing out on a brilliant gem of a game."
So there you have it. 9's and 10's all around. Welcome GTAV as another contender for Game of the Year in what has been an INCREDIBLE year for gaming! Once I get my hands on GTAV I will have to reflect on the years best to see where this falls alsongisde the likes of Bioshock Infinite, The Last of Us, Tomb Raider, Dead Space 3, Crysis 3, and my frontrunner, Metro: Last Light. And also to think that this year isn't over yet! We still have Watch Dogs, Battlefield 4 AND Call of Duty: Ghost still to come before the years end! Expect plenty more from me on all these games. I am going to have a really tough time ranking this years best in December when I put together my GOTY list. Now get out there and hopefully I will see you all in San Andreas very soon!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
HyperSmash
Grand Theft Auto V hit the shelves around the world last night and tons of people were lined up to get their hands on a copy at midnight releases. While I am a PC gamer and do not have access to a console to play GTAV I have still been following the release and seeing what the reactions have been. The critics have been overly positive around this release and the fans seem to be enjoying the game as well. I cannot wait for the PC release of this after reading many reviews and watching gameplay videos. Rockstar seemingly has revitalized what I saw as a stagnant series and really stepped it up with V. Below are some of the big hitting reviews so you can keep up with what everyone is saying. If you haven't been convinced to get GTAV yet, read and watch these and I'm sure you will make up your mind by the end.
Rev3Games 5/5
IGN 10/10
"Grand Theft Auto V is not only a preposterously enjoyable video game, but also an intelligent and sharp-tongued satire of contemporary America. It represents a refinement of everything that GTA IV brought to the table five years ago. It’s technically more accomplished in every conceivable way, but it’s also tremendously ambitious in its own right. No other world in video games comes close to this in size or scope, and there is sharp intelligence behind its sense of humour and gift for mayhem. It tells a compelling, unpredictable, and provocative story without ever letting it get in the way of your own self-directed adventures through San Andreas.
It is one of the very best video games ever made."
Gamespot 9/10
"GTA V is an imperfect yet astounding game that has great characters and an innovative and exciting narrative structure, even if the story it uses that structure to tell is hobbled at times by inconsistent character behavior, muddled political messages and rampant misogyny. It also raises the bar for open-world mission design in a big way and has one of the most beautiful, lively, diverse and stimulating worlds ever seen in a game. Your time in Los Santos may leave you with a few psychological scars, but you shouldn’t let that stop you from visiting."
Gametrailers 9.8/10
"Grand Theft Auto V is an almost unbelievable achievement. It's not a perfect game, as open world oddities are inevitable and the story is a bit scattered. There's no 100% guarantee of a good time, all the time, and it may only feel like a real challenge in its most important moments. But GTA5 always seems to give you something new to experience, and when you complete the campaign you'll realize the game only asked you to engage with around half of it. If you like GTA, you own it already. If you don't, you're missing out on a brilliant gem of a game."
So there you have it. 9's and 10's all around. Welcome GTAV as another contender for Game of the Year in what has been an INCREDIBLE year for gaming! Once I get my hands on GTAV I will have to reflect on the years best to see where this falls alsongisde the likes of Bioshock Infinite, The Last of Us, Tomb Raider, Dead Space 3, Crysis 3, and my frontrunner, Metro: Last Light. And also to think that this year isn't over yet! We still have Watch Dogs, Battlefield 4 AND Call of Duty: Ghost still to come before the years end! Expect plenty more from me on all these games. I am going to have a really tough time ranking this years best in December when I put together my GOTY list. Now get out there and hopefully I will see you all in San Andreas very soon!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
HyperSmash
Teamwork OP
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I've been playing LoL for a little over a year now (as BrackenThrorn) and one of the most intriguing aspects of Riot's take on gaming is their concern with player interaction and community. The Tribunal system allows players to not only see the toxic behavior of their peers, but also to decide if they should or should not be punished for their behavior (Riot decides the sentence). On top of this innovative method of educated their players while punishing those that contribute to a negative atmosphere, Riot also makes certain it informs the community of how being a good teammate will help them. Essentially, the gamification of being a good person while gaming. For instance, "Teamwork OP:"
Obviously, the intention is that Riot hopes that players will be good players because they are being good people, but frames the material in a way any gamer can see an obvious gain from; by being a better teammate and a friendlier teammate, you can win more games.
When it comes down to it, I don't care why people choose to be nicer in LoL, as long as they stop being toxic. Anyone that's played LoL can tell you that Solo que can drive you nuts. You will lose games due to bad team comps or players refusing to adhere to a standard meta. But really, I can handle that as long as everyone is trying to have fun and be decent humans beings to each other.
GLHF
-Phil
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
HyperSmash
I've been playing LoL for a little over a year now (as BrackenThrorn) and one of the most intriguing aspects of Riot's take on gaming is their concern with player interaction and community. The Tribunal system allows players to not only see the toxic behavior of their peers, but also to decide if they should or should not be punished for their behavior (Riot decides the sentence). On top of this innovative method of educated their players while punishing those that contribute to a negative atmosphere, Riot also makes certain it informs the community of how being a good teammate will help them. Essentially, the gamification of being a good person while gaming. For instance, "Teamwork OP:"
Obviously, the intention is that Riot hopes that players will be good players because they are being good people, but frames the material in a way any gamer can see an obvious gain from; by being a better teammate and a friendlier teammate, you can win more games.
When it comes down to it, I don't care why people choose to be nicer in LoL, as long as they stop being toxic. Anyone that's played LoL can tell you that Solo que can drive you nuts. You will lose games due to bad team comps or players refusing to adhere to a standard meta. But really, I can handle that as long as everyone is trying to have fun and be decent humans beings to each other.
GLHF
-Phil
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
HyperSmash
League of Legends World Championship update
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Phil has provided another recap of what went on at the League of Legends World Championship yesterday. The tournament is starting to heat up and pretty soon we will be getting to the bracket stage.
Team Mineski vs Samsung Ozone
Ozone was favored going into this match, based on their previous day's play. Sure enough, they took the initiative, taking out the first ward Mineski put out and then changed the lanes to a 1-2-1, putting the AD carry (Imp on Ezrael) in the mid lane. They managed to win all the early duels and made all of Mineski's initiatives backfire and cause uneven swaps. Additionally, Dade had a complete control of the top lane during the first 10 minutes, including working with DanDy to get an early tower dive and gank on Snoy on Reneketon, something not easy to do at level 2. While Mineski did have a flash of brilliance when they won a huge team fight for the Ace in the jungle while 10k down in gold, it just wasn't enough to solve Ozone's constant pressure.
The real winner of the match was whoever brought the whiteboard and used it to have a Lee Sin fly between the play-by-play announcers.
Vulcan TechBargins vs Gambit BenQ
Vulcan just got greedy in their game and attempted to get things like first blood and a dragon steal (both attempts by Xmithie) that resulted in deaths without a trade. Diamond counter jungled frequently and held vision control by destroying wards.
With these matches and Fnatic's decisive win over Samsung Ozone, Gambit BenQ leads Group B with Ozone and Fnatic tied behind them.
Keep cheering those ward kills!
Another post is incoming from Phil about his experiences with LoL and the community.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Phil has provided another recap of what went on at the League of Legends World Championship yesterday. The tournament is starting to heat up and pretty soon we will be getting to the bracket stage.
Team Mineski vs Samsung Ozone
Ozone was favored going into this match, based on their previous day's play. Sure enough, they took the initiative, taking out the first ward Mineski put out and then changed the lanes to a 1-2-1, putting the AD carry (Imp on Ezrael) in the mid lane. They managed to win all the early duels and made all of Mineski's initiatives backfire and cause uneven swaps. Additionally, Dade had a complete control of the top lane during the first 10 minutes, including working with DanDy to get an early tower dive and gank on Snoy on Reneketon, something not easy to do at level 2. While Mineski did have a flash of brilliance when they won a huge team fight for the Ace in the jungle while 10k down in gold, it just wasn't enough to solve Ozone's constant pressure.
The real winner of the match was whoever brought the whiteboard and used it to have a Lee Sin fly between the play-by-play announcers.
Vulcan TechBargins vs Gambit BenQ
Vulcan just got greedy in their game and attempted to get things like first blood and a dragon steal (both attempts by Xmithie) that resulted in deaths without a trade. Diamond counter jungled frequently and held vision control by destroying wards.
With these matches and Fnatic's decisive win over Samsung Ozone, Gambit BenQ leads Group B with Ozone and Fnatic tied behind them.
Keep cheering those ward kills!
Another post is incoming from Phil about his experiences with LoL and the community.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Monday, September 16, 2013
League of Legends World Championship
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I love e-sports! I have touched on a couple of tournaments in my reviews such as Blizzards WCS for Starcraft and Valve's The International for DOTA2. E-sports is constantly growing and gaining ground in the mainstream and is being legitimized and recognized all around the world. The Season 3 World Championship for League of Legends just started and Phil has written up a nice overview of the first day of the tournament. I am thinking of doing a sort of e-sports round up so let me know what you think about that idea. Anyway, below is Phil's first impressions of the Season 3 League of Legends World Championship:
Season 3 World Championship:
First things first, it's World Championship time for League of Legends! Right now, things are in the group stages in Los Angeles, with 10 teams in two groups looking to come out on top during a double round robin (best of one). Every team will play the other teams in their group twice during the week with the top two teams in each group heading to the Quarterfinals and meeting four teams that are already in the next stage, due to coming in first in the regional qualifiers.
Group 1:
- OMG
- SK Telecom T1
- Lemondogs
- TeamSoloMid Snapdragon
- Gaming Gear.EU
Group 2:
- Samsung Ozone
- Team Mineski
- Gambit BenQ
- Fnatic
- Vulcan TechBargins
Bye:
- Royal Club
- Cloud 9 HyperX
- Gamania Bears
- NaJin Black Sword
Catch the current standings of the group stage here.
ONG vs. SK Telecom T1
In addition to the run-down, I managed to catch two of the group play games, starting with OMG vs. SKT T1.
Sure enough, the big players were Cool (OMG) versus Faker (SKT S1) in the mid lane. While OMG was able to take the match, Faker was the MVP of the match. As Gragas, his lane phase was high pressured and his ultimate usage was superb, constantly knocking Cool or others into turrets and managing to Flash himself away from danger over walls.
What took OMG over the top was their strategic command of objectives, surgically cutting them down as the match went on. GoGoing was able to maintain an uncontested dominance in the top lane, allowing vision and jungle control for LoveLin.
Vulcan TechBargins Vs. Fnatic
While the original projections and polls favored Fnatic, the choice of Yorick and some early game give-ups by Fnatic allowed Vulcan to take control of the map and gold in a way that made it impossible for Fnatic to come back. Vulcan's Zuna on Corki was impressive, with a highlight being blocking a Caitlin ultimate to save Xmithie during a teamfight by skill shotting in the way. Fnatic's xPeke just couldn't be the deciding factor they needed in mid to take back control. Additionally, late game Orianna controlled by mancloud allowed for total control of team fights and an unmatched dueling ability for the North American team. Vulcan answered the critics questions about their late game positional in this first game.
Riot has done an amazing job at promoting and helping the League of Legends community grow and grow. LoL is by far the top e-sport out there right now and the games shown at Worlds are only going to get better and better. Much more will come from us on the tournament and e-sports in general. So while you wait for the next write up, go check some out and sit back and enjoy watching the top tier teams battle it out for a chance at $1 million!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Hyper Smash
I love e-sports! I have touched on a couple of tournaments in my reviews such as Blizzards WCS for Starcraft and Valve's The International for DOTA2. E-sports is constantly growing and gaining ground in the mainstream and is being legitimized and recognized all around the world. The Season 3 World Championship for League of Legends just started and Phil has written up a nice overview of the first day of the tournament. I am thinking of doing a sort of e-sports round up so let me know what you think about that idea. Anyway, below is Phil's first impressions of the Season 3 League of Legends World Championship:
Season 3 World Championship:
First things first, it's World Championship time for League of Legends! Right now, things are in the group stages in Los Angeles, with 10 teams in two groups looking to come out on top during a double round robin (best of one). Every team will play the other teams in their group twice during the week with the top two teams in each group heading to the Quarterfinals and meeting four teams that are already in the next stage, due to coming in first in the regional qualifiers.
Group 1:
- OMG
- SK Telecom T1
- Lemondogs
- TeamSoloMid Snapdragon
- Gaming Gear.EU
Group 2:
- Samsung Ozone
- Team Mineski
- Gambit BenQ
- Fnatic
- Vulcan TechBargins
Bye:
- Royal Club
- Cloud 9 HyperX
- Gamania Bears
- NaJin Black Sword
Catch the current standings of the group stage here.
ONG vs. SK Telecom T1
In addition to the run-down, I managed to catch two of the group play games, starting with OMG vs. SKT T1.
Sure enough, the big players were Cool (OMG) versus Faker (SKT S1) in the mid lane. While OMG was able to take the match, Faker was the MVP of the match. As Gragas, his lane phase was high pressured and his ultimate usage was superb, constantly knocking Cool or others into turrets and managing to Flash himself away from danger over walls.
What took OMG over the top was their strategic command of objectives, surgically cutting them down as the match went on. GoGoing was able to maintain an uncontested dominance in the top lane, allowing vision and jungle control for LoveLin.
Vulcan TechBargins Vs. Fnatic
While the original projections and polls favored Fnatic, the choice of Yorick and some early game give-ups by Fnatic allowed Vulcan to take control of the map and gold in a way that made it impossible for Fnatic to come back. Vulcan's Zuna on Corki was impressive, with a highlight being blocking a Caitlin ultimate to save Xmithie during a teamfight by skill shotting in the way. Fnatic's xPeke just couldn't be the deciding factor they needed in mid to take back control. Additionally, late game Orianna controlled by mancloud allowed for total control of team fights and an unmatched dueling ability for the North American team. Vulcan answered the critics questions about their late game positional in this first game.
Riot has done an amazing job at promoting and helping the League of Legends community grow and grow. LoL is by far the top e-sport out there right now and the games shown at Worlds are only going to get better and better. Much more will come from us on the tournament and e-sports in general. So while you wait for the next write up, go check some out and sit back and enjoy watching the top tier teams battle it out for a chance at $1 million!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Hyper Smash
Friday, September 13, 2013
Week in Review 9/13/2013
Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
We are back on track with the weekly review! This has been a slow week from me since I have been kept pretty busy in the real world. My best friend Phil wrote a nice piece about last weekends Baltimore Comic Con which you can find here and welcome him to the team, but for now, lets take a look at the week that was.
Steam announce family sharing
Finally! This has been a long time coming. This announcement is really cool to see and will further PC gaming in general. Your family list doesn't necessarily have to be family, it can be friends which is nice to know since my family doesn't play games but ALL MY FRIENDS DO! To be able to share my library with them and vice versa and having a cloud save for all games so we aren't getting in each others way in the same games is very nice. The security policies seem good, if you own the game in your library you always have the priority to play it no matter what. Developers can rest at ease because if they do not want this option they do not have to include it (though I don't know why they wouldn't want others essentially having access to demos of their games). All in all, a nice feature that is long overdue. I will be trying to get access into the Beta but I am not holding my breath as Valve has stated that the initial Beta test will only be 1000 users.
Vin Diesel brings ex-Starbreeze developers in for a new Riddick game
Vin Diesel is right up there with some of my most favorite actors. Not because of Fast and the Furious, not because of xXx, but because of his personality and his amazing performance as Riddick. Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick (I have not seen the new Riddick yet) have been some of the best Sci-Fi movies in recent times and Vin Diesel is one of the biggest nerds in the movie industry. That's right, Vin Diesel is a HUGE nerd (He has publicly stated many times he is a big Dungeons and Dragons player!) and is responsible for the 2004 game The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay which was fantastic and developed by Tigon Studios which was founded by him! So when it was announced that he got the developers responsible for Escape from Butcher Bay back together to start on a new Riddick game it was met with much praise. Cannot wait to hear more on the project!
Activision geared up to fight 'violent video games' bill
Normally lobbying by the gaming industry as a whole is fairly common but to see one company do it by themselves is very rare. The bill on the table is the Violent Content Research Act of 2013 has been looked at by many as the 'Violent Video Games' bill and was introduced in January by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) in the aftermath of the school shooting in Newtown, CT. To see a company like this stand up for themselves is inspiring to see in the industry and I hope more companies follow Activision to fight this. You know my opinion on violent video games and its time the industry stood up for itself and fought back the ridiculous claims that the mainstream media and the government would like for you to believe. Good on you Activision for standing up and defending yourself!
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon sells over 1 million copies
While 1 million copies isn't an ENORMOUS amount by any means in today's economy and looking at other titles that sell well over that number, I feel this is a big deal because of what Blood Dragon was. Blood Dragon was an expandalone title that, while marked with the Far Cry 3 name, did not require the $60 to play. The story was shot but sweet and the gameplay was great considering it was basically a re-skin of Far Cry 3 but the real deal was the price. At a much reduced price, you get an ~8 hour AAA game which was incredible. This could be the start of a great future of DLC where there are short stories released that have the feel of a AAA giant but at a fraction of the price.
There you have it once again folks. Quiet week in general, not much going on as everyone is starting to gear up for the holiday season (wow this year is flying by!) so I am sure there will be some more big revelations as we get closer to the next gen console launches. As I stated before, now that I brought Phil on board, we will be trying to get some streams together and pump out more content for everyone so stay tuned for that. Hopefully in the near future (probably a few months from now) I would like to set up a charity steamathon where I will play for 36 hours straight and all the money I get will go to a great cause.
Also, if you have not done so, click the follow button for me on twitter, the more followers I get, the sooner I will start doing contests and giving out some great games!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
We are back on track with the weekly review! This has been a slow week from me since I have been kept pretty busy in the real world. My best friend Phil wrote a nice piece about last weekends Baltimore Comic Con which you can find here and welcome him to the team, but for now, lets take a look at the week that was.
Steam announce family sharing
Finally! This has been a long time coming. This announcement is really cool to see and will further PC gaming in general. Your family list doesn't necessarily have to be family, it can be friends which is nice to know since my family doesn't play games but ALL MY FRIENDS DO! To be able to share my library with them and vice versa and having a cloud save for all games so we aren't getting in each others way in the same games is very nice. The security policies seem good, if you own the game in your library you always have the priority to play it no matter what. Developers can rest at ease because if they do not want this option they do not have to include it (though I don't know why they wouldn't want others essentially having access to demos of their games). All in all, a nice feature that is long overdue. I will be trying to get access into the Beta but I am not holding my breath as Valve has stated that the initial Beta test will only be 1000 users.
Vin Diesel brings ex-Starbreeze developers in for a new Riddick game
Vin Diesel is right up there with some of my most favorite actors. Not because of Fast and the Furious, not because of xXx, but because of his personality and his amazing performance as Riddick. Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick (I have not seen the new Riddick yet) have been some of the best Sci-Fi movies in recent times and Vin Diesel is one of the biggest nerds in the movie industry. That's right, Vin Diesel is a HUGE nerd (He has publicly stated many times he is a big Dungeons and Dragons player!) and is responsible for the 2004 game The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay which was fantastic and developed by Tigon Studios which was founded by him! So when it was announced that he got the developers responsible for Escape from Butcher Bay back together to start on a new Riddick game it was met with much praise. Cannot wait to hear more on the project!
Activision geared up to fight 'violent video games' bill
Normally lobbying by the gaming industry as a whole is fairly common but to see one company do it by themselves is very rare. The bill on the table is the Violent Content Research Act of 2013 has been looked at by many as the 'Violent Video Games' bill and was introduced in January by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) in the aftermath of the school shooting in Newtown, CT. To see a company like this stand up for themselves is inspiring to see in the industry and I hope more companies follow Activision to fight this. You know my opinion on violent video games and its time the industry stood up for itself and fought back the ridiculous claims that the mainstream media and the government would like for you to believe. Good on you Activision for standing up and defending yourself!
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon sells over 1 million copies
While 1 million copies isn't an ENORMOUS amount by any means in today's economy and looking at other titles that sell well over that number, I feel this is a big deal because of what Blood Dragon was. Blood Dragon was an expandalone title that, while marked with the Far Cry 3 name, did not require the $60 to play. The story was shot but sweet and the gameplay was great considering it was basically a re-skin of Far Cry 3 but the real deal was the price. At a much reduced price, you get an ~8 hour AAA game which was incredible. This could be the start of a great future of DLC where there are short stories released that have the feel of a AAA giant but at a fraction of the price.
There you have it once again folks. Quiet week in general, not much going on as everyone is starting to gear up for the holiday season (wow this year is flying by!) so I am sure there will be some more big revelations as we get closer to the next gen console launches. As I stated before, now that I brought Phil on board, we will be trying to get some streams together and pump out more content for everyone so stay tuned for that. Hopefully in the near future (probably a few months from now) I would like to set up a charity steamathon where I will play for 36 hours straight and all the money I get will go to a great cause.
Also, if you have not done so, click the follow button for me on twitter, the more followers I get, the sooner I will start doing contests and giving out some great games!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Baltimore Comic Con
Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Since I first started this blog, all I have been focused on is video games. While I will always put them first and foremost I have enlisted the help of my best friend Phil to help contribute with more content. Phil and I are both HUGE comic book fans and this past weekend, Phil went to Baltimore Comic Con (He lives in DC) and he wrote up a nice piece about his experience at the event. In my never ending attempt of creating content, I thought his first article for BCC would be a great way to branch off in other directions. Next month I will be at New York Comic Con so I will 100% be reporting on that and what better way to start new content than with my best friend coming on board to help me out. In the future, Phil and I will be creating a lot more content together and we will be streaming and gaming (This piece that he wrote is not indicating any major shifts by me to different content sources. I assure you there will still be plenty of video games, this is just another passion that I share with Phil that we would like to report on). So, with all that said, welcome Phil and enjoy his write up on Baltimore Comic Con!
BALTIMORE COMIC CON
While Baltimore is one of the our least favorite places on Dan & my list of anywhere on the Earth, I ventured north of DC to check out the Baltimore Comic-Con this past Saturday and am very glad I did.
The convention was was in a great location in Baltimore (yes, that's a thing) and lines were quick to get in during the morning rush. As you enter the convention floor, you're engulfed by the sheer volume of back issues and slabs to delve through. I made a beeline to the Artist's Alley, since I knew it would be pretty empty as it was on the opposite side of the floor from the doors.
That was a great call, as Mike Mignola's (Hellboy) table had only a 5 person line for signatures. After that, I stopped by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund booth and was able to get The Massive and have it signed by Brian Wood (DMZ, Northlanders). Dan and I had seen him at MoCCA Fest about 5 years ago, so it was great to see how much more popular he's gotten since then.
After that, I began wandering around the convention. I had shown up to the con because a friend had suggested it, but hadn't poured over the list of guests. I was impressed by the amount of talent there, especially writers/artists I regularly read. Pretty soon my bag (which originally had three TPBs to be signed), was about to burst with signed trades, variant covers, and hardcovers. Needless to say, I had to hit up the ATM.
Highlight: Valiant Comics, Road to Unity panel.
This was informative, full of humor, and even had a luge suit. It was really the whole package. Unity will be Valiant's super-team (think Avengers). It will fit in the continuity while adding to it. The basic concept, how do you go after X-O Manowar? Build a group that includes Toyo Harada, Ninjak, Livewire, and the Eternal Warrior. The big selling point for shop owners: Issue #1 of the comic is 100% returnable and is a great intro for anyone into the Valiant Universe.
Best Booth: (Tie) Th3rd World Studios & Valiant Comics
Th3rd World had someone dressed as Harlequin from The Stuff of Legend, games to play, carpets, big signs, and cocktail displays with their books. There was a ton of interaction and if you wanted to buy a book, they'd get it signed quick!
Valiant seemed like the belle of the ball, with their towering booth, constant signings, Unity panel, and a huge display of merchandise. The kicker: CEO Dinesh Samdasani was there to sell you books, answer questions, and show you brand new, unpublished pages on his iPad.
Creators I Met:
Jim Zub (Skullkickers): I actually hadn't read any of his comics before the con, but I had read through his blog on creating comics. Its excellent advice for anyone looking to break into the industry. I'm glad I picked up Skullkickers and am looking forward to seeing his work for Valiant.
Rob Venditti (Green Lantern, X-O Manowar): His run on X-O Manowar is going strong and is matched well with the Cary Nord art. Look for some more great barbarian filled stories from him.
Bryan J.L. Glass III (Mice Templar): His Mice Templar is filled with mythology and cultures of a heavy back story. While you may think that fantasy mice tales are silly, this is full of dark twists and a rich history. Plus, his wife is super nice to you while you're waiting to get things signed. Look for his new superhero comic, Furious, coming out from Dark Horse early next year.
David Peterson (Mouse Guard): Speaking of fantasy mice tales and rich back story, Mouse Guard is utterly amazing. The art, lettering, and story are impressive and even more so when you realize that its just David Peterson doing it all. I'll gladly wait for each issue. His stuff is a great intro point for non-comic readers that may have liked Redwall.
Mike Carey (The Unwritten, Hellblazer, Lucifer): A very nice, soft-spoken Brit, Mike was presenting his new comic from Boom!, Suicide Risk. Its a new take on superheroes from the writer that's doing a great job on The Unwritten. If you like Harry Potter or are a huge literature nerd, check out The Unwritten.
Stan Saki (Usagi Yojimbo): Somehow I got to his booth with no one there. This guy is legendary. His characters and lettering are mind blowing. Read his stuff if you want to see comics done right. And yes, that is the samurai rabbit from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Books to Read:
Eternal Warrior: Issue 1 (Valiant): Gilad Anni-Padda is back and tearing his way through history as the Fist and Steel of the Earth.
Kill Shakespeare: Volume 3 (IDW): What if all of Shakespeare's characters lived in a shared world? Hint: They'd all try to kill each other.
Mouse Guard: The Black Axe (Archaia): David Peterson never stops impressing with his art or story.
Skullkickers (Image): I think you can figure out the general theme based on the name. Great art and hilarity ensue.
The Stuff of Legend: Volume 3 (Th3rd World Studios): The art and dark story are captivating.
X-O Manowar: Read all of it. The Cary Nord (Conan) pencils are superb and Rob Venditti does a great job showing us what would happen if a Visigoth got the galaxy's more powerful suit of armor.
Regrets:
I should have taken more pictures. There was some very good cosplay and some great creators there. Not to mention the awesome booths.
Dan goes to New York Comic Con next month! Very Jealous.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it
Watch it
Follow it: Dan
Phil
Hypersmash.com
Since I first started this blog, all I have been focused on is video games. While I will always put them first and foremost I have enlisted the help of my best friend Phil to help contribute with more content. Phil and I are both HUGE comic book fans and this past weekend, Phil went to Baltimore Comic Con (He lives in DC) and he wrote up a nice piece about his experience at the event. In my never ending attempt of creating content, I thought his first article for BCC would be a great way to branch off in other directions. Next month I will be at New York Comic Con so I will 100% be reporting on that and what better way to start new content than with my best friend coming on board to help me out. In the future, Phil and I will be creating a lot more content together and we will be streaming and gaming (This piece that he wrote is not indicating any major shifts by me to different content sources. I assure you there will still be plenty of video games, this is just another passion that I share with Phil that we would like to report on). So, with all that said, welcome Phil and enjoy his write up on Baltimore Comic Con!
BALTIMORE COMIC CON
While Baltimore is one of the our least favorite places on Dan & my list of anywhere on the Earth, I ventured north of DC to check out the Baltimore Comic-Con this past Saturday and am very glad I did.
The convention was was in a great location in Baltimore (yes, that's a thing) and lines were quick to get in during the morning rush. As you enter the convention floor, you're engulfed by the sheer volume of back issues and slabs to delve through. I made a beeline to the Artist's Alley, since I knew it would be pretty empty as it was on the opposite side of the floor from the doors.
That was a great call, as Mike Mignola's (Hellboy) table had only a 5 person line for signatures. After that, I stopped by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund booth and was able to get The Massive and have it signed by Brian Wood (DMZ, Northlanders). Dan and I had seen him at MoCCA Fest about 5 years ago, so it was great to see how much more popular he's gotten since then.
After that, I began wandering around the convention. I had shown up to the con because a friend had suggested it, but hadn't poured over the list of guests. I was impressed by the amount of talent there, especially writers/artists I regularly read. Pretty soon my bag (which originally had three TPBs to be signed), was about to burst with signed trades, variant covers, and hardcovers. Needless to say, I had to hit up the ATM.
Highlight: Valiant Comics, Road to Unity panel.
This was informative, full of humor, and even had a luge suit. It was really the whole package. Unity will be Valiant's super-team (think Avengers). It will fit in the continuity while adding to it. The basic concept, how do you go after X-O Manowar? Build a group that includes Toyo Harada, Ninjak, Livewire, and the Eternal Warrior. The big selling point for shop owners: Issue #1 of the comic is 100% returnable and is a great intro for anyone into the Valiant Universe.
Best Booth: (Tie) Th3rd World Studios & Valiant Comics
Th3rd World had someone dressed as Harlequin from The Stuff of Legend, games to play, carpets, big signs, and cocktail displays with their books. There was a ton of interaction and if you wanted to buy a book, they'd get it signed quick!
Valiant seemed like the belle of the ball, with their towering booth, constant signings, Unity panel, and a huge display of merchandise. The kicker: CEO Dinesh Samdasani was there to sell you books, answer questions, and show you brand new, unpublished pages on his iPad.
Creators I Met:
Jim Zub (Skullkickers): I actually hadn't read any of his comics before the con, but I had read through his blog on creating comics. Its excellent advice for anyone looking to break into the industry. I'm glad I picked up Skullkickers and am looking forward to seeing his work for Valiant.
Rob Venditti (Green Lantern, X-O Manowar): His run on X-O Manowar is going strong and is matched well with the Cary Nord art. Look for some more great barbarian filled stories from him.
Bryan J.L. Glass III (Mice Templar): His Mice Templar is filled with mythology and cultures of a heavy back story. While you may think that fantasy mice tales are silly, this is full of dark twists and a rich history. Plus, his wife is super nice to you while you're waiting to get things signed. Look for his new superhero comic, Furious, coming out from Dark Horse early next year.
David Peterson (Mouse Guard): Speaking of fantasy mice tales and rich back story, Mouse Guard is utterly amazing. The art, lettering, and story are impressive and even more so when you realize that its just David Peterson doing it all. I'll gladly wait for each issue. His stuff is a great intro point for non-comic readers that may have liked Redwall.
Mike Carey (The Unwritten, Hellblazer, Lucifer): A very nice, soft-spoken Brit, Mike was presenting his new comic from Boom!, Suicide Risk. Its a new take on superheroes from the writer that's doing a great job on The Unwritten. If you like Harry Potter or are a huge literature nerd, check out The Unwritten.
Stan Saki (Usagi Yojimbo): Somehow I got to his booth with no one there. This guy is legendary. His characters and lettering are mind blowing. Read his stuff if you want to see comics done right. And yes, that is the samurai rabbit from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Books to Read:
Eternal Warrior: Issue 1 (Valiant): Gilad Anni-Padda is back and tearing his way through history as the Fist and Steel of the Earth.
Kill Shakespeare: Volume 3 (IDW): What if all of Shakespeare's characters lived in a shared world? Hint: They'd all try to kill each other.
Mouse Guard: The Black Axe (Archaia): David Peterson never stops impressing with his art or story.
Skullkickers (Image): I think you can figure out the general theme based on the name. Great art and hilarity ensue.
The Stuff of Legend: Volume 3 (Th3rd World Studios): The art and dark story are captivating.
X-O Manowar: Read all of it. The Cary Nord (Conan) pencils are superb and Rob Venditti does a great job showing us what would happen if a Visigoth got the galaxy's more powerful suit of armor.
Regrets:
I should have taken more pictures. There was some very good cosplay and some great creators there. Not to mention the awesome booths.
Dan goes to New York Comic Con next month! Very Jealous.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it
Watch it
Follow it: Dan
Phil
Hypersmash.com
Friday, September 6, 2013
Week In Review 9/6/2013
This week has been crazy busy for me so that's why I haven't posted anything but I'll be damned if I ever miss my week in review! Overall, this was a fairly quiet week with school getting back in session and the transition away from the summer mayhem that was. Here are the top stories of the week:
Battlefield 4 to feature a practice range
Really nice to see this feature implemented. Many times when you pick up games like this and hop into a helicopter or jet you realize "I have no idea what I'm doing!" Not anymore! Save yourself the embarrassment on the actual battlefield and practice a bit before hand to get used to the controls. I would love to see this become a norm in all future games.
PS4 controller works natively on PC
The console war is bleeding into PC territory. Now players can choose which controller they want to use! I have had an Xbox 360 controller for my PC for a while now and I am extremely excited to be switching once the PS4 is released. All in all, its all your preference and what once was a market where it was Xbox controller or go pound sand has just gotten some much needed competition. (I know there are ways to use a PS3 controller on PC but be honest, you have to jump through major hoops to get it working properly!)
Xbox One launch date
Microsoft revealed the Xbox One will launch in all regions on November 22! One week after the North American release of the PS4. Let the war commence! This holiday season is going to be insane and I cannot wait. No matter what side of the fence you are on, we can all look forward to amazing games on both systems and a ton of fun to come!
TimeSplitters Rewind in development for PS4 (And PC)
This project is really close to my heart. One of my all time favorite shooters is TimeSplitters. This series was so great and I spent many hours with good friends playing. It is really nice to see that the team at Pantheonyx is so passionate about releasing this game. All in all, its just an HD remake of all the TimeSplitters games with Multiplayer modes but for those who have not played any game of the series, you will be in for a grand treat, I guarantee it.
Mighty No. 9 reaches its Kickstarter goal with plenty of time to spare
Let me start this off by saying MegaMan is HANDS DOWN my all-time favorite video game character. So you could only imagine my joy when this project was announced by non other than MegaMan creator Keiji Inafune. The game is gearing up to be a spiritual successor to the MegaMan series and so far, the concept art and story look very promising. Check out the kickstarter here and contribute to get access to some great content.
That's all the news for this week. Look out next week as I (fingers crossed) finally figured out what was causing some of my streaming issues so I will upload at least SOMETHING (probably gameplay of Deadlight). As always follow me on twitter so I can get some contests going and like the Facebook page for the same. And now before I go I will leave you with the launch trailer for Outlast that came out this week. Turn off the lights and be proceed to curl up into the fetal position and beg for your sanity!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
Battlefield 4 to feature a practice range
Really nice to see this feature implemented. Many times when you pick up games like this and hop into a helicopter or jet you realize "I have no idea what I'm doing!" Not anymore! Save yourself the embarrassment on the actual battlefield and practice a bit before hand to get used to the controls. I would love to see this become a norm in all future games.
PS4 controller works natively on PC
The console war is bleeding into PC territory. Now players can choose which controller they want to use! I have had an Xbox 360 controller for my PC for a while now and I am extremely excited to be switching once the PS4 is released. All in all, its all your preference and what once was a market where it was Xbox controller or go pound sand has just gotten some much needed competition. (I know there are ways to use a PS3 controller on PC but be honest, you have to jump through major hoops to get it working properly!)
Xbox One launch date
Microsoft revealed the Xbox One will launch in all regions on November 22! One week after the North American release of the PS4. Let the war commence! This holiday season is going to be insane and I cannot wait. No matter what side of the fence you are on, we can all look forward to amazing games on both systems and a ton of fun to come!
TimeSplitters Rewind in development for PS4 (And PC)
This project is really close to my heart. One of my all time favorite shooters is TimeSplitters. This series was so great and I spent many hours with good friends playing. It is really nice to see that the team at Pantheonyx is so passionate about releasing this game. All in all, its just an HD remake of all the TimeSplitters games with Multiplayer modes but for those who have not played any game of the series, you will be in for a grand treat, I guarantee it.
Mighty No. 9 reaches its Kickstarter goal with plenty of time to spare
Let me start this off by saying MegaMan is HANDS DOWN my all-time favorite video game character. So you could only imagine my joy when this project was announced by non other than MegaMan creator Keiji Inafune. The game is gearing up to be a spiritual successor to the MegaMan series and so far, the concept art and story look very promising. Check out the kickstarter here and contribute to get access to some great content.
That's all the news for this week. Look out next week as I (fingers crossed) finally figured out what was causing some of my streaming issues so I will upload at least SOMETHING (probably gameplay of Deadlight). As always follow me on twitter so I can get some contests going and like the Facebook page for the same. And now before I go I will leave you with the launch trailer for Outlast that came out this week. Turn off the lights and be proceed to curl up into the fetal position and beg for your sanity!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
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