Awesome bit of Viral marketing by Ridley Scott, and using TED as the platform to introduce Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) is perfect! Check the twitter stream in the background.... http://bit.ly/tgwQvj
The best Sci Fi IMO is about science that is just out of humanities reach...for now. Perfect example is one of my favorite Sci Fi movies...Gattaca. This may be viral marketing today but lets see a TED conference in 11 years.... Prometheus hits theaters 6-8-12!
I got 2 hours of playtime in last night, here are my initial impressions:
Wow the game speed is FAST and FURIOUS!
In this new SSX the controls are totally, completely different from the original SSX and SSX3... thank god for the World Tour Mode (Extended Training Mode). The classic SSX controls are available but I recommend suffering through a couple hours of learning the new control scheme, the game was built around them not the old school controls.
Remember lil Griff Simmons from SSX3? He's a dick in this game, Elise doesn't seem to be the Blonde Bombshell she was back in the day, and Zoe (you start with her) seems toned down as well.
It was awesome hearing DJ Atomika in the intro of the game! Regrettably he is only in the World tour mode, speaking of which, World Tour Mode and the Deadly Decents (single player mode) is absolutely stupid and a colossal failure, the Deadly Decents may have seemed like a really great idea to add something fresh and new to the game but the execution is such a dramatic departure from SSX game play it feels like a totally different game.
There seems to be much less emphasis on the tricks and more on survival gear and speed. As I stated above I think the whole survival aspect sounded interesting but there's far too much emphasis on it and not enough on the crazy cool customizable tricks from SSX3 and Tricky. And the characters don't have that special individuality that each character had in SSX, Tricky and SSX3. In this game they seem very muted and not at all the over the top, BIG celb status characters we know and love.
The soundtrack, which in past games has been so good I bought the sound track, is good but I still prefer the SSX3 soundtrack, one cool option is this SSX supports custom soundtracks so you could simply play the SSX3 soundtrack!
The environments really give the feeling your carving up the powder on a real mountain...so cudos to EA's Mountain Man software. I do have a few issues with the environment though, when Batty said this SSX wouldn't have invisible walls and we would be able to ride "anywhere" I was psyched but the games physics seem too lenient and far too many times I flew off a cliff, and instead of rewinding I tried saving myself by using the wingsuit to only smack against a sheer vertical cliff side and begin riding it into the abyss...O.o. And I am no fan of the rewind option at all, I'd rather have invisible walls or at least make the tracks a little less prone to cliff side suicides. I appreciate the level of realism to all the drops but I wish they had included the yellow/orange/red snowflakes, billboards, fireworks and the stadium stands. As it is the drops are impressively realistic but very bleak and lacking in the "uber fun" department.
My other issue which I'm sure will become a non issue once I feel more comfortable with the controls is the prewind before a jump, I've read a few complaints over at Merqurycity.com regarding this same issue.
Unlike previous SSX installments the core of the game experience is online between Explore mode and Global Events. Explore Mode is as close to Free Ride as you get in this game, you can access most drops on the planet free of charge and just ride but your friends can ride against your ghost and post a better time and if they beat your time they can earn XP and SSX creds just like in Global Events. So you can earn some creds if you post a really good time on a run and your friends attempt to beat it but fail. Another way to earn credits is by placing Geo Tags during your run in really "tricky" locations....so say you get some serious air off a hidden route just rewind to the apex point and place that geo tag....there is a maturity time on them if they're not claimed which will net you max creds, so it pays to put em in hard to reach locations.
Now Global Events are similar to Explore Mode but you're racing/tricking/surviving against anyone else who joins the event. Events can be, as mentioned, racing, tricks or survival and certain conditions can be set such as equipment level/equipment requirements/ buy in (some events cost to join) and character level etc.
And depending how well you do is how much of the of the pot you'll take. Some global events pots have exceeded 1 million creds! so getting that coveted Diamond placing nets you a 1 to 1 payout!
Like Explore mode you don't actually race in real time against other players you race against players ghosts...this is a double edged sword....you don't get the thrill of real time competition but you do get the convienence of being able to "compete" against others at your convenience. In conclusion, SSX 2012 is close to what die hard fans have been looking for since SSX3, The World Tour story and the 9 Deadly Descents is awful, take your ice ax's and wing suits and shove em up your ass! The music isn't as memorable as SSX3...thank goodness for custom soundtracks! DJ Atomika needs more "air" time versus the chopper pilots. The drops are varied and beautifully realistic (kudos to Mountain Man) but need more color ie: fireworks/ billboards The SSX crew seems less fun....too dam serious. I miss the customizable Ubers and Super Ubers! I miss the fun customizable outfits....Griffs Space suit??Elises Bunny ears???SSX 3000 board, Biggest offense= No Allegra!!! WHAAAAT???? No real time vs racing... Thanks for including classic controls but regrettably they don't work well in this game :/ Rewinds=Meh Cliffs= Bah! Community-centric focus for the online aspect is great! Ridernet is cool! 7/10 multiplayer 2/10 single player (World Tour Mode)
Picking up my copy on the way home from work tonight! It's been awhile since I bought a game on day 1, got this one pre ordered at GS so I'll be rocking the worm and destroying Krogenar's times all over the erf!
Just got my Official Squeenix Newsletter for February...skipped the main story about Wei Shen and his narcoleptic felines and scrolled straight down to the news regarding Wakfu. "Closed Beta is Over. Open Beta has come to a close. Now, the World of Twelve goes live on February 29. Choose from one of twelve available character classes, customize your appearance and set out on an amazing adventure. As you adventure thru the world, you will have the opportunity to interact with an ever changing eco-system, participate in a unique political system, and of course, enjoy strategic turn based combat."
I almost went to this....A guy I spar with from Capcom Unity/SRK almost convinced me to go but my delusions of grandeur fizzled away once I looked at my 2 year old son. Back in the day I thought about entering a Street Fighter competition but that was waaay back before EVO existed and it was called B3 (Battle By the Bay). If I ever go to a fighting game tournament it'll be to watch my son compete in the future.... Anyway good luck Doc Shadow rep Unity well! For more info check out the WB6 on iplaywinner.com
There's an exclusive video on MercuryCity.com that better explains Global events and how setting up events works via Ridernet. The video tutorial is very in depth and I think explains how "live" competion works in the upcoming SSX. I really think World Tour is gonna be a small part of the overall game and the meat n potatoes is gonna be on line ala CoD. Check out the video at merqurycity.com .
Akuma and his requivalent rival on the Tekken side, Ogre face off in Antarctica over the site of Pandora's box...shit's about to get real when these two are standing on levitating glaciers yo! lol Love these trailers guys...just hope the game is half as good. I've decided to wait this one out, fool me once Capcom shame on you, fool me twice shame on you...
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal....AND ALL VAMPIRES MUST DIE!!!! Ever since Blade2 there hasn't been a good Vampire movie...Day breakers was almost good and don't get me started on those Twilight movies! This movie, as ridiculous a premise as it is, looks kickass.
It's Uber Monday folks and this week Moby demonstrates his SuperBman Barspin. He's just such a bad ass he throws his board out of the heli. He's lucky it was soft powder there and not ice or Moby's ass would be walking down the mountain.
I loved ME2, and ME3 is a day1 purchase regardless of the multi-player aspect. This trailer is pretty epic....can't wait till March 3! Sorry Capcom I moved my pre-order of SXT to ME3...I'll wait till SSXT ;)
It's Monday and this week we get to check out Elise's Super Uber the LaLaLa Lockstep. I'm not to crazy for Elise's new look with the shorter hair....maybe she flew too close to her helicopter...
I was so impressed by Arttronik's blog article Ryu: A Study on Design and Inspiration it motivated me to write a similar article for Chun Li! I have been playing Street Fighter since Ryu wore red slippers and when Street Fighter II hit arcades in 1992 I discovered I had a very competitive streak in me. I remember my friend Krogenar from Buried Planet bringing me to an arcade where there was 5 or 6 SFII arcade cabinets right at the front doors with over 30 people crowded around them cheering and jeering, waiting for their quarter to be up next. I must've waited almost 20 minutes for my first time to play, I had watched plenty of matches while waiting my turn and I remember seeing many people try and take down the guy playing Ryu...most choose Ken or Guile. When I saw some guy play Chun Li and make the Ryu player really work for his win I knew exactly who I was going to choose when my turn came! Thru the years and the many iterations of Street Fighter I have played almost every character in the franchise's lengthy roster, but I always return to the first lady of fighting games* I seem to enjoy playing Chun Li the most. And apparently I'm not the only one, Ryu may be the poster child for Street Fighter and one of the top ten most recognizable video game characters in gaming history but I'd be willing to bet Chun Li isn't far behind!
So what is it about Chun Li makes her such an iconic, popular character? What inspired her creation?
I've scoured the interwebs for as much info I think may be relate-able to the stimulus of Chun Li's creation as possible. I know there are many fans of Chun Li out there and they may posses worthwhile knowledge that I'm unaware of so feel free to share!
Street Fighter II's predecessor laid the ground work for what would become one of the most influential video games in history. To many the original Street Fighter is thought to be the forefather of fighting games but that is not the case, before Ryu hit the streets Oolong was fighting in the streets in Konami's Yie Ar Kung Fu!
Many similarities can be seen between Yie Ar Kung Fu and Street Fighter. In YAKF Oolong faces has 10 unique martial arts masters Buchu, Star, Nuncha, Pole, Feedle, Chain, Club, Fan, Sword, Tonfun and final boss Blues.
In Street Fighter Ryu faces 10 unique fighters all over the world, Retsu ( Kempo) Geki (Ninjitsu), Lee () Gen(Sou-ryuu and Ki-ryuu) Joe (kick boxing) , Mike (boxer),Birdie (bouncer) Eagle(Street Fighter), Adon (Muai Thai), and the final boss Sagat (Muai Thai). other similarities include stage design...
Ok history class is concluded, so Capcom saw potential in YAKF and
built their fighting game using ideas from Konami's fighter. But YAKF had something SF didn't....female fighters! Yie Ar Kung Fu had 2 Star, a young ninja girl in a pink outfit who uses shuriken to slow Oolong down along with fast punches and kicks and Fan, afemale warrior who wears a cheongsam, shethrows steel fans at Oolong like shuriken and attacks very fiercely...Sounds like the blue prints for Chun Li and Mai Shiranui.
So at some point between 1987 and 1991 Capcom began development of a sequel to Street Fighter, the roster would grow to 12, 3 from SF would return, Ryu, Ken and Sagat, the remaining 9 would be brand new fighters. 8 of the 12 characters would now be playable in 1v1 each with unique and special moves. Street Fighter II improves every aspect of it's predecessor, graphics, sound effects, game play, controls, soundtrack.
Street Fighter II also introduces us to *The First Lady of Fighting Games Chun Li. The reason I've astrik'd that title twice already is because historically Star and Fan from YAKF should be considered the first women of fighting games. But they certainly didn't have the impact that Chun Li has had, at the time women in video games were portrayed as damsels in distress, Jessica in Final Fight, Princess Peace, and Zelda are great examples.
But Chun Li was no damsel in distress, she represented a very rare characteristic, one that is seldom seen in other forms of media....the strong woman, determined, intelligent, beautiful and physically powerful. Chun Li wasn't fighting in the second Street Fighter tournament for some nonsensical reason, she was an Interpol agent investigating a shadowy underground criminal organization and she was driven by the murder of her father.
With that in mind I did a little investigating of my own on the interwebs and I believe I have found the inspration behind Chun Li.
In the 1970's martial arts films were a dime a dozen and women were primarily portrayed as victims, it was unheard of to have a woman in the lead role in a kung fu film, In the late 60's Huang Feng, an action film director discovered 17 year old Angela Mao Ying (Hong Kong Movie Database , http://www.angelfire.com/az/ying/ ).
As a child Angela studied ballet and performed at the Fu Shing Peking Opera and studied Hapkido under master Whang In Sik.
With her acting and martial arts skills Angela was just what Hwang Feng was looking for for the lead role in The Angry River. After starring as Bruce Lee's sister in Enter the Dragon Angela Mao gained international recognition and continued to star as the lead role in many Martial art films throughout the seventies. Some of Angela Mao's more notable films are The Tournament Plot:Angela's father has a kung fu school in modern Hong Kong, but after her brother, Carter Wong, is defeated in a kick-boxing tournament in Thailand her father is disgraced, so Angela and Carter strive to restore the honor of the school. (Sounds like Mao's storyline)
Hapkido Plot:Angela and her friends establish a hapkido school in China, but a rival Japanese judo school won't leave them in peace
Broken Oath Plot:Angela tracks down the killers of her father, aided by her pet scorpions.(aside from the scorpions that sounds like Chun Li's storyline)
StonerPlot:In modern Hong Kong, Angela and Lazenby seek to smash a drug ring which uses a Taoist temple as a front.(coughShadaloocough) Lady Whirlwind Plot:Angela seeks to kill Chang Yi, who is responsible for her sister's suicide, but she grants him a reprieve so that he can take revenge against a gang leader.(
When Taekwondo Strikes Plot:Japanese seek to capture the leader of the Korean resistance movement, who is a friend of Angela's
I'm not sure if it's a coincidence but in every fight scene above Angela in wearing some shade of blue.Chun Li's outfit is a variation of a qipao, a popular Chinese gown that. Traditionally long and form fitting, so when Capcom was designing her they wanted an outfit that was instantly recognizable as chinese but also had some sex appeal but nothing to slutty, so where did they look? I believe Akiman, Kinu, Nin Nin and Sensai may have been fans of Super Dimentional Fortress Macross...
I've always believed the character Lynn Minmay from SDFM was influential in the design of the Chun Li character and another possible source of influence in the design of Chun Li comes from the 1976 film Master of the flying Guillotine, in fact many aspects of Street fighter II can be seen in the Master of the Flying Guillotine movie...most notably the character Dhalsim. But the daughter of Wu is aesthetically similar but her fighting style has no similarities to Chun Li.
Of the the 8 original World Warriors Chun Li has gone thru the most upgrades to her character, not visually but ability wise, betwwen SFII The World Warriors and SFII Turbo she received her Kikoken.In the Alpha series she learned the Tenshokyaku, in SFIII she learned the Hazanshu. This constant evolution of the characters' moves and abilities might suggest that Chun Li is a low tier character that constantly needed to be buffed to be competitive but that couldn't be further from the truth, throughout the series Chun Li has almost always been a top tier character. Every new move or ability has added depth to her fighting style without coming off as a cheap or broken move, they all seem like a natural progression of the characters abilities, the below video gives a good demonstration of some of Chun Li's evolution:
Next to Ryu, Chun Li has been in more games than any other character in the Street Fighter roster starting with her debut in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, with her popularity cemented she went on to appear in: Street Fighter II / CE/ Turbo / Hyper Fighting/ Super Street Fighter II/ SSFII Turbo / Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Street Fighter Alpha / SFA 2 /SFA2 Gold / SFA3, SFA3 Max Street Fighter III Third Strike, Street Fighter IV, SSFIV, SSFIV: AE/2012 Street Fighter EX+@ /SFEX2 /SFEX3, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo / Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix Xmen Vs Street Fighter Marvel Vs Capcom, MVC2, MVC3 Capcom Vs SNK, CVS2, Tatsunoko Vs Capcom, Breathe of Fire Namco X Capcom Street Fighter X Tekken, Tekken X Street FighterFinal Fight2
Chun Li Ni Makase China slot machine! (see below)
Aside from games Chun Li is the only Street Fighter character to get her own live action film, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li starring Kristin Kreuk, the movie was bad but not as bad as the 1994 live action Street Fighter movie starring Jean Claude Van Dam where Chun Li was played by Ming Na
And then there's Jackie Chan's 1993 movie City Hunter....best if you see for yourself..
Good to see Chun beat Ken but karma does have a way of coming around when you least expect it...poor Justin
Chun Li's life, and the people that affect her and in turn she effects are also explored in print media such as the Street Fighter II manga,
the Sakura Ganbaru manga where she investigates an underground fight club where she meets up with Gen.
Udon has also done a fantastic series of comics based on different Street Fighter characters, The Street Fighter Legends: Chun Li series looks incredible (I need to get these)!
Malibu Comics also did a Street Fighter series back in the day...based on this one clip I'm kinda glad it was never completed...gag reflex!
But after a bit of Interwebs excavating I discovered that this whole Ryu/Chun thing wasn't a one time booty call that Malibu Comics dreamt up!
Behold the horror!
Chun Li's future looks bright thou, Udon is localizing a new manga for us here called Street Fighter Gaiden and look who is gracing the cover of volume!
Aside from her strong presence in video games, movies and print media another way to know Chun Li is a highly recognized part of popular culture is how many people Cos Play her! Look no further than former co host of Attack of the Show Olivia Mun!
YATA!
Oh yeah and this lil lady..ULTRA KAWAII!!!!!
In closing Angela Mao Ying was a pioneer and the worlds first female action star, Chun Li is a pioneer and the strongest woman in the world, she is the gaming industries first lady of fighting games, they both broke into a predominantly male form of entertainment and built a bridge for future women like Sigourney Weaver and Meryl from the MGS series, for this reason they deserve a legendary place in film and gaming history!
And here's the second part of Todd Batty's Online features videos....annnnd no lobbies Ala SSX3. Lotta people are gonna be disappointed! I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Todd also touches on the Geo tag feature, personally I wish they had made the symbol the BIG snowflakes from SSX3....but that's just aesthetics.
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