The Last Hunter (1980)
There are many films about war. There are many films about the Vietnam war. A few have transcended mere historical depiction and managed to capture the utter horror and political insanity of the situation, along with the tragic human cost. And then there are those which simply seek to use the setting as a vehicle for an exploitation movie, in the hope of making a fast buck. The Last Hunter (L'ultimo cacciatore) falls firmly into the second camp. This Italian "macaroni combat" movie (yes, I didn’t know that’s a thing either) offers a straight forward tale of an incursion behind enemy lines by an officer charged with destroying a radio transmitter, broadcasting anti-US propaganda. It is violent, action packed and surprisingly honest about what sort of film it is. You’ll find no pretentious philosophical musings here. Just explosions, rotting corpses and Viet Cong booby traps.
There are many films about war. There are many films about the Vietnam war. A few have transcended mere historical depiction and managed to capture the utter horror and political insanity of the situation, along with the tragic human cost. And then there are those which simply seek to use the setting as a vehicle for an exploitation movie, in the hope of making a fast buck. The Last Hunter (L'ultimo cacciatore) falls firmly into the second camp. This Italian "macaroni combat" movie (yes, I didn’t know that’s a thing either) offers a straight forward tale of an incursion behind enemy lines by an officer charged with destroying a radio transmitter, broadcasting anti-US propaganda. It is violent, action packed and surprisingly honest about what sort of film it is. You’ll find no pretentious philosophical musings here. Just explosions, rotting corpses and Viet Cong booby traps.
Directed by veteran Italian film maker Antonio Margheriti (and billed as Anthony Dawson on English language prints), The Last Hunter is a well-made (by Italian cash-in genre standards) exploitation war movie, with a solid international cast and good action set pieces. Margheriti had a background in miniature effects and the film features several scenes of this kind, such as the rail yard bombing at the start and the jungle cave demolition in the films second act. The dialogue is functional (and all dubbed in post-production like so many Italian movies of this kind) and the story efficiently moves the actors from set piece to set piece. There’s even the bonus of a minor twist in the movies climax. David Warbeck is suitably grizzled and burnt out as Captain Morris and Tisa Farrow fills the roll of the “plucky news reporter” embedded with the unit. There’s also wise cracking banter between Tony King and Bobby Rhodes as the units African-American representation. Connoisseurs of eighties Italian genre movies will delight at the cast and the additional inclusion of John Steiner as a suitably deranged Major.
Being an Italian movie of the times, there are copious acts of violence including a graphic gunshot to the eye, a partial decapitation and a leg amputation. There’s also a lot of crude barrack room humour and an attempted rape, but hey that’s how these movies roll. It almost as if there’s a check list being followed. The location cinematography in the Philippines gives the proceedings an authentic feel and like so many Italian movies from this decade, the soundtrack by Franco Micalizzi is contemporary, funky and far more interesting than some traditional orchestral scores. As this movie is not designed to be a cerebral undertaking it has to be judged on what it has to offer. And on that basis, then The Last Hunter is a better than average ninety plus minutes of Italian exploitation cinema. It is also a good steeping stone into the wider works of director Antonio Margheriti. If you enjoy this movie you may wish to try, Codename: Wild Geese (three guesses which movie this rips off), Command Leopard and Killer Fish. All have an interesting international cast, miniatures effects work along with either gore or action.
The Last Hunter Bonus Track: Music from the opening night club scene.
LOTRO: Taking Stock of Progress
On Tuesday 27th November 2018, I created a new High Elf Guardian on Laurelin server. To date I have spent 122 hours 46 minutes 32 seconds on this character and have currently reached level 60, exactly halfway through current level cap of 120 in LOTRO. It has been a busy but very enjoyable two months. Overall the experience has revitalised my interest in LOTRO and the MMO genre. I have written several blog posts recently, highlighting the changes that have been made to the base game and first expansion over the years. Let it suffice to say that both Shadows of Angmar and Mines of Moria now offer a fast path through the games main content. My current levelling experience has been radically different to that I had when I started playing LOTRO back in 2008 and 2009. I believe it took me then nine months to reach the level cap of 60 on my primary alt. I achieved this just prior to the release of Siege of Mirkwood in September 2009.
On Tuesday 27th November 2018, I created a new High Elf Guardian on Laurelin server. To date I have spent 122 hours 46 minutes 32 seconds on this character and have currently reached level 60, exactly halfway through current level cap of 120 in LOTRO. It has been a busy but very enjoyable two months. Overall the experience has revitalised my interest in LOTRO and the MMO genre. I have written several blog posts recently, highlighting the changes that have been made to the base game and first expansion over the years. Let it suffice to say that both Shadows of Angmar and Mines of Moria now offer a fast path through the games main content. My current levelling experience has been radically different to that I had when I started playing LOTRO back in 2008 and 2009. I believe it took me then nine months to reach the level cap of 60 on my primary alt. I achieved this just prior to the release of Siege of Mirkwood in September 2009.
I am currently working through the Mines of Moria Epic Story but have already been given the prologue quests for the Siege of Mirkwood. At present I am taking stock of my progress through the game and planning ahead. I may take time to focus on deeds to increase my virtue traits and to ensure I’ve unlocked all my racial skills. I am also managing the Legendary Item system without actually using the weapons. As I progress through the game, I intend to level several LIs and then deconstruct them, thus ensuring that when I reach level 100, I can craft a First Age Guardians sword and belt and add the legacies that I want. Once this is done, I shall make use of the imbuing mechanic and then effectively forget about my Legendary Weapons apart from occasional upgrades. Having access to the account wide barter wallet has also allowed me to equip superior gear. I purchased The Shield Bearer’s Armour Set, early this week using Medallions of Moria I had earned nine years ago on my Lore-master. I intend to ensure my character is a robust as possible before travelling to Southern Mirkwood.
After doing some research it would appear that the Siege of Mirkwood has remained unaltered since its release. Therefore, there is going to be a noticeable change in level progression as I play through the PVE content. The mob density is high and the XP from quests is more than likely not going to be as generous as it has been up until now. I therefore wish to ensure that my character is as robust as they can be when entering this zone. If memory serves, I believe that Mirkwood was also the first expansion that made key quests and instances solo friendly. One of the most noticeable differences I’ve found with Shadows of Angmar and Mines of Moria since I first played through them, is how the need to group has been sidelined. It’s still there as an option but it’s no longer the only way to progress. I completed The Drowned Treasury instance this week and could happily solo my way through it, due to the “inspiration buff” and my over powered build. It was quite a contrast to my first play through in 2009, where I was assisted by my kinship. Back then, even with six experienced players, it proved quite a challenge.
The two aspects that made LOTRO special for me back when I first started playing, where the social dynamic and the underlying narrative. This was my first MMORPG and I was at a point in my life where I could accommodate the grouping requirement. Hence, I really enjoyed doing instances and activities with a close group of friends. Second time around and nearly a decade later this social imperative is no longer a necessity. I’d argue that actually finding another five people to join a fellowship to tackle an instance such as The Drowned Treasury would be a “big ask”. However, the story is still there, and it has been very rewarding to experience it a second time round and savour it’s details as well as the way so much of it dovetails into the existing canon. So, as I embark upon the next stage of my ongoing LOTRO journey, there is still much to look forward to. However, it is fair to say that although the experience will more than likely be fun, it will be subtly different this time round. Because time changes things. Both MMOs and people
When MMOs Die
Have you ever wondered exactly what happens when an MMO shuts down? Let's not use the phrase "shuttered" as it’s a public relations term intended to mitigate and defuse the reality of the situation. It is intended to take the sting out of the notion of a game closing; evoking imagery of a well-respected family business, closing up shop for the last time and retiring to Cheshire to keep bees. No that will not do at all, so we won't use it here. "Shut down" is far more accurate. It cuts to the chase, accommodating the economic and legal reasons, which are often the primary reason that a game is closing. It also has a far more definitive ring to it, where “shuttered” leaves room for hope. After all the shutters can come back down from the closed family business, if beekeeping doesn’t work out.
Have you ever wondered exactly what happens when an MMO shuts down? Let's not use the phrase "shuttered" as it’s a public relations term intended to mitigate and defuse the reality of the situation. It is intended to take the sting out of the notion of a game closing; evoking imagery of a well-respected family business, closing up shop for the last time and retiring to Cheshire to keep bees. No that will not do at all, so we won't use it here. "Shut down" is far more accurate. It cuts to the chase, accommodating the economic and legal reasons, which are often the primary reason that a game is closing. It also has a far more definitive ring to it, where “shuttered” leaves room for hope. After all the shutters can come back down from the closed family business, if beekeeping doesn’t work out.
So back to the original question, what is it actually like when a substantial MMORPG finally shuts down? I'm sure we all understand the fundamental concepts involved. The logistics of it are no different from when you're playing an active game online and it's taken down for patching. You receive a succession of on-screen notifications and then you're disconnected. What I'm talking about here is the emotional impact it has upon players and social groups. What is it like to be logged in to your game of choice in those final moments? To be surrounded by your friends in a virtual world that you love and have invested so much time into, knowing that within minutes it will be gone forever? To be moments away from a form of virtual bereavement and subsequent online homelessness?
The answer is ultimately very subjective. Most mature adults have an idea of their own emotional literacy and can probably imagine how they would react in a given situation. I can fully understand how heart breaking it could be for some players to see an integral part of their social life ignominiously dispensed with at the flick of a metaphorical switch. As for myself, I would see it as an inevitability and would therefore deal with it with a degree of emotional detachment. I would also ensure that I was "there when the lights went out”, just so I could experience first-hand what the final moments were actually like. Plus, there may be some last-minute fun and games as the developers turn on various events and gated activities or release a horde of mobs into the world. At the very least, the situation would certainly merit a blog post.
WildStar closed last November and a year prior to that so did Marvel Heroes. Other games such as Vanguard and Wizardry Online have also been shut down in recent years, all of which were for financial, licensing or administrative restructuring issues. All of these games had an active player base, that enjoyed and supported the games right up until the last moment. Subsequently, a cursory search online will produce a wealth of videos, screenshots and eulogies made by those who have become displaced by MMO closures and are still mourning their passing. If you have never played an MMO to any extent, then it will all seem a little perfunctory and a bit of a storm in a teacup to you. For those that have spent hours of their life in a virtual world, with friends they’ve made along the way, it is a far more emotionally compelling matter.
I'm a firm believer in the old adage "forewarned is forearmed". It may not come as any surprise to those who know me that I've made all the necessary arrangements for my own funeral. That's how I run my life. So, for me watching videos of the last moments of any MMO is a pertinent reminder that a similar fate will eventually come to those that I currently play. However, not everyone is like me and some people don't like to continence such things. Each to their own. We all deal with things in our own fashion. However, I would advise active MMO players to watch the video below, regarding WildStar, and subsequently reflect upon it. Perhaps it may teach us to be a little more appreciative of the games we currently enjoy, because time and tide waits for no man or MMO.
The Lucas Legacy
I was perusing the net recently and came across a story about how a Star Wars fan film that had built up a head of steam online, has been slapped with a copyright strike from Disney. Nothing unusual there as the company is virtually legendary with respect to its litigious proclivities. However, someone over a Lucasfilm interceded and got the strike lifted, because the fan film creator had allegedly sought prior permission and supposedly received it. George Lucas has always maintained an equitable attitude towards fan usage of the Star Wars IP, something he tried to impress upon Disney when he sold the rights to them back in 2012. But it is very difficult to have a balanced discussion about George Lucas as the man is such a paradox. On one hand he is possibly one of the greatest contributors to twentieth century pop culture and has influenced a generation of film makers, writers and fans. On the other he is the man who single headedly has managed to queer his own pitch, with the way he has continuously tinkered with his body of work and appended it with supplemental material that many deemed substandard or to the detriment of the original. He is also still vilified in some quarters for his business arrangement with Disney.
I was perusing the net recently and came across a story about how a Star Wars fan film that had built up a head of steam online, has been slapped with a copyright strike from Disney. Nothing unusual there as the company is virtually legendary with respect to its litigious proclivities. However, someone over a Lucasfilm interceded and got the strike lifted, because the fan film creator had allegedly sought prior permission and supposedly received it. George Lucas has always maintained an equitable attitude towards fan usage of the Star Wars IP, something he tried to impress upon Disney when he sold the rights to them back in 2012. But it is very difficult to have a balanced discussion about George Lucas as the man is such a paradox. On one hand he is possibly one of the greatest contributors to twentieth century pop culture and has influenced a generation of film makers, writers and fans. On the other he is the man who single headedly has managed to queer his own pitch, with the way he has continuously tinkered with his body of work and appended it with supplemental material that many deemed substandard or to the detriment of the original. He is also still vilified in some quarters for his business arrangement with Disney.
Lucas announced back in October 2012 an interview with the New York Times, that he was "retiring" from the sort of film making he had become closely associated with over the last three decades. He was however still going to pursue creating more "personal" films. He also made some fairly broad statements about getting mainstream Hollywood to buy into his last project Red Tails and the movie industries overall inadequacies in dealing with issues of race and African-American history in films per se. He took time to pointedly described how he had to finance Red Tails himself. Sadly, the movie was met with relative indifference at the box office and garnered the usual criticism associated with his work. IE too much emphasis on spectacle and not enough attention of characters and script. Since then Lucas has not produced any major cinematic works and has continued to pursue his philanthropic and charitable endeavours.
There are some who feel that Mr. Lucas is a misunderstood film maker who has suffered at the hands of a rabid and unreasonable fan base and a system that hates him for bypassing their rules. Then there are those who simply see him as a gifted technician, well versed in the mechanics of film making but lacking in the narrative skills shown by the true “greats”. As per usual, the truth more than likely lies somewhere in between these two positions and is far more nuanced. As for his last movie Red Tails (which he produced and then took over the reshoots from incumbent director Anthony Hemmingway), it’s a distinctly average film. It is visually impressive as you would expect, but the story is incredibly formulaic, and the characters are weak. The issue of racism is not given the depth or intelligence required to explore it effectively and the dialogue is unconvincing. Whether the films reception was a key factor in Lucas choosing to semi-retire from the wider industry, is up for debate. For decades he has been a prisoner of his own success and at times it does seems like he still struggles to come to terms with it all. “On the Internet, all those same guys that are complaining I made a change are completely changing the movie … I’m saying: ‘Fine. But my movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it. Why would I make any more when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”
Although I fully understand and even agree in principle with his sentiments, such a position is purely an ideological one and is not very practical in reality. Star Wars has become an integral part of popular culture and although there is no legal precedence, the public feel that they have some collective emotional ownership of it and are therefore not going to take an even-handed view to alterations and new material (as the Disney movies have shown). Lucas should have learnt from others who have participated in films and TV that has grown bigger than themselves. You come to terms with it and try to work within the confines that it sets, or you simply withdraw. Lucas may think that the restraints of the Star Wars phenomenon has limited his options and thus he has not had the critical success he looked for. I think more blame can be attributed to his skills set. The original trilogy although overall his own work, had the creative input of additional screenwriters and directors to smooth the rough edges and curb his excesses. The prequels did not and therefore their ideas and visual style were marred by poor dialogue and turgid stories. In fact, I would draw a parallel between George Lucas's career and that of M. Night Shyamalan. Both are talents that possibly require the counterbalance of a third party to reach their full potential.
Of course, George Lucas has not fully retired and has provided himself with a get out of jail card, with the ongoing development of a fifth Indiana Jones film. However, it should be noted that he is only involved as an executive producer and is not contributing to the story. Yet regardless of any future film output, his long-term legacy is clearly established and of considerable magnitude. He created a mythology for a generation that had none and has been instrumental in pushing back the technical boundaries of the film industry. He has demonstrated that the mainstream studios do not need to have it their own way all the time and he has influenced an inordinate amount of people globally to pursue their creative dreams. However, it can be argued that he has also set a precedent of style over substance and spectacle over narrative. Yet, whatever your opinion on the man and his work, we have not heard the last of him. Lucas is by nature a “fixer” and I suspect he has something he still wants to put right or follow up upon before he’s “done”.
Nightwing (1979)
The seventies saw a minor boom in creature feature films after the box office success of Jaws. Hence, we had movies such as Orca (1977), Tentacles (1977), The Pack (1977) and Piranha (1978). If an animal could eat you or potentially pose any threat to people, someone somewhere would make a movie about it. Usually a bad one. A few of these even dared to stray into other hot topics of the time such as pollution and protecting the environment. Some would even invoke mysticism and folk lore to facilitate their protagonists. Nightwing is one such curious genre hybrid which combines vampire bats, shale oil mining and Native American culture in its clumsy and unsubtle plot. It’s a somewhat odd undertaking, directed by Arthur Hiller. His previous work included Love Story (1970) and Silver Streak (1976), so he was not the first person you’d expect to see associated with such material. The film doesn’t work well as either a horror movie or an exploration of social issues, but like so many movies from this era, it is of interest mainly due to its sheer incongruity.
The seventies saw a minor boom in creature feature films after the box office success of Jaws. Hence, we had movies such as Orca (1977), Tentacles (1977), The Pack (1977) and Piranha (1978). If an animal could eat you or potentially pose any threat to people, someone somewhere would make a movie about it. Usually a bad one. A few of these even dared to stray into other hot topics of the time such as pollution and protecting the environment. Some would even invoke mysticism and folk lore to facilitate their protagonists. Nightwing is one such curious genre hybrid which combines vampire bats, shale oil mining and Native American culture in its clumsy and unsubtle plot. It’s a somewhat odd undertaking, directed by Arthur Hiller. His previous work included Love Story (1970) and Silver Streak (1976), so he was not the first person you’d expect to see associated with such material. The film doesn’t work well as either a horror movie or an exploration of social issues, but like so many movies from this era, it is of interest mainly due to its sheer incongruity.
Youngman Duran (Nick Mancuso), a deputy on an Indian reservation in New Mexico, investigates the death of several horses on a local ranch. The bodies are covered in small bites, drained of blood and there is a strong smell of ammonia. Tribal Council chairman Walker Chee (Stephen Macht) is keen to keep the matter quiet, as he is trying to negotiate the mining rites to oil shale deposits that have recently been discovered in nearby canyons. Canyons that also happen to be sacred to the local population. Abner Tasupi (George Clutesi), an ageing medicine man and Duran’s uncle, tells him he’s unleashed forces that will remove the White Man from the land and restore things to how they use to be. Duran dismisses such ideas, but as further death occurs including his uncle, begins to think otherwise. However, the arrival of British scientist Philip Payne (David Warner) points to a more tangible answer. The caves in Maskai Canyon are home to a swarm of deadly vampire bats he’s been tracking.
Nightwing efficiently sets out its stall within the first fifteen minutes. The audience is presented with a beleaguered law enforcment official, a corrupt business man and an obsessed scientist. This is quickly followed by a heavy dose ersatz Indian mysticism and the ubiquitous love interest, via local nurse Anne Dillon (Kathryn Harrold), who runs the town clinic. It’s all formulaic content that’s common to genre movies. There is also an attempt to address some deeper issues regarding the treatment of indigenous peoples by the Federal Government, as well as some nods towards institutional racism. But it’s far from convincing and or subtle. Especially in light of the fact that so few of the main cast are of the correct ethnicity. The film then proceeds to offset the subsequent vampire bat attacks with wider supernatural explanations, but never fully commits to them. The use of datura root as a hallucinogenic offers a “get out of jail card” to the film’s mystic elements.
As for the vampire bat attacks, they’re initially kept off screen until the first major set piece of the movie. This involves a group of Christian missionaries who are visiting the reservation and considering making a substantial charitable investment. It is one of the better plot elements. The attack takes place at night around the camp fire and features animatronic bats created by Carlo Rambaldi (E.T and the 1976 version of King Kong). There is also an optical overlay of a swarm of bats that further adds to the scene. It doesn’t quite work and certainly the rather static close ups of Rambaldi’s bats are far from convincing. However, the effects work is of interest due to the technical limitations of the time. Certainly, the blood flows in this sequence with the victims panicking. One falls into the camp fire while another hides under the camper van, only for it to run over her. Later in the movie Duran, Payne and Dillon construct an anti-bat cage from steel scaffolding and wire mesh. The technical shortcomings of the animatronics are more apparent here.
There are some genre stalwarts in the cast. David warner is suitable driven and even has a Jaws-eque monologue about the inherent “evil” of vampire bats. Sadly, his character has little back story. Strother Martin also appears as the local store owner as does Charles Hallahan as one of the Christian missionaries. But overall the screenplay by Martin Cruz Smith, Steve Shagan and Bud Shrake does the bear minimum and lacks any depth, or standout features. Although the desert locations are strikingly shot at times by Charles Rosher Jr. there is no overt sense of danger from the environment. Nightwing may well have benefitted from a more experienced genre director at the helm, who could have focused more upon the horror elements, rather than trying to expand the scope of the story into wider socio-political themes. However, I still find movies of this kind that hail from the pre-digital age to be of interest. The seventies were a far more experimental time for cinema and studios were prepared to try different things and straddle multiple genres. Nightwing should therefore be filed under such.
LOTRO: The Downside to Fast Levelling
NB. This post is a direct continuation of previous one, posted on 2nd January. As I’ve stated many times before in prior posts, there is a tangible sense of reward to be found in levelling in an MMORPG. Gaining experience and progressing from one level to another, inching further to the in-game cap, is a clear and uncomplicated goal. It’s far from a complex process. You play through content, gain loot and XP and then after a while, “ding”, you hit the next level and revel in a sense of achievement. There are naturally other goals to pursue that are more difficult to achieve, such as gaining a specific set of raid armour or obtaining maximum rep with all factions. But for many players, simply progressing by level per day (or some permutation thereof) is sufficient to keep them happy and make them feel that they are making headway within a specific game. And at present, this is exactly the approach that I take with LOTRO when playing on my new Guardian. Last night I reached level 57, while questing in Nanduhirion.
NB. This post is a direct continuation of previous one, posted on 2nd January. As I’ve stated many times before in prior posts, there is a tangible sense of reward to be found in levelling in an MMORPG. Gaining experience and progressing from one level to another, inching further to the in-game cap, is a clear and uncomplicated goal. It’s far from a complex process. You play through content, gain loot and XP and then after a while, “ding”, you hit the next level and revel in a sense of achievement. There are naturally other goals to pursue that are more difficult to achieve, such as gaining a specific set of raid armour or obtaining maximum rep with all factions. But for many players, simply progressing by level per day (or some permutation thereof) is sufficient to keep them happy and make them feel that they are making headway within a specific game. And at present, this is exactly the approach that I take with LOTRO when playing on my new Guardian. Last night I reached level 57, while questing in Nanduhirion.
Due to the drastically nerfed levelling curve and major revamp of both Shadows of Angmar and Mines of Moria, LOTRO players can fast path through a lot of the classic content if they see fit. Hence, I have focused mainly on the Epic Story and have subsequently powered through Moria to Dimrill Dale. Along the way, the legendary Item system has become available to me and I recently began levelling my second LI one-handed sword (Level 57). Now to cut along story short, the LI system is excessively complex and time consuming as well as being further hindered by different tiers of weapons. This makes any LI under level 100 somewhat redundant as they have a finite lifespan. Furthermore, some of the regular weapons I’m receiving as quest rewards have superior specifications that those on the LI I’m currently levelling. Therefore, until my Guardian hits level 100, I am levelling LI weapons but not equipping them. I will continue to use the Guardian’s Belt LI as there is no alternative to this. However, my approach pretty much sidelines the LI system for the meantime, making it a minor source of adjustment rather than a major game focus.
I’ve also noted that for a while now, low tier essences have dropped from time to time when playing through PVE content. However, I have not seen any quest rewards that offer socketed armour, nor has any randomly dropped. According to the LOTRO-Wiki the essence system becomes available at level 50, yet I have not seen any obvious means of using it at present. For the meantime I am finding a lot of the gear offered by quests to be more than satisfactory and as I have access to shared resources via the barter wallet, I can purchase specific sets from class vendors if I wish. Prior to entering Moria I purchased the High-protector's Armour (Item Level 50) from the Guardian Trainer in Rivendell. I have swapped out a few pieces but have retained four to maintain the set bonus. Again, I find that an aspect of the game that use to require some care and attention before making a choice has now been trivialised due to the wealth of options and shear volume of good quality quest rewards.
It is also worth noting that my brief flirtation with crafting has now ground to a halt. Unlocking the various tiers of the Metalsmith profession is far from difficult but the problem lies with the items required for critical success when crafting. For example, you don’t often find multiple copies of the Supreme Metalsmith's Journal available on Auction House. You therefore have to either pursue the Scholar profession on another alt or look towards your kinship for assistance. However, as both these options appear to fly in the face of the breakneck speed of progression through the game, you can simply opt not to craft and suffer no major inconvenience. And that sentiment is one that seems to prevail in the current iteration of LOTRO. It may well change when players reach Southern Mirkwood, as that area has not been revamped to my knowledge. But certainly, up until level 60 the levelling curve continues to marginalise certain game systems. It’s a shame in a way because all of these aspects of the game will play a key role at higher levels and many players will find that they may have some catching up to do at some point. Myself included. However, as I treat the MMO genre as a “live in the moment” experience, I’ll worry about such problems as and when they become apparent.
Analysing Tolkien
The scope and detail of JRR Tolkien’s body of work lends itself to a great deal of scrutiny and analysis. This ranges from the scholarly from such people as Professor Cory Olsen (AKA The Tolkien Professor) who established the Mythgard Institute in 2011, to enthusiasts on the internet exchanging ideas and sharing their thoughts. A simple Google search will offer a wealth of essays and dissertations that dissect and ponder all aspects of Tolkien’s writing. Often these focus upon religious analogies, parallels with existing mythologies and how Tolkien’s experiences in World War I shaped his world view. Then there is the exploration of the lore itself and how various characters and events within Middle-earth are interlinked and of a wider significance. The intricacy of both The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion provide fans with an immense amount of history and heritage to ponder. Questions such as “who is Tom Bombadil” and “why didn’t the fellowship just fly to Mordor” remain popular talking points.
The scope and detail of JRR Tolkien’s body of work lends itself to a great deal of scrutiny and analysis. This ranges from the scholarly from such people as Professor Cory Olsen (AKA The Tolkien Professor) who established the Mythgard Institute in 2011, to enthusiasts on the internet exchanging ideas and sharing their thoughts. A simple Google search will offer a wealth of essays and dissertations that dissect and ponder all aspects of Tolkien’s writing. Often these focus upon religious analogies, parallels with existing mythologies and how Tolkien’s experiences in World War I shaped his world view. Then there is the exploration of the lore itself and how various characters and events within Middle-earth are interlinked and of a wider significance. The intricacy of both The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion provide fans with an immense amount of history and heritage to ponder. Questions such as “who is Tom Bombadil” and “why didn’t the fellowship just fly to Mordor” remain popular talking points.
Last week, popular “edutainment” You Tube channel, Extra Credits, started their third season of Extra Sci-Fi, which explores key writers that have shaped the fantasy and science fiction genre. This time round they are focusing on both Frank Herbert and JRR Tolkien. For those who aren’t familiar with Extra Credits, the show initially started analysing and debating the artistic and technical merits of the video game industry, via short animated videos. They have now branched out to explore such subjects as mythology and history in a similar idiom. The videos are informative and designed to encourage discourse among viewers. The channel often determines what it will be discussing via subscriber votes and consultation. It would seem that there was a lot of support for the new season of Extra Sci-Fi when they announced they would be focusing on the works of both Tolkien and Herbert.
The first episode raises the question as to why the worlds created by Tolkien and Herbert are so demonstrably superior and credible than those of subsequent writers who have sought to copy their success. It is suggested that it is the detailed naming conventions and the history that they invoke that is key to maintaining a sense of credibility and verisimilitude in the respective narratives. However, all points are presented in a manner that fosters debate, rather than definitively stating that this is the sole interpretation. Why not watch the episode yourself and see what you think? I certainly think in the weeks to come there will be some interesting analysis and points of interest, as the Extra Credits writing team seem rigorous in their research and thoughtful in their deliberations. Certainly, their take on the works of JRR Tolkien will be a welcome addition to the ongoing discourse. For those new to such studies, this can also offer a good starting point.
The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)
The horror movie genre was changing rapidly in the late sixties and seventies, with films such as the Night of the Living Dead and Rosemary’s Baby moving away from traditional gothic settings and proving to be box office successes. After the success of Count Yorga, Vampire, a movie set in 1970s Los Angeles, Warner Bros commissioned Hammer Films to make two contemporary set Dracula films. The first of these was Dracula A.D. 1972. The film was loosely inspired by the Highgate Vampire case and proved to be moderately successful at the box office. The second being The Satanic Rites of Dracula; a curious hybrid vampire movie that mixes elements of the espionage genre along with traditional Hammer horror content. Sadly, this final outing for both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee as Van Helsing and Dracula, was not well received by the public and has subsequently been written off in the annals of Hammer Films. Yet despite it’s flaws it does have a few points of interest to the more rigorous horror fan. The recent Blu-ray release via the Warner Archive Collection presented such an opportunity for reappraisal.
The horror movie genre was changing rapidly in the late sixties and seventies, with films such as the Night of the Living Dead and Rosemary’s Baby moving away from traditional gothic settings and proving to be box office successes. After the success of Count Yorga, Vampire, a movie set in 1970s Los Angeles, Warner Bros commissioned Hammer Films to make two contemporary set Dracula films. The first of these was Dracula A.D. 1972. The film was loosely inspired by the Highgate Vampire case and proved to be moderately successful at the box office. The second being The Satanic Rites of Dracula; a curious hybrid vampire movie that mixes elements of the espionage genre along with traditional Hammer horror content. Sadly, this final outing for both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee as Van Helsing and Dracula, was not well received by the public and has subsequently been written off in the annals of Hammer Films. Yet despite it’s flaws it does have a few points of interest to the more rigorous horror fan. The recent Blu-ray release via the Warner Archive Collection presented such an opportunity for reappraisal.
The Satanic Rites of Dracula is a direct sequel to Dracula A.D. 1972. There is a degree of continuity with both characters and cast. Peter Cushing returns as Lorrimer Van Helsing, as does Michael Coles as Inspector Coles. Joanna Lumley replaces Stephanie Beecham as Jessica Van Helsing. Furthermore, the two movies are directed by Alan Gibson and written by Don Houghton. In an unusual twist the film starts very much as a spy drama, with a secret service agent escaping from the country mansion Pelham House, where cabinet ministers, industrialists and military chiefs indulge in satanic rites. Department head, Colonel Mathews (Richard Vernon) and Secret Service agent Torrence (William Franklyn) fear a major political scandal as well as foreign espionage. Due to the sensitivity of the situation they seek outside help from Special Branch Inspector Coles, who urges them to consult with occult expert Lorrimer Van Helsing. Investigations reveal that a leading scientist Julian Keeley (Freddie Jones) is also involved in the cult and that he is developing a deadly plague virus for the recluse business moghul, D. D. Denham.
The Satanic Rites of Dracula struggles to find its niche as the story veers between genres. Count Dracula doesn’t appear until thirty minutes into the movie and the screenplay is somewhat at a loss as to what to do with him, once he does. The story hinges upon the count having a curious existential crisis and tiring of his undead existence, hence the creation of a plague that will kill all life on earth, leaving him without any prey. It’s an interesting idea but one that is left underdeveloped. As for the horror elements of the film they’re somewhat modest. There are two staking scenes involving female vampires; one of which is now fully restored in the new Blu-ray copy. The remainder of the action is mainly shootouts with the curiously dressed security guards of Pelham house. They sport Afghan Waistcoats and Mauser pistols. Like most Hammer films from this period there’s a lot of cleavage and nudity to bolster the horror elements. Dracula’s demise at the end is suitably creative involving a Hawthorn bush and a picket fence. Les Bowie’s special effects are still enjoyable although far from sophisticated.
However, despite the vagueness of the script and the rather limited scope of action, there are still aspects to enjoy in The Satanic Rites of Dracula. The scenes between Peter Cushing and Freddie Jones are great, demonstrating that even with material as thin as this, both actors can hold the audience’s attention. The chemistry between Cushing and Lee is also present in the film denouement. The contemporary location scenes showing London in 1973 are also a source of interest. The car chase provides glimpses of The Strand and parts of Kensington, all of which have now been heavily redeveloped. But where this movie may appeal to the horror aficionado who has an abiding love with Hammer Films, you can objectively see why it failed at the box office. The studios attempt to move with the time are mainly superficial and beyond this, the film is just doing the same things as its predecessors. Furthermore, Christopher Lee had tired of the role of Dracula and so this was his final appearance as the iconic count for Hammer Films. Later in 1973, The Exorcist would change the horror genre completely, consigning the studio to further decline and inevitable closure. Hence, The Satanic Rites of Dracula was another nail in the coffin for Hammer’s Dracula franchise and a text book example of failing to move with the times.
Too Much Information
While playing LOTRO recently, I helped random new player who was confused about virtue traits. I explained to them as well as I could, but the incident was a clear reminder of the complexity of the MMO genre and the perennial problem of how the can game developers effectively convey instructions to the player. If you are a long-term gamer and have tried numerous titles across multiple genres, you will often find common mechanics and systems. Hence when playing a new game, you can sometimes figure out the controls as you go. For example, WASD for movement, M for the map etc. But this is not always guaranteed. Because developers have to consider new players who may have no prior gaming experience, when designing their GUI and tutorials. So there’s scope for instructions that seem contradictory and unintuitive to veteran gamers. Porting titles to the PC that were primarily developed for consoles can also cause confusion. Simply put, teaching a player the basics of a game is a big challenge. Providing succinct information on more complex issues is even harder. Many gamer developers are still extremely bad at imparting knowledge and making viable tutorials. Here are some examples I’ve encountered.
While playing LOTRO recently, I helped random new player who was confused about virtue traits. I explained to them as well as I could, but the incident was a clear reminder of the complexity of the MMO genre and the perennial problem of how the can game developers effectively convey instructions to the player. If you are a long-term gamer and have tried numerous titles across multiple genres, you will often find common mechanics and systems. Hence when playing a new game, you can sometimes figure out the controls as you go. For example, WASD for movement, M for the map etc. But this is not always guaranteed. Because developers have to consider new players who may have no prior gaming experience, when designing their GUI and tutorials. So there’s scope for instructions that seem contradictory and unintuitive to veteran gamers. Porting titles to the PC that were primarily developed for consoles can also cause confusion. Simply put, teaching a player the basics of a game is a big challenge. Providing succinct information on more complex issues is even harder. Many gamer developers are still extremely bad at imparting knowledge and making viable tutorials. Here are some examples I’ve encountered.
Firstly, let us consider LOTRO, an established MMO that has some very good selling points along with some not so edifying ones. Legendary Items, weapons you acquire from level 50 onwards, were somewhat confusing when introduced into the game in 2008. Over the past decade the constant revisions, tinkering and attempted rationalisation of the system has left this entire aspect of the game bloated, time consuming and frankly bloody annoying. Last night I identified that I had sufficient relics and shards to manufacture a specific level appropriate gem for my Hunter. It was a moderate upgrade to the existing gem already in place. Let it suffice to say I spent the next half hour auto combining relics up to a certain point in the process and then constantly consulting the in-game menu to find the correct components required to complete crafting my desired item. It took concentration and patience. Furthermore, it seemed disproportionately complex for the reward that was offered. I know of many players who simply bypass this entire process and choose to use under specified weapons rather than indulging in this tedious enterprise.
Secondly, when playing The Elder Scrolls Online, I’ve encountered another variation of this problem. In this case it isn't a matter of being confused by learning new mechanics, but rather being overwhelmed by the wealth of choice. ESO purposefully doesn't funnel players from quest hub to quest hubs. Although it is not a true sandbox game, it is far more flexible in how the player proceeds through content. As you are travelling through a region dynamic content may appear or you may find yourself embroiled in other players activities. All of a sudden you can find yourself with multiple options. If you do not show some degree of self-discipline you will find yourself running around like a headless chicken. Also exploring such cities as Elden Root can be truly daunting, due to its vast size and rich detail. On occasions, I have been unable “to see the woods for the trees” and have had to ask a fellow player to literally guide me to a vendor, despite it being clearly marked on the map. Some folks are strong advocates of this style of "freedom" of content, but I now begin to understand why others may feel adrift without any imposed structure upon the gameplay.
Finally, while playing through the tutorial of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey I had an identical experience to that when I started playing For Honor. Both games provide a lesson in basic combat moves. Initially, these are straightforward, and it is not hard to combine them effectively. However, the next stage combines attacks with parries and blocks. A successful parry then triggers a riposte which usually does significantly more damage. However, I feel that there’s insufficient time provided in both of these two tutorials to master the techniques being taught. Often there is dialogue playing over the audio and visual cues. Having to concentrate on multiple streams of data can be confusing, resulting in either failure and the player simply relying on basic moves already learnt to complete the task. Because these tutorials are linked to cinematics you cannot simply replay the specific aspects that you’ve missed. You can either quit and restart the entire process, or simply muddle through and come out the other end none the wiser. The other alternative is to tab out of the game itself and seek advice and guidance online. Yet I have always felt that if a game can’t be bothered to “school” you adequately and you have to defer to third parties, it is a failure of the developers. Shouldn’t their product be the first port of call for any information regarding its usage?
Some games thrive on complexity, while others are notoriously simple. Either way both game styles have a requirement to impart information to the player, be it via tutorials, on screen text boxes or voiceovers. This has to be done in an intuitive and user-friendly fashion or it will all end in tears. It is all too easy to sink under the volume of rules, skills and lore that you have to learn, especially with MMOs. There is simply too much information to assimilate at once and the flow and management of data needs to be skilfully handled. I appreciate that one’s tolerance to this situation is subjective and hinges on what sort of player you may be. I by my own admission am lazy and therefore do not warm to excessive learning curve, in what I see as a leisure activity. Other players find joy ploughing through spreadsheets and online wikis. Either way that information needs to be digestible and that is not always something that game developers succeed at. MMOs are an interesting microcosm of human interaction. Surely the clear and precise communication of instructions is equally as important to the genre as collaborative gameplay and engaging content? Can you have one without the other?
Time Out 100 Best Horror Films - How Many Have You Seen?
I recently revisited the Time Out 100 Best Horror Films. I have a love hate relationship with movie lists of this kind, because of their binary nature and the sort of debates they generate. However, as this list is revised regularly, I thought why not go and have a look and see what has changed. Furthermore, this list is more credible than others because the one hundred titles listed have been selected by a group of contributors associated with the genre. These include Roger Corman, Guillermo del Toro, Simon Pegg, Clive Barker, Alice Cooper and Kim Newman. There is an interesting mix of titles from the traditional to the obscure as well as some interesting new additions such as A Quiet Place and Lake Mungo. I personally have seen 93 of the movies listed. However, there are a few movies that I more than likely will never see, due to my personal taste. Salò and Audition for example.
I recently revisited the Time Out 100 Best Horror Films. I have a love hate relationship with movie lists of this kind, because of their binary nature and the sort of debates they generate. However, as this list is revised regularly, I thought why not go and have a look and see what has changed. Furthermore, this list is more credible than others because the one hundred titles listed have been selected by a group of contributors associated with the genre. These include Roger Corman, Guillermo del Toro, Simon Pegg, Clive Barker, Alice Cooper and Kim Newman. There is an interesting mix of titles from the traditional to the obscure as well as some interesting new additions such as A Quiet Place and Lake Mungo. I personally have seen 93 of the movies listed. However, there are a few movies that I more than likely will never see, due to my personal taste. Salò and Audition for example.
Of course, there were a few titles that I'd like to have seen included on the list. Michael Reeve's Witchfinder General for example is conspicuously absent. Not only is it a deeply disturbing film with a palpable air of menace but is possibly one of the finest pieces of British cinema ever. Yet it continuously seems to be overlooked in favour of The Wickerman. I also think that Hammer Studios deserved more representation than just The Horror of Dracula. Their contribution to advancing the horror genre should not be underestimated. But this is the nature and possibly the purpose of such lists to stimulate debate. Half the fun comes from arguing with your friends about why Fulci's The New York Ripper is of greater artistic merit than say The Mark of the Devil or CHUD II: Bud the CHUD. Also, I’m both annoyed and delighted by the inclusion of Jaws. It is a beautifully constructed piece of cinema with a superb cast, but can it really be labelled a horror movie.
I guess, as I’ve raised the subject of lists of this nature, it is only fair that I provide one myself. So here are a few horror films that I consider to be or significance or merit. They are a mixed bunch and should not be directly compared to each other, as they represent different aspects of the genre and are aimed at different markets. Some are pure exploitation. Others are more cerebral and enjoy a more credible reputation and broader appeal. Ask me again in a months’ time and I may suggest a completely different set of titles. Feel free to share your own personal favourites or to "criticise" my choice. Also let me know how many of the Time Out list you have seen. I'd be very interested to know. If you are a genre fan who wishes to understand and appreciate it as best you can, I think it is important to be familiar with as broad a spectrum of material as possible.
The Uninvited (1944)
The Orphanage AKA El Orfanato (2007)
Nightbreed (1990) NB Try to see either the Cabal Cut or the Director’s Cut.
The Keep (1983)
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
The Man Who Laughs (1928)
Wolfen (1981)
Whistle and I'll Come to You (1968)
Lifeforce (1986)
Prophecy (1979)
Gaming Nostalgia or Gaming Obsession?
If you frequent the Massively Overpowered website you frequently find comments and indeed posts by staff writers, lamenting the loss of those MMOs that have not survived the march of time. The site does on occasions write about Star Wars Galaxies and City of Heroes to name a few. They also advocate historical preservation of titles that are no longer commercially available. This sometimes segues into the thorny issue of emulators and “private servers” and often leads to debates about intellectual property versus player access and notions of the collective ownership of fandom. It’s all very interesting and the discussions are conducted in a measured and mature fashion. Today, there was a jovial post about “which dead MMO needs more coverage?”. Although it was a light-hearted question, I do have reservations regarding gaming nostalgia. Because the gaming community is not exactly known for its balanced, even-handed analysis and outlook on such subjects.
If you frequent the Massively Overpowered website you frequently find comments and indeed posts by staff writers, lamenting the loss of those MMOs that have not survived the march of time. The site does on occasions write about Star Wars Galaxies and City of Heroes to name a few. They also advocate historical preservation of titles that are no longer commercially available. This sometimes segues into the thorny issue of emulators and “private servers” and often leads to debates about intellectual property versus player access and notions of the collective ownership of fandom. It’s all very interesting and the discussions are conducted in a measured and mature fashion. Today, there was a jovial post about “which dead MMO needs more coverage?”. Although it was a light-hearted question, I do have reservations regarding gaming nostalgia. Because the gaming community is not exactly known for its balanced, even-handed analysis and outlook on such subjects.
Nostalgia is fine in moderation. Fondly reflecting upon past experiences in a game that is no longer with us can be a positive thing. Prior activities such as these impact upon our perception of the present. However, I do worry about some gamers who demonstrate an inability to move on or accept that a particular game is no more. There is a distinction between sentimental attachment and fixation. We sadly live in times where an increasing number of people seem to think that if you refute a fact, deny objective reality or generally not like a specific scenario, it can be overruled or somehow corrected by a mere belief, desire or a sense of need. This patently absurd mindset seems to have bled out into all areas of life and tends not to serve any good. It exists in the gaming community and can become a flag to rally around, irrespective of any likelihood to succeed. This can then subsequently lead to toxicity, because of the impossibility of the aspirations such ideas are founded upon.
Therefore, there is always an element of risk linked with gaming nostalgia. If you want further evidence, take a look at the ever-growing litany of failed game related crowdfunding projects. These also contribute to a growing atmosphere of false hope for some gamers and bolster the erroneous notion that commercial extinction can be easily overturned by collective finance. The net result is that a percentage of gamers simply cannot countenance not getting what they want, have no concept of being told “no” and become angry when an utterly spurious fictional promise is not delivered on. Now I’m sure that more responsible gamers will argue that the overall gaming zeitgeist is being driven from the bottom upwards and that the majority are again having to accommodate the least informed and flexible demographic. To which my answer is “yes”. But it’s like that in every other walk of life, so why should gaming be any different. It’s not as if we’re a community known for its measure attitudes and nuanced emotional literacy?
Are You a LOTRO Hoarder?
I was clearing out my vault the other day in LOTRO when I found Erebrandir's Horseshoe. This annoying item was the source of numerous theories back in September 2010 when it became available in Volume 3, Book 2 - Chapter 4: Riding South. Designed to be a “novelty” quest reward the horseshow was supposed to bring luck and many LOTRO players drove themselves crazy trying to ascertain its exact benefits. I just simply filed it in my vault at the time and haven’t given it a second thought until I came across it while doing some housekeeping. I found a lot of other crap that I’ve subsequently learned is of no value (the LOTRO Wiki is your friend) and this has got me thinking about the whole concept of hoarding loot. Because LOTRO is an old school MMORPG and very much a product of its time, the game offers a multitude of loot for players to stockpile and fret and fuss over at every opportunity. But is all of it necessary?
I was clearing out my vault the other day in LOTRO when I found Erebrandir's Horseshoe. This annoying item was the source of numerous theories back in September 2010 when it became available in Volume 3, Book 2 - Chapter 4: Riding South. Designed to be a “novelty” quest reward the horseshow was supposed to bring luck and many LOTRO players drove themselves crazy trying to ascertain its exact benefits. I just simply filed it in my vault at the time and haven’t given it a second thought until I came across it while doing some housekeeping. I found a lot of other crap that I’ve subsequently learned is of no value (the LOTRO Wiki is your friend) and this has got me thinking about the whole concept of hoarding loot. Because LOTRO is an old school MMORPG and very much a product of its time, the game offers a multitude of loot for players to stockpile and fret and fuss over at every opportunity. But is all of it necessary?
I think it’s fair to say that when you play an MMO, you bring a great deal of your own personality traits to the game. It certainly plays a part when choosing the class for your primary character. And then there’s naming your character. Depending on your mindset you may choose something based on lore or you may pick something humorous. The entire process of creating an alt and customising each aspect of it, is our way of expressing ourselves. So, bearing this faux psychology in mind, I think it’s logical to assume that your approach to storage and the management of loot is also determined by your personality. Now I take a very spartan approach to possessions and personal bric-a-brac in my personal life. I like order. I do not like clutter and excess baggage. Everything has a place. I subsequently bring that mindset to the LOTRO and other games that I play.
Therefore, if there is no immediate need or obvious use for something I have looted or been rewarded, then it gets sold ASAP. I am not the sort of player that keeps multiple armour and jewellery sets for specific instances. Therefore, as soon as I’ve acquired an item that is demonstrably better than what I currently have, the old one is replaced and either sold or deconstructed. Until recently I have not really crafted much in the game. Now I do stockpile hides, ore and wood but this is often spread around three alts or left in shared storage. However, this overall approach has been at times a double-edged sword. Frequently, I have seen players with items that have impressed me (I like to inspect those around me in MMOs). On enquiring where they obtained them, I have sometime discovered that they are standard drops from quests that I have already completed, and I therefore must have simply sold the items in my haste.
Of course, I know (as I'm sure we all do) many players who are the polar opposite to me. There are numerous LOTRO aficionados who have purchased every additional storage slot available and who own multiple houses simply for the chests. Then there's the use of the shared storage, the mail and even the auction house as a means of providing a convenient overflow system. I’m amazed at how often kin mates and friends complain about their bags being full. It usually turns out that they only had half of the space available to begin with, because the rest was being used as temporary storage for an alt. I even know a few dedicated players who have so many alts and so many saved resources, that they track it all by spreadsheet. Each to their own but this utterly horrifies me. It seems like far too much of a chore. I as you may guess, I like to travel light, with just a few potions and items of food in my bags. I do however have a “Visiting Banker” in my premium house, which provides convenient access to my Vault, Shared Vault and Wardrobe. This lootbox item has proven invaluable.
For the new player, LOTRO by default offers only limited storage and I have found many a thread on the official LOTRO forums about how frustrating some people find the initial storage limitations. Cautious players will also fall foul of “what if” syndrome and can end up holding onto many items based upon an assumed future need and a reticence to potentially hobble oneself. Certainly, for a while back in 2010, the Erebrandir's Horseshoe further increased this mindset, due to the items enigmatic purpose. However, time and a more streamlined development team has meant that such whimsy has not been perpetuated in the game. However, the potential to be a “pack rat” still exists in LOTRO due to the nature of the level and gear progression. It’s never likely to go away. However, part of the appeal of LOTRO is that you can play the game very much on your own terms and not suffer greatly as a consequence, despite what you may think. Hence you can hoard as much as you want or favour a leaner outlook. The only question you really need to ask is what play style suits you the best.
Conan the Barbarian (2011)
On a superficial level the 2011 Conan reboot provides two hours of blood and thunder. For those who are seeking a quick fix of such material and are not burdened by a strong affiliation to Robert E. Howard’s source material, this will prove adequate. I suspect that Marcus Nispel’s offering will find a home with a younger audience. For purists or those who have fond memories of John Milius’ 1982 version, then this is not the film you are looking for. Move along. But to be honest after watching the various trailers that preceded this release and considering the directors track record, does this really come as any surprise? For those with a longer memory, cast you mind back to Nispel’s Viking versus Indian outing from 2007. Pathfinder was a high concept movie that was chronically mishandled.
On a superficial level the 2011 Conan reboot provides two hours of blood and thunder. For those who are seeking a quick fix of such material and are not burdened by a strong affiliation to Robert E. Howard’s source material, this will prove adequate. I suspect that Marcus Nispel’s offering will find a home with a younger audience. For purists or those who have fond memories of John Milius’ 1982 version, then this is not the film you are looking for. Move along. But to be honest after watching the various trailers that preceded this release and considering the directors track record, does this really come as any surprise? For those with a longer memory, cast you mind back to Nispel’s Viking versus Indian outing from 2007. Pathfinder was a high concept movie that was chronically mishandled.
This re-imagining loosely draws upon Robert E. Howard’s source material, as well as Schwarzenegger’s Conan. It is the opening scenes focusing on Conan’s youth which are the most engaging, from a narrative and character development stance. The brief insight into Cimmerian warrior culture makes for a strong start. But immediately after the death of Conan’s Father (Ron Perlman) it all lapses into by the numbers story telling. Evil Khalar Zym (Stephen Lang) along with sorceress daughter Marique (Rose McGowan), seek an ancient relic to facilitate their fiendish (and formulaic) plans. Throw in a plucky warrior monk named Tamara (Rachel Nichols) and the generic story is complete. Conan’s motivation is purely one of revenge, but without the philosophical musings of Schwarzenegger’s. Jason Momoa has sufficient charm and presence to hold an audience, but the character has none of the depth you would hope.
The film clearly fails at script level. Jason Momoa’s mono-syllabic dialogue is purely reactive, serving as nothing more than an expositionary device. It is also delivered in a contemporary fashion. Nothing kills immersion for me more than period set dramas (be they based in fact or fantasy) utilising current American parlance. Potentially interesting characters are also neglected and given little to do. Rachel Nichols is introduced as a strong female lead but is sidelined as a damsel in distress rather quickly. Both Stephen Lang and Rose McGowan fail to deliver a good performance and maintain their evil nemesis roles purely by dint of the characters they have been assigned. Yet there is the scope for their curious and dysfunctional relationship to have been so much more.
What is so obviously lacking in this cinematic outing is depth. Can movies such as this have any, I hear you ask? Of course they can. Milius explored the nature of revenge and imbued his take on Conan with a Nietzschean subtext. Furthermore, Howard's original work has a multitude of themes and is not simply the pulp fiction it has been glibly labelled over the years. But director Marcus Nispel simply refuses to look beyond two-dimensional, cause and effect structure of the story. His Conan, although personable, has no dignity or nobility. Momoa is brooding but beyond his obvious vengeful motivation, he has few of the qualities of his literary namesake. It seems that the film makers only see the central character as an efficient killing machine and that's what they have brought to the screen.
Subsequently, Conan the Barbarian is totally the sum of its parts. As those respective parts are bland, hollow and uninspired, that is exactly the sort of movie that you get. For those seeking violence and bloodshed, then Conan the Barbarian can provide such commodities. However, it is subject to an excess of CGI and contemporary editing techniques that rob the action scenes of any sense of wonder. Compare them to the physical effects and sword play of the 1982 movie and the difference is obvious. The sequences with the sand spirits and under water creature, along with the films climax fail to offer any real tension. Again, they seem like a dislocated FX show reel that was added by the most economic bidder for the contract.
If Conan the Barbarian had simply been marketed under a different title and not linked to the franchise, perhaps critics would have been more forgiving. Had it just been “Wolgang Rippling Buttocks and the Sword of Kagnazax”, then it may well have been deemed acceptable. However, as it fails so notably to do any justice to Robert E. Howard’s work, it quite rightly merits harsher criticism. Furthermore, the point of failure is abundantly apparent. Director Nispel and the screen writers Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood are simply not up to the job. They fail to understand the philosophy of Conan and focus purely on spectacle and pandering to ill-conceived market research. The most depressing aspect of this is the fact that the box office failure of the film has pretty much ended any chance for a further reboot by more competent film makers.
This Year’s Plan
I don’t care for new year resolutions. I just like to make credible plans that are achievable. So, after some consideration, I now have a short and manageable list of tasks that I’ll endeavour to complete this year. If I keep things simple and stick to an orderly routine, I see no reason why I can’t get all of these done. First off and perhaps the most important is to maintain a daily writing schedule. Too often the excuses we make to avoid writing are bogus. Sure, there will be occasions such as illness and family or work-related problems, but nine times out of ten, we don’t write because we cannot be bothered to do so. Why should writing get a free pass in this fashion? So, I intend to persevere during periods of lethargy and write come hell or high water. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering content. Three or four paragraphs will suffice. I can’t afford to let the writing slide as I suspect it may prove to be the thin end of the wedge for me and other activities would subsequently follow.
I don’t care for new year resolutions. I just like to make credible plans that are achievable. So, after some consideration, I now have a short and manageable list of tasks that I’ll endeavour to complete this year. If I keep things simple and stick to an orderly routine, I see no reason why I can’t get all of these done. First off and perhaps the most important is to maintain a daily writing schedule. Too often the excuses we make to avoid writing are bogus. Sure, there will be occasions such as illness and family or work-related problems, but nine times out of ten, we don’t write because we cannot be bothered to do so. Why should writing get a free pass in this fashion? So, I intend to persevere during periods of lethargy and write come hell or high water. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering content. Three or four paragraphs will suffice. I can’t afford to let the writing slide as I suspect it may prove to be the thin end of the wedge for me and other activities would subsequently follow.
Podcasting is back on the table and I’m pleased to say that the first show of 2019 has been published today. The editing wasn’t too problematic and I’m more than satisfied about the quality of the discussion that I and my guest had. I think getting this one out of the proverbial gates early has been a real shot in the arm to my motivation. I’m also going to see if I can gatecrash other people’s podcasts this year. Perhaps some of my colleagues would be interested in a reciprocal arrangement of this nature? As for listening to other people’s podcasts, I’ve whittled down my list of current subscriptions and am focusing on those that regularly produce content and maintain high quality output. I’m also going to try and give more feedback to others in the month’s ahead. I think it’s important to let content creators know that you appreciate their work and value their efforts.
I also have some clear plans with regard to my other interests. As mainstream cinema is not exactly enthralling at present and there’s not a ton of movies that I’m anticipating seeing this year at my local multiplex, I intend to start working my way through my “watch list”. Although I have a broad range of knowledge about film, there are still plenty of gaps that need filling. So, I intend to track down some old classic and niche market obscurities over the next fifty-two weeks. Gaming wise, I intend for the present to just stick to both LOTRO and STO as they are proven favourites and they don’t cost me anything. I will finish Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey and then take stock of the situation. There will be no rash impulse purchases this year and if I’m not sure about a title, I’ll research it thoroughly before committing to buying. Books and comics are also going to get more of my time, where as TV may well take a back seat. There are lots of good shows but it’s not as if they’re going anywhere. Only the most essential will get slavishly followed or binge watched.
If I manage my time effectively, I see no reason why I can’t care for my parents, spend time with Mrs Peril, the grandchildren and still be able to accommodate my hobbies. I can podcast once a month and produce a ninety-minute show. If I plan my writing, I can even pre-write movie reviews and schedule them for those occasions when I know I’ll be away or have a busier than usual day. I’m also looking to establish a regular walking regime for exercise and weight loss. It could also provide material for a regular blog post. There’s a fine line between being sensibly busy and over extending yourself. Hopefully, I am leaning towards the former and not the latter. I do find that when I’m busy, I tend not to eat out of habit and maintain a more positive mindset. But perhaps the most important concept to embrace is if my circumstance change, then it’s okay to change my plan. Hopefully that won’t happen, but it does no harm to consider it. Right, that’s enough talking about what I want to do. Let’s now get on with it.
Pop Culture Tributes in MMOs
There are a wealth of pop culture tributes in the MMORPG, World of Warcraft. You’ll find nods, homages and quotes from movies, TV, fantasy literature and more littered throughout the game and its numerous expansions. For example, in the Mage Quarter of Stormwind, the Warlock trainers can be found in the basement of a pub called The Slaughtered Lamb which is a homage to the movie An American Werewolf in London. The fish vendor Old Man Heming in Booty Bay and the fishing achievement are references to Ernest Hemingway's novel The Old Man and the Sea. And in Dread Wastes resides a faction called The Klaxxi, that provide a large amount buffs as enchants and augmentations. These buffs all have names referring to specific heavy metal songs from the likes of Slayer, Queensrÿche and Manowar. There are dozens of others such references and I can certainly see the appeal of discovering them as you play through content and explore the virtual world.
There are a wealth of pop culture tributes in the MMORPG, World of Warcraft. You’ll find nods, homages and quotes from movies, TV, fantasy literature and more littered throughout the game and its numerous expansions. For example, in the Mage Quarter of Stormwind, the Warlock trainers can be found in the basement of a pub called The Slaughtered Lamb which is a homage to the movie An American Werewolf in London. The fish vendor Old Man Heming in Booty Bay and the fishing achievement are references to Ernest Hemingway's novel The Old Man and the Sea. And in Dread Wastes resides a faction called The Klaxxi, that provide a large amount buffs as enchants and augmentations. These buffs all have names referring to specific heavy metal songs from the likes of Slayer, Queensrÿche and Manowar. There are dozens of others such references and I can certainly see the appeal of discovering them as you play through content and explore the virtual world.
Having maintained such a tradition, it is hardly surprising that Blizzard have recently added a new NPC named Stanley to the capital city of Stormwind. This is, of course, a tribute to the late, great Stan Lee, the former writer, editor, and publisher of Marvel Comics who died in November. Stanley doesn’t do much other than take a long leisurely stroll around the keep and its surrounding grounds, but it provides fans with an opportunity to walk with the creator of Iron Man, the Hulk, and Spider-Man and reflect on the man’s work and achievements. During Stanley’s perambulations he hails passers-by with his signature greeting of “Excelsior!”. Blizzard included a similar tribute to actor Robin Williams, adding him to the game following his death in 2014. No doubt this practice will continue, and further distinguished pop culture icons will be added to the MMO in the years to come.
Star Trek Online, is similarly home to several tributes to late cast members. When news first broke of Leonard Nimoy’s death in May 2015, STO players gathered around a fountain on Vulcan to mourn. Cryptic Studios subsequently replaced the structure in the centre of the fountain with a stone statue of Spock, along with the inscription “live long and prosper”. New Romulus received a similar statue, but a different quote; “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” There is also a memorial plaque on the mezzanine at Earth Space Dock that also pays tribute to Nimoy along with Majel Barrett (Nurse Chapel), James Doohan (Scotty), DeForest Kelley (Bones), and Gene Roddenberry. Anton Yelchin (Checkov) was recently added. Players can interact with the names to read the dates of birth and death as well as a small quote from each.
Standing Stone Games, flagship MMO The Lord of the Rings Online has some interesting and somewhat esoteric references to JRR Tolkien as well as his literary colleagues. “The Bird and Baby” tavern in Michel Delving hosts a meeting of Hobbits, held in a small room at the back. This is a reference to the real-world tavern "Eagle and Child" in Oxford, England, which was frequented by the members of The Inklings literary discussion group which included J.R.R. Tolkien, and other well-known professors and authors. From 1939 to 1962, the Inklings members regularly met in a back room of the pub which is now known as the Rabbit Room. Several members of the Inklings are represented in the “The Bird and Baby” tavern. C.S. "Jack" Lewis (Jack Lewisdown), Owen Barfield (Owen Farfield), Charles Williams (Carlo Williams), and there is also a Rabbit. They refer to a fellow member of the Writing Club named Ronald Dwale, which is based upon Tolkien.
“Easter Eggs” and pop culture references on this nature have been accused of immersion breaking by some MMO gamers. But I would argue that these little conceits that the game developers add to the games, contribute greatly to the social aspect of the genre. Shared experiences and common interest are one of the central pillars of the MMORPG. As gamers often have common interests outside of the game, why not reference them and provide a talking point and a social touchstone. Also, are in-game tributes to those who are no longer with us, any less sincere than those published in more traditional mediums? I think not. Plus, a little bit of occasional frivolity can be a welcome antidote to a lot of the grind, seriousness and competitive aspects of gaming. Every now and then, I visit the cave of Caer Bannog in South Western Enedwaith while playing LOTRO, just to remind myself of this and to put a much-needed smile on my face.
Alien Blackout: A Mobile Game
Alien Isolation is one of many games that I started but never finished. This was mainly because I was very bad at it and was spoilt for choice with other titles at the time. Hence when I got frustrated with its stealth mechanic and the deliberately slow pace of the gameplay I moved on, rather than persevere with it. However, I certainly recognise that it was a unique and innovative title and deserved all the praise that it received at launch. The retro-futuristic art direction, sound design, and the xenomorph’s artificial intelligence where all key factors to the games appeal and success. Developers Creative Assembly deserved further plaudits for doing so well with a game that was substantially different from their established output. The studio has a strong reputation for producing quality Real Time Strategy games. Overall, Alien Isolation was one of the stand out titles of 2014 and therefore the possibility of a sequel has been keenly anticipated by fans.
Alien Isolation is one of many games that I started but never finished. This was mainly because I was very bad at it and was spoilt for choice with other titles at the time. Hence when I got frustrated with its stealth mechanic and the deliberately slow pace of the gameplay I moved on, rather than persevere with it. However, I certainly recognise that it was a unique and innovative title and deserved all the praise that it received at launch. The retro-futuristic art direction, sound design, and the xenomorph’s artificial intelligence where all key factors to the games appeal and success. Developers Creative Assembly deserved further plaudits for doing so well with a game that was substantially different from their established output. The studio has a strong reputation for producing quality Real Time Strategy games. Overall, Alien Isolation was one of the stand out titles of 2014 and therefore the possibility of a sequel has been keenly anticipated by fans.
Therefore, there was a brief moment of joy for many fans as they read the recent headlines announcing Alien Blackout. However, this was short lived when it became clear that the new title was a mobile game. Furthermore, the game is not being made by Creative Assembly, but is being developed by D3 Go. The publisher has previous released such titles as Marvel Puzzle Quest and Adventure Gnome. Naturally, for core fans this was a disappointing revelation as the mobile game market is not held in particularly high regard by PC gamers. Need I mention Diablo Immortal and the subsequent debacle that ensued? Furthermore, there is still a degree of confusion as to whether Alien Blackout is a canonical sequel to Alien Isolation. It does feature the character of Amanda Ripley but judging by the marketing blurb, it sounds more like a re-iteration of the first game. “Try to stay alive while trapped aboard a crippled Weyland-Yutani space station carrying a deadly Xenomorph as it tirelessly hunts you and the crew. Outsmart the perfect hunter by making perilous choices... Survive seven fear-inducing levels by remotely guiding Amanda Ripley’s crew through increasingly challenging tasks using only the station’s emergency systems”.
It's a curious situation because although there is a lot of justifiable prejudice towards mobile games, the industry per se is incredibly lucrative. Mobile games sell and whatever your stance on the rectitude of such products and their inherent business model, never forget the old adage “money talks and bullshit walks”. Recent figures show that mobile game developers Supercell made just under $1.4 billion in revenue last year. This was generated via such titles as Clash Royale, Clash of Clans, Hay Day and Boom Beach. And that is just one company. The mobile gaming market is worth an estimated $70.3 billion globally at present. To put this in perspective this is more than double the revenue that console and PC gaming made last year. Console gaming generated $34.6 billion in 2018, while PC games brought in in $32.9 billion. It is therefore hardly surprising that more and more established franchises are branching out and making their presence felt in mobile gaming. That doesn’t necessarily mean that publishers will be doing so at the expense of developing new titles for consoles and PC. But I think it is time for a lot of PC and console gamers to come to terms with the fact that the mobile market isn’t some second tier backwater and it isn’t going away. However, there is objective business observation and then there’s personal taste. Although Alien Blackout will more than likely make a lot of money. I won’t be buying it.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
For many fans and enthusiasts, there are the original trilogy of Indiana Jones movies, all made in the eighties when director Steven Spielberg was reaching the height of his film making creativity. And then you have Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; the poorly regarded, Johnny-come-lately fourth instalment made nearly twenty years later, that jumped the shark, or in this instance “nuked the fridge” and for some viewers, pretty much pissed on the memory of its three predecessors. Make no mistake, over a decade on from the films theatrical release there is still a lot of ill will held towards the fourth Indiana Jones adventure. Let us not forget that South Park based an entire episode around the contempt they have for the movie. Yet despite all this hostility, it should be noted that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the most commercially successful entry in the franchise, grossing $786,636,033 worldwide. It was the second most successful movie in 2008 (the first being Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight) and although not universally well received by fans, it did broadly garner critical success. However, within that spectrum of reviews there were some strong negative opinions. All things considered Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is somewhat of an enigma, in so far as being financially successful but a movie that most people don’t admit to liking.
For many fans and enthusiasts, there are the original trilogy of Indiana Jones movies, all made in the eighties when director Steven Spielberg was reaching the height of his film making creativity. And then you have Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; the poorly regarded, Johnny-come-lately fourth instalment made nearly twenty years later, that jumped the shark, or in this instance “nuked the fridge” and for some viewers, pretty much pissed on the memory of its three predecessors. Make no mistake, over a decade on from the films theatrical release there is still a lot of ill will held towards the fourth Indiana Jones adventure. Let us not forget that South Park based an entire episode around the contempt they have for the movie. Yet despite all this hostility, it should be noted that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the most commercially successful entry in the franchise, grossing $786,636,033 worldwide. It was the second most successful movie in 2008 (the first being Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight) and although not universally well received by fans, it did broadly garner critical success. However, within that spectrum of reviews there were some strong negative opinions. All things considered Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is somewhat of an enigma, in so far as being financially successful but a movie that most people don’t admit to liking.
So, what exactly is the proverbial beef with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Let’s take a few moments to go over possible areas of contention. Plot wise the story is nothing special but then again, it’s hardly anything controversial. Indie seeks Akator, the mythical kingdom in the Amazon that may hold both great power and wealth. It’s the same basic sort of MacGuffin used in the previous instalments. The story actually does a good job updating the format from the thirties to the fifties. The nuggets of information we get about what Indy's been up to in the last 20 years are rather intriguing. Working for O.S.S. and becoming a decorated war hero for example, are touched upon but never over egged. We also learn the fate of both Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott) and Henry Jones Senior (Sean Connery), both of whom have died. This is both credible and to a degree necessary because having too many cameos from prior characters can sometimes be as both a boon and a bane. The Soviet Union and Communists replacing Nazis is also a sound move and the way Indy falls foul of McCarthyism and loses his position at the university is a novel idea. It all adds to keeping the same vibe going yet playing it against a subtly different back drop. I even like the anecdote about Roswell, as it raised a wry smile. Overall, despite a superficial change from the supernatural to science fiction, Indy 4 is pretty much a case of same meat, different gravy, when it comes to the narrative.
As for casting, action scenes, pacing and general continuity, as well as visual aesthetics, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does remarkably well. Harrison Ford and Karen Allen genuinely recreate the chemistry that was present in the original movie. The fist fights and associated stunt work are still very good, leaning towards the gritty. This has always been a violent franchise, despite being sold a family entertainment. Editing is also invaluable cinematic tool for creating a sense of style and maintaining a sense of continuous ambience. Veteran editor Michael Kahn, who has worked on all Spielberg’s movies since 1979, does much to make the movie feel just like the others. Also, although Douglas Slocombe, the cinematographer of the original trilogy had long retired by 2008, Janusz Kamiński, who has shot all of the director's films since Schindler's List, made a conscious effort to recreate the previous visual style. Plus let us not overlook the immense contribution that composer John Williams has made to world of Indiana Jones. His score for the fourth movie is every bit the equal of the first three.
So, if it’s not an overt and specific facet of the production that is the problem, is it a case of something subtler being to blame? I believe the answer is yes. Hollywood is an industry that regularly resurrects franchises. If in doubt, revisit a tried and tested formula. Public good will and nostalgia will often guarantee decent box office returns. Sometimes this works as with Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and Bryan Singer's Superman Returns. Others fails. Take I Spy, Starsky & Hutch, The Dukes of Hazard, and some may argue the latter three Star Wars prequels. It often comes down to a trade-off between pleasing existing fans and trying to capture a new market who may not be familiar with the original material. It sounds perfectly reasonable to make such a choice but endeavouring to reconcile these two aspirations is far harder to achieve than you think. Both markets have very different needs at times and certainly there are distinct variations in taste across generations.
Despite the familiar faces, music, production team and many other common elements to previous entries, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull suffers from a weak screenplay. Although the story is straight forward, the various scenes don’t quite hang well together. New characters are introduced but none have enough back story. The fact that these roles are carried by quality actors helps, but they are not used to the best of their potential. You don’t have to write large swathes of dialogue to flesh out a fictional character. You just needs to write something intriguing, that makes you think. A detail that makes that individual seem less contrived and more like a real person. It can be an affectation, quirk or foible. Or they can reference a tragedy that shaped their character or show an interest in something you wouldn’t immediately assume. It’s a difficult thing to quantify, but you know it when you see it. Hans Gruber from Die Hard is a great bad guy for example. Because the screenplay in Indy 4 is inconsistent, the movie suffers from a tonal shift on several occasions. I actually liked the way Spielberg handles the relationship between Shia LaBeouf and Harrison Ford. The banter between the two, focusing very much on the age gap feels right. By contrast the female characters do not fare so well. Karen Allen is not given enough to do, which is an utter shame as her character has so much potential. Kate Blanchett is also rather imposing as the Russian villain. Equipped with borderline psychic powers and a penchant for fencing, you'd think she'd be a standout feature of the film. Alas, again there is not enough material to flesh out the role.
But perhaps the biggest Achilles heel of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the action set pieces. This is ironic as next to the Bond franchise, Indiana Jones did much to refine and advance this aspect of film making. Yet it is this element of the movie that inadvertently hobbles it instead of embellishing it. Take a moment to reflect upon Raiders of the Lost Ark. The iconic scene at the beginning where Indy flees the collapsing temple pursued by the giant stone ball booby trap. The truck chase in which stuntman Terry Leonard created a modern variation of Yakima Canutt’s iconic set piece form Stagecoach. And of course, the fistfight with Pat Roach under the German flying wing. What made these scenes so great is that they were all done physically with very little or no post production effects. What optical effects there were, remained measured in scope. In many ways the technical limitations forced a degree of credibility on the proceedings. Of course, all movies require audiences to suspend their sense of disbelief, and more so with genre movies. Yet being grounded in these ways mean that the first film stays the right side of the “relative credibility line” and keeps the audience on board. Sadly, in each subsequent movie, the franchise subsequently broke this rule by greater degrees. Bailing out of a plane using an inflatable raft as parachute was a big ask in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. A rear facing turret on a plane that does not have interrupter gear, thus enabling the machine gun to shoot its own rudder in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, again is a step too far. These examples are the tipping point where high adventure becomes a caricature of itself.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull made nearly two decades later from the original trilogy had all the “benefits” of computer-generated imagery and contemporary FX technology. Such limitless possibilities thus removed any remaining vestiges of credibility and the action scenes failed to wow because they were simply impossible and obviously “not real”. I have no problem with the nuclear test scene, but I dislike its resolution. It is just far too silly and instantly breaks a degree of immersion for the enthusiastic viewer. The much-protracted chase through the jungle between jeeps, trucks and amphibious vehicles is ruined by the digital sequences that depict acts so ludicrously implausible they’d be better off in a cartoon. If this scene had been scaled back, lost the Tarzan wine swinging references and had just confined itself to what could be done in camera, then it would have been vastly improved. And as for the alien revelation at the denouement, again it focuses too much on digital spectacle. Even the traditional fist fight with the signature heavy (Igor Jijikine) is spoilt by an excessively FX driven pay off.
Sadly, the aliens plot element and its impersonal CGI actions scenes all bear the clumsy handiwork of George Lucas. It was he who allegedly vetoed scripts from several respected writers, including Frank Darabont and was insistent on pursuing his penchant for spectacle over narrative. At its root the fundamental problem with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, is that Messrs Spielberg and Lucas were trying to recreate a franchise movie that hailed from an era when not only techniques and film making philosophy were fundamentally different, but so were both men. Trying to revisit your own past is inherently difficult so perhaps this instalment may have faired better if both individuals had deferred to other film makers to helm the project. Modern action blockbusters are a very different beast to those from the eighties and I can’t help feeling the modern corporate film making is too formulaic for the likes of franchise born of a more experimental and flexible era in movie making. Does Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull deserve the animosity it still receives from the viewing public. Perhaps not. There are many good aspects to the film. But it is definitely a compromise and like most compromises it doesn’t meet all parties’ expectations. Furthermore, in the last ten years or so the general public seems to be far less disposed toward anything other than getting exclusively what they want. If we do get a further Indiana Jones film in 2020, it will be interesting to see if there is a revision of opinion on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. That may depend on how bad the new one is because although Indy may well be able to get the better of both Nazis and aliens, he doesn’t seem to have survived modern studio film making too well.
Variations on a Theme or More of the Same?
While recently playing Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey I was struck by the similarities between some of the game’s mechanics and those found in Ghost Recon: Wildlands which I played extensively last spring. Using your eagle companion to spot enemies and tag them on the map in the former is virtually identical to launching a drone and scouting the terrain in the latter. However, as both games are Ubisoft titles this is hardly a revelation. Yet the more I’ve played ACO, it has become very clear that many of their top titles share a great deal of common systems and mechanics. This makes sound business sense especially when you’re a company that releases multiple titles each year. Why rebuild a system when you can simply re-use an existing one? Yet even after recognising the practical benefits of such an approach to games development, I couldn’t help but feel that if you play a great deal of Ubisoft games, there must come a point when they all begin to feel a little too familiar. Even more so when you’re playing different iterations of the same franchise.
While recently playing Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey I was struck by the similarities between some of the game’s mechanics and those found in Ghost Recon: Wildlands which I played extensively last spring. Using your eagle companion to spot enemies and tag them on the map in the former is virtually identical to launching a drone and scouting the terrain in the latter. However, as both games are Ubisoft titles this is hardly a revelation. Yet the more I’ve played ACO, it has become very clear that many of their top titles share a great deal of common systems and mechanics. This makes sound business sense especially when you’re a company that releases multiple titles each year. Why rebuild a system when you can simply re-use an existing one? Yet even after recognising the practical benefits of such an approach to games development, I couldn’t help but feel that if you play a great deal of Ubisoft games, there must come a point when they all begin to feel a little too familiar. Even more so when you’re playing different iterations of the same franchise.
Ubisoft have a broad range of titles in their current catalogue, representing a range of genres. From time to time, they do add new franchises that offer something different. For Honor released in 2016 and the forthcoming Skull & Bones are two such examples. But overall “open world” games seems to be an integral part of their business model and remains so because such titles sell. The mainstream triple A video game industry is dominated by established franchises and sequels. It is also prone to trying to replicate successful tried and tested products, irrespective of whether the market really needs or can accommodate “more of the same”. Hence for years, the MMO genre was subject to numerous new titles that sought to duplicate the success of World of Warcraft. The industry also spent time and money attempting to clone League of Legends. And now we find ourselves flooded with Battle Royale style games. Yet many of these titles will fail because history appears to indicate that one title tends to become the dominant for each genre. Let us not forget the fate of H1Z1, Infinite Crisis and WildStar.
There is an odd paradox at work here. People like more of the same. For example, the entire fast food industry is predicated upon the idea of standardisation. You can buy the same meal anywhere and allegedly enjoy the same experience each time. The same principle seems to prevail with video games (and mainstream movies). For example, the Battlefield franchise refines and polishes facets of the FPS genre with each iteration of the game. So far, the public seems happy to continuously buy them. However, fans will question why they can’t have something new, despite the cognitive dissonance of continuously consuming new versions of existing products. Another point to consider is the fact that we don’t collectively reach our limits at the same time. I have purchased the last two Sniper Elite games from Rebellion. The last version was an improvement over the third, as the game’s system were fine-tuned, and the product was more honed. Yet I don’t think a fifth instalment will really add anything radical or new to the stealth/sniping genre. The only real difference would be the setting and narrative wrapping. So, I may pass on the next sequel (if there is one), yet other gamers may do the opposite.
Thus, triple A publishers all too often seem to stick to safe bets and innovation becomes a risky bed fellow. I’m not saying that there aren’t any new and creative games out there, as that is not the case. It’s just that it tends to come from smaller studios in the independent sector, rather than from the big dogs of the industry. Plus, there is no guarantee that innovation will come to the genre of games that you like and enjoy. Furthermore, all of this is going on against a background of increasing acrimony between the game developers and gamers. The gaming community does not often agree on what it is that they want, other than “good games”. Although a noble aspiration, is it also a somewhat nebulous definition. So, within this context, although I did buy several new games last year, none of them were outstanding. All were distinctly average. Fun diversions but nothing more. Sometimes good is enough. I’ve even written about the merits of the term adequate. But sometimes, adequate, good and just okay are not sufficient. Furthermore, I’ve not seen anything planned for 2019 that really piques my interest. I wonder if the video game industry is heading for a market re-balance, the same way people are predicting that Hollywood is eventually going to fall flat on its face when the public finally falls out of love with superhero movies. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Classic TV Themes: Star Trek Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise was the first show in the Star Trek pantheon to have a song performed by an established artist play over the opening credits, rather than a traditional theme tune. Up until 2001, the franchise had maintained a more formal approach, established with the iconic introduction to the original series composed by Alexander Courage. Needless to say, such a radical departure from established practise brought about consternation and debate among fans. In some respects, you can argue that point about the entire show itself, but that as they say, is an entirely different blog post. Needless to say, the dislike and hatred that the song Where My Heart Will Take Me engendered in certain quarters, lead to a petition to have it removed. Needless to say, this movement failed, and the show continued using it for four seasons. Seventeen years on this particular debacle has now died down and the song is often just referenced ironically by fans as an amusing anecdote and piece of Trek trivia.
Star Trek: Enterprise was the first show in the Star Trek pantheon to have a song performed by an established artist play over the opening credits, rather than a traditional theme tune. Up until 2001, the franchise had maintained a more formal approach, established with the iconic introduction to the original series composed by Alexander Courage. Needless to say, such a radical departure from established practise brought about consternation and debate among fans. In some respects, you can argue that point about the entire show itself, but that as they say, is an entirely different blog post. Needless to say, the dislike and hatred that the song Where My Heart Will Take Me engendered in certain quarters, lead to a petition to have it removed. Needless to say, this movement failed, and the show continued using it for four seasons. Seventeen years on this particular debacle has now died down and the song is often just referenced ironically by fans as an amusing anecdote and piece of Trek trivia.
As for the song itself, it has quite an interesting history. It was originally called Faith of the Heart and was written by songwriter Dianne warren, who has a history of penning songs for the likes of Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand and Aretha Franklin. Faith of the Heart was originally recorded by Rod Stewart and featured in the Robin Williams movie Patch Adams in 1999. It was subsequently covered by country artist Susan Ashton. Broadly both these versions were well received. English tenor Russell Watson then covered the song on his 2001 album Encore under the title Where My Heart Will Take Me. It is this version that is used on the first two seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise albeit in an edited version, reducing a 4.14-minute recording to a more appropriate 1:28-minutes to accommodate the opening credits. This version is very much a power ballad and very much wears its heart on its sleeve, candidly extoling the sort of sentiment and philosophy of Starfleet. The song is intended to be a metaphor for earth struggle to reach the stars and the challenges ahead. Curiously, from season three onwards, the song was re-recorded again with Russell Watson but with a more upbeat tempo. It is quite a different arrangement.
Executive producer, Rick Berman, praised Where My Heart Will Take Me, saying that it was a song "that's got a lot of hopefulness and uplifting qualities to it. And I like it. I've met a lot of other people who like it, but I've also heard a tremendous amount of banter about people who don't”. Enterprise co-creator Brannon Braga also defended the song, saying of the criticisms, "There are some people who love the song and there are people who think it's cheesy. They came with a petition with 1,000 signatures. But plenty of people find the song very uplifting”. Watson also said in response to the reaction to the song, "Something new happens, and people aren't quite sure of it. But they'll get used to it. By the time they've watched the 20th episode, they'll be thinking, well, it's not that bad after all".
After the strong themes from established artists used on previous shows, especially those from the iconic composer Jerry Goldsmith, was a song of this idiom a step too far? The medium of the power ballad has its place in musical styles and when done well can provide a unifying anthem, but was Star Trek an appropriate vehicle? When one considers the grandeur and dignity of previous themes (take for example the beauty and scope of the Star Trek: Voyager) was such a seismic shift a good choice? Replacing the subtle emotional resonance of an orchestral piece with the more arbitrary, less sophisticated manipulation of a power ballad designed to hit you hard in “feels”, does seem a little cheap. However, despite initially feeling this way, Where My Heart Will Take Me has indeed grown on me as Russell Watson surmised. Star Trek: Enterprise was itself quite a radical change in the franchise and the song does reflect the aspirations of an incipient Starfleet and the core themes of the show. It may not be the most nuanced of songs, but it certainly captures the essential principles of Star Trek with its optimism and hope. For that I kind of grudgingly respect it. However, some remain implacably opposed to it. Simon peg allegedly won’t watch the show due to theme, but it can be argued that some won’t watch the Kelvin Timeline movies due to his portrayal of Scotty. As for the song, perhaps the best thing to do is to decide for yourself.
A New Gaming Headset: A Convoluted Tale
I was at Crayford Sainsbury’s on Thursday (which apparently is their biggest store in the UK) and I saw that they were selling off Trust gaming headsets as part of the ongoing sale. As I had recently bought a new gaming mouse of the same brand, I sauntered over to the display and perused the sales blurb and subsequently bought one. To cut a long story short, due to an error on my part, I ended up purchasing an analogue headset instead of a USB one. This then raised a wealth of further software related problems, as well as logistical ones. My PC has far more strategically placed USB sockets, than 3.5 mm jacks. Hence, I have spent the last 48 hours troubleshooting this matter. Of course, I could have just returned the headset, but as it’s so devilishly comfy I decided against this. So here in detail are a list of the various problems that I encountered along with their respective solutions.
I was at Crayford Sainsbury’s on Thursday (which apparently is their biggest store in the UK) and I saw that they were selling off Trust gaming headsets as part of the ongoing sale. As I had recently bought a new gaming mouse of the same brand, I sauntered over to the display and perused the sales blurb and subsequently bought one. To cut a long story short, due to an error on my part, I ended up purchasing an analogue headset instead of a USB one. This then raised a wealth of further software related problems, as well as logistical ones. My PC has far more strategically placed USB sockets, than 3.5 mm jacks. Hence, I have spent the last 48 hours troubleshooting this matter. Of course, I could have just returned the headset, but as it’s so devilishly comfy I decided against this. So here in detail are a list of the various problems that I encountered along with their respective solutions.
My current PC has four 3.5 mm jacks at the rear of the case. The speaker output is currently utilised by my Logitech speakers. The line in and out, as well as microphone jacks remain unused. The are two further jacks on the front of the case. These accommodate headphones and a mic input. I initially plugged the headset into the front jacks but then encountered the first tech issue. My PC has Realtek audio hardware built into the Gigabyte motherboard. I noticed that despite having installed the latest Realtek drivers, that there was no Realtek icon in control panel and so I couldn’t configure the PC to output sound to both the rear speaker jack and the front headphone jack. I checked via the default Windows sounds icon as to whether I could make the necessary change there, but it lacked the correct functionality. After some online research, I learned that the latest Creators Update to Windows 10 had broken the current Realtek audio software. However, if I rolled back to version 2.73 which is over a year old, the software still worked, was accessible via control panel and restored the Realtek icon in the system tray.
Once I had uninstalled the latest software and reinstalled the old, I could plug the headset into the front of my PC, set the headset as the default communication device and leave the speakers as the default audio device. Thus, game music routes through the desktop speakers and voice chat via discord is channelled to the headphones. This resolved the software issues I initially faced but then presented me with a different problem. The front facing jacks on the PC are under a hinged panel. I would either have to leave the headset permanently plugged in or manually connect it each time I used it. I don’t like excessive cabling left attached to the PC in this way, as it inevitably will get snagged on something and broken. Plus, I have a minor mania for tidiness concerning my work place, so I sought an alternative solution. After a further internet search, I found and bought a USB External Stereo Sound Adapter. It arrived today. The headset is now plugged into the USB adaptor at the rear of the PC. The headset cable itself, has a connector midway along its 2-metre length. I have threaded the first metre from the back of the PC, to the cable tidy grommet on my desk. Whenever I want to use my headset, I simply plug them into the female jack socket with minimal inconvenience.
One further issue has arisen from this change in set up. Analogue microphones have certain benefits over their USB counterparts. If you experience a low recording volume, it is easy to boost the gain on analogue mics. Recent Windows 10 updates have hampered similar issue with USB microphones. There are works around out there but they require installing two pieces of shareware. These may well be broken by further Windows updates and leaves you reliant on independent developers to maintain. However, because I had installed older Realtek audio drivers, the accompanying software appended the native sound settings in control panel, allowing me to use a previously absent AGC (automatic gain control) setting. This boosts the USB mic recording levels to a more acceptable standard and finally brings this convoluted tale to a conclusion. The total cost of the Trust GXT 322 Carus Dynamic Headset was £30 and I then spent a further £6.49 on the Sabrent USB External Stereo Sound Adapter. I now know far more about Realtek drivers, Windows 10 and its propensity to break other software as well as having a timely reminder that ad hoc PC tech support is often a pain in the butt.
