Later this year we’ll get another sci-fi flick from director Ridley Scott, and we’re hoping it’s better than Prometheus. This time there’s not the pressure of fitting into the Alien universe and living up to the hype as The Martian is based on the book of the same name by Andy Weir. Shooting is underway with the film slated for release this fall, and Weir himself seems to be involved on the set, or at least visiting the production as he’s just posted a playful photo with Matt Damon. And if you look in the background, you can see a practical Mars rover on the set as well. It’s hardly an official look at the film, but it’s cool to see. ›››
After this year’s Kingsman: The Secret Service brought another comic book from Mark Millar to life, Universal Pictures is taking another crack at his source material with a new big screen endeavor. Deadline reports the studio has optioned the rights to Chrononauts, a time travel adventure comic book series that Millar created with Sean Gordon Murphy. And the project already has Fast & Furious franchise writer Chris Morgan on board to produce through his own production banner with the comic creators executive producing, of course. If you haven’t heard of this comic, that’s because Image Comics released it this week. ›››
Following last week’s proclamation that the long-awaited Marvel Comics adaptation Deadpool would please even the most critical fans of the Merc with a Mouth, this week Ryan Reynolds is back to let everyone know that production on the film at 20th Century Fox has officially begun. The actor posted a photo from the set, and co-star Morena Baccarin also followed suit, both confirming that the film is underway. In addition, just yesterday comedian T.J. Miller confirmed he’s playing Weasel, the longtime friend, sidekick and arms dealer of the anti-hero. He becomes a villain later, but we’ll see if that happens. ›››
Even though A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night has been mostly under the radar as an independent release, there’s been plenty of buzz about the film as well as the future of director Ana Lily Amirpour as a great new filmmaker. Now the winner of Breakthrough Director at the Gotham Awards has just lined up a pretty interesting cast for her next film, The Bad Batch. A press release has ust announced that Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves, Diego Luna (The Terminal), Jason Momoa (“Game of Thrones”) and rising star Suki Waterhouse (Insurgent) have all joined the film that Amirpour is directing from a script she wrote herself. ›››
Filmmakers are very crafty storytellers. The best ones know how to use the visual medium known as cinema to not only tell a story, but make us feel emotions of all kinds, and empathize with characters and people we have never met before. Filmmakers are also adept enough to link themes and patterns in the story through visual cues. In this video essay from Jacob T. Swinney titled First and Final Frames, he shows us how important the opening and closing shots are in every movie. At first you may think they have no connection, but it’ll really hit you when you see the Gone Girl moment and it builds from there. This montage of over 50 films, showing the opening/closing shots side-by-side, also features the music “Any Other Name” by Thomas Newman from the American Beauty soundtrack. It’s much more mesmerizing than I was expecting. ›››
Let’s discover something new. Kicking off this week in New York City is one of my favorite under-the-radar film festivals, called New Directors/New Films. Co-presented by both the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art (two of the best places for movies in the city anyway!), the fest highlights first-time filmmakers and their incredible feature debuts. This is my second year attending, and it’s really all about the films, and the spirit of discovery, and first time introductions to filmmakers we’ll be hearing about for many years to come. If you want to feel like you’re ahead of the class, or you want an early start learning about which filmmakers are on the rise, take a closer look at this festival and its selection. They found them. ›››
The traditional board game design of Mario Party 10 features new themes and settings such as amusement parks. As always, there is a sense of frivolous and fun action throughout the different mini games of Mario Party 10.
Capcom is hoping that its PlayStation 4 free-to-play game Deep Down will offer a “realer than real” experience by boasting incredible visuals and unique audio features, among other things.
Senior manager of consumer games development Teruki Miyashita spoke at length about the game in a new interview, addressing topics such as graphics, the game’s business model, online features, and more.
In a Capcom-prepared interview, Miyashita said the power of the PS4 has allowed the developer to “incorporate more incredible graphics than ever before” with Deep Down.
“We’re focusing on things like how to recreate real life gases and liquids, such as flames and running water,” he said. “In addition, we can now portray minute details, such as the degree of rust in weapons and dirt on a piece of cloth.”
Miyashita also revealed a new Deep Down audio feature that he says will help players stay “fully immersed” in the game.
“Creating a feeling of realism is critical, and this holds true for the sounds,” he said. “For instance, the voices of the ‘mementos (emotions)’ come from the TV speakers at first, but after you pick up a certain object, you hear the voices coming from the controller in your hands. Say you put something in your pocket, you’ll hear the sound right there near you–we can now offer you that kind of a ‘realer than real’ gaming experience. This feeling of being ‘fully immersed’ is of utmost priority to us.”
Also in the interview, Miyashita said he hopes Deep Down can enjoy a ten-year lifespan, with the developer constantly monitoring feedback and adjusting the game as a result of what players have to say.
“Major updates are released regularly under a planned schedule,” he said. “We expect for each new update to already be under development by the time we launch a certain service. We’ve drafted a schedule that looks far ahead for several years. “We’re looking at a ten-year span for the online games.”
Miyashita went on to say that in the first three years following Deep Down’s release, Capcom will pore over fan feedback and, if it needs to, adjust its previously planned content roadmap.
“If we prepared five plans at the start of the service and two of them gained positive responses from the users, we will further develop those two and reform and transform the other three plans that didn’t work out,” he said. “Thus we can bring the service closer to what our users want and can enjoy for years to come. Even though we have already planned a schedule for a ten-year-period, we’re always open to modifications.”
Miyashita further stated that, while he’d be “overjoyed” if players got excited about Capcom’s own plans for Deep Down, he recognizes that this might not happen.
“It could go either way, but I think the best part of online game development is to keep engaging in these types of interactions all the time,” he said.
Speaking generally about Deep Down, Miyashita added that the game “boasts a brand new gaming experience which is unlike a traditional dungeon-based game.” He’s keeping specific details about how Deep Down will push the genre forward, however, under wraps for now.
Miyashita also addressed Deep Down’s online mode, saying “we’re thinking of some new team play ideas” for multiplayer. He added that the game will also boast an “all-player gaming experience” that will allow players to “be aware of the other players that are currently connected to the online gaming environment.” No further details were shared.
Regarding Deep Down’s free-to-play business model, Miyashita said offering the game for free means it will reach gamers who might otherwise overlook it.
“We don’t want to just release a traditional packaged game where the business ends as soon as the packaged game has been sold,” he said. “Try it out, have fun, and keep playing. That’s the way we’re hoping things will work out.”
Miyashita acknowledged that free-to-play, a sometimes controversial business model, represents new territory for Capcom. But it’s a model that could become ubiquitous in the future, and Capcom wants to be among the leaders of the pack, he said.
“This business model has already been popularized by browser games and applications for smartphones,” Miyashita explained. “This could become a standard in the future. Although there’s always pressure when any unusual initiative takes off, I think it’s worth trying.”
Capcom has not yet set a release date for Deep Down. Miyashita asked fans for “a bit more patience,” adding that the developer is “putting our shoulder to the wheel” to get the game ready for release.
The Premium Edition offers early access to four new playable characters, publisher Warner Bros said. Though the details of the other two characters remain undisclosed, Warner Bros said these would be “Klassic Mortal Kombat characters.”
Quitalities join MKX’s Fatalities and Brutalities
Meanwhile, during a live gameplay demonstration on Twitch, developer NetherRealm revealed a new finisher called the “Quitality,” which affects players who decide to exit online games mid-fight. If players prematurely quit an online match, their character’s head will explode, giving the remaining character an instant win.
According to NetherRealm developer Derek Kirtzic, the concept of a Quitaity is to reward players who have been abandoned, as opposed to punishing those who abscond from online duels.
“It’s really more [about] making the winner look better,” Kirtzic said, as quoted by Polygon.
The Quitaiity is added to the game’s Fatality and Brutality maneuvers, which you can see below.
In other news, NetherRealm confirmed that the PlayStation 4 version of the game will support PlayStation 3 fight sticks.
