Posts Tagged ‘Origins’

Blade Kitten: Origins and Inspirations

Hey folks! It’s me, “Space Captain” Steve again here to tell you all about the somewhat amazing origins of Blade Kitten. When we last met, I told you a bit how the crazy idea of a game called Blade Kitten and its pink-haired catgirl heroine Kit Ballard came about. Today I’m going to let you in on the secretes behind the reason why our arcade sidescroller looks the way it does.

Once upon a time…

When I was a kid, way back in the dark ages before games (better known to many as the early 1970s), I used to watch a lot of cartoons: Speed Racer, Battle of the Planets, Robotech. I always thought those cartoons just had the coolest stories, action and look; It’s really no surprise to me that I gravitated towards that style of drawing. By the end of the 80s when I was studying animation and getting into drawing comics, my fate was sealed – I had become one those non-Japanese anime artists. But I found that I also loved comics and animation from around the world. US, UK, French, you name it, I grew into an international animation and comic lover.

For those taking notes here, these are the creators that I think have most influenced my style, but not necessarily the look of Blade Kitten. First and foremost is the work of the amazing animation director Hayao Miyazaki; I’ll always have soft spots for Nausicaä, Totoro and Spirited Away. On the manga front, I’ve always loved the earlier works of Rumiko Takahashi; Ranma 1/2, Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel. The other big manga influence is Masamune Shirow – anyone who’s ever drawn a mech has probably been influenced by this guy.)

There’s a few really cool European comic artists, such as Jean-Claude Mézières, who is responsible for the classic Valérian series and a lot of concept work on the Fifth Element, and Philip Bond, whose work in the 90s anthology Deadline includes the awesome “Wired World” and “Hot Triggers.” He’s a huge inspiration for the writing and tone of Blade Kitten and really doesn’t get the attention he deserves.

Many impressions make big expressions

Over the years I’ve done a bunch of different styles for games — from cartoony (TY the Tasmanian Tiger) to the more realistic (Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). As cool as those games have been, I’ve always believed there was more I could do to create something unique in games. So after a trip to E3 in 2001, I decided to sit down and work out the visuals for my dream game. That’s when Blade Kitten was born.

I pulled all my favorite unused material — and there was an awful lot of it — into a grand story about a girl who’s mixed up in a giant universe continually on the edge of war. It would feature cool robots, space ships, giant swords, blasters and odd aliens… you know, all the stuff that’s just fun to draw.

Which I guess begs the question “Why a catgirl? What the hell were you thinking?” Honestly I don’t know — I just figured it would be fun and, like I said in the previous blog, just alien enough to feel sci-fi. Then again, it might also have been that I was knee deep in designing the TY universe at the same time. With so many sets of tails and ears floating around, I think Kit ended up growing out of the design for TY’s girlfriend Shazza (a Dingo). When you think of a cat you think of things like slinky, athletic, independent and a hunter, all of which describe Kit perfectly.

When it came time to start working out the game, the first point of order was working out what it should look like. From day one, I wanted to get a visual style that looked and felt like the comics but at the same time improved on those elements I count as my weaknesses, backgrounds and environments. One of the tricks I learned with comics is that you don’t need to have detailed backgrounds in every panel. You can’t do that in games, since players always see the background. Working with the art team, we decided to work towards capturing the feel of Studio Ghibli films’ backgrounds and the works of Kazuo Oga, mixing simple texture with nuanced detail.

As for the characters, we spent about a month working out how to capture the look of the comics. Every detail, from how thick the outlines were, to how the shading worked, even down to the way we modeled the wrinkles in the clothes. For our cel shading we used a system that let the artist determine directly how a material responded to the light so we could easily get metals, plastics, skin tones, etc., that looked like they were ripped right out of the comic. I’m stoked with what we’ve achieved visually. It really is the first game I’ve worked on that’s actually managed to come close to what I envisaged in my head.

Everything we ever create is inspired by something else; the trick is to have a wide variety of source material, to take bits and bobs from every type of artist and medium from all around the world and then filter them through your experiences and sensibilities. That’s what I hope people take away from Blade Kitten — it’s a compendium of things that I’ve seen and enjoyed in anime, comics, movies and as a lover of games — run through the Steve-o-Matic. Of course, there’s also a few new elements in there that you won’t have seen elsewhere, just to make sure that when you play the game that it‘s a new experience that’s familiar-yet-fresh and exciting. I hope you enjoy the world of Blade Kitten when it hits the PlayStation Network soon.

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine ‘PS3 vs XBOX 360 Comparision’ True-HD Quality 720p

HD.

Dragon Age: Origins

• Scalable combat options that let you decide the level of control you have over your party, including NPCs. Issue orders, set your own tactical AI, or take control of any party member to lead the charge.
• 6 possible playable preludes known as ‘Origin Stories’ which along with your play, define how your hero character will see the world, how it sees you and sets the tone for the entire story.
• Travel across the vast and varied lands of Ferelden; from the conspiratorial halls of the last great dwarven city, Orzammar, to the untamed snarls of the Korcari Wilds.
• Dragon Age: Origins will give you deep character customization options including: class, race, appearance, abilities, and equipment.
• At the heart of the storm sweeping across Ferelden. Decide the fate of nations, people and, ultimately, yourself. Just remember: for every choice, there is a consequence.

Product Description
The survival of humanity rests in the hands of those chosen by fate. You are a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians who have defended the lands throughout the centuries. Betrayed by a trusted general in a critical battle, you must hunt down the traitor and bring him to justice. As you fight your way towards the final confrontation with an evil nemesis, you will face monstrous foes and engage in epic quests to unite the disparate peoples of a world at war. A romance with a seductive shapeshifter may hold the key to victory, or she may be a dangerous diversion from the heart of your mission. To be a leader, you must make ruthless decisions and be willing to sacrifice your friends and loved ones for the greater good of mankind.Amazon.com Product Description

From BioWare, the makers of Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Baldur’s Gate comes Dragon Age: Origins. An epic tale of violence, lust, and betrayal, Dragon Age: Origins is a single player role-playing game (RPG) set in a fantasy game environment, and featuring three playable character classes, accessible in the form of three races. In addition, the game features extreme character customization, a new game engine, party-based gameplay utilizing non-player characters and a built-in personal history system for each hero character rooted in a variety of possible origin stories. 6 possible hero Origin Stories. View larger. 3 classes and 3 races to play as. View larger. Stunning 3D environments. View larger. Spell combining abilities. View larger. Story In Dragon Age: Origins the survival of humanity rests in the hands of those chosen by fate. You are a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians who have defended the lands on the continent of Thedas throughout the centuries. Betrayed by a trusted general in a critical battle, you must hunt down the traitor and bring him to justice. As you fight your way towards the final confrontation with an evil nemesis, you will face monstrous foes and engage in epic quests to unite the disparate peoples of a world at war. A romance with a seductive shapeshifter may hold the key to victory, or she may be a dangerous diversion from the heart of your mission. To be a leader, you must make ruthless decisions and be willing to sacrifice your friends and loved ones for the greater good. Gameplay Dragon Age: Origins is a 3D oriented RPG based in a dark, heroic, fantasy realm where moral choices have a lasting impression on the people you meet, the members of your own party and the world around you. The inclusion of subtitle “Origins” in the game’s title refers to the six unique origin stories available to new heroes as a new game begins. Each of these has an impact on the player’s motivations and his or her experience, and renders a unique prelude, path, and possible ending(s) to the game. There are many different endings to the game based on the origin story of the character and the choices you make as you play through the game. The game features three character classes–warrior, mage, and rogue–and three races of being–Human, Elf or Dwarf–that can assume these classes. Although most game elements, such as weapons, magic, etc., are available to any character, each class and race has different strengths, abilities and affinities which lend themselves to better utilizing different elements. Dragon Age: Origins is a single player game based on party-based gameplay and combat where the player can join, control and quest with up to three non-player characters (NPCs). Players can also quest alone if they so choose, but with the chance of survival are slim. Convincing NPCs to join you, and treating them well may be necessary depending on the varying sentiments between the player and the NPC, or between the NPC’s in the party based on the chosen history written into the origin story accepted at the beginning of the game. This uncertainty allows for a variety of possible dynamics within the party ranging from open hostility, all the way to romance. The game progresses in real-time via a pause-and-play tactical combat system that allows the player to check inventory levels, equip a character, etc. in a slight vacuum. Additional features found in the game include: a combination of a standard loot system and a currency system based on gold silver and copper; advanced character customization functionality; the use of poison, traps and herbalism; dual-wielding skills; and “spell combos,” which allow players to chain together different spells to create a unique effects. Key Game Features BioWare’s deepest universe to date with over 80 hours of gameplay and more than double the size and scope of Mass Effect. Travel throughout dozens of environments and fully immerse yourself in a shattered world that is on the brink of utter annihilation. An epic story that is completely shaped and reactive to your play style. Complex moral dilemmas offering no easy choices. Tailor your Dragon Age: Origins experience from the very beginning by choose from six different origin stories. Decide how to handle complex issues like murder, genocide, betrayal, and the possession/sacrificing of children without the security of a good/bad slider to tell you what to do. Full character customization allowing the player to sculpt a hero in your own image or fantasy. Elaborate character creator allows you to create your own hero unique from anyone else. Shape your character’s personality and morality based on the choices you make throughout the game. Engage in bone-crushing, visceral combat engaging in battle against massive and terrifying creatures. Unleash legendary powers and choose from over 100 different magical spells and skills. Experience the adrenaline rush of brutal combat, beheading your foes or casting spells that make enemies explode from within.

Dragon Age: Origins