Bianco at Brighton Fringe Festival
By Rosie Murphy
Bianco by NoFit State is a health and safety-defying display of human acrobatics set in the Big Top on Hove Lawns.
The award-winning show demonstrates an abundance of elegant yet athletic gymnastics, with an often awe-inspiring affect.
Set to the tunes of a impressively versatile four-piece live band, the performance combines dignified displays of endurance with energetic and humorous pieces set in swim suits.
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By Nathalie Jacquemard
In The Passage, Justin Cronin imagined a terrifying world, born after a government experiment unleashed the apocalypse. Today, the adventure carries on with The Twelve, the second part of the monumental trilogy by Justin Cronin.
Nowadays: while the plague triggered by man unleashes, three strangers navigate among the chaos. Lila, pregnant, is so overwhelmed by the propagation of the violence and the epidemic in a devastated world that she carries on with the preparations of the birth of her child as if nothing was happening.
Kittridge, nicknamed “Combat in Denver” for his bravery, is forced to flee to escape the viral mutants, armed but alone, and aware that a tank full of gas will not take him very far.
April, a teenager with fierce willpower fights in a ravaged and bleak landscape to protect her younger brother.
All three soon discover that they haven’t been completely abandoned – and that hope remains, even in the darkest of nights.
A hundred years later: Amy and her “disciples” – the heroes of the first book of the trilogy, who fought in The Passage for the world’s salvation – don’t know that the rules have changed. The enemy has evolved. The 12 modern vampires, the original source of the proliferation of the virals, have given birth to a new occult power, incarnated by the evil Horace Guilder, who has an infinitely more terrifying vision of the future.
If the 12 are to fall, one of those who have joined forces to destroy them will have to pay with their lives.
An extraordinary parable on the theme of sacrifice and survival from the fertile mind of Justin Cronin, The Twelve will fulfill the expectations of the many fans of The Passage, international best seller unanimously hailed by the critics, as much as it will enthrall those who have yet to discover the prodigious universe created by Justin Cronin.
Brilliant, thrilling, poignant, the 800 pages of The Twelve are guaranteed to give you sleepless nights.
By Tom Groom
Intergalactic gets a little bit brought down-to-earth
Album info
Release date: October 1, 2012
Producer: Muse
Label: Helium 3, Warner
Fact: The album is based around the 2nd law of thermodynamics which states that no system can exist while maintaining endless growth.
8/10
Not many artists describe their latest work as a ‘christian gangsta rap odyssey, with some ambient rebellious dubstep and face-melting metal flamenco cowboy psychadelia’, but then again not many artists are Matt Bellamy. Though Bellamy’s obsession with corruption and anti-politics may not be healthy, it sure makes for some heavily ambitious music, demonstrated on the band’s sixth meteoric album. ‘The 2nd Law’ begins with the Devon-born frontman quoting that ‘policies have risen up and overcome the brave’, which pretty much sums up the political angle of the album: they don’t like politics. The head-banging, bombastic, overdriven riff of ‘Supremacy’ has a rising effect reminiscent of the band’s famous ‘Knights of Cydonia’ breakdown, and also the more politically-driven ‘Uprising’ from 2009’s ‘The Resistance’. Despite claiming this album was going to be ‘more personal’ and that there would be ‘a few love songs’, I don’t think Bellamy could resist the temptation to try and start a mass overhaul of government with the first song on an album. Political slamming first – love songs after. Electrically driven ‘Madness’ is the first example of the latter; a smooth, almost hypnotic tune (the “ambient rebellious dubstep” discussed earlier), with a bassy background and a crescendo-like finale, as more elements of the song come together, culminating in an earth-shattering note capable of melting insides to goo in no time at all. Some fans may not enjoy this side of the album, and indeed it does seem that the superstars have gone soft in one or two of the new songs. However, I am sceptical you will find more emotion in a song than is present in ‘Follow Me’, a collaboration of sorts with electric artists Nero. Matt uses his newborn baby ‘Bing’s’ heartbeat as the intro for crying out loud, and the song itself is a powerful message to his son, one that he need never be afraid as long as Dad’s around. While the beat to this tune may not feel out of place in a nightclub, Muse make the sound their own in a typically Muse way, as Bellamy produces more of his outstanding vocals to fill the song to the brim with raw emotion.
A highlight of the album is the groovy ‘Panic Station’, which draws inspiration from funk artists such as Stevie Wonder and Chaka Demus. Chris Wolstenholme starts to ‘slap de bass’ for the first time in Muse’s grand history, and the distortion usually found on Muse’s electric guitars is toned down to create a funky clean sound, reminiscent of that found in Wonder’s ‘Superstition’. Again, this is like nothing we have heard from Muse before, but it is this new direction and these new sounds that make this album great. Back to the emotional, passionate side of the album and soft-rock ballad ‘Explorers’, during which Bellamy states his worries about the planet being ‘overrun’. The song is slow and peaceful, so fans of the hardcore first albums may be feeling a little disappointed, or even angry, at Muse for ‘softening up’ on this album, but altogether each song contributes to a greater aim and a more complete album.
One thing many Muse fans will have been anticipating is the emergence of bassist Chris Wolstenholme as a lead singer for the first time in the bands’ history. The Devonian takes the main stage on ‘Save Me’ and ‘Liquid State’ – both of which are also written by Wolstenholme – and while he may not have the powerful range of Bellamy, the songs he offers up are full of emotion. ‘Save Me’ documents a little about his battle with alcoholism and Muse fans will be pleased to know the bassist nails the vocals and makes this song one of the best on the album.
The 2nd Law comes to a crashing end with a two-parter – ‘The 2nd Law – Unsustainable’ and ‘The 2nd Law – Isolated System’. The former is a further example of Muse’s ambition and willingness to reach an audience previously untapped by their brand of prog-rock, as the other-worldly group attempt to make their very own ‘dubstep’. The track begins, however, with an orchestral build-up similar to that in the ‘Exogenesis Symphony’ trilogy of the previous album. Then Matt crashes in on a heavily distorted guitar, sliding up and down the fretboard to produce the back-and-forth bassline commonly found in dubstep tracks, all the while belting out another spine-tingling note guaranteed to make anyone go weak at the knees. It is a fitting finale to perhaps their most far-fetched, aspiring album yet.
By Tom Groom
The Little Shocks are a teenage band incarnated in the heart of Chichester, the outcome of shifting line-ups in an already-existent band. A bombastic, guitar-driven, post-alternative indie sound gives this band it’s edge, and reminds you in part of a young Arctic Monkeys, with a little bit of Fratelli’s thrown in. The band consists of frontman Tom Herrington, Lead Guitarist Rob Brown, Bassist and backup vocalist Harry Caiger and manic drummer Elliot Jones, who I caught up with to interview about his band’s promising rise of success.
TG: What made you initially decide you wanted to be a musician?
EJ: I used to go to gigs all the time from the age of 11 after playing football from an early age. I picked up a bass first, but I was no good, so I got a cheap drum kit instead. It was all a bit random really.
TG: Who are your idols as drum players?
EJ: Chad Smith, Dave Weckl, Mike Portnoy, Dave Grohl and a bit of Travis Barker, people compare my style to him sometimes.
TG: How long have you known your fellow band members? And how did you meet them?
EJ: I’ve known Rob since I was about 5 years old and I was in a band with him a few years ago, we gig’d around Bognor. I met Tom and Harry in November last year on a music course at college.
TG: How did you guys decide you wanted to be in a band?
EJ: They (Rob and Tom) were already in a band for around a year, but the line-up always changed, and they never wrote much music. They asked me in November last year and Harry joined us in February after a couple more changes.
TG: So how long have Rob and Tom been doing it?
EJ: Since about February last year together
TG: Where do you see yourself and the band in 6 months/ a year?
EJ: Hopefully if everything pulls through we are looking to play some reputable Brighton venues over the next six months or so. We are looking to book a tour for the summer next year, but we’ve got lots planned in between the two, but that’s secret!
TG: That sounds awesome. Your Facebook page, facebook.com/TheLittleShocks, tells me you’re unsigned, have you had any offers yet?
EJ: We haven’t as of yet, but playing at Coalition turned some heads in the right direction. We have things to work on and get better at, it’s something to look forward to as and when it happens. We need to show everyone what we’ve got over the next year.
TG: I, regrettably, couldn’t make it to your Coalition performance, but I saw it on YouTube, you were ace. When’s the next gig?
EJ: It was nuts man, we are doing a minibus every time we go for a fiver each. We are at the Exchange in Hove on the 17th of November and we are waiting for dates from the Prince Albert and the Hope in Brighton.
TG: Who, in your opinion, are the main influences on the band?
EJ: It’s hard to say really, but others say Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines, The Strokes; these are the main ones people compare our sound to. People say a lot of different artists, we all like different stuff so the music and songs are influenced by lots of music.
TG: It’s good that way because you can get the best of everything. What would be your dream gig?
EJ: Yeah man we’ve got some hard-hitting tunes, some have grooves and funky melodies, it’s a nice mixture. Our dream gig would be without a doubt supporting the Arctic Monkeys! Realistically, if we work hard we want to try and get on one of the big festivals next year.
TG: Either of those would be awesome. What’s the best gig you’ve played to date?
EJ: Coalition without a doubt, we blew the roof off and got a good reaction from the judges and other Brighton venues afterwards. Looking back on it, that’s one gig we will remember forever, no matter what happens.
TG: It looked pretty manic from what I saw! You hear a lot of crazy stories about rock and roll guys doing stupid stuff, what’s the craziest time you’ve had personally or with the band in the time you’ve been playing?
EJ: (chuckles) The most rock and roll moment of my life was playing in a mankini with a former band for our last gig. I think as a band, the funniest one was Rob’s birthday, we had a gig that night and he was trollied. We need to have a big night out together when my passport arrives.
TG: I saw pictures of that gig. How difficult has it been to get gigs and attention in a music scene dominated by pop groups?
EJ: Round here we have done well because there’s not much music that’s like ours. At Coalition we were the only band of our kind, so we just have to keep writing massive tunes like we have been, still lots to come over the next few months.
TG: In my opinion, you should keep doing what you’re doing. You have nearly 500 fans on Facebook now, that’s quite a landmark! How useful has the internet been in promoting what you’re doing?
EJ: The main thing is going to bigger places and writing bigger and better songs, it’s all in the name of fun. Facebook especially helps massively – we are looking into other methods including a website in the new year.
TG: I guess half of it is not losing sight of who you are as a band. Do you have any pre-gig rituals?
EJ: The boys are fat fuckers, they get as many kebabs as possible, I just chain smoke! Other than that we just get as pumped as possible.
TG: One more thing, if you could meet any one of your musical heroes, who would it be?
EJ: I want to meet Chad Smith, then my life would be complete. From the band’s perspective, it would be the Arctic Monkeys or Alex Turner for sure.
By Tom Groom
Judgment may not be the revelation the first Gears game was, nor may it be as rounded as it’s predecessor Gears of War 3, nor does it have the campaign intensity of the franchise’s second instalment – but what it has over it’s 3 bigger brothers is innovation. Epic Games, minus lead developer Cliff Bleszinski, have had to create a game to re-energise the Gears saga, one of the most-loved game series’ of the 21st century. So, where to begin. Let’s start with the campaign.
The focal point of the Judgment campaign is Lieutenant Damon Baird, a cocky, blond-haired young Gear who, to his credit, has an impeccable record with the COG. Him and squadmates Augustus Cole (ex-Thrashball player and fan-favourite), Garron Paduk (a badass ex-UIR fighter with a grudge against the COG) and Sofia Hendrick (a by-the-book pro still in training for the Onyx forces) are charged by Colonel Ezra Loomis with treason, theft of military technology and cowardice. The story is told through the narrative of Baird, with his witty insights shedding light on the situations he and his squad faced in the build up to their ‘war crime’. While the story may not have the significance or impact of those games before this in the series, it gives the audience a chance to hear a little bit more about the background of Baird and Cole, albeit with less of the latter.
I’ll get straight to it, if you’re looking for longevity – look somewhere else. The main campaign took me and a mate between 3-4 hours to complete, while the ‘Aftermath’ unlockable section (where we see what Cole and Baird got up to in their Gears 3 absence) took little over a hour. However, it does have it’s upsides. The new ‘Declassified’ options offer interesting alternatives to the action in this game, whether its killing numerous locust armed only with a pistol or dashing through an area before a Hammer of Dawn strike incinerates your ass. This adds to the intensity of the battle, as does the new semi-random Locust spawn system. The enemies you encounter change every time, so you never fight the same baddies twice. One attempt could see you facing innumerable pesky Wretches, while another could see you piling clip after clip of Lancer ammo into a stubborn Boomer. The Gears Judgment campaign also incorporates features of the game’s cornerstone seller – Horde mode. Something will happen, such as an order comes through to hold the fort, and you are told you have a certain amount of time to prepare and set up defences before facing waves of Locust, something entirely new to the Gears campaigns. The visuals are just as, if not more than, stunning as Gears 3, which is one of the most beautiful third-person shooters I have ever played, and the cinematic cutscenes are mastered to perfection.
The game’s multiplayer is totally unique in the series too, with game modes such as Free-for-all and Domination being introduced beside fan-favourite Team Deathmatch. These game modes are all self-explanatory and have featured in many multiplayer games before, but is the addition of the new ‘OverRun’ mode that makes this game’s online play so different. A combination of Gears’ trademark Horde mode and Gears 3′s Beast mode, you and a team of four others play as both the Locust and the COG. While on the COG’s side of the fight, you and your team set up defences to hold of the opposing Locust. The new class system in this game mode makes the battle very balanced, if a little in favour of the Locust. As members of the COG, you can choose to be: an Engineer (Baird) , who holds a blowtorch for repairing fortifications and an automatic turret; a Medic (Sofia) with a stim-gas healing grenade and Sawed-Off Shotgun; a Scout (Paduk) who grips his trusty UIR semi-auto sniper the Markza and spot grenades, which tag enemy Locust; or a Soldier (Cole) armed with a grenade-firing Booshka and ammo handouts, which come particularly in handy during the final stages of your desperate defence. Locust forces include a Ticker, Wretch, Grenadier, Kantus, Mauler, Serapede, Corpser and the all-new ‘Rager’ – a Locust with a bad attitude you won’t like when he’s angry.
There is another new mode – ‘Survival’, but I’m not entirely sure what it’s there for. It involves you playing as the COG as you would in OverRun, but holding off against 10 waves of Locust without ever changing sides. So I’m sure many of you will be sticking to OverRun. All-in-all this game is a breath of fresh air to the Gears series, and exactly what it needed. The worn out third-person shooter needed this invigoration to pick itself up after the exhausting completion of the Gears story arc, and Judgment fully pays the bills.
Overall rating: 9.2/10
Bellamy playing his signature custom ‘Glitterati’ Manson electric guitar
By Tom Groom
For a man like Matthew Bellamy, abnormal is normal. The Devon-born Muse frontman started out his musical life by figuring out the Dallas theme tune and playing it on the piano for his brothers’ friends’ amusement. He then decided, at 11, he wanted to buy a guitar after seeing a recording of Jimi Hendrix’s famous fiery jam at the Monterey Pop Festival. The rest, as they say, is history. He and fellow Devonians Chris Wolstenholme and Dom Howard have gone on to produce 7 studio albums and sold over 10 million albums worldwide.
Bellamy, who never ‘had a dream of becoming a rock star’ didn’t have a normal upbringing – his mother and older brother used a Ouija Board to contact the dead and his mother also cursed him for breaking a mirror which led to his parents’ break-up. He says of the incident, “It was ok at home, middle class, we had money – until the age of 13. Then, everything changed, parents got divorced, and I went to live with my grand mother”. His father was George Bellamy, member of a band called the Tornadoes who were the first UK band to get a number one in America. Bellamy however, is normally not one for the spotlight, especially when out in public with wife and mother of his child, Bing, Kate Hudson. This prompted a bizarre stunt in which Bellamy wore a Tesco carrier bag over his head.
Matt is known for his extravagant vocals and guitar manipulation, and is probably the main reason for Muse’s success in the category for Live awards. What other people may see as incessant wailing, fans hear as g#5 in all it’s glory. What others see as guitar wankery fans hear as beautiful rock melodies. Muse aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and neither is Matt Bellamy. His capability of reaching such extremely high notes with relatively little practice can be attributed to the fact that a doctor once told him he had unnaturally small vocal chords according to bandmate Dom Howard, speaking at Route du Rock 2001. His beliefs in the supernatural and conspiracy theories lead many to believe he’s just a nutter with an axe, but there is an intelligence to the man, who holds an honorary doctorate in music from the University of Plymouth.
The 5ft 7in frontman (named Sexiest Man in the NME Awards 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013) tied himself down in 2011 to actress Kate Hudson, with whom he had his first child Bingham Bellamy, whose heartbeat was recorded and used on a track from The 2nd Law, ‘Follow Me’. Despite his experiences with shrooms and alcohol in his younger years (and the latter during an interview with NME in 2011) the rocker has settled down, but still continues to play with Muse. Speaking about his experience with drugs Bellamy said, “I’m not afraid of seeing something horrible. It’s a way of connecting with yourself in a way that you can’t normally do”. However he always avoided ‘hard drugs’, and described a flat he moved into with a drug dealer aged 18 as a ‘scene from Trainspotting, white powders and mirrors and tin foil everywhere”. Matt holds the world record for most amount of guitars smashed on a single tour (140 during Absolution Tour) and can also say the alphabet backwards. He is one of rock’s most celebrated and strange celebrities, who continues to be able to sell out a 75,000 capacity Wembley Stadium.
So while Bellamy may not be the stereotypical rock star, there is something different about him, a kind of odd charm that doesn’t really coincide with the style of music he plays. Behind the brash, falsetto-belting dancing-around-the-stage exterior, there is a complex and intelligence to Matt Bellamy rarely viewed from the outside. Often though, shades of this bizarre brilliance filter into songs, such as the self-composed 13-minute three-part ‘Exogenesis Symphony’ featured on Muse’s 5th album, ‘The Resistance’. The Symphony is composed by Bellamy, and according to him, “It is a story of humanity coming to an end and everyone pinning their hopes on a group of astronauts who go out to explore space and spread humanity to another planet”.
Not many people can predict what Bellamy is going to do next in his life as he continues to rise higher and higher with Muse. He once said he would like to ‘play a gig in space’ and also ‘in the constellation of Pleiades’ – a star system that (according to one of his favourite conspiracy theories) aligns with the Eygyptian and Cydonian pyramid systems, so be on the lookout for tickets to those gigs. For now though, him and Muse are beginning the second leg of their world tour in the UK, playing a host of stadium shows over the summer. Grab tickets if you want to experience being in the presence of one of the most fascinating men in rock.
By Samuel Peace
Early Life:
Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the Pokémon franchise, is regarded as one of the most influential people in gaming. Being the mastermind behind the phenomenon not only saved the Gameboy, but also revolutionised social connectivity in games. Born in Machida, Tokyo, on August 28th 1965 to a Nissan car salesman and a house wife, he grew up with a keen interest in bug collecting. Little did he know however, that the hobby which earned him the nickname ‘Dr. Bug’ among his peers would eventually lead to the idea which still manages to entice millions of people worldwide today. As a kid the area in which Tajiri lived was still rural. There were rivers, forests, ponds and other natural habitats, thus making it the ideal place for insect gathering. Tajiri was so fascinated that he wanted to become an entomologist as a profession, and he would often think of new ways to capture insects. In a Time interview he said how his approach to catching bugs differed from all his friends, yet he was able to end up with the most.
Unfortunately the natural wonders that Tajiri once beheld were soon ‘urbanized’ as new homes and shopping centres took over the landscape. However, as he became a teenager an interest in the arcades arose. Gaming soon became his new passion with Space Invaders being a favourite of his. Sadly this then new type of entertainment was frowned upon by most. Society and even his parents thought he was weird and a ‘delinquent’ for playing them. People looked at him as if he was some sort of criminal. Despite this he was not deterred and he became more and more interested in the making of games. His curiosity led to him planning his own titles and taking apart Nintendo’s Famicom console (NES in America/Europe) to see how it all works. In 1981, Tajiri entered a game-idea contest which was sponsored by Sega. His submission, an action game called Spring Stranger, helped him to win it.
Career Start:
Tajiri’s obsession with gaming had a massive effect on his education. Constantly skipping classes he nearly failed to graduate at all. He was forced to take ‘make-up’ classes in order to achieve his high school diploma. His distraught parents thought he was throwing his life away, so his father offered him a job at The Tokyo Electric Power Company. “I thought he could at least make a living that way,” he said. However, Tajiri already knew what he wanted to do and refused the job. Skipping college all together he decided to go to a two-year technical school at Tokyo National College of Technology, where he studied electronics.
At the age of 17, and around the same time he won the Sega contest, Tajiri decided to start his own ‘fanzine’. Because the World Wide Web had not been invented, fanzines (fan made magazines) were the only way people could communicate their thoughts and ideas. As an avid arcade fan, Tajiri decided to start his own fanzine called Game Freak. The fanzine focused on the arcade scene as you would expect. It contained news and guides among other things. It was usually around 28 pages and was written in longhand with Tajiri’s ‘loopy’ handwriting then stapled together. It cost around 200-300 yen, enough to cover his gaming expenses if it sold. Shortly after starting up Game Freak, a guy named Ken Sugimori (who would go on to illustrate the original 151 Pokémon) saw the fanzine in a dōjinshi shop (a shop which sells self-published – often amateur – bits of work) and decided to get involved.
Game Freak had decent sales during its run (1981 – 1986) and was especially popular amongst gamers at the time. As the popularity grew and the number of contributors rose, Tajiri decided to start printing it professionally. His best selling fanzine was a special issue based around the game Xevious. It included a guide on ‘how to score a million points’ and managed to sell a staggering 10,000 copies. As the number of contributors grew, so did the gaming discussions. Tajiri learnt a lot more about his passion and realised he wasn’t happy with the quality of most games. This was around the time of the video game crash in 1983 where a plethora of bad games and pong knock offs saturated the market. He became so frustrated that he and Sugimori decided to make their own games.
Tajiri spent a couple of years learning the Family BASIC programming language so he was able to understand the process of making games for the Famicom. He went on to buy development kits and transform Game Freak into a video game development company. Then around 1989 they pitched their first title to Namco. They had built a 80s style arcade game called Quinty (Mendel Palace in the west). It was a simple non-scrolling game (1-2 players) which mainly involved flipping over tiles. The tiles when flipped would push enemies back and sometimes reveal power ups. The aim of each level was to ‘pop’ all the enemies by pushing them into the walls. Namco was Tajiri’s first choice as he was a big fan of their work (especially Masanobu Endo’s titles). Game Freak continued to make more games including the 1991 game Jerry Boy (Smart Ball in the west) and Yoshi – their first collaboration with Nintendo.
Pokémon Era:
The idea for Pokémon came when Tajiri saw the Gameboy and its link cable for the first time. Up until the creation of Pokémon, the link cable was merely used for competitive reasons. But Tajiri’s first thought was not to compete, but to communicate. He had a vision of his childhood where he would catch insects and share his findings with his friends. But with urbanization, many modern children could not experience the same thing. He thought that perhaps he would be able to make a game which involved a similar collection aspect with the added benefit of players being able to share their findings with friends via link cable. Being a big TV, anime and manga fan, Tajiri also took inspiration from Ultraman’s capsule monsters.
Game Freak pitched the idea to Nintendo in 1990, and although Nintendo did not fully understand the concept, Tajiri’s good work with other Nintendo games such as the acclaimed The Legend of Zelda earned him their trust. Put under the guidance of the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto (creator of Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda), Game Freak spent six long years creating the first Pokémon games – Red & Green (Blue in the west). The production was difficult and nearly bankrupted Game Freak. Five employees quit and there was barely enough money to pay the rest. Tajiri decided not to take a salary and instead lived off his father’s income. Creatures Inc. A subsidiary of Nintendo helped out Game Freak by investing some money in order to help with the completion of the games. In return they were given one-third of the franchise’s rights.
During the six years of making the games, Tajiri also helped with other projects including two Mario spin-offs, Japanese only – Mario & Wario and the 1994 game Pulseman. In this time Tajiri had developed a strong relationship with Miyamoto and therefore decided to pay tribute to him in Red & Green. The main character’s default name in the games is ‘Satoshi’ as it’s based on Tajiri’s childhood, while the rival’s default name is ‘Shigeru’. These names were also used in the anime (although western audiences were given Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak). By the time the games were completed the Gameboy was becoming outdated and interest in it was waning. There was no enthusiasm from the media and most people expected it to fail. Tajiri was worried Nintendo would reject the game, but thankfully it was released. While sales were slow at first they soon picked up and eventually the games were among Nintendo’s best selling. In fact they near enough resurrected the Gameboy single handily – a new key franchise was born.
There are many theories as to why Pokémon succeeded such as the hidden Pokémon Mew which led to many eager people trying to obtain it, and the affordability of the ‘outdated’ Gameboy. The franchise continues to do well to this day, with Tajiri now 47 taking a back seat role as executive producer while Junichi Masuda (sound designer for Red & Green) has now taken over as director. Despite the success of Pokémon, little is ever seen or heard of from Tajiri as he is media shy. There are rumours that he has Asperger Syndrome, but some people dispute this. He is known for having irregular sleeping hours too, usually working 24 hours straight before having a 12 hour sleep. There is no doubt that there are many mysteries left untold by Tajiri, but he will forever be known as an inspirer of generations.
By Samuel Peace
The video game industry has become a huge player in today’s multimedia market. It has integrated itself into mainstream society with big blockbuster titles such as Call of Duty making more money than top Hollywood films. Mobile and social gaming have also become sensations with advanced smart-phones and social networks offering new addictive and connected ways to play. This enables more people than ever to play video games as a dedicated gaming machine is not now required to enjoy these interactive experiences. Because of this it is widely foreseen by industry experts that the video game home console will go the way of the Dodo. This isn’t hard to believe either as current consoles are showing their age and are struggling to compete for sales as cheaper games are easier to find on other devices. However, the quality of a big budget, top selling blockbuster such as the previously mentioned Call of Duty series can only be found on a console (or its PC rival). While there are sometimes mobile versions (or clones), these are always watered down and have awkward controls which simply cannot give the same experience. Also console makers Sony and Microsoft are hotly anticipated to be releasing their new systems by the end of 2013. If designed well they should be able to offer everything their competitors can and more. In preparation for the next ‘generation’ of consoles let’s take a brief look at the history of home gaming…
Generation 1 (1972 – 1977) & Generation 2 (1976 – 1984):
It’s now been over 40 years since the arrival of a home entertainment system. Television engineer Ralph Baer conjured up the idea during the 60s where he was able to make a two player game called Chase. Two lights appeared on the TV screen which were controlled by two different people. Though simple it was a first for interactivity on a TV. Baer later sold his concept in 1969 to electronics company Magnavox. Then a few years later in 1972 the Magnavox Odyssey was born. This now primitive piece of hardware came with six special cartridges which gave the console different command codes when plugged in, which then activated the games which were built into the console. To go with these carts were special translucent overlays which were stuck to the screen and acted as graphics for the game. Unfortunately the original Magnavox Odyssey only managed to sell about 330,000 units, but the Odyssey 2 in 1978 sold 2 million.
Several other companies including world renowned retro kings Atari entered the fray not long after the Odyssey’s release. Atari first hit the mainstream when they created the game Pong for arcades in 1972. They followed this up by releasing a home version in 1975 which helped start the second generation of consoles. This new era (known as the 8-bit era) saw a flurry of machines trying to replicate the success of Pong. These systems all had microprocessors and cartridges with built in memory. This meant that the games were now on the cartridges instead of the console allowing for more games to be made available. The Fairchild Channel F was the first to use this new technology in 1976 but only sold 250,000 units. However it was the Atari 2600 who took the glory by selling a phenomenal 30 million systems (as of 2004). This monster of a machine came out in 1977 and fast became an icon of gaming’s past with retro classics such as Space Invaders and Pac-Man making their debuts on a home console.
Video Game Crash of 1983:
The future of home gaming was thrown into doubt when the video game industry crashed and went into recession in 1983. Company after company went bankrupt causing many of Atari’s competitors to vanish. There were many factors as to why this had happened. For starters the market was flooded with consoles all vying to become the next ‘Pong sensation’. With Atari doing stupendously well it was no surprise that other companies wanted a piece of that success. Unfortunately this along with a plethora of bad games and a surge in PC gaming over saturated the market and turned it sour, thus causing consumers to lose interest. The eroding market quickly needed a saviour.
Generation 3 (1983 – 1992) & Generation 4 (1987 – 1996)
In 1983 a Japanese electronics company named Nintendo decided to enter the unstable gaming market with the release of the Famicom (Family Computer) in Japan. They released their console in North America two years later under the new name of NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), and needless to say it took the world by storm. Managing to sell 61.91 million units (as of 2009) and creating one of gaming’s most iconic characters (Mario) the console almost single handily revived the industry. Its closest competitors included Sega’s Master System which sold around 11.8 million and Atari’s 7800 which sold about 3.77 million.
With the new revitalised game industry in full flow, the fourth generation was kick started with the introduction of 16-bit graphics. Following on from the NES, Nintendo bought out the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1991 (North America). Once again they dominated the market share selling a massive 49.10 million units. Although this was enough to win the generation, the biggest success story was Sega who’s Master System follow up the Mega Drive (Genesis in North America) sold 40 million units and created a new gaming icon by the name of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Generation 5 (1993 – 2006) & Generation 6 (1998 – 2013)
The fifth generation (known as the 32-bit and 64-bit era) probably had the biggest leap in graphical capabilities and gameplay since the very birth of gaming. The introduction of 3D graphics wowed people across the world and helped to create brand new gaming experiences. It also gave birth to a new competitor – Sony’s PlayStation. The console released in 1995 (North America) and blew people away with its modern technology and new IPs. The electronics giant used a newly developed CD-ROM for its games which held more data and was cheaper to mass produce. The popularity of the PlayStation saw it sell an eye watering 102.49 million units (as of 2007). Meanwhile Nintendo continued to decline slowly with the release of the last cartridge based console the Nintendo 64. It sold a solid 32.93 million but it wasn’t a scratch on Sony. Sega suffered too, but it was Atari who fell from grace as their Atari Jaguar sold a measly 500,000 units, thus the pioneers of home gaming bowed out of the hardware market.
Sega were in desperate need of a revival so they bought out the Dreamcast in 1999 to start the 128-bit era. Unfortunately only 10 million were sold so they too exited the hardware market. Sony once again dominated with the release of the PlayStation 2 in 2000. The system sold a record 153.6 million units (as of 2011) and has to this day not been beaten by another home console. Nintendo suffered greatly this generation as its GameCube only managed around 21.74 million sales. Microsoft also entered the ‘console war’ in 2001 with the release of the Xbox. This marked a return for North America into the home console market .
Generation 7 (2004 – Present) & Generation 8 (2011 – Present)
Generation seven saw the most tightly contested battle yet as Sony failed to repeat the success of their previous two consoles. Microsoft jump started things with the release of the Xbox 360 in 2005. Using a one year advantage they managed to gain a good market share and have sold a respectable 75.9 million units (as of 2012). Nintendo also enjoyed resurgence as they decided to shake things up by focusing on new innovations such as motion control rather than improving the power of their console. The Wii which was released in 2006 became a worldwide phenomenon and has reached 99 million sales (as of 2012). While Sony has suffered a fair bit this generation, it has still surpassed 70 million units and could take over Xbox 360 sales due to a strong presence in both Europe and Japan.
Nintendo whose Wii was behind in terms of power decided to make the first move in this eighth generation by playing catch up. Their console matches the power of the PS3 and Xbox 360 but it has an innovative ‘tablet-like’ controller. Sony has also announced their new PlayStation 4 which is expected to hit shelves before Christmas 2013. Microsoft have yet to respond.
Future:
Despite being little over 40 years old, the games industry has a rich history, one which is too big to fit into one article. While home consoles have enjoyed a lot of success over the years, it is hard to tell if they can stay relevant when a huge variety of devices are now able to play video games. What we do know is that once again Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft will battle it out for supremacy, however this time they might not be alone.
By Samuel Peace
While film and music have enjoyed a steady technological progression over the past two decades, it is probably the games industry which has seen the most growth within the entertainment sector. Just over 20 years ago, games were not much more than interactive pixels. Simple titles such as Pong and Space Invaders wowed people across the world with their never before seen virtual interactivity. The fact that you could play pretend table tennis on your TV was quite the phenomenon. The innovations continued and now we have beautiful 3D models which produce cut scenes with cinematics so good that they could be feature films themselves. Gameplay has become a lot more complex and varied, and the evolution of online has enabled people to play with strangers from the other side of the world. The future also looks quite bright as developments for a variety of different ‘virtual reality’ headsets seeks to merge real life with the digital world in order to make you feel like you’re actually part of the game. So while the whole concept of gaming is forever changing, one thing which has remained mostly the same until now has been who makes the games.
Most forms of entertainment usually have two main parts involved with its creation. There’s a person/team which develops the media and an organisation who publishes it for the world to see. In game terms we have development studios which make the games, and publishers who markets and distributes them. Development studios are usually owned by publishers, but if they aren’t they usually seek out a deal with them in order to get their content released. This had always been the way, but recent advancements are beginning to reshape the way things are done. The reason the old regime had lasted so long was because publishers were the only ones with the money to promote and mass produce the games. This monopoly made it difficult for many individuals and/or small studios to express their artistic prowess unless they were able to get backing from a publisher. However, this measure of control could be at an end due to the introduction of digital distribution, apps, kickstarter, and more. Never before has an industry which prides itself on offering limitless expression, and has seen so much innovation, been able to experience the freedom which it now has today.
This power shift has done wonders for consumers and developers alike. The creators can now let their imaginations run wild without publishers telling them what they should make. They can get cheap distribution by using digital services such as Steam, PSN and Xbox Live. Or similarly they can create apps on iOS, Android, and Window devices, or on web browsers. They can even get the fans themselves to pay for the production of a game by offering them incentives using a kickstarter website. As for the consumers, they not only get more originality from their games, but also a wider variety of platforms to play them on, cheaper prices, and also a greater relationship with developers by being able to fund projects that they want made. This newly found freedom is great for many people, but unfortunately there is always someone who suffers. The once dominant publishers are now facing a greater threat than each other. While their money may enable them to produce big blockbusters, it doesn’t however mean people will buy them. The production cost of these mega titles are not cheap, meaning the cost for consumers isn’t either. While this wasn’t a problem a few years ago, the new choices and the recession have now made consumers seek out cheaper titles. To make matters worse, major publishers prefer to churn out sequel after sequel rather than supporting an original concept because of the amount of money involved in developing these massive titles.
To say there isn’t room for ‘Triple A’ releases would be wrong as they still make up for the majority of sales despite recent slumps. There will always be an audience for big games such as Fifa and Call of Duty. The main problem is that the major publishers are finding it increasingly difficult to afford to make such games. The huge success of the new ‘indie’ development scene has caused big game sales to fall which in turn is a loss of profit. Although digital releases of these titles along with downloadable content can help recoup on costs, this however, is sometimes not enough. Because of this studios are closing and even some major publishers are faltering too. Hundreds of people are losing their jobs as a result which is causing stress and tension amongst the people in the profession. Just this week it was announced that publisher THQ was to close its doors for good following the auctioning off of their assets. THQ is probably the biggest casualty yet of this ever changing industry. They were once power houses who were able to rival the biggest and the best with famous franchises such as Red Faction, Saints Row, Darksiders, and the WWE games (which they held the licence for). However declines in sales for their iconic games and a risk with an original product (the uDraw tablet) which went horribly wrong saw them plunge into debt and unable to recover.
President of THQ Jason Rubin and Chief Executive Officer Brian Farrell wrote a letter to their employees explaining about the situation. Regarding employment they said: “We expect that most employees of the entities included in the sale will be offered employment by the new owners. However, we cannot say what these owners may intend, and there will likely be some positions that will not be needed under the new ownership. You should receive notice this week or early next week if the new owners intend to extend employment to you.” Unfortunately those who were not in the sale were just told: “If you are an employee of an entity that is not included in the sale, we regret that your position will end.” This has become a common occurrence amongst studios and publishers in the industry, with more than 50 closures and major lay-offs over the past year. Other notable casualties include: Hudson Soft (Bomberman) who would have celebrated its 40th birthday this year; Sony Liverpool (former Psygnosis) famous for WipEout; and the more recent 38 Studios whose only game – Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a commercial flop despite housing some highly regarded developers and being a hit with the critics.
In many ways the transformation of this industry is a great thing, and no doubt it’ll help it to grow and flourish. But as the stakes are raised there will be more closures than ever before. Competition can now come from anyone, and with every success story there will be a failure too. Fortunately we’re in a time where new hardware is appearing and a console transition is taking place. This will give developers new tools and features to play around with ensuring a new wave of originality is on the horizon. Overall things have never been better for the consumer; however developers have their work cut out to stay ahead of the competition. You could say that the local multiplayer has now switched to online.
By Samuel Peace
It’s a rare occurrence when the film and game industry cross paths, one which usually doesn’t bode well for either side. Surely it would be easy to turn a game into a film? Just take the script, hire some good actors/actresses to play the characters, and use CGI for the environments and any other unrealistic feature. Unfortunately it’s not as simple as that because games focus on what makes their entertainment so popular – the gameplay – thus leaving the story to play second fiddle (or sometimes no fiddle at all). While some games might make for good films (BioShock, Uncharted, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare etc), these have never come to pass. Instead producers chose more recognisable franchises some of which have little to no story at all (for example the recent Battleship movie based on the board game, or the infamous Super Mario Bros film in 1993 which was nothing like the games). Disaster after disaster has led to very few game to film adaptations as movie makers become less willing to put their reputation on the line. However, this has not deterred Walt Disney, which is famed around the world for its animated classics. They wanted to build bridges with the games industry, write them a love letter so to speak. So the concept of Wreck-It Ralph was born.
The idea for the motion picture actually goes all the way back to the late 1980s when arcade gaming was in its prime. However many redesigns saw it pushed further and further away from release until plans were finalised in the mid-2000s. During the production stages, director Rich Moore (best known for his directing roles in a number of The Simpsons and Futurama episodes), said in an interview with MCV that he didn’t want to base the movie around an existing character. He said: “There’s so much mythology and baggage attached to pre-existing titles that I feel someone would be disappointed.” He believed this was a reason why so many movies based on video game franchises typically failed. Instead his vision was to create a fake gaming icon so that he could have the ultimate freedom without the worry of tainting another gaming property.
The plot revolves around the main character Wreck-It Ralph (voiced by John C Reilly). But instead of being a generic game plot (where the main character is a hero and has to save the world from the bad guy), Ralph is actually the bad guy from the start! He plays the main villain in a fictional arcade game called Fix-It Felix Jr. which as you might have guessed has a hero called Fix-It Felix (voiced by Jack McBrayer). The game pays homage to the original Donkey Kong, an arcade classic which saw Mario (known then as Jumpman) try to ascend a series of platforms in order to rescue a woman named Pauline from the grasps of the giant gorilla. Donkey Kong’s role was to stop Mario by rolling barrels down to try and knock him off. In Fix-It Felix Jr. Ralph stands atop a skyscraper and chucks debris down to try and knock off Felix whose aim is to fix all the broken windows while ascending the building.
The problem is Ralph is fed up of being the bad guy and not getting any recognition. He is finally pushed over the edge when Felix is given all the credit for the game’s success and has a party thrown for him (Ralph not invited) to celebrate the game’s 30th anniversary. When he crashes it, he is quite simply told that bad guys do not deserve recognition and he would need a medal to be a good guy and a winner. Determined to get a medal and prove his worth, Ralph decides to ‘game jump’ – which is to enter another arcade game via the hub where all the games connect (the power supply). His quest to find a medal is, as you would expect, not straight forward and there is plenty of entertainment right until the end.
The first half of Wreck-it Ralph is by far the best. With real life game cameos galore and an interesting plot, there really is something for everyone. One of the more memorable scenes (which was in the trailer) saw Ralph in a ‘bad guy’ support group which was attended by some of gaming’s most iconic villains such as Bowser (Super Mario games), Eggman (Sonic the Hedgehog games) and Clyde (Pac-Man games). There are so many other subtler references too which help bring the world to life. With all these famous faces it was important that the main fictional characters were made to feel authentic too so they wouldn’t be outshone. Both Ralph and Felix deliver on this part with mannerisms and abilities akin to the classic characters we all know and love. They are later joined by other fictional cast members including the fantastic Calhoun (Jane Lynch) and Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman).
Unfortunately the second half of the film falls into the stereotypical Disney ‘be yourself’ trap with predictable results. There are not many game cameos or references that have not already been seen either, as the story focuses more on the development of our main fictional heroes and villains. However, it’s the chemistry between them, which manages to save the film from drowning in mediocrity. Each persona is vastly different from one another and makes for some interesting combinations. While the plot contains some foreseeable twists and turns it still manages to round off nicely with a Mario Kart like race mixed with an alien invasion.
Despite some shortcomings, Wreck-It Ralph manages to capture the real essence of the classic arcade era. It has some truly wonderful references which will appeal to both young and old audiences. The main cast of fictional characters are the stars of the show however, and would not be out of place in the real world of gaming. Moore’s experience with The Simpsons is exhibited with a great range of humorous gags and along with the art style makes the film feel more like a Pixar production than a Disney studios film, which is for the best. While not perfect it is definitely the best film/game crossover ever made, and that alone is worth seeing.
Rating: 8/10
MCV Interview:
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/interview-wreck-it-ralph-director-talks-bringing-games-to-film/0110639
By Samuel Peace
For the last two years I’ve gathered around friends houses for an ‘all nighter’ involving typical party antics, gaming and topping it off by watching E3. For many gamers the Electronic Entertainment Expo (more commonly known as E3) is the pinnacle of the industry’s annual calendar. It’s the crème de la crème and it attracts the world’s greatest game developers, publishers and journalists. It’s both a celebration of what makes video game culture so great and a glimpse into the future of how we’ll play next.
Since starting in 1995 it has played centre stage for the industry’s biggest reveals, whether it’s a new games console or the next chapter in a popular franchise. 2005 saw E3 extend its reach by broadcasting all the big conferences online for the whole world to see. No longer were fans restricted to just reading stories about it, they could now watch the reveals for themselves as it was happening. This streaming revolution was what really turned E3 from a general busy news week into the biggest and most exciting gaming extravaganza known to man. In a similar vein to Christmas, there is always a huge build up to it months before it happens and then before you know it, it’s over within a flash. Though brief, it always gives you some of the best memories as a gamer and it becomes an excuse to have a celebration.
The only thing that could be better than streaming it would be attending the event itself and seeing everything with our own eyes (and even playing some of the games that were just revealed). Unfortunately this dream for most people will stay just that – a dream. The event is invite only therefore only the most prestigious and well known media outlets are allowed to see it all first hand. Fortunately however, developers and publishers are eager to get their games noticed by as many people as possible. Therefore some companies have made their own versions of E3, but have made them open to the public. While none of these tend to have any big reveals like E3, they focus a lot more on allowing gamers to go hands on with unreleased titles. Gamescom (GC) in Germany and the Tokyo Games Show (TGS) in Japan are the biggest of these events and manage to entice upwards of 200,000 people a year.
In 2008 the UK finally got its own proper video games convention called the Eurogamer Expo (EGE). It started off as a rather small venture with only 4,000 attendees, however after five years it has now turned into a massive exhibition for the whole of the UK. Last year it attracted 50,000 people which is a massive increase over the year before (34,500). As soon as I found out about the EGE (back in summer 2011) I snapped up a ticket right away. 2012 was my second expo and it certainly did feel bigger and better than 2011’s one. The question was though; could it deliver the same awe inspiring experience as E3 (minus the reveals)? The answer is a resounding yes. There are many factors which help to contribute to making it the best day out any video game fan can have. So below are my EGE experiences:
Unreleased Games – The main reason I went was to get my hands on all of the hottest upcoming games which were still in development and not available to purchase. A majority of the booths allowed attendees to play these latest experiences, most of which are normally up to six months away from being released. The excitement I felt when rushing to a stand was that of opening a present when I was a kid.
Developer Sessions – The second reason I went was to see some of the famous faces who make the titles I know and love. Last year had the likes of Peter Molyneux (Fable series) and Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear series) both of whom are celebrities in the eyes of industry fans. Although they rarely make any surprise announcements, it is still interesting to find out more about them and their projects. It is great asking them questions and just like with any celebrity you become pretty star-struck if you manage to shake their hand or get a photo with them.
Meet Like Minded People – Like with my ‘all nighter’, big gaming events are always enjoyed best with like minded people. Attendees at EGE all share the same passion of gaming so this gives everyone a boost of confidence as you already have something in common. Gaming once used to be a very anti-social activity. I grew up playing in my room away from everyone else and I rarely went out. This affected my overall confidence growing up, but with modern internet capabilities and the rise of social gaming, I can now freely discuss and play with many other people. My confidence has skyrocketed in recent years and to my surprise the EGE is not full of people with under developed social skills.
The Atmosphere and Cosplay – The grand building that is Earls Court, has been home to the EGE since 2010. Seeing it for the first time after stepping out of the tube was a surreal experience. Never had I seen posters and billboards that big advertising games. Usually advertisements of that stature are reserved for films and music, so it was a pleasant change. Things were even better inside as there were towering bits of artwork at each booth as developers/publishers vied for my attention. Seeing a massive hall filled with people enjoying what I enjoy was a heart warming sight. All this was improved by Cosplay. Originating in Japan, cosplay has quickly become a worldwide phenomenon and has since gathered popularity in western countries. The idea is to dress up as your favourite character (from any media), which makes it is a great way to find out people’s favourite franchises. Also competitions for big prizes have made this past time become an obsession for some with people putting in months of work to create something truly mind-blowing.
Competitions – A video game is not complete without some form of competitive aspect, so the same can be said for a games show not having competitions. While in the past we’ve had board games, high score tables and pong, the invention of online gaming has taken multiplayer to the next level. It is now possible to face anyone in the world, so naturally competitions have become bigger and more exciting. Games which can support many competing players or have huge followings such as Call of Duty have now become esports (electronic sports) and have transformed into cultures themselves. Big trades shows such as EGE thrive on these massive esport areas and it was excellent being a spectator.
Careers – While trade shows are used by developers/publishers to primarily showcase their projects and products, sometimes they use it to advertise vacancies at their companies. It makes sense for a games company to promote a gaming job in an area full of gamers. I also saw education establishments trying to persuade attendees to take their game related course along with career advice experts telling people the best ways to get into the industry.
Merchandise – No day out would be complete without a novelty item of some sort. At places like EGE there is usually a cluster of shops all selling exclusive stuff which is hard to find elsewhere. As you would expect it’s not always cheap, but for hardcore game fans it can be difficult to resist. I try not to splash out too much when I’m there, but it is certainly impressive what you can buy.
These were just the main highlights for me, but there were other smaller areas which were no less impressive. While I was there I met up with Chris Ledger – a friend who is also the owner and lead developer of indie game company Derp Studios. I asked him what he liked about EGE and game exhibitions in general, and also how EGE has benefited Derp Studios. He said: “It’s a great day out, especially for someone like me who is both a fan and a developer. The developer conferences were my favourite parts as they were real eye openers. I thoroughly enjoyed Hideo Kojima’s session as I’ve always been a massive fan of the Metal Gear franchise. From a developer perspective, it’s always great to check out what other companies are doing. As we are currently in the mobile market, I found it very useful checking out all of the latest portable games. My ultimate goal is to eventually bring my own game to an event like this, and to see a giant frog banner saying ‘Derp Studios’.
The Eurogamer Expo continues to expand and 2013 seems like it will be its biggest year yet, as the industry witnesses the transition into a new console generation this fall. Hopefully one day EGE can become the new E3.
By Samuel Peace
The seven year long wait is over as the next evolution in handheld gaming has arrived. The successor to Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) has finally been released overseas following a Christmas release in its native country Japan. Dubbed the PlayStation Vita (Latin & Italian for ‘life’) it provides gamers with everything they love about a home console, but combines it with the benefits of a handheld device. Fans and industry professionals alike have been longing for a new power house which can replicate experiences which were only possible on a TV. While Nintendo dominate this market, they have failed to capitalize on it by focusing all their efforts on innovative gimmicks rather than technical progression. The Vita has seized this opportunity to give people an alternative, which for all the tech geeks out there is a joy to behold.
Boasting a 5-inch multi-touch OLED screen capable of showing 16 million colours, a 2GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore CPU, 512 MB RAM, 128 MB VRAM, and a Quad-Core SGX543MP4+ for graphics, it is a beast of a machine. For those of you unacquainted with technical specs it just means you pretty much have the power of the PlayStation 3 but in your pocket. Following on from the impressive insides we also have a great range of external components. These include dual analogue sticks (a first for any handheld device), a unique rear multi-touch pad, a front and rear camera, six-axis motion sensing (three-axis gyroscope and three-axis accelerometer), three-axis electronic compass, and the usual array of buttons. This provides consumers with not only a home console quality experience, but also new and exciting ways to play. Developers will also enjoy coming up with ideas using all of the unique features.
Considering the punch this device is packing, you would expect it to be the size of a brick or an Xbox 360’s power box. To my surprise however, it is a sleek and stylish gadget which wouldn’t look out of place in James Bond’s arsenal. The shape is similar to that of its predecessor the PSP (not the flop that was the PSP GO). Its dimensions are also quite similar as the Vita has a width of 182mm (170mm on the original PSP 1000 model), a height of 83.5mm (previously 74mm) and a depth of 18.6mm (from 23mm). The increase in the width and height helps to offer a better cinematic experience similar to that of consoles; this will ensure that your 16:9 widescreen display needs are catered for. Despite the slight expansion, the Vita weighs pretty much the same as the original PSP 1000 model; in fact it’s slightly lighter. While the PSP weighed 280grams, the Wi-Fi only Vita comes in at 260grams, but the 3G/WI-FI model is 279grams.
Because of the similarities in shape, size and weight, this handheld marvel feels reminiscent of its fore-bearer. It also shares the same shiny black finish which gives amateur detectives the chance to play ‘who violated my Vita?’ The analogue sticks are a nice change as they resemble the PS3’s but on a smaller scale. These improve over the single flat circular nub/pad that the PSP and 3DS have as they feel more precise and easier to manoeuvre. My only worry is that because the Vita doesn’t have handle grips (like a PS3 controller) and because the analogue sticks are smaller and have a slippery convex design, it could be quite difficult/uncomfortable keeping grip of it (or keeping your thumbs on the sticks) during long periods of play (or when you have a sweaty hands). This might not be an issue for everyone however, and handhelds are designed more for on-the-go play than marathon sessions.
For many people one of the main attractions of the Vita was the enhanced graphics, so I am pleased to say that the OLED screen is beautifully vibrant and particularly dazzles when you play games as stunning as the Uncharted series. The stereo speakers and headphone support complements the visuals while other standard gizmos such as the touch screen, cameras, buttons and sensors all perform as well as they should. The rear touch pad on the other hand is a much more prominent and unusual feature. It is still too early to tell how useful it will be in enhancing the numerous Vita experiences, but already we are seeing it used in different ways. Most are gimmicky or are just used in mini games while the odd one or two work quite well at offering a new way to play (such as touch shooting in Fifa).
As the main multi-touch screen on the Vita offers such precision, Sony has decided to do away with the XMB which is present on the PSP and PS3. It now offers a sleek and innovative user interface reminiscent of the iOS on the iPhone. Now the screen is filled with bubbles which all represent different apps for services and games. Many of these apps consist of your standard PS3/PSP services such as friends, messages, trophies and store etc, but there is a big push for online and social connectivity this time round. Some of the services on offer include Facebook, Twitter and Skype all of which help to keep you in touch with other people (though they have to be downloaded through the store). Sony has also incorporated its own social app called ‘Near’ which utilises its built in GPS. This is very similar to the 3DS’s StreetPass app which allows the system to connect to others who are nearby. I found it a bit confusing, but it’s nice to see how many people near me own Vitas. It also allows you to send and receive gifts from certain games and compares games/scores, which I guess is nice if not a little bit pointless.
For physical games Sony have decided to ditch the PSP’s cute UMDs and have changed to small SD type cards akin to Nintendo’s DS and 3DS. One of the main things which irk me about the Vita is that the memory cards are so restrictive. The system no longer supports the PSP’s memory stick and memory stick duo. Instead it favours its own PS Vita Memory Card. The main problem is that it doesn’t allow for any other third party memory card or SD card. This means Sony can get away with charging outrageous prices for memory as players have no choice but to buy their cards. One example is the 32GB Vita card which costs £60 on Amazon. £60!? I could buy a couple of newly released games for that price. On the same site, there are third party 32GB cards for as little as £15. To make matters worse, only one account can be linked per memory card. While this made sense on the PSP at the time, technology has progressed far enough today to allow for multiple accounts on a multitude of gadgets.
There is no doubt plenty more to discover about the Vita as it begins to evolve and create an identity for itself. It has a plethora of great features most of which are making mostly the right noises. Competition is even tougher now as the rise of smart phones, which can host a variety of games for a small cost, calls into question the viability of a dedicated gaming handheld. However Sony has created a machine which can produce quality content not possible on any other handheld device – something which true gamers will want. There is still plenty of potential to unlock and with the PS4 on the horizon it will no doubt play a vital role in connecting with it. The Vita is exactly what the industry needs, but with any console success is only as good as its library of games, so we will have to wait and see if the Vita can deliver on that front.
By Samuel Peace
Of all the many wonders in the world today the only place children want to go to is Disneyland. I often dreamt of going when I was younger but my parents couldn’t afford such a luxury. I would boil with envy when my friends told me of their magnificent adventures with Buzz Lightyear, Indiana Jones, Mickey Mouse and more. “I’m going for the third time this summer holidays” one would say, “Oh really?” I’d reply with gritted teeth. As I grew up the child’s fantasy land became less appealing, and the thought of going to a foreign country never crossed my mind. I had many great holidays around England and was quite content with staying on home soil. However, soon after turning 18 I was on a plane heading towards Disneyland Paris.
My grandparents decided to treat me and my family to a holiday in the summer of 2009. Originally we had planned to stay at a deluxe villa in the south of Spain. The very thought of a hot tropical scene with beautiful, naturally tanned Spanish girls got my heart pounding with excitement. Seeing the pictures of the proposed villa just made it even more enticing. Therefore a sudden change of plan in order to limit travel time and to please my younger siblings left a bitter taste in my mouth. For me the Disney plane had flown into the sunset and left me behind many years ago. There was little excitement to be had except for the prospect of visiting Paris. Everything soon changed though as walking through the entrance of the park woke my inner child.
The gloriously decorated buildings, giant floats and mascots made it feel as if you were actually in a Disney cartoon. There was so much going on that I didn’t know where to start. While most theme parks are just giant fun fairs with lots of rides, this place seemed different. The magical aura of the classic childhood fairy tales was present. The park was separated into zones with each one focusing on different notable franchises. It was great to see the attention to detail with each area being designed in certain ways to make it feel like you’re in the world of that film. But while I was impressed by the aesthetics, I was still yet to be convinced by its attractions and other offerings. That was until I went on an adrenaline train they called a rollercoaster for the first time and nearly shat myself with how thrilling it was.
The first one I tried was based on Indiana Jones and saw us sitting in a mine cart whizzing in and out of caves with plenty of drops and sharp turns to keep you on your toes, so to speak. The rush I got from the ride was fantastic, I had felt as if I had been on a wild adventure. The one down side was the loop the loop part which made me feel disorientated and a bit queasy, but other than that it was great. With my excitement boiling over and my passion revitalised, I couldn’t wait to go on some more rides. Most of my family were not keen on these heart exercises, but my little sister was accustomed to them despite being 6 years younger. Another one we went on was some indoor space shuttle rollercoaster (probably Buzz Lightyear). This was even better than the Indi one as it launched nearly vertically at a phenomenal speed. It felt like someone had stuck a rocket onto it. It then began rushing through a tunnel of darkness with neon lights circling as if you were going through a time warp on Doctor Who. Although these rides lasted all of but a few minutes, the experiences live on forever in my mind.
On our travels through the fantasy worlds we encountered a variety of wonderful things, some of which weren’t even Disney. There was a set of Hollywood, a set of London, an American trailer cafe, shops with all sorts of goodies (although they didn’t allow non Disney brands so most shops were the same), the Statue of Liberty and much, much more. There were a few shows on too including a live stunt/action performance and a wild west arena spectacular. Although I’d been to stunt shows before, this one stood out because it was like watching a movie being filmed on a Hollywood set. There were crashes, fighting, shootouts and explosions galore, it was utterly exhilarating. The western show was more of a story and revolved around a person called Buffalo Bill. It had some good live animal acts, but I didn’t find it as engrossing as I’d hoped it would be.
During our visit we stayed at an offsite hotel which had a direct bus link to the park. The staff there were nice (one of the French waiters actually wanted England to beat the Netherlands in a football friendly which was on!). The rooms were basic and did the job, but the food service was excellent. Of course being in France meant I had to have Croissants and Pain Au Chocolates for breakfast, as you’d imagine such delectable food was difficult to endure. The best part was the daily hot chocolate which was divine, needless to say I have not tried one as nice since. We ate out at many places, but the most memorable was a place named Pizza Planet. This restaurant is a replica of the one found in the Toy Story films. It has the same giant logo, the same robot guarding the door, the same three-eyed aliens in space rocket grabbing machines etc. It was an awesome and surreal experience.
We stayed for a week in total, but only went to Paris once. Although it was marvellous and the Eiffel Tower was remarkable, I did not feel the same sense of joy or excitement as I did at Disneyland. Looking back now, it was not only my best holiday by far, but it was also the most fun I had in years, and to my surprise my heart was pounding again, much like with those Spanish girls who are still waiting for me.
The Labour Party goes through its ups and downs, well don’t we all? A group has started that encompasses a lot of what Labour is about. Labour party people have a great sense of humour, a strong belief in what they feel is right for the country, a determination to achieve that and a desire to support each other in the process. The Stand up for Labour group is all of that and is something that even a Tory can enjoy (occasionally). They have been to Eastbourne recently and there is another chance to see them coming up in the South-East for people who just want to have a great laugh.
Stand up for Labour are putting on shows with great comedians and guest speakers, the proceeds after paying for promotion and the venue all go to the Constituency Labour Party in the area to spend on campaigning. For areas such as Eastbourne that are struggling to do much because of low membership, it can be a great financial boost. On March 9th the Underground Theatre was packed out as people roared with laughter at the antics of Grainne Maguire, Crispin Flintoff, Arthur Smith and Lord Denis Healey.
The party gained from the promotional material, it gave a great visual presence to Labour outside of election time. Manos gave a hysterically funny view of the Greek crises and the approach of Angela Merkel. Arthur Smith got even the Tories in the theatre laughing (there were two brave enough to come along). Jon Rogers from Unison was the guest speaker who added some confirmation about why we were all there.
They aim to keep ticket prices low and get the largest number of people coming along. On May 25th Stand up for Labour will be at the OLd Market House in Hove as part of the Brighton Festival. They have their own website where you can find out more and if anyone really wants a boost to their morale it will surely be all they are looking for. Appearing in Hove will be Joe Wells, Manos Kanellos, Arnold Brown and Claire Summerskill.
By Anna Hayward
Jeff Paynter on the set of Voyage of the Damned in 1976 with Faye Dunaway
British film has been thrust into the spotlight this week with the news that Pinewood studios are broadening their horizons to America. Pinewood studios announced today that they would be building their first film and TV studio in the US in Atlanta, Georgia. This exciting endeavour aims to expand Pinewood’s global name and target US audiences. Pinewood is teaming up with RiverRock which is owned by fast food company, Cathy’s, but will be run under the name of Pinewood Atlanta. Brighton Lite speaks to Jeff Paynter about his experiences at Pinewood and about his career as a British cameraman.
Jeff, 60, of Shaveswood Lane, Devil’s Dyke, has had a long career in film spanning thirty-five years. He has worked on blockbuster films such as Voyage of the Damned, American Werewolf in London, Blade Runner and Superman 2 and 3. He left school at eighteen to build his career as a cameraman. He joined the film rental company, Rank, in 1971 which supplied camera equipment for Pinewood studios. Jeff had no college training and has learnt everything he knows while working on films. He said: “There weren’t a lot of film classes or courses at colleges in those days. So most people in the film industry started at the bottom making tea and worked their way up. It was a great way of doing it.”
Much like Jeff’s start in film work the road to building Pinewood studios was not an easy one. The origin of British film in 1888 was when the first moving picture was shot in Leeds by Louis Le Prince. The success of British film rests on Pinewood which was built by Charles Boot in and brought talking films to the British masses. After years of struggling to find financial backing Boot eventually bought a distinguished bankrupt’s estate to build the studios in 1936. James Sloan was brought in to design the studios and together they turned the hundreds of acres of land Boot had bought into one large and small stage, several dressing rooms, offices and anything you can imagine a films studio would require. Pinewood was built with the philosophy that the studio should be self-contained and that the workers should live next door to their work. Pinewood’s first completed production was Talk of the Devil, made in 1936. This cemented the roots of Pinewood as a film studio.
Exactly thirty years later Jeff started his very first job as a freelance clapper boy on Voyage of the Damned starring Faye Dunaway. It was directed by Stuart Rosenburg and Jeff describes it as a ‘fantastic’ experience. The story was inspired by true events concerning the fate of the MS St. Louis ocean liner carrying Jewish refugees from Germany to Cuba in 1939. Jeff described going freelance as ‘tough’ but it helped him build up a reputation in film. A camera crew consists of four people and for each film Pinewood would use a crew like this. The basic crew starts with the camera man, then the camera operator, then the focus puller (the man who focuses the camera while it’s shooting and moving) and finally the clapper loader (the man who maintains the film equipment and loads the film into the camera). He said: “Those are the people that when you watch a movie, they are responsible for the visual look of that film. If a film is well made and the photography is good quality, you shouldn’t be aware of the camera because you become involved in it.” A typical camera crew shooting at Pinewood would shoot with a 35mm film. However this is now ‘dying out’ because of the expense and the invasion of video which is cheaper and more versatile. Jeff said: “It has had a big effect on film production. It’s becoming more CGI.”
Jeff’s big break came when he worked as a focus puller on Superman 2 which was directed by British director Richard Lester. The Superman films were one of the most important productions for Pinewood studios as they were among the top grossing box office successes of all time. Jeff has fond memories of playing darts with Christopher Reeve in between filming. He said: “He was a great guy to work with. He used to do most of his own stunts and sometimes he could be 50 to 75 ft off the ground. The wires were gossamer thin and he was lifted by a huge crane. He worked very hard to get the shots. They were very convincing.” In the late 70’s and early 80’s CGI was an unheard of concept and so Pinewood had to shoot stunts for real. Explosions were shot using dynamite and cranes were used to lift Christopher Reeve in the flying shots. Jeff found it was a ‘pleasure to go to work’ at Pinewood and thought the producers were very good. His favourite moments on Superman 2 were the night shots at Pinewood where the whole New York metropolis was replicated. He said: “It was just like walking down a normal high street. There were real products in the store, very authentic.”
Jeff’s cameraman career is long behind him after leaving the industry ten years ago to set up his own Hi-Fi company. He felt he left at the right time because the magic of films is “not what it used to be”. Jeff added: “It’s lost a bit of the sparkle than when you had to do it all for real. Seeing an actor or an actress do a really good performance is still the most wonderful aspect of a film I think.”
The future of Pinewood seems to be looking across the seas to America. In the past Pinewood resembled a shepherd among sheep in the film industry. However in recent times it has tragically followed other film studios which invest in U.S films to keep their financial heads above water. In 1980 only 31 British films were made because American backing was withdrawn proving that the crux of the British film industry is fuelled by U.S funding. In the same way that video killed the ‘radio star’; CGI seems to be killing the magic of ‘real’ film as more directors turn to 3D to enhance the viewer experience. In the face of financial and technological adversity, the one thing that is certain is that Pinewood will adapt and its legacy as one of the greatest film studios in history will live on.
By: Alex Scott
Music is the purest of all expression. In an age where artists are chewed up and spat out faster than a Wrigley’s Spearmint, it’s a notion you could almost be forgiven for forgetting. Less and less it becomes about aesthetic, replaced instead by the thirst for survival. Message alone won’t shift records, after all.
