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Disney shutters LucasArts game studio
by Doc on Apr.03, 2013, under Games
LucasArts, the LucasFilm division and computer game studio that brought us some classic games including many of the Star Wars titles, has been closed. New corporate parent Disney, who has shuttered some of it’s own game studios, announced the move today, canceling in-progress games like Star Wars 1313 and Star Wars: First Assault and laying off all the staff.
It appears that Disney will instead concentrate on licensing properties to other game studios, which LucasArts had also done – BioWare/EA produced the current MMO game Star Wars: The Old Republic.
LucasArts produced some of my favorite games of yesteryear: I remember their very first game, Ballblazer (and programming a clone on my C-64 at the time). Star Wars: Jedi Knight – Dark Forces II was the game for which I got my first 3D video card, and the difference was amazing (and I still have the mini-lightsaber that came with it, and it still works, with the original batteries.) Secrets of Monkey Island was one of the more interesting early graphical adventures. and I loved combat flight simulators, so I was thrilled to pilot an X-Wing against the Empire…
More recently LucasArts was hit-or-miss. While scoring decent hits with some Star Wars titles like Knights of the Old Republic, Battlefront and The Force Unleashed (starring our friend Sam Witwer, currently starring in Being Human), it seemed to have issues when producing sequels to some games, in some cases forcing their releases too soon. And the release of Kinect Star Wars for the XBox 360, what seemed like it would be a slam-dunk for the Kinect motion platform to have players swinging their lightsabers in combat, turned sour as critics and players panned it…I mean, did they really need to include a “Just Dance” clone? Did Han Solo ever look less studly as when he dances to his own song??
While this doesn’t mean the end of Star Wars games, it will be interesting to see where it heads. Disney still has one game studio working – Disney Interactive – which is concentrating everything on the upcoming Disney Infinity, an expandable/collectible game that will compete directly with Skylanders. Whether 1313 or First Assault will ever be released is unknown.
Game of Thrones renewed for a fourth season
by Doc on Apr.03, 2013, under Television
With just a few episodes aired, HBO wasted no time in renewing Game of Thrones for a fourth season. The third season premiere bested the series high to date by 4% (the second season finale), and beat the second season premiere by 13%.
To make the fourth season more interesting, creator George R.R. Martin plans to make a cameo appearance…
The Zygons are back for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special
by Doc on Apr.02, 2013, under Television
Now that production has started on the 50th Anniversary special special episode of Doctor Who, we are getting more and more details…and the latest is that the Big Bad for the episode marks the return of the classic monsters the Zygons. And unlike some of the previous returnees, the Zygons look to have remained relatively untouched from their original appearance.
Another thing…Gavin & Stacey‘s Joanna Page was at the table reading…no idea who she is playing. But I wonder if her co-star James Corden, who played Craig in “The Lodger” and “Closing Time” and is one of my favorite guest stars, might also make an appearance…
Making of Defiance Part VII: The Tarrs & McCawleys, plus meet Tommy
by Doc on Apr.01, 2013, under Television
Here is the latest “Making of Defiance” video – get to learn about the two rival families that control the town of Defiance: The Tarrs and the McCawleys. And then find out about Defiance’s young deputy lawmaker, Tommy.
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Summer Falls, the book from the Doctor Who episode, available as an e-book tomorrow (UPDATED – available Thursday)
by Doc on Apr.01, 2013, under Books, Television
Did you notice the book featured in the recent Doctor Who episode, “The Bells of St. John”, called “Summer Falls”? The one that Clara asked Artie about?
Clara: What chapter you on?
Artie: Ten.
Clara: Eleven’s the best. You’ll cry your eyes out… The good kind of crying…
“When summer falls, the Lord of Winter will arise…”
Sharp-eyed viewers will have noted the author’s name: Amelia Williams. We didn’t hear that name much, but it was in fact Amy Pond’s proper married name. And I’m sure the references to Ten and Eleven were wry references to current (and eleventh) Doctor Matt Smith and his predecessor. But what’s more interesting is that this book exists – or rather, will exist, starting tomorrow when BBC Books releases “Summer Falls” worldwide as an e-book.
Here is a description of the story: “In the seaside village of Watchcombe, young Kate is determined to make the most of her last week of summer holiday. But when she discovers a mysterious painting entitled ‘The Lord of Winter’ in a charity shop, it leads her on an adventure she never could have planned. Kate soon realises the old seacape, painted long ago by an eccentric local artist, is actually a puzzle. And with the help of some bizarre new acquaintances – including a museum curator’s magical cat, a miserable neighbour, and a lonely boy – she plans on solving it.
“And then, one morning Kate wakes up to a world changed forever. For the Lord of Winter is coming – and Kate has a very important decision to make.”
This isn’t the first time a fictional fiction book jumped from Doctor Who episode to reality. “[asin=B009KJ6DTO]The Angel’s Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery[/asin]” was released after “The Angels Take Manhattan”, in which it was an important plot device.
Update 4/2: The e-book is [asin=B00BGC6GG8]available for pre-order on Amazon[/asin] now, but due to some confusion it won’t release until Thursday.
Peter Jackson talks about The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
by Doc on Apr.01, 2013, under Movies, Video/DVD
Although people who purchased [sfs=1287]The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey[/sfs] were able to watch Peter Jackson’s presentation and preview of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug live (and if you missed it and have an Ultraviolet code, you can still watch it), you can watch an excerpt of the question and answer section right here…and you might recognize a couple of the people asking questions…
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Lost Girl preview: “Adventures in Fae-bysitting”
by Doc on Apr.01, 2013, under Television
In tonight’s new Lost Girl, Bo and Kenzi go undercover for a suburban shakedown…tune in at 10/9c on Syfy for “Adventures in Fae-bysitting”!
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2013 Hugo Award Nominees
by Doc on Mar.31, 2013, under Awards, Conventions
The nominees for the 2013 Hugo Awards were announced yesterday…here they are (with links when available if you want to check them out). The 2013 Hugos will be presented at LoneStarCon 3 in San Antonio, Texas, August 29-September 2, 2013 – the 71st Annual World Science Fiction Convention.
Best Novel:
[asin=0316098124]2312[/asin], Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
[asin=0316081078]Blackout[/asin], Mira Grant (Orbit)
[asin=1451638450]Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance[/asin], Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)
[asin=0765334798]Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas[/asin], John Scalzi (Tor)
[asin=B00B9ZEMN6]Throne of the Crescent Moon[/asin], Saladin Ahmed (DAW)
Best Novella:
[asin=1616960655]After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall[/asin], Nancy Kress (Tachyon Publications)
[asin=1616960922]The Emperor’s Soul[/asin], Brandon Sanderson (Tachyon Publications)
[asin=0956392458]On a Red Station, Drifting[/asin], Aliette de Bodard (Immersion Press)
[asin=B0089EHIA4]San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats[/asin], Mira Grant (Orbit)
“The Stars Do Not Lie”, Jay Lake (Asimov’s, Oct-Nov 2012)
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Four minute preview of Being Human: “Always a Bridesmaid, Never Alive”
by Doc on Mar.30, 2013, under Television
I didn’t get my usual email from Aidan this week, but it looks like he’s a bit troubled with the situation with Kenny after his encounter last week, while Sally is dreading her own fate and Josh thinks about his wedding to Nora and the loss of his last tie to who he used to be…
(continue reading…)
Tennant, Piper, and John Hurt confirmed for Doctor Who 50th special
by Doc on Mar.30, 2013, under Television
Finally! Next week’s issue of Doctor Who Magazine confirms that David Tennant and Billie Piper will return for the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who, along with veteran British actor John Hurt, who fans would most recently recognize as the announcer and voice of the Dragon on Merlin among lots and lots of other roles, such as Ollivander from Harry Potter, Professor Oxley in Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, and he literally exploded in is role in Alien 😉
Surprisingly the episode is only expected to run around 60 minutes, but it appears that it will see a limited release in 3D cinemas!
Now, can we end the rest of the secrecy?