Killer Bees

 

More pencils from the forthcoming 1up.com game! Who is this mysterious insectoid man? Does he get improved cell reception? 

Since the new Grand Theft Auto V trailer went live, yesterday, speculation has been rampant as to who the unnamed, and quite possibly unseen, narrator was. The prevailing rumor -- which I will go out on a limb and declare patently false  -- is that the narrator is none other than "Vice City's" Tommy Vercetti, owing to the narrator sounding very vaguely, and very temporarily, like Vercetti's voice, Ray Liotta.  I've heard it, and the resemblance is there, but only momentarily. Mike Myers has been able to sustain an uninterrupted Scottish accent for longer than the narrator sounded like Ray Liotta.

And, of course, Liotta's management has already responded to the rumors, stating definitively that he had nothing whatsoever to do with the creation of the trailer, which would seem to lay the matter to rest, but hope springs eternal. Me, as much as I'd like to see the characters of earlier GTAs again -- alive if not completely well -- I think it's best to look to the future, since there's so much more real estate there. Besides, low-polygon characters don't always benefit from a transition to more-realistic styling. I'm thinking here specifically of Cloud Strife, who went from a spunky rakehell in "Final Fantasy VII" to, well, a woman in the CG feature "Advent Children."

Besides, at last count, my version of "San Andreas'" C.J. had 100 percent muscle AND 100 percent fat. "San Andreas" took place in the mid-nineties, so there's a very, very good chance Carl Johnson has already been laid to rest by a massive coronary. That's the life he chose to lead, dog.

And a little color...

And here's the game background, with color more-or-less in place! If I know one thing about the future, it's that it glows like Christmas!

And in other game-related news, today saw the release of the first trailer -- I'll call it a teaser, though it was really more substantial than that -- for the long-rumored "Grand Theft Auto V." It's viewable now, of course, and required viewing for basically every member of the gaming populace old enough to watch it without upsetting their mothers.

What do we know? We know it takes place in San Andreas, Rockstar's fictional version of California (which, compared to its real-life counterpart, features way more carjacking and mayhem, and way less heroin use). We know it will feature a male character in the lead. We speculate that it will feature theft, and autos.

What don't we know? Everything else. Is it just going to be the city of Los Santos, or do we get San Fierro and Las Venturas as well? Is the dog at the beginning of the trailer indicative of dogs in the actual game? Will this be a return to the substantially wackier GTAs of old? Will we get to play as the dog?

So far as gut reaction to the trailer, I like it. It's not as mind-blowing as the trailer for GTA IV, mostly because it's clearly still using a souped-up version of GTA IV's graphics engine -- which is no foul, really, it's a great engine, and GTA IV's visuals are STILL really impressive, but it no longer qualifies as a revolutionary leap in graphics technology.

What little story that comes through the narrative speaks of a former criminal being drawn back into a life of crime -- which, honestly, sounds terribly cliche coming from one of the few game developers who have actually had some success in crafting a mature narrative. No doubt there are numerous twists and turns to come, however, so I should probably just sit back and wait for more details before I pass judgement.

Fortunately, Skyrim releases in less than two weeks, making it much easier to do so.

Background pencils!

Today, I invite you to enjoy a look at the pencils for my upcoming 1up.com game-webcomic. Your individual level of enjoyment may vary, depending on how you respond to landscape pencils. Ten points for anyone who can correctly guess the game being parodied! Eternal shame on whoever guesses wrong, 'cause there's clues all over the page.

I forgot to mention it since I was on vacation at the time, and thus very busy forgetting a lot of things, but while I was out, a new videogame-webcomic debuted on 1up.com, based on the "Elder Scrolls: Oblivion!" Yes, Oblivion, not Skyrim. If you've played Oblivion, you'll enjoy the heck out of this one -- check it out at: http://www.1up.com/features/oblivion-webcomic-game

Alternatively, if you haven't played Oblivion, you'll probably still enjoy it on some level, but if your only exposure to the Elder Scrolls series has been the stunningly gorgeous footage leading up to the release of Skyrim (soon!), you may be a little puzzled about what's going in. Specifically, you may wonder why there's so much fuss over a game series if one of its main, identifying features is that it has a ridiculously high number of bugs.

Technical glitches, that is. Not insects. It has those, but they're pretty lukewarm so far as game insects go. Two out of five stars, that's what I rate their insects.

No, the glitches of the Elder Scrolls series are the stuff of legends, and so varied! Many were terrible, game-killing bugs; quest-enders, instant death, falling through scenery, getting stuck in the landscape! Some were wonderful: item duplication! Gravity-defying paintbrushes! Some were just weird, and youtube can help you fill in the blanks there. The point is, if you played Oblivion on the first day, chances are good you had to reset at some point. Even now, five years and heaven only knows how many patches later, you can still find the errant bug cavorting through the game world.

Which I realize doesn't exactly explain why people -- myself included -- think these are some of the best games ever, regardless, but I was getting to that. The truth is, the game has so many bugs because there's so much GAME in there to start with. Elder Scrolls games aren't short experiences; they're as close as you can get to having an alternate life in a fantasy world that doesn't require a subscription fee, psychedelic drugs or circumvention of federal law.

In fact, for my money, they're WAY more immersive than an MMO, not just because of the beautiful landscapes and deep fantasy lore, but because you don't have to

1: hear other players, fully dressed in fantasy garb and suited up to battle the hordes of the underworld, talking about 'Family Guy' episodes, or

2: Feel like a complete wiener because you're the only one playing the game in-character. I'm not saying this because I've played "The Lord of the Rings Online" as a hobbit, spending several minutes alone on a hillside, strumming an in-game lute; I'm saying this because as far as I know, nobody else ever has.

At any rate, Skyrim's out on the 11th of November! Very exciting! Now go guess the game in the pencils.

Announcing: Dim, Dim Knights!

Hi, everybody! Norm here, and I'm pleased to announce that we have a new comic which will be coming out in a couple weeks, called... "Dim, Dim Knights!"  Which you'd already know if you read the title! Wake up, valued customers!

Stepping into the starring roles, this time, are our very own animal-centric comedy troupe, "The Otters!" Scamp, Chip, Max, Sid T. Sock and Andy are medieval knights, and a wizard or something, called into the service of the kingdom to exterminate a troublesome dragon! We are presuming, here, that most of the kingdom's other dragon-exterminating services had already been consulted.

Anyway, that's coming up! Keep watching this space for more details!

I mean, you can get up and make a sandwich or go to the bathroom or something. It'll still be a couple weeks.

Next Game-Comic is Up at 1up!

Spookingtons is proud to announce that Norman Von Scott's Videogame Webcomic, episode 4, is now available totally free on 1up.com!

In our pulse-pounding parody adventure, Rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy needs to get into the Raccoon City police department, but a horde of flesh-craving zombies stand in his way! Also, he's not the brightest bulb in the bunch, which doesn't help, either.

Guide Leon through his various obstacles, both environmental and merely mental, and survive in a world undergoing a severe zombie fad! Features easier controls than the ACTUAL "Resident Evil 2!"

Check it out here, and be sure to click the orange 'thumbs up' link under the game to let everybody know you liked it!*

*presuming you did!

E3 2011

If you're associated in any capacity with the gaming industry, the E3 expo and its associated press conferences comprise the single most significant week out of the entire year, easily edging out minor calendar blips like weddings, funerals and childbirth. The E3 expo is one of the most popular trade shows of any global business, attracting far greater crowds than even such powerhouses as the tractor manufacturing and pest control industries.

Given that the show turns out to be a minor disappointment nine times out of ten, all of this is a testament to the sheer power the gaming industry has attained in this modern age.

Before the show began, the one, big game on my radar was "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim." Now that the show's wrapping up, that really hasn't changed. There's neat stuff coming, but nothing I saw really rocked me out of my seat. With that said, I'm keeping an eye out for several 3DS titles, particularly "Luigi's Mansion 2," which, with its natural boxy look, is about the best 3D I've seen on the system.

Console-side, of course, the big news is the Wii U, not to be confused with the U Wii. Nintendo has once again risen to the challenge of providing another odd, odd gaming interface to delight and mildly confuse us with. I'm intrigued, although with the actual release so far away, I'm content to stand a few feet away, "ook" softly, and poke it with a stick until somebody else bravely tries it first.

And... that's kind of it. It's not that I didn't see good games, I just haven't been struck by the thunderbolt that stuns me long enough for a developer to make off with my wallet, unchallenged. But, maybe that's a good thing, as perhaps I'll be able to put my savings towards a 3D set with which to more bravely enter the fray when the bigger guns are paraded.

Your turn -- what's worth seein' at this year's E3?

SECOND 1UP GAME-WEBCOMIC IS UP!

Be it known that our second totally-free adventure-game/webcomic for 1up.com, "Awkward Silence," is up and running! It's based on "Silent Hill," and features a romance that transcends the bonds of horrific, rusty, blood-covered terror! Play it now right here!

Also, remember to hit the 'like' button under the feature -- it'll let 1up know you appreciate the games, and, more importantly, the cash they pay me to make 'em. Just sayin'.