Star Wars Artist Series: Russell Walks Part 1 - Page 6 - General Star Wars

Forum Options:	my.neoforum register members prefs search faq

Topic: Star Wars News Thread Options: Print subscribe remove NeoPM
Threads List « Next Newest Next Oldest »
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 20, 06 at 11:58pm ^ Star Wars Artist Series: Russell Walks Part 1
	Log in to remove this sponsored message Scholarly Inspirations After seeing A New Hope for the first time in 1977, Star Wars illustrator Russell Walks remembers that the film not only fed his love for all things fantasy and science fiction, but it also inspired him to pay artistic tribute to this fantastical world of stormtroopers, Jedi and the ominous Dark Lord of the Sith. "It's understating it to say that Star Wars struck a chord in me," Walks says. "Like everyone else in the theater, I was entertained, but there was something more. I couldn't articulate it, but Star Wars touched something inside me, made me feel something I had never felt before, and when I walked out of the mall that day, I only knew that I wanted to keep that feeling." "It was a rainy, rainy day, and I was thinking about how different my environment was from the one in which Luke lived, and those thoughts sort of started me thinking about the way Star Wars looked," Walks recalls. "I loved the stormtroopers and TIE fighters, and Han's costume, and I couldn't wait to get home and draw Darth Vader. It occurred to me then that somebody had to have come up with that look. Somewhere an artist had designed Darth Vader's mask. My next thought was nothing less than an epiphany -- I could do that. I could be an artist. It was that simple, and from then on, I knew what I wanted to do." Drawing and painting since the incredibly young age of 18 months, Walks continued his passion for art all the way through his childhood into early adulthood. "I started drawing before I could speak," Walks explains. "My parents claim that I was drawing realistic interpretations of household objects by 18 months or so, and that if I wanted a glass of milk, I'd draw one and use the picture to get my point across. Although I don't remember this, my mother has saved a few scribbled-looking images that date back to about that time, and looking at them now I guess that with the right combination of myopia and maternal pride, someone might be able to buy into that." In junior high and high school, Walks attended every art class available, while reading an endless amount of books and comics. "There was sort of a comics 'mini-boom' in the '80s, and I took full advantage. I read just about everything, from Atari Force to Nathaniel Dusk; but my favorites were Jon Sable: Freelance and The New Teen Titans. I subscribed to Starlog, got a job at a movie theater, and spent the early '80s seeing every science fiction movie that came out -- and thanks to the success of Star Wars, there were plenty." In 1985, Walks watched a series of interviews called "The Power of Myth" with journalist Bill Moyers and writer/philosopher Joseph Campbell. "After seeing the interviews and reading Campbell's masterwork, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, I recognized what it was about Star Wars that had touched so many of us. To put it simply, the ideas and themes in Star Wars are universal and the tale of Luke Skywalker is one that's been told thousands of times over thousands of years. Joseph Campbell calls this story 'The Hero's Journey', and it is a tale of self-discovery; a universal myth in which the names of the characters change, but the story remains the same. George Lucas once said that Star Wars is 'a story for a generation growing up without fairy tales,' and I think that the movie resonates with us. "Because underneath the Jedi robes and stormtrooper armor, Star Wars is about the same thing as The Odyssey or any of the stories our grandparents' grandparents told them. Star Wars is about us, and it resonates with us because we see ourselves in the characters up there on that screen." In 1994, Walks would later explore the Joseph Campbell/George Lucas connection in the Star Wars Galaxy III series of trading cards for Topps. "When I look back on the books and movies that meant something to me, it's evident that in almost every instance there was that same spark of recognition," Walks continues. "Those stories were important to me because I identified with the characters, and because I identified with them, I cared about what happened to them. And it's no surprise that in most cases millions of others cared too, because we humans are much more alike than we are different. I guess there is such a thing as a universal truth, a sort of indefinable something that all of us have in common. We can't all articulate it, but I think that consciously or not, all of us can feel it, especially when we share a good story. Campbell said that storytellers and artists are today's shamans and mythmakers, and when I'm sitting in a darkened theater sharing the exact same emotion with 200 other people, I can believe in magic." PLEASE NOTE: FOLLOWING SOURCE FOR THIS AND FOLLOWING 2 ARTICLES! [Source - Star Wars Article] To all, I recommend you go to see the source. The artwork there is fantastic.
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Advertisement Neoseeker	^ Sponsored message

	Log in or register to remove this sponsored message
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 20, 06 at 11:58pm ^ re: Star Wars News Thread
	Cricket, Star Wars and Disney In addition to films, books and comics, Walks found inspiration in other artists -- most notably the legendary Star Wars artist Drew Struzan. "Clearly, Struzan is a big influence," Walks says. "For a long time, I think that my unconscious goal was simply to copy him, and my definition of success was whether or not the finished piece looked like something he could've done. Over the last several years, I've finally started to come into my own, and I can see more of me in my work. Additionally, I really, really admire artists like John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth -- realistic artists whose work has an emotional content. I see that same emotion in 'commercial' artists like Maxfield Parish, and Norman Rockwell, and in comic artists like Jeff Jones and Neal Adams (particularly their stuff from the '70s)." [ Star Wars Artist Series: Russell Walks ] In 1992, after earning his B.F.A. in painting from Montana State University, Walks bought a copy of The Artist's Market and sent out over a hundred promotional flyers made with rub-on letters and spray-mounted photos onto a sheet of paper. His flyers did the trick and he almost immediately landed a job working for Cricket: The Magazine for Children. "I was hired to illustrate a story entitled 'The Lively Soccer Ball,' and I was so excited to get the job that I handed in finished work four days after receiving the assignment --- six weeks before my deadline. A month or so after completing the Cricket job, I met Marvel editor Marc McLaurin at the San Diego International Comic-Con. Marc liked my stuff enough to give a job on Hellraiser, and that led to a piece for Cheval Noir at Dark Horse, which led to some Indiana Jones stuff for Diana Schutz. When Diana introduced me to Lucy Wilson at Lucasfilm and I did my first Star Wars painting -- a Chewie card for Topps'Star Wars Galaxy -- 'the circle,' as Darth Vader would say, 'was complete.' Fans can spot Walks' work in Star Wars Insider magazine (including a 15th anniversary Return of the Jedi poster), several different trading card series for Topps (Star Wars Galaxy I & III, Star Wars Finest, Heritage, Revenge of the Sith), the 25th anniversary Celebration II Star Wars poster, Celebration III Star Wars poster, Tales of the Jedi covers for Dark Horse, and plates for The Hamilton Collection. Most recently, Walks created the 2006 Star Wars Disney Weekends poster. "Disney approached me with a proposal to do some realistic artwork based on an already existing concept of 'Now that the movies are over, the characters from the movies want to relax -- so they go to Disney World!'" Walks says. "Although I usually art-direct myself, in this instance I was sort of filling in the blanks. Disney knew that they wanted a landscape-style (wider than tall, like a frame from a movie) composition grounded in reality, with Mickey in the middle and Darth and Yoda on either side, surrounded by characters from the saga, and Disneyworld landmarks." But as with the merging of images from any large franchises into one space, the poster project was not without a few obstacles. "The approval process for this piece of art was particularly challenging, since I was working with two huge companies who are traditionally very concerned with the way their characters are portrayed," Walks says. "As is almost always the case though, every suggestion and change was ultimately beneficial, and I think that we've come up with something that will please both Disney and Star Wars fans. It was fun to paint Boba Fett with a Disney autograph book, and Chewie with a huge Simba toy, and I hope that the fans enjoy juxtaposition of characters from two different universes."
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:00am ^ re: Star Wars News Thread
	The Process of Padme With all the projects Walks tackles on a regular basis, he enjoys the process and likes to learn something new from each assignment. "Every job is different, and I try never to do exactly the same process twice," Walks explains. "Sometimes I use watercolor; sometimes I use acrylic. Sometimes I use an airbrush; sometimes I work traditionally." For his Padme Amidala poster that Walks created for Celebration III, Walks explains that he first likes to come up with the concept, and attempts to layout his ideas using a series of thumbnail drawings. "In this instance, I knew that I wanted a close-up of the lovely Natalie Portman, and that I wanted her to be, as Leia said in Jedi, 'Very beautiful. Kind, but sad.' I wanted her to be distracted and a little uneasy, and not really 'in the moment,' like there's a shadow across her heart, even when she's at her happiest." Once Walks has a concept secure in his mind, he researches reference material that supports his ideas. "Sometimes this is as easy as using an existing photo, other times it involves building costumes and hiring models," Walks explains. "Since there are a limited number of Star Wars photos available, and since the fans have already seen most of those, I find myself shooting models more and more often with my Lucasfilm stuff." After Walks has his references, he begins to draw. "I do my best to idealize the photos -- making hands bigger, chests broader, etc," Walks says. "When I'm done, I have a complete black and white drawing with all of the values filled in. In the Padme piece, I enlarged Natalie's eyes just a little bit, and (in the painting stage) I reddened her lips. Sometimes I'll draw the planes of the face in with sienna, so that when I add color, they're not as prominent." Using an airbrush, acrylic paint, and many masks to prevent overspray, Walks then fills in the colored areas much like hand-tinting a photo. And then he finishes the work with colored pencils to add detail and highlights. As Walks enjoys success from Star Wars projects, and continues to work on a variety of upcoming illustration, he's quick to point out that he still sets high goals for himself as an artist. "My only goal is to continue to improve, not only as an artist, but also as a father, husband and person," Walks says. "I read a really cool quotation one time from Hokusai, a 19th century Japanese artist who began painting seriously in his forties. It kind of sums up how I feel about the artistic journey. He said, 'From the age of six, I had a mania for drawing the forms of things...but all I produced before the age of 70 is not worth taking into account. At 73, I learned a little about the real structure of nature...when I am 80 I shall have made still more progress; at 90 I shall penetrate the mystery of things; at 100 I shall certainly have reached a marvelous stage; and when I am a 110 everything I do, be it a dot or a line, will be alive. I beg those who live as long as I to see if I do not keep my word.'" Walks' own advice to budding artist stems back from a philosopher who originally inspired him. "Joseph Campbell said it best, 'Follow your bliss,'" Walks says. "To put it simply, do what you love -- what you're meant to do. If you do that, happiness will follow, and if you don't know what it is that you're meant to do, spend some time finding out. I decided on the way home from the theater that rainy afternoon in 1977 that I would someday do exactly what I'm doing now, and if you could talk to the 12-year-old me, I'm sure he'd say he wasn't surprised that the adult me is a working artist," Walks smiles. "What is surprising, though, is that I've had so much fun on the journey to where I am. Every step on the road has been interesting, and I'd like to think that even my missteps have, in the end, made me a better artist and person."
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:02am ^ Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination Contest
	Ever wondered what it would be like to drive a landspeeder? Ever wondered how tall Chewbacca and Darth Vader really were? And exactly how did George Lucas and his team make all those cool looking robots? Now you can find out. Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination is coming to COSI this summer and you can win two free tickets to the midnight premiere on June 2nd! Just watch 10TV Eyewitness News at 6 a.m. from May 18th through the 24th. We'll show you the Star Wars Secret Word of the Day. Then call in to Mix 97.1's morning show with Alan Cable, Kate, and Matt. The ninth caller with the correct word will win the free passes! Just watch, listen, and win. Don't miss your chance to experience Star Wars like you've never experienced it before. Good Luck! [Source - 10TV]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:03am ^ THQ Wireless E3 featured games include Star Wars, The Sopranos Poker and NFL Football 2007
	THQ Wireless has announced that several of its key franchises will be on display at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Featured games include Star Wars® Imperial Ace, The Sopranos® Poker, games based on major sports leagues including NFL Football 2007, as well as new games based on THQ console property Saints Row TM and a sequel to the top selling Destroy All Humans! TM. These titles and others will be available for demo in THQ booth #1324 in the South Hall of the LA Convention Center May 10-12. Star Wars® Imperial Ace: In the all-new 3D game Star Wars Imperial Ace, the Galactic Empire has discovered a strong Rebel presence on the remote planet of Mygeeto. Lord Vader has deployed an invasion fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers to deal with this threat. Play as an elite TIE pilot with every starfighter in the Imperial armada at your disposal, from standard TIE fighters to bombers and interceptors. Crush the Rebel space and ground forces, and protect the Empire! Star Wars Imperial Ace is scheduled to be pre-installed on BenQ Siemens EF81 phones available across Europe in 2006. [Source - THQ]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:05am ^ E3: LucasArts Hints At Wii Lightsaber Game Interest
	During an extended technical demonstration for a new, unnamed Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 Star Wars title, LucasArts staff have confirmed to Gamasutra the company's intense interest in creating a Wii lightsaber game, if not yet its explicity existence. The X360/PS3 demonstration, named 'Force Powers Pre-Vis', featured a CGI trailer showing various Jedi defeating stormtroopers in a variety of imaginative and amusing ways. The second part of the demonstration was in real-time on the Xbox 360, and showed the console simulating a number of real-world materials such as wood, stone, crystal, ice, bone and the Star Wars metal "carbonite" using Pixelux Entertainment's Digital Molecular Matter (DMM) technology. The DMM system was being used in conjunction with NaturalMotion's euphoria technology in both the new Star Wars game and LucasArts's forthcoming new Indiana Jones game. At the end of the demonstration, Gamasutra inquired as to whether the company planned on creating a lightsaber game for the Wii, after many commented on he suitability of the system to the concept - especially after an internal speaker was revealed in the controller being used to demo the concept. This question produced a number of knowing smiles around the room from LucasArts employees, followed by the comments: "We know" and "We are looking into it", as possible concepts for the game were discussed. However, the firm has not yet made any official announcements regarding planned Wii titles. [Source - Gamasutra]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:05am ^ Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
	In the best-selling Star Wars: Empire at War, you controlled an entire war for the Star Wars galaxy as the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire. Now, face off against them in Star Wars Empire at War : Forces of Corruption This expansion pack presents a new, unique point of view of the Galactic Civil War as, for the first time ever, you play as an aspiring Underworld figure. Corruption runs through your veins and drives your desire to become the most notorious criminal leader since Jabba the Hutt. The Rebels have just destroyed the Death Star, and the galaxy is in turmoil. In other words, it's just the time that you, an ambitious criminal genius named Tyber Zann, have been waiting for. Quench your thirst for power as you build and lead your own forces of scum and villainy. Spread corruption throughout the galaxy using new strategic gameplay elements to influence other factions, steal their funds, slow their production, spy on them and more. Exciting new land-tactical options like customizable, upgradeable bases and guerilla warfare allow for innovative battlefield tactics. Take command of and confront new fighting units for all factions (Rebel B-wings, Imperial TIE interceptors, Super Star Destroyers and more). Take down anyone who stands in your way of ruling the Underworld, be they new battlefield heroes like Luke Skywalker and Yoda, or even your most bitter rival - Jabba the Hutt. The ultimate prize awaits: an immense Super Star Destroyer known as the Eclipse. Spanning the length of nearly 11 of the Star Destroyers seen in the original Empire at War, this deadliest capital ship in the galaxy comes equipped with a superlaser rivaling that of the Death Star. With it under your control, no one will remember the name Jabba the Hutt - Tyber Zann will be the most feared crime lord the Underworld has ever seen Product Information: * Experience the timeframe depicted in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi through an entirely new point of view as criminal mastermind Tyber Zann. * Spreading corruption is the key to Underworld dominance. Corrupting planets can: o Influence galactic strategy for all factions. o Earn money and other bonuses for the Underworld while slowing enemies' production times, weakening their planetary defenses, and increasing their production costs. o Move you undetected across the galactic map through corrupted planets. o Allow access to information on opposing forces and base configurations. * New hero characters such as Luke Skywalker, Yoda, and bounty hunters like Bossk and IG-88 use their own distinct special abilities in battle. * New additions to land-tactical action include terrain modifiers, bunkers, mobile defenses and troop transports. * Acquire forbidden new units and outlawed black-market technology en route to creating the criminal Underworld's most devastating attack force. * Conquer 13 newly added planet maps (Bespin's Cloud City, Mustafar, Kamino, Utapau, Felucia, Mandalore and more), plus all 43 in the Empire at War core product. * Surprise the enemy with guerrilla warfare tactics, such as chemical weapons, radioactive contamination, mines, holograms, disguises and camouflage. * Win space battles with unique weaponry, including cloaking technology, buzz droids, cluster bombs, mines, shield leeching and jamming devices. * Form unlikely alliances with groups such as the Rebel Alliance and Black Sun (led by Prince Xizor of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire) - all with your own greed-driven intentions in mind. Worthplaying
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:08am ^ E3 2006: Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
	May 10, 2006 - During our stay with the LucasArts folks today, we had the opportunity to learn a bit more about what the team has in store for their massive massively multiplayer online game Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided. The big man himself, Julio Torres was on hand to reveal all the cool new changes that are coming with the June update. The team's focus, according to Julio, is to "polish, enhance and expand" the core experience. Their first step is to roll out the first of many events. In this case, the team is planning the Battle of Restuss. Those of you who are playing the game might be familiar with this city already but there are going to be some big changes coming soon. To begin with, the Imperials have started taking over in Restuss and the Rebels are intent on stopping them from consolidating their power. Furthermore, rumor has it that the Imperials have developed a super compact power source. It's small enough to fit in a backpack yet powerful enough to run an entire Death Star. Naturally, the Rebels want to sabotage this project at any cost. Restuss will become the site of a weeks-long battle between Rebel and Imperial players that will have a lasting and significant impact on the game world. It might play out a little differently on each of the servers but, having seen what happens at the end of the battle, it's well worth it for the players to take part in the action. Once the battle is completed, Restuss will be changed forever and will open up entirely new content and plenty of high end loot for veteran players. Along with the event, the team is hoping to add a bit more profession differentiation so that characters of the same profession will be able to stand out a bit more. That was one of our complaints of the recent NGE, so we're anxious to see exactly what the team has in mind. [Source - IGN]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:10am ^ Exclusive: New Star Wars actioner revealed!
	An amazing example of true next generation gaming has been discovered behind closed doors at LucasArts. A Star Wars game with new technology known as DMM - Digital Molecular Matter. In an exclusive first look at this new school of physics CVG sat through a tech demo that first saw a plank of wood with balls being chucked at it - it broke down the middle in the generic physics style. This, we were told, is how other games work. We were then presented with a plank of plywood that LucasArts technicians bombarded with beeping R2D2s. The wood splintered, it wobbled, it broke along its grain - it looked amazing. Like real life - only real life in a galaxy far, far away and somewhat long ago. The deal is that LucasArts have created a technology that allows them to assign material values to every single solitary object in their world - and with only minor hyperbole it has to be seen to be believed. I was then shown a Jar Jar encased in Carbonite (see! LucasArts do still have a sense of humour...) and at first they made its texture like that of soft metal. R2s were again fired, and dimple marks were left - bending, moulding and denting Jar Jar's stupid Gungan face. Then the developers turned the hated creature into rubber - and as he distorted this way and that, the R2s bounced hither and thither. It was hugely, hugely impressive. And this was even before we saw Jar Jar's carbonite form encased in ice - slightly translucent, slightly reflective, all real and all shatterable - a project of Lucas cross development between the games division and ILM. Great, great stuff. We know little of the game itself, only that it's Star Wars, it's being released in 2007 and that you can play a character with darkside force powers. Clues, however, lie in the artwork secreted around the LucasArts booth - photos of which you can see here. The game certainly deals with Darth Vader, although perhaps not playing as him. One piece of artwork sees a group of four mercenaries apparently under the command and tutelage of Vader himself. Another sees three clearly light-side characters dealing righteous death to Stormtroopers. Another again sees Vader battling Wookiees on Kashyyyk. Will you play the mercenaries, or will you play the good guys - or both? That's up for question - but it certainly takes place soon after Episode III (as shown by the presence of Felucia in the demo - the fungus planet briefly shown when the Jedis all get killed in Revenge of the Sith) and it's certainly the first LucasArts project to truly and fundamentally impress in a long while. [Source - CVG]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:11am ^ E3 06: Lego Star Wars II Gets Detailed
	LucasArts has released the first details about the DS version of Lego Star Wars II. Announced to be in development some time ago, Lego Star Wars II is set to recreate the magic and fun associated with the first title in the series. With that said though, Lego Star Wars II for the DS is set to be a completely unique version of the game, one developed with the capabilities with the DS in mind. Specifically for the DS, the game's touch screen will be used to allow players to swap between characters easily at their will, control the game's camera, and allow for increased character customization. The game will also include wireless connectivity to allow for cooperative play between two users and an exclusive four-player versus mode in the games Battle Arena which can be played via a single game card. The Character Customizer allows gamers to add tradational LEGO accessories such as cowboy hats and more to all their favorite Star Wars characters. We'll have much more on Lego Star Wars II on the Nintendo DS in the coming weeks leading up to its release date. Stay tuned. [Source - advancemn]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:14am ^ Star Wars' Costumes To Be Exhibited In Paris (A Sad Day For the Fashion Scene)
	A number of big exhibitions and open- air film festivals are set to take place in and around Paris this summer. The Star Wars L'Expo at the Cite des Sciences et de L'Industrie runs until August and has models and costumes from the George Lucas saga. Portions of the movies' sets will also be on display, according to the French tourist office in Frankfurt. The film museum Cinematheque Francaise has a comprehensive collection of objects connected with the Spanish director Pedro Almodovar on display until late July. An exhibition of photographs of Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe will also be held in Paris. The traditional festival Paris Cinema and the Villette, an open- air film festival, are taking place in June, July and August. A brochure Comme au cinema with details about filmmaking in Paris can be ordered online at www.pidf.com dpa/gms wi seg wa pb ds [Source - Playfuls]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:16am ^ LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (Xbox)
	How is it possible that the Star Wars series is still pumping out merchandise? The last movie to be adorned with the most beloved name in science fiction released over one year ago and yet the hallowed movie lineage still has plenty of money-making ability left, or at least that's what LucasArts is betting on come this fall. Not only is the company releasing the original, unaltered movie trilogy (Han fired first!) to the masses but they've also got expansions of Star Wars Galaxies and Empire at War - as well one unannounced Star Wars game that we were shown at E3 - also on the horizon; talk about a busy schedule. Adding to the fun is a slightly more lighthearted look at the original trilogy in the form of LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, which hopes to bring all the fun and happiness of the first LEGO game to both the Xbox and Xbox 360. The original sold more than three million copies in 2005, so the sequel has got plenty to live up to in terms of both quality and sales. We got a chance to check out a fairly polished build of the game at this year's E3 and have come back, LEGOs in-hand, to tell you the tale of Luke and his block built friends. A different kind of Star Wars Anyone who played the original LEGO Star Wars knows that it's completely different from anything else within the Star Wars universe. It's funny, it's fun, and it transcends both the young and old demographic with its engaging plot (it is still Star Wars after all) and addictive multiplayer cooperative action. This time around rather than presenting players with the latest George Lucas offerings that featured the story of Anakin's upbringing and maturation into Darth Vader, gamers will now get a chance to take control of most of the characters that they know and love from the OT (original trilogy). The LucasArts representative who demoed the game for us filled us in on the fact that the game would feature no less than 50 of the original characters from the film and included playable version of both the Darth Vader and the Emperor; force lightning and force choke firmly in tow. One of the elements from the original LEGO game that has made the translation successfully to the sequel is that of building; more specifically team-based building. In the first title only Jedi had the power to concoct structures, largely thanks to their force powers which enables them to manipulate objects into whatever structure is needed. Now any non-droid character can take part in the construction to complete an objective. In our demo the group of heroes needed to open a door that was controlled by a computer security system. As any Star Wars fan knows however, C3PO is along for much of the original trilogy's ride and being that he has some coercion abilities when it comes to controlling computers, he's the obvious choice to open the entrance. The only problem was that there was no ramp leading to the security system, instead there were steps which may as well be lava for Threepio given the fact his knees aren't exactly the most malleable of joints. Luke and Obi-Wan built the ramp up to the terminal and Threepio did his work; voila the door was open and the gang was able move on. Not only will the squad of heroes be able to build objects to help them along their way but they'll also be able to piece together vehicles. Rather than simply having a speeder to coast through Mos Eisley, the mode of travel actually factored into the level a bit. Just as in the OT where Obi-Wan and Luke had to sell the speeder in order to gain "safe" passage to Princess Leia, the same holds true here. Our LEGO built protagonists must sell the speeder to a Jawa, the only challenging part was making it there in one piece first. After running over a few storm troopers and watching them crumble into LEGO pieces it was time to move on to the next vehicular adventure that we mentioned before. The next form of transport we were shown was none other than an AT-ST; the two legged walker that debuted in The Empire Strikes Back. Our heroes were able to commandeer an AT-ST and use it to completely demolish surrounding enemy forces. As if that wasn't enough we were told that a friend could hop in the game and take control of another AT-ST, which was looming in the distance at Mos Eisley. Never upset a Wookie As we mentioned before there are 50 characters from the original trilogy that will pop-in to say hello throughout the latest LEGO adventure. That wouldn't make much of a difference however, if the characters all performed identically and featured the same attack set. Luckily LucasArts has given each of the playable characters their very own specialized attacks. Take for instance Leia, not the strongest of characters in the physical sense, so she has the unique ability to slap opponents. Sounds boring right? Well we thought so too until we saw what Chewie could do to his foes. What happens when a Wookie gets upset? In LEGO Star Wars II Chewbacca has the ability to rip the arms of his foes (don't worry parents they're just LEGO pieces). The list of specialized attacks goes on and on. Hopefully Luke isn't thinking about making out with his sister again. By far the largest departure from the first game isn't the new building processes, nor is it the new vehicles and attacks that characters can utilize. Instead the biggest change that LucasArts made to the game is the new ability to customize your own characters. That's right folks, you'll be able to concoct your very own miniaturized version of your favorite Star Wars personas, or create something completely different. There are nine pieces that make up any LEGO Star Wars figure and you'll have the chance to either piece them together bit by bit or have one randomly generated for you. Possibly the coolest aspect of the creation mechanic is that once you've put together your model the game randomly generates a name for it. The example we saw was Pink Slave Girl Chew, just to give you an idea of the creative possibilities. Graphically not much has changed since the last iteration. The Xbox 360 version will support HD visuals, but don't expect anything jaw-dropping – it is LEGO after all. The Outlook Saying that the original LEGO Star Wars surprised the gaming community would be a serious understatement. Who would've thought that miniaturized versions of some of the most treasured on-screen characters could've moved millions of copies off of store shelves? Apparently LucasArts is smarter than we are because we didn't see it coming, and it's pretty rare that we don't see the next three million seller coming. The game is scheduled to ship alongside of the original, unaltered trilogy on September 12, 2006 so until then be sure to keep your browser on TeamXbox.com. [Source - TeamXbox Preview]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:18am ^ Write all you want: Star Wars Blogs Turn One
	Was Revenge of the Sith darker than The Empire Strikes Back? Is it possible to write all day in Mando'a? What happens when you dress your child in a Star Wars pet costume? Thanks to the Star Wars Blogs fans have been writing all about these topics and all other aspects of their Star Wars experience for an entire year (as of May 17, 2005). Every day Hyperspace members have been writing entries about their favorite films of the saga, dissecting the latest novel or comic book, or contemplating the next new Star Wars property. In addition to Hyperspace members, VIP bloggers -- consisting of official artists and comic book illustrators, authors, actors, crew members, editors, Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic staff and more -- have been blogging up a storm about their latest projects or treating fans to exclusive behind-the-scenes stories of their work on the Star Wars films. These VIP blogs give fans a chance to get a glimpse into the minds of the people who make the saga so much fun. Read more here about why VIPs are having so much fun blogging and chatting with fans. Starwars.com extends special thanks to the blogs' dedicated volunteer staff of moderators (Forum Jedi), and the many talented bloggers, who together have helped make blogs.starwars.com a fun, safe, and lively community to interact with fellow fans of the saga. [Source - Star Wars Article]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:20am ^ Original Star Wars DVD covers
	If anyone out there thought that this was a joke, here's proof to the contrary. The Official Star Wars Website revealed the cover art for the upcoming DVD release of the original Star Wars trilogy in its original theatrical form. Each of the three films will boast a 2-disc set, one with the vintage footage, the second with the 2004 remastered version. Purchase will be possible only between September 12 and December 31st. Then we'll have to wait until they're released again some other way [Source - thehollywoodnews.com]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
Mishtram Chain of Dogs True Addiction neopoints: 5732 since: Dec 2005	May 21, 06 at 12:22am ^ Dreams Of Star Wars For Nintendo Wii Mauled?
	It used to be we received news from traditional sources: print media, the internet, the town crier, yadda yadda. Today, we're reporting a rumor from Kotaku whose origin was a Career Day presentation. It's about as reliable a report as other reports from previous Career Days, which pretty much means you probably shouldn't bet your fridge on it. Some backstory: Nintendo's Satoru Iwata said in an interview with The Seattle Times a few days ago that "We really want [filmmaker George] Lucas to think about making a game where this can be used as a light saber. It should be fun." Fanboys salivated. But Mr. Career Day said that a Lucas Arts rep came to give a pitch about coming a video game designer and dropped the following "bombshell": He showed off what he called a Pre-Vis demo (it was a pre-rendered video). It represented a Star Wars game that relied heavily on destructible objects and force powers, and that would be released for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. If this "Pre-Vis" is anything close to the final product, it's going to be one fun looking game. It represented one girl in multiple space-like environments with a lightsaber, performing force pushes on all sorts of Storm Troopers. Plus, at some point in the middle, it showed a guy performing force lightning on three Storm Troopers at once. I asked him if LucasArts was experimenting at all with the Wii, and he flatly declined. This seems to negate Iwata's lightsaber dreams. So what does it all mean? 1UP wanted to what the scoop was, and the official response from LucasArts was "We're interested in working with all of the new platforms, but at this time have no announcements regarding Nintendo's Wii." That sure was dramatic, wasn't it? We'll keep you posted as new developments unfold... [Source - Nintendo Revolution]
	quote quick quote edit quick edit del posts in thread report
[All dates in (PST) time]	Threads List « Next Newest Next Oldest »

Thread title	From	Last replied
Now searching...

Star Wars News Thread - Page 6

Hobbies

Sports

Skills

Chat and Lounges

Game Platforms

Mobile Platforms

Top Core Games

Top Portable Games

Top Communities