Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Cosmic Rebellion Unleashed: Zack Snyder's 'Rebel Moon' Sets to Ignite Netflix This December

Mark your calendars for a cinematic extravaganza as Zack Snyder’s latest creation, “Rebel Moon,” is gearing up for its grand release on Netflix this December 22, 2023. This space opera unfolds the captivating tale of Kora, a former soldier who has carved out a peaceful existence on the agricultural moon of Veldt. However, tranquility is short-lived as Admiral Atticus Noble and his Motherworld army land on Veldt, threatening her peaceful life and reawakening her warrior spirit. In a daring move, Kora joins forces with Gunnar, a local farmer, rallying a ragtag team of rebels to counter the oppressive might of the Imperium and its malevolent leader, Regent Balisarius.

Monday, November 20, 2023

Making Of THE CREATOR (2023) - Best Of Behind The Scenes, Set Visit & Special Effects

 
 

Behind the Scenes of "The Creator" - A Glimpse into the Magic of Movie Making

In an era where blockbusters are often defined by their visual spectacles, "The Creator," a film by 20th Century Fox, stands out as a beacon of storytelling and visual mastery. This behind-the-scenes look offers a fascinating glimpse into the making of a movie that blends sci-fi with deep human emotion, set against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots.

A Visionary Director at the Helm Gareth Edwards, known for his ability to blend spectacle with storytelling, lead the project. Renowned for injecting compassion into the sci-fi genre, Edwards operated the camera himself, preferring long takes that challenge and engage his actors. This approach resulted in a deeply emotional and visually rich narrative.

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Mastering the Basics of "Surviving the Aftermath": 5 Essential Tips for New Players


"Surviving the Aftermath" is a post-apocalyptic survival game that challenges players to build and manage a colony in a world devastated by disaster. After eyeing the game for some time, I finally got my hands on a free copy, thanks to the Epic Store promo. This guide, as outlined below was provided in the above tutorial by @PartyElire, aims to equip new players with essential strategies and insights to thrive in this unforgiving environment. 

Hoping you may find it useful as much as I did.

Monday, July 03, 2023

Transportation I Feature Highlights #3 I Cities: Skylines II


Ah, transport. If you played Cities: Skylines, you might remember it as the dance of urban planning - sometimes a graceful waltz, and other times a dance akin to stepping on LEGOs in the dark. Who among us hasn't unleashed a chaotic snarl of buses, trains, and trams, creating a masterpiece that resembled spaghetti more than a transportation system? Ah, the memories, and the digital traffic jams.

But my fellow city-builders, Cities: Skylines II is here, and Colossal Order's new video, "Public & Cargo Transportation I Feature Highlights," has given us a sneak peek at what to expect. Buckle up, because we're about to take a wild ride!

Saturday, July 01, 2023

10 Riveting Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian Novels to Dive into After Hugh Howey's 'Wool'

Forest Biome designed for Nyan Heroes by Art Director Pablo Dominguez

Intrigued and captivated by the mesmerizing narrative of Hugh Howey's masterpiece, 'WOOL,' I find myself immersed in its pages for the third time. My first two readings were a decade ago if memory serves me well. While I appreciate the AppleTV+ adaptation and its unique interpretation of Howey's dystopian world (that ending of season one was jaw dropping!), I can't help but acknowledge the darker, grittier, and more terrifying atmosphere that emanates from the book's unyielding prose. With each read, I uncover new layers of suspense, emotional depth (that passage with Jahns and Marnes embracing in the dark...), and profound insights into the intricacies of the human condition.

As I dive back into this compelling tale once again, my thoughts wander to the realms of post-apocalyptic literature awaiting my exploration once I finish reading the Silo Saga (again). The excitement of embarking on new literary journeys has always fueled my excitement and curiosity - and my itch to constantly purchase new novels. Eager to discover narratives that can rival the impact of 'Wool,' I embarked on a digital expedition, traversing the vast expanse of the Intertubes in search of post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction that resonates just as powerfully. 

Sunday, June 25, 2023

Exploring the Therapeutic Power of Dungeons & Dragons and RPG-like Games for Mental Health

As a middle-aged man who recently joined a group of fellow dads on a journey on Faerûn, within the world of Forgotten Realms, I have (re)discovered that engaging in roleplaying games has a significant positive impact on my mental health, anxiety levels, and overall demeanor. 

After a few memorable game sessions over the last few weeks (I'm looking at you Godrim! 😂), I came to that realization and shared it with our Dungeon Master during a private conversation at the end of our latest session. Despite having had a rough day at work and feeling a lack of enthusiasm, once I had immersed myself in our virtual session (we play using Discord, D&D Beyond, and roll20), my worries faded away, and the fun began. As a results, I experienced a complete shift in my attitude and demeanor during that three-hour roleplaying session. I went to bed with a smile on my face. A little tired, but happy and fulfilled.

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Cities: Skylines II - Developer Insights

 Instead of listing the developer highlights individually, I thought I'd group them here and add each new at the end of the post as Colossal releases them.


Behind The Road Tools | Developer Insights #1 | June 22d, 2023



Managing Traffic | Developer Insights #2 | June 29th, 2023

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Roads Tools I Feature Highlights #1 I Cities: Skylines II


Some interesting default features in the new Cities Skylines 2:
  • All roads (except highways) will carry water, electricity and sewage lines
  • Simplified roads upgrades
  • Quick and easy city blocks creation
  • Pre-made intersections
  • Quickly add roundabouts 
  • Sound barries, parking lots, and more!

Sunday, March 26, 2023

The Legacy of the Alien Franchise Continues with "Alien: Romulus" & "Aliens: Dark Descent"

 Exciting news for the Alien franchise fans.

With shooting having started back on March 9th, Director Fede Alvarez is currently in production on a new Alien movie, tentatively titled Alien: Romulus. The movie is set to feature young characters in peril, with the story taking place on a distant colony where a group of young people find themselves in a fight for their lives against the alien Xenomorph. While the previous Alien movies focused on adults in corporate, militaristic, and scientific roles, this ninth installment of the franchise will focus on young protagonists. The movie does not have any connection to previous Alien movies, except for the presence of the Xenomorph.

Alvarez's pitch for the new Alien movie made an impact on Ridley Scott, who is producing the movie. Apparently, Scott called Alvarez in 2021 and asked if he was still willing to make that Alien movie. The script for the movie was written by Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues, and sources say that it doesn't have any connection to the previous Alien movies, including the Scott prequels, the adventures of Ripley, or the Predator crossovers. However, the premise of the distant colony being struck with a Xenomorph problem sounds similar to what happened on LV-426 before Ripley and the Colonial Marines showed up in Aliens.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Exploring the Dark and Dystopian World of Blade Runner

The Blade Runner movies are set in a dystopian future where humanity has expanded beyond Earth and colonized other planets. The Earth is depicted as a bleak, polluted, and overcrowded place where most people live in poverty and misery.

The first Blade Runner movie is set in 2019, a time when artificial intelligence has advanced to the point where it is difficult to distinguish between humans and robots, known as replicants. Replicants are genetically engineered beings created to do the dangerous and undesirable work that humans no longer want to do. They have a limited lifespan of four years and are forbidden from returning to Earth.

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Mastering the Art of Realistic Slopes: The Ultimate Cities Skylines Design Guide!


Strictcoaster's tutorial video provides a comprehensive guide to designing realistic slopes in Cities Skylines. 

He covers various techniques to help players create stunning city layouts, starting with examples of unrealistic slopes to avoid. The video then delves into specific slope design tips, including using slopes for tunnels, combining terraforming and bridges, creating smooth slopes for overpasses and bridges, building road switchbacks, and designing tall inclines for railroads. 

This tutorial is perfect for anyone looking to take their Cities Skylines design skills to the next level.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Master the Basics: Top "Farthest Frontier" Tutorials for Beginners

Kysen's Farthest Frontier - Best Beginner Tips!

 "Farthest Frontier" is a simulation game developed and published by Crate Entertainment. The game was released in early access on Steam in September 2021 and is currently in development.

In "Farthest Frontier," you play as the leader of a group of settlers who have landed on a new planet. Your goal is to build a thriving settlement by managing resources, constructing buildings, and exploring the surrounding wilderness. You must also defend your settlement from dangers such as wild animals and hostile aliens.

Monday, March 20, 2023

Transform Your Cities: Skylines City into a Realistic Metropolis with These 9 Must-Have Mods

As you may have realized by now, I think that Cities: Skylines is a fantastic game! It allows players to create and manage their own virtual city in all of its complexity and beauty. Well, kinda for the latter part since making your city look realistic can be a challenge without the right mods. Luckily, there are several mods available on the Steam Workshop that can help you achieve a more realistic look. 

In this article, and based on the very helpful video from Gaseous Stranger, I'll list some of the best mods for Cities: Skylines that will help you make your city look more realistic. You should also check out his full Visual Mod list in the Workshop.

Saturday, March 18, 2023

The Top (and Best) Must Have "Cities: Skylines" Mods

Mods provide players with more customization options, allowing them to create a city that is truly unique and personalized. City builders can add new buildings, props, vehicles, and other assets to their city, making it more diverse and interesting, as well as add new functionality to the game, providing players with more tools and features to work with. For example, traffic management mods can help players control and optimize traffic flow in their city, while building and asset mods can provide more options for construction and decoration.

So here's my list of the Top 15 Best Mods to use while playing Cities: Skylines - I've linked each to their Steam Workshop.

Monday, March 13, 2023

Cities: Skylines 2 coming later this year!!

As an avid player of the current Cities: Skylines game, I was (beyond) thrilled & excited to hear the announcement of Cities: Skylines 2, coming later this year from the original Finnish developer Colossal Order and publisher Paradox Interactive. For those who don't know about the original, the game has been a huge success, selling 12 million copies since launch and receiving numerous post-launch updates and (tons of) DLCs, which have fundamentally rebuilt its systems for industry, education, parks, and airports.

Wednesday, March 08, 2023

The Silo Saga is about to be released on the small screen - but you should definitely read the books first!

Hugh Howey's Silo Saga is a magnificent science fiction trilogy that consists of three novels: "Wool," "Shift," and "Dust". It is bloody addictive and completely immersive. You will loose track of time. 

[No spoilers ahead. I don't go into any details and made sure to stay away any specifics. Read on.]

The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity is forced to live in a massive underground silo due to the toxicity of the outside world. The story follows a group of characters as they navigate the complex social and political structures of the silo while also trying to uncover the truth about their world.

Friday, March 03, 2023

"Arrival": A Meditative Exploration of Language, Time, and the Cyclical Nature of Beginnings and Endings

Denis Villeneuve's "Arrival" is a masterpiece of science fiction cinema that delves deeply into the mysteries of language, time, and the cyclical nature of beginnings and endings. At its core, the film is a meditation on the power of communication and the profound impact that language can have on our perception of the world.

The film follows linguist Louise Banks, played by Amy Adams, as she is recruited by the military to help communicate with extraterrestrial beings who have landed on Earth. As Louise works to decipher the alien language, she begins to experience strange visions of her own life, seemingly out of order and disconnected from time. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Louise's understanding of the alien language is intimately tied to her ability to manipulate time itself.

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

10 Mind-Blowing Battlestar Galactica Facts I Didn't Know

The reimagined Battlestar Galactica mini-series and television series produced by Ronald D. Moore was a mind-blowing experience for audiences back in 2004. The series was a reboot of the original 1970s series of the same name and it was spectacular in its execution, with a fresh take on the storyline and characters that captivated audiences for years to come.

One of the most striking aspects of the new Battlestar Galactica was the portrayal of the Cylons. In the original series, the Cylons were little more than robots bent on destroying humanity. However, in the reimagined series, the Cylons were far more complex, with their own motives, desires, and even religious beliefs. This added depth to the show, making it far more engaging than its predecessor.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

The similarities between Heavy Metal & Fifth Element | A comparison

 

Have you ever stumbled upon a video essay that compares two movies, and suddenly you realize that they're eerily similar? That's exactly what happened to me when I watched the video above comparing the 1981 animated classic "Heavy Metal" and Luc Besson's 1997 sci-fi masterpiece "The Fifth Element".

The similarities between the two films are downright uncanny, and it took me by surprise.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Eager for Foundation Season 2

 As a fan of Isaac Asimov's original trilogy, I was initially hesitant about the Foundation series adaptation to the small screen. However, the show's creators have done an exceptional job of bringing this epic tale to life, and I am eagerly looking forward to the second season on AppleTV+.

The show's visuals are breathtaking, with sprawling Trantor, towering spaceships, and intricate technology all brought to life in stunning detail. At the same time, the show balances that grandiosity with an intimate focus on the characters and their relationships. The storytelling is engaging and clever, and the central themes of the trilogy, such as the struggle between free will and determinism and the search for meaning in an apparently meaningless universe, are all present in the show.

Sunday, January 29, 2023

Top 10 Tips & Tricks on starting a new city in Cities: Skylines!


Starting a new city on a fresh map in Cities: Skylines can often times be a daunting experience. Hell, even after start fresh dozens of times I'm still sometimes overwhelmed by a blank map. Here my top 10 tips when starting on a new map and planning for building a successful city build.

  1. Start small: Starting with a small city is the best way to gain experience and learn the game mechanics. You can gradually expand your city as you become more familiar with the game, and avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Saturday, January 28, 2023

The Making of Tron: Legacy (2010)


Tron: Legacy, the sequel to the 1982 science fiction classic Tron, was a solid follow-up that built upon the strengths of the original while also taking advantage of advancements in technology to create a visually stunning world that was a natural evolution of the original's vision.

One of the key strengths of Tron: Legacy was its ability to build upon the themes and concepts introduced in the original film. Like the first film, Tron: Legacy explored the idea of a virtual world where programs take on lives of their own, and the relationship between the users who created the world and the programs who inhabit it. However, Tron: Legacy expanded upon these ideas, exploring the relationship between the creator of the virtual world, Kevin Flynn, and his son Sam, who is drawn into the world and must confront the legacy of his father's work.

Friday, January 27, 2023

New "Cities: Skylines" post series!

(Screenshot of rollthelofr's Hanami Bay city, via reddit)

I am excited to announce the start of a new post series dedicated to Cities: Skylines, in which I've invested almost 500 hours in the last few years. In this series, I will be sharing video tutorials from some of the best players in the community.

For those who don't know, Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city-building game genre, where players are tasked with creating and managing their own virtual cities. The game offers a wide range of features, including zoning, transportation, public services, and more. With its complex and in-depth gameplay, Cities: Skylines has quickly become a favorite among players, both new and experienced. It's been a sort of addictive - almost meditative - experience for me.

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

HBO's "The Last Of Us" is absolutely brilliant!

I just finished watching episode one in The Last Of Us series and I'm blown away by the quality of this first dive into this brilliant story. This is high quality television. A must watch!



And here's a ScreenCrush on everything you need to know (and some more) before watching the show. Spoilers ahead... 

Monday, January 02, 2023

Avatar: Rewatching the original

 Just finished rewatching Avatar with the whole family in preparation for tomorrow's first IMAX viewing of Avatar: The Way of Water. This should be fun.


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