One hot cuppa Comic Con 2009 coming up (only for hardcore dreamers???)

Where are you going to find EA (Electronic Arts), 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers and Google on a single platform? Comic Con. Wish I could be there. I am sure it is going to be a great event with this being the thick of the recession and all. What new movies are coming out? What about the games that are going to tilt the cats on the fence to pick up their piggy bank and break it? Anything that is going to be any exciting is going to be showcased. If they don't, then they may just lose out on the best opportunity this time of the year. I am an avid follower of IMDB for reviews of new movies and of GameSpot for the reviews of upcoming games and both these sites are going crazy about the Comic Con event. I am new to this and took a couple of days to warm up to the idea of a common platform for movies, games and so much else.

There is going to be so much going on that merely thinking about it makes me weak in my knees. Sneak Peeks of new TV series like Human Target, V and the Vampire Diaries. Talks on character development that would interest authors and game developers alike. A session by Howard Simpson of Abba Studios on how to tell stories and make storyboards work. A pre-production and screenwriting film school session. An informative session by DC Comics on what they look for in artists and how anyone can start working with DC.

Here are some others that caught my eye from the detailed itinerary:

TheOneRing.net: The Hobbit— With Middle-earth returning to the big screen in December 2011, TheOneRing.net will take you behind the scenes of the latest news, announcements, and rumors pertaining to the Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro production of The Hobbit.
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Science Fiction That Will Change Your Life— The staff of io9.com, Eisner Award–winning author Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics), and others talk about science fiction from the last year that does more than blow things up. It might also blow your mind. What science fiction should you be reading and watching if you want your brain to grow so big it pops out of the top of your skull and starts throbbing and shooting lasers?
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Comic Book Law School 101: Let's Get It Started— The popular Comic Book Law School series, which provides a basic foundation for understanding copyright and trademark law through an interactive lecture.
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Secret Origins of Comic-Con — How did it all begin? Those who were there in 1969 (most of them teenagers at the time!) have the behind-the-scenes story of the very first meetings, the first mini-con, and the first Golden State Comic-Con at the U.S. Grant in 1970.
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The State of MMOs: A Discussion with the Developers— Join Henrik Strandberg (Turbine), John Smedley (Sony Online Entertainment), Dave Brevik (Gazillion), Min Kim (Nexon America), and Leo Olebe (BioWare / EA) for a panel discussion and Q&A moderated by George Chronis (DFC Intelligence) about the current state of the massively multiplayer online games market.
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Archie Comics: Archie Marries Veronica— It's the wedding of the century, but that is just the start, with plenty of surprise announcements about the future of Archie Comics, including the latest news about Archie on television and in feature films! Panelists include legendary The Dark Knight movie producer and Archie writer Michael Uslan, new Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater, iVerse CEO Michael Murphy, IDW Publishing COO Greg Goldstein, Archie Comics president/director of circulation Fred Mausser, and Archie Comics vice president/managing editor Mike Pellerito.
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World of Warcraft: Epic Loot— Get your game on outside of Azeroth! Join a panel of Blizzard Entertainment decision makers along with their proud licensed partners for an all-out discussion/unveiling of World of Warcraft–inspired product awesomeness.
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Hasbro: G.I. Joe— The Hasbro design and marketing teams—Aaron Archer and Michelino Paolino (Hasbro Design), and Jeff Labovitz (Hasbro Marketing), discuss the upcoming release of the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra movie, the new toy line hitting shelves, the new video game, and much more!
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DC: Superman: Two Worlds— Torn between New Krypton and Earth, the Man of Steel has only just begun his latest adventure. You've seen the stories: a new planet of Kryptonians; scores of super-powered beings. The people behind Superman's future are here to face the most trying times in his life. Meet the talented folks behind Superman as they give you a glimpse of what is in store for our favorite Super-family.
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Crime: Usual and Unusual— The heart of crime fiction is a crime committed against people or institutions—but the range of subgenres is diverse and fascinating. Panelists: Max Allan Collins (The Goliath Bone), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Cold Black Hearts), Alexander Irvine (Buyout), Gregg Hurwitz (Trust No One), Thomas Greanias (The Atlantis Revelation), and Kat Richardson (Vanished) cover traditional mysteries, espionage, paranormal mystery, and more.
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Avatars, Icons, and Antiheroes— The new hero is the anti-hero: twisted fairy tale icons, magicians turned hitmen, and avatars of both Good and Evil are cold-blooded killers and worse in the pages of these writers' imaginations. Moderator Diana Gill (executive editor of Eos Books) leads a discussion on this phenomenon with Kevin J. Anderson (Enemies & Allies), Brom (The Child Thief), Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim), Vicki Pettersson (City of Souls), S. J. Day (Eve of Chaos), and Holly Black (Ironside).
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Assassin's Creed II: Video Games and Hollywood Converge— Yannis Mallat (CEO, Ubisoft Montreal), Pierre Raymond (president & head of operations, HYBRIDE Technologies, a VFX studio involved on 300, Sin City), and key team members discuss the convergence between Hollywood and video games, featuring the fastest-selling new franchise in video game history: Assassin's Creed.
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A Darker Shade of Ink: Crime and Noir in Comics— Crime comics are back with a bang! Darwyn Cooke (Parker: The Hunter), Greg Rucka (Gotham Central), and Steve Lieber (Whiteout) join moderator/noted mystery and comics writer Max Allan Collins (The Road to Perdition) to talk about the new incarnations of crime and noir in comics.
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Animation on a Shoestring— Learn the down and dirty tricks on how to create your own animation studio on a low budget, from the author of Animation on a Shoestring. Find out how to assemble the equipment you will need, how to build or buy equipment, and what software to use to edit and composite your project. Featuring Larry Loc,  animation educator.
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Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes— Join legendary Disney Animation producer Don Hahn, famed Disney animator Glen Keane, creator of Aladdin's Genie Eric Goldberg, director/teacher/animator Tom Sito, and Masked Avenger Studios owner and sculptor Ruben Procopio for a discussion of the life and influence of Disney mentor, trainer, and artist Walt Stanchfield.
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Capcom 2009 Lineup— Capcom's premiere producers present sneak peeks at the most anticipated games of the year. Featuring Jun Takeuchi (Lost Planet 2), Morgan Gray (Dark Void), Daryl Allison (Spyborgs), Motohide Eshiro (Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth), and Masachika Kawata (Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles) and moderated by Capcom-Unity.com's Seth Killian. See exclusive gameplay footage and behind-the-scenes making-of features, followed by a Q&A session!
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Evolution of Fantasy— Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, Twilight—the great mega-selling series of recent years have all ended. What will the next one look like? Or is it already here? How is fantasy evolving? Panelists Jacqueline Carey (Naamah's Kiss), Lynn Flewelling (Shadows Return), Patrick Rothfuss (The Name Of The Wind), Thomas Sniegoski (The Fallen), Greg Van Eekhout (Norse Code), and Cindy Pon (Silver Phoenix : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia) answer questions posed by moderator Lev Grossman (The Magicians).
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Marvel: Breaking into the House of Ideas— Are you a writer or artist? Ever dream of working for Marvel? Do you find yourself thinking "I could do that...if I knew how!" Well, here's your chance! Join C. B. Cebulski, Marvel's talent liaison, and panelists writer Jeph Loeb (Ultimatum), Marvel editor Charlie Beckerman, artist Mike Choi (X-Force), colorist Christina Strain (Runaways), and more to find out the answers on how to get your foot in the door at every level in the creative process and how to make your job Marvel!
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Professional Writing— Ideas are a dime a dozen. Executing those ideas (instead of assassinating them) is what separates pro from wannabe. But only you know what steps you need to take to get there, so if you show up for this talk, bring questions to ask J. Michael Straczynski, who has created a massively successful cross-platform writing career in movies, television, comics, and print.
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Cartoon Network: Chowder! The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack! Adventure Time with Finn and Jake!— This panel celebrates three of the best comedies from Cartoon Network Studios. First up is a sweet treat with Chowder, including special guests C. H. Greenblatt (creator) and Tara Strong (voice of Truffles). Then set sail with The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack and creator Thurop Van Orman (voice of Flapjack) and Steve Little (writer, voice of fan favorite Dr. Barber). Finally, hold onto your seats for a sneak peek of the new series Adventure Time with Finn and Jake with creator Pendelton Ward. It's algebraic!
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The Halo Franchise: What's Next— Frank O'Connor (franchise development director for Halo) will be joined by a number of special guests to discuss how Halo is evolving into a robust entertainment franchise and what's coming in the future.
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Showtime: Dexter— Calling all Dexter fans! If you're a Dexter fanatic and can't wait for the new season, you don't want to miss this killer panel! Moderator Ralph Garman (KROQ Entertainment Reporter) presides over a revealing interview and Q&A session with the stars and executive producers of Dexter. Plus, get an exclusive first look at clips from the new season! Featured panelists include series star/executive producer Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Julie Benz (Rita), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), and executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Clyde Phillips, and Melissa Rosenberg. The new season premieres September 27 at 9:00 PM EST/PST only on Showtime!
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Writing for the Computer Gaming Industry— Great storytelling forms the foundation for immersive games that emotionally draw players into a gaming universe.
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Unlocking Arkham: Forensic Psychiatry and Batman's Rogues' Gallery— Arkham Asylum holds some of Gotham City's most disturbed criminals. But do they truly belong there? From the vantage point of a forensic psychiatrist utilizing real-world psychiatric diagnostic criteria, panelists explore the mental disorders of the Dark Knight's Rogues' Gallery, with in-depth analyses of The Joker, Two-Face, Riddler, The Ventriloquist, Mad Hatter, and Mr. Zsasz, among others. Learn as three psychiatrists explain the meaning of such terms as "psychotic," "not guilty by reason of insanity," and "psychopathy." Bring your questions, and join the fun as experts unlock Arkham Asylum and possibly set free some of its "inmates"! Panelists include H. Eric Bender, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles; Praveen Kambam, M.D., University Hospitals/Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio; and Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
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Game review: Plants vs. Zombies (Gamespot score: 8.5)

Super cute and super super addictive, plants vs. zombies (Read Gamespot Review) is a game where the antagonists have a most nefarious design, to eat my brains (Aaarrgggghhhh!). In a parallel universe around a beautifully colored cartoon house, hoards of zombies have launched an all out attack on the frontyard, backyard and the brightly tiled roof. Their demand is very simple. They want the brains of the person in the house, and that happens to be me. And I am not going to give my brain up without a fight. Like Will Smith so well portrayed in "I am legend" and Milla Jovovich in "Resident evil", its hard work to save your brains from these supposedly brain dead zombies. Why do they need my brain again? Anyway, technicalities aside, a zombie that just sits around is not much fun. Give him a whiff of the delicacy of his dreams, a raw fresh brain, and he can become so interesting. Interesting enough to kill a whole weekend clicking the mouse buttons like crazy. I might just get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if this game goes one for another day.

So, there are these zombies attacking my house from all directions. They start during the day, but then grow in courage and desperation to reach their meal (that's shivering in my head). They then decide to attack the backyard for a weakness. And when the fort holds under my brain's able (and selfish) leadership, they launch an attack of an unprecedented scale on my roof. How did they get up there when the frontyard and the backyard are safe? Bungee zombies would you believe? And as if fighting crazy zombies handing from bungees is not enough, there is a dancing zombie with four accompanying dancers around him who looks too much like Michael Jackson in thriller. Then there is the huge zombie with a dwarf zombie on his back who is launched behind enemy (me) lines. Then there is a joker zombie, a pole vaulting zombie, one with a ladder, a miner zombie, a flying zombie and the list is almost endless. At a point of time you might even wish to simply be dead rather than have to face these persistent undead who love having their heads roll. And when one puts a bucket on his head he becomes much more difficult to kill. After all, there are no gunpowder based weapons to blow these walking cadavers sky high. This is a game that is environmentally conscious and allows only euro IV compliant power to stop the imminent lightheaded feeling.

So to fight this menace, the stash of weapons under my hood is...... Plants. That's right. You have fight off hoards of brain hungry zombies with the green thumb. No nuclear weapons, no M16, no grenades. Hell, there are no guns and knifes. You will fight off these waves with cute looking colorful plants. But that is just the disguise of Clark Kent and there is superman's underwear in the jeans just under that button fly . Sunflowers and sunshrooms will fuel the war machine. Fuel to buy pea shooters (the basic infantry if you will), the zombie eaters (heavy infantry), the potato bombs (sappers), chemical mushrooms that can fume the wide eyed fanatics, from an amazing arsenal of zombie fighting tools from nature. There is even an atomic plant that leaves a barren crater while exploding and sending all the zombies on screen to their death (or second deaths). But alas, the atomic plant works only in the night and is expensive. For the middle game when the hoards are at the maximum, the star plant is good as it fires in five directions. Even the wall is a good defense, but can fall under the persistent hunger of the enemy.

There are more than 50 colorful levels, each long enough to build the tension but short enough to enjoy without really getting serious. After all its only dead guys who are losing their heads. We are allowed to keep ours in this game. Phew. With each level starting fingers twitch to start with a sunflower, but then the different strategies take shape. Should the corn lobber be built first or the cabbage lobber. Will a defensive approach be good or is offense the best defense. Zombies have a simple life so to say. All they have to do is walk in their trademark zombie and eat anything in their path. But I have to stop them from getting near my head. Lob a few cabbages, fire a few peas, strategically place a few garlic pods to make them change lanes.

The feeling is of really being in a war (with your legs up on the center table). Its exciting, its visually appealing, its fun. And thankfully its short enough to have ended in a weekend. Otherwise I would not have gone to office today. Pretty intelligent and insane in the same breath. And it is real value for money. A game where killing zombies is rated universal so that the kids can play it, is always welcome. And the bonus missions are going to keep me kicking the zombie butts for another weekend I think. So, for now, adios from the zombie killer (oxymoron?)

P.S. I think I heard a zombie whisper outside my window. Going to check it now. If I don't return, you know what to do. You don't? Hmm... You should spread the word and get all the peas you can.

Game preview: Splosion Man (Xbox 360)

Think of the funniest evil laugh you can, now put a few explosions in between the non-stop laughter. Somewhat like getting the hiccups when you are laughing. But exploding 'pops' instead of 'hics'. That is roughly what the soundtrack of Splosion Man (Read Gamespot preview) sounds like. Of course there is the background music and the other ambient sound effects. But the prominent foreground continuous laughter and mini explosions (as many as three strung together at one time) are the fun thing.

Now add an orange creature to the screen. Orange not as the fruit, but orange as a fiery man who is ready to explode, quite literally. He (or she if you please) is the protagonist. A ball of flaming lava in human form with amazing expressions to go with his (or her) persona. The product of an experiment gone wrong, with only one aim in life, revenge, the Splosion Man is nothing like your average hero. Quite the villain actually. His only motive is to find the scientists who caused his change from a mere human to a serial exploder and well, 'explode them' to tiny bits. And there is no dearth of the creative ways in which you can effect this. You can explode near the scientist and blast him to pieces, or explode near a wall that falls on him and crushes him to pieces, or explode while running to push the sliding floor to crush the dude against the opposite wall, well, you get the idea. The idea is for orange man to find white coats and turn them blood red.

Sounds like a gory game. In concept, it is. But the visuals and the sound effects and the gameplay is nothing like that. Its actually a lot of fun in an cutely evil kinda way. Platforming is such an old concept that getting it to be interesting is quite a challenge. In recent times, there is 'Trine' (Read Gamespot Review) and 'Splosion man' that promise to be interesting and visually appealing.

The game is pretty simple. Get from one level to the next by solving simple platforming puzzles and getting rid of all scientists on that level. At your disposal is the basic direction keys to run around and the super special talent of exploding yourself to give yourself some extra momentum. You can use this exploding momentum while on the ground or against a wall or even mid air. But beware, you can only explode yourself three times in a row. Though once you are back on the ground or sliding down a wall you will recharge pretty quickly. So, now string your masochistic urges and time them to explode yourself across seemingly impossible gaps. or climb very tall structures. Pow, pow, pow, and with every pow you will go a little black. The graphics are very detailed and pretty amazing.

Though I have not played this myself yet and I cannot buy the Xbox 360 just for just this game, I am keeping an eye out if a PC port ever comes out. If the developers are reading this, count me in for a port. Bwahahah 'pow' hahaha 'pow' hahahaha 'pow... pow... pow'.
Technorati Tags: Splosion man, Xbox 360

iRacing.com - The closest you can get to a real racing experience from your computer

What impressed me most from their videos (since I have not yet played the game), is the emphasis on realism. You cannot play this with a keyboard or even a joystick. Instead you need a steering wheel and pedal combo to play this game. And the fact is that all the tracks were laser scanned thus maintaining all bumps and slopes as close to the real thing as possible. They proudly say that real drivers use this to practice before a race. Not sure if I would be willing to spend $100 for the steering and pedal combo, and another $13 for a month's subscription anytime soon. But I would definitely want to check this out soon. These kind of games are cool since they cross the thin line between games and simulations and though fun to think about, you need real dedication and concerted time to be any good at it. Maybe the next time I take a long vacation, sigh.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/
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