Tag: Star Wars

Make Love Not (Star) Wars

Star Wars is something that brought people together, people who all shared a similar interest. They made new friends, possibly met their future partners, and overall had something truly special to bond over.  That was then, in what seems like a galaxy far, far away. Times have changed. Unfortunately, darkness now clouds the Force; it seems we are headed down the same dangerous path that Yoda warned us all about.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

May 25th, 1977 is a day that billions of science fictions fans should vote to make an official worldwide holiday. The day that Star Wars: A New Hope released in theaters is a special day in the hearts of so many fans, regardless of gender, age, or political affiliation. Star Wars is something that brought people together, people who all shared a similar interest. They made new friends, possibly met their future partners, and overall had something truly special to bond over.  That was then, in what feels like a galaxy far, far away. Times have changed. Unfortunately, darkness now clouds the Force; it seems we are headed down the same dangerous path that Yoda warned us all about.

Famous-Yoda-Quotes

Now, the fan base is divided, with both sides making valid arguments and also occasionally behaving in a ridiculous manner that wasn’t prevalent even up to a few years ago (aside from that time fans cowardly threatened famous author R.A. Salvatore for killing Chewbacca in one of the New Jedi Order books). One side calls the other racist, while the other accuses the other of promoting ideals that they don’t hold themselves while claiming a moral high ground. Similar to Anakin refusing to listen to Obi Wan’s warning, fans are recklessly attacking each other without taking a moment to consider the the truth that there is always another point of view to every situation.

Episode I wasn’t a perfect movie, with pacing issues at times and some corny dialogue. But here’s the thing, even though it wasn’t the BEST movie ever, and it may have been a slight letdown in hindsight, not once did I ever lash out at anyone for having a different opinion nor did I see George Lucas make idle threats because some fans didn’t enjoy his movie (Rian Johnson please stop tweeting and feeding into this; you’re equally at fault for this PR disaster). Seems like Yoda predicted all this, since the fear of future Star Wars content not living up to their standards lead to fans feeling anger towards Lucas Film and their ilk, their anger has led to burning hate, and hopefully they haven’t allowed themselves to personally suffer over their disdain of the new product being released.

The Last Jedi isn’t the first Star Wars media to be disliked and I can guarantee it also won’t be the last. Anyone remember the Star Wars Christmas Special? There’s a reason you aren’t able to find a physical copy of that anywhere (maybe Mr. Plinkett has one stashed away). It was terrible. Was The Last Jedi terrible? Not as terrible as it could have been, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have been a better movie overall. Still, the outrage over it seem like a slight overreaction on both sides of the argument.

By this point, you’re probably wondering what side of the argument I find myself on, since I took the time to write this article in the first place. Does that matter though? What should matter is that people are attacking the very core ideals that others hold dear to themselves, even if those ideals have little to nothing to do with Star Wars in general. Personally, I thought The Last Jedi was just short of a train wreck of a movie, but that doesn’t mean I lose respect for others who enjoyed it (see our recent video where we discussed the movie) . I also don’t lash out on social media to berate and belittle them for their opinion. Like the saying goes: opinions are like buttholes, we all have one. It’s their right to have that opinion, so let them have that. I enjoyed The Phantom Menace, despite its flaws, and it’s completely reasonable if you see those flaws as too glaring to ignore. See, that wasn’t too hard, was it?

That’s the beauty of Star Wars. There is always something for everyone to love. I loved Luke’s transformation from naive farm boy to confident and noble Jedi Master in the original trilogy. I also cannot get enough of the Old Republic lore. Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2 are my jam, and I have numerous comic books from that era in Star Wars gracing my bookshelves (yes, I have that many). There are so many other forms of Star Wars content to enjoy, like the Clone Wars show, Rebels, the Expanded Universe books and comics (look up Legacy because they have some of the best characters in the EU). Disney may say they aren’t canon anymore, but that shouldn’t prevent you from making your own canon if you aren’t happy with theirs. Do your thing, be your own Jedi. (If you need recommendations, comment on this article and I would be happy to give you plenty to start with.)

Just a fraction of the Sci-Fi and Star Wars media I own.

Listening to other’s talk about Star Wars lately, it’s apparent others love Han for being suave and just plain badass. Other people love and respect Leia as a strong female lead who didn’t let anyone push her around and stuck to her ideals, even if that meant the destruction of her home planet and everyone one it. Maybe everyone should take a lesson from Leia in that regard.

To conclude, fans should show more love to one another, since Leia, throughout all the trials and tribulations she endured, never forgot to show compassion and love. We could all do a better job of showing more compassion, especially when it comes to our fandom of Star Wars. We can be better towards each other; we need to be better. It’s your right to dislike a product, and there’s nothing stopping you from voicing your opinion. Just don’t tear others down to express that opinion, because for all you know that product might be more to someone than just a movie, book, video game, or show. Star Wars Episode IX is coming December 20, 2019, and even though I don’t know if I’ll enjoy it, I do know one thing: I hope others will and I won’t attack them their opinion differs from mine. Hopefully, both sides of this debate will join the light side and do the same to share their love not war.

What Is Your Favorite Star Wars Video Game?

As someone who can’t seem to get enough of Star Wars video games, both newer and old, I want to hear what is your favorite Star Wars video game.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

I love Star Wars (well, Star Wars before the Disney acquisition). I love video games (obviously). I love Star Wars video games! As someone who can’t seem to get enough of Star Wars video games, both newer and old, I want to hear what is your favorite Star Wars video game.

Personally, I would have to give that award to the original Knights of the Old Republic. I had previously loved Bioware’s CRPG Neverwinter Nights and its multiple expansions, so a Star Wars game set thousands of years before A New Hope with a similar combat style was something I knew I would love. Even still, I wasn’t prepared for just how fantastic that game was, and how great it still is today. The writing holds up surprisingly well, as do the graphics. For a game released in 2003, 15 years old now, it still looks pretty darn good, especially if you play the steam version with the graphical mods enabled. Plus, you can now play it on an Xbox One by inserting the physical disc into the console, and it will play with noticeable graphical enhancements, faster load times, and steady frame rate.

Other Star wars games available to play on the Xbox One are Jedi Starfighter, Battlefront 1 and 2 (original Battlefront games), Republic Commando, and KOTOR 2. If you own the Xbox disc version, those games are also all worth seeing on the Xbox One. Let me know in the comments which Star Wars game you think is the best.

My Predictions For The Next Handful of Star Wars Spinoff Movies

Here’s my list of movies they should film and suggested titles as well. You’re welcome Disney!

Author: Nathan Doverspike

Okay…so just the other day the Boba Fett movie was confirmed, as well as the Obi-Wan movie set between Episodes III and IV. That got me thinking…what other spinoff movies are they going to announce? Here’s my list of movies they should film and suggested titles as well. You’re welcome Disney!

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Dash Rendar: Outrider

So little is known about Dash Rendar. What’s his back story? What was his career? What is that cord doing that’s attached to his gun? Why is his ship is called the Outrider? What more can we learn besides everything already told to us in Shadows of the Empire! It isn’t like there’s a whole web page on Wookiepedia dedicated to him already.

DENGAR!

Dengar: All Wrapped Up

What, a guy can dream can’t he? He’s the next best bounty hunter after Boba Fett, and even he died like an absolute chump (unless you believe the fan theory that it wasn’t the real Boba Fett who died in Episode VI and was all a Tag and Bink event). Regardless, Dengar is WAY cooler because he’s cosplaying as The Mummy from the Dark Universe film series…you know THAT series that’s so good they didn’t just cancel it after the Mummy with Tom Cruise did so well. I have to know how he got all those scars. Besides, it isn’t like there are sentient assassin droids scouring the galaxy and being all cool and stuff that would make a better movie.

Maxrebo

That Weird Blue Elephant Guy

THE most interesting character in Star Wars! And also most mysterious! Who is this handsome blue musician who hammers away on his circular xylophone? Why do his hands look like they are already decomposing? Is HE force sensitive too (since the Force might as well be called the Farce now after TLJ)? What if he is the TRUE Supreme Leader Snoke! I MUST KNOW!!!

han solo

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Oh wait…..

The Importance of Family Game Nights

Does anyone else remember family game night?  You know that time when families would pull out a board game like Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, or Mouse Trap, blow the dust off of the box and sit down together and play?

Author: Josh

Note: This article was originally posted on Josh’s personal blog.

Does anyone else remember family game night?  You know that time when families would pull out a board game like Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, or Mouse Trap, blow the dust off of the box and sit down together and play?  It seems that in today’s society we have changed.  These games are now all almost digital.  Family game night turned into a room of drooling zombies staring at the glowing box in front of them trying to make a man dance across the screen, or blast each other away.  While yes both could be considered time spent with family, I feel that with board games there is something special to be had.

star wars monopoly

For example, with Monopoly.  Great time to help teach your kid about math and money management.  If you want the expensive property with hotels, you need to save your money and buy it.  If you land on another players square, make sure you pay the bills.  These are very common life oriented tasks that will apply to a person for the rest of their lives.  Family game night is an amazing way to teach the younger members of the family about different tactics that have worked for adults.  I guarantee it’s better for the good old brain thinking power than a ton of pixels flashing random colors of light slowly burning out our retinas.

 Trivial Pursuit.  The greatest game to prove how smart/knowledgeable of their surroundings someone actually is.  Teams can be formed while playing this game with house rules.  With those teams comes an opportunity to bond with your family.  That bond could serve a stronger purpose one day.  For example if a child is having problems with life that they normally wouldn’t feel like talking about.  They may just remember that time spent on family game night and decide that they want to discuss their situation with their parents just because of the trust/communication that was built during last weeks round of trivia.

 While I do feel that video games are awesome and great, I also feel strongly that we can not leave behind board games.  They offer so much in the way of building relationships.  They offer a chance to unplug from technology.  They offer a chance to be human for a little while, and the best part is…when the power goes out, you can just keep on playing.

My Top 5 Comic Books and Graphic Novels

While recent organizing my office, I came to the realization that I have a lot of amazing comic books and graphic novels. That led to me writing this article, because comics are awesome and so is sharing new ones with others so they can enjoy them as well! So, here are my top five comic books/graphic novels. Please be aware that this lists contains only ones that I have read AND have in my current possession.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

While recent organizing my office, I came to the realization that I have a lot of amazing comic books and graphic novels. That led to me writing this article, because comics are awesome and so is sharing new ones with others so they can enjoy them as well! So, here are my top five comic books/graphic novels. Please be aware that this lists contains only ones that I have read AND have in my current possession. If I don’t own them or haven’t read them, then they were excluded from this list, regardless of how great they may be (i.e. The Dark Knight Returns penned by Frank Miller).

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Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year 1

The first one on this list, of course, involves Batman (Batman is the best I don’t care if Superman has laser eyes and cold breath!). I highly recommend Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 1 The Complete Collection to anyone who likes video games and/or DC comics in general. Set before the hit video game of the same name, this follows the events that turn hero against hero in a surprisingly dark string of events that see our favorite heroes turn into hated enemies. The writing is great, and the excellently drawn scenes keep you reading way past your bedtime. Although I have only read through Year 2 (there are five years in the first Injustice series) it was nothing short of pure nerdy euphoria the whole time.

The Squidder

This is a bit of an odd one, since I am sure almost no one has heard of The Squidder. To make a short story shorter, the earth is invaded by Squid-like gods and only one person has the ability to stop them. With a very violent but clean style, Ben Templesmith delivers a one-of-a-kind journey that is unique and enthralling. Also, I find squid-gods an incredibly scary concept to think of, and Templesmith doesn’t disappoint in bringing those thoughts to a disturbing post-apocalyptic to life.

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Star Wars Legacy

Set a hundred years after Return of the Jedi, the Star War Legacy story focuses on the direct descendant of Luke Skywalker, Cade Skywalker. A bounty hunter and force sensitive, he faces some of the coolest looking Sith in Kryat and Talon, as well as other powerful and dangerous foes. As are all Skywalkers, Cade comes face-to-face with the Dark Side of the Force more than once. With intriguing characters and well written plots, I cannot recommend this series enough to any Star Wars fan looking to delve into some Expanded Universe but aren’t sure where to start. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed in this one.

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The Witcher

One of my favorite video game series, The Limited Edition Witcher Comic was a promotional comic that bridged the gap between the events in The Witcher 2 and The Witcher 3. While maybe not the best comic on this list, it’s just as visceral as the video game series (don’t forget the adapted books that it is based on as well) and Geralt of Rivia is awesome in any medium.

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The Mass Effect Comics

Anyone who knows me personally knows that Mass Effect 2 is my favorite game of all time, and that the Mass Effect 1-3 games hold a special place in my video game enthusiast heart. Normally I would separate these into their own section, but each one is so great that I wanted to include all three. Each one focuses on a different storyline: Evolution is all about the Illusive Man, Invasion follow Liara T’Soni, and each of the Homeworlds comics circles around one character, providing a more detailed look at their life before you encounter them and Shepherd. Personally, my favorite of these has to be Evolution, since so little is known about the Illusive man until the end of Mass Effect 2.

What do you think of my list? Am I missing any that you feel I should have in my collection? Are there any on here that you have or have read and enjoyed? Let me know in the comments!

 

Video Games Should Be Play to Win, Not Pay to Win

These publishers and developers are entitled to revenue, as are we all. Let’s just hope that the next exploitative solution isn’t as revolting as the season pass or loot boxes tied to progression.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

It seems like a long lost time, but believe it or not a time existed when video games allowed you to play them to improve, instead of paying your way to victory. Games seemed way more satisfying during that renaissance. No need to open your wallet time and time again when you were shot and tea-bagged by someone with a higher grade weapon or character you could only get by spending $20.00; or you could just forget about family, friends, and bills to play the game for dozens of hours en lieu of dropping that cash. Full price video games SHOULD be play to win, NOT pay to win.

overwatch-landing-header-bg

Before I get to beating the dead horse that is Star Wars Battlefront 2, I want to offer some praise to a game that I don’t personally play, but one of which I admire due to their business practices. That game is Overwatch, developed by Blizzard. This game, which released on May 24, 2016, has yet to charge one customer for a single map or in-game character, instead opting to go another direction for continual revenue. They offer in-game cosmetic rewards from random loot boxes. Wait, don’t I despise that form of monetization in modern, full price video games? Well, yes and no. In this case, because they offer no advantage to gameplay and are strictly cosmetic, I don’t see an issue with the implementation of the loot boxes (whether or not it is addicting and/or gambling is another topic entirely). It clearly paid off as well, since in Q1 of 2017 Blizzard reported Overwatch had exceeded $1 Billion in revenue. Not bad for a game that only requires you pay for it once and never forces your hand to reach into your thinning wallet for more and more dollar bills.

If Overwatch is the shining example of how to correctly offer additional content in this situation, there must be a bad example, right? Exactly, and for this I would like to present Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) as the stinky, half flushed turd that just won’t go away. This monstrosity of a game has managed to piss off so many of it’s own fans, that the publisher has reported to have sold less than half the volume of copies as they did Battlefront 1 (2015) in the UK alone. Don’t get me wrong, they still made money on the game, but that’s a significant drop, even for a big publisher like Electronic Farts…whoops I mean Electronic Con Artists…wait I meant to say Electronic Arts. Whew, didn’t think I was going to be able to make it through that sentence. I’ll just refer to them as EA from now on.

star-wars-crystals

If you would like to read about the scope of the drama, feel free to read this recap of the PR disaster. Here’s the short story: loot boxes are tied to individual character and overall player progression. Buy more loot boxes, and you have a better chance at getting better cards and upgrading your characters. You are literally paying to MAYBE upgrade a character you use and/or prefer. Yup, EA felt it was a good idea to force players to play for a ridiculous number of hours before unlocking either Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker, the two most known characters in Star Wars. Even after cutting the number of in-game currency required to unlock them by 75%, it’s still based on luck. Basically, you may advance your progression in the game, or you might just get useless cards for characters you’ll never use. That sure sounds like a trap to me!

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Eventually, after tons of outrage and contempt towards EA, they decided totemporarily remove the premium currency(it wouldn’t surprise me if they turn it back on immediately after the holiday season). That would solve the problem, except the grind to unlock all the characters and ships is still there; it’s just now “whales” or “dolphins” or “sea urchins”  or whatever they are calling them now can’t pay for it. That doesn’t address the issue that it takes far too long to unlock anything by simply playing casually (because some of us have jobs). Plus, the progression being tied to random loot still isn’t fixed, and might never be fixed if EA has the final word. While they did take a decent hit to their stock (it dropped 8.5 points overall in November, causing shareholders to lose $3 billion), they are such a massive conglomerate that they will have to have much worse months than that to make any permanent changes. Perhaps the increased pushed for legislation to become involved will persuade them to shy away from these greedy and downright predatory practices. While I don’t always think more rules and regulations are the correct solution, it might be the only band aid that patches this Wampa sized wound.

My hope is that more publishers and developers see the backlash towards EA and their practices, and in turn decide to take different avenues to monetize their games. These publishers and developers are entitled to revenue, as are we all. Let’s just hope that the next exploitative solution isn’t as revolting as the season pass or loot boxes tied to progression.

How do you feel about these practices? Do you prefer to drop some money on a game you like to possibly get better loot, or would you rather spend some more time to get that content instead? Let me know in the comments!