David M. Brown's Blog, page 104
June 2, 2012
Game News: New Teaser for Spellforce 2: Faith in Destiny (Nordic Games)
Nordic Games have revealed a new teaser for their upcoming release Spellforce 2: Faith in Destiny.
Teaser: Spellforce 2: Faith in Destiny
About Spellforce 2: Faith in Destiny
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Features:
Stand-alone add-on
Click’n'Fight and Quick-Action-Buttons: perfected control system for Instant-Actions, best overview, and strategic sophistication
Domination: all new multiplayer mode; you have to keep control of strategic nodes, which are spread over the map, in order to obtain resources to further strengthen your armies
Singleplayer campaign ensuring a maximum of fun, riveting story progression and countless quests – all refined by the authentic and consistent world of Eo
Choose your individual path among a plethora of different skills and magic abilites, offering numerous combinations of character development
For the first time in the history of SpellForce, you can even ride on a dragon
Completely new race with buildings, also playable in multiplayer
Spellforce 2: Faith in Destiny is due for release on June 19th, 2012 (UK).
Amazon UK
About Nordic Games
Nordic Games GmbH is a wholly owned publishing subsidiary of Nordic Games Holding AB. Founded in 2011, the Vienna/Austria based company Nordic Games GmbH puts great emphasis on its extensive game catalogue. The core portfolio comprises products and brands which have recently been acquired from JoWooD Entertainment AG and DreamCatcher Interactive Inc., and further IPs and trademarks will follow. The company will pursue the long-term goal of delivering quality products that live up to expectations of gamers worldwide.
Game News: New Teaser for Spellforce 2: Faith in Destiny (Nordic Games) | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Game News: New Trailer for Legends of Dawn (Dreamatrix)
Dreamatrix have unveiled a new trailer for their RPG Legends of Dawn this week. Legends of Dawn is described as an “exciting Fantasy RPG Action Adventure set in Narr, a unique and open Fantasy world”.
Trailer: Legends of Dawn
Screenshots: Legends of Dawn
About Legends of Dawn
Legends of Dawn is an exciting Fantasy RPG Action Adventure set in Narr, a unique and open Fantasy world. More than a hundred intriguing locations like dark dungeons, mysterious monster camps and flying islands await discovery. Experience the world in a classic 3rd person point of view.
Be blown away by the fantastic tale of treason and fear in Legends of Dawn. Equip your character in one of the various cities and get new quests from any of the teeming NPCs. You will be forced to use creativity and innovative fighting styles to solve missions and survive. Mage or Knight will work together without class restrictions – it is up to you to combine your skills and create the perfect fighting style to defeat more than 150 different opponent types. But. . . be careful. Your enemies will change tactics (because of different weather conditions or the day & night cycle, for example). They guarantee continuous surprises. Solve more than 100 quests and get the answers to all secrets of the Legends of Dawn.
Legends of Dawn is due for release in Q3, 2012.
Legends of Dawn DuelsWebsite
About Dreamatrix
Discovering new worlds and innovation is part of the Dreamatrix soul, whether it is creating addictive games or trying out new business models. Dreamatrix is independent company dedicated to production and publishing of fun games of all genres. Under its wing is a game development studio, numerous IPs and advanced engine built entirely in-house. The company has already produced over a dozen titles establishing a worldwide presence through its partners like Take 2 Interactive, Akella, EA, RTL Playtainment, Dreamcatcher, DTP Entertainment, LogRus etc.
Game News: New Trailer for Legends of Dawn (Dreamatrix) | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
June 1, 2012
Cover showcase: Wheezer and the Painted Frog – Kitty Sutton
Kitty Sutton, author of Wheezer and the Painted Frog, shares the story behind the cover design in this interview.
Describe how this cover came about
I am a Cherokee and an artist. I was uncertain if my paintings of the main characters would work for the cover of my book, because they look so simple compared to most electronically prepared images. However, when I showed them to my publisher, they were very enthusiastic that I use them for the cover.
For the main heroine, Sasa, I wanted to show a Cherokee girl in the bloom of youth, but poised for womanhood. In the book she is thirteen, an age when many Native American girls can become wives and mothers.
The painted frog on the cover was painted as a stylized version of a frog jumping. In the book it is a toy that becomes the murder weapon.
On the back cover I have Sasa’s little brother, Usti Yansa, which means Little Buffalo. For him I searched magazines and photos to find the model for him. That search actually took many weeks, but finally I found what I was looking for in a magazine for native peoples.
I saved the best for last. For Wheezer, I actually had the model living here with me, so it was not hard to do a very good likeness of Wheezer. He is my six year old Jack Russell Terrier.
What thoughts/emotions do you hope your cover will elicit even before readers have even seen the blurb?
I want to take them to what would seem today as a simpler time, to a simple Cherokee girl who finds her family destroyed, but must continue on. She is proud of her people and is just becoming aware of the evil that exists, through the forced march from her homeland, the harsh conditions of her new home and the realization that her five year old brother had been murdered.
Tell us a book (indie or mainstream) that you think has incredible cover art.
Acceptable Loss by Anne Perry
[image error]When the body of a small-time crook named Mickey Parfitt washes up on the tide, no one grieves; far from it. But William Monk, commander of the River Police, is puzzled by the expensive silk cravat used to strangle Parfitt. How did this elegant scarf—whose original owner was obviously a man of substance—end up imbedded in the neck of a wharf rat who richly deserved his sordid end?
Dockside informers lead Monk to what may be a partial answer—a floating palace of corruption on the Thames managed by Parfitt, where a captive band of half-starved boys are forced to perform vile acts for men willing to pay a high price for midnight pleasures. Although Monk and his fearless wife, Hester, would prefer to pin a medal on Parfitt’s killer, duty leads them in another direction—to an unresolved crime from the past, to blackmail and more murder, and to a deadly confrontation with some of the empire’s most respected men.
About Wheezer and the Painted Frog (2011)
Who killed Usti Yansa? Healthy little boys shouldn’t grow weak and die when they have shelter, food and the care of their families, yet Sasa’s little brother, the last of her family, sickens, mumbling the mysterious ‘I didn’t do it right, I didn’t do enough. Why didn’t it work?’ Left alone, mourning and trying to survive in a new place with new ways, Sasa seeks answers with the help of her new friend, Wheezer. The Jack Russell Terrier seems too wise, too fierce and too loyal to be just a dog. Did the Creator send Wheezer to Sasa and if so, how can a dog, albeit a smart one, help to solve a murder?
From the time Europeans landed in North America, the People were forced out of the land they had known for generations. By the nineteenth century, the United States had pushed them into the remote and undeveloped area known as Indian Territory and promised them food and protection that never came. Plagued by the loss of their ability to farm and hunt, the lack of food and shelter, the disease brought by the White Man, every tribe suffered losses so great only the memories of the survivors could document the dead. This story, taking place among the Cherokee after the Trail of Tears, is a story for all the People.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
B&N
Goodreads
Cover showcase: Wheezer and the Painted Frog – Kitty Sutton | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Film Review: Senna
About Senna (2010)
[image error]A documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34.
Starring: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Frank Williams
Directed by: Asif Kapadia
Runtime: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Studio: Arc Entertainment
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Review: Senna
Whenever the greatest Formula One drivers in history are considered you can be safe in the knowledge that amongst them will be Brazilian legend – Ayrton Senna. Rising to the top of the racing world in the late eighties and early nineties, Senna is still considered by many to have been the fastest driver of them all and quite possibly the best. Asif Kapadia’s documentary tells the story of Senna’s Formula One career entirely through archive footage both of Senna himself and of his contemporaries, including team bosses and his fierce rival – Alain Prost.
The documentary traces Senna’s career beginning in 1984 when he was driving for Toleman. Senna first came to attention at the Monaco Grand Prix where he qualified low down the field in an inferior car but on race day heavy rain came down on the track. Senna was the master in the rain and scythed his way through the field and was seconds behind race leader, Alain Prost, when the race was controversially stopped, the stewards deeming it too dangerous to continue, even though the conditions were no worse than before! Senna would soon switch to Lotus and though the team did not have the best car, Senna secured his first victory with them. This was a time when Formula One was as much about the driver as the car. Today it seems that whoever has the best car already has the main advantage over their rivals. The likes of Senna could be competitive in an average car.
The documentary soon moves on to Senna’s time with McClaren from 1988-93 and his pairing with Alain Prost. The Frenchman was dubbed “the Professor” for his meticulous approach to racing, only securing points he needed rather than pushing himself hard for wins in every race, which Senna always did. Initially good teammates, the relationship between Senna and Prost would soon turn very nasty, to the point where they no longer spoke and resulted in title deciding collisions in 1989 and 1990 respectively, both at the same race in Japan. Senna was deemed to be far too aggressive on the track and had many run-ins with the powers that be over his driving. The documentary traces these conflicts and how Senna was nearly banned from racing in 1990. I’d always assumed that Senna was the main culprit of the rivalry with Prost but the documentary shows that both men were as bad as each other.
The rivalry with Prost forms the bulk of the documentary and Senna’s title wins in 1990 and 1991 are summarised very briefly. It would have been great to see some lengthy footage of Senna’s famous race win at Donnington in 1993 when his rivals struggled on a wet track, while he carved his way through effortlessly to victory. The documentary soon moves onto 1994 and the anticipation begins to build, especially when we reach Imola and we know the end is nigh. One of the darkest weekends in Formula One, you will feel for all the drivers but especially Senna who watched a fellow Brazilian, Rubens Barrichello injured in practice on Friday and Roland Ratzenberger killed in qualifying on Saturday. Finally we reach the day of the race and contemporary accounts suggest Senna did not want to race but his need to win superseded any other concerns. On one of the most infamous days in sporting history, we don’t get extensive footage of Senna’s fatal crash but seeing it once is more than enough! What makes it sad is not only that sheer bad luck killed Senna but that he had expressed concerns about the safety of the track before. Ironically, the Tamburello corner that claimed Senna’s life would be altered after the 1994 race and made much safer! The documentary deals with the aftermath and the mourning that came in Brazil where Senna was worshipped by the proud nation he loved. One of the film’s most moving moments is when Senna, after many failed attempts, finally wins the Brazilian Grand Prix in front of his fans. It may have been his most cherished win.
My only issue with Senna is it should have been a lot longer. Due to the importance of the rivalry with Prost, I felt the early nineties were glossed over too quickly. It would have been better to demonstrate Senna’s dominance in 1991 and his struggles in 1992 and 1993 with an uncompetitive car, but one he could still win races in. The documentary offers a fascinating insight into a man who was from a wealthy family but pursued his passion for racing rather than just be content with the rich life. He was undoubtedly ruthless on the track at times, but Senna clearly had a natural gift for racing. Off the track he comes across as a surprisingly modest man, thanking God for his success and donating millions to help the poor in Brazil. For all his faults, Senna still comes across as good natured and it’s hard not to be moved by his death.
Senna is an excellent documentary from start to finish. My only issue is it could have been a bit longer but what’s there is brilliant. Whether you’re a fan of Formula One or not, this is a fascinating documentary about a truly extraordinary racer whose luck sadly ran out at Imola on 1 May 1994 and he remains the last driver to have been killed in Formula One.
Verdict: 5/5
(Film source: TV)
Film Review: Senna | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
May 31, 2012
Film Review: Anaconda III: Offspring
[image error] A ruthless mercenary, Hammett (David Hasselhoff) and his team are on the hunt for a pair of giant snakes that have escaped and are on a mega-sized feeding frenzy. They must stop the onslaught before the reptiles reach the city.
Starring: David Hasselhoff, Crystal Allen, Ryan McCluskey
Directed by: Don E. FauntLeRoy
Runtime: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
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Review: Anaconda III: Offspring
I remember the original Anaconda (1997) very well and it still hisses its way onto the television whenever Mrs B and I are channel hopping. It wasn’t great in the nineties and it’s certainly not great now so the prospect of Anaconda III: Offspring being anything but dire was something I could not comprehend but it did star The Hoff so maybe, just maybe, there was some brilliance about it.
The story is your typical one for this kind of film. Industrialist Murdoch (John Rhys-Davies) is funding a research project involving keeping giant anacondas at a lab. Unsurprisingly they manage to break free of their confines, killing the majority of staff that work at the lab but not the project leader Dr Amanda Hayes (Crystal Allen). Murdoch is understandably eager to recover the pair of giant anacondas that escape and enlists a group of hunters led by Hammett (David Hasselhoff) to capture the snakes. Dr Hayes joins the group as does Murdoch’s assistant Pinkus (Ryan McCluskey) but with these anacondas not willing to return quietly do the hunters succeed or is it something of a bloodbath out in the wild?
After a violent but unspectacular opening the film tries to get going as The Hoff leads his group of hunters into the forest in search of the two anacondas. Locals, including an unfortunate farmer, do not fare so well when the snakes pass through his property but nor do Hammett’s band of hunters who are well armed but somewhat powerless when coming up against the snakes. As the body count begins to rise, Dr Hayes reveals that time is against the group as one of the anacondas is pregnant and will give birth in the next 24 hours (pure careless if you ask me), filling the forest with hundreds of baby snakes. As usual the experiments on these snakes, all for the good of mankind (aren’t they always?), have left them a tad smart and wily when faced with the hunters and it becomes pretty predictable who is going to be around at the end, of course. Hayes has to see things through to the end what with being the lead scientist and all and as for The Hoff, well, the film would suffer without having one of Germany’s favourite pop stars sticking around for the final credits.
Those fascinated by the animal kingdom will find Anaconda III something of a turn off in its general inaccuracies. Though the anacondas offer plenty of blood and gore when devouring their victims they do seem to be eating a tad too often, something I don’t think you would get in the wild. That said there were signs of some research into the anacondas when one approaches Dr Hayes as she is backed against a tree. Its vision appears to be infrared and because Dr Hayes has been rolling around in the mud the snake cannot see her, just as Arnie found when he took on the Predator in 1987. Having borrowed from Predator, the film also embraces the lunatics from the Alien films with not everyone in Anaconda III content with the snakes being killed when their rampage becomes out of control, in fact someone is hiding their true intentions which is the preservation of the snakes for future research even when they have killed so many people. I expect you’ll struggle to guess who the villain turns out to be.
Anaconda III, where did it all go wrong for you? Well, the effects for the snakes are utterly embarrassing. One person is being eaten alive and at one stage it looks like it’s just crawling on top of them! The acting is awful as well. Love him or hate him, The Hoff is always good for a discussion but his appearance in this makes me empathise with a man who is clearly struggling for money. I’d have applauded the film if he’d run in slow motion to the Baywatch theme but sadly it doesn’t happen. Finally, Rhys-Davies isn’t in the film very much but what a fall from grace! This man appeared in Indiana Jones films and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Like The Hoff, times must be very hard indeed. By the end of the film you’ll have certainly had an experience, it’s just a pity it’s such a regrettable one.
Anaconda III takes all the bad elements of the original and enhances them a million times over. It’s a tried and tested storyline, the effects are appalling, the is acting non-existent and not even The Hoff can convince me to award this anything but a poor score. If you enjoyed Anaconda maybe you can salvage something from this shipwreck but for me it’s another nightmare to add to my collection where I constantly ask myself, “Why me?”
Verdict: 1/5
(Film source: TV)
Film Review: Anaconda III: Offspring | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
May 30, 2012
Music Showcase: Svet (AKA the Hip Hop Violinist)
I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a hip hop fan but Svet – aka the Hip Hop Violinist – certainly brings the music to life in a new and unique way. I’ve been asked to showcase some of his music and I’m glad to share!
Svet: Hip Hop Violinist
About Svet: Hip Hop Violinist
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Svet is a Violinist/ Singer / Producer and is already globally recognized after touring Europe and the United States of America. Svet has performed with notorious icons including Jamie Foxx, Kanye West, Jadakiss, Gym Class Heroes, and Dirty Money. along with the honor of performing the Half-Time Show and National Anthem for the NBA NETS at Prudential Center. After his first show, Svet was immediately invited back to do a second performance for the NBA along with having the pleasure to appear in a variety of promotional events across the nation including a Promotional appearance with “Deena” from MTV’s Jersey Shore. In May 2011 he was honored to receive the “Talent of the Week” Award endorsed by the largest Hip Hop website in the world, “World Star Hip Hop”. As a result, his video received over 100,000 views in less than 2 weeks helping him charge forward into musical success.
Blog
Website
Twitter
Facebook
iTunes
Music Showcase: Svet (AKA the Hip Hop Violinist) | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Book Review: Nerd Do Well – Simon Pegg
[image error] Zombies in North London, death cults in the West Country, the engineering deck of the Enterprise: Simon Pegg has been ploughing some bizarre furrows in recent times. Having blasted onto the small screens with his now legendary sitcom Spaced, his rise to the UK’s favourite son status has been mercurial, meteoric, megatronnic, but mostly just plain great.
From his childhood (and subsequently adult) obsession with Star Wars, his often passionate friendship with Nick Frost, and his forays into stand-up which began with his regular Monday morning slot in front of his 12-year-old classmates, this is a joyous tale of a homegrown superstar and a loval boy made good.
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Review: Nerd Do Well
I first saw Simon Pegg in the cult comedy Spaced (1999-2001) and the series became one of my favourites. Pegg’s career has flourished since then with successful forays onto the big screen with his own work such as Shaun of the Dead (2004) and appearances in the likes of Mission Impossible and Star Trek. He’s one of the UK’s best comedy talents so the prospect of his life story was too good to resist.
Nerd Do Well is befitting of the proud geek that Pegg is (I’m a geek too incidentally so I’m not insulting him!) There is a loose chronology to Pegg’s life interposed with a highly amusing short story of a superhero called Simon Pegg and his robot assistant Canterbury, which breaks up the story brilliantly. Pegg crams a lot into the book’s 350 pages or so beginning with his birth in Gloucestershire, his early passion for drama and of course how he hit the big time.
Pegg gives a fascinating account of his early life which is heavy on the laughs but also throws in some sombre moments, especially the friend of a childhood friend who dies after being hit by a car when Pegg was just a boy. The adult Pegg still picturing this boy as he remembers him certainly hits hard. We also gain an insight into Pegg’s early sexual experiences despite his insistence that this isn’t that kind of book! Pegg’s love of drama came from his mother who was in a theatre group while his father was in a band, but their son would one day go even further with his talent, surviving many schools, failed exams but discovering his true calling with acting.
The geek in Pegg is most evident with the chapters he devotes entirely to Star Wars and, believe me, our humble comedian has a lot to say. I smiled at his fond memories of seeing the first trilogy and grimaced at his pained account of getting a plane to New York, struggling to find a theatre, and sitting subdued as The Phantom Menace destroyed his belief in this saga he had loved for so many years. Pegg would translate this despair into the series Spaced but there are some fascinating accounts following this including a meeting with George Lucas and Pegg queuing up to meet Carrie Fisher at a convention despite promoting work of his own! A star in his own right being starstruck by Princess Leia was brilliant!
Nerd Do Well frequently had me in hysterics. The short story involving the undoubtedly handsome superhero Simon Pegg is the funniest bit of the book. The only downside is that Pegg is so humble he merely glosses over his career and doesn’t offer much detail. The book is primarily about everything that led to him being the star he is today. The good thing is Pegg’s early life, full of joy, woe, friendship and difficult relationships is never dull but it would have been great to hear more about the work he has honoured so many fans with, especially Spaced.
Nerd Do Well is a good account of how a Gloucestershire boy who was an undoubted geek found a haven in comedy and became a big star in the process. While Pegg’s lack of arrogance may hinder some parts of the book this is still an enthralling autobiography from one of the UK’s greatest exports.
Verdict: 4/5
(Book source: reviewer’s own purchase)
Book Review: Nerd Do Well – Simon Pegg | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
May 29, 2012
Guest Infographic: Moving with Pets: How to Keep Your Furry Companions
To an animal lover, having to give up a pet is like having to give up one of your children. Sadly, every single day pet owners are forced to part ways with their furry little pals when they move into a new home. What would you do if you found out that your new home didn’t allow pets or that your new roommate was allergic to your darling cat or dog?
My Move’s infographic “Moving with Pets: How to Keep Your Furry Companions” explores ways that pet owners can hang on to their furry friends when moving to a new home that may not allow pets. Do you have references for your pet, or is there some way that you can show your new landlord how well trained your dog really is? Can you afford to buy pet insurance or pay a little extra to your landlord to show him that you are serious about taking care of your pet? If you’re planning a move and don’t want to be forced to leave your pet behind, check out this infographic today!
If you are planning a move and want to bring your pets with you visit My Move today to learn more about moving with pets and how you can help your furry friends feel comfortable in their new home.
Guest Infographic: Moving with Pets: How to Keep Your Furry Companions | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Guest infographic: Moving with Pets: How to Keep Your Furry Companions
To an animal lover, having to give up a pet is like having to give up one of your children. Sadly, every single day pet owners are forced to part ways with their furry little pals when they move into a new home. What would you do if you found out that your new home didn’t allow pets or that your new roommate was allergic to your darling cat or dog?
My Move’s infographic “Moving with Pets: How to Keep Your Furry Companions” explores ways that pet owners can hang on to their furry friends when moving to a new home that may not allow pets. Do you have references for your pet, or is there some way that you can show your new landlord how well trained your dog really is? Can you afford to buy pet insurance or pay a little extra to your landlord to show him that you are serious about taking care of your pet? If you’re planning a move and don’t want to be forced to leave your pet behind, check out this infographic today!
If you are planning a move and want to bring your pets with you visit My Move today to learn more about moving with pets and how you can help your furry friends feel comfortable in their new home.
Guest infographic: Moving with Pets: How to Keep Your Furry Companions | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Wordless Wednesday: Majestic cats
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Today I’m taking part in Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Create With Joy. The Create With Joy picture for today is a very sweet kitty so once you’ve finished here I heartily recommend you stop on by – and perhaps leave a ‘Wordless Wednesday’ link of your own!
Wordless Wednesday: Majestic Cats
My Wordless Wednesday today is celebrating the majesty of cats and how better to do that than with this picture of the beautiful Asrielle.
[image error]Kriss, also known as The Cabin Goddess, owns this beautiful creature and said: ”Her name is Asrielle, not after the only female smurf but a song by Deadhorse, some punk band or something. She likes snoozing in the sunlight, buttered noodles and Carl’s Junior burgers. Oh and she will only eat white albacore fish!”
What’s got you wordless this Wednesday?
Wordless Wednesday: Majestic cats | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
