Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 13
November 18, 2018
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3 11/18/18
Morning!
I fell off the planet again and will most likely fall off again next week.
I had a gallstone attack a couple of weeks ago. First time I've had one! At least to where I knew something was wrong. I had some scans, and they found the stones. Now I am going to have my gallbladder removed. Whee! (Thus the reason I'll be falling off the planet again.) Wish me luck!
Virtual TouristWitcher 3
Yennefer has opened a magic portal for travel. Whenever you interact with someone long enough or learn a lot about them, they get entered into the character entry book. (Yes, I forgot to hit the Home button to get rid of the UI. DOH)
One of the large rooms in Emhyr var Emreis's castle.
View of Northern Temeria and one of the villages.
Members of the Wild Hunt looking for clues to Ciri's whereabouts.
This is the leader of the Wild Hunt and supernatural bad guy. Mean looking guy!
This was an unexpected surprise. In certain points of the game, when getting information about Ciri from those who've seen her, you get to be her to reenact that particular set of events.
The women mages are in hiding as their's a price on their heads. This temporary portal belongs to Keira Metz.
This is Keira's secret place. It's where she goes when she can't stand being the village witch anymore. Lol.
A gorgeous view as I approach a set of small ruins.
A closer look at the ruins.
Wish me luck! Hope to be back to soon!
Also, next Saturday is Small Business Saturday. You can help small business and small publishers by shopping their wears.
I fell off the planet again and will most likely fall off again next week.
I had a gallstone attack a couple of weeks ago. First time I've had one! At least to where I knew something was wrong. I had some scans, and they found the stones. Now I am going to have my gallbladder removed. Whee! (Thus the reason I'll be falling off the planet again.) Wish me luck!
Virtual TouristWitcher 3
Yennefer has opened a magic portal for travel. Whenever you interact with someone long enough or learn a lot about them, they get entered into the character entry book. (Yes, I forgot to hit the Home button to get rid of the UI. DOH)
One of the large rooms in Emhyr var Emreis's castle.
View of Northern Temeria and one of the villages.
Members of the Wild Hunt looking for clues to Ciri's whereabouts.
This is the leader of the Wild Hunt and supernatural bad guy. Mean looking guy!
This was an unexpected surprise. In certain points of the game, when getting information about Ciri from those who've seen her, you get to be her to reenact that particular set of events.
The women mages are in hiding as their's a price on their heads. This temporary portal belongs to Keira Metz.
This is Keira's secret place. It's where she goes when she can't stand being the village witch anymore. Lol.
A gorgeous view as I approach a set of small ruins.
A closer look at the ruins.
Wish me luck! Hope to be back to soon!
Also, next Saturday is Small Business Saturday. You can help small business and small publishers by shopping their wears.
October 28, 2018
Virtual Tourist - Deus Ex: Mankind Divided 10/28/18
Morning, all!
Mini Movie Review
Hunter Killer - a sub movie! Woot! Hubby has been chomping at the bit to see this one. :) The film has all the submarine movie tropes and then some. Some of the big pieces on the plot don't quite fit or point you in directions never followed up on, but ignoring those, you're in for a fun ride. Multiple groups are involved in the mission, so you get action from several directions and by various groups. Rating: 3.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Virtual TouristDeus Ex: Mankind Divided
No subways are running from the station, so Jensen has to make his way over on foot.
The electronic newspaper in the game. Headlines and stories will change as the game progresses. Nice way to give players more info.
Look at the awesome wrap around screen! Sweet!
Close up picture of the augmented troublemaker following the orders from the cabal. :P
That is one cool chandelier!
The rest of the place is nice, too! This one gives a better view of the room.
A meeting underground
Culinary delights - grilled mouse on a stick.
Aerial view of the city of London!
The DNA strand buildings are too darn cool!
That's it for this week. Hope you have a marvelous day!
Mini Movie Review
Hunter Killer - a sub movie! Woot! Hubby has been chomping at the bit to see this one. :) The film has all the submarine movie tropes and then some. Some of the big pieces on the plot don't quite fit or point you in directions never followed up on, but ignoring those, you're in for a fun ride. Multiple groups are involved in the mission, so you get action from several directions and by various groups. Rating: 3.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Virtual TouristDeus Ex: Mankind Divided
No subways are running from the station, so Jensen has to make his way over on foot.
The electronic newspaper in the game. Headlines and stories will change as the game progresses. Nice way to give players more info.
Look at the awesome wrap around screen! Sweet!
Close up picture of the augmented troublemaker following the orders from the cabal. :P
That is one cool chandelier!
The rest of the place is nice, too! This one gives a better view of the room.
A meeting underground
Culinary delights - grilled mouse on a stick.
Aerial view of the city of London!
The DNA strand buildings are too darn cool!
That's it for this week. Hope you have a marvelous day!
October 21, 2018
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3 10/21/18
Morning!
Weird week. All the rain and cold were trying super hard to make me sick. I muddled through - yay! But somehow though we thought we had Fan Days this weekend, we did not actually have a booth. Boo! But it's given me time to fight against catching a cold. Yay! But I didn't get much done this weekend. Boo! Lol.
Mini Movie Reviews
Crazy Rich Asians - this film has been out a while, but it's still going strong. The preview clips I'd seen were awful, but hubby had read good things about it, so we took a chance. Glad we did. Most of the film is in English with a dabbling of subtitles here and there. It's a love story as well as a clash of old vs. new, familial responsibilities vs. self, rich vs. poor, and other clashes. All the little details and side characters made the film adorable and quite funny. There are a lot of lovely views of Singapore as well! The film was a lot of fun. Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Witcher 3 - White Orchard
Look at that gorgeous sky! Lots of beautiful scenery abounds!
As you can see in the picture, the flora is super detailed. Lovely!
Gorgeous! I could look at the clouds all day. Lol
I took this one because of the free-roaming horses! The game also has deer, rabbits, and other fauna running around.
My first main Witcher contract. Hunt down and get rid of a Griffin running rampant through the countryside. Not an easy task!
An actual sacrificial lamb.
Geralt has been looking for his girlfriend Yennerfer, but she finds him instead.
Yennefer - Geralt's girlfriend before he lost his memory in the original game.
Yennefer has convinced Geralt to go with her. His foster daughter Ciri has been seen and is in danger from the Wild Hunt. (I love the look she's giving him! Hee!)
Geralt after a mandatory bath and shave. (Hilarious situation, really.) Emhyr var Emreis, the ruler of Nilfgaard sits in the back. He wants his daughter Ciri found. His reasons are not quite the same as Geralt's.
Stay dry! Stay healthy! Have fun!
Weird week. All the rain and cold were trying super hard to make me sick. I muddled through - yay! But somehow though we thought we had Fan Days this weekend, we did not actually have a booth. Boo! But it's given me time to fight against catching a cold. Yay! But I didn't get much done this weekend. Boo! Lol.
Mini Movie Reviews
Crazy Rich Asians - this film has been out a while, but it's still going strong. The preview clips I'd seen were awful, but hubby had read good things about it, so we took a chance. Glad we did. Most of the film is in English with a dabbling of subtitles here and there. It's a love story as well as a clash of old vs. new, familial responsibilities vs. self, rich vs. poor, and other clashes. All the little details and side characters made the film adorable and quite funny. There are a lot of lovely views of Singapore as well! The film was a lot of fun. Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Witcher 3 - White Orchard
Look at that gorgeous sky! Lots of beautiful scenery abounds!
As you can see in the picture, the flora is super detailed. Lovely!
Gorgeous! I could look at the clouds all day. Lol
I took this one because of the free-roaming horses! The game also has deer, rabbits, and other fauna running around.
My first main Witcher contract. Hunt down and get rid of a Griffin running rampant through the countryside. Not an easy task!
An actual sacrificial lamb.
Geralt has been looking for his girlfriend Yennerfer, but she finds him instead.
Yennefer - Geralt's girlfriend before he lost his memory in the original game.
Yennefer has convinced Geralt to go with her. His foster daughter Ciri has been seen and is in danger from the Wild Hunt. (I love the look she's giving him! Hee!)
Geralt after a mandatory bath and shave. (Hilarious situation, really.) Emhyr var Emreis, the ruler of Nilfgaard sits in the back. He wants his daughter Ciri found. His reasons are not quite the same as Geralt's.
Stay dry! Stay healthy! Have fun!
October 14, 2018
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3 10/14/18
Morning!
Between quarter end at work and all the rain, I have no brain cells to rub together. Wheee!
Mini Movie Reviews
Venom - the film is a bit slow as they set up the pieces, but once Venom connects with Eddie Brock, the wild and fun ride begins. Full of snark and adorable bits, it plays down on the horrific elements of what Carlton Drake and the symbiotes have done and are trying to do. Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3
Still, inside a dream, this is the view from Yennefer's apartment.
A view of Kaer Mohren in the dream.
The dream turns into a nightmare. The Wild Hunt is here, breaking the dimensional barrier to come into our realm.
Geralt wakes from his nightmare to frustrating reality. He's been trying to chase down Yennefer for over six months now that his memories have returned.
Look at that gorgeous sky!!!!!!
Loved the little details in the first tavern we visit. Beautiful colored flowers painted in the walls. A bit of color to push away the dreary existence in the middle of a war-torn area.
More of the tavern and a view of my mentor.
Nilfgaard outpost in White Orchard. The conquering side. Locals are not thrilled at their presence.
Captain at the Nilfgaardian outpost. He's trying hard to be patient with the locals, but that patience is being tested.
A new day? Could be the end of one as well. Lol. I can't remember. But a lovely view either way!Obligatory Promotion Section!If you've not seen it yet, please take a look at the first book trailer for Alien Redemption!
If you like what you see, please consider"liking" the video. Sharing it would be even better! I need to start getting the word out, despite the book release being months away. Promotion is the hardest part of being an author. So any help would be much welcomed! Thank you!
Feel free to sign up to receive blog posts straight to your inbox, so you don't miss a thing! :)
Between quarter end at work and all the rain, I have no brain cells to rub together. Wheee!
Mini Movie Reviews
Venom - the film is a bit slow as they set up the pieces, but once Venom connects with Eddie Brock, the wild and fun ride begins. Full of snark and adorable bits, it plays down on the horrific elements of what Carlton Drake and the symbiotes have done and are trying to do. Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3
Still, inside a dream, this is the view from Yennefer's apartment.
A view of Kaer Mohren in the dream.
The dream turns into a nightmare. The Wild Hunt is here, breaking the dimensional barrier to come into our realm.
Geralt wakes from his nightmare to frustrating reality. He's been trying to chase down Yennefer for over six months now that his memories have returned.
Look at that gorgeous sky!!!!!!
Loved the little details in the first tavern we visit. Beautiful colored flowers painted in the walls. A bit of color to push away the dreary existence in the middle of a war-torn area.
More of the tavern and a view of my mentor.
Nilfgaard outpost in White Orchard. The conquering side. Locals are not thrilled at their presence.
Captain at the Nilfgaardian outpost. He's trying hard to be patient with the locals, but that patience is being tested.
A new day? Could be the end of one as well. Lol. I can't remember. But a lovely view either way!Obligatory Promotion Section!If you've not seen it yet, please take a look at the first book trailer for Alien Redemption!
If you like what you see, please consider"liking" the video. Sharing it would be even better! I need to start getting the word out, despite the book release being months away. Promotion is the hardest part of being an author. So any help would be much welcomed! Thank you!
Feel free to sign up to receive blog posts straight to your inbox, so you don't miss a thing! :)
September 30, 2018
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3 9/30/18
Morning, all!
Let's do this!
Mini Movie Reviews
Smallfoot - an unexpectedly deep film. They tackle some tough subjects. The animation was great. There are loads of cute and amusing moments. Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
The House with a Clock in its Walls - The film has some great special effects. The story is told from Lewis' point of view, (the boy) so there is a lot we see coming that he doesn't. In that respect, it made the movie somewhat predictable. Still, it was a nice bit of fun. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3Hubby had Witcher 2 and 3 from sometime back. I tried doing Witcher 2 but the dizzying factor was too high, and no means to tone it down in the options. I moved on to Witcher 3, and have had little problems in that respect. YAY!
The beginning sequence is done in a 3D coming book style. Worked very well! Dark times are upon the land as old evil has come through the veil.
They mention the origin of Witchers. Children mutated through magic to make a breed more suited to fight against ghosts and monsters.
The Wild Hunt has come through the veil. The land is in the midst of war, so the Wild Hunt is roaming the countryside for their nefarious purposes unchecked.
Start screen for the game. Hubby bought a season pass with the game when he brought it, so it shows two add-ons at the bottom there. The image moves. Also, whenever you hit escape to save a game or pause it, it keeps a picture of where you are at the time. I thought that was a nice touch!
This is Geralt - he's the Witcher who is the focus of the games.
War is everywhere. Things that have happened in the previous games have led to the current bad situation.
Geralt's lover Yennefer. This is a dream he's having while searching for her. He'd lost his memories at the end of the original Witcher game and had forgotten all about her. Some mild nudity shows up here and there.
Yennefer - she is a sorceress. Geralt and his teacher have been looking for her for the last six months.
Lots of lovely details! You can also see the minimap and active quest on the right.
Let the games begin!
Hope you have an awesome week!
Let's do this!
Mini Movie Reviews
Smallfoot - an unexpectedly deep film. They tackle some tough subjects. The animation was great. There are loads of cute and amusing moments. Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
The House with a Clock in its Walls - The film has some great special effects. The story is told from Lewis' point of view, (the boy) so there is a lot we see coming that he doesn't. In that respect, it made the movie somewhat predictable. Still, it was a nice bit of fun. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Virtual Tourist - Witcher 3Hubby had Witcher 2 and 3 from sometime back. I tried doing Witcher 2 but the dizzying factor was too high, and no means to tone it down in the options. I moved on to Witcher 3, and have had little problems in that respect. YAY!
The beginning sequence is done in a 3D coming book style. Worked very well! Dark times are upon the land as old evil has come through the veil.
They mention the origin of Witchers. Children mutated through magic to make a breed more suited to fight against ghosts and monsters.
The Wild Hunt has come through the veil. The land is in the midst of war, so the Wild Hunt is roaming the countryside for their nefarious purposes unchecked.
Start screen for the game. Hubby bought a season pass with the game when he brought it, so it shows two add-ons at the bottom there. The image moves. Also, whenever you hit escape to save a game or pause it, it keeps a picture of where you are at the time. I thought that was a nice touch!
This is Geralt - he's the Witcher who is the focus of the games.
War is everywhere. Things that have happened in the previous games have led to the current bad situation.
Geralt's lover Yennefer. This is a dream he's having while searching for her. He'd lost his memories at the end of the original Witcher game and had forgotten all about her. Some mild nudity shows up here and there.
Yennefer - she is a sorceress. Geralt and his teacher have been looking for her for the last six months.
Lots of lovely details! You can also see the minimap and active quest on the right.
Let the games begin!
Hope you have an awesome week!
September 29, 2018
Alien Redemption - Coming in 2019 - Book Trailer
Greetings, all!
I decided to get an early start on promoting my SF novel Alien Redemption. The current publications date is set for sometime in 2019. The book will be published by Zumaya Publications through their Otherworlds Imprint.
So to get you excited about the project, I've created a "Coming in 2019" book trailer!
Enjoy!
Let me know how you like it!
I decided to get an early start on promoting my SF novel Alien Redemption. The current publications date is set for sometime in 2019. The book will be published by Zumaya Publications through their Otherworlds Imprint.
So to get you excited about the project, I've created a "Coming in 2019" book trailer!
Enjoy!
Let me know how you like it!
September 2, 2018
Mind Sieve on a Sunday!
Morning, ya'll!
I figured I'd go for something a little different this week. Give life some variety and what not. :) So this week is:
Mind Sieve on a Sunday!Mini Movie Review
KIN - This is a family drama with super cool effects and science fiction elements. Eli's adopted mom has died. He and his father are trying to cope. Then his brother Jimmy is released from jail. He's been gone six years. To compound the problem, we find Jimmy owes a lot of money for protection in prison. Eli, who's been stripping wire from old buildings, comes across a bloodbath in one of them. He also finds a strange weapon.
Matters escalate quickly on multiple fronts, and it's just a question of when the train wreck will happen.
Gorgeous cinematography, great effects, great acting, and mystery bits leading us towards the finale. It's about family, belonging, getting past the things that pull you down. Definitely open for a sequel! Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Bag Man - Sci-Fi Short Film - This 10+ minute short film is what the movie KIN is based on. Several elements made it from here to the movie. (The owl!) A little abrupt and with 0 explanations, but it was fun seeing the correlations.
Cool new song (to me!) I thought I'd share. Would be a lovely fit with the boys from Supernatural. :)
No Roots by Alice Merton. Super catchy!
Prepare to be Disturbed!!!! Guardians Inferno from Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2. (Most of the cast is in this! You just might not recognize them! lol!) Talk about an 80's flashback. lol.
2Cellos - Thunderstruck - love the set up for this one. These guys rock!
Okay, got to go. Hope you have a wonderful Labor Day!
I figured I'd go for something a little different this week. Give life some variety and what not. :) So this week is:
Mind Sieve on a Sunday!Mini Movie Review
KIN - This is a family drama with super cool effects and science fiction elements. Eli's adopted mom has died. He and his father are trying to cope. Then his brother Jimmy is released from jail. He's been gone six years. To compound the problem, we find Jimmy owes a lot of money for protection in prison. Eli, who's been stripping wire from old buildings, comes across a bloodbath in one of them. He also finds a strange weapon.
Matters escalate quickly on multiple fronts, and it's just a question of when the train wreck will happen.
Gorgeous cinematography, great effects, great acting, and mystery bits leading us towards the finale. It's about family, belonging, getting past the things that pull you down. Definitely open for a sequel! Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Bag Man - Sci-Fi Short Film - This 10+ minute short film is what the movie KIN is based on. Several elements made it from here to the movie. (The owl!) A little abrupt and with 0 explanations, but it was fun seeing the correlations.
Cool new song (to me!) I thought I'd share. Would be a lovely fit with the boys from Supernatural. :)
No Roots by Alice Merton. Super catchy!
Prepare to be Disturbed!!!! Guardians Inferno from Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2. (Most of the cast is in this! You just might not recognize them! lol!) Talk about an 80's flashback. lol.
2Cellos - Thunderstruck - love the set up for this one. These guys rock!
Okay, got to go. Hope you have a wonderful Labor Day!
August 26, 2018
Virtual Tourist - Deus Ex: Mankind Divided 8/26/18
Morning all!
Mini Movie Reviews
Alpha - There is a lot of gorgeous cinematography in this film. They start out us out with the crisis point then go back a week earlier. It's a gimmick they could have left out and made a better film due to it. It was nice to see some of the culture of the tribe, though the whole beating of the kids was not explained and didn't make much sense, especially the night before a long excursion. Several instances of anachronism, which were odd. Several cases where the boy had a chance to make things better for himself and didn't. (Hunter tent, sabertooth tiger pelt.) Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Continuing the dog theme...
A-X-L - Adorable premise, blossoming AI escapes and gets adopted by a boy after getting bested by him. (Alpha dominance also showed in Alpha.) But a lot of problems with doing things for convenience and plot manipulation. Example: We see AXL use intelligence in evading pursuers and not being found, yet later he doesn't move back even though we see in his sensors he is aware of the weapon the person is pointing and the pool for gasoline at his feet. He claws things, but we never see the claws. Lots of little things that added up to take away from the film. Rating: 3 out of 5 Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.
One funny thing was that in A-X-L they show pics of man and dog over the years and of course had one for ancient man and dog. Tying it back to Alpha. Heh heh. Oh, and today is National Dog Day! So you have doggie movies you can see to celebrate. :)
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Left for dead, Jensen has made his way inside the GARM facility where the trap was spring.
View of the inside of GARM.
Moving from building 1 to building 2 of the GARm facility. It looks so cold out there!
There be waterfalls at GARM. Used for power generation?
Slowly working my way to possible escape from this place.
View of GARM from the helipad.
View of the whole compound as I make my escape. Impressive looking, no?
Good to be back.
Crime waits for no one.
On the book trailer news - I've picked three possibles for the music for the trailer. As I've done in the past, I look to Kevin MacLeod for excellent royalty free tracks. Will I use Black Vortex, Phantom from Space, or Voltaic? Too soon to tell. :P
Mini Movie Reviews
Alpha - There is a lot of gorgeous cinematography in this film. They start out us out with the crisis point then go back a week earlier. It's a gimmick they could have left out and made a better film due to it. It was nice to see some of the culture of the tribe, though the whole beating of the kids was not explained and didn't make much sense, especially the night before a long excursion. Several instances of anachronism, which were odd. Several cases where the boy had a chance to make things better for himself and didn't. (Hunter tent, sabertooth tiger pelt.) Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Continuing the dog theme...
A-X-L - Adorable premise, blossoming AI escapes and gets adopted by a boy after getting bested by him. (Alpha dominance also showed in Alpha.) But a lot of problems with doing things for convenience and plot manipulation. Example: We see AXL use intelligence in evading pursuers and not being found, yet later he doesn't move back even though we see in his sensors he is aware of the weapon the person is pointing and the pool for gasoline at his feet. He claws things, but we never see the claws. Lots of little things that added up to take away from the film. Rating: 3 out of 5 Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.
One funny thing was that in A-X-L they show pics of man and dog over the years and of course had one for ancient man and dog. Tying it back to Alpha. Heh heh. Oh, and today is National Dog Day! So you have doggie movies you can see to celebrate. :)
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Left for dead, Jensen has made his way inside the GARM facility where the trap was spring.
View of the inside of GARM.
Moving from building 1 to building 2 of the GARm facility. It looks so cold out there!
There be waterfalls at GARM. Used for power generation?
Slowly working my way to possible escape from this place.
View of GARM from the helipad.
View of the whole compound as I make my escape. Impressive looking, no?
Good to be back.
Crime waits for no one.
On the book trailer news - I've picked three possibles for the music for the trailer. As I've done in the past, I look to Kevin MacLeod for excellent royalty free tracks. Will I use Black Vortex, Phantom from Space, or Voltaic? Too soon to tell. :P
August 12, 2018
The MEG and Starting on a Book Trailer for Alien Redemption
Morning, all!
I am going to go in a different direction this week. Since my SF novel "Alien Redemption" will be getting published in 2019, I need to start now in getting the word out and doing things to promote it. (With my lack of time, this will be tough! They always say you should start at least nine months in advance. Oi!)
So I figured I would occasionally share what I'm doing to prep for that. Before that though, let's do our weekly Mini Movie Review! :P
Mini Movie Review
The MEG - The beginning of the film was really well done. They set up the hero, give us a glimpse into what has scarred him and then we start five years later. The Mana One and the mini-subs and our descent below the frost level are fantastic. Seeing the first view of this hidden underwater world was great! The whole section there, including the rescue, etc. was well worth it. It's only once that's over that it goes into what you initially expected, contrived situations to get people in the water. :P Meiying (Sophia Cai) was super adorable! She also adds much to the film. There are loads of familiar faces. Red herrings, weirdness, and more abound. It also has loads of JAWS in-jokes/homage. A million times better than Sharknado. :P
Rating: 3 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Alien Redemption - Getting pieces for the Book Trailer pt 1(And realizing I have not made a page at the website for this one yet. DOH! Something else for the To-Do List! :P)
So the first thing you have to do is try to find photos that somewhat resemble your vision. This could mean hours trolling through the different photo sites to locate those you can purchase rights on to use. I got pretty lucky yesterday and found a lot of what I needed at Adobe Stock.
I will need to do a lot of work on the pics I found, but it's one step closer to getting the book trailer done. :)
Here's the original I decided to use for the Holiday (Captain Ricardo Bennet's ship - and the location where many things happen in the first half of the book).
I was looking for something that looked like a merchant class ship, and this one filled the need famously.
I needed to add stars and the name of the ship to the photo. Luckily I was able to find a tutorial for how to add a starry sky! Yay!
You can't see the stars on this one. Too shrunk down. You should be able to click on it to get a bigger view. Let me get a different cut as well.
You can see the name and the stars. It was bizarre how the artist had tapes with H's on different areas of the hull. Almost like this was destined. No? :P
Next is Turbic Station:
Not the exact vision in the book, but close is good! It will give you an idea of the place. Turbic Station is at the edge of the Dominion in what is called the Fringes. The last bastion of civilized/charted space. They know it too, and you pay for the privilege. :P
Currently, I've only added stars to the background. May add some neon for the upper area where the exclusive part of the station serves rich clientele wanting to get away from all the restrictions of the civilized worlds.
Lovely, no? :)
I have a ways to go! Had hoped to have a gif ready of the Holiday dashing across the screen, but I need to work on the angles. Maybe next time. :P
Next week ChibiChains and I will be at Animefest! If you are there, please come to the Dealers Room and say "Hi!".
Have a great week!
I am going to go in a different direction this week. Since my SF novel "Alien Redemption" will be getting published in 2019, I need to start now in getting the word out and doing things to promote it. (With my lack of time, this will be tough! They always say you should start at least nine months in advance. Oi!)
So I figured I would occasionally share what I'm doing to prep for that. Before that though, let's do our weekly Mini Movie Review! :P
Mini Movie Review
The MEG - The beginning of the film was really well done. They set up the hero, give us a glimpse into what has scarred him and then we start five years later. The Mana One and the mini-subs and our descent below the frost level are fantastic. Seeing the first view of this hidden underwater world was great! The whole section there, including the rescue, etc. was well worth it. It's only once that's over that it goes into what you initially expected, contrived situations to get people in the water. :P Meiying (Sophia Cai) was super adorable! She also adds much to the film. There are loads of familiar faces. Red herrings, weirdness, and more abound. It also has loads of JAWS in-jokes/homage. A million times better than Sharknado. :P
Rating: 3 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Alien Redemption - Getting pieces for the Book Trailer pt 1(And realizing I have not made a page at the website for this one yet. DOH! Something else for the To-Do List! :P)
So the first thing you have to do is try to find photos that somewhat resemble your vision. This could mean hours trolling through the different photo sites to locate those you can purchase rights on to use. I got pretty lucky yesterday and found a lot of what I needed at Adobe Stock.
I will need to do a lot of work on the pics I found, but it's one step closer to getting the book trailer done. :)
Here's the original I decided to use for the Holiday (Captain Ricardo Bennet's ship - and the location where many things happen in the first half of the book).
I was looking for something that looked like a merchant class ship, and this one filled the need famously.
I needed to add stars and the name of the ship to the photo. Luckily I was able to find a tutorial for how to add a starry sky! Yay!
You can't see the stars on this one. Too shrunk down. You should be able to click on it to get a bigger view. Let me get a different cut as well.
You can see the name and the stars. It was bizarre how the artist had tapes with H's on different areas of the hull. Almost like this was destined. No? :P
Next is Turbic Station:
Not the exact vision in the book, but close is good! It will give you an idea of the place. Turbic Station is at the edge of the Dominion in what is called the Fringes. The last bastion of civilized/charted space. They know it too, and you pay for the privilege. :P
Currently, I've only added stars to the background. May add some neon for the upper area where the exclusive part of the station serves rich clientele wanting to get away from all the restrictions of the civilized worlds.
Lovely, no? :)
I have a ways to go! Had hoped to have a gif ready of the Holiday dashing across the screen, but I need to work on the angles. Maybe next time. :P
Next week ChibiChains and I will be at Animefest! If you are there, please come to the Dealers Room and say "Hi!".
Have a great week!
July 29, 2018
Virtual Tourist - Wolfenstein II 7/29/18
Morning!
Mini Movie Review
Mission Impossible: Fallout - the film is a rollercoaster of non-stop action. They also throw in nostalgic bits which were excellent. Loved the mission recorder, which was a mix of super new tech (DNA matching) and original TV show (tape wheels and smoke!). Twists and red herrings abound. They also added things going wrong, annoyances to the protagonist, and other bits making this feel more like real life. Many things come back full circle. Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again.)
Wolfenstein II The New ColossusYeppers, finally playing the third installment. Hubby finished it way back, but I'd not gotten to play. I bit more dizzying than the previous two, which is why I stayed away for a bit.
Blazkowicz's Mom - he's having a dream/nightmare. Not a good family life as it turns out.
The game picks up moments after the end of Wolfenstein The New Order. Blazkowicz is messed up. It's a miracle he's alive at all!
Our ragtag team's leader. The suit allows her to walk and fight.
Blaskowicz wakes up fully when the stolen ship gets boarded. Finally finds one of the others. B has mad skills with his wheelchair. Lol. This boat is not made for the disabled.
The Doc has set up some nasty traps for the soldiers. Very nasty traps. :P
They always have such lovely details! B pics up bits of info about Nazi America as he wheels himself through the sub.
A bittersweet reunion with Anya!
B isn't doing good. Half hitpoints are the best he gets! But he's still tougher than anything out there. :P
She has so much faith in him. Got to cling to what you can.
Love in the midst of carnage. :) Pregnant she still kicks buns! Heh heh.
Hope your weekend has been fab! Next week I will be at ArmadilloCon! Hope to see you there. :)
Mini Movie Review
Mission Impossible: Fallout - the film is a rollercoaster of non-stop action. They also throw in nostalgic bits which were excellent. Loved the mission recorder, which was a mix of super new tech (DNA matching) and original TV show (tape wheels and smoke!). Twists and red herrings abound. They also added things going wrong, annoyances to the protagonist, and other bits making this feel more like real life. Many things come back full circle. Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again.)
Wolfenstein II The New ColossusYeppers, finally playing the third installment. Hubby finished it way back, but I'd not gotten to play. I bit more dizzying than the previous two, which is why I stayed away for a bit.
Blazkowicz's Mom - he's having a dream/nightmare. Not a good family life as it turns out.
The game picks up moments after the end of Wolfenstein The New Order. Blazkowicz is messed up. It's a miracle he's alive at all!
Our ragtag team's leader. The suit allows her to walk and fight.
Blaskowicz wakes up fully when the stolen ship gets boarded. Finally finds one of the others. B has mad skills with his wheelchair. Lol. This boat is not made for the disabled.
The Doc has set up some nasty traps for the soldiers. Very nasty traps. :P
They always have such lovely details! B pics up bits of info about Nazi America as he wheels himself through the sub.
A bittersweet reunion with Anya!
B isn't doing good. Half hitpoints are the best he gets! But he's still tougher than anything out there. :P
She has so much faith in him. Got to cling to what you can.
Love in the midst of carnage. :) Pregnant she still kicks buns! Heh heh.
Hope your weekend has been fab! Next week I will be at ArmadilloCon! Hope to see you there. :)
