A short respite...

So this post has absolutely nothing to do with film...shortly.

First off I just want to mention that I've just finished a treatment for, what is in essence...Editor's Note - I decided to take out the description for this treatment, should it all be changed at the last minute. Let's just say, it's both familiary and arty at the same time.

On the Everyday Joe front, i got some notes back, some of which I'm now trying to implement into Draft 10.5 or 11. There were other notes that I think I may let slide as I don't want to stray to far from my original intention. Put this down to artist discretion.

So enough about films. I just wanted to highlight a random point of what a good year for games this year will be, or to put it another way, I have an expensive Christmas period this year. Now, I'm sure there are quite a few games coming out that should be mentioned, but its my blog and I just wanted to post a video about this:-



Originally I simply thought Uncharted was just a Tomb Raider rip off with a bloke (Funny how Tomb Raider is an Indiana Jones rip off with a girl) Although I still wanted to play it. I'm a sucker for these adventure games. Upon moving in with my Girlfriend and inheriting a PS3 I know now that they are a hell of a lot more. And I'm afraid to say, may even be better than Lara Croft's exploits. I still have a place in my gaming heart for the original PS1 Tomb Raider, but everyone knows the yearly release dates considerably weakened the series. I'll get back to this in a bit anyway, back to Uncharted.

Uncharted is great. It's fun to play, has great dialogue, and can be annoying as bloody hell; but it always leaves you wanting more. There's great chemistry between the main character Nate Drake, his old friend Sully and the is she/isn't she possible love interest Elena. I should really give more of a back story, but you really need to check them out yourselves if possible. I'm currently finishing up Uncharted 2, but I'll definitely be in the queue for the next installment, unless my girlfriend beats me there.

The next game on my radar so far is kind of obvious:



The original Batman: Arkham Asylum was a really fun game. The first to really put you in the Batman's boots. Once again Batman: Arkham City is written by Paul Dini, and features voice actors from the original Animated Series, as well as newcomers. I love how the story has taken on a darker tone akin to the films of Christopher Nolan. A much more suitable place for Batman that the Day Glo world of Scumacher.

I may be biased because I've bought almost every Batman game made, and enjoyed most of them. I just glad that now they've found a system that really does the Caped Crusader justice.

Finally there's this:

Yep, no video yet of the next Tomb Raider, but I know I'll be there paying the extortionate price for the new game once released. As I was saying, they were getting worse. The Angel of Darkness pretty much destroyed the series. Despite having a few good ideas, Core managed to kill the series with poor delivery. So Crystal Dynamics had a go.

Tomb Raider: Legend was good. Great story, awesome new control system and style. It's a pity then , that after remaking the first Tomb Raider (Anniversary) they managed to drive the series back in to the ground with Underworld. I personally liked this game. However, it didn't really do much than to expand the story from Legend, and every level seemed to be in another cave. Imagination got a little lost here.

So now they've rebooted the series. This time it looks as though we're in prequel territory, and possibly a Bermuda Triangle of sorts. It also looks like she'll get a bit beaten up as well: So there we have it. A brief respite from work to talk about some great looking games. Now I'm off to work on Everyday Joe, or maybe play Uncharted 2. Or possibly one of the other 20 odd games I have piled up that I've yet to start playing. I'd better get busy...

100 posts = 100 things to talk about...

So here’s how it was...

I started the blog about just under 3 years ago. On Thursday 14th August 2008 to be exact I’m not particularly sure of the reasons off hand. I was going to mention that according to my original post it was because of this...but I don't seem to have given a reason. I think I started it, as Brother Chris said, so that I can look back on what I was moaning about months ago. That, and people will want to know how it went down.

It’s always been difficult continuing to blog when you can count your readership on your fingers, and see most of them in real life regularly. I have managed to keep it up over time though.

So over the last couple of years I’ve talked about things that annoy me, things that excite me, things I’ve been working on and a lot of complaining. I also gave up at one point, only posting occasional musings.

Fun fact time, whilst this blog has existed I’ve lived in four houses/flats, 3 towns and had 4 jobs, included a period of unemployment.

I’d just finished a making of, completed a shorter making of, made a 2nd E4 ESting and a music video. I’ve seen a number of bands, seen a load of films and mused a lot of random musings.

So that’s basically how it went down...

...and here’s how it is.

So right here in the present I'm still busy. I'm still working, which yes is good because I get money, but it does take up a hell of a lot of time, and is a bit annoying. I've lived in my current house for over 6 months which is looking good. And I'm still playing games. Got my hands on a PS3 now thank to the Girlfriend's gaming madness. Uncharted is amazing by the way.

So with all the above going on I'm still busy with the creativity. I wrote a list recently of all the things I have to work on and there were about 10 items on there, and they're all in different stages. Some are more urgent than other, some are writing based, some making of based. 1 is a whole animated film. Not feature length of course, but long-ish. I am quite confident to announce, over the next year or so I will be working on:-

Lost in 5 Towns: A Tale of an Everyday Joe.

Did I juts break a rule and announce a project... oh crap. I wont divulge too much information, just that it's a film close to my own heart, set in good old Stoke-on-Trent. Now, if you never hear of this again, I will have learned my lesson about announcements on blogs.

Still I've still got the secret writings I've got going with Brother Chris which will hopefully come to fruition in the near future. And on that note, you're all up to speed.

So here’s how it will be...

Some stuff I guess.

Here's to the next 100 posts.

They asked for 1000 Lawman, they got only 1. He was enough...

So I need to post simply because I haven't in a while.

Things have been busy since the last time. I say busy, I had a week of so I've really just been lazy. Time off should really mean I get a chance to catch up on all the things I need to write/create that I normally don't have time to do. However in this instance I used the time to play games. I did take in a spot of theatre to see the Dickensian 'The Black Veil'. It's based on a Charles Dickens short thriller. It's not a bad story, slow to get started. It could have done with a few ghosts but enjoyable non the less. It was just a little odd to go on the Wednesday Matinee with the retired community of Worthing.

Now I say I had a week off, but I blatantly lied. I had to work again on Thursday and Friday.

This is what else happened:-

I saw I Am Number Four - A bit muddled, with too much Twilight influence. Not sure the studio knew what they wanted to do with this.

I saw Paul - A slow starter with a few jokes. Not a clever/sharp as Hot Fuzz or Shaun, but better than Superbad but not as good as Adventureland.

I couldn't see Drive Angry 3D - stupid Odeon only had it on for one week. ONE WEEK!! This is crazy. I blame the world...and Yogi Bear 3D...and most of all the stupid Odeon.

Finally, on Saturday, after many double bookings my girlfriend Charlotte and I went to see KT Tunstall at the Brighton Dome. This was a strange experience, mainly due to small coincidental happenings (Mark Wahlberg wasn't there though, I think). I was talking about previous gigs I'd been to and how Rob Zombie had used Devo (who Brother Chris ans I saw a couple of years ago - See here) in his playlist before the gig. At this point Whip It came on. Awesomely weird I thought.

I then mentioned how the first ever gig I went to was to see Ash play in Wolverhampton, over ten years ago. then who should come out on stage as pat of KT's band, but Charlotte Hatherley. Once again. Awesomely weird.

Overall it was a great show. She's a lot better live than on the CD's and the band were really good. There were a few annoying people throughout the evening. We arrived early to get a good spot and started queuing at 6:30pm. Doors were at 7:00pm. This didn't stop everyone behind us sneaking forward to see why the doors hasn't opened yet - because doors were at 7 maybe. Or complaining that THEY were making us wait outside - BECAUSE DOOR WERE AT 7:00.

Once inside we got to the second row back and found ourselves next to Veruca Salt and her first gig experience. This would have been fine if she wasn't hurling abuse at the support - The Pictish Trail. A one man singer/songwriter, who was brave enough to come on alone, only to be heckled by 10 year olds.

People just didn't seem to understand what exactly happened at gigs.

Anyhoo here's a video. I'm at work so not sure how good this is.



As with other gig reviews I need to point out that we were standing on what was essesntially the second row just to the left of centre stage. At about 20 seconds, KT Tunstall was directly infront of us. I think we may be on this video in the darkness of the crowd.

I also managed to nab myself the plectrum shrew threw out to the audience. This time using my Eyes of the Hawk. Having already used Speed of the Puma to get the Alice Cooper money I only need to utilise Ears of the Wolf and Strength of the Bear to confirm my Bravestarr status.

Now I'd better do some work.