Blog#330!!! PC Games of 1997: Blade Runner

Welcome back my collective of nerd to Day 3 of PC Games of 1997.  Journey with me to Westwood Studios, creators of such games as: Battle Tech: The Crescent Hawk’s Inception, Mars Saga, Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun, Young Merlin and Monopoly

As these titles captured the imagination they still lacked graphics punch up or an amazing voice cast all the while still dealing with popular themes.   This time they decided to tap into one of Ridley Scott’s films but not retell the story but have the game operate as more of an additional story during same time.   So get ready to do some interrogation, calibrate the Voight-Kampff machine and get ready to make wild gestures.  This is Blade Runner.

I wish to register a complaint about your Norwegian Blue.

Clovis: “I was angry with my spoiler. I told my wrath, my wraith did end. I was angry with my foe. I told my wraith, my wrath did grow.”

Our game opens with a typical cut scene showing our would be villains tormenting a pet shop owner claiming all his animals are pure pedigrees of the highest quality and the suspects felt that butchering these creatures would teach him a good lesson in being truthful.  Enter our hero/protagonist Ray McCoy (Mark Benninghoffen of The Larry Sanders Show, Chicago Hope, Always Say Goodbey and Money Talks) Rookie Blade Runner assigned to the case due to all other Runners are tending more difficult cases.  Ray is happy to be doing something other than paperwork for a change, his Lieutenant Guzza (Jeff Garlin of Hero, Robocop 3, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Goldbergs) a blobby and lazy man whose shirt and tie looks like a casualty in a catering food fight gives him the heads up that he is facing Nexus 6 Replicants (bioengineered droids who resemble humans) the usual watch your ass rookie speech and shoos him away.  Ray has never faced a Nexus 6 and is nervous as hell.

My God I can see gravy stains in his neck folds!

If you were hoping for some Deckard action team-up buddy cop drama…well you are out of luck kids.  Sadly our Rick Deckard is referred in passing or and there are a few gags of the same crime scenes duplicated from the film but no glorious team-up.  On the upside several members of the original cast came in to reprise their roles. 

And now a few points to be made about the game play.   This is a point and click adventure game so think the Monkey Island standings.  From solving puzzles, clues and getting people come clean with the info.  We even have a few interrogations with the Voight-Kampff device to gauge emotional reactions that Replicants cannot fully duplicate.  The gathering of evidence is using your eyes and the mouse for an interactive system known as the Knowledge Integration Assistant for easy access and allowing you to go over the Crime Scene photos to look for further clues that may have been missed or hidden away from you.

The overall look of this game fits the same crowd and dystrophic environment of Los Angeles 2019 down to the Tyrell building from the movie to the look of Chinatown and the 3D models is based in an amount of pixels with width, height and depth rather than a scanned copy of background, green or blue screen and rougher pixelation.

Alright subway rat, spread 'em!

PC Games of 1997: Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight

Greetings gaming nerds and welcome back for another helping of PC Games of 1997 and I think I found a title that we can all have memories about.   Good or bad, we have all had some interaction with this next particular game.  In 1995, Lucasarts put out a FPS with a bit of puzzle solving called Dark Forces.  Following the story arc of one Kyle Katarn, a former Imperial turned mercenary.  This man is responsible for laying hands on the Death Star blueprints as well as dispatching the prototype Dark Trooper bots.   So what could be more impressive than that record…well let’s just say the force is strong in this one.  So grab your lightsaber, hone your force powers and feel free to use a thermal detonator in the crowd.  This is Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight.

Kyle undergoes "intense negotiations".

Jan Orr: What would you do without me, Kyle?

Kyle: I’d be a content old spoiler.

Continuing from its predecessor Dark Forces, we look into a larger scope of the galaxy and what is to be come of it if Kyle does not get to the main page.  5 years prior Kyle’s father was dispatched off this mortal coil by a dark Jedi or Sith over the location of a lost planet concealing the greatest concentration of the living force known only as the Valley of the Jedi.  Legend has it that over a thousand years ago an army of Jedi (lightside force users) and Sith (darkside force users) battled themselves near to extinction leaving this embodiment of force presence.     Force speed is of course one of the more fun force powers to have. Light your saber and do run by slayings. 

Worst Craigslist threesome offer...ever.

Inter spliced with the 3D graphics of the time is some cut scenes of the voice actors of the characters in blue screen acting.   The handing via keyboard is a standard WAS and Mouse button 1 and 2.    With the single player story is where the fun began. Back in the day MSN Gaming Zone has an exorbitant amount of puzzle, strategy games and FPS to be online and Dark Forces 2 was beloved by many for the Multi-player fights had just begun to get ugly with atrocious spelling, obscene comments and the odd force blinding.

The game’s storyline is set a year after the events of Return of the Jedi and the controlling forces of most of the Star Destroyers is a darksider name Jerec; an inspiring Sith Master that wants to claim the Valley as a source of power and corrupt the galaxies to his every whim.  Kyle, a now self-taught Jedi must battle Jerec and his darkside warriors, stormtroopers, AT-STs and about every other Imperial to stop Jerec’s mad plan.  His choices will determine what path of the force he will follow.

I have just a few comments about the game and its play.  This is primarily a FPS game with some puzzle work and impliementing the force for Kyle gives you more options to fight with along with a barrage for weapons like Dark Forces, now even a lightsaber to hack your opponents with.  The expansion pack for the further adventures Mysteries of the Sith continued more levels but the story five years after Jedi Knight and follows Mara Jade, a mercenary and former darksider.

My butt look blocky in this shot?

PC Games of 1997: Fallout

Hiyas spawn campers and welcome to Day 1 of PC games of 1997. I thought I would pick my personal favorite of this time era. An RPG of post-apocalyptic proportions of war torn United States with no Government to speak of and justice is dispensed from the barrel of a gun or the edge of a knife.   So grab your stimpacks, get that Action Boy extra and improve your Small Arms skill.  This is Fallout.

I'd fight the law but the law wins.

Mayor Killian Darkwater: Sure bet. May not be as big as in the Spoiler but most people find what they are looking for.

First off this game is approximately 16 years old at this time what with being produced in 1997 by Black Isle Studios.  A post-apocalyptic role playing game that is turn based similar to a table top RPG by Steve Jackson Games called GURPS. 

The world as we know it was destroyed due to atomic fallout during the year 2077.  Most technology is derived by this timeline hails from the conception of the 1950’s.  You will also find that most of the science-fiction tech from movies, pulp comics and magazines are an influence as well.

Just let him go walkies before the gunfight.

Your character is a vault dweller.  This means you have spent the better portion of your life underground in a fallout shelter that was contracted by the government.  Your task is to replace a water chip to replenish your water recycling and main plumbing or everyone you know will die of thirst.   So you will trek out into the unknown and encounter inhabitants of this wasteland that was once the world.   You are the vault’s last hope.   You and you alone will decide the fate of dozens of lives depending on you.

 As you progress throughout the game your skills will increase as you level up.  The lands have mutated into vast deserts and remains of once proud cities. You will see items, landmarks and vehicles that you will recall from your data tapes.  Your PIP boy 2000 is a device that will map your locations, describe artifacts that you pick up or examine and keep track of each task or furthering plot to each new town you happen to.

 The mass radiation has caused simple creatures of the past to grow in size and making it more deadly than before the Great War.  Rats and scorpions as your history stated are now twice if not ten times the size of their predecessors.

Bartering and conversation will be a must in order to collect more data about the world around you.  Townsfolk are leery of strangers but in general of good spirits to newcomers.  It boils down to proving if you are the sort that can be trusted.  Because the citizens of each town are comprised of farmers, cattle ranchers and laborers so you will seem out of place so they will be naturally confused and cautious.  

Main characters in each town will be voiced by many esteem actors.  The likes of Richard Dean Anderson, Clancy Brown, Ron Perlman, Tony Shalhoub and CCH Pounder.  Again, it is vital that you talk to as many people as are willing to talk to you.   Random encounters will raise an eyebrow or two depending on each thing, man, woman or monster so keep your wits about you and your weapon of choice handy.  To survive in this world means to take a life to keep yours.

The Farmer's Market really has changed.

Veterans' Day

For the men and women of the military that offer their service to keep vigilant and on their guard for those that take their freedoms for granted.  Know that your sacrifices, victories and failures are not in vain and there are many that are appreciative.

To our fallen and our survivors, Happy Veterans Day!

1997 PC Games

Well I was dusting off my shelves and felt we would tackle some video games as it has been some time since I have done any games.  Yes shame on me.  I must be whipped, purged and flogged no doubt.   We could also just go over some classic and fun games of 1997 which gave us the first of many different graphics and complex story lines.

From RPG(Role Playing Game), FPS(First Person Shooter), RTS ( Real-Time Strategy), TBS (Turn- Based Strategy) and of course Point and Click bringing us conflicting emotions of amazement and annoyance.  So time consuming were these games that we didn't even realize how late into the night it could be or almost miss classes for it but by God we were entertained.

Hmm this cannon has some recoil.

Blog #325!!! Wil Wheaton Week: Legion of Superheroes

Good day and hello to Day 5 of Wil Wheaton Week and many are no doubt asking, “Jake is there anything else you want to touch base on?”  As luck would have it yes there is.  Wil Wheaton has had a voice-over career for over a decade now ranging from video games, independent cartoons via web and CW based cartoons.  I thought it might be nice to explore into one of those cartoons for two reasons. One it was a bit shocking finding a predominant character being helmed by Wil and two I love the obscure DC comics titles.   So stitch up that spandex, grab your flight ring and get ready for action.  This is Legion of Super Heroes.

Fear not Brainiac for I too was a child star!

Lightning Lad: Where’s Spoiler when you really need him?

It is the 30^th Century and a super villain gathering known as the Fatal Five has been slapping around the Science Police, the primary law enforcement on Earth.  An autonomous collection of young heroes known as the Legion of Superheroes; ranging from different planets in the Galactic Federation and allowing to be among fellow teens and harness their powers for the good of all.  With a skeleton crew watching over New Metropolis the team members are concerned they lack the necessary firepower to take on the Fatal Five.  Brainiac 5, the team’s resident tech whiz informs the group they can time travel and acquire a temporary legionnaire from Smallville.  

Okay, this is the last time I am showing you how to program the DVR.

That’s right teen gang the group is off to require Superman (would have been Superboy but there were some financial and copyright issues DC was stuck with).   So young Clark Kent/ Superman (Yuri Lowenthal of Rave Master, Dungeon Seige, SSX 3, Duel Masters and EverQuest II: Desert of Fire) tends to an accident in his hometown when he is greeted by Saturn Girl (Kari Wahlgren of Marvel Super Hero Squad, X-Men: Destiny, Spider-Man: Edge of Time, Fate/Zero), a telekinetic/telepath combo, Bouncing Boy (Michael Cornacchia of Hot Parts, Reservoir Dogs, Happy Feet, Wasting Away, L.A. Noire and Last Call) a lad that alters his body density and Brainiac 5 (Ada, Wylie of The Swan Princess,  Hey Arnold, Gilmore Girls and Superman/Doomsday) a living robotic humanoid that happens to be neon green with blonde hair.  Yeah he kinda stands out.   The trio persuades Clark to join them in their adventures as their time machine will get him right back the very same minute he left.

Primary leader Cosmic Boy (Wil Wheaton) is out helping other planets with little to no defense of their own and Lightning Lad (Andy Milder of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Weeds and Austin & Ally) is second-in-command is left in charge of which he is not thrilled with.

Grasping new fangled technologies such as a flight ring that translates almost any language into English, creates a life support force field for being in space, the air and underwater and heck the coffee pots must be baffling, Clark finds this timeline to be fascinating and makes new friends almost overnight.  Finding out that he will one day be the driving force that helps create the Legion of Superheroes is a bit overwhelming but hey take it in stride, kid.

Want some? Roll for initiative, tin man!

Wil Wheaton Week: Toy Soldiers

Welcome back readers for Day 4 of Wil Wheaton Week and I think this is a good example of his yesteryear work yet again.  As Wil himself confirmed this was the first film he made where he did not require adult supervision.  A hallmark for any child actor deemed mature enough in of itself but also a movie that provided a great deal of entertainment.  So prep those lacrosse uniforms, light some cherry bombs in the toilets and sneak a bit of booze on campus.  This is Toy Soldiers.

 

Sam Wise and Wesley are baffled.

Ricardo Montoya: It’s the first rule of prep spoiler etiquette. When you’re in a basement with no windows, don’t fart.

 A prestigious prep school known as Regis School which consists of lads on scholarships to children of influential standing and prominent in society ranging from international banking to politics; this all boys school has of course its share of troublemakers.  The most notorious are a gang of kids led by Billy Tepper (Sean Astin of The Goonies, Like Father Like Son, Rudy, Courage Under Fire and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) his best buddy mafia kid Joey Trotta (Wil Wheaton of Flubber, Fag Hag, The Girl’s Room, Deep Core, Book of Days, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Ghost Recon 2), wise ass Snuffy Bradberry (Keith Coogan of The Waltons, Gun Shy, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, The Power Within and Just a Little Harmless Sex), jock Ricardo Montoya (George Perez of Manhattan Merengue!, Tin Cup and Selena)  and rebellious Hank Giles (T.E. Russell of Trespass, Gladiator, Swimming with Sharks and City of Angels). 

These devious pranksters are hellbent to make the headmaster and dean’s lives very interesting. Dean Parker (Louis Gosset Jr. of An Officer and a Gentleman, Iron Eagle, Enemy Mine, A Good Man in Africa and Stargate: SG-1) sees great potential in Billy and wants him to clean up his act by putting him on restricted duty.  Joey’s bunkmate has been whisked up by the US Marshal’s service in protection of the boy and his family by a potential threat due to a trial his father is prosecuting one radical freedom fighter Enrique Cali.

No, I am not Hans Grubber!!!

Violence beseeches the private school in the form of guerilla trained terrorist group led by Enrique’s son Luis (Andrew Divoff of The Hunt for Red October, Wishmaster, A Low Down Dirty Shame, Air Force One, CSI: Miami and Lost), a man driven by purpose and conviction with nothing to lose.  The kids are captured, herded and told behave or they will get shot or if they tamper with the explosives rigged all over the school campus they will explode taking all their friends and classmates in a huge fiery death.

Our young hellions begin to conspire together to try to get the word out to any member of authority handling this case from how many men they are facing to what positions they hold and even what armaments they are carrying.   While the FBI is frantically trying to slash through the red tape and arrange transport for Enrique they realize these monsters will get away scott free by doing this. 

Hmm, wonder how I would look in a beard.

I had just a few comments to make on the film.  While the director Daniel Petrie Jr. is primarily known as a producer and writer (Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy, Turner & Hooch and Shoot to Kill) this was his first motion picture under his directing helm and scoring as much talent for this very dramatic albeit a bit unrealistic film, I was deeply impressed.  Yes the notions of teenagers fighting harden commandos in a life and death struggle is a bit farfetched but altogether still entertaining.  Lot of comedy attached to an otherwise dark powerful film.