Star Wars Animated “Rebels” to Debut 2014

Although I’m still reeling from the sudden loss of the Clone Wars due to Disney’s mad chopping spree throughout the Star Wars world, I’ve been consoled slightly. Apparently the next animated series will not only be handled by none other than Clone Wars veteran Dave Filoni and a lot of his technical crew, but it will deal with a time era that doesn’t get a whole lot of exposure; The Dark Times era between episode 3 and 4. It was pretty obvious that Filoni would be working on something past the Clone Wars when he was using a TIE Fighter picture as “research”, but it was pretty hard to pinpoint whether it was directly after the Clone Wars era or in between the old trilogy or after the old trilogy. After the old trilogy would have made sense since episode’s 7, 8 and 9 are currently in development, because it’s not like the Empire just went away after Return of the Jedi. However, I’m equally pleased to hear that the series will take place between episode 3 and 4. It’s also called ‘Rebels’ which is totally bad ass. I envision rogue Jedi and freedom fighters like Bail Organa and Mon Mothma leading the charge against the Empire. (Bail and Mothma of course not so openly.) Check out the video below of Dave Filoni talking about Rebels a little bit and when it will be hitting a small screen near you:

2014 is not so far away! There are plenty of possibilities that could occur in a series like this. Depending on how much creative control they give to Filoni we could see the return of Ahsoka sometime. Fans loved her and she was Filoni’s biggest contribution to the saga. She would be significantly older if it takes place closer to episode 4 and it sets a perfect stage for an Ahsoka v.s. Vader confrontation. Clearly Sidious didn’t kill Maul because he had “other uses” for him. I don’t think that means Maul was going to be his secretary, I think that means he’s going to use him as a weapon again. So there’s some potential of Vader and Maul running into one another too? Count me in. It may add some extra tension with Anakin knowing that his old Master’s killer is still walking around and serving his new master as well. Then again, Disney may have Filoni shy away from those characters completely and concentrate on the non-Jedi heroes and soldiers that will one day make up the Rebel Alliance.

Rebels
Expect to see plenty of Ralph McQuarrie inspired designs in the show.

Either way I’m good to go and curious to see if the animation style from the show will mirror that of the Clone Wars or be completely different. I have complete faith in Filoni and his crew after watching five seasons of a show that became better and better visually and story wise each season that it went through. Bring me the rebel scum ASAP!

Rebels

Xbox One Has Been Revealed! Our Editors Debate Yay or Nay

So we finally got our big reveal for the next generation Xbox and it is called the Xbox One. It is being billed as the next revolutionary step  in not only gaming, but home entertainment. The ‘One’ concludes that this will be the only entertainment console and device that will be connected to your television because of its expansive features that will cater to all. From the new Kinect, technological innovations, partnerships with Skype, the NFL, and Comcast, Microsoft wants to be your exclusive hub for all things media. Of course, we have a varied range of opinions of the staff and we’re going to share our thoughts on the system, the press conference itself, and other things. Amanda Denton, Scott Fraser and myself dive into the essentials below, after the video of the reveal part of the press conference courtesy of IGN.

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xbox one kinect

First, let’s just go through everything that’s been announced so far today. One of the big things they are pushing today is the Kinect. From the outset, this is a major part of the console as they have concentrated on improving the use of the Kinect and its integration into navigating the system. They called it ‘rocket science’ type stuff and while skeptical, for the most part it was impressive. Showing off the use of the system in tracking the unique voice and person, the system seamlessly moved between the Xbox Dashboard to cable TV to movies previously watched as well as music recently listened to. This is a result of the architecture inside which uses multiple operating systems and the new hardware that allows for a quick transition. Also taking advantage of the upgrade is the sensor that can recognize things with more accuracy, such as joints and being able to follow gestures of the body, to give a more accurate performance for games that need to track precise movements.

xbox one kinect demo

You are also able to enable something called ‘Snap Mode’, which allows you to run two windows or apps at the same time. By saying ‘Snap Mode’ and ‘Skype’ for instance, you can watch your movie on one edge of the screen and then enable a Skype call to your body and multi-task. It’s a nice feature that should cater to the ADD masses, as well as anyone that wants to have say, a television show in the background and not have to feel interrupted when a Skype call comes through. Also using hand gestures, you can easily go between modes and minimize and maximize windows as need be.

xbox one snap mode

Going through the technical details, it’s probably best to lift the image from the presser and put it below before we dissect it:

xbox one tech specs

I’m sure none of this matters to a bunch of you but it’s important to note that it’s a powerful system inside. Plus a Blu-ray player is what most people are looking forward to and Sony has lost that advantage now from their gaming console. Again, the most impressive feature is the three operating systems that will run the system as you are able to switch back and forth between applications and windows as need be. Being able to go from game to the dashboard, to live TV and other applications will go a long way in trying to establish the Xbox One as the only machine that should be under your television. Getting back to the live television part of it, the demo they used was from Comcast television but they only said that it will work with compatible TV providers and no mention of exclusivity of certain providers. This is something that we need to keep an eye on just in case.

Speaking of TV, Xbox One will now carry original television programming. That’s right folks, get ready for a Halo television series produced by none other than Steven Spielberg.

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Details are still up in the air but it should feature live-action and be done in conjuction with 343 Studios, the people in charge of Halo 4. You can debate that as you will but with the hiring of an ex-CBS programming exec, it was in the works for awhile. Other things we can look forward to is the use of the Cloud in order to record gameplay and saves so you can move from console to console or even to brag to other gamers about your achievements. Also having an editing platform for your videos will be included, as well as a built-in DVR function. With that, expect a constant internet connection to be required because the use of the Cloud and the promise of live updates for your system while not in use will make it essential to be connected at all times.

xbox one controllerThe new controller still is very familiar, with a few different button placements. The most important thing to note is the battery is now internal so the bump on the back will disappear and will now probably charge just like the PS3 controller. The new design also allows for more accuracy in the analog buttons and new triggers as well. Of course, we’ll probably have to wait until E3 to see what other differences there are when we can get our hands on it.

xbox one ea sports

As for game announcements, there were…uhh…not a lot. Obviously the big one would be Call of Duty: Ghosts, as well as EA Sports showing off their Ignite next-gen engine, as well as the new Remedy game Quantum Break for Xbox One but it was very light on games. Forza did look impressive but they are probably saving the rest of the big guns for E3 in the next coming weeks.

xbox one overhead

Overall, I came away from the press conference a bit underwhelmed. Maybe it’s just the gamer in me that wanted to see more games but the Xbox One seemed to really hammer the idea of the Kinect into our heads and the living room experience. That’s all fine and dandy but I honestly want to see why I should get this gaming system over the PS3. Technologically, the system is impressive but to demo that with Skype calls, Windows 8 interfaces, and the ability to switch to Live TV because it’s easier than hitting the Input button on your remote felt like pandering to the casual person. Which is great in a business sense but it didn’t grab me like I wanted it to.

Talking with Amanda and Scoot, our opinions varied a bit as well. Scoot noted that he was underwhelmed as well but he’s still excited. He also added the Kinect will be the big thing they are pushing which is odd considering that the current iteration has mixed opinions in the current gaming community. Amanda came away as impressed although wanted to hear if backward compatibility will make the jump to the Xbox One. I also asked them about things like the original programming. Scoot said the new system opens the door for television on the console, especially with going as far to produce an original Halo series for the console. Original programming also has Amanda excited despite the hiring of an ex-CBS exec for “original” entertainment.

She’s also excited about the use of the Kinect and expanding on that technology as well. With Microsoft pushing for this to be the only thing that you need for your television, Amanda also believed it could accomplish that task. With it having a Blu-ray and the use of Netflix and Hulu, there’s no real point in having a bunch of boxes when one will do. Scoot agreed with that assessment as the Blu-ray player plays a big part in the entertainment package for the living room. I also asked my fellow editors one the top feature they saw, the most disappointing and what they want to see in the next reveal at E3. Scoot said his favorite part was the Halo TV show because of the huge step Microsoft is taking with the inclusion of original programming but that it was also the most disappointing because he felt that was the top thing they were trumpeting with the system. He wanted to see more XBox One exclusives and more info on the new tech running the system, possibly of the rumored projector system. Amanda thought the top feature was the inclusion of the Blu-ray and the expanded Kinect integration. She’s most skeptical of the new programming chief for original programming because CBS doesn’t have the best track record in terms of ground-breaking entertainment. As for what she wants to see next, she wants more information about the television aspect, such as if a contract with Comcast is involved with it or the tuner being built in, or even if it’s included in the initial price point. Also, say you don’t have Comcast and are they the only TV provider? There’s still a lot of questions that need to be answered.

xbox one dash

We do know that it will be released at the end of this year, most likely in time for the holiday season so hopefully we’ll get more information around E3 time. Of course, please share your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page. What do you think, is Xbox One a game-changer or do you need to see more to make it the one and only system for you? In case you want more info, check out Wired’s and Techcrunch’s take on the new console as well!

Call of Duty: Ghosts Reveal Trailer Released and It’s Pretty

It’s Call of Duty. That’s really all that should be said but this time developer Infinity Ward has moved on from the Modern Warfare series. This time, we’re getting a more interactive experience and new story. Plus you get a dog as a teammate, and what better way to take on the rest of the world than having man’s best friend at your side. Call of Duty: Ghosts promises a more intimate experience with the story, which has been written by Academy Award Winner Stephen Gaghan (Traffic, Syriana) and more emphasis on your teammates. Below is the new trailer for it so let’s take a gander at it together:

It looks beautiful, doesn’t it? Seeing the lush rainforest and other environments should make this a great game to play on the next-gen systems. Having the game take place in a time where governments have fallen is an interesting twist on the genre and if anything, having Gaghan on as the writer increases the clout of Infinity Ward delivering a great single player story. Plus, it helps that the trailer plays like a movie as well. We can all hope for a Band of Brothers type of experience with your teammates being that they are all you’ve got. Of course, the trailer is still pretty vague so that and other aspects of the story remains to be seen. It should still be a great gaming experience to look forward to. Plus, the screenshot below just looks pretty as it came from the Xbox One presser earlier on Tuesday. As for this game, look for it November 5th, 2013. That day will also be known as the day several people call off work and the workplace comes to a grinding halt. Sign me up for that as well.

xbox one call of duty ghosts

The Wolverine: Newest Trailer Is Here…

As The Wolverine gets closer and closer we are treated to teasers, trailers and international trailers. Now we get another, possibly the last one before the movie releases? But this is arguably the best one, even though I still don’t know how I feel about the movie, I am rather intrigued by the movie taking place after X-men: The Last Stand. Apparently they’re trying to make up not only for that piece of crap, but the nigh unforgivable X-men Origins: Wolverine as well. I’d say based on this trailer alone it would appear they have succeeded, but I’ll reserve my final judgment until I see the finished project.

Check out the trailer for yourself:

As you can see there is a very interesting cameo appearance by Famke Janssen as Jean Grey. Apparently the last kill Logan made in The Last Stand continues to haunt him. Now his latest adventure takes him to the heart of Japan (Madripoor?) and against lots and lots of guys with swords, including the Silver Samurai. I’ve not heard whether or not he is a robot of some sort or an actual mutant like in the comics. From the looks of things he appears to be one big sum’bitch. Either way I’ll be making the trek to see the latest outing for Weapon X. It can’t be worse than Origins…

Check out our MOST ANTICIPATED SUMMER MOVIES list for more!