I've got something to look forward to following tomorrow's impending 'ordeal' at Ikea, and that is I AM GOING TO SEE REVENGE OF THE SITH AGAIN - FOR THE 4th TIME!!!!
It was agreed between myself and two mates last night, it will be a repeat screening for all of us, so im not the only obsessive one!!

Oh by the way, for those of you contemplating downloading the illegal pirate workprint copy of 'Sith' that's currently floating around the net - I have a word of advise for you, DONT!!
Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox are onto the torrent sites at the moment and unless you are blocking each and every IP sharing that data from you, you are likely to get caught.
Also there’s something about watching a 'compressed digital file version with a third of the screen dominated by timecode' that puts me off. See this film the way it is meant to be seen, on the big screen in glorious surround sound!

Don't disrespect 'Sith' by condoning such blatant piracy.

Revenge of the Sith FAQ

Has Revenge of the Sith left you in a state of confusion? Or have the complexities of the Star Wars Saga back-story simply put you off seeing it?
Whatever your anxiety, fear not - this FAQ could be just what you're looking for!

1) Why is it rated 12a / PG-13?

The lowly dogs at the MPAA /BBFC say: "sci-fi violence and intense images". Specifically, this includes deformation, immolation, executions and Force-choking of pregnant women. However, if you have kids who could stomach any LotR movie, this shouldn't be too nasty for them.

2) Revenge... for what?

Over a thousand years ago, the Army of Light and the Brotherhood of Evil clashed on the planet of Ruusan. It was during this battle that the Sith were all but annihilated. One Dark Lord got away, though. His name was Darth Bane. He reformed the Sith order into the way of the modern Sith, and for that a Sith would always take "Darth" as a title.

"Always two there are, a master... and an apprentice." -- Yoda, Episode I

You see, Sith were always killing each other for more power back then. Thanks to Bane's new plan the Sith would be somewhat more efficient. They would also be condemned to working in secrecy, biding their time until their day would come. Centuries later, a Dark Lord named Darth Sidious (or Palpatine to the general public) found himself in a very advantageous position indeed...

3) What was that war about again?

A few years ago (around the time of Clones, to be exact) several thousands of systems seceded from the Republic at the urgings of former Jedi Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and formed the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS). The CIS's first members were mainly alien super-corporations like the Trade Federation from Episode I, the Banking Clan, the Techno Union, etc.
Their profits lessened by Republic taxations, they thought their own government would seriously benefit them financially. Even more so if they were the supreme authority (and corporate monopoly-holders) in the galaxy.

4) You mean Dooku was in it for the money?

He claimed to be in it for a better, non-corrupt galaxy.

5) A better, non-corrupt galaxy? How do the Sith fit into this?

Darth Sidious had been egging on parties like the Trade Federation (the Naboo-invasion in The Phantom Menace, for instance) for years, trying to create a climate of fear and insecurity among the general populace of the Republic so that his alter ego, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, would be "forced" to take action and declare martial law, receiving more and more "emergency" powers as time went by.

6) But what would Dooku gain from this?

The promise of the elimination of the Jedi, a group he left in disgust many years ago, and a place at Palpatine's side as his right hand man. The destruction of the CIS (or Separatists) would also guarantee a more human-centric galaxy, which Dooku would very much approve of (notorious speciesist as he was). Here's where Grievous would come in.

7) Oh yeah, who was that Grievous?

Grievous was a Kaleesh general, and an invaluable tactician to his people in their war against the enemy Huc (another species on that planet). The Republic sided with the Huc in this conflict and funded their efforts. Approached by Dooku, Grievous initially did not wish to join the CIS. His interests lay only with the war against the Huc, not the larger conflict. Dumbfounded, Dooku went to his master Sidious for advice. Sidious suggested they bombed his speeder and blame the Republic for it. In the "accident", Grievous lost a lot of his body, and the Techno Union provided for mechanical replacements. Disgusted by the Republic's cowardice, Grievous agreed to become the Separatists' military leader (whereas Dooku was the political figurehead). Grievous once again was severely wounded while abducting the Chancellor: Mace Windu Force-crushed his metallic chest, resulting in Grievous' nasty cough heard in the film. According to Dooku and Sidious' agreement, Grievous would also serve as a scapegoat for when the Republic would be victorious. Dooku would only have to claim he knew nothing of Grievous' terrible atrocities during the war. Secretly, Palpatine thought otherwise though.

8) He wanted Anakin, right?

Yup, and Dooku was the real scapegoat. He wanted the Chosen One at his side to cement his eventual choke-hold on the galaxy.

9) Is Darth Sidious Darth Plagueis' apprentice?

That is implied, though not explicitly stated. Palpy's smile during his account of the tale should say enough, though.

10) Did Darth Plagueis create Anakin?

That is again implied, though never explicitly stated. George deliberately left it open for debate, methinks.

11) How come Mace Windu proverbially Pwn3d Palpatine, while Palpatine kicked Yoda's ass?

Palpatine faked his defeat, in order to show Anakin the Jedi truly wanted him dead and to take control of the Republic. Take this into consideration: if he was really near death, where did he get the energy to blast Mace for what looked like miles out of his window?

12) What's with Palpatine's face/Anakin's eyes?

Complete immersion into the Dark Side apparently has physical side-effects, chief among which is having yellow eyes, i.e. Vader and Maul. Sidious, having been a Dark Lord throughout all the prequels, masked this using the Force. The battle with Windu exhausted him thusly that he could no longer keep up appearances. And as we can see from his real face, the Dark Side's longer-term side-effects are akin to what smoking does to your longues over the years. He didn't bother to go back to his "mask" and pretended his true face was a deformation caused by a Jedi's attempt on his life.

13) How can you die from losing the will to live?

It's usually a months-long process that only happens to the elderly, though it has been known to happen to princesses in fairy-tales. Or Senators.

14) The Jedi are such dumbasses! If there are only two Sith and so many Jedi in the galaxy, what else could they have expected from someone who will bring "balance to the Force"?

Let me answer that with a little parable, not unlike Jesus.

A man once went to the doctor with the flu.

Man:Doc, I got a nasty case of the flu here.
Doctor: Okay buddy, I'll just give you this here flu-shot, it'll balance you right out.
Man:You mean you'll inject just as many antitoxins into my body as there are bacteria?
Doctor:Uh... Yeah, sure.

15) Who's that guy with the goatee?

That's Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, one of Padmé's best Senate-buddies. Long ago, he seconded the motion of no confidence against Chancellor Valorum. Together with Mon Mothma, Senator of Chandrila, they first formed the idea of a Rebellion. That scene was left on the cutting room floor, unfortunately. Mon Mothma can still be seen in the crowd of politicians welcoming back Palpatine right after he's rescued on the landing platform.

16) He gives the droids to a certain "Captain Antilles". Any relation to...

Nope. George stated that "Bail Antilles" is like the Star Wars equivalent of "John Smith". This particular Antilles gets choked to death by Vader at the beginning of Episode IV.

17) What else has been cut from the film, then?

*On Grievous' ship, Obi-Wan and Anakin are surrounded by battle droids and cut a hole in the floor to escape.

*Obi-Wan and Anakin are trapped in a chamber, filling up with fuel and must escape.

*The Petition of the Two-Thousand, an initiative of Padmé, Bail and Mon Mothma to try and convince Palpatine to finally give up his emergency powers. When this proves fruitless, they first start contemplating rebellion. It is likely this petition is also signed by Bana Breemu, a Senator played by Bai Ling. She was not cut because she appeared in Playboy, contrary to popular belief.

*Yoda fooling some clone troopers in order to escape by, in fact, actin' da fool.

*Anakin has some cruel one-liners while dispatching the Separatist leaders.

*Yoda meditating on Polis Massa, eventually contacting Qui-Gon in an intense trance and having a bit of a chat with him on the nature of the Force.

*Yoda's crash-landing on Dagobah.

18) How can Obi-Wan call Sidious "the Emperor" if Palpatine is only announcing the change from Republic to Empire at that exact same moment?

Palpatine makes a reference to "the Empire" on the hologram recording. Who else would be its Emperor?

19) How does Palpatine know Padmé's dead?

If one of the USA's most popular congressmen died an unnatural death, wouldn't it be on CNN in, like, five minutes? Star Wars' CNN is called the Holonet.

20) Are stormtroopers clones?

There's evidence for both answers to that.

On the audio-commentary to Episode II, George says he made Jango Fett bump his head like that stormtrooper in Episode IV, to make it a nice little continuity gag.

While Boba Fett's voice was redone by Temuera Morrison for the DVD edition of the classic trilogy, the stormtroopers' voices have remained the same. It also makes sense that Palpatine (being the megalomaniac he is and all) just used conscripts in order to keep people from sitting at home and having rebellious thoughts. Officers like Piett and such are also clearly not clones of Jango Fett, and one assumes most officers were once troopers.

21) How come they built the first Death Star in approximately 20 years, and the second one in four?

The first one was a learning process. The first time you build something, it's obvious you won't be as fast or good at it as the second time.

Also, it's never explicitly stated how old or new the Death Star was in Episode IV, and in Episode VI they're dealing with a not-yet-completed (although operational) Death Star.

22) How come Leia remembers her mother?

"Through the Force, things you will see, other places, the future, the past, old friends long gone." -- Yoda, Episode V

"Just... images really. Feelings." -- Leia, Episode VI

That should clear things up nicely.

23) How come Obi-Wan doesn't remember R2 in Episode IV?

"I don't recall ever owning a droid." -- Obi-Wan, Episode IV

"A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father." -- Obi-Wan, Episode IV

Both statements are very much true... from a certain point of view.

24) How come Vader doesn't recognize 3PO in Episode V?

He never heard 3PO's voice. But even if he did, he had more important matters to attend to... you'd think one's son would rank somewhat higher than a droid one used to own.

25) Are there any differences between digital and regular showings?

No, this is just a rumour. I certainly didnt notice any.

26) When will it be out on DVD?

This Christmas, according to George. Other sources say November.

27) When will the entire saga be out on DVD in one shiny box?

Not for a while, according to George.

28) What's with those TV-shows based on Star Wars?

One's gonna be a CGI-animated show on the Clone Wars, the other a live action series about minor Star Wars characters during the timespan between episodes III and IV. Matthew Newton, son of popular Aussie actor Bert "Moonface" Newton, has been asked by George to check his availableness. Newton was also the nr. 2 choice for Anakin Skywalker if Hayden didn't pan out in some way.

29) Where was the Millennium Falcon cameo?

In the establishing shot of Obi-Wan and Anakin's shuttle docking, right after they've saved the Chancellor. It's in the right bottom of the screen, though I think it to be just some random YT-1300 freighter.

30) Where's George's cameo?

He's the second guy on the left when Anakin walks into Palpatine's box at the theater. He has a blue face and wears a funny hat.

Feel free to add to this FAQ via the comments option below!

ANOTHER Star Wars Prequel??!

George Lucas said he was finished with the Star Wars movies, but it seems George Lucas has an idea for another add-on to the Star Wars movie series: a prequel to The Phantom Menace. The story would follow the Jedi regaining control of the universe from the many Dark (Sith) Lords some 88 years before Anakin Skywalker ever graced the universe. Yoda, who, according to Lucas, was instrumental in the effort, would apparently have a headlining role. However, Lucas, now age 60, says he won't be captaining such a ship if it ever happens.

UK Star Wars fans - battle the Crazy Frog!

Here's a press release urging fans to buy the limited edition 'Battle of the Heroes' single that is released today in the UK. Apart from the fact that it's a collectible, it's battling that annoying Crazy Frog single for the Number 1 slot.



Press Release:

UK Star Wars fans - battle the Crazy Frog!

The Crazy Frog has already dominated our TV screens with the incessant advert for the annoying ringtone. Now high street stores are predicting it will take the number 1 spot ahead of Coldplay's new single Speed Of Sound and the Star Wars single Battle Of The Heroes.

The Crazy Frog's single Axel F combines the original ringtone with the remixed Beverley Hills Cop theme tune and the animated video for Axel F recently became the most popular video on AOL's music channel when it was streamed 199,000 times in one day, beating the previous most popular stream, Britney's 'Me Against The Music'. On the Crazy Frog's website www.axelfrog.com the video had over 500,000 viewings in 2 weeks.

A spokesperson for Gusto Records, the Crazy Frog's record company, said: "This late surge in orders from the stores last week caught us a little on the hop. However we have had three manufacturing plants working over the weekend to ensure that all orders will be met."

Battle Of The Heroes is the first ever official Star Wars single and is released in a limited edition numbered CD format, with artwork featuring characters from Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Composed by five-time Oscar winner John Williams this epic theme is a vigorously dynamic, choral-led piece which perfectly captures the fateful struggle between Jedi knights Anakin Skywalker and his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi. With Williams conducting, the London Symphony Orchestra (L.S.O) performs this opus - The L.S.O. is the same orchestra that recorded Williams' original Star Wars score 28 years ago and has continued to perform the score for each successive chapter of the saga.

The tracklisting will include the promo video which has been created by Lucasfilm and is taken from the exclusive collector's DVD Star Wars: A Musical Journey. This DVD is included as a bonus disc with the Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith soundtrack CD.

I just 'got-round' to checking out the saucy commercial with Paris Hilton thats currently causing uproar within the United States.
Apparently there are calls to ban the advertisment for fast food giant, Carls Jr, as it (according to some) borders on 'soft pornography'.

While the ad certainly sizzles, in all honesty I think i'd rather take the burger!
In the UK, 'loose' women like Paris come ten-a-penny, but giant, juicy, succulent eats such as the Spicy BBQ Six-Dollar Burger are sorely missed!!!

Hmmmm Carl's Jr...... send me back to LA NOW!!!


Oh, by the way - here's the commercial.

While sneaking a quick 15 mins on the Internet at work today, I stumbled across a website which featured one of these:



Arent these simply the coolest things you've ever seen? Great way to keep my presently-playing-DVD's case in place while its, erm.., 'playing'! - I franticly whipped out my credit card and placed an order (only the website didnt quote me any international shipping charge to the UK, so I hope I actually get it!)

This thing will look bad-ass, matching perfectly on top of my AV cabinet within my home cinema setup (in the lounge)!

You can also get variations of these marquees that display "Coming Soon" - both are available in free-standing or wall-mountable ranges. I opted for the free-standing of course.

At $30 (around £20), I think these are a steal! - Place your orders here!

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS! - Well done LFC!!!!!

Star Wars will SITH all over Rings at the Box Office!

Revenge of the Sith World-wide box office gross stands at $329.2 million after only 6 DAYS!
You can imagine the world's Lord of the Rings fans crying/hugging/looking miserable in unison! (must like the grown-men-heroes in THEIR films!)

Although I swore never again, it seems that this weekend I have to haul myself through the hellish Saturday-morning conditions of Ikea to pick up a couple of furniture items.

Firstly, I need ANOTHER DVD shelf - My collection is well over 300 titles, and coupled with my CD and VHS collection, the 5 shelves I have up at present just aren't enough.
I need to get me another foil-silver coloured "Benno" - possibly mankind's greatest modern creation simply because no place else seems to have grasped the simple fact that people tend to have more than a mere dozen or so DVDs that need to be stored.
I love the high-capacity storage of the Benno range (pictured below) which cost £25 each, as usual.



Secondly, I need some sort of shelving unit/cabinet to place our various picture frames and ornaments. Index had a nice glass one in their closing down sale, but alas, I left it far too late and none of their London stores have any stock available. Solution? - Ikea again! Someone recommended me a "Detolf" which is almost entirely glass apart from a faux-beech top and base with an internal cabinet light
. Unfortunately, pseudo-beech isn't exactly going to match my silver and black living-room/home-cinema colour scheme, so I'm either going to have to paint the wood either Black or foil-silver or buy an appropriately coloured piece of wood from B&Q, cut exactly to the required size. Either way, some customisation will be involved.
Best thing about the Detolf is that I can allocate an entire shelf to my complete collection of Star Wars Episode 1 (as well as Anakin-to-Vader range of) figures and display them professionally and unashamably!
The Detolf is pictured below. and best of all, its only £35!!



*Preparatory mental note - when in Ikea, AVOID dodgy Swedish hotdogs at all costs, regardless of the cost!

What they were saying about Star Wars on the Internet (yes, Internet!) in 1983!

Source: millenniumfalcon.com

I found this link and wanted to share it with all of you. As you know, the internet was extremely limited back in 1983, and there certainly was no sites like we have today for all of us to go off on Star Wars.

This is a link to a user group that discussed Return of the Jedi at the time it came out in 1983. I think you will enjoy reading the immediate reactions of those who just saw ROTJ. I especially liked the post where the guy talked about going all the way to Atlanta because that was the only 70mm theatre around, not unlike our efforts to see this movie in digital.

In sum, I think you'll agree that the more things change, the more they stay the same. And that this is a worthy read during the opening of Revenge of the Sith

And, yes the internet was around. Only it wasn't widely accessible until 10 years ago or so.
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/net.movies.sw/threads?start=270&order=recent

Some of the following quotation-gems work best to exemplify that the more things change the more they indeed do stay the same!

The creatures! Way too many FAKE-looking creatures. Especially in Jabba's
den. That blue smurfy thing really bothered me. Also the 'orc-like' creatues
that greeted visitors to Jabba-- big soft things with dull teeth and flab.
The guy with the tail growing out of his head was good, though. I was also
disappointed in Jabba, himself. Looked like an overgrown hefty bag with fake
eyes. Nice job on the tongue, though. There were simply too many muppets and
soft-looking creatures, especially for a den of villainy.



I thought everybody knew that Darth was a cute guy until he
was thrown into a volcano. Just in case some of you didn't, that
is indeed how he got so ugly.



Additionally, did it strike anyone else as strange, that Darth
Vader was about seven feet tall, with shoulder about three feet
wide, but Anakin Skywalker was practically the same size as OB1?



In my first viewing of the original Star Wars movie, Biggs appeared in an
early scene

. This scene has been omitted in subsequent releases which I
have seen.
-- David Smith

This is the first that I have heard that there might be different versions
of SW films around. Does anyone have any other evidence on the topic?



From: !fluke!ron

> Before we shut down this newsgroup for a while, does
> anyone know anything about the *official*, *legal*
> release of TESB or even ROTJ?...
> ...there was a syndicated story in
> the local newspaper last winter to the effect that
> Lucasfilms (or Lucas?) has decided to *never*
> release TESB or ROTJ to the disk, video cassette,
> or cable markets.
> So does anyone have reliable information on what the
> status of these 2 films is?

For the record, I had also heard (many years ago) that Lucas did not want to let
the SW movies go to disk/tape/cable, and was upset with 20th Century Fox for
doing so with A NEW HOPE (They had distribution control over that film --- not
so with TESB and ROTJ).
HOWEVER, the other day, while returning rental tapes to a video store, I
noticed a sign listing THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK as being available in October. I
asked the man at the counter if it'd be only available for rental or for both
rental and sale. He said both. I didn't bother to ask what disk formats it would
be available in, since I haven't a disk player, but I'd assume that it would be
at least on laserdisk. We'll see in October, I guess.

--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC Maynard, MA)

Life without Black People - An African American Perspective

A very humorous and revealing story is told about a group of white
people who were fed up with African Americans, so they joined
together and wished themselves away. They passed through a deep
dark tunnel and emerged in sort of a twilight zone where there is
an America without black people.

At first these white people breathed a sigh of relief. At last,
they said, No more crime, drugs, violence and welfare. All of the
blacks have gone! Then suddenly, reality set in. The "NEW AMERICA"
is not America at all-only a barren land.

1. There are very few crops that have flourished because the
nation was built on a slave-supported system.

2. There are no cities with tall skyscrapers because Alexander
Mils, a black man, invented the elevator, and without it, one
finds great difficulty reaching higher floors.

3. There are few if any cars because Richard Spikes, a black man,
invented the automatic gearshift, Joseph Gambol, also black,!
invented the Super Charge System for Internal Combustion Engines,
and Garrett A. Morgan, a black man, invented the traffic signals.

4. Furthermore, one could not use the rapid transit system because
its procurer was the electric trolley, which was invented by
another black man, Albert R. Robinson.

5. Even if there were streets on which cars and a rapid transit
system could operate, they were cluttered with paper because an
African American, Charles Brooks, invented the street sweeper.

6. There were few if any newspapers, magazines and books because
John Love invented the pencil sharpener, William Purveys invented
the fountain pen, and Lee Barrage invented the Type Writing
Machine and W. A. Love invented the Advanced Printing Press. They
were all, you guessed it, Black.

7. Even if Americans could write their letters, articles and
books, they would not have been transported by mail because
William Barry invented the Postmarking and Cancelling Machine,
William Purveys invented the Hand Stamp and Philip Downing invented the Letter Drop.

8. The lawns were brown and wilted because Joseph Smith invented
the Lawn Sprinkler and John Burr the Lawn Mower.

9. When they entered their homes, they found them to be poorly
ventilated and poorly heated. You see, Frederick Jones invented
the Air Conditioner and Alice Parker the Heating Furnace. Their
homes were also dim. But of course, Lewis Later invented the
Electric Lamp, Michael Harvey invented the lantern and Granville
T. Woods invented the Automatic Cut off Switch.

Their homes were also filthy because Thomas W. Steward invented
the Mop & Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan.

10. Their children met them at the door-barefooted, shabby, motley
and unkempt. But what could one expect? Jan E. Matzelinger
invented the Shoe Lasting Machine, Walter Sammons! invented the
Comb, Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board and George T. Samon
invented the Clothes Dryer.

11. Finally, they were resigned to at least have dinner amidst all
of this turmoil. But here again, the food had spoiled because
another Black Man, John Standard invented the refrigerator.

Now, isn't that something? What would this country be like without
the contributions of Blacks, as African-Americans?

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "by the time we leave for work,
Americans have depended on the inventions from the minds of Blacks."
Black history includes more than just slavery, Frederick Douglass,
Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey & W.E.B.
Dubois.
 

It’s my Birthday and Sith happens!

Revenge of the Sith was received well last night, all of my friends enjoyed it and some even agreed with my bold statement that it was BETTER than 'The Empire Strikes Back'.
For me, it was a joy to see it projected digitally in razor-sharp clarity. I was, however, left a little under whelmed with the Odeon Leicester Square's sound system. All in all, I enjoyed the film just as much as the first time, which is always a good sign! Lucas did well.

Today is actually my birthday (25th) and while getting off the Victoria train for work I shopped around for some sweeties/goodies to bring it for the gang. I passed Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, and after basically living on these treats during my stay in Vegas, asked the price of a dozen. I was shocked to discover that they had the audacity to charge £8.95 for a dozen measly doughnuts that weren't even filled! In America these things were going for $3.99 a dozen, which equates to £2.11 - Rip off Britain indeed!!

Birthday plans tonight? - Pretty low key. Will spend it with my family who are taking me to see 'Sith' again! (sigh!), should be good as my other half Musole and my brother Jamie have yet to see it. After that I'll just go home and order Chinese food.
The Birthday-Booze-Up with the 'Lads' is yet to come! - Scheduled for Saturday night!!

Just bought a Panasonic SC-HT520 Home Cinema Kit to replace my current el-Cheapo one which is falling apart and REALLY showing its limitations. My new baby boosts 500w  and was bought for a bargain price at Richer Sounds in London.

Cant wait to piss the neighbours off when I crank Star Wars!

DSC01031
Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith is almost among the general public. Although I have already seen the film well over a week ago, I feel the excitment creeping up on me too! I cannot wait to see this fantastic movie again and I am equally looking forward to seeing my friends' reactions when we watch it digitally at the Odeon Leicester Square tomorrow night.

Judging by the above piccy of my Son Jaden, looks like the force is with him too!

Chip off the old block indeed!

E3: The Nintendo Revolution

View Press Conference

The cool look: The new console boasts high-quality materials and a smart, compact design, approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together. A variety of prototype colors are being showcased during E3. It will come with a silver stand that makes the system a welcome, artistic component of any multimedia setup, whether it's displayed vertically or horizontally.

Backward compatibility: The new console plays all games from the current Nintendo GameCubeTM generation. But there's more...

The secret weapon: The console also will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo® 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System® (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System® (NES).

Easy expansion: A bay for an SD memory card will let players expand the internal flash memory.

Two disc formats, one slot: Instead of a tray, a single, innovative, self-loading media bay will play both 12-centimeter optical discs used for the new system as well as Nintendo GameCube discs. Owners will have the option of equipping a small, self-contained attachment to play movies and other DVD content.

The specs: The system boasts 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi access. A worldwide network of Nintendo players can gather to compete in a comfortable, inviting environment. Revolution's technological heart, a processing chip developed with IBM and code-named "Broadway," and a graphics chip set from ATI code-named "Hollywood," will deliver game experiences not previously possible.

The stars: Introduction of a number of new franchise properties will add to the world's richest stable of stars, including Mario, Zelda, Super Smash Bros., Donkey Kong and Metroid.

Wireless freedom: A number of Wi-Fi-enabled launch titles are in development that will employ Nintendo's newly announced wireless gaming service, Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection. A worldwide network of Nintendo players can gather to compete in a comfortable, inviting environment.

Freedom of design: A dynamic development architecture equally accommodates both big-budget, high-profile game "masterpieces" as well as indie games conceived by individual developers equipped with only a big idea.

E3: The Playstation 3

View Press Conference

The PlayStation 3 will sport some hefty multimedia features, such as video chat, internet access, digital photo viewing, digital audio and video. Sony Computer Entertainment head Ken Kutaragi introduced it as a "Super computer for computer entertainment."

Basic Specs for Sony PlayStation 3
Controller: Bluetooth Wireless
Processor: Cell processor (234 Million Transistors)
Graphics Processor: RSX "Reality Synthesizer" (300 Million Transistors, 90nm)
System Memory: 256MB XDR
Resolution: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
Integrated Communications: 802.11 B/G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in Features: Backwards compatible with PlayStation 2, Stands Vertically or Horizontally

E3: The XBox 360

View Press Conference

Microsoft's second-generation video game console features a multicore 3.2GHz IBM PowerPC-based CPU, a custom ATI graphics chip, and multichannel surround sound. The unit has wireless controllers and offers 720p and 1080i support for all games. The system is Wi-Fi ready and has a detachable 20GB hard drive.

Basic Specs for Microsoft Xbox 360
Controller: 2.4GHz Wireless
Processor: Custom IBM PowerPC CPU
Graphics Processor: Custom ATI Processor
System Memory: 512MB, 700MHz DDR
Resolution: 480p, 480i, 720p, 1080i
Integrated Communications: 802.11 A/B/G Wi-Fi
Built-in Features: Stands Vertically or Horizontally, Interchangable Face Plates

Revenge of the Sith London Premiere - My Photos

DSC01170
Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Here you go guys, almost a hundred (many somewhat blurry) pictures from the Star Wars celebration day held Yesterday at London's Leicester Square - including the Star-studded UK premiere. (Yes I got a good few piccys of Lucas himself!!)

Follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92651577@N00/sets/351288/

At The Square awaiting the Sith premiere

Crowds are building up. Almost got into a fight with some Chav autograph hunters. London Philharmonic are playing, rain is about to fall!

Sith Premiere - isnt there ANY hope??

I give up! - I have tried EVERYTHING to obtain tickets to the London Premiere of Revenge of the Sith on Monday in Leicester Square. I have called Twentieth Century Fox's publicity department continuously!, I have tried to enter the multiple Radio One phone-in giveaways today failing to get through to the studio on every attempt, I have even tried spamming competition websites over the past week, best I won was a runners up prize to see Episode 3 on official day of release at any Ster Century cinema I desire.
Okay, maybe I am being greedy and ungrateful, after all I HAVE already seen the film at a Press Screening and I HAVE already been to a Star Wars Premiere and met George Lucas (Episode 2 in 2002), but I AM EXTREMELY PISSED OFF that on Monday I will be attending the celebrations in the Square as a mere observer and not an attendee. Bummer :-(

20 Reasons Star Wars will outlast Lord of the Rings...

by GoatZinger from aintitcoolnews.com forums

1: No gay hobbits.
2: No Breakdancing Wizards.
3: No rampaging elms.
4: [Lucas] knows how to say farewell under 40 minutes and under 5 scenes.
5: Bigger swords.
6: No Abba conventioners w/ pointy ears 'lead by CupHaldir' saving the day at last minute.
7: No attack of the green men/fireants
8: They Show Christopher Lee's death in the actual cinematic release.
9: No tossed dwarves.
10: Director not foisting 'reimagining' of beloved classic '30's flick on unsuspecting public at large lator.
11: Luke takes down AT-AT done first/done better.
12: Alec Guinness rules.
13: Vader would kick Sauron's ass.
14: Giant Robots.
15: Death Stars do wonders to places like Alderaan, Middle Earth, etc. etc.
16: Han Solo.
17: Wookies beat orcs.
18: No gay hobbits jumping on a bed.
19: Twin Sunset.
20: 1977. Ya hadda be there.

How Revenge of the Sith will make you appreciate Phantom Menace a whole lot more (Spoiler Alert!)

Source: theforce.net

It is very sad when the movie starts to know that by the end of the PT, Obi-Wan and Yoda will have gone into hiding, Qui-Gon will have become one with the Force, Palpatine will have begun his evil Empire, Anakin will have become a Sith lord who is half-man, half-machine, and Padme and Shmi will be dead and buried.

In that sense, TPM almost becomes like a flashback to a happier, simpler time. The scene where Ani gives Padme the japor snippet is almost enough to make you cry, because Ani says it'll bring her good luck yet you know she's going to end up buried with it. And the scene in Shmi's home, when Ani says "Nobody can kill a Jedi!" becomes so tragic, especially when you know he will some day lead the massacre at the Jedi Temple. And hearing Qui-Gon's reply, "If only that were so" becomes absolutely heart-wrenching, having seen all the Jedi get killed in ROTS.

The scene where Padme (then known as Queen Amidala) calls for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum's leadership is, well, infinitely depressing, because you know Palpatine knows exactly what he wants and how he's going to get it and Padme is so absolutely clueless about what her motion will mean for the galaxy 13 years later. "Now they will elect a *new* chancellor, a *strong* chancellor".... indeed!

All the scenes with Palpatine as Darth Sidious are also a reminder of how truly cruel this man was all along, despite his amicable facade when still known as Senator Palpatine.

His lines near the end of the movie are all filled with so much hidden meaning. "We are indebted to you for your bravery, Obi-Wan Kenobi... and you, young Skywalker, we'll be watching your career with great interest!" "It is you who should be congratulated, your highness. Together, we will bring peace and prosperity back to the Republic!". He was always so full of it!

And watching Boss Nass and Sio Bibble in any scene they appear in is also a reminder of the saddest scene in ROTS, when they and Jar Jar are walking in the funeral procession right behind Padme's body.

My review of Revenge of the Sith - YES I SAW IT!!!!!

Episode 3 Screening
Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Well folks, I’m still buzzing. I feel like I’ve just had a two and a half hour orgasm. Why? Because tonight I SAW REVENGE OF THE FREAKING SITH! Better known as STAR WARS EPISODE 3!!
I managed to get myself into a press screening in London’s Soho and after ‘checking if my name was on the list’ I was offered drinks and nibbles before being given a glossy Star Wars Saga synopsis booklet and being escorted into the screening room.

Watching a film I have anticipated for years for the first time is an overwhelming experience. There’s way too much to digest as well as the many feelings that have derived – so forgive me if this review appears sparse or incoherent at times.
I guess the first thing people will want to know is whether this film is as dark as
George Lucas has consistently promised. Well in a word, yes. It is as dark as dark can be, everything goes to hell! It’s a different sort of darkness to ‘Empire Strikes Back’,‘Sith’ is more concerned with the darkness that can be found within humanity. For all of its fantasy, this film is the most ‘Human’ of the Star Wars Saga in that we can totally relate to what Anakin goes through – his fears of losing another loved one, the lust for power and respect.
There is also a shadow of suspicion and doubt that looms over the characters of ‘Sith’, no one trusts anyone. The Senate, the Jedi, the Chancellor, the Republic and the Separatists are all played off against one another. Even Anakin is used as a Pawn in a political game of tug-o-war between the Chancellor’s office and the Jedi Council. His loyalties are tested, but we all know what side he chooses in the end!

Revenge of the Sith opens immediately with an amazing space battle with probably the most frames of visual effects I have seen committed to film. The level of detail and dozens of ships within this battle was awesome and it was clearly designed (although did not distract) as a way for George Lucas and ILM to show-off one last time.
The first half-hour of the film feels very much like ‘A New Hope’ and ‘The Phantom Menace’ with its light-hearted gags and general banter. What immediately stands out is the change in the relationship between Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, acting as equal Brothers rather than with Student/Master subordination. The two genuinely wish each other well, with Obi Wan even admitting to Anakin that he had become a wiser and more powerful Jedi then he could have ever dreamed to be himself! It makes their inevitable squaring off all the more tragic. Another thing that strikes you is the maturity of Anakin, how he has evolved from that whiney teenager last seen in ‘Attack of the Clones’ to a more mature, disciplined and well-rounded Jedi. Overcritical Fanboys have NO RIGHT to bitch about Hayden Christenson’s performance within this film. He delivers.

Lucas masterfully feeds us Palpertine’s seduction of Anakin with believability. A formidable performance from Ian McDiarmid who OWNS this movie. For all the loyalty Anakin has for the Jedi Order, they simply don’t understand – they could never accept his marriage and love for Padme, never allay his anxieties about becoming a father, and most importantly NEVER understand Anakin’s desperation to prevent realisation of the premonition of his wife’s deaths at all costs. It is these fears that Palpertine exploits – telling Anakin ‘tales from the Darkside’ of unnatural Sith powers (that Jedi try to keep secret) that will prevent all of these terrible things from happening. You can see that Anakin’s interest in dabbling into the Darkside is for good intension as he THINKS he is doing the right thing, but as Yoda told Luke so rightly within ‘Empire’, “once you go down the dark path, consume you it will” Anakin becomes an uncontrollable man, possessed.

Overall, Revenge of the Sith is a real tragedy, a tear jerker (my eyes DID water towards the end). There are tender dramatic moments that will forever rank highly across the saga among the fans – this is largely attributed to the improved quality of the acting within this movie. Such moments include when Padme tells Anakin the ‘wonderful’ news that he is about to become a father, when Anakin is consumed by evil and commits a terrible act (that will DISGUST Padme) with the Jedi Temple. The Emperor’s command to execute ‘Order 66’.When Yoda (knowing what he knows) tries to warn Obi Wan against reviewing the Temple security recordings that reveal who exactly massacred the Jedi and the personal pain it will cause him in finding out that way. And the moment when Obi Wan cries regretfully to a demonic Anakin on the lava planet of Mustafar that he was the ‘Chosen One’ and that he loved him as a brother. Anakin’s misguided response to Obi Wan’s proclamation is all the more heartbreaking to hear.
But one CANNOT discuss tragedy without the mentioning of a suited Darth Vader breaking his shackles in fury at certain news that the Emperor breaks to him concerning Padme (only his version is a manipulated lie to provoke anger and forever keep Vader as his slave).This will FOREVER CHANGE your perception of Darth Vader within the original trilogy and will force you to view him as a victim rather than a two-dimensional antagonist.

Cool moments that will make you smile with approval include Emperor Palpertine’s declaration of a Galactic Republic for the Galaxy’s own “safety and security!”, how the Birth of Vader – the helmet descending and the Sith Lord’s first trademark breathes is ingeniously inter-cut with the anguish of a screaming Padme dying from the labour of childbirth.
There is a cool moment at the end of the film where Yoda promises to train Obi Wan in one final skill before fleeing to exile. That skill involves one Qui-Gon Jinn and is the basis of the Jedi ghosts that appear within the original trilogy.
But perhaps the coolest part of the film is towards the end (After Vader dons his Black armour) where, visually, Lucas dissolves the aesthetics of the Prequel Trilogy into the style of the Original trilogy. We see the white corridors of the Tantive IV, we see Vader and the Emperor side by side (next to a young Governor Tarkin – who I’m sure was too uncanny a resemblance to the late Peter Cushing for him NOT to be CGI creation!) and gone are the droids, replaced by humans in the traditional grey imperial uniforms that we are more accustomed to. Episode 3 ties up ALL of the loose ends between trilogies and the masterful way it blends stylistically into Episode 4 will have you reaching for your original trilogy DVDs as soon as you return home! The film also serves to redeem any grievances you may have had with Episodes 1 and 2 as you come to realise that ‘Phantom Menace’ was innocent and childlike for a reason and Anakin was a Whiney Teenage brat in ‘Attack of the Clones’ for a reason too. Its all about the evolution and contrast of the characters as well as the Galaxy.

Speaking of grievances, the only I have with this film is the minuscule use of Chewbacca (there really was NO POINT of him being in this film) and the redundancy of General Grievous who was not the same intimidating character that shit-scared Jedi within the Clone Wars cartoons, but was instead rather a campy cartoony villain.
All in all, I rate this film as the best of the entire Star Wars saga. I don’t know if it’s simply the adrenaline writing, but at this moment of time I deem it BETTER than the acclaimed ‘Empire Strikes Back’.

Did I really just watch episode 3? The events of the film reoccur through my head, my recollections surreally hazy, almost like a dream.
One thing is for sure - I cannot wait to see this film again and Thursday 19th May cannot come soon enough!

The force is strong in this one!!

'Revenge of the Sith early screening' followup - theres a 95% chance I will see it TONIGHT!!!..

I MAY SEE REVENGE OF THE SITH EARLY!!! - An opportunity has arisen (involving a little deception on my part!) for me to attend a Press Screening of this film. I cant say where, I cant say when, but it is SOON! I'm going to think this one over and follow-up on any outcome..

Just came back from seeing Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven.
After the success of his previous historical epic, Gladiator, I was looking forward to this one, and being (at last!) a film about the Crusades, made me look forward to it more so.
So why did I leave the cinema bitterly disappointed? Well here a few reasons why..

1) The first hour of the film was too slow to the point of being boring, it picked up towards the end during the final battle for Jerusalem, which unfortunately reminded me a little too much like the battle of Helm's Deep - we've seen it all before.

2) Orlando Bloom. Need I say anymore, as always his acting was awful, he should not have been cast as lead in this film. I had a real problem believing this unmanly pretty boy could lead and influence an army. It was all too transparent that Ridley Scott's decision to cast him was based on the power of the almighty $ in an attempt to reel in Mr Bloom's female fan base.

3) I don’t know if Mr Scott and co wanted to avoid a fatwa, but the notion of a Crusades film released in this day of (relevant) age with all the sensitivities and tensions between the West and the Islamic nations that pusses out to political correctness is ludicrous. I don’t know if it was me but I couldn’t help but notice how the Christians were portrayed as ignorant, headstrong buffoons while the Muslim army always as noble and almost saintly. That PISSED me off!

One comment from the Aintitcoolnews.com 'Talkback' sums up my feelings perfectly:

This movie has been thoroughly ripped apart by several people in the know, including several English professors and Robert Spencer from Jihad Watch. It's basically 'Osama bin Laden's version of the Crusades' and I understand from Scott himself that he purposely set out to paint a pretty picture of the Muslim hordes attacking Jerusalem. What do you expect when you let CAIR review the script? The fact is that the Crusades were defensive wars fought to protect Christian lands against Islamic Jihad. Scott lies when he says there was a 'brotherhood of Muslims, Christians and Jews' that was striving for peace and then the knights fucked it up. It's all just a whitewash of history and propaganda. I will see this stupid movie because of the battle scenes but if you look for truth, look elsewhere.

4) Gladiator. Ridley Scott made a too desperate effort to try to emulate the look and feel of his former historical box office smash that he failed miserably. This film isn’t even in the same league for so many reasons.

5)My experience watching this in the cinema was RUINED by a drunk and boisterous teenage crowd, but deciding to go to Ilford Cineworld, I should have known better.
They yelled their way through the movie shouting obscenities at one another and also at the audience who told them to calm down. They even started to smoke in the cinema midway through the film. Cineworld’s staff did NOTHING, I complained to the manager right after the end credits began (I missed the final scene thanks to their distraction) and all I received were two complementary tickets (like I’m going to go THERE again!) and the explanation that it was down to the area the cinema was in (Ilford) that undesirables were frequenting there, and that their trouble making was a reoccurring problem.

Should have stayed at home!

Nintendo Revolution details revealed?...

Real or fake? - You decide!

Source: e-empire.com Messageboards

Aries Says:
April 26th, 2005 at 4:41 pm

Here you go:

Brooke got some things right, but much of it is flawed. I don’t know whether he just made up a lot of that stuff, because many of the points have been disproven before. For instance, Game Informer wrote an article on the next generation consoles in which it claims the Revolution’s controller will have one giant touch screen. I’m thinking this is where Brooke got that idea. The Revolution will not have a touch screen. Iwata has stated this before. The controller will be quite normal in the sense that it will have a d-pad and buttons. Like I said, I’m not going to tell you the revolutionary aspect of the system. Nintendo has some cool pre E3 plans for that.

First off, the 3D visuals he mentioned have nothing to do with the system. Nintendo isn’t crazy.

It will also have gyroscopic controls, but like Brooke said, not all the games will use it. For instance, earlier I mentioned Nintendo has a Halo killer in development for the Revolution. This game will use the gyroscopic controls for aiming as wel as other things. Our game isn’t using this function.

The controller will be wireless; he’s right about that. As you also know, the Xbox 360’s controllers will be wireless as well. Where do you think they got this idea? That’s why Nintendo is still trying to determine what to show at E3. From what I’ve heard, they will show the design of the system as well as games. I’ll tell you about the software later though.

The controller will also be pressure sensitive. The pressure you put into it will determine certain things, such as movement. This is another optional capibility. Someone on Nintendo’s board mentioned this months ago. They said that “touching is good, but feeling is better.” This may sound strange, but it provides great controls. Racing games will really be helped by this control setting.

The Nintendo Revolution will also include voice control more advanced than anything seen so far. Nintendogs is just the beginning. To achieve this, Nintendo sent us headsets (similar to ones you can use for Xbox Live) that are wirelessless communicating with the console. Imagine being able to merely call for an airstrike or reload your gun by giving out commands orally. So far, we have put this feature to the test the most; as you can see, I’m excited over this feature.

From a graphical perspective, the Nintendo Revolution is very powerful. Many people seem to think this won’t be the case, but rest assured. The games I saw while working at Nintendo were very beautiful. I’ll tell you about those later.

As Nintendo has stated before, the system will be online. In my eyes, the online system they have set up is the most revolutionary part of the system. While Sony and Microsoft are busy turning their systems into trojan horses for their other electronic devices, Nintendo is going to use the Revolution for direct communication with gamers. The only way I can describe it is as an internet service. Imagine turning it on and checking your mail on the system. You see previews and demos of DS and Revolution games that you can download. A magazine similar to Nintendo Power will be exclusive to the system, and you will be able to access it on the Revolution’s homepage. As you check you mail, you will also see various invitations from gamers on your buddy list who want to play you. There are so many other ways this is going to be used. Once the Revolution comes out, there will be no reason to hang out on message boards. Message boards as well as chat rooms will be available on the Revolution so that gamers can discuss and challenge each other all day. And the best thing is that the entire thing is totally free and easy to use. Why play Madden on Xbox Live when you’ll be able to play it for free on the Revolution with much better services?

That’s all I’m going to reveal for now. There are some very interesting games in the horizon for the Revolution; I’ll talk about them later.

Quote:
Aries Says:
April 26th, 2005 at 5:04 pm

Like Brooke said, console ideas are nothing without good games. Once you see the games, you will understand. I would go as far to say that the Revolution isn’t as revolutionary as Nintendo is saying. It should be called the Nintendo Simplicity, because every aspect I mentioned greatly simplifies the gaming experience. For instance, the pressure sensitive grips on the controller make racing games much easier to control and play. Wave Race (yes, it will be at E3) is going to be very impressive because it will use this function. It will be sort of like controlling a game with one of those stress balls. You squeeze it and you go faster. It’s hard to explain though.

Don’t expect to see too much if any of the controller at E3 though. Nintendo is still trying to decide what to show and what not to show. The games will be revealed, as well as specs and the system design. But the controller is still being considered.

To Jesus: when you see the voice controls, you will be blown away. Go back and watch some sci fi movies with voice controlled vehicles (such as AI or I am Robot).

Quote:
# Aries Says:
April 26th, 2005 at 2:14 pm

You guys are still talking about the 3D angle of that article? Check the date of the patent in question. This has already been used in a game that’s out right now. I would suggest you pay attention to IGN or N-Sider more.

Like I said, I’m going to give out some details on the next gen hardware, especially the Nintendo Revolution. You guys already know a lot of information on the Xbox 360; you guys have already seen the specs of the system. Gamespy released them around GDC. I was at GDC, and I’ll fill you in on some stuff that IGN can’t talk about. Specs and details on the Nintendo Revolution were given out to developers during the conference. I can verify that my company as well as EA and Midway received them at GDC. I’m positive other publishers received them as well.

From what I’ve heard, Capcom and Namco are sold on the Revolution and are currently playing around with the development kits. I don’t know whether they are actually making games for it though. I was suprised to hear that Square Soft has a game in development for the Revolution. It will be at E3 as well as some other next gen titles for the PS3.

I’m currently working on a game for the Revolution as well. I can’t guarantee that it will be at E3 though. I think people are going to be very suprised. When I worked with Nintendo, I was able to see the earliest builds of the system. It has come a long way, to say the least. There are a lot of graphics whores out there who feel the Revolution will be a weak system. They will be very suprised come E3. Microsoft is banking on stealing the show, but I think they will be upstaged by Nintendo as well as Sony. It’s going to be very funny to see them trying to get people excited about Perfect Dark 0 when both Nintendo and Sony will be showing off Halo killers.

Quote:
# Aries Says:
April 26th, 2005 at 3:28 pm



I’m not going to share specs with you because they aren’t really that important. I think Iwata said something like that when asked the same question. All three consoles are going to be very powerful, trust me. I’ll give you some information though: it will be more powerful than the Xbox 360. Much more powerful. Many gamers seem to think it will be as powerful as the GBA or something. That isn’t the case at all. From what I saw during my time their as well as our game, it will be very capible.

But having the most powerful console doesn’t guarantee that gamers are going to buy it. Software sells the games. And if that statement holds true next generation, the Nintendo Revolution will be very popular.

In my next post I will “spill the beans” on everything I know about the Revolution. I’ll give you some hints though. All the rumors out there are not mere rumors. Some are planted by people who are working on the consoles. In fact, Nintendo is doing this right now with the information they’ve released on the Revolution. You are going to see why Nintendo hasn’t just come out and said confirmed that the Revolution is going to be very powerful. You’re going to be punk’d by them in a couple weeks. Pay attention to the boards, especially Nintendo’s board. It’s much better than OurColony.

Quote:
Aries Says:
April 27th, 2005 at 6:10 am

Silicon
Knights is not developing for the Nintendo Revolution right now. They
will show off some Xbox 360 games at E3; I can confirm that. Matt saw
the game, and he knows what they are up to. Once he is able to talk
about it, he will reveal his information to you.

Like I said, I
know as much about Resident Evil 5 as you do. I would guess it is going
to be a current generation game. If Capcom could have it ready for the
holidays (to combat the Xbox 360), it would come out then. But that’s
just my own speculation (and hope; RE4 is amazing).

I can
confirm that Nintendo is currently working on many Revolution titles.
Most are just in the planning stages, but I have seen video of seven.
I’m sure at least three or four of these games will be at E3 in video
form. Perhaps more; we will see at E3. Outside of our game, there are
six 3rd party games that I have heard of. As I mentioned earlier,
Square Enix (happy now?) is developing a new game for the Revolution.
EA, Sega, Zoonami, Namco, and Activision are currently working on games.

3rd party information:

EA
is playing around with the Revolution’s capibilities, implementing them
into another Madden game. This isn’t really news though. From what I’ve
heard, they are really going out of their way to make this more than
just a port. Voice controls are being used to the max in this title.
Calling out audibles will be used this way. The wireless capibilities
of the system are also going to be used. Like I said, there will be no
reason to buy Madden for the Xbox 360 when the Revolution version comes
out.

Sega is developing three games for the Revolution that
should be at E3. I’m not going to reveal too much on what they are up
to for obvious reasons. The three games I listed does not include the
game we are developing for them. You will be very suprised at what they
are doing. I’m sure you have heard of the Xbox 360 title Condemned that
they are working on. This game is something that many wouldn’t expect
Sega to make; you won’t expect what you will see at E3. The other game
they have is a typical, quirky Sega game. It’s very interesting in the
sense that it uses all the system’s capibilities.

Zoonami has
already given out some hints on what they are working on. I have always
felt that Sam Fisher is a much better character than Solid Snake.
Zoonami just might have some characters that are better than both of
them.

Namco is working on a Revolution game, but I don’t have
details on it. I am sure that it is not a Soul Caliber III port. I
don’t see why they just won’t add online play and Link and Ganon to the
game and release it as a launch title. That would be a very smart move.

Activision
is working on some ports for the Revolution. You will see what they
have for the Xbox 360 at E3. At least one of these games will be ported
to the Revolution for its launch.

On 1st party information:

Like
I said, I have seen seven Nintendo titles, some of which will be at E3.
When the DS was launced, it had one sub par 1st party game. This will
not be the case with the Revolution’s launch. If they were to release
all the games I’ve seen at launch, it would easily be the best launch
ever for a console.

I can confirm that Nintendo is working on a
new, orignal Mario game. In my opinion, the last few Miyamoto games
havn’t been that interesting. This will change with this game. Like
Mario 64 for the N64, this game will introduce all of the capibilities
of the console. It will use the pressure sensitive controls mainly, but
the voice controls as well as gyroscopic controls will be used as well.
From what I saw, this game will use mini games to introduce many of
these schemes. All of these mini games could be released as stand alone
games.

A new Super Smash Bros. Melee is in the works as well.
This game will demonstrate the online functions of the Revolution.
Nintendo has added many new things into the game, included a deeper
combat system. Many more special moves are included as well as some
very cool suprises. The levels will include some destructible
environments, and the characters will be fully customizable. Want to
play as Mario in his 80’s outfit? Or would you prefer the 90’s look?
It’s your choice. The most innovative part of the game is the different
modes. In previous games, you were allowed to play in giant mode, metal
mode, small mode, etc. That has changed. You will be able to choose to
play in a “Paper” mode (a la Paper Mario), a cel shaded mode (Wind
Waker), or Viewtiful Joe-esque mode.

As I said earlier, Retro is working on a Halo killer. This game is going to be one of the best games at E3. In my opinion, StarCraft was the best RTS ever. This game is going to use some similar ideas. In most FPS, you play as a hero trying to save the day. In Retro’s game, they allow you to choose which storyline you want to play, just like StarCraft allows you to play as Terran, Zerg, etc. Biological weapons will play a major part in the game. Imagine fighting in a chemical plant, where toxics are stored everywhere. By shooting them, you emit the toxic. If you get hit by this stuff, many different things may happen. For instance, you may lose sight on the screen, your controls might be inverted or slowed down, etc. Or, if your character gets the fever, the controller might get hot. Very hot. The alien races are very interesting also. You will be able to switch to 3rd person in order to move faster (similar to running in Odd World: Stranger’s Wrath). You will be able to “impregnate” human players by grabbing on to them for a certain amount of time. This will implant a NPC in them, which will burst out at your command, instantly killing the human player. You will then be able to use voice control to command the NPC.

Revenge of the Sith to be a 12A in the UK

A quick MSN discussion with my Brother prompted him to ask me the question, what has Revenge of the Sith been rated by the British Board of Film Classification.
I had no idea, I mean the film is less than 2 weeks away but there was no big announcement. A quick search on the BBFC Website revealed what we all thought - its to be a 12A, this is official folks!

When submitted to the BBFC the work had a running time of 139m 59s.
The running time of this film was calculated from the measured length of 12598+12 ( feet + frames ).

This work was passed with no cuts made.

Contains moderate fantasy violence and scary scenes

The MGM Grand says it all Baby!

DSC00979
Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Musole & I at Luxor

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Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Dirty, Dusty Downtown Vegas!

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Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Musole by the Tropicana / MGM Grand

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Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Fashion Show Mall on the Vegas Strip

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Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

The new, Wynn Las Vegas resort

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Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Me in front of the Bellagio

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Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Musole by Ceasars Palace

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Originally uploaded by darthbane2k.

Leaving Las Vegas

Landed back from Las Vegas today.

I’m still severely jetlagged, slightly sun-burned, holiday budget cleaned out, but all in all it was an outstanding and well deserved vacation.

I did plan to picture-Blog directly from my Cameraphone out-there but for some reason MMS failed every time.
However the trip did go to plan (and it was planned well!), received a complementary upgrade to the best rooms within our hotel, enjoyed its outstanding pool and hot tub (open 24 hrs!), partied at some of the hot new Vegas clubs including Pure @ Ceasars,Tangerine @T.I (with ultra trendy outdoor patio and plush leather seating) and Shadow – probably the coolest of the bars simply because there is a screen either side of the bar where you can see the real silhouette of nude female dancers who are obviously ‘performing’ behind to the music being played! We also attended the grand opening of the new Wynn Hotel/Casino resort (that place is a 2 billion dollar beauty with a freaking Ferrari dealership inside!!), partied at the Rio's Voodoo Lounge on its 51st Floor outdoor patio which had some breathtaking views of Las Vegas in its entirety! (Not for those with Vertigo!).
We spent most of the time knocking back Corona and Limes, Giant Margaritas and cocktails. One cocktail springs to mind at the Voodoo Lounge which came served in a giant glass (took both of us well over an hour to sip it to its finish!) emitting endless smoke (Probably dried-ice) from the liquid concoction within!

We even had time to catch a great 'topless' Las Vegas Showgirl revue, Folies Bergere!

Eating was good too - did many of the fine restaurants and buffets Vegas is famous for. A Stand-out-meal worth mentioning was the Sunday Brunch at the Circus Circus Steakhouse. Voted the best Steakhouse in all of Vegas, you could eat unlimited from the carvery, omelette station and main food buffet. I selected the delicious flamed grilled lamb chops as my grill item. Best of all, champagne was unlimited at no extra cost and my glass was never half-full let alone empty!

Shopping - I took good advantage of the weak dollar and the strong pound by picking up a brand new Sony PSP and a bundle of games for less than £200 total! I had to pickup the PSP from Gamestop in the Las Vegas Boulevard mall in order to get a decent deal. Although EB Games in the Fashion Show Mall was my first port of call, however they tried to rip me off by insisting that I would have to buy a $25 warranty, two (pre-selected and quite awful) games and an accessory before I could ‘earn the right’ to purchase a Sony PSP. I told them where to shove their ‘bundle’ as it would have been cheaper to import from lik-sang or something!!.

Gambling - I played small and won small. Mainly Video Poker and Slots, nothing to brag (or weep) about there. It was done for fun and the (free) drinks from Cocktail Waitresses kept flowing!

Overall a great trip (I'll post some photos shortly) - Its good to be home with Jaden but it sucks to be home in London, if you know what I mean!