Monthly Archives: April 2015
Here’s How Much All Of LEGO Dimensions Will Cost
You've probably heard of LEGO Dimensions, LEGO's take on the games with toys craze. It hits stores on September 27, and features blocky renditions of characters from The Lord of the Rings (Gimli, Legolas), DC Comics (Wonder Woman, Cyborg), Back To The Future (Marty McFly), and LEGO's own LEGO Movie (Bad Cop, Unikitty), among others.
Mod Turns Dota 2 into a Third-Person Shooter
If you've ever been reluctant to play Dota 2 because of its isometric camera view, a new mod may provide a nice alternative.
Modder BMD_ has taken Dota 2 and turned it into a third-person shooter. An accomplishment done by using the very tools and game engine upon which Dota 2 runs.
Rather than using the traditional built-in controls, BMD_ had to alter Dota 2's mechanics to allow for third-person play.
"I did completely blow away and recreate my own keyboard/mouse control system instead of using the built in Dota controls. I created my own system of motion that allows me do to things like have characters jump and strafe, and turn at an infinite rate," the modder told Reddit. "In fact, no unit orders are given at all in the game, nor are any hero abilities or items used."
The Room and RiffTrax Take Manhattan
Nearly 90 minutes before the RiffTrax Live event taking place as a part of the Tribeca Film Festival was set to begin, the line outside the SVA Theatre in Chelsea was rather long. By the time the event staff started letting people into the theater, 30 minutes before the show, it was exceptionally long.
That is to be expected. The RiffTrax fan base is a devoted one and this is the first time a RiffTrax Live event has been done in New York City. Kevin Murphy, Mike Nelson, and Bill Corbett -- the guys behind RiffTrax -- seem equally devoted to the fans, with Murphy spending some time outside talking to folks, signing autographs, and taking pictures on the sidewalk before the audience went in.
Theory: Will Darth Vader Clash with Ventress and Vos?
With the Lucasfilm Story Group making sure that all of the new Star Wars canon from the movies, comics, books, and video games all fit properly together, there’s bound to be some crossover. That’s the basis for our theory that Darth Vader will be crossing paths with Asajj Ventress and Quinlan Vos.
Before we start explaining, note that this is just a fun theory based on some things we noticed. We’re not saying that it’s true, but the idea of it happening gets us pretty excited. On to the theory!
Marvel Comics is putting out a Darth Vader series, by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Salvador Larroca, set after the events of A New Hope. The cover for the upcoming Darth Vader #5 shows Vader ready to fight and two lightsabers, one green and one yellow, crossed in front of him, as though to scissor off his head a la Anakin Skywalker taking care of Count Dooku.
Sphero Announces Plans to Build Star Wars BB-8 Toys
In the wake of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens new teaser trailer and the love for the small droid BB-8, robotics company Sphero has announced they are building an official toy based on the character.
It's just a tease at the moment; nothing much more than one web page reading "This is the Droid You're Looking For" and a silhouette of BB-8 on a black background. There's been no mention of release dates, prices, or any additional information. However, fans who are interested are invited to enter their email address to stay tuned for updates.
Sphero is the technology behind the BB-8 droid used in The Force Awakens, who initially captured attention when it was revealed the droid was a practical effect instead of computer-generated.
7 Things to Watch This Week
A bit of a lighter load this week as we've come to the time of year when many network (and midseason) shows are ending their seasons. That means Season 3 closers for both History's Vikings and FX's The Americans, along with the freshman year finale for CBS' Scorpion.
As far as new seasons go, Showtime's blasting out their new midlife crisis comedy Happyish (literally all Sunday night - it's the reason Penny Dreadful was pushed back a week) and Comedy Central's launching the third season of their critically acclaimed Inside Amy Schumer.
In geekier TV news, The Flash will delve deeper into Dr. Harrison Wells' car crash "transformation" and screen veteran Jonathan Pryce will debut as "High Sparrow" on Game of Thrones.
Google’s Balloon-Powered Internet Nearly Ready to Take Off
Google has released a new video showcasing the latest advances in Project Loon.
The internet-providing balloons are able to be kept afloat for up to 100 days at a time now, and the balloons can now be built in hours instead of days. Having thousands of balloons afloat at a time can push signal into areas that can't easily access internet services.
The behind-the-scenes video features project lead Mike Cassidy explaining the challenges faced during the project, as well as how Google has overcome them to help making balloon-powdered internet for all a reality.
"When we launched Project Loon in 2013 we hoped to answer a single question - could balloons be used to connect people to the Internet?" Google said of its update video. "Proving that this was possible in our New Zealand launch then led the team to start asking a much larger question - how can we make this work for everyone, no matter where they are in the world? How do you manufacture enough balloons to be able to provide coverage anywhere in the world and then launch them and control them so that there is always a balloon overhead to provide connection to the user on the ground?"
Sony’s New 4K TV Arrives This Summer
Sony's new Ultra HD line of TVs is coming in May, followed this summer by the X900C, reportedly the thinnest TV in the world.
The Ultra HD sets are all HDR-compatible, resulting in more exaggerated hues and vibrant colors –– services such as Amazon and Netflix are planning to roll out HDR content sometime this year, so compatible sets should have suitable shows to watch. The Ultra HD sets also utilize Triluminos technology, allowing for a wider color range and dynamic color correction, according to Sony.
See Luke and Leia Reunited with Their Dad
Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia have apparently searched their feelings and decided to forgive their father, Darth Vader.
A Mark Hamill fan page on Facebook posted a picture (seen below) of the actor and his co-star Carrie Fisher together with the Sith Lord. Families stick together, even after they've imprisoned, kissed and dismembered each other.
Courtesy of Its Mark Hamill Facebook page
LEGO Movie Sequel, Batman and Ninjago Spin-Offs Dated
The next three LEGO films have been given release dates.
Variety reports that the first will be the spin-off LEGO Batman movie on February 10, 2017. Will Arnett will reprise his role as a moody Dark Knight. Co-director Phil Lord said it will explore Batman's emotions, and have him trying to find happiness. That project is currently untitled.
The next to follow will be Ninjago on September 22, 2017. That was originally slated for fall 2016, but has been pushed back. Finally, the LEGO Movie Sequel will come on May 18, 2018.