Disney Infinity 2.0

I can’t wait to be able to play Disney Infinity 2.0. The reason I haven’t as of yet is a lack of funds. And that is the inherent problem. I enjoyed playing through the story levels and toy box mode of the first iteration, and I enjoyed the idea of fighting to collect all the unique figures to play, but my wallet didn’t – nor did my wife.

I think that, for the most part, the wives and mothers, or the husbands, and fathers, as the case may be, have put a tighter grip on the purse-string this time around, I know my wife has. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since it gives me more time to think through my purchases. It’s a neat game to play, but it can be seen as a money pit and until I can find a compelling argument to convince myself and my wife that sinking a small fortune into one game is worth it, I won’t be able to play as the Marvel heroes and villains this version has added.

-          Whalicoco

History

As we draw closer to the release of the Of Mages & Pages game, I have found myself contemplating the world of the characters. I have studied history in terms of the factual records and the fictional ones. This is where it gets complicated. Do we understand the makeup of the medieval world through the lens of reality, or a combination of concepts gleaned from both historical record and folklore? The fun elements of the game will include many fantasy characters and situations involving magic or powers. I find it interesting to look deeper into where those ideas come from. As science has advanced, we have come to accept many of those elements as entirely fictional or have found physical explanations for what people of the Middle Ages would have deeply believed were real and supernatural.

 

I certainly have no intention of ruining anyone’s fun, and I am a firm believer in the suspension of disbelief for the sake of a story. In fact, that is the beauty of our work. We can add or subtract, at will, any portions of myth to our story based on the wonderful works of the past. I have posted before that many fictional works have influenced me, and I know that is true for most of the 3Twins’ staff. I also believe we are creating an entertaining and quality product or I wouldn’t be involved. The cool part is how we can invent new situations and twists to set ours apart from the ones we have grown to love. You can reply to any of our posts and be a part of this. What do you think should be included or left out of our world?

 

Understand your escape!

~ Chuck

ANOTHER NEW CHARACTER!!!

Today I bring you another new character, Selcrah the fairy.  As with many of the concept images, this image comes from S. LaDon Ware.  Selcrah is a spitfire tiny little thing who won't take any nonsense from anyone.  But who is she really fighting for?  For that, you'll have to wait and play our upcoming Wii U game: Of Mages & Pages!

~Jason

Batman 75th

Greetings 3twins fans,

I believe Jason posted quite some time ago about how the 60s Batman TV show influenced young Andy and Jason to come up with Hatman & Indigo.  We would come home from school and watch re-runs of Adam West, as Batman, as he would save the day with the Boy Wonder.  This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Batman.  It's interesting to look back and see all the changes in the Batman stories, as well as the many mediums it has used.  Adam West's Batman from the 1960s was not the first televised serial, Batman has been on the small screen since the 1940s.

Along with live action television, Batman also has graced our tv sets with many animated incarnations including the Super-friends, Batman the animated series, Brave and the Bold, and the newest cartoon Beware the Batman, just to name a few.  I'm sure most of our readers are also familiar with the Silver Screen Batman films from the 90s and the more recent Dark Knight movies.

All that doesn't even touch the vast collection of comics featuring Batman. I love the darker Frank Miller Dark Knight comics, but also the lighter Batman '66 that is currently available online by Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman.  I urge you to look into an incarnation of the Bat that you are not familiar with, and soak up a bit of what the Dark Knight has to offer.

~Andy

Independence Day

Greetings All,

I have had opportunity to reflect a bit on what Independence means to me.  As I have gotten older the simple response of "It means I get to do what I want, when I want." seems weak and hollow.  After reflecting on the actions of Our Founding Moms & Dads (those who have advanced distinctly American ideals in the various fields of human endeavor) I am left to believe that independence (done right) must also follow responsibility, justice, ambition and sacrifice.

I didn't come to preach to You a history lesson today.  I hope to encourage You, though.  In Our own little way; giving up on sleep, T.V., extra curricular activities, etc...puts us in the footsteps of those who have walked the distinctly American path, hunting for their own American Dream.  We stretch Ourselves now so that We, and possibly Our progeny, can have a better life a little later down the road.  Of course no one is suggesting that building a video game is synonymous with the Founding of The United States; all I am saying is that same spirit that ran through Edison, Washington, King, & Anthony runs in us vicariously... and specifically.  And so we strive a little more than those around us to achieve a little more than they ever will just doing "enough to get by."

I applaud your/our efforts 3twins Crew! You deserve to celebrate your (coming) Independence Day!!!!

Be Blessed!

S. LaDon Ware (Steven) 

Video Game Storyboard Designer

In one of my earlier blogs I touched based on storyboard artists and there importance in the entertainment industry. Today ‘s post is focused on video game storyboard designer's role. The average income for this position averages between 65 to 70k a year but experience is a big determining factor in pay. In short the designers role can range from short quick sketches to detailed, either on paper or computer. These sketch out the entire visual workings of the game play, levels and characters and it is the game designers and artist job to weave these rough sketches into the final project. This is just a brief highlight of the many important functions that fall under this title. Above is an example of what a storyboard sketch looks like (Spiderman, Keith Tucker - Cartoonist).

~Michael

Cult Games

It’s said that video games are going to surpass other methods of mass entertainment in the early 21^st century. So will video games ever become as common an experience as listening to the radio, watching TV, or going to the movies?  Chances are good as more designers understand that story-driven games are a prime motivator, not just an afterthought.

Think of some of best games you’ve ever played- did they have characters, places, and plots you could relate to?  More than likely that’s the case. Getting people to play a game is easy, make it accessible to them. Getting people to keep playing over and over and want more after they’re done takes the elements of storytelling that best-sellers and cult favorites are known for.

What are some of your favorite cult games, and what is it about them that keeps you coming back?

~Mutz

Summer Blockbusters

Hey it's that time again. Time for your friendly neighborhood blogger to post and time for Summer Blockbusters. I stole that line from Spiderman, but you probably knew that already. All the excitement of summer blockbusters, The Amazing Spiderman 2, X-Men-Days of Future Past, Transformers-Age of Extinction. What a cornucopia of choices. The best part is that the excitement doesn't end there...

Later this year 3twins will be introducing our new Nintendo WiiU game to the market. I for one can't wait. Stay tuned to this blog and our website for more information as we get closer and closer, and if you pay really close attention, you may even get a sneak peek into some of the character designs.

~Tom

Hatman & Indigo – Origins: Super Cold Frozen Man

The third member of the Terrible Trio, arch nemeses of Hatman & Indigo, had a fated beginning.  As one of the creators of Hatman & Indigo, I had a lot of input into the aforementioned characters, but as the voice behind Super Cold Frozen Man I have had the privilege of molding his persona into that you see (and hear) in the comics today.

The first inspiration for Super Cold Frozen Man goes way back into my childhood, when I would enjoy watching the cartoon Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, which featured Iceman.  I loved Iceman way more than Spider-Man, and immediately began a fixation on all ice powered characters.  From Iceman (Marvel) to Mr. Freeze (DC), to Isis Vanderchill (Darkwing Duck) I loved those frozen heroes and villains.  So when it came time to create the terrible trio, I knew one of them had to have ice powers.

To find out more about Super Cold Frozen Man and the rest of the Terrible Trio, check out their misadventures in Hatman & Indigo

~Andy