Nerd Tutorial Podcast

Ep 73: Parody Movies, Tv Shows, & Anime Review

Topic: Parody Movies, Tv Shows, & Anime

 

This week, we're reminiscing and remembering plenty of strange and fun Parody shows.  The Idea hit me that we're probably all running out of shows and movies to watch, so why not stuff that makes fun of other stuff, and what's more nerdy than parody and satire?

 

Definition of a Parody, Spoof, Homage, or Satire:

A work that is created to Imitate, Make fun of, and/or comment on an original work.  This is often done via satirical or ironic imitation. 

 

Satire is when you mock people for their short comings, faults, or vices.

Irony is when someone does or says something that is the opposite of what we expect them to do or mean.   

 

 

Example:

 

Satire – In Galaxy Quest, the actors recoil and act on their cowardly instincts for survival upon first entering and visiting the ship of Galaxy Quest.

 

Irony – In Little Mermaid, Ariel gives up her voice for legs so that she can meet and fall in love with Eric.  But Eric doesn’t recognize her without her voice, and thus, is still looking for his love.  

 

 

 

 

Parody Tv Shows

Big Bang Theory (Nerdy)

The Orville (Sci-fi, Star Trek)

Saturday Night Live (Various)

Simpsons (60s & 70s & 80s Family Sitcoms)

The Office / Parks and Rec (Documentaries, Office Life, and Government action)

 

Parody Movies

Cornelio Trilogy (Various: Zombie, Cop/Police, Conspiracy/Aliens)

                Shawn of the Dead

                Hot Fuzz

                The World’s End

Zombieland (Zombie Movies)

Galaxy Quest (Sci-fi, Star Trek)

Shrek (Fantasy Tales)

Airplane (Disaster Movies)

              Leslie Nielsen Filmography Post 1980

              Naked Gun

              Dracula: Dead and Loving it

Blazing Saddles (Western)

Spaceballs (Sci-fi, Star Wars)

Austin Powers (Spy Movies, James Bond)

Tropic Thunder (War Films)

Monty Python: Holy Grain (Historical European, King Arthur)

 

Parody Music

Weird Al

 

Parody Anime

One Punch Man (American Super Heroes)

Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! (Magical Girl Shows)

Gintama (Various)

Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (Various)

Kono Suba (Fantasy/MMO/Issekai)

Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (American Adult Animation)

 

Ep 72: Pokemon Review

Topic: Pokemon Review

 

Mom returns with tales of her journey in the world of pokemon.  She have thoughts, Ideas, and our discussion was actually very interesting in the respects of Video Game ideas and philosophy of those that make the game, and where they come from.  It's actually pretty interesting, as we've been doing this for over 70 weeks now, mom is getting quite comfortable and skilled at trying to understand the culture of the people who created the game, which is awesome.  Plus our usual divergence in to Animal Crossing as well.

 

 

Homework Review

 

Spinoff Pokemon Games

 

Pokemon Stadium Series

• Console: Nintendo 64
• Developed by Nintendo as a response to the popularity of the Pokemon Games, these were the only way to see the Pokemon on the Big Screen. The game was bundled with the Nintendo 64 Transfer Pak, an add-on for the N64 so that you could transfer your Pokemon from the gameboy games to the N64 and use them in the game.  The original intent was for tournaments, so that those watching had something to watch and see during the event, instead of the blocky, pixilated version of the game.

 

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Series

• Console: Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch
• Based on Mystery Dungeon Mechanics (When Dungeons or Zones are randomly Generated), this game found you the player transforming in to a Pokemon, based off a personality test, and visiting various dungeons to complete the game. Along the way, you can collect other pokemon to follow you and assist in the dungeons.  Unlike other Pokemon games, the battles are simple, as you navigate through the dungeon and happen upon other enemy pokemon.  Several games have come out over the years, with more light hearted affair and pokemon talking to each other.  There also tends to be a lack of any humans around, so pokemon appear in a more natural setting, with many civilized trappings.

 

Pokemon Ranger Series

• Console: Nintendo DS
• Attempting to take advantage of the Nintendo DS’s bottom Touch Screen, this version of the game sees you capturing pokemon for a short period of time and using them on missions. The big change is that instead of the RPG mechanics of the main game, you use the stylus to draw circles around pokemon in order to capture it temporarily.  Pokemon captured temporarily can then be used to assist with your mission or help with capturing pokemon.  An example is a water pokemon may slow or immobilize the enemy pokemon you’re trying to capture with the stylus. 

 

Pokemon Rumble Series

• Console: Nintendo 3DS, Wii U
• Like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, you travel through various procedurally generated dungeons and fight other pokemon. The main difference being the real-time melee mechanics, which act out in real time, meaning you have to run up to attack them, but also dodge their attacks too. 

 

Pokemon Snap

• Console: Nintendo 64, Wii / Wii U Virtual Console
• A less beloved, but still cult popular, game in the Pokemon Series. This one is an on-rail (Meaning you follow a set path as laid out by the game) sees you going through various areas and taking pictures of pokemon.  The goal is to take pictures of Pokemon, with points awarded for the quality of the picture taken; this can be due to multiple pokemon, different pokemon in same picture, rare or evolved pokemon, or the actions the pokemon are doing in the picture. The pokemon are all in their natural environment, but with Pokemon Bait launched in certain parts of the area, you can trigger events to get more pokemon to show up, different pokemon to appear, or trigger a short event that makes for a better picture.

 

Pokemon Puzzle Games

• Console: Gameboy Color, Nintendo 64, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch
• These are various games based off puzzle mechanics. Usually, these are re-skins (Reusing other games mechanics, worlds, models, etc, from games in order make new material) of other existing game series.
  • Puzzle Challenge & Puzzle League – Reskin of Panel de Pon / Puzzle League
  • Pokemon Shuffle – Reskin of Puzzle & Dragon / Bejeweled Mechanics
  • Pokemon Café Mix – Reskin of Disney’s Tsum Tsum Mechanics

 

Hey You, Pikachu

• Console: Nintendo 64
• A unique game where you follow your Pikachu around and talk to it. Utilizing the N64 Voice Recognition Unit, an add-on included with the game, you can talk to Pikachu and direct it around to do stuff for you.  Talking to Pikachu directly allows you to build trust and score, which can unlock additional skills for Pikachu.  It’s unique in that its Add-on is only used for the one game, and also doesn’t work well with adult and teenager voices.  While the gameplay is simple, it was launched right in the middle of the initial pokemon craze to take advantage of it.

 

 

Super Smash Bros

• Console: Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii / Wii U, Switch
• While not a Pokemon game in of itself, pokemon have been represented in every Smash Bros game, and often favorite. Initial Super Smash Bros saw series mascot Pikachu to the roster from day one, and is often a favorite amongst other player, along with Jigglypuff as an unlock.  Later series would add additional pokemon, including Pichu, Mewtwo, Charizard, Lucario, Greninja, & Incineroar.  In Super Smash Bros Braw, we saw the introduction of the Pokemon Trainer, which could switch out between Charizard, Ivysaur, and Squirtle to allow varied gameplay in one character.  Outside of the various stages in the game being pokemon themed, there are also Pokeballs, which contain any number of pokemon that can be summoned on to the stage and aid the thrower by causing damage, debuffs, or chaos during the match.

 

 

 

 

Pokemon Anime

Largely credited for opening up the Western Audience to Anime, Pokemon has been a staple of TV for the last 23 years.  Pokemon’s Cartoon/Anime follows the adventures of Ash Ketchum(As in Catch them All, the series’s tag line), also simply known as Satoshi in Japanese, as he ventures around the world to become a Pokemon Master.  The show follows the basic plot of the games, with side stories and adventures to flesh out the world and character, intended to be the common adventure of a Pokemon Trainer and his friends.  The show’s art style has largely unchanged from 1997 till 2016, when the Anime had a change in art style. 

 

There have been a few spin off series that are Pokemon Anime, but don’t follow the events of Ash.

• Pokemon Chronicles – Following trainers for the Johto League, similar to the Gold and Silver character designs. The game follows their exploits, but takes place in the same world and time around Ash and his journeys.
• Pokemon Origins – A more faithful retelling of the Pokemon Red and Blue series of games. It was a mini-series released just before X & Y’s release.  While initially limited to Japan, they were eventually released on to the Pokemon Youtube Channel for free.
• Pokemon Generations – A pokemon series initially released on Pokemon’s Youtube Channel. The series follows the first six generations of pokemon and Largely focus on side stories of various pokemon character that have been seen through the games, including trainers, Gym Leaders, and other random characters. 
• Pokemon Twilight Wings – A mini-series released on to Youtube, the series follows events of Sword and Shield, and only finished production in August due to Covid-19 delaying the production of the final episode.

 

Like any long running series, Pokemon has had some episodes removed or heavily edited due to Controversies regarding the material or elements of them.

• “Cyber Soldier Porygon” – Likely the most famous example came early in Pokemon’s broadcast. The episode featured Ash and Pikachu being digitized and entering a computer to aid Porygon, a digital Pokemon.  During the episode, Pikachu’s Thunderbolt Attack causes a mix of Blue and Red flashing effects in rapid succession, causing a strobe effect for roughly 5-7 seconds.  This resulted in some viewers experiencing Blurred Vision, headaches, dizziness, and nausea, with some viewers experiencing Blindness, Seizures, convulsions, and losing consciousness.  While 685 viewers were reported to have been hospitalized, it’s presumed that over 12000 child may have been affected by the episode.

 

After the episode, Pokemon took a 4 month Hiatus.  After the Hiatus, other episodes were edited to remove strobe effects, along with the Opening sequence being edited and changed.  The episode has never been seen outside of the original broadcast and was removed by Nintendo.  In the west, the episode was mocked and used as satire for Japanese Anime in other western animation, particular Simpsons and South Park.

 

• Jynx – Jynx is an ice-pokemon, but upon release in America, it was criticized for promotion of Black Face. While the notion of Black Face was Foreign to Japan, who doesn’t have a large foreign population in Japan (only 3-4% of the population in Japan is Non-Japanese), Jynx was later changed to have a Purple colored Face instead.  This was what led to the exclusion of the episode “The Ice Cave!” which heavily included Jynx before the edit.

 

• Several Episodes have been removed due to illusions to Earthquakes or Destruction, namely episodes in Japan, as the episodes original Airing date was halted due to Earthquakes or Tsunami’s in Japan. Similarly in the West, two episodes were pulled temporarily pulled after the 9/11 Attacks during the initial broadcast: one featured the destruction of a city and another due to the title “The Tower of Terror”.  Both episodes were eventually rebroadcast.

 

• Some Episodes were only skipped in America. This included “Beauty and the Beach” where the characters participate in a Swimsuit competition, but features James of team Rocket sporting inflatable breasts.  The Episode was initially skipped due to the previous content and concerns over over-sexualization, but later re-edited and rebroadcast as a ‘Lost Episode’.  Another episode, “The Legend of Dartini” would have seen Ash and company looking for the rare Dartini Pokemon and visiting the Safari Zone, however was skipped due to the frequent use and appearance firearms in the anime.  The episode leads to an error in the show, where Ash had captured 30 Tauros Pokemon, which see use later in the series. 

 

 

Much like other long running Anime Series, Pokemon has movies, 24 theatrical released movies over the last 23 years.  Pokemon itself in Japan releases a Movie every year, which often tells side stories for Ash and company which don’t get referenced or reflected in the mainline anime.  It’s also amongst the only times in which major Legendary Pokemon get seen, as they are rarely referenced or seen in the main Anime.  A handful of the POkemon Movies saw a release in the West, namely during the first and second generation, with later movies not seeing a Domestic Box Office release, but released to Video Instead.

 

 

While Japan has had one new Pokemon movie every year, the west released Detective Pikachu, which is amongst the highest grossing films in 2019 and second highest grossing videogame film of all time.

Ep 71: Pokémon Tutorial

Topic: Pokemon Tutorial

 

Today, we're starting the long haul of going through Pokémon.  We're going to discuss mostly the games today and the world of Pokémon, because if we went through the myriad of spinoffs, this would become an even longer episode.  We go over the basics, and try to discuss some of what Pokémon represents as a whole.

 

 

History

Created by Satoshi Tajiri, the game initially started based off his love of collecting insects as a child.  As the home he lived in started to become more urbanized, he noticed bugs disappearing and children staying in the house more often.  He wanted to create a game that would allow people to catch creatures similar to insects, which he would call Pokémon.   

 

Prior to Tajiri being known for Pokémon, he developed the self-published magazine, Game Freak, which discussed Video Game, and eventually began reviewing them, before becoming a video game development company.

 

The initial Pokémon game was Pocket Monsters Red & Green in 1996, which was quite popular for the aging Nintendo GameBoy.  It went on to re-invigorate the series, and sparked its second coming.  A further version known as Pocket Monster Blue updated the graphics and went on to add some more Pokémon and updated the graphics for many of their Pokémon as well.  This Blue version would be the basis for the Red and Blue Pokémon titles we saw in the west and other portions of the world.  The initial idea for having two games was that they could divide some of the monsters between the two different systems, allowing for more of a reason to trade between other players, which was a focus of the game. 

 

About a year later, the Pokémon Anime would start in Japan, which has been ongoing since 1998 until today, and included all of the previous game series.  The series follow Satoshi, or Ash, with his Pikachu through various Pokémon regions and areas, interacting with new Pokémon, gyms, and trying to become a Pokémon master.  Pikachu was originally the second option for a Mascot Character, as the original Jigglypuff was initially considered, but turned down after lukewarm reception.

 

GameFreak and Nintendo would continue to release new games, adding to the expanding roster of Pokémon with each cycle, or Generations.  There are too many spins off to name; the series is likely one of the best selling franchises behind Mario, and probably more common than Mario as well.

 

 

Premise

The world is very similar to ours, save for more wild forests and areas that have been unaltered or inhabited by humans.  Typical animals do not exist, but instead replaced with Pokémon, many of which resemble animals of our own species, as well as various planets, materials, and forms.  Most Pokémon are animals of some king, but some are plant based, take the shape of rock golems, or even pool of slime.  There are even ghost Pokémon. 

 

Pokémon carry an affinity, or known as a type, which signifies what abilities they have available to them.  Some Pokémon may use abilities that are not associated with their type, and may even have more than one type associated with them.   Pokémon all have special abilities, from head-butting and clawing, to even producing fire, water, electricity, and even psychic abilities, and more.  These abilities form the basis of Pokémon battles and fighting.

 

Pokémon come in all shapes and forms, and most can evolve after a period of time, or training.  Evolved Pokémon follow a simple track and always evolve in to the next line of Pokémon in their species, save for an Eevee, which can evolve in various other Pokémon in its species family.  Evolved Pokémon are almost always more powerful than non-evolved Pokémon.

 

Pokémon live in the wild, but can also live with humans much in the same way you would pets.  Depending on the type of Pokémon, they might life in forests, caves, near water, or even in snow.  Pokémon typically reside in certain regions of the world, and even then only in certain areas, though some Pokémon are more common than others in some regions.  If a Pokémon lives with humans, it’s not uncommon for them to be treated like members of the family.  It’s not uncommon for Pokémon to develop long lasting relationship with their human owners, or trainers, often coming to their aid or defense if anything is to arise.  Most humans have at least one Pokémon, if not more, of their own; though for younger generations, they may have a family Pokémon, as adults are less likely to have huge Pokémon collections. 

 

If living with a human, Pokémon typically reside within a Pokeball, a ball that electronically houses the Pokémon within a ball roughly the size of a softball.  The size of the Pokémon doesn’t matter, as it is digitized and placed within the pokeball.  No science has really gone on to explain the mechanics or sciences behind it.  Pokémon generally get caught in a pokeball once they have been weakened in a battle, usually by throwing the ball and having it tap the pokeball. Once a Pokémon is in a pokeball, they are forever tied to that pokeball and can be recalled back into the ball if they are in a weakened state.

 

 

Most people who go on to raise and train Pokémon are known as Pokémon Trainers.  Pokémon Trainer is a person that trains Pokémon to become stronger or better over time, with the usual intention of using the Pokémon to perform battles with.  Pokémon Battles are typically 1 on 1, with each trainer being able to use up to six Pokémon in total.  Pokémon battles are typically affairs to see who is the better training, but also a way of resolving most major disagreements.  Anyone and everyone can be a trainer, even those with jobs already, and it is not uncommon for a battle to break out at a moment’s notice, though most do not do so indoors, but tend to do it outside, or in specialized locations or Arenas.  If a Pokémon take enough damage, they will faint and return to their pokeball until they can be healed or revived.    

 

The goal of most Pokémon Trainers is to become Pokémon Masters, competing in tournaments and competitions to crown truly skillful and great trainers.  In order to be able to compete in these tournaments and competitions, Trainers must compete in Gym Battles in the local area, and defeat the Gym Leader to receive a Badge that signifies the Trainer’s skill.  These badges are often requirements four tournaments, competitions, or matches, and trainers without a significant number, or certain badges, will not be allowed to compete.

 

Beyond battle competitions, there are Pokémon Coordinators, a type of trainer that specializes in showing Pokémon Skills and talents, along with clothing, in order to prove their worth.  Rather than fighting, a Pokémon may use their abilities to create shows or tricks that can be judged by judges.  Similar to Gym Battles, most major towns have some sort of competition that can be entered throughout the year.

 

At the age of 10, young children can start their adventure to become a Pokémon Trainer.  They are often gifted, or earn, a Pokémon, and from there are allowed to leave the house and start their own adventure.  A typical trainer will start with some basic necessities, including some pokeballs and medicine for their Pokémon, along with basic camping and survival gear.  Pokémon Trainers can make money off of other trainers or collect rare objects in the wild to help them along.

 

Everyone has access to Pokémon Centers.  There are locations that offer to heal and rehabilitate Pokémon if they have been injured, hurt, or incapacitated in a battle.  The process is relatively quick, and free of charge to any Pokémon trainers.  The Pokémon Centers offer bedrooms and meals for children trailing on their own adventure, along with helpful advice and information about the area.  They are found in every town, village, and city, and even long specialized routes or locations. 

 

While most people are good natured to their Pokémon, not everyone is, and some will use their Pokémon for evil or malicious intentions.  There are some leagues of villains that band together, like Team Rocket, which attempt to steal and kidnap Pokémon from their owners in order to assist with world domination or some other evil plot. They are often the antagonist of games and other media.

 

Much like bad people, there are good people, who try to study Pokémon throughout the world.  To aid young adventures, these professors of Pokémon offer a Pokedex, which keeps track of all known Pokémon in the region and other locations, and offers information, pictures, and collecting of Pokémon.  The intent is for trainers to fill up their Pokedex, and return the information to the professor for further analysis and study, leading to their symbiotic nature.

 

 

Games - Mainline

Generation 1 (1996 – 1999)

Console: GameBoy

JP: Pokémon Green & Red, Blue, Yellow

US: Pokémon Red & Blue, Yellow

Total Pokémon: 151

Region: Kanto

These initial games were the basis for the Franchise, which hasn’t deviated much from the initial formula.  Released in Japan in 1996, and the US 1998, the series has one major spinoff in Pokémon Yellow, an enhanced version with updated sprites for the Pokémon, minor game play tweaks, and the ability to have Pikachu follow you from the start.  Pokémon Yellow is meant to mirror the anime, which mirrors the original game as a whole.  The original game took place in the Kanto region, similar to the real life Kanto region of Japan, which is the home of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures.

 

Generation 2 (1999 – 2002)

Console: Gameboy Color

Pokémon Gold & Silver, Crystal

Total Pokémon: 251

Region: Johto

This generation was the first major advance, debuting on the gameboy color, but if you still had the older hardware, would still work on a regular Gameboy.  He series added a day and night system, as well as an in-game clock, with some Pokémon only appear at certain times of the day. The game also introduced an additional 100 Pokémon, and evolutions for other Pokémon that didn’t exist before.  Players upon finishing the Johto region could travel back to the Kanto region and continue the adventure there.  Players who also had the older games could trade Pokémon from their older version to the new version, allowing for a full complete pokedex.  You can not trade from a newer version to an older version however, as the older Blue & Red games would have the newer Pokémon added.  Taking place in the Johto region, which mirror modern day Japan’s Kansai region, with places like Osaka and Kyoto included in the area.

 

Generation 3 (2002 – 2006)

Console: Gameboy Advance

Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed & LeafGreen

Total Pokémon: 386

Region: Hoenn

This was the first generation to offer remakes of older games, with FireRed & LeafGreen faithful remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Green, but using the updated pokedex of 386 Pokémon.  These games also offered the first series of 2 on 2 battles, pitting four Pokémon against each other.  The series is however not well regarded, as they dropped the day and night cycle due to issues with the battery in the cartridge, as well as limited updating of the series elements, including trying to limit the collectable Pokémon to 202 instead of the full 386.  The games take place in Hoenn, an island similar to Japan’s Kyushu Island.

 

Generation 4 (2006 – 2010)

Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver

Total Pokémon: 493

Region: Sinnoh

Introduced on the two screen DS, the games offered an improved Day and Night cycle, found in Generation 2, as well as introducing 3D Graphics to the game in certain areas.  Due to the Nintendo DS’s wifi capabilities, it allowed people to also play against other people in local areas virtually, meaning you could be battling or trading with someone on the other side of a building or network. Like the previous generation, the also remade Generation 2’s Gold and Silver games, being relatively faithful adaptations and remakes using newer hardware and technology.  This time, the Sinnoh region acts as Japan’s Hokkaidō  island, the very north of Japan’s islands. 

 

Generation 5 (2010 – 2013)

Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Black & White, Black 2 & White 2

Total Pokémon: 649

Region: Unova

Unlike other generations, 5^th generation is unique for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, at the time, it’s offered the most new Pokémon at 156, but none of the Pokémon were evolutions for previous Pokémon in other generations, meaning only New Pokémon.  It also was the first generation to not remake older games, which would have been Ruby & Sapphire by normal conventions. It’s also the only series to have direct spin offs in the form of new games; these games continued the story from the first game, but played as though it was you were a new trainer coming in to the continuing story.  It is also unique in not offering a third, director’s-cut version of the game, like with Yellow, Crystal, Emerald or Platinum.  It is also unique in that the setting is meant to be New York City and not a part of Japan as previous versions had been.

 

Generation 6 (2013 – 2016)

Console: Nintendo 3DS

Pokémon X & Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire

Total Pokémon: 721

Region: Kalos

6^th generation is notable for introducing fully 3d Pokémon, with all Pokémon fully rendered in 3d.  It also introduced Mega Evolutions, a rare additional evolution that is limited but extremely powerful form for some Pokémon.  Introduced was the Pokémon Bank as well, which could hold all your Pokémon online for an additional fee, and upload them in to other games without link cables or wifi access locally.  The 6^th generation returned with remakes of older titles, with Ruby and Sapphire getting the remake treatment.  The Kalos region is heavily influenced by France, but also by the greater Europe as a whole as well.

 

Generation 7 (2016 - 2019)

Console: Nintendo 3DS & Nintendo Switch

Pokémon Sun & Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Pokémon Let’s Go!

Total Pokémon: 809

Region: Alola

For the first time in many generations, the ability to trade back and forth with older versions was made available again, with X & Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, and Virtual Console remakes of Red, Blue, & Yellow, allowing players to collect all 809 Pokémon.  It was also the second time in which new versions of the games were released as direct sequels to the first.  A new feature wasn’t necessarily new Pokémon, be regional Pokémon, with some Pokémon switching elements and getting new looks, associated with them, leading to variations on the same Pokémon.  Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee were also released for the Switch, which were faithful adaptations of Pokémon Yellow with Pokémon Go style controls.  The Alola region is based off Hawaii and it’s islands.

 

Generation 8 (2019 – Present)

Console: Nintendo Switch

Pokémon Sword and Shield

Total Pokémon: 896

Region: Galar

The first mainline game title for the home Console, Sword and Shield offers a refinement of all the classic systems.  Rather than an overhead, or 2d plane, the game is fully 3d and follows players in a similar fashion as they world a 3d game, though areas are still laid out like maps.  Pokémon now have a new evolved form, making them huge, and in some cases, new features and forms, but giving them new abilities as well.  One major dislike is that while there are a total of 896 Pokémon, only about 400 total Pokémon are available for collection and being added to the pokedex, with many fan favorites being omitted from the final roster.  Dubbed Dexit, after Brexit and pokedex, the news was not well received, with Nintendo and Gamefreak stating that they couldn’t support all nearly 900 Pokémon, and realized they would have to limit it at some point, as well as focusing their energy on improving the quality of the remaining Pokémon.  Galar is loosely based on Great Britain and the British Isles.

 

 

Homework

Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee

Pokémon Anime of Any Kind

Ep 70: Virtual Reality Review

Topic: Virtual Reality Review

 

This week, we took mom in to VR and the many trial and tribulations associated with being in a different WORLD!  Mom was very vocal during the event, and like all good people who look incredibly silly during VR, I decided to respect her dignity and not record it.  Maybe in the future, but it would have been wrong to do so otherwise.  Come listen to what we experienced.

 

 

Games Played:

 

Steam VR Home

 

Google Earth VR

 

Steam VR: The Lab

 

Spiderman: Far from Home – Virtual Reality Experience

 

Beat Saber

 

 

VR Set Ups:

 

Playstation 4 VR

A less confusing and cumbersome version of VR, this is a great route if you already have a Play station 4.  The setup requires a lot less work than typical VR, and if you’re used to purchasing games as you normally might for the PS4, it is an easier setup.  This is designed for people without the fancy PC and is an all in one system designed to be the most hassle free.

Needed Components:

• Playstation 4
• Playstation VR Headset
• Playstation Move

Expected Cost: $900 (Less if you have other components.  System can be bought as a bundle.)

 

 

Oculus Rift S

The original big name in VR, the system has gone through quite a bit of changes in the past decade since it was released.  With their newest version, the Rift S, there are now cameras outside of the device which remove the need for the older cameras that used to track the system from a far.  The cameras track the space around you and the controllers, but assume the movement of the controllers if they move outside of the camera view.  The system is still designed to work with a powerful PC and is tethered to the system via cables, but offers a rewarding experience for those looking to get in to the VR space.  The original version still exists, but as the Rift S offers better tracking at the same price point, it’s probably worth the getting the newer version.  As it has access to the PC, it offers probably the widest selection of games from both Steam VR and Oculus store.

Needed Components:

• Oculus Rift S
• A good, Powerful PC.

Expected Cost: $400

 

Oculus Quest

A standalone unit, the Oculus Quest is meant to be a more consumer friendly version of VR for those without a powerful PC.  Using similar tracking system as the Oculus Rift S, the standalone system doesn’t require a PC and runs on similar hardware as a top of the line cell phone.  This does however limit some of it access to games and other media, as you can only purchase approved games off of the Oculus Store.  But the free form nature of the system is best for being on the go and needing the most minimal of set up of any of the systems being discussed.

Needed Components:

• Oculus Quest

Expected Cost: $400

 

 

HTC Vive Cosmos

Considered the higher end system, HTC Vive is the second big name in VR, coming about two years after the Oculus Rift.  The major difference is that HTC Vive offered the first fully 3D movement for VR, allowing you to walk around in VR, where Oculus originally only let you do that in 180 degree without a third Camera Station.  This is achieved by the Base Stations: two small cubes you place on the outside of your play space which track the distance between each other and the headset/controller.  Like the Oculus, the newer Cosmos version is utilizing cameras on the outside of the system to eliminate the need for the original Base Stations, as the original HTC Vive is being discontinued; but with the base stations, you can still get better quality VR tracking.  Also like the Oculus Rift, you’ll still need a powerful PC to handle the processing.  The HTC Vive is considered the more high-end VR setup, with better graphics and more technology, but expect it to be more expensive as a result.  The HTC Vive is also limited to only the Steam VR platform, so games exclusive to Oculus aren’t easily available.

Needed Components:

• HTC Vive Cosmos
• Powerful PC

Expected Cost: $700-$900 (Original vs. Elite)

 

 

Valve Index

The original HTC Vive was a collaboration between Valve and Steam, but the Index is Valve’s own stand alone system.  It’s more expensive than the HTC Vive, but meant for people who are already in the market, especially the HTC Vive as it can reuse components including the Base Stations and controllers.  It features 120hz refresh rate and superior controllers that are meant to be more intuitive and comfortable.  As it is the newest player in the market right now, but Valve has been there for several years now, making them already strong experts in the field of VR.

Needed Components:

• Valve Index
• Powerful PC

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Ep 69: Virtual Reality Tutorial

Topic: Virtual Reality Tutorial

 

This week, we're looking in to Virtual Reality, the concept of going to other created worlds and living in them, either full time or temporarily.  It's also an excuse to put my mom in my HTC Vive next week and have her experience VR as well.  Being the total dare-devil she is, I'm curious as to what she'll think about it.

 

What is it?

The idea of Virtual Reality has meant a different reality that has been created in some way.  The term Virtual itself was a kind of philosophy that meant a reality that was both ideal and real in some way.  Today, we use the term Virtual to describe anything that originates from technology, or more specifically, computers.  When we speak about Virtual Reality, we tend to talk about entering, or existing, in a digital/computer generated environment or scenario, typically through physical means. 

 

 

Today, we know Virtual Reality as head sets that you are able to view and interact with the virtual world through.  Modern Virtual Reality is being used mostly for video games, but other applications such as transportation, medical, and even defense as well.

 

 

VR In Media

 

Depending on the media, whole civilizations or worlds may exist virtually, while some enter a virtual space for a short term time and leave once their jobs are done.  Media often portrayed their Virtual Realities as either the Ideal reality you’d like to have, or as a modern system in which you have some control over.  In the Ideal Reality, you are transported to a world where it’s the most ideal for you: somewhere you’d like to have traveled or existed in, or a world that is so different from our own that it ceases to be anything like ours anymore.  The other example is often used like a prison, where people are kept and unaware that they are stuck or in there; and if they are aware, then they have little or no control over the world and are existing through it.  There are also media that portrays Virtual Reality more as Augmented Reality; this is the idea that through special devices, you can see additional things in your real world setting and interact with them.

 

Typically, all Virtual Reality requires you to need to enter a space where the reality will exist, wear some sort of device to access the digital world, or be connected to it directly to a machine through a port installed on the body.  A common example is something like a headset that scans your brain for the actions you want to take, or connecting directly into your spine.

 

 

Example in Media.

 

Matrix  (1999)

Probably the most famous Example of Virtual Reality, the Matrix itself takes place in a world where humans are no fuel for robots, and in order to keep humans in line, they are connected to the Matrix.  The Matrix itself is modeled on a late 90s, early 2000s, modern day metropolis, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York, where humans are completely unaware that they are in any kind of Virtual Reality.  Humans who have been disconnected from the Matrix, fight to find others who they can disconnect and join in the resistance against the Machines.  Humans who have been disconnected can return back in to the Matrix, but can be uploaded with various knowledge packs, allowing them to know various fighting styles, how to use guns, and just about anything else.  Neo(Keanu Reeves) is one such person disconnected, but later becomes capable of manipulating the Matrix to allow him to have superior strength, see through things in the Matrix, and even Fly. 

 

 

Inception (2010)

In Inception, there is a military training device that allows people to share their dreams.  The dream world can be manipulated to look or become just about anything within the dreamer’s perception or idea.  Once in the dream, people can interact and travel in to other people’s dreams in order to steal or gather information about a person, or in Inspection, plant an idea.  The movie shows off the ability to manipulate reality, and how it can be used to great advantage to create anything you want, or a great prison in which to get lost in.  Leonardo DiCaprio is one such person who have been trapped in his own dreams before, and knows how to venture in to the dream to get information.

 

 

Ready Player One

In Ready Player One, most people are poor and barely surviving, much of the world’s resources are gone, but people still have the OASIS (Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation).   OASIS is a digital world where players can upload their creations and use them through the world.  The movie, along with the book, play off of tropes and items from various media sources, like the Delorean from Back to the Future, a Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam, King Kong from the same series, T-Rex from Jurassic Park, and even sets from the Shinning.  The movie has its hero, Wade Watts, participating in a treasure hunt for the future ownership of OASIS after its creator’s death. 

 

 

90s Cartoons

VR Troopers

Adapted from various Tokusatsu series: Metal Hero Series: Superhuman Machine Metalder, Dimensional Warrior Spielban and Space Sheriff Shaider.  The series tells of three humans who are protecting the real world from enemies in a ‘Virtual Reality’ by transforming in to masked heroes.  The series is uses footage from various Metal Hero Series, and none of the series actually line up with any of them.

 

 

Super Human Samurai Syber Squad

Adapted from Tokusatsu series Denkou Choujin Gridman, or Gridman the Hyper Agent, was DIC Production’s attempt to cash in on the Power Ranger’s fad of the 90s.  The show’s action took place in a Digital World, where our Hero would transform in to Gridman/Servo and fight evil monsters that were really computer viruses. 

 

 

Star Trek – The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Discovery, & Picard

By the time of the Next Generation, the 24^th century, Star Fleet developed the Holo-Deck, a room that used shields and light to project a Virtual Reality.  The notion was that the shields, a type of Force Field, would be projected in a room, and light would then be passed through/around them, creating various objects and spaces.  The force fields could mimic heat and cold, texture and shapes, and the light would always seem to bounce off items perfectly.  The rooms were usually the size of a small banquet hall, with the intention that multiple people could exist in the space at the time.  Virtual people or creatures in a holo-deck are often known as Holograms, who can have very sophisticated AIs.  Holograms typically can’t exist outside of the Holodeck without holo-emitters being placed in the surrounding space.

 

In Discovery, they seem to have either early version of holo-decks being used, but not common in the rest of Star Fleet.  By the of Picard, they no longer need to be in rooms, and can instead have holo-emitters placed in an area to generate the holograms. 

 

Holo-decks were often used as a means of changing up the scenery or locations in Star Trek.  This allowed writers to write in historical characters or settings, or play on various notions or locations that wouldn’t be common in space.  Famously, Voyager’s Doctor was a hologram that expanded his abilities/roles over time, showing the sophistication of the AI technology and programming.  Many of his stories grappled with if a Hologram could be considered a person, or his limitations as a Hologram. 

 

 

Japanese Animation:

Ghost in a Shell (1995)

Perhaps one of the First anime to visit Virtual and Augmented reality, as well as a more definitive Cyberpunk setting.  It tells of a future where cyberization, the act of becoming a cyborg or gaining machine parts, is common place.  It shows how virtual worlds can be created within people and settings, and even how the world has been augmented with Virtual advertisements, signs, and even projections that can confuse the brain.  It’s a series the goes on to ask what is real at the end of the day?  Later series play with the notion of Virtual Reality and hacking more so.  The series follows Major Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9, a task force for the Japanese Government, assigned with difficult missions that require utmost secrecy and security. 

 

 

.hack//Sign (2002)

Read as ‘Dot, Hack, Sign’, the series started as an Anime, intending on promoting a Video Game series where you play a fictional MMORPG in, and started a franchise.  The story tells that in 2009, a virus known as Pluto’s Kiss destroyed any computer connected to it, wrecking just about every electronic connected to it.  Two years later, access to the network recovers, and the first game to come out for it is ‘The World’, an MMORPG with a fantasy Setting.  Players log in to the world via head sets and interact with other people in this digital world, however mysterious things are happening, that cause players to go in to Commas after playing the game.  One such person, Tsukasa, is trapped in the game via one of these mysterious happenings, and eventually gets out.  They are eventually able to get out, only for other people to go in to Commas later on due to events. 

 

Sword Art Online (2012)

Likely the more popular version of Virtual Reality, the first of its kind Virtual MMO is being released to only 100,000 people lucky enough to buy it.  Upon first logging on, player discover that they can’t log out of the game, and are then told by the game’s creator that they are trapped in this Virtual MMO until they can reach the final boss of the game on the 100^th floor, and if they die in the game, they die in real life due to the head set over clocking.  The initial players are stuck for 2 years in the game, until they eventually get free, and continue going back in to various Virtual Worlds of different settings and genre.  This anime shows the more common idea of what Virtual Reality is capable of, as a gateway to fantasy worlds and new games to play.  It’s popularity spawned a number of sequels and copy cat anime, manga, and novels, which all seem to play on the theme of people being getting lost in their virtual world.

 

 

VR HeadSets

One of the First VR Headsets was ‘The Sword of Damocles’ which only projected a wire-frame square upon the world.  It was the first in the late 60s, and was so heavy, it had to be suspended from the ceiling.  While rudimentary, it started the Idea of this kind of technology being the future.

 

By the 90s, various companies were trying to get the full Virtual Reality set up working, with Full body suits and chambers designed to give you the full immersion feeling of being in Virtual Reality.  Sega was amongst the first to really create Virtual Reality Gaming, with Arcade Cabinets that featured headsets that tracked your vision and sign.  While many companies tried to get it to take off, there was also a fair amount of failure, leading to many companies discontinuing the study in to VR.

 

By the 2000s, Virtual Reality was a fad and not common study, with few companies really looking in to it.  It wasn’t until 2010 when early versions of the Oculus Rift being developed that offered 90-degree field of vision that VR started to become more interesting.  In 2012, Facebook would go on to buy Oculus VR for around $3 Billion.  By 2013, Valve had joined in the development, developing lag-free software to make VR content more possible.  A year later, they joined the market with the HTC Vive. 

 

By 2016, over 230 companies, from Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Sony, Samsung, Facebook, and more has developed AR or VR groups, developing new technology for the immerging market.

 

Ep 68: Minecraft Review

Topic: Minecraft Review

 

Mom and I deep dived in to our experiences with Minecraft this week.  We come together to figure out what happened during it.  This episode does appear to be a bit shorter than before, but I still think it’s a good episode in the end.

 

Initial Impressions?

 

What did we like, or find ourselves, doing?

 

Complexity?

 

The Niece/Granddaughter Effect/Experience?

 

Minecraft VR

 

As I have a HTC Vibe VR set back at home, I decided to try and give Minecraft VR a try. 

 

 

 

Ep 67: Minecraft Tutorial

Topic: Minecraft Tutorial

 

While not as rich a narrative as Sonic, and not as engrossing number of titles as Mario, the undisputed champion of best selling game of all time is currently a game with pixilated boxes and simple, sandbox game play.  A game so simple, my nieces of 6 and 8 play it regularly.  So we need to figure this out, it’s time for Minecraft. 

 

Apologizes that some of the audio was corrupted toward the end of the episode. We left what was salvagable intact for those who want to listen.

 

What is it?

Minecraft is a 3D Sandbox game, using pixilated looking graphics and blocks designed for the world.  Unlike early 8bit and 16bit games of the late 80s - early 90s, Minecraft uses blocks 3d blocks with simple, pixilated graphics to represent various building material and natural resources.  Almost all elements of the game are based off these 3d Blocks, even down to the animals and items you can use.

 

A Sandbox game is a game in which the player is given creative freedom to progress through the game as they see fit.  Some games will still have stories and additional gameplay elements designed to keep players either on task or offering immediate concerns/gameplay, but players are free to do as they wish to reach those goals.  In the case of Minecraft, there is no true endgame and players have freely created a lot of their own new games from the core game.

 

 

Who? / When?

The game was created by Markus Persson, online name, “Notch”.  A former game developer for King Games, he primarily worked on browser (phone/website) based video games until early 2009.  In his spare time, he tinkered with making his own prototype games, employing elements of other games he liked and mixing them in to his creation.  When Persson left King in March 2009, he developed his game further, releasing an early version of the game in May 2009, based off a code he developed over a weekend.  This early/Classic version of the game had weekly revisions based off feedback from those who played it. 

 

In June of 2010, he released the Alpha version of the game, and shortly after left his currently game developer job.  By later 2010, The game was moving in to Beta version of the game, looking to fix bugs and progress elements of the game before release.  He also set up his own company to help work on the game, Mojang.  By November 2011, Minecraft was released as a full version, and shortly thereafter, the lead developer was passed on to Jens “Jeb” Bergensten. 

 

In 2014, Mojang was sold for 2.5 Billion dollars to Microsoft, where the game continues to be updated and developed to this date.  The most recent version being Minecraft Windows 10, which supports a number of different features, including VR, multiplayer functions with those playing other versions, and eventually ported to almost every single videogame platform, including Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Various mobile devices, and even on Standalone platforms like Amazon Fire Tv and Apple Tv. 

 

 

How to play?

Each game takes place in a procedurally generated world, meaning that the world itself is created at random, so that no two people would ever likely have the game play space.  Local areas, including forests, tundra, water, deserts, and other common elements are the same, but placed in different spots, and of differing sizes, so that no two place space are the same.

 

Once the game has loaded, players play from a first person perspective, meaning the player can only see what the character would naturally see.  From here, players may scout out the island in search of where they would like to start building their home.  The main feature of the game is the creation aspect, using various materials found through the game world.  Some materials, from dirty, grass, and wood, can be harvested easily by punching the ground and trees, while other material must be cut down or mined with tools.  To develop various tools, players combine the various materials they’ve harvested and create the necessary tools and items from them.  Players can also combine materials to make new items, including beds, doors, windows, and a variety of home furnishing.

 

The individual materials can also be used to create structures and stand alone objects.  Each material typically takes up to a 1x1x1 block space, and can be placed on the ground or stacked together to create buildings, stairs, or other various structures. Since the main feature of the game is built around creation, players have made just about everything: From famous locations, to entire cities and castles, even to fully functioning games and events.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l315VzDcLmI

 

There are a variety of game modes:

Survival Mode:

The earliest version included survival elements that kept played progressing beyond just building.  During the day, the played could gather elements, build shelter, and collect items freely.  But once night fell, zombies would come to hunt the player.  The player can protect themselves via homes, or venture out and defeat the monsters.  The player has limited life pool, but can be healed with items.  If the player is defeated, they return to a set point, and must venture out to reclaim their previous collected materials and items.

 

A variant to this mode is known as Hardcore, where the difficulty is ramped up, and a single death results in loss of all progress and end of game. 

 

Some villains or bad guys you might commonly find are the:

Zombie

Spiders

Wolves

Enderman

Skeletons

Creeper (Unofficial mascot)

 

 

Creative Move:

Unlike Survival Mode, Creative Mode is designed for players who just want to build stuff.  Players are given access to all elements and building blocks in the game, allowing them to spend their time just building out their world as they see fit.

 

 

Adventure Mode:

A mixture of Creative and Survival, this mode allows others to play in user created maps and adventures, designed to offer new challenges and customized experiences for players.

 

 

Due to the customizable nature of the game, players can download user created content for use in their own worlds, or even download whole worlds to play in.  Various texture packs exist on the market place, allowing people to add various new characters, blocks, and elements in to the game as they please.  Major theme backs include games from Mario Bros, Fallout, Mass Effect, and even other movies and tv show franchises. 

 

 

 

 

Spin Offs?

Minecraft: Story Mode

This was an Episodic Spin-off game in the vane of various Telltale Games.  Telltale Games present various choices throughout a game, and with each choice comes new dialog, events, and outcomes to the story.  Based on actions taken, some characters will either have new dialog options, differing opinions about the character, or in some cases, may even die.  Minecraft: Story Mode took players through a journey to defeat an Elder Dragon, and was available through various storied episodes.

 

Minecraft: Classic

Release in May 2019 during the 10^th anniversary of the game, this version of the game is based off the original 2009 prototype game first released.  It is more limited in what it can do, as it’s a simplified and stripped down version from the version we know today.

 

Minecraft: Earth

A developed in July of 2019, it took the Minecraft gameplay and enabled in a real world setting using Augmented Reality (AR).  Augmented Reality is an interactive experience that maps items and events to real world locations; most of these items and events cannot be seen or interacted with without the use of a device that can see the reality.  In this case, Minecraft: Earth uses iOS and Android devices to allow people to view minecraft structures and items in the real world.  Currently this game in a beta state, but has shown promising advances.

 

 

 

Minecraft: Dungeons

Based on the world of Minecraft, Minecraft: Dungeons is a Dungeon Crawler game, released at the end of May 2020.  Played from an Isometric view, players equip armor and weapons and travel through various dungeons.  Unlike Minecraft, there is little creation elements in the game, and the majority of the game is meant to be fighting various bad guys and monsters from the game.

 

 

Homework:

Minecraft – Of any platform

Ep 66: Sonic the Hedgehog Review

Topic: Sonic the Hedgehog Review

 

Mom and I return from our adventures both watching and playing Sonic the Hedgehog.  It's also about time we talk about the strange and weird world of Sonic's fandom, which is probably similar to that of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, though perhaps a bit more toxic.

 

 

Sonic Mania

 

 

 

Sonic Movie

When the initial trailer came out for Sonic the Hedgehog, it was a much different thing than what we were expecting.  Due to the fan/internet backlash over the look of Sonic in the trailer, the movie was postponed from November 2019 to February 2020. 

 

While critics panned the movie as too formulaic, repeats of similar movie tropes, and a basic fish out of water screen play, fans enjoyed the film, and it’s to-date, had a better opening weekend over Detective Pikachu and is currently the second highest grossing movie of 2020.

 

 

 

Sonic Fandom:

 

What happened in the wake of Sonic Games

Much like how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spawned a number of anthropomorphic cartoons trying to sell their toy lines, video games followed suit.  A more video games came out mimicking Sonic’s speed and game play, creating an animal mascot character go along with it, with hundreds of imitators trying to create their own mascot and game franchise. 

 

This caused Sonic to feel diluted and his attitude seemed so common, that a modern take seemed more like a parody in of itself.  This caused a lot of issue, as the character itself didn’t age well in to the 2000s and beyond, with Sonic trying to keep this edgy and attitude like aura about himself, but his games not exactly succeeding in promoting and showcasing him quite the way fans have really remember him being.

 

Fan Created Original Characters (OC)

• Sonic’s world, which is very appealing to some, has spawned lots of fan created characters
• Most character have element of Sonic or other characters in the franchise, with many seeing just Sonic in a different color beside the Iconic Blue, and/or his spikes rotated backwards. Additional accessories like Goggles, scarves, belts, hats, etc, are not uncommon as well. 
• Some of these characters are very edgy, likely a reflection of teenagers who grew up with Sonic as a kid, expressing their confused maturity in their OC characters
• So many OC characters created, that you can try to google your name + ‘The Hedgehog’ to find an OC out there.

https://www.deviantart.com/midnite-delight/art/Ireland-the-Hedgehog-2013-2014-412884185

https://imgur.com/r/thehedgehog/syUde

 

Fan Generated Content:

• Fan Comics using Sprites from the games
  • More comics have transitioned away from Sprites and into full artwork, with MANY long running comic series
  • Comic creator Tyson Hesse developed a strange Comic version of Sonic eventually got to work on the Sonic Comics by Archie, also got to do animation for Sonic Mania and even helped with the Sonic redesign for the 2020 Sonic The Hedgehog film
• Fan Animations using sprites from the games
• exe – A horrific CreepyPasta story
  • CreepyPasta are fanfic horror stories
  • The Story of Sonic.exe tells of a kid who was given a copy of Sonic.exe via CD to play at home. The game shows various characters, encountering horrific violence and dismembered bodies, via a Sonic the Hedgehog with black and red eyes. 

 

Fan Created Games

• Many fans using the Classic sprite to make games, while others made games based off the Adventure/3d games.
• Most fan games are unlicensed and fan creations, with little input from Sega or Sonic Team
• Sonic Amateur Game Expo: a yearly, online event to showcase Sonic fan games, both finished and in production
• One Christian Whitehead was a sonic game creator, who pitched a licensed Sonic Classic game to Sega, and created Sonic Mania with a number of Sonic Fan Game creators. He previously helped rebuilt Various Sonic games for newer media, including Sonic CD and Sonic 1 & 2 for newer consoles and devices.

 

Fan themselves:

• Sonics fans have a wide gambit between there likes and dislikes in the Sonic games and community.
• A lot of fans prefer the Classic Sonic, while others prefer the 3d Sonic, and neither side really like what happened.
• Sonic fans seems to never be all that happy with anything that comes out Sonic Related
• A large majority of the fan base is spurred by Nostalgia
• Some find the Sonic Fandom bizarre and ravenous, too emotionally attached to their beloved characters and games to see proper reason.

 

After years of Sonic Fans having poor games and negative stigma placed upon the community, many fans began to turn on Sonic, but rather than abandoning Sonic, their frustration and disappointment began to show in the Fan Content.  Much of the content in the Fandom began becoming more satirical, both all the games and their content, but also against the fans as well.  Much of the content created now for Sonic seems to be distorted and bizarre, which is hard to tell if it’s mocking, trolling, a parody, satirical, or honest and genuine. 

 

What is well known is that many people who were a part of developing the Sonic fan content in the early days, have since gone on to become stewards of Sonic going forward, with many now developing his games, making his comics, and even helping craft his movies.

 

Big Shout Out to Super Eyepatch Wolf for ideas and discussion on this topic.  Check out his original video on Sonic's Fandom.

 

 

Ep 65:Sonic the Hedgehog Tutorial

Topic: Sonic The Hedgehog Tutorial

 

This week, we’re discussing the fastest thing alive, or atleast as he was billed in Video Games.  Sonic has had an interesting lifespan, a popular and celebrity status in the 90s, he’s since fallen on to hard times in the transition to 3D and come to 2000s, he’s tried to reinvent himself dozens of time with little success.  But he maybe, arguably, more popular than Mario in some online outlets and circles.  So first, let’s discuss the blue blur and where he came from!

 

 

History:

By 1990, Nintendo had firmly planted themselves as the leader in Video games, and Sega wanted to catch up.  They believed that Nintendo’s strength lied with its mascot, Mario, and his game titles which helped push sales.  Up to this point, Sega did not have an official Mascot, but several unofficial mascots.  They decided to hold an internal design competition to create their own mascot to rival Nintendo, with a heavy focus on a Mascot that would appeal to a western Audience.  Among the considerations, artist Naoto Ohshima and Programmer Yuji Naka were considered for the project, having developed a prototype game involving fast moving characters.

 

They eventually settled on Sonic, a blue hedgehog, that could roll in to a ball.  His color was chosen as Blue to match the Company’s Logo’s color, and given red and white shoes to mirror Michael Jackson’s shoes on the cover of his album Bad.  The primary antagonist, Doctor Eggman, was another character initially developed for the mascot, based off Teddy Roosevelt, but was later reused as the villain. 

 

The initial game, Sonic the Hedgehog was then used as the company mascot, and tied in with their Sega Genesis (JP: Mega Drive) system, and became the killer app for the console.  Along with an aggressive marketing campaign that saw Sega Genesis mocking and claiming to perform better than the Super Nintendo, Sonic helped start the great console wars of the early 90s.  At one point, the Sega Genesis held a 65% market share of all game consoles in North America. 

 

When Sega was ready for a follow up, Yuji Naka believed he received little credit and initially quit, before being hired by US-based STI (Sega Technology Institute).    At this point, two games were in production, STI was working on Sonic 2, and a team led by Ohshima in Japan began work on Sonic CD for the soon coming Sega CD Add-on for the Genesis.  Sonic 2 would introduce Tails, a two-tailed Fox sidekick to Sonic.  Sonic CD would introduce love interest Amy and Rival Nemesis: Metal Sonic; the game also introduce a mechanic for Time travel, in which Sonic would travel through time to fix the future, and have various changes to the world based on actions in either the past or present.

 

STI would continue to work on Sonic 3, however, the scope of the game was much larger than initial anticipated.  Due to Sega wanting the game to come out early and limited cartridge space, they initially planned on the game being a two part game, with the first half of Sonic 3 being released first, and a few months later, releasing part 2.  The first part, just called Sonic 3 launched with a new rival in Knuckles; an Echidna with spiked fist gloves who was the guardian of the Chaos Emeralds.  A few months later, they released Sonic and Knuckles, the second half of Sonic 3, this time allowing you to play as Knuckles.  With the added time, they created a lock on function with the cartridge, allowing the original Sonic 3 to be connected, and released as a whole.  The lock on function allowed Knuckles to be played on Sonic 3 as originally intended, but also allowed Knuckles to be played on Sonic 2 as well, swapping out the original Sonic.

 

 

While projects including Sonic continued after the Genesis’s life span ended and the new Sega Saturn became the main console, few Sonic Games were released, mostly due to the difficulties of bridging the 2D to 3D gap and keeping true to the game’s concept and ideals.  By 1998, the new Sega Dreamcast console started the 6^th generation of consoles and introduced Sonic Adventure, the first true sequel to the Genesis games.  Sonic was redesigned, and various characters added to help round out the game’s story and game play experience.  With the move to 3D, the game worked hard to try and keep the sense of speed the game series was known for, with some mixed results.  Sonic Adventure 2 was released in 2001, introducing a mirror version of Sonic, Shadow the Hedgehog.  Despite the strong sales of Sonic on the Dreamcast, the introduction of the PlayStation 2 seemed to be a nail in Sega’s console coffin, with the announcement that they would stop making the Dreamcast and get out of the Console market.

 

Following the demise of the Dreamcast, Sonic and Team began to appear on rival Nintendo’s GameCube console, along with Sony’s Playstation 2 and Microsoft’s X-Box.  Various new games included Sonic Heroes, mixing the game play of three different characters at once.  They later released Shadow the Hedgehog, giving the title character a gun and interacting with various other Sonic characters over time.  Several older titles, including Sonic Adventures, and the various Genesis games were also ported to various consoles, making Sonic a very easy thing to play despite the console. 

 

By 2005, nearing Sonic’s 15^th Anniversary, Sega was in a rush to have something ready by the time of the Anniversary.  They released Sonic The Hedgehog (2005), a new game intended to return Sonic to his rightful place and reboot the franchise.  However, the game was riddled with game breaking bugs and very lack luster story and characters.  While some of the game play was fun, the many bugs in the game usually broke the immersion and fun.  It is often considered the worst game in the franchise and worst game of the year.

 

After the Sonic The Hedgehog(2005), Sonic has been in a constant space of trying to rebooting and reimagining itself.  These include:

 

Sonic Riders – A racing game

Sonic and the Secret Rings – Set in Arabian Nights, an on rail runner

Sonic and the Black Knight – Sonic in Medieval times with a sword

Sonic Colors – Similar rail runner

Sonic Unleashed – What if Sonic turns in to the Hulk

Sonic Lost World – Similar to Mario Galaxy, but with a tube world

 

By 2011, for Sonic’s 20^th anniversary, Sega released Sonic Generations, a mix of the classic 2d Sonic with the more recent Adventure 3d Sonic.  Classic levels were recreated, with some elements purely 2d over some elements 3d.  This concept was much better received over others. 

 

Sonic also began partnering with Nintendo more frequently, with Sonic being introduced in to Smash Brothers Brawl.  Sonic and the gang then joined with Mario and company for Olympic style games for both winter and summer, and have released periodically.

 

In 2014, Sonic was re-imagined and rebooted again in to a new series known as Sonic Boom: Rise of lyric, with an accompanying TV Show called Sonic Boom.  The game was just as poorly received as Sonic’s 2005 reboot, while its accompanying TV show fared better than the game.  The game became the lowest rated in the Franchise, as well as the worst selling.

 

By 2016, for the 25^th Anniversary, Sega released Sonic Forces and Sonic Mania.  Sonic Forces allowed players to create their own Sonic-universe character for the first time, allowing you to play as them, but with added gadgets and abilities; the game also brought back many elements from Sonic Generations.  Sonic Mania is a pixel based sequel to the early classic 2d Sonic Games, created by a team primarily consisting of Sonic Fans who has been making their own custom Sonic games and levels.  Forces had mixed reception, mostly due to the short length, as where Mania was praised as a return to form. 

 

 

 

Premise:

Nearly All Games in the Sonic Franchise take place on a fictional Planet of Mobius, where the evil Doctor Eggman (Doctor Ivo Robotnik) is trying to conquer the world.  To do so, Dr. Eggman seeks the Seven Chaos Emeralds: gems with mystical powers that can do just about anything (Think Infinity Stones/Gems).  Dr. Eggman uses an army of Robots with trapped animals inside to carry out his plans.  Sonic is always tasked with Stopping Dr. Eggman as a result. 

 

Typical Sonic games have Sonic running through the level to get to the end as quick as possible. This can be through loops, corkscrew pipes, grinding rails, and if Sonic gets himself in to a ball, he goes even faster. As Sonic progressed through the level, he’ll hit various check points, allowing Sonic to return should he lose a life along the way, with a final checkpoint/banner that Sonic hits at the end of the Act/level.  As Sonic’s main goal is speed: the faster he completes a level, the more points he will receive.  Various Badniks, robotic bad guys, litter the level, and Sonic can typically roll through them as a ball, or Jump on to them in a ball form.  At the end of each Zone, there is typically Dr. Eggman as a final boss of the Zone, usually in some vehicle/machine intended to finish off Sonic.  If Sonic beat Eggman, he can run to the end of the stage and free animals that have been trapped.

 

Littered throughout the world of Sonic are Golden Rings, or just Rings, that Sonic can collect.  Rings serve three different functions:  one as a collectable to receive additional points at the end of the level, secondly by collecting 100 rings, Sonic gets an extra life, and lastly, as a health pot.  If Sonic gets hit, land on spikes, or lava, all of the rings he had collected get lost and are scattered throughout the area; players have a limited window in which to collect some of them again, otherwise they are lost.  So long as Sonic has atleast one Ring, he won’t lose a life to damage.  Sonic can also find various item boxes through the game that provide power ups and bonuses.  Common boxes include additional rings, some include Shields so that Sonic won’t lose his rings to damage, short term invincibility, or extra lives. 

 

Sonic can also enter the mysterious Special Stage area, which allows Sonic to transverse the stage and collect additional rings for lives.  At the end of each Special Stage is a Chaos Emerald.  Upon collecting all Chaos Emeralds, Sonic gains the ability to transform in to Super Sonic, which gives unlimited in invincibility, he accelerates much faster and has a higher top speed, and turns golden.  Sonic must have atleast 50 ring to turn in Super Sonic, and each second, he loses a single ring.  If Super Sonic loses all of his rings, he’ll revert back to regular Sonic, and have no rings left.

 

Later games give the ability to play as various characters, with new game play abilities:

 

Tail – Can Fly and even lift Sonic up. 

Knuckles – Can punch enemies and climb up walls

Amy – Carries a hammer and can strike enemies

Shadow – Plays just like Sonic

Characters:

 

Sonic The Hedgehog – a Blue, anthropomorphic hedgehog, and series protagonist.  Sonic is described as a wild drifter and a staunch defender of freedom.  He can be a trickster and rebel, but always does the right thing.  He is best known for his running speed, of which makes him the fastest thing in the world.

 

Miles “Tails” Prowler – a two tailed Fox that is Sonic’s best friend and sidekick.  Tails is often portrayed as a child science prodigy, making various inventions to help out Sonic.  He can use his two tails to create a helicopter like effect, which allows him to be lifted off the ground for short period of time.  He can also point them horizontally, acting like a fan boat to propel him forward.

 

Knuckles the Echidna – a bright Red Echidna with enlarged fists with spikes on the end, he is the guardian of Angel Island and the Master Emerald, which controls the chaos Emeralds.  One believing that Sonic had stolen the Chaos Emeralds, he later becomes a friend to Sonic and Company.

 

Amy Rose – a Bright Pink Female hedgehog who wears a red dress and gold bracelets.  She is known for following Sonic around and acting as his love interest, even if Sonic doesn’t reciprocate.  She is known for her huge hammer, which she uses to smash down on to enemies and alike. 

 

Dr. Eggman (Dr Ivo Robotnik in America) – An evil genius with an IQ over 300, he is depicted as being portly/overweight, wearing a red jacket and black slacks.  He is most well known for his bald head, goggles, and comically large, red/orange/brown mustache.  He is the primary Antagonist of all games in the Franchise and is seen riding around in his Egg-mobile.

 

Metal/Mecha Sonic – A mechanical creation by Dr. Eggman, Metal Sonic mimics the look of Sonic, albeit in a robotic form, and mirrors his abilities.  Though cold and emotionless, the robot seeks to only compete with Sonic and defeat him for his master. 

 

Shadow the Hedgehog – Initially thought to be the most powerful experiment ever, he is revealed to possibly be a clone of a clone.  A black and red Hedgehog, he wears hover boots and appears to skate to gain speed.  His abilities match Sonic, though he has greater knowledge and control over the Chaos Emeralds.

 

Rouge the Bat – a white female Bat introduced in Sonic Adventure 2.  She acts as a femme fatale like character, claiming to be the world’s greatest jewel hunter.  She can fly and is renowned for her ability to find/steal jewels.  She a Freelancer, working for either good guys or bad guys, depending on the right amount of money.

 

 

Other Media:

TV: Sonic has had several Tv Series over the years.  These include:

 

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog(1993) – a Satirical take on Sonic and his many adventures.  It was known for a very slapstick animation style and often nonsensical story lines.  Each episode was a standalone episode and did not play into a larger narrative. 

 

Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) (1993-1994)- This series more closely follows the Video Game and related Archie-Comics version of Sonic that was currently running at the time.  The narrative follows Sonic and a collection of freedom fighters who fight against Dr. Robotnik, who is bent on capturing the various people(Who are animals) and turning them into robots.  The story is typically more dramatic and darker than the more light hearted adventure series that ran along the same time.  It’s on as SatAM as it was typically shown only during Saturday Morning Cartoons.

 

Sonic Underground (1999) – This series had a separate canon and continuity from other Sonic media at the time.  It starred Sonic and his siblings, the last of Mobius’s ruling family, as they fight against Dr. Robotnik and attempt to reunite with their mom, in order restore her to the Throne.  To Aid the siblings, they’re given magical pendants that transform into musical instruments.  Each episode was known for having its own song. The series is not well regarded, mostly due to an overly complex plot, not following established lore/continuity, and lacking any feeling from the original games.

 

Sonic X (2003-2006) – Created by Japan, It’s Sonic as an Anime.  Much of the characters are transplanted in to modern day Japan, using a majority of their Sonic Adventure designs/models.  The series even replicates the two adventure games at one point, along with several original stories.  The show has generable favorable response to it.

 

Sonic Boom (2014-2017) – Meant to coincide with the 25^th Anniversary, it star Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles on Seaside Island, Protecting the island from Dr. Eggman.  The series garnered favorable reviews for the most part, and was notable for being made entirely in 3d.

 

 

Comics: Sonic has had a long running Comic series through Archie Comics.  The story is reminiscent of the Saturday Morning Cartoon Incarnation of Sonic, but expands on the mythos and storyline.  The comics continued well into the 2000s, adding elements of the games in to the world as the popped up.  The Comic is known for having darker tones than other series, and is a fitting follow up to Sonic SatAM.

 

 

Movie: Sonic the Hedgehog movie came out in 2020.  The film was originally intended to be released in late 2019, however, after the release of the trailer, fans were upset about the look and design of Sonic, remarking how Human he looked.  A major overhaul of the character postponed the movie to early 2020, with a much more cartoony and videogame inspired look.  The movie is also notable for having Jim Carrey as Dr Robotnik, who basically chews up the scenes every time he’s on screen.

 

 

 

Homework

Sonic Movie

Any Sonic Games

Recommend: Sonic Mania/Classic Sonic

Ep: 64 Doctor Who Review

Topic: Dr Who Review

 

It's been a week or so, and we watched quite a bit of Doctor Who.  Mostly because there's a lot, but we wound up with similar conclusions.  What I've enjoyed about Doctor Who has really been the sense of trying new stuff frequently and often, never staying formulaic, and certain charm of following along characters and seeing what they'll get in to.  We got see all five of the modern incarnations of the Doctor, some episodes explain more than others, but it was a good watch.  Some Episodes are Legit Movies, not in length, but amazing premises, that if they'd only decided to not make it in to a TV show first.  But all of it was very good, and we would certainly watch more!

 

Series 1, Episode 1: Rose
Series 2, Episode 4: Girl in the Fireplace 
Series 2, Episode 13: Doomsday
Series 3, Episode 10: Blink 
Series 5, Episode 10: Vincent and the Doctor
Series 9, Episode 11: Heaven Sent
Series 11, Episode 3: Rosa