![]() ![]() ![]() Donald Duck was even used on ink blotters to pitch Grey Poupon Dijon in France, which in my opinion lacks character integrity oversight. ![]() Biscuits on ink blotters among many other things. Translated into English, Donald is saying, “Require Mustard “Grey-Poupon” Dijon in Walt Disney glasses,” with the tagline below, “The “Glory” Mustard is a Grey-Poupon Product.”Īdvertising ink blotters became so ubiquitous that Walt Disney began licensing his animated characters to promote brands from several companies such as Sunoco Oil, Cadum Soap, and B.N. These ink blotters were also used by politicians to give constituents the “candidate’s information on one side, while the absorbent paper on the reverse ensured that the card would linger on a desk for weeks as a reminder of the candidate.” (6)Ī French ink blotter featuring Donald Duck pitching Grey-Poupon Dijon. They were used to promote anything from butter to salt to gasoline, auto repair stations, soda, banks, and every other consumer product and service that the public uses. These advertising ink blotters became universally familiar in the office and at home throughout America as well as other parts of the world by the early 1900s. The blotter paper was invented, which quickly replaced the pounce as a better and less messy tool of choice for drying fresh scribed ink.īy 1885, Charles Murch patented a way to adhere printable paper to the blotting paper paving the way for publishers and companies to create desktop advertisements. When someone at the mill attempted to write on that paper, the ink absorbed and spread wildly into the paper, making it useless for writing but perfect for blotting ink. (5) That lousy batch of paper was discarded as scrap. Sizing is a substance introduced to the paper pulp that adds a filler and glaze “to change the absorption and wear characteristics” of the paper making it less absorbent and a smoother surface for writing. A worker at a paper mill in England had forgotten to add sizing to a batch of paper during the papermaking process. (4) But the most common form was the use of blotting paper, which is a highly absorbent paper that was first made, by accident, in the 15th century. Ink blotting was initially done by using a delicate, sand-like powder known as ‘pounce’ made from cuttlefish bone, which was sprinkled onto the wet ink to facilitate quicker drying. Hence the invention of an ink blotting powder and eventually blotter paper as a way to hasten ink drying to prevent mishaps. Yet, throughout the centuries, there was a persistent problem of smearing words or signatures before the ink dried. (3) By the mid-1800s, the fountain pen became a conventional writing implement. (2) In May 1809 to Frederick Fölsch received the first patent for a fountain pen while John Scheffer’s patent of 1819 was the first design to see commercial success. (1) Fountain pens began to appear in Europe by the 17th century, but they were still known to be unreliable as they stained hands and clothing with ink. The earliest known split-nib metal dip pen dates back to the 4th century A.D. ![]() Documents, letters, and other forms of writing have been written with dip pens for centuries. A dip pen uses a split nib, usually metal, which is then dipped into ink and used to write on paper or parchment. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America, the Magna Carta, and other historical documents throughout the world were written using modest dip pens. This ink blotter was created using the offset lithography printing process. The visual of the character’s romance is playing off the advertising slogan “there’s only one,” which is referring to the Blue Sunoco fuel brand, the point of the advertisement. The blotter, which measures 4” X 7 ½,” uses the “pupil-eyed” Mickey Mouse design developed by animator Fred Moore, who did not do this drawing. The “There’s Only One” Sunoco ink blotter featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse from 1939. ![]()
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![]() ![]() The stunning photos in this app match your location and change to match the time of day. Yahoo Weather received the 2013 Apple Design Award and for good reason: Amazing background photos. Al Roker would probably find this app useful in his neck of the woods. And it’s just $2.99 per year to remove ads. WeatherBug has live, local weather cameras, Apple Watch support, and more. But if you need more, there’s still more. Whether you’re Benjamin Franklin looking for the perfect lightning strike or an avid sufferer of allergies looking to avoid pollen, this app has you covered. It’s all here and it’s all very detailed. Maps for live lightning strikes, radar (and future radar), live storm tracking, air quality, pollen, cloud coverage, precipitation, humidity, heat index and wind chill, wind speed… okay you get it. If you like weather maps, you’ll love this app. WeatherBug has detailed information on air quality, pollen count, UV index, sunrise and sunset, and more. Weather fanatics are sure to love this detailed weather app packed full of data sources and useful features. Alerts for rain, lightning, pollen, and air quality.Simple, quick view of current and weekly weather.Weather forecasts for the next 15 days.People who want a more traditional weather experience that also works with Apple TV. Someone who wants detailed, straightforward weather information in a single-page scrolling format. The app is free to download and users can make a onetime purchase of $3.99 to remove ads. The one-page layout makes the app easy-to-navigate and can help reduce the time it takes for users to get their daily update. There are detailed radar maps and a whole section of live videos to view current weather reports including, breaking weather news. The app includes Apple Watch support and notifications. The app also reports the current pollen count. And additional alerts include real-time rain, lightening strikes-which allows you to track the most recent strikes-and an air quality report. The app includes alerts for extreme weather from the National Weather Service. The app even includes support for Apple TV. With The Weather Channel’s simple-to-use, detailed app users can see a variety of information and news regarding the weather. ![]() Which is probably why this app is the most downloaded weather app. But sometimes it’s better to go straight to the source. Highlights and FeaturesĪpple’s Weather app pulls its forecast information from The Weather Channel. Users who want to be occasionally insulted by their weather app won’t find a better app than this. Who Is It For?Īnyone who wants crazy detailed weather forecasts and Apple Watch support. The Apple Watch complication even shows the temperature and weather conditions as one, which is a nice upgrade from Apple Weather’s two separate complications. You can find “secret locations.” And with Time Travel, you can check out the weather for any day in history all the way back to 1948.ĬARROT costs $4.99 to download and has Premium and Ultrapremium subscriptions that enable Apple Watch notifications and complications, app customization, background updates, and more. Additionally, CARROT’s radar view gives you real-time weather updates so you can watch the storms move across your location.Īchievements can be unlocked for traveling the world or experiencing different weather-such as entering a tornado or fire zone. There is a section to choose your political preferences and you can receive rain and snow warnings right down to the minute. The app’s dialogue changes with the weather and allows you to customize the conversation. With interactions ranging from professional, to kind of snarky, to full on inappropriate, you’re sure to enjoy having CARROT around. It’s customizable personality lets you experience your forecast like never before. ![]() ![]() ![]() Don Harvey as Anthony Pellicano, a private investigator.Medalion Rahimi as Danielle, Erica's girlfriend.Paul Ben-Victor as Richard Alden, Pam and Tommy's lawyer.Pam & Tommy depicts the turbulent 3-year marriage between Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, with particular emphasis on the theft and illegal distribution of an infamous sex tape the couple recorded privately during their honeymoon.Ĭast and characters Main It received ten Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series and acting nominations for James, Stan, and Rogen. The miniseries received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise going towards the cast’s performances. The first three episodes of Pam & Tommy premiered on Hulu on February 2, 2022, and were directed by Craig Gillespie, with the rest of the episodes debuting weekly. Casting announcements were made throughout 2021 and filming took place in Los Angeles between April and July 2021. It was given a series order in December 2020 by Hulu, announcing James to play Anderson and Stan to replace Franco following the latter's departure from the project. ![]() The series development was announced in 2018, with James Franco attached to direct the miniseries and play Lee. Based on the 2014 Rolling Stone article "Pam and Tommy: The Untold Story of the World's Most Infamous Sex Tape" by Amanda Chicago Lewis, the series was created for Hulu by Robert Siegel, and is produced by Point Grey Pictures and Annapurna Television. Pam & Tommy is an American biographical drama television miniseries chronicling the marriage between actress and model Pamela Anderson and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, played by Lily James and Sebastian Stan, respectively, during the period their unauthorised sex tape was made public. Robert Siegel And Jen Cohn's Production Company. ![]() ![]() ![]() Vooral in de Engelstalige landen is deze productie van Cinemax een gigantisch succes. Er zijn voorbeelden genoeg, maar als je de ultieme actieserie uit het torenhoge aanbod moet lichten, dan is Strike Back zonder meer één van de allerbeste in zijn soort.īuitenlandse recensenten vergelijken de stijl van Strike Back vaak met die van Guy Richie en Paul Greengrass, en dat is niet eens zo’n maffe vergelijking, want net als bij deze gerenommeerde cineasten zorgt ook hier het hypernerveuze camerawerk ervoor dat het lijkt alsof je middenin de actie zit. Er wordt niet naar het kostenplaatje gekeken (ten minste dat denken we toch) en vaak verbleken heel wat films als je ze naast de huidige overvloed van series legt. Tegenwoordig proberen televisiestations alles om hun series er als films uit te laten zien. The third season is now out on Warner, both on DVD and Blu-ray. Or to summarize it in one sentence: anyone who wants to see sublime action, can take Strike Back at home. ![]() The stories are not always credible, but on the other hand, the characters are real, and not the kind of Rambo’s like only Hollywood can create them. Perhaps you could say that the characters are a bit flat, but tension and action create so much adrenaline that you forget that quickly. ![]() Michael Stonebridge (Philip Winchester) is seeking revenge on Craig Hanson (Shane Taylor), the murderer of his wife, and his American colleague Damien Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) has to deal with CIA agent Christy Bryant ( Stephanie Vogt). They behave like superheroes, but in their hearts they are simple people who are full of doubts, they’re fighting machines with a conscience. Although this mission forms the main part of the third season, there are also a lot of other stories added, so we get to know better the Section 20-members. Section 25 has to deal with the millionaire Conrad Knox (Charles Dance) who wants to use these nuclear weapons to strengthen the position of his own private army. This time the team is sent to Africa because a cargo of nuclear weapons has fallen into wrong hands during a mission in Somalia. This ten-part series is based on the book by former SAS soldier Chris Ryan and focuses on the elite team Section 20 (a part of MI6, since the third season under the leadership of Major Rachel Dalton (Rhona Mitra). ![]() In England, fiv e seasons have been released, but because the series was detected at a much later stage here, the third season is now in the shops. This Cinemax-production was especially in English-speaking countries a huge success. There are plenty of examples, but if you have to choose the ultimate action series, then Strike Back is without doubt one of the best.Ĭritics often compare the style of Strike Back with the work of Guy Richie and Paul Greengrass, and that's not such a crazy comparison, because the uptight camerawork of Strike Back makes you feel like you are in the middle of the action. Money is not important (at least that is what we think) and lots of films simply fade next to current series. South African Police Service (SAPS) officers in episodes 7-10 also use the Beretta 92FS.Today, television stations try everything to make their series look like films. The Beretta 92FS is used by many of the antagonists throughout the series, including Conrad Knox ( Charles Dance), his lieutenant Karl Matlock ( Vincent Regan) and various mercenaries and criminals. ![]() The Best Things To Do In Key West For Couples 1) Kayaking At Night To learn more on the things to do in Key West for couples, read on. You and your significant other will find a wide range of activities to partake in throughout Key West, and you’re sure to find an authentic slice of Key Lime pie in the process. There are plenty of activities for couples to enjoy on the island itself, and with travel restrictions to Cuba recently lifted, couples also have the option of accessing all kinds of fun from both locations. Since the 1800s, Key West has been a popular destination for tourists and partygoers alike. ![]() The only gripe among recent visitors concerned the admission cost, which some felt was too high for a one-hour experience.Key West Sandbar Trip From $550 View tour Recent travelers highly recommend a visit to the Little White House, especially for self-identified history buffs. The guides and exhibits both earn high marks from reviewers. ![]() Exhibits document Key West's role in naval conflicts, as well as the house's history – the Marshall Plan and Truman Doctrine were both discussed here. Today, the Little White House has been restored and turned into a museum. The name is fitting: Since Truman's days, many other presidents have also vacationed here, including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. From 1946 through 1952, President Harry Truman used this house as his winter vacation home and because he spent 175 days of his presidency here, it became known as the Little White House. Navy in 1890, the Little White House served as naval command headquarters during the Spanish-American War, and also played roles in both World Wars and the Cold War. Travelers can also sign up for kayaking tours and paddle through the uninhabited mangrove islands in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. Located approximately 6 miles off the coast of Key West, the reef has shallow waters ideal for beginners. If you sign up for a snorkeling tour, you'll likely sail to the Florida Keys Reef – the only living coral barrier reef in North America. There are also several tours designed exclusively for dolphin watching (the Florida Keys are home to bottlenose dolphins year-round, along with six other dolphin species that pass through the area) – Wild About Dolphins and Honest Eco are among the most popular, according to recent travelers. Danger Charters, Classic Harbor Line and Sebago Key West all receive favorable reviews from recent travelers. Several companies offer sailing, snorkeling and kayaking tours, not to mention sunset cruises and fishing charters. When you're not admiring the waters that surround Key West from the beach, enjoy them from the deck of a boat. Daily guided tours are available at 11 a.m. The fort was built in the mid-1800s and was used during the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. If you get tired of hanging out beachside, stop by the historic fort located within the park. Along with your water gear, pack some food and charcoal: This beach has plenty of barbecue grills. You can either bring your own or rent equipment on-site. While the beach might not be as powdery soft as some other Florida beaches, it does offer some great snorkeling opportunities, according to recent visitors. Recent visitors noted the clear waters, making it an ideal snorkeling spot, but travelers also warn that the sand is not soft and that beach shoes are needed to traverse the rocky terrain safely. ![]() There, you can sunbathe, hike, bike, fish and get a dose of history all in one place. ![]() For the cleanest beach and best waters in Key West, you should head for the westernmost point of the island to Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. ![]() ![]() What a treat! It’s so yummy and brings back wonderful memories of childhood summers. Mueller’s was closed for the season when Karen contacted them, but she wasn’t deterred! She and her husband, Bill, were in Bay Head last weekend, and this evening she stopped by my house with a box of crumb cake. During my childhood summers, my family would stop at Mueller’s after church each Sunday for rolls and their famous crumb cake (which they ship, by the way). Topped with a white chocolate ganache drip, sprinkles, and. ![]() Marbled vanilla and chocolate cake encased in vanilla buttercream. ![]() I’d mentioned Mueller’s in The Bay at Midnight, so Karen knew I was a fan. Donut Grow Up Little One Such a fun theme for a first birthday party. When I arrived for the bookclub, she’d decorated with sea glass and other beachy items, but told me the one thing she’d really wanted to have for me she’d been unable to get: crumb cake from Mueller’s Bakery in Bay Head. Karen grew up as I did, spending summers “down the shore,” and she still has a strong attachment to the area. Karen had read my book, The Bay at Midnight, which is set in Bay Head Shores at the New Jersey Shore. Our selection of bakery breads are baked fresh daily in-store and ready. Swipe over to check them out, if you like. I also remembered to take some other angles and closeups. One such visit occurred a few weeks ago, when I met with a bookclub at the home of a woman named Karen. A special 5 year old celebrated her birthday with a sparkly, sprinkle-y, pink unicorn cake. ![]() Every once in a while, though, a visit to a book club comes with a big bonus. Theyre just the right balance of sweet and tart. They work personally with every customer to create a unique and delectable cake for a variety of celebrations. I love meeting new readers and it’s fun hearing what they think about a book I’ve written. Orange Cranberry Shortbreads - Crisp and delicate, these shortbreads are flavored with orange and cranberries, topped with an orange candy glaze. Sac City, Iowa Cakes in Sac City, Iowa are absolutely divine because the bakeries have a great deal of experience creating cakes that are perfect for any occasion. I’m occasionally invited to local bookclubs when they’re discussing one of my books, and I always go if I can fit it into my schedule. ![]() ![]() ![]() Vintage 1940s Bandello Banjo Mandolin Pro Setup Sounds Cool 399.88 59.98 Off. ![]() NEW Recording King RKOT26BR Madison 5 string Openback Banjo - 799. Vintage Sigma 5 string Banjo by Martin GOLD Made in Japan - 1,299. LAY-AWAY purchase plan with 50% down with 60 days to pay off balance through Reverb. Customized Global Vintage 5 string Banjo. Fender Concertone 59 5 string Banjo with Original Case Pre. Thank you for your interest, message me with questions. The entire instrument will be heavily bubble wrapped and professionally packaged. ![]() Hardcase is modern and very high quality and in great condition.ĭue to high UPS & FEDEX rate increases, I now prefer to ship USPS. Banjo virtuoso and Deering artist, Jens Kruger comments, For an authentic bluegrass sound, the Vintage Light Set will provide the true feel and tone of the. This is a very well made banjo that is ready to play in the studio or on stage. Head is original and shows minor playing wear but is properly adjusted and fully functional. Nickel plating varies from good to missing but overall shows moderate wear. There is a removable leather string damper. A new set of Martin light gauge banjo strings freshly installed, a new nut, and a set of high quality Stewart MacDonald luthier supply replacement tuners as the originals were missing. String action is low, neck angle & relief are properly adjusted and playability is fast and easy. Frets and fretboard show little to no wear but instrument itself has numerous small scuffs and handling marks but overall is in good cosmetic condition. The resonator is maple and bound with ivoroid on top and bottom. This Chicago born mid century banjo has a one piece maple neck and steam bent maple tonepot with steel tone ring. This American made vintage instrument is fully functional and plays and sounds good. This has been fully inspected and set up at the Banjo Warehouse in Atlanta Georgia. New, Used, Vintage - Guitars, Mandolins, Banjos, Ukuleles - more Repairs, Music Lessons - Shipping Worldwide. SOLD FREE USA SHIPPING Vintage 1950’s Chicago 5 string Banjo This is a 1950’s 5 string Banjo made by Chicago right here in America. Vintage 1950's (mid to late) Silvertone 5 string longneck resonator banjo with modern professional level padded hardcase. Vintage 1950’s Chicago 5 string Banjo MADE IN USA. ![]() ![]() ![]() This way, you have a better chance of defeating the most demanding enemies as you get to know many aspects of this science fiction universe. ![]() Either way, you can always collect certain items to upgrade your fighters with. However, you mustn't neglect the defense side of things if you don't want your health bar to be rapidly depleted. Beating the level bosses won't be easy, and to do so, you must use your best attacks every time. Gundam Supreme Battle relives the essence of Z Gundam, Gundam F91 or Strike Gundam to immerse you in epic battles. You can even soar above the ground sometimes to fly and reach your enemies faster. What's more, there are numerous attack buttons on the right of the screen that you can use for your best powers against your enemies. This controller also has arrows that will help you to dodge certain enemy attacks from a distance. ![]() To control any of the robots, all you need to do is tap on the controller on the left. These 3D battles are played out in real-time, and you can fight in 1v1 or 2v2 duels, depending on what you want. So youre gonna have to wait SIX hours to play another circuit of three games. The characters and effects have been developed in 3D, allowing you to really immerse yourself in each battle. BOTH Gundam Battle Operation 1 and Gundam Battle Operation Next: The DREADED Energy System - both games utilise an energy system in which one match you use up an energy and have to wait for two hours to refill that energy and it maxes out a THREE. If Gundam Supreme Battle stands out for anything, it is its fantastic visuals. By making the most of the resources, you must try and end all the enemies that get in your way in the iconic scenes from the saga, like Jabro, Abaoaku or Yakindue. In this game, you will experience epic battles between these fighters armed with the latest technology. Actually, Ryzen 5700g + RTX 3090 can get stable 144fps during battle.Gundam Supreme Battle is an action game based on the popular anime created by Yoshiyuki Tomino for Sunrise Studios. Keep in mind that over the course of the network test, I used all possible tokens, and I got "Blow lv.2 - 1 star" like 80 times, and got a grand total of maybe 4 mechs, most of which were so bad that you would NEVER compete with the higher level, higher statted mechs. Gacha-based Stat-dominant gameplay where having the "Good" gear is going to be a requirement to play. I mean, all of the systems are in place for P2W dominance: I'm used to getting 100+ frames in most everything I play, I don't expect a 2080 super and an I9 to run everything on ultra-max and get capped frames, but what's happening here is pitiful and a little disgusting.Īnyone who knows Bamco and their history with games knows it's not going to get updated, it's not going to get bugfixed, but they're going to pack it full of Microtransactions. In reality, I find that I only notice frames being low if they're capped at 30, or if it's inconsistent. Just standing still I could watch my FPS go from 100 to 70 to 40 to 0 to 70, even when I toned EVERYTHING down to Ps2 levels, and people I know who have more modern rigs than me are still struggling just to get the game to run at ANY consistent frame rate. ![]() THEN AGAIN, I couldn't hit my 144hz refresh rate even on lowest settings. It's not capped at 60 unless YOUR monitor is capped at 60 and you're using Vsync. If you are running a 60hz monitor you probly ate going to say it's no problem or if your used to it, but those of us running high refresh rate monitors, it looks and feels terrible Originally posted by Stevie Wonder:Bruh this is PC, come on, why the f does this game have a fps cap? ![]() ![]() Walgreens planned to start kids’ vaccinations Saturday and said parents could sign up online or by calling 1-800-Walgreens. More than 6,000 vaccination clinics are being planned at schools around the country before the winter holiday break, he said. He said the kid vaccination campaign will be at full speed next week as Pfizer continues to ship millions more doses to locations around the country. Pfizer said it expects to make 19,000 shipments totaling about 11 million doses in the coming days, and millions more will be available to order on a weekly basis.Īuthorities said they expect a smooth rollout, unlike the chaos that plagued the national one for adults nearly a year ago.Īsked about parents having trouble finding vaccine appointments, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said the website will be updated by Friday for parents to search for locations near them. Thousands of pediatricians pre-ordered doses, and Pfizer began shipments soon after the Food and Drug Administration’s decision Friday to authorize emergency use. “This age group will be able to spend holidays with friends and family more safely than they have been able to since the start of the pandemic.” Jennifer Shu, whose Children’s Medical Group office in Decatur, Georgia, began vaccinating first thing Wednesday. “The timing before winter holidays is very fortunate,” said Dr. ![]() That means children who get vaccinated before Thanksgiving will be covered by Christmas. The vaccine - one-third the dose given to older children and adults and administered with kid-sized needles - requires two doses three weeks apart, plus two more weeks for full protection. As they got their shots, one girl squeezed her eyes shut and a boy barely flinched, and other waiting kids applauded. Hartford Hospital in Connecticut vaccinated seven youngsters Tuesday night, minutes after the CDC’s director gave the OK, and three more early Wednesday. The girl enthusiastically bounced around the car before the shot, which she broadcast live on her computer during morning announcements at her elementary school.Īfterward, Cate said she was looking forward to hugging her friends and celebrating her birthday indoors next month “instead of having a freezing cold outside birthday party.” “I’m ready to trash it,” he said, though the CDC still recommends masks in schools and indoor public spaces where virus activity is high, even for the fully vaccinated.Ĭate Zeigler-Amon, 10, was first in line Wednesday for a drive-through vaccination at Viral Solutions in Atlanta. Giglio said the vaccine was “like a hallway pass for us to begin living life again.” And Carter said he can’t wait to leave masks behind once he’s fully vaccinated, so he can smell the things he used to be able to smell without it. Carter has Type 1 diabetes that puts him at risk for complications if he were to become infected. Almost two-thirds of parents recently polled by the Kaiser Family Foundation said they would wait or not seek out vaccines for their kids.īrian Giglio, 40, of Alexandria, Virginia, brought his 8-year-old son, Carter, in for vaccination at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, where kids with underlying conditions got first dibs. ![]() Many pediatricians’ offices expected strong interest in the shots at least initially, but health officials are worried about demand tapering off. Vehicles lined up before dawn at an Atlanta site. California vaccine sites welcomed children with inflatable animals and handed out coloring books and prizes. The atmosphere surrounding the launch of shots for elementary-age students was festive in many locations. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() You can date other characters, even those with the same gender, which is a surprisingly progressive feature. Expect to be bombarded by friend requests as you help others out. Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is set up just like a real-life MMO. This may be due to the number of NPCs roaming around the area, and the number of interactions you might have with them. Oddly, any time you’re in the game’s main town hub, the frame rate dips considerably. Since textures and environments are lower in texture, the game does at least run at a consistently high frame rate through most battles. Monsters litter each area, and combat takes place in real-time. ![]() The environments are so incredibly generic, it would be hard to tell this game apart from many other RPGs. One of the weakest portions of Hollow Realization‘s presentation is the graphics. Even side quests include cutscenes that can span 10-15 minutes, but they are impressively fully voiced, which makes a big difference given the static nature of the cutscenes. This does allow each character to become fully-realized, and before long you feel like you know some of the behaviors and nuances between them. Hollow Realization takes what feels like forever to go anywhere with the story. Many JRPGs have slow stories, taking upwards of 20 or more hours to really get to the meat of the issues at hand, and even core mechanics of the game. Still, the level of animation on offer here is a bit disappointing.Īn issue that may divide some of you is the game’s pacing. It feels like lazy story telling, but on the other hand if you have a halfway decent imagination then it’ll almost feel like you’re reading/listening to a manga. This is key, because the cutscenes themselves are typically of the more static variety - you see a couple of avatars of whichever characters are interacting, and most action takes place off-screen, leaving you with sound effects and occasionally a screen color flash to indicate when something is going down. Cutscenes are fully voiced, which can help to sell immersion. There’s so much story content here, it’s probably enough to fill up a manga volume. It’s an interesting concept, and most of the game’s characters will likely grow on you in the long run.įans of Sword Art Online will find a lot to enjoy in Hollow Realization. Even after a couple dozen hours with this character, I couldn’t find myself caring all that much about a simulated being, but perhaps I just lack that kind of empathy. Hollow Realization attempts to get you to care about AI-controlled game characters, almost in an Ex Machina kind of way. Without giving anything major away, an early goal in the game is to determine why you’ve come across a seemingly bugged-out NPC, and why the new game has a few weird, darker rules when it comes to NPCs themselves. A good chunk of the beginning of the game is spent with many characters examining what is new, and what is carried over from their harrowing time spent trapped in the original game. A lot of the assets have been reused from the original SAO game, which could certainly be taken as a critique of the video game industry. New, supposedly non-lethal VR headsets have been produced, and a new game called Sword Art Online: Origins has opened up for a public beta. ![]() In Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, it has been some time since that world was saved by protagonist Kirito. The first virtual reality massively multiplayer online game (VRMMO) in this world was called Sword Art Online, and the day it first opened to the first 10,000 pre-orderers, it was hijacked and players were held hostage in the game, with the penalty for dying in the game or attempting to remove the headset before all floors of a giant tower were cleared resulted in that player’s real-life death. In short, think The Matrix and you’ve got the concept. The gist of the story is that it is the near-future, and virtual reality has progressed to the point where you slip on a VR headset, and are completely immersed in a virtual world, experiencing all the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures that the world has to offer. For those who are not familiar, Sword Art Online is a popular Japanese franchise, which started as a light novel and now encompasses manga, anime, video games, and soon even a movie. ![]() |
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