NumberWan

Today is indeed the 4th strong with us. =) Star Wars published a few new photos, and even a video about Episode VII, showing running snowtroopers and other characters, Kira with Han and Chewie and her moments, worth being seen. We now know, that Adam Driver is indeed - Kylo Ren, who is leading a group of snowtroopers during one operation. Lupita is playing a bounty hunter, called Maz Kanata. The film will show her castle, full of exotic aliens, which are also seen in a screenshot. I can't recognize any species there, but they look very much like some in Episode IV and VI. check info here!

Indie Revolver, as according to SWU, published another concept art of Kylo Ren. This version is believed to have been created before the now known helmet and before the tri-saber was introduced. Here Kylo Ren wears a mask as well, but of different design.

@@DT85 No one says, the game is nasty. I would like to wait for the release, but @Grab makes a point: some things have already been confirmed, and won't be included in the new Battlefront. If this table is true, then the game lacks at least three aspects I liked in older versions. To tell the truth, Battlefront I was just a start. No too many options, but still fun. It was Battlefront II, which was the pinnacle in the series. Perhaps it would be wise to ignore the first release and wait for newer Battlefront II (more likely, there will be DLC for prequels, EU, other stuff).

@eezstreet Yes, I know what you mean. =) I am much more fan of good old map, I posted about a week ago. This map here shows quite a lot of planets to explore, though some places missing as well. In any case, the scheme in the form of subway lines and stations is most likely a joke. I am more interested in the new locations though.

@minilogoguy18 Unfortunately, you are right. The last modifiable Star Wars game was probably Empire at War. So far I know only of Dark Forces I and II, JO/JA, Galactic Battlegrounds, KOTOR I and II and Empire at War modifications. Battlefront I and II as well. TFU never truly presented an opportunity, just as other games, like The Phantom Menace (though some forums panels suggest, that people actually expected an SDK to be released, and a few things were done to the game, like adding playable Darth Maul and Mace Windu).

It was reported that Lupita does indeed plays a CGI character. I just don't understand, how many such characters are there now. We have Andy Serkis, who was rumoured to have two roles in Episode VII, and Lupita having a different CGI character. I thought she was playing an alien closer to Zam Wessel, because this unknown alien in Episode VII is as small as Yoda, or maybe is of that height as R2-D2. SWU reports, that a new map (scheme to be precise) of the Galaxy has been revealed: Curiously, the Galaxy includes locations from the Saga (all six films), the Clone Wars and EU, including the Legends part. You can see Naboo (Episode I), Ryloth (The Clone Wars), Nelvaan (Clone Wars animated series 1), Manaan (KOTOR), Zhar (Shadows of the Empire) and Onderon (Tales of the Jedi, KOTOR2 and TCW). The map also includes the recently announced Jakku, as well as two new names: Ikotch and Davaron

@@Ping Yes, I hear the new game won't a lot of things, which fans enjoyed prior. By the way, do you like the dueling feature in battlefront II? I really loved that game for a variety of locations. I was glad to see familiar faces of Luke, Leia, Chewie and others.

Having seen the video about "7 things we don't want to see in Battlefront" I thought, that the game might have quite the graphics and action, but it will be relatively small. Even if they include 7 large locations it would be a small game, wouldn't it? Battlefront II introduced quite a variety of planets and space battles. We know, that certain features from previous games won't be seen in the next installment, so it might be a disappointment to some. I would absolutely love if it were possible to make missions to play with your friends. Not new maps, but at least customization for missions to play in SP or online with other fans. It's most likely the game won't introduce any SDK tools to do that though. Anyone played Battlefield? Such options aren't available with that game, are they?

Just checked the scene, where we see a lightsaber handed over to Leia (presumably) by an unknown new character. I mentioned this creature above and all we know, that it's quite small and is among the characters seen with the main team for some time. One of the concept arts shows this alien, revealing it to have hair. The trailer actually reveals the face of the new alien partly. It seems she (I think it's her) has big blue eyes.

I got a bit confused as which episode was the first to watch. So it seems, that the right order is -The Bad Batch -A Distant Echo -On the Wings of Keeradaks -Unfinished Business This story arc takes place after the Big Bang episode. It's a wonder the new clones here look different due to genetic enhancements. To me they are just very new beings, like the clones from other subjects, as it was stated in the EU previously. These episodes also introduce yet another character to wear glasses/goggles in Star Wars Universe. This new team of clones 99 remind me of the troopers, created for later stages, when the clones would become useless for the Empire as well. After the fall of the Empire these would eliminate the former loyal troopers of the Republic.

@@Cerez I couldn't agree more on Mortis. It's one of the episodes arc I always skipped, if I rewatched TCW. I would have changed the concept of Son and Daughter. While he looks more or less like a Force deity of sort, his sister reminds constantly of some doll, anime school girl or even Cameron Diaz from Being John Malkovich. Why would such a being use these strange garments? Meanwhile they published even more episodes from the cancelled seasons. Bad Watch, featuring new characters and the operation Anaxes. I see Wat Tambor there, so he must have left the prison on Coruscant somehow!

GOG.com also announced 70% on many Star Wars games on May 4. They also promised to add new games.

A very nice article at starwarsunderworld.com shows, that Ralph McQuarrie's legacy lives on with The Force Awakens. Have a look at least at these pictures:

It is already officially revealed, that it is Poe Dameron, who gets a task from an important person - some princess, yes. =) But your theory isn't that far from what they might show us. I also thought, that Kylo Ren is more connected to Luke. I thought, that Luke is actually hiding from Kylo Ren, while the the evil guy tries to lure out the famous Jedi, using his old friends. I can't believe, he is the leader of the First Order. Maybe more like an Inquisitor, or the role is that of Vader.

@@DT85 This gave me a hint, that while we won't be seeing R2 and C-3PO, BB-8 would be on screen most of the time.

@@DrXann Thanks for your support. The truth is that I am involved in other projects, which are unrelated to DP and to game design. I have to exist by earning money after all =) However I made some material for the next news block, and something for the mod. It's funny, that it's not mapping which prevents from completing Chapter I, but rather scripting and some plot details.

@zeƒilus Speaking of oil, I wonder if they preserve the continuity and R2 won't be flying in this film. I guess, the fact, that the boosters were removed from him some time between Episode III and IV, still remains. Also a classic R2 without anything like that would seem to be just what we wanted. C-3PO has the tradition of being disassembled, both in Episode II and Episode V. Maybe something like that happens again? Found this picture on fb. A legacy. Also found this fan art for poster.

The last new ones for me were perhaps "Spin" and the book about Allan Quatermain. I also tried "Revan". Personally I am not very fond of books of XXI-st century. I enjoy classic ones much more. The last one I wanted to reread are the ones by Maxim Gorky, not my favourite author.

It's been a while since the last issue - so much happened since then! I like the idea, that Railas Tok present during the difficult decision for mace Windu - abandoning a little boy on Ord Mantell for his own good.

@ The books have so much more about almost every character in GoT. But I like her in the series. I am not familiar with any other roles of G.C. though. But hopefully she will surprise us in Episode VII. As for Lupita Nyongo, I though in the past, that she was playing the new apprentice of Luke. This isn't a rumour, because later sources stated, her role is different. It's also CGI, I think. I wonder, whether we see any relics from the prequels as well. The Clone Wars was a major conflict and surely some ships could be seen in the background. Some fans re-edited OT, and on tatooine for instance one can clearly see a battledroids among other junk of the jawas. What prevents them to include such easter eggs in Episode VII? Alien species also bother me a lot. Classic aliens are most welcome, but a Neimodian might re-appear as well. Just thought, that Episode VII will feature one thing seen in Episode I: the re-introduction of the character in a new film. I wonder how would R2 reappear for instance. In Episode I we see him among other similar droids in the Royal ship, in Episode II he is seen with Amidala starfighter on Coruscant, and Episode III reveals, that the little guy was taking part in a larger battle above the capital. While Episode IV shows R2 and C-3Po to be the first major characters to ever appear on screen in Star Wars, Episode V shows Luke and Han as the first to be seen. ROTJ then again shows us the two droids after Vader. What would Episode VII be like in this regard? Would we see R2 in a new X-Wing fighter the very first scene? Of moving peacefully through a corridor of a larger ship? Would C-3PO be around?

My current PCs aren't enough to play Battlefront, but I hope to try it on PC. It's been a while since I player any new Star Wars game. After the reboot I must try at least one to see, what it's like now.

I don't feel too much excitement about the new Battlefront, though I was a vivid fan of the previous games with the same name. I even played a lot with my friends, that was a very nice time. The game was also good to include different missions both from the prequels and the Original trilogy. Mixing different fractions was also possible. Battlefront II was a very good continuation with several cool modifications added by fans like the Dark Times. I am positive, the new Battlefront won't be featuring so much, as introduced before. There will be a limited number of heroes and a few missions with very good graphics. And DLCs. Dozens of them. If the game will have sort of modding tools for the game, like adding new maps and objects, as well as models - then I would definitely give the game a chance as a SW fan, besides I would call it one of the reasons to buy a new machine to play the game.

@ He looks much younger here, than I expected. I don't know why, some news post, that it's finally revealed, who is playing the chrome trooper. Well, it was almost a known fact a while ago, so why so much noise now? Maybe the launch of Game of Thrones Season 5 caused all this... Brianne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) I just watched the latest episodes, so I am wondering what would her voice sound like when in the helmet. Also there is a picture of the Millenium Falcon from the exhibition. A closer look on new X-Wing: Kylo Ren closer look. New stormtrooper (incinerator) closer look. back Some more

@@dark_apprentice I wouldn't recommend using a negative of the original texture. If you are working in Photoshop, try other options. For instance, for black parts I would use any dark color close to black, then use Multiply filter and "play" a little with Opacity values. Using mask in this instance might help. For lighter parts also use some sort of grey or light olive gamma. Using Lighting, Screen or Overlay might be good. Opacity too. =) Besides I would copy one of Channels (RGB) and place them above the light parts of TIE. Then use multiply again. If you don't work in PS, then just try to avoid switching colors automatically. There are actually dozens of options both in PS and other programs.