Tuesday, November 30, 2010

An "Epic" Arrival

On Thanksgiving day I decided to pre-order a game for the Nintendo Wii game console that I have been looking forward to for some time, Epic Mickey.  I chose to receive the item on November 30th, its release date.


While at work, I get a text from my roommate that a package from Amazon.com has arrived.  Once I got home it was time to open the box


Isn't it beautiful!


Oswald the Lucky Rabbit on one side of the box


And Mickey on the other side






These decals are for the Wii console and the Wii remote


A bonus disc came with the box. The disc includes:
Featurettes - Follow Warren Spector and others from Junction Point Studios as they discuss the creating of the game with:
The Importance of Storytelling - More than just beating up the bad guy. Storytelling is the key that draws the gamers into a world
Into the Archinves - Looking at information that has been stored at the Disney Archives over 80 years of animation.  Getting inspiration on which characters make it into the game and reminding people what some of the "forgoten" characters, such as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecallor were like.
The Tale of Oswald - With the rights of Oswald back at Disney, they wanted a game that would reintroduce the Lucky Rabbit to a whole new audience.
The Anatomy of the Animation - The animation is something that is needed to be captured in both film animation and game animation. Looking how the characters were animated in their original roles and incorporating them into the game.
Designing the World - Making a mash-up of 80 years of styles of animation, from the storyboard look, to  the classical animation and the short subject 2D look, all the way to C.G.I. rendered graphics.
Disneyland-scae: Theme Park Inspirations - Taking major iconic attractions from Disneyland and placing them into the game with a darker side.
Epic Score - With story being important, so it the music. Music is key to the emotions and connections with the game and the player. Jim Dooley composed the music for the game. Check out the Official Website of Jim Dooley 
Character Overview - A  range of broad characters from the early days up until the 1960's.

Other items on the disc:
Concept Art - Renderings of the characters and worlds from the game.
Remastered Mickey Mouse Shorts - Thru the Mirror, Lonesome Ghosts, Clock Cleaners, The Whalers
Bonus Video:
Garibaldi at E3 Expo - See David Garibaldi create an "epic" painting. The repetitive techno music with his painting style got a little boring that I had to fast forward to the end to see the final result.
Journey Trailer -


E3 Behind the Scenes Trailer -



The complete box set

Next item to get will probably be the Wii Epic Mickey Paintbrush nunchuk.

At first, I had to return my game because my Mickey Mouse figurine came with a broken ear, but so far I have enjoyed Epic Mickey =)

  

Friday, November 26, 2010

Black Friday at the Disneyland Resort

While others are out shopping out on "Black Friday" for the deals, I decided to go check out the Disneyland Resort.


Getting to Disney California Adventure 9:47am


The palm trees on along Greetings! were removed








Looking back, while waiting for the "rope drop"


The Little Mermaid construction













-Mickey's Fun Wheel-


Looking at the back side of the Disney Channel Rocks! stage












































Waiting for Disney Channel Rocks! to start






The World of Color water fountains are used at the beginning of the show




Song from different Disney Channel shows are sung to the crowd






































Ending of the show
















Paved discs cover the areas where palm trees once stood


You can now walk to Tower of Terror and A Bug's Land from Hollywood Pictures Backlot


The trolley tracks curving around the bend






The Kellogg's cart is now here in Hollywood Pictures Backlot, and it doesn't really seem to fit the area






Found Lost and Found!


Heading to Disneyland


Crowds going in


Crowds among the street




It looks like Astro Orbitor may be closed for a couple of months due to "technical difficulties". Some minor repairs may need to be in order.


Adventureland crowded


The Standby was on the left side, while FastPass was on the right. But it looks like Big Thunder did a switch. Yesterday they were doing an experiment in their queue, which was not working out like they thought. And after experiencing it, it seemed more like what you might find at Walt Disney World.


This is a rough drawing of the test they were doing yesterday on Thanksgiving. What was flawed was that the standby queue took up both sides after the trestle and before turnstyles.  One the standby got past the old "Merge" point, the lines started to meld together and finally funneling through the right side turnstyle. It made it almost like an onramp to a freeway. The left side turnstyle was dedicated to just FastPass.

What they should have done was just move the "Merging Point" up by the turnstyles. When FastPass Guests came, stop both standby lines, let the FastPass Guests chose which staircase to use and then once cleared, the Cast Member would start moving the standby line.


Heading out, looking across the way




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Walking along Harbor Blvd.













Thanks for taking the time to check this out

Until next time...