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Violence for all: 'Postal' goes open source
Behind the ongoing public debate on violent video games, a few key titles always stand out -- but before the public was freaking out about Grand Theft Auto, it was reeling in shock from Postal. This ridiculous satirical smorgasbord of violence earned the accolade of "digital poison" from Senator Joe Lieberman at launch, but still gathered a cult following. Earlier this year, the game saw a high definition remaster -- but the original game isn't dead yet. Developer Running With Scissors just announced that its making the 1997 original open source -- publishing the code on Bitbucket under the GPL2 license.
'Postal Redux' brings remastered mindless violence to Steam, PS4
When Running With Scissors released Postal in 1997, Senator Joe Lieberman offered a succinct review of the game during a press conference in Washington, D.C: "This is sick stuff. And sadly, it sells." Lieberman and other lawmakers were on a mission to ban or censor many violent, mature games in the United States, and Postal was at the top of the list. It's an action game based entirely on random, mindless killing: Viewing the cartoonish Postal Dude from an elevated perspective, players run through unsuspecting towns, villages and cities, gunning down as many people as possible. Each level ends when the Postal Dude has murdered the required amount of people. It's uncompromising and gruesome, and the gameplay is interspersed with diary entries that read like the religious ramblings of a megalomaniac. It's the kind of game that, even today, would walk a fine line between garnering public praise and open disgust -- and Running With Scissors is ready to see which way the tides turn. Again. Postal Redux, an HD version of the original title, is heading to Steam (for PC, Mac and Linux) this spring and to PlayStation 4 later this year.
Uwe Boll will return to the director's chair for The Rampage 2
Notorious filmmaker Uwe Boll has announced plans for a sequel to his controversial 2009 film, The Rampage. Like its predecessor, The Rampage 2 will star Brendan Fletcher as an unhinged man driven to violent acts. Instead of centering on a bloody killing spree as in The Rampage, the sequel will see Fletcher's character taking hostages at a TV station, then using his captives as "a political platform to awaken humanity." According to the Hollywood Reporter, The Rampage 2 will be filmed over the course of a six-day shoot in British Columbia. Word that Boll is working on The Rampage 2 comes only a few short months after the director attempted to fund a sequel to his film adaptation of Postal on Kickstarter. Unfortunately for Boll, that effort only raised $29,977 of the $500,000 he was seeking. There is currently no word on when we can expect to see The Rampage 2 in theaters, though if the movie follows the same path as Boll's other recent films expect it to skip movie houses entirely and go straight to DVD.
Uwe Boll's Postal 2 dream fueled by Kickstarter, morbid curiosity
Uwe Boll, the eccentric film director known for weaponizing video game licenses, is counting on Kickstarter to help fund a sequel to "Postal," a movie that critics called a movie if they were in a polite mood. Boll's Kickstarter for Postal 2 requests $500,000 to manufacture a "controversial comedy in which we take up current political issues" and elucidate "that there is no difference between our democracy and the prison camps in Russia or China." In the pitch videos, which are split into joking and serious parts – and no, they're not distinguishable beyond the labels – Boll says "there is only me who can help you with that." The "that" is actually the "them": the NSA and the monitored Orwellian nightmare we find ourselves in. "If you have a Facebook account," Boll says ahead of his filmed critique, "everything gets, like, controlled." You'll receive several status updates on the film if you pledge at least $5 in advance of its projected August 2014 release, but the high-tier rewards (beyond the grotesque pleasure of seeing this lurch to life) seem impossible to turn down. For just $5,000 you could name a character in Postal 2. For $7,500 you can allow yourself to be encased in Boll's celluloid prison and BECOME a character, though the size of the role "depends on your talent." The implication here is that you will have to match and exceed the acting chops of the movie's first confirmed star and Top 36 contender in American Idol Season 8, Jackie Tohn. Finally, you can pledge $10,000 and view the spectacle unfold on the movie set itself, safely shielded behind the "executive producer" credit. (So that's what those guys do.) "There will be no survivors" if this uncensored movie comes to pass, Uwe Boll says. If that isn't the ideal ratio of threat and reward for a Kickstarter campaign, what is?
Desi: Postal 3 in 'final stages'
With all the talk of violent video games last week, we got to thinking about one of the most vilified gaming franchises: Postal. It's been a good 17 months since we've had an update on the latest in the series, Postal 3, so we assumed ... perhaps even hoped a little, that it was dead. "Not so!" says Running With Scissors' Vince Desi. He told us, "It's in the final stages in Moscow, I don't think it will come out this Christmas." It's a disappointment for anyone planning on giving the gift of a badger on a harness this holiday season, but have faith: Desi says he's hoping to set the badger loose in the first quarter of next year, much to the chagrin of ... well, probably everybody.
Addon Spotlight: 4.0.1 updated favorites
Addon Spotlight focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same. This week everything broke, so let's fix it. Addon Spotlight is going to do things a little differently this week. We've just come off a fresh, new patch, with loads of new abilities, content and system mechanics. Rather than focus on one or two addons this week, I want to give my readers a rundown on some of the crucial addons we all know and love, making sure you know what to update, considering some addons are taking the drive out of the car, so to speak. In addition, I'll give you some alternatives to addons that might not be functioning perfectly right now, tell you which addons are just being naughty and try to get you back on track before the weekend.
The Best Of Big Download: May 23-31, 2008
Who says PC gaming is dying? We don't. The new Big Download blog site continues to gain readers and post up exclusive news and content on all aspects of PC gaming. This week we have a ton of Mass Effect PC features as well as other content for you to check out. Here are the highlights from the past week:Exclusive Features In-Depth: Mass Effect: We go in detail on the new PC port of BioWare's acclaimed science fiction RPG Big Iron: Mass Effect's effective mass: We find out if your PC rig can run the game with all the bells and whistles. Big Versus: Mass Effect: How do the PC and Xbox 360 versions of the game compare to each other? We find out. PvP vs PvE: EA Mythic on Warhammer Online: Our series of PvP interviews for MMO games continues with EA Mythic's Jeff Hickman on their plans for the feature in Warhammer Online. Running With Scissors Vince Desi on the Postal movie: We chat with the Postal development head on the newly release movie version of their dark satire action game series. Big Versus: Penny Arcade Adventures - Episode One: We compare the PC and Xbox 360 versions of the new downloadable adventure-RPG from Hothead Games Casually Speaking: Are causal games really gateway games?: Our weekly casual games column looks at the debate on how playing casual games could lead some players to try more hardcore titles Freeware Friday: Abuse: The weekly column on free games takes a look at a golden oldie; the side-scrolling sci-fi shooter Abuse MODvelous Monday: This week's look at game mods looks at the Classic Doom 3 total conversion for Doom 3
Mac Game 'Postal' in (very few) Theaters
Move over, Lara Croft -- it's time to go Postal!The (in)famous Mac video game from Running With Scissors is coming to the big screen today, albeit a small number of big screens. Postal first gained notoriety in 1997 as a Mac-only 2D shooter, and is famed for being banned in Australia for a few minor reasons -- things like using a cat as a gun silencer, gratuitous violence, and, in later versions, sexual themes and use of drugs and alcohol. Sounds like fun, eh?The Postal flick follows the story line and general bad taste of the old Mac game. Controversial director and Razzie Award Nominee (twice) Uwe Boll somehow bribed and wheedled his way into showings at a whopping 12 theaters nationwide. Be sure to go see this film tonight if you're a fan of Postal, since it will probably close at all 12 theaters today as well. Of course, that means it may be on DVD and in the iTunes Store next Tuesday.Me? I think I'll go see Indiana Jones instead.
An evening with Uwe Boll's Postal
Uwe Boll. It's a name that strikes fear and anger into the hearts of at least 248,969 gamers worldwide. Through his continued efforts in bringing critically bashed adaptations of video games to our attentions, he's earned an online reputation that's only rivaled in the community by the likes of Jack Thompson.To be honest, I didn't know what to expect when I was invited to an early screening of Uwe Boll's latest film, Postal. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I have never experienced an Uwe Boll film. Perhaps it's because Boll has never touched any of my most beloved game franchises. Looking at his past films, it appears he hasn't made as many films to justify the fervor that surrounds him. Is anyone really angry that the House of the Dead film wasn't A-grade cinematic material? Is the film somehow a disgrace to the game's "legacy?" Doubtful. Are people really up-in-arms over how he "ruined" BloodRayne, or Alone in the Dark?Postal is also an interesting choice for the German director. Very few have actually played the game (neither have I) -- but those that have don't really like it. Even if the film amounted to a terrible disaster, it wouldn't disgrace the game, or the "genre" of the video game film (if such a thing should be considered). With all of this in mind, the curtains opened and Uwe Boll's Postal screening started.
Uwe Boll confirms 'Boll vs. Bay' brawl, Michael Bay denies accepting Boll's challenge
Those who were wishing to actually witness a few rounds of fisticuffs between crummy filmmaker Uwe Boll and occasionally crummy filmmaker Michael Bay (following Boll's challenge last weekend) have certainly ridden a rollercoaster of excitement and disappointment these past few days. We admit, we got pretty pumped after viewing the above video, a supposed confirmation that Bay had accepted Boll's terms, and that the two would meet in the ring -- unfortunately, this directorial showdown isn't in the cards (much to Boll's chagrin, we're sure).An administrator on Michael Bay's official forums recently talked to the blockbuster poster boy (currently doing post-production work for "The Horsemen") who denied accepting Boll's challenge, and claimed he'd never spoken directly with Boll in the first place. We can't help but wonder -- is this another publicity stunt for the antagonized franchise-wrecker in light of the May 23 U.S. release for "Postal", or has Uwe finally lost his damn mind? Little from Column A, little from Column B.[Thanks, Fernando]
Uwe Boll thinks Michael Bay 'sucks big time', wants to fight
We were always taught to "use our words" to solve disputes between our peers and colleagues; but we guess if your words are ogreish and oft-incomprehensible, your fists will have to do. That's right -- Uwe Boll, much like the honor-bruised 1800 presidential candidate Aaron Burr, has officially donned the boxing gloves he wore in the Webcritic Massacre of 2006 (and while he wrote the script for "Postal", we assume) and challenged the king of summer blockbusters, Michael Bay, to twelve rounds in the ring.No offense, Bay -- we loved "Bad Boys 2", but you'll forgive us for putting our money on Boll's massive ham-fists. What that guy lacks in movie making ability and social graces, he more than makes up with his pugilistic proclivities.
One million signatures to keep Uwe Boll directing
We feel kind of dirty giving any sort of attention to the cancerous boil on film directing that is Uwe Boll, but when the guy is acting this freaking weird we just can't help ourselves. Boll has followed up his offer to stop directing if an online petition against him reached 1,000,000 signatures with a heavily-accented YouTube video that manages to insult Eli Roth, Michael Bay, George Clooney and practically all of Hollywood as "fucking retards" that don't understand that Boll is "the only genius in the whole fucking business."While Tinseltown insults are all well and good, what really interested us was Boll's call for a "pro Boll petition" to counteract the anti-Boll forces. Boll said he "expect[s] a million votes, Pro Boll," and he's already well on his way, with a whopping 72 signatures so far on the Pro-Boll petition set up by FilmDrunk.com. That's a far cry from the 137,644 that have signed the anti-Boll petition as of this writing, but maybe it takes "the only genius in the whole fucking business" to understand the vagaries of the math involved.Watch the video and read a transcript of Boll's rant after the break.
There's a new trailer for Postal
"A religious charlatan (Foley), his mild mannered nephew (Ward) and a gang of bosomy commandos face off against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in an epic battle that will determine the fate of the world in Postal, the latest film from controversial director Uwe Boll (BloodRayne). Boll roasts an entire herd of sacred cows and smashes taboos to smithereens in this over-the-top and hilariously subversive critique of modern day America."...We thought we'd kick off with the description of Postal straight from the site of this new trailer, just because there is literally no combination of consonants and vowels we could create that would be more entertaining than that. Also, we're happy for Uwe Boll's burning of sacred cows, but did one of them have to be Dave Foley? Dear, sweet Dave Foley! Where did things go so wrong?!
No more big-budget bombs for Boll
Bad news for Uwe Boll love-to-haters: the infamous German director and pouting pugilist will see his future endeavors financially constrained after his latest $70 million video game adaptation, "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale," set the box-office alight with all the effectiveness of two moist fish furiously rubbed together. The $3 million weekend opening marked the director's third consecutive failure to Boll audiences over, and with no more German tax shelter funds to rely on, it looks to be his last big-budget bomb.Not willing to throw in the raggedy towel just yet, Uwe Boll (pronounce it correctly, please!) told The Hollywood Reporter that he plans to focus on smaller cinematic explosives. Like grenades. "These are films that represent my true passion, and they can be done with small budgets," said Boll. Bad movie lovers (or lovers of bad movies) need not fear -- if this director's proven adept at anything in the last few years, it's working around a complete deficit of worthwhile resources.[Thanks, David]
Postal devs lay Person of the Year award at Tallarico's feet
Video Games Live co-creator Tommy Tallarico has been singled out as the 2007's Person of the Year. No, not by Time magazine, or really any outlet from which we'd expect such acclaim to originate, but rather by outspoken game studio Running with Scissors, creators of the controversial Postal game franchise. As the first such award bestowed by the studio, the accolade was announced during Running with Scissors' annual holiday shindig. We appreciate the effort, and are glad to see when personalities within the game industry are recognized, but in all honestly we can't recall a time when anything said by Running with Scissors was met with anything but indifference. If we were Tallarico, and believe us when we say that nothing could be further from the truth, we'd be inclined to accept the award, nod, and back out of the room. Slowly.
The life of a Hobbit: Pies and Postal quest guides at TTH
As everyone knows, a large portion of a Hobbit's existence is occupied with consuming pies, and nosing around other Hobbit's business. But behind the scenes, there are the middlemen that allow this to continue. Who delivers these pies? Who moves the mail that other Hobbits have the pleasure of trying to sneak a peek at? If you know where to start, you could very well be fulfilling these duties, and be rewarded for your efforts to boot.TenTonHammer has made a guide that covers the Lord of the Rings Online Shire delivery quests, including the Postal Delivery and Pie Delivery quest lines. These quests involve sprinting around the Shire -- sound familiar? -- trying to avoid the Nosey or Hungry Hobbits (depending on which type of delivery you are making) and steering clear of water to get your package to its destination. Of course, it's much easier when you've got a game plan, so check out the guide before you begin your courier career.
You can kill Uwe Boll in Postal 3
We're not sure why you'd want to hurt Uwe Boll. Honestly, he's a dear, sweet man with a heart of gold. But apparently someone out there thinks that you've been hurt enough by his cinematic atrocities that you'd want to shoot his digi-version. The director will be placed into the upcoming Postal 3, according to developer Running With Scissors' president Vince Desi.Between BloodRayne, Alone in the Dark and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, you have plenty of reasons to want to off Boll. But is it enough to tempt you to play the third in a series of games that has scored averages between 55 and 62 percent?
Uwe Boll calls up Chris Kohler -- hilarity ensues
What do you do for an encore after you've told a critic to go have sexual relations with his own mother? You agree to a follow-up interview and proceed to flip out. To say that Wired's Chris Kohler didn't enjoy Boll's latest film, Postal, is to say that smashing your toes with a hammer merely "tingles." The infamous director took it to Kohler earlier this week in a barrage of broken English and PR buffoonery that -- we thought -- couldn't be crazier if he tried.Uwe Boll ... you sly dog.Conducted via telephone, Boll opens the conversation by saying, "Whatever I say, you have to print it how it is, and correct the spelling." Kohler responds, "Well, there's no spelling on the phone. So, it's okay." Can you hear that? It's the sound of the lulztrain making a stop on your Internets.
NY Post sues Uwe Boll for infringement
German filmmaker Uwe Boll, well known in gamer circles for his film adaptations of video games, is being sued by the New York Post for "stealing the newspaper's trademark Web site and logos," according to The New York Sun.The situation effectively began when the Post ran a story criticizing "pariah" Boll on his use of the September 11 tragedy in the film, seen in a trailer. Boll then set up a website similar to the New York Post for use in promoting the film. The NY Post is asking that Boll discontinue use of the websites, that ownership of the domain names be transferred to the newspaper and the ever-popular "unspecified damages."
Postal designer speaks out on Manhunt 2 bans
After recent ratings and banning fiascoes surrounding Manhunt 2, GameSpot sat down with Vince Desi, CEO of Running with Scissors, developer of another controversial series, Postal. Desi speaks out about the ESRB and its power over the gaming industry as well as his (lack of) jealousy that Rockstar "managed to land an AO rating" before Running with Scissors did.Desi doesn't think the Manhunt ratings increase will accomplish much more than appease politicians and hurt Rockstar, kids will still get their hands on the game. "The video game industry is too easy for [politicians] to complain about, and with a presidential election next year ... it could be the only issue the Democrats and Republicans agree upon.". In other words, it's a game of politics and business, not concern for anyone's well-being.
