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Funcom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video
Everybody loves an Alice in Wonderland metaphor, and Funcom is no exception. The studio kicked off a new alternate reality game for its upcoming MMO, The Secret World, and it's littered with White Rabbit references. The game starts with a very short video in which a woman on a cell phone talks about a six-year-old case. This is followed up with the instructions to go to Funcom's website, click on the background, and type in "33" to start the ARG. Just... be prepared for anything if you do. We don't want to spoil it, so we'll leave it at that and encourage you to watch the video after the jump. [Thanks to Kaitlyn for the tip!]
Alice in Wonderland DLC makes a very important date with LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet's sackboys lead very busy lives in an extremely large world, meaning they don't always have time to watch the latest movies as they're released in theaters. This is one explanation for the Alice in Wonderland costume pack coming to LittleBigPlanet this week, featuring accessories based on the 2010 Tim Burton film.The pack will include costumes for Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Red Queen, all in their full Burtonized glory. Each costume is available individually, but buying the entire pack gives players Alice in Wonderland stickers as well.
Disney films begin storming YouTube's magic video kingdom
Looking for something fun to do with the family over the holiday weekend? Why not huddle up in front of the old laptop with some Pirates of the Caribbean? Or perhaps Alice in Wonderland and Pixar's Cars are more your speed? The Google-owned video streaming site announced today that movies from Walt Disney Studios have begun creeping their way into its rental selection. The selection of films is the first of hundreds from Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks.
Disney posts Alice in Wonderland 60th Anniversary Blu-ray trailer
Just in case you didn't get a peek when it popped up previously or on any of Disney's current releases, the movie studio has posted a trailer for the Blu-ray release of the classic Alice in Wonderland on its official YouTube channel. It's scheduled for release February 1st, 2011 as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with special features including Operation Wonderland (in high definition) a new intro for the Cheshire Cat, Thru the Mirror animated short and more. Check out the trailer after the break.
Alice in Wonderland Blu-ray 3D loosed from the bonds of exclusivity December 7
So far, Disney's Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton, the original hits high def in 2011) has only been available in 3D in a Sony pack-in deal, but this week the exclusivity runs out and a four disc combo pack hits shelves December 7th. Check the press release after the break for all the details, but it has a $49.95 MSRP, and comes with the same features as the original Blu-ray release, which unfortunately extends to a complete lack of extras on the 3D disc. Since Tim Burton's flick was converted in post as opposed to being shot in 3D originally it may not have the allure of a title like Avatar, but reviews usually leaned more towards the positive than rush jobs like Clash of the Titans and The Last Airbender.
TUAW's Daily App: Alice in Wonderland
I played Disney's Alice in Wonderland way back in February of this year, and back then, I wasn't super impressed. It was a little too much before the movie, and for US$4.99, it was a little too common for a platformer. But the app has just gone on sale for Halloween, and for $0.99, it's worth another look. The game did have some fun innovations in it, with four different powers and the ability to use the iPhone's GPS to unlock some items. Especially for kids, it's a solid platformer, and at the sale price, it's worth seeing what Disney puts on display here (of course, this was before they picked up Tapulous and put them in charge of the mobile division).
Disney makes Alice in Wonderland, Bolt Blu-ray 3D discs Sony exclusives this winter
Another day, another exclusive Blu-ray 3D deal. This time it's Disney, opting to align its Alice in Wonderland and Bolt movies with Sony products over the holiday season as the two team up on "consumer and retail education, promotion and marketing support for in-home 3D devices and content." That means buyers of Sony 3D TVs and Blu-ray players may have one of the above as a pack-in, while everyone else waits 'til the unspecified time when they're released at retail. Hear that? That's the sound of 3D early adopters queueing up Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs for the umpteenth time, camping out in line for Monster House next week or wildly overpaying for pack in/ overseas only 3D releases on eBay. As it stands, the year's slate of unbundled releases is otherwise blank beyond A Christmas Carol and Resident Evil, here's hoping it doesn't stay that way long. More details are in the press release after the break.
Disney's The Lion King and Alice in Wonderland come home on Blu-ray in 2011
In keeping with plans to re-release two of its 14 classics each year, trailers on the Blu-ray edition of James & the Giant Peach reveal The Lion King (Diamond Edition) and Alice in Wonderland (Special 60th Anniversary Edition) will arrive in high definition next year. No real word on specs yet, but we'd expect to see the same care taken in remastering and restoring the audio and video to its highest quality that's been seen on previous releases. HighDefDiscNews has plenty of screengrabs and the two trailers (embedded after the break) so now with plenty of advance warning you can get the kids ready (or have them, if necessary) in preparation for 2011's obligatory combo pack purchase. Update: The videos are gone, forced down by Disney's legal hounds no doubt, but trust us -- they were real and they were spectacular.
Breakfast Topic: Six impossible things
There's a nice quote from Through the Looking Glass in which Alice states to the White Queen that one can't believe impossible things. The White Queen shrugs this off as silly, "When I was your age, I always did it for a half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!" I don't really know if there's any sense to be made of it, but the phrase "six impossible things" always stuck with me. Now how does this relate to World of Warcraft, exactly? With Cataclysm coming up, the world that we play in is changing completely. Some things we remember from days past may not even exist anymore, and some things may change altogether. So I am keeping a list of (more or less) six impossible things to accomplish before Cataclysm. It keeps me occupied when I'm not raiding, and each time I finish something, I add something else to the list. The three achievements above were all on my list, I've replaced them with Attumen's mount from Karazhan, the tiger from Zul'Gurub, and I am contemplating whether or not trying to farm for warglaives would be a good idea. Each time I manage one of the impossible things it feels like I've accomplished something, though the merits of having accomplished anything substantial in a video game can be argued back and forth. Still, it keeps me happy, and it keeps me busy. So do you have a list of impossible things? If you do, what are they? If you don't, what are you doing to keep yourself occupied?
Chris Davis of Gaia Online talks MMO marketing
The MMO industry is an ever-changing, totally unpredictable universe of online games, from hot, massive fully-realized worlds like World of Warcraft or EVE to fun casual games like Farmville or the Agency: Covert Ops. Gaia Online takes a bit of a different approach by mixing a casual gaming and social worlds. We caught up with Chris Davis, a marketer for Gaia who handles sponsorship accounts, at E3 to discuss his game. He has his own unique take on MMOs and brand marketing, and how companies should interact with their potential customers. Chris describes why he believes mixing marketing and gaming is good for both the user and the brand.
Blu-ray releases on June 1st 2010
Not a bad week considering the time of year. We have a pretty nice day and date that even the Netflix and Redbox customers will get to enjoy -- but not 3D fans. And we have a fantastic documentary from the BBC, although we were really annoyed to see that Netflix is currently only offering the crappy version for rent. Then best of all -- well maybe -- we have a number of great Clint Eastwood titles like Heartbreak Ridge, Absolute Power and The Rookie. Well the last one isn't that great. Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney) Life - David Attenborough (BBC) Life - Oprah Winfrey (BBC) Absolute Power (Warner) Heartbreak Ridge (Warner) The Rookie - 1990 (Warner) Bad Boys (Sony) Wild Things: Foursome (Sony) Undisputed III: Redemption (New Line) War of the Worlds (DreamWorks) Class of Nuke 'Em High (Troma) Tromeo and Juliet (Troma) Someone's Knocking at the Door (Vicious Circle)
Alice in Wonderland to hit Blu-ray on June 1st, but not in 3D
Okay now, this is just getting ridiculous -- we just can't figure out what the studios are doing, and if they do have a plan it is about time they share it, but just like when Blu-ray first came out, the latest new format isn't getting releases day and date with other formats. But as it stands now there will be no Blu-ray movies in 3D available at retail in the next six weeks even though the 3DTVs have already hit the market -- with many more from Sony, LG and Sharp due this Summer. In fact we have yet to hear of a single 3D Blu-ray Disc to be released at retail in the US in the first half of 2010. We don't mean to say that there isn't a plan in place here, but we are really starting to wonder when it will be revealed. Because one thing is for sure, no one is going to buy all these new 3DTVs and 3D Blu-ray players just to watch demo discs and older animated features. Show full PR text ON DISNEY BLU-RAY™ & DVD -- JUNE 1, 2010 With Worldwide Theatrical Box Office Earnings Approaching the $800 Million Mark, Tim Burton's Take on the Classic Tales Wins Fans Everywhere Burbank, Calif., April 16, 2010 – Following a record-breaking theatrical performance, Tim Burton's epic fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Disney's 4th biggest film of all time, takes its booming box-office success into the home with a Disney 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy), 1-Disc Blu-ray and 1-Disc DVD on June 1, 2010, from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE). The ALICE IN WONDERLAND Blu-ray DiscTM Combo Pack provides audiences with the chance to experience a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time in pristine 1080p picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 HD surround sound quality and has been especially packaged with family and fans in mind – with lots of exciting bonus features and an extra DVD and Digital Copy of the movie. The Blu-ray Disc versions of the film include nine bonus features that take viewers deeper into the famous "Rabbit Hole" - exploring more of the world of Wonderland, its iconic characters and the making of the film. Features include the making of the Futterwacken Dance, a look inside the world of the Mad Hatter and Johnny Depp's transformation, Tim Burton's vision for the movie and its characters, the visual effects of growing and shrinking of Alice, costume designs, music, stunts and more. The suggested retail prices for ALICE IN WONDERLAND are as follows: The 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) is $44.99 (US)/$51.99 (Canada); the 1-Disc Bluray is $39.99 (US) /$44.99 (Canada); and the Single Disc DVD is $29.99 (US)/$35.99 (Canada). Alice In Wonderland Blu-ray™+ DVD Combo Pack – June 1, 2010 Page 2 Film Synopsis: Tumble down the rabbit hole with Alice for a fantastical new adventure from Walt Disney Pictures and Tim Burton. Inviting and magical, ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an imaginative new twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Alice (Mia Wasikowska), now 19 years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny. Wonderland is a world beyond your imagination and unlike anything you've seen before. The extraordinary characters you've loved come to life richer and more colorful than ever. There's the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) and more. A triumphant cinematic experience – ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an incredible feast for your eyes, ears and heart that will captivate audiences of all sizes. The film's opening weekend made ALICE IN WONDERLAND the highest-grossing non-sequel opening weekend in history, the biggest March opening of all time, the biggest 3D opening of all time and the biggest IMAX opening of all time. Bonus Features: DVD: • Finding Alice – It's all things Alice. This featurette includes Tim Burton's vision for the characters, differences from the book and Disney's version of Alice and how she evolves as both a character and actor as she takes an adventure through Wonderland. • The Mad Hatter – Audiences are provided with a deeper look into the world of the Mad Hatter. Check out Johnny Depp's early sketches, make-up, costumes and how they digitally enhanced his eyes. • Effecting Wonderland – A behind-the-scenes piece on the different technologies used to create some of the most beloved characters in the film – Stayne, Tweedledee, Tweedledum, Bandersnatch and the Red Queen. BLU-RAY: Everything on the DVD plus: • The Futterwacken Dance – Futterwhat? Check out the making of the timeless dance called the Futterwacken. • The Red Queen – The creation of the Red Queen from start to finish, including early Tim Burton sketches showcasing costume designs, make-up and digital effects. • Time-Lapse: Sculpting the Red Queen – A short time-lapse piece showing Helena Bonham Carter as she gets her make-up done. A three-hour process can be watched in just a few short minutes. • The White Queen – An interview with Anne Hathaway, who plays Wonderland's good queen, about her character's journey throughout the process of the film. • Scoring Wonderland – Composer Danny Elfman and Tim Burton discuss the music for the movie. • Stunts of Wonderland – A featurette highlighting some of the biggest stunts in the film. • Making the Proper Size – An inside look at the visual effects process of growing and shrinking Alice. See how filmmakers used different techniques to stay true to the storyline. • Cakes of Wonderland – Take a trip to "Cake Divas" where the creators of the EAT ME cakes provide viewers with details about how they made the smallest crumb to the largest cake in scale. • Tea Party Props – Tea cups, saucers, cakes and more. Prop master Doug Harlocker gives an overview of all the props used to bring the famous tea party scene together visually.
Hands On: Alice for iPad shakes up storytime
Yesterday, after I posted the Alice for iPad preview video, Ben Roberts, who is one of the app creators, emailed us here at TUAW with promo codes for the application. I downloaded a copy of the app, installed it on my iPad, and spent a lovely half-hour reading out loud to my son. If you like reading with your kids, the iPad (and especially Alice for iPad) demands accommodations. The app is engaging. Almost too engaging. The urge to shout "Stop doing that with my iPad, it will BREAK!" recurs frequently, especially when the boy realizes you can make Alice's neck grow or send candies flying around the screen. So sit on the floor, not on the couch, preferably on a carpet rather than on wood. Seriously: a typical boy + a standard iPad + an app that encourages said boy to strongly shake the iPad = a disaster waiting to happen, unless you take precautions. That having been said, we are loving the book. I do wish there were other books of this style written in a more modern voice, because I did have to do a lot of translations for pastilles, marmalade, and hookahs, which is of course a "learning experience." I just wish it wasn't quite so much or so often of a "learning experience," in that I'd adore seeing this kind of book for, say, E. Nesbit or Edgar Eager or Dianna Wynne Jones. So, bottom line? Loving it. Just remember to sit on the floor and enjoy your kids while they're still small enough to smell good and cuddle. Reading out loud is one of our favorite things and Alice is just making it better. Alice for iPad costs $8.99. %Gallery-90424% TUAW is commonly provided with not-for-resale licenses or promo codes to permit product evaluations and reviews. For more details, see our policy page. Promo code requests are not guarantees of reviews.
Found Footage: iPad Alice comes to life
I'm not a huge Alice in Wonderland fan but I've got to give props to the developers behind this iPad realization of the book. They've taken Alice to a new place with their interactive graphics that simulate the kind of reader engagement you'd normally find in a pop-up book. Ben Roberts and Chris Stevens, the people behind the app, seem to have done a lovely job putting this together. We at TUAW haven't had a chance to actually try the application out yet. And, yes, we know that the book won't have that great soundtrack but we thought we'd share this first peek at what might be the next, great trend on App Store: interactive book illustrations.
What it takes to properly convert a 2D movie to 3D
3DTVs are useless without content and while to some sports is the killer app for 3D, others prefer movies. When it comes to new movies, there's Avatar and then there's everything else -- most movies are converted to 3D instead of using 3D cameras. The company In-Three originally formed with the intent of converting classics like Star Wars to 3D -- yes Lucas says he wants to do all six -- but with all the money 3D movies are making in theaters today, In-Three is spending their time working with producers on new movies like Alice in Wonderland. Anyone who saw both Alice and Clash of the Titans will tell you that all dimensionalization isn't created equal. While most didn't realize Alice wasn't actually shot in 3D, reviews of Clash were titled like "the first film to actually be made worse by being in 3D." While the dimensionalization of Alice took four to six months, Clash was done in eight to ten weeks -- as well as being converted by different companies. We can't blame 'em for trying though, as In-Three tells 3DCineCast blog it uses four to six hundred people while wearing 3D glasses 50 to 75 percent of the day, and costs about 80 to 100 thousand dollars per minute to do dimensionalization properly. Which is just crazy as well as makes us wonder how that's cheaper than just using 3D cameras. The good part about doing it in post processing though is it gives the creators more artistic control as the dimensionalization is done by hand, frame by frame. Of course the concern is that people will see movies like Clash of the Titans in 3D and write off the dimensionalization process all together, or worse 3D entirely.
TUAW Quick Plays: Alchemize, Dizzypad, Alice in Wonderland
Here's a quick look at three games for the iPhone and iPod touch we've gotten a chance to play lately. Alchemize is an interesting twist on the old Tetris/Dr. Mario dropping block gameplay. The idea is that you twist and drop pairs of potions that will match up whenever three of the same kind touch each other, and then leave one transmuted element of the next level in their place. There are five different modes to play as well, including an Avalanche mode that will drop a line of elements on the field if you fail to make a match in a certain time frame, and even a Bejeweled-style timed mode with a full field of elements to switch around for matches. The game is a lot of fun to pick up and play, and while the graphics aren't much more than sprites, the gameplay (and the music) more than make up for any disappointment in that area. If you enjoy a good dropping-block game, you'll like this one, too. It's $2.99 but has been known to go on sale occasionally. Two more quick plays after the "Read More" link below.
Spicy Horse teasing Alice sequel for 2011 release
We were surprised earlier this year to learn Spicy Horse was creating a follow-up to American McGee's dark take on Alice in Wonderland, which itself seemed like a concept so common and benign in today's market as to almost be kind of adorable. But consider us officially shocked after watching this video on the game's teaser site. It actually has us interested in the project -- apparently due in 2011. If the creepy stop-motion animation is indicative of the final product's look we'll be more than a little intrigued; a notion surprising enough to make us wonder if we've been hitting the Caterpillar's hookah just a bit too hard. [Via Videogamer.com]
'Impossible ideas come to life' in Disney's Alice in Wonderland games
Whether that includes the idea of making a halfway decent game based on a Hollywood film has yet to be seen, of course. Opting for director Tim Burton over American McGee (currently working on a separate Alice project), Disney Interactive Studios has announced that a new batch of Alice in Wonderland games will arrive early next year, just in time for the upcoming movie. While Wii and PC versions will "follow the film's epic storyline and introduce new fiction and locations," the DS Wonderland will diverge and introduce a different art style, as well as an extra playable character alongside the imperiled Alice.The games, which are in development at French studio Étranges Libellules, seem centered on an upgradeable combat system and the use of support characters, like the Cheshire Cat or the Mad Hatter. According to Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing at DIS, "Alice in Wonderland introduces fans to an entirely new style of innovative gameplay designed to challenge the puzzle solving skills of older players while making the adventures accessible and enjoyable for the younger crowd." That quote's probably going to be trimmed a little for the back of the box, but you'll get the idea.Those averse to boxes of any sort will be pleased to note that Alice in Wonderland is also slated to hit the iPhone, iPod Touch and mobile phones not made by Apple in early 2010.
All the World's a Stage: Inspiration
All the World's a Stage is a source for roleplaying ideas, suggestions, and discussions. It is published every Sunday evening.You've probably heard that no story is completely original, that everything is copied from somewhere, and nothing anyone ever thinks or says is really unique. It's an awfully pessimistic way of looking at the creative endeavor, but there's a degree of truth in it.Any time you make up a new character, you are sure to be inspired by something you observed somewhere else. Perhaps you wondered, "What if there were a dwarven rogue, whose personality was a mix between Sherlock Holmes and Jack Sparrow?" or "My undead warrior is a lot like Frankenstein's monster, not evil so much as tragically neglected and rejected. He also likes to play with dolls." All this is fine and good for roleplaying, as long as you recognize the essential differences between your character and his or her inspirational anscestors. After all, every creative endeavor basically consists of mix-and-matching pre-existing knowledge in new and useful ways. In the same way a painter doesn't need to invent new colors, color palettes, or even new color matching techniques to make an beautiful, a storyteller doesn't need to create entirely new characteristics for each character in his or her story, only mix-and-match qualities real people already have in order to create someone compelling and interesting for other characters to interact with. Jump on in to find some great inspirations for WoW characters.
Cinemassively: The Duran Duran 'Falling Down' Video Mashup Challenge
Reader Mescaline Tammas sends in this wonderfully-shot Second Life Machinima -- his entry to the "Duran Duran 'Falling Down' Video Mash-Up Challenge" (whew). It's a lovely video that contains bits of the official video for the song, as well as a few allusions to the new Duran Duran album, Alice in Wonderland, and possibly a couple of others I'm too obtuse to pick up. Today's Cinemassively is brought to you in honor of Moo Money, who is dealing with egregious RL issues right now. She sends her love and promises to return soon![Thanks, Mescaline!]
