metropolis
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'Mr. Robot' creator turns sci-fi legend 'Metropolis' into a series
Sam Esmail is apparently taking a very unusual strategy for his next big project beyond Mr. Robot: he's tackling one of the earliest sci-fi epics. Hollywood Reporter sources say that Esmail is creating a miniseries based around Metropolis, Fritz Lang's classic 1927 film about a dystopic society. The show is still very early (Esmail may need to finish Mr. Robot before devoting his full attention), but partner Universal Cable Productions is apparently willing to give it a budget fitting Metropolis' pioneering visuals. Reportedly, the company would be willing to spend a whopping $10 million per episode, and is willing to shop it around to numerous providers, including streaming services.
The Daily Grind: What's the worst-designed MMO city?
One of my personal pet peeves in any roleplaying game is to have to navigate around an overly large city. I guess I'm just not a city guy at heart. But that annoyance is doubly so for any video game metropolis that suffers from poor design. I can name several examples, although today World of Warcraft's Undercity springs to mind. While delightfully atmospheric, it was nevertheless a pain in the tuckus to traverse. There were too many elevators, vertical space, and long, long runs around the outer circle, all of which kept me away if I could help it. What do you think is the worst-designed MMO city and why? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
SOE announcing DCUO's freemium launch date tomorrow
Well folks, we'd love to tell you the official date that DC Universe Online is switching to its freemium business model. The only problem is that Sony Online Entertainment isn't making that information available until tomorrow. Why this post, then? So you can mark your Bat-calendars of course! SOE will make the date official at 7:30 p.m. EDT on October 27th via its Stickam portal (so, yes, this is effectively an announcement about an announcement). As we reported last month, SOE will be moving DCUO to a tiered access plan and eliminating the barrier that is the monthly subscription fee -- although gamers who choose to continue paying it in the form of the Legendary plan will enjoy numerous perks including free DLC and lots of character slots. [Source: SOE press release]
DCUO's latest update takes you to the Fortress of Solitude
We still don't have a date for you with regard to DC Universe Online's impending payment model switcheroo. We do have the latest Sony Online Entertainment press release, though, and it's full of details about the superhero MMO's latest content patch. Listen up, Superman fans, as today's patch brings about the second phase of a three-part raid in which players must stop Brainiac from harnessing Kryptonian technology and using it to destroy the entire planet. The update, appropriately titled The Fate of the Fortress, features Superman's iconic arctic hideout known as the Fortress of Solitude, and the patch allows would-be heroes to team up with Kal-El, Lex Luthor, and their fellow players to tackle a challenging eight-man group combat raid. There's a bunch of new loot to be had as well, and today's update also features a new hard-mode option for the HIVE tier-two alert as well as a new Batcave PvP map. Finally, SOE has incorporated a new dueling mechanic into DCUO, so fire up your launchpads, button up your underoos, and get ready to save Gotham City and Metropolis from the clutches of the megalomaniacal Brainiac. [Source: SOE press release]
Massively Exclusive: SOE's John Smedley reveals F2P model for DC Universe Online
For those of us who lack Batman's financial resources, maintaining several monthly MMO subscriptions can be a challenge. Sony Online Entertainment recognizes this, and as a result, the company has just announced that DC Universe Online will be officially joining the freemium revolution toward the end of October. The new business model will feature a familiar tiered access plan with three membership levels. The Free, Premium, and Legendary plans feature full access to the current game while offering different levels of "convenience and flexibility." Free players will be limited to two character slots, and new "downloadable game packs/updates, additional character slots, powers, and more" will be available for purchase via microtransactions. Premium players, i.e., folks who have spent at least $5 US on the game (including former subscribers and in-game item purchasers), will receive additional character slots, inventory slots, and higher cash limits. Legendary players will take home "maximum features and benefits" including free DLC, more than 15 character slots, and more than 80 inventory slots, all for the regular $14.99 monthly fee. DCUO will also continue to be available on SOE's Station Pass (and subscribing to the monthly all-in-one service nets you Legendary status in DCUO as well as access to all of SOE's MMORPGs). Finally, Massively sat down with SOE president John Smedley and producer Lorin Jameson to chat about the new model, and you can find that transcription after the break.
Metropolis II: the kinetic sculpture built out of boy racer dreams (video)
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has got itself a new toy. Or, to be more precise, it's got itself a whole fleet of Hot Wheels mini speedsters, courtesy of one Chris Burden. He's the gent responsible for dreaming up Metropolis II, the above interwoven set of tracks and circuits, which is populated with 1,200 "custom designed" cars, 13 toy trains, and some assorted scenery built out of Lego, tiles, and wood blocks. We're not sure whether it's intended to represent the daily rat race we call modern life or if it's simply a boyish dream turned real -- decide for yourself after watching the video after the break.
The Complete Metropolis Blu-ray delayed one week, available now on Netflix streaming
One item not on our list of weekly Blu-ray releases is the much anticipated The Complete Metropolis, which Blu-ray.com informs has been delayed due to region coding issues. Interestingly, the pushback hasn't stopped an HD stream of the new version with 25 minutes of recently recovered footage from popping up on Netflix today so if you just have to see this classic silent flick from 1927 in its entirety, Watch Instantly has your back. The discs aren't available yet so the special features will have to wait, but at least it's an option.
DC Universe shows off more location screens
It's Friday night, do you know where your alter-ego is? If you're lucky, he or she is logging into the DC Universe Online closed beta. If not, we'll point and laugh, but we'll also hook you up with some new location reveals via the latest screenshots courtesy of SOE. Feast your eyes on Green Lantern and friends flitting about Metropolis City Hall, Robin and Poison Ivy deep in the swampy bowels of the femme fatale's lair, and a few shots from around Gotham City (including the Botanical Gardens, East End Hotel, and Gotham University). You'll also catch a glimpse of a player character fighting his way free of the maniacal Brainiac tutorial missions. DC Universe Online is currently scheduled to release for PC and Playstation 3 platforms in early 2011. %Gallery-107324%
DC Universe reveals Tomorrow District, today
If you are looking for the district that is the epitome of Metropolis, look no further than the Tomorrow District. This apex of technology guides all scientific advancements for the entirety DC Universe Online. Every gizmo you can imagine -- and not imagine -- is found here. Ever heard of a thermal-nuclear toothbrush? Yeah, neither have we, but the scientist in STAR Labs invented it. And STAR Labs is just one of the many gargantuan buildings your hero will find in this district of the future. If it's gameplay opportunities you seek, the Tomorrow District is is designed specifically for your high-level character. Even though Jenet Kylburn works for the good guys, sometimes she cannot maintain control of everything STAR Labs produces. As Game Director Chris Cao said in regard to the STAR Labs scientists, "Sometimes their optimism exceeds their wisdom," and they have to call on the heroes to come save the day. However, because of the heaping amount of new technology in the area, the Tomorrow District attracts its share of villains looking to get their grubby paws on these advanced inventions. After the break, Chris Cao provides a travelogue of the ups and downs of this exciting zone.
New DCUO video details Metropolis Police Department
DC Universe Online may have been delayed from its original November 2010 start date, but the SOE marketing department is still faster than a speeding bullet (and arguably more powerful than a locomotive). Lately we've been privy to everything from voiceover videos with the game's star-studded audio cast, to new screenshots galore, to fly-through videos of the expansive game world. Today brings another fly-through clip, this time showcasing the Metropolis Police Department that functions as an in-game hub for your characters. In addition to footage in and around the station, the video also provides a bit of background on the use of the wanted posters inside the station. The posters provide lore about DCUO's more noteworthy personalities as well as serve a gameplay function by helping you track them down for various missions. Check out the full video after the break.
Exclusive video: DCUO fly-through gives you a hero's-eye view of Metropolis
We've seen a lot of the DC Universe Online world lately, but mostly just bits and pieces of the zones. Maybe a small street scene here and a bit of a rooftop battle there. It all looks great, don't get us wrong. Sony Online Entertainment is creating a visually exciting world with lots of potential, but it's a bit limited when you consider that our characters can fly, run up the sides of walls, and leap tall buildings in a single bound. We've needed a view worthy of our heroic characters, and the DCUO team has obliged. Check out our exclusive fly-through video after the cut, and prepare to run, leap, and soar through Metropolis, seeing it as it was meant to be seen.
DC Universe previewed, Andersen talks character customization
With the launch of DC Universe Online just around the corner, we're starting to see a bit more information revealed about Sony Online Entertainment's superhero extravaganza. Gamespot reports on its lengthy hands-on at SOE's Austin development studio; highlights include a quest chain in the city of Metropolis as well as observations on the game's RPG and gear mechanics. Fan website DCUO Source also contributes some interesting info in the form of a collation of comments from the game's Facebook site. Ordinarily, reader comments regarding teaser videos aren't anything to write home about, but the fact that SOE's Jens Andersen chimed in to answer questions provides some interesting reading. One exchange that seems particularly noteworthy is Andersen's response to a fan concerned with the lack of information on DCUO's character customization options. "Character creation will be ongoing throughout the game with our appearance collection system and real items with stats forming a great fusion between form and function," Andersen says. "This means less choices upfront but more meaningful ones as you go through the game. It's a far cry from starting in rags and a loin cloth like in fantasy MMO's but it also isn't a fluff fest of everything which takes away the impact of getting cool stuff in games you can show off to your friends," he writes.
Exclusive Interview: DCUO's Game Director Chris Cao
What gamer hasn't wanted to be a superhero at one time or another? Superheroes and comic books have been a part of gaming culture as long as computers. Of course, everyone has wanted to be Superman soaring through the skies of Metropolis, or Batman scaring the pants off the criminal underworld of Gotham City. Sony Online Entertainment has teamed up with Warner Bros. and DC Comics to bring this world -- nay, this universe -- to life. On November 2nd, DC Universe Online will blast its way to game store shelves everywhere. DCUO gives fans of comic books, action video games, and MMOs a reason to come together and celebrate this incredible amalgam of genres. Create your own superhero! Thrill to the art of Jim Lee! Soak up the voice-acting of Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy! On top of that, if you preorder this deliciously intense action RPG, you will have exclusive rights to a token that will allow you to join a 2v2 PvP arena as the caped crusader himself, using his abilities, gadgets, and fighting style. Plus you'll get all the other preorder bonuses like confetti bombs and batarangs. Massively snagged an exclusive interview with DCUO Game Director Chris Cao about this groundbreaking game. Up, up, and away! (OK, that was cheesy. Just hit "read more" to read our lengthy interview after the break!)
Metropolis gets twenty-five minutes of lost footage, please don't tell Giorgio Moroder
Metropolis, Fritz Lang's 1927 epic, predated many of our own cinematic obsessions by decades. At over two and a half hours this heady mix of dystopian science fiction and German Expressionism divided critics upon its initial release, even as it is now universally praised. Indeed, as a result of its length (not to mention the squeamishness of American distributors) the thing has been variously edited (cannibalized) over the years, to the point where it was doubtful that we would ever get to see it the way that the director intended. That's why we were psyched when we came across this clip from BBC's Newsnight detailing the discovery of what is presumed to be a copy of the original director's print, which was taken to Argentina by a private collector in 1928, where it sat until discovered in an archive of the Museum of Cinema in Buenos Aires in June, 2008. Wild, huh? Hit the source link to watch the clip.
Kino Lorber announces The Complete Metropolis Blu-ray with newly recovered footage
Film lovers should add another must-buy to their list, now that The Complete Metropolis is coming to Blu-ray for the first time on November 16. This version includes the recently recovered 25 minutes of extra footage that debuted in theaters earlier this year after being lost for 80 years since its debut in 1927. The lost footage couldn't be completely restored to match the quality of the rest, but fans of this classic silent film should still appreciate the experience, including the original score presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround, and a 50-minute Voyage to Metropolis documentary in high definition. If you've somehow avoided references to Fritz Lang's classic in films like The Matrix, check out the trailer after the break, or another cut of the movie that's currently available on Netflix Watch Instantly.
Slumming in DCUO is part of the adventure
Metropolis, one of the key cities in DC Universe Online, has a reputation for being the shiny, bright antithesis of Gotham City's dark and dungy environment. However, don't let preconceptions fool you -- Metropolis has its seedier side, especially with the cheerfully-named "Suicide Slums." In a video posted over at Shacknews, DCUO Game Director Chris Cao takes us on a brief tour through the Suicide Slums, pointing out how this isn't a place you'd want to casually visit. It's an "iffy-dodgy place" according to Cao, home to both criminal and superhero elements that revel in urban decay. Think downtown Detroit on a good day, perhaps, or the industrial quarters of SimCity. The slums are also home to the Steelworks, where John Henry Irons, aka Steel (famously played by Shaq in the motion picture), wages a daily battle to clean up the neighborhood. Travelers to Suicide Slums can check out another Metropolis landmark, the famous Ace-O-Clubs bar run by Bibbo Bibbowski. For the full travelogue, head over to Shacknews and get a gritty eyeful.
DCUO travelogue: New Bohemia
Sony Online Entertainment has released a new teaser video for their upcoming superhero MMORPG known as DC Universe Online. The game offers players a chance to experience the world made famous in DC Comics, as well as fight with and against the hundreds of iconic superheroes that have made the license famous since the early twentieth century. The two minute video, sighted yesterday on the game's Facebook page, takes the form of a travelogue and offers the viewer a glimpse into the New Bohemia locale. Chris Cao, DCUO Game Director, walks us through a quick tour of this Metropolis borough, one of several that makes up the city proper and represents a small part of a playfield that spans 1000 square blocks of concrete jungle. Little Bohemia, centered around the University of Metropolis, is rife with villains ranging from the nefarious H.I.V.E to the forces of LexCorp, both glimpsed in the video and both allies of players who choose a villainous path.
EVE Evolved: Trade hubs of New Eden - Caldari and Minmatar page 2
Home to over two hundred people on an average evening, the system of Hek in the Metropolis region is one of the biggest Minmatar trade hubs. The safe route from Jita to Hek is a whopping 19 jumps, putting the system far enough away that a trade hub is very much required. The route between Jita and Hek is often heavy with industrial traffic and has historically been a prime target for suicide attacks against Tech 1 industrials.
EVE Evolved: Trade hubs of New Eden - Caldari and Minmatar
A natural consequence of EVE Online's sandbox style market system is that eventually the players will form trade hubs around the most heavily used areas. Before the four empires began gearing up for war, the main trade hub of New Eden was in Yulai, the CONCORD headquarters system with super-highway stargates into the heart of each empire's space. When the super-highways were dismantled, Yulai became more difficult to get to and its popularity as a trade hub dissolved. It was eventually superceded by Jita, a Caldari system in The Forge region. But while Jita is EVE's biggest and most notable trade hub, it's not the only one by a long shot. Smaller hubs have always tended to erupt around centres of population and activity such as popular mission-running systems or the borders of warzones. Understandably, it's traders who reap the largest benefit from knowing all the best trade hubs. Trading in multiple regions can reduce the risk of competition and increase the volume of their sales. In this two-part series, I look at some of EVE's biggest trade hubs, what can be found there and how to use them to your advantage as a trader. In today's first part I look at a few of the biggest Caldari and Minmatar trade hubs.
DC Universe Online details emerge
Sony Online Entertainment's highly-anticipated DC Universe Online just got a whole lot cooler. In this month's Edge magazine, executive creative director Jim Lee reveals some new information on the super hero MMO that is due out sometime next year.This game is described by Lee as a "kick-ass hybrid between a traditional MMO and a first-person action console game". Character creation promises to be diverse, and all of the expected MMO features are listed: character leveling, PvP arenas, raids, shared environments as well as instanced zones. While you may not be able to actually play as Superman or Batman, you will be able to meet them in game, and even battle them if you're playing the villain. Not only that, the first two large shared environments that are revealed so far include Metropolis and Gotham City.
