Tag: day

Cool Star Wars: The Rebel Assault Games

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I don’t know if you knew this, but last Sunday was Star Wars Day, going off the fact that it was May the Fourth, and thusly: May the Fourth Be With You. I originally was going to post something for Sunday, or even Monday, but when I get to thinking about Star Wars, I think about Star Wars. I thought about the movies, the days when I used to get the magazine, poured through the old movies, and even read through most of my notes about what I would do for an alternate prequel trilogy (Y’know, all 36,000 words of them). To celebrate Star Wars, I was going to give you my top favorite Star Wars works that weren’t the movies, but I soon realized that my list was populated by things that would be on everyone’s list (Knights of the Old Republic, The Thrawn trilogy of books), so I decided I’d be a little more useful and tell you about some Star Wars gems you might not have ever heard of. I started with writing about the Rebel Assault games and learned that apparently, I liked them/was influenced by them more than I realized.

The Rebel Assault Video Games

In all my years of meeting Star Wars fans, I don’t think I have met one other person who has played either of the Rebel Assault games. In fact, I doubt that a lot of Star Wars fans have even heard of them. Do the names Rookie One, Simms, or Ru Murleen ring a bell? What about the plan to stop the fleet of TIE Phantoms joining the Imperial fleet? If not, then let me tell you all about it!

Rebel Assault first came out in 1993 and was the ONLY Star Wars game available on the short-lived 3DO (Trust me, I checked everywhere for more). Rebel Assault featured a Tatooine pilot that could be either male or female (the voice and some images would change) by the name of Rookie One that went off to do some crazy flying for the Rebellion during the events of Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope. Alongside Rebel pilots Simms and the Ru Murleen, you flew your craft through 15 rail-shooting levels (except one of them, where you were on foot), featuring everything from pesky asteroid belts, AT-ATs on Hoth, and the Death Star Trench Run.

Trench Run
The 9,000th video-game iteration of it, that is.

Before and after each mission are some extremely primitive, but at the time AWESOME full motion video clips, which, for the most part, was just a picture of someone with their mouth animated. (For all we know, this animation could have been stellar. That is, if everyone in the galaxy stands and sits extremely still). Darth Vader, for instance, mostly appears in this one single shot, and when he speaks, his helmet moves around. And that is it. I love it. I played this game a shit-ton before seeing The Empire Strikes Back, and when I saw the shot from the movie, it couldn’t help but be reminded of the days when I rail-shot down the Death Star. Even when I see that shot now, years later, I can’t help think of Rebel Assault. And now you will too (you’re welcome).

Vader_shot rebel assualt

Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire came out a bit later in 1995. I was completely unaware that was a Rebel Assault II at all until I saw it in the store and promptly picked it up. This time, it was for PC, and there was full-motion video. Real full-motion video. Oh man! No longer would their people sitting so stiffly in their cockpits, but instead be some aspiring actors against a green screen, in all that mid-90s FMV pixelated glory.

500px-Rebel30
HD is for nerf-herders.

This time, Rookie One and some Rebel people were investigating the Empire’s “phantom fleet” of cloaked TIE fighters known as TIE Phantoms. Through another 15 levels, you fly some aircrafts, destroy a mining complex, speeder bike through some trees, and become even become re-united with Rebel pilot and old friend Ru Murleen! Through your brave flying skills, Vader is once again thwarted, and you come back as a Rebellion hero with enough courage to conquer the universe, or at least enough courage to finally kiss Ru Murleen, which I totally had been waiting for!

Rookie and Ru kiss
That pilot was waiting for it too

I waited and waited for the news of a Rebel Assault III, but sadly, it never came. I just KNEW that this time around, Rookie One would become a Jedi and take Vader head on. He could learn from Yoda or some other dumb old Jedi about the Force, maybe visit Jabba, do whatever, and finally beat Vader once and for all! Maybe we would even see the Emperor in some way! But alas, no other Rebel Assault game ever came out, and my dreams of conquering Vader as Rookie One were forever dashed. (But seriously, Rookie One as a Jedi would have been the bee’s knees!) Eventually, I came to grips with the fact that LucasArts wasn’t going to do a Rebel Assault III, and that was all right. I could do whatever the hell I wanted in my own feature film adaptation of Rookie One’s story.

Wait, what? Yes, you read correctly! It seems even when I was getting into my second decade, I was already spearheading projects way ahead of my budget and skill level. Such ambition (or as Han would say “delusions of grandeur”) led me to write a script for the movie, which meant I TRANSCRIBED THE ENTIRE GAME’S SCRIPT. . .by hand:

Rebel_assault_script
Complete with appropriate sad faces

Truth be told, my little Rookie One Star Wars trilogy was all planned out by the time I learned of a Rebel Assault II, so the stories didn’t match. I’m sad to say that due to various circumstances, the movie never got off the ground, with not a one of them having to do with the fact that I was 12. So, video tape never rolled on the project, but I do still have the script a couple mock-ups for the poster:

Rebel_Assault poster

So that’s pretty much all I can tell you about Rebel Assault games. If you haven’t played them, I suggest you do (even though I have no idea how you would go about it nowadays). If playing isn’t an option, there are plenty of videos on YouTube of people playing both of them. After writing this, I guess I should have given Rebel Assault and its sequels’ influence on me a little more respect, because it completely dominated this blog post. So much so that I have to talk about the other cool Star Wars stuff at a later date.

What about you? Did you play the Rebel Assault games? Has anything ever influenced you like this one did me?

Sincerely,

Casey One of Rascal Squadron

MORE GOOD READS FROM THIS SITE:

Party Time at WonderCon 2014
4/21/14
Party Time at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
4/14/14
Loch Ness: The Webseries and Me
04/07/14
I Got Rejected Today
03/31/14
The next Star Wars movie might have come early (links to Examiner.com)
03/31/14

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Saturday is California Bookstore Day!

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Hello everyone, how’s it going? Are you preparing yourself for California Bookstore Day, which’ll be happening this Saturday, May 3, 2014, at participating California Independent Bookstores? For those of you that don’t know, California Bookstore Day is a special day where more than 90 independent bookstores throughout the Golden State offer parties, author events, readings, and will have exclusive, limited items that are only available that day. My goodness. . .why you do this to me, universe?!

Concerning the items, I have never seen such an awesome array of exclusives. There’s a stencil, and some prints, and posters! Look at this cool poster of a Lemony Snicket quote, which’ll be both signed and dated:

Snicket CaBD

I mean, seriously! All you have to lose is boredom! This would be perfect for any classroom. (Or just any room, for that matter,)

Check out these recipe cards from Michael Pollan, all put in a nice little commemorative box that commands you to “Cook!”:

recipe box

Finally, I can eat what the guy who wrote The Omnivore’s Dilema is eating! (I don’t know if anyone else has ever said that before.) If you haven’t checked out Michael Pollan and heard his views on the food industry and how to eat healthy, then you most definitely should. [One tip that has always stuck with me is that when trying to eat healthy, only shop the perimeter of a grocery store. I never noticed it before, but everything you need is on the outer walls of the store: the butcher shop, dairy section, produce, the bakery, the cheap wine (I mean, what?). The middle of the store is home to all that processed food, that Cheez-It-Orange color and those soft, gummy things (what are gummies, anyway?).]

gaiman copy
ZOMG!!

While these both look awesome, the coolest object has to be a limited, illustrated printing of the Neil Gaiman short story The Sleeper and The Spindle. I haven’t read all of Gaiman’s work, but everything I have read from him is simply outstanding. And sure, I’ll nab Ocean at the End of the Lane one of these days, but if The Sleeper and the Spindle is available only on that day, then I’ll be sure to be there first thing in the morning like it’s Black-Totally-Embarrassed-By-Fellow-Americans-Friday.

If you live in California, totally check out the website to find participating stores. If you don’t, see if there are similar events like this in your state, because it’s a pretty cool idea and destined to be a bunch of fun.

For those of you not in California or the U.S.A., let me make this post useful for you and, since I’ve already told you about how much I love Gaiman, watch one of my favorite speeches ever, delivered by him at the University of the Arts in 2012. (I might do a whole post about this speech in the future. It’s just so great.)

So, what about you? Will you be participating? Which of the exclusive items would you want to get the most?

Sincerely,

Casey, Hunter of CBD Exclusives

Follow me on Twitter for more goodies!

MORE GOOD READS FROM THIS SITE:

Party Time at WonderCon 2014
4/21/14
Party Time at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
4/14/14
Loch Ness: The Webseries and Me
04/07/14
I Got Rejected Today
03/31/14
The next Star Wars movie might have come early (links to Examiner.com)
03/31/14

Women Who Inspire Me – International Women’s Day 2014

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Hey everyone, it’s International Women’s Day! In light of the holiday, I’ll share with you some women that I personally look up to and find inspiring. Remember though, we should celebrate women every day!

Anita Sarkeesian

220px-Anita_Sarkeesian_headshot

The woman behind Feminist Frequency, a critical vlog about women’s representation in media, is Anita Sarkeesian. For years, she has been fighting for equal representation of women in media, most currently video games, where she wishes female characters weren’t simply damsels in distress or there to be a “Smurfette”. In videos not related to her “Tropes vs. Women in Video Games” series, she analyses films and marketing, uncovering how companies reinforce the idea of bogus gender roles. Her work has garnered an unprecedented amount of ludicrous sexual harassment, but she is brave enough to keep on going. Check out her video about LEGO and marketing, and then watch all of her other videos! Seriously, you need to watch all of them!

Caprice Crane

Caprice Crane

I first encountered Caprice Crane through a friend who recommended I read her debut novel Stupid and Contagious. I immediately loved her book, and have since read everything she’s done, even attending book signings for the last two. Ms. Crane’s comedic voice doesn’t only appear in books, for she has also written for television and movies. If you haven’t read Stupid and Contagious, what are you doing?! Get it from your local independent bookstore and read it now!

Alyssa White-Gluz

White-Gluz_Alissa-15347

Metal is a place you don’t often find women. And even when you do, they might just be used in sexualizing promotional materials (which is dumb). But Alyssa White-Gluz, lead singer of The Agonist, refuses to be one of those women. With her amazing blend of clean and growling vocals, Alyssa has astonished everyone I’ve shown her to. People are often skeptical that it is her doing both types of vocals, but I’ve seen her live and she is indeed doing both, and excellently so. You’d think that after all that growling, her voice would be shot, but after listening to her a capella version of Swan Lake, you can see just how talented she is. Amazing! Keep up the good work, Alyssa!

Sandra van Eldik (Née Völkl)

Sandra_Vokl

As stated before, there sadly aren’t too many women in metal. While Alyssa White-Gluz and other females front bands (like Simone Simons of Epica and Floor Jansen of Nightwish), Sandra van Eldik absolutely rocks it as the bassist for German folk-metal band Eqililbrium. See her in this video for “Der Ewige Sieg” (English: “The eternal victory”) and then get excited about the upcoming album!

Netta Skog

Netta and I, Nov. 5, 2008

I cannot even tell you how sad I was the day I that Netta Skog, the accordionist of Finnish Viking metal band Turisas, was leaving. Only 16 when she jumped in to do some summer gigs (the other accordionist, like, totally disappeared), Netta officially joined the band soon after. In the four times I saw them with Netta, she was always smiling and rocking out harder than anyone, bringing a level of fun that has not since returned. Check out her accordion playing below during a song called “Sahti-Waari”. So great! We miss you, Netta!

Emmi Silvonoinen

Emmi Silvenoinen

Wow, I must really like metal! Emmi Silvenoinen, who joined the folk/viking metal band Ensiferum in 2007 after the departure of Meiju Enho (honourable mention, Meiju!), continues to rock as Ensiferum’s keyboardist. Unfortunately during live shows, her keyboard is stuffed in back with the drummer, but she is often elevated so that all can see her spinning hair. I don’t know how she does it! See her fast-moving fingers in this video for their amazing song “Twilight Tavern”!

Joan of Arc

Jeanne d'Arc

After a while of someone knowing me, I’ll eventually tell them I am huge “Joan of Arc fan”. I’m often greeted with curious looks, because, well, who is really a “fan” of historical figures? Jehanne d’Arc has always been an influence on me and her story never ceases to interest, amaze, and inspire me (a picture of her is even currently my cell phone background!).

I wish there was a perfect Joan of Arc movie to recommend to you, but I honestly don’t think it’s been made yet. So I’m going to suggest you just simply watch as many as you can. If you don’t have time to watch a bunch of Joan of Arc movies (which you should make the time to do!), might I recommend one of my all-time favorite books, Joan of Arc by Mark Twain. When you’re done with that, read The Maid by Kimberly Cutter and An Army of Angels by Pamela Marcantel. Just saying, we should all know Joan of Arc’s amazing story of adversity and devotion. So get on it!

Of course, there are many more women who are inspiring and awesome. If you have a woman who inspires you, comment below, and if you are an amazing woman, don’t keep it to yourself!

-Casey