Amentep

*Heavily*? Really? JE is a piece of crap with a very superficial 'it's not really ancient China, it's really our own mythology but influenced by Chinese mythology but not really Chinese mythology' layer that's otherwise just standard mediocre Bioware shovelware. Its your right to think the game was crap, but denying that Jade Empire pulled from those influences is a bit like saying that Dungeons and Dragons has no relation to Tolkein's work, Jack Vance's Dying Earth, or Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Heck the first Master Li novel is subtitled "A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was" and if that isn't a starting point for the development of Jade Empire, I don't know what is. J.E is nothing sort of being influenced by Wuxia novels at all. Had you read one written by a Louis Cha (Jing Yong) before? If you had, you would perhaps change your mind in regards of the influence inspired. The man's regarded as the person who creates and influences the modern wuxia novels of the 20th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Cha His known famous works: -Legend of the Condor Heroes -Return of the Condor Heroes -The Deer and the Couldron -The smiling Wandering Swordsman -Heaven Sword, Dragon Saber -Demi-Gods, Semi-Devils JE is simply a typical Western Fantasy story that simply happends to have face lift and name changes to fit into an Eastern setting. Which in the end results a setting that is nothing sort of being inspired from Wuxia or Kung Fu movies. To put it straight, its simply a Eastern setting that tries to emulate a Western's cliches. Simply by looking at the plot's theme of typical good vs evil, such plots are not heavily emphasised in Wuxia novels at all. Wuxia novels tend to focus more on Patriotism, the setting of Jiang Hu, development of Heroism, and reflections of eastern values . So even if Bioware did try to be influenced by Wuxia novels in the creation of JE, its obviously they had taken it from a ****ty source instead from Jing Yong. Er...yeah. First off being "based on" does not mean "recreating in its entirety". Second, I agree that for the most part they took surface details from wuxia films and books rather than building a story using the themes populating those works. Third, I think that the aforementioned Master Li novels are probably a much bigger influence than wuxia; the game has much more in common to my mind to that novel series than any wuxia story. That does not mean that wuxia was not an influence. Note that influence is directional; a work is influenced by something. There is no "try to be influenced", either it is influenced or it isn't. It is correct (in perhaps more than one sense) to say that Jade Empire is not a wuxia story (whether it tried to be or not) it is not correct to say it isn't influenced by wuxia stories because clearly it was. The developers even mentioned Louis Cha's work when talking about influences on the game. Did they replicate his work in game form? No. But then again Dungeons and Dragons doesn't replicate Lord of the Rings despite a strong influence from that novel.

*Heavily*? Really? JE is a piece of crap with a very superficial 'it's not really ancient China, it's really our own mythology but influenced by Chinese mythology but not really Chinese mythology' layer that's otherwise just standard mediocre Bioware shovelware. Its your right to think the game was crap, but denying that Jade Empire pulled from those influences is a bit like saying that Dungeons and Dragons has no relation to Tolkein's work, Jack Vance's Dying Earth, or Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Heck the first Master Li novel is subtitled "A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was" and if that isn't a starting point for the development of Jade Empire, I don't know what is.

But from which mother? an Asarii girl from Liara, or a Human child from Ashley or a Human from Kaiden? Well I'm thinking a bit of Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom here where your child was based on whichever union was picked. That game gives your character two romance options at the end of the first third with the second third picking up with the Son of whichever union you took (and then the same for the third generation). The character picks up certain traits from the parents making each slightly different. So in theory they could give you either a Human or Asarii during character creation with perhaps certain "extras" offered to the child based on who the Sheppard was (for example being able to create an adept who can use Sniper Rifles if your ME-Sheppard was a Soldier) Not saying this is the way they will do it, but it could be a way to kill Sheppard, but have a main character (1st level!) who is tied to Sheppard.

Another idea they could do is that you play Sheppard son (or daughter) of Sheppard. But I think you'll be playing Sheppard.

By the time it comes out, I'm sure anyone outraged at this trailer will have heard about what is/isn't happening to Sheppard in the game.

That would be Doomsday from writer/director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent) with Rhona Mitra, Sean Pertwee, Alexander Siddig, Bob Hoskins, and Malcolm McDowell. That's the one! Rhona is extremely lovely, but she does scowl all the way through the movie. There's a Vin Diesel movie on pay-per-view at the moment called Babylon AD. Mrs. Carlo likes the look of it and so do I. Has anyone seen it? If so I'd be grateful for a quick review, although the synopsis seems reminiscent of the sci-fi movie with Bruce Willis and Gary Oldfield... blimey I'm getting bad at remembering movie titles at the moment! Cheers MC Haven't seen Babylon AD - it apparently had a bit of a tortured production from what I've heard. Don't think its all that similar to The Fifth Element from what I've heard beyond some basic broad strokes.

I liked Mirrors for the most part (saw it when it hit the theaters).

That would be Doomsday from writer/director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent) with Rhona Mitra, Sean Pertwee, Alexander Siddig, Bob Hoskins, and Malcolm McDowell.

That's what I'm currently betting on.

Well the teaser could really go anywhere and mean anything. I do hope that Sheppard isn't dead just simply because the idea of the game series was presented as being Sheppard's story with an implication of us playing that character through the three games being fairly strong. But plans change, so I'll wait and see.

Not really; they haven't released any information - possibly because of THQ buying BHG.

I'd imagine I'd feel kinda dead. I do agree that single player RPGs can't just give a hack and slash anymore though. Seems we still get plenty that do just that though.

To be fair, Jade Empire pulls heavily from Chinese Wuxia films and books and Barry Hughart's Master Li series. Obsidian has done SW:KotOR and NWN2 which are established franchises, Alpha Protocol which IIRC has used several spy franchises (Bond and Bourne) as a point of reference and while Mass Effect borrowed from Alien, Obsidian is doing (maybe ) a game BASED on Alien. So rather than worry about whether the game has a blatant influence or reliance on established franchises, I'd just say lets look and see if the game, based on what we get, is good or not. As the critics say, there's only a limited number of stories, everything else is a variation on one of those originals.

There was English voice-overs, but from the Demo it was limited to the opening of the conversation with the remainder being text. I don't know if this is how the final game is going to be, though, or if it was done to keep the demo small (ha!) because the actors seem to be emoting the remaining text even though there was no vocal accompaniment. I don't remember music but there was some ambient sound in one sequence. I seem to remember music being there, but I'll be honest and say I just plain don't remember at this point.

Good luck; I hope things will get better for you in all areas.

I've always liked guns of navarone. hECK i even like Force 10 from Navarrone (probnably bec ause I saw it firsat). 'nm looking forwar to The Exzpendables though.

I actually enjoyed the episode. Its cold and lonely here. I didn't mind the Kate/Aaron thing or the "what was Ben up to" thing or even the "how did Sayid get arrested" thing. It seemed like it followed the shows typical format to introduce a mystery to illuminate later. Since we're still doing "centric" episodes, it makes sense to leave those things for something else down the line.

I seem to remember linking to the Lina Medina story (not from snopes, but one that didn't have pictures) when there was some other young mother story back on BIS. I probably also mentioned then that I graduated with a girl in high school whose son went to the elementary school next door.

An Italian company was going to produce an adaption - not sure what became of it: http://www.dantesinfernocomics.com/ I think there have been a few loose adaptions (one with Mickey Mouse!), parodies, or homages in comic form.

So long as they don't include any of the sex from the original, they'll probably be alright.

How can it be trying NOT to be the book when the game is supposed "to re-introduce Dante to an audience who, until now, may have been unfamiliar with the remarkable details of this great work of art

Actually it *is* different from using mythology because they're not pulling from a singular source. Even that recent Joan of Arc game had numerous legends to pull from for the game (despite the fact that, historically Joan never fought in battle). Had God of War been called Hesiod's Theogony perhaps the comparison would be more apt. What this is closest to, in some respects, is Konami taking Shuǐhǔzhu

STraight to hell! ALl of them! Ah, but which circle of hell do they go to? Dante tells us that the circles of Hell contains: 1st - the unbaptized and virtuous pagans 2nd - the lustful 3rd - the glutons 4th - the avaricious, the miserly and the squaderers of material possessions 5th - the wrathful, the sullen and the slothful 6th - Heretics 7th - the violent, the suicides and the blasphemers (+ sodomites and usurers) 8th - the fraudulent (pimps, seducers, flatterers, simoniacs, socerers, false prophets, corrupt politicians, hypocrites, fraudulent advisors, sowers of discord, fasifiers) 9th - traitors

God of War doesn't claim to be based on a novel and completely change the novel around to make a game.

Yeah, that was annoying.