Please hold.

Some links are broken.
Please hold.
Also, this blog may be moving to YouTube.
I will keep you posted.

_e

Hockey Night In Canada

So I finally made my contest entry.
Take a listen.

Is it just me or does it glitch in the middle?...

_ethan

Updated Jesus in Jail Update!

Alright, so I've updated that last sample.

I took out some stuff and made the cymbals quieter.
I also extended it so that it is now as long as it will be until Gabriel starts singing.

I hope you enjoy!

Click here!

_ethan

Number Four

(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours) 

Alright, so this is a bit of a cheat as I'm placing both main entries from a series in the same slot.

Number 4 - The Kingdom Hearts Series

An emotion-packed, ass-kicking, and suprisingly complex series, Kingdom Hearts defines the modern action-RPG genre.



While the series admitedly has a long way to go before it approaches the realm of near-perfection, it gets a lot of things right.
Firstly, the original pioneered some great scene direction in video games; the first scene in which you meet the villains is beautifully set up.
Which brings me to the point of mood. Truly the aspect of a game that makes it stay with a person, what makes them want to sit down for hours and never let it go.
And while some may write off Kingdom Hearts as shallow due to the Disney worlds, the series is actually beginning to tell some interesting stories of innocence and experience. While the first game encapsulates childhood wonder and dedication, the second game brings in doubt and darkness, loyalty and love. Unfortunately the Disney worlds feel less cohesive in the second game and the Sora story and the Disney worlds start to feel like seperate stories instead of the impressive way the first game melded it all together.
But in both cases, magic is very present and when the story-telling is powerful in KHII, it is very powerful, drawing you into the minds and struggles of the confused youth.
Beyond themes, the game plays like beautiful crack. The first game focused on fun and strategy while the second upped the ante on incredible animations and combos while unfortunately watering down the gameplay.

What needs to be taken from the epic experience, however, is the powerful story that drives the series. Not the plot, necessarily, but the themes and the attention paid to relationships and not just situations. For the latter is either ignored or not dealt with properly in too many games.
I'm excited to see how Sora grows up next.

Agree with me yet?

Speaking of mood, the next game on the list is a thematic masterpiece.

_ethan

First Jesus in Jail update!

So to give you guys the smallest of tiny hints about what to expect from Jesus in Jail, I quickly threw together the first 30 seconds or so of the musical. The final product is likely going to sound much different than what you will download in terms of mixing and the instruments used, but I wanted to throw something out there.

I hope you enjoy. Click here.

The Top Ten video game list continues soon!

_ethan

Number Five

ELotTTGE:YHLiBTY - Number 5 
(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours) 

Plowing on through this list, I now come across one of the most quotable pieces of media to ever exist. 

Number 5 - Star Fox 64 

The second console game I ever owned turned out to be the game I have beat the most times in my life, and remains one of the most pure, addicting experiences available to date. 




Star Fox 64 just got so many key things right. You could jump right in, you could choose your own path to the end, you could unlock secrets, and you could be drawn right into the experience. Star Fox took a ridiculous premise and made it fun. If you have furry animals fighting a monkey and his followers in space, you have to stay committed to make it work. And all the wacky villains and outright unforgettable quotes made the entire game come together. For whatever ridiculous reason, Nintendo has yet to follow up this formula properly. 
But perhaps it does make a bit of sense. Afterall, one of the reasons Star Fox works is because it feels like an old school game. You must beat it in one sitting. There is no save feature. You have to hash it out and so you have no choice but to get into the world. There doesn't seem to be a place for that sort of adventure anymore. 
Either way, there is no better reminder of the pure sense of exhileration and addictive nature of video games than Star Fox 64. 

Agree with me yet? 

I leave you this time with some quotes off the top of my head. 

_ethan 

"Andross: If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me! 
Fox: AAAaaaAAaaAaaaH!!!!" 

"Pigma: Andross' enemies are MY enemies" 

"Wolf: You can't beat me! I've got a better ship!"

Number Six

ELotTTGE:YHLiBTY - Number 6 
(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours) 
This is one that just needs to get out of the way. 

Number Six - Super Mario64 

While it is tempting to throw up Sunshine for kicks (I did enjoy it more than most) I will not. And there hasn't been enough time since Galaxy has been out. 

What else can be said? 

While my true love is RPGs now, I'll be damned if it wasn't Mario's first 3D world that made me have wild dreams of what games could accomplish. The coolest part about this game was that for its time, it was the kind of game you could just watch a friend play for hours. It was so fascinating to just take in the whole imaginative experience. It captured my imagination probably more than any medium had yet at that point. So even if I choose to play Galaxy or Sunshine now, there is no denying the absolutely permanent effect Super Mario64 has had on my entire life. 
So let this entry be short and sweet, and describe your experience with the title if you will, even if you somehow hate it. 
The next one might surprise some, but I will be excited to bring it to you all. 

Agree with me yet? 
Thanks for reading, thumbs and comments are welcomed and appreciated. 

_ethan

Number Seven

(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours)

Okay, so it's been a bit.
A month.
Still. I had this one all written out and then my computer crashed. It was frustrating.
But let's dive right into the next installment on this prestigious list. It's not in a popular series like the last three, but it's still deserving of its spot on the list.

Number Seven - Skies of Arcadia

I've played both the Dreamcast and Gamecube versions, I'll refer to it just as Skies of Arcadia, but I'll put a picture of Legends to make some people happy.

 

The tough thing about bringing an old rpg onto a list existing in the present day is that the genre tends to be more obviously dated than the others. The tolerance for random battles has shrunk tremendously and the thirst for speedy games has risen. But although Skies of Arcadia may sport random battles and a slightly slow battle system, there are many timeless features that hold up with great force.

Any adventure game or RPG strives for a sense of exploration. Some do a decent job, and some fall flat on their face. It's rare for a game to truly capture the awe and wonder of traveling through new lands. It's even more rare for a game with a compelling story and interesting characters to still make you want to explore the world before finding out what happens next. Skies of Arcadia succeeds at creating this deep sense of exploration even with its dated blocky graphics. With a bunch of "discoveries" and rare fish to catch, the game did a great job at rewarding you for steering off-path. Something that even games that pride themselves on exploration are forgetting to do (see: Twilight Princess).

Now I mentioned interesting characters in that last paragraph. While that's true, it's not the best part about the characters. The biggest fault in RPGs are the completely unbelievable conversations. The characters only ever talk about their quest and it creates a very one-dimensional feel to the game. Maybe the occasional talk is thrown in about somebody's past or struggle, but it usually feels very seperate and forced. Skies of Arcadia doesn't fall prey to this and although some characters are just exaggerations, everybody still interacts believeably the entire game. Whether or not these are very "real" characters, they work extremely well within the world and their actions and reactions change depending on who they talk to, how well they know someone, and what's happening around them. The characters just feel integrated and whole instead of a cookie-cutter hero with a single struggle thrown in for good measure. Skies of Arcadia has heroes, creeps, theives, shy girls, strong girls, nutcases, sleezeballs, bitter old men, and brat kids, and it all works. The sense of humour makes the game approachable and the characters are probably the true selling point of this game. They make everything work. And when you have extended cut-scenes, you actually pay attention. It's very impressive since few games still manage to pull that off.

But it's not just good story-telling that makes this game a RPG lover's wet dream. The battle system, while slow like I mentioned, is engaging and full of simple yet addicting customization. Special Moves and weapon elements are all it takes to always enjoy navagating the beautifully presented menus. And that's before the game really opens up later on with crew and ship customization. There are so many little things that it's quite amazing how Skies manages to make you not seem over-whelmed, not make you feel like you're just on fetch-quests (excepting a few spots), and ALWAYS make you feel like you have something to do that you want to do.

There is much more to say about Skies of Arcadia, but all I can say to wrap this post up is that you have to play it if you haven't already. Even non-RPG players could get wrapped up in this deceptively simple design. It's an extremely impressive accomplishment, and maybe one day we'll see a sequel.

Anyway, agree with me yet?

The next one is a common one in Top Ten lists, so I apologize.
Thanks for reading.

_ethan

Number Eight

(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours)

Yes, placing above games from two of the most critically series of all time comes a game from an equally, if not moreso, popular series with varying critical acclaim.

Yes, I'm talking about the gateway drug into RPGs.

Number Eight - Pokemon: Silver Version

Let's dive right in.
Please note that everything I say assumably applies to Gold as well.



So I might not be able to ramble to such an extent that I did about number nine and ten, but this title still deserves this position.
Out of the entire incredibly addicting series, this one is the most jam-packed.
And not jammed-packed with the ridiculous 500 little critters the latest iterations boast.
Silver introduced the not only the night and day cycles, but events mapped to days of the week. It was like Animal Crossing, but with a main quest and leveling up. It was the only upgrade to the series to actually feel like a sequel. Everything was upgraded so intuitively that just when you thought the gameplay of Red/Blue couldn't get anymore addicting, Silver turned it up that notch.

While the story was never anything to care about, the level design was tight and felt very intentional; as opposed to the sprawling arbitrary layouts of the newer versions.

And when you were done the main quest, not only did you still have the task of collecting all the pokemon, but now you also had the chance to return to a modified Kanto -- the setting for the first games.

So with essentially two main quests, time and date sensitive events, more pokemon (but not TOO many pokemon), an interesting world, and ridiculously addicting gameplay, Pokemon Silver claims this spot for the pure fun factor. And while its successors have only made the interface far more intuitive, Silver remains as the peak of the series.

Agree with me yet?

Tune it tomorrow for a title that's definitely critically acclaimed and loved by the few people who bought it.
Any guesses?

Feel free to leave comments agreeing or disagreeing below.

_ethan

Number Nine

(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours)

And let's continue this list with another unappreciated masterpiece.

Number Nine - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Since I don't want to take up the paragraphs below talking about Tingle, I'll get that out of the way now: Tingle is great.
Yes, he's a creepy delusional man who thinks he's a fairy. No, I wouldn't want him to babysit my kids or my dog or even my stuffed animals. But Tingle is so full of personality (no matter how unsettling) that it's impossible to ignore. I think he's an example of what makes the Zelda series great. Notice how stale Twilight Princess felt? That's because the only good character was that blunt, business-savvy super-child.
But moving on.



Like any good Zelda game, Link starts off in a place he doesn't belong (notice this isn't the case in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess?). This immediately connects you to Link and draws you into the dark world and bizarre scenario.

Clock Town is bursting with life. There are doors everywhere and even more characters filling these spaces. And to add to this already incredible dynamic is the fact that almost every character works on a schedule. Now the place you visited earlier in the day is completely different from the evening is completely different from the next day is competely different from the next day. Get the idea?
While some felt that the timeline was restricting, I felt it opened the world up to become a breathing organism that just demanded you know all its parts.

While the dungeons were the worst out of any 3D Zelda game (yes, even worse than Wind Waker), it didn't really matter because the main story almost became the side story. Majora's Mask is about the sidequests. It's about the little stories you discover about Kafei and Romani and The Postman and so many more. Everything is so connected and everything holds a reward. It is a dense, rich world that feels like everything has as much emphasis as everything else.

Speaking of these characters, let's go back to the first point I was making. Because Link doesn't talk, a Zelda game needs incredibly strong characters to give the game (and therefore, Link) a personality. And this game delivers. You have the complex nature of the reactions of Anju and Kafei, you have the muddled intentions of the unsettling Happy Mask Man, you have the proud story of Darmani, the sad Deku butler, the faithful witch sisters. And this is just scratching the surface. Everywhere you turn are new characters waiting to plow you over with their bizarre complexity.

And here's an important part of the games that make this list that Final Fantasy XII didn't get a nod about (with some reason). The music. While Twilight Princess had a good theme and some other occasional moments when the music shone, and Wind Waker had appropriate, well-written music for the setting, Majora's Mask is the last Zelda game to truly have an outstanding soundtrack. To carry the powerful mood the game establishes, the music becomes everything. From Clock Town to Snow Peak, Majora's Mask immerses you.
(can you tell WW and TP won't be making this list?)

Agree with me yet?

Tomorrow's item might just surprise you.

Until then,

_ethan

Number Ten

So let's kick this amazing list off.
Remember: disagree and die.


Number Ten - Final Fantasy XII

This one is almost just to piss you guys off.
Final Fantasy VII held this spot for a bit, but then I realized a game doesn't deserve a spot on this list if it's only here for nostalgia purposes. And let's face it: FFVII is only amazing until you leave Midgar. It's all downhill from there.
On with why Final Fantasy XII does deserve this spot.



While everybody at IGN except Jeremy Dunham seems to inexplicably write off this title, I see it for what it truly is.
Final Fantasy XII is so incredibly refreshing in so many ways. It allows you to explore a massive world with barely any "invisible walls" to stop you. Instead, if you venture off to explore, the shear challenge of the wild beasts in the area give you hints that you're not quite powerful enough to be there yet.
But still you feel the need to explore because every area calls to you. There is no longer a bizarre, perspective-altering overworld like the PSX generation iterations. There is no longer just a plain arbitrary path connecting one destination to the other like in Final Fantasy X.
No, in XII you feel like you're actually embarking on a real journey each time you gear up to take travel. You cross plains and duck through caves usually taking one of many paths that could lead you to where you want to go.

Although the story -- while intricate -- is a bit too boring to care about, the storytelling is spectacular.
Final Fantasy XII easily sets the standard for voice-acting in a video game. Which is a huge relief after the terrible work done in X. Not only are the voices stellar, but the direction of the scenes are compelling and inventive.
While Vaan and Penelo are annoying, Ashe and Basch are boring and only Fran and Balthier are interesting, you still care about every scene because of how well it's put together.
If this is continued in XIII with a more engaging storyline and consistently interesting characters, imagine the possibilities.

Finally the controversial battle system. Here's the final word: it's refreshing, engaging, customizable, and fun. It's beyond me how so many IGN editors seem to write XII off as another boring notch on the Final Fantasy series when so much was improved upon from the mediocrity that was X.
(Can you tell X won't be on this list?)

Agree with me yet?

Look forward to agreeing with me again when Number 9 comes tomorrow.

There will be no rapidfire while this feature is running, but feel free to comment below.

_ethan

A New Feature.

Be excited.
Starting tomorrow, I start a brand new feature called:

Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours.

Or - ELotTTGE:YHLiBTY for short.

Tomorrow will be number ten.

_ethan

Music News Today

So today I start work on Scarecrow.
It's definitely the most excited I've been for a music for movie project.
Mostly because it's the best work we've had to work with so far.
I'm hoping to go for a bit of a Pan's Labyrinth thing.

I'll let you know when there are samples up at the site.
Time to work 12 hours straight.

_ethan

Final Fantasy II on GBA

Is there a way to view a map?
Do I get one later in the game?
why is the world so huge if there's no way to orient myself?

Oh, and here are my Super Smash impressions:

It's like Melee with more characters.
Bring it on.

_ethan

Jesus in the Future

I realize that with a title like that, nothing I write could live up to it but I couldn't pass up the chance.
Instead of Jesus flying through a futuristic world strapped to a jetpack, this entry is a brief update about some goals for Jesus in Jail.
My partner has started talks with a local university so that we can formally propose the production to them for a 2009 run.
So what does that mean?
We want a top notch recording of the opening medley, and a full rough version of the entire production done by the end of the summer.
Just putting it out there.
Wish us luck.

_ethan

Chrono Trigger

So Chrono Trigger is one of those games that I've been wrestling to beat for too many years now.
Not in the Final Fantasy VIII "it's just so mediocre but I have to finish it out of some kind of loyalty" way. But in the "I keep starting this amazing game but get distracted and buy new games and don't return to it for months and then just want to start a new game" way.

But this time I've actually been making it pretty far.
But I did lose track of it for a while.
And then I lost my memory card.
So I was worried when I finally found my save last night.

Would I remember the story?
Would I remember the way it plays?

And I was impressed that after only a few minutes I was right back into it.
I think I might actually be able to beat this one.
I just defeated Magus.
For the first time at least, I'm not sure if I have to again.

Either way, it's nice to know I might actually start getting through this intense backlog of RPGs I've been meaning to beat forever.

Jesus and Jail progress has been made and you'll be updated soon about it.

_ethan

In response to "Let's Play Doctor: Role Playing Games"

This reponse can be found in the comments section of the original article on IGN Insider, but since you won't be able to access it without Insider and since 
everybody won't read that article, AND since this is something I've wanted to rant about anyway,
I'm posting it here.
You'll be left slightly without context, but it should make sense for the most part:

"It's always enjoyable to read Mike's articles because he is extremely intelligent and articulate, but I have yet to be on the same page as him.
I can't disagree that these are the rules to gain a bigger audience for the genre, but I know for sure that if my favourite series' were to adopt many of these rules I would be extremely frustrated.

Like Firebyrd is saying, I love the fact that WRPGs are heading in the suggested direction. I love the ability to choose, but I think FFXII made so many incredible steps in the JRPG realm that prove there is a need for the segregation.

As hard as it is for me to say, I disagree with Clayman when he says moments in VII and XII (and IX for me) would be more impactful if playing with others. These games are intensely personal experiences for me and I would like to leave the multiplayer experiences for Smash or Halo or Kart or Tetris or Mario even.

I love discussing the impactful moments from a great RPG with others, but in the same way I love discussing a powerful book with others. I'm glad nobody was reading over my shoulder, but I'm also glad I can share my take on the experience afterward.

That's why I love games, there are so many amazing experiences to be had. So I'm terrified of the homogeneous nature more and more people seem to be suggesting that games adopt.

Give me Fallout 3 without numbers or cutscenes or dragons in a rich, dense world and I will likely adore it.

But please also give me a sprawling FFXIII with countless cutscenes, and numbers to pour over after each battle and I will likely also adore it.

There is room for both.

But I will agree that it is the characters that are important and that's why I'm glad that apparently FFXIII is NOT about saving the world."

So what do you think?
Do you prefer the WRPG or the JRPG? Would you like to see the birth of smaller, denser, numberless, cut-sceneless multiplayer RPGs? Or would you like to stay in your room crying to yourself while Aeris dies?

_ethan

Five Worries for Brawl

I'm going to pick up Super Smash Brothers Brawl tomorrow.
Rather: I and twenty billion other people are going to pick up Brawl tomorrow.

Now I've been following the game, but not quite intensely enough to have done full research.
So if one or more of the items on the following list are objectively not reasons to worry, it's because I want to find at least somethings out myself.

So here goes:


1. Gimped Peach

I haven't seen too many previews on Peach and she was my secondary character in Melee. And although I'm looking forward to learning the new characters and potentially having new "go-to" people, I still don't want to see an old classic lose her touch.

2. Final Smash Handicap

The final smashes look really cool but I'm worried that it will throw the balance of the game way off and toss a lot of the skill out the window. I mean, I'll have items turned off whenever I can anyway, but if I want to see some badass special moves the matches shouldn't be reduced to whoever can destroy the smash ball first.

3. Event Matches

Okay, so this is one that I probably didn't do the research for. Do event matches make a comeback? They had better!

4. Samus

I never really played as Samus, but the whole "Zero Suit" thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's just such a random way to add a "new" character. I suppose it's all these things left up to chance that worry me most.

5. Stats Tracking

Another one likely easily solved by research. But still, I want the thorough stats tracking that Melee had plus more. I love numbers and if I'm not going to get leaderboards online, then at least keep detailed stats for the different profiles.


Well there we go! Looks like a meager list, really. I'll hit back soon with full impressions like everybody else!

_ethan 

Will they do the same for the PS4?

Okay, this might be an extremely old subject, but hell I liked the old PS3 boomerang controller!


C'mon! It's not bad! A little self-indulgent maybe, but when isn't Sony?

But it is interesting how quickly Sony changed the design assumably based on the intense negative reaction.
How does Nintendo manage to do the opposite?
Examples:

Nintendo: "Here's a new cel-shaded Link!"
Fans: "We hate it!"
Nintendo: "Fuck you!"

Nintendo: "Here's the Wii!"
Fans: "What the hell? What happened to the badass name 'Revolution'?"
Nintendo: "Fuck you! Also, we're going to make it so your mom can play and we'll cut off the nuts of hardcore fans who still plan to defend us!"
Fans: "What? C'mon! We kinda like our nuts!"
Nintendo: "Fuck you!"

I mean, Sony got cocky, but its still the bitch of its fans.

...I can't tell who I respect more.

_ethan

Tales of the Smash Trilogy

There's only so many times that I can make reference to how many posts I've made in the title before it starts to get beyond bogus.
You can tell that I'm already getting self conscious about it since I justified it in my first sentence.

In any case, I might join the horde of bloggers talking about Super Smash Brothers Brawl upon its release just over a week away, but until then let's consult on Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.
From the little media I've seen, it's shaping up to be a cinematic, robust title.
But before we get into it, let's talk about the original.


Tales of Symphonia

Considering the fact that both the main hero and main heroine of the game are annoying, shallow twats, it's a surprisingly good experience.
The battle system is engaging, the quest is long, most of the graphics are pretty and there are all the sidequests, details and easter eggs that a good RPG should have.
Sounds solid right? Right. However, there are some extremely frustrating elements that showcase the inability of the genre as a whole to grow up and be relatible.

Love Stories

Lloyd and Sheena (although she's too good for him), Presea and Genus. Hell, even Kratos and Raine. There were possibilities all OVER the place here. But Lloyd was way too caught up in over-the-top save-the-world jargon that he never became a real character with, you know, a penis.
Even more frustratingly, sometimes it was set up a little bit. There would be lines that led you to believe that these people had real, subtle emotions and thought processes. Including the complications of having feelings for a woman in the body of a girl, or having multiple feelings for a best friend and a new, older ally.
Granted, there's something to be said for not giving too much away, but you can achieve tactful subtlety without completely dropping a love story that was intentionally set-up.
This point is very similar to my next point.

Believable dialogue and characters

It's like they hired one really good writer to throw in 10-20 lines of powerful, subtle dialogue and left the rest to a chimp.
The major problem with most games with a lot of writing isn't necessarily the characters. It's the fact that these character's personalities are written on their sleeves. I feel like the dialogue would be pretty unchanged if Lloyd just went around saying "I'm determined and pure of heart!" and Collette said "I'm sweet and apologize too much".
There is potential even in these characters that are pretty much a staple in any RPG anyway.
Lloyd could actually struggle with his cause. Question why he does what he does and maybe get lonely like a real human being.
Collette could show real signs of how she likes to carry everybody's burden. Show how much pressure is on her shoulders. Maybe even lash out.
And when these struggles DO happen, the characters just seem to either spell it out completely or be brooding and say nothing at all.
It's like so  many moments are on the verge of packing an incredibly powerful punch but they just jump to the superlative and miss it.

It's a common mistake. People assume that the biggest premise will be what entices, but nobody will give a shit about saving the world if they don't care about who is saving the world.
That's why I'm excited about FFXIII not having a "save the world" story. But that's a whole other post.
So those are my major gripes, really. Don't have characters just read out their character descriptions, let them actually have thoughts beyond saving the world.
It's what FFIX and Radiata Stories did really well.
So moving on to the sequel...


Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

First things first, the monster collecting thing has me full of dread.
I love that the cast is practically doubling, so why would you add a stupid Pokemon element to confuse the whole thing? I love Pokemon, but leave it alone. Let it be its own thing.
But I won't judge that too much until I see just how necessary it is to the gameplay.
More importantly...

Hire new voice talent or at least a new voice director.

Mediocre dialogue delivered with mediocre conviction just didn't cut it last time. If the writing is going to be better (which it damn well should be) then don't drag it down with voices that just seem to want to finish their day and get paid. It wasn't as bad as the Baten Kaitos voicework, but it also wasn't good. Which perhaps the exception of Sheena.
Which brings me to...

More Sheena.

Okay, so this is just because I love her. But seriously. She's awesome.


Okay, maybe I talked more about the first game, but overall, I'm optimistic and excited for the sequel.

Smash soon!

Looking forward,

_ethan

Sophomoric Savior

So I don't have a whole lot to say about video games at the moment.
GDC has passed but the only news of note had to do with the follow ups for Gears of War and Fable. The former of which I can't say I really care about and the latter of which I never played. I suppose some Crystal Chronicle confusion was cleared up (there's going to be a WiiWare AND a retail game; different titles), but unless you own Microsoft's newest console there wasn't a whole lot of news brimming from the conference; just some interesting talks.
And so beyond the new screenshots from the Tales of Symphonia sequel for Wii looking good, I don't feel compelled to rant or rave about the industry.

So that leaves me with what has been on my creative mind recently: Jesus In Jail.
Since I was recently able to work on it a little bit with the co-creator, my passion for the christ in prison has been resurrected.
It seems I'm compelled to lay down a single track to have as an impressive asset.
Something that I could orchestrate and pull my music theatre resources into helping me out with.
Not only to excite the whole process, but to make it easier to get help in the future.

But that's not entirely what I want to talk about to you guys in this post.
I want to slowly reveal bits about this whole production to you.
Fortunately or unfortunately if you know me well, I've explained the whole plot in detail and maybe played a few very rough recordings.
But if you don't fit that description, this is your spot for the newest information on the potentially controversial musical.

So keep your eye out on the Jesus in Jail Watch on the top of the menu to the right as any new links to information on the work will be revealed there.

But for now know that Jesus in Jail is set in North America and pretty much in the present day.

But that's all for now.
I plan on doing a bit of work in the coming week so I'll keep you posted.

For now,

_ethan

New Beginnings and Old Clichés

My dear friend Kevin has referred me here.
Now I call him a dear friend, but we probably haven't talked one on one for more than an hour combined.
Not out of distaste by any stretch of the imagination.
But I digress.

Let's go over the list which I have affectionately dubbed "Ethan's Dull List of the Boring Things you Should Expect to See on this Blog"
Or, Edlbtsesb.
Can you tell I'm a fan of acronyms?
Let's get started.

• Passionate rambles about the future of video games and their generally understated place as an art form
• Updates and links to any new orchestrated music I've produced either as a team in UVP Music, or solo under the tentative name Moonset Music.
• Updates and previews regarding my musical work in progress "Jesus in Jail" that I'm co-writing with a close and talented friend of mine. These updates will include when I may need singers or song writers to lend their talents.
• Other updates and behind the scenes opinions about my creative projects. Notably The 5th Wall and The Matt Bernard Show.
• Well, that's it really.

Maybe you'll start to see other personal-esque posts on here, but for now that's left to my LiveJournal.

So let the blogging begin! Bring on those who will stop at nothing to make me bring them more updates. I seek you desperately.

Perpetually,

_ethan