Category Archives: Random Giga

COSPLAY SPOTLIGHT: Hero For Hire

June 6, 2016 Kate Kane

Given that this week we get to start Wonder Woman Rebirth, we will feature the Wonder Woman of Down Under, Lani.

Lani is one of the few cosplayers that doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk. Well known for her cosplays of women with a lot of power under the hood such as Forever (Lazarus) and Diana (Wonder Woman), she is also incredibly down to earth and one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure to talk with from the cosplay community.

13348698_10154943849183712_964390067_n — Wonder Woman Photo by: Cosplay Australia

Name/alias:
Lani / Heroine For Hire

Location
Brisbane, Australia

When was your first cosplay
High school during the 90s.

What was it
Lara Croft

Cosplay achievements:
I guess having creators give me major love. Greg Rucka, Kelly Sue Deconnick and Marguerite Bennett are all amazing humans. Having Greg publish my Forever Carlyle in an issue of Lazarus is well up there with a highlight of my life. The greater Internet community writing articles about my Wonder Woman was pretty nice too.

13329905_10154943732693712_372584051_n — Forever Carlyle: Lazarus Photo by: Pezonator

Cosplay pet peeve

In doing it? Underestimating the time it will take every single time (also shipping materials from the US – nightmare) .For Cosplay in general? I think it’s the idea that cosplay is for anyone in general. Cosplay is just an artistic way to express a love for your fandom; I think that idea needs to be celebrated more.

What inspired you to get into cosplay?

More recently, partially because I wanted to develop skills and I kept seeing these amazing cosplays coming up all the time. Partially because I know I can represent something different maybe, and maybe someone can get inspired by it.

What is the piece you are most proud of?
Red Sonja is my new most proud because of attempting Scale mail for the first time. Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman are well up there though.

13342263_10154943732708712_117558148_n — Red Sonja Photo by: Tom Ellwood Photography

Who is your dream team to work on a cosplay with?

Oh as in other cosplayers? I haven’t really done a *team* yet. However, there is something super exciting coming up for the end of this year with Belikovs Costumes and Baby Got Cap Cosplay.

What is a typical day in the life of you when working on a cosplay?

CHAOS! Lots of yelling at things. Sometimes a EUREKA moment too.

How long does it take to do an average cosplay?

From start to finish with no disasters it usually takes a fortnight if I really get into it. The longest has been two months and the shortest has been a week.

13348951_10154943732873712_1975208202_n — Lara Croft Photo by: Duckworth Industries

What is the process how do you start from picking out the cosplay to finally wearing it?

First of all a character really has to mean something to me. So I have a list of my loves and concepts and art work handy as I’m cruising around the internet. Then when I finally decide that I’ve wasted enough time NOT doing it, I will break down the costume into its parts and try to sketch out details from every angle. I will shop around for fabrics and possible patterns if I need them and order the Worbla (or whichever thermoplastic I am using at the time) and start to pull it all together. I’m never working on just one aspect, it’s often every little bit at once so that while something is drying or I’ve had enough of sewing there are other aspects of things to be working on. Then it’s just about putting the time in and not being afraid to ask for help and not procrastinating about the harder bits.

Who are your inspirations?

In Cosplay it’s my friends, my friends are amazing people who really constantly challenge themselves the way I also like to challenge myself. I think it’s important to surround yourself with people who are always going to make you strive to be that bit better and add just that little more extra thing to your cosplay. Other than that, it’s really down to the Characters and the creators. If I LOVE a Character and a creator has done amazing things, I will work my butt off to do that justice.

What is the current project you are working on?

I am working on Rebirth Wonder Woman and Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy.

What is your dream project?

I think I am doing it! Wonder Woman is my lady. Though I can’t look past the urge to do a big armoured piece eventually.

12037933_612520328888487_9105244107782174868_n — Captain Marvel Photo by: Cosplay Australia

If you could pick anyone to act as your mentor, who would it be?

Well Yaya Han is amazing, the intricate details and skills that woman has. But Major Sam is incredible! The amount of work and details and effort she puts into everything blows my mind.

How has the industry changed since you first started?

I think it’s become more competitive, and in a way less inclusive feeling to outsiders. There is a more business aspect to the way people present themselves (which isn’t bad at all, don’t get me wrong) and so there can be a perception that you have to be at this high level immediately which isn’t the case at all.
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How do you feel about the change to mainstream thanks to shows like The Big Bang Theory and the movies now in the cinema like Spiderman and Batman vs Superman?

Hey the more people who are around to listen to me talk on and on and on about my geek loves the better. I think there are some issues with fandom things, and recently there’s been a lot of discussion about that which was long overdue. But if it means here is more people buying comic books and more people to keep things afloat then hell yeah.

13348702_10154943737273712_640504001_n — Wonder Woman Photo by: Pandora

Fun time:

Who is your favourite comic book character?

How dare you make me choose just one. I can give you my top 5 of all time: Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Danny Rand/Iron Fist, Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, and Big Barda.

Who is your favourite author (books)?

Greg Rucka, Brian K Vaughn, Brian Bendis, Charles Soule, Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker.

What is your favourite movie?

I cannot choose just one, I love too many movies. Ha-ha.

What is your favourite band/music artist?

Soundgarden, Muse, You Am I.

What is a quirk you have (like dipping fries into chocolate Sunday)?

As an athlete (we always have the weirdest things) but I always thought it was a bad omen to go into competition uninjured.

13382211_10154943732718712_2016672307_n — Lady Thor Photo by: Pezonator

Pick-

Day or night

Night

Star trek or star wars

WARS

Coffee or tea

COFFEE

Summer or winter SUMMER

Cats or dogs

DOGS

Batman or Superman

SUPERMAN

Movies or a book

BOOK

Pizza or Burgers

BURGERS

Coke or Pepsi

COKE (zero)

For those wanting to see more of Lani’s work you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Next project release date of current project:

Brisbane Oz Comic Con!

13342077_10154943732783712_838097010_n — Forever Carlyle: Lazarus Photo by: Pezonator

Cinema Sit-Down, Comics 101, Movies/TV, Pop Culture, Random Giga, Social/World Views, Variant News, World News

Captain America – What Happened!?

May 28, 2016 Alpha Omega

On Wednesday May 25, 2016, patriotic comic lovers the world over discovered that their beloved American hero and patron saint, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, is a secret member of Hydra, the nefarious group who played a major role in WWII Axis forces. According to Marvel “Hydra is a world-wide subversive organization dedicated to global domination. At its height, Hydra was the most extensive, powerful, and dangerous such organization in history”, basically, the bad guys.

“What”?

Many are highly offended, others heart broken. It’s probably the same as telling a kid there is no Santa Clause for the first time; it probably hurts “Right There” provoking the “Say it ain’t so” cry. Some prefer ignorance to enlightenment, living a “What I don’t know won’t hurt me” mentality. People need their fairy tales, “please, don’t challenge the story.., even if it’s all a lie”. This news must sting like a slap to the face; for some.

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Nevertheless, the world changes as time moves along; evolving alongside humanity, whether we like it or not. I’m sure people who are 70 look at the world today and say, “That’s not how you wear a baseball cap! What is this? This place sucks”. It’s the natural passage of time that makes you feel your age; witnessing things changing at an uncomfortable rate. The next generation will swear this is how it’s always been, slow conditioning to accept a new standard of what can be called the “new norm”. Is change a bad thing? Not all, but there will always be a transitional period where things are a bit uncomfortable; it’s to be expected.

I remember during my time at Marvel Comics back in 1991, things were so much more different than the Marvel everyone knows now. Nick Fury was Caucasian, now, the majority of people will only know him as a black guy. That bothered me for a while until I realized that comics are a business. They don’t want it be a niche hobby like the 80’s. They want the comics industry to be big screen, commercialized, and mainstream. That’s where the money is; getting a larger audience. How do they do that? Simple, it’s what always made comics a bit edgy. Comics have always been a great platform to mirror and parody real life. There was a gay hero when that became a hot societal topic, Black Panther when society was going through that phase, etc., etc. etc.

Captain America was created during another societal phase ie. times of war, a time period of fierce war propaganda. The American public just wasn’t that “quick on the uptake” back then. They were easily fooled, easily frightened. So, heroes were created that were in-line with the propaganda of the time period. Remember, back then, radio and TV were law, and could do no wrong; now, the world and it’s people are much more informed. We’re a much smarter society than that of 1942, a time when people still gleaned most of their news from the printed papers, and word of mouth. People are beginning to educate themselves and are discovering for themselves the dark side of the “American Idea”.

Many of us have grown up, we’re smart enough to use the internet to learn the truth about America’s dirty dealings, and it was only natural that comics follow suit to reflect this new age of information. I think this shocking revelation bothers people because, we just don’t want to believe that anything “America” is a lie, or at the very least a boat load of half-truths. America has haystacks full of ugly secrets; all you have to do is start researching. Just do research on The Bush Family Nazi connection, to begin with. America has been in bed with the enemy, or secretly was the enemy, on many occasions in our country’s history. But, is anyone up in arms that this is a reflection of America’s true shadowy history? Nope. As long as we don’t challenge the comics. People like to read for entertainment, but not to expand their mind.

Then, there is also the claim that these turn of events, are an insult to its Jewish creators even though most uniformed people are unaware that Prescott Bush (George W. Bushes Grandfather), a representative of the American government, helped finance Hitler’s campaign with the help of Jewish Bankers (Warburg). This is history. And we’re angry about a comic?

In the end, it is evident that a spoiled and privileged country and its people simply don’t like truth and this is as real as it gets. It’s easier to fool someone then it is to convince them that they’ve been fooled. The revelation hurts so much more when you discover it’s not just in a comic book; it’s a hint at truth unspoken.

Overall, I personally, applaud Marvel for understanding that the public is a lot smarter then yesterday and much more informed. Thank you for creating a story that reflects REAL LIFE.

~Jack~

——————————————————
Author: Montemoiño Jack

Editor: Kate Kane

Games and Software, Indie Pennant, Random Giga

Songbringer Preview – An Epic, Pixelated Adventure

February 19, 2016 Alex McCumbers

Giga Geek Magazine was gifted with access to an early build of the game. All of the opinions in this article are for that early version, some things are subject to change as more is developed.

Independent developers never cease to amaze me. Some of my favorite games of all time have come from these smaller studios, which is refreshing in an age of micro-transactions, always online checks, and broken releases. Songbringer comes from humble folks—inspired by the top down days of Legend of Zelda—and is shaping up to be a memorable classic.

Weiss' pixel skills are impressive. Check out the Nano Sword! — Weiss’ pixel skills are impressive. Check out the Nano Sword!

Songbringer is a procedurally generated adventure through mysterious locales, slashing baddies with a nano-sword or tossing a boomerang top hat. Created by a single man with ambition beyond mortals, Nathan Weis is crafting a science fiction love letter to Zelda. Not only is Weis making this one solo, after twenty years or so of being a developer, but he’s also been streaming daily on Twitch. Keeping it simple, Songbringer won’t have A-list actors doing voice overs, or music played by an orchestra; however, that gives it charm.

Primarily, there are two ways to play Songbringer: normal mode will let the hero die to respawn like a normal adventure game, and permanent death mode, which is exactly what it sounds like, turning the whole game into a rogue-like game similar to Binding of Isaac.

Playing around with the build sent to me by Weis, there is a lot to love already. Combat is simple and familiar, using items assigned to buttons and swinging a sword. While combat is essential to survive, there is a heavier focus on exploration. The system generates a fairly large overworld, with areas that require specific items before you can explore.

You can gain harder levitra best prices and fuller erection to participate in lovemaking and enjoy intimate moments with her. The heart is built of mystical black freesia, while levitra samples the base introduces sequoia wood accords, musk and amber. davidfraymusic.com india cheap cialis Garlic – Garlic is a common herb used in kitchens. They fit in order generic levitra the budget of a common man can afford. Dungeons also spawn throughout this strange planet. During my time with Songbringer, I saw the conquering of four dungeons. There weren’t any real puzzles to challenge the sword wielding hero, but there were plenty of enemy types to learn. Demons lower their head and charge with their wicked horns, and little bugs attack in large groups. There are some rooms that have way too many enemies in them, turning the challenge into mashing every item to try and survive.

One of the few criticisms I have for the game is the lack of music. Of course this is bound to come in later builds, but it made the world eerily silent. Overall the sound design is interesting with droning pulses and bit-crushed attack effects, but that lack of music made me realize just how important it is in games like this. Imagine Hyrule Field without that iconic score; it would feel wrong. Once again, the build I played was an early one, so music is probably in the works.

Songbringer is an incredibly ambitious project for a single creator. That alone, the game deserves a large amount of praise. As a game amidst a sea of others, Songbringer does stand out as more than a simple tribute. Its themes and style are excellent and the gameplay is familiar enough to understand in seconds, while building on that framework.

In short, there is a mass amount of potential for this project. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for future builds and the inevitable release of Songbringer. Beyond that, Weis will be a developer to watch for his creativity and sheer willpower.

To see the game in action, check out my preview below.

Random Giga

NoScope Gaming Glasses – Gimmick?

February 16, 2016 Alex McCumbers

Professional gaming used to be a thing made fun of by most entertainment platforms. Back in the early 2000s, the only ones who dared broadcast high level competitive gaming was G4. Most “pro” gaming took place during LAN parties in organized events like the legendary, high-profile Doom deathmatch tourneys or the underground Super Smash Bros Melee matchups.

This is what large gaming tournaments used to look like.

However, with the birth of online streaming sites like Twitch, everything changed. Suddenly, game development teams had an easy way to show off their top players. This sort of entertainment sees millions of hits across the world in everything from Super Smash Bros. to the stadium held events of League of Legends.

This is what they look like now. Image courtesy of PC Gamer.

This is why there was a sudden increase in products that are meant to enhance a player’s skills. Razer builds top notch gaming mice, keyboards, and more. Astro makes super high-quality headsets for hearing the footsteps of unaware foes. All of these companies saw a need in the market and fulfilled it.

There is always some skepticism with these sort of products. A Razer mouse can cost at least $80, forcing one to question whether it will truly make one a better player. For most gamers, the difference is slight, but some folks swear by these accessories or companies.

Gaming eye-wear came into being from a simple problem. Gaming for long periods of time, whether training for a tournament match against a team of rivals or trying to get every star in Super Mario 64, hurts the eyes and can cause headaches. The solution? Yellow tinted lenses that filter out the harmful blue light of monitors.

Yes, it sounds like the kind of thing followed with, “Wait! There’s more! Act now and get a second pair free!”

However, I decided to put these lenses to the test. To do so, I purchased a pair of moderately priced glasses from NoScope Gaming. I would love to compare them to their direct competition, Gunnar Glasses, but being as they are quite expensive I won’t be doing so.

First, I do like the build of the pair I bought, the Geminis. They are sturdy enough and come with a snappy pouch to keep them in and they look pretty stylish. I ended up picking up a hard case at a local eye doctor’s office to keep them safer though. You can purchase a warranty through the site, which does get you a case. Might be something I do with the next pair.

To start things off, I chose a game I’m likely to spend many hours at a time with, Smite. Smite is a competitive game, fitting in with the targeted audience of gaming glasses, so it made sense. With all of the flashy effects and quick camera movements, the game does have a tendency to give me some brain pains.
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Yet, even after only a few hours of playing, I could feel that my eyes didn’t feel as strained. Of course, I spent almost 7-8 hours playing in total, but even in those first hours I could tell that these glasses were fairly effective. I also went on to play long periods of console games, handheld games, basically anything I was playing I threw on the glasses. I also tried a few sessions without, more times than not, I did get headaches for longer sessions.

Not only do I enjoy games, but I’m also a writer (surprise!) and spend a lot of time staring at a bright white screen. Even though the NoScope glasses are meant for gaming, anything that’s being done on a computer screen will benefit from wearing them. I even wear them at work, which is handy considering I edit sports clips, run news casts, and answer emails.

I did worry about games looking funny under a yellow tint, and yes it does seem weird. Luckily, the art direction isn’t skewed and the tint is slight enough that one can quickly get used to it. Basically, its not enough of deep yellow to throw off the style of the game.

Artistic games are treasures. I was worried gaming glasses would sully this.

Overall, the science behind gaming glasses isn’t really a new idea. Computer glasses have been in use for a while, but they weren’t specifically marketed to gamers until here recently. Most glasses companies have options for coatings to help those who use computers for long periods of time. Are gaming glasses something that will instantly fix a problem? No, I wouldn’t use NoScope glasses or Gunnars if I thought there was a serious issue with my eyes. That’s what doctors are for.

So far though, from my use and tests, NoScope Glasses seem to be beneficial. Do I feel like I have an edge over opponents? Not really, but I do feel like I have better gaming stamina. My work is also a little less painful, and that alone is definitely worth the thirty bucks I spent to get them.

Functionality. Did a top brand make this shotgun? Who cares. Image courtesy of Rock Paper Shotgun.

So what’s the difference between a cheaper brand and a more expensive one? Think about it like a pair of sunglasses. Sure, Oakley makes a sharp pair, but do you really want to spend more than a hundred on eye wear that isn’t prescription? For some, the brand, the design, and the slightly higher craftsmanship is worth it. Most just want to keep the sun out of their eyes, though.

I can honestly recommend NoScope Gaming Glasses. They’ve provided an excellent starting point for this sort of eyewear. Really, it’s hard to explain, so try it for yourself. They might be the coolest thing ever or they might not feel that great. Either way, worth a shot.

Note: NoScope did not sponsor this article. The author does have a sponsorship account with NoScope, but was not given any products for the purpose of this post.

Pop Culture, Random Giga

Fine Bros Controversial Copyright Claims

February 2, 2016 Alex McCumbers

WARNING – This article contains content with obscenities. The opinions of those featured are not associated with Giga Geek Magazine. The opinions of the author belong solely to the author.

We’ve all seen those goofy react videos on YouTube, whether it be Teens reacting to Five Nights at Freddy’s or Elderly reacting to Skrillex. These sort of videos have a lot of humor in them and I’ve been a fan of the YouTubers react series for a while now.

And then I learned something terrible.

YouTube is a platform for open creativity and it has boosted creativity and the world of gaming for the better. I’ve learned so many things from channels like Extra Credits and cried alongside Markiplier as he pours his heart out to his fans. Recently, I’ve taken an interest in the retro gaming space, curling up at night to the rants of AlphaOmegaSin or the antics of the Game Chasers. Even though these smaller channels lack views, I’ve always loved their genuine passion for making videos about gaming.

Speaking of the Game Chasers, one of the frequent guests is a guy known as 8-Bit Eric, who has been seeing moderate success with his parodies of the Fine Bros reaction videos. He reacts to the reactions with hilarious results.

Apparently Fine Bros didn’t find this as amusing as everyone else.

Fine Bros filed a copyright claim against 8-Bit Eric, forcing these videos to lose monetization and were straight up blocked globally.

This sort of conflict that tends to happen online is a classic case of cyber bullying. Eric was seeing some great feedback to his parody videos and people requested more. Fine Bros didn’t like its brand being belittled or the idea that Eric could make money off of this. So, they used their success to file the claim.

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What’s sad is that these content creators aren’t making a living off of YouTube. Most of them have to resort to Patreon or teaming up for larger projects, like selling DVDs. The smaller creators do often catch flak like this. AlphaOmegaSin has claimed to receive several nasty emails and death threats over the years, just because of saying what he thought of a situation.

Fair Use is a hard to define term, especially in the YouTube space. That very definition is what ruins a lot of perfectly good channels, who get slammed for just being creative. I can understand Fine Bros being upset at being made fun of and their footage being used in tandem with Eric’s, but there’s no need for this sort of childish backlash.

This hits home for me personally, as I’ve been watching the smaller channels affected for a couple years now. They’re constantly showing up in my feed, entertaining me to no end with their humble style. It also creates worry for my own channel and pursuits. What would happen if reaction videos could only be made by a select few? What about let’s play, or reviews by small outlets? I’d have to completely rethink how I approach videos for Giga and Forever Classic.

Fine-Bros-TruTV-Six-Degrees-of-Everything-Order — Rafi and Beni Fine created the Fine Bros React series to great success.

It’s sad, cause I’ve always thought pretty highly of the Fine Bros. They brought some great people into a larger creative outlet by association, resulting in some really cool Rewind videos and collaborations.

After many years of enjoying Fine Bros Entertainment, I will sadly be unsubscribing. Many will do the same.

In light of this event, I encourage everyone to find a smaller YouTube channel. Subscribe to them, engage in their content. It’s a rewarding experience and there are tons of amazing people who just need viewers or likes. There may be many channels shut down for similar, asinine reasons. Enjoy them while they last.

Share your thoughts Giga Bytes in the comments below or through one of our many social media outlets.