Fox Announces Alien: Isolation Digital Series!

Started by Corporal Hicks, Feb 27, 2019, 05:44:31 PM

Author
Fox Announces Alien: Isolation Digital Series! (Read 68,674 times)

Stitch

Quote from: TC on Mar 05, 2019, 05:00:27 PM
I think this is a rather ambiguous statement, and could just as easily mean they converted the 1st-person scenes into 3rd-person scenes by going back into the game engine but his time including the (low-poly) Amanda model.
Firstly, kudos on the extensive investigative post!

Secondly, regarding the low poly Amanda model, I don't think one actually exists in the game. I have 2 reasons for thinking this.

The first is that when I was looking for Amanda models, I found a forum where the members were saying that they were having trouble ripping the model from the game. They were getting parts but not a full 3D model. I'd look for the site again, but this evidence is backed up in my next reason...

...which is this:


Interesting, eh?

TC

TC

#361
Quote from: Stitch on Mar 06, 2019, 02:21:31 AM
...
regarding the low poly Amanda model, I don't think one actually exists in the game. I have 2 reasons for thinking this.

The first is that when I was looking for Amanda models, I found a forum where the members were saying that they were having trouble ripping the model from the game. They were getting parts but not a full 3D model.
...

That's right. The complete Amanda model didn't exist in the released game, because in the process of optimising the 3D assets they culled all unnecessary polygons from the models, which included parts of Amanda that would never be seen by the player.

However, If you go to one of my earlier posts, you'll see an earlier stage of development during which Isolation was a 3rd person game, and the complete Amanda model did exist. (But she looked a little rough.) Presumably the Digital Series producer got a hold of that.

Actually, the biggest lesson out of all this (for me, anyway) has nothing to do with the technical curiosities.

In reviewing the 70 minute show again I could see that this movie serves as the perfect demonstration of what story structure is all about; or rather, what a story is like when it suffers from the lack of structure. They tried to enforce their own kind of structure with the Amanda-floating-in-space scenes, but it was a flimsy artifice that didn't really work. The story was just as episodic and paceless as it ever was.

In fact, calling it a "movie" is probably the best way of sabotaging it. Marketing it as a cutscene compilation is a better way of positioning the audience's expectations; which is kind of what they did do, but unfortunately I, like most people, just didn't pay enough attention to what they were announcing. So I have to accept some of the blame for my own disappointment.

TC

Corporal Hicks

Corporal Hicks

#362

XenoHunter99

Thanks! I will listen this morning.

The Old One

The Old One

#364
Thank you AP.

Hudson

w/r/t the podcast:

I think it was just Amanda's voice reading Ripley's dialogue because they would've had to pay Sigourney Weaver to use her likeness. Same thing with Michael Biehn and Hicks in Alien 3.

XenoHunter99

Podcast: complete. Good job, as usual.

Hicks, glad to know I'm not the only one who picked up a 2001: A Space Odyssey vibe about the dream sequence. Yes, the heads were odd and surreal. I'm sure that was the point.

Xenomorphine, I agree the function of the web series was to bring casual fans and people who did not play Isolation into the fold, and it worked. And you're right, it was no doubt a lot of work on no budget.

Personally, I'm completely repulsed by the idea of sitting through the further adventures of Amanda Ripley, but I guess other people like it.

Ridgetop, you really like AVPR?! That's great! I enjoyed it in the theater. It was a hoot and a good popcorn movie. It's a shame the TV commercial gave away everything including the end. I watched it again recently and it still wasn't horrible. It's got some good points, some really disgusting ideas brought to life, a couple of darkly humorous sight gags, and some bad points, but OK!

I agree Alien/Aliens stories could work as animated features. Deadspace:Downfall, anyone? That's a festival of blood! And a guilty pleasire. Dead Space:Aftermath is interesting and brutal, too.

It's a shame 4K doesn't reveal more detail in the film, but I guess the source has resolution limits. It was shot 40 years ago, so maybe the greater wonder is that it's still important enough to receive special treatment.

Anyway, thanks for the discussion.

Prez

Quote from: XenoHunter99 on Mar 07, 2019, 05:12:28 AM
Podcast: complete. Good job, as usual.

Hicks, glad to know I'm not the only one who picked up a 2001: A Space Odyssey vibe about the dream sequence. Yes, the heads were odd and surreal. I'm sure that was the point.

Xenomorphine, I agree the function of the web series was to bring casual fans and people who did not play Isolation into the fold, and it worked. And you're right, it was no doubt a lot of work on no budget.

Personally, I'm completely repulsed by the idea of sitting through the further adventures of Amanda Ripley, but I guess other people like it.

Ridgetop, you really like AVPR?! That's great! I enjoyed it in the theater. It was a hoot and a good popcorn movie. It's a shame the TV commercial gave away everything including the end. I watched it again recently and it still wasn't horrible. It's got some good points, some really disgusting ideas brought to life, a couple of darkly humorous sight gags, and some bad points, but OK!

I agree Alien/Aliens stories could work as animated features. Deadspace:Downfall, anyone? That's a festival of blood! And a guilty pleasire. Dead Space:Aftermath is interesting and brutal, too.

It's a shame 4K doesn't reveal more detail in the film, but I guess the source has resolution limits. It was shot 40 years ago, so maybe the greater wonder is that it's still important enough to receive special treatment.

Anyway, thanks for the discussion.

I concur. Enjoyable podcast as usual. Even as someone who hasn't played the game a whole lot (but is a big admirer) I took Xenomorphine's line in that it was free, enjoyable for what it was and didn't kill any buzz for me. That said I totally appreciate those who have lived and breathed the game being disappointed.

Corporal Hicks

Quote from: XenoHunter99 on Mar 07, 2019, 05:12:28 AM
Hicks, glad to know I'm not the only one who picked up a 2001: A Space Odyssey vibe about the dream sequence. Yes, the heads were odd and surreal. I'm sure that was the point.

I haven't seen anyone else mention that. Glad it wasn't just me!

QuoteXenomorphine, I agree the function of the web series was to bring casual fans and people who did not play Isolation into the fold, and it worked. And you're right, it was no doubt a lot of work on no budget.

It does seem to be doing pretty well with the people who never got to experience the game so it seems to have done the job in that respect!

QuoteI agree Alien/Aliens stories could work as animated features. Deadspace:Downfall, anyone? That's a festival of blood! And a guilty pleasire. Dead Space:Aftermath is interesting and brutal, too.

Another Deadspace fan! The Old One will be pleased! I've still not played it myself but it's installed and waiting for the time.

HuDaFuK

I absolutely loved the first Dead Space, so I'm still not entirely sure why I never got around to any of the sequels.

Always said the original was the best Alien game ever made until Isolation came around, it just didn't have the Alien in it.

SiL

Downfall is a really rushed mess (pacing wise), doesn't line up with the game it's supposed to explain, and just feels cheap through and through. I like it -- and Dead Space -- but it's not the quality I'd want from an Alien animated film.

Frosty Venom

Episode 5 and 7 were my favourites. The conclusion and epilogue were pretty great.

I particularly liked these shots.




The Old One

The Old One

#372
Beautiful. Frosty Venom.
BTW
The 4K 100%'s a superior version.
Picture's better, sound is better.
https://tinyurl.com/DGeoffAlien4K

Corporal Hicks

Quote from: Frosty Venom on Mar 07, 2019, 11:15:10 AM
I particularly liked these shots.





Gorgeous. I loved so many of the free flying shots of the Alien in this.


Quote from: The Old One on Mar 07, 2019, 11:23:02 AM
The 4K 100%'s a superior version.
Picture's better, sound is better.
https://tinyurl.com/DGeoffAlien4K

Perhaps. It's just not something I picked up on.

HuDaFuK

What does the 4K version of Alien have to do with the Isolation series?

AvPGalaxy: About | Contact | Cookie Policy | Manage Cookie Settings | Privacy Policy | Legal Info
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Patreon RSS Feed
Contact: General Queries | Submit News