Mass Effect 2 - Process of the Artist

This is the place where the leaders of the Chosen post news. News about the Chosen, news about drow/Eilistraee, news about NWN/NWN2 and news generally considered interesting to us. This is also the place where you can comment on those news items. :rss:

Moderators: Shir'le E. Illios, Bhaern Quel

Post Reply
User avatar
Shir'le E. Illios
High Priestess
High Priestess
Posts: 2352
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:51 pm
Location: Eilistraee.com
Contact:

Mass Effect 2 - Process of the Artist

Post by Shir'le E. Illios »

The artist mentioned in the title is the artist of the Mass Effect: Redemption comic who gives us a look at how he works. But first there's a couple of other Mass Effect 2 articles as well.

ActionTrip has [url=http://www.actiontrip.com/features/mass ... l:2dvbxs8g]part 2 of their progress report[/url:2dvbxs8g]. Here's an excerpt:

[quote:2dvbxs8g]Transition has been improved on the Normandy as well. "You get the schematics of the Normandy and each deck as you through it, but again, it's so much faster," continued Casey. "Now it's just a ton of fun to move all around the Normandy, go between decks and go up and down from your quarters and engineering at the bottom, and just zip around the Normandy, talk to everybody, see what's going on, there's a lot of activities there... So yeah, even something like that we've improved. Texture loading, texture resolution, memory frame-rate and all of that stuff is much improved."[/quote:2dvbxs8g]
Cheat Code Central has an article about [url=http://cheatcc.com/extra/interviewmasse ... l:2dvbxs8g]the (a) conference call with Project Director Casey Hudson[/url:2dvbxs8g]. Here's an excerpt:

[quote:2dvbxs8g]The format of this conference call had select journalists (including us) posing about five questions to Mr. Hudson ahead of time via email. This gave him time to prepare his responses, but it also allowed him to avoid a couple of my key questions. Most importantly, whether DLC would play a greater role in Mass Effect 2; a question to which I think I've been able to infer the answer, but I'll save that for the end, as some crucial spoiler info (already widely reported on) helped me put the pieces together. Nevertheless, a lot of good questions posed from by peers were also included that helped clarify what we can expect from Mass Effect 2.[/quote:2dvbxs8g]
Nothing really new and the 'spoiler' it warns for at the end is so well known now that I don't consider it much of a spoiler. It's basically just saying that it's possible that Shepard won't survive the end.

Over on Comic Book Resources we have [url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... 8:2dvbxs8g]an article by artist Omar Francia[/url:2dvbxs8g] about his work on the Mass Effect: Redemption comic. It's quite interesting, I found it particularly interesting that he uses 3D modeling as a model for drawing the backgrounds of the comics, as you can read some of in this excerpt:

[quote:2dvbxs8g]This is maybe the "not necessary part of the process for every comic book artist," but for me - and for this kind of licensed project, where you have a whole universe to respect in every panel - I find 3D modeling is an amazingly useful tool! Not only for ships, as I did in "Star Wars: Legacy," but for background and props too! If I'm going to be serious in narrating with the camera POV, in a determinate location, I better have a detailed 3D model of that space so I can place the camera in any corner I like, change the angle or reverse it, but always keep the feeling that we are in the same place.[/quote:2dvbxs8g]
The article includes a number of images showing the various stages of the process. Should be a fun comic (and I quite like Liara, so that helps ;) ).

And as a final treat, or really more of an announcement of a treat to come, there's [url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/105/10538 ... l:2dvbxs8g]IGN announcing[/url:2dvbxs8g] that they'll broadcast a new cinematic trailer for Mass Effect 2 (which they say is just as good as the Star Wars: The Old Republic trailer) in their show on Fox this weekend. I don't care much for the show (which I'm sure I won't be able to see outside of the US), but I'm sure that the trailer will hit the Internet sooner or later anyway. Can't wait.

Here's what they have to say about the trailer:

[quote:2dvbxs8g]On Saturday, Dec. 12, IGN will be making airwaves with Fox TV. Sure, we've had our fair share of television programming before, but never like this. Not only will you find a dedicated half-hour special, which is full of our picks for the best holiday videogame gifts, but also the exclusive first look at Mass Effect 2's stunning, new cinematic trailer. Did we mention it's awesome and eye-popping just like the [url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/816935/bi ... l:2dvbxs8g]Star Wars: The Old Republic cinematic trailer[/url:2dvbxs8g]?

What's that? You don't believe us? Fine. We'll just have to teach you a lesson and show you this screenshot!

[center:2dvbxs8g][url=http://media.ign.com/games/image/articl ... g:2dvbxs8g][img:2dvbxs8g]http://media.ign.com/games/image/articl ... 56-000.jpg[/img:2dvbxs8g][/url:2dvbxs8g][/center:2dvbxs8g][/quote:2dvbxs8g]
Unfortunately for me Commander Shephard is and always will be a woman, so that trailer should give a nice disconnect. Either way I'll post the trailer when I come across it online.


[UPDATE]

Just came across an article [url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/51938 ... d:2dvbxs8g]on Voodoo Extreme[/url:2dvbxs8g] announcing the celebrity cast for Mass Effect 2. Here's their text:

[quote:2dvbxs8g]BioWare's been hitting the streets of hollywood and have snagged some interesting cast members for [url=http://masseffect.bioware.com/:2dvbxs8g]Mass Effect 2[/url:2dvbxs8g]. The game features Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Martin Sheen (“The West Wing”, “Apocalypse Now”), 2009 Emmy Award-winner Shohreh Aghdashloo (“House of Saddam”), comedic actor Seth Green (“Austin Powers”), “Chuck” stars Yvonne Strahovski and Adam Baldwin, Keith David (“Crash”) and sci-fi favorites Michael Dorn (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) Tricia Helfer (“Battlestar Galactica”), Michael Hogan (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Carrie-Anne Moss (“The Matrix”). Shiznit, that's pretty nice.

[quote:2dvbxs8g]“Emotionally engaging narrative is a key design pillar for BioWare, and the top-notch voice talent in Mass Effect 2 helps drive this goal,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “Credible, powerful personalities are vital to delivering a compelling story experience in BioWare’s games, and we have assembled an amazing ensemble cast that surpasses the very high bar set in the original Mass Effect!”

Esteemed actor Martin Sheen stars as the mysterious Illusive Man who commands Cerberus, a secretive paramilitary organization dedicated to protecting human interests in the galaxy. Yvonne Strahovski plays deadly Cerberus operative Miranda Lawson, who has been genetically engineered for superior mental and physical traits. Returning to the cast from the original Mass Effect is Seth Green as Joker and Keith David as Admiral David Anderson. And rounding out the vocal roster are Tricia Helfer as EDI, the voice of the new Normandy; Carrie-Ann Moss as Aria T’Loak, the crime lord who rules the planet Omega; Shohreh Aghdashloo as Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay; Michael Hogan as Captain Bailey; Adam Baldwin as Kal ‘Reegar; and Michael Dorn as Gatatog Uvenk.[/quote:2dvbxs8g][/quote:2dvbxs8g]
My, those include a lot of big names there.


[[url=http://www.actiontrip.com/features/mass ... l:2dvbxs8g]link[/url:2dvbxs8g]] to progress report at ActionTrip.
[[url=http://cheatcc.com/extra/interviewmasse ... l:2dvbxs8g]link[/url:2dvbxs8g]] to conference call article at Cheat Code Central.
[[url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... 8:2dvbxs8g]link[/url:2dvbxs8g]] to Process of the Artist article at Comic Book Resources.
[[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/105/10538 ... l:2dvbxs8g]link[/url:2dvbxs8g]] to trailer announcement at IGN.
[[url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/51938 ... d:2dvbxs8g]link[/url:2dvbxs8g]] to celebrity cast announcement at Voodoo Extreme.


Love -x-x-x-

Shir'le
F'sarn natha tithaur wun l'su'aco.

-= Shir'le E. Illios =-
Chosen of Eilistraee
Post Reply