Art Feature: Lily Graphics

Continuing in the series of art features today I have something a little different. Already making a name for herself in the VP community Lily Graphics designs logos and banners for social media accounts, Youtubers, E-sports teams and much more. 

With almost one-hundred designs on her Instagram account  alone, it is evident that Lily is not short on inspiration or drive. 

For more check out her Instagram here.

Art Feature: Eugene Dorofeev

Continuing with the art features and The Last of Us Showcasing, here is the work of Eugene Dorofeev. A Russian based character artist. 

The majority of his work is not fan art but his own. Like all creatives he is inspired by his interests and that shows in his gritty, comic book style. 

For more of his work check out his art station here.

Indie Dev Interview with Lauri Paakinaho

Indie games have a special place in my heart. I started my gaming journey on the Game Boy Colour and cheap titles on my laptop at the time. Being an indie developer is no easy task, most struggle to make a profit and releases can be very hit and miss. Yet if you take the time to turn away from the eye candy of the triple A titles the games industry has to offer, you can be entertained by countless little gems. 

Today we have an interview with Lauri Paakinaho, the one man army that is Woblyware. Due to my love of Devious Dungeon I felt the need to interview him on his experiences and inspirations. 

Many in the VP community seek to work their way into some avenue of the games industry so I hope this interview is as helpful and inspiring as I found it.  


Q: Having created a range of indie titles what would you say has beenyour favourite project that you have worked on so far and why?
A: I'd have to say Omega Strike is my personal favorite. It's the
biggest game I ever made and put the most effort into. To me it feels
like the most complete game I've made.

Omega Strike

Q: I loved the character and level design across all of your games. Whatinspires you to create such vibrantly cute worlds?
A: It's just a style I like a lot. From all the inspiration I've took
from other artist, this kind of style always looked great in my opinion
and eventually my own art style developed in the same direction.

Q: In your time as both a gamer and a creator is there any other Indietitles that have inspired you?
A: Yes, several games have inspired me along the way such as Spelunky,
Mercenary Kings and many many smaller games like old flash games.

Spelunky by Derek Yu

Mercenary Kings by Tribute Games

Q: What were the biggest obstacles you faced being an indie developer and how did you overcome them?
A: I work mostly alone, so the biggest problem is making games that are
good enough to stand among all the other games that are coming out. It's
really hard to make a living as an indie dev and you never know if your
project will be profitable. But somehow after 10 years I'm still doing
this for a living so maybe I'm just extra lucky hehe.

Q: Do you have any advice for budding games designers out there?

A: Start small and try to finish projects. It's fairly easy to get your
game released on the App Store or Steam these days and even though the
game may not make much money, it will look good on your resume if you're
looking for a job in the games industry.

Q: And finally do we have a new game on the horizon to look forward to?

A: I've been working on a game called Royal Frontier which is a turn
based roguelite. It should be coming out later this year or maybe next
year.

Art Feature: Hour of Dawn

Starting today I am venturing into slightly new territory for interest and variation. I have seen many virtual photographer commission artists to draw game characters or their original Characters (OC). Therefore in order to show appreciation to these fine creatives I will be doing the occasional art feature. 

My first is Hour of Dawn. 

Svetlana the Russian watercolour artist paints portraits of various figures from TV, music and with the Last of Us Part 2, now games. 

Very reasonably priced for such fine work, Svetlana offers commission work as well as a large catalogue of completed designs. 

To see her on social media and her storefront check out her Link Tree here.

The Last of Us Part 2: Gr8gamingshots

As The Last of Us showcases continue today we have the shots of Gr8gamingshots. Thrilled to have him on board with the showcase, he has always been an inspiration to me. From the first day I made my account I followed him and I have been an avid support of his work ever since.

Today in this host of early The Last of Us Part 2 content we see Ellie at the start of the new road ahead. Being a virtual photographer that spends his time exclusively shooting from PS4 games with a decent photo mode, he has honed his skills and knows how to find and capture set pieces. This is especially relevant in his pursuit of Spider-Man and the effective use of locations and remote areas to get exactly what he desires.

Many virtual photographers shy away from backgrounds when it comes to portraiture, but Gr8gamingshots always takes in into consideration to tell the story within the shots. 

Since he sent me these pictures Gr8gamingshots has uploaded more. To see those and plenty of other games check out his page here.

Plat Runner 06: Clash Force

Yesterday I received my first preview copy of a game from Ratalaika Games. Clash Force is due out tomorrow and I feel very fortunate to have gained a copy ahead of release.

Ratalaika Games is well known for its short, affordable and easy to platinum games. Clash Force is no exception at the price point of €4.99 and a plat time of 25-45 minutes based on your skill set. While this is covering the PS4 version, it will also apply to the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch.

The game itself is a tribute to side scrolling platform shooters of the past. Using only the standard button to shoot made the game a tense, classic feeling game of the genre. The bosses were challenging and the levels fairly brutal. I managed to get to level 18 before starting to use the turbo fire mode.

Holding either of the right triggers allows for a constant stream of firepower. For those just in it for the platinum trophy, this will get you through the required 15 levels with very little challenge whatsoever. It removes most of the threat and vanquishes the majority of enemies before they even enter the screen. On my second play through I hit level 15 in 20 mins using this tactic. 

For fans of the classic platforming, Clash Force feels like Sonic meets Mega Man. It’s fast paced, vibrant and athletically pleasing pixel artwork takes me back to my early days of gaming. It gave me the same rush as the classics did back then, made my thumb hurt and put a smile on my face. 

Another two features that I really enjoyed were the lack of respawning enemies. In most games such as the near impossible Ninja Gaiden, if you made the mistake of going to far back enemies in front of you and behind you would respawn, often making a tactical retreat impossible. In Clash Force enemies stay defeated, making a hit and run tactic very preferable. The other feature I loved is the jumping. Out of nearly all of the indie titles I’ve played, the jumping in clash force is fluid and so smooth to control. The height and distance is easy to determine, so much so that most of the time I didn’t have to deploy consider jump timings or large drops. I found I could jump weave through hazards and land where I needed to.

The game is short at a mere 21 levels but on harder difficulties and not using the turbo function, you will get more than your moneys worth. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and for any gamer it will be another platinum in the cabinet. 

Hints and Tips

• If you are finding an area especially challenging use the hit and run tactic, approach, shoot and back up.

• The hardest level (In regards to the platinum) I found was level 5. Use the platforms to jump ahead and doge the bats. I didn’t even worry about killing most of them.

• If stuck (or lazy) use R1 or R2 to turbo fire.

The Last of Us: Bombeardcaps

The Last of Us by Bombeardcaps

Today we have a showcase from Bombeardcaps. Virtual photography aside, one thing I adore about their profile is the organisation. Playing one game and posting their last played, allows us to have a visual journey of not only a single game but also their experience with it. 

The Last of Us by Bombeardcaps

The majority of good virtual photography, much like real world photography tells a story, and it is here on Bombeard's profile we see it. Each shot in its own right is full of emotion and depth, but side by side with the others it allows the viewer to see the photographers progression throughout the game's journey.

The Last of Us by Bombeardcaps

Currently they are uploading Assassin's Creed Origins, but the The Last of Us Part 2 is being played. I implore you to check out more of their work here and in time, there will be much more of The Last of Us 2 to follow on from these wonderful shots. 

The Last of Us by Bombeardcaps

The Last of Us Part 2 by Leonardoxangel

The Last of Us Part 2 by Leonardoxangel

Leo has been featured on this blog prior to this showcase and was interviewed about his virtual photography a few months ago. Now he is back with his Last of Us 2 photography.

The Last of Us Part 2 by Leonardoxangel

Having fallen for the framing and cinematic option in Deathstranding, Leonardoxangel showcases his new found passion with these shots from the Last of Us 2.

The Last of Us Part 2 by Leonardoxangel

I think you will agree that he has come on leaps and bounds from his older work. Like any good creative he has proven that with a constant pursuit of his hobby and being adventurous, improvement comes naturally. 

The Last of Us Part 2 by Leonardoxangel

What started out as a page mainly of elegant portrait pictures has now developed into a far more ambitious and cinematic spectacle. I love seeing creativity develop and the creatives go into new territories that they previously did not explore. For more of his fantastic work check out his profile here.

 

July's PS Plus Games Announced

July not only brings the 10th anniversary of PS Plus for Sony but also with it three titles for the month. These are as follows:

NBA2K20

With the release of NBA2k21 potentially on the horizon, for those excited at getting in on the latest release of the franchise they will be happy to know that it is free this July. The replay mode also allows you to take some brilliant photographs. Perhaps something a little different from your usual virtual photography habits. 

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider comes to us for free also this July. The second in the series of the Tomb Raider reboots. Getting high critical acclaim of 90% or over from a huge host of respectable reviewers, it is certainly worth a play from anyone who hasn't taken the time to already. 

Erica

The least known out of the three giveaway games, Erica takes place following the deaths of both her parents, she finds herself floating through life alone in an apartment as the world passes her by. Her repressed memories come in the form of nightmares that eventually lead to the reopening of the murder case.

The game is only two hours long and is entirely FMV. Players interact with the story through button prompts on screen. It received mostly very favourable reviews and is certainly going to be a different experience from what gamers are used to.

The Last of Us: Gamevnom

The Last of Us by Gamevnom

Despite being a relatively new account on Instagram, Gamevnom aka Sebastian pulls no punches. His shots are vivid, bright and full of impact. Even in a dark and sinister game like The Last of Us, he injects with life and colour, capturing the vibrancy of the game and yet retaining the gritty drama.

The Last of Us by Gamevnom

I recommend Sebastian's work for anyone who is into decent and diverse virtual photography. Having only started his account in May he is one to watch as I am sure we have plenty more beauty to come. Click here to see more on his account.

The Last of Us by Gamevnom

Cyber Punk 2077 Xbox One X

I am not normally sold on exclusive and limited edition versions of consoles. I also don't want to appear to look like a Cyberpunk 2077 fangirl. Yet this new Xbox One X limited console is a work of art. It even glows in the dark!

Ready At Dawn absorbed by Facebook

The creators of The Order: 1886, Ready At Dawn have now been absorbed into Facebook. Under the corporate giant they will work on virtual reality games for the Oculus VR platform.

“As part of the Oculus Studios team, Ready At Dawn will continue creating memorable, immersive, and innovative VR content for gamers around the world as an independently-operated studio,” Mike Verdu, head of VR content at Facebook, wrote in a press release. 

However they will continue working on Lone Echo II, which is due out later this year, and retain their current working environment. 

The Last of Us: Wolfwithashield

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield

Known for her soft and dreamlike focus, Wolfwithashield's work is always distinguishable in the steady stream of virtual photography. 

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield

No matter the game, setting or situation, her shots always have the atmosphere of a classical painting.  The softness, bold colours and often glassy eyed portraits create a homage to modern gaming and traditional art.

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield

While these shots all focus on The Last of Us, her profile here, shows a wide range of games and genres, which I implore you to check out.

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield