In today’s gaming news, learn more about Dwarf Fortress will likely never complete its mission to recreate (almost) all of existence, but a crucial milestone is going to be reached: the game’s release on Steam. On December 6, the graphical edition of the PC’s most in-depth simulation will be released on Steam, complete with the adorable sprite art we’ve been following for the past two years, a fully redesigned user interface, and a beautiful acoustic soundtrack. Meanwhile, Pablo Kuntz is the original voice actor for Albert Wesker, the sunglasses-wearing and nearly unkillable Resident Evil antagonist. He simply neglected the work. The task, which he described as a “great experience,” was one of a number of freelancing assignments he performed in Japan in the late 1990s, in addition to modeling and acting work. Lastly, Electronic Arts has secured a contract with Marvel to develop “at least three new action-adventure video games,” each of which will have an original tale set in the Marvel universe.
Dwarf Fortress’ Steam Release Date is Set
Original Source: The Steam version of Dwarf Fortress finally has a release date
Dwarf Fortress won’t be done simulating (almost) all of existence, but it’s ready to launch on Steam. The graphical version of the PC’s deepest simulation releases on Steam on December 6 featuring beautiful sprite imagery, a revamped user interface, and a nice acoustic soundtrack.
This version will feature the Fortress mode, where you establish and govern a dwarven civilization and strive to resist elf raids and underground aquifer floods, and the Legends mode, which generates a world and history for you to study. Adventure mode, a roguelike D&D where you control individual adventurers instead of a colony, won’t be available on Steam.
Bay 12 Games is “working hard to make sure these modes are their finest when they launch on Steam & Itch,” according to a press statement announcing the December 6 release date. The Steam page says Adventure mode’s distinctive UI will require several months of work. Once that’s done, the creators will start Dwarf Fortress’ next big update: a procedurally created magic and myth system.
Developers Tarn and Zach Adams and publisher Kitfox said a few details remain before launch:
“We’re not sure if Arena mode, Steam Workshop integration, or Classic mode will be at launch, but all are extremely close and partially working,” they said on Steam. “These three things may launch or be patched in weeks following. After launch, we’ll add more graphics. We want more plant visuals (evergreens, real world plants, etc.) and baby animal photos instead of scaling down adult ones. Red panda cubs and gigantic eaglelets!”
As I noted earlier, the new Steam version’s tutorial should make the notoriously difficult game more approachable, and mouse-friendly menus should help, too. I hope everyone who played RimWorld—which was inspired by Dwarf Fortress—tries it out. $30 at launch
The Original Voice Actor of Resident Evil’s Most Recognizable Villain Found Himself in the Game 25 Years Later
Original Source: ‘You can only imagine my surprise’—how the original voice actor of Resident Evil’s most iconic villain discovered he was in the game 25 years later
Imagine voicing a gaming villain.
Imagine setting the stage for every actor who took on the high-profile part with your deep chuckle, cool demeanor, and over-the-top acting.
We didn’t get lines coaching… I scarcely remember this being a game.
Imagine doing all that without realizing it.
Pablo Kuntz, the original voice of Resident Evil’s Albert Wesker, knows how that feels. He simply forgot. This was one of many freelance jobs he accepted while living in Japan in the late ’90s, including modeling and acting.
An old voice acting job is unlikely to be a vivid recollection. I like to imagine Capcom personnel agonizing over every detail of the game that coined “survival horror,” but it seems Pablo simply did his job.
“We weren’t instructed when we ran the lines, and I barely recall knowing it was a game. So new! “saying, “As a 24-year-old adventurer, I tried my best.”
Campy acting and dialogue in the original Resident Evil make sense. Kuntz gave it his all despite lacking instruction and knowing little about his role.
“I remember snickering when delivering numerous lines; it’s natural for me. I wasn’t faking a voice. I was being myself. RE1 Wesker sounds/feels natural.”
Despite without knowing it, his genuineness has helped kept his lines fresh in fans’ memories. Kuntz only learned about his work’s utilization recently.
“You can imagine my amazement,” he says.
Being the initial villain in a 115-million-copy series is a great surprise. Even after his in-game death, Wesker has appeared in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Teppen. He’ll probably return to Resident Evil.
Fans have long wanted to celebrate with the largely unknown original voice cast, but they’ve been hard to find. Capcom only acknowledged English voice performers with first names in Resident Evil—Pablo wasn’t. The effort to reach out has been worth it for everyone on both sides of the fan/actor split, and Pablo has enjoyed learning how well his work is received in Resident Evil circles. One comment on a video about Japanese swords sparked a liking for his most renowned piece.
“Reconnecting with fans changed my life,” he says. “Meeting supportive, caring, and witty folks has been a blessing. … The game’s popularity initially surprised me, but I no longer find it surprising. We understand.”
His son Lexonal and he developed a father-son survival horror double act on YouTube last year. The first game they tackled was Resident Evil, with Lexonal playing, Pablo delivering general analysis and personal experiences, and fans expressing positive encouragement and practical help in the comments. Pablo’s first time seeing his voice acting in context was an emotional one.
“It was surreal watching your son play the game and hearing your voice. The mansion scene was amazing. Even though I’d watched the YouTube clip, playing the game was a shock. Recording my voice brought back memories of my 18 years in Japan.”
These snug playthroughs have led to a greater personal respect of the series and Pablo’s much-memed work.
“Dialogue, puzzles, laughter, frustration, overall struggle… The longer we played RE1, the more the voices matched the gameplay “saying
Lexonal was originally less impressed with his dad’s prior job than other children. “I suppose I received a ‘that’s cool’ in his distinctive deadpan style,” Kuntz says. Lexonal has embraced the series, and their joint playthroughs are remarkable.
“As a dad, I’ll never forget this moment. I appreciate every episode we do together and aim to support him as we explore.”
Fans have pushed Pablo to redubbing legendary Wesker scenes he didn’t voice the first time around. It’s a challenge he’s glad to take on, in part to satisfy his own curiosity and to restore “a certain consistency [read: Canadianness!] to the voice,” which had become more British as the series went on. His work on these videos is excellent even without considering he’s been away from the part for 25 years. His controlled approach on Wesker interacting with Jill in the first game’s remake shows he cares about nailing his evil alter ego’s portrayal.
“There’s evil in all of us, and voicing Wesker must be therapeutic,” he argues. Even villains laugh easily. “My personality tends to laugh a lot, so I was eager to laugh in Code Veronica as I would in real life.”
Kuntz claims he’s liked redubbing Code Veronica the most, but he has no plans to stop there (I can’t wait until he gets to Resident Evil 5’s “COMPLETE. GLOBAL.SATURATION.” monologue).
Kuntz’s voluntary dubbing sessions must work around his day job, which doesn’t include bioweapons but does entail selling antique samurai swords online. “It’s my passion, and I’m fortunate to have clientele from around the world who share it,” he says.
How does someone go from voicing horror games to selling traditional Japanese crafts?
“Listen to what feels good in your bones; that feeling is powerful. Pursue it, but be ready to make adjustments along the way. Commitment, honesty, and accountability are essential. Enjoy the ride! Never point fingers.”
Pablo is the original Wesker, so you wouldn’t expect him to be encouraging.
For decades, he forgot.
Electronic Arts is Producing 3 Marvel Games
Original Source: Electronic Arts is making ‘at least’ three Marvel games
Electronic Arts announced an agreement with Marvel to produce “at least three new action adventure games,” each with an original story set in the Marvel universe.
The first project in the partnership is EA Motive’s September-announced Iron Man game. The game will be a third-person, singleplayer action-adventure game led by Marvel’s Avengers and Guardian of the Galaxy producer Olivier Proulx. It will channel Tony Stark’s complexity, charisma, and creative creativity. The Iron Man game was in pre-production when announced; no release date has been set.
“We’ve long admired Marvel’s leadership, so this is a big milestone for our developers, players, and fans,” said EA COO Laura Miele. “We look forward to welcoming Marvel to the EA family of creators and know this collaboration will generate outstanding player experiences. We can’t wait to see players’ responses when they become Iron Man and do his feats.”
Unlike EA’s Star Wars arrangement, Marvel’s isn’t exclusive. Amy Hennig, former Uncharted creative director, is working on a Marvel game with Captain America and Black Panther at Skydance New Media. It also shows that EA’s loss of exclusive Star Wars rights did not cause enduring animosity—parent Marvel’s company is Disney.
Tomorrow, November 1, Electronic Arts will release its second quarter fiscal year 2023 earnings, so we may learn more about the deal and other games involved then. Keep posted.
Summary of Today’s Computer Gaming News
Overall, Dwarf Fortress may never finish simulating (almost) all of existence, but it’s ready to premiere on Steam. The graphical version of the PC’s deepest simulation releases on Steam on December 6 featuring charming sprite art, a revamped user interface, and an acoustic soundtrack. This version will feature both the basic Fortress mode, in which players establish and manage a population of dwarves while fending off elf raids and underground aquifer flooding, and the Legends mode, which produces a whole world and history for players to explore. Adventure mode, a type of roguelike Dungeons & Dragons in which you control individual adventurers as opposed to a colony simulation, will not be included in the Steam release.
On the other hand, The character of Albert Wesker in Resident Evil was portrayed by Pablo Kuntz. While he was in Japan in the late ’90s, he took on a number of freelancing projects, including modeling and acting, and this was one of them. A voice acting job from almost 20 years ago is probably not going to stick out in your mind. As much as I’d want to believe that the core Capcom personnel agonized over every last aspect of the game that would go on to coin the term “survival horror,” it seems that in reality, there was a job to be done, and Pablo was the one who did it. “We weren’t instructed during line ups, and I barely remember realizing at the time that we were supposed to be preparing for a game. Everything was brand-new, and “he explains “At the time, I was a young adventurer of 24 years old, and I did the best I could.”
Finally, Electronic Arts secured an agreement with Marvel to produce “at least three new action adventure games,” each with its own original tale in the Marvel universe. First up is EA Motive’s Iron Man game, unveiled in September. The game will be a third-person, singleplayer action-adventure game led by Marvel’s Avengers and Guardian of the Galaxy producer Olivier Proulx. Iron Man was in pre-production when announced, and no release date was given.
