Starfox - Krystal

Ah, Krystal. The Starfox character that wasn't meant to be a Starfox character.

This is where I apply a lot of the 'I know best' mentaility to the Starfox franchise. It's strange - normally when I have ideas relating to someone else's property, I'm usually reluctant to get too creative as I'm concerned that any additions I create may not be 'worthy' enough in the eyes of other fans. Who's to say my ideas are good ones? Though I did recently see the film Terminator Genysis, which was utter cack, so surely I can't do a worse job than that.

However I am more inclined to take creative liberties with Starfox and particularly with Krystal. Maybe it's because she wasn't actually created by Nintendo and wasn't designed as a Starfox character in the first place. (if you don't know, Rare were developing a game for the N64 called Dinosaur Planet. The two main characters were foxes called Krystal and Sabre. However for whatever reason, Dinosaur Planet became Starfox Adventures, Fox replaced Sabre and Krystal remained, although in a far more diminished role from what would have been originally intended).

So anyway, the first main change I made was her outfit. I can't say I was sold on her attire from SF Assault onwards. The full suit felt at odds with the type of character I got the impression with from SF Adventures. Her appearance in that game was a bit more tribal and mystical. The full skin-tight suit she donned after that feels as though it goes against her personality and fashion sense. I mean, I've been living in Melbourne for a number of years now, but I still don't have the urge to turn into a hipster with a stupid haircut. Anyway, I certainly wasn't going to go back to the tribal bikini Krystal wore in SF Adventures. That's way too minimalist for a member of the Starfox team. What I'm trying to achieve is something of a middle ground. I think the trick is to keep her clothes looking a bit traditional, but have her equipped with techy gear. She did actually wear a tunic in Dinosaur Planet, but the similarity wasn't intentional. I might give her a jacket like the other Starfox team members wear, but so far I think                                                          this is ok.

The other major change is that I am dropping her telepathic abilities. Nuts to that. I mean, I'm happy for Krystal to be mystical and be capable of some sort of power (channelled through her staff), but telepathy feels like one step too far and out of place in a sci-fi world like Starfox. I was going to say the other reason for getting rid of the telepathy was because she never displayed such abilities in SF Adventures and again, seemed to be an addition given by a different studio and not the original creator, but looking back, there was a scene in SF Adventures where Fox was exiting Moon Mountain pass and heard Krystal calling out from wherever the hell she was. This may have been telepathy, but I think she coughed/spluttered during her plea - something you surely wouldn't do if you were communicating by thought - so maybe this was her talking and the message was relayed through the Krazoa spirit Fox was talking to at the time. But anyway, if I ever get around to making my Starfox animated series, it's a big fat 'no' to telepathy.

Road Rovers - 1000 views

Yay! My Road Rovers animation recently clocked 1000 views on YouTube! Yes I know, 1000 views over a three month period is nothing to brag about, especially when there are videos that can reach over a million in a couple of days. Still, a milestone is a milestone.

Falco

Continuing with drawing the characters from Starfox. I was going to start this post by complaining that Falco is difficult for me to draw and I struggle to get him to look as good as I'd like. However once coloured, it didn't look too bad. But Falco is still a challenge for me regardless.

Anyway, found out some conflicting opinions with Starfox Zero. I watched the Co-Optional Podcast (on YouTube) where they covered this year's E3 and spoke for a bit about SF Zero. There was criticism about the controls. The idea is that you control the vehicles with the control stick, but aim by using the gamepad's gryo functionality, which according to those on the Co-op podcast, felt clunky and awkward. However on the TV series Good Game, they were saying that although the controls felt like they would take some getting used to, overall Starfox Zero would be something the fans may enjoy. I like Good Game's optimism that SF Zero would be good, but I have to agree with the Co-ops negative opinion on the controls. I've played the 3DS version of Starfox 64, which also has the option of using the system's gyro controls to steer the vehicles. I've tried it and it doesn't take long before it becomes awkward and I've often found myself holding the 3DS at a weird angle despite that I'm flying straight. At present it sounds like with SF Zero you HAVE to use the gyro controls, but the Co-Op podcasters were hoping Nintendo relegate the gyro functionality to an option, not as a necessity. I hope they do too. To me the idea of steering with the control stick and aiming with motion controls sounds sort of like the 'pat your head and rub your stomach' clusterfuck.

Anyway, I'm still looking foward to ol' Starfoxy. I hear it's set for release in December so I really do hope Nintendo will use the time to take in feedback and refine the game. Like I've said before, Starfox Zero doesn't have to be a masterpiece, but I still want it to be good.