Misplaced Pages

#480519

43-492: The game featured an epic story spanning many locations; Kingdom of Beroth, Castle of Shadows, The Shaggoth's Lair, The Temple of the Fire Demon, The Tower of Beroth, The Sea of Sand, The Underground Swamp, Gold Mine, Bridge Over Abyss, Temple Maze, Room of Pits, Lords of Chaos and finally The Black Crystal. To load all of these locations on such early computers, the program employed a multi-load mechanism. The player takes

86-483: A "continue countdown" screen, in which the player has a limited amount of time (usually 10, 15, or 20 seconds) to insert additional coins in order to continue the game from the point where it had ended; deciding not to continue will result in the displaying of a game over screen. The continue feature was added to arcade games in the mid-1980s due to arcade owners wanting to earn more money from players who played for longer periods of time. The first arcade game to have

129-485: A continue feature was Fantasy , and the first home console cartridge to have this feature was the Atari 2600 version of Vanguard . As a result of the continue feature, games started to have stories and definite endings; however, those games were designed so that it would be nearly impossible to get to the end of the game without continuing. Salen and Zimmerman argue that the continue feature in games such as Gauntlet

172-409: A distinct art form in their own right: due to the running length of a half-hour block of programming on Japanese television providing more time for the actual episode as opposed to commercials, an episode is able to budget one-and-one-half minutes each for an OP (opening sequence) and ED (ending sequence). These will invariably feature pieces of vocal music, sometimes sung by members of the voice cast for

215-468: A few cases in which titles and credits are sung, including the musicals Sweet Rosie O'Grady (1943) and Meet Me After the Show (1951). Since the late 1950s, film title sequences have been a showcase for contemporary design and illustration. The title sequences of Saul Bass and Maurice Binder are among the best examples of this. They also inspired many imitators both in cinema and on television. In

258-465: A major part of video games for decades. However, it is only recently that game title sequences have been able to match the quality and fidelity of film and television titles. Deus Ex: Human Revolution by Eidos Montréal and The Last of Us by Naughty Dog are two examples of Triple-A games that have employed film-style opening title sequences. Professor Layton and the Lost Future had

301-560: A play." Glossary of video game terms#Multi-load games Since the origin of video games in the early 1970s, the video game industry , the players , and surrounding culture have spawned a wide range of technical and slang terms. Also isometric graphics . Also triple A . Also badge , trophy , medal , cheevo . Also aim down sights . Also control stick and thumbstick . A term used in many role-playing and strategy games to describe attacks or other effects that affect multiple targets within

344-477: A powerful healing spell may affect anyone within a certain range of the caster (often only if they are a member of the caster's party ). Some games also have what are referred to as "aura" abilities that will affect anyone in the area around the person with the ability. For example, many strategy games have hero or officer units that can improve the morale and combat performance of friendly units around them. The inclusion of AoE elements in game mechanics can increase

387-467: A restart of the current map. Each map is loaded in sequence from the tape and as such makes this ZX81 title feel unique. The player would have to enter commands to complete parts of the map, with different sections having different controls. As the game-world was very big, the player could save and load progress, and could revisit locations by entering co-ordinates. The player would rely on a mix of Purity, Physical Strength and Spiritual Strength to succeed

430-430: A sense of gravitas it was hoped television would be unable to compete with. As cinema's title sequences grew longer and more elaborate, the involvement of prominent graphic designers including Saul Bass and Maurice Binder became more common. The title sequence for Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest is generally cited as the first to feature extended use of kinetic typography . This innovation, in turn, influenced

473-418: A series' original title sequence can allow a producer to change many key elements within a programme itself, without losing the show's on-screen identity. Other variations include changing only the theme music whilst keeping the visuals or vice versa. Some series make minor changes to the title sequence of each episode, such as superimposing a different episode title on each one. Others make minor alterations to

SECTION 10

#1732786697481

516-502: A specified area. For example, in the role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons , a fireball spell will deal damage to anyone within a certain radius of where it strikes. In most tactical strategy games artillery weapons have an area of effect that will damage anyone within a radius of the strike zone. Often the effect is stronger on the target than on anything else hit. See also: Splash damage Area of effect can also refer to spells and abilities that are non-damaging. For example,

559-461: A stronger foothold in the mind and memory of the audience." As of the beginning of the 21st century, title sequences can be found bookending a variety of media besides film and television including video games, conferences, and even music videos. Some films have employed unusual and fairly elaborate title sequences since the late 1910s; in America this practice became more common in the 1930s. In

602-469: Is a great graphic adventure that sees you traversing a variety of different environments to destroy the gem of the title. Spread across six impressive-looking maps, you’re given a variety of tasks ranging from retrieving keys to fighting dragons. ...the gripping gameplay will constantly push you forward for one more go." "...There are a few of these games that have gone down is history... 3D defender, Black Crystal, QS Scramble and Galactic Trooper are all worth

645-435: Is in some of these early short films that we see the first examples of title sequences themselves, being quite literally a series of title cards shown at the beginning of a film. With the arrival of sound, the sequence was usually accompanied by a musical prelude or overture . Slowly, title sequences evolved to become more elaborate pieces of film. The advent of television was a pivotal moment for title design because it forced

688-450: Is the method by which films or television programmes present their title and key production and cast members , utilizing conceptual visuals and sound (often an opening theme song with visuals, akin to a brief music video ). It typically includes (or begins) the text of the opening credits , and helps establish the setting and tone of the program. It may consist of live action, animation, music, still images and graphics. In some films,

731-633: The Atari 8-bit computers of the late 1970s and 1980s, the term attract mode was sometimes used to denote a simple screensaver that slowly cycled the display colors to prevent phosphor burn-in when no input had been received for several minutes. Attract modes demonstrating gameplay are common in current home video games. Also aim-assist . Also bunny hopping . Also backfilling . Also achievement . Also banhammer . Also beta testing . Also story mode and campaign . Also character select . Also clutching

774-445: The 1930s including Maytime (1937). Kyle Cooper 's title sequence for David Fincher 's Seven (1995) influenced a whole host of designers in the late 1990s. Its aesthetic has "been co-opted almost wholesale by the horror genre as a house style". Kenneth Branagh 's Hamlet (1996) actually has no opening title sequence. The only credits seen at the beginning are the name of the production company, Shakespeare 's name, and

817-425: The 1936 film Show Boat , cut-out figures on a revolving turntable carried overhead banners which displayed the opening credits. This opening sequence was designed by John Harkrider, who created the costumes for the original 1927 Broadway production of the musical. In several films, the opening credits have appeared against a background of (sometimes moving) clouds. These include The Wizard of Oz (1939), Till

860-582: The 1959 film Ben-Hur , the opening credits were set against the background of the "Creation of Man" in Michelangelo 's Sistine Chapel ceiling. As the credits progressed, the camera slowly zoomed in on the Hand of God outstretched toward Adam. In 1976, Saul Bass designed a title sequence for That's Entertainment, Part II in which he paid homage to a range of title sequences from earlier Hollywood films and replicated several novelty title sequences from

903-409: The 1960s television predilection for title design, resulting in the creation of strong graphics-led sequences for many television shows. Since then, the mediums of film and television have engaged in a kind of push and pull behavior, inspiring and spurring each other in different directions. There have been several such pivotal moments in title design history. The introduction of digital technologies in

SECTION 20

#1732786697481

946-745: The Clouds Roll By (1946), the David Lean Oliver Twist (1948), and the 1961 King of Kings . In 1947, the Technicolor film Sinbad the Sailor , the letters of the opening credits seem to form from colored water gushing into a fountain. Film titles and credits usually appear in written form, but occasionally they are spoken instead. The first example of this in American cinema was The Terror (1928). There are also

989-514: The ZX81, with elements of Lord Of The Rings grafted on to the adventure format. ...The program is large and is divided into six segments preceded by a short load test...it takes some time to master the use of keys controlling movement and weapons, and to discover the right tactics for various monsters. Still, Black Crystal has impressed me by its sheer quantity and generally high quality of presentation. I'm afraid I've become an addict." "...Black Crystal

1032-408: The backstory, as in I Dream of Jeannie or Gilligan's Island . Because it is produced at the outset of a series, the sequence will usually include visuals taken from early episodes already shot when it was prepared. Short clips of key characters may be used to introduce them and to credit the actors playing them, as with The Love Boat . In and around these elements may be other footage depicting

1075-406: The ballet. When the actual title appears on the screen we see Baryshnikov in his nutcracker costume and mask leaping into the air in slow motion and freeze frame. The "Overture Miniature" is heard during the opening credits. In contemporary television news a title sequence can be changed every day, by including footage of that day's news with a presenter's voice "teasing" the items. This ensures that

1118-438: The content of the sequence itself, to keep them from being completely repetitive each episode and to reward attentive viewers. For example, The Rockford Files would feature a different message left on the title character's answering machine , and The Simpsons features several unique elements in the title sequence of each episode (e.g. the couch gag). In anime series, opening and ending title sequences have evolved into

1161-419: The course of the series' run, they can become highly memorable. Theme music played during the sequence may be remembered clearly by viewers decades later. Title sequences can take a variety of forms, incorporating different elements. A song may summarize the backstory or premise of the series, such as for The Brady Bunch , The Beverly Hillbillies , or Mister Ed . Less commonly, a voice-over may serve

1204-447: The game and coming in clutch . A common term in video games for the option to continue the game after all of the player's lives have been lost, rather than ending the game and restarting from the very beginning. There may or may not be a penalty for doing this, such as losing a certain number of points or being unable to access bonus stages. In arcade game s, when a player loses or fails an objective, they will generally be shown

1247-412: The game is not being played. Originally built into arcade games , the main purpose of the attract mode is to entice passers-by to play the game. It usually displays the game's title screen , the game's story (if it has one), its high score list, sweepstakes (on some games) and the message " Game Over " or "Insert Coin" over or in addition to a computer-controlled demonstration of gameplay . In

1290-409: The late 1980s and early 1990s to film and television changed both industries, and accordingly the 1990s saw a resurgence in title design. Ironically, a key sequence in this resurgence was the main title to David Fincher 's Se7en , designed by Kyle Cooper while at R/GA , which was created using primarily analogue means. The title opticals for Se7en were created by Cinema Research Corporation ,

1333-465: The leading title company in the 1990s. Soon thereafter, television followed suit and networks like HBO began to develop more cinematic experiences for television, including more elaborate and considered title sequences. For example, when The Sopranos first aired in 1999, it was only the second hour-long television drama that HBO had ever produced. Its title sequence "helped lend the show a credibility and gravitas normally reserved for cinema, giving it

Black Crystal - Misplaced Pages Continue

1376-429: The major film studios to invest in making cinema more attractive in order to win back a diminishing audience. The "cast of thousands" epics shot on various patent widescreen formats were a direct response to television's successful invasion of the leisure marketplace. Part of cinema's new prestigious and expansive quality were orchestral overtures before the curtains opened and long title sequences — all designed to convey

1419-465: The many tasks needed to reach the Black Crystal. Due in-part to its innovative multi-load approach, the game has been frequently cited as one of the best ZX81 adventure games. "There are only two graphics adventures which stand out in the market at the moment. The first to be produced was Black Crystal from Carnell Software..." "Black Crystal is the most ambitious adventure game I've seen for

1462-514: The program, and will have unique animation that thematically serves to open and close the episode; often, guest animators will be brought in to direct and provide key animation for these sequences. The OP credits will usually include director, producer, animation director, studio, music, and OP animation credits: detailed staff and voice cast is almost always reserved for the ED. In anime produced primarily for an audience of young children, karaoke lyrics to

1505-420: The role of an adventurer who must traverse the fantasy Kingdom of Beroth to defeat Tobias. Tobias has summoned a Black Crystal and this can only be destroyed by visiting six maps and retrieving seven rings of power. Once collected, the player must defeat Tobias in a final showdown. The game was primarily a text-adventure with a graphical map. Completing a map allows the player to advance, while failure means

1548-403: The role of strategy, especially in turn-based game s. The player has to place units wisely to mitigate the possibly devastating effects of a hostile area of effect attack; however, placing units in a dense formation could result in gains that outweigh the increased AoE damage received. Also display mode and show mode . A pre-recorded demonstration of a video game that is displayed when

1591-553: The same function, as for Star Trek , Quantum Leap , or The Twilight Zone . Often a song will more generally set the theme of the series, such as for WKRP in Cincinnati , Cheers , or All in the Family . An instrumental piece may be used the same way, as for Taxi , The Bob Newhart Show , or Dallas . A title sequence will at some point badge the show with a typographic logo. Visuals may be used to quickly present

1634-618: The setting, or examples of scenes common to the show (e.g. car chases for a police drama, household activities for a sitcom, singing and dancing for a variety show). Although a title sequence may be modified during a series to update cast changes or incorporate new "highlight" shots from later episodes, it will tend to remain largely the same for an entire season. Some shows have had several quite different title sequences and theme music throughout their runs, while in contrast some ever-popular shows have retained their original title sequences for decades with only minor alterations. Conversely, retaining

1677-563: The song will sometimes be provided at the bottom of the opening and ending sequences. For further information on anime openings, see Music in Japanese animation . Television specials, especially of classic works, sometimes contain unusual opening credit sequences. In the title sequence of Mikhail Baryshnikov 's 1977 version of Tchaikovsky 's ballet The Nutcracker , for example, we see closeups, freeze-frame and slow-motion shots of Baryshnikov and female lead Gelsey Kirkland "warming up" for

1720-455: The title of the film. However, the title is shown by means of the camera slowly panning across the base of the statue of the dead king Hamlet, whose ghost will appear in three scenes of the film, and who will play a crucial role in the story. Title sequences for television series have routinely played a central role in establishing the show's identity. Repeated at the beginning of every new and rebroadcast episode, usually with limited changes over

1763-546: The title sequence appears fresh but still identifies the news program by its music and visual style. In 2010, TV Guide published a list of American TV's top 10 credits sequences, as selected by readers. The series, in order of first to tenth, were: The Simpsons , Get Smart , The Mary Tyler Moore Show , the original Hawaii Five-O , True Blood , The Big Bang Theory , Dexter , The Brady Bunch , Mad Men , and The Sopranos . The animated introduction, attract mode , title screen, and title sequence have been

Black Crystal - Misplaced Pages Continue

1806-421: The title sequence is preceded by a cold open . Since the invention of the cinematograph , simple title cards were used to begin and end silent film presentations in order to identify both the film and the production company involved, and to act as a signal to viewers that the film had started and then finished. In silent cinema, title cards or intertitles were used throughout to convey dialogue and plot, and it

1849-1113: Was an outlet for conspicuous consumption . Also crit . Also cinematic . Also control pad and directional pad . Also day zero . Also day one . Also free-for-all Also conversation tree . Also stick drift . See also level Also software testing and Software release life cycle . Also infinite runner . Also electronic sports , e-sports , eSports , competitive gaming , cybersports and professional gaming . Also field of vision . Also invincibility frames , invulnerability period , mercy invincibility . Also full perfect combo (FPC). Also gameplay mechanics . Also gameplay mode . Also Buy-to-play . Also Live Service Games . Also goated . Also: infinite health , infinite life , invincibility , invulnerability Also hit points (HP). Also hi-score . Also damage ring . Also i-frames . Also independent video game . Title screen A title sequence (also called an opening sequence or intro )

#480519