Tag: Lightsaber

Debugging Lenovo + Disney’s Star Wars: Jedi Challenges

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by Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Lenovo + Disney’s Star Wars: Jedi Challenges is an imperfect augmented reality game. This product can be ordered direct from the manufacturer or online. Best Buy had this product as an exclusive before the movie The Last Jedi. Fans lucky enough to get this product as a gift were no doubt excited, and hopefully, they did not have to return it as not all smartphones work. This product supplies the hardware to play and the software needs to be downloaded. This game is definitely for the lightsaber enthusiast. Trials of Combat, provides one heck of a workout for the arms and the other two (Insight and Leadership), knowing some board game battle strategy helps.

However, one huge problem exists: The tracking beacon (aka the Holocron) is supposed to indicate where the “floor” is. When I held it in my hand, the software did not recognize how close it was to my face and the hologram being projected did not scale down like it is supposed to (as seen in the series). I was often staring at the lower part of the map or my opponent’s feet.

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Top 5 Lightsaber Duels. #StarWars 2017 Edition

One of the best part of what makes Star Wars appealing is to wait for that exciting lightsaber duel.

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By Ed Sum
The Vintage Tempest

One of the best part of what makes Star Wars appealing is to wait for that exciting lightsaber duel. Whether that’s in the movies or the animated series, the choices are too numerous. Of the many, which one of them is the most memorable? Over the decades, fan films have also made their mark. With thanks to programs like Adobe Photoshop and After Effects making the animation process very easy.

The old rotoscoping method used in the original trilogy gave the plasma swords life which the prequel trilogy has never recreated quite as well. Refinements to the process gave that nuance back. After watching The Last Jedi yet again, I feel confident to offer my top five picks ranked in no particular order.

Yes, the obligatory spoiler alert is required as this latest film made the list. Credit has to be given to the Youtube folks who posted these clips and to the companies for not taking them down.

Star Wars: Rebels
“Twilight of the Apprentice”

Anyone who has followed The Clone Wars animated series will know about the relationship which developed between Master Skywalker (Anakin) and Padawan Ahsoka Tano. As that series came to an end, Tano left the order citing hypocrisy. Little did fans know at the time, these story points would come back to haunt many new Jedi masters (and certain old ones). Yes, it must be undone if a bright future for the galaxy is to take place.

Over the years, Tano became a free agent and in this return, she comes face to face with Darth Vader. Her battle reflects one of shock and revelation. Does she still stand by what he now represents or is there more at stake now?

The battle is heated and flashy. The force of good wields two silver blades than one (usually it’s the bad guys who do that), Lord of the Sith and deal with the best. He does not clearly beat her, but when the building itself crumbled with the two inside, everyone wants to know if Tano survived? Some fans like to think she did, but as for why this battle mattered shows how even loyalties are challenged to the bitter end despite the fact of who they were in the past.

Video posted by ARC Trooper TV

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[Spoilers] Questions Raised from The Force Awakens and Lightsaber Fan Theories

Other questions going on in my head while watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens is in why Ren wants Vader/Anakin’s lightsaber so bad?

Star Wars Force Awakens Official PosterNow that the weekend is over, at least half of the fandom population has seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Another percentage is waiting for the packed house to peter out and the rest will go after the holidays to watch this movie. Whatever the reason, those fortunate thousands will be waiting with bated breath for the next movie. Many questions were raised in this latest film, and the next part of this new trilogy will have to answer them. Spinoff products might chart the background of Kylo Ren, Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron, but how many people are realistically going to be looking at that?

The wait for the next film will be a long one. Fans growing up on this new trilogy will be five years older by the time the story wraps up. Everyone will be asking the same questions and the films to come should provide answers. For me, I feel the what needs answering — along with presenting my theory in what may transpire — is key to making this sequel trilogy fulfilling.

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There’s a new Lightsaber Kickstarting, and it’s child-proof!

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No die-hard Star Wars fan can be seen without either a lightsaber in their pocket or a Han Solo blaster in their holster especially during a fan gathering. For me, it’s a simple Darth Vader key that I wish would activate for real to melt the build-up of ice on any keyhole so I can get inside. Until that idea surfaces, the choices of lightsabers are limited to what Ultrasaber or Saberforge produces. They create customized hilts for Jedi or Sith to carry. When the illuminated blade element is touted to be durable enough to fight with, eventually through wear-and-tear — and eventual overzealousness of a swing occurs — they will crack and eventually break.

Calimacil Weapons is looking to change all that. They manufacture items safe for Live Action Role Playing (LARP) use and their range of items are not limited to swords, daggers, hockey sticks or crowbars. They have a Kickstarter campaign running until November 30 to build a kid-safe, foam-based lightsaber. With this product, it’s safe to bap people on the noggin, whap them on the knees and stab the blunt end onto skin. A welt is most likely going to form on the latter battle-technique (lightsaber fighting takes its inspiration from Kendo and fencing) but for people who really get into the fighting spirit, none of the other light-up blades can take the pounding that Calimacil is advertising about their product.

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