From Scribe to Screen

Spring 2019

Title Page By Susan Ballesteros and Vivian Streber

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Letter from the Editors Dear Reader, The editors come from a variety of backgrounds, but we all shared an interest in entertainment in its many forms. Books provide the reader with a chance to immerse themselves in another world, while video games have the draw of a multiplayer function, inviting players across the globe.

From Scribe to Screen was created for all of this and more. The changing field of literature is examined in depth, with some commentary from James Howe, author of Addie on the Inside. You can also find a wealth of information about superhero comics and movies alike.

Lastly, the details and difficulties of creating an indie video game are investigated.

We hope there is something for everyone in the first edition of From Scribe to Screen.

Enjoy!

- Richard Avalos, Susan Ballesteros, Vivian Streber, and Grace Woodruff

Table of Contents MEET THE EDITORS

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BREAKING THE BLOCK

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TOP TEN CULT CLASSIC MOVIES

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HANDLING THE MARVEL UNIVERSE

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INK THROUGH THE AGES

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THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE TIMELINE

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STREAMING THROUGH TIME

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RISING INDIES

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THE LEGEND OF ZELDA TODAY

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SIDE QUEST

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Meet The Editors

The Gang Susan Ballesteros

Susan is an avid fan of video games and superheroes. In her limited freetime, Susan likes to read, play video games, write, and watch Marvel movies. She also likes to play her guitar and attempt to make sculptures.

Currently, Susan is tackling the world of Stardew Valley with a fervent obsession.

Grace Woodruff

Grace loves to read and bake. Her favorite book is Daughter of Smoke and Bone

by Laini Taylor, which everyone should read. She adores spending time with her dog Sunny, who is very playful but has very sharp teeth. Grace’s influence was integral to some parts of the magazine, but not to others. However, she came up with the title, so she should be awarded with endless applause.

Vivian Streber

Vivian is an art, comic book, and video game enthusiast who enjoys drawing in her free time. She’s frantically trying to catch up with the Zelda franchise after having completed Breath of the Wild, and is currently bouncing between playing The Wind Waker and Link’s Awakening. She’s pretty bad at Super Smash Bros., but likes playing it all the same.

Richard Avalos

Richard is far more than a “fan” of Marvel. He eats, sleeps, and breathes it. Richard also enjoys computer programming. The Marvel movie timeline and interview of head writer of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe are credited to him. Richard made this team a lot of fun and peppered our teacher with many questions.

All photos by Kendra Smith

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e Kle in y Zo hic b Grap

eaders love to get swept up in a good book, but this can be difficult for those who so rarely see people like themselves represented as protagonists. Increasingly, authors and publishers are focused on providing books that

better reflect their audience, for for diversity in his books. His everyone’s sake. goal is to make all teens feel seen and heard.

James Howe, author of The Misfits, a middle school “I’m hoping for two things,” book series that discusses Howe said. “One is that those bullying, and a member of the readers who are not like those LBGTQ+ community, strives characters will then open their

Breaking the Block Paving the Way for Diverse Texts

By Grace Woodruff, Layout Editor

minds and hearts to what it might be like to be someone like that. But I guess the other thing is that I also want to provide company for those who are like those characters and might feel alone.”

The Schoolastic Kids & Family Report examines

diversity in children’s literature.

The results show not only how much kids and parents want to be reading diverse texts, but also hot it affects readers to see characters that look like them and characters that don’t. Rudine Sims Bishop, a professor at Ohio State University, coined the term “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors,” which illustrates

the idea that children must have a mirror in the books they read to validate their identity, as well as a window into others’ lives to help develop empathy and a greater understanding of the world around them. She believes that when nonwhite children do not see themselves represented in the books they read, their self esteem suffers.

According to a report by the Cooperative Children’s Book

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you’re constantly exposing that are often unrepresented, yourself to other stories.” hoping to find novels that every child can relate to.

Cindy St. John, 8th grade English teacher at Fulmore, “Developing a love for believes it is incredibly reading at a young age is vital important to see a wide range to kids later development of skin colors and sexualities and becoming well adjusted in young adult novels. In adults,” Francisco said. her opinion, reading diverse Francisco emphasized texts encourages an accepting the importance of seeing a mindset in children. variety of perspectives in teen Photo “I think that experiencing literature. courtesy of somebody else’s point of view Anna Fulton “It just shows that there are allows us to really develop empathy for others,” St. John many different avenues and said. “But also really kind of there’s not just one way that combined. 73.3 percent of refine who we are as people.” things could happen. It just all children’s books feature a expands the scope of what is white main character.

I think that possible,” Francisco said. “It’s bad to only have one kind of Eugenia Vela, the e x p e r i e n c i n g story.” children’s event and somebody else’s marketing coordinator at Cindy St. John added her point of view belief in expanding one’s BookPeople, an independent bookstore in Austin, said allows us to really cultural values through reading. diversity is something very Without this expansion, a develop empathy close to her heart, as she is a reader’s understanding of the person of color and a member world is limited to exclusively for others. of the LGBTQ+ community. those who look like them.

Center in 2015, there are more books about animals and trucks than there are about Asian Americans and African Americans

“The beautiful thing about books is that it opens doors and windows, to different worlds, to different languages, different cultures, anything that, you just become a more open and well rounded person by doing that,” Vela said. “I do think there’s a connection because

- Cindy St. John, English teacher at Fulmore

“I don’t ever think that reading is a bad thing,” St. John said.“I think it really allows students to view the world through somebody Diversity largely impacts else’s point of Kimberly Francisco’s work as view.” a media selector for the Austin Public Library. When selecting H o w e novels for the library, she looks agreed, and for books featuring protagonists he believes that

reading helps to understand subconsciously associate those other people and life as a whole. voices with meaning,” St John said. “In turn, I think if if you “I think the more are a white male and you are perspectives that we can reading only texts that are of read, the more it helps us your own perspective, then understand, kind of exactly you might, you might feel, what I was talking about, about you know, an elevated sense of the complexity of life,” Howe [importance].” said.

Howe’s goal is to reach St. John described the people of all ages through dangers of living life without his book and communicate reading diverse books on a message of kindness and minorities and majorities acceptance. alike. Generally, majorities have an inflated sense of self “I hope to open the at the expense of the less minds and hearts of my represented group’s self esteem.

readers,” Howe said. “I hope to, if I can just expand someone’s thinking a little bit so they think, exactly what we’re just talking about really, like what is it like to be someone else,” Howe added. “And of course one thing I always want to offer my readers is hope.”

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“If kids grow up and they’re only reading books that are written by the white male perspective then they’re going to, consciously or

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Top 10 Cult Classic Fi

By Grace Woodruff

Harold and Maude Released: 1971 Director: Hal Ashby Graphic: Grace Woodruff

Monty Python Released: 1975 Director: Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones Graphic: Chungkong

Big Lebowski Released: 1998 Director: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen Graphic: Chungkong

Fight Club Released: 1999 Director: David Fincher Graphic: Chungkong

ilms You Need to See A cult classic is a film that was not well recieved when it was originally produced, but has since gained a dedicated, cult-like fanbase.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Released: 1975 Director: Jim Sharman Graphic: Chungkong

Princess Bride Released: 1987 Director: Rob Reiner Graphic: Chungkong

Heathers Released: 1989 Director: Michael Lehmann Graphic: Kath Anderson

Office Space Released: 1999 Director: Mike Judge Graphic: Chungkong

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Released:2001 Director: John Cameron Mitchell Graphic: Chungkong

Napoleon Dynamite Released: 2004 Director: Jared Hess Graphic: Chungkong

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Handling the

By Richard Avalos, Content Editor

An interview with Mike O’Sullivan, head writer of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, the premiere resource for superheroes and villains used by Marvel creators.

From Scribe to Screen: Why did you choose a career in comic books?

Mike O’Sullivan: I’ve been creative from an early age - I naturally navigated toward sci-fi in my hobbies while growing up (Voltron, G.I. Joe, Transformers) so comic books was the next step.

Reading them non-stop led to a desire to also create them. Thanks to supportive teachers I was able to actually break in to the field.

SS: Do you have another job, if so what is it?

MO: I create custom illustrations for clients. They tell me something about themselves or someone they love and I turn them into a comic strip character, a comic book page or a comic book cover.

SS: What is it like working at Marvel?

MO’S: It’s a mixture of a dream come true and utter disillusionment. On one hand I am doing what I set out to do in life, but on the other hand it’s dealing with a lot of red tape and limitations. Creative freedom doesn’t really exist with characters owned by a corporation. That can be disappointing sometimes, but I’d rather be working for Marvel than not.

SS: Being a writer for marvel with extensive knowledge of comics can you give me some information about things that have changed between the comic and the movies?

MO: There are just too many to list! The genius of the Marvel characters is that the essence of the characters are solid -- the origin stories, the motivations, the personalizations -- they are all some of the best mythological characters ever created.

Marvel Studios is being incredibly careful to preserve those core essences while taking them into new directions. Some of the stories are inspired by comics, but even then they don’t mirror them exactly. Lots of changes while still being true to the characters and stories that have been told.

SS: Do you think the MCU changed the movie industry?

MO: It seems like it to me. The idea of a shared universe had not Images courtesy of Marvel Comics been done to the level the MCU has accomplished. Getting the attention of “mainstream” society through super heroes is impressive, and the money generated has definitely reflected that. I’m sure there are many other

Marvel Universe ways that the MCU has affected the film industry, but those are the two that jump to my mind.

SS: What do you think makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe different from any other Cinematic Universe?

MO The focus on a shared universe and the solid characterizations. The drama fully interlaced with humor.

The quality of the films are also top notch.

SS: If you could change something from the comics to movies or vise-versa to make it resemble the other, what would you change?

MO: Bringing the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the MCU - fully combining the universes in the film world.

SS: if somebody wants to start reading Marvel Comics, how significant would it be to know the history of the characters?

MO: Not crucial, but just like anything, knowing the backstory makes for a more enlightening - and entertaining - experience. Marvel Comics (and the films) are doing a great job at introducing you to the characters/history/ relationships without needing to have the knowledge that my team has. I just think it’s more fun to have the full picture.

SS: How important do you think it would be for somebody who watches the MCU tv shows and movies to know more about comic book characters history?

MO: Not important at all. They are fully separate. Many, many people ask me about the comics after seeing the movies, and if I get them to read the mirrored comic story they can get confused or even disappointed things don’t match. I’m odd in that I won’t read a book of a film I’ve seen or vice versa (except for Marvel films) because I don’t like those variations and discrepancies. That probably unfairly influences me, but I like to keep my experiences intact without too much negativity or disappointments that come with being a very detail-minded person.

SS: Is there anything you would like to add on the topic of comics and movies MO: Not that I can think of. Thank you so much for talking with me!

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Ink of the Ages The evolution of superhero comic art

By Vivian Streber, Copy Editor he massive explosion shakes the very ground beneath the hero’s feet.

The stunned viewer watches the mechanical creature crash to the ground.

book but with even fewer words. This idea not entirely unfounded, as the intended audience of the first superhero comics were kids, but to make up for their lack of language, good comic books balance This epic scene is not reality. their script out with another It’s a comic book. essential component: their art.

Though comic book panels can keep the art within comic books confined into a single box, they certainly don’t confine the feelings that the harmony of art and language give a reader. The concept of a comic book is often thought of as rather childish by society, almost like a picture

Superhero comic books have been around in the United States as far back as 1938 with the release of the first Superman comic, and since then they have become a fundamental part of pop culture. There are some baseline

conventions in comics, such as speech bubbles and geometrical panel boxes. Many of these conventions have been broken over and over again, constantly providing comic lovers with new content. Throughout the production of comics, the art within them has gone through much change to shape them into what society is familiar with presently. The art of comic books is always in a state of change.

Captain Marvel in one of her Ms. Marvel costumes, with long hair and her classic lightningbolt symbol, currently being used by Kamala Khan as the new Ms. Marvel. To the right is Captain Marvel’s newer form, with short hair and a star symbol, as well as the inclusion of red in her costume.

Graphics By Vivian Streber

Gus Vazquez is a comic book artist, who has worked on comics such as the Big Hero 6 comic and draws individual characters across various franchises such as Marvel and DC. Vaquez takes

inspiration from other artists, while said. still independently developing his The range of color present own art style. in most modern superhero “I take my ideas from my head, comics is huge, much more though I will admit that sometimes, than the CMYK color if I’m stuck when trying to plot system that early comics out a story, visually, I might scan had access to. The CMYK through some comics that are system, more commonly in the style of what I’m trying known as the four color to draw, whether it be character system, uses a combination or mood,” he said. “When I was of cyan, magenta, yellow, younger, early in my career, I may and key (black) dots to create have tried to emulate other artists a halftone color image. The or just take elements I appreciated, modern day update in color but I really worked on having my pallette has given artists more own style... It’s not everyone’s bag freedom to break some of the of chips, but I have my own thing rules traditionally found in going.” comics, like staying inside of This idea of artist independence can help bring versatility to the style of art within comics, giving each their own look. The technological advancements made in the time between the first comic books and the comic books of in modern day have also changed the capacity for realism in modern comic books.

Comics are a visual art.

They’re a mix of words and pictures.

It’s a great mix of both.

Mike Chen is a long time comic book illustrator, known for his works in Comico comics such as - Gus Vazquez, Elementals, as well as the Impact Comic Artist comic The Black Hood. He also provided character art for Who’s panel borders.

Who: Definitive Directory of the DC Universe.

“I would say that the art is just more exciting, in “Computers have certainly general,” Vazquez said. “ improved the sophistication of Less borders, more abstract coloring in comic books,” Chen

art, more vibrant colors, etc. Things were a little less dramatic [back then], save for Jack Kirby’s art.”

Comic books in both the past and present have also made a big effort to be relatable to their intended audience. Their art draws from the culture and people of the time period in which they were created. The people at the times of the Great Depression and WWII are different than the people of today.

During WWII, comic superheroes in America beat up Nazis, encouraged people to join the army, and served as anti-Nazi propaganda. In a society filled with video games, movies, and the internet, one might expect comic books to fade out.

Chen makes the point that big comic companies are not always thinking about the story and art of a comic relative to the story.

“Economic and societal factors also influence what we see today,” Chen said. “Marvel and DC are owned by Disney and Time Warner respectively. Both entertainment conglomerates

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Marvel and DC, the movies have become such a big part of their universe that they are regarded as entirely separate cinematic universes. The Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe have certainly had an influence on comic artists and fan artists alike.

instruction from the editor, all art is derived solely from the artist’s mind,” Vazquez said.

“I don’t know many artists that let someone control their art or artistic choices, whether it be Marvel, DC, or any other company. There are a few companies that have what they call a ‘house style,’ but there’s only a few of them. It’s Big Hero 6, for example, not for me, and I’m not really began as a comic book that interested in doing that, but I Gus Vazquez worked on. guess I can see the appeal.”

However, once the movie version came out with entirely This freedom of artistic different character forms than choices has been consistent in the comics, Vazquez draws since the beginning of comics In an era where comic book artists the characters with more of and it is the source of much were restricted by technological and their movie attributes when of the variations found in financial factors, Jack Kirby was making art for fans. comic art. As comic books are able to draw dynamic characters and introduced to more and more action-packed scenes. This pin-up by “I believe that, while the skillful artists, comics will Jack Kirby is from Captain America movie versions do affect their most likely be in a constant #112, coutesy of Marvel Comics comic book counterparts to flux of artistic alteration. For will do whatever will bring some degree, the comic book some, this is problematic, as them the most profit. Today’s publishers are not completely they believe the works of the comic book audience -- heavily locked into what their corporate those known as the masters of affected by video games, owners dictate,” Chen said. comic art, such as Jack Kirby or movies, TV and the internet “There is still some artistic Joe Kubert, is being forgotten -- will also dictate what we freedom, until the publishers’ by modern audiences as the see and do not see in a comic corporate masters lay down the comics of the current day come to the forefront. book through their purchasing law.” power.”

It seems that more often “I think many of today’s than not, comic book artists artists are somewhat ignorant of

Movies have an derive more of their ideas the whole historic panorama of influence on the art of modern from their own style and what art that preceded them,” Chen comic books as well. The big visually pleases them. said. “Painters, illustrators, screen is an excellent medium political cartoonists, comic to reproduce comic book “As far as I’m aware, unless characters in. In the cases of there’s some sort of specific strip artists, gag cartoonists,

animators -- today’s artists should be exposed to the history of art. There is some exposure, but not enough in my opinion. Nevertheless, today’s artists make artistic decisions based on story demands, deadline pressures, editorial dictates, artistic influences, and their own stylistic whimsies.”

Either way, the business of comic books is going to keep moving forwards and adapting to whatever comes its way. Movies continue to get increasingly realistic in visual effects with improving technology. The art style of comic books have kept the cartoonish feel, while at the same time taking ideas from comic based movies. Patrick King, graphic designer and fan artist who has made several minimalist pieces of characters from the Marvel franchise, often takes more inspiration from comics than movies.

Cover art from one of the original Big Hero 6 comics (top) and a piece of Vazuez’s art made for a fan, based on the Big Hero 6 movie (bottom)

“As far as the designs go, I do tend to follow the comic designs a little more, because they’re a little more simplified.

Going back to Captain Marvel, I love

how the movie version of the costume looks,” King said.

“You can tell that the movie version took the original design and extrapolated the design in a more realistic and functional way, kind of like what they did with Captain America too. As far as my art goes, I think it’s easier to do the comic version because there aren’t quite so many fine details to keep consistent,” The art of comic books is really contributed to by everyone, because comics are made by people for people.

Artists take inspiration from themselves, their predecessors, and the human world around them. As a result of the different experiences of each artist, there’s a huge variety of comic books varying in art, writing, and character.

“Comics are a visual art,” Vasquez said. “They’re a mix of words and pictures. It’s a great mix of both. One can rarely survive without the other.”

“I need to say that I don’t limit myself to Marvel,” Vazquez continued. “There are so many companies out there...There’s something for everyone.”

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Captain America: The First Avenger Takes place in 1943-1945 Marvel’s Agent Carter (S1) Takes place in 1946 Marvel’s Agent Carter (S2) Takes place in 1947 Ant-Man & The Wasp(Flashback) Takes place in 1987 Captain Marvel Takes place in 1995 Captain America: Civil War(Flashback) Takes place in 1991 Iron Man Takes place in 2010 The Incredible Hulk Takes place in 2011 Iron Man 2 Takes place in 2011 Thor Takes Place in 2011 Marvel’s The Avengers Takes place in 2012

Spider-Man: Homecoming(flashback) Takes place in 2012 Iron Man 3 Takes place in 2012

Marvel’s Agents Of Shield (S1) Takes place in 2012-2013 Thor: The Dark World Takes place in 2013 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Take place in 2014 Guardians Of The Galaxy Takes place in 2014 Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Takes place in 2014 Marvel’s Agents Of Shield (S2) takes place between 2014-2015 DareDevil (S1) Takes place between 2014-2015 Avengers: Age Of Ultron Takes place in 2015 Jessica Jones (S1) Takes place in 2015 Luke Cage (S1) Takes place in 2015-2016

Ant-Man Takes place in 2015

THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE TIMELINE Spider-Man: Far From Home Uncertain placement Avengers: End Game Uncertain placement Avengers: Infinity War Takes place in 2017 Jessica Jones (S3) Uncertain Placement

By Richard Avalos The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a crazy timeling, here is the chronological order for all of the shows, movies, and flashbacks!

The Punisher (S2) Uncertain Placement Ant-Man & The Wasp Takes place in 2017 Thor: Ragnarok Takes place in 2017 Black Panther Takes place in 2017 DareDevil (S3) Takes place in 2017 The Punisher (S1) Takes place in 2017 Luke Cage (S2) Takes place in 2017 Iron Fist (S2) Takes place in 2017 The Defenders (S1) Takes place in 2017 Iron Fist (S1) Takes place in 2016-2017 Doctor Strange Takes place in 2016-2017 Marvel’s Agent Of Shield (S4) Takes place in 2016 Inhumans Takes place in 2016 Spider-Man: Homecoming Takes place in 2016 Captain America: Civil War Takes place in 2016 Marvel’s Agents Of Shield (S3) Takes place in 2016 DareDevil (S2) Takes place in 2016

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Netflix attempts to make a partnership with Blockbuster Youtube launches and enters the public eye Netflix is launched

1997

Blockbuster launches a streaming service

2000

2004

1995

The way people view movies at home has changed a lot the past few years, especially with the recent rise of streaming services.

2005

Streaming

By Susan Ballesteros

Through

Hulu starts as a private beta site

Netflix enters the streaming service business

2007

Blockbuster declares bankruptcy Hulu launches to the public

2007

Time

2008

Netflix makes its first original series

2010

2013

2015

21

Rising Indies

By Susan Ballesteros, Feature Editor

N

As the world has leveled up, so have video games.

o longer ruled by a small group of people, video games are readily available now, and, best of all, making a video game is easier than ever before.

philosophy to that,” Allegra Frank, writer for the gaming website Polygon, said. “There are games that have an indie sensibility that aren’t indie games.”

Indie video games are made independently or without the support of a large publisher and often change up the way other games are made through new technology and styles, providing new inspiration for future game makers to take and follow. Since the early 2000s, the popularity of indie games has been increasing.

The way games are classified continues to change as video games evolve, something Andrea Rene, co-host and producer of the podcast and YouTube channel What’s Good Games, agrees with.

There are different variations of indie games, making it difficult to pinpoint both an exact definition and defining factors.

“The definition of indie is really changing now with the way that many studios are self publishing on platforms like the Epic Game Store and even the Apple App Store,” Rene said, “so it’s more of a blurred line today than it has been in previous years.”

“Indies by definition [are] independent, so smaller teams or studios or just a single individual working on a game, but I also think there’s a certain

João Brant, cofounder of the indie game studio Long Hat House, compared AAA games — which are games produced by a major publisher — to indie

It’s not just a dude making games and posting it on steam, it’s also Sony seeking out independent developers - Allegra Frank, writer for Polygon games.

“An AAA game is a game with a budget of millions,” Brant said, “and when you get too big you start getting into a type of game that needs to sell more. It can’t be that experimental, and there’s a gradient between the full indie and the AAA, so that’s really hard to define, where does the indie end and where the AAA starts.”

In Dandara, the player helps the title character battle against opression by bouncing from wall to wall. Indie games have been reshaping the gaming industry as they’ve increased in popularity. Courtesy of Long Hat House

The experimental side of indie games helps them stand out from other types of games, putting indie games into their own category.

or stock prices, and that freedom from those financial responsibilities allows them to take more creative risks.”

a lot of those retro-skewing games ... looking like much older games. And I think that’s part of the nostalgic, indie, sensibility

Frank added another thing “The thing that’s really distinguishes indie games: the In 2019, there are more exciting about independent art. indie video games coming out games is that they can take than there ever have been in the “We’ll see a lot of those more risks when it comes to the past, and that makes it harder retro-skewing games,” Frank content of their game,” Rene for individual game developers said.

“And I think that’s part of said, “so we’re seeing some to be noticed. the nostalgic, indie, sensibility.” really creative, innovative “There’s tons of indie things in the game making “Part of that playing with games coming out every day, space because they aren’t convention idea,” Frank said, beholden to shareholders “is that aesthetic, so we’ll see

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so we gotta stand out from the crowd and do something that is different and calls attention, and at the same time be on a good, quality budget,” Brant said. “Everything that you do different you should do well as well.”

now want to make their own, who draw in from influences that are not just games they played but also other media today.”

released can be attributed to many things, including a recent rise in the popularity of programing in various schools and companies.

It can be harder to learn about new indie games because they often don’t get as much Of course, being different is attention or publicity as AAA not alway the thing people look games. for in indie video games.

“Indie games have always “I think what makes indie suffered from discoverability games popular is that nostalgic issues,” Rene said. “Because thing that I mentioned, the fact there’s just so many games that that people share that same are being made today, it’s really nostalgia for older games,” hard to see them all or find Frank said, recalling what she them all, and that really is the mentioned earlier. “Indies are tough part for an independent generally younger folks, the game maker.” next generation, people who The overwhelming amount played games growing up and of indie video games being

“We’re seeing many colleges now beefing up their computer science programs,” Rene said, “even doing video game development tracks … It’s been really inspiring and exciting to see younger generations have access to opportunities for education within the video game development field that were never available to me when I was growing up.”

Another, possibly bigger, contributing factor to the recent rise of indie video games is anyone can make a game now without necessarily needing fancy tools.

“It’s so easy to create one right now, the tools for the creation are available for everyone,” Brant said. “That’s what makes it, not the push for programing, but the ease of the tools.”

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Many big-name software and gaming companies have also recently jumped on the indie video game wagon.

“It’s not just a dude making games and posting it

on steam,” Frank said, “it’s also Sony seeking out independent developers.”

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There are many platforms that are geared toward indie video games, and those platforms have also helped along the popularity of indie video games.

The Nintendo Switch, for example, is popular in the gaming community for, including build indie games is likely to having a lot of indie games. decrease even more, making “The fact that people love the creation of indie games playing games on Switch more accessible. makes it an attractive system “For now we don’t see for independent developers to want to jump onto,” Frank said, much of true indie games,” “and Nintendo is becoming Brant said, “because of the increasingly aware of that and cost to build them, but I think that barrier is going to go away supportive of it.” soon, and we’re going to see all While there are other kinds of creations now, and all platforms that support indie kinds of ideas in indie games as games, there are also places well.” were these games are not Indie games will probably noticed as often as other games. see more support in the future, “I think where we’re really especially from publishers and seeing indies struggle the most gaming companies. is in the mobile platform,” “I think we’re going to Rene said, “because they’re just dominated by the the giant continue to see big companies really pulling for them,” Frank Free to Play developers.” said, “and I think that we’ll Going forward, the cost to continue to see them get higher

acclaim and recognition.

Think about how Celeste was nominated for some really major game awards last year, including game of the year at the Game Awards.”

Brant came up with an apt metaphor to describe the current state of indie video games and how they’re likely to grow.

“Nowadays,” he said, “making a game with your friends is like making a band with your friends — trying out songs — it’s so accessible.”

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By Vivian Streber

The Legend of Zelda video game franchise has been an ongoing series of Nintendo since 1986. Since then, many installments have been released on Nintendo’s various consoles.

Breath of the Wild The Legend of Zelda (NES) Link to the Past The Twighlight Princess The Wind Waker Skyward Sword Link’s Awakening Ocarina of Time Majora’s Mask Zelda II: Adventure of Link Phantom Hourglass Link’s Crossbow Training Minish Cap A Link Between Worlds Triforce Heroes Spirit Tracks Oracle of Seasons Oracle of Ages Four Swords Adventure

A group of 25 teenagers in Austin, TX took a survey on their most and least favorite games from the Zelda franchise, based on their overall experience from the game. Here are the top three choices from each category:

Breath of the Wild A Link to the Past Link’s Awakening

The cucco is an animal often present in the settlements within Zelda games. Funadmentally, they’re chickens, the only difference being the rage and power that silently burns within the cute, seemingly harmless little creatures. Any Zelda player worth their salt knows not to annoy a cucco, lest they want to die a humiliating death by an army of the flying fiends. The pronunciation of the word cucco itself has been debated for a while, as seen in the contrasting opinions to the right.

The correct pronunciation has been confirmed as Coo-Coh according to the Zelda Wiki page.

18.2%

Twighlight Princess

The Legend of Zelda (for the NES)

Phantom Hourglass

9.1% Cuh-coo Coo-coo Coo-coh Cuh-coh

45.4%

27.3%

27

Side Quest Throughout the magazine, you may have seen Moss Man and his friends on an adventure to find their favorite flowers! Did you manage to find them all?

Yes!

No!

Graphics By Susan Ballesteros

28

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