Well, helllllllooooooooo.....NURSE!
Sorry, Animaniacs humor. So, here we are again. A new season on the horizon. Fourteen people, but only one winner. It's going to be a really interesting ride. This is what I always love about starting off a new season, the not knowing. Who would of thought at the launch of Season Six that it would be an all Team Yensid final three, or that when Season Four started, JPhelps would make it all the way to fourth place. With that being said, it has to be noted that this is, in fact, our largest cast ever. I'm very excited for the opportunity to watch all you guys compete. It's going to be pretty crazy. Believe me, with all the twists we have planned, you guys really don't know the half of it. Well, enough with my ramblings, let's get to what I came here to do in the first place, do a full assessment on every single one of the fourteen personalities we have this season. Let's get to it, shall we?
I'll start with the Fans.
Monkey4057: This is a guy that we've been trying to get for quiet a while now. Now that he's finally in the cast, I think he'll be a force to be reckoned with. He's the perfect person to lead the Fans team. Even though he's not played the game before, he has plenty of experience in the forums. I believe it was Monkey who started the famous Disneyland Germany thread, probably the biggest open brainstorming session in the site's history. With that in mind, you KNOW this guy knows what he's doing. A potential All Star in the making!
DisneySea Fan: I don't really know what to make of this guy just yet. He's another familiar face around VF, but I don't believe he's ventured into the So, You Want to be an Imagineer forum very much, though I could be wrong. At any rate, the fact that he's a regular makes me more confident that he'll deliver.
Twilight Roxas: Oh yes, Twilight Roxas. This guy might be just a little bit on the crazy side. Haha. And I'm not saying that in a bad way. I worked with Roxas closely on his Toronto Disneyland open brainstorming thread. It was from there that I knew that this guy had some potential. He's not exactly the most reliable person in the world, but he's got a head swimming with interesting ideas. I'm excited to see if he will step up to the plate and realize his potential this season.
MickeyFan5534: Probably the biggest question mark in the whole cast, just because I really don't know anything about him. He's new, I believe he signed up just for the game. Only time will tell how he ends up fairing.
AdvBlueDude: This is someone I really have my eye on. Back in Season Six, there was one person in particular who applied, someone who kind of came out of the blue, that I really had a strong feeling would go a long way. That person was PL7764. I'm getting similar vibes with this guy. I don't know, maybe it's just the fact that he listed John Lennon as his favorite non Disney artistic inspiration (big brownie points in my book, haha) or the fact that he's already contributing a lot of interesting ideas, but I really think he's one to look out for.
MouseketeerCole: He was the last piece of the puzzle. When we were down to seven favorites, and six fans, he applied and made this a complete cast. What do I make of him so far? He seems to be yet another bright, energetic up and comer. I really think the Favorites have their work cut out for them this season, because all these fans really do seem to be extremely "into it". It's just a day into the game, and already he's stepping up to the plate in a lot of ways. Looking forward to seeing how far he can go.
And now, the Favorites team...
JPhelps: Controversy is his middle name. As has already been established, he basically tore through Season Four like a whirlwind, ending up way further than anyone initially thought. What's there to say about JPhelps? He's just a really interesting, complex personality. When it came down to casting Season Six, we had thirteen applications total, which means I had to cut one person. I ended up going with JPhelps just based on the fact that his application was the least compelling of the returning players. I promised him a Team Leader position next season, though, and, well, here we are. It'll be very interesting to see what kind of leadership qualities he may or may not possess.
Jessiestudio: Jessie is a case of a really hard worker who came *this* close to being an All Star. Unfortunately, due to the fact that his season, Season Four, was so chock full of huge personalities, he kind of has been forgotten a little bit. When I gave one of his projects a slot in the Top 10 Projects list, however, his interest sky rocketed. I'm really excited to see if Jessie can really shine this season. He's one I'm rooting for.
Disneylover4ever: He's a cannon contestant at this point, having appeared three times. Season two, his original season, and then seasons four and six. He's the first successor to CostaFreak when it comes to underdogs. He's still in the underdog position this season. Unfortunately, I did promise him a Team Leader position after he ended his run in season six. This was because before the Fans vs. Favorites concept was developed, our idea for an opening twist involved the Team Leaders being underdogs. Disneylover4ever's got a lot of competition this season. I really hope he can make an impression again. In Season Six, he did have the shining moment of getting Team Ansem's lemonade stand project in on time single handed. He's always been an underdog, and he's always been endearing. Looking forward to seeing what he can do this season.
KingMickey: Ah yes, one of the most prolific contestants in the game's history. He started life as one of those out of nowhere contestants that came close to winning. In Season Four, it was an epic battle between him and long time near-champion BasketBuddy101, in which BasketBuddy barely beat him out. Since then, his two performances have been less than stellar. He quit in season five, and in season six, he was out Pre Jury. This time though, it seems to me like he's really in it to win it. He's yet another huge force to be reckoned with.
MaterA113: I'd say Mater, in two seasons, has created one of the most memorable and personal storylines the game has ever seen. Season Five practically REVOLVED around him. Even though he was eliminated second that season, that elimination turned everything on its head. It's still to this day the most controversial elimination in the history of the game. In Season Six, he more than came back with a vengeance. He was arguably Team Ansem's secret weapon, and made it all the way to the semi finals, where (we all know this story by now) he was barely beaten out by eventual winner PL7764 for a spot in the final three in THE hardest decision I've ever had to make. Can he make the finals this time? We shall see. At any rate, he's one of THE most memorable contestants the game has ever seen, so I'm sure he'll bring SOMETHING to the table.
TrevorA: Speaking of players being out for vengeance, now we come to Trevor. It's a classic story. A person of considerable talent going out WAY before their time, returning to undo that injustice. Well, in Trevor's case, the one flaw that killed his game last season was simply that he forgot to let his team know he was going on vacation. At the end of project one, everyone thought he was in it for the long haul, which is why it was such a shock that he was eliminated the very next project. I have extreme confidence in Trevor. I really think he'll contribute a lot to the game and be a worthy adversary. It's interesting to note that Mater and Trevor, both players who were eliminated way too early and returned, are the two hosts of the other popular Imagineering game, The Imagineer at WDWMagic.
Hack2112: And this is the other personality associated with the game. Okay, I'll admit that placing Hack in the Favorites team was a bit of stunt casting, considering we had a ratio of six returning players to eight new players, but in reality, having a judge from another contest come in really does put a very interesting twist on the mostly tried and true personalities of the rest of the Favorites. Already I can see that he is contributing a lot of interesting ideas. Hack's a wild card, I'll give him that much. It will be really interesting to see how he interacts with the rest of his team throughout the season.
Well folks, there's your Season Seven cast for you in a nutshell. Some Power Players, some underdogs, and all kinds of question marks. The game has been going on for barely even 24 hours, and yet you guys have managed to get six pages worth of brainstorming in. As I said in the brainstorming thread, this is going to be a season for the record books!
Oh yeah, and one last twist to add to Project One! Remember the contest during the Top 10 Projects where you could send me a write up for a chance to earn a secret power? Well, we already have one in play. (The person in question knows of his power and has been given instructions on how to use it) Let's put another one in play, shall we. For the remainder of Project One, all contestants have the opportunity to PM me their own Blue Sky Project (Again, just pitch me ANYTHING having to do with Disney parks) for a chance to win a secret power that they will be notified about via PM. Team Leaders need not apply. You guys have until the deadline (June 5th) to PM me your own personal Blue Sky Project for a chance at that elusive secret power. Good luck!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Top 10 Projects: The Epic Finale (Part Two)
Ugh. Well, I feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually absolutely drained. Lost is over, summer is starting, and quiet frankly I have no idea how to feel about either of those two things. Well, regardless, I figured since I have been building this countdown up, I might as well finish it. Sorry if I'm not my usual enthusiastic self today. It's one of "those" days, if you know what I mean. Well, anyways, there's one thing that I am absolutely sure of at this point, and that is that season seven is going to be EPIC. What's the best way to prepare for season seven, which launches tomorrow? By finally revealing my choice for Top Project of All Time. Everybody ready? Then here we go...
1. Legend of the Lost Army, DisneyFreak59 (Season One, Project Four)
It has to be noted that not only did this particular project, season one, project four, deliver us THE greatest project in the history of the game, it was also the project that featured the most famous event in the history of the game, which (as has already been discussed previously in the blog) was the moment when front runner BasketBuddy101 was eliminated over underdog CostaFreak. Setting the stage for six seasons worth of events to follow. It's hard to put into words exactly how huge that eventual decision wound up becoming. It basically set forth the idea that ANYONE can win the game. In the early days, a big problem in the core design of the game was that it had the potential for the big power players to just coast all the way to the end with very little trouble. That's more or less been settled in the more recent seasons, because of the fact that you have to be a good team leader as well as a creative force if you hope to win.
Now, enough about the game at large, and more about this project. As I stated in Part One of the epic finale, this project is indeed NOT as detailed, throughout, and intricate as Jag's Sleeping Beauty Musical project from season two. Why exactly is this number one, then, you ask? One reason and one reason only. This particular project has a legacy unlike no other. DisneyFreak58 (Who eventually went on to win Season One, as we all know) even went on to team up with Darth Boomer to create a version of the attraction in RCT3, which became one of the most popular roller coaster simulator projects ever posted on this site.
But really, the project just speaks for itself. I know that's kind of a cop out thing to say, but honestly, what more needs to be said? I think overall, what makes this project stand out the most, in my opinion, is how realistic and feasible an idea it is to see Disney doing sometime in the future. It basically delivered on all fronts. It was fun and exciting from beginning to end, was rooted in real mythology, and gave the World Showcase its own signature mega E Ticket. Not to mention the fact that the thing is pretty much the perfect length to sit down and read in one sitting. The presentation is engaging, and all throughout reading it, even to this day, I can't help but think "Why hasn't Disney made this by now?". In six seasons of the game, it's ironic that after all this time, the original is STILL the best. Well done, DisneyFreak!
So, here's the Top 10 Projects, in order.
10. All That Jazz Shop/Hungry Bear Refurb, Jessiestudio (Season Four, Project Six)
9. Wall*E Experience, BasketBuddy101 (Season Three, Project Four)
8. Middle Earth River Adventure, Romanarms (Season Five, Semi-Finals)
7. Timber Mountain Adventure, Team Ansem (Season Six, Project Two)
6. Main Street Court House Tower of Terror, BasketBuddy101 (Season Four, Project Eight)
5. Storybookland Canal Boats Refurb, Elisokool (Season Three, Project Three)
4. Paradise Pier Hotel Pool Refurb, Team Merlin (Season Six, Project Six)
3. Disney's Twin Peaks Wilderness Adventure Park, PL7764 (Season Six, Final Project)
2. Sleeping Beauty Musical, Jagfkb (Season Two, Final Project)
1. Legend of the Lost Army, Disneyfreak58 (Season One, Project Four)
Did your favorite make the list? Any you disagree with? What would you pick? I'd love to hear what people have to say regarding the matter. If you were disappointed that you weren't on the list, fear not. After Fans vs. Favorites and All Stars (the next two seasons) play out, I will have another, completely refined list of the Top 25 Projects. So you might have a chance to shine yet. In the meantime, the moment of truth is almost upon us. Tomorrow, bright and early, I will reveal season seven's cast, get to the first project, and post a FULL cast assessment on the blog. It will be an exciting day!
-Tiki
1. Legend of the Lost Army, DisneyFreak59 (Season One, Project Four)
It has to be noted that not only did this particular project, season one, project four, deliver us THE greatest project in the history of the game, it was also the project that featured the most famous event in the history of the game, which (as has already been discussed previously in the blog) was the moment when front runner BasketBuddy101 was eliminated over underdog CostaFreak. Setting the stage for six seasons worth of events to follow. It's hard to put into words exactly how huge that eventual decision wound up becoming. It basically set forth the idea that ANYONE can win the game. In the early days, a big problem in the core design of the game was that it had the potential for the big power players to just coast all the way to the end with very little trouble. That's more or less been settled in the more recent seasons, because of the fact that you have to be a good team leader as well as a creative force if you hope to win.
Now, enough about the game at large, and more about this project. As I stated in Part One of the epic finale, this project is indeed NOT as detailed, throughout, and intricate as Jag's Sleeping Beauty Musical project from season two. Why exactly is this number one, then, you ask? One reason and one reason only. This particular project has a legacy unlike no other. DisneyFreak58 (Who eventually went on to win Season One, as we all know) even went on to team up with Darth Boomer to create a version of the attraction in RCT3, which became one of the most popular roller coaster simulator projects ever posted on this site.
But really, the project just speaks for itself. I know that's kind of a cop out thing to say, but honestly, what more needs to be said? I think overall, what makes this project stand out the most, in my opinion, is how realistic and feasible an idea it is to see Disney doing sometime in the future. It basically delivered on all fronts. It was fun and exciting from beginning to end, was rooted in real mythology, and gave the World Showcase its own signature mega E Ticket. Not to mention the fact that the thing is pretty much the perfect length to sit down and read in one sitting. The presentation is engaging, and all throughout reading it, even to this day, I can't help but think "Why hasn't Disney made this by now?". In six seasons of the game, it's ironic that after all this time, the original is STILL the best. Well done, DisneyFreak!
So, here's the Top 10 Projects, in order.
10. All That Jazz Shop/Hungry Bear Refurb, Jessiestudio (Season Four, Project Six)
9. Wall*E Experience, BasketBuddy101 (Season Three, Project Four)
8. Middle Earth River Adventure, Romanarms (Season Five, Semi-Finals)
7. Timber Mountain Adventure, Team Ansem (Season Six, Project Two)
6. Main Street Court House Tower of Terror, BasketBuddy101 (Season Four, Project Eight)
5. Storybookland Canal Boats Refurb, Elisokool (Season Three, Project Three)
4. Paradise Pier Hotel Pool Refurb, Team Merlin (Season Six, Project Six)
3. Disney's Twin Peaks Wilderness Adventure Park, PL7764 (Season Six, Final Project)
2. Sleeping Beauty Musical, Jagfkb (Season Two, Final Project)
1. Legend of the Lost Army, Disneyfreak58 (Season One, Project Four)
Did your favorite make the list? Any you disagree with? What would you pick? I'd love to hear what people have to say regarding the matter. If you were disappointed that you weren't on the list, fear not. After Fans vs. Favorites and All Stars (the next two seasons) play out, I will have another, completely refined list of the Top 25 Projects. So you might have a chance to shine yet. In the meantime, the moment of truth is almost upon us. Tomorrow, bright and early, I will reveal season seven's cast, get to the first project, and post a FULL cast assessment on the blog. It will be an exciting day!
-Tiki
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Top 10 Projects: The Epic Finale (Part One)
Hello, everyone!
What a week, what a week, what a week. That's all I can say. This week, a lot of things just randomly kind of fell into place in terms of season seven. As has already been discussed, there was a bit of a scare back when there was a dead period of about a week and a half of no activity. For a second there, I thought we were going to be looking at an eight or nine person season, which, quiet frankly, would of been anti climatic. The "A-ha!" moment came to me early in the week, when I realized that out of the people who had signed up before, it was an even split of new and returning players. Thus, a new concept was born. I'm sure you're all familiar with it by now...Fans vs. Favorites (Yes, we did take a page from Survivor. It's a non profit contest, sue me)
What's really exciting about this particular cast (I'll have a FULL cast assessment on every single contestant on Tuesday) is that the Favorites team isn't JUST made up of All Stars. In fact, there's a few familiar faces who you will recognize, but know that they didn't make the finals. This is because "Favorites" doesn't neccisarily have to mean "All Star". Now, come All Star season, that will be a different story. But for now, "Favorite" just means those familiar with the game.
The Fans cast is a different story. To be honest with you, a lot of it kind of rests on how well the new people perform. I'm worried that they won't be able to beat the Favorites team which does have a few Power Players on it, but at the same time, I see more potential for them to come together as a team whereas the Favorites team (Especially with their controversial Team Leader, who will be revealed Tuesday) will have to overcome a lot of personal dynamics if they hope to work together. One thing's for sure, it's going to be a fun ride! Anyways, all that is coming in a couple days. In the meantime, I figured now would be a good as time as any to get down to it and post the remaining two projects on my countdown. As I said last blog, the last two really go above and beyond the call of duty, and kind of stand on their own as the "Citizen Kane/Godfather" combo of "So, You Want to be an Imagineer", if that makes ANY kind of sense. Haha .Well, let's get to it, shall we!
2. Sleeping Beauty Musical, Jagfkb. (Season Two, Final Project)
Ah yes, this is probably one A LOT of you have been waiting for. Indeed, this is a classic for a reason. Before I get started on why this project is such a mind blower (which, really, should be pretty self evident), I think a little personal history on Jag might be in order. Jag started out on this board long before I did. (Remember, I was basically the last minute third judge. I didn't officially take over as host until season four) His main claim to fame is the "Imagination: The Musical" thread, which was basically his idea for an epic, Fantasmic! style show on Broadway, except on an even bigger scale than Fantasmic! Jag always had an eye in the theatrical world.
In terms of the game itself, he started life like me, as a fellow judge. He watched the game develop with me, witnessed the iconic moments that would come to define the game such as BasketBuddy getting eliminated over CostaFreak in the final four. When season two came a long, it was no surprise that he wanted to compete after witnessing the birth of a game firsthand. The funny thing about Jag was that for quiet a while in season two, he was a very under the radar personality. That season, most of the big theatrics were being done by either BasketBuddy (Who was absolutely out for revenge that season) or the controversial underdog Disneylover4ever. Jag always had good projects, but he never made a big deal out of his presence like the people surrounding him did. Eventually, he squeezed all the way into the final two.
For the final project that season, we wanted to do something nobody was expecting. That's why he hatched VERY early on, before Jag was even in the cast, that the final project be a big budget stage production. It would be something challenging and with A LOT of areas to cover. It's no surprise that Jag ended up hitting a grand slam here. I mean really, what needs to be said? This is probably the most well rounded, comprehensive, detailed, and best laid out project in the game's history. Page after page of detailed info, all chronicling a stage play that would be really fantastic to see happen. It's just a fantastic project every step of the way. You may be wondering why it's not number one. Well, make no mistake, this project is, by all means, a masterpiece of the game. The next project, however, is number one for a variety of reasons. It's probably the project that defined exactly how the game would aim to be played from that point project. It's probably the most well known project in the history of the game. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what it is, if you haven't guessed it already!
-Tiki
What a week, what a week, what a week. That's all I can say. This week, a lot of things just randomly kind of fell into place in terms of season seven. As has already been discussed, there was a bit of a scare back when there was a dead period of about a week and a half of no activity. For a second there, I thought we were going to be looking at an eight or nine person season, which, quiet frankly, would of been anti climatic. The "A-ha!" moment came to me early in the week, when I realized that out of the people who had signed up before, it was an even split of new and returning players. Thus, a new concept was born. I'm sure you're all familiar with it by now...Fans vs. Favorites (Yes, we did take a page from Survivor. It's a non profit contest, sue me)
What's really exciting about this particular cast (I'll have a FULL cast assessment on every single contestant on Tuesday) is that the Favorites team isn't JUST made up of All Stars. In fact, there's a few familiar faces who you will recognize, but know that they didn't make the finals. This is because "Favorites" doesn't neccisarily have to mean "All Star". Now, come All Star season, that will be a different story. But for now, "Favorite" just means those familiar with the game.
The Fans cast is a different story. To be honest with you, a lot of it kind of rests on how well the new people perform. I'm worried that they won't be able to beat the Favorites team which does have a few Power Players on it, but at the same time, I see more potential for them to come together as a team whereas the Favorites team (Especially with their controversial Team Leader, who will be revealed Tuesday) will have to overcome a lot of personal dynamics if they hope to work together. One thing's for sure, it's going to be a fun ride! Anyways, all that is coming in a couple days. In the meantime, I figured now would be a good as time as any to get down to it and post the remaining two projects on my countdown. As I said last blog, the last two really go above and beyond the call of duty, and kind of stand on their own as the "Citizen Kane/Godfather" combo of "So, You Want to be an Imagineer", if that makes ANY kind of sense. Haha .Well, let's get to it, shall we!
2. Sleeping Beauty Musical, Jagfkb. (Season Two, Final Project)
Ah yes, this is probably one A LOT of you have been waiting for. Indeed, this is a classic for a reason. Before I get started on why this project is such a mind blower (which, really, should be pretty self evident), I think a little personal history on Jag might be in order. Jag started out on this board long before I did. (Remember, I was basically the last minute third judge. I didn't officially take over as host until season four) His main claim to fame is the "Imagination: The Musical" thread, which was basically his idea for an epic, Fantasmic! style show on Broadway, except on an even bigger scale than Fantasmic! Jag always had an eye in the theatrical world.
In terms of the game itself, he started life like me, as a fellow judge. He watched the game develop with me, witnessed the iconic moments that would come to define the game such as BasketBuddy getting eliminated over CostaFreak in the final four. When season two came a long, it was no surprise that he wanted to compete after witnessing the birth of a game firsthand. The funny thing about Jag was that for quiet a while in season two, he was a very under the radar personality. That season, most of the big theatrics were being done by either BasketBuddy (Who was absolutely out for revenge that season) or the controversial underdog Disneylover4ever. Jag always had good projects, but he never made a big deal out of his presence like the people surrounding him did. Eventually, he squeezed all the way into the final two.
For the final project that season, we wanted to do something nobody was expecting. That's why he hatched VERY early on, before Jag was even in the cast, that the final project be a big budget stage production. It would be something challenging and with A LOT of areas to cover. It's no surprise that Jag ended up hitting a grand slam here. I mean really, what needs to be said? This is probably the most well rounded, comprehensive, detailed, and best laid out project in the game's history. Page after page of detailed info, all chronicling a stage play that would be really fantastic to see happen. It's just a fantastic project every step of the way. You may be wondering why it's not number one. Well, make no mistake, this project is, by all means, a masterpiece of the game. The next project, however, is number one for a variety of reasons. It's probably the project that defined exactly how the game would aim to be played from that point project. It's probably the most well known project in the history of the game. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what it is, if you haven't guessed it already!
-Tiki
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Top 10 Projects: Number Three
Hello folks. I think today were going to take a bit of a break from the drama of trying to cast season seven (all I can do is cross my fingers that we get as many people as possible at this point.) because the final three projects are really something special. I think in various ways, they have come to define the game as we know it and how it has come to be played. All three of these are EASILY some of the finest pieces of online Imagineering I've ever seen, and I've been around the community a long time. In regards to season seven, like I said, currently there is some drama regarding rather or not we'll get a large number of people cast. Let me get you guys up to date. So far, we have the two team leaders, the Favorite Project Write Up Contest winner, and two applicants. and I believe two people currently confirmed to be working on applications. This brings our total number of confirmed contestants up to seven. On the bright side, this means that anyone who comes after that will rise it above the status quot so far in the game, which is seven (four seasons of seven people, two seasons of eleven and twelve people, respectively) In this respect, no matter what happens, me and MEW will work hard to try and make this season as fresh and exciting as possible, in spite of a possibly limited cast. Make no mistake, no matter how many people we get, season seven WILL happen. Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the countdown, already!
Number Three: Disney's Twin Peaks Wilderness Adventure Park. PL7764, Season Six, Final Project
This is one for the record books. In all my years of being a part of the online Imagineering community, I've never seen a prospect quiet so original. The remaining two projects on the countdown are just a slight bit better in sheer "wow" factor (Trust me, they're worth it), but this truly is probably the best I've seen based purely on originality.
Season Six is probably my all time favorite season for this reason alone. It was great storytelling. The story kind of played itself out to really turn out to be something really interesting. Basically, it's a story of underdogs. Those underdogs being Team Yensid. Early on in the game, Team Ansem, who had more returning players, was dominating. Before the tribe swap, Team Yensid dissolved into three players. The underdog Fantasmic!, the leader HereWeGo (who took up leadership after initial Team Leader Romanarms' schedule got the better of him) and of course, the wild card PL7764. They were outnumbered eight to three in the final eight. (Evams123 had been eliminated in a double elimination where the two teams worked together to create a new attraction for Universal Studios) Disneyland DHI got swapped over to Team Yensid to even out the numbers, and the rest is history. The remaining three members of Team Yensid went on to outlast all five Team Ansem members. MaterA113, the season's projected "One to Beat", was ousted at final four in what I still to this day consider the toughest decision I've ever had to make in six seasons of the game, choosing PL7764 over him as the third person to take to the final three. (HereWeGo had won PoMVP at final six, and Mater, the merged team's Team Leader, gave Fantasmic! PoMVP that project.) I knew I was taking a risk, as at that point PL7764 was STILL very much a wild card, but when it came down to it, I saw PL7764 come up with a huge amount of interesting ideas at final five, where I basically saw Mater run around like a chicken with his head caught off. (Haha, sorry Cody. You know it's true ;) )
My hunch paid off. The final project was interesting for a lot of reasons. It was the most open ended, do whatever you want project we had ever done. (Basically, pitch SOMETHING for the patch of land Disney owns on Katalina) In addition to this, it also had the distinction of being the first final project to have a final three, not two. Just to clarify this right now, in the future, it will ALWAYS be a surprise rather or not the final project is a final two or three. While Fantasmic! and HereWeGo both contributed interesting ideas, let's face it, PL7764's unique vision towered over everything in the finals.
Basically, the concept was, well, a huge adventure park. With lots of trails, waterfalls, redwoods, a lake, basically everything any good national park would have, except Disney-fied, which basically means, epically themed. While it might not be a 100 percent natural environment, I could really see Disney pulling this off. Look how natural all of Animal Kingdom looks for the most part. If they concentrated all their budget on trails and such, I could really see this being something special. PL outlines all this perfectly, and I especially like the nice touch of the (honestly rather predictable) mickey shaped lake to not be a perfect Mickey, but instead have a natural feel to it in the helpful images he provided. All in all, like I said, I don't think I've ever seen something quiet so unique be pulled off so well in this game. Serious props to PL, who is high on my pedestal when it comes to the top winners. He basically came out of nowhere to become one of the most imaginative players we've ever seen.
Alright folks. Like I said, the next two are probably the most famous projects ever to come out of the game, so be prepared for some top quality. In the meantime, I have a couple short announcements. One, I will be taking PL's advice and putting together an epic, all there is to know about the game thread. This thread will cover all the seasons, all the projects, all the rules, twists, characters, and storylines. It might take me a couple days to type out all the information, but once I get it all together, it will be a really convenient source for everything you need to know off the top of your head about the game. Expect that sometime soon. I'm not going to give an exact date, as I don't work well under deadlines and usually end up blowing them anyways. The second announcement I have to make is at this point, we are absolutely accepting ANYONE who wants to be in Season Seven. Send me an application, you're automatically in. No questions asked. So returning players and All Stars, don't hesitate to send in your applications. Alright folks, I hope you are still enjoying the countdown. The next blog post will be an epic write up of the top two projects. Stay tuned...
-Tiki
Number Three: Disney's Twin Peaks Wilderness Adventure Park. PL7764, Season Six, Final Project
This is one for the record books. In all my years of being a part of the online Imagineering community, I've never seen a prospect quiet so original. The remaining two projects on the countdown are just a slight bit better in sheer "wow" factor (Trust me, they're worth it), but this truly is probably the best I've seen based purely on originality.
Season Six is probably my all time favorite season for this reason alone. It was great storytelling. The story kind of played itself out to really turn out to be something really interesting. Basically, it's a story of underdogs. Those underdogs being Team Yensid. Early on in the game, Team Ansem, who had more returning players, was dominating. Before the tribe swap, Team Yensid dissolved into three players. The underdog Fantasmic!, the leader HereWeGo (who took up leadership after initial Team Leader Romanarms' schedule got the better of him) and of course, the wild card PL7764. They were outnumbered eight to three in the final eight. (Evams123 had been eliminated in a double elimination where the two teams worked together to create a new attraction for Universal Studios) Disneyland DHI got swapped over to Team Yensid to even out the numbers, and the rest is history. The remaining three members of Team Yensid went on to outlast all five Team Ansem members. MaterA113, the season's projected "One to Beat", was ousted at final four in what I still to this day consider the toughest decision I've ever had to make in six seasons of the game, choosing PL7764 over him as the third person to take to the final three. (HereWeGo had won PoMVP at final six, and Mater, the merged team's Team Leader, gave Fantasmic! PoMVP that project.) I knew I was taking a risk, as at that point PL7764 was STILL very much a wild card, but when it came down to it, I saw PL7764 come up with a huge amount of interesting ideas at final five, where I basically saw Mater run around like a chicken with his head caught off. (Haha, sorry Cody. You know it's true ;) )
My hunch paid off. The final project was interesting for a lot of reasons. It was the most open ended, do whatever you want project we had ever done. (Basically, pitch SOMETHING for the patch of land Disney owns on Katalina) In addition to this, it also had the distinction of being the first final project to have a final three, not two. Just to clarify this right now, in the future, it will ALWAYS be a surprise rather or not the final project is a final two or three. While Fantasmic! and HereWeGo both contributed interesting ideas, let's face it, PL7764's unique vision towered over everything in the finals.
Basically, the concept was, well, a huge adventure park. With lots of trails, waterfalls, redwoods, a lake, basically everything any good national park would have, except Disney-fied, which basically means, epically themed. While it might not be a 100 percent natural environment, I could really see Disney pulling this off. Look how natural all of Animal Kingdom looks for the most part. If they concentrated all their budget on trails and such, I could really see this being something special. PL outlines all this perfectly, and I especially like the nice touch of the (honestly rather predictable) mickey shaped lake to not be a perfect Mickey, but instead have a natural feel to it in the helpful images he provided. All in all, like I said, I don't think I've ever seen something quiet so unique be pulled off so well in this game. Serious props to PL, who is high on my pedestal when it comes to the top winners. He basically came out of nowhere to become one of the most imaginative players we've ever seen.
Alright folks. Like I said, the next two are probably the most famous projects ever to come out of the game, so be prepared for some top quality. In the meantime, I have a couple short announcements. One, I will be taking PL's advice and putting together an epic, all there is to know about the game thread. This thread will cover all the seasons, all the projects, all the rules, twists, characters, and storylines. It might take me a couple days to type out all the information, but once I get it all together, it will be a really convenient source for everything you need to know off the top of your head about the game. Expect that sometime soon. I'm not going to give an exact date, as I don't work well under deadlines and usually end up blowing them anyways. The second announcement I have to make is at this point, we are absolutely accepting ANYONE who wants to be in Season Seven. Send me an application, you're automatically in. No questions asked. So returning players and All Stars, don't hesitate to send in your applications. Alright folks, I hope you are still enjoying the countdown. The next blog post will be an epic write up of the top two projects. Stay tuned...
-Tiki
Friday, May 7, 2010
Top 10 Projects: Number Four
Hello all. There's no way around it, the blog and top ten list was kind of put on the backburner the past week due to finals and the rush of starting the actual game. Now that both are kind of out of the way, I think I can finally squeeze another write up into my schedule. Before we get to number four, I have a couple of things to say regarding the game.
One, just in case anyone missed it, the due date for the applications has been pushed back to June 5th. This is to give everyone who wants to participate a chance to get any sort of finals out of the way. I know the end of May is always a REALLY stressful time for anybody who is in school, which is a wide percent of our typical audience. So far, we have the two team leaders, the winner of the Favorite Project Contest, and two applications. This means so far, we have a cast of five out of the aimed sixteen. There's still plenty of spots left for ANYONE, probably including All Stars, who want to participate to do so. All you have to do is fill out an application. Keep in mind that there's plenty of time to get your application as professional looking as possible. June 5th is the absolute final deadline.
Alright, with these things being said, let's get back to the countdown!
Number Four: Paradise Pier Hotel Refurbishment. Team Merlin (MaterA113, Disneylover4ever, BigDisneyFan, HereWeGo, Fantasmic!, PL7764) Season Six, Project Six
In all of Imagineering, one of the things that is constantly glossed over is hotel pools. Alright, I'm going to admit, I don't even know if Imagineers are specifically the people to give credit to designing the pools, but whoever did deserves props. Just like everything else Disney does, they take the concept of pools, and "plus" them. This project was a bit personal to me. The Paradise Pier Hotel is my family's hotel of choice simply because it's convenient, affordable, and does have some pretty nifty Disney touches. The pool is no exception. While not really up to the standard of the other two pools at the resort, the Third Floor Pool nevertheless managed to conjure up a pretty decent beach atmosphere.
For this project, we asked the freshly merged Team Merlin (three Ansems, Three Yensids. This is where the season really started to get interesting) to take the already in place pool, and plus it. And boy did they do just that. There's not really much I can say about this project besides it was just a masterfully executed take on exactly what I pictured this project to be like. Trust me, I am very familiar with that pool when it comes to size, where everything is, etc. so reading this project was a delight to me. It was a delight because Team Merlin perfectly pulled it off. Not only did they have innovative ideas for the pool, they had ideas that pushed the whole concept of theme park pools to a new level. This is something I WASN'T expecting. Hotel pools may not have the same significance as attractions, or really anything in the parks, but for hotel visitors, they ARE an important part of their trip, so to see innovative ideas come out of the woodwork in regards to something that no one ever really thinks about was quiet the pleasant surprise. One of my personal favorites.
-Tiki
One, just in case anyone missed it, the due date for the applications has been pushed back to June 5th. This is to give everyone who wants to participate a chance to get any sort of finals out of the way. I know the end of May is always a REALLY stressful time for anybody who is in school, which is a wide percent of our typical audience. So far, we have the two team leaders, the winner of the Favorite Project Contest, and two applications. This means so far, we have a cast of five out of the aimed sixteen. There's still plenty of spots left for ANYONE, probably including All Stars, who want to participate to do so. All you have to do is fill out an application. Keep in mind that there's plenty of time to get your application as professional looking as possible. June 5th is the absolute final deadline.
Alright, with these things being said, let's get back to the countdown!
Number Four: Paradise Pier Hotel Refurbishment. Team Merlin (MaterA113, Disneylover4ever, BigDisneyFan, HereWeGo, Fantasmic!, PL7764) Season Six, Project Six
In all of Imagineering, one of the things that is constantly glossed over is hotel pools. Alright, I'm going to admit, I don't even know if Imagineers are specifically the people to give credit to designing the pools, but whoever did deserves props. Just like everything else Disney does, they take the concept of pools, and "plus" them. This project was a bit personal to me. The Paradise Pier Hotel is my family's hotel of choice simply because it's convenient, affordable, and does have some pretty nifty Disney touches. The pool is no exception. While not really up to the standard of the other two pools at the resort, the Third Floor Pool nevertheless managed to conjure up a pretty decent beach atmosphere.
For this project, we asked the freshly merged Team Merlin (three Ansems, Three Yensids. This is where the season really started to get interesting) to take the already in place pool, and plus it. And boy did they do just that. There's not really much I can say about this project besides it was just a masterfully executed take on exactly what I pictured this project to be like. Trust me, I am very familiar with that pool when it comes to size, where everything is, etc. so reading this project was a delight to me. It was a delight because Team Merlin perfectly pulled it off. Not only did they have innovative ideas for the pool, they had ideas that pushed the whole concept of theme park pools to a new level. This is something I WASN'T expecting. Hotel pools may not have the same significance as attractions, or really anything in the parks, but for hotel visitors, they ARE an important part of their trip, so to see innovative ideas come out of the woodwork in regards to something that no one ever really thinks about was quiet the pleasant surprise. One of my personal favorites.
-Tiki
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