Sunday, July 31, 2011

Pokemon Spinoffs - The List Is Long

There are no real Pokemon of course, but there is everything from Pokemon mug cups to Pokemon Black and White plushies all for sale at reasonable prices and ready to give your Pokehungry tyke like mine. Some institutions have built spinoff empires based on characters that have become great legends of our time, though many of us have no idea what these characters stand for or actually do. I'm talking of Disney of course. We all 'know' Mickey Mouse, but how many of us have actually seen a Mickey Mouse animation 'short' (it's odd then that Bugs Bunny has been watched far more but has nowhere near the popularity)?

How many have seen The Sorcerer's Apprentice? Maybe a few have, but not most. Then there is Minnie, two dogs (Pluto and Goofy- one speaks, the other does not), and the Donald Duck clan. I don't wish to talk much about Disney, but rather about Pokemon. But Disney is worth pointing out because like Pokemon both are extremely successful spinoff phenomena based upon very different models.

Actually, as you well know, Disney began to diversify and become very active in producing new feature animations beginning the 90's. While the Disney features themselves were highly successful, the spinoffs continue to be decidedly dominated by the classic characters rather than by characters such as the Lion King. Pokemon spinoffs operate on the central Pokemon concept of evolution. For example, the most recent game release for Pokemon is Pokemon Black and White. And in Pokemon stores it is now Pokemon Black and White spinoffs- from the Pokemon stuffed toys to the Pokemon card game with the new Pokemon Black and White cards- that are red hot and flying off the shelves. Just try shopping at a Pokemon shop on a Sunday- you will learn the hard way! Pokemon spinoffs sell incredibly well.

Another reason is that to young minds, Pokemon represents a whole world. When we buy a Mickey Mouse keychain, it is an icon that everyone knows. The fun of Pokemon is in owning characters that no one knows. What's more, its fun knowing their powers and limits and explaining them to friends and family. Fortunately or not, my son actually regularly quizzes me on Pokemon. Pokemon are diverse, which makes them potentially confusing. But they are also well grouped into easy to understand categories. It is good for children's minds to classify and group Pokemon and have knowledge on them. Pokemon, as a sales phenomenon, is completely different from Disney.

To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plush that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon pokedolls, charms, straps, plush toys, promo cards, keychains, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.


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Cartoon Character Licensing - Hi Betty Boop!

Who is Betty Boop?

Betty Boop is perhaps one of the most celebrated cartoon characters of all time. The sexy, breathy, independent Betty (created by Max Fleisher in the 1930's) made her debut in Dizzy Dishes, a cartoon made by Paramount Pictures as a talking French Poodle. In true animation spirit, however, by her next appearance she had morphed from a poodle into a curvaceous girl with big dark eyes and a little miss innocence voice.

The woman/girl version of Betty Boop was a caricature of singer Helen Kane though the voice was first 'done' by Margie Hines, though later episodes would be voiced by a number of actresses, most notable of whom was Mae Questel; the Boop mistress who began voicing the part in 1931 and continued the character until she died in 1998. Today's Betty Boop is performed by Tress MacNeille in cartoons and Tara Strong when presented in commercials.

A Short History of Betty Boop Character Licensing

Originally all the rights to the character were owned exclusively by Paramount Pictures. While the character was very popular and Paramount Pictures was very happy with its sales, the National Legion of Decency combined with the Production Code of 1934 severely altered the content of the Betty Boop cartoons. While she had originally been innocently sexual and the cartoon had been rife with sexual innuendos, the 1934 Production Code called for stricter alterations, and the popularity of the character began to decline a bit as she became more 'societal acceptable.' Finally in 1955 the 110 appearances she had made in cartoons to that date were sold by Paramount Pictures and bought by a television syndicator by the name of UM&M TV Corporation. A year later UM&M was bought out by National Telefilm Associates (NTA) which later reorganized to become Republic Pictures during the 1980's an organization currently a subsidiary of Viacom who is (wait for it) the parent company of Paramount Pictures. Betty Boop has come home.

The recent revival of Betty Boop interest in the last three decades has increased the value of the cartoon and merchandising licenses with great numbers of products bearing her image as well as VHS and DVD reproductions of all of the original and more recent cartoons featuring the stunning Ms. Boop.

Currently the license for the cartoons (as reproduced in movies) rests with Lionsgate Home Entertainment under a license from Republic. The television rights are held by Trifecta. Interestingly enough, however, it is the merchandising license (originated by Max Fleischer's heirs and currently owned by Fleischer Studios) that have garnered the most income and recognition, for you see her everywhere; on T-shirts and mugs and handbags; winking and slinking and being innocently seductive, an unexpected and unplanned American Icon.

Adrian Chye is a Technoprenuer who runs a Digital Media & 3d animation company and has successfully raised investments for various projects, including the cartoon series Sedo Dog.


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Saturday, July 23, 2011

Pokemon Training - Not Unlike Horses

Welcome to the Pokemon Cafe! The Pokemon cafe is for those who, like me, know next to nothing about the world of Pokemon that our kids are so excited about. I myself am a mother of an 11-year-old boy who spends a great deal of his day thinking of Pokemon. These days he's especially crazy about Pokemon Black and White, including the Pokemon card game and also the new Pokemon Black and White Plushies (Pokemon stuffed toys that look like stuffed animals). Since Pokemon Black and White came out, I admit to caving in and buying him a large plush toy and two small plushies. No more!

Today's topic is training- how it is done and the attitudes of the trainers. Practically speaking, there are the attitudes of trainers in the animated Pokemon storyline and the attitudes of gamers. It is the former I want to focus on; it's more interesting!

Like any other animal/human relationship, the core of the Pokemon/trainer relationship is based on trust. Beyond that, there may be a great deal of affection in the feelings of a trainer toward his Pokemon, or the trainer may be of a more Spartan type, interested in moving his Pokemon farther and excelling at battle.

If this sounds familiar, it is. Because this is nearly exactly the way humans have dealt with horses over these thousands of years. While cows and sheep graze in the pasture, horses have been a daily part of human life and interaction, just until recently. On the battle side, the last time that horses were used to a significant extent in battle was in World War I. We have all but forgotten the term "Warhorse," but think about- horses in battle have to be unnaturally courageous and faithful. When knights did battle on their steeds, the master's enemy became the horse's enemy as well.

And yet even in the field of battle, which is the essential core of the Pokemon story, trainers commonly develop great affection and love for their horses. Like horses, Pokemon too are intelligent and faithful creatures that seem to have a natural sense of what their trainers want from them.

Unlike horses, Pokemon are born with fighting capabilities and develop new ones as they evolve. Their trainers capitalize on these natural fighting instincts and abilities as much as they can. Horses, aside from male rivalry over females, are not born with such aggressive instincts. But they can be taught them, and they can be taught to be fearless. Pokemon, on their own, would probably not use their defenses much. But with training, in the arena they amaze and excel. Pokemon, as it turns out, are much like gladiators.

To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plushie that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon pokedolls, charms, straps, plush toys, promo cards, keychains, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.


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The Need For a Pokemon Book Series

This is Dinah again at the Pokemon Cafe and Media club and I've just been engaged in lively intellectual discussion about the Pokemon story and possibilities for the future. It's obvious from the development of the game and its spinoffs these years that Pokemon thrives on diversity. In fact, diversity and evolution are what Pokemon is all about! The latest 'shinka' (evolution) jump in Pokemon Mania is Pokemon Black and White (as if I needed to tell you that). As a mom who likes soft toys that can be thrown around without breaking things, I like the new Pokemon Black and White plush toys, or 'plushies' and my son has added some new Pokemon stuffed toys to his collection, though I must admit I bought them partially for myself. The Pokemon Black and White monsters are by far the 'coolest' so far in the game (as opposed to 'cute') and more dragon-like than cuddly. Still, like all Pokemon, they have agreeable and noble faces. Anyway, the Pokemon Black and White series has made the Pokemon card game a whole lot more interesting as well.

The Pokemon story has been developed in an animated TV and film series of course, and also in 'manga' (comic books). But my beef with Pokemon is that unlike Mario or other simple games, the basic premise of Pokemon is quite sophisticated and entertaining, and deserves much better development. Pokemon, as far as I'm concerned, has the potential to be entertaining to adults as well as kids, but so far Nintendo has declined to explore that aspect. The only thing it would need to do is sell the idea to the major film producing companies, which I'm sure would jump at a chance at the project. Given its options, in my opinion Hollywood would definitely be the place to take the idea.

The first thing Pokemon needs is a solid book series. Admittedly, it could get away without one and develop only film scripts (like Star Wars or Pirates of the Caribbean), but personally I'd like to see a well-written book series that was great to read and great to watch as well (Harry Potter is the shining example I'm thinking of).

In the release of a rich Pokemon saga that is full of thrills, heroes, and character development, there should be no doubters. Obviously, 3D and special effects of their favorite Pokemon will mesmerize kids more than the flat and silly animation that they already love now, and through solid literary and film production, Pokemon could become enjoyed by all and a classic of our times.

I don't know if making Pokemon more sophisticated would boost its spinoffs, but I really doubt that it would hurt. One thing for certain is that it would push it even higher above its competitors now.

To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plush toy that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon pokedolls, charms, straps, plush toys, promo cards, keychains, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.


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Sunday, July 17, 2011

How Do You Do Animation? Understand the Animation Program

To do animation you will have to have some area of interest as animation is such a broad specialized subject. The basis of animation is to simply create the illusion of moment from still images or objects referred to as modeling or meshing.

Today with video real time on-line and manual training more and more people is selected the home training approach by following step by step training and manual guides. There is no difference here with animation as the concept is the same. If you were to take up the adventure of animation, you will in time know how to do animation as that is the only path to follow. Nowadays this is a more practical approach as to learning how the animation software application functions you are teaching yourself.

So lets go back in time, to be an animator you need an artist or somebody who can draw. Lest keep it simple lets draw a stick figure on a piece of paper. This would be the first step to animation. It is referred to as modeling, which is 3D. Now we have to create an animation and make that stick figure give people the illusion of movement.

To create illusion of movement in this case, create animation you will have to draw another identical sick figure with a s very slight variance for example draw the next figure with the leg slightly forward. If you draw enough images behind each other you will see the leg moving as you flick back and forward through the pages, artist use tracing paper to flick back and forward to create smooth motion this flicking motion is what a time line does.

So now we have the stick image walking around lifting his arm. Maybe even running or jumping. Once this effect has happened by flicking or using time-lines, you have just learn t how you do animation.

No from this point it gets as complicated and as technical as your Imagination.

People are highly skilled in on e are of animation or field of animation like modeling, light and shading, meshing, morphing etc.

The next thing to do one be to add maybe some clothes to your stick figure, how about giving it some colour. Now you are getting hot. The next thing to do is develop a background scene for your walking skipping now clothed stick figure, how about beach scenery?

This is in animation referred to layout and structure. You could then take it to the next level and add the sun and start putting sun shadows onto your stick image. This lighting and shading is a highly specialized field of expertise, this is the path to 3d animation.

Now you are looking like you know how to do animation. We have a stick figure running and jumping along a beach front on a hot sunny and can chase his own shadow. No you could add maybe a little wind. You could go on for ever.

But you have not done any animation, it needs to be an illusion to others and all you simply do is video record yourself flicking the pages or video formatting it with a time line.

This is great fun but very time consuming, to really get to know how people do animation simply download a 3d animation software, study it, master it mix it with determination and patience and you will not only know how to do animation, but be animating. Really want to know about animation and how it is done, and want tools and training you need.

Thank you for reading how do you do animation.

We hope this information was informative and helpful.

We are currently researching and analyzing Illusion Mage 3d animation software download. We aim to provide an informative service to not only this product but to the fascinating world of animation as well.

Please feel free to join at http://easy3dsoftware.com/articles/ at easy 3d software for 3d animation reviews, reports, information and tips, welcome!


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Illusion Mage - The User Friendly 3D Animation Software Package

Illusion Mage is a 3D Animation package that was put together by Seth Avery.

Seth had been working in the animation business for over 10 years when he noticed how popular 3D Animation creation from home was becoming.

When he looked into it further, he noticed how expensive the software programs were to buy. There were cheaper, and even free applications, but on closer inspection of these, he realised that the tutorials alongside them were complex and not at all user friendly.

It was at this point that he saw a gap in the market for an affordable, comprehensive 3D Animation Software package that included detailed step by step tutorials on how to use the software.

Using blender software (which is top quality and used by many of the top animators), Seth made over 6 hours of video tutorials and a 200 page manual that takes you step by step through the whole process of creating 3D animation at home.

Illusion Mage shows you how to create high quality 3D Animations and Graphics, Characters and Models, interactive 3D content and Games and also shows you how to produce your very own Cartoon Animated Film.

If I had any concerns about the product it would be time it took for downloads to complete in the private members area. There is a lot of material with Illusion Mage, but having said this, I know Seth does give you the option of DVD if you prefer.

The other concern I had was in regards to reading some negative reviews that Illusion Mage was just blender software rehashed. I did some investigation into this, and Seth openly states that he uses blender software.

What he has done is to allow people to use the software correctly and to its full potential through his state of the art video tutorials. These step by step tutorials are like having a professional animator looking over your shoulder. If you had to pay for that one to one tuition, you would be looking at thousands.

The positive things about Illusion Mage have to be top quality software that Seth uses. It actually rivals Maya and 3DMax. It's hard to believe, but the animations you can create are just like Pixar.

The 6 hours of step-by-step video tutorials are fabulous and you feel confident every step of the way. Seth's aim was to allow anybody (even people that have never attempted any kind of animation before) to produce their own top quality 3D animation from home. With this package, you certainly can.

For more detailed information about Illusion Mage and all other aspects of 3D Animation, come and visit us at http://www.illusionmagereviewsite.com/


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Friday, July 8, 2011

How to Develop Your Character Voice

You've been told a thousand times that you should market those quirky voices you love to use, that you have such an "animated sound". What does that even mean? After all, you're just being you...right? There's a high demand for character voices from radio to video games to accents. Learn how to bring out those amazing sounds and develop your character voice. Luckily, it's pretty simple if you follow a few easy tips.

Character Voice Uses

Character voices are everywhere. In fact, if you stop and think about it, you've probably heard over a dozen already today. Some of the best can be found in the entertainment world, including cartoons, e-cards, toys, games, website flash and pretty much anywhere where there is fun, color and voice. So you can see, there is more to character voice than Bart Simpson or Bugs Bunny.

Make the Most of Your surroundings

Everywhere you look there is another potential character just waiting to be born. In fact, most well known character voices were actually inspired from real life people. Think about the friendly bartender around the corner or the happy go lucky cashier clerk at the local quick mart. These are diamonds in the rough. Use your surroundings as motivation for developing your voice.

Learn to Layer Characteristics

One of the easiest ways to develop a successful character voice is to layer some of the more quirky or unique character traits of some of the most interesting people you know. For instance, your Aunt Jane has some solid opinions about life. She adds flavor to every conversation, taking the most normal situation and turning it on its end. Remember, humor does not have to be the primary component to your voice. It can be as simple as cool, level headed judgment in the face of stress or quirky behavior. Play around with some of the most memorable personality traits of the people you know and try to imagine one character with layered characteristics.

Get Emotional

Okay, before you stop reading, hear this out. Sometimes if you give yourself the chance to become emotionally invested in your character, you can develop it more fully. In other words, get in touch with how they feel, what makes them tick and notice how your character voice comes to life. Immerse yourself into the life of your character and develop a powerful, convincing voice that will not be forgotten. Again, a good character voice doesn't always have to be funny. In fact, a successful voice is built on a "character" and not simply a voice. Develop your character emotionally and let the rest come naturally.

Developing a great character voice is more than luck. Learn the tricks to build a successful voice that will be remembered. Make the most of your surroundings by using everyday people for motivation, layer some of the quirky, unique characteristics of some of your favorite people and let your emotions take you deeper into your character. Follow these tips and develop a strong powerful voice that is sure to delight.

To find out how you can develop your vocal skills and become a successful voice actor, check out http://www.mouthymoney.com/


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3-D Animation in Movies

The exciting initial beginning of 3-D animation in movies basically started with Tron in 1982 and in the same year, Star Trek II where 3-D animation was used in fractal landscapes. Pixar then introduced the first 100% 3-D animation when they released Adventures of Andre and Wally in 1984. The Dire Straits music video in 1985 was the first of its kind in full 3-D animation and two years later Tin Toy won an Oscar as the best animated short using realistic human form.

Several other 3-D animations was subsequently released over the next few years, introducing animated organic elements, convincing animated mouths with synchronised speech and naturally Jurassic Park in 1994 with its 3-D animated dinosaurs. The big hit however was Toy Story in 1995 and the 3-D industry was literally started with its release. Pixar, which released it, soon had competition from Pacific Data Images when they released Homer and subsequently their second film Antz made them Pixar's greatest competitor.

Like in all industries everybody else wanted part of the 3-D animation action and from 2006, 13 other animations were released in the same year, all from different companies in the film industry. The first step was from Disney to buy out Pixar after the semi-failed 3-D Chicken Little from Disney made them realize that they indeed need Pixar for animation. Great techniques were incorporated by everybody, but some techniques failed miserably, resulting from extremely good animations to the extremely awful versions.

Pixar remains one of the leading 3-D animators in the movie industry and follow the guidelines in producing a new 3-D animation in such a way that it is reminiscent of sales pitches.

• Pixar employees will pitch their idea to the development team and they will try to see the possibilities in it and the believability of the idea.

• Writing of a Text Treatment which in reality is just a short document which summarizes the main idea presented, finding a balance between open possibilities and solid ideas to be filled in by storyboard artists.

• The storyboard artists each receive script pages and draw a hand-drawn comic book version of their interpretation of the movie.

• Voice pitching and reel making will start and is essential in validating the sequence of the pages of storytelling and actors will pitch various versions of voices and emotions to get the perfect pitch.

• The art department use their creativity to create inspirational art to illustrate the characters and their world. Impressionistic pastel illustrations are used in emphasizing light in scenes, the designing of sets, props and visual looks.

• Characters, props and sets are articulated and sculpted either by hand and scanned three-dimensionally or directly modelled into the computer in 3-D. Different "avars" are used by the animator to make characters move and one character can have more than a hundred avars in the face alone.

• Next the sets are built in 3-D to realize the vision for the environment in creating a believable world.

• The story is now translated into three-dimensional scenes and crew choreograph characters using a virtual camera in capturing emotions and story points of each scene.

• Finally the shot is animated neither by painting or drawing as it is traditionally done as the characters, layout, props, sound and dialog is already set up, Pixar animation software is now used to choreograph movements and facial expressions.

• Finally shading and lighting are added and data rendered, which can take up to ninety hours per frame and a little as six hours.


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Easy Methods to Draw Fantasy Art

Have you ever wondered why dogs bark with an unusual sound that gives a very uneasy feeling during the night? Or taught of creepy creatures hiding in the dark? We frequently heard of them from ghost stories and feared their appearance in televisions. They could be real and frighten you at the same time or maybe just a fantasy, brought to life by individuals with wide imaginations. Most fantasy creatures are feared because of their violence referred to as beasts, but you can also find some which are considered to be good ang helpful. Thumbelina, Thinker Bell, Peter Pan and fairy god mother sure don't scare us.

Fantasy is often a dimension created by or originated from a wide imagination that separates real from enchanted. It is generated from the mind to make an imaginative picture as well as form an attractive fantasy creature. Generally, it is an art work by imagination of great writers, ancient myths, movie makers and artists. But don't worry because there isn't any exception of having a fantasy art, for we can also form these fantasy creatures just by using our wide imagination and putting our self to the whole world of fantasy. Now, in this section, I will help you to draw these imaginative creatures that form in your thoughts and putting this in paper sketching in its enchanted form.

Get started with preferred fantasy art in your mind. Brilliant ideas are the source of extraordinary outputs, unbelievable things and sometimes stuffs that blow other people's mind. Try to think of anything that is unrealistic or unusual; beast with six feet or perhaps a talking car. Another way of doing this is by allowing un-living objects or animals to have any human attributes. Make an effort to distort animals or object's appearance or combining their parts to form your own mystery character. Now that you've got these imaginative kinds of these creatures I your thoughts like changing the parts of existing animals and form a new variation of new creature, sketch it in a way of free style with a general form with an accurate proportion. Imagine the shapes of the body of the creatures that is in your mind and its pose. Don't limit your mind in combining different parts of a creature and not only just the upper portion of the body or the lower part but include also its small parts.

After the outline, skinned up the structures simply by forming different shapes onto it after which, flesh it up with muscles based on what you've imagine. But not only the muscular appearance or the physical form of any object, animal or human is being improved to make a new discovery but also its surroundings. Any detail that we can see on our drawing is use to classify it as a fantasy art. (This includes the way how characters are being dressed-up with unfamiliar garments or devices and the setting or the background of the sketch as well|This consists of the way in which the characters have been dressed-up with unfamiliar garments or devices and the setting or the background of the sketch too}.

In the end, the thing that you need to do to finalize your master piece is applying what you've learned on shading. Through reading my previous articles, we learned that one method of unlocking your talents in drawing is actually learning the most basic element of sketching: "shading". Being done by providing depth and contrast on every object of your drawing means that you are finished with it, you will then be surprised by your personal artwork.

Humans use 20% of their brain and look what we've got, couple of mystery figures, characters of untold stories and places no person has evr been before. We need not a 100% of intellect to create our own, what we should use is only a fraction of our own creativity and imagination.

For more tips on drawing fantasy art visit us. There you'll also download a free ebook to learn drawing online


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3D Computer Animation - What Do You Really Know?

The level of 3D computer animation technology available today has made it possible for artists to attain needed skills for the field of 3D computer animation prior to attending a specialized technical school or college. There are millions of publications that have relevant information for this field of study. Self-study and take home instruction are examples of popular learning methods that are designed to enhance the progression of the artists' educational process.

Artists involved in 3D computer animation are aware that their learning process is ongoing. That can be said for every facet of life. However, once we get our feet wet and have our roots into a career where we begin to see success, we tend to get too comfortable and throw our books or our tools away thinking we know everything. When we think we've learned everything we need to know, our quest appears to be over. The quest is never over as there will always be advances in technology.

Learning 3D computer animation takes discipline. It may not always be fun. If you are in school or on the job, push yourself to learn more about what you are doing. Go beyond what you could or would be doing if left to your own devices. Do this even if this means animating things that you aren't particularly interested in. Sometimes to become successful, you need to do things that you aren't necessarily accustomed to nor interested in doing.

People with interest in animation wonder what it takes to be successful in this industry. While there are a lot of skills to be learned for this field of study, it is also important that the animator already possesses certain qualities. Characteristics that the 3D animator should possess include being creative, having a rudimentary understanding of technical aspects involved in computer animation and illustration, and the ability to be creative. It is also important to think outside the box. The artist should also to keep up to date with new techniques, tools, software, methodology, and production techniques.

In order to be an artist, it takes practice. You have to train like an athlete does for their respective sport. Your curriculum should involve a lot of hands on studio work where you can practice and hone your skills. Additionally, your curriculum should afford you plenty of theory studies as well as information on the latest technologies in the field. Software programs should be mastered to ensure success. Your ability to effectively use these programs will increase your value to prospective companies when you finish school and transition into the field.

Did you know that over 75% of people when asked about this field of study can only cite examples of 3D computer animation films, but really don't have a clue what 3D computer animation really is? Can you afford not knowing? Information is very important for success and can put you on the career path to be an animator! Click here and find out how you can learn more about 3D Computer Animation.

Justin L. Sternad

Squidoo Lensmaster


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Friday, July 1, 2011

CG Animation

Computer graphics are the graphics created with the help of computers which includes presentation and manipulation of images via a computer. Computer graphics animation, also referred as CG animation is a process of creating animated images by using computer graphics. it refers only to moving images.The concept CG animation hit the market late back in 1973 with the movie Westworld, but got the proper podium in the year 1992 with James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

Now, CG animation is divided into two main category 3D animation and 2D animation, however in this cutting-edge market scenario the demand of 3D CG animation is growing at a constant pace. Still, 2D CG animation is also in demand because of its stylistic look, low bandwidth and faster real-time renderings. In fact, it is a real successor of stop motion animation techniques.

Nowadays, besides 2D and 3D animation, CG animation provides varied range of solution including 3D illustrations, 3D modelling, photorealistic artwork, 3D rendering, 3D visualization, video games, cartoons and much more. Computer graphics animation is able to create stunning visual effects, allowing the individuals to experience something unique. It works as an innovative tool for giving a spotlight to any given material, product, company or business. Indeed,industries will always seek for innovative solutions for marketing and Computer graphics animation have indeed played a vital role in circumscribing these requirements.

Below are the few advantages of it:

• Able to create stunning visual effects.
• Helps to convey the right message to your targeted market.
• Works best and proves to be an affordable solution.
• Helps to generate more profit with increased customers and clients.
• Allows your product, material, company and/ or business to get the right spotlight.
• Incorporates an array of solutions including
o 3D animation
o 2D animation
o 3D illustrations
o 3D modeling
o Photorealistic artwork
o 3D rendering
o 3D visualizations
o And much more...
• Prominent solution for video game, cartoon and film industry.
• Could work as a best marketing tool as well.
• And much more...

Before opting for any CG animation services it is essential to justify the requirement of the desired audience, the purpose and the favorable outcome. A professional CG animation company could certainly understand these requirements. Such a company possesses the knowledge on various 3D software applications and is skilled with a pool of skilled Computer graphics animators. It could provide you with array of solutions with utmost quality best matching your requirements. These companies are the experts with significant years of experience in providing the top-notch solutions to their clients. They perform a detailed study of client's every requirement of it and offer a solution which suits perfectly their client's industry standards. This eventually helps their clients, to get more customers, allowing the company to reach new heights.

Imaginar is a leading cg animation company in UK. We are a collective of professional CG artists and together to offer our services in creating premium quality 3d images and 3d animation for the advertising, entertainment and architectural industries. We offer some of the best creative CG talent from around the world. Visit us at http://www.imaginar.co.uk/


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Overview on 3D Animation

3D animation is a process of creating moving pictures in a digital environment that is three dimensional. In brief, animating objects which appears in a three dimensional environment and which can be rotated and moved like real objects can be termed as 3D animation. With the help of 3D software application one can create careful crafted 3D objects / models / characters, which gives an illusion of movement or an animation. 3D animation is the heart of games and virtual reality; however it also plays an important role in presentation graphics making the visuals more attractive. It is a process which involves innovative ideas to shape up the concept and to make it come alive.

Nowadays, 3D animation has started taking place into the market with more and more industries demanding for the solutions offered by 3D animations. Ranging from presentations to advertisements, games to virtual reality, movies to education theories and more, 3D animation have earned its position in the market place. In fact, 3D animation offers a vast range of solutions which includes:

• TV commercials
• Documentaries
• Medical Visualization
• Cartoon comedy
• Opening Titles
• Video games
• Character branding
• Marketing
• Virtual worlds
• Mobile and desktop apps
• And much more...

For a company, it helps to mesmerize its audience, acquiring more customers, increase ROI and eventually more business with increased profit.

In any animation motion is simulated in a way that human eyes tend to believe that motion has actually taken place. The reason of this illusion is because of chronological orders of images are passed very fast at a very high frame rate.

This is a common theory in all types of animation whether it is stop motion animation, 2D animation or 3D animation. In stop motion animation, real life models are moved slightly and filmed, and the process continues; this creates a 2D animation effect when the complete video is played. Whereas 3D animation is a combined process of 2D animation and stop motion animation, done within the computer and exported in a playable video format as a final layout.

3D animation is also a core part of computer graphics which includes sub-categories such as:

• 3D modeling
• 3D scanning
• 3D rendering
• 3D printing
• And more...

There are indeed few professional computer graphics companies in UK, equipped with skilled team of professional's 3D developers who are well-versed on various 3D animation software applications ensuring that their clients get the best services in 3D animation.

Imaginar is a leading 3d animation company in UK. We are a collective of professional CG artists and together to offer our services in creating premium quality 3d images and 3d animation for the advertising, entertainment and architectural industries. We offer some of the best creative CG talent from around the world. Visit us at http://www.imaginar.co.uk/


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Learning Computer Animation Graphics - 3D Computer Animation Software

There are now many things that could be done online, including finishing a college course and landing yourself a job. This is one of the best things that the internet has given mankind, and it has benefited millions of people over the world. There are now many college courses that could be finished entirely over the internet, and there are other tools to help those who would want a future in computer animation.

What are the benefits of taking up an online computer animation course as opposed to taking it up in a real school? Needless to say, the training for people who want to be graphic designers and animators is very expensive. It would take long hours at school and at home, and it would be a nice, welcome idea to have it your way as you study a difficult course. There are also tools that could help with computer animation graphics - 3D computer animation software programs are available for those who would want to train themselves. College courses online are easier, because traditional colleges would require that you prove yourself first before they take you in. While this may be a good thing for those who only want the best education, it would be hard for those who are only starting to know the basics of it.

If you want to start learning computer animation online, it would be best to check out tutorials for animation tools. There are also video instructions that could be used to make learning things easier. Many are the uses of 3D computer animation software - better websites and better income. The demand for graphic designers and animators gets higher every year, as there are more demands for more beautiful websites that could instantly capture the hearts of its visitors.

For those who are already knowledgeable on the field, putting up your own graphic animation studio would be a good step for promoting your own products. This would make people see just how professional your works are. It would also be an effective way of keeping all your works in one place where you could showcase your talent and make everybody see it. Being a graphic artist pays well, as not all people are given this talent. Enhancing your website would attract more visitors and therefore more income for you. You could work on many different themes and templates and you could work as a freelance graphic designer like most do.

There always has been and I believe always will be a call for Animation designers. Computer animation is finding it's way into all areas of business and individual usage, training to be a designer can be a long and very expensive. A better way is to learn your skills in your own time at home using just your computer and the help of a really good program with video training help at: http://3d-computer-animation-software.com/.


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Thursday, June 30, 2011

3D Computer Animation - Careers

Just think, the characters of your favorite 3D animation films are the collective products of 3D artist's long work hours in pursuit of the best feature to be produced. Animation studios both big and small employ creative artists with a broad background in art and design. This is why skilled artists possess the passion for animation. In Hollywood's golden age, two dimensional cartoon episodes were drawn by hand. As advances in technology came along, the techniques employed in making animations have been fine tuned and as a result, 3D animated films being produced currently have become more realistic than their predecessors.

Multi -dimensional graphics are used in computer animation. In two-dimensional animation separate layers or frames are used to produce motion. In three-dimensional animation, the character is manipulated by moving points along a virtual skeleton within the model. If you want to become a successful animator in the 3D computer animation industry, then you need to focus on animation careers where opportunities for advancement exist. Animators today need to be technologically savvy.

The use of the newest technology and software to breathe life into the inanimate has become common practice in the industry because computers make animation production tasks easier. All hope is not lost if you are interested in animation, but are not blessed with talent or are tech savvy as there are educational opportunities that help people with their computer animation careers. 3D computer animation course offerings include the fundamentals of artistic design, drawing, graphic design, video design, cartooning and other basics of animations. If your desire is to become an animator, you should consider earning a degree in animation from an accredited college or other institution of higher learning. Several Art Institutions are offering courses that teach both technical skill and practical application. Schools offering certificate programs that involve shorter durations of study can be found online for many different fields of study including computer animation.

With all this opportunity, do not expect to become the next best animator overnight. A lot of practice and patience is needed to acquire the skills needed in animation. With a few years of practical application under your belt you will be well on your way to becoming a successful animator. Animation companies prefer to employ animators with good references from schools and from in the field. With enough skill and experience, you'll be ready to conquer a career in 3D computer animation.

Realize that before you jump right into courses in 3D computer animation that there are literally millions of publications and related media out there that you can familiarize yourself with facts related to this field of study. To be successful in any endeavor, you must have some background information. So, if you think you are up to it, here is more recommended reading for anyone who would like to pursue studies in 3D Computer Animation.

Click here to read about The Growth of 3D Animated Computer Software.

Justin L. Sternad

Squidoo Lensmaster


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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Design 3D Animations - What Will I Need?

As a hobby or as a career, 3D animation has had some exciting advancements over the years. As a result of advancements, this field has yielded some pretty amazing computer software titles. Animation has come a long way from rudimentary Thaumatropes to more complex 3D animation films by studios across the globe.

A computer is one piece of equipment needed to design 3D animations. The equipment you purchase or currently own should be capable of handling the software package that you intend to use for the animating process. Also, know your computer's limitations and upgrade-ability as this will affect which system you purchase. You may need to add more memory or buy additional storage hardware. Complex renderings require a large amount of memory and space. You will be doing a lot of modeling and rendering so be prepared by having enough memory and storage space available to you.

A feature rich software package is the second item you will need to design 3D animations. One of the fastest growing areas within the field of computer animation is software. As the technology behind computer hardware simplifies, animation software is constantly improved to keep up with projects which in turn are becoming more complex. For the animator, this means that there is a vast variety of software to choose from. Just as in the case of the computer hardware, the animator should become familiar with the limitations and features of the prospective software package he or she intends to purchase. The following list is some of the more popular software titles currently available for 3D animation:

3D Studio Max - This full-featured 3D modeling, animation, rendering and effects package has everything needed to create high-quality content.

Maya - This software package is immensely popular amongst animator's for its 3D modeling, animation, rendering and effects.

Modo 302 - This software package features advanced polygon, subdivision surface, modeling, sculpting, 3D painting, animation and rendering. It has proven itself to the.

E-on's Vue 7 xStream - This software package offers a complete tool set for creating rich and realistic natural environments and integrating them into any professional production pipeline, including 3D Studio Max and Maya.

Blender - Students, hobbyists and professionals can take advantage of this software package for modeling, rigging, animation, rendering, UV unwrapping, shading, physics and particles, imaging and compositing, and real-time 3D/game creation.

The technologies employed to design 3D animation are but tools used to simplify the animation process. Without a skilled artist in the studio, nothing would be designed. Artists need proven, reliable technology in order to design the awesome 3D animations of tomorrow.

3D animations design requires a depth of knowledge. Some of it artistic in nature, while the rest highly technical and specific to the field. There are literally millions of sources to get information on the topic of 3D animations design. Here is more on the topic Design 3D Animations.

Justin L. Sternad

Squidoo Lensmaster


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Stop Motion 3D Animation - Basic Animation With Legos

Stop motion 3D animation is the process where a three dimensional, inanimate object is animated through a serious of tiny recorded movements. These movements are organized one after another and when played back, give the illusion that the object is in motion. Here is a very basic overview of the entire process for the beginning animator.

Since the easiest way for a novice to start animating is in stop motion 3d animation, this article will focus on using free software and a web cam for recording each frame of movement. This article will cover the very basic steps of stop motion animation using Lego mini figures as the inanimate object to be animated. For the sake of keeping the article focused on the basics, it is assumed that the beginning animator has a grasp on basic computer skills such as downloading, installing software and connecting peripheral devices.

First you'll need to have a couple Lego mini figures available as your characters. These can be purchased at any local retail store. You may even have them handy if you have kids. Also, check your attic. Legos are a popular building toy and people usually hold onto them. Normally, you would have a story line, and may produce a story board so you could effectively shoot your animation feature. You won't be doing that here, this is a quick, let's get started approach. After selecting your characters, begin by choosing a camera and downloading some basic software.

To capture the motion of the characters you'll be using a simple web cam. This is probably the most low tech way to produce a stop motion animation digitally, but will prove to be extremely easy for any beginning animator. It is possible to employ the use of a higher quality digital still camera. However, it would not be compatible with the frame grabber function of the software without making some adjustments here and there. For the sake of simplicity and ease of use, you'll be using a pencil test software program called Monkey Jam. Monkey Jam can be downloaded for free and there are hundreds of thousands of tutorials about this software all over the internet should you need additional guidance.

Once your software is running and your web cam is installed, you will need to steady your camera. Any slight movement can cause the image to appear jumpy. After you have steadied your camera, begin with both characters in the shot. You will be able to view what is seen by the camera. When both figures are within the area you want to film you can start. To keep this simple, you'll be making the Lego figures raise one arm. To keep the animation from looking choppy you will want to shoot a minimum of sixteen frames for every second of video you want to produce. What you will do is move each arm a very small distance. Once you have moved the Legos, you can capture the image by clicking the capture button. You'll do this for every frame until you reach the desired length of your film. When you have finished you can preview the animation and save it for editing.

There is certainly more to the process of producing stop motion 3d animation film. There are literally millions of publications and related media out there waiting to be taken in. To be successful in any endeavor, you must have some background information. So, if you think you are up to it, here is more recommended reading for anyone who would like to pursue studies in Stop Motion 3D Animation.

Justin L. Sternad

Squidoo Lensmaster


View the original article here

Interactive 3D Animations

3D animations are the current craze in visual communication technology. Loads of research and developments are being made in the ways of creating and displaying better 3D visuals. Ranging from anaglyph glasses to 3D screens, all efforts are being made to make 3D viewing more pleasing and more accessible to every person. People like to manipulate visuals. Interactive 3D visuals are attracting more and more audiences. Being of the latest visual communication technology which gives a deeper sense of realism, interactive visuals and animations, as the term implies, allows the audience to interact with the animations or the visuals through clicks on the mouse, tracking, keyboard buttons, joysticks, etc. The audiences are able to control the visuals, develop a way of communicating with them and as result, these 3D visuals and animations enrich their experience.

There are different types of 3D visuals. Computer generated imagery is very popular and is used to create virtual characters and worlds for animated films, video games and cartoons. One example is the 3D animated film Monsters versus Aliens. Such visuals do not need glasses or any other special accessories for viewing. These types of visuals are called 3D visuals or 3D graphics because they have been created using a 3-dimensional representation of data through 3 processes: 3D modeling, Layout and Animation, and Rendering. These 3D animations require creating a mesh and giving it a digital skeletal structure which can be modeled and manipulated by an animator. Such 3D animations can be highly interactive in the form of video games. 3D visuals in video games allow the players to control each of their character's movements and see the result of their actions. Fans and lovers of video games find 3D video games more pleasant to play as the actions resemble real life more closely than 2D video games.

Another type of 3D visuals is the anaglyph visuals. Anaglyph visuals create the illusion of depth in an image by displaying two offset images to the right and left eye respectively. Both 2D images then combine together in the rain to give a 3D perception of the image. This effect is called stereoscopy, also known as 3-D imaging. To view anaglyph visuals properly, there are three options: the viewer has to wear anaglyph glasses to combine the two offset images, or the viewer has to wear anaglyph glasses to filter offset images from a single source separate to each eye, or have a lightsource split the images directionally into the viewer's eyes (no anaglyph glasses required). Stereoscopic or anaglyph images can be produced using digital photos, drawings, computer generated graphics and even graphics made using 3-dimensional representation can be converted into stereoscopic visuals. The illusion of depth caused by stereoscopic or anaglyph images/visuals create an impressive 3D effect on a 2D screen which appeals greatly to viewers. If used as interactive animations or visuals, for example in video games again, it has great impact on players who receives enormous delight with the visuals.

Other types of interactive 3D animations and visuals are on ecommerce sites where product visuals are being displayed in 3D using interactive Flash animations. Clients enrich their experience through the opportunity of being able to view the products in different angles. Normally, a product is photographed by changing its positions through different angles and an animation is generated using the appropriate software, Flash for instance. The animations can be an interactive rotation in 90°, 180°, 270° or 360°. It can also be an impressive interactive 3D animation where the product can be viewed in all angles. Such 3D animations generated from combining HD photos of products in different angles form part of stop motion animation. It is rendered into an interactive Flash animation in 3D, where the client or viewer can control the visual and move it in any direction or position to view the product. This type of interactive Flash animations in 3D helps a lot in commerce, especially in ecommerce, where the client can easily view the product online as if he is actually holding it in his hands and assess it more accurately.

Interactive 3D animations can be in a various forms nowadays. There is more than one type of visual which can be accepted as being 3D visual. Interactive 3D animations are the craze of fans of technology and video games. Whatever says 3D says awesome and attracts lots of people. Interactive 3D animations are even becoming the tools of businessmen who use them to attract people and clients and hence boost their sales and corporate image. For the public, 3D animations and visuals, interactive or non-interactive, are a very attractive source of entertainment. On the commercial level, interactive 3D animations help people shop online from any shop found in any part of the world without actually going there. Being able to view the concerned products from all angles, the interactive 3D animations not only help the online client assess the product but also enriches his/her experience. Having various forms and uses, 3D animations are becoming more and more ubiquitous in the society, not only as an art, or entertainment but also as a convenience for people.

Working as Copywriter at PackshotCreator, the international provider of interactive product photo solutions including high definition photos, 360 degree animations and 3D animations. For more info, click on: PackshotCreator


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The Art of 3D Animation - Is It For You?

The art of 3D animation is a relatively new art medium compared to other forms of animation. Art dates back to the age of the caveman and for as long as man has roamed the Earth, there has always been the artist and the critic. For me animation dates back to sometime in the 1980's when I used to watch Saturday morning cartoons and make flip books. However, 3D animation is an art form associated more with the information age and the growth of computer technology. Advances in technology have created what is now far more advanced than Saturday morning cartoons.

3D animation art challenges the intellectual artist. The artist now must be creative in how he or she uses traditional methods in conjunction with newer technology. To study this art form, the student must develop an understanding of all the elements needed to produce a computer animation. The animator must be able to take a concept from its infancy through maturation with the end result being a finished production displayed to an audience.

The 3D animation art student should be able to conceptualize taking an inanimate object and bringing it to life through character modeling. Once the object has been created or chosen, the animator needs to create a sequence of detailed views of the model in sketches on storyboards. Software suites can play a major role in this process providing tools that can create bring clarity to the storyline while providing time saving guidance during the planning stages.

The technique used in acquiring old school 3D animation involves is the creation of a set designing, the character (sometimes made of clay or other inanimate objects), a camera, and audio equipment. With today's newer technology, creation of art of 3D animation involves 3D modeling and character animation which can be done entirely on a computer. No filming is required as the character and each movement can be created with software.

3D animators need to understand that the art of 3D animation can be excessive for the viewer if the professional cannot define the viewer's line of equilibrium. To clarify this, think back to the last time you were just the right distance from a chain link fence. Did the fence appear toward and away from you when you looked at it long enough. The same sensation can occur if the viewer's senses are overwhelmed. When it comes to 3D animation less really is sometimes more. The art of 3D animation has the capability to simplify the most complex ideas that would require creative genius.

This insight is but a tip of the iceberg! I know, I have buried my face in many a book or computer screen. There are literally millions of publications about art and animation. Far more titles than can be listed here. Don't consider it a daunting task that sucks the fun out of animation. Knowledge is power and to be successful in any endeavor, you must have some background information.

So, if you think you are up to it, here is more recommended reading for anyone who thinks they have what it takes to pursue studies in The Art of 3D Animation.

Justin L. Sternad

Squidoo Lensmaster


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3D Computer Animation - It's All About Realism

Realism in 3d computer Animation has a huge impact on whether an animation production is a success or a failure. With the advance in technology, has come the expectation of the audience to have an experience where the animation is more alive. This can be achieved by producing character whose movements mimic those of real people. Technology has brought into play various software packages and devices for movement tracking that allow characters is film are video games to come to life before the audiences eyes.

The first way to create realism in 3d computer animation is to produce characters that can mimic actual facial movements. Let's face it, when we communicate or look at one another we focus on facial features and their movements. Everything from the blink of the eye to the flaring of the nostrils creates life like movements in characters. Another facial movement that creates realism is speech movements. The characters mouth should form specific shapes with each syllable spoken. If careful attention was not placed on speech patterns and movements, the outcome would appear like some old martial arts film with English language dobbed over the original language.

The second way to create realism in 3d computer animation is to create realistic characters and objects. The more realistic a car appears in an animated film, the more the audience can put themselves into that car. Feature software has also brought a variety of palettes with varying colors and textures that simulate real life people and objects. For the car I mentioned earlier, which creates a more real experience for the viewer? Would you feel like the car is real if you were to get into the care with brown colored seats or brown leather seats that show the grain of the leather when the lighting is focused correctly off them? Lighting and shadows can also create realism. Caution should be used however as over use of any of the above items can really kill the effect you're trying to achieve.

Above all, what really makes this all come together is believability. In order to make anything believable, you need to be able to take a step back and observe a character or object in real life. Then simply recreate whatever aspects of it you need. Believability becomes realism simply because as humans we live in reality. We tell stories based on our reality inclusive of the elements that surround us. The primary protagonist of a story is human or human-like and we relate to the character because of the human element. From there we surround the character with the elements that make sense and hence we believe in the realism of that story.

In 3D computer animation it is all about the realism. However, this is but only a small taste of what can make a 3D animation realistic. There are far many more techniques and tools that can be used than can be mentioned in this one article. There are literally millions of publications on the internet alone on this topic. Here is more recommended reading to start with: Implications of 3D Computer Animation.

Justin L. Sternad

Squidoo Lensmaster


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Saturday, June 25, 2011

Why Pokemon Are Soaring And Why My Ideas Are Not Working

Pokemon are among the hottest spin offs out there in the toy and gaming industry. Why are they so popular and why would it be so difficult to rival that popularity?

I went to the opening of a new shopping mall with my son the other day and could hardly believe the crowd at the Pokemon store. There was a actually a line snaking around the corridor with people waiting to get in. I had never seen such a run since I waited all day in line to buy the original Bondi IMac the first day it went on sale (yes, I was 'quite' young then). Anyway, my son could not stop talking about Pokemon black and white goods: Pokemon Black and White game, figures, Pokedolls (otherwise known as Pokemon plushies), trading cards and so on. Whether he was talking about Promo cards or Shiny Raikou, everything had to be Black and White!

Personally, as a child I loved plastics models, which was a little odd for a girl, until I discovered Pacman, that is but models do have some things in common with Pokemon. The big question is: how could a computer game gain such fame, attraction, and boost so many spin offs? Obviously, Pokemon is far more than a game. It's part of our culture. No video game in history has accomplished as much as Pokemon.

The number one reason for its popularity is its premise. Among games, the premise behind the game is totally originally and intriguing. So intriguing in fact that fans are more than happy to accept the Pokemon story at face value and do not demand a more detailed background behind the mythical creatures. It is quite modern in the sense that it incorporates DNA and spontaneous evolution into the play and in that sense maintains credibility in its fantasy. With millions of users and fans around the world it is very fascinating.

Secondly, the monsters themselves were brilliantly designed. Cute, but not too cute to turn off the older crowd, they're only monsters when they use their ferocious powers in the battlefield. Simply put, there's nothing else out there quite like Pokemon. They are phenomena by themselves.

So now for my silly idea, which is in fact just a rip off on the Pokemon concept. We build a game (and later stuffed toys of course) around a line of cute dinosaurs. You can cross breed the dinosaurs by incubating eggs from different dinosaurs or by using an infusion rod into the egg. Meat eating dinosaurs can't cross with plant eaters, and land dinosaurs can cross with aquatic dinosaurs but with unpredictable results. The dinosaurs only breed in sets of six, but can be killed in battle. Herdsman take possession of dinosaur group, and they have battles too like in Pokemon. See, I told you, a really bad idea. One of the hardest things in the world to do is come up with something completely unique.

This article was written by Dinah Jackson who is the ultimate Pokemon fan. To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plushie that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon ultra rare cards, charms, straps, plush toys, Pokedolls, keychains, figures, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.


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The Companies Behind Pokemon Merchandising

Pokemon started out not so many years ago as a video game ported to Gameboy. It became very popular very quickly and Nintendo quickly saw great opportunities in merchandising spinoffs. These days it is a big worldwide industry whose spinoffs overshadow the flagship video game (which still leads the product line's creative conceptions however) and include the animation series and movies, which have been translated into dozens of languages, Pokemon manga (comics), the very popular Pokemon card game, and countless Pokemon stuffed toys.

The spinoffs are kept 'fresh' by keeping up with the updates in the video game. The latest incarnation is Pokemon Black and White, and sure enough, this is what fans are going crazy for: Pokemon Black and White plush toys (stuffed toys), Pokemon Black and White game cards, Pokemon Black and white promo cards, and Pokemon Black and White Zuken figures. Both cards and toys can be very expensive collector's items, and especially cards can become rare or be collectible because they are written in different languages. Cards can also be plain, promo, Legendary Pokemon, shiny suicune, shiny raikou, or shinny entei.

Everything associated with the merchandising of Pokemon spinoff goods is controlled by the Pokemon Company, an affiliate of Nintendo. All non-Asian production is under control of The Pokemon Company International, likewise an affiliate to its parent, Nintendo. Tomy and other 2nd and 3rd party companies handle the physical manufacturing of the goods, including the cards and stuffed toys. The game usually goes under the trade name of 'Game Freak.'

Pokemon is an industry that generates an incredible $10,000,000 USD an hour in revenue. It also attracts imitations worldwide, and illegal copying of its Nintendo game seem to sprout up in markets around the world as soon as they are released. Behind corporations like Tomy however there is a vast amount of other industries and cottage industries behind the Pokemon line. Studios and their artists need to be hired for production of the animation, and the scriptwriters must work closely with Nintendo to make sure that the animation episodes are accurate. Worldwide dubbing of the episodes must also be handled legally.

In a free market, the Pokemon Company has no direct control over the sales of its products of course, but has, like the Apple Store, set Pokemon stores that sell only Pokemon goods exclusively. It is assumed that the company takes on the costs of running and promoting the stores, but enjoys the return in profits. Pokemon advertises little; it's so popular that it doesn't need to. Finally, there is a whole collector's industry that revolves around old Pokemon games, cards, and stuffed toys. Most of these goods can be found on the Internet.

Dinah Jackson writes articles about Pokemon. For the newest Pokemon Black and White information on the web, check out the new Pokemon free online magazine called Pokezine. There are hundreds of magazine articles on all different Pokemon subjects for free. Get all the latest news, plus tons of information about upcoming great items like Pokemon Cinccino plushie, Suicune, Entei, Serperior, Oshawott, Snivy, Tepig, Minccino and many more. Check it out. Its 100% free.


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Grids and Zones: The Virtual Pokemon World

Gaming can be odd. In space games, it seems logical that the virtual space of the game would be divided into quadrates, and in each of these 'territories' different races would live. We humans have done this to the earth with nation states and within those nations created states, prefectures, and counties. We also do it by putting up fences or walls around our houses in the suburbs.

But this is not true for nature. Swallows migrate regardless of national borders and grasshoppers could give a whit about the fence that separates your grass from mine. Not so though with the Pokemon game. In the game, as well as in Pokemon animation, only certain Pokemon live and can be caught in specific sectors. Why the game was designed like that I'm not sure. Obviously, fish don't live in trees and parrots don't nest with penguins. But nature is quite fuzzy and the Pokemon geography is anything but.

By the way, there has been a new release of the popular Pokemon video game called Pokemon Black and White. It is so popular that Webmasters are postings warnings of slow servers due to all the heavy traffic in response to the release. Spinoff merchandise like Pokemon Black and White stuffed toys (called plushies); Pokemon Black and White cards for the evermore-challenging Pokemon card game, and new Pokemon Black and White promo cards are selling like crazy. The new Pokemon Black and White plush toys inventories are hard to keep in stock as well.

Of course, for the new Pokemon Black and White game a new sector has been created as the place to go to catch the new Pokemon. All the other old Pokemon are still waiting for you trainers as well of course. What is never explained in the game though is why Pokemon do not wander out of their sectors like normal animals would. Are their fences around them keeping them in?

It's just as easy to design a 'random appearance' game as a 'contained' one. I think the game is designed to help the gamer keep sense of what Pokemon he has caught and if wants a particular new one, where to go to catch it. Dividing a game into sectors also ensures that the player will end up seeing all there is to see sooner or later. Like Mario, Pokemon is basically a maze game. You can design this in two ways. One, you can make the game linear like Mario so that each successive level is either more difficult or different in strategy, finishing out at a 'top.' Pokemon is more about winning battles in arenas though in a quest to becoming a Pokemon master. Does the fact that sectors are restricted in Pokemon take away from the game? I don't think so.

This article was written by Dinah Jackson who is the ultimate Pokemon fan. To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plushie that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon black and white items, charms, straps, plush toys, Pokedolls, keychains, figures, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.


View the original article here

Tips For Finding Animated ECards

When you are planning on sending animated eCards, there are a few steps you should take to make sure that you are delivering the personal message that will convey to the recipient that you have given time and thought to your selection. Treating this cards with the same effort that you would spend in a store or shop, will result in a unique and personal message that will brighten the day of the individual you are sending it to.

A great tip is to find out what holidays fall on your recipients special day. It is very easy to find that there is a holiday somewhere in the world virtually every day of the year. Using an obscure holiday, such as "National Gumboot Day" celebrated in New Zealand each year, will give you the opportunity to have fun with the card and include your friend or family member in the global celebration of their day.

There are many different types of animation available. Spend some time thinking about the type of humor that the person you are sending the card to enjoys. Knowing the favorite color, song, theme, etc., of the individual will help you to find a card that will fit perfectly with their special day. Many sites also offer the ability to add personalized options such as music, photos, etc., to the card. Animated character eCards have also become popular now a days like Gogru & Mogru character eCards are popular in India. In such type of eCards, characters do some kind of activity to express that particular eCard.

Plan your budget for the cards you are sending. Fees for cards can vary greatly. Some cards are free, while others may be quite expensive. There are some sites which offer a service that automatically sends cards to recipients on the dates you select throughout the year. This is very convenient for companies that want to add a personal touch to their marketing strategy.

When you are using the cards as part of an overall marketing strategy, it will be helpful to use a site that will allow you to input large numbers of recipients, messages and animations to be sent out throughout the year. These services are often provided as part of a nominal subscription service that is charged monthly.

Research the site you are going to use before you enter information. Some sites sell contact information to 3rd parties which can lead to annoying spam for you and the recipients of your cards. Therefore, make sure that you read the privacy policy of the site to be assured that private information is not sold to 3rd parties or used without your permission. If a site does not have a clear privacy policy, it will be important that you take some time to research the company before entering any data.

Using animated eCards will give you the ability to save time and money when you have several people that should be remembered during the year. Many sites offer systems that allow you to choose cards that will be sent out on specified dates on a yearly basis or indefinitely. By selecting an auto-send feature, you no longer have to worry about forgetting an important birthday or anniversary.

Shweta Gupta is the content writer in GogruMogru Pvt. Ltd.

GogruMogru Pvt. Ltd. is the web development company engage in the development and maintenance of GogruMogru.com: http://www.gogrumogru.com/


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Friday, June 24, 2011

What Art Can Your Child Produce On A Computer?

What do you think of when you hear the word art? Paintings and sculptures, right? Well you and your child may or may not be aware that art is so much more than this. Art is defined as the production of things which thorough their symbolic or literal notion encourage an effect on one or more of the emotions. This means that you can produce just about anything from anything and as long as it has an effect on someone's emotions somewhere, you can call it art.

With computers increasingly becoming one of the main sources from which our children learn you may or may not be surprised to know that there are many ways in which your child can do art on a computer. Read about what different:

Film

One of the most popular modes of art at the moment is video. Along with the help of a digital camera you can put your footage on your computer and edit it into something worth watching. This is how every single film you watch on television or in the cinema is produced using industry standard software that lets you play around with not only the order of different sections of footage but with the sound, the light effects, the speed and everything else that you care to alter. Some even argue that cinema is the ultimate form of art as it involves so many senses and has such a big effect on so many people...unless you are watching Sex in the City 2 which is certainly not art.

Animation

Similarly to film, animation is a form of art which is very popular today. Animation was one of the earliest ways of producing a moving image using traditional art supplies and is still popular today, though it is now produced and edited on computers. If anything is a more malleable form of art than film, it is animation as you can create an image of anything your child's imagination can concoct and make it do whatever you want it to do, although it is possibly less effective than film as you lose that human to human link when you stop using real humans.

Unfortunately educational supplies may not stretch to a full animation studio, but with some big classroom furniture, paper and a pencil you can explore the principles at least.

Photo Editing

If you want your child to try creating art on your computer, one of the easiest ways to do it is using photo editing software. There are many software packages to choose from but they all should allow you to take a normal photograph and use a massive range of editing tools to change your image into something special. Have fun!

Sam Qam is a traditional artist. He provides educational supplies and produces a range of innovative classroom furniture which has really helped many children to learn more about producing art from innovative sources.


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Learn How To Draw Cartoon People

Are you interested in drawing? Do you find this to be fun, creative, and a great outlet for your emotions? If so, you may want to learn how to draw cartoon people. This may sound like an impossible feat - especially if you are a new artist. Although you may run into some issues along the way, most people quickly find that they have no trouble drawing cartoons once they know what they are doing. Will you take the time to get a better idea of how this is done?

Above all else, you may think about getting private lessons from a professional artist. When you do this you will quickly learn the ins and outs of drawing, as well as the finer nuances that will turn you into a better drawer in no time at all. Sounds like a great idea, right? Wrong! The main issue with this is that you are going to pay somebody up to $50/hour to show you the way. This is a lot of money, and something that most people do not have.

Your other option is to learn how to draw cartoon people by purchasing a book on the subject. While you are not going to get one on one help from a professional, you will still get all the help you need from an author who knows exactly what they are doing. The only difference is that you have to follow the book on your own as opposed to having somebody by your side, telling you what to do. One huge benefit of doing this is that you can move at your own pace. You do not have anybody looking over your shoulder, telling you what to do. If you are paying a professional by the hour you will probably be in a hurry because you don't want to spend more than you have to.

To find a book on learning how to draw cartoon people you don't have to look any further than the internet. There are plenty of books to choose from, with most offering just what you have been looking for. Once you have a book that you can trust and rely on there is nothing standing in your way.

With this information you should have a good idea of what it takes to learn how to draw cartoon people. Don't let anything stand between you and realizing your dream of becoming an artist.

To find out more about Mind Reading Tricks and how to dazzle people with your artistry, then Click Here.


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Animation Instantly From Text is a Sensational Hit!

People enjoy watching animation a lot more than just simply reading articles and news online. Throw in a little humor, and people are all over it. Best of all the producers of these animation features can say things they normally wouldn't be able to say due to political correctness, and since it is a cartoon, they are at liberty to push the limits, and boy do they.

So how far is Animation going these days? It may be moving a little faster than most people think. In fact I have been rather remarkably enchanted by what I have seen. You see, as a prolific online article writer, I am beginning to understand the value of getting my message across by using animation. In just a few items I produced, I've been surprised how well the viral marketing online can be.

Last year, I was contacted once from a company in India that converted text to cartoons and they would charge me $15-20 per article depending on word-count. Obviously, with 22,500 articles, I felt compelled to decline, as I'd rather have a new Corvette, a Hummer Golf Cart (in yellow) with gold plated emblems, and small light aircraft. Yes, that would cost a fortune indeed.

In fact, there was a very interesting article just the other day in the Wall Street Journal titled "Animation Nation - Quickly Made Computer-Generated Cartoons Are Attracting Millions of Viewers Online. Now, Corporations, Advertisers, and Hollywood Executives are Taking Notice," by Ellen Gamerman published on February 11, 2011.

It was interesting that the Wall Street Journal had picked up this topic and subject and ran with it. And I was even more surprised how much I learned, that I did not know. It's obvious to me at this point that these animation cartoon features have only begun to hit the scenes. Better yet, the software which is now available can turn text into Animation immediately, with no waiting. And although they are crude and simplistic presently, you can bet that this technology will only get better and more robust in the future.

As far as I'm concerned, it is plenty good enough right now, but I can only imagine in the next couple generations of the software how incredible it will be, and what an advantage it will give to those of us in the that are willing to use it. Being a first mover or early adopter of this technology makes a lot of sense for any online article marketer. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank http://www.worldthinktank.net/ - Lance Winslow believes it's hard work to write 22,222 articles; http://www.bloggingcontent.net/


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Mastering Animation Lessons Can Lead You to the Success You Dream Of

In the present situation, learning animation is one of the greatest professions you can ever think of. Once you have taken animation lessons and have graduated or certified in this course, getting a job in some production studio might just be a dream come true for you.

Career in animation

Joining a course in animation does not mean you just learn how to operate the animation software, but it also means that you are thoroughly trained in the related skills.

It is a very good way to earn your livelihood, especially if you join an animation film company where you are able to display your skills and talent globally.

What is included in the course?

There is another way to learn about the latest news and techniques of animation. If you have made up your mind to learn animation then attending animation seminars could enlighten you greatly. You can learn a lot from such seminars.

If you have natural animation skills then with a little bit of creativity, no one will be able to stop you from excelling in this field. When you enroll in a course it will offer you animation lessons in various subjects such as 2D animation, 3D animation and modeling, multimedia, sound, drawing, etc.

Where can you work?

In the past, a film studio was the only place where an animator was offered a lucrative job. But now, industries, medical institutes, corporate offices and many other trades have opened the employment doors for skilled animators.

A corporate office might want to display their presentations using animation to make it look more lively and convincing. Medical or engineering students or any learning institute might use an animated simulation for a better understanding of their subject.

What is needed from you?

You need to be totally involved and devoted to this animation course. Apart from getting a certification you should always keep yourself up-to-date with the latest details on animation technology.

You will be considered brilliant and smart if you display your animation abilities, spiced with a thorough knowledge of the newest animation software. You also need to pave your way in this career by interacting with the correct people who can further promote you.

It is advisable to make a small demo animated film to show at interviews. When you have already mastered all the animation lessons taught to you, with a bit of confidence and determination you can conquer the entire world of animation.

Click and read review of one of the best animation software for beginners and experts. One of its outstanding features is that it includes over 370 minutes (6 hours!) of video tutorials and animation training that explain you absolutely everything you need to know to make your first 3d animation.


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SpongeBob SquarePants and World Peace

SpongeBob SquarePants is an American Television series about a sponge whose drive and outlook on life is one that makes the show an 11 year success story.

SpongeBob very seldom lets things get him down. SpongeBob always tries to find the good in every situation. Even when circumstances would drive an ordinary person mad, SpongeBob perseveres. He has been unable to pass his driving school test after hundreds of times, but still he continues.

He works with Squidward Tentacles who is a trumpet player/artist wanna be who is unable to realize that he has no talent whatsoever. In one episode, he tries to teach SpongeBob art and SpongeBob does better than Squidward.

SpongeBob has a childlike innocence to his character. He is very trusting and kind, so he is unable to recognize it when people take advantage of him. Two of the worst are his own boss - Mr. Eugene Krabs - owner of the Krusty Krab where SpongeBob works and Plankton who is always trying to get SpongeBob to help him steal the Krabby Patty secret formula.

Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob's boss, is a mean, greedy miser, who would sell his own mother for a dime. In fact he once sold SpongeBob to the ghostly Flying Dutchman for several cents and constantly charges SpongeBob for things like tying his shoes and breathing.

Squidward resents SpongeBob because he is always happy and Squidward isn't. Squidward looks at the mediocrity of his life, seeing it isn't where he wants it to be.

Patrick Star is a large, stupid starfish. He is SpongeBob's best friend and the two meld together well. However, Patrick, starts a lot of arguments over things because he is forgetful. Such as the time he scarfed down a chocolate bar and then forgot it and blamed SpongeBob for taking his.

Sandy Cheeks is land squirrel. She wears a special pressurized suit to survive underwater. She lives in the tree dome which is a special underwater home that is filled with air and even has a tree which she lives in. When SpongeBob comes to visit her he has to have a water helmet over his head because he may dry out without it.

Plankton is a tiny, one celled creature who treats SpongeBob like a friend, while in reality is using him to steal the secret Krabby Patty formula. SpongeBob gets involved with Plankton because he believes people are basically good and can't see the devious side of Plankton. Fortunately, Mr. Krabs is always there to save the day.

Some people call SpongeBob a child and in many ways he is. But when the chips are down, SpongeBob will come through and save the day. Such as in the SpongeBob SquarePants movie. Plankton steals the crown belonging to King Neptune and frames Mr. Krabs. To save his boss from execution, SpongeBob finds the crown, facing life threatening dangers.

SpongeBob does get mad on occasion and if he does, you really don't want to be the one he is angry at. But be nice to him and you will have a friend for life - whether you want him or not!

Watching SpongeBob puts you in a happiness frame of mind. It makes you want to hug someone. If the entire world watched the show at the same time, it could bring about world peace.

To learn more about SpongeBob, visit our SpongeBob page - http://www.squidoo.com/Sponge-Bob-Square-Pants

Harlan Krissoff


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Pokemon Popularity Around The World

It may come as no surprise that Pokemon is popular pretty much the world over. What is surprising to me, however, is that the backbone of the industry, the video game, is not what is taking the world by storm: it is the spinoff goods, in particular the animation, which has been translated in several dozen languages and is immensely popular among youngsters nearly everywhere. Most of these Pokemon fans know little or nothing about the video game. In fact, the game itself appeals to a slightly older teen crowd and has had it's ups and downs in the United States for example, where for five or more years its popularity as a video game actually declined as it became to be seen as children orientated. But now, with the Pokemon Black and White release of new characters, the game craze is as strong as ever.

Kids in the younger age groups have always been strong fans of the Pokemon Card Game as there is no need for game equipment or cassettes, the cards are cheap, and you can play with your friends. In practice the Pokemon Card Game is not so different from the video game, though the technique obviously is. One thing that Pokemon cards offer are collectibles like shiny suicune and shiny raikou, Pokemon holofoil cards, promo cards, and of course the legendary Pokemon cards. Immensely popular now are any of the Pokemon Black and White cards, and as distribution and merchandising would have it, these are showing up first in Japan, secondly North America and Europe, and will eventually make their way to other parts of the world.

Pokemon goods in one form or another, but mostly video and cards, have shown up in nearly every corner of the globe. Interestingly, because of its sheer market size, India may become the world's largest consumer of Pokemon goods in the future, as Pokemon is taking the nation's children by storm and shows no signs of abating. Pokemon plush toys or plushies as they are called by many children are one of the hottest items. Right now the Pokemon Black and White stuffed toys are immensely popular in the Western countries but there is still a huge market to be had for Pokemon plush in other from older series that are still in warehouses. In any case, the stuffed toys' prices are a bit high still for worldwide distribution.

Dinah Jackson writes articles about Pokemon. For the newest Pokemon Black and White information on the web, check out the new Pokemon free online magazine called Pokezine. There are hundreds of magazine articles on all different Pokemon subjects for free. Get all the latest news, plus tons of information about upcoming great items like Pokemon Cinccino plush, Suicune, Entei, Serperior, Oshawott, Snivy, Tepig, Minccino and many more. Check it out. Its 100% free.


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Top 5 Cartoon Characters With Fashion Glasses

Since I am a cartoon fan, today, I will try to list some famous cartoon characters with glasses, and give a simple analysis of their personality. Most of these cartoon characters glasses are good examples for us to refer to in terms of fashion glasses.

1. Conan Edogawa (Case Closed, known as Meitantei Conan)

Without doubt, the first cartoon character with glasses should be Conan Edogawa. Case Closed, known as Meitantei Conan is definitely one of the most influential cartoons all across the world. The image of the main character Conan Edogawa has been engraved in our mind. His usual outfit mainly consists of a blue suit jacket with a single button and a pair of shorts, paired with a red bowtie and his dad's old glasses. Conan's glasses have multiple functions, for example, for disguising his identity as Jimmy Kudo, and for tracking position. For the popularity of the cartoon, lots of fans are eager to get such fashion glasses.

2. Nobita Nobi (Doraemon)

Doraemon is also well liked by kids. The two main characters are the robotic cat Doraemon and Nobita Nobi. Being generous and kind, Doraemon always helps Nobita in difficulty. Thus, lots of interesting stories happen between them, which have brought much fun to us. Nobita, who is lazy and timid and likes to read cartoons and watch TV, wears a pair of large round glasses, which looks so cute.

3. Kiminobu Kogure (Slam Dunk)

The sports-themed manga has appealed to a large group of cartoon fans. It tells a story about a basketball team from Shohoku High School. Kiminobu Kogure, Shohoku's vice captain, is honest, gentle, and team-oriented. He is almost never seen without a pair of glasses, which makes him look very gentle.

4. Spongebob Squarepants

Hah, Spongebob is a cute cartoon character who is extremely energetic and optimistic, living in a pineapple under the sea. Spongebob is endowed with a really cute appearance, which looks like a kitchen sponge except that he wears a pair of glasses mainly for going jelly fishing. Spongebob thinks that he is cool with his fashion glasses. Perhaps this is the only function because he rarely manages to catch anything with his glasses.

5.Takumi Mayama (Honey and Clover)

This is one of my favorite cartoons, a story between a group of students at an art college in Tokyo. As a fourth-year art student, Mayama wears a pair of black frame eyeglasses, looking rather gentle. As one main type of fashion glasses, such black frame glasses have become the favorite of those who have a complex about glasses.

Stop by at this fashion glasses show where you can see and can get fashion glasses, sunglasses and reading glasses in movies, or TV shows, or that are worn by celebrities, etc.


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Interesting Statistics of World Warcraft Games Worldwide

When nearly 12 million participants, and many people to download World of Warcraft world, the phenomenon of software is certainly one of the most popular games worldwide. At first glance this is a beginner, but everything is very confused. But it is relatively easy to understand, even if the examination of a large area is needed. In this multi-player role-playing the whole series of stories and characters can be very exciting.

Initially, the player can go on a quest without the help of other players. In prison pass called, however, the player may need help from others. These dungeons can be violated by two, five or even large groups and several weeks may be required to pass, depending on the characteristics of the players. These adversities tend to play the game more exciting.

A game player gets to own guns in assistance to improve their defensive and offensive skills. These elements may be such as herbs and the rewards for the tasks, each with a designated color the color of each dot indicates also his character.

Intricacies of game is development as well as it is growing popularity. With those players who enjoy temporary control over the monsters and others, and with the necessary levels of the game, they need to pass through improving their own skills and ability to improve increasingly; it is easy to understand why so many people are addicted to gambling.

World of Warcraft is considered one of the most successful game the test of time. Many fans download World of Warcraft on a regular basis. It is not just a game to some people - which is an evolution, creative culture.

The goal of World of Warcraft is to travel to new lands, honing your skills while competing with man or beast. Each level of experience offers new and interesting challenges. Along the way, individuals can earn that can be used to build a brand or barter.

Many books have been written about World of Warcraft, each book highlighting the most popular topics that appear in the original games. With chapters describing the events and characters evolve; they help convey to the millions of players worldwide addicts.

Experience and Discover the total bursting world of warcraft games. Find out more the possible gaming experience and guide to level up in playing warcraft games.


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