The beginning of E3 is mere days away.

When it arrives, gamers around the world will be forced into a solid four days of glorious sunshine that sheds light onto the workings of developers and the Big Three.

E3 2006 is going to be a big one. Why? It will be our first glimpse of the Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3 in action, and we’ll see some exciting titles from big developers like Capcom (Resident Evil 5, anyone?), Namco (Tales of the Tempest, stateside, please!), Konami (Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin), Square Enix and much more.

So, just as a general warning, all listeners of the Red Card Group should strap themselves in and prepare for a deluxe, awesome, explosive, potentially 24 hour E3 2006 podcast. No, we wont actually be there, but we’ll cover events as if we were.

It is all happening again.

Over at GamingDaily.biz, there is an interesting article regarding Bethesda Softworks’ new game - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the PC and X360 - being re-rated by the Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB) on account of a recently created modification that allows full-frontal nudity on female avatars.

The inappropriate content is only available for the computer version of the game, and is accessed by renaming files in order to get the rendered female torso to appear in place of a regular character skin. The nudity was not intended to be accessible through natural methods within the game.

Since the game was re-rated, there has been an incredible uproar from members of the gaming community, Bethesda Softworks and the people in poltics who advocate video game legislation. All in all, the issue is a bit sticky.

The response from gamers has been mostly negative. Take a look at the comments from the article:

“As for the ‘nudefemaletop.nif’ file included in the game, people don’t seem to know how easy it is to access pornography on computers. What teenager who would download such a mod to replace the normal, scantily clad top female bodies would download that over the many free and easily accessible pornography agents strewn across the internet?”

“How can the ESRB base a rating off of a third party modification of a game? This seems completely illogical since any game, given enough time, can be modded into showing nude models, more gore, sexual themes, etc. I bet if given enough time and some motivation, experienced modders could turn Dora the Explorer for the PC into a M rated game… I am very disappointed with the ESRB.”

The following response was from Bethesda itself:

“”Bethesda didn’t create a game with nudity and does not intend [for] that nudity [to] appear in Oblivion. There is no nude female character in a section of the game that can be ‘unlocked.’”

The two gamer comments are the stereotypical rantings of a psychotic forum boy, who does not realise that gaming - as an art and hobby - is much bigger than his constant mirth. The response are shrouded in the naivity of someone who never really considered the issue.

Yes, pornography is rampant on the Internet and in print media. However, it is not the job of the ESRB to police such mediums. The ESRB was created to rate video games, and they are merely doing their job.

The second gamer comment, and the comment from Bethesda, shows that the Hot Coffee controversy of August 2005 has quickly been forgotten. To those who have let the memory fade into nothingness, allow me to refresh things.

The Hot Coffee controversy surrounded a game developed by Rockstar Games, entitled Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, becoming the “victim” of a third-party modification that allowed access to a sex mini-game originally encoded by the company which had been rendered inaccessible in the final, retail version of the game.

Rockstar, Take-Two Interactive and the ESRB were all slammed for the tremendous blunder. The ESRB re-rated the game one rating higher, moving it from Mature to Adults Only (a ratings decision that would kill the game in retail outlets). Rockstar recalled all copies and re-issued a new version with the content removed, and the new version was allowed to maintain its Mature rating. The ESRB - however - stayed under heavy scrutiny by any and all concerned parties, and was cited as being no longer an effective ratings system.

Fast-forward to now, and you can see that the same situation is occuring. A third party modification allows access to nude content that was originally programmed by Bethesda, but was not readily accessible in the final, retail version of Oblivion.

However, in this instance, the ESRB reacted in a pre-emptive strike to the inappropriate content and initially false rating. Rather than waiting for political activists to react first, the ESRB identified the problem and addressed it. The rating was changed from Teen to Mature - a change that will definitely not deter the success of sales - and the game was not forced to be recalled.

Even so, gamers are furious at the ESRB’s decision, not realizing that it was - in fact - in the best interests of gamers. The ESRB is showing to the government of the United States that it is dedicated to providing an accurate rating system that is beneficial to the consumer. If the government can see that the ESRB is actually a good thing, then we will likely see all variations of video game legislation plummet into purgatory, which - in the end - means more freedom for gaming on the whole.

Instead, gamers are taking offense to the new rating, despite the fact that it ultimately doesn’t matter. An Adults Only rating means that most retailers will not carry it. A Mature rating means that it is cool, and it becomes a must-have. Grand Theft Auto was rated Mature, and it is currently one of the best selling franchises on the consoles. This new rating is irrelevant, and gamers should drop the issue.

On Bethesda’s side of things, they need to accept that there was some undisclosed content. A miniscule slap on the wrist does not harm their business, nor does it destroy their companies image. The best course to take is to say that it was an oversight, that the ESRB did the right thing, and that they will make efforts to ensure no inappropriate content remains undisclosed in the future.

What people need to realise is that the ESRB is merely upholding the rules it laid in place after the Hot Coffee incident. Now, under the ESRB, even “locked” content is subject to review and rating. Bethesda had nude skins for avatars available on the disc, and neglected to submit it. The product was re-rated. However, the new rating is not damaging to sales.

End of story. Let it be.

EDIT: Also, the Senior Editor of Gamedaily’s blog content seems to really show that he has completely forgotten Hot Coffee. They are comparable situations. The only differences include the severity of the content and the haste with which the ESRB reacted. That’s it.

He says “Re-rating the game changes nothing, as people will still pick it up in droves.”

So then, what’s the problem? The ESRB does the morally upstanding thing politically, and it doesn’t change anything else. Let the issue go.

No, technically, the industry should have never allowed altered ratings because of Hot Coffee. Unfortunately, it chose to set the standard of re-ratings, and we have to live with it.

Okay. Well, since my lockout post, I’ve managed to access the iBook G4 because my dad has not yet returned it to his place of work. However, I don’t know how long I will be able to maintain posting from the Underground.

At any minute, I could disappear from MSN and the Blog networks with my head shoved into a black bag. But, for the time being, I will continue to post, with all the content I’ve neglected to add for the past few weeks.

So, I made an update about the Nintendo Wii (the name befouls the tongue) as well as the first post for my Top 10 category. Now, until the ban has been lifted, I will be posting in secret in a series called From The Underground. I hope you enjoy it. If all works out nicely, it could lead right up to E3, where things can get back on track.

It is the dawn of an entirely new category! The Top 10s is where - whenever I fancy writing one - I will give you my “Top 10’s” pertaining to some topic. What can they be? Pretty much anything. And here’s the first:

Top 10 Disney Movies

#10: Beauty and The Beast

I only put this on the list out of the need to have a 10th. Truthfully, the movies listed from 1-9 are my absolute favourites bar none. Nevertheless, Beauty and the Beast has an impressive soundtrack and story, so…meh.

“No one’s got a cleft in his chin like Gaston.”

#9: The Great Mouse Detective

A fantastic animated film based on Basil of Baker Street, a children’s story that tells the tale of a mousey Sherlock Holmes who solves mysteries of a slightly smaller nature in London, England. The movie draws many parallels from Arthur Conan Doyle’s works, including Basil’s sidekick - Dr. David Q. Dawson (Watson) - and Basil’s archrival - Professor Ratigan (Professor Moriarty).

Released in 1986, The Great Mouse Detective was a gem of a film following the box office flop that was The Black Cauldron, although it came slightly before the Disney boom heralded by The Little Mermaid.

The movie is quite good overall. It features a lot of subtle connections towards the actual Sherlock Holmes’ stories, most notable being the final duel between Basil and Ratigan on the top of Big Ben being a parallel to Holmes and Moriarty fighting atop Reichenbach Falls (although, where Holmes and Moriarty both die, only Ratigan dies in the movie, while Basil is saved).

It is a very good film, providing a significant deal of adventure without a lot of the fluffier and needlessly cheery songs evident in other Disney works. The ending - in particular - is especially dark, as Ratigan’s final battle with Basil gets a tad gruesome. Notable moments in the film include the interior of Big Ben, where the cogs and gears were all animated using CGI, long before it was common practice. Disney had only used it once before, in The Black Cauldron. Another notable tidbit about the movie is that Ratigan’s voice was portrayed by Vincent Price, which is an immediate plus to the movie’s street cred.

#8: James and the Giant Peach

Released in 1996, James and the Giant Peach was a Disney collaboration with Tim Burton (following his work with The Nightmare Before Christmas) that combined live-action acting with stop-motion animation. Based on the Roald Dahl novel of the same name, the Disney flick tends to take a bit of liberty with the story (an act I am not usually a fan of) but the movie is quite good regardless. The only major changes include the removal of the Silkworm as a character, and a few scenic changes on their way to New York.

The movie is funny and charming, featuring an excellent cast of characters and some memorable moments. Among the finer points in the movie is the showdown with the mechanical shark (really cool animation on this part), the showdown with the Rhino (a menacing beast formed from clouds and lightning) as well as the massive peach landing on the Empire State Building.

The only disappointing feature of the movie is that - in a departure from the novel - Aunt Spiker and Sponge are not killed when the Peach rolls over them. Instead, they survive and - in an automotive feat - pursue James across the Atlantic in their car. Despite this less “violent” alternative, the movie does possess a decent amount of maturity in the characters, and the darker moments revolving around James and the death of his parents are quite good. If you haven’t seen this one, I insist you check it out. **

7: Toy Story**

Disney’s first collaboration with Pixar was a stunning success, and has paved the way for successful movies made by the same company (A Bug’s Life, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, etc) as well as animated features from other companies (Shrek, Shark Tale, Hoodwinked, Doogal, etc).

Not only is this movie a fantastic film with an especially fantastic sequel - a deviation from Disney standards - it was the beginning of Disney’s clinging to life during a period of particularly slow 2D animation. The original Toy Story came out in 1995 (the corresponding Disney release was Pocahontas). Afterwards, Pixar did not churn anything out until A Bug’s Life in 1998. Between the Toy Story and A Bug’s Life releases, Disney had crafted four of its final 5 masterpieces (Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan, with Tarzan being the fifth to arrive in 1999).

Afterwards, 2D animation began to slump. Fantasia 2000 was not widely successful (similar to the original, although this time not caused by World War II) and The Emperor’s New Groove was only mildly successful, showing a very drastic departure from the Disney formula. Following this was the unsuccessful film Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Lilo and Stitch was a last spurt of life in the 2D animation, before Treasure Planet effectively killed Disney’s animation studios.

It was such a box office failure that Disney cut jobs left, right and center, and after releasing their final two 2D films in development (Brother Bear and Home on the Range), Disney began a tradition of making only 3D films (a trend that has started with Chicken Little, and will apparently continue forever to maximize profit).

And where will most of that profit be coming from? Pixar. And what did they start it all off with? Toy Story. See how I connected that in the end? **

6: The Little Mermaid**

What can you say about The Little Mermaid? It’s a love story with a red-headed female lead who yearns for a world just out of reach, a prince searching desperately for the girl of his dreams, a cruel and unsympathetic father who only wishes to do the right thing, and a malevolent and callous villian with no emotion. Sounds like the making of a good picture.

The supporting characters were all great. Flounder was drawn to be adorable, and was a loyal friend to the end. Sebastian was always good for a chuckle, due to the complicated moral bind he found himself in when helping Ariel “on the land”. And Scuttle. My God, I’ve never respected seagulls before, but that bird was certainly a shining example for their species. Funny, clever and the hero who delays the wedding at the end of the film, Scuttle is - quite possibly - the best bird to be featured in a Disney film since Alice in Wonderland’s Dodo.

Of course, it was not only a good movie, but it brought about “better days” as far as Disney animation was concerned. After the slump in animation following The Black Cauldron (1985), Disney was in denial and faltering slightly. The Great Mouse Detective was a fantastic film, but it did not explode in popularity as much as its successor - The Little Mermaid - inevitably did.

The Little Mermaid was Disney’s Rennaisance picture, essentially pulling it out of a horrible pit and bringing it back to stardom. The Little Mermaid was - after all - the precursor of classics like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Hercules. And although the successors were fantastic, “props” must go to the original for saving Disney.

Unfortunately, they released Treasure Planet 13 years later and ruined it all.

#5: Steamboat Willie

Alright. So, sue me.

Steamboat Willie is not technically a complete feature-length Disney film (but, also technically, Toy Story is a Pixar film, distributed by Disney, so…). Not only is it not a full-length film, but it holds no actual significance in Disney canon, contrary to what people think.

Many claim Steamboat Willie is the first Disney movie to feature Mickey Mouse. He was featured in earlier films - Plane Crazy and the Gallopin’ Gaucho. Yet, despite this, it did manage to make famous the young, up and coming star, Mickey Mouse as well as repopularizing Peg Legged Pete (now, commonly known as simply Pete).

Despite the lack of dialogue and the black-and-white style of the late 20’s, Steamboat Willie is still an absolute classic. I mean, who couldn’t love when Mickey grabs the tail of that goat and turns the poor animal into a turntable to play Minnie’s “Turkey in the Straw” music.

Downright goodness.

#4: Fantasia 2000

60 years after Disney released the first in their intended “episodic musical cartoon” saw the release of Fantasia 2000, an attempt to revitalize Walt Disney’s original plan for the Fantasia line.

Despite featuring some excellent animation set to excellent music, the movie received criticisms due to the shortening and reordering of all of the selections due to time constraints. However, while the selections are shortened, the goal was to expose people to the music so that they would listen to the true versions later. The ultimate goal was merely a unification of classical music with Disney animation.

Fantasia 2000 - in my eyes - was a successful revival. It featured some amazing new segments, my favourites being Pomp and Circumstance (the Noah’s Ark story featuring Donald Duck), The Carnival of the Animals, and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

But, despite having three favourite segments (and enjoying Mickey’s blundering with Yen Sid’s magical hat in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice), there is one moment that shines out to bring this movie to Fourth on my list. And that is the end of the Pomp and Circumstance short. Donald Duck plays the role of Noah’s “first mate” and he is contracted to get two of every animal aboard the Ark. With the flood waters fast approaching, Donald rushes to his house to retrieve Daisy before she is surely drowned. Daisy - already on board the Ark - turns away in terror as a giant wave overtakes Donald.

Unknown to eachother, they are both save and sound aboard the ark, however - they spend the fourty days and nights in mourning. When the waters recede, and the Ark is left on a mountain top, Donald is tasked by Noah to clean things up. Daisy - walking along sullenly with the other animals - realises that her locket is missing and rushes to the Ark to retrieve it. While cleaning, Donald uncovers the locket, and both he and Daisy reach to pick it up at the same time.

It is this moment that tickles the ol’ emotional nerves in me. Daisy looks at Donald in utter surprise, and - through some magical art of colour and light - the animators seemed to capture a look in Donald’s eyes. They are slightly glazed over, but wide with excitement and emotion. The look I see in Donald’s eyes is like a picturesque look of love, and I found it so absolutely touching that I may sneak a Kleenex every time I watch it. **

3: The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh**

The Disney portrayals of A.A.Milne’s classic characters dazzle me so much that they actually moved two places up on this list while I was typing it. When it comes to best ensemble cast of any cartoon, Winnie The Pooh and his friends - Eeyore, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, Roo and, of course, Tigger - easily take the cake.

The entire movie is comprised of three shorts (The Blustery Day, The Honey Tree, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too!) is an absolute classic that is still funny today. The entire creation - portrayed by the imagination of Christopher Robin - makes for an extremely funny cartoon. The Hundred Acre Woods is truly an awe inspiring place, and the characters are so morally outstanding and - dare I say it - lovable.

Can you honestly avoid smiling when Tigger explains exactly what a “Tigger” is or when Pooh patrols his home with a toy shotgun to protect his Hunny from Heffalumps and Woozle? Did you not laugh when Pooh got stuck in the door to Rabbit’s house, or when he pretended to be a rain cloud to steal from the Hunny tree?

Personally, I always feel a twinge of emotion when Piglet - in a truly valiant act - gives his house to Owl after the bird’s modest treehouse is blown down during the blustery day. Piglet nervously twitching as he twirls his scarf, unwilling to tell Eeyore that the house he found for Owl is already owned…His noble sacrifice is extremely touching, and embodies true friendship.

The marvellous thing about Winnie The Pooh is that it is so difficult to truly define a favourite character, as they are all absolutely magnificent. That, and the charming adventures that Pooh and friends partake in, make Winnie the Pooh a must-see.

I need to track down the DVD re-release, as my VHS tapes are getting worn out. **

2: The Three Caballeros**

The adventures of Donald Duck (American), Jose Carioca (Portuguese), and Panchito Pistoles (Mexican) is quite the hilarious trip through Hispanic cultures. The movie was originally released in Mexico before it actually appeared in the United States, and as a result, the content of the movie seems more geared to a Hispanic audience.

Nevertheless, the movie is a gem. And it is from 1945, which is odd to consider. A comical Donald Duck film to hit right at the end of World War II, during which Donald had actually been a pro-war symbol, featured in many satirical war films that pointed out the vices of Nazi Germany and the valour of the United States.

But, the Three Caballeros was just plain fun. Frankly, it is still one of my favourite movies to watch again and again. Plus, it combined animation cels with real-life action, which was an interesting experiment considering the time. Fantasia - five years earlier - also took a stab at it, but only managed to put Mickey and the conductor together in silhouette.

A fun film. If you can find it, watch it. **

1: Who Framed Roger Rabbit**

Best cartoon film ever.

Baby Herman. Roger Rabbit. Eddie Valiant. Jessica Rabbit. Judge Doom.

The movie leaves me speechless.

Baby Herman is just an amusing character all around. He describes himself as a baby with a “fifty year old lust and a three year old dinky”. A chauvanist infant, Baby Herman is hysterical in the few scenes he is in.

Eddie Valiant, played by Bob Hoskins, is also hilarious in the ways that he interacts with Roger Rabbit. As a pair, the two are absolutely hilarious. Eddie Valiant, a drunk cop who lost his brother due to a murderous toon, and Roger Rabbit, a carefree fool of a toon who just loves to joke around. Priceless.

Judge Doom - played by Christopher Lloyd - is actually a terrifying bad guy. The way he dips that poor “toon shoe” into the vat of Dip is truly sick. And - at the end - when he is crushed by the steamroller…it makes me sick and delighted at the same time. Morbid? Perhaps. But when he is revealed to be a toon, and he begins to assault Eddie Valiant with all manner of toon machines, it is quite a sight.

Jessica Rabbit is probably the sexiest cartoon ever. And it isn’t weird to say that.

I like this scene from the movie:

Jessica Rabbit: You don’t know how hard it is being a woman looking the way I do. Eddie Valiant: You don’t know how hard it is being a man looking at a woman looking the way you do. Jessica Rabbit: I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way.

Good stuff.

All in all, the collaboration of Disney and Warner Bros. cartoons, fused with live-action acting makes Who Framed Roger Rabbit my favourite Disney flick of all time. And it should be yours too, because I’m always right. :P

Later folks.

After reading IGN’s weekly Nintendo Minute, I’ve decided to provide commentary to all subsequent Nintendo Minutes. Basically, I’ll put up the question asked by IGN, the response by either Reggie Fils-Aimes, Perrin Kaplan or George Harrison, and then I’ll have specific commentary to the Nintendo Minute.

More than anything, it just lets me be a complete ass about Nintendo in a completely biased environment.

Should be fun. So, here we go.

This week’s question:This Nintendo Minute hits just a few days before E3 2006. Tell our readers why they should be more excited about Wii than either PS3 or Xbox 360

George Harrison, senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications, Nintendo of America: It’s a great time to be a videogame fan because we have so many fun things to show off at E3 this year. The other guys have one thing and, frankly, it’s the same thing – prettier versions of the same old games.

At this E3, all eyes are on Nintendo. Innovation is all about shaking things up, taking a new direction and questioning the status quo. And that’s what Wii does to the videogame industry. The Wii remote really immerses you like never before. You’ll understand once you get your hands on it.

Another reason to be excited is that Nintendo DS continues to do extremely well. Wait until you see the huge list of AAA games we have coming for this system. It demonstrates that consumers are really hungry for something new and that developers worldwide are ready to deliver it. What does that have to do with Wii? Everything! Nintendo DS and its new way to play paved the way for the Wii console. Unique interfaces combined with great software bring something completely new to the world of videogames, and the response continues to be tremendous.

Wii will continue that momentum not only with popular franchises, but also by drawing in new consumers who have either stopped playing or who have never played at all. Imagine a videogame that your girlfriend or parents are interested in. Or one that your entire family will want to play with you. The great news is that with the Wii remote and a strong lineup of games, we’re also going to expand the gaming experience for even hard-core fans. Wii represents more than just a step to what’s next. It’s a leap to something completely new that everyone will want to try. Simply put, Wii will change everything.

Granite says: On the contrary George, all eyes are not on Nintendo. This E3 has much more going for it than the success or failure of the Nintendo Wii. We are also on the brink of a disc format war (overly dramatic) that will decide the future of your competitors. So, I think all eyes are trying to be everywhere, and exploding in bloody messes when the brain cannot handle it anymore.

More than the disc format wars, Nintendo’s competitors are showcasing a great deal of gaming innovation. Yes, games are getting more pretty. They are also getting more realistic. So, while the Wiimote immerses gamers physically, Nintendo’s competitors are intent on immersing gamers visually and audibly. Essentially, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony are approaching the same problem from different angles. Over time, we will eventually see the same photorealism and precision control in all three systems.

The Nintendo DS should not constantly be toted as having an innovative interface. First of all, touch screens are not foreign to technology. Nintendo did not stumble upon some lost treasure trove of technology containing the Wiimote and a Nintendo DS Touch Screen. Moreover, the touch screen is still ineffectively used. Such a standard for “innovation” should not be so readily advertised as if it was a success. If the Wiimote is used as ineffectively as the DS touch screen, then the Wii does not make sense.

Imagine playing a video game that your girlfriend or parents are interested in? Wow. Great way to market to a huge demographic of rebellious teens who have expendable income. “Come on kids! Sure, you think your parents are jerks at this stage in your life, but don’t you want to play Mario Kart Wii together?!” Boo!

P.S. I still think Wii is a terrible name.

Sorry Bravado.

Wii is the real deal.

Nintendo is finito.

Source Nintendo is really going to have a tough time making this brand a household name. They shouldn’t have picked a word so commonly used in the languages of nearly every market.