Latest news with #Outback
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘We're all connected – but it's not the connection I imagined': Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding 2
Hideo Kojima – the acclaimed video game director who helmed the stealth-action Metal Gear series for decades before founding his own company to make Death Stranding, a supernatural post-apocalyptic delivery game this publication described as '2019's most interesting blockbuster' – is still starstruck, or perhaps awestruck. 'George [Miller] is my sensei, my God,' he proclaims gleefully. Kojima is visiting Australia for a sold-out chat with Miller, the creator of the Mad Max film franchise, at the Sydney film festival. The two struck up an unlikely but fierce friendship nearly a decade ago, and Kojima says that, as a teenager, the first two Mad Max films inspired him to become a movie director and thus, eventually, a video game maker. At the panel later, Miller is equally effusive, calling Kojima 'almost my brother'; the Australian even lent his appearance to a major character in Kojima's latest game, Death Stranding 2. It's actually because of Miller that much of this latest game is set in a heavily fictionalised version of Australia, Kojima jokes. Death Stranding, a game about slogging through vast, treacherous yet gorgeous environments to deliver parcels between isolated bunkers, is particularly suited to Australia's diverse and varied biosphere; the game's geography may be condensed and fantastical, but the beauty and the terror remains. In addition to sweeping, moody outback landscapes, DS2 also has some of the most vividly detailed (or at least expensive) depictions of Australian wildlife in all of gaming. Spotting the distinctive hopping gait of a kangaroo on a sun-drenched horizon was, for this decidedly urban Australian, an oddly moving sight. 'I love animals, and they're unique here,' says Kojima, who passed on catching some early morning festival screenings to go to the zoo instead. 'A lot of people [on the team] love animals … They might say no to designing a new mech, but they wanted to make more animals.' Film buff Kojima drops a few Australian cinematic references too – he likes the 1971 flick Walkabout, and admits DS2's subtitle, On the Beach, is a reference to the classic Melbourne-based post-apocalyptic movie of the same name ('I love the original novel') – but his real reasoning behind the location choice was simple: 'I wanted to go to Australia.' Though he's visited before, he wanted to go deeper in, 'to the middle of the land, the desert'. But because of the pandemic, Kojima's team was forced to use remote location scouts to gather data; being unable to be there in person was very disappointing, he says. 'It's totally different from looking at a picture, when you're feeling it, on location.' Remote work, during the pandemic and beyond, has been a sticking point for the game. 'The hardest thing was the performance capture,' he says. Directing cast members such as Norman Reedus or Léa Seydoux remotely from Japan was the 'worst experience', his direction 'almost impossible to relay' from the other side of a Zoom call. With restrictions in place during the early parts of development, the team tried to focus on scenes that didn't utilise the main actors early on, but it wasn't always possible. 'And for the new cast especially, it was quite difficult,' he says, 'Because I wanted to explain: this is the character, this is how I want you to act – but it was all remote!' The situation eased by 2022, he says, allowing him to fly to LA and direct in person – to build a better rapport with his cast and get them more used to the nuances of acting for games. 'People who have done Marvel movies, they've experienced performance capture, with the green backgrounds,' he says. (In most cinematic games, real-world acting is translated to the digital realm through motion capture technology – which can be jarring to actors used to sets and costumes.) 'We actually have a tool: if you look at the monitor, you can see the [in-game] world displayed in real time.' Kojima says he tries to keep actors performing together as much as possible, though there are always exceptions where they had to record separately, especially during Covid. And then there were problems specific to games, such as the need for multiple takes on a character's grunts of pain or repeatable in-game actions like eating an apple. 'Sometimes we'd get questions from Norman, and I'd say, 'Eat the apple and it's good', or 'Eat the apple and it's not good' – we want those differences! Over and over, we had to ask for those kinds of things.' Death Stranding made 'connections' its thesis statement; players never see one another in-game, yet can pool resources and build structures to benefit themselves and others, creating intricate networks of services to make the long drudgery of delivery easier for everyone. So why is the sequel's tagline the ominous question: 'Should we have connected?' 'I became sick during the pandemic, and I was totally isolated,' Kojima says. Compounding that, optical muscle damage from a recent eye surgery meant that he couldn't even watch movies or TV. The world shifted around him: everyone was bunkering down, working online, communicating through video calls as delivery people kept the world running. His game, his vision, had come true. 'It seemed like, yes, we're all connected. But it's not really the connection that I imagined,' he says. His company, Kojima Productions, was staffing up; he would meet new hires in person on their first day and then, due to pandemic restrictions, not see them again for the next three years. Having spoken recently about legacy (news of a USB drive 'full of ideas' he had supposedly prepared to leave behind took on a life of its own, he laughs), Kojima believes in-person collaboration remains the best way to foster new talent. 'The reason why [new hires] want to work with us is they want to learn from mentors, or become better by working with other people,' he says. 'But if you're purely online … it's almost like outsourcing. You want to talk and see what other people are doing, so you can expand yourself, you can grow.' Remote work is 'almost like a fast food chain; you're just concentrating on one thing instead of the whole project,' he says: in a collaborative industry like game-making, it introduces inefficiencies. With people siloed off, there's no back-and-forth, he says; people discover their mistakes later and there's less room for happy coincidences, spur-of-the-moment suggestions or alternate viewpoints. Aside from that, he adds, you don't get to know your team members, see how people are feeling or ask them about their hobbies. 'Only 1% of yourself is on show during [online] meetings,' he says. 'This is not like building a team. Think about football. You hire someone, he comes to your squad – but you can't play together remotely. So that person doesn't change the way they played before; they won't fit in,' he says. Still, 'you can't force people back to the office, you can only persuade them,' he says. 'So not everyone came back. But the main members did, so we could work together.' Despite this slightly dour tone, Kojima seemingly remains hopeful. Death Stranding is a deeply lonely game, he says animatedly during a later group presentation. 'But … you find other players all over the world. You're indirectly connected … And once you turn that [game] off and go outside … you see structures in real life, like the bridge here in Sydney. Someone made that! They might have passed away years ago, but you're connected to them. Even if you haven't met the person. You are not alone in this world.' And there's always new horizons. Kojima has a long-held dream of visiting outer space – not a mere billionaire's suborbital hop, but something more. 'That's not space,' he says, firmly. 'I want to train properly, learn how to do the docking, go to the International Space Station and stay there for a few months … I'm not a scientist, but I could probably make games in space. I want to be the first. There are a lot of astronauts over 60, so I guess it's possible.' There's no gravity in space to irritate his bad back, after all, he jokes. As we wrap up, he pauses for a moment, thinking, and adds one last ambition: he wants to be put in a situation, he says, where he risks his life something that would give him a feeling of really being alive. 'It's 'Tom Cruise disease',' Kojima elaborates. 'Tom Cruise finds out his worth when living with his life on the line.' Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is out on 26 June on PlayStation 5.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Netflix star hit with more charges
Celebrity croc wrangler Matt Wright has reportedly been hit with two more criminal charges following the helicopter crash that killed his friend and co-star Chris Wilson. The Outback Wrangler host was set to face trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court next month charged with one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice. However, the charges are now set to be split into three components, a Director of Public Prosecutions spokesperson confirmed to NewsWire. The Crown filed an amended indictment and Crown case outline that contained three counts of perverting the course of justice, rather than just the one, the DPP said. The trial is set to start on July 28. Mr Wright's co-star Mr Wilson was killed in a helicopter crash while on a crocodile egg collecting expedition in the Northern Territory in February 2022. Pilot Sebastian Robinson was left a paraplegic. At the time of the crash, Mr Wilson was being hung from the helicopter by a sling. He left behind his wife Danielle and their two young sons. His criminal charges relate to his alleged actions after the fatal crash.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- News.com.au
Outback Wrangler Matthew Wright hit with two more criminal charges
Celebrity croc wrangler Matt Wright has reportedly been hit with two more criminal charges following the helicopter crash that killed his friend and co-star Chris Wilson. The Outback Wrangler host was set to face trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court next month charged with one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice. However, the charges are now set to be split into three components, a Director of Public Prosecutions spokesperson confirmed to NewsWire. The Crown filed an amended indictment and Crown case outline that contained three counts of perverting the course of justice, rather than just the one, the DPP said. The trial is set to start on July 28. Mr Wright's co-star Mr Wilson was killed in a helicopter crash while on a crocodile egg collecting expedition in the Northern Territory in February 2022. Pilot Sebastian Robinson was left a paraplegic. At the time of the crash, Mr Wilson was being hung from the helicopter by a sling. He left behind his wife Danielle and their two young sons. His criminal charges relate to his alleged actions after the fatal crash.
Motor 1
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘I Bet You Didn't Know This:' Woman Discovers This Little-Known Perk to Driving A Subaru. Then Her Order Comes in the Mail
A long-time Subaru driver is delighted to receive a package in the mail with the badges for the newest member of her automotive family. TikTok user Addie Beckman (@ posted a video to show off the badges she just got in the mail for her new Subaru Outback. She explains, 'I've only ever driven Subarus, and I just got my third one. And they're the best cars for a lot of reasons, but one of the reasons is you get these little badges, and they're completely free.' How Do You Get the Badges? Beckman is talking about the Subaru Badge of Ownership program . As she says in the video, you go to the website, input your information, and choose from a list of icons that represent the lifestyle facilitated by your Subaru. 'This is my third Subaru; I got a little third badge,' Beckman says. 'And then I got a bunch of cute badges, and I'm going to put them on my car right now. So I'm going to show you. It also comes in this cute little bag, which I love. They are just so fun, and I love that they do this for free.' How Do You Put Them On? There's an adhesive on the back of every badge so that you can easily stick them to your vehicle or another metal surface of your choosing. The video cuts to Beckman in her garage, kneeling by the back of her new Outback. She reveals that the badges come with a little cut-out stencil that helps ensure the badges go on straight. 'The first badge is the third one,' she says. 'I got this little Pride one, one that says 'I love parks,' a mountain biking one, this is like their outdoor sports one, and then a little camping one. I'll show you guys them all at the end.' As she concludes the video, Beckman says, 'So, if you have a Subaru, you need to do this. It's just 'Subaru Badge of Ownership.' Just Google that, and it lets you choose your badges. You just put in the VIN. And it's completely free, which I think is so cute. And Subarus are just the best cars ever. And this is my third one, and I will never stop getting Subarus. I love them so much.' Viewers Love Subaru Badges, Too In the comments section, viewers chimed in with their own opinions of the program. Of course, Subaru of America's official TikTok account was among them. 'Loving this badge combo,' the brand wrote. 'It's like a charm bracelet for your car,' wrote one user. 'It's kind of pathetic that the thought of free badges for my car makes me want to get a Subaru,' wrote a second. 'That's such a cute cult,' joked a third person. Motor1 reached out to Beckman via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We'll be sure to update this article if we hear back. Now Trending 'I'll Swap These Out:' Veteran Mechanic Performs Routine Job. Then He Issues a Controversial Warning About This Duralast Product 'Don't Get Fooled, Ladies:' Man Says GMC Quoted Wife $900 to Put $6 Amazon Part Back on Car. He Does It in 1 Second Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
ABC News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Heidi Sheehan
Chris Gimblett, who gained fame for barring emus from entering Queensland's Yaraka Hotel, is being mourned after a crash that also left his wife critically injured. 4h ago 4 hours ago Fri 13 Jun 2025 at 4:36am After securing a record-setting 54 wins out of 159 starts, outback racehorse Fab's Cowboy will see out his retirement alongside Melbourne Cup winners, leaving big hole in the lives of his trainers and owners. Sun 28 Jul Sun 28 Jul Sun 28 Jul 2024 at 10:34pm A group of North Queensland locals braved driving rains and rising floodwaters to rescue 17 people trapped in trees and from the rooftop of a pub. Mon 18 Dec Mon 18 Dec Mon 18 Dec 2023 at 11:47pm Australian Defence Force personnel are travelling to Longreach to assess the object, found on a property once owned by late Queensland MP Vaughan Johnson. Thu 10 Aug Thu 10 Aug Thu 10 Aug 2023 at 7:22am An endurance ride that attracted the likes of cattleman RM Williams during the 1980s is back. While some things have changed, the Winton to Longreach Endurance Ride is still a show of strength, grit, and horsemanship. Sun 30 Jul Sun 30 Jul Sun 30 Jul 2023 at 10:32pm Almost 6,000 people didn't just break the world record, they blew it away in a colourful, spirited, boot-scooting celebration of the late queen of rock and 50 years of Nutbush City Limits. Thu 6 Jul Thu 6 Jul Thu 6 Jul 2023 at 4:53am Festival-goers stuck in outback Queensland towns start to make their way to the festival after heavy rain caused road closures. Wed 5 Jul Wed 5 Jul Wed 5 Jul 2023 at 3:12am Big Red Bash organisers say the journey to one of the world's most remote music festivals is all part of the experience, but many travellers got more than they bargained for on the way to this year's event. Tue 4 Jul Tue 4 Jul Tue 4 Jul 2023 at 3:51am "Very motivated" crooks with the tools and skill to steal a catalytic converter in a few minutes are continuing to target car yards, parking lots and service stations in Queensland, police say. Thu 27 Apr Thu 27 Apr Thu 27 Apr 2023 at 12:00am Australians have marked Anzac Day across the country, with dawn services and parades also held in Papua New Guinea and Gallipoli to honour those who served. Tue 25 Apr Tue 25 Apr Tue 25 Apr 2023 at 11:03pm The price of rent in two of Queensland's most sought-after holiday spots has become so high that essential workers are being forced to find multiple jobs to keep a roof over their heads. Sat 15 Apr Sat 15 Apr Sat 15 Apr 2023 at 11:34am Brett and Belinda Beasley have been fighting to end knife crime since their 17-year-old son, Jack, was stabbed to death in 2019. This week legislation to expand police power is being debated in Queensland. Wed 29 Mar Wed 29 Mar Wed 29 Mar 2023 at 2:21am Wayne Grimley grew up spending a lot of time in the sun, without sun safety measures. Now he's had surgery to remove a skin cancer from his eyelid. Tue 28 Mar Tue 28 Mar Tue 28 Mar 2023 at 9:33pm Gold Coast City Council has resolved to remove a $2.1 million art installation along the M1 south of Brisbane, after years of controversies over the sculptures. Tue 28 Mar Tue 28 Mar Tue 28 Mar 2023 at 4:41am Multiple fat suits, wigs and prosthetic pieces were part of the drastic physical transformations of Austin Butler and Tom Hanks in the movie Elvis, according to Australian Oscar nominee Jason Baird. Mon 13 Mar Mon 13 Mar Mon 13 Mar 2023 at 1:45am Unit prices on the Gold Coast have risen by 3.95 per cent over the past quarter, while house prices have risen by 0.36 per cent. Wed 1 Mar Wed 1 Mar Wed 1 Mar 2023 at 12:21am Shoeys, Horses and feather boas. Harry Styles has been rocking capital cities on his Australian tour but his only Queensland gig will be a record-setting win for the glitter strip. Fri 24 Feb Fri 24 Feb Fri 24 Feb 2023 at 8:19pm Housing and community recovery representatives from the Queensland state government have visited residents at Couran Cove after essential services were suspended earlier this week Fri 17 Feb Fri 17 Feb Fri 17 Feb 2023 at 8:43am The store owner claims her shop is targeted multiple times a week by teenagers, as a 15-year-old girl faces theft and common assault charges over an incident that that left a staff member with facial injuries. Thu 16 Feb Thu 16 Feb Thu 16 Feb 2023 at 8:02am The Tweed Heads teen is one of Australia's most promising young skaters and she has her heart set on competing at the Paris Olympics. Mon 13 Feb Mon 13 Feb Mon 13 Feb 2023 at 10:30pm High ranking Comanchero Motorcycle Club figure Allan Meehan is remanded in custody after allegedly failing to provide relevant authorities with his address. Thu 9 Feb Thu 9 Feb Thu 9 Feb 2023 at 7:27am Baz Luhrmann's feature film, Elvis, was the first major Hollywood film to be produced from start to finish on the Gold Coast, with the Academy Award nominee liking the location so much he relocated his production company there. Thu 9 Feb Thu 9 Feb Thu 9 Feb 2023 at 6:59am Aerial vision just off a popular Gold Coast beach after a handful of evacuations confirms that sharks have been cruising in the shallows. We asked a biologist what it all means. Mon 30 Jan Mon 30 Jan Mon 30 Jan 2023 at 2:22am More than 100 people meet at a park near the 61-year-old's home in Elanora on Sunday evening to pay tribute to the local woman who was found dead in a car in Brisbane last Thursday. Sun 29 Jan Sun 29 Jan Sun 29 Jan 2023 at 1:32pm Gold Coast Airport is adding two new international routes to its roster in the coming months as packed arrivals halls show visitor numbers remain strong. Mon 23 Jan Mon 23 Jan Mon 23 Jan 2023 at 7:45pm
