There and back again; a Neverending Tale. Neverending Nights

[Tawmis]

Well after quite a bit of a break (due to some chaos, some vacation, some because of my thousand other hobbies! I really need to clone myself!) - I finally got around to a new episode!

Episode 36 - Mind Over Matter (No Subtitles)
This one does not have subtitles... for what Peter, Pawl and Grayson find... there is a sub-title version uploading...

Peter the Ranger, Grayson the Fighter and Pawl the Dwarf - er, Minotaur - leave the inn after the rumors begin to spread about their (paid for) heroics to continue their quest - but Andrea and Daniel are hot on their tail. In the forest the trio meet... well, just watch and see!



Edit:
Site has all of them now - http://neverendingnights.com/archives/3466

Sub Title version finished:

[Tawmis]

Over in the GK forums - the "Best/Worse" moments turned into how sometimes intentions are skewered and how some people may be more sensitive to things said...

This literally just happened with this episode.

I am blurring out the name, photo and where this happened, because the person in question, I actually respect. So I didn't take it personally. Just surprised about the reaction.

[Rath Darkblade]

Not sure who it was but he said "She's getting closer and closer to them..." *beat* Andrea, Daniel and the goblins are getting closer.

I'm not offended by the innkeeper's crap, because it's pretty obvious that Andrea can give him a comeuppance he won't forget. "I'll rip out your tongue and force you to swallow it!" Aw... without mustard or ketchup? (Or salt and vinegar)?

The subtitles are amusing. "It wasn't funny the first time and it's not funny the hunger time!" (Instead of "the hundredth time")

Andrea and Daniel nearly find Peter and Grayson. So close and yet so far.

Curse the silly subtitles! "It's not a minotaur, it's Pawl the Dwarf" becomes "It's not a minotaur all the doors". What...?

"Nonsense, they look like intelligent creatures" becomes "Nonsense telogen rangers."

I just realised the three guys in the forest are beholders. "And don't tell me some lame story like, the writers got tired of filming in caves, so you guys got moved into a forest..."

Peter doesn't know what "their kind" (beholders?) is. How surprising.

I like the epilogue. "Come on, let's go eat some human flesh!" Somehow, I'm not surprised that the beholders scanned "the ranger's" mind and found nothing.

[Tawmis]

Not sure who it was but he said "She's getting closer and closer to them..." *beat* Andrea, Daniel and the goblins are getting closer.

That's because I am lame and waited way too long between episodes. The one who says "She's getting closer..." Is Dean the Dragon in human form. When Peter and Grayson first encounter him (in Dragon form) all the way back in Episode 21, he's a full fledged Silver Dragon. The second season starts with him saying they shouldn't hunt dragons to become heroes - they should rescue a specific maiden in distress. After Peter and Grayson take his map, the dragon changes to human form and begins to follow them (Episode 24). He's seen next in his human form, talking to the priest who resurrected Pawl the Dorf (and makes the Star Wars reference) of "No, there is another." (Episode 30)

I'm not offended by the innkeeper's crap, because it's pretty obvious that Andrea can give him a comeuppance he won't forget. "I'll rip out your tongue and force you to swallow it!" Aw... without mustard or ketchup? (Or salt and vinegar)?

You'd think at least Pepper Flavored Salt. As for the Innkeeper - he's purposely over the top (as most of the characters are), simply to show (as I said in the post above to said person who got bent on his dialogue) - that Andrea is not one to eff with. The Weapon Vendor who hit on her (Episode 17), ended up killed (after he didn't have the sword she was looking for) and later seen as a ghost (Episode 21). She's meant to be shown as a legitimate threat, while the "heroes" are bumbling fools, who through their stupid ideas, and an ounce of luck, just keep one step ahead of her.

When this episode (Episode 36) was originally released (November 2007, in the original release), not a single person complained about the bartenders dialogue - and on our forums, we even had several female fans. It made me a little sad that someone did not ... get my intent... to show Andrea... because the bartender only gets one pick up line, before she puts him in his place, and he apologizes.

The subtitles are amusing. "It wasn't funny the first time and it's not funny the hunger time!" (Instead of "the hundredth time")
Curse the silly subtitles! "It's not a minotaur, it's Pawl the Dwarf" becomes "It's not a minotaur all the doors". What...?
"Nonsense, they look like intelligent creatures" becomes "Nonsense telogen rangers."

Well, because the Mind Flayers (not Beholders) are intentionally difficult to understand - to show they're speaking a different (Subterranean) language. But we're saying the lines in normal English than using an effect to "wobble" the voice.

But you do realize I made a Sub-Title version of the episode (where I physically put in the sub-titles, rather than rely on Youtube's version, because there's no way they'd be able to pick up the wobble effect - or even Pawl the Minotaur's voice.

Andrea and Daniel nearly find Peter and Grayson. So close and yet so far.

Their time is coming...

I just realised the three guys in the forest are beholders. "And don't tell me some lame story like, the writers got tired of filming in caves, so you guys got moved into a forest..."

Mind Flayers. Beholders are the floating spheres, with the single eye, big mouth, and ten eye stalks on the top of their head. But yes, Mind Flayers are also from the Underdark, similar to Beholders. The joke comes from back when Adam originally filmed some of the first season, he complained about not having a lot of different angels to work with inside caves. Part of the reason I took over the writing and the film and the editing and the... everything, going forward from Season 2 way back when. It's part of why I decided to redo all of these in 1080p, so that it was all the same person who filmed and edited the whole thing together (and get it in 1080p too).

Peter doesn't know what "their kind" (beholders?) is. How surprising.

Grayson doesn't know their kind (well, neither does Peter, obviously, since he couldn't understand them).

I like the epilogue. "Come on, let's go eat some human flesh!" Somehow, I'm not surprised that the beholders scanned "the ranger's" mind and found nothing.

Yeah - that was the joke. Peter's got no common sense, Grayson's mind has the spirit of the sword [that occasionally talks to him], and Pawl the Dorf Minotaur - has the dwarf soul inside of it. Mind Flayers are known for devouring minds... and that was three minds they wanted no part of...

[Rath Darkblade]

The subtitles are amusing. "It wasn't funny the first time and it's not funny the hunger time!" (Instead of "the hundredth time")
Curse the silly subtitles! "It's not a minotaur, it's Pawl the Dwarf" becomes "It's not a minotaur all the doors". What...?
"Nonsense, they look like intelligent creatures" becomes "Nonsense telogen rangers."

Well, because the Mind Flayers (not Beholders) are intentionally difficult to understand - to show they're speaking a different (Subterranean) language. But we're saying the lines in normal English than using an effect to "wobble" the voice.

But you do realize I made a Sub-Title version of the episode (where I physically put in the sub-titles, rather than rely on Youtube's version, because there's no way they'd be able to pick up the wobble effect - or even Pawl the Minotaur's voice.

Er... it was the YouTube subtitles I was referring to as being silly. For some reason, YouTube really sucks at creating subtitles.

I just realised the three guys in the forest are beholders. "And don't tell me some lame story like, the writers got tired of filming in caves, so you guys got moved into a forest..."

Mind Flayers. Beholders are the floating spheres, with the single eye, big mouth, and ten eye stalks on the top of their head. But yes, Mind Flayers are also from the Underdark, similar to Beholders.

[/quote]

Whoops! My mistake. The last time I saw Mind Flayers or Beholders was when I played Hordes of the Underdark for the umpteenth time, maybe about 7-8 months ago. ("Deekin not worthy! Deekin not worthy! Please forgive Deekin, boss!")

Deekin is probably one of the most memorable NPCs in role-playing history.

[Tawmis]

At long last...

Episode 37 (HD) - Crime Does Not Pay.
In this episode... not many characters are safe, as Death sweeps through the cast of characters, claiming several lives before this episode ends... who will survive? Peter? Grayson? Pawl? All? None? Who? WHO? Well. Watch the video (over and over and over and over) and see who will survive!

And download:
http://neverendingnights.com/archives/3473

Facebook link

[Rath Darkblade]

At long last...

Not to worry, Tawm! Whenever you have a moment to upload is fine.

Heh. I was fully expecting Andrea to kill Daniel when he wants to know about the sword. "How dare you! Presumptuous wizard!" *called shot to head, rolls 20 - result: decapitation*

Silly goblins to interrupt just as Andrea begins to explain the origin of the sword! Darn it.

Welcome back, Evil Fu. (Why does her name remind me of Evil Harry Dread? Although in Evil Harry's case, it's more of a professional name...)

Evil Fu is dead? Aw. I don't think I understood when she told Andrea et al. where Peter and Grayson are.

"Tonight we will dance for them." *cue piano music* Goblins play the piano?

Uh-oh. The goblins realise what kind of person Andrea is. "Then she will kill us." Whoops.

Heh! I like the ettin and his two arguing heads (although he is a little hard to understand). He reminds me of the Three-Headed Knight who stops Sir Robin. ("Quick, get the sword out - I want to cut his head off!" "Oh, cut your own head off." "Yes, do us all a favour.")

"All right, we got it now. Pay up or else."

Oh dear.......... "You have got to be kidding me!" For a moment there I thought that Pawl was dead again. And then again, maybe not.

Nice chapter, Tawm. I look forward to seeing more.

[Tawmis]

Not to worry, Tawm! Whenever you have a moment to upload is fine.

Heh, the upload is never the issue - it's the time to sit down and film then edit.

Heh. I was fully expecting Andrea to kill Daniel when he wants to know about the sword. "How dare you! Presumptuous wizard!" *called shot to head, rolls 20 - result: decapitation*

What's funny (I was considering putting the outtake at the end), when I filmed this episode, I did the "hostile" setting incorrectly and Andrea ended up killing everyone.

Silly goblins to interrupt just as Andrea begins to explain the origin of the sword! Darn it.

It's like the whole thing with the Dragon of Silver Lake... is it alive... dead...? The story has never been told yet!

Welcome back, Evil Fu. (Why does her name remind me of Evil Harry Dread? Although in Evil Harry's case, it's more of a professional name...)

Well, it was a hairy situation anyway...

Evil Fu is dead? Aw. I don't think I understood when she told Andrea et al. where Peter and Grayson are.

Well, Evil Foo was out to make some quick coin. She was supposed to spread the stories of having encountered Peter and Grayson (that's what she was paid to do when she was hired as their personal "evil villain"). She thought she could spread the story - and make some quick gold.

But not only is Evil Foo dead, but Dink and Ellen bit the dust as well.

"Tonight we will dance for them." *cue piano music* Goblins play the piano?

They do enjoy the piano...! (from back to Episode 25).

Uh-oh. The goblins realise what kind of person Andrea is. "Then she will kill us." Whoops.

The Goblins, for all their silliness, are pretty smart... sometimes.

Heh! I like the ettin and his two arguing heads (although he is a little hard to understand). He reminds me of the Three-Headed Knight who stops Sir Robin. ("Quick, get the sword out - I want to cut his head off!" "Oh, cut your own head off." "Yes, do us all a favour.")

I am thinking of doing a sub-titles version of the episode. Would be easy enough to do, for when the Ettin is talking.

"All right, we got it now. Pay up or else."

This is the second time that Pawl the Dorf has helped our heroes "out smart" someone (he did it previously with the Mind Flayers!) Seems like Pawl the Minotaur is a pretty good idea...

Oh dear.......... "You have got to be kidding me!" For a moment there I thought that Pawl was dead again. And then again, maybe not.

... except he died... and his spirit is back to the Priest in Blackmire City!

A lot of Season 2 deals with Pawl the Dorf trying to warn our heroes that he has a vague memory (from possessing Bob the Goblin briefly) that someone (Andrea) is out to kill them... and the many bodies that Pawl the Dorf keeps jumping into... what's next? Oh, there's definitely more for our spiritual friend!

Nice chapter, Tawm. I look forward to seeing more.

Thank you! I may try to knock another one out this week. Wife is doing a Staycation without me, so I may have some free time on my hands!

[Rath Darkblade]

Not to worry, Tawm! Whenever you have a moment to upload is fine.

Heh, the upload is never the issue - it's the time to sit down and film then edit.

Er, I think I may have misunderstood. I thought that Neverending Nights already existed as an episodic series? Why do you need to film and edit it again? Sorry, I don't get it.

[Tawmis]

Not to worry, Tawm! Whenever you have a moment to upload is fine.

Heh, the upload is never the issue - it's the time to sit down and film then edit.

Er, I think I may have misunderstood. I thought that Neverending Nights already existed as an episodic series? Why do you need to film and edit it again? Sorry, I don't get it.

Hah! So. I originally did this back in 2004. Back then, the resolution was 800x600 (a little later 1024x768). And the editor I used was Windows Movie Maker, which made everything .WMV files, which also compresses the heck out of the file size - but also the video quality.

Last year, I decided, I am going to refilm the entire series and do it in proper 1080p (1920x1080) resolution (which is the same quality of a BluRay).


Compare the original first episode:




To the 1080p version:



In the 1080p version - it's default is 480, but you can change it with the gear icon...

Hopefully you can see the difference, because it's night and day difference to me. It's like I originally did this in EGA, and now I am remaking it in VGA, to put it into Sierra terms!

Along with a better resolution, I learned a lot doing this for three seasons - that I wanted to revisit it and just do a better version over all.

The only thing that's technically already complete is the "audio" - and even that, I try to enhance where I can.

Incidentally, that's why the thread is called "There and back again; a Neverending Tale." It's clearly a reference to The Hobbit (There And Back Again, A Hobbit's Tale), but also indicating - I've finished this already (there) and refilming the whole thing (back again).

[Rath Darkblade]

Ah! Now I get it. Thanks, Tawm! And yes - the difference in resolution makes for much sharper pictures. We can see more details now (like Grayson's stubble, etc.)

Yes, I also used Windows Movie Maker to create a few videos. I posted a few on Vimeo, but I created some that I haven't posted yet - still tinkering.

As for There and Back Again - no need to explain the Hobbit reference! I read The Hobbit several times, first in Hebrew (a translation) and then in English (three or four times). So I'm very familiar with that phrase. It's almost as familiar to me as Three Rings for the Elven Kings Under the Sky (etc.), and other Tolkien poems.

Hey dol! Merry dol! Ring a dong dillo! Ring a dong! Hop along! fal lal the willow! Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!

There is an inn, a merry old inn, beneath an old gray hill...

Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

The world was young, the mountains green,
No stain yet on the Moon was seen,
No words were laid on stream or stone
When Durin woke and walked alone.

And so on, and so forth... Tolkien's poetry is one of the aspects of what makes LOTR so wonderful.

[Tawmis]

Ah! Now I get it. Thanks, Tawm! And yes - the difference in resolution makes for much sharper pictures. We can see more details now (like Grayson's stubble, etc.)

And it's not so uber pixelated anymore.

As for There and Back Again - no need to explain the Hobbit reference! I read The Hobbit several times, first in Hebrew (a translation) and then in English (three or four times). So I'm very familiar with that phrase. It's almost as familiar to me as Three Rings for the Elven Kings Under the Sky (etc.), and other Tolkien poems.

Heh - well The Hobbit means the world to me (I've probably said it a million times on the forum), but that's why I did the title of the thread as a nod to that (like I said, "there" [being done] and "back again" [refilming it all]). Thought it'd be a fun little nod for those that got the reference.

[Tawmis]

Well, at long last ... episode 38.

[Rath Darkblade]

"What <kind> of confession?" Andrea's PO'd already. Oh boy. This is going to be fun.

Daniel, shaper of balloons... I love the silly names. Alan the Outstanding.

Pepper flavoured salt again. What's the bet that pouch of pepper-flavoured salt is actually gunpowder or equivalent, and casting a spell on it will blow up the mountain. (Watches, maybe 10 seconds later) Called it!

As for Andrea's confession... "Found in a ... dishevelled state." Oh, poor Andrea...

Done watching Andrea's flashback. That explains a lot... poor Andrea. But it made her stronger. Like Morrigan from Dragon Age.

Whoops - just as the mage thinks that "mother" is a dragon, we cut away to Peter and Grayson!

Peter, when will you learn to shut up and not call Pawl a kobold? It's pretty obvious that he's a bugbear.

I was half-expecting Peter to mock Pawl with a sing-song voice: "Pawl is now a kobold! Nyah nyah nyah..." etc.

And so the talking sword reveals more of the plot, and Grayson is getting freaked out. And naturally, he blames Peter - 'cos yeah, it's totally Peter's fault. But Peter is still obsessed with Pawl's "kobold" body.

Ah, it's good to see these two bumbling idiots again! Another fun chapter, Tawm.

[Tawmis]

"What <kind> of confession?" Andrea's PO'd already. Oh boy. This is going to be fun.
Daniel, shaper of balloons... I love the silly names. Alan the Outstanding.

Alan the Astounding was the (drunk) wizard we saw in Episode 06. I am sure I've said this before, but Daniel the Destructive was created, because the person who voiced Alan the Astounding was always "too busy" to record, so we just replaced him and introduced Daniel the Destructive. And I figured I'd tie those two characters together in someway.

Pepper flavoured salt again. What's the bet that pouch of pepper-flavoured salt is actually gunpowder or equivalent, and casting a spell on it will blow up the mountain. (Watches, maybe 10 seconds later) Called it!

I was going to repeat what I did in Episode 07, when we first saw the effects of Pepper Flavored Salt on an Ice Cube Monster (film it in six different shots, similar to anime), but figured the episode was already pretty long.

As for Andrea's confession... "Found in a ... dishevelled state." Oh, poor Andrea...
Done watching Andrea's flashback. That explains a lot... poor Andrea. But it made her stronger. Like Morrigan from Dragon Age.

Her back story will tie in much later.

Whoops - just as the mage thinks that "mother" is a dragon, we cut away to Peter and Grayson!

With Peter finishing the sentence of saying, "... dragon."

Peter, when will you learn to shut up and not call Pawl a kobold? It's pretty obvious that he's a bugbear.
I was half-expecting Peter to mock Pawl with a sing-song voice: "Pawl is now a kobold! Nyah nyah nyah..." etc.

Those two clearly don't know their humanoids.

And so the talking sword reveals more of the plot, and Grayson is getting freaked out. And naturally, he blames Peter - 'cos yeah, it's totally Peter's fault. But Peter is still obsessed with Pawl's "kobold" body.
Ah, it's good to see these two bumbling idiots again! Another fun chapter, Tawm.

It was good to do another episode! I am hoping to do another episode this weekend, because the following weekend I am booked (D&D on Friday, then Saturday attending a Comic Convention in LA).