Concept art by Doug Chiang and John Park from Season 1 of "The Mandalorian," for which the production design team often blended the physical with the virtual to create its look. (Lucasfilm)

To reimagine the world of "Star Wars" for Jon Favreaus Disney+ series "The Mandalorian," production designer Andrew L. Jones had to build sets that could exist both in the physical world and a virtual one. The series was partially filmed in Industrial Light & Magics new 270-degree Volume soundstage, where digital environments a desert planet, say, or the infamous cantina are projected on LED screens around the actors using game technology.

Id done some work with LED screens in camera before, but not with the tracking element, on The Jungle Book, says Jones, who was supervising art director on Favreaus live-action Disney film. Jon had started a lot of the early thinking for this process on that. We were using LED panels for lighting. We were building the sets and scanning them in VR. And then Jon took that further on The Lion King. It was an evolution, and by the time we got to The Mandalorian everything had matured enough that we felt we could make it work.

The technology meant that Jones, who was nominated for an Emmy alongside art director Jeff Wisniewski and set decorator Amanda Serino, and his team needed to design and build all the sets six weeks before shooting each episode to give ILM enough time to make the virtual sets look photo-real and to add in real-time special effects.

To do that, the team filmed tangible environments, including locations in Iceland, and created realistic scans of shapes, props and scenery. In the first episode, the Clients office was scanned from the interior of a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. Those digital backgrounds appeared on the screens of the Volume, a circular, 270-degree LED video wall housed at Manhattan Beach Studios; when it was time to shoot, Jones and Serino augmented each set with physical objects and props, including sand and dirt for the ground.

Thats a really good way to sell the illusion, to have something thats real in the foreground and then a duplicate of it in the virtual, Jones notes. If theyre lit and presented consistently, then its hard to tell whats real and what isnt.

Story continues

The set pieces also needed to be mobile, able to move in and out of the Volume quickly to keep up with the shooting schedule.

The Volume is not a huge space, and anything we want to shoot on there weve got to get it in and out easily, says Jones, who also built sets on several soundstages and on the studios backlot. For the sake of the schedule we cant build a set like you would do traditionally and spend three weeks putting it together and dressing it and painting it. Weve got to literally get that thing in overnight and do some lighting in the morning and then were shooting. Its much more like theater, where all the set pieces have to be on wheels. They have to break apart into pieces we can get through the door. As soon as ones out, the next ones coming in.

Despite having access to the latest digital technology, Jones wanted to ensure that the aesthetic of "The Mandalorian" wasnt too perfect or too manufactured. It needed to match the look of the first "Star Wars" trilogy, especially A New Hope, and Favreau was clear that the visual effects shouldnt overtake the storytelling.

When youve got ILM on board, we can do anything, Jones says. You can have the most spectacular skies and spaceships and visual effects. But then it would start not to be the world of 'Star Wars' and the language of 'Star Wars.' Those original films were really ground-breaking stuff, but it had a simplicity to it. We are definitely trying to respect the original aesthetic.

There are visual nods to the original trilogy throughout The Mandalorian, and re-creating the cantina was a particular challenge. Originally, the team wasnt sure such a small set would work on the Volume, but in the end they were able to make an aged replica of the space that was half virtual and half built set.

We wanted to be absolutely faithful to that set, Jones says. That was a bit of archaeology, finding what was there and how it was positioned and what would have happened in the intervening years that would have changed it. Its not the exact same thing its the same place but its later on. Theres going to be some storytelling in how things have changed since the fall of the Empire. Things have gone to seed a little bit.

When it came time to shoot the second season, which is set to premiere later this year, the team was able to bring in what theyd learned the first time around.

We found things that were successful that we hadnt expected and other things failed that we thought were going to be easy, Jones says. We learned a lot as we were going along. I think were starting to understand this process and get the hang of it. So Season 2 was just as difficult of a season, but I think we achieved greater things.

Link:
How 'Mandalorian' re-created its 'Star Wars' origins down to the cantina - Yahoo News

The Carrier Dome seats 49,262 people and sits on the campus of Syracuse University. Since its construction in 1980, the Carrier dome changed the skyline of the city with its pillow topped roof. It is the largest building of its kind on a college campus. When constructed, it was ahead of other colleges and universities which quickly allowed Syracuse University to break attendance records for major sporting events. That was then, now sports fans and industry observers all agree, its time for a new arena.

For observers, the new dome meant upgrades to what had long bothered many attendees, lack of air conditioning in a building bearing the name Carrier. Several plans were floated to replace the aging structure, one through Gov. Cuomo with over 400 million dollars received the endorsement of then Onondaga County Executive Joannie Mahoney. Dreams of a new facility were squashed when the deal was immediately rejected by then Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner. Ideas for extending the university to Erie Boulevard along with an aggressive multi-tiered development plan for Syracuse were shredded. The relationship between the County Executive and Mayor became synonymous with a treat sold at Wendys, Frosty.

The University sought different options for the aged facility; eventually the Board of Trustees decided to invest in a massive makeover of the existing Carrier Dome, eliminating the iconic pillowtop opting for a structural solution.

Syracuse University the ambitious plan to transform the aged facility into a state-of-the-art arena has a price tag of $118 million dollars.

According to Pete Sala, VP and chief facilities officer, The Carrier Dome Stadium Improvement Project will cost $118 million. Project includesnew fixed roof (secured via the crown truss ring around the top of dome exterior), new vertically hung scoreboard, air conditioning, improved accessibility, improved Wi-Fi. New restroom facilities (no trough) and new concession stands.

Sala continues, We are now in second phase of roof structure going up (first phase was crown truss, this phase involves the cables you saw in video and installation of the actual roof. There will be a rigid roof beneath a fabric roof. The big arches you see will support the fabric portion of the roof. (the middle of the roof you see in the artist rendering photo).

The Scoreboard

In center of building, the scoreboard. Its the 3rd largest in the country, made by Daktronics. Currently being built.

To get an idea of whats going on click on any of the following links to get a birds-eye view of the massive construction site on University Hill.

The Hayner Hoyt Corporation Presents-A New Stadium Experience The Hayner Hoyt Corporation Presents-A New Stadium Experience

Originally posted here:
The "Crown" of Syracuse Taking Shape on Syracuse University Campus - URBAN CNY

SEATTLE Sachin was all set, living the single life in his little two-bedroom place in Green Lake. He figured hed found his forever bachelor home, says Anna and then he met me. We had been living together and dating, but when out-of-town friends or his parents would come to town, it was very small.

Sachin had attended the University of Washington and suggested looking for roomier homes in Hawthorne Hills, where he used to run. As we were driving through it, I fell in love, Anna says. It reminded me of Somerset in Bellevue. It just instantly felt like home.

They discovered this 1948 brick daylight rambler, and, I loved it, Sachin says. When you walked in the front door, you were looking into the canopy of this huge Japanese maple.

They bought the house. And their affection kept growing. We fell in love with our neighbors, Anna says. Its kind of a mixed-generational street. It felt like we had grandparents and parents and kids. It instantly felt like we could live here forever. The first day we moved in, he proposed. We were married a year later.

Love of all kinds brought them here, and keeps them grounded. If we were going to be here for the long haul we felt really invested it was time for us to grow up the house a little bit, Anna says.

Those feelings, and that investment, have driven two remodeling projects, both designed to optimize and open spaces, reconcile varying-era inconsistencies and basically help an older home keep up as modern-day circumstances change (Sachin and Anna had two children in between projects), and both were with architect Julie Campbell, of CTA Design Builders.

Midcentury homes typically had separate rooms and hallways. Those 1940s-50s homes were by the dozens: warrens of little rooms, simple rectangles, Campbell says. The culture now is more communal living: communal eating, cooking, living. We knew it wanted to be a modern midcentury remodel, but not stark. Fir doors and fir trim became a theme we built on in Phase Two.

But perhaps the most significant thing they built on was the ground. While Phase One tackled living room/fireplace and cosmetic work, Campbell says, the more-intensive Phase Two reworked the functional but dated C-shaped kitchen and the bathrooms; re-envisioned the entire landscaping plan; and added an oasis of a master suite on the daylight-basement level, below a family room that had been built off the main-level kitchen in the 1980s.

That created a dark, unpleasant area underneath that structure in the backyard, says Campbell, who calls such dark unpleasantness a beer-can space. Beer can goes back to a professor I had in school. Its an unused alleyway or corner of a lot, where people sit [and toss beer cans]. When my professor used it, the context was: No space should be beer-can space. Every space should be a place. You dont want to have an unloved space.

No. Unloved does not work here.

In their quest for a bigger, brighter, upgraded bedroom, Sachin and Anna had considered building up rather than under. But if we had gone up, we probably would have spent all of our money and wouldnt have connected with the outdoors, Sachin says. I felt from the standpoint of the street, we wouldve been the house that stands up. and out.

That doesnt work here, either.

As we considered that beautiful Japanese maple just outside the back basement, we realized it would be the perfect focal point for a master suite tucked under the upper-floor addition, creating a rear courtyard that both floors could enjoy, Campbell says. (She credits landscape designer Scot Eckley for a key design aspect of this house: all-new landscaping, including the backyard courtyard and a very public patio in the former front yard.)

Overall, she says, Our remodel removed many walls, eliminating hallways and creating vistas throughout the house to the outside. The open stairway is now visually connected with the lower level so that going downstairs doesnt feel like leaving the main part of the house. But once in the master bedroom, with its very private view to that magical tree, it feels like a private retreat.

Private, yes, but for one day, anyway also very much public.

This might be a 1948 home, but with a new spare and limited (yet warm and relaxed) materials palette, Its very contemporary and luminescent, says Campbell. Its very minimal in floor plan and layout, and it feels large and more open.

Or: just as modern as midcentury.

Go here to see the original:
Modern Love: Home remodeled (twice!) on a solid foundation of deep affection - Times-Mail

Opinions on Netflix(NASDAQ:NFLX) as an investment are a lot like the content on the platform itself. There's never a shortage of perspectives available, but just like the streamer's seemingly bottomless content catalog, the quality of those ruminations isn't uniformly up to snuff.

The newsy Netflix nuggets that have trickled in over the past week are all over the map. A Credit Suisse analyst put out a bullish note on Wednesday, suggesting that the service is on track to exceed its conservative guidance for subscriber net additions during the current quarter. There's also a Marketwatch article detailing some isolated delivery delays in Netflix's DVD-rental-by-mail business. Finally, there was a social media outcry after promotional materials for an upcoming French film provoked criticism for sexualizing young girls. Netflix apologized and pulled the promo -- but for now, it's not dropping the controversial movie.

That all may seem like a lot to chew on for a Netflix investor, but it's pretty simple at the end of the day: Only one of those stories matters. The other two are largely irrelevant to the case for Netflix as an investment.

Image source: Netflix.

Let's start with the two stories that won't move the needle for Netflix. I covered the USPS situation at length on Friday. In a nutshell, this is a non-story for investors. The DVD rental service now accounts for just 1% of Netflix's revenue, and since the company covers the postage on its DVD shipments, it actually benefits its bottom line if deliveries were delayed in some cases.

The issue around the controversial film that's slated to debut on the streaming service come Sept. 9 is more nuanced. The French film Mignonnes (Cuties) is about an 11-year old Senegalese immigrant in France defying her mother's wishes by joining a local dance team, and it won an award at Sundance earlier this year. The culture-clash and coming-of-age film has won kudos from 82% of the critics whose reviews of it were compiled by Rotten Tomatoes. Some of those critics praised the film for how it tackles sensitive issues, but all of that went out the window when folks spotted the Netflix promotional art featuring the four pre-teen dancers in midriff-bearing outfits. The streamer's initial description of the film also played it up as an 11-year old starting to explore her femininity as she rebels to join a twerking dance crew. The film itself is obviously far more layered than either of those made it out to be, so Netflix apologized on Thursday.

This isn't the first time that Netflix has secured content that stirred up controversy. It won't be the last. In the long run, this minor brouhaha won't matter, and it's hard to imagine any service pulling a critically praised film that won a prestigious award at a major film festival this year.

The real story that investors ought to follow is the bullish insight that Credit Suisse analyst Douglas Mitchelson offered up in his research note to clients on Wednesday. His data shows that Netflix's net additions are pacing ahead of the 2.5 million that the company was targeting for the third quarter, but are still on track to come up short of the 6.8 million net streaming subscribers it added during the same period a year earlier.

Mitchelson is actually neutral on Netflix, and his $525 price target doesn't predict much upside from current levels. He also points out that global applications have been roughly flat outside of the Asia Pacific region. This is still a positive development. The stock moved lower last month after Netflix posted its second-quarter results, largely due to the weak subscriber guidance it was modeling for the new quarter. Exceeding that conservative mark -- especially after topping more than 10 million paid subscriber additions in the second quarter -- would cool a lot of bearish arguments.

There's never a shortage of news on this disruptive media company. Investors just need to separate the relevant from the fluff.

See original here:
Netflix Investors Need to Focus on What Matters - The Motley Fool

Jeffersonville, Ind. is again expanding its recreational offerings along the Spring Street Corridor, this time with additions to the NoCo Jeffersonville Arts & Cultural District.

Six years ago, the city caught lightning in a bottle with the opening of Big Four Station Park. The walking bridge which uses the span of the former bridge to nowhere and surrounding green space set off a development explosion in downtown Jeffersonville.

When they come over into the downtown area, theres not a single block within four blocks of the Big Four bridge where theres not something going on in the evening, Mayor Mike Moore said. Thats fun.

Shops and restaurants in the area have flourished as more than a million people from all over the world cross the bridge into the citys core each year. City officials continued their focus on pedestrian-friendly design a few blocks away at the NoCo Arts District.

Jeffersonville Public Arts Administrator Dawn Spyker said the district, which has rough boundaries of Michigan and Court avenues and Spring Street, is in its second year of operation.

Its only 22 acres, so its rather intimate, she said. However, the intention with this district is that youve got lots of different opportunities for artists and visitors and community.

Officials are set to move forward with at least three projects by the end of this year that will transform the landscape at the arts district.

The project with the most buzz is the Depot. The name is an homage to the train era of Jeffersonvilles Big Four Bridge, and the space will incorporate old, colorful train cars in its design.

Its basically going to become a little artist village, Moore said. Those storage containers are going to be a place where artists have space rented out and have all of their artwork on display. Were going to have a little outdoor concert venue there, and were going to have a little bar there.

Spyker said that the artists who use the pods on any given day will specialize in a variety of media. This is to ensure that the offerings are unique for the potential customers and passersby.

A desire of the redevelopment commission and the city is to have a variety of artists represented, and not necessarily your traditional visual artists, either, Spyker said. It could be culinary artists, people who are making specialty foods. Or people that are working in anything that is a specialty product, not necessarily something that is mass produced, but something that is made by hand for sure.

The Garden will hosts pop-up markets where artists can sell their works.

Near the colorful water tank at the districts hub, one can find two lengthy walls covered in vibrant murals. Spryker refers to this area of the district as the Garden.

Here, artists will sell their work at pop-up markets.

It should provide a real enchanting and magical backdrop for this artists market, Spyker said. So that particular area is really intended for emerging artists.

A third component will be a storytelling area for younger people. A colorful sidewalk leads up to the water tower, known as the story trail. Participants are meant to walk along the trail to tell a story. There are 12 panels along the trail, each offering a different section of the story.

There will also be components to engage discussion about the story, such as questions about the story written on surrounding walls. Storytellers and parents will also join children on the trail. A colorful barrier made of PVC pipe will be used to separate children from the street in the storytelling area.

The story trail will give young people an interactive environment to read and discuss stories.

All of these components at NoCo, Moore said, give the city something special, unlike offerings in other cities. While Indiana is stereotypically associated with occupations like farming and pastimes like basketball, Moore wants to change that.

We want to be unique, he said. We dont want to be just an Indiana city that concentrates on basketball. I want to give the kid who doesnt have any interest in athletics, but has this creativity, this art kind of idea. I want them to know theyve got a place in Jeffersonville.

Moore said the Depot is coming along nicely, and expects it to wrap up by the end of the year. He hopes to have concerts there by next spring.

Spyker said markets could start up next year, as well.

Originally posted here:
Jeffersonville, Ind. Expanding NoCo Arts And Cultural District - 89.3 WFPL News Louisville

Allen Park Its no secret that defense has been the Lions biggest bugaboo in recent years. Last season, they were among the worst in the league, ranking second-worst with just 28 sacks, tied for worst with seven interceptions.

Lions' Trey Flowers(Photo: Daniel Mears, Detroit News)

The issues can be the defensive line, which didnt get off to a strong start after signing Trey Flowers in free agency. Flowers had surgery on his shoulder and got off to a slow start to the season.

More: Lions rookie tight end Bryant's momentum slowed by injury

Hes got some help this year, with the Lions additions of lineman Danny Shelton, linebacker Jamie Collins and safety Duron Harmon. All three have a history with the New England Patriots and thus have some familiarity with the defensive scheme that coach Matt Patricia wants to run.

Some of that can carry over and provide some continuity to fill in some of the gaps and take some of the pressure off those who might be less familiar with some of the nuances. Flowers can see some of the benefit.

More: Lions' Kerryon Johnson adds knee brace in training camp for 'peace of mind'

I don't know necessarily whether chemistry moves from team to team but (Collins and I) understand the particular background of this defense and just the scheme of this defense we kind of can be on the same page when it comes to different calls we make or different things we do, Flowers said Saturday. I think knowing how to play in this defense and know how it works, or the overall scheme of the defense is then we're able to play fast, able to play off each other and get a feel for each other out there.

Theres generally criticism about adding so many former Patriots, but its a smart idea and something of a shortcut to improving the defensive group if they have that familiarity. Whatever it takes to generate the productivity and kick-start the defense is worth the effort.

While younger players might take some time to get adjusted and process all the details, some of the vets can fit right in and be ready to go.

I think just bringing in a lot of guys that work hard, showing attention to detail. A lot of vet guys with a lot of experience, especially from a defensive line standpoint, that bring that experience to the defensive front and bring that technique and fundamental on of football that it takes to be a dominant defensive front, Flowers said. The amount of guys we brought in and the type of guys we brought in, theyre willing to work and ready to work.

Rod.Beard@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard

Original post:
Lions' Trey Flowers draws on Patriot-group think to seize the moment - The Detroit News

The New Orleans Saints participated in their first padded practice of the 2020 season on Monday. Shortly afterwards, Saints quarterback Drew Brees spoke with the media for the first time since the team has begun training camp.

Among the topics covered was Washington quarterback Alex Smiths recovery, as well as some new additions to the offense. The additions of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz, and wide receiver Bennie Fowler were heavily discussed.

Brees and Sanders were seen working out together in Colorado over the offseason, and now that training camp has started they are relishing the opportunity to work together every single day as they continue to build chemistry heading into the season. When asked by John DeShazier about the continued development with Sanders, Brees focused on Sanderss veteran mindset and skill set:

Im really excited to have Emannuel. I think hes gonna add a great element to what we do. Hes another weapon, hes got a great skill set and I feel like everyday we continue to get on the same page.

Equally important is New Orleans addition of rookie interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz who was drafted using the teams first-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. He will join the already youthful offensive line with Erik McCoy entering his second year. Both Ruiz and McCoy will alternate getting reps at the center and guard positions until the team decides who will take over full-time.

With the center and guard positions being some of the most vital on the field there has been hesitancy heading into the season due to the relative inexperience along the interior. Brees helped quell any concerns early on when asked about his first impressions of Ruiz:

He comes across as a really sharp, smart football player. A guy that is not fazed by the speed or strength on the other side of the ball. Hes got a great skill set. Listen, coming from the Big 10 you see a lot of O-linemen coming out of the Big 10 they have had to play against some pretty stiff competition.

I sense a level of maturity from him, especially for being such a young guy. Hes not afraid of the challenge, not afraid to work and so we will see how that plays out, but Ive been impressed with him.

Finally, the addition of the veteran Bennie Fowler has flown relatively under the radar. Fowler joined the Saints after spending the last two seasons with the New York Giants and came highly recommended by Brees. Fowler spent some of the offseason working with Brees and Sanders in Colorado before signing with the team. The WR1 and WR2 positions are a near lock with Michael Thomas and Sanders holding those two down, but beyond that there are more question marks.

TreQuan Smith could fill the WR3 role if he finally has his breakout season in 2020. Ty Montgomery is a versatile player that could also compete for the job while helping out at the running back position. However, Fowlers veteran presence and willingness to put the team first may play to his advantage in making the team.

Brees spoke at length when asked what stood out about Fowler when training with the receiver during the offseason:

Veteran. Mature. Obviously his size and physical skills are unique for a receiver. Bennie is about 61 to 62 over 200 pounds so he is big, strong, powerful. The way he ran routes, you can tell there was a veteran nature to an understanding of concepts, of how to get open, what to do at the top of the route, how to get separation. Just some of the little things that typically take younger receivers a while to learn and understand at this level.

While it remains relatively early in training camp the reality is that competitive football starts in three weeks. New Orleans will start to shave its roster down to the required 53 men. With the additions of Sanders and Ruiz the offense is likely to become that much more efficient. However, the real strength of the team will likely depend on the value at the margins. Veteran players like Fowler could make all the difference in year where its Super Bowl or bust.

Read more:
Drew Brees talks new additions to the offense and the versatility they bring - Canal Street Chronicles

Isle of Armor gave us some great content, but there are still some things we'd love to see added to the map in future DLC for Pokmon Sword & Shield.

With the release ofThe Isle of Armor DLC forPokmon Swordand Shield came the addition of a whole new Wild Area for players to explore, with many new and unique biomes that put the original Wild Area to shame in terms of diversity.Not only that, but the inclusion of the Master Dojo, one of the few buildings on the map, gave players a new challenge mode in Restricted Sparring, where they can only bring one type ofPokmon into battles with a limited number of heals.

Related:Pokmon Sword & Shield: Ranking Every Rival In The Game (Including The Isle Of Armor)

Despite all that has been given to players inThe Isle of Armor, there are still many missing aspects from previous games that have been left behind. Some of these would be welcome returns from past titles, while others were somewhat teased in the base game, though for whatever reason, they weren't expanded on past a base level.

Near the entrance to Hammerlocke in the Wild Area is a ruined tower surrounded by Ghost-typePokmon, bringing back a similar feeling to the Lavender TownPokmon Tower from the Kanto Region. Unfortunately, this tower is just ornamental and can't be explored in any way. Considering there are multiple ruins shown on the outskirts of cities and towns in the Galar region, it would have been nice to be able to actually explore one of these areas, rather than only being able to view them from afar.

One thing thatPokmon Sword and Shield did away with almost entirely were the handful of cave systems that have been used in past titles so players could get lost while fending off hoards of Zubat. While the new encounter system removes the randomness of battling wildPokmon, the most irritating aspect of cave exploration, it could have been a good opportunity for players to be able to explore caves without being frustrated. Instead, the few caves that are inSword and Shield are very short and make the Escape Rope item, now a multi-use key item, completely redundant.

The original Wild Area's desert was small, to put it mildly, and might as well have not been included for how little space it took up. The Pot Bottom Desert inthe Isle of Armor rectified this somewhat by making it feel like an actual arid region, but it was still quite small, especially when compared to the likes of the Desert Resort and Relic Castle inPokmon Black and White.

Related:Isle Of Armor: 10 Returning Pokmon We're Excited to See

It seems unlikely thatThe Crown Tundra will have any sort of arid desert, although it may have an open frozen area included, as the map seems to be much larger than the Isle of Armor.

In past titles, the final test of aPokmon trainer before they take on the Elite Four is Victory Road. This is usually a large cave system or mixed route where many high-level trainers may challenge the player to give them an idea of what is to come ahead. Although the Galar region isn't the first game to not have a Victory Road, it feels decidedly more lacking here where thePokmon League is already well established,and it seems more likely for one to be missing in the Alola region, as thePokmon League is relatively new there. It is also disappointing for the path to thePokmon League to be much shorter in Galar than in previous regions, and with almost no way to get lost on the way to the final challenge.

These major corporations were established in the first and third generations respectfully and were shown to be massive companies with a global impact, as well as being a major part of the story in their respective regions. While Galar has Macro Cosmos as an equivalent, there is no mention of these other companies having any influence over the Galar region, even when it comes to thePokjobs aspect of the game, where many different companies are named and request the players help in exchange for XP and items.

Although they were relatively small, the underwater areas inPokmon Ruby and Sapphire were at least interesting to explore and opened up a whole new range ofPokmon to catch and train. There was almost no water in Pokmon Sword and Shield's main game, butThe Isle or Armor introduced a whole open sea that players could ride around on their Rotom Bike and explore, complete with torpedoing Sharpedo and an accurately sized Wailord. What could make this area feel more lifelike is if Game Freak added the ability to explore underwater as well, making the vast open oceans feel more full of life rather than the barren ocean that it is.

Even though the player character inPokmon Gold, Silver, and Crystal helped shut down their operations for good, Team Rocket was an established global crime organization with roots in many different regions. One of the more interesting aspects of their activities was the tendency to booby-trap their hideouts, making for some of the more interesting dungeons in the series.

Related:Pokmon Sword & Shield: 10 Kanto Pokmon Who Should Have Returned in Isle of Armor

It seems unlikely for Team Rocket to return any time soon, even though Team Rainbow Rocket appeared at the end ofPokmon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but it's not an impossibility for them to return.

One of the main and more interesting areas in Pokmon Ruby and Sapphire was Mt. Chimney, an explorable active volcano that played a larger part in the story later on. Although there are no active volcanoes in Britain, which Galar is based on, there are some in the surrounding areas and could open up the possibility of players being able to explore a more dangerous Wild Area than previously allowed.

SincePokmon Gold and Silver, players have been wanting to dive into anotherPokmon game that allowed them to explore a previous region in the same title. Although the Kanto region was able to be finished much faster in the sequels than in the original games, it made the world ofPokmon feel connected in a way that hasn't been replicated since the second generation games. With Galar being based on Britain and other European countries, it's not outside the realm of possibility to be able to visit regions like Kalos, which is based on France, or at least a small portion of it.

SincePokmon Crystal, it has been fairly common for players to have access to a particularly challenging mode of play once the main story has been completed, usually in the form of the Battle Tower. While Sword and Shield continued this trend, unlocking its own Battle Tower at the end of the story, it is decidedly more lacking than in previous titles. A way to rectify this could be to separate the different challenge modes into different areas or to open an entirely new challenge mode similar to the Battle Tree or the Battle Maison.

Next:Pokmon Sword & Shield: The Isle Of Armor: 10 Things You Missed About Klara

Next Pokmon: 10 Controversies That Fans Wont Forget

Callum Archer is a freelance writer based in Perth, Western Australia. He is an avid gamer, Nintendo fanboy, and lover of weird sci-fi novels, who also dabbles in manga from time to time, usually dark and twisted work like Uzumaki and Death Note.

Read the rest here:
Pokmon Sword & Shield DLC: 10 Additions To The Map We'd Love To See - TheGamer

Friday brought a lot of news for the Cardinals cornerbacks.In the morning, the team announced it had signed cornerback B.W. Webb. In the afternoon, it announced the signing of Ken Crawley, along with officially putting Robert Alford (chest) on the injured reserve.

With all the movement and with the new faces,the Cardinals look to the oldest one in the cornerback room:Patrick Peterson,back for his tenth season, all with Arizona.

Peterson, who turned 30 in July, has been a cornerstone of this defense for years.And he recognizes that having a second year with coordinator Vance Joseph benefits all players on the defense as far as that consistency, himself included.

"Having an opportunity to play ina system two years straight, you get a little bit more comfortable," he said Friday.

"You know what you can get away with, you understand your leverage a little bit more, the terminology, the different tools that you can use to put yourself in a better position. It's been great for me. I have a full understanding of this defense now. Obviously I know my role, it's just being more comfortable with calls definitely helps you play faster."

Aug 19, 2020; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) during training camp at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK(Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)

Peterson missed the first six weeks of the season last year, and with that, the level of full comfort that comes with being immersed each day in a defense took a bit. Heis aware of those who say he "may have lost a step," perhaps because of that hiatus,but he disagrees.

Instead, he acknowledges that players may have to work harder during the offseason as they get older, and that he abided by that himself. And he says he did that to prepare for himself and his teammates, versus setting out to rewrite others' opinions.

"I don't necessarily feel like I need to prove anything," Peterson said. "I just want to go out there and play at a high level. I just think some people forgotwhat I bring to the table, what I bring to this team and what I mean to the cornerback position."

Aug 19, 2020; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (left) during training camp at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK(Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)

The team certainly knows what he can bring, having missed him early on last season and being hyper-aware of how important each cornerback is in the wake of Alford's injury.

Byron Murphy, who started all 16 games as a rookie last season, was especially looking forward to having Alford back, as it would have allowed him to spend more time at nickel. The situation is not ideal, but Peterson feels good about however the Cardinals use Murphy.

"I have all the trust in the world in Murphy can play outside (or) inside," Peterson said. "But honestly, I know wherever we put Murphy, he's going to be excellent. He's a great inside guy. And he's gained more and more confidence throughout this campbeing outside, making a ton of plays outside."

Aug 19, 2020; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) during training camp at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK(Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)

Coach Kliff Kingsbury is still working through all options. Webb was practicing with the team Friday. Crawley will join soon, too.

"With Rob going down,we wanted to bring in some more guys to take a look at," Kingsbury said, when asked about Webb in particular."He's played a very high level in this league in the nickel and so we'll see how that kind of plays out for him."

Kingsbury says he likes the group they have right now, though in general he likes to keep options open as far as looking at guys who can add depth to the team.Either way, the Cardinals are still working through who will play opposite Peterson. Once they settle on that, the defense wants to build off of how it finished last season. Other additions to the roster help there, and Peterson wants to get right back to that late-season level of play.

"Going through that five-game stretch at the end of the season, I believe the team really, really started to come together speaking on the defensive side of the ball," Peterson said. "So hopefully that can carry over into his 2020 to 2021 season. And we'll just have to wait to see where it takes us."

Reach the reporter at kfitzgeral@gannett.com or 480-356-6407. Follow her on Twitter @kfitz134.

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Feeling he has nothing left to prove, Patrick Peterson enters Year 10 with the Cardinals - AZCentral

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last month, you're quite familiar with the dumpster fire that is the Phillies' bullpen.They have the worst ERA in baseball, have directly led to several Phillies losses this season, and have been far and away the worst are of the roster for a team that had playoff aspirations heading into the season.

Well, it appears the Phillies, who were a half game out of the wild card before dropping three straight in the last two days, still have their sights set on making the playoffs in 2020. Despite theirstruggles and last-place position in the division, the Phillies actually have the second-best consensus odds in the NL East of winning the division (+368) and the World Series (+2880) according to TheLines.com.

On Friday, they took their lateststep toward trying to fix their much maligned bullpen by acquiring a trio of relievers in a pair of trades with two AL Eastrivals.

It all started on Friday afternoon, with the team acquiring David Hale from the Yankees in exchange for relief prospect Addison Russ. This move, perhaps more than the others, shows that the Phillies are still trying to contend in this pandemic-shortened season, as they shipped off a solid prospect with a high ceiling for 32-year-old with just two years of arbitration remaining.

And that's left some in New York under the impression that the Yankees got a steal by acquiring Russ, who is eight years younger and showed a strong ability to get swings and misses during his time in the minor leagues.

But that was only the preamble to a much bigger deal the Phillies would make on Friday night, while they were getting pummeled by Braves, acquiring Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree (plus some cash and a player to be named later) from the Red Sox in exchange for Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold.

Let's take a look at what they're saying about the newest Phillies relievers as well as the two pitchers the team shipped off in the deal...

Workman is the bigger name in this deal, but according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Corey Seidman, Hembree will be bringing something to the Phillies bullpen that they don't already have. And, no, we're not talking about general talent. We're talking about velocity.

Per Seidman, Hembree's fastball has averaged 94.4 mph over the last four seasons. That's harder than every Phillies pitcher except fellow newcomer Zack Wheeler.

Velocity has been absent from the Phillies' bullpen this year. Hector Neris is the closer because of his disappearing splitter. His fastball is average. Tommy Hunter's best pitch is his low-90s cutter. Adam Morgan's best pitch is his sweeping slider. There was a belief that Nick Pivetta's fastball could play up out of the bullpen but he was unable to seize any role and was part of the trade to Boston. Pivetta, in fact, leaves with the highest ERA (5.50) of any Phillie since 1930 who has pitched as many innings as he did.

The biggest fastball in the bullpen to this point in the season has belonged to Ramon Rosso at just a tick over 94. But Rosso's control has been erratic. The Phillies have, out of necessity, thrust him into a role he might not yet have been ready for. He could have been a candidate to claim some high-leverage innings with a strong start, but he's put 12 men on base in 5 innings.

Workman and Hembree could realistically come in here and be two of the Phillies' three most effective relievers, along with Neris. [nbcsports.com]

The Phillies, obviously, like what they're getting in these two Boston relievers. In addition to adding some talent to their bullpen, the Phillies will also be adding some serious postseason experience. And, should they need it, Workman also brings some past experience as a closer.

Moreover, adding some proven commodities to a bullpen in desperate need of stability should have a trickle down affect on the rest of the relievers. At least that's the plan.

We think that Workman and Hembree are going to come in and really give our group a boost, and thats what we need right now, Klentak said. I think its going to allow the rest of our group to all settle into their roles, take the pressure off the group. Now, all of a sudden, you look up and down that bullpen and youve got quite a few guys on any given night that [manager] Joe [Girardi] can turn to.

Workman and Hembree were part of the Red Sox bullpen during a World Series-winning 2018 season. Workman, in particular, has experience as a closer, posting a 1.88 ERA and 16 saves last season.

Im very excited, Girardi said after Friday nights game. Theyre experienced relievers that have pitched in a tough division, the American League East. I think it will add a lot to our bullpen. [inquirer.com]

It's also worth noting that Workman is familiar to the Phillies, and, like the decision to part ways with Russ, his acquisition comes as a sign that the Phillies aretrying to win now. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season...

Workman, 32, is familiar to the Phillies, who drafted him in the third round in 2007 but couldnt sign him because he chose to pitch for the University of Texas. He has a 2.65 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings over 159 1/3 innings for the Red Sox since the beginning of the 2017 season. A free agent at the end of this season, he has a 4.05 ERA in seven appearances this year. [inquirer.com]

We hinted above at Workman's path to the big leagues, but there's so much more to it than that. And his addition to the clubhouse might have just as big of an impact on the field as it does off the field, as Workman has been described as both the leader of the bullpen, and their joker-in-chief.

Here's more from Chad Jennings of The Athletic, who takes a look at how Workman helps keep his teammates loose, something they've needed this season in Boston more than ever and something the Phillies bullpen might benefit from once he arrives...

Having just turned 32 years old a week ago, with more big-league service time than anyone else in the Red Sox bullpen, Workman was both class clown and leader by example. In the lighter moments, Workman was the bullpen troublemaker, the clubhouse jokester, and teammates were loath to give him credit for anything. But in the meaningful moments on and off the field it was a different story. Workman watched video of other pitchers, scouring for ways he could help. He spotted and eliminated pitch tipping tendencies, alerting teammates to weaknesses theyd never identified. He helped less experienced relievers figure out their warmup routine, then spotted things in-game that his fellow relievers could take to the mound.

Hes got a fascinating way of always knowing exactly whats going on, what pitches theyre throwing, Barnes said. Hes always locked into the game. I think thats part of what makes him such a good pitcher. He has a really good baseball mind.

Some of that, Workman said, came from his own jagged path...[theathletic.com]

While Jennings pointed out thatWorkman had more MLB service time than anyone else in the Boston bullpen, you can see that that was earned over time. It's certainly not like he's been a staple of their 'pen for the past seven years since winning that ring in 2013. In fact, in the three seasons after winning that ring, he made just 15 MLB appearances (all of them in 2014), due in large part to Tommy John surgery in 2015. When he returned in 2017, he still had a ton of options remaining due to all that missed time, and was constantly moved back and forth between triple-A and the big leagues, despite posting a 3.22 ERA in 81 innings during the 2017-18 seasons.

It wasnt until last season, when he was 30 years old, that Workman spent a full year in the big leagues. He was so unimpressive in spring training, a team source said, that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski considered releasing him, but Workman pitched his way into the closer role and excelled with a 1.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and the third-highest WAR of any American League relief pitcher. He had a save in four of the Red Soxs first eight wins this season.

Definitely developed some mental toughness through (the years), Workman said. Ive definitely had to do my share of wearing it throughout this process. [theathletic.com]

He seems like just the sort of guy Philly fans would embrace. But given their current (earned) disdain for the bullpen, he can win them over by simply performing when he's on the mound.

So, what roles will the Phillies' new bullpen additions take on once they arrive (likely over the weekend)? According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury, Workman could supplant Hector Neris as the team's closer if Neris (6.75 ERA, 2/5 on save opportunities) can't get it together.

At the very least, there's another pitcher with closing experience to potentially push him.

Hale projects to be a middle man. Hembree is a power arm in a bullpen that lacks power. He will get innings late in games.

Workman has closer experience with the Red Sox. He had 16 saves last season and struck out 13.1 batters per nine innings while going 10-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 73 games.

Ultimately, Joe Girardi will decide Workman's role, but for now, you can bet he will pitch high-leverage innings near the end of games. He could even end up closing if Hector Neris continues his high-wire acts.

"It's never a bad thing to have two guys with closer experience," Klentak said. "It serves us well to have multiple guys who can close out games." [nbcsports.com]

What about the players the Phillies are trading away, namely Nick Pivetta? The 27-year-old righty, who was acquired in the Jonathan Papelbon trade, was a member of the Phillies starting rotation in his first two big-league seasons before bouncing between the rotation and bullpen last year and ultimately landing in the bullpen this season before being sent down to the taxi squad after yet another rough outing less than two weeks ago.

Now, it appears, he'll have a chance to re-invent himself with the Red Sox.

Trading Pivetta ends a frustrating Phillies career for the right-hander with a plus fastball and 12-to-6 curveball. He started the second game of the 2019 season and later in the year was taking down big outs in the bullpen, but he lacked consistency.

After losing out on the fifth starter battle, Pivetta started this year in the bullpen but was sent down to the alternate site when he gave up six runs in the ninth inning while trying to protect a 13-1 lead against the Braves. He finished his Phillies career with a 19-30 record and 5.50 ERA.

Why didnt it work out for the player the Phillies acquired for enigmatic closer Jonathan Papelbon?

A lot of people have tried to answer that very question, said Klentak. Hes enormously talented. He was never quite able to see consistency in our uniform. Sometimes it just doesnt work out. [nj.com]

Oh, and about that 5.50 ERA...

When the Red Sox and Phillies completed their trade, there were still 10 days left until the 2020 MLB Trade Deadline. So, why did Boston pull the trigger now and not wait to see if he could get anything better than Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold?

Apparently, the Phillies were the driving force here, which shows just how desperate they were to upgrade their bullpen.

The timing of trades is not always something that you can foresee, Bloom said over Zoom. Philly came hard after these two pitchers and they really wanted to complete something. And anytime you have a situation where you know youve got some time before the trade deadline, youre not just looking at the trade in a vacuum. Youre also trying to think about whatre the options that you could have between now and the deadline. And obviously thats something we have to weigh.

But we felt that this return was a really good fit for us, that we got two pitchers that not only fit an area of a need but are also players we like that can be part of this thing for many years. I thought that was worth doing right now. [nesn.com]

With Pivetta seemingly done in Philly before the trade even went down, it's hard to argue that the Phillies didn't get decent value here, even if they don't re-sign Workman after the season. And, interestingly enough, they $815,000 the Sox sent along in the deal accounts for nearly 80% of the addition cost of adding Workman and Hembree ($1.05 million), which will keep the Phillies under the luxury tax threshold.

This content and the links provided are sponsored by thelines.com and playpennsylvania.com, PhillyVoice.coms Official 2020/2021 Betting Odds Partner, independently created by PhillyVoice.

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Phillies trade for three relievers, but is it enough to fix their bullpen? - PhillyVoice.com