As some of you know, the World of Depleted never sleeps and it’s been the home for a number of new projects, including the Gray Eyes of Death novel. Now it branches out into a game that shows players of all ages how powerful nature can be in the vacuum of man!
The brainchild of MicroFilmmaker Designs, Wild Wars is a game that pits surviving generals against one another through an army of animals they’ve each helped train in the time after The Fall. The reward is a new place to survive in and all the animals and abilities are based on real world animals and science. While the beginner game has the player act as the general, in the advanced game, General cards represent the player and provide special abilities to the armies they command.
Choose a General and Help Battle Through the World of Depleted!
While the game is designed for all ages, fans of Depleted will find hidden generals they’ll recognize like: Gavin Hesterdale, Croc Graham, and Jenna Whitmore!
The game is currently available with multiple decks at DriveThru RPG. Get more info about the game at WildWarsGame.Com.
Credit: Artwork by Bryan Christie Design. Image used in Science News; Vol. 182 #6.
Many people have found the notion that World of Depleted is built on–that a small series of attacks could lead to full breakdown of societal connectivity in the world over the course of a single year–to be impossible.
However an interesting proof of the principles of World of Depleted was covered in Science News, based on a mathematical proof originating at the same time World of Depleted was being created.
A group of scientists funded by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency was exploring network theory in 2009 into 2010 and they found that behaviors shifted radically when networks were interconnected:
In their analysis of connected networks, the researchers found a type of mathematical behavior that couldn’t have been predicted from knowledge of single networks. When a node is removed from a single network, the failure tends to propagate gradually, the network coming apart bit by bit by bit. But removing nodes in a network of networks means the breakdown can occur abruptly. As nodes go offline, the system initially appears to be working properly. But all of a sudden, a threshold is reached. Lose one more node and — poof — the whole thing falls to pieces.
Although the concepts explored have especial focus on computer systems, they also note that it’s almost identical in the organic world:
A series of CNN news clips posted on YouTube highlight the vulnerability of interdependent systems. In what Wolf Blitzer repeatedly reminds the viewer is only an “exercise,” former U.S. government officials convene to respond to a simulated cyberattack. The War of the Worlds–esque report begins with a Russian computer infecting a smartphone with a virus. After jumping to other smartphones, the bug makes its way into U.S. computers. From there it crashes communication networks, which in turn take out power stations. The ensuing blackout shuts down transportation networks. Each failure leads to yet more failures as the effects of a single infection bounce back and forth between systems. Having no control over the Russian computer system and no authority to shut down smartphones, the U.S. government is powerless.
Obviously, this lends a great deal of credence to how a very small number of attacks could lead to 90% casualties in the course of a single year, as religious networks impact justice networks impact food networks impact medical networks!
The viability of the World of Depleted thesis helps remind us all to plan for the future and look to the hope that can be found even in dark times!
Those of you who’ve been following World of Depleted news know that the Viking team has been working with post-apocalyptic expert, Megaton, to make World of Depleted more compelling and accessible. Known for his Post-Apocalyptic Forum and his massive connections with the post-apocalyptic underground, Megaton has decided that he will be reprinting some of World of Depleted’s Canonized tales in his official story section. World of Depleted contributors and fans are excited about this opportunity to share these tales with a larger community of post-apocalyptic fans!
So far it’s been announced that Jojo Stratton and Fred Koskin’s introductory tales will be reprinted, but it seems likely that any number of World of Depleted tales will show up there, as well.
Scott Walker of Brain Candy LLC (one of the marketing geniuses promoting Depleted and World of Depleted) was recently interviewed by Martin Aggett of Remix Fiction and was able to bring up some fascinating information about things Brain Candy is doing and about the World of Depleted itself. Check it out at:
The World of Depleted community is now open for membership. Membership will allow you to easily comment on any of your favorite blog posts, and will give you secret access to certain exclusive new content before anyone else sees it! Don’t miss out on secret downloads, covert Depleted news, and mind-blowing insight into the ravaged World of Depleted! Just register on the World of Depleted home page to get involved.
Staring down the barrel of HVX200 with Redrock Micro M2Encore rig.
The Depleted Day 419 shoot went very well despite a number of setbacks related to locations at the last minute. The complex shoot involved a large fight sequence that required a lot of creativity from fight choreographer Jay Kerr and DP Nate Eckelbarger. The film was shot with an HVX200 (kindly loaned to us by tech writer, Tom Stern) and the Redrock Micro M2Encore 35mm lens adapter system, as well as Eckelbarger’s impressive collection of glass. The fights were filmed at 60 fps, further increasing the light demands for gaffer Steven Mathews in the depleted space which was sculpted by Production Designer and Art Director, Sarah Jane Gray. Frankfort’s Dave’s Airsoft helped by providing a lot of the necessary green gas for the elaborate gunfight!
As an army marches on its stomach, Chicago-style stuffed pizzas were provided by the Nicholasville, KY branch of Papa Murphy’s pizza. This delicious food helped everyone keep trucking throughout the shoot!
Jenna Whitmore originally was slated to carry a Glock 17, which was switched to the Beretta M9 featured in this early photo, but then was switched back to the Glock 17.
As we continued to labor on the World of Depleted project, we’ve had continued breakthroughs in folks becoming involved.
We’ve lined up many of the bands that will be utilized in the feature by talking to Creative Commons bands listed on Jamendo and then talking with them about a specialized usage agreement for the film. The great bands that have signed up so far are as follows:
Deathboy – Industrial band from UK with dark and brutal lyrics that interweave well with the dark and foreboding World of Depleted. Josh Woodward – Ohio’s folk superstar has massive amounts of amazing songs to provide the softer and more poignant side of Depleted. – Two fine bands from Washington DC have teamed up for some amazing songs that add soulful depth to the World of Depleted.
Sekshun 8 – This Viriginia hard rock band has songs that are packed full of power and whose brutalized lyrics work well with the World of Depleted.
Audra Hardt – LA’s hard rocking siren brings her sweeping vocals to Jenna’s journey in Depleted.
Additionally, we’ve now launched the official World of Depleted Facebook page and the World of Depleted YouTube page (complete with new video blogs and how-to videos).
The official website is being crafted as we speak and should launch in June. (It currently serves as a portal to the Facebook page.)
As some of you know, the World of Depleted never sleeps and it’s been the home for a number of new projects, including the Gray Eyes of Death novel. Now it branches out into a game that shows players of all ages how powerful nature can be in the vacuum of man!
