All posts by Rukangle

Uncategorized, Universal Art of Language

Fort

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Hello everyone! It’s Demented Ferrets resident artist, Ruka. Welcome back to another “Universal Language of Art”

Today I will be talking a little about the history and the story behind this picture and why it’s so captivating to me.

Fort by Rukangle

This picture was taken at Fort Zachary Taylor located in Florida’s Key West Historic State Park. The fort was completed in 1866, taking 21 years to complete. The fort’s foundation consists of oolitic limestone and New England granite. Its five-foot-thick walls rose 50 feet above mean low water, and included two tiers of casemates plus a terreplein or barbette at the top.

There are three seaward curtains, 495 feet between bastions, each containing 42 guns on three levels. Each of them were augmented by a land-facing gorge. The troop barracks were built into this gorge with a capacity for up to 800 men. At either end of the barracks was a large gunpowder magazine while a Sallyport was located in the center, connected to land by a 1200-foot causeway. Rainwater was collected in underground cisterns along the perimeter of the fort.

It served as a deterrent for confederacy ships during the Civil War of the United States and was a stronghold in the Spanish-American War in 1898. Today, the forts hold a large variety of preserved weapons and have the largest collection of Civil War cannons in the United States.

Now, I am currently trying to get my B.A in History. When I think about what makes me want to study something that for many would-be considered boring, it comes down to my love for people, art, and architecture that really brings it all together.

Learning the stories behind places and the reasons why they still stand is a psychological part of its people. What it was and how it has evolved through the years, is also part of that wider culture.

This fort also brought back memories of my childhood, and they have nothing to do with this particular fort. Rather, they have to do with the one on a small island in the Caribbean. That one is called San Felipe del Morro Castle, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Now I’m not here to give you all a history lesson or anything like that but places like these really make me want to just let go and explore its wonders with childlike eyes and a need to understand what happened there and how it still stands. (Of course, they would give yearly maintenance and all that. )

Yet with this fort, there was an interesting play of lights and shadows. Every corner was a play of what could be behind this archway, would it be more beams of lights or would it be more shadows? This play created some confusion but for an artist, it was a great source of contrasting lights. If you look closely we can distinguish each path and this includes the ceiling. It shows you how the support columns and ceiling round themself to make a tunnel-like structure to be able to support the artillery and all the men that were responsible for its defense. In a way, it can get a bit creepy and I do have another photograph that shows a darker side of the fort where it’s colder and there was almost no light coming thru.

It was a good time and we had fun exploring, learning, taking pictures, and having a piece of the ceiling fall on me while taking a picture, witnessed by multiple people, to me was a testament to how old the place was really is. And could you imagine, that dressing up as a pirate and running around the fort while being chased by confederate soldiers would be amusing, would it not? So, if you guys have any questions comments, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below.

Until then, if you like this content, please consider supporting us on Patreon, and follow us over on our Twitch channel for gaming-related content, where I make an appearance via chat.

Well like always, this has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.

Arts and Farts, Gaming, Uncategorized, Universal Art of Language

Artwork: Uncharted

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Kern’s Note: hey everyone, Ruka wrote this before the movie came out, but I’m an idiot and life happened, so it got stuck in backlog until now… but enjoy the artistic endeavor!

Hello everyone! This is your friendly Demented ferret’s artist Ruka, and today I will be talking about one of the most acclaimed franchises in video game history and now a major motion picture. That’s right folks I’m talking about the one and only Uncharted.

Thieves by Rukangle

Uncharted is one of the most recognizable game franchises in the last 15 years. With groundbreaking graphics, breathtaking designs, it is one of the best consistent story arcs to offer a fantastic ending in any video game. Naughty Dog made a game that could be loved by all who play it, and in turn, cementing their reputation as a highly respected video game developer in the industry.

Kern’s Resident Evil Retrospective Review

Resident Evil Retrospective Review

Resident Evil features a fairly typical story. A rescue mission is taking place. With a string of murders running rampant across the fictional Raccoon City, it’s up to the police to find out what is really going on. In response to this, the Special Tactics and Rescue Service, or “S.T.A.R.S.” have been sent to look into the issue. Having been sent deep into the mountains, the first team has gone missing.

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by The Demented Ferrets

As an Indiana Jones inspired story, the Uncharted series reminds me of the classic PlayStation games like Tomb Raider, Prince of Persia, and Resident Evil.

Like many games before it, the Uncharted series holds 3 main pillars of gameplay aloft; Combat, area traversal, and puzzle-solving. Set in a traditional action puzzle game the game allows us, the player, to complete a single track series of levels with linear gameplay and in a 3rd person perspective style.

The story follows a wise-cracking, treasure hunter, Nathan Drake voiced by Nolan North. He’s skilled in combat and a knack for history and finding himself in trouble.

With the help of friend and business partner, Victor “Sully” Sullivan voiced by Richard McGonagle, they journey in search of treasures lost to history. On the way, they encounter several other characters to help them along on their journey. Like Chloe Frazer voiced by Claudia Black, is an Indian-Australian treasure hunter and thief for hire with a business and former love interest of Drake and Elena Fisher voiced by Emily Rose, is a headstrong and intelligent journalist, foreign correspondent, and love interest to Drake.

Together they embark on a journey into the unknown and its dangers to try and prove if the stories of legends are more than just stories. The developer for Uncharted is one that surprised me.

Kresh Plays: Crash Bandicoot

I will admit it took me a good minute to realize that the developing studio, that brought us Crash Bandicoot and Jax and Dexter, some of the most iconic childhood games, was behind this masterpiece of a game.

Established in 1984, Naughty Dog managed to create a franchise to join the technology changes that Playstation 3 brought in its wake. Both on the critical and commercial aspects, with well over 50 awards by different gaming publications and have sold well over 41 million copies worldwide and becoming the face of PlayStation.

It also opened the doors to show that they are capable of more than just cartoon-style gaming. From its graphics and storytelling, it helped elevate and ultimately evolve the game experience and how a game should be made. It is because of this that Uncharted is deemed as one of the most successful games of all time.

For years there has been fan-made trailers and videos circulating the internet, from who should play what character and what story should they try and continue the series, but it was actor Nathan Fillion’s 2018 Uncharted a fan film, 15 minutes long live action of the game, that made the loudest noise when it came to the possibility of bringing the game to the big screen.

Now after years of rumors and possibilities it became official, Sony Entertainment has chosen Ruban Fleischer to direct, alongside a star cast to interpret these unique characters. With Spider Man’s: “No Way Home” actor Tom Holland as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Sully, it makes us wonder where in the timeline will this movie is taking place, and will it choose to follow the story, the game has provided us or will they give it their own Hollywood twist.

It is no surprise to anyone that such a well-rounded and acclaimed game made its transition towards the big screen. It joins the ranks with other fellow major games like Tomb Raider, Resident Evil among others trying to break into a totally different industry and let me tell you it can be hard at times. It might be because the games have set up the story so well, its transition to the big screen, tends to be a bit difficult.

I believe this has to do when developing the story and characters in a movie form, the time is what makes it difficult. If we were to compare them to let us say, The Witcher series, based on another video game, it makes a world of difference, since they have the time and are able to flush it out with more detail.

What does this suggest to the masses? If the Uncharted movie triumphs on the big screen, we could see a boom of console games-based movies in our future, in hopes to have a market similar to that of Marvel and DC.

Uncharted has a way of keeping you entertained, in a way not many games do, at least for me. This is my kind of game. Entertaining, funny, witty, and with a hint of history. For me, the fate of the movie varies a bit, here are my key questions;

  • Can Tom Holland step out of the shadow of Peter Parker?
  • The chemistry between Drake and Sully is an important part of the series, and in doing so, will Wahlberg deliver on this character? 
  • Will this movie stand on it self or will it hope for the actors to carry the story?

I guess we will have to see when the movie hits theaters on February 18, 2022. Until then, if you guys find yourselves interested or curious about anything I said, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below.

If you like this content, please consider supporting us on Patreon, and follow us over on our Twitch channel for gaming-related content, where I make an appearance via chat, well like always, this has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.

To Our Supporters: Thank You!

With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier.

There is a $1 tier, perfect for blog readers, so don’t hesitate. Join today!

Become a monthly PAtron to RECEIVE updates and more!

Patreon Supporters

At the time of this post there are 2 supporters of our content, in the “Demented Minion” tier and 1 in the “Fluffy Ferret” tier.

($1) Little Ferrets: None
($3) Fandom Ferret: None
($5) Demented Minions: Francis Murphy and Andrew Wheal.
($10) True Blue Ferret: None.
($25) Premium Ferret: None.
($50) Round Table Ferret/Fluffy Ferret: Josh Sayer

Arts and Farts, Fandom, Uncategorized, Universal Art of Language

Human-Robot

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Hello everyone it’s Demented Ferrets resident artist, Ruka. Welcome back to another “Universal Language of Art” post.

ART! The one thing most parents and media tell us to stay far away from “It doesn’t pay the bills!” they say, yet it is involved in 100% of the things we consume day in and day out! So let’s talk about it.

Art comes in many forms, sometimes in the form of photographs, while other times it could be a brush covering a canvas with color, bodies swaying to a tune, among many others, art is a wide range of human activities. At its core, art is fueled by imagination, aimed for the purpose of self-expression.

Human-robot by Rukangle

What is art? Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. When we think of art, most of the time our minds go to the famous works of art like; The Monalisa by DaVinci, The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, The Great Wave of Kanagawa by Hokusai, among many others.

Speaking of artwork, what about games as a medium? That’s art too!

Do you like gameplay, come check out our Twitch channel.

Kernook, Ruka, and Kresh recently played Phasmophobia together. You should check it out.

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There are a hundred other works of art in the world, they just have different names. We have the art of literature, performance, music, and many others … in a way what I’m doing right now can be considered an art form. Art can be a form of therapy for many of us, young and old alike. It can be a pass time, a passion, it can unify all of us. Art brings people together, it can lighten up a room, it can even help us learn more about ourselves.

As a society, art has been a form of communication for centuries, the early human language, pictures in a cave wall. The best-known example is the Red Hand Stencil in Maltravieso, a cave in Cáceres, Spain. Believed to be older than 64,000 years old and probably made by a Neanderthal.

Going a bit forward in time, we have the Egyptians and their hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics are known as the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt, they combined logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements, with a total of some 1,000 distinct characters. The cursive hieroglyphs were used for religious literature.

Think about this for a minute, they were using drawings as a written form of their language.

It’s fascinating to go back in time and find that just a few strokes here and there trying to mimic the world around us, to be able to communicate with one another, has evolved so much.

To me, art has no clear definition, it is really whatever you make of it. Think about it for a minute, for some stick figures is art, while for others, art has to be complicated and close to perfection and realism. Yet, for many of us, if it brings out an emotional response, it’s what we considered to be something worthwhile.

Let’s take the experience of going to a convention, it shows this in spades. Last year, there was an artist who made hand-carved signs and let me tell you they were eye-catching, 3D, and colorful and it was unique in his technique, something you don’t typically see on the convention floor. If I had a shop, I would have asked for commission and price.

“Ok, that’s easy for you to say because you can draw and take pictures and all the art things required for the site, etc… but not everyone is as lucky, to have that ability.” said someone in the crowd. Well not really, compared to other people I personally think, I suck. Why do I think this? Well because we all do, every artist that you have ever encountered has this mental setting more times than not. It takes us a long time to feel comfortable and see what we are good at, and finding our style is a constant trial and error exercise. For example, “Human-robot” here is a very small piece of my mind. It looks good, it looks clean, it might make sense maybe a bit freaky looking, but for me, it’s one of the best pieces I have and it was made in 2012, and that tells you a lot. We can go around the demented ferret’s site and find recent pieces that look cruder than “Human-robot” and some that look cleaner and up to date.

Why is this? because I’m still learning and evolving. Personally, I have problems with colors, and it will be rare to find a color piece by me, and the ferrets here are the reason I am working out of my comfort zone. When it comes to photography, it’s a moment in time that can be captured as it is. There is color but the world is the artist, I’m just the one who managed to get the moment, but in sketching, drawing, and painting it’s all up to me and it can be overwhelming.

I can talk and give y’all a basic breakdown of all the things an artist “should know” in what makes a good artist but it is all in the technical aspects of it. Things like how many elements are there in the arts? Themes that explore and create art. Patterns in art, shadowing, the color wheel, perspective, etc… just thinking about it, takes me back to the fundamentals of art.

Well, that is it for me today, I hope you enjoy this post on Universal Language of Art. If you guys find yourselves interested or curious about anything I said, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below.

If you like this content, please consider supporting us on Patreon, and follow us over on our Twitch channel for gaming-related content, where I make an appearance via chat, well like always, this has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.

Uncategorized

Alabaster

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Hello everyone it’s Demented Ferrets resident artist, Ruka. Welcome back to another “Universal Language of Art” post.

Happy New Year everyone!! I would like to wish you all a wonderful 2022. This last year has been crazy, for everyone and it is my hope to continue growing here at The Demented Ferrets. Thank you for your support, love, Ruka.

If you like this content, please consider supporting us on Patreon, and follow us over on our Twitch channel for gaming related content. Have you done that, great, now onto the meat of the post

Alabaster by Rukangle

It’s a mysterious thing sometimes when all your doing is trying to keep a level head right before doing something that terrifies you.

Yet sometimes the very thing amplifies what you perceive as true and real but it can also play with your perception of what is not real. It can bring something to the forefront of our minds and makes us see beyond what is truly there. Sometimes it is our own self-preservation kicking into high gear, while others are a way to keep us within our own cell of mind, petrified of the unknown, our minds playing the game of what if’s and the should I or not.

Alabaster was taken in a moment like that. A moment where one of my fears becomes more real the nearest it gets we turned a corner and from the corner of my eye, I saw her, just standing there waiting to be noticed.

She was made to resemble beauty in its most enchanting, yet mysterious way. Made of what is perceived as perfection, with no flaws to be found, while still being able to hunt our dreams all the while making a statement.

After the picture was taken it dawned on me that maybe that is what she was waiting for, to be captured in such a way, to be seen, not just because she’s there but maybe for what she could be. Who she could have been at one point in time, and for who she was made to remind.

It brings out the question, who is she meant to be? why is she there in the first place? why does the mind believes her to be perfect in a world of imperfection?

Personally, I have seen things that can’t really be explained nor captured by pen or a simple photograph. Nothing compares to it. Yet, I see this picture and it’s a perfect compromise of beauty in such a small moment.

This has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.

Follow Our Twitch

To Our Supporters: Thank You!

With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier.

There is a $1 tier, perfect for blog readers, so don’t hesitate. Join today!

Become a monthly PAtron to RECEIVE updates and more!

Patreon Supporters

At the time of this post there are 2 supporters of our content, in the “Demented Minion” tier and 1 in the “Fluffy Ferret” tier.

($1) Little Ferrets: None
($3) Fandom Ferret: None
($5) Demented Minions: Francis Murphy and Andrew Wheal.
($10) True Blue Ferret: None.
($25) Premium Ferret: None.
($50) Round Table Ferret/Fluffy Ferret: Josh Sayer

Arts and Farts, Uncategorized, Universal Art of Language

Universal Language of Art

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Hey everyone! It’s The Demented Ferrets resident artist, Ruka. As an artist, I tend to see the world a bit differently than most, so we thought why not share the way I see the world with all of you?

The idea is to post a drawing, a sketch, a photograph, or even in some cases the process of how I got to the final product, followed by a brief synopsis of its inspiration and what it means to me. I believe that in time this could also be a great learning opportunity for me and hopefully, everyone involved.

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, well I believe that photography speaks to people, no matter your country of origin or what language you speak, it will always connects us. I wish to share with you my thoughts and feelings in my work. Hope you enjoy it!

Innocence by Rukangle

“Innocence” was taken, on a recent trip to Maryland. During my stay, I was invited to a photography studio by my best friend. Personally, I have never been to a studio before, and while the outside was normal looking the inside told a different story. The two-story building consisted of various rooms, a dressing room area, a break-room, outdoor space and had everything you may need to be creative. These rooms have a sort of aesthetic allowing you to experiment and explore both the photographer’s vision and helping to incorporate any ideas the models may have themselves.

It was in one of these rooms that I found inspiration for the shoot. The room was appropriately nicknamed the “white room” for its soft white color and the way the light bounced from the walls just helped soften the space. A single bed decorated the empty space in the middle and to me, it was like a blank canvas, that I could splash a bit of color and create something amazing.

While in the dressing room the model found some plastic roses and while discussing what can be done with them, a single rose fell into this white canvas of a room, a single splash of color made the possibilities endless.

“Innocence” for me has two very different feelings attached to it. First, it reminds me of a simpler time, a time when I was younger and my father would surprise us with flowers, a small gesture letting us know how much we mean to him. While the second, it’s a more romanticization of the first time. A representation of when we give ourselves to the person we love in body, spirit, and soul.

This has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.

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To Our Supporters: Thank You!

With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier.

There is a $1 tier, perfect for blog readers, so don’t hesitate. Join today!

Become a monthly PAtron to RECEIVE updates and more!

Patreon Supporters

At the time of this post there are 2 supporters of our content, in the “Demented Minion” tier and 1 in the “Fluffy Ferret” tier.

($1) Little Ferrets: None
($3) Fandom Ferret: None
($5) Demented Minions: Francis Murphy, Josh Sayer, and Andrew Wheal.
($10) True Blue Ferret: None.
($25) Premium Ferret: None.
($50) Round Table Ferret/Fluffy Ferret: Josh Sayer

Anime, Arts and Farts, Fandom, Uncategorized, Universal Art of Language

Anime and Its Translations

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Kern’s note: be nice everyone, it’s Ruka’s first post here and first blog post ever. Ruka is also the resident artist here at TDF. These little icons we use are her creations.

Welcome everyone, this is Ruka. Back in the 1990s on the small island of Puerto Rico, there used to be generation of kids who by all social standards were labeled as weird and a bit on the strange side.

The main reason for this was due to their love and enjoyment of the afternoon and Saturday morning “cartoons”, also known as anime. I’m part of that generation of 90’s kids. 

 In the early stages of the 2000s, anime became a big part of pop culture. It has woven itself from our TVs to our toys, clothes, and even in the way we socialize. The anime industry has boomed. Yet, as someone who grew up in the 90s away from the mainland, anime was a much harder thing to find. 

I was but a small child learning of the world, and all I wanted to do was watch cartoons, especially on Saturday mornings. Even if I had no idea, it was anime at the time, I was enjoying shows like Ranma ½, Samurai X (Rurouni Kenshin), and Slam Dunk. During the weekday after-school programming, Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) became a big part of the rotation too.  

But what is so different from all other kids from the mainland you ask? Well, without getting into it so much, as a USA territory, Puerto Rico’s main language is Spanish. And for a good majority of us, we only had local channels, nothing more. Cable was something not many of us could afford. So naturally, the kid’s “cartoon” block was in Spanish.  

Okay, but what does any of this has to do with anime you ask? Well, for an English territory whose main language is Spanish, it means a lot. Showing us something that many don’t get to experience in the mainland; anime with Spanish dubs. Nowadays when it comes to anime, most of us more likely than not will always go for the original, but to this day, I am unable to watch Ranma in any other language including its original form. This also holds true to DBZ and Pokémon, but I can manage their English or original form better. 

Do I believe the Spanish dubs are worth it? Absolutely! Spanish is one of the most spoken languages ranking 4th worldwide and 2nd in Native-speaking countries in the world. Not only that but in the 90s most anime on television were dubbed by locals. That is the main reason that Spanish dubs became as successful as they did. Think about that for a minute…

The locals themselves took matters into their own hands, making the Spanish dubbing a demand. With this, they made sure that other Spanish-speaking countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela had access to them as well. 

Also, one of the biggest achievements this move created was an overall understanding that if the industry could work on dubbing anime into different languages, then it could expand into other nations around the world. In doing so, growing the industry’s reach beyond its original concept. Again, making it accessible for the local television stations in remote areas of the world, as it did for me and many others in the Caribbean. Its movement and progress continues to this day, for as of February 3rd, 2021, Funimation started to add Spanish and Portuguese subs and dubs of their shows in English-speaking territories. This is a big step, especially here in the USA. 

At the end of the day, translations of anime and manga play a big role in the industry and in my childhood memories. Without its accessibility and evolution, I would have never found my way to the world of fandom, never would of meet the people that I call friends, and probably would have never written this at all.  

This has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.

Follow Our Twitch
Follow us on Twitter

To Our Supporters: Thank You!

With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier.

There is a $1 tier, perfect for blog readers, so don’t hesitate. Join today!

Become a monthly PAtron to RECEIVE updates and more!

Patreon Supporters

At the time of this post there are 3 supporters of our content, currently all of them are in the “Demented Minion” tier.

($1) Little Ferrets: None
($3) Fandom Ferret: None
($5) Demented Minions: Francis Murphy, Josh Sayer, and Andrew Wheal.
($10) True Blue Ferret: None.
($25) Premium Ferret: None.
($50) Round Table Ferret: None.