DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT News

With another month done and dusted, we’re back with another #DSPorterSpotlight on another amazing Porter. In our penultimate community blog of the year, we want to celebrate the talents of Lisa, an incredibly talented virtual photographer and DEATH STRANDING super-fan, who has shown us so much support over the years, across our social channels.



[h3]INTERVIEW WITH LISA WEST[/h3]

ːsteamthumbsupː https://twitter.com/Lisa_West_Pix

Hi Lisa! It’s great to have you on board for this month’s #DSPorterSpotlight piece. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what makes you a DEATH STRANDING super-fan?

Thank you so much and thank you for having me! Being asked to do this by such an incredible team really means the world. I'm Lisa, from London, and I’m an avid Hideo Kojima fan. I've been playing video games consistently for 35 years and I love them as much today as I did when I was a kid. DEATH STRANDING is a gaming highlight for me. Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa were my first teenage idols so it was a given really. I can’t express my love for the DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT world, characters, story, lore, design and soundtrack enough. Personally, for me, it's perfect.



We’ve seen some incredible photo mode shots from yourself over the years. What is it about DEATH STRANDING that makes it so appealing to capture?

Thank you! For me, it’s the isolation in DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT. Sam Bridges in this vast, broken world. That is a big part of why I play the game. I feel like I can connect to the isolation side of it. But I also love to capture the other side of the coin, capturing the same theme of isolation but within a bright and beautiful world.



You’ve been such a positive force in the DEATH STRANDING community over the years. What is it about this community that makes it so special to you?

The people in the DEATH STRANDING community are some of the sweetest I've ever met. They're always so positive and supportive of one another! The DEATH STRANDING community is filled with talented people too. From cosplayers and artists, to virtual photographers! I'm currently obsessed with @Frau_Haku and her cosplay of Fragile. I suggest people go and see those beautiful pictures. The time and effort that goes into her work is inspiring!



Can you talk to us about your artistic process when working on a shot, and do you have any favourite techniques that you like to use?

I put on Low Roar and stroll through the world! I feel like there’s a chemical reaction in my brain that makes me see the world of DEATH STRANDING as an art book when Low Roar is playing in the background. They go hand-in-hand so well when it's time to take photos. As for techniques, I'm not the most advanced virtual photographer there is, but I like simplicity. A simple shot of Sam Bridges in the forefront, looking out into a big empty environment is always my go-to! If I can make someone look at a picture and say “Ohhh I want to go explore over there” then I know I've achieved the photo I wanted to capture.



Do you have any advice for new Porters who might be about to play DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT for the first time?

I’ve actually just bought DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT for my friend and I told her, just have fun with it. Take it all in! There will be times when you're a little confused as to what is happening but that's OK, that's the point! Take in the music, the story and the backstory of every character. KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS have created the greatest game ever made. You only get to experience it for the first time once.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1850570/DEATH_STRANDING_DIRECTORS_CUT/

A big thank you to Lisa for taking the time to answer our questions. Missed out on any of our previous #DSPorterSpotlight features? Check them out here:

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Sometimes, while reading through mentions and hashtags, we stumble across someone so talented, it stops us in our tracks. That’s exactly what happened this month, when we discovered the incredible work of Daniar, a super talented artist, who also happens to be a DEATH STRANDING super fan. We just had to celebrate Daniar’s work as part of our #DSPorterSpotlight series. Enjoy!



[h3]INTERVIEW WITH DANIAR @DOrynbayev[/h3]

Hi! It’s great to have you on board for this month’s #DSPorterSpotlight piece. Your work is incredible and honestly, it totally blew us away! Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

Hello! Thank you for having me. My name is Daniar. I am a comic book artist from Kazakhstan. I have been drawing since childhood, thanks to my Mom and Dad and my sister, who provided me with books and American comics from the beginning. Artists who influenced me greatly are Hayao Miyazaki and Yoji Shinkawa.



You mention in one of your posts that you’ve put hundreds of hours into DEATH STRANDING and DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT. What is it about this game that makes it so special to you?

I've spent 393 hours in DEATH STRANDING and 255 hours in DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT. DEATH STRANDING is an outstanding game. Its story, visuals and music are very beautiful to me. The gameplay is rich and unique. I just enjoy walking in that magnificent virtual landscape of UCA using structures left by online Porters. It brings me peace. Also I live in Almaty city at the foot of Ile Alatau mountains so the open world of DEATH STRANDING feels like home.



Can you talk to us about your artistic process when working on an illustration?

Sometimes ideas for fan art come spontaneously and sometimes I spend hours thinking. After finding an idea I start quickly sketching. If it doesn’t look bad, I proceed to model and arrange the simple scene and fix the camera angle and FOV in SketchUp with my 3D dummies. It helps me to keep the body proportions and perspective. After this, I simply make a screenshot of an arranged 3D scene and draw on top of it in Photoshop. Sketch, line, shadows, color and color overlay FX. Done!



Do you have a favorite character to illustrate from DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT and if so, what makes them so special to you?

I draw Sam Porter Bridges most of the time. I don't know why. All the characters created by Hideo Kojima and drawn by Yoji Shinkawa are excellent and have a lot of details. I enjoy drawing each one of them.



Do you have any advice for new Porters who might be about to play DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT for the first time?

I have no advice, but I'd like to ask the new Porters if you build a Zip-line please upgrade it to lvl2. Also donate some Container Repair Spray in Postboxes on the way from Port Knot City to Capital Knot City. Thank you! Keep on keeping on!



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1850570/DEATH_STRANDING_DIRECTORS_CUT/

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[h3]DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT - #DSPORTERSPOTLIGHT 2023[/h3]
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Hi Porters,

Antonela here, Director of Global Community at 505 Games. With Halloween around the corner, we're here today to tell you about a cool cosplay activity that our friends at KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS are running, for their recently announced DEATH STRANDING Cosplay Month event.

The team is inviting Porters to submit their best cosplay photos on X, or Instagram. They can be old photos or new ones!

Want to get involved? Simply submit your photos using #DSCosplay before October 31st to be in with a chance of getting featured on the official KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS social media channels.

We can't wait to see your submissions!

Twitter / X: https://505.games/KJPDSCosplayX
Instagram: https://505.games/KJPDSCosplayIG

Keep on keeping on.



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We’re approaching the end of September, which means it’s time to celebrate another amazing Porter in the DEATH STRANDING community. This month’s #DSPorterSpotlight puts the spotlight on someone who is no stranger in the 505 Games community, a super talented virtual photographer called Shinobi.



[h3]INTERVIEW WITH SHINOBI[/h3]

Hi! It’s great to have you on board for this month’s #DSPorterSpotlight piece. You’ve always been so supportive of us and we’re excited to chat with you. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and what makes you a DEATH STRANDING fan?

My name is Shinobi, I'm a 42 year old Frenchman living in Japan for 12 years now. I do virtual photography daily and occasionally help studios create their photo modes when they accept my help. What made me a DEATH STRANDING fan is Hideo Kojima himself. I have been a long-time fan since MGS1. I was so excited to see him working on a new IP and creation. Then the incredible intro of the game, the walking, the loneliness... so many unique feelings came to me in the first couple hours of playing... That's a very rare thing in gaming today.



Virtual photography has boomed in popularity in recent years. What was it about the feature that appealed to you?

First it was a natural meeting between my love for traditional photography and my love for gaming. But very quickly I realized that there was something here that I didn't anticipate. You know when you're hiking, the landscape is beautiful but you're kind of focused on your breath, your effort, your goal. Sure, you see the environment and breathe the fresh air, but it's really when you stop and look around that suddenly you're amazed by where you are. That's the only way you'll notice this little blueberry bush and maybe a bird nest above you. THIS is exactly what virtual photography is to me. A formidable opportunity to see every detail that artists and developers took time to work on. Then the second phase starts and you add your own creativeness. The game is yours for a moment. You decide how you want to portray it. It becomes your world and your canvas. It's a different way to play, it's the only way I know now.



As an experienced Porter yourself, do you have any favourite locations to capture in-game?

I'd say that Middle Knot Ruins are among my favorites, especially the mall. What an impressive place in the early hours of your adventure!



Are there any particular photo mode features in DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT that you enjoy using the most?

Definitely the poses. Especially the feature that allows Sam to turn toward the camera. The way it's split in two parts, head and body, is a really nice touch and helps fine tune the position you want to give him.



Do you have any favorite shots that you've captured?

It's very hard to select one picture above others. I personally keep a special place in my heart for shots that I feel capture the essence of the game, and that have a slight personal twist that make them a bit different from what I've seen so far from other photographers. In this case I could put this one up.



Do you have any advice for new Porters who might be about to play DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT for the first time?

I would advise people to take their time through it. Immerse themselves in those long walks and embrace the hiking part of it. I find myself much more frustrated when I want to use a bike outside of the roads. Trucks are easier to use but you won't get one right away so don't be discouraged and just keep on keeping on by foot. See if you can spot a bird nest somewhere.





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[h3]DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT - #DSPORTERSPOTLIGHT 2023[/h3]
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Hi everyone. If you've been following our #DSPorterSpotlight series throughout 2023, you'll know just how talented and creative the DEATH STRANDING community is!

With that in mind, we decided to treat our Porters to an exclusive Q&A with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS' Art Director, Yoji Shinkawa.

Sit back and enjoy!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT - #DSPORTERSPOTLIGHT 2023[/h3]
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1850570/view/3648533079196108618
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https://store.steampowered.com/app/1850570/DEATH_STRANDING_DIRECTORS_CUT/