Uncharted 4: Who is Henry Avery?

"I am a man of fortune, and I must seek my fortune."
--Henry Avery, 1694

Who is Henry Avery and why does Uncharted 4: A Thief's End begin with one of his quotes? Keep reading and you'll find out!

Below is a link to the first Live Commentary gameplay video produced by Skookum Valley Gaming! This is the Prologue, or first level, of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. It's a short level which is meant to introduce the player to the game's controls and drop some hints regarding the story that is about to unfold. So, sit right back and you'll hear a tale!

Henry Avery (public domain image)

The game begins with a reference to Henry Avery, sometimes erroneously referred to as John Avery, who was an English pirate that operated in the Atlantic and Indian oceans in the mid-1690s. Avery was one of the few major pirate captains to retire and keep his loot without being arrested or killed in battle. He was notorious for being the perpetrator of what has been called the most profitable pirate raid in history.

Henry Avery's crimes were so damaging to international relations that he became the subject of the first worldwide manhunt in history. Yet Avery eluded capture and vanished from all records in 1696. His whereabouts and activities after this period are unknown. Unconfirmed accounts state he may have changed his name and retired; quietly living out the rest of his life in either Britain or an unidentified tropical island. He is believed to have passed away sometime after 1696. Historian Colin Woodard states that Avery, in trying to launder his riches to currency, had been outsmarted by wealthy landowners and "died a poor beggar not being able to afford his own coffin."^[15] Many fortune seekers, to this day, believe that Avery's treasure is still out there waiting to be found. Is it Avery's loot that Nathan Drake and his brother are seeking on this last great Uncharted adventure?

Woodcut by Charles Ellms

I highly recommend reading the Wikipedia page on "Henry Every" (aka Henry Avery) to gain some background on this historical figure as it may enhance the gameplay and deepen the realism of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Everybody loves a good backing story!

In the video linked below you will see a beautifully rendered nighttime boat chase and gun battle. The scene begins right in the middle of the action with many small boats chasing Nathan and his brother, Sam, in very rough seas. They appear to be racing toward an island in hopes of escaping their would-be captors. A larger boat arrives to further complicate a battle that is already fraught with guns, grenade launchers, and knife-wielding thugs.

Thanks for visiting the Skookum Valley Gaming blog! Keep coming back!

Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkookumGames
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Henry Avery's Jolly Roger Flag

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - Official Page - http://www.unchartedthegame.com

Image Attributions:

• Henry Avery Image [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHenry_Every.gif
• Woodcut of Avery engaging the Great Mogul's Ship By Charles Ellms (http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12216.) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AEvery_engaging_the_Great_Mogul's_Ship.jpg
• Henry Avery's Black Jolly Roger Flag [Public domain], via the Open Clip Art Library, which released it explicitly into the public domain (see here).
  
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pirate_Flag_of_Henry_Every.svg  

Uncharted 4: Waiting to Get Back in the Game

- Video Link -

Here in Skookum Valley we are patiently awaiting our chance to get back into the game and back into the Uncharted World of Nathan Drake. The story on the street is that Naughty Dog has stated that this is the final chapter of the Uncharted series of games. The fact of this matter may be evident in one of the teaser trailers where we hear Victor Sullivan say, "Just one last time." If they execute this game well and end it properly then it may be for the best. Here in Skookum Valley, we believe that all is truly well that ends well. We tip our hats to Naughty Dog, Elena, Nathan, and Sully as we join them on what might just be their final adventure.

The internet is already filling with Uncharted 4 gameplay videos even though the official release is not until tomorrow (which might already be today by the time this blog is posted). Some lucky players were treated with boxed versions of the game that were released one day early for reasons unknown. In Skookum Valley we also believe that some mysteries are best left unsolved. Therefore, the folks around here don't ask too many questions. Instead, we just enjoy what comes our way whenever it arrives.

The official copy of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End which is destined for the valley is scheduled to arrive sometime before 8pm. We're hoping to get a chance to capture some gameplay as soon as possible and report back to the world our first impressions of this much anticipated game. Until such time as the Uncharted game arrives here in the valley, we would like to entertain you with a video which was put together using bits and pieces of the three official Uncharted 4 release trailers. The video was created in an attempt to capture the feelings we are experiencing in Skookum Valley while waiting to get back to the world of the Nathan Drake and back into the Uncharted Series of video games. We know Nathan wants back in the game and we know for certain that Sully can always be talked back into the game. Here in Skookum Valley we are waiting patiently until the hour of return is upon us.

Click here to watch the video!

The video in the link above constitutes our first attempt at creating a full HD gaming video at 60 fps using Sony Movie Studio in place of the SHAREfactory application which comes standard with the PS4. This video heralds the beginning of a new era of enhanced video quality at Skookum Valley Gaming. This advancement has been made possible by the acquisition of a new 1080p 60 fps video capture device that will soon be grabbing PS4 and other console gameplay with resolutions and frame rates never before seen in Skookum Valley. NVIDIA's ShadowPlay technology will be helping out on the PC side of the gaming world. Things are looking up in Skookum Valley!

Until next time, we hope you enjoy our short little reinterpretation of the "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" teaser trailers. For the next several hours, we too will be waiting to get back in the game.

Have a great time playing Uncharted 4!  Keep coming back!

Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkookumGames
► Google+: +SkookumValleyGaming
► Blogger: http://www.SkookumValleyGaming.com

Wampa Sighting! | Star Wars Battlefront Easter Egg

- Video Link -

Turn on, tune in, and go in search of The Wampa! Join Pilchuck of Skookum Valley and very special guest, StarKiller180535, as they uncover one of the greatest mysteries in the mountains of Hoth.

The Wampa is a prime example of the Skookum family of mountain monsters. On Earth this creature is known as the Yeti or the Abominable Snowman.

Over the centuries since it was first reported, this mysterious animal has been seen by many people and has been known by many names. The exclusive video found in the link below provides irrefutable evidence of the existence of this elusive entity.

The Skookum family also includes the large, hairy beings known as the Sasquatch, or as they are called in some places, the Bigfoot. Wherever you find remote and untouched wilderness, you will always find Skookum. It is probably safest not to mention the topic when Chewbacca is around but many galactic anthropologists believe that the Wookie are members of the ancient Skookum family.

Click the above frame to play the video!

In this video, I rather accidentally learned of this awesome Star Wars Battlefront Easter Egg. After dying a rather untimely and seemingly pointless death, I respawned into a surprising locale. My team mate, StarKiller180535, had ventured off to go spelunking and, much to my excitement, when I spawned into the cave with him, I saw a prime specimen of the elusive Wampa munching on some Tauntaun bones right before my eyes!

The cave is found on the "Twilight on Hoth" map and you can only reach the cave when you are playing on the side of the Imperial Empire during the Walker Assault game mode.

In the middle of the video, I peer out from the cave and you can see the initial spawn point for the Imperial forces. This is the first clue to the whereabouts of the Wampa Cavern. Enlarge the image below to get a bearing on the cave's location.

Try to find this cave very early in the match as you have only a limited time to locate and explore this Easter Egg. Once the AT-AT's reach the first set of uplink stations, your time is up and the part of the map which includes the Wampa will suddenly become out-of-bounds. Get there quickly and get there with a partner if you wish to get up close to the Wampa.

In a future video, I will show you how to get to the cave and see the Wampa for yourself. The video will also explain how to go beyond the stalactites so that you can get an up-close, over the shoulder selfie with a true living fossil from a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away!

If you enjoyed this video, please hit the "like" button and feel free to share it with friends!

A special thanks goes out to StarKiller180535 for showing me this awesome extra detail in Star Wars Battlefront's "Twilight on Hoth" map!

Thanks for visiting and keep coming back!

Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkookumGames
► Google+: +SkookumValleyGaming
► Blogger: http://www.SkookumValleyGaming.com