Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Profile: Umbrella's Caucasus Lab


The Caucasus Laboratory was Umbrella Corporation’s main branch inside Russia. It was located in Southwestern Russia and was of great importance to the Corporation. It had started out as a Chemical plant owned and operated by the Russian Government; its construction was during the Soviet era. After it’s abandonment after the end of the Cold War, Ozwell E. Spencer bought the plant through an Umbrella dummy company. By 1998, Spencer had invested a huge amount of foreign capital on construction of a massive underground laboratory with the rebuilt plant as camouflage to its true intention.

After its completion, Spencer appointed his most trusted official Sergei Vladimir as it’s Director. The facility’s main operation was both conducting of not only secret experiments but as a major factory for manufacturing of B.O.W.s to be sold on the black market. It took no time at all for the Caucasus laboratory to become a major part of Umbrella’s underground operations. At the facility, B.O.W.s that was produced included the Hunter, Chimera, Licker, and later T.A.L.O.S.  

After the fall of Raccoon City in 1998 and the disaster on Spencer Rain in 2002, the Caucasus Branch became the sole hope of Umbrella rebuilding itself. It was also the place after the destruction of Arklay Laboratory, the Red Queen and U.M.F.-013 was housed. In 2003, Umbrella had prepared for revival after supplying its B.O.W.s. to unstable regions around the world. All while continuing its work on T.A.L.O.S. the main hope for Umbrella’s rebirth.  The T.A.L.O.S. project was overseen by the Director and now CEO of Umbrella Sergei Vladimir with the aid of the Red Queen.

The fall of the facility would come on February 18, 2003, as the facility was raided by the Russian branch of Private Anti-Bioterrorism Unit after receiving leaked information from Albert Wesker. Wesker in his search for both the U.M.F.-013 and revenge against Sergei infiltrated the facility leaking the T-Virus, which infected 99% of the workers in the facility and releasing all BO.W.s into the facility. As well as both the Russian forces and Wesker, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield entered into the building with the same intent as Wesker in destroying Umbrella for good.  As the battles came to an end, Jill and Chris successfully killed T.A.L.O.S. and Wesker killed Sergei Vladimir. The loss of the Caucasus facility and its director brought the complete and final end of Umbrella. It was the newest and last of Umbrella’s laboratories to fall.

Sources-

Project Umbrella-  http://projectumbrella.net/articles/Caucasus-Laboratory

Resident Evil Wiki-  http://residentevil.wikia.com/Caucasus_Laboratory

Monday, September 17, 2012

Resident Evil Darkside Chronicles Tribute

I found this video on YouTube, I loved this game, though I couldn't play through the whole thing since we don't have a Wii and you can only work with it for so long on PC. I reached to the part where you fight the Tyrant outside of the train. The controls failed to work and couldn't equip the Rocket Launcher.

I've read through the RE story lines way before I played Darkside Chronicles and William Birkin was instantly one of my favorites, so it was a thrill just to be able to play through at least the first 4 mutations, didn't get to fight against blob Birkin though :( . I wish I would have been able to reach to Alexia Ashford part since I always liked her story as well. Hopefully, we will be able to get all the games and required consoles! I really want to play all of the games not just Resident Evil 5, though I love it so far. I always played as either Leon or Claire in Darkside, Claire being my favorite RE female, well other than Annette Birkin that is.

Anyway, here is the Darkside Chronicles Tribute video I found on YouTube, it's to the song "What I've Done" by Linkin Park


I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!  

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Sergei Vladimir- A Biography




Sergei Vladimir, was perhaps Umbrella Founder Oswell E. Spencer’s most loyal employees. He stood at 6 feet and 7.5 inches. He was of Russian nationality and served time in the Russian Armed Forces.  During his time in Russia, he spent many years in military service reaching the rank of Colonel. He participated in the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. During that time, he had lost his right eye in a battle. Despite his best service to the military, Sergei was forced to resign. Times would get rough for the Russian Armed Forces with Mikhail Gorbachev’s new systems of reforms in 1991. After the failure of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the soldiers and officers were left with nowhere to go. 

With nowhere left to go, Sergei contacted Umbrella Corporation in December of 1991. After undergoing a field test for Tyrant adaptation, it was discovered that Sergei was among the few that had the genetic compatibility with the T strain virus. This was very important since it was required for the creation of a Tyrant. Sergei allowed Umbrella to create 10 clones of himself and submitted them to Umbrella after much persuasion from Nicholai Zinoviev. Sergei would go on to think of the clones and the resulting Tyrants as his brothers.  With the submission of the clones, Sergei became a Executive with Umbrella.

For giving him a home and a purpose, Sergei vowed his loyalty to Oswell E. Spencer.  With his experience as a Military officer, Sergei created the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service (UBCS); the private military of the Umbrella Corporation. He also led a top secret internal espionage organization, its operatives only being referred to as “Monitors”.  Sergei’s clones were essential to the Tyrant program to take off and led to many successes as the Tyrant became the most successful of the Bioweapons. Sergei would continue to play an important role in the Tyrant program, by personally overseeing the development of his “Ivans” and contributing DNA and Psychological scenarios. Sergei would have 2 T-103 tyrants created to serve as his bodyguards. Sergei would refer to them as “Ivan”. Sometime around 1998, Sergei was appointed as the Director of the Caucasus Laboratory.

During this time, he came to not trust a fellow Umbrella Executive Officer, Albert Wesker. He suspected Wesker of not being loyal to Umbrella and grew tired of Wesker continually not following orders. Despite the disagreements, both men held a mutual respect for each other.

 In July 1998, Spencer ordered Sergei to retrieve the T-A.L.O.S. prototype from the Arklay Laboratory and transport it to the Caucasus Lab in Russia to continue its development. Umbrella had plans to re-open its Executive Officer Training School, Umbrella Research Center but the man placed in charge of the task, Albert Wesker had other plans. Sergei would learn of Wesker’s betrayal of Umbrella to an opposing corporation and sent Ivan into combat against Wesker. The battle was cut short as the self destruction of the Arklay Lab that was initiated by William Birkin served as a distraction that allowed Wesker to escape. After the destruction of Arklay, Sergei turned his attention back to the retrieval of the specimen of T-A.L.O.S.

As Wesker was busy testing the B.O.Ws at the Arklay Lab, Sergei used a remote connection to save all research data to the “U.M.F.-013” and used the artificial intelligence defense computer codenamed “Red Queen” to revoke Wesker’s access rights. The AI was then transported to the Caucasus Lab to continue the development of and complete control of T-A.L.O.S. under his strict supervision.

On September 29, Sergei was granted Executive powers as well as complete control over all equipment and personal in response to the biohazard in Raccoon City. Sergei departed for the city and used 6 of the mass produced Tyrants to help complete objectives. One Tyrant was dropped by helicopter into the Raccoon City Police Department to collect Sherry Birkin and the G-Virus example in her pendent. The 5 other Tyrants were deployed to the “Incineration Disposal Plant P-12A” to attack the US government special forces units that was deployed to gain a sample of the G-Virus and to arrest William Birkin. After the task of deploying the Tyrants, Sergei collected the U.M.F.-013 from the confines of the underground lab. By this action, Sergei ensured that Umbrella could recover from the loss of Raccoon City. The G-Virus was procured at the end by HUNK, the only surviving member of the U.S.S. unit sent to retrieve the G-Virus from Birkin. At the end, Raccoon City was nuked by the US Government in a failed effort to contain and obliterate the outbreak.

It was around the time of 1998-2003; Sergei was made CEO of Umbrella by Spencer, who retreated farther away from the spotlight. After the destruction of Raccoon City, Umbrella started to fail miserably and was near destruction by plummeting stock value. Spencer found an able and trusted ally in Sergei Vladimir, who sought to bring about Umbrella’s recovery and a new era for mankind. As his first directive as the new CEO, Sergei ordered all operations be transferred to the Caucasus Laboratory that was disguised as an oil refinery.

Once the new Headquarters was established, work on T-A.L.O.S. was started with new vigor based on the body recovered at Arklay and experimental data.  Sergei ordered the completion of T-A.L.O.S. was the main objective and should be done as soon as possible.

Unknown to Sergei on February 18, 2003, Albert Wesker leaked to the Russian Government not only the location of the Caucasus Lab but that they were also developing BOWs there. In response, the Russian Government started to plan a raid on the Lab. Alongside; the Russian Government forming opposition to the Umbrella Branch, Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine infiltrated the base in hopes in destroying Umbrella for good. Wesker also infiltrated the base separately in his efforts to gain access to the data inside the U.M.F.-013 as well as revenge against Sergei for his earlier interference with Wesker’s plan.

As the Russian’s deployed the Private Anti-Bioterrorism Unit, Sergei unleashed the finished prototype T-A.L.O.S. on Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine. As the two agents, were busy fighting the prototype, Sergei met Wesker for the second time in battle ordering two Ivans to dispose of Wesker. As Sergei retreated back to the command center, Wesker was able to defeat the Ivans, and without any other options; Sergei injected himself with the T-Virus.  

During the final confrontation with his former colleague and “friend”, Sergei mutated into a horrible form, known as “Monster Sergei”.  A creature with four tentacles, bond arms, and a large appendage with claws; used for both movement and attack.  With his sanity seemingly lost as he seemed to enjoy the painful blows that Wesker dealt him, Sergei was not able to last long despite his overwhelming strength. Wesker dealt a death blow, as Sergei died, his remains dissolved, and Wesker was able to complete his task. As the last remaining CEO of Umbrella, the Corporation died alongside Sergei Vladimir and any hopes of Umbrella’s recovery died as well. 


Sources- 

Resident Evil Wiki-  http://residentevil.wikia.com/Sergei_Vladimir

Project Umbrella-  http://projectumbrella.net/articles/Sergei-Vladimir

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Welcome to The Umbrella Dossier Blog


Welcome!

As a huge fan of Resident Evil and especially of the Umbrella Corporation, I created this blog to share my love of the genre. Disclaimer though, I will only blog about the games not the movies. I will blog about many of the plots, history, and many other topics. Also will be posting up my RE FanFic, that I'm currently writing.

My first exposure to Resident Evil was through the movies but as I got on YouTube and watched many of the cutscenes from the games as well as reading the novels. My addiction to Resident Evil began, though I'm disappointed that I can't play many of the games cause of my location (Western media doesn't always make it over here) I am able to play Resident Evil 5 and fully enjoying it! I read what I could on the RE Wiki about the many different characters and the history. I love the science behind it, as well as the action, and the many well defined characters. Though its a serious game it's not afraid of puns (Chris in RE5 looking at the PG67A/W "Let's give it a shot"). As I learned more of the storyline and plot of the games, my love of the movies dwindled and just watch them occasionally though at a certain level, I still enjoy them. 

My favorite part of Resident Evil is the Umbrella Corporation. It presents a wonderful history and background into the founding of the company. The many different viruses and organisms that they create is equally interesting from both imaginative and scientific aspects. The many different employees with their ambitions and their stories create a wonderful atmosphere. My favorite of the characters are Sergei Vladimir, William Birkin, Alexia Ashford,and Albert Wesker of the antagonists. My favorite of the Protagonists are Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Sheva Alomar, and Jill Valentine  RE is pretty much the only genre that I pretty much like all the protagonists and antagonists equally despite having my favorites. The characters are deep enough that you can get a good feel and attachment too. For instance, my heart ached when Billy Coen and Rebecca Chambers went their separate ways. 

I dare to say Resident Evil is easily one of the best masterpieces of the gaming world not just cause you get to shoot zombies but cause of the plots and the characters. 

So how did you come to like Resident Evil and what are your favorite parts of the genre?