The Movies Preview

[bapenguin]

IGN (http://pc.ign.com/articles/643/643241p1.html) has a new preview up of the latest build of The Movies. The interface has gotten quite the overhaul in order to remove screen clutter. That easy interface is something that Lionhead has paid special attention to. If you've played any recent Lionhead games or read any previews, you'll notice that studio head Peter Molyneux has been pretty up on clearing up the screen of interface to let players spend as much time in the gameworld as possible without having to wander through endless screens of buttons and graphs. It'll probably take a little while to get used to for some players, but I really like what they've done. Anything that is picked up in the world via clicking and holding over the object will have suggestion streams coming off of it that serve as basic guidelines to actions. After picking an object like an actor that actor can be placed in a bunch of locations. Hovering the cursor over a building will pop up a floor plan with different rooms with actions associated with them. For instance, if you want to send a drunken slob to rehab, just hover over the clinic and a room with the word "Rehab" will show up. Drop the actor in that room and he'll go through the works to get sober. Everything in the drag and drop interface is that easy.

There's also a bunch of new screenshots and videos.

Release Date: 11/08/2005 (PC (http://www.gametab.com/pc/movies.the/2441/))

I'm really lookin forward to this!

[Stalwart]

Wow, a completely original game concept. A rare gem, if it plays well. And it is good-looking.

[doyama]

Now for something completely different. Is it just me or does the lineup for PC games this coming holiday season look a bit 'bleak' by most standards? I mean sure there's good stuff like B&W2, The Movies, Civ4, etc, but it kinda feels like 'wow is that it'

[Tricky Thumb]

Auto Assault and City of Villains, not to mention F.E.A.R., Quake 4 and Age of Empires III.

Doesn't look bleak to me at all.

[LvlMaster]

I really hope this doesnt get delayed again, Ive been looking forward to this game for a long ass time.

[Justin_McElroy]

Peter: I'll do this one last thing for you. I'll go with you. But you have to promise not to hurt me. I need you to back me up on this one.

[Kefkataran]

Auto Assault and City of Villains, not to mention F.E.A.R., Quake 4 and Age of Empires III.

Oh oh, and maybe that Half-Life add-on too! :D

The one thing I really loved about this game is how they've almost completely removed menus and the use of menus from it. Hopefully that works out well.

[Tricky Thumb]

Oh oh, and maybe that Half-Life add-on too! :D

The one thing I really loved about this game is how they've almost completely removed menus and the use of menus from it. Hopefully that works out well.

Yeah! Also, I think it's fair enough to count the Warhammer 40K: Winter Assault expansion in there too. I mean, jeez, I played the original for quite a while after release.

[mister_slim]

You can kind of see film and games converging. Eventually we'll get to the point where the only real difference is that one is interactive and one is fully scripted.

[Xerxes]

I am soooooo waiting for this game on xbox... Kinda miffed they cancelled BC... People griped about Fable but i liked it a hell of lot and look forward to the weird crap of Peter Molyneux...

[Kefkataran]

Eventually we'll get to the point where the only real difference is that one is interactive and one is fully scripted.

I think games are splitting off in two directions. More film-like is how some are and more game-like is how others are. Both are viable and both present different games that get me very excited for the future. I don't think (or don't hope at least) that we'll ever be stuck with just one.

... We should start a website where we write editorials on stuff like this, you and I.

[The Iron Weasel]

I too enjoyed Fable emmensly, sure its not what it was soposed to be, but what it was, was a fantastastic action-rpg that had a pretty good story and great graphics, hopefully Fable: Lost Chapters will be better, and by the sounds it'll help deliver on the original promise

[Intruder]

Is anyone here falling for Black and White 2? Just curious? I got the first one and was severely disappointed due to the claims of P.M. I havent payed much attention to it this go round, are there many claims about this one as well?

I really hope he can deliver. I have been looking forward to The Movies for a LONG time.

[mister_slim]

I think games are splitting off in two directions. More film-like is how some are and more game-like is how others are. Both are viable and both present different games that get me very excited for the future. I don't think (or don't hope at least) that we'll ever be stuck with just one.

... We should start a website where we write editorials on stuff like this, you and I.
I was just thinking that once the engines reach a high enough fidelity, people will be able to make a game with lots of mo-cap, voice acting, and real-world sources for art, say, and then script some play and camera movement, do some careful editing and have a movie. And vice versa, as we're seeing a lot of licensed games using assets from movies. Eventually, the interactivity will be the only relevant difference. Of course, not many people will want to see a Super Mario Sunshine 17 movie version, but it will be possible.

I used to put up editorials here. I should start that up again.

[Heretic Machine]

...Bleak? I think the word you're looking for is OBLIVION!

[Borys]

Umm - Oblivion, Call of Duty 2, Quake 4 plus TONS of other high-profile AAA titles and someone calls that weak?

[Oblivion]

quake 4 alone voids the accusation of bleakness.

[Kefkataran]

...Bleak? I think the word you're looking for is OBLIVION!
Ha!

And then with a quote from Oblivion, no less.