Like the Hollywood fare that inspires them, typical tie-in games for movies usually follow the same tired formula. A reskinned Quake clone where you follow the plot along as the protaganist (with suitable cut-scenes to prop up the story, ugh), and you uh, jump…and shoot stuff. Or possibly a themed RTS set in the movie’s universe, where you… destroy stuff.

Games based on movie franchises are NEVER as successful (monetarily or aesthetically) ones based on original IP.

Enter James Cameron, finally resurfacing from being underwater for like the last 20 years. Cameron intends on taking the classic movie-game concept and turning it on its end. This ambition is currently called, Project 880, and he essentially wants to make a multiplayer game and movie simultaneously, and then release the game first. The idea is that players will explore the universe and become familiar with it (addicted?), then go watch the movie to experience one thread within the gameworld’s narrative.

Hmmmmm. Is this a transparent marketing play, or a legitimate exploration in game-movie interactivity? Remember, the story I linked is in Business Week.

Cameron is not stupid, and this has never been done before. Lucky for him, this fact alone might make game and movie sell magnificently. Clever marketing, indeed. Risky, too! What if the game turns out like The Matrix Online? Yek.

Yet, as a seasoned optimist, I couldn’t help but race the possibilities around in my mind. The project seems interesting, but only when you start to think about it.

Lets assume that Cameron doesn’t care about marketing or money. Lets pretend, for a moment, that all he cares about are games.

Lets also believe that the game is so full of awesome, that you quit your job, your family and bowling club in order to fully experience everything it has to offer.

So what would a game-vie look like? Which compliments the other? In this perfect universe of gamedom, which entity benefits more? The movie? Or the game?

• Consider that the fictional universe is fully realised and documented within peoples’ heads before the movie starts. In this case, the movie gets the benefit here, as the setting has been established, allowing it to concentrate on other things… like plot!
• The movie’s subtext is readily understood. Here, the movie benefits again, as it inherits from a significant base of knowledge for the viewer. This provides Cameron an opportunity for more content within the film without having to explain its presence. That is, making nods and homages toward the game’s setting and characters in an effort to make it more entertaining. (Moviegoer : “Wow, those characters got ganked in the exact same spot I did!”)
• The visual imagery and effects are incredible. This notion boosts the game, without question. With a Cameron budget, the game can only help to inherit the rigourous production calibur of a blockbuster film. In this, the game will most likely look fantastic, as the design and attention of an excellent production studio will be devoted to it.
• Great performances and top-notch acting talent. The hype of a Cameron film, and the budget that he’ll undoubtably command, will attract high quality talent. This will obviously benefit both, but here’s a chance to make a game that actually has good voiceover work.
• Story. I’m having a hard time imagining how the game may help the movie’s story, or vice versa. Perhaps when the player returns to the game after having seen the movie, they may discover another dimension to the game experience.

In the end, this isn’t quite as exciting as I had thought, as this seems more of a vehicle for the movie. Its hard to see it for much more than that. Yes, the setting and the imagery will likely be incredibly compelling, but the game has to be innovative and fun in order to justify this unique and directed combination.

Now, what if the outcome of the gameworld influenced the outcome of the movie? Now that’s exciting, and would make me want to play it (if only to witness the influencing elements firsthand). Sadly, with the extreme scheduling of the film business, this would probably never be possible.

How about you? If this mythical awesome-filled game were to appear tomorrow and offer you a chance to “direct” the plot of the movie, would you play it?

photo from joystiq

“The Xbox360 will be id’s primary development platform.” - John Carmack.

All I can say is, “Did I read the article right??”

This is the man that popularized OpenGL and brought the opensource mindset into the hearts of the general public. Before the upstart iDSoftware, virtually no one had released the sourcecode for a hit commercial game before (to my knowledge).

PC Gaming would likely not be where it is today if it weren’t for iD’s efforts… I know its probably not true, but does it sound like to you that iD is abandoning the PC?

The wide-roaming and mighty Slashdot Games guru, Zonk, has posted a monthly treasure of blogposts and articles on games. Read ‘em on Slashdot’s “Carnival of Games“.

I wish I had known about this in advance or I would have at least tried to compose something of quality and submit it. Note that I said, “tried”. Succeeding is a whole other story.

In my opinion, Zonk’s doing a good job on Slashdot Games, I say this because Slashdot’s been getting a bit of a bum rap these days. From Diggers who say they’re too slow, and whiners that can’t filter out story dupes. Its good for what it is, a messageboard and meeting place. Like anything else, its what the community makes of it. I try to post regularly to games dot, and even submit a story once in a while. Nothing wrong with that.

Keep on’ keepin’ on, Zonk…

It was going to happen, sooner or later. Yet with the Pixar-Disney marriage, it was the first (and loudest) shot heard ’round the world.

Here comes the competition, spurred to action (for the click-lazy : Warner Brothers is starting its own pay-per-use P2P system)