Chris Roberts interview
João Pedro Santos
Hi there.
I just bought a french videogames magazine and there's a piece there
about the Wing Commander Movie with some pictures and small interviews
with some actors and Chris Roberts. In Chris Roberts interview he says
(this is my translaiton French and English aren't my native languages so
it might have few errors) that nowadays it's no longer justifiable to
invest in FMV sequences for game. The same story can be told using much
less money using digitised characters that offer more flexibility and
more options.
Questioned about the use of FMV in future Digital Anvil games he
says aht they won't use it and that the story will be told with
digitised character, voice, Motion Control and Motion Capture.
So don't expect FMV in Digital Anvil games.
Now in my oppinion the end of FMV is god and bad. FMV looked great
and the actors made the story a little more dramatic (couldn't come up
with a better word that this here), but I admit that computer characters
offer more possibilities. In the Wing Commander games prior to Wing III
and Strike Commander the same character animation could be used several
times to make the character say different things. So you can have richer
storyline and use much less space. There are some specific sequences
that need to be created but in general they just have to combine the
face with the background and include the voice. Nothing more. This was
the way my favorite Wing Commander (Wing 2) was done and I still thnk it
is superb. It may look completely outdated (only look) but it's still
great. More than a Wing 6 these days I would like a Wing 2 done with FMV
and Prophecy's engine but that would be huge. I bet it would take about
10 CD's or something if you'd include the data-disks.
João Pedro Santos
Cyril A. Sluchanko
And, of course, you can made endless stories for online games (such as
POL) - with FMV it is too expensive.
--
Best regards,
Cyril A. Sluchanko
Cyr...@usa.net
Kelvin Lim
> I just bought a french videogames magazine and there's a piece there
>about the Wing Commander Movie with some pictures and small interviews
>with some actors and Chris Roberts. In Chris Roberts interview he says
>(this is my translaiton French and English aren't my native languages so
>it might have few errors) that nowadays it's no longer justifiable to
>invest in FMV sequences for game. The same story can be told using much
>less money using digitised characters that offer more flexibility and
>more options.
> Questioned about the use of FMV in future Digital Anvil games he
>says aht they won't use it and that the story will be told with
>digitised character, voice, Motion Control and Motion Capture.
> So don't expect FMV in Digital Anvil games.
This is very interesting. Roberts has always been a strong advocate of
FMV and interactive movies, so it's strange that he'd make an
about-turn now. Perhaps directing the WC movie wasn't as fun as he had
expected. :)
>More than a Wing 6 these days I would like a Wing 2 done with FMV
>and Prophecy's engine but that would be huge. I bet it would take about
>10 CD's or something if you'd include the data-disks.
DVD would probably alleviate the problem of requiring too many discs.
Anyway, it would be nice if the earlier games were indeed remade, but
unfortunately the reality is that this is impractical and unfeasible;
moreover, I'd prefer to see a new WC game with a brand new story,
rather than one with a story that we're already familiar with.
/*======================================================================*/
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int main(void) {
char *s = "\xA\x2C\0#my$~od$iclcikzJgcfdc|foa\"*gcF*dc|foA*gexL", *i;
for(i=s+*(s+1);i-s-1;) printf("%c", *i--^*s); return 0; }
/*======================================================================*/
God
Basically Anvil can't afford it so its bad. Sets in WC are silly, WC3
sets are better in imagination, and probably cheaper. I think that
these computer gen characters cheaper than actors is dubious, I guess it
depends on quality (T1000, cost more than Schwarrneggers pay, and I
doubt even with technology this has decreased, the imagineers just
charge more, (ALA Titanic)).
--
_______ Luv your friend God _______
|| | || ¬ f¬f-----¬f----\ f--¬ f--¬f-----¬f------¬f--az || | ||
------- \ / || o || D )| \ / ||_ _||__ __|| (_ -------
/MARMITE\ ' || || / | Y | ) ( | | | _ /MARMITE\
-7g =^=/ - n || X || |\ \ | X X |f- -¬ | | | ( -8g =^=/ -
| (___) | / \J|_/ \_||_| \_\|_/ \_/ \_||_____| |__| |__ | (___) |
\_______/ http://www.york.ac.uk/~ss135 \_______/
Ben Lesnick
God wrote:
>
> Basically Anvil can't afford it so its bad. Sets in WC are silly, WC3
> sets are better in imagination, and probably cheaper. I think that
> these computer gen characters cheaper than actors is dubious, I guess it
> depends on quality (T1000, cost more than Schwarrneggers pay, and I
> doubt even with technology this has decreased, the imagineers just
> charge more, (ALA Titanic)).
Digital Anvil is funded by everybodys favorite chew toy, Microsoft,
so indeed they can afford it...
> --
> _______ Luv your friend God _______
> || | || ¬ f¬f-----¬f----\ f--¬ f--¬f-----¬f------¬f--az || | ||
> ------- \ / || o || D )| \ / ||_ _||__ __|| (_ -------
> /MARMITE\ ' || || / | Y | ) ( | | | _ /MARMITE\
> -7g =^=/ - n || X || |\ \ | X X |f- -¬ | | | ( -8g =^=/ -
> | (___) | / \J|_/ \_||_| \_\|_/ \_/ \_||_____| |__| |__ | (___) |
> \_______/ http://www.york.ac.uk/~ss135 \_______/
--
Long live the Confederation,
Ben "Bandit (LOAF)" Lesnick
Introspection WCHS
http://introspect.wa.net/wchs/
Christopher Reid
God wrote:
>
> Basically Anvil can't afford it so its bad. Sets in WC are silly, WC3
> sets are better in imagination, and probably cheaper.
There are precious few WC3 sets, a chair here, a table there. The
rooms were computer generated compared to the sets in WC4, Prophecy and
P2.
Chris Reid
CRei...@aol.com
alt.games.wing-commander Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/7595
Warrior
Ben Lesnick wrote:
>
> God wrote:
> >
> > Basically Anvil can't afford it so its bad. Sets in WC are silly, WC3
> > these computer gen characters cheaper than actors is dubious, I guess it
> > depends on quality (T1000, cost more than Schwarrneggers pay, and I
> > doubt even with technology this has decreased, the imagineers just
> > charge more, (ALA Titanic)).
>
> Digital Anvil is funded by everybodys favorite chew toy, Microsoft,
> so indeed they can afford it...
Hehe, I don't think Micorsoft would fund too much money for games, but
they would spend a lot on publishing and marketing perhaps.
DanO
BUZZ!!! Wrong Answer...we can afford whatever we want for a game. But, I
think everyone will like the Mocap/Polygon stuff much better than
full-motion video. The technology/speed is now available to make the stylish
virtual actors a possiblity.
DanO
Lead Designer
Digital Anvil
God wrote in message <35536738...@york.ac.uk>...
Kelvin Lim
On Fri, 08 May 1998 21:12:40 +0100, God <ss...@york.ac.uk> wrote:
>Basically Anvil can't afford it so its bad. Sets in WC are silly, WC3
>sets are better in imagination, and probably cheaper.
WC3 didn't use real sets, unlike WC4. All the backgrounds in WC3 were
computer generated, and added to the videos using the blue screen
technique.
Edward Pang
On Fri, 8 May 1998 18:19:18 -0500, "DanO" <da...@digitalanvil.com> wrote:
>BUZZ!!! Wrong Answer...we can afford whatever we want for a game. But, I
>think everyone will like the Mocap/Polygon stuff much better than
>full-motion video. The technology/speed is now available to make the stylish
>virtual actors a possiblity.
>
>DanO
>Lead Designer
>Digital Anvil
Thank you. =) We needed that dose of reality and fact.
Gerthein Boersma
"Kelvin Lim, take this cartload of loot back to the palace and meet me back
here at midnight, with ten soldiers, a restless lynch mob and a small
portable gallows."
>On Fri, 08 May 1998 21:12:40 +0100, God <ss...@york.ac.uk> wrote:
>>Basically Anvil can't afford it so its bad. Sets in WC are silly, WC3
>>sets are better in imagination, and probably cheaper.
>WC3 didn't use real sets, unlike WC4. All the backgrounds in WC3 were
>computer generated, and added to the videos using the blue screen
>technique.
I think that's what he meant by "in imagination". Of course, who knows (or
cares) what he meant?
- Gerthein (-o-)
-----------------------------
g e r t h e i n @ w x s . n l
-----------------------------
Kelvin Lim
On Sat, 09 May 1998 10:24:20 GMT, gert...@wxs.nl (Gerthein Boersma)
wrote:
>"Kelvin Lim, take this cartload of loot back to the palace and meet me back
>here at midnight, with ten soldiers, a restless lynch mob and a small
>portable gallows."
>
>>On Fri, 08 May 1998 21:12:40 +0100, God <ss...@york.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>>>Basically Anvil can't afford it so its bad. Sets in WC are silly, WC3
>>>sets are better in imagination, and probably cheaper.
>
>>WC3 didn't use real sets, unlike WC4. All the backgrounds in WC3 were
>>computer generated, and added to the videos using the blue screen
>>technique.
>
>I think that's what he meant by "in imagination". Of course, who knows (or
>cares) what he meant?
I thought he meant that the WC3 sets were more imaginative, unlike the
silly WC4 sets. :)
Bassman826
João Pedro Santos wrote:
> Questioned about the use of FMV in future Digital Anvil games he
>says aht they won't use it and that the story will be told with
>digitised character, voice, Motion Control and Motion Capture.
> So don't expect FMV in Digital Anvil games.
And Chris Roberts can thank Square Soft for saving him all that money. In
Final Fantasy VII, Square showed better than anyone else that digitzed
characters (who even still use the traditional Final Fantasy text boxes) can
make just as good a story as anything done on FMV.
Ben Lesnick
I thought Wing Commander I showed that...
Delance
Ben Lesnick <bles...@erols.com> wrote:
>Digital Anvil is funded by everybodys favorite chew toy, Microsoft,
>so indeed they can afford it...
If DA had infinite money supply they would do FMW. ;)
>> Delance <<
Kelvin Lim
On 09 May 1998 16:16:50 GMT, bassm...@aol.com (Bassman826) wrote:
>João Pedro Santos wrote:
>> Questioned about the use of FMV in future Digital Anvil games he
>>says aht they won't use it and that the story will be told with
>>digitised character, voice, Motion Control and Motion Capture.
>> So don't expect FMV in Digital Anvil games.
>
>And Chris Roberts can thank Square Soft for saving him all that money. In
>Final Fantasy VII, Square showed better than anyone else that digitzed
>characters (who even still use the traditional Final Fantasy text boxes) can
>make just as good a story as anything done on FMV.
Final Fantasy is... unique. :) Actually, technically speaking, FF7 did
use FMV, it was just that all the FMV was CG. :) In any case, the
percentage of games which use real actors for their FMV is actually
pretty low.
Gerthein Boersma
"Delance, take this cartload of loot back to the palace and meet me back
here at midnight, with ten soldiers, a restless lynch mob and a small
portable gallows."
>Ben Lesnick <bles...@erols.com> wrote:
No. They want to *make* money. If DA had a guarantee that FMV (by the way,
it's *not* FMW) games would make money, then yes, they would probably do a
few FMV games. Alas, FMV is expensive, competition is tough, and so this
sort of game loses money more often than it makes some. Origin has been
fortunate -- not in the least because the quality associated with the
WC-brand name -- but it's just too risky nowadays. That, coupled to the
fact that MoCap Animation has improved dramatically over the past years,
means that DA's decision is a logical one. Perhaps some day large-scale FMV
will be more commercially viable (I've always said WC4 was a bit ahead of
its time).
Delance
kelv...@pacific.net.sg (Kelvin Lim) wrote:
>Final Fantasy is... unique. :) Actually, technically speaking, FF7 did
>use FMV, it was just that all the FMV was CG. :) In any case, the
>percentage of games which use real actors for their FMV is actually
>pretty low.
Still, it's not completely out of the market. Dune 2000 will
use real actors, for exemple.
>> Delance <<
Delance
gert...@wxs.nl (Gerthein Boersma) wrote:
Continuing on the line, if DA had infinite money supply they
would not have to make money. You see, ** IF ** they had, which they
don't, which was the reason for my original post. DA does not have an
infinite money supply coming from M$, which owns a small part of DA
and will handle marketing and distribution.
>> Delance <<
Ben Lesnick
DA: Uhm, Microsoft, we need like 200 million dollars.
MS: Err... what for?
DA: Oh, no reason, we just want some money.
> >> Delance <<
Gerthein Boersma
"Delance, take this cartload of loot back to the palace and meet me back
here at midnight, with ten soldiers, a restless lynch mob and a small
portable gallows."
> Continuing on the line, if DA had infinite money supply they
>would not have to make money.
If they had infinite money, they'd be hanging in hammocks on the Bahama's.
They'd retire. You've proved the idiocy of your own hypothetical situation.
João Pedro Santos
Even if DA had infinite money I don't see them making games that
they know will lose money one. Which is a pitty in my oppinion, because
I really liked the FMV in games. The only thing bad in it in my oppinion it
the fact that is less flexible than CG graphics. But now with the arrival of
DVDs maybe that would give more options. After all the most simple
DVD with just one side and one layer has the space of 7 CDs.
João "Overlord" Santos
> Continuing on the line, if DA had infinite money supply they
> would not have to make money. You see, ** IF ** they had, which they
> don't, which was the reason for my original post. DA does not have an
> infinite money supply coming from M$, which owns a small part of DA
> and will handle marketing and distribution.
>
> >> Delance <<
Kelvin Lim
> Even if DA had infinite money I don't see them making games that
>they know will lose money one. Which is a pitty in my oppinion, because
>I really liked the FMV in games. The only thing bad in it in my oppinion it
>the fact that is less flexible than CG graphics.
CG characters are getting more realistic, both in appearance and
movement, these days, though. The day when we can no longer tell the
difference between a real actor and a CG character might not be too
far off.
>But now with the arrival of DVDs maybe that would give more options.
>After all the most simple DVD with just one side and one layer has the
>space of 7 CDs.
You'll have to film more FMV to fill that space, though, which leads
to increased costs, and no company has infinite money. :)
Delance
Ben Lesnick <bles...@erols.com> wrote:
>> Continuing on the line, if DA had infinite money supply they
>> would not have to make money. You see, ** IF ** they had, which they
>> don't, which was the reason for my original post. DA does not have an
>> infinite money supply coming from M$, which owns a small part of DA
>> and will handle marketing and distribution.
>
>DA: Uhm, Microsoft, we need like 200 million dollars.
>MS: Err... what for?
>DA: Oh, no reason, we just want some money.
DA does not have infinite money because MS will not just keep
giving them money for no good reason like this. Only in your fantasy
world where MS give money for free, Japan did not surrendered because
of the nukes and Wilford was on the Intrepid on WC4. ;)
>> Delance <<
Ben Lesnick
Interesting, you understand exactly what I was trying to drive
into your thick little skull, reply saying just what I'm trying to,
and then believe you're waving some sort of incredible victory in
my face, such that you have to resort to your typical pettiness:)
Very funny:)
Delance
Ben Lesnick <bles...@erols.com> wrote:
>Interesting, you understand exactly what I was trying to drive
>into your thick little skull, reply saying just what I'm trying to,
>and then believe you're waving some sort of incredible victory in
>my face, such that you have to resort to your typical pettiness:)
>Very funny:)
Another pointless post with insults followed by smileys. Not
even funny...
>> Delance <<
Ben Lesnick
Delance wrote:
>
> Another pointless post with insults followed by smileys. Not
> even funny...
Uhm, actually, no:) You're just an idiot (G) I was making
a very important point...
Delance
Ben Lesnick <bles...@erols.com> wrote:
>Delance wrote:
>>
>> Another pointless post with insults followed by smileys. Not
>> even funny...
>
>Uhm, actually, no:) You're just an idiot (G) I was making
>a very important point...
You insults are not very important points (maybe just for you,
but hey, even if you don't like it you are not the center of the
universe).
BTW, I guess I could just cut and paste my previous reply and
change the "smileys" for "(G)".
>> Delance <<
Ben Lesnick
Remove the smileys all together, and read what I wrote. I was trying
to say something, not simply respond to your petty insults, which
is what I've unfortunatly allowed myself to do since...
Gerthein Boersma
"Delance, take this cartload of loot back to the palace and meet me back
here at midnight, with ten soldiers, a restless lynch mob and a small
portable gallows."
>>DA: Uhm, Microsoft, we need like 200 million dollars.
>>MS: Err... what for?
>>DA: Oh, no reason, we just want some money.
> DA does not have infinite money because MS will not just keep
>giving them money for no good reason like this.
Err... I think that was the *joke*, Delance.