The Movies

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The Movies
The Movies box art
Developer(s) Lionhead Studios
Publisher(s) Activision
Designer(s) Peter Molyneux
Engine RenderWare
Latest version The Movies: Stunts & Effects Spring 2006
Release date(s) November 8, 2005 (US); November 11, 2005 (EU)
Genre(s) Simulation
Mode(s) Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: Teen (13+)
Platform(s) Windows, Mac OS X
Media CD (3), DVD (1)
System requirements PC: Windows 98SE or later
800 MHz CPU
256MB RAM
DirectX 9.0c compatible sound and video card.

The Movies is a PC simulation game created by Lionhead Studios for Microsoft Windows and subsequently ported to Apple Mac OS X by Feral Interactive. It was released on November 8, 2005 in the United States of America, and November 11, 2005 in Europe after reaching gold status on October 8, 2005. In The Movies, players take the role of a Hollywood film mogul, running a studio and creating films. Much has been made about the film-making aspect of the game, as it allows players to easily create viewable works or machinima. The game is similar to the early 1990s film production game Stunt Island; the game is also similar to the 1988 game Charlie Chaplin, the 1996 game Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair and, to a lesser extent, the 1996 game 3D Movie Maker.

On June 6, 2006, the first, and to date, only expansion was released, The Movies: Stunts and Effects. This expansion added a host of new features, the most important of which were stunts (and stunt doubles), and special effects.

In October 2006, the Macintosh version by Feral Interactive won a Bafta for the best simulation game of 2006 at the Bafta games awards. The Macintosh version added a number of additional features which aren't available in the original PC release. The game was also nominated in the soundtrack category although it did not win.

Contents

[edit] History

Production began back in late 2001 in a Lionhead Studios brain-storming Press Conference. The idea began when Peter Molyneux and a few other Lionhead Studios executives came up with a new idea for a simulation game inspired by the 1990s hit game Hollywood Mogul. However the difference was to create a more diverse and lifelike strategy aspect to the game giving players the option to create their very own movie, a feature that Hollywood Mogul did not include. They announced the idea in April of 2002 at E3 2002. The fans reaction was tremendous - The Movies booth was one of E3's most visited that year and many companies wanted to distribute the game. Lionhead Studios eventually choose Activision. The game took almost 4 years to make because of various changes to the graphic engine during production.

[edit] Gameplay

In The Movies, players get the chance to run their own movie studio. The game can be divided into three main areas — designing the movie studio, forging the careers of movie stars, and making movies. It is possible to focus on any of those areas that appeal most, and spend less time on the others.

The game plays through from the birth of cinema to the present day and into the near future, with all the technology and historical advances that occur along that timeline. After the movies have been made, they can be played back for the viewer to watch. It is possible once the movie is made to add voice, text and music in post-production. The movies can then be exported and shared or uploaded to a website (The Movies Online) for anyone who wishes to watch them.

[edit] The Staff

The two most important types of staff in the game are actors and directors, referred to as "stars" in the game. In order to keep stars in a positive mood the player will need to give them a salary the stars deem satisfactory (relative to their success), an image the stars deem decent, a trailer of good quality, and a large entourage. Stars can also get stressed or bored, depending on how many movies the player puts them in. Each star has different thresholds regarding when they will get stressed or bored. If stars get stressed, they will resort to alcoholism or over-eating.

Other staff include extras (which can be promoted to Star status if they are good enough), janitors, scientists, scriptwriters, and crew members.

[edit] The Studio

The studio lot is where sets and buildings are built. In order to increase the 'prestige' of the studio lot, the studio must be neat, free of litter, well laid out and with areas of grass, trees and decoration. Buildings must also be linked together by paths. Buildings and sets also decay, thus decreasing the quality of movies that they appear in. They will eventually become unusable if they do not receive maintenance or repair by your staff.

[edit] Rival Studios

The first four rival studios your studio will compete against are the following:

Later in the game these five studios open:

  • no other studios open for buissness after 1974.

[edit] Movies

There is no limit on movie length. The average movie length is between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, but user created films can be as long as budget will allow (although a 10 minute film might require over 20 game years of filming).

Once the actors, extras, director and crew are assigned to a film, production begins, with the entire staff of the film travelling between sets to film the movie.

The sandbox mode allows films to be created without undergoing the lengthy production process, and with budgets of over $100 million.

[edit] Scripts

Screenshot of an awards ceremony in 1935
Enlarge
Screenshot of an awards ceremony in 1935

Players are able to pick a script provided by the studio's writers or write their own. Provided scripts take longer to write in game time, while user-written scripts take longer to write in real time.

For prewritten scripts, the player hires a writer at the Scriptwriting Office to make one. The player initially begins with the Basic Scriptwriting Office, in which six script writers can work together on a single script. This office is limited to creating one star scripts. The first upgrade, the Intermediate Scriptwriting Office, comes in a basic pack, after the first awards ceremony. This building has a maximum of a two star script. The second upgrade, the Proficient Scriptwriting Office, is won by meeting the criteria for an award. It can employ six scriptwriters like before, but each writer can now work on his/her own script (effectively allowing for 6 scripts be written simultaneously). This building creates complex scripts usually nine scenes long, and is limited to a maximum of a three star script and the fourth upgrade a First class scriptwriting office and the maximum of four star rating and can have his/her own script like a proficient Scriptwriting Office.

The ability to write one's own script is enabled after unlocking the Custom Scriptwriting Office, also unlocked from winning an award. It is limited to what highest scripting office can produce (if the player has the Proficient Scriptwriting office, he/she is limited to a three star movie). Writing a custom script follows a storyboard-like suite. For each scene, the player chooses a set for the scene and then the action that will occur during the scene (for example: 'Living Room 1: Enter Scared'). The actors and their costumes can be chosen, extras assigned roles and mood, lighting and weather settings altered.

[edit] Post production

Once production has finished, the film undergoes post production (provided a Post Production Building has been erected), where music, sound effects, subtitles, speech and titles can be added to the movie. Cuts and changes can also be made to the length and order of the scenes, making editing the film easier.

The game allows for lip-synching, matching the speech to the actors. However, this only works for short sound files, and only shows basic lip movements.

[edit] Genres

The film can be one of five genres: action, comedy, horror, romance or science fiction.

Some examples include:

The main effect genre choice has is that real world events affect popularity of different genres (The Vietnam War decreases popularity of action, the Space Race increases the popularity of science fiction, and World War II decreases the popularity of horror and the Great Depression increases the popularity of comedy).

[edit] Sets

Sets are the constructions in the studio lot where the cast and crew assemble to shoot movies. The sets are divided into categories such as urban, western and rural. Different scenes have different actions available (a bar might feature many drinking related actions, while a street would feature various car actions).

Sets can be used to practice movies and increase genre experience. For example, an actor practicing on the set of a spaceship will increase his/her science fiction proficiency, leading to better sci-fi movies he/she is cast in.

[edit] Technology

The game starts in 1920 and continues indefinitely, although technologies tail off in 2020. As a result, early films are in black and white without sound, while modern movies feature digital sound and computer-generated imagery. Inventing these innovations before rival studios can increase the quality of your films, but hiring more researchers can cost more than the extra income the advances provide.

[edit] Marketing

Once you have reached Level 3 in story mode, the publicity office becomes available. This allows actors to hold press conferences and organises marketing for your movie. Once a publicity office is built, players can also choose an advertising budget when releasing a film. A heavily-advertised movie can make much more money, but using too much advertising can result in the movie being 'over-exposed'. For best results, make sure to match your advertising budget with the quality of your movie.

[edit] Expandability and customization

The game has been designed to be mod-able. Lionhead has stated that they might release the actual tools they used to create scenes, shortly after the release of the game, along with expansion packs. Alongside this, unofficial mods are possible, leading to extra props, sets and clothing designs.

The Movies website contains a section called the Propshop [1] which lets users purchase additional content using virtual credits, earned through other achievements online. The propshop is regularly updated with new props, sets and costumes.

The Movies has many virtual and other "Easter Eggs", undocumented features, unannounced features, unannounced content, oddities, glitches inside "The Movies" including all current EPs patches.

[edit] Actors

Screenshot of gameplay
Enlarge
Screenshot of gameplay

Actors play a big role in The Movies. An actor's age and physique affects the quality of movies. Scary-looking actors are suited for horror roles, Younger, more handsome looking actors are more suited for romance movie roles, 30-year old actors are suited for action roles, and older actors are suited for comedy roles. All actors and directors will retire at age 70. Be sure to pay very close attention to the critics' reviews of that actor.

There are two types of animal in the game: horses and dogs. Both interact with the actors, but are limited in actions; horses can only carry actors, while dogs can fetch a ball, chase a thief or attack an actor.

At this time there will not be child actors included in the game. It's been explained that to create children, a unique skeleton would have to be done requiring completely different animations and programing. Child actors are something that could be included in a future expansion pack.

[edit] Crew

All films require crew members to carry out the filming process. Early films just require a camera operator and a clapperboard operator, but more advanced films require boom mike operators, lighting controllers and other specialized crew members.

[edit] Money

A key element of Story mode is money. Money can only be produced from box-office sales and the sale of scripts and stars. The staff must be paid, and as a result, construction of sets or the filming of movies cannot continue if the studio is in debt.

[edit] File sharing

Once the movie has been completed, it can be saved in a proprietary file format for transferring to other PC users, or WMV format for online sharing. Outstanding player-made films will be nominated for a Stanley, Lionhead's version of the Oscars.

[edit] Costume and painting

Actors can be dressed in different costumes, with thousands of possible permutations; clothing, hair style, tattoos, jewellery and other cosmetic options. If the outfit chosen for an actor is fashionable in the current era (waistcoats in the 1930s, floral patterns in the 1960s, etc), the actor will receive a popularity boost. If when the stars clothes go out of fashion and you do not change them the stars image will go down and make them unhappy.

[edit] The Movies Online

The Movies Online ([2]) is the online aspect of The Movies. As well as its own section on the general Lionhead forums, TMO allows players to upload their own movies to the Internet for others to review and criticize. This translates into Virtual Credits (VCs), a form of virtual currency that is used to buy new props, costumes, sets and to advertise online movies.

[edit] Expansion pack

Main article: The Movies: Stunts & Effects

The Movies: Stunts & Effects is the first expansion pack for The Movies, it adds stunts, stunt men, new sets and costumes to the game. It also now includes a 'free-cam'; giving total control over the camera position and movement (previously the camera was fixed in the scene presets). The game was released in June 2006.

New Features Include

  • 58 New Costumes
  • 15 New sets
  • Countless new props and backdrops
  • New features in advanced movie maker, for example a free-roaming camera
  • Perhaps the biggest new feature to the game is being able to hire your own stuntmen. With new stunts that your stars are unable to attempt, you will need to hire a stuntman in order safely complete that action.

ESRB Rating: T

[edit] Console release

The game was originally going to be ported to PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox, but development of the console ports was halted and the game officially cancelled on February 7, 2006. Poor sales was the reason cited for the cancellation. On February 8, 2006, Lionhead Studios announced that the console version may still be released, it just wouldn't be published by Activision.

[edit] Mac Specific Extras

The Mac version of the game, published by Feral Interactive, will contain several extra features. These include compatibility with iMovie, GarageBand and iTunes.

[edit] KMVS

While in gameplay there is a radio station playing called KMVS. For each significant cultural era (eg the Red Scare) there is a DJ with a different personality and favoured genre of music. The change in music is as follows:

[edit] Events

At certain times newsworthy events will occur (and be read out on KMVS, but not by the current DJ). There are two broadcasts for each event: a prediction, which usually occurs a couple of years before the actual event, and an actual bulletin). These generally shift the genre interests of the public after occurring.

Although events can be read separately on the timeline, the KMVS broadcasts are typically parodies, gross understatements, or exaggerations of the event or opinions at the time regarding the event (for example, when the news broadcasts about the computer arrive, they state optimistically that by 2050 computers will be no bigger than a car and be able to store about 5000 words, and the various Red Scare broadcasts claim that communism is literally a viral infection). There is an element of political satire within these broadcasts as well; the achievements and beliefs of countries opposed to America are usually mocked or condemned by these broadcasters, whilst similar American policies are usually whole-heartedly praised.

[edit] DJs

KMVS employs a range of DJs over the course of the game. The DJs are caricatures of the stereotypes of the era they are active in.

  • William McDuff (1920-1941). A theatre enthusiast who is initially skeptical about the movie industry (blaming it for the decline of the theatre), but who eventually comes around to appreciating the movie industry, wondering aloud "if there's room for theater actors in the Movie industry?".
  • Wally Krunkleberger (1941-1956). A Red Scare-era man who constantly slams and criticizes communism whilst advocating American politics. He also is angry at his wife Martha because of how selfish she is. He encourages film studios but would rather support the army.
  • The Mad Dog (1956-1970). A typical 50s rock/soul enthusiast (based on Wolfman Jack); never letting the "soul" of the music slide, the Mad Dog later opens a steakhouse (according to Andy Wright).
  • Randy "Iceman" Shaw (1970-1978). A typical 70s "Dr. Johnny Fever" lothario that constantly talks about sex and women. He is the shortest running announcer on KMVS, with only 8 years working there.
  • Andy Wright (1978-1992). A rather humorous, sarcastic and sharp-talking man of the 80s; he talks about the oddities of life (such as the lack of baby dolphins), war, aliens, the fact that the Internet hasn't been invented and often makes up stories when no news is available (such as the Mayor allowing kids to bunk off school). He is also good friends with Mad Dog; after leaving the station in 1992 he tells KMVS that he will be eating at Mad Dog's Steak House.
  • Kristen (1992-2005). The first female DJ, Kristen is a meditative, peace-loving woman (in other words, a Neo-hippie) who doesn't like people disrupting her serene state of being, and believes her husband is cheating on her. Between 2000 and 2005 Kristen's behavior starts taking a turn for the worst, eventually sending her to rehab.
  • English Hughie (Jamie Cullum) (2005-2026). English nephew of Kristen Lou, who takes over from her after Kristen is sent to rehab. Likes to talk about how California is different from England. Has the longest term since William McDuff with 21 years of broadcasting.

After 2026, KMVS ends its broadcasting after 106 years.

Movies Radio Secrets

There are many hidden little secrets in The Movies Radio. Here are just three.

KMVS broadcasts on 121.5 . A normal Radio cannot reach up to this frequency. It is the MAY DAY frequency.

DJ Andy Wright says that Madame Ruth is having a sale of Love Potions at 34th and Vine. This is a reference to the classic 50’s song Love Potion Number Nine. Andy Wright (Kyke Eastwood) also mentions a movie called Revenge of the Mutant Creature. This is a reference to his Father Clint Eastwood's first ever movie role, Revenge of the Creature

Interesting Things Beyond 2005

  • June 2005: a so called famous scientist Dr. Wolfgan Von Hokken XVIII drafts a plan to create world peace by placing a chip in world leader's brains
  • January 2008: computer malfunctions are reported worldwide when text is automatically bolded and errors are to get worse
  • March 2010: American Space Administration (parody of NASA) announces their plan to send a woman to Mars.
  • June 2012: World news announce that all computers are having meltdowns and by the last day of 2013 all computers break down

[edit] Online Community

The Movies has an active international online community. The community mainly revolves around the release of movies produced with the game on The Movies Online website, the online charts devised by Lionhead, the Lionhead forums and the various fansites as well.

Several modding fansites have become very popular, most notably Skinshack and 8 Eyed Baby.

The German, French and Spanish communities are also extremely active and have their own fansites.

There is also a dedicated internet radio station called The Movies On-Air, which airs many programs about the movie makers and the community at large. The original weekly Ken & Roger (Roger & Ken) show has the largest following.

The community activities are often driven by the need to be reviewed, as a very large number of movies are posted online and not enough reviewers are available to watch movies. To address this basic need, the Lionhead forums offer many reviewing threads run by individual community members. There are also reviewing clubs, such as MoMc, which gather dozens of established reviewers from the community to review, rate and nominate hotpicks. Movie makers are often compelled to spend as much energy in promoting their movies as in making them, so as to capture an audience. This PR aspect to the game is another game in itself.

[edit] The Movies and Machinima

The connection between "The Movies" and Machinima has not been always crystal clear, as both online communities have not immediately accepted the premises of one another. However, movies made with "The Movies" do essentially fit the generic definition of machinima, even if the techniques used are vastly simplified.

One of the characteristics that is heavily promoted in Machinima - that a machinima movie can be produced cheaper and faster than traditional CGI animation - is even more pronounced when "The Movies" is used, since Lionhead provides all the tools in the game itself. One clear advantage is the availability of a library of scenes and shots that are designed to tell a story. The modifiability of the game contents is also on par with other game engines used in machinima. However, the movie editor provided by Lionhead is less powerful than outside editors, and the rendering and encoding of the video and audio much more restrictive. This may explain why many "The Movies" movie makers choose to use outside tools for post-production.

Given its recent release, there are already a lot of machinima movies made with "The Movies" that have been noticed outside of its isolated community. And given the breadth of the story telling capabilities of the game, there will certainly be more in the future even if Lionhead discontinues the game development.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Official sites

[edit] Fansites

[edit] Other media

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