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    What do you think about video-game movies?

    MelancholySloth
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    Post by MelancholySloth Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:50 pm

    A lot of people seem strongly opposed to the idea, but what do you think?

    If you think its a bad idea, what could be done to make them better?

    What games should be made into a movie?

    What games shouldn't be made into a movie?

    Which director should take up a project like this, and which director shouldn't?

    Personally, I don't think its a bad idea. It just hasn't been done right yet. Choosing the right director/writer is HUGELY important though. It shouldn't just be the exact same story line as the game. Because what would you rather do, watch a story unfold, or actually be part of the story and be submerged into the world? But the movie should also be canon on the games story. There is a LOT of stuff that needs to be taken into account to make a video game movie right, but I feel like it can be done.

    I think a Legend of Zelda movie would be pretty cool. Im not the most hardcore fan of LoL, but I do enjoy it. For some reason, I can just see that story being portrayed into a movie. Plus, with all the timeline and different dimension junk they have going on, it would give them a little bit of freedom with the story and what not.

    One game that should never, ever be made into a movie, is Bioshock. It's such a linear story, and can be only enjoyed so much by playing through it. It just seems like if it was a movie, it wouldn't feel as freaking awesome all the time. Don't get me wrong, a movie that takes place in Rapture would be pretty cool. But once again, it would have to be done just right. Also I just really, really, really dont want to see The Elder Scrolls universe in movie form. Just, no.

    Joss Whedon, Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro, and Steven Speilberg seem like some well qualified guys to do a video game movie. Mainly because most of them have talked about having interest doing one. And M. Knight Shyamalan should never even think of trying anything videogame/t.v. show related. We've all already seen what happened with The Last Airbender. (Unless he casts Nicolas Cage. Then he can do what he wants.)
    Wesley Crow
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    Post by Wesley Crow Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:13 pm

    Honestly it is a huge audience and opportunity but the problem is the audience is so loyal and knowledgeable about the games. The movie can not be researched by the director/writer has to be a fan of the game from the get go. From that base they can research the details and even learn things that were written but never put into the games. Movies have a good chance to expand on cool universes that were created for games but have such a life of their own that they almost demand elaboration.

    I would like to see some risky, small sized projects make head way in this department first. A good reception on a smaller scale may give big budget names the courage to give it another shot. I wouldn't mind a Bastion movie actually, if done right. I think a lot of indie games are making a place for themselves in the market and they would be unexpected sources for great stories. It would also feel less like a cash grab.

    Joss as a good nerdy background and can do smaller projects that are more about entertainment that profit, like Doctor Horrible. I think he has the perfect resume for a good video game movie.
    Homura-Chan
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    Post by Homura-Chan Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:32 pm

    Considering what a terrible reputation video games based on movies have, I can see why most directors would be more than a little hesitant to do the reverse. Seriously, I can't name one good movie-based video game. So I can see how switching the roles could be just as hard to pull off correctly. The thing about video games that make them so engaging is the feeling of control and connection you have as a player. Of course, movies generate a similar type of feeling, although it's starkly different. You watch movies; you're pulled into them. Even when one grabs your attention and heart, you're still not interacting with the characters or the story; it's simply being shown to you. Video games on the other hand have you doing everything that the characters are doing; you're completely in control.

    I think video game movies have a hard time compensating for this feeling. Would I like to see a Legend Of Zelda movie? Yes, I think they could really do some cool stuff with it like you said Sloth. But the thing is, I'd much rather be playing it than watching it. A movie of nearly any game wouldn't be able to combat the reality that instead of watching it, you could be playing it; which for most people is a more enjoyable, fulfilling experience. One thing that movies based on books do well (if the movies are done well) is compensate for the act of reading the original material. Movies like Lord Of The Rings or Silver Linings Playbook are so polished that it almost makes reading the books feel like extra work. Not that reading the books is a worse experience, but the movies are so complete and fulfilling that it's never crossed my mind to read the books, especially LOTR, which I've heard isn't the funnest series to read. When the source material is so much more immersive than the secondary creation, it gives little incentive to focus on anything but the original, which in this case are the games.

    Similarly, as you said, some games can simply not be turned into movies without completely defeating the purpose that the game was created for. Bioshock's story revolved around Jack, who was basically an avatar that the players controlled. He wasn't a character, the player was; and what made Bioshock so engaging was that you felt like you were in Rapture, fighting splicers, and trying to avoid death at every corner. A movie would have to give Jack character, and for me personally I think that would ruin the whole point of the story. Others like Skyrim and Fallout were made for free-roaming and doing what the player wanted to do at the time. Turning those wide open games into linear movies would again nullify the reason the games are what they are.

    As for directors, sadly I doubt that video game movies will attract very high-profile ones. I know Peter Jackson was working on Halo for a time, but even a director as prolific as him couldn't make it work, so I have little hope that we'll be treated to an extremely well-directed or acted video game movie anytime soon.
    Wesley Crow
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    Post by Wesley Crow Tue Jan 08, 2013 10:36 pm

    There are games where you play characters though. I think video game movies could never follow the main story arch. Trying to recreate the story is suicidal to success for all the reasons you cited. Nathan Drake though is a character with a personality separate from the player. In that case you wouldn't be trying to represent a player universally in the movie so it wouldn't trigger the same disconnect.

    There are also opportunities to expand the universe outside the main character's influence. For example there are the other Spartan's in Halo aside from Master Chief that are in the books. Those would be even further from the disconnect, a much safer bet than the upcoming Uncharted movie. That also doesn't have the same sensationalism to it either so it goes back and forth. It is very dangerous though and we'll see how the Uncharted movie goes over.
    Homura-Chan
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    Post by Homura-Chan Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:10 pm

    True, an Uncharted movie is probably one of the best video games to make a movie from if you are simply looking at the characters and story; and if Nathan Fillion is indeed cast as Nathan Drake, I think the movie could have a lot of potential. Metal Gear would also be awesome, especially if they expanded the universe like you said Crow. A movie version of the existing Metal Gear games would kind of be redundant due to the nature of the games, but they would have a lot of freedom with backstories to grow the characters. However, there's always the problem with depicting existing characters with different actors/voice actors. I'd never see a Gears Of War movie because there's absolutely no way all the characters would be played by their original actors, and seeing as I'm so familiar with them, it would annoy me to no end; and along with me I bet it would alienate a number of fans.

    I also like your idea of smaller projects to test the waters of the possible video game movie genre. Bastion and Limbo would be very interesting to see as animated shorts. Super Meat Boy or even VVVVVV might be cool too, although they'd have to be creative in using the source material to create an engaging movie as much as the games are.


    Last edited by Homura-Chan on Wed Jan 09, 2013 12:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
    Angry Reigndeer
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    Post by Angry Reigndeer Wed Jan 09, 2013 12:47 am

    I honestly cannot imagine a Super Meat Boy or even VVVVVV movie. A skinless kid running around trying to get his girlfriend made of bandages back from a evil fetus. I cannot imagine that as a movie. Also, there would be no reason for a movie since the games are mostly about gameplay. I just don't think that a movie can pull it off. VVVVVV is a little bit different but it would have to be loosely based (and I mean.. LOOSELY) on the game. I am imagining a man who just woke up on a spaceship and cannot find anyone on it. He then ventures off to find his past teammates and fix the ship or something like that. I never played too much of VVVVVV... so that might have been very inaccurate.

    I feel like taking a video game and making it into a movie is sort of a step down. There are a lot of movies based off of books. Now books are different since you can only read it, visualize it and make up certain voices for certain characters in your mind but a movie takes that and puts it in real life. Now the reason there are so few video game movies is because you take away a very important part of your general experience with the story when you change a video game to a movie. In a video game, you can actually play the story or interact with it. This makes video games a lot more immersive and special than movies. Now when you take a video game and turn it into a movie, you are taking that experience away. You most likely won't be as into the story as you were with a video game. Of course, this is just what I think.
    Homura-Chan
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    Post by Homura-Chan Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:50 pm

    As I said, a Super Meat Boy or VVVVVV movie would have to be treated more like a game-art project; almost like the games with no gameplay, only cutscenes. Each have relatively short stories, so the movies wouldn't be full-fledged blockbusters; maybe 20 minutes to half an hour. They might not be the most serious movies, but could be fun to watch. I was also thinking they'd be fully animated, not live action. VVVVVV could be a cool movie. A spaceship crashes and the captain must find his missing crew throughout a desolate and dangerous planet while being able to control his own gravity. In the end he sacrifices himself for the well being of his friends, but thankfully he is able to return to the ship just in time for them to escape the planet. Fairly accurate to what you said AR, and the story could even lend itself to a live action one if done correctly. Although the story and gameplay doesn't make it possible to create an entire cinematic experience from it like an Uncharted movie would.
    Wesley Crow
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    Post by Wesley Crow Wed Jan 09, 2013 11:42 pm

    Are there any other games that really have a character aside from the player? Metal Gear and Uncharted are the two best examples and I am sure there are more but I can't think of any other's at all. It cannot be a voiceless character for sure. Giving a silent character like Gordon Freeman a voice would be the worst thing they could possibly do in my opinion.
    Homura-Chan
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    Post by Homura-Chan Wed Jan 09, 2013 11:54 pm

    I've always had a dream about a Fire Emblem movie, although I think that it would suffer the opposite of what a Bioshock or Half-Life movie would; there are too many characters. By the end of the game, your party has over 30 characters that you can pick from, and creating a movie around a select few would alienate fans of characters who weren't picked. A game with a good story and characters is Resident Evil, although the movies about that game already suck, but sadly I feel like there could have been potential if some real effort went into making them (having them based off the actual games would have been a nice start). Assassin's Creed is apparently coming out with a movie too, although I've heard less about it than Uncharted. It think those games lend themselves to movies well; a huge, interesting story, sci-fi and medieval action, and very cool cast of characters (heroes and villains). A big-budget AC movie might be what can turn the video game movie genre into a force to be reckoned with.
    Wesley Crow
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    Post by Wesley Crow Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:06 am

    Ultimately the market follows the money, so in a talk about whether we will see more, regardless of how good an idea they are, depends on the success of the movies currently being planed. Video game movies may be the next craze after superheroes if things going exceedingly well. Though there are several more obstacles in the video game realm, like we have all said, if the money is good, the swarms of movies will follow. I'm of the opinion that if that happened it could be disastrous if the people following the lead of Uncharted see a formula for video game movies when it is really only a formula for that instance. I feel like each game movie would need to be considered very carefully in comparison to other topics.
    Homura-Chan
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    Post by Homura-Chan Fri Jan 11, 2013 12:10 pm

    That's true, but I was talking more about how an Assassin's Creed movie I feel would combat the challenge of getting people who haven't played the games to watch it; something I feel even Uncharted might not be able to do. Another big problem for video game movies is that the main audience for them are the people who have already played the games and know a lot about the story, characters, and universes they take place in, so naturally they'll be more critical of the movies. However, of all the movies we've talked about, an AC one would probably be a movie that could draw in outsiders to watch, simply on the intrigue and awesomeness of the story. And reading more into it, apparently Michael Fassbender will be both producing and staring in the movie (slated for 2014), which will be very cool.


    Last edited by Homura-Chan on Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:45 am; edited 1 time in total
    Wesley Crow
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    Post by Wesley Crow Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:46 am

    I forgot about the Assassin's Creed movie too. I agree that Altair will be able to pull in a big audience. Heck, the trailers for the games already look like movies. The only one I played through in its entirety was the first one actually. With all the character development and such I really enjoyed it. The others had a bit different pacing and felt a little bloated in my opinion. The first is certainly a conscience story that will fit well on the big screen.

    Do you think that in the theoretical future, if game movies are big, that will shape how the AAA industry makes their game's stories?
    Homura-Chan
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    Post by Homura-Chan Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:51 am

    You read my mind. I was thinking if game movies got really big, that developers would start forming their games around the thought of its potential on the big screen. Which might not be a terrible thing, but could hurt the quality of future games. Like you said, it would be most visible in AAA games; indie ones would have a lot less pressure to not only make games people want to play, but a movie people want to watch. It could actually bring in a lot of writing talent to the game industry, but would be very susceptible to pandering different audiences other than the gamers themselves.

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