The Movies (the game)

[Motoki]

Well let us know what you think once you've had some time to play with it and get the hang of things. I was going to get it already but I don't have much time during the week anwyay so I didn't see much point. But I may well end up getting it tomorrow on the way home from work. 

[MissDoh]

That does sound like a really interesting game (how come I miss that post, grrr).

If any of you do get it, I would surely like to have your feed back on it.

thanks Motoki for that great link 

[theisz]

What sucks is you have to monitor your actors genre skills, stress levels, boredom levels, their food threshold (weight) and drink threshold (alcohol addiction) and their friggin overall mood.  This is on top of building your studio, hiring your staff of scientists, directors, actors, builders, grounds people, casting and film crew, script writers and so on.  Then you have to make sure everyone stays fat and happy and not overworked or not worked enough and they suffer from boredom.  You also have to train your actors in the different genres and make for damn sure they are the happiest or they throw tantrums and perform poorly.  You also have to watch the salaries of everyone and watch your budget all while maintaining a good image for your studio.  It's hard enough trying to build your studio the way you want it and it needs to be fluid so that your actors are not running from one end of the lot to the other during filming as the movies are timed. 

So you've got firguring out how you want to layout the joint, building the studio, landscaping and making sure you have enough janitors to keep it clean and don't forget to have enough bathrooms.  I love how you hover the mouse over one of your people and it says they are going to take a dump.  LOL  You don't control the people like you do in the sims as far as telling them to go to the bathroom or have them cook.  They are mostly autonomous.  It's just there is so…so much going on.

[veilchen]

Looks good to me. Theisz, keep us updated, please. I need some entertainment that is not the sims every once in a while. I also have some free time coming up in mid-december, and since Morrowind and Zelda are dragging their heels until spring 2006, this looks like a great filler. Mind you, I don't mind them delaying their release, I rather get a quality game than a rushed one. Great find Motoki, thanks.

[Motoki]

theisz: Isn't there another mode of gameplay where you just make movies? Of course I could imagine that could get boring unless you have something specific in mind you want to film.

[simmiecal]

theisz: Isn't there another mode of gameplay where you just make movies? Of course I could imagine that could get boring unless you have something specific in mind you want to film.

I was interested from the standpoint of making movies. I'm the one that plays Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 in "sandbox" mode because I like building the park and "riding" the rides without really having to worry about managing the game aspects of it. Is there a "sandbox" mode where you can just focus on making the movies?

[KatanaFoxx]

I just picked up this game Wed. I like it a lot for the whole tycoon aspect. Not too crazy about making movies. It's fun.


BTW: I went to my local mall movie theater to see North Country, and the ticket lady gave me the Starmaker demo disk....strange...

[theisz]

theisz: Isn't there another mode of gameplay where you just make movies? Of course I could imagine that could get boring unless you have something specific in mind you want to film.

Yes, in Sandbox mode you have the option to just make the movies, but I do believe that would become boring real fast.  I am looking forward to the Advanced Movie Making and Post Production where I have more control over the movie scripts, scenes, props, music, sound effects, subtitles and speech.  I think this what most people will end up preferring to do as you have the most control over what the movie looks like.  Then again I am still farting around with it and trying to do it from building the studio up.  At some point today I am going to go get the guide book because it seems to be a multi-faceted game and I want to fully take advantage it. 

[witch]

I'd be interested in hearing updates as you play theisz, I'm considering what I'd like for xmas.

-not that I celebrate it, but that's no excuse not to get a pressie.

[Assmitten]

The short demo movies an the official site are hilarious. There is a "wild west" (American) style film and it's obvious many of the voice talents have British accents.

[Baa]

While snooping (oooh I'm such a bad child) in my mom's closet, I found The Movies in a sack wtih some other surprises. 

I can hardly wait.

[idtaminger]

Wow, it's finally out. I remember back when I was impatiently waiting for the first Sims 2 game, and this was supposed to be coming out around the same time as TS2. What a long delay, eh?

It def. sounds interesting. I might pick it up, if I get all my work and papers and all the other myriad school junk done with....

[Pegasys]

Oh no, no, no, no, NO! I can NOT have another game lined up in the queue! This type of sim-game is RIGHT up my alley but my plate is full!  No! Don't tell me it's like Roller Coaster Tycoon! I burned many hours on that game.

The other day, I lingered at Best Buy, looking at Civ 4. Ten years or so ago I did all-nighters playing the original Civ on the Mac. That was a tremendously fun game. But I was brave and didn't buy. Got my kids a Spyro game instead.

  

[Andygal]

I burned a lot of hours playing Roller Coaster Tycoon as well. I loved that game to bits.

And I've been eyeing Civ 4. I really shouldn't buy it..I waste enough time on the computer as is....

[PlaidSquirrel]

I never played roller coaster tycoon but I did play sim Theme Park and this definitely reminds me of that. I am having fun with it but now that I have gone through the tutorial and a bit of regular game play I know I need to start over and lay things out a lot better. I haven't tried sandbox mode at all but it is there.
Theisz is right about a Lot going on. At one point when I was paying attention to something else one of my actors became very unhappy and started throwing a tantrum. Plus the little tips thing kept telling me I needed to be doing something productive but I just wanted to watch them filming the movie for a little. Ultimately I had to just chill and realize that there Is a pause button and I Can use it when things start to pile up on me. There are some things though that I think you can not do while the game is paused.  :-(

[Scotty]

I've been playing this game and it is freakin awsome. It is pretty moddable like The SIms is too. People are allready starting to make hacks and stuff for it.

[Motoki]

Ooh hacks, where?

I have this but haven't really had time to mess with it that much yet but will try this weekend to put some time into it. I want to make a Joan Crawford starlette and have her throw tantrums. 

[Assmitten]

See if you can hook her up with a metal coat hanger. Screenshots!

[PlaidSquirrel]

I've been playing this game and it is freakin awsome. It is pretty moddable like The SIms is too. People are allready starting to make hacks and stuff for it.

I tried using google but it was hopeless. Help us out please. We love hacks!

[SaraMK]

I have The Movies, but still haven't installed. I've been waiting to see some real-player reviews in case this turns out to be yet another B&W2. I played that for two days and have not felt any desire to lay a finger on it since. Good thing the holidays are coming up and I can get rid of it.

[witch]

I have The Movies, but still haven't installed. I've been waiting to see some real-player reviews in case this turns out to be yet another B&W2. I played that for two days and have not felt any desire to lay a finger on it since. Good thing the holidays are coming up and I can get rid of it.

What? You're going to pass it on to some other poor bugger? You meanie! 

[SaraMK]

What? You're going to pass it on to some other poor bugger? You meanie! 

Oh yes, I'm passing on the misery this holiday season. I have about 30 games I'm giving away. Let them sit on someone else's shelf for a change.

[theisz]

Ooh hacks, where?

I have this but haven't really had time to mess with it that much yet but will try this weekend to put some time into it. I want to make a Joan Crawford starlette and have her throw tantrums. 

I looked all around the few sites that are out there and there isn't crap for hacks that I can find.  There is a hack for more employees to be available for hire and an experience and mood hack is located here http://www.themoviesplanet.com/.  You do need to register to have access to the download section, but it is free.

Here's the link to a few fan sites.

http://movies.lionhead.com/news.html?story=220

[veilchen]

I have The Movies, but still haven't installed. I've been waiting to see some real-player reviews in case this turns out to be yet another B&W2. I played that for two days and have not felt any desire to lay a finger on it since. Good thing the holidays are coming up and I can get rid of it.

Sara, I've seen ads for the Black&White game, and I've always wondered what that game was all about. Looks like a simulation game, but per you comments, it seems to be no good? Darn, it was on my list for gift giving, if its no good I have to rethink that one. I don't want to stick my nephew with a crappy game, I happen to like him very much

[witch]

There's a thread here about the fiasco that was the Black and White 2 release.
That'll tell you all you need to know.

sorry, scroll down to sanmonroe's second post to get the B&W story.