The Movies (the game)

[Motoki]

I was just browsing a a gaming site and noticed this game is due out in a few days. It looks rather like what I imagine a TS2 Superstar Expansion pack might be like. Anyone else heard about this game or planning on getting it? Looks like it's done by the same studio that did Black and White and Fable.

More info on these pages:

http://www.themoviesgame.com/

http://www.lionhead.com/themovies/

It's probably old news to some of you but I just noticed it. Truth be told I'm rather in a rut with TS2 and NL so maybe I'll get it and give a shot. Could be fun to make some aging diva ready for her closeup. LOL

[Issy]

Looks interesting.  I've been looking into some new games I can purchase, but haven't found anything I want to play.

Reminds me of superstar too, although when you move the simmies they yell like they are in pain or something, seems a tad annoying heh.

[theisz]

I was just browsing a a gaming site and noticed this game is due out in a few days. It looks rather like what I imagine a TS2 Superstar Expansion pack might be like. Anyone else heard about this game or planning on getting it? Looks like it's done by the same studio that did Black and White and Fable.

More info on these pages:

http://www.themoviesgame.com/

http://www.lionhead.com/themovies/

It's probably old news to some of you but I just noticed it. Truth be told I'm rather in a rut with TS2 and NL so maybe I'll get it and give a shot. Could be fun to make some aging diva ready for her closeup. LOL

Motoki I love you.  I had not seen this and my b-day is next week so I asked my hubby for it.  I think it looks to be quite interesting.  I need a break from NL so this will definitely come in handy.

[smcnic]

Been waiting for this game for five years, at least.  Always sounded interesting to me, so I'm eager to see if it lives up to the original hype.  And yeah, a break from Nightlife would be welcomed.

[Entgleichen]

I saw a movie made with the game: a male zombie and a boy cuddling on a beach. Then a female zombie enters and shoots the boy down. Cut. Then wedding of the zombies at a
 cemetery, with a giant chicken walking through the background.
That fits to my sense of humour, so I guess I'll like the game  -if I can be creative my way.

[Wolfee]

Looks very interesting. Thank you for telling us about it. It's funny, not only is it very similar to the Sims1 Superstar, but it seems like some of those characters in that game were hit with the ugly stick too.

I'm looking forward to it's release and can't wait to buy it. Do you think it will be available in stores or just online?

[Motoki]

Looks very interesting. Thank you for telling us about it. It's funny, not only is it very similar to the Sims1 Superstar, but it seems like some of those characters in that game were hit with the ugly stick too.

That's another thing that makes it seem like Sims2!

I'm looking forward to it's release and can't wait to buy it. Do you think it will be available in stores or just online?

Should be. Both Electronics Boutique and Gamestop claim to be getting it in their stores on or around the 8th. Supposedly according to the site Walmart and Target will get it at some point too, heh.

[Brynne]

That looks really fun! I'm not looking for a break from NL, as I'm still way too obsessed over it, but I may have to get this game, too.
I was playing around with the demo video and it took a bit for me to get the hang of selecting the "townies". I was just kind of flinging them willy nilly LOL

[gali]

That looks really fun! I'm not looking for a break from NL, as I'm still way too obsessed over it, but I may have to get this game, too.
I was playing around with the demo video and it took a bit for me to get the hang of selecting the "townies". I was just kind of flinging them willy nilly LOL

Funny that you mentioned - I DID took a break from NL; I am playing now again "Hotel Giant", and waiting for some "miss" of NL....

[Brynne]

You'll miss it...just you wait. You'll be dying to see Daniel Pleasant again in no time!

[gali]

 

Yup! I know! But it was good to remember an old game too....

[Brynne]

I know. Occasionally I get the urge to pick up my Gamecube and play Frogger's Adventures. And am stuck for hours on end playing...

[skandelouslala]

That looks really interesting. Looks like something my fiance would really like but I would love to give it a go too.

Maybe I'll get it for him for Xmas and then play it myself lol

Eeeps at the $60 pricetag but it looks like it's in depth enough that it might actually be worth it.

[Baa]

I've (kinda) been following the production of this game for a while. Heard about it a while back. Before, the graphics weren't as good and it didn't seem as complex. Now it seems like one of the best machinima games. I really want this game, and I have been since I heard about it.

You can make ANY type of movie your heart desires, and there are almost an unlimited amount of actions your actors can take. It's not limited to a few animations like in Ts2. No more trouble of having to get a secretive camera angle to make an animation appear to be something it isn't. With the simple push of a slider, your actor could wink at someone, or even boo at them. The outcomes are endless.

[Brynne]

Now I'm even more intrigued. Would be great if I could use my own sims as actors, but they demand a pretty hefty paycheck now that they're getting some attention. It's all gone to their heads...

[Baa]

Now I'm even more intrigued. Would be great if I could use my own sims as actors, but they demand a pretty hefty paycheck now that they're getting some attention. It's all gone to their heads...

I'm pretty sure if some of the other Ts2 directors and modders got ahold of this game they'd be able to some how pull that off. (Sims in the game.) Seeing as someone's put a character from that 3d Max software with the super real looking people into their game, it must be possible. (However, the model made the game run extremely slow. So it might make The Movies slow)

It's great that there is so much control over what your movies can do (I dunno if it mentions that on the actual site, but for more info see GameSpot), but I really hope there is dynamic character creation too, much like TS2. It would be terrible to see the same actors over and over again, even if they did different things each movie.

Heh, here I am again, rambling on and on. I can't help it. I love this game to pieces. And I haven't even played it yet. Let's hope the feeling's more than mutual.

[jenflower]

I have been waiting for this game since forever!  Thanks for the notice - I hadn't even realized the release date was so close!!
And the new previews look like so much fun!

Actually, "The Movies" reminds me of one of my all-time favorite PC games:  "Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair".
In that game you were a director for a movie...you choose the genre, edited the script, used custom film clips (starring Jennifer Aniston, Quentin Tarantino, Penn and Teller).  You had the chance to add music and sound effects and you chose different camera shots and different film endings....*sighs happily*...I loved that game. 

It's always a blessing and a curse when really awesome games come out these days. 
I hardly have the time to play them all.  I just reinstalled Baldur's Gate and I've been playing that in the evenings when I am not playing Nightlife.  My copy of Black and White 2 hasn't even been touched yet. 
There just aren't enough hours in the day for all this 'important' game playing.
We could definitely use a real life version of TwoJeffs "Speed Controller".  Now wouldn't that be handy? 

[Brynne]

Or a macrotastics version just for gaming.

[Motoki]

I'm pretty sure if some of the other Ts2 directors and modders got ahold of this game they'd be able to some how pull that off. (Sims in the game.) Seeing as someone's put a character from that 3d Max software with the super real looking people into their game, it must be possible. (However, the model made the game run extremely slow. So it might make The Movies slow)

Anything is possible. Hell, I put my mug into Morrowind and several other people made themselves too. With a well made low poly mesh and a nice texture it doesn't have to slow things down either. The TS facial meshes are all low poly and you can extract them via SimPE so in theory it's quite possible providing The Movies has a way to import meshes into it or someone makes a program or plugin to do it and I'm sure sooner or later someone will. They have a community board ready to go up soon and it sounds like they are very much encouraging custom content.

I really hope there is dynamic character creation too, much like TS2. It would be terrible to see the same actors over and over again, even if they did different things each movie.

I saw a section somewhere they showed part of the character creation sceen. I don't remember where now lol but it was on one of those pages. Looks like we'll have a lot of options. Also, if you pre-order from Gamestop or Electronics Boutique you get this "Star Maker" program as a bonus, which more or less sounds like the Bodyshop.

Bonus Offer! - Preorder The Movies and receive a StarMaker Bonus Disc FREE! Star Maker - Begin Casting today! Star Maker is your chance to create the characters that will shape your movies' destiny. Who lands a $15 million contract and who gets 15 minutes of fame is entirely up to you. From eye color and ear shape to hairstyle and age, choose the characteristics that will launch or limit careers. Even morph characters together to get more variation. Once your stars are ready for the big screen, just insert them into your full version of The Movies.

[skandelouslala]

Ack..the more I read about this game now the more *I* want it. 

[twojeffs]

This is one of the games I've been watching the development of myself and am looking forward to playing. One lesson I have learned about Lionhead though, wait a few days to see what the players are saying before rushing out to buy the game. Lionhead games are normally hyped like crazy, but very few actually live up to the buzz.

Waiting on this one won't be a problem for me, I wouldn't have time to play it yet anyway. Going to buy Civ 4 this morning. There goes my life for a few weeks. And don't expect many hack updates either.

[simmiecal]

Going to buy Civ 4 this morning.

Me Too. Been waiting for Civ 4 forever....

Damn you Motoki!
I don't have enough time in my day! Between NL and Civ4.....now I have to somehow fit in this "The Movies" into my schedule. I think I feel a cold coming on...yeah, that's the ticket....maybe it's the bird flu and I better stay home so I don't infect my co-workers. 

Seriously, tho, thanks for pointing this out. I've just gotten into making movies with the Sims and this looks like a game I'll really enjoy.

[Motoki]

About the Starmaker program, it has apparently been out now for a few months but the only way you could get it is if you pre-ordered the game in the store or online and then you'd get the Starmaker disc.

It might be possible to find it on filesharing if you look, not that I of course am suggesting anyone do that.

[Moosey]

Well, I got my copy of StarMaker the lucky way; it just happened to be included on the demo DVD of a PCGamer mag I recently bought. Don't know what that means to all the people that pre-ordered the game, but I live in the UK so I could not have gotten it by pre-ordering anyway.

It's actually pretty similar to the Sims2 CAS in many ways. You start off selection 2 face templates and have sliders with which you can merge the two faces together. Then, if you really want you can also use sliders to edit smaller things in great detail, just like the Sims2, except there are loads more sliders for even greater detail! You can also change hair style & colour, eye colour, eye makeup + lipstick. You can even change the age, and the face responds quite well over time, meaning that aging will be done much more fluidly than in the Sims2 (with wrinkles and hair gradually changing). Finally, you get to allocate a limited amount of points of a variety of attributes including looks, acting/directing skills, etc. and then save it ready for when the game comes out. From what I've heard, you simply recruit an actor in the game and then replace him/her with the one loaded up.

I've taken some pictures for the curious:

http://photobucket.com/albums/v142/allroundarea/themovies/

Oh yeah, the game itself looks amazing too!

[theisz]

  Holy crap this game has a lot going on.  I got it tonight and it's going to take me a while to get the hang of it.  It reminds a lot of Rollercoaster Tycoon where you hire all your employee's and build your lot and you have to keep track of so much it makes my head go splodie!  I need to get the guide book that goes with it.  I think I'll go pick it up tomorrow.  I'm not sure what I think of it yet because it's kind of confusing.  Maybe once I have the guide book and get the hang of it the more I'll know what I think of it.  It seems quite complex.