The Movies (the game)

[SaraMK]

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.

Yup, everything I have to say about that game is in that post. It's not that it isn't good, it just isn't what the ads and the company claim. My major problem is with replayability. There is no "free" or "sandbox" mode, and the game gives you zero reason to play it again after winning it. Multi-player mode might save this game, but as it is now, it just isn't worth the $.

[veilchen]

Wow, that was an interesting thread, thank you both for the heads up, I'm grateful. I think I'll pass on that game and look into 'The movies' game instead. Theisz has posted about that one, I'll be interested to know whether anyone else has been playing it.

My nephew loves simulation games, but I didn't want to saddle him with TS2. He's only 15 and my sister insists that he earn his own money to buy things like that for himself. He could never afford to keep up with ea/maxis' greed, so I'll have to look in other directions. Too bad, on paper B&W2 looked so good. 

[Baa]

So it seems some people aren't liking the game all that much? Meh, I know I'll have a blast playing it, as I direct movies with Ts2. But now, I've basically quit. Haven't made a movie in months.

Why? I got fed up with the limiting factors of TS2. It's nearly impossible to get some things to happen. If you really want them, you have to spend your time compiling in-game animations with clever camera angles to get something appear to happen when it really isn't.

So hopefully, the movies won't have too many limits (and as I've read it says you can make "ANY kind of movie you want").

Get your mind out of the gutter.

[veilchen]

But Kingdom, the gutter is so nice and comfy 

We were actually talking about B&W2. the game 'The Movies' is something I will definitely look into, since I now nixed the idea of getting B&W2 for a favorite nephew of mine.

I've never even tried to make movies in TS2, heck, I can't even get pictures to come out right.

[Baa]

But Kingdom, the gutter is so nice and comfy 

We were actually talking about B&W2. the game 'The Movies' is something I will definitely look into, since I now nixed the idea of getting B&W2 for a favorite nephew of mine.

I've never even tried to make movies in TS2, heck, I can't even get pictures to come out right.

Ooh, okay. I got shocked there that everyone thought the game was really that bad. I had failed to read all the replies since I last read the thread. Whoopsie!

Man, I am seriously so anxious to play this game. I've been wanting it for a long time, and I'm sitting here dying knowing that it's in my moms closet. 

[witch]

Man, I am seriously so anxious to play this game. I've been wanting it for a long time, and I'm sitting here dying knowing that it's in my moms closet. 

Ha ha - that'll larn ya, ya nosy little sod!    My son never found presents I hid, though I wouldn't have hidden them in the closet either. Now you''ll have to suffer till xmas, and pretend to be surprised and delighted.

The Movies sounds good though and I'm pretty sure I'll be buying it. I trust the opinions of most of the people on this site.

[Baa]

Man, I am seriously so anxious to play this game. I've been wanting it for a long time, and I'm sitting here dying knowing that it's in my moms closet. 

Ha ha - that'll larn ya, ya nosy little sod!    My son never found presents I hid, though I wouldn't have hidden them in the closet either. Now you''ll have to suffer till xmas, and pretend to be surprised and delighted.

The Movies sounds good though and I'm pretty sure I'll be buying it. I trust the opinions of most of the people on this site.

Heck, I'll be delighted and surprised alright.

Delighted that I finally got my hands on it.

And Surprised I made it that far.

[Motoki]

I finally got around to playing this for a signifigant period of time today and I'm actually enjoying it. I thought it would have too much micro management for me and it does have a fair bit, but it works and I like it.

It comes off basically like a Sim City game to me, but with lots of customizable options for creating people like TS2 and also tracks certain skills. There are some interactions between people too. Nothing as complex as TS2 or anything as it's not a people at home simulator, but as your lot grows and you get more upgrades you'll get more buildings that allow for more types of interactions.

The game starts in the 20s and the years go by so you do see a progression. My movies just started being in color now as I got into the 30s. You can hire scientists and have them research trends, sets, movie making techniques etc which unlocks more outfits, sets, buildings and so forth.

The actors have preferences for certain outfits so if they don't like one they won't be happy and their star rating won't be as high. There's lots of stats to look out for, but the game has a mode that sort of holds your hand and tells you what to do at different times which is really helpful at first.

Overall, I'd reccomend this game to anyone who likes simulation games like Sim City but maybe wants a little bit of TS2 thrown in there. If people can pay $15 just for the holiday pack, I don't think $45 or $50 is so bad for this game at all.

[SaraMK]

Yeah, I've finally installed it as well.

As a Tycoon-type game, it's awesome.

Not so much as a movie-making game though. I guess that isn't my thing (I never make movies in TS2 either).

I find the characters to be somewhat creepy in appearance. There's something about them that reminds me of The Singles, with those empty, dead-looking eyes and vacant expressions. Also, the hair makes me cringe in horror.

Overall, a good game. I don't regret getting it.

BTW, I did find some hacks for it. Just basic "keep all moods up, make learning faster" types that I'm personally not interested in using. Here's a link to two of them: http://www.forumplanet.com/planetthemovies/topic.asp?fid=15475&tid=1783164
There's also some files I haven't really looked at yet, here http://planetthemovies.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Other.List
And if anyone wants to start modding the game they'll probably want to look at http://ireallydontcare.com/moviespak/

[Zandi]

Man, I am seriously so anxious to play this game. I've been wanting it for a long time, and I'm sitting here dying knowing that it's in my moms closet. 

Ha ha - that'll larn ya, ya nosy little sod!    My son never found presents I hid, though I wouldn't have hidden them in the closet either. Now you''ll have to suffer till xmas, and pretend to be surprised and delighted.

The Movies sounds good though and I'm pretty sure I'll be buying it. I trust the opinions of most of the people on this site.

Giggles....
This is why my girlfriends and I store each others gifts.
If the kids do find things in our homes they're stunned when pressie time comes any way cause they found someone elses stuff.
I got the twins on that last year. Little twerps had snooped and were dumbfounded that the 2 MP3 players they had found in one of the bags weren't for them. Dumb thing was the boy had the nerve to ask me where they were and ratted himself out.
You should have seen my dads face as I looked at my son and said " take a second and think about it brainiack did you see any of the presents in those bags you snooped through? Was there even one thing from any of those bags here tonight? and are you dumb enough to not yet realize you're busted for being in my office and here by grounded for 2 weeks. And no phone computer or TV. And that goes for you too sneak 2"
I was sure my dad was gonna faint to see me actually ground my kids the same way he did me all those years ago.
Old man thinks their spoiled. Ha!

[SaraMK]

but the game has a mode that sort of holds your hand and tells you what to do at different times which is really helpful at first.

This reminded me of an annoyance in the game. There are a couple of really obvious things that you just aren't told. It took me forever to figure out how to delete buildings and decorations. Shouldn't that have been somewhere on the first few pages of the booklet? Or at least somewhere in the building section of the tutorial? No doubt I was just really slow to catch on, but still.

I think it's possible that I may have missed the instructions. I recall there was one situation where the female voice tells you that you can drop builders around construction sites. Maybe if I had bothered to do that it would have explained the bomb icon?

Anyway, I'm currently in the mid-40's and my studio has won three awards. I'm so proud. My stars are butt ugly, so I don't know why they're winning anything.

[PlaidSquirrel]

I finally got around to playing this for a signifigant period of time today and I'm actually enjoying it. I thought it would have too much micro management for me and it does have a fair bit, but it works and I like it.

The game starts in the 20s and the years go by so you do see a progression. My movies just started being in color now as I got into the 30s. ...

Overall, I'd reccomend this game to anyone who likes simulation games like Sim City but maybe wants a little bit of TS2 thrown in there. If people can pay $15 just for the holiday pack, I don't think $45 or $50 is so bad for this game at all.

I finally got my post production building last night and I was really excited. I'm having so much fun writing filming and editing my movies. I'm a little suprised too because I've never made a movie with the sims. I'm guessing it's not this much fun.

There is an employee hack that gives you more potential employees that I wish I had had from the start as installing it after you begin the game doesn't seem to work. I think it works a little better than what I was looking for anyway. I only needed 2 or 3 more people but it looks like that hack gives you 20 more.
http://tmws.themoviesplanet.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=7&Itemid=26

There is also a lot size hack (i have not tried it yet) that can be found at http://www.tmws.themoviesplanet.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=7&sid=d9661f73470b8bcf9be8093eb7d1ab5b

This game is definitely worth while IMO.

I Still don't know how to remove decorations. I accidentally blew up my building before I figured out that that wasn't a wrench I put that guy on. Really pissed me off.

[SaraMK]

I Still don't know how to remove decorations. I accidentally blew up my building before I figured out that that wasn't a wrench I put that guy on. Really pissed me off.

Thanks for the hack links.

To remove decorations, left-click on them and hold down the button until they light up, then (while holding) drag them away. They will pop onto the mouse cursor. Then click the right mouse button and they will vanish.

[PlaidSquirrel]

I Still don't know how to remove decorations. I accidentally blew up my building before I figured out that that wasn't a wrench I put that guy on. Really pissed me off.

Thanks for the hack links.

To remove decorations, left-click on them and hold down the button until they light up, then (while holding) drag them away. They will pop onto the mouse cursor. Then click the right mouse button and they will vanish.

Cool thanks.

[Motoki]

This reminded me of an annoyance in the game. There are a couple of really obvious things that you just aren't told. It took me forever to figure out how to delete buildings and decorations. Shouldn't that have been somewhere on the first few pages of the booklet? Or at least somewhere in the building section of the tutorial? No doubt I was just really slow to catch on, but still.

It's not just you, it happened to me too. I accidentally put up a duplicate of the saloon lot in the 20s and couldn't figure out how to delete it so it stayed up until the 40s.  I didn't know how to move buildings for the longest time either.

I do feel like some of the finer points and important stuff are missed in that tutorial. Another thing I noticed is that in most cases you can use a person intended for one job in another. Like an unemployed person in line at the movie crew building could be a janitor etc and at one point I had a crisis where it seemed like half my damned lot broke down and I had to borrow some scientists, janitors and movie crew to be builders for a while. Then later when the stars pitched a bitch about not having an enterage, I made those builders personal assistants, heh.

You can also have actors direct and directors act and put extras in lead roles etc. I haven't tried if people in other jobs can act or not. I'll have to try casting a janitor in a lead role. 

I did notice when I want to import actors from Star Maker, I have to wait until there's an unemployed actor standing outside to import them. It has to be an actor too, it can't be an unemployed crewmember or scientist or whatever.

The first stars I had where just random ones hanging around. I did give them makeovers and it helps, plus as time passes their outfits become out of style and they want new ones that are trendy for the times. I just sold off my big starlett because she hit 40 and I'm debating over whether to sell my leading man or make him a director. The newer actors I've been making I actually imported. I think I prefer doing it because it gives you a lot more control over their looks and stats. You can morph two faces together and even morph two skintones together which is rather cool.

When I pick their stats though I don't spend the points on experience in any genres because I figure I can just get them to practice on the set whereas if I take those points away from their personality they are throwing tantrums all the time.

I do wish there were hacks that automated some of the tedious stuff though. I hate babysitting them where I have to keep putting them back on a lot to practice an acting genre or the chin up bar to get their fitness up. It reminds me of TS2 without the phone hack where you have to manually babysit the sim and have them keep calling someone multiple times to make friends with them. I wish there were a hack that made them just do it until they either maxed that skill out or you told them not to. I don't want cheating hacks but I do like ones where it automates some of the manual micro management.

[witch]

...You can morph two faces together and even morph two skintones together which is rather cool...

That's what I was hoping the sims 2 would do. I was really sad when I discovered the Either / Or situation of skin inheritance.

Thanks for the update Motoki, the more I see about this game, the more I think it looks like fun - despite the micro-management.

[SaraMK]

One other thing that bugs me is that my director has been clogging up the #1 spot on the Stars Chart for the past 20+ years. I have an actor in the #2 spot, but unless I fire the director he will never see the #1 spot. WTF are directors doing in the star chart? The only reason I put up with it is because my star's rating fluctuates, while the director is always #1, which means I'm guaranteed the award for highest charting star. But I really think it's cheating in a way. I shouldn't be guaranteed any such thing. If my actor was the one who had to earn the #1 spot, then it would be a challenge. This way it just... doesn't make sense. There's currently no way that any star from my studio or rival studios could surpass my director.

You can also have actors direct and directors act and put extras in lead roles etc.

You can make your stars pick up trash and build buildings, too... and they usually pitch a fit or sulk about it. I currently have one star that I'm totally torturing because I'm curious to see if she will just up and quit my studio if I'm mean enough to her. I make her pick up litter, she hasn't been in a movie in ages, her salary is practically zero, and I stuck her in the clothing she hated the most. It's a never-ending tantrum.

I'm debating over whether to sell my leading man or make him a director.

Prepare to deal with a whole lot of sulking. I think they HATE being made director. I did that to one of my high-ranking stars and he sulked for the next five years (literally). Couldn't get much work out of him because his mood was usually low. His image went straight into the basement, too. The "sulking about demotion" (or whatever the message said, exactly) was always under his icon. Then, I accidentally imported a new director as an actor. I immediately picked him up and dropped him into the Hire Director room. He sulked about being demoted as well, though not nearly as long.

Of course, I've noticed that my stars seem particularly temperamental, so it could be that. You would think being made director would be seen by at least some of them as a good thing.

[Motoki]

Thanks for the update Motoki, the more I see about this game, the more I think it looks like fun - despite the micro-management.

It is. At first I thought 'I'm so not in the mood for micromanagement right now' after TS2 so I avoided this game for a while, but it actually is fine in spite of the micromanagment, though I can't really explain why. lol

One other thing that bugs me is that my director has been clogging up the #1 spot on the Stars Chart for the past 20+ years. I have an actor in the #2 spot, but unless I fire the director he will never see the #1 spot. WTF are directors doing in the star chart?

I found my directors are quite tempermental Divas and worse than the actors! I'd make them in Star Maker where I can control their personalities except I don't think you can import a director from there, you'd have to make them an actor first.

I'm debating over whether to sell my leading man or make him a director.

Prepare to deal with a whole lot of sulking. I think they HATE being made director.Of course, I've noticed that my stars seem particularly temperamental, so it could be that. You would think being made director would be seen by at least some of them as a good thing.
[/quote]

Hmm, I didn't think about that. This guy is easy going so he doesn't throw tantrums but he does sulk. Of course I've had them direct as actors without officially making them directors, sometimes it deducts points for it but the movies still seem to do okay. *shrug*

I even had a director star in a movie once lol. She's a total fashionista diva and seemed to like it.

I think it's funny and kind of also a sad commentary that the actors value goes down after a certain age. Makes me think of a line Joan Crawford said in Mommy Dearest:

I work my fingers to the bone, and I hear them say "She's getting old"!

Maybe if they win an award when they're over 40 it will temporarily put their stock back up like Joan winning the best actress for Mildred Pierce.

[PlaidSquirrel]

Isn't there a little box you can tic when you import them to make them a director or am I miss remembering? I've never used it but it seems like I did notice it once. I'll go try importing someone and see if it's there.

Yes there is a little box. When you drag someone into the import box the selection screen pops up and a little box at the bottom says import star as director. I think you have to check it Before you click on the actor you want imported.

[veilchen]

I am so getting this game, thanks to you all. Keep the info coming, I (and most likely other people) sure appreciate it.

[san]

I have "The Movies" and I love it, I watched the web interview with Peter Molyneux, and he said(among other things) that you can pick up a janitor/builder and drop them in a trailer with a star, grab a photographer, drop said photographer outside the trailer,(juicy gossip),which generates  publicity for your star, I've tried this every which way(but loose) and it doesn't work,you *cannot* drop *anyone* into a trailer with a star, has anyone managed to do this. if so  how!!!.

[Motoki]

I can't get anyone else in a trailer with them either so I am not quite sure what the deal is. I have had two actors become friends and their thought bubbles say they want to go someplace more private but I can't put a second one in with one of them in their trailers. I can put them together in the VIP lounge at the bar and they seem to like it, but they don't 'woohoo'.

[witch]

no woo hoo?
that's a big boo hoo!

[Motoki]

No, there's definitely supposed to be. It's in there, I just don't know how to make it happen yet.

[Baa]

I can't get anyone else in a trailer with them either so I am not quite sure what the deal is. I have had two actors become friends and their thought bubbles say they want to go someplace more private but I can't put a second one in with one of them in their trailers. I can put them together in the VIP lounge at the bar and they seem to like it, but they don't 'woohoo'.

I think they've gotta fall in love. In the awards ceremony, one of the awards said if you win it, your actors are more likely to love-up.

The game is really really fun. I love the movie making business and I was definitely in need of a non-open-ended game. It's pretty fun.

The year for me is 55 or so, I've won a few awards. I was the first studio out of the 7 to release a 3 star movie (not the greatest, but the best of ALL released movies at the time). It stayed number one in the charts from debut to awards time, and it's still going. Got an award for that sucker.

I also got best Direction. I've got a few directors, and I have them all focus mainly on ONE genre. Whenever they have free time, I make them practice. Not only does this cure their boredom, it DOESN'T add stress to them like working does, and it boosts their experience.

Another tip I have is, ALWAYS HAVE A MOVIE RELEASED. I learned the hard way. One movie stopped doing so well, so I had to archive it, and my Work In Progress was nowhere near being done. Since I had no means of income, I sunk into debt rather quickly, and was at about -500,000. Of course, I shot back up once I released a few movies, but being in debt means you can't build anything.

Finally, one last tip. To delete studios, grab a builder, bring them to the building. There is a BOMB icon, drop them on that to delete the set and gain money. I didn't know you could delete or reposition lots (the -> button next to the bomb) so I thought I'd include this tip.