What is a Cinematic Game

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What is a Cinematic Game?
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vs.

• Are these art forms compatible?

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• Cinematic Game
• Does it mean
• Lots of cut-scenes?
• Heavily scripted?
• Limited interaction?
• Linear narrative?

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• Cinematic Game
• Does it mean
• Glitzier award ceremonies?
• Hang out with celebrities?

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• How about a better meaning for cinematic?
• Cinematic Game Design
• (Rouse Stoltz at GDC 06)
• Slides available at
• http//www.paranoidproductions.com

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• Another meaning
• Story driven (pre-written)
• Player is part of something important
• Highly immersive
• Minimum of gamey elements
• High production values

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• Story driven (pre-written)
• Metal Gear Solid 3

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• Player is part of something important
• Call of Duty 2

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• Highly immersive
• Half-Life 2

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• Minimum of gamey elements
• The Chronicles of Riddick
• Escape from Butcher Bay

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• High production values
• Resident Evil 4

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• I want to play a movie!

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• I want to play a movie!

A Jerry Bruckheimer Movie
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• Does every game have to be the equivalent of a
  Bruckheimer production?
• - Warren Spector

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• You guys do power fantasies so much better than
  we ever did!
• (paraphrased)
• - Scott McCloud

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• A power fantasy where youre in control is
  fundamentally a much stronger power fantasy.

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• Almost all games are power fantasies, of one type
  or another.

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• Call of Duty 2

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• Grand Theft Auto III

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• Civilization III

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• Guitar Hero

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• The Sims

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Tetris
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Tetris
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• All storytelling games are power fantasies, of
  one type or another.

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• Yet only a portion would work as movies.

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• Yet only a portion would work as movies.

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• The Overlap

Movie Stories
Game Stories
Game or Movie Stories
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• Many movies wouldnt
• work as games.
• (Particularly ones that arent power fantasies.)

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• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

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• Titanic

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• Three Colors Red

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• Citizen Kane

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• The Overlap is Small

Game Stories
Movie Stories
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• A supposition
• All art is about eliciting emotional response
  from the audience.

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• Games can evoke some emotions that no other art
  form can. (At least, not as well.)
• Tension
• Transgression
• Pride
• Nurturing

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• Tension
• Doom

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• Transgression
• Grand Theft Auto III

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• Pride
• Civilization III

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• Heavy Metal Transcendence
• Guitar Hero

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• Nurturing
• The Sims

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• The best games evoke emotions exclusive to games.

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• One day soon, calling a game cinematic will be
  a backhanded compliment, like calling a movie
  stagy.

- Jordan Mechner
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• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

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• Gilmore Girls

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• The Bell Jar

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• Jimmy Corrigan The Smartest Kid on Earth

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• The Sims

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• The best storytelling fully embraces the nature
  of its medium.

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• The best storytelling fully embraces the nature
  of its medium.

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• The best storytelling fully embraces the nature
  of its medium.

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• The best storytelling fully embraces the nature
  of its medium.

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• The best storytelling fully embraces the nature
  of its medium.

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• The best storytelling fully embraces the nature
  of its medium.

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• Slides available at
• http//www.paranoidproductions.com
• Email rr3_at_paranoidproductions.com