Introduction – Who Are We?
Marty Stoltz
Studio Cinematic Director, Midway Chicago
Mortal Kombat: Deception/Shaolin Monks,
Psi-Ops, The Suffering: Ties That Bind, Sanitarium
Richard Rouse III
Director of Game Design, Midway
The Suffering, The Suffering: Ties That Bind,
Drakan: The Ancients’ Gates, Odyssey,
Game Design: Theory & Practice
Introduction – Cinematic Games
• What are “Cinematic Games?”
• Often people mean:
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Better/more cut-scenes
Better story/dialog
More custom-scripted
Over-the-top Hollywood action
Introduction – Cinematic Games
• Heavily loaded term
• Avoid “Hollywood Envy”
• Don’t want
• Interactive movies
• Uninteractive games
Introduction – Cinematic Games
• Our definition of “Cinematic Game Design”
• Draw from cinema’s 100-year-old library of
techniques
• Integrate these devices into actual
gameplay
• Not just copying, expands our medium
Cinematic Technique #1:
Rim Lighting
• Used to “pop” a character from the
background environment
• Can also be used for specific emotional
effect
• Example from:
Bride of Frankenstein
Rim Lighting:
Gameplay Application
• Sometimes referred to as “Edge Lighting”
• Useful in third-person games where the
avatar should not disappear in a dark
environment
• Slightly unrealistic, but that’s OK
• Example from:
Thief 3
Cinematic Technique #2:
Camera Following a Character
• When tracking a character, principles of
photography apply to the cinema
• Rule of thirds
• Avoid “computer” camera moves
• Example from:
Goodfellas
Camera Following:
Gameplay Application
• With a third-person game, always keep
the character framed appropriately
• Avoiding fading out/making the avatar
disappear
• Balance player control with good shot
composition
• Example from:
Max Payne 2
Cinematic Technique # 3:
Slow Motion
• Many films have used slow motion to
emphasize the beauty/brutality of a
scene
• Can also be used to slow/quicken an
event where the audience won’t notice
• Simulates real-life dramatic events
seeming slow
• Example from:
Aliens
Slow Motion:
Gameplay Application
• Lots of games have stylishly used slow
motion as a game mechanic or an FX
component
• Slow motion can also be a tool for
storytelling
• Could also be used more subtly, tied to
DDA
• Example from:
FEAR
Cinematic Technique #4:
Subjective P.O.V.
• Often multiple non-realistic effects can be
combined to make the audience see a scene
from a particular character’s POV
• Effects include: FOV adjustment, slow motion,
exaggerated lighting, screen filters, audio mix
• Example from:
Raging Bull
Subjective P.O.V.:
Game Application
• Used for literal sensory changes:
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Drunk (GTA)
Drugged/Stoned (Rise of the Triad/Narc)
Shell Shocked (Call of Duty)
Dream Sequences (Max Payne)
• Could be used more subtly to indicate
emotional state of the main character
Cinematic Technique #5:
Parallel Editing
• Inter-cuts two scenes that are happening
at the same time
• Great way to build suspense
• Example from:
The Silence of the Lambs
Parallel Editing:
Gameplay Application
• Underused technique in games
• Not the same as plot-driven cut-aways
• Perfect for breaking up long navigational
sections, if kept short & quick
• Has to be done carefully to not frustrate
or confuse the player
• Example from:
Karateka
Cinematic Technique #6:
Split Screen
• Similar to parallel editing, but different
pacing
• Can be used for suspense or emotional
juxtaposition
• Example from:
Kill Bill
Split Screen:
Gameplay Application
• Also underused in games
• Excellent for in-game storytelling
• Important to not force the player to
closely monitor multiple views intensely
• Example from:
Indigo Prophecy
Cinematic Technique #7:
Building Tension
• Keep the pace changing but maintain a
general direction
• Don’t be afraid to slow things down in an
action sequence
• Use audio to keep the audience on edge
• Example from:
Alien
Building Tension:
Gameplay Application
• Design game mechanics in ways that will
give the player some information, but not
all of it
• Audio & interactive music can be used to
move the tension along
• Example from:
System Shock 2
Cinematic Technique #8:
Emotional Setup
• This technique breaks down the barrier
that protects the audiences’ emotions
and catches them off guard
• Can create a roller coaster ride effect
• Example from:
28 Days Later
Emotional Setup:
Gameplay Application
• Perfect technique for controlled
experience/scripted games
• Many games do a little (but can do more)
• Tricky to do during gameplay, but more
effective than in cut-scenes
• Important to make the emotional
manipulation feel logical, not arbitrary
Cinematic Technique #9:
(Mis)Leading the Audience
• If audience figures out the story: bored
• If audience can’t figure anything out: confused
(Both are bad.)
• Hitchcock said: audience likes to be one step
ahead of the story
• Mislead audience away from what will actually
happen
• Example from:
A Clockwork Orange
(Mis)Leading the Audience:
Gameplay Application
• Games have repetitive mechanics
• Players expect them to work consistently
• Thus players are susceptible to being
misled
• Don’t telegraph everything you do, but
don’t go for “cheap shots”
• Example from:
The Suffering
Questions?
• Contact:
Marty: [email protected]
Richard: [email protected]
• Slides available at:
http://www.paranoidproductions.com/writings.html