360 Rant Rave Forums

360 Rant Rave recently had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Paul Dini, author of the upcoming multiplatform title, Batman: Arkham Asylum (Currently slated for release on June 9th, 2009). Paul has been a big part of the Batman universe for several years, and we wanted to give our readers the opportunity to pick his brain a bit about Arkham Asylum and his long time career with Warner.

So, without further ado, here is our interview with Paul Dini:

360RR: Hello Paul.  I’d like to thank you for taking the time to sit down with us to answer a few questions.  I have a list of questions from our readers, as well as a few of my own.  Let’s get started.

What work did you present in your portfolio to get into WB animation? Or if you didn’t have a portfolio, how did you go about joining such a prestigious company and later working on such amazing projects? – Question Submitted by xTheGunslingerx

PD: I had been working off and on in animation about ten years when I joined Warners in 1989 – gad, twenty years ago! By that time I had worked up a fairy substantial list of credits writing for such animation producers as Filmation, Hanna-Barbera, Lucasfilm, Sunbow, and a few others. I had also made a number of personal contacts, artists and producers I liked, who were already at Warners. Fortunately they liked me too, so getting in was fairly painless.

360RR: That’s quite a resume.  I think more people have seen your work than they realize. 

What challenges does a writer face while working on a video game, as
compared to working in television? – Question Submitted by buzzguy76

PD: You have to remember first and foremost it is a game, and while certain players might also be a fan of the game’s lead character, say, Batman, they have plunked their money down for a gaming experience, and not to watch the same character for a half hour on TV. Therefore you have to keep the action fast and filled with challenges, while also providing enough of a narrative hook to keep the players engaged from one level to the other.

360RR: It sounds like a bit of a balancing act.  I’m eager to get my hands on the game to see how you worked it out. 

With the success of the recent Batman films, how do you take the plot of
Arkham Asylum enough away from those movies but yet keep it Batman in
order to make sure people don’t think this is a movie game. Also did any
part of the new films inspire some of the writing in the game since both
are darker plots? – Question Submitted by Deadly Cyclone

PD: Arkam Asylum is not tied into the recent movies in any way, though it does reflect the darker, more adult tone of the Christopher Nolan films. That said, it takes place in a world equally consistent with the comic book world, with the more traditional visual versions of many of Batman’s main enemies. We were not trying to replicate The Dark Knight world, but go for a similar tone, where Batman’s enemies are extremely unhinged and lethally dangerous.

360RR: That sounds great. 

After writing for both television and videogames, which type of writing
do you enjoy doing the most? Why? – Question Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: Games are great and I’ve enjoyed being a participant in Batman’s world. However, there is something satisfying about telling a story and setting it out there for an audience to watch.

360RR: It sounds like you prefer straight, narrative story telling.  I can certainly relate. 

Did you get the chance to work directly with any of the voice actors in
the game (to perhaps work through script issues or line delivery)? What
was that like. – Question Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: In many ways the voice sessions for Arkham Asylum had the feeling of going home again. It was great to work with Kevin Conroy (Batman/Bruce Wayne) and Mark Hamill (the Joker) once more as they rekindled that old Batman: The Animated Series magic.

360RR: Conroy and Hamill are certainly well known as those voices from the animated series.  It will be nice to hear them reprise their roles for the game. 

How close will the story of this game mirror the story from the graphic
novel of the same title? – Question Submitted by dionysusolympus

PD: Other than the title, there are few similarities. While some of the same villains appear in both the game and the graphic novel, the game is more of a series of ultimate deathtraps set within a madhouse and less a psychological battle of wills between Batman and his enemies.

360RR: It sounds like we’ll be in for some challenges. 

Dependent on the success of this title, are there any plans in the works
for a sequel? – Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: I don’t know, but here’s hoping. I had a great time working on the game and I’d like to revisit that world again with the same team.

360RR: Well, here’s to hoping. 

Are there any other video game projects you are currently working on that
you can comment about? – Question Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: I have to play mum about that for right now.

360RR: Ooooh.  That’ll just make us all keep speculating.  I’m eager to hear what you’ll be working on next. 

 What advice would you give to an amateur writer who’s interested in
breaking into the television and video game writing scene? – Question Submitted by
Frag Monger

PD: Study what you like, whether it’s games or action movies, or TV, and look for places where they could theoretically intersect. Not every movie can support a game version, and not every game can be extended into a movie. But the more you discover where the two genres complement each other, the better you’ll be armed when you pitch either project.

360RR: That’s good advice.  Well Paul, I’d like to thank you once again for taking the time for this interview.  All of us here at 360 Rant Rave are certainly looking forward to the game.  Maybe we’ll have the chance to talk to you again when your next project is coming down the pipe.

PD: Thanks for the interview!  It was fun.

360RR: Thank you, Paul. 

Game on!

Whether you own an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3, downloads have become a big part of this console generation.  We get game videos, game demos, game add-on content and even full games via online downloads.  It’s the norm now and we’ve come to expect it.

Both Microsoft and Sony have, thus far, offered a lot of this content (specifically, game videos and game demos) for free; though Xbox Live Silver members often have to wait an extra week before demos are made available to them. 

Well, last October (10/1/2008) Sony very quietly made a policy change regarding downloable content.  Starting on that date, all publishers will now be required to pay Sony .16 cents per 1GB of downloaded content.  I can already hear you saying to yourself, “.16 Cents per 1GB?  Big deal!”

Actually, it is a big deal.  Consider this example: if a publisher wants to put a 1GB game demo on PSN (PlayStation Network) for users to download and assuming 500,000 users download the demo, the publisher would have to pay Sony an additional $80,000 (1GB x .16 cents x 500,000 downloads).  

For content that’s free to the user (such as game demos & game videos), these charges will apply for only the first 60 days.  However, for paid content (such as game add-ons like map packs), the charges continue to accrue forever for every download, or until the Publisher removes the content from the PSN. 

Alternatively, the publisher could place the same content on the Xbox 360 Marketplace for no charge.  If you were a publisher, which console would you want to place your downloadable content on – one that charges you depending on how many people download it, or one that charges you no fee to host the content?  The answer is obvious. 

I believe this shift in policy is really going to hurt Sony in the DLC department.  The Xbox 360 already leads the PS3 in downloadble offerings (a great example is the new GTA IV mission, which was exclusive to the Xbox 360), and with Sony now charging publishers, they’ll be even more reluctant to put up DLC (especially exclusive DLC) for the PSN. 

Sony has, of course, declined to comment on why they instigated this new policy/charge.  They do claim that it isn’t causing publishers to pull material from the PSN, but I have no doubt that it will effect their future decisions regarding what content/how much content they want to place on the PSN vs. the Xbox 360 Marketplace. 

Game on!

Focusing primarily on Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena and Vin’s new driving game, Wheelman, G4′s ‘All Access’ takes you behind the scenes for an in-depth look at these titles and the man behind them.  Enjoy!

Game on!

Redwood City, CA – March 18, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that a new multiplayer mode, called Don Control, will be coming to The Godfather(r) II game. This new mode will be available as a free downloadable* patch right when the game releases on April 7th in North America and April 10th in Europe. Don Control takes the “Think Like a Don” strategic gameplay into an online environment and allows players to build a family, command them in battle and view the action from a bird’s eye view above.

Don Control introduces an additional layer of gameplay on top of the four multiplayer modes and six maps already available in the game and invites players to compete to see who is the ultimate Don of Dons. Players can now challenge one another in 16-player battles for their in-game currency from the single-player game. As a Don online, players can recruit others to join their family by giving them a cut of the profits. But if a player loses as Don, the in-game currency they wagered will be removed in their single-player campaign and their empire can come crumbling down.

The Godfather II takes the open-world genre in an entirely new direction by blending the furious combat of being a mobster with the strategic thinking of being a Don both offline and online. As a Don in the Corleone family, The Godfather II lets the player carve out their own story of deception, betrayal, and conquest in a 1960′s organized crime world. Players will have to build and invest in their family, command their crew, and manage their family business, all of which is done through the revolutionary Don’s View. The Don’s View is a 3D representation of the player’s criminal empire, putting the player in the Don’s mindset; it allows them to coordinate their strategy, plan hits on rival made men, attack enemy rackets, and much more.

The Godfather II game from Electronic Arts and Paramount Digital Entertainment will be available on the Xbox 360(r) videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION r)3 computer entertainment system, and PC. The game has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB and 18+ for PEGI. Players who pre-order The Godfather II at participating retailers worldwide will receive an exclusive crew member, named Tommy Cipolla, to hire into their family.

Game on!

Leading video game developer BioWare(tm), a division of Electronic Arts Inc. today officially announced Mass Effect(tm) 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the multi award-winning 2007 hit, Mass Effect. The Mass Effect trilogy is a masterful science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life forms and mysterious uncharted planets. In this dark second chapter, Saren’s evil army of Geth soldiers has just been defeated, and humans, who are still struggling to make their mark on the galactic stage, are now faced with an even greater peril…

“We’re going to surpass the extraordinary gaming experience we brought our fans in Mass Effect by delivering intensified combat and expanded weapon options as well as increased depth of planet exploration, all while delivering a powerful, emotionally engaging story,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager and CEO, BioWare and General Manager and Vice President, EA. “Mass Effect 2 is shaping up to be an unforgettable RPG-shooter experience, taking players on a non-stop roller-coaster ride filled with stunning plot twists and no-holds-barred action.”

Mass Effect 2 is coming to PC and the Xbox 360 video game system in Early 2010. To see the exclusive new Mass Effect 2 teaser trailer check out the website here: www.masseffect.com

Game on!

EA Montreal, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. today announced ARMY OF TWO(tm): THE 40th DAY. The ultimate two-man private military team of Salem and Rios return in this epic sequel where they must survive and prevail in a city under siege. EA Montreal is once again leading the next evolution in co-op shooter games offering a fresh, innovative and fluid co-op experience with a deep arsenal of customizable weapons so players can team up with their friends online for the fight of their lives.

“With ARMY OF TWO: THE 40th DAY, we’re pushing the tactical two-man military team into new battlegrounds offering a completely organic and rich co-op experience to deliver an action-packed co-op shooter this winter,” says Reid Schneider, Executive Producer, EA Montreal. “As chaos blankets Shanghai, China, you must rely on your partner to survive as you weave through a broken city left devastated in a mysterious wake.”

When a disaster of epic proportions strikes Shanghai, China, Rios and Salem find themselves right in the middle of it all-the wrong place, the wrong time, but the right team. A carefully orchestrated series of mysterious catastrophes is dragging Shanghai to the brink of ruin, and now the Army of Two must fight their way through ravaged city districts as they try to beat the odds and uncover the secret of the 40th Day.

ARMY OF TWO: THE 40th DAY features a bigger playbook of new co-op moves that either player can use at any time, opening up new strategies and countless choices for both players. The result is a bigger, better, more organic and immersive co-op experience that lets gamers put their best two-man tactics to use whenever and wherever they want.

ARMY OF TWO: THE 40th DAY will be available for the Xbox 360(r) videogame and entertainment system, the PLAYSTATION(r)3 computer entertainment system and the PSP(r) (PlayStation(r) Portable) this winter.

Game on!