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Post by Ace on Aug 16, 2003 16:10:11 GMT -5
www.eagames.com/official/007_everythingornothing/007insider.jspCheck link for photos of the process. 007 Insider Update #8 08.14.2003 Character Modeling For this week's 007 INSIDER, I interviewed Darren Pattenden, who has worked on EA games such as Dungeon Keeper™ 2, Theme Park™ Roller Coaster, James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire™, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 2002, Freekstyle™ and James Bond 007: NIGHTFIRE™. As Lead Character Artist for James Bond 007™: Everything or Nothing™, Darren is responsible for the look and quality of the characters in the game. "The term 'cyberscanning' is a little bit misleading," says Darren, "because it makes it seem as though we scan an actor and then immediately put him in the game. There is a lot more work that goes into creating a character model." Cyberscanned actor models are so detailed that they have millions of polygons. However, consoles can currently render a maximum of about 5000 polygons per character on the screen at any one time. The challenge is to create a model that looks like "the real thing," but with only a fraction of the polygons. Incredibly, creating a model with fewer polygons actually takes a LOT more time: each model takes about three weeks and is an extremely arduous process to complete. To start with, every model is completely hand-crafted. The head starts out as a simple, 3-dimentional, gray cube with six even sides. Each face of the cube is sliced hundreds of times, tweaked, raised, lowered, and stretched until each feature is pixel-perfect. Too many polygons, and the game is unnecessarily slowed; too few polygons, and the model becomes blocky and unrealistic. By carefully comparing the model with both photographs and cyberscans of the actor, character modelers make sure that they are staying true to the actor's facial structure and proportions. Below is the completed 3-dimentional model of James Bond: Next, the character modelers create a texture map that is essentially a 2-dimentional image of the face that fits over the 3-dimentional model. Because the face texture comes directly from a high-resolution photograph of the actor's face, it is remarkably detailed and accurate. The character modeler does significant retouching, then overlaps the texture map on the gray model as if it was wearing a mask. As you can see, Bond's face now has realistic color, depth, tint, and gradients -- making his in-game model look eerily like the real thing. The job isn't done yet. Bond doesn't always look so serious: he smiles at ladies, frowns at enemies, and raises an eyebrow at in-game whispers between villains and their henchmen. All those expressions must be created too, to make the game more realistic and fun. Each of these expressions follows the same process -- tweak the polygons, check proportions and dimensions, add texture maps, then refine, refine, refine. The expressions will later be carefully selected to match Bond's speech and mood in the script, resulting in a great gameplay experience for the player. As if the actors' character models aren't difficult enough, the team also creates the heads of entirely fictional characters for which there is no reference at all other than a concept art sketch. That's when it gets seriously challenging. Here is a model of Jean LaRouge, an evil character in the game which was mainly done by the team's (19 year-old!) intern, Paul David, with a little help and Art direction from Darren. With an A-list cast modeled to look just like the real thing, fictional characters more menacing than anything I could have imagined, and a script written by Bruce Feirstein (with credits for “GoldenEye”, "Tomorrow Never Dies", and "The World Is Not Enough"), stock up on soda now because, come November, you won’t want to get out of your seats! That’s it for today’s INSIDER. I have exciting interviews lined up for the next few weeks, so keep checking back. As always, you can send your questions to yarborough@ea.com. ====================================== Ace
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Post by Ace on Sept 12, 2003 17:43:53 GMT -5
Chicago TribuneBond unboundVideo game series presses movie cast into the service of new storylines that shake and stir the 007 formula By Levi Buchanan Special to the Tribune Published September 4, 2003 Pierce Brosnan's James Bond is back for more kiss-kiss-bang-bang in "Everything or Nothing," pitting him against a madman bent on (what else?) world domination, played to the hilt by Willem Dafoe. Joining him for the ride are Shannon Elizabeth as the latest Bond girl, who will have more than a catfight with Heidi Klum's villainous Katya Nadanova. Of course, Judi Dench and John Cleese revise their alphabetical roles of M and Q, spouting the usual witty dialogue by veteran "Bond" writer Bruce Feirstein ("Goldeneye," "The World Is Not Enough"). The catch? None of this is coming to a theater near you this November. Well, not unless you have a 20-foot television in your living room. "Everything or Nothing" is pure video game, the latest in a line of Bond titles from Electronic Arts that are not based on theatrical releases, and by far its most ambitious effort yet. The previous two non-flick "Bond" games were monster successes for EA, probably because they are not bound to mimic a movie, despite technically being movie-licensed games. This makes them a far more organic gaming experience. The three-act structure of a flick (especially "Bond" flicks, which follow the Syd Field model almost down to the page count) does not necessarily translate to the vid realm, where gamers expect a good dozen hours of gameplay, moving from action sequence to action sequence. Character development is always optional. Scot Bayless, executive producer on "Everything or Nothing," found putting Bond in an original story a freeing experience. "Rather than reprising a previous `Bond' experience, you're building something new," Bayless said. Sure, it's more work as the "film does the heavy lifting," according to Bayless, but it can be equally harrowing to tie your wagon so close to a movie. Movie games usually need to hit shelves within weeks of a movie's bow to be relevant, and Bayless laments "films are often as much in flux and right down to the wire as games can be." A director can excise an entire scene in the editing process with a few snips, while programmers who have spent weeks coding a sequence based on that same scene into a game have a far tougher, more technical removal process. To make these new "Bond" games work with a very savvy, Bond-saturated audience, EA went as Hollywood as possible. EA secured the franchise's regulars, and shipped them off to be cyberscanned (bless the vid industry and its ridiculous jargon) and record dialogue written exclusively for the game by Feirstein. Feirstein was originally tapped just to write the cut scene dialogue, but "he kinda got hooked and ended up writing the entire game," Bayless says. "Our games live or die by the dialogue." Expect plenty of none-too-subtle double entendres and innuendo. Also expect the return of one of Bond's best villains. No, not Goldfinger. Richard Kiel's "Jaws," the mountain of a man with braces like a coroner's bone saw, makes a few scary appearances in the new game. (You know you had your fingers crossed for Christopher Walken's Max Zorrin.) Previous EA "Bond" games were shooters from the first-person perspective, but "Everything or Nothing" returns to third-person. (Hey, if you're gonna pay out for Brosnan's face time, you may as well use it.) The switch is welcome, as it allows Bond to get to the gadgeteering that was missing from the first two games. The driving sequences, huge hits with fans, are also back, including a fiery freeway chase complete with some very Bond moments, like skidding beneath a gas tanker before it explodes. "Everything or Nothing" will share shelf space this holiday season with some big movie-related titles, such as "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (also from EA), "The Haunted Mansion" and "Cat in the Hat" -- but without a movie bow to serve as free advertising. But those other games don't have Dame Judi's first video game voicework, and that is a force of nature in itself. James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing Release: November 2003 Publisher: Electronic Arts Platforms: GC, PS2, XB Rated: TEEN Links to Real Video of the game on the page.
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Post by Ace on Sept 17, 2003 22:17:22 GMT -5
ps2.ign.com/articles/450/450289p1.html?fromint=1September 17, 2003 Electronic Arts today divulged the delay of one of its key fall titles, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, which is now loosely scheduled for the first quarter 2004 (January-March). The game would benefit from more development time in the studio, an EA spokesperson said. Everything or Nothing is highly integrated with Bond movie actors and including the likeness of Pierce Brosnan, the current Bond actor, Judi Dench as his boss, and others, including Elizabeth Shannon. Last year's James Bond 007: NightFire sold more than 5 million units across all platforms (PS2, GameCube, Xbox and PC), and in mid-May of this year, EA brokered a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and Danjaq LLC to further the Bond license through 2010. We'll have more on James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing in the near future
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Post by Ace on Sept 18, 2003 11:48:22 GMT -5
New Bond Game Has 'Everything' for Singer Mya Thu September 18, 2003 01:51 AM ET By John Gaudiosi LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - R&B singer Mya has recorded an original song for Electronic Arts' "James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing" game, scheduled to ship Nov. 17 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube and Game Boy Advance. Mya co-wrote the song, titled "Everything or Nothing," with Ron Fair, the president of her A&M Records label, and Randy Bugnitz. A virtual Mya also will appear as a Bond girl in the game. Emmy-nominated Sean Callery scored the game's soundtrack in Los Angeles with a 90-piece orchestra. "From the original score to the Bond theme song, creating the music for this game was approached the same as a Bond film or any other Hollywood movie," said Steve Schnur, worldwide executive of music and audio at Electronic Arts. Beyond the music, the product features Hollywood artistry perhaps unmatched in gaming history. The cast includes Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Heidi Klum, Willem Dafoe and Shannon Elizabeth, and the game was written by Bruce Feirstein, who penned the movies "GoldenEye," Tomorrow Never Dies" and "The World Is Not Enough." As for music, Schnur said Electronic Arts is having unprecedented success in lining up popular talent. Schnur, in fact, said he has had to turn down artists vying for coveted soundtracks of such best-selling franchises as "Madden NFL 2004," which sold 2 million units in its first three weeks, "NBA Live 2004" and "SSX 3." "We know for a fact that kids 12-24 years of age spend more time playing games than listening to the radio or watching cable TV and that a good portion of their PC time is spent playing online games," Schnur said. The average "Madden" player will spend upwards of 100 hours on the virtual gridiron over the course of a year. Aside from talking to opponents online or on the couch next to them, listening to music is perhaps the activity engaged in most often while simultaneously playing games, which is why today's game soundtracks come packed with new music, Schnur said. Other examples of the convergence of music and gaming include pop-punk trio Blink-182, which debuted the single "Action" on "Madden NFL 2004," and pop singer Sarah McLachlan debuting her latest single at TheSims.com as part of a promotion for "The Sims Superstar" expansion pack. McLachlan will join Christina Aguilera and Avril Lavigne as a character in the PC game. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=musicNews&storyID=3464560
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Post by Ace on Dec 7, 2003 16:37:18 GMT -5
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Post by sparklingblue on Jan 9, 2004 17:05:40 GMT -5
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Post by Ace on Feb 3, 2004 14:50:44 GMT -5
By IAN JOHNSON
[url=http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040130.gtbondqajan30/BNStory/AtPlay/ ]Globe and Mail Update [/url]
Electronic Arts is gearing up for the release of the next installment in the James Bond video game series - James Bond 007: Everything Or Nothing. The game is due out Feb. 17 for the Nintendo Gamecube, Sony Playstation and Playstation 2, and the Microsoft Xbox (a mobile version is available for the Game Boy Advance). @play tracked down Joel Wade, the producer of the new game, to find out what Bond fans can expect from this release.
Q: What's the basic plot of Everything or Nothing, and where is it set?
A: At Oxford University's Department of Microtechnology, prototype nanobots have been stolen and the leading project scientist has disappeared. Though the technology was designed to repair circuits in hazardous environments like nuclear reactors, it could be disastrous if it fell into the wrong hands and was modified to evil ends. Nikolai Diavolo- a ruthless ex-KGB agent- has recently surfaced and may be involved.
Bond must travel the globe from the Valley of the Kings in Egypt to the mountains of Peru, the French Quarter of New Orleans and ultimately Red Square to stop Diavolo and his plot to return Russia to its former Soviet glory.
Q:Where did the concept for the game come from?
A: The concept was collaboration between the game designers at Electronic Arts, MGM, and a team of professional screenwriters. We wanted this to be the most authentic Bond game ever created, and so even tapped veteran Bond writer Bruce Fierstein to write our dialogue.
Bruce has had a major role in the last several films, including re-inventing the M character to be played by Judi Dench and defining the voice of Pierce Brosnan as Bond, so it was a perfect fit for him to help us with the game.
Q:What platforms will it be released on, and what type of audience is Everything or Nothing aimed at?
A: Everything or Nothing will be released on all three next generation platforms simultaneously this February - PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. It's aimed at general action fans and James Bond fans, and there's even a version already available for the Nintendo Gameboy Advance.
Q:Who's voicing Bond, and will there be other celebrity voice actors in the game?
A: Without a Bond movie this year we wanted in essence to create our own. We cast this just like a movie- bringing in all the key Bond regulars including the voice and likenesses of Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, John Cleese as Q, and Dame Judi Dench as M.
Willem Dafoe also did an incredible job lending his voice and likeness to the sadistic Russian villain, Nikolai Diavolo.
Of course it wouldn't really be Bond without a cast of amazing Bond girls. Supermodel Heidi Klum lends her voice and likeness to the femme fatale Katya Nadanova, Shannon Elizabeth plays American geologist and Bond-ally Serena St. Germaine, while singer Mya plays NSA agent Mya Starling. We were even fortunate enough to have Mya write and perform an original theme song for the game, also titled Everything or Nothing which runs during the opening credits sequence just like the beginning of a Bond film.
Q:What can people expect from the game - will there be new Q-Lab gear, for example?
A: Cool gadgets are a must, and we have two new gadgets that we're particularly proud of. The new rappel gadget allows Bond to climb up and down vertical surfaces almost effortlessly, which can be very handy for making a quick escape, like when rappelling down the side of an exploding building for example.
The new spider cam is also tremendously useful. This robotic device is perfect for remotely scouting out dangerous situations from a safe location - and is even more potent when upgraded with a high-powered explosive that can be detonated at will.
Q:I understand there's a new fighting engine, and that's it's more interactive with surrounding objects?
A: We studied the way Bond fights in the movies very carefully, and worked really hard to infuse his personality into the game. Unlike a martial artist with elaborate flying kicks, Bond fights by using whatever is nearby to his advantage. Not only can he pick up objects like bottles and use them as weapons, but he'll also smash enemies into walls, slam them into desks, and even throw them over railings if he has the opportunity.
Q:How about vehicles - is Bond just along for the ride as a gunner/passenger, or can he actually take things for a spin on his own in this game?
A: Exotic vehicles are a huge part of the Bond experience, and we're giving people a lot to play with this year. For the very first time you'll get to ride a motorcycle (the new Triumph Daytona 600 superbike), fly a helicopter, drive the new 400 horsepower Porsche Cayenne SUV, and of course we wouldn't want to forget the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. Part of our finale even involves taking the controls of a tank for a battle through Red Square.
Q:Is there extra pressure working on a new installment in a successful franchise, rather than doing a game with a brand new cast of characters?
A: There is a little bit of pressure working on a franchise that is so well known and well loved as Bond. The hard-core fans are always extremely concerned with the way we treat Bond and all the important characters, but we're very lucky to be working so closely with MGM to make sure that we're always presenting the world of Bond in an authentic light.
On the other hand it's also incredibly rewarding and exciting to add to this amazing legacy and contribute a bit to the universe of Bond ourselves. Needless to say, whenever I explain to someone that we're working on the new James Bond game, I've never had anyone ask "Who?"
Q:EA has been touting the fact that there are multiple ways to finish each mission. What kind of added complexity and development issues does creating a more open-ended game generate for the development team?
A: Making the missions open-ended definitely creates a big set of challenges - especially when testing the game, as there are so many possible outcomes. It forces us to develop in a different way - thinking of each mission as an open "sandbox" with a discrete set of "toys" like weapons, gadgets and other interactive areas in the environment.
Building these systems to interact flawlessly is a big challenge, but it's all worth it when incredible gameplay emerges … sometimes in ways we didn't expect.
Q:How else does Everything or Nothing stand out from other games in the action/adventure arena right now?
A: It has everything you'd expect from Bond - girls, gadgets, guns, and vehicles. While some games have a very limited focus, say running and gunning, we're extremely proud of our incredibly variety, which we were able to pull off by co-developing the product with the Canadian team responsible for the wildly successful Need For Speed racing games. There aren't many games out there where you can engage in a ferocious firefight in a New Orleans cemetery, race a motorcycle through freeway traffic at over 100 miles per hour, slug it out hand-to-hand with your opponents, and jump and freefall to catch the girl.
Q:Will the multi-player component be Internet-based or on a single console only?
A: All players will be able to play the co-operative multiplayer missions on a split screen, and PS2 users will be able to play their friends on-line over the Internet in North America.
Q:What's your favourite feature or moment in the new game?
A: We had a lot of fun bringing back Richard Kiel as the evil metal-mouthed henchman Jaws. He is by far the most beloved Bond villain, and updating him for the game has been a blast.
I don't want to give too much away, but he's now even more scary and intimidating than we was in the films!
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Post by Ace on Feb 14, 2004 16:02:28 GMT -5
Game Spot8.8: Great Rating (for full breakdown see link) Ever since the success of Nintendo and Rare's take on the James Bond film GoldenEye, the world's most famous secret agent has been cast in first-person shooter after first-person shooter. It seems as though Electronic Arts has been trying, with varying degrees of success, to recapture the magic of Rare's classic Nintendo 64 game. But for an agent as versatile as James Bond, casting him into a shooter has always felt a little limiting. There's certainly much, much more to the character than just running around with a gun. Electronic Arts has finally come to this conclusion, it seems. Its latest Bond game, Everything or Nothing, is a third-person action game that blends shooting, driving, and other types of action together in a seamless fashion, delivering an awesome experience that puts you in 007's shoes better than any game to come before it. Though Everything or Nothing isn't based directly on a James Bond movie, the way the story is presented makes it feel every bit as authentic as one of the films. For the first time, actor Pierce Brosnan lends his voice to a Bond game, which lends additional authenticity to Everything or Nothing. In addition, the cast of the game includes John Cleese, Dame Judi Dench, Richard Kiel, Willem Dafoe, Shannon Elizabeth, Heidi Klum, and singer Mya, who both performs the game's main theme and appears in the game as an NSA agent. While using Hollywood talent in games is nothing new, EA has actually based the looks of the characters on their real-life counterparts. So, for instance, Q has not only John Cleese's voice, but also his likeness. All of this combines to make the game feel like a very big production that exceeds what's been done in past Bond games. The storyline also matches up with the Bond legacy quite well. Willem Dafoe plays the heavy in the story, an ex-KGB agent named Nikolai Diavolo. To tie him in to the Bond franchise, Diavolo is said to have worked with former Bond supervillain Max Zorin, whom fans of the films will remember as the bad guy played by Christopher Walken in A View to a Kill. Further tying the game to past Bond activities is the appearance of Jaws, the metal-mouthed tough guy from Bond's past. The plot of the game centers on nanobot technology--Diavolo wants to use microscopic machines for evil, and it's up to 007 to stop him. Along the way, you'll save the girl, give a massage, break the necks of some henchmen, and blow up as many things as you possibly can. The majority of the action in Everything or Nothing consists of third-person action with a heavy emphasis on shooting and hiding behind cover. One button lets you lock your aim onto an enemy. From there, you can use the right analog stick to further refine your aim--which is largely important for lethal headshots. Enemies generally take cover once they've spotted you, but they'll occasionally pop their heads out for a look at the action. That, as you might imagine, is the perfect time to strike. From either a ducking position or from hiding around a corner, you can simply hit the fire button to have James pop out, fire off a shot or two, and then get right back into hiding. This mechanic, which shares a bit of the same tactical significance as the hide-and-shoot gameplay of Namco's kill.switch, is fun and works well. However, it tends to work a little too well at times, as Bond's aim is perfect. This means you can line up headshots like there's no tomorrow and simply dispatch 85 percent of your enemies with one shot, regardless of which weapon you're toting. The remaining 15 percent require some slightly closer action. In these cases, you can resort to fisticuffs, throws, or, if you're stealthy, sneaking up behind guards and breaking their necks. In the navigation department, 007 is armed with a rappelling device, and you'll be doing a lot of climbing on the sides of buildings. But on-foot action isn't all you'll be doing. Everything or Nothing also contains a fairly robust driving engine, and you'll be in control of a few different vehicles over the course of the game. Most of the driving missions center on giving you a destination and leaving the route up to you. Most of the driving levels have a few different paths, and, more importantly, a lot of the driving feels very open-ended. Early on, you'll be on a motorcycle, trying to catch up with a train. Here you get a lot of different paths to choose from, but you're rarely left wondering if maybe another path would have been quicker or better. Some of your vehicles are armed in true James Bond fashion, so you'll be firing rockets from your Porsche or shooting flames out of the sides of your Q-Bike. It's all very cool and very well done.
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Post by Ace on Feb 14, 2004 16:03:24 GMT -5
Cont'd
When it comes to cool, James Bond is certainly one of "cool's" classic definitions. There's a lot more to the suave secret agent than just shooting people and driving cars. Everything or Nothing tries to capture this additional level of the character with what the game calls "Bond moments." Each level has a few Bond moments that you can trigger. Some of them are as simple as making a rooftop-to-rooftop jump on your motorcycle. In one case, you'll find a woman lying on a massage table, and if you pause for a second to give her a rubdown, you'll see a cutscene you wouldn't have seen normally. In one bar sequence, you can find a switch to drop a lighting rig from the ceiling onto your enemies instead of just taking them out with your shotgun. Some of these optional sequences are cooler than others, and some in particular stand out as just awe-inspiring.
Some of the Bond moments are very impressive. You will get additional points for finding and pulling off the Bond moments. Points are tallied at the end of every mission, and each level has a point goal that, when satisfied, gives you a gold rating for the mission. Additional factors in your score are the game's three difficulty settings. Once you've beaten a mission on the "00 Agent" setting, you can go back for a platinum challenge. Getting gold on a mission helps you unlock extras like production stills and weapon upgrades. Scoring platinum unlocks cheats, such as slow-motion driving, a golden gun power-up, and more.
In addition to a stellar single-player game that will take you in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 hours to complete, the game has a very interesting multiplayer component. With the exception of the competitive arena mode, the game's multiplayer is cooperative. So your team of two will have to work together to achieve the goals. Some of this is as simple as hitting two buttons simultaneously to open a door or gate, but it gets more complex as you move along. This definitely adds a very different aspect to the game, and it works really, really well. The co-op game can be played in three different modes. Cooperative mode is the basic "finish the mission" mode. Race puts your mission up against a clock. Scramble puts a score into the mix, and though you're still cooperating with the other players, you're also trying to achieve the highest score. Arena is a pure competitive mode that pits you against your fellow agents and allows up to four players. It's a nice addition, though the co-op is really much, much better. On top of that, the arena missions are locked initially, and you'll have to play the cooperative mode to unlock arena levels.
The split-screen multiplayer works very well, but the PlayStation 2 version goes the extra mile and offers online play too. Since communication and timing are key to the game's co-op levels, you'll really need to use a headset to relay information to the other players. The online play option is a really nice touch that adds a little more replay depth to an already option-heavy game.
Graphically, James Bond has never looked better. Though previous games have gotten Pierce Brosnan's likeness, this rendition of the actor looks more lifelike. Even the PlayStation 2 version has a crispness to its textures and models that you don't normally expect from the system. The other platforms, as you might expect, look a little bit cleaner, but the differences between versions are really quite minimal. The game moves at a good, smooth speed and frame rate, with the lone exception being a few of the game's effects-heavy cutscenes. Specifically, when you see Bond jumping a motorcycle through a waterfall or riding while things are exploding around him, the frame rate and movement are less than optimal. And you'll occasionally see some weird movement or clipping when using the rappel device. But these are minor things in light of how great the rest of the game looks.
The voice acting, most of which is provided by the aforementioned voice talent, is nicely done, particularly from the seasoned actors and actresses of the bunch. Since some of them are reprising characters they've played on the big screen, that's not a huge surprise, but it's always nice to hear quality voice acting. The music, complete with a theme song from Mya and yet another new take on the famous Bond music, fits the action like a glove and really gives the game part of its cinematic feel. Finally, the game's sound effects are also well done, from rocket launches to dramatic explosions to the sounds of motorcycles racing up the road.
When you add it all up, Everything or Nothing isn't without a few faults, but it's still a really great game--perhaps the best James Bond game ever made. While some may still hold nostalgia-filled memories for the classic first-person shooting of GoldenEye, Everything or Nothing does an amazing job of including a lot of different gameplay elements and making them work. It also does a fantastic job of capturing the different sides of the James Bond character, which a lot of the previous games have either overlooked or simply tacked on in the cutscenes. If you've ever wanted to spend a day in 007's shoes, Everything or Nothing is about as close as you can get.
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Post by Ace on Feb 19, 2004 23:33:07 GMT -5
MSNBC:Stars seek more control over video games Celebrities aren't just adding their voices anymore"Oh James!" Pierce Brosnan and Mya in 'Everything or Nothing' By Tom Loftus Columnist MSNBC Feb. 19, 2004 You know the love affair between Hollywood and video games is in full bloom when Judi Dench appears in a game. Yes, that Judi Dench, noted Shakespearean actress, Dame of the British Empire, Oscar winner and now star of Electronic Arts's upcoming James Bond title, "Everything or Nothing." The trickle of A-list talent appearing in games has turned into a torrent of late and beyond publicity, the trend has triggered changes in game development. Stars now work with game producers on story and character development as agents and lawyers try to figure out how an actor can maintain his "image," in an interactive environment. When Electronic Arts decided to create a new James Bond game, among its first actions was to make an offer to Pierce Brosnan, the actor who has played 007 for the last four years. The offer was unusual: There was no film to support the game's release. The script, the soundtrack, the girls … everything would be digital. Producer Joel Wade remembers Brosnan’s reaction. "Pierce thought it would be odd if someone else played him," he said. Such an exchange was nearly impossible just a few years ago. A 40-plus-year-old A-list actor pondering whether or not to appear in a game? Heck, even Roger Moore would have been loathe to actively participate in what was once the perceived domain of momma's boys. "Traditionally, Hollywood signed away rights without any expertise or any idea of the plot lines," said industry analyst P.J. McNealy. Several factors helped change Hollywood's mind. Technology advanced exponentially, making it possible to accurately recreate the voice, looks and movements of real people. Another factor was the Sony PlayStation 2. Or to be more exact, 60 million PS2s, GameCubes and Xboxes sold in the United States alone. As games became synonymous with mass entertainment, Hollywood got it. The movie executives who chanted "cross-branding" and "synergy" at power lunches got it. Game developers got it. Even the actors got it. Soon Electronic Arts was convincing not only Brosnan, but Bond regulars John Cleese ('Q') and Judi Dench ('M') as well as William Dafoe, Heidi Klum and Mya to join "Everything or Nothing." And the sound of "ka-ching" rumbled down the California coastal range from Silicon Valley to the Hollywood Hills. From co-stars to co-creatorsIt's not only about the money. As more and more stars realize the impact a game appearance can have on their careers, they are starting to contribute to the creative process. While developing Sony’s upcoming martial arts game "Rise to Honor," producer Jim Wallace hit a potential roadblock. The storyboard called for a scene where the protagonist Kit Yuen, a Hong Kong gangland tough, would have to battle an evil nurse. That was a problem. Yuen was voice-acted by action star Jet Li who, in his films, was known to reject any scene that called for him to fight women. "I called Jet up and said 'hey, is this cool?'" Wallace said. "And he said, oh yeah, that it would work." Such double-checking isn't unusual in films; actors, depending on their leverage, regularly have a say. But in the comparatively cloistered world of game development, such level of involvement is new. And with increasing frequency, game publishers are learning to listen. For "Rise to Honor," Li not only vetted scenes with Wallace, but brought along his longtime collaborator Corey Yuen, who worked with Sony on the fighting system -- the underlying combat technology -- so that it dovetailed with Li's signature moves. The middlemen"It's very important that the closer the game developers are to the actors, the better the product is going to be," said Larry Shapiro, an agent at Creative Arts Agency. Shapiro is one of the people who work to bring developer and star closer, part of a small core of talent specialists that also includes former Xbox project lead Seamus Blackley (also with CAA) and former Eidos president Keith Boesky (now with International Creative Management). Each has accelerated deals thanks to a unique combination of talents: traditional Hollywood connections and insider knowledge of how games work. Shapiro makes a point of getting actors involved early. Before Namco started production of its game based on Snake Plissken, the character from the 1981 film "Escape from New York," Shapiro encouraged star Kurt Russell and director John Carpenter to meet and "talk about characters and the type of things he would do and wouldn't do." It's more than good voice acting, according to Shapiro. It's about recognizing how the medium can extend a star's impact. "Unlike television and films, when an actor performs in a video game they have the potential to form a closer relationship with the audience," Shapiro said. "A player literally touches that character." The lawyersThe potential of that "closer relationship" brings up another wild card in the Hollywood-meets-gaming love affair: How not to compromise an actor's image in an interactive environment. What would happen to an actor's career, for example, if it was discovered that a player could have use his or her character to perform violent or sordid acts and then post screenshots on the Internet? Would the "Masterpiece Theatre" crowd recoil at the imagery of a digital Dame Judi wrecking havoc with a rocket launcher? "The fact that a player has the ability to control the character presents issues," said Brian Williams, an entertainment lawyer at New York's Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz. Williams and Brian Murphy are entertainment lawyers, the first and last line of defense between Dench and heavy weaponery. They pore over scripts, clarify the roles their clients play and attempt, in the broadest strokes possible, to protect their client's image. "Once in a digital world an actor's control is all gone," said Murphy. "It’s a programmer living on caffeine and cigarettes saying: 'Wouldn’t it be fun to hide an easter egg so that the supermodel takes off her clothes?’ " Of course, your typical professional game designer would steer away from any such potentially libelous territory. But what about hackers, MODS (independent games based on another game's technology) or the very nature of Internet play? "There are the new issues," said Williams, "like the ability to play through the Internet and with each other. How is my character going to be manipulated and what limitations are there as to what my character can do? It’s hard. You can’t think of everything." The talentWhat do the stars think? At a promotional event for "Everything or Nothing," a certain reporter negotiated the paparazzi sprawled across the floor of a midtown Manhattan presidential suite to meet one of the stars of the game, the diminutive pop singer Mya. The reporter wanted answers. What was it like to star in a game? Did she have a role in shaping the game? Would she say no to a game if it featured cruelty to digital animals? More than anything, the reporter was waiting for the singer to sock him with her thoughts on the existential quandary of living, digitally, in an interactive world. Mya thought about her experience for a moment. "Next time," she finally answered, "I hope they put me in nothing larger than a C-cup."
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Post by sparklingblue on Feb 20, 2004 16:28:32 GMT -5
I always thought it would be great if Heidi Klum was playing a Bondgirl in a real movie. I think she's really cool. And she'd be a German Bondgirl.
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Post by Ace on Feb 20, 2004 21:24:53 GMT -5
She's gorgeous but she's mainly a model, so maybe a 5 minute Bond girl. Here's the link to full interview with Ms Klum at 1upPertinent excerpts: 1UP: Do you feel cheated having to make out with Pierce Brosnan's Bond instead of Sean Connery's? Heidi: Nah… Bond has to be a young and handsome guy. Pierce is still hot and heavy, so he doesn't have to go yet. He makes a rather dashing Bond, I'd say, so you won't hear any complaints from me. Heidi: I've always wanted to take part in a videogame, and when Electronic Arts offered the opportunity to be in Everything or Nothing, I couldn't refuse. I love that I get the chance to be the girl who jumps off buildings, kiss Pierce Brosnan and leap out of helicopters. You know, all the stuff I normally do in real life… And bits from the Mya interview"I have to pinch myself from time to time when I see myself beside Pierce." Mya on Pierce Brosnan: Believe it or not, Mya hasn't met Mr. Bond, Pierce Brosnan, in real life yet. "I haven't met him just yet, but I think when I do, I have to bring my mom along... because she's going to be very heated at me when she sees this game!" Easily understand, Mya. Easily understood. ======================================= Well finally a quote that acknowledges that it's a cyber Pierce and neither of them have actually met him. ;D ;D ;D ;D Ace
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Post by SaltheGal on Feb 28, 2004 14:12:12 GMT -5
By the way it's a great game and feels as if ur watchin a James Bond movie!!!!! ;D
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Post by Ace on Feb 28, 2004 14:14:18 GMT -5
I'm sooooo jealous! Ace
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Post by SaltheGal on Feb 28, 2004 14:16:55 GMT -5
lol! i'm only on like the proper second level but u know it's great to hear the humor of Pierce as u walk past a air vent or something
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Post by Ace on Feb 28, 2004 14:29:20 GMT -5
So have you been chewed out by Judi Dench for failing yet? Ace
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Post by SaltheGal on Feb 28, 2004 14:54:54 GMT -5
yer I always seem to kill James Bond dont know how??!!! but i just do
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Post by sparklingblue on Feb 29, 2004 7:42:12 GMT -5
Sigh... You actually incite a seminal feeling in me--I want to play a videogame. But I'd be so afraid I'd kill James Bond with my videogame experience equalling naught; and I'd have to get all the gear as well...
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Ray
Adventurer
Posts: 81
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Post by Ray on Feb 29, 2004 22:56:52 GMT -5
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Post by Ace on Mar 4, 2004 13:06:59 GMT -5
For multiple reviews from Game magazines/sites: Game rankingsAnd this enticing piece syndicated in several newspapers: 'Everything' brings 007 into the big pictureBy Redmond Carolipio "EVERYTHING OR Nothing" ' is the closest possible thing to the next Bond movie. No expense was spared in making this the definitive "007" ' experience, mixing together a martini of star power, story and gameplay that shakes and stirs the identity of the franchise. It also further blurs the lines between games and Hollywood. This is, by far, the most star-studded "007" ' title ever created. The last game, "Nightfire," ' got things rolling when current Bond actor Pierce Brosnan lent his likeness (but not his voice) to the game. Both Brosnan's face and voice are on "Everything or Nothing," ' and he's not alone this time. John Cleese reprises his role as Q, the man who gives Bond all of his spy toys. Dame Judi Dench is also on board as M, Bond's superior. Then there's Willem Dafoe as Nikolai Diavolo, the villain. Flanking him is Richard Kiel -- fans will remember him as Jaws. And of course, it wouldn't be Bond without the women: Shannon Elizabeth plays geologist Serena St. Germane, Heidi Klum portrays Russian scientist Katya Nadanova, and singer Mya steps into the digital shoes of NSA agent Mya Starling (she also sings the game theme song). And if that isn't Bond enough for you, get this -- Bruce Feirstein, who wrote the screenplays for all the Bond movies since "Goldeneye," ' crafted the story for "Everything or Nothing." ' Once you're done staring at all the names involved with the project, you'll notice that the game itself features a radical cosmetic change. The game starts out in classic "007" ' fashion. You get the famed "floating circle" ' and Bond's turn-and-shoot move, followed by the mini-mission you have to complete before you see the opening credits. The game uses this to get you acquainted with a huge break from tradition: third-person perspective. The Bond games of the past made their name as addictive first-person shooters, with "Goldeneye" ' on the N64 paving the way. Seeing Bond from the outside takes the gameplay into uncharted territory -- you can watch yourself making Bond do amazing things. There's diversity that wasn't available before. Action-oriented sequences like climbing down an exploding building or free-falling off a cliff to catch someone would have been just cutscenes in a first-person shooter. In this game, it's all on you. Don't worry, trigger-happy fans -- there's still plenty of shooting to go around, but now you have the chance to do stuff that will make you mutter "Bond ... James Bond" ' on several occasions. Picture this: You're on a customized motorcycle, rocketing down the bridge across Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans. You have to stop a Jaws-driven tanker before it reaches the city. Bike-riding enemies are peppering you with bullets while you're trying to slip through traffic. The camera zooms ahead, and you see your target smash into the gas tanker next to it -- causing it to turn sideways and block the road. You could switch over into oncoming traffic. Or -- you can slide through the little opening under the tanker. A simple choice. If you time the stunt right, you'll get treated to a cutscene done in slow motion: The camera switches to an aerial view, and you see Bond start to slide under the tanker. As he's sliding, a pursuing enemy on a bike uses a toppled car as a ramp and sails into the air and he tries to shoot Bond before he finishes the slide. The camera then cuts to the view on the other side of the tanker. You see Bond squeeze through, and you hear the clink-clank of the enemy's bullets hitting the tanker. Gunfire plus giant gas container equals big explosion. But it's too late -- Bond is already home free and resumes his chase. His pursuer wasn't so lucky. That, my friends, is what the game calls a "Bond moment." ' The game is full of them. They aren't all extreme stunts -- some are just vintage Bond. You'll sneak into the room of a club, only to find a half-naked woman lying face down on a massage table, asking for the "full treatment." ' One press of the button leads to a cutscene where Bond gives the lady a massage, and she coos in a Russian accent, "Oh my, we" ve learned a few new tricks, haven't we?'' As far as this franchise goes, a few new tricks are just what Bond needed. I think that "Everything or Nothing" ' isn't just a great game, but also an important one. Efforts like this are proof that the time when an actor or celebrity simply mailed in lines is coming to an end. You can tell by the caliber of actors who re-created their characters for the game and by listening to their voice work that those involved in this project took it seriously. It's a sign that the fusion between Hollywood and the video game industry is starting to overcome some of its awkwardness. It's about time. In the end, "Everything or Nothing" ' is an appropriate title. It gives fans everything they want and holds nothing back. For me, the Bond games were starting to veer off into the world of staleness and needed a change in perspective to freshen up. It worked with "Metroid Prime" ' and it works with "Everything or Nothing." ' It's like Bond finally took Q's advice: "Oh, grow up, 007." '
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