May 22, 2002 - Yesterday, right after we got into LA, Tal, Jason and I headed off to a meeting with Peter Molyneux. Peter was showing off a few games for various platforms and, after we had dispensed with the expected previews, Peter wanted to talk about his most recent project, The Movies. (It hasn't been announced for any particular platforms yet but we're thinking the PC is a good bet.)

The Movies lets you take on the role of head of a motion picture studio beginning in the 1920s all the way through today, passing through each stylistic and technical period in the history of moviemaking. You'll start off making movies in the silent era and eventually progress to the talkies and color films. But you'll also have to adapt to changing content in films, from biblical epics to disaster films.

To make a movie, you'll have to go to your scriptwriting department. If you commission them to write a western, for example, you'll also need to build an appropriate set. (Peter says westerns are good because the sets are cheap and can be reused from time to time.) Once you place the script on the set, actors will appear and start "acting out" your script.

From here you can go on to other projects or take a more active role in the direction of the film. Sliders affecting the content of the movie can be adjusted in real time. If two characters walk up to each other, you can get them to fight be running the violence slider all the way up. Or you can get them to make out by adjusting the romance slider.

Once the filming is done, you can view a trailer of your movie. Critics will review your movie and determine how much money it brings in. Greater success leads to greater profits, which in turn leads to a more powerful studio. And along the way you can even participate in creating truly memorable moments in moviemaking -- the first onscreen kiss, the first nudity, or the first monkey giving the finger.

The cultivation of a stable of actors is of primary importance. Peter showed off the awesome face morphing technology (borrowed from Black & White) that will power the expressions and facial features in the game. We saw characters run through a range of expressions and ages.

It's still a bit unclear how this can be made into a compelling game but the idea is still in its earliest stages and sounds good to us anyway. An online version is planned but there are even less details on how this will work. We'll be sure to check up with Peter on this (and his other projects) in the coming months.