From OddWorld to Hollywood

Game designer Lorne Lanning, creator of the well-known series of titles centered in Oddworld (Abe's Oddysee, Stranger's Wrath, etc.), has been "away" from gaming for quite a while now. After announcing the next title in the Oddworld Cycle, he surprised everyone by turning his company and his attention to the world of movies and television. Edge caught up with him for an interview on what it is like to work in the world of Hollywood, the reasons behind his decision to change the focus of his creative efforts, and the details of his new project Citizen Siege (a title both movie and game). Particularly interesting are his comments on games as a medium. He comments: "I have no doubt that games are the most powerful medium we've ever had, but we're still in the tinker-toy stage. We just have to blow out to the point where a game can change the face of political opinion, like a movie does. Lord David Puttnam was firmly convinced that the civil rights movement in America was enabled to happen because it was filmed for television, and offered insight and compassion to the audience. It made issues relevant, and enabled people to see from a different perspective. That's when a medium really has power - the idea of the artist, mythologically, is to show us the way, or the wrong way, even."

Bad Signs

Oddworld games - at least the one or two I played - have a decidedly anti-corporate tone. Given the Lannings comments on the Civil Rights movement and older media like movies, I wonder if he wants to push his games to be more of an activist vehicle than they have in the past.

Which is all well and fine... as long as the games are still principally fun and he doesn't forget that the reason people load up Abe + co not to learn a lesson but for the same reason people head to the movie house - to have an escape and to get some enjoyment.

Better that than having games that get the same 'You must go see this film - the message is so powerful' swill (Siriana) that tries to guilt you into going to some film rather than to one you would enjoy (Borat).

uhh

the reasons behind his decision to change the focus of his creative efforts

Besides the better money, larger audience, better parties, more cultural relevance, and greater prestige?

Reasons?

the reasons behind his decision to change the focus of his creative efforts

Simple.. Hollywood has nicer money hats. [penny-arcade.com]

Oddworld Games and Movie

If he makes a movie that's fine. If he makes a game, all the power to him. Regardless of the developers political agenda are, people will play the game if they want to. As long as I can fart in the general direction of then I'll play it as well.

Most of the games out there have some sort of political undertone, but how many kids pay attention to them? The kids out there today don't care what the game stands for, as long as they get to do what they want to do. If a game is sporting street racing, they want to be able to smash a car against the rails in hopes to crush some innocent bystandard. If a company sports a way to comb a barbies hair, they will play it to see what kind of funky styles they can do that no other barbie would wear. It fits for all genders across all genres. It even spans across age groups, as the 10 year olds are playing GTA: Vice City because they want to stab a hooker, rob a store, etc.

Keep making games, kids will keep playing them. Oddworld was definately one of the better side scrolling games to come out when it looked like it was going to be a dying breed of gamestyles. It kinda brought new life to the genre.

But is Hollywood ready...

for a story that involves taking psychic control of one's own explosive farts?

Re:From OddWorld to Hollywood

I do believe that you are confuling Oddworld with La-La Land.

Re:Oh spare us

It's sad when an artist wants to reduce their art to propaganda... you may as well just go into marketing or advertising and be honest with yourself about what you're doing.

Wrong; in advertising- rightly or wrongly- you're whoring your art out for someone else's message, in almost all cases to sell a product.

You might not like people trying to get across their own message and may even consider it propoganda, but to imply that it's selling out in the same way that advertising or marketing is, is nonsense.