The best documentaries take a great subject and then get hit by lightning. You’re filming your movie and then, over the course of it, something incredible and magical happens that takes the story in a whole different way. For filmmaker Mami Sunada, unprecedented access into one of the most famous animation studios in the world, Studio Ghibli, was just the beginning. Things got very interesting when their most famous and revered filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki, decided to announce his retirement.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is the result of that crazy story. It’s a documentary about the behind the scenes drama at Ghibli and the aftermath of Miyazaki making the bombshell announcement. A trailer for the film has now released in advance of a limited theatrical release November 28 and then a VOD window early in 2015. Check out the The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, a Studio Ghibli documentary trailer, below.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, a Studio Ghibli documentary trailer
And here’s a poster.
The Studio Ghibli documentary first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and here’s their description. What did you think of the trailer?
This engrossing documentary takes us inside Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio that created such classics as Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke.
Located in a Tokyo suburb, Studio Ghibli looks from the outside like a modest office building from. But behind its doors, some of the greatest creative talents in cinema work every day. These are the imaginations behind Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, and Ponyo. Mami Sunada’s documentary, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, takes us inside the Studio, offering unprecedented access to the work of producer Toshio Suzuki and world-renowned filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
Shooting Miyazaki at work on The Wind Rises (Festival 2013) and Takahata making The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (playing at this year’s Festival), Sunada establishes Ghibli as an enchantingly old-fashioned workshop. Wearing a craftsman’s apron at the office, Miyazaki toils on meticulous drawings that he times out with an analogue stopwatch. He often escapes to a nearby garden for breaks. Not oblivious to his reputation as perhaps the greatest animator in the history of cinema, he adopts the persona of a wise, kindly trickster. “Am I strange?” he asks. “Sure.”
To watch Miyazaki, Takahata, and Suzuki in conversation with their teams is to begin to understand the success of Studio Ghibli. No detail escapes their attention. Whether it’s the tough-minded Suzuki negotiating marketing elements or Takahata investigating how to adapt a tenth-century folktale for Princess Kaguya, the Ghibli team exhibits a patient, truly inspiring dedication to excellence. But Sunada avoids hyperbole, understanding that — though these men summon whole worlds from their psyches up onto the big screen — it would be a mistake to call them anything as grand as gods. Like many great artists, Miyazaki understands that he works in the service of his stories. “What drives animation is the will of the characters,” he notes at one point. “You don’t depict fate. You depict will.”
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D is a remastered and enhanced version of the Nintendo classic that’s unlike any other Legend of Zelda adventure. In this shadowy tale, a masked Skull Kid drags Link into the world of Termina, where the moon is falling from the sky. Lucky for Termina, Link can reverse time and relive his last 72 hours in limitless ways. Each time, he’ll don any of his 20+ masks, help different citizens, battle different bosses, and ultimately change the fate of a world. This is the definitive version of a dark classic.
Developers big and small crowdsource ideas for video games all the time, asking fans what new features or gameplay elements they’d like to see in future games. But there’s never any guarantee that what fans want will make it into a final product. Developers have final say.
But what if the community of gamers at large was given control of a game’s creative direction? With some limitations, this is the idea behind Together We Game, a first-of-its-kind initiative that’s seemed to fly completely under the radar since it was announced back in July.
An in-development version of Protocol 57
Here’s how it works. Though gamers could not choose the genre (it was always going to be a 2D tower defense game due to time and budget concerns), the community was asked to vote on everything else: the game’s setting, features, soundtrack, economy, and the name.
Fans chose the name Protocol X57 for the game, and have decided it will include stackable towers, an open field playfield, and feature nanobot enemies, among other things. Voting for the game’s sound effects and prop design are still to come, but the game is closing in on its release in January 2015 as a free download for PC and iOS
Together We Game was spearheaded by Logitech, with help from the NYU Game Center Director Frank Lantz, an industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience. The game itself was developed in the uber-popular game engine Unity by Brooklyn-based indie studio Tiny Mantis.
We caught up with Lantz and picked his brain about the unique project and what he’s learned so far in the process. Check out our full interview below.
When Together We Game was originally announced, it caught me by surprise. Can you explain the genesis of the program and what you hoped to achieve, overall?
Frank Lantz: Logitech wanted to experiment with a big crowdsourced game design process, something that allowed anyone who wanted to get involved and contribute to the creation of a real video game. They asked me to help oversee the project, and I thought it sounded like fun, so I said sure. I like to experiment with things like this, just to see what happens.
What was Logitech’s involvement in the project?
Logitech has been actively involved in running the whole event–setting up the community, providing the platform and resources to create the game. But all of the design decisions have been made by the people involved.
Do you think such a democratized game development process could work for a bigger game, maybe like a 3D shooter or RPG as opposed to a 2D tower defense game?
Actually, one of the things that’s interesting about this project is that it’s a more extreme version of an approach to game development that happens all the time, even for large-scale projects. The Internet allows for this kind of open, collaborative, community-based design–people making maps and mods, player-generated content, open betas where the player-community feedback is a big part of the design process. All of these are examples of an open, player-centric design process and this project reflects that same spirit. So yes, I think it does work for bigger games.
“Some of the ideas have been so detailed and imaginative; I’m really impressed by how passionate and committed the fans have been” — Frank Lantz
You’re an industry veteran with 20 years of experience under your belt; how did this experience creating a crowd-sourced game compare to your past work?
I love experimenting with systems and structures. I’m interested in social experiences that connect people in new ways and create new relationships. I like games that generate communities. For me, this project is an experiment in second-order design–creating a social system that creates a game.
What pieces of feedback and input from fans surprised you throughout development?
Some of the ideas have been so detailed and imaginative; I’m really impressed by how passionate and committed the fans have been.
About how many people contributed to this project?
Since launch, we’ve had more than 10,000 votes and 176 contributors to our subreddit, thus far. Voting opens up each time we begin a new phase of design, which happens each week. We’ve also hosted Google Hangouts and Reddit AMAs to open up conversation at key phases along the way. Some people regularly contribute and others chime in here and there, so I would say that we have a central, hardcore group of about 200 people, and then a few thousand others who are more casually involved.
“Sometimes people who don’t have a lot of prior knowledge about conventions and practical constraints generate the most interesting ideas” — Frank Lantz
I noticed on the voting page that the choices already showed the percentage breakdown when I went to vote–are you concerned that this could prematurely influence decisions?
We like the idea of having as much transparency as possible. The whole idea is to open up the process and show people what’s happening behind the curtain. So this is a reflection of that approach.
Was it ever frustrating, listening to community ideas from people who maybe don’t know much about what it actually takes to make a game?
Not really. Brainstorming and crowd sourcing is all about generating as many ideas as possible. Sometimes people who don’t have a lot of prior knowledge about conventions and practical constraints generate the most interesting ideas. It’s our job to guide the design process, to explain the realities of development, and harness these ideas and turn them into something real.
What types of issues did you face during development, and how did you overcome them?
We’re still in the midst of development, so we’ll have to wait and see.
What did you personally learn from the development of this game?
I think the main insight for me has been that crowdsourcing isn’t some magical process that harnesses collective energy. It’s more about casting a wide net and being really inclusive. At the end of the day, it’s still about creative individuals with passion and commitment.
When the game is released next year, is that going to be the end of Together We Game?
The plan is to release the game in January 2015 and currently the idea is to keep the voting and feedback lines open on Reddit. We want to continue to get reactions and feedback.
This is a first-of-its-kind experiment, so how do you measure success?
For me the most important thing is that the process is genuinely open and inclusive, that it’s fun and interesting for everyone involved. Secondly, we’re hoping the final game turns out well. We want it to be accessible, easy to play, but also deep, something worth spending some time with. Lastly, we want it to have some interesting and original ideas that reflect the experimental design process and the creativity of the individuals involved.
Sony’s upcoming PlayStation Experience event–a two-day, community-focused gathering meant to celebrate all things PlayStation–is shaping up to be like nothing we’ve ever seen! 400,000 square feet, announcements, panels, unreleased games to play, and much more.
Lucky for you, we’re giving away two tickets to the event, including round trip airfare, hotel lodging, plus a PlayStation 4 Black Friday Bundle. Not too shabby, uh? All you have to do is sign up below and you’re entered into the competition.
PS4 vs. Xbox One news dominated the top headlines this week, as SCEA president Shawn Layden suggested in a media interview that the PS4 is currently outselling the Xbox One by a 2:1 margin. In the same interview, he said he’s unfazed by Microsoft’s recent $50 Xbox One price cut, which has led to Xbox One sales “skyrocketing,” and in fact overtaking PS4 in the US for the past two weeks. With the holiday season approaching, expect the battle to heat up.
Though the PS4 has jumped out to an early lead, Microsoft is already closing the gap, according to EA CFO Blake Jorgensen. During a presentation with analysts this week, Jorgensen said the Xbox One is seeing a jolt in sales due to the recent implementation of the price and the various value-oriented bundles. He also predicted that after the busy holiday shopping season ends, there should be around 25 million combined PS4 and Xbox Ones out there, trending ahead of where the PS3 and Xbox 360 were at the same point in their cycle.
Activision isn’t giving out official sales numbers yet, but the publisher announced this week that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is now the “biggest entertainment launch” of 2014, outpacing all other games and movies. First-week sales and DLC pass sales are up year-over-year compared to Call of Duty: Ghosts, Activision added. On top of that, the entire Call of Duty series has now generated more than $10 billion to date, which is more than the total box office receipts for film franchises such as The Hunger Games, Iron Man, Transformers, and Avengers … combined.
The Other Stuff (Stories We Like, But Didn’t Cover With a Standalone Post):
2K Games this week released a bunch of statistics that speak to just how popular the recently concluded Big Alpha for 2015’s 4v1 shooter Evolve was. Among the numbers is more victories for hunters (731,414 to 574,079), 1.3 million total rounds played, and 7.2 million views on Twitch. You can see the full infographic on the game’s website here.
Take-Two is no longer just a video game publisher. The Grand Theft Auto and Borderlands parent company announced this week that it’s getting into the comic book business. As part of a new initiative headed up by former Marvel president Bill Jemas called Double Take, Take-Two will release new stories based in the universe of George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. You can stay up to date with Double Take at its Facebook page.
Mid-tier publisher Majesco could be in trouble. The company is publicly traded, and SEC documents discovered by Gamasutra show that the publisher recently laid off a number of staff and announced that it has no major games in the pipeline for 2015. “We have suffered losses that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern,” reads a line from one of the documents. Read the full report here.
Tough news for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn fans, as Square Enix has confirmed that the game has faced ongoing DDoS attacks. The attacks have made it difficult for users to log into the game, and there appears to be no end in sight. Square Enix apologized for the problems, and said it will take “every possible measure” to address the issue.
Sony offered up a tease about one of its future games this week, as SCEA president Shawn Layden let slip in an interview with GamesBeat that God of War developer Sony Santa Monica is working the company’s “next big franchise.” Oooh! What could it be? We may not have to wait much longer to find out, as Sony will hold its gamer-focused PlayStation Experience event next month in Las Vegas, where the company is expected to talk about its future game lineup.
We’ve seen some pretty incredible Little Big Planet user-created levels over the years, but this might be the best one to date. One determined fan has spent two years recreating Final Fantasy VII in Little Big Planet. The results are amazing. Check out the video above to see what I’m talking about.
How much have you spend on mobile games? I bet it’s not as much as Sex Pistols singer John “Rotten” Lydon did. He reveals in a new interview that he spent more than £10,000 ($15,697) over the course of two years on various iPad games, including Real Racing 3. Wow!
Activision Blizzard has settled a lawsuit related to the company’s 2013 buyout from former parent company Vivendi. Under the terms of the settlement announced Wednesday, Activision Blizzard will be paid a sum of $275 million, though further specifics were not announced.
Digital Extremes’ popular free-to-play game Warframe got a huge expansion this week called Archwing. The free update lets players freely fly wherever they want without the need for a ship. It also adds new weapons to players’ arsenals, Quests to expand the game’s lore, enemies to fight, and a new reputation system. The free game has been downloaded more than 12 million times to date, and is now the most downloaded PS4 game of all time.
Looking for more content from Hyrule Warriors, the recently released Legend of Zelda/Dynasty Warriors Wii U game? If you are, you’re in luck, as Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma writes on Miiverse that the game’s second DLC expansion, The Twilight Princess Pack, will be released on November 27. That’s a day before Thanksgiving, meaning you can avoid your family by playing the game after you chow down on turkey. The highlight of the DLC is a new playable character: Twili Midna.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick not only knows how to run a video game business (see Take-Two’s surging stock price for evidence of that), but the man is also well-versed in the workings of the entire United States economy. He recently appeared on Bloomberg TV and gave his thoughts about how the economy is coming along, and he speaks rather expertly on the subject. Check out the video here.
Free game alert! Trion Worlds Defiance, which ties into the Syfy TV show of the same name, is now a free-to-play game. The PC version transitioned to the new business model earlier this year, so this is a long time coming for Xbox 360 owners. With Defiance the TV recently renewed for a third reason, you can expect lots more content in the game. You can download Defiance for Xbox 360 free today on Xbox.com.
2014 will surely go down as the year of “So Many Simulators.” The latest is Grass Simulator, which is actually a game about shooting cows. The reasoning, at least from what I can gather, is that grass is fed up with being bovine breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is out for revenge. The game is available today on Steam through Early Access for $9.
Uh oh, Battlefield fans. It sounds like Battlefield Hardline’s second beta, which EA announced in June would be coming to all platforms this fall, is no longer a sure thing. Writing on Twitter, Visceral Games GM Steve Papoutsis dodged the question. We followed up with EA, and were told that “there will indeed be a Battlefield Hardline demo for all announced platforms before release,” though the company wouldn’t confirm if this would be this fall or sometime in 2015.
Company of Heroes fans, this one’s for you. Sega this week released the latest expansion for Company of Heroes 2, which is called Ardennes Assault. It’s available to buy now for $39.99/£29.99/€39.99. Based on the Battle of the Bulge, the expansion features 18 new single-player scenarios, with players squaring off against advancing German forces.
Have you ever wondered what Minecraft would look like with realistic graphics? Wonder no more, as an intrepid modder has done just that. Unfortunately, this is not a real game you’ll be able to buy. It’s still an impressive video to watch; maybe the movie will look like this?
Clothing company Musterbrand is now selling gear based on CD Projekt Red’s Witcher series. The company’s Witcher Collection features all kinds of clothing, including jackets, scarves, t-shirts, and even knapsacks based on the franchise. Head here to see the full collection. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt launches for Xbox One, PS4, and PC in February 2015.
People riding the subway in China may have been shocked recently when they saw a “real” Dark Portal in one of the stations. To promote the release of WoW’s Warlords of Draenor expansion, Blizzard’s marketing team went all-out in a Shanghai subway station. The portal features a camera on one side and a screen on the opposite, leading to some very surprised faces. Check out more coverage and video of the portal here.
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Project Totem, a colorful new game from the creators of Max: The Curse of Brotherhood. Now, Project Totem’s has a launch date and an official name: Kalimba! The game, which takes place in three worlds, is a puzzle platformer where players control totems on a quest to overthrow an evil shaman and reclaim the island of Kalimba for the Kalimbi people.
GameSpot is giving away codes for a sneak peek version of Kalimba where you’ll get to check out eight single player levels, five co-op and a boss fight. The sneak peek trial period will last from today until November 30th.
All you have to do for your chance to win a code on the Xbox One is fill out the information in the module below. If you don’t win a code on your first try, you can try again later till the codes run out. Everyone can enter so try and grab your code now!
Want an opportunity to win two free VIP Premium tickets to IEM? Enter our contest today through the Lockerdome link below!
This package includes two VIP Premium Tickets, an exclusive backstage tour and dinner with Travis, HotshotGG, and Lilypichu! The package also includes premium viewing and seating arrangements, a piece of signed event artwork, an IEM event T-shirt, an IEM exclusive gift and much more!
Save up to $44 on a PS4 that comes with camera, and choose between a regular PS4 or the white Destiny bundle, one additional game, and your choice of controller: white, black, or blue.
This weeks Deals with Gold is all about Tomb Raider. You can grab the Definitive Edition for Xbox One for $20, and if you still only have an Xbox 360 you can grab the normal edition for $10, Tomb Raider: Underworld for $5, and more. You can find the full list of games here.
GOG.com is wrapping up its Fall sale, which has over 700 games discounted on its online store. All the games featured in flash sales throughout the entire promo are available once again for the next 48 hours. On Sunday, November 23, at 2:00 p.m. GMT the flash deals will make way for the daily bundles, available for the final two days of the sale.
Look – it’s always a bad idea to use your phone while in traffic. Don’t do it! And if you need any proof, the clip above from the recently remastered GTA V should be proof enough of that.
