I spent a bit of time with Black this past week and, while I wasn't terribly enamored with the game itself, I was surprised to see something I haven't noticed in quite some time:
None of the cut-scenes are pre-rendered CGI clips, nor do they utilize the in-game engine. Black uses live-action footage in full motion video for its cut-scenes.
If you forget about games adapted from films/television shows, and if you ignore games that incorporate pre-rendered full-motion video into the gameplay (i.e. FMV games), then you're left with very, very, very few games where the developer actually spent the time to have hire actors, light the scene, film the scene, process it, edit it and insert it into the game. Mr. LeFeuvre and I tried to come up with a list of titles that fit that criteria and we couldn't come up with any that weren't Myst-like (for example, Zork: Grand Inquisitor).
Regardless, it's a technique that isn't often employed in modern video games. However, it's obvious why Black incorporated them: they wanted to deliver a Hollywood-blockbuster experience, and what better way to do that than to actually film your story? Granted, the story takes place in a closed room with just a table, a lamp, a ceiling fan, and two characters, so they didn't exactly break the bank when it came to set pieces and actor salaries (at least, not in first two missions I played through), but the footage has been Tony Scott-ified enough that it presents the illusion of Hollywood.
But at the same time, the sparseness of the live-action scenes and the first-person nature of the game allows us to stay immersed. Since we can't see the lead character's face and since the action takes place elsewhere, we don't have reference points to contrast the live-action scenes with. It's clever, it's effective, it's (relatively) cheap, and it all works towards the core game experience: bring the visceral action of the quintessential popcorn action movie to gamers.
That's not to say that Black's cut-scenes are transcendent pieces of celluloid, because they aren't. Pointless hyper-editing and untethered camerawork come across as pointless visual busywork and ultimately makes it difficult to watch, but it gets the job done, namely laying the groundwork to rapidly fire off dozens of clips at the dozens of soulless enemies barreling towards you. It's just interesting to see a developer bring back a technique that hasn't been popular since the mid 1990s and, while I'm sure developers still can't afford to shoot a film just for a game's sake (and no, Enter the Matrix doesn't count), seeing the two mediums bleed together has definitely paid off for Black.
Filled under:
#1 Dublyner Apr 6, 2006 02:48am
Live-action cutscenes were the bread and butter of the Command & Conquer serires. Red Alert 2's shorts were priceless.
#2 Soup Apr 6, 2006 03:37am
Wing Commander III !!!
#3 Glenn Turner Apr 6, 2006 03:42am
Wing Commander III was actually something that Mr. LeFeuvre mentioned, but ... these screenshots are in-game, right (I only ever played the first Wing Commander)? They're why I didn't end up mentioning them in the article.
So, any other games out there that use live-action in cut-scenes, but not in-game, and aren't adaptations?
#4 quazz4life Apr 6, 2006 03:42am
Don't forget Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight.
Best cutscenes, in my opinion.
#5 R. LeFeuvre Apr 6, 2006 03:54am
O! Just remembered!
A half point goes to The Getaway. In a sort of 'rotoscoping' they filmed all the cutscenes for the game, complete with costumes and lighting, and then later (after editing I believe) built the animations over them. They filmed it all like a movie production, though.
#6 hobbie Apr 6, 2006 02:13pm
You can't forget Rebel Assault 2! Those were some awesome cutscenes.
#7 Glenn Turner Apr 6, 2006 02:38pm
I'm talking about games that aren't adaptations or extensions of a pre-existing work (like Enter the Matrix, which I mentioned).
#8 R. LeFeuvre Apr 6, 2006 02:46pm
Yes, that is in-game footage. Of things like the mission room and stuff. BUT! I know there's also cut-scenes in the game... they have a chance at being "FMVs." I will attempt to find out more.
Another example (and very similar to The Getaway) is The Last Express. Another instance where they filmed scenes with real actors with the intention of using it for rotoscoping. The difference is that The Getaway actually filmed with some pretty high productions values... I certainly don't know the details of the filming done for The Last Express, but I can't imagine it being very on any sort of grand scale.
It's much tougher to find games where they filmed more than just an introduction. I remember Krazy Ivan for the PS1 had this fabulous introduction... but I'm pretty sure that it was the only filmed segment for the whole game. The Command & Conquer series is a great example, though.
But you guys listing Star Wars games... that's less remarkable as you would expect that to adapt a movie franchise into a game you would try to film scenes that are similar in style to the movie you are working off of. Unless of course... you are both being sarcastic.
#9 Soup Apr 6, 2006 03:23pm
To be fair then, Jedi Knight was an extension of the orignal Dark Forces game. It was not an adaptation or character extension of any of the movies; the footage in the FMVs were filmed more than a decade after RotJ.
The intent of the game is obviously to fall within the same continuty/timeline as the movie trilogy, but was not at all conceived of or given special consideration during the filming of the movies. As such, I think it stands on its own in regards to originally-filmed cut scenes.
(also, Wing Commander does have filmed cutscenes. with mark hamill, no less)
#10 Jake_The_Robot Apr 6, 2006 08:48pm
the intro to the original (and Directors Cut) of Resident Evil?
#11 D. Riley Apr 7, 2006 10:20am
I was gonna say the same. Also the ending movies to that game.
But I'd hardly say I consider that production quality as much as "grab some hobos off the street".
#12 DrJones Apr 7, 2006 10:41am
Is that Thomas Wilson?
Hey McFly?!
#13 DrJones Apr 7, 2006 10:46am
Hey, it IS Biff!
#14 Glenn Turner Apr 7, 2006 11:04am
Intros/closing movies don't count, otherwise I could count games like Lowrider :? . I'm looking for original games that have consistent live-action cut-scenes throughout the entire thing.
#15 quazz4life Apr 7, 2006 11:46am
Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight had over an hour of brand new, live action cutscenes
#16 Glenn Turner Apr 7, 2006 11:59am
Ah, thanks for clearing that up - I thought you guys were just talking about footage from the films inserted into the game.
That link also says that Emperor: Battle for Dune did the same, as did Dune 2000. Anyone familiar with those titles?
#17 hobbie Apr 7, 2006 12:10pm
I was kinda serious as well. RA2 may have sucked, but they did a LOT of filming for the game. And it was 13 years after RotJ, in reference to the bolded part.
#18 Dublyner Apr 7, 2006 01:09pm
Yes. Dune 2000 was awesome.
And I do recall that all your interactions with the other houses used live-action footage, ala C&C.
#19 Big Fan Apr 24, 2008 11:16am
Both Crusader games had live-action stuff too.
Some of the cutscenes at the top and end of missions were CGI (delightful, crummy, 90s CGI), but in between missions you spent time in the Rebel base, walking from table to table and talking to various characters - each conversation happening in an FMV clip shot from your point of view. Which resulted in an entire game of 100% one-sided conversations.
The acting was terrible (delightful, crummy, 90s videogame acting). Particularly great was "The Weasel", your local black-market weapons dealer. You could tell he was "wild" because he had a stripe in his hair.
Also, in missions where one objective was to meet up with a contact inside a facility, that meeting took place as an FMV clip triggered when you found the person in-game and "used" them.
Anyhow, awesome stuff.