# The Movies (PC game) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278 "2005-11-09T21:05:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/1 "2005-11-09T21:05:17Z")
w00t! It’s finally here! 😃 I picked up my copy at lunch today, and I shall hopefully pollute the web with my first creation tonight. Anyone else going to get it? If so, we’ll have to share links to our movies - I’d love to see what other dopers come up with. The general public has started uploading their films to the official community site, and they’re usually hilariously bad (so bad they’re good in some cases). The site is here, btw: [http://movies.lionhead.com](http://movies.lionhead.com) It’s very busy too, which is a nice surprise. This isn’t exactly a no-name game or anything, but I didn’t think the community would be quite as active as it is already. There are only a handful of movies posted so far, but they all have hundreds of reviews from other users, suggesting that a lot of people are waiting for their copies of the game to arrive. For those who haven’t heard of the game it’s a sim/tycoon type deal where you have to run a movie studio starting in the 20s and keep it going to modern times, making movies along the way. You can also play in “sandbox” mode and just make whatever movie you want, even using your own script and recorded voices. I’ve been waiting for this game for years and it looks like it won’t disappoint. You can learn more about it at the link above (at the top of the linked page there’s a banner that leads to the official site). So who’s getting it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/2 "2005-11-09T21:18:12Z")
> [@Slacker](#): > > w00t! It’s finally here! 😃 I picked up my copy at lunch today, and I shall hopefully pollute the web with my first creation tonight. Anyone else going to get it? If so, we’ll have to share links to our movies - I’d love to see what other dopers come up with. The general public has started uploading their films to the official community site, and they’re usually hilariously bad (so bad they’re good in some cases). > > The site is here, btw: [http://movies.lionhead.com](http://movies.lionhead.com) > > It’s very busy too, which is a nice surprise. This isn’t exactly a no-name game or anything, but I didn’t think the community would be quite as active as it is already. There are only a handful of movies posted so far, but they all have hundreds of reviews from other users, suggesting that a lot of people are waiting for their copies of the game to arrive. > > For those who haven’t heard of the game it’s a sim/tycoon type deal where you have to run a movie studio starting in the 20s and keep it going to modern times, making movies along the way. You can also play in “sandbox” mode and just make whatever movie you want, even using your own script and recorded voices. I’ve been waiting for this game for years and it looks like it won’t disappoint. You can learn more about it at the link above (at the top of the linked page there’s a banner that leads to the official site). > > So who’s getting it? 😃 is this a SIMS thing? and why the hell isn’t it available for OSX??? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/3 "2005-11-09T21:25:15Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > is this a SIMS thing? and why the hell isn’t it available for OSX??? 😃 As far as I understand, it has some simmish elements with the “stars.” In the game you hire and develop stars, and you have to keep them happy with nice trailers, entourages, and etc so they don’t storm off the set. The happier they are, the better their performances are apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/4 "2005-11-09T21:32:22Z")
Yeah, sadly I must wait until next payday in order to start my budding directoral career. I’ve got three story ideas rattling around in my head where they’ve been for the past few years waiting for some kind of outlet. Now I have to wait 6 more days. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/5 "2005-11-09T21:34:57Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > and why the hell isn’t it available for OSX??? 😃 It will be available for GC, PS2, and Xbox so you’re in luck if you have one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/6 "2005-11-09T21:54:18Z")
I’ve been looking at it, but haven’t made up my mind to buy it yet. I guess I’m having trouble envisioning how it works. How do you get the sims to “act” in the movies? How much control do you have? Details, please. Details! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/7 "2005-11-09T22:04:59Z")
From what I understand, to create a movie, you select your actors, costumes, props and sets from the ones you are given and earn as you progress through the years (in game time of course). To make the actors perform, you select from a ton of individual short scenes/actions and link them together until you have a completed scene. Then you go into post-production and add your sound effects and voice overs or subtitles. Voila. Movie! ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/8 "2005-11-09T22:18:10Z")
As an addition to what **Max Carnage** said, each scene will have one or more sliders along the bottom to change the intensity of the scene. For example, if one scene features a car turning a corner, a slider may be present for the speed of the car. Drag it all the way to the left, and the car will putt-putt-putt around sedately. Move it further to the right, the car will scream around the corner on two wheels. I’ve promised myself I’m going to get it, but as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I can’t possibly finish Nanowrimo with that distraction added on top of football, Civilization 4, and Battlefield 2. Maybe I can reward myself with it if I write another 30,000 words by this weekend… ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/9 "2005-11-09T22:27:29Z")
Here’s a decent walkthrough of how some of the game works: [http://media2.yahoo.com/player/games/?k=/genre/strategy/movies/0-402134](http://media2.yahoo.com/player/games/?k=/genre/strategy/movies/0-402134) ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/10 "2005-11-09T22:40:53Z")
After watching that, I think I need to write 30,000 words tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/11 "2005-11-09T23:03:16Z")
I started [a thread on the game](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=343846) yesterday that has already sunk to midway down page 2, soliciting opinions from those who have bought it and played around already. So, how is it, **Slacker**? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/12 "2005-11-10T02:12:01Z")
Sorry about that **OMD**. I seem to be a thread killer a lot lately. (And apologies to **Slacker** for doing it to this thread, too.) I just bought my copy. I have to exercise first, then it’s on to playing. Think I’ll install it while I’m changing clothes. I’ll link to the movies I upload when I get a chance. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/13 "2005-11-10T03:55:54Z")
My copy I purchased online got shipped today, and I hope to be playing it later this week. I’ve been reading about how the game works, in terms of the filmmaking part: you have to hire a scriptwriter to write a film in a certain genre of your choice (comedy, action, etc.), then you hire the actors. You don’t know what they’ve written until the film has finished shooting- and the results are sometimes unexpected. Eventually, you can build an editing room where you can write and edit your own films- there are a large number of pre-animated scenes you can piece together to create a story. (Also, when you are filming a movie written by one of your scriptwriters, make sure you put the right actors in the right roles. Otherwise, you may end up like one reviewer, who ended up [making a gay cowboy movie 80 years before _Brokeback Mountain_.](http://www.gamespy.com/articles/664/664147p1.html) ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/14 "2005-11-10T03:57:29Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > Otherwise, you may end up like one reviewer, who ended up [making a gay cowboy movie 80 years before _Brokeback Mountain_.](http://www.gamespy.com/articles/664/664147p1.html) Two Gay Cowboy movies. It was the second one that really got me laughing at the article. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/15 "2005-11-10T06:52:51Z")
I’ve just spent the last 3 1/2 hours playing this game (the year is 1927). So far, it’s a blast, and I just got the Advanced Script Maker before I stopped playing. I want to take the time to go through the tutorial on that, so I didn’t do anything with it. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/16 "2005-11-10T07:02:22Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > Two Gay Cowboy movies. It was the second one that really got me laughing at the article. in which one do they sit around eating pudding? ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/17 "2005-11-10T19:03:54Z")
If you thought “Gigli” was bad, behold [An Impolite Dustup](http://movies.lionhead.com/movie/856). I’m getting the hang of it now though, I’ll try a better one tonight. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/18 "2005-11-10T19:41:44Z")
> [@Slacker](#): > > If you thought “Gigli” was bad, behold [An Impolite Dustup](http://movies.lionhead.com/movie/856). > > I’m getting the hang of it now though, I’ll try a better one tonight. 😃 I was on the edge of my seat wonderingwhat larger weapon he was going to whip out next. Fists, then knife, then axe, then handgun, then automatic rifle! I was waiting for dynamite vest, bazooka, tank, and button to thermonuclear device. But alas. (I figure we should do this right, like real movies :p) ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/19 "2005-11-11T09:06:30Z")
My [studio’s](http://movies.lionhead.com/studio/OmegaMale) not doing so well in the business mode. Nobody wants to work for me! I’m going to need an army of janitors and builders to keep the place from falling down, and my stars are getting uppity and want some lackeys. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/20 "2005-11-12T02:27:37Z")
Oh well, let’s share our really bad movies. I will hearby set the standard for incredibly bad ‘WTF was that?’ movies. Anybody trying to overwhelm the pain of a kidney stone is welcome to watch… [http://movies.lionhead.com/movie/1942](http://movies.lionhead.com/movie/1942) Okay, It was supposed to be a standard, land on the planet, find the aliens and fight them off movie. The first and last scenes are the most correct visually. I assumed the costumes would carry through, but I was wrong :smack: So the Mummy, Indiana Jones, and the Marines were all not part of my actual vision, nor were the seemingly random costume changes. The fight coreography is also a little lacking you may notice. As for why the hero started knocking the shit of of Aunt Bee, and where the Amos’n’Andy stuff came from I have no freaking idea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278.md?page=2)