# 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:** 4
**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 16, 2005, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/61 "2005-11-16T21:10:09Z")
> [@Slacker](#): > > Heheheh. Your best bet with any significantly long/involved films is to save 'em for Sandbox mode. I’m working on an epic three parter now, and there’s no way I’d be able to pull it off in story mode. It’d take years just to shoot each part. …I’m gonna have to re-write it in sandbox mode, won’t I? I haven’t played much in the sandbox yet. Sounds like the way to go. I have costumes up to the 90’s now. Anyway of getting unlimited $$$ so I can shoot Superguy 2 right away, or will I still need to build up capital from my initial $100K the old fashioned way…one crappy movie at a time? ---
**Author:** ![mkl12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@mkl12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkl12)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/62 "2005-11-16T21:13:09Z")
> [@Max Carnage](#): > > …I’m gonna have to re-write it in sandbox mode, won’t I? I haven’t played much in the sandbox yet. Sounds like the way to go. I have costumes up to the 90’s now. Anyway of getting unlimited $$$ so I can shoot Superguy 2 right away, or will I still need to build up capital from my initial $100K the old fashioned way…one crappy movie at a time? In sandbox mode you can have as much money as you want. ---
**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 16, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/63 "2005-11-16T21:42:36Z")
> [@mkl12](#): > > In sandbox mode you can have as much money as you want. I thought you could start from $10k to $100k but after that you were own your own. ---
**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 16, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/64 "2005-11-16T21:55:28Z")
> [@mkl12](#): > > Yes you do. In the same screen where you dress your main characters for the whole movies, you can also dress the extras. Just select them from the left side. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/65 "2005-11-16T21:58:41Z")
> [@Max Carnage](#): > > I thought you could start from $10k to $100k but after that you were own your own. No, you can also start from $100,000,000 IIRC. Plently of money to survive forever. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/66 "2005-11-17T01:54:26Z")
I really, really wish this had been an expansion for _The Sims 2_ instead of its own game. For one thing, the characters are just butt ugly. And the “Star Maker” tool is clearly based on Create-a-Sim but just ends up with minor variations on the same ugly characters. For another, the strategy game isn’t all that great. I can never get the info I want, stuff just seems to happen at random, and there’s never a clear correlation that if _this_ is going wrong, you need to do _that_. I just get a ton of messages that I need more landscaping and ornaments, my actors and directors keep bitching about being stressed out, and my studio stays stuck in 5th place indefinitely. A “Superstar” style expansion pack for Sims 2, where you could use your existing Sims in machinima and make them become movie or TV stars, would be awesome. But if they tried to release one now, they’d be accused of ripping off Lionhead (even though The Movies clearly has a lot of inspiration from the Sims). ---
**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 17, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/67 "2005-11-17T03:09:11Z")
> [@SolGrundy](#): > > my actors and directors keep bitching about being stressed out A few drinks in the bar do wonders for stress. ---
**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 17, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/68 "2005-11-17T03:44:31Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > A few drinks in the bar do wonders for stress. But only if you’ve won the Most Attractive Lot award so that they don’t develop addictions. For attractive lots: 1. Use cars. Those suckers are major green mojo. Pop down three next to each other like a small parking lot, over a few places on the map, you’re gold. 2. Surround all your bathrooms with scenery on every tile. Bathrooms are major red, and you need to combat them with a lot of green. 3. Grass. Anywhere you have a building, set, pathway. Lay down big squares of grass, $4000 at a time. It’s a relatively cheap solution to create good aesthetics over a large area. ---
**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 17, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/69 "2005-11-17T21:26:28Z")
> [@Slacker](#): > > It’s pretty simple, Lute - just open the movie you want to share in the viewer. If you want to have an image displayed on the site, before you export it drag the timeline to a good shot in the movie and click the little picture icon on the right to create a snapshot. Then click the export button at the bottom right and choose “online” for the size, and it’ll get everything prepared. Once that’s done drop back out to the menu and click “Online” - you’ll need a name and password with Lionhead of course, which you can get [here](https://register.lionhead.com/). Once you log in, you just have to pick which films to upload. That’s it! You forgot to mention that I have to use Post Production first, which I haven’t. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/70 "2005-11-17T21:56:38Z")
There’s a Movie Player option (I think that’s what it’s called) on the main menu that provides the same functionality as Post-Production. I’m nearly finished with my externally-edited movie, The Murder of John Woodley (part I). It’s taken a while to re-learn Sony Vegas, and I’m still learning what to do to avoid reshoots. It might have voice acting, but either way, I still need to add music and sound effects. I’m not sure where I’ll post it, but I’m hoping to start shooting part 2 tonight. ---
**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 17, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/71 "2005-11-17T22:27:06Z")
Thanks for hte help on clothing and casting the extras. It’s coming in tremendously helpful on my first serious romance attempt which hopefully will be done by Friday night (you know, when ALL the major motion pictures release. Heh, I’m opening against _Walk the Line_ and _Harry Potter_. How ballsy is that?) ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/72 "2005-11-18T16:49:56Z")
Can’t wait to see it, **Max**. I’m working on a couple new ones, one of which will hopefully be done tonight or tomorrow. In the meantime, this is my new favorite movie on the site: [La Revanche des Poulets](http://movies.lionhead.com/movie/7012) The fact that it’s in French makes it even funnier to me, especially the drill seargent scene. 😃 Can anyone translate? ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/73 "2005-11-18T18:37:04Z")
Finally got it! I’m still figuring out just how to make successful films in the strategy game - I’ve played from 1920 to 1930 a few times, and I’ve never won a single prize other than Most Prestigous Lot in 1930. What’s the best way to produce a strong movie to start the game? Hold off on shooting until the lead and director are best of friends? Give them a promotion right before casting them so they’re in a good mood? Hit them with shovels? ---
**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 18, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/74 "2005-11-18T19:11:33Z")
> [@lno](#): > > What’s the best way to produce a strong movie to start the game? Hold off on shooting until the lead and director are best of friends? Give them a promotion right before casting them so they’re in a good mood? Hit them with shovels? Having an actor and director both strong in the same genre helps, as does a Laboratory to keep your company on the cutting-edge. Also keep an eye on what genre is most in demand when using screenwriters–don’t place them in a genre right away but hover them over the building. This will give you a chart of what the people want to see. Getting back to actors and directors strong in the same genre, the first prospective stars lining up at Bright Idea Studios (lightbulb logo) featured a good-looking woman strong in Action and Sci-Fi, an ordinary-looking man strong in Action, an ordinary-looking man strong in Horror, and a good-looking man strong in Horror and Action. A few decades later, Bright Idea attracted a star from another studio: an ordinary-looking man strong in Action, Comedy, and Sci-Fi. This guy also suffered from mood swings: he switches between green and red very quickly but when he’s on he’s _on_. His first movie earned Bright Idea a Best Director award! He may have been the reason for our Most Prolific Star award, too. ---
**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 18, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/75 "2005-11-18T19:12:59Z")
Oh yeah, and keep in mind the novelty factor. Movie-goers get bored of seeing the same actors and sets all the time. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/76 "2005-11-18T22:24:13Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Having an actor and director both strong in the same genre helps, as does a Laboratory to keep your company on the cutting-edge. Also keep an eye on what genre is most in demand when using screenwriters–don’t place them in a genre right away but hover them over the building. This will give you a chart of what the people want to see. Right, I’m talking of more the first 5-10 years, before you get a laboratory and when there’s only one or two shifts in the public genre demand. I have never, ever gotten an award at the first ceremony in 1925 – never even been nominated. How do I get off to a better start? My plan for tonight is to use StarMaker and make someone ugly as sin but with great broad genre experience and import them as a director, and then make two stars with specific genre experience and good looks and alternate them in films. Thoughts? ---
**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 18, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/77 "2005-11-18T22:36:19Z")
> [@lno](#): > > My plan for tonight is to use StarMaker and make someone ugly as sin but with great broad genre experience and import them as a director, and then make two stars with specific genre experience and good looks and alternate them in films. Thoughts? I flipped through the Strategy Guide in the store (like I’d ever buy one? Ha!), and that was one of the big recommendations. Seems kinda like cheating to me. Starmaker seems more reasonable for creating actors once you’ve already gone through the story mode, and you just want to make movies in sandbox. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/78 "2005-11-18T22:39:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Right, I’m talking of more the first 5-10 years, before you get a laboratory and when there’s only one or two shifts in the public genre demand. I have never, ever gotten an award at the first ceremony in 1925 – never even been nominated. How do I get off to a better start? I don’t think you can. With the basic script house you can at best get a one star script. With everything in shooting going right(good Genre, good skills on director and actor, good moods) you can really only get it up to 1 3/5 stars for release. Some of the other studios start at 2 star movies. You just have to struggle unitl you get the scripthouse upgrade. Personally I start with two director-actor pairs in Genres that are the most talented. Then I put an leftover scriptwriter/maintenence wannbe or two as an extra in case the script needs them. Then I let them make movies until I get the scripthouse upgrade. Then whenever a new actor wannbe shows up I mentally assign em two one of my genre groups, and practice the hell out of that genre. Once they are good enough they join the team since the better movies need more roles. It doesn’t really seem to effect star rating of released movie if you keep using the same set and genre. The Reviews bitch about it, but the rating doesn’t go down. And the skill of the Actors and director in that particular genre make it a higher ranking movie more than any other factor. Each new movie I make is one of the three best movies ever. ---
**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 18, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/79 "2005-11-18T22:53:20Z")
> [@lno](#): > > My plan for tonight is to use StarMaker and make someone ugly as sin but with great broad genre experience and import them as a director, and then make two stars with specific genre experience and good looks and alternate them in films. Thoughts? That’s pretty much what accidentally happened to me with Mr. Moodswing. The only genre I didn’t have covered after he joined was Romance. ---
**Author:** ![aleong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@aleong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aleong)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278/80 "2005-11-19T04:17:10Z")
The Movies has been one of the most fun and frustrating games I have ever played. Since I picked it up earlier this week, it’s been a steep learning curve in terms of figuring out what you can and can’t do. Anyways, because of annoying video/audio syncing, the limited editing options, and the crappy interface, I ended up downloading Windows Movie Maker (which is a piece of cake and far more user-friendly compared to fighting with The Movies, even though it was free) to finish editing my piece. As a result, can’t post it on Lionhead’s site. So here it is… I tried to recreate the music video for “Cannot Speak”, a song by Taiwanese rapper Jay Chou. You can watch a stream of it here: [http://media.putfile.com/Cannot-Speak-Large](http://media.putfile.com/Cannot-Speak-Large) Best viewed under ‘Wide’ (you can select it at the bottom of the screen) Hope you like it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-movies-pc-game/330278.md?page=5)