Opening cinematic

[Par4]

I'm curious to see what everyone would want in an opening cinematic for the game when you start a new one or when the game starts before you get to the menu. I would want a big big big battle between hannibal and a roman legion in uh crap cant remember the city in northern italy, the one where rome lost like 60000 or was it 80000 I think it was 2 or 3 legions of 30000 each. Like the opening one in the original AOE. Then it could zoom to the D-Day landing just long enough to see the men run out just out and run up the beach, then zoom a battle between panzers and shermans in a french field then some p51s come and destroy the panzers. It would be hollywood quality and about 5 minutes long.

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[MidKnight Lament]

And while we're at it, give us some decent end movies. We want to see something half-satisfying at the end of such a long game. They've been pretty disappointing lately.

- MKL

[Tiberius]

Yeah, an opening cinematic would be nice, but I also want more a satisfying end-movie. Something that gives you the impression that, beyond the joy of playing, your effort in conquering (or civilizing?) the world was rewarded.

[heardie]

Well they really have no excuse. I am not even close to good at 3dmax and I had a go at a move
see http://members.xoom.com/acchiron/opening.zip

Well its not that good but hey! I like the dinosaur bit best. That wa some of my best work getting the dino animated like that

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-Chiron Creators-
"http://members.xoom.com/acchiron"

[Adm.Naismith]

I don't like too much cinematic opening sequences, if they aren't strictly game related.

I mean, they must immerse you into the game background, or they will end to be only advertising (how many times do you see "catch eye intro" rolling on PC at the shop?).

I don't like when images are rendered by some 3D product, too: I want to see the real game engine at work, otherwise it's as correct as someone who showed to me a wonderful top car, then sell me the basic model

I will like some scene reproducing (quickly) the born of my tribe, the wandering and hunting, some trouble that force them to pack things from old village (a fire, the end of ice age, famine because of bad hunting season, a minor skirmish with another tribe) and start the voyage (first settler appear) to a new place.

I can accept some zoom-in, zoom-out effect added to the real engine feature, and a more "event related" music and sound effects, but that's all.

Using the game engine Firaxis can slighty change the opening scene every time a new game start (different terrain, different race, different event that start the voyage). Looking at the opening sequence you can gain a bit more info on surrounding terrain (I can't really believe an old nomadic tribe don't know anything outside the first settler square).

That would be an useful start, one that you don't skip the second game you play!

And about ending game, I'm with you MKL, you know how many posts I spent on this subject before!

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant

[Joe Bourque]

I doubt it would ever happen, but I'd cheerfully give up any opening animation at all in exchange for a well done and reasonably long ending animation for every possible victory type.

I have to admit it irks me when some endings are reduced to a mere text file. It's sort of like the designers editorial comment: "Why would you want to something mean like conquer the world when you can have a lovey-dovey ecological victory?" All game victories should be rewarded.

Even if it's very cool, I almost never watch the opening animation more then very sporadicly, but it's always satifying to be rewarded for my victory.

What would be ideal (but even less likely) would be to have -several- different endings for each kind of victory, so that you never know which you are going to get. But now I'm daydreaming.

Joe
[This message has been edited by Joe Bourque (edited May 23, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Joe Bourque (edited May 23, 2000).]

[Stuff2]

Oh yeah! I would like to see all the starwars movies as an opening for civ 3!! I think this is a must. I won't feel ready to start a new game until i've spent 6 hours in front of the computer staring.

[Earthling7]

How about this? They make the game, Civilization III, and also Civilization - The Movie !!! That way they can release the whole thing on a double DVD and charge a lot more.

Any ideas what actors to approach?

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Greetings,
Earthling7
ICQ: 929768

[Par4]

Ok so opening in the game was bad, ok now we have end game cinematics just move my first for a conquer victory. Economic I would want to see fields of wheat and orchards then move to industry, into a computer building with some guys working on software, to a factory that makes something using robotic assembly, and some shipping basically lots of industry and trading maybe a stock exchange. For diplomatic I would want, well I don't know maybe um well this is hard. For Alpha centauri I wouldn't mind seeing the launch and the ship blast past the planets and into alpha centauri then you could watch it land and the people start putting up buildings and the first communication with earth and a crowd cheering.

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I use this email
(stupid cant use hotmail)
gamma_par4@hotmail.com
Don't ask for golf tips
Your game will get worse

[L o k i]

Don't you think it would be worth more to find a way of having different endings?

Actualy, going back to my other arguement (sorry) if you were in a 3D engine, you could do that.

It does take quite a bit of time creating cut sequences, I think the time and effort used for that should be used for finding another way of rewarding the player at each ending, something that can give a slightly different feel each time.

As for the beginning, I would rather see a big big BANG! And then the creation of life, towards the point of man discovering fire. And then you take on from there.

There isn't any point showing a whole bunch of 'unknown' things, which are to come. I HATE the fact I somehow seem to know what I can discover next. A lot of things were discoveries, they weren't intentionaly found.
I like surprises.

I tried downloading that opening.zip but it didn't open, try uploading it again. I might look at it next time. Please let me know if you do fix it.

[MidKnight Lament]

Call me what you will, but I rather liked the opening for Civ1. They should do an opening sequence in the same vein as that. A lot better of course, but the same sort of concept. It'd be nostalgic. It pumped you up to play the game. Made you feel like you were really beginning something big and important.

- MKL

[OrangeSfwr]

I agree, the Civ one intro was sweet, for its time...but I liked it

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~~~I am who I am, who I am - but who am I?~~~

[Imran Siddiqui]

quote: For Alpha centauri I wouldn't mind seeing the launch and the ship blast past the planets and into alpha centauri then you could watch it land and the people start putting up buildings and the first communication with earth and a crowd cheering.

They can't do this! Because Civ goes into SMAC, and in SMAC, there was no communication back with Earth..

[OrangeSfwr]

Oh who cares? It still makes the game complete. The Civ 2 ending was good. I just didn't like the music though. It's kinda lame...plus it reminded me of "The Nature Boy" Rick Flair

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~~~I am who I am, who I am - but who am I?~~~

[Urban Ranger]

There's one ending I like to get: Civilization victory.

In an old Avalon Hill boardgame Civilization, which predates the computer game and has no relation with it, you win by meeting certain cvilization goals.

How 'bout it?