OJ FILMS ENTERTAINMENT
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Showing posts with label Oliv. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oliv. Show all posts
7/11/2014
Oliv Shovels Her Way Through Shovel Knight!
Oliv takes a look at the newest "retro" indie game, Shovel Knight, for B-TEN! Can Oliv shovel her way to victory, or will the Order of No Quarter bury her six feet under?
4/08/2014
Oliv Talks About "Neverending Nightmares" With Creator Matt Gilgenbach
On April 3, 2014, I had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Gilgenbach and talk about the game "Neverending Nightmares." Matt was very excited to talk about the game, and hinted at some new features coming up in its next alpha build.
Unfortunately, as I lost my position at B-TEN.com, I had no legitimate news source to hand this interview in to. Therefore, I have decided to post the interview here, as it would be a shame to let it go to waste.
So here it is, folks... my exclusive interview with game developer Matt Gilgenbach! Enjoy!
------------------------------------------------------
Olivia: Hello everyone, I am here today with Matt Gilgenbach, creator of the upcoming game Neverending Nightmares. Matt, thank you so much for joining me.
Matt: It's my pleasure.
O: First, can you tell us a bit about the events that happened during your Kickstarter campaign?
M: Well, there were a lot of interesting things that went on during the Kickstarter campaign. We had some difficulties with the [Free the Games Fund] and then some controversies at the very end. Are you asking about anything specific or do you want to hear the whole thing?
O: Well, when I came in to the campaign, I kind of caught the tail-end of it, and I remember there was a lot of drama and panic going on right at the end. Do you think you could talk a bit about that?
M: Sure. So, what happened was, someone from Brazil was interested in upping his pledge, and he typed "$92,00" because in some places they use a comma instead of a period to denote dollars versus cents.
O: Right.
M: And so, unfortunately Kickstarter's website didn't do any validation, so what he thought was $92.00 (which given the currency in Brazil, that's a lot of money) ended up being $9,200.00.
O: Oh no!
M: Which was a ridiculous amount of money. So, he was very upset, and my sister called me and was reading the comments, and was like, "You have to take care of this." And so, I didn't realize this, but Kickstarter has [a system] where, in the last 24 hours of a project, you can't un-fund it by backing down your pledge. So, this person was stuck with a very large pledge because he pushed us over the final hump. But fortunately, another backer was very gracious and able to up his pledge to basically allow the guy in Brazil to lower his pledge. And then the guy who helped the project out was able to back his pledge down to what he was comfortable giving. So, it worked out, and we even got some extra money on the final day, but it was definitely a stressful time.
O: Well that's good, it's good that he didn't have to go through with [pledging] all that money. So, since the end of the campaign, you've definitely been very busy. You have a forum that you've been managing, plus a YouTube channel with over 100 developer diaries. So, you've been very much in the public eye throughout production so far, but I'm wondering, who else has been working on the game with you?
M: We have a very dedicated team, besides just me. We have two artists in Michigan, Joe and Adam Grabowski. And so, Joe is our lead artist, and he also does animation and helps out with level design. Adam Grabowski does the environment art. Daniel Sass is doing programming, and he actually works out of Taiwan. And we have a part-time sound designer, Eduardo Ortiz Frau, a part-time musician, Skyler McGlothlin, and then another part-time artist, Chris Ewald, who does a lot of the characters.
O: Oh, that's really cool! So, you do a lot of communicating online, then, to coordinate everything?
M: Yeah, so basically we do everything through email, instant messenger, or our internal bug database, which we use for task management.
O: Oh, okay, that's really cool. With the [state of] the current alpha build, I guess I just imagined a bunch of guys in a room together, because it's looking really good and it's very cohesive. So, I'm really impressed that you're able to organize something like that from great distances.
M: Yeah, it's definitely been a challenge, but fortunately I've been working with the people on the team for a long time. So, we all know how to work with each other. My preference would be to be working out of an office with people right there. I find that's easier. But, given that we're trying to do this on the smallest budget possible, that doesn't really make sense. So, we're making it work.
O: Right. So, with the current alpha build, I've noticed that you've definitely added a lot of new content. I particularly like the cemetery and the portraits that you've added. Now, are the portraits and the names that are on the graves some of the backers?
M: Yeah, so we had rewards for getting your portrait in the game and also getting your name on a tombstone as part of our Kickstarter rewards, and so we've started putting those in.
O: And also, in the cemetery scene on the big gravestone, it's revealed that the female character's name is Gabrielle Smith. Is this the name of a backer, or did somebody come up with this?
M: Well actually, that's a funny story. Basically, with the story I was talking about [before], the guy from Brazil who accidentally got us funded with the comma mistake, his name is Gabriel. Which, I think they pronounce as "Gabrielle" in Brazil (though, I'm not up on my Portuguese). And then, the other guy who upped his pledged to [about] $4,000 to cover the difference, his name is Thomas. And so, someone on the forum suggested that we should name the characters Thomas and Gabrielle, and so I actually incorporated that feedback, so [those are] the characters' names.
O: So then there's a story behind the names! When I was playing the alpha, my favorite gravestones that I saw were one that said "Johann Sebastian Gilgenbach" and another one that said "Matt Gilgenbot." And I noticed there was another Gilgenbach in there. Was that your wife?
M: No. Johann Sebastian Gilgenbach was what my dad picked, because he thought it was funny. Karen Gilgenbach is my sister.
O: Oh, okay.
M: And, Matt Gilgenbot was a joke name that someone gave... which I was hoping no one would notice. One would think that, if you're pledging the big dollars to get a name on your gravestone, you wouldn't put a joke name, but you'd be surprised what people want for their names on the tombstones, so I have to figure out if I can just hide it so people don't notice. I guess it's not quite as bad if you don't know my name, but I'm just worried that people [are going to think], "Oh man, this guy is so full of himself for putting his name everywhere in the game!" Which is totally not my intention at all! That's part of the problem with community involvement. You have to make sure that you and your community want the same thing for the game, so I might hide some of the joke names. Or, beg and plead the backers [for] something a little less silly.
O: Well, I personally like the Gilgenbot tombstone, but just because it made me laugh. So then, the whole Gilgenbot thing was just something the community came up with?
M: The story behind Gilgenbot is that I had mentioned that I worked on the video game "The Incredibles 2: Rise of the Underminer," and the Underminer's evil robot is called "The Gilgenbot" because someone else on that development team thought it was a funny and cool name for a robot. So, the Gilgenbot is actually a thing in a game that no one played. And so, I guess someone paid attention when I mentioned that, and then decided that that would be the gravestone they wanted.
O: See, I didn't know that. That's another good story that you [have] that can be a part of your game! Anyways, like I said before, even though it's still in alpha, the game looks really wonderful. I personally love the art design, because it has that Edward Gorey style, and Edward Gorey is probably my favorite artist. What inspired you to make the game with this particular visual style?
M: Well, we definitely wanted to create a game with a unique art style that would stand out. There's a lot of great indie games and a lot of competition for [mind share] or attention. So, we wanted to make a game that looked like no other, one where we could show a screenshot and people would go, "Oh, that's Neverending Nightmares!" and there'd be no confusion. Or, we'd have our own unique "taste." And Edward Gorey has been a favorite artist of mine and an influence on my life. I remember watching "Mystery!" on PBS with my parents and he did this amazing animated intro, and then we had this very morbid, but very gorgeous, pop-up book, "The Dwindling Party." And so, when I was looking at unique art styles, and things that would fit the tone of the game, Edward Gorey came to mind, and I think it was a really great fit.
O: One of the things I really love about the art in the game currently is the moving shadows, and I really like the use of color with interactive objects, or when the scenes are supposed to pop out. Is it hard to make the darkness seem tangible like that, but also retain this two-dimensional illusion at the same time?
M: Yes! The short answer is yes. I did a lot of experimentation with shader and graphics programming, because I have a very strong technical background. So, I did a lot of experimentation, I had a lot of [different] modes and a lot of [different] ways for the darkness to behave, and so it was very tough getting something that felt right. So, one of the interesting things we did is basically a screen space effect, so it's an overlay over the screen. But then, when you walked the character, or [rather] the camera moved, the effect would move. The shading would essentially stay the same per point on the camera, so I actually added something where if the camera moves, the shading stays in the same position relative to the camera. And so then, as the camera moves, the camera is panning across something that is already shaded. But then, of course, the shading in and of itself is animated. Even the lights are [sort of] animated, so they create pulsing and shading patterns. It's very complicated!
O: It sounds like it. It looks really good, though. Going off of the whole graphical aspect, I like the changes in the atmosphere and scenery as the main character continues to wake up that you currently have in the alpha build, and I'm just wondering if the player is just going to be limited to waking up in the house, or are there going to be other settings as well?
M: There's definitely other settings. There's not going to be a huge number of locations, but yes... I'm really excited about the build that we're working on right now that should hopefully go up next week (but it's possible it might be the week after), where we introduce another big location in the game. But I don't want to say what it is.
O: Okay, well then, I will not press you further about that. The newest build has introduced a system of hiding from monsters in wardrobes. Will you be adding other systems, like combat or puzzles?
M: Again, this is more interesting stuff in the latest build that's going to go out soon, but we have another enemy type, and I don't want to spoil anything...
O: Okay.
M: But, there won't be any combat. It's not a game about fighting, it's a game about avoiding enemies. But there's another enemy, you'll have to avoid him in different ways, and a lot of his set-ups are more puzzle-oriented, so you have to figure out how to get past this enemy. So, we're definitely trying to keep things interesting with a variety of enemies and set-ups. But, there won't be combat.
O: Okay. So, at the moment, with the current build, it's kind of hard to determine what the story for the game is going to be like. Can you reveal anything about the plot, or is that an under wraps kind of thing?
M: Basically, I don't want to reveal anything specific about the plot, but I think that's something that will sort of take shape as we finish more of the cut scenes and the elements that go towards revealing the story. But, I think even once we have all the story elements in there, it's going to be sort of confusing. I sort of imagine it [to be] like playing a David Lynch movie, where people say things and everything feels weird and dream-like. We're really trying to keep that weird and dream-like feeling, where people say things, but it doesn't really seem like what they mean, and everyone just acts sort of weird. So, it's definitely going to be a sort of a disorienting and strange nightmare story, as you go through the different nightmare levels.
O: So, kind of like "Eraserhead: The Game?"
M: Yes!
O: So, you've said that Neverending Nightmares is in part inspired by your own experiences with mental illness. Do you think you could talk a little bit about that?
M: Sure. So, it's not inspired directly, like the main character isn't supposed to be me. You know, my life usually consists of sitting in front of a computer all day, which would make a very boring video game.
O: Yeah.
M: What I'm trying to do instead is to recreate the feelings, the experience, of dealing with OCD and depression, because having mental illness colors your perception of the world, and so things seem bad and threatening and wrong, even when they're completely harmless. And that's just the way your mind perceives things. So, we're trying to create an environment where everything feels oppressive and threatening and weird and bad, through the art style and what happens in the game, even though those don't directly correlate to things that [have] happened in my battles with mental illness. But, there are some elements which I am pulling almost directly from my experience. One of the things with OCD that I struggle with is called "intrusive thoughts," and so with intrusive thoughts, your mind comes up with these ways to make you unhappy. It comes up with these thoughts that you really don't want to think about, really terrible things. And one of the things that I've struggled with is violent images of self-injury. And so, I don't know if you saw the trailer, which is on the Kickstarter video on our website, but in [it] there are these horrible scenes of arm mutilation that are just gross and totally bizarre. But those things are actually pulled from my own experience. Those are essentially recreations of intrusive thoughts that I've dealt with over the years. So, they're very accurate to what I've experienced, and these weird ways my mind tries to torment me.
O: Right. I kind of forgot about the arm thing from the trailer, and I just pictured it in my head... Ewww!
M: It's actually not in the game yet. It's definitely going to be in the game, but it hasn't made it [in] yet. I haven't quite figured out where I want it...
O: Well, I'm interested to see where that goes. Currently, with the build that there is, I know that it's pretty early alpha, so there's a lot of empty rooms and such. But, just with the changes of scenery and [such], when I was playing the alpha build, I felt that oppressive feeling, especially with the way the shadows work. It really seems to lend itself to that feeling. And also, I forgot to mention this, but the sound design is very good so far. I like the subtle nuances as the scenery changes, how the music changes. There's that whole atmospheric thing going on. I'm very excited about it, I like where it's going so far! So, I'm wondering, has the interest in Neverending Nightmares helped spark interest in other works you've done, like Retro/Grade?
M: To some extent. Certainly, people [who] are excited about Neverending Nightmares have checked out Retro/Grade, and we were just in a Humble Weekly Sale, which got a lot of units out there. I think there [definitely] has been some cross-over. But in general, Retro/Grade is almost sort of a lost cause in my mind, because we sunk so much into it and it's really struggled to find a significant audience. So, I'm mostly trying to focus on future stuff, you know, Neverending Nightmares and beyond.
O: Right. Well, just so you know, I liked Retro/Grade.
M: Thank you, I'm glad to hear it.
O: So, for Neverending Nightmares, do you have an approximate time frame for when you think it might be coming out, or is that kind of up in the air right now?
M: Well, we definitely want to get it out before Halloween, since that's a great time to release a horror game.
O: Right. Well, I'm very excited. I definitely want to get my hands on it around Halloween time, because that's when me and my friends like to play all the scary games, and they like to watch me scream. So, I just have one last question, and [it's this]: in the graveyard scene that's in the alpha right now, the boy has a short line of dialogue, and I know that's not final, but is that you, or is that someone else on your team?
M: So that line... I think it's Eduardo, our sound designer. I think that's why he has a [kind of] Puerto Rican accent.
O: Ooooh.
M: But, for the new build there's a bunch of dialogue, and we don't have [assistants] for all the voice acting, but I recorded all of the lines for Thomas. So, it's temp, but you'll definitely get to hear my line readings in the next build... which I wish I could have gotten out before this interview, because there's so much cool stuff in it. But it's coming soon, we're working on it right now!
O: Well, this is just building the hype, then, for everyone who has access to the alpha!
M: Yes, this next build is going to be really great! At least for me, the next build feels like a game, whereas it sort of feels like a demo right now, [because] there's a lot of functionality missing, [like] menus and save games and stuff. It's sort of an evolution of the Kickstarter demo, but this new one has a lot of the game features, and it obviously doesn't have all the levels yet, [but] at least to me it feels like a more cohesive package, if that makes any sense.
O: So, it's starting to come together?
M: Yeah, which definitely feels good, just because sometimes you don't really know how these things will come together, or when they'll come together, but it's coming together and I really feel like we know what we're doing. It's just a question now of finishing all the content.
O: Well, I am very excited, especially for the next build [now], I can't wait for it to come out! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me today, Matt! Good luck with the game. I really can't wait to play it!
M: Awesome! Well, thank you for doing the interview, I appreciate it.
O: Well, you know... anything to get more attention for the game!
M: Cool, thanks!
------------------------------------------------------
I would just like to say thank you (for the zillionth time) to Matt for giving me the opportunity to do this interview. I had a great time, even if I was incredibly nervous, and I sincerely look forward to the official release of "Neverending Nightmares!"
~ Oliv ~
Unfortunately, as I lost my position at B-TEN.com, I had no legitimate news source to hand this interview in to. Therefore, I have decided to post the interview here, as it would be a shame to let it go to waste.
So here it is, folks... my exclusive interview with game developer Matt Gilgenbach! Enjoy!
------------------------------------------------------
Olivia: Hello everyone, I am here today with Matt Gilgenbach, creator of the upcoming game Neverending Nightmares. Matt, thank you so much for joining me.
Matt: It's my pleasure.
O: First, can you tell us a bit about the events that happened during your Kickstarter campaign?
M: Well, there were a lot of interesting things that went on during the Kickstarter campaign. We had some difficulties with the [Free the Games Fund] and then some controversies at the very end. Are you asking about anything specific or do you want to hear the whole thing?
O: Well, when I came in to the campaign, I kind of caught the tail-end of it, and I remember there was a lot of drama and panic going on right at the end. Do you think you could talk a bit about that?
M: Sure. So, what happened was, someone from Brazil was interested in upping his pledge, and he typed "$92,00" because in some places they use a comma instead of a period to denote dollars versus cents.
O: Right.
M: And so, unfortunately Kickstarter's website didn't do any validation, so what he thought was $92.00 (which given the currency in Brazil, that's a lot of money) ended up being $9,200.00.
O: Oh no!
M: Which was a ridiculous amount of money. So, he was very upset, and my sister called me and was reading the comments, and was like, "You have to take care of this." And so, I didn't realize this, but Kickstarter has [a system] where, in the last 24 hours of a project, you can't un-fund it by backing down your pledge. So, this person was stuck with a very large pledge because he pushed us over the final hump. But fortunately, another backer was very gracious and able to up his pledge to basically allow the guy in Brazil to lower his pledge. And then the guy who helped the project out was able to back his pledge down to what he was comfortable giving. So, it worked out, and we even got some extra money on the final day, but it was definitely a stressful time.
O: Well that's good, it's good that he didn't have to go through with [pledging] all that money. So, since the end of the campaign, you've definitely been very busy. You have a forum that you've been managing, plus a YouTube channel with over 100 developer diaries. So, you've been very much in the public eye throughout production so far, but I'm wondering, who else has been working on the game with you?
M: We have a very dedicated team, besides just me. We have two artists in Michigan, Joe and Adam Grabowski. And so, Joe is our lead artist, and he also does animation and helps out with level design. Adam Grabowski does the environment art. Daniel Sass is doing programming, and he actually works out of Taiwan. And we have a part-time sound designer, Eduardo Ortiz Frau, a part-time musician, Skyler McGlothlin, and then another part-time artist, Chris Ewald, who does a lot of the characters.
O: Oh, that's really cool! So, you do a lot of communicating online, then, to coordinate everything?
M: Yeah, so basically we do everything through email, instant messenger, or our internal bug database, which we use for task management.
O: Oh, okay, that's really cool. With the [state of] the current alpha build, I guess I just imagined a bunch of guys in a room together, because it's looking really good and it's very cohesive. So, I'm really impressed that you're able to organize something like that from great distances.
M: Yeah, it's definitely been a challenge, but fortunately I've been working with the people on the team for a long time. So, we all know how to work with each other. My preference would be to be working out of an office with people right there. I find that's easier. But, given that we're trying to do this on the smallest budget possible, that doesn't really make sense. So, we're making it work.
O: Right. So, with the current alpha build, I've noticed that you've definitely added a lot of new content. I particularly like the cemetery and the portraits that you've added. Now, are the portraits and the names that are on the graves some of the backers?
M: Yeah, so we had rewards for getting your portrait in the game and also getting your name on a tombstone as part of our Kickstarter rewards, and so we've started putting those in.
O: And also, in the cemetery scene on the big gravestone, it's revealed that the female character's name is Gabrielle Smith. Is this the name of a backer, or did somebody come up with this?
M: Well actually, that's a funny story. Basically, with the story I was talking about [before], the guy from Brazil who accidentally got us funded with the comma mistake, his name is Gabriel. Which, I think they pronounce as "Gabrielle" in Brazil (though, I'm not up on my Portuguese). And then, the other guy who upped his pledged to [about] $4,000 to cover the difference, his name is Thomas. And so, someone on the forum suggested that we should name the characters Thomas and Gabrielle, and so I actually incorporated that feedback, so [those are] the characters' names.
O: So then there's a story behind the names! When I was playing the alpha, my favorite gravestones that I saw were one that said "Johann Sebastian Gilgenbach" and another one that said "Matt Gilgenbot." And I noticed there was another Gilgenbach in there. Was that your wife?
M: No. Johann Sebastian Gilgenbach was what my dad picked, because he thought it was funny. Karen Gilgenbach is my sister.
O: Oh, okay.
M: And, Matt Gilgenbot was a joke name that someone gave... which I was hoping no one would notice. One would think that, if you're pledging the big dollars to get a name on your gravestone, you wouldn't put a joke name, but you'd be surprised what people want for their names on the tombstones, so I have to figure out if I can just hide it so people don't notice. I guess it's not quite as bad if you don't know my name, but I'm just worried that people [are going to think], "Oh man, this guy is so full of himself for putting his name everywhere in the game!" Which is totally not my intention at all! That's part of the problem with community involvement. You have to make sure that you and your community want the same thing for the game, so I might hide some of the joke names. Or, beg and plead the backers [for] something a little less silly.
O: Well, I personally like the Gilgenbot tombstone, but just because it made me laugh. So then, the whole Gilgenbot thing was just something the community came up with?
M: The story behind Gilgenbot is that I had mentioned that I worked on the video game "The Incredibles 2: Rise of the Underminer," and the Underminer's evil robot is called "The Gilgenbot" because someone else on that development team thought it was a funny and cool name for a robot. So, the Gilgenbot is actually a thing in a game that no one played. And so, I guess someone paid attention when I mentioned that, and then decided that that would be the gravestone they wanted.
O: See, I didn't know that. That's another good story that you [have] that can be a part of your game! Anyways, like I said before, even though it's still in alpha, the game looks really wonderful. I personally love the art design, because it has that Edward Gorey style, and Edward Gorey is probably my favorite artist. What inspired you to make the game with this particular visual style?
M: Well, we definitely wanted to create a game with a unique art style that would stand out. There's a lot of great indie games and a lot of competition for [mind share] or attention. So, we wanted to make a game that looked like no other, one where we could show a screenshot and people would go, "Oh, that's Neverending Nightmares!" and there'd be no confusion. Or, we'd have our own unique "taste." And Edward Gorey has been a favorite artist of mine and an influence on my life. I remember watching "Mystery!" on PBS with my parents and he did this amazing animated intro, and then we had this very morbid, but very gorgeous, pop-up book, "The Dwindling Party." And so, when I was looking at unique art styles, and things that would fit the tone of the game, Edward Gorey came to mind, and I think it was a really great fit.
O: One of the things I really love about the art in the game currently is the moving shadows, and I really like the use of color with interactive objects, or when the scenes are supposed to pop out. Is it hard to make the darkness seem tangible like that, but also retain this two-dimensional illusion at the same time?
M: Yes! The short answer is yes. I did a lot of experimentation with shader and graphics programming, because I have a very strong technical background. So, I did a lot of experimentation, I had a lot of [different] modes and a lot of [different] ways for the darkness to behave, and so it was very tough getting something that felt right. So, one of the interesting things we did is basically a screen space effect, so it's an overlay over the screen. But then, when you walked the character, or [rather] the camera moved, the effect would move. The shading would essentially stay the same per point on the camera, so I actually added something where if the camera moves, the shading stays in the same position relative to the camera. And so then, as the camera moves, the camera is panning across something that is already shaded. But then, of course, the shading in and of itself is animated. Even the lights are [sort of] animated, so they create pulsing and shading patterns. It's very complicated!
O: It sounds like it. It looks really good, though. Going off of the whole graphical aspect, I like the changes in the atmosphere and scenery as the main character continues to wake up that you currently have in the alpha build, and I'm just wondering if the player is just going to be limited to waking up in the house, or are there going to be other settings as well?
M: There's definitely other settings. There's not going to be a huge number of locations, but yes... I'm really excited about the build that we're working on right now that should hopefully go up next week (but it's possible it might be the week after), where we introduce another big location in the game. But I don't want to say what it is.
O: Okay, well then, I will not press you further about that. The newest build has introduced a system of hiding from monsters in wardrobes. Will you be adding other systems, like combat or puzzles?
M: Again, this is more interesting stuff in the latest build that's going to go out soon, but we have another enemy type, and I don't want to spoil anything...
O: Okay.
M: But, there won't be any combat. It's not a game about fighting, it's a game about avoiding enemies. But there's another enemy, you'll have to avoid him in different ways, and a lot of his set-ups are more puzzle-oriented, so you have to figure out how to get past this enemy. So, we're definitely trying to keep things interesting with a variety of enemies and set-ups. But, there won't be combat.
O: Okay. So, at the moment, with the current build, it's kind of hard to determine what the story for the game is going to be like. Can you reveal anything about the plot, or is that an under wraps kind of thing?
M: Basically, I don't want to reveal anything specific about the plot, but I think that's something that will sort of take shape as we finish more of the cut scenes and the elements that go towards revealing the story. But, I think even once we have all the story elements in there, it's going to be sort of confusing. I sort of imagine it [to be] like playing a David Lynch movie, where people say things and everything feels weird and dream-like. We're really trying to keep that weird and dream-like feeling, where people say things, but it doesn't really seem like what they mean, and everyone just acts sort of weird. So, it's definitely going to be a sort of a disorienting and strange nightmare story, as you go through the different nightmare levels.
O: So, kind of like "Eraserhead: The Game?"
M: Yes!
O: So, you've said that Neverending Nightmares is in part inspired by your own experiences with mental illness. Do you think you could talk a little bit about that?
M: Sure. So, it's not inspired directly, like the main character isn't supposed to be me. You know, my life usually consists of sitting in front of a computer all day, which would make a very boring video game.
O: Yeah.
M: What I'm trying to do instead is to recreate the feelings, the experience, of dealing with OCD and depression, because having mental illness colors your perception of the world, and so things seem bad and threatening and wrong, even when they're completely harmless. And that's just the way your mind perceives things. So, we're trying to create an environment where everything feels oppressive and threatening and weird and bad, through the art style and what happens in the game, even though those don't directly correlate to things that [have] happened in my battles with mental illness. But, there are some elements which I am pulling almost directly from my experience. One of the things with OCD that I struggle with is called "intrusive thoughts," and so with intrusive thoughts, your mind comes up with these ways to make you unhappy. It comes up with these thoughts that you really don't want to think about, really terrible things. And one of the things that I've struggled with is violent images of self-injury. And so, I don't know if you saw the trailer, which is on the Kickstarter video on our website, but in [it] there are these horrible scenes of arm mutilation that are just gross and totally bizarre. But those things are actually pulled from my own experience. Those are essentially recreations of intrusive thoughts that I've dealt with over the years. So, they're very accurate to what I've experienced, and these weird ways my mind tries to torment me.
O: Right. I kind of forgot about the arm thing from the trailer, and I just pictured it in my head... Ewww!
M: It's actually not in the game yet. It's definitely going to be in the game, but it hasn't made it [in] yet. I haven't quite figured out where I want it...
O: Well, I'm interested to see where that goes. Currently, with the build that there is, I know that it's pretty early alpha, so there's a lot of empty rooms and such. But, just with the changes of scenery and [such], when I was playing the alpha build, I felt that oppressive feeling, especially with the way the shadows work. It really seems to lend itself to that feeling. And also, I forgot to mention this, but the sound design is very good so far. I like the subtle nuances as the scenery changes, how the music changes. There's that whole atmospheric thing going on. I'm very excited about it, I like where it's going so far! So, I'm wondering, has the interest in Neverending Nightmares helped spark interest in other works you've done, like Retro/Grade?
M: To some extent. Certainly, people [who] are excited about Neverending Nightmares have checked out Retro/Grade, and we were just in a Humble Weekly Sale, which got a lot of units out there. I think there [definitely] has been some cross-over. But in general, Retro/Grade is almost sort of a lost cause in my mind, because we sunk so much into it and it's really struggled to find a significant audience. So, I'm mostly trying to focus on future stuff, you know, Neverending Nightmares and beyond.
O: Right. Well, just so you know, I liked Retro/Grade.
M: Thank you, I'm glad to hear it.
O: So, for Neverending Nightmares, do you have an approximate time frame for when you think it might be coming out, or is that kind of up in the air right now?
M: Well, we definitely want to get it out before Halloween, since that's a great time to release a horror game.
O: Right. Well, I'm very excited. I definitely want to get my hands on it around Halloween time, because that's when me and my friends like to play all the scary games, and they like to watch me scream. So, I just have one last question, and [it's this]: in the graveyard scene that's in the alpha right now, the boy has a short line of dialogue, and I know that's not final, but is that you, or is that someone else on your team?
M: So that line... I think it's Eduardo, our sound designer. I think that's why he has a [kind of] Puerto Rican accent.
O: Ooooh.
M: But, for the new build there's a bunch of dialogue, and we don't have [assistants] for all the voice acting, but I recorded all of the lines for Thomas. So, it's temp, but you'll definitely get to hear my line readings in the next build... which I wish I could have gotten out before this interview, because there's so much cool stuff in it. But it's coming soon, we're working on it right now!
O: Well, this is just building the hype, then, for everyone who has access to the alpha!
M: Yes, this next build is going to be really great! At least for me, the next build feels like a game, whereas it sort of feels like a demo right now, [because] there's a lot of functionality missing, [like] menus and save games and stuff. It's sort of an evolution of the Kickstarter demo, but this new one has a lot of the game features, and it obviously doesn't have all the levels yet, [but] at least to me it feels like a more cohesive package, if that makes any sense.
O: So, it's starting to come together?
M: Yeah, which definitely feels good, just because sometimes you don't really know how these things will come together, or when they'll come together, but it's coming together and I really feel like we know what we're doing. It's just a question now of finishing all the content.
O: Well, I am very excited, especially for the next build [now], I can't wait for it to come out! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me today, Matt! Good luck with the game. I really can't wait to play it!
M: Awesome! Well, thank you for doing the interview, I appreciate it.
O: Well, you know... anything to get more attention for the game!
M: Cool, thanks!
------------------------------------------------------
I would just like to say thank you (for the zillionth time) to Matt for giving me the opportunity to do this interview. I had a great time, even if I was incredibly nervous, and I sincerely look forward to the official release of "Neverending Nightmares!"
~ Oliv ~
3/25/2014
Olivia On B-TEN.com!
Hey guys, Oliv here!
I know there has been a significant lull in content on the blog lately, and I sincerely apologize for this. Being a college student makes it difficult to set aside time for video projects, and I feel bad that I haven't been able to provide regular content.
However, all that is about to change! I have just joined B-TEN.com, a technology and entertainment news website, where I will be posting regular written reviews and editorials on movies and video games! I will provide links to B-TEN content here on OJ Films, in addition to regular OJF content.
Don't worry guys... Oliv is coming back strong!
~ Oliv ~
You can read Oliv's first post on B-TEN.com here! Happy reading!
I know there has been a significant lull in content on the blog lately, and I sincerely apologize for this. Being a college student makes it difficult to set aside time for video projects, and I feel bad that I haven't been able to provide regular content.
However, all that is about to change! I have just joined B-TEN.com, a technology and entertainment news website, where I will be posting regular written reviews and editorials on movies and video games! I will provide links to B-TEN content here on OJ Films, in addition to regular OJF content.
Don't worry guys... Oliv is coming back strong!
~ Oliv ~
You can read Oliv's first post on B-TEN.com here! Happy reading!
11/04/2013
Oliv and Friends Conquer THE HOUSE
Oliv and a slew of friends play "The House," the first in a series of horrible flash games by SINTHAIstudio. Enjoy the low-quality non-content! :)
10/31/2013
Oliv and Amaya Play The House Two
Amaya presents Oliv with this random flash game she found on the interwebs... this should be good.
10/17/2013
Recast - Episode Two: Catching Pokemon, Having Final Fantasies, and Some Serious Talk
Oliv, Sapphire, Amaya, and Fate talk about the new Pokemon games, Beyond: Two Souls, and some serious views on the video game industry.
9/26/2013
Recast - Episode One: Broken Like Toast With No Butter
What happens when four nerds get together to talk about nerd stuff? Well, things start to get a bit... nerdy... IT'S TIME FOR RECAST, BITCHES!
Oliv Plays Neverending Nightmares (Demo)
In a valiant effort to help out the indie-horror game scene on Kickstarter, Oliv gives the "Neverending Nightmares" demo a go... Prepare yourself for awkwardness, jump scares, and an eerie atmosphere.
Please consider backing this game on Kickstarter. Here's a teaser to help intrigue you a bit more!
Look, Ma! I'm a Film Student, I Am! (Ravenworks Documentary)
Check out this video I made last semester in my Film Production class at UW-Madison!
If you are in the Madison area, be sure to check out Ravenworks. They have some great authentic costumes for reasonable prices!
~ Oliv ~
York Drinks Coffee
Hey guys, check out the video Jack and I made for the Rising Star Games Deadly Premonition Vine Competition! Everyone loved the video... and I'm happy to say that we won! :)
We received a signed canvas from Swery65 himself as a prize, and I must say, we're both very excited!
Thanks to Rising Star Games and Swery65 for choosing our video and sending us such a great prize! To everyone else - make sure to get "Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut" coming out on Steam this Halloween!
Cheers! :)
~ Oliv ~
7/02/2013
OJ News ~ 7/2/2013 ~ Oliv's DeviantART Page
Hey guys!
Sorry there hasn't been any real activity lately. I really want to start working on some projects with Jack, and with some friends of mine, but of course, stuff such as work and personal lives can get in the way.
For those of you who have stuck around to wait for content - thank you. I really want to get working on some stuff for you! For now, though, I hope maybe this might tide you over:
Click here to check out Oliv's DeviantART page!
I have a tendency to sketch while I'm working, so I do get a chance to post new art from time to time. It's nothing too grand, just a hobby, but maybe you'll enjoy it.
I'll post any updates concerning new videos or reviews as soon as I can. Thanks for your support!
~ Oliv ~
Sorry there hasn't been any real activity lately. I really want to start working on some projects with Jack, and with some friends of mine, but of course, stuff such as work and personal lives can get in the way.
For those of you who have stuck around to wait for content - thank you. I really want to get working on some stuff for you! For now, though, I hope maybe this might tide you over:
Click here to check out Oliv's DeviantART page!
I have a tendency to sketch while I'm working, so I do get a chance to post new art from time to time. It's nothing too grand, just a hobby, but maybe you'll enjoy it.
I'll post any updates concerning new videos or reviews as soon as I can. Thanks for your support!
~ Oliv ~
3/03/2013
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - A Review
So, I just finished Castlevania:
Lords of Shadow... and what is my prevailing impression of the game?
Eh... it was okay.
~ Visuals and Sound ~
The high point of the game is definitely the visuals. Parts
of this game are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Character models are unique and look
great, environments are spectacular and brimming with detail, and the
atmosphere is fantastic. The game world looks and feels big. Actually, to say
this game is “big” is a bit of an understatement. This game is absolutely HUGE.
The stand-out visual parts of the game have to be the first glimpse of the
Vampire Lord’s castle, and the Baba Yaga’s swamp.
However, as great-looking as this game is, I did have a few
minor instances of frame-rate drop when there were a ton of enemies on screen,
and a few times when using finishing moves. And there were a few times when
close-ups of character models made them look a bit bland and over-exposed, but
this very rarely occurred.
My only other complaint about this game’s aesthetics is the
music. The music isn’t bad, and it DOES do a great job of adding to the game’s
great atmosphere, but it doesn’t sound like a Castlevania game to me. Maybe I’m nitpicking too much, but this
game didn’t leave any lasting impressions on me music-wise. Classic Castlevania games had me humming for
days… so, why doesn’t this game have a great, memorable soundtrack? It’s just
kind of… bland.
~ Gameplay ~
The gameplay is the second best part, though it is pretty
much just a God of War clone, with a
few simple puzzles and Shadow of the
Colossus bits thrown in. As a God of
War clone, it comes out feeling pretty solid. If you love the gameplay and
puzzles of God of War, this game
should be a ton of fun for you. Gabriel Belmont is more or less a duplicate of
Kratos, with an almost identical fighting style, platforming abilities, and
even powers. Hell, even the button-mapping on the controller is nearly
identical to God of War!
I do have a few qualms about the gameplay, though. First,
you never really have to change your fighting strategy the entire game. For
almost every boss, the pattern is the same (slash slash slash, dodge, slash
slash slash, jump, slash slash slash, dodge...). Even when you have certain
secondary weapons on your person, you will probably barely use them, as this
pattern works with most common enemies as well (except for the Holy Water, which
you’ll probably be using the most once you obtain it). Secondly, you will almost never use the
high-level combos, since some of them require a bunch of complex button
mashing, or require you to use valuable magic reserves. This game does a good job of illustrating the
idea of “dominant strategy" in game theory; if you are given a strategy
that always works well, you will only ever use that strategy. Therefore,
powerful moves you obtain late in the game pretty much become obsolete. Lastly,
some of the camera perspectives make platforming more difficult than it needs
to be. It would have been better to have control of the camera at times for
platforming purposes. Hell, there were even times when I somehow got stuck
INSIDE of platforms. Because of these reasons, platforming was actually the
most frustrating part of the overall gameplay for me.
This game does NOT play like a typical Castlevania game. It plays like God
of War. This doesn’t make the game BAD, but I can’t guarantee that it is
going to please hardcore Castlevania
fans. This game is more appealing to those who enjoy games like God of War. If you’re looking for
something akin to classic Castlevania
or Symphony of the Night, this is NOT
the game you’re looking for.
~ The Story ~
The low point of the game is definitely its story. Whoever
wrote the script for this game needs a good flick on the nose. Granted, the
PREMISE is fine, if a bit predictable. But this game completely ignores one of
the biggest rules in writing a good story: SHOW, don't TELL.
All of the story in this game is told through exposition.
All character development happens through narration, and we NEVER see it on
screen, so the main character pretty much seems to remain flat and unchanging
the entire game. The bad guys spout expository oratories that can go on and on
for minutes at a time. No, no, NO! That is NOT how you tell a good story! It
isn't believable! Why would a villain stand there and tell the hero a bunch of
stuff the hero already knows? Or, why would the villain stand there and tell
the hero his entire master plan instead of just outright killing the poor
bastard and getting it over with? We all know how it's going to end; the hero's
just going to get up and kick your ass! This is so clichéd, it’s almost
laughable. One of the bad guys even says something along the lines of, “You are
evil! Search your feelings; you know it to be true!” Seriously, game?
Seriously?
And listen game, I know you had Patrick Stewart on board,
and he has an awesome voice, but don't make him speak about 80% of the dialogue
WHEN HE'S NOT THE MAIN CHARACTER! How many lines does Gabriel get? Like, maybe
20 lines total? I can't connect with a main character who is unable to express
himself! You can't build a connection between the player and Gabriel by making
Patrick Stewart narrate something like, "Gabriel was very sad," when
we never SEE Gabriel feeling sad! Gabriel's face looks the same almost the entire
game! We don't SEE him suffering the consequences of his actions, we don't SEE
any internal struggle, we don't SEE any goddamn emotions on his face, so why
should I, as a player, feel sympathetic for Gabriel when Patrick Stewart comes
on and says something like, "Gabriel felt a bitter sorrow growing within
himself." Even Kratos in God of War
showed emotions! He was sympathetic because the game SHOWED us his struggles
and the consequences of his actions, and how it affected him, it didn't just
TELL us about it in a loading screen.
So, basically, Kratos is a more three-dimensional character
than Gabriel Belmont. In fact, I'm inclined to believe that Simon Belmont in
the original Castlevania is a more
three-dimensional character than Gabriel...
But, even in light of the awful character development and
glaringly clichéd villains, we haven’t even gotten to the worst part! The game’s
biggest storytelling no-no of all: several of the game’s most important
plot-points are thrown in at the very end, without having been built-up, or
really even hinted at, the entire game. The final boss literally comes out of
NOWHERE, spouting some expository trite to explain why he’s there. The ending
feels incredibly anti-climactic, because Gabriel never even fights the villain
that has been built-up the entire game. Instead, we get to fight this other guy
who just kind of wanders in at the last second. Maybe it seems like I’m being
harsh on this final boss. But when I started up the last level of the game,
entitled “The Final Fight” no less, and discovered this new boss who was
supposedly more powerful than any other foe I’d fought the entire game, I
actually got a bit excited… and then I was let down when he turned out to be one
of the easiest boss fights in the game. So all-around, the end boss ended up
being incredibly lame...
I only have two other minor complaints about the game’s
plot. First, I couldn’t stand the forced pop-culture references. Why would you
try to force a “the cake is a lie” reference in your game if it doesn’t make
any sense? All it succeeded in doing was making me groan aloud. Way to break
the good atmosphere you had going… And second, I found it a bit lazy that
character names from previous Castlevania
games were tacked on to new, secondary characters. Why not come up with new
names? I guess that would take up too much time and imagination. Come to think
of it… “Brotherhood of Light…” battle between light and darkness, Heaven and
Hell… yeeeaaah, there may have been more lazy writing going on here than I
first thought…
~ The Final Verdict ~
So, overall, is this a BAD game? …well, no. From a plot
standpoint, it’s lazy, clichéd, predictable, and the story is basically told in
bursts of exposition and narration. And there is basically no connection
between the end of the story and the epilogue; we just end up getting sequel
fodder after the credits roll. However, the gameplay is good, the design is
fantastic, and the game’s overall atmosphere is great. The best chapters in the
game are definitely five through eight, which focus on the Vampire Lord, the
lands surrounding the Lord’s demesne, and the Lord’s sprawling castle. This
part of the game comes the closest to feeling like a true Castlevania experience, and I really had the most fun with this
particular part of the game. Seeing the Vampire Lord’s castle looming in the
distance… it honestly got me really excited.
Is this a game I can recommend to others? Of course it is!
However, I would recommend that you either get it at a fairly cheap price, or
just give it a weekend rental. I wouldn’t recommend it to classic Castlevania fans, as this reboot is very
different from its predecessors. Hardcore fans might enjoy this reboot to the
franchise, however, if they keep in mind that this game is a lot more like God of War than it is like Castlevania.
Will I play the sequel when it comes out? Do I think this
reboot series will go in a good direction? If this game is used as merely a
springboard for the plot of future Castlevania:
Lords of Shadow titles, I can see this series being at least interesting. I
think I might rent the sequel when it comes out, as I am interested in where
the plot will go, now that we have Gabriel Belmont’s backstory out of the way.
However, the storytelling of future games in this series MUST improve. The way
this game’s story was told was unforgivably sloppy. If future entries in the
series continue to push the idea of telling over showing, I will probably lose
interest very quickly. We have a good foundation set here. Please, don’t let
the sequel’s plot fall into the same traps.
So, what’s my final verdict on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow? To me, I think the game sits at a
solid 6 out of 10. This game is a little above average, and I think you should
give it a try if you have time to burn. Is it the epic I thought it was going
to be? No, but I’m still glad I gave it a try. Let’s hope the sequel comes out
even better.
Final Score: 6 out of 10
~ Oliv ~
2/06/2013
Oliv's Game Grumps Animated Videos
Jon and Arin don't know how to finish a video...
Oliv tries to traditionally animate some Rule 34... yikes...
Oliv and Amaya Play Slender
Watch in horror as Oliv and Amaya... get scared over nothing... TREMBLE IN FEAR!
OJ News ~ 2/6/2013 ~ So, Where Have We Been?
Hey guys, it's Oliv! I just wanted to let you guys know what's been going on recently, and why there haven't been any videos for a while.
A big part of the reason why there hasn't been any new content in a long time is because of the fact that I'm no longer at home. In September, I moved into this fantastic little dorm room with one of my high school friends, and am currently attending college in the hopes of earning a degree in Communication Arts within the next two years (hopefully). Since I'm not at home, the bulk of programming and equipment that Jack and I were using (for instance, a video camera and proper video editing software) are at the dorm with me, which is why Jack has been unable to post content as well.
The second reason there hasn't been any new content is because I felt that the content that was originally being posted was less than adequate. This is entirely on me; I was never exactly sure what I was doing, and so the content reflected this unsure and basically unfinished feeling. I'm a little embarrassed by some of the content that I've posted, to tell you the truth, which is part of the reason I've left series such as "Scratches" and "Phantasmagoria" unfinished.
The other reason I haven't finished the aforementioned series is this - although I love adventure games, and especially had a great time playing "Phantasmagoria" on my initial play-through, I started to feel a bit bored with the games. In "Scratches" case, I just found the main character so infuriatingly idiotic, and felt that the game and its puzzles were unhelpful and directionless, which made it a grueling experience. The game became more of a chore than an enjoyment, and although I know a few people really did want me to finish it, I don't know if I will. Maybe sometime in the future, but at this moment the thought of revisiting Michael and that house fills me with a feeling of disgust. Ugh...
However, not all has been completely dead on our end in the past few months. I made a few short videos that, for the most part, were completely unrelated to the blog, which I'll be posting for everyone to enjoy. And at the moment, I happen to be taking a media production course, so if all goes well, in a few months I should have one or two more professional-looking projects uploaded for everyone to enjoy.
In the meantime, I may make a short video or animation here or there, or perhaps I'll start posting written film and video game reviews, just so there is some content being published on this blog.
Thanks for sticking with us, and we'll try to add new content as soon as we're able!
~ Oliv ~
A big part of the reason why there hasn't been any new content in a long time is because of the fact that I'm no longer at home. In September, I moved into this fantastic little dorm room with one of my high school friends, and am currently attending college in the hopes of earning a degree in Communication Arts within the next two years (hopefully). Since I'm not at home, the bulk of programming and equipment that Jack and I were using (for instance, a video camera and proper video editing software) are at the dorm with me, which is why Jack has been unable to post content as well.
The second reason there hasn't been any new content is because I felt that the content that was originally being posted was less than adequate. This is entirely on me; I was never exactly sure what I was doing, and so the content reflected this unsure and basically unfinished feeling. I'm a little embarrassed by some of the content that I've posted, to tell you the truth, which is part of the reason I've left series such as "Scratches" and "Phantasmagoria" unfinished.
The other reason I haven't finished the aforementioned series is this - although I love adventure games, and especially had a great time playing "Phantasmagoria" on my initial play-through, I started to feel a bit bored with the games. In "Scratches" case, I just found the main character so infuriatingly idiotic, and felt that the game and its puzzles were unhelpful and directionless, which made it a grueling experience. The game became more of a chore than an enjoyment, and although I know a few people really did want me to finish it, I don't know if I will. Maybe sometime in the future, but at this moment the thought of revisiting Michael and that house fills me with a feeling of disgust. Ugh...
However, not all has been completely dead on our end in the past few months. I made a few short videos that, for the most part, were completely unrelated to the blog, which I'll be posting for everyone to enjoy. And at the moment, I happen to be taking a media production course, so if all goes well, in a few months I should have one or two more professional-looking projects uploaded for everyone to enjoy.
In the meantime, I may make a short video or animation here or there, or perhaps I'll start posting written film and video game reviews, just so there is some content being published on this blog.
Thanks for sticking with us, and we'll try to add new content as soon as we're able!
~ Oliv ~
5/08/2012
5/06/2012
Oliv's (Creepy) Artwork
Well, I've started to post a few pictures to Deviant Art. Here's what I've posted so far. If you like what you see, follow my Deviant Art account. I'm sure I'll be posting more of my artwork in the near future.
If you'd like to visit my Deviant Art page, you can find it here: http://darkvamp001.deviantart.com/
Thank you! :D
~ Oliv ~
The Gentlemen Drink Tea by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
I Must Scream by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Brothers by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Curl-a-Jig by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Gravekeeper by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Zed by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Face by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
If you'd like to visit my Deviant Art page, you can find it here: http://darkvamp001.deviantart.com/
Thank you! :D
~ Oliv ~
The Gentlemen Drink Tea by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
I Must Scream by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Brothers by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Curl-a-Jig by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Gravekeeper by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Zed by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
The Face by ~darkvamp001 on deviantART
5/01/2012
OJ News ~ 5/1/12
So, everyone's been asking me the same question: WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN!?
It being close to the end of the semester for myself and the end of the school year for Jack, we've both been rather busy. Rest assured, new videos will be posted sometime in the near-future. Until then, we'll be on a bit of a break.
To tide you over (hopefully), I've started posting art to my Deviant Art account. I posted a few things today, and may post more over the course of the next few days/weeks. I hope you guys will find my artwork... interesting.
~ Oliv ~
It being close to the end of the semester for myself and the end of the school year for Jack, we've both been rather busy. Rest assured, new videos will be posted sometime in the near-future. Until then, we'll be on a bit of a break.
To tide you over (hopefully), I've started posting art to my Deviant Art account. I posted a few things today, and may post more over the course of the next few days/weeks. I hope you guys will find my artwork... interesting.
~ Oliv ~
4/28/2012
Oliv Plays Scratches - Part Twenty: Dumb Puzzles
Michael doesn't know how to do things the easy way...
4/10/2012
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