Behind the scenes at “Epic Mickey” – Part Two
Junction Point Studios has done some incredible work with
animating Mickey Mouse for “Epic Mickey”. The screen shots, honestly, don’t
begin to do the game justice. To prove this, Warren Spector showed off some old
cartoon footage of the mouse last week running alongside the game’s Mickey
model mimicking the cartoon. In some instances, it was impossible to tell the
difference.
But there’s something you might be expecting from the cartoons that will never, ever happen in the game. Mickey, who has become a rather chatty rodent over the years, won’t speak a word in the game.
Don’t misunderstand: There’s dialogue, but it appears as text bubbles – not audibly. And that’s a very deliberate move.
“I made the creative decision that characters wouldn’t talk in the Cartoon Wasteland,” says Spector. “It was entirely a creative decision because [he begins speaking in a high-pitched Mickey voice] As soon as I start doing this, I’ve lost most of my potential audience. [resumes natural voice] If I’m trying to re-introduce this character to an audience, there are certain connotations with that voice that I’m going to have a hard time overcoming. ”
While full voice is certainly possible on the Wii hardware, Spector says he has instead decided to use those system resources for other elements of the game.
If Mickey’s high-pitched voice instantly brings back memories for people, the name “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” mainly generates blank stares. He did, after all, star in just 26 short cartoons made in 1927 and 1928 – which most of America have never seen.
Rather than utilizing an artistic license to craft the in-game version of Oswald that fit his needs, Spector says that small collection of cartoons gave him all the information he needed.
“The most interesting thing about Oswald is how little you have to create,” he says. “If you watch the existing cartoons, he’s such a special character. In many ways, he’s a funnier, more cartoon-y, more modern guy than Mickey is.
“If you watch those with a game designer’s eye, the Oswald game designs itself - what that character can and cant do and should and shouldn’t do - so we didn’t have to do much.”
The game not only plans to incorporate characters from Disney’s animation past, but expect to see some forgotten elements from other Disney properties in there as well.
The Cartoon Wasteland is designed specifically to be an alternate version of the theme parks. The castle, seen on the Game Informer cover, is on the other side of the mirror from Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom. The mansion seen in the concept art at the top of Monday’s story should be pretty familiar to fans of the Haunted Mansion (one of Spector’s favorite Disney rides).
It goes deeper. Throughout the game, you’ll collect tickets – for reasons Spector isn’t willing to divulge yet. He did acknowledge, though, that they would be categorized in the old A, B, C, D and E classifications.
Does that mean we’ll see some version of a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage or Mission to Mars? Perhaps even Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride? We’ll have to wait and see.
Up next: Mickey’s evolution – and what if this game flops?
Chris Morris reports on the business and culture of video games and offers analysis of recent events and industry trends.
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I am watching cartoons now also and mickey is my favorite character. I remember Mickey’s high-pitched voice instantly brings back memories. Great job!
Posted by: puzzle games | November 25, 2009 at 03:25 AM
I love the solemnity with which he's treating these characters. Will be interested to see how Epic Mickey turns out.
Posted by: Video Game Schwag | November 05, 2009 at 11:46 AM