Metro 2033 is based on a cult novel by Dmitry Glukhovsky. Games based on literature aren't attempted often, with only a few high profile examples like The Witcher and Dante's Inferno coming to mind. While chatting with THQ creative manager David Langeliers, we asked about the challenges faced when creating a videogame from pen-and-ink origins.
"I like to think that we stayed pretty true to the novel," he explained. "There are some slight differences in the story, but most of the characters, locations and events in the game are also present in the novel. It is difficult when basing a game on a novel, and you run into many of the same issues that you would basing a game on a movie or a comic book. While we want fans of the novel to feel this is an accurate representation of it, we also need to be sure the player has enough combat to make the game interesting and engaging and we don’t want to bore them with lengthy dialog or cut scenes.
"Luckily, when working from a novel, there is quite a bit of material and back story to work with. Much of the difficulty comes in picking the pieces of the novel that are absolutely necessary for the story, but still working in some of the back story into little nooks and crannies within the environments and optional dialog for those who want to search it out. We also worked closely with Dmitry Glukhovsky to ensure that he was pleased with how we were interpreting and presenting his original work."
Dante's Inferno earned much criticism with the way it handled the original literary work. It makes one wonder how much artistic license should be given to developers who are, after all, just trying to make a fun game. We asked David whether he feels a game can go too far, and how much respect should be awarded to the source material. Hit the jump for more.
"I definitely agree that a concept derived from a book can be taken too far, but it also depends if your audience is even interested in the novel to begin with," David suggests. "Does your average player really care that Dante’s Inferno doesn’t follow the source material accurately? I think it’s a little different when dealing with Metro 2033.
"With a modern novel, there are going to be some fans who want to see it accurately represented. Developers certainly need some artistic license when adapting a book or movie to a game, or it would turn out to be a bore for the player. Would you enjoy a game with 20 hours of fiction delivery and 30 minutes of intense battle? How many baddies did Wolverine kill in the X-Men Origins movie? How about the game? Fans still want to see recognizable events, characters and places but you also need to ensure that you aren’t putting gameplay in the back seat. We do work in the Games business after all, even if they are derived from another medium."
With that in mind, should gamers read Metro 2033 before they play it?: I would say that they should read it before or after they have played the game. Haha! Both are great, and if you enjoyed one then the other should be right down your alley. You certainly don’t need advanced knowledge of the novel to fully enjoy the game or vice versa."
We'll have more Metro 2033 coverage tomorrow. It's a veritable Metro explosion, all up in your astonished face.
Contest:
3:40 PM on 01.26.2010
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Yeah. Not Lord of the Rings. That has never been done. Nor the Runelords. Nor Discworld. Nor Dune. Nor Star Trek. Nor Parasite Eve.
Duh. Does this guy even get paid to be so completely stupid? Or has he only read 2 books in his whole life (Run Spot Run and Dick and Jane.)
Don't like a guy? Don't read his articles.
And it not like your list was super long proving his point wrong.
Personally haven't read the novel this game is based off, but will pick it up when the time comes.
Yeah and half of the ones you mentioned are media whored anway - I mean Star Wars and Star Trek hardly count.
I believe Jim meant original books are rarely translated to the videogames - and he isn't wrong.
Like Leon Field says, if you don't like Jim, don't bother with his articles. It's hardly rocket science.
Although, I do find it interesting that he would bring up Dante's Inferno and even X-Men, of all things, instead of talking about STALKER. Unless, maybe, that guy never played it and that's all he could think of for the interview. Eh...
a) Star Trek has been diluted through so many different media that you can hardly call any games, based off books.
b) You probably wouldn't be wrong if you argued that the LotR games are inspired WAY more by the movies than by the books.
c) You providing a list of debatably literature-based games doesn't prove him wrong: the vast, VAST majority of games are not based on novels, and your feeble suggestions otherwise really only support his point. The examples of literature-based gaming are few and far between, and when they do exist, they're really not top-tier titles.
In short, you're wrong, go home.
Gripe. I mean grape.
Or Night Watch, Day Watch - nearly decent games based on russian book & movie
Amd Shadow of a Comet, Alone in the Dark, when it comes to Lovecraft
And lots of japanese games, based on the pocket books we don't know
As a citizen of Poland, I'm kinda flattered when I hear The Witcher is high profie, cuz we generally don't believe that our literature is known by the people from other countries, I guess
Well, national disorder
@Marek Grzywacz - the "high profile" part was probably written in relation to the game, not the books ;-)
Gonna have to disagree with you on that. At least in regards to "high profile" games. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's no pre-established sources for Halo, Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Battlefield, Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Fallout Resident Evil, any Mario Bros. game, Gears of War, Final Fantasy, etc. etc. etc. At least for me, whenever I think of "high profile" games, almost none of them have literary sources. That's not to say that they don't exist, but rather that they don't exist on the same plane as Metro 2033 in terms of development scale or popularity.
I seldom flat out tell people they are wrong but I feel your (plural) lack of insight and frankly rude behaviour (particularly that Thors guy) to be impossible for a lengthly rebuttal.
So rude!
That said, cheap Gucci handbags? HOW MANY VIDJAGAYMZ ARE BASED ON THOSE!?
And have people realy run out of ideas so much that they're using books? Geez.
And have people realy run out of ideas so much that they're using books? Geez.
Tom Clancy books. Conan. Sherlock Holmes. Nancy Drew. Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe. Golden Compass. Dune. Blade Runner. Robert Ludlum's books. Cat in the Hat. Ender's Game. Neuromancer. Parasite Eve. Wheel of Time. Three Muskateers. Tom Sawyer. Hunt for Red October. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Death Gate (Cycle Weis and Hickman). Dragon Riders of Pern. The Odyssey. Treasure Island. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Companions of Xanth (Piers Anthony.) Gateway. Fahrenheit 451. Necronomicon. Parasite Eve. Megami Tensei. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
This list does not include games based on Comic Books. I think that is pwnage. Sterling needs to stop his douchebaggery and do a nanosecond's worth of research before putting for such lame uninformed statements as if they are facts.
Oh and Cat in the Hat hardly counts since it was an educational CD game of the story.
To paraphrase yourself, evidently it takes more intellect than you have been using (not to infer that you don't have a great intellect, only that you're arguing a point that no one is disagreeing with) to differentiate between games based on books and movie tie-ins.
Next time don't rely on Wikipedia - funnily enough it's not always accurate.
Since we're using Wikipedia, however, compare Wikipedias list of games based on books (of which many technically weren't) to the sheer volume of games ever released.
That will make my point. Yes there have been a fair few games released that have been based on books but they are in the tiny minority. Compare the proportional amount of films based on books and you will surely agree that our medium hasn't welcomed the novel with open arms - not that it hasn't been the source of a number of excellent games.
Well what we're trying to point out is that out of all the millions and millions of games, most are not based on literature, period. Besides, Metro 2033 is a very captivating and thoroughly good read, so there is no reason NOT to make a game out of it.
@LSTR of SMG: Hitchhiker's Guide was a book, then a game. Years later, it was a movie.
I didn't use Wiki. Did it have some of the same? I know that site blows. Good place to find links though. I get your point and lokhe's that compared to the vast volume of games, yes, a small percentage are based on books.
I know that. Jim Sterling does not, he states: "Games based on literature aren't attempted often, with only a few high profile examples..."
And that is what I was referring to. Tom Clancy's novels and games are hugely successful and high profile. I left out D&D because some see them as niche. And I am looking forward to this game. I just hope they create a great game.
Pulman acknowledges the Northern Lights, BTW.
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