indigozeal (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
indigozeal) wrote2011-09-25 11:04 pm
indigozeal) wrote2011-09-25 11:04 pm
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Adapting "Ready Player One"
It seems like the novel Ready Player One, in part a tale about a VR-webwide treasure hunt concocted by a legendary game designer that relies on references to his favorite '70's and '80's gamer culture artifacts, is a blogosphere hit, and the publisher and author have high hopes for the upcoming movie adaptation. To anyone who's read the book, though, it should be apparent that filming the setpieces - the challenges to clear the three gates between the players and the grand prize as well as obtain the keys to unlock them - might prove problematic, and it's doubtful certain material will make it through without significant revision:
Key #1: Play the Dungeons & Dragons module Tomb of Horrors for real. Defeat its lich lord in a joust - meaning, best 2 of 3 in the game Joust (OK, that made me laugh).
I'm sureTSR Wizards of the Coast would love the publicity; the problem comes with depicting Joust on the big screen. The author is very fond of haivng characters play through classic arcade & Atari games, be it normally or "for real," but in the theater, you'd for this segment just be watching two people hunched over a cabinet (even if one of them is an undead fiendlord). You'll instead get one board shown in a couple clips, if you're lucky.
(Note: In researching this, I learned that Williams now mainly manufactures those cheap novelty slot machines with licensed characters. That freaking sucks.)
Gate #1: Play the lead role in WarGames. Meaning you're in a VR sim of the movie, and you have to speak the lead's lines at the right cues; you get "cue card powerups" after a certain number of correct responses you can use to prompt for an action if stumped, bonuses for reciting a line with exactly the right inflection, etc.
Depends on the studio, I guess. Who released WarGames?...MGM; well, that doesn't help. WarGames is in a kinda-classic-but-not-a-household-name limbo where it won't be in the "HA HA no" class of superhits but might still be a bit too costly to go through with licensing. Not a big deal in any case, because, really, you can sub most any classic film in here.
(Note: In researching this, I learned that there's both a cheap DVD sequel to and a reboot planned for WarGames. That freaking sucks.)
Key #2: Play Zork for real; blow a Cap'n Crunch whistle found in the house at the start at the 2600 Hz frequency.
Definitely doable, and one of the better challenge choices, as it features non-typical-videogame scenery. Skip the "playing Zork" section; just have the hero find the whistle straightaway (have the trophies already in the house if you really keep the clue poem and its "once the trophies have been collected" line intact).
Gate #2: Take the human-or-replicant test in Blade Runner.
Ahahahahaha. No, they're never gonna get the rights. The hero doesn't ever take the test, anyway; the gate materializes right when he gets to the room, where he has to play...er, the really obscure side-scroller Black Tiger for real to its very end. Get me rewrite!
Key #3: Play some Rush song on a Rush-themed planet.
Easy peasy. Even if Rush won't agree (inconceivable, as they get their own planet), any band can be subbed in.
Gate #3, opening: Recite some Schoolhouse Rock lyric with two other people, because THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP.
Duh.
Gate #3, stage 1: Get a ridiculously high score on Tempest.
This could be a real Tron-like visual trip if done Tempest 3000-style, but the problem is getting that ridiculously high score, for which no audience will sit still. Perhaps nailing a particular target would be a more realistic goal.
Gate #3, stage 2: Play several shifting roles in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The Pythons don't seem like extortionists regarding copyright, but airing several minutes of The Holy Grail in a feature film is really asking a lot.
Gate #3, final stage: This'll be just fine, provided Atari ponies up for its part.
.
Key #1: Play the Dungeons & Dragons module Tomb of Horrors for real. Defeat its lich lord in a joust - meaning, best 2 of 3 in the game Joust (OK, that made me laugh).
I'm sure
(Note: In researching this, I learned that Williams now mainly manufactures those cheap novelty slot machines with licensed characters. That freaking sucks.)
Gate #1: Play the lead role in WarGames. Meaning you're in a VR sim of the movie, and you have to speak the lead's lines at the right cues; you get "cue card powerups" after a certain number of correct responses you can use to prompt for an action if stumped, bonuses for reciting a line with exactly the right inflection, etc.
Depends on the studio, I guess. Who released WarGames?...MGM; well, that doesn't help. WarGames is in a kinda-classic-but-not-a-household-name limbo where it won't be in the "HA HA no" class of superhits but might still be a bit too costly to go through with licensing. Not a big deal in any case, because, really, you can sub most any classic film in here.
(Note: In researching this, I learned that there's both a cheap DVD sequel to and a reboot planned for WarGames. That freaking sucks.)
Key #2: Play Zork for real; blow a Cap'n Crunch whistle found in the house at the start at the 2600 Hz frequency.
Definitely doable, and one of the better challenge choices, as it features non-typical-videogame scenery. Skip the "playing Zork" section; just have the hero find the whistle straightaway (have the trophies already in the house if you really keep the clue poem and its "once the trophies have been collected" line intact).
Gate #2: Take the human-or-replicant test in Blade Runner.
Ahahahahaha. No, they're never gonna get the rights. The hero doesn't ever take the test, anyway; the gate materializes right when he gets to the room, where he has to play...er, the really obscure side-scroller Black Tiger for real to its very end. Get me rewrite!
Key #3: Play some Rush song on a Rush-themed planet.
Easy peasy. Even if Rush won't agree (inconceivable, as they get their own planet), any band can be subbed in.
Gate #3, opening: Recite some Schoolhouse Rock lyric with two other people, because THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP.
Duh.
Gate #3, stage 1: Get a ridiculously high score on Tempest.
This could be a real Tron-like visual trip if done Tempest 3000-style, but the problem is getting that ridiculously high score, for which no audience will sit still. Perhaps nailing a particular target would be a more realistic goal.
Gate #3, stage 2: Play several shifting roles in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The Pythons don't seem like extortionists regarding copyright, but airing several minutes of The Holy Grail in a feature film is really asking a lot.
Gate #3, final stage: This'll be just fine, provided Atari ponies up for its part.
.