Vin Interview:
Game Informer Magazine
Feb 04-Riddick
Game
AN INTERVIEW WITH VIN DIESEL
In just a few short years, Mamma Diesel's boy has
gone from a total unknown to one of the biggest names in Hollywood. His
short film, Multi-Facial, which he wrote, directed and starred in,
caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who added a part for him in
Saving Private Ryan. Since then, he's starred in films like XXX, The
Fast and the Furious, and Boiler Room. He's also a huge video game fan,
and took some time to talk with us about his upcoming title.
You're a
self-professed video game fanatic What do you look for in a game?
Interactive escapism.
What games are you
currently playing?
I am thoroughly enjoying Soul Calibur II and Medal of Honor:
Rising Sun.
How is your video
game company, Tigon Games, involved in Riddick?
As a producer of COR and having worked on the film for 5 years,
I was able to bring insight to the world of Riddick I wanted to make
sure that there was a consistency between the movie and the game. It
was an incredible opportunity to work with Vivendi Universal Games and
a very innovative developer, Starbreeze. I wanted the quality of the
film experience to carry over into the game.
What is the current
status of the first announced Tigon Games release, Perrone?
Some really great stuff, I just can't talk about it. Sorry.
It's said that you
take your voiceover work very seriously. Is there any difference
between doing voiceovers for movies and games? How do you approach your
voice work?
I take my voiceover work very seriously. In the case of Iron
Giant, I would go home and not be able to talk for hours. Voiceover
work for games or animation is easier as an actor because you don't
have to match to pre-existing shot footage, as you do in ADR for film.
The important thing is to breathe life into a character. The challenge
is to convey all the nuances and layers of a complex character through
voice only. Because I have lived and breathed the Riddick character for
so long now, due to the film, preparing for the voiceover work was more
about ensuring Riddick's entire dialogue was perfectly 'on-model'. I
spent several hours with the game's dialogue writers polishing
Riddick's lines and helping to communicate what his motivation,
actions, and reactions would be in the set of circumstances he finds
himself in during this game.
With the release of
the game and the new movie, do you think Riddick will become one of the
classic sci-fi series?
I'm a guy who grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons obsessively
- preferably as a "Half Drow Witch Hunter"- so I'm a fan of the fantasy
world. David Twohy, who understands science fiction better than most
guys I know, and I wanted to create a fantasy-like mythology combining
the best of the sci-fi and fantasy worlds to create a universe, or
multiple universes, that we would want to interact with. Everyone
involved in the game and movie really got into that. We were determined
to give audiences every opportunity to dive deeper and deeper into
these characters and worlds.
Will people who
haven't seen the movie(s) get into the game?
Anyone who plays through this game will have important
information that pertains to the movie, as well as backstory that was
previously unrevealed. However, the game simultaneously works as a
selfcontained product. This game has raised the bar for
first-person shooters and is using technology and a level of graphics
unseen in any console game prior. So ultimately it's going to be a
great game to play, which is really the point of doing a game that can
stand independent of the movie or enhance and add to the moviegoing
experience. The game actually takes place before Pitch Black and
Chronicles of Riddick, in the toughest prison in the universe - Butcher
Bay. Well, toughest prison at that time. It's a story driven
first-person shooter, with a heavy dose of intelligent puzzle solving
and adventuring.
Do you feel like
the game and the new movie are two parts of the same project, or are
they two separate but equal projects?
The game actually started to be developed before we had a script
for Chronicles because everyone felt that Riddick is a perfect
character for a video game. It was also a great opportunity to build
our backstory. As the movie started to come together, we began
enhancing the game and bringing in extra components that would build
the overall storyline and would give players of the game some
additional insight into what is happening in the films. These are
separate projects that are components of a much larger story.
What are your
thoughts about who Riddick is? Why do people like such a bad guy?
Riddick doesn't subscribe to anyone else's rules or religion. He
gets through life his own way, and, sometimes, as you'll see in the
game and the movie, it ain't pretty. He has to do what he has to do.
Will those who play
the game get more out of the new movie than those who don't?
Yes. Those who play the game will get a deeper understanding of
the universe. They'll spend more time with Riddick in exile, they'll
get more details as to the origin of his eyes, and they'll see him come
closer to understanding who he is and why he does the things that he
does.
How do you think
Riddick will compare to some of the other megareleases, like Doom
3 and Halo 2?
I think Riddick will definitely deliver an experience that will appeal
to players of the games you mentioned, but like any project, it should
be judged on its own merits. It will look, feel, sound and play great,
and really, that is all players care about.
Do you think
Riddick will be seen as "that Vin Diesel game"?
No, I don't. Just like a movie, there are many talented artists
who come together and contribute to create the gaming experience. I
think when people play this game they will acknowledge all the talented
people involved. It may be referred to as the incredible Vivendi
Universal game or the showstopping Starbreeze game or the first Tigon
game!
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