For our wedding anniversary, Kathleen got me an X-Box. I currently have three games I’m working on. The first is Dragon’s Lair 3-D as I have a field day putting Dirk the Daring through his paces. I used to be totally addicted to the arcade game. The X-Box version is equally addictive, and I have to be careful it doesn’t start intefering with my work output.
I also have the “Buffy” game, and the new “Hulk” game, which features such creations of mine as Half-Life and Madman. I’m flattered. I’d be even more flattered if I actually got any money from that. It doesn’t appear to be forthcoming.
PAD
• 
Peter SMASH Royalties Department!
Get Halo!!!!
Much as I hate to hop on the Halo bandwagon, that game is the most fun I’ve ever had. I find the real time-sucker is when you play it on systemlink though, so you’re probably safe there.
In terms of Hulk character royalties, are you seriously owed some money or were you just being snarky? I don’t suppose you at least get some sort of mention in the game credits somewhere.
A neat idea might be to see if you can get a case of Hulk games donated to the CBLDF and then sell them as autographed versions – assuming its something you wouldn’t wince at autographing.
xbox ? oh no! why!? lol
That stinks, you should get some moollah!
side note : microsoft has to re-release an improved xbox in japan, because, well, japanese people know better than buying evil microsoft boxes 😉
Is the buffy game any good? Or is it just a licensed game that was thrown together and published?
I’ve heard hints that I’ll be getting an X-Box for my birthday in a couple of weeks, to go along with the PS2 I recently got. (See…there’s games that are cross-platform that I want to play…but just enough exclusive games that interest me to keep me wanting both platforms.)
I might just have to check out that Hulk game. In the event the birthday X-Box doesn’t come through…anyone know if it’s also available for PS2?
Well PAD:
It’s times like these where “Creator Owned Comics” come in handy. If only Marvel and DC let the writers and artists get a “piece of the action” then companies like Image would never have to be formed.
Thats just my opinion I could be wrong.
Regards:
WSJ3
I saw Madman in the ad for the new Hulk game and was wondering if you got any money for it. It also made me wonder if Madman was going to be in the movie anywhere. Speaking of royalities (not to mention plagerism) does anybody know if Frank Miller got any money for the word for word, action for action rip off of his Electra/Bullyseye fight scene (from Daredevil Vol. 1 #181)that they used in the movie?
That’s weird. PAD and I usually have similar tastes, but X-Box is the only system that doesn’t interest me at all. I have a PS2 and am thinking about Gamecube, but nothing on X-Box interests me.
Oh very well then. Since we’re on the subject, has anyone here ever tried out the home version of SNK’s Neo Geo machine? I myself once found one on which I tried it out a little. If you did too, what do you think of it? It’s a pretty good translation of their arcade format to home version, isn’t it?
I work in a video game store and to answer Nytwyng’s question. YES! It does come on PS2. I’ve been wanting to play it for awhile now but I can’t justify paying the 50 bucks for it just yet.
Now that I know that some of Peter’s charecters are in it though…..
Speaking of royalities (not to mention plagerism) does anybody know if Frank Miller got any money for the word for word, action for action rip off of his Electra/Bullyseye fight scene (from Daredevil Vol. 1 #181)that they used in the movie?
Daredevil the movie was an adaptation of Daredevil the comic. Adaptations are not plagiarism.
No offense PAD. If you’re gonna play, my advice is to keep a bowl of health or low carb food nearby to snack on.
X box and P2 are fun, addictive and murder on the waistline.
Pre-home video games, I was a 38 inch. Post home video games I have a hard time getting down to a 40 inch.
I’m in my forties, I know!
For those people concerned about Frank Miller getting royalties…Frank Miller appeared in the Daredevil movie. He was the dead guy with a pencil in his forehead. Bullseye killed him. There’s irony there somewhere.
Well, maybe they won’t pay you, but as a consolation prize, would you like to attend a free sneak preview of the movie that they’re holding Monday (6/9) at the Loews Lincoln Square in Manhattan, Peter? The market research company I work for has been contracted by Universal to hold a screening there at 7pm tomorrow, and I’ve been given 75 passes. If you’re interested, call me on my cell phone. (I emailed you the number.)
A friend of mine did a voice over for a radio commericial that ran about a year and a half ago. It was recenlty on the air again, with no notification to him.
As soon as he got in touch with the company that originally used his voice over (from a real telephone call), he got paid a residual.
I understand it is more difficult with companies like Marvel and DC, but with television if — AS THE WRITER WHO DOESN’T OWN ANYTHING — you create a character who re-apperaes later on, YOU GET PAID a fee.
The Writer’s Guild of America calls this a “recurring character payment” or “character “spin-off” payment. They may even have some info on “interactive reuse compensation”.
It is legitimate for you or a lawyer to draft a letter asking for some kind of minor compensation — for creating the character, even if you don’t own it.
While the WGA is intended for films and television, it does set a presidence.
However, payments are rather small, all things considered. It may be worth the corresponsence with or without an enetertainment lawyer, but not worth the cost of a law-suit.
Use this info as you will.
– Rachel Kadushin
Work-for-hire, Pete, work-for-hire. 🙂
Doesn’t that Star Wars RPG come out soon? It’s going to suck up all of my spare time as soon as it does. Guess I’d better get cracking on my EPIC proposal.
Speaking of which, do you have any thoughts on EPIC, PAD?
I think you’ll be happy with the Buffy game. It was definately not a rush job, as they got everyone (even alums like David Boeranez and Charisma Carpenter) but Sarah Michelle Gellar to do the voices, and the girl who does Buffy is so good you soon forget she’s not the real McCoy. Good graphics and sound with a fun fighting engine. The writing overall is good, there’s no metaphor parallel to the levels or story, but the dialogue rings pretty true to the characters. My favorite line is from Xander in the Bronze while vamps attack: “I only drink wine, MY ÃSS!”
There is also a thrill for Buffy fans when you get to explore places like the Bronze, the old library, and Angel’s Mansion (who knew he had a pool?)
The Hulk game is also fun, if a little short. The biggest perk to that game is to unlock the Gray Hulk and play all the way through with him. No difference in game mechanics, but his sarcastic comments and trash talking throughout the levels and on bosses were a thrill for Joe Fixit fans.
TK
FWIW, the Hulk game released back around 1997 on Playstation and Saturn used The Pantheon storyline as its main plotline. Wonder if Peter ever got compensated for that? (He was still writing the Hulk at the time)
I second the comments about Buffy being a great game. Granted, I think they could’ve made the character models look a lot better, but it achieves the goal of making you feel like you’re playing through several episodes of the TV show. And the dialogue (and delivery) is top-notch.
“Buffy, I’ve discovered something in the bell tower!”
“A bell?”
“Er, well, yes, that, but something else too.”
Re: Neo Geo question: The (cartridge-based) home console is basically the same hardware as the arcade, so you’re getting the exact same game (the home carts have the “insert coin” function removed, and the arcade and home boards are not compatible with each other’s hardware without a sophisticated converter, but that’s about it). SNK/Playmore still makes about 2-3 games a year for the console (not bad for a system released in 1989!), but the majority of the carts for it came out between ’89 and ’95. If your goal is to play a lot of those older titles, it’s a very worthy investment; the formerly $700 hardware can be had for $150-175, and the $200+ cartridges for as low as $20-30 for some titles (I own 20 carts, and never paid more than $30 for any of ’em).
Of course, if you want an even better arcade experience at home, practicallity-wise, nothing beats a home JAMMA kit. JAMMA is the format for most arcade boards released from 1985 on, and a little bit of wiring (done for you in the kit) will let you play any of these suckers in your living room. And again, boards are cheap; a lot of classics (TMNT, Konami X-Men, Rastan, Aliens, etc.) can be had for under $50.
(If practicallity is not an issue, nothing beats buying an arcade cabinet (or two) for your spare bedroom for $75. BID…)
That’s too bad, but not surprising.
Correct me if I’m wrong (and someone will assuredly will), but DC (as opposed to Marville) does have royalty rights for characters created under work-for-hire. I seem to remember talking to Chuck Dixon at a show and him remarking about the $ he got off the Bane action figure. But I don’t know if that carries over to mass media.
If you don’t mind answering Peter, if there was a Supergirl cartoon featuring Bane, Wally the God Boy and cast, would you get something for that? If there were action figures and the like?
Ms Kadushin makes a good point – sometimes a quick phone call works wonders. Richard Kiel’s son – and avid game player – discovered
“Jaws” (who was apparently a hidden character) on a James Bond game. One phone call later, Mr Kiel was sent a check. I know it’s not the same (Kiel’s situation revolved around using his likeness), but it seems worth a try.
Did you play Dragons Lair in the Fun and Games arcade in Willowbrook mall? I think i saw you there.
X-Box rocks. It is definitely the best game systme out there. I just beat Dragon’s Lair 3D. I put Dirk throught the ringer. That stupid Wizard’s room took me awhile to figure out, and then when you finally get to the Dragon Daphne starts mumbling and you can’t hear the clue she’s giving you. BTW, I thought Half-life was cool, but he didn’t last very long. That first storyline you wrote and McFarlane drew is what got me into comics. #344 had the best art and dialogue, but all the issues were excellent.
Boo-Hiss!!! You should have PS2–the BEST system!!! Only kidding. I love gaming and I love all systems. I only have a ps2 because it is expensive enough to keep up with all the games made for it that I buy. If I had to buy games for other systems too I would never have time to play–I’d be working constantly! Anyway, the new BUFFY game is coming for PS2. Can’t wait! I missed out on the first game( X-Box ). Welcome to the wonderful addictive world of gaming!
I traded a couple of games for the Hulk PS2 game at Electronic Boutique.
Playing as the Hulk is fun, but those Banner stealth missions are a real pain. (Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty did it better)
One of the characters in the Hulk game is Ravage, created by Glenn Greenberg and Rick Leonardi, from the short-lived Rampaging Hulk series.
Steve Chung
Is subtitling provided for dialogue (either cut scenes or in-game) for any of those games? (Buffy, Hulk, Dragon’s Lair)
I’ve noticed now that with better technology, all the new video games cram in sound and dialogue, when in the past, dialogue was written text. That just makes us deaf gamers annoyed. A month ago, Entertainment Weekly reviewed Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and complained that the dialogue was written text instead of recorded dialogue. Screw ’em, I’m glad the game kept it that way! Although, some games, like DVDs, have taken to providing subtitle options, which is good.
eddie
Gamecube. Pikmin, Zelda, Smash Bros Melee, Eternal Darkness, Metroid Prime. Mario Kart on the way.
Getting money out of Marvel/DC for things like this is not that simple… remember the push for Jack Kirby to get compensated for most of his creations?
I’m not sure, but I think that was never resolved.
Marvel owns the rights to the characters, and I believe they pay you for the privlige to write in their universe.
So as soon as Peter created Madman, and Frank created Stick, those were Marvel’s.
At least that’s the way I understand it… unless it’s a creator owned deal… like Dreadstar, etc.
On all of this: I may be wrong.
Travis
It’s called P.C.A., PAD. Pop Culture Addiction. And I fear you have it in spades, and your wife appears to be an enabler. I mean, “Dragon’s Lair” in 2003? Please. But it’s not only that, it’s Buffy and Angel and the next cretinous Trek crap. You are obsessed with this stuff, which is so beneath you talents. There is a nationally respected nutritionist named Dr. Dean Ornish (“Eat More, Weigh Less”) who has come up with this formula for weight loss: Eat foods which have 10 per cent or less fat calories over all the calories you consume and you will lose weight. Applying this to the media, spend 10 per cent or less of you time consuming pop culture over all the culture you consume, and you will have a healthier mind. The time has come, Mr. David. Bite that bullet. Please, Mr. David. I type this on my knees.
I haven’t played Hulk yet for any system, but I hear that it actually turned out quite well.
Nothing revolutionary, but the best so far.
You can bet that when I finally do get to play it I’ll be sure to review it over at TheJadedGamer.net and of course let everyone here know what I thought of it.
That’s a familiar feeling. The Hunter: the Reckoning game for XBox uses a fair few of the ideas and concepts I came up with as an author for the original pen and paper game line. No dosh for me, though. It was all work-for-hire contracts. Ah, well.
I thought about getting X-box for the Buffy game (which includes several of the actors voicing their characters) but then I heard the sequel is coming out this fall for all platforms. And the new game will also let you play as Spike and Angel.
I’ll have to chime in with praise of the Buffy game. The dialogue is absolutely excellent for the first half of the game, but seems to decline in quality later on. That and Buffy’s quips get repetitive after awhile. (Though I’m on my second time through the game and she still occaisionally says something new. Apparently the “random quip generator” or whatever they use seems to favor some over others.)
The fighting engine works really well and there’s tons of environmental hazards lying around that you can use to dust vampires with so you don’t always have to beat them silly and stake them.
There’s also an assortment of everyday “weapons” that you can pick up. You can smack Spike around with a pool cue, for instance, though my personal favorite weapon is the shovel.
Also, something I didn’t find out until after I’d completed the game once (it might be in the instruction manual for all I know, I sort of skimmed through it) is you can throw holy water into a body of water and sanctify the whole thing. Not the most practical way to deal with vamps (there are better uses for Holy Water) but it can be fun.:)
My only real complaint with the game is the last 3 levels are aggravatingly difficult due to some obnoxious jumping puzzles, a maze and crumbling arena in which you fight the final boss. Other than that, the game is great and even my non-Buffy-fan brother has been playing and enjoying it.
Being a MikeyShaft product alone would be enough to drive me from X-Box, but the fact that GameCube has more (subjectively) interesting games is a good selling point, too. GODZILLA: DESTROY ALL MONSTERS MELEE, for example. Takes about 25 minutes to complete the basic ‘adventure’, but I’ve lost count of the hours spent having fun stomping cities into the ground and beating up on other giant monsters. A hoot, to be sure. And a very good tribute to the rubber suiter monster films of Toho Co.
The Hulk game is also fun, if a little short. The biggest perk to that game is to unlock the Gray Hulk and play all the way through with him. No difference in game mechanics, but his sarcastic comments and trash talking throughout the levels and on bosses were a thrill for Joe Fixit fans.
THAT sounds fun. How do you do that?
PAD
To get Joe Fixit just enter the word “Janitor” in any of the cheat code computers. There is one at the entrance of the inner compound in Alcatraz. He is funny, but the dozen of so phrases can wear after a bit.
Congrats Padguy on join us Xboxers! Here’s a couple of game recomendations for you: Return to Castle Wolfenstein – this game is highly nerve-wracking. It’s a 1st person shooter set in WWII. Great sound, music, and graphics. Also try Enter the Matrix — it’s a must have if you’re a Matrix fan. ‘Nuff said.
BTW if you need hints or cheats go to http://www.gamewinners.com — hands down the best cheat site on the net. Enjoy!
Peter, Peter, Peter…
Honestly! Next thing you know, HULK 2 will feature Half-Life, and then Peter will be taking the stand expounding on how he created the characters and should get royalties from the movie. Marv Wolfman will be in the back of the courtroom making faces… 😉
To clarify a bit on getting the Gray Hulk, it has to be a Banner level and, as noted a few posts back, you enter in JANITOR on a computer terminal. The levels I saw the terminals in were INFILTRATION, the second Banner mission, and CHEMICAL EFFECT, third one I believe. Once you do that, then finish the level as you normally would, save it, go back to the main menu, and under cheats, the GRAY HULK cheat should now be unlocked. Switch it to ON and now you can play as Joe Fixit. Start a new game or continue from where you were.
The cutscenes between levels and special events will still show old Greenskin, but the in game graphics will be gray. Enjoy.
Peter, here are my recommendations: Dead to Rights, HALO, Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb (developed by The Collective, who also did the Buffy game you’ve been playing; the guy who impersonates Indiana Jones’ voice does a wonderful job), Jet Set Radio Future, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee, and Panzer Dragoon Orta.
Starwolf might be disappointed to learn that the more recent Xbox release of the Godzilla game if much improved over the original Gamecube release. Now, a grown-up wouldn’t be bothered at all but I expect someone who use such language as “MikeyShaft” is still functioning as a 12-year-old long after his first mandatory prostate exam.
>I expect someone who use such language as “MikeyShaft” is still functioning as a 12-year-old long after his first mandatory prostate exam.
Nope. Functioning as a computer network administrator who has to keep a bottle of Aspirin(tm) on his desk because of all the headaches he gets, caused by MikeyShaft and defective MikeyShaft products. And, no, it wasn’t MY decision to be an NT/2000 shop.
I’m exagerating? Not really. Consider their latest foul-up: WINDOWS 2003 Server Edition. Claimed to be the most thoroughly beta tested product in history, it can’t even be used in ‘upgrade’ mode because the stupid thing won’t install anywhere but C:\windows, such that if you have something in C:\winnt, you’re screwed, in spite of MikeyShaft claims to the contrary. They don’t get half the kicking around they deserve.
I saw the movie last night. The video game is probably better.
My spoiler-free review is here: http://64.33.77.146/discus/messages/8/19521.html?1055255960 Scroll down to my post with today’s date.
And if anyone here ends up liking, cool. To each their own. 🙂
Personally, my vote for best giant-monster beat-em-up would go to “War of the Monsters” for the PS2.
I have to get on the Buffy video game bandwagon (and, though it pains me to admit it about a MS product, the XBox bandwagon generally). The game is fantastic. Its fighting engine is a lot more intuitive, easier, and therefore fun than the Mortal Kombat fight engine. The plotline and dialogue are fantastic; it’s evidently set sometime around early Season 3 and the dialogue is of that quality.
There are only a few problems. As far as I can tell, the game can only save at checkpoints, which are waaaaay too far apart, so if you have problems with a fight toward the end of the level, replaying the entire level until you get it right will get pretty boring. It has the same flaw that a lot of games (even HALO, which is otherwise flawless) demonstrate, namely that the writers got carried away with the graphical possibilities that they throw in something weird just to show off. (Cue “Galaxy Quest” clip: “This episode was badly written!”) At least the Buffy game sticks it in a kind of dream sequence, so it only has to make symbolic sense. Tell me about your mother.
I’d advise getting HALO and one of the EA Sports games. I think Madden NFL is fantastic, but it may be less entertaining for those of you who aren’t obsessed with the team of your choice. I’d advise against anything with the name “Batman” in the title; Batman: Vengeance simply sucks, and Batman: Dark Tomorrow is subtly worse. (An Amazon.com customer review of it theorizes that it runs slowly because it takes all of the XBox’s capacity to calculate the worst possible viewing angle to show the action. Next time I’ll read the review before buying the game. Um… anyone want to buy mine? Cheap?)
I love my X-Box…and many of the games on it are so visually amazing I can’t quite believe that only 20 years ago, Intellivision was considered top of the line.
Dead or Alive is worth a rental, and HALO is the game that makes the X-Box worth having…Morrowind is good as well, but has a rather steep learning curve.
I saw a televised review of WAR OF THE MONSTERS and, honestly, GODZILLA: DESTROY ALL MONSTERS seems more fun.
Of course, I’m a long-time Godzilla fan, so I may be a little biased. 😉
Well, War of the Monsters lets you do a lot. In addition to pummeling your opponent and using special attacks, you can throw them into or through buildings, knock buildings on top of them, impale them with radio antennas, club them with girders and other debris and throw cars, tanker trucks and assorted other objects at them. Plus certain levels have environmental hazards you can trigger. It’s hardly an intellectually stimulating game, but you can do a lot of stuff you think a giant monster should be able to do in it and it’s a lot of fun.
“Oh very well then. Since we’re on the subject, has anyone here ever tried out the home version of SNK’s Neo Geo machine?”
Yes, my children played with it themselves once a few years back. It was with some of their Fatal Fury cartridges in a Best Buy department store. Plus a few of their Metal Slugs and the Aero Fighter games. It was a good machine, but too expensive for us to buy.