|
|
Powerful Magic. Massive Guns. Extreme Destruction.
In this week’s blog I’ll be talking in more detail about the specific marketing tactics and strategy we are using for Bullet Witch. For those of you that wonder what the marketing guys do - here is a break out of what goes into being a “Product Manager” on an Xbox 360 title.
“Positioning and Tag Line”
First thing we needed to do was to understand the game really well and decide how to position it. Bullet Witch is an action game, a shooter, it has role-playing elements, it has mature content, it has big guns, it has spells and cool magic effects, it has a sexy female lead character, it has demons and giant monsters, it has a cool art style, it’s Japanese in origin, it has a great soundtrack… These are all aspects of the game but our goal was to narrow these down to a simple tag line that was compelling and showcased what makes Bullet Witch stand out. Here’s what we came up with: “Powerful Magic. Massive Guns. Extreme Destruction.”
You will see this tag line on most of our messaging going forward, from the bulletwitch.com website to the packaging to our flash ads and online videos.
Finalizing the Package
As I mentioned in my prior blog, we decided to tweak the package for the U.S. market. Here is a “comp sheet” - what we look at when we are going over the final packaging:
As you can see, there is a lot of details from the ESRB rating icon and the descriptors (Bullet Witch got M with Blood, Violence, and Language) to choosing the screenshots for the back of the box. This cover slip will be reversible and have the Japanese cover on the other side for fans of the original cover.
Once complete, we render the box in 2D and 3D and send it to our retail partners (stores) to put up on their websites.
Website, Videos, Xbox Live® Marketplace and Advertising
Finally, we need to get the word out about the game. We are in final stages of our plan now and next blog I’ll post some examples of the flash ads and reveal the first round of more “underground” videos we are creating. We also are working closely with Xbox Live® Marketplace to insure that our extra download packs are ready to go. We are adding more missions to our download packs and will be offering the first pack with one outfit (the school girl) and multiple missions for free. We are still trying to decide what a fair price is for the other download packs now that more missions are being added - more on this soon. Also, now that the website is live, you can check it out for updates and news – the developers in Japan are working on some comments for the site which we will be posting soon.
Thanks for reading.
Jeremiah Cohn
Product Manager
www.bulletwitch.com
|
Tuesday, January 02, 2007 |
|
Going to School with Alicia *NOW WITH IMAGES*
Matt Rush
Producer
What’s better than a beautiful witch in black? -A beautiful witch in a schoolgirl uniform.
 -Click here for larger image
This blog entry is in honor of Alicia’s first downloadable “Schoolgirl” costume that will be made available on Xbox Live® Marketplace when the game releases. Playing the game with Alicia wearing this outfit is like sitting in class next to the school hottie- it makes it really hard to get any work done. When trying to save the world in BW the last thing you want is a distraction. So to escape having to stay after school writing “I will not die in Bullet Witch” a hundred times on the blackboard, I will make this confession: Yes, I have been shot by a demon while being distracted…more than once.
So as an excuse for not doing any homework and more importantly to post more screenshots, the curriculum for this week’s blog includes a few inspiring lessons from Bullet Witch which can be gleaned in addition to this gothic adventure…
 -Click here for larger image
Lesson 1: Face Your Demons
Alicia is not only fighting demons in the real world but inside her head as well. It takes courage to fight both, but often our own worst enemy comes from within. When Alicia is confronted with facing her fears she runs…to meet them.
 -Click here for larger image
Lesson 2: Believe in Something Big
Alicia is still searching for answers, but one thing she’s now certain of is her purpose. Focused on her ultimate objective, killing Geists, Screamers, Walnut Heads and Gigas becomes nothing in comparison. Adversity and obstacles are swatted away like flies. Although she can heal the wounded, something important like saving humanity from extinction is actually worth getting out of bed for.
 -Click here for larger image
Lesson 3: Remember “Every Evening has a Sunrise”
The peculiar words of an unknown poet are discovered by Alicia on the walls of an underground sewer. There truly is a good side to everything if one is determined to find it. This seems to be an underlying theme in Bullet Witch. A world lies in ruins as Alicia stands in the glow of a magnificent sunrise. Happiness is assured only when one relentlessly pursues the possibility of a “Happy Ending”…
Playing Bullet Witch gets me psyched! When I return I will have more on BW and responses to posts including sng-ign’s amazing finishing move for Alicia shown here
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, and I hope everyone pursues his or her dreams this upcoming New Year! - Matt Rush
|
Wednesday, December 13, 2006 |
|
Improvements and Packaging
Hello again folks, hope 2006 is wrapping up nicely for all of you. I’m happy to report that Bullet Witch is definitely wrapping up nicely on our end! I’m going to take a few minutes to talk through more of the improvements we’ve made to the game, and answer your questions on extra content and packaging updates from the Japanese version.
First off, let’s talk about general game play improvements. Cavia has taken the time to rework the controls and tighten up the play experience. Those of you that have played the Japanese version will definitely notice differences in the force feedback, gun targeting, and camera control/movement. These tweaks have a pretty profound effect on the fun level of the game – instead of fighting with the controls you forget about them, and find yourself totally immersed in the action of the game.
 -Click here for larger image
Graphically Cavia took the necessary time to bring this game into the Next-Gen (now Current-Gen?) world of HD evolved visuals. Texture maps have been updated to deliver the level of detail we all want. Also object and item collisions are much more realistic now and little things like debris from explosions respond awesomely.
The AI has also been improved and makes battles against groups of enemies even more exciting. Specifically, squads of enemy shooters often have leaders which direct them in battle. They are very well organized when this leader is shouting orders so take him out first – then the troops become unfocused and much easier to dominate…
 -Click here for larger image
Finally, in terms of extra content and levels, we are planning on releasing download packs of costumes and missions. These packs will be free and will be a lot of fun. Specifically there will be 5 additional costumes/outfits for Alicia (very hot) and a bunch of re-created levels and missions. More on this in upcoming blogs.
As for the packaging, we’re going to be updating the front of the box to focus more on the excitement and action. You’ll see how the logo was moved to the top which was done to catch your eye on the shelf – also, many shelves in the US often cover the bottom half of the package and we didn’t the title to be cut off. To keep true to the original package, we plan on printing the cover slip double-sided so you’ll be able to choose which box front you want, the new US design or the original Japanese – very cool. In addition to the double-sided cover slip, we are planning on including an extra poster in the box, just a little something for the fans of the original artwork, so look for that as well come February.
 -Click here for larger image
Ok, take care, have a kick-ass holiday and keep checking back for more updates!
Jeremiah Cohn
Product Manager
Atari, Inc.
|
Friday, December 08, 2006 |
|
Localizing the Game
Hi all, we appreciate your continued interest in Bullet Witch. We’re working on the latest round of questions you had, which should post early next week. Keep them coming!
We’re working hard to get the game ready for American audiences and one of the key components of that effort is localization. The level of localization can vary, depending on the title, but it typically includes adjusting the text and often the voice-overs if the game has them. Localization can go beyond just language, as games need to take into account a country’s laws and culture. For example, Germany is stricter on the amount of blood that can appear onscreen than France.
 -Click here for larger image
For Bullet Witch, the two areas that are being localized are the game’s text and voice-overs. Atari Europe works with vendors to take the Japanese text and translate them into English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.
When English is the lead language, recording voice-overs is usually done first, and then the artists animate to the dialogue. In the case of Bullet Witch, it was the other way around. The game’s director and sound designer, along with the voice director/casting agent flew out to NYC from Japan. The voice director, Mr. Inaba (he calls himself Harry), had already set about casting the parts. After a short meet and greet, the first actor arrived. It’s never a bad idea to start off recording a non-critical part, that way, there is time for the sound engineer, the director, the game designers and the producer to all get into sync. This is what we did. We started off by recording one of the Geists, the demons that like to adorn themselves with human skin.
When recording VO that already exists in the original game, you have to do it to picture. This is harder than it sounds. It’s one thing to do ADR (automated dialogue replacement) when it’s the same language, but the lengths of words vary dramatically from language to language. An English word may be much longer or shorter than the Japanese word it replaces and that can make syncing up the lip flap a lot harder. Also, the mannerisms are different. For example, Maxwell Cougar does a lot of exaggerated movements that really fit the Japanese VO, but we had to work hard to sell it in English.
When recording a character, the first thing you have to do is find the voice. Often, an actor will have done an audition and that sample can be played to help remind him or her what it was that got them the part in the first place. Many times, the director, designer and producer will end up changing the voice when they have the actor in the studio and have a chance to experiment. In the case of Bullet Witch, we are replacing the original VO, so playing back the Japanese recording was often helpful to the actor in terms of understanding tone. It was also useful to have the video to show the actor, so they can see the context of what they are saying. This is one advantage of recording VO after the game is done versus before. In the case of the latter, art is often shown to the actor so they can see who or what it is that they are voicing.
After recording some demons and poor, innocent bystanders who get shot, we moved on to recording Darkness, the presence that lives inside Alicia. For that part, we had Roger Parsons in the booth, who has this really great, deep voice. Then we moved onto recording Alicia’s father, Jonathan (voiced by Jamie McGonnigal). This wasn’t an easy part, as he had to pull off a wider emotional range than a demon.
It’s extremely helpful when recording voice-overs to have the game’s makers with you and it was great to have Cavia with us in the studio. As they had done the Japanese VO, they knew what these characters should sound like and Harry, who speaks Japanese and English was able to bridge the gap between then actors and the designers. It also makes a big difference to be able to get a quick answer to even the most basic questions. For instance, is Alicia pronounced (Ali-shia) or is it (Ali-sia). Cavia preferred the latter and we made it so.
One area that we had to be watchful of was that some lines of dialogue came across very stilted, since the translations were quite literal, sounding more written than spoken. Here, Harry, the actor and I would talk it over and figure out a way to make the line sound more natural, at least as much as we could, as we had to watch the line timing.
Two of the most critical characters in the game are Maxwell Cougar and of course Alicia. For Cougar, Harry brought in Sean Schemmel, who had done work on the Dragon Ball games for Atari. Cougar is the swaggering resistance fighter, sort of a Han Solo type. He’s animated large, so we had to kind of play up the voice or else it just wouldn’t fit. Cavia gave Cougar some funny gestures and Sean really did a great job. He’s a big fan of Japanese games and he’d ad-lib in between takes, causing all of us to crack up, especially the guys from Cavia.
 -Click here for larger image
For Alicia, we had first recorded an actress who did a good job, but for the game’s central character, it was very important that we get the best possible performance we could. There is limited time and budget for recording and casting, but it was felt that we should try another Alicia. The one we had was fine but we wanted to see if we could improve it. Sarah Natochenny, who is actually quite young (18 I think), came in and auditioned. We all agreed that it would be worth recording the entire set of dialogue with her. In the end, her performance was the one that made it into the game. Her key audition line was, “witches don’t need… prayers.” Sarah, who had done some Pokemon, was so excited to play Alicia. I remember her saying how she was the coolest kid in the cafeteria…
Eric Grossman
Producer
Atari Inc.
|
Wednesday, December 06, 2006 |
|
Reader Mail
Matt Rush: Hey. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and played videogames more than they ate! I spent quality time playing “Bullet Witch” and my new favorite-“Sneak King”; I already have two Burger King Crown Achievements that I’m inappropriately proud of. 
Okay, so I’m going to put down the controller and answer your inquiries personally…
To “prodigee”: although you don’t really have a question, thanks for the props. Atari is really happy to be working with the immensely talented Japanese developer Cavia be prepared to see a lot of attention to cool details in the game.
To wicked_monkey: Good spotting…PR has many special appearances scheduled for Alicia, some may be in unexpected places, so keep your eyes out!
To docLEXfisti and Askilfeasd: You’re wondering about the improvements being made for the US version… As many of you know Bullet Witch was just recently released in Japan and Atari has picked up this original IP and is excited to bring it to the US. There’s something unique and special about this game and players will get to experience this as they immerse themselves in Alicia’s world.
But more to the point, Cavia, being so passionate about BW is striving to make as many adjustments as they can in order to enhance the US version. Although some obvious things are being addressed like tuning the targeting and tightening the collision, some other things like improved textures here and there have been thrown in as well. Tweaks to the AI, balance, and weapons (the various forms of Alicia’s gun-rod) are being done. We’re also hoping we can provide new downloadable content for the American audience like costumes and new levels.
As NYCAfro so keenly noticed, Alicia does indeed bring make skyscrapers topple at her very command. You will be able to unleash the most massively devastating spells ever cast on the 360. And not only that, Alicia eventually gains the power to wipe out entire city blocks by calling down meteor showers. It’s truly a beautiful sight to behold.
Speaking of the NPCs, make sure to remember the context of the game. There are less than a billion humans left on the planet. Civilians are being quarantined and corralled by the demons and Walnut Heads (which are a type of telepathic demon that consists of a huge floating brain attached to a dangling body) who amuse themselves by toying with their victims before they kill them. The few remaining survivors are bewildered and devastated and most are in shock. Alicia is free to interact with the people, but most people just aren’t in the mood for socializing right now including Alicia.
As for the AI, I don’t think the technology exists yet to have perfect AI; however I have to say that I’ve had some amazing encounters! First of all the AI acts like reigned anarchy. The demons are militaristic and I can’t tell you how many times their tactics have forced me into vulnerable situations where my cover was compromised and I had to make a run for it. Alicia will be forced to use her gun-rod and her magic together in order to survive. I will tell you it is extremely satisfying to “bring down the Thunder”!
Hi Geranunez. I agree completely. I’m a big fan of games with female leads. I expect fans to become quite attached to Alicia. There really should be more games with female leads and Bullet Witch absolutely does it right.
We look forward to responding to future posts, so please keep ‘em coming!
-Matt Rush
Associate Producer
Atari Inc.
|
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PikaPal13X
Jan 13 '07 11:16 pm PST
10 Best: Games You Didn't Play In 2006 That You Should Play In 2007
Hello, and welcome to the inaugural edition of 10 Best. Tonight, we're reaching back into the...
Erik-IGN
Jan 13 '07 7:07 pm PST
Getting Sick Sucks
The last two times I've flown somewhere, I've caught some nasty bug from someone on the plane....
SuperLaMasterChief
Jan 13 '07 5:46 pm PST
Why Video Games Are Scapegoats For Murder And Violence
Video Games have been blamed for countless murders and acts of violence for over 30 years....
Peer-IGN
Jan 12 '07 11:57 pm PST
And the Winners Are...
All members of the IGN family of sites have announced their Game of the Year winners: ...
Next-Gen-Gamer
Jan 12 '07 9:26 pm PST
How Does This Make Sense?
I was surfing around a few gaming sites, and read most of the comments about Microsoft rumored...
optivillecmc
Jan 12 '07 10:05 am PST
A New Guitar Hero Game In Only 3-4 Months!
…and it is all 80’s rock! Wait…give me a moment to revel in this awesomeness… … … ...
jazN1GGA
Jan 11 '07 5:06 pm PST
Wii in demand!!!
At work every other call we get is "do you guys have any Wii's?" and 1 out of 5...
Hil-IGN
Jan 11 '07 2:46 pm PST
High-Def Porn: The Good, The Bad, & The Midgets
The battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray has just begun and it's unclear which will win out. My...
Bosrel
Jan 10 '07 10:39 am PST
The iPhone Revolution
The newly announced iPhone is by far the coolest thing I have ever seen. It trumps any...
Patch_IGN_AU
Jan 8 '07 3:26 pm PST
Pearl Jam is in Guitar Hero II 360.
HELL YES. And this is the song. Sure, you can criticise Ed's mumbling, but there...
|
