Scott Miller On Making Max Payne A Success

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to 3D Realms founder Scott Miller's weblog entry discussing the reasons why Max Payne "was purposely positioned for success right from the start" . Although Miller, the man overseeing the ever-delayed Duke Nukem Forever, has now sold his share of Max Payne's IP to Take Two/Rockstar, he discusses specifics, including the choice of name ("A perfect name will convey something about the product... have good word-play possibilities for press and news headlines... and have a good short-hand version"), the hook ("The attribute Max owns is 'bullet-time,' like Volvo owns the word 'safety' and McDonalds owns 'fast'") and controversy ("Max Payne had a little, though it didn't get as much press as we thought it might.") He also reveals 3D Realms is "currently working with another developer, with a very similar relationship that we had with Remedy, to create another hit series (or so we hope!)" - an announcement is due in 2004.

Comments

Ownage

[wynterwynd]

"The attribute Max owns is 'bullet-time,' like Volvo owns the word 'safety' and McDonalds owns 'fast'"

Um, well actually I (and quite a few other people I imagine) associate 'bullet-time' with The Matrix. Max Payne just happened to use similar effects in the game, capitalizing on the slo-mo hype following the movie. I'm not 100% sure if my timeline is correct but I remember there being parallels to the movie effect when the game came out. Oh I'll grant that's the big hook of the game. That and metaphors that drag out long enough to make Raymond Chandler develop a nervous tic. But to say MP 'owns' bullet-time is a bit presumptuous.

Re:Ownage

[actor_au]

They own the trademark for the expression Bullet Time. Thats why in Enter the Matrix(May all who worked on it burn in hell) called slow-mo sequences Focus, because they couldn't buy the rights from Remedy to use thw expression Bullet time.

Re:Ownage

[gl4ss]

remedy had demoed the effect(of slowing down the time) prior to matrix movie came(mp had been in development for quite some time by then, first publicly demoed as part of final reality in 1997 or so at the assembly, a demoparty held in finland). sure, matrix might have had something to do why it was a success and people could instantly like it, but not on it being there (and of course one 3dmark has a scene that is very matrix like). all afaik/iirc, the year might be off by 1 but i heard prior to the matrix movies about the features(of the engine, such as being able to freeze time and see the bullets mid air) from some friends who had happened to seen some private screenings.

though, who they really 'own it to' must be woo(the matrix boys own it to him as well.. though he again might own it to somebody else i'm not sure where his ideas came from).

.

And worth every penny.

[El_Smack]

This is why Scott Miller is making the big dough. You or I would take a game we made and position it for failure, or mediocrity at best. Scott is that one guy in a million who would position his game for success. And he did it right from the start, too.

Just another feather in the cap of the man who keeps Duke Nukem For(When)ever on task and on budget.