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Jaffe loves Indiana Jones, wants Lucas to toss him the whip
Known for his adoration of the Indiana Jones franchise, Eat Sleep Play developer David Jaffe recently admitted that the adventurous Indy was a huge inspiration for his God of War work, and that he'd be willing to partner with LucasArts on an Indiana Jones project."There was, and will always remain until I get to do it, a desire to work with Indiana Jones in the interactive medium," Jaffe said in an interview with 1UP. "I would still to this day love to do that." Though not much more than a dream at this point, the designer has a plan hidden under his own fedora. "I have a great idea for how LucasArts could really take that property and do cool things with it, and if they're reading this, they should give us a call at Eat Sleep Play. We'd love to talk to them." We'd just like to say that we're with you, Jaffe. Call up those LucasArts folks, demand a meeting and pitch your heart out. While you're at it, follow your dreams and go after the Metal Gear franchise too. We've got your back.
David Jaffe is most jealous of Metal Gear Solid 4
During an interview with The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, God of War creator David Jaffe said the game he was "most jealous" of was Metal Gear Solid 4. "To make a game of that scale and at that level of quality clearly took a whole hell of a lot of tenacity and vision," he explained.We've hit some choppy waters with Mr. Jaffe in the past, so as part of our continuing efforts to smooth things over, we'd like to remind him of what he has that Kojima doesn't. For one, though the story in Jaffe's may be more limited in scope, it makes sense. Also? Swords on chains. Oh, and no monkeys crapping themselves. Big plus.
Which game is David Jaffe 'most jealous' of? MGS4
David Jaffe is the focus of The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' weekly feature Ten Questions, where a member of the industry is subjected to ... well, ten questions. When asked about which title the acclaimed video game designer is "most jealous" of, he named Metal Gear Solid 4 as his choice, praising it as "an amazing achievement of both gameplay and mastering the process of game production. To make a game of that scale and at that level of quality clearly took a whole hell of a lot of tenacity and vision."You know what we think? Jaffe states in the feature that if he wasn't a game developer, he would be a movie director or film editor -- and we gotta say, MGS4 is as film-like as they come.[Via Joystiq]
Jaffe: God of War 3 'looks 25-30% better' than VGA trailer
Commenting on the 40-odd seconds of God of War III shown during last night's VGAs, series creator David Jaffe says that it looked good, but not as impressive as the game does in its most current form. You may recall that Jaffe had heaped some extremely high praise on the game's visuals after he recently saw it in action.Last night's footage is only part of what he saw during an internal SCEA meeting, Jaffe revealed on his blog. "The stuff I saw that I raved about was probably finished 1-2 days before I got to the studios. The Spike stuff I saw had aleady been turned into Spike so it was 100% older," he explained. "To give you an idea, the stuff I saw that I raved about looked about 25-30% better [than the HD footage Spike broadcast]," he said of the closed meeting footage, adding, "It happened to blow me away and remains the best looking console game I've ever seen ... beyond Gears 2 which so far is the best looking console game ever released." As for what Jaffe had to say to those who questioned his likening of GOW3 to a painting, well, you'll have to hit his blog to read that colorful prose (and watch a video of his thoughts on video game awards shows).
Jaffe admits 'meh' GOW3 debut, promises game looks much better
Some of you were underwhelmed by God of War III's VGA debut ... including franchise creator David Jaffe. The outspoken developer did a little rant on his blog, indicating a small amount of disappointment in the presentation. "The footage aired on Spike looked meh. It was dark and grainy and I was watching on a SD television." However, he does promise things will look up. "The stuff I saw that I raved about was probably finished 1-2 days before I got to the studios. The Spike stuff I saw had aleady been turned into Spike so it was 100% older. Not that I thought it was bad- again- just I can see how the new stuff I saw looked further along, for sure. And to give you an idea, the stuff I saw that I raved about looked about 25-30% better than what you see in this thread." Looks like the game may have been shown off a bit too early. Rest assured, though. Jaffe reassures us that the upcoming PS3 God of War game will be "the best looking console game" besting his current fave, Gears of War 2. We'll hold you on that sentiment, Mr. Jaffe. The new game director of the God of War franchise has a lot of work on his hands, especially considering this will be the "last installment" of the franchise. "We have large shoes to fill following the success of the previously released God of War titles," said Stig Asmussen . "But with refined gameplay and jaw-dropping visuals, I guarantee that God of War will give fans what they have been eagerly waiting for, and much more." [Via Joystiq]
David Jaffe impressed by God of War 3 ... we think?
Even though David Jaffe snuck off to create his own game development studio he's still regarded as Kratos' daddy, so it's no surprise that he's been given a sneak peak at the next chapter of the God of War series. It's also no surprise that he took the opportunity to post about it on his blog in order to let people know, in true Jaffe style, exactly what he thought of it. Cue the expletives."HOLY HOLY HOLY F***NG HELL!!!!" he begins. "I thought GEARS OF WARS 2 looked about as good as a next-gen game could look.... And unless I get blown away by POP or something else I missed, GEARS 2 is the S***....this year. Dudes and dudettes, f***ing WAIT till you see the amazing graphics..." We think this means he liked what he saw. Don't go mistaking him for a fanboy, though. He'll have some harsh words to say to you:"F*** YOU! I ain't no fan boy but this mother f***ing game looks like nothing you've ever played...and you can hold me to that when this thing hits and when they start showing gameplay footage. It looks like a painting come to life- it's THAT good looking." We thought we'd have to wait until at least 2009 started before the hype for God Of War III began to build. Apparently not.
Jaffe: God of War 3 looks 'like nothing you've ever played'
"I ain't no fan boy but this mother f***ing game looks like nothing you've ever played...and you can hold me to that when this thing hits and when they start showing gameplay footage."Well, it probably looks a little bit like God of War II, since we imagine it still features the antics of world's angriest breakfast cereal Kratos. However, outspoken designer David Jaffe, currently tinkering away at an unannounced project with Eat Sleep Play, insists that an early glimpse of Sony's God of War III left him reeling. To quoth: "HOLY HOLY HOLY F***ING HELL!!!!"As if to prematurely defuse any cries of, "Well, you did design the original game, you know!" Jaffe adds that his favorite game this year isn't even on the PlayStation 3. "And unless I get blown away by POP or something else I missed, GEARS 2 is the SHIT....this year," he noted. But does it look "like a painting come to life," as God of War III allegedly does? We'll let the forthcoming battle between the GoWs decide that.
Jaffe's next game 'certainly not later' than 2010
Remember David Jaffe? Y'know, that guy that made Twisted Metal and God of War? He made his own studio after the tiring effort put into the PS2 God of War games. Since then, we've seen small hints at his next game (which is supposedly a new Twisted Metal for PS3). According to a recent post made on his personal blog, he's "going to visit Sony" to talk about his new game. "My gut/guess tells me we're looking sometime in 2010. Certainly not later than that. Perhaps sooner." Sooner would certainly be nicer. However, with no concrete details about his next game available yet, it does seem like 2010 is a guess as good as any. [Via GamePro]
Industry vets sound off on sex, violence, ratings and design
Peter Molyneux, Greg Zeschuk, Cliff Bleszinski and David Jaffe are four of the industries most respected, creative developers working today and also have the distinction of creating some of the industry's most controversial titles. From the over-the-top violence in Gears of War to the sexual content found in Mass Effect, this quintet of creators know their way around industry hot-buttons.Over the past few months the team at the content knowledge site What They Play have interviewed each of the creators for their distinctive views on the sex, violence, ratings and design in videogames."If the blood is graphic, exploding out and all over the screen, you instantly know you're successful. I'd use flowers and confetti but I don't think it would be nearly as effective," Bleszinski said of the violence level found in the upcoming Gears of War 2. "You know, there's a huge M on the freaking box. If your eight year-old kids can acquire $60 and you're not aware what they're doing with it, you've got bigger problems than your kid playing God of War. You're a sh*tty parent," adds Jaffe.BioWare president Greg Zeschuk, whose 2007 role-playing title Mass Effect was lambasted by the mainstream media for its sexual content, pointed out how our society is dictating content. "It's all obviously a reflection on society," says Zeschuk. "The bottom line is that violence is just more acceptable than sexual content in the U.S., which makes an interesting situation for game developers. You have to really balance these tolerances."Check out the entire feature at What They Play and let us know what you think about sex, violence, ratings and design of videogames in the comments.
David Jaffe pleased with Bratner helming God of War film
Having recently confirmed his involvement with God of War's assuredly violent journey to the big (albeit considerably less interactive) screen, film director Brett Ratner is all set to combine his particular track record with the games-to-movie stigma and create the internet's greatest bitchfest. Not everyone's predicting a Greek tragedy, however, with God of War's creator, David Jaffe, earnestly informing us (via video, embedded after the break) that while the adaptation "could be shit," he's nevertheless satisfied with the pedigree of the director, as well as the producer (from Batman Begins!) and the writer, who penned the screenplay for Road to Perdition.Mind you, he also says he liked X-Men 3, so perhaps he's just pulling our leg on the whole thing. That Jaffe is a rascal, we tell you!
Lawsuit says God of War infringes on author's copyright
GamePolitics has learned that SCEA and David Jaffe have both been sued in the US District Court in California for alleged copyright infringement over the God of War franchise. The suit was filed in February by Jonathan Bissoon-Dath, "the author of a series of related works of fiction, including Olympiad," and Jennifer Barrette-Herzog, creator of Island at the Edge of the Living World. The two allege that they sent their work to Sony Pictures in 2002. They note that God of War shipped on PS2 in 2005, and David Jaffe said that the game took three years to develop.The plaintiffs allege that God of War share many similarities in plot, character relationships, themes, setting, mood, etc. "Plaintiff's works tell the original story of how a champion saves Athens from destruction by the invading Spartan army that has been sent by Ares ... [God of War] is the story of how a champion chosen by Zeus and Athens saves Athens from destruction by an invading army sent by Ares ..."With Greek mythology so widely read and known, it isn't surprising that remarkable similarities can appear between various pieces of fiction. SCEA responded to the allegations, calling them "inaccurate, incomplete, abstracted and/or misleading." Both SCEA and Jaffe have requested the case to be dismissed, and to be reimbursed for the legal costs associated with defending themselves.
Sony, Jaffe sued over alleged God of War copyright infringement
Sony Computer Entertainment America and game designer David Jaffe are being sued for alleged copyright infringement over God of War. GamePolitics has Sony's statement on the matter, as well as the complaint, which will be heard in US District Court in California. The crux of the case is that Jonathan Bissoon-Dath, who wrote a screenplay called Olympiad, and Jennifer Barette-Herzog, who designed a map for the former's work, believe God of War was based on their work submitted to Sony Pictures in 2002.The plaintiffs cite numerous similarities between the two works (like, both stories have bridges going over bottomless chasms), while Sony maintains that Greek mythology is in the public domain and the alleged similarities are "inaccurate, incomplete, abstracted and/or misleading."
Jaffe explains why you don't see names on boxes
The issue of putting game designers' names on boxes is one that we've been exploring since we read this dazzling piece way back in 2005. But David Jaffe, playing off of a recent MTV post, is in a unique position to comment, as one of the few designers who have somehow been able to set themselves apart as a brand. His latest blog entry explores why more game designers don't make it on the box, and why it's in publishers' best interests to keep it that way.Brace yourself, because this next quote is probably the truest, most succinct encapsulation of the current state of the game industry that you'll ever hear: "Even the guys who make CALL OF DUTY, HALO, and GTA are not in a perfect position, as amazingly genius as they are," Jaffe writes. "Because All of those games- even if given to C+ level developers- can still make crazy cash for at least 2-4 more iterations before the public catches on and stops buying the series."This all goes to prove what we've expected all along: American McGee has to have blackmail pictures of somebody picking up a transvestite hooker, right?
Jaffe previews next Eat Sleep Play game
If you're not making sense of the mess that's leaked out of Jaffe's little red pen, don't worry, you're not alone. There's a reason why most developers choose to keep the uglier side of game design in house. But then, David Jaffe isn't most developers. If we squint hard enough, we can just barely see the outline of a Twisted Metal level (at least, that's the going theory) -- oh, and a Spider-Man head. Wow dude, if this Eat Sleep Play thing doesn't work out, you should totally try out for Marvel! (And yes, we actually dialed that 1-800 number...) Anyway, glad to hear Jaffe's getting his "core" computer back up to speed. We can't imagine what's it's been like to be stuck with Windows and Internet Explorer. Gross.
A 'sort of' look into David Jaffe's next game
There's a fine line between madness and genius. For better or for worse, we can't tell which side of that line God of War creator David Jaffe is on. He's updated his personal blog with what he says is a look into his next game ... "sort of." These are doodles for level design that haven't been sent off to the rest of the Eat, Sleep, Play team quite yet. Considering the strange shapes of the non-Spider-man figures, we'd postulate that this is a puzzle, or vehicular game of some sort. Of course, we could be very wrong -- what's your guess on what the heck is going on here?[Thanks, Gambit07!]
David Jaffe: *bleep* the games, it's all about cool names
We heart you, Dave, and it's not just because you created God of War. No, it's due to your unwavering frankness when it comes to the sheer silliness of the games industry. Case in point: game names. For those of you listening in on this virtual cheek pinch, we're talking about Jaffe's latest blog post about how sometimes it's not the quality of the game, but the cleverness of its name which determines if it'll sell.Jaffe breaks it down for us, then divulges some names that might have been slapped on a couple of his games in an alternate universe. Twisted Metal? Try Cars and Rockets. Oh, and God of War was at one time Dark Odyssey. Hit his own little slice of the net for more genuine Jaffe, sure to make you all ... laughy.
Fischer regrets 'geeks and otaku' comment, Jaffe sticks oar in
The internet, as it tends to do on occasions, went and got itself in a great big tizzy last week, after Nintendo of Europe's Laurent Fischer suggested that only "geeks and otaku" cared about the Wii's storage issue. It wasn't the smartest move of Fischer's career, and it attracted considerable bile -- and not just from Nintendo fans.God of War creator David Jaffe, as he tends to do on occasions, got narked, and expressed his annoyance over the comment in a colorful entry on his blog. After dedicating a hefty part of his amusing rant to comparing Fischer's remarks with 1987 film Can't Buy Me Love, Jaffe accused Nintendo of "arrogance [...] that should make the company very ashamed," and suggests that Fischer "has no real clue" about games -- all while getting Fischer's gender wrong (" ... she really needs someone to sit her down and explain to her ... "). Brilliant.Anyway, just as Jaffe was about to hoisted onto the shoulders of Nintendo fans everywhere, Fischer went and spoiled all the fun by apologizing ... sort of. "I have huge respect for those who, like me, share a common passion for Nintendo and want to make it clear that I would never use and I didn't use this terminology in such a context or way to cause offence," Fischer blubbed. "I regret that this misunderstanding has created such offence and disappointment within the community."It's not the most heartfelt apology we've ever heard, but we'll take it. Now give us a hard drive, Fischer.[Via Eurogamer]
Some interesting alternate game titles scrapped by David Jaffe
Oh, sorry. Did we interrupt you from playing Metal Gear Solid 4? Enough about that! Let's talk about something random and fun (and gloat about our amazingly awesome photoshop skills). David Jaffe updated his blog recently and spoke out about some of his greatest franchises and titles that simply didn't stick for them. In fact, Kratos from God of War was going to have a very, very different name.Twisted Metal could have been named the following: Urban Assault, Cars and Rockets, High Octane, or Firestorm. All of these are sexy names in their own way. Calling All Cars might have been named Criminal Crackdown or Damage in an alternate dimension. God of War emerged after brainstorming names like At The Hands Of The Gods, Dark Odyssey, Omega, or just the Greek omega symbol with no real name. Kratos was going to be named Dominus -- the developers ousted this name by joking "get the door; it's Dominus" for a year. There you have it. Think Jaffe and crew chose the best names after all?
Heartland: all the things Jaffe didn't like about the Bush administration
David Jaffe's canceled PSP-exclusive FPS game Heartland was supposed to be more than just "the definitive shooter for the PlayStation Portable." It was supposed to have a message, one that echoed the sentiments of the always-opinionated God of War creator. Jaffe told The Escapist in a revealing feature: "It wasn't supposed to make you hate the Bush Administration so much as, as a layperson political junkie, it was supposed to put into light - using games as a medium - all the things I didn't like about the Bush Administration."Unfortunately, a number of factors led to the cancellation of this project. It appeared that developer Incognito (team behind PS3's Warhawk) simply wasn't interested in working on the game. "They weren't really impressed with A) my politics, and B) story-based games to begin with."Heartland may have been too ambitious and too graphic for the handheld. "The one thing Sony seemed uncomfortable about was naming the enemy," says Jaffe. "We were going to do some pretty intense stuff." Intense stuff indeed: players would see decapitations, and would face brutal choices: "The player chases after the teenage son, beating him and dragging him down the stairs, and throwing him into the living room. The commanding officer orders the player to douse the family and the house with gasoline, and set it on fire."
Mario: the Jaffe edition
Get this: David Jaffe, misunderstood genius/opinionated loudmouth (delete as you see fit) and creator of God of War would love to oversee a Mario project. Of course, because this is David Jaffe we're talking about here, Mario had better prepare for a makeover, should the call ever come in from Nintendo.After exchanging a few stilted jokes with Geoff Keighley about equipping Mario with a machete and making Peach a hooker (at which point we were getting hideous visions of a Shadow the Hedgehog-style reinvention), Jaffe became a little more serious about how he'd tweak Mario, arguing that the Mushroom Kingdom is "sort of a drug-induced, altered state of consciousness," and adding that "There's clearly a kind of drug culture reference thing that I pick up on. I'd explore that. I'd make it more violent."An early front runner for worst gaming idea of 2008? It might have some serious competition, but it gets our vote. Bless him for trying, though.Note: Because Jaffe likes his naughty words, the above video is NSFW.[Via Go Nintendo]
