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When we look at the production of a video or a television spot, often a short treatment is used to give the producer, director, and others involved a feeling for what those involved are trying to do.
Of Light and Darkness is a video game produced by Interplay Productions a company that has been in the business of producing video games for almost two decades. Brian Fargo is the visionary behind the company which has survived and thrived while others merely eke by or simply go out of business.
The current production involves the art of Gil Bruvel, a visionary artist who is obsessed with the seventh millenium which is rapidly approaching. Gils art is highly acclaimed artist with many exhibitions. His art is beautiful. Take a look at Gil Bruvel's Biography.
The video and music can be presented in a uniquely wonderful way on video that cannot be duplicated in print. Al Giovetti will talk about the game and the art on the tape and his discussion will be separated with illustrative artworks, video from the game (b-roll) and music.
The piece will use computer show art and music edited in.
V/O: We have selected from the dozens fo titles released weekly, a software title worthy of both your money and time.
Q1: How did this software package come about? How did Gil Bruvel get hooked up with Interplay?
There were two forces pushing Gil Bruvel into computer games. One force was Brian Fargo, who is an avid collector of Bruvel's works for his personal collection. The other force was an unnamed personal fried who encouraged Bruvel to submit his work for a computer game. This personal friend was an editor of Electronic Entertainment magazine and a clue book author.
Q2: What makes Bruvel's work uniquely suited to the product?
Bruvel describes his work as visionary and it is a combination between technology and realistic natural forms. The title "Of Light and Darkness" represents Bruvel's excellent use of both light and darkness in his paintings, where bright primary colors and shiny metalic accessories are often contrasted with shadows and dirty, rusted metal pieces. The art is uniquely applicable to the computer game medium. You can look at Bruvels digital art at the internet address of www.bruvel.com.
Q3: What is the plot of the game?
The plot centers around the prophesies of the seventh millenium which include the apacalypse of the bible and the end days predictions of Nostradamus. Man has a chance to redeam his past sins and bring about heaven on earth and the banishment of the devil from the world once every thousand years. The devil, named Gar Hob, has imprisoned an Angel Gemini and you must rescue her by redeaming the souls of the damned who block your way to save her. According to Bruvel, David Riordan, the game's interactive director, who also worked on It Came from the Desert and Voyeur, is obsessed with the seventh millenium which is the focus of the game.
Q4: Who are the major characters in the game?
Gar Hob or the devil tries to block your efforts. The Angel Gemini is a prisoner who you must rescue, but she can offer hints and assistance. Ther are 32 evil specters from earth's past who have sinned one of the seven deadly sins who also block your efforts. There is a bailif who can also work against you.
Q5: What hollywood stars do the voices of the characters does the voice overs? Gar Hob is portrayed by the Disney Hercules star James Woods in another stunning portrayal. Lolita Davidovich, who played Blaze Starr in the 1989 film Blaze with Paul Newman playing Texas Governor Earl Long, has done an excellent job as the Angel of Light. William Utay, who has had bit roles in Species and Cobb, puts on a surprisingly good performance as the bailiff
Q6: What is the game play and the interface like?
The interface is perhaps the problematical portion of the game in that the interface is awkward. You must hold down the right mouse button to get the pop-up menu system to come up and remain on screen. You then must select from the menu with the left button of the mouse. Holding the right button down, while making selections is awkward. Active menu selections can appear to be grayed out, which normally means in windows that the selection is inactive. This may lead to confusion while playing the game. The game play involves using colored orbs of light to project colored light beams which send one of the 32 evil specters to a "penalty box" area in the game clearing the way to rescue Angel Gemini. If the colored light corresponds to the correct sin, for example blue with lust, will defeat the evil specter. Some of the spectors who sinned one of the seven great sins are Alastair Crowley, Nero, and others.
Q7: Who is the game for and who should avoid it? Since the game is time dependent and involves a lot of shuttling of game objects from one loation to another, those who do not like time dependent games or are annoyed at running errands like a federal express person should avoid the game. The plot is good and the visuals are worth your time and the minor annoyance of the awkward interface.
Q8: Summarize the game and your impressions?
Conclusion: We have seen the game Of Light and Darkness and the visionary works of Gil Bruvel and for a change the animation and the game are well suited to illustrating and carrying the plot and the game. Overall, it is a fun product. If you want to see more of the product, you can go to Interplay's excellent internet site for the game at www.oflightanddarkness.com or contact the company at 800-468-3775.
