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Chris is passed out over here at the Tiki bar at the resort! ;oD
'The Reader' to Receive April Blu-ray Release
Genius Products and The Weinstein Co. are bringing the Oscar-winning film 'The Reader' to Blu-ray in late-April. Earning a Best Actress statuette for Kate Winslet, the acclaimed Holocaust-themed drama will see a Blu-ray release on April 28, two weeks following the standard DVD.
Extras will include a quintet of making-of featurettes, and a dozen deleted scenes.
Source: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Weinstein_Co./Disc_Announcements/The_Reader_to_Receive_April_Blu-ray_Release/2541
It matters not what I think, but the thought did cross my mind. GLTY!
My guess is $0.005
Genius Products DVD / Blu-Ray revenues up for WWE releases
"In 2008, we released 29 new home video productions and shipped approximately 4.1 million DVD and Blu-ray units, including catalog titles released in prior years. More widespread marketing and merchandising support at major retailers and replenishment of prior year titles helped to drive domestic sales. Beginning in November 2006, Genius Products, LLC became our exclusive domestic distributor of home videos. Outside the United States, our new releases and catalog titles are distributed through licensees.
Home video net revenues were $58.5 million, $53.7 million, $35.5 million and $42.6 million, representing 11%, 11%, 13% and 11% of total net revenues in 2008, 2007, transition 2006 and fiscal 2006, respectively."
Source: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1091907/000120677409000374/wwe_10k.htm
The Reader Coming to Blu-ray
The Weinstein Company and Genius Products has announced that they will bring 'The Reader' to Blu-ray on April 28th, two weeks after the DVD release. This is the film that recently netted Kate Winslet the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Source: http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2447
Not with $524+ Billion in debt.
As you wish.
Sorry if you do not agree with my observations, but I stand by my forecast. GE, as a company, lacks both order and value. I would be willing to provide you with a more detailed corporate analysis of GE if you wish for a fee.
Absurd can be defined as lacking order or value. GE lacks both order and value IMO. GE is all over the place, they lack focus and the company is in need of a reorganization or restructuring to create value. GLTY
It does not get any more real than a Chapter 7. Never say never. At the least, I believe a major restructuring is due for GE to survive IMO.
$5.00 if not to 0.
Ge is headed lower IMO.
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ Preview
The music genre has shot into the stratosphere this generation; franchises like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have swept the globe and generated millions of fans, many of whom hadn’t picked up a video game since Super Mario Bros. over 20 years ago. So of course, it would make perfect sense to see such a popular genre branching off and embracing other categories of music. Activision is working on DJ Hero, and 7 Studios and the lesser known Genius Products will soon provide us with Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. If you plan on picking this one up, you will be treated to a special custom peripheral, plus plenty of licensed tracks featuring such artists as Kanye West, Beastie Boys, and Mix Master Mike. Although the game’s foundation will be familiar to loyal followers of either of the previous rock music franchises, the key difference centers on player freedom and customization.
See, you basically just hit the right note as it scrolls by in Guitar Hero and Rock Band, and you will be doing that again in Scratch…but it doesn’t end there. As you likely know, DJ-ing is more about being a freestyle artist yourself, so the game encourages you to add your own flair and flavor to the included set of songs. The core aspect of the gameplay will be similar to other music games, and it actually reminds us a bit of Amplitude, where you switched between a variety of musical accompaniments, ranging from drums to guitar to vocals. In Scratch, the chart of musical notes that scrolls by will automatically switch between the different musical aspects – depending on which is most important at the time – and this is where you will hone your reflexes and skills. But where you hone your creative ability is…well, it’s kinda in the subtext. It’s all about dropping in your own inventions at just the right time, which instantly makes this game more intriguing.
As you go through the song, blank spaces will show up, and that’s your chance to shine. What you do is entirely up to you, and as one really can’t critique a personal musical creation, the game won’t punish you for any reason. According to a recent IGN eyes-on session, dropping in your own scratches fades, and other tricks of the trade will only allow you to score more bonus points, and it won’t break your running score multiplier. The game will give you tips on how to get better at devising new beats for the song, and if you can manage to fill up a special scratch meter, you can bust out into an awesome freestyle mode that will yield a very large point total. The closest we’ve come to this is freestyle power-ups in previous music titles (again, Amplitude comes to mind), where you can break off and do what you wish for a while, but this is an entirely new concept. No other game really focuses on player freedom and imagination, you know?
Our favorite feature in The Ultimate DJ is the ability to implement our very own sound samples. There are several “battle record” samples already included on the disc (cartoon noises, alien sounds, etc.), and you can pick five before attempting to play any given song. When the chance arises, you can use your set of chosen samples to spruce up the track; just think of the immense possibilities! When you’re tired with what the game offers, you can plug in the provided USB microphone and record your own samples – they can be about 5 seconds in length – and these will be added to your available inventory of unique sound effects. And of course, if you want that microphone to be more diverse, bring a friend over and ask him to add some additional panache to your scratching skills. It’s like Player 2 can jump in with his mic and either promote your Godlike ability or heckle your worthless butt…so maybe you should practice a bit before giving anyone such an opportunity. The bottom line is that while those who want to be rock stars already have their games, the hip-hop aficionados have been ignored.
Well, until now. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ should release some time during the second quarter this year, and although it may not be as popular as Guitar Hero or Rock Band, it has its own singular style that ought to appeal to a different group of music fans. Besides, if you’re a true-blue music lover and you have to have all the music games available, this is another to add to your list. It can be a pricey endeavor to be a strong follower of the music category these days, but such titles offer a very different experience in the realm of gaming. Can you really throw a party without a music/rhythm title sitting in your console these days? It’s the perfect ice-breaker!
Source: http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-previews/292.html
TWC is far from failure and Inglorious Basterds is not the only blockbuster in the pipeline for Harvey & Company. Escape from Planet Earth, Fanboys, Nine, H2, Cheech & Chong are among the winners for 2009. I am also hopeful the latest season of Project Runway will be released soon as well.
I agree, Genius should release special editions of Grindhouse and Kill Bill (and other DVD content on Blu-ray as well) as Blu-Ray gains in popularity. Timing is everything and I have the feeling Genius will release special editions of QT's films on Blu-ray around the same time Inglorious Basterds is released.
Genius was, well "Genius" to jump on the video game bandwagon early, as the video gaming industry is doing well. They have released several games already including Linerider 2 Unbound, and I am sure when Scratch The Ultimate DJ is released, Genius will profit from it big time. Look how popular rock games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band are. Just as rock music has an audience, Hip Hop also has a huge fan base. Think about it, this ONE game alone could help Genius stand on a mountain of cash. Not to mention the added sales from "battle pack" or additional music disc packs for Scratch I am sure Genius will release as well.
I have given some thought as to the possibility of the Video Game Industry consolidating with the Movie Distribution Industry, as they both share the same logistics / distribution challenges. Imagine if a huge video game company such as Activision or Electronic Arts which are loaded with cash, merged with GNPI, this could be huge!
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ First Look
Got room for one more peripheral in your game room?
You've got your Rock Bands and Guitar Heroes to cater to the rock and roll, metal, pop, and punk crowds. There's even the long running DDR franchise for those that like J-pop and techno. But where is the mainstream hip-hop game? Activision has DJ Hero on the way but details on that project have been nonexistent. On the immediate horizon, though, is Scratch: The Ultimate DJ from 7 Studios. Like other music rhythm games, this one comes with a set of licensed tracks and a custom peripheral. Unlike others, that music features hip-hop artists such as Mix Master Mike and Kanye West and a turntable peripheral designed by DJ equipment maker Numark.
7 Studios aims to offer an interactive music game in every sense. As fun as they might be, Rock Band and Guitar Hero essentially boil down to a game of Simon Says. When the note scrolls past you, it's your job to play that note. Small sections where you can play or sing anything give you a little freedom, but you don't have much wiggle room. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ encourages you to make the song you're playing your own. A famous artist may have laid down the groundwork -- the likes of the Beastie Boys and the Black Eyed Peas have already been announced as being part of the 60 song lineup -- but it is up to you to put your own spin on the tune. We had that free-flowing style demoed to us using two songs from the game: "Feel Good Inc." by The Gorrillaz and "Don't Sweat the Technique" by Eric B. and Rakim .
Of course, this is a game and not just a turntable with a few preloaded tunes. The basics resemble that of its popular predecessors in that the developers have charted out notes for you to play by tapping appropriate buttons at the right time. The note charts will cycle from one instrument to the next automatically depending upon what is most interesting and important to the tune so you'll find yourself tapping along to everything from the bass and drum tracks to the leading melody as you work your way through the song.
That layout may turn off a lot of hardcore DJ aficionados out there since tapping buttons in rhythm is hardly what being a DJ is all about. Thankfully, things go a bit further. At any time, you can lay down a few extra notes to fill in blank spaces. It won't break your score multiplier and you can even score bonus points by doing so. You can also throw in little scratch, fade, and other DJ tricks in to pump your score up and put your own signature on the tune. Blue bars will occasionally roll by on the left letting you know you should improve and if you fill up a scratch meter you can break into total freestyle mode for big points.
All of that is well and good, but it still sounds a bit like a traditional music rhythm game. The next addition comes in the difficulty. You can adjust the number of streaming notes to tie your fingers into tighter or looser knots depending upon your skill level, but no matter which you pick you cannot fail out of the game. Skip notes and you won't hear them or get points, but you can simply mess around scratching and tweaking all you like with little regard for what you see on screen and not face the ultimate penalty.
Another level of customization comes with the "battle record" samples. A bunch of these will be included on the disc, ranging from cartoon noises to alien sounds or even power tools. Select a set and you'll have five extra samples to add into the song wherever you like. Here's where things get interesting. Plug in a USB microphone and you can record your own samples (roughly 5 seconds in length each) and you can then map five of those to your own battle record. Each time you pick a song, you'll also pick a battle record set to take with you.
You can imagine the possibilities for creativity here and that isn't the end of what the microphone can be used for. Leave it plugged in and, while you're scratching through a song, a buddy can pick up the mic and be your own personal hype man. There's no scoring on the vocals, but it does add an extra option for parties.
This large amount of freedom doesn't come without a cost. Since you can remix and change the songs quite substantially, the record labels and artists balked at the idea of sharing tunes online or through the web. You can save replays, but they can only be viewed locally.
Scratch has a few multiplayer options as well, though we'd have to imagine you'd want two turntable controllers for any fun locally. You can play online as well, which will ease things up a bit. The two modes we were told about are a straight head-to-head game where the high score wins and a "question and answer" game that can be played competitively like a game of horse or co-operatively for the high score.
Source: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/957/957124p2.html
How ‘Scratch: The Ultimate DJ’ Actually Plays
We’ve published several stories about “Scratch: The Ultimate DJ” without having seen the game running or touching the turntable controller, but that changed yesterday during a mostly hands-off demo in a San Francisco hotel.
“Scratch: The Ultimate DJ“ is becoming more of a reality. We’ve seen the game in person and watched someone mess with an early prototype controller.
The controller is about what we were expecting, but the still-in-development gameplay had some surprises. You aren’t just controlling the “DJ-y” bits of songs and randomly scratching along, but switching between different instruments and tapping along with the controller’s five buttons. Unlike “Guitar Hero” or “Rock Band,” there is no “strumming” needed — you just hit the appropriate button.
The scratch mechanic can be played with at any time, though careful and creative uses will be rewarded with score multipliers.
Each of the buttons also corresponds to a sample tied to a “battle record” that’s picked before gameplay begins. Throughout the track, there are opportunities to mix in these samples and make the song uniquely yours. If you’re not satisfied with the hundreds of samples already built into “Scratch,” however, the game is compatible with USB microphones and you can record your own. Due to legal reasons, there is no way to share these samples with other players.
A crucial difference between “Scratch” and other music games is how it handles winning and losing. You cannot “lose” at a “Scratch” track midway through. “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” will throw a game over screen if you’re not keeping up, but “Scratch” allows you to finish every song. It grades performance at the end, however, and provides real-time feedback of how you’re doing.
Source: http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/02/25/how-scratch-the-ultimate-dj-actually-plays-crude-controller-drawing-included/
Hey Gator! Vacationing with Chris = Priceless! ;oD
I spoke with Genius Products investor relations today. Basically, the restructuring was done to encourage investment and promote future growth of the company. At any rate, I plan on adding a bunch more! GLTY
Hey Garrett!
Here's a picture of Chris Messalas & I @ Cocoa Beach, wish you could join us! ;oD
The Weinstein Company (TWC) won 2 Academy Awards last week with The Reader and Vicky Christina Barcelona, and home video sales should go well for Genius Products. Zack And Miri is also doing well on the sales charts. TWC is coming out with some new movies later this year (Nine, Inglourious Basterds, H2, Cheech And Chong etc...) which also look promising. Video Game sales in general are doing well and I am looking forward to Scratch The Ultimate DJ video game, as I believe it will do very-very well for Genius. The new distribution agreement in place with TWC is more favorable for Genius, and it appears as if the distribution agreement has been extended to December 31, 2011. Management also has 3 year employment agreements in place. Genius has been trimming costs, and is becoming a more streamlined organization.
Now is the time to buy GNPI, IMHO!
TWC won 2 Academy Awards last week with The Reader and Vicky Christina Barcelona, and home video sales should go well for Genius. Zack And Miri is also doing well on the sales charts. TWC is coming out with some new movies later this year (Nine, Inglourious Basterds, H2, Cheech And Chong etc...) which also look promising. Video Game sales in general are doing well and I am looking forward to Scratch The Ultimate DJ video game, as I believe it will do very-very well for Genius. The new distribution agreement in place with TWC is more favorable for Genius, and it appears as if the distribution agreement has been extended to December 31, 2011. Management also has 3 year employment agreements in place. Genius has been trimming costs, and is becoming a more streamlined organization.
Now is the time to buy GNPI, IMHO!
What say you Weirdharold?
Genius Products Inc. has reaffirmed its alignment with The Weinstein Co. and solidified its management ranks in light of GNPR Investments LLC’s new ownership role.
The company’s distribution business, Genius Products LLC, will exclusively distribute TWC titles through Dec. 31, 2010. Genius and TWC also have mutually agreed to extend the contract to Dec. 31, 2011. Genius should enjoy more favorable financial terms with TWC titles since GNPR took a 60% stake in the distribution business in January. Going forward, Genius Products and TWC hold 25% and 15% interests, respectively, in the distribution business. Previously, TWC was the majority owner for Genius Products LLC.
Genius Products Inc. also has signed on CEO Trevor Drinkwater, president Matthew Smith and executive VP/general manager Mitch Budin for new three-year employment contracts. Additionally, Genius’ board of director members Alan Quasha, Bruce Bunner and John Hecker will fill three board vacancies left by the GNPR transaction.
Effective Feb. 27, Quasha will become Genius’ chairman of the board and member of the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating committee. Bunner and Hecker also will be part of these three committees.
Previous Genius chairman Stephen K. Bannon will stay on as vice chairman of the board. Drinkwater will continue as a board member.
Also, Genius has amended its line of credit with Société Générale.
These moves follow Genius cutting 17% of its workforce following GNPR’s new involvement with the company.
Source: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6639446.html
First Look At Scratch: Ultimate DJ
With music games taking so much space on store shelves these days, it’s tough to imagine retailers being receptive to yet another music game that comes bundled with a unique controller. “If we had told them that we were making another rock and roll game, it would have been next to impossible,” says Mike Rubinelli, senior vice president of game development at Genius Products. Once those buyers learn that Scratch: The Ultimate DJ tackles an as-of-yet unexplored aspect of music gaming, he says, those opinions soon change.
Rubinelli and 7 Studios’ Dan Lehrich stopped by our offices recently to show off that new game. While it’s still in the early stages, it’s clear that there’s more to the game than it being the simple “Guitar Hero with a turntable,” concept that people assumed when the game was announced a short while ago.
Trained as a musician, creator Lehrich started his career in the games industry at EA before moving on to 7 Studios. While he worked in the audio department professionally, he spent his off hours developing game concepts—including the one that would ultimately be shaped into Scratch.
While Lehrich is a fan of games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, he’s quick to recognize that ultimately these games play like sophisticated versions of Simon says. Music is more than just pressing buttons in a prescribed order, he notes. A large part of playing music hinges on impulsively trying new things and exploring the moment. Aside from some of the drum fills or freestyle-vocal sections that well-known rhythm games offer, that level of freedom hasn’t yet been explored. If players try to create variations on a defined riff, at best they’ll hear some odd notes before eventually getting booed off the virtual stage.
Lehrich says he hates that aspect of rhythm games. If a person takes a chance and picks up a Guitar Hero game for the first time, they’ll probably fail out in short order. On the flipside, if a person is completely skilled at the game they’ll be rewarded by hearing the original master track of a song, which will sound the same way each time it’s played. Lehrich’s approach is different. In Scratch, players are free to improvise to the tracks as they play. As familiar-looking notes cascade down the screen, would-be DJs press corresponding buttons on the controller. In addition to getting points for hitting those notes—which can represent basslines, drum parts or other instrumentation, depending upon the individual song—players can add additional button presses and earn more points. Those extra notes utilize samples from the actual songs, so they don’t sound completely out of place, either.
The keyboard aspect is something we’ve seen before, in slightly different formats, and there’s a reason for that. Lehrich says he doesn’t see the point in switching the colors around just for the sake of doing so, using the example of how FPSs have settled on some of the same controller conventions. Instead of forcing players to learn a completely different scheme, 7 Studios has taken advantage of a starting point that music-game vets will be comfortable with and then building from there.
Where Scratch parts ways most significantly with other games in the rhythm-game space is its controller. In addition to the keyboard buttons (which are supposed to represent the buttons on an actual sampler), the controller sports a turntable and a fader switch. Lehrich says his wheel is far more sophisticated than superficially similar controllers. It’s fully analog, which means that players can interact with sounds in ways not possible before. He demonstrated by playing a sample repeatedly while spinning the wheel. He dragged it slowly, which resulted in a croaking, shuffling sound. Moving it faster made the sound skitter and increase in pitch, until it resembled something from a cartoon. When coupled with the fader switch (a left/right spring-loaded switch), he whipped out some faithful-sounding approximations of the kinds of sounds you’d expect to hear from a hip-hop DJ.
That’s all well and good, but how does the game play? We weren’t able to get our hands on it at its pre-alpha stage, but we did see Lehrich spin his way through a few songs—including The Gorillaz’s “Feel Good Inc” and Tech N9ne’s “Slacker.” During the demonstration, he strayed from the designated note path plenty of times, and everything continued on—the screen didn’t dim, the crowd didn’t boo and there weren’t odd noises. The notes that would have been played had he participated were silent, but it wasn’t jarring in the least. As he scratched during specific areas, a meter filled up, similarly to the Star Power in Guitar Hero. Once it was filled, he activated a tentatively named “Scratch Solo,” where he transformed, scribbled and more for points. At that point, the song-specific keyboard sounds were replaced with sounds from what he called Battle Records. Think of them as user-selectable five-sound clusters of sounds, as varied as animal calls, robots, “Oh yeah”s and other hip-hop staples. If the library of about 50 packs isn’t satisfying enough, players will be able to plug in a USB mic and record their own custom samples.
Improvisation is a big part of the game, but don’t expect to get very far if your noodling isn’t up to par. The game detects turntable tricks and converts them to points (more than 300 of those tricks are included, which are derivatives of a core set of around 20), and the game rewards proper timing and rhythm in both the turntable and core keyboard areas. Lehrich says one of his design inspirations has been the Skate series. Players aren’t limited to a certain number of unlockable tricks in those games. Instead, an individual’s skill level is the barrier that needs to be overcome. He says a moment that really made him realize what Scratch’s team had accomplished with the hardware came when noted turntablist Mix Master Mike came to test it out, and was able to make sounds that nobody on the team had heard before.
Subcultures can be brutally honest (or just plain brutal) when members perceive outsiders as being exploitative. That’s something that 7 Studios has been keenly aware of, and they’ve taken steps to ensure that the game is a respectful (but over the top) homage to hip-hop culture. Hip-hop producer Quincy Jones III has been tapped as a resource during the game’s development, helping out with everything from brainstorming the playable characters to helping select some of the game’s 60 tracks. As much as we might respect Jones' opinions on music, there's one particular tidbit that's especially interesting: While Lehrich wouldn't elaborate, he said that people would be able to interact with music that they have saved onto their console's hard drive in one way or another. Interesting...
Everything seems to be stacking up quite nicely, with Scratch representing a style of music that hasn’t yet been given its full due in the gaming space. Without getting our hands on the game and playing it for ourselves, it’s tough to say how successful the game is overall. At this point, all we can tell for certain is that the separate pieces look like they could fit together into a fun game. We’ll have to wait and see whether or not that’s the end result. Look for it this summer on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200902/N09.0223.1531.21262.htm?Page=1
Winslet wins for best actress at Academy Awards!
After six tries, Kate Winslet finally took home Oscar gold at Sunday's Academy Awards for her role as an illiterate Nazi prison guard in "The Reader." The 33-year-old got the best-actress prize for a role in which her character seduced and subsequently had an affair with a teen-age boy, and later was sentenced to life in prison for war crimes. The film was produced by the privately held Weinstein Co.
Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Winslet-wins-best-actress-Academy/story.aspx?guid={4A269B85-9877-47BA-97A4-C0A702433C2F}
"Penelope Cruz Takes Home Gold!"
Penelope Cruz just nabbed the first Oscar of the night for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'Vicky Christina Barcelona'.
She beat out Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Taraji P. Henson, and Marisa Tomei for the award.
"Has anyone ever fainted here because I might be the first one," said Cruz. She then thanked the Academy, the ensemble of actors, Harvey Weinstein, and dedicated the award to her parents brother and sister.
We LOVE Penelope, felicidades girl!
Source: http://meetthefamous.com/celebrity-news/?story=431
The Circuitcity.com domain / website and Firedog will fetch some coin.
Yeah, happy with DOW if you broke even at current prices in a years time and if DOW avoids Chapters 7 or 11.
On February 24, 2009, Genius Products and ESPN will release 2009 Rose Bowl: University of Southern California Trojans on DVD. The release will celebrate the USC Trojans' victory in the Rose Bowl this year over Penn State. It will contain bonus materials and extra features, and the DVD will be available for the MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) of $19.95.
The 2009 Rose Bowl: University of Southern California Trojans DVD will feature the following bonus materials:
Post-game interviews
Trophy presentation
ESPN College GameDay crew analysis
Source: http://dvd.ign.com/articles/955/955813p1.html
Actually, It is! :oD
SHORTIE stands for:
Systematic Hypertext Overlay Run Time Investment Environment
To answer your question no I do not have a short position in GE. I should though!
Do I need a margin account to short stocks? TIA
Never or too late - GE will continue to save face by not cutting dividend until it is too late resulting in a Chapter 11 reorganization/ restructuring as business units are sold off and GE emerges as a more focussed and leaner company. Common shareholders are wiped out in the process.
*Passes a handkerchief to NovoMira*
“I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.” - Warren Buffett
GE is headed for $6.00, possibly lower IMHO.
GNPI Genius Products http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22128
Interview: Scrubbing Real Samples In Scratch: The Ultimate DJ
The music game genre in its current incarnation is dominated by rock god fantasies -- the huge boom in peripheral-supported music titles has focused on only one type of music. But what about hip hop?
Activision recently announced DJ Hero, which will ship with a turntable peripheral -- but before CEO Bobby Kotick began to tease the product, Genius Products revealed it's developing its own hip hop game, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, partnering with 7 Studios and relying on the input of renowned musician-producer Quincy "QD3" Jones.
Genius Products senior VP of game development Mike Rubinelli claims over 17 years in the business at companies like Electronic Arts and THQ, involved with Madden on the Genesis all the way up through THQ's wrestling days and many other projects.
And in 2006, when Genius Products, a major movie distribution company, decided it wanted to join the video game game, Rubinelli was brought in to head it up. As he began to meet with developers to hear presentations, he made an interesting discovery on a visit to 7 Studios.
Discovering A Labor Of Love
"I stopped off in this audio engineer's closet of an office," Rubinelli recalls. "Lo and behold, Dan Lehric shows me what I think is the coolest thing ever; I was very sort of swept up in what it was."
Although Lehric is an audio lead, and game direction wasn't really in his day to day responsibilities, Rubinelli loved what he saw -- a tech demo Lehric built in his spare time, the core mechanics of a rhythm game running with a couple of low-end MIDI controllers and a handmade turntable.
Lehric's labor of love -- "it just oozes out of his pores" -- prompted initial discussions on the project that would become Scratch. "For us to find Dan and be able to execute on this opportunity has been really rewarding and gratifying," Rubinelli says.
"I think the desire for us to get involved stems from the fact we thought that the hip hop and R&B category was huge musically -- and it was completely underserved in video games," says Rubinelli.
"Here's a huge underserved market; there's a tremendous amount of potential there. This audience -- we think they're video gamers, and we think this is an outlet for them to interact with hip hop music in a way even more interesting than what's currently available."
A Different Approach To Music Play
"To say that this is an 'urban version' of Guitar Hero or Rock Band really sells it short," he adds. The gameplay for Scratch plans somewhat of a different focus, Rubinelli explains.
"Those games which we love are effectively glorified versions of Simon Says. You have to do what we tell you, when and how we tell you to do it, and if you dare get off that path at all we're going to penalize you for it."
"That's not what performance is all about," he continues. "Being a performer is about being in the moment, and taking chances and doing things differently, and putting your own spin on it. We think the creativity around Scratch as a whole really helps the rhythm and music category."
"We think the things we do will be embraced by the Guitar Hero and Rock Band creators as well, and that we'll see an evolution of the gameplay experience. It's not just 'Guitar Hero with hip hop music.'"
In Rubinelli's opinion, many of the music games that come out recently have been so activity-driven that there's "not enough game there to keep people engaged over long periods of time."
"We think that we very adeptly straddle that line of freeform expression and creative artistry, and we're actually giving you mechanics that you have to succeed at in order to progress."
This is a challenge, says Rubinelli, because music and games are fundamentally at odds in terms of their art forms. And yet Scratch isn't going to be a "music creator game" either.
"Our goal is to allow you to interact with music in a meaningful environment with ramping difficulty goals and a different way of scoring achievements than what you've interacted with historically," he explains.
The Musical Influences
QD3 is acting as executive producer and creative consultant on the project. "He's been tremendous," Rubinelli enthuses. "Quincy is great from the standpoint that we have here on the development side sort of a narrow view of the world of hip hop."
"Every time we have an opportunity to listen to hip hop music, we do -- but Quincy literally travels the world making hip hop documentaries," he says. "He's got this great sense of trends and movements and sounds that he always lets us know -- if you want to be relevant you have to represent for the different 'food groups' of hip hop."
Scratch's track list, then, isn't necessarily top 40 music/ "It's not just old school songs, it's not just electronic hip hop," says Rubinelli. "We've got what we think is a really strong blend of great music that you may or may not have heard of -- from a few big, commercial smash hits to, 'I've never heard this, but I want to find out more about this artist.'"
Thus far, the game's licensed songs from Kanye West, Beastie Boys, The Black Eyed Peas, Tech N9ne, and Eric B. and Rakim. Mix Master Mike is also providing music as well as creative and technical support for the project.
Working With Quincy Jones
So what's it been like working with QD3? "When we met with Quincy a little over a year ago, we had no idea that he was going to be remotely interested in working with us," says Rubinelli.
"We had a relationship with him from the film distribution side, because Genius distributes his movies," he says. "We brought him in for a discussion... and we pitched him on the notion, and within 10 minutes, he's like, 'I'm in, I love it, let's figure it out.'"
"To hear somebody of his accomplishments be excited to work with us was pretty amazing," says Rubinelli. "Without Quincy, Dan and I are just a couple white dudes trying to make a hip hop game. He keeps us relevant and on point, and makes sure that nothing gets missed."
What About That Turntable?
Although the company's not yet ready to announce too many specific details of the game's turntable peripheral, Rubinelli was willing to give us a couple of hints. "The one thing that I will say is that the fact that we have a turntable allows us to do certain things with the music," he begins.
"One of those things that we allow the player to do is -- to scratch the music. The fun thing for us is that this is a real audio sample that you're scrubbing with. We like to think that it's fairly close to 1:1 -- you've got a high-resolution wheel, and the sample scrubs forward or backwards, and it's speed-sensitive."
"Just sort of knowing that little tidbit, we think-- and giving people a musically-appropriate time to do that inside of a song is really cool fun and different, and just the tip of the iceberg of what we allow players to do in the game."
The Challenges Ahead
Just as Genius prepared to discuss Scratch, however, publishing giant Activision, driver of the Guitar Hero juggernaut, announced it was getting in on the genre, too. Is Rubinelli concerned?
"You know, I'm not," he says. "My perspective on the category is that it's only going to grow. If as an industry we only made rock and roll rhythm games until the end of time, there's not a lot of room for innovation or creativity."
And what about the doom bells of "market softness" that analysts and retailers have begun to ring around band games?
"I guess my point is the initial Guitar Hero is a real phenomenon," says Rubinelli. "Rock Band took it to a whole new level and made it more of a social experiment. Clearly they're going down different paths, and both have merit. We think that we're coming at it from a whole new angle."
"We think the fact that not only are we giving people an exciting new controller to interact with music that they love, but we think that the sum of all those parts is unlike anything anybody's done before."
"Because of that newness, we are not as concerned with this sort of perceived market softness in any way," he concludes. "That's our position."
Source: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22128
Later this year, Genius Products and Seven Studios will release Scratch: The Ultimate DJ onto next-gen consoles. Beating Activision and their recently-confirmed DJ Hero to the punch, Scratch puts players in front of an interactive turntable controller peripheral so they can get their "wickity wickity wah" and "skritchity scrah rurr" on.
While we haven't had a chance to get our fingers on the digital vinyl, we did catch up with the game's designer and creative lead, Dan Lehrich to get the scoop on Scratch. We had a lot of questions, and fortunately, he had a lot of answers. We grill him on working creatively with music industry legends, the turntable controller, plans for downloadable content, and more.
OK, obviously, the success of peripheral-based music games like Guitar Hero have led to Scratch. What do you think took so long for a hip-hop/R&B game like Scratch to come to North America?
DAN LEHRICH:
I think the structure of rock music lends itself more naturally to game design. In a rock band you tend to have these very clearly defined roles – guitarist, drummer, vocalist and bassist – and those translate pretty directly to gameplay. Also, the song forms that are typical in rock provide a nice ebb & flow during a game – verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, guitar solo, chorus, outro – there’s usually a nice contour built into songs that gives you natural tension and release.
Hip-hop is different. The instrumentation is far less standardized, which makes it less obvious where the gameplay comes from at any given point in a song. Song forms are also a wildcard, and there tends to be fewer distinct sections within a song. This isn’t meant to be disparaging towards hip-hop – I’m a huge fan and have a ton of respect for the artistry it takes to make great music – but my point is that there are different challenges associated with translating hip-hop to gaming successfully.
Tackling those challenges head on has been the most exciting and rewarding part of working on Scratch. I’m really proud of the way we’ve been able to translate the traditional music-rhythm game design for the genre, while introducing new elements of improvisation and creativity that support the unique structure of hip-hop.
Another explanation that I’ve come across (and I hope I don’t get into too much trouble for saying this) has to do with the demographics of the types of people at publishers that are tasked with evaluating and green-lighting game concepts. They tend to be a bit older and, generally speaking, more likely to be rockers than hip-hop heads. When a publisher looks at a game, they are influenced by the practical (“is this game a good investment?”) and the emotional (“is this a kick-ass game idea?”) – and I think that emotional attachment to a hip-hop based game at that level is less likely.
We’ve been very fortunate on Scratch to work with partners that really “get” what we’redoing and that has made all the difference.
Looking at the screenshots, the GUI looks similar to what gamers might be familiar with. Can you clarify how this game is going to work with the peripheral?
The controller design and functionality is built to emulate the instruments typically associated with hip-hop. An MPC (Music Production Center) is a line of samplers by Akai that really gave birth to hip-hop beatmaking and the art of sampling. The “MPC style” buttons are square drum pads that the player presses to trigger samples (short sounds from within the song). The free-spinning wheel and cross-fader are the primary tools needed for scratching – manipulating the position and volume of a record player to add sounds on top of an existing track. Players can move the wheel back and forth to scrub through the sound in their own style, and the cross-fader can be used to cut the volume on and off for sample chopping effects.
In the game, players will use the controller to play back their favorite songs while adding their own flare on top of them. The basic GUI shows you the buttons you need to press or the way you need to manipulate the turntable to play the song as it was recorded, but there are ample opportunities for you to add your own flare for extra points. The open-endedness of the game design assures that no two performances of a song will ever sound exactly alike.
You worked with Numark in designing the controller. What did they bring to table in terms of design and functionality?
Numark has years of experience designing and building DJ equipment – turntables, mixers and – more recently – software/MIDI controllers. They brought a lot of expertise in hardware to the table, and we were able to work together to create a device that provides an authentic DJ experience in a fun and intuitive way. Novice players will be able to grab the device and start enjoying themselves right away, and more experienced musicians will appreciate the professional feel and functionality of our hardware.
Is this a game that will require the controller, without question, or will you be able to also play it with a traditional gamepad?
We do support gameplay with a traditional gamepad, but I wouldn’t recommend it. We’ve built the software and hardware together to provide a seamless experience, and half the fun is getting your hands on the gear.
So when can I come by and get my hands on the Scratch Pad? I'm free next week.
Well, this time next week I’ll be enjoying a much needed vacation -- don’t you journalists ever take a break?!?
In all seriousness, I’m looking forward to showing this thing off to gamers and the press as soon as possible. It shouldn’t be too long now. Stay tuned.
It would be silly to ignore Konami's Beatmania, a game that features a keyboard/scratching peripheral -- it's been around since the late 90s. How big of an influence in terms of design -- both in-game and peripheral -- has that game had on Scratch?
It would be as silly for us to ignore Beatmania as it would be to ignore Guitar Hero, Rock Band, PaRappa the Rapper, or any of the many music-rhythm games that have come before us. As a creator I’m constantly influenced by other games and inspired to advance the cause and bring new ideas to the table.
As far as Beatmania specifically -- the similarities are superficial at best, and I think that becomes obvious as soon as you start playing Scratch. I have a ton of respect for the Beatmania games and their impact on modern music gaming, but our gameplay is really trying to move in a new direction.
I know you're not ready to talk specifics about the 60-plus licensed tracks that will appear in the game. Can you talk in general terms, though? Hip-hop and R&B, those genres themselves can be pretty broad. How far reaching in style will the soundtrack be?
Actually we just released some names from our set list that I think gamers will be glad to see including Kanye West, the Beastie Boys, The Gorillaz, Deltron 3030 and Run DMC. As QD3 would say, we’re representing for all the various “food groups” within hip-hop and R&B. There will be music from across all eras, from mainstream artists to the underground scene. Within the heading of “hip-hop and R&B” our criteria is simple -- it’s got to be a good song, and it’s got to be fun to play. This lets us be flexible, and I think you’ll find that our track list has something for everyone. We will be announcing more in the near future, so stay tuned.
Is downloadable content, in terms of music something you're already considering, or is it too early to say?
We’ve considered downloadable music to be a part of the plan from day one. Not only does it allow us to extend the life of the game by providing new songs to play, but also it allows us to continue to share great content that we couldn’t fit onto the game disc. It’s too early to discuss the specifics of our downloadable content plan, but I can say that all DLC will integrate seamlessly into the main game and instantly become part of the core Scratch experience.
You have Quincy Jones III involved in the production -- he's worked with LL Cool J, Tupac, and others. He has a pretty rich history in the industry, not even to mention his father. How has it been working with him, and what has he brought the project?
Working with Quincy has been amazing -- he’s got a really unique perspective on hip-hop and the music industry in general from all his years of experience. He’s also a really cool, down to earth guy, and it’s been a lot of fun for me to work with him on this project.
One of Quincy’s main roles is to consult on the authenticity of various aspects of the project so that we stay true to the culture and keep the right vibe. For example, when we first started developing our characters, we brought Quincy in to meet with our concept guys and we spent time talking about the different movements within hip-hop and the types of people that you tend to see associated with those sub-cultures. This kind of advice has been invaluable to us throughout development.
The other thing that Q brings to the table is his love and knowledge of hip-hop -- he’s one of the most respected guys in industry, and he knows everyone! He helps make sure that there’s enough variety in our track list, and when we encounter any difficulty clearing music he can assist us with that. Licensing hip-hop can be very challenging, and Quincy helps us navigate that space as an ambassador of Scratch within the music industry. He’s put me in the room with some of my heroes to talk about the game and those kinds of connections can make all the difference.
There have been rumors (and now confirmation) of another DJ game from Activision coming to the market, and there's been some "big names" attached to the project. There's even MC Hammer talking about meeting with Activision, so people have been making some links. Any word on "celebrity" appearances in Scratch, and what are your thoughts on what that would bring to the game?
We’ve been working really hard to develop the characters and locations within Scratch City (the fictional setting of our game). A lot of time and attention has been paid to creating a believable world, where everything has its place and fits together as a cohesive whole. For this reason, I’ve been resistant to the idea of trying to force celebrity appearances into the game, especially in places where it wouldn’t really make sense. Personally, I think it’s a little strange to see Ozzy Osbourne in a game singing “La Bamba.”
That’s not to say that we’re ignoring “celebrities” all together -- on the contrary, this project has given me the opportunity to work with some of my heroes. We’re just focusing on ways that they can contribute to the game in a more tangible way, through music and audio content, technical and gameplay consultation, etc. A perfect example of that is our involvement with the legendary Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys. He was so excited by the game when he saw it that he jumped on board. Not only is he providing technical and creative input, but he’s also going to contribute a song from his upcoming album.
I'm looking forward to hearing more about Scratch, and getting my hands on it. When can we expect to see it on store shelves?
I’m looking forward to talking more about Scratch myself, and getting it into stores so that gamers can check it out. We’re targeting a summer 2009 release.
Source: http://www.destructoid.com/destructoid-interview-dan-lehrich-creator-of-upcoming-music-game-scratch-121935.phtml
Genius Products released new screenshots from the upcoming music-rhythm videogame Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. Featuring an innovative turntable style controller and more than 60 licensed and original hip-hop and R&B songs, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ is the first custom music game to bring improvisational DJ'ing to the masses. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ will hit the store shelves in Summer 2009.
The new assets include screenshots of two playable DJ characters from Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, DJ Sakura and DJ Travis - each with their own unique style and attitude
DJ Travis
It's apparent DJ Travis knows how truly talented he is, in spite of his laid back demeanor. As self-assured as he is, DJ Travis never demonstrates a hint of cockiness. He's comfortable with himself and doesn't care if you think he's cool or not. Although, it's impossible not to think he's cool when he makes scratching look effortless. DJ Travis is often described by his friends as an urban skater whose hip style reflects the skaters at Venice Beach.
DJ Sakura
DJ Sakura is not as sweet and innocent as she looks, although her perpetually happy and bubbly persona may be deceiving. Her skill and speed behind the decks is often underestimated, but this young up and coming DJ is eager to make her mark in Scratch City. Known to her friends as J-Girl, this expressive chick is just grateful for the opportunity to mix beats.
New screenshots: http://www.gamershell.com/xbox360/scratch_the_ultimate_dj/screenshots.html
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Chris was at the Olive Garden the other day, he left a Joker on the table. Just as you are praising this stock, some of us see the other side of the coin. The lack of transparency and issues with FINRA is why I believe CTNO / Chris Messalas is a joker IMHO.
Genius Products launches new website devoted to the Maneater Series.
http://www.geniusproducts.com/maneaterseries/