Next-Gen Indiana Jones Press Release from LucasArts!
April 27th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

Just got the official press release for the next-generation Indiana Jones game from LucasArts this afternoon. LucasArts is now making the official announcement on the use of the groudbreaking euphoria technology that we've been hearing about, and when we can expect to see our first glimpse of the new Indy game:

LUCASARTS AND INDIANA JONES® WHIP INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT FORWARD WITH GROUNDBREAKING EUPHORIA TECHNOLOGY FROM NATURALMOTION LTD.

All in-game characters act like real people with this revolution in behavioral simulation, ensuring a different experience every time you play

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – April 27, 2006 – LucasArts announced today that Indiana Jones’ first expedition on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 will feature the revolutionary euphoria behavioral-simulation engine from NaturalMotion Ltd., creators of the award-winning Dynamic Motion Synthesis (DMS) technology. For the first time ever, euphoria enables interactive characters – from Indiana Jones himself to the foes he pulverizes – to move, act and even think like actual human beings without the limitations of traditional animation. Characters move and adapt realistically to their given situations on the fly, resulting in a series of experiences and payoffs that will never be the same twice. As one of only two publishers with early access to the technology, LucasArts is well advanced in integrating euphoria into Indiana Jones’ 2007 next-generation adventure.  

Imagine a swaying rope bridge. With euphoria in action, characters visibly attempt to balance themselves, their feet stumbling, their arms flailing, and their hands reaching for security as the unpredictable movements of the bridge threaten to send them plummeting to their doom. Perhaps they all survive. Perhaps they all fall. The use of euphoria means the action isn’t scripted – it’s simulated – so you’ll never be able to predict exactly what will happen, no matter how many times you’ve experienced a certain scenario.   

“With euphoria, A.I. drives character behaviors so that there’s a different payoff every time. The depth of this character interaction gives us true next-gen gameplay that you simply couldn’t do with earlier generations of hardware,” said Peter Hirschmann, vice president of product development at LucasArts. “We’ve been working with NaturalMotion since 2004 to help bring their groundbreaking technology to games, and there’s no better character to demonstrate it than Indiana Jones.”

“We have big plans for euphoria, and we are absolutely thrilled to be able to show it off in the first next-generation release from LucasArts,” said Torsten Reil, CEO of NaturalMotion. “LucasArts is an excellent partner with a real passion to raise the bar for next-gen games, and we look forward to working with them to apply euphoria technology to its games for years to come.”

LucasArts will demonstrate euphoria in action when it debuts its next-generation Indiana Jones game on May 10-12 at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles, CA.

About LucasArts
LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, CA, as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.

Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world’s leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company’s global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual-effects and audio post-production; and Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm’s entertainment properties. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm’s entertainment properties and businesses. Lucasfilm’s motion-picture productions include five of the 20 biggest box-office hits of all time and have received 19 Oscars and 53 Academy Award nominations. Lucasfilm’s television projects have won 12 Emmy Awards. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

About NaturalMotion Ltd.
NaturalMotion Ltd. is the first company to create 3D character animation software based on Dynamic Motion Synthesis (DMS), a technology that utilizes Adaptive Behaviors and artificial intelligence to simulate the human nervous system. Based on Oxford University research on the control of body movements, NaturalMotion’s first product, endorphin synthesizes off-line 3D character animation in real time. With customers such as Sony, Capcom, Namco and Konami, endorphin has rapidly become the tool of choice for many leading games and visual effects artists creating high-end animation. euphoria, NaturalMotion’s latest technology, is a run-time animation technology for game play and development on next-generation platforms, including PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™ and PC. Also based on NaturalMotion’s DMS technology, euphoria uses the CPUs of next-generation platforms to synthesize interactive animations on the fly, resulting in truly unique game moments that occur during the player’s experience. For further information on endorphin and euphoria please visit NaturalMotion’s website www.naturalmotion.com, or join the 20,000 endorphin LE users at community.naturalmotion.com.

Well, there's one thing for sure, we can expect some amazing gameplay with this new Indiana Jones game - stuff that's never been done before witha video game. To say the least, this is thrilling! Keep checking back for more updates on the upcoming Indy game and news from E3, where we will get our first glimpse at the next installment of the next-gen Indiana Jones gaming adventure, and hopefully we will see some video clips of the new game hit the web soon after. Stay tuned for the latest!

 

Indiana Jones Looks to Be Leading the Way in Game Tech
April 21st, 2006| Posted by Aaron

In an article by IGN, LucasArts reveals its plans in using new character physics technology to make the next-generation Indiana Jones video game as realistic as possible. LucasArts will be utilizing this new technology known as euphoria developed by NaturalMotion to give A.I. characters in the game a much more realistic personality, something the world has never seen before. Here are a couple of excerpts from the article:

But with its upcoming Indiana Jones title, LucasArts may be onto something. Utilizing a run-time animation technology called euphoria, the game is poised to push the limits of what was previously possible. The company that developed the technology, NaturalMotion, has been working for years to hone euphoria to accurately replicate real-world physics such as strength, weight, and momentum with in-game character models. Whereas before, all animations had to be pre-programmed, euphoria allows for reactions and behaviors to occur in real-time -- allowing models to react realistically to whatever situation might arise.

More interesting possibilities were mentioned regarding team A.I. dynamics which we didn't get to see. "It's never two against one, it's two as one" said Hirschmann. LucasArts mentioned groups of several enemies would be able to work together to overcome obstacles and more effectively attack you, leading to unique battles every time. They said they were hoping players would want to reload areas over and over again solely to see the different ways they could take out foes and watch them work together. In terms of specific examples, it was said enemies could pass weapons between each other and help each other up and over obstacles.

But this technology isn't just some run-of-the-mill ragdoll physics. No, instead with euphoria, the A.I. characters don't just act out pre-programed moves when fighting Indy or falling off a cliff, they actually reacting to the environment and each other in real time, be it Indy throwing a mean right hook to the jaw, or an A.I. baddie tumbling off a cliff and another trying to save his hide with some success. This advancement will help bring a new level of realism to the game play in general, starting with the next Indiana Jones game. Project Leader at LucasArts, Chris Williams remarked, "The stumbling, the staggering, the notion that the characters really have this sense of situational awareness, and they have this sense of self preservation that really allows you to, given a circumstance, get a different reaction from them every time."

After reading this article, the least you should walk away with is a renewed hope for the future of gaming and Indiana Jones. Personally, I'm thrilled to hear that LucasArts is going the distance and taking Indy to the cutting edge of gaming technology. I can't wait to get my hands on this! If only we didn't have to wait until 2007.

The article also included several screenshots and a video clip showcasing the stunning advancments being made by NaturalMotion and LucasArts. Please note: the screenshots and video you will find at IGN is not from the Indiana Jones video game, but from NaturalMotion's website, however it does give you a good sense of what we can expect to see in the next Indy game. So be sure to check out IGN to get the full scoop, this is an article you won't want to miss!

Big thanks to Eddie for the news!

 

Ward and Hirschmann Talk Next-Gen Indy Game!
April 19th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

The New York Times spoke with president of LucasArts, Jim Ward and vice president of product development at Lucas Arts, Peter Hirschmann about the future of the LucasArts gaming company and George Lucas' desire to make LucasArts one of the top five gaming companies in the world. Mr. Ward and Mr. Hirschmann (as the article refers to them in an almost secret agent-like manor) also spoke about games that are being planned for the future, including the next-generation Indiana Jones game:

And there are more non-"Star Wars" games on the way, including one based on the Indiana Jones character.

"[Mr. Hirschmann] gleefully explained how researchers had tracked down images of San Francisco buildings from 1915 for the future Indiana Jones game."

1915, eh? Does this mean a portion of the new Indy game will take place during Indy's younger years? Or will this be a Young Indiana Jones game unto itself? Only time will tell. Be sure to check out the full article at NY Times.com. It's a very informative article, proving that there are very exciting times to come!

Big thanks to Eddie and Sean for the news!

 

Temple of Doom Screening in San Diego
April 11th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

The La Jolla Village Theatre in San Diego, CA will be screening Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on May 6th as part of the Landmark Theatre's "Midnight Madness" film series. A prime opportunity for Indy fans in the San Diego area to see Temple of Doom on the big screen, so if you live near by don't miss it!

Thanks to SpielbergFilms.com for the news!

 

Play As a Jedi Knight in Club Obi-Wan!
April 11th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

Now here's an interesting crossover. LucasFiles has posted a new mod for Star Wars Jedi Knights: Jedi Academy by Matthias Buttner, which allows you to play as a Jedi Knight in Club Obi-Wan from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The map modification is based on the club from the beginning of Temple of Doom where Indy encounters Lao Che in an attempt to trade the remains of Nurhachi for the Peacock's Eye. Looks like a pretty good recreation, and is definitely worth checking out if you have the game. Visit LucasFiles.com to download the map.

Thanks to Eddie for the link!

 

Connery to Make Retirement Official at AFI
April 8th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

According to Hollywood.com, Sean Connery will officially announce his retirement from acting when he recieves AFI's Lifetime Achievement Award later this year. Connery staid, "I have retired for good. It's been a bit rough since Christmas but I'm perfectly OK and I feel well. In fact, I'm working on a history book." So does this mean that Henry won't be back for Indiana Jones 4? Of course not, nothing is for certain. Chances are Connery is done with his major acting roles, but who knows? Spielberg and Ford may be able to convince Sir Sean to come back for a cameo in the fourth and final Indiana Jones film. Here's hoping to see Henry Jones Sr. on screen one last time!

Thanks to Eddie for the link.

 

Raiders at #42 on WGA's Top 101 Screenplays List
April 7th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

The Writers Guild of America has created a list of the 101 greatest screenplays in movie history "Celebrating the greatest achievements in film writing", and four of the screenplays that Steven Spielberg brought to life are on the list, including Raiders of the Lost Ark .

The screenplay for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial written by Melissa Mathison ranked in at #64 on the list, Jaws written by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb came in at #63, Schindler's List written by Steven Zaillian came in at #49, and Raiders of the Lost Ark written by Lawrence Kasdan ranked the highest of the Spielberg-directed screenplays at #42. Also, the Spielberg-produced Back to the Future screenplay written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale came in at #56 on the list.

A rather impressive turn-out for Spielberg's work, especially given the screenplays in competition, which included Casablanca at #1 and The Godfather at #2. Check out WGA.org for the full list of the top 101 screenplays of all time.

Thanks to SpielbergFilms.com for the news!

 

Spielberg Hopes to Get Indiana Jones 4 Going for 2007
April 7th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

BusinessWeek Online spoke with Steven Spielberg about various topics, including Indiana Jones 4 where Spielberg stated that he hopes to get Indiana Jones 4 into gear for 2007:

When are you going to direct another film?
I'm working hard to get Indiana Jones 4 into shape. That's a Paramount picture, and we have had 10 revisions of the script. Right now [War of the Worlds screenwriter] David Koepp is working on it, and it's getting close. I'd like to get it going for 2007. And I'd like do something from Doris Kearns Goodwin's book Team of Rivals, about Abraham Lincoln.

You'd better hurry on the Indiana Jones film. Harrison Ford says he's not getting any younger....
Harrison Ford is still strong enough to pull a PT Cruiser on his back.

Hard to believe the fourth adventure has been through 10 revisions. But then goal has always to get the story right. So is this 10 times the charm? And is that a 2007 production date, or a 2007 release date? Frank Marshall recently stated that Indiana Jones 4 could possibly begin production sometime in 2007. Either way, the important part is Spielberg is still working hard to bring Indy 4 to the big screen. We'll keep you updated, so stick around for the ride!

Thanks to Eddie for the news.

 

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation Screening in Alaska!
April 6th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

Chris Strompolos and Eric Zala will be heading up to Alaska for the Sitka Film Society's screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation next month! Two screenings of The Adaptation will be held at the Downtown Coliseum Theater in Sitka, Alaska with the first on Firday, May 5th at 6:00 PM and the second on Saturday, May 6th at 1:00 PM. A question and answer session with Chris and Eric will be held afterwards.

For more information and ticket details, visit www.sitkafilm.com to learn more.

Thanks to Chris for the info!

 

Marshall Says Indiana Jones 4 May Shoot in 2007
April 5th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

Busy news day today, and this is the biggest story yet. Frank Marshall spoke with yourMovies.com.au about his upcoming projects and gave a possible time frame for Indiana Jones 4:

"Then we have the ever-present Indiana Jones 4. We're still working on the script, we want it to be great, and I suspect we're probably going to be shooting that next year."

This is certainly not the summer of 2006 start date we were hoping for, but as of now it looks as though Indy 4 will begin filming in 2007, with a late 2007 to 2008 release date. Let's hop there are no further delays. Stay tuned for the latest!

Big thanks to Eddie for the news!

 

Ticket Information for Raiders: Adaptation Screening
April 5th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

A quick update for those who are planning on going to see Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation at the Newport Beach Film Festival in Southern California on April 24th: tickets for the event can be purchased HERE. Tickets are $15 for the screening only and $40 for the screening plus the after party. This is a very exciting opportunity to see The Adaptation and attend a question and answer session with the Raiders: Adaptation creators Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb!

Thanks to Chris, Eric and Jayson for th eupdate.

 

Connery Jokes About Indiana Jones 4
April 5th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

Scotland Today reported that Sean Connery will be the 34th recipient of the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award this year, and also included a quote from Sir Sean about his involvement in Indiana Jones 4:

"I don't know, I think Harrison's too old for me now... He's borrowed my wig you know!"

Connery always seems to know just what to say. It is not known yet if Connery will return as Indy's father in Indiana Jones 4, but here's hoping for at least a cameo! We need at least another moment of Indy and Henry for the final adventure. Stay tuned for the latest!

Thanks to Eddie for the link.

 

Ford Talks Briefly on Connery in Indy 4 - UPDATED
April 5th, 2006| Posted by Aaron

Ireland On-Line posted a quote from Harrison Ford, after asking him if Sean Connery would be returning for Indiana Jones 4 and Ford replied, "I can't really say, but I would hope."

Also, an interview with Harrison Ford conducted by Jonathan Ross for the BBC1 showHollywood Greats recently aired, in which Ford stated that Indiana Jones 4 has a "ninety-nine and three quarter percent" chance of becoming a reality. When Ross asked if Connery would return, he merely smiled and remained silent.

Of course there's nothing really new here but we all hope Sean will be back as Professor Jones for the fourth adventure. But, as always, nothing is for sure right now, however things are looking good. Hopefully we'll be hearing more announcements as the year progresses, and with a little luck production on Indy 4 will begin soon enough. Stay tuned for the latest!

Thanks to Peter and SpielbergFilms.com for the news.

 

Marshall Says Indy 4 May Shoot Down Under
April 3rd, 2006| Posted by Aaron

The Sydney Morning Herald posted new quotes from producer Frank Marshall, who stated that Indiana Jones 4 will most likely go into producer early next year and possible filming locations include the US, Europe and Australia:

"Harrison is going to play the character and it is going to be 10 or 12 years later. It will be a story that makes sense and is believable."

"My job as producer is to get the movie made so if I can do it better and cheaper here in Australia, then I am going to do it. Australia is a definite possibility for Indiana Jones and a couple of other things I am working on at the moment."

The Sydney Morning Hearld also added that Marshall was unable to confirm whether or not Sean Connery would be returning as Indy's father.

The question now is whether or not the actual locations in the story will be in Australia, or will they just be using Australia for studios and more generic locations. Either way, the possibility of Indy 4 filming in Australia is good news, as it is a sign of progress. Stay tuned for the latest!

Thanks to Eddie for the link.