Video Games and Live Theatre

This project is finally far enough along that I can show some work...

Our production of Mother Courage is based around the concept that “War is a game you can’t win.” Mother Courage tries her best, and thinks she’s clever enough to get by, but eventually she loses her children to it.

The design includes 4 playable video games based on events from the play. These games will be playable in the lobby by patrons and will also be projected on our big rear screen during the show. There will also be background scenes based on the game graphics, and two LCD monitors flanking the stage which display the life/death state of each of her children, plus running scores for Wealth and Integrity.

For some in-progress videos see our blog at:
http://wmudigitalmedia.wordpress.com/

Here's the poster:

 

Here are some screen grabs:

Kattrin Wakes the Village:


Innocent, mute Kattrin is trying ot wake the village before they are ambushed by soldiers. Youve got a short time to shoot her down before the town is alerted and your plans are spoiled. She’s fast so your aim had better be good.


Swiss Cheese Torture


Mother Courage’s son Swiss Cheese has taken the regimental cash box. You’ve got 60 seconds to get the information out of him. Use a cattle prod, blow torch and rusty cheese grater to achieve your ends, but be careful not to kill him before he spills the beans.

The Bombardment of Riga


This top-down shoot-em-up has players piloting Courage’s wagon through the battle where she got her name. Collect boots, ammo, bread and whiskey while dodging Protestant and Catholic bombs. Try to reach the other side of the battle with as many goods as possible, and maybe a child or two as well.


More to come as time permits. We open the show March 26 so it's busy, busy, busy.

Kevin

 

Its a bit of an odd idea, but I don't think it will be bad. The modelling looks excellent, but I think the texture on the AK-47 needs to be custom made, not just tiling on a rust texture. Plus don't use the default GUI. Just make the back box invisible, and put in an image for the 'tray' of the GUI. But otherwise excellent work!

 

Your comments are right on the nose. The gun is being replaced by another one that will be a match for one that appears in the show, and the standard GUI buttons are just placeholders at the moment.

I agree that this is a bit of an odd pairing, but it's part of the way we approach performance and technology here at WMU. We also feel that this approach meshes perfectly with the philosophies of the playwright, Bertolt Brecht, who wanted to make the sure the audience did not become so immersed in the drama that they missed the point.

We hope that the game "interludes" will disconnect the audience from the characters breifly, while at the same time provide commentary on the contemporary relationship between war and popular media.

I hope to be able ot post links to playable versions by the end of the week.

Kevin