<!--
	Title: (Sneak Preview) On Location in the Great Underground Empire
	Subtitle: On the Set of Return to Zork
	Author: Johnny L. Wilson
	Source: Computer Gaming World, v13(2)
	Date: February 1993
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-1.jpg" alt="Actress Robyn Lively and director Peter Sprague on the set of Return to Zork">

The technician calmly says, "Speed." The director, Peter
Sprague calls for "Action!" and Robyn Lively, the youthful
red-haired actress dressed as a fairy, pushes an invisible
object off of her. The set is relatively bare, except for assorted
lights, microphone booms and a large blue screen behind the
actress. Yet, the monitor shows Robyn in the midst of a lush, green
forest.

Such is the magic of computer graphics and such was the setting
when *CGW* invaded the sound stage of **Activision's** upcoming
*Return to Zork* (*Return*). The concepts behind the project had
sounded interesting, but we arrived at the set with a ton of skepticism
(largely due to our feelings about *Leather Goddesses of
Phobos II*) and left with an equivalent amount of expectation. The
design team really seems to have learned from the mistakes and
built on the strengths of the first attempt to create a full-scale
graphic adventure from a classic **Infocom** title.

<img class="float-right" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-2.jpg" alt="A screen shot of the priestess from Return to Zork">

First of all, *LGOP II* used amateur voice talents. *Return* uses
professional actors and actresses, as well as an experienced screenwriter
on-set to clean up and refine dialogue on the fly. Second,
*LGOP II* was designed to be easy and accessible to entry-level
players. *Return* has the most intricate puzzle structure we've seen
in quite a while. *LGOP*'s interface could be described as "clunky,"
at best. *Return*'s interface may be revolutionary. It is certainly an
interface that I would have said could not be done. *LGOP*'s art had
an unfinished, almost crude, look. *Return*'s art is being integrated
with the live actors from the very beginning. In short, *Return* has
the potential of being ... well, ... a *real* **Infocom** game.

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-3.jpg" alt="A screen shot of a shop from Return to Zork">

## Cast Party

The cast is very interesting. We observed Ernest Lively, perhaps
best known for his television role as Cooter on "The Dukes of
Hazard" and his recent appearance in the action film "Passenger
57," playing the part of a one-armed adventurer. Between scenes,
we asked him about the main difference between film and television
acting and his first experience of appearing in a computer
game. "The biggest difference is that there's no one to act off of,"
he stated and went on to explain that since most of his lines were
directed at the player of the game, there was no acting synergy
between his character and the one (the player's) he was speaking
to. Although this is often the case when close-ups are being filmed
for a series or film, most of his scenes in the game are *strictly* solo
performances. Further, the actors often had to film six or seven
different responses for each potential action by the player. It is
tough to get into an acting rhythm under such circumstances. He
did like the fact that the **Media Design West** and **Activision**
production crews kept the filming on schedule and "didn't have to
stop for half a day because the director didn't like the light."

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-4.jpg" alt="A screen shot of a comedy club from Return to Zork">

All of the actors and actresses had to participate in one ritual
unique to the requirements of a computer game. In order to use
William Volk's technology, which synchronizes phonemes and
facial movement, each performer was required to say a standard
line in three emotional states. So, at some time during each
performer's tenure in front of the camera, a casual observer would
observe him or her shouting, "Mad dogs howling at the wind, so
let's eat!" The line doesn't make much sense semantically, but it
does phonetically, as the line contains all of the phonetic units of
which English words are made. Technicians will be able to use the
facial movements from the line to create lip-synced dialogue.

Those who used to watch "Twin Peaks" should recognize the
game's fairy, Robyn Lively; fans of "The Wonder Years" should
enjoy the troll, Jason Hervey (Wayne); and filmgoers who remember
the remake of "Flash Gordon" should be familiar with the blind
bowman, Sam Jones.

One of the actresses, Lori Lively, serves as a spirit in the woods
and will be morphed into a tree. As an additional creative touch,
Lori *sings* her part. Tougher yet, she had to sing her part *a capella*
on the set and the accompaniment will be scored under her part at
a later time. Fortunately, the project's voice coach, Teri Mason,
has perfect pitch and was able to cue Lori and assist her in staying
in the same key throughout each song segment.

<img class="float-right" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-5.jpg" alt="A screen shot of a kitchen in Return to Zork">

## Exit, Stage Right

The blue screen in the background of the sound stage was used
as part of a chromakey technique. Film studios often use the blue
screen in connection with invisibility and special effects. Much
like the weatherman on a local television newscast where the map
is processed in, the backgrounds are computerized and processed
into the shots during the filming.

According to art director Joe Asperin, use of the chromakey
method serves to assist the six computer artists on the project when
they have to match cameras and light between the live video and
the 3-D rendered backgrounds. Without filing in chromakey, the
artists have to match shadows and light sourcing between actors
and backgrounds after the fact and it is much tougher to make the
scenes look natural.

The objects in the backgrounds were modeled in a 3-D program
called *Infini-D* and the design team plans to do a CD-ROM version
where players will be able to walk into locations much like in
**Virgin**'s *The 7th Guest* (but, because of Volk's compression
routine, requiring only one compact disc). Further, even the backgrounds
are composed such that very few of the shots are "square
on," Instead, the artists strove to create new and interesting angles.

<img class="float-right" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-6.jpg" alt="A screen shot of a bedroom from Return to Zork">

That the team has been successful is clear form the fact that
Michelle Em, the screenwriter (*Jazz Heart*, written for Robert
Redford's Sundance Productions) who rewrote the original dialogue,
complimented the artists' approach. That is significant
because Michelle is an Art Center College of Design graduate and
worked for Robert Abel's special effects group. Indeed, several of
her storyboards were used in the spectacular "other-worldly"
sections of the original *StarTrek: The Movie*. So, she knows
storyboards and she was impressed. (She is also an experienced
**Infocom** gamer, dating back to the original *Zork*, so she knows
games, too.)

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-7.jpg" alt="A screen shot of a ship in a bottle from Return to Zork">

## A Maze of Twisty Icons, None Looking Alike

Perhaps the most phenomenal improvement we observed in *Return
to Zork* is the ambitious new interface. Based on studies conducted
at M.I.T., the interface should always be where the user is
looking. In *Return*'s case, the two-button interface consists of the
mouse plus a pop-up diamond configuration with up to eight icon-based
options. Now, the diamond pops up wherever the cursor is located.
Presumably, that is where the gamer is going to be looking.
The mouse button on the right brings up the player's inventory and
the left button conjures the diamond with the options.

Although this editor would have said it couldn't be done, we
believe the icon-based interface solves some of the communication
problems encountered with other non-text parsers. There is an
icon for photographing the creatures, objects and characters encountered,
as well as an icon for recording the dialogues in certain
encounters and taking notes on clues uncovered. From the data
saved via these icons, the gamer can show the "pictures" and
"notes" to the NPCs encountered or play the "recordings" for them
in order to gian other clues.

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-8.jpg" alt="A screen shot of a bank from Return to Zork">

In essence, the game has not lost the text capacity of the classic
**Infocom** stories, it is simply that one uses images and captured
sound bytes to prompt the on-screen characters into telling more
and more of the story. Further, the interface allows players to
assume one of three body language poses: bored, interested or
threatening, when they interrogate an on-screen character/creature.
This allows a richness that has been absent heretofore in non-text graphic adventures.

## Tell Me A Story

No one should get the impression, however, that *Return to Zork*
is all technological fanfare and no story. Designer Doug Barnett
(who wrote Cinemaware's *Lords of the Rising Sun*) scripted the
original plot, wrote the original dialogue and developed the puzzle
structure. Doug had always been an admirer of the **Infocom**
classics and was thrilled to have the chance to create this return to
the Great Underground Empire.

Once the game was cast, Michelle Em entered the picture and
began rewriting the dialogue to fit the characterizations she was
seeing emerge from the cast. Michelle really loves working in the
same genre. So much so that she often plays **Infocom** adventures
before she writes, because they help her start visualizing scenes as
a "warm-up" to writing her own material.

Asked about the toughest challenge in switching from screenwriting
to writing games, Em suggested that it is tough trying to
write funny dialogue from 24 different character perspectives.
Asked what was most satisfying about making the switch, she said:
"When I see a movie, I get impatient. They're so ossified. There
is such a formula. Games are like the beginning of the movie
business. People are having so much fun that you don't mind
working long hours." She went on to explain that she enjoyed the
possibility of breaking the mold in the game business.

<img class="float-right" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-on-location-in-the-gue/rtz-set-9.jpg" alt="A screen shot of a blacksmith's shop from Return to Zork">

## Closing Credits

Two consummate professionals serve to put the entire production
together. Executive Producer David Mangone of **Media Design
West** assembled a film crew which included the Emmy-winning (for ABC
20/20 segments) team of Glenn and Karen Winter and "King of the Teleprompters"
Larry Klasen (Larry has worked with everyone from President Reagan to actors in
dog food commercials). **Activision** Producer Eddie Dombrower (designer of *Earl
Weaver Baseball*) brough in long-time acting buddy Peter
Sprague to direct the actors, and artist Joe Asperin to coordinate
the look of the production. Both producers were extremely impressed with the
other's professionalism and, in observing them, it was difficult
to realize that they had never worked with each other prior
to the shoot.

In summary, Activision seems to be making all the right moves
as they attempt to bring gamers back to the G.U.E. for a *Return to
Zork*. After observing the set, we can't wait until the premiere.
