BA4 - Game Design Document - entry 4

Studying films for research and inspiration

'Warhorse' - Steven Spielberg (2011)

Our game is based upon the 'Medal of Honor' series of video games, and is set during the First World War, where the player assumes the role of a warhorse, rather than simply a soldier. As such, I thought it would be an excellent idea to watch the film, 'Warhorse'. Of all the WW1 films I could get hold of, 'Warhorse' had the strongest connection to our game, and it is also the most recent (2011) which means it was intended for an audience closely matched to our intended game's. 

'Warhorse' is the story of a life of a single horse, born and raised by a boy called Albert Narracott. The horse, Joey faces trouble and many trials before and during the first world war. The film describes how Joey encounters several different characters throughout his perilous travels, and is eventually reunited with Albert on the frontline. The film finishes with the war ending, and Albert and Joey returning home. Surprisingly, the 'Medal of Honor' series has often been directed by Steven Spielberg, who was the director for this movie. The main reason we decided to watch this film, was to try and get ideas on how to create an effective, emotional relationship between a human audience and a horse. I feel that it is very difficult to characterise a horse for either a game or a movie. Although Steven Spielberg is doubtlessly a brilliant film director, with decades of experience, I felt after the film was over, he had struggled to create that connection between the audience and Joey. I realise now that it is genuinely a difficult task to accomplish. With that thought in my mind, I am at a loss on how we will fare when we make our own attempt at the same thing.


My Boy Jack - BBC TV Drama (2007)

'My Boy jack' is the personal tale of Rudyard Kipling and his only son, Jack, as he sends him off to fight in the 'Great War'. Jack firstly attempts to join the Navy, but is deemed unfit to fight, as he needs his spectacles to see. Clouded by his own fevourous patriotism, Rudyard is adamant that Jack gets to fight, and so with the help of an old friend, Jack is surreptitiously accepted into the Army. Jack is a very young man, only 18, who then trains to become an officer and is asked to be a leader of men. He is suddenly sent off to the front, where he goes missing in action. Back at home, Rudyard and his wife launch a massive campaign to try and find out what happened to their son. In the end, they find an injured soldier who served under Jack, who tells them the truth, that their son was killed in battle.

The drama was an intimate look into the life of one of histories greatest writers, Rudyard Kipling, and the sad story of loss he experienced with his son, Jack. It is a tale of prematurity, where a young boy rushes off to fight in a war that his own country is unprepared for. This is referred to at various points in the film, for example, when it is stated that the old, and outmoded British artillery gun's shells, fall short of the enemy trenches, killing their own infantry as they advanced. Or that Britain has only a tiny professional army, which now must face a German army many times greater than itself. The film did a good job of creating effective relationships between characters, something vital for any game narrative. It also helped to build up a picture of how bad Britain's military situation was before and during the war.

'Joyeux Noel' - Christian Carion (2005)

This film is about the famous truce that took place over christmas, 1914, where French, British and German soldiers emerged from their trenches and showed compassion, friendship and humanity towards one another, whilst their comrades elsewhere were trying to kill each other. The film divides itself between three viewpoints. It tells of the personal stories from each the German, Scottish and French sides. I enjoyed the film, I thought it was done well. I empathised with the some of the characters, and thought the film told a remarkable story.