Hollywood Art: System of sunnys

On the other hand, the small company ID Software, formed by the geniuses recruited by Billy for programming, is in a trance. The pair of spouses, surpassing their skills, took it a step further.

Meanwhile, the "Crazy Johns," as Billy's grandfather used to call them, dedicated themselves to adding gameplay to the Wolfenstein game as much as they could.

The Wolfenstein 3D game, initially the first 3D technology game, is an intriguing shooter for new players. The married couple works tirelessly, seven days a week without taking noticeable breaks, all in exchange for a paid one-month vacation after completing a game. Six games in six years, each game containing better requirements, although they remain unaware of this fact, their work continues to be excellent.

They created an application that adapted to the Pixar animated creation process and fine-tuned the frequency to bring the game to life. And voila, they have the first video game engine in the history of humanity. It's quite astonishing that they managed to craft the entire game's storyline in less than five months. They are currently working on adding a two-player mode and a 1 vs. 1 system, player versus machine.

On May 9, 1991, they tested the game, which turned out to be a success. The only thing left was to polish and correct the two-player matches. They started doing that and sent it to Pixar on May 18, 1991, meeting the first deadline. The request reached Pixar on May 19, and without notifying Billy, Alvy Ray Smith began the main elaboration process.

Alvy Ray Smith is a veteran of the computer industry and one of the founders of Pixar. Although he may not seem like it, he is a successful man, almost a mentor to many people at Pixar. While his dream is not necessarily to create movies, he has been inspired by constant discussions and his involvement in some feature films has motivated him to give his all for the Pixar company.

-We need to finish the game as soon as possible. The success in sales might become our next investment for the company. According to the calculations from the small analysis department, if we sold 300,000 copies on one console, the profits would be a little over $1,000,000. So, call Ed Camult and the development team. The folks at id Software mentioned modifying the program to a more practical version, sacrificing image quality for better movement, camera rotation, and condensed space, - Alvy Ray Smith said.

In the small room designated for programming and software development, a room just big enough for four workstations, each workstation is equipped with a powerful computer. The navy blue paint and the small window are the only things that attempt to counteract the room's austere appearance.

The team is astonished because Alvy himself will study the code and organize the game's source, utilizing all his available skills.

-Spencer, start testing the game. We'll make digital adjustments that will shape the work. Try to focus on the landscapes. I'll handle the meticulous details like lamps, frames, lights, characters, and furniture, - Marcus Light said.

-Of course, - Spencer replied, reviewing the materials Billy had sent about the Wolfenstein 3D game.

This game is set in a world where the Nazis won World War II and conquered all of America. The first installment of the game features an SSS operations base and a concentration camp. Two spies infiltrate the base to rescue an important character from the North American spies, one of the few unconquered territories.

Spencer began adding backgrounds and colors to the transparent matrix and geometric shapes of the program. He took his time, even though he was told to work quickly because gameplay is the most important aspect. For a Pixar animator, cutting corners was not an option.

He started with the backgrounds, using colors and meticulously developing the grand castle that served as the SSS military base. He detailed the bricks with simple techniques and colored each part with different shades. The map creators were rock enthusiasts John Romero and John Carmack, who designed a perfect labyrinth with three upper floors and three giant underground levels.

Ed Camult arrived at the studio and found Alvy Ray Smith deeply engrossed in studying the new software design. Without disturbing the other workers, he approached Ray Smith.

-Alvy, - Ed said.

-Ed, come take a look at this. There are some things they overlooked. They patched the program for some commands but added interesting ideas. Like this use of movement. If we can incorporate it into our program, the way we make our movies will improve significantly, - Alvy Ray Smith said.

id Software followed Pixar's theory but adjusted the movement to predetermined patterns for running, shooting, and jumping. Meanwhile, the movement of other NPCs is based on quick motion copied from stop-motion, following patterns integrated into the game that the player repeats over and over. The idea is innovative and straightforward, and it might be used at some point. Similarly, the quick construction improvements, like making it easier to build things, also aid in the animation process. There are many added tools for embedding images into 3D processes and applying Zoom more practically.

-It has a few things that we didn't plan to include at the start. Let's get to work. I think it gave me some ideas; this could be a good way to move forward," Ed Camult said, excited. A computer game had shed new light on his company. Collaboration?

-I agree, but let's focus on the game first. There are some things that ID Software recommended we review, - Alvy Ray replied.

-Alright, I'll check the game, and you review the program modifications. Shall we begin? - Ed Camult asked.

-I couldn't agree more, - Alvy said, knowing Ed Camult's computer skills, which were nearly photographic in memory.

The work involved reviewing, identifying, and fixing errors that could potentially harm the game's mechanics. Running a game is different from making a movie; the game needs players to continuously test it and identify any issues they encounter. Adding the designs and different colors, which were excellently used.

-Marcus, I think it's time for us to stop the game design here, - Ed Camult said, checking his wristwatch. It was getting late, and he needed to get back home.

-Of course, Mr. Camult. I'll continue working on the film for a while, - Marcus Light replied. He had a lot of work to do in the coming days, which involved developing the various settings where the story took place.

-Remember not to stay up too late; it's more important to finish the game quickly and deliver it, - Alvy said as he left with Ed Camult.

-I'll go talk to Randall. See you on Monday, Ed, - Alvy added.

-Good luck with that, - Ed Camult replied, his eyes tired. He had been working tirelessly for these six days.

Alvy Ray headed to Randall McArthur's office, where Randall was organizing documents and meticulously adjusting all the activities the Pixar employees were engaged in. Alvy Ray knocked on the door of the company administrator's office and waited for permission to enter.

-Pleasure, Alvy. Tell me how I can assist you, - Randall said, addressing one of his four direct bosses.

-Nothing out of the ordinary, Randal. The ID Software game arrived not too long ago, and I'd like you to speak with Anne about it," Alvy said.

Randal's long black mustache twitched as he pursed his lips, a gesture he made whenever he was deep in thought. The office was simple, adorned with minimalist paintings of great works, which were part of Pixar's decoration. The most prominent feature was a family photo of Randal, his wife, and three grown children.

Although Mr. Randal McArthur had to move to San Francisco, his salary allowed him to secure a small house to settle in the city. The city was beautiful, the job was good, and he felt comfortable.

-Thank you, Alvy. I'll call Anne before I leave, - Randal said. He would be working until 5:00 p.m. today, even though it was a Saturday. The new onboarding policies had given him some headaches.

He adjusted his documents into a large black folder, an organized filing system by topic. His height inevitably required him to stoop to see the phone, but he remembered to call Anne.

Bring.

-Good afternoon, Randal. I assume you're still at the office, - Anne's voice came through on the other end of the line.

-Yes, dear, I'm just about to leave. I wanted to call and let you know that the work from ID Software arrived here this morning, much earlier than expected, - Randal explained.

He heard Anne calling for young Lucas with a shout.

-Alright, I'll talk to Billy; he'll be coming next week. Adjust the budget and state that Pixar will charge $1,500,000 for the license, graphic adjustments, and programming services. We'll balance the liabilities with the assets from here, - Anne instructed.

The financial records would show that Lux Comics paid $1,500,000 under the name of ID Software for the game development, an inflated amount. However, this was done as a way to account for transactions between companies. The actual value of this operation was estimated at $400,000, according to both Randal and Anne. But that money was part of an investment being made for Pixar, particularly for the computer group. It would be recorded as debt in ID Software's records, and Billy was confident they would make a significant profit with the Wolfstein game if it met the specifications he recommended.

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