Questions
by Cody “Micajah” Bye, Managing Editor
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Answers by Adam Stotsky, Executive Vice President, Global Brand
Strategy and Market Development, SCI FI Channel
Since its launch on September 24, 1992, the SCI FI Channel has been a
haven for television viewers that are looking for programming that
strays away from campy sitcoms or clichéd soap operas.
Instead the SCI FI Channel specializes in the abnormal – from
horror to fantasy to science fiction – and does it with a
respectability that you wouldn’t find on a normal network
station. So when the announcement hit the internet that the SCI FI
Channel had partnered with the Trion World Network to create an MMOG
was tremendous news for gaming aficionados that have been searching for
the perfect alternative universe experience.
To find out more about the upcoming game and the SCI FI Channel side of
the equation, Ten Ton Hammer’s Cody
“Micajah” Bye sat down with SCI FI’s
executive vice president Adam Stotsky and asked him a variety of
questions ranging from the genre of the game to their decision to work
with Trion. If you’re interested in hearing more about the
game from Trion World Network’s point of view, check back in
with Ten Ton Hammer on June 17 to check out our exclusive interview
with Trion World Network!
Ten Ton Hammer: Creating
an immersive online experience is a pretty formidable task.
Why’d you decide to start in on such a tremendous project and
what will the SCI FI Channel gain from the endeavor?
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Adam Stotsky, SCI FI
Channel
Adam Stotsky:
The SCI FI audience expects deeply immersive and richly textured worlds
in the stories that we tell on the air (think: Battlestar Galactica).
So the connected games or MMOG experience is the next evolution of that
expectation. Our goal is to collaborate with Trion to use the two media
to tell an amazing story in a way that's never been done before.
Ten Ton Hammer:
What drew you to the Trion World Network? Why did you decide to partner
with them and not one of the other more
“traditional” publishing companies?
Adam:
Trion's technology platform is a quantum leap forward for gaming. More
importantly, the team Lars Buttler has put together is absolutely world
class. Lastly, we have a shared vision about how to combine the
emotional story telling dynamics of television with the immersive game
play of MMOGs to create something totally new. These three issues
combined make Trion the ideal partner.
Ten Ton Hammer: Does the
SCI FI Channel have any experience in helping create video games? Or
will this be the first time?
Adam:
Through our colleagues at Universal consumer products we have had some
experience in the video gaming sector. Battlestar Galactica
has a few gaming ventures. More importantly we know that the
SCI FI audience is very passionate about video games. It just made
sense for us to develop this area further.
Ten Ton Hammer: The SCI
FI Channel has a long history of pushing the envelope of every genre.
Should we expect to see a project that is both ambitious and a little
bit eccentric?
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SCI FI Channel Logo
Adam:
Combining the television and MMOG experiences in and of itself will
push the entertainment envelope. But the creative team working on this
effort, from both the SCI FI as well as the Trion side is committed to
developing a world that has never before been seen.
Ten Ton Hammer: Could you
give us a hint about the genre of your upcoming project?
Adam: This
will be a sci-fi genre experience. It will be a very different Earth
than the one we currently know today.
Ten Ton Hammer: Finally,
why should gamers be excited about a project that SCI FI and Trion are
working on? What should they expect from future news announcements?
Adam: Gamers
and television viewers alike should expect something like they've never
seen or experienced. A triple A game with a very rich and compelling
dramatic television show.
