Ok, in case you haven't already noticed through my numerous posts on this subject, I am a huge Metroid fan. I was thinking about doing an Echoes user review, and I still might, but there were really only a few things I wanted to mention.
The aspect that pertains to this topic is obviously the story. Ms. Peterson, who did the Echoes review, mentioned the gaping plot holes like why there were spider ball tracks on a planet of winged creatures. We learned through the game that the Luminoth were friends with the Chozo, but we have no indication that their technology should be able to interface with Samus's powersuit. While such a plot issue would never stop me from playing the game, I think it brings up an interesting point. With rumors of a Metroid movie in development, I think it is pertinent to discuss the issue of the story.
Last year, when I heard that John Woo had purchased the rights to the Metroid series, I immediately worked at cranking out a movie script under the delusional impression that I could somehow get him to look at it. A family friend in the movie business, however, dashed those hopes, seeing as I don't have an agent. However, I believe some of my ideas are good. But of course, I approached the whole process with the assumption that there would be multiple movies. While I completed the script for the first movie, based around the original game, I had some rough ideas for M2, M3, and Fusion. I am still not exactly sure how to work Prime in there yet, and I haven't really thought about Echoes. Thinking about the Metroid story, however, I realized that eventually it would need to have an end. This thought led me to a particular approach to things.
Overall, the Metroid story revolves around the Chozo, not Samus. I think it was a big mistake to excise them from Echoes, as the above mentioned plot holes revealed. Samus is the vehicle through which the story plays out, but ultimately she is not the source. The space pirates and the metroids can be closely connected to everthing, but as I said, it's all about the Chozo. They are the axis around which everything spins. While they do not have to be in every game, Retro needs to clean up the plot devices of Samus and her equipment. I thought the Ing stealing her equipment was a great way to promote the idea of losing everything and getting it back without using the Chozo. However, they just need to clean things up a bit. They can't use the stealing idea every game.
Switching gears and going back to the movie, the main problem with the Metroid story is that there is little filler material. We do not know a lot about Samus and her life outside of bouty hunting. Besides a few resilient bad guys, we have very few supporting characters. These aspects make storytelling difficult, but have thus far made for a great game series. It continues to amaze me that, before Echoes came out, fully half the games in the series were basically the same story.
I would be happy to share the script with anyone who wants to read it. Until I have published something and can get an agent, it is kind of useless to me. Also, I would love hearing opinions on some of my approaches. I invented several characters, created a life for Samus, and elaborated on a few ideas that were hinted at in the instruction booklet for the first Metroid game. Plus, I don't really care about selling the script for lots of money. I am too unknown a writer to garner a big payday anyway, but I really want the Metroid movie to be successful, if it is ever made. So I am not worried about people stealing my ideas. If anyone has a way of getting my ideas to the people who would be making this movie, I couldn't be happier. If the movie is ever made, they should really have an uberfan, like myself, as some sort of technical advisor. There are certain things they have to get right. So, shoot me an email if you would like to read the script. Or post an email address I can send it to. Finally, as this is a message board, please comment on the Metroid story. Later.
The aspect that pertains to this topic is obviously the story. Ms. Peterson, who did the Echoes review, mentioned the gaping plot holes like why there were spider ball tracks on a planet of winged creatures. We learned through the game that the Luminoth were friends with the Chozo, but we have no indication that their technology should be able to interface with Samus's powersuit. While such a plot issue would never stop me from playing the game, I think it brings up an interesting point. With rumors of a Metroid movie in development, I think it is pertinent to discuss the issue of the story.
Last year, when I heard that John Woo had purchased the rights to the Metroid series, I immediately worked at cranking out a movie script under the delusional impression that I could somehow get him to look at it. A family friend in the movie business, however, dashed those hopes, seeing as I don't have an agent. However, I believe some of my ideas are good. But of course, I approached the whole process with the assumption that there would be multiple movies. While I completed the script for the first movie, based around the original game, I had some rough ideas for M2, M3, and Fusion. I am still not exactly sure how to work Prime in there yet, and I haven't really thought about Echoes. Thinking about the Metroid story, however, I realized that eventually it would need to have an end. This thought led me to a particular approach to things.
Overall, the Metroid story revolves around the Chozo, not Samus. I think it was a big mistake to excise them from Echoes, as the above mentioned plot holes revealed. Samus is the vehicle through which the story plays out, but ultimately she is not the source. The space pirates and the metroids can be closely connected to everthing, but as I said, it's all about the Chozo. They are the axis around which everything spins. While they do not have to be in every game, Retro needs to clean up the plot devices of Samus and her equipment. I thought the Ing stealing her equipment was a great way to promote the idea of losing everything and getting it back without using the Chozo. However, they just need to clean things up a bit. They can't use the stealing idea every game.
Switching gears and going back to the movie, the main problem with the Metroid story is that there is little filler material. We do not know a lot about Samus and her life outside of bouty hunting. Besides a few resilient bad guys, we have very few supporting characters. These aspects make storytelling difficult, but have thus far made for a great game series. It continues to amaze me that, before Echoes came out, fully half the games in the series were basically the same story.
I would be happy to share the script with anyone who wants to read it. Until I have published something and can get an agent, it is kind of useless to me. Also, I would love hearing opinions on some of my approaches. I invented several characters, created a life for Samus, and elaborated on a few ideas that were hinted at in the instruction booklet for the first Metroid game. Plus, I don't really care about selling the script for lots of money. I am too unknown a writer to garner a big payday anyway, but I really want the Metroid movie to be successful, if it is ever made. So I am not worried about people stealing my ideas. If anyone has a way of getting my ideas to the people who would be making this movie, I couldn't be happier. If the movie is ever made, they should really have an uberfan, like myself, as some sort of technical advisor. There are certain things they have to get right. So, shoot me an email if you would like to read the script. Or post an email address I can send it to. Finally, as this is a message board, please comment on the Metroid story. Later.