When I'm not smashing through tables, one of my greatest strengths has grown to be management simulators. My ability to get inside an industry and make it work as a game has been well-honed over the years by numerous wrestling games and, most recently, the music simulator Popscene. Despite a muted reception amongst action fans, the latter still reigns as my most successful game outside of wrestling (both commercially and creatively). It kick-started a whole new era of well-presented projects, and now the trend comes full circle with the inevitable movie sequel: "Popcorn". Boasting all the usual improvements that come with time, it promises to be infinitely superior to its musical predecessor...

Pop Culture
As the title suggests, Popcorn is very much a sequel to last year's Popscene. Everything, from the the presentation to the concept itself, harks bark to that first instalment. Although ignorant men will attribute that to "laziness", it's actually a deliberate attempt to produce a consistent series. Afterall, this is simply "Popscene goes Hollywood" - and any attempt to avoid that would do more harm than good. That said, the game has taken strides towards establishing its own style. Most noticeably, the blue & white colour scheme of Popscene has given way to a black & white variation for this game (which is surprisingly superior!). Even the logo, despite its similarities, has made its own statement with a movie reel motif running throughout the background. What remains are a series of pleasantly familiar screens that let us dive straight into an exciting new concept...

Script Development
The game even manages to make the concept surprisingly familiar! The tried-and-tested formula of "entertainment versus artistry" returns for this version, and once again manages to capture the essence of the industry in question. In the same way that Popscene required you to produce material that would then be fulfilled on stage, this game asks you to write a series of scripts that will then be brought to life on screen. A project consists of 5 such scenes - each of which are rated in terms of entertainment and artistry. Writers and directors are responsible for those qualities at the scripting stage, whilst actors and performers serve the same purpose when it comes to filming. It's a simple but effective system, which is tremendously satisfying to watch unfold. Lest we forget, the movie business hasn't been successfully simulated in over 20 years of game development - so it's a triumph of game design that we have anything remotely coherent...

Writer's Block
In true MDickie style, even the process of writing is a graphical experience! Upon selecting to write (or re-write) a scene, your choice of writer and director are whisked off to a humble office to toil over a computer. Their resulting script is then revealed with the combination of stars and hearts that we saw in Popscene (based on the talents of those involved). However, you can only go through this process once per week - and even then it's unlikely that you'll stumble across your perfect script right away. As in real life, writing is a terribly gradual process - whereby you slowly mould a project worth shooting. For the sake of the game, there's even an element of risk involved - as each re-write replaces your existing material (regardless of whether it was superior or not!). Impatient players will find themselves crippled by dire scripts, whereas those willing to invest in the process will emerge with award-winning material...

Raging Spools
The writing process is the backbone of any project, because it dictates how good the resulting footage could possibly be. Once a scene has been delivered, you can then go out on location and try to do it justice on camera. If the writing process was graphical then this one certainly is - allowing you to compose your perfect scene by interacting with everything from the camera and atmosphere to each individual actor! You move each character anywhere you want and decide what stance they take, before adjusting the lighting and pointing the camera at your ideal shot. The game then takes a precise screenshot of the action, which will then serve as a symbolic reminder of the scene. During this process, the scene is treated to the same rating process that you saw at the script stage - as you anxiously wait to see how your footage has turned out. The performing skills of the characters involved dictate how entertaining it will be, whilst acting skills are required to hold up the artistic end of things. Again, it's a gradual process that will require numerous takes before the perfect cut is in the can...

Team Work
Of course, all of the characters that get the above work done need to be hired as surely as you assembled a band in Popscene. Once you've established yourself as a producer, you have 7 other slots with which to construct an 8-man crew. That may sound miniscule compared to the hundreds of people that go into making a real movie, but it's all part of the game's quest for simplicity. Here, your "crew" consists merely of writers, directors, and the cast of stars that will make it all happen. Any remaining roles are dealt with symbolically elsewhere in the game. You'll appreciate the concise roster when it comes to things like financial breakdowns, which can remain as graphical as they were in Popscene - with a clear diagram displaying how much each character is draining from your weekly budget...

Tale Of The Tape
As ever, deciding who to employ is no empty gesture. There are well over 100 characters in the game's universe, and each one is unique in terms of appearance, personality, and talent. Many of the attributes will be familiar to fans of previous games. "Popularity" and "Reputation" indicate their star power and credibility respectively, while "Attitude" and "Happiness" indicate their mental state. New to this game are "Directing" and "Writing", which govern their ability to deliver the respective content - while "Performing" and "Acting" serve as the on-screen equivalent. Of course, no one man is perfect (and they certainly won't have time to play all roles!) - so you'll soon be constructing an ensemble cast that can share the responsibility of getting the job done...

Let's Do Lunch
Getting the characters on board can be a game in itself! The infamous contract negotiation screen from previous games has made an inevitable return for this outing. Although it may look similar in  most ways, the change of concept has steered things in a different direction. It's best described as an amalgamation of both Popscene and Booking MPire, as you negotiate salaries as well as royalties. You're free to mix and match each figure (in addition to a juicy signing-on fee) in a bid to secure the services of your ideal character. However, the movie business also gives them more to complain about than ever! In addition to the standard objections about working conditions, these prima donnas can also voice concern about the quality of your project. As in real life, you can forget about signing a major star if you haven't got a script worthy of their talents...

Dressed To Kill
Once you do have a character on board, you can get your money's worth by adjusting everything about their act - from their demeanour to their costume. Despite the game's managerial roots, Popcorn is actually the most graphically impressive game yet - and features the debut of a brand new character model that's been refined from head to toe! You can enjoy dressing these skeletons with any combination of hundreds of textures - many of which are also new and improved for this game. We even have the return of the "plastic surgery" option from Popscene, which allows you to change a character's build and facial features in an amusing little cut-scene! Of course, there's also the legitimate editor to unlock - which lets you go beneath these cosmetics to build your own stars from scratch. Such all-conquering powers need to be hard-earned in the game though...

Propped Up
If that's not enough, you can customize a character further by assigning props to their hands. Like the weapons from a fighting game, these range from guns to all manner of blades - and even domestic items like cigarettes and beer bottles! Far from a gimmick, these accessories have a very real effect on your project. As in real life, a distinctive prop is designed to boost a character's entertainment qualities at the expense of acting and sophistication. If you're intent on making an action film, you can load a scene with cheap gimmicks to play to a character's strengths (or hide their weaknesses). Everything comes at a price though, so a reliance on props will soon do more damage to your bank balance than a Samurai sword...

Game Of The Living Dead
In addition to props, you can also sell your soul to the art of make-up. The gore that happened accidentally in other games is now an official option that you can assign to characters as surely as any other part of their costume! As with the props, this gimmick boosts entertainment further yet at the expense of artistry - and makes those cheap action flicks all too tempting. Quite what you use the effect for is down to your imagination. It can either be used to portray a battle-scarred hero or a blood-stained corpse. In fact, the all-over scarring is so good for an "undead" look that I even added a zombie walking animation to complete the illusion!

Motion Pictures
Considering how superfluous most of this on-screen activity is, it's surprising to see how much detail has gone into the visuals. In addition to brand new models and textures, we also have the best animations yet to go with them. There are literally dozens of different stances and gestures - covering everything from fighting to fornicating! Yes, to my eternal shame it's possible to make porn films in this game. If you like your romance a little more subtle, however, you can settle for innocent hugging and kissing interactions. The more unusual animations even extend to things like the Superman flight pose - which actually floats in mid-air, allowing you to position the actor anywhere in 3D space! All in all, it's possible to put together practically any scene you can imagine - with hilarious consequences that can be as fun as the game itself...

Set To Go
In addition to the new and improved characters, and everything that goes with them, we also have the most impressive line-up of locations seen in any game yet. Although many of these are effortlessly borrowed from previous projects, at least half of them are brand new sets specifically designed for this game. And, naturally, they're the best efforts yet - featuring much improved modelling and texturing all round. The new sets range from the indoors of a prison, apartment block, and cafeteria, to the sprawling outdoors of a suburban street, highway, and even an alien planet! They certainly pushed my modelling skills to the limit, and the results are right there on screen to bring variety to your projects...

Back To The Future
Even the old locations have been re-mastered for use in this game. As you can see, the bar now features a pool table - which is even accompanied by a pool cue prop to hold. There are also several other tiny modifications such as improved textures here and there. However, even the most familiar of sets can take on a new life with the introduction of "extras"! When scheduling a location (which you do as surely as you scheduled a venue in Popscene), you can specify whether to invite extras to the set or not. The location will then benefit from a few cardboard cut-out's lurking in the background. As with props and make-up, doing so boosts entertainment yet again at the expense of artistry - only on a more universal level rather than from character to character. It's an equally expensive way to work too, as it doubles the cost of arranging a location...

The Suggestion Box
Wherever you go on location, the project always leads back to your office. In addition to being the site of your pre-production work, this is also where you grant an audience to your employees. In what has become a staple of my management games, the weeks are interspersed by a wide variety of meetings and suggestions - to which you can answer in either the affirmative or the negative. With this game, those suggestions can range from how to play a given character to more intrusive demands such as re-writing a scene or changing the course of the project! Any plans you had of becoming a control freak are thwarted by the fact that each knock-back damages an employee's happiness and attitude. If you keep shooting somebody down then they'll eventually grow to resent your leadership...

Meet The Parents
Of course, the most important "meetings" you have are with the bosses of each studio. In an effort to mirror Popscene's universe, here we have a selection of 6 similar organizations. They're a clichéd bunch, but as far as a game is concerned they're distinctive enough to do the job. "Class Act" is the firmly established home of movie veterans. "Magic In Motion" is the blockbusting home of popular culture. "Blueprint Productions" is the sanctuary of understated artists that are serious about their films. And the big 4 are completed by "Raw Reels" - which, by contrast, is the home of tawdry action flicks. In addition to those, we also have the obligatory "Film School" and "Deceased" pools. Naturally, you start at school - where you must toil with very few resources until you deliver a project that shows potential. Thereon, you'll be invited to discuss terms with one of the major studios - each of which have their own unique benefits (both creatively and financially)...

Judgement Day
The struggle doesn't stop once you land a deal though! Once a studio has invested in you, it won't be long before they expect to see results. As surely as you have meetings with your employees, these studio bosses keep you on track with suggestions of their own. These demands can range from hiring a character of a certain quality to steering the project in a certain direction (or simply completing the damn thing!). They're not messing around either. Failure at this level could result in them terminating your contract and busting you back down to a student. Not all meetings are a matter of life and death though. Once you're on the radar of popular culture, you should be bombarded by lucrative offers to lend your name to all manner of products - from games to magazine articles! The system has evolved for this game though, taking on the same structure of a character sale from wrestling games like Booking MPire. You can turn down an offer in hope of getting the agent to raise the price - but push your luck and the deal might fall through completely...

The Sound Of Music
Your studio boss is also on hand to help you arrange content for your projects. In addition to scheduling sets with you, he also oversees the inclusion of music in your scenes. No stone is left unturned is this game, as you even get to choose one of 10 unique tunes to form the soundtrack of your movie! Like everything else, they're not just for show either. Music has a very real effect on a scene - bolstering either the entertainment or artistic qualities. It's expensive stuff though - costing a six-figure sum to buy the rights to a new track. As in real life, however, you can often recoup your musical expenses by selling the soundtrack once the movie is released...

Production Values
In addition to buying soundtracks, there are 6 other unique "resources" that can bolster your production. They're similarly expensive, but they can make all the difference between an amateur effort and a professional production. There's the relatively superfluous "Costume Designers" option, which allows you to change your character's costumes and apply make-up. Similarly, there's the "Prop Department" which grants you access to the many accessories. The cosmetic resources are then rounded off by "Lighting Equipment", which lets you adjust the atmosphere in scenes (raising artistry in the process). The other half of the selection is made up of bureaucratic options that keep your business on point. "Script Advisors" and the "Editing Suite" remove the crippling risk involved when re-writing and re-shooting scenes respectively. Meanwhile, "Legal Representation" helps you stay on top of your finances and keeps you winning in court. They're all highly expensive services though, which only the wealthiest of film-makers can afford to enjoy...

Coming To A Theatre Near You
Those production values can be enjoyed by all when your movie finally gets its release! Upon completing a project, you're treated to a nice little cinema cut-scene that actually shows the action unfolding scene by scene. It's no more entertaining than a stilted GIF animation, but under the circumstances it's a resourceful way of celebrating a film's debut. It's also your first chance to see how the movie plays to an audience, as each scene is greeted by varying degrees of cheering and applause! By the time the credits roll, you should get a sense of how the movie is going to be received...  

Tabloid Junkie
If the preview screening didn't make things clear enough, you can get the official verdict from the film review that follows! Building on the Popscene version, this nice little gimmick evaluates your project as best it can. Naturally, there's only so much that a blind game can say about a project that doesn't actually exist - but under the circumstances it does a surprisingly good job. There are more lines of text than ever before, and there are more variations too - as the reviewer talks about how well the movie lived up to its script potential, etc.. The new option of "genre" even seeps in, as they take into account whether you were aiming for an action flick or a serious drama. The review even takes a stab at the credits - as it accurately calculates who wrote, directed, produced, and starred. All of which leaves you with one overall 5-star rating, which will determine the movie's fate in the outside world...

Top Of The Pops
If your movie was well-received (and has the backing of a major studio), you'll be keen to see just how well it does in the weekly box office charts! Building on the satisfying system from Popscene, this game once again keeps track of dozens of different projects as they compete for the number one spot. Your chances are improved here though, as it's now possible to release multiple projects rather than one at a time. You can even re-release an old project on DVD and try your luck in a completely different market! At the end of the day, it's all about the money though - as you wait to see whether or not a movie will recoup its astronomical cost. Each week, these various sales are paid into your account (depending on the royalties you negotiated). Those profits are then offset against the cost of your crew and other expenses, leaving you with a clear indication of how much you're earning...

News Of The World
These weekly reports make up a large part of your day, as you're even treated to the latest news from all over the world. As in Popscene, the major events in both your career and those around you are reported in an authentic newspaper mock-up. There are literally hundreds of events that can have an impact on the industry - ranging from the fluctuating status of a character to the latest studio transfers. All of which help to ensure that the game's universe evolves as surely as it would in real life - with unknowns rising to fame and established stars falling from grace! Quite where your career falls on that scale remains to be seen...

Courting Controversy
Sometimes the latest happenings transcend the page and become all too real in the courtroom! The amusing court case feature from Popscene makes a welcome return in this game, as you go to war over employment rights and intellectual property. Although the process is almost identical, it does benefit from some improved texturing in the courtroom - and a whole variety of animations for the defendants. Instead of standing there like dummies, they can now adopt any one of half a dozen different gestures that help them plead their case. Also new to this game is the "Legal Representation" resource that gives you a much stronger chance of winning, and makes the process slightly less random...

And The Winner Is...
Naturally, the award ceremony gimmick returns too - which is even better suited to this movie setting! So much so that it was necessary to add a whole new range of categories. They now extend from "Best Writer, Director, and Actor" to "Best Film" and even "Best Studio" - which benefits the whole roster upon victory. All of which make the awards much more interesting, and give you more chances of winning. The "Best Film" category is especially satisfying because it features real scenes from your movie in the nomination process! Even the fictitious CPU projects get a random screenshot to represent them. As with the new court cases, the awarding process now features a variety of animations too. Both host and victor can use any one of half a dozen different gestures when delivering their lines. One other tiny adjustment is that the person presenting the award steps back and lingers in the background like they do in real life!

Board Of Film Presentation
These latest games have all prided themselves on superior presentation, and this game is no exception. In fact, it even manages to surpass its pioneering predecessor with all manner of details. Even the loading screens enjoy several variations - ranging from a simple quick message to a full-blown mock-up of the "film classification" screen when loading a movie! It's a great little touch that keeps the movie gimmick rolling along nicely. Speaking of presentation, this game's theme song is also of note. It's by far my most sophisticated composition yet - featuring sweeping strings for that cinematic atmosphere! It doesn't sit in the background quite as innocently as the laidback beats of Popscene, but for once the tune is good enough to warrant centre stage...