TO: Jeff Litchford, Mark Lyons
FROM: Travis Williams
CC: Jason Coker, Dave Walsh
SUBJECT: New Stuff
Guys,
Thanks for entertaining us last week in Denver. Even though I really REALLY hate the snow especially in spring (what’s up with that). It’s a good thing no snow stuck to the ground. I would have really been upset. I forgot to ask Dave if he paid for that shrimp dish he had. Coke keeps ordering it every time we go there. I told him that butter + shrimp + cheese + bacon / dirty rice = mudbutt. Hear me now feel me later.
Almost 50% of the people want a zombie. I thought that was pretty convincing. The screams for the Yeti seem to be pretty loud. Rohde (Senior Director) wants a Yeti in the game. There aren’t many times where I get to trump him. I can now go dance in his office and say the people have spoken. I SAID GOOD DAY SIR! It won’t get me fired but it won’t do wonders for my performance review. If he wants to do it I guess I have to but he’s going to need more people to support him.
I got your concepts for the Zombie here are my thoughts. Feel free to join in.
Zombie One
I like this guy a lot. He’s got a teddy bear though what’s up with that? What is a grown man doing with a teddy bear? Wait.. a grown DEAD man with a teddy bear? You know people think I am twisted already. So the real question is who is more nuts: The man who draws the pictures or the man who says OKAY run with it.
I know he’s a dead and all but can we add more color to him somehow. And don’t say blood because you know we can’t do it. We are T rated and blood would get us in trouble. And if those are guts in the back that’s so not gonna happen. Who wants to see guts flapping in the wind? That’s nasty… and not in a good way.
Zombie Two
A CHAINSAW IN THE HEAD? These are the things that my lady never believes I have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. I mean I guess the idea is kind of cool, but there better not be any blood involved. He’s dead after all. The problem with the chainsaw is I KNOW players are going to want that thing to fly off and smack stuff. He’s also devoid of any color too. There’s no pop to him.
With both of the Zombies I feel like they don’t have any relevancy to them. These guys could have died in the 70s. I dunno I guess I am just looking for something to place them in the here and now. I don’t have any ideas. Let me know what you guys are thinking over there. Do you think we could take the best aspects of both these concepts and come up with something better?
We need a name for the Zombie character too. We could go with something normal like Frank (which is sometimes just odd right) or go way out there. My mom had a guy they teased in school because he never bathed. She said they called him Filthy McNasty. Which I think is a good name for a Zombie. Anyhow… you tell me.
I will have Jason work on the script for the Zombie. He needs to be funny though. I guess we need a history for him too. Like who he was in life. That’s going to influence what clothes he has on as well. I could get Lani to help write some lines too. She’s not just the voice director she’s pretty twisted.
Jeff: Were you serious about making his limbs fly off though? I think it could be pretty cool but wouldn’t it alter your ability to score? If you grabbed the spoon and then your arm fell off I would be MAD. It would be funny but I would still be upset. I mean I guess we could make his legs fly off maybe. Then he would be as tall as Hung or Scurv. It would be funny/gross to see a legless zombie Ooch down the street.
New Patch
I was looking at the bug database last night before I left and the bug count seems to be down quite a bit. We need to step it up before the user base burns me at the stake. I know they don’t hold me solely responsible but I am the one they know. I know you guys are fixing things as fast as you can but the H8 Squad doesn’t call you out by name.
Web Update
I got a shot of the music player to put on the site. I have to admit I never thought adding my own music would add so much to the game. Jeff's suggestion of playing “What a Wonderful World” is very sick actually. I have it on repeat.
Joey & Charlie are nearly done with the new update movie. I think it’s hilarious. I believe it takes potty humor to another level. Coke spits rhymes like dimes. It’s gonna be a little late, but it’s worth the wait.
Anyways I gotta go. I have to run to QA today. It’s been too long since I have made them miserable. I think I am just going to sit in and be a smart ass.
Peace,
Travis Williams
Sr. Producer | SCEA San Diego
PS.
Should we make Kenneth the unlockable character in the next environment? That dude is MONEY!