Pure West's Second Skin looks the lives of gamers and virtual world residents as they live out their lives playing World of Warcraft, Everquest, and of course, Second Life. It touches on the topics of addiction, online romance, and the community feeling and sense of camaraderie that can be fostered by a group of people essentially only connected to each other through the internet.

Since first reading about the project back in 2006, I've pretty much lived through most of this documentary, having put my Everquest addiction behind me well before that. Back then I thought it would be interesting to watch in order to see how those people live. Now I'm going to pick it up to see if I spot anyone I know.

Along with the DVD release on August 25th, Second Skin will also see a limited theatrical run, so check your local papers, just in case. Check out a sneak peek at the first five minutes of Second Skin below.

In this vid you catch a glimpse of some pre-production gameplay, new concept art, new screens and hear a bit about the game's vision. Which, as BioWare tells it, isn't just about monthly subscription fees and a virtual economy.

I will remain stubbornly disinterested until The Old Republic proves itself better than all of those other MMOs that have wooed me in the past with sweet talk and fancy trailers.

[Thanks, king_e_dawg]

We are proud to announce our upcoming documentary, E.T.'s March. Over the course of a week this March, we will go on a road trip from Auburn, AL, to El Paso, TX. From there, we will take the actual path those fourteen trucks took that fateful day, into the heart of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Along the way, we will take in the video game culture of our great country. The documentary will be released for free via the internet this summer.

Good luck guys! Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be another Al Capone's Vault.

E.T.'s March Official Site

Second Skin Home Page [Pure West Films]

Catching Up Casually: A Chat With Alexey Pajitnov [Gamasutra]

Discovery's Rise of the Videogame Web Page [Discovery Channel]

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters tentative DVD release [GoNintendo]

Today the Discovery Channel announced that it's going to air a five-hour prime time documentary entitled "Rise of the Videogame." It covers the entire history of the industry and has interviews with the likes of Ralph Baer, David Jaffe, Will Wright, Peter Molyneux and even some now-obscure names like Ken and Roberta Williams, the founders of Sierra Online. I should disclose that I wrote the treatment for this show and served as a producer on it alongside World of Wonder (the company behind Inside Deep Throat). As opposed to a standard "History Of" documentary, the series takes a look at how the social and political climate shaped games and game designers in the 70s through present day. The first episode will premiere on Wednesday, November 21 at 8 PM (ET/PT) with new episodes to follow every Wednesday night through December 19th. If you want more details on each episode, you can read the press release after the jump.

Discovery Channel Examines the History and Impact of Videogames in New Special RISE OF THE VIDEOGAME

Put down the joystick in favor of the remote control and join Discovery Channel for a pixel-by-pixel exploration of the history of videogames in the new, five-part special RISE OF THE VIDEOGAME premiering Wednesday, November 21 at 8 PM (ET/PT).

RISE OF THE VIDEOGAME captures the (r)evolution of videogames from the early 1970s and the days when Atari ruled through today, examining how the videogame industry has changed and how videogame entertainment is created, produced, marketed and distributed.

Level One
U.S. Premiere
Wednesday, November 21 at 8 PM (ET/PT)

The videogame started not with a bang but with a ping. Unlike other forms of entertainment, videogames turn the viewer into a player who actively shapes the outcome of their experience. At first video games and the creators were as misunderstood by the public as rock & roll in its infancy. But those closest to the videogame business persevered and never lost sight of the ability videogames had to become a dominant form of entertainment.

Level Two
U.S. Premiere
Wednesday, November 28 at 8 PM (ET/PT)

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, instead of controlling spaceships and tennis rackets, videogame technology allowed players to command recognizable characters with real faces and back stories. This paralleled the importance of the hero's journey that was popular in movies of the time like "Rocky" and "Star Wars," as well as mirrored the rise of individualism and conservative meritocracy, where one man can make a difference. Game creators were liberated to create more complex videogames with heroic journeys, and Japanese creators like Shigeru Miyamoto rose to prominence with star characters Super Mario, Luigi and Zelda.

Level Three
U.S. Premiere
Wednesday, December 5 at 8 PM (ET/PT)

It was a foreign concept to early game designers but with games like "Return to Castle Wolfenstein" and "DOOM", video games grew from their primitive 2-D roots into richly detailed 3-D worlds. These groundbreaking 3-D games led the industry down new paths both thrilling and troubling. Critics questioned if these games were getting too real, too violent and too addictive. For the first time game designers had to grapple with tough questions.

Level Four
U.S. Premiere
Wednesday, December 12 at 8 PM (ET/PT)

Since the invention of the computer man has feared "the machine" and its ability to think. But a computer's unique computational power has also led to the development of seminal games that are unpredictable, intelligent and malleable. "God games" like SimCity and Civilization simulate entire worlds and let players experiment with cause and effect. Other designers have used artificial intelligence to create lifelike characters and worlds that shape themselves to each player. And some games are so technologically advanced that they have become tools for learning, or better yet, creative expression.

Level Five
U.S. Premiere
Wednesday, December 19 at 8 PM (ET/PT)

Can a computer game make you cry? With the introduction of PlayStation 2's "emotion engine" in 1999 game developers had the technology to enable deep, moving stories that tugged at gamers' heartstrings. The rise of online virtual world games added another emotional dimension, letting players make real connections (including marriages) through a virtual game and helping them escape a world rife with violence and terror.
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Just from looking at the trailer, it's pretty easy to tell who the director thinks the real hero (come on, one possibly works at a fast-food restaurant and the other is a science teacher). Mitchell hasn't even seen the movie, knows that he has been casted the villain from reading the reviews and press. Now he is speaking out in an article by MTV along with friends and colleagues who have come out to clear the air. According to Twin Galaxies' top scorekeeper, Walter Day:

When I saw the film, I was very upset. I saw the dynamics of stress between Billy and Steve and all those other people. At first I was mad at the players, mad at me and mad at everyone. Then I went away and sent [the filmmakers] an e-mail and said, 'Look, you got the plot all wrong.'

Tales of tweaked arcade circuit boards, skewed storylines, and made-up plots are just the tip of the iceberg in this video game drama. It's definitely a fun read for anyone missing "The OC". Kim Phu

Ex-'Donkey Kong' Champ Finally Speaks After Getting Bruised By New Doc [MTV Movie News]

Via CNET Asia, another look at the documentary Gold Farmers (we covered it last year), directed/produced by Ge Jin, and still a work in progress.

The clip over at Cnet is an interview with a Chinese gold farmer - after seeing bits and pieces of the trailers and stuff like this, I'm really hoping this project comes to fruition. It looks like it would be an interesting documentary indeed. Even this short clip of an interview brings up issues that go way beyond 'just' gold farming. Maggie Greene

There's gold in them servers, boy... [CNET - Fluorescent Paradise]

A documentary just hit the Xbox 360 that shows the making of Command & Conquer cinematics. The 20 minute documentary includes interviews with the actors, cinematographers, and costume designers that created the Tiberium cheesefest we all know so well and love. Brian Crecente

Trailer: "Behind the Lines" Documentary [Major Nelson]

Sony just sent me this incredibly cool documentary that looks at the real world mythology of God of War. It essentially examines the plot of the game and how it fits into the real classics. Pretty neat stuff. The video was broken up into six parts. Part one, The Mythology of God of War II, is above, two through six on the jump. Enjoy, but only if you're 18 or older. Otherwise your eyes are too sensitive to bask in the glow of the videos. Brian Crecente

Part Two: Gods

Part Three: Titans


Part Four: Creatures


Part Five: Heroes


Part Six: Kratos' Fate

The development of Pinball 2000 and the demise of Williams pinball is chronicled in the new documentary TILT: The Battle to Save Pinball which is now available for pre-order at the official site.

A pair of trailers are available for pinball fans to see what they can look forward to, both of which feature well known pinball designers like Pat Lawlor and George Gomez. The DVD ranges from $20.95 to $29.95, depending on features. Pre-order now and get it shipped for free. Go on! Get! Michael McWhertor

TILT: The Battle to Save Pinball Official Site [Thanks, Mick!]

That's not a typo, but the title of the upcoming film (at one point expected to see release in 2005) on video game violence from Spencer Halpin, brother of the Entertainment Consumers Association's Hal Halpin. Despite featuring some very alarmist soundbites—as well as giving The Silver Fox another outlet to deliver his anti-Rockstar speech promising a "Columbine on the factor of 10"—the documentary appears to have very high production values and looks to be a must-watch for those interested in the topic of violence in games. Michael McWhertor

Moral Kombat: Spencer Halpin's Documentary On Game Violence [Mercury News]

I was browsing around YouTube when I stumbled on this new video for the upcoming Nerdcore for Life documentary. It sounds like the documentary includes a chunk of performances from the latest Penny Arcade Expo too. Brian Crecente

According to VH1's GameBreak, 8-Bit is the best movie about video games ever made.

This movie's about how games affect our culture, how the genre crosses the culture to influence music, art and the way we think. In "8-Bit," artists invade the online shooter "Counter-Strike" to add messages of peace on walls with paint ball guns - if they don't get shot first. In "8-Bit," people make compelling trance, club and even pop folk-ish music using old GameBoys. In "8-Bit," artist Mary Flanagans takes the software from "Unreal Tournament 2003" to make "domestic," a memoirist's world in which she tells a story about how her father was trapped in the family's house during a fire. It's amazing stuff all the way around.

I have never even heard of this movie, let alone seen it. Seattle has a bad track record for indie cinema, often getting skipped over on nationwide releases, so sometimes even our alternative papers won't know about this stuff. Looks like the release is very limited thus far. Eliza Gauger

8-Bit: the Best Game Movie Ever Made [VH1 GameBreak, via Digg]

Justin Strawhand dropped me a line today to point out that his new documentary, 8 Bit: A Documentary about Art and Videogames, will be premiering in a few weeks at The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan.

8 Bit includes interviews with an impressive list of video-game based artists who express themselves with everything from visual art to Gameboy music. The documentary also includes a history of the game art movement from the early days of the demo scene to chiptunes, machinima to artistic expression in modern games.

It sounds pretty interesting. Make sure to hit the showing, which starts Oct. 7, if you're into this sorta gaming-meets-art stuff. Brian Crecente

8 Bit Movie