WIRED Staff
Culture

Slideshow: They Weren't Meant to Be Games

Games may be an escape from real life, but today's designers want you running full-on into worlds that are increasingly more like the one you're escaping. By Brad King.
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Headlights reflect off car windshields during SegaGT2003. The realistic lighting makes driving at high speeds much more challenging.Courtesy of Sega

See related story: They Weren't Meant to Be Games

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Stunning visuals quickly fade if characters don't sound just right. For Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the actor who portays Aragorn in the movies, Viggo Mortensen, also does the voice-over for the game.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts
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Kriegler painted stills that 007: NightFire programmers used to build the video-game world.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts
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Hollywood artist Richard Kriegler created the outline for the 20 locations players travel to during the game, including a Japanese high-rise.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts
trilogy must be matched by game designers.

trilogy must be matched by game designers.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts
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The Tokyo building looks almost real enough to visit, although it only exists in 007: NightFire.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts
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A new artificial intelligence software engine makes players act like professionals in John Madden Football 2003.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts
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Pierce Brosnan, the current star of the James Bond movie franchise, is also the star of the video-game franchise thanks to scanning technology.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts