Talking Millennial Discontent, Sexism in the Workplace, Aggretsuko and Being the Golden Turd, with Ben Diskin

 

Ben Diskin is the kinda guy who has managed to stay under the radar for years, often playing some of your childhood’s most beloved characters without you even knowing. To paraphrase a writer better than I, you may not have heard of Diskin – but you have definitely heard him. With leading roles in everything from Kingdom Hearts to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Ben has amassed a plethora of unique credits that have won hearts across multiple fandoms.

Yet, all of this is a far cry from what was one of his first (and still one of his most famous) roles, as Sylvester in Kindergarten Cop, alongside with Arnold Schwarzenegger – a job he is inevitably quizzed on regularly, despite the film being 30 years old. I, of course, am no different – and begin my questions by inquiring as to how it feels to have had this start, in his acting career.

“I had very realistic expectations set for me by my parents, who are both actors, so they put me forward with the idea that this would get me a little bit of money that I could put toward college, so I could get a real job”, Ben tells me. Luckily for us, however, this was only the beginnings of Ben’s career, as he quickly moved on to voice acting over on-camera acting, when his agency began putting him forward for VO jobs.

Being around 6 at the time, Diskin couldn’t quite read at that age – but was more than adept at repeating phrases back to the crew, on request.  “The voice-over and on-camera work came about at the same time” he explains, “When you’re a child actor, and you can moderately take direction reasonably well, they put you in everything!”.

As I soon learn, however, he immediately goes par for the course, in terms of his modesty, by becoming incredibly self-deprecating. “Compared to kids nowadays, I was garbage – but back then, I became the Golden Turd! Which is going to be the name of my autobiography, one day”, he jokes. That said, there is no doubt that this was the career Ben was truly made for, both as a guy with the ability to create a vast range of characters, professionally, and in terms of his personal preference. Particularly as he can be quite averse to the level of fame that comes with on-screen work.

“Back then I was a stupid little kid and I went and told all of the kids on the playground about how I was going to be in a big movie – and I thought it was really neat! But kids don’t really have a concept of fame or money, so everyone thought I was a millionaire movie star… and started treating me like crap” he explains, “but when you do voice over, you realise that so many people love your characters without associating you with that character”.

Clearly, this is something that has stayed with him to this day, as he tells me how he loves the voice over world for giving him the ability to play and create new characters, without the hassles of fame that inevitably come when people consistently recognise your face.

“It’s really kinda nice that I have some control over whether I tell people if I’m on a show!” Ben laughs – but there’s a sincerity to his viewpoint that, even now, comes across in how he interacts with his fans. He admits to me that there are times at cons when he spends as much of his downtime as possible in his hotel room, in order to avoid near-constant over-stimulation through interaction with fans. Although it is worth noting that, like the rest of us, he can sometimes be found meandering through con halls because he’s feeling a little lonely – so, if you do happen to catch him at a con, he’s likely to welcome a quick chat.

Imposter syndrome runs deep within Ben’s personality, which is often exhibited through his sarcasm, dark humour and, in his own words, “naturally pile-driving myself further and further into the dirt – that’s my instinct!”. Referring to his award-winning work on Muppet Babies, he tells me “I have an Emmy on the mantel… and I’m still convinced someone is going to come in and take that back, any minute now”.

So, how does he battle his own inner demons, when faced with a tough role or a bad day? “With a heavy dose of reality!” he laughs, “I tell myself that I’ve been doing this for long enough, that I’ve been consistently working for years – I don’t let myself get a big head, but being positive about my work is my best coping mechanism”. That’s not to say he doesn’t struggle when something new comes along – namely singing. As it turns out, Ben isn’t too keen on singing or dancing, although he used to be able to carry a tune on the clarinet (in case you were wondering).

Throughout his career, which now spans three decades, there has only ever been one time where work – of lack thereof - became a huge point of stress for him. Having just bought a house in the late 00’s, his career took a downward turn and the ability to pay the mortgage was quickly shrinking. Like all successful actors, however, the answer to this problem lay in working even harder, for what felt like minimal payoff, until – one day – his career picked up again. “I was desperate and did the only thing I could, which was to knuckle down and take any work I could get” Ben confesses, “which is lucky – because I don’t have anything else I can fall back on!”

If anything, this tough period has helped Ben to gain more clarity on how to go about getting work, from auditioning to working on each, individual project in its own, individual way. “It always depends on what kind of thing you’re going to be working on” Ben clarifies, when I ask him how he approaches a new role, before going on to display a wide range of different pitches and voices, in order to explain each genre.

Of course, even within the same genre, there can be different styles, he explains. “A Shonen style anime will be very different to more realistic, grounded work from Japan, so each show needs to be performed according to the style they’re going for”.

Then there are the personalities themselves, which inevitably drive the character forward within the series, film or game. He reminisces particularly on one villain he played, after which he had to field questions at a con about his character “I was asked how I prepared myself for this villain – everyone else was talking about how they related to their characters and how they could draw from their own experiences. I just had to say ‘errr I don’t know! I was just acting!’ - So, yeah, sometimes it’s just fun to do something completely different to myself. To just act.”

Ben goes on to reveal the audition process he had for Haida, in Aggretsuko, in which he construed the character to be somewhat of a lady’s man. As it turns out – and as fans of the series will already know – that’s not quite how things pan out for the humble hyena. It’s all part of the process, however, and the casting/voice directors worked with him to give us the personality we all know and love, now.

Another major benefit to being in the industry from a young age comes with seeing all the changes in the industry – for better or worse. At this point, I can’t help but ask him how things have changed in Hollywood, when it comes to getting roles. “Well, when I first started out, all the auditions were on tape – and, if you screwed up, they would literally have to stop and cut the tape” he recalls, “now, however, I can send over auditions from home and send those over as an mp3. If you’ve got a good mic and good set-up, then that opens up doors to a lot of new talent.”

Most recently, his work on Aggretsuko has him playing the role of Haida, for which season 3 was recorded entirely from home. And, while playing animals with human-like characteristics isn’t exactly a new venture in animation, the release of Haida into the Netflix universe also coincided with another character who came about at around the same time – namely, Beastars’ Jack, whom he also voices.

With so many anthropomorphic creatures coming out at once, it was only a matter of time before our dear Ben caught the eye of the furry community. Naturally, this makes my interviewee a big point of fascination for these anthropomorphic enthusiasts, and you can often find Ben discussing the community, his stance and the fanart of these characters over on his Twitter account.

Being completely new to this culture and fandom myself, Ben is kind enough to discuss with me what it means to be a part of something like that. “I discovered them through working on Aggretsuko,” he tells me, “and I’m a huge fan of the show myself. Which, usually, when I like a show, it means nobody else is interested – cause that’s just how it goes for me. I naturally gravitated toward the character that I played and kinda fell into it. But it means I get to act like a giant idiot fanboy online with everyone – and it helps the show!”

Of course, Haida himself resonates well with followers, making him a big focal point for fanart and fictional crushes within the fandom. When I ask Ben why he thinks Haida is so popular, his answer pulls the full gamut. “The show is filled with strong female characters, with most of the guys either being horribly sexist or just shouting at Retsuko” he reminds me, making reference to season 1 characters, including the yoga instructor and her boss, “so, when you see a guy who is actually cute and nice that makes it easy to relate to him. But I think it also stems from being the guy who has the crush, that doesn’t get with the person he likes, and his feelings are unrequited. So, especially for people who are gay, or are furries, Haida’s experiences are so easy to relate to, because it’s much harder to find the right person when you’re in those communities.”

Despite this, Haida himself has come under fire somewhat, with mixed reviews from audiences, who seem to be divided as to whether his reactions in the season finale are appropriate, given what happens over the course of the series. This is something that Ben himself struggled with, as he explains to me, “when they gave me the clip to work with, the cover clip of the file was Retsuko crying, and I was literally pointing at the screen, saying to my wife ‘how can I make her cry? I don’t wanna do this!’”. So, just how much of Haida stems from Ben himself? “Haida is literally me from before I met my wife,” he laughs, “This total idiot, who sucks with women and pines after women who have no interest in me. I mean, if I could go back in time and slap the crap out of myself, I would!”

Through it all, there’s no denying that this is a series that is almost tailor-made for the disillusioned generation of millennials, with the main character struggling with trying to make a living in the current economy, especially in season 3. And one of the things that seems to have caused conflict with fans, is that Retsuko doesn’t quite get the traditional happy-ever-after that people expect from happy-go-lucky stories about cute animals. As it turns out, this is one of the things that Ben likes the most about Aggretsuko, because “it doesn’t point to Hollywood or fame as being the solution. It displays real-world problems and gives realistic solutions. That’s not always reality – most people do just work in the office and the show gives fans ways to cope with those moments, like her annoying co-workers and her boss”.

Interestingly, given the current news surrounding sexism in the workplace – particularly in the gaming and voice-over areas – the way that Retsuko is able to work with her misogynistic boss (as well as the advice she gets her friends in leadership roles) seems oddly well-timed, for those new to the series. We also see massively inappropriate and damaging behaviour from fans within the show, in the lead-up to the climax of the third season, which is sadly true to real life at times. And this is something that Ben openly discusses with me, when it comes to how he feels we can change things in the real world. “The biggest thing for me is to be able to call out that behaviour, when it happens”, he replies, when I ask him how we can help to stomp out that behaviour in all areas of life. “It’s not always the easiest thing – but seeing not only the way my colleagues are treated, even by fans, not only are the acts and the things that happen scary, but the way women talk about these experiences. It’s become so ingrained into our way of life, that they talk about it as though it were an everyday experience and not something terrifying – which is absolutely is.”

Taking an uncharacteristically sombre tone, Ben then goes on to point out “it isn’t always that obvious thing, the way Ton will come across in the show. It can be something as simple as phrasing something in a way that is overly familiar or those tiny microaggressions. You don’t have to make a big thing about it, or a Twitter call-out, you can just say something as and when it happens to challenge them. Just be respectful to everyone”.

And therein lies the main takeaway I can pull from my short time with Ben Diskin, in that this is a guy who is – to his very core – a genuinely good guy, who wants to bring everything he can to each role. Whether he’s creating a caricature of a voice, in order to meet the requirements of an over-the-top animation, or speaking with his followers on social media, you can be sure that Ben has plenty of love to give to his career and his fans. Personally, I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for us.

Horizon Zero Dawn: 10 Things Most People Miss During The Frozen Wilds

Highly addictive and astoundingly beautiful, Horizon: Zero Dawn was a major hit, when it was released in 2017, winning awards across the board for it’s writing and gameplay alike. So, when the Frozen Wilds came out later that year, players were keen to jump into the world of Aloy and discover new lore and stories to explore. However, such is the depth and breadth of the game that there are still many missed details that are being discovered, even now – years after it’s initial release. Here, we’ll explore some of the most commonly missed details in The Frozen Wilds and feel free to try a few of these out, for yourself!

1.      Frozen Wilds Is Based In Wyoming

Arguably one of the most beautiful settings in our world, it’s no surprise that the team at Guerilla Games have used Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming as the setting for their DLC. With the base game set across Colorado, Utah and Arizona, it makes sense geographically for Aloy to head north into Wyoming. You can even see some of the most notable landmarks in the caldera and even The Devil’s Tower – a name which is alluded to during the gameplay, when you battle a Daemon on the volcano, Thunder’s Drum.

2.      The Name Hephaestus Fits Well With The Lore

For those who haven’t completed the base game or DLC yet, be aware that this particular entry may give away some of the games major plot points; Hephaestus is one of the major AI systems created to help combat the Faro plague, and was tasked with creating life on Earth after the plague was wiped out. The name, like many others in Horizon, was based off Greek gods and Hephaestus was the god of metalworking, of the same name. Not surprisingly, this works brilliantly with the main story of Frozen Wilds, in that robotic creatures are being created by the AI.

3.      The Colors Of Banuk Clothing Are Inspired By The Geothermic Pools In Yellowstone National Park.

The Banuk outfits are created to withstand the harsh weather of the Northern setting and are made up of furs, as well as parts from the robots to add a good layer of armor. The coloring of the outfits themselves, however, comes from the same palette as the geothermic pools in Yellowstone National Park. Namely, yellows, greens and blues, with reds used for accenting. Again, this is another way to place the setting of the game itself, but also sits in well with the idea that these outfits are based to camouflage the tribespeople.

4.      The Character CYAN Gives Away Some History

CYAN stands for Caldera of Yellowstone Analytic Network, having been created as part of Project Firebreak, within the game. This top-secret government protection project was designed to help stabilize the environment of the caldera – a fantastic nod to the fact that our own caldera can wipe out half of the planet (or more), should the Yellowstone caldera erupt. In Frozen Wilds, it’s suggested that this threat became imminent and that the entire environmental protection program had to be created, to stabilize this.

5.      You Can Make Snow Angels

On a lighter note, with the additional options now available in photo mode, you can make Aloy create snow angels! Photo mode is a great add-on for those who want to continue playing, long after finishing the quests and, based in a snow-laden land, it certainly makes sense for developers to add this in, for those who like to get a little creative once they’ve finished the game. Simply enable photo mode, check out the different animations to choose from and have fun making snow angels, before sharing your finished product with your friends!

6.      Aratak Will Join You In The Final Fight

If you finish the Frozen Wilds before you complete the base game, then you’ll be pleased to know that Aratak will head to Meridian to join in the final fight against Hades. Simply begin The Looming Shadow quest and take a good walk around the surrounding areas to find all of your allies joining you for the final battle, and you’ll come across your old friend who is “compelled to come for the once-chieftain” along with Aluki.

7.      Epsilon Cauldron

For the completionist among you, it can be worth noting that the Epsilon Cauldron located in this part of the game can only be entered and completed once, as the entrance is unique in how it seals itself after you’re finished. So, if there’s anything you feel you need to complete within the cauldron itself or if you’ve missed a few machines, it can be worth making sure you’ve collected everything before using your usual override mechanism. Once you’re out, you won’t be able to return and work your way through again.

8.      Aloy’s Story Can Be Heard After Frontier Justice

 After besting Aratuk as part of the main quest, you can begin work on the side quest called Frontier Justice. Investigating a miscarriage of justice in the tribe, Aloy works her way to the scene of the murder and discovers the actual murderers, eventually being caught investigating and having to kill the three and rescuing the wrongly convicted and exiled Inatut at Cloud-Shear. After this, you can find Inatut in Song’s Edge, retelling the story of Frontier Justice to a group of children.

9.      Your Movements Have An Effect On The World Around You

The attention to detail by the team at Guerilla Games has definitely not gone unnoticed in the past, but with a few additional months to help improve the gameplay and environment, a huge difference can be seen in Frozen Wilds. Not only with the snow give way to reveal the grass beneath, as you move around the world, but you can alter the way chimes sound by running past them or spinning around, and even see your footsteps (as well as watching them slowly refill with snow) as you move.

10.   Aloy’s Conversations Have Improved

While not entirely dissimilar to our last entry, you can also see major improvements in the interactions that Aloy can have with NPC’s across the DLC. While smaller chats in the base game can often be very similar, in terms of information given and how Aloy responds to these, there is added depth in the Frozen Wilds expansion that shows vast improvement. Not only does Aloy frown or smile, depending on the circumstances, but she walks back and forth, makes hand gestures and generally seems more involved, physically, with the conversations she is having.

5 Ways Coronavirus Affected The Games Industry

It's no secret that the gaming industry has seen a huge leap in the past few years, due to the outpouring of quality content being produced by the companies behind incredible games such as Uncharted and Apex Legends. But, over the last few months, lockdown and quarantine have had a major impact on the games industry as a whole, beyond a few simple numbers and statistics - and not always for the better. Read on, to find out 5 ways Covid-19 has affected the games industry, positively and negatively. 

35% Increase In Sales

Overall, the general upturn in sales is not surprising. With more people having to stay at home, after being laid off, on furlough or simply working from home, people are using the extra time to wind-down and enjoy their day. This is already hard enough, given the circumstances, but the larger corporations have done well to cope with demand.

Some companies are even offering up free games which, despite the contradictions suggesting game sales would decrease with these options, it has actively encouraged more people to get into gaming. Especially as there are no more options than ever, when it comes to staying connected with friends and family through online games.

There has been a 63% increase in the sales of hardware (consoles, VR headsets and so on) and a 34% increase in software - the bread and butter of the gaming industry. This is without the major impact of digital sales of Animal Crossing, which doesn't factor into these statistics despite being released in March.

When we include Animal Crossing - one of the most popular games to have ever been released on Nintendo, accounting for 50% of the total, digital sales in March - those numbers skyrocket. For Nintendo alone, a new sales record was set in the same month, more than doubling the numbers gained from the same time, last year.

20% Reduction In Productivity

It's not all good news, however, as a loss of productivity has also had a major impact in developing games. While some of this is due to employees contracting Covid-19, there is also a huge problem with gig-workers being cut off from many of the larger firms. At the same time, smaller, younger developers are struggling to ensure everyone gets high-quality gear at home, to allow for the same quality to be produced, remotely.



All of this, of course, does not include the mental strain that comes with producing high-quality games during a global pandemic. Managing your mental health is tough enough, without the added struggles of setting up a new routine and staying sane, when it feels like the whole world is losing its mind. While it's fair to say that working from home can help in some aspects, it's also no secret that those who have creative minds are more likely to suffer from mental health problems. Naturally, many of these minds are working hard to keep up with current progressions in development, so those will naturally take a toll on the productivity of the workforce.

Games Have Been Delayed

As a possible contender for understatement of the year; Fighting to get works that are currently in development set up and shipped has proven to be difficult. As well as finding the right staff, or fighting with the cuts called for by shareholders, who are seeking to keep high profits, there are post-productions issues, too.

Most studios will be working, well beyond the development of the actual game, in order to get great copies of incredible games to you and your console. Quality assurance, marketing, physical production, shop closures and limited levels of press all have a major effect on whether a game will be considered profitable. As such, it's usually beyond the jurisdiction of the developer themselves to effectively produce a game, once it's left the writing, programming and development stage.

Larger companies, such as Naughty Dog, have had a lot of bad press coming from fans, due to the delays in shipping - before finally coming up with a final release date, shortly after leaks were produced by hackers. However, such is life that, if you want DLC's, they can only be produced after a successful launch, and for those seeking a proper commitment to smooth gameplay, a wait is to be expected.

Aside from struggling to get the components required (everything from those plastic cases to the console bundles), there haven't been any major promotions available to help sales along. With companies often operating at a loss until the release of the game itself, it's hard to say how financing will be able to work until predictions are available - and most of those will be withheld until the market eases itself out of the Covid-19 downturn.




Smaller companies and games from independents will also be struggling with securing the financing required to help development to shuffle along. Without the added help of investors, many of these indie developers and gaming companies are struggling to make ends meet and are working themselves to the bone to keep going. Naturally, this means delays going on for the foreseeable future. But hang tight and be patient - all of your favourites will be with you, soon.

Screen Time Increased

Any gamer will tell you that the industry is about so much more than simply buying a game, playing it and throwing it away. This is a niche that thrives on the collective experience of what it means to suspend your disbelief and truly take part in an immersive experience.

One major player in the business of broadcasting and sharing gameplay is the livestreaming platform, Twitch. Already taking a good share of the amount of screentime that spectators will partake in, Twitch is one of the most successful streaming companies ever created, with an estimated net worth of around $5 billion. It outstrips streaming time on Youtube by 300%, and those seeking to gain an income through gaming are more likely to opt for Twitch, due to the audience already being game-orientated.



That said, both platforms have seen a major increase in global viewership, with Twitch reporting a 10% increase and Youtube Gaming garnering a 15% increase. In the US, The Hollywood Reporter has stated that Verizon (a telecom firm) has found that online gaming has increased by a massive 75%. Similarly, Italy has shown a 66% increase in terms of hours watched, according to StreamElements.

In-Game Advertising Has Exploded

It's no surprise, given its accessibility in terms of initial platform and usability, that mobile gaming has seen the biggest increase of all - becoming the most popular gaming platform. Expected to grow by up to $10.97 billion in the next four years, this impact has caused in-game advertising to explode. For the most part, this is huge in terms of traditional capitalism and will do a great job in helping to boost the economy, by driving sales. However, there is further benefits to be had for public health, if they choose to utilize this ability (of course, that is a topic for future articles!). 



Marketing experts at Udonis say that there has been a 20-30% increase in downloads from the Play store and that, while Facebook have been slower in getting ads approved or adjusted, there has been a lower cost per click, overall. This, combined with increased screentime, means it's an ideal time for those who work in marketing to get into paid ads, rather than looking into the slower (but oftentimes more worthy) organic reach.



Gaming has proven to be one of the most resilient industries, standing both the test of time and the sudden impact of a pandemic. Not only is this good news for the industry as a whole, but games have shown to be one of the best ways to stay connected with friends and family, while maintaining social distancing measures.

As such, it's fair to say that gaming has moved beyond the "timewaster" label that many have slapped on the niche, for far too long. Indeed, the past few weeks can be considered a lifesaver for many young adults and multiple generations, beyond helping the introverted and nerdy. Economically, this has been the best year for gaming in over a decade, when sales before the global market crash of 2008. And, while there are still some ways to go in releasing and producing games during strict social constraints, this is clearly a market that is fit and fighting. We just need to figure out how to overcome some small bumps, along the way.

Mi-Clos Studio Announces New Game Releasing In Late 2020

Fans of indie developer Mi-Clos Studio (Out There, Sigma Theory) will be pleased to know that the developers have been working on a new, turn-based game. In their latest offering, Silmaris: Dice Kingdom, you'll be playing as the leader of Thylla, and will be attempting to "restore the lost power of your kingdom". Like their previous offerings, your gameplay can twist and turn in any direction, based on your decisions, so be prepared for the inevitable mulligans you'll be calling for.

In Silmaris, you'll need to pick and choose your advisors based on their skillsets, in the hopes that they'll bring you some advantages, as you attempt to subdue other monarchs in the area and make your claim as the true leader. The game also promises to be filled with interesting features, including the ability to spy on enemies or opt for a peaceful, trading unions, depending on your preferences.

In the announcement, there is also a hint of something bigger at play, suggesting you'll need to ready your empire for a major attack from an unknown being. If Silmaris is anything like their previous releases, this new game is sure to offer up a little something for any PC player, whether that's tactical gameplay or interesting interactions. All-in-all, we definitely recommend keeping this on your radar, ready for the release later this year.

Silmaris: Dice Kingdom key features:

• A dark and merciless universe. Expect to lose your crown in any way possible, but always for good reason!
• Dozens of immersive stories and unexpected twists
• Choose your style. Will you rule with an iron fist, or with peaceful diplomacy? Will you be bold or cunning?
• Recruit advisors, develop their skills, and send them on missions around the valley
• Resist your enemies, besiege their cities and make them your vassals
• Establish trade routes and smuggling rings
• Plot to overthrow opposing monarchs
• Use diplomacy to lead a great alliance
• Explore the world as you search for hidden treasure and forgotten artifacts
• Manage your action dice and use your Fate points with care

Virtual Reality And Its Ever-Changing Place In Our World

Virtual reality has become something of a “like it or loathe it” phenomenon in the world. Yet, despite many people claiming that VR will never “make it” or become popular, statistics show otherwise. According to a PwC report, immersive evolutions are said to benefit the US economy alone by up to $1.2 trillion by 2030 – those are some big numbers for a system and a niche that is supposedly yet to find a home.

Virtual Reality in Gaming

Arguably, it’s currently utilized in the largest capacity via gaming, from the augmented reality of Pokémon Go, through to Beat Saber – both of which quickly became household names upon their release. “It’s definitely been a rollercoaster ride so far”, QA manager, VR expert and host of The VR Talk Show, Kris Gruchalla tells me, “there are so many platforms, nothing is solidified as THE platform for VR and it isn’t user-friendly if you don’t know about PC’s. You can go in completely blind if you don’t know the basics and that’s where the Quest has seen major success, because you don’t need any console of PC – you just buy it, put it on and play games”.

“Indie games especially, have moved into the AA niche – these independent game companies are moving into the mainstream and most VR titles come from indie companies. We’re definitely getting there. The comfort factor has become more important and a new, wireless generation of headsets have become available” she explains. Interestingly, there’s also an increase in the level of body-tracking technology that is coming out alongside these, with finger-tracking in particular, so that games can interact with your entire body and create a more realistic experience for players.

All of these factors are helping more individuals than ever suddenly find themselves considering VR as their next gaming purchase. A sizeable investment, given that the Oculus Quest can start at around £400 or above, and this price being one of the reasons why VR has yet to make it into every household. And yet, if the prices were made more affordable, it can be argued that most people would make the jump into immersive technology – so there’s still clearly an appealing factor to the wider market. Especially as, according to eMarketer, up to 20.8% of the population in the US currently use AR and VR technology.

The biggest appeal, when it comes to VR games, is its accessibility. Anyone can use the systems, whether they’re sitting or standing, and every game goes through a rigorous testing process that allows people of any age or background to use the system. “Movement systems have to be created to work with everyone – but every system also needs to work against motion sickness. Similarly, the training system needs to be fast but simple, to meet these same needs” Kris tells me, “every game is created so that your grandma can experience meeting a shark, or a young kid can play Beat Saber – all with the same system”.

Virtual Reality In Health And Social Care

Clearly, the investment is being made to help push the role of VR in gaming into a more accessible realm – and, like many things we see coming to the forefront of the digital age, this tech is being transferred into the wider world. It is no secret that there are many applications for immersive technology – particularly in the fields of healthcare and social care.

In a world hounded by a highly contagious virus that has entire countries on lockdown, it can be argued that virtual reality can help to combat isolation. Better still, for those who have disabilities or health issues that prevent them from interacting with the world via typical methods, it may open up the opportunity to explore and create.

A few months ago, a paper published in the scientific journal Nature revealed that scientists and engineers had come together to create a device that allows the wearer to literally explore the sense of touch. This could help isolated users to transmit a hug through social media, or even allow prosthetic users to feel the shape of an object that they’re holding.

For those wondering just how “real” this sensation could truly become, we can once again turn our attention to users of virtual reality in other areas, such as gaming. Kris explains that “it’s surprising how quickly your brain adapts to VR in what we call the ‘treadmill effect’. Whereby, once you’ve left the system, your mind can take a few moments to process that it is no longer in that world. As an example, we released a game a while ago that required arm motions to run in the game – and we became so used to it that we used the same hand motion in order to turn corners in real life, that we had to complete in the game”. With this in mind, it is – perhaps – safe to say that we should limit the time spent in these virtual worlds!

VR systems, of course, use the entire body and your own movements to simulate changes in the environment in the virtual world you inhabit. With that in mind, there are still limitations as to who can use this – but with research in the healthcare sector increasingly turning to virtual reality and augmented reality, there seems to be a strong case for further investment. Doing so could lend us the capabilities of allowing those with limited movement to explore new environments, once again.

Kris tells me that there are even games coming out that allows those who are bedridden to see something a little different. “There are fully interactive games you can play while lying down, or you can simply look up at the stars and do some constellation-spotting. Oculus even has an app where you can sit courtside at a basketball game, where you can invite friends and – if you want to – throw popcorn at each other”.

On the other end of the scale, there have been huge leaps in dealing with mental health issues that crop up through our lifetime, thanks to virtual reality. Oxford VR recently found that their therapy-VR treatments had a positive, lasting effect on up to 70% of participants, and have even suggested that this style of treatment can help with everything from depression to schizophrenia and beyond. With mental health costing the UK roughly £94 billion per year, the emerging data around immersive technologies suggest that we may not only be able to help people cope with trauma or mental health atypicalities, but help our economy to recover, too.  

Virtual Reality In The Wider Economy

The gamification of everyday training has been shown to be highly effective in providing cost-effective solutions to major companies. While flight simulators have been used for decades, the technology has now advanced to cover more realistic simulations and a wide range of different environments. ExxonMobil, a multinational oil and gas company, use virtual reality to train employees in health and safety by simulating start-up and emergency exit procedures, for example.

Fortune Business Insights recently published an article suggesting that the use of VR in education and training is increasing its market size at an astonishing rate. It is even predicted that, by 2026, it will reach up to $13,098.2 million (roughly £10.5 million) and will continue to grow beyond this – and that’s just one area of potential for the VR market.

That being said, the BBC recently decided to shut down its VR Hub, which was dedicated to storytelling and exploration, despite the growing market, citing that they will be sharing the research and information gathered through the experience with other markets. The reasons behind this closure aren’t entirely clear – but, given that they will still be licensing the materials produced and are keen to share their info, they could yet make a comeback with further programmes in the future.

Similarly, Samsung decided to drop the Gear VR from any future productions and Google also announced that their Daydream VR headset would be discontinued. The reasons here, however, are a little clearer in that the main drawback to these systems were current “limitations constraining smartphone VR from being a viable long-term solution” in an interview with VentureBeat. Most notable of these limitations was the major drawback of apps struggling to keep up with adapting their systems to meet VR usability. In the end, you can’t have a good-quality system that provides value, if there’s nothing on that system to actually use.

With this in mind, it’s fair to say that virtual reality definitely has a place in the future of our economy, as well as practical uses in medicine and – of course – its natural home in gaming. Whether or not this will happen sooner or later is still up for debate, and depends entirely on the work that is being produced now. Of course, this leaves virtual reality as one of the best areas to invest in, right now, thanks to the inevitable growth we’re about to see in this niche. 

Control Review

I'm a huge fan of action-adventure games, being shamelessly fond of third-person perspectives and a strong storyline. So, when I was recommended Control, I couldn't wait to get my teeth stuck into a new world - it had everything I could possibly want in a game, especially when it came to the consistently high ratings from the usual publications, IGN, Gamesradar and so on. Even better, it was recently on offer on the PSN store, something we could all do with during isolation - so I decided to delve into Jesse Faden's world for the first time. 

It begins with a rather depressing monologue that sets us up for the neo-noir theme throughout the game, and quickly leads to you becoming the Janitor's assistant and the new director of the Federal Bureau of Control. Aptly named, considering everything in this company appears to be very specific and very rigid in this game - from the brutalism of the building's architecture to the inflexible personalities. Even the interactions between the main character and the NPC's is dry at best, with the warmest character arguably being Emily Pope, whose fast-talking rhetoric can quickly give you a headache if you don't keep up. 

The house, of course, moves seemingly of its own volition, twisting and turning through different dimensions as you explore. And the novelty of this can wear off quickly, if you don't make use of the in-game map that takes up the entire screen, when highlighted. Be warned that this is not a feature you should use when entering a new room, as your extra-dimensional friends - called the Hiss - will spawn at the same time. 

The frustration of constantly fighting the Hiss is highlighted by the inability to create regular checkpoints, due to the open nature of the game - and would be fine, if it weren't for the fact that you constantly need to defeat foes that you have already conquered, each time you die - with only bosses appearing to be exempt from this. In other words, if you die while trying to figure out a boss' weak points, for example, you'll need to go from the last checkpoint, back through the building and return to the fight - listening to the in-game chatter and fighting the respawning baddies, each and every time. 

Each and every, frigging, time. 

Again, without waypoints to help you decide on which direction to go, when seeking out the story, you may find yourself doing this a lot. Too much, in this humble writer's opinion. While I can see how this might add to the overall mood of the game (a lack of control - an irony I'm sure was high-fived upon, in the office) it detracts from the gameplay. 

And herein lies the problem - Control stops being fun after the first few missions. It becomes tedious and many players appear to be losing interest in the story around halfway through the gameplay. This is a shame, really, as things do become much more lively and interesting toward the end of the game again - in particular, a fun bounce around the Ashtray Maze can be a memorable gaming experience - but it shouldn't feel like a slog to get to this point. 

You spend an awfully long time trying to figure out what happened to Jesse Faden's brother, Dylan - but, when you eventually come across him as part of the main story, the experience is anti-climactic. Worse still, what you expect to be a big, final boss is actually just an old friend passing you a small trinket to push the game forward. There's a frustration in each and every plot point that makes you roll your eyes and mumble "get to the point, Jesse" more times than I care to recall.

It's a shame, really, as the actual controls of Control are pretty good - being able to use telekinetic powers always correlate to a good time, in terms of gameplay. Picking up the new powers of levitation and mind control as the game progresses also help to clear away the waves of enemies, as you become more experienced. But, what initially starts out to be some creepy Hiss baddies, eventually gives way to simply running past them in order to progress with the story, due to said frustration - so you don't end up utilising these as much as you might want. 

The skill tree, as you might expect, is pretty standard - although getting additional skill points is directly linked to upgrading other parts of the game. You can even improve your gun with points collected by defeating Hiss agents and random pick-ups from your fallen foes, which leads to some interesting personalisation of your weapon. It's definitely recommended that you do this regularly, in line with your own gaming style, as the powers Jesse gains throughout Control are limited by her energy - a nice added feature that ensures you aren't simply throwing everything around until you're surrounded by dead agents of the Hiss. 

As a result of all of these points, however, Control simply isn't as fun to play as I expected. There are definitely a lot of good points to this game, but the overall feel of the story is more tedious - and even irritating at parts - than it is enjoyable. Exciting moments might give you a second or two of "ah, that's cool" but, beyond this, I never felt like there was a need to keep pushing forward - a feeling enhanced by the underwhelming ending.  

My advice, when going into this experience, would be to do so with an open mind and no prior knowledge of the game itself. The hype and positive reviews may lead you to the same experience as I, so I wholeheartedly recommend taking this with a pinch of salt. Enjoy yourself and take your time when exploring, to ensure you don't miss any extras (as I did, before having to backtrack in order to progress). If you're looking for story and a linear narrative over the gameplay, then this probably isn't the right genre for you - but if you like killing baddies and getting in-game points, then you may well enjoy Control for all it has to offer you. 

Interview with Screenwriter and Actor David Hayter

David Hayter is definitely a busy guy. When I first contact him to request an interview, he is quick to accept and more than willing to offer up as much time as I need – but finding that time is a very different story. Between his busy schedule and well-deserved downtime, we go back-and-forth for a short while, in an effort to slot a chat in. In the end, it comes as a last-minute message, “can you do today?”, and with a very happy acceptance from myself, we manage to squeeze in a few hours between his morning writing and an afternoon meeting.

Beginning with a brief chat about my unusual accent, he manages to pin down not only exactly where I’m from, before I have a chance to explain, but follows with a dead-on impression. It turns out one of the reasons he’s able to do this is due to his previous talks with the legend that is Alan Moore. Of course, for those who follow Hayter’s history, they will know he has worked on the master novelists previous work of Watchmen – a popular textual transformation of the graphic novel created in 1986-7.

“I was actually over in Manchester about 2 summers ago, for a comic con. It was very nice! And ‘Hayter’ is actually Welsh, so it’s really like my homeland”. Travelling for cons, of course, is part and parcel of David’s job – but he was a sufferer of wanderlust long before his career took off. Canadian by birth, he and his mother travelled considerably as kids, before he returned from Japan at around the age of 20, when he eventually moved back to California. These early years of adventuring, it turns out, were a key part of how he got into performing.

“To get to know the community, my mother would take part in a lot of community theatre projects. We moved to California when I was 9 and she saw an ad for a kid's theatrical production of Pinocchio. She told me to audition – so I did – and I got the part. After that, a girl asked me for my autograph, and I thought ‘oh, this is pretty good’. The writing came up later than that, when I was about 12.” 

Growing up at a time when Star Wars and Indiana Jones were hitting the pictures, Hayter was inspired to write stories of fantasy and adventure, along the same lines. And so, he began to put pen to paper, in an effort to bring his imaginary worlds to life.

He laughs when I ask how this turned into a profession, “I don’t think I ever became a professional!” he remarks, before going on to say how he managed to write a full script when he turned 22. “It was a terrible vampire script. I had a director attached and we tried to get that set up but never quite did. Apart from that, I never thought of pursuing writing as a career”. Like so many, he was working hard in every way he could, in an industry he loves, when he “fell ass-backwards” into his first professional scriptwriting job.

 “I got a job answering the phones on the movie X-men, but I knew the director – so, I suggested a scene to him and he went ‘yeah, go write that for me, let’s put that in the movie’. After that, I was doing re-writes. By the end, I had done so much writing that I ended up getting sole credit.” At this point, I can’t help but comment on the rarity of having a director allow for a perceived outsider to have so much impact on a major film. “Yeah, he wasn’t precious about it, at all. It was good of him to do that, and it helps that he wanted a writing partner who wasn’t tied down by contracts and one-step deals. He could make me write as many pages as he wanted, I was just always there and able to make changes.”

Naturally, it helps to always be available to your director when they want or need you. That said, having such an intimate knowledge of the characters – and how they think, act or interact with each other - before you need to write about them, can be a major benefit.  Being a big pop culture geek and gamer at heart, David inherently knows what works and what doesn’t, when it comes to writing up a script or voicing a beloved game character. Yet, this doesn’t always have to be the case, “there’s no one way to do it – it’s a different path for everybody. I was hoping that, when I arrived, they would turn me into Tom Cruise. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way”.

He is keen to point out that, in the “8 or 9” years it took him to start acting and screenwriting at AAA level, he had to venture into other areas of Hollywood life, which led him to voice acting among other career paths. “That’s just how I found my niche, it’s how everyone finds their niche” he states, when I ask if the variation is important to professional development.

In terms of his personal preference, when it comes to acting over writing, there are no clear winners in Hayter’s’ eyes. “I prefer the job of acting, above anything – particularly voice-over, which is just great fun. But I prefer the career of writing, because you have a little more control over where you’re headed and the projects that you get to do”. At the end of it all though, this is clearly a guy who is enjoying how his trajectory has curved, as he loves almost every aspect of every gig he takes on.

“I think all actors should learn about writing, and learn to create their own material” he mentions, when we discuss how both sides of his career can help to support the other, “it’s the only way, as an actor, that you can have any control over what you do and what parts you get to play”. So, does his work as a screenwriter allow him to shift and change up any scripts he’s given? Not necessarily – but it certainly does no harm when he finds himself writing up new works.

“It definitely helps when you’re creating something, to know how the lyricality of the voice works off the page. Dialogue that looks good on the page, doesn’t necessarily speak well – and vice versa. I turned in a script for a show last year and the showrunner actually said to me ‘your dialogue worked a lot better than I thought it would!’. But that’s how people talk – it can look simple, or fragmented and even monosyllabic – in the end, the rhythm is there and it’s real”.

There’s a running theme here, between David and other actors I’ve spoken to in the past, where music and voice acting seem to run concurrently with each other. So, I quickly chime in and ask him if he has any musical background, to which he responds “yeah, actually, I went to Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto, which had a strong music component to it”, before he laments his dancing skills – which they also attempted to teach him.

“I’m also learning to play the guitar” he drops in, casually, before discussing how working with music helps him to activate a part of his brain that allows him to relax and regroup his thoughts. “If I’m writing all day and my brain is just cooked, I can sit down and lose myself in the guitar and the music”. Here, we agree, the order of mathematical elements found within music can help to engage a completely different side of your abilities. “Writing can really suck the life out of your brain, especially if you’re doing 8 hours a day, to a point where you can’t really even communicate anymore. So, using music, you’re able to refocus on what matters”.

At this point, as I’m sure you can tell, it’s clear that David is remarkably easy to talk to about almost anything. This seems to be a recurring theme within the voice acting and screenwriting world, which leads me to ask whether being able to gel well with a team is something that is essential to the job. “It’s definitely not essential – but being fun and engaging will take you a lot further than being an obnoxious prick. I think a huge benefit to the ‘Me Too’ movement is that there has been a real effort for people to behave better, too. I’ve always tried to be respectful, of course, but there’s definitely a lot less lunatic, a-holes to deal with now!”

Working in Hollywood is, without a doubt, very stressful and David makes a point of highlighting how easy it is to become swept up in heated debates about budgets, time and pressure. In order to combat this, he looks at those he works with and always tries to make the job engaging and fun for them, as well as himself. “That’s also where the acting side of it can come in,” he tells me, “because most writers are generally very isolated people. That usually leads to them not communicating particularly well, face-to-face, as their work almost entirely consists of written correspondence. But, if you’ve been an actor and had to go through hundreds and hundreds of auditions, it becomes a lot easier to talk to people and interact”.

As it turns out, this is also a key part of staying cool when meeting with directors or pitching huge projects that are close to your heart. While David describes himself as being fairly confident in his abilities, his general demeanour is calm and open - and he’s clearly open to working with the many criticisms that come with writing and acting. “The more relaxed and confident you are, the more likely they will be to hire you and the more confidence they will have in you, as their writer or actor”.

Thus, the biggest piece of advice he can give to new writers is to simply practice being confident when they’re going in to give a pitch. “’Fake it til you make it’ is a common cliché – but it’s true. Watch videos of confident people and do what they do - I got it mostly from Harrison Ford or Tom Cruise. Just watch these people who are so otherworldly confident and create your own take on that. Don’t talk too quickly, don’t be too solicitous and try not to use your nervous face!”.

It’s clear that David Hayter is able to deal with the comings and goings of a fast-moving business with apparent ease, so I’m keen to discuss how he manages stress – particularly at a time like this, where so many people are looking to avoid stress through their writing and other creative outlets. “I read a lot about Buddhism and the Dao, growing up in Japan, so I basically have learned to meditate.” He says, before going on to mention a great technique he learned from a book called Ransom, by Jay McInerney. Using the same system as the character in the book he meditates, one-by-one, on the problems he may be having. “Whether it’s a horrible fight with your girlfriend, or a looming test you don’t feel prepared for – you treat it in the same way. Focus on each one, pluck it out of your brain and put it in a box – and do this for each problem. Once you’ve done that, take the box and set it on fire. Just let it all go.”

This is not entirely dissimilar to CBT techniques I was taught and have worked with previously, whereby you take a look at each, individual problem and focus on ways to overcome these, separately. Of course, there is no burning box, which means there isn’t quite the same feeling of catharsis. However, upon mentioning this to David, he tells me of another method which he finds is a great way for dealing with writer’s block and general frustration – ideal for working in conjunction with the McInerney technique mentioned, above.

“Just before I got the part of Snake, I read a book called The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron -it’s like a workbook to help you reignite your creativity. A big part of that is, in the morning, you just need to write everything out, like a stream of consciousness. Nobody will ever see it, just go for it and you’ll be able to put your problems into perspective.” This technique, he excitedly goes on to say, is also a fantastic way of getting your brain over humps in your writing, “just rant about where you’re at in the plot, and what you’re struggling with – just let it all come out on the paper. In the end, your brain will just start throwing out random ideas, and you’ll suddenly find the problem is being resolved, purely through this technique”.

This, then, explains how David is able to always maintain his composure – even in the most stressful situations. That said, while he strikes me as a very relaxed guy who enjoys the job, whether he sees himself as a laid-back person is still up for some debate. “Sure, for the most part, I’m pretty relaxed. I’m still laser-focused on my work and I’m probably not someone you want to fuck with, though. It’s not so much of a problem anymore, though. When I was younger, I was definitely more problematic!” he tells me, and we quickly exchange stories of being – for lack of a better term – little shits, when we were kids. “That’s good though!” he laughs, “it means you’re living your life and experiencing what you can, despite it all”.

Talking about turns and the unknown, we then get on to what getting the role of Solid Snake meant to him and how it changed his life. “I knew it was always going to be big. I saw the artwork, the cutscenes, and was generally aware that Sony was going to be pushing this – but I had no idea that I’d be talking about it 22 years later. Going around the world and signing autographs, while doing video shout-outs with the same voice”. Nine games later and still very active on the circuits, his Cameo is full of requests for Snake. “It’s the only voice that gets requested! I’m one of the lead Jedi in Star Wars: The Old Republic – nobody ever asks for that!”.

While it’s something he is clearly very happy to do, it still surprises me that so few people have knowledge of Hayter’s writing career or other jobs. This, he says, is due to a distinct lack of follow-through on work that he completes. “I didn’t realise how many of my scriptwriting jobs would actually lead to a movie. In those first few years, I wrote 8 scripts which actually became movies, out of roughly 20 - and I’ve probably written about 40- 45 movies in my career.”

In the end, he decided to side-step his career and work from a lower rung, on a different ladder. By heading to Netflix and asking to be a part of a full writing team there, he feels he has made much more personal progress toward his goals and lead a more fulfilling career. Of course, TV writing is very different to film writing, so he offered himself as 3^rd or 4^th in the room, without the ties of big budgets and lead credits. “Many people might take it as a step back. I used to be an A-list writer and now I’m a mid-level writer - but it’s fine. It works and it’s invaluable. By putting my ego aside, I found a new way to work to my best ability and get the best projects done”.

The risk, however, has clearly paid off. David now sits at 2^nd in the room and has credits as an executive producer, for the show he’s currently working on. “It wasn’t that difficult in the long-run and I’m really happy it’s gone that way. So, my main advice for anyone breaking into the industry would be to not to get too full of yourself – and don’t always believe your own hype. Just be willing to do what it takes to get the best and be the most helpful to everyone on set”.

It’s fair to say that this summarises David Hayter exceptionally well. Like many in the industry, there’s no ego and no continual desire to be “better than” (whatever that may be perceived as) beyond bringing your all to the work and beating your own PB, as it were. Whether it’s Nolan North, Jennifer Hale or Roger Craig Smith, each personality takes criticism in their stride, works hard and makes the effort to get along with their team.

I can’t help but ask if all voice actors have this sense of humility, to which he responds, “I’m fairly confident when I say ‘yes’. Everyone I have met in this industry has been really giving and kind – pretty much across the board, everybody is super nice. Everybody is just ready to play and just dive in. In particular, with fans, the voice-over group as a whole are just spectacularly nice. And they want the best for you, and they know that the fan’s experience in meeting them means so much. For example, Nolan North is just this amazing, hilarious, lovely guy. If you come to us as a fan, we will always make sure that you feel validated, supported and listened to.”

In terms of his writing, David is a big fan of mixing his gigs by working alone, as well as with others. Usually, working on TV means he’ll be a part of a bigger group of people, where he appreciates the camaraderie that comes with team writing. Meanwhile, films will require a lot more solitary confinement in order to get the job done – or, at least, they do during the first draft. This particular point in screenwriting is one where he encourages complete creative freedom, and takes great pleasure in having fun with the plot, characters and settings – because he knows nobody else will read the work at this stage.

So, just how does the process of writing up a screenplay work? Naturally, it depends on what he’s been tasked with, first and foremost. However, given that he is now a master of transforming text to on-screen productions, the process he uses to get pen to paper, for these productions, has been finely honed. “I always go back to the source material. I read through it and, when I’m done, I put the book away and make notes of the key plot points, the great ideas and great sequences. If there is something in there that I can’t remember, then it means it didn’t make an impact when I read through it. So, the question then becomes how I change that into film structure, and push on from there.”

From here, he says that building on his work, follows the same metaphorical process as creating a katana. “Story development works in the same way as the sword is made, in that the metal is folded over and over until it can’t be broken. When you create a story, you’re always going to be pouring back over the material, folding it over and over. Eventually, it feels like a world that really exists – it’s a living, breathing world”.

Even then, there’s a huge element of compromise at play – and the more expensive the project, the more debates you’re likely to have with executives. The biggest key to handling this, Hayter tells me, is to remind yourself that this is not your project – it will always be in the hands of the studio, because it’s not your money. “You don’t own it. They own it. They may tell you to do things that are terrible for their project and terrible for you, as a writer. However, you have to learn how to negotiate that and work on ways to incorporate their ideas without derailing the project”.

Don’t forget, there are some good executives out there who will always give you good advice, too – so don’t be too downhearted. Just keep your head on straight. As always, David is keen to keep his feet on the ground during this phase. “Editing is where good writing comes from. So, I try not to be too hard on myself, and I also try not to get too excited about my work, which allows me to be harsh on the work – but not on myself, during this process”.

Sometimes things don’t work out, through no fault of your own, and you might find that – after all the work you put in, the writing, editing and arguing – the gig still gets scuppered and you’re back at square one. “It’s horrible. When it first happens, it’s soul-crushing. If you’re a working screenwriter though, it’s going to happen again and again, and again. So, you’ve just got to deal with it. There’s been times when I’ve spent 6 months, unpaid, working on a pitch and then, after a couple of calls and meetings, they decide they’re not going to go with it anymore.” The biggest piece of advice he gives me at this point, is to never get your hopes up. Don’t expect it to be in production until it’s in production.

So, is he able to talk about the projects he’s working on, now? Unfortunately not. But he does tell me that he has a few things in the pipeline and to keep an eye on what lies in store, in the near future – and that he’ll get back to me for another interview when this is released. For now, you can still find him on Cameo, where he’ll be fulfilling the many requests you have. If you can't wait until then, you will be happy to know that the Q&A version of this interview will soon be up, over on The Valkyries website.