Stan Lee: Game development is a 'miracle'

by Justin McElroy { Sep 28th 2009 at 4:30PM }

For all our too-cool-for-the-room cynicism about video games, it's refreshing to hear the beautiful innocence of a child's perspective on them. In the absence of a child's perspective, however, we're willing to accept the perspective of an old, old man, which is basically the same thing. Speaking with The Guardian, Stan Lee admitted that we was fundamentally clueless about the mechanics of game making, adding "It's like a miracle."

Let's try something, just for today. Let's try to ape Stan Lee's attitude. Let's try to remember that from the games destined to be classics down to the games made by Destineer, they're all miracles; especially when you consider that 50 years ago, the industry didn't even exist. We're living in the future, friends, and if someone as rich and old as Stan Lee can realize it, we should be able to as well.

Excelsior.

[Image credit: vissago]

Tags: activision, marvel, marvel-ultimate-alliance-2, miracles, stan-lee

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Reboot @ Sep 28th 2009 4:36PM

I still want my flying car, dammit! It's not the future until I have a flying car!

charlie b. @ Sep 28th 2009 4:56PM

i'm still waiting for my ACME Disintegrating Ray.

joeybeast @ Sep 28th 2009 5:12PM

I think it's called a helicopter.

harusame @ Sep 28th 2009 5:43PM

What would you be willing to trade for the flying car?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er9-Bpp7LpM

Deadpool @ Sep 28th 2009 5:46PM

I like tracking our progress by watching Back to the Future 2.

..........I still want my hoverboard! >:(

Anonymouse @ Sep 28th 2009 6:31PM

@Deadpool

You could ask Cable...

Alex @ Sep 28th 2009 7:30PM

Flying car? I want a motorcycle that turns in to a helicopter or a helicopter that turns in to a jet, all armed with lasers! Cars that fly with gullwing doors are so...vanilla

Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Sep 28th 2009 8:19PM

The future aint here 'till we can teleport.

Deadpool @ Sep 28th 2009 8:58PM

I did ask Cable! But it's the same old story with him...

"Yeah...there's hoverboards and flying cars....of death!"

"In the future video games are only used for mental training."

"In the future there are no bright colors...just brown, grey, and sometimes red.The red is blood!"

"In the future there are no mp3 players...the only song we hear is staying alive!"

"In the future there is no clean water, so we drink our own pee!"

Temidien @ Sep 28th 2009 4:38PM

Honestly, I stopped caring about anything Stan Lee had to offer the world after I saw this at my local blockbuster: http://www.fotothing.com/photos/us/28136.jpg

Much love for X-Men and Spider-man though.

Bagels: Almost certainly not as stupid as you think. Also, Memes. @ Sep 28th 2009 5:00PM

SHPIDAMAN!

devilsei @ Sep 28th 2009 5:46PM

lol thats an old movie, and honestly its somewhat decent... =P

Wes @ Sep 28th 2009 6:04PM

Hey, he may make questionable movies at times, but, he does great work at character design. Also, look at the great news, at least he's using the term Miracle to describe video games and not 'Murder Simulator' like another old-man we all know. I'd rather hear my grandfather describe my hobby as a miracle that murder simulator anyday!!

The Dark Wayne [Planeteer: Power of the Batusi] @ Sep 28th 2009 4:38PM

Stan Lee: Imaginez

Deadpool @ Sep 28th 2009 5:32PM

Stan "The Man" Lee!

Does anyone call him that anymore? They used to call him that in the 90s all the time.

thatrat @ Sep 28th 2009 4:40PM

Ahem?

Shouldn't the article end with:

EXCELSIOR!!!

uncle jesse @ Sep 28th 2009 4:42PM

Ha, it does now

Snipermike @ Sep 28th 2009 4:42PM

"Penis goes where???"

bluetev @ Sep 28th 2009 4:42PM

Cant agree more with him - a miracle, thats exactly what I felt when I first played this generation's better games such as Uncharted, Batman: Arkham or Killzone 2. Its mind-boggling how much technical expertise and effort must go into developing a software engine that can generate such life-like graphics, creating the complex and detailed environments, balancing the gameplay, etc. Personally, I cant build a small piece of VBA code without struggling with half a dozen bugs and errors, just cant believe that a small group of say 100-200 game developers can work for a couple of years (or less, if you are Insomniacs!) and come out with products like these.

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 28th 2009 4:54PM

You better stop it unless you want to stay up with me all night crying!

On a serious note - It really is something special when you play a game that just resonates on every level and elicits emotions most feature films can't touch. I'm looking at you Jeanne D'Arc, Bioshock and Metal Gear Solid 4. I've great hopes for White Knight Chronicles, Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain to deliver similar experiences in the near future.

It seems like this generation of great game is just getting started.

ifalldownstairs @ Sep 28th 2009 6:23PM

johnnynumber5

i agree with you, videogames are possible of eliciting emotional investment that is far different (not better, that's a different argument) than any other form of art. Books and movies are both passive experiences that tell stories about those on-screen or in their pages superbly, but the investment in a character that one controls is almost, for lack of a better word, magical.

*SPOILER*

The credits scene at the end of the new PoP, where the character carries Elika out of the temple and realizes what he must do to save her (and I really wanted to save her) is easily one of the most powerful moments I have ever experienced in any book, movie, or game

Sly (Now equipped with DS!) @ Sep 28th 2009 7:33PM

aww man, jeanne d'arc and MGS4 were killer for me.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 4:45PM

Did anyone see that show he did on SciFi (i refuse to recognize SyFy)???

I'm sorry, but crazy old man is craaaaaaaaaa-zy!

The Dark Wayne [Planeteer: Power of the Batusi] @ Sep 28th 2009 4:48PM

which one? Striperella or who wants to be a superhero?

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 4:55PM

See below.

I love the Joystiq reply button.

theroostarr @ Sep 28th 2009 4:52PM

Yea he's crazy, but he's a legitimately awesome dude. This only adds a zillion to his record skajillion awesome points

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 28th 2009 4:50PM

I'm equally amazed at the imagination of Mr. Lee and the joy he has brought to my life through his iconic creations.

ill trooper @ Sep 28th 2009 10:53PM

He's cool, but don't forget the "Lennon" to Lee's "McCartney," Jack Kirby:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kirby

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 4:51PM

The superhero one. I became disgusted by the second episode but, like a train wreck, watched the entire debacle unfold before my eyes. I lost a lot of respect for personal idol that day.

The Dark Wayne [Planeteer: Power of the Batusi] @ Sep 28th 2009 5:02PM

i blamed that more on SyFy (i accept the syfy name primarily to brand it of it's failure).

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 5:05PM

Perhaps. But I imagine a guy like Stan Lee gets to retain a lot of creative control when it comes to production. If not, he should. The cheese of the program definitely felt like him, though.

[Tre%u2122, whom you must pay royalties to say his name] [blogs at trespeak.tumblr.com] @ Sep 28th 2009 4:57PM

Yeah, yeah, so will he make (not-so) invisible cameos in games based off of his characters now?

I'd love to see an old man in my games. Maybe he might end up being the Mandarin's master or something.*

*Since the Mandarin himself is pretty darn old, I figured it would be pretty ironic to see an older man.

Old Professor Zertoss @ Sep 28th 2009 5:10PM

He's in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.

[Tre (TM), whom you must pay royalties to say his name] [blogs at trespeak.tumblr.com] @ Sep 28th 2009 5:13PM

*goes and buys MUA2*

*laughs*

InfoPunkie @ Sep 28th 2009 4:58PM

What are the rules on Respectfully pointing out Spelling/Grammatical Errors here? As I noticed one in this Article and I did not want to appear rude in pointing it out.

WiredKnight: Keeper of Threads @ Sep 28th 2009 11:56PM

First you have to learn when and when not to use capital letters.

finalwhitedove @ Sep 29th 2009 7:49AM

You are right, of course, I do that quite often but I'm not entirely sure why.

Paragon @ Sep 28th 2009 4:59PM

"Stan Lee admitted that we was fundamentally clueless about the mechanics of game making"

w@?

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 5:09PM

Make it happen.

For further encouragement, see my failed attempt at a response below.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 5:10PM

I give up.

Poisoned Al @ Sep 28th 2009 5:01PM

Nope, I can't. I just know too much.

I'm so, so bitter...

BeckRokk @ Sep 28th 2009 5:07PM

My right hand, I swear not two days ago I wrote in Notepad, "Video games are little computer miracles."

Granted I was high at the time, but I don't think the statement is any less prolific.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 5:06PM

Let 'em fly. Fly hard.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Sep 28th 2009 5:08PM

Godammit Joystiq! What is up with the reply button?

The Dark Wayne [Planeteer: Power of the Batusi] @ Sep 28th 2009 5:14PM

lololololo

Deadpool @ Sep 28th 2009 5:30PM

lololololo

David @ Sep 28th 2009 5:41PM

lololololo

Robot Overlord @ Sep 28th 2009 6:15PM

ololololol

Joe Smith @ Sep 28th 2009 5:07PM

I got to meet Stan a few years ago when working on a project for Sony. He is a truly nice guy and still full of wonder. I hope I can be half as cool when I am that age.

arkweld @ Sep 28th 2009 5:59PM

Stan Lee loves everything.

Even when filmmakers are raping some of his greatest creations, he doesn't mind. In his view it just makes them more popular for a new audience.

He's like Super Carefree Man.

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