Game Dogs: Why They're Dogs

[John Funk]

Game Dogs: Why They're Dogs

Ever wonder how Game Dogs came to be? Ever wonder why they were, in fact, dogs? Find out the answers to those questions and more!

In case you weren't aware, earlier this month we here at Chez Escape launched our latest animated series, Game Dogs [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/game-dogs], a homage to the 80s many of us grew up in: A world where young programmers could make a breakaway hit game in their bedroom, and a world where all of our Saturday morning cartoons starred anthropomorphic animals.

Alena Koch - who provides the voices for the characters Bethany and Jennifer - sat down with the show's creator (and Escapist Editor-in-Chief) Russ Pitts to talk about where the show was coming from [http://socialmediamadam.blogspot.com/2010/01/game-dogs-show-about-dogs-who-make.html].

The original direction, says Russ, was simply to "make something," and the very first concept was very different than the end product. "I'd planned it as a sort of mocu-drama / 'Mad Men' type of show, set in the 1980s. It was also originally going to be people, not dogs. It was going to be very moody and hip, and I'm certain it would have totally bombed."

The show concept eventually turned into a comedy a la Seinfeld, but still set in the 80s, and still with a cartoonish, hand-drawn, Scooby-Doo feel. The general concepts were in place - it would be about Chet and Roger trying to make games - but, says Russ, it was lacking a spark to tie it together.

[blockquote]I wrote some scripts in March and it seemed to be coming together, but we were missing the spark that a good series really needs. That one thing that make the show memorable. None of us could put our fingers on it until our CEO, Alexander Macris came running out of his office one day shouting "They're dogs! Who make games!" I laughed until I realized he was serious. Then I laughed some more. Then I stopped laughing. It was so ridiculous and pointless, I knew it just had to work. Why make them dogs? Well, why not? So that became the mantra of the show and the genesis of what, I think, took it from a goofy, but forgettable little show concept to something that had a real life and energy. From that point on we were all focused on the concept and it came together fairly quickly.[/blockquote]

To find out whether the dogs' asshole boss Gary would wear boxers or briefs (if he wore pants, anyway) and the answers to what Russ' favorite D&D class is and the single geekiest thing he's ever done (as well as others), head over to the full interview over at Social Media Madam [http://socialmediamadam.blogspot.com/2010/01/game-dogs-show-about-dogs-who-make.html].

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[Jared]

Pretty sweet intreview. Does answer a fair few questions ^^

 

[everfreeDragon]

Well to be honest the fact they are dogs did not really pull my interest more than it would have if they were human, it felt pointless then the jokes about them being dogs that felt pretty forced just felt annoying.

Edit: Though I will read the full interview just to give things a bit more of a chance.

 

[BonerMacTittyPants]

So yeah, they're dogs because it's funny, ridiculous and so spontaneous! (LOL OMGS SO FUNNEH OVER 9000!!!111 SPARTA!!11 XD ect...ect...) It's just a gimmick, great.

Also, I swear to god, a year? A whole year? Are you people serious? Yahtzee makes his slideshows in like a week, and each slide is funnier, wittier, smarter, and generally more enjoyable than any video clip of Game Dogs.

 

[Archemetis]

I guess you had to be there to find it funny...?

 

[Eric the Orange]

Well you guys are making an effort, I will commend you for that.

 

[AkJay]

I'm sorry if I insult anyone, I know it the whole show is made by Escapist staff members but... I really don't find it funny. It seems like an interesting concept, but from what I've seen so far the characters are paper-thin and the jokes are "meh" at best. I'll continue watching in hopes of improvement, but so far it isn't doing much to my funny-bone.

 

[jebussaves88]

So yeah, they're dogs because it's funny, ridiculous and so spontaneous! (LOL OMGS SO FUNNEH OVER 9000!!!111 SPARTA!!11 XD ect...ect...) It's just a gimmick, great.

Also, I swear to god, a year? A whole year? Are you people serious? Yahtzee makes his slideshows in like a week, and each slide is funnier, wittier, smarter, and generally more enjoyable than any video clip of Game Dogs.

Thank you

This man put my thoughts into beautiful mouth words that sing like the first srping blossom. You can justify your efforts and decisions all you want ("it's a homage" is the biggest cop-out ever) but it doesn't excuse the fact that this is the worst thing the Escapist has put out, second only to Apocalypse Lane and the latter seasons of Unforgotten Realms where it started taking itself too seriously. I can even kind of get Rebacca Mayes, even if I don't personally like it. The shining talent on this site is Yahtzee and the Loading Ready Run lot. Doomsday Arcade is fun, and There Will Be Brawl is actually quite well put together and enjoyable too, but the vast majority of the other video series on here need to be dropped like de-Rez

 

[John Funk]

So yeah, they're dogs because it's funny, ridiculous and so spontaneous! (LOL OMGS SO FUNNEH OVER 9000!!!111 SPARTA!!11 XD ect...ect...) It's just a gimmick, great.

Also, I swear to god, a year? A whole year? Are you people serious? Yahtzee makes his slideshows in like a week, and each slide is funnier, wittier, smarter, and generally more enjoyable than any video clip of Game Dogs.

Yahtzee uses stick figures that aren't animated.

There's a big difference.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

So yeah, they're dogs because it's funny, ridiculous and so spontaneous! (LOL OMGS SO FUNNEH OVER 9000!!!111 SPARTA!!11 XD ect...ect...) It's just a gimmick, great.

Also, I swear to god, a year? A whole year? Are you people serious? Yahtzee makes his slideshows in like a week, and each slide is funnier, wittier, smarter, and generally more enjoyable than any video clip of Game Dogs.

Indeed. When a show's jokes rely entirely on the fact that these characters are dogs (Dungeons & Dogs, how fucking cute), the writing staff needs to take a very different approach. A very different approach. Perhaps one that possesses humor.

 

[Axle_Bullitt_19]

My biggest question is when did so many people hate cartoons with anthropomorphic animals. I don't understand how anyone could hate the Loney Toons, Tom and Jerry, etc.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

I thought the dogs were just there as "LOOK AT THE PRETTY DOGS" from the first trailer.

I am starting to take back the comments I said about the trailer (and Episode 1), it's picking up. Defiantly not as bad as RMM anymore*!

*It's just a comparison to something I personally don't like, I don't have a vendetta against her.

 

[DemonicVixen]

Who cares if they are dogs? Dogs are man's best friend, i love dogs, and love Game Dogs. Plain, simple and basic but bloody brilliant and funny. Gary is just hilarious and annoying, and the rest are cool.

 

[Russ Pitts]

Also, I swear to god, a year? A whole year? Are you people serious? Yahtzee makes his slideshows in like a week, and each slide is funnier, wittier, smarter, and generally more enjoyable than any video clip of Game Dogs.

Yahtzee uses stick figures that aren't animated.

There's a big difference.

Yeah, you also have to keep in mind that it's not like any of us who were involved in the development of this show were only developing this one show over the course of the last 10 or so months. We're a pretty small crew at The Escapist, and everyone does a little bit of everything, so, yeah, when you're working on ten or twelve things simultaneously, like most of us usually are, it can take a little while to bring some of those things to fruition. I've certainly worked on projects that took less than a year to develop, but I've also worked on some that have taken far, far longer.

Anyway, I hope some people's questions about the series were answered. Alena did a great job with the interview. I'm also excited to show you the upcoming episodes and what we've learned and are still learning about making them. Hopefully you'll be as pleased as we are with the results.

I'm also glad to see the folks who have nothing better to do than show up and sour the conversation by saying "I still hate this show, LULZ" care enough to continue making the effort, but it's time to give it a rest with that bullshit. We have higher standards here. Constructive, meaningful criticism is always welcome, and we do indeed respond to it and sometimes learn from it. But trolling is not welcome. Never has been, never will be, so if you're feeling tempted, go somewhere else and do it.

(And before anyone attempts to rule monger me on who sets the definition of "meaningful criticism," the answer to that question is: At The Escapist, it's The Escapist. Which would mean - among other people - me.)

 

[Gingerman]

I personally think the Gaming dogs has potential but if you don't have the time to sit down and write a good script then it should be put on hold until you do. Otherwise the humour will be a tad bland. Maybe make it a bi weekly series or something like that.

My two cents anyway, now back to some games.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

I have a question...

How long before this show is:

a.) funny
b.) cancelled
c.) forgotten

To be quite honest, this is one of those ideas that probably sounded GREAT on paper, but is all kinds of fail in implementation. It just doesn't seem to have enough of a creative setting to be a long-running series.
Let's just accept that some ideas don't work out. Like talking dogs as "video game designers" in a quickly becoming cliche' setting (*cough*CODE MONKEYS*cough*), telling "dog-based" puns while appealing to no one except those who like low, LOoooooOOw brow humor and jerky doggy animations, or possibly dogs with breasts.
I got over the breasts in episode 2 er 1.. whatever.

Maybe there's something to be had here, but if there is, I don't see it, and sadly I probably won't stick around long enough. But I'm a decent enough fella to wish you guys luck and hope the series turns out to prove me wrong.

For my money though, I can't wait to tune into Doralious and associates. That had me rolling in the aisles from the gag one.

 

[HT_Black]

Well, that's a relief. I'd been under the [mistaken] impression that things were just sticking to the golden maxim. I'm not kidding-- it actually is something of a relief to know that there was a reason behid this that didn't involve heavy drugs or a lack of hand-eye coordination.

 

[hypothetical fact]

Also, I swear to god, a year? A whole year? Are you people serious? Yahtzee makes his slideshows in like a week, and each slide is funnier, wittier, smarter, and generally more enjoyable than any video clip of Game Dogs.

Yahtzee uses stick figures that aren't animated.

There's a big difference.

Yeah, you also have to keep in mind that it's not like any of us who were involved in the development of this show were only developing this one show over the course of the last 10 or so months. We're a pretty small crew at The Escapist, and everyone does a little bit of everything, so, yeah, when you're working on ten or twelve things simultaneously, like most of us usually are, it can take a little while to bring some of those things to fruition. I've certainly worked on projects that took less than a year to develop, but I've also worked on some that have taken far, far longer.

Anyway, I hope some people's questions about the series were answered. Alena did a great job with the interview. I'm also excited to show you the upcoming episodes and what we've learned and are still learning about making them. Hopefully you'll be as pleased as we are with the results.

I'm also glad to see the folks who have nothing better to do than show up and sour the conversation by saying "I still hate this show, LULZ" care enough to continue making the effort, but it's time to give it a rest with that bullshit. We have higher standards here. Constructive, meaningful criticism is always welcome, and we do indeed respond to it and sometimes learn from it. But trolling is not welcome. Never has been, never will be, so if you're feeling tempted, go somewhere else and do it.

(And before anyone attempts to rule monger me on who sets the definition of "meaningful criticism," the answer to that question is: At The Escapist, it's The Escapist. Which would mean - among other people - me.)

So how much time was devoted to the show considering Happy Harry can make incredibly fluent and detailed flash animations in around 4-5 months? A year is the time frame you can expect Adam Phillips to come up with the next animation for Brackenwood and those are just beautiful to watch. These are both cases of one artist making the animation while this had an entire team.

Also community response no matter how flamey can still be used to determine a show's reception and appeal. Either the majority of the commentors are trolls in which case why haven't the majority of the fans felt like defending it. Or the ratio of love to hate is around 3-11; in which case retooling may be in order to earn this topic the kind of rabid fanboys who wouldn't let these comments slide.