"Demonik will be an intense gaming experience. I’m having a lot of fun enriching the game’s mythology and polishing the
characters till they shine. And, of course, adding a little bit of Barker darkness. Demonik promises to be a game that you
will play with clammy palms."
Clive Barker And John Woo Get Demonik
By Tor Thorsen,
Gamespot.com, 8 May 2005
"In this game, you'll not only be witness to the genesis of a new villain, but you can play him. I find that to be an extremely
interesting way to create a new and compelling franchise."
Barker, Woo In 'Demonik' Endeavors
By John Gaudiosi,
The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2005
"I have been having a blast; it's been interesting. I enjoyed my Undying time and I'm enjoying this too. It's not, as you know,
my strength; I am not a player and yet that in some ways is fun because I'm learning as I go and it's always nice to learn a
new thing. It's a big pool of people, there's a lot of people involved, but I like that too, it's collaboration. My day is spent, as
you know, in solitary endeavours so sitting with these guys and solving problems and getting some designs together... It's
essentially a revenge motif, it's a demon summoned that you are controlling, summoned to carry out revenges on your
behalf and the question is, are you actually going to do it or aren't you going to do it? It carries some moral weight, which is
fun. The first thing I did when I sat everybody down was quote Gaugin, who said, 'Life being what it is, one seeks revenge,'
and everybody nodded sagely and everybody around the table had to tell me who they would want revenge upon - it was
amazing! Wives, old boyfriends, there was no end to it, so that's actually been fun too."
The Lazarus Muse: Nights Of Magic, Days Of Gore
By Phil and Sarah Stokes,
2 June 2005 (note:
full text here)
"I think Demonik is dead in the water - movies, everything else; I think it's over."
You Called, He Came...
By Phil and Sarah Stokes,
2 and 3 June 2006 (note: full text here)
"I was brought in, as you perhaps know, late in the day to help with a project which was not happening the way people wanted it
to. And then it all got cancelled which was a bit heart-breaking for me because I put a lot of work and love into it and I got to work
with David Finch, who's an extraordinary artist, and that was wonderful. But it's very seldom I get involved in something that
doesn't, somehow or other, come together - finally. It may take years, but finally I'll get there. And the other thing is, it just makes
your appetite for the next thing more acute so when we decided to do Jericho there was a real hunger in me to get back to
the gaming arena and to do something that was genuinely intense and threatening and hopefully had a narrative that was
intriguing and a little bit off the beaten track."
Clive Barker Talks About Jericho
By Scott Steinberg,
Podcast, Digital Trends.com, 26 September, 2007 (note - full podcast online at http://news.digitaltrends.com/)
Todd Farmer :
"Virtual Reality (The Developers) came up with a concept for a game called Demonik. For a time the project was with Sega.
But Sega didn't like the story. Fact is...the story was missing. There was a brilliant concept but as for a story with twists
and turns there was none. So Sega asked Tiger Hill to take a look at it. Tiger brought me in. I forget the reasons but there
was a time crunch to come up with a story fast so I did. But Sega had already moved on. Tiger later aquired the rights from
Sega. Later still, Tiger, myself and the game developers went around to different publishers and pitched the game.
Eventually, the publisher Majesco, who the developers had previously worked with on "Blood Rayne" became our Publisher
and that brings us mostly current.
"Now here's the catch. The Developers were never a fan of my story. The Faustian elements in the story worried them. They
were concerned that it would be compared to Spawn's story. When I first heard of their concerns, six months to a year ago,
I considered them just that, concerns. Todd McFarlan does not own the copyright on deals with the devil. And Faust is
classic. Why not put a new spin on it? That was my argument and as far as I knew everyone agreed.
"But that was not the case. The Developers still want no part of Faust. So, here's where Todd Farmer the writer has to
decide if he's going to learn from his own past treatment and become the supportive producer or the confrontational producer.
And the funny thing is...I'm not a producer on this project.
"Tiger Hill and Majesco share the rights. The Developers essentially work for them. Tiger Hill stands behind the story
completely. And although Majesco shares the Developers' concerns they have told Tiger Hill that they will back their
decision. In other words, if I want to go with my story I could without a doubt force the issue and make the Developers tell
the story I created.
"There's no doubt in my mind that my story would add rich textures to the game and although one of the developers refers to
it as derivative...most ideas are derivative if not exicuted properly. But the bottom line is that if the developers are not happy
then they aren't likely to be putting out their best work. I know in the past when I've been forced to make a change I didn't
agree with then my passion went right out the window and I'm certain scripts have suffered as a result.
"Thus...I choose to support the talent.
"I have to submit my ego. I have to back down. My winning the argument is not important. My being the hero is not
important. What is important is that the artists (whether they be writers, directors or game developers) are happy, inspired
and passionate about what they do.
"Thus Tiger Hill and I fly to Texas in ten days to sit with the developers. I see this as having a two part goal. First I have to
assure them that I'm on their side. I'm not there to piss in their sandbox. They are the talent. I'm there to help, inspire and
offer my unique form or redneck creativity.
"Step two will consist of out taking their concept and together we build a story that we can all be proud of as well as excite
the developers so much that they develop the best game in ten years."
Games vs. Movies
By Todd Farmer,
www.wendago.com, 15 June 2004
Todd Farmer :
"On the work front, the Tiger Hill meetings went great. Clive Barker is now a part of Demonik. Now agents and lawyers are
doing their thing. I'm not sure what my involvement will be at this point. It was clear that the Developers wanted very little
Todd Farmer in their life. They hated the idea that Hollywood was stepping on their video game toes. But now they have very
little say. The question is, will Barker want my involvement? If so, it will be fun. If not then I'll cash the check and take a nap."
Surrender
By Todd Farmer,
www.wendago.com, 25 February 2005
Todd Farmer :
"I'd heard a rumor that the Clive Barker deal had struck rough waters. Turns out that's all rumor. He's signed and work on
Demonik is moving forward. Not sure where my involvement stands at this point. But with Barker it's in good hands. Any
story concerns I may have had...he'll handle it. And has the power to do so. Way more than I ever had. I was the red headed
step child who smelled funny. Man, did I do a ton of work on that project. I spoke with Boesky yesterday and we're gonna
get me paid...
"But there will be some changes at Tiger Hill. Johnny Woo has decided to drop the Tiger. I know why but I reckon it best I
keep that tidbit to myself. Boesky's involved and if all goes as planned Brad and David will take the projects and move on.
So, from talking to David, this is actually a good thing. Demonik will stay with Woo but Psychopath will go with Brad and
David. That means Carpenter and I go with them."
Never A Dull Moment
By Todd Farmer,
www.wendago.com, 12 April 2005
John Woo :
[on the creation of Tiger Hill] “Interactive entertainment has quickly become a mainstay in the entertainment industry. With games being cinematic by
nature, it only makes sense to bridge the gap between film maker and game developer to deliver the ultimate action/adventure
gaming experience. The formation of Tiger Hill Entertainment and the company’s partnership with video game industry
veteran SEGA will deliver that experience.”
John Woo Establishes Interactive Entertainment Studio Tiger Hill Entertainment
By [ ], 14-16 May 2003
tigerhillgames.com
Majesco :
"[Demonik will] be simultaneously developed as a film property. Barker is set to oversee the story, character designs,
cinematics and voice talent for the game. Barker also has the option to write and direct the film."
Clive Barker And John Woo Get Demonik
By Tor Thorsen,
Gamespot.com, 8 May 2005
Brad Foxhoven (Tiger Hill):
"Clive is known for creating great and horrific villains. In the game, you get to play the villain, and in the movie, you will be
terrified by him."
Barker, Woo In 'Demonik' Endeavors
By John Gaudiosi,
The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2005
Ken Gold (Majesco) :
"Having the opportunity to bring in the renowned talents of Clive Barker will enhance every aspect of this game. His story
lines, stylized characters and wildly imaginative and original ideas will breathe life, death and the human experience into the
fantasy horror world of Demonik."
Barker, Woo In 'Demonik' Endeavors
By John Gaudiosi,
The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2005
Cris Velasco :
"As a fan of [Clive's] I used to, and still do, go to his book signings. I'd get to meet him in person, say hi, and then go on my
way until his next book came out. As I got more and more into music and composing I decided to tell him one time that it was
my goal to eventually collaborate on a project together. He was very supportive and good humored about this and I'll always
thank him for that. The next time I saw him in public I decided to give him my demo CD. I could barely contain my anxiety at
having done this at the time. But his assistant emailed me days later to say that Clive enjoyed the music very much. This really
gave me the confidence to push towards my goal of working with him. So I continued on with my writing, eventually got my
composing career happening, and then approached him again a couple years ago now that I was armed with experience and
some credits to my name. He was very open to the idea of working with me at that point and we were actually working on
Demonik together until the game was cancelled. So now, probably 12 years from my first book signing, I heard about
Jericho and gave Clive a call to ask him if he thought I'd be a good match for this project. Luckily for me he was very enthusiastic
about it and personally requested that I be hired to score Jericho."
Clive Barker's Jericho: Soundscapes From The Dark Beyond
By Spence D,
IGN, 17 September, 2007 (note - full text online at http://uk.music.ign.com/)
Justin Calvert :
"In Demonik you'll assume the role of a demonic named Volrath, who is summoned to earth by people who are desperately
seeking revenge against those who have done them wrong. Your missions, then, will be to exact revenge on behalf of the
person or persons who summoned you, by murdering whoever it was that wronged them. Although we saw plenty of
gameplay where Volrath was walking around levels in demonic form, we understand that you'll spend much of your time
controlling the bodies of characters that you've possessed.
"It's not yet clear how you'll actually go about possessing characters that you encounter, but we were told that the most
powerful characters to take control of will be those who are considered good rather than evil, as indicated by the brightness
of the light that surrounds them when you're looking for a host. One of the most powerful characters you could potentially
take control of, for example, would be a priest, whereas a criminal wouldn't be very strong at all. Different characters will
have different abilities when you possess them, such as a security guard being armed with a pistol. The only characters
that you won't be able to possess in Demonik are D-men, who we didn't get to see during our meeting, but who carry
equipment that makes them immune to demon possession."
E3 2005 Impressions: Demonik
By Justin Calvert,
www.gamespot.com, 19 May 2005
Hilary Goldstein :
"Volwrath has immense power, which you'll need to grow and harness throughout the adventure. While lighting strikes and
plague-infection powers come later in the game, the two key abilities are Volwrath's Devil Hand and possession ability. The
Devil Hand looks a lot like Psi-Ops, where Volwrath can lift objects and enemies and toss them around like dolls. The 360
difference is that everything in the environment can be interacted with. Everything. At a chemical facility, Volwrath can pick
up humans and toss them into acid vats and watch them bubble and vaporize. Throw crates, toss barrels. Consider it your
innate gravity gun.
"Possession allows Volwrath to enter human hosts and assume their identity. The longer Volwrath stays in a host, the more
powerful he becomes as he slowly feeds on the host's lifeforce, but this also slowly turns the human form more and more
demonic. Stay long enough and Volwrath will fully emerge from the host. You can leave a host at any time, which instantly
places you in a first person "Redeemer" cam. As a spiritual entity, you can't go through solid objects and the further you get
from your previous host, the weaker you become.
"The applications of possession are pretty awesome. You can possess a security guard and start shooting your buddies
then leap out and head into another area of the room to take over a scientist. As the scientist scurries away, the other
guards start attacking their brother in arms, who has no idea why everyone is suddenly taking shots at him. Let chaos reign.
Run into an enemy who can see your demonic form emerging from a host and you can leap right into the enemy as he
sprays the first bullets at your former host.
"Demonik features eight different powers (plus the devil hand). Each power can be upgraded three full levels and you can
choose which powers to upgrade first. Powers can also be chained, so if you curse an enemy with the Plague, you can then
use the Devil Hand to throw them into another group, infecting the whole lot."
E3 2005: Demonik Preview
By Hilary Goldstein,
www.ign.com, 19 May 2005
"Wield over 25 deadly powers to maim, kill and wreak havoc, such as:
Hellfire: Burn everything in sight and rain down fire from above, The Devil's Hand: Grab and manipulate objects or humans
before throwing them where you see fit, Plague: Spread disease and leprosy amongst your targets. Body parts that fall off
may contaminate others or even explode, Swarm: Command swarms of locusts, scarabs and other varied creepy-crawlies
and set them against your target; often only bones will remain. Cheat death by possessing and taking control of any human
character you encounter. 10 massive levels from around the globe featuring objects to throw, impale upon and wreak havoc
with. Challenge your friends' mastery of their Demonik powers via Xbox Live death matches. Demonik models created by
world-famous Marvel artist David Finch (X-men, Avengers)"
Demonik at E3
By [ ],
www.pcgameworld.com, 20 May 2005
David Chapman :
"Apparently, vengeance is hard work in the world of Demonik. Volwrath faces off against a variety of opponents, both human
and supernatural. Luckily, Volwrath has more than a few otherworldly tricks up his sleeve. They say possession is
nine-tenths of the law. In Demonik, possession is nine-tenths of the game. Volwrath has the ability to jump from body to
body at will, corrupting those he controls in the process. Volwrath also has access to a total of twenty five different demonic
powers, allowing him to do everything from spreading a lethal plague to flash frying anyone in sight...
"The game uses a dynamic multipass lighting system and a realistic physics engine that work well together to bring the
world of Demonik to life. The developers at Terminal Reality said they're currently working on some framerate issues, but
assured me that it's only a problem in the alpha build of the game. The controls seem pretty intuitive so far, and should be
fairly easy to pick up and get right into.
"Other key points highlighted during the presentation included details on the game's single-player and multiplayer
capabilities. The game will include 10-12 single-player summoning missions, as well as a few missions in Volwrath's
Underworld home. For the multiplayer side of things, gamers will be able to compete against each other in one-on-one
demon combat, or in five-on-one human versus demon battles. It was also pointed out that the game is still in the early
stages of development, and that more multiplayer options could be added prior to the game's release."
Demonik (X360) - Alpha Preview
By David Chapman,
www.gamespy.com, 20 May 2005
John "JCal" Callaham :
"In Majesco's quarterly financial conference call, company execs confirmed that they have indeed cancelled both Taxi Driver and Demonik. Both
games were announced during last May's E3 but have now fallen victim to Majesco's financial problems and its switch to publishing handheld and
value priced titles."
Majesco Officially Cancels Taxi Driver And Demonik
By John "JCal" Callaham,
Gamecloud, 18 January 2006 (note - full text online at www.gamecloud.com)
Jesse Sutton (President, Majesco) :
"This has been a difficult year for Majesco. We entered the premium console market with high expectation for success, but as a result of a variety
of factors we were not able to meet our expectations. Recently, we evaluated our product portfolio and have sold or cancelled most of our premium
console titles that were scheduled for release in 2006 and beyond."
Majesco Cans Two Games, Shifts To Budget/Handheld
By Tom Bramwell,
Eurogamer, 19 January 2006 (note - full text online at www.eurogamer.net)
Hellraiser : Virtual Hell - The Game
...Doug Bradley shot his scenes on a day off from filming Hellraiser IV, the game was
plotted and was to feature Pinball, a new cenobite that flung steel spheres (a la
Phantasm?) at players, it was slated for an early 1996 release from Magnet Interactive
Studios, and then... nothing. The prototype game opened with an image of a computer
morphing into Pinhead who then opened his mouth and in you plunged. The Hell was red
misted and sulphurous and, as well as being like Doom with a 360 degrees feature, the
walls and corridors contained machines and beasts that could be manipulated by the gamer.
If you were to journey on to The Hellbound Web (see our links page), you'd be able to see
a few screenshots of how it would have looked - and even hear some sound samples..!
"This could be fun. [Although] I don't like the way death is taken so casually in many
of these games."
Pinhead's Progress
By Harold Goldberg,
Entertainment Weekly, 1995
Doug Bradley : "I say things to the player like I'm delighted that they've fallen
for a trap I've laid, or issue a warning not to get too carried away after they're
slightly successful. I'd like to see the finished product so I could understand why I
was doing a weird bit that at the time seemed so ridiculous."
Pinhead's Progress
By Harold Goldberg,
Entertainment Weekly, 1995
Bill Schick (COO, Magnet Interactive Studios, Inc) : "We are confident that the
Hellraiser project will become a benchmark product both in gameplay and visual quality.
This interactive title will challenge, shock and entertain."
Magnet Interactive Studios To Produce Interactive Hellraiser CD-ROM Adventure Game With Fifth Avenue Entertainment
Press relaese,
PR Newswire, 29 September 1994
...A slightly earlier attempt to bring Pinhead to the small but
interactive screen. Developed in the early 90's by a company called
Color Dreams, it was shelved when games by other companies evolved
faster and better around it...
...We never saw any screenshots or heard any real details about the
plot of this one (although certain elements of The Scrye from the
Undying game sound vaguely reminiscent of Dex's ability to see the
dead world...). Anyone know anything more about it..?
