The Future of Video Game Documentaries: Digital Eclipse's Gold Masters Series

On August 29, Digital Eclipse introduced the Gold Masters Series, an interactive documentary format delving into the history of video games. The first release, The Making of Karateka, marks the culmination of the American studio's decade-long efforts, incorporating features from previous productions like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection and Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. This concept has been in development since the relaunch of the Digital Eclipse brand in 2015. According to Chris Kohler, the idea was to identify landmark games, series, studios, or stories about games and create independently produced versions of their work. The independent nature of the project provides the studio with more freedom, as they usually work with big publishers and their constraints. The 1984 martial arts game Karateka, developed by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, was the perfect starting point due to its historical significance and the abundance of available materials. Mechner's father, Francis, had advised him to license the game to the publisher for ten years, allowing the rights to revert back to Jordan. This made it easier for Digital Eclipse to negotiate directly with Mechner and work on a self-funded project with a limited budget. The publishers' lax attitude towards preservation and rights management was beneficial in this case, but it can also be a problem. Kohler notes that video games are often considered disposable, and it's unusual for someone to document their development process. The availability of historical materials plays a significant role in deciding the subject of future Gold Masters Series releases. However, the project is not solely focused on exploring the development of single games; it can also delve into the history of a series, franchise, or genre. The format allows for more complex and ambitious projects, such as licensing multiple games from different franchises and publishers to tell the story of a genre's evolution. The Making of Karateka is based on a 'timeline' structure, with a narrative guiding the user through the included materials. The documentary presents a curated selection of materials in chronological order, while also allowing users to dig deeper into additional documentation. The project includes prototypes of the game in various stages of development, as well as the final version on multiple formats. Digital Eclipse also included development prototypes of two previously unreleased Jordan Mechner games: Asteroid Blaster and Deathbounce. The games are authentically emulated, with features like the option to watch a playthrough, stop it, and take control of the action. The Eclipse Engine, custom-built for this purpose, allows for the integration of audio, video, and emulators. The engine is versatile, enabling the creation of new graphics and features while keeping the original code intact. The Making of Karateka also includes a modern remake of Deathbounce and a remake of Karateka, providing players with a more modern and immediately playable version of the classic. The versatility of Digital Eclipse's engine means that every entry in the Gold Master Series could be quite different from the others. The format could also be used to show people what happens behind the curtain of game development, something the industry has rarely done effectively. Kohler hopes that the series will help people understand the trade-offs, negotiations, and compromises that occur during game development. The second release in the series is already locked and should be out before the end of 2023, with a quick turnaround due to the simultaneous development of the first two titles. The series' success will depend on its financial viability, but it doesn't need to be as successful as other bigger Digital Eclipse projects.