# Golden Compass Game now available



## Brian G Turner (Dec 3, 2007)

A game version of The Golden Compass for the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 
is now available, allowing fans to play Lyra through the world's of Phillip Pullman.

While I can't find any reviews at present online, the graphics do look well constructed - but at nearly £40 a game, I should hope so. 

 Here to  introduce Lyra in the game are the two main game developers at Shiny, SEGA’s  studio in Los Angeles. 

David  Msika, game director, says, “On the design front, we were faced with some  interesting challenges in regards to putting Lyra into the game. The obvious  game mechanic that we thought about was to use her shape-shifting daemon as a  “tool belt” that extends her traversal abilities, but there are two other  attributes of her character that we couldn’t ignore: she’s good at deceiving  people and she owns a golden compass that tells the truth.”  

 “How  do you make a game about a liar and design a “Golden Compass” mechanic that’s  pivotal to the story but so very complex to understand?” asks Ken Lee, lead  designer.  “The keyword was “focus”;  whether Lyra conjures up a convoluted lie or stares intently at the golden  compass, she always “focuses” on her thoughts. That “focus” is translated in a  series of mini-games that symbolize her ability to clear her mind and come up  with the solution.”

  Now to  hear what Dakota has to say about acting and the game.
Tell  us about acting to a green screen and not really being able to work out the  action all that much (either in the game or film)?
Green  screen work is quite hard, especially with Pan.   A person is meant to love their daemons beyond life and whilst your  filming it’s just a green sack!  Doing  green screen you have to think double about everything, you have to imagine what  the daemon for example would be doing then have to think how you would react to  it.
Is  there a part of the game or a level which is your  favourite?
Jordan  college is my favourite setting and I think its Lyra’s  also.
Do  you think your video game character looks like you? 
Yes!  I think it does!  I wish I was as brave  as her though!
Have  they captured your mannerisms?
Yes,  we did body scanning for the game, and head scans so I think Lyra is like  me.
Is  it a weird thought that people are moving ‘you’ around like a puppet?!  
We  got invited to SEGA play the game when it was in development, it is very weird  to see yourself in the game, it’s strange hearing your voice giving yourself  instructions!
Have  you got a copy of the game yet or will you be running to the post box to collect  your one from SEGA?
I’ll definitely be getting a copy as  soon as it is out, I’ve really enjoyed playing it!


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