"Kaena the Prophecy"

[jenuviel]

I just ran into this movie (Kaena the Prophecy) at the video store and was curious if anyone knew if there were any connection between it and Saga of Ryzom. They're not identical by any means, but Kaena was a French feature film (computer animated) about a race of people living on a planet composed by a giant tree. The story shared some great similarities with that of Saga of Ryzom (one strange race with technology and another dangerous race of enemies living in "The Deep Roots/The Well of the Gods"), so it definitely caught my attention.

Here's the summary from the back of the DVD case:

"On the distant planet of Axis, a gigantic coiling plant stretches above the clouds. At its center is a village whose people are in mortal danger because Axis is withering...its sap is drying up. The people beg their gods for help...to no avail. Compelled by a mysterious force, Kaena, a rebellious, high-spirited teenage girl, will defy the High Priest and her people's ancestral beliefs to take the perilous journey through Axis and discover what dark secrets lie beyond the clouds: a dying world, an evil force, a terrible secret...."

As I noted above, there are definitely differences between the movie and this game, but it's almost as if two different groups of people were given the same mission statement and told to go develop a project with it. In any case, I'd definitely recommend the rental. It was absolutely gorgeous and the story was top-rate. (Voices by Kirsten Dunst, Richard Harris and Anjelica Huston in the domestic release.)

[yy48n19]

I read about this before, somewhere on these forums, I think. If I remember correctly, the speculation was that the creative team behind the movie and the team behind Ryzom worked together at some point with the original idea, then split and went their separate ways. There was an interview posted last month with the CEO of Nevrax, and he made a statement that I interpreted as reinforcing this view. If you can dig up the interview, I think it is in the answer to the first question he was asked. If I find it, I'll edit this post to include a link to it.

Funny thing, the leader of LoT's name is Kaena. Hmmmm... care to comment on this, Kaena??

EDIT: Here's that interview

And here's the response I was talking about, if you don't want to read the whole interview (really, this is the only point I feel is relevant to J's question... but it is a good interview):

"At the beginning we were two but there was divergence. I prefered to keep my passion and be proud at seventy years old of what I've made. Then the team increased and we plunged ourselves into our passion in spite of the gossips due to this split..."

[neiana]

I just ran into this movie (Kaena the Prophecy) at the video store and was curious if anyone knew if there were any connection between it and Saga of Ryzom. They're not identical by any means, but Kaena was a French feature film (computer animated) about a race of people living on a planet composed by a giant tree. The story shared some great similarities with that of Saga of Ryzom (one strange race with technology and another dangerous race of enemies living in "The Deep Roots/The Well of the Gods"), so it definitely caught my attention.

Here's the summary from the back of the DVD case:

"On the distant planet of Axis, a gigantic coiling plant stretches above the clouds. At its center is a village whose people are in mortal danger because Axis is withering...its sap is drying up. The people beg their gods for help...to no avail. Compelled by a mysterious force, Kaena, a rebellious, high-spirited teenage girl, will defy the High Priest and her people's ancestral beliefs to take the perilous journey through Axis and discover what dark secrets lie beyond the clouds: a dying world, an evil force, a terrible secret...."

As I noted above, there are definitely differences between the movie and this game, but it's almost as if two different groups of people were given the same mission statement and told to go develop a project with it. In any case, I'd definitely recommend the rental. It was absolutely gorgeous and the story was top-rate. (Voices by Kirsten Dunst, Richard Harris and Anjelica Huston in the domestic release.)

First, the English voice actors are the same for the French release as well.

Second, there is no "connection" between the two technically speaking. I actually asked this of the Lead Designer of Ryzom when I had that opportunity back at E3.

Here are the differences (SPOILER ALERT):

1) Atys is a Green Planet, an organic non-mineral world. Axis is merely a tree growing between two planets.

2) Atys is a world created by Jena long ago, and the Great Dragon brought homins to it. Axis is a world created by the knowledge of a great species long since destroyed (The "Blue Sun" is Vecanoi, which comprises this "knowledge")

3) The "gods" of Atys, I would have to give that to the Kami, as they are in everything, know everything, see everything... basically they are - supremely everything. The sap gods of Axis actually remind me of the Zorai, and the queen is quit evil.


Now, this is not to say that I (and others I suppose) could not actually write a story that could connect the two. It would be very easy, truthfully. Either this is PRE Axis and we are the race that held "Vecanoi" (which we might call Ryzom) or we are on the "new world" and the "Great Dragon" is that weird looking fella that sent us here and he really is evil.

Okay so that second one is not such a brilliant idea, but the first one is decent enough. Imagine what the Zorai look like without their masks, it's possible that they'd be that weird looking guy... So if you want to imagine this as being the precursor to the movie, then it's possible - with a bit of stretch of the imagination.

Funny thing, the leader of LoT's name is Kaena. Hmmmm... care to comment on this, Kaena??

I can neither confirm nor deny any connection



- N

[mikwana]

They do have some VERY similar concepts and imagery (most notably is the undersea whales in Ryzom and the air whales of Kaena). Not to mention that there is no metal present in either, and that they all use the plants and animals around them.

It's probably got a lot to do with some obscure piece of european or french sci-fi literary work that layed the foundation for many of those who are now writing and designing things, much like Heinlien's works layed much of the foundation for many US storyies/books, and is rarely even realized that such is so except by those intimately familiar with the subject.

They do also have some pretty big differences, but then, reguardless of the denial, they could be part of the same story too.

It's just very funny that the timing of the release of the movie and the game were very close.

[jenuviel]

First, the English voice actors are the same for the French release as well.

Ah, my mistake. Since the CGI interview with Kaena included on the DVD was done in French by both the interviewer and the woman playing the role of Kaena, I just assumed that the original version of the film had been done in French. Apparently not the case.

As for the connection between Atys and Axis, I never thought there was one in terms of story lore (though I definitely found myself inventing possibilities that would explain the relation while watching the film). I was more interested in if there were any creative personnel involved with the development of both projects. The bones of both stories seem similar, even if their freckles are not. Cheers.

EDIT: Ah, thanks, Mellodi. I'd actually read that interview before, but I hadn't seen the movie at that time. That bit about "at the beginning we were two" didn't resonate with me. Interesting, if that's the case.

[neiana]

Ah, my mistake. Since the CGI interview with Kaena included on the DVD was done in French by both the interviewer and the woman playing the role of Kaena, I just assumed that the original version of the film had been done in French. Apparently not the case.

As for the connection between Atys and Axis, I never thought there was one in terms of story lore (though I definitely found myself inventing possibilities that would explain the relation while watching the film). I was more interested in if there were any creative personnel involved with the development of both projects. The bones of both stories seem to similar, even if their freckles are not. Cheers.

As far as I was told, there was no cross-development. However, at the very least, I was informed that one person from each project knew eachother and lived close to eachother briefly. I have a theory or two about what actually happened

- N

[grodwar]

I read about this before, somewhere on these forums, I think. If I remember correctly, the speculation was that the creative team behind the movie and the team behind Ryzom worked together at some point with the original idea, then split and went their separate ways. There was an interview posted last month with the CEO of Nevrax, and he made a statement that I interpreted as reinforcing this view. If you can dig up the interview, I think it is in the answer to the first question he was asked. If I find it, I'll edit this post to include a link to it.

Funny thing, the leader of LoT's name is Kaena. Hmmmm... care to comment on this, Kaena??

EDIT: Here's that interview

And here's the response I was talking about, if you don't want to read the whole interview (really, this is the only point I feel is relevant to J's question... but it is a good interview):

"At the beginning we were two but there was divergence. I prefered to keep my passion and be proud at seventy years old of what I've made. Then the team increased and we plunged ourselves into our passion in spite of the gossips due to this split..."

I don't think the splitting of the team result on Kaena, the leaving one goes away because the Idea of david wasn't profitable enough for him (and maybe others reasons?).

btw : les chasseurs de seve by laurent genefort is a sf novel, people living on a giant tree without knowing anywhere else, like atys, and something is killing this tree, like the goo.

Maybe a french common idea?

edit: if a at least a few people want to see our interview in english, i may translate it

[ptooie]

<At the beginning we were two but there was divergence. I prefered to keep my passion and be proud at seventy years old of what I've made.>


Wait a sec did he say 70 years old...? Finally a reason for Patch One, SENILITY.

[xenofur]

he means he wants to be proud when he turns 70 =)

[yy48n19]

he means he wants to be proud when he turns 70 =)

Thanks for clearing that up. I, too, thought he was 70 now. I thought that was a bit odd, but cool. At any rate, it makes more sense now.