New DJ-game announced with Armin van Buuren

Foreign Media Games, a Dutch publisher, were so kind to give us a presentation of the alpha version of an upcoming game called “In the Mix”. World’s Best DJ Armin van Buuren incorporated with the publisher to create  this.

Business Development Manager Vincent van Diemen explained where the idea came from: “Real DJ’s sometimes use wiimotes during their shows to make their shows even better”.

Another game at the gamescom DJ-hero is of course a big concurrent for In the mix: “we know we have a big concurrent, but Dj-hero is more of a party game where you can improve yourself in. We don’t want to call In the mix this way, but it is a kind of “simulator”. It’s a pretty realistic environment where you actually have to please the audience by mixing, sampling and posing”

The game has a big career mode in which players can start from scratch and work their way up to the top. Real festivals where DJ’s perform were asked if they would participate in this game as part of the adventure. Surprisingly, a lot of these organisations rejected the offer. “of course it’s a problem of ego, the big party’s don’t want to come in the beginning of the game, because they would look smaller then they actually are, or they want to choose their own spot. It makes it hard to work together. At this point, 20 existing locations approved though”.

The career mode has 7 hours of music. “A lot of songs have 12 minutes of length. We want to prevent too long songs and decided to make each song 3 minutes.” The mode will have 30 gigs and 2 songs (or more) pet gig. In the game, your manager will book the gig, and the DJ decides which music he plays. “sometimes there are a lot more older women, or younger kids in a venue. You will actually have to choose your songs to optimalize the environment. It sounds harder then it seems, don’t worry, you will be helped in the game”. As the title says, a lot of music is made bij world greatest DJ Armin van Buuren. “We talked to a lot of DJ´s without immediatly take a desicion, but it was pretty clear that we would work together with Armin.”

Foreign Media Games also works together with Pioneer. “you can collect money after each gig to buy new equipment. We use actual pioneer equipment in the game”. The new equipment is really functional since you can equalise much better with better headphones. the crowd will also get more excited by better sound, speakers and light.

The interaction with the audience can also be improved by taking poses. The nunchuk and the wiimote can be used to clap, beat or make cool poses. If you do it at the right time, you will build up the excitement and you will get more points.

The game also has a tutorial mode for starters. A party mode is also available where you can actually sit down on the couch and have fun with your friends. Van Diemen: “It’s not multiplayer. it’s really hard to make multiplayer for these kind of games, but we are still trying to make it.” A studio mode is also available, where you can make, mix and save your own songs.

We were really curious if the Wii Motion Plus will be used in the game. “We have it in mind to use, but it’s not priority. If we can add that quick, and if it’s actually useful, we might consider it”

Development for In the Mix started in the start of 2009 and is planned for release in March 2010. The game will be €50.