Molyneux said that stars can even be sold to other studios in the game. "If one is incredibly high maintenance, but still is a big draw, sell them off and get rid off the headache," he said.

Molyneux explained that some big actors are fairly easy to deal with (such as a Cary Grant), but there is a fine line that if an actor is too easy-going, they can be boring. Volitile stars tend to be more exciting. Each character has an emotional stability rating, and the player must watch that to see how well their stars are responding to their treatment.

Choose your actors wisely. They all have strengths and weaknesses.
The final aspect of the game is the actual making of the movies. Molyneux said that they are trying to make this part of the game as accessible as possible, with lots of sets, props, scenes, actors and actresses. Everything is customizable, from the scenes and sets, to the hair on the upper lip of the lead actress. "The game can be as simple or complex as you want it to be," he said. "If you want to let everything be automatic, you can set basic parameters and let the crew handle the movie. Or you can control every aspect, but any change you make can mean the difference between a blockbuster and a disaster."

When a movie is finally completed, it is released to the public. Its success or failure with the critics depends on 127 different variables: what was the rapport between the actors and actresses; how applicable is the movie to the timeline; is the movie a ripoff of others; how many times has the set been used before; and so on. During the movie-making process, advisors will make suggestions on what to do, but they aren't always right.

Hmmm, I wonder where's she's going?
The game has the potential to be a huge hit with the fan community in much the same way as The Sims. Molyneux said the plan is to support the fan and mod communities as much as possible after the game is released. Tools will be available as well, although not necessarily on the CD when the game ships. Molyneux said they want to make every effort to support the tools properly.

In closing, Molyneux said the game still needs to overcome two hurdles: The interface needs to be simplified for better ease of use, and some timeline challenges need to be implemented. He said the simulation itself is about 90 percent complete, while the AI and graphics are about 85 percent done. The interface is only about half done. He said they are shooting to release the game sometime this winter.

"We know what we want to do," he said. "Now, we just have to get it done."