DINOTOPIA: Turning a classic book into a video game 

Did you know? James Gurney has a RU-vid channel and it's very soothing and wonderful and educational. Check it out! ru-vid.com

Knowing Simone was a dinosaur kid makes so much sense. This is the kind of representation I NEEDED

"What if FMVs survived?" would make a good Versus video

the dinotopia fan to DM/Writer pipeline is one that needs to be discussed at length.

Can't wait for when video games will actually reach their full potential: once I'll be able to play as Clayton (that Clayton)

Man, the way I would pitch this immediately if I could. For starters, the worldbuilding is all already taken care of. Nowadays you can also make the case for nonviolent gameplay mechanics much more easily. It probably does justice to the source material most as a sandbox type of game where you can customize your shipwrecked character, explore, form relationships, and choose your niche in the community. Simone you made me want this so badly...

Two thoughts: 1) I like that the FMV is for 'cutscenes' and conversations, rather than being the whole game. The attempt to have the whole game be FMV'd seemed to drag down a lot of games in the genre, making them slow and janky, but an art-based overworld and FMV scenes seems like a more sensible approach. 2) Dinotopia seems like perfect ground for a visual novel. Simone's 100% right, it's not a setting for Fightin' Dinos. It's a setting for talking and learning and building friendships and, dare I say, romance?

LET US BEFRIEND DINOSAURS!!! NO FIGHTING!!! JUST FRIENDS!!!! (I wish I knew about this game when I was a kid!)

this makes me feel like a dinosaur farming sim game would slap

Dinotopia is such a mysterious, magical thing to me. First, I have no idea where my Dinotopia book came from. I remember reading it as a child, but I'm pretty sure I remember "discovering" it among my thing, that my first contact with it was "huh, what's this?" and opening it and OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING??, I don't remember getting it or "having always had it" as you do with stuff that's too old for you to remember when your parents got it. It just appeared one day. Second, until relatively recently, I never knew there was more! I thought it was just a single book, a single window into that world. I remember reading it again and again as a child, and it never even occurred to me that there might be more about that world to learn. Third, the world itself is amazing. The style, but also the amount of detail put into it. It's like nothing I'd ever seen before. It's a magical thing that owns a tiny part of my heart, something that has never taken over me but that has always been there. To this day I keep finding that the things I love share one thing or another with it.

I love the videos that are someone being enthusiastic about a thing they really like. It's very good. Thanks for sharing, Simone!

Less than 2 minutes in and Hemingway has been brought into the dino conversation. On brand as always.

Very strange to know that Simone was born. Kinda just assumed she Has Always Been And Will Always Be

babe wake up new simone video dropped

The Dinotopia books are one of the few things that can easily help me reconnect with a sense of childish wonder. Gourney's art and woldbuilding had me in awe everytime I opened those books. And en effort also seems to have been put into this game.

I, too, am tired of games about shooting dinosaurs. I want more games about *being* dinosaurs, that aren't janky Second Worldish multiplayer roleplay platforms.

My life has been forever changed with the knowledge that there are more than one of these books. One raindrop really does raise the sea. Thank you.

You had me at puppets

This video is a perfect gift to everyone who used to break their library cards checking out the dinotopia books again and again!

I had one of the big books as a kid but never knew there was more to Dinotopia than that, so I guess I now have to hunt down every single book there is.

Fun Dinotopia fact: In Australia the short series was released as a full length film, with a run time just over FOUR HOURS. You best believe I watched it multiple times 👏👏

It's about time for someone to go completely full circle and painstakingly model 3D puppets to star in modern FMV masterpiece.

idk why but something about this whole thing makes me weepy, like just the incredible outpouring of love that clearly propelled this game, the entire aesthetic and ethos of The Dreamers Guild, the commitment to making something different and kind... and knowing even just from the title and the subject matter that it's all doomed to failure and obscurity, only happenstance bringing it enough attention to resurface as a curiosity it just gets to me in that particular melancholic way hope those folks are doin' well, wherever they are

i love it when simone goes off; i'm also really loving the retroactive look polygon is doing for content. thanks for this video :)

What an amazing gift the internet is for humanity and it's connections.

Glad to see I'm not the only one whose childhood was defined by Dinotopia. Even though I only had ONE book and didn't even know more existed (thanks, third world). That alone would make this a must watch, but... They made an adventure game of it? And it was made by the peeps who made IHNMAIMS?? And you reached out to Gurney for this video??? Holy canoli I'm hooked!

Simone is so persuasive omg I’ve never heard of dinotopia but now i want a new game more than anything and need all the pretty books 😭

oh, what a good time to listen to Simone talk about her interests... its always so good and fascinating! i could listen to this for hours

Dinotopia unlocks some deep core memories for me. We definitely need a new game. (And maybe some new books or a good tv adaptation?)

Now I really want to see a Versus on a world where FMV won, and became the primary format for video games.

We had this as kids! It also came with a book-on-tape of Dinotopia itself, and a beautiful deck of cards for the card game from the video game. I was obsessed with it! I'm still a bit sad that I lost that deck... We got incredibly stuck trying to play the videogame, though. But I still do remember the line "Zuka loooove Waterfall City!" from one of the two dinosaurs who haul you around.

i love dinosaurs so much (even volunteered on a dig in montana when i was in high school!), and these books were also my childhood, and learning that this game exists makes me almost as happy as seeing how happy simone is about it does

Watching Simone flip through thr pages of the original art book accessed a pool of nostalgia I didn't even know existed. I must have stared at my old copy for dozens and dozens of hours as a kid

I need to check this game out. I would also like to recommend the 1996 dinosaur game "dinosaur safari". You do shoot dinosaurs in this game but it's with a camera. It takes place in the future with an alien time machine going back in time to the dinosaurs and getting pictures of them.

This is SO delightful and so comprehensive!! I hope Simone knows about Saurian, the paleontologically-accurate dinosaur game, which, despite being in development hell for many years, is still captivating to see updates on

I had that book edition as a kid and it drew me in every time, especially the dragon alphabet. I never why I loved it or that any of this existed

Thanks for making this video! I totally had this game. There was a glitch (oversight?) where you could drop items when you jumped off the cliff, and man they were gone. You could see them fly by when you jumped again, but they went too fast to pick up.

This was a wonderful video. Dinotopia was the bee's knees when I was a kid. Thank you

Dinotopia feels like it should be a myst style game of puzzles and discovery or even a game like life is strange that is all about conversation mechanics

Oh my god Dinotopia. I was born in 92 and got the book not long after, I looked dreamingly on those amazing illustrations long before I could read it and it's still standing proudly on my bookshelf now. If I could have had any job there I'd be jousting on the back of a deinocheirus because that looked fun and cool as hell

I NEED to know where/how I can play this game. Dinotopia was my childhood, and knowing there's a video game about it with puppets in it fills my heart with joy

'89 here. I couldn't get enough of this game as a kid, and I still have my signed copy of the original big book. Glad it's getting the recognition it deserves! Thanks Simone!

This 90's games were so unique that they were like fever dream until you stumble on them years later on random corners of the internet, so awesome.

I had that original Dinotopia game and got stuck mere hours in every time. If I'd had access to the sort of video game FAQ's and walkthroughs that became commonplace online a few years later, I'm sure I'd have gotten more out of it, but I simply couldn't figure it out on my own at that age. But goddamn, thank you for showing me just how unique it really was!

The was so incredibly wholesome, Simone, the video really showcases the love you have for Dinotopia. You probably have already visited the exhibit, but just in case you haven't: go NOW to the Jim Henson exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. Go, and like me, cry like a baby in front of a Kermit puppet while Rainbow Connection plays in your head.

"Thank you James Gurney you are the architect of my childhood!" DEEPLY FELT

James is one of the all time greats. I would see him every year at the Portrait Society of America Conference, and he would document everything through his art. I grew up reading his art instruction books, and love that others love this series so much!

Your enthusiasm is infectious, and thoroughly enjoyed learning/re-remembering Dinotopia with you. If you managed to get someone who understands unreal engine 5, then you really could make a photorealistic remake.

These are my favourite types of Polygon video. Super enthusiastic, niche but very interesting and thoughtfully presented! Really enjoyed it

simone open heartedly gushing about dinosaurs for 10 minutes has really made my evening

I think it’s really cool to see that FMV is making a slight comeback with games like Her Story and The Shapeshifting Detective. Clearly it has its place.

This feels like Simone going on Shark Tank to pitch a Dinotopia sequel.

I was born in '97 and I remember playing this game! I think my parents got it at a thrift store. Thanks for bringing back the experiences that made me love dinosaurs even more

A year ago I went insane trying to find a hardcopy to purchase. Wanted to get that sweet card game that came packaged with it.

The world needs more James Gurneys…

Simone reminds me a lot of a friend I met in Elementary School, my friend always searched for every appearance (and book) of dragons not just being treasure-hoarding monsters, but intelligent beings and even the protagonists in certain cases! I couldn't possibly watch Simone excitedly jumping up and down on her bed about the idea of riding dinosaurs without a smile on my face! :)

I really love james gurneys paintings but im gonna check out dinotopia now! This was a great video thanks so much for making it! Cant wait to see the illustrations!

I loved these books as a kid! What a find, thank you, Simone!

Simone said she was born in 1990 and I genuinely did a double take thinking “SHES THIRTY ONE?” Simone you need to teach us your secrets to looking so young!

This is why I am still subscribed to polygon after bdg left. This is amazing content

Ok but real talk? The Dinotopia GBA game was a huge part of my childhood and it was fun as hell!

Watched the whole series as a kid, nothing felt like it, what a wild piece of content

Finally, some good representation of “child who never grew out of their dinosaur phase” in media

Of course Simone worked in a Hemingway reference

awesome :) I'd never heard about Dinotopia but this makes me wish it was a part of my childhood

I did not remember Dinotopia existed, but just reading the name brought warm nostalgia feels. I loved Dinotopia books and it's good to be reminded of them 😍

I would have loved those Dinotopia books as a kid! I was born in 1992, so I have no idea how I managed to fully miss the whole entire franchise, but good to know it exists!

dinotopia seems like it deserves to be adapted into a life sim type of game, like animal crossing or stardew valley

Jame's Gurney's books (Painting Light and Imaginative Realism) are considered evergreen top-tier resources for artists.

Maybe I'll check out the dinotopia books after this, they seem so cool!!! And the concept of puppets in a video game is amazing, I'd love to see that again

Man, I haven't thought about dinotopia for *far* too long! I'd love to see a game that features the dino mechs in that lost city, those were the coolest thing ever as a kid and they still are today.

“A bunch of little paperbacks which defined my childhood.” I’ve never related to something more in my entire life. River Quest was my favorite. Then Chomper.

The mini series was legitimately my favorite thing when i was a kid. I forgot all about it until I saw this video.

This was one of the most delightful videos I have watched, her obvious joy at speaking about Dinotopia really shows!

The book still has a special place on my shelf, I really loved it as a kid. So I'm kind of glad that I never knew there were video games based on it...

Simone and her amazing pulls from the library of video game history nets another 10/10 video. Excellent work.

I love so much about this video: the subject, the enthusiasm, how deep a dive it goes into the games production, Simone’s fantastic makeup. Fantastic.

This game/book/show made me so happy as a kid!!

Every day I become more convinced that the 90s were a collectively shared fever dream.

I had Dinotopia "The Timestone Pirates" as little kid, what huge amount nostalgia right there, and yes it was brutal.

I feel like dinotopia would be the best setting for a detective/crime drama game to give the player an excuse to explore the island without breaking the utopia too hard but just slightly enough to push an player made narrative

Gurney lived in the same town my mom grew up in and so I always got signed copies of the Dinotopia books from my grandma growing up! This video brought back some amazing memories! Thanks Simone! 😊 And I agree! Netflix, HBO, games industry, are you listening? It’s time to bring Dinotopia back dammit!

I have been waiting my entire life for this game and I didn't even know it. Dinotopia WAS my childhood.

As a guy 6 years your elder, goddamn, I love the things you, Patrick, and Jenna produce. I wish Justin and Griffin would do more damn Monster Factory's too! You guys hold such a special place in my heart, still, from awful squad. Keep on making amazing things, all of you!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Puppets make me nostalgic in a way nothing else can. Thank you Simone!!💘💘

I love Simone’s energy so much. I need to read Dinotopia right away

I played the Gameboy advance game for dinotopia, and the books . Such an amazing series.

These yound adult novels and games and illustrative books are truly formative, for me. I absolutely adore that you did this for Dinotopia. My heart will always belong there.

Gurney's art slaps! Anyone that is anyone uses his "color and light" book to better their art! i'm so glad to see dinotopia stuff!

I’m very glad you made this video, Dinotopia was such a huge part of my childhood and I’m happy I got to see this part of it that I otherwise never would have known about! Thanks, Polygon ❤️🦕

This is positively delightful! My dinosaur and Henson loving self would have adored this, I'm also wondering how I never saw it. Quite possibly because there were SO MANY dinotopia things coming out in the mid 90s I probably lost it in the noise of calendars and books and vhs and so forth

Almost forgot that I read some of these books and even watched the miniseries as a kid. Definitely wish there was more dinosaur stuff in video games.

This video is everything I hoped it would be and more. Thank you Simone!

It. Looks. Amazing. Those Jim Henson ass puppets will always have a place in my heart

I'm so EXCITED for this! That CD Rom was my JAM as a kid. Did I ever finish the game? No. Was I devastated when machines stopped being compatible with it and I was better at gaming? Yes. But it was so lush and the FMV bits were so great.

Fantastic video. Simone should check out the endgame in the DS classic "The Urbz: Sims in the City" where you build custom Dinosaur pets that you more or less coexist with as well.

I'm liking the potential series that's brewing of 'Simone talks lovingly about games we've never heard of'.

honestly the bit with the characters interrupting each other makes the conversation feel more realistic, as opposed to the 2 second gap before a rebuttal or interjection you see in a lot of games

Damn, that game really *does* look dope as hell! Really does stand out among all the "dinosaurs as weapons" games.

I firmly believe the activity of dusting off is so underrated. I didn't know this existed and I never would have if it weren't for this video!