Joe, the C & C series was my favorite series and I've been playing it since I was 6 (I'm 25 now for reference.). How much did you like how the series wrapped up? Also, is there a definitive collection between the tiberirum and red alert universes?

Joe here: Thanks for spending a bit of the past (quick - do the math; 25 - 6... hmmm. You can't take 6 from 5, 5 is less than 6, so you take 1 from the 2 in the 10's place; that makes 15 and you take away 6, that's 9 leaving a 1 in the 10's plus 9, that makes: ...) 19 years with us! I hope you've become a productive member of society. If not - if, perhaps, you're writing this question from prison having committed a series of violent and despicable crimes, then clearly video games are to blame and let this be a warning to you kids! DON'T PLAY VIDEO GAMES! Or perhaps you're the CEO of an environmentally friendly swimwear company and good for you! Clearly video games are to blame! PLAY LOTS OF VIDEO GAMES KIDS! Anyway, I have to admit to being a tad underwhelmed at the way EA chose to end Kane's storyline in C&C. Had I been in those development meetings, I probably would have pushed for something much more ... i don't know ... more ... interesting? Violent? Musical? Something. As for the collection: I don't really know. I'm honestly not aware of what bundles are out there. Since I don't receive any per-unit royalties, I just don't care.

TLDR: Meh and I dunno.

Hahahaha, thank you. Best AMA response ever. Nope, productive member of society checking in. No prison or heroin on my record. Sorry, I typed this on my iphone, I meant connection. Kane popping up in Red Alert 1 happened and was never mentioned again.

Joe here: Yeah - guess I was the only one planning out a lengthy, personally lucrative crossover franchise. Red Alert was meant to be a quick one-off using the C&C engine and cramming in some new art. It was envisioned as a prequel to the original C&C, but its (surprising) popularity meant developing its own storyline, universe and characters. The Kane connection was quickly forgotten and thus I missed my chance to perform, years later, with Jonathan Pryce.

TLDR: I got screwed.

I'm sure you'll have a chance to work with Jonathan Pryce! You know he'll be in the next season of Game of Thrones!

... Go tell HBO to put you in Game of Thrones. Not even you as an actor, just Kane himself.

Joe here: Daniel and I only do acting gigs as a team now. YOU HEAR ME MARTIN?! YOU HEAR ME HBO?! IT'S ME AND DANIEL OR NOTHING!! (call me.)

"Daniel and I only do acting gigs as a team now."

I hope you two will be... ABEL, TO DO THAT. ... Get it? Your brother? Kane's brother-I'M NOT SORRY.

Please leave the AMA.

Joe, I grew up playing Command and Conquer and have been a fan of Kane for longer than I can remember. I don't even recall the first time I saw Kane, I was so young that I just remember being a fan. The character was an absolute blast to grow up with, so before anything else, I just wanted to thank you for adding such a larger than life character to my childhood. Watching you snap between being completely serious, to laughing and joking around between takes, was as fun to watch as it was an influence on how I'd want to be and act if I were to ever achieve my dream of entering the film bis - specifically the writing and directing bis.

Alright, enough gushing, time for a question! Will we ever see you - or your voice - grace the screen of a computer, television, or theater anytime soon or in the future? I want you to take your look back from Walter White, dust off the bald head and goatee, and entertain a whole new generation! Shrugs. I just think it'd be lovely man.

P.S. When I was very young, around my mid teens, I sent you an email asking if you'd voice Kane in a fan video of mine filmed with Tiberian Wars. Although you had to decline due your contract with EA, that response email is still held as one of my favorite emails, and was just about the best way you could have declined. I quote;

"Electronic Arts owns the character of Kane. I am not allowed to appear as Kane ANYWHERE without their approval and advance written consent. This sucks because sometimes I like to wander around the house in the big, black coat and threaten my dog that her water bowl will run red with blood if she keeps chewing up my sandals -- and even then I have to get permission from David Silverman."

Joe here: Thanks for the kind words! I'm very pleased to see that my publicist at the time, a 12-year old Mexican boy named "Giacomo" was able to send you such a memorable email. That crazy Giacomo - he was ALWAYS such a scamp, turning down offer after offer! That's must be why I never managed to appear on Real Housewives of Las Vegas... You know, I'd love to be more involved in the industry. Right after EA shipped C&C3 I set up a few meetings in LA with agencies that purported to be interested in new media. I couldn't get them to even understand who (and what) I WAS ("No, I don't just do voiceover. Here, take a look at this fansite. No, I'm not a motion captured animation. Here, just take a look at this documentary footage. NO, i'm NOT a hedgehog or a plumber! For God's sake, just take a look at this wiki!). But it was next to impossible. I'm kind of the only guy who's done this thing and is what I is. How do you sell that to and industry that sells a different sort of celebrity? At any rate, I'd LOVE to be acting in each and every cheesy, sci-fi babble-filled cringe-a-thon out there: Sharknado Vs Squidphoon? YES! TREK WARS 6: THE SEARCH FOR BABYLON FARSCAPE? YOU BET! I love that stuff and it's fun, fun, fun! Dear Hollywood: and I'm a joy to work with!

TLDR: I need to have David Silverman review this post.

Thanks, and as always madam Kucan, you have been a complete pleasure. Really appreciate you taking the time to tackle this question! I wish you and your brother good fortune, good health, and all the luck in the world. OH, AND I WISH THESE THINGS ON YOUR FAMILY TOO, IF YOU'RE INTO THAT KIND OF THING.

P.S. DAN, I have a question for you! How did it feel being seduced by that Nod woman in Tiberian Sun? Do you still feel bad for betraying GDI? :D

No. No I do not feel bad.

Dear Mr. Kane,

Where do I enlist in the Brotherhood of Nod? I keep trying to find your recruitment offices, but everyone keeps telling me different things like "You're crazy" or "It's just a video game relax put down that chair we can talk this through man".

I know you have to keep is secret, but even a hint would be nice.

Regards, Militant Fanatic

(Or on a more serious vein, how did putting Eric Gooch in his place feel? Still one of the best 'oh shit it's the boss' moments from a video game to date.)

Joe here: Well, it really IS just a game... That being said, the most interesting thing about the scene where I blow Seth's head off is that once we shot it, we needed to assign an artist to add Eric Gooch's exploding blood and brains, frame by frame. And that artist: Albert Einstein. No, of course not. That artist was, of course, Eric Gooch.

TLDR: Eric Gooch blew his own brains out.

Joe, that bald head and goatee have been a symbol in gaming for almost 2 decades. It's a great thing that those aliens dropped you off at Westwood studios. There are a lot of games being developed that are based in the command and conquer universe. Have you ever considered taking a part in any of those?

Joe here: I think it's cute that you think that I have enough cache to simply will myself into the sphere of other projects! Aren't you just adorable! The truth of it is that I'm enough of a whore to cash whatever check ANYONE is willing to write me. A new World of Warcraft villain? I'M IN! A different sort of KANE and Lynch? SIGN ME UP! The first American Dr. Who? I'LL DO IT FOR FREE! Sadly, they don't seem to be fighting amongst themselves to bash down my door with offers.

TLDR: I'd even do Dancing With the Stars.

Wait, are you even allowed to appear as Kane in anything that EA doesn't allow?

Joe here: EA owns the character of Kane the way LucasFilm (or Disney - depends on who you talk to...) owns the character of Luke Skywalker. If you were to appear as Luke Skywalker in a commercial for Depends Undergarments (which, I contend, would sell MILLIONS) LucasFilm (or Disney - depends on who you talk to...) would sue you until you stopped twitching. I can appear in anything i damn well please, but not as the Kane character unless sanctioned by EA. The charcter of Joe Kucan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Duck on Bike Productions, its board and shareholders.

TLDR: Disney WILL sue you.

Daniel - in Firestorm, was it "I want peace" or "I want piece" ? ;)

Daniel's extremely uncomfortable answer: man, that girl was hot.

That wasn't Firestorm, it was just Tib Sun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISDQg899qVY#t=1231

Joe here: I always twitch a little when I watch that scene: if you pay attention, you'll notice that the vid that made it into the final did NOT include the final audio. Slavic walks across the room and the track that contained his foleyed footsteps was deleted during the build. So Slavic seems like a master ninja sneak warrior. I always twitch a little...

TLDR: I'm twitching right now.

Mr. Joe Kucan, thanks so much for doing this AMA! (Sorry Daniel, I don't know you. :{ )

I've been a C&C enthuasiast for my entire life having started with Tiberian Sun then Red Alert 2 (both of which I lost many hours to).

My question to you is what are your thoughts (if any) on the OpenRA project?

Personally I've always assumed it was incredibly difficult to remain in-character during the cheesy cut-scenes, but you (and many others) pulled it off and for that I thank you!

PEACE THROUGH POWER!

Joe here: Thanks for the kind words! That is a very sincere, straightforward question that deserves a sincere, straightforward answer. Which I would love to give you, except that I don't know what OpenRA is. It sounds lovely, however, and not knowing anything about it I endorse it completely! Also, taking the cheesy cutscenese seriously is much easier than you think: anger is anger, frustration is frustration, exaltation is exaltation regardless of the lines that have been written for you!

TLDR: Can I please get some questions about Kevin Smith's story about Joss Whedon's reaction to Woody Harrelson's work the movie Rampart?

Have you ever considered to leave the Brotherhood of Nod and join the GDI forces?

What's the pay?

I recently drove cross country and found this sign in a little backwater of Utah. Would you Photoshop yourself into the picture so my friends will think I am super awesome?

Good lord! What a remarkably beautiful man you are! Yes.! Let me get started on that right away. Please post your email address so I can get back to you in a timely manner.

Joe, I'm leading development of a community led C&C first person shooter set in between C&C1 and Tiberian Sun. We are creating a character driven story that focusses mainly on the GDI occupation of Sarajevo between the two Tiberium Wars. Would you like to read over some script excerpts for our game? If you like it I'll write "Kane Versus Sharktopus" for you.

Would you return to C&C if EA decided to make another Tiberium C&C game?

Joe here: My contributions to the character of Kane and the world of Command & Conquer are long over. At least until such time as Electronic Arts (a thoughtful, forgiving, forward-thinking company) elects to back a semi-trailer truck full of cash up to my front yard and dump the contents on my lantana bushes. Because I AM a whore, and if EA decided to make another Tiberium-based C&C game AND wanted to hire my involvement, the very FIRST thing I would do is check to make sure that the fabric of space and time were still intact. Then, I would call my grandfather in hell and ask him if it were snowing. THEN I would put a down payment down on another yacht and sign whatever contract they flopped in front of me. Acting is fun, fun, fun and when they pay you to do it it's even funner.

TLDR: How much you got in your budget?

So I'll start writing Kane Versus Sharktopus for you?

I'm in!

@Joe: 1. In which Command & Conquer did you enjoy your role as Kane most? 2. To what extent did you, as a director and actor, influence the overall story of Command and Conquer? In other words, did you write some of the story or did you suggest alterations to it?

As an avid retro CnC player, I was disappointed by the changes EA has made to the CnC universe. I still respect the way you brought Kane to life, kudos to your acting. Obviously Kane is awesome because of you and that sexy goatee and bald head.

Joe here: Thanks for the kind words! OBVIOUSLY Kane is awesome because of me, I can't really deny that. I may very well be the greatest, most charismatic actor to ever stride the planet. I think we can all agree on that. (Daniel's chewing his own face right now.) I've enjoyed all of the C&C productions, at least from a performance standpoint - chew the scenery, look menacing, have other actors bow and scrape - what's not to like? The best part was always (and IS always, honestly) the variety of folk one gets to work with. I've shared the screen with some remarkably talented, iconic performers. From the early days with James Earl Jones to the more recent incarnations featuring Tricia Helfer it's felt very rewarding being in such company. Acting can be ridiculous amounts of fun (when it's not ridiculously boring.). I did a good amount of writing back in the Westwood days, especially as I felt a certain ownership of the character and really fought to keep his voice just so. Much, much less in the recent incarnations. I was always pushing to incorporate more action into the cutscenes (what an archaic word THAT is...) but was hampered by management who, rightly so, feared censorship on the worldwide market. You would not believe the fight it took to get Kane's original entrance ("Goodbye Seth. We hardly knew ye.") to remain as it did...

TLDR: I also wrote a sequel to Catcher in the Rye.

Joe. Is it true that Joe Kucan money is worth more than normal money? So any money won from you in poker would be extra special?

and lastly, ummm... I'm hesitant to ask this, but how is your dad doing?

Joe here: It IS true that Joe Kucan money is more valuable than normal money; JK dollars cure cancer, grow hair, nourish children and lubricate tractors. JK dollars have been to the moon. JK dollars are the ONLY currency accepted in West Virginia, Koala Lumpur and the airport in Madrid, Spain. However, I do not know of any JK dollars that have ever, EVER left one of my house poker games. JK NEVER loses JK dollars. Ask anyone.

TLDR: My pop is great, thanks for asking. He and my mother just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

grow hair

I've seen Kane, this is one fact raises some doubts

Clearly you haven't seen my back.

One day those X killed Joe Kucan's father jokes are going to really be in bad taste. Thankfully that day is not today.

I heard Reddit AMA's killed Joe Kucan's father.

Not so fast. Mom killed Pop during the 50th wedding celebration. Seemed a fitting way to go out...

Firstly, thank you for being such a big part of my 90's. No, not CnC, I used to hide outside your house and rummage through your garbage cans. In a totally not creepy way of course.

I just wanted to ask, we're all familiar with Kane obviously, but what did the role 'Director of Dramatic Assets' consist of?

Thanks in advance Joe!

Joe here: I'd sure like to get those underpants back. You know the ones I'm talking about... As Westwood's Senior Director of Dramatic Assets I primarily directed all of Westwood's dramatic assets, in a senior sort of way. What that meant was that my fingerprints were all over anything that involved story or talent. I directed the voiceover, motion capture, video shoots, texture mapping and story board sessions for all of the projects at Westwood Vegas as well as some of the California projects. Nox, for example, was developed by the California team but I directed the voiceover as well as the story animations. I also did a fair bit of writing, but mostly just out of necessity.

TLDR: Catering mostly. Making sandwiches and the like.

Obviously you had your hands in a lot of different pies in your time at Westwood, which of your roles did you prefer or was it just an all round great experience?

Wait, who am I kidding even asking that when the most important question is what kind of sandwiches?

I always enjoyed directing. But that came to be more and more challenging as the layers of executives began to build up around me. It took me a good deal of time to find a good working relationship with a number of producers and upper-level execs - folks that felt that they had some sort of insight into a process they really knew very little about. There was a certain amount of relief there for the last few projects where all I had to do was learn my lines, hit my marks and not bump into the furniture. Still, I really do love directing.

TLDR: Tofurkey. I'm a hard-core vegetarian.

With all due respect your iOS app was and is an abomination. Are there any plans to significantly update it or make a new one?

Joe here: Yes, I was unhappy with my IOS app as well. I'm planning on redirecting the stream software to enable cross-pixel bilaxing and 16-color bitbyteMCUing. And also free chat. That's how Facebook got started.

TLDR: I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't realize I HAD an IOS app...

Has your brother made over your house?

DANIEL: Heck yeah, I did. You should have seen the evil lair he was living in before I got my hands on it.

Joe here: Daniel gets full credit for the fireman's pole and the periscope; you don't just buy that shit at Lowe's. Actually, we have a middle brother. He's a respectable member of society so I won't embarrass him by revealing his name (and actually, today is his birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE! I'D GIVE YOU A CALL BUT I'VE GOT THIS AMA TO DO! DON'T BE SAD - I'LL SEND YOU ANOTHER CHECK!) and Daniel DID completely make over HIS house. While he was on vacation in Hawaii. Without his knowledge. He was somewhat surprised to come home and find his expansive D&D leads collection sitting on the curb... He reconsidered when he realized that he'd no longer have to sleep on an air mattress on the floor.

TLDR: No, he did Mike's though.

So you made it more evil?

Daniel up: Seriously, there are only so many barbed wire fences and red-eyed mutant, mongrel hounds one can put in a suburban Las Vegas home before it starts to look contrived.

The evilness just exudes from Joe's pores... not unlike the Axe body spray he insists on covering himself in. Keeps the babes piling up in droves, donchya know.

The Kucan brothers in no way mean to imply that Axe Body Spray, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, is a blight upon planet Earth; a blight that must be fought against with all of the weapons at our disposal.

What's your opinion on free-to-play?

Joe here: Well, it's FREE! How bad could it be? I think the reality is that game companies are in it to make a buck. And if that means "free to play / pay to win" then so be it. The internet has been a blessing and a curse in that it's engendered a generation that expects it FREE and expects it NOW. In some cases it can deliver on that promise but in some ways it's still exploring ways to straddle the fence between mass access and profitability.

TLDR: I don't really know what free-to-play means.

Totally off topic, but have you ever considered being a wrestler and calling yourself Joe "The Toucan" Kucan? If not you should give it a try, and you're welcome for the awesome nickname.

Daniel, I think this one's for you.

[deleted]

So much fun! I'd like to do it again! And again and again!

TLDR: A lot!

Can you sing? If the producers had decided to end C&C4 with a musical number, would you have done it? Do you have any dealings with whoever has the franchise now?

Joe here: Can I sing? CAN I SING? Dude, have you even PLAYED C&C5? I sing through the whole damn thing! And that's not dubbed over, that's really me! We shot it like Les Mis with the vocals going live through the Red Epic-M. And I don't even have the vaguest idea of who EA fingered to tinker with the franchise now.

TLDR: Justin Beiber wrote the lyrics to C&C5.

This is cool. Joe: Is the theater company as great as they say it is? Extreme Makeover: Theater Edition. A guy can only dream <3

Joe here: The theatre company is quite great. A Public Fit is looking to premiere its first show this November.

Hello there Joe, how did you get the role of Kane?

He gives a lot of joke responses, but this is the real answer. He says he'll never give it again.

Joe here: That video is a scam! They hired a Joe Kucan look-alike with some high-ass girlish voice to impersonate me on many of my personal appearances (because of my tremendous (and completely understandable) popularity). I can't believe people actually fell for that poser!

TLDR: I pulled the role of Kane out of a CrackerJack box.

Daniel's very serious reply: I can remember when the very first game was being made. It was only a step or two above shooting in your mom's basement, not kidding. Joe and I and a bunch of our actor friends were sitting around trying to figure out how we were going to do it and Joe said, "Okay, who wants to be the bad guy." No one's hand went up, so Joe was like, "Oh for pete's sake... okay, I'll do it. But I'm gonna shave my head!" All the rest of us played soldiers and pilots and sidekicks and whatever. True story.

Hey you guys. I've just created an account to talk to you guys ! It's the first time I'm compelled to do so, as I am a very big fan of C&C.

My question is for Joseph: my friend and I are going to Vegas in the near future. Where can I find you ? I would kill to share a cold one with you. It's on me !

I can usually be found on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Bridger. Unless Frankie Two-shoes is there; that's usually Frankie Two-shoes' corner...

TLDR: I really know a guy called Frankie Two-shoes...

Hello Mr. Kucan,

What did you do to get into character as Kane? Did you help playtest any of the games? What was it like commanding "your" Brotherhood? Did you have a specific plan for Kane's true origin before EA bought Westwood from Virgin Interactive?

Which C&C game is your favorite? Which faction is your favorite? Favorite unit? Structure?

+/u/dogetipbot 2500 Doge verify

Joe here: I've always had a secret, specific plan for the origins of Kane. I don't spread it around because people who have heard it have gone insane with wonder! But I used to meditate on it in order to get into character. That, and strutting. I always found that strutting around the set in a good pair of boots helped put one in the mood for global conquest. Seriously - it's ALL in the shoes. I would help in the playtesting only insomuch as we used to sit around the offices after hours and put LAN games together with the beta games. I was terrible and would often call up Joe Bostic and try to get him to help me cheat. But JoeB never, ever does anything unethical so I was left to my own devices. I used to enjoy cloaking up a stealth tank and running around the map squishing infrantry - that was probably my favorite unit. As far as favorite structure, well, I've always found the Comparative Structure to be the most entertaining.

TLDR: Joe Bostic killed my father.

Daniel, how does it feel to get the last word in over your brother at the end of C&C4?

Daniel: It's funny because we never really though that was the end. By that point, I had been included in all the games as a sort of goof: I got blown up, ion cannoned, slapped, mutated, anything you can imagine. But Joe and I knew that the fan base was so strong and devoted that the game and characters would live on somehow. Sadly, that has not turned out to be the case.

Ironically Daniel gets the "first word" over his brother as well in the very first C&C... "at least your mother tipped well!" SMACK Well done sir!

It's true! And that was Daniel's girlfriend at the time too, which was why they were so free to beat the crap out of each other.

What was that meant to be at the beginning? I don't think a lot of people get why it goes through TV channels before the campaign.

Joe here: The idea was that the install program was updating your computer to tune in to what was really happening in the world, accessing media from around the world and looking for information. If you follow the game, you'll find that all of the info comes from some real-life camera source that can be hacked by your EVA.

TLDR: Pretentious game-artist nonsense.

Do you live?

In death, apparently.

Joe, Frank Klepacki had an AMA a year ago and he talked about how you got to be employed by Westwood and how you later on got the role. The story involved delivering a baby and getting a camera on your head. Would you like to retell this story in your own words?

Is Frank no longer your friend for telling the (supposed) truth?

Joe here: I remember that story EXACTLY the same way Frank did except that instead of a baby I remember delivering a pizza. And instead of a camera to the head I think it was a golf club to the nut sack. Otherwise, Frank got it exactly right. Except for the deli. And the homelessness. And the cursing. But other than that, right on! Frank and I have remained extraordinarily close; he's like the brother I never had! (Sorry Daniel.)

TLDR: Frank Klepacki is my oldest daughter's godfather.

Somehow I want to think Frank was joking around, but he's not joking around that often. And I have difficulties believing that you were homeless. Frank, /u/rocktronic, defend yourself. :)

P.S. Talking about Frank, how much do you like the C&C music?

So very much!

Joe, I saw this AMA was coming up and have been playing C&C all day. Is there a cut-scene that was your favourite to act in and what is your favourite unit in the C&C universes? Also, what is your favourite cheese?

Joe here: Believe it or not, the acting on C&C4 was a lot of fun, mostly because EA opted on using a handheld camera in the stead of the "player" as opposed to a static cam on sticks which allowed for more movement and flexibility in blocking. You know, my background in theatre and performance is really movement/combat based; I was always pushing the producers to allow more action, more gunplay, more combat. But that never seemed to be a direction anyone else was interested in going.

If I remember correctly, the very first stealth tanks were fun, fun, fun - nothing like cloaking up and running around squishing infantry during the beta testing!

TLDR: The best cheese is clearly a 40-year old cheddar. And also feta.

Had Westwood still existed to this day, would you work with them, and what genre game would you prefer to make?

Of course I would. If they could meet my insanely high salary demands. World fame has make me ridiculously expensive... Besides, I'm really interested in making first person shooter versions of Shakespearean plays: MacBeth FPS: Murdered Sleep; Hamlet FPS: Not to Be; Henry V FPS: Conjecture of a Time. And then destroying the Cliff's Notes market!

TLDR: Titus Andronicus would be a fantastic videogame!

Joe, as far as I know you and C&C designer Eydie Laramore conceived the idea of Kane and the Brotherhood of Nod. Did you actually create the whole story of Kane from the beginning and did you have a conclusion ready for the story? I mean how and when Kane arrived on Earth and how he influenced Stalin and Soviet Union in Red Alert and how Kane led Nod to research tiberium when it arrived. This all seems like Kane knew what was going to happen and he tried to push humanity into a new tiberium future, but still it feels like the games do not explain the story in full depth. Can you share some insightful lore that wasn't explained in the game series?

Aside from that, I humbly thank you and I admire you for being part of making my all time favourite video game series!

Joe here: Thanks for the kind words. I wish I could say that Eydie and I mapped out the entire arc of the Tiberian storyline. That seems like a very grown-up, professional way of going about it. But no, we pretty much made up the whole thing as we went along (like LOST - JJ Abrams, you big fibber!). The character of Kane and his relationship to Shephard was pretty clear, but when Red Alert came along it seemed like a good opportunity to bind the two storylines together and create one massive universe. The first Red Alert was really meant to be a quick money-maker, capitalizing on the relative ease of swapping some art and maps. The story was added to make Germany (our second biggest market at the time) the good guys and to explain the rise of GDI and the eternal permanence of Kane.

TLDR: Whatever happened to Eydie Laramore?

Joe, exactly what was Shephard's relation to Kane? Had they encountered each other in the past? The game did not elaborate on this, maybe it was cut?

I'm a big fan of unanswered questions. I think that some of the greatest, sharpest backstory a player can experience in any game is the sort of backstory the player creates for himself, building upon and interpreting bits of information slipped to them by clever storytellers. That having been said, Eydie and I were fiddling with the notion of Shephard as "Abel", creating this ridiculous notion of an eternal, unending battle between these two original people. But that was mostly all in our heads; I don't think we actually ever told anyone.

For Joe: do you know what plans Louis Castle and Brett Sperry had for C&C in the long run? How does it compare with where EA went with the franchise?

Joe here: It was my distinct impression that Brett had all but abandoned the franchise, looking instead to focus his attentions on MMOGKCVs (or whatever the hell the anagram is for on-line multiplay games). Lou never had that much involvement as far as I remember. I always felt that they thought the Kane story was temporary, part of a 3-game (+ expansions) arc. Brett never seemed particularly sanguine about the status the Kane character had achieved, especially since I was technically a simple employee. None of us sat down and planned out a 10-year story arc or anything like that.

TLDR: We made it up as we went along.

So when people complain about EA and how they ruined the franchise, I should point out that they bought it from guys who had abandoned it?

Daniel: AND I should add that Joe and I tried to option movie rights to the C&C franchise but they wouldn't let us do it. Apparently it would have ruined their plans on letting it die slowly and painfully.

Joe here: "Abandoned" is probably the wrong word. Sometimes I type things and then immediately regret it. (Like "bloodfart." I sure do regret typing the word "bloodfart.") I think they were looking ahead and saw the future of gaming heading towards online multiplay. Brett was a huge Everquest player at the time of Westwood's demise and, at least from my perspective, seemed much more interested in "Earth and Beyond". I can't even honestly tell you what work was being done on the C&C franchise at the time of my departure. I do know that Generals was done almost entirely from the California studios and that the impression around Westwood Vegas was that they would be taking over the franchise. But this was a long time ago and I clearly disremember the specifics.

TLR: Don't say "abandoned." Say "renovated."

Hey Joe, first off thanks for becoming a gaming icon!

Like /u/Parrallax91, I've been playing CnC since Tiberium Dawn came out, as my step dad was very into the Dune series, and CnC was just a more awesome version of it in his eyes.

My question for you is: Did you ever play the series?

Which side did you prefer, GDI or Nod?

If you played much Nod, did you ever find yourself chuckling having to be bossed around by yourself?

Thanks!

Joe here: You're welcome for my becoming a gaming icon. It was the least I could do for you! i used to play the game in betatest; some of my best memories of my days at Westwood was when we'd LAN the latest version and just nuke the crap out of each other, laughing hysterically over the intercom system the whole time. But once the games shipped I was usually pretty busy working on other things to really spend too much time playing what I had already played weeks earlier. I usually played as Nod simply because I felt I needed to get a feel for how that side of the world operated in order to effectively perform as their "leader." At that time, the betas rarely had the cutscenes included - it was just gameplay. I'd review the movies in the editing bay and sign-off on them as they went through the pipeline.

TLDR: Mike Legg cheated during test LAN games.

It's great to speak to a C&C legend and icon after all these years.

Two questions for Mr. Joe Kucan: 1) What's your life after C&C? 2) Would you direct another game FMV ever again, C&C related or not? Your last and best directing was Red Alert 2 and Yuri's Revenge with a mix of humor, action and suspense.

Life after C&C has been great! I took a lot of time off, played a LOT of poker! And then I bought a yacht and docked it in Marina del Rey where my girlfriend and I watch the sun rise and then, after a respectable amount of time, set again. But then a year or so ago, she, my brother Daniel and I dusted ourselves off (well, Daniel was never particularly dusty - he's been working non-stop since he was 20...) and started A Public Fit theatre company in Las Vegas, Nevada. We hold monthly readings of overlooked plays and discuss their efficacy with an audience of interested theatre-goers. Our first full-bore production is slated for November and we couldn't be more excited! I would hap-hap-happily direct FMV for games again - I truly love directing - but I'm not sure that FMV is the future. Although perhaps THAT'S what's been delaying the release of the latest Half-life game - all those re-shoots!

TLDR: Why did they call it "Full Motion" Video?

It would be great if you direct a Half-Life game and/or movie.

It would be great for me too! You know anybody?

Joe, were you involved in Command and Conquer Generals or Zero Hour at all? Also, is there any chance at all that there will be a Disney musical edition of Command and Conquer 4?

Joe here: I was not involved in either of those projects. And I hate to admit it, but although I understand that Generals is a favorite among some of the fanbase, I've never even SEEN it. Also, it is my understanding that ANYTHING is possible - so seriously: would a Disney musical edition of C&C4 REALLY be any worse than what's out there now?

TLDR: No.

What is your favorite Red Alert Series game?

Joe here: I have a real fondness in my heart for RA2 - it was a fun set and a hectic time. We had a greenscreen, a 2 backlots and a full stage set that we rotated to serve as the oval office, the Russian premier's HQ and the war-room. It was a dynamic, fun-filled time! And I was much thinner then, so that was nice too.

TLDR: Ray Wise could make any line funny if he wanted too.

What is a story from making yuri s revenge? Will we ever see yuri again?

Joe here: I remember wrapping up the final shots of Yuri's Revenge at 2am in the morning. And then Udo, the actor who portrayed Yuri, had another hour and a half in the makeup chair having his prosthetic pieces carefully removed. I sat with him the whole time, not wanting to bail on such a dedicated actor even though by then I had been on set for 26 hours. Udo pulled out a bottle of vodka that he had swiped from the hotel and we drank a series of toasts - to videogames, Andy Warhol (with whom he had worked back in the day), death rays and Roman Polanski (who had produced one of Udo's first movies.). He was a little put out when I refused to drink to Polanski. Udo had such a smooth, soft voice and he would always refer to me as "my director." My heart would glow a little every time he would say that - "my director." You can see Yuri any time you like: just Google "Udo Kier". He's been in every movie ever made.

TLDR: Roman Polanski should be in jail.

What's the reason for Kane shooting Nadia dead in the Soviet ending of Red Alert 1?

Joe here: Kane's playing the long game; Nadia seems to know too much about his history and origins and if he really does intend to be around for generations then it's best to dispose of any loose ends as they arise in order to something something something something.

TLDR: I don't really know. I think producer Ed del Castillo and I just thought it would be a cool surprise at the time.

Hey Joe, my older brothers played C&C a lot, and it rubbed off on me and my younger brother.

I've personally played C&C a lot, as well as Age of Empires, and now StarCraft 2.

I am a little curious as to what video games you play? If any. Do you enjoy C&C the most? Are there other strategy games that fit your fancy? OR...(be honest)...do you like strategy games at all?

Joe here: You know the truth is, I'm just terrible at video games. I might play more if I were better at it, but I suck on ice! I just don't have the reflexes for it and I can't get the hang of resting my left hand on WASD but then reloading with K, changing a weapon with P, turning invisible with CntlM and then hitting F5 to autosave. I'm arrogant enough to want to stick to things I'm GOOD at. Like napping and sarcasm.

TLDR: Autosave and Autoload should NOT be right next to each other...

Daniel, what can you tell us about some of the behind the scenes things that go on with these make-over, construction shows? My ex-g/f was really into some of them, but she pretty much gave up on all of them when she started to read about some of the stuff that was going on behind the scenes. Notable examples being items seeded into Storage Wars and Pawn Stars and even House Hunters being half fake, with those people already having bought one place and then just film two other places and pretend they are still looking.

Dear bot, is this a question?

Daniel says: Your girlfriend knows too much and will have to be "dealt with."

Yeah, you know I never really worked on those types of shows. I'm a designer and a carpenter and came to producing through that avenue, so I tend to work on the makeover shows. That being said, I have friends who are staff writers on Duck Dynasty (Yup, WRITERS on a reality show. Just sayin.) and what you've said is true. But in my experience, the makeover shows are pretty true to form. Of course, on occasion we will pretend that something is a bigger deal than it really is simply to add some drama. It's interesting because one wants the makeovers to go well, right? You don't want stuff to go wrong, you don't want to be late, you don't want stuff to break or anyone to freak out, etc. But if that happens, if everything is smooth, then you've got a really boring show. I can remember being on one show several years ago, and the makeover was a total disaster (I was on camera designer on that one.) and the producer was practically salivating while I was freaking out because it meant she was gonna have a great show. In the case of Extreme, we always built a house in a week, the people NEVER knew we were coming, and their reactions to the new house were real as real can be. I know it didn't seem like it, but that show was one of the most "real" reality shows out there.

Did any of the families ever get upset when you just showed up since they didn't know you were coming? Even if I was to get a new house, I think if somebody came and kicked me out and told me to go on vacation for a week when I had important things to do, I would probably be a little pissed.

The families were told that they were one of five or six finalists. So they would be sitting with a producer at the assigned time, dressed and wired for sound, hoping we would show up. (The producer with whom they were sitting told them that he/she didn't know if they were chosen or not.) Since they were a "finalist," they would have their bags packed and the time off from work all arranged. Then they would simply sit and hope like crazy that Ty would role up with his megaphone.

The tricky part, of course, is that they other five families didn't exist. They were a fiction to keep the family in the dark.

I also grew up with C&C (25 years old now), and up front I just want to say thanks for making my childhood epic. Actually I asked my dad to buy the game based on a picture I saw in a games magazine he was reading, I saw that it looked like dune 2 and at that point I was able to build bases myself in Dune 2. But that's another story...

Anyway my question for you is, what did/do you think about the C&C universe? What aspects did you like or hate, and maybe what would you have changed if you could have.

(And I read above you didn't play it as much, but as a potential second question; What is your favorite unit of the series)

Looking over your dad's shoulder at a magazine - wow! - that is EXACTLY how i bought my first blow-up doll! I really liked the semi-realness of the C&C universe. In fact, for the very first game, I pitched the notion to Brett that maybe we shouldn't market C&C as a GAME - we should market it as an UPGRADE TO YOUR COMPUTER, LINKING IT TO WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON IN THE WORLD. Hence, any troops you sent to Africa were REALLY going to Africa; any tanks you built were REALLY being built somewhere. Too much Ender's Game, I guess. Anyway, I love science fiction in all forms, but so much more so when it's grounded in a gritty, humanistic reality. Having said all that, I truly believe that much of the C&C universe is created inside the player's head. And that's really lent itself to the popularity of the game - hardcore players truly believe in Nod or GDI, truly embrace the drama of those factions. As artists, we give players a canvas and some foundational information and then they do the rest.

TLDR: Stealth tanks. It's always about the stealth tanks!

Hi Joe, I'm such a big fan of yours and Command & Conquer. You're the best, you rock! :) Here are my questions...

1. Daniel & Joe question: Outside of C&C/Red Alert, what are your favorite video games? Do you play any together?

2. Joe question: What kind of work have you been doing since C&C4 in 2010? I read somewhere you were a full-time poker player in the past, a play director, is there anything you can't do? If it's of interest, would you join the group ex-Westwood members at Petroglyph Games? Frank Klepacki still does music for their games.

3. Kane question: Any idea where can I get one of those Kane talking bobbleheads? It said "Kane LIVES! You CAN'T kill the messiah!" They were a C&C3 pre-order bonus at GameStop in America, but since I don't live there I couldn't get it. An eBay alert I've had for it since 2007 didn't help either.

Video of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3FnRLt4Jrc

Joe here: Thanks! You rock too! I'm certain of it!

1. I can't say enough about the reaction I had to both Bioshock and Bioshock: Infinite. It's very rare that a game makes me think about string theory, the multiverse and alternative American history/contemporary politics while I shot racists in the face. Great games - very emotive and engaging. Dan and I don't play much together, no. But time was, back in the day, we would play Wing Commander and one of us would pilot and one of us would engage missiles and run navigation. It was a seminal time in gaming for me!

2. I did play a lot of poker, it's true. I've been semi-retired, working on my theatre company and putting a lot of money into my house! I was also elected President of France about a year ago (funny you haven't heard about that...) so that's been fun.

3. I don't! But if you come across a supply somewhere let me know! I'll take 10! The one on my mother's mantel stopped talking years ago...

TLDR: I'm the president of France.

Hi, Joe, do you think C&C will return?

No, I don't. At least, not in anyway that would include the Kane character.

TLDR: No.

Long-Time C&C Fan here, and I liked your work Kucan (you even managed to.. kind of.. make C&C 4 good.. sort of).

I am just wondering: Out of all the C&C Games, which one did you (Kucan) like acting in the most? And is there any specific event/scene you (Kucan) liked acting in the most?

Same questions for you Daniel.

Joe here: I've answered this elsewhere, but I'll just add that of all the C&C games, RA2 was the most fun to SHOOT. I didn't do any acting in it, but Kari Wuhrer and Nick Worth were ridiculous amounts of fun! And I could look at Athena Massey all day, which sometimes I did!

TLDR: RIP Nick. I miss you all the time buddy.

We all know that every time someone asks you how you got the role of Kane, you have another answer... But how about this.

What as the FIRST answer you gave, when someone asked you how you got the role of Kane?

Joe here: I believe the first answer was "scratch off lottery cards." But I've been answering that question for a really long time so...

TLDR: Lottery.

Joe, have you seen yourself becoming more like Kane? (Charismatic, amazing facial hair, etc.? ) And, disregarding the fact that you play the leader of Nod, which of the factions do you like the most? (Reaper, MoK, Steel Talons, ZOCOM, Allies, GLA etc.)

Joe here: I actually feel like Kane has become more like ME: fatter, lazier, vegetarian. Seriously, actors often pull from themselves in creating roles, but if you want to stay healthy as a human being it becomes really clear early on that holding on to "characteristics" just makes you a sociopath. I like to think I have a better understanding of myself as a person than to just evolve in unhealthy directions!

TLDR: Stealth tanks, man, always stealth tanks.

Hello Kane! :D

I have played C&C forever! My dad got me into it and we spent countless hours playing it! My entire family is hooked! YOU ROCK!

I was wondering, if you could make a tv show about anything what would it be about?

What was your favorite part of being Kane?

What would you change, if anything, from the series?

I hope your house has two obelisk's outside of it!

"Brotherhood, Unity, Peace."

Joe here: It's funny you should ask that: before Daniel started working on his novella series, he and I fiddled around with a high-concept TV show that he had tentatively titled "Restoration." It involved secret cabals and University professors/assassins and schoolgirl secret agents and Jamaican hoo-doo priests and the English monarchy and lasers and firetrucks and mixed martial arts AND IT WAS THE GREATEST THING THAT ANYONE HAS EVER WRITTEN ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME! And then we got distracted and needed to make money.

My favorite part about being Kane was my close proximity to extraordinarily beautiful people who were all much, MUCH more talented than I. Have you ever seen Grace Park up close? You should really try it sometime! Ever shared a stage with Natasha Henstridge? I highly recommend it! Had Michael Beihn call you a little girl? Nothin' better! And also large paychecks; I've always been a fan of large paychecks. But if I had to change anything about the series, I think I might have drawn it out just a liiiiiiiittle bit longer; 3 or 4 more games would've done it. I could've really gotten some good strorytelling in with 3 or 4 more games...

TLDR: On location, Michael Beihn thought my sunhat made me look like a little girl.

Whoa! I always wanted to talk with Great Kane! Hello Kane! Wow! :D Well... How I can join Brotherhood of Nod? And I want to know all details where and when I can get green tiberium injection. Please note my location. From big Russian red zone with love, {I hope, future 'brother'} Ilya!

P.S. Joe, will you visit Russia again?

Joe here: I would LOVE to visit Russia again. Visiting Moscow was one of the greatest promotional trips I'd ever taken! Standing in the middle of Red Square while it's snowing, being filmed by a Russian news crew is a feeling everyone should have at least once in their lives. Or, in my case, twice. I highly recommend it!

TLDR: Russian women are ridiculously hot.

Can we find Clover's Movie and what is Monkey on Mama's Back?

Joe here: Monkey on Mama's Back was an independent film written and directed by a couple of Westwood producers as part of their hands-on film-making training. It was a lark and a lot of fun and I spent a day speeding around town in a brand new Viper as part of a series of inserts. And then I got squibbed up and shot in the back. Worst death face ever, by the way. Feel free to never watch it. I would be surprised if you could find Clover's Movie - I know I'VE never seen it - but if you somehow manage it, please don't pay anything to view it; the checks for that one never cleared.

TLDR: My Oscar nominations were clearly lost in the mail.

Hi Joe,

Can you remember what your reaction was to reading the script for the original C&C game. Particularly the bit when you shoot Seth. As a rather sheltered child, I remember having my mind blown (pun intended) when I saw that at 13.

Also did you get to keep any cool props or clothing from any of the filming over the years?

thanks, Stuart

Joe here: My reaction was somewhat subdued as I recall on account of I wrote that scene. Eydie Laramore and I would discuss the plot points necessary to propel the story forward and then she would write some stuff and I would write some stuff and then I'd sit and mash the two together. Eydie was more proficient in writing story and I was more interested in writing dialogue, so we were a pretty good match. And yes, my house is overflowing with C&C crap - I have both masks - from TibSun and from Kane's Wrath; I have all of the Kane costumes hanging in closet somewhere; I have a drawer full of silver Nod rings; and in the backyard, rusting away under my fig tree, I still have "Frank Zagarino," the animatronic robot we used to portray Slavic.

TLDR: Why didn't I get a writing credit on TibDawn?

[deleted]

Joe here: I have not.

TLDR: Have you heard of John Cameron Mitchell's "Shortbus"?

Not sure, if im late, but i will try my best. First of all, thank you for C&C games. They were, are and will be my favourite games for whole life (this isn't a joke!). I was first introduced to C&C by my uncle and aunt when i was 6 or 7 (im 25 now) and couldnt resist to try it out. I do not regret about the time ive spent in all games. I've finished TS for about 20 times and not going to stop. This is my favourite C&C.

Was it hard to film live scenes for every game? What difficulties did you have during filming? Oh boy, i want to ask you about so many things but im lost in my mind and cant formulate anything!

Dont mind, if i ask about something personal?

How are you doing now? What do you do, if you got any spare time? And if you have 1 wish, what would you change in C&C universe?

Guess this is it for now. I should say "Peace through power" now, but i cant, sorry. Im GDI guy :)

And again, thank you so much for game development. It was with me during my whole life and i leave it with me till the end.

Also, greetings from Russia!

Joe here: You know I spent a week in Moscow a few years ago. I mostly marveled at the ability of Russian women to walk along the frozen streets in 6 inch heels and miniskirts and not fall on their faces on the ice! There were some difficult days in filming the C&C games, but mostly that was just the stress of working really long hours during production. When you're directing the entire enterprise, it's not unusual to be on set at 6 in the morning, shoot all the way until 10 at night or so and then stick around another few hours looking at the dailies. But it was mostly indoor work, no heavy lifting and lots of free coffee. It was also a tremendous amount of fun and I would do it again tomorrow if they asked me! These days I'm semi-retired - I play a little poker from time to time and work with my brother and girlfriend on A Public Fit, our Las Vegas-based theatre company. In my spare time I work on my backyard replacing all the plants I kill over the course of a Las Vegas summer.

TLDR: Seriously, Russian women... I was there 6 days and I almost got married 9 times...

Hey Joe and Daniel!

I'm a long time C&C fan who still actively plays Renegade, Tiberian Sun, Red Alert 2 and Kane's Wrath (or Kane's Waffles as I like to call it).

My question is for Joe, how did you shoot the scene at the end of Firestorm when you were in the tube! That must have been interesting to direct!

Also to both of you, what's your favourite scene in the C&C series?

Fun fact, I have a t-shirt that Joe gave to a friend of mine when he attended GamesCon in Germany, sadly it's a C&C 4 t-shirt but every cloud has a silver lining as they say!

Peace through power gentlemen, and thankyou for your contribution to my childhood as a gamer. :)

Joe here: Oddly, Kane Waffles: Indecision of the Messiah was the original title of that game... As far as shooting the scene at the end of Firestorm where (SPOILER! Jesus Christ, Angel, you're supposed to yell SPOILER whenever you post the ending to something, even if it was filmed, like, 15 years ago. So - SPOILER!) I was in a tube, what I did was this: I had a fabrication company build an enormous tube, which I filled up with water. Then, I stripped down to my skivvies and, get this, I climbed into the tube, submerged myself in what I recall was freezing cold water, and held my breath for as long as I could. Which was 4 and a half minutes. And then I hired two other actors, one male, one female, to strip down and submerge themselves as well. I shot them statically, in various positions, from various angles, and then composited the whole thing into one dolly shot with that slow push in at the end. As I recall, the female was a little freaked out by the whole thing: she was naked, cold and felt really claustrophobic inside that cylinder. But I had a great time! You know how it is: anytime people see a big basin of water, they treat it like a wishing well - the crew spent all day throwing in loose change and making increasingly bizarre wishes. And since I was the last guy in at the end of the day, I got to swim down to the bottom and keep all of the quarters I could fit in my mouth!

TLDR: I still get a little misty when I watch the "Kane LIVES!" scene from TibSun. I remember being so happy with the way all of the many elements finally came together.

That's pretty awesome, I can understand how the woman was freaked out by the whole thing, but it turned out being a great scene!

As for the spoilers, I apologise, but at least I didn't mention the bit RIGHT at the end with CABAL and your face on the screen with the distorted voices crossing over... whoops. (SPOILER)Our directives must be reassessed.(/SPOILER)

Did any of the crew's wishes come true?

The Kane Lives scene is the one I show my friends when I want to make a "look at this because it's awesome" type point when talking about memorable moments in games. You guys nailed it!

Seeing me nude a giant tube filled with water was pretty much everything ANYONE could ever wish for...

Daniel's fun fact: I did all the motion capture for Renegade. Yup, that's me running around and getting blowed up. Joe has a knack for getting me into positions where I can seriously injure myself. (ask him to tell you about the time he insisted we sign up for the "dress like a pirate" contest.)

Joe, what do you think about C&C Modding Scene, which is trying to "Make C&C a better game and/or repair what EA destroyed in C&C series"? I grew up on C&C series (I started playing playing RA1 since i was 4 years old, now im 20) and it was sad for me to see it fallout with next part - RA3 and C&C3 were fine for me, just next ones were even worse. I find it amazing that even after all those years there are people trying to make older parts of C&C playable again.

Joe here: I also find it pretty amazing that people are still so dedicated to the purity of the game after all these years! I think it's fantastic that even with all of the content available out there from which to choose, C&C is where these talented guys are spending their creative energies. I couldn't be more please!

TLDR: MODS LIVE IN DEATH!

Questions from my friend, Dr. Tippa:

• Do you know about russian C&C fans? In 2007 we (with me) occupied our school in the name of Kane!

• Joe, would you support idea of Brotherhood, if it existed in reality?

Joe here: I have some questions for the Dr. too: I have this thing on my neck that bulges out if I move my arm like this but if I take my arm back like THIS it almost disappears and it really hurts. What the heck IS that? No, I've not heard of Russian C&C fans occupying a school in the name of Kane. BUT I THINK THAT'S AWESOME! And will need to see pictures immediately! Of course I embrace the idea of brotherhood, but I can't possibly support the ideas of THE Brotherhood - terrorism is just not for me. And although my brother is a bit of transhumanist, I'm a little uncomfortable with the notion of accelerated evolution.

TLDR: Please don't take over any more schools.