Mod Showcase: Sam Lake in Max Payne 3

[@mr.noname5731]

RIP McCaffery

[@Hail54336]

Long live the king

[@xSpicySaltx]

based

[@misanthrope5063]

RIP Sam Lake

[@Hail54336]

@@misanthrope5063 Sam is still alive, redo your research

[@mr.noname5731]

@@misanthrope5063 Sam is still alive, what's wrong with you?

[@Spoggi99YT]

Sam Lake is an absolute legend. That said, James McCaffrey is Max Payne for me… rest in peace!

[@comicsamsthegreat]

The new world trade center being in that concept art makes me wonder when the remakes will be set, I hope it's still the early 2000s, the Y2K era technology really added to the Neo-noir feel

[@BadgerGoodger]

I'm also hoping for it to be set in 2001 and 03 again. The strong mafia presence also makes sense for that time, and aside from that, setting it in the present would pretty much retcon Max Payne 3 out of the story completely.

[@andrewcutler1380]

I agree. It should be late 90s early 00s.

[@AeroFix94]

Damn, that gives me bad vibes for the remake. Why even call it a remake if it will be set in modern times? Maybe a reboot?

[@myblaonga]

@@AeroFix94 It's been 23 years and devs still have no balls, to add world trade center twin towers

[@Karv3r]

It might just be an oversight. As in, the artist just taking a photo of NYC and using it as a reference without putting much thought into it.

[@pranoychakravorty2370]

There is a hilarious interview with Sam Lake on why they used to choose two different actors for portraying a character such as Alan Wake and Max Payne in one and two but when Remedy saw the Rockstar's take on Max they were dumbfounded that James Mccaffrey could voice and physically play the character himself and Remedy felt like idiots on how they themselves never considered to ask James to play the character in previous installments .

[@checkmate5336]

So it wasn't about cost or anything? They just FORGOT to ask him to model his likeness in the games?

[@Armed_Plumber]

​@@checkmate5336​@checkmate5336 While I am not sure about MP2, during the end of developing MP1, Remedy still haven't found a face they deemed fit for Max himself and they are running out of time, so the team just ask Sam Lake do the role himself, and he did with a smile on his face. Why didn't they ask McCaffery to do the role you ask? Well…¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@themoongateofficial]

@@Armed_Plumbertbf max payne 1 is iconic

[@Armed_Plumber]

@@themoongateofficial Oh definitely, even those slightly amateur-ish comic cutscenes have a certain charm in them, and the story is my favorite out of the trilogy.

[@Raccoon.City.Police.Department]

@@Armed_Plumber I think It was because they didn't know the voice actors likeness maybe, after all he was in America, and they were in sweden.

[@GamingGrenade1]

While it looks a bit strange, Max Payne being so skinny actually makes sense given how many painkillers he downs throughout the game

[@mr_smiles4213]

Just ignore the alcohol lol

[@magxel]

nah he drinks alcohol and eats trash food pizzas an all that shit and just a stupid example… Juice WRLD die taking a lot of Oxycodone, and he was chubby

[@myblaonga]

@@mr_smiles4213 Combining whiskey with painkillers might lead to weight loss because alcohol can suppress appetite, and painkillers often have similar effects. Together, they can reduce the desire to eat and may disrupt digestion, which could lower calorie intake. Additionally, since both are processed through the liver, this combo might influence how your body breaks down nutrients and fat, possibly leading to weight changes.

[@hellomate2405]

Max Payne being skinny and roughed up is actually in character. Dude was popping pills and drinking for 8 years, no way he would be jacked like he was in the vanilla game. Though having beard on Sam Lake would be a nuce touch

[@rambii.]

But why is his head so big?

[@n0vi]

@@rambii. Sams kinda... is

[@SantaMonica17972]

2:56 bro finally broke character 🙏😭

[@The_Don_]

Cringe as hell comment.

[@SantaMonica17972]

@ 138 ppl disagree

[@The_Don_]

@@SantaMonica17972 Doesn't change anything. Its till cringe and unoriginal L

[@SantaMonica17972]

@@The_Don_ your opinion doesn’t matter bro go elsewhere

[@The_Don_]

@@SantaMonica17972 Don't call me bro. And no my opinion DOES matter. It matters just as much as yours.

[@kevo300]

The dude who self inserted so hard into Alan wake 2 I thought he was the main character

[@SoulbentAnime]

To think Rockstar originally wasn't going to use James Mcaffrey to voice Max Payne in the 3rd game

[@smiley3637]

I've never heard Badger laugh, help😭

[@rangerv1]

He laughs quite a lot on his twitch stream

[@sebastiannienow6981]

He only laughs at YOU, and only when you're not around 🫵

[@NkosanaMakhubele]

😂😂

[@thestormthatisapproaching9116]

Never thought I'd see the day where I would hear Badger's laugh

[@BuryTheLight-tds]

Me neither

[@AmruthGamer]

2:56First time seeing him laughing 😂

[@JackNormalMemes]

When I saw the video I actually assumed it was ported from AW2, but good job modder thats some good work.

[@Kacpa2]

Having proper Sam Lake model is nice, but definitive Max for is and always will be James himself. Him voicing and being the character is what shouldve happened sooner and in live action movie. I'm glad he got to get his role in full in MP3. When Bryan Cranston got a breakout wiht Breaking Bad out of small and forgettable tv shows, James was robbed of that and never got to do more dramatic work in film or more serious TV shows as the star. Max Payne 3 was his and should be so, i hate when people act like he didnt deserve to have Max's face be his, just because of nostalgia.

[@SininenVenom]

Do you mean James was considered for the role of W.W.?

[@ShawnFerrell]

I'm pretty sure more people watched Malcolm in the Middle than those that played Max Payne..

[@blakegriplingph]

I actually ported the Alex Casey model from AW2 to Tony Hawk about a year ago. Seeing Sam Lake in HD is surreal.

[@SemorreButte]

1:30 probably the reason he looks so wierd is that the model in the first game is like 6'8! So they had to compres his image or make him look unnaturally skinny

[@troypowers750]

It's been... concerning since the announcement of MP1 and 2 remakes. Since McCAffrey passed, I wonder what the progress even looks like.

[@brandonsimoncini]

I really hope he was able to do his lines (if they're redoing the voice work) before his passing, if not, I think him in Alan Wake 2 was a great swansong for his work

[@themoongateofficial]

I would honestly accept them redoing just the gameplay but keeping the old audio

[@troypowers750]

@@themoongateofficial I was pretty surprised that the lines didn't sound that compressed. Granted, the same VAs were reused wherever possible.

[@Raccoon.City.Police.Department]

@@themoongateofficial I HATE that Idea, what are people talking about, that's a terrible Idea, we want a REMAKE, I want them to go beyond the first game, really make it longer and revamp the structure, Maybe even add a bit of detective work or a small open world to drive in the blizzard. I played Max Payne 40 times, since its the first game I played when I was 4. I can say every line in the game, Im sick of it, I want them to go beyond the restrictions of the first game, instead of them just creating levels and a comic for the story, I want them to go beyond the Call of Duty and make a masterpiece, and that means making 10 times the dialogue. so when people say just reuse the old lines like snake eater I start to fume.

[@Camerato_r6]

0:22 "Biggest chorizo in the world feeds 300 people"

[@Gipsy_T.]

kkkkkkk

[@donmondo2479]

There was some really funny stuff in Max Payne 3. I loved the Brazilian soap opera with the demon baby 😂

[@Armed_Plumber]

Yeah during that time Rockstar's writing team have the humor sense of 14 years old teenagers, and I appreciate them for that ´_>`

[@marko-gj1uj]

Badger uploaded a new video. It's a good day

[@AutisticTorch]

This mod is very impressive and I was amazed when I first saw it. For the remake I'd like (and could also maybe see them doing) either having Lake, Gibbs or McCaffery as the main face, then the other 2 who aren't the primary face as unlockable extras.

[@originallynot]

They made my guy Max look like he had been pricked by one of those needles on the first game 🤣🤣

[@SantaMonica17972]

i can’t wait for the max payne remake

[@sejoki_]

The dad bod reminds me too much of Michael, even though MP3 was a year earlier. Considering we see Max drinking a lot more than we see him eating, it's a fitting look. For the remake - I don't really care how he looks. Finding a suitable voice actor that can still portray the darkness, despair and indifference like James McCaffrey did is going to be much more challenging. The key isn't sounding like JMC, it's feeling and understanding Max Payne.

[@unoriginalperson72]

I mean you can dress Micheal exactly like Brazilian favela max in GTA V

[@checkmate5336]

@@unoriginalperson72 And his early suit is also Micheals default suit option.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

The anorexic look makes more sense for a pill popper who doesn't take care of himself.

[@Laughingyeen-00]

My Man butt loves dad bods 😂

[@BrPerera]

My guy finally lost it 2:56 ITS BEEN YEARS WE’VE BEEN WAITING TO HEAR YOU LAUGH BADGER

[@EmutagEmulatorsorgamplays]

Max payne is always my favorite game

[@EmutagEmulatorsorgamplays]

But tbh no one can not replace Sam Lake and James McCaffrey.

[@LHGaming25]

I might be the only one but i think the first Max Payne really fit into atmosphere of 1970s New York rather then early 2000s It also would fit into narrative why Max Payne looks much older in third game

[@Armed_Plumber]

If there is a face funnier than MP1Max's smiley face, it will be MP1Max's death face. It looks like Sam's dog jumped onto his nuts while he is shooting the photo or something.

[@GrandHighGamer]

Surprised they didn't rip the face from Alan Wake 2. That might be difficult, but sculpting the face from scratch is just insane.

[@myblaonga]

It was made before release of Alan Wake 2

[@nikobellic737]

I think using James's young appearance for the remakes would be an amazing tribute. I know Sam Lake is iconic but James look fits much more to Max than Sam's. Also, I'm worried about Max's voice. I don't think James got to work in anything related to the remakes. Will they try to use some kind of AI to keep his voice? I think it would be a good thing, with James's family approval of course. His voice will always be legendary and I don't think any other actor could replace him as Max.

[@BadgerGoodger]

If McAffrey's family gave them permission to do so, I'm sure they'd have no problem using his likeness again and just making him look like how he did in the late 90s/early 2000s. I highly doubt they're going to use an A.I. voice though, that would just not sound right. I also don't think they're gonna reuse the old dialogue like what's being done for MGS3. The best bet would be to just conduct a search for an actor who can pull off the voice and do the character justice.

[@Shapershift]

AI would just sound weird and unauthentic. Best bet would be to find someone with a similar voice but younger.

[@rollschuh2282]

i guess it depends on the quality of the og recordings and if they still have the source recordings could be that those sources are much higher quality so it would work great i am sure they will find a way

[@nikobellic737]

@@BadgerGoodger yeah I don't know about the tech behind it, but I didn't mean to create the voice via AI. I thought of some kind of...overlay? Filter? that mimics his voice to put over another voice. But as I said, I don't know if such thing existes just yet.

[@nikobellic737]

@@Shapershift maybe. As I said to Badger, I thought of some kind of "overlay" or filter put over real recordings, not to create voice via AI, but I don't know if that tech exists.

[@dopey473]

Hearing you laugh genuinely spooked me. Yeah this mod is great and honestly I kinda dig super skinny Max Payne, adds to his self destructive behavior while also explaining why he can still jump around like rabbit. For me James is still THE Max Payne, RIP.

[@Pierceserrano96]

It actually works very well to being idealistic. Even since Sam Lake use his face while James was voice overing is a fun tribute to the imagination.

[@JnEricsonx]

So happy I met Sam, James, Matt, and Courtney Hope a year before Control came out.

[@jjfallnov]

Hey! New Badger video!!

[@FR4M3Sharma]

I really want someone to mod a Younger James McAffrey in Max Payne 1 & 2. There was a mod for Max Payne which modded Sam's Max into Max Payne 2 and even replaced him in the graphic novels.

[@WHYAREWEHAVINGTHISCONVERSATION]

Its astonishing to me that a guy in his bedroom can do a better job on a character model(s) than a tripple A game studio can

[@checkmate5336]

I think it had to do something with the launch of GTA V becoming a thing a year after. All focus was on that more important title.

[@matajuegosoriginal]

i mean it was a joke skin

[@WHYAREWEHAVINGTHISCONVERSATION]

@@matajuegosoriginal I mean yeah I kinda get it in that regard but it just looks abhorrent 🤣🤣 at least the pixel blovk one looks like it’s obviously supposed to be a bit of a funny skin

[@naii_]

you're telling me a hobbyist with infinite creative time can do more work on a personal asset than a salaried worker creating hundreds of assets under strict deadlines???? Wow, this is truly inconceivable!!!

[@WHYAREWEHAVINGTHISCONVERSATION]

@@naii_ that’s a bullshit argument and you know full well that it is 🤣🤣

[@theghoulboyofficial]

a bunch of people seem to agree that max looks too skinny with the original mod, so someone made it so the edits only affect the head (while also keeping the beard from the base game). imo best version of the mod

[@yourcommander3412]

The actors in max payne felt more grounded and appropriate then the following entries.

[@TKMacsta]

that is such bs

[@NavaroSFX]

agreed, always favored sam lake's version of max payne.

[@badluck747]

absolute true. this something about the first game that made it so unique

[@Slonitram]

I actually like Max's smaller frame in this mod over the dad bod Rockstar gave him. Hope Remedy goes with something similar for the Max Payne remake.

[@vinesauceobscurities]

Fun fact: There's also a MP1 Sam Lake model mod for Max Payne 2.

[@sluxi]

where can I find it? I really want to play it that way.

[@Jeansowaty]

@@sluxi It's called Classic Payne iirc

[@Raccoon.City.Police.Department]

LAUGHE BABY, LAUGHE, I LOVE IT.😂😂

[@greenth-mac2550]

There's a mod that allows to spawn npcs and set them as enemies it allie which gave the game a replayability. I wish it was possible to create custom maps just like the first 2 games. I did manage to add a Vinnie ally npc in the Woden Mansion by replacing him with an already existing npc, he fights with max but no one see him as an enemy, at least it work. You can see it on MP2 Moddb.

[@thefearofg0ds758]

Of all the faces Max has had, Sam's was always the one the fit the character the best imo. He had an everyman look to him that grounded him in a surreal, violent new york. The tough guy aura and monolgue also just fit that look better. I was never a fan of them changing his face in MP2 to resemble the typical handsome, chisled jaw detective archetype.

[@MrGrimm-gy1mu]

rest in peace James McCaffery

[@arthurmorgan2906]

2:55 XD

[@justthegoodstuff4670]

I'm really worried what they're going to do with the remake Both in terms of voice and the face of James McCaffrey

[@TheCynicalAutist]

Ideally, they'd just re-use Alex Casey's model and give him the threads, remake Timothy, and just re-use the old dialogue, but we have no idea if they're going to be that faithful.

[@rootbeer666]

I never loved the 3rd game, but this might justify a revisit.

[@-GhostofZion-]

The skinnyness of sam lake almost gives me Rorschach form the watchmen vibes.

[@guiwonsik]

wtf? Im brazilian and I saw 0:20 I thought with myself... how could I miss that news? then I realized its probably portugal (the place were people speak portuguese brazilian).

[@wowguyman1440]

It’s actually neither. It’s a Easter egg from Max Payne 3.

[@wildcate]

Hopefully Timothy Gibbs will return to the franchise as new VA Max, his voice is pretty similar to James and it closes “the circle”.

[@andrewgarfield9898]

Your voice is smooth like brother

[@ibie27]

Ahh this video is too goood

[@turkeyman9914]

I always thought you sounded like Max Payne lol.

[@AnotherLikeADragonFan2019]

Taking a closer look at that concept art at Remedy HQ. It does resemble Timothy Gibbs but the head shape seems a little off. Chin and jawline not as prominent. Although it is admittedly hard to tell because the shadows are so dark. To me it almost looks like a younger James McCaffrey. Or it could just be me seeing things and it is just Gibbs again. The guy has aged, he might not look the same 20+ years ago.

[@JosephMack1999]

God he looks like a mix of Beavis and Butthead.

[@MistahCoco]

I installed the classic max payne mod for mp2 and I don't regret it. mp3 with the Sam Lake mod kinda looked weird to me a little bit but I played the mod with it.

[@RatedTrout25152]

Max Payne 3 is still one of the best games I played

[@VogtTD]

“The only way to play as Sam Lake” Forgets original game exists.

[@MistahCoco]

Also side note there is a mod that puts sams head on the dadbod max payne.

[@TheGentleCreepers]

*PAYNE TO THE MAX BABY!!!* 🔥🔥🔥

[@jamiehexum5905]

Give me James McCaffrey all day every day.

[@NkosanaMakhubele]

Badger Goodger laughing before GTA 6😢😮😢😂😂

[@MrBluntStonedGaming]

Just need to wait for remakes

[@supratard778]

"I looked like a fat bald dude with a bad temper"

[@Adam_X78]

My boy!!!!

[@MeLazyHamd]

No way I heard Badger laugh

[@cybermexi-8100]

He looks like speed freak being that skinny

[@Majima487]

some side shots it made me think of Charlie Sheen XD

[@Mr.Coffee576]

Sam Lake will always be Max Payne to me.

[@RedVortex11X]

Max if he traded painkillers for meth

[@martinl7612]

I had no idea McCaffery died. RIP.

[@JnEricsonx]

Yeah, a while back. :( Met the man back in 2018.

[@trenton227]

Please rockstar do a collab with remedy and give is a faithful max payne game.

[@Waffles_Syrup]

the head looks just a touch too big

[@dibberz-v1z]

I hope they update the original games as well so they can be played on modren systems without any weird audio bugs

[@fabiosegretario1986]

Max Payne is and will always be Sam Lake (voiced by Giorgio Melazzi in the Italian version of the first two games, but that's another story), I never appreciated the change that happened for the second and third, Sam Lake made him iconic, for better or for worse (for me only for better) that changing him made no sense. Moreover, after Alan Wake 2, where Sam Lake plays Alex Casey in the dark place, he is practically Max Payne and there is no point in discussing him again. If he is not there again as a face, it would be disappointing.

[@brandonsimoncini]

Badger laughing is like a movie villain laugh where you don't know if they're genuinely laughing or about to snap and kill someone

[@officegossip]

I thought it was an AI until he laughed.

[@bettercallytp]

Well said 👏

[@nsawatchlistbait289]

I feel like Max these days

[@ornix5761]

2:29 oh my

[@alexzaze1407]

giant ass head tho

[@rocketrazor]

With this mod Max Kinda looks like CJ when it's skinny and bald 😂

[@jagermanjensen1]

Wow, I’m so interested in seeing how they respect McCaffreys performance. There’s no way they should try to replicate his voice, I can only hope they put in 110% directing whatever VA has to fill these massive shoes 😢

[@KP-48-007]

Impressive

[@gaurangvaghela7560]

Who will be the voice of max payne in the remake?

[@rambii.]

It is a remake so they will just reuse the voice

[@AmruthGamer]

Bro talk About gta trilogy update

[@johnnyadams98]

2:56 You turned into fl1ppy.

[@Escape5150]

I always thought they used Johnny Knoxville for the first 2 games

[@SantaMonica17972]

1:02 i have never seen this 😮

[@Ender_Rock]

He kind of looks like chris cooper in some parts

[@EfekanOrtanci]

Maybe I'll get a lot of backlash, but “I think the max character in the 3rd game is a cool and cool character” The problem was not the character but the game, but people hate the max in the 3rd game along with their hatred for the 3rd game”

[@Makeusayclan]

Am i the only one who thinks Badger has a similar voice to McCaffery?

[@mi_raj08]

I love your voice

[@VRMONKE-r5f]

At 3:09 why would that be a cool mod Bruce Willis‘s head on max’s body

[@maximdrake]

Sam Lake is ridiculously skinny and honestly I don't think his face fits the character that well. McCaffery was perfect imo and they should bring his face back for the remakes.

[@_grigoryta]

The problem with the skinny body is now his head looks too big, otherwise a pretty cool detail

[@Johnyboy699]

naw...i like what rockstar did with how max looked for MP3...sam lake looks freakish with that shaved head

[@ZsoltVajda]

his head is out of scale lol

[@matajuegosoriginal]

hmm, the new wtc is in that artwork... maybe the remakes are set post 2015?

[@bayarea4153]

When will the remake come out??

[@BadgerGoodger]

According to Remedy, it's now in full production. My guess would be 2026. After GTA VI for sure.

[@bayarea4153]

@ I wanted to play it while I was waiting for GTA 6 to fix that itch 😭 it’s been 10 years rockstar!!!

[@rustysqueezebox8]

I liked the first 2 games but max payne 3 was way grittier and darker and had way better quips

[@deathcold_longplaysua4846]

I agree on the fact that Same Lake face even in the first game as Max Payne looks weird. Cause I never liked his look as Max Payne because it breaks the character. I mean, his family was killed in the game, he got rough life and had to go against all this criminal world in this noir and dark world, and he goes around and has that weird smile face going on like he was under some hard stuff. It not just breaks the character but breaks whole game's atmosphere and setting. It's like adding a cartoony character in to a realistic world. Thus why I don't see a point of using this mod. At least from my point of view. So yeah, in my opinion Sam Lake can be as good developer as he want, but as a face of Max Payne, he does not fit that role.