Prince of Persia with Andrew S Walsh

Ubisoft's narrative director plots the Prince's reinvention

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We've played it, and we've told you all about. Now listen as we get the detailed, inside scoop on Prince of Persia's story, straight from the man who wrote it, Andrew S Walsh, Ubisoft Montreal's narrative director.

You're the man behind the game's story, I gather - how long have you been involved?

I started with a visit over here in August last year (2007), I'd been working on the story a little before that, but I really became involved about a year ago. Some of the basics were in place by then, but it was up to me to make them all work and take us forward.

Was the unique, 'illustrative' art style in place when you arrived?

It was already in place, but it wasn't completely evident. There were various shaders and other things to be dropped onto it, but I've definitely seen a development over the last year. It was there when I arrived, yes. Its been finalised for quite a while.

What consideration did you give the art style with regard to the narrative side of the game?

Well, what I like is that from the conversations I had when I arrived... is finding out what the team were interested in - why they made certain gameplay decisions and so forth. They were very interested in... well, whenever Prince of Persia has been talked about in the past, its always been with reference to the Arabian Nights; that 'feel', the inspiration... and there was a feeling that the team wanted to move PoP more in that direction. That fantastical feel to it. More of the legend, myth feel. I think the art style builds that feeling. If the game had gone photo-realistic, that would have been cool, but that wouldn't maybe help get the feeling they were after.

Did you consider the previous Prince of Persia stories at all, in penning your narrative?

Yes, I did actually. We looked at them, obviously many of the team here worked on the older games. Its always the thing when you're working on something "new", even though we wanted to invent a new Prince of Persia, we didn't want to throw the baby out with the bath water. We didn't want a Steampunk version where everyone speaks a new language! What we also wanted to do was change things more than cosmetically - if he was still gothic, if he spoke in the same style - people would say we hadn't changed anything. He's the same character. So we looked at what was underlying him, the base of the character. What he is. His noble, honourable side. He's trustworthy. We looked at those characteristics, and we brought them into the new Prince, he's got a very different feel in many ways.

He's a much more troubled, believable character?

Yes, yes yes. The previous Prince definitely had his troubles but they were all on the surface. Where as, this new Prince, well, for a start he's not a Prince at the beginning of the game, he's out of his depth. He's more Prince in nature than in fact, and we'll see if and when Ubisoft move forward with any other Prince of Persia games where this goes. But the character, at the start, he starts with a wise-cracking humour-style, he's very laid back, he's used to hanging around with other adventurers. He's used to using humour to fit in with other male adventurers, and secondly its there as a defense. It stops people seeing the emotion that's underneath, that's something you'll see as you progress through the game. You begin to lift the corners of the character.

Does Elika play a part in this?

Yes. You're not going to find out everything about this Prince. You're not going to get to the end of the game and go "ahhh, so that's his story." You'll begin to get the idea that there's a lot more going on. He's not just a wise-cracker, you'll learn more about him.

So... Ubisoft want a more mysterious character, who I guess we'll learn more about in games to come?

Well, we'd hope so! Its a case of watch this space on that one. Its also just to fit in with the world, its very different from the one used previously. So, again, with the writing style, the story style, it has to fit in with the design. So, there are the designs of the characters, and these have to fit with the game and the art design.

So... the Prince isn't a Prince at the start. Will we see him progressing towards a more noble state as the game progresses? Will we see a shift as we play?

You'll see a change in the character. He starts out... well, the key thing, not wishing to give away too much, is when he's dropped into the adventure; he wants to leave. He doesn't want to be there. If he was dropped in the same circumstances... in these situations you have to think about the hero, but also the human reaction, and if I were dropped in his place, a good part of me would want to get the hell out! That's the kind of thing that changes, really, an evolution of his attitude.

Have you spoken with Jordan Mechner at all, about your moves with the story and the character?

Sadly I haven't, no. I'd love that chance, that would be really cool...

I've heard he likes the game...

That's what I've heard. It would be really nice if he likes it. I mean, we've tried to stay true to the innovations of the original game.

The gameplay seems very pure, very fluid. Is the story important to give the gameplay depth, significance?

Completely. To boil it down to the bare facts. Gameplay is there... to be the 'game'. Of course! But the story is there to set it in context, to give you purpose. You can go through 1001 shooters, BioShock, etc., there isn't much difference there in terms of gameplay, but the world its set in is a totally different experience. Its hopefully all there to set it all in place. But then you have to respect gameplay, you mustn't get in the way of that, the two should marry.