Mathieu Ferland (Ubi Soft) on Splinter Cell
Ferrago talk at length with the Producer of Tom Clancy's most anticipated game yet.
Ferrago: How will your approach to game design ensure that stealth is essential during the game; how will cunning over muscle be encouraged?
MF: There are many parameters that will balance this aspect. Stealth plays are very cool, but sometimes, you may get better satisfaction with a well aimed sniper shot or with a full automatic spray shot. Most of the time, depending on the objectives of a mission, the player has the freedom to decide if he wants to be ‘fully’ stealth or if he wants to shoots enemies he’s allowed to shoot. The rule is simple: if the player decides to shoot people, it makes his life harder as he needs to hide the bodies that will not necessary have fallen into a shadowed area. Also, a shot or a missed shot may make extra noise and this may alert the guards. The player will decide himself the level of challenge he wants to get, all possibilities give different results, which also creates great replay value.
Ferrago: The new technology you’ll be showing-off in the game, such as shadow and lighting-effects, new AI, etc., are sure too add to the experience but exactly how will you make them integral to the gameplay as promised? The game’s realism will apparently manifest itself through some highly interactive environments – how will they be integral to your progress in Splinter Cell, and what kind of ‘interactions’ can the player make?
MF: The dynamic system improves realism in the levels, but also creates interesting gameplay action. For example, you may notice the presence of a guard as you see his shadow on a wall or through a curtain… or even shoot him through the curtain. But, the most interesting part is that lights can either be switched off or be broken by a bullets. This interactivity will create a path for Sam to hide, and/or will get the attention of guards in order to sneak behind them. Keep in mind that Sam has night vision goggles that allow him to see in completely dark areas. Also, other objects in the levels like bottles, cans, lamps… can also be broken or thrown to create distraction. It is up to the player to make a smart use of them.
Ferrago: As this is a Tom Clancy game, we’re sure to enjoy a spot of the usual globe-trotting – what locales will we be infiltrating and how are you recreating them authentically?
MF: The main plot occurs in Georgia, Myanmar, Russia, and of course, the USA.
Ferrago: What does the use of the Unreal technology add to the game’s visuals that we should be most anticipating?
MF: The Unreal engine has provided very strong basis to start the project. Early in the development, we could already build prototypes of our gameplay and nice rough levels. We wanted to spend most of our effort on improving something already good and bring it to the next level instead of just using an external engine… As many other developers are using the Unreal technology, and the decision of putting our efforts at the right place made those amazing results. For example, we added a physic engine on soft bodies to that allow us to reproduce the movement on many objects in the game while the light passes through it. Unreal technology has been used as a powerful tool, but specific features that make Splinter Cell unique are the result of in-house development.
Comments
I am very surprised that this game is aiming less toward team, and more toward self, considering the other Tom Clancy games out there....
How can you say this? Just like the guy said, you can't make a game like this with a whole team to command. It just wouldn't work.
"17 minutes of pre-rendered cinematics that will guide the player into the plot. But don’t worry, they’re won’t be more movies than gameplay and you’ll be able to skip them if the story is not your main interest. "
HAHA! We wont have a game thats crappy like MGS2
just imagine how crappy this game will look like on the ps2. :D
Viva xbox(and high end PC´s)!! This game looks much better than MGS2
I think there should be a multi-player mode. I mean it could be a game that friends could come over and play, like at a party or something. There isn't a better game than a multi-player shooting game.That's why I love Halo. This game would be loved more with a multi-player. If you don't like multi-player pick single player and stop crying. I think a create a Sam would be cool too. PLAYERS LIKE VARIETIES. Believe that.
I agree this game should have multiplayer mode because it might be too hard for one person to handle and with two players its easier.
This game is gonna be the ish!
With games like this only on xbox, PS2 will soon go out of business. Ha-Ha. :D
This game is gonna be the ish!
With games like this only on xbox, PS2 will soon go out of business. Ha-Ha. :D
This is game is gonna be the ish!
And with games like this only on xbox, PS2 will soon go out of business. Ha-Ha :D
Reckon it'd have to be a diffrent game for multiplayer to be implemented. You cant just shove it into any old game, something developers seem to have impressed upon the suits as can be seen by a wave of single-player only titles kicking about. Now if they can just convince the suits that gamers want to play original, eciting games, then we might be getting somewhere
splinter cell ist das beste agentenspiel das ich mir nach Metal Gear holen werde
i bilieve this is cona be a great game that is a must have ass all they say is true it will defeat mgs 2
it looks smooter en real ,so let it come faster than 2003
why-cant-developers-release-a-new-type-of-game-instead-of-the-same-old-boring-crap-we-have-been-playing-over-the-last-few-year
(exept-for-GTAIII)
This game wont be brilliant cos of the damn controller on the X Box! Give it a keyboard and this game will ROCK!
Man this game would suck with a keybord... I tried the MGS demo on my computer and that blew... control was awful. If you don't like the original Controller get the smaller one.
This will be the game to watch! I am counting the days until it hits! Tick Tock, Tick Tock!
yeah, with 33,000,000 ps2s already sold and counting (at a higher rate than Xbox) ps2 will go out of business.
uhuh.
i wannanow when the game splinter cell will be on ps2 and i need to ask another thing is the game for xbox will be having the same graphics for ps2?
The game wont come for the ps2 until, at best, summer 2003. And the graphics cant be as good on the ps2 as on the xbox, because the game takes full advatage of the nvidia gpu in the xbox, and ps2 dont have that kinda power. besides for all of u that wanted multiplayer mode, there will probably be a multiplayer addon sometime in 2003.
I can't what to get my copy of Splinter Cell. But I really hate the people that say it is going to suck or something like that when they haven't even read or saw anything about it I think that Splinter Cell is going to change the way people play video games and for those ather stealth-action games I think thell be a little more stealther.
if splinter cell comes to the ps2, when will it be released?
bloody brilliant
thats it
The Xbox controller is the WORST!! of the new consoles, it's designed for gorilla hands. It would be different if it had more buttons, but... it doesn't so what's the point?!???!?!
metal gear 2 is a lot better. most games on X-box are crap just buy the best, buy a PS2 and get your moneys worth... spinter cell will come out on PS2 any way and it will be the same as the x-box
when is it comin out on PS2
When is splinter cell coming to ps2?
i will have to look at the ps2 version
can not get past glass elavator with laser mick. im doing everything correct as i have already done it on the ps2.
no way is it better than mgs2