Speaking to the head of art and design reminds us of school but Tim Jones, head of art and design at Rebellion, has a way better job than that. He's responsible for the savage looks of the world Rebellion is creating for Sega's hotly anticipated action game Aliens Versus Predator. See him dodge questions like a Predator dodges bullets below.
AvP has come a long way since the original. Improved visuals aside, how differently do you approach making a game now than years ago?
Jones: With the power of current console technology, we're able to do so much more than we were on our first AvP. Our goal with this game is to get as close as possible to the movies through the sound, graphics and gameplay.
We're working very hard to create an authentic Aliens and Predator experience, and it's only now that we've got the technology in PC and current consoles to make the AvP game that we've always wanted to make. Our original AvP is still very fondly remembered by fans so it's a pleasure to come back to AvP and bring that classic experience up to date to give fans of the game and movies a brand new AvP experience.
Alien vs. Predator
Official trailer
1:39A Marine trailer
Alien vs. Predator
Official trailer
1:39A Marine trailer
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How will ensure all three player classes are balanced?
Tim Jones: Balancing in this game is extremely important, especially when you're working with three species that control in completely different ways and provide their own unique gameplay experience. We are investing a lot of time in ensuring that we get the balance right in both single player and multiplayer, and the results of the team to date are working out really well. We're constantly playing the multiplayer in the office and having a lot of fun.
But Predator would win in real life though, right?
Jones: Not necessarily, each of the three species has their strengths and weaknesses, and each is as just as capable of making a fatal mistake. The Predator does have some pretty awesome technology on his side such as his ability to cloak, but the Marine has a barrage of lethal firepower and the Alien can hang off the environment and drop down onto his prey in a flash. I don't think you could ever definitively say that any of the three species would definitely win a fight against the others.
It's due next year - did Sony's or MS's motion control tech grab any interest at Rebellion?
Jones: We're always keeping a sharp eye on any new developments available to make games more immersive, and the new motion control developments look very exciting. I don't think the technology will be quite ready for us to use in this iteration of AvP - but maybe next time...
The most recent Alien vs Predator movie. Disappointment. If you made an AvP movie, how would it be different?
Jones: The AvP movies come in for a lot of stick because people's expectations are (justifiably) so high. While they perhaps don't capture the same vibe as the original classics, they still have a lot of fans and have introduced many cool ideas to the universe.
If I had the opportunity to make an AvP movie, I would set it in the future again and take it as an opportunity to look at how mankind might continue to spread through the galaxy and our approach to dealing with the hostile species we run into in the process. Think Battlestar Galactica with Aliens and Predators. I also think it's time to add a new species into the mix...
Nice. Your previous AvP title aside, which Aliens games were your favourites over the years, and why?
Jones: I was a big fan of Aliens: The Computer Game on the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 - though I only ever seemed to manage to get about four screens into it! As a closet retro-gamer, the Capcom side-scrolling 2d beat em up Aliens vs Predator is a real favourite. And I have to admit that I cannot walk past an Aliens: Extermination light-gun cabinet without stopping and pumping in more credits than I can afford.
Alien vs. Predator
Official trailer
1:38Full reveal from E3.
Alien vs. Predator
Official trailer
1:38Full reveal from E3.
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With a huge focus on multiplayer, what post-release DLC plans do you have?
Jones: I'm afraid we can't say much on this as you can imagine. We are looking at DLC for the game but that's all I can reveal.
Do you have plans for a demo or Beta test before release?
Jones: Again, I'm sorry to have to be tight lipped on this one but I can't confirm or deny a beta test or demo for the game. Obviously we'd love to but you'll have to wait and see.
AvP has been touted as "four games in one box". If each campaign could stand up as a game in itself, why not release them separately? A bit like what Blizzard's doing with Diablo III.
Jones: You could definitely say it's like four games in one box but we wouldn't consider releasing each of them separately. Our previous AvP had all three species playable in single and multiplayer from the moment of booting up the game and so will our new AvP. We're very proud that players will be able to start up the game and play as each of the three species immediately.
Epic's Cliffy B recently said that he'd rather put a gun in his mouth than work on an IP. How do you respond to that?
Jones: That's his prerogative. I'm sure he wouldn't want other people to feel that way about working on the IPs he has created! Personally, I feel very happy to be working with an IP that I have been a fan of and cherished my whole life.
Tim Jones sounds like he actually cares about this game! Good news. From the interview he sounds like a nice guy too, he could easily have answered that last question less diplomatically and most people wouldn't have blamed him. He looks the bigger man.
As for the game, I'm glad to hear that they're constantly multiplayering* it, getting the balance right must be a challenge and a half!
I've got some more confidence in this now and am really starting to look forward to it.
Did you play either of the orginals? trust me, they are fantastic. The environments were vast and varied and all in all, it was a superbly relaised game. Do yourself a favour a have a go, and then feel the excitment for this second sequal.
Yes. AvP on PC. I think it came free with some ATI graphics cards for a while...
I also remember playing a demo of AvP2 on PC and I remember that being ludicrously 'difficult'.
Not that it's exactly relevant but I also played Alien Trilogy on the Saturn.
None of these were bad, just that they didn't offer anything that hadn't already been seen or done before - and that was many many years ago, let alone now... Decent co-op + multi-player may make this next gen version fun to play, so I'm not throwing this title to the wolves, but what I really want from games these days is an engaging 1p mission & story (with co-op), not just another 3d pac-man with guns.
What can we really expect to see in this which hasn't been done before?
* Alien swarms? Check. * Alien queen(s)? Check. * Predator(s)? Check. * Marines? Check. * Weapons typical of each of the above? Check. * Environments to fit the above? Check.
Everyone already knows the storyline... Sadly, that's the nature of a well known & abused IP.
Yes. AvP on PC. I think it came free with some ATI graphics cards for a while...
I also remember playing a demo of AvP2 on PC and I remember that being ludicrously 'difficult'.
Not that it's exactly relevant but I also played Alien Trilogy on the Saturn.
None of these were bad, just that they didn't offer anything that hadn't already been seen or done before - and that was many many years ago, let alone now...
Well, if cynicism is your bag then you might as well give up now on ever seeing anything truly "original" considering that it's generally accepted within alieterary circles that any story can be tied to one of four core themes (or a combination of them). If that's how you chose to approach every game then you might as well declare, in the immortal words of one Space Marine, "Game over man! Game over!"
Well, if cynicism is your bag then you might as well give up now on ever seeing anything truly "original" considering that it's generally accepted within alieterary circles that any story can be tied to one of four core themes (or a combination of them). If that's how you chose to approach every game then you might as well declare, in the immortal words of one Space Marine, "Game over man! Game over!"
That's what everyone thought when they picked up Half Life for the first time.
In my opinion, it would be better for this genre of game to be released under some other original title, without the press or attention. Why not license Aliens & Predators then totally mis-abuse that license by just throwing them into the main storyline of your FPS 1/2 way in? I'm not going to bother describing some alternate Lord Von storyline here, but sticking some arbitrary tag or number on the end of yet another well used IP chafes my nipples.
When I picked up Half Life, I was told that it's great. That's all I needed to know. The storyline unfolded itself for me and that's really what that game was about. Same goes for Dead Space. I didn't know what was going to happen in either game - and I didn't want to know! I just wanted to know if I (or rather my character) was ever really getting close to getting out. Same goes for most decent action movies... It's also great when main characters get killed off (see CoD4, Alien, LOST, etc).
I don't care about Aliens or Predators anymore. Neither have any surprises in store. If they showed up for real on Earth, I'd probably stick my middle finger up at them shortly before getting killed. They might be lethal, but then so is a 10 tonne truck.
Well, if cynicism is your bag then you might as well give up now on ever seeing anything truly "original" considering that it's generally accepted within alieterary circles that any story can be tied to one of four core themes (or a combination of them). If that's how you chose to approach every game then you might as well declare, in the immortal words of one Space Marine, "Game over man! Game over!"
That's what everyone thought when they picked up Half Life for the first time.
In my opinion, it would be better for this genre of game to be released under some other original title, without the press or attention. Why not license Aliens & Predators then totally mis-abuse that license by just throwing them into the main storyline of your FPS 1/2 way in? I'm not going to bother describing some alternate Lord Von storyline here, but sticking some arbitrary tag or number on the end of yet another well used IP chafes my nipples.
When I picked up Half Life, I was told that it's great. That's all I needed to know. The storyline unfolded itself for me and that's really what that game was about. Same goes for Dead Space. I didn't know what was going to happen in either game - and I didn't want to know! I just wanted to know if I (or rather my character) was ever really getting close to getting out. Same goes for most decent action movies... It's also great when main characters get killed off (see CoD4, Alien, LOST, etc).
I don't care about Aliens or Predators anymore. Neither have any surprises in store. If they showed up for real on Earth, I'd probably stick my middle finger up at them shortly before getting killed. They might be lethal, but then so is a 10 tonne truck.
Fair enough. That's why I have only ever picked up one LOTR game (which I surprisingly enjoyed). It's always seemed a near tragic waste to me to have such a developed and deep story world as Tolkien's Middle Earth, yet only use it to re-live the by-now famous story line. I want to help forge my character's own story and explore different areas along side the famous ones! On the other hand, I can see how it might be more risky for the publishers to release a game in LOTR where you aren't playing the known heroes. I would be thrilled if a developer decided to do just that though.
I would be thrilled if a developer decided to do just that though.
If I want the same movie / book experience then I'll watch the movie / read the book.
All these characters already have their own stories to enjoy. I would rather play alongside those characters or in their environments than be forced to re-enact their stories (that I've already seen and know). A mission set - something like "Frontier" would suit much better.
I can definitely see the attraction of exploring Middle Earth. There's a number of different ways the existing material could be used & interpreted, but these sorts of experiences are rarely ever on anyone's agenda.
I hope that things change. A lot of games that come out these days are story based (and take ages to complete), while others are fairly quick arcade titles. It's not often you see an open ended game like Elite / Frontier / WoW - come out & do really well.
So... What I'm trying to say is, I agree with you.
Flying around in a spaceship, doing some trading - or being a merc, then occasionally, or unwittingly coming across aliens, predators or both would probably be quite interesting.
Anyone for Ridley Scott + Alien remake / prequel http://www3.webng.com/horrormoviesandstuff/ScottToHelmAlienPrequel.html?
The Lord of the Rings game your describing has already been made. It's an MMO LotRo Online and it is exactly what your talking thru.
As for your thoughts on not wanting to live out a scenario you have already seen/heard/read i can sympethise...but i can also guarentee that AvP will be a very rewarding game.
The best games are still Single Player experiences and this will have high marks on the scale. Multiplayer and Co-op seem to be thrown into games too much these days and the market is slogged with generic average titles that believe by including both, they have a cash cow.
I can't change your opinion of this new itteration of AvP, but I ask you to atleast give it a go when it launches. Myself, am rediculously hard to please and I find i'm let down by near everything these days...but AvP's past titles had impressed me when i was even more so cynical
i can also guarentee that AvP will be a very rewarding game.
Strong words. I'll be watching & I wouldn't comment here otherwise. Can't say the same for many other people though and I suspect that's for reasons already given!
The best games are still Single Player experiences
Personally I agree, though I've always enjoyed playing against games with friends. Many many hours spent on ZX Spectrum...
... and on various games / consoles thereafter. I'd rather play all those games again - exactly as they are above but with co-op over PSN / XBLA than some of the stuff that's sold these days...
Multiplayer and Co-op seem to be thrown into games too much these days and the market is slogged with generic average titles that believe by including both, they have a cash cow.
Ah yes, but on sites like CVG & EDGE, when games like KillZone 2 and Call of Duty 4 don't have co-op, they are banished from the 90%+ scale, while other games like Halo 3 get 97%. I'm not saying you're wrong - I'm merely still bi7ching at Future Publishing.
I can't change your opinion of this new itteration of AvP, but I ask you to atleast give it a go when it launches.
if(IsDemo()){PlayDemo();}
Potential purchases may follow. I would suggest the first 20 minutes / level of the 1 player game as a demo. That's what works for me anyway...
It doesn't matter how many times a game has been done, for me, it's about how well it's done. With AVP, not only was the in-game combat awesome, it was so atmospheric and very faithful to the orginal films.
As long as i get a rush from playing a game, I will play it. I can appreciate what you are saying about RPG's, too. Mass Effect was basically KOTOR with fancy new graphics and with different characters. It was, however, done briliiantly, and the final few scenes when you *spoiler* take down Soverign, really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, even though I have saved the universe in countless video games previously.
So, too conclude, who cares if you have shot aliens hundreds of times, or played in squads or had aliens appear out of the darkness? Has it been implented well? Is it a rush to play? Do you feel chuffed after completing a certain level you was previously stuck on? If the answer to any of these is yes, I will play it.
"Think Battlestar Galactica with Aliens and Predators."
That needs to be made. Now.
Looking forward to this game, but from what I've seen of it, it still looks like the Marines are going to have a considerably harder time of it than the other two groups (though I suppose that's how it should be).
You weren't called CliffyB in another life were you?
I myself am a fairly undemanding gamer (god, i'm still playing CoD4 PC MP even now, but with custom maps). I personally think if the story works in SP it shouldn't matter if there have been 5 games preceeding it. As long as something new is brought to the table story wise in SP and playing wise for MP, then i'm a happy little clam.
Unfortunately that's not always the case these days (yes i'm looking at you EA). Rebellion seem to be on the right track so i'm willing to go on a little faith here.
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