Exclusive Alone in the Dark developer interview.

Exclusive Alone in the Dark interview with Eden Games Producer Nour Polloni.

Q: Even though the original Alone in the Dark is regarded as the first survival horror title, for many it has always played as the underdog when compared to the Resident Evil series. Now that RE has cemented itself as a more action orientated game does this mean AITD will rise again as the premier Survival Horror game? What direction are you taking with the gameplay?

With the new Alone in the Dark we're aiming to actually break from the genre and make a game with much broader gameplay. The first Alone created the genre and it's that legacy of innovation that we're trying to live up to rather than make just another game of the same type. There's exploration and puzzle solving gameplay but also driving, cliffhanger situations, combat and generally many more big action elements than you might expect. Plus the majority of the game is set in a wide open Central Park, breaking the survival clich of cramped corridors. One of the main things we're bringing to the gameplay is the real world rules physics and interaction, with everything in your environment behaving and responding as you would expect it to in real life. This lets the player use and combine objects intuitively to create new tools and weapons in ways even we might not have thought of leading to emergent gameplay, which is very exciting. This variety of gameplay takes Alone out of a specific genre and let's us present it more as an entertainment experience.

Q: Can you tell us a little more about the leading character Edward Carnby and will he be working alone as the title suggests, or will there be other characters he can interact with?

There are stages of the game where Carnby will indeed be very much alone and have to rely solely on his own wits and resources to survive, but there's plenty of other characters he'll meet throughout the story, some of whom will be with him for much of the game. For example, a girl called Sarah has a vital role to play in the unfolding mystery, and Theo offers some very important guidance although he's not around long enough to tell Carnby everything he wants to hear...

Q: Can you explain the title prefix "Near Death Investigation"?

In fact that's not the subtitle of the game and never was. It was an internal working title a couple of years ago which unfortunately found its way somehow into the public domain and we've been trying to shake it off ever since! The game is just called Alone in the Dark.

Q: The game is set in a modern day New York City around Central Park, will we be visiting any other locales in and out of the city?

The first two episodes are set in one of the beautiful art deco buildings on the edge of the park which will be ripped apart by the end of your visit. Then after a very chaotic journey, you end up in Central Park for the entire rest of the game. If you know anything about the park you'll know there's plenty of places to visit ranging from a museum, subway station and police precinct, to castle, boating lake, and miles of pathways through the park's more wild and less-travelled areas. We'll be making the most of this city within a city and also expanding the gameplay area in another direction. If you've heard the legend of the ancient tunnel system under the park this might give you some clue as to what direction exactly.

Q: The game is going to feature open environments, what does this mean exactly; will we be able to go anywhere and revisit places of interest?

You start the game following the story with a clear path you need to take, then as you get into the park it will progressively open up so that by the time you're around halfway through the whole accessible area of the park is open to explore. We've replicated many of the park's real life landmarks, so although we're not able to use their real names in the game, anyone who's ever been to the park will definitely be able to explore places they've been.

Q: In light of having more open areas will vehicles play a part in getting from A to B?

Vehicles play a big role in the gameplay, not just to get from A to B although of course that's important, but also as tools and even improvised weapons. The cars and other vehicles follow the real world rules of the gameplay, which means if the door's locked, smash a window; if there's no key under the visor, hotwire it; and don't forget to check the glove box; it's amazing how many Americans keep useful things like guns in there. A car can even become an improvised rolling bomb: pierce the petrol tank with a screwdriver so fuel leaks out creating a trail, get in, start driving, get out while the car's still moving, watch the car roll towards a group of enemies or an obstacle you want to remove, light the fuel trail, and watch it all blow sky high. Very satisfying.

Q: You are aiming for a TV style presentation similar to the TV series 24, can you explain more about this and how it will relate to heightening the player experience? Will we see future episodes as down-loadable content perhaps?

When were first putting together the design for Alone, we were all going home at night and watching this new crop of US TV action dramas like Lost and 24 totally hooked, then coming in the next day and talking about it round the coffee machine. It hit us that we wanted players to have exactly that kind of addictive exhilarating experience with Alone, so we studied how they did it in terms of pacing and content and applied it to the game. This means each episode has its own dynamic with action, plot twists, character development and cliff-hangers to keep the player on the edge of their set.

The structure does lend itself to future downloadable episodes and that's something we'll be looking at once the game is finished.

Q: In relation to the episodic approach which is something Alan Wake and GTA IV are going to feature - how feasible in today's' market do you think down-loadable episodes is for a story driven game?

You could say the same thing about downloadable episodes of a TV drama and that's something that's been shown to work quite well. You can't rely on everybody who plays the game downloading the extra content, so you need to provide a complete experience before you get to the downloads, but there's great potential to deliver extra bonus content in that way. I think with the growing number of people using high speed Internet connections and the slow moves towards integrated entertainment hubs in the home this is only going to accelerate as more people learn how to consume entertainment in this way and are tempted by the benefits of extra content.

Q: What kinds of enemies will we face, as thus far we've only seen demonic creatures? Will there be any human adversaries?

There are human adversaries in the game, but you won't engage them in combat the same way as you will the creatures. There's a variety of creature in the game ranging from the rat-like beasts you've probably seen, to bats, and transformed human type creatures, all the way up to some spectacular creatures on a very grand scale. An example of one of the stranger enemies you'll face is transformed water which devours anyone who strays into it and can only be pushed out of the way using a strong light source.

Q: What kinds of weapons will players be able to use? How have you balanced the use of conventional firearms with the makeshift weapons?

The gun is still a staple weapon, but it'll only take you so far in Alone, you'll quickly find there's much more effective weapons you'll need to use to get the better of most of the enemies in the game. As well as being something you should never turn your back on, fire is the most useful weapon in your arsenal thanks to its real world propagation properties and its effectiveness against many of the enemies you'll meet, so a lot of the improvised weapons will have creating fire as their goal. For example, bullets with fuel poured on them to create flaming projectiles is much more effective. A bottle of liquor and a rag makes a Molotov cocktail, an aerosol and a lighter makes a flamethrower. This combining of normal items to create tools and deadly weapons is a cornerstone of the gameplay, we really want the player to use their imagination and their instincts with the possibility that they could come up with things even we haven't thought of.

Q: A lot of games are featuring differing gameplay elements depending on the whether it is light or dark; will AITD feature any similar gameplay mechanics?

Light and dark has its role to play in the game, there's enemies that rely on the darkness to survive, others that use it to hide, and Carnby will need to make sure he has the tools to light his way through dark places. Some enemies can only be overcome using light, and every light source has a lifespan like in real life, so torches need batteries and light sticks fade adding pressure and tension to every situation.

Q: Will there be the traditional puzzle elements associated with survival horror games, and how taxing are these likely to be if they do feature?

We do have puzzle elements in Alone yes, ranging from situations where you'll need to apply the things you've learned about combining objects to create new uses to move on, to quite tricky conundrums on an enormous scale. What's important is that there's always more than one way to solve any situation, so the player really has a hard time getting stuck. And if they do, one of the other innovative things we've implemented is a DVD style menu which allows the player to skip ahead 'at a cost' to the next part of the game.

Q: AITD will feature advanced physics; how will this be incorporated into the gameplay?

The advanced physics has been used to realize the real world rules which is a cornerstone of the gameplay and to achieve the complete environmental interactivity where every object behaves and can be manipulated like its real world counterpart. The gameplay is about intuitively applying what you know about how objects behave in the real world in the game universe to use those objects to your advantage.

Q: How many hours gameplay do you expect the average gamer to beat the story are you aiming for an epic adventure or a more condensed gaming experience?

Following the story from end to end without going exploring gives approximately 10 hours of gameplay for the average gamer, then with all the extra things to do while free-roaming in Central Park we have around 15 hours of gameplay in total.

Q: What kind of replay value can gamers expect, as traditionally in survival horror games there are plenty of incentives to play through the story again?

We want everyone who picks up the game to be able to finish it. Some research suggests that only about 20% of gamers ever finish their games, and here we want the players to live the full experience, not necessarily by needing to earn it piece by piece in a linear way. This is why we have the DVD style menu which lets you skip if you get stuck, although skipping comes at a cost to the player.

Q: How closely did you work with Lorenzo Carcaterra when he penned the story? Did you lock him in a room and let him just get on with it or did the team have a more proactive role?

The story was actually written here at Eden. We brought Lorenzo in to re-work the script and bring his talent and experience in novels, film and television to bear on the dialogue to make it really convincing. Also he's a native New Yorker and we really wanted that authenticity in the dialogue. Lorenzo was not the only script-writer we've worked with. Like in TV series, we've worked with several script-writers who have each brought their unique contribution to the story.

Q: What age rating will the game have and are you aiming for a truly adult experience?

The game will be a mature 18+ title and is definitely designed as a game for adults.

Q: compared to the original, how far have you come in terms of game design - has the process become any easier?

Designing a game is about looking for new experiences you can give to the player. Designing a game becomes more complex each time technology takes a leap forward and gives you more possibilities. In Alone in the Dark for example, we've put a huge focus on the interactivity, and the work we did to make sure the elements work logically with each other is very important. With all that in mind I wouldn't say that the design process has become any easier but it's always an exciting challenge and one that drives us to come to work and spend much more time than is healthy trying to make our ambitions for Alone in the Dark a reality.

Q: A lot of games have used scare factor to achieve horror status, we've had psychological horror to the more common "jump out" scares. How easy or hard is it to come up with new ways to engross and scare hardened, and not so hardened players?

For us the idea of suggested fear is much more powerful than simple scares or gore. We've worked hard to build a growing sense of unease in the player as they make their way through the game world wondering what's behind the next door or hiding in a dark corner. Immersion is also key to manipulating the player's emotions which is why we've minimized things like menu screens to keep the player in the game as much as possible, then there's the TV-drama style dynamic which keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to keep going to find out what happens next. If we've got your full attention it becomes easier to manipulate your emotions and create a real sense of tension in any given situation. Also, the music is a vital part of adding atmosphere and emotion, and we've got a really amazing score written by Olivier Deriviere which uses a Bulgarian choir called Mystery of Bulgarian Voices to sing in their native tongue about what's happening to Carnby and New York. The result is haunting and will stay with you long after you've put down the controller.

Q: What multiplayer options can we expect for this title (if any)?

Alone in the dark is a single player game.

Q: What sort of Live integration can we expect on the Xbox 360 version of the game?

There is no specific live feature, other than the main elements, like info on what you're playing and when being linked to your profile and achievements of course.

Q: Will the game feature any Co-op options with AI or another human player?

Alone is a single player game, and there's no co-op gameplay as such, although of course you will need companions at certain points in the game to be able to progress.

Q: What influence did the original Alone in the Dark title have on this next gen version?

The first Alone in the Dark was a massive inspiration to us and we're huge fans of the game which created a genre. That game's legacy is what we're working to live up to with the new Alone in the Dark, like the first one, we want it to be remembered as a game that changed what players could expect from videogames in terms of what you can do in the game world and the experience you can have.

Q: How do you aim to make Alone in the Dark different/stand out from over survival horror titles out there?

The game contains so many original elements that provide a unique experience for the player, for example the degree of interaction with your environment, that we hope in the end the player will come to expect these features in future games and will never want to play any differently.

We'd like to thank Nour for her time and for answering these questions

Posted By: Robert Cram

Date: 2008-02-12