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ARCHIVES FOR September 2008
Conventions are always an interesting experience for anyone working in games. To see so many enthusiastic and passionate people who simply love games is a fantastic environment to show Prince of Persia. The passion that exudes from gamers is one to feed on and you can’t help but get wrapped up in the overwhelming atmosphere that comes when you show something you’ve been working on for many years. PAX this year was a fantastic event to show Prince of Persia live on stage, announced our partnership with Penny Arcade where they’ll create the largest comic they’ve ever done and we showed our art video, which details some backstory about the Prince. The reaction we had was fantastic and we’re very happy to have attended.
We’ve already released the commented walkthrough which shows you a lot of the gameplay points and shares the same path as the demonstration that we showed at PAX and we’re now happy to share with you the art video which we showed the crowd at PAX:
Posted by POP Team @ 22/09/2008 00:09
Last week, the IGDA Montreal chapter hosted an inspirational discussion with five leading members of the Prince of Persia team. In front of a joyful and lively crowed, they generously talked about their inspiration, production process and numerous challenges.
It was always about giving a new life to an IP already considered by many as a video game classic. So they started from a blank slate to re-imagine the Prince in a way he was never seen before. Not exactly a walk in the park!
Lead by Ben Mattes, Producer, the discussion focused on how the team managed to stay true to the Prince while creating a totally new experience for the player thanks to an innovative game design, narrative structure and killer moves. As presented by Francois Emery, Level Design Director, in this adventure, the Prince travels in an open world built as a network. Through this network-like map, the player can choose his path and build his own experience, all the while being guided through specific challenges and predetermined goals.
This open inter-connected world set out to be quite the challenge for Andrew Walsh, Narrative Director, who had to figure out a way to build a story that had a beginning and an end, but also non-linear elements in the way it would be plotted out. So as the player progresses, each challenge he chooses to undertake is like a narrative bubble that allows the characters and the story to evolve. So each player will live the same story, but in completely different ways.
Storytelling and level design are crucial in the game experience, but let’s not forget that the Prince is also about breathtaking acrobatics and swordsmanship. Part of these princely abilities were presented by Thomas Delbuguet, Game Designer, who was in charge of the combat system. The one on one combats developed in the next Prince of Persia were created with reactivity and strategy in mind. Outstanding sound, camera and special effects make for cinema like fighting scenes.
For David Wilkinson, Animation Director, the challenge was the same: how to respect the franchise while making something totally new that is adapted to next gen animation expectations? The answer to this question laid in the ability to make the Prince’s moves feel the same, yet work differently. This adds up in a strong, heroic and confident, yet cool and airy character.
Posted by POP Team @ 18/09/2008 00:09
A while ago we gave you some insights into some of the leads on the Prince of Persia team and now we've interviewed some more for your reading pleasure.
Please introduce yourselves, your job title and what do you do.
Cyril: Lead Programmer AI
Nicholas: Level design Technical director. This means I am the bridge between design and programmers, I provide technical support for level designers and I design features and tools development.
Pierre: Director of Photography. I'm responsible for everything regarding camera/editing including: cinematic and scripted event camera/editing, conception and team management for all in-game camera and the anvil camera system.
Francois: Director Level Design. I define the rules to create levels, the content of levels and how to use the ingredients in the game. I also ensure the map's quality.
What other Ubisoft titles have you worked on?
Cyril: Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.
Nicholas: Batman and various Far Cry titles.
Pierre: Star Wars Lethal Alliance and Prince of Persia The Two Thrones.
Francois: Beyond Good and Evil, Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow, Prince of Persia Warrior Within, Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie.
What's your favourite game?
Cyril: Diablo II, Half-Life I & II.
Nicholas: Quake, Blaster Master and I'm currently playing GTA4.
Pierre: Prince of Persia and God of War.
Francois: God Of War, Resident Evil, Tex Murphy.
What are you currently listening to?
Cyril: Theatre of Tragedy, Dead Can Dance.
Nicholas: Coliseum, Kraken, Grand corps malade.
Pierre: Pretty much everything actually.
Francois: Muse, Ladytron, NIN, Tricky, Massive Attack, Maxim.
What are you currently watching on TV or film?
Cyril: I enjoy a lot Heroes and Lost.
Nicholas: Dexter, Minuit le soir, South Park.
Pierre: Tv: Heroes and Donnelly Brothers. Film: I’m a film addict, I’m watching everything...but I thing the last one was “Lars and the real girl” ...which was a pretty good one...
Francois: No Country For Old Men, Reaper, BSG, The Shield.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Cyril: The smell of coffee and the urge for coding.
Nicholas: My girlfriend’s radio alarm.
Pierre: Any king of suction? Seriously, I would say that when you are working on your favourite game...It’s pretty easy to get up in the morning...
Francois: The idea of a cup of coffee...
What did the last text you received on your mobile say?
Cyril: I don’t use any mobile, it’s too old-Gen.
Nicholas: I don’t have a mobile, but it would probably say: “Get back to work -Ben”
Pierre: To be honest, It was a secret dirty message...Can’t tell.
Francois: “Niko, can you pick me Up at the Dukes Station? Roman”
Where were you three hours ago?
Cyril: Compiling a new version of POP and having a cup of Coffee.
Nicholas: In the street, walking to work.
Pierre: To the airport, getting my mother back from Africa...But I’m back to work now, don’t tell my producer.
Francois: At my desk.
Posted by POP Team @ 12/09/2008 00:09
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