Constantine Q&A Feature

SCIâ??s release schedule for the next year is mightily impressive with a collection of interesting titles in the making. It canâ??t have slipped everyoneâ??s notice that this publisher is going from strength to strength building a catalogue of big licenses, with some unusually diverse ideas as well as the perfect rounded titles that work to a set formula. 2005 certainly appears to be a year that SCI can look forward to. Derek dela Fuente spoke with Dylan Beale, Game Director at Bits Studios, about Constantine.

Based on the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels, the supernatural thriller Constantine tells the story of John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), a man who has literally been to hell and back. When he teams up with sceptical policewoman Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) to solve the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, their investigation takes them through the world of demons and angels that exist just beneath the landscape of contemporary Los Angeles. Caught in a catastrophic series of otherworldly events, the two become inextricably involved and seek to find their own peace at whatever cost.

Can you tell us what made SCI decide that the film was so appealing it would make a superb videogame?

Weâ??ve been working closely with SCI on the Constantine game and they found the same exciting things in the film that we did. The lead character John Constantine is of particular interest, an occult investigator with a cool streak is soon to be the new blackâ?¦ The movie has a foreboding atmosphere with plenty of supernatural thrills that is perfect fodder for a game. Not to mention loads of interesting looking, scary demons just asking to get sent back to Hell â?“ the ways in which you can give this send-off are very gratifying.

What kind of interaction has Bits Studios had with Warner Bros. in terms of obtaining film assets and input from the acting staff?

Weâ??ve been privy to many early cuts of the film and script in various guises, getting access to the actual digital files used by the special effects companies too. This really helped us ensure that the game maintains a lot of the filmâ??s integrity and trust me there are some very special effects in there. Also, some of the actors and actresses have lent their likeness and voice acting talents to the game, and have also approved their game-selves right along the way.

With over 3,000 set photos and pre visuals we have very accurately recreated the areas from the movie we thought would be good gaming areas. Others we have created ourselves with the blessing of the filmmakers. They also had a close look at our script before we recorded it to ensure that we stayed in tandem with the film as far as his character goes. DC and Vertigo comics are also very closely tied into the license as John Constantine is their original character and we send them regular builds for feedback also. This is the only way you can successfully create a close license with constant feedback, and the ability to tap the minds of the people who have worked with him for years.

How would you best describe the game and its action, along with interaction and investigation equally shared?

The game is a 3rd person action horror title. The gameplay is initially very action based, with plenty of set-pieces and great visuals to draw you in. Once the initial excitement of the first level has passed you are asked to explore your 3D environments further during your investigation - searching for clues, keys, solving puzzles, etc. A tense atmosphere pervades throughout; demons can appear from nowhere thus giving you a nasty scare â?“ unless you are quick enough to use the relevant artefacts or incantations that can take them back to where they came from!

Please tell about the kind of diverse action that will occur, perhaps highlighting one early incident in the game that shows off the true essence of Constantine.

Within five to ten minutes of playing the second level, you will have experienced not just a good dose of fast-paced, action-packed shooting, but also some slower, but still very important, exploring and clue-finding too. You might find some interesting items along the way! You must use your special â??True Sightâ?? ability to find hidden routes and see demons in utter darkness. You also have got to negotiate perilous hazards and seemingly-dead ends, using your puzzle solving brain. Not to mention cast some amazing incantations that not only increase your attacking abilities but look really impressive on-screen as well.

Does the game pretty much stick to the film plot and what latitude does the team have for creating new ideas so as to ensure a top challenge?

Like many of the better film-to-game licenses nowadays, weâ??ve taken the game in certain creative directions where higher levels of interactivity are required. This will help ensure that the license is adhered to in overall terms of quality â?“ the movie medium is quite different to that of a game simply due to you having a controller in your hand when playing a game and wanting to use it, weâ??ve tried to exploit this difference wherever possible, although I canâ??t give too many specifics away right now. The plot of the game is pretty similar to that of the movie, though there are a few differences here and there to suit the game medium. One of the great things weâ??ve been able to implement in the game is new demons for Constantine to defeat. We got access to all the demons used in the film, though we couldnâ??t help but want to include some more â?“ figuring they would make for both gameplay variation and cool extras for those who will see the film. We got the blessing of Warner Bros. all the way on this, and they have worked closely with us to ensure that the new demons are creatively coherent with those in the movie.

How technology focused is both the team and game and what would you say is the one big innovation that the game presents?

Weâ??re currently working on a highly improved version of our existing engine, which now throws lots of objects around with plenty of special effects with ease. In terms of gameplay innovation, we are implementing some interesting stuff where the actions you perform on Earth affect the same location in the Hell plane and vice versa. To progress in one plane of existence you will need to find a relevant portal point to travel into the alternate plane of existence, then solve a puzzle/defeat a type of enemy, etc. in order to get past the problem that you encountered originally. This helps to ensure that your brain gets a workout in addition to your trigger finger.

For the readers not au fait with the film as yet, can you summarize the basic plot and what the objectives will be?

John Constantine has the ability to travel between the planes of Earth and Hell, and also see demons that appear on Earth â?“ thanks to a crafty deal Constantine made with those who command the damned. The game story reads like this - during his time on Earth, Constantine starts noticing more and more strange things happening that are associated with the occult. This forces Constantine on a dangerous investigation on both Earth and Hell, to seek out and destroy those who threaten peace on Earthâ?¦ cool stuff indeed.

Who started all this trouble? Not telling (smile on Dylanâ??s face).

Can you explain the onscreen meters and health bars and is there a progression to the game in terms or skill, attributes and even weapons?

Constantine can use a range of holy magic-enhanced artefacts on his journey, which get more powerful the further you go in the game. All will be revealed soon enough! Constantine naturally takes damage on his journey and a way to fill up on energy is through an interesting little flask. Not the alcoholic hip variety mind, but the type that is embalmed through Holy magic. Constantine can refill his flask using any of the taps or water coolers, etc. that are dotted around the levels and thus keep an energy source â??on tapâ??.

Of course as you blast your way through the game you should keep your eye out for any secret areas, here you may find either charms (increase your health), relics (increase your magic bar) and maybe a new incantation, or even an artefact. There are also some pick ups that improve the artefacts you already have, and even a couple of VERY special secondary weapons, which I canâ??t fully reveal, youâ??ll have to find them to find out what they do!

What are some of the locations and protagonists on offer? Perhaps you can tell us about one nasty enemy!?

One particular location in the game is actually one of the main freeways in LA that people use to get to E3! Except the version in the game is somewhatâ?¦ different lookingâ?¦

Alas I can tell you no more than that at this stage as I might spoil the movie, and the game!

THANK YOU