Darkwatch Q&A Feature

Darkwatch appears to have had a chequered career in moving from one publisher to another but there is no doubting the pedigree of this FPS as soon as you see it. Billed as a horror, come western, with a central gunslinger character, Jericho Cross, Darkwatch comes over as imaginative and very very interesting with a whole host of in game ideas, inventive weapons that are not what youâ??d expect Derek dela Fuente spoke Matt Tieger, Sr. Game Designer at High Moon Studios, about Darkwatch!

Can you tell us a little about the team, its makeup, core expertise and games members have worked on before?

I personally came here after finishing Lord of the Rings: Two Towers, but we have lots of people here who have worked at Oddworld, EA and other smaller studios. We had some industry vets and some rookies but the most important thing about a successful team is the chemistry. Our game expertise comes from a variety of places and titles.

You are using the Havok engine; please expand on its discernable features that gamers can actually see and what does the second version, of the engine, now offer?

Havok empowered us with the ability to pull off wild shenanigans that simply havenâ??t been seen before in any other shooter. Move in on an enemy while shooting arms off and watch them bounce off the ground, perform a melee swing and take an enemyâ??s head clean off, or even smack a TNT barrel to launch it towards an enemy and shoot it in mid-air. As far as the second version goes â?“ physics based gameplay is of course something we are working on, but I canâ??t give any secrets out just yet. I should note that we havenâ??t yet confirmed that Darkwatch will have a sequel.

Please elaborate on why you mixed the theme of horror and western and what are the most important aspects in getting this mix correct?

Horror and Western is like Peanut Butter and Chocolate, an amazing combo that was undiscovered gold. We started with traditional Western themes and icons and spun them on their heads. Things as simple as trains and horses are twisted, dark and gruesome. The most important component is to have a vision for the game and to direct everything towards that vision.

Too often FPSs are focused too heavily on special effects and the presentation to the detriment in some cases, of good old-fashioned gameplay and challenge. Firstly, how important is the technology issue and would you agree that looks arenâ??t everything?

Itâ??s a delicate balance; if it doesnâ??t play well gamers will hate it and if it doesnâ??t look good gamers wonâ??t even try it. Our main focus was to make casual gamers feel like masters, and masters feel like Gods. This philosophy drove the controls, gameplay, characters, levels, audioâ?¦heck everything in the game. Our main concept was: â??if it isnâ??t fun to play, nothing else mattersâ??. But throughout the process we maintained the artistic vision for Darkwatch which in turn pushed the technology to the limits.

Can you tell about the central character to the game â?“ about his traits, characteristics and his main objective?

Train robber Jericho Cross chooses the wrong train and inadvertently frees a Vampire Lord. This unfortunate event imbues Jericho with Vampire Powers; whether they are good or evil powers, and even the main objective of battling against good or evil, is up to the player. Is it a story about revenge or a quest for power? The player will decide.

Is Darkwatch more than an out and out shooter and will there be plenty of subtleties on offer? Perhaps you can divulge one or two?

In Darkwatch, Jericho delivers the combat you would expect out of a death-dealing vampire, with game delivering depth and options not usually seen in an FPS. The fighting is up close and personal, but for the most part the player will control how he battles. Leap high in the air and rain down bullets, charge in full force and feed on the fallen to regain health or fuel one of your devastating Vampire powers. Using Vampire Powers, the player can do things such as lay waste to a street full of enemies, turn them to your side or inspire fear and watch them run.

Apart from vampires, rotting bodies and all number of horrid things to see will there be other characters with some solid personalities of their own and focus for the player?

Jericho fights beside Cassidy, the blonde goody girl Darkwatch agent, and Tala, the raven haired bad-girl. Of course they donâ??t like each other much, and the player will decide whose advice they are willing to take.

How are locations, body deformation and injuries executed in the game and do you think this title may have a high, adult rating?

When we set out to make Darkwatch our target was definitely mature gamers. The world of Darkwatch is a vicious place and everything that occurs in the game is part of the Darkwatch mythos. It is our hope that we can deliver the game intact to European gamers. The gameâ??s rating is up to the individual European territories and their rating boards.

What kind of inventive weapons are on offer and will there be some unusual setting for the game? Perhaps you will expand on one event in the game that really sums up the essence of Darkwatch?

Personally I love the crossbow, which fires explosive bolts that stick in the target. I get endless laughs tagging the enemies and watching them try to run away from the bolt stuck in their body, only to ultimately die a graceful ragdoll death. If you are really good, you can stick them several times, and watch the hilarious effect of multiple explosive Crossbow bolts. All of the West depicted in Darkwatch is an unusual setting; ghost towns outnumber living ones, and are framed by cemeteries where the dead hunger for the living.