Publisher Majesco already has an impressive list of games scheduled for 2004 and that has recently been further strengthened with Advent Rising, the first in a trilogy of games for the Xbox and PC. Featuring an unprecedented collaboration between interactive entertainment and science fiction writing. Famed novelist, Orson Scott Card, will embellish on the gripping storyline behind Advent Rising, and will author a novel based on the game. Derek dela Fuente spoke with Kevin Brannan, Product Marketing Manager at Majesco, US, to hear more about this exciting game.<br><br>Inspiration behind the concept for Advent Rising includes everything from blockbuster films like the Star Wars trilogy to Akira to groundbreaking games like Ico and Half-Life and, of course, the terrific storytellers of our time, including Orson Scott Card. With so few publishers actually calling on the expertise of novelists to create the perfect ambience and setting Kevin expanded on the reason behind bringing in Orson and how the team interact.<br><br>"The one thing that is really holding back games from being accepted as widely as movies or books is the storytelling. For the most part, game plots are simply an afterthought; usually slapped on the game after the idea of 'we're making an FPS, quick, someone make up a story’! The reason for contacting OSC was that we had a compelling idea that we knew we could never really bring to life like he can. His ability to quickly - and in games this so critical - write a character that you'll love or hate in three words of dialogue is paramount. His input thus far has been tremendous. He made numerous trips to GlyphX to sit with the team and really understands ‘why’. No one ever asks ‘why’ in game development! So in addition to help deepen our story, he's also writing the dialogue that characters will speak and helping on the casting and recording of it. So, what the player will have are characters with motives and storylines that will tug at your heartstrings - and make you laugh as well."<br><br>In the Advent universe, the human race is a myth that pervade the thousands of civilizations in the galaxy. No one has ever met or even seen a human, but they are believed to be these powerful creatures that will one day unite the galaxy. The Seekers is a race that is spanning the galaxy bringing newly found civilizations into the galactic community; except that they have an ulterior motive: they know humans exist and are systematically wiping them out. Under the guise of benevolent explorers, the Seekers travel throughout the galaxy in a desperate attempt to eradicate any human society they unearth. <br><br>You assume the role of Gideon Wyeth, a remnant of the last human outpost, on the brink of discovering the incredible powers that lay dormant within him. It is these powers the Seekers are so desperate to suppress.<br><br>Advent Rising, described by Majesco, the publisher, as a third person, intergalactic action/adventure of truly epic proportions is wide mix of genres and Kevin was happy to expand on this convoluted quote.<br><br>"The player will have a terrific palette of things he or she can do. For starters, as a human, you feel like a small fish in a big ocean of alien creatures and societies. What that means is you'll be introduced to their advanced technologies and weapons. Because of that - and because you'll ultimately discover the amazing super powers within you - we start you with rocket launchers, machine guns, etc., instead of a pistol or crowbar. You'll also be able to drive any vehicle you see. You'll be able to use enemy weapons. Gameplay dynamics will change, you'll be in team-based assaults, on massive vehicles, manning turrets or driving - it's your call. At other points you'll be escaping destructing ships, attempting to land disable spaceships. All tied together with a compelling storyline that puts you in the action. You'll develop your powers the more you use them, such as the ability to run across walls - the more you do it, the longer you'll be able to do it for. So we are offering ‘lite’ RPG. Also, we don't want you to work hard at gameplay to be ‘rewarded’ with a cool cut scene. Conversely, we want you to play the cool stuff and let the cinematics carry the storyline - psyching up the players for the next big action sequence. Oh yeah, players can switch between 3rd and 1st person camera - at any point."<br><br>"One of the main ideas is that the player will make choices that have true consequences on the game and storyline. I don't want to give too much away here, but you choices will affect how the Trilogy plays out for each player."<br><br>The development team, GlyphX, is using the impressive Unreal Warefare Engine box of tricks and they have a pretty extensive list of expertise, their main being in CG work including cover images (Unreal II and Tournament 2003) to animations to full on cinematics (Soul Reaver), also, some consulting on character design in recent games (Downhill Domination). <br><br>The Unreal Warfare engine really supplies a solid foundation for building the game's environments, cinematics and they have also adapted it in a few different ways, such as incorporating better lip-synching, team-based A.I., camera and targeting systems. <br><br>"The game starts with the humans making 'first contact' with a race called the Aurelians. They are good aliens who are warning them of the Seekers plot to destroy the humans. At this point you take over Gideon. As I mentioned, the game moves forward through scenes or sequences rather than levels or missions. No doubt, you'll feel like you are on a mission at points, but its never that clear-cut, like Rainbow Six. Again, the choices you make will alter the game for the player and there are different ways through the game."<br><br>As you and your brother are sent to the Aurelian ship for the first contact with the Aurelians, being fairly cocky pilots, you really have no idea what you are getting into and it’s fun to see how they react. You start off with lots of cool weapons. But as the game goes on, you - as Gideon - begin to discover your untapped powers. Ultimately, you can choose to not use ballistic weapons at all once your powers are developed. Again, your choice. You'll be using force pushes to blast apart walls, levitation powers to lift an enemy 20 feet of the ground and then blast it with a gun in your other hand. High comedy when you see it!<br><br>With what appears a rock solid story and technology well catered towards, gameplay and the story were the main two focuses for the team but asked the question, will Advent Rising also conjure up a variety of locales, interesting enemies and top of the list special effects and more - Kevin shot straight from the hip.<br><br>"Definitely, but because the story demands it, not just to cover up repetitive gameplay. We have enemies that are really cool and have unique abilities, but you'll also have on your side cool alien creatures to fight alongside. Our environments will change, from the human world of Edumea to the Seeker planet to alien vessels. Of course, we'll have lots of cool particle effects and so forth like splashing for bullets, dust, lasers that impact, melt and drip off metal surfaces. Our vehicles are impressive too, such as the Warhammer, a behemoth that can carry two Warthog-sized buggies. You'll see it and say, ‘I can drive that?!’"