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E3'2003: Far Cry Preview
Stephen Leyton
23/05/2003
The story and exploits are focused around freelance mariner, Jack Carver, whose escapades will thrill, challenge and allow thoughtfulness from the gamer.
There is a number of first person 3D shooters (FPSâs) planned for release in 2003 and Far Cry, from German developer Crytex, must be at the top of the list of eagerly and most anticipated PC titles.
Crytex offer a number of classic ideas, along with the unusual inventive ones, which make Far Cry that little bit more interesting. Cutting edge technology, with 45 people working in their Coburg offices, and a vast amount of experience, lots of creative ideas and a technology focus are offered. This includes the teamâs own 3D engine which has been meticulously designed to offer next-generation presentation to include Polybump mapping, advanced environment and character physics, destructible terrain, dynamic lighting, motion-captured animation, and total surround sound. This alongside top notch A.I., together with a strong storyline and a central character that the player assumes, who has a complex personality, all add up to a very wholesome game.
The story and exploits are focused around freelance mariner, Jack Carver, whose escapades will thrill, challenge and allow thoughtfulness from the gamer. After an idyllic holiday it appears Jack met up with a brash female reporter named Valerie who offered him an incredible sum of cash to take her to an unspoiled paradise â“ a deserted island. Shortly after docking, however, Jack's boat was greeted by artillery fire from a mysterious militia group swarming about the island. With his boat destroyed, his money gone, and the gorgeous Valerie suddenly missing, Jack now finds himself facing an army of mercenaries amidst the wilds of the island, with nothing but a gun and his wits to survive. However, the further he pushes into the lush jungle canopy, the stranger things become. There are many questions that apparently need to be answered but only Jackâs progression through the game will answer them.
Presently the team is keeping pretty quiet about the precise in game action and specific events that the player will encounter but it is pretty obvious from the screens and information that is available that Jack will face a myriad of mercenaries, some well armed with deadly intentions and other evil dudes who have one thing on their mind.
It is some of the âin gameâ features that are really out of the ordinary, which should push the envelope. When it comes to the all-important A.I., the team has expressed their vision to move one step on. We have heard developers spout on about certain ideas but all these are, to most, effectively transparent. Up until now, when you assume the role of the would be hero, you seek out and hunt down the enemy within the environment. Now the A.I actively hunts the player down and those who have played the current build of the game have commented that the game feels different and offers an edge to it. The A.I also gives the enemies more substance so when they are not doing anything it will assign them sub actions to do, like it would a real human. (People do not stand around vacantly!) Another important aspect of the A.I. and the enemy is they are not merely scripted or tagged to run through a process. They have many options and will react according to events, which offers truer realism. Different tactics by Jack will offer new eventualities and vice versa!
The work on the A.I does not stop there, for there are other facets the team is even more excited about, which does not include the fact that Far Cry offers battles that never become repetitive when you face Far Cry's unpredictable intelligent A.I. mercenary units, trained in advanced adaptive group tactics. The well-equipped enemy units include snipers, stalkers, scouts, and grenadiers that engage you from all angles, distances, and terrains in co-ordinated strikes. Commanders will even call for reinforcements by land, sea or air. More interestingly is that you can fight to the ends of the earth with Far Cry's unique, 800-meter scalable view system. Lock onto enemies from a distance with motion-sensing binoculars. Then choose your style of attack - from long range sniping to ballistic close-quarters fire fights - and everything in between.
Throughout the story, the player will use his initiative and explore, find out more information, rescue people, but always be prepared to kill and some really great weapons are on offer. (Pistols to machineguns to mounted mortars.) The effects bombs and grenades display when going off are very authentic.
The replayability of the game imparts many hours of gameplay so the player can undertake different strategies and methods. You will be able to master a dynamic list of combat skills - close-quarters combat, long-range shooting, search and destroy tactics, stealth operations, and combat driving skills, through indoor and outdoor environments. With attention to graphical details the outdoor environments are stunning and very organic with some lush settings. (Swamp land, jungle, mountains, etc.) Crytek believe that the climatic effects outdoors will offer slightly different challenges than those indoors. With the wind and elements to add to the outdoor equation the visual display, with excellent use of dynamic lighting, certainly does convey a different sensation when outdoors as opposed to inside a building.
A game where the team is reluctant to give away any info not only on the story but the way the game is structured in terms of sizes, levels and missions could appear to be one where the team is unsure and uncommitted but this does not appear to be the case. Already with rave reviews from E3 in 2002 and many speaking of this as one of the gems of 2003, it is a case of ever improving and not wanting to divulge too much when already gamers are placing this in their 'must have' list.
The story, and even level construction, is meaningless if you can see the code and ideas created are already better than most FPS on the market.
With stunning looking locales, cleverly devised action and tactics the next focus would be the way the cast actually move, their physical attributes, etc. Once again, this and all the actual game mechanics have been well thought out. New movements and the way you implement them are on offer. Taking into account the terrain you can crouch and seamlessly blend into the surroundings - as you would in real life. We have all seen films where a person is crouching in a bush, pokes his head up to see what is going on and then grabs his rifle, fires and then hides back in the bushes. A full experience is on offer!
Multiplay options within the game are presently being worked on and certainly options such as CTF and Deathmatch will be included.
Far Cryâs mix of stealth and out and out action gameplay - and the player is totally in control of his own destiny, and we are told the game will actually mould itself to the way you play - will offer an even greater challenge. The enemy is evil and varied but all with bad intentions.
One other aspect that was touched on was the fact the player also has a list of vehicles to use, which adds another dimension to this enthralling FPS.
