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Exclusive: 25 to Life Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
14/04/2005
Cops n Robbers goes online later in the year as TVG chats to Avalanche...
If you like your action āard and are compelled by the riotous encounters of games like GTA, even Max Payne, to mention but two titles, whilst having a leaning towards online gameplay, but want a regular fix of single player action then 25 to Life could well fit the bill. Whether you assume the role of a cop or gangster, action galore is part and parcel of this offering as Derek dela Fuente found out as he spoke with Luke Valentine, Producer of the game.
TVG: What has Avalanche Software coded before and what would they say is their core expertise?
NCAA 2K3, Tak and the Power of Juju, and Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams are some of the more notable titles that weāve developed so far in the present console cycle although weāve been around since 1995.
TVG: Tell us a few of the goals and focuses for the team in the creation and designing of the game and what feedback have you had from the online community to ensure this fits the bill!?
The key design goal has been to create the first online cops and robbers game. Our game modes and play-styles are based on this theme, such as the (Drug) RAID mode. Character customisation with āunlockablesā and a tag editor are also crucial in making this game distinctive. You have objectives to complete both online and offline that will unlock new custom items for you to use. Only the best players will be sporting the cool gear, which is a way for good players and clans to represent themselves visually. Clan support is one of the number one features that were requested by the online community.
TVG: There are two sides to choose from ā“ cops and gangsters - what are some of the basic game play differences between them both, apart from one of the factions being more aggressive than the other? Also do the differences become less obvious with the style of play being directed by the player?
In the single player game, criminals will use innocents as human shields whom the law enforcers will not be able to shoot. Law enforcers have different weapons to criminals such as non-lethal stun guns, which they can use to stun criminals with human shields. Law enforcement players are penalised for killing civilians, but they are rewarded for arresting criminals by knocking them out with non-lethal weapons. The two different styles and mechanics make each side interesting to master. āTagā (graffiti) mode is exclusive to criminals: this is where they battle over turf.
TVG: What kind of customisation of the cast is there and is it more than cosmetic?
The level of customisation is unprecedented for an online game. You can customise all aspects of your characterās clothing; skin colour; tattoos; hair and weapon load-out. The weapons and clothing that you are able to select are linked to your progress in both the single and multiplayer elements of the game, so your appearance online will directly reflect your calibre as a player. The ability to choose different weapons is clearly far more than a cosmetic distinction.
TVG: There have been constant referrals and comparisons to SOCOM 2. With so few online shooters is this inevitable and what kind of innovations, unique experiences, do you believe you are offering the online community?
SOCOM stands out as a benchmark PS2 title because it was the first online shooter. We want to bring the coolest elements of SOCOM - online teamplay and headset use to an urban and contemporary environment. 25 to Life will be SOCOM in the hood! In terms of uniqueness 25 to Life brings modern day cops and robbers into the picture. Our environments have non-player civilians who factor into the gameplay and add life to the urban areas. 25 to Life rewards users with unlockable items and our tagging system compliments our game modes, style and supports clan or team based play. The competitive online shooters are all science-fiction or war based games while 25 to Life is the first online urban shooter. We feel that this will draw players into our game world.
TVG: How realistic is 25 to Life and what kind of body, objects and environment deformation are on offer?
Thatās such a subjective question. Thereās a distinctive art style that you can look at in screenshots. In terms of interaction, headshots will be rewarded with decapitations but memory restrictions mean that we canāt manipulate dead bodies or blow limbs off if thatās what you mean. We didnāt go too far with realism in environments because we have found through testing that modelling the real world doesnāt always produce the best results for a video game.
TVG: There are over 40 weapons on offer. How crucial in some instances will it be to have the specific weapon and what are some of the cool weapons on offer?
Weapons are in four groupings: range weapons such as shotguns or sniper rifles; handheld weapons; grenades and melee weapons such as baseball bats and hammers. One cool weapon is the tazer which only the law enforcers will carry. This means that you can apprehend felons! You can also pick up weapons from dead enemies or team mates in the game. If you are out of ammo in your shotgun or you want to switch to that gangsterās submachine gun it can make a difference during gameplay.
TVG: What are some of the main differences regarding each of the three formats ā“ XBOX, PC and PS2 ā“ with regard to graphics, online options and even the single play experience? Importantly, what also is the main difference between online and offline play and as a game would buying it purely as a single player offline experience be a worthwhile acquisition?
PS2 is the lead platform, but Xbox and PC users will be rewarded with superior textures and resolution. We will support HD TVs for Xbox. PC and PS2 will both use Rendez-Vous for the lobbies whilst Xbox will use Xbox Live of course. All formats will support LAN play in case you and your co-workers want to stir things up at the office. We realise that most users donāt yet have broadband, so the single player has been designed to be a standalone retail product which is cool in its own right. You get to play both law enforcement and criminal missions. The style of the single player game is fast paced, fun and fresh.
TVG: Would you please expand a little on one event in the game that shows off the kind of variety, strategic and tactical ideas merged in with the action that shows off 25 to Life to its fullest?
Thereās a single player mission in the game where you are playing as a criminal who has been blackmailed into robbing a bank. You have to break into the bank vault and get away with the loot. When the alarm goes off, they are going to send in the SWAT team so you are going to have to find some tactical cover or grab a human shield and hope that the SWAT guys donāt out-flank you or use tear gas. You go from an internal to external environment as you run through the city trying to escape the entire police force. You have to pick off snipers on rooftops and fight off wave after wave of law enforcer to clear the level. If you are good, you can go guns blazing as you pick up ammo and more powerful weapons from law enforcement that you take out. Or you can peek around corners, pick people off at a distance and move from cover point to cover point.
TVG: What are the locations on offer, are they authentic in any way and is action specific to certain locales?
Thereās nothing specific in any of the levels to an exact location, but the game is set in the streets of urban America and Mexico. One great element is the soundtrack which will heighten the gameplay in the environments with Spanish hip hop playing in the Mexican levels. Our subway level has a train which runs. You will even get to fight on the train as you move from one subway station to the next.
TVG: Does offering two factions ā“ cops and gangsters - present huge replayability and what kind of progression in terms of difficulty does the game present?
There are two things to answer here. With two factions playing in teams in multiplayer means that thereās infinite replayability as youāll never know who youāre up against; what weapons theyāll have and how good theyāll be. With 15 maps and 4 game modes, plus clans, buddy lists, contests and rankings and of course customization thereās plenty to keep you busy.
In terms of difficulty we have four difficulty levels in single player with a distinct increase in toughness from the opening tutorial mission to the final fight. We have a bonus objective system in single player which can prove challenging to complete on the first go. Once youāve unlocked the level by completing it once, you can go back and give the bonus objectives another shot so you can unlock more items for multiplayer.
TVG would like to thank Luke Valentine for taking the time to answer our question.
25 to Life promises to offer online gamers exactly what they want, a Cops n Robbers styled experience where literally anything goes; weāll have further coverage of the title soon.
