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Exclusive: Broken Sword 3 Q&A Feature

Derek dela Fuente

01/09/2003

Charles Cecil, creative director of the Broken Sword series, speaks to TVG about the eagerly awaited next instalment...

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon has been in development in various stages for over three years and after a successful showing at the ECTS it is back to work for the team as this eagerly anticipated title comes together. Derek dela Fuente talked and quizzed Charles Cecil, MD and creative director about the third title in the Broken Sword series.

How long now has Broken Sword 3 been in development, how many people are working on the game and what is the lead machine for development?

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon has been in full pre-production development for the last year, and in concept approval practically since we completed work on Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror. We've around 25 people working on various aspects of the game, and, currently, the lead format is PlayStation 2 although it is planned for other formats including PC.

What kind of continuity will there be in the third instalment following on from the first 2?

The series was always intended to be a trilogy, and this third instalment ties up many of the concepts introduced and explored in the first two games. The story starts a few years after we last saw George and Nico. We know that fans of the series love the characterisation of each of the games, which is why we'll be introducing some familiar characters throughout this new adventure.

Time that has passed since Broken Sword 2 and this is reflected in the personalities of both George and Nico. George himself is a little less naïve - he's seen a thing or two in the intervening years. His mundane life in the States has bored him, and he grasps the opportunity to return to his adventuring past. Nico, too, has matured - she's much more confident as a person, which means she's less likely to take any nonsense from George. Yet whilst the relationship between the two has evolved, it still has the same roots as ever. Deep down, they both rather like each other, but would find it hard to admit it.

You must have been asked this many times but why do you feel the 'point and click' adventure genre has had such a rough time over the last few years and can you see a rapid return of the genre?

âThe point and click adventure is dead.â As technology has advanced, new game play has been made possible - particularly as games become fully 3D - and the point and click game play has simply been left behind. The interface, which was the genre's strength for so long, was too inflexible to adapt. But adventures, per se, are absolutely not dead, but in need of reinvention - in the same way that other genres have been reinvented. Final Fantasy VI was considered too quirky to be released in Europe, but through Final Fantasy VII the RPG was totally reinvented and the game sold over 6 million units. Metal Gear Solid reinvented the Metal Gear genre and was a huge success. Adventures are in desperate need of reinvention and Broken Sword: The
Sleeping Dragon will do this.

We believe that the change happened at the right time. The genre had pretty much run its course - there had been no radical advancements for a while. Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon has been on the cards since we completed Broken Sword 2 - but we decided to start development only when the technology allowed us to do something really clever with it; to realise our vision.

Do you see the appeal and focus for this third title towards the big user base of people who bought the first two games and how do you entice new gamers?

We have a very loyal fan base and we certainly want to ensure that the game appeals to them. However, we also want to appeal to a new audience who would not have been interested in an old-fashioned point-and-click game - or may have never even heard of adventure games. Ever since we announced the fact the game was coming and moving to direct-control, full 3D, opinion has been spit between those horrified at such radical change, to those that can't wait to see it. Whilst we understand such natural concerns, fans of the series shouldn't be worried - we will ensure that The Sleeping Dragon maintains the core appeal of an adventure while being wholly contemporary and up to date. We've also had a hugely positive reaction to Broken Sword GBA, which we see as both a showcase and a proof positive of the move to a direct control interface.

Those new to the series will be genuinely surprised. This is a different type of adventure game, marrying many elements commonly seen in modern gaming into one unique package. This isn't Metal Gear Solid. It's not Tomb Raider. It's not Final Fantasy. This is a new type of game, which brings a hard-hitting story to life, offering a new style of gaming. We're hugely excited about it - it just feels right!

Fav characters George Stobbart and Nico will return once again - though they will have matured in both characterisation and appearance. What will be the most discernable changes in their way they react and go about things?

Both characters have developed and changed - partly due to their experiences in the previous Broken Sword adventures and their life since. Both characters are more physical - the 3D world gives us an opportunity for them to explore their environment. George is a bit more worldly wise, Nico a bit sharper. But they still share an unbreakable bond.

You have openly come out with the fact that you are focused on the look and 3D elements of the game. Can you divulge any innovative or exciting elements you are working on?

The move to 3D has been really exciting, allowing us to incorporate completely fresh game ideas. Stealth will play an important part in the adventure, alongside detective work and puzzling. Additionally - and for the first time in the series - we're introducing action elements, though not in a beat-'em-up style. We're very keen to make a game that appeals to a broad range of players; those that are adventure fans, and those that are action/adventure fans. A game of this variety would not be possible without the introduction of 3D.

The aim with The Sleeping Dragon has always been to have a unique look and feel. The style created in the earlier games has been developed and evolved for 3d representation. Broken Sword always had a uniquely fresh look that set it apart from other games, and our aim has always been to try achieve the same with a 3d game. In addition to the art style itself, we've created some neat technology to push the look even further. In particular, we have a new technique for ray traced lighting which is something not seen before. Also, because characterisation is so important in a game like Broken Sword, we've developed techniques for facial animation, so we can have George and Nico 'act out' the game in a really life like way. We wanted to bring them both to life, to see their facial expressions as they react to game events. Using these techniques, we think, will enhance the relationship between the player and the game characters, which is all part of the fun of adventure gaming.

Charles can you give us a brief synopsis of the story and have you brought in any creative/known talent to write it?

The game has been scripted by the team that worked on the first two games - maintaining that sense of continuity is important to us. I wouldn't wish to give too much of the story away at this early stage, but the game begins with a number of dramatic and contrasting scenes. On the one hand, a computer hacker in Paris is brutally murdered, and Nico is framed for the murder. On the other, George Stobbart, flying in a light aircraft over the jungle, is forced to crash land when a violent storm suddenly whips up and drags his plane down. The game then begins, and it's a question of how these seemingly unrelated events are eventually tied together...

We are informed that the game has the look and feel of a Hollywood action film. Can you quantify this comment with some examples?

I think the term 'Hollywood action film' might be a little misleading! We won't be seeing any Arnold Schwarzenegger gun toting sequences, that's for sure! But the game is aimed at that broad audience of adults and teenagers that play mainstream video games and go to the movies in search of entertainment. This is where video games should be - they should be accessible to everyone, not just a hardcore that wants to play Doom 3, or whatever.

Many 'adventure games' have a very formulised set of puzzles and combat actions required to move you onto the next segment of the game. Are the puzzles totally related to the story and will they be pretty obvious and not wildly cryptic?

Wildly cryptic puzzles were very much a symptom of problems eating away at old style adventure games. The difficultly facing designers were that the game environment and interface restricted the game play to 'crossword' style puzzles. In the end, designers began to run out of ideas for new puzzles in this vein, and so ended up making them very obscure, just to stop players marching through the games in no time at all. We're finding that when free of restrictive interfaces, and given the greater freedom of movement that 3d games allow, we're able to come up with puzzles and challenges that are both logical and fit the world that they're based in.

A real restriction of old style games was the screen-by-screen progress that players had to make. The games were essentially screen after screen with barriers erected to slow your progress. You could never just look around at the environment and the people in it and go the way you wanted. There wouldn't be a choice. In BS: The Sleeping Dragon, for example, you might have to try and figure out a way to break into an old castle. The noise of walking down the gravel drive attracts guard dogs - but that could be used to your advantage as you lure them away from an entrance and quickly pull yourself over a wall and creep around as they bark madly at the wall. Or you could have rummaged in a bin and found some discarded food - which you may
choose to eat or toss at the dog to keep it happy! Or you could approach the castle from the other direction and discover that by pushing a box against the wall, you can jump up and reach a balcony... Maybe as you climb a stone is dislodged that falls and wakes a watchman - the player must stay still in the shadows as he looks around to see what is happening. The choice is yours. This is a million miles away from joining together a spanner and a teapot to make a wholly unfeasible 'key'...

What kind of varied locations are on offer and are the settings pertinent to the tasks and puzzles that will be presented?

Once again this will be a global adventure. We're working on many new locations and a few some people will recognise. Indeed, for the GBA version of Broken Sword we introduced one new location whose relevance will only become apparent after the first game. As with Broken Sword 1, the game is based around a central hub, which, again, is Paris. We felt this structure worked particularly well.

How sequential will the game be - will there be many routes unfolding with different stories lines and what is the players overall task?

Whilst the chapter progression will be linear, we will be allowing players to devise their own tactics, within reason. We're keen to avoid having players frustrated by not being able to perform a specific task a certain way. So, you will likely solve the game in much the same order as your pal, but within the game sections, you may solve puzzles differently depending on how you play and which routes you take.

How much at the mercy of technology, are the team in terms of animation and visual content? Are there still are number of debilitating factors with the PC, XBOX and PS2 architecture that limits in what you do?

I think if you're restrained by technology at the moment, you'll never be able to write games. The fact is we've never had it so good in terms of the machines we're coding for and the audience buying games. This last year has seen some incredible games - GTA3, MGS2, Ico and FFX to name but four â“ and I firmly believe we're in a what will be considered a vintage age of gaming. BS: The Sleeping Dragon will obviously reinforce this. The obvious gripe with the PC is the sheer range of machine specifications.

If there has been any criticism of previous Broken Sword titles it is the fact that the dialogue has been too long and involved. Would this be a fair comment and one you have adjusted?

For every person that disliked so much dialogue, there is another that loves it. But yes, I'd agree that Broken Sword 1, in particular, was a little dialogue heavy. We'll be going for a better balance between game play elements in BS: The Sleeping Dragon. But Revolution prides itself on creating games, which are rich in story and characterisation - we engage the player through dialogue and plot. The key is getting the balance right.

If you had to pinpoint one area of change for this title what would it be?

Ambition! Everything is bigger, better and bolder with this game. We're really going for it in order to create something special!

Thanks Charles!