Red Steel Wants Your R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The one Wii title that created the most pre-release buzz has got to be Red Steel. This is the game where the Wii Remote acts as a virtual sword and a freehand machine gun. If you’re wondering why the strange mix of weaponry, the Red Steel story takes place in the US and Japan as gamers take on the role of an American searching for his girlfriend who’s been kidnapped by the Yakuza.
In an interview, game producer Marie-Sol Beaudry talked about the making of Red Steel. Tha idea for Red Steel was born back at the E3 2005. Nintendo looking for a third party developer for a first-person view game for the Wii and found Ubisoft. Having only basic concept info about the Wiimote, Ubisoft was forced to work with real remote controls. The developer spent up to three months imagining ways of using the then non-existent Wiimote controller and buttons. Their goal was to explore all the kinds of movement that can be done using a remote control.
“So there was no technology at first, only ideas, and this was a very fresh and new development process!” says Beaudry. “We just discovered the built-in controller speaker feature around E3 and we are now working on how to use it for single and multiplayer.”
Beaudry says the Red Steel gameplay was designed on the controller as a virtual weapon in your hand. Unlike other action games, Red Steel players are forced to master real-life sword and shooting movements. Mastery of techniques is very important to the game. The sword fighting skills can be honed at the dojo through a mentor.
Gamers can choose between killing and neutralising their opponents. Defeated opponents show their respect to the victorious gamer by giving bonuses like ammunition or information about a situation. Respect is another important element in the game. Initially gamers will experience being an American grappling with the strange Japanese culture. To defeat Tokai, the guy who kidnapped the girlfriend, gamers must gain the the support of another clan. This is where earning the respect points count.
Red Steel gameplay and the Wiimote are such revolutionary concepts that Ubisoft expects resistance from some. The developers are still working to make the controls more accessible and fun to any kind of gamer. As for the multiplayer mode, “It is still in progress. Please be patient and you will know very soon.” Ditto for online gaming. “Nintendo has not announced its plans for online; you will know very soon,” says Beaudry.
Via Nintendo Europe
The one Wii title that created the most pre-release buzz has got to be Red Steel. This is the game where the Wii Remote acts as a virtual sword and a freehand machine gun. If you’re wondering why the strange mix of weaponry, the Red Steel story takes place in the US and Japan as gamers take on the role of an American searching for his girlfriend who’s been kidnapped by the Yakuza.
In an interview, game producer Marie-Sol Beaudry talked about the making of Red Steel. Tha idea for Red Steel was born back at the E3 2005. Nintendo looking for a third party developer for a first-person view game for the Wii and found Ubisoft. Having only basic concept info about the Wiimote, Ubisoft was forced to work with real remote controls. The developer spent up to three months imagining ways of using the then non-existent Wiimote controller and buttons. Their goal was to explore all the kinds of movement that can be done using a remote control.
“So there was no technology at first, only ideas, and this was a very fresh and new development process!” says Beaudry. “We just discovered the built-in controller speaker feature around E3 and we are now working on how to use it for single and multiplayer.”
Beaudry says the Red Steel gameplay was designed on the controller as a virtual weapon in your hand. Unlike other action games, Red Steel players are forced to master real-life sword and shooting movements. Mastery of techniques is very important to the game. The sword fighting skills can be honed at the dojo through a mentor.
Gamers can choose between killing and neutralising their opponents. Defeated opponents show their respect to the victorious gamer by giving bonuses like ammunition or information about a situation. Respect is another important element in the game. Initially gamers will experience being an American grappling with the strange Japanese culture. To defeat Tokai, the guy who kidnapped the girlfriend, gamers must gain the the support of another clan. This is where earning the respect points count.
Red Steel gameplay and the Wiimote are such revolutionary concepts that Ubisoft expects resistance from some. The developers are still working to make the controls more accessible and fun to any kind of gamer. As for the multiplayer mode, “It is still in progress. Please be patient and you will know very soon.” Ditto for online gaming. “Nintendo has not announced its plans for online; you will know very soon,” says Beaudry.
Via Nintendo Europe