Konami Q&A Coded Arms: Assault

In a recent interview Coded Arms Producer Yasuo Daikai reveals some interesting facts about the PS3 iteration of Coded Arms. While Mr. Daikai did mention a plethora of features, one feature (one that could have possibly been the most highly anticipated) has been outright excluded.

The feature which will unfortunately not make it into this installment of Coded Arms PSP to PS3 is the Cross-Talk ability. That’s right! Who would have thought that such a strong candidate for pioneering this gimmick on PS3 would choose to forsake it all together? Coded Arms was the first FPS (First-Person Shooter) to make it onto the PSP’s pretty screen and when we all heard that Coded Arms was coming to PS3 – everyone simultaneously had the same mind-spark, “Cross-Talk unlockables! Yay”!

Mr. Daikai’s explanation for the omission of Cross-Talk from Coded Arms: Assault could probably be considered a disappointment in itself, “It is best to think of Coded Arms Assault as a new game with a shared theme of virtual reality. However the stories are not related at all. The direct sequel in terms of story would be Coded Arms Contagion on PSP“.

On the brighter side of things, Mr. Daikai mentions that Coded Arms “has changed 180-degrees” in terms of its focus on gameplay. Assault will feature vehicles, 16 person multiplayer, downloadable content, and a (virtual-virtual) environment where virtually (how apt!) anything can happen. Among the multiplayer modes, a 4 player co-op campaign will let you explore exclusive maps to access weapons that are otherwise unobtainable in single-player.

All in all, Coded Arms: Assault seems to be coming along nicely, and I can’t wait to see it play at home in the future. In regards to the game’s graphics and the use of pre-rendered cut scenes, Mr. Daikai responds, “We feel there is no need for pre-rendered movies with the PlayStation 3. The E3 trailer is all using in-game graphics“. Truly uplifting words.

Read the full interview after the jump!

In a recent interview Coded Arms Producer Yasuo Daikai reveals some interesting facts about the PS3 iteration of Coded Arms. While Mr. Daikai did mention a plethora of features, one feature (one that could have possibly been the most highly anticipated) has been outright excluded.

The feature which will unfortunately not make it into this installment of Coded Arms PSP to PS3 is the Cross-Talk ability. That’s right! Who would have thought that such a strong candidate for pioneering this gimmick on PS3 would choose to forsake it all together? Coded Arms was the first FPS (First-Person Shooter) to make it onto the PSP’s pretty screen and when we all heard that Coded Arms was coming to PS3 – everyone simultaneously had the same mind-spark, “Cross-Talk unlockables! Yay”!

Mr. Daikai’s explanation for the omission of Cross-Talk from Coded Arms: Assault could probably be considered a disappointment in itself, “It is best to think of Coded Arms Assault as a new game with a shared theme of virtual reality. However the stories are not related at all. The direct sequel in terms of story would be Coded Arms Contagion on PSP“.

On the brighter side of things, Mr. Daikai mentions that Coded Arms “has changed 180-degrees” in terms of its focus on gameplay. Assault will feature vehicles, 16 person multiplayer, downloadable content, and a (virtual-virtual) environment where virtually (how apt!) anything can happen.  Among the multiplayer modes, a 4 player co-op campaign will let you explore exclusive maps to access weapons that are otherwise unobtainable in single-player.

All in all, Coded Arms: Assault seems to be coming along nicely, and I can’t wait to see it play at home in the future. In regards to the game’s graphics and the use of pre-rendered cut scenes, Mr. Daikai responds, “We feel there is no need for pre-rendered movies with the PlayStation 3. The E3 trailer is all using in-game graphics“.  Truly uplifting words.

Full Interview with Yasuo Daikai and IGN:

IGN: What does PS3 hardware enable you to do, in terms of design and gameplay that you couldn’t do on PSP?

Yasuo Daikai: In the first Coded Arms for PSP, we pursued simplicity in a handheld FPS. As a result, the story and its presentation, level design, and AI were not as balanced compared to a console game. Now that we are developing for a high-end console, our goal has changed 180-degrees. We are putting more focus on these elements which is a key factor in first-person shooters. In addition, we are also focusing on its uniqueness as well, something you may have noticed when watching the E3 trailer.

IGN: Will moving to consoles enable players to manipulate virtual environments differently?

Daikai: I can’t talk much about the details at this point but I can tell you right now that the player will feel more immersed in playing the role of an armed hacker. In that sense, you will experience something more than with the previous PSP version. We hope to capture the feel of a virtual reality world with a more detailed story and presentation, something which can only be experienced in this game.

IGN: We know Assault is not a direct sequel to Coded Arms on PSP. Apart from the virtual environments, are there any ties between the two?

Daikai: It is best to think of Coded Arms Assault as a new game with a shared theme of virtual reality. However the stories are not related at all. The direct sequel in terms of story would be Coded Arms Contagion on PSP.

IGN: In terms of narrative, will the story unfold through cutscenes or during the game using the game engine? Also, can you offer ay details in terms of plot?

Daikai: We feel there is no need for pre-rendered movies with the PlayStation 3. The E3 trailer is all using in-game graphics. As for the plot, the main character is a well-skilled hacker who is hired to steal data from Ashihara Corporation. There the hacker will battle against the security system while inside the virtual reality world. You will encounter many characters in the game as well… such as the mysterious female character (as seen in the trailer), a professor involved in the creation of the virtual reality world, and other hackers that have the same goal as the main character. The story will keep players in for a roller-coaster ride filled with mystery and excitement.

IGN: Are there any enhanced network plans such as downloadable content?

Daikai: We are thinking of many ways to utilize the network capabilities including the ability to offer downloadable content. We are still preparing to work on this feature so we can’t talk about the specifics yet.

IGN: What sets Assault apart from other next-generation first-person shooters?

Daikai: I think the biggest difference this game has to offer is the virtual reality setting. Players will probably experience something different from other games being placed in a world between the lines of reality and imagination. We want to convey that it is the player himself/ herself that is entering into the game world.

IGN: In terms of actual gameplay, how does the game’s virtual environment come into play?

Daikai: Because the world is set in virtual reality, things that happen inside this world will greatly affect the story and level design. This time, the stages aren’t just realistic-looking environments set in a virtual reality world, but it should give players a feeling that they are really battling in a virtual reality field.

IGN: What has the technical abilities of the PS3 enabled you to do in terms of destructible environments?

Daikai: All I can say to this is that we have been working on new technologies everyday. We have been integrating new effects and it has been progressing well.

IGN: The game is clearly set far into the future. What can players expect in terms of weaponry and gadgets?

Daikai: There will be the usual set of weapons you see in most FPS. The designs are all original (meaning not licensed from actual weapons), their damage attributes will be varied and gimmicks are going to be detailed. We also have a few “digital gadgets” and “digital weapons” featured which fits well with the game’s virtual reality setting.

IGN: Many first-person action titles have incorporated some kind of vehicular combat. Can we expect something similar in Assault?

Daikai: Yes, you can expect some vehicles in this game.

IGN: Sony has announced that it wants to exploit PSP and PS3 compatibility. Can players link Coded Arms Contagion and Coded Arms Assault?

Daikai: Contagion is a direct sequel to PSP while Assault is a brand new series. The two worlds are not related to each other so we believe it is best to keep them separate.

IGN: Will Assault use the PS3’s motion controller in any way?

Daikai: Using the motion sensor is being considered, but we are still in the discussion stages.

IGN: What different types of multiplayer modes can players expect? How many players can the game support simultaneously?

Daikai: For versus multiplayer, we are thinking of up to 16 players (with the possibility of more than 16 players depending on development) with the usual Deathmatch, Capture The Flag modes, both single and team play type games. There will be other unique modes such as one where players compete against each other by trying to steal data. In addition to that, we also have a co-op mode for up to four players. Players can work together and obtain special weapons which can only be found in this mode. The maps will be designed specifically for this mode.

Via IGN