QJ Interview: HELLBOY

We hold the right hand of doom in this interview with Paul Armatta, Producer at Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. Won’t you come on in and read the entire interview after the jump?

QJ: How are Mike Mignola and Guillermo Del Toro involved with production?

Armatta: Before we even started working on the game, we had a chance to speak with Mike and Guillermo on the phone. We discussed the developer we were thinking about using for the game and our general ideas for the type of game we wanted to make. We all agreed that we wanted to create game that would appeal to Hellboy fans and give them a unique experience that was based in the Hellboy universe, but was not just like the comics or the film or the animated movies.

They also suggested that  we look at the Conqueror Worm book for settings, storylines, and characters. Without telling us much about the Hellboy II movie script, they indicated that the Conqueror Worm would give us a place to start, and we wouldn’t have to worry about duplicating anything they were thinking about for the next movie. Since then, they’ve given us direction and feedback on the story, settings  and artwork on a regular basis.

We hold the right hand of doom in this interview with Paul Armatta, Producer at Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. Won’t you come on in and read the entire interview after the jump?

QJ: How are Mike Mignola and Guillermo Del Toro involved with production?

Armatta: Before we even started working on the game, we had a chance to speak with Mike and Guillermo on the phone. We discussed the developer we were thinking about using for the game and our general ideas for the type of game we wanted to make. We all agreed that we wanted to create game that would appeal to Hellboy fans and give them a unique experience that was based in the Hellboy universe, but was not just like the comics or the film or the animated movies.

They also suggested that  we look at the Conqueror Worm book for settings, storylines, and characters. Without telling us much about the Hellboy II movie script, they indicated that the Conqueror Worm would give us a place to start, and we wouldn’t have to worry about duplicating anything they were thinking about for the next movie. Since then, they’ve given us direction and feedback on the story, settings  and artwork on a regular basis.

QJ: What sorts of games have the various development team members worked on?

Armatta: The developer is a group called Krome Studios in Brisbane, Australia. They’ve grown a lot over the last few years, and have an incredibly diverse and experienced group of people. Some of the titles they’ve developed in the past are: TY the Tasmanian Tiger series, King Arthur, Jimmy Neutron: Jet Fusion, Barbie Sparkling Ice Show, Sunny Garcia Surfing, Extremely Goofy Skateboarding, and Barbie Beach Vacation.

QJ: Can you give us a hint at the story? Will the wit and humor from the comics be kept intact, oh and will there be Nazi’s?

Armatta: We don’t want to give it away, but we’re bringing back one of the main antagonists from the comic books, and creating an original story around him. The game is divided up in to episodes or chapters. Each one will have it’s own, somewhat self-contained story. Some chapters take place in roughly current-day, and others will be flashbacks that give Hellboy some insight and potentially some information that he’ll need to get through the next chapter. We’re certainly trying to retain the wit and humor of the comics. We’re hoping that we can convey this through dialog and the characters reactions to their circumstances. And, yes, there will be Nazi’s.

QJ: Can you give us an idea of how the context sensitive brawling system will work?

Armatta: The characters will have set of moves that differ based on the situation they are in and the enemies that they are fighting. The game will also include a grappling system that will allow the characters to react intelligently to different enemies and get the better of them by using their moves against them. For example, one enemy will lash out with its tongue. Hellboy will be able to grab that enemy by the tongue if the grappling move is performed correctly. We are also creating a “soft-lock” system to make sure that the most damage possible is dealt to the environment and all of the characters involved. Also, if a breakable wall is in range, Hellboy can throw enemies or be thrown by enemies through the wall. Depending on the situation, this might open up otherwise hidden areas.

QJ: How do the destructive environments factor into combat?

Armatta: Basically, the levels are being designed with props and destructible elements that can be broken and can be picked up and thrown or used as weapons. Additionally, certain parts of the environment will have to be destroyed to either progress the story or find secret areas.

QJ: What sorts of special powers and abilities does Hellboy possess in the game?

Armatta: In addition to his standard, powerful melee attacks, Hellboy will be able to effectively “charge up” the Right Hand of Doom to create special attacks that add more power to his fighting combos and do even more damage. By defeating enemies and solving puzzles, Hellboy will get certain items that will give him special advantages in certain situations, such as exploiting an enemy’s weakness and getting through an otherwise impassable area.

QJ: We understand the emphasis is on brawling, but we be able to bust out Hellboy’s massive gun, “The Samaritan” for a little target practice?

Armatta: You will definitely be able to bust out the Samaritan, but the emphasis of the combat will be balanced toward brawling. Using the gun will have certain risk/rewards elements such as very powerful ammo, but long reload times for example.

QJ: How will Liz Sherman and Abe Sapien handle differently from Hellboy?

Armatta: Both Liz and Abe will have a unique set of moves and require a different style of play. Liz will be able to blast enemies with a “fireball” instead of a gun, and her moves will be more balanced toward causing ranged or “area of effect” damage. Like Hellboy, Abe will have a gun. It won’t be as powerful as the Samaritan, but he’ll be able to use it more frequently and quickly. Abe’s combat style will focus on his agility and quickness. He’ll be able to get behind enemies and do more advanced grapples and throws. We’re also trying to find ways to create special areas in the game that will either require a particular character’s unique ability or at least really give the player a distinct advantage for using the right character at the right moment.

QJ: Mike Migonola’s striking visual style is very closely linked with people’s perception of Hellboy, the first screenshots we’ve seen would indicate that you’re moving away from the simplicity of Mignola’s work while keeping it’s basic styling, how hard was it to make that decision and what informed it?

Armatta: We went back and forth on this issue quite a bit, and eventually came to the decision to follow the visual style from the film more than the comics. We really didn’t want to do a direct copy of either one, but it felt like a more natural progression as well as a good opportunity to show off next-gen graphics to draw most of our visual style from the film. However, we have
made it a point not to try and mimic the film exactly. In particular with the Hellboy model, we referenced Mike’s work as much as the film to extract the characteristics that make up the true essence of Hellboy. In an additional attempt to try create a blend between the comics and the film, we really tried to draw all of our settings directly from the comics. We’re not recreating realistic settings, but instead creating stylized, 3D versions of Mignola-esque settings.

QJ: Can you tell us a little about the technology powering Hellboy, what will it allow you to do visually that’ll make Hellboy stand out?

Armatta: Krome has taken their well-established current-gen technology and moved it to the next-gen systems. More than ever before, we’ll be able to use lighting and shadowing to create a visual style and mood that really define the Hellboy world. In addition, we have more flexibility with new physics and AI capabilities that will allow us to create more challenging and intelligent character interactions.

QJ: Do you have plans for downloadable content on either platform?

Armatta: We do have plans for downloadable content, but we’re not ready to discuss any specific details at this point.

QJ: How will the PSP release of Hellboy differ from the console versions of the game?

Armatta: To some degree, we’re treating the PSP version as a totally different game. We are planning on using the assets that have been created for the other versions, but the art-style, level design, and camera will be tailored specifically for the PSP. For example, the levels will be laid out so that gameplay will take place in smaller, tighter areas that the player must clear out or solve puzzles in to progress the story. We are also planning to create a unique power-up combat system for Hellboy that will only be on the PSP.