Steve Sinclair and Dark Sector

In a recent interview with IGN Steve Sinclair clarified several things regarding Dark Sector, and the concept changes the game has gone through throughout development.

In the interview he implies that not a lot really went into the sci-fi heavy setting that we first knew about. He explains that the sci-fi setting was born from a tech demo they did while they were waiting for the exact specs of the Xbox 360. He goes on to say that they really tried to stay flexible on the fictional backdrop that they wanted to do for the game.

As flexible as the backdrop was though during the process several things really resonated with them. For one thing they really want to “weird” the player out. Hence their decided shift to a more contemporary setting. His explanation:

the thing that started to resonate with us was that if everything else was weird, then the character is going to be much more mundane. So if you’re in a spaceship with giant robots and you have some cool armor, you’re going to just look like a part of the scenery…

…So what we’re trying to do is put it in a more conventional setting so that the weird shit is far more strange and that when you come into it we can sort of gently ease people into the stranger elements

The game will focus a bit more on the telling a good story and imparting to the player what the protagonist is going through, than just giving the player a whole lot of action. Of course action will be there, but it will be a tool to serve the story. The gameplay should change to go along with the changes that the protagonist will experience.

Get the rest of this article after the Jump!

In a recent interview with IGN, Steve Sinclair clarified several things regarding Dark Sector, and the concept changes the game has undergone throughout development.

In the interview he implies that not a lot really went into the sci-fi heavy setting that we first knew about. He explains that the sci-fi setting was born from a tech demo they did while they were waiting for the exact specs of the Xbox 360. He goes on to say that they really tried to stay flexible on the fictional backdrop that they wanted to do for the game.

As flexible as the backdrop was, though, during the process several things really resonated with them. For one thing they really want to “weird” the player out. Hence their decided shift to a more contemporary setting. His explanation:

The thing that started to resonate with us was that if everything else was weird, then the character is going to be much more mundane. So if you’re in a spaceship with giant robots and you have some cool armor, you’re going to just look like a part of the scenery…

…So what we’re trying to do is put it in a more conventional setting so that the weird sh*t is far more strange and that when you come into it we can sort of gently ease people into the stranger elements

The game will focus a bit more on the telling a good story and imparting to the player what the protagonist is going through, than just giving the player a whole lot of action. Of course action will be there, but it will be a tool to serve the story. The gameplay should change to go along with the changes that the protagonist will experience.

At the beginning of the game when we do the prologue he’s just kind of this anti-hero kind of guy. And very simply, concretely in the game, there are certain types of barriers that he has to open with contextual stuff. And then when he changes, then he begins tearing those things off and becomes much more brutal. So what we’re trying to do is convey that evolution on the inside, but also convey it on the outside so that those game elements that are around him are evolving as he does.

And how exactly will gameplay change? Well you all probably know already that the protagonist (Haden Tenno) is going to get mutated in some weird way and will then get cool powers; well, game play should change and vary as your character evolves and gets new powers.

Don’t worry though, Sinclair says that he’s aware of the formula that goes: “as more and more monsters show up and less and less soldiers spawn you use your power more and your guns less.” He says that they plan to mix things up so that the game doesn’t take that tired route.

As far as gameplay is concerned Sinclair notes that the AI will try to work in teams and lure you into traps. He says that they’ve got animal behavior in mind for the monsters and then they’ve got standard military tactics for the human enemies.

As for Haden he’s got this “automatic cover system” that the devs are still tweaking. So far the system involves him adapting his posture automatically depending on the environment he’s in. So when you, the player, are trying sneak behind someone, Haden’s posture will change to convey that you’re “sneakier,” when you’re near cover and there are enemies present you’ll automatically duck.

If you’re thinking that this automation won’t be that fun, don’t worry, Sinclair assures that they’re still tweaking it. In his words:

there are a lot of potential downsides to that so that’s why I’m a little bit gun-shy of you there. Because there’s a lot of tuning involved – what you’re trying to do is to guess the player’s intentions…
…We’re not going to simplify it such that people feel like they’re just pushing forward and then “win, win, win”, you know? The “I Win” button, right?

We’ll keep you updated if any more news regarding this comes up.

Via IGN