Darkwatch

FiringSquad: So the game you're currently working on, Darkwatch: Curse of the West, has recently been announced for Xbox and PlayStation 2. Can you tell us how the idea of a vampire western came up?

Rory McGuire: The leadership of Sammy Studios is big on their FPSes, spending a lot of time playing Medal of Honor and Halo. They had their heart set on making an FPS but didn't want to follow in the standard sci-fi or military footsteps. The concept of the western leapt to mind, which is a staple of American culture but has very little representation in video games. A twist was to toss in the undead, a secret order and the technology they used. Thus far we've been pretty detailed in crafting our world fiction. As a result the game has a tremendous coating of depth and personality both visually and in the story elements.

Jericho riding

Jumping jumpin'

FiringSquad: Since there is so little information available about the game right now, perhaps you'd care to fill us in on some features?

Rory McGuire: One feature which separates us from the FPS pack is the Vampire Jump. The player has both a standard jump and a Vampire Jump. The Vampire Jump sends the player flying up into the air and gives him hang-time before he gracefully touches back down again. The player can use this to quickly leap to rooftops, the tops of vehicles, or soar over the cover an enemy is using to land behind him. While the Vampire Jump sounds like a simple mechanic on paper, it really empowers the player to make use of the third dimension: imagine a rocket jump always available at your fingertips. With designers who are conscious of all the implications of the jump, we’ve made some levels that really showcase the three dimensional gameplay.

We are also still breathing the last bit of life into our horse. Already the horse has a tremendous amount of depth and style that FPS players haven't seen before. We have spent a lot of time on the horse to make it feel and look right, which is probably one of the hardest things we’ve tried on the project yet. A lot of man hours have gone into the slightest details to make sure the experience on horseback comes off seamless. Players will be able to move, shoot, jump and more from horseback, all at the same time. There is no automation, players are free to scream across the landscape, trampling down enemies on one side while shooting them on another.

Killpit

Killpit again

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