Who are you gonna call? For European developer Zootfly, they hope the answer is "Ghostbusters" as they decided to work on a prototype of a video-PC game based on the classic 1980's comedy-action movie series. While the game is currently on hold gameplay footage from the prototype made it out on Youtube and created quite a buzz about the game. FiringSquad got a chance to chat with Tibor Klajnscek, the technical director at Zootfly, to find out more about the Ghostbusters game along with their own original action game TimeO.

FiringSquad: First, how did the idea for making the Ghostbusters game come about? Is is something Zootfly decided to do themselves or is it something that they were recruited to do by a publisher?

Tibor Klajnscek: As most of us are Ghostbusters fans, we always wanted to make a game based on the IP. When we started talking to a publisher about another project, the idea to make a Ghostbusters game just came up naturally and we all jumped at it. In retrospect, it's was one of those really brilliant ideas that everybody thinks of at the same time.

FiringSquad: The gameplay specific movie showed some impressive physics effects with the proton gun. Was the plan for the Ghostbusters game to have a lot of interaction with the enviroment?

Tibor Klajnscek: Yeah, that was one of the premises of the game. We all remember how much stuff the guys blew up as they were shooting the proton stream in the movies. We wanted that to really show in the game. What's cooler than causing massive collateral damage and then going "Okay, all right, hold it! Hold it! Hold it! Whoa! Nice shooting, Tex!".

FiringSquad: In terms of gameplay will the Ghostbusters game allow you to play as all four characters in a tactical action game a la Rainbow Six or would you control each team member individually?

Tibor Klajnscek: We were thinking more along the lines of Gears of War where you would only control one character. You'd get to decide which one in the start. The other three would be AI sidekicks. A setup like this would enable us to have much more fast paced action in the game.

FiringSquad: In terms of storyline would the game adapt the two movies or go in a new direction with an all new storyline?

Tibor Klajnscek: There are very strong arguments to go either way. Internally we were split just about 50-50 about how it should be done. We never reached a final decision as the project was put on hold before final preproduction started.

FiringSquad: What other gameplay elements did you plan to put into the Ghostbusters game, especially how you would handle the ghosts themselves?

Tibor Klajnscek: At the early prototype stage we were mostly working on getting the basics right. First, we wanted to reach a common vision of how to do things both artistically and technically. Later on we would work out the details. What I can say for sure is that we would stay true to the Ghostbusters franchise when it comes to handling ghosts. The trap would most definitely be in there. As for other gameplay elements we were going to have some pretty huge monsters, lots of ECTO-based action and of course the omnipresent Ghostbusters humor.

FiringSquad: The Youtube movies generated a ton of attention. Did Zootfly expect this kind of attention and has it spurred new interest in the game from the Ghostbusters movie owners?

Tibor Klajnscek: We thought a few fans are gonna be excited, but we never expected such an overwhelming response. Almost all the feedback we received was very positive. People who weren't even born yet when the movies came out just can't wait to play the game. With all the exposure that we received we were able to get in contacts with some interesting people, but I can really go into more detail on this.

FiringSquad: How did the idea for TimeO come about?

Tibor Klajnscek: When it became apparent that for the time being the Ghostbusters project had a grim fate we started working on an original IP. We wanted to keep many of the same elements that we liked with Ghostbusters. We took all positive energy that had built up as we worked on Ghostbusters and put it into the TimeO concept. Currently we're looking for a world-wide publishing deal for TimeO and you'll be the first to know when it happens.

FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the storyline for the game?

Tibor Klajnscek: TimeO is a daring and upbeat action adventure about two diehard New York City urban explorers. They discover an entrance to a parallel world in which an army of enslaved people is building replicas of cities in order to launch a Trojan horse invasion on Earth and other worlds. There’s the exploration spirit of Ghostbusters, the audacity of Indiana Jones, and the roughness of gritty urban TV series, such as Prison Break and 24. TimeO will appeal with a gripping story, great characters and their development, deep immersion, fast-paced cinematic action and the invigorating feel if impeding victory.

FiringSquad: In terms of gameplay what does TimeO bring to the plate that other action games do not have?

Tibor Klajnscek: I'm not going into a lot of detail on this subject, as things are still open. What I can say is that we've played through all the recent hits many times. We analyzed what people liked and disliked about them and we're definitely taking that into account as we continue to refine the TimeO design. The game is going to feature a really cool blend of shooting, exploration and puzzles, realistic environment interaction and special character abilities.

FiringSquad: What other projects does Zootfly have in the works?

Tibor Klajnscek: We're also working on an XBLA title called Toy Wars. It's a cute action game in which you assume control of your favorite toy and wreak havoc in typical household environments. It's meant for all the kids out there, aged 5-90 :)

FiringSquad: Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Ghostbusters, TimeO and Zootfly in general?

Tibor Klajnscek: Well, we all hope that we manage to sort out the IP issues and make a really awesome Ghostbusters game. I want to extend my personal thank you to everyone. You wouldn't believe how much fan mail we're getting and we feel grateful for each and every one. As for TimeO, I'm sure it's going to be a kick ass game when it comes out. Keep your eyes open!

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