HEI$T Interview April 24, 2007 John JCal Callaham

Introduction

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FiringSquad: You guys developed The Bard’s Tale before this game. Why did you want to switch from a fantasy RPG to a more modern day crime game?

Sean Patton: Simply, because its fun. We don’t really have a “style” I don’t think. If anything defines us it’s really our irreverence for convention. We did Bard’s Tale to kind of say, “Hey, RPG’s don’t have to be stuffy affairs about elves and dwarves.” We thought bank robbery would make a cool game, so we did HEI$T. We thought Line Rider was an awesome game too, so we are also working on that. We do what makes us excited.

FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the storyline and characters in the game?

Sean Patton: HEI$T begins with the main character Johnny being let out of prison. He gets together with some of his old crew, sights set on taking down the San Francisco Mint. Of course, nothing ever goes as smoothly as the original plan, so Johnny has to work out a few issues along the way.

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FiringSquad: Why did you wish to set the game in 1969 San Francisco?

Sean Patton: The 60’s was for rebels. The music, the cars, the clothes, the movies, etc. all had a rebel style to them. Bank robbers, from Jesse James to Willy Sutton have had a cool, rebel attitude about them that society respects. It’s not like thug crimes. Bank robbery and the 60’s are very cool, and so was our idea for a bank robbery game, so it was a good match.

FiringSquad: What are the main goals of HEI$T for your playable character(s)?

Sean Patton: Well, ironically, HEI$T is always about the heist. The player is set up with a series of obstacles and chooses how to overcome them: brute force, developing alliances, improving the skills of his crew. Whatever means the player chooses, it’s always about taking down the score from the elite banks of the game, building up the skills and means to take down the Mint.

FiringSquad: What kinds of locations and missions will the player have to accomplish in the game?

Sean Patton: HEI$T uses the whole city and a lot of locations, including warehouses, shipping freighters, strip clubs, diners and more. The player can choose to take missions that have an immediate gain, or they can explore the city, utilizing these locations to improve crew abilities and allow the player to practice particular tactics.

FiringSquad: Since your character is a bad guy, is it safe to say there will be a lot of confrontations with law enforcement in the game?

Sean Patton: Well, first off let’s define the term ‘bad guy’. Yes, in HEI$T you are going to rob banks, but the player has a choice on how they handle it. There are benefits to going in guns blazing and benefits to running a clean heist. So it’s up to the player how they build their reputation. A bad reputation will have more “confrontations”. There are also other elements in the city that may create conflict. Local thugs, vigilantes, and the mob all want a piece of the pie.

HEI Interview (con't)

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Sean Patton: Players are presented with the banks’ obstacles and options on how to overcome them. The player can choose to acquire the means to blow up the vault or choose to build the skills of his safe cracker to break into the vault. Blowing the vault is faster, but the risks in getting the explosives are normally higher. Also when an explosive goes off in a bank, someone is going to report it, so the player better be prepared to get out quickly or deal with a barricade of police outside. On the other hand, cracking a safe takes more time, so the player will need to ensure that they have the patrons, tellers and guards covered during that duration, otherwise, they will set off the alarm. Its all trade offs the player will have to make in order to pull off a successful job.

FiringSquad: How will the gun fights and car chases be handled in the game?

Sean Patton: In HEI$T the player will be forced to take cover during combat. This allows us to have much more dramatic gun fights in tight quarters, such as banks. Car chases through the streets of San Francisco will be wild rides with the player able to use the city itself as an obstacle against pursuers. The player will discover ramps and shortcuts to get some space and even build alliances with people in the city that can be called upon to create diversions.

FiringSquad: Will the game feature any multiplayer elements?

Sean Patton: Absolutely! We’ll reveal more details on HEI$T’s multiplayer component when the time is right.

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FiringSquad: What other unique features will HEI$T have?

Sean Patton: Well…open world San Francisco comes to mind, then there’s squad based game play, cover based combat, the ability to build your reputation as you prepare to take down the Mint. A bunch more, but you and your readers and all the members of their families, and all their friends, and all their friend’s friends, will likely want to buy the game and find out for yourselves instead of letting me spill all the beans.

FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the game’s graphical features and art style?

Sean Patton: I can tell you that HEI$T’s graphics are nothing but awesome. We are using the UnrealEngine3 and really pushing it to the limit. Our art team is extremely talented and has created a great style that reflects the 60’s.

FiringSquad: Will there be a demo of the game released before it ships?

Sean Patton: We always hope so, but it really comes down to time.

FiringSquad: What is the current status of the game’s progress and when will it be released?

Sean Patton: Probably about 35% complete.

FiringSquad: Is there anything else you wish to say about HEI$T?

Sean Patton: HEI$T is always about the job. Get in, get the cash and get away.