Developed by Warthog, Mace Griffin - Bounty Hunter was recently released, on PS2 and XBox, to public and critical acclaim. Its arrival brought a fresh perspective to FPS titles with the daring combination of classic first person mayhem with space fighting action.
A huge variety of weapons,and a universe of huge corporations, strange religious sects, and futuristic gun-slingers combined with the innovative and intriguing gameplay, guarantee to have you stuck to your screen for a long while.
In order to gain some insight on the process involved when creating a game of this scale and to prepare the ground for the release of the PC and GameCube versions we asked Paul Chapman, Mace Griffin - Bounty Hunter Producer, a few questions. Read on to see what he had to say.
MG : Can you tell us a few things about Warthog.
PC : Warthog was formed in 1997 by a couple of ex-Electronic Arts employees in Cheadle, Cheshire UK. Our first title was Starlancer on PC and Dreamcast. Since then we have created almost 20 other games across all platforms. We now have 3 offices in the UK, 1 in Sweden and 1 in the US, employing 260 people.
MG : Bounty Hunter will grace all of the so-called next-gen consoles and the PC, how hard has it become to accomodate every format?
PC : We started out developing the game only for Xbox and high-end PC, which are very similar in terms of memory, hardware features, and code architecture. Then halfway through development we were asked to produce PS2 and GCN versions, which entailed fitting the game into far less memory and dealing with less powerful processors. Fortunately our console programmers found ways of doing it and the gameplay experience is identical across all 4 platforms.
As you might expect, the visual effects are done differently on each platform, but I feel this gives each sku it's own look and feel. Whilst not having the same hardware graphics capabilities as the Xbox, the PS2 does a good job of making the game look impressive in it's own right.
MG : A game featuring classic FPS gameplay and space combat why? and how exactly does the 'Scene graph' technology come into it?
PC : The core team who started the project had done a few space combat games before, and we had often said "wouldn't it be cool if you could get out of your ship and run around when you land?" We also wanted to develop an FPS title because at the time we were playing and enjoying 'Half Life' so much, and we knew it was a genre which would appeal to a wider audience than just space combat.
I was worried that the space sections might not be embraced by hardcore FPS players, but from reading reviews this doesn't seem to have been a problem, I guess this is down to how similar the controls feel in the 2 environments and the FPS style that the space combat has.
MG : Why did you opt for your own engine rather than licensing. Can you give us a few details about the Tusk engine and whether you believe it provides Bounty Hunter with an edge?
PC : There isn't an engine available which does the ground / space transition, so we had no choice other than to invent it ourselves! The biggest edge the engine gives us is the seamless transition, and the huge environments it can handle.
MG : Are you planning other titles using Tusk?
PC : There are 2 versions of Tusk at Warthog, and we are bringing the best features from each together into one generic technology set. There are a number of titles currently being developed using Tusk, and many more planned for the future.
MG : The story is based on the "A-Team" premise, framed and looking for payback, how did it evolve? Did you use scriptwriters?
PC : We wanted a solitary, brooding central character who was basically a good man, but is dangerous because he has been wronged. Revenge is a classic motivation in fiction, and also gets the the reader emotionally involved with the hero's plight. We did all the scriptwriting ourselves.
Follow the link below and to the right for Part 2 the interview with Warthog's Paul Chapman.
MG : The PS2 and Xbox versions are already out, why is it that we have to wait until september 2003 for the PC/Cube versions? Is it to do with any difficulties you encountered on those formats or part of a license deal?
PC : The PS2 and Xbox versions are out now, and GCN and PC will be out in September. It's a decision made by Vivendi, I assume for marketing reasons. It's not because of any technical obstacles.
MG : Can you brief us on the progress of the PC/GC versions?
PC : They are both almost finished and are getting tested at the moment. They both look and play great.
MG : Will the PC/GC versions have any extra features? Any extra weapons or ships?
PC : No, gameplay and content is identical across all platforms.
MG : There is no online/XBox Live plan for the game. Are there plans for a sequel with online/XBox Live capabilities?
PC : If the first installment sells well then I hope we get a shot at doing a sequel. Multi-player would certainly be included next time around, and it would be awesome to do it as a PS3/Xbox2 launch title, we will just have to see how it goes.
MG : Can you tell us a few things about the AI and the importance of NPC's in the game?
PC : Our AI will use different tactics depending upon species, bravery, weapon carried, ammo carried, health, range of skills, if in a group or solo, and environment, which obviously creates a lot of possibilities. The major strengths of our AI are the variety, the realism and their ability to use cover.
NPCs are one of the most important aspects of the game as they provide the main source of interaction for the player. We have created a huge variety of NPCs in the game from religious fanatics to primitive aliens. I think this is vital to keep the game experience interesting.
MG : Apart from the exciting space combat/FPS combination what features or aspect of the game do you believe make it a must have title?
PC : The scale and variety of the environments and missions sets this apart from the competition. We have not taken the easy route of simply cloning geometry to make levels seem bigger as some other titles have. There are also a number of great set pieces like the mine cart chase and the battle in the flying taxis. Finally there's the fact that the action doesn't stop when you reach a hangar - you just jump in a ship and go!
MG : The PS2 and XBox versions have been released and have had a strong and solid launch. Can you give us some information on the reception the game has had. Is it creating enough of a buzz for the PC/GC versions?
PC : The Xbox and PS2 versions have been well recieved so far, particularly by the people who are prepared to sit down and play through the game rather than expecting a quick fix in level 1. It's had mainly positive reviews in the US, and I know that the press in the UK and Europe love it, so hopefully it will do well here when it gets launched in August. It should make PC and GCN owners hungry for a piece of the action.
MG : Warthog have started work on EA's Harry Potter title can you give us some news on that project?
PC : I'm not personally involved on that project, and it's actually been underway for quite a few months now. All I can say is that it looks and plays absolutely superbly, and should be a treat for all Harry fans!
Follow the download tab above to download the trailer for Mace Griffin - Bounty Hunter.
Watch this space for an in-depth look at Mace Griffin - Bounty Hunter and for an exclusive look at Warthog.