The line between cinematic presentation and interactivity continues to blur, as Arkane Studios’ Harvey Smith wants Dishonored to be this year’s “something special”. In other words, the Bioshock, the Skyrim, or the Far Cry 2 that stands out from the pack.
Speaking to GIBiz, Smith stated, “We think about the player experience we want and we go for that – not a cinematic experience, but an interactive experience. [If] you’re following a trail of breadcrumbs left by the designer it’s the same experience every time, and two different people will have exactly the same experience.
“The goal is cinematic action, which is a terrible goal for games. Really, if you’re making a game the goal should be improvisation.”
Of course, it isn’t always possible to make the kind of game you want, Smith admits. Then again, now that Arkane has the opportunity, Smith wants to follow through on it big time. The chips will fall where they may, but Smith is confident.
“I haven’t always been successful with the types of games I want to make…but Bethesda has had great success with following the creative vision of teams. It’s the right combination at the right time. It could have turned out every differently.”
We’ll see if the same rings true for Dishonored as it approaches release.
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