BioWare Talks Mass Effect: Part 2
As one of the masterminds behind games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, Dr. Ray Muzyka from BioWare knows a thing or two about crafting a great RPG. The Edmonton-based developers first Xbox 360 game may be their most ambitious yet, featuring an innovative dialogue system, real-time combat, and jaw-dropping graphics. We had a chance to sit down with the good doctor at D.I.C.E., where he was happy to tell us all about Mass Effect. This is the second part of this exclusive interview, as we ran the first part last week. Be sure to check it out, as it contains some great info on whats sure to be one of the biggest and best RPGs of 2007 (we've also updated the story with a clarification from Microsoft on the length of the game). So, without further ado, heres the rest of our interview with Dr. Ray Muzyka!
Not to be too skeptical, but a lot of time when a company tries to make a multi-faceted game, just about everything gets the short end of the stick. How do you find a balance to satisfy different types of gamers?
Ray Muzyka: Thats an excellent question. At BioWare, we see the types of character and story-driven games we make as having four key activity pillars. Theres story and characters, theres exploration, theres combat/conflict/action, and theres customization/progression. All of our game have those, to some extent. What were trying to do is build these activity chains between them. We think consciously about How do we pull the player from the story to the exploration to the progression to the combat? For example, maybe you run into an interesting character who tells you about an interesting place to go. You find some interesting items there and you upgrade your weapons with X mods and biotic energy. Then you get to go into combat and defeat the enemies you couldnt defeat before, which allows you to get to a new part of the story.
We link all of these things together, they arent separate elements to us, theyre actually part of the same whole. Weve always approached our games that way, and I think in the last two or three years, weve come to understand the way our games are built, in a way weve never done before. So, for us, its certainly not unfocused, were extremely focused. Were more focused now on games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age than we ever were before. I think the fans will see the results of that.
A Quarian
How did you decide on that combat system? It seems like the next step in evolution from Jade Empire, a little more action-oriented than the turn-based system we saw in KotOR. How did that all come about?
Ray Muzyka: I think thats a really good summary of it. We wanted to make a combat system thats very accessible, and we wanted to have elements in real-time, so players could just point and shoot. We also have elements of tactical, squad-based combat that really allow you plan and have specialists on your team to do different things. One guys gonna be able to take out EMP powers, take out the shields of your enemies, another will be able to use ranged weapons and grenades. One might have biotic powers, kind of like Force power, youll be able to use those to great effect. The key is to have a balanced party, you can take the rights guys into battle with you and use them to great effect. And youll feel smart as a result. Or, if you just want to run in and let the two guys in your party use their AI, theyll be smart. You can use the main character to play it sort of like an action game, if you prefer. Again, its about letting the player play the game the way they want to play it.
This is kind of a delicate one, but there seems to be some talk about the differences between the three main regions for game sales, with North America, Japan, and Europe all having very different tastes. We have to figure that Microsoft is sensitive to this, as they want to get their console accepted everywhere. Did that enter into how you made the game? Did you feel any pressure to make the game like this, or did you just make a BioWare game?
Ray Muzyka: You know, one way to answer that is that we get feedback at BioWare, and one of our core values is humility. That is, we have the ability to be self-critical and to be able to improve. Thats one of the reasons that Im so proud of our teams, they really are committed to making our games better each time, innovating. Part of that is actually reaching a wider audience, a global audience. Were not satisfied just to reach one audience and have them say its a great game, although thats certainly a goal. We want all of the people to say that. We want them all to say This is a great storyline. Its a universal storyline thats going to convey emotion to anybody, its the kind of combat that anyone can find accessible, and its the kind of exploration that anyone will find compelling. Its so epic in scope.
I think thats our goal, were striving to do that. If Microsoft can provide us with feedback and they do to allow us to reach a wider audience, were certainly going to listen to that. And we have, and we will.
You also mentioned before how it is working with Microsoft, and Epic has told us about how it was working on Gears of War. They were given a lot of independence and a lot of support. At the same time, Microsoft has talked about keeping an eye on things, they didnt just let Epic develop the game. How has your experience been with Mass Effect?
Ray Muzyka: Theyve been really good to work with. Theyve provided us with creative freedom, but at the same time provided us with good feedback that weve implemented. You know, theyre masters of usability testing, so were really finding that now, during the final push, were sending out builds and getting some great feedback we can implement to make the game better.
Demos are a pretty big part of Xbox Live Marketplace right now, and we know that you probably cant say anything about whether or not there will be a Mass Effect demo. Is this one of those types of games with features that would be tough to show off during a 20 minute demo?
Ray Muzyka: Well, we havent revealed any details on unveiling that yet, but I can say that what were planning for pre-release to give fans a taste of the experience is unique. Its never been done before, and if we can pull it off, fans will be very intrigued.
Detailed interactions
Youve also mentioned downloadable content before, too. Is that something thats definitely in the works for the post-release period?
Ray Muzyka: Yes, absolutely, weve very committed to that. Were building the framework for that, and we have a plan in terms of the types of content that were planning to put out. Were working closely with Microsoft, so I cant reveal the details on that. There will be a time when were ready to jointly announce the plans for DLC. But we definitely have a plan to continue the storyline between the episodes of this epic, multi-part story.
Last year at this time, we spoke not too long after the big BioWare/Pandemic merger. Is everything still going well?
Ray Muzyka: Its going amazingly well. I mean, Pandemic, I have so much respect for those guys. Theyre making some great stuff. When they start unveiling Mercenaries 2 and they start showing the games beyond that, I think everyones going to get really excited. Theyre taking their stuff to a whole new level. Every time Im down there, Im blown away. From our perspective and from their perspective, I think its fantastic that we have partners that we can openly share with and talk about and get a fresh perspective thats from a different genre almost. Its not like were sharing stuff actively and being forced to do so, its organic. Were learning to share ideas around design and technological ideas and artistic ideas, and were learning from just going down and seeing their products and having them play our games, and vice versa.
How often do the teams get together and get a chance to talk?
Ray Muzyka: Every month. Some team goes one way or the other. We have a big thing at GDC next month with 100 people from the studios getting together and having a roundtable for two days. We also have video conference that goes on every day, a couple units in both Edmonton and LA, and also Brisbane and Austin. Were talking continually.
Thanks Ray, Im sure well see you at GDC.
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