FiringSquad: First, how did the idea for Red Steel come about and did it come up before the Nintendo Wii controller was revealed or after the plans for the controller were released?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: The first contact between Ubisoft & Nintendo was at E3 2005. At that time Nintendo wanted a third party team to work on a first person view game for the Wii. We only got basic info about the concept of the pad, the capture device & the relative power of the console. No real technical data were supplied at that stage.
Then we spent about 2 to 3 months just to imagine how you can use & play with the controller & the buttons. We had no deadline, no pressure and no constraint, but to try & move with a remote control & see what they could do with it. We listed all the moves they liked and the first ruff ideas of gameplay linked to those moves. Two teams began to work on the project at first: the engineers & the designers. They worked as you can play ping pong > at first designers got ideas and in a second step, engineers tried to see if this was possible vs. the hardware.
The goal was to explore all the kind of move/use you can imagine with a remote control in hand that would represent a device. They made a first list of interactions: cut, shoot, slash, smash, dick, use it as a rackets, lasso, spoon, flashlight
They wanted to focus on the moves that are possible to do in reality.
We did it with real remote controls as we hadnt received any Wii controler so far. So no technology at first only ideas and this was a very fresh & new development process!
They decided to go for a gun gameplay at first as it was very intuitive as you just point and shoot & then they found out that the contact weapons were an interesting track to explore, such as knife, sword, saber
FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the game's storyline?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: The story of the game is about an American who, meeting his fiancee's father for the first time, hardly discovers that the man is a great yakuza leader. This happens during an attack launched against his father in law in a LA restaurant. The hero is forced to intervene and save the father but his fiancee is kidnapped by reprisals.
Looking for her in LA, he will fail to prevent the kidnappers to bring her to Japan but discover what they want: The Katana-Giri, sword of her father and symbol of his power over his clan. About to die from his wounds, the father wont have any other choice that put the hero in charge of the katana, with the promises to rescue his daughter. Thus with this prestigious but dangerous inheritance he will have no other way than going to Japan trying to save her
There he will discover that the forces he has to fight is much bigger than expected and deal with a strong war for influences over the yakuza's world. But the katana as a weapon as well as a symbol will help him to gain allies to the condition to prove his valor and merit. This will lead him to accomplish several missions to prove his good faith and help to get back the influence of the clan of his father in law. Fighting, dueling and getting respect from Yakuza will become the story of his life in Japan.
FiringSquad: Some people might see Red Steel as nothing but a different kind of "light gun game". How is working with the Wii controller with the weapons different than the typical light gun title?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: Working with the Wii controller is different because we can really offer an immersive game, in a way it was not possible in a classic gun game. Because you have this feeling that what you are seeing on the screen is your arm, you are in the game. The moves you are doing are the ones in the game. This way we can be more precise than any other gun game.
The Wii controller also gives this opportunity to learn to master your moves. This brings this idea of becoming more efficient. In the story we are translating this by learning to be a modern samurai. In Red Steel, the game is to fight and have fun doing it like a classic gun game, but we are going further in the experience. We also add to the gun fight sword fight to give the players more diversity.
FiringSquad: What sort of missions and environments will Red Steel have?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: According to the scenario, we can say the game is divided in 3 main acts. At first you will have to face the Los Angeles incident in the Japanese restaurant, when your girl is kidnapped. This means you have to assume the consequences: youll have to escape with your step father; begin to inquiry about your girls disappearance. Once in Japan, you have to find allies among the Yakuza clans and learn new fighting techniques. The last act will consist in protect your allies, face your enemy and defeat him for once.
In terms of environment, you will be in Los Angeles, at the beginning of the game. But then you will quickly move to Japan and you are immersed in Tokyo:during the day in either very modern buildings or more traditional places : such as the financial quarter, the harbor and at night in the underground world of yakuza night life. You will also discover & fight in some Japanese gardens in Tokais house or near the Gheisha pleasures area
FiringSquad: How will the swordplay work in the game?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: You will also handle your controler as a katana to attack & the nunshuk as a tanto to defend yourself.
FiringSquad: Will there be any multiplayer options for Red Steel?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: Yes, we plan to have MP mode up to 4 player in split screen.
FiringSquad: Some people are wondering about the graphical looks of Wii games. Will Red Steel compare well with games coming out for the PS3 and Xbox 360?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: Sony & Microsoft are more fighting again each other to have the number one console at the cutting edge of the technology. Nintendo is more focus on the gameplay & the fun. For Red Steel we will accordingly focus on delivering an action packed game & impressing with actions & situations rather than details.
FiringSquad: How much pressure is there to create a third party game that is also a Wii launch title?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: Creating a Wii launch title such as Red Steel is definitely a lot of pressure but positive pressure! Just imagine that we are renewing the genre of classic games with the innovative Wii controler! Working with a new hardware, we are discovering more each day. This is a challenge. For this reason we wanted a team for the project that has a maximum of experience and flexibility. Also, we always are wondering about what is going to be in the other games and we want to offer the best to the players.
FiringSquad: How is the progress of the game coming along and is it still planned for release around the time of the Wii launch?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: Everyone in the development team is working really hard to make this happen. Have little though for us this summer, as it is going to be pretty hot !!
FiringSquad: Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Red Steel?
Marie-Sol Beaudry: Red Steel is going to change the classic perception of a gun game and this game will be incredible!! Cant wait to offer the players a brand new game experience!
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