Exclusive Aliens vs Predator Interview

The Bitch is back!

Continuing our theme of rediscovering full Q&A’s on our desktops, yelping in panic and then posting them here, comes an interview with Alien vs Predator developer Tim Jones, Head of Art at Rebellion. With Modern Warfare 2 out of the way it’s now OK to start looking forward to other FPS, Infinity Ward won’t mind… Activision might.

James Cameron’s Marines in the Aliens film were based on the idea of ‘Vietnam in space’. Have the original films dictated much of the design and how much have you drawn on the rich AVP history and comics?

While obviously somewhat reverent to James Cameron’s Vietnam-inspired approach to the Marines, we are trying to update the dialog and operational terminology to be a little more contemporary: a little more “Generation Kill”, if you like.

More generally speaking, we’ve drawn our inspiration from everything Aliens and Predator, from the comic books to the movies. In particular we’ve been inspired by the early movies, Alien, Aliens and Predator, which stand out to this day as iconic movies of the science fiction genre. There’s a huge cannon for both Aliens and Predator out there and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed researching through it all to pick the best elements for the new game.

The Marines in the previous games had a pretty robust set of weapons; film favourites like the pulse rifle, shotgun, flamethrower and sentry gun have all featured. But will there be any weapons added that we may not have seen in the films or comics?

The game is set 30 years after the events of Alien 3, so all the technology has moved on since the familiar weaponry from the movie Aliens. So,  you can expect to see the familiar guns like the pulse rifle but with a little twist. And, yes, there will be new weaponry in there that you haven’t seen before but we’re keeping that under wraps for now…

Each of the past campaigns were stylistically very different with the Marine element feeling much more like a survival horror FPS, particularly in AVP2, what direction has your new AVP taken?

Each of the three species campaigns is very different and offers their own unique gameplay experience. Playing as a Marine, you will find yourself frequently alone, cautiously creeping through the darkness, finger gripping the trigger and nervously checking your Motion Tracker.  You can fully expect the action to ramp up in climactic sequences though!

In terms of different playing styles, the three species are very different as each has their own strengths and weakness, and their own weapons. The Predator is great at stalking from the shadows and is lethal at close range, whereas the Marine has to keep lots of distance between him and his enemies and rely on his awesome firepower to kill from afar, and the Alien is all about hiding in the darkness and then striking fast, deadly and up close.

From the screenshots that have been released, visually the game is looking very impressive with a tense atmosphere and a lot of close quarters combat. Is it important for you to make a game with visuals that can match the movies?

With the power of current console technology, we’re able to do so much more than we were on the first AvP. Our aim with this game is to get as close to the movies as possible through the sound, graphics and gameplay. We’re working to produce an authentic Aliens and Predator experience and it’s only now that we’re able to make the game we’ve always wanted to make.

The original AvP is still fondly remembered and we’re having lots of fun bringing that classic experience back up to date to give fans of the game and the movies a brand new AvP experience.

We’ve also seen Marines with their backs to walls. Does this mean there will be a cover dynamic?

The Marine AI characters are able to intelligently use the environment to their advantage during combat.  It will be equally important for the player to stay out of the line of fire if they can – though, of course, this is not going to be much of a defence against Aliens that can climb and leap anywhere in the environment!

Are there any plans to introduce a squad mechanic and are you adding in any elements of gameplay that are now more of an FPS staple, like the takedowns in Rogue Warrior?

As the Marine you will fight alongside other fellow Marines at key points in the campaign but they will be fully AI controlled and you won’t be able to control them as a squad. The Marine experience in the game is very much about being alone, if you find yourself alongside other Marines don’t count on them being alive for very long. You’ll be spending a lot of time in the dark by yourself, flinching at every sound, squinting through the glare of your flashlight into the blackness.  Don’t expect the Marine to be performing any flamboyant takedowns on the powerful and malevolent Aliens and Predators – it would just feel wrong: the Marine is not a superhero, but he is very skilled with his guns…

Will the horrible motion sensor with the demonic beep be returning?

For sure, the Motion Tracker is in there and as terrifying as always! It’s such an iconic piece of kit from the Aliens movie and it’s also a great gameplay mechanic. If you’re in dark and you suddenly hear that unnerving beep as the Motion Tracker detects movement, you know that something’s coming, it won’t be friendly, and you’re going to have to deal with it or die trying!

Will the storyline of the three factions interweave?

Each of the species has its own distinct single player campaign with an accompanying narrative that has a satisfying beginning, middle and end.  The three species narratives all give a different perspective of the same sequence of events and there are a few key cross-over points in particular that bind the whole thing together. You’ll have to play all three campaigns through to get the most complete picture of what happened and why…

How many of the original team are working on AvP?

There are many of us still at Rebellion from the original AvP team (including me!) and we are all directly involved in making the new Aliens vs Predator game everything it can be.

What’s your favourite quote from Aliens?

There are so many… but Hudson’s ‘Game over, man!’ monologue is hard to beat – it’s a classic scene in which you realise that everyone on the planet is going to die, and it’s hard to imagine how the characters might possibly survive.  And of course the direct use of gaming terminology makes it a winner.