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Heavy Rain developer weighs in on Modern Warfare 2 photo

You know what we haven't heard enough about? Modern Warfare 2's "No Russian" level! This time, Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream has decided to weigh in on the controversy surrounding Infinity Ward's touchy subject material, naturally coming out in full support of the game.

"My take on it is very simple. I don’t see any reason why video games should be treated differently than movies, for instance," says Heavy Rain producer Guillaume de Fondaumiere. "I think that we should leave game creators free of expressing their vision as they see fit. I think the guys at Infinity Ward had something very precise in mind when they did this scene.

"The real danger for me is, when you put out such a scene out of context. I can take any movie and take a sequence and make up a story and it will look like something that’s amoral or that crosses the line. This is most of the time what happens in video games [in the media]."

Those chaps at Quantic Dream are wise indeed, and that's why I count them among my favorite developers. Here's hoping Heavy Rain gets just as many people talking as Modern Warfare 2.


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37 comments | showing # 1 to 37

suit's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:06
suit
He is absolutely right.


Jim, you should start sending stuff like this to the news stations which rip on videogames and make a public list of what has been ignored. Nothing like systematically dissolving their journalistic integrity and/or proving bias - Slander seems to be the only language they speak.
Strandli's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:10
Strandli
Heavy Rain will just be controversy after controversy.
"People can choose if they kill him or not."
"You can take suicide in the game by not being ready for a quicktime events."
"QTE encourages suicide"
"Heavy Rain does not like sunny days."

Free PR, we love it.
Haizeus's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:12
Haizeus
Except that "No Russian" in context with the story AND game elements is fucking retarded. I go from jumping a fucking snowmobile over the grand canyon in a Simpson's inspired moment of Michael Bay-esque explosion porn. Then, not thirty seconds later, I'm expected to take what I'm doing seriously? Really? Maybe my ability to maintain suspension of disbelief isn't as strong as others, but come on.

But that has nothing to do with the article. I just take any opportunity to hate on No Russian that I can get. I absolutely agree with Mr. French.
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:13
Xzyliac
God I cannot wait to support this people.

Take my money Quantic Dream! Take it yet again!
NubPhiSh's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:15
NubPhiSh
wise indeed i had some interesting debates about the scene, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, you can imagine how controversial the topic is. the life of a few worth saving many or is no life loss acceptable

this is more of a legal debate, good example of this is a terrorist has been captured and has a bomb on a buss full of kids is it ok to torture this man to get what we need to defuse the bomb? for me the answer is simple yes, however many disagree your take?
de BLOO's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:20
de BLOO
SOMEBODY FIX THE TITLE
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:33
vexed alex
I watched my brother play through the scene and noticed that Infinity Ward made a little joke during it. All of the flights instantly move to "delayed". It was terrible.
father33's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:40
father33
"No Russian" wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Having to only really shoot the police force at the end of the level helped to ease my guilt for tagging along thru it.
I think the argument is really over being a voyeur or a witness to an event(or film) as opposed to being a participant(in a game), albeit a very passive role.
KingSigy's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 17:43
KingSigy
Heavy Rain is an actual story where you simply take part in it. You can definitely change the outcome based on what you do, which is totally unlike MW2.

*SPOILER*

MW2 tasks you with simply accepting that you are powerless, but it gives you a gun. If I have a gun, why can I not simply kill the terrorists? The hell with keeping cover, that doesn't matter in the end when you get offed.
Canthari's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:20
Canthari
"Infinity Ward made a little joke during it. All of the flights instantly move to 'delayed'. It was terrible."

That was a joke?, I haven't played the scene myself but that doesn't looks like they were kidding or something there.
Mockingbird's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:21
Mockingbird
Fuck I really really want to play Heavy Rain. Like I think I may buy a PS3 just to play it (and God of War III).
j3tbl4ck's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:27
j3tbl4ck
MW2's story is so scatterbrained and ludicirous. It's probably the most stressed I've ever been playing a game...I went back to Uncharted 2...where u can see your enemies lol.

Camoflage works really fucking well.
Im OK's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:32
Im OK
I completely agree. While I'm personally sick of hearing about MW2 and have roughly zero interest in playing it, I agree that Infinity Ward and everyone else should be able to do whatever the hell they want to do when making a game, without fear of the nanny state laying the smackdown on them for it. Also, here's to hoping that Heavy Rain ends up being awesome.
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:41
Xzyliac
@Mockingbird
It's why I'm buying one.
Starrynight's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:44
Starrynight
Well said!
I will definitely be buying Heavy Rain.
Sanious's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:51
Sanious
I can agree with it and people are sick of hearing about it, but this is why this stage was done the way it was done. It was to keep people talking about it and when it catches more peoples attention, it's going to only go further with it.

I'm not against it, but I feel the only reason it was really done was for the sake of shock value and not about actually telling the story considering you could do it in ways with just as much of an impact without being in that position.

I can get behind pushing the envelope, but not when it seems a little more forced just for the sake of getting the game more spotlight.
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 18:59
-PL-
I agree with them, but Indigo Prophecy was still a terrible game and would have made an extra-terrible movie.

And about Infinity Ward's "joke" about the flights getting moved to delayed... I doubt that's a joke. If a shooting happened in an airport in real life, I could almost guarantee there wouldn't be any planes taking off for a while.
whateverthismeanstoyou's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 19:07
whateverthismeanstoyou
Agree with a few caveats:

I still think that level was totally unnecessary. I was hoping to see some consequences of the action, but walking thru the whole level led me to my death regardless you kill 100s or 0. There was really no reason for that level and it could have been easily interpreted and presented in a tasteful manner. Interactivity of that level was something to be desired as well. It's funny that Quantic Dream is commenting on this issue. I thought that level could have been easily done in quick time events.
Qraze's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 19:22
Qraze
right.
TheTruth's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 19:39
TheTruth
My thing was always an issue of censorship. Yet most complaints I've seen in media aren't talking banning, just personal morals and questioning if Infinity passed a certain level of taste in what's being used as interactive entertainment.
While many who don't play games tend to go overboard in the anti-game view, gamers in general seem to blindly support their habit, as well. Anything against what it's doing will be attacked.
One second developers like to crow away about how games can develop into so much more than movies and have so much more potencial for storytelling because the interactivity of the character is so much more involving and a bigger impact than movies, which are passively watching.
But then put out a gratuitous (I love the level, but can admit it was there just to be there and get some controversy) shooting spree scene done with a serious tone (and tone is the difference between this scene and just running through GTA offing people) and suddenly games are no different than movies and should be judged the same.
I want my violent media probably more than most...but at the same time that doesn't mean I'm burying my head in the sand and not listening to the other side to see if they have a point.
And the arguement it's exploitive and insensitive? That has merit. It is, but I'm cool with it anyway. But to call it that...they aren't wrong.
And does it make the game industry look bad when yet another game's pushing the envelope is still all about killing and not something more substancial? That is a valid viewpoint.
And even still, at least given what I've seen about it so far, you can't fairly compare the shooting spree in the airport that feels tacked on to offend on purpose to get attention to the attempt Heavy Rain will go for with human emotions and responsibility and consequence of choices.
Not the same thing. And I can completely understand people not so addicted to games seeing this scene as making gamers who want this scene and developers using it for sales attention as a bit pathetic and uncaring.
Not that I tottally agree. But I can see where they're coming from and it's not unreasonable a point of view.

Well, I need to go jump back into some MW2 multi now!
pl0x kthanxbai's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 20:17
pl0x kthanxbai
i appreciate what IW did, putting you into the shoes of the bad guys, and to some extent i agree with the quatic dream guys


but i just cant get around it, i just find the scene tasteless
shawn is boring's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 20:47
shawn is boring
I don't know why everyone calls it tasteless. GTA you are more or less encouraged to run around a city and cause as much devastation and mayhem as possible. In hundreds of games you kill people, and in many of them preemptively before they're any hazard to you (think metal gear solid) or hell even the force unleashed where you slaughter thousands whether they're good, bad, or otherwise.

But MW2 puts you as an undercover agent in a terrorist attach and everyone freaks out. Within context the scene is meant to cause the player to suspect the americans. Someone above mentioned "why can't i just shoot the terrorists?" Exactly. Why can't you, if the general can get you in that close with a group and knows full well of this attack then why aren't you just taking them out? You're being used and you're being used for something horrible and thats what the context of the scene is. That's not tasteless, that's story telling.
pl0x kthanxbai's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 21:14
pl0x kthanxbai
shawn is boring

your argument is completely flawed


first of all in games like metal gear, the guards WILL KILL YOU if they spot you, theres a big difference between killin in self defense and killing innocent people

also all these "GTA was like that" comparisons are stupid, first of all, in GTA you get PUNISHED for hurting civillians since it attracts the police which can get the played killed/arrested

also the tone of GTA is really different from MW2s tone, the violence in GTA is ridiculous to the point of being comical, theres a big difference between featuring comic violence and featuring brutal, realistic violence
Tarvu's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 21:20
Tarvu
Having played that level I can say I think it sucks. You have no freedom, and it's badly made. Marakov shoots you at the end even if you're round the corner or behind a forklift truck.

He also called me a coward when I was standing on the wing of an airliner mowing down cops.
Patryk Godlewski's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 21:22
Patryk Godlewski
Quantic Dream you guys are my pals. I can't wait to fork out my hard earned money for Heavy Rain. No, I'm not being sarcastic...I've been waiting for this baby for awhile.
lewness's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/14/2009 22:27
lewness
I just want to play Heavy Rain, is all.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 00:13
Cowboy TTop
Totally agree with him. As games mature more, we are only going to see more of this. The more we get, the easier it will be to break the 'games are for kids' stereotype, that games still have by the non gaming masses.

Never mind how movie like or not part of a game may be, its all been done in films before, which people happily and blindly accept. They'll get tired of fighting us and moaning one day.
NihonTiger90's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 00:42
NihonTiger90
I have some thoughts on this I really need to write up, but let's just say in the context of the game, this scene does make sense, especially with some of the themes the game carries.
whateverthismeanstoyou's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 00:47
whateverthismeanstoyou
@shawn is boring
Different tastes for different people, I suppose. It's tasteless b/c the level itself does not add much value to the overall context of the story. It could have been handled 100 different ways. Your comparison also fails. GTA != MW2. two very different genre of games. GTA is more like a sand box with some stuff jumbled together. MW2 is not a sand box game. I don't necessarily believe in no violence for kids: kids TV shows have plenty of unfiltered violence. I am a bit squeamish about sexually explicit contents within games b/c they tend to bring more ambiguous and difficult discussions with kids, but violence is a topic which can be discussed in more or less a B&W context. I won't let this game played by kids under 16 without having a quick discussion on the issue and how it applies within the context of real world.
zanthox's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 01:30
zanthox
YAY for people saying intelligent things!
TripleZer0's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 02:59
TripleZer0
I agree with the fact that games should be allowed artistic freedom, but I'm sick of hearing about MW2. But I do respect Quantic Dream, and hearing them defend the freedom of expression in a thoughtful way made me feel good.
Shoelip's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 04:58
Shoelip
What's particularly silly about all this is that from everything I've seen the whole No Russian thing was just a Marketing Stunt. I was someone bothered by it at first because it apparently forced you to kill helpless civilians. This turned out not to be the case at all apparently. You can get through the whole level without firing a shot. In fact, it's probably a good idea not to fire at any civies because you waste ammo you'll want later when you encounter police with magic riot shields and your invincible ally just stands there firing endless rounds into them then missing with a grenade. The level will play through regardless of whether you fire on the helpless civilians or not. So well, actually I am pissed off about this. But only because it's nothing more than a bullshit marketing stunt.
Baleur's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 08:27
Baleur
You are shooting a heap of polygons, rigged with a set of nodes that are animated in pre-set patterns, with a couple of pixels painted on as a texture and a pre-programmed "AI" that says "IF Shot at THEN Animate_Runawaylikeababy, Sound_Crazydudescreamsforhislife"

How is that offensive, immoral, or anything of the sort?
THEY ARENT REAL PEOPLE FFS.. Its a game.
What about when you drive on a sidewalk in GTA4 and mow down 100 people, all comically rolling across the pavement? Or when you insta-gib 50 people at once in Prototype by slicing off their torso?

I'd say watching a few "fall-to-the-ground, red-decal-spawn" is one of the lesser gruesome things in gaming. Oh tv media, how i adore you for lolz. Now lets get started on a new whore-house reality show, shall we?
John B's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 13:54
John B
@Baleur: I love you.

I've been making this argument from the start. The only things that are "real" about video games are the people who made them, the people who play them, and the hardware that's involved. Everything else is 100% virtual.

How unbelievably sad that so many people, including some on Dtoid, just don't understand or refuse to acknowledge it.
DGX Goggles's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 13:59
DGX Goggles
Intelligent. I am now interested in his game.
Sanious's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/15/2009 18:54
Sanious
I won't say anything more than that the 'it's just a game' argument is flawed and dumb.

Every entertainment medium does specific things to draw emotions, thoughts, etc. From the viewer/player/reader or what have you. Obviously we know it's a game, but that doesn't mean it's void of meaning or else the game wouldn't have done what it has in the ways it did it.

It's unbelievably sad that people will blindly follow games just because it's the latest hype train.
TheBatman42's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/16/2009 09:29
TheBatman42
Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has a couple and most of them stink. Why is this news? IT'S A GAME. Making the movie "World Trade Center" and "Flight 93" offended me. I won't watch those movies because they portray fictionalized terrorist actions in a non-fiction manner.
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