Heavy Rain director David Cage has voiced frustration at attempting to show Heavy Rain off at trade shows, claiming it's "very difficult" to demonstrate how the game plays, especially when compared to well-established genres like first-person-shooters, that everybody understands.
"It's this type of game that is really difficult to demonstrate at a trade show, because when you do a shooter, it's very simple. You put that on a booth and everyone can play and everyone knows what you're talking about," explains the developer. "Here with Heavy Rain what's difficult is that it's based on emotional involvement from the player which requires some time to build. And also it requires you to be in a calm and quiet environment so you can really listen to what's going on.
"So, at the same time because it's new, it's something that has to be shown and explained in order to convince people that yes, this is playable, no it's not a movie that you watch, it's something that you play second-to-second."
Cage voiced his opinion in an interview with the Sony PlayStation Euro blog. The video can be viewed after the jump. It's worth watching just to hear David Cage speak. Man's got the most soothing voice in the industry.
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It's not hard. All they have to say is "PS3 exclusive!" and throngs of fanboys that haven't a clue how the game plays will still declare it the greatest thing since sliced bread.
I always loved the tutorial of Indigio Prophecy where his 3D avatar taught you how to control the game in a movie set like setting. Replayed that section every time I played just cause I enjoyed his voice.
Likewise RPGs seem to be pretty difficult to demo if they aren't based on a known brand or have a certain 'feature' being touted. You could show the first 30 minutes, but how much of that would even be the audience playing, and when would anything they've seen in first 30 minutes be relevant for the next 29 1/2 hours? (Fighting the Guard Scorpion in a reactor doesn't really prepare you for your first adventure outside city limits, never mind what would happy on the other side of a disc change)
I've been sceptical for a while. Bouncing between being super excited and confused.
Right now, after seeing the GC demo I'm at a point to say that this has the potential to buck the trend of mind numbing action games in gaming.
@Steel Brotha
Why does the an image in a box govern if ones opinion is valid or not?
Internet segregation FTL!
Maybe it's hard to explain because from whatever footage we've seen it doesn't seem to be a game, but an interactive movie. Hell, we barely know anything about the plot that they seem to be sacrificing gameplay for. I mean, if it just ends up being a cop story or something, it'll hardly seem worth it (why make a video game of something that could be better carried across and more believable on film?).
Hard to demonstrate or not, David Cage definitely has my attention grabbed with this game. <3 Quantic Dream, this game may be the factor that pushes me to pick up a PS3 very soon.
Don't dis the default avatar, man. Plenty of us have been here longer than you.
And props to jawshoeuh for the LOLs :)
Honestly, I may end up getting this game (maybe), but I don't think the developers' real problem is showing off the game. Their real problem is hyping the game to look like more than it really is. Just come out and say it: Heavy Rain is a choose-your-own-adventure book where the choices are decided by quick-time events. There.
The game is actually being marketed as an interactive narrative, not so much a "game", per se. As long as the consumers know this before hand, there shouldn't be too much confusion.
Of course, many a jealous xbot will continue to decry "It's not teh game, it's teh movie!" in spite of this.
Im gonna give this game a try for sure. To me it doesn't matter if they show it a trade shows or not. I wont be able to play it anyways until they release the game or the demo. So this only 'sucks' for the gaming press I guess, but then again, you guys get to be there for the developer walkthroughs. I think with a game like this, mystery and questions are very important to its promotional campaign.
Based on this comment and the majority of the things I've read about this game, what the creators mean by "emotionally connections" and "player connectivity" are exactly the same things you experience in a well written novel. I mean that as both a good and bad thing. In traditional writing, the reader is reconstructing and contextualizing every event in the book based on their particular experiences in their imagination. That makes the events and the characters "theirs". I love novels, from classics to what many would consider modern trash, I truly enjoy them.
That being said, I don't think the Heavy Rain developers have necessarily parsed out for themselves HOW to their "interactive paradigm shift," is different from well done traditional narrative within a limited framework for modification (having a character die before the end of his narrative is NOT an alternate ending, you prick).
There are reasons you can't have a trade show about books and expect the same kind of huzzah from the audience that you would receive from movies or games. That's why you EXPLAIN how your game isn't a series of QTE's in a pseudo linear set of stories. You're the developer! You're having these interviews to build hype! Hype what it is! Otherwise the audience will tear your product to shreds before even playing it!
I don't understand why people like this game, all I've seen in the gameplay videos are TONS of quicktime events, now with more options on which quicktime event you want to do...... Of all seriousness QTE's are nothing but an annoyance, as Phantom Spaceman said above "press A to not die"
Can´t wait for this game, right now I am playing Indigo Prophecy or Fahrenheit for the first time and that game is really awesome, but Heavy Rain is gonna be so much better!
Holy crap, I get it. The twist ending is that the whole game takes place on another planet...get this...with HIGHER GRAVITY! HEAVY Rain! Get it? Narrative literature has been set forward 100 years!
David Cage is always frustrated. He needs to realize he's not gonna get the same type of following with a cinematic game as with a cinematic movie.
Like most I'm excited because of Indigo Prophecy. Heavy Rain is my reason for getting a PS3. So clearly the best way to explain the game is to put it in people's hands.
Also this isn't the most mainstream game ever. It's pretty slow. I just think Cage expects a bit much sometimes.
I would love for this game to do well, but all the ignorance just in the comments here shows that only a handful of people will even bother to give the game a chance.
I don't see how anyone can say this isn't a game. Just because it doesn't emphasize shooting someone through crosshairs or platform jumping does not mean it's not a game. I guess none of you were around when there were text adventure games? What about point and click adventure games? Your choices in this game affect what happens from then on, so no, you're not just "along for the ride" in an interactive movie. You make things happen (or not happen), just not by coming around a corner and popping a n00b in the dome with an M-16.
I think this game could have a ton of mainstream appeal with a little positive word-of-mouth. You don't have to be an expert at games to play it, it emphasizes story over gaming skill, and it will be different than anything else out there- all prerequisites for reaching the so-called "casual" crowd.
it is a game alright,after looking at the dev walkthough on gametrailers.I'll give them that,the visuals are impressive,the story telling seems alright, but the gameplay so far,not so much..got interested after seeing the visua and hearing the voice acting,then they showed a little part of how you control the character and this will be a boring game for me at least.
My only problem with this game: In every gameplay video I've seen, the voice acting is atrocious. This is seriously my #1 most-looking-forward-to game, but jesus christ, they have to get some better voice actors before it's too late. While the script is good, the way it is said is poor and generic at best. And for a game that is mostly about people talking and their relations together, this seems like kind of a must-have thing.
i'm really excited about this game, and personally i like games that are heavy on the narrative. even if the game isn't nearly as good as i want it to be, i'll still probably be able to respect that these guys were trying to do something really different. it's seems like both a risky and bold move, and who knows if games in the future might benefit from some of the ideas that do work in heavy rain.
Indigo Prophecy or Fahrenheit's last third is a f**king insult. And not just the sudden twist, but the huge cut-out hole in the story. If there was time/cost problems, why do they even have the resources to do multiple unlockable stuff? Can't you just finish the game proper first?
@wittynickname I don't think so, it's just a rumor, man...
I, for one, am stoked for this game, I think the only problem they face is appealing to a wide range of gamers. He said it too, people don't know what to expect like they might with a first-person shooter or action game. That's one problem with IPs, especially IP's that don't have a defined genre.
what i don't understand is if he can't explain and compel people to enjoy the game at trade shows and what-not, why exactly should i trust him to compel me?
the whole "i'm so misunderstood" thing is cute and all, but there are just as many people who will mindlessly praise something that's different as being the second-coming as will be turned off by it.
that said, this is probably a rent. i hear it's only 10-15ish in gameplay hours. which is not a full game purchase imo.
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Contest:
1:20 PM on 08.25.2009
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great to see the masses of default avatar noobs are still here for comedic relief.
I for one can't wait. If it's as immersive, interesting, thought provoking as IP/F it's going to be brilliant.
I hope it isn't as pretentious as it seems.
Right now, after seeing the GC demo I'm at a point to say that this has the potential to buck the trend of mind numbing action games in gaming.
@Steel Brotha
Why does the an image in a box govern if ones opinion is valid or not?
Internet segregation FTL!
What is this?
Don't dis the default avatar, man. Plenty of us have been here longer than you.
And props to jawshoeuh for the LOLs :)
Honestly, I may end up getting this game (maybe), but I don't think the developers' real problem is showing off the game. Their real problem is hyping the game to look like more than it really is. Just come out and say it: Heavy Rain is a choose-your-own-adventure book where the choices are decided by quick-time events. There.
Of course, many a jealous xbot will continue to decry "It's not teh game, it's teh movie!" in spite of this.
I feel like this is like the next step in the point-and-click adventure game genre and I've always been a big fan of those.
...They're SLICING BREAD NOW!?
If the story is well written I'll probably love it.
Cut scene / QTE / Cut scene / QTE / Cut scene / QTE / Cut scene / QTE / Cut scene / QTE / Cut scene / QTE / Cut scene / QTE / QTE / QTE / Cut scene.
Its looking incredible!!! Stop downing the game because its not a fucking FPS. We need more games like this people!!!!!!
That being said, I don't think the Heavy Rain developers have necessarily parsed out for themselves HOW to their "interactive paradigm shift," is different from well done traditional narrative within a limited framework for modification (having a character die before the end of his narrative is NOT an alternate ending, you prick).
There are reasons you can't have a trade show about books and expect the same kind of huzzah from the audience that you would receive from movies or games. That's why you EXPLAIN how your game isn't a series of QTE's in a pseudo linear set of stories. You're the developer! You're having these interviews to build hype! Hype what it is! Otherwise the audience will tear your product to shreds before even playing it!
Like most I'm excited because of Indigo Prophecy. Heavy Rain is my reason for getting a PS3. So clearly the best way to explain the game is to put it in people's hands.
Also this isn't the most mainstream game ever. It's pretty slow. I just think Cage expects a bit much sometimes.
I think this game could have a ton of mainstream appeal with a little positive word-of-mouth. You don't have to be an expert at games to play it, it emphasizes story over gaming skill, and it will be different than anything else out there- all prerequisites for reaching the so-called "casual" crowd.
I, for one, am stoked for this game, I think the only problem they face is appealing to a wide range of gamers. He said it too, people don't know what to expect like they might with a first-person shooter or action game. That's one problem with IPs, especially IP's that don't have a defined genre.
the whole "i'm so misunderstood" thing is cute and all, but there are just as many people who will mindlessly praise something that's different as being the second-coming as will be turned off by it.
that said, this is probably a rent. i hear it's only 10-15ish in gameplay hours. which is not a full game purchase imo.