– What global changes have been game over the original Life is Strange?
– for Before the Storm – is a prequel Life is Strange Where you will play for sixteen Hloyu Prays, that is, three years before the events of the first game. Just a couple of years since he died, her father William, Max moved to another city – just Chloe’s quite a difficult period in his life, it is very lonely.
But her mother, on the other hand, has already experienced the tragedy and began an affair with David, you also have to remember on the original.
We want to tell Chloe, which really need someone’s support, meets the most mysterious Rachel Amber, which all looked in the first part. These girls – two opposite character: unlike the main character,
Rachel popular in school, successful, intelligent, all her love and family she is doing well. And in this opposition they would harmoniously complement each other. Chloe’s original solitude, of course, reflected in its character. It embittered, she suffers from the pain of his loss, and it affects the world around her.
Throughout the game we will be able to explore the hidden corners of her inner world. But it is not all the time to be depressed, we see Chloe and fun, and durachlivuyu Chloe, Chloe, and even happy. Change her state of mind is reflected in the gameplay to available actions on dialogs, and so on.
– In addition to the main character, what else has changed? You kind of gave up part of the paranormal?
– And there is. Of course, we thought, what superpowers can equip Chloe, but were limited to history, rooted in the original.
Travel in time – it is a counter Max, which is consistent with its nature. She is a gentle man, all the while doubting the perfect choice, so the chance to beat all fit well with the story. And Chloe is more straightforward, she do not care about the past, it goes forward.
Moreover, remembering how to respond to the gift of Maxine Chloe, we can conclude that with the mystique of it earlier in life has not experienced, and certainly does not have any powers itself. We decided to follow the canon and leave Chloe, what it was.
Moreover, judging by the feedback, our fans loved Life is Strange not for the rewind time, but for the drama, the characters and the social problems that the game is not afraid to speak openly.
Therefore, it is on the story we decided to focus in the first place. However, Chloe will have its original mechanics that emphasize its individuality.
For example, a system called Backtalk(Backtalk – sarcastic or hard to answer, snap), which is a interactive mini-game. Chloe – woman bold and cocky, it will not be difficult potsapatsya with anyone.
Her sarcastic humor and a sharp tongue can speak and plug any, it would be the peculiar verbal duel. Through these provocations, Chloe may cause people to act in its interests: for example, she had to get to a private party. And the party illegal, in a dirty club on the outskirts of the city – a dangerous place.
Just so you face control will not pass, but choosing the right phrases, you will be able to show that they themselves were not born yesterday. Although you can grab and then run around and look for the less obvious way inside. It is through such situations fans will be interested to see again the Arkadiya Bey, but through the prism of a very different character.
– This is the only special game mechanics or will be other?
– No, of course there will be others. This is not a direct replacement for rewinding time, it’s just an example. All puzzles situation and problems in the game will meet the spirit of the new protagonist.
– She’s, like, loves all sorts of mysterious investigation?
– Right! She kept climbing behind closed doors and vlyapyvaetsya into trouble, but it is absolutely not afraid of. She and the law can break without a second thought.
– Are not you afraid that this could serve as a bad example for the younger generation passing game?
– Well, it depends on in what light we will show these things, and how dangerous they are.
– Bad behavior should lead to bad consequences?
– Exactly. Just this principle we are trying to use for Before the Storm (sarcastic smiles).
The original Chloe always with enthusiasm and lightness refers to the possibility that anything broken, but everything will be different.
When, for example, in a conversation with his mother it comes to drugs, lie to Chloe will not be so easy. In his 16 it is not as insensitive, it can still survive because of their imperfections. And depending on the choice of the player, the effects will vary dramatically. Inside, beneath his mask,
Chloe is much more vulnerable, especially after meeting with Rachel that apathy will disappear altogether. This allows us to touch upon important issues of young people in a new emotional level.
– What about the freedom of movement and the impact on the world around us? Will the game more or less straight, or it depends on the player for?
– Good question! Then we started with the first developments of the game: freedom of research depends on the specific locations and scenes, which you will pass one by one.
– And you can change the order in which these scenes in the story? Maybe there multiple endings?
– I will not reveal all the cards, but the plot is exactly the non-linear. Moreover, the change can not only order of the scenes location and locations, but also their content.
Let’s say, being right here (pointing ahead) you are taking any decision. And you’ll be in the same stage (shown above) or in another scene (shown below) based on it. And these two scenes can be in completely different locations, respectively, and the plot will develop differently.
– And how much have you got “tree”?
– It is not only huge, but also very confusing. A small selection can start a huge series of unique events.
– It is hard to write a script for a similar branched story? How is it going? Maybe there’s some special technique?
– Yes, it is very difficult. Writing interactive narrative – a special profession, which needs to learn. The main difference from writing books and screenplays – here it is necessary to think in advance, several ways of developments.
When the story is linear, each time the task is to show one particular event most effectively. A good interactive narrative in each of the paths of development should be equally interesting, logical and suitable essentially history.
So you think not only about what happens next, but also on the choice of the events that lead to these different consequences.
The fundamental principle is that the developer invites the player to become a co-author of his work, providing it with various tools.
If you give too much freedom – the story can become blurred, losing its essence and idea, and if it is too limited – the player can not reach the feeling of significance of their participation in the formulation.
It is therefore very important to find the right balance, and we Deck Nine years have developed for this special software – Story Forge (Story Forge – Forge history / story). It is designed specifically to work on the interactive narrative and eliminates many technical difficulties involved with this, so the authors can fully focus their attention on the creative process.
There, there is a certain visualization, which represents the entire complex and branching story structure in a fairly convenient way. It is designed specifically to work on the interactive narrative and eliminates many technical difficulties involved with this, so the authors can fully focus their attention on the creative process.
There, there is a certain visualization, which represents the entire complex and branching story structure in a fairly convenient way. It is designed specifically to work on the interactive narrative and eliminates many technical difficulties involved with this, so the authors can fully focus their attention on the creative process.
There, there is a certain visualization, which represents the entire complex and branching story structure in a fairly convenient way.
– As the block diagram of programmers?
– It is true, moreover, the authors also have to master the basic skills of coding to create new tools in this structure.
– What methods of game design, in addition to direct gameplay, the story will go? As a player will be able to learn more about the background and setting?
– Oh, a lot of them. Here is an example: at the Max was a diary, where at the beginning there were only a few notes about where she came from, in general starting point.
And with the development of the game it is replenished, and the player can always restore the memory of the event in the last chapter. Chloe’s diary is not very suitable, so we decided that she would write letters Max.
And it will not send them because he feels that Maxine its problems do not really care, but she does not want to forget about his girlfriend completely, so continues to pour out your thoughts and emotions on paper.
– Let’s go back to the game. As far as I know, will be able to change the appearance of the heroine. This will somehow affect the gameplay?
– Yes, this mechanism will be little change content that you see. Sometimes people will react to your appearance, such as the comment on it or make fun. For example, you can be thrown to someone a few words about the musical group, whose logo is on your T-shirt, while another dressed this dialogue will take place will not.
– Will somehow influence the storyline homosexual orientation Chloe? Whether because of this trouble, and all around are tolerant?
– It is not a question of tolerance, and just a matter of how it is reflected in the story. Most mechanics her sexual preference does not matter: you can not force it to run in the district, while declaring some LGBT slogans. For our franchise is very important delicacy in how we show the teenager and her love life, because it affects the perception of the player and his behavior in the game.
According to the first game, we know that Chloe’s relationship with Rachel is very important for the heroine, but we do not know exactly what happened, how they evolved. The new game will give you the opportunity to experience the progress of these relations, and to decide for themselves what they will be – friendly or romantic.
– How long will the passage of episodes of Life is Strange: Before the Storm?
– Each episode gives players two to four hours depending on the passage of the style that they choose. In total there will be three episodes, so that all turns out for six to twelve hours of gameplay concentrated.
– Is it important to be aware of the events of the first Life is Strange or history will be clear to all?
– We have tried to make the story independent and to build it in a way that is not particularly interesting to disclose details of the original, so it can go without fear of fatal spoilers. But, of course, fans of the first part will find a lot of nice references!
