http://wii.ign.com/articles/106/1066623p1.html
The Grinder Goes Multiplatform
Exclusive: High Voltage's monster-filled online co-op FPS now set for all systems. We've got the details and brand new footage.
February 4, 2010 - Chicago-based High Voltage Software has remained a big proponent of Wii since the console debuted, backing it with such games as The Conduit in addition to a wide variety of WiiWare titles. One of its most ambitious efforts is the gory first-person shooter The Grinder, what some Wii fans hoped would be the system's answer to the Left 4 Dead series with its hordes of monsters and four-player online coop mode.
Last year, HVS flooded the market with details, as well as videos and screenshots in support of The Grinder. However, in recent months, we haven't heard very much about the project. But today we've got some genuine news and some new eye candy. The developer's president Kerry Ganofsky and chief creative officer Eric Nofsinger reveal in our exclusive interview below that The Grinder will no longer be a Wii exclusive -- it's now officially set to debut on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC as well. Keep reading to learn more and don't forget to click on the new trailer to see some of the improvements introduced to the game.
IGN: We haven't heard from High Voltage in awhile. You guys have gone a bit dark. Why's that?
Kerry Ganofsky: We have been extremely busy cooking up our next round of games. We've always enjoyed the fan community and really like the symbiotic relationship we've developed with them.
Eric Nofsinger: To be honest, if we could send you updates in real time we would; keeping your readers engaged and a part of the process throughout development. The sad fact is that the current nature of our industry makes it so that very few publishers share that philosophy.
Kerry: When the primary medium for consoles is delivered digitally, I believe we'll see a very interesting shift in how developers engage in media outlets, their fans, and their potential customers.
IGN: The Conduit has come and gone. Unfortunately, sales were not as robust as we had all hoped. Why do you think that might be?
Eric: Have you read a newspaper lately? [Laughs] Sadly, sales of nearly all games were down.
Kerry: We are extremely proud of the sales for The Conduit, with over 350,000 copies sold, numerous 'best-of 2009' nods, and over a million hours played according to the Nintendo Channel, we are the go-to FPS on the Wii. If you look at the sales for the games that are lumped in as 'hardcore' titles for the Wii (Silent Hill, Dead Space, et al), you'll notice that sales for those types of games are low across the board.
Eric: As a self-funded new IP from an independent studio, I think we did a pretty good job. Besides, we clearly succeeded at our core goal; to create a kick-ass first person shooter that everyone can play!
Kerry: There were a variety of issues that impacted the Conduit. We are focusing on fixing those issues that we have control over in our future games. For those issues that we cannot control, we are working hard with our partners to ensure the best possible experience for gamers.
IGN: So what would you say you've learned from The Conduit that you'll be applying to Grinder?
Kerry: We've learned to listen to what the fans are saying. We're gamers at heart so we know what we like to play, but hearing opinions from the people who will buy your game is also a valid outlet for ideas. This is something we can apply to Grinder moving forward. We also learned from some of the challenges and triumphs that arise when developing an internal IP. I could go on and on, but I'll just say that players who pick up Grinder will get the same feeling of heart and soul from the game that they picked up on in The Conduit.
Eric: Remain focused using the core features of the game to provide a fun experience for all players. Design for the market, not just ourselves. Push for quality and never become satisfied with today's experience.
IGN: All right. It's been months and months since we've seen anything on Grinder. How has the game changed and improved since we last previewed it?
Eric: It has been awhile, and there are some significant changes, not the least of which is that it is now a Kart Racer [laughs]. Okay, not really, but the game has changed significantly from when you last saw it.
Kerry: We did a reality check on ourselves a few months back where we evaluated the market, saw an opportunity, and seized it. We are confident that the new direction allows us to provide a much more polished game experience and to reach more gamers that will appreciate it. Fans frequently ask us if we are ever going to make a game similar to Hunter: The Reckoning again. We are very excited about the future of Grinder and welcome the chance to hear what the fans think about our new direction and hopefully our new game fits the bill for them.
Eric: We have been making the character models pop more and our environments have much greater detail. With the inclusion of physics objects, the game has really taken on new life. And to comment on the slow trickle of announcements - when we come out with another announcement for Grinder around GDC we want to ensure it blows your socks off!
IGN: I'm seeing a lot of bump-mapping and awesome projected shadows in the trailer. Has the engine improved?
Kerry: Quantum 3 has improved a lot since The Conduit's release. We have some new announcements coming soon that leverage these improvements such as better lighting options. Our artists are very familiar with what the engine can and can't do so the next round of Wii games from HVS takes full advantage of its power.
Eric: We have been able to develop a game experience that we believe gamers are going to enjoy for its top notch production values and great gameplay.
IGN: Is the plan still to keep Grinder a Wii exclusive?
Kerry: Our secret is out! Grinder is no longer a Wii exclusive. We plan to ship on Xbox 360, Sony PS3, and PC as well.
Eric: Bringing our third internal IP to all the current-generation systems allows us to show off what our company can really do and get it into the hands of the most gamers.
IGN: Wow, that's pretty big news! So wait -- how will the PS3/360/PC versions be different from the Wii version of The Grinder?
Kerry: We'll show you first at GDC.
IGN: We'll be there. What do you guys have planned for the single-player mode now? How has it been fleshed out?
Kerry: It's fleshed out a lot since E3! We have a large gameplay experience planned which includes a lengthy story mode, planned DLC, and an experience system that promotes replayability. I don't want to give too much away, but we are very excited about the release of Grinder as well as providing future support of the game with regular updates.
Eric: We'll be ready to share that information with IGN at GDC.
IGN: Sounds good. How is the cooperative mode coming along?
Kerry: Very nicely and our improvements are abundant.
Eric: We have special combination attacks and physics puzzles that really enhance the multiplayer experience overall.
IGN: What about the versus modes?
Kerry: Personally, I'm a huge fan of versus multiplayer and would love it if it made it into the game design for The Grinder.
Eric: We cannot confirm or deny the inclusion of a versus mode… but I can say that we have often spoken about it and how cool it would be to include it. [Grins]
IGN: Halloween 2011 is a long time to wait! Why so long?
Kerry: Halloween is the perfect time for a creepy dark game to release and we want to ensure this game has the love and attention it deserves. With the move to all of the current-generation systems, higher resolution art content needs to be created which takes a bit longer than our previous games.
Eric: It is a long time… but given the sheer amount of quality content needed to make a game of this type, our game design scope, our team size, and the amount of time we have designated for polishing the game, we are confident that this schedule allows us to meet our expectations for the game.
Eric: We don't want to rush it. We want it to be great!
IGN: Fair enough. Any final words for fans anticipating the game?
Eric: I want to say thank you all for your continued interest and support. And I want to say that we are very excited about the direction for the game and the changes we have implemented. That said we would love to hear from you. As many of you know, the fans played a huge role in the development of The Conduit and we are anxious to hear what people think. Stand up and be heard. I promise you, we are listening!
Kerry: We really appreciate all the fans of High Voltage Software. You can't know how much it meant to the team to have the fans of The Conduit send us their thoughts. It genuinely felt like a community effort bringing The Conduit to the lime light. We literally had printed emails posted all over the building to motivate the team and to make sure the fans always had a "presence" during the game's development. We strive to do our very best to make games we feel you want to play and look forward to seeing fan reaction to our next round of games.
Be sure to watch the new trailer of the game either by clicking on the link in this article or by heading over to our media section. And stay tuned through GDC for more information on The Grinder across not just Wii, but PS3, 360 and PC.
