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Forums - Sony - Eurogamer: Killzone 3 Interview - more responsive controls, no loading, etc

makingmusic476 on 27 May 2010

Eurogamer

Eurogamer: Killzone 2 was a huge launch, with tremendous pressure from the press and community. Did you learn anything from it? Will the launch of 3 be similar?

Steven Ter Heide: Well, hopefully not exactly the same! Last time we had that infamous trailer - this time we're doing things properly - showing proper gameplay footage. We have a very vocal community, there's a lot of buzz around the internet.We keep a very close ear to the ground, to see what's out there and see what people think. We implemented a lot of the feedback from the community for Killzone 2, in the patches we applied for things like the controller lag. We're fixing those kind of things even further for Killzone 3 - we feel that responsiveness is a big issue. We can't really judge that on the pre-alpha code because the framerate's not up there, but response is important.

There's a lot of work going on to make sure the controls more responsive, as well as the button layout itself - we've got a lot of new features, like the jetpack, and obviously you need a button to control that. We also need to rethink the button layout, because that was also one of the complaints which people levelled at Killzone 2. People were used to a certain set-up, and Killzone 2 was different. So people were asking for something they were more comfortable with, for more options to configure it.

I think some of the other criticisms had to do with how seamlessly the game played - so any streaming hiccups during gameplay we want to get rid of completely - so much so that we want to completely get rid of any loading screens at all, even between the levels. So you can start up the game and play it right through to the end and never see a loading screen. You can see already, even in this build, that a lot of those problems, the little frame drops, are pretty much gone.

Another criticism was story, we need to improve on that end - we're working with a lot of Hollywood talent.

Eurogamer: There seems to be much less swearing this time!

Steven Ter Heide: (laughs) Yes! Our sound director is here today, we said to him, 'go through the entire database, and anything that's got 'sh**' or 'f***' in it, just get rid of it, we don't want to hear it ever again!

Eurogamer: Still an 18 though?

Steven Ter Heide: Yes, definitely. That's a lot to do with the violence though. Things like the brutal melee system, we're firmly aiming for an 18. But we feel that the dialogue which is in there shouldn't be gratuitous. It should be about advancing the story, natural responses. It shouldn't be this sort of off the scale swearing.

We've toned it down a little bit to make sure that the story comes across in the way we wanted it to come across. That's definitely one of the points we took on board from Killzone 2.

And you can find three more pages of awesome information via the link. 

The game is really sounding great, with GG focusing on every single issue pepole had with Killzone 2.  More responsive controls, no loading, more natural dialogue, better incorporation of the backstory, etc.   It sounds like Killzone 3 is to Killzone 2 what Uncharted 2 was to the original Uncharted.

Also, here's a snippet from Kotaku:

That said, Hulst noted that, contrary to popular belief, Guerrilla Games is not collaborating on engine technology with Uncharted 2 developer Naughty Dog.

That should kill the rumor that Naughty Dog is working directly with Geurrilla Games on Killzone 3. Getting some tips on snow technology != co-devloping the game!



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Rainbird on 27 May 2010

"My favorite bit was the part where he said the SP would be longer than the one in Killzone 2.

Fuck yeah!"

- Rainbird



makingmusic476 on 27 May 2010

They seem to be really focused on upping the variety as well:

Steven Ter Heide: In this level which we have on show today we have four distinct experiences, which was something we wanted to focus on in Killzone 3 as well. In Killzone 2, in was much more, well, I wouldn't say it was just one experience which you got, but it wasn't as varied as we wanted it to be. This time around we're introducing a lot more gameplay experiences, in this level you start on the intruder, shooting - which was something else people said about 2, you spend all this time on an intruder and you don't get to fire the gun - this time around you're allowed to do that.

Then there's the regular gameplay, where you get your combat rifle and off you go, you encounter the jetpack enemies, and then you get the jetpack, which opens up this whole new experience - all of a sudden you're able to jump around and do this aerial combat and reach new areas and have new routes open up. Then we introduce the big rocket launcher, this portable weapon of mass destruction, and suddenly you're able to take out tanks and vehicles really easily, that feels really powerful. So there's these really distinct experiences, even in the scope of a single level, and that's going to happen throughout the game. We want to keep the user experience really fresh.


Absolutely. The idea is that, not even going from level to level, but within individual levels, we'll be switching it up a lot more. I wouldn't say we'll be introducing a lot of colour because that's never been what Killzone is about, we've got this very distinct look, but we do want to get a lot more variety in the environments - so, different colour schemes, different things going on, throughout the game. Right at the beginning of the game, if you remember how Killzone 2 finished, on the steps of the Palace with the cruiser coming in, that's exactly where this game begins. It's completely seamless and continues on - so it starts in that nuked urban environment, the environments you played in Killzone 2, but since the bomb went off everything's changed. Then you're taken off on a journey, across the entire planet, basically.


Levels are also apparently much larger (up to 10x that of Killzone 2), and they'll have multiple ways to get around, allowing you to completely avoid some enemies if you wish. They've also worked on the AI to allow them to make good use of a more open level design.

Well, as Hermen mentioned in the presentation, the footprint of the levels is much bigger - today's level is about ten times the size of a typical Killzone 2 level - so not only do you have these great viewing distances and these incredible vistas, you also have multiple routes and new ways of dealing with situations. You don't even always have to engage enemies, some of them you can sneak past. Obviously the jetpack opens a whole new realm of possibilities as well, you're on these oil rigs and whatever way you want to attack these guys, you can do that.

Given our AI and the way we've set up the game, it's not scripted, in the way that you'd see in other games - our AI is much more responsive in terms of what is the current situation, where is the player and how should I behave? So we've taken that from Killzone 2, but rather than having confined spaces we now give them a lot more space to breathe in so now you start to see them do a whole host of new things because they've got a lot more room to play with.

So rather than you always being able to sidetrack them, they'll be able to hunt you down and find you, a whole new kind of encounter set up. So however you take it, however you play it, it's going to be different.



makingmusic476 on 27 May 2010
Rainbird said:
"My favorite bit was the part where he said the SP would be longer than the one in Killzone 2.

Fuck yeah!"

- Rainbird

Haha.  Now everything's just like it was.



GodOfWar_3ever on 27 May 2010

OK. No more excuses for the "KZ2 sucked just because the controls were meh" anymore when KZ3 releases, hopefully...

I am so stoked for this game. Bring on E3 !!!



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Cross-X on 27 May 2010

Uncharted 2 and God of War III were able to provide no loading and looks like Killzone 3 is following suit.

Yeh one of the things that did annoy me was the sudden drop of framerates and sudden loading times when moving onto new areas in the same level. Glad to hear GG wanting to get rid of Loading for all in the SP.

And clearly Killzone 2 had alternate button layouts so I don't understand why people would complain if they had the option to switch. Yes I didn't like the default button layouts of Killzone 2 and so changed to the Layout that I was most used to and I had no more problems with controls after.

And thank god they're reducing the swearing. It was way too excessive especially from Rico.



Bullet100000 on 27 May 2010

I'm glad they're gonna fix these issue or improve upon them in Killzone 3. I truly believe the

game could have sold allot more if these issue were attended to in Killzone 2. Those are the exact

issues I had with KZ2 Slow controls, and slight loading screens I didn't mind the control scheme

since it was changeable. I hope they launch this game this year along with GT5!!



*Al Bundy's My Hero*

 

*Al Bundy For President*

Waiting On GT7!!!

 PSN ID: Acidfacekiller

makingmusic476 on 27 May 2010
Cross-X said:
Uncharted 2 and God of War III were able to provide no loading and looks like Killzone 3 is following suit.

Yeh one of the things that did annoy me was the sudden drop of framerates and sudden loading times when moving onto new areas in the same level. Glad to hear GG wanting to get rid of Loading for all in the SP.

And clearly Killzone 2 had alternate button layouts so I don't understand why people would complain if they had the option to switch. Yes I didn't like the default button layouts of Killzone 2 and so changed to the Layout that I was most used to and I had no more problems with controls after.

And thank god they're reducing the swearing. It was way too excessive especially from Rico.

Eh, I wouldn't even say the swearing was excessive so much so as it was delivered badly.  The voice acting in Killzone 2 sucked.  It was very B-level action movie-ish, with emphasis placed on odd words.  "This entire FUCKING convoy..." as opposed to adding the word in more naturally.

I'm glad they're reducing the swearing, though, because it at least won't be emphasized as much.

Honestly, the Legion totally disappointed me in Killzone 2.  They're supposed to be the top squad in the whole ISA force, but instead of being stoic warriors ala Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings, they came off as trigger happy jarheads you'd think had only just joined the army.  They hardly seemed like veterans of anything.



Cross-X on 27 May 2010
makingmusic476 said:
Cross-X said:
Uncharted 2 and God of War III were able to provide no loading and looks like Killzone 3 is following suit.

Yeh one of the things that did annoy me was the sudden drop of framerates and sudden loading times when moving onto new areas in the same level. Glad to hear GG wanting to get rid of Loading for all in the SP.

And clearly Killzone 2 had alternate button layouts so I don't understand why people would complain if they had the option to switch. Yes I didn't like the default button layouts of Killzone 2 and so changed to the Layout that I was most used to and I had no more problems with controls after.

And thank god they're reducing the swearing. It was way too excessive especially from Rico.

Eh, I wouldn't even say the swearing was excessive so much so as it was delivered badly.  The voice acting in Killzone 2 sucked.  It was very B-level action movie-ish, with emphasis placed on odd words.  "This entire FUCKING convoy..." as opposed to adding the word in more naturally.

I'm glad they're reducing the swearing, though, because it at least won't be emphasized as much.

Honestly, the Legion totally disappointed me in Killzone 2.  They're supposed to be the top squad in the whole ISA force, but instead of being stoic warriors ala Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings, they came off as trigger happy jarheads you'd think had only just joined the army.  They hardly seemed like veterans of anything.

I guess your right in the sense that the voice acting indeed wasn't top notch and hence emphasized the wrong words.

Yeh I agree. Maybe that's why when people think 'Killzone', the Helghasts are the first things to pop into mind. The Helghasts are so much more iconic than Sev and Co. Like I once asked a friend of mine who plays Killzone 2 with me about what he thought about the characters Rico and Natko from Killzone 2 and he replied "Are they Helghast names?"



makingmusic476 on 27 May 2010
Cross-X said:
makingmusic476 said:
Cross-X said:
Uncharted 2 and God of War III were able to provide no loading and looks like Killzone 3 is following suit.

Yeh one of the things that did annoy me was the sudden drop of framerates and sudden loading times when moving onto new areas in the same level. Glad to hear GG wanting to get rid of Loading for all in the SP.

And clearly Killzone 2 had alternate button layouts so I don't understand why people would complain if they had the option to switch. Yes I didn't like the default button layouts of Killzone 2 and so changed to the Layout that I was most used to and I had no more problems with controls after.

And thank god they're reducing the swearing. It was way too excessive especially from Rico.

Eh, I wouldn't even say the swearing was excessive so much so as it was delivered badly.  The voice acting in Killzone 2 sucked.  It was very B-level action movie-ish, with emphasis placed on odd words.  "This entire FUCKING convoy..." as opposed to adding the word in more naturally.

I'm glad they're reducing the swearing, though, because it at least won't be emphasized as much.

Honestly, the Legion totally disappointed me in Killzone 2.  They're supposed to be the top squad in the whole ISA force, but instead of being stoic warriors ala Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings, they came off as trigger happy jarheads you'd think had only just joined the army.  They hardly seemed like veterans of anything.

I guess your right in the sense that the voice acting indeed wasn't top notch and hence emphasized the wrong words.

Yeh I agree. Maybe that's why when people think 'Killzone', the Helghasts are the first things to pop into mind. The Helghasts are so much more iconic than Sev and Co. Like I once asked a friend of mine who plays Killzone 2 with me about what he thought about the characters Rico and Natko from Killzone 2 and he replied "Are they Helghast names?"

Plus the Helghast are generally much better voice acted.  General Radec was pretty badass in Killzone 2, and you can't top Brian Cox playing Emperor Visari.