Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction Interview

Throughout the years the Alien vs. Predator has grown into a well-established game license. Although the recent expansion pack for AvP 2 didn't amount to much, it still managed to uphold the creepy atmosphere from the movie. Although it may seem odd to some of you, the Xbox/PS2 title Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction continues to do just that, only this time conveying the whole spine-chilling ambiance of the movies through an action-packed RTS game.

Three members of the development crew at Zono, Mike Arkin (Executive Producer), Novak (Designer), and Peter Green (Design/Programming), were obviously very eager to share some info on their project, which is not very far from release (summer or fall 2003). They reveal a lot of interesting stuff about some of the gorish gameplay elements, particular features of each race, the characteristics of the in-house engine that powers the game, and more.

Another small point: we also managed to find out the developers plan to issue the game out for the Xbox and PS2 platforms only... For now anyways. GC and PC versions are still in doubt. Zono wasn't reluctant to uncover that the AvP: Extinction engine runs on PC platforms, so it's likely the game will see a PC port in due time.

How to successfully corner an unlucky alien drone.

...It won’t make any difference how many soldiers.

Action Trip: What made you guys decide to make an RTS out of the Aliens vs. Predator franchise? Granted, we don't see many strategies being made for next generation consoles these days. But, do you think the idea will catch on?

Mike Arkin: Well, I have 2 answers. First I think that many people have been trying to find a way to bring a good RTS to the console market for a long time now. I think that console players know what they are missing and they want a good RTS. Secondly, I think that the Aliens/Predator universe is perfect for a good RTS. We already have the first-person AvP games where you play a single Alien, Predator, or Marine, and now we have a fantastic RTS where you control whole groups! It's really two great ideas together in one - RTS and AvP! I hope the idea catches on. I'm a big RTS fan and I think it's a fantastic game.

AT: We're interested in knowing more about the background of some the development team (their background and previous projects).

MA: Zono previously released Metal Fatigue (PC), Pearl Harbor (PC), and Mr. Bones, which was a top selling Saturn game. In addition, they designed such games as Technoclash (Genesis), X-Men 2: The Clone Wars (Genesis), Vectorman (Genesis), and Jurassic Park (Sega CD). We also have people that worked on Red Alert 2, Barbie Cool Looks Fashion Designer (Ed. - a personal favorite), X-Men PS2, and even the Deer Hunter games.

AT: What's the story in Alien vs. Predator: Extinction?

MA: I'll turn this question over to our design god Novak:

The Predators, Aliens and U.S. Colonial Marines came to the game's planet, designated LV-742 by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, for very different reasons.

When the game starts, the player's Predator Clan has just received hunting rights to the planet, and as you probably know, the Predators hunt skulls as trophies. They go after Marine and Alien skulls at first, and there are certain things that happen because of this close contact that get the Predators in an interesting kind of jam. Actually, it's the things that you do in the Marine and Alien campaigns that turn the heat on the Predators, and they won't stand for it, so they initiate military-style hunts to regain their honor. These kinds of hunts gave us the opportunity to create far-out new breeds of Predators that are dedicated to annihilation and not just the stealthy kind of hunting the Predators are famous for.

In the Marine campaign, Weyland-Yutani has partnered with the USCM in a joint venture to mine mineral ore on LV-742, and when the game starts your Marines have just arrived in support of this colonization effort when things start going to crap real fast. You'll see that things you do in the Predator and Alien campaign pretty much rule out any mining going on and the conflicts quickly escalate into a global war for survival.

And there's a definite reason that Aliens happen to be on LV-742 which you find out as you play all 3 campaigns, and their "intimate" interaction with the Predators and certain human entities gave us an opportunity to exploit the famous Alien life-cycle to do some pretty cool stuff with how they play and look. We're doing stuff in the game that's totally "Alien" and totally new at the same time.

Let's check in with Peter Green one of our Designer/Programmers:

No console title to date has delivered a deep real time strategy experience that was designed for the consoles from the ground up. AvP: E has a UI and a unit set that proves once and for all you can do real time strategy on the consoles. Plus, our unit mix moves into uncharted territory by combining some of the best elements of previous RTS greats. We combine Myth's close-in tactical flavor, StarCraft's interwoven array of units and special abilities and Total Annihilation's carnage level.

Finally, our upgrade model is a first. Rather than the "faster, stronger, tougher" numeric adjustment upgrades most games give their units, we give our units all sorts of cool new abilities that add new gameplay mechanics, enhanced special effects and the like. The result is that the game almost feels like it has 60 unique units, rather than 30.

AT: Explain a bit about the challenges and tasks that await players throughout the missions.

Peter?

Don’t shoot let ‘em burn!

Getting a wee bit hairy over here!

Well, we don't want to give too much away, but here's the overview.

The Marines have to contend with quelling a full-scale Alien outbreak, but it soon becomes clear that the Predators are involved and that significantly complicates matters. Rescuing colonists, investigating mysterious disturbances, and coming face-to-face with the full might of two separate extraterrestrial species - it's all there. :)

The Predators are in the middle of Clan Trials, which is how they decide issues of succession. Needless to say, the situation spirals out of control and even the Predator Military has to get involved. The player can look forward to missions featuring infiltration, assassination, and, of course, lots of hunting. Once the Predator Military gets involved though, it's war.

Finally, the Aliens seek to escape the limitations placed on them by Marines and Predators alike, so they can breed uncontrollably and proceed to take over the planet. There are plenty of breakouts, infestations and opportunities to impregnate all manner of hosts. There are also a number of scenarios requiring them to completely overwhelm the opposition with relentless wave attacks (this will definitely be my choice - VADAR).

AT: As you've already clarified, several types of upgradeable weapons. Reveal some these weapons and how they differ according to race (are they similar to those we've seen in the FPS AvP series?).

Again, I turn to Peter:

Here's an example from each species:

• Marine Sentry Gun - The upgrade to this weapon bolts on a counterballistics scanner and a sniper rifle. This enables the Sentry Gun to calculate the trajectories of incoming sniper fire, "light up" the source (whether it's cloaked or not), and then respond with deadly force.
• Predator Disc - When upgraded, the disc gets a molecular-scale chainsaw that can tear through hardened armor. This enables multiple discs to embed themselves in heavily armored opponents and tear them apart from the inside. This can be pretty gruesome.
• Alien Runner Claw Attack - When upgraded, the Runner's claw attacks inject their prey with spores that enable other Aliens to track the prey no matter whether it escapes to a distant location or not. This virulent infection also causes victims to become violently ill and slowly lose health. Essentially, this upgrade gives the player a pit viper-like experience: they can watch victims of this attack stagger about, puking their guts out, before eventually collapsing alone in a corner somewhere (making them easy pickings for subsequent impregnation). It's nasty.

AT: Talk a bit about the visuals and the engine that powers the game. Do you plan to make any changes between the Xbox and PS2 versions?

MA: The game runs on the 3rd generation of Zono's engine, which is called F-spike. F-spike is a very versatile engine that runs on multiple platforms including PC and allows us to develop AvPE simultaneously on both PS2 and Xbox. In addition to the standard stuff like drawing the Aliens and Marines in their lovely polygon form, it has a fantastic particle and decal system that allows our designers to create all the cool weapon and unit effects that really make the 3 races look unique.

Here are some examples of the cool in-game effects: the Predators' cloak, the acid blood that spews from the Aliens when they are shot, and the MIRV warhead rockets that the upgraded SADAR trooper fires.

In an intense battle there are weapon effects flying off in all directions and 3 different colors of blood painting the landscape!!!

AT: Will AvP: Extinction include a multiplayer mode?

MA: No, we chose to focus on the single player experience so that we could create a fantastic single player game.

AT: When can we expect the game to hit the shelves? Aside from the PS2 and Xbox versions, are you planning to bring the game to the GameCube and PC platforms?

MA: We are weeks away from completion, so it should be on the shelves soon. As for GC or PC, at this time there is no plan for either, but it could be done...

AT: Don't hesitate to add anything else about the game if you wish...

MA: I hope the die-hard AvP fans are happy with what we have done. It's quite different from the previous AvP games, but we look at it as expanding the AvP game universe. In the end we made the game that we as game players would want to play.