We've covered the upcoming first-person mech-based shooter Hawken quite a bit on RespawnAction before, but today I am pleased to announce that we have conducted our first ever interview and it just so happens to be with Adhesive Games!
Chris Lalli, one of the founders of the indie team, was kind enough to give the time to answer some of our questions about their first project. We find out about destruction, customization, and...2D fantasy games?! Yep, it's all in the interview after the break, so hop in the pilot seat and check it out!
Was a Mech-based first-person shooter the team's original idea for their first project? Were there any other concepts floating around the board room, or was this an idea that everyone was dead-set on from the beginning?
Actually, our first concept went in a completely different direction. Originally, we were going to work on a fantasy based 2D sidescroller. However, as the team came together and discussed options as far as technology and workflow, we shifted gears. We realized that an FPS with a sci-fi theme would better suit our resources and the game engine we chose. We’ll probably revisit our original idea once Hawken is finished.
What was the inspiration for Hawken? Is the team at Adhesive big on anime like Robotech, Gundam, Transformers, and the like?
We’re all fans of the mech genre, both in video games and anime. The whole team grew up watching Transformers and Voltron etc... but I don’t believe anyone is diehard into Gundam or Robotech. Our Art Director, Khang Le, has been more influenced by niche mech designs like the work of Kow Yokoyama and Maschinen Krieger. Visually we’ve been inspired by stuff like Ghost in the Shell and Tekkon Kinkreet for the city maps, as well as District 9, Blade Runner, and other movies.
Can you give a little backstory to the universe surrounding Hawken? The environments certainly have a dreary, gritty pallet to them; what took place beforehand? Will characters and backstory play a major role in whatever story Hawken may have, or will it be as simple as "Team A vs. Team B"?
We’re not ready to release details of our universe and story just yet, it’s something we’re still working on and adding to. There will definitely be a backstory and setting for the game, but it may not have the direct impact on gameplay that a single player game with a story mode would have.
The objects in the level from the trailer that was just released appear to be very detailed. What engine is being used to develop the game?
We are using the Unreal Engine by Epic Games. Specifically UDK, which has no upfront cost and is a good fit for indie developers.
Will Hawken have destructible environments?
Fully destructible environments are something that a lot of people have been requesting, but it’s just too ambitious for our small team size and limited resources. We aren’t a big-name studio with 100 artists so we have to rein in our scope We do have destruction in the form of props such as cars, street lights, bus stops, metal crates, etc..., so you can still feel the scale of the mechs and have fun stomping around the city blowing things up.
Will there be options to customize the mechs in Hawken? If so, how deep of an experience can one expect? Will the weaponry be more "out there", or somewhat realistic?
There will definitely be customization for the mechs, both aesthetically and functionally, although not as deep as say Chromehounds. We don’t want people spending hours fine-tuning minor details instead of playing the game, or creating game-breaking combinations that are hard to balance. On the flip side, newbies could unknowingly customize completely ineffective machines and have that disadvantage on top of their inexperience, so we want to have some control over the structure. There will be different classes of mechs to choose from, as well as customizable weapon loadout and additional stats to tweak. We also have a variety of items that can be acquired that will allow for different strategies and playstyles.
Surprisingly, mech-based games aren't produced as frequently as one would think, and I feel that Chromehounds from 2006 was the last great mech-game. They are making a slight comeback now, with mechs being in Killzone 3 and upcoming BlackLight sequel, but still, there hasn't been that blockbuster mech-experience yet.
In essence, Adhesive Games can potentially write the book on how to create an awesome mech-based shooter. Do you feel like Hawken can become the canon for future mech-based games to refer back to? Are there any new elements and gameplay features in Hawken that we've yet to see in a mech game?
We do feel like it’s a good time to introduce Hawken to the gaming scene, and we have a chance to stand out since there has been a lull in mech games. We aren’t trying to reinvent the genre or revolutionize anything here, we just want to create a fun experience for mech fans and gamers in general. I’d say our art style and visuals are something special, but our unique team modes should also offer something fresh. Gameplay-wise, we’re trying to meld the immersive realism of slower games like Mechwarrior, with the faster paced action of an arcade-style shooter like Virtual On. Hopefully that can lead to something unique that appeals to both camps.
According to the trailer, the game has been in development about 9 months. Is there a time-line you're looking at for trying to release Hawken? Or, are you taking a "When it's ready, it's ready" approach with the game?
To some degree we are taking the "when it's ready, it's ready" approach. We don’t have a definitive release date and we won’t release the game until we are totally happy with what we will be delivering. On the other hand, being self-funded we have limited time and resources to sustain our development so we have to be efficient and realistic. This is why we’ve really focused our scope, concentrating on multiplayer and omitting a single player campaign.
What's the goal for launching the game? Will it be on a particular console? Can you confirm on whether or not Hawken will be downloadable only?
Yes, as a multiplayer indie game our plan has always been for a downloadable release of Hawken, at a lower price than a boxed title. We’d love to see it on PC, XBL and PSN, but those details aren’t worked out yet and can’t be confirmed at this time.
Lastly, what can people expect from Adhesive Games at this year's E3?
Honestly, I don’t know. At Adhesive Games we like to fly by the seat of our pants and hope things fall into place. The team will be attending E3 individually, but we don’t have plans to represent the company officially through a booth or anything like that. It’s possible we could show off some demos or make some announcements, but nothing concrete at the moment.
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Adhesive Games is hard at work putting together their first project, and Hawken already sounds like it will be something truly special. It was awesome having Chris Lalli answer some of our questions, and we here at RespawnAction wish Adhesive Games all the best with their product.
Hawken has no set release date yet, but we will surely keep you guys posted on any news regarding the mech-shooter. You can also check out the official Hawken website for more on the game.
