|
SOCOM 3! (comming August 2005)
|
Sony's number one online franchise for the PS2 is about to get a third installment. We've got the complete report directly from Zipper Interactive. |
 |
|
Sony took the lid off the next chapter of its 6-million unit selling SOCOM franchise, allowing hands-on time with a demo for SOCOM: US Navy SEALS 3 at Zipper Interactive.
"This game takes a substantial step forward in technology and innovation, and one of our main focuses was to bring the single-player experience up to the front seat," said Jim Bosler, president of independent development studio Zipper Interactive.
SOCOM 2, which continues to be a huge draw with online games, began as an expansion pack for the original SOCOM, and as such, the developers weren't able to do all the things they really wanted for a full sequel. This game was designed from the ground up as a full sequel, which means every aspect of the game is new, including the engine, character models and animation, cinematics and the streaming of level content.
Hardy LeBel, the new creative director at Zipper, said that the team of 90 (nearly double the size of SOCOM 2's team) has focused on three pillars as the foundation for the game franchise.
First and foremost, SOCOM is routed in authenticity and puts players in the fantasy role of being a real US Navy SEAL commander. Every aspect of the game has emphasized realism in the settings and environments, the authentic native tongues spoken by in-game characters and the recording of actual weapons and vehicle sound for the game.
While the art department in the past used Internet photos as reference for the environments created in the game, this time around a small team spent a month overseas visiting Morocco, Bangladash, and Poland, the three locales in the game, to take thousands of digital photos as reference points for the game's design. With 10 days spent in each region, Russ Phillips, Art Director, Zipper Interactive, was able to capture minute details that were included in the game. From ornate doorways in Bangladesh to the roadside signs in the Sahara, the digital photography was used by the team to create levels that reflect the locales. A Sony sound technician accompanied the team to record actual background sounds that were incorporated into the game.
Russ showed off several diverse environments in the game, including a level in a Bangladesh mission deep inside a tropical forest, complete with ruins that stood atop a gently sloping hill, and an old growth forest in Poland filled with logs and foliage and an old train line complete with abandoned passenger cars.
"We were able to save a lot of time that previously would have been spent looking for good photos online and we took a lot of these photos and cut and pasted them to use in the game," said Phillips, who created an internal Web site to map out each level and give designers photo references for what each alleyway and courtyard should look like.
SWIMMING
The second priority for the team was to create a visceral action experience suited for the console gamer. SOCOM 3 will rely on teamwork to get through the game's missions and both stealth and run-and-gun tactics will be required.
"When you're in a gun battle, there's more intense action going on...more mortars going off and more bullets whizzing by," said Travis Steiner, Lead Designer at Zipper. "This game will balance the action sequences with more stealth, especially with the addition of swimming in the gameplay."
Just like real Navy SEALS, SOCOM 3 introduces stealth water tactics to the franchise. SEALS can now walk right into any body of water and swim to avoid detection of guards and even take a deep breath and submerse themselves for short periods of time.
VEHICLES
Another huge addition to the franchise is the ability to drive one of the 20 vehicles in the game. Missions have been created to utilize heavily-armored Humvees and SOCAR water craft. Each vehicle handles differently and environments like sand and pavement impact your driving. The terrorists have a host of vehicles, as well, including technicals (modified civilian vehicles rigged with guns), APCs and tanks.
"Vehicles are team-based and you can switch on-the-fly between driving and manning one of the turrets," said Scott Rudi, designer at Zipper. "All of the SEALS vehicles allow four men to ride, while most of the terrorist vehicles are three-man vehicles. We allow you to split Able and Bravo teams into two different vehicles in any mission."
In addition to giving the world an open feel (you can commandeer any vehicles in the environment that haven't been destroyed), vehicles also add tactics to the game. Players have the option of driving into a terrorist-occupied area guns-a-blazing, or parking the vehicles and using stealth to surprise the enemies. The game also supports vehicle dogfights as Humvees can take on technicals and tanks over large areas of open space.
MORE WEAPONS
SOCOM players will be able to get more hands-on with the weapons they use in the game. There are 30 weapons available in the game, including 10 brand new ones, and over 20 attachments that allow for customization. Over 900 combinations are available as players can choose from a wide range of scopes, suppressors, visible laser sights, flashlights, pistol grips and launchers to enhance their weapons.
Weapons customization adds yet another strategic level to the game. There's a trade-off for each attachment. While adding a rocket launcher to a gun gives you more firepower, it also makes it heavier to carry in the field. Vehicles offset this to a degree, since your men can all travel by Humvee, but it will impact gameplay. Certain weapon combinations will enhance long-distance range, but will be useless in close-quarters combat. This plays a role in how you outfit each member of the team for missions, especially since they can only carry three weapons at a time. The fact that missions will occur in daylight and at night is also a factor.
"We've emphasized the distinction between various classes of weapons in SOCOM 3," said CJ Heine, designer at Zipper. "Close-quarters weapons will behave quite differently from long-range weapons. And we've also differentiated the SEALS weapons, which are more accurate and good at longer ranges, from the terrorist weapons, which are more powerful."
One cool weapon on display was the M8 Airburst, which allows you to fire above or near an enemy hiding behind an object or wall, and take him out with an airborne explosion.
The third emphasis for SOCOM 3 was on pushing the technology and raising the bar in terms of level size and artificial intelligence. The SOCOM franchise has embraced technology from the early days, adopting broadband-only connections for online gameplay, introducing voice-recognition technology and allowing live voice chat among online players. Zipper has created new streaming technology which allows the game to feature seamless transition from one mission to the next.
"Our levels are up to six times larger than levels in SOCOM 2," said Steiner. "We're able to keep players in the field at all times, so that once you start playing the single-player game, you're fully immersed."
Part of that immersion comes through a new OCN (Operations Control Network), which replicates the real-life experience SEALS have in the field. In between missions, players are aboard a C-130 and they get real-time intel and information on their next mission as they travel to it. The info comes on top of a first-person perspective of the cargo bay of the plane and you can even turn left and right and up and down to take in the scenery. It's here that you can customize your weapons for the next mission, as well.
The game supports check points in levels, so that when you die, you don't have to go all the way back to the beginning. There are also save points throughout the game for you to save gameplay.
The streaming technology also has allowed the team to incorporate over 100 cinematics into the game. In keeping with the immersion in the world, the various in-game events that will occur don't stop gameplay. While the cinematics vary in length, they build on the story in a seamless way. They also take advantage of a cast of new character models, who have been improved with additional bone structure for their cinematics close-ups.
"We started from scratch with all of the models in this game and one of the things we really focused on was the accuracy of the equipment the SEALS wear into combat," said Doug Wilcox, lead animator at Zipper. "We worked with three ex-SEALS and they told us that soldiers mix and match standard military equipment with gear you can buy at retailers like REI and online. Skateboard helmets are used for soldiers in urban warfare and soldiers mix and match desert and forest camouflage for better cover in the jungle."
IMPROVED AI
"Enemy AI is more aware about the environments they're in," said Mike Gutmann, software director at Zipper. "They'll peak around corners and take cover when fired upon. Enemies will work together to flank you."
Each character has two separate levels of intelligence, including a training level and a courage level. Gamers will learn which of the enemy fighters are leaders and by taking them out, their followers, who haven't received as much training, will be easier to kill. The courage factor also impacts enemies. As they watch their comrades die, they will be less likely to take chances against an invading force and their aim will become less accurate. The enemies will adjust to the type of gaming style the player employs. Stealth gameplay will offer a different experience than a run-and-gun approach. This sequel will allow the largest number of enemies on screen at one time, which increases the action quotient of the title.
Zipper has also improved the AI of your squad mates. With the addition of vehicles, the game has more commands overall, but getting your teams to do what you want is easier. There are one-click commands to break or get into vehicles.
"We've tried to get your teammates to help out more during battles," said Gutmann. "Rather than always being behind you, they'll get out in front of you and clear out enemies."
The playable demo in the game featured all of the new gameplay features, including driving a Humvee and SOCAR boat, swimming to avoid detection, and more elaborate gun battles in close-quarters areas. During the demo, you start out in the desert under fire and need to take out a group of terrorists who are firing at you. Once killed, you find a Humvee and proceed to a checkpoint. It's on the road, driving the Humvee, that a sandstorm hits, requiring you to switch to thermal imaging to take out the enemies on either side of the sand road. A tank roadblock forces you on a detour, where you must abandon your Humvee and swim to a temple. The demo proceeds through an open area and a small town built into a mountain side. As you make your way through the narrow streets, enemies will take civilians as human shields to protect themselves in gun battles. Battling terrorists in streets and alleyways eventually leads to a large courtyard area, where the enemy has regrouped for an all-out attack. Here, two stationed machine guns will come into play as you make your way up stairways to take out the enemies below. An enemy tank breaks through a wall, but a chopper swoops in and blows it up. Another chopper comes in to lay suppressing fire on the remaining terrorists below.
The single-player experience is shaping up to be a fun and exciting new chapter in the SOCOM franchise. The action quotient has been upped a few notches, there are more stealth options than ever before, and the game features vastly improved visuals and sound. And this is was just from a short taste of the single-player game.
Zipper is holding the multiplayer experience close to its vest, but promises huge new improvements in that are of the game, as well. If the single-player experience is any barometer, SOCOM 3 is about to leave the competition even further in the dust. The game is slated to ship this August, so tune in for a full update on the multiplayer game in the near future.
|
|
