The Alpha Protocol pre-release madness continues with the addition of a brief interview with an unnamed Obsidian developer over at MSXbox-World.
If there are no plans for DLC yet, then my guess is that we’ll never see any post-release content. I guess they’re too busy with Fallout: New Vegas and Wheel of Time.
Exclusive Alpha Protocol Interview with Obsidian Entertainment
Posted By: Robert Cram
Date: 2010-05-25
Alpha Protocol launches in Europe this Friday (28th may 2010) and we posed some pressing questions to the development team (Obsidian Entertainment) who have been working on the game for the last four years. Billed as a Spy Role Playing Game, Alpha Protocol is looking like an excellent game for fans of the genre, even though the mix of spy and rpg is pretty unique. In game, you play as agent Michael Thornton, a man on a mission where loyalties are well and truly tested and every action has a consequence.
How would you describe Michael Thorton’s base character, is he more James Bond or Jason Bourne, perhaps both, and as gamers will be able to play as him with their own style how much variation is there going to be and how is this formulated?
Michael is a “Blank Slate” character. At the start of the game you pick a background for him, which also translated in an initial knack for certain skills. There are 5 different backgrounds, varying from a Soldier to a Tech Specialist, with special mention to the Freelancer (divide your own skills) and Recruit (No skills at all, but extra dialogue options). Finishing the recruit mode will open up “Veteran” mode, offering even more dialogue options.
How have you developed the plot and script of the game as it seemingly has many possibilities, is this a hard process and have you had any assistance from seasoned writers?
The main writer at Obsidian, Chris Avelonne, was the original writer on Planescape Torment, KOTOR II and NWN2. The process is indeed painstaking and very long, but with a team of organised writers and a very patient producer, Obsidian was able to tie all loose ends together in the end.
The game is being billed as a Spy-RPG, are these in equal measure or is the game more spy/action orientated?
I would say the game is a role playing game set in a spy world, more than a Spy game with RPG mechanics. Obsidian translated all RPG rules to a modern world to fit in with the games’ setting.
What has been the toughest challenge making a complex game such as this one?
That has to be tying up the loose ends. With so many different decisions and story lines, characters and reputation fluctuations, it’s hard to keep track of all possibilities. We managed it in the end though J
How much exploration will there be in terms of mission structure, can gamers expect to look off the beaten track for example to discover new things, new ways to tackle objectives? How much freedom will the player have? Will players be able to revisit locations to explore?
Players will have an option to choose the order of missions and operations. The chosen order will affect the way the game will play out. Some missions will disappear or appear, if a certain mission is completed before it. Due to the reactive nature of the story and Locations, players will not be able to revisit mission.
How many character classes will there be in the final game and can you give us a brief run-down of each of them?
From the start:
Soldier: – Proficient with weapons (SMG’s and Assault Rifles) and High Endurance
Field Agent: –
Stealth and Martial Arts (and pistols)
Tech Specialist –
Sabotage, Tech and Shotguns
Freelancer
Create your own build
Recruit No Starting skills
Veteran (available after finishing the game as recruit)
3 skill points in each tree.
How many weapons and gadgets will be available and are they all customizable?
There are 4 weapon classes (SMG’s, Assault Rifles, Shotguns and Pistols) and these are all customisable with 4 slots. Multiple manufacturers and better weapons become available throughout the game.
There are 3 Armour types (Stealth, Soldier and Tech), depending on your Tech skill, these are upgradable with up to 4 slots. Better armour in each type will become available later in the game.
There are 10 different gadgets, each of these is upgradable by upgrades in the clearing house.
How many difficulty settings will there be and how do these affect the gameplay?
3: Easy, Normal and Hard. Playing as a veteran or recruit will give an extra challenge on top of this. Expect an increase of enemies and AI, as well as damage and accuracy increases.
How do the handlers work, will you be able to change handler or will they change depending on the mission/story progression? Can you have more than one at a time?
You will be assigned a handler for most missions, however, there will be moments in the story where you get to pick a handler. There will be a moment where there is the possibility of having 2 at the same time.
The DSS system sounds interesting and something we’ve seen before in other games, how much scope is there to really change how the story plays out using it? Can you simply annoy everyone you meet and make for a tougher game for example?
First of all, I’d like to make clear the there is no
“right or wrong” or “light and dark” in Alpha Protocol. Being annoying, aggressive or cocky will bring your reputation down in some cases, but this can also have positive effects.
Some characters will respond well to Michael being aggressive, while others hate it when you are professional and try to do the right thing. The DSS is all about knowing who you’re talking to. Depending on your reputation with characters, and the choices you make in conversations and during gameplay, the story and the flow of the game can change drastically.
For players looking to stealth through the game, we know there’s an option to KO as opposed to kill opponents, but can players beat the entire game using KOs only?
Most enemies you can take out with the takedown option, if they didn’t see you. In some enemies you’ll have to take out with Martial Arts or Tranquillizer ammunition. The answer is yes: you can finish the game not killing anyone.
In terms of replay value, what things can gamers do differently on subsequent plays that make for a different play experience?
First of all, players can select a different backstory, which subsequently results in a different gameplay approach. Furthermore, by selecting different approaches during conversations, the story will branch differently as well.
There are several environments on offer, will players be able to visit these at any time to undertake missions, or are they tied to story progression?
As mentioned before, after the initial operation in Saudi Arabia, you can choose to go to Rome, Taipei or Moscow. You can travel back and forth in between missions as much as you want.
How many safe houses will there be, one for each location or more?
There will be 5 safehouses in total. 1 for each location.
How many character customization options are there and will more be added as downloadable content and can players unlock more in-game?
You can customise the Complexity, Hair, facial hair, hats and eye colour. There are currently no plans for DLC nor will people be able to unlock more options throughout the game.
Will there be any driving/vehicle sections in the game?
No, There will be none, although there are some nice scenes in the game where you are being transported.
How long is the game for a first time play through and are there any other replay incentives besides the story and making different choices?
A playthrough will be between 20-30 hours. As mentioned, the veteran option is another incentive to play through.
No spy game would be complete without a bit of womanising, are there sexual themes and what age rating are you aiming for?
There are sexual themes (Mike can be quite the womaniser) and there are 4 potential love interests in the game. We’re launching on 28 May with a PEGI 16+ rating.
Will you be adding more missions and possibly locations via downloadable content?
There are no plans for DLC at the moment.
We’d like to thank you for answering our questions and look forward to the game on the 28th May
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