Obsidian Entertainment’s Alpha Protocol is the subject of four more hands-on previews, as well as an interview with producer Nathan Davis.
The first preview is at Joystiq:
What makes Alpha Protocol so engaging is the potential for meaningful character growth. As helpful as these bonuses are, they can evolve rather significantly. For example, spending enough XP on the radar ability will make it persistent: no need to activate it and use it as a “power.” At the lowest level, each of these abilities have a refractory period, meaning players will have to budget them quite wisely. Maxing out the “lock-on” ability should, in many ways, make you as badass as Sam Fischer in Splinter Cell Conviction.
Then we have another at Kotaku:
Some of the dialogue sequences will be so lengthy that there are missions unto themselves. The Sega producer described them to me as interrogations that could last 10-15 minutes, full of choices not just about what to say but whether to, perhaps, hit the person being interrogated with a bottle. In the interrogation described, violence squeezes accurate information out, but causes the player’s victim to alert his friends and make a subsequent mission harder. Being smoother with the same guy will allow the player to make a pay-off and face lesser opposition later.
Followed by Digital Spy:
Preview: ‘Alpha Protocol’
Sunday, August 9 2009, 1:00am EDT
By Andrew Laughlin, Technology Reporter
Quite fittingly for the shadowy world of espionage that it is set in, Alpha Protocol has rather slipped under the radar in gaming circles. Developed for Sega by Obsidian Entertainment, the game puts forward the interesting proposition of an RPG based around modern-day spying. In this, players will be thrust into a truly interactive world in which every choice they make really does mean life or death, for someone at least. So Digital Spy entered the special briefing room with Obsidian’s programming producer Nathan Davis to have a sneak peak at a pre-beta build of this intriguing new title.
In the game, players take on the role of Michael Thornton, who was formerly part of the Alpha Protocol agency before going rogue. The game focuses on four main hub locations – Taipei, Rome, Moscow and Saudi Arabia – which can be played in any order and skipped between at leisure. Instead of an open-world approach, individual missions are launched from a safehouse, which also offers various other features that we will discuss later on. The most important aspect of the game, though, is in terms of its reactive world and the multiple approaches available to each individual interaction.
Our demo starts as Thornton reaches Moscow to interrogate a hardened Ruski named Grigori, who is the source for intel on some heavy weapons. Interrogating non-playable characters (NPCs) involves using the game’s conversation mechanic. Rather than choosing between specific phrases, the conversation system involves adopting different approaches which are based on the three JBs – James Bond (suave), Jack Bauer (aggressive) and Jason Bourne (professional). When playing the game for real, players will only have one stab at each NPC conversation, but for the demo it was useful to see how these different approaches lead to different outcomes.
As Thornton addresses Grigori, the three approach options appear on the screen and one must be selected before the timer expires (otherwise the last one chosen is auctioned). After taking the aggressive approach (or what Davis calls “supreme dick Mike”), Thornton slams Grigori’s head onto the bar and then demands information until the Russian gives up the name of Sergei Surkov. Thornton may have got the intel that he wanted, but this has come at the cost of frightening the other man, which has got other ramifications. Following this, Grigori may warn other people of Thornton’s prickly attitude and then they may react accordingly in future interactions.
Taking the Bond-style suave approach brings a much different reaction from Grigori. After playing nicey-nicey with the Russian, Thornton gets the same name as before, but he is also asked to “accidentally” divert a cargo of munitions from Leningradski station into Grigori’s hands. Therefore, this flags up a side mission that was not offered under the aggressive approach. In a nice touch, before finishing the conversation Grigori thanks Thornton for not being an “asshole like other agents”, before adding that he came to him as a human being which should be “rewarded”.
If the professional approach was taken, then a whole different set of responses would be unlocked. This mechanic is all about encouraging players to judge the personalities of NPCs and then respond to this information accordingly. Sometimes it can be an advantage to please other characters with your conduct, but it can also be good to “really infuriate them” as this may present a situation to exploit. After all, nothing says “co-operation” like a vodka bottle in the face. Interaction with characters is also linked to the reputation system in which upsetting or impressing people lowers or raises the player’s standing with that individual. Essentially, every choice carries a “certain level of consequence” which must be weighed up accordingly.
After each mission and dialogue section, Thornton returns to the safehouse, which is basically a plush pad replete with espionage accoutrement. This includes a computer terminal giving access to the email system, which reacts to events/actions in the game as with everything else. Replying to emails involves choosing from three main options – brief, cordial or snarky – with players able to read the responses before sending them. For example, one message from Thornton’s handler/fixer Mina asks whether he knows the password to a locked server. After selecting the snarky response, Thornton replies that the password is M1LFLuv3r. However, Mina fails to see the funny side, leading to one lost reputation point.
The computer also gives access to the black market for purchasing guns, gadgets, equipment and intelligence documents (depending on contacts made in the game). Various guns are available across four main areas – pistols, SMGs, shotguns and assault rifles – along with mods such as laser sights to upgrade accuracy. Everything is geared up to enable players to adopt one of three main play styles – combat-ready Soldier, gadget-mad Tech Specialist and stealth-orientated Field Agent. In turn, central to all gameplay is the RPG mechanic, in which players can level up Thornton’s skill over certain different key areas, including firearms ability, stealth and martial arts.
Advancement points are earned after each mission to be spent on different ranks in whatever area the player wants. These individual upgrades are designed to give the player something “very cool” which makes a noticeable difference in subsequent missions. Whether it may be using sniper rifles or hacking into computer terminals, everything Thornton does is linked to an RPG mechanic. The game also has a perks system in which little bonuses are earned for completing missions under certain parameters, such as without raising a single alarm.
After purchasing/selecting the appropriate weapons and kit, Thornton enters the mission with an opening cinematic featuring a group of terrorists being dispatched by a blonde bombshell with an M60 machine gun called Sie. Another dialogue section then throws up options to challenge or ally with Sie, with the latter approach meaning that her goons will not attack the player during the mission. Of course, taking the aggressive route leads to a boss battle with the character instead. Indeed, the majority of bosses can be approached in various ways – killed, allied with or just ignored entirely. There are further nuances in between; for example, sparing the boss after beating them could bring maximum respect with that character, leading to them to do something good for you in the future.
The action sequences in Alpha Protocol will feel familiar to anyone who has played the Metal Gear Solid series. Thornton has a fixed reticule which can be focused from orange to red for a kill shot. The major aspect here, though, is that everything the player does is connected to an RPG skill. For example, upgrading stealth enables a mechanic called shadow operative which makes the player invisible for a period of time. However, active skills such as this all have a cool down period before they can be used again. A really fun mechanic is the chain shot, which involves stopping time and lining up multiple head shots (up to six if fully upgraded) which Thornton then quickly executes when time restarts.
After locating Grigori’s weapons inside a rail carriage, Thornton has the choice to blow them up or steal them, with further options to either send them to himself or the Russian. As usual, each decision has positives and drawbacks. Sending the stolen munitions to yourself would significantly improve your arsenal, but sending them to Grigori increases the player’s reputation with him and could lead to good things. Indeed, this enhanced reputation comes in handy at a later stage when Thornton breaks into the US Embassy in Moscow to extricate Sergei Surkov.
If the player had been aggressive to Grigori, then there would be heavily armed marines outside the building waiting for him (which is not necessarily a bad thing as he could potentially persuade the marines to ally with him following some nifty dialogue). But also, when Thornton comes to apprehend Surkov, then the other man may be wary and could even respond with force, as opposed to simply acquiescing to the move if the player had taken the suave approach. It is with these multiple options and seriously weighty decisions that Alpha Protocol will really be able to excel. So far, the signs look positive for some seriously good spying later in the year.
Alpha Protocol will be released in Europe on PS3, PC and Xbox 360 in October.
And MTV Multiplayer:
‘Alpha Protocol’ Has Recruit Mode: It’s Actually Harder!
Posted 8/12/09 6:30 pm ET by Russ Frushtick
“Alpha Protocol” is an RPG that, despite being in development for several years now, is still a bit of a dark horse title. It’s a new IP and, if you just look at screenshots from the game, it’s easy to confuse with a lot of the other modern-day action games out there. Seeing it played it is a different story, as it looks like a more active (hell, more fun) version of the original “Mass Effect,” from the dynamic conversations to the character skills to the branching storyline.
I saw the game in New York last night. It was the E3 build again, but there was something I didn’t notice the first time around. “Alpha Protocol” has what’s called “Recruit” mode. Just by the name it sounds like “Easy,” doesn’t it. Well it ain’t. Starting the game as a “Recruit” kicks you off with exactly zero skill points (normal play-throughs start with a handful, spread out among several skills). Not to mention, everyone it in the game treats you like a recruit, so if you try to intimidate someone, they may just laugh in your face.
In the menus, the option is labeled Recruit (Hard), and when you hover over it there’s a description of what sorta deficit you’ll be facing. You’ll never “catch-up,” skill-point-wise, so someone who picked one of the other options will always have an edge at the end of the game, but there is a benefit (beyond potential achievements).
Finishing the game on Recruit unlocks Veteran. Here your skill points won’t be hampered and most everyone will be instantly intimidated with you. There will, however, be certain characters that want to make a name for themselves and will try to take you down to earn rep. Also, enemies are much harder in this mode and you’ll earn experience slower (an old dog, as they say…). Think of it as the “Very Hard” option.
Kinda interesting to see higher difficulties that don’t just increase damage. It’s definitely something I’d like to see done in more games.
With the interview finishing things off at Digital Spy:
Nathan Davis (‘Alpha Protocol’)
Obsidian tells DS about venturing into the world of modern day espionage for RPG Alpha Protocol.
The world of espionage is rather an overdone subject in entertainment. This murky field of subterfuge, dark glamour and, of course, murder is just perfect fodder for producers of video games and blockbuster movies. However, an RPG experience has yet to feature in the modern day spy game, but Obsidian Entertainment wants to change that with Alpha Protocol. Mixing third-person action with RPG mechanics, the game will allow players to solicit information, subvert dark forces and earn cash from all things espionage. Shaken or stirred, it’s your choice. So Digital Spy broke cover with Obsidian’s Nathan Davis to reveal the conspiracy behind Alpha Protocol.
In the game, players take on the role of rogue agent Michael Thornton who has left the Alpha Protocol agency for some reason which will no doubt be explained in the main narrative. During the around 25 hours of gameplay, players will meet a host of curious and dangerous characters while navigating the murky world of modern-day espionage. In the conception stages of development, Davis says that the team took inspiration from the three JBs – James Bond, Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne. However, he also points out that Thornton is his “own dude” with his own personality, which is further developed by the individual approach of each player.
Essentially, the headline feature of Alpha Protocol is in its reactive world. While neither the action nor the graphics will necessarily blow people away, the thing that is really exciting about this game is the fact that here is a world where the ripples of each decision taken by the player really have resonance beyond the immediate surroundings. In this, the way a player approaches a non-playable character (NPC) will affect not only what they receive from that interaction, but also influence future NPC interactions and events in the missions.
As outlined in our preview, the game features a central conversation mechanic in which three main styles can be taken – suave, professional and aggressive – which are linked to Bond, Bourne and Bauer respectively. Davis says that the team made sure not to “outright disadvantage” any one approach, but rather give players the chance to play their own game. Almost all NPCs in the game can be allied with or killed, meaning that “most players will have a very different experience dependent on the choices they make”. Indeed, Sega hopes that the forums will buzz with gamers sharing their individual experiences in approaching the missions.
Davis adds: “I been working on this game a long time and you would have thought that I would have found everything in there but I am still finding things that surprise me.”
A major aspect in choosing the world of espionage was that this would enable more ‘shades of grey’ in terms of moral choices. As Obsidian is keen to move games away from simple good guy/bad guy decision making, the “morally ambiguous” world of spying fit perfectly with this aim; after all, the average spy has more skeletons in their closet than most.
“One thing to bear in mind is that virtually every choice you make in the game will have a certain level of consequence to it,” says Davis. “There is not a good and bad choice as everything is more or less equivalent, but they each bring very different consequences. We also want to enable players to play the personality that they want to play.”
The game features various colourful characters – not least the gun-toting blonde bombshell Sie – and Obsidian was careful not to revert to the usual spy clichés of men in suits. While the team also tried to inject a sense of humour, it made sure to do this without trivialising the fractious world the game is based on.
“We are talking about serious things – terrorist groups, assassinations, blowing up bombs in public places – all these things are happening and somebody thinks they are doing the right thing. It’s a morally ambiguous world,” explains Davis. “The story itself and what is going on, we take that very seriously, and there are also some characters who take themselves very seriously. But within that, there is room for a quick wit and some fun. We never want to be outright silly with anything. We have some outlandishness but there is some real psychology behind that.”
Despite a series of third-person action sequences with the usual mix of guns and guts, at its “core” Alpha Protocol is an RPG. Obsidian certainly has the pedigree for creating such games after doing just that with the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights franchises. For Alpha Protocol, the team has not only introduced a comprehensive levelling-up mechanic for Thornton’s abilities, but also ensured that collecting information from conversations and dossiers is an important part of gameplay. In this, no dialogue or recorded information is simply there as filler, meaning that everything is linked to the story and everything has genuine weight.
“Obviously Alpha Protocol is real-time game with combat mechanics but it’s primarily an RPG,” explains Davis. “I think there is a precedent for RPGs with action elements, you could go back much further than just Mass Effect or Fallout to something like Baldur’s Gate; pretty much any RPG has action elements unless it’s just straight turn-based game. Everything we do from our story to our gameplay mechanics are very much intertwined with an RPG mechanic.”
When selecting the color palette for the game’s four main locations – Taipei, Rome, Moscow and Saudi Arabia – Davis explains that the team took inspiration from films such as Syriana and Traffic for the monochromatic look of Moscow, compared to the vibrant colours of Taipei and the sandy yellows of Saudi Arabia. The title will not feature any vehicle sequences, rather it will the focus on infiltration-based missions. This approach meant that the team considered a free-roaming structure, but in the end decided that the desired level of reactivity would prove unachievable in this model.
Davis remarks: “One of the Sega producers in the US likes to say that it is open-story versus open-world. What you will see in the game that you won’t see in many open-world games is the level of reactivity. Because we know exactly what you have said and all this other stuff, we are able to react to those things and we are able to create unique storylines. Open world gives you a lot of options but it also gives you a lot of imitations in terms of what you can do in the game.”
Not only will this reactivity hopefully provide some compelling experiences on the first playthrough, but it will also generate multiple options for subsequent playthoughs. Even though statistics gained from one campaign cannot be carried over to further games, beating the main campaign once opens up the recruit difficulty level. This involves players starting off with zero stats on the RPG mechanic, which provides a significant challenge when taking on the missions (and also unlocks the rather confused recruit dialogue responses). Beating the game on Recruit unlocks the Veteran mode, in which players start off with level five on every RPG stat and also get to use the veteran dialogue.
“With such a focus on story and characters, Davis says that the team “never considered” introducing a multiplayer option for the game. Instead the focus has been on creating a “complete single-player experience” without hampering the desired level of reactivity. One of the biggest challenges, though, was in producing the reams of dialogue and supporting character animation. After the rather hefty script was agreed, the voice actors had to perform conversations in multiple different ways – ranging from friendly to super aggressive. It was then up to the cinematics team to create the myriad animations to match this.
“They have been working pretty much around the clock on this. I don’t know how they do it, they are there all the time, working every weekend,” says Davis. “We didn’t want just generic facial models, we wanted lots of expressions and they just went overboard with every scene and get everything perfect. They have done incredible work and are really committed to making this a special game with as much quality as we can get.”
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