The Gamers Press had a chance to ask several questions [archive.org backup] of Darren Monahan, producer of the upcoming Playstation 2 game, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance. In the interview, Darren talks about the differences between the console game and its PC predecessors, among other things. Here’s a snippet:
Was Dark Alliance developed completely separate from the PC Baldur’s Gate games? If not, could you please let us know how experience with the PC titles helped (or hindered) development on Dark Alliance. Can any PC code actually be used for a PS2, or did you have to start from scratch?
Yes it was, and it was also developed by a different company. The Baldur’s Gate games on the PC were developed by BioWare Corp, while Dark Alliance is being developed by Snowblind Studios. Since the game is completely different in terms of interface, layout and design, everything was built from the ground up on Dark Alliance.
As the original source is no longer online, we’ve preserved the interview here for posterity’s sake:
GP Articles: Interview with Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance Producer! Posted on Monday, October 08 @ 12:29:53 EDT by Spike
Baldur’s Gate on a console!!! Why, that’s blasphemy! At least that’s what we thought here at Gamers’ Press until we had a chance to chat with Darren Monahan, Producer of the upcoming Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance – a game that’s taking the game into the world of the Playstation 2.
7 Questions With… Darren Monahan, Producer Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
When one thinks of Interplay’s Baldur’s Gate franchise, the first things that come to mind are sleepless nights, neglected children, screaming spouses, carpal-tunnel syndrome, and broken homes. However, one of the thing that does NOT come to mind is “Playstation 2”. However, Interplay and their developers are out to change all that with Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance – an action/RPG hybrid being developed for the Playstation 2.
The Gamers’ Press had a chance to sit down – in a totally virtual sense – with Dark Alliance’s producer Darren Monahan, who was gracious enough to take some time out of his busy day and give some REALLY great answers to our boneheaded questions on the game. Major thanks also go out to Heather at Interplay for facilitating this interview – the next time we send out Gamers’ Press coffee mugs, you’re definitely at the top of the list.
So, without further ado, let’s jump headlong into the interview!
“Baldur’s Gate on a console?” is a common response upon hearing of Dark Alliance. How are the developers at Black Isle planning on capturing the hardcore RPG feel from the PC titles on a console platform? Do you think fans of the PC titles will also enjoy the Dark Alliance – or is the title aimed at a different type of audience?
Well, Dark Alliance is a game in it’s own right. Although it initially takes place in Baldur’s Gate, I think that’s where this game becomes much different from it’s PC brothers. Dark Alliance is an action RPG, where your single character is the focus throughout the game. You won’t meet NPC’s who join your party or spend time wandering about the Sword Coast. This game has a much more linear storyline, which takes you to a variety of Forgotten Realms settings. I definitely think fans of the PC titles would enjoy Dark Alliance, especially if they enjoy PC games like Diablo, Darkstone and other action-based RPG’s. It’s still a serious game though, it’s not happy times in Faerûn with cute cuddly enemies.
Please tell us a little bit about the central plot, the character types gamers can choose from, and how those characters are developed over the course of the game. You know, a little game synopsis if you please…
Unbeknownst to the player, a century ago, Baldur’s Gate was attacked by an army of it’s own people. Eldrith, once proud general of the Bladed Crescent army was a hero amongst her people, but her career ended in tragedy when she disobeyed the orders of the Dukes of Baldur’s Gate on the battlefield. When her disobedience placed her and her troops in imminent danger, the Dukes refused to send support when she need it most. Overcoming incredible odds, her army survived, and she vowed to take the city she saved many times over, one she now felt she owned. She collected the remnants of her army and stormed the walls of Baldur’s Gate. All had fallen, save her. She fled to the Marsh of Chelimber, where rangers eventually tracked her down and fell her there, within the swamps.
Now, a hundred years later, storm clouds and long nights plague the city. Bands of brigands have been sighted outside the walls, forcing the city to close its gates. A new thieves’ guild has welled up beneath the city, members of the watch found murdered, townsfolk afraid to leave their homes. Enter you, the player. And of course, what good story wouldn’t start out without a mugging? 🙂 You get a taste of how things are right away in Baldur’s Gate with your weapons and gold stripped from you. You find your way to the Elfsong Tavern, a local pub looking for ways to find those who did this, and stumble upon a much bigger plot that threatens the very Realms itself.
Dark Alliance will be the first console game developed using the 3rd Edition D&D; rules. Are there any main differences between developing for this rule set as opposed to the 2nd Edition rules? How closely has Interplay/Black Isle been working with Wizards of the Coast to make sure things are “just right”? What are the difficulties involved with developing a game around an existing set of rules with an existing (and very hardcore) fan base?
First off, the 3rd Edition rules are extremely well designed in my opinion. Character progression makes sense, and you see your character always gaining new abilities through the experience of his journeys. 3rd Edition offers “feats”, or special skills or abilities that enhance your character’s ability to do something, like dodge an incoming arrow, or have the fortitude to stomach toxic substances.
One of the difficulties with the new ruleset (and equally a problem of it’s older brother, AD&D;) is translating an inherently turn-based system into something that is well-balanced and fun in a fast-paced, real-time action environment. To accomplish this, certain decisions had to be made to keep the game fun, while providing as much of the core rules as were possible.
Now, having said that, what is true to the rules is the portrayal of the Forgotten Realms setting, character stats, a number of feats and spells and the overall system of hit points, experience per level, etc.
Now, for what is not exactly by the “r00lz”, we had to add a number of exceptions to the game to keep it fun, fast-paced and balanced given the circumstances. These include:
“Arcane Energy” bar – Instead of spells and feats having specific uses per day, we’ve included an arcane energy bar (or “mana” bar if you prefer) that allows you to cast spells and use active feats more frequently without the necessity of constant rest.
Adjustments to pricing and damage – Since the ratio and volume of monsters the player faces alone is so much greater than a typical D&D; campaign, we had to make certain adjustments to how much damage spells, weapons and other combat items do. Resale pricing is scaled differently as you’ll find much more along your travels than you might in a normal campaign so items may not cost exactly as they appear in the books.
Feats and Spells cost points – True to the rules, every 4 levels, you gain the opportunity to allocate a point to your ability scores. In BGDA, each point will make a difference in your character – in the rules, every even number makes a difference. For example, in 3rd Edition, there is no difference in bonuses between a 10 STR and an 11 STR, but as soon as you get 12 STR, you see a +1 increase. One design objective for BGDA was to see your character growing in power as steadily as possible, so this had to be compromised a bit to allow for that. Also, whenever you level up, you get a number of “Feat Points” equal to the level you had just attained. These points can be spent on new feats or spells, or upgrading existing ones. For example, one of the feats the dwarven fighter character can choose is the “Death Blow” feat. With one point, he gains +2 damage on all critical hits. If he allocates 2 more feat points to get essentially “level 2” in Death Blow, he’ll do +4 damage, etc.
Even though these don’t follow the rules of D&D;, one of the beauties of the D&D; system is the ability of the DM (Dungeon Master) and it’s players to alter the rules when necessary. We’ve invoked this clause for a couple things, to make sure the game is as fun as can be given the type of game that it is.
Was Dark Alliance developed completely separate from the PC Baldur’s Gate games? If not, could you please let us know how experience with the PC titles helped (or hindered) development on Dark Alliance. Can any PC code actually be used for a PS2, or did you have to start from scratch?
Yes it was, and it was also developed by a different company. The Baldur’s Gate games on the PC were developed by BioWare Corp, while Dark Alliance is being developed by Snowblind Studios. Since the game is completely different in terms of interface, layout and design, everything was built from the ground up on Dark Alliance.
The official Dark Alliance webpage states that the title will contain “effects never before seen on the console”. Could you elaborate on this a bit? Will swords and axes actually jump out of the TV? 😉
Hehe, well, we tried that one, but were just a few cycles short of pulling it off. 🙂 Seeing through the “marketing speak” so to say, Snowblind has done a wonder with the graphical details. When you trudge through the water in the Sewers, the water behaves as you’d expect it to. It bounces and ripples off walls, pillars and anything else in the water that’s moving. Torches have heat distortion effects above the fire, the spells have some incredibly cool particle effects, all while maintaining a smooth 60fps frame rate. In fact, the way the engine was designed, in order to appear that it’s rendering at a very high resolution, it has to maintain this speed. Check it out on an S-Video or Component-based TV, it looks awesome!
After having worked on a console title, do you think Black Isle is more likely to steer its business away from the PC platform and towards consoles? How did you arrive at your decision?
Nope. I’m also working on a PC game right now. I love both kinds and as it stands, we’re continuing to make both. I think each has their own place in the market and those rumors of the PC being dead just aren’t true! Well, yet anyway… 🙂
Tell us something interesting about Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance that we didn’t know but you’re excited about introducing to the gaming public.
I personally think this game is one of the first of it’s kind on a console system, and I hope it makes a good impression! I think it’s readily available to D&D; fans as well as people who have no idea (shoot, even interest) in playing pen and paper D&D;, but want a good ol fashion dungeon romp, this is your game.
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