Mass Effect 2 PS3
3-Oct-2010 We chat to BioWare founders Dr Ray and Dr Greg about Mass Effect 2 on PS3
BioWare sci-fi epic Mass Effect is finally making its way the the PlayStation 3. However, since the original title wasn't released for the PS3 many fans may be left feeling a little lost in space.
Fortunately we sat down and had a chat with BioWare founders Dr Ray Muzyka and Dr Greg Zeschuk about the series' debut on the PS3 and what they're doing to address concerns.
So, why PS3 and why now?
Ray: Basically, we think it's an excellent congruence of a number of things. One is that we now have something we can show fans; we've been working on the game for a long time, and it's at the point where we think we know when it'll be out and where we'll be ready to show it soon.
And, frankly, GamesCom is such an important PS3 market - there are a lot of European games fans there - and Europe is such an important market for us that we thought, what better time to make the announcement and show European fans how important they are to BioWare?
What does the PS3 bring to the table that the Xbox doesn't?
Greg: I think that's interesting; we've been thinking quite a bit about it. The important thing is that, fundamentally, the console has a very different architecture.
Visually, there are probably some changes - I mean, there are differences in the way the memory is allocated, and the graphical processor is all different.
We're not going to get pulled into the argument over which is the more powerful; at the end of the day, they both are, and we can do whatever we want on them.
When you create games, you want as many people as possible to play them, so this is a great opportunity to reach a huge segment of the market. I think it'll play a little differently.
I mean, right from the start you have a different controller, and that alone will change the way the game feels.
Was there a learning curve to dealing with the PS3?
Greg: Well, we certainly had a little more experience on the Xbox side because we did Mass Effect on there as well.
There's always a learning curve, but nothing insurmountable. It's our second game for PS3 - after Dragon Age - and whenever we release a product we always want to make sure it feels like it's native to that platform.
How big a team does it take to make a game feel bespoke for PS3?
Ray: With every game we release, on any platform, we always try to take a very handcrafted and thoughtful approach to how we deploy it.
We always try to invest the right amount to make sure each version feels like it's adapted in the right ways in terms of optimisation and control interface. We always put enough people on the project to ensure that.
What are you doing to bring PlayStation gamers up to date on the events of the first Mass Effect?
Ray: What we're providing is an introductory module. We haven't revealed the details of what that is yet, but it's going to provide a lot of information on both the context and setting of Mass Effect.
You know - 'Here's some of the stuff you've done up to this point'. Then you can jump right into the intense Mass Effect 2 action. I think players are going to have a really good framing of the experience as a result, and they're going to know what they're heading into.
Mass Effect 2 is a stand-alone experience, and this is just going to make it that much richer.
Module is an unusual word; are you talking about a video, or is it something more interactive?
Greg: That remains a mystery.
Have you used this opportunity to change anything about Mass Effect 2? Anything you weren't happy with?
Ray: Every time we release a new version, we try to tune it, optimise it and take all the feedback we can. I think the comments were quite positive for Mass Effect 2, so the priority is to deliver in really high-quality fashion on PS3.
Do you think games such as Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age 2 have been dumbed down for the console audience - or 'consolified', as some PC players suggest?
Greg: That's not a word!
Ray: If anything, I'd say that the console games I've seen have been becoming more and more involved over the last year, including the titles from BioWare and many of the launches from our competitors.
I believe that's true for PCs as well. If anything, it's the interfaces that are getting more and more tuned, streamlined and accessible, so it's easier to access rich tactics and strategy while still having that usability.
I think that's the real art of video game development - providing a lot of features, a lot of balance and a lot of accessibility all at the same time. It's not easy, but it continues to evolve every year.
