Got this info from XenGamers.
You’d forgotten about Malice, hadn’t you? Since first appearing at the same time as prototype Xbox hardware, Argonaut has quietly been carving Malice into something a little more edgy, more complete. Jonti Davies sat down with Argonaut chief and all-around good guy Jez San to find out where the newly subtitled Malice: Kat’s Tale was at…
XenGamers: Malice seems to have been around for ages, even though it’s still some way from release. When did development begin, and what were your initial hopes for the game?
Jez San: Development for this mature version began late 1999. The game was originally on an older platform and quite a different creature from what you see now. The platform was not capable of handling the whole game and so a time came to switch up.
With the growth of the next generation consoles and the raw power that was on tap, we decided to bring the whole Malice universe to a place ahead of its time. The subsequent development of the ShadowCaster engine provided a fast real-time shadow system that visually is steps ahead of anything else and, naturally, allows for everything to be much richer—without compromising the game play. Microsoft loved it; Bill Gates demonstrated it. High praise indeed. We are now working closely with Sierra in the US to ensure that we deliver what was promised.
XenGamers: What is Malice: Kat’s Tale like in its current state, then? Has it changed much since the early days?
JS: As mentioned, the game is much more contemporary in style and has a visual lavishness that makes the whole product much more believable, while still being comically different. Every aspect of the game has grown, developed and matured. And Kat herself (the main character) is almost a real being in many respects. She has gone from a young child to a sassy mid-teen with much attitude, although she still is eminently likeable.
XenGamers: So what does Malice: Kat’s Tale offer that other 3D platformers don’t?
JS: This isn’t simply a platformer. The gameplay provides an incredibly immersive tale that offers players much more to do than simply jump from place to place. There is adventure, mystery, a paradox, good and evil, and a great deal of emotional response to what is happening in the game. You must interact with other characters to get through quests. The whole strength of the story and all of the in-game creatures provides a perfect backdrop for a must-have product that you will not be able to stop playing!
XenGamers: Visually, Malice: Kat’s Tale is one of the greatest showcase titles for the power of Xbox. Has it been difficult to achieve such good looks?
JS: With any revolutionary system it can always be a trial to get the best performance out of the hardware. Thankfully the Malice team has worked hard together to reach the standard you see today. The engine guys know the Xbox so well and can get it to produce some amazing stuff. We have developed processes and systems that allow each team member to adapt and change any part of the product, and we are able to constantly review it and push forward further and further. You’ve only seen a small piece of what’s to come.
XenGamers: Which specific Xbox features have been put to use, and with what results?
JS: We make great use of the pixel shaders to achieve some of the best visual effects and worlds that have ever been created on a console. Having the powerful video processing hardware means we can have multi pass processing to provide the deep quality. The creation of the shadows, bump mapping and so forth would not be easy to produce otherwise.
We are also making great use of the sound hardware available. The atmospheric sound and effects are truly impressive and we’re making the best use of this in order to complete the experience that the game will be.
Finally, we’re putting the internal hard drive to good use to provide a system where there is no loading or pause for the player, just a pure, unadulterated gaming experience—and it’s coming very soon.
XenGamers: Which aspects of Malice: Kat’s Tale will keep gamers coming back for more and, potentially, pining for a sequel?
JS: Playing the game. Looking at the game. Hearing the game. Reacting to the game. Basically, erm, the game. The player will want to continue to go further into the game just to see what’s coming next. The story and design has been carefully crafted to provide so much potential and diverse material while being a great basis for so much more compelling gameplay. We also believe players will get a certain empathy for Kat and the other characters through the game. They’ll want to know what happens next! Wait for the climax of this game and you’ll understand.
