Interview with Naughty Dog concerning J&D 2

One of his claims to fame is appearing in womans sex bible Cosmopolitan as an "eligible bachelor". But never mind the ladies, he\'s also something of a dab hand at game design.Jason Rubin,Co-President of Naughty Dog,tells OPS2 of his grand plans for the return of Jak And Daxter.

OPS2 - What are the two biggest changes you\'ve made to Jak And Daxter?
Jason Rubin - First we\'ve moved away from collection as the basic motivator for gameplay and towards story and tasks. The "pick up" has been replaced by tasks specifically linked by furthering the plot. No random farmer asks you to collect has cows. Each character is specifically linked to a greater plot and senmds you on tasks that move the story forward. Second, in other character action games, when you\'re given a new ability or weapon, you can only use it in a particular level. In J&D2, when we give you a gun, you can take it anywhere you like and you don\'t have to give it back. When you get the hoverboard, you can use it whenever you want. It\'s very different to putting you in a biplane on level 32, or letting you use magnetic boots on a very specific flooring for example.

How has Jak\'s character changed?
Jak is seeking revenge. He\'s been put in prison and experimented on - his attitude reflects this.

So you are saying that J&D2 is more adult in tone?
When has Mario sought revenge?
When did Crash lose a friend? When did Sonic ever go to prison? You\'ll find that important characters (good and bad) die in the course of the game - so this isn\'t your little brother\'s character action game. The locations in Jak And Daxter 2 are, in comparison, darker and bleaker than those in the first game. They range from sewers to towers,strip mines to forests, mountains to underwater ships and graveyards.

How does the game begin?
The intro to the game starts right after the end of The Precursor Legacy. We find out what was behind the blinding white light at the originals climax, but then within 30 seconds we\'re teleported far away to an entirely different time and place.

What about new gameplay?
Collection has been minimised as a gameplay element. There are no power cells. There are no scout flies. Instead, players will find themselves blowing entrances open, returning water to parched areas of the city, transporting cargo for "the Underground" and fighting against invading armies of metal heads.
There is a reason for everything that the player is asked to do.If the player fails to complete the task,they will understand why the plot cannot move forward.

Is there still a market for a character-driven game like J&D?
I don\'t believe that character action gameplay is dead. It\'s shown itself to be incredibly addictive and rewarding. With J&D2 we try to satisfy both the character action fanatic as well as target the game for the 2003 audience. We hope that it\'ll work. It\'s the game Naughty Dog has wanted to make for eight years. I\'ve never said that before.