R9: I'm getting really warm, I think I might take my jacket off.
XM: Yes
R9: Because I'm sitting here like an idiot, hehe.
XM: Is that better?
R9: There we go. I feel better, yes.
XM: Ok
R9: So what's up Rogue 9 here. I'm really excited for this interview.
I have with me Xavier Marquis, the Creative Director of Rainbow 6.
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us today.
So. For all of the audience who are maybe not quite sure
about what your involvement is with Rainbow Six, with the game
Can you maybe start off by giving us an introduction to
who you are, how long you have been working on Rainbow Six
and what your role really is.
XM: Ok, so I'm Xavier Marquis
I'm the Creative Director of this game since now 2013.
It was the beginning of the year, around January, something like that.
So I've been working on this project since the beginning
and my job is to drive a vision, define a vision, define the future of this game;
what the game is about , the future also
and also work with a group of Directors and
this group will represent the entire pool off decisions on the game.
So the Art Director, Game Director etc. and me, I'm a kind of Orchestra Chief, if you see what I mean.
So, to drive all of these visions.
R9: Excellent.
Specifically with that maybe you can give us an insight into the creative process.
So, you're involved in just about everything, the new operators
the new operations, the stories behind them, partially maybe the maps
and how all the gadgets work?
So what is the process?
How do you go from: "We need a new map and a new set of operators and an operation" to the final product?
Coming up with all the ideas, what are the steps there?
XM: We know that the question comes from the schedule and the process
We know we want to create another operator so you can imagine a kind of schedule for the future.
We will develop operator after operator
but during this prolonged work to provide operators, the thing that interests me is to create periods.
Period of game mechanics.
It's not only hard numbers of operators, its about what kind of
new mechanics I want to inject in to the game.
It's like period from a painter. You know, the blue paint period or the red paint -
its the same thing.
And now, for instance, Season One of the new year will reach the "Glabals".
Which is a new period of mechanics we want to have.
So, the process, it's always observed when it is missing from the game, when its needed
and how we will be able to modify the game mechanic deeply in the future.
R9: And is there something you specifically target?
I mean, from season to season we do see changes in the meta,
we do see changes how both casual players and professional players approach each match.
So, how much of that is something you're specifically trying to modify
and how much of it is a surprise to you to see what players do.
XM: So first, we don't want to control what a player does,
its something we don't want because we want it to be a surprise what they are bringing to this game.
The creation is extremely important.
Our job is not to control what the players are doing.
Our job is to prepare the future and surprise the players with new mechanics.
and see how they will react to this.
You know, it has to be different things to provide new operators and balance the game.
Yes, we try to be able to control the bad behaviours
and also encourage good behavior etc. and learn also from the community
to create a new meta.
But to provide good operators its mainly driven by one thing - adding more creativity to the game.
With mechanics we have never had before.
R9: Are there specific rules or guidelines you use in terms of well,
" We need a new operator that can create more holes in walls in a different way"
yeah, are there specific rules you follow or are you quite relaxed on that?
XM: The first is always to requesting for something, for a lot of freedom, you know, in terms of design
so I don't want to be forced by the game.
The freedom is important, we need think about the mechanic whenever and before
and something also able to promote creation from the players.
That is extremely important.
That's why we develop the destruction.
This level design based on destruction, honestly, first is actually hard to do in time of tech,
the tech requirement its extremely difficult to do
but at the end, no, its a gold mine.
It is incredible because there exists the initial level design and the level design you will create.
So, always when you are trying to have a mechanic the benefit behind will be
what kind for potential of creation will bring from the player.
R9: So specifically, maybe we have the new Season coming out.
We have Outbreak and we have Operation Chimera.
So maybe can you tell us a littlebit about how you went about coming up with that idea
because this is something quite new and quite different to Rainbow 6.
Up until now Rainbow 6 Siege has been multiplayer mostly.
Terrorist Hunt a little bit and
XM: Still!
R9: And it still is?
XM: It still is multiplayer.
The best friend for a multiplayer game is, you know, is a kind of game mode like Zombie Mode etc.
Me, I'm a huge multiplayer player you know.
And when I want to have a break its good to play in zombie mode etc.
and for us, honestly, and its true, we were also driven by the fact that it was fun to work on this event.
In a Clancy universe it is something realistic like our game because still we have heroes but at the end it is still realistic
it was so much fun to do this. - Honestly.
You know? As it is . . .
R9: I've not seen it myself but I've heard really great things about it.
XM: One thing it's really fun and I can tell you, even internally, with the developers,
when we say, "Yes, we will do an extra-terrestrial mode".
The devlopers were like: "No! Its not possible, you can't do that!"
"Yes, we will."
R9; That's some interesting stuff.
Something that maybe is also something that you have to think about -
You've mentioned balancing, that it comes later,
but Rainbow 6 Siege has a lot of different audiences,
We have console players vs. pc players.
We have professional players vs. very casual players who play just for fun
and then we also have new players who are joining the game every day
and players who have been playing for 2 years.
How much of that factors in when you come up new ideas and new directions to take the game into?
How do you make sure that the game is fun and accessible for all of those different players?
XM: Yes, I would lie if I say that yes the accessibility is perfect in this game.
No, not at all, this game is hard to connect with. It's not easy to learn it; it's deep...
For a lot of players its complex to learn and we will also need to make an effort in future.
To be honest, for the first year and the second year I was personally focused on, you know
observing the game, learn a lot about the awesome metrics and data, you know because
to work on a live game, it's something I never did before.
I'm a player, i'm an online player but I was not an online developer which is different.
So during 2 years we've learned many many things
and we realised also that the core game exists and is really living strongly
and also the same thing with the community.
And the community grows and grows
and we were first focused to say to this community: "We want to focus on quality in terms of healthiness."
You know, the net code, etc
It's not something for the commerce, or this kind of thing.
But it was to secure, you know, the core audience.
And now, we are entering into maturity.
We have the time to - we love that we have the time - we have the right to be patient
and now work on the design to extend the experience,
to create some specific steps for the newcomers.
And I would like to add something.
I do not differentiate between e-sport and sport.
In e-sport we have the feeling that we are talking only to the top players, you know?
In sport its different because you are able to talk to top players and to newcomers, to baby steps.
you, know, and it's something I want.
I want e-sport to take this principle to run an entire programme; able to manage all the population
R9: Excellent, that's great!
In your eyes, what makes Rainbow six special and unique?
What's differentiates it from other games?
and in connection with that what contribution, specifically of the Creative Team
are you most proud of?
So, two questions really.
XM: Ok.
This game is unique because this is the game I was always looking for.
For a long time
I'm a shooter player,
Since DOOM, so a long time now.
I'm not so young, hehe!
And I played also Counterstrike at the beginning, you know, when it was honed by the community, etc,
And I, I discovered also another world which is the RTS World, you know: Starcraft, Warcraft, etc.
with a kind of meta exremely dense, you know, with very strong density down to the game mechanics etc.
and I have always had the reflex practising, the muscle memory, you know,
on the shooter games and those kind of things
but when I played RTS it was different, I was thinking more with my brain.
You know, like a chess game.
And it was my dream to merge them.
Yes, its is still based on the skill but you have to think.
And its quite different.
R9: That's great.
Maybe just to wrap it up.
What is your favourite operator in the game and why.
XM: I am tempted to say Lesion and not because of my t-shirt.
but on the whole. (It's not about marketing) I am really a fan of this character
because I like the mix between observation, (you know, you can reveal some positions)
you can prevent access to some entry point because of his trapping with the Gu Mines.
So, Lesion is one of my favourites.
After that, I have a personal contact or some connection with IQ.
Because IQ was the first woman in the game which is not too military if you see what I mean.
She was... I had the feeling that she is nice, with beautiful eyes etc.
And I really like the kind of subtlety coming into the game.
It was something different, you know, a character with a different deepness.
She's less military background; more police background, etc.
getting into the GSG9, etc.
It was a character more subtle, more different than the others.
And its precisely what I want in the future.
Always develop characters, personalisation...
R9: Excellent. That's, yeah, that's pretty good.
Thank you so much for joining me.
I'm really glad I got the opportunity to speak to you.
Really great to see and especially since you're the driving force behind the future of Rainbow 6.
Really an absolute pleasure to speak with you today. Thank you so much for speaking today.
XM: The same for me, I really appreciate it!
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