Posted July 27, 2008 by Ryan Lodata

Jereme Puik, News Editor for GamePlasma, was recently given the opportunity chat it up with Vicki Miller at LucasArts. Vicki is part of the production staff at LucasArts and has prepared to fill us in on the development of Fracture.

Full Q&A after the jump.

 

Fracture Developer Q&A
Sunday, July 27, 2008 – by Jereme Puik, News Editor

Can you introduce yourself and Fracture to us?

A: My name is Vicki Miller and I’m on the production staff for the upcoming game Fracture.

Fracture is a third person shooter based in the year 2161 and is being developed by Day 1 Studios in Chicago. The catastrophic effects of global warming have literally split the United States in two. The Eastern US bands together with European nations to form the Atlantic Alliance, and relies heavily on cybernetic technology to cope with the disaster. The West turns to genetic engineering, and with its partners in Asia, forms the Republic of Pacifica. Players will experience this conflict of ideologies as Jet Brody, a soldier in the Atlantic Alliance. Both sides employ a devastating new technology called Terrain Deformation that allows the player to literally manipulate the battlefield on the fly. Players will be able to use “TD” to create impromptu cover anywhere on the battlefield, gain a tactical advantage over the enemy, navigate to previously inaccessible areas, or for pure destruction.

Where did the name for Fracture come from?

A: We wanted to give the game a name that not only represented the story and premise, but would also speak to our core gameplay feature. “Fracture” was the perfect fit. Not only is the United States of the future fractured into two separate factions, but terrain deformation gives players the ability to literally fracture the earth beneath their feet.

What are the key features in Fracture that make the most use of the Xbox 360 hardware?

A: Terrain Deformation is the key feature in Fracture that really pushes the limits of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 hardware. TD gives players the ability to alter the terrain anywhere they choose, which takes an enormous amount of processing power. It also affects several other systems in the game such as physics and AI. As you can imagine, players will have a blast with the physics, throwing tons of rocks and debris around the environment as they tear up the terrain. Also, Day 1 has put a lot of effort in to making sure that the characters are able to navigate intelligently across a landscape that is constantly changing.

What was the inspiration for Fracture and how did this direction help with the development of the game?

A: From the story side, we thought it would be interesting to think about what the effects of global warming and genetic engineering might be 150 years in the future. Based on current public opinion about genetic engineering, it's not hard to imagine that people will continue to be divided on the issue. We used that idea to create the primary source of conflict and differentiate the two factions in the game. The Pacificans have fully embraced genetic engineering while the Atlantic Alliance has relied on cybernetic technology for advanced abilities in combat. From a technological point of view, the possibility of TD was very inspiring. And when we realized that it could actually be done, it totally redirected the design of the game.

How is the environment playing a role in the gameplay?

A: As mentioned above, terrain deformation is one of Fracture’s core features, meaning that environments will play a significant role in the game. Players will be able to manipulate the ground to gain a tactical advantage over their enemies. They will need to create giant spikes made of rapidly cooled molten rock to repair broken bridges, dig fox-holes to advance on enemy strongholds, and build mounds of earth to reach better sniping areas, just to name a few.

How long can we expect the single-player campaign to last?

A: The single player campaign is broken up into 3 separate acts, and should take players anywhere from 9 to 11 hours in total to complete depending on skill level and difficulty.

Will there be any kind of multiplayer?

A: Fracture will support online multiplayer for up to 12 players. There will be multiple game modes ranging from the familiar Free-For-All to more TD specific game modes. Players will be able to play as both the Pacificans and the Atlantic Alliance. We’ll be announcing more details about multiplayer in the near future.

What kind of character interaction can we look forward to  in terms of AI responsiveness?

A: Day 1 has spent a lot of time and resources ensuring that the AI is responsive and intelligent in any circumstance the player might put them in. The enemies are always aware of the changing battlefield, and are constantly adapting to leverage the deformed terrain for their own advantage. Players will see them using TD to destroy cover, flanking, dodging grenades, avoiding mines, and engaging in close-quarters combat when it’s at their advantage. Fracture also has many different enemy types, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Players will find that the “Shermans” will hang back firing sticky bombs, while Hydras will use their ability to jump unnaturally high to fire rockets at the player from atop cliffs and buildings.

Will there be customization involved outside of your main character?

A: We’re not offering any customization.

Will there be any downloadable content after launch?

A: No plans for downloadable content have been announced at this time.