June 26, 2009

Raven’s Eric Beissman talks about the highly anticipated Wolfenstein game
By Dan Liebman

“…the game’s ‘vision’ was very, very important.”

The Wolfenstein franchise is one of the most beloved in all of video game history. The latest Wolfenstein is going to make its next-gen console debut soon, and naturally, people are dying to gobble up every scrap of info they can. We had the chance to speak to Eric Beissman, the game’s creative director at Raven, and he graciously answered our questions. (id’s Steve Nix also popped in to answer one question.)

Question: Return to Castle Wolfenstein was released in 2001, and fans of the franchise were first made aware of the new game’s existence in 2004. What developments have occurred over these years, and what has this considerable time allowed the team to accomplish with regard to game design?

Eric: When we first sat down to work on Wolfenstein, we realized that we had some big shoes to fill. With that in mind, we also knew that we didn’t want to rush anything, and that finding the game’s “vision” was very, very important. Throughout the development, we tried many different gameplay ideas. The time really allowed us to settle on what the core of the Wolfenstein franchise is – fast action, powerful weapons, and enemies that are created from the dark science and strange occult experiments that the Nazis are running.

Some of the older versions of Wolfenstein utilized stealth elements of gameplay. Can we expect to see some revival of these elements in the upcoming title?

Eric: In Wolfenstein, players are able to find and collect the various gold, treasures and relics that the Nazis have stolen and use the money that is gained to purchase upgrades for all of their weapons and powers at the Black Market safe house. This allows players the opportunity to enhance the game towards how they like to play. If you like to sit back with a silenced, scoped rifle and pick Nazis off from a distance, purchase the silencer and the scope for your Kar 98 rifle. If you like to make a lot of noise and watch big explosions, upgrade you MP43 machinegun to shoot faster, do more damage, and hold more rounds. It’s a great way to tailor your arsenal to the style of game you like to play.

The “Veil” was introduced as a new feature that will allow players to slow down time. How will this change the way players approach the game, and how does its implementation differ from similar “slow-motion” mechanics in other games?

Eric: The Veil is actually an alternate location that rests on top of reality, and it gives B.J. several abilities, as well as offering powers to the player that he can find and upgrade throughout the game. At any time in the game (once he has discovered the Veil Medallion that allows him access to the Veil) the player can step in and out of the Veil. While B.J. is in the Veil, he moves a little faster, can see weak spots on the enemies, and he can discover areas that are solid in reality but insubstantial in the Veil.

On top of its base uses, the Veil also offers the player the chance to use powers that layer on top of the combat and give B.J. a step up on his enemies. One of the powers is known as Mire, and it slows down the world around the player so he can dodge attacks and get the drop on his enemies. As long as B.J. has Veil energy at his disposal, The player will have access to other powers in the game, and by using the Black Market, he can upgrade each of them.

The game’s single-player and multiplayer game modes are said to be in development with two separate studios. How does this arrangement benefit the development process, and what challenges had to be overcome?

Eric:  It’s nice for both companies to really be able to focus on the core gameplay that they are going to be delivering. It allowed Raven to jump in with both feet, and not have to split the team up to juggle the various needs of a multiplayer and single player game. The biggest challenges that had to be overcome began with finding ways to communicate (Raven is in Wisconsin, id is in Texas, Activision is in California and Endrant is in the UK!) and then creating a way to merge both games into a unified package. It was hard work, but also very exciting.

The main protagonist of Wolfenstein has historically been the strong, silent type. How is this changing for the upcoming game, and what can fans expect to learn about their beloved BJ?

Eric: B.J. definitely is a man of few words, and while we expanded on this a bit, we also wanted to stay true to the character as defined. While he really wasn’t given a lot of opportunity to speak in the previous games, we knew we wanted to keep B.J. a man of action. With that in mind, B.J. is driven to stop the Nazi menace and isn’t about to wag his tongue at everyone he stumbles upon. Instead, B.J. stays the strong, silent type, only talking when he has something that needs to be said. He’s there to do a job, so he remains somewhat shrouded in mystery.

The previous installment of Wolfenstein was famous for its class-based multiplayer modes, and even featured vehicles. What can players look forward to in the multiplayer modes of the latest game?

Eric: We’re currently not discussing the features of Wolfenstein multiplayer yet, as we’re focusing on releasing information on single player. You can look forward to seeing more information on multiplayer as we get closer to release!

Word got out in 2002 that a Wolfenstein film adaptation might be in the works. Have there been any recent developments you would like to share with us?

Steve Nix: The Return to Castle Wolfenstein movie is in development and we are excited to be working with both the Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Roger Avary, who is writing and directing the movie, and Samuel Hadida who is producing.

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