Charles Cecil, managing director (CEO) / Director of Broken Sword – The Sleeping Dragon talked with GameZone about this upcoming title.

Question: How does this game build on the previous versions of the title? Does the game continue the same general gameplay and ideas or branch off into a new area altogether?

Charles: I would emphasize that it is not necessary to have played the previous games to enjoy The Sleeping Dragon. However, for those that have done so, we have included a number of fun references from before. We know that fans of the series love the characterization of each of the games, which is why we’ll be re-introducing some familiar faces throughout this new adventure.

Continuity is vital – and The Sleeping Dragon will take up the Broken Sword story a few years after we last saw George and Nico. While the game is very much an adventure, the gameplay includes elements that you would expect from a great adventure movie – as well as investigation, there is more exploration and even cerebral-based action elements. To reflects this, George and Nico now look slightly fitter. George is meaner and moodier – a by-product of the adventures he’s already been on. Nico has had a makeover and brought up to date. But, clearly, they are the same characters and, as before, their relationship drives the story.

Q: Has anything new been added to the game technologically? What kind of game engine is used?

Charles: The technology is completely new. We have developed a cutting-edge lighting technology, using radiosity, which we are currently patenting. This allows us to create rich colors and contrast – vital to create mood and convey drama. We have also developed a facial animation system which allows script writers to define the mood and emotion of the game characters. But the biggest change has been the move to a 3D world which has opened up exciting opportunities both in terms of gameplay and cinematography.

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon has been on our minds since we completed Broken Sword 2. We wanted to wait until technology allowed us to make a really big leap, rather than simply updating the engine. The vision was very much to create a game that looked as good as it had done in 2D, but with the freedom of a true 3D environment. That technology is now here – the next generation consoles can now accommodate our vision.

We were, of course, concerned that the move to 3D would prove detrimental to the controls. The move to direct control for the GBA version of Broken Sword taught us a lot. Now, with the opportunity to move the camera in a user-friendly manner, the resounding conclusion from those that have played the game is that the control system really does work well and is undoubtedly a huge (and positive) step forward. The response we and The Adventure Company have seen so far is very encouraging.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about the game's soundtrack? Who is responsible for it and does this break new ground or bring anything new or special to the series?

Charles: The audio is so important to game like this – and we have been particularly ambitious this time around. For the music we are using a multi-track system which allows the game to automatically adjust the mood of the game, in real time, depending on certain parameters.

We have brought the music in-house because, in moving to a fully interactive soundtrack, the composer, the music technologists, and the implementers needed to work closely together.

I am really pleased by the end result!

Q: This is a game that is being ported to different platforms. Can you explain what difference, if any, players will experience between the platforms?

Charles: All versions are similar in terms of gameplay. However, the graphics for each version are being designed to exploit the various opportunities of each platform. We are, of course, optimizing the control system for each version, too. On console the joypad control works well. We also have a radical new keyboard system which also works really well.

Q: What do you consider to be the most impressive aspects of this game? What will immediately impact players when they launch the game?

Charles: I am really proud of all the elements. Our vision was to create an epic adventure in the widest sense – and this required all the key elements to successfully come together as a whole. Which, I feel that they have!

From a visual side, I feel that the radiosity technology/shadowing technology gives the game a unique look which static screenshots don’t do justice to. The interactive music is awesome. Since the story and design falls into my area I can’t say too much – but most of the team that worked on the previous games bring their experience to this project, so hopefully people will be pleased with the result. And the hand-created animation and facial animation system really bring the characters to life. And, finally, we are introducing a whole new gameplay mechanic. We have been pretty ambitious.

Q: What do you consider to be the key elements that draw players back again and again to the Broken Sword series?

Charles: In the past it has been the story. We pride ourselves on weaving compelling plots with contemporary gameplay. Thankfully, the gaming public appears to agree with this fusion; the Broken Sword games are the best selling adventures to have appeared on console. However, with the new control system, we have introduced a contemporary interface that, I believe, allows a much more compelling gameplay experience. I hope that people will agree when they get the chance to play the game themselves!

Q: Will there be a fourth installment of the title?

Charles: There are certainly no plans at the moment. The series was always intended to be a trilogy.

This game is set for release in October on the PC.