Alan Wake is perhaps the most delayed title in the history of video games after Too Human . Remedy team , the original creator of Max Payne and bullet times been working on their latest title since end of 2004 and tried hard to keep the project a secret one . Remedy ‘s secretive tendency coupled with the fact that they are stationed in Finland contributes to lack of media coverage regarding Alan wake . However, recently some of the non-English media has found the chance to gather some information and distribute it among their countrymen . Most notably two of those articles caught my attention and thus I managed to translate [thanks to Google’s supreme language tools] and later edit them (! It took hours !!!) .
The first article is a preview from a German website called pcaction.de .
Original preview written in German
Translated version :
Alan Wake: Preview - We were at Remedy's in Finland
We are popular !!!. So much that we got the chance to visit Finnish Remedy studio . Do you want to know what the makers of critically acclaimed “Max Payne “ have revealed to us about the upcoming Action-Thriller Alan Wake ? So please read . One thing is obvious: Alan Wake will be fabulous .
Finnish people have great sense of humor . At the welcoming dinner in a modern restaurant in Helsinki The Remedy’s production manager told us : “You know , people in are very nice people “he said. "But we always seem to be rather cold. He continues , “For example this is the most beautiful moment in my life.
We also like because one of the greatest action hero of the virtual world was born here . For us Max Payne is yesterday’s news [ referring to the fact that Remedy is no longer in charge of Max Payne games ] and Alan Wake is our live hero .
This guy may not be out to avenge the death of his family, but Mr. Wake could still be a great character . And we got the privilege to have a first look at this potential action hit.
Bookworm
His makers describe Alan wake as follows : He is an untidy author and an everyday man in his thirties who is suffering from insomnia .
Alan wake is basically a mediocre guy but he is known for his praised thriller books . He claims that he was inspired by his muse Alice to create all the stories . But suddenly she disappears and leave Alan with emptiness . “Alice is a crucial character in the game therefore we do not want to disclose too much about her “ explains Petri Järvilehto, creative director at Remedy Entertainment .
The similarity between the name Alan and Alice is by no means coincidental and in fact it suggests that Alan ‘s muse could be merely an imagined and unreal person . So he's drifting into insanity. The hero is plagued by nightmares, which in turn lead to insomnia.
Alan later visits a sleep clinic in a quite village called Bright Falls located in the northwest of The United States . The landscape is characterized by extensive forest areas , vast lakes , mountains , one-lane streets and so forth .
The game gives the player freedom of choice to roam around the large map as they please but the main story is strictly linear and its chronology can not be changed . The game features a day-night cycle , but unlike many other games the shift between day and night does not occur automatically , instead , the player’s action control this cycle . Depending on which task Alan fulfills, the environment changes. It makes sense because it would be rather difficult to show cut scenes with a changing light setting, and it wouldn't be realistic to show a mechanic fixing cars at 4 AM .
Do I know you ?
“Alan Wake is a title that deserves valuation and is going to grab ratings 90/100 and up “ says the Remedy’s production manager . The interesting part is that Remedy studio attempts to establish a brand new genre called “psychological action thriller “ with Alan Wake by creating a game that features a sophisticated and deep story and a gameplay which combines shooting , driving , survival , fear , puzzle solving and so on in a way never seen before . Remedy sets of so much value on a consistent story and claims that a story like Alan wake has never been witnessed before .
Relay
"We're big fans of the Twin Peaks series", says Sam lake the writer of the game , “the TV series concept always fascinated us. As a result , the game features an episodic format that divides the game into different sections in order to make the player excited about the next episode. “ he continues : “ Do not get me wrong ; this episodic format is not like Half-Life 2 and whatnot . Alan wake behaves just like a TV series ; This is so to make the player experience the cliffhanger feeling we all know from TV or DVD series, the urge to pop in the next part.
In the story, there won't be any alternative discussion threads like you would see in an adventure. Remedy is expected to implement a recap functionality [ similar to the game Alone in the Dark ] . The story author even talked about "Alan Wake Season 1" at the presentation in the Remedy headquarters. So it's plausible to assume that AlanWake will have many sequels .
Fear in the Dark
Petri Lehto Järvi presented us with a short yet absolutely impressive playable demo . It’s apparent that Remedy does not want to reveal much of the gameplay simply because almost every sequence in the game contains considerable amount of story material which counts as spoiler . After all, players shouldn't know before purchasing the game that Alice actually is the transsexual friend of the hero and the game ends with an epic shootout with Nazi zombies. ROFL . Seriously though:
We played a session where we have to pick up a key from a gas station , then race through the landscape with Alan’s green station wagon to arrive at an old house in the woods. A hitchhiker stands at the side of the road and Alan lets him come along .
Alan wake : That is weird ,I had a horrible vision in which I took along a hitchhiker."
Hiker: Oh really ?like a dream ? what happened to him?
It’s at this point where a fully loaded truck crashes suddenly into Alan's car. Then the character wakes up at the accident site amidst complete darkness . The hitchhiker is dead and lamp posts in the vicinity start to show strange signs . Mysterious shadows fly in the air, the light bulbs in the lampposts burst. Now we have to run towards the nearby hut to save Alan’s life , The lamp bulbs burst one after another , we approach the hut and ……………………….. demo ends here >__< .
Sam then mentions that light is Alan wake’s ally .However , darkness spread terror . The whole concept of Alan Wake revolves around light vs. darkness .
Atmosphere and environments
A dynamic background sound is to be used in the game in order to create tension and add to the atmosphere through things such as abrupt whistling of the wind .
David Lynch is working on the game’s sound and music . “David Lynch is profoundly skillful when it comes to the sound and music .” explains Järvilehto .
Other effects including rain , lightning , cloud movements , mist , wind , tornado and …. gives the game a nice realistic touch . In order to make the sceneries as realistic and beautiful as possible ,Remedy traveled to the USA and made thousands of photos and videos. During that, they discovered huge waterfalls, volcanoes and other landmarks which are going to be featured in the virtual world around Bright Falls.
Land in sight!
Regarding technical aspects, Remedy revised their agenda. While Max Payne featured simple levels, in Alan Wake, the player roams around in an extensive area. The creators made a so-called Biotype system which generates mountain ranges and woods with a few clicks. Such a tool is rather important, Sami Vanhatalo, the Art Lead of Alan Wake, explains: "We have to code such tools to enhance efficiency and to be able to put emphasis onto game content. After all, we don't have 150 staff working here, like other studios do!" .The area around is separated into smaller sections which are streamed when playing. So the player doesn't have to stare at loading screens.
The creators chose the northwest setting because the environment is rather similar to Finland ’s. And because the area is so huge in Alan Wake, the player can't just walk and run around at all time . "The transportation by car is a really important aspect here", Petri Järvilehto says.
Remedy is yet to announce a release date
The second article is an interview with Oskari Häkkinen, head of franchise development at Remedy Entertainment
The original interview written in Norwegian
Translated version :
(Gamer.no): Sometimes you are lucky. A few times, you get, in the role as writer for a web site about the game, some very exclusive and unique interview appointments. My meeting with Oskari Häkkinen, head of franchise development at Remedy Entertainment, was just so.
Remedy is best known as creator of the popular Max Payne series, but is now center of the development of Alan Wake - a game that has been there to froth around the mouth of many gamers since the game was announced several years ago.
So imagine that some have questioned whether there is something wrong, and if the game ever will come out. I sat down on a nice Italian restaurant along with Häkkinen, and tried to get some answers.
- So what can you tell me about Alan Wake?
-I can not tell you so damned much actually, hehe. Let's say it this way: You ask the questions, so I will try to answer them as best I can. As you know, we showed nothing on the Game Developers Conference this year. Something that should give you an idea that we do not tell anything in relation to the development of the game right now.
- This game was announced several years ago, but we still know almost nothing about what kind of game it is, can you tell a little?
- Ok, well, Alan Wake is a story based game. It has a very strong history. It is a psychological action thriller, and Alan Wake is a writer.
- Since Alan Wake is a writer, how will they make the action in the game? Will it be full action as in previous Max Payne-game, or something else?
-There is a lot less action than Max Payne.
- Would you rather compare it with something such as Silent Hill series? There you have some action here and there, mixed with the exploration and problem solving ?
-Yes, on the set and the show is that, in relation to the action. But Silent Hill is a zombie-game [ Daniel : As a huge silent hill fan I completely disagree with the guy . Silent hill is NOT a zombie game and there is a reason behind each and every monster in that franchise ; sorry for the interruption ;) onto translation ] , and we try to get us awaken from zombie-issue, and keep us to authenticity.
I thought a little more on the pace in relation to the action and exploration. This game is absolutely story driven, and history is the most important part of the game, and as such it is much more story based than for example Silent Hill. The smart story is important for us, and we have a strong history, a strong atmosphere, and a strong spirit.
We believe there should be a reason why it is dangerous, instead of zombies that jump on you all the time , something we are not interested in. [ Daniel : Seriously !! How much does this guy know about Silent hill ? has he ever played Silent hill 2 ?!!!] .
Lighting is very important in the game, and this is a unique item that really has not been used in any game before in the way we do it. Remedy has always tried to bring something new to the scene .
-Does this mean that light is the "new" bullet-time?
- Bullet-time was something new we came with ,so is light in Alan Wake . Light is a very important element and it is used in all parts of the game. We check the weather, day-night simulation, but most important of all, we check how much light there is in the game.
- Does that mean that the weather is dynamic, or that you consciously decide what mood it will be in an area ?
- We decide this atmosphere, and you guessed it right there. Everything in the game can be influenced by the weather. For instance driving a car in a rainy weather is more challenging than when the weather is good. On the way the weather is dynamic, since it will influence how you play the game. If it is foggy you will look bad. Some of the key you should remember is that this concept is brand new and different.
-Many will read this and think: I've seen the light in a game before,I have seen dynamic shadows,I have used a flashlight.Does this mean that the light of Alan Wake is very different from what we've seen before?
-Yes, and there is an element in the fight also.
- This is a basic question: what do you do in this game? Most games at the moment is about fighting, and shooting things. So when you are not in combat in Alan Wake, what do you?
- Let's start with history, and AlanWake himself. He is a renowned writer, but he has a problem. He does not write anything for over two years. His wife Alice, he takes to the small town of Falls. Everything goes terribly wrong, disappears, and Alan have to find her. He is caught between his own thoughts, and experienced nightmares. We have many nightmares element, and many elements which you are unsure what is what, and this gives a very interesting angle on the gameplay too. And again, I must draw attention to the psychological aspect, but I'm afraid I can not tell too much.
Think of the series as 24, Lost, Prison Break, and how the episode ends with a cliffhanger that makes you wonder what happens next time. This is something we want to achieve with Alan Wake, and we are very close.
We are very pleased that we have. It has been a long process, we have worked with it for five years, and it has been a lot of up and down to find the right way to do things. Now, we have found exactly the right way to go, and development is very good at the moment .
-Since it has been a lot of up and down, it means that the concept has changed?
-The concept has not changed much, but no concept has been very strong to begin with. Reply to how we will reveal the concept has not always been there, and exactly what has been a rollercoaster through this process.
We have always known what we wanted to present to the player and we have had very demanding thoughts on this, and we have found a way to make difficult ideas into something real. I can tell you that it is a completely unique concept.
- I am still a little in the dark over what you actually do in this game!?
- It is a game in third person perspective. We have shooting, action, exploration for the track, drive, Pursuit. There is a lot different here. It's episodic content. We like to talk about the episodes, instead of level. Each episode has a different content.
- So how long is an episode?
- Unfortunately I can not talk about it yet, but I can tell you that each episode is unique and has different content. You travel to different areas . Alan Wake is trying to find the pages of his manuscript.
- His manuscript? he lost his pages?
- Yes .... it is a mystery right now.
-I understand that you can not tell when the game comes in the sale, but can you tell us when we will see more of the game?
-Very soon I hope, but I can not tell you precisely .
-Have the graphics changed since the first trailer? Not necessarily technically, but the design, since the game has been under development over several years?
-From a technical stand point, the technology developed continuously throughout the process .If someone were to upset him that the technology is outdated, should they take it very easy .It is an issue that people think so much about that can dictate a purchase.
I can say that when Alan Wake comes out, it will be one of the best looking games on X360 and PC .
- What is important in the visual part? Is it the style, or the technical?
- I will say it is the visual style. Details, strong focus on details, it is beautiful.
- How important is sound in the game? Such as sound effects and music?
-It will be of first class. Music is also important for us to set the right tone for the game. We take inspiration from how it is done on film and in TV series, where the music is an important tool to build up the right atmosphere.
This is a thriller, and we use sound to provide a rollercoaster trip. We have no monster, and we do not have zombies that jump on you. It is not so simple. We bring something to the psychological game, and it is something new. It is easy to create a game where a zombie scares the **** out of you, but to make this psychological, you must have the right atmosphere, and you must have people you care about.
-How will history be told? Will everything be told in the game, or they will for example make use of techniques that follows the style of Max Payne?
-Unfortunately I can not comment right now, but I’d say history is very important. Authenticity is absolutely necessary .
Alan and Alice are from New York , and we have authentic voices for the roles. For the people in Bright Falls (Washington) , we have authentic voices for the area. We concentrate sharply on authenticity. We do not want the gamers to experience something and think: That can not happen. We will have a trusted and realistic story.
Alan Wake is developed exclusively for PC and Xbox 360, and published by Microsoft.
Summery
By reading both the preview and the interview we can conclude that :
1-Alan wake is essentially a third person game but according to the leaked trailer the player can switch to first-person view at any wanted time as well .
2- The protagonist , Alan Wake is trying to find the pages of his manuscript during the game .
3- Remedy studio attempts to establish a brand new genre called “psychological action thriller “ .
4-The game features an episodic format like “Alone in the dark “.
5-It’s apparent that Remedy does not want to reveal much of the gameplay simply because almost every sequence in the game contains considerable amount of story material which counts as spoiler .
6-Light is Alan wake’s ally .However , darkness spread terror and the whole concept of Alan Wake revolves around light vs. darkness .
7-There is no loading screen .
8-The remedy refused to show the game at this year's GDC .
9-Alan Wake is a renowned writer, but he has a problem. He does not write anything for over two years. His wife Alice, he takes to the small town of Falls. Everything goes terribly wrong, she then disappears, and Alan have to find her. He is caught between his own thoughts, and experienced nightmares.
10-The game has no monsters or zombies . But it’s safe to say that it features unreal enemies created by Alan’s imagination .
11-Alan and Alice are from New York .
12-Alan Wake will have sequels.
13- It’s strictly an X360 and PC exclusive .
14- The game will be released WHEN IT’S DONE !!!!!!!!!!! .
Thanks for reading
Daniel
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