Gaming Age recently had the opportunity to speak with Appaloosa's Gergely Csaszar, producer of Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future for the Dreamcast.
Today we have the second half of this exclusive interview. Please take a look at PART 1 if you have not done so already.
Gaming Age: Is "ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future" the finalized title?
Gergely: For now it is. Although it may be changed before the game gets published.
On the story we worked with David Brin, a Nebula Award winner science fiction writer who devised an elegant and great story framework for the game.
GA: Are there any multiplayer aspects at all in the game, or is it 100% single player, one controller needed?
G: It is a single player game.
GA: Will Ecco support the Puru Puru vibration pack and the VGA box?
G: We may consider that, but first we must build a good game.
GA: Any plans to use the VMS display screen during the game to enhance gameplay?
G: Yes, but the most important thing is what goes on on the main video screen
GA: Any possibility of a PC version?
G: It would be SEGA's decision. We would love to have it on the PC.
GA: Japanese release announced yet?
G: I am not aware of that, but dolphins are popular in Japan
GA: US will be done before the Japanese one, correct?
G: Whether it will be shipped at the same time it is up to Sega. We will probably finish both versions about the same time.
GA: What DC development kit version (Set) are you currently using? And do you expect the final DC product to look much better/different when 100% complete.
G: The current "final" development systems are called Set5. We got them in December. Until then we were working on Set2.
The game already looks much better then what you saw on the E3 show. The tape you saw was a Set2 version. You will notice some differences.
The final game will look a great deal better then what you can see currently. None of the graphical elements are good enough in our eyes. It is a constant process of improving the art. Not even Ecco looks good enough, he is definitely not finalized yet. We really want this game to be something astonishing.
GA: In Ecco for Sega CD, there was a Library level, filled with Glyphs. You hit them and bring up a video on tons of info on Dolphins. Are you planning on having a video history of dolphins in the game, our out of the game, somewhere?
G: Currently we are considering many things, and the Glyphs will have a role in the new game.
GA: How will Ecco's energy be handled? An energy bar? A set number of hits, like 1 hit kills, or 3 hit kills, etc.?
G: Energy will be similar. Air and life meters. I will not want this game to be all around getting air and making it to the next place with enough air. It is a cheap video-game technique (keeping the running-out-of-air pressure on the player.) We I do not want the game to be revolving around this one aspect. We will provide plenty of free air sources under water for our audience's convenience.
GA: So there will be other dolphins, sharks, octopii, fish, etc. How about characters that have no effect, like starfish, and possibly seagulls near the surface of the water diving for food, etc.? Just beauty enhancements.
G: Correct, except that once we have a creature, i'd rather have it have some behavior so we can play with it, interact with it, regardless whether that creature is an essential part of the story or puzzle or not. To find just decorative creatures would be disappointing for the player I believe. Once you learn to interact with things you will want to do it with anything which moves.
GA: Sonar in past games was used for talking and activating stuff. Will it go any further in this one, like maybe you can use it for really testing depth? As a mapping device?
G: Primary use of Sonar is communication but we are working on making it a tool for helping you navigate in a 3D space. Your idea is definitely something we were thinking about and working on, having the sonar bounce from the environment would help navigation (especially in estimating distances) easier. Sonar will also be used in some other forms.
GA: What other kind of attacks will Ecco possess?
G: Nothing bloody. Fighting is not always the solution in Ecco, you may want to trick your opponent or get other animal's help to defeat, or trick your enemies.
GA: Thank you for giving us this opportunity to speak with you.
G: Thank you for your time and interest :)
Tomorrow- Yet more on Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future.
GA Staff
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