C.O.R.E. Q&A with NoWay Studio

First-person shooters on the Nintendo DS are few and far between, but that doesn't mean that there aren't developers taking the plunge to bring this genre to the dual-screen handheld. NoWay Studio, a division of QubicGames that focuses on DS games, is set to launch its debut game on April 17. We had the opportunity to ask Krzysztof Murzyn of NoWay Studio to share some of his thoughts regarding the development of the DS exclusive.

GameSpot: C.O.R.E. is NoWay Studio's debut DS title. What are your goals for the game?

Lukasz Zarnowiecki: All of us here at NoWay Studios are big fans of the shooter genre, so our goal was to develop an original first-person shooter that was fresh and new, but held true to the roots of a classic FPS. We made sure to follow all the classic FPS rules, including corridors populated with enemies, a variety of weapons, compelling environments, and the many interactive objects that add to the overall shooter experience.

GS: There aren't too many first-person shooters or M-rated games on Nintendo's handheld, and DS owners are of all ages and gaming backgrounds. What was the decision behind making C.O.R.E.?

LZ: There is a huge gap to fill in the DS market! To date, there are very few first-person shooters, and even less M-rated games intended for hardcore gamers. This audience may be a smaller segment of DS owners, but it's clearly a segment that has been overlooked in the past. With that in mind, we decided to bring C.O.R.E. to the DS as an M-rated game in order to deliver a true shooter experience.

GS: There are a small handful of FPS games on the DS. What do you think makes a good FPS? What will make C.O.R.E. stand out over the others?

LZ: What makes a great FPS is the ability to balance all the core FPS elements--gameplay, control scheme and graphics to challenges, environment, and a variety of game modes--in a manner which offers an intense and engaging experience. Of course, it wouldn't be a shooter without some serious weaponry to go along with it.

That said, I think our development team did an excellent job creating an experience that holds true to the classic FPS genre. Gameplay offers an intense shooter experience, the environments are diverse, and the multiplayer mode is outstanding. We also tested a variety of games during development and decided to implement the best control options that give players the ability to modify controls, so as to allow for a custom and precise control scheme. And that's what will make C.O.R.E. stand out among the few other FPS titles available on the DS!

GS: The touch screen provides the most accuracy--comparable to a mouse--when it comes to aiming. Why do you think there aren't more FPS games that use the DS's unique feature?

LZ: To make a good FPS is very challenging and time-consuming. It takes a lot of groundwork for production, testing, and balancing, and with the limited DS market for FPS games, I don't think many studios are ready to take the risk.

GS: How did the storyline and setting come about?

LZ: We are huge science-fiction fans, so the storyline really came from our overall experience with the genre.

GS: Where did you get the inspiration for C.O.R.E.? Were there other FPS games that you looked at to help shape the game?

LZ: We obviously looked at all the best games in this genre, but the inspiration came from classic PC shooters from the late '90s such as Half-Life, Quake, and Doom. We all loved playing those games back in the day and wanted to deliver our own take on this old-school mainstay.

GS: Shooters are always more fun to play with friends. Playing locally with one cartridge is an excellent feature, but why wasn't Wi-Fi included as well?

LZ: Since C.O.R.E. is our first title, we didn't want to go over budget and cross any timelines we implemented when we began production. With that in mind, we decided against Wi-Fi. Although, if we develop a sequel to C.O.R.E., it will most definitely be equipped with this feature, as well, all future games coming from our studio should have it.

GS: We're starting to see a lot of cooperative play in shooters for consoles. Do you think co-op campaigns are in the future for DS shooters?

LZ: Cooperative play has been around for ages, and it's always been a great way to experience gameplay with a friend. However, when we took a look at the European and North America markets, we noticed that most of the players play alone on the DS. Even when players are using Wi-Fi, they would rather challenge themselves, as it allows players to develop a more calculated strategy on how they need to accomplish goals and approach complex situations.

Cooperative modes also have to provide a very good communication solution in order to create the type of high-quality experience players expect when playing with friends, and with the DS this certainly can be an issue.

GS: Did C.O.R.E. turn out the way you had expected? Was there anything you would have liked to have done differently?

LZ: C.O.R.E. was designed with one clear objective: "bring a classic FPS experience to the Nintendo DS platform." We included a unique blend of first-person combat, a fast-paced multiplayer campaign, and all the elements of a classic FPS including power-ups, spawn points, and acquiring weapons. That said, I think it came out exactly as expected, and we're really proud to feature C.O.R.E. as our debut title.

GS: What is next for NoWay Studios?

LZ: I can't give too much information yet, but we are currently working on our next game and we plan to make an announcement in April. We also would love to prepare another shooter game, but we are still looking for a good partner before we make any final decisions.

GS: Thanks for your time!