Q&A: Crytek Studios

Crytek garnered new exposure for its games at ECTS with a very high-poly technology demo running at Nvidia's booth. Yet relatively little is known about the games that Crytek's 3D engine will eventually power. We had the opportunity to speak with Faruk Yerli, vice president of Crytek Studios, and Brian Audette, lead designer for Engalus, to find out more about the current situation of the company and its games.

Gamespot: Crytek made a big impression at the recent ECTS show in London with projects such as X-Isle, Engalus, and Silent Space. Can you give us any details on specific platforms?

Faruk Yerli: Currently, we're planning to develop all our games for the main platforms like the PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and PC. The selection of these consoles will be discussed with our future publisher. It is also possible that we will favor one console, give it a head start on a project and bring ports of the game to other platforms later. It is even possible to make one of these games exclusively for one platform. It really depends on our future development.

GS: Crytek seemed to come out of nowhere. Where are your roots and how did you get started with these projects?

FY: Crytek was founded in the beginning of 1999. We wanted to create games based on our fantasies and visions. So we used the Internet to find cool programmers and graphic artists. It was very hard in the beginning, because we had to build trust in people. But we were sure we could pull it off and found the right people to start the company with. From that point, we started with CrySpace (our space engine) and Silent Space (our space shooter), and now we have four projects (one still under wraps) and a new cutting-edge 3D engine named CryEngine.

GS: X-Isle looks very impressive at this stage. What were some of the inspirations for the game?

FY: Most people, and especially our guys, love dinosaurs. Dinosaurs on the one hand are very powerful and astonishing and on the other hand lovely and helpful. We watched almost all kinds of dinosaur movies you can find. We took all the best parts and features and put them together on one project. Thus, project X-Isle was born.

GS: Another project you currently have in development is named Engalus. What can you tell us about the game?

Brian Audette: The plot is in flux right now, so some of this information may end up changing, but this is what we have right now. Engalus takes place in the 22nd century, about 50 years after World War III. Earth has adopted more socialist ideals and is experiencing an age of unrivaled peace. In order to facilitate the propagation of these ideals across the planet and maintain the strength of the world community, the Provisional Government was formed. It should have been dissolved some time before the game begins. Being the only real power structure in the world puts the Provisional Government in a position to exert great power and control over the people. The game's main character, Jordain, is an operative for the Provisional Government and basically does their dirty work, ensuring that the people don't know too much about their corrupt overseers.

A group of outcasts and rebels at the outer rim of explored space calling themselves The Invisible have been blamed in the theft of some high-tech scientific equipment, and Jordain is sent to their space station to investigate. Obviously it ends up being more than simple theft, and Jordain gets involved in a plot of deception and betrayal surrounding an artifact called the Engalus, once possessed by an alien race known as the Lahorans. To say much more is giving too much away, but I can say that Jordain will find a lot of interesting people and situations on the space station - it is more like a space-bound city than a simple satellite. The story is about power and corruption and what drives these forces. It is also about how heroes can be found in the most unlikely places. It should be action-packed with a great plot to make it a truly entertaining experience.

GS: You also have a space game in the pipeline named Silent Space. Tell us a little about the game.

FY: Silent Space is one of our first projects. A deep combat system is the core of Silent Space. Unlike the shallow World War II combat of its predecessors, Silent Space adds depth to the combat mechanics of sci-fi gaming, while still maintaining the classic style and true physics of the genre. Our advanced AI system uses true military tactics to reach the full capacity of its vessels, and it adapts to the player's every move. In the single-player mode, a rich campaign is set within the Silent Space universe, with unique mission designs dealing with the ongoing events of a war, which has nearly destroyed humanity. Plot immersion keeps the players within the campaign, watching the war unfold before their eyes. With the minimum of a 28.8kbps modem, players can use the Internet to play Silent Space against fellow players from across the globe.

GS: Can you say anything about your potential publishers?

FY: Currently none of our projects are funded, but we are sure that they will get funded in a short time. We are in interesting negotiations with the major publishers. Details will be announced as soon as possible.

GS: Nvidia featured one Crytek tech demo at its ECTS booth. Tell us a little about your relationship with Nvidia. Will this lead you to favor the PC and Xbox over other platforms?

FY: Well, we have a really close relationship with Nvidia now. They saw the potential of our 3D engine at E3 in May. They asked us if we could do a demo for them and we agreed. Actually we do not prefer any platforms. Time will tell us which platform will be the better one, with the most potential.

And if I may add something, I want to take this opportunity to thank all our staff for their excellent work and their belief in the projects.

GS: Thank you and good luck.