Scrapland Q&A
Designer American McGee discusses Scrapland in his own colorful way.
Perhaps the easiest way to describe Scrapland is that it's a sci-fi murder mystery featuring robots. But there's a lot more to this open-ended, third-person action adventure game than that. Scrapland will incorporate plenty of disparate elements, including racing, vehicular combat, character interaction, and logic puzzles. And it'll wrap these elements with a lighthearted, humorous approach. We recently had the opportunity to ask designer American McGee about Scrapland. McGee is one of the most colorful figures in the industry, and he lived up to his reputation in our Q&A.
GameSpot: Could you tell us a bit of what Scrapland is about? Give us a who's who of the major characters in the game.
American McGee: I like to describe it as a film noir murder mystery set in a world of robots. Of course I've done that in so many interviews now it's starting to sound tired. How about, it's about the eternal struggle between good and evil--an adventurous, sometimes clumsy, always good-hearted hero who has to save the day--and it's set in a world of robots. It's just fun, go get it!
Major characters? D-Tritus is the main character. He's that hero I mentioned before. He's got a couple of friends, Berto, Spoot-nick, Sebastian, and others. He's got a love interest, Betty. Yeah, robots want love, too. Who knew? I hear they like to screw things. I'm a real nut job today. Oh, make it stop.
GS: What are the origins of Scrapland? How and why did you decide to make a colorful action adventure game featuring robots?
AG: I sent a note to Scrapland's lead designer, Enric Alvarez, and asked him. He wrote back and said this: "Scrapland is a very complex game with many influences. From Stanislaw Lem's sci-fi literature to Pixar's films...I'm only mentioning the more obvious ones. In general, it can be said we have been influenced by games, movies, and books that try to innovate and move some steps forward from the establishment. Personally, I don't like wasting time doing things that have already been done."
How and why does anyone decide to do anything? No, seriously. Answer the question.
GS: Scrapland has a rather unique art direction with Art Deco-style robots, some of whom are almost more human in appearance than mechanical. What was the inspiration and idea behind the game's look?
AG: You know, we get this question a lot. I guess that means people like the art style. What I want to know is, if you like it so much, why do you question it? Wouldn't life be better if you just left alone the things you enjoy? Well anyway, you can point at all the usual suspects in the sci-fi genre: Blade Runner, The Fifth Element, Star Wars, even Tron…But I think that one of the things that makes Scrapland really unique is the fact that it exists on its own merit outside of those properties that inspired it. Of course, now that you know that you'll be like, "Uh huh, next question please."
GS: There are many different kinds of gameplay in Scrapland, from the action adventure-style gameplay to the vehicle chases. What kind of balance between the two were you looking for?
AG: Imagine a set of scales made of metal. Old ones--like the ones held by that lady who measures justice. On one side picture a bunch of bananas. On the other side picture some angry weasels. (Poke them with something to make them angry if they seem too placid.) Good, now see how dynamic the bananas and the weasels are with that blind lady trying to figure out what the !(@# is going on with her scales. That's the kind of balance we were looking for. Try it, you'll like it. You are a banana by the way.
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- Enlight Software
- Mercury Steam
- Sci-Fi Action Adventure
- Release: Feb 28, 2005 »
- ESRB: Teen
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