Wanted interview

GameSpot recently talked to John Williamson of Seattle-based game developer Zombie Studios about the company's upcoming first-person shooter, tentatively titled Wanted: Dead or Alive. The game is set in the Old West, and it will feature a branching storyline that lets players assume the role of an outlaw or a law-abiding citizen. It will include several role-playing game elements such as the ability to earn money to purchase weapon or horse upgrades and character development, and it will feature a variety of Old West settings, such as saloons, riverboats, mines, general stores, train stations, banks, and sheriff offices. Williamson talked about how the idea for the game came about, what kinds of features it will include, and the background of Zombie Studios.

GameSpot: First, tell us a little about Zombie. How did the company get started, and what kinds of projects has it worked on?

John Williamson: Zombie is about to start its ninth year. Zombie was founded by Mark Long and Joanna Alexander back in 1983 after they left Sarnoff Research Labs, where they designed a console system for Hasbro. The console had multiplayer support with a modem, as well as virtual reality (VR) HMD support. In fact, many of Zombie's employees have had VR experience, from HMD companies to high-end VR training systems for the Department of Energy and US Air Force.

Zombie has shipped everything from games--for the PC, Sony PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast, Macintosh, Saturn, and now the Sony PlayStation 2--and an award-winning animated music video for KMFDM to a VR roller coaster ride for Disney with a touch-screen interface, which features Bill Nye the Science Guy and a VR pod that spins you 360 degrees in any direction while you ride the roller coaster you designed.

The games Zombie has worked on include the Spec Ops series, Spearhead, Disney's Atlantis, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Covert Ops, and Ice and Fire.

GS: Where is the company located, and how many employees does it have?

JW: Zombie is located in Seattle, Washington, which gives us access to an amazing array of outdoor activities, from skiing and mountain climbing to biking, kayaking, and camping. We currently have a staff of 17.

GS: Does Zombie have a general philosophy about game development?

JW: We are best known for our attention to detail and realism. For the Spec Ops and Spearhead titles, we have recorded audio and photographed texture maps on military bases around the country. We've recorded audio on live fire exercises with Special Forces and tank crews. Our mo-cap data was recorded using a Green Beret in full combat gear, including wearing a 40-pound pack. For BlueWater Hunter, a spearfishing game, we recorded spearfishers off the California coast with a hydrophone.

GS: Zombie is currently working on Wanted: Dead or Alive, an action-adventure game with a Western theme. Can you tell us a little more about the game? How did the idea for the game come up?

JW: The idea came about because we simply wanted to play another cowboy first-person shooter. While there have been a few mods for Quake and Half-Life, there hasn't been anything commercial since Lucas' Outlaws. The characters, weapons, story, and environments just make such a compelling case that this theme would make a great game.

GS: Why aren't there more games with Western themes? Have you run across anything particularly difficult in developing a game in that setting?

JW: I can't offer a satisfactory answer to that question. All the feedback we get from the gameplaying public is always positive. Several publishers have told me they like the concept, but they won't give us the green light because they are afraid a Western would not sell overseas. But the last two Western-themed games (while not FPS) have both been developed and published by Europeans (America and Desperados). Just as we have renaissance fairs in America, Europeans have Western reenactment groups, further evidence that the West is property that would sell well worldwide.

GS: How long has Wanted been in development, and what stage is it in at this point?

JW: We work on Wanted in between other paying gigs. We have four working levels that you can explore and interact with.

GS: When do you expect the game to be finished?

JW: That would depend on the publisher and their feature requirement/platform and ship date. The full-featured, story-driven FPS/RPG with multiplayer mode would take 18 to 24 months to be able to include the alternative paths. An action-packed FPS with a reduced feature set could be delivered in nine to 16 months.

GS: Can you talk a bit about the game's storyline?

JW: The game is a straight-up Western. No zombies, no time travel, no steam punk.

It is a combination of a first-person shooter with role-playing game elements, set in the Old West, and it includes multiplayer support. You can ride horses, gamble (and cheat) to upgrade horses and weapons, and travel the West by train, horse, or steamboat. The game can be described as The Fugitive meets Clint Eastwood or Half-Life meets Baldur's Gate.

Wanted is designed to mimic the classic 1950s TV Westerns: episodic in nature, while revealing a larger story through self-contained episodes with a recurring cast of characters and episode-specific "guest stars." The story progresses via gameplay, in-game cinematics, NPC interaction, and menus.

The game is designed around the great and familiar Western archetypes that make this theme resonate with the public around the world. Classic conflicts between good and evil, right and wrong, are set in the vast expanses that are both wild and full of untapped potential. The classic Western mythos of leaving your past behind and being known for what you do, not where you came from, is perfect for a role-playing game where you build your character as you progress.

GS: What kind of game engine does Wanted use?

JW: We have developed our prototype levels using the LithTech engine (we have shipped two LithTech games to date). If a publisher had a financial interest in using its own technology, though, we would examine that possibility.

GS: What's been the most enjoyable part of developing the game so far?

JW: That time period is just so rich with great storytelling opportunities, amazing scenery, complex characters, and archetypes that resonate even today around the world.

GS: Thanks for your time, John.

No official publisher or release date for Wanted: Dead or Alive has been announced. For more information, visit the official Zombie Studios Web site.