The journalists from Russian web-resource PlayGround.ru recently finded out information, that release date of White Gold: War in Paradise can be moved to September of 2008. Thus, they decided to inquire fresh information directly from Deep Shadows team. (Interview with Dmitry Lysenko – Pr-manager of Deep Shadows)

PG: Why work on WG development process takes so much time? What is the reason of probable movement of release date?

DL:  There is no oficial decision about fixed release date at the moment. Development process of WG is going through the final stage. Main workflow is concentrated on balancing issues, polishing and other small fixes – part of work that need to be done in order to finish good project. We are doing all efforts to finish these tasks before May. Our main goal now is to produce qualitative scoring, that deals with really huge amount of dialogues and FX. It is possible that work on game scoring can extend development process and move release date a bit further.

PG: Is there any changes in game concept, plotline, technology in comparison with official information stated in before?

DL: The conception and plotline wasn’t changed, but there are many news concerning technological features – developers significantly improved water and underwater environment, implemented day-night cycle and weather changes into the game as well as set of ergonomic improvements of gameplay. At the moment we are tweaking skill level of enemies and learning NPCs to react on weather and day/night changes. We are trying to make gameworld more vivid and alive in general.

PG: Is there still same situation with freedom for player in game world? Tell us about this world, locations, inhabitants, what size of it?

DL: The conception of freeplay game is base of our project. Naturally, game subject cause some limitations, but let you do everything you like. Every your deed assumes your responsibility. For example, if you make your relationships with all factions worse, except one – your employer, it provokes hard life on game territory for you. Remember that each NPC in game related to certain faction – traders, workers, taxi-drivers, etc…

  PG: Tell us about variety of quest accomplishment. How is nonlinear game subject? How many factions will be presented? What possibilities have player concerning to cooperation with various factions?

 DL: Many of quests have few ways of completing. Game plot is linear, but you may find many means to get to the finish of the game. In other words - the game have single finish, there are also main points of game plot – same for all passing through variants, but player can attain to certain points in different ways.

 Player will be able to join any faction, except one, which is hostile to everyone. There wasn’t provided “service stairs” advance inside a faction. Our hero is hireling, and he can’t become a General noway.

PG: Did you allow last trends of game industry? This tendency supposes to use scripts less in game design. Tell us about AI in White Gold.

DL: Talking about scripts, which are important in all games and especially for RPG, so yes, role of scripts is ponderable in White Gold. By the way, at the previous time of work over Boiling Point, we didn’t use script editor, that is why you may notice poor variety of missions and completing methods.

       AI system is presented by algorithms of virtual hearing and vision. It means that NPCs could start an attack after they saw you, but the crossing of imagined line by player. It’s very helpful in some missions, when you’ll be able to sneak close to the watches-guys and eliminate them before alarm will be turn on. Then you only need steel necessary documents without great bloodshed.

  Naturally we’re watching for all new trends of game industry and we’re grooving up in our experience.

PG: Tell us about system of treatment in game – will be player use a med-kit or you improved more progressive health system?

DL: There will be medicine kits in White Gold; to say exactly, will be syringes full of various stimulators, which you can buy in some places. We suggest using stimulators very carefully, that stuff could provoke dependence and lose the efficacy on you. Concerning to heath system, we want to implement some features in game, for example – hero’s helth status could be improved by a time of calm condition.

PG: Give us some examples of realistic and vivid world of White Gold.

DL: As I said before, NPCs will have reactions on time and weather changing. Plus, some of quests directly tied on time, for instance the player may find some persons in definite time span (day or night).

 There is an element of unexpectedness in White Gold – sometimes fire wrangle happens between hostile factions, but in general, all characters move around, talk to each other, etc…

PG: Will be an opportunity for player to resolve some situations with talks, but the weapon? Can the hero buy information, to eavesdrop on opponent, to spy someone, etc…

DL: The point is life-style of main hero, though he is military man, as you know, and such person doesn’t believe in talks. As people say, good conversation and a gun are better then pure conversation.

 There are also some missions in game without necessity of weapon use – you can intimidate an intelligencer or bribe him.

PG: Is there still perk-connected role system in White Gold?

DL: Yes, there is perk system in game. Player will be able to get new perk or upgrade already available with experience increase. Some of perks influence common skills like trading or skinning. Others are connected with combat abilities such as accuracy and so on. In addition there are some stealth mode perks. Also, all heroes’ abilities, such as carrying capacity, health, speed and others based on proper perks. 

PG: What changing of fight system conception will be in White Gold?  

DL: Concerning to fight part of White Gold is pure FPS with connection of freeplay. In other words, player makes decision how to battle by himself.

PG: Tell us about physic in the game.

DL: I think that game physic effects on player perception of game and in our case physic it’s not a greatest feature of White Gold. In general player will be able to value the bullet ricochet, an indestructibility of various items: thin walls, car bumper could be shooting off with a gun. 

PG: Tell us about graphic in White Gold.

DL:  The main idea of game design for us is beautiful game instead of deep technological project. We make an effort on gameplay goodness. I need to say, that game graphic is fine and corresponded to today’s graphic requirements. Taking about system requirements:

Minimal requirements: AMD Athlon XP 3000, 1 GB RAM, GeForce 6600 GS 128 MB

Recommended requirements: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4G (E6600) 1GB RAM, GeForce 7600 GS 128 MB.

PG: The last question – Will be a beta version of White Gold for testing by players?

DL: We developed close testing on White Gold since project design has been started. The question concerning to open beta-test is closed till May. We have plans to invite persons wishing to try White Gold to Deep Shadows office. So, welcome beta-testers!