04/20/05 >> Rat Hunter
Genre: First-person Shooter
Developer: Secret Sign
Publisher: Game Factory Interactive
No official site
We talk to Secret Sign about their unassuming first-person shooter Rat Hunter. Once again, our thanks goes to Svetlana Alexeeva for coordinating this.
Tell us a bit about Secret Sign, Rat Hunter, and what you hope to accomplish with the game.
Secret Sign is a young studio comprised of experienced developers; some of them have several commercial titles on their résumés. Our studio has already released two games – scroll-shooter EXIT and space simulator StarCalibur. You can find more information on these projects on our website: www.secret-sign.com.
We've never conceived Rat Hunter as a revolutionary title or a bold experiment to blend different genres. First and foremost, we want to create a classic first-person shooter, where the player can interact with environment and objects in lots of possible ways. For example, a wooden box lying on the ground is more than just a decoration; it can be used to build a barricade or as a weapon if you run out of ammo.
When the press release for Rat Hunter was released, the honesty in the quote, “It does not push the envelope or bring something fresh to the genre, since we feel that there is little place for innovation in today's action games market,” causes some to wonder why they should play your game. What would you say to gamers who may be hesitant to try Rat Hunter?
We believe that any young development team that attempts to break the mould, redefine an entire genre or make "the best game ever", is going to flop. That is, of course, unless you have lots of money and a few years to boot. Correct us, if we are wrong.
Many of today's action games have lost the appealing sense of simplicity. They borrow too much from other genres or suffer from overcomplicated gameplay. Genre-molding is a nice thing by itself, but do you really need it to enjoy a game? That's why we want to create a traditional shooter with loads of adrenaline fun.
One of the features of Rat Hunter is your physics system. This based off of the Havok engine or is it proprietary?
Rat Hunter's physics engine can simulate many objects and interactions in real-time. It is as advanced as, let's say, Havok. Expect vehicles, rag doll deaths, collision detection… the whole nine yards.
What are some cool examples of the physics system that players will see in the game?
The player can manipulate many objects just as in real life, and we're really proud of that feature. You can pick up and move small items, such as books, tables, chairs, boxes etc., making them part of the action. For example, you can barricade yourself (or your enemy) in a narrow corridor, which will greatly improve your chances of survival. Or, you can pile up several gas-cylinders and detonate them when someone passes them by.
What kinds of weapons will the player get to use?
Rat Hunter features a unique assortment of weapons, but we want to make sure that all of them are balanced and very user-friendly.
For example, the very first weapon you will receive in Rat Hunter is an electromagnetic pistol. It fires metallic objects (screws, bolts) by accelerating them in an electromagnetic field. In other words, it's a weak basic gun with unlimited ammo.
Piezo-rifle is your run-of-the-mill shotgun. It is a great weapon for close quarters combat. The difference is that a multi-ground electrode spark plug is used instead of firing pin, and cartridges are cylinders made of molded material which explodes when hit by a spark.
As you can see, despite unusual appearance and strange names, our weapons are familiar to any fan of first-person shooters. We also have truly original specimens, but you will have to play the game to see them.
How will the vehicles in the game work into Rat Hunter’s gameplay? Will they just be there to help the player get from point A to point B?
Well, the main purpose of vehicles in Rat Hunter is to get you from point A to point B, but these sections are anything but boring. You will be able to ram enemies, escape from pursuers, jump over chasms or cross places that are impossible to traverse on foot.
Will the game ship with an editor for players to create their own maps? If so, how much support will you be offering to the mod community?
Modifications and support for community efforts are in Rat Hunter from day one. All of our tools will not be included in the initial release, though, but we're ready to make the editor and other programs available at our website if there is sufficient demand. The site will also serve as a central place for community support.
Is there a multiplayer mode? If so, what can you tell us about it?
It is really hard to make multiplayer modes interesting and addictive. We did come up with some original ideas, but they require lots of time and resources to implement. So, right now, we focus our efforts on polishing the single-player portion of the game. But do not rule out a possibility of a free multiplayer add-on.
When will the game be ready for North America, and who is publishing it over here?
We do not have a North American publisher at the moment. Ergo, no release dates.
Will there be a demo?
We want to release a demo, but it will happen only when the game is stable and feature-complete. We have entered alpha-testing just a few days ago, and we're not ready to show a half-done product.
Is there anything you would like to add?
We'd like to thank everyone who takes interest in our game. We will try not to disappoint you!
Interview by Alex Hammond
