Heavy Rain Discussion Thread

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This thread will be to discuss Quantic Dream's upcoming "evolving thriller" PS3 title. If you want to talk uncanny valley, maybe post your feelings in a CAG 2.0 blog as this clearly isn't the place any more.

Just going to try and discuss the game info that'll be shared between those anticipating its release, and the others looking for more details.

Reviews:
FriskyTanuki's (CAG Community Member) Heavy Rain Review.
shipwreck's (CAG Community Member) Heavy Rain Review.
IGN Review.
GamePro.
Game Informer.
Find more at Metacritic.com


Heavy Rain is a cinematic and evolving thriller from Quantic Dream, the developer behind the critically acclaimed Fahrenheit. Dealing with a range of adult themes, the game revolves around a sophisticated plot and strong narrative threads that explore a complex moral proposition. You assume the role of multiple characters, with very different backgrounds, motivations and skills, in a world shaped by Bending Storylines - a dynamic narrative design where your actions and decisions will shape your story.

Rating: Mature (ESRB - US)
Official Site.

Dev blog (IGN)


Release Date: February 23, 2010 (US) Date Announcement.




Heavy_rain.png


Previews:

Images:


Videos:


Pre-Order Details:
Pre-order Heavy Rain and receive a voucher to download the first chapter of Heavy Rain Chronicles: The Taxidermist.

Heavy Rain Chronicles is a series of downloadable, playable episodes that expands the Heavy Rain experience. The first chapter of Heavy Rain Chronicles allows players to play as investigative journalist, Madison Paige, on her first assignments tracking a serial killer. Similar to Heavy Rain, the story of The Taxidermist unfolds in different ways based on the decisions and actions of the player.

Codes valid from game launch through 5/31/2010. Need full game to play.

US and Canadian residents can place your pre-orders today at these retailers participating in the special pre-order offer:


US Locations:
Amazon
GameCrazy
GameStop (online and in-store)


Canada Locations:
Amazon.ca
BestBuy.ca
EB Games
FutureShop.ca
 
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What's really interesting to me in the concept of main characters dying (due to player actions) and the story continuing on despite that. Leads me to think that they're aiming for even more elastic plot points. That was a real strength of Indigo Prophecy despite it's other flaws.

Also, any word on who is doing the music this time around? They managed to get a hollywood composer to do Lucas', Carla's, and one other theme in IP and that really helped the game.
 
[quote name='Vanigan']What's really interesting to me in the concept of main characters dying (due to player actions) and the story continuing on despite that.[/QUOTE]

It's going to be a hundred times more rigid than you're anticipating, I assure you.
 
Ew motion controls? Kick that shit to the curb. Shaking my controller in Resistance to keep zombies off me was the absolute worst part of the game.
 
The story continuing beyond character deaths, I think was tried in Omnikron too. Doubt it will be the same thing but perhaps this is the progression of that idea?

[quote name='Halo05']Ew motion controls? Kick that shit to the curb. Shaking my controller in Resistance to keep zombies off me was the absolute worst part of the game.[/quote]

I think it sounds interesting, if done right. Resistance was to random, if you would actually elbow or swing on the way you moved I would have liked that more. This seems to be more complicated compared to Resistance to me.
 
If the screen shots of this game didn't look so good I doubt anybody would care at all, the gameplay looks boring as hell

If I want to watch a story I'll watch a movie... if I want to watch a rendered story I'll watch a CGI movie...
 
[quote name='Koggit']If the screen shots of this game didn't look so good I doubt anybody would care at all, the gameplay looks boring as hell

If I want to watch a story I'll watch a movie... if I want to watch a rendered story I'll watch a CGI movie...[/quote]

Well you were watching a trailer so... that isn't going to be very fluid lol.
 
[quote name='NamPaehc']The story continuing beyond character deaths, I think was tried in Omnikron too. Doubt it will be the same thing but perhaps this is the progression of that idea?[/QUOTE]

It would still have to happen at set points. They'd have to provide something, for each possibility. It's not going to just generate plot and dialogue out of nowhere; it WILL be done by design.

Games can't write their plots dynamically, despite what QD claims.
 
[quote name='Koggit']If the screen shots of this game didn't look so good I doubt anybody would care at all, the gameplay looks boring as hell

If I want to watch a story I'll watch a movie... if I want to watch a rendered story I'll watch a CGI movie...[/quote]

Yeah I had a similar thought when I saw the trailer. Quick time events or whatever you wish to call them while watching a cut scene is rather boring.

I really wish developers would try their damnedest to combine gameplay and story. Quick time events are the easy way out.
 
[quote name='Vanigan']What's really interesting to me in the concept of main characters dying (due to player actions) and the story continuing on despite that. Leads me to think that they're aiming for even more elastic plot points. That was a real strength of Indigo Prophecy despite it's other flaws.[/QUOTE]
You thought IP's plot was elastic? Yes, you could change what happened, but 3 minutes later it never mattered. I guess it's elastic in you can try to stretch it, but as soon as you let go it snaps back to where it was.
 
[quote name='Koggit']If I want to watch a story I'll watch a movie... if I want to watch a rendered story I'll watch a CGI movie...[/quote]If I want to hear from you I'll fart...
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']Games can't write their plots dynamically, despite what QD claims.[/quote]

No, not 100%. But they can try to some how emulate the "choice your own adventure books" and give you varied endings.

Though, I think that is your point and it makes sense... There sounds like there will be certain points where you can lose a character but that most likely is planned out.

I also like that when you fail certain actions, you'll have visuals characteristics that'll follow the character. I always wanted to see that. Get punched in the face, and you'll have a black-eye for the rest of the game.
 
Elastic? Yes. Completely open ended? No.

By elastic I meant exactly what you were talking about, you could do things within a scene or across multiple scenes out of order, even skipping certain steps and the game could handle it and even kept track of such things. But at the end of the day that elastic band of the plot was still anchored between two locked down points.

I think people are misinterpreting my like of this elastic plot style as believing it'll all be some freeform plot that can roam all over. Nope. I just like the way IP handled it because in all honesty, the way it handled those little elements non-linearly was a lot better than most other games out there. Not that the game did much else well though.

Think about it this way, there aren't a whole lot of other games that have these elements on non-linearity that also have a good deal of story.
 
[quote name='Vanigan']I just like the way IP handled it because in all honesty, the way it handled those little elements non-linearly was a lot better than most other games out there.[/QUOTE]

Maybe I don't remember IP well or something (it's been a couple years), but from what I recall, it seemed to me that most of the "elasticity" was just different ways to get game over screens, if you skipped over some tiny detail.
 
Actually, one of the big elastic plot elements was how you handled the crime scene and getting away from the area. The game tracked a lot of that and depending on what you did it changed the investigation in little ways.

The game over screen stuff was just more of that stupid Simon game.
 
[quote name='Vanigan']Actually, one of the big elastic plot elements was how you handled the crime scene and getting away from the area. The game tracked a lot of that and depending on what you did it changed the investigation in little ways.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, there were a lot of variables in that one scene, but I think they kind of blew their wad during the first five minutes of the game, really.

Within an hour, I didn't notice anything I chose during the beginning having any further effects, and no other choices I made seemed to have any effects 3 minutes after I made them.

[quote name='Zombiebride']They Mo-Caped a dog?[/QUOTE]
Cue complaints from animal protection groups.
 
Details on how the game controls.

Quantic Dream's David Cage walked us through a Heavy Rain demo at Games Convention last week, giving us a taste of how the game actually plays. While much of the presentation touched on facets of Heavy Rain's "rubber band" storyline and little things, like motion captured eye movement, Cage paused often to talk up the PlayStation 3 game's control scheme.

We've already written about the driving game inspired character control -- the R2 button moves her forward, with the left analog steering her head and shoulders -- so let's focus on how everything else is done.

After discussing how the character walks, Cage showed us how to interact with objects. Outside of the residence that the protagonist was investigating were a pair of metal trashcans and a mailbox. Both could be opened with the right analog stick, using forward and back motions that translated to on-screen movement. Pulling back on the stick fully opened the mailbox door fully, pushing it forward closed it. You may have seen this interactivity showcased in the game's Games Convention trailer, with the character opening a refrigerator with a sweeping arc of the right analog stick.

Heading up to the house's front door, a context sensitive control scheme appeared in the bottom right corner, giving us two options — knock or ring the doorbell. Both could done repeatedly, with a side to side motion of the right stick.

Following that, another context sensitive control option became available, letting the player call out to whomever might be inside. This was done with SIXAXIS control, giving us three dialogue options. This could be done in concert with the knocking/doorbell-ringing for maximum annoyance to whomever might be at home.

As the character walked around the house's right side, we encountered a barrel. It wasn't of the exploding type, just a regular, non-combustible barrel that Cage wanted to use as a step. Pushing the object over with the square button, his controlling assistant pushed it forward with a thrust forward of the SIXAXIS. To right it again, he hit the square button.

Heavy Rain also gives players access to internal dialogue. Using the L1 button, we can listen to the main character's thoughts, giving players helpful clues about how to progress or simply to learn her opinion about the pros and cons of the current situation. There were two options when deciding whether to break and enter the house, one "daring", one "cautious."

Much of what we saw in the house was controlled via these methods, with brief Quick Time Events requiring randomized button presses. One, triggered by bumping into an overturned bottle, simply required a quick push of the triangle button.

Perhaps the most interesting implementation of the PlayStation 3 controller was during one of the stealth-action sequences. Forced to hide from the killer during the demo, the protagonist sneaked behind an open door, something that required the player hold X, then the R1 button, then the triangle button.

Another version of this sort of finger Twister game occurred when she sought shelter in a large wardrobe, requiring four consecutive button presses. We didn't actually see anyone from Quantic Dream fail at this, but it added a nice bit of tension to the scene.

Some of these control methods have been featured in Quantic Dream's previous games, but Heavy Rain looks to bring them all together into a cohesive package that feels thoroughly well implemented. We definitely look forward to going hands-on with the PlayStation 3 controller whenever Sony decides that's something it wants us to do.
 
Outside of the residence that the protagonist was investigating were a pair of metal trashcans and a mailbox. Both could be opened with the right analog stick, using forward and back motions that translated to on-screen movement. Pulling back on the stick fully opened the mailbox door fully, pushing it forward closed it. You may have seen this interactivity showcased in the game's Games Convention trailer, with the character opening a refrigerator with a sweeping arc of the right analog stick.
God damn it....it's going to be Indigo Prophecy again.
 
Considering Indigo Prophecy was well reviewed and sold fairly well (800k according to wikipedia) I don't think anyone can be surprised they're using the same formula and trying to improve it in various ways.

That said I never played indigo prophecy, so maybe the reviews/sales figures are misleading, but presumably it had many redeeming features.
 
IP was definitely one of my favorite games of last gen. I think the problem people had with it, and rightfully so, is that it didn't come close to what the developers had promised. The game itself, in my opinion, was great, but it didn't live up to the hype. It seems this will be the case with HR as well. With that said, I try not to take everything a developer says about their own product too much to heart (especially from one who has disappointed in the past), and I still am very excited about the game.
 
Eh, I'm glad it's not the generic Simon style things, however it's still basically button presses. The only way I'll accept that is if they integrate them into the game better instead of two giant glaring color pads on screen.

They really need to actually show more of the elastic plot elements to get me convinced.
 
I'm excited for this game. I just bought a used copy of IP, and I'm digging it so far (not too far in). I don't understand the hate that some of you have. He's not claiming (as far as I can tell) that you'll change everything about the story, but that it will have "rubberband" gameplay. Just like your elastic analogy, that's what he means. I dig that. I know that I'm on a railroad, but it gives you a little bit of freedom within that.
 
Heh, Orko, you'll hit the reasons why some of us really dislike IP in short time. About halfway through the story things just get way too absurd and all that great build up goes down the drain.
 
Well commenting directly about the controls in Heavy Rain, they well enough to me. Just makes me ponder what if the big N's system had the power to run a game like this? Using motion controls to open things might be interesting. Here I guess they are doing their best to map it to a standard controller.

The "button twister" sounds interesting too, I don't think I've played a game that has that yet.
 
They basically added a feature that I have been saying for a while a game should implement.

Dieing doesn't end the game.

David Cage, director of Heavy Rain, disclosed an interesting tidbit of info back at LGC: the main character of the game, as seen above, can be killed and the player will still be able to continue the game. "I can't really tell you too much about what the story's about or how it's going to work with the characters, all I can tell you that your character -- the main character -- can die, and the story will continue," Cage told VG247. "You can continue to play, without this character, of course."



Which I basically said in my old thread that was totally bashed on:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173170
 
Game might be only about 8-12 hours long.

Not a big deal if you can have a different experience each play through.

peaking to VG247 at Games Convention, Quantic Dream boss David Cage said a single walk through of top drawer PS3 thriller Heavy Rain is likely to take no more than 12 hours.

“We’re still in the middle of production, so I can’t really tell you the exact time of the game, but we’re targeting a game between eight and 12 hours in gameplay for one walk through,” he said.

Seen for the first time in Germany last month, the game showed what appeared to be unparalleled plot-branching, a fact, Cage said, likely to keep the hardcore coming back for much more.

“It’s impossible in one walk through to see everything there is to see,” he added.

“And that’s going to be OK. For most gamers, they’re going to play it once, and really enjoy it and have a great journey, but some hardcore gamers will want to come back and see everything, and all possible options.”

Heavy Rain has been branded PS3’s “most important title for next year” by SCEE boss David Reeves.
 
From Neogaf:

This game is just amazing. The presentation is in French (from Micromania expo in France), but some features of the game should be translated in English in a few minutes.

video : http://www.gamekyo.com/videoen13496_...ion-video.html

mirror (faster ?) : http://www.gamekyo.com/videoen13497_...eo-mirror.html

>>DIRECT LINK >>

some features of the demo :

- In this demo, the player takes the role of a young journalist who is investigating on several girls' disappearances, she goes to a house of a taxidermist who is suspected of killing these women. In this presentation, the Producer of the game shows 2 different ways to finish this demo, there are lots of different ways to get through the story.

- Multiple view camera system, not always behind the girl.

- The demo is fully playable, no cut-scenes, the player can control the girl at any time.

- The Sixaxis motion sensor is used in the game to make different moves (open a window, raise or hit on an object, etc.).

- It is possible to hear what is happening in the mind of the character, so the player knows the different choices that are available.

- No loadings in the game!

- Backgrounds are fully interactive (all objects can be used, all doors can be opened, etc.).

- Very interesting Split Screen System to keep an eye on the murderer, control the character at the same time.

- The player has to maintain several buttons to stay hidden, uncomfortable situation for the player to reproduce the same stress in the game.

- Quick time events for some action scenes.
 
Yep, adventure games never died, they were just waiting for the next technological leap to make them fresh again.

I think other companies could make something along the level of Heavy Rain, albeit without all the extra realism. By going with stylized, maybe even cartoony, characters as they have in the past, but worked with big branching scripts, we could see a resurgence of them.

Oh, and I'm working on my 3D animation finals right now and those shots of the 3D face models actually helped me a lot in figuring out how to handle the detail, especially with things like the hairline.
 
Likely Q4 2009 to Q2 2010 unless they're farther than they're letting on.

Sony has a habit of showing games way before they're released.
 
[quote name='Vanigan']Likely Q4 2009 to Q2 2010 unless they're farther than they're letting on.

Sony has a habit of showing games way before they're released.[/quote]

I always thought it was first half of 2009 for some reason. They should release it over the summer and learn from this year that new non-shooter IPs do not belong in the fall.
 
blog update from a few days ago:

Hello everyone! My name is Guillaume de Fondaumiere, co-CEO at Quantic Dream and executive producer of Heavy Rain.

Last month, a group of roughly 35 journalists from around the world came to visit Quantic Dream. Following our first presentation of Heavy Rain in Leipzig in August, we wanted to be able to share our passion for the game and reveal in particular how such a massive project comes to life. When you play a game such as this, it is difficult to really understand how much effort goes into its production. Our hope was that through such a visit, we might be able to educate gamers a bit more on how a game is crafted and how important artistic direction is to ensure a consistent experience from the first to the last minute.
Following a quick tour of our studio, David Cage, Quantic’s CEO and creative director on Heavy Rain, gathered media in our motion capture studio located on the ground floor of our building. We had decided to present them the complete production process, from game design and initial concept art up until the final integration of all elements within one scene in real-time. The presentation lasted roughly two hours, in particular because we had prepared a number of making-of type videos and real-time code on PS3 illustrating the different steps of 3D set production, actor casting, 3D character creation, and Virtual Actor performance. At the end, we explored together a never before shown scene of the game live on PLAYSTATION 3 in which all elements had been put together.


I think the most fascinating aspect of Heavy Rain is the fact that more than 250 people are contributing to its making, all of which are working under the artistic supervision of David Cage, His attention to detail is really fascinating…I am sitting in the back of our studio while he is passionately talking about our project. More than anyone else in the team, Heavy Rain is his baby. For the past two and a half years, I can clearly feel how proud he is to show how his vision is coming to life.
For the end of the tour, we had prepared a little surprise for our guests: to practice live on stage and become a Virtual Actor in the game. We equipped two journalists with body suits and reflectors. The stage had been dressed with set elements: a door, two chairs, one table, a cupboard. David briefed the two journalists on the scene, explaining to each of them what their role were, the starting point of the scene, and what they were supposed to say and play.
Once fully equipped the two casually entered the stage. The rest of the crowd had assembled around the set, in a similar casual fashion. However, when David started to use his firm directing voice to ask for silence and pronounced the first syllabus of the typical movie-style check-up words “ready to roll. Rolling and….ACTION” we virtually felt the attention of our journalists-turned-actors spinning from vaguely alert to 100% focused. The crowd was holding its breath, as all assembled immediately sensed the change. David had decided to shoot the scene in three distinct steps. The first shot was repeated twice as David gave more direction to its actors after initial takes. The second and third shots however were played exactly how David had envisioned them. Our actors were “in their roles” and did actually play quite professionally. A big round of applause followed the last “…and CUT” words of David at the end of the third shot.
This concluded the presentation and the rest of the tour was spent answering interviews or casually discussing with the journalists what they had seen before.

When the game was unveiled at Games Convention in Leipzig, we were obviously delighted at what a great response we received. With the event that day, we wanted to take the unique opportunity to let journalists and gamers around the world take a look behind the scenes at how Heavy Rain is made. It is a very special feeling to see at the precise moment when everything comes together and is being assembled to create what we believe will be a unique interactive experience. We hope that we were able to communicate how much innovation and artistic effort goes into its production and look forward to showing you more of the actual game in the coming months.
 
[quote name='DarkNessBear']They basically added a feature that I have been saying for a while a game should implement.

Dieing doesn't end the game.





Which I basically said in my old thread that was totally bashed on:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173170[/QUOTE]

For RPGs, and games like Heavy Rain that's a good feature, but for an action game like Halo, or Tomb raider dieing not ending the game might not work. Knowing that your character is so vulnerable will change the way that people approach the game, definitely will make the game (heavy rain) more immersive. However the only issue that I have with real dying is that you make a mistake and you have to pay for it throughout the entire game. A fix for that would be for that character to perhaps be unavailable for a while, maybe he or she has to go to the hospital and maybe some chapters later gets better and released -but it has to be a woven into the main story. I would love to see an in game graphics movie made as a special feature for Heavy Rain, where you can watch the game like a movie after you beat it.

I looked through the link to the old thread, you know you try to discuss something intelligently and all you get are jokes, and immature comments...
 
PSblog says the next Qore "issue" should have some heavy rain info. But from the sound of things, it may just be some mo-cap details.

In Paris, Veronica Belmont searches for answers about Heavy Rain as she dons the mo-cap suit at Quantic Dream where they aspire to redefine “interactive cinema” with this film-noir adventure title.
 
i'm generally confused because i haven't played Indigo Prophecy.

are these games like the old school Dragon's Lair game?
 
Actually, David Cage, the director has said he's basically turning as much as he can that would have been non-interactive cutscenes into gameplay.

Yes, in theory it's similar to say, Dragon's Lair, or perhaps classic adventure games. However, it's best to think of this as the next evolution of adventure games. The game isn't just a series of QTEs like in Dragon's Lair or similar games, and it's not just point and click like in adventure games. Your choices matter in the game, it matters to an extent where you don't just die, or can't progress when you make a wrong decision, there are now many outcomes and game segments between them.

For example, as you go searching through the serial killer's house, you can choose to search quickly and recklessly, but that might get you discovered later on if you knock stuff over or leave things on/open.
 
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