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Categories: Interview
Tags: daredevil
FauxPlay, a French Design Team, recently announced Daredevil: Fearless set to hit shelves this December. While the dismal performance of the Ben Affleck Daredevil movie is blamed for the cancellation of 2004′s Daredevil: The Man Without Fear, FauxPlay thinks enough time has passed and gamers are ready for a Daredevil game. Curious about their take on the Marvel superhero, I interviewed team members Claude Daladier and Aimee Avoyelles.
Game Couch: Hi, thank you for your response! Could you tell me what your roles are on the team?
Daladier: I am Claude Daladier, lead designer.
Avoyelles: Aimee Avoyelles, project manager.
GC: Thanks! Well, my first question is, why Daredevil and why now?
Avoyelles: Daredevil is a popular character, but his potential in video games has never been reached. It is actually easier to make a game which is not connected to a movie. People see Superhero the Game of the Movie and have low expectations.
GC: What source material are you drawing on?
Daladier: Of course the Frank Miller stories, but we are also pulling pieces from Stan Lee, Dennis O’Neil, and Kevin Smith. We also have a treat for fans of The Trial of the Incredible Hulk.
GC: Fearless isn’t a very descriptive subtitle. What can Daredevil fans expect?
Avoyelles: For gameplay a real Daredevil experience. For story expect the Kingpin, Bullseye, Typhoid Mary to have major roles.
GC: Can you tell me about the real Daredevil experience and maybe clear up some rumors?
Daladier: Ha! I know what you are referring too. To begin with, we are committed to having the player BE Daredevil so we are using the first-person perspective. However, Daredevil is blind. So this will be one of the first major video games, not to have video.
GC: So will the player have a radar or wireframe reference?
Avoyelles: Would a blind person? What Claude and I are working on, is presenting the world of Daredevil through superior acoustics and sensory stimulation.
Daladier: In video games, always graphics come first. Here we are building a world around sound. Players will seek out enemies by hearing their heartbeats, listen for guns being drawn.
Avoyelles: And we are doing things with vibrating controllers which have never been considered before.
GC: Are gamers ready to accept a graphicless video game?
Avoyelles: Certainly. Because we have absolutely no graphics, this game will be priced at €12 [about $20 --Terry]. Also, because we are not relying on graphics we can present the same game experience on a Nintendo DS as we can an Xbox 360.
GC: But won’t gamers be confused by a black screen?
Daladier: No. Daredevil thinks to himself. The gamer will be on a rooftop and Daredevil will be saying, “It sounds like I’m on a rooftop. I bet if I walk three feet to my left, I’ll find a fire escape.” or “It sounds like he’s drawn a gun. I should throw my billyclub at him!”
Avoyelles: In testing, gamers have found this very intuitive. Having graphics is a barrier. Not having graphics opens gaming up for everyone.
Daladier: Except for deaf gamers, but we will have the subtitles for them.
GC: Thank you again. Best luck to you and the rest of FauxPlay!
Bluraven79:
Nice! (wink wink, nudge nudge…knowwhatImean?)