Prissy Little Chloe

UI Initially UI was displaced on the right-hand corner of the screen -– which in effect shifted the player’s focus from the task at hand to check the next action necessary. This was switched to the much more intuitive 3D icons we see in Quantic Dream games today. These icons are transparent, so they keep that unobtrusive element, while changing in movement and position within the context of the situation. For example, the icons pop up when the character moves and turns near an interactive object, such as to pick up a letter on the floor. This gives the player freedom to choose which actions to perform, while challenging them to have a keen eye for locating objects (e.g. evidence) in a scene. The button prompts also change order in a queue formation when buttons are held down in sequence and begin to jitter as the situations becomes more intense (like the characters’ thoughts when the left trigger is held down.) There is also not HUD, allowing for total player immersion. Co...

Production Casting There were 14 casting sessions; 457 actors auditioned — 90 of them were selected and every person was entirely facial-captured during production. The director chose this method to more accurately and precisely record the subtle nuances of expression, to best convey the emotional weight of each of the characters’ intentions. There were over 172 days of mocap shooting — creating over 30,000 unique animations for Heavy Rain . “We were not just looking for someone to give his [or her] face or his [or her] voice, but we were really looking for the full actor.” — David Cage Before capturing the performance, the actor’s face and body is 3d scanned — keeping their same body type, height and proportions. Actors must deliver a natural performance in the context of a player making choices. For instance, in the second chapter the player can choose Ethan to be a responsible or withdrawn father. Either way remains true to the character * Z Brush was used ...

Gameplay “Heavy Rain is a very dark thriller; it’s an experience that I think for the first time is going to put gamers into very different emotional states … I think it’s going to demonstrate that emotion is the key to any entertainment form.” — Guillaume De Fondaumiere Fun Fact: There is a sheet inside the disk case players can fold into an origami figure (instructions on screen), during the 4GB game download. ARI - Added Reality Interface ARI is agent Norman Jayden’s FBI augmented reality interface accessed through his glasses and interacted with by his glove. It’s not only very cool but  highly useful in game; clues are scanned and highlighted through ARI by pressing the RB as the player searches. ARI also acts as an inventory system of files, clues and evidence found by the player can be compiled and clues can be put together. “This … this is my office?” ARI also allows the user to customize their view, choosing any theme from underwater, to no a...

Player Choices Bear Consequence There are multiple ways a scene can play out depending on the player’s past choices and those specifically made in that scene. storytelling, branching structure, dramatic tension, the hero’s journey (heroic quest) Players can get answers through dialogue choices and explore observations (and objectives) through a character’s thoughts. There is direct player control — with no specific run action. Most of the time, players won’t run indoors. Running is automatic during gameplay, to fit the emotional direction of the scene. Win or Lose There is no way to “lose” the game per se; only unfavorable events unfold, (i.e. characters die) or the player’s search is impeded (evidence is lost, players never meet important characters or situations to gather evidence.) There are many scenes where the main characters can die in different ways at several points in the game; the game continues, but circumstances are heavily affected. For exa...

Under Pressure In my experience, the most difficult button combination sequence in the game is when Norman Jayden must bring in a suspect for questioning, who goes by the name of Mad Jack. Jackson is said to have sold a used car to the Origami Killer and presumably has information on the killer identity or alias. When Jayden finds traces of human blood and orchid pollen, he tries to arrest Jack on the spot. He resists the arrest and goes to Kill Jayden — which he can if the player is not quick enough during the intense fight sequence. If Jayden survives the attack and beats Mad Jack, he concedes and Jayden proceeds with the arrest. It’s then Jayden’s nose begins to bleed, his eyes begin twitching and his hands start shaking uncontrollably in the middle of the arrest. To resist feeding his addiction to a drug called triptocaine, the player must hold down a series of buttons to stop his hands from shaking and the weakness from his symptoms of withdrawal. If the playe...

Inconsistencies Liking Shaun More Since the entire premise of the game is saving Ethan’s son Shaun from being the killer’s latest victim (or don’t and he dies) I felt more attached to Shaun as we got to know him better. With Jason, there was simply not enough time to become fully invested and as emotional as the accident scene was, I feel that if it had happened a little later player’s would have felt more guilt rather than surprise. Throwing chickens Suspect throws chickens at Norman Jayden - how often is there livestock in the supermarket? Jason’s death When Jason darts across the road he is hit by a slow moving car. I get that he’s a 10-year-old boy and the impact is more severe, but I expected nothing more than a fracture. Also Ethan jumps across and shields Jason! The result? Jason dies and Ethan is in a coma. This is very shocking and sad when you play, but after a while you can’t help but wonder. How did Jason die instantly?

Where the Confusion Lies These are a few things that may have confused players: Language ‘ Deserted wasteland ' - many characters throw this term around to describe the open field next to a train track where the victims’ bodies are found. ' Living room cupboard ' - the cupboard is actually in the dining room. Vacant look in Ethan’s eyes - compared to other characters, Ethan’s pupils never dilate or change no matter how he feels. Jason seems ADHD - he wanders off no matter what his father tells him. I know it’s important to the plot of the game, but I can’t help but think that maybe Jason’s death wasn’t due to Ethan’s negligence, as he does call after him repeatedly (by pressing X.)

This sequence was left optional to the player, as the developers wanted to introduce the player to the character more gradually and give the player more freedom in that discovery. During the opening scene, the player has Ethan get up from bed -- controlling the speed of the movement using the right stick -- and move around (optional: walk out to the balcony, look at his wedding photo.) The player is also encouraged to hold down the RT to listen to the character’s thoughts and observations (especially important later for mission objectives.) Here Ethan thinks about showering and getting dressed. If the player takes a look at the wedding photo Ethan remarks that his wife looks more and more beautiful everyday. When the player moves towards the door they are prompted to lift a note off the floor from Ethan’s wife Grace letting him know she stepped out to pick up supplies for their son Jason’s birthday party -- and because letters are so much more romantic than text messages...