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 For instance, in the second chapter the player can choose Ethan to be a responsible or withdrawn father.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...

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.)

Cinematography Heavy Rain uses a character-based interaction model. The camera model is context-sensitive, but the angle is switchable by the player. The character is shown from the camera angle most appropriate for his or her current location in the world. Characters also look and move their head around, which adds more variety to their natural walk cycle. This lets the designer play the role of a cinematographer; and while this is often not a good model for fast-paced action games -- as it’s often disorienting to the player who needs to see obstacles and make educated inferences based on information presented -- this works well in Heavy Rain because of button mechanics involved in the action sequences. Different camera techniques are also used during scenes. For example in The Mall scene where Ethan is searching for his lost son Jason the camera changes from a calm, steady view to a shakier handheld one. The camera is also brought up to Ethan’s shoulder to allow the pl...

An Interactive Psychological Thriller  Heavy Rain is an award-winning Greatest Hits title for the Playstation 3 delivered by Quantic Dream, a studio based in Paris, France (known for Indigo Prophecy , Beyond Two Souls and the upcoming release Detroit: Become Human .) Heavy Rain is an interactive drama action-adventure game, delivering a cinematic experience where player choice dramatically alters the events that unfold in the narrative. Premise How Far Are You Willing to Go to Save Someone You Love? Each character no matter the role, has deep perspective on the situation and is connected to the investigation in some way -- either from the victim’s side, an informative side or directly connected to the case of the Origami Killer. The players take on the role of four characters; the family man Ethan Mars, the insomniac journalist Madison Paige, the FBI agent Norman Jayden and the private investigator Scott Shelby. Origami Killer - Modus Operandi The motiv...

An Interactive Psychological Thriller  Heavy Rain is an award-winning Greatest Hits title for the Playstation 3 delivered by Quantic Dream, a studio based in Paris, France (known for Indigo Prophecy , Beyond Two Souls and the upcoming release Detroit: Become Human .) Heavy Rain is an interactive drama action-adventure game, delivering a cinematic experience where player choice dramatically alters the events that unfold in the narrative. Premise How Far Are You Willing to Go to Save Someone You Love? Each character no matter the role, has deep perspective on the situation and is connected to the investigation in some way -- either from the victim’s side, an informative side or directly connected to the case of the Origami Killer. The players take on the role of four characters; the family man Ethan Mars, the insomniac journalist Madison Paige, the FBI agent Norman Jayden and the private investigator Scott Shelby. Origami Killer - Modus Operandi The motiv...