AI, replayability and release
HEXUS.gaming : What about the AI in Crysis? What’s happening with that? Obviously the AI in FarCry was pretty good though I have to be honest that sometimes they were a bit dumb. Most of the time they were pretty good though and in my personal opinion FarCry’s AI just topped Half Life 2’s. So how’s the AI coming on, is it the next step on from what we saw in FarCry?
Seb : We’re striving for as realistic opponents as possible. Again it’s a bit different as it’s not linear levels, it’s all free roaming within the level. So the AI basically does the same as you do. So they react differently to various situations but because Crysis is free roaming, those situations will always be different. They might try and bring down half the wood to shoot you, but they can clear obstacles or even use them as cover. They will do that.
HEXUS.gaming : If they get hit will they leg it or will they hang around and play the hero?
Seb : That all depends on the situation they’re in. How many guys in the squad are left, for example, is the squad leader who gives the commands still alive… and even then it’s still up to the individual AI soldier for what he does so you won’t see the same behaviour for everyone each time. So if there’s three guys to fight, it won’t be the same the next time you load the same level, even the player does the same things.
HEXUS.gaming : So even if you reload a level, it won’t play the same as the first time you played it?
Seb: No, it definitely won’t.
HEXUS.gaming : So you’ve got a massive amount of replayability then?
Seb : Well each time you load a level it’ll play a bit differently and even then you’ve got tons of different ways to solve a situation. It totally depends on the player if he wants to go in ‘Rambo’ style in there or if he wants to sneak around and take them out with a silenced weapon. It’s up to the player.
Ben : It’s quite telling that we spent however long it was at E3 playing the same level over and over again but it was never boring. I mean, usually on first person shooters after a while of demoing it you’re like “If I have to play this level one more time…” but, with Crysis, every time you were showing someone something new would happen right in front of you and you were like “Oh, that was cool, that hasn’t happened before”.
HEXUS.gaming : Tell us a bit about the actual 3D modelling in the game because I’ve seen that your weapon is an actual object in the world, so you can knock the foliage around with it just by walking about… The player is actually ‘there’ as a 3D model, so bushes sway as you walk by and that kind of thing.
Ben : Yes that’s right and that affects the gameplay as well because the AI will see the bushes moving and be attracted to the movement. Even if they can’t see it they might hear the movement as you’ll make a noise as you pass through the leaves. So it’s not just a case of crouching in a bush and them not being able to see you anymore, if you’re hiding in a bush the AI might’ve have seen the bush move as you crept into it… so you could be in just as much trouble anyway.
HEXUS.gaming : So it really is as realistic as possible, within the bounds of it being a first person shooter with a dirty great alien ship in it. Ben : Yeah, pretty much.
HEXUS.gaming : Well guys it’s been great talking to you but we’ve got to wrap up now as I’ve been told you’re due on stage for the gameplay demo any second… there’s 300 gamers out there, probably the toughest crowd you could choose to put Crysis in front of.
Seb : Trust me, their gonna like what they see.
HEXUS.gaming : One last quick question for you… When can we expect to see Crysis in the shops?
Ben : When it’s ready. It’ll be out when it’s ready to be out.
HEXUS.gaming : Hehe, ok. Guys, thanks very much, go do your stuff and let’s see what Crysis can do.
Seb : Thanks.
Ben : Cheers.
Make sure you check out all our Crysis video coverage over on HEXUS.tv!
