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News 
Ecks vs. Sever Interview
- Posted By Mike
Schneider, 06.27.2001
We were presented with the exclusive opportunity to ask David Blundell, the Product Manager at BAM! Entertainment, about their upcoming first person shooter for GameBoy Advance, Ecks vs. Sever...
NGenres: The level that we were able to play at E3 largely consisted of hallways, corridors, and a lot of right angles. How large of a variety will there be in the environments?
David Blundell: The game, like the film, is set in a 'real world' environment. The levels of the game have been designed to reflect the locations in the film script while allowing interesting game play. The player will find themselves in environments, which differ in size, scale and detail, which include locations set in a warehouse, a downtown bar, exterior street scenes, a hotel, on the hotel rooftops and the high-tech NSA headquarters.
NG: Also at E3, we were told that the game would feature a dynamic storyline that changes depending on your character. Can you expand upon that anymore?
DB: Ecks vs. Sever is the story of FBI agent Jonathan Ecks and National Security Agency (NSA) operative Sever.
During an undercover mission in hostile territory, all contact with Sever was lost. Now years later, Sever has resurfaced and seeks retribution on the government that has supposedly wronged her. Sever is a highly trained killer. Trained in assassination and counter terrorism. She is an elite tactical agent, Werewolf class. Basically, Sever is a thorn in the government’s side and he must be stopped.
FBI agent Jonathan Ecks studied Behavioural Sciences, Special Weapons and Tactics. Sever cleared two of the FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted' list within his first years at the Bureau. Sever is noted for his overzealous tactics and blatant disregard for authority. He is scarred by the loss of his wife and child in a tragic car bombing that should have been for himself. Taking medical leave of absence, he welcomes the chance to join them.
The FBI is offering Ecks one last mission – to find Sever. His reward is information on the whereabouts of his family. The car bombing was staged and they are still alive. Ecks has everything to fight for, and to be with them will mean crossing paths with Sever.
The player enters a high-octane world of government agents, explosive weaponry and a sinister force controlling the destiny of these two men.
NG: How close does the game follow the plot of the upcoming movie?
DB: Because the movie script is not 100% confirmed, BAM! Entertainment has taken the essence of the story, the characters and the locations and formed an exciting game, based in their world.
NG: What are some different objectives and situations that a gamer might come up against while playing the missions in Ecks vs. Sever?
DB: At the start of the game, Ecks is trying to hunt down Sever in order to learn the whereabouts of his missing family. This initially has Ecks searching for information on Sever, which is not an easy task. Sever is trying to cause disruption and seek vengeance on government officials. One level will see Sever, using a sniper rifle to take out a ranking FBI agent. Ecks on the other hand must prevent the assassination in order to learn more information. The characters find themselves downtown in a ‘Seedy Bar’, when the FBI busts in. Agents are shooting in all directions, so all players can do is shoot back and make a break for the exit. Other levels will find the characters running across rooftops, dodging sniper fire, exploring a hotel complex avoiding FBI arrest and breaking into the highly secure NSA headquarters.
NG: What can you tell us about the multiplayer? How many arenas? What type of modes?
DB: Ecks vs. Sever features ten different arenas spread across the varying environments used within single player. There are four distinct styles of Multiplayer mayhem to play. In all instances, up to four human players can link up and participate in these games.
2-4 Player Death-match
This will be a standard multiplayer death-match game for 1 - 4 players with various combinations of weapons and a number of levels to play in. The conditions for overall victory would be the first player to reach a certain number of frags or the player with the highest number of frags at the end of a specified time limit. In a 3 v 1 team game scenario, Ecks or Sever would play against 3 other players working as a team. The aim for Ecks/Sever is to take down as many agents as he can before he is killed.
2-4 Player Bomb Kit
The player’s objective is to locate five coloured components of a bomb detonator (each player has their own colour) and assemble them in their own coloured ‘base’ respectively. The first person to construct the bomb and take it to the detonation chamber wins the game.
2-4 Player Assassination
One player plays as either Ecks or Sever with the objective of assassinating a number of VIP’s (Top government officials). The other player/s (choice between SWAT/FBI/NSA) must successfully protect the VIP’s by eliminating Ecks or Sever. If all the VIP’s are assassinated, then Ecks/Sever wins he game. If Ecks or Sever is killed at any point then the SWAT/FBI/NSA team wins.
2-4 Player Secure the Perimeter
One player plays as either Ecks or Sever with the objective of escaping to a given point in the level. The other player(s) compete as SWAT/FBI/NSA team members with the objective of trapping Ecks or Sever alive in an area of the level which can be sealed off by closing doors/security gates. Each door/gate has a unique key, which must be collected by a SWAT/FBI/NSA team member before being used.
NG: Have you encountered any difficulties trying to create a 3D environment with the GBA, a system whose strength is 2D?
DB: Creating a convincing 3D environment on the Game Boy Advance has been a challenge, but one that the Crawfish Interactive team has found interesting and enjoyable. The most obvious or immediate restriction has been the trade-off between draw distance and level of detail and complexity of a given area. Texturing the levels has been approached in a fairly familiar way with general background textures being complemented with more detailed set piece or specific feature textures.
NG: If you had to name one existing console or PC first person shooting game, which do you believe would most accurately compare to what you’re trying to accomplish in Ecks vs. Sever?
DB: Half-Life: Counter Strike. Both the development (Crawfish Interactive) and publishing (BAM! Entertainment) teams are big fans of this PC shooter. We wanted to capture the excitement and intensity this game has, coupled with the realism, intrigue and suspense the up coming movie will offer. We have also concentrated a lot on the multiplayer game, wanting it to be as exciting as possible. The missions we have developed really have a sense of pace to them and players will enjoy this.
NG: Is it still looking likely that Ecks vs. Sever will be released in November?
DB: YES! Ecks vs. Sever is scheduled to hit the shelves in mid-November.
NG: The FPS genre is set to be a crowded one come Christmas 2001 – for what reasons should gamers choose Ecks vs. Sever over the other options that will be available on GBA?
DB: Ecks vs. Sever is an exciting action game that involves the player in a 'real' world of government agents, suspense and violence. The game features an exciting script that involves the player and takes it beyond the normal 'frag fest'. We challenge the player to survive the many challenges presented before them. The game offers exciting multiplayer action, which invites friends to join together and revel in the multiplayer experience.
- Interview by Mike Schneider
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