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Does Shatter use, or optionally support, SIXAXIS control?
Shatter supports both the analog controls and rumble, but not motion controls. We tried various prototypes with motion controls but always found it lost something over using the buttons and sticks. In the ended we decided we wouldn’t add motion controls just for the sake of it.
What else can you tell us about the controls?
The controls are pretty easy to get the hang of as the core control is just moving the bat back and forth, and using the attract and repel mechanic. Outside of that there are extra buttons for activating shield, a special attack, and launching additional balls into the playfield.
Tell us about some of the interesting mechanics in Shatter such as the shield, sonic wave, and the ‘after touch’ ability you have to control your breaking orbs.
Are all of these abilities available to the player at the very start of the game or do you have to earn/unlock any of these?
All abilities are available from the start of the game, though we only introduce the need for the gamer to use all of them as the levels progress. So the player starts off only having to focus on bat movement to ease them into it, but by the last world is having to use everything in their arsenal.
The graphics are gorgeous and the physics look great from the trailers; what can you tell us about the game engine used here? Was it developed in house? Connected with Gripshift in anyway?
The game uses a recent version of PhyreEngine combined with our own technology and tools. PhyreEngine is developed by Sony and made free for developers to use, so it’s a great solution for download products where budgets are lower and every dollar counts. We also used an earlier version of PhyreEngine for GripShift on both the PSN and XBLA versions as we ported the engine over to 360.
I understand the game is single player only, at least for now, pending consumer feedback, etc. That said, at launch, will Shatter support online with just Leaderboards for now, or are there other online components?
Shatter has support for leaderboards, trophies and friends. Chasing friends scores on the leaderboard seems particularly compelling as the development and QA teams in the studio were quite competitive throughout production.
The soundtrack has a really smooth and very fitting groove to the gameplay, it’s wonderful. What were the inspirations for it, and who composed it? I heard it might have been a New Zealand DJ. Thoughts on making the soundtrack available on MP3 via DLC?
We worked with a fantastic local musician, Module, to create the soundtrack. He was brought on board very early in the process and started creating tracks working from just concept art and early prototypes. Over time, as the game developed, he evolved the soundtrack in tandem which meant that it was a tightly coupled process. The end result is over 90 minutes of high quality original soundtrack which is tightly integrated into the gameplay and graphics. It really helps lift the whole experience.
Does the number of Levels per World vary? About how many total Levels/Worlds are there?
There are 10 worlds each with 7 brick levels, a Boss battle, and a Bonus round. Additionally, there are Boss Rush Mode and Bonus Mode. Everything is supported with leaderboards and trophies, so there is plenty to do and keep the gamer coming back for more.
Is there a boss battle at the end of each World?
Yes, each world has a Boss guardian at the end which is themed to that world. We have many different bosses including those which look like a snake or octopus, bosses that have special attacks, and even those that can use the attract and repel mechanic themselves. The bosses really add a colourful element to the game, and to defeat them the gamer will have to use the various abilities they will learn and master throughout the title.
I understand there are Continues; where is it determined how many continues a player gets (in the Options, or can you earn more during play like you can extra lives, etc?)
We didn’t want any particular level or world to become a barrier, so we are pretty generous if a player is struggling. If you are close to running out of lives (which in the game is represented in the game by how many balls you have) then chances are there will be an extra life pickup you have a chance of grabbing. We also allow 3 continues per world, so you if you get stuck on a hard boss, you can have a couple of good attempts against them without having to replay the whole world to get back to that point.
Wondering about the intended audience for Shatter. Casual gamer, nostalgic gamer, hardcore? How do you cater to these groups in terms of selectable difficulty and game modes? I think it’s safe to say the $8 price point will appeal to all.
We have really strived to make a game that is both appealing and accessible to all. The way we approached this and the difficulty of the game was really to let the gamer themselves set their own pace by giving them control over how many balls they can launch into the playfield. Your balls are analogous to lives, so the more you put out there the more risk you have, but the more potential reward as your bonus multiplier goes up and the faster you can progress through the game when in time attack. This system enables a novice user to progress through and complete the game at their own speed, while a hardcore player has the option to play ina more challenging way that enables them to be more competitive on the leaderboards.
How has developing for the PSN changed since you brought Gripshift over in 07?
GripShift was the first third party developed PSN title available on the Store, so at the time the PSN functionality, online functionality, and even the PS3 tools and libraries themselves had limited maturity. Over time Sony has continued to improve libraries, tools, and online functionality so we found from both a technical and logistical perspective that the process was much easier.
It’s unlikely — but is there any kind of save system or ‘chapters’ in Shatter so that you don’t start over with the first level, first wave every time you start the game? I realize that one of the main points of Shatter is racking up points, but I’m curious if you can just restart at a certain point instead of always having to go back to the beginning.
Given the structure of the game, we allow the gamer to start any game session from any unlocked World they choose, so you don’t have to start from scratch each time to complete the game. As each World also has it’s own leaderboard, this also means you can target your score chasing to ensure you are always ahead of the pack. Of course, if you want to be competitive on the overall Story Mode leaderboard then you’ll have to lay through the game from the beginning, making sure you max your score along the way.
Besides looking cool, does the background art have an alternative purpose? Just wondering if maybe there was a story in addition to the action that maybe the backgrounds helped convey or advance.
We do have a high level story to help give the gamer a reason and context for play. The gamer takes on the role of a machine, BAT1138, who is a slave in an energy farm which is part of a large machine empire. When his containment unit experiences an anomaly he breaks free, and must battle through the various levels and past the Boss guardians in order to escape back to his people. Each world represents another area in BAT1138’s travels through the different domains of the machine empire.
Have you guys already tossed around ideas or even tested out a potential multiplayer mode? I’d love to see some kind of co-op mode.
We tried prototyping a few different things, but nothing felt solid. We have a few more ideas, but we want to see what resonates with gamers first before we commit resources to anything with respect to a patch or DLC.
I assume their are Trophies; what are some of the Trophies (i.e., the requirements)?
There are a number of different trophies within the game. Novice gamers will pick up a few just for progressing the title, but there are a few harder ones and quirky ones in there too which will take some effort to obtain.
How did I miss this at E3? What were you guys doing in the Into the Pixel exhibit? 🙂
We had a fairly low profile at E3 with a modest display unit off to the end of the Into The Pixel exhibit. We were there because a piece of concept art for Shatter was selected to be part of the exhibit, and the organisers invited us to display the game as well. It was a great opportunity for us to display the game itself at E3 and a first for Into The Pixel. Despite our low profile, we did build a lot of awareness though particularly on the last day or so when a couple of the bigger gaming sites stumbled across us.
Any parting tips for gamers who want to climb to the top of the leaderboard?
We are working on a Tricks and Tips video to be released in the future, but the key tip is to keep as many balls out there as possible to keep your multiplier up and really max out your score. In the Boss Rush time attack mode, think carefully about when to use your Shard Storm attack as holding off on one boss and using it on the next may let you complete the mode that much faster.
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And there you have it. A big thank you to Mario for taking the time to answer these questions. Look for our full review soon!