As most any loyal PSXE reader knows by know, I'm a big supporter of games like Heavy Rain ; games that push the boundary of interactive storytelling and attempt to infuse more artistry and character development into a still-growing industry.
Script writing has become more of a science for such titles, but did you realize just how lengthy and intricate the script for Heavy Rain really is…? Before you think of an estimate, you have to realize that due to the open-ended decision-oriented aspect of the game in question, the writers have to pen different results based on dozens (perhaps even hundreds) of player actions. Therefore, considering everything we can do, they deemed it necessary to write up a mammoth 2,000-page script , one that will sufficiently address any and all major decisions you make as you work your way through the adventure. For a frame of reference, even the most epic films will have around 150-200 pages of script…but then again, you're only writing one story. In Heavy Rain , one needs to provide multiple branches for the storyline in question, which means there has to be a great number of written-out options. It wouldn't make much sense to give the player a choice without letting us see the repercussions and consequences of that choice. It's like one of those old Choose Your Own Adventure books, only on a much larger scale.
The more we hear about this game, the more excited we become, and that's simply because it seems as if Quantic Dream wants to take everything to a whole new level. Gotta appreciate that.
Related Game(s): Heavy Rain
I'm really looking forward to Heavy Rain now after seeing that convenience store gameplay from Gamescom. This reminds me of the old Maniac Mansion game I used to play for NES waaay back in the day. That game even scared the hell outta me just because you had so much control and so many different options and had no idea what could lead to what. I'll buy this game as soon as I'm able, at the very least just to support this type of idea coming back in a big way.
Last edited by Zemus101 on 8/24/2009 9:29:22 PM
yet another Day 1 purchase, 'nuff said…
2000 page script means 2000 hours of play.
Last edited by Morals on 8/24/2009 9:59:09 PM
haha… If it takes 1 hour to write 1 page, I'm sure it'll take 1 hour to play.
+1 for Futurama reference sir.
Heavy Rain = Day 1 buy
I was thrown by that when I saw the interview. It makes sense of course, but 2,000 pages? its a hard number to imagine. I can't wait to play the game, it'll be worh it to play through again and again to get all there is out of those 2,000 pages.
What really appeals to me about this game is it's a game which is clearly cinematic, and due it its very nature it is like having a favorite movie in which you can change the characters actions just to see what would happen so every playthrough is like a whole new plot for the show. (No more telling people on the screen not to do something stupid)
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 8/24/2009 10:35:43 PM
Im so loving this game. 2,000 page script is very impressive.
Wow….
I could learn a thing or two(thousand) things from these devs…
Coming up with a compelling storyline + deep characters ain't easy. Believe me, I've tried it…
This game will be something
Lets hope this isn't another Haze
HEY…guy! Why would you even mention that?
…probably because the Haze developers also mentioned having a long script (1400 pages?).
2000 pages really isn't that long. I would bet the scripts of Uncharted and MGS4 are in the same neighborhood and scripts for RPGs could easily be longer. There's a reason they take 12 months and more to record all the dialogue.
oh i think there was a pun intended there ffrules… 😛
Wait… I could swear I've heard the exact same 2000-page news about Heavy Rain on this site before… Or have my latent psychic-abilities just kicked in…
It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it.
that's what she said
Boasting a huge script doesnt mean anything if its not good. Im not saying Heavy Rain will bomb or sell either. Im going to hold of my judgement until the game is out. But do you guys remember a while back when free radical boasted that their script for haze was pretty long? How did that end up.
but they already made Fahrenheit and it was super awesome. i cant see how will they go wrong
There's that many scripts because they have to change the situation every player has to be in because they have to make different outcomes each time player makes a different decision in the game, that's why its suppose to be LONG, I'm pretty sure its not going to be like Haze, it's not made by ubisoft (free radical) either lol. It looks great from the gameplay video I've seen so far ^o^
Heavy Rain is meant to be played once, each gamer crafting his or her own story. The more I learn about Heavy Rain, the more likely I am to honor Cage's request…
"I know it sounds weird, but I'd prefer people to play through [Heavy Rain] once, and then maybe never replay it again." (Cage)
"One gets the impression that if [Cage] had his way, the disc would immediately self destruct, leaving nothing but a wisp of smoke wafting from the drive tray of your PS3." (play magazine, august 09, pg 39)
Last edited by Kangasfwa on 8/25/2009 12:07:36 AM
I'll bet a lot of gamers are going to play it more than once, but hey you never forget the first time, heh.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 8/25/2009 12:15:22 AM
I can understand that, but i certainly will be playing it through more than once. The most interesting aspect of the game to me is seeing of my differnt actions create different effects. If i were just ment to play through it once they might aswell have just made a none alternative script like normal games structure.
@ Ultimadream
You said it yourself. Heavy Rain has a multi-path script to allow you create your own story. Playing this game more than once defeats what Cage is trying to achieve.
Wow o_O
If they want to, as a bonus.. I hope they let us unlock at least half of that script if you master the game so we can read it and..
increase our brain capacity lol
2000 page script meaning a whole lot of possibilities. I can't imagine playing this game in less than 50+ hours just to find out the different scenarios.
thats one thing im worried about with this.
it just seems like your never going to get the full experience out of the game, everything you do changes what you do next, and theres so many variations of what you could do.
like the E3 demo for example, theres so much going on if you do 1 thing different the line changes and you cant go back.
so your never going to experience everything out of the game, its sort of a good thing because you can play it multiple times and have a completly different experience, but theres only so many hours in a day how many times can you replay the 1 game?
they should of made it that you can retry, lock it onto 1 path and thats it that way you know that path is complete and you can go onto the next.
what if i get crushed in the car crusher?
what if i want to find out what happens if i get out, i have to play the whole game again?
now that just sucks.
its kinda like real life then aint it???
after all, you only get 1 go at life… every action creates an equal and opposite reaction, eliminating the ability to change what you have previously done…
the more i think of heavy rain, it sounds like a life simulator… like living the life of someone else, while you live in the real world… if that makes any sence
Last edited by Gregory Freeman on 8/25/2009 5:48:39 PM
@No name:
You're obviously missing the point of this game. The story continues to the way YOU play it, it breaks away from the standard game over screens, yes I can say many people aren't used to this but that is why Quantic Dreams wants to push the envelope. You die, then just continue, that's the whole purpose, you can have 100+ different scenarios and that's basically unheard of in any game.
The whole idea is to have a "different" experience every time you replay the game, unlike others where you play the same game then make choices in some checkpoints, from what I've read, this game has a free system of choosing HOW and WHEN you want to progress through the game.
From the Developer's Diary, I've also seen saved checkpoints that CAN be reloaded at anytime in the game, so I guess that solves your problem. But in all honesty, I want that feature removed, it destroys the seamless experience of the game.
Ricochet
thats exactly what i said.
im not saying its a bad thing, its nice to see a game go so in depth and different, yes its like a life simulator and thats to me the best part about it your actions have consequences.
BUT i like to get everything out of a game, i like to know i have experienced everything.
i hate it when i feel like i have missed something, and evidently thats exactly whats going to happen with heavy rain.
a need new pants lol
You can get everything out of the experience. The next several play throughs, which i will be accomplishing, will just have to be different choices for you! For instance in the new and of course impressive scene where a detective is trying to get an Origami Killers victim to talk is in the shop when its held up, the video I watched he crept up on the crook and knocked him out with a bottle, while being very quite not to knock anything over and direct attention.
Or you could try to talk the man down, my goodness this is a very impressive game here people. Intense graphics, story driven(thank god), and promising. All around astounding. Now I don't know about you, but I have never seen anything like this. It's just too epic for the normal person to comprehend.
Sorry for the double post but my point is, you have the choice. Make different choices on your next journey through, and if you died one time through you could try again without loosing anyone. Just thinking of the endless possibilities gives me chillzzzz.
what happened to that one news bit on this site (i recall this site, may be wrong) that your main charactor doesn't have to live to complete the story???
as far as i know thats how the game plays out, if your character dies thats it he/she is dead for good and the story adapts.
as for replaying the game choosing a different path.
the game takes around 12 hours to complete ive heard, say theres 10 different possible paths im positive theres more but meh lets use 10.
10 different paths times by 12 gives us 1200 hours of gameplay.
i dont know about you but i dont have 1200 hours to spend on 1 game.