Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs has a “richer” world than The Dark Descent, says dev
Lewis Denby July 12, 2012 - 1:52 pmNews: Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs will take place in a “richer” world than its predecessor, according to creative director Dan Pinchbeck, who says he wants to tell as much of the story as possible without dialogue.
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, the wonderfully named follow-up to Amnesia: The Dark Descent, is shaping up to be even scarier than the pant-wetting original. And a big part of this is down to the way its disturbing story is conveyed utilising cues in a rich environment.
Speaking to BeefJack at the Develop Conference today, creative director Dan Pinchbeck explained how the new setting allows for a “richer” world, and how much of the story will be conveyed through the environment, rather than through dialogue.
“I’m obsessed with the environmental storytelling thing. So my marker is: I know we’re getting it right in terms of level design and art if I’m actually going, ‘I’m kind of reluctant to put a script into this’,” said Pinchbeck.
Pinchbeck, in a bold step away from his previous game Dear Esther, says he’s only utilising words on the occasions where there’s no environmental way to communicate the dark Victorian-era story.
“The environment, I think, is much richer than in The Dark Descent,” he added. “It communicates a lot of the story that way. The actual voiceover content is much more psychological, it’s much more about the state of mind, and it still is about that core personality fragmentation: who are you, and what’s your relation to this character, and what is their history?”
A Machine for Pigs will feature some radically different environments to its predecessor, swapping out tight, claustrophobic corridors for larger open spaces and outdoor areas.
It was on course for a Halloween release, but it’s now slipped to 2013. So we’re safe for those few more months. Eep!
