User blog:Teddy Picker/Last Light Update

Recent updates on Last Light, |VG VG 24/7 revisited 2033, and |Metro Metro Twitter said there would be more info coming soon (but let's face facts, they always say that). I was primarily excited because of the picture to the right of your screen. Anywho, I'll use this blog post for any other updates that I see in the future.

-April 12, 2012: this is pretty much what we already knew, but it's cool to know they'll be at E3.

Plus, a reason to love THQ on social networking sites, (in this case Facebook) =

Oh, I forgot, this:

For those who haven't checked out the Last Light forums: (yes, it's official)

April 17th
Member: Pip314 Q: Is the combat knife a selectable slot this time around, or a button-press action? A: We currently have the knife assigned to a context sensitive 'melee' button – a significant change from Metro 2033! Context sensitive attacks include basic melee, a stealth execute (as shown in our E3 2011 demo), and we are also experimenting with a stealth 'knock out' (although this is still a WIP feature that may not make the final cut).

Member: aaronpoitras Q: When will 4A release another demo or trailer highlighting the game and new features? What about some new screenshots? A: There's a minor trade show on the horizon you Westerners call 'E3'. There's a distinct possibility you may see and hear a lot more about Metro around this time ... maybe even a little before.

Member: Von Streff Q: Will there be a Ranger Hardcore mode? If so, will the difficulty remain as high (and as good) as it was in Metro 2033? A: We are definitely planning to have some kind of Ranger Hardcore mode, as we know how much you loved it in Metro 2033. We're still tweaking the specifics – we want it to be better than ever. More details to follow in the next few months. {C}Member: Vlad Q1: In the demo there is destructible environment. Will this destructible environment be advanced (such as in the Bad Company franchise) or more like normal physics in most games (i.e. shooting through thin walls, destroying thin structures, shooting through other destructible items)? A1: Destruction is not structural, but designed to enhance strategic decision making when approaching certain situations. In the E3 Demo last year (2011), you saw walls and other surfaces crumbling from bullet fire to reveal the re-bar structure within. Destruction in Metro: Last Light is consistent with this across all destructible materials considered part of the structure of the environment (i.e. walls, barriers, etc). There are standalone items in the environment that can be fully destroyed. For example the shelving with boxes you saw in the demo. There are also materials that bullets will pass through, and some flammable materials. Q2: The option interface for graphics in Metro 2033 was not that user friendly. Will the player be able to modify / customize this in Metro: Last Light? A2: We have been hard at work to redesign the user interface, HUD, and controls. We recognized this as one of our flaws last time around and it is definitely an area we are putting a lot of focus on. {C}Member: Mediaprobe Q: The Metro 2033 graphics were lovely to me; but, other people thought they were bad compared to other games. Is there going to be a graphical overhaul? If so, any changes apart from some odd texture detail that was seen in the gameplay playthrough / walkthrough? A: The 4A Engine has been updated with numerous features, optimizations and improvements that you’ll see manifest in both PC and console versions. Our goal is to make one of the best-looking games on whatever system you play it on. We'll be talking about the technology in a lot more detail later in the PR campaign.

Member: Majnu Q1: Will there be any Easter Eggs? Metro 2033 didn't have many (except the prostitute). A1: Oh, so you didn't find the (text redacted). You'll just have to wait and see – they wouldn't be Easter Eggs if we told you now, would they? Q2: Will the bullet currency be improved? If so, can you describe? A2: The fundamental gameplay mechanic is mostly unchanged – instead, we're focusing on explaining how the dual ammo economy works better to the player, and improving the interface (both HUD and trading interface) so the mechanic is more intuitive to use. More details to follow on this closer to game release.

Member: Majnu {C}Q1: Are you introducing any female rangers? Russian females kick ass! A1: We're keeping a lot of the plot and characters under wraps for now, but you'll see a major new character next time we show the game. Is it a he or a she though? We can't say just yet... Q2: In the E3 demo, the AI looked pretty "dumbed" down. Was that intentional? Can you provide any insights on how the AI will work in Metro: Last Light? A2: What you saw in the E3 demo from 2011 was a work in progress and should not be considered final. It was designed to showcase our improved gun-play rather than AI. That level plays very differently in the final version just FYI. Q3: Will Metro: Last Light feature linear gameplay similar to Metro 2033 or will RPG / sandbox elements be incorporated into the storyline to encourage greater exploration of the world? A3: Metro: Last Light's campaign will progress in a linear fashion similar to Metro 2033. However, a number of levels have been designed specifically to encourage exploration / player choice and have multiple routes through them (similar to Black, Outpost and Frontline from the first game). Some levels are very open and require the player to explore their way through to find a way to continue. Many levels can be completed without having to engage the enemy by utilizing your stealth skills. {C}Member: SwordBreaker {C}Q: Will there be a level editor to create maps / missions by fans and share them with other gamers? A: It's a great idea and something we'd love to do, but just to manage expectations: this is very unlikely for a variety of complex reasons. But we'll keep you posted if things change.

Member: Keegan83 Q: Are the PC system requirements going to be the same as Metro 2033? If not, can you provide the new specifications? A: When we get closer to the game's release date and all our features have been completed and optimized, the game will go through extensive performance testing across a wide range of PC hardware so we can ensure our requirements and recommended specs are accurate. However, 4A has always taken care to make sure the 4A Engine will work on the widest range of hardware possible and we will continue to further optimize up to and past the game release. Metro 2033 ran well on reasonably average hardware, but also was able to take full advantage of the highest end technology available. Of course, by the time Last Light ships the cutting edge in graphics cards will be further ahead again and we are determined to make sure that early adopters of new cards get a game that really flexes their hardware! At the same time, optimizations to the game engine should make Last Light run better on more modest hardware than Metro 2033 did.

April 24th
Member: Majnu Q1: The moral system in 2033 was something of an unknown discovery for many. Will "Moral Points" be better explained in Last Light or will they remain vague with a psychotic flash-only system? A1: We deliberately kept all aspects of the "morality system" as you called it (internally, we refer to it as something else) very subtle in Metro 2033 and, although we are expanding this mechanic, we intend to follow the same philosophy for Last Light. It is really important that the mechanics behind how the system works remain a mystery to avoid players trying to "game" or "cheat" the system. It's only when players are ignorant of the consequences of their actions can they truly make a free choice. Just like classic controlled psychology experiments, if the subjects knew what was being tested that knowledge would affect their decision making process. Our system is far removed from typical RPG conventions whereby the player is presented clear cut "good" and "evil" choices, that is why we do not refer to it as a "morality" system. It is much more sophisticated and much more nuanced. The choices and outcome of Metro 2033 continue to inspire some great debate and critical writing online and we hope Metro: Last Light will continue this tradition. Q2: Will Last Light on PC support Xbox 360 controller? A2: Yes! Just like with Metro 2033, if you plug a Xbox 360 controller into your PC you will be able to use it just like console players. Additionally, we're doing a lot of work to improve the controller schemes for both console and PC.

Member: BORIS13 Q1: Where will the campaign be based? In what stations and what factions will be involved? A1: We want to keep most of the campaign details (plot, characters, and locations) under wraps for now. You'll discover more between now and game release, but it's important you go into the game not knowing what to expect! Q2: Is the campaign expected to be longer or shorter than the campaign of 2033? A2: We expect the campaign to be at least as long as Metro 2033. We're also working hard to ensure there are more reasons to replay the campaign (yup, this is a bona fide hint! As to what we are hinting at you will just need to wait for more details). Q3: Will Metro: Last Light follow a linear storyline or will they approach it with more RPG elements? A3: The storyline is linear in the same way Metro 2033 was, meaning there are no "hub and spoke" missions or "fetch" quests.

May 1st
Member: Majnu Q: Will Metro: Last Light on PC support Xbox 360 controller? A: Yes, Metro: Last Light on PC will support the Xbox 360 controller. Just like in Metro 2033, if you plug an Xbox 360 controller into your PC you will be able to use it just like console players. We're also doing a lot of work improving the controller scheme for both console and PC.

Member: Boris Q: How will weapon selection be improved? Will it mirror the system in Metro 2033 where a player had to scroll through the weapons cache from the top of the screen or will a different system be utilized? A: Truth be told, we are still fine-tuning the weapons system. For Metro 2033, we actually introduced a new weapon select scheme via an update that moved weapon selection to the "Y" button (consistent with most shooter titles) and utilized a radial weapon-select wheel. We found this much more intuitive for console players than the previous system which required a player to cycle through weapons using the D-Pad. We used this updated system as the starting point for Metro: Last Light, but we think we can improve it further.

Metro has a very deep control scheme. Players need to be able perform all the actions you find in more basic shooters, but also manage a host of unique Metro gameplay mechanics including the gas mask, night-vision, map, lighter and more. Our goal is to make the control scheme as intuitive as possible so players can perform any action or instantly select any weapon or piece of equipment, even in the heat of combat. We're pretty close to the final control scheme and we'll share all the details when we are happy with the end product.

Member: buffalobill Q: I feel like a major problem in Metro 2033 was the really cheesy voice-overs in the English version of the game. Will these voice-overs be changed to more truly reflect the dark atmosphere of the game world? Also, will the repetition of the ambient voice-overs be cut down? A: We've received a variety of feedback regarding the voice-acting in Metro 2033: many players loved it; some disliked it; but a majority of the time it came down to individual characters and personal preference. For example, "Khan" has always been a fan-favorite. However, we believe reaction to the voice-overs generally speaking is very subjective.

We're aware how important both the dialogue and quality of voice-acting is on a story and character driven game like Metro. With THQ's help, we're investing a lot more time into the voice recordings this time around. For now, all we can say is we hope you like the result!

Regarding the ambient voices and battle chatter, this aspect of the game world is being completely re-done and will be much more extensive than in Metro 2033.

Member: Darkbringer Q: Is the fact that the game release was moved back to Q1 2013 to be seen as a warning sign on the development side or the opposite (that you take your time to make a good, thorough game experience)? Are there any additional reasons the game was pushed back? Honest response please. A: It's a good thing. We'd originally expected to release in 2012, and we were comfortably on track to hit this date. THQ offered us extra development time to polish and fine-tune, and we felt we could deliver a significantly higher quality experience with this extra time. So we took it!

Member: Packie7 Q: Is it possible to stealth your way through the entire game without killing any enemies? In other words, is avoiding human enemies entirely throughout the game possible by using stealth? A: It's certainly possible to complete multiple levels without killing anyone. However, for narrative reasons it's not possible to complete the entire game without killing any humans.