Tomb Raider Seeks To Create A Singular Player/Character Bond
Tomb RaiderWhile not everyone believes video games should strive to depict complicated issues like deep human emotion and intricate character development, some developers see it as a worthy challenge.
Tomb Raider global brand manager Karl Stewart believes in a similar artistic progression that other designers like Quantic Dream's David Cage embraces. And as Stewart told IncGamers, the gaming industry is "on the cusp of something exciting" and we're inclined to agree.
"I think it’s a challenge [to include emotion], because the player has control of the character. You watch movies and TV shows and you see that range of emotions played out countless times and it’s fine. I think we’re at the cusp of something exciting right now. You’re seeing in lots of videogame franchises really deep narratives and we’re starting to highlight and challenge serious topics. It’s a really exciting time for the medium."
As for the team's upcoming project, the highly anticipated Tomb Raider reboot, Stewart says they want to take players "on a journey of breaking [Lara] down and then building her back up again." It's all about creating and maintaining a bond between the gamer and the character so that when the time comes, after you've "really experienced" that connection, you'll say, "that was amazing."
There are some who believe gaming is the wrong venue for strong emotion and things like that, and the industry should just steer clear of such issues. Personally, I just call that voluntary ignorance and stagnation; it's not like the mindlessly fun games will ever disappear, anyway, so we might as well try to progress in other areas, too.
Related Game(s): Tomb Raider
Tags: tomb raider, crystal dynamics, tomb raider reboot, gaming, video game industry
8/27/2012 9:44:28 AM Ben Dutka
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Comments (28 posts)
duomaxwell007
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 9:59:14 AM
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Highlander
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 10:16:02 AM
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duomaxwell007
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 11:29:12 AM
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Highlander
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 11:58:49 AM
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 12:03:13 PM
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duomaxwell007
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 12:50:04 PM
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 1:26:42 PM
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Highlander
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 1:34:26 PM
Worlds, it's not going to work you know, that ship sailed a long time ago for me, it's just not gonna happen.
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 1:41:27 PM
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Ultimadream
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 10:24:47 AM
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Highlanders example of FFVII says it all really. That sequence alone clearly struck a chord with gamers around the world. The use of the FMV, the score then the dialogue to where Cloud holds Aerith in his arms is very upsetting. It seems JRPG's captured the narrative far before of gaming genre's even acknowledged it. By the time they did, the graphics became so strong that narrative wasn't enough and the phase of replicating cinematic action took over, which is probably why modern gamers cannot put up with traditional JRPG's.
In any case, I am excited for this new TOMB RAIDER, While I appreciated them for being a Playstation staple in gaming, I never took much interest in them. But the new realistic approach to Lara's condition makes it more appealing to me. It seems like she is really going to struggle in through out this game instead of climbing up ledges doing cartwheels...
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Comic Shaman
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 12:02:55 PM
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I mean it's lovely and all that graphics are improving, don't get me wrong. I'm all for it.
But good graphics are not, and never have been necessary, for deep emotional engagement. Nor are they needed for good narrative.
Forget talking about older video games for a second. Have you ever been emotionally engaged by a book? You know, those things that have no graphics at all? Yeah.
Higher fidelity graphics will not make you a better storyteller, game developers. If you didn't know how to tell an emotionally engaging story before you got your mitts on the latest game engine, that's not going to change.
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 12:04:09 PM
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It looks like Quantic Dream is starting to have an affect on other studios.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 8/27/2012 12:08:03 PM
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Beamboom
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 12:04:14 PM
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What he talk about here is how to express emotion during the actual gameplay, hence he's saying "because the player has control over the character".
And it's hard to argue against that. It's quite the challenge to bridge that gap. The only games I can think of from the top of my head where emotion were incorporated into the gameplay on this level is the recent titles Heavy Rain and especially LA Noire, where it was part of the very game mechanics itself.
And it pleases me to no end that the industry now seem to be hellbent on bridging that gap!
There is something unintentionally comical about watching your character slaying enemies in fancy poses like there's no tomorrow and then a cutscene kicks in where he experience an emotional breakdown over a dead bird or something.
Last edited by Beamboom on 8/27/2012 12:13:50 PM
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Highlander
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 12:17:36 PM
To use another example from FVII, when Aeris and Tifa are infiltrating Don Corneo's hideout, I can't be the only player that felt a certain sense of urgency to save the one chose from the clutches of the Don. Emotional attachments to characters form during game play. The use of a custscene to handle a specific and powerful scene does not change that fact that it's a game conveying a powerful and emotional scene.
You may not control the events in the specific scene, but you controlled everything to that point. Short of complete immersion, the player will sooner or later arrive at a scripted event.
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 1:28:21 PM
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Beamboom
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 2:00:29 PM
But as far as I can tell this guy here isn't talking about that, he's talking about "the next level" of storytelling, sort to speak. He's talking about using the actual gameplay as the main carrier of emotional expressions, something we do see a glimpse of in those two titles I mention, but they easily drown in the sea of meaningless gameplay (from a story perspective) we are offered in gaming today.
I believe this is what that Heavy Rain dude have in mind too, when he talk about emotional expressions in games.
Last edited by Beamboom on 8/27/2012 2:06:18 PM
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Ludicrous_Liam
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 6:03:29 PM
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homura
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 6:30:41 PM
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CanadianGuy420
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 @ 1:01:10 AM
but in all honesty it wasn't the most emotional part of the game. for me it was the final battle with liquid at the end when you're striking eachother back and forth it was breathtaking. videogamd poetry. perfection.
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ethird1
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 1:09:25 PM
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And bouncing boobs.
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 1:29:15 PM
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Highlander
Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 2:25:42 PM
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___________
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 @ 3:24:14 AM
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every time lara cries out in pain you can feel it yourself, especially in the E3 demo they showed lara falling through tree branches and breaking her arm.
reminds me of heavy rain.......
one thing that allot of games have been missing this gen.
not only emotion, but also character customization.
uncharted for instance, drake starts off a cocky little sh*t and ends up a cocky little sh*t!
he evolves, and learns, changes, NOTHING!
lara though you start off the game shes a scared little girl, than you get half way through the game and all of a sudden shes kicking a$$ and taking names!
how often do we get to see characters develop and evolve that much in games!?
NEVER!
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berserk
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 @ 1:06:13 PM
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Highlander
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Monday, August 27, 2012 @ 9:58:57 AM
Last edited by Highlander on 8/27/2012 9:59:14 AM