Cage: "We Own This Genre Of Interactive Drama"
Heavy RainAs Heavy Rain continues to rake in prestigious awards, the fans are all asking the same question: "what's next, Quantic Dream?"
They've already ruled out the possibility of a Heavy Rain 2 and we're just fine with that. The industry is constantly inundated with sequels and franchises and Quantic's last effort was so evolutionary and innovative, we'd actually prefer that it continues to stand alone. So what is the talented developer's next triumph? In speaking to the PlayStation Blog, Quantic boss David Cage reiterated their refusal to produce a sequel: "I wanted to show that this is a new genre that you can use to tell any kind of story, in any style," Cage said. As for their next project, which we can't wait to hear about:
"For our next project, we’re going to build on what we have discovered with Heavy Rain. We own this genre of Interactive Drama, and we want to show that Heavy Rain was not a coincidence; it is something that makes sense and we can build on it.
We’re going to be exploring a different direction, which will still be very dark and still for adults, but completely different to Heavy Rain. Our challenge is to satisfy our fans and also surprise them."
Now, Superannuation's Twitter page reveals a URL registration, a LinkedIn new hires page and a SCEE trademark registration that hints at a possible title: "Fiv5." The Quantic artist in question also seems to be working on a game called "Infraworld." It's only a matter of time before we learn more but for now, we're satisfied with Cage's hints; it's enough to know he will continue to push the envelope in the realm of interactive storytelling.
We're just all the more happy that Heavy Rain was a huge success. It means these guys will take the next step.
Tags: quantic dream, heavy rain, david cage
3/21/2011 9:02:40 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (63 posts)
Qubex
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 11:09:12 PM
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
7 up, 1 down
SirLoin of Beef
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 5:34:25 AM
6 up, 1 down
Kiryu
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 9:39:32 PM
Reply
6 up, 1 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 9:44:22 PM
Reply
7 up, 5 down
Dancemachine55
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 9:45:41 PM
Reply
Whatever David Cage makes next, I'm in from Day 1. His adult-oriented titles that are mature and realistic in nature are exactly what I love. A mixture of great story-telling, emotional conflicts, innovative or different control schemes, it feels so fresh and new.
I hope he continues with that idea about the couple exploring their relationship and the truth about each other's past, or at least incorporate it into whatever game he's making next.
And Cage, please, PLEASE keep the multiple paths and multiple ending structure. It just makes the game feel alive and decisions far more important to the player.
Anyone else itching to see some screens for his next project? Or incredibly impatient for a teaser trailer? Oh Cage, you tease! Toying with your fans hearts like this. Whatever you release, you got my money (unless it's terrible and rushed, but that's not Cage's style, man!!)
6 up, 1 down
bigrailer19
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 9:52:47 PM
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 3/21/2011 9:54:27 PM
6 up, 2 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 9:57:34 PM
Dance, I bought Move at launch just to replay Heavy Rain with it. I loved every minute of it. It's like that game was made for Move.
4 up, 2 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:04:20 PM
2 up, 1 down
Dancemachine55
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:16:45 PM
Judging by your responses, I think a PS Move is a must buy for me now. Also got Killzone 3, LBP2 and Dead Space Extraction to use it with. Virtua Tennis 4 looks amazing as well.
I'm really starting to regret wasting my money on Kinect. Only game I play on it is Dance Central, which is fantastic for parties and even family gatherings!! But if Dance Central came out on PS3 with or without Move functionality, I'd trade straight away.
Have you checked out that video of the guy who rigged a Kinect to work with PS3 with a simple code or patch? Booted up Killzone 3 with it. Could be rigged, but still, cancels out the 360 once again.
3 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 11:35:25 PM
1 up, 1 down
Snorge
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 12:48:42 PM
@Dancemachine55 LBP2 is the only peculiar case....it has Move functionality (according to the box art and LBP prehistoric moves) but there are NO levels or material to create levels with the "pink move stuff" (you'll understand if you play LBP Preshistoric moves)...thats the only thing that bugs me!
2 up, 1 down
PasteNuggs
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:01:01 PM
Reply
1 up, 1 down
LittleBigMidget
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:15:36 PM
Reply
4 up, 2 down
Dancemachine55
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:20:51 PM
Now that he has more money from Heavy Rain's success, hopefully financial and time constraints won't hold him back on his next vision. I hardly ever get excited over games these days, but Cage's games since Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) have made me giddy like a teen in an adult bookshop.
6 up, 1 down
Bugzbunny109
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:33:23 PM
Reply
7 up, 1 down
Beamboom
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:44:58 PM
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However they do need to make some changes to the concept for me to become "christened". Add more space, more exploration, make room for personal initiative to do things (I'm talking about real things, not putting plates on a table or tie your boss tie), let the player fumble about a little, investigate, figure things out, less hard-coded scripting.
After all, if the intended audience is adult, then we can do this without getting bored.
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/21/2011 10:47:07 PM
1 up, 9 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 11:36:40 PM
5 up, 3 down
Beamboom
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 11:53:20 PM
No I mean things of some relevance to the story, in Heavy Rain that would mean things that investigators do in real movies or tv series to solve the case. Things that are "on topic" if you like.
You never see diaper change or tie knotting there, and for a reason: It's dead boring to watch, and something we usually don't even want to do! I'm amazed about how many who seem to think it's so much fun once you have to do it in a video game...!
I think there was way too many trivialities in Heavy Rain. It was not used simply as an effect to illustrate time passing by, or "a dull moment", or something like that, it was used too often as the "main attraction". And that's what made the whole experience so wrong to me. It turned out to be like a movie completely spoiled by one horribly poor editing job.
Directing a movie is a craftmanship, it's something that requre studies and loads of experience to get right. Now I don't know mr Cage's background, but I would be utterly surprised if he has any education at all as movie director. And since Heavy Rain is so much crossing boundaries into the realms of movies, that is a requirement if you want to get things 100% right.
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/22/2011 12:10:07 AM
1 up, 3 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:52:23 AM
That was the goal of Heavy Rain, not just entertainment. On the other hand, I do agree that there probably were too many of those kind of moments, but if I remember correctly, a lot of them were earlier in the game, as if to try to let you get a handle on the control scheme and get your reaction time up to scratch before throwing the more action packed sequences at you.
Not really disagreeing, not saying you're wrong. Just my opinion.
Peace.
2 up, 2 down
Beamboom
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 2:24:53 AM
Let's use other games as comparison. Especially RPGs: Think of three other titles where you got emotionally tied to the characters. Lately that's happened to me in both Mass Effect (multiple times) and Dragon Age. You may have other titles you want to use as examples.
But did they have *any* "dull moments" like the ones we talk about here, at all? So why did we get attached to those characters?
With a good story, told well, and with well crafted characters my claim is that we do not need the kind of activities we find in Heavy Rain. They are obsolete. Digressions. To be edited.
1 up, 5 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 2:59:02 AM
Most games have an unrealistic plot. I don't necessarily mean in terms of the dialogue, but in the way that it's presented, as, in many of them, you're supposed to be the world's saviour. That wasn't the goal of Heavy Rain. It was a game in which you're simply trying to save a guy's son. It requires a much different method of getting to know the characters, particularly since most of it is through gameplay, rather than cutscenes.
1 up, 2 down
Beamboom
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 3:15:25 AM
Although, there *are* movies where we do see plates being put on the table, nappy change, etc. My girlfriend watch those everyday dramas. But I don't. So why would I want to see that in a game?
1 up, 4 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 3:17:58 AM
Peace.
2 up, 1 down
Underdog15
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 8:36:34 AM
Also, "trivial" things you mention are pretty damn important to character building. In good movies and stage plays, the "trivial" blocking is often the most important. That diaper changing was imperative to the development of Scott Shelby's character.
That's why I think Heavy Rain is so stellar. Not -every- action has a cause-effect relationship that gets you points or some sort of ribbon or advancement. It's meant for adults who love drama... who know how to look for the "trivial" nuances that dictate something about a character a million words could not.
Without that diaper scene, Shelby's character would not be nearly as 3 dimentional as it is.
I dunno... I guess you either appreciate drama or you don't at the end of that day. But those pointless actions are rarely pointless. An absolute ton can be told about a character with something as little as a glance at an iconic prop. Likewise, the lack of these pointless activities can force a character to be unbelieveable.
In my opinion, when an audience member fails to pick up on the importance of the mundane amongst action, they aren't interested in the characters. Only the action or the overall synopsis.
I agree, that if it were simple blocking without importance, it could be annoying, but that was rarely done in Heavy Rain. Setting a table nicely and calmly establishes the characters mood, while slamming dishes around clearly indicates their tempermental state. Either way, it's pretty important to establishing a starting point for that characters state, and sets the tone for the start of the scene or production. It may seem mundane, but it's obviously important.
These trivial acts NEED to happen to add importance to the peak moments. Without a properly set tone, an incredible moment often lacks power. If everything that we interact with is crucial gaming moments, then we aren't playing an interactive drama. We're playing an action game. How can they expect us to be fully engaged with the characters if we aren't placed inside their emotion? If you ask me, we need to be apart of every scene. Just watching a set up is not engaging, and being only involved in high stress moments is not interacting with the drama. It's taking action within the game.
I really would hate to see them remove that feature. I don't want them to role play us where we just go shopping in a way that doesn't develop the character, of course, but I would like them to do things the way they did with Heavy Rain. Every action was important, and I want to interact with the characters in their entirety.
Last edited by Underdog15 on 3/22/2011 8:49:19 AM
6 up, 1 down
Beamboom
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 11:13:15 AM
But this is why I gained no connection whatsoever with the personalities involved, because I simply do not like those kind of movies. But it didn't help that the acting *sucked* in large parts of the movie either.
And let me just add that I'm not this "twitch"/action movie dude. I watch a lot of movies and can enjoy a good movie anyday. It's just, in my opinion Heavy Rain has very little in common with a good movie. Let me just use one single example that I think is so grimm that it really spoils the entire movie: The scene where that guy were supposed to select what instrument to cut off his own finger with. A horrible setting, right? Very emotional, very traumatic.
Did you notice the voice on that part? The actor must not have known the scene he were supposed to read the text for. The actor read the lines like he were considering what fork to use for dinner, or plate to use for dessert. Absolutely *no* emotion. Trivial, everyday manuscript reading.
The thing that was good about Heavy Rain is that it tried to be different. But as anyting that has to do with movie, it failed. I'd like to see the rating at imdb, to put it that way.
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/22/2011 11:31:46 AM
1 up, 4 down
slugga_status
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 11:50:36 AM
You had complete control over every single thing. Fumble about more? Well you could do that. Figure things out? That was essentially the entire point and also why there are 22 endings.
I respect your opinion though. Just seems that what you want was already in the game...maybe just overlooked..because..Heavy Rain was one game I legitimately had no gripes or complaints about.
3 up, 1 down
Underdog15
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:04:47 PM
But any... ANY good work of stage or movie art will pay attention to the apparently trivial. I can assure you of that. I've seen and been apart of many professional productions on stage. I even got to work with Christopher Plummer as an assistant director when I was in university for my theatre arts degree! (Admittedly, I only got to work with him for a weekend, but still... the guy's an acting genious!)
And I gotta tell you... his attention to detail is what makes his characters pop. One thing I'll always remember, is on stage, there was a prop that was a white scarf draped over a chair far upstage left. That scarf once belonged to his character's now deceased daughter. During a scene where he got in a heated argument with another character, he moved about the stage, raving out his lines, and with perfect timing right at the conclusion of his final sentence, he moved near the scarf, looked at it for a brief moment, and allowed his character to break down from anger to grief. There was a lot of other things going on, but the apparent meaninglessness of another character placing the scarf there earlier in the scene (which the director made a point of making time for), made the ending of the scene SO much more potent. Even the character who placed it there... the care she took in putting it neatly on the chair showed her compassion for the girl that died and the father despite the fact she never knew her. It sounds about as meaningless as changing a diaper, if you ask me.
You can argue this type of attention to detail has no place in games, fine. But it's not comparable to a "soap opera" or meaningless drama. There are lots of incredible drama's that pay attention to detail like this... see the million examples in Forest Gump, for example. And this is a drama... it's called an interactive drama. There's going to be elements of drama.
But I WANT this type of thing in a game like Heavy Rain. If it's to be an interactive drama, i don't just want to be apart of the climax. I want to be involved in the set up and development, too. This doesn't mean you're a twitch gamer, at all, nor was I implying that. It simply means I'm looking for something more/different due to the preferences I'm predisposed to.
Lastly, I know acting can sometimes hinder a performance, FOR SURE! But don't forget you can't always judge acting by the tone of voice. Sometimes it's not realistic for characters to have a vocal reaction to ALL emotions. And the biggest disadvantage we have in video games is a limited visual in the faces of characters. Pixels simply can't show a deep and distant look you can see in a person's eyes. But you're right. Some areas had poor voice acting.
3 up, 1 down
Beamboom
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:29:56 PM
Your example with the scarf is very classic, often used effect (Spielbergs Schindler's List comes to mind, the little girls red coat) and all this is fine enough, had it only been used in Heavy Rain with some sort of soberness. But to use your scarf example, if this had been Heavy Rain they'd all be standing in a ring around that scarf, crying at it, shouting at it, tearing it apart. If you catch my drift.
It simply is *not* good craftmanship, this "movie/game".
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/22/2011 1:38:26 PM
1 up, 4 down
BikerSaint
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 10:47:04 PM
Reply
I'll buy ANY game he makes!
And I hope he also goes forward with that military FPS he stated that he'd love to do after his 2 projects are done, just to turn the whole military FPS world up-side down.
He also said that he would show the war interactively from the eyes of individual people in the game along with the war's horrendous cause & effects.
And IMO, if Cage finally decides to make this FPS, he'll truly have one hell of a "shock & awe" game on his hands
6 up, 2 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:54:55 AM
2 up, 3 down
kraygen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 12:20:19 AM
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I can't say I look forward to them more, but as much as, just in a different way. I have enjoyed Heavy Rain a lot and I look forward to whatever Quantic Dream puts out.
1 up, 2 down
FM23
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:16:54 AM
Reply
1 up, 6 down
kraygen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 2:47:36 AM
4 up, 3 down
FM23
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 3:01:14 AM
1 up, 7 down
kraygen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:07:43 PM
Like I said you must not know children.
3 up, 2 down
FM23
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 6:04:48 PM
2 up, 0 down
kraygen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 11:25:05 PM
Most parents now want to be their kids friend instead of disciplining them and laying down the law. Regardless of color, any parent who teaches their kid not to run off would most likely not have this issue, but most parents don't parent.
1 up, 0 down
FM23
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 @ 1:10:28 AM
0 up, 0 down
FM23
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 @ 2:51:48 AM
0 up, 0 down
___________
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 2:04:19 AM
Reply
there are heaps of other developers out there that do just as good a job, if not better!
it would be like Ferrari saying we own the supercar market, where they clearly dont, have Lamborghini, Paganini, Maserati, ect ect nipping at there heels!
1 up, 8 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 2:08:47 AM
3 up, 3 down
___________
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 8:29:56 AM
plenty of games out there that have the same sense of drama as heavy rain.
2 up, 4 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:12:06 PM
Peace.
3 up, 0 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 2:06:55 AM
Reply
Bring it on Cage, and for God's sake, STAY SONY EXCLUSIVE!
Peace.
3 up, 2 down
just2skillf00l
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 2:36:37 AM
Reply
2 up, 2 down
CoolBLKguy
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 3:12:36 AM
Reply
2 up, 2 down
Excelsior1
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 3:38:34 AM
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some pretty interesting articles at the sixth axis, and cvg regarding cage. he says developoers are sick of space marines, and then goes on to say something about making a game based on politics, and families. interesting stuff.
heavy rain was a great game that really surprised me. the interface was really unique, and it will be neat to see it evolve further.
5 up, 2 down
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 5:49:39 PM
I'll post it so our other members can also enjoy it too.
Heavy Rain creator: I am fed up with space marines!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2011/mar/21/haveay-rain-creator-criticises-industry
0 up, 0 down
Snaaaake
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 4:12:44 AM
Reply
4 up, 2 down
Bloodysilence19
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 4:45:38 AM
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i hope the next project really pushes the ps3 hardware if they stay with ps3 and really makes a game that inspire other devs to start making games of this genre
5 up, 2 down
Ludicrous_Liam
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 12:28:58 PM
I thought Scott & Madison were spot-on though. However Ethan was defo out of character alot of the time.
1 up, 1 down
Beamboom
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 1:31:20 PM
1 up, 1 down
Wissam
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 5:01:07 AM
Reply
3 up, 2 down
slugga_status
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 11:54:23 AM
Reply
3 up, 1 down
Danny007
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 3:34:43 PM
Reply
3 up, 1 down
Lairfan
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 4:41:08 PM
Reply
Also, this is by no means a knock on QD, as Heavy Rain was a very surprising game to me in how good it was, but they also have to put more player control in the game if they want to call themselves the "owners" of this genre of gaming. The only thing you actually have the freedom to do in HR is move and make choices. Everything else is scripted button-pressing, and whilst that's fun and it had a unique style to it, at the end of the day its not as immersive as if they had created a gameplay system where I did that myself, without the assistance of QTEs.
Last edited by Lairfan on 3/22/2011 4:42:51 PM
0 up, 3 down
tes37
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 @ 6:00:48 PM
1 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Reply
Monday, March 21, 2011 @ 9:37:01 PM