Andy: And now you've just about finished Just Cause, can you tell us a bit about the game?
Christofer: Just Cause came up after Linus and the technology team started designing a new game engine (not just a graphics engine) and we started designing a game that would be played in a huge game world. We wanted to develop a contemporary game, and a wide range of vehicles was an absolute must. After a late night in a bar, with lots and lots of rum, we decided that the Caribbean was the given setting. It was a quite unique setting three and a half years ago…
In this bar, my old buddy (who was our Art Director at the time) Nils Gulliksson drew an image of a guy in dreadlocks with big tattoos and camouflage pants landing on the top of a car holding two guns and a parachute on his back. Rico was born… As we dug deeper into production, and the story was coming together, Rico was changed from the more stereotype game character he was into this handsome, suave guy he is today. We also changed him from a super-cool racecar driver banned from the tracks into an expert in regime change as we wanted a hero that was completely over the top. The game was staring to take shape and we developed a prototype that proved the concept and Just Cause was born.
Andy: There seems to be several "nods" to the Grand Theft Auto games and James Bond movies, as well as several moments that remind me of the Far Cry games. Were these "nods" intended? What was your inspiration behind the game, and what separates it from these other titles?
Christofer: No. I think Just Cause stands on its own two legs and the inspiration comes from old action movies, comic books, documentaries, news and original ideas.
Andy: The sheer sense of scale in Just Cause is nothing short of spectacular (for example, the draw distance is a whopping 32 kilometres on the PC and 360 versions). It really feels like you're part of an expansive, living, breathing world.
Article comments
1 - Andrew Ogier
Slight edit I'm afraid folks. The game is released on the 26th of September 2006, not the 22nd. Oops!
2 - Andrew Ogier
Damn, what is wrong with my fingers today? I meant to type that it's released on 26th September for the US, and 22nd September for Europe
3 - Ken Edwards
Wait a minute, that cannot possibly be right. It ships in Europe first? That never happens. It looks like the US date is the 27th, though.
4 - Christopher Rose
If you'll allow me the slight fiction that Europe is actually a country, Ken, it's a much bigger market than yer USA, so why not?
;-)
5 - Ken Edwards
Chris, this is in the books man! Europe gets all their games last, and consoles six, 12, or 18 months after launch in the US (this is dependent on a heavy array of market conditions of course -- much to complicated to get into here.)
6 - Matt Paprocki
At leas they'll have something to do while they wait for the PS3...
Great interview again!