The world has seen all kinds of weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, chemical and biological. Now the threat is digital. A virus, simple in concept yet catastrophic in effect, has been developed.

Its target is the communication systems of the world. It will shut down all digital entertainment, economic trade and cripple the military, causing breaches in all security systems and global mass chaos.

There is only enough time to send one operative. His codename: Raven. His mission: to find the virus, copy it and then destroy the research lab where it is located.

Key Features

• The highly anticipated sequel to the best-sellling game Traitors Gate.
• A game combing stealth, exploration, espionage, gadgetry, in an immersive storyline.
• Engaging tactile, logic and environmental puzzles serve to move the story forward.
• The game is set in an ancient Babylonian location encompassing more than 30 chambers and rooms.
• Original soundtrack with 3D sound adds to immerse the player in the game experience

Game Chronicles goes inside this amazing new project with an exclusive interview by John Carswell.

GCM:	Please start us off by introducing yourself and telling us about the team developing Traitor’s Gate 2: Cypher.
Nigel Papworth:	My name is Nigel Papworth and I am the lead game designer on this follow up to Traitors Gate. The rest of the team is quite small. We have a project leader, four 3D modelers doing the in-game graphics, three programmers, four 3D modelers doing the pre-rendered sections as well as a sound and music guy.

GCM:

Secondly, please introduce us to Raven and his role in Traitor’s Gate 2: Cypher.

Nigel Papworth:

Raven first appeared in the original Traitors Gate. He is a character who seems most effective when working alone against high odds. In this mission he has to somehow get into a high security underground complex, hidden in the middle of the arid desert. An old notebook from the turn of the century gives him the clues he needs to discover a back door into the complex and once in, he must foil the fiendish plans of the twisted scientific geniuses that are based there. In other words, a normal day at the office.

GCM:	How would you describe Traitor’s Gate 2: Cypher’s core gameplay?
Nigel Papworth:	The main character is pitted against a complex series of ancient and modern problems, everything from deadly traps to high tech security systems. The game contains the answers of how to tackle each challenge, but it will take a little brainpower to sift the important information from the exotic setting of the game.

GCM:	Traitor’s Gate 2: Cypher will be using the increasingly popular Gamembyro engine. Why was this engine selected and what has it allowed you to do?
Nigel Papworth:	We inherited the engine from the prototype work that had been done on this concept. The main freedom with a 3D engine is it allows for dynamic problem construction and the freedom to allow multiple solutions. This is something very difficult and time consuming to achieve in pre-rendered games.

GCM:	What new gameplay aspects do you think hardcore Adventure fans will be pleasantly surprised to find in Traitor’s Gate 2: Cypher?
Nigel Papworth:	Well, it will be a little different in the interface experience from pre-rendered games. But, I believe the feeling of 3D space and the sense of scale will give a more immersive experience. The challenges are designed to push the same internal buttons that other adventure style titles trigger, so I don’t think the difference will be so noticeable.

GCM:	What sort of levels and environments will the player be exploring?
Nigel Papworth:	The game is designed around two environments, an ancient and long lost temple and a modern lab complex. The temple consists of s series of chambers, each based on an actual Babylonian deity. There are over 20 of these and each contains a unique problem to be solved. The modern lab has 11 rooms, protected by armed guards and security systems.

GCM:	Please give us some sense of the puzzles and obstacles that Raven will be running into.
Nigel Papworth:	We have tried to design the obstacles and puzzles so that they utilize the strengths of the real time 3D technique. The main difference will be the scale of the actual elements the player will be manipulating.

GCM:

Tell a bit about the music and sound effects being employed to help suck the player in.

Nigel Papworth:

The sound effects are very important as they give the sense of weight and material type in each devilish construction the player meets. We also use them directly in some game moments. One great advantage with this kind of 3D technique is that we support 3D sound. This gives some really stunning effects, especially with headphones. The music is designed to create a background that matches the environment and also serve as a kind of warning to the player when there are less than friendly elements in the immediate area.

GCM:	Playing from beginning to end, how long do you expect that it will take the average gamer to complete Traitor’s Gate 2: Cypher?
Nigel Papworth:	Hard to say, but I would guess around the 30 hour mark.

GCM:	Thanks you for your time. Would you care to end the Q&A with any final thoughts?
Nigel Papworth:	My hope is that we can begin to build games that have all the visual richness of a traditional pre-rendered adventure game, but now with the flexibility and increased game-play potential that real-time 3D technique can give.

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