Enter indie game developer Lukewarm Media who is making their own dino-based first person shooter called Primal Carnage. It's generated a lot of attention including its use of the graphically feature rich Uningine. Big Download chatted with Lukewarm Media's founder Ashton Anderson to find out more about the game, the engine and more.
First how did Lukewarm Media come to be formed?
Well, the start of anything worthwhile usually has a long story behind it, so I will try to keep it short!
The first time I actually started to get into video game development would be when I was 14 years old, after stumbling across a website called "gamedev.net". I went to the website, looked around, and began to study the process of making games. They had a great forum with other young and professional designers alike who had the same questions, thoughts, and inspirations as me. From there, I saw a local thread titled, "Looking for Game designers". I figured I'd give it a shot, so I ended up sending an email to the team and quickly got rejected as fast as I had sent the email and was told I did not have enough experience and would not be very good at it... With that said, I actually was not shocked or surprised. If it was not for that kind of reply, it would not have motivated me enough to study and work hard so I could get into game development.
I remember skipping class and creating game design documents in school, and right after school, running home from a long bus ride just to get to my pc in order to learn more and start my first team project! My first team project was not anything special to talk about. Put it this way: it was a futuristic post apocalyptic game with zombies ... Enough said!
At the age of 17, I left school to fulfill my dreams and passion of being a game designer and moved to Chicago, Illinois. I had to leave my friends and family behind to work for a Startup XNA middle-ware game engine studio, where I would have my first job as a producer. I ended up leaving the studio with another designer who is now like a brother to me, Aaron Pollack. We left to create our own studio, Lukewarm Media.
The business started off as any other, with an idea, and with a passion to develop video games and multimedia. With the help of everyone's unique skill sets, we would develop video games that included both the "hot" and the "cold" media as mentioned above. And from that, it has built up to what you see today, which is Lukewarm Media.
The people we work with are from all around the world and have worked on various levels: some in major studios, some only freelance, and some eagerly making their first start in the business. It has been an honor to work with everyone; we are more like a family than anything now.
It has been an exciting journey to keep this idea going. I am now 20 years of age and have moved all over the US working as a freelance recruiter and game designer and have learned so much. There is not enough time, nor words to describe how great of a team and how much of a pleasure it has been to work with them.
How did the idea for Primal Carnage come about?
Ever since I saw the original Jurassic Park I've always thought about cool it would be to play as a dinosaur. They are truly amazing creatures and it's phenomenal that we exist on the same planet as they once did. It's amazing to me, and the rest of the team, that there has never been a high-quality game experience that allows the user to be truly immersed in the prehistoric dinosaur world. I've always dreamed of a game where it's fang and claw versus bullets and wit.
Even the games with dinosaurs in them, there aren't really any ones worth mentioning that allow you to play from the dinosaur's perspective instead of hunting them. The feeling of being larger than life, stalking your prey in the thick Jurassic jungles, and having your own body as your only weapon is something that needs to translated into a game.
What is it about dinosaurs that makes people so scared and at the same time attracted to them?
I think it's because something that seems like such a fantasy actually existed. The idea that we share the same space, walk on the same ground and breathe the same air as the dinosaurs once did is an idea that is really difficult to get your head around – but fantastic at the same time. I guess it's the same scared fascination that people have with Great White Sharks – you can't help but be impressed by their physical prowess. But to know that you wouldn't have a hope if you came face to face with one is a scary thought. And that's just a 4 metre shark, image a T-Rex standing over you!
What can you tell us about the storyline for Primal Carnage?
The premise for the game is based around a scientific research project that goes awry. As it stands, the main focus for our multiplayer is not the story as such but the immersive gameplay; that's what will make Primal Carnage an amazing online experience. We are looking at the possibility of creating a campaign mode that will take you through a story and deliver a unique gameplay experience in the future.
How hard is it to model the dinosaurs in the game and have them move and behave like we believe they are supposed to move?
That's something that our team puts a heavy focus on and, like many of our fans, we believe will make our game believable. Since we don't have "real-world" reference for our dinosaur characters, our amazing animation team have to take reference from what science tells us; how the bones of the dinosaur are put together and how similar, existing animals move within those same structures. We have a huge following of palaeontologists on our forums that are great at giving us feedback and while realism is important for our game, we reckon that a bit of artistic license is what will really attract players to the game.
What are the various dinosaurs like in the game?
There are going to be five playable dinosaurs – each with their own unique abilities and play styles. We've got the T-Rex which will obviously be our "tank" type class, the Raptor which will require the player to make use of "stealth and speed" tactics, the Pteranodon is a flying "scout" class that does light melee damage but will play a large tactical role, the Dilophosaurus which acts as a "support" class and will be the only dinosaur with a ranged attack and there is also the Compsognathus; affectionately known as the "Compy". The Compy is an exciting dinosaur for us to go with as the gameplay mechanics will be really different; you control a single "lead Compy" and you have a pack that follows you. Essentially, you control a swarm of smaller that will be able to use sheer numbers to take down your human adversaries.
What sort of weapons will the player get to use in the game?
We've got all sorts of great weapons! Our different human classes have special abilities and weapons that are unique to them. We have our main guns – which do what you would think. We've got an Assault Rifle, a Shotgun, Pistols, Sniper Rifle and a Flamethrower (which is combined with a chainsaw for tricky melee situations) as well as more situational, tactical type weapons like the Grenade Launcher, Hand Grenades, a Knife, a GPS device that will allow one of our classes to spot allies and approaching hostile dinosaurs, Tranquilizer Darts, a Taser, and a Net Gun.
What sort of locations and settings will we see in Primal Carnage?
Primal Carnage will have a diverse set of maps for different styles of game modes. Some maps will be massive jungles allowing the player to stealthily move through bushes and tall grass, taking shelter underneath the thick forest trees. Other maps, however, will be close-quarters buildings like science labs and jungle outposts. The island has a diverse ecosystem allowing for beaches, jungles, mountains and deserts. Even after the game is released we plan to regularly release downloadable maps.
Each map in itself has a very diverse environment. One of the multiplayer maps codenamed "Swamp" has different areas such as a dino-graveyard, an abandoned lab, a metal pier with a dino-hatchery, and a secret underwater lab with a Leopluradon lurking right outside the windows. We plan to release the game with enough maps for players to get the full experience that Primal Carnage offers.
Any plans for multiplayer modes that you can tell us about?
We will be including multiplayer modes that will create new and different tactical experiences – such as the "Power Grid" mode. This mode will require the mercenary team to activate power nodes across the map until they have powered the radio station on the island. The Dinosaur's objective is to stop the mercenaries from accomplishing this at all costs. In our "Survival" mode, players will team up to test their skills in an epic battle against AI dinosaurs while defending a moving object (such as a train or boat) and complete objectives together to reach the end, where they will encounter a boss battle and be required to use team work to succeed.
What other sort of features do you think are important?
For us, any feature that can develop a strong sense of community and competition is something we have to look at. Features like leader boards and achievements are the kinds of things we're looking at implementing. Having free downloadable content is really important to us and will allow us to continue to build the game that we want while also catering to what the community is telling us they need.
Tell us about the graphics engine you are using for the game.
We're using an engine called "Unigine" which is currently in development. For people looking at our game, one of the most impressive points, graphics wise, will be the implementation of DirectX 11 features - the most notable of which is "tessellation". Basically, this allows the game engine to create higher levels of geometry detail on the fly. We'll be really showing off what this means for Primal Carnage very soon – so keep an eye out!
Will there be a playable demo released?
We do plan to release a free demo to the public, however we can't say how soon an official demo will be released, we are starting to offer closed beta to people who donate to our project, www.primalcarnage.com The closed beta's will be small mini games or mechanic testing I.E using the sniper rifle on a roof to shoot pteranodons to test the mechanics of the weapon, etc.
What's the current status of Primal Carnage and when will it be released?
Primal Carnage is still in a young state, we are a very small international team of developers working on any spare time we can find. We do hope to start closed beta in the next month or so. But a release date is still to soon to say.
Finally is there anything else you wish to say about the game?
I just want to say, being able to work on this game with the team we have is a fantastic experience even if it does get a bit overwhelming at times, but my team and I stick through it and have been making good progress and really love the support the fans have been giving us to make this into a good game.
Well, the start of anything worthwhile usually has a long story behind it, so I will try to keep it short!
The first time I actually started to get into video game development would be when I was 14 years old, after stumbling across a website called "gamedev.net". I went to the website, looked around, and began to study the process of making games. They had a great forum with other young and professional designers alike who had the same questions, thoughts, and inspirations as me. From there, I saw a local thread titled, "Looking for Game designers". I figured I'd give it a shot, so I ended up sending an email to the team and quickly got rejected as fast as I had sent the email and was told I did not have enough experience and would not be very good at it... With that said, I actually was not shocked or surprised. If it was not for that kind of reply, it would not have motivated me enough to study and work hard so I could get into game development.
I remember skipping class and creating game design documents in school, and right after school, running home from a long bus ride just to get to my pc in order to learn more and start my first team project! My first team project was not anything special to talk about. Put it this way: it was a futuristic post apocalyptic game with zombies ... Enough said!
At the age of 17, I left school to fulfill my dreams and passion of being a game designer and moved to Chicago, Illinois. I had to leave my friends and family behind to work for a Startup XNA middle-ware game engine studio, where I would have my first job as a producer. I ended up leaving the studio with another designer who is now like a brother to me, Aaron Pollack. We left to create our own studio, Lukewarm Media.
The business started off as any other, with an idea, and with a passion to develop video games and multimedia. With the help of everyone's unique skill sets, we would develop video games that included both the "hot" and the "cold" media as mentioned above. And from that, it has built up to what you see today, which is Lukewarm Media.
The people we work with are from all around the world and have worked on various levels: some in major studios, some only freelance, and some eagerly making their first start in the business. It has been an honor to work with everyone; we are more like a family than anything now.
It has been an exciting journey to keep this idea going. I am now 20 years of age and have moved all over the US working as a freelance recruiter and game designer and have learned so much. There is not enough time, nor words to describe how great of a team and how much of a pleasure it has been to work with them.
How did the idea for Primal Carnage come about?
Ever since I saw the original Jurassic Park I've always thought about cool it would be to play as a dinosaur. They are truly amazing creatures and it's phenomenal that we exist on the same planet as they once did. It's amazing to me, and the rest of the team, that there has never been a high-quality game experience that allows the user to be truly immersed in the prehistoric dinosaur world. I've always dreamed of a game where it's fang and claw versus bullets and wit.
Even the games with dinosaurs in them, there aren't really any ones worth mentioning that allow you to play from the dinosaur's perspective instead of hunting them. The feeling of being larger than life, stalking your prey in the thick Jurassic jungles, and having your own body as your only weapon is something that needs to translated into a game.
What is it about dinosaurs that makes people so scared and at the same time attracted to them?
I think it's because something that seems like such a fantasy actually existed. The idea that we share the same space, walk on the same ground and breathe the same air as the dinosaurs once did is an idea that is really difficult to get your head around – but fantastic at the same time. I guess it's the same scared fascination that people have with Great White Sharks – you can't help but be impressed by their physical prowess. But to know that you wouldn't have a hope if you came face to face with one is a scary thought. And that's just a 4 metre shark, image a T-Rex standing over you!
What can you tell us about the storyline for Primal Carnage?
The premise for the game is based around a scientific research project that goes awry. As it stands, the main focus for our multiplayer is not the story as such but the immersive gameplay; that's what will make Primal Carnage an amazing online experience. We are looking at the possibility of creating a campaign mode that will take you through a story and deliver a unique gameplay experience in the future.
How hard is it to model the dinosaurs in the game and have them move and behave like we believe they are supposed to move?
That's something that our team puts a heavy focus on and, like many of our fans, we believe will make our game believable. Since we don't have "real-world" reference for our dinosaur characters, our amazing animation team have to take reference from what science tells us; how the bones of the dinosaur are put together and how similar, existing animals move within those same structures. We have a huge following of palaeontologists on our forums that are great at giving us feedback and while realism is important for our game, we reckon that a bit of artistic license is what will really attract players to the game.
There are going to be five playable dinosaurs – each with their own unique abilities and play styles. We've got the T-Rex which will obviously be our "tank" type class, the Raptor which will require the player to make use of "stealth and speed" tactics, the Pteranodon is a flying "scout" class that does light melee damage but will play a large tactical role, the Dilophosaurus which acts as a "support" class and will be the only dinosaur with a ranged attack and there is also the Compsognathus; affectionately known as the "Compy". The Compy is an exciting dinosaur for us to go with as the gameplay mechanics will be really different; you control a single "lead Compy" and you have a pack that follows you. Essentially, you control a swarm of smaller that will be able to use sheer numbers to take down your human adversaries.
What sort of weapons will the player get to use in the game?
We've got all sorts of great weapons! Our different human classes have special abilities and weapons that are unique to them. We have our main guns – which do what you would think. We've got an Assault Rifle, a Shotgun, Pistols, Sniper Rifle and a Flamethrower (which is combined with a chainsaw for tricky melee situations) as well as more situational, tactical type weapons like the Grenade Launcher, Hand Grenades, a Knife, a GPS device that will allow one of our classes to spot allies and approaching hostile dinosaurs, Tranquilizer Darts, a Taser, and a Net Gun.
What sort of locations and settings will we see in Primal Carnage?
Primal Carnage will have a diverse set of maps for different styles of game modes. Some maps will be massive jungles allowing the player to stealthily move through bushes and tall grass, taking shelter underneath the thick forest trees. Other maps, however, will be close-quarters buildings like science labs and jungle outposts. The island has a diverse ecosystem allowing for beaches, jungles, mountains and deserts. Even after the game is released we plan to regularly release downloadable maps.
Each map in itself has a very diverse environment. One of the multiplayer maps codenamed "Swamp" has different areas such as a dino-graveyard, an abandoned lab, a metal pier with a dino-hatchery, and a secret underwater lab with a Leopluradon lurking right outside the windows. We plan to release the game with enough maps for players to get the full experience that Primal Carnage offers.
Any plans for multiplayer modes that you can tell us about?
We will be including multiplayer modes that will create new and different tactical experiences – such as the "Power Grid" mode. This mode will require the mercenary team to activate power nodes across the map until they have powered the radio station on the island. The Dinosaur's objective is to stop the mercenaries from accomplishing this at all costs. In our "Survival" mode, players will team up to test their skills in an epic battle against AI dinosaurs while defending a moving object (such as a train or boat) and complete objectives together to reach the end, where they will encounter a boss battle and be required to use team work to succeed.
What other sort of features do you think are important?
For us, any feature that can develop a strong sense of community and competition is something we have to look at. Features like leader boards and achievements are the kinds of things we're looking at implementing. Having free downloadable content is really important to us and will allow us to continue to build the game that we want while also catering to what the community is telling us they need.
Tell us about the graphics engine you are using for the game.
We're using an engine called "Unigine" which is currently in development. For people looking at our game, one of the most impressive points, graphics wise, will be the implementation of DirectX 11 features - the most notable of which is "tessellation". Basically, this allows the game engine to create higher levels of geometry detail on the fly. We'll be really showing off what this means for Primal Carnage very soon – so keep an eye out!
Will there be a playable demo released?
We do plan to release a free demo to the public, however we can't say how soon an official demo will be released, we are starting to offer closed beta to people who donate to our project, www.primalcarnage.com The closed beta's will be small mini games or mechanic testing I.E using the sniper rifle on a roof to shoot pteranodons to test the mechanics of the weapon, etc.
What's the current status of Primal Carnage and when will it be released?
Primal Carnage is still in a young state, we are a very small international team of developers working on any spare time we can find. We do hope to start closed beta in the next month or so. But a release date is still to soon to say.
Finally is there anything else you wish to say about the game?
I just want to say, being able to work on this game with the team we have is a fantastic experience even if it does get a bit overwhelming at times, but my team and I stick through it and have been making good progress and really love the support the fans have been giving us to make this into a good game.
Big Download's E3 2010 coverage is sponsored by:
The Baconing (6/23/11)
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