Interview: Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

360: Past Ghost Recon’s have always focused on military special forces with access to advanced technology, but it now seems that in Future Soldier the tech is that much more advanced, is this stuff really in development and realistic?

All of our stuff is based on hardware that is either being researched, prototyped or fielded in one way or another for military deployment. When Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter was released, the technology seemed out of this world…. The equivalent of the Ghost’s Cross-Com is being used in the field today.  DARPA has been a fantastic source of inspiration for our future gear; the equipment they develop in the US is incredible, some even too far-fetched for the game! So it was only a matter of choosing the coolest tech that would make for the most interesting gameplay.

360: How much of the new tech lends itself to totally new gameplay? You’ve mentioned before about the exo-skeleton that will let players run faster and have stronger melee attacks but what else will players be able to do on the battlefield?

The new tech is central to the evolution of Ghost Recon gameplay which is largely inspired by the US Army’s Future Solider 2030 initiative. Both our gameplay and this prospective Army program is designed to give each soldier the mobile combat systems he or she will need to operate behind enemy lines with relative autonomy within a small unit with highly versatile and complementary skills. The Exoskeleton not only augments the Ghosts natural athleticism, it is the core piece of tech of every gear set—the spinal cord, if you will, that supports all combat systems. The Exo allows the Ghosts to carry the additional weight of their specialist tech and requisite power sources—up to twice what they would usually carry at less than half the weight.  Thanks to the Exo’s Link-Up function players can join up with TM8s on the fly to create their own tactics in-game by combining and sharing their class abilities as a part of the unit:  the Sniper’s heartbeat detector, the Commando’s back mortar, the Engineer’s EMP shield and drone system,  and the Recon’s optical camouflage. Players benefit from bonus aptitudes when they Link-Up, like the Commando’s increased mortar firepower.

360: Kozak’s team and their skills are perfectly balanced, but is this just the general set-up for single player? Co-op play through the campaign seems to be a much greater focus?

You can play all of the Ghost missions with a mate!! Stay tuned for more info ☺

360: Squad based play has evolved significantly since GRAW 2, what did you want to bring to the genre that hadn’t already been accomplished?

The new Link-Up system is designed to give you the feeling that you are a part of a tight-knit spec-ops unit;  Ghost Recon Future Soldier is the game in which “I’ve got your back!” is not the background chatter you’ll hear AIs bark as you take one in the back of the head! … When you Link-Up, by activating the function on your Exo, you are in solid unit formation. You move and shoot as one with each Ghost watching his corner—ten years of special forces training just by holding a button ;D. Link-up or  split off from your unit at anytime; you can benefit from your team mate’s specialist gear as well. Not a Recon, but wanna disappear? Just Link-Up to one, and you’ll both blend into the environment when your mate  activates his OpCam.

360: Can you explain a little bit about how you’re using peripheral characters as playable sections to further the story? Modern Warfare 2 used similar ideas, but only briefly so (most notably in the controversial airport sequence); what benefits are there for using exposition like this, instead of the usual cutscene?

All game developers need players to be motivated by their objectives or a game will ultimately fail to captivate and provide a fun, rewarding experience.  Game design research and experience has taught us that fear, anger and guilt are some of the most powerful motivators.  But why should you care about the civilian NPCs being murdered before your eyes just because the game designer says you should or RL conscience dictates you must?  Well, you probably don’t….and even less so when it’s presented in a non-interactive cut-scene. But, wait a second, you ARE a civilian! And the bad guys are coming after you, your neighbours and your defenceless family—not only have you been stripped of your Ghost gear, you’re not even a Ghost:  the better to appreciate your battle readiness, physical prowess and mental fortitude when your back with your unit…  Payback time!  Playing peripheral characters gives perspective on the conflict and in our case helps present war more credibly—not all Russians in GRFS are bad guys; on the contrary! The story of this Ghost Recon is also about helping the legitimate Russian President retake his country, which is being torn apart by a civil war instigated by an Ultranationalist coup d’état…  Players retain a game’s meaning, its message, when the core narrative is told in-game.

Also, we think it’s more credible to let you experience the terrorist attack from the POV of a playable Russian civilian engineer at the start of the game while you get a first handle on the controls, rather than paradoxically trying to find your legs while playing an elite Ghost.