bapenguin
10-30-2007, 06:10 AM
Written by: Sazime (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/member.php?u=464)
Timeshift Launch Party
Just this year, Saber has had to put an awful lot of work into a game which was already finished and ready to ship. At one time, the game was to be published by Atari. Sierra (aka Vivendi) acquired the rights to the title and helped the development team change directions from a very much steam-punk inspired game to a cleaner looking, sci-fi based style. Even though the game is now very much ingrained with the more polished feel of a "future tech" title, parts of the steam punk design still shine through in some weapon designs. In that time, the team was also able to expand the platform list they were aiming for. They went from being a PC and 360 title to also releasing on the PS3. Although the PS3 version of the game will see release one month later than it's 360 and PC counterparts, it was the only version playable at the launch party and even featured the much fabled Dual Shock 3, with rumble!
Time Shift (http://timeshiftgame.com) is one of many first person shooters coming out this holiday season. What separates it from its competition is game play we have not seen before. In many games, Max Payne, F.E.A.R. and others, we have been able to experience the feeling of slowing down time. What Saber has done with Time Shift it allow the play to slow, stop and even reverse time to outwit and out maneuver your enemies. Not only that, but in the multi-player modes players are given "time grenades" which replicate the effects of the time suit in a small area of effect. You're able to trap your enemies, stop their bullets, reverse their fire and some clever testers have even found ways to use the "reverse" effect to rocket themselves into the air. Saber and Sierra had set up 8 kiosks and let the invited guests have at it. And as Michael Cabisson, Time Shift's Associate Producer, showed me, there's nothing as quite as satisfying as using the motion sensor in the Six Axis controller to whack someone in the face with the but of your gun in-game.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image02_lo.jpg
DJs from the group Bootie rock the time traveling house.
I was also able to speak with Matt Karch, Rick Raymo and Anton Krupkin. Karch's excitement for his development team was palpable. Saber is still an independent publisher, and it seems that Mr. Karch could not be happier with were they stand right now. He spoke at length about what their development cycle was like and what was done to get this game out the door. The team was obviously dedicated and it showed with whomever I spoke with. Andre Indres, who I wished I could have spoke to more than I did, and Anton Krupkin put in some serious last minute work to make sure the game engine was finished and ready for the PS3. Krupkin, as Karch pointed out to me, was still looking for issues with the engine while the multi-player games were running, and the team is already gearing up for more content to be released for the game down the road. It was also a blast talking to Rick Raymo, once was a games journalist, has been working on games since the mid 90s. There seemed to be a certain thread (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38571) where we waxed nostalgic on Blood. Raymo is one of the gentleman responsible for that game hitting your PC as well as more than a couple of Duke Nukem titles and Max Payne. Here, Raymo worked with Saber's support staff and happily pointed out some of the great things that their engine is able to do graphically.
The night ended too quickly for me. I was able to get in some quality time with the PS3 version of the game and talk to some really great people. It is fantastic to see a development team fresh out of a year of complete and total hell, revamping a game graphically as well as changing major story elements and developing new cut scenes, and come out of the gate ready for the next project. I'm interested to see where they take their engine from here, as it is doing things that so far, no one else has attempted to accomplish. Oh, and PC gamers, it's DX9 and Shader 2.0, so you won't be left out in the cold but not upgrading that system. And get online, I have a time stopping grenade with your name on it.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image01_lo.jpg
From left to right, Anton Krupkin and Andrey Iones try out some multi-player action with attendees.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image03_lo.jpg
Another shot of Iones and Krupkin talking to an attendee. CEO Matthew Karch manages to hide his Leno-like chin on the far right.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image04_lo.jpg
It's a fight to the finish, in t-shirts and jeans. It's the last night when Mighty will ever relax their dress code.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image05_lo.jpg
This is the game you've come to see, and they remind you of it, with lettering that looks like it was written by light scribing giants.
Timeshift Launch Party
Just this year, Saber has had to put an awful lot of work into a game which was already finished and ready to ship. At one time, the game was to be published by Atari. Sierra (aka Vivendi) acquired the rights to the title and helped the development team change directions from a very much steam-punk inspired game to a cleaner looking, sci-fi based style. Even though the game is now very much ingrained with the more polished feel of a "future tech" title, parts of the steam punk design still shine through in some weapon designs. In that time, the team was also able to expand the platform list they were aiming for. They went from being a PC and 360 title to also releasing on the PS3. Although the PS3 version of the game will see release one month later than it's 360 and PC counterparts, it was the only version playable at the launch party and even featured the much fabled Dual Shock 3, with rumble!
Time Shift (http://timeshiftgame.com) is one of many first person shooters coming out this holiday season. What separates it from its competition is game play we have not seen before. In many games, Max Payne, F.E.A.R. and others, we have been able to experience the feeling of slowing down time. What Saber has done with Time Shift it allow the play to slow, stop and even reverse time to outwit and out maneuver your enemies. Not only that, but in the multi-player modes players are given "time grenades" which replicate the effects of the time suit in a small area of effect. You're able to trap your enemies, stop their bullets, reverse their fire and some clever testers have even found ways to use the "reverse" effect to rocket themselves into the air. Saber and Sierra had set up 8 kiosks and let the invited guests have at it. And as Michael Cabisson, Time Shift's Associate Producer, showed me, there's nothing as quite as satisfying as using the motion sensor in the Six Axis controller to whack someone in the face with the but of your gun in-game.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image02_lo.jpg
DJs from the group Bootie rock the time traveling house.
I was also able to speak with Matt Karch, Rick Raymo and Anton Krupkin. Karch's excitement for his development team was palpable. Saber is still an independent publisher, and it seems that Mr. Karch could not be happier with were they stand right now. He spoke at length about what their development cycle was like and what was done to get this game out the door. The team was obviously dedicated and it showed with whomever I spoke with. Andre Indres, who I wished I could have spoke to more than I did, and Anton Krupkin put in some serious last minute work to make sure the game engine was finished and ready for the PS3. Krupkin, as Karch pointed out to me, was still looking for issues with the engine while the multi-player games were running, and the team is already gearing up for more content to be released for the game down the road. It was also a blast talking to Rick Raymo, once was a games journalist, has been working on games since the mid 90s. There seemed to be a certain thread (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38571) where we waxed nostalgic on Blood. Raymo is one of the gentleman responsible for that game hitting your PC as well as more than a couple of Duke Nukem titles and Max Payne. Here, Raymo worked with Saber's support staff and happily pointed out some of the great things that their engine is able to do graphically.
The night ended too quickly for me. I was able to get in some quality time with the PS3 version of the game and talk to some really great people. It is fantastic to see a development team fresh out of a year of complete and total hell, revamping a game graphically as well as changing major story elements and developing new cut scenes, and come out of the gate ready for the next project. I'm interested to see where they take their engine from here, as it is doing things that so far, no one else has attempted to accomplish. Oh, and PC gamers, it's DX9 and Shader 2.0, so you won't be left out in the cold but not upgrading that system. And get online, I have a time stopping grenade with your name on it.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image01_lo.jpg
From left to right, Anton Krupkin and Andrey Iones try out some multi-player action with attendees.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image03_lo.jpg
Another shot of Iones and Krupkin talking to an attendee. CEO Matthew Karch manages to hide his Leno-like chin on the far right.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image04_lo.jpg
It's a fight to the finish, in t-shirts and jeans. It's the last night when Mighty will ever relax their dress code.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/events/timeshift/image05_lo.jpg
This is the game you've come to see, and they remind you of it, with lettering that looks like it was written by light scribing giants.