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Game Review
Developed and produced by Paradigm Entertainment and released by Atari, Terminator 3: The Redemption is based on C2 Picture's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines film and James Cameron's famous Terminator property. I was fortunate enough to get a little time with Paradigm's Josh Hackney. Take a look at what we talked about!
World Famous Comics: Hi Josh, thanks for joining us! Can you tell us what your role was on Terminator 3: The Redemption?
Josh Hackney: Hey there. Glad to be here. I was the Producer on T3 at Paradigm.
WFC: Right now I'm only half way through the game, currently getting my butt kicked in present day Los Angeles by the T-X [*laughter*], but it didn't take long for me to see that you've done a great job capturing what it's like to be the Terminator. This was obviously an important goal. What were some of the things you did to achieve this?
JH: We started thinking about what makes the Terminator so cool, and really boiled it down to the fact that he's an unstoppable killing machine. So we focused on these traits individually and tried to bring them together in the gameplay. We tried to reinforce him being a machine by exploiting the character damage and showing off the metal frame under his skin. His capability to take over other vehicles and willingness to take a beating and still obliterate everything in his path is something, I think, that you can see throughout the game. We kept asking ourselves, "Does this make you feel like the Terminator?" when implementing the gameplay.
WFC: I think capturing Arnold's likeness so well and having him do some of the voice work helps achieve this too.
The do-not-blink-or-die driving action is very cool, however, my personal favorite part of gameplay has to be the combo moves. They feel like moves that a Terminator would do in hand-to-hand or up close combat. You really did a great job with that. It is my understanding that they were actually expanded upon, going beyond what was intitially planned. What else can you tell us about the combos?
JH: Our initial focus was very limited, but we do have some very ingenious developers on our staff who thought they could take it farther. We expanded from a couple moves which just included some punches to ripping weapons out of enemy hands, knocking heads off of endos and some very intense grappling.
WFC: I'm really dig'n the game's storyline. It not only closely follows the film continuity, but also builds on it. Can you tell us about this?
JH: We had the opportunity to work closely with C2 Pictures and explore elements of the Terminator universe that we thought players really wanted to see. Namely the Future after Judgement Day. C2 really got excited about the prospect and worked with us to explore everything from the Time Displacement Chamber, seen early in the game, to what the future looks like without John Connor.
WFC: Did you find it restrictive to work under the Terminator license?
JH: Actually, we worked closely with C2 Pictures to expand on the Terminator universe in many ways. Our concept guys and art director were able to create worlds, vehicles and enemies never seen before in any of the franchise movies. Having that opportunity was very cool and exciting, and C2 was very flexible with their approvals. Not to mention that we had done a Terminator game before, so we were able to bring some background knowledge to the table!
WFC: Nice. What were some challenges you faced when developing T3?
JH: The biggest hurdles we had to overcome really boils down to doing a multiplatform simultaneous release. In the past, Paradigm has done PS2 and Xbox simultaneous releases, but adding a third console, the GameCube, can really start multiplying your issues. Seeing all three versions running side by side for the first time was really cool.
WFC: Ah, I can see that. A multiplatform release would require you to adapt for different systems and have different proprietary formats to comply with. The more platforms, the more potential issues...
This leads to another question. While developing a game, what do you guys do when you're stumped? You don't take a break to play video games, do you? [*laughter*]
JH: Uhm, you mean besides slam our heads against a wall... [*more laughter*] Really though, Mario Kart and MP Halo made their appearances at times, as did a number of other games. One of the reasons developers make games is because they like to play them. When times get tough, playing a game can be a helpful reminder of why you're there. There's also some "comfort" tools for the team to use, like the pool and foosball tables....
WFC: The Paradigm team sounds a lot like our gang. We take a break from producing comics and comic book content for our site by reading other publisher's comics and online comic book content. Well, while on the topic, who's your favorite comic book character and why?
JH: Spider-Man. He's an everyday guy that gets infected and develops superhuman powers. What's cooler than that, besides, of course, swinging through New York City ten stories above the ground?
WFC: Spidey's my favorite too. Sticking to walls and Spider-Sense... can't get much cooler than that. So, what do you look toward for inspiration and what are your creative influences?
JH: Inspiration is a wonderful thing because it can really come from anywhere. Games, books, TV and movies all can bring on a good brainstorming session.
For Redemption we watched all three of the Terminator movies numerous times. We also relied heavily on past experiences with other projects, knowing what worked and what didn't. The team was especially into the game, and contributed many of the cool features that you see now.
WFC: What are you most proud of with T3?
JH: The vehicle interaction is something that really pulls the game together. I love the feeling of being able to take over your enemies and use them against each other. Having an endo torso climb up on your vehicle comes straight out of the movies. Finally, I think that the character damage looks amazing and really helps the player connect to the game.
WFC: We have to wrap things up now, but I have one last question... The Terminator, boxers or briefs?
JH: Boxers. If you're on a mission to keep the savior of the human race alive, do it in comfort.
WFC: [*laughter*] You really *do* know what it's like to be the Terminator! Any departing words?
JH: You keep on playing them and we'll keep on building them.
WFC: You got it. Thanks again for your time, it was great having you!
JH: Thanks and see you next time around.
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