Next-gen must deliver "qualitative difference" - Blade

By Tom Bramwell Published 5 April, 2007

Talks up Hydrophobia.

Blade Interactive, developer of World Snooker Championship, believes that expensive next-generation consoles must provide a significant "qualitative difference" - and this is precisely what they aim to deliver with new title Hydrophobia.

"What people want - and I don't care whether it's a new console or a new handset - they want a reason and an endorsement of why they have bought that technology," says Blade's joint managing director Peter Jones, speaking to GamesIndustry.biz.

"They want to feel the reason why they have spent over GBP 400 on a PlayStation 3 or almost GBP 300 on a Xbox 360. They don't just want another first-person shooter. They want to have a qualitative difference.

"It works like this with all sorts of products from cars to consoles. You want to pat yourself on the back for the wise purchase you've made; now it's all about expanding the experience. What we've done through our technology is create something that no other game has ever done."

Hydrophobia, which snuck up on us earlier this year, is Blade's "baby", says Jones. So much so that despite having spent as much as seven years prototyping, and developing technology, Blade isn't about to let the code out into the wider world for the sake of a bit of quick cash. "It was our intention originally to use it as middleware because it's a very powerful tool," says Jones. "The honest answer is that ultimately we'd consider licensing it out but we want to exploit it first."

For more of Jones' views, along with those of technical director Gary Leach, and a few more reflections on the difficulty of remaining independent in a UK games market that's had its "lean years", check out the full Blade Interactive interview on GamesIndustry.biz

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (24) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • MadMirko #1 5 years ago

    "They want to feel the reason why they have spent over GBP 400 on a PlayStation 3 or almost GBP 300 on a Xbox 360. They don't just want another first-person shooter. They want to have a qualitative difference.

    No, they don't. Same thing in HD is just fine.

  • mkreku #2 5 years ago

    When will they reveal more about that Hydrophobia game? They're walking a pretty dangerous path right now, talking up their yet totally unproven game to such heights that it REALLY has to be something special for it to not feel like a huge disappointment when it's finally revealed.

  • scowat #3 5 years ago

    Post deleted at 16:41:01 08-02-2012

  • moggsy #4 5 years ago

    No, they don't. Same thing in HD is just fine.

    I do.

  • bonker #5 5 years ago

    "They want to feel the reason why they have spent over GBP 400 on a PlayStation 3 or almost GBP 300 on a Xbox 360. They don't just want another first-person shooter. They want to have a qualitative difference. "

    Well for £300 you can get a full Premium 360 with 5 great games, an extra wireless controller, the best Live/online action available anywhere, HD graphics, media streaming, Live Arcade, txt/voice/video chat, a back catalogue of nearly 200 games with loads available at less than £20 etc.

    I'd call that a qualitative difference (over both previous-gen and current-gen competitors).

  • NeedMoreSocks81 #6 5 years ago

    I think he's hit the nail on the head - I've had a 360 since launch, and while I've certainly enjoyed some of the games, there's nothing really new out there. Take Gear of War, great game and amazing graphics - but really what are we seeing that's new there? AI? Not really. Physics, nope. Gameplay? - Nothing that couldn't have been done on previous gen. Story? Hardly. Emotion? Hmmm.

    Basically so far there has been nothing - other than graphics, where I can say "Holy shit now that would never have been possible on my Xbox!".

    I'm very interested to see what Hydrophobia has up it's sleeve, the concept art on their website looks cool, let's just hope they let the cat out of the bag some time this year! lol

  • Lucozade #7 5 years ago

    My god, I don't think i've ever seen a bunch of miserable nay sayers that are quite as miserable and say nay as often as you guys do - it's a veritable field of moody horses out there. The way I see it the guy is compleatly right! The new consoles, while they have lots of ok games don't really have anything that stands out and makes me go "wow." They don't have anything new and original that actually makes me excited (save for the wii of course whose success is entirely based around the fact that it is new, innovative and exciting!) Is he wrong for saying these things, or has he simply told us the truth? Does he deserve to be derided by people who havn't even seen the game - by the looks of it he's the computer gameing equivlent of Coppernicus!

    I read an article about it in 360 world and it sounded pretty good, so i for one look foward to finding out more about this game, and am awaiting it with quiet optimism as opposed to the scornful scepticism some of you seem so keen to drown it with!!! So there!!!!

    It's negative people like you that have no desire for change that rott the games industry!
    Edited by 1 at 05/04/07 @ 10:21

  • loopy #8 5 years ago

    He was doing just fine up until "What we've done through our technology is create something that no other game has ever done", then I switched off I'm afraid.

  • Machetazo #9 5 years ago

    Just add water. :) Why didn't anyone else think of that?

    I spotted something that's possibly of interest. If you go to the home tab, on Blade's site, you'll see a group of scrolling ads. After one about the company's recruitment drive for Hydrophobia, the game's logo shows up, along with "Playstation 3" underneath it. No other platforms are mentioned there, or anywhere else on the site for the game.

    That concept art is not only wonderfully vivid, but also inspires me to believe that Blade aren't all gob on this game. I think they'll deliver. There's a large amount of potential for something really noteworthy to result from this, if they remain true to their "next-gen game" aspirations.

    Also, are those characters on the front page even remotely likely to be in-game examples?

  • sharpfish #10 5 years ago

    Well, I've worked in the past with Blade - and while their intentions sound good they are really going to have to push themselves beyond their past capabilities/delivery if they truly want to make that difference.

    From my experience they pretty much settled for "acceptable minimum" in their other games, no hint of an overpowering drive to do the best games in the world.

  • kangarootoo #11 5 years ago

    "Gamers are professionals now. We're not some greasy-fuck teenagers anymore, or morons with no jobs, We know what's good, What's bad and what's TOTAL SHIT. "

    I can't agree with that. I think your own definitions of what you believe gamers used to be are a little harsh and I wouldn't agree with them, but I actually don't think the hardcore gamer has changed very much at all in the last decade.

    Specifically, some hardcore gamers are often still just as angry and self absorbed as ever. Your post being proof in part of that. I mean, what on earth is "Gamers are professionals now" supposed to actually mean?

    "Publishers/Developers are either professional gamers or professional money launderers."

    I am neither. Many of my colleagues are neither too. How do you explain that?
    Edited by 1 at 05/04/07 @ 11:00

  • Machetazo #12 5 years ago

    Interesting insight, Sharp; but if their primary output has been a yearly update title that isn't likely to catch headlines, fills a niche in the market and therefore, "acceptable" is exactly that - and there are no complaints over this tack; why would they push themselves?

    In my case, today, Blade Interactive has just raised its head above the parapet of castle obscurity. That says to me they want to stand up and be counted, or rated. They must therefore have something to show for themselves to merit people's attention. Or they'll sink back again just as soon. I hope they deliver.

  • Skooch #13 5 years ago

    I think there is an argument for better graphics having an impact on the enjoyment of playing a game. A lot of people are arguing that basic gameplay hasn't changed a great deal with next-gen technologies, and I would probably agree, but I do feel that HD etc. are swatted aside as some kind of cheap trick. I have found that the detail HD can provide can often be stunning and really affect the enjoyment of the game. Running around the underground car parks in Dead Rising and looking out to literally hundreds of zombies encompassing you was brilliant and not possible on previous gen tech. The extravagant bosses in Lost Planet give a sense of scale and are fantastic as boss battles go. The level of detail in Gears (brain matter popping out of skulls, individual organs exposed after chainsawing somebody in half, body parts flying through the air after being hit with a torque bow, stunning textures on buildings and beautiful scenery) is excellent and really enhanced my enjoyment of the game.

    It would be great to see huge advances in gameplay but at the end of the day a game is just a game. What do people want them to do, make your dinner?

  • Redeye #14 5 years ago

    Developer CEO in 'we're great, everyone else sucks, buy our new game' non-shocker.

    *washes £50 notes in sink*

  • NeedMoreSocks81 #15 5 years ago

    Anything anyone says it's pure speculation at this point - the only thing we have to go off is some rather cool concept art on the website (which, having just looked at the site again seems to have been updated).

    Only when they finally reveal what the game is about will anyone be in a position to comment intelligently and objectively - hopefully, judging by the fact that they did this interview that will be some time soon.

  • trevd72 #16 5 years ago

    the two big jumps in gaming was the snes and the PS in my opinion. this gen, even with the wii has no produced one. I cannot see it happening now that the market is no longer a niche one. the same dross tops the charts and the games that are different are ignored. I am guilty of being a lazy gamer at times. I would rather play the "safe" R6:V online for 4 hours straight than get back into Okami.

    The only real leap i can see is in the feel of games....Physics and AI. However seeing as Japan loves the random battle shit in thier RPG and elastic band AI in racing games for example there is little chance if things happening.

    Although FPS and GTA style games are criticised this is possibly where AI and Physics development will spawn from.

  • Lucozade #17 5 years ago

    You know, people often say the same thing about the movie industry - that people settle for making crap special effects film's that don't really push things fowards that much, but that's what people want so why try and do anything differently - but when the majority of film goers hear about a film that is brilliantly different (eternal sunshine of the spotless mind/ being john malkcovitch/ battle royal/ run lola run, 2001- to name but a few of the many) the film will thrive simply because it is doing something different. Why should games be any different, just because lots of people buy and enjoy certain types of games, it doesn't mean that it is impossible, even desirable, to do something different.

    Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that 1st person shooters are dull and boring, I'm just saying that variety is the spice of life and i want something different! Besides, if things don't evolve they die - it's the same for animals, its the same for films, and you'd be a fool to think it was any different for computer games.

    I mean, what does next gen mean anyway? Does it simply refer to more of the previous gen with a few improvements (and in all fairness the new graphics are impressive) or does it symbolise a step fowards in a way unpredicted (like the original playstation - compared to the megadrive/snes) Something that doesn't only improve the graphics, but makes the game itself better and more exciting - for example, the graphics on tomb raider were amazing at the time, but it was the 3d platform gameplay that made it so legendary; knights of the old republic was floored, but the ability to choose between good and evil, a revolutionary gameplay enhancement, turned it into a classic.

    I suppose what I'm asking is, is it the next generation for graphics, or the next generation for computer games! Answers on a post card!

    My god I just wrote an essay!!

  • space_ace #18 5 years ago

    don't people get slapped for saying 'n***-gen' already?

  • Lucozade #19 5 years ago

    what would you prefer people to say?

  • theindustrialone #20 5 years ago

    current gen.

    next gen is ps4, xbox 1080, wii^2

  • TRUTH #21 5 years ago

    Can you imagine Gears Of War, Lost Planet, Ghost Recon 2 on last gen systems - NO!...Reason a huge sacrifice in graphics (that give games atmosphere), sound, A.I, framerate etc. Some games may be a evolution of older games; but that's a positive for me, as there always fun and improve on the formula of gameplay eg: Motor Storm, Lost Planet, Gears Of War, Virtua Fighter 5 etc, added next gen gloss - impossible to achieve on last gen systems.

    Also next-gen titles with that use systems power such as Dead Rising, Elder Scrolls, Ghost Recon 2, Viva Patna, Crackdown, Gears Of War, and the so called next gen titles : Mass Effect, Bioshock, Lost Oddysee, Alan Wake, Cry-On, Fable 2 (360), Mgs4 (PS3), Assassin Creed (360/PS3), will only able to be done on next-gen systems, due to process power needed (Though Wii will unable to handle them)...with Colin Mcrae Rally, Sega Rally, Grand Trusimo, Resident Evil 5, Devil May Cry 4 etc, all able to harvest the next gen power by PS3/360; the games might be similar to previous installments; but with power that improves/evolves the gameplay for a much better experience.
    Edited by 2 at 07/04/07 @ 18:41

  • MaxiSleep #22 5 years ago

    Blarrgggggghhh!!!



    If you follow the argument of "nothing new" then dvd would not have replaced vhs.

  • cyber_nicco #23 5 years ago

    I understand what he's trying to say (even above and beyond just selling his product), but the way he's saying it is ridiculous.

    I mean, what IS a qualitative difference? Better graphics sounds like a qualitative difference. Better sound quality (see how I used the same root-word?) Etc. I think he's trying to say a difference of kind, rather than degree, but it is almost the opposite of what he is really saying. At least that's what I'm getting from that one part of the quote.

    He doesn't even suggest that people want a qualitative IMPROVEMENT - just a difference. I hate it when people say vague things and think it makes them sound clever...

    p.s. I know that last sentence really makes me a target. Heh heh...
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/07 @ 01:27

  • NeedMoreSocks81 #24 5 years ago

    Well - judging by the latest article on gamesindustry.biz, that quantative difference is starting to become clear:

    http://ww w.gamesindustry.biz/content_pag...