QuoteFASA studio manager Mitch Gitelman looks back at the Shadowrun project and talks about the challenges encountered along the way.
By Staff, GameSpot
Posted Apr 5, 2007 9:49 pm GMT -3

It was almost a year ago that Microsoft and its internal FASA studio revealed Shadowrun, a multiplayer action shooter with the tantalizing promise of cross-platform gameplay. In Shadowrun, Xbox 360 and Windows Vista players can participate in online matches together. The world of Shadowrun blends magic and technology to create a wild and dynamic gameplay experience. In the game, players blast away at one another, teleport through solid objects, resurrect the dead, and more. Now with the game almost complete and set to ship later this spring, FASA studio manager Mitch Gitelman shares his thoughts on the project.


Sure, you've seen trolls and elves before, but have you seen them armed with assault rifles and katana swords?

GameSpot: Shadowrun is finally nearing completion, so what's life been like at FASA the past few weeks? We imagine it's been pretty hectic to get the game out the door.

Mitch Gitelman: It's like birthing a baby in a way. A few weeks ago, we gave our last big, grunting push, and now we're cleaning her up before we let the rest of the family see her and take baby pictures.

It's no longer hectic. It's about carefully making sure the game is ready for the public and fixing issues without creating more. The tension is still there because you need good judgment to determine what should be fixed versus what could be fixed or what you want to have fixed.

GS: We're looking for some history on the project. What was the initial impetus for the game? How did it come to be? And how long has it been in development?

MG: A few years back, we developed a very polished prototype for a game we decided not to pursue. At that point, we stepped back and said, "What now?" We owned the Shadowrun license and many people in the studio were Shadowrun fans. We scrapped a Shadowrun game in 1998 when we were acquired by Microsoft, and some of us were itching for another shot at it.

We did some rapid prototyping, and the results were disturbingly fun. We had never prototyped a game that was that fun that quickly before. We thought that our judgment might be impaired in some way, so we had a full-studio play test, and it was clear that everyone was having fun with it--the Crimson Skies team, the MechAssault team--everyone. That was three years ago, and here we are today.

GS: What was the most difficult aspect of the game to make? Why was it the most difficult aspect? Was it the cross-platform gameplay? Was it trying to balance everything in the game? Or was it something else?


Trolls can wield the heavy chaingun without slowing down, unlike the other races.

MG: Those things were challenges but not extremely difficult--just time consuming. The hardest part of making Shadowrun was the blend of gameplay, art, and performance. We develop our gameplay first since it's incredibly difficult to make a truly fun and highly replayable game. The unique gameplay and movement options in Shadowrun made map design an interesting challenge. With the ability to glide and teleport in combination, you can see large expanses of the gameplay environment at the same time. When you couple that with the ability to move instantly through walls, floors, and ceilings, you've just created a daunting challenge for artists and programmers. Next-generation art requires multiple texture passes. That's very expensive from a performance perspective. When you take away one of the little-understood tools that first-person hallway shooters have--the ability to only show you a small amount of the environment at any one time--you have set up a scenario where making the game look great and consistently run at 30 frames per second is more than a big challenge.

Add to all that the combination of 16 human and artificial intelligence players. Then add the ability to summon creatures and objects into the world, the ability to see enemies through walls, and art, programming, and design teams that would not allow their area of the game to be anything less than outstanding. It could have killed us, but it didn't. The game looks, plays, and runs great.
Games for Toasters
GS: Do you think that Shadowrun's cross-platform gameplay represents the future of gaming? Do you expect cross-platform games to become more and more prevalent during the next few years?


Glider wings let you soar over the map, as well as make you an easy target.

MG: Yes. We're moving into an era of connected entertainment where everything will interoperate with everything else. More and more, groups, such as FASA, will find ways to allow people to interact with their games regardless of device. For example, imagine someone waiting for a bus and using his PDA to play a puzzle game that unlocks a door in Shadowrun; doing so would open that door for players in a first-person shooter console game. Or someone on Windows will find his next mercenary job in a console role-playing game. Eventually, you will use your toaster to play Gears of War IV.

GS: Is there a feature, weapon, power, or ability that was dropped in development that you wish you could bring back? If so, what was it?

MG: Oh sure, plenty of them. The one I loved the most was the ability to climb walls like Spider-Man. You could still use your weapon while wallcrawling, so we got plenty of spider snipers in places you'd never expect. When combined with glider and teleport, it was insane.

GS: If the game does well, could we expect to see more Shadowrun-related products down the road? For instance, the longtime fans of the franchise would really love to see a Shadowrun role-playing game.

MG: Yeah, I heard somewhere on the Web that longtime fans might want an RPG. We'll look into that.

GS: With Shadowrun wrapping up soon, what's next for the FASA team? Could we see a return to the MechAssault franchise? Crimson Skies? Or is it time for something new?

MG: There's nothing I can share right now about future projects. The studio's focus is on putting the finishing touches on Shadowrun and getting it out the door.

GS: Finally, what are your closing thoughts on the game and the project? Is it a bit sad to come to the end? Or are you happy to get it done?


If you're outnumbered, resurrecting a fallen teammate can quickly even the odds.

MG: This has been the single hardest thing we've ever done. The challenges were huge and the pitfalls were deep. We walked through fire and ice to make this game, and it's the best thing we've ever done. The only thing that kept one foot moving in front of the other was our firm belief that our gameplay was awesome and that if people would put aside their biases and try it, they would agree. I am personally relieved that it's almost done, but I can't say I'm happy to get it done. I have never been satisfied with any game I've made, and I doubt I ever will be. There's always something more you could do to make it rock even harder. But I'll tell you one thing: I've never been prouder of anything we've made or of the team that made it. I am honored to work with such a talented and dedicated group of people.

GS: Thank you, Mitch.

QuoteMG: Yeah, I heard somewhere on the Web that longtime fans might want an RPG. We'll look into that.