Amy Hennig Talks Visceral’s Action-Adventure Star Wars Game

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Another couple of months, another article on what comes out of the Lucasfilm-Electronic Arts deal aside from a ton of Battlefront sequels. Amy Hennig talks more about the Visceral Games project she’s overseeing after the jump.

 

 

Hennig was speaking about the highly anticipated Star Wars action-adventure game during a panel at Pax West. A little is known about this game, apart from it being an original story and that perhaps Han Solo will be involved in some capacity. Back in January 2015 one of our sources revealed to us that the game will be a third person shooter with a youngish Han Solo. A few months later Amy and co-writer Todd Stashwick, together with several other EA employees posted several messages clearly hinting at Solo’s involvement. Whether things have changed in the last year and a half, we don’t know. We do know that the game is aimed for a 2018 release, and I doubt it’s just a coincidence that the Han Solo spin-off movie is also scheduled for a release on May 25, 2018. Most likely those two projects will end up connected in some way.

 

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Here’s what Amy Hennig (who previously worked on Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series as a writer and director) said at Pax West (from DualShockers via GameSpot):

 

We’re working really close (with Lucasfilm), and I’ve been blessed to be working really close with the Lucasfilm story group and Doug Chang, who is their Art Director and Senior Creative Director over there, and that whole team, to say “what is Authentic Star Wars and how do we make more?” Because our project is an original story.”

“You need guides, that have done it for a while and are also looking at everything else, because we’re part of the same sort of emerging track of properties that, like obviously seven, eight and nine, is evolving that story further, but films like Rogue One and the Han Solo one that is coming, even shows like Rebels and stuff like that… A lot of projects are in the works, and the question is “is this authentic Star Wars?” right? And to understand what that is, and to have people there at LucasFilm that have helped us define what that is.

Authentic Star Wars can mean that we get the AT-ST right, right? And of course we have to do that too, but it’s all about the new stuff, the new characters, the new story, the new locations, the new creatures, the new tech. All of this stuff that has to sit authentically alongside the Star Wars that we’re so familiar with.”

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Hennig also spoke about the differences between Uncharted and Star Wars:

 

“When I broke it down, of course the genre is action-adventure, so it shows a lot of similarities, but there are a few things that jumped out that were really different about Star Wars. So I thought that some of the rules I had used making Uncharted no longer applied.

In Uncharted or in Indiana Jones you actually kinda stick with Indie the whole time. There are times you cut away, but it’s always something that informs you on what he is doing, like Marion in the tent. You don’t cut away to the bad guys, for instance.

In Star Wars you’re always cutting away to the bad guys, and seeing what they’re doing: “Meanwhile, back at the villain ranch…”

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Hennig also explained what their main goal is with this game and how they are going to accomplish it:

 

“Our goal in this game is to tell an authentic Star Wars story in an interactive context. That carries with it a whole lot of rules and baggage, that we have to kind of deconstruct, and reconstruct and honor.

That was one example, but the other main example was that the side characters in Indiana Jones and that type of films are just that. They’re kind of along for the ride, but if you think to that compared to Han and Leia, and the other characters in Rebels, and the other characters in Rogue one, you can see that these are all ensemble stories. So if our game wasn’t an ensemble game, and we weren’t telling an ensemble story, then it wouldn’t pass the litmus test on whether it feels like Star Wars.”

And the other thing is honoring the fact that these characters are underdogs. They’re going to always be outgunned, outmatched, outmanned, right? They have to work together and they have to be cleverer than their enemies. Therefore, how do you turn that into gameplay. How do you take that idea and then deconstruct it as mechanics, sequences, that then play to that core principle. That’s the challenge of making these kinds of things.”

 

 

For the full interview make sure to go to DualShockers

 

 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

42 thoughts on “Amy Hennig Talks Visceral’s Action-Adventure Star Wars Game

  • September 5, 2016 at 5:34 pm
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    I wonder if this could be the 1313 remake after all…
    Also, could they throw us another surprise with another unexpected game from an unexpected company?

  • September 5, 2016 at 6:01 pm
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    “what is Authentic Star Wars and how do we make more?” I detect a thin veil of prequel hating in there….

    • September 5, 2016 at 6:02 pm
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      I wouldn’t think that way.

    • September 5, 2016 at 6:05 pm
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      I didn’t catch that at all. It came across to me as a video game creator wanting to make sure that the environments and characters in a new Star Wars game actually feel like part of the Star Wars universe, rather than just a generic game that happens to feature blasters and lightsabers.

    • September 5, 2016 at 6:29 pm
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      What makes you think that she, in particular, excludes the prequels as an example of authentic Star Wars? My gosh, some of you prequel apologists are so touchy.

      • September 5, 2016 at 7:43 pm
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        Hey..I wouldn’t use “touchy.” Perhaps sensitive and cuddly..but strong warriors on the inside..an Ewok if you will.

        • September 8, 2016 at 1:55 am
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          AHHH!!!! GET SOME BLINKING EYELIDS ON THAT HORRIFYING THING!!!!

      • September 7, 2016 at 4:52 pm
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        Life has made us that way…

    • September 5, 2016 at 7:08 pm
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      You’re really stretching on that one man. There’s no reason to see something like that in that particular comment unless you’re desperately looking for something to get offended about.

    • September 5, 2016 at 7:34 pm
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      I’m sure they’re not talking about the PT though..just the fact that the game has to feel authentic during gameplay. And besides there still has to be some employees at Lucasfilm who love the PT..they probably just keep it on the low lol.

    • September 5, 2016 at 9:18 pm
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      No, I detect you being way too sensitive.

      Every single person making new star wars content is going to ask themselves that question. It’s how they make sure what they are making fits into the universe.

      Settle down.

    • September 5, 2016 at 9:51 pm
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      Only because you put it there.

    • September 6, 2016 at 4:55 am
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      So she turns to Doug Chiang, renowned prequel concept artist, for authenticity…the veil must be invisible because I’m not seeing it.

      • September 7, 2016 at 4:53 pm
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        Well, he’s just an Lucasfilm employee, he has to do as told, but whatever

    • September 7, 2016 at 5:14 am
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      Prequel content is authentic Star Wars. The prequels blew the galaxy wide open in terms of new species, worlds, governments, technology, Force users.

      Star Wars wasn’t a quarter of the size it is now without the prequels and even the pissiest haters will admit to loving many of the world building elements George successfully introduced in the new trilogy.

    • September 7, 2016 at 4:59 pm
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      Love it how everyone freaks out when the phrase “prequel hate” comes up. Again, that is MY point of view, you don’t have to agree with it. After 4 years of the purchase and same amount of time listening how Disney has “rescued” the franchise from the evil clutches of its creator, and how they “got it out of the mud”, and how they “will make Star Wars great again” (wink) and so on, so on, phrases like “real Star Wars” trigger me, what can I do…

  • September 5, 2016 at 6:27 pm
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    Best start saving them pennies…

    • September 5, 2016 at 6:47 pm
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      Sure thing!

  • September 5, 2016 at 8:02 pm
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    Still miss 1313.

    • September 5, 2016 at 9:18 pm
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      I can’t miss something that I’ve never played

      • September 5, 2016 at 10:04 pm
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        I can.

        • September 5, 2016 at 10:55 pm
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          Then I weep for your loss, my friend.

          • September 6, 2016 at 5:46 am
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            Can’t weep for someone you’ve never met.

          • September 6, 2016 at 5:49 am
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            That’s not true!

          • September 6, 2016 at 5:29 pm
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            Then I’m glad I have someone weeping for me XD

    • September 5, 2016 at 10:39 pm
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      1313 was going to be one of those “cool for 15 minutes” sort of games. – It was almost totally on rails aside from a few aspects. Linear story with hockey “acting” and voice sequences. 1313 would have been a better SHOW or movie, than game…..

      • September 5, 2016 at 10:56 pm
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        I am not one who cares for 1313 because I never played it, but to make that kind of judgment from basically a tech demo is premature. We don’t know enough to say anything really.

        • September 5, 2016 at 11:04 pm
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          There was a lot more information, but unfortunately a lot of the articles i had bookmarked are now going to 404 pages… Which is strange. One in particular was on Kokatu – it outlined the first 4 hours of prepared gameplay.

          • September 6, 2016 at 12:22 am
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            reading about a game is still not the same as playing it. I don’t judge things I don’t experience.

  • September 5, 2016 at 10:03 pm
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    Hope they tie this game in with the VR headset. Flying the Falcon in VR would be cool.

  • September 5, 2016 at 11:19 pm
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    Cant wait but i still feel like theyre making the wrong games and movies. Lets get out of the OT era already, first of all. We have Rouge One which looks awesome, but ok lets stop going back and forth between OT and ST era

    • September 5, 2016 at 11:53 pm
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      Yeah, thats one of the many reasons why I so badly want a KOTOR remake. Its such huge gap in canon that they can literally do so much with it.

      • September 6, 2016 at 5:31 am
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        Hopefully something different than that.

    • September 6, 2016 at 1:40 am
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      maybe after VIII they’ll have let enough of the secrets out of the bag to open up that era fully, but i fear we’ll be getting it piece meal for the time being.

      • September 6, 2016 at 3:41 am
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        Yeah, Although, the second that they’ve finished the ST, you know that we’re going to get an explosion of canon content like nothing we’ve ever seen before. It’s gonna be awesome.

  • September 6, 2016 at 1:37 am
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    this sounds really cool, especially the part about always being out gunned. based on the emphasis on “ensemble” i’m guessing its going to be in the vein of kotor or mass effect?

  • September 6, 2016 at 1:59 am
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    I’m interested to see where this project is going. It’s been a really long time since we’ve had a story driven star wars game I can get behind, and the studio behind it knows their way around a game so it’s shaping up to be great.

  • September 6, 2016 at 2:18 am
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    So it’s not my Jedi Knight in open world. Sigh… i have to wait much time again ?

  • September 6, 2016 at 5:21 pm
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    “All of this stuff that has to sit authentically alongside the Star Wars that we’re so familiar with.”

    Does it? I thought new directions was the point.

    • September 6, 2016 at 8:21 pm
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      Well yes, I mean people still need to look at it and go “That’s TOTALLY Star Wars, I’d recognize it anywhere”. There’s a fine line between being too familiar and not being familiar enough, a line on which TFA was too far on the former side of and, say, the Holiday Special was too far on the latter side of.

  • September 7, 2016 at 1:10 am
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    Awesome graphics. They’ve never really done the lightaber gameplay right before (open world would be awesome and I think with better, clearer graphics) it could be cool. But I enjoy the first person shooters (dark forces the first one was amazing) so would enjoy getting a Han Solo game where he is using blaster and such.

  • September 7, 2016 at 9:26 am
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    Very interested in seeing how this turns out. I really hope we start to see some really good Star Wars games semi soon.

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