Interviews

Interview: BioWare talks Mass Effect Galaxy, cross-platform narrative, and iPhone 3GS

Why they chose to make the switch to iPhone

Interview: BioWare talks Mass Effect Galaxy, cross-platform narrative, and iPhone 3GS
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| Mass Effect Galaxy

It’s been something of an emotional rollercoaster for pocket-gaming fans of BioWare’s sprawling Mass Effect universe. First there was disbelief when rumours started emerging that BioWare was making a Mass Effect game especially for iPhone.

Then when the first screens arrived it was shock and a little cautious optimism - this was going to happen and it looked good.

Finally Mass Effect Galaxy was released to wide-spread poor reviews (Pocket Gamer's included), leading to feelings of disappointment from iPhone fans and resentment from certain sections of the Mass Effect fanbase.

We thought we’d ask the developer itself about the reasons behind the decision to bring the franchise to iPhone and the challenges they faced in making the undoubtedly ambitious switch. Kevin Barrett, Executive Producer at BioWare, was kind enough to speak with us.

How hard has it been to convey the enormous Mass Effect universe convincingly on iPhone?

It’s a matter of choosing what you want to present the player with. For instance, at BioWare we generally tell a story about a single person, or a small group of people… so the story is always very personal.

However, they live and act within the context of a large universe…so it’s presenting what they see and hear that conveys the feeling of that universe.

In our iPhone game, the player’s character gets caught up in a scenario that has far-reaching consequences, but he always deals with things on a personal level. Really, that’s not different than our other games, so telling that story on the iPhone is not a particularly difficult task.

We use a story with consequence; we travel to several planets through a galaxy map, and have a nasty villain. No problem fitting that into an iPhone!

What prompted the decision to go with iPhone for such a project as opposed to the more traditional handhelds? Would it not have been simpler to rely in the ‘standard’ controls of a DS or PSP?

The development economics for the traditional handhelds can be pretty challenging these days. On the other hand, you can make a quality iPhone game for a reasonable amount of money and you can reach an enormous and growing new audience.

The iPhone and iPod touch are great venues to introduce new customers to our BioWare IP. Regarding controls, you use what you have, and the iPhone has some great control options.

Obviously a considerable portion of the audience for Mass Effect Galaxy will be unfamiliar with the ME universe – how have you accounted for that?

We viewed Mass Effect Galaxy as an opportunity to introduce new players into the Mass Effect universe. As such, we tried to keep the player’s story “in the game”, meaning we made sure the player had enough information to make good, informed decisions at the time he is asked to make them. A player should never have to seek universe info outside of the game in order to make a decision.

In addition, we have a journal system available to the player whenever he is in a conversation. This allows the player to know where he is and what he is supposed to do at any point. The journal also fills in a few information gaps so that the story and circumstances remain clear for the player all the way through the game.

What does Galaxy have to offer fans of the more hardcore RPG elements of the original?

The two main characters in Mass Effect Galaxy (Jacob and Miranda) play important roles in the upcoming Mass Effect 2 game for PC and consoles. If you’re a hardcore Mass Effect junkie, Mass Effect Galaxy gives you some unique background information for these two characters, and should give you a deeper appreciation for their roles in Mass Effect 2.

What do you make of the iPhone 3GS? Does it open any interesting new avenues for a potential sequel/new projects?

The new hardware is exciting and further solidifies the iPhone as a gaming device which can rival the handhelds. With the new OS, it’s arguable to say that it exceeds those platforms in terms of functionality, business opportunity and certainly reach.

Was iPhone 3.0 significant for you? How much did it influence the production of Mass Effect Galaxy?

Mass Effect Galaxy is compliant with iPhone 3.0 and opens up possibilities for us to take advantage of those features in the future.

Thanks to Ken Barrett for taking the time to answer our questions.
Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.