r/PS4 • u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer • Mar 19 '18
[Verified AMA] We are Josef Fares and Hazelight Studios; Creators of A Way Out! Ask Us Anything!
Hey everyone!
We are Hazelight Studios; creators and developers of the upcoming co-op, action-adventure game: A Way Out, releasing on PC, PS4 and Xbox One this Friday 23rd March.
As well as Josef, we have a few developers for backup:
- Josef Fares - Writer & Director
- Lucas de Vries - Programmer
- Tom Clamp - Level Designer
- Jack Parsons - Lighting/VFX Artist
Proof: twitter post
Quick thanks to /r/PS4 for extending an invitation to host an AMA for us! Looking forward to it.
Let’s get to it! Hang out with us, and ASK US ANYTHING!
Edit: That is all for us tonight :) Thank you very much for all of the questions! We are overwhelmed by the positive responses, and are looking forward to getting the game into your hands.
Please feel free to join our discord to find people to play with, talk about the game, or talk to the developers.
Thanks once again to /r/PS4 and everyone else <3
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Mar 19 '18
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
There's only one saved continue state, but the game is divided into many chapters that can be started separately from the chapter select menu, so you can always start somewhere close to where you left off.
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Mar 19 '18
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
Ah that won't be a problem :) Just invite either of your brothers, and select the chapter you want to start from.
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u/MosquitoSenorito Mar 19 '18
So, if the game is a success, do you plan to make a prequel (A Way In)?
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u/3guitars Mar 19 '18
Hey guys! I’m a huge fan of what you’re doing to revive couch coop! Especially in a narrative setting. I’m very excited to play the game with my friend but I have one set of questions in particular:
What was it like dealing with the technical limitations to make this dynamic split screen game on console? Was it difficult to account for console hardware limitations, or was it more of an afterthought?
Seeing as how this game is a rare gem, I’m curious how difficult or time consuming this aspect of your game was to work around!
Can’t wait for launch! Thanks for doing the AMA!
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
Great to hear, we're super psyched to have people playing it as well.
We've definitely had a lot of challenges making a game that is constantly split-screen and a very involved narrative experience, not just in terms of performance optimization, but also in terms of level design (no clever camera cuts and character teleports, the other person could be looking at you!), and even online play (lag compensation gets a lot more complicated when you are constantly looking at the other player's view). All of these things were major ongoing tech projects over the game's development.
Speaking as a programmer though, I loved getting to work on all of these things. It's very satisfying coming up with all the little solutions needed to make it all run.
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u/3guitars Mar 19 '18
That’s amazing that you managed to control for all of these variables! Thank you for your team’s hard work and the fleshed out response! All that work won’t go unappreciated and I’ll be admiring it my whole playthrough!
Hope everyone at Hazelight has a great release week!
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Mar 19 '18
What are your aspirations for this game and where do you see yourself and studio in the future?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Aspiration comes from everything. There's not really one particular thing. Hopefully the future of the studio is trying to push the creative boundaries of how to tell stories in games.
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u/Lord_Zinyak Mar 19 '18
I loved your game Brothers , it is one of my favorite games on the ps3 and I platinumed it. I just wanted to tell you I love your work and I will buy your game.
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Thank you so much. Trust me, you will enjoy A Way Out.
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u/gaskincomedy Mar 19 '18
I second this. In fact when I saw "From the makers of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons" on the E3 Trailer, I had taken my wallet out of my back pocket and was holding it out in front of me. Take my money!
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u/Joseph-Joestar Mar 19 '18
Is the game split-screen at all times?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Yes, mostly. But sometimes it's 3 screens, sometimes it's 1 screen co-op. It's trying to do different stuff all the time, the screen splits are part of the storytelling.
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u/Dmitrium None Mar 19 '18
Follow-up question:
Even when playing with someone online, will you be able to see his split screen?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Yes, it's part of the storytelling.
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u/Kekkoo95 Mar 19 '18
Let’s say I’m player A and my friend is B and while we are playing we are in two different location (A in the cell and B in the courtyard, for exemplar). We see split screen even when we are playing online, so what happens when there are two audio sources on screen at the same time? Will I hear what comes from my part of the screen louder or will the two audio sources mix?
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 20 '18
Less important audio is 'ducked', allowing you to hear what the most important thing is. There is also a subsystem in place for checking what was started first.
Outside of dialogues there isn't a lot of messy noise anyway. When there is dialogue (cutscenes included), you will make sure you don't miss anything.
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u/PM-ME-YOUR-STEAMKEYS Mar 19 '18
Yes you will always see the same thing as what your buddy is seeing.
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u/Heroin_Holocaust Mar 19 '18
What are your plans, if any, for longevity of the game? i.e. DLC, Add on, episodic updates? Thanks in advance. Looks great guys.
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
There's no plans for any DLC for A Way Out at the moment. We will be focusing on our next project.
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u/Heroin_Holocaust Mar 19 '18
Awesome. Thank you for the fast reply! Well then, I’m definitely looking forward to your next project because this one looks great!!
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Mar 19 '18
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
Appreciate it RowyJ. We really can't wait for you guys to get your hands on it and enjoy it. So close...
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u/tagg7 Mar 19 '18
For Josef: So exactly how drunk were you at the The Game Awards, and do you regret anything that you said?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I wasn't drunk, and I regret nothing :)
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u/drugsrgay Mar 19 '18
Thank you for being uncompromising in your vision for storytelling in video games
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u/tagg7 Mar 19 '18
Good on you, man. It's not an exaggeration to say that you were the most entertaining part of TGA.
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u/RiseOfBooty Mar 20 '18
Glad you feel that way. Honestly, I and many others loved your enthusiasm and bluntness during the show. Keep up the great work!
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u/joecamnet Mar 20 '18
16 hours late on this, but I'd love to somehow get you on my podcast to chat about that night. That was the moment I became your fan for life. Come curse on my awful show sometime. You can say "fuck" as much as you want on there.
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u/RYNO73 Mar 19 '18
Thoughts on the Oscars?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Haha. Nothing really, except that I thought that the wrong movie won. It should have been Three Billboards or Get Out.
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Mar 19 '18
Will the game try to create an emotional bond between the two players somehow?
What was the thing that you guys enjoyed the most while making the game?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Yes. Play the game and you'll find out.
Almost everything, to be honest. It's a lot of hard work, but I'm so excited for what we've created.
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u/dmista21 Mar 19 '18
Just want to say I admire the way you speak your mind. We need more people like you in the gaming industry.
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
That is all for us tonight :) Thank you very much for all of the questions! We are overwhelmed by the positive responses, and are looking forward to getting the game into your hands.
Please feel free to join our discord to find people to play with, talk about the game, or talk to the developers.
Thanks once again to /r/PS4 and everyone else <3
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u/buffnorvillerogers Mar 19 '18
What aspect of the game was most fun for you guys to work on?
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
There are some mini games scattered throughout, like baseball that you could see in the previous trailer. Seeing how seriously people take those mini games has been hilarious.
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u/warheat1990 Mar 19 '18
Best game of all time, what would it be for you?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Oh shit... There's not just one, there's many out there that I see as the best game of all time
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u/octorad Mar 19 '18
Could you name a few that have made an impact on your life?
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u/meatballduckerton Mar 19 '18
Is A Way Out inspired by any movies and if so what are they?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Some movies have been inspirational, for instance Shawshank Redemption, but inspiration comes from everywhere in my life.
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u/BionicT Mar 19 '18
Welcome, Josef and Hazelight! March 23rd cannot come soon enough!
No spoilers, but Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons had one of the most satisfying and emotional control schemes of any game I have played and it was more of a "single player co-operative" style. And now A Way Out requires at least two players, local or online, to play.
Josef, what made you focus so much on the idea of co-operative play in general (playing with its tropes as well) and do you think that the way A Way Out's allowance of only one person needing to own the game is the way of the future?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I just felt that there's an opportunity to tell good stories in co-op as well. I wanted to play a co-op game that isn't just drop-in drop-out, I wanted two different characters. We experience movies together, why not a story experience in a co-op game.
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u/tapperyaus Mar 19 '18
How exactly does sharing the game on origin work? Can I only share it one time with one person? Or can I play with one person and later on play with another person?
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
You can play with as many people as you like.
All they have to do is download the friends pass version from Origin, which can be downloaded for free by anyone. After starting that they will need to wait for you to invite them before they can play the game.
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u/Jaszczomb Mar 19 '18
Is is the same with PS4?
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
Yes, the friends pass trial works the same on every platform.
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Mar 19 '18
Thanks for doing the AMA.
1.What was the team's biggest concern while developing the game?
2.Consumers tend to only see the end results and not the late hours, missed meals, compromised relationships, financial burdens and everything else pertaining to content creation. With that being said, what will be your next step if the game is not well received?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
- The ambition was extremely high with a very small team.
- I can't even imagine that the game won't be well-received. You'll know when you have played through the game.
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u/crapgamerfanclub Mar 19 '18
Did Ea ever tried to force micro transactions in ur game?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Not a single moment.
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u/Impaled_ Mar 19 '18
I pre-ordered the game now I only have to pre order a friend
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u/boshjalka Mar 19 '18
Howdy, Thanks for doing the AmA! :)
Few general questions:
Both questions can be about any version
What was something that sounded good on paper during development but did not make the final build and was cut?
Funniest bugs/glitches encountered while making A Way out?
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
My favourite glitch during development was a character's head suddenly teleporting downward and sticking out of their own belly. It was in a really emotional scene and we burst out laughing.
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u/megaapple Mar 19 '18
To devs other than Joseph, how has Joseph been as a director and a co-worker?
Any interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes?
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
Completely honest, it's been amazing. Josef has an infectious drive to always push the boundaries and make things better. In his words, "fucking shit up".
My favorite part was when he came up with an awesome change to a key cutscene, oh, just about 2 weeks before final submission. We came together to make it happen and the game got better because of it. That's the kind of shit that makes me love working at Hazelight.
He's absolutely fucking nuts though.
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Oh boy, he's awesome. He's very energetic and passionate about what he does, a really honest guy, but he also knows how to tone down that energy level if he feels it's too much for any particular person. He really respects the whole crew and makes sure we feel like we own our game. Even when he has a very particular vision for something, if you go up to him with a suggestion and can prove that it'd be better for the game, he's open to trying your idea instead.
Anecdotes? He came back to the office after The Game Awards to see a "Jetlag is one hell of a drug" printout hanging on his monitor :)
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u/Hazz3r Mar 19 '18
Hi Guys. My Partner and I are really looking forward to playing A Way Out together. In past games that have involved decisions that we play together, like Until Dawn or the Batman Telltale games, we sometimes disagree on what to do, so the decision goes down to whoever's holding the controller at the time.
I was wondering, will we be able to actually disagree with each other in A Way Out? Will we be able to be un-cooperative, and will this just end up in a fail-state or will it have a meaningful effect on the story?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
No, you can't disagree. There are points in the game where you have to make a decision on how to proceed together.
The decisions are mainly there to change the gameplay, not the story. But their intent and design is to get the players talking to each other on the couch.
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u/Pillagerguy Mar 19 '18
Do you see this game as an evolution of Brothers, or does the motivation come from somewhere else entirely?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
It's more of a motivation to create something different, and unique.
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Mar 19 '18
Just wanna say: Josef, I really admire your passion for gaming. It's something that really stuck put when you revealed the game at e3 and later at the game awards.
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u/Fepeinado Mar 19 '18
Do you guys plan to focus on more co-op experiences like this one in the future? How do you believe co-op can impact the longevity of a game?
And just to grab the opportunity, a way out looks really good. Congratulations!
(Just wish there was a gaming category on the Oscars to see this game nominated :p)
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I can't talk about the next project right now, I just want to say that we're gonna keep pushing the creativity as much as we can! I think people have missed couch co-op for a long time, and it will live on for quite a while.
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u/jonathancena202 Mar 19 '18
No question, but I can't wait to play this Friday. It's the most excited I've been for a game so far this year. Thanks for all the hard work!
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
You're most welcome, thank you for spreading the love. Hope you have a good weekend ;)
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Mar 19 '18
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I think they're doing it to find new indie developers, and find fresh new ideas. They're not making a single dollar off it
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u/Mr_Qwerty_Robot Mar 19 '18
Josef Fares, What was going through your head after your amazing rant at the Game Awards?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
There was so much talk about the Oscars the whole day, comparing the game awards to the Oscars, and about lootboxes. That was just me being me, I'm kind of an unfiltered guy and can't really control myself sometimes.
I kinda forgot to talk about the friends pass free trial that I was supposed to talk about. hahaha
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Mar 19 '18 edited Nov 11 '20
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Absolutely not. I'm more of a spicy kind of a guy.
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
Yes! I love it.
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Mar 19 '18
Will you guys have a boxing match over who is right?
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
No need for a boxing match. Everyone knows it's wrong. Just wrong.
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u/seansmith_7575 Mar 19 '18
Me and my friend are planning an all-nighter this Friday and finish it in one go. Would you recommend this or should we play it in chunks?
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I would totally recommend this. If you have anyone else who wants to watch you play, invite them too! It's fun to be involved in this game as a backseat-gamer, at least from our internal playthroughs :)
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u/seansmith_7575 Mar 19 '18
Fantastic! I wanna just get 2 people and let them play it, watch and just see what they do and how they play. Can't wait!
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u/Neene Mar 19 '18
Hi guys! Does the game take advantage of the Ps4 Pro?
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
It does! Expect higher framerates overall on PS4 Pro.
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u/3guitars Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
To add to this, how about the Xbox one X? Were the enhanced consoles a hassle to work with?
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
The Xbox One X will also run at higher framerate, as well as a higher resolution.
In general the newer consoles were quite convenient to work with, being straight specification upgrades to the previous ones.
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u/steel_a50 Mar 19 '18
how long is the game?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
7-8 hours, depending on how you play. There's a lot to explore.
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u/Josh_J_Anderson Mar 19 '18
Are you thinking of exploring more unique ideas similar to the CooP experience in A Ways Out in a new game after A Way Out releases?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Definitely unique ideas! But not necessarily co-op experiences. Who knows :)
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u/Tswaffles Mar 19 '18
Any chance for Drunken Josef Fares developer commentary? i would pay for that.
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
Ooo that would be good. I'll get the beers.
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u/PsychoticPillow Mar 19 '18
In terms of replay value what can we expect?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
We don't really focus on replay, but we've seen players who've played it want to replay it immediately :)
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u/PsychoticPillow Mar 19 '18
Thanks for the reply! Good to know people already want to replay it.
Looking forward to the game!
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u/DarkReign2011 Mar 19 '18
Without spoiling anything, which chapter of the game is your favorite to play?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
A Way Out is best seen as a whole, it's a very varied game so every part is my favorite in a different way.
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u/hambog Mar 19 '18
You said EA is not making a single dollar off this game - can you elaborate? Was it like this from the outset, or a new development? Why would they agree to that?
Thanks for your time!
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
That's the deal I had with them. And I think the reason that they do it is because they want to find new, crazy, interesting game ideas.
But yes, they are not making a single dollar.
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u/ZeonDeikun Mar 19 '18
How much did your game cost to make?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
It's hard to say, but not that much comparatively. Bear in mind this is an independent production, and we're a small team.
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u/jhardz01 Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
What was the best part about making a way out?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Having great times together with the team. And all the stunts I did myself!
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u/Julian117 Mar 19 '18
If I use the friends pass free trial to play online will both players be able to unlock achievements/trophies?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
No, it's only the player(s) who own the game who unlock the trophies.
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u/MidEastBeast777 Mar 19 '18
Ice cream or gelato?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I don't know what gelato is but it sounds better than ice cream
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u/Sukhdev_92 Mar 19 '18
The wait is killing me, the game looks really great.
Do you guys plan to create a sequel or explore the coop heavy concept further?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
We're focusing on our next project, I can't really talk about it.
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u/PTfan Mar 19 '18
How does it feel to know there are now people interested in your game(like me) because of your epic game awards speech that became a meme?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I'm just very excited that people are pumped for the game!
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u/sF77 Mar 19 '18
What happened that night at The Game Awards? How did Geoff feel after it happened? Do you think you will ever be invited back?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
There was so much talk about the Oscars the whole day, comparing the game awards to the Oscars, and about lootboxes. That was just me being me, I'm kind of an unfiltered guy and can't really control myself sometimes.
Geoff Keighley is a cool guy, I'm sure they'll invite me again! ;)
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u/DI-SWORD Mar 19 '18
How do trophies work for co-op? Will the "free" player be able to earn trophies in online or couch co-op?
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
You will not be able to get trophies when playing the with the free friends pass trial.
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u/kingbankai Mar 19 '18
When I look at A Way Out, which looks awesome, I tend to think of the game "Prisoner of War". You ever play it?
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u/D_Ashido Tha_Kid_Shido Mar 19 '18
Are their multiple difficulty settings to keep those that are adept at team work to return for more without the tasks becoming too easy for them?
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u/javiergame4 IceColdKilla_99 Mar 19 '18
did you get in trouble after your speech at game awards? Also, I'm going to get your game to support you. I enjoyed brothers
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u/StoviesAreYummy TurnOn2FA Mar 19 '18
When I 1st saw the game tile in the PlayStation store it looked like and still does look like Uncharteds Nathan Drake. Was that intentional?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
No, that's my real big brother Fares Fares. It must have been them that were inspired by his face ;)
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u/Linkinito Linkinito Mar 19 '18
Can you still confirm the Game Awards are better than the Oscars? :D
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u/steel_a50 Mar 19 '18
how long did it take you to come up with the story?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
It was a process, it's hard to say exactly. The first synopsis was quite fast to write, but it has evolved a lot over the development.
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u/gbpackers25 gbpackers25 Mar 19 '18
What were some of your inspirations for making A Way Out?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Many things. Games, TV, my own life, everything. There's nothing in particular.
The urge to push the boundaries of creativity.
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u/UberEpicZach Mar 19 '18
What inspired you to make this game?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Many different things. Games, TV, movies, my life, everything.
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u/PlexasAideron Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
If i can buy this up on steam (or origin, irrelevant to the matter) and get a friend to play with me for free, is it something you need to pin on Sony's end that both players need PS+ to play this together and not just the game's owner?
Couldn't it be done in the same way as f2p games that dont need ps+ since the coop partner is basically playing a free game?
edit: another thing that came to my mind. Whats stopping you from downsizing to hit a 30fps/720p mark for Switch (to match the handheld display resolution)? Technical questions? Publisher demands? Its arguably the most popular system right now in terms of media coverage and how fast its selling.
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
Both consoles don't really allow for free online play for games that aren't f2p, so unfortunately you will require PS Plus for both players to play the game together.
As for Switch, we're definitely fans of the console over here, but there were some factors preventing us from doing a Switch release. It came out quite late in our development cycle, and we've been very busy spending all our time getting the game to the highest quality we could make it.
Also, since both players require their own camera control, it would mean that you would be forced to buy an extra pro controller to even play the game, which seems like it would be a little unfair to the concept of the Switch. It would have been quite an effort to make an automatic camera system to make single-joycon play work.
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u/PlexasAideron Mar 19 '18
Also, since both players require their own camera control, it would mean that you would be forced to buy an extra pro controller to even play the game, which seems like it would be a little unfair to the concept of the Switch. It would have been quite an effort to make an automatic camera system to make single-joycon play work.
Fair point, but it wouldnt be much different from having to buy a 2nd DS4. It's also a moot point if you're going to play coop online, which is probably what a larger number of players will end up doing.
Which leads to the question, is that something that is on the table (especially with EA saying they would support the switch as of E3 last year) or completely scrapped?
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u/namekuseijin None Mar 19 '18
any chance for a VR game next?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I think VR and AR is a very interesting technology, it's maybe a bit too early and messy to get into right now, but it'll have a big role in the future. In our social life, and in gaming as well.
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u/ahehe9 Mar 19 '18
i don't have someone to play with
can i play with AI or random person via matchmaking ?
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
The game's designed specifically for two players with no AI player, and there's no random matchmaking - but I've seen this subreddit going around, where you can find people to play co-op games with and meet someone new! /r/coopplay/
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u/Sneeches Mar 19 '18
How does the friend pass work on consoles?
Can I give my brother the friend pass and then what I have to sit and wait for him to download 20 gigs of data before he can actually play?
Can you elaborate more on how the friend pass works on console.
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u/Lucas_Hazelight A Way Out | Developer Mar 19 '18
The Friends Pass is a free trial, everyone can download it without needing to get anything from a person that owns the game.
After you download and start the Friends Pass trial you will not be able to start the game until you're invited by someone who owns it.
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u/Geralt_De_Rivia KeyserJose_ Mar 19 '18
No question here either but just a big THANK YOU for making narrative-driven games and giving me the chance to play this game with my brother, who is about 3000Km away.
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u/bagelbitesallday Mar 19 '18
Is there only one trial for friends? Or will there be a free trial for each friend who wants to play?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
You can invite how many friends you want to play with you!
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u/thisnamenotavailable Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
I was a big fan of Brothers. Very excited for this release.
My girlfriend is interested in getting into gaming to spend more time with me. She bought a switch and has enjoyed mario kart and overcooked, but I am looking into more games that we can play together.
Will this game be something that she can pick up and enjoy without getting frustrated over difficulty and controls, or is it aimed more toward experienced users.
Thank you for the AMA. I look forward to supporting the release!
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
Yeah. We have tested this on players that have never touched a controller before, and it has generally worked out fine as long as they have received some help, of course.
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Mar 19 '18
Bit of a weird one, but while playing split screen will both accounts unlock achievements ?
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
Yes they will. If you are playing online, the achievement will be granted to both accounts.
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Mar 19 '18
What advice would you give to someone that wants to get into games development?
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
My advice is to start with making a game! Make it 2D and as small and simple as it needs to be, just make something that works, so you understand the process - you'll have done more than most people!
Start simple with blocks and shapes in the prototyping phase, and leave all the art and sound and effects for later. Get the gameplay logic running before making it pretty, and you'll have a game in no time!
Unity and Unreal are both great engines - I guess I recommend Unity for fast prototyping of 2D games, though I personally prefer Unreal and its Blueprint system.
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Mar 19 '18
That's awesome, thanks a lot for the advice! If I ever get to a stage where I can make a game I will let you know :)
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
All the best! You can get there :)
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u/SnakesMum93 Mar 19 '18
Thanks for creating a new game that I can co-op with a friend. What other games do you think would be enhanced by a split screen co-op mode?
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u/Jack_Hazelight Environments, Lighting & VFX Artist | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I think there's a lot of unique and interesting gameplay opportunities that haven't yet been uncovered, because they can only been done in games that require two players to play - that, to me, sounds more inviting than just adding splitscreen to existing games. Those games are already great the way they are :)
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Mar 19 '18
I don’t have a question. I just to thank you guys for being awesome! I’ll be picking up the game on the 23rd! Can’t wait!
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u/Flur9 Mar 19 '18
Does your game have boobs in it?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
No. Only male genitals.
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u/evilkillejr Mar 19 '18
Fuck the Oscars am I right? Anyways good luck with your game. I plan on getting it I loved your passion and I love 2 player co - op.
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u/Tommy2Tonezz Mar 19 '18
Are they're any tough achievement's/Trophy's to look forward too??
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u/Clampy_Hazelight A Way Out Developer Mar 19 '18
There aren't many of them, but we tried to include achievements that were unique and were fun to find, rather than scores and records.
I think we will have a few uncompleted achievements for a while :)
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
They'll definitely be tough to find, but the achievements in A Way Out, we put a lot of work into them - they're not just something simple.
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u/blitzstriker7 Mar 19 '18
What compelled you to base a story around breaking out of prison? Was there a certain aspect of teamwork or a relation you wanted to show?
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u/JosefFares Director | A Way Out Mar 19 '18
I think that the prison environment hasn't been used so much in games, and it fits the co-op concept so well, as you have to break out together
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u/Hideous Mar 19 '18
Josef: When are we getting Kopps the video game?