PlayStation VR2 is about to launch, bringing an all-new, compelling and fully immersive experience to the PlayStation ecosystem. One of the most anticipated launch window titles is Horizon Call of the Mountain, an all-new adventure set in the Horizon universe. As Ryas, a disgraced soldier seeking the path to redemption, you’ll experience the beautiful landscapes and terrifying machinery of Horizon like never before. Guerrilla and co-developer his Firesprite created this adventure specifically for his PlayStation VR2 to showcase the capabilities of the PlayStation VR2.
We spoke with several members of the Guerrilla and Firesprite development teams to learn about the process and challenges of creating Call of the Mountain’s expansive VR world, and what players can expect from this epic launch title.
Lose yourself in the world with haptic and headset feedback.
Alex Barnes, Associate Game Director at Firesprite, struggled a bit with integrating PS VR2 features into the game at scale. “The PS VR2 Sense controller and the haptic feedback of the headset were integral to building a world that felt alive on PS VR2,” he says. Pull back on the string and shoot the arrow, and the state-of-the-art haptics let us show you what it feels like to be fully immersed in the world of Horizon. It’s a whole new medium to give feedback to. ”
For Barnes, watching players and their reactions to events big and small is especially satisfying. “It’s always special to see people react to moments like the Stormbird flapping its wings and flying,” he adds.
Machine redesign for new POV:
Seeing the action through Ryas’ eyes meant the developers had to make some tweaks to Horizon’s famously mechanical horror. “The team wanted to take the impressive machine to new heights with Horizon Call of the Mountain,” said Richard Oud, Studio Animation Director at Guerrilla. “When you look at it up close, the sense of scale increases and the intensity and realism increases. increase.”
Oud explains that some of the machine models and animations had to be reworked to make them look like they were surrounded by a first-person view. from a new angle. A lot of work has been done to redesign the combat and animations to make this possible. We also paid more attention to in-combat readability to clarify machine attacks and behavior from a new perspective. Players can now use body movements to straf, aim and fire, adding an extra level of realism and action to combat. ”
What is it like to work with a new composer to create a new soundscape:
As Guerilla’s audio director Bastian Seelbach explains, creating new audio for VR games like Call of the Mountain that matches the mood and style of the Horizon series is another challenge. bottom. “We wanted to tie our Horizon Call of the Mountain approach to the soundtrack more closely to the style we established for Aloy’s adventures in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.”
The team sought the expertise of composer Alistair Curley. “Our goal was to make franchise-savvy players feel right at home. [Kerley] Immediately convinced us with his take on our theme that found the perfect balance between Aloy’s journey and what we were doing in Call of the Mountain. , instantly blends into the world of Horizon, with its own fresh, recognizable and distinctive sound. We couldn’t be happier with the results and look forward to players experiencing the world of Horizon through Ryas’ musical lens. ”
Adapting the world of Horizon for VR:
The Horizon series is known for its beautiful scenery and engaging gameplay, but it’s also known as a well-crafted third-person flat-screen experience. Why did you take the series out of your “comfort zone” so to speak? “Horizon Call of the Mountain is a unique new Horizon adventure that the team has built from the ground up for PlayStation’s next-generation VR hardware,” said Jan- says Bart van Beek. “VR tends to be an intense gaming experience, and leveraging the new PS VR2 hardware is great because it gives players an authentic experience that immerses them in the game world on a whole other level. ”
The development team saw the creation of a new type of Horizon gameplay experience that remained true to the series as an exciting prospect. “With Horizon Call of the Mountain, we challenged ourselves to create a game that would be a great experience for VR veterans as well as newcomers,” notes van Beek. “We look forward to stepping into a world where players can feel alive and immersed and enjoy a deep level of interaction with the world in their own hands.”
Rias bow design:
The weapon Rias uses most often is his trusty bow. As Rob Sutton, Associate Art Director at Firesprite, explains, players often see weapons from a first-person perspective, so nailing weapon design and function was crucial. “When designing Ryas’s bow, I took inspiration from Horizon Zero Dawn’s Shadow Sharpshot Bow, due to Ryas’ connection to Shadow Carja. Over time, Ryas has made its own upgrades and customizations. , creating more effective weapons while also distanced themselves from Shadow Carja’s past.”
The designers knew that the bow would be one of the most common sights in the game and wanted it to feel like a character. “I started thinking that the bow would be a representation of Rias because the player would never see her face. So all the mechanisms and joints had to work correctly.” Sutton ensures that no detail has been overlooked. I always thought this was some sort of threat display seen in birds!”
As you can see, Call of the Mountain was designed as a special experience for fans and newcomers to the series. The developers put a lot of thought, love, and effort into it. On February 22nd, you can experience PS VR2’s incredible technology and take Ryas’ fate firsthand in the most immersive Horizon game ever.
