The Deep End Games is a studio that has professional dl world of video games (designers, programmers, etc). Where did the idea of founding it come from?
I founded The Deep End Games practically after having the idea of Perception. When I was finishing university I had no intention of founding any company. Then, one day after class, my teacher challenged us by saying «when you leave, by the time you have arrived in your cars, you have come up with a brilliant idea.» As I really like those kinds of challenges, I started to think about ideas for the game and how to give life to a game of terror. Then I came up with what a blind person’s game would look like. I had a crushing need to make it happen and I started writing it as soon as I got home.
Perception is a project that came out on Kickstarter and was very well received. Did you imagine this success?
Well of course! One always imagines success. I wanted to achieve the best, but I prepared for the worst. It gave me confidence to know that, given our field, our content and our experience, we would surely get it. Luckily our sponsors agreed and made it happen.
Why did you want your first project to be a survival horror?
Perception is our first title because I HAD to do it. I love the concept because it offers a very different perspective not only to terror, but also to narrative. One of my goals when I created the company was always to present surprising games. Usually when I tell people that we are doing a horror game in which the protagonist is blind and uses echolocation, it seems incredible.
We know that a lot of the team has collaborated on such acclaimed games as BioShock, BioShock: Infinite or Dead Space.How has that experience influenced Perception?
I am very grateful for the 12 years I spent at Irrational Games. It was an opportunity and I learned a lot. Needless to say, I applied to Perception much of what I learned.The stories of BioShock and BioShock Infinite are tremendous, so we wanted to bring that to Perception. We are very proud of the story and I think it will catch people. In addition, in the games of BioShock the atmosphere was almost another character. We expect the Echo Bluff mansion to connect with players just like Rapture and Columbia did.
«The stories of BioShock and BioShock Infinite are tremendous, so we wanted to bring that to Perception. We expect the Echo Bluff mansion to connect with players just like Rapture and Columbia did. «
For those who do not know it yet, what can you tell us about the game?
Perception is a first-person narrative horror game. It will put us in the shoes of Cassie Thornton, a blind woman whose nightmares about an abandoned mansion will haunt her as soon as she finds out. When he finds out where he is, he decides to investigate what happened. Cassie is blind, but she can use echolocation just like a bat. The more noise you make, the more you can «see». But … it’s in an enchanted mansion, so maybe it’s better not to make too much noise.
From what we have seen it seems that Perception will return us to the survival of the purest horror What can you tell us about the gameplay? How can we advance in our adventure?
When we hit the floor with the cane, the sound will resonate throughout the space and we will be able to «see». Anything that makes noise can be seen. Think of an old, chirping house; It will be full of noises. Smoke from the pipes, wind slipping through the cracks in the windows, cuckoo clock; anything. Cassie will discover objects in the house, which will tell the story of the people who lived there. When you solve the mystery of one generation, the house will take you to the next. It’s great to see how the house evolves, the rooms are reorganized and how the rooms disappear.
«Anything that makes noise can be seen. Cassie will discover objects in the house, which will tell the story of the people who lived there. When you solve the mystery of one generation, the house will take you to the next. «
Undoubtedly one of the characters that has interested us so far is the Presence that will stalk Cassie during all her adventure and we barely know anything. What can you tell us about it?
We are keeping hidden the Presence. You will soon meet her.
Will we find more enemies in our adventure?What can you tell us about Cassie’s echolocation and how can she defend herself against the enemies?
Yes, but we will not tell you. You will not fight against them, but you will avoid them.There are many places to hide.
The Mansion appears to be drawn from urban legends or from any book by Stephen King.How important will it be for the protagonist?
Of course. We live in northern Massachusetts, about 20 minutes from Boston. Our area has a lot of colonial history, so the houses around here are incredible and very scary.The family is also important in the game, but you will not find out until the end.
Visually the game is amazing and very original.We also know that Cassie is blind. I think this is very important, because Perception is going to give visibility to a problem that affects many people with a blind protagonist. Where did the idea come from and how did you go about giving Cassie a life?
We have researched a lot. I did the end-of-course project on blindness and adaptive technologies. We speak with Perkins School for the Blind, with blind or visually impaired gamers, and with Daniel Kish of World Acces for the Blind, who uses echolocation. From the beginning we knew who Cassie was and what story we wanted to tell, so yeah, we made that decision at the beginning and we’re glad we did. We wanted to do it correctly so the game was authentic. But we also know that we are representing the echolocation from an artistic point of view, so that is part of the artistic licenses we have taken.
From what we have seen so far, Perception seems to give us back to the purest survival horror. But Perception offers much more: elements of urban research, urban legends, etc. We know that Amanda Gardner, a member of the team, is a writer of urban fantasy novels. What were your inspirations to create Perception?
Yes, Amanda is an urban fantasy writer, so she knows of scathing heroines and persuasive villains. His main influences for Perception come from The Glare, from the point of view of fear and seeing the «house as a character». But Amanda studied Literature for 10 years, so the game is full of literary references. Basically, the script of this game is a lovely combination of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charles Dickens.
Perception has won the Best Narrative of the Boston Festival of Indie Games. And from what we have seen, it seems that the emotional load will be very important in the game. What can you tell us about this?
«Emotional» is the right word. Cassie is desperate to solve the mystery of Echo Bluff’s tenants, but also to find herself. Fear is there, but it will also be a deep and emotional journey. We also believe that people will connect a lot with the people who lived in Echo Bluff over the years. I do not want to reveal anything else, but expect turns, surprises and maybe tears.
«We think people will connect a lot with the people who lived in Echo Bluff over the years. I do not want to reveal anything else, but expect turns, surprises and maybe tears. «
Right now it seems we are living a new «terror boom». However, it seems that the most important companies are betting more on the action-terror and it is the independent studies who bet on offering us a truer terror. What do you think about it?
I can not speak on behalf of other companies, but we have always been fans of terror.One of our favorite horror games has always been Project Zero, which has been a great influence for Perception. We wanted to make a game that had the same level of terror, anxiety, surprise and beauty. We also really liked the mechanics of hiding from Alien: Isolation. So, whether indies or AAA, the terror is incredible and we are all part of it.
In the same way, it seems that people are receiving with open arms that the companies bet by the terror. Successes like Outlast prove it. Why do you think this is happening? Do you think the players are eager for real terror?
I think people like a good game and a good story and it does not always take a big budget to achieve them. If you offer a fantasy or interesting game mechanics and they are good, you can be successful. We love that so many indie games are succeeding, so keep them coming.
Despite all the terror that is coming right now, Perception will offer us a different story, told from another completely different perspective.What will Perception offer us that it does not have any other game?
We are going to offer a different type of terror. The enemy of terror is information, so we had better not give too much. There will be no gore, not many scares (only a few), but that feeling of fear, anxiety and «silence or something will happen». We believe that that will be what the players like, besides a very catchy story.
When Perception was announced for Xbox One on Twitter, it had a great reception among fans.
We always wanted to launch the game on Xbox One. So when we partnered with Feardemic, our distributor, we loved knowing that they could make it happen.
What are the next projects of The Deep End Games? Do you have anything in mind?
We are shuffling some ideas. We can not say anything yet, but we are very excited.
Bill Gardner, founder of The Deep End Games, has taken a lot of trouble telling us so much about Perception. Now we can get a better idea of what will bring us; Not only the purest terror and anguish, but also a most emotional story.
Perception will go on sale May 30 for Xbox One , PS4 and PC.
