Alien: Isolation trailer extols unscripted AI

"As soon as the player can predict a pattern in the Alien, it stops being scary," Alien: Isolation designer Gary Napper says in a new video developer diary. "Depending on cautious players are, we've seen encounters ... last well over 30 minutes in some cases, and this just can't be done with scripted behavior." Gosh. The video also touches on how the creature looks, moves, and hunts dear young Amanda Ripley.

2

"As soon as the player can predict a pattern in the Alien, it stops being scary," Alien: Isolation designer Gary Napper says in a new video developer diary. "Depending on how cautious players are, we've seen encounters ... last well over 30 minutes in some cases, and this just can't be done with scripted behavior." Gosh. The video also touches on how the creature looks, moves, and hunts dear young Amanda Ripley.

You see, years of exposure to the creature have made it almost comical, the poor dear, and certainly not the horror it once was. Isolation's going back to making it weird and horrible and, well, alien. It moves around the same spaces as Amanda, without magic tricks, and is driven by reactions to her behavior rather than scripting.

Developed by The Creative Assembly (yes, the Total War folks) and published by Sega, Alien: Isolation is due in late 2014 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PS3.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 13, 2014 10:00 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Alien: Isolation trailer extols unscripted AI.

    "As soon as the player can predict a pattern in the Alien, it stops being scary," Alien: Isolation designer Gary Napper says in a new video developer diary. "Depending on cautious players are, we've seen encounters ... last well over 30 minutes in some cases, and this just can't be done with scripted behavior." Gosh. The video also touches on how the creature looks, moves, and hunts dear young Amanda Ripley.

    • reply
      March 13, 2014 11:21 AM

      I'm skeptical, but very intrigued.

    • reply
      March 13, 2014 11:29 AM

      "Depending on cautious players are"

      I'm guessing there should be a "how" in there?

    • reply
      March 13, 2014 11:36 AM

      The alien is the one thing I have nightmares about. If they do a good job...

    • reply
      March 13, 2014 12:04 PM

      That actually looks pretty great.

    • reply
      March 13, 2014 12:20 PM

      This is going to be the Alien game (other than the arcade gun game and Aliens vs Predator arcade game) that wins.

    • reply
      March 13, 2014 6:20 PM

      Very intriguing. If they can actually deliver on the promises here, then my faith in the future of AAA game development will be boosted considerably.

    • reply
      March 13, 2014 6:22 PM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      March 17, 2014 2:18 AM

      Pre-Alpha footage = will look nowhere near as good as this*

      *Please see 'way way pre-Alpha' footage for R2TW.

Hello, Meet Lola