Digital Poland Foundation: How is a video game created? Is the script known from the beginning and written in full before the work starts? To what extent does the creative process change the initial concept?

Tymon Smektała, Dying Light Franchise Director: The script plays an essential part in producing a game, but it is not the most important component. It’s what distinguishes this artistic form from cinema entertainment. From the very start, the film follows the script entirely and does not deviate from it. In video games, on the other hand - which I consider their advantage over the Hollywood business - users affect what is happening on the screen on their own. It is therefore crucial for the game to create equally strong, well-thought-out gameplay mechanisms in addition to the story scenario - it is this combination that determines the success of a given title.

The process of creating a video game is characterized by a creative and iterative approach (i.e., a method of continuous improvement, which again sets it apart from making a movie). It can be divided into several stages. The pre-production phase is the time when the aforementioned script and the design of mechanisms influencing the player's actions are created. Once a game prototype is finally ready, it then develops to alpha, beta, etc. stages. This is when some changes in the script, but also in gameplay characteristics tend to occur. Responsible studios like ours, however, spend a lot of pre-production time to minimize rework at a later time.

When creating a video game, actors are used to reproduce certain movements or behavior of characters - are there more similarities to the film industry in your work?

We use the experience of actors, but also screenwriters, sound engineers as well as specialists in creating music. Certain professions are universal, and their representatives can find their way both in the process of creating a game as well as recording a movie. It seems, however, that there may be slightly more differences than similarities. Personally, I think our industry is more difficult.

Imagine a scene where an actor is about to give a monologue over coffee. It's nothing special for the cinema - you have to put this person in an armchair at a table, give them a mug and turn on the coffee machine. It is enough to properly light the set, turn on the camera and the actor can do his or her job. The performer, as a human being, exists, as do the objects surrounding him or her. But what if we wanted to transfer this moment to the computer screen? You would then have to create all these elements from scratch, along with the person giving the monologue. You would need three-dimensional models of the chair and table, an actor model that would need to be textured. The animator would have to record the movements together with the role actor, and then manually (using a suitable piece of software) transfer them to the game as specific gestures. As a result, a lot of people are needed for this, and the process itself is much more complex and multi-layered. Thanks to human creativity and the latest technologies, however, it is possible, as is the flight to the Moon. Gaming is at the forefront of entertainment today. It creates trends that are observed and picked up in other industries, including the film industry.

How does player feedback affect the products manufactured by Techland?

This question is dear to our heart and familiar in our daily work. Techland is very close to the community built around games published by the studio. We talk about it very openly - we listen to the voice of players and it is very important to us. Games constitute our vision, our artistic and technological ambition. But once they hit the market, they become the common property of us and the players. So we consider how to develop them further. We listen carefully to what our customers say and write on the Internet, in forums and in the comments. We have direct contact with influencers who record materials about games.

As part of perfecting video games, mature developers set players' opinions against the data that comes from play sessions. This is our advantage over the filmmakers - after a title is released, we have the opportunity to directly examine how people play it and what mechanics they use, how often they log in, and which elements of the game are the most popular. We confront these facts with opinions and, as a result, we know what exactly in a given game we should change or enrich, what to propose in a given expansion, how to motivate players to look at the less popular elements of their encounters. We listen carefully to each voice in the discussion.

What is worth paying attention to when improving gameplay? What innovative elements do you introduce to your games, what is it that distinguishes you?

It is certainly important to be sensitive to the opinions of players. In the gaming industry, it is a key element of competitive advantage. The second benefit is the use of your own technologies, including - in our case - a proprietary engine. As Techland, we want to create games that show the world in a first-person perspective (FPP, meaning "from the eyes of the characters"). This allows players to be highly involved, immersed in the game and gives them the opportunity to experience an intense virtual adventure. We create our technologies in line with our mission - we want to provide unforgettable experiences. The solutions we create are great when it comes to creating a detailed, vibrant environment. And our strategy seems to be working - in the first weekend after its premiere, 3 million people played “Dying Light 2” worldwide, while the previous installment of the series has sold 20 million copies so far. So the numbers speak for themselves!

The article was originally published on digitalfestival.pl, portal on 26th of October 2022.