Far Cry 3: Game Designer Andrea Zanini

The third installment in the Far Cry series is ready to hit the gaming market. Tell us about the plot?

Far Cry 3 is a first person shooter in an open world. You play as Jason Brody. He’s your average young adult travelling the world with his friends. They’re looking to party, live it up and see everything the world has to offer. You and your friends are partying with the DJ at a hot club in Bangkok. You and your friends skydive onto the island and everything changes from then on out. Jason will go through some pretty intense moments, discovering who he really is, and all of this while trying to save his friends and escape these islands that harbour emotionally and mentally twisted characters.

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Are there any changes in the gameplay?

There are many things we have done for Far Cry 3. This game is different from other shooters in the sense that we let you decide how you want to play it. We don’t limit your options and we’ve done a lot to ensure you have freedom on a grand scale. We’ve made many enhancements and improvements to the game, focusing in addressing fan frustrations on previous titles in the series and expanding the Far Cry experience. We introduce an RPG-like layer that allows you to grow your game as Jason learns new ways to survive in the island through his journey of self-discovery. We’ve also overhauled the controls, AI, melee system, shooting, driving and all the core gameplay in an open world that is beyond any of the previous Far Cry games. I feel for the first time we’re providing players a world full of life, things to discover, conquer, and as always the freedom of choice for you to play how you want. We didn’t want to compromise in any area.

When you first created Jason Brody, how did you decide on him?

There have been a few versions of Jason Brody. When we first discussed the character he wasn’t a young guy, had constraints and didn’t provide us the freedom we wanted to challenge the player on a narrative and gameplay level. Jason needed to be at a turning point in his life that players could relate to, transpose the freedom of choice in gameplay and reflect the players’ transformation of mastering the game. As you play, Jason will begin to evolve through the story, just as you as the player, are getting better at the game.

Do movies or TV series inspire you to script a storyline?

We take inspiration from everywhere - all forms of media, music, imagery and especially life. Life is a crazy game, you never know who you’re going to meet or when shit can happen; all you can do is hopefully step up, deal with it and grow. We try to pull on chords that you may have encountered on your day-to-day life and amplify them. Those bizarre and random events, when amplified, can result in you being put in some pretty crazy and twisted situations. We don’t shy away from sex or drugs. We put you face to face with individuals that at first seem completely normal, but as you adventure into their world, you realise how emotionally and mentally twisted they are. We put a lot of work to create a world and script that makes all of that possible and I hope everyone will enjoy it.

Realistic or Virtual: where does Far Cry 3 sit?

We’re virtually realistic (Smiles). We let you play while keeping things grounded and plausible both through the story and through the realisation of the gameplay. Simple things like bandaging up your arm when you’re hurt, stumbling if you fall from too high, using plants to make drugs or skin animals to craft items that expand your inventory. We make sure it’s always fun for the player, it never feels like work and most importantly we take the few extra steps to make it feel grounded and plausible.

Far Cry 3 is immensely popular. Do you get stalkers or people who come to you saying crazy stuff?

All the time, Far Cry has a huge following and legacy. We get many fans that come to us with both praise and complaints. We welcome them all, as in the end, we’re all gamers. We listen to what our fans have to say and work hard to give you and them the best Far Cry we can craft. One thing that fans constantly ask us about is the map editor. It allows you to make and upload your own maps to play with friends or against foes in our online multiplayer. I can’t wait to see what crazy maps people will make.

What's your earliest gaming memory?

My earliest gaming memory was a Nintendo Game&Watch Donkey Kong that my parents bought me to keep me quiet and controlled. After that I was hooked – Arcade machines at local stores, friends’ Nintendo... I couldn’t get enough. I could be a superhero, wrestling star, sports athlete, discover and explore worlds I never even knew existed in games. So many fantasies to experience, it was all like magic to a young boy.

How do you rate yourself as a gamer?

Overall I would rate myself as a gaming enthusiast. No matter how good or bad a game is, I’m always looking to discover new ways to have fun and share some good times playing with friends.

What's your all-time favourite game?

There are many games that I love for many different reasons. The game I probably have the fondest memories of playing was DOOM. I remember spending an entire summer playing with my friend. We didn’t have any chat so we would call each other over the phone and talk, tease and comment while we played and killed monsters or each other. I still remember my neck hurting from holding the phone against my shoulder so I could play and talk at the same time. I still play DOOM to this day. It’s perfectly balanced, I feel I can master it and I totally tense up when I’m down to two shotgun shells and I can hear monsters lurking nearby.

Who is your favourite character?

Classic Bugs Bunny – he’s nonchalant, twisted and I find him totally hilarious.

Tell us about the sandbox and random encounters.

We set out to make a living, breathing world where you never really know what was going to happen or how it was going to play out. You’re travelling the world and you could encounter a small random battle between the local rebels and pirates or you could be taking out a road patrol and a stray bullet happens to anger a nearby group of buffalo that decide to charge in on the action – none of it is scripted. It’s an adventure of survival where you never really know what you will face or what will happen. We keep you on your toes and this results in lots of great little player stories.

After the release of this game, what's next?

Some needed rest, and then back to work. There are lots more games to be made!

Does Far Cry has a storyline with an end?

Sadly I can’t really answer this. I don’t give out spoilers; you’ll have to play to find out.

From the December 2012 issue of FHM India.