Sudeki’s visual style, depth and accessibility make it unique from other games. The player controls all four heroes at all times.

MAS: What types of software, hardware and graphics engine are used in the development and playing of the game? Were they developed for Sudeki or adapted from other applications?

C: All the technology was created for Sudeki from the ground-up. The rendering engine, animation system and sound system were all created specifically for Sudeki. In addition we use the hard-drive of Xbox to stream the game data, so the player encounters a minimal number of loading screens during the gameplay.

MAS: In a complicated, fast moving game such as Sudeki, how do you deal with rendering, especially in realtime?

C: We sometimes throw as many as 20 enemies against the four heroes and the engine handles all this as well as the amazing special effects used in combat. There is still some optimization left so we are bringing the frame rate up as high as possible.

MAS: How does the pipeline work and has there been a convergence of movie and gaming pipelines?

C: We had a couple of Hollywood movie professionals come and give us pointers on storytelling and cinematics. As for the production pipeline, we spent a long time planning how our artwork, animations and game content get incorporated into Sudeki. For example, one person would build, rig and texture a character, another would animate him, and yet another artist would create the sfx for that character.

MAS: How does this game stand out from all the rest? What makes it so special?

C: It is the first game that marries the realtime combat with the depth of a turn-based RPG successfully. The fact that your entire party of four heroes is under your control at all times adds to the uniqueness of Sudeki.

MAS: How does the game fit into a larger trend for gaming?

C: At the moment all things fantasy are popular. I think the visual look is unique and offers an alternative to the gamers. I think our combination of depth and accessibility will make the game appeal to a great many different types of gamers. It is easy to pick up, but difficult to master as we say.

Sudeki, an Xbox game, will hit the retail shelves in June with a mature rating (Microsoft Game Studios, $49.99).

Mary Ann Skweres is a filmmaker and freelance writer. She has worked extensively in feature film and documentary post-production with credits as a picture editor and visual effects assistant. She is a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild.