Hello, my name is Roberto Semprebene. I’m Studio Manager at Storm in a Teacup along with also our teslapunk horror adventure game Close to the Sun is arriving to PS4 on October 29.
Near the Sun is put in an alternative reality, where the creations of Nikola Tesla changed the world forever. During evolution we had a lot of opportunities to play with styles and technologies, anticipating both currents and technological invention might have grown in our own world. Nikola Tesla was a genius and it’therefore not difficult to imagine how he might have driven humanity to new heights. The Helios and everything you’ll find on board is a tribute to both his personality and mind.
Among the things we needed to consider carefully about was how people might get about such a boat, a method for narrative and the gameplay. In the beginning we had the notion to make a system but also horizontally — but that this alternative felt awkward and lacked the grandeur we were searching for.
The railway system was probably the first procedure of transportation ever to be electrified (because it was transferred initially by steam), this gave us the perfect tool to use, something we can imagine over the lore of the game, it’s difficult to imagine a method of transportation more industrial and grand… who ever heard of a boat with an inner railway?!
Our reference was the London Tube, but we still didn’t need to make a “regular ” train, therefore we took inspiration from the cableways, mixing them. This way, instead of a row of wagons, carts that are single could run in an elaborate system of ceiling rails. We spent quite a while about the cart’s layout and through the game the player gets the opportunity to experience them from several diverse viewpoints: inside, outside… in fires … ruined … flying away from the rails as a potential hazard… The result: really satisfying and very, very teslapunk!
The stations themselves seem frequently throughout Close to the Sun, so we wanted them to be expansive as possible as well as interesting. While they needed to preserve their common style throughout the game, we appreciated taking inspiration from real locations around the world — the apartments station has a more iconic appearance, like Grand Central Station in New York, although the Tesla Tower Station entry is reminiscent of Paris Metropolitain.
Rose’s journey through the Helios to rescue you & rsquo and her sister won ’ t be simple;ll must trust the subway to reach locations and go through the surroundings we’t made for the game. The subway cart, like many other creations on the Helios, can be quite harmful — technology is morally neutral, but it might become a weapon even if don’t mean in order for it to; sometimes our inability to use this, or our negligence, can create it into a fatal tool.
We expect you’ll join us aboard the Helios about October 29 to experience Close to the Sun!
Buy Tickets for every event – Sports, Concerts, Festivals and more buy tickets
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.