300: March to Glory Interview

Jan 12, 2007

When you consider feats of heroism, you may think of warriors standing up in the face of overwhelming odds. The battle of Thermopylae literally defines this courage under fire, as 300 Spartan warriors attempted to defy the might of the Persian army that vastly outnumbered them; some historians have quoted more than a million enemies descended on King Leonidas and his soldiers. This epic struggle, which had become a graphic novel by Frank Miller, is now being turned into both a movie and PSP title.

How does the transition of the graphic novel translate over to Sony's handheld? Does it follow the events of the movie? What about the gameplay? We went to Jeff Nachbaur, the producer of 300: March to Glory, to get these questions answered.

IGN: Much of the appeal of 300 as a film deals with the visual and design choices. Will the game try something similar?

Jeff Nachbaur: We managed to see a very early first screening of the movie and we were blown away, so it really raised the bar. So, we went back and revamped everything. It's amazing how much seeing the film inspired the team and changed the look and feel of the game.

We also have some new characters drawn from history, such as the Immortal General Hydarnes, and another Persian general, Mardonius, who actually placed Leonidas's head on a pike at Thermopylae. For these new characters, we had Tom Coker give them the Zack Snyder make-over. We are definitely staying true to this very stylized view of history. No ordinary types for us - Hydarnes might have been just a normal guy in history, but in our game, he's 8 feet tall, has massive blades for hands, and sports a very nasty, snake-like lisp. So, yes… we are trying for something similar.

IGN: Seeing as 300: March to Glory is on the PSP, what can players expect in terms of multiplayer?

Jeff: We made a decision at the beginning of the project to focus on the single player experience. Our combat system is very single character centric. However, if we get a chance to make another one, I'd definitely want to see some co-op. Maybe not 300 players, but at least 2 or 4 - who has 300 friends anyway?

IGN: What about specific elements in 300: March to Glory makes it a mobile-friendly action game?

Jeff: You never go very long without an auto-save. We strived to make an experience that is pick-up and play if you want it to be. Big story points are told in discreet little packets, so if you put it down and pick it back up, you'll never be wondering what the heck you are supposed to do. It's a very cohesive experience, but just constructed so you can put it down at any time.

We also made sure that you never spend too much time in cut-scenes or cinematics. I've played some PSP games where my battery was running low and I was watching some long cinematic, crossing my fingers the whole time I'd get to the first save before my batteries ran out. You won't have to worry about that sort of thing with 300.

IGN: Will 300: March to Glory follow the same basic story as the film or does it provide a different look at the battle?

Jeff: It's the same basic story since we're dealing with the same bit of history, but we don't necessarily hit the same story beats. We have a few things that cross paths here and there, but we really never wanted to focus on recreating things you've already seen. So, events happen in different ways, but the basics are more or less there. Of course, we have a few more characters and we have some Persian generals that aren't in the movie or the graphic novel, so we definitely are a bit different from the film. The idea was to build what we needed for a good game and Zack and his team were very supportive of that idea from the start.

IGN: What types of weapons and armor will players use throughout the game?

Jeff: Spartans were pretty simple when it came to weaponry. They had a spear, a sword, and a shield. We allow some variety in how you use these. For instance, we have dual swords, you can use your shield as a weapon, and you can throw your spear. But overall, we stay very true to the Spartan citizen-soldier.

As for armor, as you can see from the trailers, armor really wasn't their thing (aside from a helmet and some arm / leg guards). At first, we felt a bit limited by all of this, but then we realized that everything is told through the eyes of a storyteller - he's weaving his tale and has a tendency to exaggerate and romanticize things. We took this same path and decided to allow the "legend" of Leonidas grow as you progress. You'll collect Kleos (a little Greek work for honor or renown) and you'll be able to upgrade everything to be more "legendary." So, you'll see some new incarnations of armor and weapons that you haven't seen before.

IGN: In terms of player progression, will 300 include unlockable abilities and techniques?

Jeff: Yes. As you progress you'll unlock what we call Battle Skills, which are little states of mind that Leonidas can place himself in for some special effects during combat. You can also upgrade them to make them more effective. They are sort of our "magic" and really are unique and integral to our game. They are also the only means of replenishing your health...we kept away from potions and the like because they just didn't seem to fit in the 300 universe. A Spartan gaining energy from a potion or glowing orbs? It just didn't feel right. It's all about pulling on their own inner reserve…building up what we call Wrath and then unleashing it, fueling your health with your fury while you become more effective in combat.

We also have unlockable combos, all of which are useful and have different purposes, and you can choose which to unlock based on what sort of approach you want to take in combat. There's a lot there for you to play with and customize your play style.

IGN: How will players use the "phalanx" maneuver from the movie when actually playing the game?

Jeff: They all occur at pre-scripted moments, but we always make it clear that it's necessary. Sometimes, it will be that you're facing a horde of Persians who are just way too difficult to face alone or you might need to take down something a bit bigger than you're used to (i.e., something tall and armored with a trunk and tusks). But, it's all sort of based on a level's progression. You jump into the phalanx, take care of a few things, and then you jump back out.

IGN: Apart from foot soldiers, what types of enemies will players face? Also, will players need to adjust strategies to defeat them?

Jeff: Adjusting strategies is what our game is all about. Almost all of our enemies require a different strategy and you'll need to be smart about the order and when you do decide, you'll need to be able to pull off the right moves or use the right technique to defeat them.

When you say foot soldiers, I assume you mean the basic Persian grunt. Well, Zack's approach to the film really allowed us a lot of options. When we first got a chance to review concepts and read the script, we knew we'd have no issues in this area. We have armies from the deepest, darkest corners of the Persian Empire after all. Xerxes' army is a total mish-mosh of some of the craziest things imaginable. We have Tribals, Mongols, Medes warriors (or wicker men as we like to call them), pyromancers, suicide bomber slaves, rhinos, elephants, bone golems, and more. It's an eclectic mix to be sure. If you want enemy variety, we have it! And even the most basic enemy is still fun…there is always something very satisfying about taking out a basic slave with a single slice (after you've upgraded your sword, of course).

IGN: How will players progress through the story in 300? Will there be branching pathways or are things kept linear?

Jeff: Things are kept pretty linear. At our heart, we are a beat'em-up and we really embrace that. Perhaps a more intelligent and bloody one than most are used to, but we are very entrenched in that genre for sure.

IGN: The movie capitalizes on massive battles with thousands of soldiers - how many enemy units will players need to fight simultaneously?

Jeff: We use some tricks to make you think you are seeing more than you actually are and it works really well. Collision developed something they affectionately call "HordeTech." Basically, if you run across a side scrolling area of the screen, you'll see a seemingly unending steam of bad guys, but it's mostly a facade. If you play other games on the PSP in this genre, you'll notice that most employ a heavy fog. This normally saves the processor so they can put more guys on the screen. But we don't do this, since fog is only used when you are in a foggy environment and it never obscures your view of the action - it just adds ambience. You can see everything and it looks like there a lot of guys.

The phalanx mixes things up a bit more. We have seven Spartans and lines of Persians to dispatch…I'm not sure how many we maxed out on having on screen at once, but you'll be fighting full lines that span the width of the PSP.

IGN: Will players ever need to use the environment to achieve goals in the game?

Jeff: We do have small environmental puzzles like walls to push over, levers to be pulled and cranked, boulders to push, cliffs to climb, etc. Little diversions here and there mix things up a bit and give the player a short break from slaughtering hundreds of Persians.

IGN: What's the one element about 300 you believe players will enjoy most?

Jeff: I'd love to say the tactical elements of the combat, but gauging the reactions of the few people that have gotten to play the game, I'll say it's more likely going to be our unabashedly M-rated approach. We really didn't hold back. Yesterday, I accumulated 728 decapitations (yes, we keep track for you). That's something you just can't say very often. I don't think there are too many PSP titles out there that offer what we have - a cool, fun, intelligent action beat'em up that's just gory and bloody as hell.

IGN: Thanks for your time, Jeff.