High Voltage talks hardcore gaming on the Wii

by David Hinkle { Jan 8th 2009 at 2:36PM }

Click for more screens

If you've been following the Wii scene for any length of time, then you know there's a perception that the console has little to offer the hardcore gamer. High Voltage is looking to change that with their upcoming FPS, The Conduit. High Voltage's CEO, Kerry Ganofsky, and The Conduit's lead designer, Rob Nicholls recently spoke with MTV Multiplayer about the game and their goals for it when it releases this year.

Aside from explaining why The Conduit is a "gamer's game," the duo also talk on the game's appeal to the casual crowd, as well as the titles they drew inspiration from. It's an interesting read, so check out the interview right here.

Gallery: The Conduit

Tags: casual, fps, hardcore, high-voltage, sega, the-conuit

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

samfish @ Jan 8th 2009 2:58PM

I hope everyone who bitches about having nothing to play buys this game, 'cause if it flops, you can count on third party shovelware and minigames being the only thing on the menu from here on out.

il_duce620 @ Jan 8th 2009 3:03PM

Yeah, Amen to that, dude... It pisses me off that people complain about the lack of hard core games, yet it's those people that aren't buying the ones that _do_ come out ("No More Heroes" sold relatively well, but not as many as it should of considering how many hard core folks own a Wii).

Mr Khan @ Jan 8th 2009 5:26PM

This game has more likelihood of flopping in the commercial sense, because more costs went in. However, more costs going in probably results in more advertising, so it'll be a moot point in the end

Either way, the only companies that would be discouraged from this flop would be Western companies. The bulk of Wii's better 3rd party support doesn't really have a thing to do with them

Evan @ Jan 8th 2009 3:02PM

Why does "hardcore gaming" have to mean "FPS gaming"?

I've been playing video games since the SNES/Genesis era. I enjoy platformers, RPGs, racing, and even some sports games. And yet I'm not considered a "core gamer" unless I play Halo? Really, how stupid is that?

SoshiKitai @ Jan 8th 2009 3:41PM

It's the current generation of gamers.

While back in the day it was okay to say things like Zelda or Sonic or Secret of Mana was a gamer's game.

Nowadays, that's a joke. Today's generations depend on FPSs to take the lead.

guttertalk @ Jan 8th 2009 4:33PM

To build on Sushi's comment, the focus on FPS is more the reflection of gamers on the 360 where that genre dominates all others.

"Hardcore" gaming is more than FPS. RTS, strategy RPGs, tactical shooters, epic RPGs, some action/adventure and some hard platformers fall into that category, too.

What's interesting is that I think the Wii is far better suited for strategy games that involve managing and selecting different units than the other consoles. (Unfortunately, I think strategy games might need more buttons than the Wii provides.)

I think the main point really is that the Wii has games that allow a gamer to spend, say, 6-8 hours playing and still have lots of playtime left. The other aspect is difficulty, where the games are not designed to be forgiving (which makes roguelikes among the hardest of hardcore).

SoshiKitai @ Jan 8th 2009 4:43PM

That, and you get the biggest d*ckhead gamers in the FPS genres. Added with the main characters constantly being badasses, and you suddenly get the idea that "hardcore" must mean something like "tough and manly" when so many of said d*ckhead gamers claim that you can only be the best in an FPS games.
...so it seems much more "hardcore" than other genres. ._.

I wish the Wii had more strategy games, or at least more innovative and addictive puzzle games.

MaxRadical @ Jan 8th 2009 6:18PM

because 'core' is the popular trend.
Right now - First Person Shooters are the top dogs.

and so you're a core gamer if you play FPSs.

It doesn't make you any less of a gamer if you play super zombie lazer strike force to death.

Just - you're not following the mainstream.

zoltari @ Jan 8th 2009 3:12PM

I never thought I would say this, but when I bough my Wii on launch day, I though it was crap: bad graphics, naff games, etc. A kid's console really.

I now own all three consoles and, amazingly, I only use the Wii to play games. Xbox 360 never gets switched on as all the games are the same; PS3 gets used to watch Bluray and downloaded anime, but Wii has such great retro games and the graphics may not be 'the best' of the three, but who gives a crap when the game play is so solid (shovelware aside).

Hardy @ Jan 8th 2009 3:08PM

I want this game and Deadly Creatures to do really well.

I would personally buy the games, but I'm flat out broke at the moment...stupid school.. Why can't it be free dammit!

zoltari @ Jan 8th 2009 3:16PM

You are dead right - I love games; ben playing them for 17 years, but I'm not into FPs at all - they are all bollocks in my opinion, but the Wii is definately a gamers system - it has classic games that xbox and ps3 will never do 'cos they are obsessed with the US market, and all they want is FPS: run aound and shoot stuff while acting like a twat! No skill involved and certainly no fun, in my opinion anyway.

SoshiKitai @ Jan 8th 2009 3:44PM

There's a lot of skill needed, actually.

...it's one of the few games you NEED skill in (as opposed to RPG and strategy games, where you need wits or luck, not skill).

It may not be fun for you, but that doesn't make it a genre that doesn't need skill.

If there wasn't a use of skill in the game, you wouldn't see so many b*st*rds claiming they're the best. *sigh*
Egotistical b*st*rds...
...sadly, since they're so good, you can't shut them up unless you're better than them.

zoltari @ Jan 8th 2009 4:36PM

Yeah SoshiKitai...you are dead right - I agree that to play an FPS well, you do need skill... but being good and saying you are good are, as you say, two different things. I was really talking about the pain the arse people who 'think' they are God's gift to gaming simply because they do nothing but play FPSs all day and then diss every other game genre in the world because they essentialy can't be bothered to learn how to play anything tht doesn't involve shooting the face off their opponent from 500 yards. Don't get me wrong: There are one or two FPSs even I think are great fun, but I just hate these fools who shout abuse down their mics and put everyone else off by acting retarded. It's also a shame that MS and Sony devote so much of their dev time and money to the FPS genre when there are other fanastic concepts out there. It's saddening to see creativity die in the face of catering to the lowest common denominator / most likley genre to attract a bit of fast cash; sure they need to make money to say in the business, but they should have some self respect and try to innovate like Nintendo seem to do so effortlessly. I have great respect for Ninty - they are the oldest hardware vendors left in the home gaming market after all, and they very nearly lost everything a few years back... I'd hate to see them have to pander to the FPS market just to stay ahead in the race when what the excel at is innovation and quirky ideas that people genuinely like - although they have had some 'dubious' output over the years I still love them more than Sony or MS right now.

SoshiKitai @ Jan 8th 2009 4:45PM

Agree wholeheartedly.

Evan @ Jan 8th 2009 5:29PM

@zoltari
I don't think Nintendo needs to pander to the FPS market to do well.

The PS2 crushed the Xbox in sales without winning the FPS battle. In fact, FPS games barely registered in PS2 sales data. 6 RPGs, 5 sports, 4 platformers, 3 racers, 2 music rhythm games, and an Eyetoy game outsold the PS2's top selling FPS game!

Matias @ Jan 8th 2009 3:46PM

I'm happy that they consider us the hardcore gamers, I don't want people to belive that fps are what "hardcore gaming" is though, rpgs, platformers or adventure games (depending on the game of course) are way more hardcore than fps (in this genre, most of the games are casual or hyped c***).

I agree with the guys above, I've been palying games for 15 years, I played almost every genre (all but sports games, I don't like them), I read gaming news every day, I post at forums, etc. But if I don't play gears of war I'm not hardcore enough? bull****

I got my wii because it's nintendo, and because it focus on gameplay (is the only console in wich fps are actually enjoyable).

I'm happy that HV is using MP3 and MOHH2 as references, they're probably the best fps I played(and some of the few that were actually fun to play, again thanks to the contorls)

JRod @ Jan 8th 2009 4:18PM

I also agree that I don't feel that "hardcore" means FPS....I personally thought that the Trauma Center series was hardcore and intuitive. My favorite on the Wii yet. I also thought that RE:4 was destined for this system, and for developers to cite poor graphics over and over again need only look at this fantastic game.......I still think that RE:5 should definitely be on the Wii due to it's richer experience.

The Conduit looks like an average cheapo FPS to me in the same vein as Halo, which appealed to me a whole 10 mins. after playing it.

SoshiKitai @ Jan 8th 2009 4:21PM

"I personally thought that the Trauma Center series was hardcore and intuitive."

HELL YEAH

Anti-Villian @ Jan 9th 2009 3:27AM

"The Conduit looks like an average cheapo FPS to me in the same vein as Halo, which appealed to me a whole 10 mins. after playing it." - JRod

Oh no you didn't, The current 'core' market has Has halo to blame but that's not to say the game isn't brilliant. One of the reasons I'm so excited for the conduit is because I believe (or at least hope) the conduit will do for the wii what Halo did for the Xbox.

Mr Khan @ Jan 8th 2009 5:32PM

Albeit a bit misguided (the whole concept that gamers games are serious concept FPSes), the idea of giving Wii owners a polished, technically proficient experience is one that we need to support

Anti-Villian @ Jan 9th 2009 3:44AM

exactly, if this was a hardcore platformer or rts we shoould still get behind it because we need to provoke developers to start making games we want to play. It's not just about it being a fps it's also about the effort High voltage are putting in to make this game top quality.

Jarrod Miller @ Jan 9th 2009 6:07AM

I agree that gamers should support good 3rd party titles...my complaint is not that FPS are necessarily bad (They are not my taste....give me a first person sneaker any day), it's that developers seem to think that is all the "core" gamers want.

I've been a hard core gamer for decades now (man I feal old) and I am at a point where a bland FPS doesn't appeal to me at all. I have seen nothing from Conduit to suggest it is "brilliant" in any way. The best FPS I've played in the last 3 years was COD:4 and second being F.E.A.R.....and truth be told, they had great storytelling going for them and conduit appears to be the really overdone "GI kills some aliens" theme.

Overall I want to see The Conduit do well, but to equate it directly to hardcore is a horribly wrong thought process. If I want some serious FPS action, I will use my PC.....there is no better substitute for it at the moment (flame away I suppose....you console wusses :P ), but I purchased the Wii for innovation. It has given me some, and now is straying to the "casual" game market, which I can't stand and hope this is reversed....maybe The Conduit will help that but I doubt it.

2009 - Wii FTW!

Azsro @ Jan 8th 2009 5:34PM

I dont like FPS.

I dont think "hardcore"=FPS

But people REALLY need to buy this game.

It will show other publishers that when the developer listen to the fans, it gets rewarded.

matt @ Jan 8th 2009 7:13PM

So a lot of you don't play FPS's. OK. I do. And I don't have any other consoles other than the Wii. I knew going into it that I wouldn't be able to play them, but the existing Wii games made up for that.

I've actually allowed myself to be really excited for The Conduit, though. I'm cautious with that excitement, sure, but if it's as good as it's been looking lately, I'll play it a lot.

I'm not saying that this should be the only definition of hardcore, but the FPS genre has delivered some very polished and thrilling experiences, it's nice to get some of that love sent our way.

techfreak713 @ Jan 11th 2009 1:22PM

I agree. The only other "console" i have is a PC, and it needs a new graphics card to handle any good FPS games. So, im pretty much stuck with whatever comes out on Wii, which right now is everything but FPS and racing, two of my favorite genres.

And to think that the controller is perfect for BOTH of those genres...

Adolph @ Jan 8th 2009 8:51PM

lets stop arguing about hardcore games and start talking about the game itself.

The last paragraph where they said

" As for what we learned, one of the biggest lessons was to not abuse the motion controls. Too many games seemed to put in motions controls for the sake of having them, rather than testing to see if they were good for gameplay. Honestly, sometimes a button press is the best solution, rather than a gimmicky gesture. So our motions are relatively minor and don’t get in the way of gameplay."

This is Fantastic to hear . They are also pushing graphics on Wii.

These guys seem legit in making a excellent game. That should be the discussion in this thread, that a 3rd party developer is not giving excuses they are making results happen and care about the product they produce.
The graphics engine alone is an amazing aspect. They in theory could loan it out like Unreal 3 engine and other games on wii can look great. I'm sick and tired of so many Wii games looking like 1st Generation GAMECUBE.

Hell Luigi's Mansion looks better than 80% of the 3rd party games on Wii.

Graphics aren't everything I realize that, but steak cost the same as peanuts I rather eat steak

Anti-Villian @ Jan 9th 2009 7:51AM

I'd rather eat peanuts, but I get what you mean.

wiilover @ Jan 8th 2009 10:04PM

Mark my words : 2009 shall be the year of the WII!!!

Tush @ Jan 9th 2009 12:29PM

Wow, those screens look worse than Half-Life... which came out when? 1998.

Anti-Villian @ Jan 9th 2009 2:20PM

I'm sick of you, I'm going to play this game and I'm going to damn right enjoy. Don't just walk in and flip a line like that.

Troll was succesful.

Tush @ Jan 9th 2009 4:11PM

I was just being honest when looking at the screens...

I have a Wii as well, and I'm pretty dissapointed with it... Nothing has left me awestruck accept for maybe Super Mario Galaxy, and that game didn't really do anything creative with the Wiimote.

As a gamer Nintendo has left me feeling... dejected.