GameTap: Resistance 2 Q&A - Ted Price talks about the follow-up to Insomniac's first-person shooter

Giancarlo Varanini of GameTap writes: You may already know that Insomniac is working on a sequel to its PlayStation 3 launch game, Resistance: Fall of Man, but what you probably don't know is just how much of an undertaking the sequel is for the studio. The team isn't looking to make a few subtle improvements over features introduced in the original game or just continue protagonist Nathan Hale's story from the end of the first game. Rather, they're introducing a whole new suite of features, including 60-player online play, as well as an eight-player cooperative campaign that has a separate storyline from the main single-player campaign. We had a chance to speak with Insomniac founder and CEO, Ted Price, about these features and what it's been like to take on a project of this size. A sample of the interview:

GameTap: For the huge fans of Resistance, what would you tell them to be most excited about in Resistance 2?

Ted Price: Man, everything. I could go down a laundry list of all of the features we've already announced. But that's kind of redundant.

So if I wasn't involved in the development of the game, I think what would excite me most is finding out more about Hale, about the origin of the Chimera, about what the hell is going on in the world. I'd want a story that felt fresh with new twists, that was heavily intertwined with the gameplay and that sucked me even further into the Resistance universe. Plus I'd want nastier and smarter enemies, new weapons to play with, and lots of gameplay that isn't standard first-person fare. And I'd want an absolutely killer multiplayer experience.

Well, that's all included. And it's just the beginning.

[mighty_douche]

Brand New posted today & and its R2! *approve*

[mighty_douche]

*edit*

Actually a good read! Cheers Cyrus!

[marinelife9]

Great read. It doesn't look like their just aiming to build off of what was done before. It looks like they are trying to push the envelope with what they can do with every new game.

I found it interesting that Price notes that only their own technology and techniques are holding them back.

[hazeblaze]

Agreed, this was an excellent read! You get the feeling that they are not only looking to push the envelope when it comes to the Resisntance franchise, but of the fps genre in general! This is slowly building up to be my most anticipated title of the year... which it will be after I've been able to get my hands on MGS4 :-)

[Lifendz]

that I'm not even worried about Killzone flopping. I know Insomniac knows what it's doing. Resistance got me through the game drought. I can't wait to see what they do on the PS3 having had time to master the hardware. Take notes EA, this is how it's done.

[THC CELL]

Great read

now the date of release

[Mattearl]

Good read! Looks like Resistance 2 is on its way to dominate. period.

I'm looking forward to it!

[zambrota]

That RESISTANCE 2 wont dominate 2008

i just fear that KZ2 and R2 dont kill off each other in 2008 in sales.

I expect each to sell between 6m --10m copies worldwide in 2008

[staub91]

This is going to be an amazing year. But I agree I hope the games dont kill themselves off. Heres my list of FPS I will by day one.

1. Resistance 2
2. Killzone 2
3. Haze

[games4fun]

besides 60player online and 8plyer coop is vehicles just put some awesome air and ground vehicles in the game and it'll be complete

[hazeblaze]

They have already confirmed that vehicles will play a bigger part this time around... they also confirmed that the Chimera will attack from the air, but I'm not sure if that translates into some arial combat for us as well! That would be awesome!

[games4fun]

vehicles used online?

[hazeblaze]

They only said that vehicles will play a bigger role this time... I'm hoping that means multiplayer but it's hard to be sure until they release more details. Although, with 60 player online, I kind of think that vehicles would have to be involved on some scale.

[PSWe60]

60 player online battles,
8 player co-op
damn it all, I want this game TODAY!
I dare anyone to prove that there's going to be a more engadging online game than Resistance 2 on Wii or X-Box.

[fenderputty]

to do that. This doesn't need to turn into a flame. Let us just be happy that Resistance 2 is going to kick soooooo much arss.

[zambrota]

champ your comment is a little fanboyish BUT VERY MUCH TRUE.

I dont see anything on any other CONSOLE rivalling or even challenging R2

[Iamback]

Wow incredible

[cr33ping_death]

reserved my copy yesterday :)

[Iamback]

I love how he said that story is very important.

[cmrbe]

Quote from Ted "I think what would excite me most is finding out more about Hale, about the origin of the Chimera, about what the hell is going on in the world" Yeah man. Where the hell are the Cimmerian from?. Will we see the true cimmerian. Perhaps they are the cloven.

[Equinoxe_7]

Yeah, good, Ted is the man

[heyheyhey]

looking excellent- heres hoping that you guys hit that september release and with your previous track record i would say that thats very possible

[hazeblaze]

They have not claimed to be aiming for a Sept release... they've only said Fall of 08 which means it could land as late as November.

[Meno]

Stuck at work for many more hours and reading about R2 is about the best way to spend I can think of. Network blocks gametap though :(

[medziarz]

killer APP! the king of shooters!

[undacovabrothe]

All I hope is that Killzone 2 and Res 2 Dont bump heads. If killzone can meet a spring/ early summer release I will be xtremely happy. Also what is going on with socom???

[Evil_K_666]

R2 is really pushing the FPS envelope for FPS games on every console. Long has 16 players been the cap for online gaming. It really made me angry that Halo 3 only had 16 max players. How is that in any way making the Halo world any better. Resistance:FoM made leaps and bounds allowing 40 players online and now they are upping the ante again with 20 more players. When Gears of War came out people raved about 4-player co-op. Resistance 2 now has 8. Every aspect of this game is revolutionary in some way for FPS games. I personally think that all other FPS titles from here on out should take by Resistance 2s example and up the max online players. They can't use the lag excuse any more if resistance can have nearly 4x the amount of online players than nearly every other FPS in existence.

[undacovabrothe]

Res is a dedicated server based game and that 360 does not do dedicated servers so the cap is based on peoples connections which is usually around 16-32 ppl online. I really doubt that we would be able to run a 60 player game in a custom match on R2 and have it run as smooth as a rank game if it does then Insomniac must've did a good job working with the ps3.

[TeCh77]

Uhhhh, custom games are still hosted on the server. 40 was butter...they wouldn't make it 60 if it wasn't going to run smooth. Insomniac doesn't F around.

Peer to peer is garbage.

[shine1396]

has anybody heard of any rumours or facts of what its going to be called. Its not going to Resistance, fall of man 2 is it? I bet its Resistance 2, come the revolution.

[sephy 9 2 5]

Resistance: United We Fall.

[sonarus]

haha heard it was resistance RISE of man

[TeCh77]

As of today it's Resistance 2......and that's it.

Not Rise of Man, not Fall of Man 2.....just Resistance 2.

R2

Anything else you hear at this point is speculation or rumor.

http://www.myresistance.net

Do some research.

[koston3647]

gears actually only had 2 player co-op sooo yeahh

[KILLERAPP]

Ted Price: I think it's both. With Resistance: Fall of Man, we put a lot of effort into creating a multiplayer game that set new standards in terms of numbers of players, non-existent lag, customization of game types and unique online modes. I don't think that any FPS at the time featured 40 online players at once--which made the lag-free nature of the game really stand out.

[PEST]

Insomniac is the best studio in the business. This game will be the game of the year.

[TwissT]

This interview has forced me to say: Insomiac for Developer of the year.

[JBaby343]

and what we've seen out of them so far, plus the features already expressed, this game is going to be SIIIIIIIIIICK! Can't wait for this one. Insomniac rules. Without a doubt better than any other developer.

[Rice]

lol, still cant get over the fact that the game will have 60 multiplayer online.

[TheWickedOne]

Simply put: I can't wait.

I loved the first one. Played it through 3 times. Probably the most fun I've had playing a video game in a long time.

[TeCh77]

This game is going to stomp the shhhh out of everything in its path.