News about Sega’s upcoming motion-based arcade cabinet has been trickling out ever so slowly, but a recent interview between the folks at Arcade Heroes and head of Sega Europe’s R&D Division Patrick Michael has brought us a generous helping of interesting behind-the-scene tidbits on the dream-based game.
Michael revealed a bunch of interesting details on the development process and technical specs, but what sticks out the most is his emphasis on delivering an accessible, “casual” experience that would mix the exhilaration of passive arcade rides and with simplistic pick-up-and-play shooting,
We have always been interested in creating a product to bridge the divide between “passive” simulator rides and game experiences. Our goal was to create a “ride” with a casual shooting element that encouraged inexperienced players and gave them a more interactive experience and ultimately delivered a sense of achievement. We wanted to have a wide range of motion experiences that were suitable for all ages and felt that a dream motif was a great way to encompass such a variety of level designs. We wanted the cabinet to be strong link to the theme and brainstormed the idea of it being a “Dream Machine” that transported its occupants into these adventures.
As is the norm with a lot of Sega’s arcade titles, Dream Raiders is looking like it will stick with a very simple layout, and while the Inception-inspired conceit may suggest a heady, incomprehensible plot, Michael has confirmed that this game won’t be so much about the story as it is about the accessible thrill,
We did have a pretty complex back story but that has slowly been stripped during development and testing as we really did not want to lose the momentum of the game by using cut scenes and other narrative devices. We have tried to make it a casual experience that allows the player to make their own interpretation. You begin the game in a futuristic laboratory seated inside the “Dream Machine” with a cybernetic host inviting you to simply select the dream adventure of your choice. You are then transported into a strange world with no real explanation. Each level features a very different theme and mode of transport but they all have crystals to collect and enemies to destroy!
It’s interesting that Dream Raiders started out with a bit more complexity, at least in terms of back story. Obviously, arcade titles need to reach as broad an audience as possible, but they really seem to be reaching for the inexperienced players with this one. With Sega’s new focus on social networks and community based gaming, it’ll be interesting to see how well their Dream Raiders campaign plays out once the game hits arcades.
[Source: Arcade Heroes]
