Telltale Games and Deck Nine have unveiled a behind-the-scenes trailer for The Expanse: A Telltale Series, showcasing the meticulous process behind designing the game’s expansive environments.
In this article, we delve into the developers’ insights and techniques to bring space to life, while emphasizing the significance of environment design in shaping the game’s narrative and player choices.
How The Expanse: A Telltale Series portrays the grandeur of space
Performance director Zachary Andrews sheds light on his role in evoking the “incredible grandeur” of space within the game. According to him, overcoming the constraints of gravity was a crucial challenge, which led the team to employ inventive techniques. For instance, actors were maneuvered on platforms using ropes to simulate zero-g movement. Additionally, the ‘Spider Swing’, a specialized contraption resembling a cage, allowed Deck Nine staff to drag actors around, creating the illusion of zero-gravity physics.
Crafting a cinematic style for The Expanse: A Telltale Series
Cinematic director Alistair Ebinger emphasizes the game’s cinematic style and its alignment with the visual aesthetics of The Expanse television series. Collaborating closely with Jeremy Benning, the show’s cinematographer, the team adopted a ‘per-shot’ approach, ensuring a seamless integration between the game and the show’s distinctive visual identity. This meticulous process aimed to establish a coherent and immersive experience for players.
Creating incentives for exploration
According to staff writer Iris Dauterman, a key objective in designing The Expanse’s environment was to provide players with compelling reasons to explore their surroundings.
Curious exploration will unlock additional conversations with characters or reveal items that hold significance within the story. Director Stephan Frost echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the team’s strong desire for players to actively engage with the game world, uncover its secrets, and in turn, witness substantial alterations in the narrative trajectory.
Insights into the production process of The Expanse: A Telltale Series
To gain a deeper understanding of the production process behind The Expanse: A Telltale Series, we highly recommended watching the trailer released by Telltale and Deck Nine.
The first episode of the game is set to launch on July 27th for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One, with subsequent episodes scheduled to follow in due course.
