Hi Xbox Fans,
The Bradwell Conspiracy is a narrative adventure game about photography, 3D printing and some worrying corporate underhandedness. We’re launching on Xbox One today and we wanted to share with you some behind-the-scenes insights that’ll make your experience in our game world just a little richer.
When you first load up The Bradwell Conspiracy you’ll quickly notice two things: Firstly, due to an injury you can’t talk and, secondly, the building around you is collapsing! The Bradwell Stonehenge museum you were visiting has been severely damaged in an explosion and (almost) everyone has been evacuated. You’ll be communicating with the only other survivor, Amber, using photographs instead of your voice.
Why photographs? We’re huge fans of RPGs and have a lot of love for big dialogue wheels and response lists but they come with some challenges. How do you make sure the prompts mean what the player expects them to? How do you let a player convey their own personality through these? For us, having a voiceless protagonist means you’re a blank slate and your relationship with Amber can be what you want it to be. Using images lets you send her important information for your survival. However, it also lets you uncover new information about the secret facility you’re trapped in and, in spite of the chaos, you can have plenty of jokes with Amber too.
Bradwell Electronics, the company you’re delving so deep into, isn’t just a facade or plot device. We’ve put many hours into making it as close to a real company as you could get in a game. The company has a full history, a website, and even corporate branding designed by an actual brand consultant in the real world. The labs you explore are real workplaces too. Learn about all the different teams and projects by rummaging through their stuff, sneaking onto their computers or studying what’s been left behind in a hurry as they were evacuated.
Of course, when you’re not snapping pics or prying through audio logs you’ll be trying to escape – and defying the laws of physics to do so!
Bradwell Electronics doesn’t just give its employees high tech smart-glasses and PCs, they also get the power to manipulate matter with the Substance Mobile Printer (SMP). The facility is full of items made of Bradwellium, a mysterious substance that can be instantly copied and replicated. You can use substance objects for traversal, repairs, blocking things, breaking things and much more. Don’t be afraid to muck around with it either, Bradwell Employees have been known to have a little fun with this trillion-dollar technology.
Keep your ears open as you experiment with this powerful technology. Every step on your path to escape is accompanied by some experimental sound design. During development we paired BAFTA award winning composer Austin Wintory with Ali Tocher, a talented sound designer, and briefed them to completely blur the line between soundtrack and audio, working fully in partnership like the player and Amber. At some points the soundscape is realistic: a gritty falling building or soothing artificial ambiance in a medical ward. Other times the sounds play along with the player, distorting and glitching at challenging moments, or teasing plot twists with hypnotic piano lines.
Clever collaboration and printing are the keys to your escape. Remember to dig deeper and keep an open mind. If you get stuck – remember Amber’s there to help. We look forward to seeing you unravel
The Bradwell Conspiracy is available now for Xbox One on the Microsoft Store. Click here for purchase details.
See the rest of the story on Xbox Wire
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