ONLY WITH US: Behind the Scenes of the Creation of “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora”
Andreas Rivera
November 28, 2023 11:52 pm
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“Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” is a title that, since its announcement, has built high expectations around it over the past few years. Based on James Cameron’s groundbreaking film, the game “Avatar” promises to transport players to the lush and vibrant world of Pandora, providing an experience surpassing that of watching the movie.
Recently, as the only editorial team from the entire region in Europe, we had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for a special meeting with the creators. During several hours of panels, they shared insights into how the development process unfolded, forming bonds between specialists from two worlds – gaming and films – much like in the movie.
Synergy of Creativity and Technology
The first panel, led by the legendary Jon Landau, Magnus Johnson from Ubisoft Massive, and Richard Baneham from Lightstorm Entertainment, focused primarily on the collaboration during the game’s development. On one hand, Jon and Richard brought depth and the entire “Avatar” universe’s story to the creative process; on the other hand, Ubisoft Massive provided technological support with their Snowdrop engine and years of game development experience. The synergy among the three panelists was crucial for the entire creative process, maintaining a consistent vision of the world – from building the narrative to designing the environment, everything had to work like a Swiss watch.
As we learned, one of the biggest challenges for the creators was maintaining harmony with the “Avatar” world while introducing game-exclusive mechanics and elements. To ensure that the narrative, characters, and world remained cohesive, detailed planning and constant communication between all teams were essential. Everything created in “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” had to receive approval from Jon and the rest of the team, who insisted, “these must be things we can use in the next movie.”
Towards the end of the panels, the speakers discussed how advanced technologies, such as ray-tracing and the benefits of the Snowdrop engine, were used not only for achieving the best graphics and diverse mechanics but also as a tool for storytelling. The graphics, AI, and interactive elements were developed to enhance immersion and the story’s impact on the player.
Preparing the Ground
Now, let’s delve into what will undoubtedly interest most players – the narrative and storytelling aspects. Until now, we knew practically nothing about the story presented in the upcoming “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.” However, that has changed. The game’s action will take place several months before the events known from “Avatar: The Way of Water.” Our adventure begins when our character, under our guidance, wakes up from a long cryosleep in a special human facility. This introduction sets the tone and opens a story full of struggles to preserve one’s culture, heritage, and identity.
Without revealing too many details about our hero’s fate before embarking on a long nap, we can already share some things. Everything driving the plot will revolve around the special TAP (The Ambassador Program), aimed at assimilating the Na’vi with human society, and John Mercer, the head of the mentioned program. However, it starts to sound a bit cliché as we discover a resistance movement, built by both Na’vi and humans, rejecting the ominous machinations and exploitation of the planet by RDA. The base not only serves as the narrative center in the game but also reinforces a sense of solidarity and resistance throughout the story.
We also learned a bit more about the new Na’vi clans that will appear in “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.” The Aranahe clan, residing in the Kinglor forest, is a peaceful people avoiding conflicts. Their attire, full of references to unity with nature and living in harmony, accurately reflects their way of life, based on harmony with the forest and utilizing its resources. In stark contrast, the Zeswa clan, inhabiting the vast areas of the Highland Plains, had to adapt to the challenging, windy terrain through a nomadic lifestyle and the selection of suitable weapons and armor. Their attire, tailored for hunting practices and less armored in construction, is modeled after typical warrior armor. The most intriguing is the Kame’Tire clan – mystical inhabitants of the dark, mist-shrouded forest called The Hollows. This mysterious people are distinguished by an unmatched knowledge of flora among other clans, making them skilled herbalists.
This example illustrates the meticulousness of the creators who did everything to ensure that the inhabitants of Pandora in “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” are diverse yet coherent with James Cameron’s vision of the world.
Rediscovering Pandora
The last, and in our eyes, the most crucial panel turned out to be the one that expanded our knowledge of world-building. The panelists’ team mentioned right from the start how much emphasis was placed on a scientific approach to creating Pandora in the game. The goal was to create a world that is immersive and credible while offering gameplay consistent with the presented story. One of the best examples was the presentation of how the RDA, through their “high-performance cruelty” reflected in their industrial and brutal approach to nature, established their bases in this world, creating an incredible contrast – gray, smoking structures surrounded by Pandora’s natural beauty, showcasing the ruthlessness of the human faction.
However, world-building is not only about flora. It is primarily about fauna, which is a significant element of the “Avatar” world. When creating new creatures, the team based their designs on animals existing on Earth – seeking inspiration in their anatomy, way of movement, and dietary habits. Thanks to this and the care for the credibility of specific regions, we will feel that everything is in its place.
Summary
“Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” is a living proof of the close collaboration between two worlds – video games and the film industry. All the information conveyed to us in the panels with the creators showed the immense amount of work put into this title. From the synergy of creativity and technology to the creation of a credible world – every aspect of the game has been prepared with due diligence and oversight by the creators of the original film.
Does this mean that we can expect one of the best game adaptations? It’s hard to say at this stage because, although the presented world is impressive, the gameplay remains the most crucial. We will find out more about it closer to the release. One thing is certain, though: “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” is undoubtedly a pioneering project closely intertwining the worlds of games and films. I hope it’s not the last.
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