If you're a fan of shooters with sci-fi themes, you probably feel like you've seen it all. Doesn't it seem like we've walked down the same metallic walkways and explored the same downed spacecraft hundreds of times? Sure, games like Halo 2 and DOOM 3 added some refreshing twists, but most sci-fi shooters are giving us that "been there, done that" feeling. That's probably one of the biggest reasons that we're all looking forward to Epic's Gears of War so much. The game is set on the fictional planet of Sera, where a war is being waged between mankind and the Locust Horde, a race of terrifying, brutal creatures. We recently had a chance to pick the brain of Cliff "CliffyB" Blezinski, the game's Lead Designer, about what went into creating the unique environments.

GameSpy: Tell us about the setting for Gears of War and how it was originally conceived.
CliffyB: Sometimes, in order to figure out what you want, you have to ask yourself what you don't want. We knew we didn't want the game to take place on Earth. Having to painstakingly recreate Times Square or the Tower Bridge in London doesn't really spark a tremendous amount of enthusiasm from the art department. We also knew that when you say "sci-fi" what pops into your head? Dark, angular metallic tunnels with lots of grating... or an Asian overgrown city... or a concrete bunker. We made sci-fi beautiful with color and scale and location in Unreal, why not make something de-saturated, grounded, yet still beautiful in its own unique and destroyed manner?
GameSpy: What goes into designing a Gears of War level or map, and how was the process different from other games that Epic has worked on?
CliffyB: Well, the process is different now in the fact that we have a true pipeline and process. Back in the day it was "Hey, Level Designer X, make some cool stuff...in a castle!" Now we have a high-level plan for a level which is then blocked in. We get a great chunk of the gameplay working first to adjust for pacing, combat viability, and scripting. Then the "pretty hose" comes in and does a first pass at what we call "meshing" the level -- applying all of the modular architecture that the art department has lovingly crafted in order to make the level come to life. (A lighting pass is made as well here.) From there on out we continue to iterate on the game flow, scripting, and visuals until we have something that we feel we can ship with.

GameSpy: The architecture seems European, or gothic in flavor. What spurred this design decision, and how have the artists' work on the game's structures affected the level design?
CliffyB: I was playing through one of the early levels the other day and stopped to enjoy the scene when I realized that somehow we'd wound up with what felt like a firefight in one of my favorite places in NYC -- the Met. The fact that you're engaged in brutal and savage warfare as all of this beautifully crafted architecture is crumbling around you is a strangely enjoyable juxtaposition in Gears.

Just because you're doing a dark universe doesn't mean your environments can't inspire. I've always loved beautiful architecture, how a space feels and looks, so that's what was pushed for from the get-go. My brother went to West Point when I was a boy and we'd drive up to visit him on a regular basis; the place made a huge impression on me. I suppose that's one of the reasons why I was pushing for a military academy section of the game. Visiting London a few years ago; realizing how important it is to have a place that not only serves function but form. Wanting a place that feels unique yet recognizable. All of these were factors that went into the direction we ultimately landed on.
GameSpy: Gears of War seems to have a very heavy, deliberate feel to its character movement. How are you using the level design to manipulate the game's pace?
CliffyB: Whenever our designers sculpt a combat encounter, they're always keeping in mind the angles at which the fight takes place. There's usually a "front" where you engage the foe; at the start of the fight you have a pretty good idea where your foes are so you can feel safe taking cover. We make sure to make the flanks as "crisp" as possible; 90 degrees whenever we can, so that it's very obvious when you're safe and when you're not. This also clears things up for making certain the player knows when he's flanked his foe.