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Writing Horizon Zero Dawn - John Gonzalez Interview

Noclip - Video Game Documentaries・34 minutes read

John Gonzalez, Narrative Director at Guerrilla Games, was drawn to the unique world concept of Horizon Zero Dawn, blending open-world RPG elements with interactive storytelling, aiming for a deeply emotional and epic narrative. The game's rich history, unique tribes, and somber portrayal of the apocalypse, coupled with emotional character bonds and intricate world-building, contribute to a profound and immersive gaming experience, setting it apart from typical post-apocalyptic narratives.

Insights

  • Horizon Zero Dawn's narrative development involved blending open-world RPG elements with interactive dialogue, creating a unique storytelling experience focused on Aloy's defined character arc and emotional journey.
  • The game's post post-apocalyptic world, characterized by robotic dinosaurs and pre-industrial tribes, intertwines ancient history with a deeply emotional and epic narrative, emphasizing personal connections amidst the larger apocalyptic backdrop.

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Recent questions

  • What inspired the unique world concept of Horizon Zero Dawn?

    The world of Horizon Zero Dawn was inspired by BBC documentaries and features a post post-apocalyptic nature, blending elements of robotic dinosaurs and pre-industrial tribes. This unique combination posed a mystery about the world's history and set the stage for an epic narrative.

  • How did Guerrilla Games enhance storytelling in Horizon Zero Dawn?

    Guerrilla Games aimed to enhance storytelling in Horizon Zero Dawn by blending open-world role-playing game elements with interactive dialogue and authored character storytelling. This approach allowed for a deeply emotional and epic narrative that intertwined the ancient world's history with the protagonist Aloy's personal journey.

  • What was the significance of starting Horizon Zero Dawn with Aloy as a child?

    Starting Horizon Zero Dawn with Aloy as a child was a calculated risk that paid off, creating a strong bond between players and the character. This decision emphasized Aloy's resilience in overcoming obstacles through actions rather than words, showcasing the importance of storytelling through action in the game.

  • How did the game portray the apocalypse scenario in Horizon Zero Dawn?

    The apocalypse scenario in Horizon Zero Dawn was crafted to avoid clichés, focusing on the end of all life on Earth rather than just civilization or humanity. The narrative incorporated conflicts and complexities among characters to evoke empathy and depth, emphasizing the sorrow and regret of the events that led to the world's end.

  • What role does Aloy's genetic signature play in the narrative of Horizon Zero Dawn?

    Aloy's genetic signature, which matches that of Elisabet Sobeck, the creator of the terraforming system, is crucial to the story of Horizon Zero Dawn. Her discovery of the Focus technology linked to her genetic signature serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative, providing her with a sense of belonging and purpose in the post-apocalyptic world.

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Summary

00:00

"Guerrilla Games' Narrative Director on Horizon"

  • John Gonzalez, Narrative Director at Guerrilla Games, joined the studio four years ago for a specific project due to his background in open-world role-playing game development.
  • Guerrilla Games surprised Gonzalez with their pitch for a huge open-world action role-playing game, showcasing a unique world concept that excited him.
  • Gonzalez previously worked on Fallout New Vegas, but found Horizon's world to be distinct, inspired by BBC documentaries and featuring a post post-apocalyptic nature.
  • Writing for open-world games like Fallout New Vegas and Horizon presented challenges due to the vast amount of branching narrative and conditional dialogue.
  • Horizon aimed to blend open-world role-playing game elements with interactive dialogue and authored character storytelling.
  • In Fallout games, players create their characters, while Horizon's protagonist, Aloy, has a defined arc directly tied to the game's lore.
  • Guerrilla Games' world concept combined post post-apocalyptic nature, robotic dinosaurs, and pre-industrial tribes, posing a mystery about the world's history.
  • Gonzalez's role at Guerrilla Games was part of a studio-wide effort to enhance storytelling, leading to the formation of an internal writing team.
  • Guerrilla Games' creative environment, characterized by care for employees and high ambition, stood out to Gonzalez as the best he had experienced.
  • Developing Horizon's story involved intertwining the ancient world's history with Aloy's personal journey, aiming for a deeply emotional and epic narrative.

14:42

Crafting Horizon Zero Dawn's Unique Narrative

  • The game's script underwent extensive revisions to ensure satisfaction with key moments, like Aloy's emergence from the mountain.
  • The decision to start the game with Aloy as a child was a calculated risk that paid off, creating a strong bond between players and the character.
  • Aloy finding her Focus device early in the game was a collaborative decision that added depth to her character and the storyline.
  • The game's opening sequence emphasizes Aloy's resilience in overcoming obstacles through actions rather than words, showcasing the importance of story craft through action.
  • The distinctiveness of each tribe in the game was inspired by unique myths, environments, and challenges, with a focus on creating dynamic and evolving cultures.
  • The game's world was designed to have a rich history, with conflicts and events shaping the tribes and adding depth to the narrative.
  • The juxtaposition of high-tech machines and low-tech societies in the game inspired the connection between Aloy and Elisabet Sobeck, leading to a unique storyline.
  • The game's apocalypse scenario was crafted to avoid clichés, steering clear of typical narratives involving nations at war with robots.

28:41

"Apocalyptic tale of rebirth and connection"

  • The concept of the apocalypse in the story is not just the end of civilization or humanity, but the end of all life on Earth, reducing it to a barren rock.
  • An artificially intelligent terraforming system is introduced as the force that reconstituted life on Earth after the apocalypse, with machines serving as its agents.
  • The terraforming system's failure to transmit knowledge to humanity hints at a mysterious event that disrupted the process.
  • The main character, Aloy, is revealed to have the same genetic signature as Elisabet Sobeck, the creator of the terraforming system, making her crucial to the story.
  • Aloy's discovery of the Focus technology, linked to her genetic signature, serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative, providing her with a sense of belonging and purpose.
  • Aloy's relationship with Rost, who helps her navigate the challenges of her identity, showcases the emotional depth of their bond and her struggle to find her place in the world.
  • The narrative of the apocalypse in "Horizon Zero Dawn" is portrayed with a somber and personal tone, emphasizing the sorrow and regret of the events that led to the end of the world.
  • The story incorporates conflicts and complexities among characters to evoke empathy and depth, ensuring that the emotional impact of the narrative is felt deeply.
  • Unique characters like Nil and Brin add layers to the story, showcasing different aspects of the tribes and their histories, contributing to the richness of the game's world-building.
  • Moments like the Peaceful Grove quest and the soldier's data logs in the United States Robot Command highlight the human connections and tragedies amidst the larger apocalyptic backdrop, enhancing the emotional resonance of the narrative.

42:18

"Horizon Zero Dawn: Gasoline Ayahuasca Experience"

  • Reference to playing Horizon Zero Dawn and feeling like in a Ken Russell movie
  • Comparison made to drinking gasoline as if it's ayahuasca
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