In 2010, the gaming world was shocked by the story of a former assassin who went on the warpath with the most influential Mexican drug cartel. Shank struck gamers in the heart not only with outright cruelty and ruthlessness towards criminals, but also with a previously unprecedented visual style. It was just an intergalactic sensation created by one small Canadian studio.
Hello everyone, Cheezzy purple beard is in touch, and let me tell you about the thorny path of appearance Shank, young Klei Entertainment, constantly on the edge of the abyss, and about letters with threats that became a step to success.
An incredibly bloody, brutal story about a protagonist driven by revenge that burns him from the inside, born under circumstances that do not quite correspond to the atmosphere of vendetta. The year 2008 is conveniently located in the yard. Tiny yet unknown Canadian studio Klei Entertainment, with a staff of about 11-12 people, is working on a multiplayer game under the sweet bee-bee name Sugar Rush. And no, this is not a racing car from a Disney cartoon Ralph.
Conceptually, the developers plan to create a colorful, vibrant world in which gamers from all over the world will come together to heartily beat those around them, collecting local currency along the way. At the same time, using the coins you find, or by investing real money, you can receive various game bonuses and customize characters, of which there are already three announced. These are a trivial fighter, a ninja and a more unusual one – a morph that can transform into any living creature.
NautilusPort. Sugar Rush Trailer
Official trailer for Sugar Rush. MMOs.com 2. Sugar Rush – Official Trailer
Sugar Rush Gameplay. mmorpgmmorpg. SugarRush Gameplay Trailer
The project was sawn, the company employees hunched over their brainchild. However, having survived two beta tests, Sugar Rush collapsed due to the unexpected death of the publisher. For a long time there were news and statements saying that everything was fine, despite the difficulties the game would survive and rise from the ashes. True, the matter did not go beyond words, and in 2010, she had already become famous Klei Entertainment finally put an end to my project.
Sugar Rush, unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, it did not reach gamers, stalling at one of the stages of production. But it became a springboard to more successful works by the Canadian studio. At the time of temporary cessation of funding for its development, the company’s top officials sensed something was wrong. The breath of a white furry animal called an arctic fox was felt closer and closer. In connection with this, we began to think through an alternate escape route.
While the studio employees, who are in the dark about the fate of Sugar Rush, were poring over a multiplayer project, one of them was secretly thinking through the concept of the next game. When Klei Entertainment However, they were notified of the freeze of work, the friendly team set off on a free voyage. Fortunately, the island was already visible in the distance, which was supposed to be their salvation.
Studio founder Jamie Cheng and creative director Jeffrey Agala decided to take advantage of the developments Sugar Rush when creating a new game. They felt that the chosen genre had great potential, so they wanted to push its boundaries.
Of course, to achieve such an ambitious goal you need an interesting idea. Of course, the developers got it. Yes, but you know what there is one little nuance? Such a tiny little bug? Small touch?
Since the game’s inception Shank more than ten years have passed. Journalists of all stripes have concocted a great many interviews with both Jamie Cheng and Jeffrey Agal. At the same time, practically everyone strove to find out: what became the prototype for such a brilliant project? What inspired it?? What is the seed that has sprouted into an unusual idea??
The developers answered politely, because there was nowhere to go. However, every year, with every new brilliant interviewer, the number of works that influenced Shank, only increased. For example, you can now find the words of authors talking about how they drew inspiration from the series Devil May Cry or Aladdin on the SNES console. And that’s not even funny. And the fact that at first the studio’s fathers themselves Klei Entertainment called slightly different works. But let’s not waste our time, but will touch exclusively on the very first voiced works that influenced the creation of the game.
Interview with Jamie Cheng. Gamereactor. GDC10: Shank Interview
Interview with Geoffrey Agal. GameCrashersTV. Shank Developer Interview – PAX EAST 2010 – HD
Freed from the shackles of an unreleased project, the creators turned their searching gaze to old but close to their hearts bitmaps. Streets of Rage, Final Fight and the highlight of the program – Double Dragon. After playing them, the developers did not feel that joy, that enthusiasm that overtook them in childhood. That’s why they wanted to present gamers with their favorite virtual adventures in a new shell.
The visual style, which over time became a hallmark of the studio, has not rusted. A course in drawing and animation with a light hand from Jeffrey Agal was taken with an eye on American comics published from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Also, in addition to several hundred graphic novels that appeared during the so-called golden age, the developers mentioned individual authors and works that inspired them. This is Frank Miller, currently known to the general public for the novellas from the series Sin City; Michael Mignola, who gave the brutal Hellboy; and not a very popular comic among us Preacher.
Having decided on the genre and design, the team, eager to create creators, rushed into the breach… Although, wait. In their early interviews, the authors remained silent about the plot of the game. However, they did not forget to mention that the permeating atmosphere of their project, the surroundings were inspired by the works of famous film directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.
Personally, regarding this thesis, we https://theviccasino.uk/ do not doubt it at all. For, for example, looking ahead, Shank’s partner, who appears in co-op mode, Falcon, looks very much like Danny Trejo. An actor who actively starred in projects of these cult directors. And the plot itself is too similar to a movie Kill Bill. However, let’s be honest, the stories of the two works in general patterns do not shine with special originality. As for the actual narrative of the game, we’ll talk about it a little lower, since it was not without reason that the developers threw in a secret when they were asked about the plot.
The vector of the flight of fancy was determined, and the creative Canadian cauldron began to bubble in January 2009. The developers, gritting their teeth, frantically prepared their project for the Penny Arcade Expo gaming festival, scheduled for September. They had high hopes for the announcement. To say the least. The further existence of the studio practically depended on the outcome of the exhibition.
But before we touch directly on the pains of production, let’s take a look at the official website of the game, saved on the Internet just before the festival. Because there are some interesting ideas there that didn’t fully make it into the finished product.
Among the concept art and terrain drawing you can find two interesting images. The first sketch features a girl with a chainsaw on her belt, who, according to the creators, is the partner of the main character. The artists copied her image from actress Penelope Cruz and Kat Von D, the host of an American reality show about the work of tattoo artists called Los Angeles Ink. If you think a little and put an owl on the globe, then you can assume the unthinkable, since Shank’s accomplice personally reminds us of Juliet from Lollipop Chainsaw. Of course, it is unlikely, of course, that the accomplice became the prototype for the exterminator of living carrion, but on the other hand – why not?
The second image you like shows one of the main character’s enemies. It is interesting because of the original idea, according to which the muscular aggressive hussar was, in fact, planned as the brother of the protagonist who had defected to his adversaries. Well, we either read or heard somewhere that the Mexican drug cartel has the best cookies in the world, so we can’t blame the traitor for his vile act.
Penelope Cruz / Kat Von D / Juliet
Since the studio Klei Entertainment lost a golden antelope in the person of the publication that ordered Sugar Rush, then development Shank was carried out exclusively on the remaining savings. People spent days and days working on the project, trying to do everything possible to be at the September festival. If they had not attended the event, the company could have gone bankrupt, because creativity is creativity, and you want to eat every day.
Of course, since now Klei Entertainment hello, they made it to the exhibition in time. True, at what cost, and what tricks did the creators resort to?? Oh, here you want to really savor their every step, because everything was done cunningly and with creativity.
There wasn’t much money in their pockets, but the soul of the creators longed for scope. Grandiose, because they were bringing to the exhibition not just another craft, concocted on their knees, but a really cool game. To add significance, the developers order figurines (presumably wooden) of the main character from China for next to nothing. Asian partners fulfill the order and send the toys directly to Seattle, where the event took place.
Enterprising creators sell figurines at the festival, after which the remains are donated to a local store. So that the slow fans who appear Shank had the opportunity to purchase a mini-protagonist for personal use.
But what is an exhibition without a stand?? Preferably something that attracts attention. Because there will be no spectacular presentation, and no fans will appear. The developers understood this perfectly well, but the wind blowing through their wallets made its own adjustments.
Jamie Cheng has to get out of this situation. For the sake of a bright, as cool as possible, stand, he surrounds his own apartment. Home theater with stereo system leaves home and goes to Seattle. Now this is not just equipment, but a part of the ship with a loud name Shank.
E. K. Powell. Shank gameplay part 2 PAX 2009
Stand at the festival. Nathan Henderson. Shank Gameplay
Touching upon the topic of the stand, it is worth noting that the developers Klei Entertainment went to the event without the support of a publisher behind them. Also, their main goal, first and foremost, was to attract the attention of the maximum number of gamers to the game. Therefore, when they found themselves at the festival, the creators did not admit what platform the project was intended for.
Moreover, the developers gave such a delicate nuance a certain charm. The device on which the game was demonstrated was packaged in a black box with a question mark. And those who wanted to personally try out the crazy Shank had the opportunity to choose almost any gamepad to their taste.
A PR stunt that blew up the relatively young Internet deserves special mention. The developers, who are bringing to the exhibition a bloody story worthy of Tarantino’s dismemberment, decided to send out invitations. But not banal postcards, respectful letters there, not. The creators approached the implementation of their idea with passion. With the ambience inherent in their game.
The guys from Klei Entertainment sent threatening messages to their friends. In the letters, composed of letters cut out from various magazines, the addressee was ordered to urgently appear at the festival. In this case, it was necessary to contact the informant and strictly follow his instructions. And under the business card attached to the message, the apotheosis of creativity awaited the stunned person – a tuft of hair with blood.
Of course, no one was kidnapped and nothing criminal happened. Just a few dolls visited the hairdresser at the same time. This happens too. And what about the blood?? Here history, of course, is silent. Although, as we all know, in every thing there is only a grain of joke..
Shank naturally attracted the attention of many festival visitors. In this regard, it is not surprising that correspondents rushed to interview Jamie Cheng, who was on duty at the stand. The founder of the studio willingly made contact with journalists and answered their questions. However, regarding the plot, he dodged as best he could. History was a sealed secret. But all this is not without reason.
No, Jamie Cheng wasn’t afraid that their twisted plot would be stolen. Or potential gamers, having learned about Shank’s story, will lose interest in the yet unreleased game. No, the reason is ridiculously simple. The developers at that time, simply, did not have a full-fledged plot, and the entire project, in fact, consisted of a couple of demonstrated levels. That’s all. The creators, like professional poker players, played the royal flush in their hands as much as possible, having at their disposal only a pair that was practically at the very bottom of the hierarchy of combinations. In the end, the bluff worked
Interview with Jamie Cheng. GamingNexus. PAX 09: Shank interview with Jamie Cheng
Employees Klei Entertainment left the festival as winners. Their project caused a sensation. ABOUT Shank, finally we started talking. However, there were some negatives as well.
At that time, one of the flu viruses was raging in Seattle. The infection on an industrial scale affected local residents. The disease, of course, did not ignore the guests, so, having returned home, the developers went in a friendly crowd to the nearest doctor. Unfortunately, the problems didn’t end there. On the contrary, truly hellish difficulties awaited the creators.
Even on the indie scene, and even among ordinary gamers, rumors about cool colorful Shank spread like cholera in a plague city, this did not save us from the cruel reality. Employees from Klei Entertainment, in fact, we only had a small demo on hand, which was, oh, so far away from release. And the savings were already running out.
In January 2010, Jamie Cheng faced a burning question:. Either finish this whole mess called creativity, or somehow find cash. The situation is not good. That’s when the studio founder decides to take the hit himself and takes out a loan by mortgaging his own house. In addition, he is forced to cut the wages of his colleagues. Developers find themselves on the edge of the abyss again.
But it’s not all bad. In January, the annual independent games festival nominates Shank in Visual Arts. Fate itself, literally, extended a helping hand to the guys from Klei Entertainment. Moreover, earlier, back in 2004, Jamie Cheng and friends sent their debut work to the event Eets, however, that time she didn’t even receive attention.
Among the nominees vying for the prize for the visual component, five contestants are competing at once. Of course Shank. In contrast to the Canadian project, a colorful Metroidvania is coming out Owlboy, puzzle filled with decay Limbo, mind-blowing with its images Trauma and a cruel chicken story called Rocketbirds: Revolution!
The news of participation in the twelfth annual festival of independent games gave developers strength. True, it was a long time before the results were announced and the winners were awarded the ceremony.
The main event was planned for March. However, creators from Klei Entertainment saw another milestone ahead that needed to be overcome. And perhaps that is why they were able to refuse the offer of one of the publishers. Jamie Cheng in his interview did not name the company that decided to contact him, but said that the terms of cooperation limited them as authors. Torn between the desire to receive financial investments and remain a creator, the studio founder chose the latter.
In the long-awaited March, a fateful event happened for the studio. And, no. We’re not talking now about summing up the results of the annual festival of independent games. Something more important happened.
Actually a couple of days before the ceremony Klei Entertainment enters into a partnership agreement with an American corporation Electronic Arts, offering favorable conditions. A large company becomes a publisher Shank, by taking over the responsibilities for advertising the project and allocating the amount of money required for production. Next, the platforms on which the game was expected to be released became known. PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
What about the festival?? Then it was held pompously, on a grand scale, but in the declared nomination Shank didn’t win. The respected jury gave the laurels of the winner to black and white Limbo.
Giant company Electronic Arts knew her business well. An advertising campaign for media promotion of the project of Canadian creators has launched at all times. Klei Entertainment began to invite people to exhibitions and festivals; reviews of the demo began to be published more actively in magazines and on the Internet; and the founder of the studio himself with especially close colleagues did not stop giving interviews. But this is all good, of course, only with the game? Shank getting ready for release?
Oh, well, how can I say it?? To be honest, then Shank no, but here Electronic Arts how else. Because of what Klei Entertainment found themselves hostage to the circumstances. Because the project, roughly speaking, was a failure. Until now there was no clear plot and the worst thing was that there were only a couple of levels. It was urgent to make up for lost time. The overcoming has begun.
In one of his later interviews, Jamie Cheng called the period of time from the date of signing the contract in March until the release of the game in August a form of madness. The developers, without straightening their backs, pored over the project code. The artists, who had a simply monstrous responsibility for the visual shell of the game, experienced wrist pain more often due to the intensity of their work. At the same time, people often did not see their families for weeks. Everyone understood that the highest price must always be paid for the fulfillment of a deepest desire.
In May, Jamie Cheng involved his old friend, Marianna Krawczyk, in the production race. A girl known to the public, first of all, for her script for the virtual adventure of the invincible Kratos, unceremoniously dealing with the ancient gods. His eminent girlfriend was called upon to help write the bloody history of the vendetta. Now you understand, yes? When did serious development of the game’s plot begin?.
At the end of July, information about the presence of multiplayer in the media became widespread Shank. Although the studio initially planned to make an exclusively solo project. Klei Entertainment there was nothing left to do but confirm this thesis, satisfying the flaring interest of gamers with several facts. Like, players will have the opportunity to go Shank together, but it will be a completely different story. Different from the main plot.
In August, the long-suffering project of the Canadian studio finally appeared before the public. But the developers didn’t have time for a break. Painstaking work on mistakes began, and an exhaustingly pleasant whirlwind caused by the sudden drop in popularity.