2004, Xbox, PC and PS2
Full Spectrum Warrior was originally developed by Pandemic as a training tool for the U.S. Army. I joined to lead the design team in its transition to a commercial game. Full Spectrum Warrior is a unique combination of a strategy game, where you control two squads of AI soldiers, with an immersive, documentary-style narrative. I created a dynamic procedural voice system that included the personality and emotion of each soldier, so their reactions would change depending on whether they were under fire, a soldier in the squad was wounded, etc. This system was key to one of the main game pillars: there is zero tolerance for casualties in the U.S. Army–so players must feel a sense of personal responsibility for the safety of their squads.
Key design challenges: writing and designing for in-game live cinematics and dialogue when up to two soldiers could be unconscious, creating clear strategy play rules in an inherently fuzzy setting (modern urban warfare), staying true to the U.S. Army values while ensuring the play experience was both fun and fair.
