Sam Lake Pelaaja podcast interview released.

Pelaaja’s interview with lead Alan Wake writer, Sam Lake, is now online and ready to be listened to. Unfortunately it’s all in Finnish but thanks to Alan Wake forum user ‘northenlights‘ we have a quick summary of what was discussed.

You can click the ‘read more’ link to read the summary notes or click here for a direct link to the MP3.

Pelaaja also hints that there will be more revealed/released later on today. We’ll update this post with anything as we receive word, so keep checking back.

Update: New screenshot!
Update 2: Interview fully translated!

Sam Lake interview summary notes

Author: northernlights (Original Source)

Why has it taken so long?
-Small team (this way they have better control)
-High quality standards

E3 2005
-Technology and vision was being worked on
-Gameplay at that time was only a prototype

Games vision has stayed the same from the start, but the form of the game folds during the whole development cycle

What can you tell about the upcoming trailer?
-It started as a joke
-Without Max Payne movie they probably wouldn’t have released the trailer now
-..but with both MP and A.Wake being cinematic games, it seemed like a good idea to present it now on the big screen
-They don’t want to show gameplay just yet

What do you think of MP movie
-Surreal, contradictory feelings..
-Great that someone has done it
-Until now they have had full control over MP, but now someone else is doing it
-”Practice shows that good trailer can be made of anything” (laughing)
-Sam Lake likes Mark

Sam’s role as the writer
-Remedy stress story in their games (doh :D)
-Sometimes busyer, sometimes calmer periods
-Trying to write the story to be “playable” as much as possible
-From writers point of view, working with a game is similar to working with movies
-(he described the stages in writing development)
- MP1 manuscript was 150 pages, MP2 650 pages
-The usual feedback for a writer is usually “too long”

(lots of talk about creative writing in general)

What kind of games do you like as a writer?
-Roleplaying games (usually more story centric)
-Being a “family man” + work, time doesn’t often allow playing games
-Praise for Orange Box

How serious is A.Wake going to be?
-Supposed to be “scary at times”
-Humor is necessary for a game/r

When is it going to be released?
-When it’s done
-”Good feeling” about the project (”hyvä pöhinä” :P)

That’s about it. There were lots of talking not mentioned here, but these should be the most important parts (and those I managed to write down while listening).

Disclaimer: I did it fast and with limited english vocabulary, so all may not be 100% accurate.