As a seasoned game developer with years of experience under my belt, I must say that the current-gen consoles have indeed brought about some remarkable advancements in gaming technology. When it comes to the GPU performance differences between the PS5 and Xbox Series X, I’ve found that for our games, the gap isn’t as pronounced due to our focus on cross-platform compatibility and optimization. However, I can certainly see how it would make a significant difference for developers pushing the visual boundaries of gaming.
In a nutshell, “Promise Mascot Agency” is carving out a distinctive gaming experience as an open-world mascot management crime drama title. Kaizen Game Works aims to deliver an unconventional open-world escapade that combines humor, management simulation, exploration, and more, catching the attention of many gamers. To shed light on what this game uniquely offers, we had the opportunity to put forth some questions about it to its developers, Kaizen Game Works. Here is our interview with Phil Crabtree from Kaizen Game Works.
The game combines a significant dose of intense crime drama and touching narratives with an intentional focus on humor and silliness.
It’s not uncommon to encounter a variety of genres in the entertainment industry, but open-world mascot management crime dramas are somewhat rare. That seems to be the type of story Promise Mascot Agency offers. Can you share how this unique concept originally emerged?
Initially, our art director, Rachel, conceived the concept for a game centered around managing mascots. At that point, she imagined it as a 2D game similar to Kairosoft’s style, but we aspired to create something more ambitious and unusual. While working on presenting this game, I casually included the yakuza storyline in our pitch materials for something tangible to show. We thought we would alter it later, but it surprisingly became a permanent part of our concept. This unexpected addition has given us a highly unique theme, offering ample opportunities to explore diverse ideas.
Based on our observations of the game thus far, it seems humor and a touch of whimsy will definitely play a role. But I’m curious about how prominently these aspects are integrated, in terms of the overall tone?
The game combines a substantial dose of intense crime drama and deeply emotional narratives, yet our aim is to create games that are both amusing and whimsical. Our team’s preferred titles include the campy Resident Evil series, Yakuza, and PS2 games like Disaster Report. These games tackle serious themes, but they also have humorous and light-hearted moments. We aren’t fond of grim, humorless games, so we strive to develop something that brings joy to players instead.
Following the title’s suggestion, it appears that interacting with and overseeing various game mascots could play a crucial role in the overall gaming experience. Could you enlighten us on how these interactions might shape or influence the game’s narrative?
In this game, you take on the character of Michi, once a high-ranking yakuza lieutenant, now in exile. To clear a massive debt, you’re tasked with reviving a financially struggling mascot agency. Essentially, these mascots are vital to the narrative. If Michi can’t succeed and they fail, his family becomes vulnerable to their enemies.
In simpler terms, Michi is new to managing an agency as he’s not accustomed to this kind of work. He has much to pick up along the way. His right-hand person, Pinky, being experienced, will help him navigate the challenges and complexities associated with mascot management.
In town, the mascots that Michi encounters will not only accompany him, but also actively contribute to the business by providing their unique insights on how it could be enhanced. Moreover, these mascots will aid Michi in self-discovery and, together, they’ll help unravel the mysterious secret hidden within Kaso-Machi. Some mascots play pivotal roles in this story.
In terms of gameplay, how deeply developed are the management aspects, specifically focusing on the character or mascot management part of the overall experience?
As a game enthusiast, I’m immersed in this captivating world where everything hinges on a dynamic simulation. Every move I make, whether it’s hiring mascots or attending mascot events, either impacts or is influenced by this underlying system. The heart of this game is all about managing my team of mascots and sending them to various events. These outings bring in cash, fans, and even boost the stats of each mascot. The money I earn helps me invest in local businesses, broadening my business horizons. Gaining more fans elevates the reputation of my agency and attracts even more business ventures. The more renowned I become, the more desirable my agency becomes to potential mascots and the more events I get invited to.
Boosting your popularity also raises your profile with the enigmatic Masked Figures who govern the Mascot Ranking Organization. They may grant you access to extend your enterprise, enabling you to venture into subcontracting jobs in various cities and manage a mascot merchandise company.
In this game, all additional elements contribute to the management simulation experience. Non-Player Characters (NPCs) appreciate your assistance and can transform into Mascot Support Heroes, offering you special items for helping them, selling you Mascot Aid Items, and enhancing your vehicle to allow more world exploration.
Hey there, fellow gamer! In addition to our colorful crew, each mascot has aspirations all their own. It’s my job now to guide them towards fulfilling those dreams. By helping them succeed, I can enhance their gameplay performance and unlock even more facets of this simulation for me to master. Let’s embark on this exciting journey together!
Michi finds himself in unfamiliar territory as he’s new to managing an agency; he’s got a steep learning curve ahead. Fortunately, his right-hand woman, Pinky, who is just as much a novelty in the realm of mascot management, will be there to steer him through the ups and downs of this venture.
In the game, what’s the structure for leveling up or advancing? And how do the characters gain abilities or enhancements throughout their journey in the game?
Here are the three primary categories of advancement: enhancing mascots, expanding businesses, and exploring vast open worlds.
As a gamer, I’ve noticed that the mascots I recruit can level up based on the perks I assign them, how well they perform at their jobs, and if I assist them with their personal quests. Their stats like Popularity and Motivation play a big role in determining how effectively they do their job. These stats improve when their tasks are completed successfully and when we spend quality time together, working on their side missions. The higher these stats, the less likely they are to get into trouble at work and the better rewards they bring home.
As your business expands, the game’s world unfolds further. More Non-Player Characters become interactive, storylines develop, and fresh gameplay options emerge. Every aspect of the game contributes to business growth – collectibles, side missions, exploration, dialogues, and even the day-night cycle alter the management simulation experience.
In the expansive realm of Kaso-Machi, there are numerous mysteries waiting to be uncovered, each contributing to the game’s advancement. As you delve deeper, you’ll find opportunities to tidy shrines, cleanse sins, and lessen the mayor’s corrupt influence. At the outset of the game, not all areas are accessible, but speaking with the town mechanic can help unlock upgrades for your truck, allowing access to new regions. The vehicle can be enhanced to glide, transform into a boat, and even shoot Pinky at obstacles, opening up previously inaccessible areas.
As a dedicated follower of your work, I’m eager to know more about the expansive open-world environment in this upcoming game. Could you share some insights on its scale – how big is the map going to be? Furthermore, I’m curious about your creative process when it comes to crafting the side activities and content that will populate this vast world.
The action unfolds in the hauntingly beautiful yet unsettling town of Kaso-Machi, situated off the coast of Kyushu. For many years, this town has been marred by the mayor’s corruption, leading to its near abandonment and closure of businesses. A dark yakuza curse seems to linger over the island.
As a gamer, I find myself on an impressively sprawling island that’s jam-packed with sights to see. A towering mountain stands as its centerpiece, with winding roads that lead me on a thrilling ride. The scenic vistas unfold before me as I speed past lush rice fields, and the allure of rundown shopping streets beckons me to explore.
In this game, there’s plenty to explore and uncover, each discovery impacting the player’s in-game business uniquely. The player’s mission includes seeking out Assistants (Mascot Support Heroes) to lend a hand when the mascots encounter difficulties. Additionally, they can purify the town, aid a mascot in establishing an entertainment center, locate the lost cats of the station master, pursue elusive mountain spirits for vehicle enhancements, and so much more.
When creating the game, it’s crucial that everything contributes directly to the main gameplay mechanics. Instead of tasks done solely for rewards or accomplishments, all additional content should enhance the player’s in-game enterprise.
Could you elaborate on the Hero Cards feature and explain how it might influence the strategic aspects of gameplay?
While a mascot is out performing duties, they could potentially encounter various types of problems. These issues may include getting jammed in entryways, tripping on staircases, experiencing unwanted attention from stalkers, or even being pursued by terrifying nightmares.
When your mascot encounters difficulty, you’ll have to employ hero cards to lend assistance. These hero cards symbolize the united efforts of Kaso-Machi residents, helping out the mascot. Each issue presents a distinct challenge; Confidence crisis, Environmental hazard, or Malfunction. The right heroes can tackle different types of challenges. Players must strategically combine hero cards in sequences to lower the health of these hurdles towards happiness, ensuring the mascot continues its journey. If a mascot cannot be rescued, it becomes disheartened and the rewards for the task will significantly decrease.
Roughly how long will an average playthrough of the game be?
It’s estimated that completing the entire game might require approximately 30 hours, with the main storyline and some side activities taking around 10-20 hours.
“The game takes place in the beautiful, but creepy town of Kaso-Machi.”
Hey there! As a fellow gaming enthusiast who’s worked with all the latest consoles, I’d be more than happy to share some insights on the differences between them. One area where they vary significantly is their GPU power. The PS5 boasts 10.28 teraflops, while the Xbox Series X takes it up a notch with 12 teraflops. But when it comes to actual game development, how much does this difference really matter?
The Promise Mascot Agency and Paradise Killer are more graphically demanding than many indie games created by small teams, primarily because they are 3D, open-world, and incorporate dynamic lighting with a full day-night cycle (and now, Paradise Killer even boasts RayTracing!). However, we strive to design our games so they can run on a variety of devices, including lower-end ones. It usually takes more effort for us to ensure the game functions well on these less powerful platforms compared to modern hardware, due to optimization requirements. Yet, we always keep in mind the potential of these systems and build with enough adaptability to enhance the gaming experience for players on those platforms, aiming to meet optimal resolution and frame rates.
In simpler terms, since our game’s graphics aren’t at a level that heavily relies on the capabilities of PS5 and Xbox Series X GPUs, we don’t see a significant difference between the two. However, we do appreciate being able to enhance the quality of our game on these platforms.
How do game developers utilize the lightning-fast 5.5GB/s SSD on the PS5, and in what way does its speed outperform the Xbox Series X’s 2.4GB/s raw bandwidth?
In simpler terms, the speed of the SSD (solid-state drive) significantly impacts game performance. With our SSD, load times are minimal and streaming issues are virtually eliminated. At present, we’re managing to load an entire game world in approximately 1.5 seconds – something that would have been inconceivable without this technology. In the case of the game “Paradise Killer“, we had to adjust the user interface around the loading sequence for the PS5 due to its exceptionally fast speed.
Easing bandwidth restrictions without requiring significant work from us certainly makes development smoother, yet it remains challenging for small-scale developers to create engaging gameplay experiences that leverage this enhanced performance, especially if they aim to cater to multiple platforms simultaneously.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X share similar Zen 2 CPUs, but they differ in their processor specifications. Specifically, the Xbox Series X has 8 Zen 2 cores running at 3.8 GHz, while the PS5 has 8 Zen 2 cores operating at 3.5 GHz. What are your thoughts on this slight variation?
In the games we create, the CPUs we’re using are more than sufficient for our purposes, which is fantastic since it means we can boost game settings to fully utilize their performance capabilities. Since we primarily code our games in C++, Unreal Engine allows us to distribute the tasks of open-world simulation, audio, visual effects, physics, and so on across multiple cores. This distribution of tasks makes it simpler for us to release our games on these platforms.
Given that the Xbox Series S has less powerful hardware than the Xbox Series, and Microsoft is marketing it as a console capable of delivering 1440p/60 FPS performance, do you believe it will be able to handle more graphically demanding games as this generation advances?
It’s likely that games will adapt smoothly to match the hardware specifications, considering the Xbox Series X boasts greater power compared to the Series S. While there may be noticeable visual disparities, the overall gaming experience should remain robust and enjoyable.
What frame rate and resolution will the game target on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?
Promise Mascot Agency is targeting 4k/60 on PS5 and Xbox Series X, and 1440p on the Xbox Series S.
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2024-10-22 11:42