We recently got the chance to speak with Jared Gerritzen of Zombie Studios, maker of Blacklight:
Retribution. Check out what Jared had to say about the game:
Can you give us a bit of info about your background, and what is your role in Blacklight: Retribution?
My name is Jared Gerritzen. I’m the creative studio head of Zombie Studios and lead designer of
Blacklight: Retribution. I’m the luckiest guy around; I get to make a super cool game and work with a
great team behind me.
Blacklight: Retribution is a Free to Play First Person Shooter (FPS) game.
What sort of features are in the game that makes it stand out as different from other Free to Play Shooters?
I would start off with the quality bar we are working at. We really want to make a retail quality game for
free. Blacklight: Retribution gameplay is really a lot of fun too. We have a system that allows you to
unlock super weapons as the game progresses, ending in a massive mobile tank called the Hardsuit.
Lastly we have fully customizable player gear and weapon system that gives the game millions of
different play style computations. We want the player to define how he plays through all the choices we
give with customization.
Can you get that kick-ass mesh body armor that I keep seeing in the ads?
Yes, as you play in a round, you’ll gain points that will allow you to get different power weapons from
the weapon depots spread around each map. The Hardsuit is one of many weapons you can use. The
idea behind the weapon depots is to let each match evolve differently each time. I haven’t played a
game where I wasn’t surprised by someone’s tactic to call in a Hardsuit, or unleash a massive airstrike on
me. It’s easily my favorite new system added to the game.
What sort of modes are there in the game – Capture the Flag (CTF), Deathmatch (DM), escort?
We have the standard game modes you would expect – DM, TDM, CTF, Control Point, KOTH – but the
great part is that we are adding new game modes all the time. We have new modes that will be coming
in the first few months after ship, and more being designed to keep coming with free updates after that.
The goal of the team is to constantly evolve the game with not only modes, but content as well.
I have noticed that the game supports the GamePanel on our keyboards. What does it display and how do you take advantage of that?
We’ve added match statistics, which allow players to quickly glance at all pertinent game information
without popping up a different screen. On top of the match stats, you can also display a tactical window
giving you quick information on all your weapon and gear details. The great part about being a
free-to-play game is that we’re constantly able to evolve the game, and we’re also able to add more
features to our Logitech screens as well. So as we add new modes and weapons, you see them on your
Logitech GamePanel as well.
When is the game going to be in full release?
Open Beta began Feb. 27. Open Beta is where the rubber meets the road, and all players are able to get
in and hammer on the game. We’ll drop the Beta moniker in Q2 2012, along with more new content
coming for free to our players.
