Fansite On-Mirrors-Edge, NVIDIA and the Mirror's Edge team hosted a live Q&A chat with Tom Farrer, producer of Mirror's Edge, and Tony Tamasi and Dane Johnston from NVIDIA on November 20th. Thank you to everyone who participated in the chat! Below is the full chat log.


CHAT STARTS
[09:02] <matthewome> Welcome everyone to the live Q&A chat, brought to you by On-Mirrors-Edge, NVIDIA and the Mirror’s Edge Team. Firstly, I would like to introduce our guests.
[09:03] <matthewome> From EA DICE, we have Tom Farrer (Producer of Mirror’s Edge) and Tony Tamasi and Dane Johnston from NVIDIA. Welcome guys!!!
[09:03] <Tomf> hey there
[09:03] <Mocib> welcome
[09:03] <MEAaron> howdy!
[09:03] <matthewome> Today we will be taking questions relating to Mirror’s Edge and PhysX technology. You will note that the channel is currently in +moderated mode - meaning you won’t be able to chat yet. To ask a question, please private message me (matthewome) up to five questions. To do this, simply type /msg matthewome question. If we like your question, we will confirm this back to you and give you the ability to post your question. Please be very patient as there may be a high volume of questions.
[09:04] <matthewome> Please message me your questions now (/msg matthewome question)
[09:05] <matthewome> To get us started, Tom, I’m wondering if you could talk to us a little about your role at EA DICE and more specifically around your involvment in the development of Mirror’s Edge?
[09:06] <Tomf> Im the producer of Mirror's edge, the role changes over the course of the game but basically it's about setting and maintaining the direction of the game. more to come...
[09:07] <Tomf> I worked very closely with the design team in all areas to make sure we shared a common vision and that what we were creating was...well cool basically :-)
[09:08] <Tomf> then there's the media and promotion aspect
[09:09] <Tomf> talking to the press and to the community as I'm doing with you guys
[09:09] <Tomf> but at it's core its about ensuring we make a good game
[09:10] <Tomf> it was me playing the game in most of the movies you've seen :-)
[09:12] <matthewome> Tom - Most of the game reviews have commented on the uniqueness of Mirror’s Edge. How did the original idea for the game come about?
[09:12] <Tomf> we were trying all kinds of ideas
[09:12] <Tomf> but we wanted to work in 1P and in an urban environment
[09:13] <Tomf> we quickly realised that traditional 1P controls were limiting and annoying
[09:13] <Tomf> that was when we started to look at free running
[09:13] <Tomf> we sketched ideas with pencil and paper
[09:13] <Tomf> to see what it would look like in 1P
[09:13] <Tomf> and got pretty excited
[09:14] <Tomf> then we started prototyping and doing test animations
[09:14] <Tomf> you've probably seen one of the arly ones
[09:14] <Tomf> i think its on 1up
[09:15] <Tomf> from there we focused on the core mechanics of movement and the rest grew around it
[09:15] <Tomf> the second we saw it moving we knew it was something very different
[09:15] <Tomf> we were inspired by other games as well
[09:16] <Tomf> I'm a big fan of Prince of Persia
[09:16] <Tomf> and Breakdown was a very important game for first person imo
[09:18] <Tomf> we wanted to make something that felt new and fresh
[09:18] <matthewome> grif598, please go ahead and ask your question
[09:19] <matthewome> grif598' question was : what do you think was the hardest thing for you to do as the producer?
[09:19] <Tomf> tough one
[09:19] <Tomf> cutting things
[09:20] <Tomf> its a vry important thing to do but its always hard
[09:20] <Tomf> we call it killing your babies
[09:20] <NBtX> :(
[09:20] <Tomf> sometimes you have a great idea or feature but it's just not quite right or it doesn't fit the game
[09:20] <Tomf> and it has to go
[09:21] <Tomf> we had some great first person designs for use with the weapons
[09:21] <Tomf> but it just wasn't a focus for the game
[09:21] <Tomf> it wa much more improtant to focus on the movement and other elements so they had to go
[09:22] <Tomf> thats always tough when its a cool idea
[09:22] <Tomf> but they often come back to life in other projects
[09:23] <matthewome> BackedOut_, please ask your question
[09:24] <+BackedOut_> Firstly Tom I have to say how much of a wonderful job you have done on ME.
[09:24] <Tomf> thank mate :-)
[09:25] <+BackedOut_> Tom How did you come up with the architecture, colours and other sorts in the game? And Why did you choose to make faith the way she looks e.g Phisique?
[09:25] <Tomf> ill start with the art direction bit
[09:25] <Tomf> at first we were looking at making real cities
[09:26] <Tomf> but we realised that they all had limitations and things we didn't like
[09:26] <Tomf> so we decided to make our own
[09:26] <Tomf> taking the parts we liked
[09:26] <Tomf> its kind of a reaction to the gritty brown/grey dystopias we see in so mnay games now
[09:27] <Tomf> we wanted to make something that looked different
[09:27] <Tomf> I rememebr one of the first posts i read after we released the first screen
[09:27] <Tomf> it just said "the red is so.....red"
[09:27] <Tomf> i was laughing so hard
[09:27] <Tomf> fantastic
[09:28] <Tomf> but it was also informed by the movement
[09:28] <Tomf> its easier to read a clean environment
[09:28] <Tomf> and see the potential for moves
[09:28] <Tomf> as for faith
[09:28] <Tomf> again we wanted to be different
[09:29] <Tomf> we're sick and tired of the way women are portrayed in games
[09:29] <Tomf> all tits and ass and a metal bikini
[09:29] <Tomf> we wanted Faith to be athletic and believeable
[09:30] <Tomf> with realistic proportions
[09:30] <Tomf> i think it makes her easier to identify with
[09:31] <Tomf> she should be cool because of what she can do
[09:31] <Tomf> not because of the way she looks
[09:32] <matthewome> tha_jay, please ask your question
[09:32] <+tha_jay> hi tom, first of all, thank you and all the people at dice for making such an awesome game :P I haven't played it yet, but I eagerly await the pc version
[09:33] <+tha_jay> my question: is there a pc demo planned before the pc release?
[09:33] <Tomf> thanks man
[09:33] <Tomf> we are investigating but focusing on getting the game ready for launch first and foremost
[09:35] <matthewome> We will cover some PhysX questions
[09:35] <matthewome> What sort of involvment have you had working with the Mirror’s Edge team to implement the PhysX technology? What was that experience like?
[09:36] <NVIDIA-Dane> Personally, I got the great opportunity to work directly with the people at DICE on ME
[09:37] <NVIDIA-Dane> They're an incredibly talented studio, I saddled up and flew over to their office and worked as more of an advisory roll answering any questions I could
[09:37] <NVIDIA-Dane> ....plus I drank some beer...wrote some code...
[09:37] <NVIDIA-Dane> *role! :)
[09:37] <+BackedOut_> (/msg matthewome Hi if you get this i just want to say im very sorry for posting the two questions, i had no idea about the private message part.)
[09:38] <matthewome> The recent press release talked about how PhysX will bring a totally new level of immersion to the game. Can you give some examples of this?
[09:39] <NVIDIA-Dane> Sure, I'm sure some of you have seen the trailer that we posted up recently
[09:39] <NVIDIA-Dane> One of the great things we tried to add was some urgency and really bring you even closer into the action you get in Mirror's edge
[09:40] <MEAaron> http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_mirrorsedge_videos.html
[09:40] <NVIDIA-Dane> For instance if you take a look at the video...you're already sometimes scared for your life running away from a helicopter, or rounds after rounds of bullets
[09:40] <NVIDIA-Dane> we really looked to imerse yourself even more into that...so for instance watching the helicopter shread some of the tarps
[09:41] <NVIDIA-Dane> scared the crap out of me the first time i did it
[09:41] <NVIDIA-Dane> and I knew what was coming
[09:43] <matthewome> Next Question: Nvidia: Has the game been optimised for NVIDIA graphics cards?
[09:44] <NVIDIA-Dane> In a sense, since GPU acceleration for PhysX is supported on NVIDIA GPU's yes. While anyone can experience everything, performance wise, NVIDIA runs 3-5x faster than running th esame physics workload on a CPU.
[09:45] <NVIDIA-Dane> Some times, with a 3-5x difference, making some of those leaps gets a little tricky...
[09:45] <NVIDIA-Dane> (running on the CPU :))
[09:46] <NVIDIA-Dane> And by tricky, I mean "slide show" tricky
[09:48] <matthewome> Worees, please go ahead and ask your question
[09:48] <+Worees> Looking at still images of Mirror's Edge you are given the feeling of an expansive urban playground, did you ever consider a less linear level design?
[09:48] <Tomf> if you mean open world, no
[09:49] <Tomf> the bigger you build the less time you have to work on the details and the less custom work you can
[09:49] <Tomf> ME is about using space
[09:49] <Tomf> exploring what is possible within a space
[09:50] <Tomf> I've often said that one of my favourite parts of the game is the stairwell on edge
[09:50] <Tomf> its so simple
[09:50] <Tomf> but there are so many ways to navigate it
[09:51] <Tomf> to me that's a lot more interesting than ten identikit rooftops or interiors
[09:53] <matthewome> Onsokumaruz, please go ahead and ask your question
[09:53] <+Onsokumaruz> Yeah. Firstly, I want to say, I really enjoyed this game. It was amazing.
[09:53] <+Onsokumaruz> And I was thinking that it would be so much better if it had some multiplayer. Will there be any chance of it?
[09:53] <Tomf> thanks, its always so nice to hear that
[09:54] <Tomf> this time around we decided to focus on the SP game and the time trials
[09:55] <Tomf> when you're making something new and challenging it pays not to try and do everything all at once
[09:55] <Tomf> or you end up not doing anything well at all
[09:56] <Tomf> but it is of course a very interesting area
[09:56] <Tomf> and something that would be a lot of fun to explore in the future
[09:58] <matthewome> RedRaptor, please go ahead and ask your question
[09:59] <+RedRaptor> Thank Matthew. First off, Tom (Like all the other said), you guys made a truly awesome game.
[09:59] <+RedRaptor> And my question: Will Mirror's Edge PC be able to run hgih end settings on a low end machine?
[10:00] <Tomf> thanks man
[10:00] <Tomf> ill hand that one over to dane
[10:01] <NVIDIA-Dane> Thanks Tom
[10:01] <NVIDIA-Dane> Well, depends on your high settings, but in regards to the physx side
[10:02] <NVIDIA-Dane> you'll experience the best settings with a GTX260 or higher for all the goodies
[10:02] <NVIDIA-Dane> we're recommending for a minimum a 9800GTX for a min spec
[10:03] <+RedRaptor> Hmmm, not sure how that stacks up with a Mac Book Pro (Im a bit computer stupid) but either way im sure to buy it. Thanks for the response
[10:04] <NVIDIA-Dane> There's plenty of things you can do, modulating your settings, lowering resolution etc.
[10:04] <+RedRaptor> Makes sense :D Thats half the fun anyway!
[10:04] <NVIDIA-Dane> A lower end 8 series card still will be playable, but you asked for High End settings ;)
[10:05] <NVIDIA-Dane> Now, if you have an older card, you can upgrade to a higher spec card....and use your older one for the PhysX effects
[10:05] <NVIDIA-Dane> (8 series or above!)
[10:06] <NVIDIA-Dane> As for Min Specs on the game, I defer to DICE for that!
[10:06] <Luigi> This question is for all of you
[10:06] <Luigi> What was your favourite part in creating the game, and also while playing the game?
[10:06] <Tomf> we're actually still testing before we define them
[10:06] <+RedRaptor> Thanks again for the response
[10:07] <Tomf> hmmm
[10:07] <Tomf> actually this is the best bit
[10:07] <Tomf> i think some people forget why we make games
[10:07] <Tomf> and who we make them for
[10:07] <Tomf> it's been a lot of fun making it
[10:08] <Tomf> but there's never anything better than hearing people talking about how they enjoy iy
[10:08] <Tomf> that's what it's all about
[10:08] <Tomf> as for whilst playing
[10:09] <MEAaron> I'd like to throw out that when we first got the Time Trials in the office, all work stopped for nearly two days.  I also lost $14 in bets on who would have the fastest times
[10:09] <Tomf> right now shard 2 time trial is a favourite
[10:09] <Tomf> lots of people on the team trying to beat each other there
[10:09] <NVIDIA-Dane> I walked in as the newb, these guys were dominating me :)
[10:10] <Tomf> lol
[10:10] <Tomf> i got a mail from a friend at EA singapore with a time on edge
[10:10] <Tomf> i thought i would go in and destroy him
[10:10] <Tomf> it took me two hours!
[10:10] <Tomf> he was good
[10:11] <Luigi> thanks for the replies :) I can't wait to get to play it. PC gamers ftw :P
[10:12] <NBtX> I have a quick question also: Do you guys play any other games around the office? if so which ones?
[10:12] <NVIDIA-Dane> +1 to that
[10:12] <Tomf> :-)
[10:12] <NVIDIA-Dane> I enjoy little pony adventures, it really helps me relax
[10:12] <Tomf> right now lunch is dominated by zombies....
[10:12] <MEAaron> Oh yah
[10:12] <Tomf> L4D wtf
[10:12] <NBtX> NVIDIA-Dane: hello kitty online ftw :)
[10:12] <MEAaron> we play Mirror's Edge
[10:12] <MEAaron> l4d
[10:12] <MEAaron> dead space
[10:13] <MEAaron> and dead space is brilliant
[10:13] <MEAaron> it is easy to sneak up behind coworkers
[10:13] <MEAaron> and grab them and shout
[10:13] <MEAaron> they usually jump two to three feet out of their chairs
[10:13] <NBtX> LOL
[10:13] <NVIDIA-Dane> I'm pretty deep into Fallout 3, COD: 5 as well right now, otherwise, Aaron has summed it up
[10:13] <MEAaron> we also just finished an office wide madden pool
[10:13] <MEAaron> sadly
[10:14] <Tomf> lol
[10:14] <MEAaron> the 49ers did just as well in the office as they do in real life
[10:14] <NBtX> Well, certainly sounds like you all have a lot of fun :)
[10:14] <Tomf> there's a lot of BF heroes going on at DICE as well
[10:14] <NBtX> can i get a key? ;D
[10:15] <matthewome> Dragonfly_James, please go ahead and ask your question
[10:15] <+Dragonfly_James> hi there first as everyone i'd like to thank you guys for such a awesome game
[10:15] <+Dragonfly_James> and now to my question:
[10:15] <+Dragonfly_James> How did you create movements for Faith, did you use any Parkour runners to see how they actually run? I'm being parkour runner myself and the pararoll seemed unusual for parkour
[10:15] <Tomf> :-)
[10:16] <Tomf> well one of the things is that you can't always be 100% realistic
[10:16] <Tomf> we were trying to capture the feeling rather than the absolute reality
[10:17] <Tomf> we had a lot of fun with Seb Foucan
[10:17] <Tomf> he's one of the founders of free running and a really nice guy
[10:17] <MEAaron> he was also the guy being chased by Bond at the intro to casino royale
[10:17] <Tomf> it's amazing to see it in action
[10:18] <Tomf> we also did things with basic thing too
[10:18] <Tomf> the hardest thing to animate and get right was actually just walking and running
[10:19] <Tomf> i had a camera strapped to my head at one point
[10:19] <Tomf> walking and running on a treadmill
[10:19] <Tomf> lol
[10:19] <MEAaron> lol
[10:19] <NVIDIA-Dane> that's a hilarious visual
[10:19] <MEAaron> the video of it is scary
[10:20] <Tomf> laugh it up you two
[10:20] <Tomf> :-)
[10:20] <matthewome> Faithy, please go ahead and ask your question
[10:20] <Tomf> add the lead animator shouting "faster faster" and the picture is complete
[10:21] <MEAaron> haha
[10:21] <+Faithy> hey guys ! i've already finished the game twice and it's awesome!
[10:21] <+Faithy> here's my question : Even tho every minute of it is pure awesomeness ...ME' story mode it's kinda short ...in a (hopefully) very possible sequel ...will the story mode be any longer?
[10:22] <Tomf> If we do another one it definately will be
[10:22] <MEAaron> Hey faithy, have you checked out the comic book?
[10:22] <MEAaron> there is also a big back story
[10:23] <MEAaron> getting flushed out in the wildstorm comics
[10:23] <+Faithy> no T_T ...would love to ^_^!
[10:23] <Tomf> in a regular game the player tends to move pretty slow
[10:23] <MEAaron> issue one is on stands now
[10:23] <Tomf> faith moves very fast so its a lot of content to build
[10:23] <+Faithy> yes ..i know the chapters are huge ..it's just that u are runnin and runnin
[10:24] <+Faithy> ..and personally one of the best thing about mirror's edge is the fact that faith it's always the same ..what improves with time it's they way you play the game ..my question is...in a gaming world full of shooters and ..shooters ...and shooters ...when did you realized the brilliant idea that the best way to improve first person games in general was to "put the gun away"? 
[10:24] <Tomf> thats why we created so many way to move through it
[10:24] <Tomf> you know that took us a while to let go of
[10:25] <Tomf> it was never very gun focused
[10:25] <Tomf> but we had a base weapon for a long time
[10:25] <Tomf> removing it altogehter was a really key moment for us
[10:26] <Tomf> it really changed the way you played the game
[10:27] <Tomf> you were unarmed
[10:27] <Tomf> and when people played it they appraoched things very differently
[10:28] <matthewome> Thanks everyone for your questions! Apologies if your question wasn't asked. We had over 200 in total!!!  To all our guests - is there is anything else you would like to add before we end the chat?
[10:29] <Tomf> Just a big thanks to everyone
[10:29] <Tomf> im sorry we couldn't answer all the questions
[10:29] <Tomf> i hope you all enjoy the game and Ill see you in Time Trial
[10:30] <NVIDIA-Dane> Thanks a ton everyone, really great getting answer some of these, and pleasure workin with you Tom, I'm coming after that score.
[10:30] <matthewome> I would like to personally thank our guests for making such an awesome game! Also, a huge thanks to everyone for participating
[10:30] <MEAaron> It's time for Tom to go back into the programming cage
[10:30] <NBtX> On behalf of all the people in this chat, we love you guys :)
[10:30] <matthewome> And now for the prizes )
[10:30] <matthewome> :)
[10:31] <matthewome> Each person who asked a question in the channel will receive a Mirror's Edge Gift pack
[10:31] <matthewome> Including a Mirror's Edge Music CD, Comic and T-shirt
[10:31] <matthewome> for the remaining prizes
[10:32] <matthewome> we will randomly select people how were present at the chat
[10:32] <matthewome> and post these on our website on-mirrors-edge.com
[10:32] <matthewome> Please ensure you remember your nickname you used during the chat!
[10:33] <matthewome> Could all the people that had their question answered in the channel, please stay online so I can organise delivering
[10:33] <matthewome> *delivery
[10:34] <matthewome> Again, thank-you for joing the chat and we hope to see you around soon
SESSION CLOSE