Introduction and ADOC goodies!

[frictional_jens]

Welcome to the Frictional Games all things Penumbra: Black Plague showcast!
For this event we have created a short demonstration video on a key area of improvement found in Penumbra: Black Plague that we did not have in Penumbra: Overture. We have also uploaded a music track from the game for your previewing pleasure, Penumbra: Black Plague contains over one hour of original music by Mikko Tarmia.

See the ADOC content at the bottom of this post!


About Frictional Games
We are a newly formed small company located in the south of Sweden, in the city of Helsingborg to be more precise. Using our in-house developed technology we create survival horror games with lots of adventure, creepiness and insanity.

Last year we debuted with Penumbra: Overture and this year we are creating the final chapter of the story with Penumbra: Black Plague.


About Penumbra: Black Plague
Penumbra: Black Plague is a creepy and dark psychological horror experience featuring the adventures of Philip as he sets of in search of his dead father.

A letter from a dead man.

A secret buried beneath frozen wasteland.

Philip's life will never be the same again...

Trapped in a shadowy, underground complex, intrepid explorer Philip is determined to discover the truth behind his father's disappearance.

Surrounded by enemies and assaulted by terror from all sides, Philip must collect clues and solve vexing puzzles while combating the gnawing psychological terrors that assail his mind and threaten to strip him of his sanity. Can Philip master his fear and finally uncover the truth behind a mystery that has haunted him for a lifetime? Only you can decide...

Cutting-edge game engine featuring modern 3D and physics technologies
Adapted motion blur effects and a new unified lighting system with real-time lightning create great depth with a realistic atmosphere of psychological horror

Compelling and detailed story
A dedicated writer has been on from the start of the project to insure that the journey through the game will be as exciting and well paced as possible.

Highly interactive environments
You can interact with any object not nailed to the ground! Pick up and move around objects through a simple drag and drop interface.

Puzzle solving challenges
Along your journey through the game you face a variety of challenges designed to test your logical thinking, ingenuity and reflexes by using the game's advanced physics system.


Recent coverage
Visit Adrenaline Vault to read a recent interview and the First part of a two part developers diary. This week is all Penumbra: Black Plague over at A-Vault!


Screenshots



See more screens over at Gamespot.com!



ADOC content
Penumbra: BP ADOC Video

Penumbra: BP Music Example



Thanks for visiting!

[Noone]

Hello jens. Can you tell why have you decided to make only 2 episodes instead of 3 planned? Will everything you've planned for the 2 and the 3 part of the game appear in the resulting second episode or you had to cut some things off?

[frictional_Thomas]

Main reason for 2 episodes is that our publisher for Penumbra Overture (Lexicon Entertainment) did not pay what they owed us and we got into some financial troubles. This in turn lead to some internal problems aswell, for example our lead artist had to quit. When Paradox Interactive stepped in to help us finish the game we thought it would be best to take what we had and make a great final episode instead of trying to do 2 more.

Some stuff that where planned for the 2 episodes had to be cut, but I think it is all for the best. When we decided to make a final episode, we went over the design and changed it into Penumbra Black Plauge, and I think is a good improvement. We cut away bits that would not have been very exciting or repetive and the experience in Black Plauge will be alot more fluent and exciting then 2 episodes would have been.

Storywise nothing has been left out really. All questions raised in Overture will be answered in Black Plague.

[Becky]

Will the challenges/puzzles in Black Plague be similar to those in Penumbra: Overture? Will you need similarly quick reflexes?

[frictional_jens]

Puzzles are similar, but overall you do more things using physics and less using static items in the inventory.

Challenges are less of the action sort, you might have a place or two where you can make good use of your reflexes. But, Black Plague is a slower paced game than Overture, we have tried to give the player more time to explore and enjoy the atmosphere and less time spent running around getting chased.

[cheesec ake]

The new screenshots look amasing.
about the puzzles please tell me there wont be another steam room like puzzle that was the most frustraiting puzzle in PO

[Windexglow]

Any chance of extra promo picture? ;-)

[axelkothe]

Hi, although there were not many questions, this confernce at least made me buy Penumbra Ep. 1