Alan Wake level editor coming to modding community

Some new info on the mysterious Alan Wake has surfaced on the internet, including the possibility of a level editor released with the game.

We were hoping for more Alan Wake information to be leaked out of GDC '09. For we got God of War III and Uncharted 2 gameplay footage, so why not Alan Wake? Remedy Games and Microsoft must have been much more strict.

Still, we know you're eager to hear more about the psychological action thriller, so when we came across a new preview on PCAction.de we scoured their words for new titbits of information.

Alan Wake has a talent for writing thriller novels that are inspired by his muse Alice, but when Alice goes missing he sets out on a mission to find her.

The game will be delivered in an episodic fashion, but more along the lines of a TV series feating cliffhangers, rather than Half life 2's episodic novelettes.



Light and dark is very important in Remedy's game. Although the day-night cycle is not automatic, it is based on the player's progression, which allows Remedy to emphasise certain themes in the narrative's progression. For instance, light is Alan's friend, whereas as darkness spreads fear.

Similarly the game's sound design will enhance the atmosphere, where David Lynch (Twin Peaks/Mulholland Drive) was a great inspiration for the eerie sound design for the game's weather.

Players will be able to roam huge areas in Alan Wake, so while the game's narrative might be linear, there's a certain amount of freedom afforded for players. Utilising vehicular transport will also be very important to get around such a large landscape.



Creating the extensive areas included in the game also resulted in Remedy Games developing a "Bio-type system" that allows them to generate mountain ranges and forests in only a few clicks. Sami Vanhatalo, the game's art lead, told PCAction.de:

"We have to code such tools to enhance efficiency and to be able to put emphasis onto game content. After all, we don't have 150 guys working here, like other studios do!"

With this explanation came the revelation that an Alan Wake level editor would be made available for the modding community. This will most likely be limited to PC users.



You can read the full preview by visiting PCAction.de, but get your translator ready.