Cliffy B reveals the secrets of the universe

by Jared Rea { Mar 9th 2007 at 3:35AM }

He didn't tell us how to program a VCR or how socks go missing in the dryer, but in his session today, Cliff Bleszinski clued us into some interesting aspects concerning the development of Gears of War. Our friends over at Xbox 360 Fanboy told you about Cliffy's longing for Jazz Jackrabbit on Xbox Live Arcade, but did you know that Gears of War began as Unreal Warfare, which then turned into the Onslaught mode found in Unreal 2004?

If that didn't blow your mind, Cliff also revealed that the "roadie run" only increases your speed by a whopping twenty percent. It's all in the camera tricks, my friends. He also touched briefly upon the original name for the Locusts, which was Geist, until a Nintendo trademark squashed that into oblivion.

The Y Button -- used to focus in on objectives in the final game -- was without a purpose until one of his leads came to him one day and said, "Why don't we make it the look at cool sh*t button?"

Designing by iteration, indeed.

Tags: cliffyb, gearsofwar

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

KC @ Mar 9th 2007 4:03AM

Seems a lot faster than 20% to me.
Go try to follow your teammates running while you just walk along. They speed on through.

Tom @ Mar 9th 2007 4:35AM

That's cuz you're just walking! Run fool! Run! Ahhhh! Run away!

Elyscape @ Mar 9th 2007 6:10AM

More games need the look at cool shit button.

Anonymous @ Mar 9th 2007 7:36AM

Did anyone ever actually use the run during the single player game? Ever since Zelda:Ocarina of Time, I've always been accustomed to rolling everywhere I go.

Oh and CliffyB consumes more weed in a week than some third world countries.

bDavid @ Mar 9th 2007 7:42AM

im sure its for medicinal purposes only.. if thats true.. signed 'thirdworldDave' te he a country upon myself...puff puff hack hack ...

Evan @ Mar 9th 2007 8:16AM

Jazz Jackrabbit on Xbox Live Arcade? I could go for that.

Jon-Angelo @ Mar 9th 2007 9:44AM

I think the "Y" button should have been used for a "Go there or take cover there" command like in Tom Clancy games. Stupid Dom, always trying to be a hero.

But it probably would have turned the game into a Tom Clancy-type tactical shooter, still would have been nice to tell Dom to stay in one spot so I wouldn't be killed everytime I tried to save him in Insane mode.

copa @ Mar 9th 2007 9:50AM

"More games need the look at cool shit button."

Agreed. That Y Button is the most underrated innovation in Gears of War. Instead of being taken out of the game to fumble around with camera controls and fight the FPS engine, you just press the Y button and continue playing 'in the moment'. Simple and brilliant.

Jordan @ Mar 9th 2007 10:35AM

"Agreed. That Y Button is the most underrated innovation in Gears of War. Instead of being taken out of the game to fumble around with camera controls and fight the FPS engine, you just press the Y button and continue playing 'in the moment'. Simple and brilliant."

3RD PERSON SHOOTER

Gears is NOT an FPS

Matt @ Mar 9th 2007 10:37AM

Ahahahaha. That picture is SO fitting for him.

Hahaha.

Matt @ Mar 9th 2007 12:24PM

The picture raises my reputation of cliffy by about 200%

ill trooper @ Mar 9th 2007 2:38PM

I wish they had seperated the 'run' and 'cover' buttons myself, it's NONSENSE how you 'stick' on items and go into cover when you mean to be RUNNING AWAY from a berzerker or RAAM for instance. Plenty of buttons to use here, no need to stack two contradicting commands on the same button.