The Making of Arx Fatalis
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It was a simple aim. but the most complicated of simple aims. (What we wanted to do was Ultima Underworld 3,) Christophe explains simply. It's quite the aim. While it was the game which invented the modern-first-person revolution, pre-empting Doom considerably, it was far from a simple game. It was all about complicated simulations in a role-playing environment. It was also the first game of the team who were then known as Blue-Sky Software, before swiftly transmuting into the venerable legends Looking Glass (R.I.P.). In fact, they /literally/ wanted to do Underworld 3. (We talked to Paul Neurath [Looking Glass Big Cheese Ed] to work with us on it,) Chrisophe notes. It couldn't be done, however, so they set off with their own setting. but with Ultima as a solid blueprint.
(Raphael felt all the mechanisms in the game were in there,) explains Christophe, (Thinking about it, having the same User-Interface, having the same crafting experience.). Despite the fact they had such a strong design to begin with, it was still an enormously ambitious game to attempt in a modern engine (which they made from scratch) with a team which never grew into the double figures. Still, Arkane believe in the power of chasing the impossible. (Anything is possible,) Christophe relates, (This was our main idea in the first place. We did what we wanted to. Now we're going to try the game without selling ourselves. It's risky. But when it works. this is the Arkane policy. Always find a challenge. When people say (You don't want to do that. it's crazy). That's why we want to do it. It's a challenge. If it works, great!)
