How did the 'MobFace' idea come about?
Building off of the GameFace success in Tiger Woods we set out to allow you to create & customize you character and allow YOU to join the Corleone family taking on roles as a lowly outsider trying to work your way up to become Don yourself. Our goal was to increase the emotional impact of the overall experience by allowing the play to create an Italian American version of themselves so that they would then be part of the Godfather fiction and you would experience the game looking at yourself as a key player in the fiction.
Click for larger imageHow in-depth does the feature get? Is it true to the era?
The customization possibilities are seemingly endless. MobFace is presented in a slider driven fashion so you no longer "choose" your character, but rather sculpt him from head to toe. There are over 75 sliders; each controlling a different facial/body feature from hair style to scars on your face all the way down to the shoes on your feet. We stayed very true to the era with the clothing choices (over 50 different attire choices each with dozens of pattern and color choices) and stayed true to the fiction with the appearance allowing you to create a character of Italian decent...after all if you weren't blood you could never become Don.
Click for larger imageWhy is it so important to the game? Does what you wear have an effect on gameplay?
As you progress through the game you are managing two commodities, Respect & Money. As you partake in the various opportunities New York City offers (extortion, racketeering, bank heists, etc...), you will earn money. With that cash you can visit the tailor shop and edit your characters appearance. A mobster who doesn't spend money appears to be struggling so in buying apparel upgrades (not to mention other "lifestyle" items such as safehouses, explosives and weapon upgrades) you increase your characters Respect Level, which is the key to becoming the Don of NYC.
Click for larger imageTalk a little about the development. What were the big successes?
I remember the first time we saw our MobFace characters sitting amongst the Corelone family in one of a recreated In Game Cinematics and thinking wow, that guy really could have been there...that really is me in that scene. It really does accomplish the mission of increasing the emotional intensity of the experience. When the character does something great, it is me doing something great. When the character gets arrested or killed, I'm getting arrested or killed. When I watch the movie moments in the game, I'm in the movie!
Click for larger imageHow would you design your Mobster?
I almost always try to create myself each time, but you can create anyone from a scrawny, frail Fredo like character to a heavyset brawler like Luca. The coolest thing about Mobfaces is that everyone has freedom and choice to create their mobster. It is a level of customization not seen in these open world games.
Click for larger image
