Parts three and four of the popular series of videos discussing all the behind-the-scenes work that went on to bring Resident Evil 7 Biohazard to life have now been released by developer Capcom.
Part three goes into details about adapting the videogame to be compatible with virtual reality (VR). In a somewhat ironic twist, though executive producer Jun Takeuchi was very much interested in VR technology and applying it to the title, he was not able to play much VR himself due to physical limitations. The video reveals that the Resident Evil team within Capcom have been researching VR technology since 2012, and lead VR engineer for Resident Evil 7, Kazuhiro Takahara had been waiting for a suitable opportunity to apply the technology.
The ‘Kitchen’ demo, which was showcased at E3 2015, was a turning point for the implementation of VR. The E3 demo showed the level of immersion possible by showing footage players wearing PlayStation VR headsets as they experienced the horrors within the experience, rather than showing footage of the videogame itself.
Part Four covers the lengths that the development team went to in order to make the experience of Resident Evil 7 as realistic and immersive as possible. The team acknowledge that while the visuals are important, atmosphere is a premier consideration in a horror game, which means getting elements like the sound design correct were vital. In the video, the sound team talk about how certain sounds can inherently make humans feel uneasy, adding to the atmosphere in a subtle way.
The aim was to make Resident Evil 7 ‘universally scary’, an experience that anyone could be scared by. Members of the team drew upon their own fears and phobias to realise the videogame. Some even visited spooky places in the real world to capture inspiration for the title. The setting played an important part in that, as the designers realised that part of the secret was to make the house a unique ‘character’ of its own, much like the Spencer Mansion from the original Resident Evil.
The Making of Resident Evil 7 Biohazard videos, part three and four are available to watch below.
VRFocus will bring you further news on Resident Evil 7 and other VR titles when they become available.