1. Naughty Dog’s Ricky Cambier
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Ricky Cambier is one of the main game
designers at Naughty Dog that was involved in
The Last of Us. Cambier was heavily involved in
the story, level design and motion capture of the
game. He wanted to make The Last of Us a more
grounded, emotional experience for the player
than it has been in previous games he has
worked on by the way the story is structured, the
movements of the characters through motion
capture and also through the excellent level
design. Cambier’s contribution to The Last of Us
helped the game become one of the most
memorable story-based games of the current
gaming generation.!
Cambier helped create a dynamic narrative, based on player interaction, that
maintains a sense of either action, or tension, or relief, and exploration, without it
seeming like every time they do that, it’s always going to be the same, which can
be hard for linear story-based games. The motion capture from the actors was key
in trying to help the players connect with the characters emotionally, to experience
what the character’s were experiencing. The clever map design Cambier helped on
allowed for players to experience the same levels, but in different ways. Most areas
of the game have multiple ways to progress through them, from fighting the
enemies to stealthily avoiding them in the shadows. Cambier’s innovative thinking
towards linear, story-based gameplay made The Last of Us an incredibly fun
experience.!
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