An independent developer from Chennai has released the gameplay teaser for their game, Project Madras. As implied by the title, it has been described as a small, semi-linear open-world game set in Chennai, India. In addition to providing information about Project Madras, Royston, who is presently employed as the game’s artist and developer, took through the gameplay of the work-in-progress.
The Foundation Of Project Madras
The foundation of Project Madras is fundamentally storytelling. Inspired by video games such as Grand Theft Auto, Hitman, and Watchdogs, Royston claims that Chennai is the game’s protagonist, allowing players to explore its many facets and varied narratives. Instead of drawing inspiration from the Western games that Project Madras is based on, the developers chose to draw inspiration from Tamil film, with all of its richness and grandeur.
The game’s YouTube channel contains a gameplay video where Royston takes us through the showcase. Two distinct locales are introduced to us: Marina Beach and another city map.
Marina Beach? Here It Is!
The protagonist is shown strolling around the Marina beach in the opening segment of the gameplay showcase. According to Royston, the Sun in the image has been placed in timelapse mode to create contrast in lighting as it moves from day to night. Every object has been positioned using a physics simulation, making them all interactable.
All of the characters we see in the gameplay are Unreal Engine metahumans because the game is being developed on Unreal Engine. According to Royston, the game has around 300 characters at this point in its development. The protagonist was also seen operating an auto rickshaw, which is currently the only driveable vehicle in the game.
A Semi Urban City Showcased
A map of a city that is semi-urban serves as the second site that we were shown. According to what information is available, the map contains between fifty and sixty structures, each of which was created using a procedural method to give them a distinct yet comparable appearance. Furthermore, players can enter the structures to complete tasks and objectives; they are now semi-populated and semi-accessible.
A brief action scene with a city gunfight in the vein of a mobster was also shown to us. Although Royston acknowledges that the characters appear a touch stiff when they move, they reassure us that the animation on display is really a placeholder and that mocap will be used later in the development phase to accurately capture the movement.
However, based on the limited footage we have seen of the game in production, it is evident that the flavors of Chennai remain prominent, as seen by elements like an automobile with the word “vanakam” painted on its back and extravagant action scene graphics reminiscent of Rajnikant.
According to Royston, the goal of Project Madras is to “push the boundaries of what’s being made in India.” They are a small group of developers who are aiming to grow their team while working on various game development projects.
When Can You Expect Project Madras’ Release?
We don’t yet have a set release window or date for the game. However, according to Royston, the game would first arrive on PC at the time of release, followed by consoles. We’ll find out more about the release date when there are additional updates in the future.
Still, in my opinion, it is progress towards a new horizon. India serves as one of the largest gaming communities and linking India’s performance in the eSports Industry, India too has the potential to deliver some mind-blowing games in the future. So let’s keep an eye on the lane!
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