Den of Wolves: The Heist Game That Changes Everything

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The game titled “Den of Wolves” is a first-person heist shooter developed by 10 Chambers, a team comprising veterans from studios like Payday and GTFO. These veterans have contributed significantly to defining the unique genre of heist shooters. Unlike other multiplayer shooters, heist shooters such as “Den of Wolves” require players to consistently communicate and collaborate on plans, rather than just shooting enemies. The game has been enriched by lessons learned from Payday and GTFO, effectively addressing many challenges often faced by newcomers to the genre.

10 Chambers’ co-founder Simon Viklund, who is also the audio director and composer of the game ‘Den of Wolves’, shared insights on its innovative approach to the genre during an interview with Game Rant. He explained how ‘Den of Wolves’ simplifies cooperation and reduces frustration in team play, and highlighted the game’s distinctive narrative-driven heists and signature “dive” situations that bring depth and rhythm to the gaming experience. (For conciseness and clarity, this interview has been abridged.)

As a big fan of both Payday and GTFO, I can share some elements that I’d love to see incorporated into our new project, while also recognizing aspects that might be better left behind. The intense cooperative gameplay and immersive atmosphere from Payday could definitely contribute to an engaging experience. From GTFO, the horror survival genre and the procedurally generated levels could add a unique twist. However, we’ll have to carefully consider whether some elements from either game would not fit well with our new concept.

A: There’s simply an abundance. It’s quite intricate. Moreover, there are numerous aspects I could discuss. We take great pride in our work on Payday. Payday 2 was incredibly successful, selling 2.5 million copies, which is impressive given its hardcore nature. This achievement left us speechless. However, we feel confident in our abilities within this genre of games. It’s a niche that we excel in.

For each fresh game, consider examining its core idea and questioning: Where can we take it to the next level? What aspects need refinement? How might we enhance the recipe? In the case of Payday, experimentation with decision-making within a first-person shooter environment didn’t prove successful.

In this scenario, you and two others start at a bank, discussing the best entry point for a heist. One suggests entering through the front door, another prefers the back, while a third intends to access the building from the roof. As the situation unfolds, a new player joins mid-mission, asking about the plan. Now you’re tasked with explaining the various strategies, but you don’t want to spend your Friday night debating different approaches since there are numerous ways in—it’s like navigating through Swiss cheese, full of options yet time-consuming to coordinate.

In Den of Wolves, we shift the decision-making process to the preparation stage prior to the commencement of the mission. This mirrors real-life scenarios where planning takes place. You’ll be choosing an entry point, selecting necessary tools and resources, and setting up an exit strategy. Essentially, you’re checking off requirements, reviewing a blueprint of the location, and finalizing your strategy before initiating the mission.

In the bank scenario, if the team opts to access via the secondary entrance, you’d select that route, initiate the process, and subsequently, the map you introduce will only grant entry through this alternate way. This streamlines operations. Essentially, you maintain diversity in your approach, but without having to make critical decisions under pressure, similar to a first-person shooter game.

It sounds like you’ve tried to reduce a lot of the friction in these games.

When a new player enters the game in progress, they don’t need to ask for explanations as the game itself provides them with directions (waypoints), goals (objectives), and instructions in their preferred language. This feature facilitates smooth collaboration even with strangers, allowing them to easily adapt to the strategy without causing disruptions.

In Payday, one peculiar aspect was losing control once detected. However, in the newer version I’ve tried (Payday 3 beta), they’ve added a system where if you’re found in restricted areas, you can be escorted out without immediately initiating combat. That’s an improvement, but if you brandish a weapon, the alarm sounds, and you can no longer use stealth for the remainder of the mission.

In the game “Den of Wolves,” there’s a feature called the “dive” mechanic that provides us with greater freedom. With this, you can momentarily abandon stealth, engage in combat, and then revert back to stealth when you return to the actual world. The sounds produced during the dive won’t be heard in reality, so there’s no risk of being discovered permanently. This feature is used to create suspense and drama within the gameplay experience.

In addition to this, the game is set in a city of the future, boasting towering mega-structures that house various facilities such as hospitals, grocery stores, schools, and living quarters. The missions aren’t limited to one floor or area; you could find yourself moving between different sections, from slums to penthouse suites, or bursting through a gang hideout into a hospital. The design ensures that security forces in one part of the building don’t always communicate with those in other areas. This means that gunfire in one location doesn’t immediately trigger an alert across the entire map, resulting in more exciting and flexible gameplay.

In our game, Den of Wolves, we’re striving to empower players, making them feel more like architects of their own success rather than mere followers. Unlike Payday where you might feel like Bane is giving the orders, in Den of Wolves, the person on the radio is there to support and amplify your strategies, not dictate them. Essentially, we aim to create an experience where players feel they are in control and masterminding their own heist.

In GTFO, we’ve picked up quite a bit about narrative construction. One issue with GTFO was that the story progression happened simultaneously with gameplay. When one player was examining logs or emails on a terminal, the entire team had to wait by a door that needed all four players to proceed. This led to unnecessary tension and delays in gameplay.

In Den of Wolves, we’re changing up the narrative approach by allowing players to delve into the game’s history at their convenience rather than during missions. This means no lengthy expositional dialogues interrupting the action. Additionally, we’re eliminating extended, unskippable cutscenes or pauses, such as a 90-second elevator ride filled with obligatory conversation. Instead, story aspects are seamlessly incorporated into the game itself. Players interested in the lore can immerse themselves, while those who prefer gameplay can proceed without being held back.

In Payday 2, teaming up with strangers could turn a heist into a horror story, as it was all too simple for them to derail our operations. However, in Den of Wolves, I appreciate that random players can join my game and serve as hired guns instead. They won’t meddle with objectives or make critical decisions; they’re merely there to provide backup. This ensures that the thrill of strategizing and executing my plan remains unspoiled.

Objective: Designing an environment that encourages seamless collaboration among players, irrespective of their skill level or linguistic background. The entire game design aims to cultivate a welcoming, enjoyable atmosphere where individuals can effortlessly join, enjoy themselves, and cooperate harmoniously.

Q: You mentioned that this is the team’s dream game. What makes up that dream game to you?

While Ulf might be able to answer more specifically, the game we’re developing is reminiscent of Blade Runner. Although GTFO takes place in the future, it doesn’t necessitate advanced technology. Instead, we’re designing a world that embodies the cyberpunk and high-tech style.

While he seems to have a fondness for The Fifth Element, and I can relate, its style is quite unconventional, leaning heavily towards comedy and the bizarre. However, it doesn’t align with the tone we aim for in our project. Yet, it does share some similarities in terms of grand mega-structures, multi-layered urban landscapes, and intricate aerial traffic patterns navigating through skyscrapers.

In our perspective, Den of Wolves is all about polishing the recipe – applying what we’ve discovered, smoothing out any imperfections, and enhancing the overall gaming experience. Essentially, we’re developing games that we ourselves would love to play. It’s a project close to our hearts, a game that materializes due to our genuine enthusiasm for crafting and immersing ourselves in this particular world.

Decisions Matter in Den of Wolves

A: Could you discuss the factor of choosing jobs based on decision-making, since I didn’t see that in the preview. How do players determine which job offers to accept?

As a dedicated fan, I often find myself diving into the thrilling world of Payday, choosing missions that seem straightforward at first glance – “Let’s hit the bank!” However, there are those who venture beyond the ordinary, taking on the challenging multi-day heists. Instead of just executing a single mission like cooking meth in Rats or dealing with the getaway van being intercepted, these players are meticulously piecing together a series of missions. One follows another, like mission one, two, three, each one leading to the next until the operation is complete. These sequences may have been loosely connected, but they still follow a logical step-by-step structure that adds an extra layer of excitement and complexity to the gameplay experience.

In the realm of Den of Wolves, our aim is to unfold a more profound narrative, allowing players the freedom to truly influence events. We refer to this as a “storyline,” which highlights the importance of storytelling within it. It’s all about making decisions that carry weight.

For instance, suppose your task involves acquiring classified information. You might consider approaching a researcher from a clandestine project in a lab. However, instead of forcibly invading the facility, perhaps you opt to bypass that route and extract the data directly from their mind. You’ll find multiple options: Researchers #1, #2, or #3, each located in distinct areas of the city. The instant you pursue one, the other two disappear, eliminating those leads.

The decisions you make throughout the narrative can have long-term impacts. For instance, if you decide to target a specific business at an early stage, subsequent tasks related to their assets may become more challenging due to heightened security measures. This chain reaction compels you to strategize and plan ahead.

As a gamer, when I find myself stumped on a challenging mission, instead of blindly trying again and again, I might opt for a detour to grab a temporary ally like a drone or spider bot. This game-changer can significantly boost my chances when I reattack the mission, making the whole experience feel more dynamic and strategic as I’ve added an extra layer of strategy to my playstyle.

As I finally make it to the grand heist – the payoff for all those long hours of data-gathering, system-hacking, and resource-accumulating – the significance becomes undeniable. After pouring in my energy and dedication, the finale holds a real sense of importance.

In addition, we aim to move players beyond a repetitive cycle in Payday 2, where they often stick to one mission for farming rewards due to its speed. This style of play lacks the essence of enjoyment; it’s primarily about observing the XP bar fill up. With Den of Wolves, our goal is to create a game that inspires diversity—diverse strategies, maps, and equipment—to maintain an exciting and refreshing experience.

Instead of continually repeating the same heist, our aim is to develop a game where you’re encouraged to think creatively and adjust your strategies, rather than settling for something simple and repetitive.

Q: What was something about the game that you felt was particularly important to get right?

As a gamer, I found myself grappling with the familiar tugs of the music and the nagging doubt that I might not measure up – the impostor syndrome. The question that echoed in my mind was, “Can I create something as captivating as the music from Payday 2?” To push beyond repetition and deliver something fresh, I needed to challenge myself anew.

As a gamer, I can’t help but admit this game feeds into my desire for power. In the past, when crafting the soundtrack, I always aimed to evoke that badass feeling in the players. I pondered, “Should it be the thunderous roar of guitars? The raw energy of rock elements? Or perhaps the futuristic pulse of electronica?” I dabbled in various styles, seeking the perfect blend that would make us all feel unstoppable.

The kind of music I’ve ended up exploring is primarily electronic, but it has a rhythm that leans towards trap and hip-hop beats, and also incorporates elements from drum and bass genre as well.

A: Could you share some insights on the music composition? How did you handle the rhythm and volume changes to suit the game progression?

In A: Writing songs for Den of Wolves is a challenge tenfold compared to Payday. The music in Den of Wolves feels more interactive than in Payday, and it’s not just about timing. With Payday, you don’t have much control over the music; it transitions between calmer periods and intense waves based on the game’s difficulty level. If you choose a harder setting, the calm intervals become shorter, while the intense phases last longer, but as a player, I can’t directly impact this rhythm.

In the game “Den of Wolves“, the music adapts to your actions. When you have the upper hand against opponents, the rhythm becomes more assertive, allowing for an appreciative head nod. Conversely, if you’re caught off guard in a surprise attack or outnumbered, the music can become dissonant and unsettling. The aim is to mirror the feelings experienced by players during gameplay and amplify these emotions.

The music varies between chaotic, stressful tunes that have a hint of hip-hop influence, boasting an assertive vibe, and more deliberate, heavy tracks. There’s also music with tension built in, which I am collaborating with the developers to integrate into a dynamic system. This system will react to factors such as player health, enemy counts, and gameplay situations. The aim is to ensure these transitions are seamless, making them feel naturally integrated without the player noticing.

It appears that due to players being primarily concerned with staying alive, they may overlook more than expected. However, my goal is to create something exceptional, making it as tight as possible.

As an audio director, I’m fortunate to work with a fantastic team who require minimal involvement from me beyond offering guidance and occasional steering. However, when it comes to the music, it’s crucial that I really excel at making sure it’s just right.

Q: Was there a moment during development when you tried an idea and it didn’t go as planned?

We adore using Unity because its experimental development process allows us to swiftly create and evaluate various concepts, such as enemy types, combat systems, weapon designs, or level design techniques. This flexibility enables us to experiment, test, and determine what works best for our projects.

If an idea seems promising, we work on perfecting it through iterations. However, when things go awry unexpectedly, it might not be immediately clear if the concept was flawed from the start or if it can still be fixed by making appropriate modifications.

Stealth and Combat in Den of Wolves

Q: What was your approach to the ebb and flow of stealth and intense combat?

It’s not ideal to establish rigid rules for a game that could potentially restrict your creativity, such as “Each heist requires a stealth option,” or “There should be ten alternative ways to enter the vault.” This setup may lead you to generate seven solid ideas initially, but then push you to fabricate three more that might not be as robust. A more flexible approach would allow for varying values – some heists could have numerous options while others might have fewer, based on the specific situation.

The focus lies on being tactical and seizing opportunities that matter. If we develop strategies such as monitoring guard shifts to strike during transition periods, it should offer a sense of significance. We aim to avoid superficial moves, like rushing towards the vault, pressing a button to plant explosives, and then, instantaneously gaining access. Instead, if drilling is an available method, it shouldn’t merely be another repetitive button-holding mechanic; it should significantly influence gameplay. Perhaps explosives will draw more guards, while drilling is quieter but requires more time, providing players with a genuine decision between swiftness and stealth.

The aim is to ensure that each choice carries significance. Choosing an option that saves time often means accepting greater risk. On the other hand, a decision that requires more time calls for perseverance and strategic planning. It’s all about finding the right balance between choices to keep gameplay exciting.

Pacing in game design also needs flexibility. We aim to avoid strict guidelines such as requiring a stealth option for every heist or prep mission, as there are instances where it might not fit the scenario. For some missions, a straightforward smash-and-grab approach is perfectly acceptable.

Let’s maintain adaptability and seize opportunities when they align well with our plans. If an idea for incorporating stealth fits seamlessly and creatively, we’ll definitely consider it. However, we don’t want to make it a strict rule as that could limit our potential, causing us to invest too much time ensuring each map adheres to an unnecessarily high standard. Instead, we prefer to have a diverse range of missions, some simpler and straightforward, rather than fewer missions with complex designs that might not deliver the best results.

Not every level needs to have a dozen ways to complete it.

As a fan, I appreciate the balance of diversity and consistency you’ve crafted. The narrative structure is captivating, with a climactic heist as the grand finale. However, the beauty lies in the flexibility – you don’t have to engage in every pre-heist mission. If a prep mission presents an approach to the vault or escape strategy that doesn’t align with my preference, I can bypass it, making the experience tailored to my gaming style.

This allows players the freedom to skip certain missions if they prefer, as they have the option to select what suits their gaming style best. Furthermore, they can revisit the narrative at any time to experiment with alternative strategies, significantly increasing the game’s replay value.

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2025-04-03 16:35