Creating a Memorable Fishing Experience
As a Senior Game Designer for Expansive Worlds, my job is to turn memorable outdoor activities into immersive digital experiences. When it comes to fishing, there are a lot of differences between practicing it in real life and in a video game. Fishing has a lot more going on than waiting for a bite and then fighting fish. An experienced angler knows how to recognize a good fishing spot from its features, and understands what fish need in order to thrive. Building up that knowledge and being able to feel the thrill of a fishing trip, even before casting your lure into the water, is something that we wanted to include in our game. That is the reason why we went for a systemic open world.
Hello there!
My name is Dany Leanza, and I am a Senior Game Designer on Call of the Wild: The Angler. Today I have the honor to tell you more about how we developed the beating heart of our game: the fishing experience.
A sudden water splash, a series of ripples on the water surface, insects flying around, or even spotting the silvery silhouette of a fish swimming nearby will tell you that it is time to cast. But your success won’t be only influenced by clues and a thorough knowledge of the environment. The gear that you brought and your ability to exploit the habitat and behaviors of the fish you targeted will make the difference between an unsuccessful cast and your most memorable fish fight yet.
We designed fish with distinctive and unique traits that you will be able to feel and recognize. In addition to tactile practical experience, an in-game handbook will record everything you need to know about your best catches, along with exhaustive information about the fish species populating Golden Ridge Reserve.
Although we aimed to provide The Angler with depth and complexity, we also wanted to include entry points for newcomers to fishing. Thanks to the in-game handbook, a series of dedicated fishing challenges, numerous in-depth tutorials, and the freedom of an open world at your disposal, the game will teach you everything you need to know to land your dream catch.
It might even convince you to pick up fishing in real life if you haven't already!
Ultimately, we believe that being able to make awesome fishing memories is what makes Call of the Wild: The Angler truly unique. For this reason, we made sure to give you maximum freedom in planning and executing your fishing adventures: jump on a boat to find with your friends the deepest point of a crystal-clear lake; explore the world on foot while looking for a new fishing spot, or try breaking a new record catching the biggest fish of Golden Ridge with lightweight tackle — the choice is yours.
Whether you are a seasoned angler or new to fishing games, I hope you are looking forward to exploring the living world we created and learning all its secrets! I can promise you that there is a lot to uncover.
See you in Golden Ridge Reserve!
About the Author
Dany is a Game Designer with a varied experience in games and digital media. His favorite pastime is playing games, listening to music, and daydreaming. Whenever he's not busy with any of those, he has probably embarked on a crazy outdoor adventure.