As mentioned in a previous update, we recorded around 250 new lines for Tommy. A good chunk of those were re-recording old lines to either fit the story better, or because we were unhappy with the previous takes, as opposed to totally "new" dialogue.

And of those 250 lines, we recorded multiple takes of each. Depending upon the line, there were anywhere from two to six takes of each. Ed, our audio director, will go through and choose the best take of each and add them into the game.

However, the level designers were ready now to start adding in the dialog. To multitask, we set up temporary sound shaders for each of Tommy's lines, which the designers can then incorporate immediately.

The end result is that there are a lot of default beeps throughout the game now -- but in less than a week, all of Tommy's new lines should be in the game.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the game feels like with all this additional dialog.

We've also been incorporating all the latest music from Jeremy Soule. There's still about a quarter of the music yet to come, but they are cranking away on it, and we should be getting it very soon.

If all goes as planned, we should have all music implemented in the game by next week as well.

Talking to 3DR, we discussed reviving the Ask Prey email address, and answer questions again in an up-coming Weekly Update.

I still have all of the unanswered questions from last time, so I'll look through them again. However, if you have any other questions, or anything you'd like to see discussed in these updates (that hasn't been discussed before), feel free to email us: [email protected] (Make sure to remove the NPSPAM. before sending)

Please have your questions in by next Friday, April 6th. We will answer as many as possible in a future Weekly Update.

The changelog for this week is pretty sizable, as we didn't send a new build to 3DR last week. Here it is:

• New music system implemented for fading and crossfading
• Grenade throw button - bind a key to _impulse25, should default to G
• New directional damage indicator
• tips for zooming in on the HUD
• low-health (< 25%) HUD effect
• Fixed problem with harvester gibs being nonsolid in some cases.
• Reduced grace period for ragdolls to resolve being stuck in solid.
• Fixed problem with wrench showing up in roadhouse mirror.

• All levels end with a portal fade now
• Door system: * Unlocked doors are light blue * Locked doors are red and play a locked sound when you approach * Doors that never open are dark and play a locked sound when you approach
• GUI pass throughout the level, new guis added
• Tommy Voices in progress--putting in placeholders; sound not yet ready
• SpiritWalk symbols being added throughout the levels
• All leech nodes now have a screen tip
• Adjustments of items/characters/geometry to accommodate level fades
• All music we have so far implemented (volumes need tweaking)

• FTA crouch portals can be walked around now.
• three fodders are now in the lighting training hallway
• new exit from FTA to FTB

• Item cabinet moved away from the forcefield
• The door with the raving guy banging on it is now locked
• First pod puzzle no longer has a pod right near the gak
• Vomiter removed from first wallwalk area
• Multiple Hunters now after the player wallwalks after the hologram
• Moved the autosave in the mutilated human room, so you don't fall into it.
• Art Bell gui moved to a new place

• New Tri-flip combat room w/portal crates
• Optimizations in several rooms and corridors
• Hunters on vent in breakaway room
• New airlock with keypad GUI
• Portal Crate in Catwalk Hunter Combat room

• combat chains increased in several levels

• Added in additional security mounted guns.

• Dimmed the lights in the BonusCloset area to give more broken/emergency feel.
• Added in Thin-Thing (tm)

• Lighting adjustments in Big Asteroid room to allow for smoother enemy lighting

• Additional deathwalk map added

And that wraps up another Weekly Prey Update. Next week will be a bit of a detour from the usual updates. And, the week after that, will be the next Ask Prey questions. So, if you have any questions, make sure you email them to [email protected].

Chris Rhinehart - Prey Project Lead
Human Head Studios

Additionally, if you are a gaming news website, and wish to be updated directly with notification of these updates, please email us with a link to your website and a request to be added, and we'll email you with the next update.