Scriptwriter Kevin Schortt offers some details on the upcoming Ubisoft game James Cameron’s Avatar:

Storyline: Does the storyline follow that of the movie?

Kevin Schortt: The game story and the film story are two completely different adventures. The game timeline is two years before the movie, covering a story that happens on a different part of the moon, Pandora. Our goal was to expand on the universe that James Cameron has created. We didn’t want a repeat of the movie adventure in a game format. Instead, we wanted an opportunity for fans to learn more about this beautiful world and the growing conflict between the RDA and the Na’vi.

SL: What is the storyline of the Next-Gen game?

KS: In the NG story, you play a character named Able Ryder, a Signals Specialist brought from Earth to help the RDA track down a sacred site on Pandora. If the RDA can find it, they can take control of the planet away from the Na’vi. This will allow the RDA to continue their mining of the planet’s resources that are desperately needed back on Earth. The Na’vi learn of the plan and start their own race to find the sacred site. You’re soon faced with a choice: Do you want to help the Na’vi preserve their way of life? Or do you want to join the RDA and help to restore order to a mission quickly falling out of control?

SL: Who are the main characters?

KS: You play as Able Ryder. Kendra Midori is your main contact for the RDA. She believes in the RDA cause and reluctantly understands that war may be unavoidable between the Na’vi and the RDA. Cmdr. Falco is the Head of Security for the RDA. He sees the Na’vi as nothing more than a virus, a virus that has to be wiped clean if the RDA objectives are to be preserved. Dr. Harper is head of the RDA’s Avatar program. Through all his years on Pandora, Harper has formed a close bond with many of the Na’vi. He understands their way of life and he sees the destructive nature of the RDA mining operations. Tan Jala is a Na’vi warrior who wants peace with the RDA. He believes in dialogue with an open palm, not a fist. Beyda’amo is a Na’vi warrior who believes there is no room for peace with the RDA. They must be eliminated – simple as that. Tsahik Sänume is the matriarch of the Na’vi Tipani Clan. She believes Able Ryder can help the Na’vi to stop the RDA assault.

SL: Are  some of the characters from the movie also in the game?

KS: Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) is the very first person you meet in the game. Grace is part of the Avatar program. She assigns you to Dr. Harper. You meet her throughout the game. Trudy Chacon (Michele Rodriguez) is your chopper pilot throughout much of the game when fighting for the RDA. Cmdr. Quaritch (Steven Lang) is an RDA commander who sets you on some critical missions during the game.

SL: Anything else we should know?

KS: The game asks players to do the right thing. The question for the player becomes ‘what is the right thing?’ We don’t give the player that answer. Instead, the decision comes down to the type of person you are. How do you like to play the game, and what is your approach to this type of conflict? Philosophically and emotionally, you decide what is right.

*****

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game is the official video game based on the highly anticipated film “James Cameron’s Avatar.”  The game takes you deep into the heart of Pandora, an alien planet that is beyond imagination.  Gamers encounter the Na’vi, Pandora’s indigenous people, and discover other life forms the likes of which have never been seen in the world of video games before.  When conflict erupts between the RDA Corporation, a space-faring consortium in search of valuable resources, and the Na’vi, gamers find themselves thrust into a fight for the heart of a planet and the fate of a civilization. James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game will be released this holiday on PS3, X360, PC, Wii, DS/DSi, and PSP.