QE Radiant, 007's Quantum of Solace, and Architecture

After three (3) Spider-man based movie game projects and one comic-based Ultimate Spider-man, I was pretty much exposed with anything Spider-man. And I still don't think I can still crawl up walls. I want something different. I want to work on something new.

I was drafted by a colleague who happens to work as Lead Environment Artist for a James Bond project which I was being introduced to at the time. But this one's completely different compared to the previous projects we had in Treyarch. For starters, we weren't using Autodesk 3DS MAX for building anything in 3D, including any props and entities. The tool we'll be using for building environments is called QE Radiant.

Windows interface of Quake Editor Radiant

Just to get some folks acquainted, QE Radiant is a Quake 3 level design/editor software used to build maps (or levels) for video games developed by id Software. This tool was also used on the popular game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. QE Radiant is basically a free software (or freeware) distributed under General Public License, and it is based on the source code released by id software for QE4 (the editor they used to make Quake2). Currently, the stable release version 1.5.0 GtkRadiant is pretty much available in the internet for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. It's not a bad software for level building, although it does lack some features that I am accustomed with 3DS MAX. Moving on...

In 2006, Ian Fleming's 1953 novel of the same name Casino Royale reboots the franchise, establishing a new timeline and narrative framework not meant to precede or succeed any previous Bond film, although elements of the plot do run into the subsequent film, Quantum of Solace. Just before the release of the subsequent film, Treyarch was already on the ball building a First Person Shooter (FPS) using the James Bond franchise, powered by the Call of Duty 4 game engine and will be ported for Microsoft XBox 360 and Sony Playstation 3. By the time I was drafted, production was pretty much rolling so I had to catch up on learning the tools (which is QE Radiant).

I was initially assigned to build the interior of MI6 which was used for the start of the film. Although a partial version of an office pool leading to Dryden's office was already built, I took the opportunity to build the atrium based on the film Casino Royale itself. Although there was minimal references found at the time, I pretty much "filled-in-the-blanks" with cantilevered walkways, glass panels, chromed handrails, and decked each wing with empty offices.

Screenshot of Dryden walking towards his office inside MI6.

Colored version of MI6's interior initially as a training level but later used for the purpose of multiplayer.

Although the actual layout doesn't really match with the actual Danube House in Prague, Czech Republic, I pretty much followed the theme it presents in terms of layout and architectural materials and finishes. This is my 2nd favorite level since it revolves around a modernistic approach to architecture.

Actual interior of Danube House at Prague, Czech Republic

The spacious atrium of Danube House with walkways on one side and offices at the other.

After building MI6, I was assigned to work on two (2) other levels. The first one was the high-stakes Texas Hold 'em Tournament at the Casino Royale in Montenegro which is set-up by Le Chiffre so he can recoup the huge loss of his terrorist clients' money. But this level was pretty much already built by someone else, but I later claimed ownership to it since there was a lot of editing done. The video posted below shows the entire level which is basically the interior of Casino Royale and it's gameplay.

Editing this level's interior took more than three revamps since the game play design proposals keeps changing. Initially, Bond was supposed to walk through a few rooms with a couple of fire fights while under the influence of the poison. This design went on and on, but it didn't seem logical. Plus there was a lot of windows viewing exteriors that just bogs down memory (not to mention, serves only as eye candy). Finally, the last proposed game plan required to have rooms repositioned so as to cut off a lot of unnecessary external views and concentrate more on lavish interiors, then open up to the entrance of the casino into a busy street, and to the parking lot where Bond's car is parked. This lead to an interesting exterior view of Casino Royale which is actually ‘Lazne I’ or Spa I, the former ‘Kaiserbad’. It lies a few minutes outside the heart of Karlovy Vary on Mírové náměstí. Just like in the film, the building is situated a few hundred meters from The Grand Hotel Pupp, the hotel that doubled for Hotel Splendide. In the game, however, they're practically next to each other.

Screenshot of  Casino Royale and Hotel Splendide external views from a hotel balcony in the game.

Amidst editing this level, I was later asked to build the final level of the game called Eco Hotel which was featured in the film Quantum of Solace.

Based on the film, Eco Hotel or Perla de las Dunas was supposed to be a self-sustaining structure where Greene and Medrano will meet to finalize the coup. Later in the film, Bond infiltrates the hotel, kills the Chief of Police, and confronts Greene. The hotel is destroyed during the ensuing struggle; Camille kills Medrano, and Bond captures Greene.

During my own research, I later learned that the actual building is called ESO Hotel or better known as Residencia which is a part of Europe Southern Observatory or ESO, also known as Cerro Paranal. From what I've been reading and going through several image references, Residencia is designed as to what architects call 'minimalism'. In architecture, it is a trend from early 19th century and gradually became an important movement in response to the over decorated design of the previous period. Minimalist architecture became popular in the late 1980s in London and New York, where architects and fashion designers worked together in the boutiques to achieve simplicity, using white elements, cold lighting, large space with minimum objects and furniture. Minimalist architecture simplifies living space to reveal the essential quality of buildings and conveys simplicity in attitudes toward life. It is highly inspired from the Japanese traditional design and the concept of Zen philosophy.

Exterior view of ESO Hotel at Cerro Paranal (or Residencia) in Chile

View of ESO Hotel's dome which measures 35 meters (115 ft) in diameter.

Residencia of Cerro Paranal is an impressive building designed by  Auer+Weber of Germany and the constructor was Vial y Vives Ltda. of Chile. There are hardly any documentations in terms of floor plans with regards to this structure but I was lucky enough to stumble into Hotel On Mars (which pretty much describes the landscape surrounding ESO Hotel). I also browsed around Wikipedia just give myself a general idea. To name a few: the total surface is 10 000 m², with the L-shape being 176 m x 53 m.; it has 4 levels, 1 000 m² of Gardens, 108 rooms, and 18 offices; and it includes a restaurant, music room, library, swimming-pool, and sauna.

View of ESO Hotel from above (yellow tack marks location)

Topographical map of the area surrounding ESO Hotel

Sample of ESO Hotel's section through entrance as well as it's ground floor plan

I basically used three different areas for orientation as well as foundation to building this level. The first one was the area underneath the dome. Second was the ramp entrance. And the third reference point is the viewing balcony (pretty much the building's exterior).

Interior view of Residencia's garden and pool underneath the dome

Main entrance to ESO Hotel

Balcony or viewing deck of Eso Hotel

From the lobby underneath the dome, I pretty much branched out and looked at more image references of Residencia that leads to and from it. Here are a handful of references that I was able to get online.

Panoramic view of ESO Hotel's indoor lobby above the indoor pool and garden

Looking at the dome and lounging from an area near the balcony

Looking down at ramps leading up and down corridors of ESO Hotel

There are four levels of corridors that leads to the 108 rooms

Partial view of dome as well as lounging area from corridor.

A closer look at the lounging area, and the restaurant behind a glass curtain (or wall)

Another lounging area that looks like an oasis down the corridor ramps near the rooms

Another view of the same lounging, with a visible view of the skylight above

Far end of the corridors

View of a typical bedroom inside Residencia

Another bedroom view from foot of the bed. Notice the door on the left side of the image.

The main entrance ramp into ESO Hotel is only wide enough for pedestrians and small vehicles (like a golf cart). But in the game, I increased the width so that it would be accessible by cars and small utility vehicles. Since I couldn't find any references as to where this ramp leads to (other than the proposals from the movie production), I pretty much conjured the parking garage, the employees entrance, security offices, and the rest of the Eco Hotel based on the requirements of the game design. The only thing that was retained based on the actual Residencia were the room layouts, the ramps and corridors that leads from the lobby and balcony to the rooms, and it's exterior elevation. There are no stairs visible along the corridors that leads to the bedrooms. As an exception for game design purposed, a couple of stairs are placed in the game, as well as the rooms are made a bit more lavish than the ones based on references.

Screenshot of Perla de las Dunas or Eco Hotel

Bond caught up in a firefight in the underground parking garage of Eco Hotel

Bond goes around the employees entrance and corridors of Eco Hotel

Gunfight in the middle of Eco Hotel's kitchen set on fire

Bond gets into cover behind a wall in a firefight.

Bond takes cover behind a planter and gets ready for a gun battle inside Eco Hotel's central area.

You can find more images of Quantum of Solace: Eco Hotel from walkthroughs at Portforward and IGN. Here are videos of the Eco Hotel level in 2 parts found in YouTube.

The game was released in Europe at October 31, 2008, while North America release was November 4, 2008. Quantum of Solace received mostly mixed reviews, with the game average overall having an Metacritic average of 65.2% on consoles.

The PlayStation 3 version has received mixed reviews with an aggregate score of 65/100 from Metacritic and a 67% from GameRankings. GameZone handed the game a 7.0/10 saying that: "Quantum of Solace: The Game is actually well above average where licensed material is concerned. As a shooter on its own merits, however, it’s a fairly standard experience helped a bit because it features James Bond."

XBox 360 version of Quantum of Solace

The Xbox 360 version has received mixed reviews with an aggregate score of 65/100 on Metacritic and a 68% on GameRankings. Eurogamer handed the game a 5/10 saying that: "How can it possibly fail? As it turns out, by being dull, repetitive, unchallenging, ruinously linear, and one of the shortest full-priced games ever." GameZone rather gave the game a 8/10 commenting that: "Quantum of Solace is a solid Bond title that should be worth a look from fans of the secret agent. However, the game does have some pretty glaring issues that bring it down."

In the end, I was content that I got to do an FPS genre. It ain't COD:MW, but at least it runs on the same engine. I also enjoyed the opportunity of learning Radiant. And also learned more about Residencia of Cerro Paranal (which is now a decade old since it was opened back in February 2002). Or is it Perla de las Dunas?

"Welcome to Eco Hotel, Mr. Bond"