Dishonored dev defends loading screens: 'I actually have a soft spot for all that'

Raphaël Colantonio, co-creative director of Dishonored, has been streaming a playthrough where he's joined by different members of the team at Arkane who worked on whichever level he's currently replaying. It's been interesting, and has resulted in the unearthing of titbits like Arkane being tapped to make Thief 4 and Blade Runner before they ended up with Dishonored.

Most recently, Colantonio played the Lady Boyle's Last Party level with co-creative director Harvey Smith, lead gameplay programmer Stevan Hird, and level designer Anthony Huso. Noting how much loading there was between the streets outside the mansion, the mansion's outdoor area, and then the foyer, Smith came to the defense of the humble loading screen.

"People think it's an improvement that we got rid of loading screens," Smith said, "but honestly I think a break between one area and the next where you feel like, 'OK, that is behind me, I'm in a new pristine area,' and also being able to do the tips as part of the world-building, the art and the little in-fiction notes? I actually have a soft spot for all that."

Colantonio backed him up, saying, "There's something about it, yeah. It's true." Though he was also busy at the time trying not to play "super sloppy," something he apologizes for throughout this series of streams. Playing a game he hasn't played since before it released 14 years ago, while talking about it, and with a controller, has made for a playthrough with high chaos and a lot of hot exits.

But that's not what we're here for. We're here to hear Arkane drop goss like their passion for loading screens and the fact there was a plan at one point for Daud to cut off Corvo's hand—the one that gives him his neat Blink power—which he would then have to retrieve. Or vice versa.

"I love the idea that your creepy marked-by-the-Outsider hand, your undead hand, either you have to play through as it for a while to get it back to Corvo or you had to go find it," Smith says. He goes on to point out the idea ended up being re-used in a sense when a character in Dishonored 2 gains powers by using a mummified hand with the Outsider's mark on it. Nothing is wasted.

Now they've finished the party they only have four more levels to play. Unless they go through the excellent Knife of Dunwall and Brigmore Witches expansions, which I hope they do—they're my favorite part of the entire Dishonored series. And maybe after that the crew can get back together for a playthrough of Prey? The fingers on this mummified hand are crossed.