Dishonored Developer Defends Loading Screens: 'I Actually Have a Soft Spot for All That'

Raphaël Colantonio, co-creative director of Dishonored, has been streaming a playthrough of the game, inviting various members of the Arkane team to join him as he replays each level. The sessions have uncovered fascinating tidbits, including the fact that Arkane was once approached to develop Thief 4 and Blade Runner before ultimately working on Dishonored. Most recently, Colantonio played through the "Lady Boyle's Last Party" level with co-creative director Harvey Smith, lead gameplay programmer Stevan Hird, and level designer Anthony Huso. During the session, Smith addressed the frequent loading screens that appear between different areas of the level, defending their presence in the game.

"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 agreed, saying, "There's something about it, yeah. It's true." However, he admitted to being distracted by trying not to play "super sloppy," a challenge he often jokes about during the streams. Playing a game he hasn’t touched in over a decade while talking through it and using a controller has led to a chaotic and high-stakes playthrough, full of hot exits and unpredictable choices.

Behind the Scenes: Interesting Ideas That Never Made It Into the Game

The session also revealed some intriguing ideas that never made it into the final version of Dishonored. One such idea involved Daud, the game’s antagonist, cutting off Corvo’s hand—the one that gives him his signature Blink ability—and forcing him to retrieve it. Smith expressed his fondness for the concept, saying, "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."

This idea was later reimagined in Dishonored 2, where a character gains powers by using a mummified hand marked by the Outsider. Smith noted that the concept was essentially re-used, proving that no idea is ever truly wasted.

Now that they've completed the "Lady Boyle's Last Party" level, the team has only four more levels to go. Unless they decide to revisit the Knife of Dunwall and Brigmore Witches expansions, which are widely considered to be the best parts of the Dishonored series, the group might eventually reunite for a playthrough of Prey. As Smith jokes, "The fingers on this mummified hand are crossed."