Behind the top-down tactical shooter: Creative director reveals Thunder Tier One’s development journey and gameplay innovations
From ARMA 3 Experiments to Full Game Development
Thunder Tier One represents a bold departure from conventional shooter formats, offering tactical combat from an elevated viewpoint. We engaged with the game’s creative lead to understand its unique development path.
The late 2021 release of Thunder Tier One brought an unexpected innovation to tactical gaming. Our conversation with Pawel Smolewski explores how this passion project transformed into a complete gaming experience.
Amidst the saturation of traditional first and third-person shooters, Thunder Tier One introduces a refreshing alternative perspective that revitalizes tactical gameplay. Our analysis revealed how this KRAFTON-published title successfully merges strategic depth with accessibility.
Our discussion with Pawel Smolewski, serving as both Creative Director and Executive Producer, covered the project’s inception timeline, potential connections to the expanding PUBG franchise, and the deliberate choice of isometric presentation for maintaining combat intensity.
Smolewski brings extensive credentials from his animation work on Bohemia Interactive’s military simulation masterpiece ARMA 3. Interestingly, the conceptual groundwork for Thunder Tier One was established during that same period of his career.
“The initial spark occurred during my ARMA 3 development phase when I began testing new concepts and prototyping within Unreal Engine,” Smolewski explained to Dexerto.
“These technical explorations naturally led me to experiment with top-down shooter mechanics, which presented both fascinating possibilities and significant design hurdles. The idea emerged to blend this camera perspective with tactical shooter elements – marking Thunder Tier One’s conceptual birth.”
The Top-Down Perspective Revolution
Traditional tactical shooters typically maintain first or third-person viewpoints to preserve immersion and gameplay familiarity. Thunder Tier One breaks this convention with its isometric approach, avoiding turn-based mechanics like XCOM while preserving first-person shooter lethality from an aerial vantage point. We questioned Smolewski about maintaining engagement when players observe action from above rather than participating at ground level.
“Our decision to diverge from standard first-person and third-person perspectives stemmed primarily from our desire to innovate within the genre,” he clarified.
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“Remember this originated as an independent passion project where innovation was paramount! The elevated perspective also enabled more efficient development with limited resources, allowing early focus on core gameplay systems rather than granular details.”
“The top-down viewpoint certainly presented design obstacles. Creating character immersion proves significantly easier in first or third-person formats. Achieving our vision required substantial iteration, but the final result meets our quality standards.”
Practical Perspective Advantages: The isometric view provides strategic benefits including enhanced situational awareness, improved team coordination visibility, and clearer environmental reading. Players can track multiple squad members simultaneously while maintaining tactical oversight that ground-level perspectives obscure.
Common Adaptation Challenges: New players often struggle with depth perception and targeting precision initially. We recommend adjusting camera zoom levels frequently and utilizing cover indicators to overcome these hurdles. The learning curve typically spans 2-3 hours before players achieve proficiency.
Nostalgic Inspirations and Modern Execution
What creative influences shaped Thunder Tier One’s development? Certain sequences evoke memories of early Rainbow Six titles, while elements recall the underappreciated Xbox classic Full Spectrum Warrior.
“Both those games significantly influenced our direction,” Smolewski confirmed to Dexerto.
“Thunder Tier One serves as an homage to tactical shooters from the late 1990s and early 2000s, including cherished titles like Jagged Alliance, the Ghost Recon franchise, and SWAT games that resonated with our development team.”
“Classic 1990s action cinema also inspired our creative direction, aiming to evoke nostalgic sentiments among players familiar with that era’s aesthetic.”
Modernizing Classic Concepts: While honoring retro influences, Thunder Tier One incorporates contemporary features like dynamic lighting, destructible environments, and modern ballistics. This fusion creates gameplay that feels both familiar and innovative simultaneously.
Advanced Tactical Tips: Veteran players recommend mastering the quick-command system for squad control and utilizing elevation advantages for overwatch positions. The game rewards methodical advancement over reckless aggression, with successful teams typically maintaining formation discipline.
Standalone Vision vs. PUBG Universe
KRAFTON maintains development of PUBG Battlegrounds, one of the industry’s dominant tactical shooters now expanding into a multimedia franchise with multiple spinoff titles. Did Thunder Tier One ever consider integration into the PUBG universe?
“No, this initiative predated my KRAFTON employment and has consistently remained an independent product separate from their established properties,” Smolewski detailed.
“Throughout my tenure at KRAFTON, we maintained the objective of preserving Thunder Tier One as a standalone experience without PUBG Universe connections.”
Thunder Tier One is available now on Steam.
Development Independence Benefits: Maintaining separation from the PUBG franchise allowed creative freedom to explore unique mechanics without established universe constraints. This autonomy enabled the distinctive top-down perspective that defines the game’s identity.
Future Content Strategy: The standalone nature suggests potential for original universe expansion through DLC and sequels rather than cross-franchise integration. Community feedback indicates strong interest in additional campaigns and cooperative modes.
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