History Trivia / AlanWake

*** This is incorrect. The game was set to take advantage of quad-core and it can run smoothly with even dual-core [=CPUs=]. Most of the special physics features that were demoed are very noticeably absent from the game. The game caused buzz specifically because on quad-core it would use one whole CPU core for physics. The PC port was developed mostly by another company and has almost nothing to do with the original PC version.

*** This is incorrect. The game was set to take advantage of quad-core and it can run smoothly with even dual-core [=CPUs=]. Most of the special physics features that were demoed are very noticeably absent from the game. The PC port was developed mostly by another company and has almost nothing to do with the original PC version. The game caused buzz specifically because on quad-core it would use one CPU core for physics alone. The game uses CPU-driven havok like any other game.

*** This is incorrect. The game was set to take advantage of quad-core and it can run smoothly with even dual-core [=CPUs=]. Most of the special physics features that were demoed are very noticeably absent from the game. The PC port was developed mostly by another company and has almost nothing to do with the original PC version. The game caused buzz specifically because it was set to use one core for physics simulation alone. The game uses havok like any other game and was never said to use some "PPU" card.

*** This is incorrect. The game was set to take advantage of quad-core and it can run smoothly with even dual-core CPUs. Most of the special physics features that were demoed are very noticeably absent from the game. The PC port was developed mostly by another company and has almost nothing to do with the original PC version. The game caused buzz specifically because it was set to use one core for physics simulation alone. The game uses havok like any other game and was never said to use some "PPU" card.

*** Actually, the game very noticeably lacks most of the special physics features that were demoed and runs very smoothly with quad-core and even dual-core CPUs. The PC port was developed mostly by another company and has almost nothing to do with the original PC version.

*** Actually, the game very noticeably lacks most of the special physics features that were demoed and runs very smoothly with quad-core and even dual-core CPUs. The PC port was developed in partnership with another company and has mostly nothing to do with the original PC version.

** Alan Wake is [[TheNewAdventuresOfRobinHood Robin Hood]].

** NathanFillion was reportedly interested in taking up the role of Alan Wake.

** Thomas Zane is MaxPayne.
*** In the same vein, Barry is [[MaxPayne Vinnie Gognitti]] (in the second game) and Rusty is [[MaxPayne Jack Lupino]].

*** Of course, the PC port is now out. It is, according to the critics, at least, the very [[AvertedTrope opposite]] of a PortingDisaster. And just in time, too- the first Octa-core CPUs came out shortly before the release of the game.

*** Of course, the PC port is now out. It is, according to the critics, at least, the very [[AvertedTrope opposite]] of a PortingDisaster. And just in time, too- the first Octa-core CPU came out shortly before the release of the game.

*** Of course, the PC port is now out. It is, according to the critics, at least, the very [[AvertedTrope opposite]] of a PortingDisaster. And just in time, too- the first Octa-core CPU came out shortly after the release of the game.

*** Of course, the PC port is now out. It is, according to the critics, at least, the very [[AvertedTrope opposite]] of a PortingDisaster.

*** This also added to the creep factor since, with out the Taken beasts, it made it seem as if there were far worse things out there stealing dogs, killing bears and deer, and crushing walls and cars. So YourMilageMayVary.

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* ShoutOut: Has [[ShoutOut/AlanWake its own page]].

** Originally, a PC version was planned when the game was first announced. It was to require nothing short of a beefy octa-core CPU and a motherload of RAM because they were eschewing the then-popular PPU cards (Physics Processing Unit cards, then very new technology) in favor of CPU-based particle physics. The plans for a PC version was scrapped once Microsoft paid Remedy to make the game an XBox 360 exclusive, which is probably a good thing because even as of 2010 octa-core [=CPUs=] have yet to make it to the market, the closest alternative being a server dual-[=CPU=] motherboard fitted with two quad-core [=CPUs=], which costs well into tens of thousands of dollars, and even that they have a non-upgradable, low-end graphics card. Of course, had they held off the PC version until octa-cores started appearing (the first Intel ones are stated for the middle of next year), the graphics would've been bootloads better than what the 360 is capable of.

* [[{{ptitlews9vjxau4x1j}} Hey It's That Voice!]]: For Spanish players! Alan Wake is voiced by [[{{TheX-Files}} Fox Mulder]]. This might also count as BilingualBonus due to the paranormal nature of the entire game.

* ShoutOut: As expected from Sam Lake, ''Alan Wake'' is a veritable cornucopia of references to other works of popular fiction.
** From the outset Alan quotes StephenKing and often mentions his work, which justifies the animated objects you encounter.
** In one of the cabins Alan hides in early in the game, there's an odd, circular depression on the bed. It's a possible reference ''ANightmareOnElmStreet''.
** While hiding in a trailer, Alan makes a reference to ''TheShining'' when a Taken begins chopping through the door with an axe.
** Half of Barry's dialogue seems to exist simply to deliver (often hilarious) pop culture references, from {{Zork}} to [[AlfredHitchcock Hitchcock]] to referring to a headlamp as his flaming eye of Mordor. And all his shoutouts are justified as he's a literary editor; he ''should'' know these things by profession.
** One of the protected local heritage sites is a ancient tree called, "[[HPLovecraft The Great Old One]]".
** The manuscript pages at the start of the second chapter mention a femme fatale and painkillers. The voice narrating the pages was none other than ''MaxPayne'' voice actor, James [=McCaffrey=].
** Crossing over with product placement, but in Hartman's clinic, you can find an Xbox 360 next to a 360 game version of... no, not ''Alan Wake'', that'd be too easy. It's a copy of ''Night Springs''. Which no, of course, doesn't actually exist.
** [[ShowWithinAShow Night Springs]] is an obvious homage to TheTwilightZone. Also, in Alan Wake's nightmare at the very beginning he's driving and a signpost on the road says that "Night Springs" is up ahead. Fans of he ''Twilight Zone'' will remember the intro narrative "There's a signpost up ahead; your next stop is the Twilight Zone!"
** The entire concept of fiction being literally brought to life is a huge shout out to the plot of InTheMouthOfMadness. Including a battle against literal words!
** You can drive a car that, sans some cosmetics, could be the General Lee. They even offer a few ramps for you to jump off, though doing so does nothing other than give you the opportunity to yell "Yeehaw!" More obviously, though, the car is the right model and color to be the "Classic" from the ''EvilDead'' series (a 1973 yellow Oldsmobile Delta 88), which also appears in most of Sam Raimi's other movies as a cameo.
** Following the Evil Dead car reference is the windmill at the Anderson farm, which looks like the windmill Ash finds himself in in Army of Darkness. Against a backdrop of a dark stormy sky, like in said movie.
** The achievement "They're Heeeeeeeeeeere!", which you get for destroying {{Poltergeist}} Objects.
** The achievement "Damn Good Cup of Coffee", obtained by collecting 25 of the coffee thermoses hidden throughout the game, seems to be a reference to a repeated line in ''{{Twin Peaks}}''. Special Agent Cooper sure does love him some coffee.
*** Likewise, The Lady of the Light draws heavy inspiration from the Log Lady, even carrying a CompanionCube lantern wherever she goes, akin to the Log Lady's log.
*** Bright Falls' diner bears a striking resemblance to the R & R Diner in ''TwinPeaks''.
*** Sherriff Breaker's cutout in the The Signal DLC refers obliquely to the "secret society" that she had Barry contact in the game and is advertising a fake book entitled "The Only Girl In the Bookhouse". In ''TwinPeaks'', the Bookhouse Boys was a secret society devoted to protecting the town from a supernatural evil in the woods.
** One of the books in the Alex Casey series is titled the same as a level from Max Payne.
** Back in 1999, Stephen King had been writing a novel but suffered from almost 18 months of writers block. Stephen King is also known to frequently visit a small town in New England to get away from the city and the population. The game's plot has a [[{{Homage}} number of parallels]] with King's novel Bag Of Bones.
** One of the achievements is "What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks", a reference to RomeoAndJuliet. The description of it, once you get it, is "It is the east, and the FlareGun is the sun to 50 Taken", a continuation of the quote.
** There's a mode where you can play back cutscenes. Naturally, they have names to help differentiate between them. One of them is named, "[[MemeticMutation It's a]] [[StarWars Trap]]."
** In the new downloadable chapter "The Signal" Alan answers a call from Zane, who has been trying to make contact with him. Zane asks Alan over the phone "I am trying to reach you. Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?" This last question is the line best known in the older Verizon commercials. This could be considered an EnforcedPlug since, incidentally, there are constant reminders of Verizon throughout the game. There are road billboards, an in-game television commercial, and in "The Signal" the phone Alan acquires is Verizon brand, which happens to show itself very obviously on screen.
** The Bright Falls Book Store has a book about catching [[CommanderKeen Dopefish]].
** One of the diner's bathroom stalls is tagged with [[MaxPayne Mirra]].
** When Alan saves Barry and Sarah from a swarm of Taken in Episode 5, Sarah comments, "You sure know how to make an entrance. We were just about to make like [[BolivianArmyEnding Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid]]."

* ShoutOut: As expected from Sam Lake, ''Alan Wake'' is a veritable cornucopia of references to other works of popular fiction.

** [[ShowWithinAShow Night Springs]] is an obvious homage to TheTwilightZone.
*** The ''Twilight Zone'' homage goes even further; in Alan Wake's nightmare at the very beginning, he's driving and a signpost on the road says that "Night Springs" is up ahead. Fans of he ''Twilight Zone'' will remember the intro narrative "There's a signpost up ahead; your next stop is the Twilight Zone!"

** Back in 1999, Stephen King had been writing a novel but suffered from almost 18 months of writers block. Stephen King is also known to frequently visit a small town in New England to get away from the city and the population.
*** The game's plot has a [[{{Homage}} number of parallels]] with King's novel Bag Of Bones.

** Originally, a PC version was planned when the game was first announced. It was to require nothing short of a beefy octa-core CPU and a motherload of RAM because they were eschewing the then-popular PPU cards (Physics Processing Unit cards, then very new technology) in favor of CPU-based particle physics. The plans for a PC version was scrapped once Microsoft paid Remedy to make the game an XBox 360 exclusive, which is probably a good thing because even as of 2010 octa-core [=CPUs=] have yet to make it to the market, the closest alternative being a server dual-[=CPU=] motherboard fitted with two quad-core [=CPUs=], which costs well into tens of thousands of dollars, and even that they have a non-upgradable, low-end graphics card. Of course, had they held off the PC version until octa-cores started appearing (the first Intel ones are stated for the middle of next year), the graphics would've been bootloads better than what the 360 is capable of.