Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars - First Look Preview

A decade ago an iconic RTS franchise began with the very first Command & Conquer title from Westwood Studios. Spawning a sequel and a number of spin-off series, EA is to bring the franchise back in 2007 with the release of C&C3: Tiberium Wars, eight years after the second installment in the Tiberium saga and only four short years since the woeful release of Generals.

Set in 2047, the infestation of the alien Tiberium crystals continues on Earth and has led to the planet being split into three colour-coded zones: Red, Yellow, and Blue. Completely inhospitable to humans because of the Tiberium, the red zones occupy around 20% of the planet's surface, turning it hostile and alien-like in appearance. Making up 50% of the Earth's surface is the yellow zone, which has a certain degree of Tiberium infestation and houses most of the human population along with the Brotherhood of Nod. Finally the blue zone makes up 30% of the land mass and is primarily occupied by the remaining GDI forces; described by EA as 'the last bastion of Western civilisation', GDI commanders are tasked with regrouping their troops after suffering major losses to a Nod attack and support amongst the population of the world.

Despite being an early demonstration, the level of detail in-game is evident even at this early stage, with highly detailed textures, intricacies such as moving winglets on Orca gunships, and self-shadowing lighting, not to mention a spookily high level of polish considering the game won't be out for many months. It may be a PC game, but C&C3 can certainly be put into the next-gen category if the visuals on show truly represented the standard that EA are striving for. Based around the new version of the SAGE engine, first introduced with the release of Generals and subsequent Battle of Middle-Earth titles, C&C3 employs the full gamut of next-generation visual techniques in a stylish depiction of a stricken future Earth.

One noticeable omission from the presentation was the hotly debated HUD, which allowed EA producer Amer Ajami to focus on the visuals that the work in progress title boasts. That said, the designers at EALA have already confirmed a return to the quintessentially C&C side-bar interface, which will also come with new features and enhancements including context-based spaces for the various units in the game, and allow access to the production queues at any time during the game. Rapid unit building is also being implemented within the sidebar, allowing for counter-measures against the enemy to be taken quickly with minimal time loss. EA have also confirmed that further work is being carried out to improve pathfinding and unit responsiveness. Along with the side-bar's reappearance, C&C fans will also appreciate the return of Full Motion Video cutscenes, though it's currently unclear whether the likes of Joseph D. "Kane" Kucan will be making a return.

Despite the questions that surround Kucan's reprisal, it comes as little surprise that the Brotherhood of Nod's mastermind will make a return. The details of exactly what happened to the character after his connection to the rogue AI CABAL at the end of Tiberium Sun are being kept a firmly guarded secret for the time being, however, EA has released a few details to go by. At the beginning of this, the third Tiberium Wars, much of the population of the world backs the Brotherhood of Nod, thanks mostly to a strong propaganda campaign and aid support, leaving the GDI's position exceptionally precarious. To ensure that the events of Tiberium Wars remained true to the series to date, Ajami brought out the Holy Grail of C&C, the 'Tiberium Pre-Production Bible' filled with information from histories to units, a biography of Kane, and even a White Paper from real chemists on the composition and properties of Tiberium itself (including how to mine and weaponise the material). Having spent months on creating the ultimate resource of the Tiberium series of titles, the development team are well stocked in C&C lore which at least shows their intention to produce a solid and worthy instalment in the series.

Opening with a look at the backstory of events leading up to the third title, Ajami began a live demo of Tiberium Wars, taking the form of a GDI training mission in one of the 'Yellow' zones. Introducing players to key elements in the staple C&C gameplay such as the return of resource harvesting and basic combat situations, EA then continued to play through the training level and a first encounter with Nod forces. Taking a number of 'Orca' units up to the abandoned city close to the base, players find themselves under attack by Nod with further reinforcements finally coming to the rescue and bombing the enemy into submission.

An interesting feature of Tiberium Wars is the adaptive AI, which tailors itself to the gamer's style of play. Ajami explained that whether a player is a fan of 'tank rushing' or more or a 'turtle' tactician, the game will adapt to suit that form of strategy. Additionally, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is set to include a number of features in the multiplayer gameplay such as in-built VoIP, clan support, and a Spectator Mode that will allow gamers to watch the best C&C-ers take it to the battlefield.

An undisclosed third faction is also set to make an appearance in Tiberium Wars, and whilst EA may not be ready to reveal exactly what players will be encountering, there will no doubt be rumours that the elusive Scrin might finally make a significant appearance in the C&C series. Having only dotted the series with the random crashed spacecraft, and largely been the focus of rumours that they were ones that introduced Tiberium to Earth in the first place, they are just one potential identity for the third faction.