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COPS 2170: The Power of the Law Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
27/10/2004
A gritty RPG in a futuristic cyberpunk setting; we get the scoop...
13 levels of tactical strategy with non-stop action and cool stylized graphics canât be bad. Set in the future, the government watches over everything for the âsafety of the publicâ and society is under their complete control. Microchips are embedded into each human-being allowing the government to keep track of everyone. This is the world where Kati, officially Katrin, a young police officer, an athlete and also a beautiful woman, lives. Itâs a world that is about to collapse and where Kati and her fellow officers have to face the dangers of the street. A fascinating setting and game idea, one expanded on as Derek dela Fuente spoke with Masha Petrova from MiST land who is putting the final touches to the game.
TVG: Please can you give us some info about the team creating the game and what may have inspired it?
Well, MiST land is a young, rapidly developing team, showing expertise in the development of large game projects. Our team operates on the computer games market since 1996. The main criteria while forming a team were professionalism and creativeness, thus all members of the team are true professionals with distinctive thinking and talents.
One of the reasons, explaining the choice of âCOPS 2170: The Power of Lawâ development, was a perception of our previous project âParadise Crackedâ. We just couldnât disappoint those, who since lived in another reality owing to Paradise Cracked.
Inspired by the success of Paradise Cracked and considering this experience, we made an effort to create a game which is a hybrid of strategy and RPG elements where players take on the role of a rookie cop patrolling the mean streets of a cyberpunk metropolis.
The game features slick 3D environments ranging from private areas to city streets. Missions vary from small-scale riots to challenging the security staff of a huge corrupt corporation and each mission can be accomplished using a variety of strategies, giving the player multiple paths to victory and hours of exciting gameplay.
Indeed, we have daring, far going plans and we will do our best to bring them to life.
TVG: Tell us the story to the game â“ its setting, and the main objective for the player? How strong and important is the story to the actual game once you start playing?
What do you think makes a game attractive for players and entirely different from other games? Of course, itâs original atmosphere, exciting plot and its own striking Universe! These things are the most powerful and significant parts of COPS 2170: The Power of Law.
The universe of âCOPS 2170: The Power of Lawâ is the world of a future technological civilization. People spend most of their free-time in computer networks, communicating, playing, having sex or resting, yet all of this is just virtual reality. There is still democracy in this world, but there is no freedom. The government watches over everything for the safety of the public, and society is under its total control. The cyberpunk atmosphere of the game appears as well in different special equipment, like implants, various police scanners and other technologies.
Power of Law is a tactical strategy with role playing elements. The game has an arterial plot with several final versions. They depend on the playersâ actions in the game. We fight against the enemies from the outside of System âcause they are going to destroy it or even to override it. Well, we investigate a difficult case and meet a lot of people with different troubles. Thatâs why we should often decide moral or ethical dilemmas. The game tries to give us an opportunity to understand the sense of Systemâs âscrewâ.
Our main hero, Katrin, is a recent graduate from the academy. She's just joined the police force and doesn't yet know all the webs of relations in the department. So, despite her aptitudes and knowledge, she's less than fully prepared for the unclear situations she must face. Her dream is to be of benefit to all people, to make their lives better. Will her dream come true, or will her ideals change? It depends on you!
The main objective for the player is to finish the game, incidentally carrying out the main plot quests and lots subquests and mini-scenarios.
Thus, the plot of COPS 2170: The Power of Law is absolutely non-linear. All active characters have the main task, but it could be carried out through the many different ways and methods. The final target depends on the gaming style of player, his alliances and confrontations, his quick decisions and common tactical position. You can accomplish your missions in different ways, but only particular ways will allow you to enjoy a happy ending. So, you have absolute freedom of action, and everything will depend on your choices.
The game presents some different types of missions including destroying a certain object, cleaning up the territory, escorting the VIP or arresting the criminal authority and so on. Almost each time you have different ways to carry out the task and sometimes it would probably be better to pass the quest instead of starting a bloody fight.
TVG: Cops combines both tactical strategies with role playing elements. Can you expand on the RPG elements and how both fuse together?
In the game, you will have a chance to improve heroesâ skills such as strength, adroitness, reaction, shooting accuracy, eyesight, health, intellect, driving. Moreover there is a system of ranks. If your rank is low you will not be allowed to hire many soldiers in your squad and some of the weapons and equipment will not be available. By the way, it is essential to cooperate with friendly forces while conducting operations. It is not just friend-or-foe identification. There is such a thing as trust. After completing quests and special tasks you will be given bonus points.
Having completed a turn the player gives the AI a chance, and then it's the turn of allies, enemies and neutral characters. After that, the turn goes back to the player, and he's able to re-evaluate the situation and to give proper orders to his or her subordinates. Every character has a 'Reaction' parameter that affects the possibility of turn-interception during the move of the enemy. So, if you don't spend all a character's action points during your turn, perhaps retaining enough for a shot, he may catch sight of a moving enemy and open fire on his own (similar to the system in X-Com).
TVG: Tell us about some of the cast in the game, highlight one - a favourite!
Well, as it was mentioned before, the main hero is Kati, officially Katrin - the graduate of the police academy, excellent student, athlete and simply beautiful woman. Actually, sheâs not lonely in her adventures â“ as the game continues she gets new companions, mostly cops. Generally there are nine main characters in the game with maximum squad number â“ six members. Moreover, itâs possible to hire companionâs right on the streets â“ from civilians.
Amongst the main characters the player will definitely meet Sintu, Arthur, Morgan, Fitch, Charlie, Maxim and finally our pride - the top of modern genetics, the warrior of prestigious Martian battalion BiK-14!
You know, rats are one of the smartest animals. Since theyâre first of all exposed to various experiments (including biocybernetic ones), exactly why rats became a kind of cyber-punk symbol. What other animal will be able to survive amongst metal and plastic of the future, in the environmental neosphere?
Each character in the game has its own behaviour, spirit or special phrases and habits. So itâs no wonder that each of them reacts differently to outside events. BiK-14 â“ is the glaring example of such creation. So, it goes without saying that BiK-14 is our favourite character â“ undoubtedly a unique one!
TVG: What are some of the skills and attributes that you have, control and can build on and will you tell us about some of the winning tactics ideas the player must use?
Each personage has its own set of characteristics such as Strength (affects the number of action points, the weight which can be lifted and the range of thrown weapons); Agility (affects the number of action points required for a move and also accuracy of grenade throwing); Accuracy (accuracy of shooting); Mechanics (ability to control materiel); Intellect (ability to break electronic equipment); Sight (range of sight); Health (health of the character).
Each character gets experience for destroying enemies, completing quests and so on. So, each character gets a certain number of experience points (the amount is fixed for each person), and these can be spent to upgrade different characteristics (similar to the system in Diablo). Furthermore, there are damage resistance parameters for shock, fire and electricity - these are innate characteristics and they can be upgraded only by means of special implants. It is possible to upgrade the main characteristics with the help of special implants as well.
Moreover the rank of each warrior depends on his parameters. I mean, if the character has a high Accuracy parameter, he or she will be ideal as a sniper. In the case of high Strength and Health indexes, the character can turn into a perfect assaulter. If the Mechanics parameter dominates, the character will surely be a good driver.
It's rather important to combine different characters properly. That's why you'll eventually fail to make universal soldiers from your subordinates. Therefore, you should think over the ways of developing your characters beforehand.
TVG: If you had to pick one real innovation from your title that you are most proud of what will it be?
Mostly weâre proud of our non-linear plot. A lot of events occur on each level apart from a player, and he\she can interfere in them or just pay no attention to it. But actually afterwards they affect the plot to some extent. Even tiny actions of a player like his behaviour in battles: whether he was desperately fighting or shrinks in the face of danger will reflect the game results. These all influence quests, bonuses, available levels and equipment.
TVG: How important is technology to the team and what delights can we expect to see?
The visuals will be rendered by an engine designed for the team's vibrant vision of a world of light and shadows, neon and metal, the flaring of gunfire and more. The quest system and scripted scenes were created specially for this game.
Some details about the engine: First, all the maps are very big. They are huge, including not only tiny parts of streets but long avenues and blocks. There are a lot of different buildings, and you can strike your enemies from hundreds of yards, so snipers will be very useful. What is more, there are a lot of scripted scenes and intricate quests.
Our new engine allows setting an 'eye-sight' option. Although maps are bigger, the detailing of all objects is very high. We improved the AI, and the size of the battles makes the game a very original one.
From this point of view, itâs worth mentioning the fact that the player can switch any time to the first person. Such a feature is quite rare in most tactical games. You can switch to any character or robot. Besides atmospheric effect, this feature has its practical use â“ for instance sometimes it becomes easier to aim or something like that.
Moreover, itâs beautiful and astonishing indeed!!! The common top/down doesnât give the atmosphere we wanted to show.
Owing to this feature itâs possible to look around, notice different tiny details or throw back your head and look to the sky as well as estimate the real size of War God robot. It certainly helps to feel yourself as a part of huge gameworld and striking Universe!
So, there are many such things you can use in the game; I would say that was one of our priorities.
TVG: As Kati, players can recruit up to 7 of their fellow officers and use a large arsenal of weaponry and equipment. How do you control the team, what kind of commands do you have and is there a big progression to the game?
Itâs quite obvious that one of the important characteristics of the game is a squad, being in charge of a player. You see, the game plot can significantly change depending on staff. Our subordinates are able to move slowly or double-quick as well. Moreover, they can fire upright or from sitting position either that raises their accuracy.
Meanwhile, if your warriors run often, their accuracy parameter will decrease. Thatâs why you should use this command rationally. Besides amongst other skills are driving vehicles, breaking up robots, etc. Iâm absolutely confident that itâs a crucial part of the game.
TVG: 200 quests; how diverse are they and can you expand on one quest that shows off the complexities and real ethos of Cops 2170?
A characteristic trait of all games in the RPG genre is the existence of a so-called quest element, manifesting itself in the existence of additional quests or mini-plots on each map; these quests can be accomplished by talking to different game characters, going somewhere or carrying out certain tasks. In order to finish the game, the player has only to carry out all the main plot quests.
Also many small decisions affect several sub-quests. For instance, helping a certain group in a certain way may result in a riot in the streets, which flares up in the next mission. You know, in real life making any action or choice can change our future. There are many similar situations and events in the game. I suppose, itâll be some kind of surprise for players.
Overall, the game has a sophisticated plot and several variant endings that depend on playerâs results. The main element of the game is taking part in tactical battles, usually involving a great number of warriors. The large-scale character of those battles is probably the most distinctive feature of âCOPS 2170: The Power of Lawâ.
The game allows a player to accomplish missions of several types. You will be ordered to destroy different objects, destroy all the enemies on the map, convoy a VIP or arrest a crime figure. Donât forget that itâs possible to accomplish every mission in several ways.
Game levels will be represented by parts of terrain, different buildings. Each level is unique by design. The surface, houses and different global objects like roads, monorails, etc. are created separately for each level.
TVG: What are some tactical possibilities?
As for tactical possibilities â“ some missions can vary in tasks and necessary actions as well, which a player should accomplish before each mission. Itâs worth mentioning that a successful mission also depends on the relationships with different forces in the game. You should always keep in mind that the better your relations with any part the more support youâll get further.
Also it wonât be out of place to mention the particular role of implants, which raise resistibility against different types of damage. Frequently possession of certain equipment plays a crucial role in general victory.
Of course, itâs possible to list such recommendations and advice endlessly, but Iâm quite sure the players will choose their own tactics and definitely enjoy the gameplay!
THANK YOU!
COPS 2170: The Power of the Law is released in the UK during November by Dreamcatcher Interactive.
