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Chrome Specland Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
01/08/2005
TVG chats to developer Techland about their forthcoming first-person-shooter...
Chrome, a first-person-shooter released by Take-Two Interactive in 2004 was one of those titles that went through a number of highs and lows, never quite hitting the mark in terms of expectations and early postive vibes. Initally it offered a number of innovations but due to late release it appeared to lose much of its gloss. The follow-up,, this time released by Deep Silver, has been keeping a somewhat low profile in its build up to release - due soon. Derek dela Fuente spoke with Kacper Michalski, PR & Marketing Specialist at Techland about the Chrome prequel.
TVG: Were you pleased with the reception you got for Chrome and are basically the same team working on the follow-up?
We are satisfied with the reception that Chrome received. After its release, the game averaged scores of around 80%. Many of the fans within the community were anticipating a new game set in the Chrome universe and we are delighted with Chrome SpecForce. Some sites describe the new game as Chrome 2 ā“ this, in fact, is not true. SpecForce is a prequel to Chrome, as the gameās plot is set a number of years before Chrome. To add, most of the Chrome team was involved in SpecForceās development.
TVG: Chrome took a long time in development, shall we see SpecForce meeting its release date and what kind of technical improvements will it offer?
The game is currently available in Poland, Germany and France, and it should be available in the rest of Europe, including the UK, in September/August. You can get more details from the gameās publisher ā“ Deep Silver.
Chrome SpecForce uses an updated Chrome Engine. We showcased some of its possibilities in our earlier release ā“ Xpand Rally. SpecForce looks much better than Chrome did, thanks to the special effects we were able to use, including bump-mapping, multi details on the ground and realistic water reflections.
TVG: The first person PC shooter scene is perhaps one of the hardest to crack with both top gameplay alongside cutting edge technology being two prerequisites. What technical innovation do you offer and what would you say will be the gameās selling point?
Just like in Chrome, SpecForce players can enjoy vast open terrains with rich vegetation. We adjusted the gameās AI, so that the gameplay now contains more tactical elements and is less action oriented. Weāre especially satisfied with the rag-doll effect weāve managed to create ā“ both the playerās enemies and team members now act very naturally when theyāre under fire. The tactical game play elements really set SpecForce apart from other FPP shooters. Thanks to the Power Armor, itās now possible to find multiple solutions for each situation, and the improved AI also requires tactical thinking.
TVG: Who do you assume in the game? What are your basic skills to begin with, is there progression in your skill set through the game if successful, and what kind of assistance from other soldiers will you get?
The game begins with a typical training mission ā“ the player is accustomed with a SpecForce soldierās basic equipment and learns to use the Power Armor. We wanted the difficulty level to rise as the player progresses through subsequent maps. As far as team cooperation is concerned, there will be multiple occasions to try this out ā“ from typical escort missions, where the player has to protect a certain character, to large scale assaults, where, as part of a much larger unit, heās going to have to either protect or attack a large, strategically important military complex.
TVG: The game is set in the future. Is the a reason for this to add more gaming ideas and offer slightly less realism? Could you also offer some information on the kind of diversity in locations the game will offer?
By setting the game in the future we werenāt trying to find a way to introduce unrealistic elements into it. On the contrary ā“ during the weapons, vehicles, buildings and equipment designing process we took into consideration how the current scientific advancements might influence these things in the future. Thatās why you wonāt find any laser or other purely fictional weapons in SpecForce, but youāll get to use EMP grenades, assault rifles with caseless ammo and the aforementioned Power Armor.
Unlike the first installment of the series, SpecForce deals with a single planet, and not a whole solar system. This doesnāt mean that the terrain is not varied. Youāll get a chance to fight both in dense jungles and urban environments.
TVG: Please tell us more about some of the military hardware on offer along with the S.M.A.R.T. Recon System and Power Shields.
The game includes an arsenal of over 10 different weapon types ā“ anything from hand and EMP grenades, through assault rifles, to heavy weaponry, including rocket and grenade launchers. The grenade launcher is very interesting to play with, due to its indirect fire mode, which gives players a lot of new tactical possibilities. The player can also take control over a mech-like armored walker, recon and armored vehicles and stationary weapons.
As a member of the elite SpecForce unit, the player is equipped with a Power Armor. This complex mechanism contains a number of crucial battle-enhancing systems.
- S.M.A.R.T. Recon System - allows you to track targets in low visibility and rough terrain, greatly enhancing your combat skills in these situations.
- Power Shields ā“ a SpecForce agentās basic defense system. Its composite structure of the armorās outer layer and a supporting magnetic field emitter protects the soldier from enemy fire by reducing the projectileās kinetic energy just before it strikes the armor.
- Camouflage Layer ā“ an optoelectronic masking system with a photoactive layer, projecting images the soldierās immediate surrounding onto the armor, creating an illusion of transparency.
- Neural Booster ā“ central nervous system biochemical stimulator. Increases the electric impulse brain transmission frequency, thus reducing the soldierās reaction time. The soldier feels as if the time around him has slowed down, though the speed of his reaction is greatly increased.
- Motive Support - the Power Armorās final element, an exoskeleton which greatly increases the soldierās over walking speed under heavy fire.
TVG: What part does real physics play in the game and how detailed will environments and body deformation be?
As I mentioned before, rag-doll physics ā“ that is to say, the way bodies behave after theyāre shot ā“ are extremely realistic. Some elements of your surrounding, including boxes, barrels and furniture can be destroyed. The idea is however that you fight in both natural and military environments of an alien planet, so most buildings and objects canāt be destroyed.
TVG: Can you tell us the basic story to the game and how important it is to actual gameplay?
Just like in the original Chrome game, the plot plays an extremely important role. We wanted the player to feel as if he was a part of an epic story. I donāt want to give too much away, so let me just tell you that the first mission wonāt be as routine as youāre toldā¦
TVG: Tell us about two diverse events/action within the game to show off the imaginative ideas and enthralling gameplay.
One of the more interesting moments in SpecForce is when the player has to seize control of an anti aircraft gun on a hilltop. Once he does that, it quickly becomes apparent that he has to use that gun to protect himself from a hostile air strike. Thereās more ā“ for example, a strike on an enemy based, hidden deep in a dense forest. The player is to take control of the enemy shuttlecraftā¦ but not everything will go according to plan.
TVG: Many shooters come unstuck due mainly to poor AI. Tell us some facts about the gameās AI and the kind of focus the team have on this area.
We wanted Chrome SpecForce to be more of a tactical first-person-shooter, and less oriented on the action elements. Thatās how we approached the AI programming. We wanted the player to feel as if he really was a part of an ongoing SpecForce operation. The gameās AI hides behind barriers, uses suppressive fire and makes a good use of its advantage in numbers. Computer controlled soldiers use stationary guns and vehicles.
TVG: Finally who are the opposition and how good a challenge will they be?
The player will have to fight against mercenaries and corporate soldiers. Heāll face light infantry, snipers, and heavily armed and armored opponents, who require a significant tactical sense to defeat. The opponents use vehicles ā“ walkers, armored troop carriers and flying attack ships.
TVG: Many thanks!
Thanks for the interesting questions. Weāre happy to have a chance to talk to your readers about our game.
TVG would like to thank Kacper Michalski of Techland for answering our questions. Chrome Specforce is set for a PC release on 19th August 2005, and weāll have more on the title shortly.
