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Earth 2160 Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
07/06/2005
TVG blasts off to chat to Earth 2160 Producer, Phil Hassinger...
Earth 2160 continues the highly successful science-fiction real time strategy series, which has previously seen Earth 2140 and Earth 2150.
The backdrop story to the game presents the picture that only a few thousand humans managed to escape from the Earth before its collapse in 2150 A.D. They spent the next few years on the terra forming of the red planet, developing new technologies and building up new civilisations. Somehow each of the three factions - Eurasian Dynasty, United Civilised States and Lunar Corporation - did this independently and separately from each other but in the year 2160 something strange happens in this new world.
If ED, UCS and LC join forces or continue their old war against each other is possibly now, up to the player. Beside the usual venues in the solar system, there are some strange looking locations: planets with moving and reflecting liquid surfaces. And beside the standard RTS - resources acquisition, base building and destruction of enemy bases - the year 2160 will have some adventure inspired tasks for the players. Derek dela Fuente spoke with Dirk P. Hassinger, Producer of Earth 2160, about some of the interesting ideas going into the game.
First can you please give us some facts and information on the dev team?
Reality Pump Studios was founded in 1994 in Krakow, Poland. In 1996 they released Earth 2140. Three years later Earth 2150 was seen as a real milestone in RTS gaming. It was the first RTS in real 3D. This year in May, Reality Pump will surprise, after 5 years of development, with a new blockbuster Earth 2160. The team size is 45 persons.
There have been a number of titles in the 2100 series. What was the focus for 2160 and do you see this as a big continuation and building of the brand?
With 2160 we will reach a new step in graphic quality, AI and game play. The focus is to create a complete RTS, which means with all parts, like research, base building, gaining resources, battle action and strategies. Of course with some innovations to the genre, like virtual agents, extended modular unit construction, free researches and unit cameras. The second focus is to reach the graphic quality of actual and upcoming FPS in the RTS genre. With 2160 we are extending the brand with a real new milestone in the genre.
What do you believe are the qualities of the 2100 series so far and how well has it sold?
The Earth series was always leading in engine technology. At the time other titles used pre-rendered isometric graphics, Earth 2160 was fully 3D. The gamers always liked the modular construction system, and the deep strategies that are possible in this game series. Earth 2140 has sold over 600.000 copies worldwide. The Earth 2150 trilogy sold over 2 million copies.
Please tell us about the backdrop story to the game and what the objective/s for the player will be?
As Earth was destroyed in the year 2150, the three human factions found a new home on Mars. But in 2160 they will learn that they are not alone. Their presence on Mars and the start of terra forming awakened something strange and dangerous. But each bad has always something good. With the help of alien technology humans will be able to reach places outside the solar system. The final target is a paradise planet, but it will be a long journey getting there.
Who do you play and control and how varied are the four factions?
A few facts about each.
You start with either Lunar Cooperation or Eurasian Dynasty, later taking control over the United Civilized States and at the end over the Aliens. LC, still the nice girls, have tower bases and high tech weapons. ED count more on conventional equipment and build bases consisting of connected buildings. The UCS improves their AI based, Mech and Robot technology â“ having eradicated their surviving humans during the journey to Mars. And finally the aliens are focused on a strange organically driven technology.
Tell us more about the agents and how they can benefit and work with the armies?
During the game you can hire VAs, which have specialized abilities. They help you with micromanagement, like research or base building. Some of them may be used as heroes too. The VAs has character relationships and cost resources. One VA can lead a whole army during a fight, or can also be equipped with an inventory and steered manually by the player.
In terms of innovating the RTS genre how far do you think you can go with this game and what would be some of the features you feel 2160 offers that gamers should appreciate?
For us, innovating the RTS genre means going back to the roots and improving each part of the game to make it more realistic and playable. On first look you see the great graphics, but while playing you will find non linear events, story driven elements and uncountable possibilities for strategies. The RTS games which appeared in the last years seem to have their innovation in cutting down the possibilities. But gamers are asking for a complete game and not only for the tactical part or the building part. Of course it is much easier to develop half a RTS than a full one.
We know that a lot of Earth fans still play MP matches. They will appreciate the MP save game feature, replays, spectator mode and the possibility to join running matches or to play their self created maps. Beginners probably will like to hire some Virtual agents to have the chance to concentrate on the part of the game they like most.
How varied are some of the vehicles, building, etc. on offer?
Because of the open research, the modular construction system, the number of different unit types, the number is nearly uncountable, somewhere between 10122 and 10128. The basic chassis are very different and the units of each race are also very different. But sometimes a big rock shot down with a simple bazooka launched by one ED soldier can destroy a whole high-tech LC base while it is rolling down a mountain and the avalanche is crashing into everything.
Please tell us about the resource management within the game?
There are 3 types of resources with several subtypes. E.g. water can be refined from ice, steam or from a lake. Each race uses 2 types of resources and has a different method of harvesting. Gaining some subtypes of resources is only possible after several researches and usage of different metal types influences the constructed units.
Give us 3 facts about the game engine that will impress?
Extensive usage of shader models, including per Pixelshader 3.0 support; hollow lighting using HDR; and up to 1 Million polygons per frame. That said, if you zoom in you can see the eyebrow of a LC girl and if you zoom out you have the overview of a 1 square mile size base.
Weâd like to thank Phil Hassinger for taking some time out to answer out questions, and we look forward to seeing more on Earth 2160 shortly
