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Exclusive: England International Football Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
19/04/2004
The Codies give us the lowdown on the only England footie title this season...
Proudly made in England, England International Football is coming to PlayStation 2 and Xbox on April 30th and Codemasters are equally exuberant of the fact that that every copy will come with a free 2-hour DVD England video as an additional in-pack disc.
England International Football gives gamers the chance to step into Sven's shoes and choose the team line-up, and then it's down onto the pitch to face the world's national teams playing in matches and tournaments
From the opening sequence and menu screens, all resplendent in England colours and branding, kick off a top international football action game, packed with official content. Games will be able to see the true-likenesses of all 25 England team players (and Sven!) created from an exclusive photoshoot and 3D modelling session, and the full home and away strip in perfect detail, right down to the famous Three Lions badge and World Cup winner's star.
20 top European national teams feature in the European Championship game mode. Additionally, England International Football also lets you go intercontinental and play World Cup style tournaments against a further 12 teams from all corners of the globe including Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Australia and Japan.
TVG got the opportunity to talk with Ross Kidner â“ Assistant Development Manager, Codemasters.
TVG: Could you tell the readers a little about the make up of the team developing this game?
RK: The game has been developed and builds on the Club Football engine. The England team are highly experienced with a wide range of skills and development history across driving sims, sports games, platformers, shooters and puzzle games across a wide range of platforms! The game is now complete, and should be in the shops on 30th April.
TVG: How much competition was there to acquire the only official football game of the national team, which is fully endorsed by The FA, and what kind of information and assistance will you get from the FA and certain England players in its creation?
RK: I wasnât personally involved with the acquisition of the licence, but we were dealing with the FA on a regular basis for all aspects of the game. As with any product like this an excellent relationship with the licensor is vital, and we were lucky to have that swiftly established. We were given exclusive access to the England national team, even down to the players to capture their faces for use in the game.
TVG: Will the game offer certain signature moves by players â“ i.e. like Owen being fast along with seeding of teams?
RK: Certain players such as Owen and Beckham have traits associated with them, which we couldnât be forgiven for if we did not use them. So for many players, such as the two previously mentioned, traits are recognisable. Owen will be able to get away from defenders easier than most, Beckhamâs deadball skills and crosses during play are quite distinctive and Heskeyâs strength up front is hard to beat. This carries through the product to the other teams, anyone playing against France will need a good pair of centre-backs! Also, all countries preferred formations and tactical approach have been heavily researched and replicated in game.
TVG: There are many excellent football games on the market so what do you see as the innovations and real qualities of this offering?
RK: The football market is very crowded at the moment. To get into it and not get washed away without being noticed we wanted to make sure that the game play was fun and exciting for the player without being frustrating. This was one of the key aims for the project, to ensure a game that is accessible, yet has subtlety and depth to the gameplay.
Of course, itâs the first ever football game to offer head-to-head online play over Xbox Live and is the only official product of the English national side, containing a wealth of England soccer memorabilia for a determined player to unlock alongside photo-realistic models of the full England squad and the new away strip exclusively licensed to Codemasters.
TVG: Can you tell us about the games 3D engine and what aspect you feel is worth highlighting?
RK: In modern games development, all publishers need to be technology focused â“ itâs a core requirement. Engine features for a football title are very different to say, an FPS or RTS game â“ rendering a pitch and 22 hi-res player models while constantly processing player and referee AI is not a simple task, especially with todayâs visual standards. I have to say though, the England International Football engine stands up extremely well in this area and with the enhancements made during its development over Club Football the game really stands out. In particular, the extensive replay system allows you more control over those âbeautiful gameâ moments than any other title out there.
TVG: Apart from the action, can you tell us about the editor/s in the game and any other supplemental features?
RK: England International Football offers players something that no other game can: to play for the national team! You are able to create a player to be put into the England squad with your own choice on what you look like, what position to play in, what stats you have, what commentary name is called out for you, and, most importantly, you are able to place your own name on the back of the England shirt. You are also able to create your own cup and league tournaments to play in â“ UK cup anyone?
TVG: How would you classify England International Football genre. Do you see it as an arcade sim and do you feel this offers more than other similar games?
RK: We have tried our best to meet in the middle of the sim and arcade genres. The simple pick up and play aspect of the game is fantastic for arcade style fans, but there is a level of subtlety and depth that the more hardcore footy fan will enjoy too.
TVG: Pease can you expand al little on what the multiplayer and XBox Liveâ gameplay will offer?
RK: Offline, you are able to play with up to 3 mates in single matches, knockout cups, group cups and leagues. Xbox Live allows the player to play an exhibition match against a friend in a one on one game with any teams of their choice, or take on the AI in co-operative play, for the ultimate footy experience online.
TVG: Has there been any focus on player injury and the overall stamina of the players and how will this work?
RK: There is of course an element of stamina in the game, and players are injured in a realistic manner. This type of feature is always a difficult one for the designers - too much realism can cause gameplay to suffer, but removing these real-world restrictions completely can dispel the illusion of the environment youâre putting the player in. As ever with Game Design, itâs a balance!
TVG: Sum up in one sentence why football fans should choose your game as the one to buy this summer!
RK: For any English football fan, this is the most compelling football game you could play this summer and beyond. âNuff said!
