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Exclusive: Full Spectrum Warrior Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
17/12/2004
TVG checks out how the PS2 version is coming along...
With the successful launch of the XBOX and PC versions of Full Spectrum Warrior the obvious move is to produce a PS2 version of the game which serves up real combat tactics, battling enemies with authentic weapons, plus a host of exciting features. With the PlayStation not having the processing power of both these machines and lower resolution the focus is on to ensure the PS2 version hits the mark.
Within Full Spectrum Warrior players will command and coordinate the actions of two infantry squads leading them through a hostile urban warzone, as they out think, out manoeuvre and battle enemies through thirteen levels of intense combat. Full Spectrum Warrior is based on a light infantry-training simulator designed by Pandemic Studios for the U.S. Army as a tool to reinforce Army combat doctrine and squad tactics among troops and so realism is a real focus.
Derek dela Fuente spoke with William Henry Stahl, working on the game, to find out what PlayStation 2 fans can look forward to.
TVG: What were some of the deciding factors to place the game onto PS2 and potentially do you see it could possibly generate more sales on the machine than XBOX and PC?
We always intended to do a PS2 version of the game, but since the Military version was done exclusively for the Xbox, it made sense to release the game first on Xbox and then create the PS2 version. This isnāt always a sound marketing strategy but we didnāt want to hold up the Xbox version for another year. I hope that we do as well or better on the PS2. The PS2 certainly has much more market share, especially in Europe and Asia, and the game offers an experience unlike any other PS2 title I can think of.
TVG: There are a number of games that started their life as army training programs/simulations. Do you feel this is the way ahead to ensure both authenticity and realism and do you feel without this focus then the raw feel that games such as Full Spectrum offer would not have been achieved?
I donāt know that every developer has, or will have, the tremendous opportunity we had to work with the U.S. Army; however, when you have access to the genuine article, that knowledge canāt help but find its way into your game and then into gamersā hands. I think FSW does feel different from other military-themed games. I have no doubt that we would not have achieved that feeling if we had not directly worked with the Army to create the game.
TVG: There are of course a number of problems in placing Full Spectrum Warrior onto a lower spec machine. Firstly will the graphics from PC/Xbox be down graded and will most of the raw code be the foundation for the PS2?
Mass Media ā“ the company porting the game to the PS2 ā“ has a proven record in doing such ports and, from what Iāve seen, has been doing an outstanding job bringing FSW to the PS2. Obviously, compromises needed to be made to port the game, but Iāve had a hard time telling which version is the PS2 and which is the Xbox when viewed side-by-side.
TVG: You must be eager to steer clear of any mentions of porting so what technical and presentational ānewbiesā will be on offer?
Not really. FSW represents something new for gamers, regardless of what platform itās on. The fact that we did an Xbox version first doesnāt change the overall gameplay, style and feel of the game.
TVG: The PC version features the same tutorial and single-player campaign featured in the Xbox version, but also added are two bonus levels that serve as an epilogue--of sorts--to the campaign. Where will the PS2 sit and what would you say is the biggest change you are making?
The PS2 version will have all the content created for both the Xbox and PS2 versions as well as some additional content created exclusively for the PS2.
TVG: What do you put the success of the game down to?
Itās a new game experience that still feels familiar enough that people can get into it right away. THQ, our publishers, did a great job of marketing the game as well. We also had a great showing at E3 in 2003 ā“ that generated some buzz.
TVG: What are the major differences between the two versions ā“ the game and the army simulator - and what would you say is harder to get right? Do you feel gamers want more?
The main difference is that the Army version is an actual simulation ā“ this generally means that the outcome of any situation can, at times, be arbitrary. In the real world ā“ you can give the right order and still have your men die. With the retail version, we didnāt think that made for very forgiving or predictable gameplay. In the retail version, we wanted the player to feel like failure was due to his poor execution and not some arbitrary circumstance surrounding his soldiers. I think we, on that front, we succeeded.
TVG: Is it true that the army sim program was initially created on the PS2 and how long did it take to develop up against the gaming version?
Yes, initially ā“ and this is 4 years ago ā“ the Army version was going to be done on the PS2. At that time, the PS2 was the only game in town (for consoles). Complications between the Army and from Sony required us to move production to the Xbox.
TVG: If you had to describe Full Spectrum to a gamer who is thinking about purchasing it ā“ what would you say to convince them!?
If youāre tired of shelling out 50 bucks on games that feel like the last 5 games youāve played, then try FSW. I guarantee youāve never experienced anything like it before.
TVG: How much further can the advancement of this genre of game go without advancement in machine specs? Also if you had to add one spec to all systems what would it be?
The potential growth for the FSW franchise on future systems in phenomenal. FSW is about emotion, and the soldiers under your command. As processor power grows, we are looking forward to continuing our goal of creating characters that look and feel like real human beings. Thatās what makes being a commander so difficult ā“ the fact that you have to order young men into situations that you know might get them killed. We will also be able to display many more characters on the battlefield so that a player could literally command an entire Army.
THANK YOU
Weāll have more information on Full Spectrum Warrior soon.
