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Exclusive: Spartan Q&A Feature
Chris Leyton
05/12/2003
We talk to the developers extensively about the follow-up to Legion and Chariots of War...
Historical strategy games don't come more detailed and lovingly created than this forthcoming PC title Spartan. UK developer Slitherine, which is privately owned, and whose in house expertise is impressive, as were the detailed answers that were given. JD McNeil, Marketing Manager, was put under the spotlight!
The personnel at Slitherine consists:
Iain McNeil - Designer/Producer
Iain has been working in the games industry since he left university in 1994. He started work at Intelligent Games in the QA department but was rapidly promoted to Project Leader and Lead Designer on all Westwood products, including Red Alert Aftermath, Red Alert Retaliation, Dune 2000 and Dune Emperor. After 5 years he left IG to become a producer at Eidos, working on titles such as Urban Chaos and Deus Ex before deciding that his real interests lay in development. He left Eidos and co-founded Slitherine in 2000. In his spare time Iain plays tabletop wargames competitively and is a double World Champion, European Champion and several times UK National Champion.
Philip Veale - Technical Director
Phil received a first class honours degree and met up with the others at University. Spent the last nine years at Intelligent Games (IG), mostly as their Technical Director. He is a vastly experienced developer with a wide range of technical skills. He has overseen the development of more than 20 major projects, including many triple-A titles such as Emperor, Battle for Dune, and Dune 2000. Joined Slitherine in 2003.
Fad Stevens - Creative Director
Fad gained an honours degree in Graphic Design in 1986. Started as a junior artist at Teque in London working on SNES, Megadrive and other Amiga titles before being promoted to Lead Artist on games for GameGear, Atari Jaguar and PC including racing titles, pinball games and driving sims such as Castrol Honda Superbikes. After spending six years at Teque, he had a spell with Funcom before joining Slitherine in 2000.
Alex Scarrow - Lead Artist
Alex graduated from St Albans Fine Art College with a degree in Graphic Design.
Having worked at Intelligent Games for a long period, he has also worked for Impressions & Computer Artworks as Lead Artist and Designer on games such as Waterworld, Red Alert Counterstrike, Aftermath, Ultimate Soccer Manager '97, Ultimate Soccer 2, Evolva & The Thing. Joined the company to work on Spartan.
TVG: Spartan builds on the success of Legion & Chariots of War, so please expand on exactly what is new and different from those previous titles that will give it fresh appeal?
It's really hard to know where to begin and if you had asked me way back in 2000 where we expected to be in 30 months, it would not have been nearing completion of our 3rd title. We have bags of enthusiasm, talent and energy, but we've discovered that pulling all of this together and satisfying publishers is a pretty daunting task. We've gained a lot of knowledge over the past two years and we are now finding that by building on our past experiences we're able to concentrate on getting a better polish to our games. So where does all that take us with SPARTAN? Well the base was pretty solid already, as Legion has sold well over 100,000 copies and for a first game that gave us a real buzz, and encouraged us to produce a follow up, Chariots of War. As a platform for SPARTAN they have both played an important role. Itās like the 'space race', each generation allows you to start from a higher entry point, so as you can imagine SPARTAN has a whole heap of new game features, including a newly rendered campaign map and updated UI, new 3D Battle engine, and Multiplayer function through GameSpy.
We have also created a Naval aspect to the game. You might say that we needed to bearing in mind that this is a game about Ancient Greece, the historic seat of naval power. In SPARTAN there are 3 different types of ships, you start at a basic level and as your infrastructure improves and you gain access to improved technologies, you can build larger and more powerful Triremes. However we still see the Naval aspect as more of an enhancement to the logistical aspect of the game and principally Naval units will be used to ferry troops from port to invasion locations and allow you to mount amphibious assaults. The ships will of course be able to fight if a sea battle occurs, but this will happen more as you might expect to see in a game like Civ.
We have also created a number of missions with their own start dates and individual scenarios. These will be relatively free form, and will develop in their own unique way, being mainly influenced by the decisions that the player makes. We felt that this would allow an opportunity to play some shorter games as an alternative to the full grand campaign, which is obviously the main focal point. These are still being added but include ideas such as battling against the odds to survive until a certain date, amassing great wealth or building huge structures such as the Oracle at Delphi. There will also be more militaristic scenarios such as destroy or capture one of the great City States like Athens but as I say this section is under development at the moment, so if there are any good scenarios you think might be worth including, let us know.
TVG: Explain why you have chosen this period and what unique facets the gamer will be dealing with in terms of tribes and playable nations and how they may vary?
As you have already heard we are strategy games players ourselves and we think that we have a fair idea about what makes a game enjoyable. The TBS market is still reasonably strong and there are a lot of people out there who prefer these to the frenetic 'clickfest' that an RTS can be. We are strongly rooted in history and so accuracy and feel for the era are important to us. We try to capture the essence of the period and reflect this in the game play, but most importantly we never forget that it's a game and it must be FUN!
In SPARTAN there are over 100 Nations with 60 different troop types, across 10 diverse ethnic and cultural groups. Armies of this era were trained to fight in their own unique style using various stratagems and formations. For example, Tribal Nations have fierce warriors that went berserk and depended on an almost suicidal charge, that was terrifying and often decisive, but they were extremely brittle and seldom survived if the initial charge was unsuccessful. The Eastern armies were lighter, with more cavalry and firepower and relied on weakening and outmanoeuvring their opponent often delaying contact till they were sure of a result. All this is reflected in the unit stats and behaviour. Terrain was also of vital importance. For example, heavily armoured spearmen or mounted troops fought best in open level ground where they could maintain their formation and cohesion, but lure them into rough or broken ground or wooded areas where lightly armoured foot skirmishers could take advantage of their mobility and speed and the result could be quite different. All of these aspects are accurately modelled in our Battle Engine.
TVG: What is the objective/main task for the player and is there any kind of background story to the game?
To understand SPARTAN firstly you need to understand a little of the background. Over 2000 years ago there was a city called Sparta. The city had only two purposes - to train for war and to fight the wars she trained for. Over time Sparta became renowned for having the strongest, fastest, bravest and most disciplined fighters in the region, and they were quite rightly feared and respected by their neighbours. With their warrior creed the Spartans carved out an Empire for themselves, 'Lakedaimon'. However, the Spartans were soon to find that their reign was not to be unopposed and that other great City States were rising to the fore; Athens, Thebes, Corinth and Macedonia amongst others were vying for power and influence over the region, and none of them could ignore the constant threat from the East, the massive Persian Empire. As everyone knows the word SPARTAN has become synonymous with hardship and clearly underlying the game there is a great story just waiting to be told. As you play the game you will do that, and maybe even re-write history.
As I have already said the mission objectives will be many and varied, but if you're anything like me playing the full Grand Campaign and becoming the next Alexander the Great will only ever satisfy you.
TVG: What kind of detailed research has gone into the game?
In a word extensive and as you might expect we have drawn our inspiration from the history and lifestyle of the Spartans. SPARTAN takes you back two centuries to the Heroic Era. Each of the 100 or so Nations represented have been authentically researched, both geographically and culturally, and just for spice there are a number of events that might occur, reflecting the religious and superstitious beliefs that abounded in these times. In the game you can take the role as King Leonadis of 'Lakedaimon' (the nation that was SPARTA), or alternatively you might want to become the Great King Xerxes leading your invading Persian Hordes. Your skills may be even better suited to directing one of the treacherous Greek City states, which by the projection of Naval power spread their influence far and wide. These were pretty tempestuous times and we think that SPARTAN really captures this flavour.
TVG: What sort of units (can you explain the battle system) will be available to the player?
When you are ready the game changes pace and emphasis and you switch from Government leader to General. SPARTAN truly is two games in one. In the combat phase you will lead your armies into glorious battles, but before doing so you must be certain that you have trained and properly equipped your army through skilful resource management and control of your city's building programmes. You will also need to enlist the aid of some trusted commanders to lead your men in the field - Commanders who by their valiant acts are capable of raising their army's moral to new heights. There are many strategies to adopt and its a key feature of SPARTAN that what worked in history should work here, so each force requires an historically accurate proportion of Light Troops to be included in any army, these are your eyes and ears and effect your ability to gain accurate intelligence about an enemies dispositions. The number and location of the enemy units that you will be aware of is directly related to the scouting ability of your army, and this can often be the key to determining the enemies strengths and weaknesses. SPARTAN rewards that great military - maxim hit them hardest and with your best where they are weakest - and good intelligence is the key.
Other factors are equally important. For example, when deploying your army it's generally good policy to put your heavy foot in the centre of a patch of ground where the going is good, with your missile armed skirmisher to the flank or rear where they can shoot into the main body of the enemy without being directly attacked. Generals of this era knew that their Skirmishers needed to be handled with care, as they really could not afford to fight hand to hand with heavily armoured enemy troops. In fact they will only fight hand to hand in desperation or as a last resort when their missiles have ran out.
Formations were also important when issuing orders, for example a long thin line can be easily penetrated and requires good discipline to maintain order. With poorly trained troops it is often better to deploy them in a dense block and let them bludgeon their way through an opponents line. A good starting point then is this dense block formation which is capable of mixing it in hand to hand fighting, with your missile armed troops strung out in line behind so that they can release maximum fire power into the enemy. In SPARTAN you will learn how to use Wedges, Inclined Lines and other more complex formations, but it's vitally important to work within the capabilities of your army. The final skill you must learn is to envelope or flank your opponents. If you can manage to get your troops into a position where the enemy has to turn to the side or rear to face your troops, and simultaneously you are pressing into him to his front then he is doomed. A flank or envelopment attack is often entrusted to light foot or mounted troops who have the advantage of extra mobility and who, as I have said, are not much good in a frontal attack. It will require much cunning, experience and practise to get the best from your army, you will need to study the advantages and disadvantages of many different troop types, but remember that Generals from this era deployed and organised their troops in the way they did for a reason, and it will take a General of extraordinary ability to second guess them.
To make your strategy work it is often necessary to issue different orders to your various units, as you will probably have a different task in mind for each. Analyse your strengths and weaknesses and the terrain that you will be fighting over, consider the enemy troops and their dispositions, (at least those that you are aware of) and have regard to the fact that there may be more of them lurking around that your scouts have failed to detect. You may decide to hold a reserve back until the battle is well engaged by issuing a LONG HOLD command in order to delivering a telling blow late in the battle, it would not be the first time that a timely charge from a reserve formation has turned the day. You may decide to order one of your units to make a sacrificial CHARGE well in advance of your battle line to temp the enemy into a premature counter-charge, which will hopefully disrupt their cohesion making them more vulnerable especially to cavalry. You can refuse your weak flank by issuing LONG or SHORT HOLD orders whilst your stronger flank immediately moves forward on ADVANCE or CHARGE orders, possibly with some units sent wide on that flank to accomplish an ENVELOPEMENT or OUTFLANKING move. Further orders allow you to issue a GENERAL ADVANCE all along the line, superseding earlier instructions when you judge that the time is right, or even RETREAT if your situation becomes hopeless, the choices are endless, but remember that other great military maxim, keep it simple. Complex plans were seldom possible in this era there were no radios and changes of orders once battle was engaged often led to confusion, disaster and rout.
It has been suggested that we allow even more control over these battles but we believe that to do so would destroy the balance and completely negate the tactics of the era, and it was never our intention to create a 'clickfest' game.
In SPARTAN, as in history, sieges are used to weaken and demoralise the defenders of a walled city, and this took place over a period of months. The various events leading up to the onslaught are abstracted and dealt with in the game mechanics leaving only the actual assault to be played out in the game. You will see the city defenders manning the ramparts and using their artillery to hurl GREEK FIRE into the attacking hordes as they assault the city. This was a horrendous weapon and was greatly feared. In the game it's pretty spectacular and will cause serious casualties to any who are caught up in the maelstrom. It's therefore little surprise that in reality when a city fell its occupants paid dearly for its use.
TVG: What resources will be on offer?
Firstly, trade is vital in SPARTAN because as your nation progresses your people will crave the luxuries that they believe are rightfully theirs. By mining, farming and various other industries you can create enormous wealth for your nation and trade your surpluses on the world markets. There are nine major resources in SPARTAN and these form the basic and underlying economic model of the game. There will be times of plenty and often shortages, more especially if the harvests are poor. When this occurs you can only replenish your food stocks on the open market but in order to finance this you may well have to sell some other resources, and just as in real life this will be reflected in the buying and selling prices on the 'stock market', there never seems to be enough to go round. There are various ways to improve your situation such as sending your Diplomats to foreign lands where they can set up favourable trade deals (or maybe even engage in a bit of old fashioned espionage). You hope that this will enhance your prestige and augment your reputation as one of the regions top statesmen, but remember that there will be no diplomatic immunity shown to those who are found transgressing.
There is also a new research tree that adds a great deal of depth and individualism to each game depending on which path you decide to guide your fledgling nation along. You can encourage your philosophers and scientists to research a myriad of diverse projects each related to one of the games resources, thus ensuring that your Nation becomes one of the most advanced states in the region. It all depends on personal preference and skill. You can decide on how military units or cities will develop by concentrating your research on resources that will further advances in a variety of ways such as weapon technology, missile power, civic developments or trade, the range of options is almost limitless.
Each Nation has various cities and settlements to be governed, and through these you will raise taxes to build hospitals, places of worship, schools and universities. All this will improve your standing with your people, but of course there is always the military to fund, and this is usually not so popular.
All of these aspects are controlled through a number of well laid out screens, each dedicated to a major aspect of the game ranging through Trade, Diplomacy, Research, etc.
TVG: How focused is the team on the technical aspect of the game and what innovations do you hope to offer?
From the background of our team you can clearly see that innovation and progress are important to us. Our major new feature for SPARTAN is the development of our new Always Active Multiplayer (AAM). With AAM the non-active player will replace the AI and you will become the opposing General in battles against your opponent, a neat way of damaging him and trying out your tactics without risk, but itās not really feasible for more than two players to get any advantage from this, and so this was a major influencing factor in deciding to limit Multiplayer to 2 players, but more of this later. AAM also allows the non-active player to get on with all of those important tasks around town, such as starting construction of your new temples or military academies, recruiting new armies, trading, raising taxes, research etc. etc. etc. I usually find that I'm still busy dealing with all this when my opponent ends his turn and I have to quickly shift my attention back to other issues. Another problem if you can call it that, is that our research and feedback tells us that many TBS fans are running on older machines and we felt that to ostracise them would be a mistake, so we have retained a 2D option in the game. As you can well imagine this resulted in an awful lot of additional work for us but we think that it will be worth it and will be reflected in extra sales.
TVG: What multiplayer options are on offer and is the game one big campaign?
The ability to play on line has been high on our list of priorities and it was arguably top of the wish list of our fans. However it has to be remembered that SPARTAN is a TBS game and this creates particular problems in giving players the satisfying games experience that they want from this feature. So as a deliberate policy we decided to limit AAM to just two players. Yes, we know that it sounds terrific to announce that 16 or more players can play on line but it simply does not enhance the TBS game experience. In really big games like SPARTAN there will be a number of occasions when a player has a particularly tricky situation to deal with, that can take a while to think through. Sure as the non-active player there are a lot of city management tasks to get on with, but allowing multiple players simply increases the delay effect and in play testing we found that it could become boring. More importantly SPARTAN is a huge game that will last for many hours, and I remember back in our old board gaming days, that the campaigns always fell apart just as they were getting interesting because one or t'other of the players couldn't make the session. Simply put it works much better for two players, we've tried it.
TVG: Please sum of the experience in one sentence!
One sentence - you are kidding. The TBS genre permits a developer to generate some original ideas and game play and allows a lot more freedom than working on branded products. We enjoy working this way, and now that our games are becoming recognised it gets easier with each title to make people take notice and to understand what we are doing. Our first two titles were judged by the press as RTS games, this completely baffled us but I guess itās got more to do with what they are used to seeing these days, than what we are doing. However we believe that SPARTAN has just about everything that you would expect from a Grand Campaign TBS game and with the added spice of our interactive battles we think that it will build on the success of our previous titles.
