First, the original Supreme Commander game was famed for its massive units and lots of stuff going "boom", Is it fair to say that those elements are sticking around for the sequel?
Without a doubt. Big explosions are a key element to a good RTS game, and they are definitely here to stay in Supreme Commander 2!
What can you tell us about the factions for the sequel and how the single player campaign links to the original?
We've woven the new campaign story into the existing history and fiction to continue the story, but we have leapt 25 years into the future, and are telling a very different kind of story... a story that focuses on the people, and the personal struggles they go through when caught up in a war of galactic scale.
In previews we have seen lots of ways that the game allows for customization of units. Can you go into more detail on these features?
It's a new approach for us, and it uses a "tech tree" concept. This has not really been done to the extent that we are doing it in Supreme Commander. Even Demigod's skill trees aren't as deep and involved as what we are doing. When the player does damage to his opponent, or does research via building research facilities, points are accrued. The player may then spend those points in the tech tree. The player can then research boosts, unlocks and upgrades. The upgrades are what can physically change the look of a unit, adding a gun or other cool capability.
Visually the game looks like its several steps up from the original game. How hard was it to get the game to look better than the first Supreme Commander but still have it run on a wide range of PCs?
Well, to be really straight up, it comes down to super smart graphics engineers, and in this case, James Loe and his team. He's an unstoppable graphics tour-de-force, and he has done a world class job creating our new graphics engine. I think if you asked him how hard it was, he'd tell you it was a piece of cake. I wouldn't believe him!
What kinds of locations and missions can we expect to see in the single player campaign?
Our campaign takes the player to exotic and alien locations all around the galaxy... including many of the terrain types you've seen, but many that will blow your mind. The design team has done a truly outstanding job and created some never seen before maps and open up RTS to much bigger and frankly, more outrageous possibilities.
What can you tell us about multiplayer at this point and will it still use the GPGNet system?
On the 360 multiplayer uses Xbox Live, and on the PC we use Steam. Each new game we make requires us to take a look at the best solutions out there.
Gas Powered is developing both the PC and Xbox 360 versions of Supreme Commander 2. How hard or easy is it to have that kind of set-up, especially for a RTS game?
I think the 360 has it's own unique set of challenges, but like any game we've developed, we always embrace the challenge... that's what makes this business so much fun. There are days when we definitely have our hands full, but in the end, we like what we've come up with... RTS games on consoles is still a huge potential, and we believe we have a very playable and fun game for console players.
Will the PC version have support for editing tools at all?
If we do end up providing tools, I can't say when, but it will be after the core game ships...
Can you tell us if there will be a beta test or demo for the game prior to its release?
We don't have a beta test planned at this time...
Supreme Commander 2 is scheduled for a March 2 release and two other big sci-fi RTS games also are coming out in March 2010. Is there a sense that there's going to be a lot of competition for the RTS gamer's dollar?
I don't think about that part of the business... that's the publishers area of expertise. My job is to build the best game ever and hope that our fans will check it out!
Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Supreme Commander 2?
Well, I hope that everyone enjoys the game... we feel it's one of the best games we've made yet
It's a new approach for us, and it uses a "tech tree" concept. This has not really been done to the extent that we are doing it in Supreme Commander. Even Demigod's skill trees aren't as deep and involved as what we are doing. When the player does damage to his opponent, or does research via building research facilities, points are accrued. The player may then spend those points in the tech tree. The player can then research boosts, unlocks and upgrades. The upgrades are what can physically change the look of a unit, adding a gun or other cool capability.
Visually the game looks like its several steps up from the original game. How hard was it to get the game to look better than the first Supreme Commander but still have it run on a wide range of PCs?
Well, to be really straight up, it comes down to super smart graphics engineers, and in this case, James Loe and his team. He's an unstoppable graphics tour-de-force, and he has done a world class job creating our new graphics engine. I think if you asked him how hard it was, he'd tell you it was a piece of cake. I wouldn't believe him!
What kinds of locations and missions can we expect to see in the single player campaign?
Our campaign takes the player to exotic and alien locations all around the galaxy... including many of the terrain types you've seen, but many that will blow your mind. The design team has done a truly outstanding job and created some never seen before maps and open up RTS to much bigger and frankly, more outrageous possibilities.
What can you tell us about multiplayer at this point and will it still use the GPGNet system?
On the 360 multiplayer uses Xbox Live, and on the PC we use Steam. Each new game we make requires us to take a look at the best solutions out there.
I think the 360 has it's own unique set of challenges, but like any game we've developed, we always embrace the challenge... that's what makes this business so much fun. There are days when we definitely have our hands full, but in the end, we like what we've come up with... RTS games on consoles is still a huge potential, and we believe we have a very playable and fun game for console players.
Will the PC version have support for editing tools at all?
If we do end up providing tools, I can't say when, but it will be after the core game ships...
Can you tell us if there will be a beta test or demo for the game prior to its release?
We don't have a beta test planned at this time...
Supreme Commander 2 is scheduled for a March 2 release and two other big sci-fi RTS games also are coming out in March 2010. Is there a sense that there's going to be a lot of competition for the RTS gamer's dollar?
I don't think about that part of the business... that's the publishers area of expertise. My job is to build the best game ever and hope that our fans will check it out!
Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Supreme Commander 2?
Well, I hope that everyone enjoys the game... we feel it's one of the best games we've made yet
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So... a demo is planned?Posted at 9:40PM on Jan 31st 2010 by Einhanderkiller