16 replies to this topic

[AndY]

It's time for this month's Ask the Team! (Information - Format: Alpha).

For this second AtT!, we encourage you to ask us about details covered in recent Feedback Requests and/or how we plan to solve in IA! some of the biggest problems encountered in OW.

Ready? Set.. Go!


The thread will get locked on Monday, March 5th at 23:59 UTC/GMT.

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Answers

redMatter said:

• leiftiger asked:
  
  • You've talked about different units for the OP(s): light, medium and heavy. Are there more units in addition to those?
    Light, Medium and Heavy are planned unit types. Each unit will belong to a race (Humanoid, Robotic, etc..) and have a type (L, M, H) and configuration (weapon/equipment loadout, ability, etc..). We haven't figured out all the specifics yet for the different types, but the main idea is to change some of the unit's attributes (HP, Speed, Damage, Accuracy and so on) based on its type. For example: a Heavy Robotic unit would have tons of HP but would move very slowly (so it can't avoid incoming fire), whereas a Light Robotic unit would have a small amount of HP but would be very fast/versatile. Obviously, the different unit types would have different models.
    
    
  • Have you planned on what those units (including light, medium and heavy) will be like?
    We've yet to figure out the specifics on what will change between the three types. As for races, we've only discussed Humanoid, Robotic and Alien so far.
    
    
  • When can we expect to see concept art or in-game screens of the GPs and OP's units?
    It'll still be a little while before we release in-game screenies of characters as we first build/use ugly placeholders until some of the core unit-related features are implemented. Concepts, on the other hand, will be released much sooner (we can't give a specific date yet, but keep an eye out for upcoming Spotlight blog entries).
    
    
  • Do you all at redMatter work together in an office building or are you working in distance from each other?
    For the time being, we're all working remotely from our individual homes (we have people located all over the world).
    
    
  • Is IA! going to use Steamworks or be available on Steam (for matchmaking, joining friends, etc..)?
    It's a bit too early to know for sure whether we'll be using Steamworks or a similar system like GameSpy (UE3 has built-in support for both). We definitely do want IA! to eventually end up on Steam, but that won't happen until we're closer to beta.
  
  
• rickinator9 asked:
  
  • Will there be roles for the OP (so he can choose a set of units, rather than having the same units all the time)?
    OPs will have loadouts for units, traps and sensors. Their unit loadout will consist of units selected from the various races, types and configurations available (described above). They'll also be able to update their loadouts and possibly save presets that they can select at the start of a round.
    
    
  • How will you try to solve saving up units and then rushing them to the GPs, overwhelming them?
    For our first game mode, we've planned a level format where each round is divided into sections. Each section is a part of the map with a primary objective at the end, and completing the objective grants access to the next section. At the beginning of each section, almost everything is reset except for loadouts and teams (so the current OP is the same throughout the entire round).
    
    The sections are relatively small in size (but large enough to have some alternate paths in them), which ensures that dead GPs (or new players joining mid-round) won't have to wait for too long to spawn, and OPs wouldn't mass up a huge army since they'll need to treat each section as a separate battle (and will not be able to carry over units between sections). There's much more to this system and we'll be describing it in more detail in an upcoming FbReq.
    
    
  • How will you enable the OP to surprise (future) veterans of IA!?
    We want each side to be able to surprise the other, keeping every round interesting no matter how many rounds you play. With the varieties available for GPs (weapon and equipment loadouts, roles) and OPs (unit and trap loadouts, map-wide unit spawning and trap placement, minibosses), level layouts (multiple paths and objectives, randomized unit "entry" points) and individual player strategies, we're positive this can be accomplished.
    
    We're also planning to release new content (levels, units, etc..) frequently to add even more variety to the game over time.
  
  
• Gabe(HUN) asked:
  
  • How will you solve the weapon naming problems? Will it be like realistic weapon names (like M1928) or some sort of nicknamed weaponry like in TF2 or Battlefield Heroes (like The Typewriter)?
    We'll definitely be leaning more towards creative/fun names for our weapons and items. For one, fun names that more accurately describe the weapon/item in question are much easier to remember than random designations, and many (if not most) of the weapons/items in IA! won't exist in the "real world" anyway (a spy isn't a spy without a bunch of custom-built gadgets and gizmos!).
    
    
  • When do you want to release actual gameplay footage?
    Now that the first teaser trailer is out, the next few videos we plan to release will contain in-game footage, some of them focused entirely on gameplay! We'll be showing some of the core features, levels and assets we're implementing, in conjunction with upcoming Spotlight blog entries.
    
    
  • How many maps do you want to release for the first version? Less or more than the OW's map collection?
    We're planning to release IA!'s very first (pre-alpha) build to the community as soon as we have one prototype level in decent shape. This'll allow us to start gathering feedback early while we continue producing additional content.
    
    
  • When can we try the alpha/beta version?
    See above!
  
  
• WAXT asked:
  
  • Could you explain how the Active Ability, Passive Ability and Alternate-Fire work in the Roles System (when are they triggered, how does the player use them, etc..)?
    Generally, the AA and AF are triggered by a player-customizable bind (mouse or keyboard button) and the PA is triggered by an event (for example: the Defender's PA is triggered whenever he/she is taking incoming fire - as long as the PA isn't disabled or on cooldown). As for how they'll be used (and what exactly each role will grant), those details are still being figured out. Feel free to post some suggestions in the I&S section of the forums!
  
  
• ScrooLewse asked:
  
  • To what extent will you be able to aesthetically and gameplay-wise customize your GPs? Will it just be alternate arsenals? New costuming options? Will there be a full-fledged character editor? Are the gameplay changes going to be minor stat alterations? New playstyles? Game-changers?
    Our first priority is giving players the ability to customize their GP characters' loadouts: both weapons (primary, secondary, melee) and equipment (explosives, other consumables like health/armour boosters). The second priority will be to give them the ability to customize certain aspects of their GP characters' appearance, just enough to make each character stand out and be recognizable.
    
    It's unlikely we'll ever see a full-fledged character editor (i.e. modifying details like nose size). Minor stat changes might be possible (either granted by weapons you're carrying or through consumable time-limited boosters), but we'll need to focus heavily on making sure balance isn't affected.
    
    
  • Same questions for the OP.
    Our priorities here are similar: first is giving players the ability to customize their OP characters' loadouts: both units (described above) and traps/sensors. Second is giving them the ability to customize certain aspects of their units/bases (like picking a logo and colour that'll be visible throughout the level and on anything owned by the OP, including units).
    
    
  • Following-up on that, will the GPs at any time be able to physically see the OP at some point through the round? Only on certain maps?
    We're not sure. You might see silhouettes of the "Mastermind" on walls or monitors, but you won't be able to interact with them. The closest you'll get to interacting with the OP is by fighting the OP-selected (and very possibly OP-controlled) miniboss unit at the end of a level (assuming the GP team reaches that far, of course!).
    
    
  • Out of curiosity, what sort of household do the team members have? No names, just curious who's got a wife and/or children, roommates... parents...
    I think only one of us has children and I doubt any of us are married. I'm pretty sure we've all had/lived with parents at one point or another. :P
    
    
  • Obviously, there is going to be a large crowd whose sole reason for buying the game is to pit their wits against the GPs and will likely not even want to play as a GP. How are you going to make being a GP fun enough to make them forget about that long enough for their turn to come up?
    For starters, every player will spend 80% of their time in-game as a GP, so we'll need to make that very clear to anyone interested in playing IA!. As for your question, everything we've described so far should answer it.
    
    With that in mind, we have been discussing a few options for increasing time played as an OP. Levels in OW are limited to eight (8) players, which gives each player a 1 in 8 chance of being selected as an OP at the start of a new round. In IA!, we're considering designing some levels specifically for smaller numbers of players (3-6), which would give them the opportunity to play as OP more often.
    
    Combined with our new and improved automatic OP selection system (which ensures that OP selection is fair for everyone) and the new OP opt-in settings (so that players don't have to opt in or out at the start of every round), we're confident that players will be able to enjoy both sides of the game.
    
    
  • I noticed in the first teaser trailer that the one player that died didn't come back. It may get pretty boring just sitting there waiting for the next round, especially when you consider that the lightning-fast rounds of other no-respawn games like Counter-Strike would be no fun for an OP. How are you planning on entertaining the GPs once they die?
    What we described in our answer to rickinator9's second question should cover it!
  
  
• The Joker asked:
  
  • Is Intruder Alert! being influenced by other key RTS/FPS games (for example: Company of Heroes, Halo or the Battlefield series)?
    Good design isn't influenced by just one or two games but by all of them. In other words, every game that any member of our team has ever played could influence (and likely already has influenced) the game's design. What's important to note is that even if some aspects of the game are inspired by our experiences with other games, IA! isn't simply a boxful of random concepts mixed together; we take great care to ensure that each and every idea, no matter where it comes from, is moulded to fit perfectly with the game as a whole.
    
    
  • If so, which games do you believe help you the most in your progress toward working on IA!?
    IA! combines elements from two very distinct main genres and does it in a way that very, very few games have done before, which pretty much means that we have to learn most of the lessons ourselves. Without a doubt, the one game that has most helped us is our very own Overwatch, as the information we've gathered from its development and all the feedback we've received from its community have been (and will continue to be) invaluable assets during the production of IA!.
    
    We're also confident that IA! itself will help us quite a bit in that regard, which is why giving early access to the game is so important to us and having such a tight-knit relationship with our community is paramount.
    
    
  • And what features have you implemented so far that are influenced from other games (such as customization, features, abilities, gameplay styles, etc..)?
    See above!

Remember: any features/aspects described above are still subject to change.


That's it for this month's episode of Ask the Team!. Until next!

[leiftiger]

1. You've talked about different units for the OP(s), light, medium and heavy. Are there more units in addition to those?
2. Have you planned on what those units (including light, medium and heavy) will be like? (I suspect that heavy will be a robot? )
3. When can we expect to see concept arts or in-game screens of the GPs and OP's units?
4. Do you all at redMatter work together in an office building or are you working in distance from each other?

Edit:
5. Is IA! going to use Steamworks or be available on Steam? (Stuff like matchmaking, join friends, etc.)

Edited by leiftiger, 03 March 2012 - 03:23 AM.

[rickinator9]

1. Will there be roles for the OP?(So he can choose a set of units, rather than having the same units all the time).
2. How will you try to solve saving up units and them rushing them to the GPs, overwelming them?
3. How will you enable the OP to surprise (future) veterans of IA!?

[Gabe(HUN)]

1. How can you solves the weapon name problems? It will be like realistic weapon names ( like M1928) or some sort of nicknamed weaponry, like in TF2 or Battlefield Heroes ( for this The Typewriter)?
2. How many maps do you want to release for the first version? Less or more than the OW's map collection?
3. When do you want to release an actual gameplay footage? When can we try the aplha/beta version?

[AndY]

Excellent questions so far, keep them coming!

[WAXT]

• Could you explain how the Active Ability, Passive Ability and Alternate-Fire work in the Roles System? (When are they triggered? How does the player use them? Etcetera.)

(I'll edit this post with more questions if I think of any.)

[ScrooLewse]

To what extent will you be able to aestetically and gameplay-wise customize your GPs?
Will it just be alternate arsenals? New costuming options? Will there be a full-fledged character editor? Are the gameplay changes going to be minor stat alterations? New playstyles? Game-changers?

Same question for the OP.

Following-up on that, will the GPs at any time be able to physically see the OP at some point through the round? Only on certain maps?

EDIT:
Out of curiosity, what sort of household do the team members have? No names, just curious whose got a wife and/or children, roommates... parents...

Edited by ScrooLewse, 02 March 2012 - 11:20 PM.

[The Joker]

1. Is Intruder Alert! being influenced from other key RTS/FPS games(for example, Company of Heroes, or Halo or the Battlefield series)
2. If so, which games do you believe help you the most in your progress toward working on Intruder Alert?
3. If so, what features have you implemented so far that are influenced from other games(such as customization, features, abilities, gameplay style etc)

[ScrooLewse]

Obviously, there is going to be a large crowd whose sole reason for buying the game is to pit their wits against the GPs, and will likely not even want to play as a GP. How are you going to being a GP fun enough to make them forget about that long enough for their turn to come-up?

I noticed in the trailer that the one player that died didn't come back. It may get pretty boring just sitting there waiting for the next round, especially when you consider that the lightning-fast rounds of other no-respawn games like Counter-Strike would be no fun for an OP. How are you planning on entertaining the GPs once they die?

[AndY]

Thanks fellas. We'll post our answers soon.

[AndY]

Answers have been posted at the top and the thread is now open for followup questions and comments!

[leiftiger]

redMatter said:

OPs will have loadouts for units, traps and sensors. Their unit loadout will consist of units selected from the various races, types and configurations available (described above). They'll also be able to update their loadouts and possibly save presets that they can select at the start of a round.

Will the loadouts also be for weapons? (e.g. that you could assign a light unit with an smg or a heavy unit with a rocket launcher)

Edited by leiftiger, 11 March 2012 - 07:20 AM.

[Sabre]

I have some follow up questions

1- Could you be able to add races in the future. For example, if you decide to add cyborgs or zombie monsters, would that be doible? Or are the races going to set at an early stage?

2- Can races be mixed? eg. Light robots with medium humans?

3- Will you be locked into a race once the map starts, choose a race in loadout or are they map specific? eg. Let's say there is a map set on a UFO, could you use humans on that?

4- You describe the robot heavy as big and slow, does that mean other race 'heavies' could be quick and small?

5- Guns are going to be nicknamed, but how much will the guns be based on real ones? eg. Having a AK47 named "Soviat Rifle" or will they be more original than that?

6- How did you guys meet and form a company, and how are you funding all this if you just working from home?

Edited by Sabre, 11 March 2012 - 09:39 AM.

[A1win]

leiftiger, on 11 March 2012 - 07:19 AM, said:

Will the loadouts also be for weapons? (e.g. that you could assign a light unit with an smg or a heavy unit with a rocket launcher)

My current opinion is that any enemy with a different weapon from another should have a different look as well, even if it's just a different skin of the same model. It might be better to let the OP choose between a few similar units that have different weapons rather than have him choose one of a few weapons for the same unit. The reason is that the GPs will then be able to instantly know what kind of a threat they are facing just by having a glimpse at the enemy. Either way, there will be variation in the weapons the OP can have for his units.

[AndY]

A1win, on 11 March 2012 - 09:38 AM, said:

leiftiger, on 11 March 2012 - 07:19 AM, said:

Will the loadouts also be for weapons? (e.g. that you could assign a light unit with an smg or a heavy unit with a rocket launcher)

My current opinion is that any enemy with a different weapon from another should have a different look as well, even if it's just a different skin of the same model. It might be better to let the OP choose between a few similar units that have different weapons rather than have him choose one of a few weapons for the same unit. The reason is that the GPs will then be able to instantly know what kind of a threat they are facing just by having a glimpse at the enemy. Either way, there will be variation in the weapons the OP can have for his units.

It basically falls under the unit "configurations" I mentioned in the first question's answer. If we think of it in OW terms, the SMG and Shotgun units were both Combine:Light units with two different configurations (same model, different skins).

Sabre, on 11 March 2012 - 09:32 AM, said:

I have some follow up questions:
1- Could you be able to add races in the future. For example, if you decide to add cyborgs or zombie monsters, would that be doible? Or are the races going to set at an early stage?
2- Can races be mixed? eg. Light robots with medium humans?
3- Will you be locked into a race once the map starts, choose a race in loadout or are they map specific? eg. Let's say there is a map set on a UFO, could you use humans on that?
4- You describe the robot heavy as big and slow, does that mean other race 'heavies' could be quick and small?
5- Guns are going to be nicknamed, but how much will the guns be based on real ones? eg. Having a AK47 named "Soviat Rifle" or will they be more original than that?
6- How did you guys meet and form a company, and how are you funding all this if you just working from home?

1- That's actually the plan. We'll start with one or two basic ones (likely the humanoid and robotic races since they're similar in some respects) and then add more and more with future updates. We can also expand existing races/types at any time by adding units with new configurations.

2- If you're talking about the OP's loadout, then yes, definitely! We might limit the number of "slots" by type (for example: 2H, 3M, 5L) or by weight (for example: you can pick up to 20u-worth of units if H=4u, M=2u, L=1u - so you can have 2H/3M/6L or 3H/3M/2L or 5H/0M/0L etc..).

3- Races, types and configurations won't be level-limited. You select your loadout(s) on the Main Menu (either one loadout or multiple saved as presets) then you select which loadout/preset you want to use at the start of the round (when you're selected as an OP). You won't be able to change your loadout/preset during the round.

4- Unit attributes will be similar between all races, so all Heavy units will be big and slow. What makes the races different is what each can do (humanoids have weapons, aliens might just have claws, etc..).

5- Probably a bit more original than that.

6- Some of us have known each other for a while (quite a few of us first started working together on Sven Co-op many years ago). The others sent in their résumés and were brought on after a thorough interview and testing process. So far, we've funded everything ourselves.


Let me know if you have any other questions!

[rickinator9]

Will there be some canon? Like why race x joins the masterminds scheme for world domination? I heard there will be aliens eventually, why would they join the masterminds plot?

[AndY]

rickinator9, on 14 March 2012 - 09:50 AM, said:

Will there be some canon? Like why race x joins the masterminds scheme for world domination? I heard there will be aliens eventually, why would they join the masterminds plot?

We'll eventually have backstories for both characters and levels.