Written by andy on Monday, June 5th, 2006 in Gaming.
Firing Squad has about the best Question and Answer session with the CEO of Massive Martin Walfisz.
FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the plans for multiplayer in the game?
Martin Walfisz: That’s a very big question. 
And there is so much to say about our multiplayer plans. But I’ll try to keep it short (sort of):
Everyone should know that multiplayer is at the very core of World in Conflict. We’ve put a lot effort into making the multiplayer and online experience immediately accessible and rewarding. We’ve also put a lot of thought behind how to support team efforts and I believe that there is no other strategy game that is so satisfying to play together with your friends. It’s like a whole new layer just waiting to be discovered — the closest comparison is probably to having a tight-knit team in Counter-Strike or Battlefield.
I also want to mention that World in Conflict is the only strategy game (as far as I know) that fully supports drop-in gameplay without putting players at an advantage or disadvantage. In other words, a player can join an on-going match at any time — the way the gameplay mechanics are set up makes this seamlessly possible.
Finally, about our online community system, Massgate. We’ve completely rebuilt it to fulfill our World in Conflict needs. It has full support for matchmaking, chat, clans, tournaments, auto-patching and a lot more.And the number one priority has been to ensure that it must take less than a minute from starting the game until you’re online in a match (including load times). I timed it the other day, it took 37 secs to start the game, log in to Massgate, find a suitable server and load the map that we’re showing at E3. In other words, instant access!
FiringSquad: The Ground Control series were always some of the best looking RTS games of their time. What can you tell us about the visuals for World in Conflict?
Martin Walfisz: Great visuals is an area that we’ve always excelled in and I can safely say that World in Conflict will not disappoint. I’ll spare you the tech buzz words, and just tell you that the stuff we have in the game rivals’ most current FPS games.
FiringSquad: What other interesting elements can players expect in the game?
Martin Walfisz: The Tactical Aids are highly rewarding and can have a huge impact on the game – if deployed smartly. You’ll see Air Strikes, Bunker Busters, Paratroopers, and much more. And I can’t wait until you see the Tactical Nuke!
FiringSquad: What is the current status of the game’s progress and when will it be released?
Martin Walfisz: We’re still at pre-alpha but already have a lot of gameplay features and content complete. Things look good to complete it in time for a spring 2007 release. In any case, we’ve promised ourselves and our fans that we will not rush this game — it will by far be the most polished title that Massive has ever created.
There is much more here
Battlefield 2 is proud to introduce its second booster pack, Armored Fury. The battle continues in a brand-new theater as the US forces are fighting on their own soil — defend your territory against the MEC and Chinese forces, from the Alaskan pipeline to the prairies of the American Midwest. New attack jets and scout helicopters give air combat a whole new level of importance!
NEW FEATURES
NCsoft Europe released a new trailer from the latest update to the City of Heroes and City of Villains. Free to subscribers, Issue #7: Destiny Manifest provides new content for high-level players, like two new zones, Grandville and Recluse’s Victory (featuring Lord Recluse himself), new missions, new power sets, costume options, base features and an improved graphics engine.
