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Comrade Jerkov Interview - Tiberian Alert 14/06/04
Dancam
:
Hello, and thankyou again for agreeing to take part in this interview. When did you begin work on Tiberian Alert?
Comrade Jerkov
:
It's a pleasure, Dan :) It was early of last year, if I recall correctly, that I first discussed the TA idea with
Des0. Back then it was to be a direct port from TS to YR, but it evolved quite soon after.
Dancam
:
Recently, the decision was made to make the mod more secretive and to keep more information away from the public,
why was this decision made?
Comrade Jerkov
:
There were many reasons, actually. First and foremost was actually because we didn't want the public to completely
lose confidence in what we were doing. By this I mean that there didn't seem to be a lot publicly going on.
With it being kept more secretive, we can ensure that we don't lose focus of what we're doing. Also, developments
are being made that we want to be a surprise ;)
Dancam
:
It says on your website, that Tiberian Alert was originally planned for Tiberian Sun, but that gradually the change
was made to the Yuri's Revenge expansion. Why was this?
Comrade Jerkov
:
It wasn't intended for TS. It was originally planned as a port-over from TS to to YR. That changed because of
engine difficulties (logic from TS that is impossible to code in YR) primarily. Also, there are many aspects of
YR logic that would go to waste were we to have stuck with TS units. Besides, CnC: Reloaded already does a direct
port of GDI and Nod.
Dancam
:
Out of the units planned so far, which do you believe will eventually become your favourite, and why do you believe
this?
Comrade Jerkov
Oh, now this question I like. I reckon the Mobile Drilling Platform for Nod. It will be able to completely rewrite
tactics for both sides. Harvesters were always a priority-one target for most players. But what happens if you can
control where the resources are? It will force any GDI player to rethink their strategy.
Dancam
:
The AI for this mod will need to be extensive to make the Campaign and Skirmish modes enjoyable. What is the
plan to enable this?
Comrade Jerkov
AI will be probably one of the last things we implement. So far in the alphas Des0 has coded TA's units
'over the top of' existing units to allow the primitive AI to function with them. In the Campaign, we can of
course use map scripts to allow the AI to function much more effectively. In Skirmish, we're fortunate enough
not to be overburdened with sides, so we can hone the AI effectively without jeapordising game stability.
Dancam
:
How will you change the terrain for this mod, and what role will Tiberium have?
Comrade Jerkov
Des08tor told me just last night he was planning to completely create all-new terrain, to further sculpt a Tiberian
world. Tiberium will function much as it has ever done, complete with many more mutated life forms for the two sides to do battle with. As well as the visceroids, fiends, floaters, etc. I've got in mind to implement Tiberian sealife, as well as colonies of wasps (they spawn from their hives to attack, not unlike an aircraft).
Dancam
:
GDI's aims, according to your website, are to prevent Tiberium from causing mass extinctions and also stop any group that may want this to happen. Does this mean that there ARE going to be other groups involved in the campaign at some point?
Comrade Jerkov
Yes. The essence of TA's plot is that 12 nuclear strikes have hit Earth, from orbital satellites overhead. GDI came
off worst from it, because Nod operate literally from underground. Both groups are blaming each other, but there are
other forces at work. I don't want to spoil it for the punters, but that's about the size of it so far.
Dancam
:
How do you plan on implementing superweapons from Tiberian Sun, such as the Firestorm defence?
Comrade Jerkov
The Firestorm defence facility will work much as the Force Shield or Iron Curtain does currently. It deploys an
Aura-Shield to protect the base. The Firewall has been scrapped. The Ion Cannon is going to be implemented very
easily, so too with the Nod's Meteor Attraction Device. We have yet to decide Nod's secondary superweapon.
Dancam
:
Are you planning on including any new skirmish or multiplayer modes for the mod?
Comrade Jerkov
Des08tor has mind to include his Survivor gamemode. I plan to add some very strategic gamemodes such as an idea
I've had in for a while where capturing civilian turrets and destroying enemy units between bases grants credits
with which to build your army. There will be others, but they're pretty much on the back-buner until the main meat
of the mod is out.
Dancam
The AI for this mod will need to be extensive to make the Campaign and Skirmish modes enjoyable. What is the plan
to enable this?
Comrade Jerkov
:
AI will be probably one of the last things we implement. So far in the alphas Des0 has coded TA's units 'over
the top of' existing units to allow the primitive AI to function with them. In the Campaign, we can of course use
map scripts to allow the AI to function much more effectively. In Skirmish, we're fortunate enough not to be
overburdened with sides, so we can hone the AI effectively without jeapordising game stability.
Dancam
How far has the mod progressed so far, and how long will it be before a public release?
Comrade Jerkov
:
Des08tor released our second internal alpha just yesterday. By the third, everything will be placeholder'd and ready for graphics. Essentially, graphics are the primary need at the moment. Structure and Infantry SHPers are hard to come by, but voxelling is progressing rather well.
Dancam
:
Is there anything that I have missed, that you would like to mention in this interview?
Comrade Jerkov
Something I've forgotten from an earlier question: As well as the obvious surface terrains, we plan to actually
conduct a few missions underground. If we can pull this off, there's also scope for Skirmish missions.
Watch this space!
Dancam:
Thanks again for taking part in this interview and good luck with TA.
To access the Monday Mod Report associated with this article, click
here.
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