Interview Silent Storm Q&A all local here

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Dmitry Zakharov; Nival Interactive; Silent Storm

As an interlude to the <A href="http://www.rpgcodex.com/content.php?id=90">Be a Silent Storm Poster Child contest</a>, we've posted an <A href="http://www.rpgcodex.com/content.php?id=91">interview</a> with <b>Dmitry Zakharov</b>, the <i>Project Leader</i> on <a href="http://www.nival.com/eng/s2_info.html">Silent Storm</a>. Here's a taste:
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<blockquote><i><b>2.</b> Silent Storm has many interesting and rarely seen these days features: turn-based combat, role-playing, non-linear campaign structure, multiple paths to complete missions, and interactive environment. Please tell us why each option was chosen, i.e. turn based instead of real time, non-linear instead of linear, etc.</i>
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The ultimate goal for all these improvements and concept key-points was to provide players with maximum freedom at every level of gameplay. Thus, for Silent Storm we’ve chosen the turn-based genre as it offers full control over the tactical situation and every operative in your squad. It enables players to make the best use of equipment, weapons, combat patterns and so on. It allows you to immerse into your mission, step into the boots of your squaddies, scrutinize details or apply group strategy whenever needed, at your own choice.
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Yet again, non-linear campaign structure means more freedom, flexibility and replayability for the game. Every time you start the game, special randomizer mixes up campaign missions, clues, sensitive information and other game evidence that drives you throughout and uncovers the plot. As you proceed and find these clues, new missions and objectives open up on the global map. This is where you decide which mission to take and in what direction you want to investigate and impose your subversive activity.
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Appearance of multiple paths to complete missions was inevitable with the introduction of totally destructible environment and powerful graphical engine in Silent Storm, unseen in the games of its genre before. It lets you collapse buildings, crush through doors, shoot enemies through ceiling by the sound of their footsteps. So, for instance, you can blow a wall with a pack of TNT anywhere you please and distract enemy guards while doing silent killing on the side of the lab. This permits you to fully use your tactical thinking and equipment at hand to accomplish the mission in the best way possible or in your own style. That’s why we’ve chosen it.</blockquote>
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Choosing turn based is never a bad idea.
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[Azael]

Especially when they do it as good as they do in this game. I especially like how they handle snipers, since you can spend more than one turn aiming at an enemy in order to enhance your chance to hit, provided he doesn't move too much. Of course, considering the engine in this game, it can even be fun when you miss. I had my soldier burst with his Bren machine gun at a Kraut standing next to a wooden guard tower, missed the Kraut but chewed up the tower instead, causing another Kraut which I hadn't even spotted to tumble to his death.

I wouldn't really call it a roleplaying game though, but if that what it takes to get more people to buy it...

 

[triCritical]

I wouldn't really call it a roleplaying game though, but if that what it takes to get more people to buy it...

I call JA2 a roleplaying game.

Anyhow if it has stats, which represent your characters ability and you are able to play a specific role based on stats alone then its a roleplaying game in my book. I'm easy...

Of course this does not make it a good roleplaying game, but interestingly enough games like SS2, which I like and Deus Ex Machinas, which I don't aren't really roleplaying games to me. I am not the kind of person that equates heavily dialogue and options to roleplaying, even though they can make a masterful game in certain instances like Fallout, or bore you death in KotOR!

Especially when they do it as good as they do in this game. I especially like how they handle snipers, since you can spend more than one turn aiming at an enemy in order to enhance your chance to hit, provided he doesn't move too much. Of course, considering the engine in this game, it can even be fun when you miss. I had my soldier burst with his Bren machine gun at a Kraut standing next to a wooden guard tower, missed the Kraut but chewed up the tower instead, causing another Kraut which I hadn't even spotted to tumble to his death.

I love it, sounds like the anti KotOR! Bssically a game in which your actions define the nitty gritty of the story, instead of someone who failed out of their literature class. I guess you can script a scene for saving a worthless jedi, if you can knock all the walls down guarding her. IMO that alone is more roleplaying then KotOR ever had!

I can't wait.

 

[HanoverF]

And you can substitute rocket launchers for lockpicks in a pinch...

 

[keeks]

Yeah, my scout has a special SMG he carries around just for "opening" doors. I call it The Key.

 

[Human Shield]

I had one question after playing the demo, why didn't they skip over hidden enemy actions like in X-COM. With the demo I had to wait for off-screen enemies to move around, is this changed with the full version?

 

[triCritical]

I had one question after playing the demo, why didn't they skip over hidden enemy actions like in X-COM. With the demo I had to wait for off-screen enemies to move around, is this changed with the full version?

I am not sure I understand? The AI still needs to calculate where the enemy goes every round and what they are doing every round, even if they are not in your vicinity. Although, I have not played the full version.

 

[Human Shield]

In X-COM hidden actions were completed instantly with no animation played; it skiped right to the player turn if you saw nothing (something I really liked). In the SS demo it forced you to stare at your character for a minute or two while things happen off-screen.

 

[Azael]

In X-COM hidden actions were completed instantly with no animation played; it skiped right to the player turn if you saw nothing (something I really liked). In the SS demo it forced you to stare at your character for a minute or two while things happen off-screen.

Pathfinding is a lot more complicated in Silent Storm's engine, which I imagine is the reason why it still takes time. We're talking 3d with (almost) fully destructible enviroment after all.

 

[triCritical]

In X-COM hidden actions were completed instantly with no animation played; it skiped right to the player turn if you saw nothing (something I really liked). In the SS demo it forced you to stare at your character for a minute or two while things happen off-screen.

Just like what Azael said. I think this is the price you pay for good AI. If Nivel can give you a game with no wait, it would be a no brainer, but I am pretty sure that its just the computer thinking. It would be Interesting to see how processor dependent everything is. I know Civ3 in the modern age took about 3-4 minutes on my mons 500 MHz CPU and about 20 seconds on mine.

 

[Azael]

Silent Storm is a game that can push your computer to the limit, especially when there's big explosions and debris flying around.

 

[Human Shield]

Alright, but does anyone know if the enemies are actually animated off screen? The pathfinding is much harder for sure but I wonder if when the enemy needs to climb a fence he takes the standard 3 sec to go through the animations or is he instantly teleported. Guess I should try looking at the code.

 

[EEVIAC]

The NPC's didn't have as much character as I would have liked - they're certainly not of the standard of JA2. I would have preferred being able to roll a party up myself rather than take the pre-made squad members.

 

[Jinxed]

Alright, but does anyone know if the enemies are actually animated off screen? The pathfinding is much harder for sure but I wonder if when the enemy needs to climb a fence he takes the standard 3 sec to go through the animations or is he instantly teleported. Guess I should try looking at the code.

Yes they do, heh, I gunned down enemies while they were in the middle of climbing many times. Adds to the joy value. ("suck it down")
edit: I re-read your question, answer is: no, they get teleported, animation of something unseen would be a pointless weight.

The game is perfect in many ways, as an old time JA2 player I don't find it really lacking except the setting.

After reading the interview, there's something I don't understand. They said they used the WWII setting, explaining why, but those reasons seem bogus after playing the game. The game is too short and the gameworld is too small. Sure, there are a couple of missions related to spies and what not, but this could be used in modern time just as well. It's more like they are using some sort of excuse not to be accused of ripping JA2 too much.

It's too bad the game is short, maybe the expansion will fix that.

 

[triCritical]

It's too bad the game is short, maybe the expansion will fix that.

I haven't played it yet, but short is good for me. Mainly because I believe it has a lot of replay value. And secondly because then i have a chance of finishing it. :wink: