Interviews:Firing Squad Interviews Chris Bernert
From Stargate Worlds Wiki (SGW)
Interview at FiringSquad
FiringSquad: First, Stargate Worlds recently announced that it would use Epic's Unreal Engine 3 as the graphical basis for the game. Why was this decision made and how will the Unreal Engine be altered for use in the game?
Chris Bernert: The Unreal Engine provides proven engine technology combined with excellent scalability. We needed a client that would provide for not only great visuals but lots of players within the game space and the Unreal Engine was up to task on both fronts. Another big plus for the Unreal Engine is its comprehensive toolset which allows us to hit the ground running.
FiringSquad:How hard will it be to integrate the Unreal Engine with Big World's server technology?
Chris Bernert: Unreal said … Really difficult, many have tried, none have succeeded. BigWorld said … Impossible, you are mad. It is an incredibly difficult task and probably one of our largest technical challenges.
FiringSquad:Recently it was announced that Stargate SG-1 had been cancelled by Scifi. Can you give us your reaction to this news and how it might affect the game's development?
Chris Bernert: Well our initial reaction was “well that blows” because we are all fans of the series and were spoiled having two Stargate franchises to watch. We had understood that the cancellation was always a possibilty, and we had planned for it, but the news was still sad for us. As for how will this effect the game, I take it as a positive. Although we have close relations with the show’s writers and are privy to the scripts before shooting begins, we still have to create the content and conceptualize the main villains and main story arc. The positive thing about the show being cancelled is that the writers can’t throw us any curveballs. For example, if we base a large part of our content on the Ori and the writers decide to eradicate them we’re placed in a difficult position. As it stands now we have a bit more freedom to direct the flow of the stories and of course we will remain loyal to whatever Atlantis throws our way. We now await word from the producers as to the future of Stargate as a franchise.
FiringSquad:We have seen MMORPGs based on licensed properties like Star Wars Galaxies and The Matrix Online disappoint players. How will the development team ensure that such a situation will not happen with Stargate Worlds?
Chris Bernert: We hope to avoid disappointing players by sticking to what we feel are the key components of what makes the Stargate franchise enjoyable. We also want to focus on what makes playing within the MMO space fun. Now what exactly makes the MMO space fun is an endless debate in itself but for us it’s a combination of Community, Content, and Combat. If we can nail these three ideals then we have a good chance at not disappointing our player base.
FiringSquad:How will the playable characters be handled in the game? Will there be humans exclusively or will the player get a chance to be some of the aliens from the TV series?
Chris Bernert: Our current plan is for players to choose to play the ‘Big Four’ races within the Stargate Universe. Humans, Jaffa, Goa’uld and Asgard.
FiringSquad:How will missions and quests be handled in the game?
Chris Bernert: Our current design is for missions to drive the main story arch and be an integral part of leveling progression. We have some cool ideas on the drawing boards which will add a few wrinkles to what players are currently used to within the MMO space.
FiringSquad:What can you tell us about Stargate World's combat?
Chris Bernert: We are pretty excited about our combat system from our preliminary prototypes. Let’s just say that our combat system is more visceral than what most players are used to in the current crop of MMOs. Our system encourages the players to use cover while in combat and it’s very advantageous also to keep moving. Weapon use is tactical so it’s not just the standard option of “Well this sword has the best DPS so that’s what I better use” systems that you see in most MMOs today. Also, our enemies are sneaky and don’t play fair. Well, they do but it just feels like they are cheating because instead of standing in one spot and taking a beating, they practice self preservation.
FiringSquad:Will there be space travel and battles in the game and if so how will that be handled?
Chris Bernert: Space battles are not planned at this time in the traditional sense but you may find yourself on a Goa’uld Mothership while on route to some distant planet. Our main means of travel in the game though is via the numerous Stargates within the galaxy. Just dial in and off you go.
FiringSquad:What other gameplay elements from Stargate Worlds will make it different from the crowd of MMORPGs on the market?
Chris Bernert: We have a few tricks up our sleeves that showcase non combat gameplay. We want to capture the moments in the show where the main characters have to solve a puzzle or riddle or fix the ship's power array. These actions are engaging as well as key to progressing through some missions. We also have a diplomatic system prototyped that allows players to interact with certain hostiles and defeat them without pulling out a gun. It’s pretty cool stuff.
FiringSquad:What is the current status of the game's progress and when will it be released?
Chris Bernert: We are wrapping up preproduction and look to begin full production soon. As for release, we’ll release when the game is ready.
FiringSquad:Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Stargate Worlds?
Chris Bernert: Stargate Worlds has a fantastic team of very talented people working on it. These people know their stuff so it’s an exciting project to be a part of. If I was a fan of either Stargate or MMOs or both I’d be pretty excited about what we have in store for you.
