GZ Interview
7/8/02

Enter the world of GI Combat with Freedom Games Eric Young
by Michael Lafferty

The terrain is meticulously detailed and rendered true to the actual locales. The soldiers are subject to the psychological effects of war. The path before you will not be an easy one.

It is just after D-Day and the Normandy countryside beckons. Do you choose to defend the conquests of the Third Reich, or march through as an army of liberation.

GI Combat is a real-time strategy game from Freedom Games and Strategy First. While the game certain draws from history, it also offers players the opportunity to rewrite the past.

World War II, and war games in general, seem to be a popular theme during the upcoming year. But GI Combat looks to break from the pack with its line-of-sight targeting, and the presentation of the combat.

Other features include:
* A realistic 3D environment in which the maps are drawn from the actual terrain of Normandy.
* Detailed psychological model with eight different psychological states.
* Detailed individual soldier models.
* The ability to lead either American or German forces.
* An array of period weaponry such as the MP-40 or the Thompson machinegun, as well as heavier artillery units like the Jumbo Sherman, the Mark V Panther, or German 88.
* Historically detailed campaign set in Normandy June 1944.
* Dozens of historical and hypothetical scenarios beginning at D-Day, and carrying through Patton’s breakout during Operation Cobra.
* 60 Different squad types

Eric Young, the CEO of Freedom Games, took time to take to GameZone about this program.

Question: There are a host of war games being released in the coming year. What will set this title apart from the pack?

Eric: “GI Combat is the only title that combines state of the art 3D, life-like animation, historical depth, and real-time action into one title. You will fight with real weapons, over real terrain, with soldiers that act like real men in combat. They all said it couldn’t be done, so we did it to prove them wrong.”

Q: Why do you think there is such an interest in this particular historical game genre?

Eric: “There are lots of reasons. Movie and television coverage of World War II is at a 30-year high. Quality films raise interest and make people more aware of the sacrifices made by the World War II generation to keep the world a free and livable place. Strategy games on a World War II theme have always sold well, making real time games that action players can get into is the key to making a broad market consumer base.”

Q: What kind of mapboards does this game employ (like hexagonal or interactive terrain), and how is movement determined?

Eric: “Well, I would say that you will never see a hex in a game made by me ever again, but I have learned to never say never again. Hexes are for turn-based games. We use a 3D mesh and gravity to move the guys around on. An underlying data system gives the terrain cover, protection, and hindrance to line of sight. Another data system controls unit movement over the terrain. A third data system covers buildings.”

Q: What kind of combat physics are used, and how is the ‘fog of war’ employed in the game?

Eric: “Each weapon system has hundreds of data entries to make it perform to a realistic combat physics model. Each round is tracked until impact for realistic timing of shot fall and affect. Fog of War can be turned on and off as an option. When it is on you, you get a true 3D LOS revelation of what your troops can and cannot see. If you limit your camera to the front lines you will never get more than a soldiers eye view of the battlefield, which can be minimal.”

Q: Does this game incorporate anything new technology-wise? What kind of engine does it use, and what did that engine enable you to do?

Eric: “Technology wise there is not much new, but for all of this technology to be in a historically accurate World War II sim is very new. We use our own engine, based on about 10 percent of Renderware made by Criterion Software. Renderware is a good shooter BSP world engine, but it is not designed for wide-open worlds like what we make.”

Q: Is there independent movement or does one soldier's animation mirror others?  What kind of models were used for the soldier animation?

Eric: “Each soldier is animated by what weapon he is using. On top of that there are several random animations for any given animation sequence that flow together so that no one soldier in a squad should be animated like the soldier next to him in the same squad. Our animations are based on a skin and bone animation system.”

Q: What elements do you consider essential to this kind of game?

Eric: “Essential design elements are an easy to learn and easy to use interface that does not require a ton of user needed data to play a game. Great animation, particle effects, a life like world, and great sounds are all elements that make player emersion number one in GI Combat.”
 
Q: What kind of multiplayer options are available for this product?

Eric: “Head-to-head TCP/IP or LAN play.”

GI Combat is slated to be released this summer.

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