UFO: Aftershock Brings an Alien Invasion Right Into Your Living Room

by Louis Bedigian

“I believe the most exciting thing is the unique combination of global strategy and tactical missions.”

When UFOs attack, I’ll be ready!  I’ll be ready for their reconnaissance group, their infiltration, their inspection of Earth’s spectacle.  I’m prepared for their sneak attacks, their slithering bodies, their Weapons of Strangulation (WOS).

I’ve watched Independence Day numerous times, so believe me when I say that I WILL be ready!

“Hey dude, there’s an alien behind you.”

(Quickly turns around) What, where!?!?!?

“Right here, Louis Bedigian.”

What do you want from me!?

“We don’t want you to be afraid of us anymore.  The nonsense that we are vicious, violent characters needs to be put to rest.”

Yeah, well how do you intend to do that?  We Earthlings don’t always see what’s really there.

“That’s why I’ve brought along UFO: Aftershock.  This game illustrates the cruel punishment that aliens deal in your minds.  By playing it you’ll see the difference between the good aliens, the ones that really exist, and the bad ones game developers have created.”

Okay, hand me the controller!

As the controller moved closer, I began to hear a ringing sound.  It got louder and louder, then suddenly I was in my bed.

Was it only a dream?  That’s what I thought at first.  But sitting across from my bed was Jiri Rydl, PR Manager at ALTAR Interactive.  I can’t confirm it, but my gut tells me that aliens had something to do with Jiri’s arrival.

Either way he was here, so I figured I might as well interrogate.

Please start by introducing the UFO series to our readers.

Jiri Rydl: UFO: Aftermath and UFO: Aftershock are small squad tactical strategy games about alien invasion on Earth in the not-so-far future.  The player is in the role of the savior of mankind.

Looks like an alien action figure.

Does the story pick up where the previous game left off?
 

JR: UFO: Aftershock is sequel to that UFO: Aftermath ending, where people accepted Reticulans' offer, left the planet surface, and the Earth became a huge biomass farm.

Have any gameplay elements from UFO: Aftermath been changed or discarded?
 

JR: Yes, for instance air combat was discarded from the game.  On the other hand [the] SAS system was improved in many ways.  There will [also] be more tactical options, a wider variety of strategic elements, etc.

What about new elements?  How many does UFO: Aftershock have and what are they?
 

JR: In UFO: Aftershock you can enter buildings and climb on the roofs, we have improved RPG system and SAS. On the strategic level, there are new elements like gathering resources, dealing goods, diplomacy etc.

Ready to take action.

Describe the SAS system and how it's being improved for the sequel.
 

JR: Our Simultaneous Action System (SAS) features the best elements of turn based and real time systems. You give orders while the game is paused, taking as much time as you like. Once you are finished, you simply tell the game to start. Once the game is underway, you can pause the game at any point to update or change your orders, and the game will automatically pause when important events occur, so that you may modify your plans accordingly.

The SAS system in UFO: Aftershock will undergo several improvements, such as for a command to “wait and attack” or pause option "Probability change." Furthermore, we want to make more obvious to the player what is going on. For each soldier, you will be able to see the order queue and his current activity. For every action, you will see the results, how it was the influenced by soldier's skills, equipment, enhancers, etc.

How do the RPG elements fit in?

JR: There will be 6 core statistics, from which the skill values derive: Strength, Agility, Dexterity, Willpower, Intelligence, Perception. Raising Willpower should for example make the soldier more resistant to PSI influence, raising his Strength will make him able to carry more, etc.

There are two ways of improving your soldiers: attributes and trainings. The attributes are improved in “traditional” RPG way: As your troops are fighting, they will earn experience points that will enable them to go up in levels. When they gain a level, they will get one attribute point they can allocate, improving their skills in the department of your choice.

There will about a dozen different trainings too, each with three different “grades” (basic, medium, advanced). Every training – and every grade – gives a soldier a unique new ability. Each soldier can receive only a small number of different trainings, so you have to choose carefully.

Tell us about the base construction system.
 

JR: There are other factions in the game, beside your own. These may inhabit territories suitable for bases and if your relationship with that faction is cordial enough, they may in turn invite you to build one of your bases there. Once the base is founded, you must connect it to your base network and then you can start constructing buildings inside it.

This concept image gives you an idea of what to expect.

Talk about the game's various units – enemy units, allied units, and any other that are featured in the game.
 

JR: There will be many different kinds of enemies in the game, from mutants and fellow humans from different factions, to several different races of aliens.

What other exciting things can you tell us about UFO: Aftershock?  Could you by any chance reveal one of the game's secrets...?
 

JR: I believe the most exciting thing is the unique combination of global strategy and tactical missions. One of many surprises will be for instance using cyber implants!

Sounds cool.

Thank you for your time.