[2002] Ed Castillo Interview At Realms Of War

[twentius 1]

URL of actual site:

http://battlerealms.strategyplanet.gamespy...es-gschat.shtml

GameSpy Arcade Chat Log

<Cobby> This evening we're chatting with Mike Greyford and Ed Del Castillo from Liquid Entertainment

<Cobby> Welcome guys!

<Cobby> Care to say a few words before we start?

<Mike___Ed> Hello, everybody! Thanks to everyone for joining us in the chat and for everyone's interest in Battle Realms.

<Cobby> Ok we're going to start the questions now!

<Cobby> *tryton* who thought up the concept of Battle Realms

<Mike___Ed> Ed was the chief creative force behind the game. He came up with a lot of the initial design when it was first proposed. Since then, everyone on the team has added bits and pieces, and sometimes even big chunks.

<Cobby> *Moby_Harper* How do you plan to support the Battle Realms Community now that it is released? (In addition to fixes with final)

<Mike___Ed> Our main plan is to release what we are calling BattlePacks once a month. These will primarily include new levels. Additionally, we are working to get the World Editor into a state where we feel it is consumer-ready.

<Mike___Ed> ...

<Mike___Ed> We are also moving on to the Expansion Pack and Battle Realms 2. In addition, as we have time, we hope to include some new goodies in the Battle Packs.

<Cobby> *CorpsE* How were initial Sales of the game?

<Mike___Ed> It is too early to tell right now - we don't even have any information on this. However, the reviews that we've been getting have been very positive, so maybe this will carry through to sales.

<Cobby> *Nilas_Arcanister* Why did you guys decide not to put formations in BR?

<Mike___Ed> We wanted people to spend time on the battlefield, controlling individual units. Formations would be much better with a larger number of troops...

<Mike___Ed> We instead focused on keeping your units in formation as they move, based on how you set them up beforehand.

<Cobby> *El_Jefe* will you be making a patch for battle realms to address the speed of gameplay???

<Mike___Ed> We are going to look into a patch to allow single player game speed control, but there is already control for multiplayer game speed.

<Cobby> this next one is actually 2 questions ...

<Cobby> *Starblade* Will the music from the game be available for download at a later time and why do units retreat and then return to the fray even when severly injured

<Mike___Ed> Currently, the music was released as a reward to people who preordered the game from EB. However, Starblade, your idea is good and we will make the music available for download in the future....

<Mike___Ed> Units: There are two reasons for this. First, we did not want players to be able to run units away forever, with opponents following them with no hope of killing them, like you've seen in other RTS games. Second, we also did not want units chasing other units and simply whacking on them as they run away. We chose to implement the following solution...

<Mike___Ed> If a unit is told to run from battle, he will be free to do so if other allied units are attacking his target. Also, if he is faster than the pursuer, he will get away. He will only be forced to turn and continue fighting if he is slower than the pursuer and there are no other allied units to distract the pursuer.

<Cobby> *Anubis{1}* when can we expect an expansion? and what will be in the Battle Pack?

<Mike___Ed> 1. Expect the Expansion in the third quarter of next year...

<Mike___Ed> 2. Not sure if you mean Expansion Pack or BattlePacks, which are two separate things. The Expansion Pack will be a new story with a number of new units, battle gear, techniques, etc. The BattlePacks will be smaller updates to Battle Realms, mostly new Levels and occassionally other goodies.

<Cobby> *Starblade* Due to the complex nature of the battles in BR how was the AI programming, Difficult, frustrating etc???

<Mike___Ed> Great question. The AI was actually quite fun to work on. It wasn't as difficult as we expected it to be, since we approached the task from a fresh perspective, without relying on what had been done before. We tried to create a system that would be clever, extensible, and reactive, and trying to do so was quite fun, actually.

<Cobby> *Hawth* Can you layout your multiplayer plans? Things such as support for record keeping, different interfaces, improvement of netcode, etc.?

<Mike___Ed> This question is really too big to answer in one small burst. We are considering many possibilities, and we definitely want to add ladder support and perhaps tournaments.

<Cobby> *Moby_Harper* Anything juicy (ideas, hints) at what we can expect in an Expansion Pack, or is it too early?

<Mike___Ed> Expect to see more of the history fleshed out, especially for the Wolf Clan. The Expansion Pack's timeline is before Battle Realms. The story will revolve around the Wolf Clan's revolt against the Lotus Clan, with Grayback playing a significant role...

<Mike___Ed> You should also expect to see some additional units for each clan, including some more Zen Masters. Also, we'll be putting in some new maps and all BattlePacks up to that point.

<Cobby> *CorpsE* Who did the gameplay Balancing and how long did it take?

<Mike___Ed> Mike did.

<Mike___Ed> Just kidding....

<Mike___Ed> Many people here and at Crave, in addition to Beta Testers, were involved in the game balancing. The chief credit to balancing, though, goes to Noah (lead designer), Ed, and some of the artists and programmers. The truth is, everyone at the company was playing it in the final days and making great comments.

<Cobby> *Alastor2588* When is the demo coming out?

<Mike___Ed> That is ultimately Ubisoft and Crave's decision, but we'll be done with it by the end of the month.

<Cobby> *El_Jefe* You mentioned the battle packs adding new features to this already great game. Besides the map editor what other features can we expect to see???

<Mike___Ed> We did not mean to give the impression that new features would be added. We do not want to drastically alter the gameplay at this point. However, BattlePacks will provide "goodies", which will include new maps, possibly sounds, music, and maybe even some unit, creature, or BattleGear modification. In addition, we will obviously seek to address any glaring game balance issues.

<Cobby> *Anubis{1}* what are some of your fav games (not including Br of course)

<Mike___Ed> Mike's: Oldies: Lode Runner, Monkey Island, Lemmings. New games: Half-Life, Drakan, Myth II. ...

<Mike___Ed> Ed's: Oldies: Sundog, Archon, Sid Meier's Pirates! New games: GBA Advance Wars, Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story.

<Cobby> *CorpsE* Can the computer AI see through Fog of War?

<Mike___Ed> The AI can deduce information about the player's location, based on the geographic features of the map. However, it's individual units have no benefits over your own.

<Cobby> *Moby_Harper* Where there any anime influences? The game brought to mind memories of Berzerk and Bstrd!!

<Mike___Ed> Yes, there were definitely anime influences. Things like Ninja Scroll, and Capcom and SNK titles had heavy influences...

<Mike___Ed> Much of the game's spirit, though, comes from old high-flying kung fu movies, such as Masters of the Flying Guillotine, Baby-Cart Assassin, the Five Deadly Venoms, etc.

<Cobby> *JJdrumguru* do you have any plans to release BR to any of the next Gen systems ie:PS2, Xbox Gamecube?

<Mike___Ed> Not at this point. We feel it would require a major interface change. If there was enough demand, we would consider it.

<Cobby> *mr_bojangles* What movies influenced the look and design of the characters and environments?

<Mike___Ed> There is no specific movie. Other movies that influenced us include Seven Samurai, Hidden Fortress, Zen Warriors of the Magic Mountain, New Legend of Shaolin, and others.

<Cobby> *Moby_Harper* Any possibility of adding signature finishing moves in future releases (fatalities/rouroni kenshin-esque succession techniques?)

<Mike___Ed> Absolutely. This is something we wanted to put into this game, but we did not have systems set up for doing this with the quality we wanted. You should expect to see these kinds of moves in Battle Realms 2.

<Cobby> *MC_FromOH* What is your favorite clan and why?

<Mike___Ed> Mike: I like the Lotus. I really get into the corruptive, rather disgusting nature of their magics....

<Mike___Ed> Ed: I like the Serpent. I love to play with the sneaky, insidious strategies. I love the amazing amount of options you have with the all of the tricks and traps at your disposal.

<Cobby> *X-Kyo* so in the expansion pack the Wolf Clan will be playable in single player?

<Mike___Ed> Yep, that's correct. We wanted to explore the formation of the Wolf Clan as it exists in Battle Realms.

<Cobby> *El_Jefe* will BR be "user MOD" friendly?

<Mike___Ed> I see two different questions here. First, was the engine designed to be user-modifiable? The answer is that we made the engine to be developer modifiable, so as a result, it would be very difficult for someone to modify the game without having access to our tools and knowledge....

<Mike___Ed> The other question is whether we are going to "allow" modifications to the game. We have been considering this, although no decision has been made yet. We would like to let the game be as modifiable as possible without it affecting the core gameplay.

<Cobby> *Moxie{1}* Any plans for a Capture the flag multiplayer mode?

<Mike___Ed> Don't give away all of our ideas.

<Cobby> *goldenserpent* question is there any plans concerning evolving the yin/yang system?

<Mike___Ed> Very insightful question. Yes, there is. One of Ed's thoughts is to further expand the relationship between the monks and ninja, which would be more tied to yin-yang...

<Mike___Ed> Also, we are considering an RPG in the Battle Realms universe, where yin-yang would also be more fully explored.

<Cobby> *WrAiTH_26* Any plans for an intergrated mulitplayer matchmaker in the expansion?

<Mike___Ed> That's not really a good question for the GameSpy forums, and is something that would have to be discussed with Crave and Ubisoft.

<Cobby> *kddk* Will there be random maps and deathmatch equivalents in the next release? PS : I Love this game..

<Mike___Ed>Currently, our goal is to provide detailed, well-thought out maps, which you really don't get with a random generator. It doesn't rule out the possibility, but it is probably not likely...

<Mike___Ed> Not sure what you mean by DeathMatch equivalents, but if you mean allowing people to hop in and out of games, we don't really plan to allow that, since it would fundamentally change the game balance.

<Cobby> And our last question this evening:

<Cobby> *Nikau* "Will the different localised version of Battle Realms compatible ? I mean will a US player be able to play with a french one for example ?"

<Mike___Ed> Yes, all language versions with the same version number are compatible...

<Mike___Ed> Again, we would like to thank all you guys for your support, and for some good questions! - Mike and Ed.

<Cobby> I will post this one last comment I received ;-)

<Cobby> *SurgeBot* congrats on making a great game! It rules, taking too much of my time :-)

<Cobby> Thanks Ed & Mike for being here with us tonight - it was fun!

<Cobby> Log will be posted shortly!

<Cobby> Any closing thoughts Mike___Ed?

<Mike___Ed> these chats by their nature are always very confining. I hope that we answered all your questions. I just wanted to say that I'm really grateful for everyone's support. It hasn't been easy to put this game out and there was a lot of pain involved, but in the end I hope that you all really like the game. Mike & I promise to keep doing our best and giving you the best games we can...

<Mike___Ed> thanks again, now go and play some Battle Realms!!!

<Cobby> ;-)

<Cobby> We'll be unmoderating the chat now - feel free to move about the cabin. Thanks for coming everyone!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Eventhough this announcement was pretty old(not sure about its date) 2002 in the title is for the webmaster..., he marked words about BR2!!

I hope this is true!!

Also are issues about Mod-friendly BR...

[twentius 1]

Battle Realms Ships!

"BATTLE REALMS" FOR THE PC SHIPS TO STORES

Nearly Three Years in the Making, Award Winning Real-Time Strategy Comes to Life

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 8, 2001 - Crave Entertainment and Ubi Soft Entertainment announced today that "Battle Realms," their highly anticipated real-time strategy game for the PC, has shipped to retail stores. "Battle Realms" is rated "T" for Teen with a suggested retail price of $49.99.

"We have worked for years to craft the vibrant world of 'Battle Realms,'" said Ed Del Castillo, President of Liquid Entertainment. "A carefully constructed blend of history and fantasy, this game pulls the player into an intricate kingdom both torn apart and bound together by the art of war. From the backbreaking toil of harvesting rice to the elegant swordplay of samurai masters, our labor of love, sweat and tears is ready for the world."

In development since the Spring of 1999, "Battle Realms" has received accolades and applause since its conception. Nominated for Best Strategy Game by the Game Critics Award committee two years in a row, "Battle Realms" has received critical acclaim online, on air, and in print. IGN.com voted "Battle Realms" as Best PC Strategy of Show, and "Newsweek" counted it among its "Five Most Impressive Titles" at the annual Electronics Entertainment Expo held earlier this year.

About "Battle Realms"

"Battle Realms"presents a world of dark fantasy inspired by feudal Asia. Led by "Command & Conquer®" Producer Ed Del Castillo, Liquid Entertainment combines unprecedented tactical control with critically hailed innovations like unit alchemy and a living resource system.

The player leads a clan of devoted peasants, training them each to become unique warriors with a thirst for battle. Once trained, warriors face a dynamic environment where elevation, weather and other whims of nature affect strategy.

Samurai masters and deadly kabuki warriors face off against warlocks and necromancers in a world that draws its inspiration from both history and fantasy. Armed with a rich story and a robust 3D engine, "Battle Realms" combines a unique, living resource system and a detailed combat model to put the strategy back into real-time strategy.

The Story of "Battle Realms"

Framed for his father's murder, young Kenji disappears and studies the ancient ways of his ancestors. "Battle Realms" begins as he returns to his homeland, leading a new uprising of either the Dragon Clan or Serpent Clan. Competing against the Lotus Clan's dark magic and the Wolf Clan's brute and cunning, Kenji leads his clan in the ancient ways of the Samurai. Balancing living resources in an epic battle of Yin versus Yang, the warriors in "Battle Realms" clash to preserve a way of life and avenge the injustices of the past.

Visit the official "Battle Realms" site at www.battlerealms.com for the latest news, including previews, screens, fansite assets, movies and more.

About Liquid Entertainment Formed in 1999, Liquid Entertainment is based in Thousand Oaks, California. Founded by industry veterans Ed Del Castillo and Mike Grayford, Liquid is dedicated to creating unique top-notch entertainment software for PC and console markets. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.liquid.to.

About Crave Entertainment Based in Los Angeles, California, Crave Entertainment is a privately held publisher of videogame entertainment products. The company's best-selling line-up features top brands and franchises such as Ultimate Fighting Championship and Tokyo Extreme Racer.

Crave produces games for the major console platforms including Game Boy® Advance, Nintendo GameCube, the PlayStation® game console, PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, and for the PC. For more information about Crave Entertainment, please visit http://www.cravegames.com.

About Ubi Soft Entertainment

Ubi Soft Entertainment is a global developer, publisher and international distributor of interactive entertainment products. A leading company in the industry, Ubi Soft's strong and diversified lineup has grown considerably over the past couple of years. As well as developing original properties, Ubi Soft has recently acquired several high-profile game companies and blockbuster titles. The company has offices in 18 countries including the United States, Canada, France, Germany and China and sells its products in a total of 52 countries. For more information about Ubi Soft, please visit http://www.ubisoft.com.

[twentius 1]

Another Review:

http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/intervie...lerealms_a.shtm

[twentius 1]

they marked the BR2 twice....

[Kasedo 1]

that interviw is fake i saw the real interview before and he doesn't talk about making a new br 2 yet... the only interview he made out was on gamespot in 2002 that was the first and only interview he made the rest of summaries and comments and other types of convercation are fake btw gamespy use the same words from the interviw in their page everything else si clear as the water...

[Sentry 0]

Another Review:

http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/intervie...lerealms_a.shtm

Ya that interview has him mentioning idle farming talk which leads to a harvesting upgrade?

[K-DaSh 0]

Lol now i understand why CorpsE and his X2 clan were so fucking good players, better than melkor and his G0D clan... all of them were members of the liquid staff...lol thats unfair, who cares anyways they stopped playing

[Mana 3,867]

That is so very outdated.

If someone said they will make something 5 years ago and they still haven't doesn't mean they will. But then again it doesn't they will not.

[twentius 1]

i didn't know it's fake... I not sure... but this is from another fan site... they quoted some about BR2 so i thought it will make others happy..

[Mana 3,867]

i didn't know it's fake... I not sure... but this is from another fan site... they quoted some about BR2 so i thought it will make others happy..

don't you think you are a few years too late on this interview?

[Jack 0]

50$ Omg..............................I'm poor.