petroglyphmike: Are mods for the full version still restricted to a certain file size per xml file(like what it is for the demo) or is it open?
We never expected anyone to mod the demo - but thought it was great. When the real mod support is enabled, there will not be restrictions on file sizes. It will be quite easy to mod and expand.
joebwan123: Will "HERO" characters have special abilities, such as the hero characters in Warcraft III?
Yes, and that is what makes each hero better than just "more powerful with more hit points". The special abilities are what makes one hero more appropriate than another given a particular situation. For example, if you have lots of infantry (Ewoks, for example) that need frying, Emperor Palpatine is the best choice. Although, Boba Fett's flame thrower also works efficiently.
petroglyphmike: What part of the game are you most proud of?
I personally love that there is a real-time galactic (strategy) mode binding the tactical RTS battles together, with persistence of all the units and structures. I also think the Star Wars heroes are great, along with the tactical "hard points" on the capital ships, that can be individually targeted based on your strategy (it's fun to have big units composed of smaller hard point targets).
Delphi-PG: Is multiplayer more than 2 players?
EAW will support 1vs1 for online campaign mode and 2-8 players for skirmish ground and space tactical games. For clarity, tactical games are one off maps similar to that of a traditional RTS, campaign follows in the footsteps of the single-player game.
joebwan123: In the galactic conquest mode, the interface is very graphical and non-menu intensive - are there any plans to port this game to consoles?
We struggled quite a bit on the galactic UI. It went through MANY variations before we settled on the version you see. We were mindful of the console market as well, so if we do a console version of some kind, I'm sure we'll build upon it.
petroglyphmike: Will there SPACE vs. GROUND battles?
Not at the same time, but during land battles you can call in attack forces from orbit if you have them there. Also, if you've built defenses on the ground of the planet and are having a space battle, you can call in attacks with those weapons from the surface. It's all part of the persistence of structures and units between land and space. You'd better think twice about attacking a space station when they have an Ion Cannon down on the planet
petroglyphmike: Will hero units always be successful or is there a chance they will fail or be captured? i.e. Han and Chewie?
All heroes can be ultimately defeated, and certain ones could trigger a game loss. Other heroes can be defeated and will leave the area, only to return later for more fun.
petroglyphmike: Can the Death Star destroy planets?
Oh yeah - gloriously so! It's really cool that you can build storm trooper squads to vehicles to fighters to mid-size ships to star destroyers to the Death Star.
It's quite a feeling of empowerment to wipe a planet permanently off the galactic map - reducing it to an asteroid field.
joebwan123: When working on multiplayer modes, what did you focus more on, Galactic Conquest, or Skirmish?
Actually both. It really wasn't a "one or the other" decision since they play quite differently. For example, in early versions, we forced all tactical battles to be auto-resolved and the galactic game turned into a galactic 'chess match' experience. It was quite fun. However, skirmish (aka "tactical mode") is where the most man-hours were spent due to land & space modes.
Delphi-PG: What sort of anti-cheat/anti-hack system will be implemented? Obviously if this is a modded game, some form of anti-cheat would be required.
EAW has code in place to detect altered files. If you try to connect to a player with a modified version of the game, the system will go ?Out of Sync.? For tournament games, a players profile will track out of syncs allowing us to see which players are trying to exploit the system.
petroglyphmike: Be honest, is the collectors edition worth the extra 10 bucks?
Wait until you see it - it looks SO COOL! I was really blown away. There are some other bonus goodies along with it, too.
joebwan123: Is there a unit that can "Snipe" other units or even Ships?
Yes, there is the Rebel Infiltrator that is equipped with a sniper-type weapon. The Accuser Star Destroyer has a powerful beam weapon that can "snipe" smaller ships effectively. Then, of course, the Imperial Hypervelocity Gun is the ultimate space "sniping" weapon!
petroglyphmike: After demolishing a planet, will it be just a void in space, or will the player to able to build space stations in that area?
Yes, the area becomes a big asteroid field and you can still build your space station there. Oh yeah, did I say the special edition looks ABSOULTELY AWESOME? Wait until you see it..
Oh, and the Special Edition will also have extra content like maps, art, awesome screensavers, etc.
joebwan123: Did you originally plan to make EaW unique, or did you try using conventional methods early on in the design?
We wanted to break from the old-school RTS formula of "harvest harvet harvest build build build fight game-over. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. 10-15 times". The RTS genre needed to stretch a bit and adding a strategic level of control was the area that made each battle have a larger meaning in the grand scheme, but in a way that was under player control.
Delphi-PG: You guys mentioned that we can do some modding, but will we be able to script our own events in custom made missions?
Yep! This is all done through XML and Lua scripting system.
petroglyphmike: In your version of the game, who shot first? Was it Han? And is the answer different between the regular version and the special edition?
Some Jawa over in the corner of the cantina took a pot shot at Ben, which deflected off his light saber, and accidentally hit poor Greedo.
petroglyphmike: How complicated is the AI in Empire at War, will it offer unique strategies, trying to trick us, and trap us, or will it follow standard RTS formula, winning by brute force and speed?
The AI is really amazing in my opinion. The tactical battle RTS AI will sometimes try to pull tricks on you, or even lure you. At the galactic level, it is very complex because it needs to think like a human player in a grand strategy game. Ultimately, we tried to make the AI so that it would not be impossible to beat, but rather provide and fun and challenging experience for everyone - casual to hard-core gamers.
petroglyphmike: As far as modding goes, will you have a mission editor with an easy-to-use scripting/globals editor.
We have not made any official announcement yet regarding the editor (but the odds are good), so keep checking the EAW web site for more info right after the game comes out.
[Xfire] matteox: okay a couple more minutes and then we will raffle some games
petroglyphmike: What was a memorable moment from the development of the game?
Our team members got to take multiple trips to Skywalker ranch for lunches and research - that was amazing. With LucasArts moving to the Presidio with the other LucasFiim divisions, those have made for some really fun trips. The new LucasFilm campus is absolutely amazing! Our LucasArts friends work in an amazing environment!
joebwan123: Why did you guys decide to go with a 2.5D plane for space instead of a full 3D environment?
We looked at games that were only 2d (armada) and fully 3D (homeworld) and decided to do half way since full 3D movement, although realistic, was very hard for average player to manage. We wanted it to be easy to understand, control, and plot strategy without the 3D element confusing the less experienced player.
[Xfire] matteox: we should all thank the EAW crew for taking the time to answer your questions so thoroughly.
Delphi-PG: Are the build times in the demo indicative of what?s to be found in the full game?
Not really, for the demo we increased the build times to help speeds things up. In the full version, build times have been balanced out so they take longer based on the unit and its capabilities. This also applies to structures and super weapons.
joebwan123: Can we see some Ewoks fight a Rancor in the near future?
Possibly. First, take a Rancor. Then using infantry, lure him near some Ewoks. Watch the fun ensue. Thanks guys, off to play some more tactical space multiplayer games with the design crew!
Delphi-PG: Thanks guys, off to play some more tactical space multiplayer games with the design crew!