news0r feature article

Interview: Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes	// article
News0r: Hi Henry, could you please introduce yourself and let our readers know what your role is on the project? HL: My name is Henry Lee. I'm the director of Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders and Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes. News0r: KUF: Heroes is set prior to the original game what was the reasoning behind this rather than looking to the future as far as the story is concerned? HL: When we started the design process of Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, we ended up creating this fantasy world of Bersia, with its own legend, history, heroes, conflicts, etc. It was so richly detailed that our first title was not enough to cover everything we've created storyline-wise. And then, a chance to develop its sequel came to us, and naturally, we wanted to show the players what they were missing with the first title. Thus, Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes will cover the Encablossa War from 5 years before to 5 years after, with hidden plots and stories in between. News0r: What has been the main inspiration behind the game? HL: To create a new and fresh title, we did not let any other game influence us. Rather, we looked to the blockbuster movies with big-scale battle scenes for inspiration. Like, Gladiator, Braveheart, LOTR, etc. You know. News0r: In the heat of battle what is the highest amount of polygons on screen at any one time? HL: The number can vary, but here's a nice math problem for you, hehe. Normal units are made with 2,000-3,000 polygons. Heroes are made with about 5,000 polygons. Big units or building structures can have up to 20,000 polygons. Got that down? Now, we can show up to 250-300 character on screen, add 1-2 hero, a few buildings or large units. Do the math, and what number do you get? :) News0r: If you could define this title in 3 words what would they be? HL: Action. Strategy. Multiplayer. News0r: What has been the hardest part of development of this game? HL: We had to worked really hard on the Crusaders. But now, we have to beat our own efforts with this sequel. Nobody will buy the game if it's just 30% better than before. That put a lot of pressure on us, but I think we have a bigger better bolder title in our hands now. News0r: Would you like to reveal some exclusive details on Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes? HL: Hmm, I've already talked a lot about Heroes, and it's a bit difficult to tell you more without spoiling the game...But I can share some tips for enjoying Heroes. We included a lot of features to aid casual gamers enjoy Heroes without frustration. Although the difficulty level and learning curve is carefully adjusted so that first timers can comfortably learn the game, but will get enough challenge later into the game, you may have trouble beating some missions. If you're stuck at a particular singleplayer mission, you can try the Random Missions to earn extra Gold and EXP to develop your soldiers further. The game will automatically generate new missions every single time, and after a few of those, your soldiers will be strong enough to get through the mission you had problem with. If you're having problem winning on Xbox Live against other players, you can try Fair Match Option to limit your opponent's level and have a match on more equal footing. Also, use Spectator Mode to watch other people's game and learn from their tactics. On the other hand, if you've played the Crusaders, we made sure that you will get enough challenge right from the beginning. The game will detect your save data, and let you skip the earlier, easier campaigns and get right to the harder missions. On top of that, there are some easter eggs for those who played the Crusaders. News0r: Gaming has become so main stream these days and with a number of titles being in the same genre it must be hard to come up with original ideas; can you name one thing that is unique in this game? HL: I believe we've created a quite unique and original title by mixing action and strategy. What other game will put you right in the middle of an epic medieval combat, fighting alongside your soldiers and having a total control over the entire battlefield at the same time? The key play mechanic, achieving a good balance of action and strategy to win a battle, is our novelty. :) News0r: How long has this title been in development? And how many people have been working on this title? HL: Heroes have been in development for about 2 years, involving around 100 development staffs. News0r: Can you tell us about the Xbox Live side of the game? What game modes will be on offer for the armies of live gamers? HL: There are 3 main gaming modes. Troop Battle Mode will let you carry the singleplayer experience onto Xbox Live, controlling your main character and commanding hundreds of soldiers. Up to 6 players can fight at the same time. After each match, you can develop your soldiers further with the experience points. Simply, the more you fight, the stronger you get. Hero Battle Mode is about button smashing arcade fun. If you're more into the action aspect of the game, this is your game. Again, up to 6 players can go for a hack and slash match to find out who's the strongest. The last mode is called Invasion Mode. Whereas the first two were competition based, this is a co-op game. Up to 3 players can join up to fend off waves after waves of computer controlled enemies. Of course, the computer will throw everything at you and you'll have to have a really good teamwork and strategy to survive to the end. Other features include: Spectator Mode, Ladder Game, Fair Match Condition, etc. News0r: What is next for the team once this game is released; a holiday, relaxation or another new project? HL: Well, after a good rest, we'll start working on our next project. We're very excited with all the new "next-gen" toys we'll be playing with :) Many thanks for taking the time out to chat with us on Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes, we wish you all the best with the project and we cant wait for the game to be released! Interview conducted and arranged by Luke Newcombe (8th August 2005), as part of an Xbox Community Network collaboration.
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