<07:59:38 PM> Welcome to the first IRC interview with the Tribes: Vengeance dev team.
<07:59:39 PM> In order to get your questions answered, you must privately message any of the operators (the ones with @ next to their name) with your question. It will then be asked to the dev team in the order received.
<07:59:39 PM> Check the Vengeance FAQ to see if your question has already been asked at another interview http://www.tribalwar.com/vengeance/faq.php)
<07:59:39 PM> Do not message the dev team directly.
<07:59:40 PM> Please do not change your nick in order to "communicate" your thoughts. Abusers will be removed from the interview.
<07:59:43 PM> If you wish to "chat" during to interview, join #twtalk
<07:59:57 PM> I'd like to start off by thanking everyone for showing up.
<08:00:01 PM> This is an amazing turn out.
<08:00:19 PM> Special thanks to Vivendi and Irrational for allowing this to take place
<08:00:41 PM> To start things off, let's go ahead and get the dev team to introduce themselves.
<08:00:53 PM> However you guys want to do that.
<08:01:05 PM> I'm Ed Orman, Lead Designer on Tribes: Vengeance
<08:01:21 PM> I'm the producer at Sierra.
<08:01:21 PM> I'm Glenn Fiedler, Physics Programmer on Tribes: Vengeance
<08:01:44 PM> Greetings, Mike Johnston
<08:02:01 PM> I'm the PR guy at Vivendi Universal Games - my only job here is to remind you to buy the July issue of Computer Games Magazine, which has Tribes: Vengeance on the cover. =)
<08:02:39 PM> Yes. Lots of new images and cool stuff in the >>> JULY ISSUE OF COMPUTER GAMES MAGAZINE <<< not that we're pushing it or anything
<08:02:59 PM> I have a question directed at Mike, since he is from the Tribes community...
<08:03:04 PM> What is an average day in the life of a designer working on Tribes: Vengeance?
<08:03:11 PM> What exactly do you do all day?
<08:04:08 PM> Hmm...come in early, read my email, scan some news and boards, chat with Ed about various issues, maybe work on some maps, maybe have some meetings, maybe write some documents...each day is different, I'd say
<08:05:15 PM> We've got a cinematic editor if you like, called Mojo. We're using that to create our scripted sequences and cut scenes. That will be released
<08:05:31 PM> Is that an in-house tool or something available on the market?
<08:05:36 PM> mojo is in house
<08:05:37 PM> It allows for camera controls, timing, playing of sound files, animation, etc
<08:05:40 PM> In other words, the community will have access to the same tools that we use to make the game. It's an in-house tool.
<08:05:51 PM> also, we'll be shipping a modified version of unrealED for mapping
<08:05:59 PM> How modified?
<08:06:03 PM> but thats standard for a game using unrealed
<08:06:07 PM> using unreal.
<08:06:10 PM> Could people begin mapping now and be ready for the game?
<08:06:33 PM> Check out the forums at tribes2maps.com if you're interested in the mapping aspect of things...they're a growing resource for information
<08:06:34 PM> modified by the programmers and KP for tribes specific functionality
<08:06:49 PM> but, not unfamiliar to anybody who has used unrealed
<08:07:08 PM> Speaking of modifications...
<08:07:09 PM> *Stinkfist* Do you plan to include the developers of previous mods for T1 and T2 so that they can have their mods potentially released when T:V goes gold? Or possibly base a gameplay type on previous mods?
<08:07:19 PM> its not radically different, just extended to do what we want
<08:07:57 PM> We're hoping for that kind of thing to happen during the open Beta
<08:08:11 PM> i.e., before release
<08:08:25 PM> We try to keep in touch with editing/mapping community too...we'll work as closely with them as possible
<08:08:32 PM> +the
<08:08:35 PM> Will tools be available with the open beta as well?
<08:08:44 PM> Yes.
<08:08:47 PM> yep
<08:08:56 PM> *Stinkfist* Are there any plans for a "practice mod" like we have seen in Classic or DrinkMOD?
<08:09:21 PM> We're not releasing information about game types or modes just yet, sorry ;(
<08:09:42 PM> Hmmm
<08:10:02 PM> Will the mutator that has been released in other unreal games be included in T:V as well?
<08:10:19 PM> Any mutators that ship will be original
<08:10:20 PM> I assume you mean the capapcity to create mutators?
<08:10:24 PM> Yes
<08:10:44 PM> Yes, we'll support that capacity.
<08:11:12 PM> For the un-informed, a mutator is a small "mod" that changes some game rules without radically altering the game.
<08:11:27 PM> Lots of T1/T2 mods would actually be mutators
<08:11:31 PM> Ultra Renegades, for example
<08:11:51 PM> So would this make it easier for users to create mods without diving into scripting language?
<08:12:34 PM> How is that?
<08:13:21 PM> They're add-ons, essentially...they don't drastically change the game server. They're smaller and easier to install, etc.
<08:13:30 PM> They make use of existing assets, they're generally smaller in filesize.
<08:13:41 PM> *FastAttack* From the tribes franchise we have seen very reliable netcode and server application. I would like to know the following: compared to the older tribes titles and unreal the estimate bandwidth usage, resource usage estimate and what tools that are going to available for an admin.
<08:15:08 PM> Alright...bandwidth and resource usage, more than T1 (no exact numbers yet)...as for admin tools, I recommend checking out UT2K3 admin options if you're interested to see our starting point for server admins
<08:15:25 PM> There is some slick stuff there, including a feature-packed web admin interface
<08:15:35 PM> *FUBAR|Ascain* will we be able to have granular control over environments? IE: map makers who make mountains able to set certain textures frictionless to simulate ice etc?
<08:15:38 PM> It has lots of the features that the Tribes community has come to expect from mods like zAdmin
<08:17:13 PM> We're implementing a material-type system that will hopefully allow for control of those parameters. Can't commit to materials on terrains at this time.
<08:17:28 PM> Was the choice to use the UT engine as much a marketing decision as it was a technology decision? Using an already popular engine is a great way to get the name out.
<08:17:34 PM> sorry, it WILL allow for those parameters, hopefully on terrain.
<08:18:25 PM> Oo, a marketing question!
<08:18:26 PM> The programmers did an extensive comparison of available engines. UnrealEd came up the winnder for a number of tech reasons.
<08:18:43 PM> *DarkDonut* You guys have talked about different models for each Tribe. Will this effect the multiplayer with varying hitboxes/collision detection? For instance will being a light female blood eagle be different from a light female children of the pheonix in terms on size or speed?
<08:19:03 PM> It definitely wasn't a "marketing" decision - we were open to any engine that Irrational and Thrax agreed would be best.
<08:19:31 PM> Heya DD, great question
<08:19:48 PM> The goal is for the models to be similar in volume enough to allow for unified collision boxes.
<08:19:54 PM> In short, no, bounding boxes will be the same...tricky, but yeah, it pretty much has to be that way
<08:20:18 PM> Just to be clear, we mean unified across all 3 tribes
<08:20:24 PM> thassright
<08:20:27 PM> *DarkDonut* Do you plan on having a big update pack like the UT2k3 team did, including classic maps rom Tribes 1 and 2 along with new gametypes, as well as more singleplayer content (like the extra missions for Splinter Cell), or will further updates to the game be small and less content intensive?
<08:21:28 PM> Any big updates will likely be sold as an expansion pack.
<08:21:47 PM> Are there any planned already as some developers have done?
<08:22:12 PM> AKA Are you leaving some features out of the game in order to sell another product later down the line.
<08:23:27 PM> Not yet, but we're getting to the point where we may want to talk about it . As for features, we're not leaving anything out for a later expansion pack. That's the great thing about having a single player story with the game.
<08:23:47 PM> Speaking of that, How long do you expect the single player campaign to last?
<08:23:57 PM> We can tell the next part of the story and give you some new MP content at the same time.
<08:24:24 PM> Average
<08:24:46 PM> We're aiming for around 10-20 hours of game-time, depending on player skill.
<08:25:10 PM> How do you plan to intergrate or prepare the player in single player for the multiplayer experience?
<08:25:46 PM> SP uses all the elements from MP. Familairty with those elements will be grown over the duration of the SP campaign.
<08:26:10 PM> What kind of plans do you have for the demo features that were included in Tribes?
<08:26:16 PM> We don't change the rules between SP and MP, so the player gets a consistency of experience that can be translated into MP.
<08:26:31 PM> Ah, demos
<08:26:53 PM> We'll support what T2 supports at a minimum...that means client-side recording and the ability to start and stop them at will
<08:27:04 PM> Unfortunately, rewinding is impossible, but...
<08:27:11 PM> ...we do have server-side recordings, which is pretty exciting new feature for Tribes.
<08:27:26 PM> Server side recordings?
<08:27:30 PM> Basically it allows you to record everything that happens on the server and then play it back from anyone's perspective, or as a fly-around observer.
<08:27:36 PM> woah
<08:28:06 PM> Would that then be possible to stream out like T2TV or something similar so that viewers could view any perspective?
<08:28:33 PM> This would let a ladder create a Mutator that would automatically record a match on a server and send the recording back to the home office for official review.
<08:28:51 PM> Yes, in theory, but the server-side recordings are quite large...we're not quite ready to discuss our plans in that regard just yet though.
<08:28:56 PM> *iNVAR* What sort of plans (if any) do you have for making the game less susceptible or even immune to cheats?

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