Info [Archive] - Eidos Forums

chip5541

12-15-2006, 03:22 PM

Here ya go!

OK! Here are some answers to keep things ticking over. Stuff that I haven't answered here I'm referring to the dev guys so they should be answered soon

Quote:
Originally Posted by chip5541
Way back in March (I think) of 2005 (??) the official website went live and there is a section to sign up for news letters. Will news letters be going out?

I'm organising a newsletter now - hopefully sending it out soon, certainly this week all being well.

Originally Posted by chip5541
Also, please note that the new registration does not give the US as a country to choose.

It should be fine now if you select the US version of the site.

Originally Posted by chip5541
Does Eidos or teh Devs plan on releasing any kind of modding tools for teh game?

No plans at the moment as far as I know. I'll speak to the dev guys about this as it would be cool.

Originally Posted by chip5541
I am planning on maybe trying my hand at it but I do know I will be making some screen savers (if anyone is interested). Is there anywhere where I can get pictures of BM that are not exclusives for other sites?

Great, I'm aiming to get some new stuff added to the fankit for this kind of thing.

Originally Posted by chip5541
I know that demo dates are usually not listed until very close to release so I won't go there but is there any public information on what the demo (if released) would include? MP/SP? and will a demo be released for both PC & 360?

News coming soon.

Originally Posted by chip5541
In the old tech demo it showed a cockpit view however every trailer I have seen since does not show that. Has that been dropped or it just hasn't been shown?

You are able to go into first person view in some vehicles - planes mainly, but there's no visible cockpit as such.

Originally Posted by Just Cause
I have a quick question as well....can we drive the carriers???

You can sail them

Originally Posted by chip5541
Who was the artist from the artwork for the wallpaper? Any additional works?

It's from the developers end of things. I'm hoping to get some prints made as competition prizes. Watch this space!

Originally Posted by OperationPhoenix
Are you going to be needing any beta testers for this game?

The testing is taken care of internally I'm afraid.

Originally Posted by Lthawk77
I have on very important question. Are there gonna be more battle ship's then what they have listed on the Game site's home page.

Yes! Loads more ships and planes to come. We'll be updating that section of the site soon

I hope that's OK for now, I'll get answers to the other questions soon.

We've got a new trailer, it's going up on battlestations.net soon, but in the mean time you can see it here.

Here are some more answers for you....

1. Are multi player missions Co-op or versus?
Multi player is versus. Currently 4 v 4 is the max number of players.

2. Is there a mission editor to create scenarios?
There isn't a mission editor. We'll reveal more information to the community about all the missions that exist soon.

3. Will there be an ability to control engines (both types) separately (port or starboard)?
You can’t control engines independently. You control the speed of the ship (forward or reverse) with one analog stick and the direction with the other.

4. How does radio communication work between fleets? Like, passing on information or asking for support?
There isn’t radio communication as you control every element of the game.

5. If in the WWII a ship was under attack by a submarine or a ship, they used a kind of "international distress frequency" to call help by Morse code, and the U-boats sometimes caught those signals after attack. Is it possible for the player catch these kind of signals after a ship attack to know the ship requested help?
There are verbal alerts in the game, so if an enemy sub enters an area covered by radar and is detected, an alert will be heard saying “we’ve detected a sub sir... etc”.

6. Is there any consequence for accidentally sinking Neutral, Allied, or Hospital ships, aircraft or subs?
It'll make your mission significantly more difficult to complete!

7. Will it be possible to receive weather forecasts by radio? And are we able to make some repair in neutral or allied port city?
Weather has no direct affect on gameplay. Repairs are done to ships by the crew onboard and is managed by the user.

8. Will there be the ability for us to lay mines? This would be great if we are stalking a port we know has heavy shipping traffic.
Mines aren’t in the game.

9. Is there passive sonar? (If not will the enemy be able to hear the pinging when you get near, because in the videos when you saw a sub you could hear it pinging)
At most depth levels except the deepest, a ship with radar will detect an enemy sub when it’s within range. The pinging noise indicates to the user controlling the sub that they’re being tracked from above i.e. their sub has been detected.

10. What about navigation? How will maps look like? And what information will they include on?
The maps look great and are very detailed. The map serves as a great way to switch between units while in the heat of the battle. I'll get some screenshots up in the coming weeks.

11. Any plans for a PS3 or Wii version? Anyone else think the motion sensor controllers would rock on this game?
Not as far as I know at the moment.

12. Can you manually operate the guns / torpedoes?
Yes you can.

And the dev guys have kindly provided these answers:

13. What is the Dev. Team's view on the issue of Scripted vs. Dynamic campaign?
The challenge with Battlestations: Midway was building the innovative game system in the first place. We weren't completely sure how players would receive it and so we choose the conservative option. We're really open to the community's views, if they'd like to see a more dynamic style game here is the place to let us know.

14. Will 'Punkbuster' be incorporated?
No.

15. How large will the battleground be once the battle begins? What’s the current limitation?
The complete size of a map is 20 by 20 km, included with an additional 2 km "border zone" where the player will be warned to turn back. So the whole battleground is 18 by 18km.

16. Are tides/streams modelled accurately?
No, we don't have tides/streams in the game, because of the scale of the battle it isn't so important.

17. If a ship were sinking, then when it is going to the bottom (completely under the water) could a sub run into it and blow up or would it pass through?
Yes, the sinking ship can collide with a sub and even damage it.

18. Are any of the original Mithis team still working on the game?
Yes

I hope that helps. More soon!

Quote:
Originally Posted by a dutch alphawolf
do you need windows vista or can you also play on windows xp?
You'll be able to play it on XP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dargo
I and many players of the WPL/EGL would very like to see a kind of mission editor or a way to edit/make the missions manualy.
Thanks
OK, I'll note this and make sure it's passed onto the decision makers and the dev team

Quote:
Originally Posted by a dutch alphawolf
Will there also be more dutch ships like the java-class (dutch light cruiser)
There is only one type of Dutch ship, the De Ruyter class.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutch Jester
Will the online play be like the game "Chromehounds"(for the 360), where you choose your team, in this case allies or japanese, and play to win the war in battles at certain spots, like Midway, and when a country wins, the war is reset?
Yep. When playing online you pick a side - Americans or Japanese. A lot of the maps played during the single player campaign can be fought on during the multiplayer. This includes maps such as Midway.

Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
ya, and if they did it in battlestations the countries would be real, so you would have the problem of people actually caring who they fight for (a problem you wouldn't have as much trouble with if the countries were fictional)

also, another question, if you rammed a ship or plane into a ship would it do damage? and if so, would it do enough damage to make Kamikaze attacks a viable tactic?
Ships which ram each other can damage each other. Planes will frequently be destroyed if involved in a midair collision. Size is a factor when colliding with a vehicle. Some ships can be destroyed by repeated kamikaze attacks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gzr_groundhog
Thanks for the new trailer it is a real teaser, can't wait.

I have a question in first person views for the planes can you takeoff and land on the aircraft carriers.

Could you explain the different views and if you can zoom in and out.

Is there a provision for taking screen shots or recording a movie.

Thanks

The user can take off and land in first person view.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gzr_groundhog
Could you explain the different views and if you can zoom in and out.

Thanks
There is the default 3rd person view on all ships/planes. 1st person view is also included on all planes. Binocular view/zoom view can be accessed by most planes and vessels allowing the user to see further in more detail. There is also a map view where units can be given orders and an overview of the battlefield can be observed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutch Jester
i dont know if anyone has already asked this but can more than one person control a ship, like one person drive another use AA and so on?
Only one person can control any one unit at a time.

I hope this help guys. Keep an eye out for developers Rfx and Klaude from Eidos Hungary who'll also now be around to answer your questions

From Pincushion:
Having had a chance to play this one, yes it is a comprehensive damage system. Be prepared to have firecrews on hand when a fire breaks out in the lower decks from a direct hit on your powder room.

Guns blazin all the way to the bottom. You'll be cruising like the titanic and still laying shots into there bow.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ma1746@juno.com
Hello all, i have a quick question. Ive been reading that the joysticks control the ships, one stick for steering, one stick for throttle, if thats the case, how do you control the gun turrets/anti aircraft guns etc? thank you,

Matt
With ships one stick controls the throttle and rudder and the other stick controls the camera/aiming crosshair.

Quote:
Originally Posted by OperationPhoenix
Will this game be available as a download? (I.E direct to hard drive ala steam games?)
Afraid not.

Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
when will the game come out? everywhere i look i see a different date, most seem to be in January or February, but exactly when does it come out.
There is no official announcement yet. (You're on the right lines Just don't mention I said anything )

Quote:
Originally Posted by timetraveller
And will the PC and XBox versions be released at the same time?

TT
Yes, yes they will.

Quote:
Originally Posted by chip5541
I just got back from EB (gots me a PS3 ) and asked about Battlestations: Midway since there where alot of people in the store (hehehe nothing like getting the word out) and I asked about the release date. They have bother versions down for the 30th of January. I put $5 down on a preorder and got several other people attention.

You rock

Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
another question, in multiplayer, will you be able to chose which ships you have in your fleet, or will everyone get the exact same fleet?
Each multiplayer map has a pre determined number of ships/aircraft which vary in class. The levels play out with this number of ships/aircraft no matter how many human players are in the session. So in a 1v1 game a player will have control of an entire fleet. Where as in a 4v4 game, they may only have 2 units under their control.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rayze
hi im Rayze i have read most of the questions and have a couple of my own.

If a shell hits the ship you are controling, say you are controling the guns, if a shell directly hits your back turret will it render it disabled but at the same time enable you to use your forward turrets? or is the damage detail not that specific? also if your ship is sinking untill your weapons are submurged can you still use them?

And on play.com it says the release date is 22/12/2007 i know play.com's dates change as the release dates change they keep upto date, so does this mean it is actualy out at that date or it is jan-feb like some people mention of?

apart from is there a demo before Xmas i think thats all from me.

thanks in advance
Rayze

Hi Rayze

Damage is specific to different areas of a ship or plane. Planes can be shot down quicker if their engines are hit. Ships can have individual guns disabled and take localized damage to more vulnerable areas such as their fuel tank, magazine, steering etc. In your example - if one gun turret is knocked out all other turrets will remain operational. Also once a ship is sufficiently damaged to sink it will be uncontrollable and the weapons can’t be used anymore.

News on a demo and full release dates to follow so watch this space!

Quote:
Originally Posted by chip5541
On the PC version, will individuals be able to host games or will there be a central server?
Individuals can host games over GameSpy.

OK! Quick fire question round. Deep breath!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beastttt
will this game have Starforce protection

I only ask because SH3 had it and it wreck my cd drives

yes I believe that the developers should get paid for their efforts

and I think the Stardock method works fine
No Starforce! I asked mastering and they were quite adamant about that

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rayze
so the release date will be after the 22/12/06 that play.com has on there preorder? seeing that there isnt a final release date yet?
and thank you keir for the detailed reply love it i think im going to enjoy this game alot now :P thanks
You're welcome!

Still no concrete release date yet I'm afraid, as soon as I can release some info I will.

Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
about how long will the single player missions be? i know they won't all be the same length, but what is the average?
On average single player missions last around 45 minutes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
also, will planes run out of gas, i saw in the 3rd game play trailer that once they use their main weapon (like their torpedo or their bombs) and need to go back to the carrier to rearm, but will they run out of gas and need to return to the carrier to refuel, or will they be able to stay aloft indefinitely.
The plans don't need to refuel, but as you say they do to rearm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
also, when bombing, will the bombs drift while falling to their target, or will they fall exactly where the targeting reticule is pointing.
They fall exactly where the reticule is pointing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
also, in a game play movie i saw that the player was flying a B17 above the clouds, how high are the clouds, and how high can planes go?
It's difficult to say how high the planes go. Pretty high, there is a ceiling limit and clouds exist somewhere between this and the ground. I'll see if I can get one of the dev guys to help out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by princecaspian4
also (i say "also" too much don't i?), when in multiplayer, what happens when your ships are destroyed, but your teammates are still playing?
Once all your ships/planes are destroyed you become a spectator for the duration of battle. However, any member on your team with more than one unit can assign a plane/ship to you. So the majority of the time it’s possible to have most people playing the level even if their own units have been previously destroyed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neroman
1. Will there be a set number of planes?
Airfields and carriers have a max number of planes that can be launched/airborne at one time. This is 12 for the vast majority of the game. So for example, you may have a level with 2 carriers and an airfield which have launched a combination of fighters and bombers. At one time this can be a max of 36 planes in the air (of varying squad sizes determined by the player).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neroman
2. HOw many bombs/torps can a plain hold?
Bomb loads vary depending on planes size. So for example; a B-17 can carry up to 24 bombs, a Dauntless normally carries 1x 1000lb bomb and an Avenger torpedo plane carries 1 torpedo. Slightly different payloads can also be assigned to planes at the players discretion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neroman
3. How much ammo for the ships?
Ships have a limited number of torpedoes, but an unlimited supply of shells/flak. Depth charges are also unlimited if the ship is capable of anti-sub warfare.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neroman
4. I didnt see an answer on clans? will there be one?
There isn't a clans feature in the game as far as I know.. what's the question?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neroman
5. For aiming do you use high angle sights like in Chrome hounds for the this ships?
Do you adjust the angle or do you just look at the guy and shoot and the shell fly in a straight line?
The view in Midway is in 3rd person for the majority of the time. On certain planes the player can go into 1st person mode to aim their weapons. You look at a target and shoot, the shell will then go to the location of the reticule at that time. The same principle applies for both ship and plane combat, although obviously the projectiles travel differently.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neroman
6. DO the carriers actually do something besides launching planes? Does the player get to fly the planes?
A carrier’s primary role is to launch planes. But they can also be moved to any location and their AA guns can be used effectively against incoming attacks from enemy planes. Planes launched from a carrier or airfield can be controlled by the player.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neroman
7. Is there a possibility for more than 4v4? Like 8v8 or 6v6?

looks like a great game cant wait till it comes out

The max multiplayer numbers are 4v4.

I hope that helps everyone

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vicious 21
I saw a PBY Catalina in a screen shot and I would like to know if it is armed with bombs or depth charges

(this screen shot)
http://www.actiontrip.com/rei/scr.ph...tionsmidway_i2

The Catalina carries torpedoes but you can switch this to depth charges while it’s in the hangar. Aircraft deployed depth charges are a really good way to take out submarines, and of course that reflects reality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iron Sound
hello keir!

any chance of a County Class cruiser in Battlestations or an expansion or a sequel?

Really one of my favourite ships of all time, so please tell me!
There isn’t a County Class cruiser in the game, but now that we know someone likes it perhaps it can make it into download content. We need to stay aware of dates (even though we do stretch history a little in places). So we’ll check when that cruiser was in operation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ma1746@juno.com
Keir, i wanted to add to my last question if i may, i know you do not have a definitive release date at this time, but i was wondering if you could tell me if the area of the end of january/beginning of february looks about right for a United States release? or if i should plan on it being released later, i know your probably tired of the release questions but im one of the few that have been following the game patiently for what it seems like about 2 years, and it would be nice to have at least a rough time frame to look forward to. Thank you as always,

Matt
Between me and you I'd say you're probably thinking along the right lines there. But I didn't tell you that
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vicious 21
Question about aircraft carriers, if you launch all your planes and they all get shot down does you carrier regenerate more planes over time or does it become just an oversized AA platform?

Good question. That is the purpose of Carriers and was perhaps the shaping factor on sea war in this period. Think of your Carrier as a combined King and Queen piece in Chess: you need to protect it, but also it is a very powerful unit… via its aircraft. Keir is correct to say you can use its AA against aircraft and small boats, but you don’t want to get into a gunfight with a Battleship.