NVISION 08 | DAY TWO

by John Gaudiosi

One of the games featured at NVISION 08 was the latest real-time strategy game in the best-selling Total War franchise. Sega is releasing Creative Assembly's Empire: Total War in February, but gamers got an early look at the strategy game that revisits the Revolutionary War. Kieran Brigden, communications manager for Creative Assembly, talks about the acclaimed developer's latest effort in this exclusive interview.

Can you talk about what a PC gamer with the latest NVIDIA card will experience with Empire?
Empire is the richest and most diverse Total War title to date. With high end graphics cards users can experience an unparalleled level of detail and realism. From the individual soldier within a unit of hundreds, to the realistic waves of the ocean lapping against the hulls of your ships, Empire is graphically a leap forward.

What are some of the technical aspects of the game that the latest video card will accentuate?
Graphically speaking the programmers here at CA have used some innovative techniques and implemented some cool features for this new Total War engine. Technology such as: screen space ambient occlusion and shadow crevasses have been added, alongside calculations done on the GPU including such effects as Bloom. The new cards have also enabled us to do more with the terrain, including blending layers. Additionally we’ve revolutionised the campaign map using a super texture and have implemented Shader Model 3.0 all made available by the progress in hardware. All of these factors are combined to give the most visually stunning Total War game to date.

How does your studio work with NVIDIA to keep on top of the latest cards?
We’re always working closely with hardware manufacturers. We keep abreast of driver and technology updates, work with the latest reference hardware available and have regular contact with hardware developers to ensure we’re taking advantage of all the new features they’re working on.

What are your thoughts on the always-improving PC gaming card space and what does that allow you to do as a developer of PC games?
We’re really looking forward to being able to do much more at a unit level. Individual models’ eyes, cloth, skin and hair handled at a GPU level would allow us to bring an additional level of realism to our games alongside their epic scale.

What are some of the details that players will see on the latest high-end PC on these battlefields?
Blended landscapes with grass stretching to the horizon moving gently in the breeze as horses charge towards a group of fleeing infantry who are vaulting over walls to escape. Long lines of musket men, drilled to perfection unleashing a deadly barrage of fire upon an advancing enemy, dropping to reload as gunpowder smoke drifts lazily across the battlefield. The thunderous roar of artillery as it’s unlimbered from horse carriages and slams cannonball shot into buildings opposite... The sun shining gently through the sails of a tall ship as it arcs toward the enemy, its crew frantically working to load cannons on deck. The burning fires of a ship's mast at midnight on a calm ocean... The world is yours.

How have you been able to improve upon your Total War engine with this game?
We completely rewrote it. Empire has been in development for a number of years using technology created entirely in house here at CA in order to bring the 18th century to life. Additional effects, far greater unit detail, animations and performance are all clear easy; the engine is radically improved over its predecessors.

Can you talk about this new gameplay experience and what your goals were going into Empire?
Graphically we really wanted to create a Romantic look suitable to the period. We also wanted to capture the size and scale of the tall ships and the open and brutal nature of the world’s oceans. We wanted to capture the imagination and excitement as the player’s nations expand overseas and grow across the new world map we’ve created. And certainly we’re achieving that so far.

How does the gameplay balance between land and sea battles?
Depending on the nation you choose to play and the development you choose to research you could be a great seafaring nation or a land power. Most players will need a balance of both to create a truly powerful Empire. The play style is entirely up to you, but there’s now much more of a focus on ‘world war.'

Can you go into some detail on the strategies with both?
Starting a conflict with another superpower will see you fighting from the well developed cities of Europe to the shores of the new world. The riches of trade theatres can be exploited by your merchant vessels but they must be protected. The use of land troops to secure and advance your borders across continents is key, as is the use of your navies to protect your shores, hold your trade routes and destroy your enemies’ fleets. It’s not simply a case of ‘clearing the path’ for your troops and ferrying them across the oceans only to embark on a land campaign. The two sets of battles are very interdependent. If you can’t get troops to the new world fast enough and can’t construct them there your war effort will falter at the first step. Additionally, if you can’t use your navy to keep your trade routes open and profitable then you’ll find recruiting new armies difficult as the money needed dries up.

What were some of the challenges with dealing with the Revolutionary War?
Revolutions are an entirely new mechanic for Empire Total War. Beyond the rebellions of previous titles, we decided to allow these to occur if a number of conditions are met. If the player treats one class or the other too lightly or harshly for a period of time they may find themselves facing a revolution where the people try to change a government system by force. The way we deal with these in game is to offer the player an interesting choice when they’re faced with the situation...

What type of historical research did you do in making this game and what did that add to the experience?
The researchers and writers here have a painstaking research process involving lots of dusty old tomes, obscure military and tactical books alongside the more mainstream historical literature. Additionally, for the naval element we even took the plans for the ships from the Royal Maritime Museum in Greenwich and tried to build in polygons what they did in wood. We also have a good involvement with re-enactment societies and historical battle enthusiasts allowing our researchers to charge around muddy fields and learn a bit more ‘first hand.'

How will your game allow players to interact with real historical figures?
Currently historical figures of the time will include Gentlemen, Admirals and famous generals who will be born into certain factions and favour certain tactics. We’re still exploring the possibilities with these individuals.

How much leeway will they have in changing history?
As with all Total War games the aim is to get history as accurate as possible for the starting point of the campaign, in this instance 1700. After that point the direction of your empire politically, technologically and militarily is up to you. You can destroy France before the revolution ever occurs or have the Spanish colonise the United States entirely, we let the player toy with history. That’s always been one of the great features of TW games.

What type of online gameplay will there be?
We’re not yet commenting on all the multiplayer modes available. We’ve expanded the different types available and included options that new players should find appealing alongside options that our fans have been asking for some time.

What type of replay value do you see in this type of game?
Empire is different every time you play. The faction you choose, the AI system, your actions and direction all the way down to the weather system lead to an excellent replay value that will hopefully have players thinking ‘I wonder what will happen if...’