Technical Aspects/Picking a Side

FS: Tell us more about the graphics engine - is it Direct3D, GLide, or OpenGL? What sorts of features will be included? 32 bit color? demo recording? Real time shadows? Will you be implementing S3TC or Bump Mapping (G400)?

JH: Our engine supports, natively, the following API's: Glide, Direct3D, OpenGL, PowerSGL (for the PowerVR based cards). Resolutions are just about anything from 640x480 up to 1600x1200. We have real time shadows, transparency, environment mapping, multiple colored light sources, and all that fun stuff. As far as some of the more exotic things like S3TC and bump mapping, I can neither confirm nor deny... (we'll see!).

FS: What about the sound engine? Will you be supporting A3D and/or EAX?

JH: We're looking into the benefits and costs of 3D sound. When we started the game this technology didn't exist and so it might be a little late to try and get it in there.

Another shot of underground battle

FS: How many multiplayer maps will be included in the game? Will there be a random map generator? How will multiplayer be supported - through a battle.net-like proprietary service or will you use one of the existing services like Zone or MPlayer?

JH: There are 30 multiplayer maps included in the game. No, there's no random map generator - our map technology wasn't built with this concept in mind, instead we wanted a ton of flexibility (you sacrifice a lot of that to have randomly generated maps). A small consolation prize though - you can drill out underground tunnels in any pattern you like, during a game, in a sense you're making your own map as you play. Multiplayer is supported via TCP/IP for Internet play, and Psygnosis is working with an online service for doing matchmaking and all that. I think they'll be making an announcement about that soon.

Vicious hand to hand combat

FS: Can you explain the differences between Milagro, Rimtech and Neuropa, the three forces in Metal Fatigue?

JH:
Mil-Agro: We equate their attitude to a biker gang. Big, loud, and looking for a fight. Their weapons are all "kinetic" based - meaning their melee weapons are things like Axes and Hammers. Their ranged weapons are all launching solid projectiles, etc. Because of their long standing feud with Neuropa, their shields are all energy based.

Neuropa: Secretive, bordering on religious fanatics. They have the best grasp of the alien technology that is used to make Combots, so their parts tend to be a little more exotic. Their weapons are energy based - lasers, plasma cannons, etc. Over time they've developed their shielding to fend off Mil-Agro's weapons.

RimTech: They see themselves as the good guys. Clean, efficient, and sporting a mixture of kinetic and energy based shields and weapons, though they always seem to be one step behind Mil-Agro and Neuropa in each category.