Hello everyone!
As we draw closer to the end of the year, we’ve got a bit of a surprise waiting in the wings. What is it? Well that would be telling and would ruin the surprise!
For those who may have missed it, members of the Antimatter Games and Tripwire Vietnam teams took the time to answer player questions in an Ask Me Anything format and we’ve gathered up the highlights to make sure everybody knows what was talked about. Please keep in mind that any and all talk about future items is subject to change as development progresses!
Weapons:
Top 3 NLF Weapons Poll Results
- 1) MAS-49 (On the way next!)
- 2) MP-40 (released!)
- 3) MG-34 (On the way next!)
Top 3 PAVN Weapons Poll Results
- 1) K-50M (Needs more time)
- 2) Vz. 58 (Needs more time)
- 3) 9K32 Strela (Needs more time)
Top 3 Traps Poll Results
- 1) Molotov (On the way next!)
- 2) Fougasse Mine (released!)
- 3) Viper Trap (Needs more time)
MAS-49
Factions:
- Adding completely new factions is unlikely. Focusing more on new features that will bring something new to the game.
- PAVN/NLF related updates have begun and will continue with the next set of weapons.
- We want to work on creating more distinction between the various faction, including putting some time into differentiating the commander abilities between all the factions.
Gameplay and Other Mechanics:
- Campaign balance is a major issue that the team is currently looking at.
- There are tasks under consideration to update Skirmish.
- We are continuing to look at some old RO/RS community favorite maps to bring forward.
- We are bringing over some of the weapons from older RO franchise games.
- We'll be looking at doing some level of destruction with the inclusion of the M113.
- No plans for tanks at the moment. However, the M113 may show up in a few existing maps
- Party system for friends is on the list of new features to consider.
- Black April was purchased. It will include polish to map-specific art assets and gameplay changes.
General Development:
- Hard to compare RS2 to older RO1/RO2 games. Sales wise we are pleased. Seems as though players find the Vietnam theater is more accessible compared to the older weaponry found in WW2.
- The development of RS2 is a collaborative effort between TWI and AMG, the nature of which is constantly evolving. Prior to the game's launch, a good deal of the Game Design was also handled in-house at AMG, however as time has continued on, there's been a far more collaborative approach to the game's core feature design. Some areas of the game are handled almost entirely one office or the other. Example: AMG handles Level Design, Code, Animation, Art, and TWI handles QA, Sound, Engine Programming (which gave us systems like Instanced Rendering) and Distribution.
- Improving lack luster areas of the game is going to continue to be a major focus for us through 2019.
- "Updating" voice packs is not likely to happen - very expensive for what it is. Given a choice, we’re more likely to put resources elsewhere for greater returns.
- In general, we (TWI) like to keep working on our games for as long as we are able. In a general nut shell (and this is abstract and not to be taken too literally) - new game sales help us invest in the next game, while optional DLC and other purchases is how we invest in our current titles.
Cosmetics/ Customization:
- We are considering different types of customization in the future. Vehicle, weapon, squad tunnel, etc are certainly areas we could allow players to choose realistic alternatives. However, this really isn't our priority at the moment.
- Per-class customization is being actively worked on, however it is a massive new feature which touches a lot of other features. Making sure it doesn't destroy your old configs, and is presented in a good way takes a lot of time both on design and on code for implementation.
Beyond Rising Storm 2:
- There are plans for the Red Orchestra/Rising Storm franchise to continue, but the big questions are still being discussed by the team which include:
- When?
- What front?
- What factions?
- What target specs/platforms?
- Some of the big community requested features will likely be built into the future titles such as staged reloading
Bagels or Doughnuts?
- Yes, next question (Please do not look at the fight happening over this very debate every Friday)
As always, thank you for your continued interest in our games and support! Keep an eye on the Road Map to see more of what's coming next and what ideas we are prototyping (not all will see a release)!
Have a happy and safe new year!