Thanks for making it to part 2! The Q&A portion - firstly, questions that had been asked beforehand in the Steam discussion group, our forums or on Discord:
Will there be “xyz” localization?
We are currently planning for text localization in Spanish, French, Russian, and a few more. Audio will be in English and Vietnamese only, although we are looking at doing other languages for the Announcer.
Will more maps be added later on as DLC?
We will be adding more maps over time, both our own and possibly community maps taken official, for free. We don’t like adding content to our games that splits the player base.
Plans for support? For how long? How will future DLC be included into RS2? What do you guys think of DLCs which include game-mechanics and not just pure content?
We’ll support as long as it is viable! Here’s our (current) thoughts (these are not planned/scoped/promised):
- New factions – such as ANZACs, ARVN, ROKs
- New maps – our own and mapping contests
- New choppers – Huey gunship
- Ground vehicles – M113, tanks
- Bring forward RO2 and RS1 content
- Co-op game mode(s)
- Version of the RO2/RS Multiplayer Campaign
- Tell us what you’d like – visit the forums.
What takes the priority in RS2 right now and later on: Content or Polish?!
Polish, Polish, Polish! We’re not planning to add any more content prior to release.
Character optimization: Will you guys introduce more options by including more categories and/or new pieces to select? How far do you want to go with this mechanic?
For launch we are happy with the set we have. Moving forward we want to make sure any new content added fits the spirit of the game. Adding new categories is unlikely but possible post launch.
What was the most surprising thing in the RS2 testing phase? May it be community-wise or gameplay-wise.
Helicopters. At one point we had turned around while AMG was working out their planning around RS 2 and when we turned back there were helicopters in the game!
What would you do differently next time and what is the overall conclusion resulting from the current state of the test-phase?
We’ve been happy with both the technical reports and gameplay feedback that our wave-based beta system has returned for us. We decided this approach over early access as we wanted to just do small waves, make specific changes related to feedback and get a new version out there - without some of the expectations that seem to come with early access now!
And also, some of the questions that we were asked at the show (paraphrasing and taking what we can remember - as we were relying on the taping of the event. Ha.);
Will there still be support for mutators and other items for the community?
Yes, for sure. SDK is already available (in beta form). Steam workshop will be running from launch. Also, modders and mappers will find that we’ve re-written some of the clunkier old systems from RO2/RS. For example, adding new factions should be much easier now. Also, we’ve removed the old cover system that was potentially so time-consuming for mappers - all that is now handled dynamically in code.
How far have you gone with historical accuracy?
We aim to ensure that all weapon systems perform reasonably accurately (pun unintended) to their real-life counterparts. We don’t nerf the weapons so that they are a one-to-one match. Obvious example in the Vietnam timeframe is the M16 vs. the AK47 (and derivatives). The two weapons are not identical - different design philosophies at work. The M16 is accurate, lightweight and make of very modern materials, while the AK is less accurate and clunkier. However, the AK is designed for use by less-well-trained troops, easy to maintain and use and with good stopping power, compared to the M16.
As far as the locations go, we can mix it up a little more with Vietnam. Yes, there are locations like Hue City and Hamburger Hill, but in a lot of cases we can play to the “vision” that players have of Vietnam from the great movies, such as FMJ, Platoon and Apocalypse Now.
Plan for land vehicles?
While there were a bunch of vehicles around, their (combat) use was so restricted that it hasn’t been a high priority for us - so not at launch. It’s something we’ll look at based on demand - or maybe it is something modders should have a go at!
Who are the artists behind the music of RS2: Vietnam?
Chris Rickwood and Lennie Moore.