Gamespot had the chance to catch up with Raven Software's Eric Biessman, Jim Hughes and id Software's Tim Willits for a quick interview regarding Quake IV itself, of course.
"GS: What can you tell us about Quake 4's multiplayer at this point? Any specific modes we can discuss now?
TW: There are some multiplayer modes that are still in discussion with Raven, but you'll have capture the flag and variants, you'll have team deathmatch, you'll have tourney, and you'll have brand-new levels, some of which will be based on classic levels that players really enjoyed. The number of clients is up , currently around 12 to 16, but until we really finalize everything, we can't talk too much about multiplayer otherwise. But we will have a lot more information at this year's QuakeCon."
Activision has unveiled their E3 2005 game title lineup, as reported over at IGN. Interestingly enough, the lineup includes Quake IV, which will be released for both the Windows and Xbox 360 platforms. Here's the launch title line-up:
Call of Duty 2 (PC, Xbox 360)
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One (Xbox, Cube, PS2)
Fantastic 4 (Xbox, Cube, PC, PS2, GBA,)
The Movies (Xbox, Cube, PC, PS2)
QUAKE 4 (PC, Xbox 360)
Shrek SuperSlam (PS2, GC)
Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (DS, Cube, PS2, Xbox)
Ultimate Spider-Man (Xbox, Cube, PS2)
Notice the bolded title is Quake IV.... so it appears that we have a lot to look foward to this E3, including a spiffy demo of Quake IV. I don't know about you, but I'm certainly stimulated. ;)
Yet another interview of Quake IV has surfaced onto the net, this time Gamespy got the chance to sit down and have a few words with Kevin Long, Art Leader of Raven Software, Eric Biessman, project leader of Raven Software, and Tim Willits, map designer of id Software, regarding Quake IV and it's Art and Design direction and stage, also contrasting and comparing Quake II to it in the process, in a 4-page interview. Here's a snoop from it:
"Sluggo: So, having made so many games with the Quake 3 engine, what adjustments did you have to make on the art side to do a game like Quake 4 with the DOOM 3 engine?
Kevin Long: Number one: we had to hire some high-poly modelers, because we never had to model anything as high-poly as some of the textures and weapons and creatures that you've got in this game. So we brought three really talented guys in -- all they do is high-poly models for us, and of course making the low-poly versions.
But it's just kind of a new way of working compared to the engines of the past, using a normal map technology. So it was a new way of learning how to paint again. All of our artists now know how to model, where in the past, a 2D guy may not have modeled. That's about the biggest changees we've had in the art department, having high poly modelers on the team now, and also just learning a new way of painting.
Eric Biessman: I think Tim and id went through the same thing when they started working on DOOM. It's so fundamentally different that it was exciting. You get so used to working on the same things and then all of the sudden you kind of have free reign. In the beginning, we went overboard -- now, as we're playing through, as we went along, we realized what we could or couldn't do. It was really a breath of fresh air to start working on this technology and this title.
It was definitely harder than Quake 3 -- we kind of got lazy because we knew what we were doing and we could get things done really quick. We're finally getting to the point again where we can nail the technology right away now, and it's a good feeling."
Don't forget to give the complete interview a read as it's an exceptional and worthwhile one.
IGN got the chance to sit down with Tim Willits of id Software and have a few good words with him regarding the sounds of Quake IV, the voice acting and recording, and etc, all reported in a 3 page interview. Here's a snoop:
"IGN: Quake is widely considered to be one of the pillars of the FPS genre, but it's been away for a while, which has allowed other games to stake out its crown. What facets of gameplay in Quake 4 will put these contenders back in their place?
Tim Willits: We at id aren't in the business to put other games in their 'place.' We feel that in order for this industry to survive it's important that there are lots of great games for people to play. In Quake 4 we are trying to focus on making a great single player experience with fast paced action sequences that's a return to the Quake II universe along with a compelling multiplayer component."
For the rest of the goodies and also a newly revealed screenshot, make sure to head on over to the whole interview as it's quite an exceptional and decent read.
Blue's News managed to get their paws on new info regarding Quake IV's storyline, here's a nugget:
"The Strogg are quickly regrouping. However, with the Strogg's planetary defenses still destroyed, Earth's forces can deliver a full and final assault. This time, you're not alone. You are Matthew Kane, an elite member of Rhino Squad, and part of Earth's next invasion wave. An army of soldiers are fighting with you and an arsenal of weapons and vehicles are at your disposal in this heroic and epic battle between worlds."
Be sure to check out the entire page and a new, higher-res version of the screenshot released back in December of last year as well.
Yes, the news has been coming along slow.... too slow. But we've finally got something *fresh*, *new*, and *interesting* to report!
According to Gamespot, Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, at a recent id Software DOOM 3 Xbox version signing event, has tantilised the crowd with upcoming information regarding Quake IV.
Doing so, he unveiled that at QuakeCon2005, a playable multiplayer demo of Quake IV will be featured and hosted, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of QuakeCon. John Carmack of id Software also hinted that they'll be developing and porting their future games for the next-generation consoles - the Xbox 2 and PlayStation 3, which could mean that - in the long run - Quake IV could be ported for either of those next-gen consoles, rather than just ending up as a Windows XP (and XP x64, Longhorn), Mac OS X, and Linux game.
Check out the whole article for further details, and keep tuned for more info!
Yahoo! Game Domains have whipped up their preview of Quake 4, also with two new screenshots. Here's a snoop:
"After destroying the Strogg's collective brain and leader -- the Makron -- the Strogg have quickly regrouped under a new and more powerful Makron. However, with the Strogg's planetary defenses still destroyed, Earth's forces can deliver a full and final assault. This time you're not alone. An army of soldiers are fighting with you and an arsenal of weapons and vehicles are at your disposal. Quake IV delivers you deeper into the heart of Stroggos."
Well folks we do apologize for the massive lack of Quake 4 news, there's just been no new released info or media on Quake 4 since the PC Gamer and other PC magazines preview articles. We can't exactly say when Quake 4 will be swarming the internet with news, but we can say that when it is this site will be full of Stroggs and what not. ;)
