Iron Front - Liberation 1944, new WW2 game on A2:OA engine

[ProfTournesol 956]

Imo this is a two-sided issue;

It is good that ppl can run the mods they like and make the game more as they want it to be.

On the other hand it will most likely make the MP scene as complex as in vA2, so every server runs their mods and addons which makes joining a server as horrible as in vA2 and spreads the community up. The good thing about PR and DayZ is that there are no extra special islands and rare addons that you have to hunt down, you just start the mod and play. No hassle.

Thanks god, everybody isn't MP ONLY interested, and thus the community is mainly built around mods and modding, and not only MP squad like others.

[raptor90 1]

If we type about AI improvements in IF, then anybody else noticed the flanking T-34 on this video ?

start at 4:11

Don`t know if there was such things in A2OA.

[BigMorgan 11]

Forgive me if this has been asked and answered, but who is distributing this title in North America?

I'm dying to pre-order a DVD copy!

:D

[4 IN 1 0]

and now try imagine what they could do with ARMA 3 engine ;)

can't wait for sequel

Are you teasing us again ?>:{

[raptor90 1]

and now try imagine what they could do with ARMA 3 engine ;)

can't wait for sequel

Indeed, "Tirpitz" ship sabotage mission ala Hidden&Dangerous 2 for example, now those were the days.

[myshaak 0]

Indeed, "Tirpitz" ship sabotage mission ala Hidden&Dangerous 2 for example, now those were the days.

Now you've done it, I must reinstall, are you happy? :)

[raptor90 1]

http://forum.deepsilver.com/forum/showthread.php/64013-Q-amp-A-with-Patelaros-Vasileios-aka-Panzer_Baron

[No0dle 1]

For about one week the Red Orchestra and Il-2 communities had been given the chance to send in their questions concerning Iron Front: Liberation 1944. The following Q&A with Patelaros Vasileios (aka Panzer_Baron), Art Director of the Iron Front team, is the result.

Q: Could you tell us a little bit about what an Art Director does and what your tasks in the Iron Front development are?

A: In various companies the work of Art Director is always different. In AWAR, my main task is the overview of the design part, but I also do a lot of modeling, texturing, training of the young ones in our company and other organizing, executive work. I should say, that almost every primary worker in our company has a wide spectrum of tasks and abilities.

Q: Who are the developers behind Iron Front?

A: When it all was just starting, Sarmat had a part of its team working on “Liberation 1941-45†mod for ArmA2. It was not certain at that moment if there would be an end-product – it was slow work without any responsibilities or terms. But we had a hope to make a contract with an investor and BIS to lease the engine, and our hopes came true. The main part of Sarmat transformed to form AWAR and X1 software is the company which works around the marketing, agreements and other business stuff.

Q: Iron Front: Liberation 1944 began as a modfication for ArmA2 and then became a full-blown game. This has caused confusion in the community, some think it’s a mod and others a new release. Can you summarize the main differences between ArmA2 and Iron Front and highlight what makes Iron Front unique?

A: Yes, I have read some of such comments like „pfff, just another mod for arma2, there are a lot of other good mod of ww2 out there, and they are for free!“. But they forget that:

1) Iron Front as a commercial product, offers high quality models, properly working features, complete systems and sets. It’s not a bunch of a few models and half-working features, it’s a complete product.

2) The primary features of Iron Front are unique - the damage systems, the artillery systems, the vehicle systems.

3) The gameplay itself differs a lot. The settings of the whole weaponary makes the game different – there is no more „hit that tank anywhere with some rpg or javellin to destroy it“, there are no more guided rockets, no more long-distance shooting weapons, no more guided bombs. The aviation combat is different than in ArmA2 too.

Here follows a list of some of the most important unique features:

- Advanced, totally reworked tank system

- Working sights and scopes

- Breakable vehicles

- Completely different way of communication (no radio for every soldier like in arma2)

- Artillery towing by vehicles

- Artillery pushing by infantry

- New gametypes in multiplayer

As far as I know, that there is no game or mod around featuring all those features in a single package.

There are several other small, not really unique features and goodies (that were not in ArmA), like looking through binoculars when you are looking from the open hatch of your tank, helmets that fall of the heads, adjustable iron sights on machine-guns, mounting machine-guns and so on.

Among the models and the features, there are 4 unique maps, with a summer environment that is well-presented, very detailed and extensive. With over a hundred various new buildings, 98% of them are usable, you can enter inside them. Of course, they are all destructable. The size of maps differ from extremly big to very small, for all tastes. There are also several historical buildings, copying the real ones (Ratusha, Baranow Castle, St Bartolomeus Kostel, Sinagogue etc).

All in all, Iron Front really offers a different, complete game – totally new environment, new settings, new features, and all that in high, professional quality.

Q: What are your post-release plans? Will you continue to release patches in the long term and release additional content (DLCs? Add-Ons?)?

A: The post-release plans depend on the sales. But all in all, there are planned patches and DLC.

Q: Bohemia Interactive is constantly updating the ArmA2 engine, will these improvements also find their way into Iron Front after the release?

A: Yes, Iron Front will continue to receive the same patches as ArmA2, but of course, with the additional special features and corrections for our game.

Q: What does Iron Front have to offer the PvP crowd? Please confirm which PvP gamemodes and how many PvP missions the release will contain.

A: The main PvP gametypes are the Blitzkrieg, the TDM Tank Battle, the Air Superiority, the Capture and Hold, the Deathmatch, the Capture the Flag.

All in all, it features close to 30 missions, most of them Blitzkrieg ones.

Q: Can you give us a short overview of what tasks the player has to accomplish in each of the gamemodes?

A: In TDM Tank Battle two teams, armed only with various types of tanks, try to exterminate each other or to capture the opposite base. It’s a „TANKS ONLY“ gametype, actually.

In TDM Air Superiority two teams engage in air combat, trying to shot the enemy aircrafts and to bomb the ground targets of the enemy. It’s an „AIRCRAFTS ONLY“ gametype

In Blitzkrieg there is one attacking and one defending team. The attackers have to progress, capturing sector by sector. The number of such sectors is various in different missions. That special gametype is very interesting – it’s really close the the gameplay setting of the Battlefield games – same standards, same AI of bots (if they are enabled on the server). As far as I know, there is preparation for a special video, demonstrating that certain gametype.

In the classical Capture and Hold, well, I think everybody knows about those gametype =)

And of course, there is Deathmatch, a free-for-all, small, killing gametype.

More missions of other gametypes will come in various patches. It’s possible that the best missions, created by community, could be included in official patches too with the agreement of their authors, of course.

Q: Which of the gamemodes do you think are suitable for competitive gaming and what else has Iron Front to offer the clan scene?

A: Well, personally I am not much of competition gameplayer, but I personally like to challenge someone in a serious tank battle. Sometimes a serious tank vs tank challenge can take a lot of time and nerves, when the two opponents are both skilled and know the strong and weak sides of their combat machines.

Also, I think that Blitzkrieg gametype is pretty good for competition. That gametype, by my personal opinion, is perfect for proper teamwork.

Q: Beside the PvP gamemodes, what other gamemodes are included in the game?

A: Several of our multiplayer gametypes, like Blitzkrieg, Tank Battle are also able to be played with bots if the host of the server will prefer it in the settings, so it’s not instantly a PvP gametype.

And of course, there is the classical Cooperative gametype, featuring a team of players trying to accomplish tasks, fighting against AI.

Q: The ArmA2 multiplayer is anything but beginner friendly. Did you make any changes to make the multiplayer more accessible?

A: Of course. We had many discussions around it and as a result, we created some missions that are simple for the beginners too. They are small, with small distances, simple equipment and simple tasks, so they will not have the only option to join a big battle where there is a total hell. They will be able to start from rookie and continue to more hard and serious. The beginners will not get lost in a wide terrain, they will have a clear view where to go, what to do. It’s mostly in the Blitzkrieg gametype.

Q: What does Iron Front has to offer in terms of anti-cheat protection?

A: That’s a serious situation and we are still working on it.

Q: The editor included in ArmA2 is very popular. Will Iron Front be modable in the same ways ArmA2 is and will the community be able to convert missions, mods and gamemodes from ArmA2 to Iron Front?

A: Yes, the editor is mostly the same. Hypotheticaly, conversion of mods from ArmA2 to Iron Front is possible, not sure that it’s quite simple, though.

Q: Will the ArmA2 editing tools be usable for Iron Front and if not: will there be specific Iron Front editing tools?

A: Yes, the Arma2 tools will be usable, but in a different way. The detailed information will come after the release.

Q: Speaking of modding: ACE and ACRE are two very popular ArmA2 mods and a lot of people have asked, whether they will be converted to Iron Front. Can you confirm this or alternatively, provide a better understanding of whether or not they are still necessary?

A: Well, I think that this question should be adressed to the modders who created ACE and ACRE. Personally, I would like to see them in Iron Front too.

Q: Will weapon mounting be available for all weapons or just for MGs?

A: At the moment it’s just for MGs, our gameplay tests showed to us that it’s a correct solution. In the future, if the gameplay of the community will prove that mounting is be needed for all the weapons, we will make it in a patch.

Q: Will Iron Front include 3D in-game VoIP as ArmA2 does?

A: Yes, of course. We think it’s a very good thing for the multiplayer gameplay.

Q: What are the chances of 3D tank interiors being added to the game via patch or DLC/Add-On?

A: The chances are quite low. We had a 3d tank interior for test, for one tank only, and it was more a pain in the ass rather then a good solution. I know some people cry a lot about interiors, but we prefer to have more tanks without interiors, than 2 tanks with interiors. About our half-tracks, cars, aircrafts – they all have a detailed and accurate interior.

Q: On what platforms (Steam, GetGames, …) will Iron Front be released and will the retail version require Steam?

A: As far as I know, Steam will be for sure, DVD of course too. Not sure about GetGames.

Q: ArmA3 is also supposed to be released in 2012. What are the chances for an Iron Front 2 based on the ArmA3 engine?

A: That’s business secret =)

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

A: I would like to notice, that if the community will try to create some really good modifactions, it’s possible that we will offer them a helping hand and include their work in the official patches, to make the game better for us all =)

Thank you for your time.

All pleasure was mine =)

------------------------

Thanks to:

- Panzer_Baron for his time and the chance to interview him.

- fullmj|kba for his help.

- everyone who sent me questions.

Edited May 14, 2012 by No0dle

[-GR-Operative 10]

The gameplay itself differs a lot. The settings of the whole weaponary makes the game different – there is no more „hit that tank anywhere with some rpg or javellin to destroy it“, there are no more guided rockets, no more long-distance shooting weapons, no more guided bombs. The aviation combat is different than in ArmA2 too.

- Advanced, totally reworked tank system

- Working sights and scopes

- Breakable vehicles

- Completely different way of communication (no radio for every soldier like in arma2)

- Artillery towing by vehicles

- Artillery pushing by infantry

- New gametypes in multiplayer

There are several other small, not really unique features and goodies (that were not in ArmA), like looking through binoculars when you are looking from the open hatch of your tank, helmets that fall of the heads, adjustable iron sights on machine-guns, mounting machine-guns and so on.

With over a hundred various new buildings, 98% of them are usable, you can enter inside them. Of course, they are all destructable.

A: The post-release plans depend on the sales. But all in all, there are planned patches and DLC.

A: Yes, Iron Front will continue to receive the same patches as ArmA2, but of course, with the additional special features and corrections for our game.

A: The main PvP gametypes are the Blitzkrieg, the TDM Tank Battle, the Air Superiority, the Capture and Hold, the Deathmatch, the Capture the Flag.

A: Yes, the editor is mostly the same. Hypotheticaly, conversion of mods from ArmA2 to Iron Front is possible, not sure that it’s quite simple, though.

A: Yes, the Arma2 tools will be usable, but in a different way. The detailed information will come after the release.

(About mouting weapons) A: At the moment it’s just for MGs, our gameplay tests showed to us that it’s a correct solution. In the future, if the gameplay of the community will prove that mounting is be needed for all the weapons, we will make it in a patch.

but we prefer to have more tanks without interiors, than 2 tanks with interiors. About our half-tracks, cars, aircrafts – they all have a detailed and accurate interior.

A: As far as I know, Steam will be for sure, DVD of course too. Not sure about GetGames.

Q: ArmA3 is also supposed to be released in 2012. What are the chances for an Iron Front 2 based on the ArmA3 engine?

A: That’s business secret =)

A: I would like to notice, that if the community will try to create some really good modifactions, it’s possible that we will offer them a helping hand and include their work in the official patches, to make the game better for us all =)

Man, there's so much win in this interview that I really had to quote all this!

[raptor90 1]

Operative;2148821']Man' date=' there's so much win in this interview that I really had to quote all this![/quote']

Agree, it really reminds me of ze counter-strike in its early years, yes i know cs and ifl1944 are 2 totally different games, but still...

A: I would like to notice, that if the community will try to create some really good modifactions, it’s possible that we will offer them a helping hand and include their work in the official patches, to make the game better for us all =)

This is pure win.

[foffy 58]

I don't think the germans used 2012 equipment in 1944, so I guess not ;)

I don't mean 2012 equipment, I mean mechanics that make the game more realistic like visual effects and mechanics only introduced in ACE. ACE makes vanilla ArmA into a totally different (and better) game.

[fkymplbo 5]

If i44mod could combine with iron front 44，that would be great! That would make iron front a full pack of WWII game.

[raptor90 1]

If i44mod could combine with iron front 44，that would be great! That would make iron front a full pack of WWII game.

You mean three studio developers ? ( X1+Awar+those who created I44 mod ) It would be probably the BEST WW2 game ever released...

All is possible tough.

Imagine if it was successful, for BI more money for Arma2 or Arma3 engine lincences, and for us Iron Front 2 on Arma 3 engine...

With possibility of full spectrum war :O:O ( air, naval, land, under water combat ), with 500 different units... Definitely even that imagination can cause shatting brix...

Edited May 13, 2012 by raptor90

[TacONE 1]

will this also work with a ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead Standalone Version?

[raptor90 1]

How do you mean work ? IFL44 is stand-alone game.

[ProfTournesol 956]

The strange thing is, that ArmA2 community didn't have a chance to ask its own set of questions :raisebrow:

[raptor90 1]

You had chance, savedbygrace noticed that event here and even here http://forum.deepsilver.com/forum/showthread.php/63436-Interview-with-Steffen-Trombke

[.kju 3244]

@ProfTournesol

Seems you missed it:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?118477-Iron-Front-Liberation-1944-new-WW2-game-on-A2-OA-engine&p=2142232&viewfull=1#post2142232

[ProfTournesol 956]

@ProfTournesol

Seems you missed it:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?118477-Iron-Front-Liberation-1944-new-WW2-game-on-A2-OA-engine&p=2142232&viewfull=1#post2142232

Ah yes, i missed it. It was quite subliminal though...

Edited May 13, 2012 by ProfTournesol

[panzer_baron 10]

Well, you can ask questions there too, just don't all of them will be answered, though)

[fkymplbo 5]

Will be next stage to develop winter troops and islands? That would be new interesting scenario.

[raptor90 1]

Probably the best at all step would be merging the Invasion 1944 and its devs to one studio and one game... ;)

But lets not hurry things, time will show all possibilities.

[kernriver 4]

Yeah, before any "merging", lets play this game first. :)

I already preordered it, 25th can't come soon enough.

Good luck to developers, I hope this game will be succesfull.

[metalcraze 290]

The video my SideStrafe looked promising

[fkymplbo 5]

I wish the game could be quite different in some realistic details than those of in44 and some other mods, such as real ranks on soldiers and officers. For example we could tell corporals, sergeants, lieuts,captains and even majors by their ranks. Each model of soldier and officer in same rank could have several different options, such as in hats, side caps, helmets and visors. That could make more figure choices and variations in game and feel strong reality with troop forming to avoid to see so many same one, for instance a same looking corporal in the leadership of all groups.