Etherlords

11. Will there be special servers for the internet game (like the BattleNet) or is the host also the server on which the game is played?

The on-line multiplayer is based on the peer-to-peer technology quite like BattleNet. We will use GameSpy Arcade server which will host all games run at the moment.

12. Will you charge a monthly fee for the online gaming?

No, Etherlords on-line multiplayer is absolutely free of charge.

13. How many heroes will I be able to have active in a game?

The number of heroes you can summon during one mission is not limited by rules, but the actual number you will be able to create will depend on how much you can afford, because each hero costs certain upkeep in terms of Ether.
The more Ether sources you will capture the greater number of heroes you will be able to sustain. Usually a higher hero level means greater upkeep price, although you might choose and develop a skill for your heroes that decreases needed payment up to zero.

14. How many monsters can a hero create in a fight?

Each hero can summon a maximum of 10 monsters during one fight, but you will rarely need that much.

15. What about the system requirements, can you give us some details?

Just how many details you need? ;) Here is the full list: Etherlords require Windows 95/98/2000/ME, DirectX 7.0 or higher, Pentium II 266 MHz, 64MB RAM, AGP 3D accelerator with 8 MB RAM, 8x CD-ROM, 1400MB hard disc space and 100 MB additionally for swap files. Recommended requirements include Pentium III 500MHz recommended, 128 Mb RAM, 32 Mb of video memory, 16x CD-ROM or DVD, 1400MB hard disc space and 500 Mb free space additionally.

16. Will there be a rendered sequence after each mission? And if not how else will the story be told?

The story will mostly be told in mission briefings between missions. There will also be small in-game movies and full-size introductory and final movies.

17. In which different areas will the heroes advance after a won fight?

Each race has its own realms: Synthets, half-beasts and half-machines as they are, live in a bare desert (the legend says that normal beings with flesh and blood could have never survived in such living conditions); Chaots's lands are burnt up to dismal black colour by constant fire storms of the Ether of Chaos; Vitals dwell in a lot livelier green fields and forests, while the cold-blooded Kinets inhabit icy planes and mountain peaks. Each realm has its proper music and ambient environmental effects that correspond to the game visuals, such as rivers murmur and leaves rustling where appropriate, etc. Tunes and sfx will smoothly change as soon as you step onto the land of another race.

18. Can you give us already an approximation of the time span, which you will usually need to complete Etherlords?

Etherlords has two scenario branches, each of which will give you approximately 25-30 hours of play. The overall number is thus approximately 60 hours.

19. How many single player missions can I play beside the story based ones?

Etherlords will give you 10 additional single-player missions that are not included in the two scenario campaigns. After we release a multiplayer patch you will be able to play these 10 missions jointly with other players against the AI or against each other.

20. Will there be an editor to build own maps?

We decided not to include a map editor since the entire game is 3D and the editor is fairly complicated; besides, it requires 3D modelling packages that we cannot possibly distribute.

Thx alot!

[x62x63x]

Jörg Frohberg - 10.10.2001