Empire Earth Preview

When it comes to units in general, the creators of Empire Earth saw to it that every detail remains genuine. First off, all your citizens will have the ability to take care of themselves (You can find out about the EE micro-management in more detail in our interview - Ed), allowing you to concentrate on more important matters. However, If a citizen occasionally stops performing his duties, it will be possible to assign him to new duties with one simple click on the citizen button on your interface. All of these enhancements were placed to ensure a relaxing gameplay and minimize the potential micromanagement of units. On the other hand, micromanaging will be possible for players who prefer it (for example, your airplanes must be given the order to refuel and restock their ammo). Besides, controlling and training well over 200 units, throughout the entire game, is enough of a challenge for an ordinary mortal.

You will also be able to build Wonders of the World, like in Age of Empires. Empire Earth will have a certain number of these wonders, including the Roman Coliseum as well as the Light House in Alexandria. Wonders will furnish your civilization with some power-ups. Unfortunately, the developers do not wish to reveal how this advantage will help you overcome the opponent. Nonetheless, a bit info was given on the disasters, which are referred to as calamities. The player can use his priest unit to cast these disasters anywhere in the nearby area. The calamities will vary from deadly hurricanes and eruptive volcanoes, to the tremendously fatal plague. The volcanoes emerge from the ground and cast out boiling lava and fire rocks that can generate extreme damage to your city and people. The plague is also very dangerous because it spreads quickly by contact with infected citizens. To protect your civilization from these abominations, you can make a Temple in the surrounding area. Calamities cannot be summoned in the neighborhood of Temples.

If all of this is not enough to satisfy your lustful appetite for in-game detail, the makers of Empire Earth also created a vast number of technologies. The tech-tree we've seen looks amazing so far. There is well over 300 upgradeable technologies and let us not forget that they all extend throughout 12 epochs of man's existence. The player is going to have the option of using some of the revolutionary discoveries to his/her advantage. For example, in the Renaissance period gunpowder (although discovered earlier) was in great usage, as more advanced pieces of fire arms appeared, like the culverin and matchlock arquebus. Shortly after this, swords and stabbing weapons slowly began to disappear. Battleships started to use more sophisticated weaponry, like the galleon that was the first ship to have broadside guns. A few centuries ahead (well you know how that goes, Cuban crisis etc.), and we're facing a real chance of an apocalypse. And as you know, this tech-tree goes all the way up to mechs and nasty beam weapons.

Resource managing is enhanced and its focus will shift throughout the epochs. The developers have finally decided not to limit the natural resources, in other words, they won't expire no matter how long a mission lasts. Through the first couple of epochs, standard means of surviving will be found (wood, stone, gold etc.). Certainly, we'll see food resources like berries, fish, animals, and farms. Later the main resources change into steel and similar materials. The designers plan to make things very simple in the aspect of resource management, letting the player focus on the gameplay and real-time action.

The graphics appear to be a debatable issue all over the Net. While some are complaining endlessly about the game not having the completely free 3D camera movement, most of the others tend to support the isometric Age of Empires camera style. The game introduces something in between. Camera movement is possible and can zoom to some extent. The terrain is in 3D, highly detailed, and it largely affects gameplay. More elements were thrown in like the night and day changes. The boys down at Stainless Steel announced that they wish to focus on game elements that don't afflict the player in any way. Putting in a camera, which can freely rotate, is something that is logically going to increase the hardware demands. So, the more traditional method will satisfy both developers and the public (especially those who stay loyal to the old Age of Empires).

The scenario designers are preparing a real treat for the single-player mode. With over 12 large campaigns, there will also be a scenario builder and map editor. Here, the player can design his own levels, create his own storyline, customize units - in short, make a world and storyline using his imagination. The multiplayer mode will support up to 8 players (or up to 16 in some mods). Population limit is configurable in this particular mode. This is where the civilization customization feature appears most effective: since there are literary millions of combinations, players will never know what kind enemy they're up against.

Empire Earth is slated for a summer release date. During the following months, the developers have promised to release more info on the beta test, plus the specifics regarding the actual release date.