register 
site map
search
COMMUNITY MANAGER DMITRY KOLPAKOV FOR HOMELAN
HomeLAN - First, are you happy with the reactions that Silent Storm has received in Europe from players and critics?
Dmitry Kolpakov - Sure thing, we are :) We received a great inflow of suggestions and feedback from gamers at the very moment we announced the game. There was a significant gap in terms of turn-based strategy games and tactics in the gaming world. Gamers got really hungry for such prefect titles as X-Com, Jagged Alliance, Lazer Squad and Fallout. Silent Storm brought about a renewed hope to them and drew a great deal of attention. When Silent Storm was released in Europe, game critics were very pleased with gameplay, graphics and all the stuff the game had to offer, they rated it very high.
HomeLAN - The game will appear in the US in early 2004 through Encore. Will there be any changes made for the US release?
Dmitry Kolpakov - The North American (USA) version will be released as version 1.2 with all the patches and updates applied. That's the point. The time difference between American and European release dates gave us additional time to make the game performance much better. The patches we released in Europe had fixed several minor issues with animations and voice-overs, improved game balance and graced Map Editor with more functionality.
HomeLAN - When the time came to make an expansion for the game, what were the team's main goals?
Dmitry Kolpakov - We had so many ideas for Silent Storm, that we just couldn't resist the diabolical urge to make an add-on :) Our strategic goal for Silent Storm: Sentinels is to continue the adventure players started in the original story, refresh it with a greater variety of different settings, missions, objectives, weapons, threats and new gameplay, of course.
HomeLAN - What can you tell us about the storyline for Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - The main action in the game takes place immediately after the war, during years 1946-47. Veteran operatives of both Axis and Allied factions join into a secret organization called "Sentinels". Their objective is to finish the remnants of "Thor's Hammer", rising from ashes and into a new race for global domination.
Governments do not support "Sentinels" and it makes them manage their war arsenals by themselves buying new weapons and hiring mercenaries for their cov-ops teams.
The add-on will feature one campaign with tree-structured set of missions. That is the info and clues found at one location will open the way to new missions and more information. All in all, the storyline will not let you settle down and relax.
HomeLAN - What new units will be put into the expansion?
Dmitry Kolpakov - So far, we have implemented many new units into the game. These are new Hammer soldiers, marauders, gangsters and mobs. There were lots of them by the end of the war, they bunched into large groups, harassed civilians and raided military convoys from time to time.
Moreover, more types of uniforms will be available and the player will be able to customize them for all of his teammates. Panzerkleins will probably appear by the end of the game, but they won't play a very significant role. The end of the game will have something else to do to your brave operatives. It will worth every effort you will make to reach it.
HomeLAN - What new locations and settings will be found in Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - "Silent Storm. Sentinels" will boast a couple of new settings, such as deserts, underground facilities, tech labs and abandoned mines. As in the original, players will be offered an infinite range of random locations and encounters. These will help them get experience and money before main missions, though I can't promise that random encounters will be a piece of cake :)
Besides, players will have to face new types of objectives, such as "murder" or "infiltration" to an enemy installation. That will substantially diversify the gameplay and will bring additional challenge.
HomeLAN - What other gameplay additions and improvements are you putting into the expansion?
Dmitry Kolpakov - In addition to money-driven team-management, we considerably increased the number of available weapons and introduced such developments as the Korobov TKB assault rifle, AK-47, Sterling Para and many other firearms that appeared after the war, not to mention new pieces of engineering and combat equipment. Weapons will acquire such parameter as reliability that is they will have a chance to jam or breakdown. Characters will be able to fix minor breakdowns during the action, though serious malfunctions will require engineering at the home base.
Character inventories, game controls and options will be simplified and streamlined to better match both core gamers and newbies. The game will feature complexity adjustment enabling players to choose enemy AI and experience level, availability of saves during missions and some other options.
Speaking of AI, hostiles have acquired morale, got cautious and more intelligent. They will avoid spots with too many dead soldiers, crouch and hit the dirt under heavy fire. Furthermore, they will make use of better tactics like withdrawal, ambushes, flanking and etc.
HomeLAN - Will there be any graphical improvements made for Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - Actually, no. The add-on uses the same graphics engine as the original game. However, we will revise and test all of its components to make it run faster and smoother.
HomeLAN - What is the current status of the game's progress and when will it be released in Europe and the US?
Dmitry Kolpakov - The game is very close to alpha-version and the approximate release date is set for the first quarter of 2004. Although, the precise date for the US and Europe will depend on publisher and his strategic planning ;)
HomeLAN - Are there any plans for a full-fledged sequel to Silent Storm at this time?
Dmitry Kolpakov - Well, who knows :) I don't want to reassure you so far, since there are no exact plans for the moment. We're still thinking about this wonderful opportunity. Possibly, when we're done with Sentinels and feedback from our gamers, we will make this resolute step.
HomeLAN - Finally is there anything else you want to say about Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - Yes, it's going to absorb all those things and improvements that our gamers asked for. Although, we will not betray our own ideas as well. Sentinels will present the fusion of both feedback and refreshing originality.
December 7, 2003
Dmitry Kolpakov - Sure thing, we are :) We received a great inflow of suggestions and feedback from gamers at the very moment we announced the game. There was a significant gap in terms of turn-based strategy games and tactics in the gaming world. Gamers got really hungry for such prefect titles as X-Com, Jagged Alliance, Lazer Squad and Fallout. Silent Storm brought about a renewed hope to them and drew a great deal of attention. When Silent Storm was released in Europe, game critics were very pleased with gameplay, graphics and all the stuff the game had to offer, they rated it very high.
HomeLAN - The game will appear in the US in early 2004 through Encore. Will there be any changes made for the US release?
Dmitry Kolpakov - The North American (USA) version will be released as version 1.2 with all the patches and updates applied. That's the point. The time difference between American and European release dates gave us additional time to make the game performance much better. The patches we released in Europe had fixed several minor issues with animations and voice-overs, improved game balance and graced Map Editor with more functionality.
HomeLAN - When the time came to make an expansion for the game, what were the team's main goals?
Dmitry Kolpakov - We had so many ideas for Silent Storm, that we just couldn't resist the diabolical urge to make an add-on :) Our strategic goal for Silent Storm: Sentinels is to continue the adventure players started in the original story, refresh it with a greater variety of different settings, missions, objectives, weapons, threats and new gameplay, of course.
HomeLAN - What can you tell us about the storyline for Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - The main action in the game takes place immediately after the war, during years 1946-47. Veteran operatives of both Axis and Allied factions join into a secret organization called "Sentinels". Their objective is to finish the remnants of "Thor's Hammer", rising from ashes and into a new race for global domination.
Governments do not support "Sentinels" and it makes them manage their war arsenals by themselves buying new weapons and hiring mercenaries for their cov-ops teams.
The add-on will feature one campaign with tree-structured set of missions. That is the info and clues found at one location will open the way to new missions and more information. All in all, the storyline will not let you settle down and relax.
HomeLAN - What new units will be put into the expansion?
Dmitry Kolpakov - So far, we have implemented many new units into the game. These are new Hammer soldiers, marauders, gangsters and mobs. There were lots of them by the end of the war, they bunched into large groups, harassed civilians and raided military convoys from time to time.
Moreover, more types of uniforms will be available and the player will be able to customize them for all of his teammates. Panzerkleins will probably appear by the end of the game, but they won't play a very significant role. The end of the game will have something else to do to your brave operatives. It will worth every effort you will make to reach it.
HomeLAN - What new locations and settings will be found in Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - "Silent Storm. Sentinels" will boast a couple of new settings, such as deserts, underground facilities, tech labs and abandoned mines. As in the original, players will be offered an infinite range of random locations and encounters. These will help them get experience and money before main missions, though I can't promise that random encounters will be a piece of cake :)
Besides, players will have to face new types of objectives, such as "murder" or "infiltration" to an enemy installation. That will substantially diversify the gameplay and will bring additional challenge.
HomeLAN - What other gameplay additions and improvements are you putting into the expansion?
Dmitry Kolpakov - In addition to money-driven team-management, we considerably increased the number of available weapons and introduced such developments as the Korobov TKB assault rifle, AK-47, Sterling Para and many other firearms that appeared after the war, not to mention new pieces of engineering and combat equipment. Weapons will acquire such parameter as reliability that is they will have a chance to jam or breakdown. Characters will be able to fix minor breakdowns during the action, though serious malfunctions will require engineering at the home base.
Character inventories, game controls and options will be simplified and streamlined to better match both core gamers and newbies. The game will feature complexity adjustment enabling players to choose enemy AI and experience level, availability of saves during missions and some other options.
Speaking of AI, hostiles have acquired morale, got cautious and more intelligent. They will avoid spots with too many dead soldiers, crouch and hit the dirt under heavy fire. Furthermore, they will make use of better tactics like withdrawal, ambushes, flanking and etc.
HomeLAN - Will there be any graphical improvements made for Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - Actually, no. The add-on uses the same graphics engine as the original game. However, we will revise and test all of its components to make it run faster and smoother.
HomeLAN - What is the current status of the game's progress and when will it be released in Europe and the US?
Dmitry Kolpakov - The game is very close to alpha-version and the approximate release date is set for the first quarter of 2004. Although, the precise date for the US and Europe will depend on publisher and his strategic planning ;)
HomeLAN - Are there any plans for a full-fledged sequel to Silent Storm at this time?
Dmitry Kolpakov - Well, who knows :) I don't want to reassure you so far, since there are no exact plans for the moment. We're still thinking about this wonderful opportunity. Possibly, when we're done with Sentinels and feedback from our gamers, we will make this resolute step.
HomeLAN - Finally is there anything else you want to say about Silent Storm: Sentinels?
Dmitry Kolpakov - Yes, it's going to absorb all those things and improvements that our gamers asked for. Although, we will not betray our own ideas as well. Sentinels will present the fusion of both feedback and refreshing originality.
December 7, 2003
