Homeworld 2 Q&A
We speak with Relic's Dan Irish and Josh Mosqueira to get new details on the next game in the Homeworld saga.
Homeworld, Relic Entertainment's first game, was as distinct in concept as it was visually impressive. When it was released in 1999, it was the first game to ever depict tactical space battles in full 3D, and engagements in the game would often involve dozens if not hundreds of units at once, with everything from interceptor fighters and multiple-turret corvettes to ion-beam frigates and capital ships. And there was a memorable single-player story to back it all up.
Little has been seen or heard of Homeworld 2, but the sequel has been in development for quite some time and is expected to be completed late this year. Relic is now taking the wraps off and is ready to talk about the game, particularly since the studio's most recent game, Impossible Creatures, shipped in January. We recently spoke with Dan Irish, executive producer for Homeworld 2, and Josh Mosqueira, the game's lead designer, to get plenty of new details on what the sequel will offer, including a sinister new enemy, many new units and gameplay refinements, and a bounty of new visual effects.
GameSpot: Give us an overview of Homeworld 2's story. Do things pick up directly after the first game or take into account the events of Homeworld: Cataclysm? Are there any elements of the new game's setting that will be familiar?
Dan Irish: Homeworld 2 continues the epic struggle of the hiigarans and their leader, Karan S'jet. The "exiles" thought their hardships would end when they returned to Hiigara, but fate would not be so kind to them. From the Inner Rim, the hiigarans face a new and bitter enemy. Homeworld 2 focuses on another voyage of the mothership and its crew. This journey takes the hiigarans from their homeworld into oldest regions of the galaxy to confront their new foe and learn the truth behind their exile.
In Homeworld, the exiles reclaimed their home. In Homeworld 2, they reclaim their destiny.
GS: Since Homeworld's release in 1999, Relic has been pretty busy with Impossible Creatures. That was a different sort of game, but has the experience benefited Homeworld 2 in any way?
DI: Homeworld 2 benefits in a number of ways from Impossible Creatures. The most visible benefits are in the special effects, explosions, and damage effects. The tool that we developed for these purposes in Impossible Creatures was converted for our use in Homeworld 2. The artist who created the special effects, Nick Carota, also joined the team, bringing his vast experience with using the tool. The other visible way that we've benefited is in the growth around launching another title. Every time an original concept is created into a game, we refine the creative process so it is easier to prototype ideas and get art assets to a stage where we can see if the concept has merit. You'll see that in the polish and improvement in Homeworld 2.
GS: Tell us about the playable sides. How many factions will be in the game? Are there plans to make the factions in Homeworld 2 more unique than the kushan and taidan units were in Homeworld?
DI: Homeworld 2 features two unique fleets of ships. There are some similarities between the Homeworld fleet of the kushan and the hiigarans of Homeworld 2. While some ships are obvious descendants from those in Homeworld, most are new and have never been seen before. Of course, the design of the mothership has survived for this long, so as you can see in the screenshots, it remains the mainstay of the fleet.
As for the vaygr, the antagonists, they have very distinctive ships that draw few parallels to anything that's been seen before in Homeworld. There are some functional similarities in certain units, but we're hoping to surprise the core fans with the sinister design of this fleet.
Josh Mosqueira: These differences are not only skin-deep. Both races have their own playing style, with the hiigarans focusing on sturdy capital ships and the vaygr preferring faster, more agile ships. The two races also have very different research and tech trees.
Homeworld 2 Quick Links
Summary | Reviews | News | Previews & Features | Images | Videos | Downloads | Answers | Hints & Cheats | Forum
- Sierra Entertainment
- Relic
- Sci-Fi Real-Time Strategy
- Release: Sep 16, 2003 »
- ESRB: Teen
Games you may like…
-
Homeworld
(PC) -
Nexus
(PC) -
Homeworld: Cataclysm
(PC) -
Starships Unlimited
(PC) -
Imperium Galactica II - Alliances
(PC)
Users who looked at content for this game also looked at these games.
See More Similar Games
2 Comments