Imperium Galactica III: Genesis Q&A

Since the release of the original game back in 1997, the Imperium Galactica series has been known for its solid strategy gameplay and incredibly detailed plots, which provided more than ample background for various races that appeared in both the original game and its sequel. However, in the case of the original game, the story was so strong that it almost completely overshadowed the rest of the game, making it the sole incentive for progressing through the game. Imperium Galactica II sought more of a balance between story and gameplay and for the most part was successful in doing so with drastic improvements made to the interface and various elements of gameplay. The development team at Philos hopes to strike a similar balance with its upcoming project, Imperium Galactica III: Genesis, which will feature a deep story, refined gameplay, and of course, cosmetic improvements. We had a chance to speak with Zsolt Hanula, designer at Philos Laboratories, to learn more about what the team has in store for the third game in the Imperium Galactica series.

GameSpot: Can you give us a little background on the development team working on Imperium Galactica III?

Zsolt Hanula: At the moment there are 25 people working on this project. We work and play hard. Philos is a relatively new development team, but our members have come from a variety of different backgrounds with broad experiences in the games industry.

GS: Though the storyline was less prevalent in the second game, the previous Imperium Galactica games had very strong storylines. Will Imperium Galactica III continue that tradition?

ZH: The narrative behind Imperium Galactica III has been designed by the acclaimed Hungarian fantasy and SF writer Zsolt Nyulaszi, creator of many role-playing games like MAGUS and Codex. The story is set in the not-too-distant future. An alien entity has invaded Earth. A small resistance is all that remains, leaving [the resistance] to gather help from other alien species and galactic multinational companies. While traveling through the universe, it is up to you to decide whether to conclude an alliance with them or to attack them. Every kind of relationship with alien races means a new story, although not necessary to complete the game. You can be sure interesting twists and rewards are there for the keen explorer.

GS: There were three races--Solarians, Shinari, and Kra'Hen--to select from in Imperium Galactica II, each with its own campaign. Will any of these factions make a return appearance in Imperium Galactica III, and will they have separate campaigns?

ZH: Since the story of the game is a sequel to the history of mankind, the player will only be able to play as a human. While shaping the alien races we aim at creating living communities; that is, the whole of their technology, world order, way of life, and thinking, as well as their AI, have to be in accord. We hope we can come up with highly detailed, authentic, and truly interesting races living up to the quality of the best sci-fi novels. However, I'd rather not get into detail regarding their characteristics, as one of the players' goals will be to get to know and become familiar with these alien races, find out their strengths and weaknesses, and alternatively even come to terms with them.

We didn't take any of the races from Imperium Galactica II.

GS: Will there be race-specific units?

ZH: Every race will use its own typical ships, weapons, and tactics against them.

GS: One of the more notable aspects of Imperium Galactica II was that its interface was relatively intuitive and easy to use. Does the development team want to take the same approach with Imperium Galactica III, or will it take more time to learn how to use the interface this time around?

ZH: As the engine is completely new, frankly speaking, nothing has been taken over from the previous parts' interface. In spite of this, you'll be able to spot the similarities. The concept behind the interface is that it always depicts deep space, and the background is entirely 3D.

Better Combat

GS: How is combat handled in Imperium Galactica III? Can players still outfit their ships with different weapons?

ZH: The combats take place in real time; however, the game can be paused anytime. All the commands can be given in pause mode as well, which will be implemented after reverting to the game. Although there are five main ship classes, each and every ship will be unique (freely configurable). The features of the ships can be adjusted separately (they may be slower, quicker, able to avoid assaults in different ways, and their armor can be focused on devastating or disabling the enemy as well as breaking down their shields). During the combat we have to manage the different weapons, shields, engines, and level of energy.

GS: Will any battles take place on the planet surface, or will they stay in space?

ZH: They will stay in space.

GS: A major complaint about the battle system in the previous Imperium Galactica was the relatively poor AI. What kinds of changes or improvements are planned for the AI?

ZH: The AI of the various races will behave in a totally different way in the same situation, and it is up to the player to get to know and become familiar with alien races. You will be surprised at how they react.

GS: Another complaint was that most battle tactics became almost completely worthless later in the game during encounters with larger and powerful ships. Are there any plans to ensure that the units are properly balanced, so that a larger fleet won't always win?

ZH: Larger fleets won't always win; it depends on how you play and the strategies you employ.

GS: At the time, Imperium Galactica II's cutscenes were generally well done and served as an excellent complement to the storyline. Will Imperium Galactica III feature similar cutscenes?

ZH: There'll be high-quality movie sequences in the game presented in an engine-like manner. There will also be prerendered movies. We don't want to put off our gamers from the feeling, so events that take place in space are presented by engine movies. Due to the stunning visual features of the graphical engine, there'll also be numerous in-game sequences, which rely purely on the engine's capacities. Before you get skeptical about it, I can reassure you that Imperium Galactica III's universe will surpass even your wildest sci-fi imagination.

GS: It's been announced that Imperium Galactica III will only be a single-player game. Was there any particular reason why the development team decided not to incorporate a multiplayer element?

ZH: We will take the multiplayer mode into serious consideration after releasing the game. It is very likely that there will be a multiplayer mode. I will tell you more about it as soon as possible.

GS: What kinds of improvements can we expect in terms of graphics?

ZH: Imperium Galactica III will be a fully 3D game--both its visualization and controls--since space itself offers a great opportunity to bring it about. As for the engine, its outstanding qualities are down to the fact that it's not a licensed engine but an in-house development designed specifically for Imperium Galactica III.

GS: When is Imperium Galactica III scheduled for release?

ZH: Q1 2002, but there will be a demo in the middle of December.

GS: Thanks for your time.