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pedro870 #467 Operation Flashpoint was created only by 12 developers. How many do you have today and how are they divided in creating of Armed Assault and Operation Flashpoint 2?
Nowadays, we have a few basic groups - first group of about 5 people with Ondrej Spanel in lead is creating engine. There are about 15 people working on every game using this engine, alltogether we can talk about 35 developers, without the Australian branch-establishment.
What is the Australian branch-establishment occupied with?
They are developing the VBS2, another generation of military simulator, which the Australian and American forces are training with.
You have grown quite well! Do you still fit in your cottage on the edge of forest? :o) Are you working on both games there?
Although BIS still settles there, the Armed Assault team settle in newly reconstructed offices in Prague 5.
Do you have any military advisors in your team?
Well, they are not a part of our team, but some are helping with the development of VBS, which influences the appearance of the games.
What's the reason that you don't work with Codemasters anymore? What consequences will it have and does it influence the release dates of your games?
Partnership with Codemasters was ended by both-side agreement, so we will release Armed Assault with another publisher.
About Armed Assault, on the forums, people discussed the name from all the views. Many stated that this name is just WIP one and it's not very "special". So, is this name final or will the publisher or you change it?
In my opinion it is pretty interesting title, we won't change it, only when discussed with new publisher.
You aren't in good stance with Codemasters about the name copyright, did you think of calling the Game 2 just Armed Assault 2?
Absolutely not. Armed Assault will introduce a fictive conflict from the near future with improved OFP engine, but Game 2 will be a breaking game with many features unseen in military simulations.
We have talked about the new publisher. Do you know, who will it be? Will you want to not be held down in supporting the community like before?
I believe that every publisher is happy when a developer supports his game after it's release. I dont't have any fears about this.
What do you think of Enemy In Sight, a project of Illusion Softworks, which could be a rival for Armed Assault?
Enemy In SIght of course is a rival, because like Halo of Battlefield it is inspired by OFP, but it is a different game in many ways, more concetrated on one man's action.
The introduce of Armed Assault on this year's E3 was a big surprise for many people. If we look at the release date, it were surely a good news for OFP community. Is the Q4 2005 still actual?
Well, when we look at the date this interview is being made, it is not. We decided to give the game many new technologies, which have mostly in graphic view improved it a lot. All our concern is to release it in the middle of this year.
OFP 1.5, how is ArmA sometimes called, will be surele welcomed by the community, which awaits it for endless three years. What changes would you like to meniton?
I would like to mentin that ArmA really is a OFP sequel, the fans will get what they already know.
Will ArmA have a strong story like OFP? Can you tell us more about it?
ArmA will take place in a fictive country, where the northern democracy is attacked by southern dictature right in the moment the United States forces get away in expectation of no more danger. With the rest of contignent you will help there, where it is needed most.
Will we meet some animals, too?
Yes, but don't expect squirells bearing your ammo.
Close combat, like bayonets, was completely forgot in OFP. Will be this option in ArmA? Many discussed about jumping, too.
ArmA is like OFP concentrated on ranged fight in huge open area, but we are making some progress in close fight, just don't expect fighting. About jumping, it will not be in ArmA, but there will be other ways to get through fence.
What engine will ArmA run on and what changes will it have?
It will have improved OFP:Elite engine, that means higher distance view, option of massive multiplayer battles and others. You can see much more trees now (you can uproot them to create barriers). Another changes are much more detailed towns and new object destruction capabilities.
The questions were answered by Jiøí Rýdl, marketing director of IDEA games, representing among others BIS.