The final part of our interview with Executive Producer Greg Goodrich. Today we talk about gameplay, beards and multiplayer
GamerZines: What changes will gamers see in the gameplay due to the desert combat setting?
Greg Goodrich: Afghanistan is a very diverse place. I think many people will expect a dry, barren and rustic setting. However, we have the ability to give our audience a visual cascade of differing terrain from this particular part of the world. Yes, there are dry, arid and colorless regions. But there are also lush green river valleys, snowy mountain peaks and culturally diverse cities filled with strange composition and irregular construction. We have the opportunity to give the player a globally rich and visually stimulating environment without having to leave Afghanistan.
GZ: Will multiplayer have vehicles?
GG: We're not talking about any of the specifics yet about the multiplayer portion of Medal of Honor except both the single player and multiplayer portions of our game are each getting the full and focused attention from their own studio. It's a very big product with a ton of effort, care and thought going into one box.
GZ: What would you say to the cynics who are simply calling your move into modern warfare a strategy of, 'if you can't beat them join them?'
GG: I would say, "Okay." And then, "Now let us tell you our story." We knew this would be the very first thing people would focus on. And quite frankly, it's a nice comparison. I'm a huge fan and consumer of our competitor's series of games. They are phenomenal products. If people want to place us in the sandbox with them, "Okay!"
GZ: Does this move mean we'll never see another MoH set in the World War Two era? Do you think gamers interest in World War Two has peaked?
GG: I wouldn't say that. But for now, our focus is Tier 1.
GZ: Can we expect any kind of multiplayer beta like we've seen with Battlefield?
GG: We've not decided on any specifics yet. But it would certainly make sense for us to repeat the things that have worked in the past.
GZ: What kind of unique gameplay concepts can we expect?
GG: You can expect beards! Big, thick, bushy, manly, vigorous and virile, Kevlar-woven, combat beards.
GZ: Does 2010 represent a great opportunity to reinstate EA's FPS dominance?
GG: There are great things in store for the EA shooters in 2010.
GZ: Obviously focusing on a Tier 1 soldiers is a big coup for authenticity but is there a danger of making it too realistic? After all you don't want a Six Days of Fallujah situation on your hands.
GG: We found the backbone of our narrative once we were introduced to the Tier 1 Operators and they became a part of our project. When they come into the studio and interact with the developers, share their stories, and drive creative meetings, it brings a laser-like focus to every discussion. It takes only a brief moment to realize that these people are very special. They are not only precision instruments of warfare, they are incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, walking encyclopedias of information who inspire you to be better at whatever it is you are currently doing. It's difficult to describe, but you can literally see members of the team wanting to be the very best at what they do after having been exposed to these individuals. It has truly been and continues to be an extremely rewarding experience.