TROPICO 3 – Interview with the developers

We got the opportunity to ask the developers of Tropico 3 some questions earlier this summer
Will you be able to directly control "El Presidente" in the game, move around the island and talk to people? Will you be able to see the island through the eyes of your president or individual residents?
Yes, you are able to directly control El Presidente and make him interact with people and buildings on the island - for example you may send him to calm down a protest, speed up a construction project or decorate a general with a medal. He is also able to address the people from the balcony of his palace.
In similar games you usually watch the maps from far above, rarely zooming down to street level. From a game play point of view this is practical, but you tend to miss all the cool little details that take place at street level. So, in addition to the normal game camera, we are preparing a street-level view that tracks individual units like El Presidente or a selected citizen in a close and personal third-person view. It is not exactly "through the eyes" of the unit, but it comes pretty close.
 
 Will the president have a staff of advisors to help him make the right decisions?
El Presidente is a man that likes to keep the power in his own hands and do things by himself and will continue to do so for now. We seriously considered having a cabinet of ministers or appointing particular citizens at key positions. Following this train of thought we generated a ton of ideas, but in the end we decided that they would shift the focus of the game too much - while the concept for a cabinet of advisors is a cool one, we would like to keep it in our drawer for now.
 
Will a player's chosen background/rise to power/etc. Play a greater role in this game?
You are still able to customize the background of El Presidente, the way he seized power, his qualities and flaws.
The impact of these decisions is roughly the same as it was in Tropico 1 and Paradise Island, but the number of available options is greater than those in Tropico and its expansion combined.
 
Will you be able to peacefully rule your island without ever using intimidation, suppression or violence and if so, what will your options be?
You mean that you want to be a politician that is neither corrupt, nor authoritarian, and cares for the wellbeing of his people above all else... Now that wouldn't be very realistic, would it?
Luckily for you, this is only a computer game, where even politicians can be honest, so you are welcome to try to build your very own Tropican utopia. If you manage to keep your people happy, there will be no rebels and coups, and probably everyone will respect you a little better because you never play "dirty". The people would be happy that they finally have found a leader that truly cares about their interests. Keep this thought in mind when you end up on the boat to Florida with an empty briefcase and no money in your Swiss Bank account.
 
Which consequences will the chosen political system (communism, democracy) have for the player?
This is not a straightforward black vs. White decision - El Presidente is a cunning politician and is able to balance democracy and communism, or even pursue them both at the same time. A ruler leaning more towards the ideology of communism will have better relationships with the USSR and the Communist faction, while a democratic society will strengthen the relationship with the US.
 
Has a lot of thought been given to the kinds of "moral choices" players will need to make as they run their islands? Will this be a fundamental part of the game, with real consequences?
We believe that the moral choices

Dawn of War II: Retribution Announced

Today Relic announced the latest stand-alone expansion for their best selling game, Dawn of War II. This latest expansion has been named Retribution and follows the events of Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising.

One decade after the events of Chaos Rising, the sub-sector Aurelia is still inn a state of constant warfare. The apparent betrayal in the ranks of the Blood Ravens is splitting the chapter in two.

This particular expansions marks something new for the Dawn of War II series, as this expansion is the first to feature a single-player campaign that can be played by multiple races, somewhat like it's counterpart in the original Dawn of War series; Dark Crusade. Thusfar the only announced single-player race has been the savage Orkz. How the single-player campaign will play out has yet to be announced, but it has been confirmed that no matter who you choose to play as it will have an impact on the main storyline of Dawn of War II.

Relic have also confirmed new multiplayer units for each race and more new maps though there is yet to be word on any new races being added to the mix, or any new gameplay features.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Retribution is scheduled to be released for Windows PC in the first quarter of 2011.