UnrealSP.orgRECIPROCITY: Today, we’re talking with one of UnrealSPs busiest individuals, TheEmperorStalwartUK (TESUK) about his various projects. Firstly, we‘ll be covering “The Queen and Warlord”, TESUK, give our audience some more depth on the storyline of this highly original project.
THEEMPERORSTALWARTUK:Well, the storyline is centered on a war between 2 factions, a Skaarj one and a Mercenary one, both seeking total control of a star system. This war has cost countless thousands of lives on both sides. The UMS and the OEG are both interested in this conflict so they have sent an agent to investigate on the matter and hopefully cause some damage to both sides.
Sabotage and investigation? Sounds like your maps will employ a little in the stealth area.
Yes, indeed there will be some stealth. For example right at the start you will have to get off the landing pad that the ship that you came on landed and enter the base. Don't worry though, there will be plenty of stuff to hide behind.
Excellent. Will it involve plenty of scripted battles or is this more of a sideliner's faction war?
There will be plenty of scripted battles but I don't want to spoil anything about them. But expect to encounter Mercenaries though.
Mercs? Yes! Those things seriously lack the market saturation Brutes and Skaarj have. How do the Warlord and Queen fall into this conflict? Will we be seeing any custom classes?
Well, the Queen and the Warlord are the leaders of the Skaarj Faction, which separated from the main Skaarj Empire some years before the pack takes place, and yes, there will be some new Skaarj and Merc classes, the Spinner will also be making an appearance.
Ah, okay. They're the catalysts. Hopefully as creepy as the 7Bullets area.
Well hopefully the whole pack will have a creepy feeling to it.
Anything you're particularly proud of in this pack? New graphics? Unique game play? Perhaps some very cool shticks?
Well the thing that I’m most proud about it would be the storyline and all the little subplots.
Subplots you say?
Yes, subplots, but they will be more than translator messages.
That's what I like to hear. Mappers going that extra mile.
Thanks for your appreciation.
Finally, I know you were aiming for a release date that was to hit...today actually. How close are you to a release?
Well I've still got quite a way to go and 28th July was a preliminary date anyway.
Okay. So what's a realistic guesstimation?
End of August at the absolute latest. It will probably be out around 15th-20th August but I'm not making any promises.
Gotcha. Tell me what else you've got in the works.
Well firstly, there’s an SP pack called Lands of the Sunspire, which I'm sure that you've heard of.
Indeed. While I do like to troll around the UnrealSP forums, it was on the friggin' front page. Tell me about this one.
Well Lands of the Sunspire (or simply LotS) is a pack set in and around the Sunspire.
What role do we play in this campaign?
Well, the player is a character called Ivan Kristoph who is a crewman on the ISV Kran.
He's tasked with destroying the Spire, correct?
No, he isn’t.
Oh? Sorry, broad assumptions. Tell me about the storyline.
Well, at the beginning the storyline follows the crash of the Kran. The player manages to get into an escape pod (this bit IS playable) and escapes just in time. The escape pod manages to crash into the top of the Sunspire.
Ivan's aim is the win.
Lol.
So how does the rest of it follow? I do recall reading that the Skaarj have taken over the tower in this SP.
Yes, it takes place around the same time as Unreal does. The pack starts off in an previously unexplored section of the Sunspire and is much more lively. About 3 months before Unreal happens.
Consistent. What's Ivan role in this myriad? How does his interaction with the skaarj play out?
Well it's pretty much the classic Escape-The-Planet scenario.
Heh, okay. No challenges to originality there. But I'm sure we nostalgic will love it all the same. Most noteworthy part of this campaign?
Well, besides the Sunspire itself there is this area that's right at the end.
You've got my attention...
And it involves Mercs...
May you grace us with anymore details of this surprise Merc-ed ending?
Well it takes place on a Merc starship that the Skaarj and the Mercs are battling over.
Wow...that sounds really intense.
Yeah it must do. The Mercs might even be friendly with the player (If I can do that, that is).
Me likes! Seems like you have a strange unbridled fascination with the unusual Mercenary class...
Lol...
Now, here comes the reason most people will read this interview at all....the secret project. (probing lights) Are you prepared to shed a little light on this new creation?
Well I'll shed a little light on it. It's an FPS/RPG hybrid in the vain of the System Shock series.
Unreal related, of course.
Yes, of course. It will be much more complex than Unreal is.
Any storyline to speak of yet? Or just broad overview?
Well much of it is secret right now but it does involve this mysterious region of space.
Space combat? Land combat?
Not really much land combat, much of the action takes place inside a starship.
Is it humans vs. Skaarj?
No, it's more like Skaarj vs. this mysterious hive thing. I won't shed much more but you will also be able to interact with other survivors and give them orders.
This is definitely looking very good, TESUK. How far are you (and your team?) into it?
Well I don't have a team yet and the project is currently being planned out.
Okay. Anything I haven't covered that you'd like to tell about this very nebulous mod?
Well there's only one thing, I'm planning a website for the project from which many more details about the project will be given out.
Awesome. I'll keep my eyes open.
One last thing. There has been one contributor to the project.
Name them.
Well he's called Chicajo, and he's given me permission to use the menu music which was originally meant for Unreal System Shock (an ill-fated project).
(nods) Well, we've got your first media of the infantile campaign out. Oh and do you have a name for it yet?
A name? Originally I wasn't going to say it in this interview but I will spell it out... CRYOSHOCK.
You've definitely got the goods, TESUK. Any more you'd like to add?
Nope, you've covered pretty much everything (apart from one other project, but that is not relevant here). Thank you for the interview.
I'd like to thank you for allowing me to interview you today. You sound like you're going to create some major waves with each one of these and I'm grateful for your time.
Well as before, thanks.