CnCSaga Interview news

Here's the English translation of an interview the mod team did with CnCSaga.de! You can find the German translation here.

Please tell us something about your Mods ! (Show some links etc)
Paradox is a partial conversion mod for Command and Conquer Red Alert 3. What it comes down to is making the game as large as we possibly can; more units, more factions, more maps, more gametypes. Basically try to make the game as large as we can, offering maximum choice and flexibility to players. We're basically the Red Alert 3 version of C&C Generals Shockwave. We have a moddb page here, and a wiki here.

What makes your Mod so special? What is the difference to other Mods ?
Our uniqueness is threefold. First of all, we have a dedication to providing players with something they haven't seen before. We aren't simply remaking an old game or adding back content from earlier C&C game; we are dedicated to providing unique interpretations of the Red Alert 3 universe. Secondly, we have a scale that is much more than simply new units; we have features that have never been seen in a C&C game before. For example, tanks take intense damage from behind, so we have special light tank units designed to circle around the back of slower tanks and hit them there. Another example is our "heroic upgrades", when units reach maximum experience, they gain new weapons or abilities. Finally, we have a serious devotion to detail. We're going out of our way to incorperate our new content into the game as seemlessly as possible and look as sleek and professional as we can.

How long did the development take? How long will it take until it’s released?
We've been developing the mod for well over a year now; we started talking about it mere days after Red Alert 3 first came out and the project started soon after. We're hoping to have our first release out in the next few months; we're frighteningly close.

Will the AI be able to handle this Mod? Will there be any problems?
The AI should be able to use the new units and factions to a certain degree; we're not quite sure yet.

Do you have any future plans for your Mods or your real life? What’s about
to be next?
This mod is going to be in development for several years, definately. We're in it for the long haul. After we finish the Confederate/Allied release, we're moving on to updating the Empire and Soviet assets, then the Talon and Chinese, then the Protectorate and Syndicate. After that, hopefully, the story campaign.

How important is the community for you?
The community is extrodinarily important to us. Our wiki is proof of this; we work directly with our fans and they help to shape and improve the mod.

What do you think about the situation now after the release of CnC4?
How easy it is to Mod CnC4 in contrast to other games? Easier or more
difficult?
C&C4 was a bit of a disappointment, but not because of it's concept. It was a solid idea; a hardcore team tactics game with an extremely fast pace and streamlined to get straight to the action. Unforunately, it was marred by it's low budget and rushed development time, which likely came about due to the current economic recession. It's a shame, because the game is a lot more fun than people give it credit for.

What do you think about the support of EA and the Community?
EA has been incredibly supportive. We've communicated directly with Apoc several times and each time he has been very helpful. I wish more studios had such direct and straightforward community interaction.

Are there any problems with the Mod or within your Team? Or is all working out perfectly?
We've run into some interesting sound issues in the latest minimod that make literately no sense at all, but for the most part it's been smooth sailing. Our team works like a well oiled machine, and on good weeks we produce a staggering amount of content in a very short amount of time. When we first started the 3.0 minimod version, we modeled, skinned, and coded two units in 48 hours, a record I'm sure.

What is your next project / the project you’re working on at the moment?
Currently we are working on infantry; modeling, texturing and animating. It's an extensive process, and it's going to take a while; I really wish we had started earlier.

How did you get the idea to make this Mod? How did it all start?
The idea for this mod arose when several of us were playing it on LAN and discussing the new Empire of the Rising Sun faction. We began wondering where else they could go for factions, having gone to Japan. By the end of the night, we had a second Confederate States of America, who evolved into the Confederate Revolutionaries, and a nuclear powered China, who became the Atomic Kingdom. Soon, our discussions became plans and our plans began to evolve into the solid core that became our factions and gameplay.

Will there be more ships?
We're going to have a bunch of new ships! Ignoring naval combat is a trap we refuse to fall into; we have new escort vessels, bombardment ships, submarines, and so forth.

8 different fractions are really much work, do you really think that it isn’t too much?
8 factions is a lot, but when we start to break it down it really isn't as much as you think. At our peak we can get new units into the game at a frightening pace; a good month can advance the mod in leaps and bounds. As we get better and better at each aspect of the game, we continue to speed up the process, too.

So, that's it! I hope to see you around when we release!

Special thanks to AnNo1935 for contacting us for the interview!