While covering the PAX Expo in Seattle, I got a hands on look and interview with lead designer Mike Marr about the very impressive looking Demigod which is due this February.
GVK: What is the background and setting for the game?
MM: You are a half mortal half god offspring of the All Father. The All Father has gone missing and there has been fighting to ascend to the Pantheon. You must battle the other factions for supremacy.
There are 9 gods, 4 good, 4 bad and you play essentially the swing vote.
GVK: What can you tell us about the A.I. in the game and how it different from other games in the genre?
MM: We have two people working on that now. One is focusing on path finding and the other person is working on the actions. It is still being finalized at this point.
GVK: Are there mega weapons and if so, how do you balance giving players the destructive power they want, yet maintaining a balance in the game?
MM: There are some ultimate attack weapons in the game. As you progress you will be able to get things like the “Finger of God” which will allow you to drop a small nuke like object on your targets.
GVK: How is resource gathering handled for the game?
MM: Gold is the main currency and it will be earned in a number of ways. While there will be mines, players can also earn it by gaining a bounty on other gods, assisting in a battle and by killing enemy units.
GVK: What graphic engine is the game using?
MM: It is an in house engine which is a modified version of the one we used for Supreme Commander.
GVK: What forms of multiplayer will be featured and will there be co-op play?
MM: We have 5 vs 5, team deathmatch, and a persistant universe mode in which you fight for a god. This mode can take two months to play so you can play the game and when you return you can continue the campaign.
GVK: How do you plan to implement weather conditions in the game and what can players look forward to?
MM: I am not able to talk about this at this time
GVK: What can you tell the readers about the control systems in the game?
MM: We have inventory slots which allows players to access special abilities via achievements but the majority of the game is played with the mouse.
GVK: How long does it take to play the game?
MM: The maps can take anywhere from 15-20 minutes all the way up to 60 minutes a map.
