CNCNZ.com has posted their latest roundtable discussion, and I would like to thank Sonic for letting me be a part of another interesting C&C question period. This one is about the direction Command & Conquer 4 is taking, the C&C community and the modding scene.
EA have been trying to "sell" the new way to harvest Tiberium in C&C 4 to the fans. What do think about the new Tiberium collection system?
Have you been participating in the private C&C 4 beta, and do you think you will play more or less now that it's going public?
With us being so close to the release of C&C 4 it doesn't look there will be a collectors edition of the game. Your thoughts on this, considering its the big conclusion for the Tiberium/Kane storyline?
Switching to the modding scene. What mods have impressed the most in the past few months?
More and more sites in the C&C community (and outside of it) are embracing services such as Twitter and Facebook. Is this sort of social networking good for our community or just another passing fade?
Looks like GDI is developing more beam technology the 4th Tiberium war. A new tank on the battlefield, the GDI Refractor uses a powerful beam to cut through tough armor and destroy its opponents. This unit seems to remind me of the GDI Desruptor from Tiberian Sun. The full profile can be found Here
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If there is one defining characteristic that distinguishes the battlefields of the previous Tiberium Wars from the war zones of today, it is the ubiquitous presence of beam weapons. Kane altered the field of battle forever when he unleashed his terrifying Obelisk of Light in the first conflicts between Nod and GDI, but it took decades to develop power supplies strong enough to sustain heavy beam weapons on mobile platforms. Beam weapons are especially effective at penetrating thick armor, making them strategically crucial in a combat environment full of heavy, slow, thick-skinned crawlers.
The 15th Question period is out. This one is about gameplay and how they will be distributing C&C4. Read Below
If you do not have a friend to play with for the co-op campaign, can you play it alone or with an AI ally?
There are no co-commanders in CNC4 – if you don’t have a co-op buddy, you play alone and the mission is rebalanced as appropriate.
How can Nod counter the mighty Mastodon?
The Mastodon is a very powerful unit and can be difficult to counter at first. Any support unit will be able to tear apart unprotected Mastodons, especially Basilisks whose chain lightning can hit multiple Mastodons at a time. As an Offense player, Widows excel at taking out Mastodons and even smaller units like Scorpion Tanks and Stealth Tanks have the firepower to knock out Mastodons. As Defense, it is very difficult to counter Mastodons since the Mastodon is primarily an anti-Defense unit, but High Confessors with their chain lightning are your best bet. The reason why most players are decimated by Mastodons is because of the Mastodon’s area of effect weapon. Most players simply right click to attack the group of Mastodons and as the units move forward and try to get in range, they are all being obliterated by the Mastodon’s volley because they are all closely clumped. The trick is to surround the Mastodons (by burrowing, stealth, or simply attacking from different areas), and then make sure as few of your units are hit by each Mastodon’s volley. Once you’ve knocked out 1 or 2, send in Engineers to capture them and use the Mastodons against your opponent.
What brings Tiberium Crystals to the battlefield?
That is an Idris Corporation lifter, used by the Tiberium Control Network to return (relatively) stable processed Tiberium to the battlefield or construction area where it may be of use.
What kind of mission objectives will there be in the single player campaign?
All of our objectives are lab based. In CNC4, you can capture a lab, destroy a lab, defend a lab and even escort a lab! =) There will be many different objective types in C&C4, stay tuned to future Q&A's for more!
Will C&C4 be out on Steam and other download services?
Yes, C&C 4 will be available on digital download services, such as the EA Store and Steam.
The first profile for a structure is up. I must say I was suprised when I saw this, I had no idea that EA was covering defence structures in their unit profiles! This is another classic that has been in every Tiberium Universe game, right back to the first C&C. It has seen many revisions, but now it is upgradable, and able to deal even more damage with its Anubis Class VII Military Laser. The full profile can be found Here
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While Obelisks could crush any ground offensive and Venoms could safeguard them from Orcas and Firehawks, new capital ships such as the Kodiak-class cruiser could avoid the deadly laser of the Obelisk and bombard the structure from the sky. As the separatist attacks on the TCN intensified in 2070, Nod commanders, both Separatist and Loyalist, began to replace their Obelisks with the cheaper and more versatile Flame Column, and the Obelisk appeared to be headed for the scrapheap... until a Nod operative by the name of Henry Liu discovered a 40 year old GDI secret.
Another Question period; this one is all about the new Tiberium system in C&C4. Read below:
Can Tiberium crystals be used offensively, or strictly for upgrade points?
While the containment system used to transport processed Tiberium crystals renders them safe, channelling an electrical charge through the crystal will cause the proton lattice to collapse and the crystal to explode, resulting in a powerful ion storm. All processed crystals have been outfitted with a self destruct system derived from this, in order to prevent outside elements from hijacking crystal convoys – utilizing this system will destroy the crystal, the unit carrying it and anything in the surrounding area. The ion storm created will randomly damage units in the area, whether friendly or enemy.
Can aircraft pick up Crystals?
No, aircraft are not fitted with any mechanism to allow them to retrieve crystals.
Are there blue Tiberium crystals?
There are in fact both green and blue Tiberium crystals. The blue crystals are especially volatile when destroyed, but are also especially valuable.
How much are green and blue Tiberium crystals worth?
A green crystal is worth a single upgrade point, while a blue crystal is worth two points.
How many crystals are required to level up to higher tech tiers?
Currently it requires 5 crystals to reach Tier 2, and an additional 7 crystals to reach Tier 3
Developer Q&A's have returned with exclusive C&C4 information you won't find anywhere else!
What subterranean units are in the game for Nod besides the Scorpion Tank?
Each of the Nod classes in C&C 4 has at least one unit that has a burrowing capability. The Scorpion Tank, Spider Tank, and the Widow form a subterranean strike force capable of dishing out a lot of damage before retreating underground for the Offense class. Support sports the Tyrant, an agile laser cannon that enhances nearby allies and can quickly turn the tide of battle. The Defense class utilizes burrowing in two ways. The Reckoner can be upgraded with a drill tip and additional armor, allowing a cadre of infantry to get into position for an offensive ambush. When upgraded, many defenses can also burrow, allowing the player to hide key structures for a surprise retaliation.
In what ways can a player gain experience to use in the player progression system?
Players can earn experience through a variety of game mechanics in C&C 4. Each enemy unit killed, healed, or damaged gives a player experience. Collecting Tiberium Crystals earns a player experience, in addition to the all-important important team upgrade points. For the Support player, when their buffs or debuffs contribute to damaging or destroying an enemy unit, they earn experience. Earning achievements also grants experience, with harder achievements granting up to four times as much XP.
Does each level of player progression take more XP to reach than the previous level?
Each level of player progression requires the same amount of experience, making for a constant influx of new toys.
Is there a beacon system in C&C4?
Yes. The beacon system in C&C 4 has added a new context-sensitive feature. For example, when you place a beacon on an enemy unit or crawler, it will say "destroy". When you place it on a Tiberium Crystal or a neutral tech structure (like the Uplink Tower) it will say "capture."
Will LEGION return in C&C4?
Yes, in a supporting role as the Nod EVA Voice.
More Tiberian Sun Era technology returns! The Titan has been equipped with the latest technology and upgrades, including a second gun. A medium assault walker, it can deal a large amount of damage after the upgrade, with dual L91 Pierce Laser Cannons. The full profile can be found Here
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In the years before the Third Tiberium War, the Steel Talons began development on the second generation Titan walker. The plans called for top-tier robotic technology, diamond-hard battle armor, and legs able to traverse jungle, marsh and rocky terrain more easily than conventional tracked vehicles. The result was the Titan Mk. II, which saw years of service at the hands of the Steel Talons before being pulled out of service in favor of the less expensive Predator Tank.
Version 1.10 is out, and includes a huge changelist. Losts of bugs have been fixed, and a new "enhnaced mode" has been added. You can visit their site Here where you can download it, or download it from C&C Sector.
This is the 0.5 Beta update, and is availible for download now. This will be the last update until the release of the full version, which will not require Unreal Tournament 3! The classic C&C mode skrimish map makes a return in this release, Visit their site today!
The 4th generation Stealth Tank is here. It's one of Kane's best weapons, and now has the ability to stealth other tanks aswell. Watch out! The full profile can be found Here
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The various incarnations of the Nod Stealth Tank, from Ezekiel's Wheel onwards, have been key elements of Kane's war machine since the first skirmishes between Nod and GDI at the turn of the century. While the development of the previous three generations is now well document, there are scant details regarding the origin of the vehicle's highly advanced 4th generation Stealth Tank. Rumors abound however, nearly all of them centering on a series of events in the remote Siberian Wastelands.
Just a quick post, the winners are: foshjedi2004 and Melchior. There were not many entries, but nonetheless, these people should be receiving a confirmation email, then I will have there official C&C accounts given beta access.
I just got the approval from APOC, so here it goes.
There will be 2 Beta keys given away for free. What do you have to do?
All you need to do is send an email to admin@cncsector.net with the subject "Contest" and what you think of C&C4 thus far. That's it! I will randomly choose two people from the lot on January 10th, so hurry up and send that email
This is the last Roundtable for 2009, and there are some very interesting answers to fan submitted questions this time around. The questins are below, Click Here to read more.
Question 1) What are your expectations for the C&C4 storyline? Do you think EA will be able to tie up all the loose threads, and still make an awesome story? [recover]
Question 2) What are your main concerns with what you have seen of C&C 4? [BioBen]
Question 3) There is lots of speculation that the franchise is heading towards an MMO style of gameplay, are you happy with that? [Silverthorn]
Question 4) If you could be in the same room as Jon Van Caneghem and the new C&C development team at EALA what would you tell them concerning the future of the franchise? [multiple]
CNCNZ has also posted a 6000 word read on this yaer of Command & Conquer in review. The highs, lows and everything else that happened in the community. You can read this amazing post, sectioned off month by month Right Here at CNCNZ.com
Red Alert - A Path Beyond is a total conversion of the original Red Alert into the FPS game play style of the Renegade engine. Unlike other FPS games, APB requires your team to destroy and defend the familiar C&C structures in the battlefield, just like it's RTS counterpart. You have almost a complete arsenal from the classic C&C game to choose from:- take a joyride in your Allied Jeep, menace your foes in the fearsome Mammoth tank, take the battle on foot with your Soviet Shock Trooper or taunt your enemies with a dual wielding Allied femme fatale - Tanya! The APB mod has proven to be a well thought out and balanced game for many years, and best of all the game is entirely free!
This is the last episode for 2009, it includes new footage of C&C4 and more! Watch below.
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In this episode of BattleCast Primetime, check out brand new gameplay footage of Command & Conquer 4 as we explore the design behind the GDI Zone Captain. APOC is back in the community corner with a world-wide exclusive debut of a brand new C&C mod trailer. Jeremy Feasel brings you a very special "Ask a Santa Dev", and of course the Main Event features two world class C&C players battling it out for victory and glory. All this and more as we close out 2009 with an epic 30+ minute episode of BattleCast Primetime.
