Centurion and Sergey Titorenko talk about Pacific Storm

Sergey Titarenko: My name is Sergey Titarenko, I am project manager for Pacific Storm. I took part in the development of The Entente: World War I Battlefields, released by Buka in 2003.

Sergey Titarenko: Pacific Storm is a mixture of RTS, war-game and simulator. All major Pacific Ocean battles of World War II are included and you can play either for the USA or Japan. There is a strategic level in the game with Pacific Ocean map divided into zones with metropolises where necessary units are produced and fleets and divisions are formed. For the successful warfare you also need to develop military technologies including the option of producing nuclear or bacteriological weapons. On this level of the game you move your counters representing military naval and aircraft divisions and carry out your strategic warfare schemes. When your counters encounter enemy units, you can proceed to the tactical level of the game and switch to a first-person action flying a plane or firing from battleship cannons of the largest calibers. You can enter any of your units at any time and when you get hit you can switch to another unit.

Among the key features worth mentioning are detailed 3D models of battleships, aircraft-carriers, destroyers, cruisers, submarines, torpedo boats, tankers, cargo ships and transports, fighters, attack planes, torpedo-bombers, strategic bombers, reconnaissance planes, land cannons and antiaircraft guns – all designed according to authentic historical references. You can fly legendary Zero fighters or American Betty flying fortress, and all your actions can lead to victory or defeat of your army.

Sergey Titarenko: First of all it is a very cool blend of genres, it is not just another strategy game. The game is specific by its multi-level game structure: it is an RTS, a tactical war game, and a simulator all in one. Speaking of strategy as a game constituent it is important to note that we got real time on the strategic map with real phisical positioning of units. They are not bound to captured zones and your units and enemy units may pass by each other if they are not within visibility distance. Thus you can find out that you are attacked in the rear. It gives the game the necessary suspense and realism. Another thing is that units gain experience and can be carried from battle to battle without losing their experience and characteristics. We also have realistic 3D landscapes and weather conditions – mist, storm, rain.

Sergey Titarenko: You can build military bases and a large amount of various constructions such as airfields, ports, antiaircraft defense, coastal cannons, etc. The base is a defense center and it also serves as a point of fleet and aircraft location, and a repair depot.

Pacific Storm is not just tactical combat, it also involves some ‘economy’ aspect although very simplified. We have only the major resources such as money, iron, aluminum, and oil. You harvest or trade resources needed for unit production and maintenance in zones with land. The resources harvested need to be carried to metropolises in order to be used. To simplify the task of resource transportation we bring in the game such feature as automatic convoy formation and travel. Using your seaborne aircraft and submarines you can destroy enemy cargoes and you should also protect yours – this is also a very important strategic element.

Sergey Titarenko: There is no 'population' limit on the strategical level although the amount of military units will be balanced by available resources. On the tactical level of the game you can play with up to 200 airplanes and 100 ships of different types.

Sergey Titarenko: We include the specifics of each economy and military power. The Japanese have a good starting point: they have strong aircraft and their army is more experienced in the beginning of the war. They receive German technologies. They have kamikaze pilots. The US and Japan have different price of upgrades and technological development. The Americans have strong technology and things like radiolocators and all. They are also more quick building bases. The two factions are different even in the peak of their military development: the Japanese have biological weapons and the Americans have nuclear weapons.

Sergey Titarenko: Pacific Storm’s simulator level presents 34 types of airplanes and 24 types of ships from both sides. There is also a lot of experimental armament: cruise missile, ballistic missile, piloted kamikaze bombs and torpedoes. You can ‘use’ any machinery you like.

Sergey Titarenko: Yes, we'll have a LAN multiplayer mode in tactical level and single player skirmish mode.

Sergey Titarenko: Minimum System Requirements
Windows 98/ ME/2000/XP
Pentium III 800MHz
256 MB RAM
32 MB video card and drivers supporting DirectX9.1 and a resolution of 1024x768 with 32 bit color, strongly recommend 64MB Nvidia GeForce Ti4200, ATI Radeon 9500 or higher :)
1 GB Hard Disk Space
4X CD-ROM
Windows compatible sound card
Mouse & Keyboard

Sergey Titarenko: The release is scheduled for the first quarter of 2005.

Sergey Titarenko: Well, I think it is that fun that a player can have plunging from strategic level of the game into a first person action, grabbing any unit you like and easily operating it, switching from a nimble fighter plane to a bulky bomber according to your tactical scheme of this very moment and delivering a deadly blow to enemy units and structures. I think that the slogan of the game 'Sink’em all!' speaks for the gameplay drive, and thus I love this most of all. It is also great to modify and upgrade your units as you wish.

Sergey Titarenko: Yes, I'd like to add that we are thinking about opening a developer's web site dedicated to the game in May 2004. We have some demo stuff such as game teaser intro, and screenshots, and gameplay reel coming so you can come and check out pacificstorm.ru in late spring.