news
overview
previews
faq
multimedia
screenshots
history
community






FAQ

EMPIRE EARTH FAQ
Jan 2001

  1. General Questions
    1. What is Empire Earth?
    2. Who is Rick Goodman?
    3. What makes Empire Earth different from other RTS games?
    4. When will Empire Earth be released?
    5. Will there be an Empire Earth Beta test? If so, how can I be a part of it?
    6. Who is Stainless Steel Studios?
    7. Will I be able to take my own screen shots or record games?
    8. Will there be a demo? If so, when?
    9. Are there any cinematics in the game?
    10. Is there a Macintosh or Linux version planned? What about the Playstation 2, Dreamcast, X-box, Dolphin, or Nintendo 64?
    11. Will I be able to move my saved games from one computer to another?
       
  2. Gameplay Questions
  3. Technology Questions
  4. Multiplayer Questions

 

Q:   What is Empire Earth?
 
A:  

Empire Earth combines stunning technology with intense strategic gameplay in a setting that spans human history - it's arguably the most promising game on the horizon in the real-time strategy genre. Conceived by Rick Goodman, lead designer of Age of Empires®, Empire Earth is an RTS that begins with the discovery of fire (circa 500,000 BC) and concludes in the Nano Age several hundred years in the future. In addition to the extensive single player experience, Empire Earth will also feature a sophisticated yet user-friendly multiplayer component as well as a robust campaign/scenario editor.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Who is Rick Goodman?
 
A:  

In 1995, Rick Goodman (a.k.a. "Mr. Grinch") co-founded Ensemble Studios with his brother and ultimately created the award-winning Age of Empires® game published by Microsoft®. When the development of Age of Empires was completed, Goodman chose to return to his hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts and establish Stainless Steel Studios in order to work on his latest creation, Empire Earth.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   What makes Empire Earth different from other RTS games?
 
A:  

One word… scope. From the discovery of fire to the laser battles of the future, Empire Earth gives you the opportunity to create your own customized civilizations or choose from a dozen predefined ones. Fight land, air, and naval battles with more than 200 different combat units, and modify them in-game to suit your style of play. A wide variety of war machines are available to you, including siege towers, cannon, nuclear submarines, stealth bombers, helicopter transports, and cybernetic robots. You can even enlist great heroes to lead your troops into combat - carry out a night attack with a column of tanks under Patton's command or order Napoleon and a formation of French Grenadiers into battle.

Empire Earth uses stunning 3D graphics, day/night effects, special lighting, smoke effects, and beautiful landscapes to make you part of the action. You can even zoom in to see the rich detail of EE's units and buildings, or zoom out to see an entire battlefield at once. A simple and unobtrusive user interface lets you control all of the action with ease, and a variety of map types, including tournament-style maps, provide the ultimate replayability.

Players can also immerse themselves in several large single player campaigns, which together cover the entire time span of the game. Players "evolve" their civilization over the course of a campaign, choosing the ways in which they want it to develop.

The built-in Campaign/Scenario Editor - the same one used by the developers - lets players create their own custom maps, scenarios, and campaigns. Additionally, players can create their own movies by building sets of landscapes and buildings, controlling camera angles, and directing any of the more than 300 units available in the editor.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   When will Empire Earth be released?
 
A:  

Summer 2001.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Will there be an Empire Earth Beta test? If so, how can I be a part of it?
 
A:  

We will announce the details of this in Q1 2001.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Who is Stainless Steel Studios?
 
A:  

Having co-founded Ensemble Studios in 1995, Rick Goodman decided to embark on an even greater challenge and founded Stainless Steel Studios, Inc. in January 1998. Rick's goal is for Stainless Steel Studios to become the industry's premier developer of real-time strategy games.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Will I be able to take my own screen shots or record games?
 
A:  

Yes.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Will there be a demo? If so, when?
 
A:  

Yes, in mid-2001.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Are there any cinematics in the game?
 
A:  

Empire Earth's single player campaigns feature numerous in-game cut scenes.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Is there a Macintosh or Linux version planned? What about the Playstation 2, Dreamcast, X-box, Dolphin, or Nintendo 64?
 
A:  

Right now we are concentrating on developing Empire Earth for the PC. After the game is finished other platforms will be considered.

Top  -  Index
 

Q:   Will I be able to move my saved games from one computer to another?
 
A:  

Yes.

Top  -  Index
 







From Rick Goodman, lead designer of Age of Empires ®