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Shaping a world

It is no secret that Act of Aggression will make you travel through time, and more specifically to 2025 when the game is set. But the game will also make you travel worldwide, jumping from Asia to Central America, Europe and North America.

To do so, 3D modelers and level builders worked together to create specific environments that would make you recognize the region you’re in at first glance.

Shaping a world
Shaping a world
Shaping a world

 

In the first place, the 3D modelers’ team led by producer Julien Elma worked on hundreds of props, that is any object used to create the environment, from trees to buildings, roads to stickers (these 2D textures you apply to the ground or the walls).

In the end, about 500 props spread over four sets were made available to create maps taking place in the different environments required by the creative direction. Furthermore, each prop is available in three different models, depending on the zoom level … and even three more when such object is supposed to be destructible (one destroyed version for each zoom level!).

Shaping a world
Shaping a world

 

Since some missions are taking place in actual places, the team had to model famous landmarks.

For instance, in an early solo campaign mission, you will have to secure the ICC (International Criminal Court) building in The Hague (Netherlands). A challenge for the 3D modelers, as Julien explains : ‘We had to make this existing place playable, yet fitting within the game scale. We had to find the balance between realism and playability. Had we modeled the actual building as it is, it would have occupied all the screen space. So we had to make it both immediately recognizable AND fun to play with‘.

Shaping a world
Shaping a world


Another example is a big highway toll gate you will have to hold. ‘This model was made by gathering several influences. So that when you play, you have the impression of an existing -although a bit surreal- place’.

Shaping a world
Shaping a world

Level builders at work

With this material, the level builders’ team, led by associate producer Saïda ‘Siam’ Mirzoeva created all the maps you will play in.
Level building is the delicate step where you transform the game and level designer’s directions into a real playable map. The job of Jérémy Willmann and the level builder team was then to make you feel like being in a credible location, although realism should not prevent the map from being fun.

Let’s take the example of a multiplayer map called ‘A River runs through it‘.
The level building’s work is based on a game design document indicating the shape of the map, the height grounds (e.g. the presence of different elevations), and the location of the rivers, roads, starting points, banks and resources fields:  all gameplay elements.

Shaping a world
Shaping a world


Once all these elements are integrated, the rest of the map is then created using all the visual elements (props) supplied by the 3D team.

The level builders will put together several elements to create ensembles called patterns, such as farms, residential areas or street roads. And then organize all the space.

Shaping a world
Shaping a world
Shaping a world

 

Since ‘A river runs through it’ was meant to take place in Central America, Siam reveals that the main inspiration was the city of Chihuahua. ‘We have spent time on Google Street View, studying city maps to permeate ourselves with the town planning, its architecture, how the citizens live there. We looked at all the little details to make our map follow the same construction logic.’

Shaping a world

The level builders’ job not only consists with playing in a big sandbox, but also make all the world consistent, from the color of the hills to the implant of trees and cactuses, the orientation of the sunlight, … And not only from one side to the map to the other, but in the whole Act of Aggression‘s universe as well.

This way, from one end of the Earth to the other, you immediately feel in a Eugen System’s RTS.

 

[EUG]Bigoudi

4 Comments

  • Bert Singels
    July 8, 2015 at 9:03 pm

    Act of Aggression mission in The Hague, Netherlands 😀

    Now you almost hit me where i live, right country wrong city. 😉
    But if you tell me i get to flatten The Hague… which also happens to be the seat of our government. You are forgiven 😀

    This game always was a must have, now as soon as you release you must excuse me.
    I Need to demolish a particular city 😀

    • [EUG]MadMat
      July 8, 2015 at 9:18 pm

      Well, if you can content yourself with the ICC and the surrounding residential suburbs, you should be more than happy then … 🙂

      • Craftypiston
        July 11, 2015 at 9:58 pm

        It is my city 😀 My grandmother lives 2min (walking distance) away..! It will be very fun for me too see how accurate the surroundings are.

  • Jay
    July 9, 2015 at 2:05 am

    Hoping that it will be the command and conquer we never received from EA. Looking really good, can’t wait! Would be awesome if it could release on PS4 in the future too.

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