HomeLAN - What other gameplay elements do you consider to be important in the game?
Andy Manson - Some of the more unique gameplay aspects will definitely push the RTS Genre forward. First off, we have what we call the Master Craftsmen System. With this feature, Grunts or Commoners of a culture can be upgraded to make themselves. better Grunts! So if you have a Commoner who is cutting wood for set period of time, you will have the option to upgrade him to a Master Wood Cutter. As a Master Wood Cutter, he will cut wood at double the speed of anyone else, but he will be less productive at other tasks such as farming, hunting, mining, and building. Also, we have real time weather effects, which play a large part in the game strategy. The climate can change from summer to winter before a player's eyes and they will see how harsh the winter can be on their armies and other units. For example, units move much slower across snow-covered lands and some mountain passes are actually inaccessible during the winter. Having the land covered with snow also slows down villagers and requires players to store extra food for the long winter months.