Tom Clancy's EndWar

by whtan2000 on 13th April 2008, 10:03 am

Evolution

A game can change a lot between when development first begins and when it heads out the door to be shipped to a game store near you. Units often evolve from one form to another. It's a common occurrence in game development and Tom Clancy's EndWar is no exception.

A Tale of Two Gunships

Today we're going to take a look at two helicopter gunships from EndWar. The first is the AH-80 Blackfoot used by the Joint Strike Force (JSF). Below is a piece of concept art for the original design of this unit. As you can see it looks very similar to the RAH-66 Comanche. The Comanche is a cool stealthy chopper, but the EndWar team felt it was overexposed and overused in games and film. Not only that, but the Comanche program was cancelled back in 2004 so it really didn't fit as a "future" attack chopper. As a result, this design was scrapped.

The team decided to go with a newer; more futuristic design for the JSF gunship while still retaining some basic elements of the original. This new Blackfoot is based in part on various experimental Canard Rotor/Wing (CR/W) UAVs while still retaining some characteristics of the original design. This resulted in an more futuristic aircraft that fits in perfectly with the futuristic setting of EndWar.

The PAH-6 Cheetah used by the European Federation Enforcer Corps underwent a similar evolution. As you can see below the original design was just too similar to the current Eurocopter Tiger. Again, the Tiger is a fine aircraft, but definitely not futuristic enough for EndWar.

It was replaced with a new design that is actually a mish-mash of various European attack choppers blended with a few elements from
sci-fi vehicles. One bit of influence is from the 1980's TV show, Airwolf. This is where the Cheetah gets its long, sleek look. There is no one helicopter which the Cheetah is based on, this makes it one of the more unique designs in the game. Of particular note are the turreted rocket pods.

That's all for today's entry. Next week we'll take a look at some of the small arms of EndWar which didn't make the cut and get a closer look at the assault rifle used by the JSF. Till then, this is Li C. Kuo, the Community Developer for EndWar, signing off.

*As always, you can head to www.endwargame.com for more info on Tom Clancy's EndWar.

source : http://blogs.ign.com/Ubisoft_EndWar/

by whtan2000 on 13th April 2008, 10:11 am

What is EndWar?

Experience World War Three in your living room. Tom Clancy’s EndWar™ is a brand new real-time strategy wargame that’s unlike any other. Created from the ground up for next-generation gaming consoles, this wargame puts you in control of three different armies waging a world-wide war in the year 2020. As expected from any game with the name “Tom Clancy” in the title, EndWar’s vehicles, weaponry, and technology are based on real-world military research – giving you authentic access to the technology of tomorrow’s wars.

You Are in Control

This is paired with a chillingly relevant storyline that pits superpower against superpower in all-out war, with you in command. You'll take control of the US-led Joint Strike Force, the European Enforcer Corps, and the Russian Spetznaz Guard Brigades, in both a single-player campaign and online against your friends in the persistent-world Theater of War mode. EndWar goes beyond other wargames by letting you use your own voice to control your units, for strategy at the speed of thought.

Putting You in the Battle

Instead of the traditional top-down/isometric view, EndWar uses a unique third-person camera that puts you in the heart of the battle. Thousands of units can be engaged at a time in fully destructible 3D battlefields. Flanking, cover, suppression, and all the basics of combat are taken into account as you battle your way across Europe and the United States.

KEY FEATURES