C&C Labs News Wire

In the recent C&C Newsletter, there was an encoded message in the attached alien logo:
The encoded message reads as follows: "Message from the Scrin: We Are Coming". Predator has confirmed that this is the third faction in C&C 3, though I think the story involving the aliens is a bit more than that. What does that mean? I don't know for sure. But to assume that the Scrin are the Aliens is a bit much.

Hexetic from PlanetCNC has written an excellent summary of the December community summit. It's a good overview of a lot of the features in C&C 3, if a bit rambling at times. I highly recommend reading it. Here's a small snippet:

You have to admit that EA has a tough audience to please with C&C3 - there's the classic C&C, with its gameplay revolving around small numbers of units outmaneuvering defenses to dive for the Con Yard. There's Red Alert and Red Alert 2, with their masses and masses of tanks thrown head-first at powerful defenses. There's Tiberian Sun, with its slower pace, weaker superweapons, and smaller army sizes. Then there's Generals, with on the one hand its tiny infantry-in-vehicle rushes and on the other hand its large tank battles - not to mention its powerful aircraft.

Further reading is recommended.

French site Jeux Video has a new C&C 3 video. Coming in at 11 minutes in length, its narration is in French, but Mike Verdu, Executive Producer of C&C 3, speaks in English. It features quite a bit of gameplay footage.

You'll also recall that a while back there was a "rally the troops" video from the Nod side. Now, Kirce James of GDI has a video out on Gamespot's C&C 3 page (under Downloads) with roughly the same purpose.

Lastly, I want to mention that there's a new C&C 3 preview over at Voodoo Extreme. No new info, but it's a good read for those of you who haven't been keeping up.

I updated the poll today. We're now asking your thoughts on the overall feel of C&C 3, just two months away from release. Can EA replicate Westwood's success? Will the game be another Generals? Has EA been too caught up in signing actors and making the game look nice to worry about imperative details like balance, AI, and a good campaign? Tell us what you think!

The results from the last one are below. It seems that most of you are going to buy C&C 3, either through preordering or on release day, but a significant number will be waiting for the reviews or haven't seen enough so far to make a decision:

There are quite a few new screens out for C&C 3. Here are seven of them (click for full size):

In addition, Community Manager Predator gave us some details on the following screen. According to him, it's

a marquee shot that I don’t think you’ve seen or at least seen around. You’ll notice in the background the Planetary Assault Carrier. This base-destroying artillery flying structure flies very slowly over the terrain but comes equipped with 8 Invader class fighters, it has one of the coolest deploy animations I’ve ever seen and when the Invaders are flying around, it looks like an insane dog-fighting war mixed with ground artillery. It is lethal weapon for the 3rd Faction, one that can be powerful if used correctly. It is by far my favorite unit in the game, simply because of the way the Invader ships deploy off it and land on it and fly around like maniacal alien pilots.

EA is offering a contest of sorts whereby if you pre-order C&C 3 through EA Link before January 30th, you'll get a chance to win a free trip to the upcoming EALA Community Summit this March.  This includes:

• Roundtrip airfare for you and 1 guest to LAX.
  
• 3 days, 2 nights stay at the Ritz Carlton hotel in beautiful Marina Del Rey.
  
• Access to the upcoming Command & Conquer 3 Community Summit, where you’ll get to meet the dev team, play the game first, and tell us what you think! (Date TBD).
  
• $200 in cash!

For details, click here!

I might also point out this detail listed within the official rules:

(Thanks CNCNZ) The first screenshot of blue Tiberium is out. For those who don't know, this is an oft-cited example of something that a lot of people demanded by included in the game and that EA eventually decided to include. Take a look at it and see what you think (click for high quality).

In my last news post, I forgot to mention that IGN released several new C&C 3 gameplay videos, and an interview with Producer Amer Ajami. We have since uploaded the low quality versions here on Generals World. (If you're an IGN Insider, be sure to head over to IGN to get the high-quality versions!)

Check 'em out:

• Aliens Take on a Red Zone
• Aliens Attack in the Yellow Zone
• Nod Offensive in a Blue Zone
• Tripod Charge
• Aliens and Warmechs Fighting
• Shield Aliens
• Warmechs
• Rocket Barrage
• Video Interview with Amer Ajami

IGN PC has posted a new preview of Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. The preview delves into the alien faction and into some of the multiplayer tactics that will likely be present in C&C 3.

Outside of their look, the aliens bring other differences to the table compared to GDI and NOD. The most important of these differences is likely how they deal with economy. Not only are they granted a bonus that means they're granted more credit for tiberium collected than the other factions, but they also don't need to build silos to hold the stuff. This allows the aliens to build up huge amounts of money at a time to build up their forces. The balance to this is apparently in the armor values of early units. The aliens have the ability to pump out basic units at an incredible rate, but compared to other basic units on the field, they're weak and can easily fall to a well built group of enemies.

Along with the preview, they've also unveiled three new screenshots.  Be sure to check it out!

Last night there was a news update revealing the new faction, so far called the aliens. These are also known as "the invaders" by the GDI and "the visitors" by Nod. Here is part of what the article had to say:

The aliens (also known as "the invaders" to the GDI and "the visitors" to Nod) are perhaps most intriguing faction in the game for experienced strategy players, because with the right strategy and build order, they can mount a quick and continuous offense. However, this style of play will require some micromanagement--shuffling around individual units rather than simply commanding large groups--to work at its best.

The article goes on to state that the aliens are able to harvest more Tiberium from a patch than the other factions can; and that's not mentioning their "unlimited" space for Tiberium since this faction does not need silos. One of the most important traits of the new alien faction is its ability to walk on Tiberium unscathed.
On another note, EALA has thought up an interesting twist to online multiplayer.  This information was revealed before, but now it's in a bit more detail:

EALA also plans to release a multiplayer spectator component for the game on launch day, which should make it possible for an unlimited number of players to view online multiplayer games in progress, and even provide commentary using a voice-over-IP headset, along with a "telestrator"--the kind of superimposed drawing board that sports commentators often use to sketch diagrams on top of player footage. The studio hopes that these features will see players gain notoriety not only as skilled players, but also as commentators throughout the fan community, encouraging players of all skill levels to watch multiplayer replays not only to learn from the tactics that other players use, but also to enjoy a competitive match in the same way sports fans enjoy watching their favorite teams play.

On top of the article, six new screenshots and four new videos (videos can also be found in our C&C3 Videos section) surfaced:





Most of the images depict GDI vs. NOD, but one (middle left) shows some of the structures that can be constructed by the GDI. The first image shows GDI vs. the Aliens. Three of the new videos are of gameplay with either NOD or the alien faction. The fourth video is an interview with Amer that explains most of the important background information about C&C3: Tiberium Wars.

Kampy from Kampys-Stuff.de submitted us a fan video he made a while back. The video features the Global Liberation Army from Zero Hour.  It's been added to our newly created Other Fan Content downloads section, so be sure to check it out.

» GLA Promotion Fan Video

There's a new C&C 3 video over at the Gamespot preoder page. I've mirrored the video and you can download it here. It basically is a teaser from Josh Holloway, who plays Ajay, a Nod officer. No new gameplay footage, but still interesting nonetheless.

GameDaily has an interview with Mike Verdu, the Executive Producer of C&C 3. It's mostly related to the FMVs in C&C 3, and casting. Here's a snippet:

GameDaily: Can you talk about what Hollywood actors bring to the story-telling of this game?

Mike Verdu: Our very talented cast is bringing the characters, story, and game world for Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars (C&C 3) to life in a way that computer generated characters simply can't. The C&C 3 story is rich, layered, and has a depth that is unusual for the real-time strategy genre.

For example, Billy Dee Williams plays a politician thrust onto the world stage during the ultimate crisis, a man who must wrestle with deep insecurities and character flaws that become increasingly visible as the pressure on him mounts. Josh Holloway plays an elite military planner who has never actually confronted the death and destruction resulting from the very operations he plans; when he is forced to come face to face with the horrors of war, he gains a new level of empathy and understanding that leads to a character defining moment. Tricia Helfer plays the conflicted second-in-command of a stateless superpower, a new hybrid of terrorist organization, religion, and nation-state; she draws you into her own worldview to the point where you may well feel sympathy for this character who is ruthless and evil in the conventional sense but has a strong sense of honor and duty within her own twisted frame of reference.

Full piece here.

In addition there are two new C&C 3 screens at ComputerandVideoGames.com, but they don't show much new as far as I can tell.

Generals World is seeking new staff members! In particular, we're looking for a Command & Conquer 3 Content Manager. This position is a senior staff position. The job of the C&C 3 Content Manager is to manage Generals World's content pages for Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, including unit and structure information and screenshots for all 3 factions. The Content Manager will work with the current senior staff to expand our current C&C 3 content offerings.

We also have a number of other positions available, ranging from news posters to mappers and modders. To see what other volunteer staff positions we have available, visit this page here. Also, feel free to check out our current staff listing.

Visitors interested in joining the Generals World staff should email me at MicScoTho@cncgeneralsworld.com.

If you don't want to commit to joining the staff but would still like to contribute to Generals World, click here to see how you can.

(Thanks CNCNZ) The most recent issue of the German magazine PC Games has quite a bit of new info on C&C 3. First, there is a video (249MB) showing a battle between Nod and GDI, and a preview of a GDI mission against the third faction. Second, the article itself contains a wealth of new, though somewhat subjective, information. Here's a summary:

- Aliens waited intentionally before invading. They waited for "the signal". They thought that signal was the destruction of the Philadelphia, and thus, they started by invading the red zones.
- C&C3 plays just like any true C&C game, you get the C&C feeling already when you build a refinery.
- The UI is similar to World Of Warcraft's. (In a sense it is accessible, easy-to-use and efficient)
- There will be absolutely no in game ads, except the so-called "spectator client" which might show some ads in a small ticker.
- Every faction has a special infantry unit. GDI has the Commando, Nod has a female soldier and the Aliens have "The Mastermind".
- EMP weaponry is back.
- The actors in C&C3 make the universe and the story believable, you'll grow to love their characters and either agree with their decisions or not, just like with any human in real-life. These developed characters make the story of Command & Conquer 3 go forward.
- The Forgotten are back and available due special buildings, the mutant hovels. Just like a tech building.
- Nod players have to do more micromanagement than GDI players.
- The mystery around Kane will grow quite a bit, until the player eventually makes the ultimate decision.
- The campaigns are parallel instead of linear.
- Three campaigns with a total of about 40 missions will each tell the story from a different angle. Each campaign leads to a different ending.
- The Alien faction is referred to as "The Scrin" in the article. Wether it is their real name or not still remains a mystery. In the videos, the word "Scrin" isn't mentioned once.
- There will be a GDI mission against the Aliens that is set in Cologne. This mission has very dark setting.
- Shader 3.0 is used for the graphics.
- The Alien buildings cause a "Matrix-like warp" when they are hit.
- Arrows will indicate mission objectives.
- Part of the Aliens' arsenal is composed of Gun Walkers, Buzzers, Shock Troopers, Annihilator Tripods, Gunships, Corruptors, The Mastermind, Devourer Tanks and the Alien Mothership
- The veteran system is the same as in BFME2.
- Minimum PC specs are 1.8 GHz, 512MB RAM and a GeForce 3 64mb video card.
- Very fast loading times (less than 10 seconds)
- Burrowing will be limited to one single special ability, but because of the in-game balance there are no subterranean units like in Tiberian Sun.
- The Scrin Mothership is a giant super weapon, which can destroy entire bases in no time.
- C&C3 music will have new music, but there will also be a few old C&C tunes from Frank Klepacki. (It isn't mentioned if they are remixes of the old tracks or simply THE old tracks)
- The Alien faction plays a bit like Nod in a sense that you have to be "creative" when using their special abilities
- The Aliens have some very powerful late-game units (Annihilator Tripod), and some early-game mass cannon-fodder units (Razor Drones)
- Air units of the Aliens include plasma-equipped Devastator battleships, transports that can carry lots of units (ala Supreme Commander) and a (super-weapon) mothership.

(my emphasis) Lots of new information in there.