PC Gamer UK

[smurfbizkit]

MEC2 in PC Gamer!

Mideast Crisis 2 is getting noticed in all the right places - it was featured in the latest issue of PC Gamer UK! The article itself is very detailed, and raises many good points. However, there are a couple of things that have changed since the article went to press:

• The IDF doesn't use the airships for base-transport, they use Skycranes. Initially we had discussed using airships for transport... but decided to have the Skycranes reprise their role (as they did with the MEC1 cyard).

• We recently moved the News Vans from the UN over to the IDF. They fit the IDF's gameplay much better, and the UN also has a more fitting turtle-based secondary resource.

You can find us in the latest issue of PC Gamer UK. Look for the one with the extensive "Empire: Total War" article. If you aren't in the UK, or can't get your hands on a copy, don't worry! We've got a full scan below:

Congrats to HKH!

HKH - the guy behind many of MEC2's 3d models - has landed a job at Digital Extremes as an environmental artist. He's a very skilled modeler, and has been the backbone of our art crew since the start. We all wish him the very best of luck!

If you'd like to see more of his work, including some from his student days, check out his portfolio here.


Map Objects

Prior to MEC2 I was best known for founding the Generals mod Blitzkrieg 2*. During my stint on the mod there was something I had always wanted...but never quite found the time for. That was to make new world objects. Having custom map objects helps cement you in the world, and further set the mod apart from the core game.

MEC2 is the realization of that idea, and we may even have gone a bit overboard (getting all the damage states done has been a challenge). I know it can be hard to tell what is from C&C3 itself, and what is that is custom made, so here are some shots showing our civilian art assets.

Screen 1 - Buildings and signs

Screen 2 - Civilian Cars

(Yes, I do have an odd obsession with the Ford021c)

Screen 3 - New!

These are to polish up some existing maps, and work for in progress maps. Want to guess what one of our maps are themed after? Here's a clue: those are flowers, and the black object is a GOI memorial stone. Following the MEC1 war, and the creation of the GOI they had these stones commissioned to list the names of the fallen (both military and civilian) at places across the region.

Progress

We've updated the latest "status of the mod" topic with detailed info on how the mod is going, and what exactly needs done for release. You can check that out here.

One of the things mentioned is that we've been working on our unit icons/cameo's, here are some of the completed paintovers (obviously not in full icon-form...which we'll show later);

* - Some random info: MEC2's amazing coder, Korona, also doubles as team lead for the current incarnation of Blitz2. In addition, Vincent, aka Mr. Iron Grip himself, used to be a modeler for Blitz2.

[Galorian]

sweet

[KniveZ]

awesome possum 

[Guardian]

i love that police state advertisement. "Your friends in the sky"


awesome. it feels so much like something out of Fallout 3 or Bioshock.

[KniveZ]

It should be 'our heroes in the sky'

[smurfbizkit]

Yea, that would work too...I like the more friendly, child-like propaganda stuff though for this case. There is something more sinister about portraying airships spying on civilians as friends.

Earlier on...we actually had discussed giving the GOI a slick Jihadist marketting campaign...including happy, friendly cartoons promoting it. We shot that down though, opting in favor for the democracy angle (which imo...makes the GOI a far better rounded faction). Thus while the IDF has police state as its hook....the GOI has its election, and the campaigning elements there. (I kinda wish we had some more of that art done yet...would be quite timely to show off that aspect of the GOI)

[Galorian]

Yea, that would work too...I like the more friendly, child-like propaganda stuff though for this case. There is something more sinister about portraying airships spying on civilians as friends.

Earlier on...we actually had discussed giving the GOI a slick Jihadist marketting campaign...including happy, friendly cartoons promoting it. We shot that down though, opting in favor for the democracy angle (which imo...makes the GOI a far better rounded faction). Thus while the IDF has police state as its hook....the GOI has its election, and the campaigning elements there. (I kinda wish we had some more of that art done yet...would be quite timely to show off that aspect of the GOI)

Try and put a jihadist spinn on the election propoganda-
"only Abdul Jibrill can lead the armies of islam to total victory against the zionist infidels! Come july, vote AJ to push the jews into the sea."

[KniveZ]

Hahahhaah! I love that idea XD Also, I noticed Israeli authorities like to use the word "Iron fist" alot, might wanna add it somehow. After the riot in Acre, the head of the police department said "we will deal with all the rioters and those who take the law into their own hands with an iron fist," and it just reminded of MEC2

Oh i noticed something, what is that black box with the star and crescent on it?

[Korona]

The MEC2 IDF should say "Iron Grip" no?

The box is a memorial to the dead from the first MEC war, it has the GOI symbol and lists of names down the sides.

[kahv1]

On a completely unrelated note, I just noticed smurf has a finnish family name. No wonder this mod looks so good.

[Guardian]

"caused a pause.. as the team leader described the mod as "CnC Generals with balls"

lol yes! awesome.

[KniveZ]

err no, Iron FIST not Iron GRIP. as Olmert said, and Livni said, and that police guy from Acre said.

[Galorian]

err no, Iron FIST not Iron GRIP. as Olmert said, and Livni said, and that police guy from Acre said.

They seem to have an iron fisting fixation. 

[Korona]

Yes but Iron Grip is the other Isotx mod so it would be a clever pun/product placement

[Mandarax]

Yeah, I loved the "Emperor: Battle for Dune" billboards in RA2: Yuri's Revenge