MechWarrior II FAQ
==================

1: When will it ship?

The game will definitely be shipped by the end of June. Current target date
is June 26.

2: Will there be a new demo released?

Yes. Current plans call for releasing a one-on-one version of the game
as shareware/PD. It will support both modem and network play. It will
ONLY support one-on-one; no more than that. It probably will not be
released until just before ship time (see #1).  There will also be
new screen shots released, hopefully within the next couple of weeks.

3: Will the game support network play?

Yes. Both network and modem play will be supported. See #2.

4: Will there be terrain?

Yes. Terrain is a major part of MWII. Hills/mountains that you can hide
behind, climb up onto, run around, etc. are very useful, both for you
and your enemies. The AI mechs love to come popping over the top of
a mountain and raining fire down on your noggin. Some missions will
be mostly flatlands with a few mountains here and there; others will
be all rolling terrain; others will be canyon missions.

5: Will I be fighting alone?

Not necessarily. Some missions will have you by yourself, but as you
gain experience, you will soon start leading one to two other mechs
into battle. They will be intelligent mechs, able to work on their
own, or you can direct them. You can order them to attack a selected
target, disengage, guard a location, retreat, or follow you (probably
more by the time we ship).

6: Will there be trucks and/or Aerotech fighters in the game?

Yes and maybe.  Trucks are in the game now. Some are stationary
targets you can blow up just for the sheer fun of it; others will
be moving in convoy, and you'll have to intercept or guard them,
depending on the mission. Aerotech fighters are still a maybe. Already
in the game are dropships, helicopters, elementals, gun turrets,
and a monorail.

7: What is the minimum system requirements?

Currently, a 486/50. Hey, quit whining. :)  This is a very hardware
intensive engine. We're moving more textured polys per frame that most
sim games do in an entire mission. The game is playable on a 50,
very smooth on a 66, and ROCKS on a Pentium.

8: Will it support the full Thrustmaster control system?

Yes. All of our development stations at Activision have full
Thrustmaster systems: Joystick, throttle, rudder pedals. Torso twisting
is strongly encouraged for taking out enemy mechs.
MWII also supports a wide range of other joysticks; pretty
much anything that's close to standard. It also supports the
VictorMaxx CyberMaxx Head-Mounted Display, if you're into pounding
headaches.  :)

9: Why has MechWarrior II been delayed for almost two years?

Oof. This is a tough one. There are many factors that have led
MW2 to this state. Here are a few: a) over-eager PR people hyping
a game that was not even close to being done. This led to forced
promises of release dates that were IMPOSSIBLE to make. b) lack of
a design. There was no clear direction for the first year and a half
on the game, and no solid style. c) Featuritis: A disease that often
afflicts game developers, causing them to want to keep adding more
and more features to a game, rather than debugging and shipping what
they already have. d) Morale. As they fell further and further behind
schedule, the programmers and artists felt less and less inclined to
produce. This led to e) departures. See below.

10: Is it true that Activision fired the original Mech team and replaced
them with an all new team?

NO.  This is a common myth on the net, but the fact is that not ONE
of the original mech team members was ever fired by Activision. They
all left of their own accord to go to other companies.  I'm sure the
Activision management has no interest in dispelling this particular
myth.  :)

11: Can I be a Beta tester?

This is the most common question I've gotten. I'm sorry to say
that, as far as know, we do not need any more beta testers. We have
an enormous in-house testing department, as well as plenty of
outside volunteers. So please don't ask.


Anyways, that's all I can come up with right now. I just want to
assure all you worried MechHeads out there that the game WILL ship,
and it's a hell of a lot of fun. We have become quite addicted to
it at Activision, and I'll bet most of you will, too.  :)  Also,
thanks for all the positive responses I have received after
my posts. When I first decided to start responding to the MW2
questions on the net, I was expecting some major flame action. I know
there's a lot of anger and frustration over this game out there;
thanks for not taking it out on me.  :)


- Scott Goffman
- 3D Artist
- Activision Studios
- Los Angeles, CA
- umbles@mcl.ucsb.edu