Fall from Heaven: Age of Ice Interview @ PC.IGN

[Thunderfall]

Great news for FFH fans! PC.IGN has posted an interview with Kael about Fall from Heaven: Age of Ice, which is one of the scenarios/mods included in Civ4: Beyond the Sword. The interview talks about the story of the scenario, how the scenario got included in the expansion, differences from the regular Civ4 experience, new features such as active climate, the magic system, hero units, scenario objectives, changes from the current public version of FFH, Firaxis's role in the making of the scenario, why FFH is so popular, and more. Below is a quote:

How does Age of Ice differ from the basic Civ experience? What does it add to the game?

The focus of the game is more on individual units than in Civilization IV. Units gain more experience from combat, and the promotions they gain are more powerful. Unique hero units cannot be rebuilt if they die, making it dire when they are lost or rewarding to defeat the heroes of your enemies.

It is a brutal world and large portions of the map can't be settled by any civilization, leading to large wild lands and limiting city sprawl. Players cannot afford to build huge stacks of units and must rely on smaller, more powerful groups to explore the wilderness and attack other civilizations.

As to what it adds, the scenario has several new features. One of my favorites is the active climate. Blizzards roll across the map from the west, damaging units, destroying improvements and changing the terrain. Tiles are affected by the blizzards and will begin to change from plains to tundra to snow based on how much snowfall they receive. Trees become covered in snow; lakes freeze over. And it's more than just an art change. All but the heaviest units can travel over frozen lakes, so if blizzards do freeze a body of water, it may open up new areas to explore or new ways for the enemy to get to you.

Players also have the ability to affect the climate through their actions and events. Mountains block the blizzards, creating small habitable regions on their east side that become hotly contested city locations for all civilizations.

24 amazing screenshots from the Age of Ice scenario are included. Check them out!

>> Read the interview
>> Fall from Heaven Forum
>> Fall from Heaven Homepage

 

[juni_be_good]

Congratulations to Kael and all the Fall from Heaven team. Working with Firaxians and getting your work in BtS is a great reward for all the amazing job you have made. I can't imagine the number of hours you have spent and the number of coffees you have drunk working to FfH, you deserve this moment of glory, for sure. And this new scenario looks sooooooo good

Waiting until July 23 was already hard, now it will be a true nightmare !

 

[ohcrapitsnico]

Wow just wow. I was never interested in FFH because I never liked that genre but now I just have to try this!!

 

[Ball Lightning]

One word... WOW (not World of Warcraft, this is WAY better!)

 

[darkedone02]

What are those Icy Castle's and them keeps? Merc guild or something?

 

[Black Whole]

You are so cruel! First, I decided to buy BtS much later because I want to play something else before... but now there is no other choice than to buy it!
It looks just so amazing, breathtaking, impressive...

Btw, will there also be other civs we can play with? So far, I´ve only seen the Amurites and the Doviello.

 

[Catharsis]

(The 'Next/Previous Image' links don't work for me... it tells me I've followed an invalid link. Anyone else getting this?)

On-Topic: Wow, cor, brill, etc.

 

[strategyonly]

Finally a QUEST, i was going to work on that after BtS, you beat me to the Punch Line again, now this may give me more ideas, and again many thx.

 

[LordGek]

Now to be the voice of dissent at this party.

I think this looks great and is a very brilliant use of the Civ 4 engine BUT...

-Loses random map for a fixed one.
-Only able to play as one race.
-Playing in the Ice Age (most minor whine, but it just sounds like bleak and unvaried terrain, hope I'm wrong).

While I'll be sure to check this out I think I'll REALLY be looking forward to the enhancements the teams makes to FfH2 with the new BtS enabled upgrades!

 

[3141592]

LordGek, I have to agree with you. For us FFH2ers the scenario will probably be good, but not great. However for people new to FFH2 the scenario will open new worlds for them.

 

[Love]

I have been almost from the beginning of FFH and you maked a huge step from no UUs and a pretty weird but funny beginning to a work on fireaxis and the mod included in BTS... Congratz!

 

[Consciousness]

Now to be the voice of dissent at this party.
(snip!)

I'm afraid I have to agree. I've played a zillion rounds of FFH2 because of all the choices (leaders, civs, religions, random maps, etc), but Age of Ice sounds like something I'll only try once or twice. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised, though.