Announcement - a new game from Vyacheslav Mednonogov - Black Raven.

M.M.A/SPEED SO.                           
                                          
                                          
Many  of our readers probably know
or at least guess that the most
famous  gamemaker  countries  - Vyacheslav
Mednonogov - working on  his new head-
devrom.  This time  he planned to hit
country  game  in style realtime strategy.
What is this this I won’t explain - you and
you should be aware of it yourself. Particularly misunderstood -
I refer you to the most famous representatives
for people  this directions  games  - DUNE 2 and
WARCRAFT.                                 
                                          
                                          
New  Mr.'s game  Mednonogova wears
name "BLACK RAVEN". Already released
four  demo versions, and  as stated by the author,
"to retreat  more  nowhere - only further
game" (I quote from memory).                

                                          
Below you you can read small  in-
the interview we took from Vechyaslav in the
mid summer of this year. I asked questions
(M.M.A), but helped me in this important and
responsible matter, good DR.DEATH. Answered,
naturally, V. Mednonogov - at least
We hope so!                    
                                          
                                          
By the way, it is worth  noting that even then, in
distant June,  on  my phrase "in a month
Let's release OBERON#4", Slava replied:       
                                          
                                          
 "If in a month, then wait until autumn..."    
                                          
                                          
Less would like prophecies on our
head!                                   
                                          
                                          
                                          
Q: What is the plot of the future game?              
                                          
About:  The plot has already been discussed many times.
 will be offered  even two plots - while playing
on  human side, must be destroyed
enemies (kungs) and, conversely, controlling kun-
gami, it is necessary to defeat people. Differences
except, in fact, the levels and appearance
heroes will consist of a set of access-
ny spells and in combat abilities are not
which species (primarily those that own
onions).                                   
                                          
    In  the process of working on the game appeared
the idea to develop several levels, based
bathrooms not on strategic, but onlogical
certain principles (i.e., to pass them
necessary will understand the "zest" of the level).
Although  possibly this  idea will migrate to
"BLACK RAVEN-2"                          
                                          
                                          
B:  What is  degree  readiness "BLACK
CROW" for today?              
                                          
                                          
About:  The degree of readiness at the end of June is
quite large. In fact,  absent
only  three things:  intelligence  computer,
levels, disk support. Everything else
- ready and working.                      
                                          
The greatest technical difficulty is represented by
lays on  today check  opportunities
mutual  impact  on each other
heroes  one  and the other side (which,
as previously  mentioned, maybe more
45 on each  side ).  Explicitly ask-
variablebrute-force method for dynamic
mic strategy is not applicable. However, re-
sewing this will solve the last problem
a serious obstacle to completing the game.     
                                          
However, work on intelligence has already
are underway. I started, as  always from small - from
peasantsenemy.  They are already quickly finding
they mine gold and timber, and take it all for themselves
base. And the guard soldiers don’t stand like pillars,
and  try to react to the approaching
enemy.                               
                                          
As always, serious concerns  inspires
lack of  memory  (for all of the above
Less than 5k left. Perhaps something from ra-
her  declared will have to let "under
knife."                                     
                                          
In:  In  demo version of the game you can see that
screen  as  would be divided into 2 X 2 squares.
In principle this layout is quite understandable
points  vision of graphics, animation, etc., but
it would be much better if unexplored
bathroom  the territory opened up as the
In this case,  not  such  large squares, but
acquaintances.                             
                                          
About:  Technically this is difficult. And so are all ours
warriors  and peasants must constantly lead
inspection  of the territory - in the proposed case
inspection  will take  four times  more time.
Then,  it’s very logical - every cell
has  one visibility bit. And so it will have to
enter 4 bits. For what?                    
                                          
                                          
Perhaps  in question  there was  due to the
make smoother edge of the invisible area
-  here  everything will depend on the number of sprites
plus the time it takes to
to  find out which edge sprite
output.                                 
                                          
                                          
B:  According to reviews of many who played UFO 1 & 2
it is known  that after two or three weeks,
spent on passing, the game system itself
the situation as such ceased to interest them
to poke, and the main intrigue and incentive lay
in the  area  research  and  openings
ENCYCLOPEDIA. In short speaking as  this is  neither
it was would be  banal,  but  peopleliked
"scanned" pictures!                 
Will there be any analogue ENCYCLOPEDIA
in "BLACK RAVEN"?                        
                                          
About:  ENCYCLOPEDIA,  of course there won't be, but
After each level, uni-
local  picture  (drawn  Denis
Barkov)  - it's worth a look. Os-
new   criterion   effectiveness assessment
actions player will become so banal
parameter as transit time.В: The game will be played exclusively against
computer or it will become possible to fight with the "living
you" opponent... It is clear that on one
computer   enough  inconvenient  play
together, but this problem can be solved using

using two cars, similar to playing with two
IBM PC  via a “null modem” cable. For
transmission data you can use a modem
or (which is simpler and more reliable!) tape recorder
port Have there been any similar proposals from
people from ZX-NET's circles?            
                                          
                                          
About: More  would. Of course they did. But ig-
army through modem in  dynamic games
Spectrum is rather weak. And “on the cord” is slick
exotic case, so that because of it
to rush (how many people have two spectrums at home?
ma and two monitors?)                       
                                          
(M.M.A: Yes, for the sake of such a thing...)           
                                          
B:  Flying enemies, as far as is known, in
game will not (due to memory limitations)
ty), but what about the swimming reptiles. They can-
gut  attack  on  units standing
near  shores, destroy bridges, etc. Head-
new, that  there is no need to create a new one for them
slice  cards, because as you know, all operating systems
tal  heroes  progresses   water-
fear...                                 
                                          
A:  B  this time - no. Still, the program
you can't  complicate  to  infinity, you have to
someday and release. However, completely
a valuable fleet is planned for the next game
ru.  By the way, for this reason (and not only
according to this) the next game will be calculated
for memory not lower than 256k.                   
                                          
Q:  Are the rumors about attracting the winner true?
lei ENLIGHT'96 - X-TRADE groups - to work
over the intro and FINAL CUT to the game?    
                                          
About:  This information is outdated. To the appointed time
mu  term (end of last year) X-TRADE not
presented no developments, so I
I had to do these parts myself. Enter-
This is  a 12-minute ro-
face, created using 3D STUDIO, and
takes up most of the first disk. Ready
as well as two final animations of 48 frames each
ditch.                                      
                                          
Q: Will it be fully supported?
additional memory (256/512/1024) or game
will it again be “purely 128th”?            
                                          
About:  The game will again be “purely 128th”. However
I want to warn you that all subsequent games
ry I expect to do "purely 256"!  
                                          
B:  How many disks will the full
game version? Will there be a significant
th increase in size due to support
GENERAL SOUND 'eh?                         
                                          
About:  Support GENERAL SOUND,promised everything
those same X-TRADE,  in  present tense under
question.  However, in any case, the game will
children are supplied on two discs, and music
cal accompaniment will be intended
for free distribution (for example,
via the network).                              
                                          
                                          
Q:  What do you think by about the editor
levels? Any game, no matter what it is
complex and interesting, it will inevitably be passed
dena to end. In "ChV", like  and  any
realtime strategy, there is an element of non-determinism
concentration, and therefore into your new game
(in unlike UFO 1&2 people will play
much longer. But if  there will be
opportunity  to create your own  own
levels, whole  episodes, then using the body
programs as a player (player) can
at least until 2000  think with interest
more and more new game situations.  
                                          
A: Good question. Of course, the map editor
and the initial arrangement of heroes I have
(for RS). However, the level description includes
quite a lot of parameters plus a few
subroutines individual for  each
level. However, the main difficulty is purely
economic:  unprofitable  do  "BLACK
RAVEN" open play.                    
                                          
B:  A  nobody and forces you to make a game
"open"!  The editor can be put into operation
I sell as a separate software product. A
before  release the editor himself
selling a couple of discs with additional mis-
siami  -  after all were    EXTENSIONS to
WARCRAFT. And the more complex the editor and
the more playable levels you can have
create it, the more it will resemble
transfer to a separate software product, for
which is worth  giving your money. What are you
do you think now?                           
                                          
A:  It still needs to be written (as I mentioned,
it  is only available in the PC version). Therefore, in
In the best case, I'll open the levels format and
I will release a free-ware version of the game for this purpose
with  possibility loading levels.  Ec-
Naturally,  far  not  immediately,  but, say,
after  output  ChV-2. But actually - with this
hackers could do much better  
:-)                                       
                                          
                                          
B:  Slava  - think  self, if the editor
levels link  to  proprietary protection against
games,  then  all those who buy CRACK games will not
will be able  to use the proprietary editor
rum But it will be difficult to completely crack the editor
nen due to the fact that it is inoperable
The details will be clarified only after creation
his scenario and _attempts_ to pass it. A
on  it takes quite a while...  In short,
the editor can help in the fight against pirates.
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
About:  Protect editor  much more complicated -
everything  equals as   create non-copyable
distribution. Yes and usually has value
not a tool (editor), but a product (level-
neither). But to the product  I won't then
have no relation. Q: Have any agreements been reached on how
with  local monsters hacking (VIRTUAL
BROTHERS)  so  and  with people who make a living
Is this the case in  other cities? Or by re-
The results of  sales of UFO-1 and UFO-2 turned out to be
that pirates do not cause significant harm?
                                          
About:  No, any  certain contracts
there are no wars. The main role in this issue is
dew plays public opinion. Of course
pirates strike significant harm, but in
Peter it's not  so noticeable, but to cover everything
cities  countries I am not able - hands
Rotki :)                                  
B:  A  how much will the honest one have to pay
to the user for the branded version of the game?   
                                          
About:  Apparently, wholesale price will increase by
2-3 thousand compared to UFO-2, which is due
zano more with an increased price for pure
disks. Retail price depends on final
seller, but, for example, in St. Petersburg it is unlikely
will it be higher30 thousand rubles.                 
                                          
B:  What are the terms of sale and distribution?
copies?                               
                                          
About:  As always, no
some distributions. Distributed only
directly author's copies.          
                                          
Q:  If tomorrow a rumor spreads across the country that
"BLACK RAVEN" was written and went on sale
I'm going to the official distributors, where
should be contacted by the user who wishes to
buy a branded release?                  
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
    To the company "Inforcom" or to Sergei Zonov
(company  "Scorpio"). Addresses not from these companies
times published in ZX-Review and in ZX-Forma-
those  Small wholesale lots usually occupy
Mikhail Akimov (Logros company)       
                                          
           (FOR ADVERTISING!)           
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
 This, my friends, is an interview...       
                                          
I hope that  by  the moment  reading these
rows  you  already  became  copy owners
(preferably  proprietary) full  version
"BLACK RAVEN." Well, if not, then wait
left not for long - Glory man
businesslike, and does not waste words.      
                                          
He said that there will be a game, so there will be.     
                                          
  "Definitely!"                           
                  (C) V.V. Zhirinovsky     
                                          
Well,  finally,   dear   readers,
We offer  to you a photograph taken  on
second day of ENLIGHT'97.                   
                                          
In the centerV. Mednonogov, standing with his back to him
Ilya Fomin.Recognize the third  comrade
failed...                             

                                          
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LAST EDITION: 10/21/97                    
MUSIC VU : VISUAL/XTM