The developer chat was held earlier today with Prince Arrington, a Red Storm producer.
From the Ghostrecon.net forums.
http://www.ghostrecon.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=30541
<JOS> How many maps are there in the multiplayer mode?
[+rsePrince] 10 total maps.
<Alfie> Will any maps from previous games be making an appearance?
[+rsePrince] We're not shipping with any maps from previous Ghost Recon games...but if you have any favorites, it's always a good idea to post them on the forums...you never know
<EC_JonT> The ability to customize your character is going to be incredible. How will this affect you while playing in a Team environment? Will each player be unique in not only their look but their color scheme as well?
[+rsePrince] If, as a team, everyone decides on the same look (same face paint, headgear, etc), then yes, it will kind of set your team apart. With that said, the server will control what type of camo is used during a game...
so, regardless of the identity you or your team chooses, you'll automatically be set apart from the other team.
<EC_JonT> I think the most useful part of the cross com will be using the drones or Cyphers which are new to the series. In your opinion, do you think teams will choose to turn them on or off for matches?
[+rsePrince] That's hard to say. I personally like having them on because it adds another dimension to the game. Not only do you have to worry about the people trying to shoot you, you have to be worried about what's happening above you as well...
Some GR purists will want it off to increase the challenges...other will think it's cool and will have it on for the added challenge.
<Ice642> Will Splitscreen Multiplayer and Co-Op be supported?
[+rsePrince] Yes, 4 player Splitscreen is supported in MP and Co-op. We will be also supporting 16 player Co-Op as well.
<Neth> will be able to play on multiplayer game between xbox 360 an pc players?
[+rsePrince] No.
<Alfie> Will there be more multiplayer co-op missions available via download at the Xbox Live Marketplace at some point after the initial launch?
[+rsePrince] Unfortunately, I can't officially comment on that now, but the plan is to continue to make Ghost Recon one of those games that people will want to continue playing...long after they purchase our game.
<leaguexbox> Can you confirm that there will be a demo available on download on the marketplace?
[+rsePrince] We are currently looking into it and will make an announcement as soon as possible.
<Alfie> Will there be female character customizations available?
[+rsePrince] Unfortunately not.
<EC_JonT> Will the server have additional options to choose depending upon the game mode selected? If so, could you give us some examples
[+rsePrince] Yes. The server will have a TON of options based on several factors...
Respawns, Victory Conditions, Time Limits, Scoring Conditions, # of Objectives, types of objectives...and that's just a few of the Game Mode related options...
The list of server options in GRAW, just in general, are impressive.
<Sefiros> What will be the differences between the multiplayer mode in this game in comparison with previous versions?
[+rsePrince] The cool thing about GRAW multiplayer is that it's a good combination of what people liked from GR1 and GR2 all wrapped into one...
We're class based like in GR1...but you can choose any weapon like in GR2...
However, there is a distinct advantage to choosing weapons from the class you choose.
<comette> is GRAW best on 360 or PC in terms of graphism?
[+rsePrince] A lot will depend on your PC stats at home, but since I'm only working on the 360 version, I can honestly say that we are very impressive graphically...especially on a High Definition TV. )
<ItsYourFuneral> What support do you have for clans,friends etc?
[+rsePrince] We have friend support, but do not have a built in clan system.
<EC_JonT> Can you elaborate on the ability to "hide" behind obstacles and how the new camera views are supposed to cut down on "3-d peeking"?
[+rsePrince] Cover mode is a Single Player feature that is not in Multiplayer due to the drastic differences in terrain that makes the cover system in MP less useful...MP happens so fast that cover mode will getcha killed )
<Sefiros> How will be the IA of the game?
[+rsePrince] The AI has been greatly improved. AI will now throw grenades at you to kill you, they will throw smoke grenades to try to confuse you, they will flank you. They will also take cover from explosions and retreat if necessary.
<leaguexbox> Once you've created your character (sniper for example), is it possible to change it or do you have to create a new one?
[+rsePrince] You can create a special look for each of the 4 classes. At anytime before the game starts, you can switch you class on the fly if you're not happy with the way that that one is working out for you.
<Neth> In the videos, we saw that the "good ones" have incredible weapons, much more better than the "bad guys". How it will be present on MP modes?
[+rsePrince] The AI "bad guys" will have a variety of weapon loadouts...but since the Ghosts have the latest and greatest equipment, they'll have a slight advantage over the "bad guys"...Now, in adversarial, all bets are off. Everyone can be just as deadly as you.
<Alfie> Some of the recent games have gone to a minimialistic approach when it comes the HUD. However, GR3 seems to be going the opposite direction. Do you think there comes a point where it may be information overload for the gamer?
[+rsePrince] I fully agree that there is a point where information overload is possible in gaming. The good thing about GRAW is that you can remove certain aspects of the HUD that you don't like.
<johnnychimpo> Will ping times be displayed for players on xbl lobby so we can see a numerical representation of there connection?
[+rsePrince] Yes. However, it won't be in the form of #'s. it will graphically represented by bars.
<Alfie> Can you tell us more about how the ranking system in multiplayer will affect gameplay? Will each rank give the player more accuracy in shooting, for instance, and other skills? Will there be RPG like skills that each player can improve?
[+rsePrince] The ranking system is the more for a quick way for you to tell how experienced players are. You won't recieve a performance boost by being a General as opposed to being a Private. However, if you're a higher rank than someone else, you SHOULD be better than them, because ranking up isn't the easiest thing to do.
<leaguexbox> is it possible to set the game on first person view?
[+rsePrince] Yes, we offer both First Person and Over-the-Shoulder views. The server can even FORCE a view if they want to.
<ItsYourFuneral> For online are you having halo style matchmaking or seperate lobbys and rooms?
[+rsePrince] I don't like to compare us to other games, but I will say that our Lobby system is very user friendly. You'll be able to go in and do such a specific search that you will only find games that you want to find...
and since we're supporting the friends system...it's easy to join friends.
<ick> Will we find recent additions like Double Siege, Blind Siege, and Helo Hunt in GRAW?
[+rsePrince] You won't find those predefined...but with custom game types...you're only limited to what your imagination can conjure.
<EC_JonT> As far as maps are concerned, what is being done to cut out the linear feel which makes some of the maps feel so repetitive? Especially for games like siege.
[+rsePrince] The big difference between GRAW and the other games is that we did not make Single Player maps and then converted them into MP maps... we prototyped very early so that all of our maps work with all of our game types... when you turn SP into MP maps, they don't always play well. so by doing that, I believe that we've taken care of any linearity issues previously seen in GR maps.
<cockfoster> We've been seeing screenshots showing multiplayer to be alot less polished graphically than the single player shots (for ex. no/low AA etc.) - care to comment on this factor?
[+rsePrince] Screenshots are not alway indicative of actual visuals. I always suggest that people see the game running as its intended before they make a judgement on how well a game looks. Trust me...you WILL be impressed by the visuals in MP )
<Buehgler_AS> Can you comment on the differences between multiplayer co-op and multiplayer adversarial. You mentioned that the "hide/peek" features would not be appropriate in MP, but it seems that this may be appropriate for MP co-op.
[+rsePrince] The decision to exclude "cover mode" was based on the way the maps were designed, not game play. Unfortunately, it's an all or nothing deal...we don't want the player to be confused about when they can or can't use cover mode.
<leaguexbox> between the 16 multiplayer modes, which one do you prefer?
[+rsePrince] Once people start customizing game types and such, there are a ton more than 16, but if I HAD to make a choice, I would say ANY game type with "Pistols Only" as a kit restriction. )
<johnnychimpo> What would be the recommended upload connection speed for the server to host 16 players?
[+rsePrince] The faster the better!!! ) Without my network engineer here, I couldn't give you a specific number.
<SamFisher> Which weapon will be the strongest in GRAW? The Crye Weapon?
[+rsePrince] Rocket Launcher. )
<Isomeri> Can you play with the OTS view on splitscreen?
[+rsePrince] No. Screen space allows for so much, so Splitscreen will be 1st person view only.
<MasterMage210> Are you already working on a new GhostRecon ?
[+rsePrince] Huh? Bad connection!! My power just flickered. What was that?
ENJOY!
PS!
Ryosan: We'll do our best to organise a PC chat within the month. Stay tuned on www.ghostrecon.com
From the Ghostrecon.net forums.
http://www.ghostrecon.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=30541
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