Introduction

Mech action games for the PC have been few and far between in recent times, but developer Team Beam and publisher NCSoft plan to bring their own mech action game Exteel to a US audience later this year and the best part is that it will be free to download and play online (at least in its basic form). FiringSquad got a chance to ask questions to Team Beam game designer Sang-In Lee to find out more about Exteel.

FiringSquad: First, how did the idea for Exteel come about?

Sang-In Lee: When we first started planning for a robot-themed game, the entire team had gone to see Matrix 3. We were very impressed by the APU (Armored Personnel Unit) machines and the intense action sequences, and we started seriously discussing how we wanted our game to look. We wanted to create an action-packed, cool robot game with stylized moves.

At first, we thought of using heavy-looking robot designs but concluded that a “heavy” look would not go too well with the fast-paced action game that we wanted to pursue.  We added a jet pack component to all the robots to increase their mobility and speed, and started implementing a fluid and dynamic animation style to get to the current look and feel.

FiringSquad: There have been many "mech" style games released in the past. What will make Exteel different from the norm?

Sang-In Lee: We think that many mech-themed games out in the market make you feel like you’re driving a “heavy vehicle” in a dark and gloomy environment, almost like a battlefield.  We’re trying to differentiate Exteel by designing robots that, while impressive in size and scope, can still carry out human-like action. We also added the wildly cool animation.  The overall look and feel of our game is bright, sleek, and intense.


FiringSquad: What can you tell us about the kinds of mech vehicles and weapons in the game?

Sang-In Lee: The robot types are separated into three categories: basic, mid-sized and speed oriented.  Each robot (or Mechanaught as we are calling them in North America) consists of a head, core (upper torso), arms, legs, and jetpack.  By equipping different parts, players are able to create a wide variety of visually distinctive robots with very different combat styles. The right combinations and practice will allow players to employ a winning strategy.

Weapons are largely grouped into melee, ranged, siege (two-handed long range), shields, and repair tools.

Keep an eye on www.exteel.com for more info in the coming months.


FiringSquad: How customizable will the game be?

Sang-In Lee: Except for the game’s combat systems, the rest of the content will be customized to fit the North American and European market. We discuss these kinds of changes with our US office in Austin, and we will take into account the elements that are considered the most essential to the US and other western markets.