Interview with Ingmar Spit - Tripwire Interactive

**Q. How did RO stick around? I mean we see so many WW2 mods claiming they are so much better than every one else and claim to be so different but and up dying because everyone already has a favorite? **

A. Red Orchestra is more sim oriented then most currently available WW2 games. This approach already made for a very different game play experience in the MOD, on which we vastly expand in the retail game. Playing RO is just 'different' and, in my eyes, a next step in WW2 FPS mainstream gaming. People who are open to new experiences will have a good time switching over to RO.

**Q. How long have you been with Tripwire? Where you in from the start or did you jump on once you'd heard about RO as a UT2004 Mod? **

A. I started out as a custom community level designer for Red Orchestra in September 2003. My first map, Kaukasus, got the attention of the Mod team back then, and they invited me to join them, which I happily accepted. Red Orchestra was still a UT2k3 mod back then, so I went through the transition to UT2k4 Mod and the introduction of vehicles, which was very exciting. I also got to enjoy the labor and fruits of almost the entire Make Something Unreal Contest, and halfway during that period I filled a vacant position as Lead Level Designer and became part of the core team. After the MSU, the leads of the team, John Gibson, Bill Munk, Alan Wilson and myself formed Tripwire Interactive LLC and started planning the release of a new stand alone version of Red Orchestra with the people that had been working up to the finals of MSU.

Q. What are the hopes for the upcoming Retail release of RO? Will it be a hit or will it flop?

A. Well, that's an easy one, we'll go for a hit thank you :)

**Q. What maps have made the starting line-up? **

A. We have 13 maps lined up on initial release. All in all we have 5 infantry maps, 4 combined arms maps and 4 tank maps on our line up, each with their own unique game play ranging from full fledged long range tank battles in rural areas, attacking an airfield in Poland with combined arms forces, trench warfare battles while artillery is pounding away which makes you want to keep your head down for it not to be blown off, urban infantry skirmishes in the Ukraine and the 'final' battle at Königsplatz in Berlin, right in front of the Reichstag where that last Tiger supports the infantry in their hopeless attempts to defend Berlin. Note from Alan: not quite so "hopeless" in stfront as it was in real life :) The Germans have a good chance to win this one!

**Q. Which ones have you made yourself or helped with? **

A. I've had my hands in most of the maps in some way or another. Personally, I had the most fun with the new Königsplatz map. I wanted this map to depict the environment on a real 1 to1 scale, something we had not done before. After looking through the extensive research material Alan Wilson provided, discussing the scenario's with Alan and building a quick prototype depicting the scale and game play, I took a trip to Berlin and spent a few days photographing, wandering around in bookshops and antique shops, asking local people about certain buildings like the Kroll Oper, which was demolished shortly after the war. On my return, we assembled a small team that would be working on the map: Colin Murphy (Level Designer), Alan Wilson (Historian) and me. It was an interesting experience working on a single map with a small crew like that. What makes us all really happy with the map, is that the core game play of Red Orchestra: Ostfront really shines here. It is as if there are many layers you can play in: infantry engagements, tank to tank battles going off over the square, large scale artillery, tank hunting as a Panzerfaust soldier; everyone can fully engage in what he's best at.

**Q. Will new maps be released in packs or as separate maps? Are the expectations of loads of new maps over the coming months? **

A. We are releasing 13 maps with the retail version of the game, which should keep everyone busy for quite some time. Due to our relatively short production period, I have many scenarios that are untouched still, and my fingers are itching to continue working on some of these great battles. On how and what, I'm not sure yet.

**Q. What mapping projects will various mappers within Tripwire be taking part in once the retail release is out and about and the stress have left their shoulders? **

A. I can't go into specifics until we know for sure which new map projects will be 100% go. At this point, we are still in the first design stages.

**Q. How have the Unreal community responded to the release of RO over steam instead of on a CD/DVD? **

A. Basically, apart from some raised eyebrows, the majority of the Unreal community immediately saw the advantages of having Steam as a distribution method for the game when we first announced our distribution partner. Our second announcement about our boxed retail publisher only added to the support. In general, most of the Unreal community wants to see us succeed in making our dream reality, like us.